Local substance abuse coalition helping prisoners re-enter society cleanly

David Bell Photo/Gila Valley Central. Ken Gowin, coordinator for the Graham County Substance Abuse Coalition's prison re-entry program, discusses the program during a recent appearance on Voice of the Valley.

THATCHER — Graham County Substance Abuse Coalition is starting a new project — helping paroled prisoners deal with substance abuse issues and re-enter society.

“I am to coordinate (and) bring up to committees that, when individuals are getting released from prisons and jails, that they have the necessary resources (to) re-introduce them into the community: IDs, health care, church, recovery programs, housing and other things they stand in need of,” said Ken Gowin, Re-entry Project coordinator.

The coalition received a grant to fund the program and is working with Arizona at Work, as well as individual business owners to help get those who paid his or her debt to society a chance at gainful employment upon release.

In addition, the Graham County Substance Abuse Coalition is making overdose resource bags available to the public, which includes naloxone, information on proper use and local treatment resources. The overdose prevention kits are available at CMS, 102 E. Main St. in Safford, from 9 a.m. to noon weekdays.

For more information or to volunteer with Graham County Substance Abuse Coalition, call 928-322-1747 or go to the coalition’s Facebook page.

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