The Regional Commission has long supported community wellbeing through planning, projects and programs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Regional Commission played a strategic role in facilitating and executing infection control measures, as well as providing expertise and resources to businesses, schools and governments in their pandemic response. Today, the Regional Commission continues to provide leadership, to seek state, federal and private funding, and to engage communities across the region to address community health and wellbeing.
A unique aspect of the New River Valley Recovery Ecosystem program is the oversight and integration across prevention, treatment, recovery and harm reduction measures. The proposal intentionally coordinated these elements to develop structural changes to root out the disease and support wellness across the region. The NRVRC will coordinate a collaborative regional opioid abatement program with Montgomery County serving as the fiscal agent for NRV Recovery Ecosystem project. Floyd, Giles, Montgomery, and Pulaski counties and the City of Radford in the New River Valley partnered in the development of the proposal. The work ahead will be implemented by many organizations and individuals. The focus is to strengthen well-being and address the impacts of addictions and the underlying factors that create addiction risks to individuals and communities. To become more involved, please contact Holly Lesko, Director of Community Health at NRVRC (hlesko@nrvrc.org). And visit subscribe to the programs social media at https://www.instagram.com/togethernrv
The Regional Commission has been working with the New River Health District and the Community Foundation of the NRV to support the launch and region wide engagement for the Health Roots Network. The work included a refresh of the NRV Road to Wellness website as well as facilitation and evaluation of current and emerging outreach and community engagement tools and programs.
The Regional Commission has been a longtime partner with the New River Health District (NRHD). This on-going work includes mapping of infectious diseases, health resources, and critical need zones across the region. Additionally, this work supports the maintenance of the website and promotion of innovative and ongoing services at the NRHD. Under development is an interactive mapping effort for the mobile clinic hosted by NRHD to support the opioid abatement work as well as access to needed physical and mental health services for citizens with lack of transportation and resources across the region.
