Republican-American: Waterbury Jobs Program a Lifesaver for Those Who Need One

Kimberly Leduc and Sami Hajrula, both Peer Recovery Navigators at the Northwest Regional Workforce Investment Board in Waterbury outside their offices on Friday. The state has a pool of federal money available to provide job training to people affected by the opioid crisis. | Jim Shannon Republican-American WATERBURY – A year ago, as a client at the former Hospitality Center for the homeless on East Main Street, Jackie Gargonia said she felt at a low point in her life. Then hope walked in, in the person of Sami Hajrula. Hajrula is a peer recovery navigator for the Northwest Regional Workforce Investment Board on Thomaston Avenue, which administrates a pot of federal money that provides job training for anyone affected by the opioid crisis. Today, Gargonia is a trained recovery coach, and no longer homeless.

“Myself being in recovery, I have always struggled with keeping a good job. I didn’t go to college like I was supposed to,” Gargonia said. “I always wanted to work with people. Hearing about the recovery coach, I figured, I’m in recovery, I’ve been down that road, I can relate with them a lot more.”

Connecticut Works to Recover, known statewide as CT Recovery Works, is supported by part of a $22 million federal Department of Labor allocation designed to allow states to train those affected by opioid addiction in jobs that would serve people in recovery, such as drug and alcohol recovery counselors, certified addiction counselors, certified alcohol or drug counselors and licensed alcohol and drug counselors.

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