DBHDS + co,

The department already makes a career for any recovery coach with a barrier crime literally impossible for people with minor and non violent barrier crimes to gain employment.

I spoke with Melinda, who runs the background investigation unit, back in November of 2021, who stated that the state has the most STRINGENT and impossible barrier crimes in the COUNTRY.

Guess what my barrier crime is? Trying to fill someone's prescription without permission. This has barred me for a LIFETIME of working as a recovery coach when the crime was relatively minor, non violent, non confrontational, and I didn't actually get a prescription refill. Clearly the crime was drug related. This barrier crime doesn't even have a time limit when it drops off from barring me entirely. The state wants recovery coaches because they are cheap, but they don't want what comes with a PEER recovery coach and that is a past of drug / alcohol abuse. 

It's time to change the barrier crime laws in the state! Now! yesterday! Let's get going on this. Less regulation is the answer. When we have the most strict regulations in the country, it's time to scale back and not keep adding onto the problem, making things more and more impossible.

Would it kill you to change the barrier crimes laws? What are we afraid of here?

Thank you,

Taryn Fletcher

804-625-0245

Impact of Criminal Convictions, Impairment and Past History on Licensure, Certification or Registration. Department of Health Professions:  It is a shame that so many of our neighboring states have taken up the mantle of Community Inclustion and continue to bypass our state in areas of family building and community wholeness that far exceeds our state that has a banner of being a state of love and for lovers. 

I have fought tooth and nail through my organization and personal life to assist others in believing that there is a place for them in their own dreams.  The hoplessness is reveiled year after year though in the turn out during elections, when so many choose not to go out and vote because they just don't believe things will ever get better for them.  (Employment, family, race, culture, education, monatary)

Kelvin Manurs

Executive Director

Arm & Arm Inc

I don't see how this can be helpful for filling the peer recovery specialist need (PRS) and there is a need. I habve 3 OUI's it is coming up on almost 10 years since I have had the charge. I have remained in good standing with the law. Through the years I had some clean time on and off. I can proudly say I have 5 years 7 months free from alcohol. I am a very driven an hard worker. I like to help others, I would love to be a PRS! The fact that I was in active addiction at one point in my life an that I have a criminal background does not mean I am not capable of a job. It does not mean I am a going to put someones life in jeoporady, or that I will commit another crime. In fact I feel it makes me a better candidate to relate to the clients I would be watching over and guiding to better themselves. Between seeing my transformation and MANY others in recovery I believe we have only come out the other side of addiction as even better people. Some of us were raised well, with good morals, values, ethics and what not. We just got lost in life. When we found our way though we got our original self back, plus a deeper look in to how we could keep bettering ourself and those around us. 

We simply want the chance to not let our past to keep defining who we are. The past is a part of us, it is not us though. Ease up on barrier crimes please. We have and do recover!

To say that recovery and rehabilitation is possible as the premise of treatment and criminal justice reform in Virginia and then create this policy to clearly exclude everyone who has ever recovered or gained their life back after mental illness. To alienate and discriminate against those who have already been drastically stigmatized and add language and implement policies that further stigmatize, alienate, discriminate, and create excessive barriers for those who could provide the ultimate treatment protocol. I am extremely disappointed in this language and wording of this horrendous policy. You’ve told people they never have a chance to help others because of who they’ve been but yet hypocritically claim that those with lived experience have better chances of reaching and achieving recovery for themselves and to help others. If this goes through you will lose more than half of your employment population and the treatment will fail without those having lived experience. 

I currently work as a CPRS for On Our Own of Charlottesville. I have a background of DUI's and assault on law enforcement. Each DUI I was charged with the assaults. I have served several years in VSP. Released and no longer on probation and I have got my rights restored.I was a nurse and lost that right along with my freedom. My life has changed and I have been sober since 2014. My background is what makes me good at what I do because there is a lot of trauma that I have been through due to my addiction. It is not fair for my background to continue to create such stumbling blocks for me now. I have a new life, I have my children back and I can finally drive again. Please consider the barrier crimes and see how it haunts each person still even after they are in recovery.

In 2009 I obtained 3 felonies. I used to say "2009 was my time to shine," in my sick mind. And shine I did, right behind those nice silver cuffs. But I learned something during the time I was there. I learned that there was a 12-step program and people just like me. These people came to visit in the jail, and for once I truly felt understood. And I felt like maybe, just maybe, I could get it right. I was transferred bed to bed to an inpatient facility in 2010 after my trials. And I was able to understand what recovery was. I didn't know I had a problem that could be fixed, I just thought I couldn't get it right. But I kept staying clean and things kept working in my favor, it was so amazing. Fast forward a little, with these felonies I couldn't even get a job at Sheetz or a "normal" job anywhere. But who needed those places anyway, when I could easily get a job in the recovery field even with my background in Maryland and West Virginia. If I didn't have that as an option, then what? What is there for someone to do? What would we tell our recoverees? The same population that we are helping? Sorry, you will never be able to be licensed in Virginia! Because that's what I would tell them, I would let them know there is hope and a system much more accepting than the state they currently reside in. I would tell them that they are loved and accepted in these states that have a well-developed Peer Support Program and have great salaries too. I would tell them that just because a state can't see past its past doesn't mean that all people and/or states are like this. It's upsetting that a state has developed these Courts/Dockets like Drug Court, Mental Health Docket, and Military Docket and we push people to be their best selves, and those best selves aren't seen when they apply for licensure. I have 12 years and I am eligible to have my felonies expunged in Maryland. But I don't because I have never needed to. They don't define who I am today. Today they tell a story of what I have overcome, and how different my thoughts, feelings, and actions used to be. I am grateful for my story and my past because they made me an awesome Peer Advocate and an awesome person in general. And that's the message I want to share with those with just one day in recovery, because if I didn't have the field... Then, What? 

Who better to show that there is hope,help and support  to lead a clean and sober life then to work with a Peer Recovery Specialist  that has changed their life around and is living proof that recovery is real and is a realistic goal to work towards. 

Examples of " individual basis" scenarios that disqualify an applicant would be most helpful to those who have lived experience with mental health or behavioral challenges and pursuing a career in this field.