ELKINS — The Mayor’s Task Force on Addiction and Homeless Resources is seeking a building to create a social services hub.

One of the task force’s top goals is to create a social services hub for Elkins, similar to the Hazel House of Hope in Morgantown, a City of Elkins press release states.

“Hazel House, located in a former Ramada Inn, was founded with a vision of bringing together many different service providers in one location, to better assist clients struggling with addiction and homelessness,” according to the release.

“The Morgantown center is already providing feeding, warming, and shelter services, with a long-term goal of also providing a ‘sobering center’ and assistance with obtaining vital records, applying for benefits, and addressing other obstacles to stable employment and housing.”

The mayor’s task force is in the exploratory stage of identifying possible locations for such a facility.

“Our vision is similar to the vision behind Hazel House, although it is too early in the process to say with certainty exactly what services we will be able to offer,” the release states.

“The location, size, amenities and physical structure of the building we ultimately select will play a large role in determining what will be possible. We are hopeful that we will be able to secure a building that will enable us to provide the most vitally needed services not only for Elkins but for neighboring communities as well.

“We are currently evaluating four promising sites.” the release states. “We are also working with our community partners to determine what grants, loans, or other financial options would be available to purchase and renovate any one of these locations. We expect to start submitting funding requests in the first quarter of 2022.”

The Addiction and Homeless Resources Task Force was created last spring to identify effective strategies for addressing local addiction and recovery issues. The Task Force includes Elkins Mayor Jerry Marco, Randolph County Sheriff Rob Elbon and Fifth Ward City Councilman Dave Parker.

The Task Force wants to implement peer-supported recovery, in which people who are already in recovery are trained to help others access the services and support necessary for their own long-term recovery. These people are known as peer recovery support specialists, and the Task Force is seeking volunteers interested in serving in this role.

Candidates must have a high school diploma/GED. They must have been in recovery for at least two years and not have received treatment for a substance use disorder in the previous six months, except for medication assisted treatment (such as opioid dependency medications such as buprenorphine).

Volunteers who are selected by the Task Force will receive training and work toward the PRSS certification issued by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources. Initial training will include first aid, CPR and naloxone administration.