Newly released convicts need jobs and support. I should know.

Homelessness and jail time were not in this perfectionist’s plans, but they are part of my story. After graduating college, I was employed as a pharmaceutical sales representative. I rose to a top-five ranking in sales out of 10,000 employees in the nation. But two surgeries and the accompanying prescription of opioids set me on a different path.

Within a couple of years of abusing opioids my job performance plummeted, and I lost my career. I began buying drugs off the streets and transitioned into using methamphetamine on a daily basis. My disease quickly progressed, and I couldn’t pay any of my bills. I lived in my car before moving into a metal building with no plumbing. I used a bucket in the corner as my bathroom. I had a sense of acceptance of my life and the way I was living but every day, I wanted to die.

Today, I am grateful that I didn’t die but was incarcerated instead; I call it a divine intervention. After being institutionalized in both jail and a treatment facility for two years, I was concerned that I would struggle to successfully reintegrate. I worried if I couldn’t find meaningful employment that I would go back to my old ways. Individuals who have been incarcerated have difficulty finding employment and that, in turn, leaves them with the lack of desire to change. For me, I made a decision that I was no longer going to settle for the life I had been living.

Governor Andy Beshear recently signed an executive order that will alter the sentences of 186 individuals currently incarcerated with a felony. The governor stated that the prisoners were serving sentences for Class C and D felonies, the two lowest-level felonies, and none had been convicted of violent or sex-related crimes. The governor also noted that the state had identified 743 inmates within six months of completing their sentences who also will be released.

Being released from incarceration can be very stressful to the individual, with increasing anxiety about how they will be able to care for themselves and their families. Locating meaningful employment is a very important objective that those reentering society greatly want to achieve. Meaningful employment allows a person to have a purpose, feel self-sufficient and build self-esteem. It provides a reason for change and a sense of independence.

Those that have been incarcerated are reluctant to apply for positions and many employers hesitate to hire individuals who have a criminal record due to stigma. Eliminating stigma must become a priority, as does the development of a network of employers who are willing to hire within this pipeline of employees.

On July 20, 2020, it will be seven years since I was sitting in a jail cell reflecting on everything I had lost and how I would never again be a productive member of society. As of that date, I will also have seven years in long-term recovery from substance use disorder. I am so blessed and honored to be employed by the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce for giving me my second chance to work with the business community again. There are others who are looking to find their purpose, and meaningful employment is a dynamic component.

One thing that should not be a barrier to reentry from incarceration is a lack of available opportunities in Kentucky. The Kentucky Chamber Workforce Center created the “Who’s Hiring” campaign in partnership with state government. Employers in Kentucky post open positions within their organizations and candidates search and apply for positions.

Help us spread the word on this campaign, and let’s support Kentuckians so that they can land on their feet upon reentry to our communities. Everyone needs a chance to find their purpose in life. If you have an employment opportunity, click here https://www.kychamber.com/news/coronavirus/covid-19-whos-hiring and let us know!

Ashley McCarty works for the Kentucky Chamber Workforce Center as a Business Liaison for Kentucky’s Strategic Initiative for Transformational Employment.