Andrea Roy and Robin Looney have joined the WV-TIME 4-K (West Virginia – Trauma Informed Mindfulness Engagement for Kids) team at Marshall University. WV-TIME 4K was funded through the Department of Justice Office of Victims of Crime to provide resources for the youngest survivors of the opioid epidemic.
Roy will serve as project coordinator for the DOJ grant-funded project. She was employed by United Way of the River Cities in Huntington and, prior to returning to the Huntington area, served as a communications director for a nonprofit organization in New York City.
Looney will serve as treatment coordinator for WV-TIME 4K. She is a graduate of Marshall University with a master’s degree in counseling. She has held leadership roles in substance use treatment for several years and has been particularly passionate about services to those affected by the substance use of a loved one.
Dr. Peggy Proudfoot Harman, project investigator for the grant and director of the university’s Master of Social Work program, said both Roy and Looney have extensive backgrounds in their respective fields.
“The region has seen potential early successes, as a result of strategies which include, but are not limited to, the quick response teams created to offer treatment and recovery services. We’ve hired both of these experienced professionals to help develop and direct grant activities to ensure the growth and success of the children we serve,” Harman said.
Roy said there is already a great group of community partners committed to the success of this project.
“I hope to grow that partnership so we develop a comprehensive and seamless support system for children affected by the opioid epidemic. I love that the heart of TIME4K is teaching children skills to help them manage and express their emotions, but it’s also crucial that we bring in other services, like Legal Aid and Healthy Connections, where it’s appropriate to help stabilize the entire household,” Roy said.
Looney’s role is specific to the coordination of services for the children. She said she hopes this project will serve as an additional resource for schools and families.
To learn more about WV-TIME 4K and its initiatives aimed at local youth, contact Harman by e-mail at peggy.harman@marshall.edu or call 304-696-5073. For more information about the university’s Department of Social Work, visit www.marshall.edu/social-work.
