NEWS RELEASE – October 1, 2025
ARH receives Beacon of Hope Trailblazer Award
PRESTONSBURG, KY. – Mosaic Group has named Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH) as one of three national recipients of the 2025 Beacon of Hope Trailblazer Award.
The award recognizes ARH for its leadership in implementing the Reverse the Cycle (RTC) program, a nationally recognized model that is redefining how hospitals respond to substance use.
“We are incredibly honored to receive this recognition,” said Tara Dewees, ARH Director of Behavioral Health Outreach and Recovery. “I’m really grateful that the hard work and compassion shown by our team every single day is being noticed because that means it’s making a difference.”
Launched in 2020, ARH’s Reverse the Cycle program places peer recovery coaches in the emergency departments of each of its 14 hospitals.
Upon admission into an ARH emergency department, each patient is screened for risky alcohol and drug use. When clinically indicated, RTC ensures the offer of evidence-based medications for opioid use disorder and integrates peer recovery coaches as vital members of the care team. By combining universal screening, immediate access to treatment, and the lived expertise of peers, RTC delivers a comprehensive, compassionate response to patients in crisis.
“Reverse the Cycle is not just a program — it represents a systems change,” said Marla Oros, President of Mosaic Group. “Hospitals and health systems like ARH are setting a new standard of care by addressing substance use as a routine part of healthcare. By integrating peer recovery coaches into clinical teams, they are saving lives, improving health outcomes, and ensuring that patients impacted by substance use are treated with the dignity and evidence-based care they deserve.”
Carrie Rudzik, ARH Vice President of Ancillary Services, said the award is a reflection of the healthcare system’s mission to improve the health and well-being of the communities it serves.
“This award is a direct reflection of our ED nurses who screen patients, of our physicians who initiate treatment, and of our peer recovery coaches who stand by those who need them, offering strength, encouragement and guidance with compassion and empathy,” she said.
“It’s validation that the hard work of our team members is making a difference in helping those who need it the most.”
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Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH), is a not-for-profit health system operating 14 hospitals in Barbourville, Hazard, Harlan, Hyden, Martin, McDowell, Middlesboro, Paintsville, Prestonsburg, West Liberty, Whitesburg, and South Williamson in Kentucky and Beckley and Hinton in West Virginia, as well as multi-specialty physician practices, home health agencies, home medical equipment stores and retail pharmacies and medical spas. ARH employs approximately 6,700 people with an annual payroll and benefits of $474 million generated into our local economies. ARH also has a network of more than 1,300 providers on staff across its multi-state system. ARH is the largest provider of care and the single largest employer in southeastern Kentucky, and the third-largest private employer in southern West Virginia.