HARLAN, Ky. – For Amber Stepp, Lead Peer Recovery Coach for Appalachian Regional Healthcare’s Reverse the Cycle Program, receiving the Amanda Foley-Byard Legacy Scholarship is more than an academic achievement — it is a reminder of how far she has come in her own recovery journey.

Awarded through Voices of Hope, a peer-led nonprofit supporting individuals and families affected by substance use disorder, the scholarship honors the legacy of Dr. Amanda Foley-Byard, whose own recovery journey inspired her advocacy for education, recovery, and harm reduction. The scholarship is awarded to individuals in recovery who are working in Kentucky’s recovery field while pursuing postsecondary education.

For Stepp, the recognition is deeply personal.

“There was a time in my life when I didn’t think I would live long enough to have a future, much less attend college,” Stepp said. “This scholarship is not just financial assistance. It is a reminder that someone believes in me and the work I am doing.”

Stepp entered recovery on March 12, 2018, after years of substance use disorder and involvement with the criminal justice system. Today, she is celebrating more than eight years of continuous sobriety and uses her lived experience to help others find hope and long-term recovery.

After completing the Hardin County SAP Program and the Harlan County Drug Court Program, Stepp began rebuilding her life. She credits Drug Court with teaching her responsibility, accountability, and the skills needed to become a productive member of society.

Stepp joined ARH in March 2022 as a Peer Recovery Coach at Harlan ARH. In 2025, she was promoted to Lead Peer Recovery Coach for the system’s Reverse the Cycle Program, a nationally recognized initiative that places peer recovery coaches in the emergency departments of all ARH hospitals to support individuals struggling with substance use disorders. In her current role, she supports and mentors peer recovery coaches across eastern Kentucky and southern West Virginia while helping integrate recovery support into healthcare teams and communities.

Looking back, Stepp says ARH was the first place where she felt her future mattered more than her past.

“For the first time in my life, I felt seen for my potential rather than judged for my past,” Stepp said. “I knew then that I had found my home.”

In addition to her role at ARH, Stepp serves as chairperson of the Harlan County ASAP Board, vice chair of the Harlan County UNITE Coalition and founder of No More Lost Voices, a nonprofit dedicated to prevention, education, and empowering youth.

Stepp said the scholarship will help her continue her education and strengthen the work she is doing to support individuals, families and communities impacted by substance use and mental health challenges.

“Every opportunity I receive ultimately benefits the people we serve,” Stepp said. “The more I learn, the more effective I can be in helping others overcome barriers, access services and build meaningful lives in recovery.”

Stepp hopes her journey serves as a reminder that recovery is possible and that a person’s past does not have to define their future.

“I am living proof that people can change,” Stepp said. “Today, I get the privilege of using my story to help others rewrite theirs, and for that, I am incredibly grateful.”

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