Ep #6 - Guest Jan Rader - The Unexpected Path

This week on The Hopecast, host Mitch Webb sits down with hometown hero Jan Rader, whose leadership has transformed the way our community responds to addiction and homelessness. Jan shares the unexpected path that led her to this work, the realities she believes everyone should understand about these challenges, and why she remains hopeful that lasting change is possible. It is an honest conversation about compassion, resilience, and what it takes to build a stronger community.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:13

I'm here today with my friend Jan Rare. Jan, it's nice to have you on the HopeCast podcast.

SPEAKER_00 0:20

Thank you, Mitch. It's uh wonderful to be here with you today.

SPEAKER_01 0:23

You know, uh I was here at Dimitch for 11 years and uh met a lot of great friends along the way who I never would have known otherwise. And uh and certainly Jan is one of them. And it's I'm I'm proud to know you, I'm proud to call you friends.

SPEAKER_00 0:39

Well, I feel the same way about you. You know, through um you know everyday work that I have done for many years, you have been um a constant um positive within the city of Huntington.

SPEAKER_01 0:55

That's that's good to hear. I um uh we certainly uh I don't know what the alternative is to that. It's too easy to be uh sticking the mud, you know.

SPEAKER_00 1:06

That is true.

SPEAKER_01 1:07

Um I I can say that uh there are friends that uh are acquaintances, and there are friends that uh if you call them uh with a need, they might actually show up with the solution before they even call you back. And that's and that's um Jan. And uh so I just love her and uh I'm so thankful to know her. Jan, why don't you tell us a bit about where you're from and kind of how you got into the work that you're doing now?

SPEAKER_00 1:40

Okay, so uh I grew up across the river in Ierton, Ohio. I was born and raised there. Um, I actually started working in the jewelry business. I beg I I'm a graduate gemologist, weird, weirdly. Um and I made custom jewelry for years. Um, I ended up working at a shop in the DC area, and then one day my whole life changed when a lady had a heart attack in the doorway of that store, and I did not know CPR. Yeah, yeah, and she collapsed. I watched her collapse and I called 911 and waited, and some people stopped did CPR, and fire department showed up, and there was a woman firefighter, and this is in like 1993, and I was like, wow, I didn't even know that was a choice for women. So within a couple weeks I took a CPR class and then I enrolled in an EMT basic class, and I started um I signed up to take a firefighter test in Fairfax County, Virginia. And my brother was a pastor here at Inslow Park Presbyterian Church, and he called me and he said, I heard you're interested in being a firefighter, they're giving the tests in Huntington. We want you to come home and take tests here. So I did.

SPEAKER_03 2:55

Great.

SPEAKER_00 2:56

And so I hired on with Huntington in uh '94 and um worked as a firefighter for 27 and a half years. And then I took a different role in the city where I work mainly on substance use disorder, severe mental illness, and and specifically now homelessness. But, you know, on top of being a firefighter, I after I took that uh EMT Basic class, I ended up taking a paramedic class when we moved back here. So I would run as a paramedic on my days off from the fire department. And then uh eventually I went to nursing school, and so I would work in a local emergency room on my days off from the fire department. So I have a very unique, weird um view of the front line that our first responders deal with on a regular basis.

SPEAKER_01 3:52

So that's quite a stretch to go from a uh jewelry maker to a firefighter slash paramedic slash nurse.

SPEAKER_00 4:00

It's kind of odd.

SPEAKER_01 4:01

Yeah, yeah. Yeah. It's funny how uh if we all go back and try to connect the dots, it's uh uh they don't it doesn't always make sense at the time.

SPEAKER_00 4:10

Not at all.

SPEAKER_01 4:13

Um so tell us a little more about your current role and uh in the uh for the city.

SPEAKER_00 4:22

So basically I I work with our partners, the city's partners throughout the city, and you know, work on grants, writing grants to try to open our pathways for um those in need on the front lines. Um, you know, we have an intersection um that's increased over the years, substance use disorder, uh, a lot of mental illness, right, and homelessness. We actually, you know, we have a housing crisis. You know, we kind of had a trifecta of things. We we've we had the opioid epidemic that turned into worse than it was when it was just an opioid epidemic um with meth and polysynthetic substances available on the streets. Um and then we had uh COVID, a pandemic on top of that, and that exposed a lot of mental illness, you know, from loneliness and lack of connection. And you know, we we have um some crises within our you know healthcare system, you know, and and when that happens, you know, things that are not urgent are the things that are neglected the most, and that would be mental health. And uh on top of that, now we have a housing crisis that's been brewing for well over a decade. So there's not enough housing throughout the country, so they're colliding, and um, you know, it's it's difficult. Right, it's perfect storm, and then you know, it's it's difficult for a lot of cities are struggling to um to to deal with the extra burden. Um and so our administration is uh very aware of that and and um you know is doing all they can. And you know, they're probably doing more than many cities. I wish all cities would take the responsibility that our city is taking. But you know, as you know, any administration is responsible for all people within their city limits. That's right. The wealthy, the poor, um, uh the people being stolen from, the people doing the stealing, you know, uh, so it, you know, it's it's a balance.

SPEAKER_01 6:45

So you know, that's a that's a tough gig when you think about it that way.

SPEAKER_00 6:48

It it can be, yeah, can be.

SPEAKER_01 6:50

So uh and uh of course I know that you've had uh probably through your both fire department and uh being a paramedic, um quite a quite a lengthy uh time of working with uh folks with uh substance use disorder. Sure. If you were to talk to the uh let's say the average person on the street who sees these folks and and says, why don't they just stop? What would you like to tell that person? What would you like to how would you like to educate uh John Quiblick about that?

SPEAKER_00 7:27

It's kind of tough, you know. Um it's very complex. Um, you know, it's it's kind of it's very difficult now versus a decade ago uh when you and I started dealing with the opioid epidemic. I remember you and I having many conversations about this. It seems like you know, we had this uh epidemic start from over-prescribing of pills that were very potent and very addictive by nature. And I think the first couple of generations of addiction that spawned from the opioid epidemic were people that had basically had normal lives. They got injured, they got legally hooked. They were easier to assist in getting through that addiction, even though it is hard to just stop. Uh there's a lot of physical and uh psychological uh things that need to be dealt with, but but now we're on generation four or five, and so you know, we're dealing with people who grew up without any normalcy, they don't know how to cook, clean, balance a checkbook. Um they have a lot of trauma, and that trauma, uh, all they know is addiction and drugs, and so that's a whole different ball of wax when you get somebody clean that doesn't you have to rebuild their lives from basic life skills.

SPEAKER_01 9:08

You talk about normalcy, it seems to me that um that while um we would certainly not view their lives as normal, I think that's what they've come to see is that that is normal to them. And if if they're doing well and uh clean for a while, uh that seems abnormal to them.

SPEAKER_00 9:30

So it's a it's a whole different concept to them, and so it's a little more difficult than it was even five years ago to assist those in need. Um, so I would, you know, when I encounter people and they're like just do this or do that, you know, they they need to, you know, if if they're willing, I'm I'm certainly uh open to conversations, but I think that we as a society need to stop try to stop judging people and try to be open-minded and ask questions. You know, I think when you're curious and you ask a lot of questions, uh you end up in a better place with a better understanding.

SPEAKER_03 10:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:10

And, you know, even as a young nurse, when I started working in the emergency room, you know, uh I saw people who wanted people just shoot out of the emergency room. They didn't want to deal with an overdose, they didn't want to, and you know, I wasn't taught in nursing school anything about addiction and how to deal with it, but my perspective changed when I started asking my patients. So I'm, you know, in a very curious way, non-judgmental way, help me understand how you got to where you are, and and what can we do that makes it better, and what do we do that makes it worse? You know, and it it gave me a very deep perspective of of how people get to where they are.

SPEAKER_01 10:56

Strictly from the um uh substance use disorder, are you optimistic? Do you feel like we're we're we're improving or going down the right path, or what do you think the future for that looks like?

SPEAKER_00 11:10

I think that every action you get a reaction. Yeah, and so you gotta be careful about what you do. And we've learned that here in Huntington. Um, but I think that in ways it's getting better, but there's other complicating factors that were unforeseen. And I think that's just life in general. That's right. I think we'll get through this. Um I'm optimistic that things are getting better in some ways. Um, but um, you know, money's getting tighter throughout the you know for um providing assistance.

SPEAKER_01 11:49

So um and and you said it earlier, but the um homelessness and um folks on addiction, uh, it's such a it's they're like twin sisters. They, you know, they go together. I I used to, when I first came to the mission, would hear people talk about the homeless and then the drug addicts. And uh, you know, what I learned pretty quickly was that's the same people, you know.

SPEAKER_00 12:17

Well, I think that when life is tough and you experience trauma, you want to numb that. And and drugs offer that numbness. Some people do it with alcohol. I mean, I know people that have really uh highly intelligent, great pain jobs, but every weekend they're they're drunk, you know, so they're numbing with alcohol.

SPEAKER_01 12:38

It's a drug, and people it's a pale to you know recognize that it is a uh something that I heard early on, and I've come to believe more and more that addiction is uh itself is actually just a symptom of something else.

SPEAKER_00 12:53

It's a symptom of a deeper problem, right?

SPEAKER_01 12:55

So whether it's uh physical, emotional, spiritual, whatever it is.

SPEAKER_00 13:01

So and the opposite of addiction is uh community, yeah. And um, so I I think we see that, and that was kind of highlighted with with COVID. A lot of people who were in a community recovering and doing well when they couldn't go around other people, they relapsed.

SPEAKER_01 13:21

Yeah, my goodness. Well, I tell you what, we certainly picked a good time to be in this kind of work, didn't we?

SPEAKER_00 13:28

Think of back over this last uh 11 years. No, I mean, is it tough? Sure, but is it rewarding? Sure.

SPEAKER_01 13:36

Sure, absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 13:37

Um I you know, I I think you and I could sleep well at night.

SPEAKER_01 13:44

Yeah, it's uh if if if you're not, you should be.

SPEAKER_00 13:53

The thing that I don't want to sound like something I'm not, I'm certainly have my deep faults, but the thing that might keep me awake is uh the ones that fell through the cracks and you know I mean you know the what well the one thing I've really learned is um you know, a lot of times I think society gives up on people.

SPEAKER_02 14:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:17

Um I don't give up on people, uh you know, but it but they they're going to suffer the consequences of their actions. That's right. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 14:25

Right.

SPEAKER_00 14:26

I think that the goal should be to open those pathways so people can make a choice to change the trajectory of their lives. If if if they choose that, then they have a lot of hard work ahead of them. Some people choose not to do the hard work and move forward. And and and you know, that's why this is America. You do have a choice, right? You know, right. So um I think people there's a lot of jans and mitches, not only in Huntington, but in this world. But but I think that uh the workers also have to have boundaries and understand that that's true.

SPEAKER_01 15:05

It'll eat you alive if you don't.

SPEAKER_00 15:07

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 15:10

So like um with folks in addiction, is there something particularly about people experiencing homelessness that you would like to educate John Q public with?

SPEAKER_00 15:22

Well, again, it's a symptom typically of something deeper. You know, it might be, you know, you know, we're seeing more and more people being evicted because of the housing crisis. And the only thing they're guilty of is being poor, you know, and they're not suffering from substance use disorder or severe mental illness. Uh, but the longer they stay homeless, yeah, they are um sitting prey for falling into that crack.

SPEAKER_02 15:49

That's right.

SPEAKER_00 15:50

So, you know, I think that, you know, people need to understand that homelessness is a very complex issue, that we as a country are three to five million housing units short. Wow. And it wouldn't be so visible if we had proper housing. Um, but but here we are. There's a really good book called Homelessness is a housing problem. It's a good short read. I can't remember the author's name. There's two two men that wrote it. It's a very quick read, but it's a very good book, and it gives a good understanding of how we ended up in the situation we are as a country in the housing crisis.

SPEAKER_01 16:29

Uh so Jan, what I found when I came to the mission was that there are a lot of what I call disposable people uh that that seem like they just get tossed aside like a used Kleenex. And um, you know, every one of them has a name and a story. And uh I was just wondering if there was any particular story that you would like to share with some of this about some of this community.

SPEAKER_00 16:54

Hmm. So yes, I've I've really met some very unique people along the way and people that were struggling and now are thriving and helping others themselves. Um I can think of many, uh, but some really stick with you. Um, I'll mention one um in particular. Uh I'm gonna call him Bob, even though that's not his name. Uh this is uh a gentleman that I had multiple times as a firefighter um responding to his overdoses and his injuries. Um I probably had him, I don't know, probably five to ten times. One time, and and he was very belligerent. Uh he would really curse me and he he was very colorful. Uh, but for some reason I it didn't offend me, and I I just uh felt like he was you know full of himself, you know, and I felt like you know that he's hiding something. Okay, so uh push comes to shove. Um I start learning more about his background. Uh circumstances allowed that. And when I learned his background and how at age eight he got drunk and high the first time because his mom wanted him shut up and didn't want to have to deal with him. And being drunk and high at eight years old became his norm. Um, I began to understand his behavior. Um he went to recovery point here in Huntington. He got very he got clean, he did extremely well, super intelligent, but never had the means to even finish high school, let alone go to college. Um ended up having a bunch of kids that he had to provide for. Um tried to keep a family together. Um it's difficult. Fell back into it, ended up on the streets of Huntington again. But again, dealing with this serious childhood trauma. And um got cleaned a second time, went through recovery point a second time. Now he's working uh in recovery, he is thriving. And um you know, I don't I don't know if my my life would have been productive had I experienced the same childhood trauma he did.

SPEAKER_02 19:36

Right.

SPEAKER_00 19:37

And uh, you know, I I often wonder what makes some people resilient and others not. But it's I don't feel like it is my job to decide who lives, who dies, who gets help, who doesn't. I think it's my job to create pathways and try to assist in any way I can. It is their responsibility to take advantage of that or not.

SPEAKER_01 20:07

I had an old boss who uh used to say his job was to create opportunities for people like myself. Very good.

SPEAKER_00 20:16

And it was our job then to step up and I think I know that man or knew that man.

SPEAKER_01 20:22

I think you probably do it. Yeah one of one of the greats.

SPEAKER_00 20:26

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 20:27

Um what would you currently the the today's jan raider like to say to the jan rater that was making jewelry and watching that person uh have a heart attack in the store? What would you like to say uh to her?

SPEAKER_00 20:55

Be more open-minded and quit judging people.

SPEAKER_01 21:00

That seems to be a more of a common theme, but I mean, you know, it's it we all judge.

SPEAKER_00 21:05

I judge. You know, I try to stop myself, but that's a survival mechanism, it's a human condition, but it but it it's one of the things that builds stigma for yourself, creating your own barriers and you know, and for others.

SPEAKER_01 21:22

Yeah. How do you feel about the the future? Let's just use the typical uh the next five years. Are you optimistic or concerned or pessimistic as far as um uh addiction and homeless services and in Huntington goes? What is your take on it?

SPEAKER_00 21:44

I'm very optimistic because I will say in Appalachia, we have something that other communities don't have, and that's we work well together and we lean on each other, and we have a lot of like minded people who might not agree. On a path forward, but we do agree that it's best to help somebody versus just throwing them away. And I think that there's more good than evil, not only in this area, but in this world. And I think that there's enough people working that can pivot and and work with, you know, I'm I'm not a political person whatsoever. Um I I'm pragmatic and you know, you give me the the the boundaries and I can work within them. Uh I try to look at things from a 50-foot view. Um try to see the whole picture. And I also try to make sure that anything new that we try is not going to create problems down the road. You know, we've learned through through that. You know, so you know, I'm optimistic. Uh I think that eventually, you know, you can't build housing overnight.

SPEAKER_02 22:59

That's right.

SPEAKER_00 22:59

But you can start and and you can create the pathways for people who do that to build and eventually we'll get there. Right. Not just Huntington, but West Virginia and and the country.

SPEAKER_01 23:19

Well, I thank you, my friend, for for talking with me. Is there anything else we should we should cover that we have?

SPEAKER_00 23:26

Um, no, I think we uh covered a lot.

SPEAKER_01 23:29

We've got to go figure it out, I think.

SPEAKER_00 23:31

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 23:32

Well, I appreciate you, my friend. I love you, and thank you for coming and doing this today. And uh even though I'm not directly working uh, you know, directly with um the homeless population anymore, it's still a huge part of my heart. And I'm sure that uh we'll have opportunities, I hope anyway, to cross paths again.

SPEAKER_00 23:53

I think we will. I I every day I sit at my desk and I s I view a a a picture that you framed for me and gave to me as a present. And it's the sunrise down the alley behind the city mission.

SPEAKER_01 24:07

Right, that's right.

SPEAKER_00 24:08

And it reminds me that um it is our responsibility to take care of the least of us, yeah, and then every day is a brand new day.

SPEAKER_01 24:17

That's right. We call that hope out of it.

SPEAKER_00 24:19

Um I have a wonderful picture of Hope Man. Yeah, great.

SPEAKER_01 24:23

All right, well, thank you very much. I appreciate it.