Rooted & Rising

Rooted & Rising focuses on understanding the needs and gaps of mental health services for people with developmental disabilities in Appalachian counties in Kentucky. 

Rooted & Rising will enhance mental health services through training, community outreach, and partnerships. Its work will be guided by people with lived experience to ensure the voices of rural Kentuckians with developmental disabilities lead the work in making mental health supports and services easier to access.

Latest Updates

Metatheater and Madness: Ozzy Wagner’s Surreal Approach as a Playwright

Metatheater and Madness: Ozzy Wagner’s Surreal Approach as a Playwright

Ozzy Wagner is no stranger to surrealist theatre, but a recent experience with the psychiatric system made for fertile ground …

Photos of Burberry Award recipients Caleb Rader and Allison Borden

Borden and Rader receive 2025 Burberry Award

It’s unusual for two people to win HDI’s prestigious Burberry Award, but this year, two people deserved the honor. The …

Play It by Ear: Allison Fradkin’s 'Heard Mentality' Tunes into Disability with Wordplay and Wit

Play It by Ear: Allison Fradkin’s ‘Heard Mentality’ Tunes into Disability with Wordplay and Wit

Allison Fradkin wants people to laugh when they see her play Heard Mentality, but she also wants people to understand …