diff --git a/src/db/initializeDatabase.ts b/src/db/initializeDatabase.ts
index 192df15..2c82566 100644
--- a/src/db/initializeDatabase.ts
+++ b/src/db/initializeDatabase.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import * as path from 'path';
  * Singleton class responsible for initializing and setting up the SQLite database.
  * It ensures that only one instance of the database is created and utilized throughout the application.
  */
-class DatabaseInitializer {
+export class DatabaseInitializer {
   private static instance: DatabaseInitializer;
   private db: Database | undefined;
 
@@ -30,6 +30,17 @@ class DatabaseInitializer {
     return DatabaseInitializer.instance;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Retrieves the initialized database instance.
+   * 
+   * @returns {Database | undefined} The initialized database instance, or `undefined` if the
+   * database has not been initialized or if initialization failed.
+   */
+  public getDbInstance(): Database | undefined {
+    return this.db;
+  }
+
+
   /**
    * Initializes the SQLite database. If the database file does not exist, it will be created.
    * @param dbPath The path to the SQLite database file.
diff --git a/src/db/services/database.ts b/src/db/services/database.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..45e645e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/db/services/database.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+import { Database, open } from 'sqlite';
+import sqlite3 from 'sqlite3';
+import { Comment } from '../../rdrama/models/Comment';
+
+/**
+ * Service for interacting with the SQLite database for operations related to comments and user mentions.
+ */
+export class DatabaseService {
+    private db: Database;
+
+    private constructor(db: Database) {
+        this.db = db;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Asynchronously initializes the database and returns an instance of DatabaseService.
+     * 
+     * @returns {Promise<DatabaseService>} An instance of the DatabaseService with an initialized database connection.
+     */
+    public static async initialize(): Promise<DatabaseService> {
+        const db = await open({
+            filename: './src/db/appData.db',
+            driver: sqlite3.Database,
+        });
+        return new DatabaseService(db);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Inserts a new comment into the database.
+     * 
+     * @param {Comment} comment - The comment object to insert.
+     */
+    public async insertComment(comment: Comment): Promise<void> {
+        const sql = `INSERT INTO comments (author_id, author_name, body, body_html, created_utc, permalink) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)`;
+        await this.db.run(sql, [comment.author_id, comment.author_name, comment.body, comment.body_html, comment.created_utc, comment.permalink]);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Inserts a new user mention into the database.
+     * 
+     * @param {Object} mention - The user mention object to insert, containing rdrama_comment_id, username, and optionally message.
+     */
+    public async insertUserMention(mention: { rdrama_comment_id: string; username: string; message?: string }): Promise<void> {
+        const sql = `INSERT INTO user_mentions (rdrama_comment_id, username, message) VALUES (?, ?, ?)`;
+        await this.db.run(sql, [mention.rdrama_comment_id, mention.username, mention.message]);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Queries the database for an existing comment.
+     * 
+     * @param {string} commentId - The ID of the comment to search for.
+     * @returns {Promise<boolean>} A boolean indicating whether the comment exists.
+     */
+    public async commentExists(commentId: string): Promise<boolean> {
+        const sql = `SELECT 1 FROM comments WHERE id = ?`;
+        const result = await this.db.get(sql, [commentId]);
+        return !!result;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Queries the database for existing mentions of a username.
+     * 
+     * @param {string} username - The username to search for.
+     * @returns {Promise<boolean>} A boolean indicating whether the username has been mentioned.
+     */
+    public async userMentionExists(username: string): Promise<boolean> {
+        const sql = `SELECT 1 FROM user_mentions WHERE username = ?`;
+        const result = await this.db.get(sql, [username]);
+        return !!result;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index a49922e..fa3a19a 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import WorkflowOrchestrator from './workflows/WorkflowOrchestrator';
 import SessionManager from './rdrama/session/SessionManager';
 import { CommentFetcher } from './rdrama/services/CommentFetcher';
 import { CommentParser } from './rdrama/services/CommentParser';
+import { DatabaseInitializer } from './db/initializeDatabase';
 // Import other necessary services or configurations
 
 async function startApplication() {
@@ -15,12 +16,22 @@ async function startApplication() {
     }
     sessionManager.setAuthorizationToken(process.env.RDRAMA_API_KEY);
 
+    const databaseInitializer = DatabaseInitializer.getInstance();
+    const db = databaseInitializer.getDbInstance()
+    if (!db) {
+        throw new Error('Failed to initialize the database.');
+    }
+
     // Initialize services with any required dependencies
     const commentFetcher = new CommentFetcher();
     const commentParser = new CommentParser();
 
     // Initialize and start your workflow
-    const workflowOrchestrator = new WorkflowOrchestrator(commentFetcher, commentParser);
+    const workflowOrchestrator = new WorkflowOrchestrator(
+        commentFetcher,
+        commentParser,
+        db
+    );
     await workflowOrchestrator.executeWorkflow();
 }
 
diff --git a/src/workflows/WorkflowOrchestrator.ts b/src/workflows/WorkflowOrchestrator.ts
index e3c5240..43feef0 100644
--- a/src/workflows/WorkflowOrchestrator.ts
+++ b/src/workflows/WorkflowOrchestrator.ts
@@ -1,14 +1,15 @@
 import { CommentFetcher } from "../rdrama/services/CommentFetcher";
 import { CommentParser } from "../rdrama/services/CommentParser";
+import { Database } from 'sqlite';
 //import { Comment } from "../rdrama/models/Comment";
 
 class WorkflowOrchestrator {
     constructor(
-        private commentFetcher: CommentFetcher, 
-        private commentParser: CommentParser, 
-        //private databaseService: DatabaseService, // Responsible for DB operations
+        private commentFetcher: CommentFetcher,
+        private commentParser: CommentParser,
+        private db: Database
         //private redditNotifier: RedditNotifier // Handles notifications to Reddit users
-    ) {}
+    ) { }
 
     /**
      * Executes the defined workflow for processing comments.
@@ -27,11 +28,11 @@ class WorkflowOrchestrator {
             //// Query user information based on usernames
             //const userInfo = await this.databaseService.queryUsersInfo(uniqueUsernames);
             //console.log(`Queried information for ${userInfo.length} users`);
-//
+            //
             //// Filter users who should be notified
             //const usersToNotify = userInfo.filter(user => this.shouldNotifyUser(user));
             //console.log(`Identified ${usersToNotify.length} users to notify`);
-//
+            //
             //// Notify users
             //for (const user of usersToNotify) {
             //    await this.redditNotifier.notifyUser(user);