U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced that six Kentucky substance abuse treatment programs in high-risk rural communities received $1 million each from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) as part of the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program.
This initiative was established to reduce the morbidity and mortality of substance abuse by enhancing rural residents’ access to treatment.
The following Kentucky organizations received these federal grants:
“This past year, opioid overdose deaths surged across the country, driven by the isolation caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the flood of dangerous fentanyl coming across our borders. Kentucky has tragically suffered one of the worst spikes in overdose deaths in the nation. With today’s federal grant announcement, we are continuing our efforts to reverse this painful trend,” said McConnell. “In the Senate, I’ve worked to mobilize federal government resources to address our substance abuse crisis head-on with targeted prevention, treatment, and enforcement programs. I look forward to continuing to work with these important Kentucky organizations and finally putting an end to the scourge of addiction.”
NKU President Ashish Vaidya expressed gratitude for Sen. McConnell’s advocacy and support of the university’s effort to “develop a deeper culture of health for the region.
“Overdose rates in Kentucky have increased 53% over the past year,” Vaidya said, “the second-highest increase among all states. Our goal is to help Kentucky’s rural communities overcome many structural healthcare challenges, and it starts with expanding access and recovery services for those battling substance use disorder.”
“St. Claire HealthCare is extremely grateful for Senator McConnell’s support in giving us the opportunity to have a helping hand in fighting the opioid epidemic,” said Donald H. Lloyd, II, SCH President/CEO. “Substance abuse will affect everyone at some point in their life, in some way as it continues to grow into a critical issue. Through this grant, we will be able to help someone’s parent overcome their addiction and prevent someone’s child from becoming addicted. In turn, it will greatly impact our community.”
Kentucky has received nearly $300 million to fight substance abuse, including more than $24 million through the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program.
