Kentucky Adds Four Counties to ‘Recovery Ready’ Program, expanding Addictionโ Support
FRANKFORT, Ky.โค – Governor โandy Beshear todayโค announced Estill, Henderson, Lewis, and Warren โคcounties have earned the designation of “Recovery Ready Communities,” bolstering access to vital addiction โtreatment andโฃ recovery resources for nearly 220,000 additional Kentuckians.
The “Recovery Ready” initiative,launched in 2023,assesses and recognizes cities and counties for thier efforts in โขaddressingโ substance use disorder. โฃWith the addition ofโค these four counties, a total of 35 Kentucky counties now hold the designation, collectively providing support to 1.9 million residents and working to remove barriers to employment for individuals in recovery.
“By โcertifying four more counties as Recovery Ready Communities, including the commonwealth’s third-largest city,โ we are ensuring that every Kentuckian can get the addiction treatment and recovery resources thay deserve to live a full, healthy โขlife,” said Governor Beshear.
The proclamation comes alongside reported progress in the state’s fight against addiction. Kentucky has seen overdose deaths decrease for the third year in a row, with a 30.2%โข drop in 2024 compared to previous years. Law enforcement efforts have also intensified, with the Kentucky State Police seizing nearly $9 million worthโค of drugs thru october, includingโ over 5,500 grams of fentanyl, nearly 32,000 grams of cocaine, and more than 102,000 grams of methamphetamine. Operation Summer Heat 2.0 resulted in 197 arrestsโ targeting drug networks.
Further supporting these efforts,over $1.4 million in federal grant funding was distributed in September to nine state and local agencies through the โฃEdward J. Byrne Memorial Justice Assistanceโ Grant โฃto combat drug trafficking. The state is alsoโค taking steps to address emerging threats, moving to classify 7-hydroxymitragynine as a Schedule I narcotic, effectively banning its sale, possession, and distribution.
Kentuckians struggling with addiction,or those who know someone who is,can find help by calling 833-8KY-HELP (833-859-4357). A thorough list of treatment programs across the state is available online at https://findhelpnow.org/ky.
