A core mission of the Office of the Attorney General is to support Kentucky’s most vulnerable citizens.
Attorney General Andy Beshear has joined advocates and lawmakers, and carried through on that promise with three stops in Eastern Kentucky where he presented a total of $1.5 million to recovery facilities and drug treatment centers.
In Corbin, Beshear presenting Independence House recovery center with $450,000 to support substance abuse treatment for pregnant and postpartum women;
In Hazard, he provided KVC Kentucky Behavioral Center with $400,000 to help adolescents with substance abuse addiction;
In Jackson, he gave Kentucky River Community Care behavioral center $700,000 to continue to help adolescents struggling with substance abuse.
“I am pleased and honored to be able to announce these three deserving agencies are receiving a total of $1.5 million in proceeds from a recent court settlement between the Commonwealth and a major pharmaceutical company,” Beshear said. “Each of these agencies was chosen because of its proven track record of providing excellent critical treatment services to assist Kentuckians and their families in the region.”
In the recently passed state budget, lawmakers appropriated funds recovered from the Purdue Pharma case to 15 different recovery facilities and drug treatment centers that provide a variety of services throughout the Commonwealth.
The work of the three organizations receiving funding today includes:
Independence House, in Corbin, is a 14-bed facility that provides trauma-informed care, health, mental health, housing, employment, education and training for pregnant and postpartum women;
KVC Kentucky offers in-home, family-based treatment for alcohol and substance abuse as well as co-occurring disorders. KVC works with the client’s school, community and home setting to promote positive changes in the client’s environment and habits. The organization has regional offices in Lexington, Ashland, Hazard, Prestonsburg, Richmond, Florence, Morehead and Shelbyville;
Kentucky River Community Care offers prevention, assessment, referral, screenings, after-care, and individual and group outpatient and residential treatment. It provides services in Breathitt, Knott, Lee, Letcher, Leslie, Owsley, Perry and Wolfe counties.
“Cumberland River and Independence House are grateful and honored Attorney General Beshear has allocated these funds to continue our work with pregnant and postpartum women,” said Cumberland River Community Comprehensive Care CEO Danny Jones. “His devotion to the needy in Kentucky is wonderful.”
“The Independence House is well-deserving of these funds,” said Senate President Robert Stivers, of Manchester. “This organization has done an exceptional job of helping mothers and children rise above substance abuse situations, and I hope this financial support will help them continue and develop that mission.”
“Substance abuse and addiction are the most costly and destructive epidemics facing the Commonwealth,” said KVC Behavioral HealthCare Kentucky President Elizabeth Croney. “KVC is fully committed to working on the front lines with children and families to stop this tide of destruction. This funding from the attorney general will provide crucial support for these efforts. We are very grateful.”
“The devastation of addiction to powerful drugs can be seen right here in our region,” said Rep. Fitz Steele, of Hazard. “Funding for treatment programs, particularly those that help children fight addiction, is critical to removing this scourge on our people. I’m thankful for the work of the attorney general, and that together we are helping to make drug addiction part of our past and not our future. In Andy Beshear, we’re very fortunate to have an attorney general who truly cares about all the people of our Commonwealth.”
“Too often in politics, talk is cheap,” said Kentucky River Community Care CEO, Mary Meade-McKenzie. “Here, however, the Office of the Attorney General talked the talk and walked the walk by following through with funds to Kentucky River Community Care, and other facilities, to deliver much needed resources to continue KRCC’s mission of fighting the plague of substance abuse that has swallowed our population, including our youngest, most vulnerable citizens. While dismayed by the necessity, KRCC is steadfast on its path to address the pervasive substance abuse issue in this region and will be better equipped to do so with these generous settlement funds. KRCC sincerely thanks Attorney General Beshear for his persistence and assistance.”
“These funds are a positive step to help combat drug addiction in our region,” said Rep. Cluster Howard, of Jackson. “While fighting all forms of addiction should be a top priority, seeing young people fall victim to the incredible power of drugs is particularly heartbreaking. The funds will help take care and courage them and their families to overcome that addiction. I’m very glad to help make these funds available and help our families heal.”
(story provided by Kentucky Office of the Attorney General)
