LEXINGTON, Ky. — Community Action Council for Lexington-Fayette, Bourbon, Harrison, and Nicholas Counties, Inc. has announced that it has been awarded a $2 million federal grant over five years to provide mental health and substance abuse treatment services annually to at least 40 individuals and families experiencing homelessness across 16 Kentucky counties.
“This program will meet critical needs of individuals and families experiencing homelessness when at least one member of the family has a substance use disorder or mental illness,” said Malcolm Ratchford, the council’s executive director. “Our objective is to provide direct treatment services, including screening, assessment, and case management. This funding will also allow us to link individuals receiving these services to permanent housing and to provide much-needed recovery and “wrap around” services such as child care, vocational training, education, and transportation.”
Elected officials have acknowledged that the grant will provide much-needed resources to address Kentucky’s opioid crisis.
“The Community Action Council and its partners have a caring mission to help those in need in Central Kentucky, and I congratulate them for being awarded this grant to provide substance abuse and mental health treatment,” said Senator Mitch McConnell. “With these additional resources, the CAC can make a real impact and promote long-term solutions for individuals and families experiencing homelessness through intensive case management and wrap-around services. I strongly support federal grant programs like this one because of their effectiveness in helping combat the crisis of addiction, mental illness and homelessness in our communities.”
“The opioid epidemic and other substance-abuse disorders are devastating communities across Kentucky,” said Congressman Andy Barr. “That’s why it’s crucial we provide our local officials with the resources they need to effectively protect individuals and families from experiencing homelessness, and I’ve been proud to support federal funding like this grant so communities can best address and treat substance-abuse disorders. The awarding of this grant is a testament to Community Action Council’s dedicated services for the people of Central Kentucky and I look forward to the great work they will provide to those in need.”
The Council has 14 years of experience serving people experiencing homelessness by providing supportive housing combined with case management and wrap-around services.
Marty Jones, the council’s programs manager, will oversee this new project.
“We are excited that this program will strengthen services and increase capacity to address substance use, mental illness, and homelessness across a 16-county service area,” Jones said.
The council and its program partners—including Kentucky River Foothills Community Action Partnership, Bluegrass Community Action Partnership, KVC Kentucky, Bluegrass.org, and Kentucky Counseling Center—will provide a holistic, culturally appropriate, evidence-based outpatient mental health and substance abuse treatment program in the counties of Anderson, Bourbon, Boyle, Clark, Estill, Franklin, Garrard, Harrison, Jessamine, Lincoln, Madison, Mercer, Nicholas, Powell, Scott and Woodford.
This grant has been awarded from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Community Action Council for Lexington-Fayette, Bourbon, Harrison and Nicholas Counties, Inc. prevents, reduces and eliminates poverty among individuals, families and communities through direct services and advocacy. The council works alongside its participants to create opportunities for individuals and families to achieve self-sufficiency as they move along the pathway out of poverty.
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