FRANKFORT, Ky. – Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, substance use in Kentucky has been on the rise, exacerbating an already serious addiction crisis that has taken thousands of lives and impacted many more. In response, Rep. Adam Bowling, R-Middlesboro, has pre-filed legislation to encourage a more comprehensive approach to substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery in all of Kentucky’s 120 counties.
Bowling’s legislation establishes a framework for communities to become “Recovery Ready,” bringing consistency to local prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts across the state, and already has the support of Kentucky’s leading recovery advocates.
The “Recovery Ready” legislation establishes a new advisory council within the Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy that will include recovery leaders, government officials, law enforcement, private sector employers, and other key stakeholders. As a first step, this group will work together to determine appropriate and meaningful “Recovery Ready” standards for the commonwealth’s communities.
These standards will capture the needs of individuals in and seeking recovery and address the social determinants that lead to addiction and make recovery more feasible, including health care and treatment, housing, employment and educational opportunities, childcare and transportation, counseling, and peer support.
The legislation will be officially introduced in the General Assembly and receive a bill number when lawmakers convene in January.
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