13 grants total $3.5 million
FRANKFORT, KY (Sept. 16, 2015) — Community mental health centers and residential treatment facilities in nine communities and four treatment centers for pregnant women will receive more than $3.5 million in grants to help treat prescription drug and heroin abuse and address neonatal abstinence syndrome in Kentucky, Gov. Steve Beshear announced today.
The grant program is part of Senate Bill 192, Kentucky’s landmark heroin legislation passed by the 2015 General Assembly to address Kentucky’s widespread substance abuse problem. Funding for the grant awards is part of a larger allocation of funds attached to the heroin bill.
“Substance abuse continues to be one of the most stubborn, damaging public health and safety issues facing our commonwealth,” Beshear said. “Not only has this scourge exacted a tremendous toll on our social services, workforce, economic stability and growth, but it’s also caused immeasurable suffering for thousands of families, and its impact is now reaching the most innocent and vulnerable – newborns. This grant funding will help us reach more people and get them the treatment they need to overcome their addiction.”
The $3.5 million will go to centers that provide behavioral and medication assisted therapy services for people in treatment for addiction, and to residential treatment services for pregnant women battling substance abuse.
In Fiscal Year 2015, community mental health centers served 15,709 individuals with substance use disorders, or about 5 percent of the state population estimated to have a substance use disorder, Beshear said.
“There are many more individuals in need of services and while many are not willing to seek treatment, there are also many who will seek treatment as it becomes more accessible,” Beshear said.
Community mental health centers receiving funding are:
- Pathways, Ashland, $320,000;
- Communicare, Elizabethtown, $320,000;
- North Key, Northern Kentucky, $320,000;
- River Valley, Owensboro, $193,000
- Bluegrass, Lexington area, $308,300;
- Kentucky River, Jackson area, $320,000;
- Pennyroyal, Hopkinsville area, $292,200;
- Seven Counties, Louisville area, $247,400; and
- Mountain Comp Care, Prestonsburg area, $244,000.
Four additional programs providing residential treatment for pregnant women also will receive grant awards.
They are:
- Transitions Inc., Northern Kentucky, $219,600;
- Mountain Comprehensive Care, Prestonsburg, $250,000;
- Chrysalis House, Lexington, $250,000; and
- Volunteers of America, Louisville, $249,300.
The Kentucky Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities (BHDID) will collaborate with KY-ASAP for the distribution and monitoring of funds for the grant program.
The goal of the program is to serve adults diagnosed with a substance abuse disorder or a co-occurring mental illness with a substance abuse diagnosis.
Awardees must demonstrate a commitment to ensuring individuals have access to evidence-based services and supports that include outpatient, medication-assisted, individuals, group, family, intensive outpatient, crisis, case management, residential treatment and recovery support services.
“Substance abuse continues to plague Kentucky. It’s taken a toll on individuals as well as the infants who experience neonatal abstinence syndrome when they are exposed to opiates while their mothers are pregnant,” said Audrey Tayse Haynes, cabinet secretary for Health and Family Services. “This problem remains an epidemic, but it is one we continue to fight. We are happy to be able to support our CMHCs and residential treatment facilities with this grant funding and enhance services for individuals battling heroin and prescription drug abuse.”
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