Nearly half of Kentucky’s population now guaranteed access to addiction treatment resources
FRANKFORT, Ky. (March 5, 2026) – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear announced the certification of Clark, Johnson, Madison and Mason Counties as Recovery Ready Communities. By designating these counties as Recovery Ready, Team Kentucky is expanding access to assistance for drug and alcohol addiction for an additional 176,000 Kentuckians.
“Fewer of our people and families are experiencing the pain of addiction because communities are supporting their neighbors,” Gov. Beshear said. “By working together, we’ve achieved three straight years of declines in overdose deaths in our commonwealth. I know we’ll continue to make progress in this fight as we keep making treatment more accessible to every Kentuckian.”
More than 2.1 million Kentuckians – nearly half of the commonwealth’s population – now have access to addiction services through the 39 counties that have been certified as Recovery Ready Communities, building on three straight years of declines in overdose deaths and recently announced record low recidivism rates.
“The Recovery Ready Communities program is making a real difference in the lives of Kentuckians in every corner of the state,” said Recovery Ready Communities Advisory Council Chair Pam Darnall. “The addition of these four counties is yet another step to saving more lives in the commonwealth.”
Clark County is home to nearly 37,000 Kentuckians and one of the most active local ASAP boards in the commonwealth. The board provides a wide number of support groups and recovery resources to those struggling with addiction. The board’s work is also supplemented by the Clark County Health Department’s Recovery Community Center, a model center offering addiction recovery supports including peer support services, recovery meetings, employment supports, sober social events and education support services.
“Receiving the Recovery Ready Communities designation reflects the hard work, collaboration, and commitment of our community partners across Winchester and Clark County, who are dedicated to supporting individuals and families on the path to recovery,” Clark County Health Director Becky Kissick said. “This designation demonstrates that our community believes recovery is possible and that we are committed to providing the services, support, and opportunities people need to rebuild their lives. Becoming a Recovery Ready Community is more than a designation—it’s a promise that we will continue working together to strengthen recovery services and create a healthier future for everyone.”
Appalachian Regional Healthcare’s Reverse the Cycle Program at Paintsville ARH Hospital in Johnson County is a model program that provides peer recovery coaches for individuals upon admission to the emergency department. Peer recovery coaches screen for drug and alcohol abuse and provide treatment resources when needed. Johnson County’s public library provides the county’s more than 22,600 residents with an additional resource, serving as a one-stop resource hub while providing focused youth-oriented interventions, seeking to prevent addition before it begins.
“Johnson County is proud to be recognized as a Recovery Ready Community. This designation reflects the hard work of our courts, community partners, and local leaders,” said District Judge D. Brett Butcher, 24th Judicial District Division, Johnson County District Drug and Mental Health Court. We are grateful for this opportunity, which will help us expand recovery resources and strengthen support for individuals and families in our community.”
Enrich One-Stop Community Resource and Referral Hub is the centerpiece of Madison County’s recovery efforts. The program provides access to health care and mental health resources, addiction treatment, emergency shelter and housing services, Casey’s Law support and more. Enrich One-Stop, paired with the county health department’s highly effective mobile outreach harm reduction program, ensures wrap-around services and support are provided to any of its almost 100,000 residents who need addiction services.
“Madison County becoming a certified Recovery Ready Community is a proud moment for our community and a testament to the many people who have worked tirelessly to make this possible. From prevention and education efforts to treatment, rehabilitation, Drug Court programs, and employers willing to offer second chances, we are building a network of support that helps people reclaim their lives,” Madison County Judge/Executive Reagan Taylor said. “I want to thank the dedicated professionals, community partners, and volunteers who have invested their time and passion into this effort. Their collaboration and commitment are helping create real, generational change in our community. There’s a return on investment when you invest in people’s lives, and in Madison County we are always going to invest in people because that makes Madison County better.”
In Mason County, Comprehend’s REACH outpatient addiction treatment clinic provides residents of Bracken, Fleming, Lewis, Mason and Robertson counties access to addiction medications, mental health care and other evidence-based behavioral health services. The county’s addiction intervention for its over 17,000 residents is further supported by Sutton’s Landing – 40 units of permanent supportive housing for Mason Countians who are experiencing or are at risk of experiencing homelessness – operated by Welcome House Inc. Sutton’s Landing provides residents with on-site services such as counseling, addiction recovery and financial management.
“As Judge/Executive, I’m incredibly proud of Mason County’s designation as a Recovery Ready Community. Sadly, many families across Mason County, from Maysville to Mayslick and Dover to Lewisburg, have all in some way been affected by addiction, however today, I’m incredibly proud of our efforts in combating this national epidemic,” Mason County Judge/Executive Owen McNeill said. “Countless community agencies and individual representatives have worked tirelessly on obtaining this designation and, as a community, we’re working hard to turn the tide by coming together as a community with empathy and compassion to ensure all Mason Countians have access to a better life,”
Fight Against Addiction
The Beshear-Coleman Administration is committed to making sure no Kentuckian goes without needed addiction recovery and support services.
Gov. Beshear has continued to fight the state’s drug epidemic since his time as attorney general, when he led the nation in the number of individual opioid lawsuits filed by an attorney general. Now, Gov. Beshear is working to make sure the hundreds of millions of dollars in settlement funds go to treatment and the communities impacted.
Last year, Gov. Beshear announced that overdose deaths in the commonwealth had decreased for three straight years, with a 30.2% drop in 2024 compared to the previous year.
In January, the Governor announced that the Kentucky State Police made over 5,000 drug-related arrests and seized more than $18.9 million worth of drugs. This included $277,000 worth of fentanyl, over $2.1 million worth of cocaine, and nearly $4.4 million worth of methamphetamine. Last year, the state police also helped 15 individuals through the Angel Initiative, a program that offers those struggling with addiction a way to connect to recovery resources with no questions asked.
In November of last year, the Governor took action to classify 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) as a Schedule I narcotic, making it illegal to sell, possess or distribute any isolated or concentrated forms of the form of kratom in the state. This followed Gov. Beshear’s similar move to schedule bromazolam, or ‘designer Xanax,’ as a Schedule I narcotic. These actions give Kentucky law enforcement the ability to make arrests for sales or possession.
In September 2025, Gov. Beshear awarded more than $1.4 million in federal grant funding to nine state and local agencies to fight drug trafficking through the Edward J. Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant.
Last summer, the commonwealth released the 2024 Crime in Kentucky Report, which showed serious crime rates decreased by nearly 8%, including an 11.55% decrease in drug/narcotic offenses, a 12.7% decrease in homicide offenses and a 13.78% decrease in sex offenses.
Treatment Resources
If you or a loved one are struggling with addiction, the KY HELP Call Center can connect you to treatment by calling 833-8KY-HELP (833-859-4357).
Information about treatment programs all across the commonwealth is available at FindHelpNowKy.org. Information on how to obtain the life-saving drug naloxone, which is used to reverse an opioid overdose, can be found at that website as well as FindNaloxoneNowKy.org and FindMentalHealthNowKy.org.
Visit the Kentucky State Police website to find one of KSP’s 16 posts where those suffering from addiction can be paired with a local officer who will assist with locating an appropriate treatment program. The Angel Initiative is completely voluntary, and individuals will not be arrested or charged with any violations if they agree to participate in treatment.
The state’s Treatment Access Program also allows those without health insurance to enter residential treatment, and the Recovery Ready certification helps communities support residents who are seeking help for drug or alcohol addiction.
The Beshear-Coleman administration created a website to help people in recovery find housing, FindRecoveryHousingNowKY.org, and a website to support Kentuckians seeking second chances find a job, get an education or continue recovery, SecondChance.ky.gov. The site also connects business leaders with resources to help them hire second-chance talent.
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