Time for Kentucky to create ‘Recovery Ready’ communities

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 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.

Rep. Bowling’s legislation establishes a framework for communities to become “Recovery Ready,” bringing much needed consistency to local prevention, treatment and recovery efforts across the state, and already has the support of Kentucky’s leading recovery advocates.

“Regardless of where Kentuckians call home, they should be able to access the wide-ranging services and resources they need to help them lead healthy lives, free from dangerous substances,” said Rep. Bowling. “While we’d like to think all Kentuckians have equal opportunities to prevent, treat and recover from substance use disorders, the reality is that significant disparities exist from place to place. This legislation leverages the firsthand knowledge and expertise of those on the frontlines of the addiction crisis to bridge the gaps.”

Stacy Usher receives Governor’s Service Award

Stacy Usher, project director for the Wolfe County Drug-Free Communities and member of the Wolfe Countians Against Drugs UNITE Coalition, was recognized for her volunteer and service contributions at the 25th Annual Governor’s Service Awards presented virtually Saturday, October 24, 2020.

Usher was presented the National Service Alumni Award by Governor Andy Beshear and Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) Secretary Eric Friedlander.

As an AmeriCorps member of the UNITE Service Corps, Usher completed two years of service at Campton Elementary in Wolfe County, during which time she sponsored the school’s UNITE Club for community service, volunteered for the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) club, taught soccer, and helped her students’ test scores soar upwards of 30% in math knowledge.

45 share recovery stories in Addiction Recovery Week in Wolfe County, nation’s most vulnerable to disease outbreaks from drugs By: Katie Pratt

Wolfe County is consistently one of the state’s poorest counties and faces many drug-related issues with little resources. It leads the nation for the vulnerability of its population to an outbreak of HIV or Hepatitis C because of the opioid epidemic and a lack of a local syringe exchange. In 2018, it had one of the state’s highest per-capita rates for drug arrests.

Alyssa Cox, family and consumer sciences extension agent, had been working with her extension colleagues Heather Graham and Jessica Morris and community partners to create the recovery week prior to the pandemic. While the pandemic changed how they delivered their programming, it did not change the week’s focus.

“The goal of this week was to bring awareness to the challenges of addiction recovery and to rally behind our local residents who fight this battle every day,” Cox said.

One of the week’s highlights was the opportunity for people in recovery to share their stories and personal photos during a Facebook Live event. As their stories were told, Morris, the county’s 4-H youth development agent, lit a sparkler in their honor.