Cameron held a news conference with the more than 30 receiving organizations present.
These included faith-based, and public non-profit organizations. Statewide groups include Oxfordhouse with $500,000 and Kentucky Health Departments Inc. for $1 million.
Cameron says the drug epidemic is the public safety challenge of their lifetime. He's been holding opioid forums across the commonwealth.
“We can have the finest schools, the lowest taxes in the region's most ambitious economic development plans,” he said. “But none of that matters. If drugs continue to take thousands of Kentucky lives and wreak havoc on thousands of Kentucky families each year.”
More than 20 organizations are receiving “treatment and recovery” grants and 12 are receiving “prevention” grants.
Cameron said overdose deaths are up 60-percent since 2019. In the last three years 7,665 Kentuckians have perished to drug overdoses according to Cameron.
“Last year alone, we lost over 2,000 Kentuckians to drug overdoses and poisoning. And that is unacceptable. Our people deserve better. They deserve a government that fights for them.”
Many of the organizations are located in central Kentucky, but grants also benefitted statewide agencies that serve northwestern Kentucky.
In Henderson and Daviess Counties, organizations like Stable Recovery Inc. won a $300,000 grant for treatment and recovery.
Regarding prevention dollars, the Kentucky Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs received $500,000 for example.
Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission (KYOAAC) Executive Director Bryan Hubbard introduced Cameron to the streaming news conference.
Henderson County (Statewide) Organizations
Prevention:
Kentucky Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs, Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky, Cumberland Trace Legal Services (Kentucky Legal aid,) Children’s law Center Inc., Kentucky Health Departments Association Inc., Kentucky Youth Advocates Inc.,
Treatment and Recovery:
Chrysalis House, Oxford House inc., Stable Recovery Inc., Enrich Corp., Freedom Management (SPARC Recovery), The Healing Place.
Daviess County
Treatment and Recovery — All of the above and:
SB90 Behavioral Health Conditional Dismissal Pilot Program
Volunteers of America Mid-States, Mountain Comprehensive Care Center
From the KY AG news release:
The $13.9 million awarded today will expand access to evidence-based treatments and resources, as well as support community health centers, rural organizations, and emergency shelters. Earlier this year, General Cameron announced the award of $18.5 million for similar projects.
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