Gov. Beshear Certifies 6 Counties as Recovery Ready Communities
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Sep. 5, 2025) – Today, during the Team Kentucky Recovery Month celebration in Frankfort, Gov. Andy Beshear certified six counties as Recovery Ready Communities. By designating Boyd, Carter, Clay, Greenup, Letcher and Owsley counties as Recovery Ready, Team Kentucky is ensuring access to assistance for drug or alcohol addiction for the nearly 153,000 Kentuckians who reside in those parts of the commonwealth.
Today’s announcement brings the total counties designated as Recovery Ready Communities to 31, providing residents with access to addiction treatment and recovery support while removing barriers to the workforce. This represents more than 1.7 million Kentuckians and builds on the progress of three straight years of declines in overdose related deaths in Kentucky.
“Together, we are making sure no Kentuckian walks the road to recovery alone, by ensuring everyone has access to resources to fight addiction,” said Gov. Beshear. “We’re ensuring there are treatment options and recovery help in every community by designating our counties as Recovery Ready so Kentuckians know where they can start their recovery journey – now.”
“We hope to see every single Kentucky county certified as a Recovery Ready Community, and we just got six more counties closer to that goal,” said Pam Darnall, chair of the Recovery Ready Communities Advisory Council. “No Kentuckian should be without hope, and I encourage the remaining counties to submit applications and support those in need in their communities.”
Clay County’s recovery-focused system of care is founded on strong, community-based organizations that work together to meet residents where they are and provide comprehensive support for those affected by addiction.
In Clay County, the Cumberland Valley District Health Department operates a highly effective harm reduction outreach program that works to prevent the spread of disease, fatal overdose and entry into treatment. Cumberland River Behavioral Health also provides the county with addiction treatment and mental health services while supporting the county’s homeless population, and the AdventHealth hospital system provides essential treatment and links to services at every stage of recovery. Clay County residents also greatly benefit from one of the original Kentucky Overdose Response Effort (KORE)-funded recovery community centers operated by Volunteers of America, where community members can access recovery support groups, sober prosocial activities, and linkages to employment support services.
“As judge/executive, I am pleased that our county has been awarded the Recovery Ready Community certification,” Clay County Judge/Executive Tommy Harmon said. “The opioid epidemic hit Clay County very hard, and this certification is a testament to the power of a community that stands together and fight.”
Letcher County’s over 21,000 residents now reside in a Recovery Ready Community, which has demonstrated a deep commitment to coordination and cooperation to solve the addiction crisis locally. The county’s Agency for Substance Abuse Planning (ASAP) Board funds evidence-based programs and interventions to strengthen the local system while Letcher County’s UNITE Coalition and Kentucky River Community Care provide mental health resources to young Kentuckians. The Help End Addiction for Life (HEAL) Coalition has also worked in the county since 2018 to increase recovery resources for those struggling with addiction and their families both in the community and in the judicial system.
“To be a community that not only believes in hope for a better future, but also a community that brings that hope to life through plans and action. We are grateful to the commonwealth for recognizing our efforts, and we are honored to be named a Recovery Ready Community,” said Dr. Sydney Whitaker, substance use treatment coordinator for Mountain Comprehensive Health Corporation and immediate past president of the HEAL coalition.
Owsley County’s prevention efforts support families across the county. The Owsley County Anti-Drug Council leads and coordinates prevention efforts among governmental and community organizations. The Hub, a nationally recognized model that combines harm reduction outreach and recovery community center, is also located in the county and provides a full battery of services designed to protect the community from communicable disease, prevent overdose deaths, facilitate access to treatment, and link residents leaving treatment to fair chance employment opportunities. The Hub has partnered with government organizations to improve programming for those involved in the justice system as well as those incarcerated in the regional jail. The unofficial mantra of The Owsley County School District also partners with Kentucky River Community Care to provide education to the county’s youth about the harm addiction causes.
“We are very excited to receive the Recovery Ready Community certification for Owsley County,” said Scott Lockard, public health director for Kentucky River District Health Department.
“We are all working together to ensure that anyone dealing with substance use disorder has the resources and support they need to achieve sobriety.”
Boyd, Carter and Greenup counties submitted a joint application representing the Northeast region of the commonwealth. Through pre-existing entities and partnerships, the Tri-County ASAP Board, UNITE Boyd County/Champions Coalition and the Healthy Choices Healthy Communities workgroup all create improvements that touch each county. This partnership has resulted in the creation of The Neighborhood, a one-stop center for those in need of assistance. The Neighborhood provides essential services, like food services, utility assistance and health-care referrals, while also providing addiction treatment. The region also benefits from the University of Kentucky’s King’s Daughters Medical Center, which has been partnered with Pathways since 2019 to support those suffering from addiction and mental health crises. The Carter, Greenup and Boyd County Quick Response Team also assists local community partners to perform outreach.
“This distinction reflects our region’s deep commitment to supporting individuals on their journey to and through recovery and affirms the collaborative efforts of local organizations, leaders, and residents who have worked tirelessly to create a more inclusive, compassionate, and resilient region,” said Scott Murphy, director of community impact at Ramey-Estep/Re-group and chair of the Healthy Choices Healthy Communities Coalition’s Substance Use Disorder Workgroup. “Together, we’re building a future where recovery is not only possible – but fully supported. We’re not just checking boxes, we’re changing lives. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together, and even more excited for what’s ahead!”
To learn more and to apply for certification as a Recovery Ready Community, click here.
Fight Against Addiction
In May of this year, Gov. Beshear announced that overdose deaths in the commonwealth decreased for the third year in a row, with a 30.2% decrease in 2024 compared with the previous year.
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.
Recently, Gov. Beshear banned the drug bromazolam, or “Designer Xanax,” from being sold in Kentucky and providing law enforcement the ability to make arrests for sales or possession.
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.
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 at 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.
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