Substance Abuse Treatment Directory Is Released
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 11, 2011) − Research at the University of Kentucky has determined there are over 2,500 substance abuse treatment resources in Kentucky for abusers as well as support services for families. Now, for the first time, a comprehensive directory of information on these resources is available in one place.
The 2011 Kentucky Substance Abuse Treatment Provider Directory, which includes at least one resource in each of Kentucky’s 120 counties, is a collaborative effort between the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, which funded the project, the University of Kentucky College of Communications and Information Studies, and the Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER), which is located in UK's Gatton College of Business and Economics.
Van Ingram, the executive director of the Kentucky Office for Drug Control Policy said this directory will be an invaluable resource to combat substance abuse in Kentucky. "In addition to the 345 state-certified substance abuse treatment providers listed in the directory, the peer- and faith-based resources it includes can be just as important for getting someone back on the road to recovery," Ingram said.
"So many Kentucky families are facing the terror of prescription drug addiction, and access to treatment and recovery is a critical component in our comprehensive strategy to fight prescription drug abuse," said Governor Steve Beshear. "The development of this directory is a welcome addition to the list of tools available to help our families."
“The new directory will be a great asset to Kentucky Drug Court,” said Connie M. Payne, executive officer of Statewide Services, the department that oversees Drug Court for the Administrative Office of the Courts. “Instead of spending time in jail, Drug Court participants complete a substance abuse program supervised by a judge. Part of our challenge is identifying the treatment options in each community that can help Drug Court graduates return to productive lives.”
State Representative John Tilley, D-Hopkinsville, co-chair of the 2011 Task Force on the Penal Code and Controlled Substances Act, said, “We need to be smart about how we address substance abuse in Kentucky by using an array of strategies that include treatment, prevention, and enforcement. I hope and expect that this work will facilitate and encourage more effort on the treatment side.”
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 23.5 million Americans aged 12 or older needed treatment for an illicit drug or alcohol abuse problem in 2009 (9.3 percent of persons aged 12 or older). SAMHSA estimates that around 8 percent of Kentuckians 12 or older used illicit drugs and 21 percent were binge alcohol drinkers in the past month. The 2009 National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services found that on a single day in March 2009 there were more than 19,000 clients in Kentucky’s substance abuse treatment facilities for either drug or alcohol abuse, or both.
Dan O’Hair, dean of the UK College of Communications and Information Studies, said, "This is an important part of our college’s effort to enhance health literacy in the Commonwealth by providing knowledge and information about community resources."
Ken Troske, interim associate dean in the Gatton College of Business and Economics and director of CBER, added, "Substance abuse is an important workforce development issue that concerns business leaders across the Commonwealth. This new guide to treatment providers is a big step forward."
The directory can be obtained by sending an email to michael.childress@uky.edu and is available online at the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky (http://www.healthy-ky.org), the College of Communications and Information Studies (http://cis.uky.edu/cis/healthliteracy), and the Center for Business and Economic Research (http://cber.uky.edu).
MEDIA CONTACT: Carl Nathe, (859) 257-3200; Michele Sparks, (859) 257-0040