(WKYT) – Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman announced more than $30 million from the national opioid settlement to help citizens of the commonwealth.
The funds will go toward organizations that focus on drug treatment, prevention and recovery.
Several leaders gathered at Lexington’s Woodhill Community Center to celebrate the available funding that will help deter Kentuckians from drug abuse. The center is one of more than 100 organizations across the commonwealth that will receive these funds.
Funding for local organizations
Woodhill Community Center will be awarded approximately $225,000. About 100 kids come to the center a week for sports programming, family engagement and academic support.
“It gives us a little bit more runway to provide the necessary programming that will engage and encourage kids to step up and engage in activities that will help them steer away from opioid and drug use,” said Marcus Patrick, director of youth empowerment for Lexington Leadership Foundation.
Voices of Hope, a recovery community organization focused on substance abuse disorder, was awarded $231,000. The North Broadway location in Lexington helps 30 to 40 people on a daily basis.
“That’s an amazing number. It’s going to help a lot of people and support our weekend hours and weekend staff members and programming on the weekend,” said Gary Biggers of Voices of Hope.
Chris Evans, executive director of the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission, said the funding provides real connections and help to families.
“It’s uplifting to see people in the communities to help their neighbors, their friends, their families, their loved ones. The ability to watch organizations take the money coming from the settlement and give real connections and help to families is something that really matters and really is powerful,” Evans said.
Largest distribution to date
Coleman said it is the state’s largest funding distribution to date.
The attorney general also announced additional funds of $3.6 million to combat addiction.
“For the first time we are funding research and innovation. I’m excited about this,” Coleman said.
Coleman reminded the audience how these funds came to be, noting there are people who suffered and died from opioid addiction.
“This is blood money what we spend, what we announce. It is blood money for those who have lost their sons and their daughters, these dollars that we have clawed back from the companies that created this crisis,” Coleman said.
Kentucky will receive a total of $1 billion from the settlement. The money will come in payments over an 18-year period. So far, more than $100 million have been granted to organizations statewide.