This article is from The Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer. See the original post here.
RiverValley Behavioral Health will receive $246,800 to implement a recovery house dedicated to women in recovery.
The funding is a part of a $4.9 million grant package announced by Gov. Andy Beshear to help address Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome by offering comprehensive treatment and recovery services to pregnant and parenting women.
“It helps with our plans to improve access to substance abuse treatment and to increase our capacity to offer different types of substance abuse treatment varieties,” CEO Dr. Wanda Figueroa said Monday.
The funding has been distributed to 17 nonprofit organizations, such as community mental health centers and neonatal abstinence treatment programs, through the Senate Bill 192 Treatment Grant administered by the Office of Drug Control Policy.
“Our job as public servants is to work with partners throughout Kentucky to provide help, hope and a hand to lead individuals out of the darkness of addiction and into the light of acceptance, opportunity and community,” Beshear said in the statement. “This grant funding is another resource in addressing this public health crisis and allowing us to take another step closer to creating a better Kentucky for future generations, starting with our newborn babies.”
Figueroa said the funding will allow them to help those who have completed treatment, but are at risk for a relapse due to a variety of factors, such as not having a safe place to go after their treatment.
“For the most part, the residential treatment is limited to 30 days,” she said. “We know science says that is not good enough, that at least 90 days is needed in order for recovery to be better established…”
Dr. Lionel Phelps, vice president of continuous quality improvement, said Monday that the grant will provide the start-up funding for the new 16-bed facility, which will be located in Henderson County.
Figueroa said a new structure will not have to be built, and the recovery house should be operational in between 30 and 60 days.
Published on April 19, 2022