Kentuckians affected by the growing epidemic of heroin abuse and overdose are looking to raise awareness of the heroin crisis and urge action from state lawmakers.
Earlier this year in May, the nonprofit group Walking For Wellness hosted a community cookout in Louisville to raise money for a local treatment center. It was just one of a number of high-turnout events in the state organized around the goal to improve current treatment options for those struggling with substance use problems in the state- and nationwide heroin crisis.
The fundraiser came after state legislators struggled to pass a bill that would, among other actions, increase funding for treatment centers across the state. “We have one tenth of the treatment beds in the state we need,” Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway told WLKY Louisville. While some of the provisions of Senate Bill 5, which expired in the House of Representatives, were controversial, the need for more treatment centers and funding is something that virtually everyone in the state agrees on.
Even though time ran out on SB5, State Senator Chris McDaniel, among others, is attempting to build support for a special session of the legislature to revisit the bill, gaining the endorsement of the Covington City Commision and Kenton County Fiscal Courts. More recent reports have seen lawmakers preparing to resurrect provisions of the bill in 2015.
Stepworks Recovery Centers is committed to improving the current treatment landscape in Kentucky, offering state-of-the-art facilities for recovery education and addiction treatment. Stepworks is in the process of expanding to currently under-served areas. We encourage you to get in touch if you are struggling with drug use and addiction.
