Two Addiction Treatment Centers in Kentucky Receive Federal Awards

Statement

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced today the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Affairs awarded federal funding to two Kentucky substance abuse treatment facilities. The federal resources were authorized by the First Step Act, the bipartisan criminal justice reform championed by President Trump and supported by Senator McConnell.

Mountain Comprehensive Care Center in Prestonsburg will be awarded $900,000 to support Kentuckians working toward long-term recovery as they leave incarceration and reenter the community. Shepherds House, in Lexington, will receive $433,903 to support its reentry programs.

"Like many Kentuckians, I've heard inspirational stories of those who recover from addiction and rebuild their lives. I'm proud to support these organizations as they address the substance abuse crisis and help those in need contribute to their communities," said Senator McConnell. "As Senate Majority Leader, I'll keep working to stop this scourge from wrecking more lives and threatening our communities."

"We are pleased to receive this grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance to assist substance abuse impacted persons in Letcher County transition from jail into the community," Promod Bishnoi, CEO of Mountain Comprehensive Care Center. "We thank Leader McConnell for his assistance and continued response to the impact of addiction on our community."

"Senator McConnell has been a consistent partner in our work to help Kentuckians on their path to long-term recovery," said Jerod Thomas, President and CEO of Shepherds House. "We're grateful for the federal investment into our reentry programs and our clients' future."

Since becoming Majority Leader in 2015, Senator McConnell has prioritized the fight against the opioid and substance abuse epidemic by increasing federal funding for the response. Under Senator McConnell's leadership, Kentucky has received more than $275 million. He worked with the University of Kentucky to help secure an $87 million competitive federal grant--the largest in school history--to address the opioid crisis in high-risk communities. He has also helped secure the inclusion of some of Kentucky's hardest-hit counties in the Office of National Drug Control Policy's High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program to promote coordination and support for law enforcement in Kentucky.

In 2018, President Trump signed into law the landmark opioid and substance abuse bill Senator McConnell helped shepherd to enactment. The bill included his CAREER Act -- which Congressmen Andy Barr (KY-06) introduced in the House -- recognizing the connection among employment, housing, and long-term recovery. The legislation also contained the Senator's Protecting Moms and Infants Act, which authorized an increase in federal funding to help babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS).

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