McConnell Announces Nearly $30 Million for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Treatment in Kentucky

Press Release

U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced today Kentucky was awarded $19,100,815 for substance abuse prevention and treatment efforts and $10,734,798 for mental health services. The federal funding, distributed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), was made available by the bipartisan Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, which Senator McConnell negotiated and led to enactment in December.

"The coronavirus crisis has exposed serious challenges to mental and behavioral health. While many children have been kept out of the classroom during the pandemic, addiction, depression and other serious conditions have spiked. I'm proud our bipartisan relief bill recognized the urgent need for additional resources in Kentucky's effort to address these critical issues," said Senator McConnell. "As Senate Republican Leader, I will continue delivering the necessary federal funding to help Kentuckians working toward long-term recovery and the courageous families and professionals who support them."

Last month, Senator McConnell announced Kentucky received $5.7 million from the December legislation to fight the substance abuse epidemic. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which Senator McConnell introduced and led to enactment in March 2020, delivered $6 million to Kentucky for addiction treatment. In total, the CARES Act made a $13 billion impact in Kentucky for workers, families, small businesses and healthcare heroes.

As Senate Republican Leader, McConnell continues to prioritize the national response to opioid and substance abuse. Since 2015, he has delivered more than $280 million to bolster Kentucky's prevention, treatment and enforcement efforts.

Senator McConnell partnered with the University of Kentucky in 2019 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 supported the inclusion of some of Kentucky's hardest-hit counties in the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy's High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program to promote coordination and support for law enforcement in Kentucky. As a result of his advocacy, approximately half of all Kentuckians live in a HIDTA county.

In 2018, Senator McConnell shepherded a landmark opioid and substance abuse bill to enactment. The legislation included his CAREER Act--which U.S. Congressman Andy Barr (KY-06) introduced in the House--recognizing the connection among employment, housing and long-term recovery. The package also included McConnell'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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