Website that helps Kentuckians find addiction treatment now helps them find naloxone, the drug that reverses opioid overdoses
Kentucky Health News
The website, which has been used over 240,000 times by facilities since its inception in 2018, now also includes social services resources and locators for recovery housing and mental-health treatment.
“We are making it easier for Kentuckians to find the life-saving help they need,” Gov. Andy Beshear said in a press release. “While there is always more work to be done, we are taking another step forward on our mission to help our families fight and overcome addiction.”
Naloxone has become more available thanks to retailers, grants, reduction of stigma associated with addiction, and proactive distribution by community organizations,local health departments, recovery centers and regional prevention centers, the release said.
In addition to the central hub of FindHelpNowKy.org, some of the services can also be reached at FindMentalHealthNowKy.org; FindRecoveryHousingNowKy.org and FindNaloxoneNowKy.org. The latter website provides overdose prevention and response training relevant to people most likely to witness an overdose.
“People can and do recover from addiction and mental health issues,” said state Health Secretary Eric Friedlander said. “And our goal of bundling these services in one central location will only make that journey to recovery easier across the continuum of risk.”
The collaborators on this website are the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center and the state departments for Public Health and Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities.
“Addiction and mental health issues affect Kentuckians in every county and every ZIP code,” said Dr. Katie Marks, commissioner of the latter department. “There should be no shame in seeking help and no barriers to finding evidence-based, compassionate care and treatment. These website updates address that at its core – getting our fellow Kentuckians on their road to recovery with resources that are close in proximity and right for them.”
The National Alliance on Mental Illness says 1 in 20 U.S. adults experience serious mental illness each year. In Kentucky, 189,000 adults are reported as having a serious mental illness, the release said.
If you or a loved one are struggling with addiction, the KY HELP Call Center can connect you to treatment by calling 833-8KY-HELP (833-859-4357). Visit the Kentucky State Police website to find a police post where those suffering from addiction can be paired with a local officer who will assist with locating an appropriate treatment program through KSP’s Angel Initiative. Call, text, or online chat 988 to connect with suicide prevention, mental health and substance-use-disorder counselors. They are available to all Kentuckians 24/7/365, the release said.