WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced today that the Commonwealth of Kentucky received $2 million to strengthen access to substance abuse treatment and other mental health services during the coronavirus pandemic. Seven Counties Services (formerly Centerstone of Kentucky) also received $4 million directly to continue its inspirational treatment programming. 

These federal resources, delivered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), were made available by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Senator McConnell introduced the CARES Act, which became the largest economic rescue package in history, and shepherded it to enactment in about a week. 

“Kentuckians working toward long-term recovery face additional challenges as communities practice social distancing to slow the spread of the coronavirus. I’m so grateful to the mental health professionals in our Commonwealth who are leading the nation in innovative and compassionate treatment to address the ongoing substance abuse epidemic,” said Senator McConnell. “As Senate Majority Leader, I’m constantly putting Kentucky’s priorities at the center of the national discussion, and I’m proud that my CARES Act delivered the much-needed funding to continue helping save lives from substance abuse.” 

According to SAMHSA, Kentucky has flexibility to use these funds for mental health and substance abuse services and to support youth and Kentuckians experiencing homelessness during the pandemic. 

"We are so grateful for Leader McConnell's dedication to expand Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers across Kentucky. Seven Counties Services is thrilled to be included in this expansion, and with this grant, we will be able to continue offering a comprehensive range of addiction and mental health services to our neighbors in Bullitt County. We know that federal financial support is key to supporting the behavioral health needs in rural Kentucky and this CCBHC expansion will stabilize people in crisis, reduce barriers to care and provide treatment and recovery support for those with complex mental and substance use disorders,” said Abby Drane, President & CEO, Seven Counties Services. 

In addition to these federal resources, Kentucky has so far received more than $2.7 billion to address urgent housing, transportation, healthcare, education and economic development priorities from Senator McConnell’s CARES Act. 

Also today, SAMHSA awarded resources Senator McConnell previously secured in last year’s government-funding legislation to support the following Kentucky substance abuse treatment facilities: 

 

Background: Since becoming Majority Leader in 2015, Senator McConnell has prioritized federal resources to fight the opioid and addiction epidemic by increasing federal funding for the response. Under McConnell’s leadership, Kentucky has received more than $240 million to help fight the epidemic. Senator McConnell recently worked with the University of Kentucky to help secure an $87 million federal competitive grant to address the opioid crisis in high-risk communities. He has also helped secure 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.

Senator McConnell regularly draws attention to Kentucky’s prevention, treatment and enforcement efforts with the President’s Cabinet and federal agencies. At his request, multiple Drug Czars have visited Kentucky to see the innovative work being done in the Commonwealth. Earlier this year, at Senator McConnell’s invitation, Director Carroll joined the Senator for visits to Louisville and Northern Kentucky

In 2018, President Trump signed into law the landmark opioid and substance abuse bill Senator McConnell helped shepherd to enactment. The measure included the Senator’s CAREER Act, which recognizes that steady employment and safe housing are critical to long-term recovery. The President also signed into law 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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