UK St. Claire Awarded $1 Million to Combat Opioid Abuse

U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will distribute $1,000,000 to UK St. Claire (SCH) through the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP), on behalf of the Eastern Kentucky Substance Use Response Coalition. SCH is fiscal agent for, and one of eight members of, the coalition.

“The substance abuse crisis in Kentucky is large and growing, with opioid addiction playing a significant role in its expansion. This funding will help several Kentucky addiction recovery centers fund programs that combat opioid addiction, helping individuals struggling with substance abuse return to healthy and productive lives. I’m proud to support the RCORP program in the Senate and am glad to see its resources go to impactful organizations in the Commonwealth,” said Senator McConnell.

This funding will begin Sept. 1 and will be available through Aug. 31, 2025, with a focus on Carter County. It will allow the coalition to replicate “First Day Forward,” a jail re-entry program that will connect recently released individuals who struggle with substance use disorder to vital community resources following incarceration in the Carter County Detention Center. It will also fund training for prescription safety throughout the community, as well as add Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) support to a local clinic in Grayson, and encourage second-chance employment with businesses in the area.

“Senator McConnell’s leadership and consistent advocacy for the rural communities of Eastern Kentucky continue to make a difference in the lives of the people UK St. Claire has the opportunity to serve each and every day,” said Donald H. Lloyd, II, UK St. Claire President/CEO. “St. Claire extends great gratitude to Senator McConnell and his passion to help those that are affected by substance abuse as it continues to grow into a critical issue.”