The Kentucky Association of Independent Recovery Organizations (KAIROS), a new state-based addiction treatment advocacy organization, hosted a roundtable discussion with legislative leaders at the new Addiction Recovery Care (ARC) Bellefonte Hospital and Recovery Center in Ashland recently.
Sen. Phillip Wheeler (R-Pikeville), Rep. Danny Bentley (R-Russell), Rep. Patrick Flannery (R-Olive Hill), Rep. Bobby McCool (R-Van Lear), and Rep. Scott Sharp (R-Ashland) joined more than three dozen KAIROS members to discuss strategies to advance the field of recovery and achieve better outcomes for individuals with substance use disorder (SUD).
“We are grateful to our many strong legislative partners committed to working alongside us in the fight against the insidious addiction epidemic that has ravaged our state and nation,” said John Wilson, ARC market president for Kentucky and KAIROS chairman. “Moving forward together, we are excited to advance our shared and vital mission to provide healing, hope and a brighter future for individual Kentuckians and for our communities all across the Commonwealth.”
Areas of focus for KAIROS ahead of the 2024 General Assembly session include:
• Addressing the urgent need for more behavioral health practitioners statewide,
Advancing recovery (Photo provided)
• Emphasis on vocational training and the crucial role employment plays in recovery, and
• Elevating the importance of utilizing more than one provider for a patient’s continuum of care (e.g. treatment, wellness, job training, etc.).
The group also discussed implementation of House Bill 248 — which established much needed quality standards for recovery housing in Kentucky — as well as treatment and recovery issues involving corrections, criminal justice, maternal health, and managed care organizations.
KAIROS members include: Addiction Recovery Care, Beacons of Hope, Edgewater Recovery Center, Frontier Behavioral Health Center, Gravity Diagnostics, Higgins Insurance, Optimal Living Services, ReVive Ministries, Roaring Brook Recovery, The Robert Alexander Center, Stepworks Recovery Centers, and Westcare Kentucky.
