By Tom Latek
Kentucky Today
Gov. Andy Beshear released the 2022 Overdose Fatality Report on Thursday, showing that while 2,135 Kentuckians lost their lives to a drug overdose last year, the number dropped more than 5% compared to 2021 and marked the first decline since 2018.
“Of those deaths, 90% were driven by opioids and fentanyl, while potent inexpensive methamphetamine continues to be a driving factor, as well,” he stated. “Those are tough numbers, but there is hope. Last year, Kentucky was one of only eight states in the entire country that saw a significant decrease in overdose deaths.”
Beshear saluted everyone involved in trying to reduce overdose deaths, including first responders, treatment centers, and law enforcement; and highlighted some of the efforts to get the dangerous drugs off the streets.
“Between the months of October 2021 and March of last year, Kentucky’s counter-drug program seized 142 pounds of fentanyl,” he said. “That would be enough to kill over 28 million people. Just last month, KSP alone seized over 13,000 doses of fentanyl.
“Seeing a decrease in overdose deaths is encouraging, but we still have a long way to go, because one Kentucky life lost to overdose is one too many. As your Governor, I will work every day to improve access to treatment and programs to help those fighting this disease to win while also providing Kentucky’s law enforcement with more resources to get these dangerous drugs off our streets.”
According to Beshear, Kentucky has over $80 million to be awarded by the Office of Drug Control Policy to support addiction treatment statewide and described some of the current efforts. “We’ve increased our treatment beds by about 50% since I became Governor [in 2019]. I now believe, although we’re still looking for comparable data, that we have more treatment beds per capita than any other state. I’m really proud that we have the largest number of treatment beds for incarcerated individuals.”
Beshear also gave an update on Kentucky’s juvenile justice system, and some of the news was not good. An ongoing staffing shortage at the female only facility in Northern Kentucky, has caused him to make some adjustments.
“That is why we are temporarily relocating the juveniles currently located in the Campbell County facility to the Boyd County Juvenile Detention Center,” he said. “The males who are currently in Boyd County will be temporarily transferred to the Breathitt Regional Detention Center. We have enough space, and we have enough staffing in those facilities. This is a step that no one wants to have to take, moving juveniles to different facilities, but this is our best opportunity to provide the most safety for them and for the staff.”
He added, the situation is starting to improve, but he still had to take action until staffing levels improve.