Drug abuse in Kentucky

Kentucky has a population of 4,509,394 people. The most recent data from the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) found that 527,000 people over the age of 12 had abused illegal substances in the past month, around 11.69% of the population. 468,000 reported marijuana use in the past month and 683,000 in the past year. The report also found that 80,000 Kentucky residents had abused cocaine in the past year, 90,000 had abused meth, and 168,000 had abused prescription pain medication. 71,000 people over the age of 18 reported using heroin in the last year. Those reporting opioid misuse including heroin, painkillers, and fentanyl in Kentucky totaled 202,000 people.

Alcohol abuse in Kentucky

Alcohol misuse was also reported in Kentucky with 1,631,000 people over the age of 12 saying they had used alcohol in the last month and 829,000 reporting binge drinking. The perceived risk of people over 12 years of age indulging in problematic alcohol use (5 or more drinks twice a week) in a month was 1,629,000 people.

Drug overdose deaths in Kentucky

In 2021, Kentucky saw a total of 2332 recorded drug-related overdose deaths. This includes those that were accidental or unidentifiable but excludes those that were related to suicide or homicide. This puts the overdose death toll in Kentucky at 51.7 people per 100,000. The total number of alcohol-related deaths (including overdose and all other causes) was 689 or 15.2 per 100,000 people.

Addiction treatment statistics in Kentucky

The NSDUH report also recorded the total amount of substance abuse disorders in Kentucky and those who currently require treatment. The report found that 715,000 were recorded as having a substance use disorder (SUD) and 402,000 had an alcohol use disorder. 187,000 people were recorded as having an opioid use disorder including those with painkiller, heroin, and other opioid-based drug use disorders. There are also many who have been diagnosed with or reported a substance, illicit drug, or alcohol use disorder that require rehab treatment and are not receiving it. The report found that 311 people in Kentucky needed treatment for illicit substance abuse, 399,000 required treatment for an alcohol use disorder, and 561,000 needed treatment for a diagnosed substance use disorder.

What treatment options are available in Kentucky?

The goal of any rehab facility is to help prepare you for a rehab-free life. They can achieve this by using various treatment methods proven to help most individuals manage drug and alcohol addiction.

Finding the right treatment for you is crucial. The wrong treatment programs or methods will not help you find good coping mechanisms, and you can quickly relapse.

Depending on your addiction, you might need inpatient or outpatient treatment services. Rehab centers in Kentucky provide these and other treatment options like residential aftercare to ensure your recovery.

Before deciding, you should consider all the treatment options in Kentucky rehab centers. They include:

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

  • Anger Management

  • Motivational Interviewing

  • Opioid detox

  • Group and Individual Counseling

  • Addiction treatment for teens

  • Trauma-related Counseling

  • Telemedicine therapy

  • Substance abuse disorder counseling

  • Addiction treatment for seniors

  • Relapse prevention

Addiction treatment for teens and young people in Kentucky

Kentucky has many rehab centers that offer specialized programs for teenagers and young adults with addiction problems. Many young adults struggling with alcohol or drugs usually have other underlying disorders like anxiety and depression. 

Rehab centers offer treatment services like behavioral therapy that help address the actual psychological issues that could have led to increased drug use.

 Some of the rehab centers with addiction treatment for teens include:

  • Communicare Inc

  • Pennyroyal Center

  • Life Skills Inc

  • KVC Behavioral Health care Kentucky

  • New Vista

  • Mountain Comprehensive Care Center 

  • Dave Harmon and Associates Inc

  • Methodist Home of Kentucky

  • Four Rivers Behavioral Health

  • Gateway Children Services

How do I pay for rehab in Kentucky?

What you end up paying for rehab treatment depends on the facility you choose and the kind of care you need to overcome your addiction.

Getting private or public health insurance will help reduce the money you have to pay in cash to access treatment services. Most Kentucky rehab centers accept state-funded assistance like Medicaid, opening rehab treatment services accessible to more people who need it.

If you do not qualify for public insurance or can't afford to raise the premiums for private insurance, you should look for state-funded centers that offer low-cost addiction treatment services.

Government assistance for addiction treatment in Kentucky

The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services has a Department of Medicaid Services that offers its beneficiaries behavioral health and substance abuse disorder treatment.

Some of these treatment services include assessments to define the nature of your problem, screening to evaluate the presence of substance use, psychological testing, and crisis intervention.

Other services provided by the Department of Medicaid include day treatment, an intensive treatment program for children and youth younger than 21 years old, peer support, an intensive outpatient program, and outpatient therapy for an individual, group, or family member.

This department offers referrals to appropriate treatment and specialized care for individuals suffering from substance abuse.

You can reach the department of Medicaid Services at (800) 221-0446.