Beshear certifies Carroll, Franklin and Jefferson counties as Recovery Ready Communities

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Nov. 6) — Gov. Andy Beshear on Wednesday certified Carroll, Franklin and Jefferson counties as Recovery Ready Communities, bringing Kentucky to 45 certified counties that together serve nearly 3.1 million people, the Kentucky Justice Cabinet announced.

Certifying the three counties adds nearly 860,000 people who now have access to addiction treatment and recovery services in their home county, according to the Justice Cabinet release, which the Ohio County Monitor also carried. The initiative began in 2023; the state's goal is to certify all 120 counties.

Jefferson County, Kentucky's largest with roughly 800,000 residents, scored 287 points on the certification rubric that requires 240, WDRB/WAVE reported. WDRB said fatal overdoses in Jefferson County have fallen by about 50% since 2021.

State officials cited four straight years of declining overdose deaths, two consecutive years of falling recidivism and two years of declining serious crime, the Justice Cabinet said. Billy O'Bryan of Young People in Recovery Kentucky pointed to the continuum of care available in certified counties. Pam Darnall, chair of the Recovery Ready Advisory Council, stressed the need to keep reducing stigma around addiction and recovery.