Funding for Recovery Equity and Expansion in Kentucky

The Funding for Recovery Equity and Expansion (FREE II) grant program, offered by the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, aims to significantly expand substance use recovery and mental health support services. This initiative specifically targets Kentucky’s BIPOC and minoritized communities, with a core mission to reduce the stigma associated with accessing such vital interventions. The Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky aligns this program with its broader strategic priorities of improving overall well-being and reducing premature deaths in historically under-resourced communities across the state. This program embodies a theory of change that centers on strengthening community infrastructure and empowering marginalized voices to drive effective health outcomes. The primary beneficiaries of the FREE II program are BIPOC and minoritized Kentuckians who are in need of culturally responsive and evidence-based prevention, mental health treatment, and recovery support services. The overarching impact goals are to reduce overdose deaths and enhance the overall well-being of these specific communities. By focusing on these populations, the program directly addresses existing health disparities and inequities, striving to create a more equitable access to care and support systems. The program's priorities and focuses are multifaceted, encompassing the utilization of trauma-informed and resilience-informed care approaches to mitigate premature deaths among BIPOC Kentuckians. A key focus is also on strengthening treatment and prevention infrastructure through collaborative projects that actively center BIPOC voices and experiences. Eligible activities include outreach and relationship building, stigma-reducing marketing and events, and coalition building among service providers. Furthermore, the program emphasizes increasing public and community knowledge of FDA-approved medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), various recovery paths, evidence-based treatment and recovery supports, and harm reduction supports like Syringe Service Programs and naloxone, while actively working to reduce the stigma associated with their utilization. The expected outcomes and measurable results for the FREE II program include the awarding of at least 10 grants, each in the amount of $50,000. All funded activities are required to occur within the grant period of October 1, 2024, to August 31, 2025. Through these grants, the program anticipates an increase in accessible, culturally competent, and effective substance use and mental health services for BIPOC and minoritized communities in Kentucky, leading to a demonstrable reduction in overdose deaths and an overall improvement in community well-being. The emphasis on collaborative projects and centering BIPOC voices is expected to foster sustainable and community-driven solutions.