New Family Recovery Program launching in three counties

Tuesday, Kentucky leaders announced that Clay, Hardin, and Lincoln counties would be the sites of the pilot program.

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – Three counties are getting a new recovery program for children and families affected by substance abuse.

Tuesday, Kentucky leaders and Volunteers of America announced the pilot program would begin in Clay, Hardin, and Lincoln counties.

According to Volunteers of America, about 10,000 kids are in out-of-home placements in Kentucky. About two-thirds of those placements are caused by family substance abuse disorder.

The family recovery program aims to walk families through recovery together instead of separating kids and parents, which Volunteers of America Mid-States CEO and President Jennifer Hancock says is proven to be better for kids.

“What we have seen for many years as we’ve been delivering those services is kids do better, they thrive academically, they thrive developmentally, they heal from the impact that their parents’ substance use disorder has had on them,” said Hancock.

As an added benefit, Hancock says the family-oriented model is good for parents as well.

“Moms are motivated for treatment, because they have their kids with them, they don’t have to worry about where their kids will go if they have to go to residential treatment. We decided long ago that we were going to eliminate that barrier for families and invite the entire family to seek treatment together. It’s a primary prevention program for kids,” said Hancock.

The program will be integrated with the Department for Community-Based Services, providing clinical experts on substance use disorder to help families get placed in treatment programs. The program provides residential housing through Volunteers of America’s Freedom House locations.

“The kids we will be serving will be living with their parents in a residential treatment program. Volunteers of America is providing Freedom House in Louisville and Manchester, Kentucky. And we have plans to expand that regionally throughout Kentucky next year,” said Hancock.

Treatment plans and length of stay are customized the individual family needs. The results of the pilot program will be studied at the University of Louisville Kent School of Social Work.