By Melissa Patrick

Kentucky Health News

With the start of a new year, Addiction Recovery Care is encouraging individuals struggling with substance-use disorder to seek addiction care, noting that January is a time when people are often looking for a fresh start.

In January 2023, ARC received nearly 1,000 additional calls from people seeking treatment resources, compared to December 2022, making it one of the recovery center’s busiest admission months of the year, according to a company news release.

“These numbers show that with a new year, many feel it is the perfect time to choose a new start,”  Vanessa Keeton, ARC vice president of marketing, said in the release. “For many, a new start is what is needed and will change the trajectory of their lives forever. We often see the motivation of the new year inspires not only one person in addiction, but an entire family unit.”

“The reality is the potent drugs on our streets could mean life or death to the 20-year addict or the person trying for the first time,” added Keeton. “Access to treatment has never been easier, and we are here to help no matter where someone is in their addiction struggles.”

ARC has more than 30 licensed addiction treatment centers in 22 Central and Eastern Kentucky counties. The centers provide a full continuum of care including detox, residential, transitional, intensive outpatient, outpatient, medical assisted treatment (MAT), vocational rehabilitation, and job training, according to its website. For more information call 606-268-3931 or visit www.ARCcenters.com.

Kentucky also offers several other resources to help people who are struggling with drug abuse or who are concerned about a family member’s substance use.

Those who are searching for  treatment providers can find them at www.findhelpnowky.org.

The KY Help Call Center (1-833-859-4357) also provides support and information on available services. The KY HELP call center, staffed by Operation UNITE, has expanded its hours, according to a news release. It is now available from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday. Weekend hours remain the same, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Since its opening in December 2017, through the end of November 2023, KY HELP staff received more than 24,500 inquiries and referred nearly 5,400 individuals to treatment. In addition, staff made more than 53,000 calls to follow-up with requests, according to the release.

The Kentucky State Police has the Angel Initiative, which allows anyone with a substance-use disorder seeking treatment to visit a KSP post where they are directed to treatment.

The latest Kentucky Overdose Fatality Report showed that 2,135 Kentuckians died from overdoses in 2022.