Addressing Kentucky's opioid use disorder epidemic is a top priority across all levels of government and public and private partners.  While Kentucky has made great strides, much work remains.

 

Guided by the Recovery-Oriented System of Care Framework, the purpose of the Kentucky Opioid Response Effort (KORE) is to implement a comprehensive targeted response to Kentucky’s opioid crisis by expanding access to a full continuum of high quality, evidence-based opioid prevention, treatment, recovery, and harm reduction services and supports in high-risk geographic regions of the state.

 

Informed by data on populations most in need, KORE's target populations include persons who have survived an opioid-related overdose, pregnant and parenting women, justice-involved individuals, children, transition-age youth, and families.

KORE offers Kentucky an opportunity to dedicate much-needed resources to address five overarching goals: (1) preventing opioid misuse and abuse; (2) increasing access to OUD treatment services, including Medication- Assisted Treatment; (3) increasing the availability of recovery support services designed to improve treatment access and retention and support long-term recovery; (4) increasing availability of naloxone; and (5) enhancing statewide coordination and evaluation of healthcare and public safety strategies targeting opioid misuse and overdose.

 

A comprehensive performance assessment system will support ongoing evaluation of progress against proposed goals, objectives, and activities and guide continuous quality improvement efforts. Though a multifaceted and complex response is necessary, Kentucky’s singular focus is to end the opioid epidemic and to save lives.