Pubdate: Thu, 06 Jan 2005
Source: Madison Courier, The (IN)
Contact:  http://www.madisoncourier.com/
Address: 310 Courier Square, Madison, Indiana 47250
Fax: (812) 273-6903

FLETCHER ANNOUNCES 'RECOVERY KENTUCKY'

Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher announced Monday "Recovery Kentucky," an
initiative to help Kentuckians recover from substance abuse that often
leads to chronic homelessness.

"Many of our fellow Kentuckians are in trouble; drug abuse is a
growing problem in our state. Drug abuse destroys families and
careers," Fletcher said. "It impacts jails, classrooms, health care,
and our economy. In fact, studies indicate that drug addiction is one
of the leading causes of homelessness in this state.

"We are engaging in a new strategy to overcome drug abuse in Kentucky
with the establishment of housing recovery centers. The centers will
house and provide treatment services through recovery to 1,000
homeless, or those at-risk of being homeless, particularly those
persons with a history of substance abuse."

Sylvia Lovely, interim director of the new Office of Drug Control
Policy and executive director of the Kentucky League of Cities, said
she's pleased that Governor Fletcher agrees with the recommendations
of the Drug Summit Task Force.

"Housing recovery centers can be a major component of the state's
solution to tackling the drug epidemic," Lovely said. "These centers
will help women and men recover from addiction, find permanent housing
if needed, and help them gain control of their lives so they can be
productive citizens of their communities."

Funding

Recovery Kentucky is a joint effort by the Governor's Office for Local
Development (GOLD), the Department of Corrections, and the Kentucky
Housing Corporation (KHC).

These agencies have developed a financial plan that makes available
construction and operational financing which includes a $2.5 million
allocation of Low Income Housing Tax Credits (Housing Credits) from
KHC for construction costs. Operational funding includes approximately
$4 million from GOLD's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
program and approximately $3 million from the Department of
Corrections.

The financing package requires no new state dollars -- construction
funds and CDBG funds are federal dollars and Corrections' money
represents the cost savings derived from this less costly alternative
to incarceration. Corrections will finance one-third of the beds in
the housing recovery centers to help offenders recover from alcohol
and/or drug abuse.

The Housing Recovery Center

Recovery Kentucky's service-based model is patterned after the
education model used successfully at The HOPE Center in Lexington and
The Healing Place in Louisville. These centers, like the ones to be
constructed, provide shelter and a safe place to recover. The centers
also provide peer support, daily living skills training, job
responsibilities and challenges to practice sober living.

The centers will be either all female or all male. Residents must make
the commitment to overcome their addictions; be over the age of 18 and
be homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

The goal is to provide a housing recovery center in each of Kentucky's
six Congressional districts.

How to apply

Organizations and communities that want to apply for construction and
services funding for a housing recovery center will do so through the
CDBG program at GOLD and the KHC. Through a cooperative application
process, these two agencies will work together on funding decisions.

The KHC will provide application and program training on Recovery
Kentucky in mid-January. The CDBG program will provide training at
their annual program guidelines workshop scheduled for March 2005. 
- ---
MAP posted-by: SHeath(DPFFLorida)