KENTUCKY — Earlier this spring, Gov. Andy Beshear, D-Ky. signed House Bill 248 into law.

The legislation establishes statewide minimum standards for the operation of recovery residences in Kentucky. State Representative Samara Heavrin, R-Leitchfield, was the sponsor of the bill.

The new law requires residences to get certification from a certifying organization and ensure residents take part in key support services like employment training and self-help meetings.

Gov. Andy Beshear said the Commonwealth has increased the number of treatment beds across the state by almost 50% in recent years and legislation like House Bill 248 is crucial to ensure there are supportive environments that help people get the best outcomes and ensure recovery is more equitable and accessible.

Rep. Heavrin says in 2022, Elizabethtown’s Mayor and police Chief contacted her after she says over 80 recovery houses had popped up in Hardin County.

“When we’re working with stakeholders and trying to figure out the process for how long this takes, we wanted to make sure that everyone had enough time to get this done because it’s not like it’s not a short-term process to get certified. And so what we requested was the certification must be from the Kentucky Recovery Housing Network, the National Alliance for recovery residencies, the Oxford house or any other organization that develops and administers certification programs that’s recognized by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Now in order to be compliant, the cabinet is required to post the names, phone numbers and jurisdiction of the operation on a website maintained and monitored by the cabinet, because we want to make sure that the available certified residences are public,” said Rep. Heavrin.

You can watch the full In Focus Kentucky segment in the player above.