COVINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky's battle against substance and opioid misuse is ongoing. Anyone who has lost a loved one through an overdose knows it’s critical to receive help.
“As you can see, there’s a lot of construction going on right now,” said Derrick Trammell, president and clinical supervisor at FamilyCare Counseling. “This is our main group room here where we provide intensive outpatient groups and aftercare groups for folks who struggle with mental health and substance use.”
Renovations are underway for a new location in the Mainstrasse Village in Covington.
His team has spent the past few months expanding on outpatient services for people fighting addiction in their new facility. Through the expansion, they aim to double the patients they serve.
“Personally I've been impacted. You know my brother struggles with addiction, in and out of treatment centers and whatnot, and I just want to make sure that we can help folks as much as possible to stabilize families and help folks get the treatment that they need,” Trammell said.
Statewide, the Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy report shows 2019 saw more than 1,300 overdose deaths, a five percent increase from 2018.
From that number, a little over 160 deaths involved using heroin in 2019, while the year prior was higher at 188 deaths.
Approximately 58 percent of all overdose deaths for the year involved Fentanyl with just about 760 cases.
Office Manager Holly Kuntz says just one is too many.
“It takes a hold of you before you know it. And that’s what we’re here, we’re here to put a hard stop on it. To help people find the resources that they need to be able to succeed in life. And whether that’s just getting in-patient, aftercare, whatever they need, we’re here for them to find those resources,” Kuntz said.
Their resources will be customized for patients who may not be seeking something long term, but rather a group-based weekly plan after being admitted into a facility.
The counseling service facility plans to transition into their new space on Dec. 1.