10/07/2026
EKCEP staff had a productive time at the Opioid Symposium, hosted this week in Owensboro by the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission.
We were able to attend sessions covering topics ranging from developing diverse funding streams to using Kentucky’s new public dashboard for opioid-related data to identify service gaps and strengthen applications for opioid abatement funding. We also heard from youth advocates involved in the Better Without It campaign.
During the grantee showcase, Ethan Phipps, Director of Recovery & Reentry Services, and Susan Jent, Recovery & Reentry Assistant Director, connected with many attendees at EKCEP’s exhibit, sharing how our services help people in recovery build skills, find employment, and move forward.
EKCEP has been honored to receive two grants totaling $950,000 from the Commission to strengthen recovery and reentry efforts in Eastern Kentucky through our Recovery & Reentry division, in collaboration with our Community Action partners. Those investments helped connect 907 people in recovery with career services and supported 462 new employment outcomes.
Across our Recovery & Reentry services, we help people in recovery and those returning from incarceration access career guidance, training, employment opportunities, and support to overcome barriers to work. A recent Lightcast’s economic impact study projects $12.94 in taxpayer benefits for every $1 invested in these services. There is a real value is helping people build stability and lasting connections to the workforce, and we look forward to continuing those services in the years ahead.
