Continuum Care Behavioral Health and Addiction Treatment for Kentucky Residents 

In Kentucky’s drug and alcohol programs, a skilled intake assessment conducted by an LPCC can set the stage for effective, individualized treatment. LPCCs bring a high level of clinical training, diagnostic ability, and therapeutic insight that staff with lesser credentials simply cannot match.

Confidentiality can make or break someone’s chance at recovery. The shame and stigma surrounding addiction remain powerful forces, and unless individuals can receive care without fear of judgment or exposure, many will remain trapped in silence.

For people in recovery, oral health can be the final frontier of healing. Unfortunately, the dental chair is also one of the last places they want to be:

What is Recovery Ready dentistry? Equip dental teams with evidence‑based, trauma‑informed strategies to serve patients in addiction recovery—boosting patient trust, SEO visibility, and clinical outcomes.

Studies consistently show that abrupt discharge from residential programs without aftercare increases the risk of relapse and poor outcomes. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), people without structured aftercare are 50% more likely to relapse within the first three months of leaving rehab.

At RecoveryGlue.org, we understand that addiction recovery is a multifaceted journey, and oral health often becomes a barrier for many people in recovery. For those who have experienced oral damage caused by substance use, going to the dentist can be a daunting and anxiety-filled experience. That’s why RecoveryGlue.org's A.P.P.E.A.R. program, an innovative program designed specifically for individuals in recovery, was created.

Addiction recovery in Kentucky is not just about quitting drugs or alcohol. It's about understanding and healing the emotional, psychological, and behavioral issues that drive substance use in the first place. That’s why effective recovery programs—especially in Kentucky, where opioid and alcohol misuse remain serious public health concerns—must integrate both mental health and behavioral health treatment.

When navigating recovery from addiction, continuity of care and access to appropriate medication management are crucial. In Kentucky, Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) play a central role in supporting individuals throughout their recovery journeys, including the management of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and psychiatric medications.

When starting addiction recovery, one of the first important decisions is whether to pursue private therapy (individual counseling), group therapy, or a combination of both. Choosing the right type of therapy can significantly affect a person’s success — and this decision is often shaped during the intake assessment. Here’s what you need to know about private vs. group therapy, how clinicians decide which is best, and how this looks in real-world programs like those in Kentu

Would an online IOP be harder to keep the clients attention? Or easier?

Addiction is never just about the substance. To truly understand the behaviors that come with it, we need to look at the full picture: how addiction affects the brain, how personality disorders and emotional immaturity complicate recovery, and how healing is possible with the right support.

The rise of criminal activity and fraud in some Kentucky-based Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOPs)—including Medicaid scams, unlicensed providers, and exploitation of vulnerable clients—has exposed deep cracks in the state’s addiction treatment infrastructure.

IOPs allow individuals to receive structured addiction treatment without living full-time in a rehab facility, often making them more accessible and affordable. But a central question remains: Do they work?

Relapse remains a significant hurdle in addiction recovery, with national statistics estimating that 40–60% of individuals in recovery will return to substance use at some point. In Kentucky, where substance use disorder (SUD) continues to weigh heavily on communities, understanding the causes and warning signs of relapse is critical for designing effective recovery interventions.

If you're starting to wonder whether your treatment program is truly helping you recover, you're not alone—and you're not wrong to ask the question.

Men tend to relapse due to anger, isolation, and work stress. Women are more likely to relapse from emotional pain, family conflict, or child custody issues. Gender-specific groups can focus on these unique stressors in ways that mixed groups may not be equipped to handle.

A study by the University of Kentucky analyzing Medicaid data from 2019-2020 found that 48% of individuals who began buprenorphine treatment via telehealth remained in treatment for 90 continuous days, compared to 44% who started in non-telehealth settings.

Studies have found that virtual IOPs may have higher retention rates as compared to inperson recovery.. For instance, one study reported an 85% retention rate for virtual IOPs compared to 80% for in-person programs, attributing the difference to the convenience and flexibility of virtual formats .

Despite a growing number of treatment options, many Kentuckians—particularly those in rural areas—still face major obstacles to getting help for substance use disorder (SUD). From transportation issues and financial barriers to stigma and regulatory red tape, the reasons are complex and deeply rooted.

For many people struggling with substance use, the barriers to seeking help can be overwhelming—not because they don’t want to get better, but because life simply doesn’t stop. Between demanding jobs, raising children, and caregiving for family members, traditional in-person treatment models can feel out of reach. Telehealth is changing that.