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Operation UNITE celebration in Rockcastle County highlights treatment vouchers, recovery resources
Summary
Operation UNITE hosted a community celebration in Rockcastle County that showcased local recovery resources, reported its treatment voucher totals since 2005, and featured a keynote urging community-based support for people with substance-use disorders. The coalition approved its agenda and its board slate for fiscal 2025–26 by voice vote.
Operation UNITE held a community celebration in Rockcastle County that brought local treatment providers, school UNITE clubs and a keynote address focused on recovery and resilience.
Nancy Hill, introduced as a former CEO of Operation UNITE and a Rockcastle County resident, summarized the coalition's treatment voucher program: “Since July 2005 through 12/31/2024, Unite has enabled 5,562 individuals to enter long term treatment for a substance abuse disorder. Over 58 percent of the individuals who have received the Unite voucher completed their treatment,” she said, and directed people to operationunite.org for voucher applications and recovery-housing information.
The event included tables from Volunteers of America, Save the Children, Girl Scouts and Lake Cumberland Recovery, presentations by UNITE school clubs and a reading of the pledge by Rockcastle County High School JROTC color guard member Carabella Mink. Carrie Underwood, identified as a representative of Cumberland River Behavioral Health Center, described residential programs including a Crossroads program for men; representatives from White House Clinic and Chad's Hope described counseling and faith-based residential options.
Keynote speaker Dr. Leon Ellison Jr., an assistant professor of counseling at Lindsey Wilson College and vice president of clinical services at Lake Cumberland Recovery, spoke about resilience, mentoring and the challenges of substance misuse. “We’re fighting a war, and it takes a village,” Ellison told the audience. He urged community support, cautioned that addiction cannot be solved simply by telling people to “just say no,” and said, “You can’t have a million dollar dream and a minimum wage work ethic.”
Operational and organizational notes from the gathering: the coalition holds regular monthly meetings on the second Wednesday at 11:30 a.m.; organizers said the next meeting will be in May at Marcella’s Farm To Fork. Lake Cumberland Recovery donated food for the evening, and WRVK broadcast the event live.
Votes at a glance
- Motion to approve the printed agenda: motion made and carried by voice vote; mover identified as “Miss Janice” and second by Miss Angie Mink; no roll-call tally provided in the record. Outcome: approved.
- Motion to approve the board members for fiscal year 2025–26: motion recorded as made by Mr. Hale and seconded by Savannah Sweet; the chair asked for ayes and reported the motion carries by voice vote; no numeric tally recorded. Outcome: approved.
- Motion to adjourn: motion made by Miss Angie Mink and seconded by Eric Bullock; carried by voice vote. Outcome: approved.
Why this matters
Local organizations and schools emphasized prevention and connection to care as central to Operation UNITE’s work in Rockcastle County. The voucher data and the presence of multiple local providers indicate the coalition’s focus on linking residents to treatment, and the keynote framed substance misuse as a community issue that requires ongoing local supports.
Details and context
The program highlighted youth-facing prevention activities such as Shoot Hoops Not Drugs, Camp UNITE and Hooked on Fishing, and school-based UNITE clubs at Broadhead, Roundstone and Rockcastle County Middle and High schools. Presenters from treatment organizations encouraged attendees to review program details on their websites and to consider residential or outpatient options near Rockcastle County.
Dr. Ellison discussed both personal experience and clinical perspectives, describing trauma, mentoring and the structure of treatment programs; he emphasized the need to build resilience through community networks and professional supports. Multiple speakers thanked volunteers, sponsors and local media for support of the event.
Organizers repeated how to access Operation UNITE services (treatment vouchers and recovery housing applications at operationunite.org) and invited attendees to the coalition’s monthly meeting for follow-up and coordination.
Ending
Organizers closed the event by acknowledging partner organizations and volunteers and encouraging attendees to join upcoming monthly UNITE meetings for continued community coordination.
