Warren County approves $91,500 from opioid-abatement fund for local addiction and mental‑health practice

Warren County Fiscal Court voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a $91,500 memorandum of understanding with Origin Story Health to use opioid-settlement dollars for local addiction and mental‑health services.

The money, drawn from the county's opioid abatement fund under KRS 15.291, will fund a care reimbursement pool and initial practice start-up costs for the outpatient clinic Origin Story Health is launching in Warren County, the company's founder, Amanda Habbard, told the court.

Habbard said the clinic has already treated county residents while waiting for insurance contracts and billing systems to be established. She told the court the practice has prevented 64 Warren County residents from relapsing in recent months, including seven pregnant women and two new mothers. The $91,500 request breaks down to about $65,000 for direct provider payments when services cannot be billed, $5,500 for credentialing and payer contracting, and the remainder for electronic health records and other start‑up costs. Habbard asked that the money be released in three installments at 0, 60 and 120 days; she said she would report back with utilization and demographic data at each disbursement.

Magistrate Esquire Lawrence moved to approve the MOU; Magistrate Esquire Leslie seconded. The roll call recorded unanimous approval: Esquire Leslie, Esquire Cummings, Esquire Williams, Esquire McWhorter, Esquire Lawrence and Esquire Aldridge voted yes.

County officials confirmed the proposed use maps to statutorily eligible categories for opioid settlement spending, including outpatient treatment and recovery services and supports for pregnant and postpartum women. A county liaison who reviews opioid‑abatement proposals reviewed the request and indicated it was consistent with required uses, the court was told.

Judge Worman and other magistrates asked about accountability and statutory compliance; Habbard said the practice will segregate the funds in accounting, limit use to Warren County residents, and provide measurement‑based progress reports. The court also heard that most services Origin Story Health plans to provide are reimbursable by insurance once credentialing and contracts are in place.

The agreement requires Origin Story Health to use the funds for services defined in KRS 15.291 and to report on disbursements and service delivery to the court. Funding will be administered from the county's opioid abatement account.

The court applauded the program and approved the MOU. Origin Story Health's representatives said they would return with updates at the scheduled disbursement points.