Boyle County Health Department wins $166,000 opioid‑settlement grant to open Danville recovery center; hires outreach worker

The Boyle County Health Department told the Danville City Commission on Oct. 27 that it received a $166,000 opioid‑settlement grant to establish a recovery community center in Danville that will offer referrals, basic services and a place for people to get immediate support.

"We were awarded a $166,000 grant, to come to the health department here to do a recovery community center," County health representative Brett Plevins said during his departmental update. Plevins said the center will be “a one‑stop shop” where people can be connected to food, mental‑health referrals and other community resources or sit and talk with staff and volunteers.

Plevins said the department's harm reduction program has logged more than 1,900 visits over the relevant period and that ‘‘over 40 percent’’ of those visiting were seeking services other than syringe exchange. The grant, Plevins said, will allow the department to lease or build a space that can provide immediate warm‑handoff referrals and some on‑site support.

As part of the expanded service model, Plevins introduced a newly hired staff member, identified in the transcript as Bryce (last name not specified), who will work with people visiting the harm‑reduction program and with the local homeless coalition to help coordinate shelter vouchers and other supports. The department is not establishing or operating a shelter, Plevins emphasized: "We're not building a shelter. We're not running a shelter."

Bryce described earlier work with Shepherd's House and partnership efforts such as shower and laundry services that, he said, helped clients move from street encampments into permanent housing. He told commissioners the coalition has used hotel vouchers in previous years and that those funds have been reduced from prior levels.

Clarifying details discussed during the meeting include: - Harm‑reduction visits: "over 1,900 visits" (as stated by Plevins). - Share of visitors seeking services beyond syringe exchange: "over 40 percent" (as stated by Plevins). - Grant source: opioid settlement funds distributed through the Kentucky Health Department Association (as described by Plevins). - New hire: introduced only by first name "Bryce" in the transcript; exact job title was not specified in the meeting record. - Mention of a separate hotel‑voucher funding amount in Bryce's remarks that appears in the transcript as "$17.05"; that figure is likely a transcription error and the precise voucher amount was not specified in the meeting record.

The health department said it will return to the commission with updates as it identifies a location and launches services. The department also reiterated that WIC and vaccination programs continue to operate amid the federal government shutdown mentioned in the presentation.

The commission did not take formal action on the health department update; it was presented for information and future reporting to the commission.