Working group advances recovery‑housing RFP, adds telehealth and in‑custody medication options
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Summary
The Joint Interim Committees' behavioral health and housing working group reported an RFP to expand recovery housing that adds telehealth and access to long‑acting injectable behavioral‑health medications, described expansion of medicated opioid‑use treatment in jail dorms, and outlined next steps on standards, training and data sharing.
A committee member said the Joint Interim Committees' behavioral health and housing working group is advancing an RFP to expand recovery housing that will include telehealth and access to long‑acting injectable behavioral‑health medications aimed at improving continuity of care for people leaving incarceration.
"The behavioral health and housing working group is advancing 3 core goals: strengthening across systems, collaboration and information sharing, ensuring continuity of care for co reentry, and increasing availability of state supported and public housing," the committee member said.
According to the update, "NPPP released and scored an RFP to expand recovery housing near current and future data reporting centers," and negotiations are under way. A key new RFP feature is "the inclusion of telehealth and access to long acting injectable behavioral health medications," the speaker said, framing the change as a response to a continuity‑of‑care gap for people with serious mental illness who often receive injectable medications while incarcerated.
The group also described expanded in‑custody medication services. "We have substance substance use treatment in dorms now allowing individuals to remain in general population while receiving [treatment]," the committee member said, adding the rollout is deliberate and phased with attention to security and nursing capacity. The update named one service or facility (noted in the transcript as "MOUT") as "available in May" and another as "expected in June 20." The transcript does not specify facility locations or the exact services tied to those dates.
Leaders said the RFP and contracts will embed services intended to "prevent destabilization during reentry," and the agreement includes planning targeted education for sheriffs and jail administrators to address stigma and clarify legal and liability issues related to online practices referenced in the discussion.
The working group reviewed the "Kentucky recovery model," described in the update as a statewide recovery‑housing approach combining interagency leadership with large recovery centers and dedicated capacity for people leaving incarceration. The committee emphasized that its role is implementation‑focused: housing policy, funding strategies, and continuity of care across systems.
The group listed near‑term priorities: develop statewide standards of care for continuity and handoffs aligned with SAMHSA guidance; plan an educational symposium for county jails and recovery operators; strengthen integration of peer support and therapy for co‑occurring disorders; map county‑level treatment capacity against housing costs and provider variability; and continue work on data standardization to track reentry outcomes.
The update concluded with a transition to preparedness and utilities briefings and introductions of additional presenters for the next agenda item.
