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Kentucky commission tasked with distributing $478 million in opioid settlement funds plans website, town halls

Alexandra Kanik

The commission overseeing opioid settlement funds in the Commonwealth plans to open an online application portal for addiction programs wanting to apply for aid.

In June, Attorney General Daniel Cameron appointed members to the Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission to oversee how the state will distribute $478 million from a multistate settlement with companies that produced and distributed opioids.

During its meeting Monday, the commission announced it wants to have an online website for applications live by October 15.

“That is the date by which we hope to have our online application ready to go,” said the commission’s executive director, Bryan Hubbard. “And by that, I mean an application for the grantees, an organization disclosure form, as well as a set of frequently asked questions.”

Hubbard said the group’s goal is to start distributing grant money by January 1, 2023.

The commission is also hosting eight regional town hall meetings in the coming months for community members to discuss the opioid crisis and recovery programs.

Here's the schedule of town hall meetings, with each taking place 6:00-8:00 p.m. local time:

September 19th – Pikeville – The Overlook, 891 Bob Amos Dr, Pikeville, KY

September 27th – Ashland – The Train Depot, 99 15th St, Ashland, KY

October 11th – Hazard – The Forum, 101 Bulldog Ln, Hazard, KY

October 18th – Covington – Kenton County Government Center, 1840 Simon Kenton Wy, Covington, KY

October 26th – Lexington – UK Student Center, 160 Avenue of Champions, Lexington, KY

November 1st – Louisville – Simmons College, 1000 S. Fourth Street, Louisville, KY

November 9th – Bowling Green – WKU, 2355 Nashville Road, Bowling Green, KY

November 29th – Paducah – Paducah Convention Center, 415 Park St, Paducah, KY

Former student intern Alana Watson rejoined WKU Public Radio in August 2020 as the Ohio Valley ReSource economics reporter. She transitioned to the station's All Things Considered Host in July of 2020 and became the student reporting and producing specialist in 2023. Watson has a B.A. in Broadcasting Journalism for Western Kentucky University and a M.A in Communications from Austin Peay State University. She is a Nashville native and has interned at WPLN-FM in Nashville. Watson was also a 2nd Century Fellow for Wisconsin Public Radio before rejoining WKU Public Radio. She has received numerous awards for her reporting.
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