Gov. Beshear appoints Kentucky Chamber and others to Recovery Ready Communities Advisory Council

An advisory council has been appointed to help implement a new state law seeking to help Kentucky battle substance use disorder and ensure Kentuckians have what they need to recover and succeed.

House Bill 7, sponsored by Rep. Adam Bowling (R-Middlesboro), establishes a framework for communities to become “Recovery Ready,” bringing much needed consistency to local substance use prevention, treatment and recovery efforts.

The bill establishes an advisory council housed under the Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy with members from different areas including business, recovery, education, local government, health care and others that will determine appropriate and meaningful “Recovery Ready” standards for the commonwealth’s communities.

The Kentucky Chamber spearheaded this legislation in the 2021 legislative session as part of a focus on changing the state’s approach to addiction and recovery and helped lead a broad coalition of groups.

As a result, Senior Vice President of the Kentucky Chamber Foundation Beth Davisson was appointed to the Recovery Ready Communities Advisory Council by Gov. Andy Beshear along with the following individuals:

• Matt Perkins of Ashland is Mayor of the City of Ashland. Mr. Perkins shall serve for a term expiring June 29, 2025.
• Ray Jones of Pikeville is an attorney and Pike County Judge/Executive. Mr. Jones shall serve for a term expiring June 29, 2025.
• Larry Droege of Louisville is an attorney at Stites & Harbison PLLC. Mr. Droege shall serve for a term expiring June 29, 2025.
• Dr. Daniel Corrie Shull of Louisville is a minister at Burnett Avenue Baptist Church. Dr. Shull shall serve for a term expiring June 29, 2025.
• John Moberly of Crestwood is the executive director of the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council. Mr. Moberly shall serve for a term expiring June 29, 2025.
• Dr. Ammar Almasalkhi of Louisville is a physician at Pulmonary Specialists of Louisville, PSC. Dr. Almasalkhi shall serve for a term expiring June 29, 2025.
• Joel Thornbury of Pikeville is a pharmacist at Nova Pharmacy. Mr. Thornbury shall serve for a term expiring June 29, 2025.
• Pam Darnall of Shepherdsville is the president and CEO of Family & Children’s Place. Mrs. Darnall shall serve for a term expiring June 29, 2025.
• Stephanie Raglin of Lexington is the director of programs at the Hope Center. Ms. Raglin shall serve for a term expiring June 25, 2025.
• Gene Detherage of Morehead is an outreach and engagement specialist at The Fletcher Group. Mr. Detherage shall serve for a term expiring June 29, 2025.
• Rickey Green of Jeffersontown is an entrepreneur at Action Shots Inc. Mr. Green shall serve for a term expiring June 29, 2025.
• Steve Shannon of Lexington is executive director of KARP, Inc. Mr. Shannon shall serve for a term expiring June 29, 2025.