Mitch McConnell
09/26/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/26/2025 14:50
McConnell Helps Secure Federal Grant to Support Substance Abuse Recovery and Job Training in Appalachian Kentucky
Press Releases
McConnell Helps Secure Federal Grant to Support Substance Abuse Recovery and Job Training in Appalachian Kentucky
September 26, 2025
LOUISVILLE, KY - U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced today that the Fletcher Group will receive more than $9.2 million in federal funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) for its Connect Appalachia project.
The competitive federal grant is part of the ARC's Appalachian Regional Initiative for Stronger Economies (ARISE) program. The Fletcher Group, and partners including the Kentucky Chamber Foundation, will use the funding to implement a comprehensive economic development, workforce development, and substance abuse recovery program across six Appalachian states-including all Kentucky counties served by the ARC.
"I appreciate the Fletcher Group's hard work in helping Appalachian counties, including those in Kentucky, and I was pleased to contact the Trump Administration on their behalf to help secure this federal funding," said Senator McConnell. "The Fletcher Group is doing great work to address the impacts of the substance abuse and opioid epidemic. This federal funding will allow them to build workforce pipelines between employers and treatment and recovery providers, helping individuals in recovery find and maintain meaningful employment."
"I want to thank Senator McConnell for his continued support of projects like this that help Kentuckians maintain recovery and obtain meaningful employment, and we look forward to partnering with the Kentucky Chamber Foundation to achieve these goals in communities throughout Appalachia Kentucky. While progress has been made to reduce the number of overdose deaths in Kentucky and across the nation, there is still more work to do to reverse the tragic impact of substance use. That is why this project is so important as we will work to help transform lives," said Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of the Fletcher Group, Ernie Fletcher.
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