April 30, 2026
Lawrence County Health Department Secures Nearly $300K in State Funding to Launch Innovative Youth Prevention Project CommUNITY Project to implement evidence-based Icelandic Prevention Model to fight addiction at the source.
The Lawrence County Health Department was one of more than 100 organizations selected as a recipient of the Kentucky Opioid Abatement grant to implement the CommUNITY project, a transformative initiative aimed at preventing substance use among local youth. The grant award, totaling $299,973 over two years, was announced by Attorney General Russell Coleman as part of the state’s largest-ever distribution of opioid settlement funds.
“We are incredibly grateful for this investment from the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission,” said Debbie Miller, Public Health Director at the Lawrence County Health Department. “This grant is a testament to the strength of our Lawrence County partners and our shared commitment to our youth. By launching the CommUNITY Project, we’re coming together to build a foundation of support that ensures every child in our county has the opportunity to thrive in a safe, drug-free environment.”
The CommUNITY Project will bring the widely recognized Icelandic Prevention Model to Lawrence County.
Partnering with Iceland’s Planet Youth, we will develop and refine prevention strategies tailored to Lawrence County. The model addresses gaps in services using a data-driven, community-based approach to identify and implement solutions. Time out of school – after school, weekends, and summer break – is associated with an elevated risk of substance use. The CommUNITY Project will focus on prevention of first- time substance use among youth by strengthening community-wide protective factors and bolstering recreational programs for students. The model emphasizes collaboration among schools, families, youth organizations and other key community partners.
The Attorney General’s award announcement with a list of all organizations that received grant funding from the Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission is available here.
