Participants in today’s ceremony included U.S. Congressman Hal Rogers, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, State Senator Phillip Wheeler, State Representative Bobby McCool, State Representative Norma McCormick, and a host of local elected officials and community leaders.
“White Oak Hill will be a place of hope in Martin County, as we continue our joint efforts to save lives and combat substance use disorder,” said Congressman Hal Rogers. “The COVID pandemic caused anxiety, depression and substance abuse to skyrocket. Nationwide, we lost more than 100,000 people to overdose deaths last year and approximately 2,000 of those were in Kentucky. So, we must remain vigilant in our efforts to save lives from this relentless disease. I applaud Tim Robinson and Greg May for expanding treatment options in Kentucky’s Appalachian region.”
“We are proud of the work ARC is doing to restore hope and provide a second chance to Kentuckians in Martin County and across the region,” said Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear. “The opening of White Oak Hill fills an urgent need for comprehensive, compassionate and evidence-based care, giving our fellow Kentuckians an opportunity to heal and rebuild their lives after recovering from addiction.”
“I am very proud to stand with Addiction Recovery Care Founder and Martin County’s native son Tim Robinson as he launches this new ship of hope for those struggling with addiction in Martin County,” said State Senator Phillip Wheeler. “Tim and I have been inseparable friends for over 25 years, and I know that there is no place or people that he loves more on the face of this earth. This new center represents a continuation of his family’s dedication to improving Martin County and the region.”
Robinson, whose family has deep personal roots in Martin County, noted the meaningful milestone the White Oak Hill project represents in expanding access to treatment and recovery options for local citizens.
“I spent my childhood and early adult life here in this community, and I witnessed firsthand the stranglehold that addiction and poverty held over my friends and neighbors,” said Robinson. “My late father, former Martin County PVA Tim Robinson, Sr., helped to establish the Martin County SAVE program, which court-ordered those in addiction to education and prevention classes that included a faith-based component. Through this exciting new White Oak Hill project, we are proud to build upon that existing foundation to rescue and restore families, one life at a time.”
In November 2020, Martin County School Board officials approved the sale of the old Inez Middle School property to developer Greg May, whose firm has worked with ARC in developing two other addiction treatment centers: Riverplace Men’s Treatment Center in Pike County and Creekside Women’s Treatment Center in Knott County.
ARC officials anticipate that the White Oak Hill facility will provide the capacity to serve 140 individuals once it begins accepting clients this fall.
Martin County is one of five communities nationwide participating in the ACT Now pilot collaborative, an initiative aimed at addressing “the root causes of poverty, systemic racism, and inequities in housing, health care, education, access to financial resources and promot[ing] justice and the rule of law.” The program works to identify resources for local law enforcement agencies to better tackle issues like the drug epidemic.
ARC operates a network of more than 30 addiction treatment centers in 21 Eastern and Central Kentucky counties. For more information about ARC’s full array of recovery services, please visit www.arccenters.com.
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About Addiction Recovery Care
Addiction Recovery Care (ARC) operates a network of over 30 addiction treatment programs in 21 Eastern and Central Kentucky counties. The organization, headquartered in Louisa, Kentucky, offers a full continuum of care including withdrawal management, long-term residential treatment, intensive outpatient, outpatient, medically assisted treatment (MAT), vocational rehabilitation and job training. The treatment centers are holistic with CARF-accredited clinical programs, medical services directed by an addiction psychiatrist, a spiritual emphasis that includes the 12 steps and chaplaincy care and a broadening scope of vocational training opportunities for clients. Full details about ARC’s services are available at www.arccenters.com.
