Access to Recovery (ATR) is a linkage strategy supported by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration that was implemented by Kentucky in 2019 to link vulnerable populations in 25 counties with opioid and/or stimulant substance use disorders (SUDs) to recovery support services (RSSs), such as evidence-based recovery housing, transportation, and employment, and other community services using a voucher system and, if needed, relink clients to RSSs following resumption of illicit substance use. Priority clients set by Kentucky Access to Recovery (KATR) to receive RSSs are those recently released from incarceration, veterans, and those who are pregnant/postpartum or parenting children under the age of 18.
Fahe administers the Kentucky Access to Recovery (KATR) Program in partnership with the Kentucky Opioid Response Effort.
The Kentucky Access to Recovery Evaluation project is performing a rigorous process and outcome evaluation of this last resort voucher strategy by:
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Conducting a process evaluation of the KATR linkage strategy to determine whether the KATR strategy is acceptable and accessible to vulnerable populations with illicit SUD who are linked to RSSs;
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Identifying barriers and facilitators to KATR implementation; and assess the extent to which the KATR strategy was implemented as designed;
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Conducting an outcome and impact evaluation of the KATR linkage strategy;
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Evaluating the long-term effectiveness of implementing vouchers as a linkage strategy in a population requiring RSSs when no other funding sources are available. A within-subjects study design will be used to test the effectiveness of the KATR last resort voucher linkage approach to reduce the risk of nonfatal and fatal overdoses by
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(a) increasing an individual’s recovery capital;
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(b) reducing resumption of illicit substance use; and
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(c) promoting relinking to RSSs if illicit substance use is resumed
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