Kentucky Commission Awarded Opioid Research Grant

The grant supports a statewide project mapping the prevalence of opioid use disorder across all Kentucky counties.

Updated on Sept. 24, 2026 in Substance Abuse

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of the Kentucky state border silhouette, evoking systematic analysis of public health data. — The Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission awarded a research grant to map opioid use disorder prevalence across the state to guide settlement funding. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission has awarded a research grant to Chris Delcher to map the number of residents living with opioid use disorder. The project will provide a county-by-county analysis of the disorder's impact throughout the state.

Why it matters

The initiative aims to improve the state's understanding of opioid use disorder prevalence to better inform the distribution of settlement funds. Targeted data collection is intended to ensure resources are allocated to areas with the greatest clinical need.

The commission distributed over $30 million to more than 100 organizations, part of a $1 billion pool generated from settlements with opioid manufacturers. The research will span all 120 Kentucky counties to establish a comprehensive prevalence map.

The players

Chris Delcher

He is an associate professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science and the director of the Institute for Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy.

Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission

This state body is responsible for distributing funds obtained through legal settlements with opioid manufacturers and distributors to address the local addiction crisis.

The details

Chris Delcher, an associate professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science, will lead the effort to track addiction prevalence. As director of the Institute for Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, Delcher will utilize the commission's grant to refine how opioid settlement dollars are directed toward recovery and prevention efforts.

The commission distributed over $30 million in grant funds in 2026.

The Big Picture

The mapping project follows a pattern set by the National Opioid Settlement agreements by using evidence-based metrics to guide the distribution of recovered funds.

Residents may see more targeted prevention and treatment programs in their local areas as a result of improved data collection. This initiative aims to ensure state resources are effectively reaching the communities most impacted by the opioid crisis.

The takeaway

Reliable data is essential for managing the long-term impact of the opioid crisis on public health. Identifying the specific prevalence of the disorder in each county helps policymakers transition from broad distribution to precision-based community support.