Today, on the last day of Suicide Prevention Month, Gov. Andy Beshear is reminding Kentuckians that there are resources to help those struggling with their mental health and that they are not alone. The Governor has made supporting the mental health of Kentuckians one of his top priorities since the beginning of his administration.
“Today, and every day, I want Kentuckians to know there are resources if they need help,” said Gov. Beshear. “Turning on the news or getting on social media right now can be overwhelming. Gas and grocery prices have gone up because of tariffs and this ongoing war of choice. Even as my administration is doing everything we can to help, I want Kentuckians to know it’s OK to not be OK. Reaching out for support is a sign of strength, not weakness.”
Last week, Gov. Beshear announced $17 million in grant funds to support mental health and addiction services. Since the Beshear administration took office, the number of mental health professionals licensed in Kentucky has nearly doubled, meaning more help is available than ever before.
988 Lifeline and Crisis Support
Since launching the easy-to-remember three-digit mental health crisis hotline in 2022, the 988 Lifeline in Kentucky has fielded 305,000 calls, chats and texts from Kentuckians. The in-state network of 14 community mental health centers has picked up phone calls at an average rate of 25.5 seconds. There has been a 36% increase in calls routed to in-state centers in the past year alone, meaning more Kentuckians are being helped by Kentuckians.
Gov. Beshear has prioritized expanding addiction and recovery support, resulting in four straight years of declines in overdose deaths.
Addiction services through Medicaid and the Kentucky Opioid Response Effort, Narcan distribution, grant funding to addiction treatment organizations, Recovery Ready Communities, reentry services and efforts by the Kentucky State Police and law enforcement to remove dangerous drugs from Kentucky communities have all helped Team Kentucky save more lives and help more people overcome addiction.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, call the KY HELP Call Center at 833-8KY-HELP or visit FindHelpNowKy.org to find recovery resources near you.
As parents, Gov. Beshear, First Lady Britainy Beshear and Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman have made it a priority to increase support – including mental health services – for students through their education-first administration.
Since taking office, the Beshear-Coleman administration has awarded more than $40 million in grant funding toward expanding school-based mental health resources at public schools across the commonwealth.
Lt. Gov. Coleman also created and led a successful Student Mental Health Initiative, meeting with and listening to hundreds of Kentucky students about how mental health services can be improved.
“I am proud of the work the Beshear-Coleman administration has done to improve mental health resources throughout Kentucky,” said Lt. Gov. Coleman. “I knew from my time in the classroom that student mental health was on the verge of being an epidemic. My office has focused on ensuring the future of Kentucky’s economy – our students – have everything they need to flourish.”
Gov. Beshear has signed multiple bills to expand mental health services and coverage for Kentuckians.
During the 2026-2028 budget session, Gov. Beshear signed House Bill 169, which requires health plans to cover the costs associated with the diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders, and House Bill 178, which defines a psychiatric collaborative care model in Kentucky that seeks to provide reimbursement and coverage for mental health treatments.
The Governor also signed legislation supporting mental health in 2022, including House Bill 65, which expanded telehealth to include mental health services; House Bill 127, which increased access to assisted outpatient treatment for those with severe mental illness; and House Bill 44, which has allowed students to take mental health days.
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