ASHLAND, Ky. — As substance use and overdose fatalities continue to rise, Addiction Recovery Care (ARC), a leading provider of addiction treatment and recovery services throughout the Commonwealth, is moving forward with plans to bring a comprehensive, new treatment center to Greenup County. ARC announced today that it has signed a letter of intent with Bon Secours Mercy Health for the purchase of a portion of the former Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital campus.

“Eastern Kentucky has been significantly impacted by the addiction crisis, and we feel a tremendous responsibility to ensure our fellow Kentuckians can access the resources and services they need to begin their journeys to recovery,” said Tim Robinson, ARC president and CEO. “Today marks a major milestone in our plans to bring hope, purpose and recovery to Greenup County, and we are thankful for the community’s support as we move forward with this initiative.”

ARC estimates 250 jobs will be created to operate and support the Greenup County facility.

“When I got the news of Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital closing last year after nearly 70 years of service, I was truly disappointed. The fact that it is being reopened to help Kentuckians in recovery is going to bring hope to this region and help so many people transform their lives, in addition to investing in the local economy by creating 250 new jobs,” said Governor Andy Beshear. “Congratulations and thank you to Tim Robinson and ARC for this outstanding announcement.” 

“It is so good to see this new chapter begin for not only the Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital facility, but also for the good paying jobs that will be created by ARC here in our community,” said Rep. Danny Bentley. “This is a day to celebrate the second chances that recovery brings and an opportunity to restore OLBH to use. I am hopeful that we will be able to tap into the Rural Hospital Loan Program. I was proud to sponsor the legislation that created the loan program and honored to see the legislature provide significant funding to help the 1.8 million Kentuckians living in rural areas have access to quality care.”

Addiction Recovery Care has been providing comprehensive addiction recovery services in Kentucky since 2010 and has treated more than 25,000 Kentuckians across 30-plus locations in Eastern and Central Kentucky. ARC has received national recognition for its Crisis to Career model of care, which focuses on helping individuals in recovery become healthy enough to find meaningful employment in their communities.

For more information on ARC and its vision for the Greenup County campus, please visitarccenters.com/articles/2021/04/07/arc-ashland-frequently-asked-questions.

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