News & Resources
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VOCAL-KY Calls for Immediate Investment Into Housing and Mental Health Services in Response to Department of Justice Report Finding Unnecessary Institutionalization and Incarceration
CONTACT: Mariah McGough, mariah@vocal-ky.org VOCAL-KY CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE INVESTMENT INTO HOUSING AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IN RESPONSE TO DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE REPORT FINDING UNNECESSARY INSTITUTIONALIZATION AND INCARCERATION DOJ Calls for the Same Housing, Care, and Investments that Community Organizations Demanded for Years, Like in VOCAL-KY’s Roadmap for Louisville Metro Government LOUISVILLE, K.Y. — Last week, the Department…
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VOCAL-KY Releases Updated Roadmap to End Overdose in Louisville Ahead of International Overdose Awareness Day
CONTACT: Mariah McGough, Mariah@vocal-ky.org VOCAL-KY RELEASES UPDATED ROADMAP TO END OVERDOSE IN LOUISVILLE AHEAD OF INTERNATIONAL OVERDOSE AWARENESS DAY Updated Louisville Roadmap Available Here VOCAL-KY, alongside VOCAL-US, Joined a National Coalition in Releasing a Recommendations for Spending Opioid Settlement Funds LOUISVILLE, K.Y. — Today, VOCAL-KY released an updated Roadmap for Louisville Metro Government to End Overdose and Reverse the Harms of the…
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2024 Roadmap for Louisville Metro Government to End Overdose and Reverse the Harms of the War on Drugs
For a third year a coalition of organizations working on the frontlines of the overdose crisis in Louisville released a detailed policy agenda promoting proven housing, services and care approaches to safe lives and improve our city. In honor of International Overdose Awareness Day (August 31), we call on Mayor Greenberg and the Louisville Metro…
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VOCAL-KY Responds to Supreme Court Decision to Criminalize Homelessness & Poverty
CONTACT: Mariah McGough, mariah@vocal-ny.org, 203 470 9979 VOCAL-KY Responds to Supreme Court Decision to Criminalize Homelessness & Poverty The Answer to Ending Homelessness is Housing — Not Fines, Tickets and Incarceration LOUISVILLE, K.Y. — Today, the Supreme Court decided that the US Constitution does not protect the poor and homeless against cruel and unusual punishment, even…
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Harm Reduction in the Heartland: Combating the Opioid Crisis in Appalachia
VOCAL describes its 120-county strategy as one that reaches “from the hood to the holler,” and it relies on coalition-building, organizing, and public education to build a healthier, more just society. VOCAL’s members mobilized for and attended every one of the Opioid Abatement Community Town Halls, which were designed to gather input on how the…
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Kentucky Organizing Revival: Program & Agenda
Through a series of workshops, organizations from around the state are going to help us understand how to build power among Kentuckians, and why it’s so important. There are so many aspects to successfully organizing and building power, and it’s impossible to cover them all in one weekend. However, an incredibly diverse collection of community…
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Louisville Cares: A Call for Community Investment to Save Lives and Heal Louisville
In 2023, the United States had another record breaking year of overdose deaths. Our city continues to be plagued by overdose deaths, along with a myriad of other health and community crises. While no community has been left untouched, Black Louisvillians have been dramatically impacted at a disproportionate rate. While nothing can immediately reverse this…
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VOCAL-KY Criticizes Kentucky Senate for Passing H.B. 5, a Bill That Will Criminalize Poverty
CONTACT: Mariah McGough, mariah@vocal-ky.org VOCAL-KY CRITICIZES KENTUCKY SENATE FOR PASSING H.B. 5, A BILL THAT WILL CRIMINALIZE POVERTY Recent Reporting Shows H.B. 5 was Pulled Straight From the Failed Playbook Used in Atlanta LOUISVILLE, K.Y. — Today, in response to the Kentucky Senate passing H.B. 5, the so-called “Safer Kentucky” Act, VOCAL-KY released the following statements: “There is no…
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VOCAL-KY Blasts “Safer Kentucky” Act, Vows to Fight Against Dangerous Legislation in Frankfort
CONTACT: Mariah McGough, mariah@vocal-ky.org VOCAL-KY BLASTS “SAFER KENTUCKY” ACT, VOWS TO FIGHT AGAINST DANGEROUS LEGISLATION IN FRANKFORT See VOCAL-KY Leader Joe Halbert Share Concerns About the Legislation Here LOUISVILLE, K.Y. — This week, lawmakers filed the “Safer Kentucky” Act, which would increase the number of people criminalized and housed in our overcrowded jails, without addressing…
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A Roadmap for Opioid Settlement Funds: Supporting Communities & Ending the Overdose Crisis
VOCAL-KY is proud to join a list of more than 130 organizations representing advocates and experts from public health, overdose prevention, and drug policy across the nation in releasing a roadmap on how states should spend $50 billion in opioid settlement funds. Public health experts call on states, counties, and municipalities to invest 100% of…
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2023 Roadmap for Louisville Metro Government to End Overdose and Reverse the Harms of the War on Drugs
Last year a coalition of organizations working on the frontlines of the overdose crisis in Louisville released the 2022 Roadmap for Louisville Metro Government to End Overdose and Reverse the Harms of the War on Drugs. Despite staggering overdose deaths, and a continued crisis of homelessness and unmet mental health needs, the city has adopted…
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VOCAL-KY Applauds Installment of Opioid Settlement Funding for Harm Reduction in Louisville
CONTACT: Mariah McGough, mariah@vocal-ky.org VOCAL-KY APPLAUDS INSTALLMENT OF OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDING FOR HARM REDUCTION IN LOUISVILLE Louisville is One of 120 Counties in Kentucky That’s Deeply Impacted by the Worsening Opioid Crisis LOUISVILLE, K.Y. — On Thursday, Mayor Greenberg announced the first installment of $57 million in opioid settlement funds for harm reduction organizations in Louisville. In response, VOCAL-KY…
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VOCAL-KY Responds to Gov. Beshear Prematurely Claiming Decrease in 2022 Overdose Data
CONTACT: Mariah McGough, mariah@vocal-ky.org VOCAL-KY RESPONDS TO GOV. BESHEAR PREMATURELY CLAIMING DECREASE IN 2022 OVERDOSE DATA Governor Beshear Touts Lower Numbers of Overdoses for 2022 Before Kentucky Drug Overdose Report is Finalized Advocates Will Gather on Tuesday for Fentanyl, Family, and Community Forum in Louisville’s West End to Discuss Overdose Prevention LOUISVILLE — In response to data released Governor Beshear’s…
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Stop the Sweeps: VOCAL-KY Condemns Louisville Encampment Sweeps in Preparation for Derby Season
People Impacted by Houselessness in Louisville Slam the Efforts to Forcibly Remove Louisvillians Without Addressing Root Causes of Housing Crisis
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VOCAL-KY Calls for Every Dollar of Opioid Settlement Funds Go to Harm Reduction
VOCAL-KY and partners held a press conference calling for every dollar of the state’s $478 million opioid settlement fund to go toward harm reduction, housing and care, not criminalization, and that Kentucky prioritize investments in smaller, underfunded non-profits on the frontlines of the fight.
