From left: Chris Evans, director of Kentucky's Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission; Debbie Rains, special appointee to the commission; Aaron Brown, College of Social Work; Chris Delcher, College of Pharmacy; Hannah Knudsen, College of Medicine; and Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman. Brown, Delcher and Knudsen were among the University of Kentucky recipients of research and innovation grants awarded this year by the commission.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 27, 2026) — University of Kentucky College of Social Work (CoSW) Assistant Professor Aaron Brown, Ph.D., is expanding support for Kentucky families affected by substance use through Stronger Together: A Prevention Program for Families of People Who Use Drugs, an evidence-informed prevention program supported by funding from the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission (KYOAAC).
Brown was awarded a research grant from the KYOAAC, part of more than $30 million the commission distributed this year to over 100 organizations statewide. The funds flow directly from landmark settlements with opioid manufacturers and distributors, which have directed more than $1 billion to Kentucky to date.
The funding will allow Brown and his team to translate previous research findings into an accessible prevention program for families across Kentucky, including those in rural communities where education and services may be more difficult to access. The program will be piloted with 100 Kentuckians who have a loved one who uses opioids.
Built on a strong research foundation, Brown and College of Social Work Assistant Professor Lynden Bond, Ph.D., led a study examining the experiences, knowledge and attitudes of people supporting family members or close friends with substance use involving opioids or stimulants. Stronger Together is designed to address the needs and gaps identified through those surveys and interviews.
“The Stronger Together program will provide practical information about overdose prevention, naloxone, medications for opioid use disorder, other harm reduction strategies, supportive communication and ways family members can care for themselves while supporting a loved one,” said Brown. “The KYOAAC award allows us to turn what we have learned from friends and family members of people who use drugs into a practical program that helps them support their loved ones while also protecting their own well-being.”
The work comes at a critical time. Substance use disorder continues to affect millions of individuals and families across the U.S. According to a 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 48.4 million people age 12 or older had a substance use disorder in the past year. While national overdose deaths declined in 2024, nearly 80,000 people died from a drug overdose, underscoring the continued need for prevention, treatment, harm reduction and recovery support.
In Kentucky, the impact remains especially significant. The 2024 Kentucky Drug Overdose Fatality Report found that 1,410 Kentucky residents died from a drug overdose in 2024, a decrease from the previous year but still a profound loss for families and communities. Fentanyl and methamphetamine remained the most commonly identified substances in overdose deaths statewide.
“Kentucky has been deeply affected by the opioid crisis, and families are often among the first people to recognize a problem, respond to an overdose, encourage treatment or help a loved one navigate recovery,” Brown said. “Yet many families are expected to take on these roles without clear information, practical guidance or support for their own well-being.”
Family-centered prevention programs are especially important because they extend the reach of overdose prevention and harm reduction beyond formal treatment settings, Brown shared.
Stronger Together will address common misconceptions, explain overdose prevention and other harm reduction strategies in accessible language, and help participants develop skills for supportive communication, boundary-setting and self-care.
“We hope families will leave the program with a clearer understanding of substance use, overdose risk and the harm reduction strategies that can help keep their loved ones alive and connected to care,” Brown said. “Ultimately, the goal is for families to feel less helpless and better equipped to make informed, compassionate decisions in difficult situations.”
The pilot program will help inform future efforts to expand family-centered prevention resources across Kentucky, ensuring more families have access to practical tools, evidence-based information and support.