Cumberland River RHOAR Center Breaks Ground October 12, Will Benefit Women and Community in Middlesboro

FRANKFORT, Kentucky — Bell County will soon have a new living and resource center for approximately 100 women recovering from substance abuse. Construction on the Cumberland River RHOAR Center will begin Wednesday, October 12, with a groundbreaking ceremony at the site in Middlesboro.

Designed to address substance abuse holistically, the Cumberland River RHOAR Center will provide living spaces, medically assisted treatment and mental health counseling in addition to a vocational training and workforce rehabilitation program in partnership with nearby Southeastern Kentucky Community and Technical College.

The 52 living units include 30 efficiencies, 10 four-person units and 12 two-bedroom apartments designated for families being reunited in recovery.

Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC) provided over $900,000 in Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and $4 million in National Housing Trust Fund dollars for this project.

“The Cumberland River RHOAR Center joins the Recovery Kentucky centers around the Commonwealth in building a recovery ecosystem that addresses chemical dependency, housing, mental health and employment,” said Winston Miller, executive director and chief executive officer of KHC. “This center is about more than substance abuse recovery. It is about helping people live meaningful lives and build vibrant, fruitful communities. KHC is proud to partner in that effort to house and heal Kentuckians.”

Modeled after Recovery Kentucky, the RHOAR initiative, which stands for Recovery, Hope, Opportunity and Resilience, was created to help rural communities in eastern Kentucky respond to the opioid epidemic.