PUBLIC HEALTH
(continued from page 11)
EXPANDED ACCESS TO DRUG TREATMENT ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH REGULATIONS
Coming Together for Hope, Healing and Recovery also called for
expanding access to drug treatment and to medication-assisted
therapy such as methadone. Kentucky is now expanding access to
substance use disorder treatment and recovery services through
a portion of the state’s Section 1115 Medicaid waiver. The waiver
will now expand access to substance use disorder providers, allow
Medicaid to reimburse for stays of up to 30 days in mental health
facilities, and add coverage for methadone, which was not previously
covered by Kentucky Medicaid. Members of the Environmental Health Division of the Department
of Public Health and Wellness are providing input on several en-
vironmental health laws and regulations that are being updated by
the state. Kentucky Youth Camp regulations have been amended
to regulate more camps as childcare centers, which means more
comprehensive safety requirements for these camps. Also, Kentucky’s
new food safety regulations will better protect against salmonella
outbreaks like the one we recently saw in cut melons.
The new Medicaid reim-
bursement is a big help for our
patients at the MORE Cen-
ter, the Department of Public
Health and Wellness metha-
done-assisted treatment facility,
who were previously charged
$12 per day for methadone.
We have seen an increase in
patients seeking treatment and
staying in treatment since the
reimbursement became avail-
able.
"By concentrating on
root causes of health
and collaborating with
partners and stakeholders,
we will be the GPS that
guides our community
towards a healthier
Louisville where
everyone and every
community thrives."
The reimbursement also
benefits pregnant women who
receive methadone when incar-
cerated at Metro Corrections
but can’t afford treatment once
they leave. We are hopeful that
the new reimbursement for
methadone treatment may also
incentivize more physicians to
obtain certification in medica-
tion-assisted treatment, thus continuing to increase access for our
population.
LOUISVILLE CHILDREN’S MEAL ORDINANCE
The Department of Public Health and Wellness worked with the
American Heart Association and Metro Council to pass the Lou-
isville Children’s Meal Ordinance which went into effect in June. It
requires that the default options in kid’s meals offered by restaurants
in the city be healthier options. The ordinance is one step towards
increasing healthy food options in all Louisville neighborhoods and
reversing the childhood obesity epidemic.
12
LOUISVILLE MEDICINE
EFFICACY OF PUBLIC
HEALTH 3.0
Collectively, the six policy im-
provements presented above
demonstrate the efficacy of
cross-sector and inter-organi-
zational collaboration in im-
proving population health. By
removing barriers that sabotage
recovery, providing accommo-
dations that promote healthy
pregnancy and making the
healthy meal choice the easy
choice for busy parents, we
create an environment where
healthier lifestyle choices are
the default, rather than an effort
which individuals must choose
to undertake.
The Louisville Metro De-
partment of Public Health and
Wellness will continue to culti-
vate an environment which fa-
cilitates good health for everyone. By concentrating on root causes
of health and collaborating with partners and stakeholders, we will
be the GPS that guides our community towards a healthier Louisville
where everyone and every community thrives.
Dr. Moyer is the director of the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health.