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If you or someone you love is looking for free recovery resources and naloxone training without the cost or paperwork of a traditional appointment, a new event in Paducah in west Kentucky is worth knowing about.
Turning Point Recovery Community Center held its first-ever Recovery Resource Roadshow on July 25 at Noble Park in Paducah, bringing together vendors, recovery materials, free HIV testing and hands-on naloxone training, all at no cost to attendees.
The event ran from 2 to 5 p.m. and included on-site screenings, food vendors and raffles, according to Turning Point Site Administrator Nathan Brockett. Everything was free to attend.
Who Qualifies for Free Resources
You do not need health insurance, a diagnosis or a referral to use these resources. That is the point.
Turning Point describes itself as a community-based bridge between treatment and recovery, not a clinical provider, which means its services are built for people at any stage of recovery, including those who are uninsured, underinsured, or simply not ready to walk into a treatment facility yet.
Brockett explained the center’s role plainly: “We are there to be the community-based way to help people who are in or seeking recovery.
It’s a safe space for people in recovery to find addiction resources, connections to treatment, whatever is going to help that person be able to take that next step in their life.”
How to Access These Resources
Much of what made the roadshow possible is Turning Point’s Mobile Access to Recovery, or MATR, Van, which travels across nine counties in west Kentucky throughout the year.
The van is stocked with naloxone, information on addiction treatment options and other recovery resources, and it is specifically designed to reach people who cannot easily get to Turning Point’s Paducah or Mayfield offices.
A spokesperson for Four Rivers Behavioral Health, a partner in the roadshow, said the idea grew out of noticing that several local agencies already operated their own mobile recovery units separately.
Bringing them together into one traveling event made those free resources easier to find in a single place.
The spokesperson also described Turning Point as a “bookend” to recovery, helping people connect to work, transportation and even bicycles or equipment after leaving treatment.
Peer Support Built Into the Model
Brockett, who is himself in recovery, noted that everyone on his staff shares that lived experience. “A lot of them use those resources to get what they need to get, and now they’re working and helping other people. It’s the peer support of using our lived experience to help guide someone else.”
That peer model matters for people who may distrust clinical settings or feel unsure whether they are “ready” for treatment.
Free, low-barrier events like this one give people a way to access naloxone, testing and information without committing to a program on the spot.
What Comes Next
Turning Point has already announced that the MATR Van will travel to Murray in August, and the team is working on adding a second van to expand its reach further.
The Kentucky Attorney General is scheduled to visit Turning Point on July 31 to discuss the program’s impact.
Finding Affordable Treatment
For anyone in west Kentucky looking to take the next step beyond a single event, free and low-cost paths into treatment exist beyond what a roadshow can offer in an afternoon. A few starting points include:
- Contact SAMHSA’s national helpline for a confidential referral to local treatment options
- Ask about Medicaid coverage for substance use treatment in Kentucky, since many rehab and outpatient programs accept it
- Look for community organizations, like Turning Point, that connect people to both treatment and harm reduction supplies at no cost
- Check for mobile outreach vans or pop-up events in your county, since these often carry naloxone and referral information even outside of scheduled events
Rehabs.org lists free and low-cost treatment options nationwide. Call
800-914-7089
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to speak with someone about finding affordable care near you.
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