From Kentucky Public Radio's Tony McVeighThere’s word from Washington the federal government will restore some of the funding yanked last year from the Communities at Oakwood in Somerset, Kentucky.Oakwood, the state’s largest facility for adults with mental disabilities, houses almost 200 residents. Last spring, after serious health and welfare violations at the facility, federal Medicaid funding was severed. But now, more than $42 million in annual federal assistance is being restored, says Cabinet for Health and Family Services Secretary Janie Miller."It’s not an easy task re-certifying a facility, particularly one as large as Oakwood, so this comes as extremely positive news," Miller said.Oakwood’s annual budget is around $75 million, which the state has been covering since May, 2008, when the federal funds were pulled. The facility is managed by a non-profit agency in Lexington.
Rick Howlett was midday host and the host of LPM's weekly talk show, "In Conversation." He was with LPM from 2001-2023 and held many different titles, including Morning Edition host, Assignment Editor and Interim News Director. He died in August 2023. Read a remembrance of Rick here.
