Redemption Road provides addiction treatment in Barbourville

May 7—BARBOURVILLE — In southeastern Kentucky, the effects of drug addiction and homelessness can often be seen everywhere.

Decades of narcotics trafficking and illicit use of said narcotics have rendered many unable to overcome the battle that is addiction.

As time passes, there has been an increasing amount of effort by local communities to establish institutions to aid those in need of treatment for addiction or to simply receive help on getting their lives back.

In the heart of Barbourville, an organization has been established to do just this.

Redemption Road is a Christian-based treatment organization that provides zero cost treatment to men in need of assistance.

In 2019, Barbourville pastor Scott Phipps founded Redemption Road for men after seeing the success of Hope City, the female counterpart of Redemption Road.

Since then, the organization has graduated hundreds of men from their program, helping them to regain control over their lives and end their troubles with addiction.

According to program graduate and musician Jeff Reinhardt, Redemption Road seeks not only to reform the behavior of the men who they provide care to, but also to aid them spiritually.

"Even if you leave our program clean (of drugs)," Reinhart said, "if you are not spiritually intact, we feel like we have failed you."

In concurrence with Reinhardt, fellow program graduate Christopher Ross testified that the program primarily helps men by giving them a purpose that is "far greater" than what any drug could offer.

Ross found himself at the beginning of his journey to redemption after being arrested several times for various offenses, including theft and drug-related charges.

Ross recounted his first day at Redemption Road: "They brought me in after the court had ordered me to go...It was either this or go back to jail. When I got there, I was surprised by the way that they treated me...a bunch of grown men were telling me 'I love you' and I just couldn't believe it...but they meant it."

Ultimately, Ross graduated the program, and now works in Barbourville with Redemption Road and is married.

More than anything, both Ross and Reinhardt credit their success to God and the mission of Redemption Road to provide a sense of understanding and love.

Reinhardt said, "I came from a good home and a loving family, but I still found myself turning to things that I had no business doing...It wasn't until I accepted Jesus into my heart that I realized I had a bigger purpose in life than to throw it all away."

The aspect of Redemption Road that Reinhardt and Ross seemed to be most proud of was that its services come entirely free.

"We do not care if you have Medicare, bad insurance, or no insurance; we will take you in and you will not pay a dime," Ross said. "All that we ask is that you give the program an honest shot to help you turn your life around."

As the interview continued, Reinhardt noted that a man who came to Redemption Road from Georgia was traveling to the county from which he hailed to receive full custody of his children after many years of being unable to see them due to his addiction.

The man plans to make his home in Barbourville, where he will continue to work with Redemption Road.

Of this, Ross said, "There are so many stories here where a man or woman has lost custody of their children and when they complete the program, they are able to see them again and have their family again."

Redemption Road offers a multitude of services to their patients, including individual/group therapy, anger management courses, wellness activities, spiritual care services, transportation services, and more.

They also occasionally offer recreational activities. The group has its own pay lake in Knox County, and has even taken groups to NBA and NFL games as a reward for the hard work and dedication of those in recovery.

Recently, Ross and others have taken it upon themselves to begin a podcast where attendees of Redemption Road can share their story online in the form of a talk show.

The podcast can be found on YouTube at the channel Redemption Road Podcast.

Additionally, the group has compiled a "Before and After" collage of graduates who are depicted at their lowest and then after their triumph to demonstrate the success of the program. It can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tHgijT4SbA.