Quick answer
Fayette County's overdose deaths fell from 114 in 2023 to 64 in 2024, KIPRC data show. New Vista runs Lexington's behavioral health urgent care, a licensed opioid treatment program, and the Schwartz Center for residential substance use treatment on Buckhorn Drive.
Last updated: Wed Oct 07 2026 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
Lexington has one of the more complete public behavioral health systems in Kentucky. Fayette County's overdose deaths dropped from 114 in 2023 to 64 in 2024, and New Vista - the region's Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic - runs a walk-in urgent care, a licensed opioid treatment program, and residential treatment beds inside the city.
What the county data show
Lexington is coextensive with Fayette County: about 323,725 residents and a median household income near $69,479, according to the Census Bureau's 2024 five-year estimates.
KIPRC data, produced for the Kentucky Department for Public Health, count 64 Fayette County overdose deaths in 2024 - down 43.9% from 114 in 2023 (age-adjusted rate 20.9 per 100,000). Even with the drop, Fayette recorded the state's second-highest count of fentanyl-involved overdose deaths in 2024. Statewide, 1,439 Kentuckians died of drug overdoses that year, a 30% decline from 2023.
The economy is steady: Fayette County's unemployment rate was 3.6% in August 2026 (preliminary), the lowest among Kentucky's big counties, per BLS local area data.
Where treatment happens locally
- New Vista's Newtown Pike campus (1351 Newtown Pike, Building 5; 859-253-1686) sits just off exit 115 of I-64/I-75, beside UK HealthCare's Eastern State Hospital, with a Lextran Route 4 stop at the campus. Its Behavioral Health Urgent Care takes walk-ins weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., no appointment needed. The 24-hour helpline is 1-800-928-8000.
- New Vista's licensed opioid treatment program dispenses methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone, and the clinic system covers outpatient therapy, intensive outpatient programming, case management, and peer support across a 17-county region.
- The Schwartz Center (3479 Buckhorn Drive, Suite 106; 859-246-7282) provides residential substance use treatment - long-term, short-term, and intensive outpatient settings - for adults.
- New Vista also runs mobile crisis response teams and quick response teams that follow up after nonfatal overdoses.
For licensed programs beyond this network, the SAMHSA treatment locator can be searched from any Lexington ZIP code and filtered by level of care and payment type.
Paying for care
Kentucky Medicaid covers behavioral health and substance use disorder services for eligible members, including intensive outpatient programming and residential treatment. If you are uninsured, the SAMHSA National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) offers free, confidential referrals, and community providers can discuss payment options directly.
Starting this week
- Emergencies: call 911. For a mental health or substance use crisis, call or text 988, or call New Vista's 24-hour helpline at 1-800-928-8000.
- Call (800) 653-9376 or complete . Calling is free - the referral service is paid for by treatment providers - and your insurance benefits can be checked before you commit to anything.
- Walk into the Behavioral Health Urgent Care at 1351 Newtown Pike on a weekday if you need same-day help.
- Search findtreatment.gov from your ZIP code and compare outpatient and residential options.
Fayette County cut its overdose deaths nearly in half in one year, and Lexington has walk-in, outpatient, and residential doors open at every level of care. The next step is one phone call.
Treatment by substance in Lexington
Questions about rehab in Lexington
How many overdose deaths happened in Fayette County?
Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center data show 64 Fayette County drug overdose deaths in 2024, down 43.9% from 114 in 2023 - an age-adjusted rate of 20.9 per 100,000. Fayette recorded the second-highest fentanyl-involved death count in Kentucky (64) in 2024.
What is New Vista and what services does it offer in Lexington?
New Vista is a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic serving Central Kentucky. Its Newtown Pike campus in Lexington includes a Behavioral Health Urgent Care (walk-in, weekdays 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.), outpatient counseling, a licensed opioid treatment program dispensing methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone, and a 24-hour helpline at 1-800-928-8000.
Is there residential substance use treatment in Lexington?
Yes. New Vista's Schwartz Center, at 3479 Buckhorn Drive, Suite 106, provides residential substance use treatment, including intensive outpatient, long-term residential, and short-term residential settings.
Does Kentucky Medicaid cover addiction treatment in Lexington?
Kentucky Medicaid covers behavioral health and substance use disorder services for eligible members, including intensive outpatient programs and residential treatment for children and adults. Confirm eligibility and covered services with the Department for Medicaid Services or your managed care plan before booking.