Quick answer
Methamphetamine is a stimulant, so there is no pill that treats it — behavioral treatment does the work. Daviess County recorded 22 drug overdose deaths in 2024, 9 of them involving stimulants. RiverValley Behavioral Health, the region's Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic, runs outpatient and residential care in Owensboro. Here is how to start.
Methamphetamine does not have a pill that cures it, and anyone who promises you one is selling something. What works is behavioral treatment, and Owensboro has a clinic system that treats meth use every week. If you are trying to stop, the first step is smaller than it feels: one call, one assessment, one plan.
What Daviess County's numbers show
The Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center records 22 drug overdose deaths among Daviess County residents in 2024, an age-adjusted rate of 21.0 per 100,000 — below Kentucky's statewide rate of 32.0. Of those deaths:
- 9 involved stimulants such as methamphetamine or cocaine
- 6 involved opioids
- Fewer than five involved fentanyl specifically
Across Kentucky, the 2024 Drug Overdose Fatality Report identified methamphetamine through toxicology in 716 overdose deaths — 50.8% of the state's total — making it one of the two drugs most often present.
What treatment for meth actually looks like
The National Institute on Drug Abuse is direct: there is no FDA-approved medication for methamphetamine use disorder, but behavioral treatments work.
- Contingency management — tangible rewards (vouchers, prizes, or gift cards) for verified drug-free tests. This has the strongest evidence for stimulant use disorder.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy — learning the situations, moods, and thoughts that lead back to use, and building practical ways through them.
- Structured outpatient or residential care — a regular schedule, groups, and case management to rebuild routine.
One honest caveat: treatment listings do not flag which programs run contingency management. Ask when you call: do you offer contingency management for stimulant use, and how soon can I start?
Where to get care in Owensboro
RiverValley Behavioral Health is Daviess County's designated community behavioral health provider and a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) — a model that requires it to serve anyone who asks for care, regardless of ability to pay. In Owensboro it offers:
- Outpatient substance use counseling, individual and group
- The Onyx Center, a 16-bed residential substance use program for men
- Medication-assisted treatment for anyone whose opioid use is part of the picture
The intake line is 270-689-6879. A CCBHC does not turn people away for inability to pay, so cost is not a reason to wait.
The polysubstance reality
Kentucky's drug supply mixes stimulants and opioids, and 93.6% of the state's fentanyl-involved overdose deaths in 2024 also involved another drug. Two practical consequences:
- Tell any program everything you use, not just meth. A plan built around one substance misses the part most likely to kill.
- If opioids are anywhere in the picture, carry naloxone. Certified Kentucky pharmacies can dispense it without a separate prescription under the state's standing physician protocol, and the state keeps a naloxone locator of participating pharmacies.
Paying for treatment
Kentucky Medicaid covers medically necessary substance use disorder treatment for eligible members, including outpatient and residential care. If you are uninsured, a CCBHC must still serve you. Ask about the sliding fee scale when you call.
How to start today
- If someone has chest pain, a seizure, or a dangerously high body temperature, call 911 now. For a crisis, call or text 988.
- Call or text (800) 653-9376 to talk through options with a person — no pressure, no commitment:
Calling is free; the referral service is paid for by treatment providers.
- Call RiverValley at 270-689-6879 and ask for a substance use assessment, mentioning methamphetamine specifically.
- Ask each program two questions: do you offer contingency management, and can I be seen this week?
Methamphetamine use disorder is treatable. The hard part is the first call, and it is one you can make today.
Emergency and crisis lines
Call 911 first if someone is unresponsive, seizing, overheated, or having chest pain after using. For a mental health or substance use crisis that is not a medical emergency, call or text 988, the national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
This page is general health information, not medical advice. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by any facility named above.
Last updated: Mon Oct 19 2026 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
Frequently asked questions
Is there a medication for methamphetamine addiction?
No. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports there is no FDA-approved medication for methamphetamine or other stimulant use disorder. Treatment is behavioral: contingency management, cognitive behavioral therapy, and structured outpatient or residential programs. Medication is still used for any co-occurring opioid use disorder.
How common is meth in Daviess County overdoses?
The Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center reports 22 drug overdose deaths among Daviess County residents in 2024, an age-adjusted rate of 21.0 per 100,000. Nine of those deaths involved stimulants such as methamphetamine or cocaine, and 6 involved opioids.
What is contingency management and where can I find it?
Contingency management gives concrete rewards - vouchers, prizes, or gift cards - for verified drug-free tests. It is the behavioral treatment with the strongest evidence for stimulant use disorder. Programs do not always advertise it, so ask directly whether they offer contingency management for methamphetamine when you call.
Where do I start in Owensboro?
RiverValley Behavioral Health is Daviess County's Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic, with outpatient substance use counseling and the Onyx Center, a 16-bed residential program for men, in Owensboro. It must serve people regardless of ability to pay. The 24-hour line is 270-689-6879.
What should I do in an emergency?
Call 911 if someone has chest pain, a seizure, very high body temperature, or is unresponsive or severely agitated - those are medical emergencies. For a mental health or substance use crisis that is not an emergency, call or text 988, or call or text (800) 653-9376.