New Appalachian Center for Assistive Technology expands services in Eastern Kentucky

By Crystal Staley and Ryan Clark
CHS Contributors

MOREHEAD, Ky. (June 25, 2026) — It’s not just about the opening of a building, officials said time and again. 

It is a celebration about the creating of possibilities. 

More than 75 community and University officials, healthcare workers and CHS faculty and staff turned out Thursday for the official ribbon cutting of a new center in Morehead that is helping Kentuckians live more independently through assistive technology, equipment and training.

The University of Kentucky College of Health Sciences (CHS) and UK St. Claire have partnered to open a second location for the Appalachian Center for Assistive Technology (ACAT), located at 336 Pinecrest Drive.

“ACAT-Morehead is open for business,” said Patrick Kitzman, Ph.D., director of ACAT and professor in CHS, as he and others helped to cut the appropriately blue ribbon. “The focus here is how do we bring people together to create different technologies to make a difference in the community?”

ACAT helps individuals overcome challenges related to mobility, communication and daily living. Services include assistive technology demonstrations and consultations, a short-term assistive technology loan program, maker space services, workforce training opportunities and equipment refurbishing.

“By bringing these services to Morehead, we are connecting individuals and families with the support they need closer to home,” said Donald H. Lloyd II, president and CEO of UK St. Claire. “This center is another example of our commitment to advancing health, improving quality of life and strengthening the communities we serve.”

The first ACAT facility opened in Hazard in 2022, and officials said Thursday they have been able to help thousands of people in the area. The new Morehead location builds on that center’s work, and allows more families to receive services.

Through assistive technology, ACAT can help people overcome everyday challenges — from helping a child participate more fully in school to supporting an adult recovering from an injury or enabling an older adult to remain independent at home. 

“This expansion strengthens our ability to meet the needs of more people across the region,” Kitzman, said. “Together, we are creating new opportunities for collaboration, service and learning.”

Attendees Thursday included: Rocky Adkins, senior adviser to Gov. Andy Beshear; State Representative Patrick Flannery; Rowan County Judge Executive Harry Clark; Morehead Mayor Laura White-Brown; and UK executive vice president for finance and administration Eric N. Monday.

Carlee Archibald, an occupational therapist of pediatrics, relayed Thursday the story of a child she was working with, and a family that could not afford the equipment needed to help. 

Utilizing ACAT’s loan program, the family was able to receive the equipment they needed. 

“Access to the right tools can change someone’s life,” she said. “While this story is about one child, it represents something so much larger. We’re celebrating the opportunity that everybody has access to the tools they need to thrive.”

Karen Badger, Ph.D., vice dean and professor in the UK College of Health Sciences, said the ribbon cutting also represents the strength of the community. 

“The strength of the community is so evident here — it’s the perfect ground to be able to nurture and grow what (ACAT offers),” she said. “Expanding these services through the opening of a second site is critically important for the people of Eastern Kentucky. This new site complements the services provided by the existing location in Hazard and extends our reach to support more individuals and families across the region.”

Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, guests toured the facility and viewed demonstrations showing how assistive technology can help people live more independently.

“This is about opening doors for families all across (Kentucky), and about investing in Eastern Kentucky,” Lloyd said. “(ACAT) is an investment in this region, and when we invest in this region, we invest in the Commonwealth. No one should have to leave their community to find the resources they need to live independently. We are advancing Kentucky — showing what is possible when we work together to save these communities.”


UK HealthCare is the hospitals and clinics of the University of Kentucky. But it is so much more. It is more than 10,000 dedicated healthcare professionals committed to providing advanced subspecialty care for the most critically injured and ill patients from the Commonwealth and beyond. It also is the home of the state’s only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer center, a Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit that cares for the tiniest and sickest newborns and the region’s only Level 1 trauma center.
 
As an academic research institution, we are continuously pursuing the next generation of cures, treatments, protocols and policies. Our discoveries have the potential to change what’s medically possible within our lifetimes. Our educators and thought leaders are transforming the healthcare landscape as our six health professions colleges teach the next generation of doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals, spreading the highest standards of care. UK HealthCare is the power of advanced medicine committed to creating a healthier Kentucky, now and for generations to come.

Need assistance? Interested in donating? Visit https://acat.uky.edu/.