Officials credited a comprehensive response that includes treatment and prevention as well as illegal drug seizures by law enforcement.

For Laura and George Thurman, drug prevention is a mission to save others from the pain they've experienced.

It was the first decline in four years, but overdose fatalities in Kentucky surpassed 2,000 again last year, according to the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center.

The state of Kentucky launched a new website Wednesday that will show real-time availability of recovery houses for anyone struggling with drug addiction and looking for help. 

The increase was "driven largely by an increased use in fentanyl," which "accounts for approximately 70% of all overdose deaths for the year."