Kevin Pangburn named Director of Substance Abuse Division for KY Dept. of Corrections | News

From Todd Henson

Frankfort, Ky. - The Kentucky Department of Corrections continues to expand substance abuse programming to meet the needs of the offenders under the supervision of the department. Substance abuse programming has traditionally been under the auspices of the Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, but the recent growth of the program opportunities in jails, prisons, and the community has resulted in the creation of a separate Division of Substance Abuse. Kevin Pangburn has been appointed as the director of this new division.

“A separate division is necessary to provide direction and management of the numerous and varied programs,” said Corrections Deputy Commissioner Jim Erwin. “Pangburn will utilize his vast education and experience in the field to develop new program opportunities as well as manage the existing programs.”

Pangburn has been serving the department as the Director of Mental Health and Substance Abuse since September 2004. In this capacity, he was responsible for psychological services, sex offender treatment, sex offender risk assessment and substance abuse treatment. He also serves as a member of the Sex Offender Risk Assessment Advisory Board.

Pangburn began his career in corrections in January 1992 as a counselor at River City Corrections, a private correctional facility in Louisville. He was eventually promoted to director of River City’s residential treatment program. He served in a number of positions before transferring to Marion Adjustment Center in July of 2000 where he worked as a unit administrator and substance abuse addictions treatment manager. In addition to these duties, Pangburn served as a member of the critical incident team for 67 facilities in the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) system. He continued to work at the Marion Adjustment Center until coming to the Kentucky Department of Corrections in 2004.

Pangburn is a licensed marriage and family therapist and a certified alcohol and drug counselor. He previously served on the State Competency Review Board for Alcohol and Drug Counselors and as an instructor at the University of Louisville. He has provided mental health and substance abuse training for numerous agencies and organizations. In 1999, he was invited to Kroonstadt, South Africa to provide training to social workers in South African prisons.

Pangburn is a graduate of Indiana University and the University of Louisville where he earned a graduate degree in educational and counseling psychology and post graduate certification in marriage and family therapy. A native Hoosier, he currently resides in Floyds Knobs, Indiana with his wife and daughter.