[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 101 (Thursday, June 10, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S4041]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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              RECOGNIZING BLUEGRASS FAMILY WELLNESS, PLLC

 Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, as ranking member of the Senate 
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I will 
recognize an outstanding Kentucky small business that exemplifies the 
American entrepreneurial spirit. This week, it is my privilege to 
recognize Bluegrass Family Wellness, PLLC, of Crestwood, KY, as the 
Senate Small Business of the Week.
  In 2014, Dr. Molly Rutherford and her husband Chris Rutherford 
founded Bluegrass Family Wellness, PLLC, in Crestwood, KY. A graduate 
of Virginia Tech, Dr. Rutherford earned an MPH in epidemiology from 
Johns Hopkins University and an M.D. from Eastern Virginia Medical 
School, specializing in family medicine. After 8 years of working in 
the healthcare sector, Dr. Rutherford and her husband established 
Bluegrass Family Wellness. Through a direct primary care model, 
Bluegrass Family Wellness provides individualized, affordable, and 
accessible medical care for Oldham County and the surrounding area.
  As a medical practitioner, Dr. Rutherford has been at the forefront 
of battling the opioid crisis in Kentucky. She pursued a specialty in 
addiction medicine, ensuring that Bluegrass Family Wellness treated 
addiction with an evidence-based approach balancing medication and 
counseling. From 2018 to 2019, Dr. Rutherford served on the U.S. 
Department of Health and Human Services Pain Management Best Practices 
Intra-Agency Task Force, which produced a report highlighting the 
connection between pain management and the opioid crisis. Dr. 
Rutherford served as president of the Kentucky Society of Addiction 
Medicine. She is a board member of the Unbridled Project, a nonprofit 
advocating for evidence-based solutions to the opioid crisis.
  Together with her husband Chris, Dr. Rutherford consistently gives 
back to her community. Locally, Bluegrass Family Wellness has sponsored 
several Little League teams, the Oldham County Youth Football League, 
and East Oldham Middle School. They support several charitable 
organizations, including a scholarship for a City Schoolhouse, a 
private school in Louisville, KY. Dr. Rutherford and her family are 
active within their local church community, as well. Notably, Dr. 
Rutherford is a member of the Coalition for a Healthy Oldham County, 
the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Society for 
Addiction Medicine, the Kentucky Academy of Family Physicians, and the 
Indiana State Medical Association.
  Like many local physicians, Dr. Rutherford and her team stepped up to 
keep their community safe and healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. As 
the pandemic unfolded, Dr. Rutherford continued seeing patients in 
person and by telemedicine. She treated COVID-19 patients at her 
practice and published a peer-reviewed article alongside several 
physicians regarding early outpatient treatment for COVID-19. Dr. 
Rutherford consistently spoke out about the negative effects of 
lockdowns, highlighting impact on individuals battling addiction. Dr. 
Rutherford published op-eds on the harm school lockdowns caused 
children, successfully advocating for reopening Jefferson County Public 
Schools.
  Bluegrass Family Wellness, PLLC, is a remarkable example of the 
critical role that small, family-oriented medical practices play in 
their communities. Local medical practices like Bluegrass Family 
Wellness form the heart of towns across Kentucky, regularly stepping up 
to support their communities in times of crisis. Congratulations to Dr. 
Rutherford, Chris, and the entire team at Bluegrass Family Wellness. I 
wish them the best of luck and look forward to watching their continued 
growth and success in Kentucky.

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