The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded $350,000 to the Prestera Center for Mental Health Services in Huntington as part of a series of awards to be used to improve emergency response resources, medical education facilities and treatment options in West Virginia. Amber Miller, marketing and development manager at Prestera, said in an email Tuesday that the funding is earmarked for a new roof at the Pinecrest facility, at 4020 U.S. 60, that is necessary due to aging. Miller said the Pinecrest location is Prestera’s largest residential facility.

It houses short-term recovery and recovery housing programs in Cabell County and “plays a critical role in supporting individuals on their recovery journey.”

“With over 60 buildings spread across 10 counties, keeping up with repairs can be challenging,” Miller said in the email. “By updating the roof, we can avoid disruptions to vital recovery programs and ensure that our facility remains fully operational. This stability enables us to continue providing high-quality care and support to individuals in their recovery journey. Ultimately, these funds help us focus on delivering the best possible services without worrying about structural issues, allowing our team to concentrate on meeting the needs of those we serve.”

Miller said Prestera expects the roof to be completed by the end of this year. U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, announced the funding Sept. 18. “Whether it’s expanding our pipeline of health care professionals through educational resources or securing funds to make sure emergency services are available in our most rural areas, I am constantly working to expand the scope and quality of West Virginia’s health care infrastructure,” Capito said in a news release.