WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $35,080,728 through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to address substance abuse in West Virginia. Funding comes through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and will support the expansion of treatment services, strengthening community efforts to fight the opioid epidemic.
The increased funding through SAMHSA’s State Opioid Response Grants program is the result of a measure Senator Capito authored and Senator Manchin supported to prioritize funds for states hit hardest by the drug crisis. Without this language and based on previous formulas, West Virginia would have received half the amount received this year through the program.
“The opioid epidemic has devastated families and communities across West Virginia,” Senator Capito said. “While we have made significant progress in this fight, it is important that we help deliver even more resources to help continue, expand, and strengthen our efforts to combat the opioid epidemic. I have long argued that states hardest hit by the epidemic, like West Virginia, should receive additional resources, and I am thrilled that I was able to help boost the amount of funding our state and others like ours will receive. Moving forward, I will continue to work with my colleagues and local leaders on the ground to end this epidemic and help those West Virginians struggling with addiction.”
“Recent polling shows half of West Virginia residents have a friend or family member who has been addicted to opioids. The polling confirmed what we have known for a while, this epidemic does not discriminate and impacts every demographic across our state. This funding will support our ongoing efforts to bring an end to the suffering the opioid epidemic has brought to West Virginia. To finally end this epidemic we need a multipronged approach and I am proud that this funding supports that. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue advocating for these resources,” Senator Manchin said.
Individual awards listed below:
State Opioid Response Grants
Expanding Access to Quality Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health Services
Rural Communities Opioid Response Program
Enhancing Behavioral Health Workforce for Health Centers
Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program
Rural Health Opioid Program
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