CHARLESTON, W.Va. – U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $732,684 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for comprehensive mental health services and substance use disorder prevention. The funding will support programs across the state that seek to increase awareness about substance use disorder, provide training on mental health issues and address prescription drug misuse.

“One of the pandemic’s major consequences was the mental health impact it had on Americans of all ages,” Senator Capito said. “It highlighted the need to ensure we have awareness and education, as well as the resources to battle mental health issues moving forward. The grant funding announced today will help address these challenges, and tackle drug misuse, two issues which are often linked. In my role on the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue to fight to bring more funding to our state to help improve the lives of all West Virginians.”

“Raising awareness about mental health issues and substance use disorder is critical to helping West Virginians better respond to future crises. I am pleased HHS is investing in programs that provide mental health awareness training to students, teachers, law enforcement, first responders and other community members. HHS is also investing in the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources to raise awareness about prescription drug misuse with the goal of preventing substance use disorder, especially among young adults. I will continue to advocate for funding and resources to help combat the drug epidemic and support West Virginians during their times of need,” Senator Manchin said.

Individual awards listed below:

  • $384,000 – West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR), Strategic Prevention Framework for Prescription Drugs
    • This program will help target the priority issue of prescription drug misuse. The program is designed to raise awareness about the dangers of sharing medications and work with pharmaceutical and medical communities on the risks of overprescribing to young adults.

 

  • $125,000 – Morgan County Partnership, The Eastern Panhandle-Mental Health Awareness Training Initiative
    • This program will provide targeted in-person and virtual youth mental health awareness trainings to adolescents, teachers, other relevant public-school system personnel, youth-serving agencies, and to parents/caregivers. This project will also provide adult-focused mental health awareness training to law enforcement, medical providers, emergency medical service providers (i.e., firefighters, emergency services technicians), veterans, and individuals involved in the courts systems.

 

  • $125,000 – Westbrook Health Services, Westbrook Community Mental Health Awareness Project (CMHAP)
    • This project will provide concentrated mental health literacy awareness trainings to community members, law enforcement, first responders in mental health awareness, de-escalation & compassion fatigue with the goal of empowering the community to appropriately and safely respond to individuals with mental health disorders.

 

  • $98,684 – West Virginia University, Youth Mental Health First Aid Training in West Virginia Public Schools
    • This program aims to address a critical need facing communities in West Virginia through the provision of Youth Mental Health First Aid training (YMHFA) to school personnel employed in public schools in the state.

 

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