Department of Health, Department of Health Facilities, and Department of Human Services

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR), Bureau for Behavioral Health and Health Facilities (BBHHF) today announced $1.6 million in funding for three substance use disorder programs across the state. 

The funding will support recommendations from the Governor’s Advisory Council on Substance Abuse (GACSA), which will soon become the advisory board for DHHR’s newly formed Office of Drug Control Policy under the leadership of Gov. Jim Justice.  The GACSA, established by Executive Order 5-11 on September 6, 2011, has provided guidance to the Governor and recommended priorities addressing substance use in West Virginia. 

“This is a critical component in West Virginia’s fight against the substance use epidemic and will empower communities to provide residents the help they need to lead drug-free lives,” said Bill J. Crouch, DHHR Cabinet Secretary. 

This funding will assist communities by supporting residential treatment and recovery residence programs in West Virginia:

       •  Healthways, Inc. was awarded $700,000 in GACSA funds for a 10-bed Long-Term (30+ days) Residential Treatment program for women in Brooke County.  

        •  Southern Highlands Community Mental Health Center was awarded $594,850 in GACSA funds for a six-bed Short-Term (28 days) Residential Treatment program for women in              Mercer County. 

        •  The Partnership for African American Churches (PAAC) was awarded $398,875 in GACSA funds for a Recovery Residence for women in the Institute area of Kanawha County. 

The $1.6 million will help fill a fraction of the funding gap after Gov. Justice’s proposed bidders fee on road projects failed to pass during the West Virginia Legislative session. This package would have generated a pool of money for drug treatment.

“This is good news as it will directly help West Virginians who need our help,” said Gov. Justice. “But we need significantly more funding for these kinds of programs to accommodate everyone in our state who is struggling with drugs. I won’t rest until the Legislature passes my plan to create a 5% successful bidders fee on road projects and use that money to combat the drug epidemic. We need more funding because a piecemeal approach won’t get it done.”