DHHR Announces First Time Awards for Exemplary Addiction Care and Services

​The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources’ (DHHR) Office of Drug Control Policy and the Bureau for Behavioral Health are pleased to announce the first recipients of the following awards in recognition of their commitments to the field of addiction in West Virginia:

• 2022 Award for Excellence in Addiction Counseling and Service: Katie Chiasson-Downs, MA, LPC, ALPS, AADC, from Morgantown, WV
• 2022 WV Medical Provider Award for Advancement of Quality Addiction Care: James Berry, DO, from Morgantown, WV
• 2022 WV Quick Response Team Exemplary Program of the Year Award: Boone County Quick Response Team from Boone County, WV
• 2022 Community Organization Award for Excellence in Commitment to Addiction Care: West Virginia Sober Living from Charleston and Morgantown, WV
  
• 2022 WV Impact Award for Commitment to Advancing the Field of Addiction Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery: Dr. Lindsay Acree from Charleston, WV
  

The awards promote excellence in commitment to quality addiction care and recovery services by recognizing individuals and organizations who have made extraordinary​nary contributions to the field of addiction, programs that exemplify the highest standards, and organizations that have conducted activities to promote and expand addiction treatment and recovery services to save West Virginian lives. Award winners serve as inspirational leaders to communities and fellow advocates statewide. 

“We know that we address this crisis one person, one community at a time and we are so lucky to have these individuals and organizations working every day to save the lives of our fellow West Virginians,” said Dr. Matthew Christiansen, Director of DHHR’s Office of Drug Control Policy. 

The award recipients were announced at the 2022 West Virginia Appalachian Addiction and Prescription Drug Conference at the Waterfront Marriott in Morgantown on September 22, 2022.  

“Each awardee has made significant contributions to the field of addiction, and we are very grateful for their work,” said Christina Mullins, Commissioner of DHHR’s Bureau for Behavioral Health.