Mountain State Times

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS), announced five funding awards from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for substance use treatment and prevention programs. These awards also aim to assist children with family members dealing with substance use disorder.

The funding, secured through Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) requests made by Senator Capito in Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24), will support community-based services for individuals dealing with addiction and programs designed to reunite children with parents who have previously suffered from addiction.

“Whether it has been losing a loved one to an overdose or watching someone fall into the throes of addiction, the opioid crisis has affected far too many West Virginians,” said Ranking Member Capito. “Together, these CDS awards will help ensure that those struggling with addiction have an outlet for treatment that sets them on a path to recovery and that children in tough circumstances have more opportunities to reach their full potential."

Senator Capito highlighted her long-standing collaboration with organizations such as the Martinsburg Initiative and Lily’s Place: "I have long worked with organizations like the Martinsburg Initiative and Lily’s Place and seen firsthand the impactful work being done by these organizations and was proud to advocate for the support they need to expand their missions.”

Details of individual awards are as follows:

- $1,000,000 HHS CDS award to Marshall University (Huntington, W.Va.) aims to increase well-being, improve permanency outcomes, and enhance safety for children and families affected by substance use disorders. The project involves developing a wraparound model providing intensive care coordination and related services.

- $838,000 HHS CDS award to Lauren’s Wish Addiction Triage Center, Inc. (Kingwood, W.Va.) will provide temporary housing for clients seeking or waiting for substance use disorder treatment.

- $395,000 HHS CDS award to Lily’s Place, Inc. (Huntington, W.Va.) is intended for opening a community resource center focusing on six key areas: Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), Services for Fathers, Employment Services, Prevention, Education, and Research.

- $200,987 HHS CDS award to the Martinsburg Initiative Inc. (Martinsburg W.Va.) will sustain efforts by West Virginia University Medicine's efforts in increasing access to addiction services and harm reduction in the Eastern Panhandle.

- $127,000 HHS CDS award to Jacob’s Ladder Assistance Fund Inc. (Martinsburg W.Va.) is aimed at providing parenting education combined with individual therapy sessions as part of its Ending Generational Adverse Childhood Experiences program.