Manchin, Capito Announce $15 Million For Mental Health, Substance Use Disorder Services in West Virginia

Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $15,000,000 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Specifically, this funding was made available through the Centers for Mental Health Services (CMHS), and will be used to support substance use disorder prevention, as well as treatment and recovery.

 

“West Virginia communities continue to fight the drug epidemic in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic as both crises ravage our state. I am pleased HHS is investing in three organizations to support West Virginians battling substance use and mental health crises by improving crisis care services including telehealth, which are vital in rural communities where access to care is limited due to the pandemic,” Senator Manchin said. “As we continue to fight both crises, I will keep advocating for funding to support West Virginians in need.”

 

“With the rise in opioid overdose deaths and substance abuse as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, our country and state is facing an unprecedented level of challenging circumstances,” Senator Capito said. “That’s why grants like these play a crucial role in providing the support our recovery centers need, ensuring they have available resources to help pull West Virginians out of the grip of addiction. As we continue our battle against COVID-19 and the opioid epidemic simultaneously, I will continue to be a fierce advocate for our state, listen to the issues and experiences that people back home are facing, and deliver the resources we need.”

·      $5,000,000 – Seneca Health Services, Inc. (Summersville): CONNECT Project

·      $5,000,000 – Southern Highlands Community Mental Health Center, Inc. (Princeton): COVID Support in Rural Appalachia (CSIRA)

 

·      $5,000,000 – Prestera Center for Mental Health Services, Inc. (Huntington): Community Mental Health Centers Initiative