August 19, 2022
Manchin, Capito Announce $375K for Youth Substance Use Disorder Prevention Programs
Charleston,
WV – Today, U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV)
announced $375,000 for three Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Programs
across West Virginia. The funding comes from the Office of National Drug
Control Policy (ONDCP) and will be used to mobilize communities to prevent and
combat youth substance use.
“The drug epidemic continues to ravage West Virginia and impacts
every family and child in our state. It’s especially heartbreaking to
watch our youngest generation of West Virginians struggle with substance use
disorder. The Drug-Free Communities Support Program plays an essential role in
combatting and preventing drug misuse among young West Virginians, and I am
pleased to announce this funding to support additional community
efforts across our state,” said Senator Manchin. “I am grateful to Dr.
Gupta for his commitment to combatting the drug epidemic in West Virginia and
across the country, and I will continue advocating for resources to support
safe, healthy, drug-free communities.”
“I
have often said that community based solutions are among the most effective in
our continued battle against the opioid and addiction crisis. No two places are
the same, and our approach towards substance use prevention needs to reflect
the individual people in specific areas. The Drug-Free Communities Support
Program is a great example of the inclusive approach we need to tackle this
problem and steer our youth in West Virginia away from the wrong path toward
drug addiction. I’ve seen firsthand the positive impact that programs in our
state that follow this model can have, and I’m confident this funding will help
provide the focused approach to substance use prevention that the youth of our
state need,” Senator Capito said.
The
DFC Program is the nation’s leading effort to mobilize communities to prevent
and combat youth substance use. The DFC Program provides funding to local
coalitions to strengthen prevention programs and help create safe, healthy,
drug-free communities across the United States. The funding announced today
will help three more organizations address and prevent youth substance use
by helping implement educational strategies at schools, increase recruitment of
community members into coalitions and reduce of youth access to dangerous
substances.
“Adolescence
is a critical period to prevent the initiation of substance use when the
developing brain is particularly vulnerable,” said Dr. Rahul Gupta, Director
of ONDCP. “Research shows that youth substance use decreased significantly
in communities served by a DFC-funded community coalition. This funding for
communities in West Virginia and across the country reinforces our commitment
to preventing youth substance use as part of President Biden’s Unity Agenda to
beat the overdose epidemic. By investing in evidence-based prevention
strategies like this, we can continue to instead help our youth reach their
full potential. I appreciate the commitment of Senator Manchin and Senator
Capito to supporting young people in West Virginia to lead healthy and
productive lives.”
Individual
awards listed below:
- $125,000 – The Martinsburg Initiative
- $125,000 – Jefferson Berkeley Alliance
- $125,000 – Logan County Prevention Coalition
A
timeline of Senator Manchin’s efforts to combat the drug epidemic can be found here.
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