Diversion and youth prevention are a focus of West Virginia’s initial opioid settlement awards

By LEAH WILLINGHAM The Associated Press

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, left, speaks about the inaugural meeting of the West Virginia First Foundation alongside foundation board chair Matt Harvey and vice chair Matt Christiansen, right, at the state Capitol in Charleston, W.Va., on Nov. 6, 2023. (AP Photo/Leah Willingham, File)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Leah Willingham]

Child advocacy centers, recovery housing and diversion programs in West Virginia will receive grants as part of the initial round of $10.4 million distributed by the nonprofit allocating opioid settlement funds in the U.S. state with the highest overdose rate.

The West Virginia First Foundation announced funding Monday for 38 programs across six regions of the state representing “a crucial step in addressing the epidemic with both urgency and care,” Executive Director Jonathan Board said.

The proposals were chosen from 174 applications received by the foundation for funding this year for an initial round of around $19.2 million in grants. Foundation officials say they plan to disperse around $8.8 million in supplemental awards to organizations that weren’t selected for the first round, under the requirement that they make adjustments and reapply.

A total of 11 organizations will receive money for youth substance use prevention and workforce development, with the largest share — $442,800 — going to support Seed Sower, Inc. in the southern West Virginia counties of Fayette, Monroe, Raleigh, Summers, Nicholas, Webster, Greenbrier, Pocahontas, Mercer, Wyoming and McDowell. Ten county commissions, local police departments and other organizations received funding for programs to divert individuals from the criminal justice system and provide them with support and treatment with the largest sum — around $625,650 — going to the Berkeley County Diversion and Interdiction Project.

Seven organizations were granted funding for expanding access to transitional and recovery housing, with Southern WV Fellowship Home, Inc. receiving the largest share, $658,800. Ten child advocacy centers across the state are receiving funding, including North Star Child Advocacy Center in Parkersburg, which will receive $720,000 to expand operations.

“The holidays can be a challenging time for many, and we hope this announcement reinforces a message of hope, recovery, and progress for West Virginia communities,” said Matt Harvey, the foundation’s board chair and prosecuting attorney in Jefferson County.

Officials from 55 West Virginia counties signed on to a memorandum of understanding that allows money to be funneled through the West Virginia First Foundation and dictates how it can be spent. The state Legislature and Gov. Jim Justice gave it the green light earlier this year.

According to the agreement, the foundation is responsible for distributing just under three-quarters of the settlement money. Around a quarter will go directly to local communities and 3% will remain in trust.

The state is receiving money from each of its settlement agreements on a staggered schedule, with annual payments coming until at least 2036. The private foundation alone is expected to receive around $367 million over the next five years.