CHARLESTON, W.Va. — State officials are developing a plan to combat West Virginia’s drug problems, and they’re asking the public for help.
“It isn’t like we’ve been planning and not acting,” Bob Hansen, director of the state’s Office of Drug Control Policy, told a crowd of a couple hundred people who gathered at a public forum.
But, Hansen said, the state is almost ready to formally roll out a substance abuse response plan and needs West Virginians to help guide priorities.
A forum at the University of Charleston on Monday evening was the third public forum so far, and more are ahead in Martinsburg, Wheeling and Fairmont.
Those planning to attend may download and review the plan prior to the meeting. Those who are unable to attend can download the plan and provide online feedback. All feedback must be received by this Friday.
Hansen said participants have been enthusiastic so far, motivated by how the opioid epidemic has affected West Virginia and wanting to help.
“The amount of people wanting to address our substance abuse crisis is overwhelming,” he said.
Organizers said public participation will help make the plan better.
West Virginia’s limited resources mean not everything can be done at once, said Brian Gallagher, chairman of the Governor’s Council on Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment. So the public’s help is necessary to help set priorities.
“We’ve got to start somewhere,” Gallagher said.
The event in Charleston drew some regular members of the public, some people who are already involved in areas of recovery or workforce training and elected leaders. A couple of candidates for governor, Democrat Ron Stollings and Republican Woody Thrasher, were among those who turned out.
Participants rotated among tables, discussing aspects of getting West Virginia back to health. Breakout tables focused on issues such as employment opportunities, transportations and law enforcement.
As participants rotated from table to table, their questions were meant to help guide priorities on various strategies that have been proposed so far.
One group at the transportation table, for example, discussed the amount of regulation necessary for overseeing transportation programs for those who need a way to work or gather groceries.
The law enforcement table fielded a question about the intent of a proposed strategy to enhance sentences for drug offenders who commit violent crimes with a firearm.
The employment opportunities table had a discussion about what safeguards are in place when individuals in recovery interact with vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, while in training programs.
The employment table also had discussions about what training programs are available and how to encourage employers to participate.
Among those going table to table was Ashley Shaw, director of Creating Opportunities for Recovery Employment with Marshall Health.
Shaw said the program she oversees is starting to gather momentum. It is focused on a 12-county region to help people prepare for employment.
Getting employers to participate sometimes requires a nudge, Shaw said.
“We have to start the conversation. That’s where it begins,” she said. “It’s really sitting down with companies and organizations right now that champion recovery and figuring out that buy-in, what was said to make them want to assist people in recovery?
“The other piece of that is figuring out where the barriers are. Why is it that they don’t want to get on board in providing education and support to move the Maybes and the Nos to a ‘Yes, I’ll hire somebody in recovery.'”