CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A Cabell County medical doctor is the new director of the state Office of Drug Control Policy.
Gov. Jim Justice announced the appointment of Dr. Matthew Christiansen Friday. He replaces Bob Hansen who is retiring.
Christiansen practices primary care and addiction medicine at Marshall Health. He’s also an associate professor at the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine at Marshall.
“West Virginia’s drug crisis has not taken a break even though we are experiencing a worldwide pandemic,” Justice said in a Friday statement. “Luckily, Dr. Christiansen is familiar with West Virginia’s issues and has worked closely with Bob Hansen. I think he’ll step into the job with one-foot running.”
Christiansen said he looks forward to serving the state.
“Working with individuals in recovery has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career and I look forward to working at a state level to expand and support recovery services continuing Bob Hansen’s legacy with the ODCP. I look forward to the day that we see our state recover from this terrible epidemic,” Christiansen said.
The Office of Drug Control Policy was created by state lawmakers in 2017. It’s responsible for providing administrative support and funding to combating substance abuse, as well as collect crime and overdose data.