West Virginia is no stranger to a tough battle, a hard fight, or a difficult task. That’s the Mountaineer spirit that defines us, our culture and history, and most recently, the ongoing battle with substance abuse and addiction that is devastating this great state.
In April 2015, I hosted an opioid summit in the Eastern Panhandle. At that time, we were just learning how bad the situation was and starting to devise strategies to address the problem.
We’ve learned a lot since that summit, particularly when it comes to what works and what doesn’t. We’ve learned that the most impactful solutions are those that come from the ground up, instead of the one-size-fits-all approaches from Washington. Whether it’s the lives that have been saved by our Quick Response Teams, the countless lives that have been touched Lily’s Place, or the support felt by our youth through the Handle With Care program, these collaborative and innovative solutions are working.
While we are making progress, we are also dealing with different problems that require new solutions. That’s why I took the opportunity on Friday to convene another summit that addressed the state of this battle across our nation and on the frontlines in our home, West Virginia.
Gathered at this Opioid Summit in Dunbar, community leaders, health professionals, law enforcement officers and addiction experts came together to discuss federal, state and local approaches to solving the crisis.
Nationally, the news is slightly heartening—overdose fatalities decreased this year, albeit a small fraction and not nearly enough to return the country to previous pre-pandemic levels. While we still have a lot of work to do, this trend can also be seen in West Virginia. New data from the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources comparing the first four months of 2023 to the same period in 2024 shows a reduction in overdose fatalities across the state.
But as I explained at the summit, even with this hopeful news, one of the features—and tragedies—of this epidemic is that it impacts each state differently. The tragedy is felt most acutely in West Virginia, where our state continues by far to have highest rate of opioid-related overdose deaths in the country.
The crisis has only been exacerbated by the introduction of fentanyl into our communities. Preliminary data from the West Virginia Health Statistics Center shows that the highly addictive and highly lethal drug and its analogues, which are variations of fentanyl where the chemical makeup has been slightly changed but still has the same negative effect on the human body, were involved in approximately 82% of all drug overdose deaths in West Virginia in 2023.
Nearly all West Virginians know someone—a friend, a relative, a family member—who has been impacted by this epidemic. I certainly do. We have seen ourselves, it is an epidemic that is not confined to a particular subset of our population. The plague of drug addiction and overdose deaths does not discriminate.
But I have always said that I am an optimist, and for that reason, I have hope. We, West Virginians, have a shared understanding of where the crisis emerged, and we are starting to see some progress. Together, we can continue to forge a shared vision for how we need to respond to continue this progress. The event Friday showcased that bipartisan, mutual agreement on root causes and solutions.
Panelists used the Opioid Summit as a forum to cover the most effective practices in their respective fields. I highlighted one of the most effective federal responses, the State Opioid Response (SOR) grant program, which boasts a 78% success rate in keeping those battling substance use disorder clean upon their six-month check-in, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
I also underscored how through my continued leadership on the Senate Appropriations Committee, I have been able to ensure our state has the SOR resources it needs to combat the crisis. Several years ago, we were able to retool the SOR grant formula so that drug prevention resources are directed to the hardest-hit states, including West Virginia. Now, SOR programs are nimble enough to help the states that need opioid prevention the most in the ways they deem most effective. And as a result, I have been able to secure tens of millions of dollars for programs and entities that are helping those impacted by addiction.
In addition, after my firsthand experience with the Bluefield Rescue Squad, I recruited Senate allies to push for more access to life-saving medications such as Naloxone. I joined my colleagues in Congress in successfully advocating for the over-the-counter sale of Naloxone, an opioid overdose reversal medication that the FDA approved in March of 2023. A next step at the federal level is to pass my bipartisan Safe Response Act, which would help provide additional training to first responders so they are prepared to safely and effectively administer overdose reversal medications.
For those who were unable to attend, the biggest takeaway from the Opioid Summit is this: If we are all on the same page, from first responders and legislators to teachers and law enforcement officers, we can save lives. Collaboration is incredibly important.
I’m doing my part to ensure my Senate colleagues are laser-focused on delivering legislative solutions that will strengthen our efforts in the fight against the opioid crisis. As for West Virginia, I already know the people are doing their part.
There is still much work to be done, but I believe in West Virginia. This battle requires a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach, one that addresses both the immediate needs of those struggling with addiction and the long-term solutions to prevent future generations from falling prey to opioids, but if I know one thing, it’s that Mountaineers are up for the fight.
