WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), members of the Appropriations Committee, today announced $848,000 has been received from the National Institute of Health (NIH) HEAL (Helping to End Addiction Long-Term) initiative for West Virginia University to support the development of new strategies to prevent and treat substance use disorder.

“As West Virginia continues to be hard hit by the opioid crisis, I’m proud to see WVU leading the field in opioid addiction treatment and prevention research,” Senator Capito said. “West Virginians always take care of their own, and the research being conducted at WVU will have meaningful benefits for others around the country as well. Over the past several years, I have supported robust increases for the valuable work at NIH, which enables grants like these to be awarded to states like ours that need it most.”

“West Virginia has the highest overdose rate per capita of any state in our nation, and the impacts of this epidemic can be felt in every family, every community and every part of our state. We need all of the help we can get for those dealing with substance use disorder so they can receive treatment and we can begin to heal as a state and a nation. This funding will go a long way to understanding how to combat the opioid crisis, and I look forward to seeing the important work accomplished by these initiatives. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue to fight to ensure West Virginia receives the necessary funding to fight the opioid epidemic in every way possible,” Senator Manchin said.