Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $356,882 from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) through the Combating Opioid Overdose through Community-Level Intervention (COOCLI) grant program. This funding will support the development of new strategies to prevent and treat substance use disorder and promote the partnership of law enforcement with public health agencies.

“West Virginia has the highest overdose rate per capita of any state, and the impacts of this epidemic can be felt in every family, every community and every part of our state. This funding will go a long way in helping combat the opioid crisis, and I look forward to seeing the important work accomplished by the Martinsburg Initiative. 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,” said Senator Manchin.

“This new funding for Berkeley County Schools represents the national support for addressing a crisis that so acutely affects West Virginians,” Senator Capito said. “The Martinsburg Initiative has been a great success in our state. I’m particularly excited by the elements of this grant that emphasize collaboration and community in combating the opioid epidemic. This is an issue that affects so many in our state, and this will contribute to our efforts as we work towards the solution together.”