Services

Public Health / Substance Abuse / Behavioral Health

Position Statements / Talking Points / Resources

Promote the deployment of diverse and comprehensive strategies identified by WVHA to address the challenges of Substance Abuse in WV with emphasis on: 1) seeking revisions to the 2018 Opioid Reduction Act; and 2) ensuring that prevention and treatment funding received by the State is coordinated and evidence-based utilizing qualified providers throughout WV.

Support strategies to strengthen the state’s behavioral and mental health system, with emphasis on: 1) streamlining the involuntary commitment process through both mental hygiene and circuit court systems while assuring that hospitals receive payment for committed patients that continues through their mandated stay; and 2) ensuring adequate state and community resources for psychiatric care in hospitals and community sites in order to appropriately address patient requirements and appropriate use of hospital emergency services; and 3) supporting a child welfare system that places children in the least restricted environment.

Sustain West Virginia’s Immunization laws, with emphasis on promoting public health/disease prevention.

Monitor legislative activity related to Tobacco Control initiatives, including raising the minimum legal age for tobacco and nicotine sales to age 21; prohibiting smoking in motor vehicles when minor 16 years old or less is present; and identifying opportunity to increase the tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products, and to amend WV Code 21-3-19 related to tobacco use by employees of healthcare facilities.

Support efforts at the state and federal levels to repeal Medicaid Institute for Mental Disease (IMD) exclusion to allow free standing psychiatric hospitals to provide care to adult Medicaid members.