Warner & Kaine Announce Two Grants to Combat Substance Use Disorder in Southwest Virginia

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced almost $600,000 in funding to address substance use disorder in Southwest Virginia by expanding recovery resources and promoting workforce entry. The funding was awarded by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)'s Investments Supporting Partnerships In Recovery Ecosystems (INSPIRE) Initiative, which seeks to address the substance use disorder (SUD) crisis across Appalachia.

"Our country's substance use crisis disproportionately impacts Virginians in Appalachian communities who already face barriers to accessing substance use education and treatment, as well as reliable transportation and housing," said the senators. "We are proud to be long-time supporters of the Appalachian Regional Commission, which is helping make this funding possible, and to empower two organizations that are addressing these challenges, providing care to Virginians, and strengthening the Commonwealth's workforce."

The grants will be awarded as below:

1. Mountain Empire Community College will receive over $490,000 for its Project Southwest Virginia Opioid Abuse Recovery Initiative, which prepares participants for careers in skilled trades and other in-demand jobs.
2. Appalachian Center for HOPE (ACH) will receive $100,000 for its Stage 2 planning project, which consists of a 12-month intensive process to determine service and resource gaps in the substance use disorder support community, identifies viable funding sources to expand services, and outlines concrete actions ACH can take to overcome the stigma-related obstacles that have hindered previous project achievement.

The senators have been longtime supporters of the Appalachian Center for HOPE, having secured $650,000 in the FY2023 Government Funding Bill to help provide residential treatment for individuals experiencing substance use disorder in Smyth County. Last year, Sen. Warner visited an ACH facility for the launch of its residential treatment center in Marion, which was a direct result of the funding that the senators secured.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have long supported efforts to boost economic development in Southwest Virginia, including through strong support of the ARC, an economic development agency of the federal government and 13 state governments that innovates and invests to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in 423 counties across the Appalachian region.

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