Drug manufacturers are paying billions of dollars for fueling an epidemic of opioid addiction. The loss of human life alone is staggering. Last year, more than 100,000 people in the United States died of a drug overdose.
Those who have lost loved ones, and seen the devastating grip addiction can have, are asking, will opioid settlement money prevent more loss? Two projects in Southwest Virginia are using settlement funding to help people recover from addiction.
Down a small, residential neighborhood in the heart of Abingdon, a new treatment facility just opened its doors.
“We’ve had neighbors from down the street come by, and say, this is such a needed resource, we want you here, you have our support,” said Rick Mitchell, Director of the Lifestyle Recovery Program at Fairview Housing Management. He oversees this new program in Abingdon, called Mended Women.
A coalition of community members fundraised for this project. Church groups, and people who had been in recovery, volunteered to paint and clean the building.
“It just a very, for me, moving thing to see that the community put this program together and they worked so hard for it,” said Katherine Robinson, the clinical director for Mended Women. She grew up in southwest Virginia, and said more lives would have been saved if something like this had existed when she was growing up.
“You know there’s a lot of disparity between us and the rest of the state, in terms of what’s available, and financial resources to go into programs,” Robinson said. “So we feel so blessed to have gotten, you know, the grant to be able to get this going.”
Mended Women is the only treatment facility of its kind within 150 miles. It’s exclusively for women. And while there are a few options for women in southwest Virginia who want to detox and receive in-patient treatment, most are short term, typically for a few weeks. Here, women can stay up to three months.
The first participant at Mended Women arrived Monday, August 14, the day they opened. By Christmas, they expect to be at capacity, with 70 women living here.
Many states, including Virginia, have set up funds to distribute money from opioid settlements. Virginia is expected to get about $1 billion over the next 18 years. 30 percent of it will go directly to cities and counties. More than half will be awarded directly to community projects, like Mended Women.
The New River Valley region also received a grant of more than $2 million. Four counties there, and the city of Radford, are collaborating on the NRV Recovery Ecosystem Project.
They’ve been hosting a series of focus groups across the region. On a recent afternoon, they were in Giles County, talking with 45 people, including faith leaders, law enforcement, and mental health advocates.
Holly Lesko is the director of community health for the New River Valley Regional Commission and manages the ecosystem project. She said a portion of the grant will go towards education and prevention efforts. Money will also help expand New Life Recovery Center in Radford, almost doubling their capacity.
Mike Wade, with New River Valley Community Services said they have a waiting list of people asking for all levels of treatment.
“This additional money through the opioid abatement authority will certainly help,” Wade said. “It’s not going to answer all the problems that we have and address all the needs, but it’s certainly a step in the right direction.”
Later this year, the NRV Ecosystem Project plans to start a mobile harm reduction van, with medical exams and naloxone training. It will travel throughout Giles, Floyd, Pulaski, and Montgomery Counties, connecting people with mental health counseling.
