U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., has announced $250,000 in federal funding for a Huntington drug treatment center.
The grant, from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, will go to Recovery Point of Huntington. The 100-bed residential long-term recovery program is for men who suffer from alcohol and substance abuse.
“We are extremely excited about our recent award through SAMHSA,” said Recovery Point Executive Director Matt Boggs. “This funding will assist us in developing comprehensive outreach services and recovery housing in Cabell, Mercer and Raleigh Counties. We are so thankful for Senator Capito and her support of Recovery Point and work to curb the epidemic of substance use in West Virginia.”
“I have repeatedly said that the City of Huntington should serve as model for other cities across America grappling with substance abuse,” Capito said. “Recovery Point of Huntington is a significant part of the community’s efforts to help save lives and curb addiction. This funding will further Recovery Point’s work and is a critical component of the spectrum of solutions I am pursuing to combat the opioid epidemic that is harming too many West Virginians.”
More than 120 men have graduated from the Recovery Point program since 2011. Program staff say 68 percent of graduates remain sober for the first year after treatment, about five times the national average.
“This grant is affirmation of Recovery Point’s continued success and value to the community. Sen. Capito has been crucial to our community in fighting the drug abuse epidemic," said Jim Johnson, director of drug control policy for the city of Huntington. "This is another imperative resource she has brought to our state that we desperately need. Her view of looking for a long-term solution, not just a knee-jerk reaction, gives our community hope in battling the substance abuse problem that has taken our state by storm.”
