CHARLESTON, W.Va. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced that the City of Charleston will receive $300,000 to support their Coordinated Addiction Response Effort (CARE) through a Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) request she made. CARE aims to work closely with organizations across Charleston to reduce the number of overdoses, overdose deaths, individuals struggling with addiction, and initial drug use.

In total, Senator Capito secured $241,135,000 in direct spending measures for initiatives and projects across West Virginia through the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 appropriations omnibus package.

“We all know the devastating impact the addiction crisis has had on West Virginia, and the scars it has left on our communities,” Senator Capito said. “Charleston has been hit hard by this epidemic, making programs like CARE essential in our efforts to reach people who are struggling with addiction, and preventing individuals from turning to drugs in the first place. Community-based solutions are key in our efforts to end the addiction crisis in West Virginia, and I’m proud to secure this support to strengthen that kind of initiative in our capital city.”

“Through this funding we will be able expand our CARE Office team to include additional caseworkers focused on providing support during the evening hours and on the weekends – further growing and strengthening our current outreach efforts in our community,” Charleston Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin, said. “We appreciate Senator Capito’s continued support of our efforts to help address the impacts of substance use disorder, mental health issues and homelessness; and connect our most vulnerable populations with needed services.” 

BACKGROUND:

Coordinated Addiction Response Effort (CARE) is an initiative within the City of Charleston Government that focuses on connecting Individuals to services, treatment, and other opportunities that best meet their needs. CARE offers services like overdose response, mental health crisis response, outreach to unsheltered and vulnerable individuals, and assisting in connecting individuals to appropriate services and/or treatment. In July, Senator Capito announced funding for the city’s first Crisis Intervention Team (CIT), which is a part of the CARE initiative. 

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