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Launched in October, the IOG program disburses opioid settlement funds to support initiatives addressing the opioid crisis in the Mountain State. The initial call for proposals received 174 applications submitted from organizations across the Mountain State. A second round of funding — a supplemental round offering a second chance to applicants with incomplete submissions — has brought the IOG’s current total funds expended to nearly $17 million.

The WVFF website said proposals were chosen based on five criteria:

• Evidence-based strategies
• Relationship to foundation’s strategic vision
• Implementation and sustainability
• Transparency and fairness
• Impact and measurability

Funds in action

Organizations that received funding in the first round, like and , have already begun using grant monies they received earlier this year.

For example, both organizations have used the funds to augment programs that already exist statewide.

WV CASA received $279,812 in February, according to State Director Shanna Gray. She said the money will be used to support all 11 local CASA programs serving 32 West Virginia counties. WV Health Right Executive Director Angie Settles said the $267,372 they received is going to their HOPE program, which supports parents and families in recovery by providing wraparound services, like onsite child care for their appointments and case management.

Gray said in recent years, CASA has seen an uptick in requests for advocates. In the counties they serve, she said they’re seeing a lot of neglect cases, in particular.

“There is a large increase in children we’re serving are due to the opioid epidemic,� Gray said. “Nearly 60% of all children who are involved in child abuse and neglect proceedings are a direct result of parental substance use.�

CASA’s money will go to recruit, screen, train and oversee community volunteers and advocates appointed by circuit court judges to represent the best interests of children in court proceedings. CASA’s operations can be costly, Gray said, because volunteers undergo a 30-hour comprehensive training process and a set of comprehensive background checks.

For WV Health Right, a free clinic that provides $25 million in health care services annually to more than 45,000 West Virginians, funding the provides dental, primary and behavioral health care and access to necessary medications for those families who are working toward sobriety.

HOPE participants have access to:

• On-site medically assisted treatment for substance abuse disorder
• Childcare during their appointments
• Parenting education resources,
• Family planning services
• A recovery team that includes a board-certified psychologist, social workers and peer recovery support
• “This program helps remove roadblocks for parents on their path to recovery,â€� Settles said. “We want to support them on their journey.â€�

  Details on second round of funding

  Each region gained a significant amount of funding in the supplemental round:

  • Region 1, $1,196,133: Brooke, Hancock, Ohio, Marshall and Wetzel counties
  • Region 2, $2,534,705: Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Mineral, Berkeley, Jefferson, Pendleton and Morgan counties
  • Region 3, $2,552,686: Wood, Tyler, Pleasants, Ritchie, Wirt, Calhoun, Roane and Jackson counties
  • Region 4, $3,439,211: Monongalia, Braxton, Lewis, Harrison, Marion, Preston, Taylor, Tucker, Barbour, Randolph, Gilmer, Doddridge and Upshur counties
  • Region 5, $4,721,027: Cabell, Clay, Boone, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, Putnam, Mason, Mingo and Wayne counties
  • Region 6, $3,386,207: Fayette, Monroe, Raleigh, Summers, Nicholas, Webster, Greenbrier, Pocahontas, Mercer, Wyoming and McDowell counties

  There are four target areas that the WVFF focuses on when choosing grant recipients:

  • Diversion and interdiction programs
  • Youth prevention and workforce development
  • Child advocacy centers and PPW neonatal abstinence syndrome programs
  • Transitional and recovery housing expansion

  The WVFF’s two leading target areas are youth prevention and workforce development and diversion and interdiction programs, respectively, funded at $5.37 million and $3.80 million, respectively. There were 21 child advocacy efforts chosen, making up $3.62 million of the funding. Transitional and recovery housing expansion earned $3.7 million for 14 awards.

  WVFF noted that while the Foundation distributes 72.5% of the state’s opioid settlement funds, 3% also goes to state government and 24.5% goes to local governments.