BROOKE COUNTY, W.Va. — Transformation was the word thrown around The Brooke County Commission meeting on Tuesday morning as representatives from WVU Medicine came forth asking for the use of some of Brooke County’s opioid funds.
What would you do with $1.2 million? That’s the conundrum being faced by the Brooke County Commission as yet another group comes forth asking for funding through opioid settlement funds.
Tuesday’s appeal came from WVU Medicine, which is looking to develop a pediatric behavioral health center across from Wheeling Hospital.
Representatives came asking for $125,000 from Brooke County’s opioid funds, seeing as Brooke County children account for more than 12,700 visits a year to Wheeling Hospital. According to the representatives, now is the time to strike, especially with the rise in mental health problems.
“Suicide rates are on the rise, specifically in West Virginia, so this is something that we want to address with an integrated behavioral health model which gives a warm hand-off for families to understand a little more about behavioral health and the benefits it can have from their youth,” said Jessica Moore, WVU Medicine AVP Foundation and community relations.
Commissioners have also been approached by various other entities, including the Brooke County Sheriff’s Office.
While no decision was made on funding the project, Commissioner A.J. Thomas said it’s just another proposal to consider in a methodical process.
“The worst thing that we can do with the opioid settlement funds is squander it,” Thomas said. “These are, like I said, one-time funds. As long as I’m here, which is until March 1, I’m not going to waste them.”
For now, something advocates call a transformative proposal to end opioid abuse by cutting it at the roots.
“If we’re going to make change, we have to start with youth,” Moore said. “We have to start at schools, we have to start with their well visit, pediatric appointments, letting parents know the signs to look out for, and also letting kids know that there are other ways to deal with depression, there are other ways to deal with anxiety instead of substances.”