— A $7.5 million effort to combat a drug abuse epidemic that finds more West Virginians succumbing to the silent poisons of chemicals than the loud, grinding crashes on highways is putting cash into every county to detect and treat addicts.

One year ago, Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin held his first roundtable talk in Beckley on fighting substance misuse, and appropriately returned to town Thursday to announce shares in all six regions in a fund approved last winter by the Legislature.

Not only do more residents die of overdoses than are killed annually in road accidents, but Tomblin pointed to the recent arrest of 25 people in a drug sweep in Fayette County, culminating a six-month undercover investigation.

“These are facts that we simply cannot ignore,” Tomblin told a gathering on the lawn of Jackie Withrow Hospital, just across from Turning Pointe for Families, a facility that opened last spring to help expectant women hooked on drugs.

Region Six, a 13-county swath of southern West Virginia, is getting $825,000 for a detox and stabilization unit, and participation in Screening and Brief Intervention and Referral Treatment, or SBIRT.

Counties making up that region are Fayette, Raleigh, Greenbrier, Summers, Mercer, McDowell, Wyoming, Monroe, Nicholas, Webster and Pocahontas.

Vickie Jones, commissioner of the Bureau of Behavior Health and Health Facilities, said the region shares fell between $700,000 and $900,000 and money is tailored to meet specific needs in fighting drug abuse.

“West Virginia has hope again,” Jones said.

“There’s hope again, not only for our future, but the future of our children.”

Based on the initial roundtable talk in Beckley, the governor said he was led to create both an advisory council and the six regional task forces.

“It’s no secret we need more treatment programs,” Tomblin said in the outdoor announcement.

“I’m proud to say that while other states are cutting behavioral health budgets, I will continue to invest in services that combat and treat substance abuse.”

Under the plan, Jones said competitive bids will be sought to provide the detox and crisis unit for Region Six, in line with state procedures on spending tax money for public projects.

“It’s never enough, but it’s a wonderful beginning,” said Randy Housh, representing both the West Virginia Association of Drug and Alcohol Counselors and Seneca Health Services in Summersville, and a member of Tomblin’s advisory council.

“This is rather unprecedented. It’s been many, many years since funding for any kind of effort was put into this. So, we’re excited. We believe Gov. Tomblin has a long-range vision for building on this every year. If you just do it once and don’t do it again, you really don’t accomplish a lot. We feel his vision to carry this on is going to continue and there will be additional funds added as the years go by.”

Drugs became a focal point of the federal, state and local governments last year after newspaper stories began to surface about widespread and rampant misuse, often brazenly in daylight hours in the small towns of Wyoming County, and before long, it was learned the menace had taken root in every pocket of the state.

Tomblin recognized Turning Pointe for Families as typical of programs that “are invaluable to our people.”

“Programs like it help West Virginians turn their lives around on a better path,” the governor said.

“Since this spring, they have helped women, children and families at Turning Pointe. Programs that focus on prevention, early intervention and treatment, and recovery of abusers are making a difference across the state. But sadly, our families and friends need more help. Working with the strategic plan and federal funding sources, we can save lives.”

Tomblin also singled out Raleigh County Sheriff Steve Tanner and Delegate Linda Sumner, R-Raleigh, for their work in the recent legislative session on behalf of fighting the drug problem.

When he assembled his advisory council and subsequent task forces to divvy up the money provided in SB437, Tomblin pointed out that no part of the state has escaped drug abuse.

“I will continue to fight this epidemic,” the governor declared.

“Substance abuse is all over West Virginia. It’s just that the substance is different from region to region.”

Other Regions are 1, the Northern Panhandle; 2, the Eastern Panhandle; 3, the Parkersburg region; 4, north-central counties; and 5, the Huntington-Charleston area.

“Substance abuse continues to negatively impact West Virginians on a daily basis, with no socio-economic boundaries,” Jones said.

“It touches each of us in many different ways. Gov. Tomblin realized that combating this devastating disease requires a statewide, collaborative effort, with input and strategy solutions developed from the grassroots level, from those who know best what is needed. He realized it has to be done now.”