FAIRMONT, W.Va. - Governor Patrick Morrisey today joined the West Virginia First Foundation and leaders from six universities to announce new strategic partnerships aimed at strengthening addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery through research, data-driven investment, and improved accountability for the state's historic opioid settlement funds.
"When I was Attorney General, I fought hard to help secure more than $1 billion in opioid settlements and co-authored the West Virginia First Foundation to make certain those resources would serve our people for generations,” said Governor Morrisey. “Now we're putting some of the finest academic and research talent in the country to work making sure those dollars deliver real results, saving lives, restoring families, and helping more West Virginians overcome addiction and return to work."
The partnerships bring together West Virginia University, Marshall University, West Virginia Wesleyan College, the University of Charleston, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Notre Dame to help the Foundation identify statewide needs, evaluate grant applications, measure outcomes, and direct resources toward effective solutions.
Four West Virginia institutions will play central roles in the initiative:
- West Virginia University is leading a statewide needs assessment through its Health Affairs Institute to identify gaps in prevention, treatment, and recovery services. WVU's Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute is also advancing innovative approaches to addiction treatment, including focused ultrasound technology.
- Marshall University is contributing expertise through its Center of Excellence for Recovery to evaluate community-based programs and strengthen addiction prevention and recovery efforts.
- West Virginia Wesleyan College is providing specialized expertise in addiction and trauma care, while supporting efforts to expand the addiction counseling workforce.
- University of Charleston is strengthening overdose prevention through its School of Pharmacy's naloxone distribution work and improved tracking of utilization and outcomes.
Johns Hopkins University will provide guidance on evidence-based grantmaking and outcomes measurement, while the University of Notre Dame, through its Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities, will conduct independent, data-driven evaluations to strengthen accountability in funding decisions.
The partnerships build on the framework established during Morrisey's tenure as Attorney General, when West Virginia secured more than $1 billion in opioid settlements, achieving the highest per-capita opioid settlement recovery in the nation.
Working with counties and municipalities, Morrisey helped establish the West Virginia First Foundation to coordinate long-term investments in addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery. The Foundation has since supported projects across all six regions of the state.
"West Virginia was among the states hardest hit by the opioid epidemic, but we now have an opportunity to become a national leader in how we fight back," said Governor Morrisey. "Success won't be measured simply by how much money we distribute. It will be measured by how many lives we save, how many families we help restore, and how many people we help get healthy and back into the workforce. These partnerships will help us get there."
The initiative also supports the Governor's broader efforts to improve healthcare outcomes, strengthen the state's workforce, and address the lasting effects of substance abuse on West Virginia families and communities.