Substance Use Disorder

On this West Virginia Morning, some businesses are hiring people in recovery as a way to find new employees and help others out. But they are also finding out that it takes more than just goodwill.

More than 107,000 Americans died of drug overdoses last year, setting another tragic record in the nation's escalating overdose epidemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated Wednesday.

On this West Virginia Morning, a business in southern West Virginia is getting national attention for the work it does to help people recovering from substance use disorder. The owner says the idea is pretty simple – nurture the community.

On this West Virginia Morning, we catch up with West Virginia filmmaker Tijah Bumgardner whose writing partner Ashley Ellis recently passed away from substance use disorder. We hear from Bumgardner and Ellis’ mother.

Senate Bill 419, sponsored by Sen. Ryan Weld, R-Brooke, will change up how addiction treatment centers are paid. Providers that offer the absolute best care and support to clients, will get paid more than others that don’t offer as much, or at least that’s the intent.

On this West Virginia Morning, the state is looking at a new way to encourage addiction treatment providers to do better, based on how stable and sober their clients are months or even years after initial treatment. We take a closer look at this initiative.

A new recovery program in Greenbrier County that gives women a place to live as they work through a recovery program received a $498,024 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC).

Seed Sowers is a non-profit organization that helps women, 18 or older, who are recovering from substance use disorder.

"It's the unknown that people are afraid of," said Council Member Sharon Kuhl. In an 8-1 vote Tuesday evening, the council banned any new addiction treatment centers and recovery homes from opening in the city for about a year.

On this West Virginia Morning, Us & Them host Trey Kay speaks with Dr. James Berry from WVU’s Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute about medication-based treatment of substance use disorder. Also, in this show, it’s the 35th anniversary of rock icon Peter Gabriel's landmark album “So.” Eclectopia host Jim Lange speaks with Daniel and Lauren Goans who released a track-by-track cover of “So” called "So Low."