West Virginia

While major resources have gone toward drug crisis, analyst says, the results are dim – WV MetroNews

Published

5 months ago

August 26, 2024

While major resources have gone toward drug crisis, analyst says, the results are dim – WV MetroNews

Drug addiction remains a widespread, deadly problem in West Virginia, state lawmakers heard in a presentation filled with alarming, spine-chilling figures.

Jeremiah Samples

“I won’t bury the lead. The bottom line is that we have not made enough progress on this crisis. We’re nowhere near where we need to be, and our data related to other states and even our own expectations has fallen far short,” Jeremiah Samples, senior policy adviser for the West Virginia Legislature told members of the Joint Standing Committee on Health.

His Monday afternoon presentation, while dark, was not without hope. Samples advised a reassessment of substance abuse disorder strategies and expenditures through an emphasis on what is happening to real people in communities.

He also expressed optimism about new West Virginia First Foundation, the nonprofit organization with access to millions of dollars in drug settlement money that can be aimed at recovery. And he pointed toward the work of the state Office of Drug Control Policy, established in 2017 and now budgeted for $2.3 million annually.

But Samples, a former deputy director for the state’s health and human resources agency, also took note of the billions of dollars in expenditures already dedicated to reducing drug problems and yet “we’ve led the nation since 2010 and every year since in fatal overdose deaths. In fact, we’ve seen exponential growth in that rate since that time.”

His presentation was filled with eye-popping statistics:

— An estimated 208,000 people in West Virginia used illicit drugs in the last month, according to a survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

— Overall, the age-adjusted drug overdose death in the United States quadrupled from 2002 to 2022.

— There were 107,941 drug overdose deaths in 2022.

— West Virginia experienced 1,335 known overdose deaths in 2022, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

— From 1999 to 2022, West Virginia’s overdose deaths increased 1,680%.

“We can’t sustain that, as a society,” Samples said. “It’s crippling to the state.”

West Virginia’s overdose death rate is 151% higher than the best state in the country, Samples said. It’s 85.6% higher than the national average. And 36.4% higher than the next worst state.

“It’s hard to be positive when you’re juxtaposing yourself against other states this way and seeing that you’re continuing to fall behind,” he said.

West Virginia’s drug crisis is summed up in a presentation before the Joint Standing Committee on Health. (Will Price/West Virginia Legislative Photography)

He said the effects are now multi-generational, with hundreds of millions of dollars in indirect costs in child welfare alone.

West Virginia leads the nation in neonatal abstinence syndrome, caused when a baby experiences withdrawal from drug exposure in the womb before birth, he said, and the state leads the nation in in utero substance exposure. Only about 17,000 babies are born each year in West Virginia.

“And of those 17,000 births, we’re looking at about 2,500 babies every year that are exposed to drugs in the womb. So extrapolate that out over a decade or more and you start to see the demographic tsunami that is coming,” Samples said. “It’s a crisis.”

Samples noted that lawmakers have passed a series of policies intended to address many of these issues, and he said they could pass more — including some that he recommended.

“But it really doesn’t matter because the most important thing we need to do, in my opinion, is that we need to measure what matters so that we can then pivot and organically improve our response to this crisis,” Samples said.

“We need to measure every aspect of our substance abuse disorder policies and expenditures, and we need to tie it back to a core societal measure.”

He proposed measuring overdose deaths, in utero substance exposure, infectious disease rate of spread, child fatality or near fatality rate of drugs.

“These are really what people care about.”

He added, “Why am I even here today? It’s not because of some process issue. It’s because people are sick of what’s happening in their communities. They’re sick of their loved ones dying. They’re sick of people they know, struggling year after year. We need to start measuring and setting goals for ourselves and holding ourselves to those goals, then if we miss those marks then we need to explain why.”

The legislative committee also heard from Jonathan Board, executive director of the West Virginia First Foundation, which has more than $225 million on hand to put toward relief efforts for the effects of drug addiction.

“We know that we cannot just check boxes here or there,” Board told lawmakers. “In many respects we are walking through cemeteries every day, and we understand that each and every dollar we have is because of a loved one who has been lost or horribly affected by this public health crisis.”

And the committee heard from the new executive director of the Office of Drug Control Policy, Dr. Stephen Loyd, who was appearing on his first day on the job.

“West Virginia has been ground zero for the opioid crisis. It’s where it started; it’s where it’s continued today,” Loyd said. “And there have been a lot of really great people in this state that have worked hard, and for a lot of whatever reasons we are where we are.

“I think it would be a great thing if West Virginia showed the rest of the country how to get out of this crisis.”

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West Virginia

Akron CB Golden-Nelson commits to West Virginia

Published

4 hours ago

January 9, 2025

Press Room

Akron CB Golden-Nelson commits to West Virginia

West Virginia continues to remake the defensive backfield, and the coaching staff took another step there with a commitment from Akron transfer cornerback Devonte Golden-Nelson.

Golden-Nelson, 5-foot-10, 180-pounds, started his career at Memphis where he spent two seasons and appeared in four games prior to entering his name into the transfer portal and ending up at Akron.

Nelson confirmed the commitment to WVSports.com

During his time with the Zips, Golden-Nelson appeared in 29 games over the past three seasons where he has recorded 66 tackles, 10 passes defended and a pair of interceptions.

In 2024, Golden-Nelson recorded 33 tackles, and 7 passes defended.

Golden-Nelson entered the transfer portal Dec. 17 and received an offer from West Virginia Jan. 3 from new cornerbacks coach Rod West. He also was offered by Oklahoma State, Houston and UNLV.

The Memphis native has played 1,060 snaps during his time at Akron including 613 this past season where he graded out at 66.2 according to Pro Football Focus. He allowed only two touchdowns in his career.

Golden-Nelson took an official visit to West Virginia Jan. 7 and that was enough to close his recruitment giving the Mountaineers another piece in the defensive secondary.

Golden-Nelson has one year of eligibility remaining.

WVSports.com will have more with Golden-Nelson.

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West Virginia

Financial commitment there for West Virginia coaching staff

Published

12 hours ago

January 9, 2025

Press Room

Financial commitment there for West Virginia coaching staff

West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez has at least $5 million that he can dedicate to his on-the-field coaching staff in each year of his five-year contract.

There is at least another $2,500,000 tied up in support staff for every year of the agreement.

While the assistant coaches and support staff members are now starting to be announced which means contract terms are not far behind we’re getting an idea of just where the group will fall in terms of that total.

The Mountaineers made a heavy financial commitment to secure the services of Oklahoma co-defensive coordinator Zac Alley with a $1,500,000 contract that extends until Feb. 28, 2028.

That checks out with the sentiments that Rodriguez shared in his introductory press conference where he made it clear that he had the financial means to secure a top-level coordinator on that side of the ball.

And Alley is certainly that as he served as the Sooners play caller last year. The unit finished No. 3 ranking in defensive touchdowns, No. 5 in fumbles recovered, No. 10 in team tackles for loss, No. 11 in first-down defense, No. 19 in total defense, No. 23 in rushing defense, No. 25 in sacks and No. 30 in scoring defense.

As for other known commitments, West Virginia will pay $725,000 for running backs coach Chad Scott and $225,000 for inside wide receivers coach Blaine Stewart. Those two financial commitments were already in place under previously signed contracts when the pair worked for former head coach Neal Brown.

But the decision to re-hire the pair in essence will save the school money which they would have been owed, and the school would have had to hire replacements had they not been retained.

Both are under contract until 2026.

Other known contract details obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request include offensive line coach Jack Bicknell Jr at $450,000, wide receivers coach Ryan Garrett at $250,000, defensive line coach William Green at $250,000, and tight ends coach Michael Nysewander at $225,000.

Each is under contract through Feb. 28, 2026.

That makes the total $3,625,000 with just seven of the coaches in place. The Mountaineers also have announced several others that haven’t had contract details released yet such as cornerbacks coach Rod West, bandits coach Jeff Casteel, quarterbacks coach Rhett Rodriguez, special teams coordinator Pat Kirkland, assistant running backs coach Noel Devine and assistant special teams coordinator Chris Hearing for example.

That also doesn’t include others who are expected to be in roles but have yet to be announced such as offensive assistant Travis Trickett, safeties coach Gabe Franklin, nickels/sam coach Henry Weinreich, assistant offensive line coach Derek Dressler, and a number of others on the coaching staff.

It’s clear that West Virginia is making a commitment to staffing under Rodriguez and the “at least,” in the assistant salary pool is likely going to be the floor.

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West Virginia

Iowa State wrestling remains perfect in league, takes down West Virginia

Published

20 hours ago

January 9, 2025

Press Room

Iowa State wrestling remains perfect in league, takes down West Virginia

The Iowa State wrestling team handled West Virginia on Wednesday night in Big 12 action, earning key bonus points to claim the dual, 24-18 in Morgantown, West Virginia.

Both teams scored five match victories each, but it was the 13th-ranked Cyclones (5-3, 2-0) who earned two pins and a technical fall to get by the Mountaineers (7-2, 1-2).

Paniro Johnson and Cody Chittum each had a fall, Evan Frost earned a technical fall and Evan Bockman a major decision as Iowa State held a 17-12 edge in takedowns.

Frost opened the dual at 133 pounds, as the eighth-ranked grappler downed Tommy Maddox, 20-3 in 5:29. Jacob Frost followed with a decision before Johnson and Chittum claimed falls to give the Cyclones a huge advantage on the scoreboard.

Jacob Frost, ranked 15th at 141, earned a key win in terms of seeding purposes in the postseason by besting No. 29 Jordan Titus. Chittum is ranked eighth at 157 pounds.

West Virginia got a win by No. 3 Peyton Hall over Aiden Riggins by major decision and another major decision from Brody Conley before Bockman earned a win in a ranked battle.

Bockman, ranked 12th at 184 pounds, downed No. 16 Dennis Robin, 9-1.

From there, West Virginia scored the last three matches, as Ian Bush, Michael Wolfgram and Jeff Strickenberger all won by decision. Iowa State’s Daniel Herrera, ranked 26th at 285, and Kysen Terukina, ranked 19th at 285, were tipped in close matches.

The Cyclones return to the mats on Saturday when they meet Rider and Bucknell at the Virginia Duals.

133: #8 Evan Frost (ISU) TF Tommy Maddox (WVU), 20-3 (5:29)

141: #15 Jacob Frost (ISU) dec. #29 Jordan Titus (WVU), 9-6

149: Paniro Johnson (ISU) WBF Sam Hillegas (WVU), 5:48

157: #8 Cody Chittum (ISU) WBF Sasha Gavronsky (WVU), 3:41

165: #3 Peyton Hall (WVU) Maj. Dec. Aiden Riggins (ISU), 16-6

174: #28 Brody Conley (WVU) Maj. Dec. MJ Gaitan (ISU), 14-2

184: #12 Evan Bockman (ISU) Maj. Dec. #16 Dennis Robin (WVU), 9-1

197: Ian Bush (WVU) Maj. Dec. Nate Schon (ISU), 13-2

285: Michael Wolfgram (WVU) dec. #26 Daniel Herrera (ISU), 5-3

125: Jett Strickenberger (WVU) dec. #19 Kysen Terukina (ISU), 4-1

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