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Representatives with the West Virginia First Foundation — a nonprofit the state tasked with distributing roughly three-quarters of West Virginia’s opioid settlement payments — traveled to Martinsburg this week to voice their vision for disbursing the funds.
The Stubblefield Institute for Civil Politics, an affiliate of Shepherd University, hosted the Thursday evening panel. West Virginia First Foundation Executive Director Jonathan Board told attendees that the foundation aims to be transparent, with funds targeting different aspects of recovery, from individual to community-level interventions.
“We understand where this money comes from,” he said. “We understand the gravity of this and that every dollar, every every dime, every penny we have represents those loved ones that aren’t with us anymore.”
Speakers at the panel said the organization’s founding guidelines promote transparency, requiring them to report where funds are distributed. Roughly one-quarter of the state’s settlement money goes directly to county governments, which they said helps broaden the geographic extent of support.
These reporting and distribution guidelines also have “an effect on making sure that those monies are going for appropriate uses,” said Matthew Harvey, West Virginia First Foundation chair and prosecuting attorney for Jefferson County.
Tim Czaja, a regional director of the West Virginia First Foundation and the Berkeley County community corrections director, said the foundation also sees a need for public education on substance use disorder and recovery.
He cited pushback from state lawmakers against needle exchange programs as an example of misunderstanding that can harm the recovery process.
“I think providing some education to the legislature over time would be really valuable,” he said.
Panelists agreed that engaging with community leaders and members of the public would remain central to their funding distribution efforts.
The West Virginia First Foundation was legally recognized by the state in 2023. By next month, the foundation will award its first round of funding to diversion and recovery programs statewide, totaling millions of dollars.
To listen to the full forum online, visit the Panhandle News Network’s Spotify page.
