West Virginia Drug Intervention Institute Story Archives

Hope And Healing Documentary To Premiere On April 23, 2024

“Hope and Healing: A Discussion with West Virginia Youth” is a collaboration between West Virginia Public Broadcasting and the West Virginia Drug Intervention Institute (WVDII). Youth from West Virginia gathered for the project to talk about issues they face on topics including substance use disorder, bullying, social media, and mental health. The project will be screened on Tuesday, April 23, at 5:30 p.m. at the University of Charleston’s Geary Auditorium. The screening is free and open to the public.

An eye-opening documentary illuminating teen struggles presented by West Virginia Public Broadcasting and the West Virginia Drug Intervention Institute

Charleston, WV – (April 1, 2024) – A video project with West Virginia youth talking about issues they face, ranging from social media to substance use disorder, will premiere at a public screening in April at the University of Charleston.

The project will broadcast statewide on WVPB Television on Monday, April 29, at 9 p.m. and will be available on all WVPB’s streaming platforms, including the PBS App, YouTube, and at wvpublic.org.

“These teens had very open and honest conversations about their struggles and of those around them to educate other teenagers and adults better,” said Heather McDaniel, WVDII’s vice president.

Filmed at the University of Charleston’s new downtown innovation center, the project underscores the importance of listening to youth voices and understanding their perspectives. It features candid discussions with middle and high school students in West Virginia. The youths express what they wish adults knew about navigating life in today’s world, from discussing their encounters in schools to offering advice on effective communication and prevention strategies. The participants engage in a thought-provoking roundtable discussion aimed at fostering empathy and awareness.

“We believe ‘Hope and Healing’ has the power to spark important conversations and drive positive change in our communities,” said Maggie Holley, WVPB’s director of Education.

The WVPB Education Department and the WVDII encourage guidance counselors in school systems throughout the state to use this video and accompanying activities as a resource.

Those interested in attending the screening at the University of Charleston on April 23 should RSVP to rhiannon@wvdii.org.

For more information about the West Virginia Drug Intervention Institute, contact President Susan Bissett at susan@wvdii.org or Vice President Heather McDaniel at heather@wvdii.org.

For more information about West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s education programs, contact education@wvpublic.org.

Watch the promotional trailer for Hope and Healing using this link or click below.

###

About the West Virginia Drug Intervention Institute

Located in Charleston, West Virginia, the mission of the Drug Intervention Institute is to reduce opioid and drug-related deaths in Appalachia and the nation by (a) preventing substance use through education (b) reducing overdose through training and distribution related to naloxone and other opioid reversal agents, and (c) supporting harm reduction and other drug-response efforts.

About West Virginia Public Broadcasting

West Virginia Public Broadcasting is dedicated to Telling West Virginia’s Story through its state radio and television network and online platforms. WVPB’s mission is to educate, inform and inspire the people of West Virginia. WVPB is the Mountain State’s only source for national NPR and PBS programming.

Rural Health Care Advocates Stress Needs At Capitol

Health care providers and health advocacy organizations were at the Capitol Thursday to discuss challenges and advocate for possible solutions in rural health care.

Transportation is one major challenge, especially for elderly residents. Karyn O’Dell, communication and leadership strategist for Southern West Virginia Health System, said lack of access to public transportation and preventative care contribute to worse health outcomes in rural areas.

“If you are an individual who is single, living by themselves, and does not have a family member or maybe a neighbor who can assist,” O’Dell said. “Then when you go to have a specialist procedure that requires somebody to drive you, you may not seek that specialist care.”

She said this is especially important for life saving screenings like colonoscopies or cancer screenings.

O’Dell said she believes that it’s important for rural communities to have access to primary and specialty care from health care providers in the community.

“It’s super important to have people in local and rural communities, where patients feel that they can trust that individual,” O’Dell said.

Rhiannon Wiseman, customer service representative for the West Virginia Drug Intervention Institute, said rural health care is key to combating the opioid epidemic in the state.

“They deal with the smaller things, and that’s the most important thing — is the smaller things. Those are the things that lead to big things,” Wiseman said. “So when in recovery, anything, anything that anybody can provide, I mean, from just support to, you know, like dental plans or drug prevention or recovery.”

She said having access to opioid reversal agents, like naloxone, is especially needed for rural communities where wait times for ambulances are longer.

City of Huntington Receives Donation Of Life-Saving Naloxone

The West Virginia Drug Intervention Institute donated 1,000 units of 8mg naloxone to the Huntington Police Department and to the Cabell-Huntington Coalition for the Homeless, otherwise known as the Harmony House.

The City of Huntington is getting some help in stopping opioid overdose deaths.

The West Virginia Drug Intervention Institute donated 1,000 units of 8mg naloxone from Hikma Pharmaceuticals to the Huntington Police Department and to the Cabell-Huntington Coalition for the Homeless, otherwise known as the Harmony House.

The donated overdose reversal medication, naloxone, comes in the form of nasal spray kits.

“We know in particular, Cabell County and Kanawha County are hit the hardest at the moment, and so this is where we’re focusing a lot of our energy and outreach,” President of the The West Virginia Drug Intervention Institute Susan Bissett said.

President of the West Virginia Drug Intervention Institute Susan Bissett, Huntington Police Chief Karl Colder, Doctor Sydnee McElroy, Harmony House Executive Director Amanda Coleman, and Director of the Mayor’s Office of Drug Control Policy and Public Health Jan Rader

Huntington Police Chief Karl Colder said that the large amounts of fentanyl police see and the harm the drug represents is a stark reminder of the many lives potentially lost without naloxone.

“Recently we had about 300 grams of fentanyl seized, which was equivalent to 155,000 people that could have been harmed,” Colder said. You look at the numbers, you look at the risk, not only for our officers who respond, but they can also save lives as well.”

Among the boxes delivered are emergency kits developed by ONEbox. These kits are designed with a 1 minute video tutorial by Jan Rader in both English and Spanish. Along with a video player inside the kit, the tutorial will also be made available online.

ONEbox CEO Joe Murphy giving a demonstration of naloxone emergency kit, with President of the The West Virginia Drug Intervention Institute Susan Bissett on the right.

“Anybody who comes in, they’re offered naloxone, all the staff here are trained and carry naloxone,” executive director of Harmony House, Amanda Coleman said. “This is huge for us to have something that isn’t injectable naloxone. This is much easier to use, people are less nervous about it.”

Joe Murphy, CEO of ONEbox, said that he hopes naloxone can become a standard part of workplace first-aid kits.

“Think about how many first aid kits we have out there. This is an opportunity for us to make this just available in our workplaces and to take that stigma away,” Murphy said.

The West Virginia Drug Intervention Institute plans on distributing more emergency kits with tutorials when manufacturing is complete in August.