The agency that coordinates West Virginia’s response to drug overdose and substance use disorder trends will soon have a new director.
Stephen Loyd, an addiction medicine physician from Tennessee, will oversee the state’s Office of Drug Control Policy (ODCP) beginning Aug. 12, Gov. Jim Justice announced during a virtual press briefing Wednesday.
Loyd currently serves as chief medical officer at Cedar Recovery, an opioid addiction treatment center in Tennessee, according to the center’s website.
He also serves as vice president of the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners, and formerly held the role of assistant commissioner for substance abuse services in the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.
Justice described Loyd as “an incredible man” who “brings a lot of experience” to the role, and expressed hope that he can help West Virginia better address a years-long crisis.
“It’s still a bad situation in West Virginia. It’s a bad situation all the way across the globe. But, absolutely, we still got tons of work to do,” he said. “I think Stephen Loyd will bring a whole lot to the table.”
The ODCP was established by state lawmakers in 2017, and currently operates under the West Virginia Department of Human Services. As its director, Loyd will helm the agency’s efforts to collect and analyze drug overdose data, and collaborate with state and local agencies on responses to substance use disorder.