FAIRMONT — West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey's office continued its faith-based initiative aimed at empowering religious groups across West Virginia in the fight against substance abuse with a stop at Fairmont.
The “Combating Addiction with Grace” program's Aug. 8 stop followed the launch in Parkersburg. Similar events are scheduled elsewhere across the state through next spring.
“The faith-based community plays an active role in fighting this epidemic on a local and regional level,” Morrisey said in a statement. “We must work together to make a change, and most importantly save the thousands of lives caught in addiction’s grasp.”
The office says the goal of the initiative is to form an action plan and ideas of how to combat the drug epidemic in each community represented. “Combating Addiction with Grace” continues the Attorney General’s holistic approach to reduce the supply and demand of prescription opioids, as well as an educational component to prevent future addiction.
“Today’s conference is a great start to ongoing partnerships between the West Virginia Attorney General’s Office and clergy leadership throughout the mountain state,” said Chris Campbell, President of Resolutions Counseling of West Virginia. “The presenters, panel discussions and resource vendors are all experts with a resume that has been built on the frontline of prevention and recovery. What better way to take on the cruel entrapment of addiction than with faith-based strategies under the leadership of compassionate Christian leaders and their churches, parishes and networks?”
“I am most grateful that Attorney General Patrick Morrisey is placing highest priority on combating substance abuse,” said Pastor Gwen Wolford with the Antioch United Methodist Church. “I applaud and appreciate his efforts and those of his staff to bring to this area of our state the Combating Addiction with Grace Conference. To be a part of this collaborative effort is a fresh wind of hope, possibility and concrete assistance through organizations, communication and information.”
The Attorney General’s holistic approach also includes criminal prosecutions, civil litigation, increased funding, multistate partnerships, new technology, awareness initiatives, drug incinerators and drop boxes to dispose of unwanted/expired prescriptions and the best practices toolkit endorsed by more than 25 national and state stakeholders