Announcements

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WVU collaboration earns $1.35 million POWER grant to reduce impact of substance abuse, develop a healthy workforce

​​​​​​​Dr. Gordon Smith, epidemiologist in the West Virginia University School of Public Health, and his colleagues have received $1.35 million three-year grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission to reduce the impact of substance abuse in McDowell, Wyoming and Mercer counties. This POWER (Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization) Initiative grant aims to help employ people who formerly injected drugs and are from areas savaged by job losses. It’s hopeful this model can then serve as a guide to be replicated across Appalachia.

WVU collaboration earns $1.35 million POWER grant to reduce impact of substance abuse, develop a healthy workforce

McDowell County—in the southern coalfields of West Virginia—is the second-most at-risk in the nation for an HIV outbreak related to drug injection. Neighboring Wyoming and Mercer Counties follow close behind. All three have some of the highest rates of acute hepatitis B and hepatitis C in the United States. Dr. Gordon Smith, epidemiologist in the West Virginia University School of Public Health, and his colleagues have received $1.35 million three-year grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission to reduce the impact of substance abuse in these three counties.