West Virginia Wesleyan College has asked Lewis County to consider using opioid-abatement money to reduce the cost of specialized addiction-counselor training for people already working in the community. The Lewis County Commission heard the proposal August 25 but took no action.
The college's Certificate in Addiction Counseling covers the brain science of substance use, medications, prevention, identification, and evidence-based treatment. A Buckhannon pilot used municipal opioid-settlement funds to lower enrollment barriers. College representatives said a new state licensure process makes the coming year especially important for practitioners who need addiction-specific coursework.
The county presentation was informational, so no Lewis County funding amount or enrollment window has been approved. Any future commitment would return to the commission for public action.
Commissioners also confirmed an election change caused by the July flood. Precinct 9, normally at the Board of Education building, and precinct 10, normally at the Robert L. Bland Middle School vocational building, will both use the Weston Volunteer Fire Department temporarily. The commission's September 8 and September 15 meetings were cancelled because a quorum would not be available.