photo by: Eric Ayres

The West Virginia Office of Drug Control Policy and its partners will host a Community Conversation on the development of the 2026 West Virginia Substance Use Response Plan on Tuesday in Troy Theater at Swint Hall on the campus of Wheeling University.

WHEELING — September is recognized as Recovery Month, and local and state officials are seeking input from the public as collaborative efforts to tackle substance abuse issues in communities across West Virginia continue to evolve.

Each year, community partners from across the Mountain State join forces with the West Virginia Department of Human Services, Office of Drug Control Policy and the Governor’s Council on Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment to develop an annual plan to address substance use issues.

Part of this effort involves gathering feedback from communities across the state, looking back on strategies from previous years that may have worked well and looking ahead to new ideas that may aid in recovery.

Wheeling area residents will have an opportunity to have an opportunity to weigh in on the development of next year’s plan via online survey or in-person at an public forum scheduled for Tuesday.

“On Sept. 16 at Wheeling University in the Troy Theater, there will be the West Virginia Substance Use Response Plan Community Conversation,” Wheeling City Manager Robert Herron said. “This is in cooperation with the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Services as well as the Wheeling Police Department.”

The event will take place from 4-6 p.m. at Troy Theater, located in Swint Hall on the campus of Wheeling University.

“Dr. Stephen Lloyd will be the moderator for this discussion,” Herron said, noting that feedback is being sought to help provide information that will be utilized in the development of the West Virginia Substance Use Response Plan for West Virginia for 2026.

The plan for 2026 will be finalized before the end of the year and is expected to be released in January.

Public comment is also being solicited from those who may not be able to attend, as well. A link to a public survey can be found at https://helpandhopewv.org/odcp/, and the deadline to complete the survey is also on Tuesday, Sept. 16.

Officials said Recovery Month promotes evidence-based treatment and recovery practices, celebrates the nation’s recovery community and acknowledges the service providers and communities that make recovery possible.

“Recovery Month is an important time to celebrate the strength and resilience of West Virginians on the path to recovery,” said Lloyd, director of the West Virginia Department of Human Services’ Office of Drug Control Policy. “We’re committed to increasing access to live-saving resources, enhancing community support and reducing the stigma associated with substance use disorders.”

Feedback is being sought from anyone in the general public who is invested in the wellbeing of their community, from stakeholders community partners involved in the local fight against substance abuse to individuals with substance use disorder and those in active recovery.

Wheeling Police Chief Shawn Schwertfeger, who is chairman of the Law Enforcement Subcommittee of the Governor’s Council on Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment, said it is vital to maintain an open dialogue with the public in order to address these challenging issues.

“We work year round trying to come up with strategic response plans for the state, but a big piece of that is community input – and that’s what these are for,” Schwertfeger said. “A lot of the things that we do are like our Crisis Response Unit. It stems from years of talking to folks in substance use crisis themselves, with family members of people suffering from substance use disorder. The ideas come from people, our community members. It’s just like how we deal with crime trends. It’s no different, this approach. We want to hear from the community.”

Schwertfeger said in the past, the community sessions have not necessarily been well attended, and the organizers would like to change that by getting more people involved and making sure more voices are heard.

The chief said the fact that Lloyd, the state’s new head of the Office of Drug Control Policy, is going to lead the event should create interest in the event.

“He’s a very fascinating guy. Very energetic,” Schwertfeger said. “We definitely encourage not only users in crisis but family members, as well. We want to know what they want to see us focus on what we can do to help them through their struggle.”

Doors to Tuesday’s event open at 3:30 p.m. Those planning to attend can pre-register at https://helpandhopewv.org/odcp/.

“Recovery is not only possible, it’s happening every day,” said Alex Mayer, secretary of the West Virginia Department of Human Services. “I encourage West Virginians to attend Recovery Month events, connect with resources and support families and neighbors on their journey. Together, we can build healthier communities.”