WV Code § 16-5T-2 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 16. Public Health|Article 5T. Office of Drug Control Policy|§16-5T-2. Office of Drug Control Policy

(a) The Office of Drug Control Policy is continued within the Department of Health and Human Resources under the direction and supervision of the secretary and with the assistance of the State Health Officer. (b) The Office of Drug Control Policy shall create a state drug control policy in coordination with the bureaus of the department and other state agencies. This policy shall include all programs which are related to the prevention, treatment, and reduction of substance abuse use disorder.(c) The Office of Drug Control Policy shall:(1) Develop a strategic plan to reduce the prevalence of drug and alcohol abuse and smoking by at least 10 percent by July 1, 2018;(2) Monitor, coordinate, and oversee the collection of data and issues related to drug, alcohol, and tobacco access, substance use disorder policies, and smoking cessation and prevention, and their impact on state and local programs;(3) Make policy recommendations to executive branch agencies that work with alcohol and substance use disorder issues, and smoking cessation and prevention, to ensure the greatest efficiency and consistency in practices will be applied to all efforts undertaken by the administration;(4) Identify existing resources and prevention activities in each community that advocate or implement emerging best practice and evidence-based programs for the full substance use disorder continuum of drug and alcohol abuse education and prevention, including smoking cessation or prevention, early intervention, treatment, and recovery;(5) Encourage coordination among public and private, state and local agencies, organizations, and service providers, and monitor related programs;(6) Act as the referral source of information, using existing information clearinghouse resources within the Department of Health and Human Resources, relating to emerging best practice and evidence-based substance use disorder prevention, cessation, treatment and recovery programs, and youth tobacco access, smoking cessation and prevention. The Office of Drug Control Policy will identify gaps in information referral sources;(7) Apply for grant opportunities for existing programs;(8) Observe programs in other states;(9) Make recommendations and provide training, technical assistance, and consultation to local service providers;(10) Review existing research on programs related to substance use disorder prevention and treatment and smoking cessation and prevention, and provide for an examination of the prescribing and treatment history, including court-ordered treatment, or treatment within the criminal justice system, of persons in the state who suffered fatal or nonfatal opiate overdoses;(11) Establish a mechanism to coordinate the distribution of funds to support any local prevention, treatment, and education program based on the strategic plan that could encourage smoking cessation and prevention through efficient, effective, and research-based strategies;(12) Establish a mechanism to coordinate the distribution of funds to support a local program based on the strategic plan that could encourage substance use prevention, early intervention, treatment, and recovery through efficient, effective and research-based strategies;(13) Oversee a school-based initiative that links schools with community-based agencies and health departments to implement school-based anti-drug and anti-tobacco programs;(14) Coordinate media campaigns designed to demonstrate the negative impact of substance use disorder, smoking and the increased risk of tobacco addiction and the development of other diseases; (15) Review Drug Enforcement Agency and the West Virginia scheduling of controlled substances and recommend changes that should be made based on data analysis;(16) Develop recommendations to improve communication between health care providers and their patients about the risks and benefits of opioid therapy for acute pain, improve the safety and effectiveness of pain treatment, and reduce the risks associated with long-term opioid therapy, including opioid use disorder and overdose; (17) Develop and implement a program, in accordance with the provisions of 16-5T-3 of this code, to collect data on fatal and nonfatal drug overdoses caused by abuse and misuse of prescription and illicit drugs, from law enforcement agencies, emergency medical services, health care facilities and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner;(18) Develop and implement a program that requires the collection of data on the dispensing and use of an opioid antagonist from law enforcement agencies, emergency medical services, health care facilities, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and other entities as required by the office; (19) Develop a program that provides assessment of persons who have been administered an opioid antagonist; and(20) Report semi-annually to the Joint Committee on Health on the status of the Office of Drug Control Policy.(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this code to the contrary, and to facilitate the collection of data and issues, the Office of Drug Control Policy may exchange necessary data and information with the bureaus within the department, the Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety, the Department of Administration, the Administrator of Courts, the Poison Control Center, and the Board of Pharmacy. The data and information may include, but is not limited to: data from the Controlled Substance Monitoring Program; the all-payer claims database; the criminal offender record information database; and the court activity record information;(e) Prior to July 1, 2018, the office shall develop a plan to expand the number of treatment beds in locations throughout the state which the office determines to be the highest priority for serving the needs of the citizens of the state.