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Restoring health and economic vitality.Creating a sense of hope in West Virginia.
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Overview

The magnitude and scope of the opioid crisis remain the greatest threat and challenge faced by this generation – especially in southern West Virginia (WV). Overcoming this challenge of epidemic proportions requires systems-level approaches that can effectively expand the capacity to respond through the delivery of effective prevention, treatment and recovery services.


The Southern WV Opioid Response Planning Consortium, in partnership with technical support from Marshall Health, is committed to leading the development of an innovative, systems-level solution to restore health and economic vitality – and a sense of hope – in WV.

West Virginia landscape with hills stretching to the horizon

Our Goals

  1. Establish capacity and infrastructure to develop a Southern West Virginia System of Addiction Care that will expand/enhance access to OUD prevention, treatment and recovery services in the five-county region, with specific focus on OUD treatment and recovery services for emerging adults, adults, and pregnant/parenting women.
  2. Design county and a regional strategic plan for development of a coordinated Southern WV System of Addiction Care.
  3. Conduct data collection to support strategic planning and share findings and plans.

Region Demographics

The geographic region of the Southern WV Opioid Consortium is 5 of 55 (9%) counties in southern (WV–those hardest hit by the opioid epidemic in the only state located entirely in Appalachia. Counties include Logan, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, and Wyoming having a combined population of 156,481 (8.6%) of the state population. The Region is 2,058 square miles in size, with 76.4 persons per square mile on average, compared to the WV average of 77.1 persons per square mile in WV and 92.2 for the U.S.

A map of West Virginia showing the area served by the consortium
Geographic Region Population Population Density Poverty Level Median Income Percent Pop. in Civilian Workforce Percent Disabled Percent with no Health Insurance
Logan 32,925 81.0 24.4% $37,262 44.8% 23.5% 6.8%
McDowell 18,456 41.5 36.3% $25,206 29.3% 24.3% 10.0%
Mercer 59,763 148.6 20.2% $37,255 53.8% 19.9% 6.5%
Mingo 24,127 63.4 28.2% $32,441 44.1% 25.4% 7.6%
Wyoming 21,210 47.6 23.9% $35,469 39.5% 27.4% 7.7%
West Virginia 1,815,817 77.1 17.9% $42,644 53.8% 14.4% 6.5%

In the five county Consortium region, the number of drug poisoning deaths per 100,000 ranges from 46.9 to 67.8, as compared to the WV rate of 52.0 (2016) and the U.S. rate of 13.3 per 100,000.5 The epidemic is made even more complex by data analysis revealing that more than 85% of overdose deaths had two or more drugs in their system and more than 50% had three or more drugs on board. The WV opioid epidemic also increases other related health risks.

2013-2017 West Virginia Resident Death Rates:

Drug Overdose Deaths Involving at Least One Opioid Occurring in West Virginia, by Count

County Overdose Deaths With at Least One Opioid Involved Rate per 100,000 Population Rank in WV as High Risk Count (of 55)
Logan 95 55.2 7
McDowell 64 65.0 3
Mercer 143 46.9 11
Mingo 77 61.2 5
Wyoming 75 67.8 2
West Virginia 52.0
US 13.3