About the Foundation
Mission Statement:
Empowering West Virginians to prevent substance use disorder, support recovery, and save lives.
Vision Statements:
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We envision a West Virginia where hope and opportunity rise above addiction. A future where communities, families, and youth thrive.
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We envision a West Virginia where education equips our people to make informed choices and where strong social support lifts up those at risk.
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We envision a West Virginia where support and services are available to all, treatment is delivered with compassion, and recovery is celebrated with unwavering support.
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We envision a West Virginia where stigma and isolation is replaced by non-judgmental access to compassionate care and resources.
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We envision a West Virginia that is focused on sustainable, outcome-driven solutions that are tailored to address the unique challenges facing our people.
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This is the West Virginia we fight for: a future free from the grip of addiction, where every individual has the chance to heal, contribute, and thrive.
Guiding Principles:
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Investing to save lives.
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We will focus on projects and priorities that supplement or make initial investments and not supplant existing funding. Our efforts will be focused on adding to—rather than replacing—existing spending.
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Invest in areas of need with the greatest potential for positive impact.
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We will invest funds in communities that have lacked sufficient resources to address substance use issues and who have and are now experiencing substantial increases in overdoses.
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Invest in youth substance use prevention.
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We will invest in programs to support our children, youth, and families with long-term investments in effective programs and strategies for community change.
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Develop a fair, transparent process on where to spend funding.
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We will develop a fair, transparent process, with engagement with public health leaders and active engagement of people and families with drug-overdose experiences, clinicians, as well as other key groups.
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Be uninhibited by prior practices.
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Too many times, West Virginians have done the same things over and over yet expected different results. We will not limit our minds, our hearts, or our wisdom by previous practices but instead strive to undertake new and innovative efforts to change the trajectory of West Virginia.
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Focus on outcomes.
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We will set tangible, measurable goals and focus on outcomes in order to maximize effectiveness. We will define and pursue specific outcomes for the problems we identify and choose to tackle. If it works, we continue. If it is not as effective as planned, we learn and pivot.
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Use evidence to guide spending.
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We will ground our work in the substantial body of evidence developed by researchers, clinicians, and our communities relating to what works and what does not.
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Serving others by listening and leading.
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We will lead by listening deeply to the needs of frontline entities and seeking insights from many perspectives. Keeping our hearts and minds open is vital to being bold and nimble advocates for entities and the people they serve.
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Innovation and speed.
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We will move quickly and continuously to innovate our approach in response to the needs of the people we work with and the communities we are part of.
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Implement the West Virginia First Foundation sandbox.
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We will be thought leaders and invest in promising new ideas and programs, with support to grow and nurture innovation, creative thinking, and outside-the-box solutions.
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Leverage other resources.
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We will seek to leverage other sources of funding to increase the reach and impact of the Foundation.
Our Purpose
West Virginia First Foundation, Inc., was created pursuant to the terms, provisions, and principles stated in the West Virginia First Memorandum of Understanding (the “MOU”) entered into amongst the State of West Virginia, counties, cities, villages, and towns located within the geographic boundaries of the State of West Virginia. The MOU directed that the State and Local Governments create a separate and private section 501(c)(3) foundation for the purpose of receiving and disbursing Opioid Funds and other purposes set forth in the MOU, the Foundation’s Articles of Incorporations, and the Foundation’s Bylaws. More specifically, some of the purposes of the Corporation are as follows:
A. To Promote Health and Safety of West Virginians
To promote the health and safety of West Virginians by implementing evidence-based strategies, programming and/or services used to (i) expand the availability of treatment for individuals affected by substance use disorders and/or addiction; (ii) develop, promote and provide evidence-based substance use prevention strategies; (iii) provide substance use avoidance and awareness education; (iv) engage in enforcement to curtail the sale, distribution, promotion or use of opioids and other drugs; and (v) decrease the oversupply of licit and illicit opioids and (vi) to support recovery from addiction to be performed by qualified providers.
B. To Advocate for the Interests of West Virginians
To advocate for the interests of West Virginians by working with the State of West Virginia, and its counties, cities, villages, etc., to determine the best way to provide West Virginians with the programs and services described in Section A above.
C. To Promote a Fully Interoperable Statewide Network
To promote the design, implementation, operation, and maintenance of a fully interoperable statewide network to facilitate the best use of abatement funds and information in West Virginia.
D. To Fund Programs and Services
To fund the programs and services described in Section A above by disbursing through a competitive grant process funds to private organizations and government agencies engaged in such programs.