Weirton considering providing opioid funding to Weirton Christian Center
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WEIRTON - Weirton Council will consider allocating a portion of the city’s opioid settlement funding toward an organization focusing on the youth of the community.
Officials will be presented, during Tuesday’s council meeting, with a resolution to allocate $75,000 from the opioid funding to the Weirton Christian Center "to support the children affected by the death of custodial loss of parents due to substance abuse," and to "fund after and summer school programs, life and job skills training, as well as peer group and professionally-counseled training."
It was among measures recommended for passage during Friday’s meeting of the city’s Finance Committee.
Addressing the committee Friday, Mayor Dean Harris said he and City Manager Mike Adams had met with Christian Center officials about their request, and had learned of the number of Weirton’s youth affected by substance use issues, with many having lost a parent, or multiple parents, to overdoses, or having someone in jail as a result of their involvement with drugs.
"The Christian Center basically has to deal with the outcome of that," Harris said. "They don’t have the money for counseling."
Adams noted one of the city’s goals in its distribution of the opioid settlement funds has been to provide support to programs which will benefit the Weirton community, lifting up the services while also lending aid to the people.
He pointed to a portion of the funding planned to provide guidance for the Christian Center’s youth to help prepare them for their own lives.
"It’s giving these kids life skills training they’re not getting at home," Adams said.
Ward 4 Councilman Rick Stead, providing an example from his own life, explained he lost a cousin to an overdose 20 years ago. She was found by her daughter, who eventually began using drugs herself, and later died as a result of medical issues associated with her substance use.
He said the youth affected need to be supported so they have a better chance at leading healthy lives of their own.
"We can deal with the adults. It’s the children who need the help," Stead said.
Ward 1 Councilman Tim Connell, who has spent several years volunteering as a driver for the Christian Center, said he has seen the effect its programs and the adults involved have on the youth.
"You get to know them," Connell said. "They look to you as a parent."
Connell asked if it would be possible to award more than the requested $75,000, but Adams said the application would have to be amended and go through the process again. The other option, he offered, would be for the Christian Center to submit a second application at another time, with Adams indicating he believes the city will receive additional opioid settlement funding in the future.
The City of Weirton has disbursed $1,083,287.31 of its opioid settlement funds to date, previously allocating the Weirton Police Department with $9,586 for DUI simulation goggles, $211,654.85 for two vehicles and related equipment for the K-9 division and street-based video systems and license plate readers systems, $74,926.36 for video surveillance equipment to be used in vehicles and in city neighborhoods, $240,000 to the WVU Hancock County Extension Service to establish a prevention program assistant position, $277,555.10 to the Weirton Fire Department to purchase automated external defibrillators and a mechanical chest compression system, $66,000 to Northwood Health System to fund a peer recovery support specialist, $82,964 to Northwood for an outpatient peer recovery support services staff position, and $120,601 to the Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug Task Force for the purchase of five years of service for cell phone extraction software.
Weirton Council will meet at 7 p.m., Tuesday, in the council chambers of the Weirton Municipal Building.
(Howell can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com)