West Virginia’s Department of Health and Human Resources says it will use $22 million in settlement money from drug distributors to help address the addiction epidemic in the state.
Legislation passed this year requires the department to increase inpatient treatment beds in existing or new facilities, authorizing health officials to ensure they are available in the highest priority areas.
The department says it plans to evaluate needs statewide and use an application process to that would enable private entities to build facilities.
The settlements resolved allegations that the painkiller wholesalers sued by the state attorney general failed to detect, report and help stop suspiciously large retail orders of the highly addictive prescription drugs.
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