CHARLESTON — Gov. Jim Justice announced a new director of the Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) Office of Drug Control Policy and a new, targeted effort to tackle the drug crisis during a Feb. 5 press conference.
The new director is Dr. Michael Brumage, current executive director of the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department, WVU School of Public Health assistant dean for public health practice and service, a retired military officer and public health physician.
The new effort will target two counties — one in the south and one in the north or Eastern Panhandle — to develop a model plan to address the drug problem. Justice hopes the model efforts can be expanded statewide. He emphasized that West Virginia will continue to battle the crisis statewide, but these smaller-scale programs will allow for a focus of money and resources.
WVU will participate in developing the program, providing resources to Brumage and DHHR.
