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Dear West Virginian,
Great news! On Thursday, I joined Governor Jim Justice and other officials to help announce that Virgin Hyperloop will be locating its Hyperloop Certification Center in Tucker and Grant counties.
What is Hyperloop? Hyperloop is a high-speed transportation technology that allows passengers and cargo to travel through a vacuum-sealed tube at a fraction of airline time. It’s three times faster than high-speed rail and more than 10x faster than traditional rail. Passengers travel in “pods” – train car like compartments that seat up to 28 people. Learn more here.
It really is the transportation of the future. And, most importantly, West Virginia will be playing a huge role in taking this technology from research and development to operational reality.
This announcement means not only good-paying jobs, but also it really solidifies West Virginia has a viable technology hub. This comes on the heels of major announcements from companies like Facebook, Infor, and Leidos.
I’m excited about what this means for our state’s economy and what this technology means for the future of our country.
Highlighting the Importance of Connectivity
On Friday, I continued my Capito Connect broadband tour with several stops in Cabell and Mason counties focused around telehealth.
First, I visited Cabell Huntington Hospital to learn more about their telehealth services and how these services are being utilized during the coronavirus pandemic. Last year, I announced a grant for Cabell Huntington Hospital from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to support telehealth and distance learning projects. This portion of the visit highlighted how federal funding like this has helped the hospital better and more effectively serve their communities.
Next, I traveled to Pleasant Valley Health to view the patient side of the telehealth experience. During this visit, I had the chance to see firsthand how patients are benefiting from this critical service, which is especially important during COVID-19.
ICYMI: Combatting the Opioid Epidemic
As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I’ve announced over $43 million through the State Opioid Response (SOR) grant program from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Since the creation of the SOR grant program in 2018, this is the fourth time these awards have been announced for West Virginia, bringing the total amount to over $100 million for the state.
This amount would have been considerably less without language I authored to ensure states most impacted by the opioid crisis would receive more funding for their efforts. Specifically, I raised this issue in 2017 during the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Budget Request hearing when initial discussions began on how to assist the hardest-hit states. Prior to this change, funds were distributed by population, which often puts West Virginia at a disadvantage for greatly needed resources. My language sets aside 15 percent for states with the highest mortality rates from opioid use. This 15 percent set aside amount for West Virginia led to over $30 million additional funds for West Virginia in this most recent funding round. Without this language, West Virginia would have only received $11 million as part of the state formula.
West Virginia has used SOR grants for several purposes, including to:
· Improve coordination across prevention and treatment activities.
· Support the statewide behavioral health infrastructure such as through county coalitions.
· Increase awareness that addiction is a disease and reduce the stigma around medication assisted treatment (MAT) through a statewide media campaign.
· Sponsor treatment for individuals without insurance or insurance that does not cover substance use disorder (SUD).
· Expand access to MAT at all regional jails.
· Train over 1,000 professionals on effective MAT practices especially on pregnant and postpartum women, opioid overdose survivors, and hospital emergency departments.
· Broaden the curriculum at the three medical schools in the state.
· Establish Quick Response Teams (QRT).
· Provide after-hours transportation and expanded route access to cover more rural areas through the West Virginia Public Transit Authority to allow individuals to access treatment services.
Of course, coronavirus is in the front of everyone’s minds. But we’re still fighting our battle against opioids. If you or a loved one is struggling with substance abuse, help is available.
Be Vigilant for Scammers!
Unfortunately, there are bad actors that are using this health crisis to take advantage of unsuspecting residents, especially our senior citizens. Please note the IRS WILL NOT call you and ask for your bank account information to deposit your individual relief check.
Check out my coronavirus webpage for more information about scams and what I’m doing to try and mitigate them.
Additional COVID-19 Resources
I created a page on my website with information and resources to keep you up-to-date on the coronavirus situation as it continues to evolve. Check out that page here, and please share with friends so they can keep up with the latest.
In addition to my webpage, I also want to make sure you know where to get the latest updates from the medical experts at CDC.gov and West Virginia DHHR.
I will continue doing my best to keep you up to speed on what we are doing here at the federal level to help and other resources that can be useful back at home. I will be posting regular updates on my Facebook and Twitter accounts, so be sure to follow me there.
Important Information If You’re Visiting DC
Because of coronavirus concerns, all Capitol and White House tours have been suspended indefinitely. Please contact our Washington office to reschedule. Additionally, requests for flags flown over the Capitol may be delayed, and access to the Capitol and House and Senate office buildings is being restricted. Feel free to contact our office at (202) 224-6472 with any questions. We apologize for any inconvenience.
How Can We Help?
Whether you need help with a casework issue or have a question about scheduling a meeting at one of my offices, my staff and I are ready to assist you. Learn more about the services we offer at www.capito.senate.gov.
You can also submit your feedback and share your stories with me by visiting my “Share Your Stories” webpage here: www.capito.senate.gov/ShareYourStories.
Social Media Recap
Join me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for regular updates and photos.
Sincerely,
Shelley Moore Capito
United States Senator
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