Churches are Invited to Help Fight Drug Problems

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey is debuting a statewide faith-based initiative aimed at getting more churches involved in the fight against substance abuse. Morrisey announced the initiative at a news conference Wednesday at the state Capitol in Charleston and said his office has started organizing regional meetings with clergy. The goal is to provide churches with information about addiction treatment and services, especially in areas where they are lacking, and connect them with police, first responders and treatment groups. West Virginia has the nation’s highest drug overdose death rate by far, with 41.5 deaths per 100,000 people in 2015. State health officials say the number of overdose deaths rose nearly 18 percent last year to 864 people.