From The Well

At the center of the West Virginia state capitol is an area known as “The Well.” It is the informal gathering place for lobbyists, reporters, constituents and lawmakers. Centrally located between the chambers of the House of Delegates and Senate, The Well is often where information is shared, alliances are formed and deals are made.

From The Well

It’s Time for WV to Eliminate Prior Authorization for Substance Use Disorder Services and Medications

Brian Skinner Government & Policy, Medication-Assisted Treatment, Opioid Drug Crisis

  By Brian Skinner, Esq. As the opioid-related overdose epidemic continues to escalate in West Virginia and the nation, timely access to Food & Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications for the treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) is more important than ever. Evidence shows that medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for OUD saves lives and helps people maintain …Read More

A New Alliance Will Advance Efforts to Remake & Revitalize the American Economy

Brian Skinner Climate change, State Fiscal & Economic Policy

        By Brian Skinner, Esq. I learned some exciting news today. The American Sustainable Business Council (ASBC), the nation’s foremost business advocate for an environmentally safe and equitable economy announced a strategic alliance with Social Venture Circle (SVC), the country’s foremost social impact networking organization. The new partnership will create the United …Read More

State is ready to announce the first medical marijuana farms

Brian Skinner Medical Cannabis

  WV MetroNews — By Chris Lawrence — September 17, 2020  CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The first permits for growing medical marijuana will soon be issued in West Virginia. “We hope to issue grower permits within the next week,” said Jason Frame, Director of the West Virginia Office of Medical Cannabis. “It’s a huge step for O-M-C to …Read More

Judge: Multiple Ohio ballot drop boxes allowed in each county; next steps unclear

Brian Skinner Elections, Vote by Mail

  Columbus Dispatch – By Jackie Borchardt and Jessie Balmert –  Sep 15, 2020  Each county could have more than one drop box for ballots this election, a Franklin County judge ruled Tuesday. Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Richard Frye concluded state law does not allow Secretary of State Frank LaRose to limit the number of ballot drop …Read More

A Federal Court Overturns Lower Court and Allows New York to Require Drug Companies to Pay Tax to Cover the Costs of the Opioid Epidemic.

Brian Skinner Government & Policy, Opioid Drug Crisis, Tax Policy

  By Brian Skinner, Esq. This week a federal appeals court granted New York permission to implement an opioid tax on the manufacturers and distributors of prescription painkillers in a ruling that will enable the state to collect hundreds of millions of dollars. In 2018, New York approved the Opioid Stewardship Act which required all …Read More

WV and OH Receive Awards to Combat the Opioid Crisis in Rural Communities

Brian Skinner Opioid Drug Crisis

By Brian Skinner, Esq. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), via the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), today announced that it has awarded approximately $25 million to 80 award recipients across 36 states and two territories as part of the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP). RCORP is a multi-year HRSA initiative …Read More

Mental Health Consequences of the Pandemic and its Aftermath. 

Brian Skinner Government & Policy, Mental Health & Substance Use Disorders

  By Brian Skinner, Esq. As the COVID-19 pandemic drags on and the economy continues to suffer, policymakers must be prepared address an increased need for both a public health response and policies to increase intervention and prevention efforts associated with the mental health of the state’s population.  Recent studies are highlighting the impact the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting …Read More