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ELKINS -- Elkins City Council has approved using more than $12,000 in opioid settlement funds to keep Elkins Middle School a GameChanger School for a second year.
During City Council’s most recent meeting, the eight present council members voted in favor of Resolution 1944, which authorizes using opioid settlement funds “to implement the GameChanger substance misuse prevention program at Elkins Middle School for a second school year.” Third Ward council member Christopher Lowther and Fifth Ward representative Cody Thompson were absent from the meeting.
According to Resolution 1944, council authorized the expenditure of $12,500 from Fund No. 026, also known as the Opioid Settlement Fund.
“Council desires to continue the program at Elkins Middle School for a second school year, in collaboration with other agencies and partners implementing the program at other Randolph County schools,” Resolution 1944 states. “…Council finds that continued implementation of the program is an appropriate use of the City's Opioid Settlement Funds.”
Created in 2018, GameChange is a “Student-powered substance misuse prevention movement connecting West Virginia students and the educators who care about them with the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation to build school environments which prevent student opioid and other drug use before it starts,” according to the program’s website.
GameChanger involves program coaches and student peers working with other students to help them make good choices when it comes to alcohol, opioids and other drugs.
In November 2024, a public/private partnership between Randolph County Schools, the City of Elkins, the Randolph County Commission, MegaCorp and GameChanger was announced. The partnership saw Elkins Middle School, Elkins High School and Tygarts Valley Middle/High School become GameChanger Schools for the 2024-2025 school year.
During council’s Sept. 5, 2024 meeting, the members authorized City funding for the implementation of GameChanger in Elkins Middle School for the 2025/26 school year. The City of Elkins contributed the same total of $12,500 toward first-year implementation of the program, with $5,000 previously allocated from ARPA funds and $7,500 allocated from Fund #026.
The program has been endorsed by U.S. Senator Jim Justice, who is the GameChanger Head Coach and who said in the past that he believes it is a good method in the fight against the opioid epidemic. GameChanger is sponsored by West Virginia University, West Virginia University Medicine, Marshall University, Mountaineer Mart, Walmart, Pepsi and more, with official support from the West Virginia Department of Education, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, the West Virginia Justice Department, the West Virginia State Police and more.
“I’ve spoken with several mayors throughout the state who have this already implemented and it’s been a tremendous impact on those students, in a positive way,” Elkins Mayor Jerry Marco said in 2024. “We are the epicenter of the opioid problem. We know that. We have been for years, and not to sound cliche, but this is our future we’re dealing with. So, we have to stop this cycle now, and if we can educate students and make that happen, then it’s a tremendous day.”
Elkins City Council will meet again on Sept. 3 at 7 p.m. in the Phil Gainer Community Center.