On Wednesday, members of the Joint Committee on Finance were given several presentations regarding Federal Block grant funds. Presentations were given by the Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) Bureau of Preventative Health and Preventative Services, the Bureau of Behavioral Health and Health Facilities and the Department of Maternal Child and Family Health, just to name a few.
The Bureau of Preventative Health and Preventative Services Federal Block grant is awarded annually. These funds will be used to provide technical assistance to local health departments, provide dental sealants for children in West Virginia and to provide quality assurance for public health labs.
The Bureau of Behavioral Health and Health Facilities Federal Block grant is used to provide resources for substance abuse prevention. Among other things, some of the funds will be used for women’s substance abuse treatment services. Members expressed concern regarding funding for substance abuse programs in regard to binge drinking specifically for college students. Certain members would like funding to be made available for these programs.
The Department of Maternal Child and Family Health is awarded funding through Title V. This funding is the only government money awarded to the Department. These funds provide many different services for the department including programs that support family well-being, family planning and newborn metabolic screening.
