Since his first term in 2010, Senator Joe Manchin has been a staunch advocate for substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts, and a critical partner in advancing these priorities on Capitol Hill. Senator Manchin announced his retirement at the end of his term in November of 2023, and will leave with an incredible track record of expanding and protecting federal funding and ensuring coalitions maintain access to these programs to continue their work in reducing substance use in communities across the country.

CADCA awarded Senator Manchin with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at this past Forum for his staunch advocacy in protecting and expanding prevention funding in the Senate, ensuring coalitions continue to have access to federal funding. The award is the highest honor CADCA can bestow. CADCA coalitions in West Virginia are some of the strongest in the country, and their partnerships with Senator Manchin and his team have been effective in growing and expanding these critical federal programs.

Each year, CADCA’s public policy team works with Congressional champions to circulate a sign-on letter to Members of Congress asking them to support the Drug-Free Communities Program funding at the highest possible level. Senator Manchin has been a staunch supporter of the DFC program indicated by his support of CADCA’s sign-on letter each appropriations season. A growing bipartisan base of support for the program with members like Senator Manchin strengthens the program’s chances of continuing to grow in the coming years. There has been no shortage of ways in which Senator Manchin has shown his support for CADCA’s legislative priorities and the DFC Program.

CADCA’s past board member Greg Puckett, and current Coalition Advisory Committee Member Amy Haskins have served as critical partners in advancing CADCA’s legislative agenda in partnership with Senator Manchin’s team. As former Drug Free Communities grantee recipients, these individuals have played a key role in fostering statewide relationships in communities most impacted by the opioid epidemic and ensuring federal funding is allocated to reduce substance use across West Virginia.

Phoenix Huron, CADCA’s public policy associate, is a former member of team Manchin.  He had this to say about his former boss: “Senator Manchin is a man who moves mountains for his constituents, and his work in expanding access to prevention, treatment, and recovery support is largely a testament to that. It would not have been possible without strong support from coalitions across our home state.”