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For all Virginians

Mental Health, Addiction & Recovery

Virginia is facing an addiction crisis. There were over 1,000 drug-related deaths in Virginia last year, and drug overdoses surpassed both motor-vehicle related fatalities and gun-related fatalities as the number one cause of unnatural death in 2013. Our mental and behavioral healthcare safety net is inadequate, falling far short of what our most vulnerable citizens deserve. The challenge for Virginia’s next governor will be to strengthen our mental and behavioral health services and address the crisis of drug addiction that is sweeping across every community in every region of our great Commonwealth.

Ed believes there are five guiding principles for combating the opioid epidemic

  1. Focus on intervention
  2. Addiction is a disease — not a moral failing
  3. We cannot arrest our way out of the current epidemic of addiction
  4. Recognize multiple pathways to recovery
  5. Help must be immediate

As governor, Ed will fight to:

To read Ed’s full Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Plan, click HERE.