The governor’s office announced Tuesday the creation of six regional task forces to tackle substance abuse in West Virginia.

Acting Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin issued an executive order creating the task forces to address the growing problem across West Virginia.

“Whether directly or indirectly, substance abuse is an issue that affects us all,” said Tomblin. “It’s a personal issue that hurts our families. It’s a civic issue that hurts our communities, and it threatens our reputation as hard-working West Virginians.”

 Region Six will be composed of Raleigh, Fayette, Summers, Wyoming, Mercer, McDowell, Nicholas, Webster, Pocahontas, Greenbrier and Monroe counties.

In April, Sen. Richard Browning, D-Wyoming, wrote a letter asking Tomblin to create a task force to deal with the prescription drug problem in West Virginia.

“This task force is not exactly what I requested,” Browning said. “It’s even better. It will deal with all of the drug problems we have in West Virginia and hopefully come up with a few solutions.”

Browning said if the sources of drugs are eradicated and those with substance abuse problems are treated, eventually the problem can be solved.

“You start with getting all the players to the table and then getting each one to own their part of the problem,” Browning said. “Once that happens, then we can start looking at solutions.”

Delegate Virginia Mahan, D-Summers, also attended the announcement and praised the effort to combat what is becoming an increasingly large problem in the state.

“We have big-time crime associated with drugs right at home now,” Mahan said. “We’re no longer off the radar. We’re right on the road.”

She said it would take a broad-based approach to attack the large issue.

“We’re going to have to rein it in,” she said.

Tomblin said speaking with numerous people about various ways to reduce substance abuse problems in West Virginia has resulted in what he believes will be a “comprehensive approach” to address the growing problem of substance abuse in West Virginia.

“Earlier this summer, I visited communities, both large and small, and I met with local leaders who are facing this epidemic head on,” Tomblin said. “I learned of the challenges our law enforcement, our courts and our communities face in trying to solve the substance abuse problem.”

The order issued by Tomblin also creates the Statewide Advisory Council. The task forces will report to the advisory council their respective “recommendations regarding innovative solutions to combat substance abuse,” and a Statewide Substance Abuse Strategic Plan will be created and shared with legislators.

“I’m calling on everyone and anyone who wants to serve in their community to join with us and become part of the solution,” Tomblin said.

The statewide council will have members from fields including substance abuse prevention, behavioral medicine, law enforcement, child and adolescent psychology, the legal system, residential treatment facilities, the public school system and health care. It will be chaired by Dr. Michael Lewis, cabinet secretary for the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources.

Other members of the Statewide Advisory Council include Dr. Khalid Hasan, Board of Medicine, Raleigh County; L. Edward Eckley, Board of Medicine, Raleigh County; W. Richard Staton, West Virginia Prosecuting Attorney Association, Wyoming County; Linda Whalen, West Virginia Municipal League, Mercer County and Randy Housh, West Virginia Association of Alcoholism and Drug Counselors, Inc., Nicholas County.

Last week, the governor’s office announced a regional interstate drug task force with Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky.

“By approaching the impact of substance abuse from the local, state and regional level(s), we can make a difference,” Tomblin said. “Improving the health and well-being of West Virginians is one of the most important things we can do as a state.”

The regional task forces will meet by the end of the month, and the advisory council plans to meet by late October.

The Region Six meeting will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Sept. 29 at FMRS Health Systems at 101 Eisenhower Drive.

— E-mail: tkuykendall@register-herald.com