Opioid Treatment and MAT in Charleston, WV
Kanawha County has one of the highest overdose death totals in West Virginia, and fentanyl now drives most of it. But the Charleston metro area also has an unusually complete treatment network: a federally certified opioid treatment program, a dozen buprenorphine prescribers, free naloxone, and a state Medicaid program that pays for medications for opioid use disorder. This page explains each piece and how to access it.
How bad the opioid problem is here
The West Virginia Office of Drug Control Policy's county profile shows fentanyl was present in 61% of Kanawha County's 2024 overdose deaths, with methamphetamine even more common at 66% - a marker of how often opioids are mixed with stimulants. In 2023, the county recorded 203 overdose deaths, the highest total of any West Virginia county that year.
Kanawha County's own data show what a full response looks like: the county reported roughly 17,649 naloxone kits distributed and 1,185 helpline calls connected to treatment in a recent reporting year, and it lists a Quick Response Team, harm reduction program, and hospital-based SUD response among its assets.
Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) near Charleston
Medication-assisted treatment - also called medications for opioid use disorder, or MOUD - uses one of three FDA-approved medications alongside counseling. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse:
- Methadone is a full opioid agonist that relieves withdrawal and cravings. It is dispensed through certified opioid treatment programs.
- Buprenorphine is a partial agonist that reduces cravings and withdrawal, and can be prescribed in a doctor's office.
- Naltrexone blocks opioid receptors so opioids no longer produce a high. It can be started only after opioids have cleared the body.
Research is clear that people treated with methadone or buprenorphine are less likely to die or to have an overdose than those who go without treatment.
Within 30 miles of downtown Charleston, the SAMHSA locator lists:
- 20 treatment facilities total
- 1 federally certified opioid treatment program (methadone and buprenorphine)
- 12 facilities that prescribe buprenorphine
- 11 offering methadone/buprenorphine or naltrexone treatment
Counts change as programs open and close, so confirm current options on the locator.
Naloxone and harm reduction in Charleston
Naloxone reverses an opioid overdose and cannot hurt someone who is not overdosing. Locally:
- The Kanawha-Charleston Health Department provides free naloxone kits, each with two 4 mg nasal spray doses, along with brief training, during regular business hours at its Lee Street East location.
- West Virginia has a statewide standing order that lets pharmacists dispense naloxone without a prescription, under the state's Access to Opioid Antagonists Act.
- Statewide, the Office of Drug Control Policy reported 136,276 naloxone kits distributed across West Virginia in 2025.
If someone is unresponsive, breathing slowly, or has pinpoint pupils, call 911 and give naloxone if you have it.
Paying for opioid treatment
West Virginia Medicaid covers MAT - methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone - as a mandatory benefit, and methadone is covered when provided through a certified opioid treatment program. Medicaid also covers withdrawal management, outpatient and intensive outpatient care, and residential treatment under its 1115 SUD waiver. Most members receive services through Mountain Health Trust managed care plans.
For anyone without coverage, the state's 24/7 HELP4WV line at 1-844-435-7498 can help with enrollment, no-cost options, and transportation to an open bed.
How to start today
- If someone is overdosing, call 911 now and give naloxone. For a crisis, call or text 988.
- Call or text (800) 653-9376 to speak with a treatment specialist, or use this form:
Calling is free; the referral service is paid for by treatment providers, and we check your benefits before you commit.
- Search findtreatment.gov with ZIP code 25301 and filter for "medication-assisted treatment" or "buprenorphine."
- Ask any program directly whether they can start buprenorphine quickly - same-week starts are common in the Charleston area.
Opioid use disorder is a treatable medical condition, and the medications that treat it are covered here. The hardest part is usually the first call, not the treatment itself.