2026 West Virginia Polysubstance Summit: Comprehensive Solutions to Complex Substance Use
The 2026 West Virginia Polysubstance Summit, hosted by West Virginia Department of Human Services' Bureau for Behavioral Health in partnership with Marshall University, Opioid Response Network, and CAMC Vandalia Health, is a one-day virtual event featuring national and state experts, advocates, and professionals addressing the evolving challenges of polysubstance use.
Polysubstance use is the use of more than one substance, either simultaneously or over time, which increases health risk and complicates treatment. Participants will gain practical knowledge of current evidence-based treatment approaches proven effective in addressing rapidly changing substance use patterns.
Sessions will explore the complexities of polysubstance use, including mental processing, coercion, grief and loss, and addictive process behaviors such as eating disorders and gambling. The summit will highlight real-world strategies that support protective factors, promote gold-standard behavioral health practices, and center the voices of individuals with lived experience.
The event is designed to equip attendees with actionable tools and strategies they can implement in their communities, including screening for multiple dependencies, adopting emerging therapies and holistic models of care, and applying trauma-informed approaches to treatment and recovery support.
Thursday, February 26, 2026
8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Free virtual event registration.
This summit provides a critical opportunity to hear directly from leading experts about the most effective and comprehensive responses to polysubstance use being implemented in West Virginia and across the nation. By strengthening knowledge and coordination among providers, community partners, and stakeholders, the summit equips participants to translate what they learn into real, boots-on-the-ground action that improves prevention, treatment, and recovery outcomes statewide.
Speakers and Presenters:
Christina Mullins - Deputy Secretary, WV Department of Human Services
Kayla Zawislak LCSW, CADC - Director of Patient and Family Services, Addiction Policy Forum
Kelly Lemon MSN, CNM, WHNP, FACNM - Faculty Instructor, WVU School of Nursing
Deborah Rose, MD - Clinical Fellow, Behavioral Neurology & Neuropsychiatry, Johns Hopkins University
Laura Hinds - Principal Partner, Hindsight Consulting Group
Robert Morrison - Executive Director, National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Agency Directors
Jonathan Board - Executive Director, West Virginia First Foundation
Todd Davies, PhD - Director of Research, Marshall University
Jorge Cortina, MD - Medical Director, Wellpoint, WV
Atlee Houser, LICSW, IEDS - Clinical Therapist, WVU Medicine
Zachary Hensen, MD - Medical Director of the Division of Addiction Sciences, Marshall Health /SOM
Ben Stevenson, MS, CPP - Manager III, Montgomery County Dept. of Human Services
Dale Mantey, PhD - Assistant Professor, University of Texas Health Science Center
Kathleen Maynard MA, AADC, LPC, ALPS - Director, Marshall Health Project Hope for Women and Children
Deborah Rose, MD - Clinical Fellow, Behavioral Neurology & Neuropsychiatry, Johns Hopkins University
Ashli Samples, RN BSN - Director of Case Management, Highmark Health Options of West Virginia
Adrian Wicker - ORN Technology Transfer Specialist, Opioid Response Network
Stephen Loyd, MD - Executive Director, WV Office of Drug Control Policy
This conference is supported by a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the West Virginia Department of Human Services (DoHS). The views expressed in conference materials, presentations, and discussions are those of the speakers and moderators and do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), SAMHSA, DoHS, the Opioid Response Network (ORN), or Marshall University (MU). The mention of specific trade names, products, or organizations does not imply endorsement by HHS, SAMHSA, DoHS, ORN, or MU.
The West Virginia Department of Human Services (DoHS) provides a wide range of necessary and life-saving services to many West Virginia residents. DoHS includes the Bureau for Social Services, Bureau for Medical Services, Bureau for Child Support Enforcement, Bureau for Family Assistance, Bureau for Behavioral Health, Office of Drug Control Policy, Commission to Study Residential Placement of Children, Family Protection Services Board, Catastrophic Illness Commission, and the WV Women's Commission.
For more information, visit dohs.wv.gov.