Josh Barker, left, director of substance abuse, prevention and outreach for the Office of West Virginia Attorney General, and West Virginia State Delegate Scot Heckert were the guest panel at the first Substance Use Solution Series event held in the old St. Joseph’s Hospital lobby Tuesday night. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

PARKERSBURG — The Parkersburg Engagement Project held the first of eight events Tuesday night in the old St. Joseph’s Hospital lobby with Josh Barker, director of substance abuse, prevention and outreach at the office of West Virginia Attorney General, and West Virginia State Delegate Scot Heckert being the first panel of speakers.

“This won’t be the last one I’m at,” Heckert said.

The series of talks aims to explore the impact caused by substance abuse to the Wood County community and is the result of a survey given back in April.

“We’re trying to get the community involved in the recovery process and try to get more understanding on what works, what doesn’t work,” Heckert said. “The goal is to come up with some better ideas and some better ways for the recovery world to hold the people in recovery more accountable, so that they can be more welcomed in the community, instead of being looked at as a nuisance.”

Barker, a recovering addict himself, said he went through recovery in Wood County and it saved his life.

Josh Barker, left, director of substance abuse, prevention and outreach at office of West Virginia Attorney General, West Virginia State Delegate Scot Heckert and Wendy Tuck, Parkersburg City Councilmember, talked to community members Tuesday night during the first Substance Use Solution Series event held in the old St. Joseph’s Hospital lobby. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

“If I hadn’t done that, I would not be here today,” Barker said. “I made several attempts to kill myself with fentanyl. I mean, I did it all.”

Heckert said this wasn’t just an issue in Wood County, but the whole state. He said everyone in West Virginia wants to see addicts recover but the impact is felt harder here because “the community of Wood County is overrun.”

“The counties in the state of West Virginia want their people to get help, but they don’t want it in their backyard,” Heckert said. “Don’t be bringing that mess over here, take that over there.”

He said the only way to change that is to start out holding other counties and other states accountable to take care of their own people.

Wendy Tuck, a member of Parkersburg City Council, said she knows that substance abuse is a big problem and was glad the series of talks was taking place.

Josh Barker, center, director of substance abuse, prevention and outreach for the Office of West Virginia Attorney General, talks to community members after the first Substance Use Solution Series event held in the old St. Joseph’s Hospital lobby Tuesday night. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

“There is not any one single answer, but I’m just delighted that we’re having the conversation,” Tuck said.

The group will have meetings every Tuesday and Thursday night this month at First United Methodist Church on Juliana Street. Community members are encouraged to attend and more information about the project and event times can be found at pkbengagementproject.org.

“We’re getting better at community conversations, so that’s kind of our role, and as we come to finding a solution, that will be our community’s role,” Tuck said.

Douglass Huxley can be reached at dhuxley@newsandsentinel.com.