Video of Secretary Becerra’s remarks and b-roll included.

On Friday, December 10, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra joined Senator Manchin in West Virginia to highlight Biden-Harris Administration plans to strengthen rural and behavioral health, substance use treatment, and more.

Secretary Becerra and Senator Manchin began their day at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Mon Health Marion Neighborhood Hospital in White Hall, West Virginia, a facility that will help close gaps in rural health care access as the state’s first small format hospital. Later in the day, Secretary Becerra joined a substance use and behavioral health roundtable hosted by the West Virginia University Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute. There he got to see the results of a non-invasive neuroscience treatment that helps address addiction.

Secretary Becerra thanked Senator Manchin for supporting the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and bolstering the country’s rural health network — commending his tireless advocacy for not only the people of West Virginia, but rural communities across the country. They agreed to continue to work together as the Biden-Harris Administration builds back better by strengthening rural health systems. Already the administration has invested over $7 billion in its COVID-19 response, treatment of substance use, and telehealth for rural America through the American Rescue Plan.         Below is some of the media coverage from the trip. Secretary Becerra’s remarks from the ribbon-cutting ceremony and b-roll from Mon Health Neighborhood Hospital and the West Virginia University Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute can be downloaded here.

WBOY-TV: Manchin & Becerra: WVU Rockefeller Institute leading in treating drug abuse “What we are seeing here today, I hope we’re going to see in the entire country in the near future,” said Becerra. “Because if we do that, we’re not only going to extend life for a while for folks, but we’re going to make it high quality for a long time. So, I’m thrilled to be here. If the Department of Health and Human Services can in any way be a good partner to what we saw here today, America will be better off.”

Times West Virginian: Manchin: 'We have a division in our country right now' After his remarks, Manchin introduced fellow guest speaker, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra who praised Manchin’s efforts working with Capito and other senators to fight for rural health care funded. “Senator Manchin who has really driven this, at least if you’re watching from the lens in Washington, D.C., this hospital here is Joe Manchin’s hospital,” Becerra said as the crowd applauded.

The Dominion Post: Manchin, Secretary of Health Services attend ribbon-cutting, tour Neuroscience Institute West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), Xavier Becerra, took some time to visit healthcare facilities in Marion and Monongalia counties Friday—to both highlight the importance of rural healthcare and address the drug epidemic.

West Virginia News: U.S. Sen. Manchin, of West Virginia, HHS secretary tour Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute “What we’re seeing here today, I hope we’re going to see in the entire country in the near future,” Becerra said. “Because if we do that, we’re going to not only extend life for a lot of folks, but we’re going to make it high quality for a long time.”

My Buckhannon: U.S. Health and Human Resources Secretary on hand as Mon Health opens innovative health access in Marion County U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Becerra echoed Manchin’s remarks and spoke about the triumph of opening a small-format hospital in a rural community in the current year and the benefit this has on the community. “There are 10 beds here that you know you can use,” Becerra said. “When your child gets sick, you know you can come here and not have to travel miles to get to a place like here.”