The Shadow
COVINGTON, Va. (VR)- Community leaders, local officials, and stakeholders gathered Wednesday morning to celebrate the expansion of the Alleghany Highlands Community Services Board, a nearly $4 million project aimed at bolstering mental health and substance use services in the region. The event, held at the soon-to-be-renovated facility, featured a guided tour led by Ingrid Barber, executive director of the Alleghany Highlands
Community Services Board (AHCSB), and remarks from a host of local dignitaries.
The expansion, made possible through a combination of state and local funding, including significant grants from the Opioid Abatement Authority, is expected to transform the delivery of behavioral health services in Covington and surrounding communities. A vision realized, “We’re so happy that you’re here to help us spotlight just a tremendous project in our community, a project that’s received nearly $4 million in grant funding,” said Josh Taylor, executive director of the Allegheny Highland Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, as he welcomed attendees. “Alleghany Highlands Community Services is really at the heart of this project, and we’re so happy they reached out to us so we could partner with them on this media walkthrough event today.”
Barber, who has overseen the project from its inception, expressed gratitude for the collaborative effort that brought the expansion to fruition. “On behalf of the Board of Directors, leadership team, and staff of Alleghany Highlands Community Services Board, we’re so glad for you to gather here today,” she said. “It’s a $4 million expansion. We want to thank the city of Covington and Alleghany County, because we would not be able to do this regional partnership project without them.”
The expansion will add a full-time peer drop-in center, complete with laundry and shower services, office space, lab facilities for drug testing, group rooms for intensive outpatient treatment, and a community training room. The project is expected to be completed by spring 2026.
A significant portion of the funding comes from the Opioid Abatement Authority (OAA), which awarded the project $1.2 million last year and an additional $2.66 million through a renewal grant. Cindy Newman, Western Regional Coordinator for the OAA, attended the event and highlighted the importance of sustainability in grant-funded projects.
“The OAA oversees 55% of the funds through grants to cities, counties, and state agencies,” Newman said. “One thing we also look at is, when you look at a rural community, there are obviously barriers to access and transportation, and we can come to one facility and receive all these services. The goal of the money is to get it out there, save lives, provide treatment, and throw the boots on the ground.”
Newman noted that the opioid settlement funds are expected to last through 2030, with recipients required to submit sustainability plans to ensure services continue after the funding ends. Local governments, including Covington and Alleghany County, contributed matching funds from their opioid settlement distributions, making the project more competitive for state grants. Community Impact Stephanie Clark, chair of the AHCSB Board of
Directors emphasized the importance of the expansion for the region.
“This is important to our community because services are expanding, and our community needs these services,” Clark said. “We thank Ingrid for this vision. Without this community and the community services board, we wouldn’t be able to help people gather their thoughts, moving to a better way of life.”
Barber explained that their facilities serve over 1,500 individuals in Alleghany County, nearly 10% of the local population. “We’re able to serve more people and have more groups and more services,” she said. “We will be able to provide all substance use services back in the new, renovated area, and we can do more of a focus on mental health services to the front of the facility.”
Local officials echoed the sentiment. “It’s just huge,” said Allen Dressler, city manager for Covington. “It certainly shows the community as a whole, working for the betterment of everybody, and we’re just so thankful for the funds to do what we’re doing here and the transition of this property to assist folks throughout the Alleghany Highlands.”
Ken McFayden, the new Alleghany County administrator, added, “Having this center under construction to serve the needs of our citizens in this community is critically important. We have folks in this community who are in need of the services as a result of the opioid epidemic in the United States, and I think having this center providing enhanced services to our community will only help our folks in need to transition from their challenges, perhaps even to job opportunities in the community that we also desperately need and are focusing on.”
Looking ahead as the tour concluded, Taylor reflected on the significance of the project. “Anytime you can see $4 million of grant funding come into a community of around 20,000 people, it’s just a huge deal,” he said. “Ingrid and her team here are just doing trailblazing work. To see this come into our community, it’s going to really serve the needs of our citizens.”
The expanded facility is expected to open its doors in spring 2026, marking a new chapter in the region’s efforts to combat substance use and support mental health.
Allen Dressler, Covington City Manager and Cindy Newman, Western Regional Coordinator for the Opioid Abatement Authority (David Hodge photo)
L-R: Allen Dressler, Josh Taylor, Ingrid Barber (David Hodge photo)
Ingrid Barger and Stephanie Clark (David Hodge photo)
