“I truly believe the health of a population, education outcomes and the economy of a region are intricately linked."
During the 2020 legislative session, Senator Stollings led the charge for the Legislature to set aside $2 million to help fund the state’s response to the Coronavirus.
Brad McElhinny “West Virginia unemployment filings blow past 90,000”, West Virginia MetroNews, 1 April, 2020
During his 34 years as a primary care physician Senator Stollings has witnessed the daily struggles of West Virginians. He’s been on the front lines during the substance use crisis and sees how it is affecting our health, education system and our economy. Tackling the substance use crisis would be a priority of the Stollings’ administration.
West Virginia needs a comprehensive approach to tackling the substance use crisis. Senator Stollings has led the charge on legislative policies that has helped prevent, treat and expand recovery services. He has advocated for reintegration of individuals back into the workforce. Additionally, he has consulted with individuals in recovery, national experts in substance use treatment, fellow primary care professionals, behavioral health specialists, leaders in the faith community, individuals in law enforcement and the judicial system as well has leaders who help reintegrate individuals back into employment and a home. Here’s his plan:
“Having been a small business owner myself, I understand that not only do we need a statewide strategy for economic growth, but we also need strategies for economic development in various regions of our state. There are clear differences in terms of assets and what’s needed in a certain region.”
Dr. Ron Stollings, State Senator
“We all know our state’s most valuable resource is her people. And we need to keep our young people and recruit others with good paying jobs and a great quality of life. I’ve already established an advisory group of talented young individuals to offer innovative ideas on how to diversify our state and make it an attractive place to stay or to relocate here.”
Dr. Ron Stollings, State Senator
Stollings’ economic plan, Thrive WV, will utilize these funds to make critical improvements. Every one of these investments in infrastructure will further his economic goals:
–Support entrepreneurs and small businesses,
–Enhance access to quality healthcare including the expanded use of telemedicine,
–Expand education programs and opportunities,
–Attract business, manufacturing and employees, and
–Attract retirees with good incomes to the state, particularly those who grew up or attended college here.
As one example, the Betchel Summit Reserve in Fayette County is a more than $500 million asset that hosted 45,000 scouts from 150 counties during the World Scout Jamboree in 2019. The Reserve hosted the National Scout Jamboree in 2013 and 2017, with each bringing tens of thousands of scouts along with family members, sponsors and support personnel to the region, yielding an estimated economic impact of $76 million and more than $1 million in tax revenue.1 This high adventure site provides unique rock climbing, zip lining, mountain biking and of course whitewater rafting is nearby. Through partnerships with the Betchel Summit, The New River Gorge Trail Alliance and many other dedicated hospitality and tourism industry operators West Virginia can be the outdoor adventure capital of the east. According to a 2019 study, non-local climbers visiting the New River Gorge region to rock climb spent an estimated $12.1 million in a three-county region in 2018. Those expenditures supported an estimated 168 jobs and $6.3 million in wages.
In addition, a vibrant outdoor lifestyle and access to a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities can help attract entrepreneurs and tech talent who can work remotely from anywhere—if there is broader access to technology.
West Virginia is home to numerous federal agencies, from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Bureau of Fiscal Service. Yes, there is even a Coast Guard training center in landlocked West Virginia. The Federal Bureau of Investigations, National Energy Technology Laboratory, four Veterans hospitals, the Small Business Administration, Internal Revenue Service, Agricultural Research Service, Rural Utilities Service, Mine Safety and Occupational centers, are but a few of the prestigious federal operations that employ thousands of our citizens.
Each of these federal facilities is robustly funded and offers multiple federal contracting and subcontracting opportunities. West Virginia can and must embrace this partnership with the federal government and maximize the opportunities they offer.
Likewise, the federal government’s massive $4 trillion budget is chock full of diverse grant opportunities for the state and local governments, hospitals and medical centers, community health centers, universities, community and technical colleges, K-12 systems, libraries and museums, and non-profit organizations to pursue. The state’s track record of identifying, pursuing and winning these federal dollars is hit and miss (but mostly miss in many strategic areas).
“We need to invest in education and value our educators. Studies show having a certified teacher in the classroom, smaller class sizes and parental involvement will help improve education outcomes. Let’s implement best practices!
Dr. Ron Stollings, State Senator
“Our teachers and school service personnel have a heavy lift. Not only do they teach our children, but in many cases, they make sure the children are not hungry and that they have a caring adult in their life.”
Dr. Ron Stollings, State Senator
“More and more, your zip code determines if you will be successful in life. We need to give students in every area of our state the opportunity to be successful.”
Dr. Ron Stollings, State Senator
“As part of the education reform legislation, we insisted that wrap around services to address social, emotional and mental health needed to be part of the legislation. So many times, it is not what happens in a student’s life from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. rather it is what happens between 3 p.m. and 7 a.m. that impacts their ability to learn.”
Dr. Ron Stollings, State Senator
“I have listened to and learned from our educators and school service personnel. As a senator, I have worked with and fought for policies that will promote student success in the classroom. We need to continue to listen to our educators. We need big ideas so that we can have the best education system in the country. Our children deserve nothing less!”
Dr. Ron Stollings, State Senator
Establish the Governor’s Council on Children and Families to ensure each child reaches his or her full potential. The Council will improve services through coordination of public education, child welfare, healthcare (including oral and mental health), public health, food distribution, law enforcement and the judicial system as well as organizations in the private sector with the goal of assisting children and families. As part of the Governor’s Office, this Council will specifically address the needs of children and families impacted by the substance use crisis.
While the number of children in foster care across the country declines, the number of children in foster care in West Virginia continues to rise. The Governor’s Council on Children and Families will listen to and address the needs of children and families with efforts to include:
Adverse Childhood Experiences have been linked to risky health behaviors, chronic health conditions, low life potential, and early death. As the number of ACEs increases, so does the risk for these outcomes. We need to make sure our educators, counselors and healthcare professionals continue to participate in training related to adverse childhood experiences.
The presence of ACEs does not mean that a child will experience poor outcomes. However, children’s positive experiences or protective factors can prevent children from experiencing adversity and can protect against many of the negative health and life outcomes even after adversity has occurred. The Centers for Disease and Prevention has many evidenced based strategies to prevent ACES include: strengthen economic supports to families, promote social norms that protect against violence and adversity, ensure a strong start for children, and connect youth to caring adults and activities.
Thousands of residents have left the state in the last few years. We must invest in broadband in order to capitalize on our state’s assets and low cost of living to attract individuals who work remotely to live here. Additionally, a vibrant outdoor lifestyle and access to a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities can help attract and retain businesses and their employees.
Our state has numerous assets including a low cost of living, temperate climate with four seasons, beautiful scenery, mountains, lakes and rivers providing ample recreational opportunities. West Virginia is also strategically located near major population centers. As the huge demographic wave of retiring baby boomers is about to crest, we could add thousands of new residents by tweaking our tax laws to attract retirees with good incomes to move to our beautiful state.
As an internal medicine physician Senator Stollings’ career has been devoted to caring for patients many of whom are seniors. He understands the challenges West Virginia families face.
–Ensuring the social model of adult day care is available to West Virginia seniors, and
–Enhancing funding to the Bureau of Senior Services Lighthouse and Family Alzheimer’s In-Home Respite (FAIR) programs.
“For 34 years it has been an honor for me to care for my patients, many of whom are veterans. They have had such an impact on my life. I’ve seen how they return to their communities and are true leaders. I can’t name all the veterans who have mentored me over the years. They have always made me want to be a better doctor, person and senator. We can not do enough for our veterans.”
Dr. Ron Stollings, State Senator