First Lady Youngkin Promotes Initiative During Roanoke Visits

ROANOKE, VA – First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin continued her It Only Takes One statewide fentanyl awareness and prevention initiative this week with two stops in Roanoke, highlighting the critical work of local partners who support women, children, and families impacted by substance use.

At Project LINK, part of Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare, the First Lady toured program spaces and met with staff and recent graduates to learn more about their continuum of care. Since 1992, Project LINK has provided intensive case management, therapy, housing, peer support, and specialized services for perinatal and parenting women affected by substance use. The program is one of the first of its kind in Virginia and continues to grow to meet the evolving needs of families.

The First Lady then visited Four Truths Recovery, where she celebrated the nonprofit’s first Women & Children’s Recovery Home. In May 2024, Mrs. Youngkin helped cut the ribbon for their original residence. Just over a year later, Four Truths has expanded to provide safe, structured housing that allows mothers to remain with their children while in recovery—helping to break cycles of addiction and strengthen families.

“Virginia is leading the nation with a remarkable 46% reduction in overdose deaths in the last year,” said First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin. “In Roanoke, we see that recovery is not only possible, but powerful—healing mothers, protecting children, and restoring families.”

The It Only Takes One initiative, in partnership with the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth and the Virginia Department of Health, continues to deliver educational resources, community trainings, and awareness campaigns across the Commonwealth. These efforts include the launch of the It Only Takes One newsletter, statewide resource distribution to media outlets and healthcare providers, outreach to Community Services Boards and higher education institutions, the creation of a robust online resource hub, support for Operation FREE (Fentanyl Awareness, Reduction, Enforcement, and Eradication) – law enforcement efforts to disrupt the distribution of, and confiscate, illicit drugs, the Fentanyl Family Ambassadors program, which now includes more than 100 ambassadors, the Fentanyl College Ambassador Program, and the It Only Takes One Public Service Announcement (PSA) that was released on April 29, 2025 in observance of National Fentanyl Awareness Day. 

Additionally, the Youngkin administration has committed $1.5 billion in new funding through its Right Help, Right Now initiative to strengthen behavioral health care services across Virginia. 

Fentanyl remains the leading cause of drug-related deaths in Virginia. The It Only Takes One initiative is committed to equipping Virginians with the knowledge, tools, and partnerships they need to protect their families and communities.