More help is on the way for miners in southwest Virginia who lost their jobs because they were addicted to prescription painkillers.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine announced Friday that substance abuse treatment programs will receive $285,000 in federal funding.

Programs administered by the Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services help miners kick their addictions so they can regain their mining certifications.

The funding targets Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Tazewell and Wise counties as well as the city of Norton.

Assistant Commissioner Frank Tetrick says there were 33.4 drug-related deaths for every 100,000 Virginians in that region in 2006 compared to 8.3 deaths per 100,000 across the state.