During the legislative session, lawmakers have an opportunity to help fix West Virginia’s failing foster care system, including issues uncovered in a recent Mountain State Spotlight investigation. Here are 5 immediate fixes lawmakers could implement:🧵 mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/03/06/f... - ThreadSky

mtnstspotlight.bsky.social • 4 days ago

During the legislative session, lawmakers have an opportunity to help fix West Virginia’s failing foster care system, including issues uncovered in a recent Mountain State Spotlight investigation. Here are 5 immediate fixes lawmakers could implement:🧵

https://mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/03/06/foster-care-5-fixes/

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mtnstspotlight.bsky.social•4 days ago

1. Funding to hire more CPS workers. For years, the state hasn’t employed enough workers to perform the mandated monthly visits to ensure kids are safe and supported.

Gov. Morrisey asked for more money — but it’s less than a third of what is needed.

https://mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/01/30/foster-care-worker-shortage-stresses-system/

mtnstspotlight.bsky.social•4 days ago

2. Make CPS workers responsible for fewer cases. Currently, CPS workers are supposed to be assigned a maximum of 10 cases. Fewer cases would allow them to spend more time on investigations and connect families with assistance.

https://mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/01/30/foster-care-worker-shortage-stresses-system/

mtnstspotlight.bsky.social•4 days ago

3. Make kinship families — relatives or people with relationships to kids who’ve been removed from their parents — eligible more quickly for foster care subsidies. Many kids are dropped off with them without notice and without immediate support.

https://mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/01/29/kinship-care-grandfamilies-mental-health/

mtnstspotlight.bsky.social•4 days ago

4. Expand and fully fund the state’s Healthy Grandfamilies program, which offers training and support for grandfamilies dealing with concerns they failed at parenting and stressors that come with raising a hurting child.

https://mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/01/29/kinship-care-grandfamilies-mental-health/

mtnstspotlight.bsky.social•4 days ago

5. Offer incentives for students to train in mental health careers.

The state sends kids to institutions in part because mental health care is hard to access. Lawmakers could encourage college students to pursue mental health careers in the state.

https://buff.ly/DtHwNEj

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