CHARLESTON, W.Va. — State lawmakers are preparing to tackle West Virginia’s overwhelmed foster care system with a slate of 16 new bills in the upcoming legislative session. The proposals aim to address long-standing challenges in child welfare, from high caseloads to children being placed in out-of-state facilities.
Among the most notable measures:
- Body cameras for CPS workers to increase accountability and transparency during home visits.
- Artificial intelligence tools to help manage heavy caseloads and improve efficiency.
- Foster Child Bill of Rights expansion (SB 886), requiring that children in foster or kinship care be informed of their rights.
- Investment fund proposal from Gov. Patrick Morrisey to improve and expand in-state foster facilities, with the goal of bringing children back from out-of-state placements.
- Oversight and reporting reforms, including stricter timelines for investigations and improved communication between agencies.
Advocates say the system is in crisis, with West Virginia leading the nation in foster care removals. Travis Wooten, Program Director at Necco, cautioned that while technology and oversight are important, lawmakers must keep the human element at the forefront. “At the end of the day, the thing that matters most is whether these changes make life better for children and families,” Wooten said.
The bills reflect bipartisan acknowledgment that the state’s foster care system needs urgent repair. Lawmakers hope the reforms will reduce caseload burdens, improve transparency, and ensure more children can remain safely within West Virginia.
