CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Department of Human Services (DoHS) has launched WV VeriCheck, a new digital system designed to make Child Protective Services (CPS) and Adult Protective Services (APS) background checks faster, more accurate, and more efficient.
Cabinet Secretary Carl Ayers said the modernization replaces a process that has long relied on paper applications, postal mail, and manual review — all of which contributed to delays and errors.
“WV VeriCheck allows the Department to modernize a process that has traditionally relied on paper and manual processing,” Ayers said. “This transition is expected to save more than twenty‑five thousand dollars each year in postage and stationery costs alone, while strengthening safeguards for West Virginia’s children and vulnerable adults.”
Background checks are required for prospective foster, kinship, and adoptive parents, household members, and certain employees and volunteers who work with children and vulnerable adults. In 2025, DoHS processed 27,093 background check applications — with 57% arriving by mail and 40% by email. Roughly 4% were rejected due to errors or missing information.
WV VeriCheck allows applications to be submitted electronically and includes built‑in tools to flag missing or incomplete information before submission. Officials say this will reduce the number of rejected applications and significantly cut down on manual processing.
With more than 27,000 background checks completed each year, DoHS says the new system will improve turnaround times for providers, employers, and organizations that depend on timely results for hiring, licensing, and placement decisions. The platform also lays the groundwork for improved tracking, reporting, and information management while maintaining strict privacy protections for sensitive CPS and APS data.
More information, including a user help guide, is available at bss.wv.gov/background-checks.
