Bill > HB4344

This bill: - Establishes a "data dashboard" to provide public access to current child welfare statistics, trends, and performance goals, as well as a "matching database" to help workers locate foster families with specific characteristics. - Requires the Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) to enter into performance-based contracts with child placement agencies, which must include measures related to safety, permanency, well-being, and foster parent recruitment and retention. - Directs DHHR to prioritize and increase funding for services to prevent child removals, identify relative placements, train kinship caregivers, and expand a tiered foster care system with higher payments for placements of children with special needs. - Requires DHHR to conduct a study of the centralized intake process and to provide a 15% pay increase for all direct service employees in the Bureau of Social Services. - Repeals a provision creating a Commission to Study Residential Placement of Children. - Makes various other changes related to the multidisciplinary treatment planning process, prosecuting attorney representation of DHHR, and confidentiality of records and investigations. Overall, this bill aims to improve outcomes for children in foster care through enhanced data reporting, performance-based contracting, prioritized funding for prevention and kinship placements, workforce investment, and other system reforms.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/Bills_history.cfm?input=4344&year=2022&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill