Bill > SB228

This bill establishes a pilot program for the use of technology in child abuse and neglect investigations, requiring the Department of Human Services to provide child welfare workers in two selected counties with mobile devices, such as computers or tablets, starting October 1, 2027. These devices will allow workers to access the department's case management system and create digital records of investigations in real-time, directly at the scene, which will then be automatically and securely uploaded to the department's servers daily. The program mandates that the mobile devices have a customized operating system for child welfare casework that can record all aspects of an investigation contemporaneously and is compatible with existing department programs to extract data for quality improvement analysis. The pilot program will run for five years after full implementation in the two counties, and the department must file annual reports to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human Resources Accountability detailing the program's progress and the metrics related to technology use.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/Bills_history.cfm?input=228&year=2026&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill