Bill > HB4545

This bill establishes a pilot program for the use of technology in child abuse and neglect investigations, requiring the Department of Human Services to implement this project in two chosen counties starting October 1, 2027. The program mandates that child protective service workers in these counties be provided with mobile devices, such as computers or tablets, that can access the department's case management system. These devices will feature a customized operating system designed for child welfare casework, enabling workers to create immediate, digital records of all aspects of their investigations. The collected data will be automatically and securely uploaded to the department's servers daily and must be interoperable with existing department programs to allow for the extraction of quality metrics for systemic improvement analysis. The mobile devices are to be used in at least 70 percent of cases within the pilot counties during the study period. The pilot program will conclude five years after its full implementation, and the department will submit annual reports to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human Resources Accountability, starting July 1, 2028, detailing the program's progress and technology usage metrics.

Health and Social Services

http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/Bills_history.cfm?input=4545&year=2026&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill