CHARLESTON, W.Va. — There are the fewest number of children in the custody of the state since 2017 in West Virginia, according to information released Thursday by the state Department of Human Services and its Bureau for Social Services.
As of June 30, there were 5,991 children in foster care, marking the first time that number has dipped below 6,000 since March 2017. The DoHS said a year ago at this time there were 6,286 in state custody. The high mark was April 2020 when 7,433 West Virginia kids were taken out of their homes.
DoHS Secretary Cynthia Persily said these are positive trends.
“Through the efforts of our dedicated child welfare staff, who have been instrumental in placing more children in kinship care and reducing the overall number of children in State custody, we are moving closer to our goal of providing stable, supportive environments for all West Virginia children,” Persily said.
The numbers are also improving in the area of filling jobs within Child Protective Services, according to the agencies.
The vacancy rate is currently 19% with 423 out of 524 allocated positions filled. The vacancy rate was 31% in CPS in January 2023. There are no CPS vacancies in 20 of the state’s 55 counties.
Bureau of Social Services Commissioner Jeff Pack said a new classification and compensation system are working.
“Our focused efforts to recruit and retain qualified staff are showing significant progress,” Pack said. “Reducing our vacancy rates means we can better serve the children and families of West Virginia and ensure they receive the protection and support they need.”
Governor Jim Justice said the improving numbers show the state “has worked it.”
“We’ve worked it really hard. Can we do a whole lot more? Of course we can. Do we need to do a whole lot more? Of course we do,” Justice said.