CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A federal audit says the state Bureau of Social Services did not comply with intake, screening, assessment and investigation requirements for responding to reports of child abuse and neglect.
The Office of Inspector General in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ordered the audit after the case of Kyneddi Miller, the Boone County teenager who starved to death at her home in 2024.
The audit report, posted Friday, said auditors reviewed 100 reports of child abuse and neglect and only nine complied with all requirements.
“On the basis of our sample results, we estimated that 21,621 of the 23,759 (91 percent) screened-in family reports for our audit period were not in compliance with 1 or more requirements related to the intake, screening, assessment, and investigation of child abuse and neglect,” the audit concluded.
The Bureau of Social Services (BSS) told auditors the procedures were not always followed because of high caseloads and staff shortages. The agency said it’s making improvements. The audit report commends the state for the steps it’s already taken.
MORE read full audit report here
Audit findings:
–74 of the 100 screened-in family reports in our sample, BSS did not maintain documentation within its system to support that notification letters were sent to each parent or caregiver.
–58 notification letters were not sent to the individuals subject to the initial assessment for unsubstantiated reports.
–16 notification letters were not sent to each individual maltreater via certified mail within 15 days for substantiated reports
The audit report said “failure to notify the parent or caregiver of the initial assessment results could increase the risk or recurrence of abuse or neglect to children.”
BSS has admitted that proper policies when it comes to notification were not followed.
According to the audit report, BSS said it “prioritized conducting child interviews over administrative functions such as sending out notification letters to parents or caregivers.”
The agency told auditors a backlog strike team was put into place this past March to deal with backlogged cases and staffing.
“As a result, we will not make recommendations to address staffing limitations,” the audit said.
The audit also found the state fell short in required screened-in family reports. Initial assessments are required within 30 days of the referral.
“Specifically, for 61 reports, initial assessments were between 1 and 496 days late,” the report said.
The audit said BSS did not comply with mandated interviews of children and adults, mandated notification of those reporting abuse and neglect, completed safety plans and risk assessment reports.
Recommendations and response
The audit report makes several recommendations including:
— take appropriate steps to ensure child welfare workers perform all required procedures within the intake assessment and the initial assessment processes as required
— provide training to supervisors on the requirement to notify mandated reporters of whether the referral was accepted for assessment or screened out
–develop a new system edit to prevent an incorrect safety assessment decision based on the impending safety threats selected
–develop written policies and procedures that include a requirement for supervisors to monitor
The audit report notes a response from the state BSS including:
— BSS has revised the CPS policy to include additional steps for supervisors to follow to ensure interviews and assessments are completed in a timely manner and has indicated that refresher training will be provided to intake assessment supervisors and initial assessment supervisors to ensure child welfare staff perform all required procedures.
–Training will be provided to supervisors on the requirement to notify mandated reporters of whether a referral was accepted or screened out.
–BSS has requested a new system edit to prevent an incorrect safety assessment decision based on impending safety threats selected. BSS noted that there has been no update on when this will be completed because of competing elements within the system.
–BSS has revised its policy to clearly outline specific requirements to ensure interviews with children and adults are completed timely and as required. Specifically, BSS has revised supervisor duties to include the use of system reports and supervisor logs to track face-to-face contacts with children and caregivers to ensure that child welfare workers are meeting the initial face-to-face interview timeframes, and ensure the completion of initial assessments within 30 days, follow up with child welfare workers weekly, and identify delays in completing the initial assessment within the timeframe.
An HHS-OIG audit found that West Virginia’s Bureau for Social Services did not comply with intake, screening, assessment and investigation requirements in 91 of 100 child abuse and neglect reports reviewed. Read more: https://t.co/3DcXWEuQN2 pic.twitter.com/OKL0EsMcHw
— OIG at HHS (@OIGatHHS) November 14, 2025
Staffing improvements
State Human Services Secretary Alex Mayer told state lawmakers in September that hiring and retention rates in Child Protective Services are improving. He said CPS is authorized for 810 positions. Of those, just 69 are vacant.
“When we look at recruitment and retention, that’s an ongoing challenge that we experience at the agency. Happy to report, our most recent vacancy rate was 8.3%, approximately,” Mayer said.
Miller case
The West Virginia system was chosen for an audit after Miller’s April 2024 death. Here body was found in her home in a “emaciated to a skeletal state,” Her mother and grandmother, Julie Miller and Donna Stone, are scheduled to go on trial separately in the next few months. They are charged with murder by a parent, guardian or custodian by failure or refusal to provide necessities and child neglect resulting in death.
State police responded to the Miller home a few months before her death.
A West Virginia State Police call log and audio from a March 2023 visit by a trooper to the home described “making a CPS referral on it also; that way they can follow up on it,” according to reporting by WCHS television.
WCHS reporter Leslie Rubin reported GPS coordinates showing the trooper drove his cruiser directly to the Boone County human services office in Foster, Boone County, after leaving the home. The coordinates indicate he was at the office for 8 minutes and 12 seconds before leaving.
The state Department of Human Services distributed a statement in May 2024 saying the agency has no record of receiving that child protective services referral.
MetroNews reached out to the state Department of Human Services for comment but was still waiting on a written response when this story was posted.