CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia is in need of long-term disaster case managers.
Catholic Charities of West Virginia Disaster Services Specialist Lora Pierce told the legislature’s Committee on Flooding Tuesday the state and various groups do a great job helping immediately after natural disasters but the long-term relief piece is currently lacking.
“The biggest challenge and hurdles is having disaster case managers to work with these people on their recovery to get them back to a safe and secure home,” Pierce said.
West Virginia had two major disasters in 2025, February flooding in the southern coalfields and a violent flash flood Father’s Day weekend in Ohio and Marion counties. Pierce said there remains a great need.
“I can assure there are still hundreds of unmet needs in our communities,” she said.
Pierce told the committee the northern panhandle recovery is ahead of the southern coalfields.
“Where Ohio County is blessed with people who are willing to commit to volunteer and they are able to do that and you look at Mercer, McDowell, Logan and Boone you don’t have that same population of people who are able to volunteer,” she said.
West Virginia VOAD, Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, used to supply case managers but the organization has taken a different shape in recent years and there’s been no one to fill the gap, Pierce said.
“So with our VOAD not able to provide disaster case management and with the uncertainty of FEMA funds from year to year or disaster from disaster, we need to start looking for ways to use what funding we can muster to leverage other available funds for recovery through disaster case management,” Pierce said.
Case managers through VOAD helped victims of the 2016 flood to garner about $40 million through appeals to FEMA when assistance was originally turned down. Pierce said case managers can play that role and others.
Catholic Charities does have a grant to train case managers. The organization has held training sessions in recent months in Wheeling in Charleston. Pierce said a meeting is scheduled for next month in McDowell County. She said those they are able to train will be just a “drop in the bucket” for those who are needed.
She urged lawmakers Tuesday to begin putting money in the Disaster Recovery Trust Fund that it revived a few years ago.
Sen. Kevan Bartlett said he thinks West Virginians would be willing to help if they learn more about the need.
“Surely we can find a better way to put an army of compassionate West Virginians, equip them, facilitate them to help hurting West Virginians,” Bartlett said.