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West Virginia Child Abuse Prevention Efforts Show Gains Amid Child Welfare Reforms

West Virginia's Department of Human Services is reporting measurable progress in child abuse prevention, with community-based programs now operating in all 55 counties. The developments come as the state works to overhaul a child welfare system that a 2025 federal audit found was noncompliant with key intake, screening, and investigation requirements in an estimated 91 percent of reviewed cases. State officials say expanded early-intervention services are strengthening families and reducing risk factors associated with child abuse and neglect.

What the State Is Reporting

WV ReformIn early February 2026, the West Virginia Department of Human Services (DoHS) announced that community-based prevention programs have expanded to reach every county in the state. These programs are supported by a combination of federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funding and Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP) grants, administered through the DoHS Bureau for Family Assistance.

According to the department, the statewide Family Support Center network, In-Home Family Education programs, and Partners in Prevention initiatives are providing families with voluntary, early support designed to promote stability, resilience, and child well-being. Services include economic stability coaching through mobility mentoring, evidence-based parenting education, child development activities, and limited assistance with essential needs such as food access.

During fiscal year 2025, the West Virginia Family Survey collected responses from 4,916 families. The results showed improvements in four of five nationally recognized protective factors associated with child abuse prevention: family functioning and resilience, nurturing and attachment, social support, and caregiver engagement with service providers. The social support protective factor alone increased by 13.2 percent compared with the previous fiscal year.

The Federal Audit That Prompted Reform

These prevention gains are set against a broader backdrop of systemic challenges. In September 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) released an audit of West Virginia's Child Protective Services program. The audit examined the period from October 2023 through September 2024 and found that an estimated 91 percent of 100 screened-in family reports did not comply with one or more requirements related to the intake, screening, assessment, and investigation of child abuse and neglect.

Specific deficiencies identified in the audit included failures to send notification letters, to complete initial assessments and interviews in a timely manner, and to ensure safety plans and risk assessments were performed correctly. The OIG made four recommendations, including that West Virginia ensure child welfare workers perform all required procedures and receive adequate training. The state concurred with all four recommendations.

DoHS Cabinet Secretary Alex Mayer acknowledged the findings in testimony before the Legislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human Resources Accountability in December 2025. Mayer noted that the issues predated the current administration and that the audit validated steps already being taken to address systemic weaknesses.

Broader Child Welfare Reform Efforts

The prevention progress reported by DoHS is one component of a larger child welfare reform agenda. In 2025, Governor Patrick Morrisey announced sweeping reforms aimed at improving transparency and accountability within the state's child welfare system. Those reforms included full compliance with the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), an overhaul of the state's Child Welfare Dashboard for greater public accessibility, and the creation of a leadership development initiative for supervisors.

The 2026 legislative session has also brought additional proposals. House Bill 4601 would create a dedicated West Virginia State Police unit focused on investigating child abuse and neglect cases, staffed by retired law enforcement members across each of the state's 21 districts. Other legislative proposals aim to strengthen the child protective services investigation process and reporting requirements.

The state has described its reform strategy as built on multiple pillars, including prevention and early intervention, technology improvements to the state's data and case management systems, and partnerships with schools, behavioral health providers, and community organizations to identify and support families in need sooner.

What Protective Factors Mean for Families

The five nationally recognized protective factors measured through the West Virginia Family Survey are widely used in child abuse prevention research and practice. They include parental resilience, social connections, knowledge of parenting and child development, concrete support in times of need, and the social and emotional competence of children. Research consistently shows that when families demonstrate strength in these areas, the likelihood of child abuse and neglect decreases.

West Virginia's reported improvements in four of these five factors suggest that voluntary, community-based services can meaningfully influence family stability when they are accessible and well-resourced. DoHS officials have emphasized that the community-first approach, which blends federal, state, and private funding, is designed to deliver locally driven services that meet families where they are rather than waiting for a crisis to escalate.

Impact on Children and Families

For children and families across West Virginia, the stakes of these reforms are significant. The state has long faced elevated rates of child maltreatment, high caseloads for child welfare workers, and challenges associated with substance use and economic hardship. When prevention programs work, children are more likely to remain safely with their families, and families are more likely to access support before difficulties become emergencies.

At the same time, the federal audit made clear that prevention alone cannot substitute for a functioning protective services system. Children who are reported to be at risk need timely screening, thorough assessment, and appropriate intervention. The state's ability to deliver on both prevention and protective response will ultimately determine whether the reforms translate into lasting improvements for children.

What Readers and Communities Can Do

Community awareness and involvement remain essential to keeping children safe. Adults who interact with children regularly, whether as parents, educators, neighbors, or volunteers, can play a role by learning the signs of abuse and neglect, building supportive relationships with families in their communities, and connecting caregivers with resources before a crisis occurs.

Prevention-focused programs such as parenting education, family support services, and community resource centers are most effective when families know they exist and feel welcome accessing them. West Virginia's network of Family Support Centers is one example of how communities can provide early support that strengthens families and reduces risk.

Reporting Abuse

If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, it is important to act. In West Virginia, reports of suspected child abuse or neglect can be made by calling Centralized Intake at 1-800-352-6513, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You do not need to have proof to make a report. Sharing what you have observed or what concerns you allows trained professionals to assess the situation and determine whether a child needs protection.

Nationally, the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline is available at 1-800-422-4453 (1-800-4-A-CHILD) and provides crisis intervention, information, and referrals. Reporting is one of the most direct ways any community member can help protect a child.

Wrap-Up

West Virginia's experience reflects a challenge facing child welfare systems across the country: balancing the expansion of prevention services with the urgent need to fix systemic gaps in the protective response. When both sides of that equation receive sustained attention and investment, children and families benefit. Organizations like The Blue Ribbon Project, which work at the intersection of prevention, education, and direct support for children and families affected by abuse and neglect, recognize that community-level engagement is a critical part of any effective child welfare strategy.

The developments in West Virginia offer a case study in how states can begin to move from crisis response toward a more prevention-centered model, while also confronting the systemic failures that put children at risk. What happens next, including whether legislative proposals advance, whether survey data continues to improve, and whether the protective services system meets federal compliance standards, will be worth watching closely.

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