'A System in Transition:' Official details child welfare reforms in the wake of audit

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia Department of Human Services Secretary Alex Mayer recently outlined an aggressive, coordinated reform effort aimed at addressing deep-rooted issues in adoption, foster care, residential care and case management that federal reviewers say have hindered the state’s ability to protect vulnerable children.

Attempts to reform West Virginia’s child welfare system come in response to a federal audit released last month that drew further attention to longstanding structural problems with the system.

The audit, done by the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, found that 91% of screened-in child abuse and neglect reports during the audit period did not meet federal or state requirements.

Key issues included missing wri