W.Va. looks to contract out state's foster care and adoption system

West Virginia state officials are looking to contract out the state’s foster care and adoption system, according to officials with the state Department of Health and Human Resources.

They say the three-and-a-half-year contract is estimated to cost nearly $200 million per year – all subject to change as additional services are integrated into the program.

More >> W.Va. looks to contract out state's foster care and adoption system

Effort to track foster family complaints moves forward

Work is underway to give foster families and relatives taking care of the about 7,000 kids in state custody a way to file complaints about those children’s ability to receive health care and other concerns about their well-being.

Within the next month or so, the state Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) aims to begin soliciting applications for the state foster care ombudsman position.

More >> Effort to track foster family complaints moves forward

Fire that killed four foster children in West Virginia deemed accidental

The West Virginia fire marshal's office says investigators believe a fire that killed four children was probably accidental.


The fire marshal's office said in a news release there were smoke alarms in the house, located in Clay.

More >> Fire that killed four foster children in West Virginia deemed accidental

Officials continue to investigate fire that killed four foster children in Clay County

Officials are continuing to investigate a house fire that took the lives of four foster children in Clay County.

More >> Officials continue to investigate fire that killed four foster children in Clay County

Mother suing DHHS and staff, charging negligence

A mother is suing the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (HHS), its Secretary Bill Crouch, Lori Williams, Jenifer Pigott and Ashley Smith, citing alleged negligence, violation of due process rights, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud and more.

Tabitha Snyder formerly Tabitha Krysmalski, individually and on behalf of her children Paige Krysmalski and Parker Krysmalski filed a complaint in Kanawha Circuit Court against the defendants alleging that they failed to protect plaintiffs in keeping with the statutory purpose, goals and child protective powers, and negligently failed to perform their duties.

More >> Mother suing DHHS and staff, charging negligence

Legislation allows for more measures to keep kids out of foster care

A new federal law will soon allow the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources to take more action to prevent a child's situation from escalating to the point that they need to be removed from their home.

More >> Legislation allows for more measures to keep kids out of foster care

UPDATE: Lawmakers call for change after WSAZ Investigation about CPS

 West Virginia lawmakers weighed in with disbelief, frustration and even outrage after our WSAZ Investigation: "Unprotective Services," which dug into problems with the vetting process at Child Protective Services.

More >> UPDATE: Lawmakers call for change after WSAZ Investigation about CPS

DHHR: CPS to pull fewer kids from homes

West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) Secretary Bill Crouch told state lawmakers Monday that federal legislation will let more children of parents with substance use disorders stay in their homes, where they'll be better off, instead of foster care. 

“The federal government has always paid us only if we pull children from their homes,” Crouch said, “so this is a huge change in how we’re able to deal with our child welfare problem.”

More >> DHHR: CPS to pull fewer kids from homes

West Virginia foster care system still in crisis

At Necco, the search for foster parents is never-ending.

"We need triple the amount of foster families," said Zeke Davis, program director of the Necco office in Logan.

More >> West Virginia foster care system still in crisis

Foster dad accused of sexually abusing young girls

A foster dad is in jail, accused of sexually abusing two young girls in his care.

Dillard Duane Henline Jr., 50, of Barboursville, is charged with 10 counts of sexual abuse, a felony.

More >> Foster dad accused of sexually abusing young girls

• Barboursville Man arrested for Sexually Abusing Foster Kids

The perv!

Kanawha CPS worker allegedly involved in missing teen case arrested again

A Kanawha County Child Protective Services worker, who has been charged in a separate case involving a missing teenager, was arrested again Monday.

Dustin R. Kinser, 32, has been charged with domestic battery after police say he went to his mother’s home Monday and “began to yell and rummage through the home looking for a gun,” according to a criminal complaint filed in Kanawha County Magistrate Court. He then allegedly pushed his mother onto a bed, held her down and attempted to grab her phone.

More >> Kanawha CPS worker allegedly involved in missing teen case arrested again

• Child Protective Services employee arrested while out on bail, faces charges in multiple incidents

Troopers: CPS employee charged in connection with missing teen re-arrested

A suspended West Virginia Child Protective Services worker was re-arrested late Monday night, state police say.

More >> Troopers: CPS employee charged in connection with missing teen re-arrested

Family sues WV DHHR, employee, after case fumble

A McDowell County family is claiming a state employee retaliated against them in a custody matter after a relative criticized the employee’s husband, according to a lawsuit filed in Kanawha County Circuit Court last week.

Larry and Christina Koger, both of Iaeger, named the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, DHHR Secretary Bill Crouch and Angela Long, a DHHR employee at the McDowell County office, in the suit filed last Wednesday. The Kogers allege that in 2012 — and for years after — Long used her position at the agency to inflict emotional distress and suffering because of a personal issue involving the Kogers, Christina Koger’s mother and Christina Koger’s sister’s two children.

More >> Family sues WV DHHR, employee, after case fumble

W.Va. DHHR, others brace for federal lawsuit over foster care

Not only is the head of West Virginia's Department of Health and Human Resources bracing for a federal lawsuit over the state's handling of its foster care system, so are private agencies that help identify foster families and place children with them.

Those agencies are contracted by the DHHR to help place children and receive regular funding for their work, said Gwendolyn Davis, director of West Virginia's Office of Blueprints, one of these nonprofit agencies.

More >> W.Va. DHHR, others brace for federal lawsuit over foster care

WV DHHR, others brace for federal lawsuit over foster care

Not only is the head of West Virginia’s Department of Health and Human Resources bracing for a federal lawsuit over the state’s handling of its foster care system, so are private agencies that help identify foster families and place children with them.

Those agencies are contracted by the DHHR to help place children and receive regular funding for their work, said Gwendolyn Davis, director of West Virginia’s Office of Blueprints, one of these nonprofit agencies.

More >> WV DHHR, others brace for federal lawsuit over foster care

DHHR chief says feds talking about suing West Virginia over foster care crisis

The federal government may soon file a lawsuit against West Virginia over its foster care crisis brought on by the opioid epidemic, according to state Department of Heath and Human Resources Secretary Bill Crouch.

Crouch told state lawmakers during a Monday meeting that he heard from the Department of Justice as recently as last Thursday.

More >> DHHR chief says feds talking about suing West Virginia over foster care crisis

West Virginia High Court Says Kids Can’t Inherit After Parents Lose Rights

In a decision that appears to further punish children who have already been abused, the West Virginia Supreme Court ruled that a child cannot inherit from a parent whose rights have been terminated.

“Because this disturbing decision piles even more hardship on this child whose life was already severely damaged by parental abuse and neglect, I vehemently dissent,” said Chief Justice Margaret Workman, writing in dissent of the decision along with one other judge.

More >> West Virginia High Court Says Kids Can’t Inherit After Parents Lose Rights

LK Report for 8/23/17 - The prosecutor almost cooked the baby but it's OK because he works for the court.

Here are today's headlines.  

Check back later.  You never know when I might update this post.

http://www.LegallyKidnapped.com

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On a too-regular basis the public is shocked by revelations of children who are not adequately protected by the child welfare system, or are harmed in its care. Programs are criticized, responsible ministers pilloried and, inevitably, more public money is poured into the child welfare system.

More >> Why child welfare is always in crisis
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ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — She was 12, and seeking an abortion after being sexually assaulted and impregnated by her stepfather.

More >> Child Welfare System Failed 12-Year Old Impregnated By Stepdad: Report
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HARRISON COUNTY, Ohio — Harrison County Prosecutor Owen Beetham spent much of Thursday morning talking about a case of a parent leaving a child in a car.

More >> Prosecutor admits mistake by leaving daughter in car

Note: Of course any other parent who didn't work for the state would have been arrested.   In this case, however, he will get off scott free.
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Thousands of children are being denied time with their fathers, due to prison rules that tie entitlement to family visits to male inmates’ behavior, a charity claims.

Barnardo’s has written to the Prisons Minister, Sam Gyimah, calling for a change to ‘unfair’ rules, which the charity claims “punish” children whose fathers haven’t demonstrated “positive and motivated behavior”.

More >> ‘Unfair’ Prison Rules ‘Punish’ Children For Their Father’s Behaviour, Claims Barnardo’s
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CHARLESTON —Department of Health and Human Resources Secretary Bill Crouch said the state is experiencing a child welfare crisis.

In a Tuesday presentation to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human Resources Accountability, Crouch said the DHHR is experiencing a record number of child protection referrals and removals from the home.

More >> DHHR Secretary says W.Va. Experiencing child welfare crisis
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A couple has been awarded compensation of $3.25m (£2.53m) after their adopted baby son was murdered by his birth father, weeks after he regained custody of the child.

More >> Couple forced to hand adopted son back to biological parents, father murders baby weeks later

• Iowa Couple Adopts A Baby, Then Is Forced To Give Him Back To Birth Parents, Five Weeks Later 

Justices say Kanawha judge made clear error in abuse, neglect case

A Kanawha County Circuit judge “committed clear legal error” by authorizing a mother to have unsupervised visitation with her infant child despite her 20-year history of abuse and neglect case proceedings, the West Virginia Supreme Court ruled this week.

More >> Justices say Kanawha judge made clear error in abuse, neglect case

Children of addicts yearn for home despite dangers

As heroin pushes its way into families across the county, more and more children are filling the foster care system, eager to go home to their parents no matter the home life.

More >> Children of addicts yearn for home despite dangers