By Steven Allen Adams, Parkersburg News and Sentinel
CHARLESTON – A federal audit of West Virginia’s child welfare system during former Gov. Jim Justice’s final year in office found that 91% of 100 reviewed reports did not follow requirements for child neglect and abuse cases.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General released a report Friday – issued on Sept. 26, 2025 – looking at the Child Protective Services program within West Virginia’s Department of Human Services.
The report focused on the state’s compliance with child abuse and neglect requirements under the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act. The audit found that the state’s Bureau for Social Services failed to comply with intake, screening, assessment and investigation procedures in an estimated 91% of 100 screened-in family reports.
Specific deficiencies included failing 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.
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