a difficult, lengthy and life-long struggle to overcome.”
Another issue to contend with is understaffing.“ The state has a shortage of several professions that include social workers, therapists, case managers and child psychiatrists,” says Adler.
To date, there are 842 employees in the field of social work employed by the DHHR. During her career, Boileau has seen a lot of burnout in the field and the feeling of being overwhelmed by the size of the problem.
A Strategy for Solutions
Despite the challenges, the DHHR is determined to make changes to combat the problem with a child welfare reform strategy to better identify at-risk children and provide in-home supports. The department will coordinate substance abuse resources to prioritize children, improve relationships with the judicial branch to tackle the crisis and develop a multifaceted CPS reform strategy.
“ Communities can work together by assessing current services and supports to families and identifying what is not available,” says Alder.“ Many families can benefit from nontraditional services and supports. If families do not have the healthy connections to stay in treatment, this is where churches and other civic organizations can provide assistance.”
Boileau’ s WE CAN mentoring program through the CHS is a good example of how communities can help children in the state. The program recruits, trains and makes volunteers available to child protective service workers, who then match the volunteer with a child to meet with for a few hours each week.
“ There are several church-related outreach programs like Camp Royal that do not receive any state funding but rely on community resources and grants,” says Adler.
There are several other programs in place to help children in crisis. Since 2001, the DHHR has been working with Mission West Virginia to communicate the need for foster care and adoption in the Mountain State. Alder says the Therapeutic Foster Care Program, established in 2016, is for youth who require an out-ofhome setting as well as treatments and / or support services. Safe At Home West Virginia helps support children with multiple issues and needs.
Foster Parenting 101
According to the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources( DHHR), as of November 2017, there were more than 5,900 West Virginia children in DHHR care, proving that the need for loving foster parents in the Mountain State is great.
While navigating the bureaucracy of foster parenting can be a daunting task, there are resources in place to help potential caregivers enter the system and make a difference in a child’ s life.
“ Foster care is hard work, but you are not on your own,” says Joanne Boileau, the director of the Children’ s Home Society of West Virginia in Princeton.“ You are part of a team that is working to identify how to meet the needs of the child in foster care. The need for foster parents grows daily, and while we used to be really focused on trying to find parents for teens and we still need homes for teens, there are referrals every week for all ages of children coming into care as a single child and as part of a sibling group.”
If you are interested in getting involved in foster care in West Virginia, here are some tips to help you get started:
“ Based on the wraparound model, it is a planning process that helps ensure children and youth grow up in their homes and communities,” says Adler.“ Safe at Home West Virginia provides supportive services to children, family members, caregivers and foster parents to help develop and maintain a stable, loving environment.”
The state also believes in-service and ongoing training provide a foundation of
• First, complete the Adoptive / Foster Parents Inquiry Form online at the DHHR website or call Mission West Virginia at( 866) 225-5698. You can also go through agencies like the Children’ s Home Society of West Virginia.
• Attend a pre-service orientation to learn about the responsibilities and details of becoming an adoptive or foster parent.
• Complete a home study. The DHHR will provide home studies for any family that plans to adopt a child who is in foster care in West Virginia. The home study is a family assessment, and a social worker will interview everyone in the household. References and medical reports are reviewed as well. All adults in the home of prospective parents and families will undergo a criminal investigation and a protective services background check. A social worker will also talk with the family about the type of child that would be a good match for the home. All information is kept confidential. International and private adoptions must contract to obtain a home study.
• After completion, the family will be notified if their home has been approved by the DHHR.
learning and skills to assess and determine safety and service needs.
“ West Virginia’ s children deserve to grow up in safe, supportive environments,” says Crouch.“ We are dedicated to improving policies and practices while working with our partners to have the best outcome for West Virginia’ s children and families.” •
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