By KAITLYN NEFF
Times West Virginia
FAIRMONT, W.Va. — West Virginia’s drug epidemic has impacted the state’s child welfare crisis, and Marion County is not immune.
Instances of substance abuse in families leading to a current need for foster homes hacw happened within the county.
“Statewide, West Virginia lacks adequate foster care families, adoption options, Child Protective Services (CPS) staff and other resources needed to manage the high number of CPS referrals and removals from the home,” West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) director of communications Allison Adler said.
According to Adler, there are 87 children in foster care in Marion County as of July 2017.
While the drug epidemic has played a huge role in the state for those children removed from homes and placed in foster care, county-specific data is not available.
However, Fairmont Safe at Home facilitator Andrea Peters says it is very common.
“I would say at least 75 percent or greater of our cases are associated with substance abuse,” Peters said. “With the work that I do, literally every child I have worked with has been touched with some level of substance abuse.”
Peters’ job is to keep children safe at their homes.
Safe at Home West Virginia believes that if targeted and comprehensive community services are provided to wrap around youth and their families, it can either reunify them or keep them out of care in the first place and, most importantly, keep youth in their communities, according to its website.
“We have had more successes than failures,” Peters said. “It is a great program.”
Peters said that the drug epidemic is really something the state of West Virginia needs to act quickly on because it is not going away any time soon.
“Substance abuse has had an effect on the number of cases in the state,” Adler said. “The number of children removed from their homes as a result of substance abuse has increased dramatically in the past 10 years in West Virginia, from 970 children in 2006 to 2,171 children in 2016.”
The DHHR attempts to accommodate this increase by working with other groups to bring awareness of the need for foster families.
“The DHHR works with Mission West Virginia to spread the word about the need for foster and adoptive children in West Virginia,” Addler said. “There are 144 foster care homes in Marion County currently, and those homes also accept children from other counties.”
Peters said that unfortunately Marion County is in need of more foster homes.
“There just aren’t enough families because these kids unfortunately come with more issues other than parents who are addicted,” Peters said. “The state and local agencies do everything they can to find a home for a child in need.”
According to Adler, to become a foster parent in West Virginia, a person must first register online by completing the Adoptive/Foster Parent Inquiry Form or contact Mission West Virginia at its toll-free number (866-CALL-MWV).
Next, a person must attend a pre-service orientation.
“This training discusses the responsibilities and details of becoming an adoptive or foster parent,” Adler said.
After orientation, the DHHR will provide a home study for a family assessment.
During this study, a social worker will interview everyone in the household. References will be contacted, and medical reports will be reviewed.
A criminal investigation and a protective services background check are both performed on all adults in the home.
“Those who are planning to adopt privately or internationally must contract with a private adoption agency to obtain a home study,” Adler said.
All information gathered during the home study is kept confidential, and Adler said that the social worker also discusses with prospective parents about the type of child that might be the best possible match for their family.
When the assessment is complete, the family will be notified whether their home has been approved. If approved, the information will remain in the West Virginia Adoption Resource Network Family Register for six months.
“Those interested in foster care and adoption opportunities can visit dhhr.wv.gov or contact Mission West Virginia at 866-CALL-MWV,” Addler said.
Email Kaitlyn Neff at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter at @kneffTWV.
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