By Taylor Stuck, The Herald-Dispatch
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The House Committee on the Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse passed two bills Wednesday that tweak legislation passed in 2019 establishing a certification process for recovery residences in West Virginia.
The 2019 legislation created a certification process for recovery residences and only permits state funding and referrals if the home is certified. The recovery homes, sometimes also known as sober living houses, must follow industry-best practices.
The 2019 legislation required the state Department of Health and Human Resources to contract with the West Virginia Alliance of Recovery Residences, the state chapter of the national alliance. The alliance has certified more than 30 residences in the state since 2019, said Del. Mike Pushkin, D-Kanawha.
One of the two bills originated in the committee Wednesday would end the contract with the state alliance and move the certification in-house to the Bureau for Behavioral Health…