Relating to circumstances of parental rights

SB 438 amends West Virginia law to expand when the Department of Human Services must seek termination of parental rights, including cases where children have been in foster care for 15 of 22 months, parents commit certain violent crimes against children (like murder or sexual abuse), or parents voluntarily stop contact for 18 months (excluding incarceration or treatment). It also modifies improvement periods, allowing courts to grant up to six months for parents to address issues after abuse/neglect findings, with specific court review requirements. The bill directly affects parents facing termination proceedings, children in foster care, and the Department’s procedures for case management. These changes clarify specific triggers and timelines for parental rights termination under state law.