Creating Residential Treatment Capacity Expansion Fund

SB 439 creates a special fund within West Virginia’s Department of Human Services to expand in-state residential treatment capacity for children in care. It establishes a commission (including agency heads, courts, and service providers) to study current placement practices, reduce out-of-state placements by 10% annually (50% within three years), and identify gaps in in-state services. The bill requires the commission to make annual recommendations on improving collaboration between agencies, developing community-based alternatives, and ensuring cost-effective care. This directly affects children needing residential care, families, and state agencies like DHHS, Behavioral Health, and Juvenile Services. The fund will support implementing these recommendations to keep children in state facilities rather than out-of-state placements.