Requiring children to be screened for sex trafficking upon entering foster care

SB 763 requires all children entering foster care, kinship care, or residential placements in West Virginia to be screened for sex or labor trafficking by a trained advocate upon their first entry into the system. It also mandates screening for youth recovered after going missing from such placements and periodic screenings while children remain in care. The bill specifies that an evidence-based tool must be used for all screenings, and if trafficking is indicated, the Department of Human Services must provide immediate support services. This law directly affects every child in West Virginia's foster care system, aiming to identify and assist trafficking victims early.