Foster parents may soon get more money for adopting children under a measure passed by the House of Delegates Tuesday aimed at alleviating West Virginia's overburdened foster care system.
Delegates voted 96-1 to approve the bill, with Republican Del. Pat McGeehan as the lone no vote after he was told the measure would cost the state around $17 million.
“Great emphasis has been placed on the projected cost of this bill but we must acknowledge that this is an investment, an investment in West Virginia children,” said Del. Jason Barrett, a Berkeley County Democrat. “With these necessary increases agencies will be able to recruit and retain more foster families."
The proposal, which now moves to the Senate, would give families at least $900 a month for each child adopted. Child placing agencies would also get $1,000 every time they finalize an adoption.
The bill also establishes a foster care bill of rights, which would ensure children and parents understand their rights in the state's foster system. At least 15 states have enacted bills establishing a foster children's bill of rights and 17 have foster parent bill of rights, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
West Virginia's bill of rights proposal includes guarantees that foster children live in safe settings, should be free of sexual abuse and attend school. Foster parents would be entitled to receive child care training and know a child's behavioral history prior to placement. The state's foster care ombudsman would be charged with investigating violations of the bill of rights.
Del. Daryl Cowles, a Morgan County Republican, said it's good to put such rights in state code.
"There's a level of support needed for foster children in this state and this goes a long way to saying we want to support those things," he said.
Recordsshow more than 7,000 children in the state's foster care system as of January, a nearly 70% increase from 2015. Officials have blamed the national opioid crisis for the increase.
