The bill amends various sections of the Code of West Virginia to enhance child welfare processes, particularly in child protective services investigations and multidisciplinary treatment planning. Key provisions include the requirement for the Department of Social Services to provide parents with a "Parents Guide to Working with Child Protective Services" at the beginning of an investigation, outlining the process and parental rights. It also establishes a centralized intake reporting procedure for child abuse and neglect, mandating reports through a 24-hour hotline or web-based system, while ensuring confidentiality and retention of reports for a specified duration. Additionally, the bill introduces the Critical Incident Review Team to review serious child welfare incidents and emphasizes the inclusion of parent resource navigators in multidisciplinary teams to support families.

Moreover, the bill expands access to information related to child abuse and neglect proceedings for various entities, including government bodies and child fatality review teams, while maintaining the confidentiality of reporters' identities. It allows the Foster Care Ombudsman to access information in cases of near fatalities or fatalities within the foster care system and mandates the Department of Human Services to publicly disclose information on child fatalities or near fatalities, with protections for reporter identities. The Critical Incident Review Team is tasked with identifying trends and recommending prevention strategies, while ensuring the confidentiality of its proceedings in compliance with privacy regulations. The bill has been certified by the Clerks of both the House of Delegates and the Senate and will take effect 90 days after passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 49-1-201, 49-4-405
Committee Substitute: 49-1-201, 49-4-405
Engrossed Committee Substitute: 49-1-201, 49-4-405
Enrolled Committee Substitute: 49-1-201, 49-2-809, 49-4-405, 49-5-101, 49-11-101, 49-2-802a, 61-12B-1, 61-12B-2, 61-12B-3, 61-12B-4, 61-12B-5, 61-12B-7