The proposed bill aims to establish a pilot program in West Virginia for the use of mobile devices in child abuse and neglect investigations, specifically under a new section designated as 49-2-815. Set to begin on October 1, 2026, the program will require the use of mobile devices, such as computers or tablets, to assist child protective service workers in conducting investigations in real-time. The Department of Health and Human Resources will select two counties to participate in the pilot program and will develop policies to ensure the mobile devices are equipped with a customized operating system that allows for the creation of contemporaneous digital records, secure daily uploads to the department's server, and interoperability with existing programs for quality metrics analysis.

The pilot program is designed to be comprehensive, with specific requirements including the use of mobile devices in at least 70% of cases in the participating counties. Quality metrics will be extracted monthly for analysis by department officials, and the program is set to terminate five years after its full implementation. Additionally, the department is mandated to file annual reports starting July 1, 2027, to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human Resources Accountability, providing updates on the program's status and the effectiveness of the technology used.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 49-2-815
Committee Substitute: 49-2-815