The bill amends several sections of the West Virginia Code related to the Critical Incident Review Team, which is responsible for reviewing child fatalities and near fatalities within the child welfare system. Key changes include a requirement for the commissioner to notify the Office of the Inspector General within 24 hours of a child fatality or near fatality to convene the Critical Incident Review Team. Additionally, the bill clarifies that the team will continue to operate under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Inspector General and mandates that the Foster Care Ombudsman will chair the team instead of the Commissioner of the Bureau for Social Services. The Commissioner or their designee will still be a member of the team.

Furthermore, the bill outlines updates to the child welfare data dashboard, which must be revised by July 1, 2026, to include various performance indicators and information on child fatalities and near fatalities. The dashboard will also provide a link to the final report of the Critical Incident Review Team within 24 hours of its completion. The Office of Inspector General is tasked with submitting initial and updated reports to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human Resources Accountability, including statistical information and recommendations aimed at reducing child fatalities and near fatalities in the state.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 49-11-101, 61-12B-1, 61-12B-3, 61-12B-5
Enrolled Version: 49-11-101, 61-12B-1, 61-12B-3, 61-12B-5