City brings in Valley HealthCare for camping ban sentencing program

Dominion Post

5 days ago

Morgantown City Hall
MORGANTOWN — The city of Morgantown is finalizing the implementation of Ordinance No. 2024–29, which establishes Article 1157 of the City Code, titled 'Camping on Public Property.' The ordinance makes camping on public property unlawful and outlines citable offenses while prioritizing service-oriented responses for citizens in violation of the ordinance.
Beginning June 4, the city will launch an alternative sentencing program in partnership with Valley HealthCare Systems, a local provider specializing in mental health, substance use treatment, housing services, and case management. For decades, the organization has served West Virginia, and it is now a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) in accordance with federal law.
Serving as a third-party provider contracted by the city, Valley HealthCare Systems will conduct assessments and guide individuals toward support systems that address housing instability and offer recovery options. Their expertise and already established working relationships with community and regional service providers will enable the identification of additional service opportunities as well. Through this partnership, the city will be advised on best practices in connecting citizens in need of help with substance abuse, mental health, or case management to return to stable housing.
The organization will also help define the requirements for successfully completing alternative sentencing under the ordinance. The initiative aims to address one of the most complex social crises facing Morgantown by offering accountability and opportunity through evidence-based programing.
Brad Riffee, Public Relations and Communications Director for the City of Morgantown, emphasized the city's dedication to upholding local laws and regulations.
'City staff and administration are committed to enforcing all local provisions, laws, and ordinances with fairness and objectivity,' Riffee said. 'Our responsibility is to apply these regulations as written, ensuring accountability while always acting in the best interest of the entire community. We will always strive to balance compliance with compassion and any strategy we follow will reflect a model that offers consideration to all citizens.'
The program will adopt a model similar to the West Virginia Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (WV LEAD) Program. LEAD is a pre-booking diversion program that allows law enforcement to redirect individuals engaged in low-level offenses, often related to substance use or mental health challenges, away from the criminal justice system and into treatment and recovery services.
The city hopes to incorporate elements of this model to offer the best alternative sentencing options to its citizens. Steve Bennett, Director of the LEAD Program and Crisis Services and the primary point of contact for Valley HealthCare Systems, reported that the program had a 60% success rate in the region in its first year.
'We're proud to partner with the city of Morgantown to help develop meaningful alternatives for individuals cited under the new ordinance or anyone for that matter,' Bennett said. 'By connecting people to housing, treatment, and long-term support, especially those struggling with substance use disorders, we can reduce repeated offenses, improve public safety, and offer individuals a real path toward stability and recovery.'
The goals of the LEAD program include: – Saving lives by returning citizens to a more stable lifestyle – Decreasing recidivism – Providing better access to mental health services and housing options – Improving community and police relations
– Reducing opioid overdose deaths by connecting citizens to treatment facilities
Individuals cited for violating Article 1157 are eligible for alternative sentencing if they seek assistance with substance use, mental health, or housing-related case management. Valley HealthCare Systems will assist in developing and managing the alternative sentencing program.
Under the ordinance: – A first violation results in a written warning and information about available shelter and services, both locally and regionally. – A second violation may result in a fine of up to $200 and information about available shelter and services.
– A third violation within 12 months may result in a fine of up to $500 and/or up to 30 days in jail, along with information about available shelter and services and alternative sentencing options.
Each day a violation continues is considered a separate offense. No citation or penalty will be issued unless the individual has been offered alternative shelter and has refused it.
In a statement, Morgantown Chief of Police Eric Powell noted that this ordinance does not alter how city departments or officials interact with the public or individuals who are currently unsheltered.
'Morgantown remains committed to compassionate engagement, connecting individuals with treatment programs, housing services, and healthcare resources,' Powell said. 'For over two years, the city has employed a full-time social worker who supports our law enforcement officers in providing direct assistance to individuals in need. In partnership with the Morgantown Police Department (MPD), the city plans to hire two additional peer recovery specialists or case managers to expand intervention and follow-up services.'
Powell continued to share additional thoughts about what he calls a service-driven approach to public safety.
'By prioritizing appropriate responses and resource accessibility through real collaborative partnerships like the one we are implementing, we can create lasting positive change while maintaining public safety,' Powell added. 'At the end of the day this is our goal. We care about everyone.'
MPD's Police Social Worker, Kelly Rice, LICSW, was hired in 2023 to provide direct service and outreach to individuals who are facing crisis. Rice is a licensed clinical social worker who specializes in working with citizens who need mental health treatment, housing coordination, domestic violence support services, substance use disorder treatment, and trauma informed care. She also has significant experience with victim impact and crisis intervention.
Since the beginning of the year, Rice has responded to more than 180 service calls with MPD. In 2025 alone, she has made 17 shelter referrals, coordinated more than 36 responses to mental health and treatment calls, completed seven disability assessments for the West Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness (WVCEH), assisted in six mental hygiene hearings, and reported to Child Protective Services (CPS).
'When people wake up in the morning, they don't say, 'Hey, I think it's a good idea to be unsheltered or develop substance use disorders,'' Rice said. 'Street outreach has taught me that hundreds of factors can contribute to why an individual might be living outside. These added resources to the department and other meaningful partnerships will only strengthen our mission to get people to a safer and healthier place.'
The city is in the process of posting signage in prominent locations that will help direct citizens to the appropriate contacts if they are actively living outside. Using the city's Pathways to Help platform, the municipality hopes to guide citizens to resources they can utilize to obtain help. The goal of Pathways to Help is to provide assistance to those in hardship by connecting individuals with essential resources that will meet their needs or the needs of others.
By utilizing services like West Virginia 211 (WV 211) to link members of the community with local providers that offer lifesaving and life-changing services in Morgantown and across the state, citizens are more likely to receive help that meets their specific needs promptly, reduces barriers to access, and improves their overall well-being and stability.
Other local agencies providing assistance to those in hardship include Catholic Charities, Lauren's Wish, Rape & Domestic Violence Information Center (RDVIC), Project Rainbow, The Salvation Army, Christian Help, and many others.
Community members can inquire about shelter services by contacting Grace Shelter at 681-867-1002. In the event of an emergency, always remember to call 911. For non-emergency related issues, call 304-599-6382.