Latest news with #WestVirginiaOffice
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Morrisey announces foster care reforms, promises transparency as struggling system moves forward
Gov. Patrick Morrisey on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, announced a series of reforms that he said will end 'years of bureaucratic stonewalling' from within the state's troubled foster care agency and begin a 'new era of transparency.' (West Virginia Office of Gov. Patrick Morrisey video screenshot) Following years of issues within the state's foster care system, Gov. Patrick Morrisey on Wednesday announced a series of reforms that he said will end 'years of bureaucratic stonewalling' from within the agency and begin a 'new era of transparency.' The proposed changes are partially the result of a statewide listening tour, where Morrisey and other officials — including the new Department of Human Services Secretary Alex Mayer — heard from residents on challenges they've faced from the state agency in charge of child welfare. At those listening sessions, West Virginians shared stories lamenting lack of communication from the state's Child protective Services workers and other issues that have occurred due to the system being inconsistent, short on staff and offering limited support for many traumatized children. The reforms announced by Morrisey on Wednesday include: Having DoHS fully comply with the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act and follow federal guidelines requiring the public disclosure of key information in child abuse or neglect cases resulting in fatalities or near fatalities Overhauling the state's Child Welfare Dashboard to make it easier to interpret and more user friendly Requiring supervisors to conduct monthly reviews with their child welfare cases and work with the governor's office to identify opportunities for improvement. The state will also launch a department-wide 'Leadership Education and Development' (LEAD) initiative to train DoHS supervisors. Creating a Critical Incident Review Team that will conduct a 'deeper dive' into any critical incident that occurs Introducing a Comprehensive Practice Model to provide a framework that can be standardized across the state Allowing caseworkers to gather more comprehensive information on cases rather than relying solely on the referral process There are currently more than 6,100 children in West Virginia's foster care system. That number has skyrocketed during the state's drug crisis. The state's high poverty rate has contributed to the number, as well. The new reforms as well as the recent statewide listening sessions were initiated after several high-profile incidents of child abuse and mistreatment occured in West Virginia in recent years. Reporters investigating the incidents were often stonewalled by the state government, unable to get information about the events or the circumstances that led up to them. 'In previous years, the state stonewalled about the status of children in its care — and that changes now,' Morrisey said on Wednesday. 'We are rolling up our sleeves and getting to work. West Virginians deserve a child welfare system that is transparent, accountable and always puts the safety of children first.' Morrisey appointed Mayer to oversee DoHS in January. The 37-year-old came to the Mountain State from South Dakota, where he worked for the state government on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the child welfare system. Before getting involved in state government, Mayer was adopted. He spent time in the military before working at a residential facility serving people with severe mental illnesses. In an interview with West Virginia Watch earlier this month, Mayer said he was focusing his first few months on learning where and how the state could increase specialized care for children who need additional services, increase consistency in the state agency's processes and recruiting foster families to help care for children already in the system. This legislative session, lawmakers — who have struggled in recent years to get a handle on DoHS spending — allocated more than $300 million to foster care. The 2026 budget bill mandated that the agency spend some money on designated line items to prevent it from shifting money around to pay bills. But Morrisey vetoed that idea, saying it was too restrictive for DoHS. Morrisey — who made reigning in state spending a key tenet of his first legislative session as governor — also vetoed line item funding for programs that support foster children as well as babies born with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. Mayer said he doesn't believe that more funding will solve the issues clearly present in West Virginia's child welfare system. Instead, he said, the state will likely rely on partnerships with the faith-based community, businesses and others that provide services to help children and families. On Wednesday, Mayer said he realized that change is long overdue for both the state's children and the adults who attempt to care for them. 'For far too long, we've asked families and frontline professionals to navigate a system that has not kept pace with the complexities our families and children face today. That must change,' Mayer said. 'We are listening — intentionally — and using that feedback to shape a more responsive, accountable and transparent system built on trust.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Morrisey's health push proving to be quite the hike
Gov. Patrick Morrisey hikes the newest Mountaineer Mile Trail at Summersville Lake State Park in Summersville, on May 9, 2025. (West Virginia Office of Gov. Patrick Morrisey video screenshot) Among the new construction and second-growth forest above the rock cliffs of Summersville Lake, Gov. Patrick Morrisey cut a ribbon, did some media and walked the third Mountaineer Mile hiking tract. Steps from where the local edition of his gubernatorial predecessor's Almost Heaven Swing offers a selfie-ready sit, the governor walked the loop of the newly designated trail. The obligatory press availability of such festivities involved the governor extolling the virtues of setting an example of 'if I can do it, with all the challenges in place, certainly everyone in West Virginia, if you have the chance, get out and walk a mile.' While Summersville Lake State Park is the first new officially designated one in over 30 years, West Virginia's State Parks have long been a source of not only recreational opportunity but local pride. As gateways to some of West Virginia's best scenery, natural wonders, and preserved environments, the state park system has been the public facing portal for the wild and wonderful for generations. Country roads might take you home, but designated camping and outdoor recreation areas are vital to attracting West Virginia tourism as well as being go-to places for locals. Plus, along with West Virginias, walking is always free in addition to being good for the body as well as the soul. The Mountaineer Mile initiative is planned to expand to 32 West Virginia State Parks. The benefits of such a marriage are obvious: Take a new initiative, marry it to one of West Virginia's most successful state-run programs, let the press and social media streams cross on something that is common sense and everyone across the political spectrum can agree is a good thing. But politics, like hiking the hills, isn't about how you start, it is how you finish. Which is a good thing for Morrisey. The Mountaineer Mile is part of a larger push for healthy legislation, regulation and policy proposals. During a 'Make America Healthy Again' joint event in March with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Morrisey found himself on the receiving end of what many took to be weight jokes from RFK. The reaction ranged from laughing it off, which is what Morrisey did, to fat shaming accusations in national outlets, to others finding it a cringy and inappropriate break in the West Virginia ethos of 'we can poke fun of us and ours, but you can't' regarding outsiders. The viral moment with the highly controversial Kennedy highlights the problem of walking the line between prudent policy and performative politics. Morrisey — to his credit — has the self-awareness to realize that in the highly-visual world of modern politics talking about government-enforced health in others has a prerequisite of taking action and personal accountability himself. That is just common sense, a little media/political savvy, and also good basic leadership. Trickier is balancing his current battle to remove soda from SNAP benefits while the southern coalfields of West Virginia are struggling under a water crisis. Or being in lock-step with the still very popular in West Virginia Trump administration's ongoing efforts to cut federal funding to a state like West Virginia which receives 27% of its annual revenue from Washington, D.C. Or the escalating vaccination fight that has combined health care debates, education issues, and personal freedom with legal questions, contradictory policy and plenty of raw emotions. Then there is still the looming need for a legislative special session to potentially deal with a PEIA can that is annually kicked down the road by delegates and state senators who are under the umbrella of a supermajority but have been shown to have plenty of divisions beneath it. Medical science tells us exercise in general, and walking specifically, is great not only for physical health but also mental health and stress relief. Trekking out and back from the newly-designated Hughes Ferry Day Use Area at West Virginia's newest state park on a glorious May day was surely a respite for Morrisey and the many claims on his time and attention. The Mountaineer Mile is one of those initiatives where good policy and good politics meet at a place of agreement. A rare place these days, agreement … one that doesn't have much demand for a sanctioned hiking trail to get there, nor will have a well-worn trail there and back again. Shame, that. Performative politics that has good policy behind it is just good politics and good policy in a good public package. A good politician dreams of such things. A great politician makes such things a reality. But that is a fine line to try and walk for anyone — Morrisey included — for any stretch, let alone a mile. That's a long way to lug a health initiative that is light on the science and heavy on the internet feels and populist politics. A distance that is still early days in a four-year term leading the Mountain State into the future. For Morrisey, the start has had missteps in putting in his miles when the performative politics outweighed the prudent policy. We will see how he finishes. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Morrisey ceremoniously signs bill to update plugging methods for abandoned oil and gas wells in WV
Gov. Patrick Morrisey held a ceremonial bill signing for House Bill 3336, which will change statewide standards for plugging abandoned and orphaned oil and natural gas wells across West Virginia. Morrisey, West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Harold Ward and lawmakers were at the ceremony at the Heritage Port Amphitheater in Wheeling, for the signing on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (West Virginia Office of Gov. Patrick Morrisey | Courtesy photo) Gov. Patrick Morrisey on Thursday ceremonially signed a piece of legislation that will change statewide standards for plugging abandoned and orphaned oil and natural gas wells across West Virginia. House Bill 3336 allows abandoned and orphaned wells in the state to be plugged by piercing the casing of the well and filling it with cement instead of removing the entire infrastructure of the well, which was previously required under state law. The bill passed the state House of Delegates 94-1 with five members absent and not voting. With one member absent, the state Senate unanimously adopted the bill on April 11, sending it to Morrisey's desk for signature. The new methods for plugging wells will give the state Department of Environmental Protection more 'flexibility to adapt to real-world conditions,' said DEP Secretary Harold Ward. The method has been 'successfully tested in the field' under a pilot project run by the DEP, according to a news release. Officials at Thursday's briefing said they're hopeful that enacting a less burdensome plugging method will allow wells to be plugged quicker using less money. Ward said there are more than 21,000 abandoned and orphaned wells in the state of West Virginia that can pose varying levels of environmental or health risks for the people and communities near them. Because they are abandoned — meaning the operators have left them and it's unknown who is responsible for them — the state is on the hook to plug the oil and natural gas wells. But plugging wells has proven a challenge across West Virginia. For one, the work is expensive. According to the abandoned well mapping tool from the DEP, the cost of plugging each well varies, but generally comes in near or above $100,000. A majority of wells plugged in the state are paid for using federal dollars allocated over recent years, specifically through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in 2021 and the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022. Per the DEP, both of those federal programs — passed and allocated under former President Joe Biden — are a 'significant boon' for the state's attempts to identify and plug abandoned wells as they provide 'substantial' funding to West Virginia that is 'crucial' to supporting the state Office of Oil and Gas. State funds — allocated to the OOG through industry permit fees, bond forfeitures and severance taxes — also go toward plugging wells, but on a smaller scale. State money covered plugging 18 abandoned wells in 2023 and about 32 in 2024, per the DEP. Meanwhile, federal funds covered plugging more than 200 abandoned or orphaned wells in 2023 and 2024 respectively. If the federal funding from the IIJA remains active and available, it's estimated that the state will be able to plug at least 1,200 abandoned wells through 2030. On Thursday, Morrisey praised the passage of HB 3336, saying it will 'protect West Virginia's natural resources and unique environment.' The law will go into effect on July 5. 'This new law cuts unnecessary regulation, safeguards our ecosystem, and saves taxpayer dollars,' Morrisey said. If you suspect the presence of an abandoned oil or natural gas well on your property, report the well to the state DEP by clicking here. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Morrisey signs education bills banning cellphones, mandating ‘In God We Trust' posters in WV schools
Gov. Patrick Morrisey signed a pair of education bills on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, at Lincoln Middle School in Shinnston, He is joined by students and (center) Del. Mickey Petitto, R-Harrison, and (right) Del. Carl Martin, R-Upsher. (West Virginia Office of the Gov. Patrick Morrisey | Courtesy photo) Gov. Patrick Morrisey signed a pair of education bills that will ban the use of cellphones in classrooms and require teachers to display 'In God We Trust' in schools. Students, Republican lawmakers and others joined the governor at Lincoln Middle School in Shinnston, West Virginia, on Tuesday for a bill signing ceremony. Morrisey prioritized banning cellphones in schools, mentioning it in his State of the State address. It was the only piece of education legislation that the governor requested in his first legislative session. 'I think this is going to make a significant difference for our teachers and students,' Morrisey said. 'We know that the use of personal electronic devices in the classroom increases distractions, academic misconduct and bullying and, overall, it creates a negative learning environment.' Morrisey also mentioned that the bill would help curtail students' addiction to cellphones that could harm their mental health. House Bill 2003, which overwhelmingly passed the House of Delegates and Senate, prohibits students from using a personal electronic device during instructional time. County boards of education are required to create and adopt a policy that includes whether cellphones are permitted on school grounds and what the consequence would be for students who violate the policy. If a county board decides that cellphones will be permitted on school property, students may be required to store the devices in containers or pouches provided by the county board, according to the bill. 'The kids throughout the state had influence on this bill and helped work it. That's incredible,' said Sen. Jay Taylor, R-Taylor. 'Don't take this as, 'We don't want you to use cellphones.' We want you to learn to use them responsibly.' Morrisey also signed Senate Bill 280, which requires public schools and higher education institutions to display a durable poster or framed copy of the United States motto, 'In God We Trust.' Sen. Mike Azinger, R-Wood, has sponsored the measure for three years. 'First of all I want to give honor to God for this bill. It tells Americans and kids … what our U.S. motto is,' Azinger said. 'If America stays with that motto in our hearts and West Virginia stays with that motto in our hearts, we'll be OK.' The display must contain a representation of the United States flag centered under the national motto and cannot have any other words or images. It didn't come with funding for schools to purchase the signage, but schools can accept private donations for the now-required display. 'We have to ensure that we're teaching kids about the founding principals of our country — a true and accurate retailing of civics and American life and history,' Morrisey said. Morrisey noted the state's near-bottom ranking in student academic performance and teacher pay. 'We're not going to get where we need to be without having every West Virginia child having the ability to access a top-notch education system,' he said. During his State of the State address, Morrisey called for teacher pay raises as West Virginia's public school teachers are the least paid in the nation. But the governor didn't request a bill to implement a pay increase. A bill sponsored by Sen. Eric Tarr, R-Putnam, sought to implement 'locality pay' for teachers. It would have determined their potential raise by the median home prices in their county. The bill failed to make it to the full Senate for consideration. Morrisey already signed lawmakers' high-profile education measure that will give elementary teachers more authority to remove disruptive or violent students from their classroom. The measure is in response to West Virginia teachers' call for help in addressing an uptick in elementary students' violent and dangerous behavior that has resulted in teacher injuries and learning disruptions. The bill also mandates that school mental health professionals assess removed students to see what could be causing the behavior. Additionally, Morrisey signed lawmakers' budget that includes $97 million in funding for the state's education voucher program, the Hope Scholarship, that has a quickly-accelerating price tag. Lawmakers have already raised concerns about how the state will afford the program next year with its estimated price tag of $300 million. Morrisey has until the end of day Wednesday to sign the remaining bills. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Fat people are not your enemies
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey invited U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to join him to announce statewide health initiatives on Friday, March 28, 2025 at St. Joseph School in Martinsburg, (West Virginia Office of the Gov. Patrick Morrisey | Courtesy photo) Last Friday, Gov. Patrick Morrisey and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appeared on stage together in Martinsburg wearing matching green hats that read 'Make America Healthy Again.' Morrisey was present to show support for the Trump administration's 'MAHA' plan, and RFK Jr. responded by publicly shaming him over his weight — mocking his appearance, offering to put him on a diet and even mentioning a specific amount of weight he needed to lose. This is not an unfamiliar dynamic in West Virginia politics. Jim Justice's weight has long been an easy talking point, a cheap insult and topic of fatphobic political cartoons for people across the political spectrum. West Virginia itself is often called one of the nation's 'fattest states' due to high obesity rates, while also experiencing some of the worst health outcomes. But what does this mean when the scientific relationship between fatness and health is more complicated than it initially seems? According to the Association for Size Diversity and Health (ASDH), 'Efforts to make fat people thin fail over and over. And in fact we have decades of research on diets and 'lifestyle changes' that show that, while people can intentionally lose weight for six months to one year, they eventually regain most, all, or even more than they initially lost.' The impact of weight on health gets even more convoluted when the health impacts of fatphobia are included. In their paper 'Whatever I said didn't register with her': medical fatphobia and interactional and relational disconnect in healthcare encounters', researchers Carolin Kost, Kimberly Jamie, and Elizabeth Mohr found that fat people 'frequently experience negative and highly stigmatizing health care encounters,' which can 'compound and worsen disordered eating, trigger mental health problems, and lead to health care avoidance.' Fatphobia itself can actually be one of the causes of worse health outcomes. Much has been (rightfully) made of RFK Jr.'s talk of wellness camps and banning SSRIs. But his views on 'obesity' are dangerous as well: in his confirmation hearing, RFK Jr. calls it an 'existential threat' to America. The very same politicians who decry obesity are the same ones who tout things like raw milk and ivermectin. It can be tempting to look at two tenuously linked factors like weight and health and focus on 'solving' one to address the other. But why not start with the things proven to improve health: clean air and water, well-priced food and fair wages, accessible and affordable medical care, stable housing, free child care and paid time off for all, etc? These calls to eradicate a certain size and shape of person should be concerning to us all. The desire to control people's bodies — by taking away the right to abortion, by criminalizing unhoused people and people who use drugs, by attempting to ban trans health care, and by attempting to eradicate fat people — all come from the same authoritarian project. Finally, when you use fatphobic rhetoric to insult politicians, even harmful ones, they are usually not the ones hearing it — your fat friends, family members and community members are. It shows that fat bodies are acceptable sites for mockery and derision, just like the rest of the marginalized people Trump and his appointees are targeting. Together, we can demand more to improve our state's health — and there are much more creative insults out there anyway. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
