Foster Care System

On this West Virginia Morning, kids in foster care are already facing a tough road, but a new investigation reveals that some are sent to out-of-state facilities, some of which have been flagged by the state's own Department of Health and Human Resources as problematic.

Foster children are at a significantly higher risk of developing mental and physical health problems than those who haven't been in the system — challenges West Virginia kids are already more likely to confront compared with their peers elsewhere.

When major problems — including abuse and neglect — come to light, the state doesn’t always immediately move kids to safety. West Virginia officials tasked with foster kids’ care won’t answer questions about how they vet out-of-state facilities or how often they check on the kids living there.

On this West Virginia Morning, we look at West Virginia’s overburdened foster care system and how the U.S. Department of Justice has been working with state officials for years to try to improve conditions. Also, we bring you this week’s Mountain Stage Song of the Week from songwriter Sam Beam.

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