West Virginia Department of Human Services releases assessment of state’s homeless population

CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) — In February of 2023, West Virginia lawmakers passed Senate Bill 239, a bill that required the West Virginia Department of Human Services (DOHS) to complete a study of West Virginia’s homeless population.

According to a point in time survey that was conducted in January 2023, there were 1,416 homeless people documented in West Virginia. The study stated multiple times that the actual number of those experiencing homelessness is most likely much higher, due to the difficulty of counting the entire population.

The statistics showed that 58 percent of those experiencing homelessness identified as male. It also showed that 48 percent of the homeless population in West Virginia are between the ages of 25 and 44.

13 News spoke with Christina Mullins, the DOHS Deputy Secretary of Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders, who gave some insight into why there appears to be a trend with younger people facing homelessness.

“In terms of the younger population when we know that addiction and mental health issues are a driver of homelessness, you can kind of see that the age ranges tend to overlap in what we see in our overdose rates. So, I think that just that population is at higher risk in that age demographic then we would expect to see,” Mullins said.

While West Virginia does have a lower rate of homelessness than neighboring states, 3.6 percent of the homeless population are enrolled in public schools. That’s 50 percent higher than the national average.

Mental illness and substance abuse were identified as two main factors contributing to a growing homeless population.

One in three (35 percent) of those experiencing homelessness self-reported as struggling with mental illness. One in five suffer from a Substance Abuse disorder. One in ten suffer from alcohol abuse disorder.

There are multiple other factors that Mullins said contribute towards homelessness.

“It tends to go along with a traumatic event, like the loss of a job, a disability, a person experiencing domestic violence or abuse. It’s not just one thing, which is why we’re seeing pretty consistently, it’s a complex issue,” Mullins said.

The study also showed that areas like Huntington, Charleston and Wheeling have a higher population of homeless people than more rural areas of the state. Mullins said that this is because there are more programs set in place in these areas, drawing more people towards the cities.

Mullins said that it could take months before West Virginia lawmakers can fully read and digest the 169 page study, but that the DOHS will do everything they can to spread awareness amongst those experiencing homelessness of services and shelters in place.

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