CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) – The West Virginia Department of Human Services says they are continuing their efforts to make improvements to staff retention rates in the Bureau for Social Services’ Child Protective Services (CPS).

According to the DoHS, As of July 31, the vacancy rate for CPS workers was down to 17%, or 87 vacancies, and the vacancy rate for Youth Services (YS) workers was down to 13% with 19 vacancies across the state. The DoHS says there are 12 counties and districts that currently have no CPS worker vacancies.

The DoHS says ongoing recruitment efforts and streamlining processes have helped them to fill those vacancies and retain employees. They say their initiatives have included improving working conditions, providing additional training and enhancing support for CPS and YS workers.

“These numbers are more than just statistics; they represent the dedication and hard work of our team members who are committed to serving West Virginia’s most vulnerable populations,” said Cynthia Persily, Ph.D., Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Human Services. “We are proud of the progress we’ve made and will continue to invest in our workforce to ensure that our employees have the support they need to thrive in their roles. This progress would not have been possible without the strong support of Governor Justice, whose commitment to the well-being of our residents has been instrumental in driving these positive changes.”

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Persily first announced publicly that the DoHS had been working on a way to better filter referral calls during the controversy following the death of Kyneddi Miller, a Boone County 14-year-old found dead and in an emaciated state in April. Her mother and grandparents are facing charges in her death.

At that time, Persily also announced they would be tightening the protocol for intake calls.

The decision to tighten those protocols came because a WVSP trooper who had gone to the office in March 2023 to see if there was a way to get Kyneddi in touch with someone who could help her with her fear of COVID-19 . However, because there was no formal report or any concern of abuse or neglect at that time, there was no follow-up on Kyneddi. In early June, Persily said any informal report will now trigger an automatic call to the abuse and neglect hotline.

In July, the DoHS announced they were launching a new tool to help improve their centralizd intake system for abuse and neglect.

Anyone who suspects abuse or neglect of a child or adult is urged to call the Centralized Intake for Abuse and Neglect hotline at 1-800-352-6513 .

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