SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 49
(By Senators Bowman, Bailey, Chafin, Sprouse,
Helmick, Barnes, Harrison, Yoder, McCabe, Dempsey, Jenkins,
Hunter and Unger)
Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance study
alternatives to out-of-state placement of children committed
to the care of the State of West Virginia.
Whereas, Children placed in the care of the state are an
important responsibility of state government; and
Whereas, The treatment, care, rehabilitation and education of
such children should be delivered in a clinically successful and
cost-effective manner; and
Whereas, Hundreds of children in the care of the state are
placed in out-of-state institutions and programs that often prove
costly; and
Whereas, The current annual cost of out-of-state placement is
in excess of $20 million; and
Whereas, Out-of-state placements are frequently a considerable
distance from families, friends, neighbors and communities of the
children; and
Whereas, The Legislature has passed numerous acts in an effort
to reduce the practice of placing children in out-of-state
facilities or institutions and to reduce the cost of such placements, but those acts have not had the intended effect;
therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is hereby
requested to study alternatives to out-of-state placement of
children committed to the care of the State of West Virginia; and,
be it
Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and
Finance is requested to study the current statutes, rules or
regulations regarding the placement of children and determine
whether they are effective, being properly followed or enforced or
if they incorporate the most beneficial strategies, methods and
services to serve the children placed in the care of the state and
compare current practices in this state with successful models in
other jurisdictions; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and
Finance is requested to determine whether current programs in West
Virginia place sufficient emphasis on returning children in the
care of the state to their custodial families or achieving
adoptions; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and
Finance is requested to study programs and methodologies designed
to reduce the length of stays in child placement programs and
achieve definable benchmarks of progress that lead more rapidly to permanent placements; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and
Finance is requested to determine whether the total amount of state
dollars spent on services for children in the care of the state
could be spent more effectively and efficiently; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and
Finance report to the regular session of the Legislature, 2006, on
its findings, conclusions and recommendations, together with drafts
of any legislation necessary to effectuate its recommendations;
and, be it
Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this
study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary legislation be
paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on
Government and Finance.
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