FISCAL NOTE
Date Requested: January 20, 2026
Time Requested: 04:10 PM |
| Agency: |
Human Services, WV Department of |
|---|
| CBD Number: |
Version: |
Bill Number: |
Resolution Number: |
| 3078 |
Introduced |
HB4602 |
|
|---|
| CBD Subject: |
Human Services |
|---|
|
FUND(S):
0489 - Bureau for Social Services Foster Care
Sources of Revenue:
General Fund
Legislation creates:
Creates New Program
Fiscal Note Summary
Effect this measure will have on costs and revenues of state government.
The purpose of this bill is to establish a pilot program to support caseworker administrative tasks with technology and human caseworker aide services to increase the number, frequency and timeliness of caseworker interactions with children and families served by caseworkers within the Department of Human Services.
Bill creates the Caseworker Services Pilot Program.
The Department anticipates a fiscal impact of $976,260 for the pilot project, should this legislation pass.
Fiscal Note Detail
| Effect of Proposal |
Fiscal Year |
2026
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
2027
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
Fiscal Year
(Upon Full
Implementation) |
| 1. Estmated Total Cost |
0 |
976,260 |
976,260 |
| Personal Services |
0 |
976,260 |
976,260 |
| Current Expenses |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Repairs and Alterations |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Assets |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Other |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 2. Estimated Total Revenues |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Explanation of above estimates (including long-range effect):
Based on the caseworker aide current grant salary of $36,158 + 12,655 EB (calculated at 35% of salary), the Department estimates a Contracted Provider would receive $48,813 per Caseworker Aide provided per year.
The Department estimates a need of 20 case aids, derived from an estimation of how many workers one case aid can support. That number is about 1/3 of the case workers in Kanawha; therefore one case aid could potentially support three workers; carrying an average initial assessment caseload of 12 per month, or an average caseload of 25 for ongoing case managers, by assisting with entering case information.
Assuming that the contractor can fill all 20 positions as requested for this pilot program, the total amount for the first year contract would be approximately $976,260.
Memorandum
At §49-2-131(a)(1) "...services using a human services technology platform" is not defined.
If the intent is that the aids are going to work in office in an administrative capacity ("administrative support"), no additional informational system will need to be created. They can key into Path, which is a Technology platform for human services.
If intent is that aides are going to ride along with the aid to do the entry at point of service, a mobile application would need to be created. The work made on Comet system could be leveraged to save costs, and only the mobile entry application would need to be created. That cost would be similar in nature to the Comet system. Additionally, ability to support 3 caseworkers, if expected to ride along, would not be feasible.
There is de minimis fiscal impact on the Department's Office of Management Information Services. Staff would need to review the security and compliance of any PII or PHI in Article 1, section 1, a1 "human services technology platform" and would be absorbed into daily duties.
Person submitting Fiscal Note: Alex J. Mayer, MSA, PMP, DoHS Cabinet Secretary
Email Address: osafiscalnotes@wv.gov