Bill to help children aging out of foster care nears finish line, would require DoHS transparency

by Amelia Ferrell Knisely, West Virginia Watch
March 10, 2026

West Virginia youth transitioning from foster care, who face the highest risk of homelessness in young adults, are the focus of a bill soon headed to the governor’s desk for consideration.

The Senate unanimously approved a GOP-backed measure Monday that streamlines what supporters said was an inconsistent continuum of care for youth exiting the foster care system. It requires the state Department of Human Services to maximize federal funding available for this population after returning funds earmarked for these youth. 

The department would be required to collaborate with organizations around the state helping these youth access housing, education and more. 

Denise Hughes, director of programming for the West Virginia Children’s Home Society, said she was thrilled that senators focused on children who are aging out of the foster care system. 

“There’s a large part of them, if they end up homeless, they can fall victim to all sorts of criminal activity, including trafficking and drugs,” Hughes said. “The quicker we get them off the street, housed and supported, the better off their long-term outcome is.”

There are nearly 6,000 children in West Virginia foster care until they age out at 18 years old. Those who are 18 while in foster care have the option to extend their time in state custody.

The measure — House Bill 4730 — would align West Virginia with President DonaldTrump’s executive order in 2025 meant to improve outcomes for children and youth transitioning out of foster care. It required key federal agencies to “harness federal support, technology and strategic partnerships to provide young Americans in or transitioning out of the foster care system with the tools they need to become successful adults.” 

Del. Adam Burkhammer, R-Lewis, who is a foster parent, sponsored West Virginia’s legislation aimed at helping this population. The House approved his bill last month with a vote of 95-1.

“The data is clear that kids aging out of foster care often fall through the cracks, and we can’t let that happen. It is a priority for me to ensure they have everything they need to become successful adults,” Burkhammer said after the Senate approved his bill. 

The Department of Human Services would have to operate a continuum of care that ensures youth — prior to exiting foster care — will have access to things they need, like housing, education, job training and more. 

The Children’s Home Society has independent living programs in Beckley, Lewisburg, Martinsburg, Morgantown and Parkersburg.

“It’s not just, ‘Here’s an apartment, go live,” Hughes said. “It’s that regular contact with them, that regular advising them and finding out what their needs are and helping them get those needs.”

She continued, “Youth who don’t have that support … They just have a lifetime of struggles. If we want them to be productive members of our society, we’ve got to provide them support like this.”

The bill also requires the state to maximize available federal funding earmarked for children aging out of foster care until the age of 21. A recent investigation from Mountain State Spotlight, a nonprofit newsroom, found that West Virginia returned nearly $7 million to the federal government that was meant to help foster children transition into adulthood. 

The federal funds — mostly Title IV-E dollars — would be also used to create a rate structure for providers that reflects accurate costs of staffing and services for youth aging out of foster care, according to the measure.

The bill is estimated to cost $10.9 million to serve around 250 youth who are transitioning out of  foster care. The state would now be required to draw down additional federal money to help with the cost. 

The Department of Human Services would be required to report annually to a legislative committee starting Dec. 1, about how they’ve used federal and state funding for youth transitioning out of foster care. 

The House also passed a separate measure, House Bill 4573, that would require the West Virginia Department of Education to create a resource guide for foster youth that ensures they’re aware of available resources to help them as they transition from care. The bill has yet to be taken up by the full Senate for a vote ahead of Saturday’s legislative deadline.

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