During a recent government meeting, Amy Serval, director of programming at the Children's Home Society of West Virginia, presented a funding request aimed at enhancing support for vulnerable children in the region. The organization is seeking $200,000 from the West Virginia First Foundation to bolster three critical programs: the Victoria's House Child Advocacy Center, a foster care permanency program, and an independent living program for youth transitioning out of foster care.

Serval highlighted the alarming trends in child abuse cases, noting that over half of the children seen at the advocacy center have also been exposed to parental substance abuse. This dual crisis underscores the urgent need for additional resources to support these children, many of whom experience severe physical and sexual abuse.

The funding request includes provisions for hiring an additional home finder to facilitate the licensing of foster care homes in Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan counties. Currently, there are approximately 6,000 children in West Virginia's foster care system, with only 53 licensed families available to provide care in the area. Serval emphasized the necessity of expanding foster care resources to ensure that more children can be placed in safe environments.

Additionally, the independent living program, now in its second year, aims to assist youth aging out of the foster care system. Serval explained that many of these young individuals lack essential documentation and life skills, which are critical for their successful transition to independence. The program focuses on helping them secure identification, learn budgeting skills, and prepare for either higher education or immediate employment.

The meeting underscored the pressing challenges faced by child advocacy and foster care systems in West Virginia, as well as the commitment of organizations like the Children's Home Society to address these issues through targeted funding and support initiatives.