Mountain State Times

The West Virginia Department of Human Services (DoHS), Bureau for Social Services (BSS), is participating in the national celebration of November as National Adoption Month. Governor Jim Justice has declared November as Adoption Awareness Month in the state, highlighting the contributions of adoptive families and the importance of advocating for children awaiting adoption.

"This observance highlights the profound impact adoptive families have on the lives of children and underscores the critical need for permanent, loving homes for youth in foster care," stated Kim Ricketts, DoHS Special Consultant to the Secretary for the Bureau for Social Services. "Together with local adoption agencies and community partners, DoHS is committed to expanding adoption awareness and ensuring ongoing support for families throughout their adoption journey."

In West Virginia, there are currently over 1,200 children out of 6,008 in State custody who are at various stages of the adoption process. Those interested in fostering or adopting can find more information at wefosterwv.org.

The West Virginia Kids Thrive Collaborative, created with Mission West Virginia, provides a quarterly newsletter offering parenting tips and resources to foster parents, adoptive parents, and kinship caregivers. This initiative aims to strengthen family bonds and support youth success statewide.

Mental and behavioral health services are accessible to all children in West Virginia. For assistance with parenting support or crisis counseling, individuals can visit help4wv.com.

For those considering careers supporting children and families in West Virginia, opportunities can be explored at governmentjobs.com/careers/osawv.