State & Local Reports

The objectives of this audit were to identify and review the Bureau for Children and Families' (BCF) child protective service (CPS) worker allocation process and determine if other methods should be used. Also, PERD was asked to determine if population is considered in staffing allocation. PERD found that the BCF allocates CPS workers based on the percentage of accepted CPS cases to a region and district. While the agency typically allocates workers using this method, it does allow for exceptions, which changes the allocation in two or more districts. While the current allocation process keeps the caseload numbers in line with national standards, it does not consider vacancies. When the number of vacancies is considered, the actual caseload is much higher than the allocated caseload.

The objectives of this review was to determine if the Board of Examiners in Counseling complied with the general provisions of Chapter 30, Article 1 of the West Virginia Code, the Board’s enabling statute, other applicable rules and laws, and if the Board’s website is user-friendly and promotes transparency. The Board is financially self-sufficient and complies with most provisions of state regulations. PERD also found that the Board put sensitive materials on an unsecured page of its website. This put the state at risk of liability. When notified of the exposure, the Board did not follow executive branch procedure and report the exposure to the Office of Technology. The Board sends unencrypted emails with the complaint files and passwords to board members and complaint committee members.

The objective of this review was to determine the level of benefit the Port Authority provides to the state of West Virginia, and whether there is a continued need for the agency’s existence. The Legislative Auditor finds that the Port Authority receives no funding, has no employees or future projects, and holds no benefit to the state of West Virginia. Additionally, the agency is currently inactive, does not implement key duties and responsibilities designated by the W. Va. State Code, and has incurred more expenditures than revenue in recent years.

PERD’s objectives were to determine to what extent has the costs per patient at Jackie Withrow Hospital increased or decreased compared to other comparable state health facilities since 2013, and whether the facility complied with the Americans with Disabilities Act. In 2018 Jackie Withrow Hospital had the third highest cost-per-patient and the highest overall expenditures for FY 2018 of the four state-owned hospitals. Contributing factors to the higher costs are that the size of the building far exceeds its current use and the age of the building needs many costly repairs and upgrades. The facility was built in the 1930s for a capacity of 655 beds. However, the facility currently serves between 79 and 91 patients at any one time. As in 2013, the estimate to build a new, appropriately-sized facility to replace the Jackie Withrow Hospital would be less costly than the estimated cost to completely repair the facility.

PERD’s objectives were to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of the A. James Manchin Rehabilitation Environmental Action Plan (REAP). Although REAP has produced significant output, the program is inefficient and the primary desired outcomes are not being achieved. REAP has not been effective in pollution prevention or reducing per capita municipal solid waste disposed in landfills.

Legislative leadership commissioned a study to gauge the issues and needs of state-owned laboratory testing facilities. Nearly all the State’s laboratory testing programs are in facilities dating back to the middle of the last century. Not only are they relatively old, but many were not constructed for lab testing purposes. Each of the State’s lab testing programs do not have sufficient lab space in their current facilities, and no facility upgrades or remodeling have occurred to maintain modern standards.

The legislative auditor commissioned a study to gauge the use, effectiveness, and benefits of telework as it was used by the West Virginia executive branch in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. PERD staff surveyed the 139 state agencies to gain an understanding on the transition to telework. One hundred twelve (112) agencies responded. PERD also interviewed nine state agencies to obtain details on their telework experience as they returned to the workplace.

PERD’s objectives were to provide information on the unprecedented number of unemployment claims filed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the amount paid in fraudulent claims, and the causes for many fraudulent claims being paid. WorkForce West Virginia paid nearly $83 million in fraudulent unemployment claims during the COVID-19 pandemic. The total number of unemployment claims processed by WorkForce increased from 52,816 in CY 2019 (pre-pandemic) to 457,399 in CY 2020. WorkForce’s claims process was not designed for the unprecedented number of claims received, and the allowances of self-certification of federal pandemic unemployment assistance program claims.

The objective of this report was to review the OCME's current methods for retaining remains and any legal authority it may have to plan for their disposition. Current operating procedure is to store remains with evidentiary value in frozen storage and those without evidentiary value as cremated remains, but no written policy and procedure exists. Both unidentified and unclaimed remains must be retained indefinitely by the OCME at its main facility. The Legislative Auditor concludes that the OCME lacks adequate statutory authority to arrange for the final disposition of decedent remains in its long-term custody.

PERD’s primary objective was to assess the Bureau of Senior Services’ response to a January 2014 PERD report recommendation to consolidate 10 ADR Centers into 1 ADR Center. One ADR Center, operated by the Bureau from its administrative office in Charleston, would free an additional $225,000 to $305,000 in lottery funds annually for other services the Legislature deems beneficial to citizens of the state (W. Va. Code §29-22-18). Reducing the number of ADR Centers to one does not reduce the State’s capacity to streamline access to the service that is primarily supplied via the telephone.