West Virginia

This website is from a research project administered by the University of Colorado. The site houses a list of publications, offers state profiles data and a complete list of helpful links. Visit the website to review the charts and tables for each state or to order a publications such as the new State of the States in Developmental Disabilities: 2005.

This new interactive online tool provides the latest key data for each state’s Medicaid program and the population it serves, allowing for easy comparisons of one state to any other state or to the nation as a whole, on a selection of important indicators. Utilizing figures from the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured and drawn directly from statehealthfacts.org, this tool provides customized figures and tables that can be easily printed as fact sheets, emailed or saved.

Access to affordable, accessible, and integrated housing within a community of choice has been identified as one of the primary barriers faced by persons with disabilities in West Virginia. Lack of housing has become a major barrier to successfully moving individuals from institutions to the community. This manual is intended to be a resource to assist individuals with understanding the complicated maze of systems that must be navigated to successfully own or rent a home or apartment.

The goal of the West Virginia Real Choice project is to create enduring improvements in community long-term support systems so that individuals of any age who have a disability or long-term illness have the choice and necessary supports to live and participate in their communities. The have created three position papers to present arguments for expanding the horizons of employment options, personal assistance programs, and waiting lists protocols.

The WV Real Choice program is providing incentive funding to parent/family based organizations. The funds will be awarded to organizations such as Parent Educator Resource Centers, WV Parent Training and Information, Family Resource Networks and other family-based organizations to implement best practices in middle and secondary education regarding youth transition that use a person-centered approach. This RFP is an great example for other states structuring similar requests.

The 50-state annual survey of budget conditions and Medicaid cost containment actions in FY2005-06 shows that all states implemented and planned more Medicaid cost-containment actions, but are also implementing expansions as the gap between Medicaid spending growth and state tax revenue narrowed.

This newly released biennial study verifies that low-income people with disabilities are experiencing a national housing affordability crisis. The Priced Out in 2004 study compares the monthly SSI income of more than 4 million Americans with disabilities to the fair market rental rates for efficiencies and modest one-bedroom apartments in every housing market in the country. Review more facts, figures and examples about housing and the national rent increases which greatly exceed SSI Benefits.

This is the fifth national survey of the direct-care workforce published by the National Clearinghouse on the Direct Care Workforce. It examines public policy actions taken by states to strengthen the direct-care workforce, and updates information collected in prior surveys. Responses were received from 38 states, representing a 76 percent return rate. The report contains data tables with survey results and details national initiatives pertaining to the direct care workforce.

For the last two years, WV Real Choice has worked in collaboration with other agencies and organizations to create improvements in long term support systems so persons with disabilities and/or long term illnesses can make their own choices and have the necessary supports to live and work in their communities. Attached are the program's community outreach materials such as brochures, flyers, postcards and previous and current conferences advertising materials.

The West Virginia C-PASS Grantees developed and designed this survey to determine the status of direct support workers providing home and community-based personal assistance services. The survey was distributed to agencies where workers provide services such as homemaker and personal care. The information gathered will be used by state policy makers to guide strategic planning and improve service delivery. The data will also help to implement and evaluate workforce development.