West Virginia requires clothing support for children in placement

Placement providers and child welfare workers must review a child's clothing and approved necessities when placement begins. This applies to children removed from their homes who are in the Department of Human Services' legal custody and placed in foster, kinship, or residential care homes. If the child already has enough suitable clothing and approved necessities, no further action is needed at that time. If supplies are lacking, the placement provider must seek an initial clothing allowance. The provider must keep an adequate wardrobe and approved necessities available while the child remains in the provider's care. The child's inventory must be updated during placement and follow the child through later placements. The review occurs at initial placement, and inventory updates continue throughout each placement period.

The Bureau of Social Services must issue an initial clothing allowance of at least $375 when a child needs clothing or approved necessities. The allowance covers children in the Department of Human Services' legal custody who enter foster, kinship, or residential care without an adequate wardrobe or enough approved necessities. The initial allowance is meant to provide immediate clothing and necessities, not completely outfit the child. The allowance may cover approved necessities, which are items the department has approved for purchase. The allowance applies at initial placement when the review shows that the child needs clothing or approved necessities.

The Department of Human Services must choose a payment method for initial and supplementary clothing allowances, using a payment card first when available. Payment rules apply to placement providers and to child welfare workers or case aides who purchase clothing or approved necessities for children in placement. The department may use a purchasing card if a reloadable payment card is not used. Reimbursement from a provider's own funds is allowed only when another payment method is not feasible. Providers and workers must keep receipts and follow the applicable reconciliation rules. Kinship providers submit receipts to the child welfare worker or case aide; foster providers submit receipts to their child placing agency, which invoices the department. When a payment card is used, the Bureau must issue or reload it within 48 hours after the child is placed with the provider.