Connect with us

West Virginia

West Virginia releases first comprehensive study on homelessness – WV MetroNews

Published

on

West Virginia releases first comprehensive study on homelessness – WV MetroNews


CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A new study on homelessness released by the state Department of Human Services (DoHS) this week highlights the diverse demographics and challenges many people face across the state.

Christina Mullins

It’s the first comprehensive study of homelessness in the state required by state law.

SB 239, which lawmakers passed during the 2023 legislative session, required the Bureau for Behavioral Health to complete the study.

The study shows more than half (58%) of people experiencing homelessness are men. About 13% of homeless individuals in West Virginia identified as Black or African American, which is higher than the 3.7% of the total state population that identifies as Black or African American.

Advertisement

Nearly half (48%) of those experiencing homelessness were between the ages of 25 to 44, which Christina Mullins, Deputy Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders at DoHS, said is fairly younger.

“It also kind of aligns with what we see in some our overdose patterns, so we know that folks are going to be a lot more vulnerable in that age group to addiction and potential overdose as well,” Mullins told MetroNews Tuesday.

Mullins said there are complex drivers that are causing homelessness across the state. Mental health and addiction are the main reasons, but some have experienced an accident, the loss of a job, lack of affordable housing, being released from correctional facilities and other situations.

“Some of the folks talked about domestic violence, abusive childhoods, illness or disabilities or a lot of other traumas, but we also know from the study that mental health and substance use disorder were definitely also drivers of people experiencing homelessness,” she said.

The majority of individuals experiencing homelessness were long-term residents of West Virginia. Many cited the availability of services, proximity to family, and personal relationships as reasons for relocating to or within West Virginia. The study found most homeless individuals were located in larger cities near more services.

Advertisement

“Where there are more services, we also tend to have more people in those areas and we do have more people experiencing homelessness clustered in those areas,” Mullins said.

Often times, Mullins said these individuals are unaware of the help they can get.

“We’ve got to look at the gaps,” she said. “Some of the things that we saw are people not knowing how to access services, so we have to do a better job of communicating that and making that easily accessible,” she said.

Mullins said with the results of this study, DoHS and other state agencies are now better equipped to support the homeless population.

For more information, CLICK HERE.

Advertisement



Source link

West Virginia

West Virginia Online Casino Payout Methods: Best Withdrawal Options In 2026

Published

on

West Virginia Online Casino Payout Methods: Best Withdrawal Options In 2026


Online casino revenue has never been higher in West Virginia.

That means plenty of customers are making deposits and playing games.

But, one of the keys to being among the top online casinos in West Virginia is having reliable and secure payout methods.

Online players need to know they will be able to receive their winnings in a timely and legal fashion. While iGaming platforms often promote their deposit methods, we’re taking a closer look at the available withdrawal options.

Advertisement

Top WV Online Casino Payout Methods

Options for withdrawing funds from a West Virginia online casino are a little more limited than deposit options.

Online casino operators are also slower to provide a withdrawal than a deposit, as they tend to review with payout to ensure the funds are going to the right person in a secured way.

Here’s a breakdown of the available withdrawal options for WV online casino players.

Online Banking

Online casinos typically use a company like Trustly to complete secure online banking transfers to make payouts.

This method will see the winnings deposited directly into the bank account that you provide.

Advertisement

Thousands of banks participate in these programs, so your bank is likely covered. Withdrawals can take 24 hours for online casinos to review, then 3-5 business days for your bank to process the funds.

eCheck/ACH

Most online casinos use VIP Preferred as a banking method option. This is a way to transfer funds through an electronic check that is done through ACH (Automated Clearing House). It’s the same option many companies use for making direct deposit payments to employees.

Electronic checks take 1-2 business days to be processed.

Debit Card

Debit cards are payment cards linked directly to your bank account. Most WV online casinos accept Visa and Mastercard from customers.

In many cases, the operator will require a user to make a deposit with the debit card before accepting any withdrawals being credited to the card. Payouts using a debit card will send the funds directly to your bank account.

Advertisement

Transactions using a debit card should appear in under 24 hours.

Apple Pay

Apple Pay is an option that is available. It is a virtual wallet that holds debit and credit cards for customers. It is a convenient option for iPhone users that use mobile online casino platforms.

Payouts using Apple Pay are typically reflected in under 24 hours.

PayPal

PayPal is a virtual wallet that users can attach their debit cards or bank accounts to.

Online casinos require customers to have a Personal or Premier PayPal account if they are looking to use it as a payout method.

Advertisement

Withdrawals using PayPal take 1-2 business days to appear in your account.

Venmo

Another virtual wallet option that is owned by PayPal, Venmo links a user’s bank account and banking cards.

Just one Venmo account is allowed per customer at a given WV online casino.

Venmo withdrawals take 1-2 business days to appear in your account.

Play+

Play+ is an account that customers fund and then use those funds for various things like online gaming or online gambling.

Advertisement

West Virginia iGamers can fund and make deposits to their Play+ account through online casinos. In order to get a payout with your Play+ account, you must first make a deposit using the same account.

Payouts using Play+ should appear in your account in 24-48 hours.

Cash at Casino

Some online casinos will work with their retail partners for deposit and withdrawals.

Users have the option to visit the participating the retail casino location, make a cash withdrawal from their online account based on the funds they have available.

For this option, customers will need to have a valid ID photo and a transaction ID number from the online casino.

Advertisement

Wire Transfer

A wire transfer moves funds electronically from one account to another. However, this method is typically used for large sums or international banking.

West Virginia online casinos require large minimums in order to make a withdrawal using this method. These minimums are thousands of dollars.

Wire transfers tend to take 1-2 business days to take effect.

Check by Mail

If no other options work for you, West Virginia online casinos in most cases are willing to send you a paper check with your winnings.

Most require a certain minimum amount in order to use this method. Checks can take up to 14 business days to reach a user once sent.

Advertisement
Drew Ellis

Drew Ellis has experience covering the gambling industries in North America and around the world. Decades of media experience provide him with the background to handle the complexities of different gambling laws and policies around the United States and North America. Ellis has primarily focused on online and retail casino news since 2021. Prior to working in the gambling industry, Ellis spent over 20 years in the newspaper industry, covering sports and the gambling. His work for The Mt. Pleasant Morning Sun and The Oakland Press was recognized with awards by the Associated Press and other media organizations. Drew has also contributed to the Detroit Free Press and the Associated Press.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

West Virginia

Oldest Toughman Contest in West Virginia returns for 47th year

Published

on

Oldest Toughman Contest in West Virginia returns for 47th year


CLARKSBURG, W.Va (WDTV) – The Toughman Contest will return to Clarksburg this weekend for its 47th year, with the Nathan Goff Armory hosting the event for the 45th consecutive time.

The tournament was founded in 1979 in Bay City, Michigan by Art Dore, a former professional boxer. Dore later teamed up with Jerry Thomas to bring the event to West Virginia.

The contest is designed for amateur boxers, with no professionals allowed to compete. A new rule introduced this year prohibits former winners from competing in future Toughman contests.

“The event is three 1-minute rounds. Everyone wears 16 oz. gloves which is a training glove. There’s no headgear required for this now, hasn’t been for about 7 or 8 years and they get a one-minute rest between each round. We’ll have experienced trainers in each corner,” said Jerry Thomas, president of West Virginia Sports Promotions.

Advertisement

Two doctors will be ringside along with paramedics and EMTs from Harrison County Emergency Squad to tend to fighters after their bouts.

The tournament features five weight classes for both men and women. Fighters will weigh in Friday at 4 p.m., where matchmakers will determine opponents based on age, size and experience.

The single-elimination tournament begins Friday night, with all participants fighting once before returning Saturday to advance through the bracket until winners are crowned.

“The winners here in the men’s division will take home $1,000 for first place prize. The runner-up in each weight class will receive $500. The winner receives a nice Toughman jacket that you can only obtain by winning the tournament or working for the company,” Thomas said.

The weekend will also feature two professional fights. Friday’s bout will be a four-round super middleweight contest, and Saturday will feature an eight-round title fight for the vacant West Virginia cruiserweight championship.

Advertisement

Tickets and live streaming options can be purchased on their website. Remaining tickets will be sold at the door before the event begins at 7 p.m.



Source link

Continue Reading

West Virginia

WV House Democrats say they’ll prioritize affordability during session

Published

on

WV House Democrats say they’ll prioritize affordability during session


The minority party of the West Virginia House of Delegates hope to prioritize affordability and lowering the cost of living during the 2026 legislative session, which starts this week. The House Democrats held a news conference Monday to announce their “kitchen table” agenda for this year. The plan comes after they held a series of […]



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending