West Virginia
As Justice admin delays funding, group homes to close and displace adults with disabilities • West Virginia Watch
A few weeks ago, Gov. Jim Justice, who is running for an open U.S. Senate seat, asked the public to “stay tuned” regarding funding for programs that help people with disabilities.
West Virginia’s low Medicaid reimbursement rate has led to staffing shortages for workers who help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) eat, bathe and live in home-like settings.
As the Republican governor and the Department of Human Services haven’t yet addressed the rates, a group home in Martinsburg for about a dozen people with disabilities will close due to staffing shortages.
“It’s awful. People we serve may have to locate hours away from their family or relocate to live with someone they don’t know,” said Ray Ratke, CEO of enCircle. The Virginia-based company operates the group homes under the name of Stonebrook.
Half of the individuals have no family members who can care for them, he added, meaning they could end up in state-run institutions that were never meant to house individuals long term.
Ratke said the closure, planned for Nov. 1, was due to the state’s failure to address the Medicaid reimbursement rate issue and raise worker pay rates.
People we serve may have to locate hours away from their family or relocate to live with someone they don’t know.
– Ray Ratke, CEO of enCircle
West Virginia Behavioral Healthcare Providers Association CEO Brad Story said it wasn’t likely other providers would be able to take the displaced Martinsburg patients as they’re all grappling with staffing shortages due to the reimbursement rate issue.
“In order to rehome or transfer a client, you’ve got to have another [provider] ready to provide this service. No one I know of is ready to accept clients right now. It’s going to be very, very challenging,” Story said.
There’s a waitlist of more than 700 people for the state’s IDD waiver program, which allows them to access services like in-home care. A DoHS leader said in April that around 6,000 people were served by the program.
Lawmakers bolstered IDD funding during the May special legislative session but didn’t mandate how DoHS spent the money. Many argued the department already had the money to fund the increase but hadn’t chosen to.
West Virginia Watch reached out to DoHS for this story and asked if the closure was connected to the state’s Medicaid reimbursement rate issue.
In an email, DoHS Director of Communications Whitney Wetzel said: “The West Virginia Department of Human Services is aware of the closure and DoHS Bureau for Medical Services Commissioner Cindy Beane has met with the facility.
“We recommend reaching out to the facility for questions regarding its business decision to close.”
Rate increase could happen this fall, but is it soon enough?
The state uses state and federal money from Medicaid to reimburse private companies that employ direct care workers.
Caregivers currently earn around $11 an hour. A rate study last year suggested that a salary range should be closer to $15.50-$18.60 per hour.
Ratke said his company, which plans to lay off around 65 workers, has struggled to staff in-home workers while paying $13.66 an hour — particularly in the Eastern Panhandle where people can easily travel to nearby border states for higher pay.
In April, he stood in the Senate chamber before lawmakers and DoHS leaders and pleaded for a reimbursement rate increase. He warned a closure could happen without an adequate fix.
“It’s very frustrating and disheartening we have been working for two years educating legislators and the governors’ office about this issue,” Ratke said on Monday.
After slashing IDD funding during the regular legislative session, lawmakers in May passed a bill that gave DoHS roughly $180 million in a reserve for department leaders to dip into for limited reasons when needed. It could be used on the Medicaid reimbursement rates.
Lawmakers were wary about giving DoHS money for the reimbursement rate after learning in April that the department previously spent millions of dollars earmarked for people with disabilities on things like in-home COVID-19 tests and contract nurses’ salaries.
Leaders with DoHS have told lawmakers, lobbyists and West Virginia Watch that they’re considering a reimbursement rate increase that would go into effect in October.
Story was hopeful that providers would see a rate increase.
“We’re thankful they’re going to give us that, and [DoHS Secretary] Cynthia Persily has taken every meeting we’ve asked for,” he said.
Under current regulations, private companies wouldn’t be required to spend the rate increase money on staff raises, though many have committed to it. Other providers, including those that serve elderly residents through the state’s Aged and Disabled Waiver Program, have also said they need a rate increase.
For Ratke and the individuals he serves, the possible increase may come too late. He stressed that these individuals are receiving necessary state-funded care due no fault of their own.
Institutionalized individuals, he noted, will cost the state much more than properly funding community-based services like the ones he plans to shutter.
“You can either serve people and serve them well, or you can run into problems and have to pay much more,” he said.
West Virginia
Charleston commemorates Juneteenth with downtown parade and celebration – WV MetroNews
CHARLESTON, W.Va – Charleston is celebrating Juneteenth with its annual parade, followed by a celebration in Slack Plaza featuring live entertainment, food, educational exhibits, and more.
The parade stepped off from the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center at 11:30 on Friday with a long line of organizations participating and several community members recognized as “Mr. and Miss Juneteenth.” Smiles dotted the procession as organizers watched a community come together.
“It’s just a wonderful thing when we can bring the community together to celebrate freedom, and here in West Virginia, we’ve had some challenges because they’ve said that Juneteenth is not a state holiday, but our people are still celebrating,” parade chairperson Karen Williams said.
The parade marked the start of an entire day recognizing the history of Juneteenth, the emancipation of more than 250,000 enslaved Black people when the Union Army arrived at Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865. With the last stronghold of slavery in the Confederate States eradicated that day, June 19 came to be celebrated as a second independence day, and President Joe Biden established it as a national holiday in 2021.
In West Virginia, former Gov. Jim Justice was the first to declare a state holiday and did so in each of his last four years in office. Gov. Patrick Morrisey recognized Juneteenth with a proclamation on Friday but has not declared a state holiday in 2025 or 2026.
“Representation really matters, so seeing Black queens and Black kings roaming the streets of Charleston is a beautiful thing, and it’s a needed thing. I think there’s a lot more people that aren’t going to celebrate Juneteenth than people that are, so I think it’s really important that we continue to celebrate this holiday and show why it’s important,” Miss Juneteenth Adult Keyarna Frederick said.
Different groups from around the Kanawha Valley came out to participate from businesses and youth organizations to political committees and arts collectives. Williams believes that shows that Juneteenth is a day for the entire community to celebrate.
“Appalachian people have always grown up and lived together, and what we want—we want people to continue that. We want people to continue to be together. We’re not saying this is a Black event or a white event. We welcome all people to come and participate,” she said.
The parade route echoed her sentiment as nearly everyone who joined the parade shared handshakes, high-fives, and hugs. That spirit of togetherness spoke to the day’s honorees as well.
“It’s definitely something that we should all be celebrating. It’s for all of us, not just for a certain color or a certain kind. It’s for all of us, so I believe everyone should be celebrating this day,” Mr. Juneteenth Adult Edward Frederick said.
“This is my first time in the parade. It’s so beautiful. It’s so amazing to see different organizations a part of the parade, seeing how much muscle has went into even doing something like this, so I think it’s a beautiful thing for Charleston,” Keyarna Frederick added.
From the parade to the activities in Slack Plaza, the day’s organizers sought to create an environment to celebrate Juneteenth with a spirit of unity. Williams hopes that anyone that joined or watched felt that along the way.
“I want them to see that we are Almost Heaven, West Virginia; that we are celebrating freedom; and that we are a community that embraces one another,” she said.
BOONE COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) – We have a traffic alert for drivers in the Danville area of Boone County.
Starting on Friday, they should expect delays as crew perform work on the Jill Micah Hess Bridge along U.S. 119.
According to the West Virginia Department of Transportation, northbound traffic will be shifted from the slow lane to the fast lane.
This will take place from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and drivers are asked to expect delays.
Copyright 2026 WSAZ. All rights reserved.
West Virginia
Community Catalyst Grant applications are open through West Virginia First Foundation through June 30 – WV MetroNews
The West Virginia First Foundation, which was established to use drug lawsuit settlement money to try to alleviate problems related to addiction, reported having access to $378.5 million in financial resources and noted that more than $34 million in grants have been awarded since the organization’s start.
The West Virginia First Foundation met for a few minutes Thursday at Ascend West Virginia in Charleston. The meeting was also available for view through streaming.
Executive Director Jonathan Board highlighted the launch of the Community Catalyst Grant application and a statewide needs assessment intended to identify service gaps.
Designed as a three-year, outcomes-driven investment, the program will support projects focused on public safety response, day report centers and generational prevention efforts. The program opened for applications on June 1 and remains open through June 30.
“We’re very encouraged by the interest and engagement so far,” Board said.
The board also approved a $4 million funding request for the Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute. The project is focused on expanding access to innovative addiction treatment and recovery support tools while building the technology and infrastructure needed to support implementation across West Virginia.
Additional details about the project and funding agreement are to be released in the coming weeks following the completion of final documentation. West Virginia First Foundation and Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute plan to issue a joint announcement once the agreement process is complete.
“They’ve gone through a very rigorous process for the correct funding,” Board said. “Their team has presented an opportunity to fund a project that will build technology, training and support systems of care needed to expand access to an innovative addiction treatment approach throughout the state of West Virginia, and really beyond.”
The West Virginia First Foundation is a non-profit organization established in 2023 to manage and distribute 72.5% of the state’s opioid settlement funds, totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. The organization is aimed at combatting the addiction crisis through grants and regional projects.
The next regular meeting of the Foundation’s Board of Directors is scheduled for Sept. 17 although it’s subject to change.
-
Technology5 minutes agoNothing cancels this year’s CMF phone due to RAM prices
-
World12 minutes agoTwo-train crash leaves at least 1 dead, 89 injured as emergency crews rush to chaotic scene
-
Politics15 minutes agoDouble endorsement drama: Trump backs second candidate in red state’s GOP gubernatorial runoff
-
Health20 minutes agoMeasles-infected traveler may have exposed passengers at LAX and nearby hotel, health officials warn
-
Sports27 minutes agoWorld Cup Red Cards: 2026 Has More Red Cards Than Each Of Last 2 World Cups
-
Technology30 minutes agoChina’s brain chip breakthrough raises big questions
-
Business35 minutes agoRanch lovers can soon travel with a TSA-friendly kit of the popular American dressing
-
Entertainment42 minutes agoAt the Fonda, Jane Remover’s violent yearning heralds a new kind of stardom
