West Virginia
Justice announces Medicaid rate increase in hopes of improving state’s in-home care worker shortage • West Virginia Watch
Gov. Jim Justice announced Thursday that his administration will increase its funding for state programs that provide in-home care for people with disabilities, seniors and others in hopes of addressing a workforce shortage.
The funding will go toward a 15% Medicaid reimbursement rate increase for providers that serve vulnerable adults and children in state waiver programs. The money is meant to improve pay for direct care workers, who currently earn around $11 an hour, but there is no requirement on how providers spend the money.
A 2023 survey said West Virginia needed to increase its rate of reimbursement and the worker salary range to $15.50-$18.60 per hour; the new rate increase, which goes into effect Oct. 1, reflected the study’s recommendations.
“We can get some more bucks to these great people who are absolutely doing God’s work,” Justice said. “I’m just tickled to death to do that.”
Companies that employ direct care workers have said the rate increase, which was well below neighboring states, was necessary to employ and retain its workforce.
Eric Hicks, board president of the West Virginia’s chapter of the Home Care Association of America, anticipated home care wages being increased by agencies statewide. He noted that West Virginia was one of the nation’s most elderly states.
“This investment allows West Virginia seniors and those with disabilities to age in their homes with dignity,” Hicks said. “Home care saves both families and the state from the enormous costs of long-term care facilities, which the Department of Human Services recently reported poses a $200-plus million annual additional taxpayer risk to the Medicaid program.”
Senior centers across the state, which provide in-home care to elderly residents through Medicaid, have also struggled to keep enough workers. Jennifer Brown, president of the West Virginia Directors of Senior and Community Services, said the rate increase would allow senior care providers to offer competitive salaries.
“This will enable our members to continue our vital mission of caring for, transporting and providing meals to seniors in West Virginia who are in the greatest need of assistance,” she said. “Our group of providers offers comprehensive services to seniors, prioritizing their well-being over profits.”
In-home care is also a cost-saving measure for the state as paying for long-term care, like nursing homes and psychiatric facilities, is much more expensive
During the May special session, lawmakers gave DoHS $180 million in a reserve fund that they could use to improve Medicaid reimbursement rates. Lawmakers declined to mandate that DoHS spend the money to increase the rates after learning the department had spent money earmarked for people with disabilities on things like in-home COVID-19 tests.
While the Justice administration delayed action on the rate increase, a group home in Martinsburg for people with disabilities, many without family members, announced its closure earlier this month. Companies providing in-home care to seniors laid off workers due to financial loss.
A press release from Justice’s office did not specify how much the rate increase would cost or where the funding would come from. Spokespeople for Justice and DoHS did not respond to questions for this story by deadline.
DoHS did not require providers to use a certain amount of the reimbursement amount on increasing workers’ salaries.
Disability Rights West Virginia Legal Director Mike Folio applauded the rate increase, but said that it was still millions of dollars short of what was needed as the state has infinitely institutionalized more people with disabilities.
“DoHS hasn’t increased rates in more than 10 years and the rate increases are not tied to a wage pass-through to guarantee that the increased revenue will be used to bolster front-line workers’ wages,” he said. “Hiring and retention are necessary to end the skyrocketing number of involuntary commitments, but the rate increase gives providers free reign to spend the new revenue on management lunches and trips and not on workers’ wages.”
The state Bureau for Medical Services plans to monitor the impact of increased rates on worker pay and member access to services “to determine if the increased rates are having the desired effect on workforce availability and tenure,” according to a press release.
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BRIDGEPORT, W.Va (WDTV) – The West Virginia Governor’s Highway Safety Program will conduct its annual “Click It or Ticket” high-visibility enforcement campaign during the Memorial Day travel period.
National enforcement runs from May 18 through May 31. West Virginia’s state-specific enforcement begins May 11 and ends May 25.
Travelers will see increased patrols by state and local law enforcement during this time. Officers will ensure every driver and passenger is buckled up correctly.
This year’s campaign focuses on nighttime enforcement. Data shows that a higher number of unrestrained fatalities occur during nighttime hours.
Copyright 2026 WDTV. All rights reserved.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As scammers become more sophisticated, the West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles is warning the public about new and continuing scams circulating around the country.
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Scams play on fear and request immediate action.
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Scams rely on something you didn’t know you owed, because you don’t.
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Scams rely on confusion. Some common themes of recent scams are unpaid parking violations or turnpike tolls. DMV does not collect these.
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Recent scams pretending to be DMV have arrived by text, but scams can be delivered on paper or by email. A recent scam claiming to be from Kanawha County Municipal Court even used the state seal.
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As scams become more sophisticated, they can look like real communications, so if you are unsure you can call DMV at (800) 642-9066 to verify if you receive something suspicious claiming to be DMV.
Continued focus on making the public aware of scams is necessary as scams continue to evolve. Please share the word with family, co-workers and friends who may not be on social media or watching the news.
DMV’s website is dmv.wv.gov, and its toll-free phone number is (800) 642-9066. DMV will always take the time to answer guests’ questions.
York PA installation about Articles of Confederation completed
The long-awaited Hard Bargains installation explaining and exploring the Articles of Confederation has been completed near York County History Center.
The Pennsylvania Office of State Inspector General filed charges in York County against a West Virginia man and woman, who allegedly got thousands of dollars in COVID-era rent assistance funds under false pretenses.
Chester Joseph Little, 41, and Dawn Lea Caltrider, 43, of Orma, West Virginia face felony theft and forgery charges filed Monday, May 4, in York County in connection with getting funds through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) through filing fraudulent applications.
According to court documents, on Nov. 8, 2023, the assistant director of the York County Department of Human Services contacted the Office of the State Inspector General about suspicious ERAP applications and suspected that Little and Caltrider received funds under false pretenses.
On Sept. 24, 2021, court records indicate that Caltrider applied for ERAP funds for rental assistance for a residence in the 1500 block of Route 116 in Spring Grove, which Little claimed was his property and was paid $1,500 a month in rent and had not been paid between February 2021 to October 2021. Little asked York County Community Progress Council (CPC) to pay him for the months Caltrider was behind in rent plus rent for October 2021 through January 2022 and $18,400 was deposited in Little’s bank account.
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It was later found that the owner of the property on Route 116 was Caltrider’s sister. Caltrider and Little had lived there for a period before they moved out. Little had allegedly presented a fake lease and mortgage agreement as part of the ERAP application, and Caltrider falsely claimed she lived at the address.
Court documents also indicated that Little signed an application for ERAP benefits Oct. 6, 2021 for a home in the 400 block of Rear Pleasant Street in Hanover and reported Caltrider as his landlord. Caltrider allegedly filled out the landlord portion of the application and said that she was paid $2,000 a month and Little had not paid rent from February 2021 to October 2021. She applied to the York County Community Progress Council (CPC) to pay her what was in arrears plus rent from November 2021 through January 2022 and requested funds, totaling $24,000, be deposited into her bank account.
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A 2023 investigation uncovered that the property in the 400 block of Rear Pleasant Street was a self-storage business and was not owned by Caltrider, who allegedly presented a fake lease and homeowner insurance policy as part of the ERAP application.
More charges were filed against Caltrider after she allegedly provided another false application on Oct. 22, 2021. According to court documents, Caltrider applied for rental assistance for an address in the first block of Abbie Road in Spring Garden Township posing as her daughter and claimed to be the landlord of the address and received $17,200 in ERAP funds. Investigators found that the daughter had never lived at the address after questioning her. Authorities say Caltrider presented a fake lease and homeowner insurance policy and presented an altered Pennsylvania birth certificate in that case.
Caltrider alone faces five counts of felony forgery and one felony count each for identity theft, theft by unlawful taking and theft by deception in this particular case.
As of Wednesday, May 6, neither Little nor Caltrider had seen a judge regarding the charges.
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