KVC Behavioral Healthcare West Virginia Inc

Improving the health and wellbeing of youth occupies the very core of KVC West Virginia’s mission to meet mental health, educational, and intensive behavioral and emotional support needs of high-risk youth and families. Youth coming into KVC West Virginia face multiple adverse childhood experiences including abuse, neglect, homelessness and exposure to violence that deepen the potential for difficult life outcomes.

Our goal is to empower youth in crisis who have experienced extreme trauma throughout their young lives to become more resilient, confident and contributing members of society. This ultimate goal defines the legacy of our success and lasting, meaningful change for youth, their families and communities. To help youth and families reach for their goals, KVC West Virginia provides evidence-based practices in a trauma-informed environment. Accessibility of services to rural families is one of our fundamental strengths.
When a child has suffered abuse or neglect, or when a family is facing a mental health challenge, KVC West Virginia is there with the support needed to move through difficult times. KVC is a private, nonprofit child welfare organization that provides a diverse array of services including foster care, adoption, and in-home family preservation services. We are committed to enriching and enhancing the lives of West Virginia children and families.

Strategies that KVC West Virginia engages in to meet goals and objectives while ensuring the quality of our care includes a multi-layered approach. One of our strategies is the joining together of two fields often treated as separate. This approach unlocks the potential of individuals and communities to experience greater health and wellness.

The first field in our approach is leading the way in integrated healthcare. With KVC’s expertise in behavioral health, we help people experiencing depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, feelings of violence, substance abuse and addiction, behavioral and psychiatric disorders, and the effects of childhood traumatic stress. Our services include in-home therapy and skill-building, education and support, and substance abuse/addiction support. The latest neuroscience tells us that early childhood brain development and the trauma they experienced as children affects an individual’s mental health and physical health into adulthood and throughout their lives. Our solutions work on addressing the whole person first then expand to also include the individual’s environment and community.

The second field is child welfare/social services. We help ensure that children are safe and that families have the support they need to successfully care for their children. Services include in-home support to keep families safely together (family preservation), family reunification, foster family care, and adoption. KVC looks beyond physical health to understand root causes related to childhood adversity and relationships. Families have needs all along the continuum of care. Whether their need is for a low level of intervention (e.g., prevention, education), or their need is acute/complex, needing intervention and/or hospitalization, KVC is ready to help. By improving care and innovating where different fields intersect, we make a lasting impact in the lives of children and families.

KVC is uniquely positioned to accomplish our mission for West Virginia children and families. We have deep roots in West Virginia, going back to 1970. KVC acquired Action Youth Care in 2001, building on AYC’s legacy of providing foster care and other children’s services.

KVC West Virginia works diligently to meet youths’ needs and secure assistance of service providers to ensure service integration. To avoid duplication of service, we work closely with the WV Department for Health and Human Resources and other organizations to develop community-based services for the betterment of children and families. In partnership with the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources Bureau for Children and Families, we utilize the Safe at Home West Virginia program to maximize the benefits of home and community-based services for children in out-of-home care. We are committed to enriching and enhancing the lives of West Virginia children and families.

KVC is a state-licensed child placing agency and behavioral healthcare provider in 26 counties for children in state custody. We operate in 9 office locations and employ 130 case managers, therapists, and other highly-trained, dedicated and experienced staff.

KVC Behavioral Healthcare West Virginia is a business unit of KVC Health Systems, a national leader in providing innovative, effective and compassionate care. KVC is accredited by The Joint Commission, considered the gold standard in healthcare.

In 2021, KVC West Virginia has positively impacted children and families in many ways:
•1,005 children cared for by KVC foster families
•118 children safely reunified with their families after foster care
•65 children matched with loving adoptive families
•540 children and adults received in-home support including behavioral healthcare
•220 children supported in their home communities through Safe at Home WV

In 2020, KVC West Virginia has positively impacted children and families in many ways:
•1,026 children cared for by KVC foster families
•159 children safely reunified with their families after foster care
•93 children matched with loving adoptive families
•380 children and adults received in-home support including behavioral healthcare
•319 children supported in their home communities through Safe at Home WV

Since 2020 theCOVID-19 pandemic has hit pause for many organizations, however KVC West Virginia has continued to provide services for all of the children in our programs, and their families. KVC West Virginia is the safe and stable environment that children and families in crisis can turn to for help.