CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Governor Patrick Morrisey and the West Virginia Department of Human Services unveiled plans Thursday to reopen a psychiatric treatment facility in Barboursville. The move is intended to reduce the nearly 400 children currently placed out of state by providing a local option for those with mental‑health and physical challenges.
State‑level partnership
The governor’s office entered a five‑year lease agreement with Youth Health Associates, a regional health‑care provider, to operate the Barboursville center. “We are going to reduce the children that have to go into congregate care and out‑of‑state congregate care by building out a robust system that meets the needs of our children and families in West Virginia,” said WV Department of Human Services Secretary Carl Ayers.
Capacity and timeline
The facility will open early next year and will be able to accommodate up to 36 children. Each bed is expected to be filled by the end of March, providing a faster path to reunification for families. “The reality is when kids are closer to home and they have more opportunities to reintegrate to their families, they just do way better than being halfway across the country in a program,” explained Mace Warren, senior director of clinical services for Youth Health Associates.
Focus on vulnerable youth
Barboursville’s treatment center will serve children who face both mental‑health and physical challenges, as well as juveniles who have committed sexual misconduct. Governor Morrisey emphasized that the initiative is part of a broader “bring them home” effort: “It won’t all happen overnight and there’s an opportunity for major progress so we can have more kids at home. It’s the bring them home initiative, and that’s critical.”
Long‑term vision
Morrisey described the reopening as a “big first step” toward a future where West Virginia no longer needs to send foster children out of state. “I believe that Barboursville will serve as a model for what we want to accomplish across West Virginia and slowly but surely get to a point where we can say forever more in the future kids will not be sent out of state,” he said.
Community impact
Local case workers have long traveled long distances to monitor children placed far from their families. By keeping treatment within state borders, the administration hopes to ease those burdens and strengthen family connections, a core value for West Virginia’s faith‑centered communities. The project also creates jobs for mental‑health professionals in the Barboursville area, supporting both families and the local economy.
Stakeholders from the Department of Human Services, Youth Health Associates, and foster‑care advocates praised the plan, noting that proximity to home improves educational continuity, religious participation, and overall stability for children in state custody.
The facility’s reopening aligns with Governor Morrisey’s broader agenda to expand state‑run services that protect families, uphold parental rights, and reinforce community values. As the first phase of the initiative rolls out, officials will monitor placement numbers and family reunification rates to gauge success.
Original reporting: WCHS Eyewitness News Charleston (local) — read the source article.
