Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How do I learn about...

  • family assistance?

    • Visit the West Virginia Department of Human Services (DoHS) WV PATH website or contact your local DoHS office to learn more about family assistance programs available to you. Click here​ for a list of county offices.

  • ​financial help for Child Care?

  • ​treatment for substance misuse or abuse?

    • ​DoHS's Office of Drug Control Policy has developed an interactive map of West Virginia's treatment and recovery resources.  This tool allows residents to search resources by county, program, type and gender, and by the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) levels of care. To access this map, visit​ the Office of Drug Control Policy website​.
    • The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has developed an interactive map that will allow the user to find treatment facilities and programs in the United States and U.S. Territories for mental health and substance misuse disorders.  To access the SAMSHA Find Treatment Locator, click here.

  • ​long term nursing care?

    • ​To apply for or find more information about Medicaid for Long Term Care or Medicaid for Home and Community-Based (HCB) Care, visit the WV PATH website or contact your local DoHS office to learn more about family assistance programs available to you. Click here for a list of county offices.

How do I apply...

  • for benefits online?

  • ​for Medicaid? 

    • ​Visit the WV PATH website or call your local DoHS office. Click here for a list of county offices.

  • for child support?

    • Visit the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement (BCSE) ​website, or call the BCSE Customer Service Unit at 1-800-249-3778.​
      • Note: This link will take you to BCSE website.  You do not need public assistance to qualify for child support services. BCSE can assist you with locating absent parties, establishing paternity, establishing child support and medical support, and enforcing support orders.  BCSE will also help you modify existing orders and enforce spousal support orders. There is no fee to apply for these services.

  • for child care?

How do I report...

  • ​a Child Care Center violation? 

  • ​changes with my address, income, or household circumstances that may affect my family assistance benefits?  

    • Call your local DoHS office. Click here for a list of county offices or contact the DoHS Customer Service Reporting Center at 1-877-716-1212, open Monday-Friday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM. You can also make changes online at the WV Path website​.

  • ​issues with my Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) for SNAP, WV WORKS and Child Support benefits? 

    • To learn about Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) program, click here.

  • ​a Civil Rights Program Complaint regarding SNAP?​

    In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

    Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

    To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:​

    1.  Mail:

        U.S. Department of Agriculture

        Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

        1400 Independence Avenue, SW

        Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or​

    2.  Fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or

    3.  Email: program.intake@usda.gov​​.

    This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

  • ​a complaint about any Bureau for Family Assistance program or service?  

  • ​abuse and/or neglect of a child or incapacitated adult?  

    • ​Call 1-800-352-6513 or visit DOHS's Bureau for Social Services Centralized Intake for Abuse and Neglect website for more information.

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