Pocahontas Times
  • News Sections
    • Local
    • Sports
    • A&E
  • Obituaries
  • Community
  • Magistrate News
    • Circuit Court News
  • Compass
  • Spiritual
    • Parabola
    • Transcendental Meditation
    • Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston
    • Southern Baptist
  • etimes
  • Classifieds
  • National News
  • State News
  • Pocahontas County Veterans
  • Contact Us
  • Login
Subscribe For $2.50/Month
No Result
View All Result
Pocahontas Times
  • News Sections
    • Local
    • Sports
    • A&E
  • Obituaries
  • Community
  • Magistrate News
    • Circuit Court News
  • Compass
  • Spiritual
    • Parabola
    • Transcendental Meditation
    • Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston
    • Southern Baptist
  • etimes
  • Classifieds
No Result
View All Result
Pocahontas Times
No Result
View All Result
  • National News
  • WV State News
  • VA State News
  • Contact Us
Home News Local Stories

State senate passes bill to allow drug screen of TANF applicants

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

The West Virginia Senate voted 32-2 Tuesday to establish a three-year statewide pilot program that would provide for the drug screening and testing of applicants for benefits from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program.
Senate Bill 6 would establish a process for drug testing applicants if there is a “reasonable suspicion” of drug use. Caseworkers can determine reasonable suspicion through a screening process, or if a person has a drug-related conviction in the five years prior to applying for TANF benefits. Upon determination of reasonable suspicion, the applicant must submit to drug testing.
The bill, which had bipartisan sponsorship and support, would direct those people who fail their initial drug test to complete a substance abuse treatment program and job skills program. Those who fail a second test would lose their TANF benefits for a period of up to a year, and be ordered to complete a second substance abuse treatment and counseling program. Upon an applicant’s third failed drug test, he or she would be permanently terminated from the TANF program.
No dependent child’s ability to participate in the TANF program is affected by a parent’s failure to pass a drug test. Benefits for the child instead would be distributed through a third party.
“I’m proud that today, we were able to do something meaningful to really address West Virginia’s substance abuse problem,” Senate Health Committee Chairman Ryan Ferns, R-Ohio, said. “This is a compassionate approach to getting people who desperately need treatment the help they need, and it provides an incentive for them to deal with their drug addiction.”
Ferns said the program’s focus is on substance abuse treatment rather than a simple, punitive cutoff of benefits.
“The Senate made solid progress today in tackling our state’s crippling drug addiction problem,” Ferns said. “Getting West Virginians who need help into treatment programs, and providing them support during recovery, is not a partisan issue. We all can support doing what it takes to release the grip this epidemic has on our state.”

Previous Post

Magistrate Court

Next Post

Great Backyard Bird Count starts Friday

Join Our Newsletter

  • News Sections
  • Obituaries
  • Community
  • Magistrate News
  • Compass
  • Spiritual
  • etimes
  • Classifieds

© 2021 Mountain Media, LLC

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Fifty Years Ago in The Pocahontas Times
  • 75 Years Ago
  • 100 Years Ago
  • 125-Years-Ago
  • Pocahontas County Bicentennial ~ 1821 – 2021
  • A&E
  • Community
  • Compass
  • Education
  • etimes
  • Legal Notices
  • Obituaries
  • Columns
  • Preserving Pocahontas
  • Sports
  • Contact Us
  • My account
  • Subscribe to The Pocahontas Times

© 2021 Mountain Media, LLC

Forgot your password?

Lost your password? Please enter your email address. You will receive mail with link to set new password.

Back to login