People We Serve

The Office of Inspector General through its nine distinct divisions provides various services throughout the entire state to the following:

 

 

Persons Facing Discrimination

The Office of Inspector General and its divisions assists persons facing discrimination by offering the following services:

  • Human Rights Commission: Reviews and analyzes complaints related to allegations of violations of the Human Rights Act, ​​specifically discrimination in employment, housing, or places of public accommodation.
  • ​​​​​​​​​​​Olmstead Office: Provides education and resources to assist those facing discrimination and desiring to stay in their communities.

Persons Involved with Child and Family Programs

The Office of Inspector General and its divisions assists persons involved with Child and Family Programs by offering the following services:

  • Board of Review: Hearing appeals of certain administrative decisions by the West Virginia Department of Health and West Virginia Department of Human Services.
  • Foster Care Ombudsman: Provides resources and objective review of issues related to child and family programs offered by the West Virginia Department of Human Services.
  • Mental Health Ombudsman: Provides resources and objective review related to mental health treatment and consumer rights in mental health facilities, state hospitals, and behavioral health programs.
  • WV CARES​: Conducts criminal background checks for direct access personnel in various settings including but not limited to daycare settings, foster and kinship placements, and other facilities.

Persons Receiving Benefits

The Office of Inspector General and its divisions assists persons receiving benefits by offering the following services:

  • Board of Review: Hearing appeals of certain administrative decisions by the West Virginia Department of Health and West Virginia Department of Human Services.
  • Investigations and Fraud Management: Conducts investigations into suspected program fraud and abuse in programs administered by the West Virginia Department of Health, West Virginia Department of Human Services, and West Virginia Health Facilities.
  • Quality Control: Reviews West Virginia Department of Human Services’ program benefit determinations to ensure the integrity of the programs.

Persons Receiving Care from Health Facilities

The Office of Inspector General and its divisions assists persons receiving care from health facilities by offering the following services:

  • Board of Review: Provides Fair Hearings for residents appealing a nursing home discharge or transfer.
  • Foster Care Ombudsman: Provides resources and objective review of issues related to child and family programs offered by the West Virginia Department of Human Services, specifically those placed in treatment facilities or receiving services from a treatment provider.
  • Mental Health Ombudsman: Provides resources and objective review related to mental health treatment and consumer rights in mental health facilities, state hospitals, and behavioral health programs.
  • Office of Health Facility Licensure and Certification: Reviews and regulates healthcare facilities and provider settings in order to ensure that minimum federal and state regulatory requirements are being met.
  • Olmstead Office: Provides resources and assists those wishing to transfer back into their communities.
  • WV CARES: Conducts criminal background checks for direct access personnel in various settings including but not limited to behavioral health facilities, home health personnel, nursing homes, assisted living residences, and other facilities.

Persons With Disabilities

The Office of Inspector General and its divisions assists persons with disabilities by offering the following services:

  • Board of Review: Hearing appeals of certain administrative decisions by the West Virginia Department of Health and West Virginia Department of Human Services.
  • Foster Care Ombudsman: Provides resources and objective review of issues related to child and family programs offered by the West Virginia Department of Human Services, including those receiving services for a disability.
  • Human Rights Commission: Reviews and analyzes complaints related to allegations of violations of the Human Rights Act, specifically discrimination in employment, housing, or places of public accommodation, particularly related to a person’s disability.
  • Mental Health Ombudsman: Provides resources and objective review related to mental health treatment and consumer rights in mental health facilities, state hospitals, and behavioral health programs.
  • Olmstead Office: Provides education and resources to assist those facing discrimination and desiring to stay in their communities or transition out of a facility treatment setting back to their communities.

Persons Employed by the West Virginia Departments of Health, Human Services, and Health Facilities

The Office of Inspector General and its divisions assists persons employed by the Departments by offering the following services and accepting complaints from employees related to the following:

  • Foster Care Ombudsman: Provides resources and objective review of issues related to child and family programs offered by the West Virginia Department of Human Services, including but not limited to hearing concerns and complaints from employees and those employees that might also be receiving services from child and family programs.
  • Investigations and Fraud Management: Conducts investigations into potential employee misconduct and other internal matters, as well as suspected program fraud and abuse in programs administered by the West Virginia Department of Health, West Virginia Department of Human Services, and West Virginia Health Facilities.
  • Mental Health Ombudsman: Provides resources and objective review related to mental health treatment and consumer rights in mental health facilities, state hospitals, and behavioral health programs, including but not limited to hearing and accepting concerns and complaints from employees.
  • Office of Health Facility Licensure and Certification​: Reviews and regulates healthcare facilities and provider settings in order to ensure that minimum federal and state regulatory requirements are being met, including hearing concerns and complaints from employees regarding facilities or provider settings.
  • Quality Control: Reviews West Virginia Department of Human Services’ program benefit determinations to ensure the integrity of the programs.
  • WV CARES: Conducts criminal background checks for direct access personnel in various settings including but not limited to employees of the Departments