West Virginia

Facilities in West Virginia

Residential facilities providing religious, behavioral, and mental health treatment to children exist in all 50 states. Some of these facilities are known to be part of the Troubled Teen Industry, while others have not yet been verified. Any facility where children live and receive care requires additional oversight. This directory helps communities monitor local programs and advocate for accountability.

Reporting abuse in West Virginia

West Virginia funnels every report of suspected abuse or neglect - of children and of vulnerable adults alike - through one Centralized Intake, staffed every hour of every day of the year. Its counseling board is candid about the limit on what a complaint can achieve: it can suspend, revoke or reprimand a licence, but it cannot recover a penny for you.

Time limits in West Virginia: a general guide

This was correct as far as we could tell when we checked it on 28 September 2026. Laws on time limits change often, sometimes every legislative session, so some of what follows may have been updated since. It is a starting point, not legal advice: please check with a lawyer before relying on any date here. A time limit on a lawsuit or a criminal charge is also not a time limit on telling someone, and most of the places listed below will still take a report.

Time limits for abuse of a child often run from the survivor's 18th birthday, or from when they came to understand what happened, rather than from the day the program closed. Many states have lengthened them, removed them for child sexual abuse, or reopened claims that had already expired. A criminal charge, a lawsuit and a licence complaint each have their own time limit, so one having passed does not necessarily mean the others have.

Lawsuits

Physical abuse or injury: Less certain Two years from the injury for personal injury, which includes assault, battery and negligence. Courts treat false imprisonment as a one-year claim. W. Va. Code § 55-2-12(b); § 55-2-12(c) (one year)
If it happened before you turned 18: For someone injured as a child, the same number of years (usually two) starts at 18. No claim can be brought more than 20 years after the injury. West Virginia's special longer deadline in this section is for childhood sexual abuse only. W. Va. Code § 55-2-15(b)
If the program was run by or for the government: Less certain Suits against a county, city, school board or other political subdivision must be filed within two years of the injury (or of its discovery), and a child still gets the extra time until 18. Before suing a state agency, you must mail written notice to the agency head and the Attorney General at least 30 days in advance. W. Va. Code § 29-12A-6(a) (political subdivisions); W. Va. Code § 55-17-3(a) (state agencies)
Child sexual abuse: The civil SOL for CSA, trafficking, and CSAM claims against all defendants is age 36 with a 4-year discovery rule and a revival law, reviving claims up to age 36. CHILD USA's summary

Criminal charges

Physical child abuse: No time limit for felony child abuse: West Virginia has no statute of limitations for felonies. Misdemeanor child abuse must be charged within one year. W. Va. Code § 61-11-9 (limits misdemeanors and perjury only); W. Va. Code § 61-8D-3 (child abuse)
Assault: No time limit for felony malicious or unlawful wounding. Misdemeanor assault and battery must be charged within one year. W. Va. Code § 61-11-9; W. Va. Code § 61-2-9
Child sexual abuse: CSA: There is no criminal SOL for any felonies, including CSA. The SOL for misdemeanors is 1 year from the offense. Trafficking: There is no SOL for trafficking felonies. CSAM: There is no SOL for CSAM felonies. CHILD USA's summary

The injury, assault and physical abuse lines are our reading of the statutes linked, as they stood on 28 September 2026. The child sexual abuse lines are CHILD USA's summary as it stood on 28 September 2026; their page may be more current than ours. In them SOL means statute of limitations, CSA child sexual abuse, and CSAM child sexual abuse material. "Less certain" marks a line where the law is unclear or where our reading has not been confirmed, so please treat it with extra care. Exceptions, court rulings and the details of what happened can all change which time limit applies, and some of these may be longer or shorter for you than they look here. CHILD USA's statute of limitations tracker, updated as each state changes its law. A lawyer can tell you which time limit applies to you, and many offer a free first consultation.

The therapist's licensing board

Holds the individual clinician's licence and can suspend or revoke it.

West Virginia Board of Examiners in Counseling

Multiple professions

Licenses professional counselors and marriage and family therapists in West Virginia and enforces the licensure rules and ethical standards. On a finding of probable cause it can reprimand, suspend or revoke a licence.

It cannot seek or recover any money for the person who complained. Its meetings discussing complaints and investigations are confidential and closed to the public.

Use this whenA licensed professional counselor or marriage and family therapist in West Virginia.

HowContact the Board to request a complaint form.

304-558-5494
File a complaint
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By postWest Virginia Board of Examiners in Counseling, 815 Quarrier Street, Suite 212, Charleston, WV 25301

West Virginia Board of Examiners of Psychologists

Psychologist

Licenses and disciplines psychologists in West Virginia.

Use this whenA licensed psychologist.

HowUse the Board's complaint page.

File a complaint

The agency that licenses the program

Inspects the facility itself and can cite, fine, suspend or close it.

West Virginia Department of Human Services, facility complaints

Licenses and regulates West Virginia's residential and behavioral health facilities and takes complaints about them. The state also maintains an abuse registry covering people barred from working in these settings.

Use this whenA licensed West Virginia facility.

HowContact the Department's complaint line, and report any abuse to Centralized Intake as well.

Law enforcement and legal channels

Child protection, the Attorney General, and the criminal side.

West Virginia Centralized Intake for Abuse and Neglect

The single point of entry for every report of suspected abuse and neglect in West Virginia, covering both children and vulnerable adults. Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Use this whenA child under 18 at a West Virginia program who is being abused or neglected, or is at risk of it. Anyone concerned for a child can report.

HowCall Centralized Intake, and report to local law enforcement as well. Mandated reporters may also send a non-emergency report by email.

1-800-352-6513 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
File a complaint
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Oversight and advocacy

Bodies with a right to investigate, and advocates who can act for you.

Disability Rights of West Virginia

West Virginia's Protection and Advocacy agency, with federal authority to investigate abuse and neglect of people with disabilities in facilities, a right of access to them, and free legal advocacy.

Use this whenA West Virginia program where the young person has a disability or a mental health diagnosis.

HowContact the intake line.

1-800-950-5250 Main line 304-346-0847 voice/TDD.
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National reporting channels, and the same list for other states