West Virginia Code Chapter 49. West Virginia Child Welfare Act § 49-8-1. Legislative findings; statement of legislative purpose

(a) The Legislature finds that in certain circumstances where a parent, guardian or legal custodian of a child is temporarily unable to care for the child due to a crisis or other circumstances, a less intrusive alternative to guardianship or the Department of Health and Human Resources taking custody of the child should be available. In such circumstances, a parent, guardian or legal custodian may benefit from the assistance of charitable organizations in their community that assist families by providing safe, temporary care for children and support for families during difficult times.

(b) It is the purpose of this article to ensure that a parent, guardian or legal guardian has the right to provide for the temporary care of their child with the assistance of a qualified nonprofit organization as set forth in this article.