Documentary filmmaker and West Virginia native Morgan Spurlock, an Oscar nominee whose most famous works skewered America's food industry and who notably ate only at McDonald’s for a month to illustrate the dangers of a fast-food diet, has died. He was 53.
After a public hearing in the House of Delegates, members worked with stakeholders to compromise on Senate Bill 559, a bill that deals with the licensing requirements for social workers in West Virginia.
As passed in the Senate, the bill would have allowed the state Department of Health and Human Resources to create a training program for new social workers who do not have a degree in the field. Currently in West Virginia, to get a social work license a person must have a bachelor’s or master’s degree from a Council on Social Work Education accredited program.
The bill as passed in the House still calls on the DHHR to create the training program, but only for a provisional license. Anyone apply for the provisional license must also have a four year degree in any field.
“What this bill does is allow DHHR to hire the personnel that they need these are qualified personnel,” Government Organization Committee Chair Gary Howell said of the bill before it was put to a vote.
“The board of social workers is on board with this committee substitute. We met with WVU, Marshall, West Virginia State University and several others. They are on board with this. DHHR is on board with this. We made a lot of changes in this bill to make sure that the children of this state are safe.”
On this West Virginia Week, lawmakers returned to the capitol for interim committee meetings and a special session of the West Virginia Legislature. We’ll talk about some of the policy decisions lawmakers made.
The advocacy organization representing those with disabilities in West Virginia has filed a notice of suit against Gov. Jim Justice, other top state officials and agencies.
On this West Virginia Morning, we learn about an incident at a state-run psychiatric facility, we meet a TikTok sensation who forages in Appalachia and we listen to our Mountain Stage Song of the Week.