Socially Necessary Services

The Bureau for Social Services (BSS) of the West Virginia Department of Human Services (WV DoHS), Aetna Better Health of WV, and Acentra Health coordinate a system to authorize services in child welfare cases called the Socially Necessary Services Program.

Socially necessary services improve relationships and social functioning, with the goal of preserving the individual's tenure in the community or the integrity of the family or social system. Socially necessary services are interventions designed to maintain or establish safety, permanency, and well-being for the BSS populations of focus, including child protective and youth services.