West Virginia requires drug testing for welfare recipients

Residents of the US state of West Virginia are now subject to drug screening when applying for welfare benefits.

On Monday, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) announced the drug screening requirement for applicants enrolling in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.

The state legislature included the screening in the three-year pilot program it passed in 2016, but it could not be implemented until the DHHR received approval from the US Administration for Children and Families, which occurred last week.

Under the pilot program, people applying for TANF must complete a questionnaire to determine if there is suspicion of drug use. People suspected of illegal drug use are then required to take a drug test, and those who test positive are referred to a program that treats drug abuse and provides job skills training.

DHHR officials said that relatives who care for children, such as grandparents, are not required to complete the questionnaire as long as they are not receiving TANF benefits.

The questionnaire consists of 14 questions about the applicant’s use of drugs during the previous 12 months, and applicants must answer each question with “yes,” “no” or “not applicable.” The questionnaires are then scored, with applicants rated as moderate to severe drug users having to take a drug test.

The drug-testing program is expected to cost $55,000 (£41,674) during the first year and $22,000 (£16,669) during each of the next two years of the pilot program.