It is the intent of the Legislature that all actions taken pursuant to the provisions of this article by the Legislature and the various agencies within the Department of Health and Human Resources serve the following core set of principles:

Terms Used In West Virginia Code 16-29E-2

  • Commission: means the Legislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human Resources Accountability. See West Virginia Code 16-29E-3
  • Department: means the Department of Health and Human Resources, and any successor agencies. See West Virginia Code 16-29E-3
  • State: when applied to a part of the United States and not restricted by the context, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" also include the said district and territories. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10

(1) That all health and social programs offered under state authority be coordinated to maximize efficiencies and minimize competition within the various agencies thereby addressing the needs of the citizens more effectively;

(2) That communication be facilitated among the various agencies within the Department of Health and Human Resources and between the department and the Legislature;

(3) That policy changes, not made by legislative rule, be discussed with the commission for purposes of coordinating those policies with existing programs and stated goals;

(4) That programs or policies implemented in accordance with federal mandates be communicated to the commission;

(5) That in developing and implementing programs with private or federal grant moneys, the various agencies communicate their efforts to the commission to ensure and facilitate future state funding; and

(6) That agencies previously exempted from rule-making review by federal or state statutes advise the commission of program changes which may affect the health and well-being of the citizens of West Virginia.