News & Commentary

This past summer, the WV Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) fast-tracked a private, for-profit "Dazzy Vance Mountain Retreat," a 70-bed warehouse for children with mental health needs, ages 4 to 21. Thanks to your support, DHHR is pulling away from Dazzy Vance.

My son was placed in an out-of-home youth facility for petty vandalism and his time there nearly ruined his life.

The ACLU of WV is proud to present our 2015 Winter Newsletter! Read about all of our recent exciting work for justice and find out what the future holds for freedom in West Virginia!

At 1 p.m. today, Monday, November 16, the ACLU of West Virginia will be heading to the legislature for a hearing on the proposed youth facility in Logan: one of three new state-funded and privately operated out-of-home facilities for youth with mental and behavioral health needs.

West Virginia took important first steps last year reforming our state’s broken juvenile justice system. With overwhelming support from the state Legislature, we were able to reform harmful truancy laws that locked kids up after missing just five days of school. And the Governor’s lauded omnibus juvenile justice reform bill passed that put the focus on serving kids within their communities instead of unnecessarily locking them up.

The ACLU of WV is proud to present our 2015 Summer Newsletter! Read about all of our recent exciting work for justice and find out what the future holds for freedom in West Virginia!

ACLU-WV and our supporters worked tirelessly this past year with the West Virginia Legislature and the Governor to pass sweeping changes to help fix our state's broken juvenile justice system.

Since the Supreme Court ruled last month that gay and lesbian couples have a constitutionally protected freedom to marry, many same-sex couples, along with their friends and families, have celebrated. At the same time, questions have been raised about the impact of the decision on religious liberty. Let us be clear — it has no impact at all.

The American Civil Liberties Union of West Virginia applauds the Supreme Court of the United States for ruling on the side of love. In its historic decision 5-4 decision with Kennedy writing for the majority, the Court ruled to grant marriage equality for same-sex couples seeking the right to obtain marriage licenses and be legally recognized in all 50 states.