A Charleston family's first call depends on the child's age: under 3, it's WV Birth to Three's regional office for Kanawha County; 3 and up, it's Kanawha County Schools, which under state and federal law must evaluate any child with a suspected disability at no cost.

Longer-term disability supports, including West Virginia's I/DD Medicaid waiver, are run out of a state office that happens to sit right in Charleston, on Capitol Street — this page lists the numbers and pages behind each door.

Statewide programs, numbers, and rights are on the West Virginia page. This page adds the local entry points that are specific to Charleston (Kanawha County).

Early intervention under 3: WV Birth to Three — Regional Administrative Unit III (RAU III)

Kanawha County sits inside Regional Administrative Unit III, one of the regional offices that carries out West Virginia's statewide Part C early intervention program, WV Birth to Three. River Valley Child Development Services runs RAU III out of Charleston and also covers Clay, Jackson, and Roane counties. Families reach intake at 304-414-4460, or toll-free at 1-844-414-4460. Once a child is found eligible, an Individualized Family Service Plan is developed and services are delivered in the child's everyday setting — home, child care, or another familiar place — at no cost to the family.

• WV Birth to Three — Regional Administrative Unit III (RAU III)
• Referral phone: 304-414-4460

New to early intervention? Read the plain-language guide first.

School districts and special education

West Virginia runs special education county by county under the state Board of Education's Policy 2419, which sets the procedures a district follows once a family requests an evaluation. Put the request in writing to the school or the district's Office of Exceptional Students; the district cannot charge the family for the evaluation or for services that follow.

• Kanawha County Schools — Office of Exceptional Students, main line 304-348-7740; covers the city of Charleston and all of Kanawha County

Other places to ask — not a substitute for the district

An evaluation request has to go to the school district itself; only the district can start the legal timeline. These are for asking questions about the process, or for when the district has not responded.

• West Virginia Parent Training and Information (WVPTI) — the state's federally designated Parent Training and Information center, a second call for help navigating an IEP or evaluation dispute; 304-472-5697 or 800-281-1436

IEP or 504 · If you disagree with the school

Evaluation and diagnosis pathways in Charleston

These are hospital and university programs with public intake information. Listing here is informational — it is not a recommendation, and it is not medical advice. Public school evaluation is free and does not require any of these.

• CAMC Children's Medicine Center — pediatric developmental and behavioral evaluation, part of Vandalia Health/CAMC's Charleston pediatric campus · 304-388-2525

How assessment works · What to do while you wait

Disability services and waivers: WV Bureau for Medical Services — Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) Waiver Program

West Virginia's Medicaid I/DD Waiver is overseen by the Bureau for Medical Services, part of the state Department of Human Services, from an office at 350 Capitol Street — inside Charleston itself. BMS contracts with Acentra Health to manage day-to-day utilization review. Autism is listed among the program's common qualifying diagnoses, alongside cerebral palsy and spina bifida, and applicants must show medical need, financial eligibility, and West Virginia residency; waiver services for children begin once a child turns 3.

• WV Bureau for Medical Services — Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) Waiver Program
• Phone: 304-558-1700

Local organizations that help Charleston families

• The Arc of the Three Rivers — 304-344-3403, based in Dunbar; serves Kanawha, Boone, Clay, and Putnam counties with services and family support for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities
• WV Autism Training Center at Marshall University — 304-696-2332; a statewide, no-cost technical assistance and direct-service program created by the legislature, open to families anywhere in West Virginia including Kanawha County

Documented waits and access notes

Wait times change. Each note below links to the public source it came from — confirm current status directly with the program.

• After Kanawha County Schools receives your written consent, the district has 80 calendar days to complete all evaluations and convene the Eligibility Committee to determine whether your child qualifies. (source)
• WV Birth to Three's Regional Administrative Unit III must complete the initial evaluation, assessment, and first IFSP meeting within 45 calendar days of your referral. (source)
• As of October 2025, West Virginia's Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities Waiver program had 1,031 individuals on its waiting list. (source)