Department of Social Services (765)

Authority: Title 2.2, Chapter 54; Title 63.2, Chapters 1 and 6, Code of Virginia; Title VI, Subtitle B, P.L. 97-35, as amended; P.L. 103-252, as amended; P.L. 104-193, as amended, Federal Code.

A.1. All increased state or federal funds distributed to Community Action Agencies shall be distributed as follows:  The funds shall be distributed to all local Community Action Agencies according to the Department of Social Services funding formula (75 percent based on low-income population, 20 percent based on number of jurisdictions served, and five percent based on square mileage served), adjusted to ensure that no agency receives less than 1.5 percent of any increase.

2. Out of this appropriation, $1,139,713 the first year and $500,000 the second year from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant shall be provided for community action agencies to promote self-sufficiency.

3. Out of this appropriation, $185,725 the first year and $185,725 the second year from the general fund shall be provided to the Virginia Community Action Partnership to support the Virginia Earned Income Tax Coalition (EITC) and provide grants to local organizations to provide outreach, education and tax preparation services to citizens who may be eligible for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit.  The Virginia Community Action Partnership shall report on its efforts to expand the number of Virginians who are able to claim the federal EITC, including the number of individuals identified who could benefit from the credit, the number of individuals counseled on the availability of the federal EITC, and the number of individuals assisted with tax preparation to claim the federal EITC.  This report shall be provided to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees and the Chairman of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission by December 1 each year.

B. The department shall continue to fund from this Item all organizations recognized by the Commonwealth as community action agencies as defined in §2.2-540 et seq.

C. Out of this appropriation, $2,925,501$570,000 the second year from the general fund and $3,557,306 the first year and $2,855,501 the second year from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant shall be provided to Healthy Families Virginia. These funds shall be used at the discretion of local sites for obtaining matching Title IV-E nongeneral funds when available. The Department of Social Services shall continue to allocate funds from this item to the statewide office of Prevent Child Abuse Virginia for providing the coordination, technical support, quality assurance, training and evaluation of the Healthy Families Virginia program. If there is an extension through June 30, 2011 of increased Federal Medical Assistance Percentage under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (P.L. 111-5), the reduction of $1,368,195 to the general fund in the first year in this paragraph shall not become effective. The Governor shall have authority to direct that the reduction authorized in this paragraph be imposed, either partially or in full, as he deems necessary in order to ensure that the costs to the Commonwealth of contingent restorations in various items within this act do not exceed the amount of funding made available due to an extension of the increased Federal Medical Assistance Percentage.

D.1. Out of the appropriation, $1,275,000 the first year and $1,275,000$1,500,000 the second year from the general fund shall be provided to the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation.  These funds shall be matched with local public and private resources with a goal of leveraging a dollar for each state dollar provided.  Funds shall be awarded to proposals that seed and foster community programs that enhance the health, safety and well-being of Virginia's youth.  The Foundation shall account for the expenditure of these funds by providing the Governor, Secretary of Health and Human Resources, and the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees with a certified audit and full report on Foundation initiatives and results not later than October 1 of each year for the preceding fiscal year ending June 30.

2. On or before October 1 of each year, the foundation shall submit to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees a report on the actual amount, by fiscal year, of private and local government funds received by the foundation.

E. Out of this appropriation, $85,000 the first year and $85,000 the second year from the general fund shall be provided to Child Advocacy Centers.

F.1. Out of this appropriation shall be provided $473,844 from the general fund and $781,791 from the federal trust fund the first year and $473,844 from the general fund and $781,791 from the federal trust fund the second year to support the statewide implementation of a 2-1-1 Information and Referral System to provide resource and referral information on many of the specialized health and human resource services available in the Commonwealth, including child day care availability and providers in localities throughout the state, and publish consumer-oriented materials for those interested in learning the location of child day care providers.

2. The Department of Social Services shall request that all state and local child-serving agencies within the Commonwealth be included in the Virginia Statewide Information and Referral System as well as any agency or entity that receives state general fund dollars and provides services to families and youth.  The Secretary of Health and Human Resources, the Secretary of Education and Workforce, and the Secretary of Public Safety shall assist in this effort by requesting all affected agencies within their secretariats to submit information to the statewide Information and Referral System and ensure that such information is accurate and updated annually.  Agencies shall also notify the Virginia Information and Referral System of any changes in services that may occur throughout the year.

3. The Department of Social Services shall communicate with child-serving agencies within the Commonwealth about the availability of the statewide Information and Referral System.  This information shall also be communicated via the Department of Social Services’ broadcast system on their agency-wide Intranet so that all local and regional offices can be better informed about the Statewide Information and Referral System.  Information on the Statewide Information and Referral System shall also be included within the department’s electronic mailings to all local and regional offices at least biannually.

G. Out of this appropriation, $1,000,000 the first year from the general fund shall be provided to the Federation of Virginia Food Banks for the purchase of food through food banks across the Commonwealth. No funding shall be used for administrative or overhead expenses.

H. Out of this appropriation $200,000 from the general fund the second year shall be provided to Northern Virginia Family Services to provide comprehensive safety net services for children and families.

I. Out of this appropriation, $88,000 from the general fund the second year shall be provided to the Oxbow Center in Wise County to provide child day care services.