Department of Social Services (765)

Authority: Title 2.2, Chapter 54; Title 63.2, 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, $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.

3.  Out of this appropriation, $500,000 the first year from the general fund and $500,000 the second year from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant shall be provided to Community Action Agencies.

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, $760,000 the first year and $951,896 the second year from the general fund and $2,475,501 the first year and $2,833,605 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.

D.1. Out of this appropriation, $1,500,000 the first year and $1,250,000 the second year from the general fund shall be provided to the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation (VECF). 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, $100,000 the first year and $100,000 the second year from nongeneral funds shall be provided for Volunteer Emergency Families for Children to expand its shelter care network for abused, neglected, runaway, homeless, and at-risk children throughout Virginia.

F. Out of this appropriation, $100,000 the first year and $100,000 the second year from nongeneral funds shall be provided for the Child Abuse Prevention Play administered by Theatre IV of Richmond.

G. Out of this appropriation, $70,000 the first year and $70,000 the second year from the general fund shall be provided for dementia-specific training of long-term care workers dealing with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders through the Virginia Alzheimer's Association Chapters.

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

I. Out of this appropriation, $931,000 the first year and $931,000 the second year from the general fund shall be used to sustain statewide services provided through child advocacy centers. The department shall develop a request for proposal to (i) distribute 67 percent of the allocated funds for accredited child advocacy centers and 30 percent for associate/developing child advocacy centers, as recognized and in good standing with the National Children's Alliance, with input from Children's Advocacy Centers of Virginia (CACVA); (ii) allocate three percent to Children's Advocacy Centers of Virginia, the recognized chapter of National Children's Alliance for Virginia's child advocacy centers, for the purpose of assisting and supporting the development, continuation and sustainability of community-coordinated, child-focused services delivered by children's advocacy centers; and (iii) distribute any non-allocated funding equally to accredited and associate/developing child advocacy centers awarded funding in section (i) of this paragraph.

J. Out of this appropriation, $100,000 the first year and $100,000 the second year from the general fund shall be provided to Youth for Tomorrow (YFT) to provide comprehensive residential, education and counseling services to at-risk adolescents and youth. The department shall include in the contract with YFT specific goods and services that will be delivered to adolescents and youth of the Commonwealth as a result of this appropriation. The department shall report outcomes to the Chairmen of the Senate Finance and House Appropriations Committees on October 1, 2013 and each year thereafter.

K.  Out of this appropriation, $250,000 the second year from the general fund shall be provided to Elevate Early Education for the purpose of implementing a pilot program for a kindergarten readiness assessment.  The contract with Elevate Early Education to administer this program shall require the submission of a final report from the organization detailing the assessment method(s) utilized, actual expenditures for the program, and outcome analysis and evaluation.  This report shall be submitted to the Governor, Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees, and the Secretaries of Health and Human Resources and Education.  Prior to the receipt of any state funding for this purpose, Elevate Early Education must provide evidence of private matching funds secured for this purpose.

L.  Out of this appropriation, $25,000 the second year from the federal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families block grant shall be provided to the Visions of Truth Community Development Corporation to support self-sufficiency programs for at-risk youth.  The Department of Social Services shall require that an update on the use of these funds to promote self-sufficiency be provided to the department by January 1, 2014.