Authority: Title 63.2, Chapters 1 through 7 and 9 through 16, Code of Virginia; P.L. 104-193, Titles IV A, XIX, and XXI, Social Security Act, Federal Code, as amended.

A.1. The amounts in this Item shall be expended under regulations of the Board of Social Services to reimburse county and city welfare/social services boards pursuant to § 63.2-401, Code of Virginia, and subject to the same percentage limitations for other administrative services performed by county and city public welfare/social services boards and superintendents of public welfare/social services pursuant to other provisions of the Code of Virginia, as amended.

2. The Department of Social Services shall not alter local match rates, methodologies, or policies in any manner that would increase the state share of program costs, except as authorized by an act of the General Assembly or as required by federal law.

B. Pursuant to the provisions of §§ 63.2-403, 63.2-406, 63.2-407, 63.2-408, and 63.2-615 Code of Virginia, all moneys deducted from funds otherwise payable out of the state treasury to the counties and cities pursuant to the provisions of § 63.2-408, Code of Virginia, shall be credited to the applicable general fund account.

C. Included in this appropriation are funds to reimburse local social service agencies for eligibility workers who interview applicants to determine qualification for public assistance benefits which include but are not limited to: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); and Medicaid.

D. Included in this appropriation are funds to reimburse local social service agencies for social workers who deliver program services which include but are not limited to: child and adult protective services complaint investigations; foster care and adoption services; and adult services.

E. Out of the federal fund appropriation for local social services staff, amounts estimated at $95,372,148 the first year and $95,372,148 the second year shall be set aside for allowable local costs which exceed available general fund reimbursement and amounts estimated at $28,100,000 the first year and $28,100,000 the second year shall be set aside to reimburse local governments for allowable costs incurred in administering public assistance programs.

F. Out of this appropriation, $712,062 the first year and $712,062 the second year from the general fund and $684,138 the first year and $684,138 the second year from nongeneral funds shall be provided to cover the cost of the health insurance credit for retired local social services employees.

G.1. Out of this appropriation, $4,527,969 the first year and $4,527,969 the second year from the general fund shall be available for the reinvestment of adoption general fund savings as authorized in Title IV, parts B and E of the federal Social Security Act (P.L. 110-351).

2. Of the amounts in paragraph G.1. above, $1,333,031 the first year and $1,333,031 the second year from the general fund shall be used to provide Child Protective Services (CPS) assessments and investigations in response to all reports of children born exposed to controlled substances regardless of whether the substance had been prescribed to the mother when she has sought or gained substance abuse counseling or treatment.

H. Out of this appropriation, $594,713 the first year and $594,713 the second year from the general fund and $4,734,573 the first year and $4,734,573 the second year from nongeneral funds shall be provided to implement the Virginia Facilitated Enrollment Program.

I. Out of this appropriation, $360,000 the first year and $360,000 the second year from the general fund shall be used to provide a bonus payment to local departments of social services not to exceed $250 for each time a new child enters foster care and is placed with a kinship foster parent or for a child currently in foster care who transitions from a non-kinship placement to the care of a kinship foster parent. Payments provided under the provisions of this paragraph shall not exceed $360,000 per year, in aggregate.

J.1. The Department of Social Services (DSS) shall establish and maintain a quality control methodology for determining each local department of social services' (LDSS) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payment error rate. This metric shall utilize data, standards, and methodologies employed by the federal United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (USDA FNS) in calculating the federal SNAP payment error rate.

2. DSS shall publish local error rates for the previous federal fiscal year on its website by June 30 of each year. This publication shall include the statewide SNAP payment error rate as reported to the USDA FNS for the preceding federal fiscal year, as well as each locally determined SNAP payment error rate by LDSS.

K. The Department of Social Services shall submit an annual report for each fiscal year on the allocation and use of state and federal funds distributed to local departments of social services. The report shall include, for each local department of social services: (i) the amount of state funding received; (ii) the amount of federal funding received and federal grant source; (iii) the programs and services supported by such funding; and (iv) the amount of local funds required and contributed to satisfy applicable matching requirements for such state and federal funding. The report shall be submitted to the Department of Planning and Budget and the Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees no later than September 1 of each year.