Authority: Title 63.1, Chapters 1 and 6; Title 2.1, Chapter 39, Code of Virginia; P.L. 104-193, Federal Code, as amended; Title VI, Subtitle B, P.L. 97-35, as amended; P.L. 103-252, as amended.

A. All increased state or federal funds distributed to Community Action Agencies after July 1, 1998, shall be distributed as follows:

All funds will be divided equally. One-half 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). The second half shall be distributed to local Community Action Agencies that receive less than that agency would receive if all funds distributed to local Community Action Agencies were distributed under the Department of Social Services formula (75%, 20%, 5%). These funds shall be prorated according to the local agencies' relative underfunded amount. This process shall continue until all local agencies reach funding parity.

B. The Department shall continue to fund from this Item all Community Action Agencies funded in Item 463 of Chapter 853 of the 1995 Acts of Assembly.

C. The toll-free telephone hotline operated by the Department of Social Services to receive child abuse and neglect complaints shall also be publicized and used by the Department to receive complaints of adult abuse and neglect.

D. The Department of Social Services, in cooperation with the Department of Planning and Budget, shall work with the Virginia Municipal League, the Virginia Association of Counties, and the Virginia League of Social Services Executives, Inc., to develop recommendations for providing timely and accurate processing of applications for food stamps and for reducing the error rate below the national average. The work group shall examine the appropriate resources, as required by the Department of Social Services and local departments of social services, to meet the federal requirements for processing food stamp applications. Among, but not limited to, the items examined shall be staffing in the central and regional offices and local departments of social services, automation, and office space. The results of the study shall be reported to the Governor and the Chairmen of the Senate Finance and House Appropriations Committees by October 1, 1999.

E. The Department of Social Services shall apply for all available federal Food Stamp waivers as soon as possible and in no case later than April 30, 2000. The Department shall provide appropriate documentation of such application to the Department of Planning and Budget (DPB) on or before April 30, 2000. If the Department of Social Services determines that any such waiver cannot contribute to improving the accuracy of Food Stamp eligibility and benefits determination and will clearly have a detrimental impact on the Commonwealth’s Food Stamp program, it shall notify DPB in writing, justifying its recommendation, and obtain DPB agreement not to apply for the waiver.

F. The Department of Social Services is authorized to approve applications during fiscal year 2000 for payments from the Virginia Caregivers Grant Program, operated pursuant to Chapter 21, Title 63.1, Code of Virginia. Approved applications shall be paid after June 30, 2000.