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 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. If it has not already done so, the Department of Social Services shall apply for all available federal Food Stamp waivers as soon as possible and in no case later than July 14, 2000. The Department shall provide appropriate documentation of such application to the Department of Planning and Budget (DPB) on or before July 14, 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 on or before July 10, 2000, and shall obtain DPB agreement not to apply for the waiver. The Department shall not terminate such waivers without advance approval from the Department of Planning and Budget.

E. Out of the appropriation for State Administration of Financial Assistance for Standards of Living Services, $374,994 the first year and $222,222 the second year from the general fund is appropriated to meet the Food Stamp reinvestment requirement of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These amounts are attributable to the error rate for federal fiscal year 1998. Of the amount required in the second year, $88,888 shall be assessed to local departments of social services on a basis proportional to caseload. This reduction is reflected in the appropriation in Item 383.