Authority: Title 2.1, Chapter 5.2; and § 2.1-51.10:1, Code of Virginia.
A. The Secretary of Health and Human Resources shall report to the Governor and the Chairmen of the Senate Finance and House Appropriations Committees, by November 15 of each year, on the progress in implementing welfare reform and in securing private sector jobs for recipients of Aid to Families with Dependent Children.
B. The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 (PL 104-193, § 402) provides $20,000,000 for the five states that achieve the most significant reduction in the magnitude of nonmarital births while reducing the rate of induced pregnancy terminations below 1995 levels. In the event the Commonwealth receives these federal funds, the total amount shall be distributed to local governments based on their pro rata reduction of nonmarital child bearing and participation in the Partners in Prevention Initiative established by the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to encourage and support community-directed strategies that address this critical social issue.
C.1. Out of this appropriation, $110,000 the first year and $110,000 the second year shall be provided from the general fund for the Secretary of Health and Human Resources for the services of an inspector to provide oversight of activities undertaken by the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services to comply with requirements under the federal Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act at the fifteen mental health and mental retardation facilities.
2. It is the intent of the General Assembly that this position or contract be established on a pilot basis to determine its utility and effectiveness in providing permanent oversight for the improvement of the current system of patient care at state mental hospitals and training centers. The Secretary of Health and Human Resources shall report to the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees, by January 1 of each year, on the activities and impact of the inspector on improving patient care at state facilities.
3. Out of this appropriation, $50,000 from the general fund and $171,523 from nongeneral funds and two nongeneral fund positions the first year and $50,000 from the general fund and $178,508 from nongeneral funds and two nongeneral fund positions the second year are provided to support the activities associated with the Office of Inspector General.
D. The Secretary of Health and Human Resources shall establish an inter-agency task force to work in conjunction with consumers, families, advocates, community services boards, and private for-profit and nonprofit community-based rehabilitation providers, to examine implementation of the Medicaid home-based and community-based waiver for mental retardation services. The task force shall consider, but is not limited to, (i) clarification of the roles and responsibilities of the agencies; (ii) methods to simplify administration and streamline procedures; (iii) service definitions for the purpose of providing more access, choice of providers, flexibility, individualized supports and encouraging work; and (iv) updating the interagency agreement. The Secretary shall report on the progress of the task force, along with any recommendations for improving the implementation of the waiver, to the Governor and the 2001 Session of the General Assembly.
E. The Secretary of Health and Human Resources shall report to the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees, by October 1, 2000, on a proposed plan for restructuring the Commonwealth's information and referral services. This plan shall address the following issues: (i) how the advisory council should be reconfigured; (ii) the structure that should be used to implement information and referral services statewide; (iii) the feasibility of using 211 as a nonemergency information number, with a specific proposal for developing and implementing 211 in a way that appears to be cost-effective; (iv) a proposed plan to develop and implement a state-level, Web-based site with links to all local, regional, and state information and referral resources across the Commonwealth; and (v) other issues as may seem appropriate. In developing the proposed plan, the Secretary's office shall receive input from the Department of Social Services, the regional information and referral centers, other health and human resource agencies that provide information and referral services, and the Department of Information Technology.