Authority: Title 63.2, Chapter 1; § 2.2-4000 et seq., Code of Virginia; P.L. 98-502, P.L. 104-156, P.L. 104-193, P.L. 104-327, P.L. 105-33, as amended; P.L. 105-89; P.L. 105-178, Federal Code; Titles IV-A, IV-B, IV-D, IV-E, XIX, XX, XXI of the federal Social Security Act, as amended.
A.1. The Department of Social Services shall own hardware and database management software purchased with funds appropriated to it. The Virginia Information Technologies Agency may charge the Department of Social Services for operations and maintenance of such equipment and products but may not include any portion of the purchase price in the calculation of such charges. The Virginia Information Technologies Agency may not use or sell the excess capacity resulting from these purchases, except pursuant to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Departments of Planning and Budget, the Department of Social Services and the Virginia Information Technologies Agency. Any such MOU must provide for appropriate reimbursement to the general fund and any federal grant contributions for the purchases.
2. Recovery of the federal share of the cost of computer equipment in years following the Department's original purchase with general fund appropriation shall be deposited as revenue of the general fund in reimbursement for general fund expenditures made in prior years.
B. The Department of Social Services shall require localities to report all expenditures on designated social services, regardless of reimbursement from state and federal sources. The Department of Social Services is authorized to include eligible costs in its claim for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Maintenance of Effort requirements.
C. It is the intent of the General Assembly that the Commissioner of the Department of Social Services shall work with localities that seek to voluntarily merge and consolidate their respective local departments of social services. No funds appropriated under this act shall be used to require a locality to merge or consolidate local departments of social services.
D.1. Out of this appropriation shall be provided $473,844 from the general fund and $387,691 from the federal trust fund the first year and $473,844 from the general fund and $387,691 from the federal trust fund the second year to support the statewide Information and Referral System, provide resource and referral information on many of the specialized health and human resource services available in the Commonwealth, including child day care availability and providers in localities throughout the state, and publish consumer-oriented materials for those interested in learning the location of child day care providers.
2. The Department of Social Services shall request that all state and local child-serving agencies within the Commonwealth be included in the Virginia Statewide Information and Referral System as well as any agency or entity that receives state general fund dollars and provides services to families and youth. The Secretary of Health and Human Resources, the Secretary of Education, and the Secretary of Public Safety shall assist in this effort by requesting all affected agencies within their Secretariats to submit information to the statewide Information and Referral System and ensure that such information is accurate and updated annually. Agencies shall also notify the Virginia Information and Referral System of any changes in services that may occur throughout the year.
3. The Department of Social Services shall communicate with child-serving agencies within the Commonwealth about the availability of the statewide Information and Referral System. This information shall also be communicated via the Department of Social Services' broadcast system on their agency-wide Intranet so that all local and regional offices can be better informed about the Statewide Information and Referral System. Information on the Statewide Information and Referral System shall also be included within the Department's electronic mailings to all local and regional offices at least biannually.