Authority: Title 2.2, Chapter 54; Title 63.2, Chapters 2 and 21, Code of Virginia; Title VI, Subtitle B, P.L. 97-35, as amended; P.L. 103-252, as amended; P.L. 104-193, as amended, Federal Code.
A. The Department of Social Services, in collaboration with the Office of Children's Services, shall provide training to local staff serving on Family Assessment and Planning Teams and Community Policy and Management Teams. Training shall include, but need not be limited to, the federal and state requirements pertaining to the provision of the foster care services funded under § 2.2-5211, Code of Virginia. The training shall also include written guidance concerning which services remain the financial responsibility of the local departments of social services. Training shall be provided on a regional basis at least once per year. Written guidance shall be updated and provided to local Office of Children's Services teams whenever there is a change in allowable expenses under federal or state guidelines. In addition, the Department of Social Services shall provide ongoing local oversight of its federal and state requirements related to the provision of services funded under § 2.2-5211, Code of Virginia.
B.1. By November 1 of each year, the Department of Planning and Budget, in cooperation with the Department of Social Services, shall prepare and submit a forecast of expenditures for cash assistance provided through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, mandatory child day care services under TANF, foster care maintenance and adoption subsidy payments, upon which the Governor's budget recommendations will be based, for the current and subsequent two years to the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees.
2. The forecast of expenditures shall detail the incremental general fund and federal fund adjustments required by the forecast each year in the biennial budget. The Department of Planning and Budget shall convene a meeting on or before October 15 of each year with the appropriate staff from the Department of Social Services, and the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees to review current trends and assumptions used in the forecasts prior to their finalization.
C. The Department of Social Services shall provide administrative support and technical assistance to the Family and Children's Trust Fund (FACT) Board of Trustees established in §§ 63.2-2100 through 63.2-2103, Code of Virginia.
D. Out of this appropriation, $1,829,111 the first year and $1,829,111 the second year from the general fund and $1,829,111 the first year and $1,829,111 the second year from nongeneral funds shall be provided to fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) contract cost.
E.1. Out of this appropriation, 10 positions and the associated funding shall be dedicated to providing on-going financial oversight of foster care services. Each of the 10 positions, with two working out of each regional office, shall assess and review all foster care spending to ensure that state and federal standards are met. None of these positions shall be used for quality, information technology, or clerical functions.
2. By September 1 of each year, the department shall report to the Governor, the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees, and the Director, Department of Planning and Budget regarding the foster care program's statewide spending, error rates and compliance with state and federal reviews.
F. The Department of Social Services shall provide an annual report on the activities of the Office of New Americans by December 1 of each year.
G. The Department of Social Services shall not implement the Percentage of Income Payment Program (PIPP) until such time as there is adequate fee revenue from the universal service fee, collected by utility providers, available to fund the administrative costs necessary to implement the program, not to exceed $3.0 million. Maximum allowable administrative costs are in totality and include costs borne by the Department of Housing and Community Development for PIPP administration.
H. Out of this appropriation, $54,309 the first year and $54,309 the second year from the general fund and $162,926 the first year and $162,926 the second year from nongeneral funds shall be provided to implement the Virginia Facilitated Enrollment Program.
I. Out of this appropriation, $2,000,000 the first year from the general fund shall be provided to resettlement agencies to provide assistance to refugees that relocate to the Commonwealth.
J. The Department of Social Services shall create a workgroup to study Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant spending. The workgroup shall include appropriate staff from the Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, the Department of Planning and Budget, and the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees. DSS shall submit a final report with options and recommendations for changes necessary to ensure annual structural balance in state TANF spending. These recommendations, if accepted, shall ensure that planned spending shall not exceed the annual federal TANF award beginning in FY 2025. The report shall be made to the Governor, Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees, and the Director, Department of Planning and Budget by September 1, 2022.
K. Out of this appropriation, $291,060 the first year from the general fund and $291,060 the first year from nongeneral funds and five positions shall be provided to support the development of collaborative partnerships between local departments of social services to increase capacity to approve kinship caregivers and recruit, train, and develop locally approved foster parents.
L.1. Out of this appropriation, $1,100,000 the first year from the general fund shall be provided to create an enhanced treatment foster care pilot program. This program will serve foster homes caring for high acuity children and provide participating foster families with an annual stipend of up to $45,000.
2. Out of the amounts in L.1., $200,000 the first year from the general fund shall be provided to foster care agencies to cover the costs of coordination, recruitment, and additional training.
M. Out of this appropriation, $3,000,000 the first year from the general fund shall be provided to support the initiatives of the Safe and Sound Task Force including community-based treatments, support for kinship, foster and adoptive families, and trauma-informed care for children in foster care who are displaced or who are at risk of being displaced.