Virginia Administrative Code Title 22 - SOCIAL SERVICES
The Virginia Administrative Code, Title 22 - SOCIAL SERVICES, is a comprehensive set of regulations that govern the wide array of social services programs and agencies within the Commonwealth of Virginia. These regulations are crucial for defining eligibility, service delivery standards, licensing requirements, and administrative procedures for programs designed to protect vulnerable individuals and families and promote self-sufficiency.
Several agencies and their related regulations fall under Title 22, indicating the broad scope of "social services" in Virginia:
Agency 5 - DEPARTMENT FOR THE AGING (ABOLISHED): While this agency is listed, it's important to note that it has been abolished, and its functions (or similar ones) have likely been absorbed by other agencies, primarily the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services.
Agency 15 - CHILD DAY-CARE COUNCIL: This agency (or its functions, as the council itself may have been integrated) sets regulations for child day care, including:
Licensing and Standards for Child Day Centers: Rules for facilities providing care for children, covering aspects like staff qualifications, group size, child-to-staff ratios, health and safety, nutrition, and physical environment.
Licensing and Standards for Family Day Homes: Regulations for individuals providing child care in their own homes.
Voluntary Registration of Family Day Homes: Rules for homes that choose to register even if not required to be licensed.
Agency 20 - DEPARTMENT FOR THE DEAF AND HARD-OF-HEARING: This agency provides services and sets rules related to supporting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing in Virginia, including interpreting services, accessibility, and communication.
Agency 25 - HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL (ABOLISHED): Similar to Agency 5, this council has been abolished.
Agency 27 - BOARD FOR PROTECTION AND ADVOCACY: This board's regulations would cover the oversight and functions of Virginia's protection and advocacy system, which provides legal and advocacy services to individuals with disabilities to protect their rights.
Agency 30 - DEPARTMENT FOR AGING AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES (DARS): This is a major agency within social services, with regulations covering:
Vocational Rehabilitation Services: Rules for helping individuals with disabilities find and maintain employment.
Independent Living Services: Programs to assist individuals with disabilities live independently in the community.
Services for Older Adults: Including the Virginia Public Guardian and Conservator Program, grants to Area Agencies on Aging, and other support services for the elderly.
Agency 35 - DEPARTMENT (BOARD) FOR RIGHTS OF VIRGINIANS WITH DISABILITIES [REPEALED]: This agency has also been repealed.
Agency 40 - DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES (VDSS): This is the central and largest agency within Title 22, administering a vast array of programs. Its regulations are extensive and cover:
Public Assistance Programs:
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF): Rules for cash assistance, employment services (like the Virginia Initiative for Employment Not Welfare - VIEW), and related support for families with children.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): Regulations for food assistance benefits (formerly food stamps), including eligibility, benefit calculation, and EBT card usage.
Medicaid Eligibility Determination: While the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) administers Medicaid, VDSS is responsible for determining eligibility for many Medicaid programs.
Energy Assistance (Heating, Cooling, Crisis): Rules for programs that help low-income households with energy bills.
Auxiliary Grants: State supplementation to federal benefits for certain aged, blind, or disabled individuals in adult care residences or assisted living facilities.
Child Welfare Services:
Child Protective Services (CPS): Detailed regulations for receiving and investigating reports of child abuse and neglect, providing in-home services, and intervention.
Foster Care: Rules for placing children in foster homes, licensing foster families, and providing support services.
Adoption: Regulations for domestic and interstate adoptions, including child-placing agencies, adoption assistance, and post-adoption services.
Child Care Assistance: Programs to help low-income families pay for child care.
Children's Residential Facilities: Licensing and operational standards for facilities providing residential care for children.
Adult Services:
Adult Protective Services (APS): Rules for investigating and responding to reports of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of vulnerable adults.
Adult Care Facilities: Licensing and oversight of assisted living facilities and adult day care centers.
Adult Services Programs: Non-protective services to help adults maintain self-sufficiency and prevent neglect.
Child Support Enforcement: Regulations for establishing paternity, setting child support orders, and enforcing collections.
Refugee Resettlement Services: Rules for programs assisting refugees resettling in Virginia.
Fraud Control Programs: Regulations to prevent, detect, and investigate fraud in public assistance programs.
Human Research: Regulations for any human research conducted or authorized by VDSS.
Interstate Compacts: Rules related to inter-state placement of children (e.g., Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children - ICPC, Interstate Compact on Adoption & Medical Assistance - ICAMA).
Agency 42 - BOARDS OF EDUCATION; JUVENILE JUSTICE; MENTAL HEALTH, MENTAL RETARDATION AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES; AND SOCIAL SERVICES: This unique "joint agency" sets forth shared standards for interdepartmental regulation of children's residential facilities, indicating a collaborative effort to ensure consistent oversight where multiple agencies might have jurisdiction. While repealed, it shows the history of inter-agency cooperation.
Agency 45 - DEPARTMENT FOR THE BLIND AND VISION IMPAIRED (DBVI): Regulations for services specifically for individuals who are blind or vision-impaired, including rehabilitation services, independent living skills, and assistive technology.
The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) is the largest and most central agency under this title, providing oversight and guidance to over 120 local departments of social services across the state. These local departments are the primary point of contact for many Virginians seeking assistance.
For the most accurate and up-to-date information on Title 22 of the Virginia Administrative Code, it's best to consult the official Virginia General Assembly's Legislative Information System (LIS) website (law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title22/) or the official websites of the Virginia Department of Social Services (dss.virginia.gov) and other relevant agencies like DARS.
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