Alabama Administrative Code › Title 660 - ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES › Chapter 660-1-2 - STATUTORY PURPOSE, DUTIES, RESPONSIBILITIES AND ORGANIZATION OF THE DEPARTMENT › Section 660-1-2-.01 - Statutory Purpose, Duties And Responsibilities Of The State Department

Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 9, June 28, 2024
(1) The broad
			 purpose of the State Department of Human Resources (hereinafter referred to as
			 the State Department), as prescribed by statute, is to promote a unified
			 development of welfare activities and welfare agencies of the State and the
			 local governments so that each agency and each governmental institution shall
			 function as an integral part of a general system.
(2) To accomplish its purpose the State
			 Department assumes the following major duties and responsibilities which, as
			 prescribed by statute, are to:
(a) Seek out
			 and prevent or remedy the neglect, abuse or exploitation of children and of
			 adults unable to protect their own interests;
(b) Administer or supervise the provision of
			 economic assistance to individuals who by reason of age, disability, dependency
			 or disaster are in need;
(c) Assist
			 each eligible individual to be as independent as is appropriate for his need
			 for care, supervision or treatment and to achieve or maintain a reasonable
			 degree of self-determination consistent with his capabilities and
			 opportunities;
(d) Aid in the
			 preservation, rehabilitation and reuniting of families;
(e) Develop resources for the care of
			 dependent, neglected, abused or exploited clients and provide inspections of
			 these resources for the purpose of ascertaining that their capacity and
			 adequacy comply with prescribed standards;
(f) License all institutions and agencies,
			 except those under State ownership and control or exempt from licensing by law,
			 caring for, receiving or placing minor children;
(g) Designate County Departments of Human
			 Resources (hereinafter referred to as County Departments) as its agents under
			 its rules and regulations to perform any of its functions;
(h) Provide services to county and municipal
			 governments including the organization and supervision of County Departments
			 for the effective administration and management of welfare functions;
(i) Assist other departments, agencies, and
			 institutions of the State and federal government, when requested, by performing
			 services consistent with the purpose of the Department;
(j) Compile data for the efficient and
			 effective management of the Department's programs;
(k) Establish and enforce reasonable rules
			 and regulations governing the custody, use and preservation of the records,
			 papers and files of the State Department and the County Departments;
(l) Administer such welfare functions as may
			 be vested in it by law;
(m)
			 Solicit, receive and hold gifts, devises and bequests of money, real estate and
			 other things of value to be used in the support, development and carrying on of
			 the Department's work; and
(n) Act
			 as the agent of the federal government in welfare matters of mutual concern and
			 in the administration of any federal funds granted to the State to aid in the
			 furtherance of any of the functions of the State Department and be empowered to
			 meet federal standards established for the administration of federal grants.
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