Arkansas Administrative Code › Agency 016 - DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES › Division 14 - Department of Finance (Administrative Services) › Rule 016.14.09-006 - Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) Program Manual

Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 6, June, 2024
CAFR
Comprehensive Annual Financial Report
CFO
Chief Fiscal Officer
CFR
Code of Federal Regulations
CSS
Contract Support Section
DAAS
Division of Aging and Adult Services
DBHS
Division of Behavioral Health Services
DCFS
Division of Children and Family Services
DCO
Division of County Operations
DDS
Division of Developmental Disabilities Services
DHS
Department of Human Services
DHHS
Department of Health and Human Services, United
						  States
DSB
Division of Services for the Blind
DYS
Division of Youth Services
FINS
Families in Need of Service
OCC
Office of Chief Counsel
OFA
Office of Finance and Administration
OMB
Office of Management and Budget
PAPM
Policy and Administrative Program Management
SSBG
Social Services Block Grant
SSI
Supplemental Security Income
TEA
Transitional Employment Assistance
1000
INTRODUCTION TO THE SOCIAL SERVICES BLOCK GRANT
			 (SSBG)
PROGRAM
1100
Purpose
The purpose of the SSBG program is to provide financial
				assistance to states in delivering social services to individuals and families
				that are most appropriate to the population.
1200
Background
Since 1962, the United States Congress has authorized funds to
				states for social services for low income families and individuals. Prior to
				1975, social services funding was provided through two separate titles of the
				Social Security Act: Title IV-A (social services to families with dependent
				children) and Title VI (social services for the aged, blind and disabled).
				Eligibility was closely tied to related income maintenance programs (Aid to
				Families with Dependent Children provided under Title IV-A and Aid to the Aged,
				Blind and Disabled provided under Title VI). Under each program only certain
				specified services could be funded.
On January 4, 1975, Public Law 93-647 was signed into law. This
				law removed the social services provisions for Title IV-A, abolished Title VI,
				and added Title XX to the Social Security Act effective October 1, 1975.
The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981, Public Law
				97-35, amended Title XX of the Social Security Act to establish the SSBG
				program effective October 1, 1981. Under the SSBG program, states have the
				responsibility, within the federal regulations, for determining what services
				will be provided, who will be eligible for services, and how the funds will be
				distributed within the state.
Services funded by the SSBG must be directed at one or more of
				five broad statutory goals:
1.
			 Achieving or maintaining economic self-support to prevent, reduce, or eliminate
			 dependency
2. Achieving or
			 maintaining self-sufficiency, including reduction or prevention of
			 dependency
3. Preventing or
			 remedying neglect, abuse, or exploitations of children and adults unable to
			 protect their own interest or preserving, rehabilitating, or reuniting
			 families
4. Preventing or reducing
			 inappropriate institutional care by providing for community-based care,
			 home-based care, or other forms of less intensive care
5. Securing referral or admission for
			 institutional care when other forms of care are not appropriate or providing
			 services to individuals in institutions
1300
Legal
			 Basis
A. The following
			 federal laws and regulations form the basis for the operation of the SSBG
			 program.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 93.667
				- Social Services Block Grant
(see Appendix F)
Title XX
of the Social Security
				Act
- see Social Security Act website at:
http://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/ssact/title20/2000.htm
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981
				(Section 2352)
B. In addition, these laws apply to all
			 federally funded programs.
Public
				Law 103-333
- Departments of
				Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies
				Appropriations Act of 1995.
Section 507
- Purchase of American-made Equipment and Products.
It is the
			 sense of the Congress that, to the greatest extent practicable, all equipment
			 and products purchased with funds made available in this Act should be American
			 made.
Section 508 - When issuing
			 statements, press releases, requests for proposals, bid solicitations, and
			 other documents describing projects or programs funded in whole or in part with
			 Federal money, all States receiving Federal funds, including but not limited to
			 State and local governments and recipients of Federal research grants, shall
			 clearly state:
1. the percentage of the total
			 costs of the program or project which will be financed with Federal
			 money;
2. the dollar amount of
			 Federal funds for the project or program; and
3. the percentage and dollar amount of the
			 total costs of the project or program that will be financed by non-governmental
			 sources.
Public
				Law 103-227, Part C
-PRO-KIDS Act of
				1994
;
Smoking may not be permitted in any portion of any indoor
				facility owned or regularly used for the provision of health, day care,
				education, or library services to children under the age of 18, if the services
				are funded by Federal programs either directly or through State or local
				governments. The law does not apply to children's services provided in private
				residences, facilities funded solely by Medicare or Medicaid funds, and
				portions or facilities used for inpatient drug and alcohol treatment.
The above language must be included in any sub-awards that
				contain provisions for children's services and all sub-grantees shall certify
				compliance accordingly.
Section 106
(g) of the
			 Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, as amended
;
Recipients, recipients' employees, sub-recipients, and
				sub-recipients' employees may not:
1.
			 Engage in severe forms of trafficking in persons during the period of time that
			 the award is in effect;
2. Procure
			 a commercial sex act during the period of time that the award is in effect;
			 or
3. Use forced labor in the
			 performance of the award or sub-awards under the award.
C.
Regulations
Following are the major federal regulations which govern the
				operation of the SSBG program. Regulations are initially issued into the
				Federal Register and subsequently codified into the Code of Federal Regulations
				(CFR). Copies of the CFR and the Federal Register are available in most public
				libraries.
2 CFR Part 215
- (Office of
				Management and Budget [OMB] Circular A-110) Uniform Administrative Requirements
				for Grants and Agreements With Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and
				Other Non-Profit Organizations
This Circular sets forth standards for obtaining consistency
				and uniformity among Federal agencies in the administration of grants to and
				agreements with institutions of higher education, hospitals, and other
				non-profit organizations.
2 CFR Part 225
- (OMB Circular
				A-87) Cost Principles for State, Local, and Indian Tribal Governments
This part establishes principles and standards for determining
				costs for Federal awards carried out through grants, cost reimbursement
				contracts, and other agreements with State and local governments and
				federally-recognized Indian tribal governments (governmental units).
2 CFR Part 230
- (OMB Circular
				A-122) Cost Principles for Nonprofit Organizations
This part addresses the cost principles to which non-profit
				recipients are subject.
2 CFR Part 376
- Non-procurement
				Debarment and Suspension
This common rule restricts sub-awards and contracts with
				certain parties that are debarred, suspended or otherwise excluded from or
				ineligible for participation in Federal assistance programs or
				activities.
45 CFR Part 16
- Procedures of
				the Departmental Grant Appeals Board
This part is designed to provide a fair, impartial, quick, and
				flexible process for appeal on written final decisions. This part supplements
				the provisions in Part 74 of this title.
45 CFR Part 30
- Claims
				Collection
This part prescribes the standards and procedures for the
				Department of Health and Human Services' (DHHS') use in the administrative
				collection, offset, compromise, and suspension or termination of collection
				activity for claims.
45 CFR Part 80
-
				Nondiscrimination Under Programs Receiving Federal Assistance through DHHS,
				Effectuation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
The purpose of this part is to effectuate the provisions of
				Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to the end that no person in the
				United States shall on the ground of race, color, or national origin be
				excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise
				subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal
				financial assistance from DHHS.
45 CFR Part 81
- Practice and
				Procedure for Hearings Under Part 80 of this Title
The rules of procedure in this part supplement §§80.9
				and 80.10 of this subtitle and govern the practice for hearings, decisions, and
				administrative review conducted by DHHS, pursuant to Title VI of the Civil
				Rights Act of 1964 and Part 80 of this subtitle.
45 CFR Part 84
-
				Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap in Programs and Activities Receiving
				Federal Financial Assistance
The purpose of this part is to effectuate section 504 of the
				Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which is designed to eliminate discrimination on
				the basis of handicap in any program or activity receiving Federal financial
				assistance.
45 CFR Part 86
-
				Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs and Activities
				Receiving or Benefiting from Federal Financial Assistance
The purpose of this part is to eliminate discrimination on the
				basis of sex in any education program or activity receiving Federal financial
				assistance, whether or not such program or activity is offered or sponsored by
				an educational institution as defined in this part.
45 CFR Part 87
- Equal Treatment
				for Faith-based Organizations
Religious organizations are eligible, on the same basis as any
				other organization, to participate in any DHHS program for which they are
				otherwise eligible. Organizations that receive direct financial assistance from
				DHHS, however, may not engage in inherently religious activities, such as
				worship, religious instruction, or proselytization, as part of the programs or
				services funded with direct financial assistance from DHHS. An organization
				that participates in programs funded by direct financial assistance from DHHS
				shall not, in providing services, discriminate against a program beneficiary or
				prospective program beneficiary on the basis of religion or religious
				belief.
45 CFR Part 91
-
				Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Age in DHHS Programs or Activities Receiving
				Federal Financial Assistance
The Age Discrimination Act of 1975 and the regulations set out
				in Part 90 prohibit discrimination on the basis of age in programs or
				activities receiving Federal financial assistance. Recipients of federal funds
				may, however, continue to use age distinctions and factors other than age which
				meet the requirement of the Act and its implementing regulations.
45 CFR Part 92
- Uniform
				Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State,
				Local, and Tribal Governments
This part establishes uniform administrative rules for Federal
				grants and cooperative agreements and sub-awards to State, local and Indian
				tribal governments.
Including:
45 CFR
				92.35
- Sub-awards to debarred
				and suspended parties.
Grantees and sub-
grantees must not make any award or permit any award (sub-grant
				or contract) at any tier to any party which is debarred or suspended or is
				otherwise excluded from or ineligible for participation in Federal assistance
				programs under Executive Order 12549, "Debarment and Suspension".
45 CFR
				92.40(a)
-
				Monitoring by grantees
. Grantees are responsible for managing the
				day-to-day operation of grant and sub-grant supported activities. Grantees must
				monitor grant and sub-grant supported activities to assure compliance with
				applicable Federal requirements and achievement of performance goals. Grantee
				monitoring must cover each program, function, or activity.
45 CFR Part 93
- New
				Restrictions on Lobbying
Federal grant funds may not be used by the grantee or
				sub-grantee to support lobbying activities to influence proposed or pending
				Federal or State legislation or appropriations.
45 CFR Part 96
- Block
				Grants
This part addresses the prerequisites to obtain block grant
				funds, the basis of awards, grant payments, reallotments, time period for
				obligation and expenditure of grant funds, waivers, and annual reporting
				requirements. Appendix A to Part 96 provides the Uniform Definitions of
				Services.
45 CFR Part 100
-
				Intergovernmental Review of DHHS Programs and Activities
These regulations are intended to foster an intergovernmental
				partnership and a strengthened Federalism by relying on state processes and on
				state, area wide, regional and local coordination for review of proposed
				Federal financial assistance and direct Federal development.
48 CFR Part 31
- Contract Cost
				Principles and Procedures
This part addresses the cost principles to which organizations,
				vendors and subcontractors are subject.
D. OMB Circulars:
OMB Circular A-102
- Grants and
				Cooperative Agreements with State and Local Governments
This Circular establishes consistency and uniformity among
				Federal agencies in the management of grants and cooperative agreements with
				State, local, and federally-recognized Indian tribal governments.
OMB Circular A-133
- Audits of
				States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations
This Circular addresses the provisions to which sub-recipients
				and sub-grantees are subject.