Code of Vermont Rules › Agency 13 - AGENCY OF HUMAN SERVICES › Sub-Agency 170 - DEPARTMENT FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES (DCF) › Chapter 200 - ALL PROGRAMS (2000) › Section 13 170 200 - ALL PROGRAMS (2000)

Current through June, 2024
Section 2000 Introduction
The Social Welfare Act of 1967, in Section
				  2501
				  of Title 33 of the Vermont Statutes Annotated, sets forth the following Social
				  Welfare policy for the State of Vermont:
"
				(1) Its Social Welfare programs shall provide
				essistence, benefits, care and services to persons of the State in proven need
				thereof and thereby promote the well-being of all the people of the
				State.
(2) It is the purpose of its
				Social Welfare laws to establish and support programs which contribute to the
				prevention of dependency and social maladjustment, as well as rehabilitative,
				preventive and protective services.
(3) Assistance, benefits, care and service
				shall be administered promptly, with due regard for the preservation of family
				life, and without restriction of individual rights or discrimination on account
				of race, religion, political affiliation or place of residence within the
				State.
(4) Assistance, benefits,
				care and service shall be so administered as to maintain and encourage dignity,
				self-respect and self-reliance. It is the legislative intent that assistance
				granted shall be adequate to maintain a reasonable standard of health and
				decency based on current cost of living indices.
(5) It is further declared to be the policy
				of this State to direct its efforts to the strengthening of family life for the
				care and protection of children; to assist and encourage the use by any family
				of all available personal and reasonable community resources to this end; and
				to provide substitute care of children only when, the family, with the use of
				resources available to it, is unable to provide the necessary care and
				protection to essure the right of any child of sound health, and normal
				physical, mental, spiritual and moral development."
Welfare Assistance programs are administered in accordance
				  with the provisions of applicable Federal law and regulations and with State
				  Social Welfare Law and policy. The following general principles are in effect
				  with regard to the total program:
1.
				Policies and procedures for determination of eligibility for aid, benefits and
				services will:
a. Be consistent with the
				objectives of maintaining individual dignity, self-respect and self-reliance
				and of strengthening family life for the care and protection of
				children.
b. Respect the
				constitutional and other legal rights of individuals, under relevant provisions
				of Federal and State law, including the Social Security Act and Title VI of the
				Civil Rights Act of 1964.
c. Not
				result in practices that violate the individual's privacy or dignity, or harass
				him in any way.
d. Limit use or
				disclosure of information concerning applicants or recipients to purposes
				directly connected with the administration of the program.
2. Procedures for application and eligibility
				determination will assure that:
a. Each
				person who wishes to do so will be given an opportunity to apply or reapply
				without delay for aid, benefits and services.
b. Prompt action will be taken on each
				application and reapplication and applicants will be notified in writing of the
				Department's decision on the application.
c. Department decisions will be based on
				recorded information showing either that all pertinent eligibility requirements
				are met or that one or more requirements are not met.
d. Aid will be given promptly and will,
				continue regularly to all eligible persons until they are found to be
				ineligible, so long as aid is being provided under the category.
e. Continuing eligibility will be determined,
				when circumstances change or at specified periodic intervals, in accordance
				with the same principles as initial application.
3. Procedures for determining initial and
				continuing eligibility will:
a. Rely upon
				applicants and recipients as the primary source of information about their
				eligibility, after an adequate interpretation of requirements, recognizing
				varying capacities of applicant/recipient to take responsibility for providing
				adequate factual information.
b.
				Inform applicants and recipients of their responsibility to furnish complete
				and accurate information, including prompt notification of changes affecting
				their eligibility or amount of aid or benefits, and of the penalties for
				willful misrepresentation to obtain aid or benefits to which they are not
				entitled.
c. Provide assistance to
				recipients, when requested, in obtaining needed information. For contact with
				collateral sources, see respective programs.
d. Provide for obtaining needed information
				when the recipient is unable to do so, due to physical, mental or other
				difficulties.
e. Include, except
				when specifically waived where a simplified method is in use, at least one
				interview with the applicant or recipient, or, if direct contact is impractical
				or would delay the decision, with someone acting responsibly for him.
f. Limit verification of conditions of
				eligibility to what is reasonably necessary to assure that expenditures under
				the program will be legal, in accord with Federal and State law and
				regulations.
Application of these principles in specific areas is covered
				  in succeeding sections.