Community Services Block Grant Program; revision of funding allocation formula, report.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not provide details on how funding will be adjusted based on compensatory measures or operational limitations faced by community service agencies beyond evaluating them.

Community Services Block Grant Program Work Group

This bill requires the Department of Social Services to form a work group that will study and recommend changes to how funding is allocated for community services based on caseloads rather than just population size.

What This Bill Does

• The bill directs the Department of Social Services to create a work group.
• The work group must assess the current allocation formula used by the Community Services Block Grant Program.
• The work group needs to recommend changes that prioritize funding based on caseloads rather than just population size.
• The work group should use recent data and future projections when making their suggestions.
• By November 1, 2026, the work group must submit its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly.

Who It Names or Affects

• Department of Social Services
• Local social service departments

Terms To Know

Caseload-driven funding model

A way to give money based on the number of people needing help, rather than just the total population.

Compensatory measures

Ways to adjust for extra work or difficulties faced by community service agencies.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how many people will be in the work group.
• It is unclear what specific changes might come from the recommendations made by the work group.

Official Summary Text

Department of Social Services; Community Services Block Grant Program; funding allocation formula; work group.
Directs the Department of Social Services to convene a work group to evaluate and make recommendations on revising the allocation formula for the Community Services Block Grant Program. The bill directs the work group to submit its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly by November 1, 2026.

Current Bill Text

HOUSE BILL NO. 1024

AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE

(Proposed by the House Committee on Rules

on ________________)

(Patron Prior to Substitute--Delegate Walker)

A BILL to direct the Department of Social Services to convene a work group to evaluate and make recommendations on revising the allocation formula for funding for local departments of social services; report.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.
§ 1.
That the Department of Social Services shall convene a work group to evaluate the existing allocatio
n formula for
funding for local departments of social services
and make recommendations to supplement existing population-based funding allocation
methods
with
a caseload-driven funding model. In developing its recommendations, the work group shall
utilize
data on recent caseload trends and
projected future growth to ensure allocations are responsive to service demands,

prioritize
active caseload volume over total population in determining
funding,
and evaluate
compensatory measures that reflect hours worked
and operational limitations faced by community services agencies.
The work group shall submit its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly by November 1, 202
6
.