THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, April 20, 1995 TAG: 9504200497
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: COVINGTON LENGTH: Medium: 69 lines
The state Board of Social Services on Wednesday began turning welfare reform law into regulations that case workers will begin using this summer for Virginia's 74,000 welfare recipients.
The law will make parents work, attend school or train for a job to get monthly payments and food stamps that generally end after two years.
The board must fill in details left out of the law, such as determining when parents are exempt from the work requirement because of certain hardships such as layoffs and high unemployment where they live.
The welfare reform's work program will be phased in during the next four years, one-fourth of the state per year.
Within a few weeks, Secretary of Health and Human Resources Kay Coles James will choose the approximately 30 cities and counties that will begin to implement the work program July 1.
The first areas likely will be those that already have strong jobs programs and support systems such as day care centers for the needy, said David Olds, welfare reform project director for the state social services department.
Local social services departments would be required to provide day care, job counseling and search help, and medical assistance beyond what Medicaid pays if it's related to a job need.
``I think it's a great challenge, and I'm looking forward to it,'' DSS Commissioner Carol Brunty said during a break in the board meeting. ``So many people try to portray welfare reform as mean spirited. I disagree. These are positive changes. After 30 years, our current system hasn't helped people - it's trapped them.''
The board members on Wednesday began going through a 60-page draft of welfare reform regulations, which basically implement the intent of the law, and they will vote on the regulations in mid-May.
The General Assembly passed a welfare reform bill in February and Gov. George Allen signed it in March.
Along with the new limitations and sanctions are hardship exemptions and special assistance for those welfare recipients who try to find work but cannot.
In the proposed regulations, a ``hardship exemption'' would be granted to those who, after successfully participating in required training or work-experience programs and fulfilling the other requirements for welfare eligibility, actively look for jobs but can't find one.
Job seekers in areas where unemployment for the prior year or month has been 10 percent or higher would also be eligible for the exemption. Exemptions also could be granted when recipients are laid off from jobs for reasons unrelated to their performance, or when an extension of benefits for another year would allow them to complete education or training interrupted through no fault of their own.
Those who don't cooperate with the new regulations would get slapped with some stiff sanctions:
A cutoff of Aid to Families with Dependent Children, the main component of welfare payments, to minors - even if they are parents - until they are attending school as required by the law.
A suspension of payments to an unwed mother for at least a month or until she helps state authorities identify the father of her children.
Suspension of AFDC and food stamps for at least a month or until a recipient agrees to participate in a work program.
KEYWORDS: WELFARE REFORM by CNB