Powhatan County Department of Social Services
3908 Old Buckingham Road, Suite 2
Powhatan , Virginia 23139
For All Services Call: (804) 598-5630
Fax: (804) 598-5614 

Child Protective Services Hotline: 1-800-552-7096

Adult Protective Services Hotline: 1-888-832-3858

The Department of Social Services works to help citizens triumph over poverty, abuse and neglect to create strong futures for themselves, their families and our community.
We administer several complex programs which have significant impact on some of our most needy and vulnerable citizens. Included are economic assistance benefits such as temporary assistance to needy families, food stamps, Medicaid and housing, and service programs such as protective services for children and elderly or disabled adults, foster care, family services and adoptions.

OUR MISSION

We provide solution focused competency based social services that promote enhanced quality of life through:

Benefit programs to support adequate and appropriate food, clothing, shelter and health care,
protective and preventive services to reduce harm and exploitation of children and vulnerable adults, client and family services to enhance independence, responsibility and self-determination, and a balanced, affirming, respectful and challenging professional environment for the delivery of these services.

OUR VISION

We will consistently deliver the highest quality social services in the highest quality professional environment.
We will continuously create an innovative helping agency where those who provide services are proud of their work and those who receive services can identify specific positive outcomes.

PROGRAMS ADMINISTERED BY POWHATAN COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

Benefit Programs
Pat Ford, Benefit Programs Manager

1. Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) - Cash assistance formerly known as Aid to Dependent Children (ADC.) Time limited by state and federal statute. Virginia has a two-year limit. Federal law places a five-year life time limit. Benefit payments are generated by the state and not locally budgeted.

2. Food Stamp Program - A program of the US Department of Agriculture. ( Other assistance programs are under the US Department of Health and Human Services.) Staff determines eligibility and operates the Electronic Benefits Transfer process, which is similar to a debit card, issued to recipients for the purchase of groceries. Normally, EBT is operated through Citicorp. Sometimes it is necessary for the Department to issue temporary cards or "vault Cards" and assist in the selection of a PIN number.

3. IV-E Foster Care - Pays maintenance costs, day care and transportation for foster children who meet eligibility criteria.

4. Medicaid - The Departments determines eligibility. Payments are made by the Department of Medical Assistance Services. Thus, payments are not budgeted locally.

5. State/Local Hospitalization - Provides assistance with hospital bills to individuals not eligible for Medicaid. Funding is limited. Generally, funding is exhausted by December.

6. Family Access to Medical Insurance Security Plan (FAMIS) - Provides medical coverage to children who are not currently covered under any other insurance, and are not eligible for Medicaid. Employees of state and local governments participating in either the state health insurance program or the "Local choice" program are not eligible. Eligibility determination/approval is the responsibility of the Department or a "central processing unit," depending on where the family applies for assistance.

7. General Relief - A limited state/local program. In Powhatan, assistance is provided only to unemployable clients not eligible for assistance under a federal program OR those awaiting eligibility determination for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) by the Social Security Administration. When deemed eligible for Social Security, all payments made by our Department are reimbursed to us. The maximum grant is $110 per month. Assistance with indigent burials is made through the General Relief Program.

8. Auxiliary Grants - Provide a supplement to the income of individuals assessed and determined to need care in an adult care residence so they can pay the approved rate for the home.

9. Energy Assistance and EnergyShare - Energy Assistance provides assistance with fuel bills during the winter season and assistance with cooling during the summer. Cooling assistance is limited to households with an elderly or disabled adult or a child under six. The Department also serves as an intake agency for Virginia Power's EnergyShare Program.

10. Employment Services - With certain exceptions, recipients of TANF are required to participate in the Virginia Initiative for Employment Not Welfare (VIEW) program. An Eligibility Worker provides benefit services to VIEW participants, including TANF, Food Stamps, Medicaid.

11. Fraud Free - A program of fraud prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution established by the General Assembly in all local Departments to the extent that funding is available. We have an agreement with the Sheriff's Department for the assistance of a detective and with the Commonwealth Attorney's office for prosecution of cases in court. Fraud restitution can also be made by way of an administrative procedure for those cases involving amounts of $200 or less.

Service Programs
Brad Burdette, Service Programs Manager

1. Foster Care - Our Department is dedicated to helping families resolve problems and improve functioning so they can meet the needs of their members. Sometimes the safety and protection of children requires that they leave their families for temporary foster care. The Department works with Volunteer Emergency Families for Children, a non- profit agency that recruits and trains families to provide emergency care on a volunteer basis. We study and certify homes as well as utilizing the service in emergency situations or when respite care is needed.

2. Independent Living - Services provided to older children (teens) in foster care to prepare them for transition to independence and self-sufficiency.

3. Adoption - The Department does limited agency placements. We conduct studies as ordered by the Circuit Court in stepparent adoptions and may conduct studies for other local Departments and/or individuals if requested. Adoption subsidy is provided for certain children placed by us, such as a family group, older children, children with special needs.

4. Child Protective Services - (CPS) Receipt and investigation of reports of child abuse/neglect. Staff is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. CPS involves mistreatment of a child by a parent or any other individual in a caretaker role. Examples include baby sitters, school personnel, day care, or residential care staff.

A system is now in place to provide a multi-level response to CPS reports. For less severe reports, an investigation and finding may not be made. Services will be provided to the family. Usual investigative procedures continue to apply to more severe reports.

5. Child Day Care - Assistance to families in locating child care and provision of supplemental day care payments to eligible families. We have a contract with the Memorial Child Guidance Clinic for recruitment; training and assistance with voluntary registration of child care providers.

6. Family Preservation - Services designed to strengthen families and prevent foster care. These may be provided directly by the staff or through purchased services. Funding for purchase is limited.

7. Adult Services - Home and community based services to enable adults (elderly or disabled) to remain in their homes. Our Home Based Services provide companions who do light housekeeping and personal assistance to eligible adults. A social worker and Health Department nurse pre-screen clients for Medicaid funded community based services and/or nursing home placement. Social work staff is responsible for the screening of residents of adult care residences to insure the proper level of care. We also handle the receipt and distribution of annual reports from guardians appointed by the Circuit Court for elderly/disabled persons.

8. Adult Protective Services- Receipt and investigation of reports of abuse, neglect and exploitation of adults who are disabled or over the age of 60. Services are developed and provided to prevent or ameliorate the abuse, neglect and exploitation.

9. Domestic Violence - Provision of services to victims and their families. The Department works closely with the PGCAA Domestic Violence Program ( 598-8510 ) and maintains a cooperative agreement with the Victim-Witness Assistance Coordinator at the Sheriff's Department.

10. Family Services - This program helps agency clients identify a wide range of strengths and needs and helps them develop plans to improve the quality of life for their families. Social Workers provide direct services and referrals are made for additional community resources as needed.

11. VIEW Services - The VIEW Social Worker helps eligible clients' assess their strengths and needs to develop and implement appropriate employment plans and self-sufficiency goals.

12. Court Services - As ordered by the Court, conduct investigations in custody and visitation cases. A fee, based on family income, is charged.

13. Section 8 Housing Program - This program, designed to assist low-income families in securing safe affordable housing, is administered through a contract with the Virginia Housing Development Authority. By appointment of the Board of Supervisors , the Department serves as administrative agent for the county. This program subsidizes the rental payments of eligible families. The program in Powhatan is for existing, not projected, housing.

Staff works with real estate agents and landlords to secure participation in the program, determines eligibility for the program and conducts inspections of all rental housing. Many of the participating families experience social or relational challenges, so we utilize a Social Worker as agent in order to provide the families with needed services beyond rental assistance.