Alabama Administrative Code Chapter 660-1-2 — Statutory Purpose, Duties, Responsibilities and Organization of the Department

660 Alabama Department of Human Resources

Ala. Admin. Code r. 660-1-2-.01 Statutory Purpose, Duties And Responsibilities_ Of_The State Department

(1) The broad purpose of the State Department of Human Resources (hereinafter referred to as the State Department), as prescribed by statute, is to promote a unified development of welfare activities and welfare agencies of the State and the local governments so that each agency and each governmental institution shall function as an integral part of a general system.

(2) To accomplish its purpose the State Department assumes the following major duties and responsibilities which, as prescribed by statute, are to:

(a) Seek out and prevent or remedy the neglect, abuse or exploitation of children and of adults unable to protect their own interests;

(b) Administer or supervise the provision of economic assistance to individuals who by reason of age, disability, dependency or disaster are in need;

(c) Assist each eligible individual to be as independent as is appropriate for his need for care, supervision or treatment and to achieve or maintain a reasonable degree of self-determination consistent with his capabilities and opportunities;

(d) Aid in the preservation, rehabilitation and reuniting of families;

(e) Develop resources for the care of dependent, neglected, abused or exploited clients and provide inspections of these resources for the purpose of ascertaining that their capacity and adequacy comply with prescribed standards;

(f) License all institutions and agencies, except those under State ownership and control or exempt from licensing by law, caring for, receiving or placing minor children;

(g) Designate County Departments of Human Resources (hereinafter referred to as County Departments) as its agents under its rules and regulations to perform any of its functions;

(h) Provide services to county and municipal governments including the organization and supervision of County Departments for the effective administration and management of welfare functions;

(i) Assist other departments, agencies, and institutions of the State and federal government, when requested, by performing services consistent with the purpose of the Department;

(j) Compile data for the efficient and effective management of the Department's programs;

(k) Establish and enforce reasonable rules and regulations governing the custody, use and preservation of the records, papers and files of the State Department and the County Departments;

(l) Administer such welfare functions as may be vested in it by law;

(m) Solicit, receive and hold gifts, devises and bequests of money, real estate and other things of value to be used in the support, development and carrying on of the Department's work; and

(n) Act as the agent of the federal government in welfare matters of mutual concern and in the administration of any federal funds granted to the State to aid in the furtherance of any of the functions of the State Department and be empowered to meet federal standards established for the administration of federal grants.

History

• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, § 38-2-6.
• Effective June 28, 1983.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 660-1-2-.02 Statutory Purpose, Duties And Responsibilities Of_The County Departments

(1) The broad purpose of County Departments, as prescribed by statute, is to meet the welfare needs of its respective county citizens through the exercise of the powers, duties and responsibilities designated by the State Department to County Departments acting as its agents.

(2) Beyond assuming the duties and responsibilities designated by the State Department, each County Department assumes the additional functions, as prescribed by statute, to:

(a) Formulate, through its county director meeting regularly with its county board, general policies, rules and regulations necessary to conduct its work, which policies, rules and regulations must be consistent with the policies, rules and regulations of the State Department; and

(b) Furnish its County Board of Human Resources and the State Department such reports concerning its activities and the status of the welfare functions within its jurisdiction as the State Department may require.

History

• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, § 38-2-8.
• Effective June 28, 1983.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 660-1-2-.03 Organization Of The State Department

(1) The chief executive and administrative officer of the State Department, as prescribed by statute, is the Commissioner who is appointed by the State Board of Human Resources and serves at its pleasure and subject to its authority.

(2) The Deputy Commissioner for Programs, Deputy Commissioner for Field Administration, Deputy Commissioner for Fiscal and Administrative Services and Welfare Programs Compliance Officer report directly to the Commissioner of Human Resources.

(a) The Deputy Commissioner for Programs, working under the general direction of the Commissioner, provides general direction in the planning and management of the state social welfare program and acts for the Commissioner in his absence. Responsibilities include providing general direction in developing and implementing policies and procedures for all functions of the state welfare program; providing day to day oversight, intra and extra Departmental coordination and management of the Department; translating general guidelines, policy statements, directions and instructions from the Commissioner into specific policies, directives, goals and objectives of the Commissioner and the Department; and performing other related work as assigned by the Commissioner.

(b) The Deputy Commissioner for Field Administration, working under the general direction of the Commissioner, supervises and coordinates the management of the statewide welfare program in the County Departments of the Department of Human Resources, and acts for the Commissioner in his absence. Responsibilities include the administration of the welfare programs in all County Departments, applying program knowledge and administrative practices within the area of responsibility, providing general direction to the supervisory and administrative duties of the regional managers, directing the Volunteer Services and Emergency Welfare Services of the Department, establishing performance standards for evaluating job performance of County Department Directors, and performing other related work as assigned by the Commissioner.

(c) The Deputy Commissioner for Fiscal and Administrative Services, working under the general direction of the Commissioner, provides general direction in the planning and management of the internal functions of the Department and acts for the Commissioner in his absence. Responsibilities include participating in planning, directing and coordinating the executive, financial and administrative policies and procedures of the Department; assigning work to subordinates in the form of broad objectives or needs; interpreting the welfare program to the general public through conferences with individuals and groups, and addressing various organizations; directing investigations from the Commissioner's Office in all financial and administrative areas of the statewide welfare program; and performing other related work as assigned by the Commissioner.

(d) The Welfare Programs Compliance Officer, working under the general direction of the Commissioner, administers a comprehensive statewide compliance program for the Department. Responsibilities include planning, organizing, coordinating and directing compliance functions for Civil Rights and Equal Employment Opportunity, Auditing, Fraud and Quality Control; developing efficiency, effectiveness and financial compliance policies and procedures for the Department; coordinating, assigning and directing program, investigative, administrative, fiscal staff and other subordinate staff in conducting studies or surveys for purposes of improving or creating compliance methods for activities such as, collections or audits; directing cost benefit analysis studies of compliance activities and performing other related work as assigned by the Commissioner.

(3) Legal counsel for the State Department is appointed by the Commissioner, with the approval of the Attorney General and subject to the provisions of the State merit system law. Legal counsel, a commissioned Assistant Attorney General with powers, authority and duties herein, devotes full time to the business of the Department.

History

• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§ 38-2-3(d), 38-2-4.
• Effective June 28, 1983. Amendment effective December 9, 1983. Succedent amendment effective March 12, 1984. Succedent amendment effective September 7, 1984. Succedent amendment effective March 12, 1985. Emergency succedent amendment effective at the Close of Business on December 6, 1985. Succedent permanent amendment effective February 7, 1986. Succedent permanent amendment effective December 15, 1988.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 660-1-2-.04 Organization Of The County Departments

(1) A County Department of the Department of Human Resources is located in each county of the State and performs public welfare functions in accordance with the rules and regulations of the State Department, subject to the approval of the State Board.

(2) All administrative and executive duties of a County Department, as prescribed by statute, are the responsibility of the County Director who is appointed by the county's County Board of Human Resources, subject to the provisions of the merit system.

(3) The County Director, subject to the approval of the County Board and the provisions of the merit system, appoints and organizes such staff as may be necessary to administer the welfare activities within the county.

History

• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§ 38-2-7, 38-2-8(a), 38-2-8(b).
• Effective June 28, 1983.