Sec. 1. (a) The division shall administer or supervise the public welfare activities of the state. The division has the following powers and duties:

(1) The administration of old age assistance, TANF, and assistance to the needy blind and persons with disabilities, excluding assistance to children with special health care needs.

(2) The administration of the licensing and inspection under IC 12-17.2.

(3) The provision of services to county governments, including the following:

(A) Organizing and supervising county offices for the effective administration of public welfare functions.

(B) Compiling statistics and necessary information concerning public welfare problems throughout Indiana.

(C) Researching and encouraging research into crime, delinquency, physical and mental disability, and the cause of dependency.

(4) Prescribing the form of, printing, and supplying to the county offices blanks for applications, reports, affidavits, and other forms the division considers necessary and advisable.

(5) Cooperating with the federal Social Security Administration and with any other agency of the federal government in any reasonable manner necessary and in conformity with IC 12-13 through IC 12-19 to qualify for federal aid for assistance to persons who are entitled to assistance under the federal Social Security Act. The responsibilities include the following:

(A) Making reports in the form and containing the information that the federal Social Security Administration Board or any other agency of the federal government requires.

(B) Complying with the requirements that a board or agency finds necessary to assure the correctness and verification of reports.

(6) Appointing from eligible lists established by the state personnel board employees of the division necessary to effectively carry out IC 12-13 through IC 12-19. The division may not appoint a person who is not a citizen of the United States and who has not been a resident of Indiana for at least one (1) year immediately preceding the person's appointment unless a qualified person cannot be found in Indiana for a position as a result of holding an open competitive examination.

(7) Assisting the office of Medicaid policy and planning in fixing fees to be paid to ophthalmologists and optometrists for the examination of applicants for and recipients of assistance as needy blind persons.

(8) When requested, assisting other departments, agencies, divisions, and institutions of the state and federal government in performing services consistent with this article.

(9) Acting as the agent of the federal government for the following:

(A) In welfare matters of mutual concern under IC 12-13 through IC 12-19, except for responsibilities of the department of child services under IC 31-25-2.

(B) In the administration of federal money granted to Indiana in aiding welfare functions of the state government.

(10) Administering additional public welfare functions vested in the division by law and providing for the progressive codification of the laws the division is required to administer.

(11) Supervising day care centers.

(12) Compiling information and statistics concerning the ethnicity and gender of a program or service recipient.

(b) In the administration of the public welfare programs, the division and the department of workforce development may enter into a written memorandum of understanding concerning administering and implementing federal work requirements for public welfare programs.

[Pre-1992 Revision Citations: subdivision (1) formerly 12-1-2-3(a); subdivision (2) formerly 12-1-2-3(c) part; subdivision (3) formerly 12-1-2-3(e); subdivision (4) formerly 12-1-2-3(g); subdivision (5) formerly 12-1-2-3(h); subdivision (6) formerly 12-1-2-3(j); subdivision (7) formerly 12-1-2-3(i); subdivision (8) formerly 12-1-2-3(k); subdivision (9) formerly 12-1-2-3(l); subdivision (10) formerly 12-1-2-3(o); subdivision (11) formerly 12-1-2-3(p); subdivision (12) formerly 12-1-2-3.1(1); subdivision (13) formerly 12-1-2-3.1(2); subdivision (14) formerly 12-1-2-3.1(3); subdivision (15) 12-1-2-3.1(4); subdivision (16) formerly 12-1-2-3.1(5).]

As added by P.L.2-1992, SEC.7. Amended by P.L.20-1992, SEC.26; P.L.81-1992, SEC.27; P.L.1-1993, SEC.130; P.L.23-1993, SEC.52; P.L.4-1993, SEC.51; P.L.5-1993, SEC.64; P.L.142-1995, SEC.3; P.L.1-1997, SEC.53; P.L.35-1998, SEC.1; P.L.273-1999, SEC.79; P.L.234-2005, SEC.20; P.L.145-2006, SEC.75; P.L.69-2015, SEC.3; P.L.210-2015, SEC.32.