Effective 28 Aug 2014

660.010. Department of social services created — divisions and agencies assigned to department — duties, powers — director's appointment. — 1. There is hereby created a "Department of Social Services" in charge of a director appointed by the governor, by and with the advice and consent of the senate. All the powers, duties and functions of the director of the department of public health and welfare, chapters 191 and 192, and others, not previously reassigned by executive reorganization plan number 2 of 1973 as submitted by the governor under chapter 26 except those assigned to the department of mental health, are transferred by type I transfer to the director of the department of social services and the office of the director, department of public health and welfare is abolished. The department of public health and welfare is abolished. All employees of the department of social services shall be covered by the provisions of chapter 36 except the director of the department and the director's secretary, all division directors and their secretaries, and no more than three additional positions in each division which may be designated by the division director.

2. It is the intent of the general assembly in establishing the department of social services, as provided herein, to authorize the director of the department to coordinate the state's programs devoted to those unable to provide for themselves and for the rehabilitation of victims of social disadvantage. The director shall use the resources provided to the department to provide comprehensive programs and leadership striking at the roots of dependency, disability and abuse of society's rules with the purpose of improving service and economical operations. The department is directed to take all steps possible to consolidate and coordinate the field operations of the department to maximize service to the citizens of the state.

3. All references to the division of welfare shall hereafter be construed to mean the department of social services or the appropriate division within the department.

4. The state's responsibility under public law 452 of the eighty-eighth Congress and others, pertaining to the Office of Economic Opportunity, is transferred by type I transfer to the department of social services.

5. The state's responsibility under public law 73, Older Americans Act of 1965, of the eighty-ninth Congress is transferred by type I transfer to the department of social services.

6. All the powers, duties and functions vested by law in the curators of the University of Missouri relating to crippled children's services, chapter 201, are transferred by type I transfer to the department of social services.

7. All the powers, duties and functions vested in the state board of training schools, chapter 219 and others, are transferred by type I transfer to the "Division of Youth Services" hereby authorized in the department of social services headed by a director appointed by the director of the department. The state board of training schools shall be reconstituted as an advisory board on youth services, appointed by the director of the department. The advisory board shall visit each facility of the division as often as possible, shall file a written report with the director of the department and the governor on conditions they observed relating to the care and rehabilitative efforts in behalf of children assigned to the facility, the security of the facility and any other matters pertinent in their judgment. Copies of these reports shall be filed with the legislative library. Members of the advisory board shall receive reimbursement for their expenses and twenty-five dollars a day for each day they engage in official business relating to their duties. The members of the board shall be provided with identification means by the director of the division permitting immediate access to all facilities enabling them to make unannounced entrance to facilities they wish to inspect.

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(L. 1973 1st Ex. Sess. S.B. 1 § 13, A.L. 1982 S.B. 717, A.L. 1986 S.B. 426, A.L. 2011 H.B. 464, A.L. 2014 H.B. 1299 Revision)