§ 40-5.2-27. Department of human services. (a) Except as otherwise provided for herein, the director of the department of human services is responsible for implementation of this chapter.

(b) No later than March 1st of each year, the director shall submit a plan to the general assembly showing how, within available resources, the department expects to operate the programs authorized under this chapter in the succeeding fiscal year. The director will provide an annual report of program impact on families served by the Rhode Island Works Program and indicators of success. The report shall also reflect the child support guidelines issued from time to time by the Rhode Island family court.

(c) The department is empowered and authorized to submit its plan for services under the act to the federal government or any agency or department thereof having funds available for benefits to low income families for approval pursuant to the provisions of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 301 et seq. The department shall act for the state in any negotiations relative to the submission and approval of the plan and/or waivers and may make any arrangement or changes in its plan and/or waivers not inconsistent with this chapter which may be required or permitted by the Social Security Act or rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto, to obtain and retain approval and to secure for this state the benefits of the provisions of the federal act relating to family assistance. The department shall make reports to the federal government or any agency or department thereof, in the form and nature required by it, and shall in all respects comply with any request or direction of the federal government or any agency or department thereof which may be necessary to assure the correctness and verification of the reports.

(d) The department of human services is hereby authorized and directed to expedite the implementation of this act by submitting to the federal government, on behalf of the state, such state plan amendments and any federal waiver requests which it deems necessary to fully implement the provisions of this act and to secure for this state the benefits of federal financial participation and/or grants for the above referenced programs, as amended, pursuant to titles IV and XIX of the federal Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 601 et seq. and 1396 et seq., and Subchapter II-B of the Child Care and Development Block Grant codified at 42 U.S.C. § 9858 et seq., and as such acts may hereafter be re-codified or amended by such acts as may be considered and enacted by the Congress of the United States.

(1) Any provisions of this chapter and chapters 6 and 6.2 of this title and § 42-12-3 which are inconsistent with federal law or regulations shall be void unless the department receives an exemption or waiver from the federal government to implement the provision.

(2) The department of human services is hereby authorized and directed to implement this act only in accordance with the terms and conditions of state plan amendments, waivers, or other approvals granted by the federal government and changes in rules, regulations and policies of the department that are promulgated pursuant to chapter 35 of title 42.

History of Section. (P.L. 2008, ch. 100, art. 16, § 1.)