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Vermont Department for Children and Families Economic Services Division All Programs Rules 2000 All Programs 2000 All Programs (07/01/1971, 71-73) The Social Welfare Act of 1967, in Section 2501 of Title 33 of the Vermont Statutes Annotated, sets forth the following social welfare policy for the State of Vermont: A. Its social welfare programs shall provide assistance, benefits, care and services to persons of the state in proven need thereof and thereby promote the well-being of all the people of the state. B. It is the purpose of its social welfare laws to establish and support programs which contribute to the prevention of dependency and social maladjustment, as well as rehabilitative, preventive and protective services. C. Assistance, benefits, care and service shall be administered promptly, with due regard for the preservation of family life, and without restriction of individual rights or discrimination on account of race, religion, political affiliation or place of residence within the state. D. Assistance, benefits, care and service shall be so administered as to maintain and encourage dignity, self-respect and self-reliance. It is the legislative intent that assistance granted shall be adequate to maintain a reasonable standard of health and decency based on current cost of living indices. E. It is further declared to be the policy of this state to direct its efforts to the strengthening of family life for the care and protection of children; to assist and encourage the use by any family of all available personal and reasonable community resources to this end; and to provide substitute care of children only when the family, with the use of resources available to it, is unable to provide the necessary care and protection to assure the right of any child of sound health, and normal physical, mental, spiritual and moral development." Welfare assistance programs are administered in accordance with the provisions of applicable federal law and regulations and with state social welfare law and policy. The following general principles are in effect with regard to the total program: F. Policies and procedures for determination of eligibility for aid, benefits and services will: 1. Be consistent with the objectives of maintaining individual dignity, self-respect and self-reliance and of strengthening family life for the care and protection of children. 2. Respect the constitutional and other legal rights of individuals, under relevant provisions of federal and state law, including the Social Security Act and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. 3. Not result in practices that violate the individual’s privacy or dignity, or harass him in any way. 4. Limit use or disclosure of information concerning applicants or recipients to purposes directly connected with the administration of the program. G. Procedures for application and eligibility determination will assure that: 1. Each person who wishes to do so will be given an opportunity to apply or reapply without delay for aid, benefits and services. 2. Prompt action will be taken on each application and reapplication and applicants will be notified in writing of the department’s decision on the application. 3. Department decisions will be based on recorded information showing either that all pertinent eligibility requirements are met or that one or more requirements are not met. 4. Aid will be given promptly and will continue regularly to all eligible persons until they are found to be ineligible, so long as aid is being provided under the category.