20-76-201. Department of Human Services — Powers and duties.

20-76-201. Department of Human Services — Powers and duties. The Department of Human Services shall: (1) Administer assigned forms of public assistance, supervise agencies and institutions caring for dependent or aged adults or adults with mental or physical disabilities, and administer other welfare activities or services that may be vested in it; (2) Administer or supervise all child welfare activities in accordance with the rules of the Department of Human Services, including: (A) The licensing and supervision of private and public childcare agencies and institutions; (B) The care of dependent, neglected, and delinquent children and children with mental or physical disabilities in foster family homes or in institutions; and (C) The care and supervision of children placed for adoption; (3) Enter into reciprocal agreements with public welfare agencies in other states relative to the provisions of relief and assistance to transients and nonresidents and cooperate with other state departments and with the United States Government in studying labor, health, and public assistance problems involved in transiency; (4) Administer and make effective the rules governing personnel administration, including the preparation and administration of classification and compensation plans and the method of selection for positions in the Department of Human Services: (A) Develop performance standards and bonus awards for all positions in the program focused on achieving the outcomes; and (B) Remove or transfer employees from the program to other responsibilities within the Department of Human Services if they do not meet performance standards; (5) Carry on research and compile statistics relative to public welfare programs throughout the state, including all phases of dependency, defectiveness, delinquency, and related problems and develop plans in cooperation with other public and private agencies for the prevention as well as the treatment of conditions giving rise to public welfare problems; (6) Assist other departments, agencies, and institutions of the state and federal governments, when so requested, by performing services in conformity with the purposes of this chapter; (7) Cooperate with the United States Government in matters of mutual concern pertaining to federally funded programs within the Department of Human Services' purview; (8) Make reports in the form and containing the information as the United States Government from time to time may require and comply with provisions as the United States Government from time to time may find necessary to assure the correctness and veracity of the reports; (9) Allocate funds for the purposes and in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and rules as may be prescribed by the Department of Human Services and subject to review and recommendation by the Arkansas Workforce Development Board; (10) Establish standards of eligibility for assistance developed by the Department of Human Services and subject to review and recommendation by the board; (11) Receive, administer, disburse, dispose, and account for funds, commodities, equipment, supplies, and any kind of property given, granted, loaned, or advanced to the State of Arkansas for public assistance, public welfare, Social Security, or any other similar purposes; (12) Make rules and take actions as are necessary or desirable to carry out the provisions of this chapter and that are not inconsistent therewith; (13) Solicit participation of private organizations, nonprofit organizations, charitable organizations, and institutions of education in the delivery of services and in the enactment and revision of rules; (14) Employ attorneys to represent the interests of the Department of Human Services; and (15) Develop and implement automated statewide benefit delivery and information systems to achieve the purposes of this chapter.