                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

DIVISIONS OF DEPARTMENT; STAFFING (§ 63.2-209)

A. The Commissioner shall establish in the Department such divisions and
regional offices as may be necessary.

B. The Commissioner shall ensure that regional offices responsible for oversight
of foster care and adoption services are equipped with sufficient staff, and in
no event less than four staff members, to provide effective oversight of and
assistance with foster care and adoption services provided by local boards in
the Commonwealth. At least one staff member shall be tasked with (i) reviewing
the placement of children by local boards in children&#8217;s residential
facilities to verify that such placements are warranted by medical necessity and
(ii) monitoring other health-related issues, such as medication management,
frequency of visits with health care providers, and use of psychotropic
medications. At least one staff member shall be tasked with supporting the
efforts of local boards to find family-based placement options for children who
are placed in or at risk of being placed in a children&#8217;s residential
facility without a medical necessity for congregate care. At least one staff
member shall be tasked with supporting the efforts of local boards to find a
permanent placement for children who have the greatest risk of aging out of
foster care without a permanent family. At least one staff member shall be
tasked with conducting foster care and adoption case reviews to ensure that
local boards within the region are providing foster care and adoption services
in a manner that complies with state and federal laws and regulations and
protects the health, safety, and well-being of children under the supervision
and control of such local boards. Notwithstanding any other provision of law,
staff of regional offices shall have the authority to provide temporary staff
support to local departments experiencing higher than normal caseloads or staff
shortages.

HISTORY: Code 1950, § 63-7; 1968, cc. 578, 669, § 63.1-7; 1974, cc. 44, 45;
1981, c. 21; 2002, c. 747; 2019, c. 446.