Virginia Law

The following words or terms when used in this chapter shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Affidavit of support" or "Form I-134" means a statement of a sponsor's income, resources, and willingness to support. Form I-134 or similar form is filed with the Citizenship and Immigrant Services (USCIS) by a United States resident who sponsors an alien seeking admission to the United States as a permanent resident. The affidavit is made for the purpose of assuring the United States government that the sponsored alien will not become a public charge in the United States.

"Agency" means the local department of social services.

"Agency action" or "action" means action taken by the superintendents or directors or local board certifying the individual or family is eligible for maintenance or emergency assistance.

"Appeal process" means a review of the decision on the disability claim that can involve four steps: reconsideration, hearing before an administrative law judge, review by Appeals Council, and hearing in a federal court.

"Assistance for unattached children" means a component of the General Relief Program that can provide assistance to children who would be eligible for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) if the relationship requirement were met.

"Assistance unit" means the individual or group of individuals whose needs, income, and resources are considered in determining eligibility for a component.

"Component" means a specific type of assistance provided under the General Relief Program.

"Entitlement date or entitlement" means the date eligibility begins.

"Equal Access to Justice Act" means an act that allows a federal court to grant an attorney a fee for proceedings before an administrative agency.

"Federal disability benefits" means disability insurance benefits or Supplemental Security Income.

"Foster child" means a child who is entrusted or committed to a state mandated service and the child is identified as "at risk" or "in crisis."

"General Relief Plan" means the document completed by a local department of social services to identify the components included in the General Relief Program for the locality.

"General Relief Program (GR)" means an optional program funded by state (62.5%) and local funds (37.5%) with the primary purpose of assisting unattached children who do not qualify for aid in a federal category. The program is supervised by the State Department of Social Services and administered by local agencies.

"Hearing before an administrative law judge" means the first level formal fair hearing of decisions of the Social Security Administration to deny federal disability benefits. The hearing is conducted by an attorney who is an official of the Social Security Administration.

"Legal aid attorney" means an attorney who provides legal services at no cost to people within certain income guidelines.

"Maintenance payments" or "maintenance" means ongoing financial assistance from the general relief program.

"Maximum for the locality" means the amount of reimbursable assistance applicable to some components based on the agency group. Agencies are placed in one of three groups based on shelter expenses in the area.

"Monthly maximum" means the dollar amount of assistance specified in the General Relief Plan for the unattached child component.

"Permanent resident status" means having been lawfully accorded the privilege of residing permanently in the United States as an immigrant.

"Private attorney" means an attorney engaged in the private practice of law for which a fee is charged.

"Provider" means an attorney, or an individual working under the supervision of an attorney legally allowed to do so, who provides assistance in establishing an individual's eligibility for federal disability benefits.

"Recipient" means an individual who is receiving interim assistance.

"Reimbursable" means the amount an assistance unit can receive per month for which the state/local match is available.

"Review by the Appeals Council" means a review of the decisions of the administrative law judge by a review unit of the Social Security Administration. The Appeals Council either decides the case or issues an order returning it to an administrative law judge for further review.

"Sponsor" means a person, or any public or private agency or organization, that executed an affidavit of support or similar agreement on behalf of an alien as a condition of the alien's entry into the United States as a permanent resident.

"Sponsored alien" means an immigrant who due to the likelihood of his becoming a public charge would have been excluded from lawful admission into the United States. As a condition of this immigrant's admission, a person or public or private agency or organization executed an affidavit of support or similar agreement guaranteeing the federal, state, and local governments that the immigrant would not become a public charge.

"Standard of assistance" means the amount of reimbursable assistance based on the size of the assistance unit and the local department of social services group. Local agencies are placed in one of three groups based on shelter expenses in the area.

"Standard of assistance at 90% of need" means the amount of reimbursable assistance applicable to some components based on the size of the assistance unit and the agency group. Agencies are placed in one of three groups based on shelter expenses in the area.

"Subcomponent" means a part of a component.

"Supplemental Security Income" means Title XVI of the Social Security Act that provides benefits to a disabled person based on financial need.

"Temporary Assistance for Needy Families" (TANF) means the federal program administered by the Virginia Department of Social Services that provides assistance for families with children.

"United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)" is a branch of the United States Department of Homeland Security delegated authority to enforce the Immigration and Nationality Act and all other laws relating to the immigration and naturalization of aliens.