(a) The Department of Social Services is designated as the state agency for the administration of (1) the Connecticut energy assistance program pursuant to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981; (2) the state plan for vocational rehabilitation services for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1994; (3) the refugee assistance program pursuant to the Refugee Act of 1980; (4) the legalization impact assistance grant program pursuant to the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986; (5) the temporary assistance for needy families program pursuant to the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996; (6) the Medicaid program pursuant to Title XIX of the Social Security Act; (7) the supplemental nutrition assistance program pursuant to the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008; (8) the state supplement to the Supplemental Security Income Program pursuant to the Social Security Act; (9) the state child support enforcement plan pursuant to Title IV-D of the Social Security Act; (10) the state social services plan for the implementation of the social services block grants and community services block grants pursuant to the Social Security Act; (11) services for persons with autism spectrum disorder in accordance with sections 17a-215 and 17a-215c; (12) nutritional programs for elderly persons; and (13) the fall prevention program described in section 17a-303a.

(b) The Department of Social Services is designated as the State Unit on Aging to administer, manage, design and advocate for benefits, programs and services for older persons and their families pursuant to the Older Americans Act. The department shall study continuously the conditions and needs of older persons in this state in relation to nutrition, transportation, home care, housing, income, employment, health, recreation and other matters. The department shall be responsible, in cooperation with federal, state, local and area planning agencies on aging, for the overall planning, development and administration of a comprehensive and integrated social service delivery system for older persons.

(P.A. 93-262, S. 2, 87; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2, S. 19, 165; P.A. 09-9, S. 6; P.A. 13-125, S. 5; 13-234, S. 12; P.A. 14-39, S. 21; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 16-3, S. 52; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 17-2, S. 284.)

History: P.A. 93-262 effective July 1, 1993; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2 deleted a reference to the JOBS program, replaced a reference to the aid to families with dependent children program pursuant to Title IV-A of Social Security Act with temporary assistance for needy families program pursuant to the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 and made technical and conforming changes, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 09-9 replaced “food stamp” with “supplemental nutrition assistance” and replaced “Food Stamp Act of 1977” with “Food and Nutrition Act of 2008”, effective May 4, 2009; P.A. 13-125 deleted former Subdiv. (3) re programs for the elderly pursuant to the Older Americans Act, redesignated existing Subdivs. (4) to (12) as Subdivs. (3) to (11) and deleted provision re designation of department as public housing agency for administering Section 8 certificate and housing voucher programs, effective July 1, 2013; P.A. 13-234 deleted provision re designation of department as public housing agency for administering Section 8 certificate and housing voucher programs, effective July 1, 2013; P.A. 14-39 deleted former Subdiv. (1) re child care development block grant and redesignated existing Subdivs. (2) to (11) as Subdivs. (1) to (10), effective July 1, 2014; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 16-3 added Subdiv. (11) re services for persons with autism spectrum disorder, effective July 1, 2016; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 17-2 designated existing provisions re Department of Social Services designated as state agency for administration of certain programs as Subsec. (a) and amended same to add Subdiv. (12) re nutritional programs and Subdiv. (13) re fall prevention program, added Subsec. (b) re State Unit on Aging, and made a technical change, effective October 31, 2017.