Family Services Overview

The services units are there to help make sure there is a safe and healthy environment for adults, families and children.  The services side of the Agency is divided into four different units.  They are Child Protective Services (CPS), In-Home, Foster Care, and Adult Protective Services (APS) Unit.

Program Manager - The primary responsibility of the Program Manager is to ensure performance management and quality assurance. The position also assists with organizational development, and monitors, and evaluates the programs listed below.

Child Protective Services (CPS) -The goal of Child Protective Services (CPS) is to identify, assess, and provide services to children and families in an effort to protect children, preserve families, whenever possible, and prevent further maltreatment. Child Protective Services is non-punitive in its approach and is directed toward enabling families to provide adequate care for their children. Local departments of social services are responsible for receiving reports of abuse and neglect; conducting investigations to determine the validity of the CPS reports and providing services that enhance child safety and prevent further abuse and neglect to families and children.

Hotline: 804-786-8536

Mandated Reporter Portal

In Home- Prevention services are an integral part of the continuum of all child welfare services. These services include, but are not limited to, providing information and services intended to strengthen families and improve child well-being; minimize harm to children; maximize the abilities of families to protect and care for their own children; and prevent abuse, neglect, and the need for out-of-home care across the continuum of services within local departments of social services (LDSS).  The primary goal of In-Home services is to support families to safely maintain children in their own homes or with relative/fictive kin caregivers in their own communities, by addressing identified safety and risk concerns and reducing the recurrence of child maltreatment. This is achieved through the engagement of the family, support systems, and other service providers.

VDSS Prevention webpage

Foster Care - Foster care is intended to be a temporary rather than a long-term solution for children who have been removed from their birth family homes for reasons of neglect, abuse, abandonment, or other issues endangering their health and/or safety. Every effort is made to help the child remain with his or her family; however, when a child comes into foster care they are most often placed in a foster home. The foster family works as a team with the local department of social services, the biological family, the child (when applicable) and any additional community partners.

Website: www.dss.virginia.gov/family/fc/

Adult Protective Services (APS Unit) - Adult Protective Services (APS) receives and investigates reports of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of adults 60 years of age or older and incapacitated adults age 18 or older. If protective services are needed and accepted by the individual, local APS workers may arrange for a wide variety of health, housing, social and legal services to stop the mistreatment or prevent further mistreatment. Services offered may include home-based care, transportation, adult day services, nutrition services and legal intervention in order to protect the adult. Services may also be arranged for individuals in emergency situations who lack the capacity to consent to services.

APS Hotline: 888-832-3858.

Virginia Adult Protective Services Reporting Portal

Adult Services - The Adult Services Program assists adults with impairment who need services or support to enhance self-sufficiency and improve their quality of life. Services offered include:

• Home-based services (companion)
• Long-Term Care Services and Support (LTSS) Screenings Assisted Living Facility (ALF) assessments and reassessments Review of annual guardian reports

These services are provided by local departments of social services and are designed to help adults remain as independent as possible, preferably in their own home. The goal is to strengthen appropriate family and social support and reduce the need for institutional placement.

Individuals Who May Be Eligible for Adult Services:

• Adults who may need home-based services
• Individuals who request a screening for Medicaid funded long-term services and supports Adults who may qualify for Auxiliary Grant and need assessment for assisted living facility placement Adults who need and request services to avoid institutionalization.

Website: www.dss.virginia.gov/family/as/servtoadult.cgi

Indicators of Adult Abuse Neglect or Exploitation

Signs of Maltreatment

Doing Our Part

Adoption Services - Provides services and registries to bring together children and families for permanent placements.

Website: www.dss.virginia.gov/family/ap/

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Family Preservation and Prevention Services

In 1993, Congress passed and began implementation of a new federal Family Preservation and Family Support Services Program. The program was part of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, which established a new subpart 2 to Title IV-B of the Social Security Act. The Act provides services that:

• Promote family strength and stability
• Enhance parental functioning
• Protect children, and
• Assess and make changes in state and local service delivery systems.

Family Preservation Services are services intended to help families whose children are in imminent danger of abuse, neglect, or out-of-home placement. Family Support Services are services designed to enhance the family.  These cases will now be referred to as "In-Home Services" to include both Family Preservation and Prevention Services.