Title 20, Public Health and Welfare

(a) Except in a case of reckless conduct or intentional, willful, or wanton misconduct, a state-funded entity or employee of a state-funded entity is not liable for an injury, including without limitation economic and noneconomic damages or death:(1) Arising from the conduct of a…

(1) As used in this chapter:(1) “Assessment services” means an evaluation to determine the abilities, talents, proficiencies, and deficiencies of applicants and recipients with regard to the ability of the individual to move into employment;(2) “Date of enrollment” means the date…

(a) To ensure that all available state government resources are used to help transitional employment assistance recipients make the transition from welfare to work, each of the following state agencies and organizations shall also be required to work with the Department of Human …

The Department of Human Services shall neither seek reimbursement nor charge any fees for distributing commodities furnished to the state by the United States Government.

(a) The Department of Human Services shall:(1) Develop a statewide implementation plan for ensuring the cooperation of state agencies and local agencies and encouraging the cooperation of private entities, especially those receiving state funds, in the coordination and implementa…

(1) The Department of Human Services, as appropriate, should provide work activities, training, and other services through contracts. In contracting for work activities, training, or services, the following apply:(1) (A) A contract shall be performance-based.(B) Whenever possible…

(a) There is created a grant program to be known as the “Fight Senior Hunger Community Grant Match Program” to incentivize Arkansas counties, cities, and nonprofit organizations to help fight senior hunger in their respective communities. (b) The Department of Human Services is a…

(1) Each Area Agency on Aging shall report on its active programs and expenditures to address senior food insecurity under this subchapter to the:(1) House Committee on Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs at least one (1) time each year and during a legisl…

(a) The Human Services Workers in the Schools Program is established as a collaborative effort among the Division of Children and Family Services, the Arkansas Workforce Development Board, the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, and local school districts. The Human S…

(a) The administration of the Transitional Employment Assistance Program and the Arkansas Work Pays Program shall focus on promoting the following Transitional Employment Assistance Program outcomes for Transitional Employment Assistance Program recipients and poor families in Ar…

The Department of Human Services shall not seek, apply for, accept, or renew any waiver or demonstration project under 7 U.S.C. § 2015(o) that relaxes or reduces the codified Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program requirement to work.

(a) Unless required by federal law, the Department of Human Services shall not:(1) Apply gross income standards for food assistance higher than the standards specified in 7 U.S.C. § 2014(c); or(2) Grant categorical eligibility that exempts households from the gross income standar…

(a) To the extent possible, the Department of Human Services shall:(1) Support and participate in viable programs such as the Double Up Food Bucks Incentive Program along with Healthy Active Arkansas partners that offer incentives for healthy food purchases by recipients of Suppl…

The Department of Human Services shall require a custodial parent or noncustodial parent to cooperate with the Office of Child Support Enforcement of the Revenue Division of the Department of Finance and Administration as a condition of eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition …

(a) As used in this section, “veteran disability benefits” means disability benefits provided to a veteran who:(1) Is a resident of this state;(2) Has been determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to be a disabled service-connected veteran; and(3) Receives d…

(a) As used in this section:(1) “Local government” means:(A) A county;(B) A city of the first class, a city of the second class, or an incorporated town; or(C) Any other district or political subdivision of the state or an agency, board, or commission of the district or political…

(a) The Secretary of the Department of Human Services shall request a waiver from the United States Department of Agriculture to exclude candy and soft drinks from the definition of eligible foods under 7 C.F.R. § 271.2, as it existed on January 1, 2025. (b) If a waiver requested…

(1) 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 v…

(a) (1) It is found and determined that the continued operations of the Department of Human Services, through its appropriate divisions, in accordance with the approved annual operations plan, are from time to time seriously impaired by either administrative oversights and delays…

(a) The appropriate division of the Department of Human Services shall have authority to receive, disburse, and account for funds from the division, county, state, or any other source for purposes and plans approved by the division in accordance with the rules established by the …

(a) (1) No officer or employee of the appropriate division of the Department of Human Services or of a county office shall use his or her official authority to influence or permit the use of the program administered by the division or the county offices for the purpose of interfe…

(a) It is hereby found and determined by the Seventy-Seventh General Assembly that regional offices tend to create inefficiency in the operation of the programs and services provided by the Department of Human Services. (b) Therefore, no office of the Department of Human Services…

(a) The appropriate division of the Department of Human Services is authorized to pay the employer's portion of contributions and withholdings required by the federal and state income tax laws, the Federal Insurance Contributions Law, the Workers' Compensation Law, § 11-9-101 et …

(a) The appropriate division of the Department of Human Services is authorized to pay the employer's portion of contributions and withholdings required by the federal and state income tax laws, the Federal Insurance Contributions Act, the Workers' Compensation Law, § 11-9-101 et …

(a) The Secretary's office of the Department of Human Services shall establish and maintain as a cash fund account the Client Specific Emergency Services Revolving Fund Paying Account consisting of federal grants, aids, cash donations, reimbursements, and state general revenue, n…

Notwithstanding any other provision in federal law or departmental commitment which may exist to the contrary, the Department of Human Services shall not increase any reimbursement rate to any provider or provider groups supported in whole or in part by funds administered by the …

The Division of Medical Services of the Department of Human Services shall establish a program utilizing an electronic benefit transfer system for the distribution and redemption of food stamps, whereby food stamp recipients will no longer use paper coupons to participate in the …

(a) The Department of Human Services is authorized to pay the employer's portion of contributions and withholdings required by the federal and state income tax laws, the Federal Insurance Contributions Act, the Workers' Compensation Law, § 11-9-101 et seq., the Division of Workfo…

(a) Except when prohibited by federal law, the Department of Human Services shall adopt the following procedures to verify eligibility for participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or for receipt of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits:(1) All c…

There is created and established at the seat of government of this state a department of state to be designated and known as the “State Department for Social Security Administration Disability Determination”.

(a) The executive head of the State Department for Social Security Administration Disability Determination is designated as the director. (b) The Director of the State Department for Social Security Administration Disability Determination shall be a resident elector of this state…

(1) It shall be the function, power, and duty of the State Department for Social Security Administration Disability Determination, or the Director of the State Department for Social Security Administration Disability Determination:(1) To enter into agreements with the United Stat…

(a) Any executory contract or agreement, or applicable part thereof, entered into by and between this state, or any officer or agency thereof, and the United States, or any officer or agency thereof, in relation to the subject matter of this subchapter is validated, ratified, and…

There is created and established in the State Treasury a fund to be designated and known as the “Federal Disability Determination Fund”, and all moneys received for these purposes shall be deposited into the fund.

(a) The Director of the State Department for Social Security Administration Disability Determination or the counsel for the State Department for Social Security Administration Disability Determination is authorized to require the attendance of witnesses and the production of book…

An extra help employee of the State Department for Social Security Administration Disability Determination shall not be employed for a period of time exceeding one thousand eight hundred (1,800) hours in a fiscal year.

(a) (1) The Transitional Employment Assistance Program is created.(2) The Transitional Employment Assistance Program shall be administered by the Department of Human Services. (1) The Transitional Employment Assistance Program is created. (2) The Transitional Employment Assistanc…

(a) The Department of Human Services shall develop and describe categories of approved work activities for transitional employment assistance recipients in accordance with this section. The rules shall be subject to review and recommendation by the Arkansas Workforce Development …

(a) The application for assistance shall contain a statement of the amount of both real and personal property in which the applicant has an interest and of all earned and unearned income which he or she may have at the time of the filing of the application and such other informat…

(a) (1) The Department of Human Services shall not provide financial assistance to a family that includes an adult recipient who has received financial assistance for more than twelve (12) months, except as provided in subsection (c) of this section.(2) The number of months need …

(a) When an applicant applies for employment assistance, the Department of Human Services shall determine whether the applicant is eligible to be diverted from receiving employment assistance. That determination shall be based on an assessment conducted in conformity with rules p…

(a) (1) In accordance with their personal responsibility agreement, low-income entrepreneurs may escrow profits from their business enterprises which are not reinvested into their businesses into an account which will be placed in a micro-lending program and not be counted agains…

If an application for assistance is denied in whole or in part, the applicant or recipient may appeal to the Department of Human Services in the manner and form prescribed by the department. The department shall, upon receipt of the appeal, give the applicant or recipient a reaso…

The State of Arkansas opts out of Section 115 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, Pub. L. No. 104-193.

(a) A reduction in financial assistance or case closure shall be imposed in the following situations:(1) The individual fails without good cause to cooperate with the Office of Child Support Enforcement of the Revenue Division of the Department of Finance and Administration;(2) T…

Whenever any person makes an application for Transitional Employment Assistance Program benefits from the Department of Human Services and the application reveals that the applicant or child or children was or were put in such needy circumstances as to require public assistance b…