Title 34 — Welfare
17 chapters · 206 sections in this title.
34 V.I.C. § 1 Definitions
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As used in this chapter—“child welfare services” include the protection and care of children who are dependent or neglected and any other children who may be in need of services in their own homes or foster care;“Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Human Services;“Department”…
34 V.I.C. § 10 Redetermination of eligibility and amount of payments
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The Commissioner shall change or withdraw the award of assistance whenever the conditions have altered sufficiently to warrant such action. If during the time he is receiving public assistance, the recipient thereof receives income or acquires resources in excess of the amount pr…
34 V.I.C. § 11 Appeal and fair hearing—Continued payments pending appeal
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An applicant or recipient aggrieved because of a decision of the Commissioner or his authorized representative, or by delay in making a decision shall be entitled to appeal to the Board in the manner prescribed by it, and shall be afforded reasonable notice and opportunity for a …
34 V.I.C. § 12 Confidential character of information
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The Commissioner shall establish and enforce reasonable rules and regulations governing the custody, use and preservation of the documents, records, papers, files, and communications concerning public assistance, child welfare service and other welfare services of the Department.…
34 V.I.C. § 13 Public assistance not assignable
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Public assistance granted under this chapter shall not be transferable or assignable at law or in equity, and none of the money paid or payable under this chapter shall be subject to execution, levy, attachment, garnishment, or other legal process, or to the operation of any bank…
34 V.I.C. § 14 Public Assistance Fund
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Income and disbursements Income and disbursements (a) There is established in the Treasury of the Virgin Islands, a special fund to be known as the “Public Assistance Fund.” Into this Fund shall be paid all moneys appropriated by the Legislature of the Virgin Islands for assistan…
34 V.I.C. § 14a Dorothy D. Buckley Trust Funds
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(a) There is established in the Treasury of the Virgin Islands a special fund to be known as the “Dorothy D. Buckley Trust Fund for the Indigent Elderly.” Into this fund shall be paid all monies bequeathed from the estate of the late Dorothy D. Buckley for the benefit of the indi…
34 V.I.C. § 14b Disabled Persons Special Fund
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There is hereby established in the Treasury of the Virgin Islands a special fund to be known as the “Disabled Persons Special Fund” (hereinafter referred to in this section as the “Fund”). Into this Fund shall be deposited the sums referred to in the proviso clause contained in (…
34 V.I.C. § 15 Travel assistance
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The Commissioner may in proper cases, wherein he determines that an emergency exists, provide travel assistance and may authorize Government personnel to accompany the recipient of such assistance; provided that the amounts spent for the travel and subsistence of the Government e…
34 V.I.C. § 16 Appropriations
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(a) The Legislature shall annually appropriate out of funds available to it, an amount sufficient to carry out the provisions of this chapter based upon the estimates submitted by the Commissioner of Social Welfare pursuant to section 384 of Title 3. The Commissioner of Finance s…
34 V.I.C. § 17 Work relief
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The Commissioner is authorized, as deemed desirable, within funds made available to the Department for emergency aid or work relief, to provide employment for employable persons who are in need and unemployed and for whom no other employment is immediately available, such employm…
34 V.I.C. § 18 Homes for aged and destitute persons
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(a) Homes for aged and destitute persons shall be under the jurisdiction of the Commissioner of Human Services, who shall be responsible for their proper management and operation. (b) The homes shall receive such persons as may be committed to them by the Commissioner and shall i…
34 V.I.C. § 18a Home Care Service for aged and indigent citizens
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In order to assist senior citizens who are aged and indigent to enjoy basic comforts of living during their declining years, the Commissioner of Human Services is hereby authorized to institute a Home Care Service. This service shall include, but not be limited to cleaning of roo…
34 V.I.C. § 19 Day care of children of working mothers
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(a) The Commissioner of Human Services shall be responsible for a program for stimulating efforts by private persons or organizations to provide suitable day care facilities for children of working mothers and for supervising the operation of such facilities. For this purpose, he…
34 V.I.C. § 2 Functions of Commissioner of Human Services
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The Commissioner shall discharge the social welfare functions of the Virgin Islands, including those specified in section 384 of Title 3, except as otherwise prescribed by law.
34 V.I.C. § 20 Food distribution program for the needy; application for federal grants
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The Commissioner of Human Services of the Government of the United States Virgin Islands shall make application to the United States Department of Agriculture for grants of foodstuffs under the Direct Distribution Program of the Department of Agriculture on the basis of need to b…
34 V.I.C. § 21 Same; storage, repackaging and delivery
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The Commissioner of Human Services shall store all foodstuffs received under the Direct Distribution Program and shall repackage and deliver such foodstuffs to the needy persons in Saint Thomas, Saint Croix, and Saint John, certified for assistance by the Department of Human Serv…
34 V.I.C. § 22 Recovery of public assistance payments improperly received
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If a recipient receives public assistance for which he is not eligible by reason of the possession of or having come into possession of any resources which he fails to disclose to the Department, or conceals resources such as cash in hand, bank accounts, saving accounts, cash inc…
34 V.I.C. § 23 Emergency welfare services
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The Commissioner, in his discretion, may provide emergency welfare assistance and services, on an immediate basis, to any individual or family in need as a result of a natural disaster or other emergency situation. Emergency welfare services may be provided in cash or in kind, to…
34 V.I.C. § 24 Emergency Welfare Services Fund
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(a) There is created and established in the Treasury of the Virgin Islands a special revolving fund to be designated and referred to as the “Emergency Welfare Services Fund”. The Commissioner of Finance shall maintain and provide for the administration of said Fund as a distinct …
34 V.I.C. § 25 Trust Fund for Welfare Purposes
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There is established in the treasury of the Virgin Islands a special fund to be known as the “Trust Fund for Welfare Purposes”, to be used for assisting needy persons who are unable to meet the eligibility requirements of the programs of the Department of Human Services. Payments…
34 V.I.C. § 26 Clothing allowance for needy
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(a) In cases where actual need exists, and to relieve serious hardships among the lowest income families, the Department of Human Services shall approve school clothing allowances to said needy families of not less than $60 per child per school year. (b) Applicants aggrieved with…
34 V.I.C. § 27 Food Stamp Plan for the needy; application for participation
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The Commissioner of Human Services of the Government of the United States Virgin Islands shall make application to the United States Department of Agriculture for participation in the Food Stamp Plan established by the Food Stamp Act of 1964, as amended by Public Law 93–86, the A…
34 V.I.C. § 28 Food Stamp Plan for the needy; sale; disposition of proceeds
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(a) The Commissioner of Human Services, in accordance with said Food Stamp Program, shall apply for and receive food stamps from the issuing federal agency, shall sell the same to needy persons in St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John, certified for assistance by the Department of H…
34 V.I.C. § 29 Food Stamp Welfare Fund
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(a) There is hereby created and established a special revolving fund to be designated and referred to as the Food Stamp Welfare Fund. The Commissioner of Finance shall maintain and provide for the administration of said fund as a separate and distinct fund in the Treasury and no …
34 V.I.C. § 3 Repealed. June 24, 1987, No. 5265, § 203 (g), Sess. L. 1987, p. 29
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34 V.I.C. § 3 Statutes current through Act 9046 of the 2025 session of the 36th Legislature, including all code changes through October 25, 2025 Virgin Islands Code AnnotatedCopyright © 2026 All rights reserved.
34 V.I.C. § 30 Repealed. June 24, 1987, No. 5265, § 203(g), Sess. L. 1987, p. 29
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34 V.I.C. § 30 Statutes current through Act 9046 of the 2025 session of the 36th Legislature, including all code changes through October 25, 2025 Virgin Islands Code AnnotatedCopyright © 2026 All rights reserved.
34 V.I.C. § 31 Paternity and Child Support Revolving Fund
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(a) There is hereby established a Paternity and Child Support Revolving Fund as a special fund in the Treasury of the Virgin Islands. (b) The Commissioner of Finance is directed to maintain and provide for the administration of the Paternity and Child Support Revolving Fund as a …
34 V.I.C. § 4 Eligibility for public assistance
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Public assistance shall be granted under this chapter to any needy individual who has not available sufficient income and resources to maintain a reasonable standard of health and well-being.
34 V.I.C. § 5 Preparation of plans and classification of expenditures
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The rulemaking powers of the Commissioner shall include authority to establish rules and regulations and necessary procedures for the preparation of plans and for classifying and reporting expenditures made with respect to recipients of public assistance in such manner as to obta…
34 V.I.C. § 6 Amount of assistance
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The amount of assistance which a recipient shall receive shall be determinated in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Commissioner, with due regard to his requirements and the conditions existing in his case and to the income and resources determined to be available …
34 V.I.C. § 7 Applications for public assistance
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Applications for public assistance under the provisions of this chapter shall be made in the manner and form prescribed by the Commissioner and shall contain such information as the Commissioner may require.
34 V.I.C. § 8 Investigation of application
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Whenever the Commissioner receives an application for public assistance under this chapter, he shall promptly make an investigation and record of the circumstances of the applicant in order to ascertain the facts supporting the application and to obtain such other information as …
34 V.I.C. § 9 Approval of public assistance
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The Commissioner shall determine, in accordance with his rules and regulations, whether the applicant is eligible for public assistance under the provisions of this chapter, the type and amount of public assistance he shall receive, and the date upon which such public assistance …
34 V.I.C. § 40 Definitions
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(1) For the purposes of this chapter:(1) “Certified individual” means an individual who has been certified to participate in the Program under section 43, subsection (b) of this chapter;(2) “Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Human Services;(3) “Disabled person” means any in…
34 V.I.C. § 41 Pharmaceutical and medical supplies assistance to aged and disabled persons
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(a) The Commissioner shall establish and implement a program to provide financial assistance to certified individuals 60 years of age and over, disabled adults and adults suffering with cancer or degenerative diseases for their acquisition of prescription drugs, including refills…
34 V.I.C. § 42 Eligibility
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(a) Any resident of the territory 60 years of age, or over and any disabled person who is a resident of the territory regardless of age whose household income meets the Federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) low-income guidelines for the Virgin Islands as published annually …
34 V.I.C. § 43 Application; certification; identification cards
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(a) An individual, otherwise eligible to participate in the Program, must, prior to receiving any benefit from the Program, file with the Commissioner a written, signed application to participate in the Program. Such applications shall be on forms provided for that purpose by the…
34 V.I.C. § 44 Length of certification; reapplication
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(a) Each individual certified to participate in the Program under section 43, subsection (b) of this chapter, shall remain so for a period of one (1) year from the date of such certification. (b) Any individual certified to participate in the Program under section 43, subsection …
34 V.I.C. § 45 Presentment; copayment; procedure
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(a) In order to receive the benefits of the Program, a certified individual must present his identification card, provided for in section 43 of this chapter, and pay in full a copayment of six dollars ($6.00) to a pharmacy for the first prescription drug, and a one dollar co-paym…
34 V.I.C. § 46 Payment under other plans or insurance
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(a) An otherwise eligible individual whose prescription drug costs are wholly covered by another plan of assistance or insurance shall be ineligible for assistance under the provisions of this chapter except that applicants to the Program who are insured under a private insurance…
34 V.I.C. § 47 Reconsideration
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(a) An individual determined not eligible to participate in the Program under section 43, subsection (b) of this chapter may, within ten (10) days from the date of receipt of the written determination, file a petition with the Commissioner to reconsider the determination of ineli…
34 V.I.C. § 48 Election to participate; signs
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(a) No later than ninety (90) days from the date of enactment of this chapter, the Commissioner shall notify, in writing, each pharmacy in the Territory of the existence of the Program established by this chapter and that only those pharmacies which file written notices of intent…
34 V.I.C. § 49 Rules and regulations; notices
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(a) The Commissioner is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter. (b) The Commissioner shall, within ninety (90) days from the date of enactment of this chapter and periodically thereafter, cause to be published in two (2)…
34 V.I.C. § 71 Purpose
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The objective of this chapter is to promote the recognition of the importance of the participation of both parents in the lives of their children. Social policy and practices have often focused on the difficulties of raising a child in a single-parent family and have often create…
34 V.I.C. § 72 Fatherhood initiative
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(a) To achieve the objectives of this chapter, there is established within the Paternity and Child Support Division within the Virgin Islands Department of Justice the Council on Responsible Fatherhood. The Paternity and Child Support Division shall include a line item in its bud…
34 V.I.C. § 73 Membership of the Council
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(a) The Council is composed of eleven members. The Director of the Paternity and Child Support Division within the Department of Justice and the Commissioner of the Department of Human Services or their designees shall serve as ex-officio members of the Council. The Governor shal…
34 V.I.C. § 80 Responsible Fathers Fund
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(a) There is established a separate and distinct, non-lapsing fund in the Treasury of the Virgin Islands to be known as the Responsible Fathers Fund. The money in the Fund may be used exclusively to fund the activities of the Council and is administered by the Director of the Div…
34 V.I.C. § 101 Establishment of training schools
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The Governor is authorized to establish such training schools for boys and for girls as may be approved by the Legislature, which shall be under the jurisdiction of the Department of Human Services.
34 V.I.C. § 102 Admission to training schools
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The training schools shall receive and provide institutional care for children who are dependent or neglected or children who are in danger of becoming dependent or neglected, who are placed therein by the Department of Human Services.