The New York (state) Welfare Management System receives, maintains and processes information relating to persons who apply for benefits, or who are determined to be eligible for benefits under any program administered by the department.
Administrative reviews ("Fair Hearings") of decisions by a local social services agency are handled by the OTDA Office of Administrative Hearings.[1] A Rivera request, also known as an evidence packet request, is the document (labeled W-186A) used for requesting evidence relating to a NYC Human Resources Administration fair hearing pursuant to the stipulation and settlement in Rivera v. Bane.
History
In 1867 a Board of State Commissioners of Public Charities was created to visit and examine into the affairs of all charitable institutions.[2][3] In 1894 a constitutional convention enacted a provision requiring the Legislature to establish a State Board of Charities to visit and inspect all institutions.[4][5][3] In 1909 the Poor Law was consolidated in chapter 42, and the State Charities Law in chapter 55, of the Consolidated Laws of New York.[6][7] The Public Welfare Law superseded the Poor Law in 1929.[8][9] In 1931 they were renamed as the Department of Social Welfare and the State Board of Social Welfare.[10][3] In 1940 the State Charities Law and the Public Welfare Law were consolidated and clarified in one Social Welfare Law.[11][12][3][13] In 1967 it was renamed as the Department of Social Services.[14]
The state implemented Medicaid in 1966 and designated the department as the "single state agency", but required it to contract with the state Department of Health.[15][16] The Social Services Department and local social districts were responsible for eligibility determinations and paying claims, while the Health Department and local health districts were responsible for settings standards (including fees schedules) and supervising and surveilling providers.[16]
On August 20, 1997, Governor Pataki signed the Welfare Reform Act of 1997 that, in relevant part, renamed it as the Department of Family Assistance, and also divided the department into Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) and the State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS).[17][18][19][20][21][22][23] These two offices assumed many of DSS' functions. Other functions of the former DSS were transferred to the Department of Labor and the Department of Health.
^"The Welfare Reform Act of 1997". Laws of the State of New York Passed at the Sessions of the Legislature. 220th sess.: III: 2806–2961. 1997. hdl:2027/nyp.33433017532999. ISSN0892-287X. Chapter 436, enacted 20 August 1997, effective immediately with provisos. § 122(a) at p. 2922: "Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of law to the contrary, effective April 1, 1997, the department of social services, as established by chapter 55 of the consolidated laws of the state of New York, is hereby renamed the department of family assistance. Within the department there shall be the following autonomous offices: (1) the office of children and family services; and (2) the office of temporary and disability assistance. (b) The head of the office of children and family services shall be the commissioner of children and family services and the head of the office of temporary and disability assistance shall be the commissioner of temporary and disability assistance."
