At its September 11 meeting, the State Executive Council for Children’s Services (SEC) approved circulating three notices of intent to develop policy for 45-day public comment periods. These initial public comment periods represent the first step in the SEC’s policy revision process.
- SEC Policy 3.5 – Records Management: Comments are being sought on proposed revisions to this policy, which provides guidance to local CSA programs regarding documentation requirements and management of paper and electronic records. An explanation of the proposed changes may be found at this link, and the full text of the proposed revised policy may be found at this link.
- SEC Policy 5.1 – Data Set and SEC Policy 4.5.6 – Local Match Rates: Comments are being sought on these policies, which are intended to work in tandem, with Policy 5.1 proposed to be repealed and replaced with Policy 4.5.6. An explanation of the proposed repeal of Policy 5.1 may be found at this link, and the text of the policy may be found at this link. An explanation of proposed Policy 4.5.6 may be found at this link, and the text of the policy may be found at this link. These policies outline the categories under which various services fall and their corresponding local match rates.
Comments on these policies may be submitted through the SEC’s Policy Public Comments Forum (available at this link), via email to csa.office@csa.virginia.gov or via US mail or other forms of delivery to the Office of Children’s Services, 1604 Santa Rosa Road, Suite 137, Richmond, VA 23229. Comments are due by 5:00 p.m. on October 31, 2025.
The SEC also approved a final 60-day comment period on proposed revisions to SEC Policy 4.1.1 – Children in Need of Services (CHINS). This policy has been overhauled in response to statutory changes enacted in the 2025 session that explicitly establish Children in Need of Services as part of the eligible populations qualifying for sum-sufficient CSA funding. In the past, these youth qualified for CSA services through parental agreements that allowed youth to receive services without parents or guardians having to relinquish custody, based on guidance from the Attorney General in 2006; the statutory changes codify current practice of serving CHINS youth while providing a more direct pathway to CSA services. An explanation of proposed Policy 4.1.1 may be found at this link, and the text of the policy may be found at this link.
Comments on this policy may be submitted through the SEC’s Policy Public Comments Forum (available at this link), via email to csa.office@csa.virginia.gov or via US mail or other forms of delivery to the Office of Children’s Services, 1604 Santa Rosa Road, Suite 137, Richmond, VA 23229. Comments are due by 5:00 p.m. on November 14, 2025.
If members submit comments directly to the Office of Children’s Services, VACo staff would greatly appreciate receiving a copy.
VACo Contact: Katie Boyle