An Agency of the Commonwealth of Virginia
An Agency of the Commonwealth of Virginia
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Important Changes to Benefit Programs
Federal and state benefit programs that provided temporary eligibility and enrollment
procedures due to the COVID-19 pandemic will begin returning to regular operations over the
coming months.
These programs will have specific requirements and unique timeframes for returning to
pre-pandemic services.
Stay Informed Please use the links below to find details concerning these important program updates.
Click here for more information about other programs that will be changing eligibility and benefit issuance over the coming months.
VDSS will continue to provide updates as they become available to ensure impacted households are informed of the changes to their benefits.
Citizens Served
child support collected
Disbursed in Adoption Assistance Payments
Welcome to the
Virginia Department of Social Services
VDSS is one of the largest Commonwealth agencies, partnering with 120 local departments of social services, along with faith-based and non-profit organizations, to promote the well-being of children and families statewide. We proudly serve alongside nearly 13,000 state and local human services professionals throughout the Social Services System, who ensure that thousands of Virginia's most vulnerable citizens have access to the best services and benefits available to them.
Together, we work each day to serve, empower, and create opportunities for brighter futures.
Several medical, food and financial assistance flexibilities and programs administered by the Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) and the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) are set to expire due to recent changes in federal legislation. The programs, which have provided additional benefits and eligibility waivers to many Virginians, were offered on a temporary basis to help households cope with hardship during the COVID19 pandemic.
Learn More >>The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) will release the final issuance of emergency allotment benefits to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households in February, in accordance with the requirements of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023.
Learn More >>Virginia's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has received federal approval to release emergency benefits to eligible households in January. These enhanced benefits will be automatically loaded to recipients’ Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards on Monday, January 16.
Learn More >>Virginia's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has received federal approval to release emergency benefits to eligible households in December. These enhanced benefits will be automatically loaded to recipients’ Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards on Friday, December 16.
Learn More >>The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) is currently accepting applications for fuel assistance online and at all local departments of social services through Monday, November 14. Applications may also be submitted by telephone by contacting the Enterprise Customer Service Center, Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. at (855) 635-4370
Learn More >>Virginia's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has received federal approval to release emergency benefits to eligible households in November. These enhanced benefits will be automatically loaded to recipients’ Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards on Wednesday, November 16.
Learn More >>The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) Division of Licensing Programs (DOLP) was recently awarded $1.35 million in grant funding by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) to provide essential infection prevention and control support to licensed adult care facilities. In partnership with Health Quality Innovators (HQI), this funding will provide resources to adult care facilities and their staff to assist in mitigating the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.
Learn More >>The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) Division of Child Support Enforcement (DCSE) has been awarded a Safe Access for Victims' Economic Security (SAVES) grant by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to implement comprehensive, expert-informed domestic violence services to survivors who are in need of child support. Virginia is one of 13 state child support agencies in the country to receive the five-year grant. The grant-funded project is a new national demonstration model designed to develop, evaluate, and implement best practices to provide safe access to child support and parenting time services.
Learn More >>The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) is currently accepting applications for fuel assistance online and at all local departments of social services through Monday, November 14. Applications may also be submitted by telephone by contacting the Enterprise Customer Service Center, Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. at (855) 635-4370
Learn More >>Virginia's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has received federal approval to release emergency benefits to eligible households in August. These enhanced benefits will be automatically loaded to recipients’ Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards on Sunday, October 16.
Learn More >>RICHMOND, VA (September 13, 2022) - Virginia's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has received federal approval to release emergency benefits to eligible households in August. These enhanced benefits will be automatically loaded to recipients' Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards on Friday, September 16.
Learn More >>RICHMOND, VA (September 12, 2022) - In response to unforeseen delays in the release of Summer 2022 Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) benefits to eligible households statewide, the Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) has taken the following actions:
Learn More >>Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) has received federal approval to issue retroactive Summer P-EBT benefits to eligible K-12 students. As food security continues to be a challenge for many Virginia households with school-age children, VDSS is pleased to be able to offer this temporary assistance to individuals and families in need of nutritional support. The additional P-EBT benefit will provide approximately $276 million in food assistance to more than 700,000 students.
Learn More >>Virginia's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has received federal approval to release emergency benefits to eligible households in August. These enhanced benefits will be automatically loaded to recipients' Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards on Tuesday, August 16.
Learn More >>Each year, the Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS), in conjunction with Veritas HHS and the Virginia Paternity Establishment Program (VPEP), recognizes the top ten Virginia hospitals with the highest rates of paternity establishment. In 2021, more than 33,000 births in Virginia were to unmarried parents and the Commonwealth's paternity establishment rate climbed from 73.64% in 2020 to 76%. The hospital achieving the highest rate in 2021 was Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center (MCRC) in Richmond, which averaged a rate of 88.31%.
Learn More >>The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) will provide cooling assistance to qualifying households this year through the Virginia Energy Assistance Program (EAP). Applications are currently being accepted and can be submitted until Monday, August 15.
Learn More >>Virginia's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will again release emergency allotments of benefits to eligible households this month. Benefits will be automatically loaded to recipients' Electronic Benefits Transfer cards on Saturday, July 16.
Learn More >>Virginia's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will again release emergency allotments of benefits to eligible households this month. Benefits will be automatically loaded to recipients' Electronic Benefits Transfer cards on Thursday, June 16.
Learn More >>Virginia's Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) program will issue benefits for the 2021-2022 school year to students for specific COVID-related absences under revised eligibility requirements, as defined by the United States Department of Agriculture. Fewer households are expected to receive the benefit due to most students attending school in person and having access to school meals at no cost.
Learn More >>Virginia's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will again release emergency allotments of benefits to eligible households this month. Benefits will be automatically loaded to recipients' Electronic Benefits Transfer cards on Monday, May 16.
Learn More >>Virginia's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will again release emergency allotments of benefits to eligible households this month. Benefits will be automatically loaded to recipients' Electronic Benefits Transfer cards on Saturday, April 16.
Learn More >>Virginia's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will again release emergency allotments of benefits to eligible households this month. Benefits will be automatically loaded to recipients' Electronic Benefits Transfer cards on Wednesday, March 16.
Learn More >>Virginia's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will again release emergency allotments of benefits to eligible households this month. Benefits will be automatically loaded to recipients' Electronic Benefits Transfer cards on Wednesday, February 16.
Learn More >>Virginia's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will again release emergency allotments of benefits to eligible households this month. Benefits will be automatically loaded to recipients' Electronic Benefits Transfer cards on Sunday, January 16.
Learn More >>Virginia's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will again release emergency allotments of benefits to eligible households this month. Benefits will be automatically loaded to recipients' Electronic Benefits Transfer cards on Thursday, December 16.
Learn More >>The Virginia Department of Social Services's (VDSS) Division of Licensing Programs (DOLP) was recently awarded $3.8 million in grant funding by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) to provide essential infection prevention and control support to licensed adult care facilities. The funding will also provide necessary resources to adult care facilities and their staff to provide ongoing support in mitigating the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.
Learn More >>Virginia's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will again release emergency allotments of benefits to eligible households this month. Benefits will be automatically loaded to recipients' Electronic Benefits Transfer cards on Tuesday, November 16.
Learn More >>The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) is currently accepting applications for fuel assistance online, by telephone through the Enterprise Customer Service Center at (855) 635-4370, and at all local departments of social services through Friday, November 12.
Learn More >>Virginia's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will again release emergency allotments of benefits to eligible households this month. Benefits will be automatically loaded to recipients' Electronic Benefits Transfer cards on Saturday, October 16.
Learn More >>Starting Oct. 1, all Virginia Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants will see an increase in their benefits due to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s recent update to the Thrifty Food Plan methodology, the first since 1975. SNAP benefits are based on the Thrifty Food Plan to estimate the cost of groceries needed to provide a healthy diet for a family of four.
Learn More >>Virginia's Division of Child Support Enforcement has been named recipient of the 2021 Program Awareness Award by the National Child Support Enforcement Association (NCSEA) for its #SupportVAKids: Digital Marketing Grant. The award was presented virtually in Austin, Texas at the 2021 National Child Support Enforcement Association (NCSEA) Leadership Symposium.
Learn More >>The Virginia Paternity Establishment Program (VPEP), a program which offers unmarried parents the opportunity to establish paternity for newborn children, recognizes the top-ten ranking Virginia hospitals for paternity establishment rates.
Learn More >>Virginia's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will again release emergency allotments of benefits to eligible households this month. Benefits will be automatically loaded to recipients' Electronic Benefits Transfer cards on Thursday, September 16.
Learn More >>The Virginia Department of Social Services' (VDSS) Division of Child Support Enforcement (DCSE) was recently awarded a Charting a Course for Economic Mobility and Responsible Parenting Grant by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to support youth and young adult parenting education and outreach efforts. Virginia is one of only eight other child support agencies in the country to receive the three-year grant. The grant-funded project seeks to develop and expand curricula and other outreach interventions to educate youth and young adults between the ages of 13-25 on the financial, legal, and emotional responsibilities of parenthood.
Learn More >>The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) will issue additional Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) benefits to eligible households this summer to further assist students in meeting their nutritional needs while schools are out of session. Under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, students who qualified for free or reduced-price meals during the 2020-2021 school year, regardless of the learning method (fully remote, hybrid or in-person), will receive a one-time, lump sum benefit of $375 on August 25, 2021.
Learn More >>The Virginia Department of Social Services will again provide qualifying households with cooling assistance during the summer months. Applications are currently being accepted and can be submitted until Monday, August 16.
Learn More >>In efforts to be more accessible and increase support to more Virginians, 2-1-1 Virginia, the Commonwealth's largest network of health and human service resources, added another way to receive information and referrals. In addition to the 2-1-1 website, email, and call center, live texting is now available for Virginians to access resources within their local area.
Learn More >>
Registration is now open for the virtual Virginia Volunteerism Summit, the Commonwealth's leading event for individuals and organizations making a difference in communities. The event includes inspiring keynote sessions, masterclass workshops for all experience levels, and opportunities to meet other leaders focused on maximizing impact and creating change. Register today to save your spot.
Virginians share their true stories of adoption, foster care, and reunification. These stories all share a common theme - families were strengthened through foster care and adoption. If you would like to share a personal story of adoption or foster care, please email public.affairs@dss.virginia.gov. Read the stories.
A change in federal regulations has occurred and any SNAP or P-EBT funds on inactive cards (those with no spend activity for nine months) will expire if no action is taken. If a card is not "active," benefits issued more than nine months ago are required to be removed from the account. To avoid losing benefits, households must make a food purchase on their P-EBT or EBT card at least once every nine months. Learn more.
The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) has developed a virtual training and resource center, Recovery Ally VDSS, to holistically respond to the challenges that substance use disorder poses on individuals and families. The hub is available to internal staff, partners and the public, and offers various resources for prevention, treatment, recovery, and advocacy. Learn more.
If you are between the ages of 18-27 and previously a teen in foster care, you may be eligible for financial support through the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. Visit FosterMyFuture.com or text FosterMyFuture to (833) 467-0549 to be contacted by Virginia Department of Social Services staff with more information. Learn more.
