REPORT OF THE GOVERNOR OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS + 87

 Department of Social Welfare
General
 The U.S. Social Security Act of 1943 provided a legal base for
extending to the Virgin Islands several titles of the Federal Social
Security program: in 1947, Child Welfare Services; in 1950, Public
Assistance; in 1951, Old Age and Survivors Insurance; and in 1961,
Unemployment Compensation.
 The powers and responsibilities of the Department as established
by the Virgin Islands Code included general authority over, and
jurisdiction to administer, all public social welfare programs in the
Virgin Islands; general control over the enforcement of the laws
relating to social welfare; authority to make studies of, recommenda-
tions for, and develop plans and programs aimed at achieving a high
level of social welfare throughout the territory.
 In fiscal year 1962, consistent with the foregoing, the Department
continued its Federal and insular activities and made much progress.
However, local effort in Public Assistance was hampered by the limi-
tation of Federal participation to $320,000 for the year and the fact
that the matching formula allowed only one Federal dollar to each
Virgin Islands dollar instead of the much more liberal formula of four
Federal dollars to each State dollar as is the case on the mainland
of the United States.

Public Assistance
 This program provided financial assistance to needy individuals and
 families so that none may be forced to exist below a minimum level
 of living; it rendered social services which would strengthen family
 life and assist them to attain self-support and self-care; it extended
 Medical Assistance to the Aged and OAA Recipients. In November
 1961, the program was expanded to include the distribution of Fed-
 eral Surplus Commodities.
 During the year, the Department concentrated on analysis of the
 caseload in an effort to rehabilitate all possible employables, to estab-
 lish eligibility on a prompt and sound basis and to improve services.
 The following table shows the caseload distribution and expenditures
 by category: