National Association for

1

SSBG Recent Findings on the Social Services Block
Grant Program TANF Transfers and Child Welfare

• National Association for
• Welfare Research and Statistics
• August 24, 2004
• Ann Elizabeth Montgomery, MPA, MSSW Gila
  Shusterman, PhD
• Walter R. McDonald Associates, Inc.
• and
• Marsha Werner, SSBG Program Manager
• HHS/Office of Community Services

2
What is SSBG?

• SSBG is
• a flexible source of funds,
• allocated to the States
• based on population,
• for social services.

3
Broad Policy Goals of SSBG

• Economic self-support
• Self-sufficiency
• Prevention or remedy of neglect, abuse, and
  exploitation
• Community-based care
• Institutional care when other forms of care are
  not appropriate

4
SSBG Service Categories

• Adoption services Independent/transitional
  living
• Case management Information and referral
• Congregate meals Legal services
• Counseling services Pregnancy and
  parenting
• Day careadult s Prevention and
  intervention
• Day carechildren Protective
  servicesadults
• Education and training services Protective
  serviceschildren
• Employment services Recreation services
• Family planning services Residential
  treatment
• Foster care servicesadults Special
  servicesdisabled
• Foster care serviceschildren Special
  servicesyouth at risk
• Health-related services Substance abuse
  services
• Home-based services Transportation
• Home-delivered meals Other services
• Housing services

5
SSBG Data Items Expenditures
Total Expenditures
SSBG Allocation
TANF Transfer
Other Federal, State, and Local Funds
SSBG Expenditures
6
SSBG Data Items Recipients

• Children
• Adults
• Total Recipients

7
Federal Funding for SSBG
8
SSBG Expenditures
9
2002 Highlights

• SSBG expenditures were 2.647 billion, 955
  million from TANF transfer
• 14,279,975 individuals received services funded
  by the SSBG, 55 were children

10
Why is SSBG Important for Child Welfare?

• 765 million in SSBG was directed toward child
  welfare services in 2002
• 2.4 million children received child welfare
  services funded by SSBG in 2002
• SSBG allows flexible spending of TANF
• SSBG can support children not eligible for other
  child welfare funding sources

11
What Child Welfare Services Does SSBG Support?

• Adoption services
• Child foster care services
• Child protective services
• Home-based services
• Independent/transitional living services
• Prevention and intervention services

12
Percentage of SSBG Expenditures
13
The National Picture

• 2001 Urban Institute Child Welfare Survey
• SSBG is a significant source of Federal child
  welfare funds

14
SSBG Expenditures for Child Welfare Services, 2002
15
SSBG Recipients of Child Welfare Services, 2002
16
SSBG Spending Patterns
HHS ACF OCS
State Agencies Providers
State
Recipients
Recipients
Recipients
Recipients
Recipients
17
State A

• Northeastern State
• Population 3.5 million
• 2002 SSBG appropriation 20.5 million
• 2002 SSBG expenditures 55.4 million

18
State B

• Southeastern State
• Population 4.5 million
• 2002 SSBG appropriation 26.7 million
• 2002 SSBG expenditures 39.1 million

19
State Demographics
20
SSBG Expenditures
21
Number of Service Categories Funded with SSBG
22
Percentage of SSBG Expenditures for Child Welfare
23
Child Welfare Indicators
24
For More Information on SSBG

• Marsha Werner, SSBG Program Manager
• Office of Community Services
• Administration for Children and Families
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• 370 LEnfant Promenade, SW
• Washington, DC 20447
• [phone]
• mwerner_at_acf.hhs.gov
• www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/ssbg