• SSBG 2007 |
• Executive Summary|
• Chapter 1|
• Chapter 2|
• Chapter 3|
• Chapter 4|
• Chapter 5|
• Chapter 6|
• Appendices

CHAPTER 2. EXPENDITURES

This chapter focuses on Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) expenditures by State, by service, and in comparison with expended funds from other sources.

SSBG Expenditures Trends

During 2007, SSBG expenditures for all States, including the SSBG allocation (58%) and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant transfer (42%), totaled $2.8 billion. Expenditures of the SSBG allocation in 2007 were $1.7 billion.

Since 1997, States’ reports of SSBG expenditures have included the TANF block grant funds which were transferred to the SSBG program. The expenditure of these TANF transfer funds was at its highest during 2007; 44 States spent $1.2 billion in funds transferred from TANF, which was an 84% increase from 1998 ($639 million for 24 States). (See figures 2–1 and 2–2.)

SSBG Expenditures by State

The Federal Government allocates SSBG funds annually to States based on population. [14] As would be expected, States with large populations report larger SSBG expenditures. In addition, the amount of a State’s SSBG expenditures is greatly influenced by the amount of TANF funds that the State transfers into the SSBG program. Figure 2–3 shows States’ expenditures in the order of their SSBG-allocated funds, as well as funds transferred from TANF.

California reported $579 million in SSBG expenditures ($373 million of which were TANF transfer funds), followed by New York ($209 million in expenditures, $124 million of which were TANF transfer funds), and Texas ($173 million, $30 million of which were TANF transfer funds). Five other States reported SSBG expenditures of more than $100 million—Florida ($162 million, $64 million of which were TANF transfer funds), Michigan ($125 million, $67 million of which were TANF transfer funds), Ohio ($123 million, $56 million of which were TANF transfer funds), Illinois ($105 million, $31 million of which were TANF transfer funds), and Pennsylvania ($102 million, $31 million of which were TANF transfer funds). These eight States accounted for 56% of all SSBG expenditures. In 10 States, SSBG expenditures were less than $10 million. (See figure 2–3.)

Per Capita Expenditures

Nationally, the average SSBG allocation for 2007 was approximately $5.60 per person. [15] However, State SSBG per capita expenditures varied from this amount if a State reported a TANF block grant funds transfer, carried over funds from previous years, or carried forward funds for use during the next year. [16] During 2007, the average of State per capita SSBG expenditures was $8.61, ranging from $3.34 (Indiana) to $16.02 (Hawaii). (See figure 2–4.)

SSBG Expenditures by Service

The five service categories that had the highest SSBG expenditures were child foster care services, child day care services, special services for individuals with disabilities, child protective services, and case management services. Thirty-eight States collectively spent $421 million for child foster care services (14.9% of all SSBG expenditures); 39 States reported $389 million for child day care services (13.7%); 26 States reported $367 million of SSBG expenditures for special services for individuals with disabilities (13.0%); 39 States reported $270 million of SSBG expenditures for child protective services (9.5%); and 29 States reported $189 million of SSBG expenditures for case management services (6.7%). (See figures 2–5 and 2–6.)

Table 2–1 shows the total SSBG expenditures—comprising the SSBG allocation and the TANF transfer funds—for each of the 29 service categories, as well as for administrative costs.

TANF Transfer Expenditures

States reported by service categories how they used the TANF transfer funds. Forty-four States spent $1.2 billion of TANF transfer funds. Among these States, the highest proportion of TANF transfer expenditures was for children’s services. Seventeen States collectively spent $284 million of TANF transfer funds for child day care services (24% of all TANF transfer funds expenditures); 26 States spent $281 million of TANF transfer funds for child foster care services (24%); and 24 States spent $161 million of TANF transfer funds for child protective services (14%). In addition, 19 States reported spending $93 million for prevention and intervention services (8% of all TANF transfer funds expenditures). (See figure 2–7.)

For four services, the TANF transfer portion of SSBG expenditures was greater than the SSBG allocation portion. Funds from the TANF transfers accounted for 73% of SSBG expenditures for child day care services, 72% for prevention and intervention services, 67% for child foster care, and 60% for child protective services.

SSBG and Other Sources of Funds

States reported on total expenditures, which included expenditures of funds from other sources in addition to the SSBG allocation and TANF transfer. Regulations also require States to report all other Federal, State, and local funds for each service funded by the SSBG program. State SSBG program contacts were consulted about the extent to which they were able to provide these data. With some variation, States met this requirement in one of two ways.

1. A State reported on all Federal, State, and local funds spent in conjunction with SSBG expenditures for specific programs or providers. For example, a State that supported a child care center with SSBG funds reported other sources of funds supporting the center as well. This State did not report the other sources of funds for all child care centers located throughout the State.
2. A State reported on all Federal, State, and local funds for the service category for the entire State. For example, if the SSBG supported any child day care services, the State included all funding for child day care throughout the State on the SSBG post-expenditure report.

These varied methods for reporting total expenditures result in different interpretations of the SSBG program’s support of a service, relative to other sources. Therefore, the following analysis is based only on data from the 36 States that indicated that total expenditures included all other sources of funds used for the service category. [17]

The proportion of total expenditures of SSBG funds provided for specific service categories ranged from 2% to 55%. SSBG expenditures accounted for 55% of the total expenditures for adult day care services, 31% of total expenditures for adult protective services, and 30% of total expenditures for home-delivered meals. At least 20% of funding for eight other services was through SSBG expenditures. These services were recreation, family planning, pregnancy and parenting, special services for youth at risk, adult foster care, home-based services and education and training services. The amount of total expenditures that the States used to support the remaining 19 services was less than 20%. (See figure 2–8.)

Continue to Chapter3

• SSBG 2007 |
• Executive Summary|
• Chapter 1|
• Chapter 2|
• Chapter 3|
• Chapter 4|
• Chapter 5|
• Chapter 6|
• Appendices