EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) program provides flexible funding to assist States in providing a wide range of services to children and families, vulnerable older adults, persons with disabilities, and at-risk adolescents and young adults. Programs most frequently supported by the SSBG program include child care, child welfare, services for persons with disabilities, home-based services, and protective services for adults. For elderly persons and persons with disabilities in danger of abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation, services may include investigation, emergency medical services, emergency shelter, and counseling. For children in danger of abuse and neglect, services may include protection, prevention, intervention, and adoption services. Services provided for older adults may include home care, congregate and home-delivered meals, adult day care, case management, legal services, and transportation. For persons with disabilities living independently in the community, services may include adult foster care, transportation, case management, and treatment services. During 2007, the SSBG program helped more than 21 million individuals.
The Office of Community Services (OCS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) administers the SSBG program and provides technical assistance to the States. Funds are allocated under the SSBG program in proportion to each State’s population. States have substantial discretion in the use of SSBG funds. Each State determines what services will be provided, who is eligible to receive them, and how funds are used within the requirements of Federal laws. States may provide the services directly or purchase them from qualified agencies or organizations. States also may use the funds to support staff training, licensing activities, planning and evaluation, and other administrative functions.
Each year, States must report SSBG expenditures, expenditures of other sources of funds, and total expenditures using a standard post-expenditure reporting form (OMB No. 0970-0234). On this form, States report data on the total number of adults and children served (recipients) and the amount expended for each service category. States count as recipients any individuals who receive a service funded, at least partially, by the SSBG program. This report analyzes State post-expenditure data for 2007. Since this report is the tenth single-year annual report on the SSBG program, expenditure trends for each of the 29 service categories from 1998–2007 are provided in Chapter 4.
Highlights of this report are listed below.
- The SSBG appropriation for 2007 was $1.7 billion.
- The States reported SSBG expenditures of $2.8 billion, 42% ($1.2 billion) of which were transferred into the program from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant.
- More than 21 million (21,189,765) individuals received services that were funded, at least partially, by the SSBG program. An estimated 50% of these recipients were children.
- The largest number of recipients received information and referral services. In 16 States, 4.6 million individuals received information and referral services funded, at least partially, by the SSBG program.
- The service categories receiving the highest proportion of SSBG funds were child foster care services (15%), child day care services (14%), special services for individuals with disabilities (13%), child protective services (10%), and case management services (7%).
- Trend data for the eight service categories receiving the largest amounts of SSBG funds show that, from 1998 to 2007, there have been increases in expenditures for adult protective services, case management services, child foster care services, child day care services, and child protective services. There have been decreases in expenditures for special services for individuals with disabilities, home-based services, and prevention and intervention services.
- As of September 30, 2007, States spent approximately $320 million of the SSBG Supplemental Hurricane Relief funds, which is 58% of the total supplemental allocation of $550 million. An estimated 677,000 individuals received services funded by these SSBG supplemental funds in 2006 and 2007.
- Expenditures for administrative costs have declined by 61% in the past 10 years, from $342 million (for 35 States) in 1998 to $134 million (for 36 States) in 2007.
The six chapters of this report describe analyses of the SSBG program annual data and SSBG Supplemental Emergency Fund data in greater detail.
Chapter 1. Introduction. This chapter provides a history of the SSBG program and the responsibility of States to report on their use of SSBG expenditures.
Chapter 2. Expenditures. This chapter summarizes findings on State expenditures and provides analyses of expenditures by State and by service.
Chapter 3. Service Recipients. This chapter summarizes findings on the recipients of services funded in whole, or in part, by the SSBG program, and provides analyses of recipients by State and by service.
Chapter 4. Services. This chapter provides a detailed analysis of each service category funded by the SSBG program.
Chapter 5. SSBG Supplemental Emergency Fund. This chapter provides detailed analyses of expenditures of SSBG Supplemental Emergency Funds in FFY 2006 and 2007.
Chapter 6. Program Assessment. This chapter provides a comparison of the States’ pre-expenditure and post-expenditure reports. It also provides information regarding the Federal assessment of the SSBG program through the Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) review process.
Appendices include a list of the State agencies that administer the SSBG; a copy of the post-expenditure reporting form and instructions; a list of the uniform definition of services; a data page for each State; and supplementary data tables providing background data for the figures in chapters two through six.
