February 2003

To: House and Senate Leadership

In past years the strong economy enabled states to make up the over one billion in federal cuts to the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG). Due to state financial shortfalls, however this is no longer the case and human service departments across the country are forced to cut their budgets. Without federal support, critical services to our most vulnerable Americans are now in great jeopardy of being cut or eliminated. We believe the most expedient and least bureaucratic means of getting resources to states is by utilizing the flexibility of the Social Services Block Grant. 

The flexibility of SSBG allows federal funds to reach states quickly without the need to create, and later dismantle new bureaucracies at both the federal and state level. It requires no state match or maintenance of effort (MOE) requirement, and can be used on a broad group of 29 different program areas. SSBG can also be transferred to other block grants such as the Low-income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), the Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant, The Maternal and Child Mental Health Services Block Grant, and the Alcohol, Drug Abuse and the Mental Health Services Block Grant. SSBG can also assist in job training and can help provide needed housing services. These are all areas where the economic slowdown has created increased demands. 

The greatest attribute of the SSBG program is that each state can invest the funds in the most critically needed services. States face  different human service priorities such as the protection of children in the child welfare system, the need for child care funds for low-income mothers entering the workforce, or support for elderly or persons with disabilities attempting to remain independent in their communities. The Social Services Block Grant has the flexibility to not only help address each of these needs but also to reach local communities through partnerships between state and local governments and faith-based and community providers.

In such a critical time for state and local human service delivery systems, we ask you to restore funding to the Social Services Block Grant to at least its pre-welfare reform level of $2.8 billion and consider it as a vehicle for immediate relief to state human service budget shortfalls. Such a strategy would produce an immediate benefit to all 50 states and to the most vulnerable citizens that reside in them.

Sincerely,