June 9, 2006
SSBG Funding in Jeopardy – Contact Your Members of Congress Today!
Despite failing to reach a budget deal, the House of Representatives is now proceeding with all eleven appropriations bills. The House Committee on Appropriations, which allocates funds for the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, will meet this week and we expect them to propose a 30% cut to the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG).
BACKGROUND:
SSBG represents 12% of all federal funding states receive from the federal government to provide child abuse prevention, adoption, foster care, child protection, independent and transitional living, and residential services for children and youth. SSBG is a major federal source of funding used to prevent child abuse and to support children who have been abused and neglected. It is the single largest source of funds for Child Protective Services.
States allocate over $700 million annually in SSBG funds for children and youth involved in child welfare. Nationwide, more than 2.6 million children received a range of child welfare services funded in part or in total by SSBG.
The President’s budget request for FY 2007 slashes funding for SSBG from $1.7 billion to $1.2 billion, and the Committee will be under pressure to approve his request.
For many years, until 1996, SSBG was funded at $2.8 billion. It was reduced temporarily to $2.3 billion by the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families law. Although it was to be restored, Congress further reduced it to $1.7 billion in the 1998 transportation bill.
If your Member of Congress serves on the Appropriations Committee, he or she possesses special influence to determine the fate of SSBG. The full committee member list is available at: http://appropriations.house.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=AboutTheCommittee.MemberList&SubcommitteeId=18
Note: If the link does not work when clicked, you can copy it into your web address bar.
ACTION NEEDED:
Call or meet with your U.S. Representative this week. You can call the Capitol Hill switchboard at 202-225-3121, or call your local congressional office phone number. Better yet, if they are holding a public forum in your area, make a personal visit.
MESSAGE:
As a constituent, professional social worker, and member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), I urge you to oppose any cuts to the Social Services Block Grant. It will force cuts across the fifty states for many children’s programs, services to older adults, and individuals with disabilities.
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