June 21, 2006
Urge Congress to Fully Fund the Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program!
Promoting Safe and Stable Families (PSSF) is the largest federal program that dedicates funds toward services to prevent child abuse and neglect. The funding helps state child welfare agencies pay for four categories of services: family support, family preservation, family reunification, and adoption support. In particular, family preservation and family support functions focus on strengthening families, preventing abuse, and protecting children. Examples of family support services funded by PSSF include programs that enhance parenting skills as well as home visiting programs like Healthy Families America.
The PSSF program has been authorized at $505 million with $305 million being mandatory, and $200 million subject to annual appropriations since 2001; however, it has never been fully funded. Last year, Congress cut PSSF discretionary funding by nearly $9 million.
The House Labor, Health and Human Services and Education (Labor-HHS-Education) committee recently approved the Administration’s budget request to add $40 million to total $345 million in mandatory spending for services to children and families at risk while maintaining the PSSF discretionary spending at $89.1 million, for a grand total of $434.1 million for the program. The additional $40 million is intended for workforce supports such as recruitment and retention of workers in child welfare. While we applaud this effort, the total amount is still far short of the authorized level of $505 million. Therefore, we ask that you advocate to preserve the $200 million in discretionary funding that was authorized by Congress.
Timing
The FY 2007 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill next goes to the House floor for further consideration and passage in the next few weeks. Senate appropriators will also be coming up with their budget for the Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program and other programs over the coming weeks, and both versions must be reconciled.
Please urge your members of Congress to fully fund the Promoting Safe and Stable Families (PSSF) program at $345 million in mandatory and $200 million in discretionary dollars for fiscal year 2007.
Funding PSSF at its fully authorized levels will promote the expansion of family support services in communities across the nation and provide more intensive help for families in crisis. By investing in positive outcomes for children and families, family support and family strengthening programs can also lead to fewer incidences of child abuse and neglect.
ACTION NEEDED
Call or meet with your U.S. Representative or Senator 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), we are pleased about the additional $40 million in mandatory spending for the Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program that was included in the House Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Subcommittee budget bill. We ask that you support funding the Promoting Safe and Stable Families (PSSF) program with $345 million in mandatory and $200 million in discretionary funds for the FY 2007 appropriations bill.
THANKS FOR YOUR ADVOCACY!
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