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    "label": "Title XX: The Social Services Block Grant [loose pamphlets] [8 copies]",
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    "title": "Title XX: The Social Services Block Grant [loose pamphlets] [8 copies]",
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    "ocrText": "The Stories Behind the Social Services Block Grant\nA Survey by United Way of America\nTitle\nWhat is the Social Services Block Grant?\nThe Social Services Block Grant (SSBG), Title XX of the Social Security Act, combines funding\nfor social services and related staff training, and was intended to be the primary source of fed-\neral funds for social services. SSBG is used by states, local governments, and non-profit orga-\nnizations to supplement other social service programs and leverage additional funding and\nXX:\nresources. States have the flexibility to use SSBG to address specific gaps in services. SSBG\nfunds services to vulnerable children, families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities and is\nadministered through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. SSBG is often\nreferred to as the glue that holds state and local social service systems together, as its flexi-\nThe\nbility makes it the keystone of a large, diversified array of human service programming.\nWho receives services funded by SSBG?\nSocial Services\nIn FY 1997, more than 1.125 million older Americans and over 740,000 people with disabili-\nties benefited from SSBG. State and local prevention and treatment services to abused and\nBlock Grant\nneglected children reached over 2.3 million children and their families. SSBG also reached\n1.5 million individuals and families by supporting their physical and mental health, and by\nhelping them overcome barriers to employment and self-sufficiency. Many United Way fund-\ned agencies receive SSBG funding at the local level and they may include: Association of\nRetarded Citizens, Catholic Charities, Child Family Services, Lutheran Services, Area Agencies\non the Aging, and United Cerebral Palsy Associations.\nWhat is the current status of SSBG?\nSince 1998, Congress has funded SSBG below its authorized level. In FY 2000, Congress fund-\ned SSBG at $1.775 billion, far below the authorized level of $2.38 billion. Unless Congress\nacts, the authorized level for FY 2001 and beyond will be reduced to $1.7 billion as a result of\nprovisions in the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). This represents a\n$1.1 billion cut to the program since FY 1996. Additionally, the Senate Appropriations\nCommittee recently proposed a $1.1 billion cut below SSBG's authorized level in FY 2001. If\nenacted, this cut would reduce SSBG funding to only $600 million.\nWhy is United Way concerned?\nUnited Ways, local government, Catholic Charities, Jewish Federation and other local fund-\ning organizations are in effect partners with the federal government in supporting the\nR\nuniquely American system of human services. United Ways collectively supply some $3 billion\nUnited Way\nannually to support local health and human services. However, when a partner of the mag-\nof America\nnitude of the federal government cuts funding for critical services, it wreaks havoc on\nlocal funding priorities. Dollars for prevention either shift to emergency needs or people in\nneed go unserved.\nThe Way\nCuts to SSBG force agencies to make impossible decisions on who to help, and who to leave\nAmerica Cares.\nbehind. Planned cuts to the grant will diminish the effectiveness of SSBG and abandon the\nmost vulnerable sectors of our population. In the past, Congress cut SSBG because legisla-\ntors were not aware of its far-reaching impact on individuals and families. United Way of\nAmerica (UWA), in collaboration with the Title XX Coalition and members of the House Ways\nCommunity by\nand Means and Senate Finance Committees and the Administration, is working to rectify this\nsituation. In January 2000, UWA conducted an informal survey to assess the impact previous\nCommunity.\ncuts have had on local United Ways and United Way funded agencies. The survey is designed\nto give SSBG beneficiaries an identity and a voice for their stories. One hundred thirty-eight\nagencies from 26 states responded.¹"
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