President’s proposed 2012 budget estimates 166,800 children out of more than 420,000 in foster care will be eligible for federal IV-E $$$$$

http://www.americanhumane.org/assets/pdfs/children/fy-2012-budget-analysis-children.pdf

American Humane Association

Analysis of the President’s FY 2012 Budget
This document represents the American Humane Association annual analysis of the President’s
budget as it affects children and families. Our focus is on a number of federal programs that
directly impact child welfare services along with programs that have a significant impact on
America’s most vulnerable children and families.
Each year the President submits his budget to Congress by the first week of February, as required
by law. This year the budget is being released one week late. The budget submission starts the
annual budget and appropriations debate for the federal fiscal year which starts on October 1 of
each year. Once the Administration submits their request the process starts in Congress with the
Senate and House Budget Committees holding hearings with a goal of providing a budget outline
or “budget resolution” by April 15. This in turn directs how much the Senate and House
Appropriations Committees will allocate between their respective 12 subcommittees. The vast
majority of key child welfare and children’s programs will fall under the authority of the
Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (Labor-HHS).
***Special Note—normally the current fiscal year funding would have been decided last year,
this has not been the case with the FY 2011 budget. Congress must still make decisions on the
remaining FY 2011 appropriations which run until October 1. The leadership in the House of
representatives have proposed cuts of $58 billion below the funding level that was enacted in
2010 and $100 billion less than what the President had proposed for FY 2011. Due to this
uncertain baseline, this presidential budget proposal makes assumptions about the current
year funding levels. As a result some of the final numbers cited here for both FY 2011 and FY
2012 will ultimately change over the next several weeks.***
BUDGET OVERVIEW
The overall theme of President Obama’s 2012 budget takes steps towards deficit reduction but
does not include steps to reform entitlement programs that take up almost 60 percent of dollars
spent. The budget includes cuts in a number of current programs while also increasing spending
in other areas. The President’s plan projects that its budget will reduce the overall deficit by $1.1
trillion over the next ten years with two-thirds coming from cuts and one-third coming from tax
changes and other revenue increasing proposals. These reductions are accomplished by focusing
on the one-third of the budget that is considered “discretionary”, those federal funds that must be
determined each year by the appropriations process. The remaining funds are entitlements,
mandatory funds and interest on the debt. For FY 2012 the budget freezes domestic spending
and assumes this will continue for five years. The budget proposes $78 billion in Defense
Department reduction over five years and a reduction of approximately $15 billion this year.
The overall budget will be $3.7 trillion with a projected deficit of $1.1 trillion - a decrease from
previous projections of $1.6 trillion in 2012. Discretionary spending is set at $1.128 trillion.
The remaining two and a half trillion in the federal budget goes to entitlement and mandatory
programs such as Medicare, Social Security, Medicaid, some Veterans programs and interest on
the national debt.
1Of particular note in the human service field that American Humane Association follows are the
President’s proposals in regard to reforms for the foster care system and child support that would
encourage greater pass-through of child support to families, greater father involvement and
support for some key family programs such as child care.
With the two bodies of congress divided between the two major political parties and divided in
their approach to deficit reduction, this promises to be a challenging appropriations process with
the likelihood Congress will not be able to complete work on all 12 appropriations bills in time
for the start of the fiscal year October 1. If this is the case, it will mark the 17
th
fiscal year in a
row Congress has had to pass temporary funding (CR) to provide additional time to craft a final
budget. The last time a budget was completed on time was the FY 1995 budget enacted before
the election in 1994.
NEW KEY PROPOSALS IN CHILD WELFARE
Child Welfare
The Administration proposes a $250 million incentive that is targeted to incentivize
improvements in the foster care program. The Budget states the proposal is designed to reward
states that achieve improved outcomes for children in foster care and those at risk of entering or
re-entering foster care. The administration further states the proposal will encourage efficient
and effective use of federal foster care resources that will lead to savings. Additionally, they
indicate the proposal will “fix the broken financing rules that too often fail children”, will
streamline administrative procedures, and test innovative approaches. They also state “the
proposal maintains legal protections for children and preserves a funding entitlement for states.”
Specific details are not provided beyond the broad descriptions that include:
• Creating financial incentives to improve child outcomes in key areas by reducing the
length of stay in foster care; increasing permanency through reunification, adoption, and
guardianship; decreasing rates of maltreatment recurrence and any maltreatment while in
foster care; and reducing rates of re-entry into foster care.
• Improving the well-being of children and youth in the foster care system, transitioning to
permanent homes, or transitioning to adulthood.
• Reducing costly and unnecessary administrative requirements, while retaining the focus
on children in need.
• Using the best available research available on child welfare policies and interventions to
help Sates achieve further declines in the number of children who need to enter or remain
in foster care, to better reach families with more complex needs, and to improve
outcomes for children who are abused, neglected or at risk of abuse or neglect.
• Expanding our evidence base by allowing demonstrations that enable States to test
innovative strategies that improve outcomes for children and reward States for efficient
use of Federal and State resources.
2Promoting Safe and Stable families (PSSF)
The administration proposes maintaining current funding levels. PSSF requires a reauthorization
this year and the Administration does not propose major revisions.
TANF Reauthorization
The Administration anticipates maintaining current spending in the TANF block grant at $16.5
billion plus the supplemental grants that are part of the block grant. The Administration states
they are open to a discussion with the Congress on strategies to strengthen the program and
outcomes for families with an emphasis on strategies to address employment and ways to make
the block grant more responsive to economic downturns.
Child Care Reauthorization
Child care is a big priority for the Administration and is clearly an area they see as a key
investment. Under the administration proposal, mandatory child care funding would increase by
$500 million and discretionary funding would increase by $800 million. The total increase of
more than $1.3 billion would increase child care subsidies to cover 1.7 million children. The
Administration calculates the increase funding will assist 220,000 children maintain access to
child care subsidies.
THE PRESIDENT’S BUDGET
CHILD WELFARE DISCRETIONARY FUNDING
CAPTA Funding Streams
State Grants
Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) state grant funding is maintained at $27
million. CAPTA has not received an increase since FY 2005. CAPTA state grants are provided
to each state by formula and used to fund and improve a state’s Child Protective Services (CPS)
system. The CAPTA reauthorization enacted in December 2010 includes differential response
provisions throughout with references to addressing an alternative approach to protecting
children from harm, with a charge to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to
address best practices in differential response through dissemination of information, research,
training of personnel, as an eligible use of basic state grant funds for improving child protective
services, and as a state grant eligibility requirement to identify “as applicable” policies and
procedures around the use of differential response. The committee report encourages HHS “to
work closely with states in providing best practices, technical assistance, and guidance on how
best to develop differential response systems so that more preventative services can be offered.”
Discretionary Grants
CAPTA discretionary grants remain at $29 million in 2012 a level that is assumed to be level
from final funding figures for FY 2011.
Community Based Grants for the Prevention of Child abuse and Neglect
The FY 2012 Community Based Grants for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect would be
maintained at the FY 2010 and assumed 2011 level of $42 million. These grants develop
3community-based and prevention-focused programs and activities designed to strengthen and
support families and to prevent child abuse and neglect. Funds are used at the local level for
organizations such as family resource programs, family support programs, voluntary home
visiting programs, respite care programs, parenting education, mutual support programs, and
other community programs or networks of such programs that provide activities designed to
prevent or respond to child abuse and neglect.
Child Welfare Services (Title IV-B, Subpart 1)
Under the President’s budget, Child Welfare Services are funded at $282 million. This is the
same as FY 2010 and presumably 2011. States use these funds to fund a variety of child welfare
related services such as addressing problems that may result in neglect, abuse, exploitation, or
delinquency of children; prevent the unnecessary separation of children from their families, and
restore children to their families, when possible or place children in adoptive families when
appropriate; and assure adequate foster care when children cannot return home or be placed for
adoption. There are no federal income eligibility requirements for the receipt of child welfare
services.
Child Welfare Research, Training and Demonstrations and Innovative Approaches to Foster Care
The Administration continues funding of $7.2 million in Title IV-B part 1 training funds for
projects and research related to child welfare. These funds have historically been used for
projects to advance the child welfare workforce. In particular funds assist university and other
institutions of higher learning in advancing the child welfare workforce in partnership with child
welfare agencies.
This budget also continues a designated $20 million for the “Innovative Approaches to Foster
Care” fund. The first grants were awarded in FY 2010 and are intended to support
demonstration grants to state, local and tribal initiatives that can show innovation and progress in
reducing the length of stay/long term placements in foster care.
Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program (Title IV-B, Subpart 2)
The President’s budget proposes to reauthorize the Promoting Safe and Stable Families (PSSF)
program at current funding levels. The main purpose of PSSF is to fund four categories of
service: family preservation, community-based family support services, time-limited
reunification services and adoption promotion and support services. For these services funding
is maintained at $368 million. This total is divided between mandatory spending ($305 million)
and discretionary ($63 million).
The FY 2011 budget provides mandatory funding for competitive grants to address
methamphetamine or other substance abuse as it affects the child welfare system at $20 million.
The grants are $500,000 to $1 million each and are for 2 to 5 years. Grants can be used for
family-based comprehensive long-term substance abuse treatment, early intervention and
prevention efforts, child and family counseling, mental health services, parenting skills, and the
replication of other successful long-term comprehensive substance abuse treatment initiatives. In
addition, $20 million is provided in FY 2011 workforce state grants to carry out and address
strategies to improve the child welfare workforce. Funds are mandatory and in addition to FY
42010 dollars, states can draw down their share of $40 million remaining in FY 2006 funds.
Before funds are released, a state must implement policy, and provide data, that demonstrate
children in foster care are being visited on a monthly basis. It is not clear how these mandatory
funds will be changed by a reauthorization.
Adoption Opportunities Program
The President’s budget provides an increase in funding for the Adoption Opportunities grants at
$39 million. As was the case in last year’s Administration proposal, which was not acted on, the
increase is actually a result of re-directing of $13 million that had been provided through the
Adoption Awareness program which was created under the Children’s Health Act. HHS
proposes that by reallocating funds to Adoption Opportunities it can carry out the same programs
provided through Adoption Awareness while also having “broader authority to help eliminate
barriers to adoption, particularly for children with special needs.”
There are currently 34 grants funded under this program. Grant awards generally range from
$200,000 to $1,000,000.00 per year. Child Welfare Information Gateway and the Special Needs
Adoption Resource Center are also funded under this project.
Adoption Incentive Payments
The budget proposes funding the Adoption Incentives program at $50 million, a significant
increase from last year’s proposed increase of $42 million and the enacted appropriation of $39
million for FY 2010. When this fund was created as part of the Adoption and Safe Families Act
(ASFA) in 1997, the appropriations fell short of required funding to reward all states. In other
years not all appropriated funds were awarded. All fifty states have received incentive funds
since the creation of the fund. When ASFA was enacted annual adoptions totaled approximately
28,000 per year with dramatic increases experienced through the first ten years. In 2009, 57,466
children were adopted from foster care
Since the incentive fund was reauthorized and the award baseline was re-set as part of the 2008
Fostering Connections to Success Act (PL 110-351) states have actually been drawing down
higher totals. In FY 2010, 38 states received $39 million in awards. The largest recipients were
Texas at $7.4 million, $5.7 million for Florida, $3.5 million for Michigan and $2.1 million for
Pennsylvania. The remaining states received a million dollars or less.
States are awarded an incentive or bonus if they increase the number of adoptions from the foster
care system over that state’s base year. As part of the Fostering Connections to Success Act the
adoption incentive was changed in three ways: it allows states to receive an additional payment
of $1000 per adoption if the state’s adoption rate exceeds its highest recorded foster child
adoption rate since 2002; it awards $8000 per older child (nine and older) adoption and $4000
per special needs adoption above the baseline; and it updates to FY 2007 the adoption baseline
above which incentive payments are made. States are also allowed to spend the funds over
twenty-four months instead of twelve.
5Independent Living Education and Training Vouchers
The Chafee Independent Living program Education and Training Voucher (ETV) is funded at
$45 million. These funds, unlike the $140 million in mandatory funds for the Chafee
Independent Living program, require an annual appropriation. The program was funded for the
first time in FY 2003 at $42 million. Full funding for this program would be $60 million. The
voucher program helps older youth leaving foster care obtain the higher education, vocational
training, and other education supports needed to become self-sufficient. Up to $5,000 per year is
available to a young person for the cost of education or training. This program expands on
states’ efforts to provide these services. ETV funds are distributed to the states using the same
formula as the Chafee Independent Living Program.
Abandoned Infants Assistance
The President proposes to fund the Abandoned Infants Assistance Program at $12 million, the
same amount it received in FY 2010 and is assumed for FY 2011. This program provides
demonstration grants for services to infants and young children, many of whom are HIV-infected
or drug-afflicted. These infants and young children are medically cleared for discharge from
acute hospital settings, but remain hospitalized due to a lack of appropriate out-of-home
placement alternatives.
CHILD WELFARE ENTITLEMENT OR MANDATORY FUNDING
Social Services Block Grant (Title XX)
The President maintains funding for the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) at $1.7 billion. In
addition the Administration proposes maintaining the state’s ability to transfer up to ten percent
of their TANF block grant into SSBG. SSBG is a flexible source of funds that allows states to
provide an array of services to children, youth, and families. Since 2000, funding for SSBG has
been maintained at $1.7 billion. It is a mandatory program with funding set in law and is an
entitlement to the states.
Based on surveys of the states by the Urban Institute and Child Trends, 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. States can use SSBG to fund 29 different services to prevent or remedy
neglect or abuse of children or adults, achieve or maintain economic self-support, reduce
unnecessary institutionalization, achieve or maintain independence, and secure referral and
screening for appropriate services.
In FY 2008 states spent over $943 million of their total SSBG allocation to provide the following
services to protect and care for abused, neglected, and otherwise vulnerable children and youth.
According to the latest annual report from 2008 on SSBG spending by states:
• 39 states used over $235 million in SSBG dollars to protect children from abuse and
neglect in FY 2008. In that same year, child protective service agencies received an
estimated 3.3 million reports of child abuse and neglect.
6• 22 states used $35 million in SSBG funds to assist in the adoption of children in FY
2008. Of the over 463, 000 children in foster care in that year, 123,000 had a goal of
adoption and 55,000 children were adopted from foster care.
• In FY 2008, 36 states allocated $377 million from SSBG for foster care services for more
than 542,038 children. At the end of federal fiscal year 2008, over 463,000 children were
in out-of-home care, family foster care, kinship care or residential care. More than
748,000 children spent at least part of the year in care. Many states use SSBG to pay
foster care costs for the board and care of children not eligible for federal Title IV-E
foster care assistance. The President’s proposed 2012 budget estimates that 166,800
children out of the more than 420,000 in foster care will be eligible for federal IV-E
dollars.
• 18 states used $18 million of SSBG funds in FY 2008 to provide independent and
transitional living services to adults and children, this included over 11,000 youth.
• 21 states used over $111 million in SSBG funds in FY 2008 to support residential
treatment to over 16,000 children.
• 32 states spent $142 million for prevention and intervention services in 2008. Of this
total, 62 percent went to serving nearly 620,000 children.
• 16 states allocated $25 million in 2008 SSBG funds for Special Services - Youth At Risk.
Approximately 166,556 at risk youth and their families were helped in this way.
In addition to child welfare services, SSBG funds are used to provide child care, home delivered
and congregate meals for senior citizens, family planning services, services to the disabled and
domestic violence outside of child protective services, residential treatment services, substance
abuse treatment, education and training, transportation services, information and referral and a
range of home-based services.
Title IV-E Foster Care
The Administration’s budget projects that Title IV-E Foster Care spending for FY 2012 will be
$4.5 billion which the budget proposal indicates will be $571 million more than projected for FY
2011. As an entitlement based on the number of eligible children, all of these numbers could
change depending on the number of children entering care and covered by federal eligibility
rules.
Title IV-E Foster Care funds are used for maintenance payments, administrative and data
systems costs. For FY 2012, the Administration projects approximately 166,800 children will be
eligible for Title IV-E in an average month which is a decrease of approximately 4,500 fewer
children than FY 2011. Approximately 420,000 children will be in foster care. The decreasing
numbers of eligible children are the result of two possible factors: the decrease in the number of
children in care and a decrease in eligibility for federal funding due to the current requirement
7that bases a child’s eligibility on the 1996 Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC)
link.
Title IV-E Adoption Assistance
Federal Title IV-E Adoption Assistance spending is projected to increase to $2.5 billion, an
increase of $15 million from 2011. Adoption Assistance funds are used to provide maintenance
payments to adoptive families, administrative payments for the costs associated with placing a
child in an adoptive home, and training professionals and adoptive parents. The estimated level
of funding will support approximately 470,400, an increase of 19,800 from 2011.
Before the enactment of the Fostering Connections to Success Act, all special needs adoptions
were tied to the eligibility standards in the AFDC program as it existed on July 16, 1996. In
2008 the Fostering Connections Act phases out this eligibility link for adoptions. Each year a
larger number of special needs adoptive children are covered by Title IV-E. In 2009 all children
16 and older were covered, in 2010 all new adoptions 14 and older were covered and on October
1, 2011 all children over 12 will be covered. Additionally, under the new law, a child who has
been in foster care for five consecutive years and is placed in a family as a special needs
adoption will be eligible for federal funding regardless of the child’s age. Finally, for siblings
adopted as special needs children, if one of the siblings is eligible for Title IV-E funds, the entire
sibling group will be eligible for the expanded coverage.
Kinship Care
This budget also projects a cost of $80 million for the Guardianship Assistance program, a state
optional program enacted as part of the Fostering Connections to Success Act. The funding
represents an increase of $48 million from 2011. A projected total of 13,900 children will be
covered under the kinship program, an increase from the total of 6,000 children covered in 2011.
Kinship care, like foster care, also bases its child eligibility on the link to the AFDC July 16,
1996 income eligibility standard.
Independent Living
The budget contains $140 million for the Chafee Independent Living Program. This $140
million in mandatory funding is used by states for a variety of services to ease the transition from
foster care for youth who will likely remain in foster care until they turn 18 and former foster
children between the ages of 18 and 21, and is the same as the FY 2009 funding level.
Approximately 28,959 young people “aged out” of foster care in FY 2006. As a result of the
Fostering Connections Act, as of October 1, 2010 (FY 2011) states have the option to extend the
age of foster care to 19, 20 or 21.
Child Support Enforcement
The budget includes a Child Support and Fatherhood initiative to promote strong family
relationships by encouraging fathers to take responsibility for their children, changing policies so
that more of fathers’ support reaches their children, and continuing a commitment to vigorous
enforcement. The Budget increases support for States to pass through child support payments to
families, rather than retaining those payments, and requires States to establish access and
visitation arrangements as a means of promoting father engagement in their children’s lives. The
8Budget also provides a temporary increase in incentive payments to States based on
performance, which continues an emphasis on program outcomes and efficiency and will foster
enforcement efforts. The initiatives would cost $305 million in FY 2012.
NON-CHILD WELFARE DISCRETIONARY FUNDING
EARLY CHILDHOOD/EDUCATION INITATIVES
Child care and early childhood education represent some of the biggest commitments and
increases in the human service budget. Consistent with the President’s pledge to invest more in
early childhood education, the Administration’s budget request contains significant increases for
early childhood programs including child care, Head Start and the creation of an early learning
fund.
Child Care
The Administration proposes that child care will receive an overall increase of $1.3 billion with
the funding split in two ways. $800 million will be provided as a discretionary funding increase
while an additional $500 million will be provided as mandatory funding. The Administration
projects this increase in funding will allow 1.7 million children to receive child care – and allow
220,000 children to maintain access to child care. This is significant since the stimulus package
had provided a temporary increase in funds for child care.
For FY 2012 discretionary funding would increase from the current $2.117 billion to $2.917
billion. These annually appropriated dollars are allocated to all fifty states with no required
match but states are required to set a certain percentage aside for child care quality
improvements. In addition, the administration is proposing further increases in child care
funding up to $3.4 billion if states match the additional funds. If a state chooses not to match the
funding the remaining dollars are made available to other states willing to provide the match.
Head Start
The President’s budget proposes an additional increase of $866 million in Head Start funding,
raising the total from $7.235 billion in FY 2010 to $8.100 billion in FY 2012. The increased
funding is projected to maintain current coverage of 968,000 children enrolled in Head Start,
including a total of 114,000 infants and toddlers.
Early Learning Challenge Grants
The Administration continues to support the enactment of a new Early Learning Challenge Fund
at a total of $350 million. Housed in the Department of Education budget, the proposal would
provide competitive state grants to encourage the coordination of services, standards and quality
in early childhood programs including child care, Head Start and state pre-K programs.
21
st
Century Community Learning Centers
The President’s budget includes funding of $1.2 billion for the 21st Century Community
Learning Centers program, an increase of $100 million from last year’s proposal. The
Administration will propose changes as part of the reauthorization of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The proposal would focus on aligning activities to enhance
9classroom teaching and enrichment and other activities to complement a school’s academic
programs.
OTHER NON-CHILD WELFARE DISCRETIONARY FUNDING
Home Visiting
Enacted through the Affordable Care Act, the Home Visiting Grant program is provided through
Title V of the Social Security Act, the Maternal Child Health Block Grant and is funded at $350
million in FY 2012, an increase from $250 million provided in FY 2011. Funding is mandatory.
Funds are awarded to states according to formula with each state's governor designating the
entity that will apply for and administer Home Visiting program funds. States received planning
funding initially to support a needs and resource assessments. Home visiting programs are
intended to promote outcomes such as improvements in maternal and prenatal health, infant
health, and child health and development; reduced child maltreatment; improved parenting
practices related to child development outcomes; improved school readiness; improved family
socio-economic status; improved coordination of referrals to community resources and supports;
and reduced incidence of injuries, crime, and domestic violence. The Administration on
Children and Families and the Health Resources and Services Administration collaborate to
implement the early childhood home visiting program within the Department of Health and
Human Services.
Maternal and Child Health
Funding will be reduced for the Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant by $6
million from what the President proposed last year for a FY 2012 total of $654 million. Title V
is a federal-state partnership that funds a diverse array of programs and services specifically
aimed at improving the health of mothers and children, many of whom are vulnerable and in
need of prevention or early intervention. These services include public education and outreach,
evaluations and quality assurance activities, support for newborn screenings and genetic services,
and health care services including nutrition counseling.
Early Intervention for Children with Disabilities
For the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Early Intervention Services Program
(Part C), the President’s budget proposes funding at $489 for FY 2012, an increase of $50
million. Through IDEA, the U.S. Department of Education works with states to ensure that
children with disabilities receive an appropriate public education that includes preparing them for
employment and independent living, and that all schools are held accountable for the educational
results of children needing special education. This specific program provides grants to states to
provide coordinated, comprehensive, multi-disciplinary interagency programs for early
intervention services to children with disabilities, from birth until age 2 and their families.
Promise Neighborhoods
The Administration builds on 2010’s initial $10 million in planning grants to implement its
“Promise Neighborhoods” initiative by increasing funding to $150 million. Last year’s budget
proposal had requested $210 million but Congress has not included that in the current FY 2011
budget and probably will not. The initiative, which President Obama advocated for during the
campaign, is based on the Harlem Children’s Zone program. The program attacks poverty
1011
through a comprehensive school-based model that provides wrap around services for the entire
family in a comprehensive fashion. It places a special emphasis on early-learning through K-12
and guides children through the entire period of learning. The goal is to spread this model to
several communities across the country. The initial planning grants are to go to non-profits for
one year with these additional dollars to assist in the implementation of these new plans.
Funding for this proposal is provided through the Education Department budget and is
accompanied by new funding for the Successful, Safe, and Healthy Students initiative.
NON-CHILD WELFARE ENTITLEMENT OR MANDATORY
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
The President’s FY 2012 budget includes $16.5 billion in TANF funds to all 50 states, and
approximately $319 million in supplemental grants to 17 states--the same level as previous years
with this mandatory block grant. As part of the one-year extension passed late last year, the
TANF program also includes $150 million divided equally between marriage promotion and
father engagement programs. Because it was extended for only one year TANF is once again
scheduled for reauthorization.
The Administration has not offered specific proposals for the reauthorization. In their HHS
budget briefing document they offer an invitation to Congress to work with them on a
reauthorization:
“When TANF reauthorization is considered, the Administration would be interested in
exploring with Congress a variety of strategies to strengthen the program’s ability to improve
outcomes for families and children, including helping more parents succeed as workers by
building on the recent successes with subsidized employment, using performance indicators to
drive program improvement; and preparing the program to respond more effectively in the event
of a future economic downturn.”
Teen Pregnancy Prevention
The President proposes level funding of $110 million for community based efforts to reduce
teenage pregnancy. The funds provided through the Office of Adolescent Health provide grants
to teen pregnancy prevention models that are considered evidence-based models. There are more
than 100 grantees across the country. It is estimated that these grantees have the potential to
serve more than 800,000 youth in nearly every state throughout the life of the program