Q: Who is served by the federal Social Services Block Grant?
A: The Social Services Block Grant is a federal program which provides services for vulnerable populations, including the elderly, disabled, foster children and disadvantaged kids. Services funded through the program in Iowa include adult residential care, adult day care, community-supervised living, sheltered workshops and work activities. These extra resources are critical to help states reach out to families or individuals in crisis and others who would benefit from some varying degrees of assistance or intervention. With this flexible funding stream, the states and local social service providers, including faith-related organizations, can best target special needs of families, seniors and children on a regional and community basis. In fiscal year 2000, nearly 120,000 children and adults in Iowa benefited from services funded by $29 million received via the Social Services Block Grant. However, substantial funding cut-backs at the federal level in the last few years have impacted county-administered services. In some areas, the reductions have created waiting lists and pinched already squeezed payments available for local social service providers.
Q: Is Congress going to increase funding for this federal block grant?
A :As chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over federal welfare policy, I am leading a bipartisan effort to boost funding to the Social Services Block Grant program. In February, the Finance Committee approved a measure to increase SSBG funding to $1.975 billion in fiscal year 2003 and $2.8 billion the following year. In addition, states would be allowed to increase the proportion of welfare funds they could transfer over to the program. In the past, Iowa has transferred over ten percent of its Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) funds into the SSBG program. This tells me that states want the least number of strings attached to federal dollars to help their most vulnerable citizens. In addition to increasing SSBG funding, I'm also working to increase charitable-giving through tax incentives. Our tax code ought to promote the good works made possible by the generosity of American taxpayers and the worthy causes they support with their hard-earned money. Our neighbors in need benefit from the support services made possible by public dollars channeled through the Social Services Block Grant and private dollars donated to charitable organizations. Too often it seems like there's not enough to go around. That's why I'm working in Washington to help fill in the gaps so folks who need a hand up get the help they need.