Office of Community Services explained

The Office of Community Services (OCS) is a division of the US Executive Branch under the Administration for Children and Families within the Department of Health and Human Services.^[1] It is the direct successor of the Office of Economic Opportunity, an independent agency created in 1964.^[2]

OCS administers six programs which provide funding for community development and poverty alleviation for private and public agencies:^[3]

• The Assets for Independence program, which provides matching contributions to Individual Development Accounts for those eligible for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.^[4] The program was funded at $18.9 for the 2016 fiscal year.^[5] Participants in the program's first year saw a median increase in saving of $657, a drop in experiences of economic hardship by 34%, and a 39% drop in the use of payday loans.^[6]
• The Community Economic Development Program, which provides funding for non-profits with the principal goal of supporting low-income housing or community economic development. The program was funded at $19.75 million for the 2017 fiscal year.^[7] This program includes separate funding as part of the Healthy Food Financing Initiative, a partnership between the Department of Health and Human Services, the Treasury Department, and the Department of Agriculture to increase access healthy food.^[8]
• The Community Services Block Grant, which was created in 1981 in a consolidation of over 200 government programs, and provides funding directly to states to distribute.^[9] The program was funded at $715 million in the 2016 fiscal year.^[10]
• The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which "provides grants to states to fund fuel payment assistance and home energy efficiency improvements for low-income households."^[11] The program was funded at $3.39 billion in the 2016 fiscal year.^[5]
• The Rural Community Development Program which provides funding for water management and wastewater treatment. The program was funded at $7.45 million in the 2016 fiscal year.^[12]
• The Social Services Block Grant, used to support a wide range of activities., the most highly supported of which were child care, foster care, and services for the disabled.^[13] The grant is authorized by Title XX of the Social Security Act, and funding is allocated according to population.^[14] The program was funded at $1.6 billion for the 2016 fiscal year.^[15]

See also

• Poverty in the United States
• Poverty reduction

Notes and References

1. Book: Hughes. Jan N.. Greca. Annette M. La. Conoley. Jane Close. Handbook of Psychological Services for Children and Adolescents. 8 May 2018. 11 January 2001. Oxford University Press. 9780198028970.
2. Web site: Records of the Community Services Administration . U.S. National Archives.
3. Book: Berns, Roberta M.. Child, Family, School, Community: Socialization and Support. 8 May 2018. 1 January 2012. Cengage Learning. 978-1133710158.
4. Web site: AFI Fact Sheet. Office of Community Services. 8 May 2018.
5. Web site: OCS Fact Sheet. Office of Community Services. 8 May 2018.
6. News: Weston. Liz. 2 sexy ways to get paid to save. 8 May 2018. Market Watch. March 15, 2018.
7. Web site: CED Fact Sheet. Office of Community Services. 8 May 2018.
8. Web site: Community Economic Development Program (CED) Overview Webinar. Office of Community Services. January 29, 2015.
9. Book: Soifer. Steven D.. McNeely. Joseph B.. Costa. Cathy. Nancy. Pickering-Bernheim. Community Economic Development in Social Work. 8 May 2018. 18 November 2014. Columbia University Press. 9780231508575.
10. Web site: CSBG Fact Sheet. Office of Community Services. 8 May 2018. March 16, 2017.
11. Book: Morris, Paul M.. National Energy Policy: Major Federal Energy Programs and Status. 8 May 2018. 2006. Nova Science Publishers. 9781594546969.
12. Web site: RCD Fact Sheet. Office of Community Services. 8 May 2018.
13. Web site: Social Services Block Grant: Background and Funding . Congressional Research Service . March 14, 2016 . August 15, 2017 . Karen E. Lynch. >
14. Book: Patti, Rino J.. The Handbook of Human Services Management. 8 May 2018. October 2008. SAGE Publications. 9781412952910.
15. Web site: SSBG Fact Sheet. Office of Community Services. 8 May 2018.