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Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Program Descriptions

93.556:  Promoting Safe and Stable Families

Objectives:  To fund community-based family support services that promote the safety and well-being of children and families by enhancing family functioning and child development; to fund family preservation services that serve families at risk or in crisis, including the following services: reunification and adoption services, preplacement/preventive services, follow-up services after return of a child from foster care, respite care, and services designed to improve parenting skills; to fund time-limited family reunification services to facilitate the reunification of the child safety and appropriately within a timely fashion; and to fund adoption promotion and support services designed to encourage more adoptions out of the foster care system, when adoptions promote the best interests of children.

PROGRAM AND AWARD	FINANCIAL AND INFORMATION CONTACTS
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS	FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO.
APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS	INFORMATION CONTACTS
RELATED PROGRAMS	ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS
PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS	POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS

93.556 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:  States, Territories and certain Indian Tribes are eligible applicants.

Beneficiary Eligibility:  Families and children who need services to assist them to stabilize their lives, strengthen family functioning, prevent out-of-home placement of children, enhance child development and increase competence in parenting abilities, facilitate timely reunification of the child, and promote appropriate adoptions.

Credentials/Documentation:  The State agency which administers the social services program under Title XX of the Social Security Act (Social Services Block Grant) must also be the agency which administers the Title IV-B Child and Family Services Subpart 1 and 2.

93.556 APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS:

Preapplication Coordination:  Not applicable. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure:  A State plan must be submitted. The plan must be jointly developed by the Secretary and the State or Indian Tribe and written after consultation by the State agency with appropriate public and non-profit private agencies and community-based organizations. The plan must coordinate the provision services under Title IV-B with services under other Federal or federally-assisted programs serving the same populations.

Award Procedure:  Funds will be approved after the State plan, or annual update is submitted and approved.

Deadlines:  States, Territories and Indian Tribes are encouraged to submit application in accordance with Departmental requirements. Contact Headquarters Office listed below for information.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:  Not applicable.

Appeals:  Appeals are processed in accordance with Departmental regulations at 45 CFR 16.

Renewals:  None.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals:  Not applicable.

Examples of Funded Projects:  Not applicable.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  No data is available.

93.556 RELATED PROGRAMS:

• 93.586 State Court Improvement Program;
• 93.667 Social Services Block Grant (SSBG);
• 93.645 Child Welfare Services: State Grants;
• 93.648 Child Welfare Services Training Grants;
• 93.658 Foster Care: Title IV-E;
• 93.659 Adoption Assistance.

93.556 PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

93.556 FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO:

Federal Agency:  ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Type of Assistance:  Formula Grants.

Obligations:  (Grants and Contracts) FY 99 $236,898,871; FY 00 est $285,000,000; and FY 01 est $295,000,000.

Budget Account Number:  75-1512-0-1-506.

Authorization:  Social Security Act, as amended, Title IV, Part B, Subpart 2; Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993; Public Law 103-66; Social Security Amendments of 1994, Public Law 103-432; Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997, Public Law 105-89.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature:  45 CFR 1355 and 45 CFR 1357.

93.556 INFO CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:  Consult Regional Administrators, Administration for Children and Families. (See Appendix IV of the Catalog for listing.)

Headquarters Office:  Terry Lewis, Deputy Associate Commissioner, Children's Bureau, 330 C Street, SW., Washington, DC 20447. Phone: (202) 205-8618. FTS is not available.

(See Appendix IV for more contact info.)

93.556 ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:  State allotments are computed based on the number of children receiving food stamps. Allotments to Indian Tribes are based on a one percent set aside of the total appropriation in each fiscal year and computed based on the number of children in the Tribe compared to the total number of children in eligible Indian tribes. However, grants will not be made to Indian Tribes whose allotment is less than $10,000. Allotments to Territories are based on the formula in subpart 1 of Title IV-B. Match: FFP is 75 percent of expenditures for services; States must provide a 25 percent match.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:  Grant awards will be made quarterly on a fiscal year basis through a letter of credit. The Electronic Transfer System will be used for monthly cash draws from Federal Reserve Banks.

Uses and Use Restrictions:  Grantees must limit administrative expenditures to 10 percent of their allotment; all remaining funds must be spent for family preservation, family support services, time-limited family reunification services and adoption promotion and support services.

93.556 POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:  After the end of each of the first four fiscal years, the States, Territories, and Indian Tribes must submit an interim review of progress toward accomplishment of the goals in the State or Tribal plan. After the end of the fifth fiscal year, the States and Indian Tribes must perform a final review of progress toward accomplishment of the goals.

Audits:  Audit are conducted in accordance with the requirement of 45 CFR 74.

Records:  States must maintain records which permit review of expenditures in accordance with the provisions of the law.