U.S. government agency that promotes economic development
OCS logo as of 2018
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] : 79 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:[ 1] : 79 [ 3] : 346
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] : 191 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] : 13 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. As of 2010[update] , 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] : 93 The program was funded at $1.6 billion for the 2016 fiscal year.[ 15]
^ a b Hughes, Jan N.; Greca, Annette M. La; Conoley, Jane Close (11 January 2001). Handbook of Psychological Services for Children and Adolescents . Oxford University Press . ISBN 9780198028970 . Retrieved 8 May 2018 .
^ "Records of the Community Services Administration" . U.S. National Archives .
^ Berns, Roberta M. (1 January 2012). Child, Family, School, Community: Socialization and Support . Cengage Learning . ISBN 978-1133710158 . Retrieved 8 May 2018 .
^ "AFI Fact Sheet" . Office of Community Services . Retrieved 8 May 2018 .
^ a b "OCS Fact Sheet" (PDF) . Office of Community Services . Retrieved 8 May 2018 .
^ Weston, Liz (March 15, 2018). "2 sexy ways to get paid to save" . Market Watch . Retrieved 8 May 2018 .
^ "CED Fact Sheet" . Office of Community Services . Retrieved 8 May 2018 .
^ "Community Economic Development Program (CED) Overview Webinar" (PDF) . Office of Community Services . January 29, 2015.
^ Soifer, Steven D.; McNeely, Joseph B.; Costa, Cathy; Pickering-Bernheim, Nancy (18 November 2014). Community Economic Development in Social Work . Columbia University Press . ISBN 9780231508575 . Retrieved 8 May 2018 .
^ "CSBG Fact Sheet" . Office of Community Services . March 16, 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2018 .
^ Morris, Paul M. (2006). National Energy Policy: Major Federal Energy Programs and Status . Nova Science Publishers . ISBN 9781594546969 . Retrieved 8 May 2018 .
^ "RCD Fact Sheet" . Office of Community Services . Retrieved 8 May 2018 .
^ Karen E. Lynch (March 14, 2016). "Social Services Block Grant: Background and Funding" (PDF) . Congressional Research Service. Retrieved August 15, 2017 . >
^ Patti, Rino J. (October 2008). The Handbook of Human Services Management . SAGE Publications . ISBN 9781412952910 . Retrieved 8 May 2018 .
^ "SSBG Fact Sheet" . Office of Community Services . Retrieved 8 May 2018 .