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Social Services Block Grant
(Title XX of the Social Security Act)
Karen E. Lynch
Analyst in Social Policy
January 26, 2010
Congressional Research Service
7-5700
www.crs.gov
94-953
CRS Report for Congress
P
repared for Members and Committees of Congress
c11173008

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Social Services Block Grant (Title XX of the Social Security Act)

Summary
The Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) is a flexible source of funds that states use to support a
wide variety of social services activities. States have broad discretion over the use of these funds.
In FY2007, the most recent year for which expenditure data are available, the largest expenditures
for services under the SSBG were for foster care services, child care, and special services for the
disabled. The FY2010 Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L. 111-117) maintained SSBG funding
at $1.7 billion and maintained states’ authority to transfer up to 10% of their Temporary
Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grants to the SSBG. The SSBG has received an
annual appropriation of $1.7 billion since FY2002. In addition to annual funding levels, the
SSBG received supplemental appropriations in FY2006 and FY2008 for necessary expenses
resulting from major natural disasters. This report provides funding and background information
for the SSBG.
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Social Services Block Grant (Title XX of the Social Security Act)

Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 1
Use of Funds............................................................................................................................... 1
Goals .................................................................................................................................... 1
Services ................................................................................................................................ 1
Prohibited Uses ..................................................................................................................... 2
Eligibility.................................................................................................................................... 2
Allocation of Funds..................................................................................................................... 2
Transfer of TANF Funds to SSBG............................................................................................... 4
Funding ...................................................................................................................................... 5
FY2010 Appropriations......................................................................................................... 5
FY2010 Budget Request by the Obama Administration ......................................................... 5
FY2009 Appropriations......................................................................................................... 5
FY2009 Budget Request by the Bush Administration ............................................................ 6
Recent Supplemental Appropriations..................................................................................... 6
FY2008 Supplemental Appropriation .............................................................................. 6
FY2006 Supplemental Appropriation .............................................................................. 9
Additional Funding History................................................................................................... 9
Legislation ................................................................................................................................ 11
State Reporting Requirements ................................................................................................... 11
Recent Expenditures ................................................................................................................. 12

Figures
Figure 1. HHS Allocation Methodology for the FY2008-FY2009 SSBG Supplemental................ 7

Tables
Table 1. Estimated FY2010 SSBG Allotments to States and Territories........................................ 3
Table 2. State Allocations for SSBG Funds from the FY2008-FY2009 Supplemental................... 8
Table 3. SSBG Funding, FY1985-FY2010 ................................................................................ 10
Table 4. Total SSBG Expenditures by Service Category, FY2007 .............................................. 12
Table A-1. TANF Transfers to the SSBG in FY2008 .................................................................. 14
Table B-1. Status of State Spending from the FY2006 SSBG Supplemental............................... 16

Appendixes
Appendix A. TANF Transfers to SSBG in FY2008 .................................................................... 14
Appendix B. FY2006 Supplemental SSBG Funding .................................................................. 16
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Social Services Block Grant (Title XX of the Social Security Act)


Contacts
Author Contact Information ...................................................................................................... 18

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Social Services Block Grant (Title XX of the Social Security Act)

Introduction
Title XX of the Social Security Act permanently authorizes the Social Services Block Grant
(SSBG) as a “capped” entitlement to states. This means that states are entitled to their share of
funds, as determined by formula, out of an amount of money that is capped in statute at a specific
level (also known as a funding ceiling). Although social services for certain welfare recipients
have been authorized under various titles of the Social Security Act since 1956, the SSBG in its
current form was created in 1981 (P.L. 97-35). Block grant funds are given to states to help them
achieve a wide range of social policy goals, which include promoting self-sufficiency, preventing
child abuse, and supporting community-based care for the elderly and disabled. The FY2010
Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L. 111-117) included $1.7 billion for the SSBG, the same
level of annual funding the block grant has received since FY2002. In addition to annual funding
levels, the SSBG has occasionally received supplemental appropriations, most recently in
FY2008. A special SSBG program for enterprise communities and empowerment zones was
authorized in 1993 (P.L. 103-66), but is not currently funded. At the federal level, the SSBG is
administered by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Legislation amending
Title XX is typically reported by the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance
Committee.
Use of Funds
Goals
Federal law establishes the five broad goals for the SSBG. Social services funded by states must
be linked to one or more of these goals. The five goals are:
• achieving or maintaining economic self-support to prevent, reduce, or eliminate
dependency;
• achieving or maintaining self-sufficiency, including reduction or prevention of
dependency;
• preventing or remedying neglect, abuse, or exploitation of children and adults
unable to protect their own interests, or preserving, rehabilitating or reuniting
families;
• preventing or reducing inappropriate institutional care by providing for
community-based care, home-based care, or other forms of less intensive care;
and
• securing referral or admission for institutional care when other forms of care are
not appropriate, or providing services to individuals in institutions.
Services
States have broad discretion in spending SSBG funds to support these broad goals. The following
are examples of social services, as specified in law, that relate to the SSBG’s broad goals:
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Social Services Block Grant (Title XX of the Social Security Act)

child care, protective services for children and adults, services for children and adults in
foster care, services related to the management and maintenance of the home, adult day care,
transportation, family planning, training and related services, employment services, referral
and counseling services, meal preparation delivery, health support services, and services to
meet the special needs of children, the aged, the mentally retarded, the blind, the emotionally
disturbed, the physically handicapped, and alcoholics and drug addicts.
In 1993, HHS issued a regulation establishing uniform definitions for 28 SSBG service
categories. State spending is not limited to these services; instead, these service categories are
used as guidelines for reporting purposes. (Spending on an activity that falls outside the scope of
services defined in regulation is characterized under “other services” on annual reports.) In
addition to supporting social services, SSBG funds may be used for administration, planning,
evaluation, and training. (See Table 4 for a full list of the service categories reported on by
states.) States may also transfer up to 10% of their SSBG allotments to block grants for health
activities and low-income home energy assistance.
Prohibited Uses
Although the SSBG can be used for a broad array of activities, some restrictions are placed on the
use of title XX funds. Funds cannot be used for the following: (1) purchase of land, construction,
or major capital improvements; (2) cash payments as a service or for costs of subsistence or room
and board (other than costs of subsistence during rehabilitation, temporary emergency shelter
provided as a protective service, or in the case of vouchers for certain families as allowed under
welfare reform); (3) payment of wages as a social service (except wages of welfare recipients
employed in child day care); (4) most medical care (except family planning rehabilitation
services, initial detoxification of certain individuals, or medical care provided as an “integral but
subordinate component of a social service”); (5) social services for residents of institutions
(including hospitals, nursing homes, and prisons); (6) educational services generally provided by
public schools; (7) child care that does not meet applicable state or local standards; (8) services
provided by anyone excluded from participation in Medicare or certain other Social Security Act
programs; or (9) items or services related to assisted suicide (this provision was added in 1997,
under P.L. 105-12). Under extraordinary circumstances, the law does allow HHS to waive the two
of these prohibitions (use of the SSBG for the purchase of land or capital improvements, or for
the provision of medical care).
Eligibility
There are no federal eligibility criteria for SSBG participants. Thus, states have total discretion to
set their own eligibility criteria. One exception is that welfare reform established an income limit
of 200% of poverty for recipients of services funded by TANF allotments that are transferred to
the SSBG.
Allocation of Funds
SSBG funds are allocated to states according to the relative size of each state’s population. Grants
to Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, and Northern Marianas are based on their share of Title
XX funds in FY1981. No match is required for federal SSBG funds, and federal law does not
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specify a sub-state allocation formula. In other words, states have complete discretion for the
distribution of SSBG funds within their borders. Table 1 displays estimated FY2010 allotments.
Table 1. Estimated FY2010 SSBG Allotments to States and Territories
State / Territory
Allotment ($)
State / Territory
Allotment ($)
Alabama
25,937,984
Nevada
14,378,345
Alaska 3,830,729
New
Hampshire
7,374,897
Arizona 35,527,187
New
Jersey
48,682,478
Arkansas 15,888,351
New
Mexico
11,040,897
California 204,871,919
New
York
108,159,098
Colorado 27,247,614
North
Carolina 50,784,890
Connecticut 19,629,594
North
Dakota
3,585,448
Delaware 4,846,793
Ohio
64,269,293
District of Columbia
3,297,234
Oklahoma
20,274,180
Florida 102,293,798
Oregon
21,003,578
Georgia 53,496,013
Pennsylvania
69,682,789
Hawai 7,193,079
Rhode
Island 5,928,892
Idaho 8,403,785
South
Carolina
24,704,142
Illinois 72,035,420 South
Dakota 4,462,587
Indiana 35,563,808
Tennessee
34,506,919
Iowa 16,747,274
Texas
133,978,262
Kansas 15,558,791
Utah
14,826,434
Kentucky 23,772,435
Vermont
3,481,978
Louisiana 24,062,369
Virginia
43,224,403
Maine
7,382,626
Washington
36,253,950
Maryland 31,489,458
West
Virginia
10,156,017
Massachusetts 36,149,315
Wisconsin
31,395,836
Michigan 56,450,124
Wyoming
2,930,336
Minnesota 29,131,407
American
Samoa
48,518
Mississippi 16,359,083
Guam
293,103
Missouri
32,947,093
Northern Mariana Islands
58,621
Montana 5,368,579
Puerto
Rico
8,793,103
Nebraska 9,946,041
Virgin
Islands
293,103
Source: Table prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) based on data from HHS, available online
at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/ssbg/docs/esalloc10.html.
Notes: Figures are based on the annual SSBG appropriation of $1.7 billion, as proposed in the Obama
Administration’s FY2010 Budget and provided in the FY2010 Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L. 111-117).
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Transfer of TANF Funds to SSBG
The 1996 welfare reform law replaced Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) with a
block grant to states, called Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), under Title IV-A
of the Social Security Act. The law allowed states to transfer up to 10% of their annual TANF
allotments into the SSBG. Under provisions of the Transportation Equity Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-
178), the amount that states could transfer into SSBG was reduced to 4.25% of their annual
TANF allotments, beginning in FY2001. However, this provision was superseded in FY2001 by
the FY2001 Consolidated Appropriations Act, which maintained the 10% transfer authority level.
Likewise, the FY2002 appropriations bill presented to the President maintained the 10% transfer
authority for FY2002. Earlier, the House had passed its version of a Labor/HHS/Ed
appropriations bill (H.R. 3061) proposing to maintain the 10% transfer authority, while the
Senate’s amended version proposed a 5.7% transfer level. (The Senate Appropriations Committee
had recommended a 5.9% transfer authority level in S. 1536; however, the full Senate, in passing
an amended H.R. 3061, would have reduced it to 5.7% as a partial offset to funding proposed in
S.Amdt. 2084, which provides increased funding for Hispanic education programs.) Ultimately,
appropriations acts maintained the transfer authority at 10% in FY2003-FY2009 as well.
There has been some confusion about whether or not the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA, P.L. 109-
171) permanently reinstated the 10% transfer authority. This law reauthorized TANF, through the
end of FY2010, in the manner authorized for FY2004.1 In that fiscal year, the Social Security Act
capped states’ authority to transfer TANF funds to the SSBG at 4.25%, but this law was
superseded by the FY2004 Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L. 108-199), which maintained the
practice of allowing 10% transfers from TANF to the SSBG. In the wake of the DRA, Congress
has continued to ensure that the transfer ceiling stays at 10% by including language to that effect
in appropriations legislation.
Over the course of FY1997-FY2008, states annually transferred more than $9 billion of their
TANF funds to the SSBG. In FY2008 alone, 45 states transferred $1.18 billion to the SSBG, with
28 of those states taking advantage of the higher transfer ceiling by moving more than 4.25% of
their TANF funds to the SSBG (see Table A-1 in Appendix A for FY2008 state-by-state data).2
Funds transferred from TANF to the SSBG can be used only for children and families whose
income is less than 200% of the federal poverty guidelines. Under welfare reform law, states also
may use SSBG funds for vouchers for families that are not eligible for cash assistance because of
time limits under the welfare reform program, or for children who are denied cash assistance
because they were born into families already receiving benefits for another child.

1 The conference report for the DRA notes that the House version of the bill increased the maximum transfer to SSBG
to 10%, while the Senate bill had no provision. The conference report recedes to the Senate with regard to the transfer
authority.
2 See FY2008 TANF Financial Data available online at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/data/index.html. Here,
“state” includes Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.
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Social Services Block Grant (Title XX of the Social Security Act)

Funding
FY2010 Appropriations
On December 16, 2009, President Obama signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010, into
law as P.L. 111-117. The measure provided $1.7 billion for the SSBG, reflecting the conference
report (H.Rept. 111-366) filed on the bill, H.R. 3288, on December 8, 2009. The House and
Senate agreed to the conference report on December 10 and December 13, respectively. P.L. 111-
117 also maintained the states’ authority to transfer up to 10% of their TANF funds to the SSBG.
Prior to the passage of H.R. 3288, both the House and Senate had initiated the L-HHS-ED
appropriations process for FY2010. Although the full Senate did not pass a bill to provide L-
HHS-ED appropriations for FY2010, the Senate Appropriations Committee did report such a bill
(S.Rept. 111-66, H.R. 3293) on August 4, 2009, which sought to maintain funding for the SSBG
at the annual level of $1.7 billion. Meanwhile, on July 24, 2009, the House passed its FY2010 L-
HHS-ED appropriations bill, H.R. 3293, which also sought to maintain funding for the SSBG at
$1.7 billion. Prior to consideration by the full House, this bill was reported by the House
Committee on Appropriations on July 22, 2009 (H.Rept. 111-220).
FY2010 Budget Request by the Obama Administration
In May 2009, the Obama Administration released their detailed FY2010 Budget, which requested
that funding for the SSBG be maintained at $1.7 billion in FY2010. This was a contrast to recent
President’s Budgets submitted by the Bush Administration, which had proposed funding
reductions and, ultimately, full elimination of the SSBG.
FY2009 Appropriations
President Obama signed The FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act (P.L. 111-8) into law on
March 11, 2009. The FY2009 Omnibus funded the SSBG at an annual level of $1.7 billion in
FY2009, rejecting the proposed cuts in the FY2009 budget request submitted by President Bush.
The Omnibus also maintained states’ authority to transfer up to 10% of their TANF block grants
to the SSBG.
Prior to the passage of the FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act, Congress had passed two
continuing resolutions (CRs) for FY2009 (P.L. 110-329 and P.L. 111-6). Both CRs also rejected
cuts proposed by the Bush Administration, maintaining SSBG funding at $1.7 billion. The first of
the two CRs (P.L. 110-329) was signed into law by President Bush on September 30, 2008, and
remained in effect until March 6, 2009. The second CR (P.L. 111-6) was signed into law by
President Obama on March 6, 2009, and lasted until it was superseded by the FY2009 Omnibus
on March 11, 2009.
In addition to annual appropriations contained in the FY2009 Omnibus, many programs also
received FY2009 funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), signed
into law by President Obama on February 17, 2009 (P.L. 111-5). The original Senate-passed
version of this bill (H.R. 1) would have appropriated $400 million in SSBG funds, to be obligated
to states within 60 calendar days from the date at which they become available for obligation. The
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Social Services Block Grant (Title XX of the Social Security Act)

original House-passed version of H.R. 1, meanwhile, included no funds for SSBG. Ultimately, the
enacted version of this legislation adopted the House position on this and, as a result, the SSBG
received no supplemental funds from the ARRA.3
FY2009 Budget Request by the Bush Administration
President Bush’s FY2009 budget, released on February 4, 2008, originally called for $1.2 billion
in funding for the SSBG in FY2009, a $500 million decrease from the authorized funding level.
However the Bush Administration subsequently submitted to Congress two amendments to the
initial budget request, which combined to reduce the proposed FY2009 SSBG funding level to
$0.4
In addition to the proposed cut for FY2009, the Bush Administration budget also proposed a plan
to permanently eliminate the SSBG beginning in FY2010. The Administration contended that the
grant’s flexibility and lack of state reporting requirements make it difficult to measure its
performance, and that the broad array of services funded through the SSBG often overlap with
other federal programs.
Recent Supplemental Appropriations
FY2008 Supplemental Appropriation
The first FY2009 CR (P.L. 110-329) included, as Division B, the Disaster Relief and Recovery
Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2008. This law provided $600 million in supplemental funds
for the SSBG in FY2008. These funds were appropriated on the last day of FY2008 and were not
allotted to states by HHS until FY2009. The supplemental funds were appropriated for necessary
expenses resulting from “major disasters” (as declared by the President and defined in title IV of
the Stafford Act) occurring during 2008, including hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters.
The appropriation also made these funds available for necessary expenses resulting from
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
The appropriations language specified that in addition to other uses permitted by Title XX of the
Social Security Act, states could use their supplemental SSBG funds to provide social and health
services (including mental health services) for individuals, as well as to support the repair,
renovation, or construction of health care facilities, mental health facilities, child care centers, and
other social services facilities affected by related disasters.
The appropriations language explicitly required HHS to distribute funding to eligible states based
on “demonstrated need in accordance with objective criteria that are made available to the
public.” HHS outlined their criteria in Information Memorandum Transmittal No. 02-2009,
FY2008 SSBG Supplemental Appropriation of Disaster Assistance Funds Awarded in FY2009,

3 For more information about human services programs in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, see CRS
Report R40211, Human Services Provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, by Gene Falk et al.
4 These two amendments to the FY2009 President’s Budget can be found on the Government Printing Office (GPO)
website at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/USbudget/fy09/amndsup.html (see H.Doc. 110-123 and H.Doc. 110-141).
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which was issued by the Department on January 6, 2009.5 Figure 1 illustrates how the criteria
selected by HHS were used to allocate funds to states.
Figure 1. HHS Allocation Methodology for the FY2008-FY2009 SSBG Supplemental

Source: Figure prepared by the Congressional Research Service based on data from HHS.
As specified in the Information Memorandum, HHS identified criteria to determine which
disasters qualified for supplemental SSBG funds. First, HHS specified that qualifying major
disasters were those that occurred between January 1, 2008, and the date of enactment of the
supplemental appropriation (September 30, 2008); in addition, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita were
considered to qualify automatically based on appropriations language. Second, HHS restricted
qualifying disasters to those which triggered authorizations for Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) Individual Assistance. The FEMA Individual Assistance program provides
money or direct assistance to individuals, families, and businesses in an affected area whose
property has been damaged or destroyed and whose losses are not covered by insurance. HHS
chose Individual Assistance data to serve as a proxy for “demonstrated need,” noting that these
data represent individual households that have declared a loss associated with the disaster and
who have registered for assistance.
Nineteen states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico were directly affected by qualifying
disasters in 2008, as determined by the HHS criteria. Based on these same criteria, four states

5 See the Information Memorandum online at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/ssbg/procedures/IM_0109.html.
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were deemed to be eligible for supplemental funds as a result of the lasting effects of Hurricanes
Katrina and Rita (all but one of these states had also been affected by disasters in 2008). In total,
20 states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico were eligible to receive some share of the $600
million in supplemental funds under the HHS methodology.
As shown in Figure 1, the HHS methodology called for three-fourths of the supplemental funds
($450 million) to be reserved for the states that were directly affected by major disasters
occurring in 2008. One-fourth of the supplemental ($150 million) was then dedicated to the states
facing ongoing needs as a result of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. From there, funds in each
category were allocated to states using two equally-weighted sets of data: (1) the proportional
share of FEMA registrants for Individual Assistance (that is, individuals from affected
communities who validly registered with FEMA after the natural disaster), and (2) the relative
size of state populations according to 2007 data from the Census Bureau’s American Community
Survey. Table 2 displays the amounts allocated, arranged in order of allocation size.
Table 2. State Allocations for SSBG Funds from the FY2008-FY2009 Supplemental
Arranged by size of allocation in descending order
Percent of
State Allocation
Total
Texas $218,852,848

36.48%
Louisiana $129,737,880

21.62%
Florida $35,384,592

5.90%
Illinois $30,502,439

5.08%
Mississippi $28,136,577

4.69%
Indiana $18,139,459

3.02%
Georgia $18,111,127

3.02%
Wisconsin $15,964,973

2.66%
Alabama $13,092,588

2.18%
Puerto Rico
$12,427,602
2.07%
Missouri $12,188,291

2.03%
Tennessee $11,689,137

1.95%
Iowa $11,157,944

1.86%
Colorado $8,931,072

1.49%
Kentucky $7,732,381

1.29%
Arkansas $7,386,653

1.23%
Oklahoma $6,540,619

1.09%
Nevada $4,640,930

0.77%
Nebraska $3,570,592

0.60%
West Virginia
$3,386,574
0.56%
Maine $2,425,722

0.40%
Total $600,000,000

100.00%
Source: Table prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) based on data from HHS.
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FY2006 Supplemental Appropriation
The FY2006 Defense Appropriations Act (P.L. 109-148) included supplemental SSBG funding in
the amount of $550 million. These funds were for expenses related to the consequences of the
Gulf Coast hurricanes of 2005. The Defense Appropriations Act expanded the potential services
for which the additional $550 million could be used to include “health services (including mental
health services) and for repair, renovation and construction of health facilities.”
Factors used to allocate these supplemental funds included the number of FEMA registrants from
hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma, as well as the percent of individuals in poverty in each state.
HHS distributed funds to all states that took in evacuees, not just the states that were directly
affected, noting in a February 8, 2006 press release that the Bush Administration had promised no
state would be unfairly disadvantaged for providing services to those affected by the storms.6
Although all states received a portion, Louisiana ($221 million), Mississippi ($128 million),
Texas ($88 million), Florida ($54 million), and Alabama ($28 million) received the bulk of
funding from the supplemental (94%).
On May 25, 2007, an FY2007 supplemental appropriations act was signed into law (P.L. 110-28),
extending the availability of the supplemental SSBG funds for expenditure through the end of
FY2009. In practical terms, this provision gave states until September 30, 2009, to spend all of
their supplemental funds. According to HHS, a balance of almost $39 million out of the $550
million in supplemental funds remained unspent as of October 1, 2009 (see Table B-1 in
Appendix B for state-by-state data), suggesting about 93% of total funds were spent prior to the
close of the fiscal year. Notably, the Terms and Conditions of SSBG grant agreements give states
90 days after the end of the grant period to finalize spending for funds they had obligated as of
September 30, 2009. As a result, this estimate—though collected at the end of FY2009—may not
reflect final expenditures from the FY2006 supplemental. After accounts have been finalized,
unspent funds will revert to the U.S. Treasury.
Additional Funding History
Table 3 shows SSBG funding levels from 1985 on, including the high of $2.8 billion, which was
provided annually from FY1991-FY1995. Although $2.8 billion was the originally authorized
entitlement ceiling for FY1996, Congress reduced funding to $2.38 billion in that year. Welfare
reform legislation (P.L. 104-193) subsequently set the annual SSBG entitlement ceiling at $2.38
billion in each of fiscal years 1997 through 2002. Under the welfare reform law, the ceiling was
scheduled to return to a permanent level of $2.8 billion in FY2003.
After welfare reform was enacted, Congress passed an appropriations measure for FY1997 (P.L.
104-208) that contained $2.5 billion for the SSBG, exceeding the ceiling established in the
welfare reform law. For FY1998, President Clinton requested that the amount authorized by
welfare reform ($2.38 billion) be appropriated. However, Congress approved an FY1998
appropriations bill (P.L. 105-78) containing $2.299 billion for the SSBG. The Senate
Appropriations Committee explained the reduction by stating that funding is provided for social
services through other federal programs (S.Rept. 105-58). The House Appropriations Committee

6 See http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2006pres/20060208a.html.
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expressed concern that HHS lacks information on the effectiveness of SSBG-funded activities
(H.Rept. 105-205).
In 1998, the Transportation Equity Act (TEA, P.L. 105-178) permanently reduced the SSBG
entitlement ceiling to $1.7 billion, beginning in FY2001. However, the entitlement ceiling has not
always reflected the actual appropriation. For example, the $1.725 billion appropriation level for
FY2001 (H.R. 4577) exceeded the $1.7 billion ceiling by $25 million. In addition, a TEA
provision limited the authority for states to transfer TANF funds to the SSBG beginning in
FY2001 (reducing the transfer cap from 10%, as established in welfare reform, to 4.25%).
However, each annual appropriation from FY2001 onward has included override to reinstate the
higher cap, effectively enabling states to transfer up to 10% of their TANF funds to the SSBG.
Table 3 shows SSBG entitlement ceilings and appropriations from FY1985-FY2010. Also shown
for FY1997-FY2008 are the amounts transferred from TANF to SSBG.
Table 3. SSBG Funding, FY1985-FY2010
($ in billions)
Fiscal
Year
Ceiling Appropriation Fiscal
Year Ceiling Appropriation
Transfer from
TANF
1985
2.7 2.725a
1997
2.380 2.5
0.36
1986
2.7 2.584b
1998
2.380 2.299 1.12
1987
2.7 2.7 1999
2.380 1.909 1.32
1988
2.750c 2.7 2000
2.380 1.775 1.10
1989
2.7 2.7 2001
1.700 1.725 0.93
1990
2.8 2.762d
2002
1.700 1.700 1.03
1991
2.8 2.8 2003
1.700 1.700 0.93
1992
2.8 2.8 2004
1.700 1.700 0.77
1993
2.8 2.8 2005
1.700 1.700 0.92
1994
2.8 2.8 2006
1.700 1.700+0.550e 0.97
1995
2.8 2.8 2007
1.700 1.700 1.17
1996
2.381 2.381 2008
1.700 1.700+0.600f 1.18



2009
1.700
1.700
data not available



2010
1.700
1.700
data not available
Source: Table prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) based on budget documents and HHS data.
a. Amount includes $25 million earmarked for training of daycare providers, licensing officials, and parents,
including training in the prevention of child abuse in child care settings (P.L. 98-473).
b. The entitlement ceiling for FY1986 was $2.7 billion. However, the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings legislation
sequestration of funds for that period reduced the funding by $116 million.
c. The 1987 Budget Reconciliation Act (P.L. 100-203) included a $50 million increase in the Title XX entitlement
ceiling for FY1988; however, these additional funds were not appropriated.
d. The FY1990 appropriation included a supplemental appropriation of $100 million (P.L. 101-198). The Gramm-
Rudman-Hollings legislation sequestration of funds for FY1990 reduced funding by $37.8 million to $2.762 billion.
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e. The FY2006 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Act maintained regular SSBG funding at $1.7 billion. The
FY2006 Defense Appropriations Act (P.L. 109-148) provided an additional $550 million in SSBG funding, for
necessary expenses related to the consequences of hurricanes in 2005.
f.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-161) maintained regular SSBG funding at $1.7 billion.
However, the first FY2009 CR (P.L. 110-329) included, as Division B, the Disaster Relief and Recovery
Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2008, which provided $600 million in supplemental funds for the SSBG.
These funds were appropriated on the last day of FY2008, but were not al otted to states until FY2009.
Legislation
Other than appropriations legislation, no bills in the 109th Congress or 110th Congress that
proposed changes to the SSBG were enacted into law. As part of welfare reauthorization bills in
the 109th Congress, proposals were introduced to increase funding for the SSBG, but these were
not passed. (S. 667 would have increased funding for the SSBG by $1 billion over five years, and
both H.R. 751 and S. 6 would have provided $1.975 billion for the SSBG in FY2006 and $2.8
billion in FY2007.) Instead, a scaled-back version of welfare reauthorization, which included
none of the SSBG provisions, was encompassed in reconciliation legislation and signed into law
(P.L. 109-171) on February 8, 2006. However, it is possible that the next round of welfare
reauthorization (due in FY2010) may include similar proposals with respect to the SSBG. In
addition, the 111th Congress has shown some interest in amending Title XX of the Social Security
Act to establish an elder justice program (S. 795, H.R. 2006).
State Reporting Requirements
Each year, states are required to submit an intended use plan, often called a “pre-expenditure
report,” as a prerequisite to receive SSBG funds. The pre-expenditure report must be submitted
30 days prior to the start of the fiscal year.7 States must also submit a revised report if their
planned uses for SSBG funds change during the course of the year. In pre-expenditure reports,
states outline their plans for SSBG funds, including the types of services to be supported, and the
categories and characteristics of individuals to be served (e.g., children, adults 59 and younger,
adults 60 and older, and the disabled).
States are also required to report annually on their actual SSBG expenditures in each of the 29
service categories. For this report, submitted within six months after the end of the reporting
period, states use a standard post-expenditure reporting form.8 HHS published regulations
(November 15, 1993) to implement this requirement and to provide states with a uniform set of
service category definitions.
HHS does not require that states submit pre-expenditure reports using a standard format like the
one required for post-expenditure reporting (most states simply submit a narrative or chart of their
proposed activities and the individuals to be served). However, HHS issued a new Information
Memorandum on December 31, 2008 (Transmittal No. 01-2009), asking states to voluntarily
include additional documentation as part of their pre-expenditure reports.9 Specifically, HHS

7 This refers to September 1, provided the state operates on a federal fiscal year; alternately, this means June 1 if the
state operates on a July-June fiscal year.
8 See OMB Form No. 0970-0234.
9 Information Memorandum Transmittal No. 01-2009, Linking the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) Pre- and Post-
(continued...)
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requested that states submit a copy of the form used for post-expenditure reports, completed with
estimated (rather than actual) expenditures and recipient data. For states that submit this form as
part of their pre-expenditure report, the additional documentation will allow for a more accurate
analysis of the extent to which SSBG funds are spent “in a manner consistent” with the state’s
intended use plan.
Recent Expenditures
Table 4 shows national SSBG expenditures from FY2007, the most recent year for which data are
available. Expenditures are separated into those made from the annual SSBG allocation and those
made from funds transferred from the TANF block grant, and are displayed by service category.
In FY2007, the largest expenditures for services under the SSBG were for foster care services
(14.9%), child care (13.7%), and special services for the disabled (13.0%).
Table 4. Total SSBG Expenditures by Service Category, FY2007
SSBG Expenditures Made From:
SSBG Allocation
Funds Transferred
Total SSBG
Percent of
Service Category
($)
from TANF ($)
Expenditures ($)
Total
Adoption Services
24,947,660
14,319,141
39,266,801
1.40%
Case Management
125,879,577
63,213,488
189,093,065
6.70%
Congregate Meals
6,050,505
7,945
6,058,450
0.20%
Counseling Services
22,759,992
4,146,655
26,906,647
0.90%
Day Care—Adults
16,239,128
1,020,089
17,259,217
0.60%
Day Care—Children
104,975,323
284,403,390
389,378,713
13.70%
Education and Training
10,199,189
1,425,953
11,625,142
0.40%
Services
Employment Services
14,041,772
126,579
14,168,351
0.50%
Family Planning Services
21,622,592
17,659,129
39,281,721
1.40%
Foster Care Services—
24,265,742
6,345,923
30,611,665
1.10%
Adults
Foster Care Services—
139,583,337
281,341,721
420,925,058
14.90%
Children
Health-Related Services
16,006,943
1,509,049
17,515,992
0.60%
Home-Based Services
146,771,403
25,236,087
172,007,490
6.10%
Home-Delivered Meals
28,242,874
66,407
28,309,281
1.00%
Housing Services
7,284,082
6,557,513
13,841,595
0.50%
Independent/Transitional
8,193,096
2,496,071
10,689,167
0.40%
Living

(...continued)
Expenditure Reports, HHS, Dec. 31, 2008. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/ssbg/procedures/IM_01_2009.html.
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SSBG Expenditures Made From:
SSBG Allocation
Funds Transferred
Total SSBG
Percent of
Service Category
($)
from TANF ($)
Expenditures ($)
Total
Information and Referral
10,670,473
5,662,258
16,332,731
0.60%
Legal Services
10,255,681
5,311,674
15,567,355
0.50%
Pregnancy and Parenting
4,285,888
2,461,822
6,747,710
0.20%
Prevention and
37,116,766
93,323,764
130,440,530
4.60%
Intervention
Protective Services—
156,612,136
5,092,684
161,704,820
5.70%
Adults
Protective Services—
108,580,914
161,127,910
269,708,824
9.50%
Children
Recreation Services
893,401
307,642
1,201,043
0.00%
Residential Treatment
60,756,207
54,140,450
114,896,657
4.10%
Special Services—
298,771,491
68,065,226
366,836,717
13.00%
Disabled
Special Services—Youth
18,308,126
8,269,281
26,577,407
0.90%
at Risk
Substance Abuse
4,604,774
1,297,493
5,902,267
0.20%
Services
Transportation
16,489,622
1,337,298
17,826,920
0.60%
Other Services
96,538,358
40,720,216
137,258,574
4.80%
Administrative Costs
115,569,892
18,922,684
134,492,576
4.70%
Total SSBG
Expenditures
1,656,516,944
1,175,915,542
2,832,432,486
100.00%
Source: Table prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) based on data included in the Social
Services Block Grant Program Annual Report 2007. Full report available at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/
ssbg/reports/2007/index.html.

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Appendix A. TANF Transfers to SSBG in FY2008
Table A-1. TANF Transfers to the SSBG in FY2008
Percent of
Total SSBG
TANF Funds
TANF
Funds With
Total Federal
Transferred
Funds
SSBG
TANF
TANF Fundsa
to SSBGb
Transferred
Allocation
Transfer
State
($)
($)
to SSBG
($)
($)
Alabama
147,700,943
10,440,846
7.07%
25,967,809
36,408,655
Alaska
93,334,627
5,100,000
5.46%
3,783,365
8,883,365
Arizona
244,430,813
22,530,846
9.22%
34,817,291
57,348,137
Arkansas
160,236,821
2,000,000
1.25%
15,871,213
17,871,213
California
4,041,837,875
365,558,000
9.04%
205,852,681
571,410,681
Colorado
266,637,015
14,962,638
5.61%
26,839,308
41,801,946
Connecticut
266,788,107
26,678,810
10.00%
19,789,436
46,468,246
Delaware
37,894,350
3,082,353
8.13%
4,819,038
7,901,391
District of Columbia
135,115,494
3,935,917
2.91%
3,283,531
7,219,448
Florida
695,963,305
62,274,578
8.95%
102,142,136
164,416,714
Georgia
521,296,600
7,000,000
1.34%
52,872,242
59,872,242
Hawai
240,945,411
9,890,001
4.10%
7,258,393
17,148,394
Idaho
39,838,529
1,441,201
3.62%
8,280,199
9,721,400
Illinois
585,056,960
41,574,111 7.11% 72,454,005
114,028,116
Indiana
280,729,268
2,000,000
0.71%
35,648,447
37,648,447
Iowa
156,937,453
12,962,008
8.26%
16,837,945
29,799,953
Kansas
113,904,183
7,191,254
6.31%
15,606,980
22,798,234
Kentucky
238,298,672
0
0.00%
23,749,035
23,749,035
Louisiana
197,118,593
16,397,199
8.32%
24,210,309
40,607,508
Maine
85,718,142
3,961,250
4.62%
7,462,091
11,423,341
Maryland
343,747,454
22,909,803
6.66%
31,708,453
54,618,256
Massachusetts
465,561,116
45,937,113
9.87%
36,346,751
82,283,864
Michigan
775,687,696
71,149,002
9.17%
57,003,700
128,152,702
Minnesota
344,373,625
9,440,000
2.74%
29,175,346
38,615,346
Mississippi
137,949,056
9,321,860
6.76%
16,433,975
25,755,835
Missouri
220,961,137
21,705,174
9.82%
32,990,099
54,695,273
Montana
78,235,657
1,998,226
2.55%
5,333,738
7,331,964
Nebraska
81,149,276
0
0.00%
9,984,645
9,984,645
Nevada
76,791,792
2,604,454
3.39%
14,090,671
16,695,125
New Hampshire
70,214,738
2,644,753
3.77%
7,424,379
10,069,132
New Jersey
523,372,393
15,682,000
3.00%
49,262,063
64,944,063
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Percent of
Total SSBG
TANF Funds
TANF
Funds With
Total Federal
Transferred
Funds
SSBG
TANF
TANF Fundsa
to SSBGb
Transferred
Allocation
Transfer
State
($)
($)
to SSBG
($)
($)
New Mexico
169,528,234
0
0.00%
11,036,382
11,036,382
New York
2,657,316,093
125,639,424
4.73%
109,009,784
234,649,208
North Carolina
571,880,137
16,944,657
2.96%
50,007,073
66,951,730
North Dakota
45,447,041
0
0.00%
3,590,338
3,590,338
Ohio
1,317,125,650
57,167,392
4.34%
64,809,028
121,976,420
Oklahoma
257,483,468
14,585,963
5.66%
20,209,543
34,795,506
Oregon
217,737,307
0
0.00%
20,895,836
20,895,836
Pennsylvania
819,815,516
35,760,250
4.36%
70,244,305
106,004,555
Puerto Rico
22,873,941
0
0.00%
8,793,103
8,793,103
Rhode Island
97,138,519
6,926,593
7.13%
6,028,117
12,954,710
South Carolina
152,664,867
5,000,000
3.28%
24,399,355
29,399,355
South Dakota
39,735,576
2,127,965
5.36%
4,415,001
6,542,966
Tennessee
349,989,058
0
0.00%
34,097,295
34,097,295
Texas
775,021,769
30,735,235
3.97%
132,733,557
163,468,792
Utah
154,216,340
7,407,000
4.80%
14,398,590
21,805,590
Vermont
47,353,181
4,735,318
10.00%
3,522,813
8,258,131
Virginia
176,210,059
15,828,500
8.98%
43,154,524
58,983,024
Washington
457,186,464
9,692,081
2.12%
36,113,019
45,805,100
West Virginia
168,473,121
11,017,631
6.54%
10,267,748
21,285,379
Wisconsin
315,709,686
13,420,500
4.25%
31,374,069
44,794,569
Wyoming
67,351,075
1,850,053
2.75%
2,907,901
4,757,954
Total 20,548,084,203

1,181,211,959
-
1,699,306,655
2,880,518,614
Source: Table prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) based on FY2008 data reported by HHS.
a. The amount in this column is the total amount of federal funding awarded in this year and funds remaining
from previous years.
b. The amount in this column is the total amount of federal TANF funding transferred to SSBG in FY2008,
including any adjustments made for previous years. This information comes from TANF financial data
reports for FY2008, which is available online at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/data/index.html.


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Appendix B. FY2006 Supplemental SSBG Funding
Table B-1. Status of State Spending from the FY2006 SSBG Supplemental
(as of October 1, 2009)
Balance ($)
State Allocation
($)
(Amount Unspent)
Percent Spent
Alabama
27,852,254
113,667
99.59%
Alaska
37,554
37,554
0.00%
Arizona
487,931
182,722
62.55%
Arkansas
3,603,505
2,780,335
22.84%
California
3,051,021
1,945,928
36.22%
Colorado
545,168
112,876
79.30%
Connecticut
113,858
0
100.00%
Delaware
39,178
0
100.00%
District of Columbia
328,256
0
100.00%
Florida
53,808,916
20,055,322
62.73%
Georgia
6,325,537
1,245,651
80.31%
Hawai
34,153
34,153
0.00%
Idaho
35,224
12,794
63.68%
Illinois 1,351,677
2,942
99.78%
Indiana
381,125
231,653
39.22%
Iowa
126,200
43,966
65.16%
Kansas
191,975
0
100.00%
Kentucky
525,110
0
100.00%
Louisiana
220,901,534
2,484,750
98.88%
Maine
67,995
2,476
96.36%
Maryland
380,188
1,899
99.50%
Massachusetts
331,948
284,422
14.32%
Michigan
734,927
134,038
81.76%
Minnesota
153,936
99,296
35.50%
Mississippi
128,398,427
1,275,270
99.01%
Missouri
797,091
0
100.00%
Montana
41,786
41,786
0.00%
Nebraska
114,925
0
100.00%
Nevada
273,291
217,884
20.27%
New Hampshire
23,717
23,717
0.00%
New Jersey
259,599
0
100.00%
New Mexico
265,277
265,277
0.00%
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Balance ($)
State Allocation
($)
(Amount Unspent)
Percent Spent
New York
1,182,346
1,182,346
0.00%
North Carolina
1,310,272
751,447
42.65%
North Dakota
13,009
0
100.00%
Ohio
556,283
496,967
10.66%
Oklahoma
932,353
932,353
0.00%
Oregon
177,170
0
100.00%
Pennsylvania
402,568
41,436
89.71%
Rhode Island
69,382
0
100.00%
South Carolina
696,901
234,866
66.30%
South Dakota
21,624
0
100.00%
Tennessee
3,470,718
0
100.00%
Texas
87,951,690
2,846,440
96.76%
Utah
92,669
19
99.98%
Vermont
23,272
23,272
0.00%
Virginia
808,855
808,855
0.00%
Washington
326,206
0
100.00%
West Virginia
132,912
31,233
76.50%
Wisconsin
227,555
9,094
96.00%
Wyoming
20,932
20,932
0.00%
Total
550,000,000
39,009,638
92.91%
Source: Table prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) based on data from HHS.
Notes: States had until the end of FY2009 (September 30, 2009) to spend down these funds. However, under
the Terms and Conditions of their grant agreements, states are given 90 days after the end of the grant period
to finalize spending for funds that were obligated as of September 30, 2009. As a result, these numbers—though
col ected at the end of FY2009—may not reflect final expenditures from the FY2006 supplemental.
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Author Contact Information

Karen E. Lynch

Analyst in Social Policy
klynch@crs.loc.gov, 7-6899


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