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93.556 PROMOTING SAFE AND STABLE FAMILIES

FEDERAL AGENCY

ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

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; Promoting Safe and Stable
Families Amendments of 2001, Public Law 107-133.

OBJECTIVES

To fund family preservation 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, services designed to
improve parenting skills; and infant safe haven programs; to fund
community-based family support services that promote the safety and
well-being of children and families, to afford children a safe, stable and
supportive family environment, to strengthen parental relationships and
promote healthy marriages, and otherwise to enhance child development; to
fund time-limited family reunification services to facilitate the
reunification of the child safely 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 adoption,
promotes the best interests of the child. A small proportion of
appropriated funds is reserved for research, evaluation and technical
assistance, which may be awarded competitively through contracts or
discretionary grants.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE

Formula Grants; Project Grants (Discretionary).

USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS

For Formula Grants, a significant portion of funds must be
spent on each of the service categories of family preservation, family
support services, time-limited family reunification services and adoption
promotion and support services. State grantees must limit administrative
expenditures to 10 percent of their allotment. Discretionary Grants:
Grants are awarded for research, evaluation and technical assistance
activities relating to family support, family preservation, time-limited
family reunification and adoption promotion support.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Applicant Eligibility

(1)Formula Grants: States, Territories and certain Indian
Tribes are eligible applicants. (2)Discretionary Grants: States, local
governments, tribes, public agencies or private agencies or organizations
(or combinations of such agencies or organizations) with expertise in
providing, evaluating and/or providing technical assistance related to
family preservation, family support, time-limited family reunification and
adoption promotion and support.

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

Formula Grants: 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 programs. Discretionary Grants: Nonprofit agencies must submit proof
of nonprofit status. Applicable costs and administrative procedures will
be determined in accordance with parts 74 and 92 of Title 45 of the Code
of Federal Regulations.

APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS

Preapplication Coordination

(1) Formula Grants: Not applicable. This program is
excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. (2)Discretionary Grants Standard
application forms as furnished by DHHS must be used for this program. This
program is eligible for coverage under E.O12372, "Intergovernmental Review
of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official
designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more
information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying
for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.

Application Procedure

Application Procedure (1) Formula Grants: A 5-year 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 agency with appropriate public and non-profit private agencies and
community-based organizations. The plan must coordinate the provision of
services under Title IV-B with services under other Federal or
federally-assisted programs serving the same populations. (2)
Discretionary Grants: Announcement of availability of funds is published
in the Federal Register. Eligible applicants submit applications by
specified deadlines.

Award Procedure

(1) Formula Grants: Funds will be approved after the State
plan, or annual update is submitted and approved.(2) Discretionary Grants:
Grant applications are reviewed by a panel of non-federal professionals
with expertise in child and family services, evaluation and related
fields. Final decisions are made by the Commissioner, Administration for
Children, Youth, and Families (ACYF). Contract proposals are reviewed by a
panel of Federal Staff.

Deadlines

(1) Formula Grants: States, Territories and Indian Tribes
are encouraged to submit applications in accordance with Departmental
requirements. Contact Headquarters Office listed below for information.
(2)Discretionary Grants: Deadlines change from year to year. Each program
announcement provides specific deadline information. Contact headquarters
Office for details.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time (1) Formula Grants: The
State plan or its annual update is due June 30 of each year.
Approval/disapproval is due September 30 of each year. (2) Discretionary
Grants: From 3 to 6 months.

Appeals

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

Renewals

None.

ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS

Formula and Matching Requirements

Formula and Matching Requirements: (1) Formula Grants:
State allotments are computed based on the number of children receiving
food stamps over a three year rolling average. Allotments to Indian Tribes
are based on a 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 1of Title
IV-B. Match: FFP is 75 percent of expenditures: grantees must provide a 25
percent match. (2) Discretionary Grants: matching requirements are
described in each program announcement.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

(1) Formula Grants: 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. (2)
Discretionary Grants: Grants are generally available for a 12-, 24-, or
36- month period. Some may be resended for up to a total of 5 years.
Renewal funding for multiple-year grants is dependent upon grantee
performance and availability of funds.

POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS

Reports

Reports (1) Formula Grants: 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. (2) Discretionary Grants: Financial and
program reports are required semiannually with a final report at
completion of the project.

Audits

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

Records

(1) Formula Grants: States must maintain records which
permit review of expenditures in accordance with the provisions of the
law. (2) Discretionary Grants: All financial records are to be maintained
for 3 years after termination of the project or until audit is completed,
whichever comes first.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Account Identification

75-1512-0-1-506.

Obligations

(Grants, Tribal Grants, and Contracts) FY 05 $390,332,616;
FY 06 est $421,159,700; and FY 07 est $421,159,700.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

In FY 2005, an allotment to a state ranged from $437,470 to
$43,424,375; Tribes received from $10,198 to $910,697. Discretionary grant
awards range from $100,000 to $700,000 with the average award being
$250,000 for FY 05, FY 06 and FY 07.

PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS

There were 89 grants awarded in fiscal year 2005. It is
anticipated that to 81 grants will be awarded in fiscal year 2006 and
fiscal year 2007.

REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE

45 CFR 1355 and 45 CFR 1357.

INFORMATION CONTACTS

Regional or Local Office

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

Headquarters Office

Headquarters Office: Joseph Bock, Deputy Associate
Commissioner, Children's Bureau, 1250 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington,
DC 20024. Telephone: (202) 205-8618 FTS is not available.

Web Site Address

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb

RELATED PROGRAMS

93.586, State Court Improvement Program; 93.667, Social
Services Block Grant; 93.645, Child Welfare Services_State Grants; 93.648,
Child Welfare Services Training Grants; 93.659, Adoption Assistance.

EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS

Not applicable for Formula Grants. For Discretionary
Grants: Evaluations of Existing Family Support, Family Preservation,
Reunification, or Adoption promotion and Support Grants; national Resource
Center for Family-Centered Practice and Permanency planning; Projects to
Develop Programs to Strengthen Marriages.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS

Not applicable.

General Services Administration
Office of Chief Acquisition
Officer
Regulatory and Federal Assistance Division (VIR)