Human Services Issues Overview

What happens to children -- especially in their early years--echoes over the long haul across a broad range of social policy areas. How children fare today will be felt in all parts of society--in schools, the economy, the health and welfare and criminal justice systems. In addition, polls suggest that voters are dissatisfied over governmental responses to the needs of children and families. To address these concerns and help legislators support families in their communities, NCSL tracks state and federal policies and programs in six areas: human services reform, early childhood care and education, child support, child welfare, family law, welfare reform and youth programs. The human services federal affairs staff represents state legislatures on the full range of federal human service issues in Washington, D.C.

Human Services Reform has become increasingly popular with state legislators, due in part to the need to better leverage budget dollars during the fiscal recession and in part to better information regarding the benefits and approaches to reform. Over the past decade, state policymakers have struggled with the failure of children and family service systems and their complex and uncoordinated array of services. We have information to help legislatures examine how other states have responded to these problems by reorganizing state agencies, using results-focused planning and budgeting, and increasing flexibility and control of resources for local governments and communities.

Child Care and Early Education has captured the attention of policymakers, researchers, educators and parents in recent years. The increase of mothers in the workforce, along with new information about brain development and the long-term benefits of early education programs, have contributed to the prominence of these issues. Sixty-one percent of children under age 6 in the United States are in some kind of care outside the home. We have the latest information on prekindergarten programs, child care subsidy systems, and descriptions of states' funding and policy choices.

Child Support is essential to keep children out of poverty. Approximately half of America's children live in single-parent families at some point in their lives, and child support is often critical in supporting their families. As states struggle to adequately serve this population and meet federal program requirements, NCSL can provide information and assistance to states on child support guidelines, enforcement, program structure and many more child support topics.

Child Welfare is a critical state responsibility and includes protecting children from abuse and neglect, and ensuring that children have safe, stable and permanent living situations. States and the federal government spend about $20 billion every year on child welfare services. State legislators play a major role in funding, structuring and overseeing child welfare systems and enact more than 300 child welfare bills every year. NCSL tracks these issues in six major categories: system reform, prevention of child maltreatment, child protective services, foster care, and adoption.

Family Law includes many areas, such as marriage, divorce, and custody and visitation. Legislators are frequently called upon to make decisions on these sensitive issues. NCSL can help provide balanced information and other assistance, such as an educational presentation for legislators, staff and other state leaders, testimony before a legislative committee, or a roundtable discussion with experts we've brought in to assist in understanding a particular issue.

Staff also provide assistance on the critical issue of domestic violence, including services to victims, penalties and treatment for batterers, and responses to help children in violent families.

Welfare Reform has resulted in significant welfare caseload declines in recent years. The shift from welfare as a cash entitlement program to a work-first program gave states unprecedented spending flexibility. States succeeded in moving many parents into employment in the mid-1990s and have since expanded their services to support low-income working families, both on and off the welfare caseload. Beyond work supports, some states have created fatherhood and marriage programs to encourage the formation and maintenance of two-parent families. The federal welfare reform legislation is up for reauthorization in 2004. Current political debates include increased work requirements, access to education and training, funding for child care and creation of policies that encourage marriage.

Youth Issues have captured the attention of many state legislators, due largely to a better understanding of the problems facing today's youth. School shootings, bullying, and hazing incidents have generated considerable interest in the prevention of youth violence. We have resources on out-of-school time programs that promote positive youth development, including mentoring programs. We also offer information on youth engagement initiatives, such as state youth advisory councils and civic education programs. Legislators interested in challenges encountered by youth in transition - transitioning from foster care to independence, from detention to re-entry to society, or transition from a stable home to a runaway or abandonment situation - can also find helpful resources. Finally, we have information on programs that identify and support youth who are at risk of dangerous or self-destructive behaviors and those that divert adolescents from the court-based juvenile justice system.

Federal Human Services Issues are important to the states because actions by the federal government have consequences for state laws, policies and budgets. NCSL takes positions on federal actions based on policy adopted by the Conference. NCSL federal human services staff track federal legislation and regulations in many different areas: income security programs, including welfare reform reauthorization; human services programs including child care, nutrition assistance and the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG or Title XX); and assistance to immigrants and refugees. NCSL testifies on these issues before Congress and sends letters to Congress about these issues. Bill analyses and alerts keep legislators informed. If you are a legislator or legislative staffer, go to Join listserv, and you will receive information alerts or action alerts when bills are moving in Washington, D.C.

Summaries of significant state human services legislation are included in NCSL's yearly Children, Youth and Families Legislative Summary, available in hard copy from the Children and Families Program or from NCSL's Publications Department.

NCSL staff can provide comprehensive, thorough, timely and in-depth information on critical human service policy issues. Staff working on human services includes the Children and Families Program in Denver and the human services federal affairs staff in Washington, D.C. We provide services to legislators and staff working to improve state policies affecting children and their families.

D.C. staff track and analyze federal legislation and policy for the full range of human services issues and represent state legislatures before Congress and the Administration. In D.C., Sheri Steisel and Lee Posey can be reached at 202.624.5400 or fedhumserv-info@ncsl.org.

Denver staff focuses on state policy, tracking legislation and providing research and policy analysis, consultation, and technical assistance specifically geared to the legislative audience.

If you have a question about state human services actions and are uncertain about whom to contact, please contact Kyle Ramirez at 303.364.7700 or e-mail at cyf-info@ncsl.org and she will connect you with the appropriate NCSL staff member.

The Children and Families Program and the D.C. human services staff receive guidance and support from NCSL's Human Services and Welfare Standing Committee.