The federal Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) funds States, territories, and insular areas for the provision of social services directed toward achieving economic self-support or self-sufficiency, preventing or remedying neglect, abuse, or the exploitation of children and adults, preventing or reducing inappropriate institutionalization, and securing referral for institutional care, where appropriate. The SSBG funds for each state are determined by a statutory formula based on each State's population.
SSBG is not the type of grant that agencies or citizens can apply for -- it is a Federal block grant to states, territories, and insular areas. The Iowa Legislature annually allocates Iowa's anticipated SSBG funds to different programs, services, and administrative support through the budget process. DHS budgets SSBG funds to the applicable programs, services, and administrative support consistent with Legislative intent. Additional information can be found in Iowa Administrative Code Chapter 441-153.
In Iowa, SSBG dollars do not fully fund any type of service, but it is combined with other state, local, and federal funding sources to provide services to vulnerable Iowans. The current SSBG plan uses a majority of the intended funding for field operations case management and child and family services home-based services to families and independent or transitional living services to children aging out of the foster care system.
Each year, the Department develops an Intended Use Plan and Pre-Expenditure Report for the upcoming fiscal year. Public input is sought for at least 10 business days during a posted public comment period, typically following the legislative session. No comments were received for the FY 2023 draft report within the public comment period of May 16 - May 30, 2022, and no substantial changes were required. The finalized report was submitted to the Administration for Children & Families, Federal Office of Community Support, prior to June 1st. Read the current version of the final Iowa Intended Use Plan and Pre-Expenditure Report.
The final expenditure report for the previous fiscal year is submitted to the Adult, Children and Families Federal Office of Community Support by December 31 each year. Read the current version of the 2021 Post-Expenditure Report.
SSBG Pre-Expenditure Intended Use Plan
Written comments can be directed to muthoff@dhs.state.ia.us.