Nutrition assistance programs have been shown to increase children’s health and well-being and decrease the risk of child maltreatment. At the same time, food insecurity rose in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Office of Human Services Policy (HSP)
The Office of Human Services Policy (HSP) strives to improve the well-being of children, youth, and families and break down silos across government. It does so by providing timely, actionable, cross-cutting policy analysis and research, and by leading cross-government coordination to address urgent human services challenges. The office works closely with federal, state, local, and private sector partners on issues including economic mobility and employment, child poverty and well-being, child welfare, family strengthening and fatherhood, early childhood education, youth development, community initiatives, child support, recidivism, and homelessness.
HSP advises the ASPE and other HHS leadership on human services policy matters. It leads and actively participates in interagency initiatives to align federal programming; conducts policy analysis and other research on human services and related issues; shares findings with and provides technical assistance to a diverse range of stakeholders; and coordinates development of HHS’s human services legislative proposals. HSP serves as a liaison with other agencies on broad economic matters and is the Department’s lead on poverty measurement.
The Office of Human Services Policy has three divisions:
- The Division of Children and Youth Policy focuses on policies related to the well-being of children and youth, including early childhood education and child welfare, and leads the Children’s Interagency Coordinating Council and the Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs.
- The Division of Family and Community Policy covers policies to strengthen low-income families and communities and address barriers to economic mobility. The division leads the Interagency Council on Economic Mobility.
- The Division of Data and Technical Analysis provides data analytic capacity for policy development through data collection activities, secondary data analysis, modeling, and cost analyses. The Division also issues annual updates to the poverty guidelines and reports to Congress on indicators of welfare dependence.
Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary for Human Services Policy: Jennifer Burnszynski
Reports
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Advanced SearchASPE Data Point
Many Children in HHS Safety Net Programs Are Eligible for Nutrition Assistance But Are Not Enrolled
ASPE Issue Brief
HHS Roadmap for Behavioral Health Integration
This brief introduces the HHS Roadmap for Behavioral Health Integration, which advances the President’s Strategy to Address our National Mental Health Crisis. It provides a general overview of the approach HHS is taking to drive toward integrated care within the three pillars of the President’s Strategy and highlights selected programs and policy actions that will get us there.
Fact Sheet
Factsheet: Estimates of Child Care Eligibility & Receipt for Fiscal Year 2019
This factsheet provides descriptive information on child care eligibility and receipt. Of the 12.5 million children potentially eligible for child care subsidies under federal rules, 16 percent received subsidies. Of the 8.7 million children eligible for child care subsidies under more restrictive state rules, 23 percent received subsidies.
Research Summary
Early Childhood Systems Collective Impact Project: Overview
The Early Childhood Systems Collective Impact Project (ECS Collective Impact Project) will help to re-envision a truly coordinated approach to program implementation designed to advance early childhood and family well-being outcomes across federal programs that support expectant parents, children ages 0 to 8, and their families.
Research Brief
Challenges to Identifying and Supporting Human Services Participants with Substance Use Disorder
This brief summarizes an environmental scan and series of key informant interviews describing the challenges that human services programs face in identifying participants with substance use disorders (SUD), and subsequently referring them to treatment. The review focused on child welfare services, domestic violence services, Head Start, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.
ASPE Issue Brief
Practice Guide: Strengthening Partnerships Between Fatherhood and Human Services Programs to Improve Father Engagement
This practice guide is a resource for a broad range of human services and fatherhood programs aiming to be more inclusive of and responsive to fathers. Building on literature from the field and interviews with human services providers that engage fathers in services, this guide outlines the benefits of developing community partnerships between father-focused and other human services programs.
ASPE Issue Brief
Connecting Youth During the COVID-19 Pandemic
This infographic explores the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on programs that support young people, ages 16-24, who experience disconnection from school and work, often referred to as "opportunity youth." It provides an overview of which education, job training, and supportive services, in addition to enrollment and implementation practices were added or ended during the first year (spring 20
Report, Report to Congress
Welfare Indicators and Risk Factors, 21st Report to Congress
This report provides welfare dependence indicators through 2019 for most indicators and through 2020 for other indicators, reflecting changes that have taken place since enactment of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) in 1996.
Research Summary
Identifying and Supporting Human Services Participants with Substance Use Disorder: Roundtable Summary
This brief summarizes discussions among experts participating in a roundtable. The discussions focused on promising strategies to identify substance use disorder (SUD) among human services participants and refer them to treatment and recovery supports. The roundtable concentrated on four programs: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, child welfare, domestic violence, and Head Start.
Report
Peer Support as a Social Capital Strategy for Programs Serving Individuals Reentering from Incarceration and Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence or Human Sex Trafficking
Many human services programs recognize the power of “social capital,” or the value that arises from relationships. This report offers insight into how programs use peer supports to help build social capital with participants who are reentering the community after incarceration or are survivors of intimate partner violence or sex trafficking.