Office of Human Services Policy (HSP)

The Office of Human Services Policy (HSP) conducts policy research, analysis, evaluation, and coordination on various issues across the Department, including but not limited to, poverty and measurement, vulnerable populations, early childhood education and child welfare, family strengthening, economic support for families, and youth development. HSP serves as a liaison with other agencies on broad economic matters and is the Department’s lead on poverty research and analysis.

The Division of Children and Youth Policy focuses on policies related to the well-being of children and youth. Projects range from quick-turnaround policy analyses to large-scale experimental studies, and major policy initiatives. Key areas include early childhood, early care and education, home visiting, youth development and risky behaviors, parenting and family support, child welfare and foster care, linkages with physical and mental health, methods for evaluating what works, and strategies for improving research and data in these areas.

The Division of Family and Community Policy focuses on policies affecting various low-income populations. This includes policy development around major initiatives such as homelessness and reentry. It also includes conducting and coordinating analysis, research, and evaluation on the safety net, economic mobility and opportunity, welfare-to-work issues, strengthening families and responsible fatherhood, child support enforcement, and domestic violence. Other key priorities include place-based initiatives, the role of social capital in human services, human trafficking, benefits coordination.

The Division of Data and Technical Analysis focuses on policies and programs concerning low-income and otherwise disadvantaged populations. The Division provides data analytic capacity for policy development through data collection activities, secondary data analysis, modeling, and cost analyses. The Division focuses on cross-cutting human services policy issues such as income, poverty, cash and non-cash supports for low-income families, employment, fertility, and child welfare. The Division also issues annual updates to the poverty guidelines and reports to Congress on indicators of welfare dependence.

Topic Areas:

• Early Childhood and Child Welfare

  • Adoption and Foster Care
  • Child Maltreatment
  • Child Welfare
  • Early Care and Education
  • Maternal and Child Health
  • Parenting

• Economic Mobility and Employment

  • Asset Building & Financial Literacy
  • Child Support
  • Employment & Self-Sufficiency
  • Low-Income Populations
  • Welfare, Welfare Reform, & TANF

• Family Strengthening

  • Child Support
  • Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)
  • Family Well-Being
  • Fatherhood

• Poverty and Measurement

  • Asset Building & Financial Literacy
  • Data Sources & Measurement
  • Indicators of Welfare Dependence: Annual Report to Congress
  • Modeling & Simulation
  • Poverty & Economic Mobility
  • Poverty & Income Dynamics
  • Poverty Guidelines
  • Poverty Measures

• Strengthening Communities

  • Home- & Community-Based Services (HCBS)
  • Injury, Violence, & Safety

• Social Services Delivery and Implementation

  • Access to Services and Benefits & Services Integration
  • Evidence-Based Policies & Practices
  • Integrated Care

• Vulnerable Populations

  • American Indian & Alaska Native People (AIAN)
  • Behavioral Health
  • People with Disabilities
  • Homelessness & Housing
  • Human Trafficking
  • Immigrants & Refugees
  • Justice-Involved Populations
  • Low-Income Populations
  • Underserved Populations

• Youth

  • Youth
  • Human Trafficking
  • LGBTQ
  • Teen Pregnancy Prevention
  • Youth Development