STRATEGIC PLAN - ASPE - U.S. Department of Health and Human ...

CHAPTER 4: human servicesDespite these achievements, self-sufficiency remainselusive for many. Only a third of adults in the TANFcaseload are fully meeting work requirements. TheDeficit Reduction Act (DRA) of 2005 (Public Law 109-171), which includes language reauthorizing TANFthrough 2011, challenges and encourages States toengage the remaining adult TANF recipients in workrelatedactivities to move them up the economic ladder.Addressing the needs of vulnerable children continuesto be a priority of HHS. The most recent annual HHSChild Maltreatment Report (covering 2005) indicatedthat each year an estimated 899,000 children in theUnited States are victims of abuse or neglect. At theend of FY 2005, there were 513,000 children in fostercare; 114,000 of these children were waiting to beadopted. Nearly 2 million children have a parent ina Federal or State correctional facility, a number thatmore than doubled over the 1990s.Since 1996, the percentage of children born outof wedlock to teens has dropped but still remainsunacceptably high. In addition, more adults arechoosing to have children outside the protective bondsof marriage. Research suggests that, all other thingsbeing equal, children who grow up in healthy married,two-parent families do better on a host of outcomes;for instance, they are less likely to engage in criminalactivity or abuse drugs and alcohol than those who donot. HHS’s multicomponent Healthy Marriage Initiativeworks to help couples who have chosen marriage togain access to services where they can acquire the skillsand knowledge necessary to form and sustain healthymarriages. Making marriage education accessible andappropriate for families is a major component.Children are not alone in their need for support. As theAmerican population ages, enhanced efforts are neededto help the growing number of older persons remainactive and healthy. An aging society means that thenumber of persons requiring long-term care serviceswill increase. The availability of these services in thehome and other community-based settings will beincreasingly important if people are to maintain theirindependence and quality of life.People with disabilities, refugees and other migrants,and other vulnerable populations also need assistanceand protection to achieve and sustain economicindependence and self-sufficiency, as well as socialwell-being.Strategic Goal 3, Human Services, seeks to protect life,family, and human dignity by promoting the economicand social well-being of individuals, families, andcommunities; enhancing the safety and well-being ofchildren, youth, and other vulnerable populations;and strengthening communities. The Administrationfor Children and Families (ACF), Administration onAging (AoA), Center for Faith-Based and CommunityInitiatives (CFBCI), Office on Disability (OD), andSubstance Abuse and Mental Health ServicesAdministration (SAMHSA) are among the operatingand staff divisions primarily responsible for achievingthis strategic goal. In addition, HHS’s Centers forDisease Control and Prevention (CDC), HealthResources and Services Administration (HRSA), andOffice for Civil Rights (OCR) play important roles.There are four broad objectives under Human Services:• Promote the economic independence and socialwell-being of individuals and families across thelifespan;• Protect the safety and foster the well-being ofchildren and youth;• Encourage the development of strong, healthy,and supportive communities; and• Address the needs, strengths, and abilities of vulnerablepopulations.Below is a description of each strategic objective,followed by a description of the key programs, services,and initiatives the Department is undertaking toaccomplish those objectives. Key partners andcollaborative efforts are included under each relevantobjective. The performance indicators selected for thisstrategic goal are also presented with baselines andtargets. These measures are organized by objective.Finally, this chapter discusses the major externalfactors that will influence HHS’s ability to achieve theseobjectives, and how the Department is working toaddress those factors.92 HHS Strategic Plan FY 2007-2012