SOC2240 Social Work Policy and Practice: Selected Social Policies and Information Sources

A Pell Grant is a subsidy the U.S. federal government provides for students who need it to pay for college. Federal Pell Grants are limited to students with financial need, who have not earned their first bachelor's degree, or who are enrolled in certain post-baccalaureate programs, through participating institutions. For more details, see the Federal Pell Grant Program assistance listing entry in SAM.gov.

Title I, Part A (Title I) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESEA) provides financial assistance to local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools with high numbers or high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards. Federal funds are currently allocated through four statutory formulas that are based primarily on census poverty estimates and the cost of education in each state. For more details, see the Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies assistance listing entry in SAM.gov.

This program supports the creation of community learning centers that provide academic enrichment opportunities during non-school hours for children, particularly students who attend high-poverty and low-performing schools. For more details, see the Twenty-First Century Community Learning Centers assistance listing entry in SAM.gov.

The Federal TRIO Programs (TRIO) are Federal outreach and student services programs designed to identify and provide services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. TRIO includes eight programs targeted to serve and assist low-income individuals, first-generation college students, and individuals with disabilities to progress through the academic pipeline from middle school to postbaccalaureate programs. These programs are:

• Educational Opportunity Centers - Also see assistance listing entry
  
  Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement - Also see assistance listing entry
  
  Student Support Services - Also see assistance listing entry
  
  Talent Search - Also see assistance listing entry
  
  Training Program for Federal TRIO Programs Staff - Also see assistance listing entry
  
  Upward Bound - Also see assistance listing entry
  
  Upward Bound Math-Science - Also see assistance listing entry
  
  Veterans Upward Bound - Also see assistance listing entry

TRIO also includes a training program for directors and staff of TRIO projects.

Medicaid provides health coverage to millions of Americans, including eligible low-income adults, children, pregnant women, elderly adults and people with disabilities. Medicaid is administered by states, according to federal requirements. The program is funded jointly by states and the federal government. For the New Jersey administered program, see the NJ Medicaid page.

Congress enacted the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) as part of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (P.L. 105-33). SCHIP was designed to allow states to provide "child health assistance to uninsured, low-income children in an effective and efficient manner that is coordinated with other sources of health benefits coverage for children." For the purposes of SCHIP, low-income children are generally defined as those whose family incomes are higher than Medicaid eligibility but lower than 200% of poverty (about $32,000 for a family of four). For details on the New Jersey administered program, see the NJ FamilyCare site.

The Title V Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Block Grant Program is a partnership between the federal government and states. Its goal is to support the health and well-being of all mothers, children, and families. For details on the New Jersey administered program, see the New Jersey Maternal and Child Health page.

The Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA) program provides short-term medical coverage to refugees ineligible for Medicaid. The benefits are generally similar to Medicaid. In addition to providing access to healthcare, RMA funds enable refugees to receive a Medical Screening upon arrival in the U.S. States and RDs contract with local public and private health clinics to carry out the medical screenings and are then reimbursed for allowable costs. The goal is to protect the public health of resettling communities and to promote the self-sufficiency and successful resettlement of refugees. For details about the New Jersey administered program, see the New Jersey Office of New Americans page.

SNAP provides nutrition benefits to supplement the food budget of needy families so they can purchase healthy food and move towards self-sufficiency. For details about the New Jersey administered program, see the New Jersey SNAP page.

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free lunches to children and operates in nearly 100,000 public and nonprofit private schools (grades Pre-Kindergarten–12) and residential child care institutions. The program is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), where more details are available.

The WIC program serves to safeguard the health of low-income pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk by providing nutritious foods to supplement diets, information on healthy eating including breastfeeding promotion and support, and referrals to health care. For details about the New Jersey administered program, see the New Jersey WIC page.

The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federal program that provides reimbursements for nutritious meals and snacks to eligible children and adults who are enrolled for care at participating child care centers, day care homes, and adult day care centers. For details about the New Jersey administered program, see the New Jersey Child and Adult Care Food Program page.

The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program is the federal government's major program for assisting very low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. Since housing assistance is provided on behalf of the family or individual, participants are able to find their own housing, including single-family homes, townhouses and apartments. Housing choice vouchers are administered locally by public housing agencies (PHAs). For details about the New Jersey administered program, see the New Jersey Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program page.

Public housing was established to provide decent and safe rental housing for eligible low-income families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. Public housing comes in all sizes and types, from scattered single-family houses to high rise apartments for elderly families. There are approximately 970,000 households living in public housing units, managed by some 3,300 housing agencies. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) administers Federal aid to local housing agencies (HAs) that manage the housing for low-income residents at rents they can afford. HUD furnishes technical and professional assistance in planning, developing, and managing these developments. For a directory of local housing authorities in New Jersey, see the Housing Authorities On The Web: New Jersey directory page.

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides states and territories with flexibility in operating programs designed to help low-income families with children achieve economic self-sufficiency. States use TANF to fund monthly cash assistance payments to low-income families with children, as well as a wide range of services. For details about the New Jersey administered program, see the WorkFirst NJ page.

The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program provides monthly payments to adults and children with a disability or blindness who have income and resources below specific financial limits. SSI payments are also made to people age 65 and older without disabilities who meet the financial qualifications.