The demonstration program operated under Section 1115 of the Social Security Act provides a means for States to develop and improve the methods and techniques of administering public assistance and related social services. The appropriation requirement for 1971 is $4,000,000, the same as for 1970 and the amount of the authorization.

Grants are made to State or local public assistance agencies for experimental, pilot or demonstration projects. They may provide experimental programs: organization and delivery of social services; experiment with new patterns in service and types of medical care; new methods of improving public assistance administration; new approaches to staff development; an increase in the level of assistance payments; extension of eligibility to needy individuals who would not otherwise be eligible; and new approaches to encourage education or prepare needy individuals for self-support.

During fiscal years 1969 - 1970, the program has funded innovative demonstrations aimed at improving the organization and delivery of social services; enabling States to provide a wider scope of services, including improved employability programs; improved services to develop the capacity of self-care; developing community approach to social services; increasing the employment of subprofessionals and the use of volunteers; strengthening the State agency administration; improving earning power of the poor; and improving family planning services.

Program Emphasis in Fiscal Year 1971

Efforts in 1971 will be directed toward the rehabilitation of AFDC and other low-income individuals, through testing new approaches for reducing the incidence of children out of wedlock; prevention of family breakdowns through the early use of psychosocial diagnosis and treatment; improving services to develop capacity for self-care; and increasing the opportunities for the employment of low-income people in subprofessional positions which have the potential for ad

vancement.

State agencies will be encouraged to carry out demonstrations to experiment with different methods of streamlining their administrative structures as well as strengthening their administrative capacity to deliver services.

In 1971, a program emphasis will be on demonstrating the necessity for a coordinated recruiting of professional, subprofessional, volunteer staff, and to experiment with staff training centers as an economic method for staff training.

The Social Welfare Demonstration Project Program will emphasize improving evaluation to insure that the research findings of the demonstrations will have significant applicability to public assistance programs. The demonstrations will be designed to produce new knowledge on the diffusion and adoption of innovations, so that more effective patterns of services and improved administrative methods for public assistance can be instituted promptly and soundly.

Cen

of

In response to the concern of State and local public and voluntary agencies for the advancement of child welfare knowledge, services, and programs, Congress authorized projects for (a) research, (b) the demonstration of new methods or facilities, (c) the demonstration of the utilization of research, and contracts or jointly financed cooperative arrangements. The grants and contracts are awarded to public or other nonprofit institutions of higher learning and to public or other nonprofit agencies and organizations engaged in research or child welfare activities.

Program Trends

The research effort has focused on both immediate and anticipated problems in child welfare--the former in an effort to devise ways of meeting existing needs and the latter in hopes that the findings will contribute to preventing social crises in the future. The projects actually in operation or planned for 1970 and 1971 are concentrated in the following categorical areas:

Among the more significant results during 1969 are those associated with a series of pioneer demonstration projects in day care services for children under three and in group care of infants. These studies, conducted at Yale Child Studies

Center, Syracuse University, and the University of Arkansas, are showing that, contrary to earlier beliefs, the psychological development and general well-being of young children flourish in comprehensive day care.

In the area of day care for disadvantaged preschool children, a study under way under the supervision of Howard University relates the child's functional level to the socio-economic level of his family. Results are showing that the more privileged child responds to day care with immediate gains in intellectual scores while the underprivileged child makes a more gradual gain, catching up with his privileged peer over a two-year period.

Another significant effort of this research program has been through the five special facilities established at the Universities of Arkansas, California (Berkeley), Chicago, Washington University, St. Louis, and Case-Western Reserve at Cleveland. These facilities are essentially demonstration efforts and oriented toward model neighborhood situations. They focus on neighborhood services, use and development of paraprofessional as well as professional staff, and research into the methods of delivery of services. The Chicago facility is the prototype of the 14-city Neighborhood Service Center program.

1971 Program

The 1971 request includes $4,180,000 to continue the level of effort expected to be under way in 1970.

Appropriation Estimate

WORK INCENTIVES

For carrying out a work incentive program, as authorized by part C of title IV of the Social Security Act, and for related child-care services, as authorized by part A of title IV of the Act, including transfer to the Secretary of Labor, as authorized by Section 431 of the Act, [$120,000,000 $170,000,000.