Mental Health Programs

Governors recommended a basic federal block grant program for mental health. They also supported the major consolidation proposal for the alcohol and drug abuse programs. There was also a suggestion for block grants to states to fund community mental health centers rather than individual grants to each center.

Welfare and Other Transfer Programs

Short of complete overhaul of the welfare system, suggestions were received for consolidations aimed at reducing administrative overhead. One Governor proposed a consolidation of several categorical programs into four basic areas: income assistance, energy conservation and utility assistance, nutrition, and medical assistance.

Environmental Health Programs

Water, air, and solid waste programs should be consolidated
into a single environmental block grant to states to provide
flexibility to meet individual states' most pressing needs.

In addition, Governors suggested that the meat and poultry inspection
program be combined with the interstate food inspection program to
allow for some efficiencies and greater state flexibility.

Crippled Children Programs

One Governor recommended that the current programs could be combined to provide flexibility and efficiency with no loss in services.

ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS

Most Governors participating in the survey suggested reforms and changes in the administration of federal human service programs. The following are excerpts from their reponses:

Title XX

"Reducing planning and reporting requirements."

"Eliminate current eligibility requirements and require that 50%

of individuals served be below the poverty level."

"Arbitrary reduction of Title XX to 1978 federal ceiling limits
states' ability to meet national guidelines for deinstitutionalization."
Day Care

"Day Care programs are fragmented among Title XX, WIN, and Vocational Rehabilitation. Eligibility requirements, subsidy amount, provider standards, and methods of payment all vary, causing confusion and administrative problems."

Food Subsidy Programs

"Continued funding for the basic food stamp program and the WIC program
should be reevaluated in terms of their effectiveness and efficiency.
These programs presuppose a funding mechanism and a program thrust
which ensures that low income clients will receive an acceptable
nutritious diet. However, under the present service delivery system
there appears to be little evidence that these objectives are being
achieved or could even be achieved through these funding sources.
there is a question as to whether the federal government can effectively
force clients to spend their income subsidies to achieve national
nutritional goals.

21

"Due to the dual eligibility requirements for Food Stamps and AFDC,

Also

a possible reduction of $3,000,000 could be realized if the administration of both Food Stamps and AFDC could be merged."

Medicaid

"States should be given more latitude in establishing standards for
medical facility certification (especially staffing requirements).
More latitude is also needed in setting reimbursement rates, especially
nursing home rates, major improvements in controls on medical care
facility utilization, new options for providing home health services,
and finally, alternatives to current fee-for-service payment mechanisms."

Federal Mandate of State Administrative Structure

"The federal laws which mandate state administrative structure for
relatively small programs should be changed. Examples are the requirements
for a separate administrative unit in the welfare department for the
WIN program for AFDC recipients, and a separate unit for child
support functions. States should be permitted to administer these
functions in the most cost effective manner, which may well be as
part of a larger related unit, instead of a separate unit."

Governors also expressed strong support for human services planning reforms. One Governor commented:

"While the merits of providing an overall block grant for alcohol,
drug abuse, mental health administration, etc. are not totally
undebatable, certainly the planning requirements of those various
programs could be consolidated into one state plan which would
provide greater administrative control and less money spent on
planning at the state level."

PROGRAM REDUCTIONS

Some Governors identified specific programs as targets for reduction or elimination. At least one Governor viewed the following programs as duplicative or wasteful:

EDUCATION

Programs Included In Review

Grants for Disadvantaged Children

Migrants

In-State Institutions

Bilingual Education

Basic Skills Improvement

Strengthening State Departments of Education

Follow Through

Indian Education

Guidance, Counseling, and Testing

Emergency School Aid

Civil Rights Assistance and Training

School Assistance in Federally Affected Areas

Education for the Handicapped

Special Education Personnel Development

Higher Education and Student Assistance Programs

Vocational Education

Basic Grants to States

Consumer and Homemaking

State Advisory Council

Professional Development

Bilingual Vocational Training

Adult Education

Library Resources

Library Services and Construction

School Library and Instructional Resources

Interlibrary Cooperation

Special Projects and Training

Environmental Education

Consumer Education

Arts in Education

Career Education

Metric Education

Alcohol and Drug Abuse

Gifted and Talented

Women's Educational Equity

Indochinese Refugees

National Diffusion Program

Educational TV Programming

Community Schools

Educational Personnel Training

Teacher Centers

Teacher Corps

EDUCATION

The number of federal categorical grant-in-aid programs for education is extensive; ACIR has counted 78 federal elementary, secondary, and vocational education programs. The Governors responding to the survey reacted to the proliferation of categorical education grants with suggestions for consolidation and administrative reform.

CONSOLIDATIONS

Some

Nearly all Governors had suggestions for consolidations. envisioned broad comprehensive education block grants. Others suggested combining similar programs on a more limited basis.

Special Education and Handicapped Block Grant

"Consolidate all special education and handicapped programs,
equal employment opportunity programs, innovative education
programs, neglected and delinquent programs, etc. into a
single block grant program. If necessary, provide minimum
guidelines for use of funds."

General Education Block Grant

"Eliminate all special grant programs and include some reduced
level of support in a general education block grant to states.
Consolidate such programs as adult basic education, dis-
advantaged youth, migrant, school library materials, right to
read, library research, program improvement and administrative
support and so forth."

Bilingual Education Programs

"All programs combined including Bilingual Vocational Training."

"All programs except training combined, with a change in the
funding formula to a state entitlement."

Early Childhood Education (Title XI)

"Combine with Innovation and Development."

Telecommunications (Title XI)

"Consolidate with Communications Act (Title III) and Section 611
of Emergency School Aid Act."

Other Programs

"Educational Proficiency - consolidate with Title II programs."