FEDERAL BLOCK GRANTS - LEGISLATIVE HEARINGS

The 1998 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance identifies the following federal grant programs as block grants:

1. Community development block grant.
2. Indian community development block grant.
3. Indian housing block grant.
4. Juvenile accountability incentive block grant.
5. Local law enforcement block grant.
6. Community services block grant.
7. Child care and development block grant.
8. Social services block grant.
9. Preventive health and health services block grant.
10. Maternal and child health services block grant.
11. Block grants for community mental health services.
12. Block grants for prevention and treatment of substance abuse.

The community services block grant is the only one of these grants which imposes the requirement of a public hearing held by the Legislative Assembly. This grant is administered by the Office of Intergovernmental Assistance of the Office of Management and Budget and can be used to:

• Provide services and activities that impact the causes of poverty.
• Provide assistance to low-income individuals to secure and retain meaningful employment; attain an adequate education; make better use of available income; obtain and maintain adequate housing and a suitable living environment; obtain emergency assistance to meet individual needs, including health services, food, housing, and employment-related assistance; remove obstacles and solve problems which block the achievement of self-sufficiency; and achieve greater participation in the affairs of the community.
• Provide for the emergency provision of supplies, services, and food to counteract starvation and malnutrition.
• Coordinate linkages between governmental and other social services programs.
• Encourage private entities in efforts to eliminate poverty.

The Office of Management and Budget anticipates receiving approximately $4.98 million of federal funds through the community services block grant program during the 1999-2001 biennium, approximately $86,000 more than the amount estimated to be received during the current biennium.

A summary of the proposed use and distribution plan for the block grant will be provided by the Office of Management and Budget prior to the agency's appropriation hearing during the 1999 legislative session. The required public hearing will be held as part of the appropriation hearing for the Office of Management and Budget during the 1999 legislative session.