STANDING IN THE GAP

Proposed Pilot Project

 

November, 2000

 

Charitable Choice Overview:

 

In 1996 a “Charitable Choice” section was added to the federal welfare reform law, establishing new rules for collaboration between government and religious institutions, and other non-profit community service organizations. The goal of this legislation is to expand the involvement of the independent sector in the delivery of government-supported social services

 

Three Goals.

1. Encourage states to expand the involvement of community and faith-based organizations in the public anti-poverty effort.

2. Protect the integrity and character of faith-based organizations willing to accept government funds
3. Safeguard the religious freedom of beneficiaries

 

Funds included in the Charitable Choice provision:

 

Charitable choice now governs federal and admixed state spending for:

• Welfare services (TANF, in the federal welfare reform law, 1996)
• Welfare-to-work program (adopted 1997)
• Community Service Block Grants (1998 reauthorization)
• Substance Abuse Treatment (2000 reauthorization of SAMSHA in Children’s Health Act of 2000)

 

Members of congress have proposed expanding the rules to cover other federal funds. Similar principles apply to federal funds for low-income child-care vouchers and the Refugee Resettlement program.

 

Financial Arrangements with Service Providers:

 

Charitable Choice Legislation authorizes two types of government financial arrangements with independent providers:

1. Purchase-of-service contracts by which government pays providers to deliver specified services.
2. Government-provided certificates, vouchers, or other forms of disbursement for specific social services, provided directly to clients by the state are redeemed by clients at an organization of their choice.

 

Example of services provided by non-government entities:

 

• Subsidized jobs or community service positions
• On-the-job training
• Job-search help
• Job-readiness preparation
• Job-skills training
• Vocational education training
• GED and ESL programs
• Subsidized meals
• Food pantries
• Nutrition, shopping or food-budgeting advice
• Abstinence education
• Drug treatment services
• Health clinics
• Maternity homes for expectant, unmarried minors who cannot live with their parents

 

Use of an intermediary organization:

 

An intermediary organization can sign a contract with a government agency to provide various services, then subcontract with non-profit community and / or faith-based organizations for the delivery of those services. The advantage of this approach is that it offers faster and better results and allows government to have a relationship with just one organization, rather than many community organizations, and avoids a direct financial tie between the government and individual community organizations.”

 

Intermediary organizations can perform the following functions:

 

• Serve as a non-profit intermediary organization in managing charitable choice partnerships to assist needy families
• Assist government agencies in designing partnerships with non-profit community organizations and faith-based organizations to assist needy families
• Screen / assess the needs of low-income families that volunteer for the initiative; then match these families with the community organizations properly suited to assist them
• Maintain records of assistance given to needy families and monitor progress made by families in achieving their goals, then report to the government agency partner
• Provide on-going support and advice to community organizations participating in the initiative.
• Develop a social service directory of community organizations that serve needy families
• Case management,
• Filling of service gaps and reduction of duplication,
• Organize  state, regional and local meetings, possibly involving state and local agencies, businesses, non-profit organizations, and clients.

 

“Standing In The Gap” Proposed Pilot Project:

 

The National Physicians Center will act as an intermediary organization, connecting state welfare agencies and their clients with community organizations to provide services.

 

Community Organizations Include:

 

• Faith-based organizations
• Churches, Mosques, Temples
• Non-profit community groups
• Media
• For-profit organizations and corporations
• Community volunteers
• Colleges and Universities
• Libraries
• State Parks & Recreation departments
• Hospitals and Health Clinics
• Crisis pregnancy centers
• Legal organizations

 

Services offered:

 

• Welfare-to-work programs
• Career counseling and job placement
• Money management training
• GED and ESL classes
• Food pantries
• Respite care
• Child care
• Life skills training
• Abstinence education
• Parent education
• Mentoring
• Tutoring
• Recreation
• After school care
• Substance abuse treatment
• Counseling services
• Health care
• Legal council referrals

 

Some services offered will be pro-bono, volunteer, or donated goods / services. Others can be paid for using vouchers issued to state welfare recipients. These recipients can be referred to the “standing in the gap” resource center and can choose which services to receive through the resource center based on their individual preferences and needs.

 

The voucher system allows faith-based and other community groups freedom from burdensome government regulations while offering state welfare recipients freedom of personal choice in terms of providers. Vouchers will be processed by the National Physicians Center “standing in the gap” resource center, and dispersed to the community organizations participating in the program. Therefore, the state will contract with one, umbrella organization, while giving clients access to a wide array of community services.

 

Some Functions of “Standing In The Gap” resource center:

 

• Liaison between government welfare offices and community organizations
• Promote communication and collaboration among community organizations
• Connect at-risk individuals and families with local non-profit agencies, faith-based groups, volunteers and public agencies

 

The National Physicians Center for Family Resources is a 501 (c ) (3) organization established to produce and promote family-friendly educational resources, public policy and model legislation with the assistance of a national network of physicians as project advisors.