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Category: Project

Description: The Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) in the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded a contract to MEF Associates and its subcontractor, Mathematica, to conduct a study to build knowledge on the advantages, disadvantages, and costs of centralizing social services for families with low incomes. In order to gain access to the social services for which they are eligible, individuals and families with low incomes in the United States often must navigate a complex network of support. Providers that serve the same clients may be geographically dispersed, and the level of communication and coordination among them varies. In addition, the programs they operate may have different eligibility criteria, application processes, and participation requirements. However, in some communities, providers have worked together to bring services under one roof. The project will combine a review of existing literature with new insights gained from collection of data at sites that offer a range of centralized program services, with an emphasis on services designed to support family self-sufficiency and well-being. The project will consist of two primary analysis tasks: • Literature review • Visits to three sites that centralize services