republic-os/legal/us/code/title-42/chapter-7/section-1397.md

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LegalText	42 U.S.C. § 1397	Purposes of division; authorization of appropriations	us	united_states_code	code_section	42	THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE	7	SOCIAL SECURITY	1397	42 U.S.C. § 1397	current	119-100	2026-06-26	official	https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc42@119-100.zip	/us/usc/t42/s1397	data/legal/raw/us/code/title-42/usc42.xml	d76e26c15999e7baad6bd1e617641d436ae2c291c27a23cce9f8b8918922e0ce	644321055a08eb1f260a6a3e31ac157fa024756abf612a9fd6857e7e400cf24e	56d390b5a79eb3a14786fe44bed0d6aefe938de8ac17c5a97e8c29c497d7d0fc	2026-07-04	official	legal us-code

42 U.S.C. § 1397 - Purposes of division; authorization of appropriations

Text

For the purposes of consolidating Federal assistance to States for social services into a single grant, increasing State flexibility in using social service grants, and encouraging each State, as far as practicable under the conditions in that State, to furnish services directed at the goals of—

(1) achieving or maintaining economic self-support to prevent, reduce, or eliminate dependency;

(2) achieving or maintaining self-sufficiency, including reduction or prevention of dependency;

(3) preventing or remedying neglect, abuse, or exploitation of children and adults unable to protect their own interests, or preserving, rehabilitating or reuniting families;

(4) preventing or reducing inappropriate institutional care by providing for community-based care, home-based care, or other forms of less intensive care; and

(5) securing referral or admission for institutional care when other forms of care are not appropriate, or providing services to individuals in institutions,

there are authorized to be appropriated for each fiscal year such sums as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this division.

(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title XX, § 2001, as added Pub. L. 97–35, title XXIII, § 2352(a), Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 867; amended Pub. L. 111–148, title VI, § 6703(d)(1), Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 803.)

Notes

Editorial Notes

Prior ProvisionsA prior section 1397, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title XX, § 2001, as added Jan. 4, 1975, Pub. L. 93–647, § 2, 88 Stat. 2337; amended June 17, 1980, Pub. L. 96–272, title II, § 207(b), 94 Stat. 526, authorized appropriations to carry out former provisions of this subchapter, prior to the general revision of this subchapter by section 2352(a) of Pub. L. 97–35.

Amendments2010—Pub. L. 111–148, § 6703(d)(1)(B), which directed substitution of “this division” for “this subchapter” wherever appearing in subtitle 1 of title XX of act Aug. 14, 1935, was executed to the concluding provisions of this section, which is in subtitle A of title XX of act Aug. 14, 1935, to reflect the probable intent of Congress. Pub. L. 111–148, § 6703(d)(1)(A), substituted “division” for “subchapter” in section catchline.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective DatePub. L. 97–35, title XXIII, § 2354, Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 874, provided that: “Except as otherwise explicitly provided, the provisions of this subtitle [subtitle C (§§ 2351–2355) of title XXIII of Pub. L. 97–35, see Short Title of 1981 Amendment note set out under section 1305 of this title] and the repeals and amendments made by this subtitle, shall become effective on October 1, 1981.”

Study of State Social Service Programs; Report to CongressPub. L. 97–35, title XXIII, § 2355, Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 874, required Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a study to identify criteria and mechanisms which may be useful for States in assessing effectiveness and efficiency of State social service programs carried out with funds made available under this subchapter, such study to include consideration of Federal incentive payments as an option in rewarding States having high performance social service programs, and to report results of such study to Congress within one year after Aug. 13, 1981.