By Patricia Kirwin
University of South Carolina
College of Library and Information Science
This document provides links to valuable resources on the web for any persons interested in factual information on welfare benefits and reform, Medicaid and Medicare, social security and pensions and links to various other public assistance sites. This includes grant information, statistics, descriptions of programs, and information on joining the various programs.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) is known as the branch of government that provides income to retirees but they also provide income for the disabled (temporarily and permanently) including adults and children. This site provides information about the programs and laws governing social security including eligibility requirements. Two helpful links are
The United States Department Of Agriculture (USDA) oversees all of the Federal food programs in the United States. Their web site provides information about the agencies and programs that are available. This includes
Food and Consumer Service(FCS) the agency that actually oversees the assistance programs. On this page there are links to information about all the different programs, including objectives, laws, and how to receive assistance. Some of the programs are:
Also on this page is a series of links to Welfare Reform laws and guidelines that have been changed recently.
The United States Department of Labor (DOL) has developed its Web Site to make information about the Department, its programs, and the laws and regulations it administers widely available and easy to access. From the DOL Home Page, information about programs, regulations, and data can be accessed for the entire department. This includes sections on department agencies, information about the secretary, media releases, etc. For this topic the most important thing is the links to agencies that are related. One such agency is
The Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration (PWBA) This gives an overview of the administration, including personnel and publications. Something of interest that comes under this agency is :
The Consolidated Omnibus Reconciliation Act (COBRA). This provides insurance for those workers who are unemployed or have reduced hours and qualify for this program.
Another important link that the DOL has is
Welfare To Work This site describes the program in general and has links to all the different sites with the descriptions of the individual aspects of the program.
The United States Department of Health and Human Services The DHHS site contains information about this department including purpose and function. There are links to recent news, searchable databases, and a guide to the other resources available. Some important links are to
The Administration for Children and Families The ACF, within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is responsible for federal programs which promote the economic and social well-being of families, children, individuals, and communities. One of the agencies that ACF administers is
The Administration on Children, Youth and Families which administers the major Federal programs that support: social services that promote the positive growth and development of children and youth and their families; protective services and shelter for children and youth in at-risk situations; child care for working families and families on public assistance; and adoption for children with special needs. ACYF administers several Agencies and Bureaus of its own including
The Family and Youth Services Bureau the mission of FYSB is to provide national leadership on youth issues and to assist individuals and organizations in providing effective, comprehensive services for youth in at-risk situations and their families.
The Administration On Aging (AoA)has information related to the elderly citizens of the United States. A good link to information is provided by
The National Aging Information Center (NAIC) which provides information about services via several searchable databases. An especially valuable database is the
Eldercare Locator which provides resources for meals, homecare, legal and community services.
The Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) provides health insurance for over 74 million Americans through Medicare and Medicaid. In addition to providing health insurance, HCFA also regulates all laboratory testing (except research) in the U.S. through the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments program.
The Medicare and Medicaid links on this document give information about consumer information, statistics and data, laws and regulations.
The Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA) page gives all kinds of information on health resources, including guides and services. Information about rural and minority health care is available through links to the appropriate bureaus. The Bureau with the most relevant information on public assistance is
The Office of Rural Health Policy works within the DHHS and with other Federal agencies, States, national associations, foundations, and private-sector organizations to seek solutions to health care problems in rural communities. In particular, the office advises the Secretary on how the Medicare and Medicaid programs affect access to health care for rural populations.
Also under the HRSA is the Bureau of Health Resources Development (BHRD) which studies health care programs and tests models of health care delivery systems. This agency is responsible for HIV services, organ transplants, and health facilities. The most important information is found at
The Division of HIV Services (DHS) which is responsible for HIV and AIDS related information. This site provides links to information on the CARE Act of 1990 which provides grants to establish programs for those people with HIV and AIDS.
The Indian Health Service (IHS) works within the Native American populations, particularly those on reservations, to insure their continued health and welfare. They provide health care and community outreach programs to educate Native American peoples. There is a description of services and links to other sites.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) works to ensure that quality substance abuse and mental health services are available to the people who need them. They want to ensure that prevention and treatment knowledge is used effectively. There are links to program descriptions, grants and free services.
For statistical information on poverty and welfare see:
The Bureau of the Census which has a list of Poverty Statistics and other population information related to this topic.
Fedstats which has a searchable index with a variety of statistics from the agencies that oversee welfare and public assistance programs including all the agencies listed above.