Title 42The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73not60

§1397a Payments to States

Title 42 › Chapter 7— SOCIAL SECURITY › Subchapter XX— BLOCK GRANTS AND PROGRAMS FOR SOCIAL SERVICES AND ELDER JUSTICE › § 1397a

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Each year the federal government pays each State the amount it was given to run programs that meet the goals listed in section 1397. States must use that money for services like child care, protective and foster care, help with daily living and day programs for adults, transportation, family planning, job training and employment help, information and counseling, meal and health supports, and other combined services for people with special needs (for example older people, people with intellectual or physical disabilities, vision or emotional problems, or substance use issues). The money can also pay for running the programs, staff training (short or long, including school grants or student aid), and workshops or conferences. States may buy technical help from public or private groups. Payments are made each fiscal year and must be spent that year or the next. A State may move up to 10 percent of its allotment into certain federal block grants for health services, disease prevention, or low-income home energy help; those moved funds count as if they were paid under this program, and the State must tell the federal official about the transfer. States may also use the funds to give service vouchers to families who lost cash help because of time limits or to families denied cash for a child born to a current recipient or someone who got aid in the 10-month period before the child’s birth.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §1397a

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)Each State shall be entitled to payment under this division for each fiscal year in an amount equal to its allotment for such fiscal year, to be used by such State for services directed at the goals set forth in section 1397 of this title, subject to the requirements of this division.
(2)For purposes of paragraph (1)—
(A)services which are directed at the goals set forth in section 1397 of this title include, but are not limited to, child care services, protective services for children and adults, services for children and adults in foster care, services related to the management and maintenance of the home, day care services for adults, transportation services, family planning services, training and related services, employment services, information, referral, and counseling services, the preparation and delivery of meals, health support services and appropriate combinations of services designed to meet the special needs of children, the aged, the mentally retarded, the blind, the emotionally disturbed, the physically handicapped, and alcoholics and drug addicts; and
(B)expenditures for such services may include expenditures for—
(i)administration (including planning and evaluation);
(ii)personnel training and retraining directly related to the provision of those services (including both short- and long-term training at educational institutions through grants to such institutions or by direct financial assistance to students enrolled in such institutions); and
(iii)conferences or workshops, and training or retraining through grants to nonprofit organizations within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or to individuals with social services expertise, or through financial assistance to individuals participating in such conferences, workshops, and training or retraining (and this clause shall apply with respect to all persons involved in the delivery of such services).
(b)The Secretary shall make payments in accordance with section 6503 of title 31 to each State from its allotment for use under this division.
(c)Payments to a State from its allotment for any fiscal year must be expended by the State in such fiscal year or in the succeeding fiscal year.
(d)A State may transfer up to 10 percent of its allotment under section 1397b of this title for any fiscal year for its use for that year under other provisions of Federal law providing block grants for support of health services, health promotion and disease prevention activities, or low-income home energy assistance (or any combination of those activities). Amounts allotted to a State under any provisions of Federal law referred to in the preceding sentence and transferred by a State for use in carrying out the purposes of this division shall be treated as if they were paid to the State under this division but shall not affect the computation of the State’s allotment under this division. The State shall inform the Secretary of any such transfer of funds.
(e)A State may use a portion of the amounts described in subsection (a) for the purpose of purchasing technical assistance from public or private entities if the State determines that such assistance is required in developing, implementing, or administering programs funded under this division.
(f)A State may use funds provided under this division to provide vouchers, for services directed at the goals set forth in section 1397 of this title, to families, including—
(1)families who have become ineligible for assistance under a State program funded under part A of subchapter IV by reason of a durational limit on the provision of such assistance; and
(2)families denied cash assistance under the State program funded under part A of subchapter IV for a child who is born to a member of the family who is—
(A)a recipient of assistance under the program; or
(B)a person who received such assistance at any time during the 10-month period ending with the birth of the child.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, referred to in subsec. (a)(2)(B)(iii), is classified to section 501 of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 1397a, acts Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title XX, § 2002, as added Jan. 4, 1975, Pub. L. 93–647, § 2, 88 Stat. 2337; amended Oct. 21, 1975, Pub. L. 94–120, § 4(b), 89 Stat. 609; Sept. 7, 1976, Pub. L. 94–401, §§ 1(a)–(c), 5(a), 90 Stat. 1215, 1218;
June 30, 1977, Pub. L. 95–59, § 5, 91 Stat. 255; Oct. 25, 1977, Pub. L. 95–142, §§ 3(d)(2), 8(d), 91 Stat. 1179, 1195; Nov. 6, 1978, Pub. L. 95–600, title VIII, § 801(a), 92 Stat. 2944; Oct. 17, 1979, Pub. L. 96–88, title V, § 509(b), 93 Stat. 695; Jan. 2, 1980, Pub. L. 96–178, § 4(a), (c), 93 Stat. 1296, 1297;
June 17, 1980, Pub. L. 96–272, title I, § 103(e), title II, §§ 201–204(a), 205(a), 206(e), 207(a), 94 Stat. 521–525; Dec. 5, 1980, Pub. L. 96–499, title X, § 1001(a), 94 Stat. 2655, related to payments to States and computation of amounts, prior to the general revision of this subchapter by section 2352(a) of Pub. L. 97–35.

Amendments

2010—Pub. L. 111–148, which directed substitution of “this division” for “this subchapter” wherever appearing in subtitle 1 of title XX of act Aug. 14, 1935, was executed by making the substitution wherever appearing in this section, which is in subtitle A of title XX of act Aug. 14, 1935, to reflect the probable intent of Congress. 1996—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 104–193 added subsec. (f). 1986—Subsec. (a)(2)(B)(iii). Pub. L. 99–514 substituted “Internal Revenue Code of 1986” for “Internal Revenue Code of 1954”. 1984—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 98–369 substituted “section 6503 of title 31” for “section 203 of the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4213)”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1984 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 98–369 effective
July 18, 1984, but not to be construed as changing or affecting any right, liability, status, or interpretation which existed (under the provisions of law involved) before that date, see section 2664(b) of Pub. L. 98–369, set out as a note under section 401 of this title. Temporary Suspension of Child Day Care Services Requirements Pub. L. 96–499, title X, § 1001(b), Dec. 5, 1980, 94 Stat. 2655, provided that the provisions of Pub. L. 93–647, § 3(f), Jan. 4, 1975, 88 Stat. 2349, set out as a note below, not apply with respect to child day care services provided after
June 30, 1980, and prior to
July 1, 1981, which met applicable standards of State and local law. Reimbursement of Expenditures for Social Services Provided by States Prior to
October 1, 1975; Authorization of Appropriations; Procedures Applicable to Payment of Unpaid Claims of States Pub. L. 95–291,
June 12, 1978, 92 Stat. 304, authorized appropriations for payments to States in settlement of unpaid claims of States against the United States for reimbursement of expenditures made by States prior to Oct. 1, 1975, for services and administrative costs under a State plan pursuant to specific subchapters of this chapter, provided schedules for payment of a claim asserted prior to the ninety-first day after
June 12, 1978, depending on when the claim was asserted, barred other claims and certain claims of the United States for recovery, provided for review of determinations, barred judicial review, and provided for allotment of appropriations for claims. Payments to States for Fiscal Period Beginning
July 1, 1976, and Ending
September 30, 1976, and Fiscal Years Ending
September 30, 1977, 1978, and 1979, Computation Amounts, Limitations, Etc.Pub. L. 94–401, § 3, Sept. 7, 1976, 90 Stat. 1215, as amended by Pub. L. 95–171, § 1(a), Nov. 12, 1977, 91 Stat. 1353; Pub. L. 95–600, title VIII, § 801(b), Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2944; Pub. L. 96–178, § 3(b)–(f), Jan. 2, 1980, 93 Stat. 1296, provided for computation of amounts of payments to States under this subchapter for the fiscal period beginning
July 1, 1976, and ending Sept. 30, 1976, and fiscal years ending Sept. 30, 1977, 1978, and 1979, limitations on such amounts, and a limit on the total amount of Federal payments made to States in any such fiscal year under this subchapter. Requirements of Child Day Care Services Pub. L. 93–647, § 3(f), Jan. 4, 1975, 88 Stat. 2349, which provided for requirements of child day care services, was repealed by Pub. L. 97–35, title XXIII, § 2353(s), Aug. 13, 1981, 97 Stat. 874.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 1397a

Title 42The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60