# Administration for Children and Families *Division of the United States Department of Health and Human Services* The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is a component of the [[United States Department of Health and Human Services]] (HHS).[^1] It is led by the assistant secretary of health and human services for children and families.[^1] The agency's 60 programs for children, youth and families carry a budget of $49 billion.[^1] Those programs span welfare assistance, child support enforcement, adoption assistance, foster care, child care and child abuse.[^1] ACF's workforce is given as approximately 1,700 people: 1,200 federal employees and 500 contractors.[^1] About 60 percent work in Washington, D.C.[^1] The rest are in regional offices in Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City (Missouri), Denver, San Francisco and Seattle.[^1] These staffing and budget figures come from the Wikipedia article. This record holds no primary source that confirms them. In its mission statement, ACF says it "provides national leadership and creates opportunities for families to lead economically and socially productive lives."[^2] The statement says its programs are meant to help children "develop into healthy adults and communities to become more prosperous and supportive of their members."[^2] In October 2006, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported on ACF's abstinence-education grant programs.[^3] It found that ACF did not review its grantees' education materials for scientific accuracy.[^3] It also found that ACF did not require those grantees to review the materials themselves.[^3] ## Mission statement ACF's mission statement places the agency within HHS.[^2] It says the agency provides national leadership and creates opportunities for families to lead economically and socially productive lives.[^2] It says the programs are designed so that children grow into healthy adults and communities become more prosperous and more supportive of their members.[^2] ## History In 1986, six major HHS programs were combined to form the Family Support Administration, the agency that immediately preceded ACF.[^4] The present ACF dates from April 15, 1991.[^4] On that date, the Family Support Administration, the Office of Human Development Services and the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant Program were consolidated into one body.[^4] The legal authority for that reorganization was Section 6 of Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1953.[^4] ## Organization The assistant secretary heads ACF, assisted by a principal deputy assistant secretary.[^5] There are deputy assistant secretaries for early childhood development, for policy and for external affairs.[^5] The listed program units are: - the Administration for Native Americans; - the Administration for Children, Youth and Families, which includes the Children's Bureau and the Family and Youth Services Bureau; - the Office of Community Services; - the Office of Family Assistance; - the [[Office of Refugee Resettlement]]; - the Office of Trafficking in Persons; - the Office of Child Care; - the Office of Head Start.[^5] The structure also includes the Office of Human Services Emergency Preparedness and Response and the Office of Regional Operations.[^5] The Office of the Assistant Secretary covers the Office of Administration, the Office of the Chief Information Officer, the Office of Legislative Affairs and Budget, the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation and the Office of Communications.[^5] ## Major goals ACF is described as responsible for federal programs that promote the economic and social well-being of families, children, individuals and communities.[^6] The goals listed for its programs are: - families and individuals able to raise their own economic independence and productivity; - strong, healthy, supportive communities that improve quality of life and child development; - partnerships with individuals, front-line providers, communities, American Indian tribes, Native communities, states and Congress; - planning, reforming and integrating services to improve access; - a commitment to working with people with developmental disabilities, refugees and migrants.[^6] ## Major programs ACF's listed major programs include: - the Administration for Native Americans, the Administration on Children, Youth and Families, and the Administration on Developmental Disabilities; - Assets for Independence; - the Office of Child Care, the Office of Child Support Enforcement, the Children's Bureau, the Family and Youth Services Bureau and the Office of Head Start; - the Healthy Marriage Initiative; - the Office of Community Services.[^7] Also listed are: - the [[Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program]]; - the [[Community Services Block Grant]]; - the Social Services Block Grant; - the Office of Family Assistance and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families; - the Office of Refugee Resettlement; - the President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities.[^7] ## Other initiatives, clearinghouses and resources Other resources associated with ACF include: - the Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives; - the Child Welfare Information Gateway; - a Fatherhood Initiative; - the *Insure Kids Now!* campaign; - the National Child Care Information and Technical Assistance Center; - the National Clearinghouse on Families and Youth; - the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse; - the National Healthy Marriage Resource Center; - Office of Child Support Enforcement tribal resources.[^8] ## Abstinence education Congress appropriated $50 million in state grants for abstinence education for fiscal year 2006, which ended September 30, 2006.[^3] The Wikipedia account describes these programs as presenting abstinence as the only effective or acceptable way to prevent pregnancy or disease.[^3] It also says they gave no instruction on birth control or safe sex.[^3] In October 2006, ACF issued revised guidelines for these grants.[^3] They told applicant states to identify the groups "most likely to bear children out-of-wedlock."[^3] They also directed states to target "adolescents and/or adults within the 12- through 29-year-old age range."[^3] Earlier guidelines named no ages, and programs had concentrated on preteens and teenagers.[^3] ACF also runs the Community-Based Abstinence Education Program.[^3] It funds public and private entities that teach abstinence until marriage to adolescents aged 12 to 18.[^3] In fiscal year 2005, the program awarded 63 grants totaling $104 million.[^3] Grants in fiscal 2001 totaled $20 million.[^3] The October 2006 GAO report found that ACF did not check its grantees' education materials for scientific accuracy.[^3] It also found that ACF did not require grantees in either abstinence program to check their own materials.[^3] The GAO further reported that most of the evaluations of abstinence-until-marriage programs in its review fell short of certain minimum scientific criteria.[^3] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia, *Administration for Children and Families* (rev. 1373308647, retrieved 2026-10-26) — lead section: HHS division, head, $49 billion budget for 60 programs, program areas, staffing and regional offices. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Administration_for_Children_and_Families [^2]: Wikipedia, *Administration for Children and Families* (rev. 1373308647, retrieved 2026-10-26) — "Mission statement" section quoting ACF's mission statement. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Administration_for_Children_and_Families [^3]: Wikipedia, *Administration for Children and Families* (rev. 1373308647, retrieved 2026-10-26) — "Abstinence education" section: FY2006 appropriation, October 2006 guidelines, Community-Based Abstinence Education Program grants, October 2006 GAO findings. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Administration_for_Children_and_Families [^4]: Wikipedia, *Administration for Children and Families* (rev. 1373308647, retrieved 2026-10-26) — "History" section: Family Support Administration (1986), April 15, 1991 merger, Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1953. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Administration_for_Children_and_Families [^5]: Wikipedia, *Administration for Children and Families* (rev. 1373308647, retrieved 2026-10-26) — "Organization" section listing ACF offices. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Administration_for_Children_and_Families [^6]: Wikipedia, *Administration for Children and Families* (rev. 1373308647, retrieved 2026-10-26) — "Major goals" section. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Administration_for_Children_and_Families [^7]: Wikipedia, *Administration for Children and Families* (rev. 1373308647, retrieved 2026-10-26) — "Major programs" section. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Administration_for_Children_and_Families [^8]: Wikipedia, *Administration for Children and Families* (rev. 1373308647, retrieved 2026-10-26) — "Other initiatives, clearinghouses and resources" section. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Administration_for_Children_and_Families