 
About ACF Region 3
Our Mission
The Philadelphia Region 3 office manages nearly $4 billion in grant programs covering its five-state area of Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia, as well as the District of Columbia
The more than 65 employees in Region 3 are committed to superior public service and work closely with state and local governments, for-profit and non-profit organizations and faith- and community-based organizations in funding state and local programs such as Head Start, family assistance (welfare), child welfare, child care, child support and other programs that promote the economic and social well-being of families, children, individuals, and communities.
We also support programs that address the needs, strengths and abilities of individuals with developmental disabilities, refugees and underserved populations, as well as advance ACF initiatives such as Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood.
Profile
PROTECTING LIFE, FAMILY AND HUMAN DIGNITY
Regional Program Highlights
$675.1 million was awarded by the Children’s Bureau to work with State and local agencies to develop programs that focus on preventing the abuse of children in troubled families, protecting children from abuse, improving court services, and finding permanent placements for those who cannot safely return to their homes.
- Approximately 3,951 children were adopted from State Child Welfare systems, 47,378 children were in foster care and 13,869 foster children were moved into independent living situations
- $592.6 million for Title IV-E Foster Care and Adoption payments
- $28.7 million for Promoting Safe and Stable Families
- $24.7 million for Child Welfare Services
- $12.9 million for Foster Care Independence
- $4.2 million for Foster Care Education and Training
- $3.3 million for Court Improvement
- $3.1 million for Community-based Child Abuse Prevention
- $3.1 million for Caseworker Visits
- $2.5 million for Child Abuse and Neglect
$637.2 million was awarded by the Office of Community Services to serve the economic and social needs of welfare recipients and other low-income individuals and families by providing: employment and entrepreneurial opportunities; assistance to community development corporations and community action agencies in leveraging resources for neighborhood revitalization activities; financial and technical resources to state, local, public and private agencies for economic development and related social service support activities; energy assistance to low income households; and assistance to communities for protecting the victims of domestic violence and preventing occurrence.
$502.6 million was awarded by the Office of Head Start to local public and private non-profit and for-profit agencies to provide comprehensive child development services to economically disadvantaged children and families. A special focus is to help preschoolers develop the early reading and math skills they need to be successful in school, as well as promote school readiness through the provision of educational, health, nutritional, social and other services.
- 169 Head Start and Early Head Start grantees serve more than 66,000 three to five year olds and over 5,200 infants, toddlers and pregnant women
$421.2 million was awarded by the Child Care Bureau, which partners with States to promote children’s learning by improving the quality of early care and education and after school programs through guidance, training, and technical assistance.
- Allocated Child Care Development Funding (CCDF) of $406.3 million to serve an average of 143,100 children and 84,100 families per month with CCDF subsidy funds
$289.7 million was awarded by the Office of Child Support Enforcement to States for the operation of a child support enforcement program to assure that assistance in obtaining support, both financial and medical, is available to children through locating parents, establishing paternity and support obligations, and enforcing those obligations.
- Collected and distributed $2.7 billion in child support payments
- Served a total caseload of 1.4 million
- Established or acknowledged 174,000 paternities
- Established 94,500 new child support orders
$82 million was awarded by the Office of Refugee Resettlement to provide newly arriving populations in need with critical resources to assist them in becoming integrated members of American society.
$35.8 million was awarded by the Family and Youth Services Bureau for services that focus on reducing risks for runaway and homeless youth, victims of family violence, children of prisoners, and youth for early sexual activity. The Runaway and Homeless Youth program provided services to:
- Approximately 1,900 youth
- Managed 27 Basic Grants of $4 million, 11 Transitional Living Grants of $2 million and nine Street Outreach Grants of $.9 million
$16.9 million in grants was awarded by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities to assure that individuals with developmental disabilities have opportunities to make their own choices, contribute to society, have supports to live independently, and are free of abuse, neglect, financial and sexual exploitation, and violations of their legal and human rights.
Organization
Office of the Regional Administrator
The Regional Administrator (RA) reports to the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families through the Director, Office of Regional Operations, and leads the following activities:
- Manages cross-cutting initiatives and activities among the ACF regional program offices, promotes regional interests with HHS and other Federal agencies, and focuses on State agency working relationships to facilitate more effective partnerships and improved customer service.
- Coordinates ACF programs during regional emergencies (e.g., natural disasters, pandemic flu, or other disasters) to include deployments of human services assessments and action teams during State and/or federally declared emergencies and disasters. The RA is also the designated agency point of contact for Continuity of Operations Plan planning, implementation and coordination.
- Serves as the focal point for public affairs and media contacts, public awareness activities, information dissemination and education campaigns in coordination with the ACF Office of Public Affairs and the HHS Regional Director.
Contact: Regional Administrator, Dave Lett, (215) 861-4000
E-mail:david.lett@acf.hhs.gov
Grants Management Regional Unit
The Grants Management Regional Unit is headed by the Regional Grants Management Officer and supports the Chief Grants Officer/Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration. The Unit ensures that business and financial responsibilities of grants administration are carried out; manages ACF’s discretionary, formula, entitlement and block grants in the region; directs all grants and cooperative agreements; ensures compliance with applicable statutes, regulations, and policies and performs audit resolution; and provides leadership and technical guidance to ACF programs on grant operations and grants management issues.
Contact: Regional Grants Management Officer (Vacant)
Children’s Bureau Regional Program Unit
The Children’s Bureau (CB) Regional Program Unit is headed by the Regional Program Manager who reports to the Associate Commissioner, Children’s Bureau. The Unit is responsible for providing program and technical administration of CB formula, entitlement, block and discretionary programs related to child welfare, including child abuse and neglect, child protective services, family preservation and support, adoption, foster care and independent living.
Contact: Regional Program Manager, Gary Koch, (215) 861-4022
E-mail: gary.koch@acf.hhs.gov
OCSE Regional Program Unit
The Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) Regional Program Unit is headed by the Regional Program Manager who reports to the Deputy Director/Commissioner, OCSE. The Unit has responsibility for providing program and technical administration of OCSE entitlement and discretionary programs and for collaborating with ACF Central Office, States, Tribes, and other grantees on all significant program and policy matters.
Contact: Regional Program Manager, Juanita DeVine, (215) 861-4054
E-mail: juanita.devine@acf.hhs.gov
TANF Bureau Regional Program Unit
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Regional Program Unit is headed by the Regional Program Manager who reports to the Associate Director, TANF, within the Office of Family Assistance. The Unit has responsibility for providing centralized program and technical administration of the TANF block grant and for collaborating with ACF Central Office, States, and other grantees on all significant policy matters.
Contact: Regional Program Manager, Eileen Friedman, (215) 861-4000
E-mail: eileen.friedman@acf.hhs.gov
Child Care Bureau Regional Program Unit
The Child Care Bureau (CCB) Regional Program Unit is headed by a Regional Program Manager who reports to the Associate Director, CCB within the Office of Family Assistance. The Unit has responsibility for providing centralized program and technical administration of CCB block and discretionary programs and for collaborating with ACF Central Office, States, and other grantees on all significant policy matters.
Contact: Acting Regional Program Manager, Eileen Friedman, (215) 861-4000
E-mail: eileen.friedman@acf.hhs.gov
Head Start Regional Program Unit
The Head Start Regional Program Unit is headed by the Regional Program Manager who reports to the Program Operations Division in the Office of Head Start (OHS). The Unit has responsibility for providing centralized program and technical administration of OHS discretionary programs and for collaborating with OHS State Collaboration Projects on all significant policy matters. The Regional Program Unit oversees the day-to-day management of Head Start grantees and the provision of technical assistance.
Contacts: Regional Program Manager, Nancy Elmore, (215) 861-4048
E-mail: nancy.elmore@acf.hhs.gov
Program Manager, Dave Lyon, (215) 861-4020
E-mail: david.lyon@acf.hhs.gov
States: Pennsylvania and West Virginia
Program Manager, Ed Vreeswyk, (215) 861-4040
E-mail: edward.vreeswyk@acf.hhs.gov
States: Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia