The Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) supplemental funds are expected to provide individuals and families with customary social services and health services (including mental health services), and assist states in the repair, renovation and construction of health care and mental health facilities, child care centers and other social service facilities.

Three-fourths of the HHS distribution, or $450 million, is granted to those states affected by major natural disasters declared by President George W. Bush that occurred between Jan. 1, 2008 and Sept. 30, 2008, the date the law for the disaster assistance was enacted.

States funded by the 2008 major disaster formula include: Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia and Wisconsin. The U.S. territory of Puerto Rico is included in this formula as well.

The remaining $150 million is distributed to the following states continuing their recovery from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas.

HHS used the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Registrant Application Current Location by State Report for Individual Assistance and the 2007 Census state population data of the states affected by the major disasters as resources.

The funds released today (January 6) are in addition to the regular annual appropriation for SSBG, which will be considered by the Congress in the next few months. The program is currently operating through March 6, 2009 at an annual rate of $1.7 billion under a temporary budget measure for Fiscal Year 2009.