The President's FY 2011 Budget for Health and Human Services demonstrates an ongoing commitment to the health, safety and well-being of the nation's citizens.  While the Recovery funds will expire in 2011, the total federal outlays for HHS are $911 billion, creating a net increase of $50.1 million in spending.  While some HHS operating divisions will see a decrease, ACF will not.   The budget provides critical support for the President's "Zero to Five Plan to Enhance Quality Early Care and Education" for children and for "Protecting Access to Foster Care and Adoption Assistance of Vulnerable Children and Youth."

Enhancing Quality Early Care and Education and the Zero to Five Plan
The budget lays the groundwork for reauthorization of the child care and Development Block Grant and entitlement funding for child care.  The budget includes a total of $6.6 billion for the Child Care and Development Fund which reflects a $1.6 billion increase.  The increase will create child care assistance for an additional 235,000 children.  The guidance from the Administration for this increase is to establish higher standards of quality in child care settings, expand professional development opportunities for the child care workforce, and to promote coordination across child care programs.  In support of the President's Zero to Five Plan, the budget includes $8.2 billion, which reflects an increase of $989 million, for Head Start. The Head Start and Early Head Start programs budget includes a $118 million to quality enhancements. 

Protecting Access to Foster Care and Adoption Assistance for Vulnerable Children and Youth
The President's budget includes a proposal to extend by an additional 6 months the temporary FMAP increase for foster care and adoption assistance.  This provision provided as part of the Recovery Act will extend the FMAP to June 30, 2011 which aligns with most state fiscal year budgets. This added Title IV-E benefits will help states to forecast 2011 revenue projections.