[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 54 (Wednesday, April 30, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H2010]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    FAMILY SERVICES IMPROVEMENT ACT

  (Mr. HOYER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Family 
Services Improvement Act, H.R. 1480, which I reintroduced yesterday.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to imagine, if they will, a single 
mom who is trying to get off welfare. Mom drops her 4-year-old off at 
Head Start, takes her 7-year-old to second grade and goes to her own 
graduate equivalency degree classes, all in the same school.
  When the family needs immunizations or health screenings, they can go 
to the school-based clinic. The social services coordinator at the 
school can help the family find housing, food, and health care. There 
is also a job placement coordinator to help mom find a job when she 
finishes her classes.
  Unfortunately, my colleagues, as you well know, this model of 
coordinated, one-stop programs to help children and families move off 
Government assistance is rare.
  The Family Services Improvement Act will create incentives for 
establishing coordinated one-stop programs. It will make the programs 
we promote more effective and efficient and more available. I urge the 
support of my colleagues for this important legislation.

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