Rethinking the organization of children's programs: lessons from the elderly

Area of Science:

• Public Health Policy
• Social Services Administration
• Child Welfare Studies

Background:

• The U.S. system for child care is fragmented and lacks uniform services.
• Elderly individuals have universal Medicare, income security, and organized community services.
• Current maternal and child health services are compared to the Older Americans Act (OAA).

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the Older Americans Act (OAA) with existing maternal and child health services.
• To explore the OAA as a potential model for improving child and family services.
• To advocate for federal legislation to enhance child and family support systems.

Main Methods:

• Comparative policy analysis of the OAA and child service programs.
• Examination of administrative structures and funding mechanisms.
• Literature review on existing child and family support systems.

Main Results:

• The OAA's structure and infrastructure offer a viable model for child and family services.
• Existing tools used for elderly services can be adapted for children and families.
• Significant gaps exist in the current U.S. system of care for children.

Conclusions:

• The Older Americans Act (OAA) provisions can serve as a blueprint for a comprehensive child and family service system.
• Federal legislative action is crucial to establish national policy and protections for children and families.
• A coordinated, comprehensive service system, similar to that for the elderly, is needed for children.