Finally, Easier Access to Data from the Administration for Children & Families

Those of us who frequent the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Administration for Children and Families (ACF) website may have noticed some major changes.  A bar at the top of the site announces the Department’s transition to a brand new ACF site. This is good news for researchers and policy types who have often had troubling finding resources on Head Start, child care and other programs run by ACF.  But we’re not just excited for the more user-friendly design and better layout.  It appears the Department will also be providing us with some new and more accessible information.

One particularly helpful feature: the Office of Legislative Affairs and Budget’s new page now includes budget tables.  Like the Department of Education tables, they show discretionary and mandatory funding totals for ACF programs from fiscal years 2010 through 2012.  Among other updates, the website is also slated to receive an overhaul of its “Research, Data, and Reports” section, and will soon include a searchable database of ACF resources.The transition page shows the coming improvements.