ICHS - HISTORY & FUTURE GOALS

History
1981:
The federal government cobbled together several separate human service programs into the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG), giving states greater leeway in how monies could be spent. In response, social service and advocacy groups as well as individuals came together to form the Indiana Coalition for Human Services (ICHS). Its purpose was simple and clear: assure that the most vulnerable and needy Hoosiers would continue to benefit from SSBG services.

The 1980s:
ICHS worked to assure that optimal service to clients remained a priority when the structures for administering services changed first by the creation of the Indiana Department of Human Services, then by the consolidation of county welfare offices into the Department of Welfare, and finally by consolidating into the Family & Social Services Administration (FSSA).

1992:
ICHS published Moving Forward: Investing in Indiana’s Human Resources, a forceful analysis of state spending with a focus on how it affects low-income Hoosiers.

The 1990s:
ICHS advocated tax policies and budgeting priorities to meet basic human needs.

The 21st Century:
ICHS has been working hard to communicate effectively with lawmakers and bureaucrats during recessionary times to assure an economic and service safety net for vulnerable and needy Hoosiers.

Over the past quarter-century:
ICHS widened its base to become an effective voice at the Indiana Statehouse, working to shape legislation and administrative policies on Indiana’s over-arching human service systems.