The Family Support Act - A Catalyst for Developing Linkages
The Family Support Act (FSA) of 1988 encourages educators, human services and employment and training personnel, and other professionals to collaborate in strengthening families and helping them move toward self-sufficiency. The FSA clearly recognizes education as a central element in helping families avoid long-term dependence on public assistance and requires states to make educational services available to participants under its Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS) Training Program.Educators and employment and training personnel have an opportunity to be involved with human services staff in providing education and training programs to JOB clients. Implementation of the FSA requires a commitment on the part of educators and employment and training personnel to provide access to regular and alternative schools for welfare recipients under age 21 who often do not have a high school diploma or its equivalent. Educators must also be committed to providing appropriate programs and services so that these students graduate from high school or earn their equivalency certificate.
Although the current system of delivering programs and services to individuals and families has been structured within distinctive categorical boundaries that are usually related to professional disciplines and bureaucratic needs (Bruner 1991), the FSA affords professionals opportunities to forge critical interagency connections and expand the range and capacity of programs for learners at risk. If educators, human service and employment and training personnel, and other professionals are to take advantage of these opportunities, they must begin forming linkages with each other in their local areas.
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