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Charitable choice refers to direct United States government funding of religious organizations to provide
social services Social services are a range of public services intended to provide support and assistance towards particular groups, which commonly include the disadvantaged. They may be provided by individuals, private and independent organisations, or administe ...
. Created in 1996, charitable choice allows government officials to purchase services from religious providers using
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF ) is a federal assistance program of the United States. It began on July 1, 1997, and succeeded the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program, providing cash assistance to indigent Am ...
(TANF), Welfare-to-Work, and
Community Services Block Grant The Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) provides federal funding for Community Action Agencies (CAAs) and other programs that seek to address poverty at the community level. Like other block grants, CSBG funds are allocated to the states and oth ...
(CSBG) funds. In late 2000, charitable choice was included in the
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA; pronounced ) is a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is charged with improving the quality and availability of treatment and rehabilitative services ...
’s (SAMHSA) block grant.


Principles

Charitable Choice has gained support from policymakers due to its unique approach to social services. In this faith-based model or the so-called holistic relief (also known as whole person ministry), a religious organization addresses the needs of the poor both on the material and spiritual levels. The element of faith in the social service framework does not necessarily mean a focus on specific religious program or initiatives based on a specific religious denomination. Proponents of the concept explain that instead, it pertains to a broad religious framework wherein all religious forms are included in providing social support. According to the
Department of Health and Human Services The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is a cabinet-level executive branch department of the U.S. federal government created to protect the health of all Americans and providing essential human services. Its motto is ...
, Charitable Choice rests on four major principles:


A Level Playing Field

Faith-based providers are eligible to provide federally-funded social services on the same basis as any other providers, neither excluded nor included because they are religious, too religious or of a different religion.


Respect for Allies

The religious character of faith-based providers is protected by allowing them to retain control over the definition, development, practice, and expression of their religious beliefs. Neither federal nor state government can require a religious provider to alter its form of internal governance or remove religious art, icons, scripture or other symbols in order to be a program participant.


Protecting Clients

In regard to rendering assistance, religious organization shall not discriminate against an individual on the basis of religion, a religious belief, or refusal to actively participate in a religious practice. If an individual objects to the religious character of a program, a secular alternative must be provided.


Church-State Separation

All government funds must be used to fulfill the public social service goals, and no direct government funding can be diverted to inherently religious activities such as worship, sectarian instruction, and proselytization.


Controversy

Some are concerned that charitable choice blurs the
separation of church and state The separation of church and state is a philosophical and jurisprudential concept for defining political distance in the relationship between religious organizations and the state. Conceptually, the term refers to the creation of a secular sta ...
and argue that federal financial support of faith-based organizations creates an opportunity for abuse and a potential for funds to flow in a biased way towards groups affiliated with one particular denomination or religious tradition. Specifically, critics argue that it violates the religion clause of the
First Amendment First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...
. Some examples of lawsuits that raised this issue were the cases that challenged the constitutionality of the Charitable Choice programs in Texas and Kentucky. In addition, some religious organization such as the Interfaith Alliance are concerned about the impact of charitable choice "on the vitality of the prophetic voice of faith, the integrity of religious autonomy, excessive government entanglement in the affairs of religious institutions and the overarching temptation to abuse religion and manipulate faith to achieve political power." On the other hand, the U.S. Supreme Court has increasingly taken a permissive position with respect to the constitutionality of the Charitable Choice. In several decisions, it established a relaxation of the constraints imposed and assumptions made with respect to public funding of the secular initiatives of religious organizations.


References

{{Reflist United States Department of Health and Human Services Separation of church and state in the United States