How are the HHS poverty guidelines used?
The HHS poverty guidelines are used in setting eligibility criteria for a number of federal programs. Some programs actually use a percentage multiple of the guidelines, such as 125 percent, 150 percent, or 185 percent. This is not the result of a single coherent plan; instead, it stems from decisions made at different times by different congressional committees or federal agencies. Some examples of federal programs that use the guidelines in determining eligibility are: • HHS: Community Services Block Grant, Head Start, Low-Income Home Energy Assistance, Children’s Health Insurance Program • Department of Agriculture: Food Stamps; Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs • Department of Energy: Weatherization Assistance • Department of Labor: Job Corps, Senior Community Service Employment Program, National Farmworker Jobs Program • Legal Services Corporation: Legal services for the poor Certa
