The Health of the Human Services Workforce

March 2003

The Brookings Institution

The Health of the Human Services Workforce

A nation that truly wants no child left behind must make sure that workers who care for children, youth, and families have the motivation, resources, and support to succeed.

At a minimum, this workforce numbers 2.5 million, of which two-thirds serve low-income children, youth, and families. As such, the human services workforce, as low-income serving workers will be called in this report, is almost as large as the federal governments civilian workforce.

These workers are a linchpin in honoring Americas promise to help its . . .