Charitable Choice Overview
Current Laws and Controversies
Government has long provided public aid to social services programs operated by faith-based organizations. But as the result of interpretations of the Establishment of Religion Clause of the First Amendment and policy decisions by administrators, such programs have generally been required to be secular in nature. In recent years, a number of advocates have promoted the concept that the Constitution and public policy should allow faith-based organizations to receive public funds on the same basis as other entities that operate social services programs, without abandoning their religious character. That effort has had considerable effect. The Supreme Court has modified its…
