The Community Services Administration was established by the Headstart, Economic Opportunity, and Community Partnership Act of 1974, a bill signed by President Gerald Ford. The Administration took the place of the Office of Economic Opportunity, and conducted antipoverty programs to assist low and near-low income families. The Community Services Administration had regional branches throughout the country, including Region VI, headquartered in Dallas, which distributed federal funds for community programs in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas.
The Community Services Administration was abolished in 1981, paving the way for the Office of Community Services (OCS), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS, 1981-86); and the OCS, Family Support Administration, HHS (1986- ).
The National Archives.
The Community Services Administration, Region VI Records, 1970-1980, consist of classified files of the organization, including reports, correspondence, plans, workshop materials, and other administrative records. The bulk of the collection consists of reports of financial assistance to families and organizations, and correspondence between the Administration’s headquarters in Dallas and associated persons and institutions.
The collection is open for research.
Community Services Administration, Region VI Records, 1970-1980, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.
Basic processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with funds from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) for the Briscoe Center’s "History Revealed: Bringing Collections to Light" project, 2009-2011.