Few States Embrace Faith-Based Initiative

[DUreader]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-3380809,00.html



ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Less than half the states
have followed the federal government's lead in
recent years of encouraging religious groups to
compete for government money, a new study
says.

Part of the reason: many states already maintain
long-standing partnerships with religious
organizations, according to the study scheduled
for official release Thursday by the Rockefeller
Institute of Government at the State University of
New York.

Only 15 states have started administrative
initiatives to get faith-based groups involved in
providing social services, the study says.

Such initiatives include governors, or heads of
state agencies, creating links to improve
communication with faith-based organizations,
and developing mailing lists to alert groups of
potential contracts.