Page 10 - History of Community Action - Module 1.final1_1_Neat
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The Strategy Realized…..
• Johnson proposed an expansion in the federal government's
role in domestic policy. In addition to the Economic Opportunity
Act, Congress enacted two major civil-rights acts (1964 and
1965) and two education acts (1965). In addition to the EOA
and its programs, legislation was passed that created Medicaid,
and Medicare.
• To realize the strategy of the EOA, a cabinet level office was
established. The Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) was
created to coordinate all the federal government’s anti-poverty
efforts and programs. It was also to be a laboratory for program
development.
• The OEO established a direct federal – local relationship,
basically by-passing the states. It encouraged the development
of community organizations and funded them.
