II 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1101 

To amend the Head Start Act to address the needs of victims of child 

abuse and neglect, children in foster care, children in kinship care, 

and homeless children. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 23, 2005 

Mrs. MURRAY (for herself and Mr. DEWINE) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

A BILL 

To amend the Head Start Act to address the needs of 

victims of child abuse and neglect, children in foster 

care, children in kinship care, and homeless children. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Improving Head Start 

5 Access for Homeless and Foster Children Act of 2005’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 Section 637 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9832) 

8 is amended by adding at the end the following: 
2 

•S 1101 IS 

1 ‘‘(18) The term ‘family’ means all persons liv2 ing in the same household who are— 

3 ‘‘(A) supported by the income of at least 1 

4 parent or guardian (including any relative act5 ing in place of a parent, such as a grandparent) 

6 of a child enrolling or participating in the Head 

7 Start program; and 

8 ‘‘(B) related to the parent or guardian by 

9 blood, marriage, or adoption. 

10 ‘‘(19) The term ‘homeless child’ means a child 

11 described in section 725(2) of the McKinney-Vento 

12 Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11434a(2)). 

13 ‘‘(20) The term ‘homeless family’ means the 

14 family of a homeless child.’’. 

15 SEC. 3. ALLOTMENT OF FUNDS; LIMITATIONS ON ASSIST16 ANCE. 

17 (a) QUALITY IMPROVEMENT.—Section 640(a)(3) of 

18 the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9835(a)(3)) is amended— 

19 (1) in subparagraph (B)— 

20 (A) in clause (ii), by inserting ‘‘children in 

21 foster care, children referred to Head Start pro22 grams by child welfare agencies, ’’ after ‘‘back23 ground’’; and 

24 (B) in clause (v), by inserting ‘‘, including 

25 collaboration to increase program participation 
3 

•S 1101 IS 

1 by underserved populations, including homeless 

2 children, children in foster care, and children 

3 referred to Head Start programs by child wel4 fare agencies’’ before the period; and 

5 (2) in subparagraph (C)— 

6 (A) in clause (ii)(IV)— 

7 (i) by inserting ‘‘homeless children, 

8 children in foster care, children referred to 

9 Head Start programs by child welfare 

10 agencies, ’’ after ‘‘dysfunctional families’’; 

11 and 

12 (ii) by inserting ‘‘and families’’ after 

13 ‘‘communities’’; 

14 (B) in clause (v)— 

15 (i) by inserting ‘‘homeless children, 

16 children in foster care, children referred to 

17 Head Start programs by child welfare 

18 agencies,’’ after ‘‘dysfunctional families’’; 

19 and 

20 (ii) by inserting ‘‘and families’’ after 

21 ‘‘communities’’; 

22 (C) by redesignating clause (vi) as clause 

23 (viii); and 

24 (D) by inserting after clause (v) the fol25 lowing: 
4 

•S 1101 IS 

1 ‘‘(vi) To conduct outreach to homeless 

2 families and to increase Head Start pro3 gram participation by homeless children.’’. 

4 (b) COLLABORATION GRANTS.—Section 

5 640(a)(5)(C)(iv) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 

6 9835(a)(5)(C)(iv)) is amended— 

7 (1) by inserting ‘‘child welfare (including child 

8 protective services),’’ after ‘‘child care,’’; 

9 (2) by inserting ‘‘home-based services (including 

10 home visiting services),’’ after ‘‘family literacy serv11 ices’’; and 

12 (3) by striking ‘‘and services for homeless chil13 dren’’ and inserting ‘‘services provided through 

14 grants under section 106 of the Child Abuse Preven15 tion and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5106a) and 

16 parts B and E of title IV of the Social Security Act 

17 (42 U.S.C. 620 et seq. and 670 et seq.), and services 

18 for homeless children (including coordination of serv19 ices with the Coordinator for Education of Homeless 

20 Children and Youth designated under section 722 of 

21 the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 

22 U.S.C. 11432)), children in foster care, and children 

23 referred to Head Start programs by child welfare 

24 agencies’’. 
5 

•S 1101 IS 

1 (c) ALLOCATION OF FUNDS.—Section 640(g)(2) of 

2 the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9835(g)(2)) is amended— 

3 (1) in subparagraph (C)— 

4 (A) by inserting ‘‘organizations and agen5 cies providing family support services, child 

6 abuse prevention services, protective services, 

7 and foster care, and’’ after ‘‘(including’’; and 

8 (B) by striking ‘‘and public entities serving 

9 children with disabilities’’ and inserting ‘‘, pub10 lic entities, and individuals serving children 

11 with disabilities and homeless children (includ12 ing local educational agency liaisons designated 

13 under section 722(g)(1)(J)(ii) of the McKinney14 Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 

15 11432(g)(1)(J)(ii)))’’; 

16 (2) in subparagraph (F), by inserting ‘‘and 

17 homeless families’’ after ‘‘low-income families’’; and 

18 (3) in subparagraph (H), by inserting ‘‘(includ19 ing the local educational agency liaison designated 

20 under section 722(g)(1)(J)(ii) of the McKinney21 Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 

22 11432(g)(1)(J)(ii)))’’ after ‘‘community involved’’. 

23 (d) ENROLLMENT OF HOMELESS CHILDREN.—Sec24 tion 640 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9835) is 

25 amended by adding at the end the following: 
6 

•S 1101 IS 

1 ‘‘(m) The Secretary shall issue regulations to remove 

2 barriers to the enrollment and participation of homeless 

3 children in Head Start programs. Such regulations shall 

4 require Head Start agencies to— 

5 ‘‘(1) implement policies and procedures to en6 sure that homeless children are identified and 

7 prioritized for enrollment; 

8 ‘‘(2) allow homeless children to apply to, enroll 

9 in, and attend Head Start programs while required 

10 documents, such as proof of residency, immunization 

11 and other medical records, birth certificates, and 

12 other documents, are obtained; and 

13 ‘‘(3) coordinate individual Head Start programs 

14 with programs for homeless children (including ef15 forts to implement subtitle B of title VII of the 

16 McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 

17 U.S.C. 11431 et seq.)).’’. 

18 SEC. 4. DESIGNATION OF HEAD START AGENCIES. 

19 Section 641(d)(4) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 

20 9836(d)(4)) is amended— 

21 (1) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ‘‘includ22 ing providing services, to the extent practicable, such 

23 as transportation, to enable such parents to partici24 pate’’ after ‘‘level’’; 
7 

•S 1101 IS 

1 (2) in subparagraph (E)(iv), by striking ‘‘; and’’ 

2 and inserting a semicolon; 

3 (3) in subparagraph (F), by inserting ‘‘and’’ 

4 after the semicolon; and 

5 (4) by adding at the end the following: 

6 ‘‘(G) to meet the needs of homeless chil7 dren (including, to the extent practicable, the 

8 transportation needs of such children), children 

9 in foster care, and children referred to Head 

10 Start programs by child welfare agencies;’’. 

11 SEC. 5. QUALITY STANDARDS; MONITORING OF HEAD 

12 START AGENCIES AND PROGRAMS. 

13 Section 641A of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 

14 9836a) is amended— 

15 (1) in subsection (a)(2)(B)— 

16 (A) in clause (iii), by inserting ‘‘homeless 

17 children, children being raised by grandparents 

18 or other relatives, children in foster care, chil19 dren referred to Head Start Programs by child 

20 welfare agencies,’’ after ‘‘children with disabil21 ities,’’; and 

22 (B) in clause (vi), by striking ‘‘background 

23 and family structure of such children’’ and in24 serting ‘‘background, family structure of such 

25 children (including the number of children 
8 

•S 1101 IS 

1 being raised by grandparents and other rel2 atives and the number of children in foster 

3 care), and the number of homeless children’’; 

4 and 

5 (2) in subsection (c)(2)(C), by striking ‘‘disabil6 ities)’’ and inserting ‘‘disabilities, homeless children, 

7 children being raised by grandparents or other rel8 atives, children in foster care, and children referred 

9 to Head Start programs by child welfare agencies)’’. 

10 SEC. 6. POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF HEAD START AGEN11 CIES. 

12 Section 642 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9837) 

13 is amended— 

14 (1) in subsection (b)— 

15 (A) in paragraph (6), by inserting ‘‘mental 

16 health services and treatment, domestic violence 

17 services, and’’ after ‘‘participating children’’; 

18 (B) in paragraph (10), by striking ‘‘; and’’ 

19 and inserting a semicolon; 

20 (C) in paragraph (11)(B), by striking the 

21 period and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

22 (D) by adding at the end the following: 

23 ‘‘(12) inform foster parents or grandparents or 

24 other relatives raising children enrolled in the Head 

25 Start program, that they have a right to participate 
9 

•S 1101 IS 

1 in programs, activities, or services carried out or 

2 provided under this subchapter.’’; 

3 (2) in subsection (c), by inserting ‘‘, the agen4 cies responsible for administering section 106 of the 

5 Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 

6 U.S.C. 5106a), parts B and E of title IV of the So7 cial Security Act (42 U.S.C. 620 et seq. and 670 et 

8 seq.), and programs under subtitle B of title VII of 

9 the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 

10 U.S.C. 11431 et seq.), homeless shelters, other so11 cial service agencies serving homeless children and 

12 families,’’ after ‘‘(42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.)’’; and 

13 (3) in subsection (d)(2)— 

14 (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘; 

15 and’’ and inserting a semicolon; 

16 (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking the 

17 period and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

18 (C) by adding at the end the following: 

19 ‘‘(C) collaborating to increase the program par20 ticipation of homeless children.’’. 

21 SEC. 7. HEAD START TRANSITION. 

22 Section 642A of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 

23 9837a) is amended— 

24 (1) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘local edu25 cational agency liaisons designated under section 
10 

•S 1101 IS 

1 722(g)(1)(J)(ii) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless 

2 Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11432(g)(1)(J)(ii)),’’ 

3 after ‘‘social workers’’; 

4 (2) in paragraph (5), by inserting ‘‘and family 

5 outreach and support efforts under subtitle B of title 

6 VII of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act 

7 (42 U.S.C. 11431 et seq.)’’ before the semicolon; 

8 (3) in paragraph (6), by striking ‘‘; and ’’ and 

9 inserting a semicolon; 

10 (4) in paragraph (7), by striking the period and 

11 inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

12 (5) by adding at the end the following: 

13 ‘‘(8) developing and implementing a system to 

14 increase program participation of underserved popu15 lations, including homeless children.’’. 

16 SEC. 8. PARTICIPATION IN HEAD START PROGRAMS. 

17 Section 645(a)(1) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 

18 9840(a)(1)) is amended— 

19 (1) in subparagraph (B), by striking clause (i) 

20 and inserting the following: 

21 ‘‘(i) programs assisted under this sub22 chapter may include— 

23 ‘‘(I) participation of homeless chil24 dren, children whose families are receiving 

25 public assistance, children in foster care, 
11 

•S 1101 IS 

1 and children who have been referred to a 

2 Head Start program by a child welfare 

3 agency; or 

4 ‘‘(II) to a reasonable extent, participa5 tion of other children in the area served 

6 who would benefit from such programs, 

7 whose families do not meet the low-income cri8 teria prescribed pursuant to subparagraph (A); 

9 and’’; and 

10 (2) in the flush matter following subparagraph 

11 (B), by adding at the end the following: ‘‘A homeless 

12 child shall automatically be deemed to meet the low13 income criteria.’’. 

14 SEC. 9. EARLY HEAD START PROGRAMS FOR FAMILIES 

15 WITH INFANTS AND TODDLERS. 

16 Section 645A of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 

17 9840a) is amended— 

18 (1) in subsection (b)— 

19 (A) in paragraph (4), by inserting ‘‘(in20 cluding parenting skills training, training in 

21 basic child development, and training to meet 

22 the special needs of their children)’’ after ‘‘role 

23 as parents’’; 

24 (B) in paragraph (5)— 
12 

•S 1101 IS 

1 (i) by inserting ‘‘(including home vis2 iting and other home-based services)’’ after 

3 ‘‘with services’’; 

4 (ii) by striking ‘‘disabilities)’’ and in5 serting ‘‘disabilities and homeless infants 

6 and toddlers (including homeless infants 

7 and toddlers with disabilities)); and 

8 (iii) by striking ‘‘services);’’ and in9 serting ‘‘services, housing services, family 

10 support services, and other child welfare 

11 services);’’; and 

12 (C) in paragraph (8), by inserting ‘‘, and 

13 the agencies responsible for administering sec14 tion 106 of the Child Abuse Prevention and 

15 Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5106a) and parts B 

16 and E of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 

17 U.S.C. 620 et seq. and 670 et seq.)’’ before the 

18 semicolon; and 

19 (2) in subsection (g)(2)(B)— 

20 (A) in clause (iii), by striking ‘‘; and’’ and 

21 inserting a semicolon; 

22 (B) in clause (iv), by striking the period 

23 and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

24 (C) by adding at the end the following: 
13 

•S 1101 IS 

1 ‘‘(v) providing professional develop2 ment designed to increase the program 

3 participation of underserved populations, 

4 including homeless infants and toddlers, 

5 infants and toddlers in foster care, and in6 fants and toddlers referred by child welfare 

7 agencies.’’. 

8 SEC. 10. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING. 

9 Section 648 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9843) 

10 is amended— 

11 (1) in subsection (c)— 

12 (A) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘disabil13 ities)’’ and inserting ‘‘disabilities, children in 

14 foster care, and children referred by child wel15 fare agencies)’’; 

16 (B) in paragraph (5), by inserting ‘‘, in17 cluding the needs of homeless children and their 

18 families’’ before the semicolon; 

19 (C) in paragraph (10), by striking ‘‘; and’’ 

20 and inserting a semicolon; 

21 (D) in paragraph (11) by striking the pe22 riod and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

23 (E) by adding at the end the following: 
14 

•S 1101 IS 

1 ‘‘(12) assist Head Start agencies and programs 

2 in increasing the program participation of homeless 

3 children.’’; and 

4 (2) in subsection (e)— 

5 (A) by inserting ‘‘training for personnel 

6 providing services to children determined to be 

7 abused or neglected, children receiving child 

8 welfare services, and children referred by child 

9 welfare agencies,’’ after ‘‘language),’’; and 

10 (B) by inserting ‘‘and family’’ after ‘‘com11 munity’’. 

12 SEC. 11. RESEARCH, DEMONSTRATIONS, AND EVALUATION. 

13 Section 649 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9844) 

14 is amended— 

15 (1) in subsection (a)(1)(B), by striking ‘‘disabil16 ities)’’ and inserting ‘‘disabilities, homeless children, 

17 children who have been abused or neglected, and 

18 children in foster care’’; and 

19 (2) in subsection (c)(1)(B) by inserting ‘‘, in20 cluding those that work with children with disabil21 ities, children who have been abused and neglected, 

22 children in foster care, children and adults who have 

23 been exposed to domestic violence, children and 

24 adults facing mental health and substance abuse 
15 

•S 1101 IS 

1 problems, and homeless children and families’’ be2 fore the semicolon. 

3 SEC. 12. REPORTS. 

4 Section 650(a) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 

5 9846(a)) is amended— 

6 (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 

7 striking ‘‘disabled and’’ and inserting ‘‘disabled chil8 dren, homeless children, children in foster care, 

9 and’’; 

10 (2) in paragraph (8), by inserting ‘‘homeless11 ness, whether the child is in foster care or was re12 ferred by a child welfare agency,’’ after ‘‘back13 ground’’; and 

14 (3) in paragraph (12), by inserting ‘‘substance 

15 abuse treatment, housing services,’’ after ‘‘physical 

16 fitness’’. 

Æ