II 

112TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 2293 

To establish a national, toll-free telephone parent helpline to provide information and assistance to parents and caregivers of children to prevent 

child abuse and strengthen families. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 18, 2012 

Mrs. BOXER (for herself, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, and Mr. MERKLEY) introduced 

the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee 

on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

A BILL 

To establish a national, toll-free telephone parent helpline 

to provide information and assistance to parents and 

caregivers of children to prevent child abuse and 

strengthen families. 

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 ‘‘National Parent 

5 Helpline Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds as follows: 


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1 (1) There are approximately 149,000,000 par2 ents and caregivers in the United States. 

3 (2) Many parents and caregivers do not always 

4 have immediate access to a caring and supportive 

5 person to help them address various challenges with 

6 their children. 

7 (3) Parents and caregivers could benefit from 

8 an effective helpline that fosters the strengths par9 ents have, which would improve family and peer re10 lationships, as well as community life and society 

11 overall. 

12 (4) Congress recognizes that helpline prevention 

13 services will empower parents and caregivers to posi14 tively address child care issues and help address 

15 child maltreatment, drug and alcohol problems, men16 tal health, and personal growth and development. 

17 SEC. 3. GRANT TO ESTABLISH A NATIONAL PARENT 

18 HELPLINE. 

19 Title I of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment 

20 Act (42 U.S.C. 5101 et seq.) is amended by inserting after 

21 section 103 the following: 

22 ‘‘SEC. 103A. GRANT TO ESTABLISH A NATIONAL PARENT 

23 HELPLINE. 

24 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may award a 

25 grant to one or more nonprofit entities to— 


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1 ‘‘(1) provide for the establishment and ongoing 

2 operation of a national, toll-free telephone parent 

3 helpline to provide information and assistance to 

4 parents and caregivers to prevent child abuse and 

5 strengthen families; and 

6 ‘‘(2) create and maintain an Internet website 

7 with vital information and resources for parents and 

8 caregivers to address a broad spectrum of family 

9 issues related to emotional, social, behavioral, and 

10 educational well-being of parents and children. 

11 ‘‘(b) PRIORITY.—In awarding the grant under this 

12 section, the Secretary shall give priority to entities with 

13 experience in operating a national parent helpline that 

14 provides assistance to parents and caregivers and that op15 erates shared leadership groups for parents and children 

16 nationwide. 

17 ‘‘(c) TERM.—A grant awarded under this section may 

18 be for a period of not more than 5 years. 

19 ‘‘(d) HELPLINE ACTIVITIES.—An entity that receives 

20 a grant under this section shall use the grant funds to 

21 establish and operate a 24-hour, national, toll-free tele22 phone helpline to provide— 

23 ‘‘(1) information and assistance to parents and 

24 caregivers who are facing parenting challenges; and 


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1 ‘‘(2) a link to needed resources, with a focus on 

2 weekly shared leadership groups available nation3 wide. 

4 ‘‘(e) REPORTS AND EVALUATION.—The entity receiv5 ing a grant under this section shall submit a performance 

6 report to the Secretary at such time as shall be reasonably 

7 required by the Secretary. Such performance report shall 

8 describe the activities that have been carried out with the 

9 grant funds, contain an evaluation of the effectiveness of 

10 such activities, and provide such additional information as 

11 the Secretary may reasonably require. In the case that 

12 more than 1 entities are awarded a grant under this sec13 tion, such entities shall collaborate to prepare and submit 

14 a joint report as described in this subsection.’’. 

Æ 


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