Community Access, Resources, and Education for Families Act

To amend the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to establish a grant program to provide grants to local agencies and clinics to improve the health of mothers and infants, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Community Access, Resources, and Education for Families Act CARE for Families Act 2. Funds for community health partnership outreach Section 17(h) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 ( 42 U.S.C. 1786(h) (15) Community health partnerships grants (A) Program established Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall carry out a grant program to make grants to local agencies and clinics to carry out activities to enhance collaboration between— (i) such local agencies and clinics and community health partners, including other health care providers, social services programs, and early childhood learning and care providers, for the purposes of— (I) establishing linkages between such entities, such as through participation in community coalitions; (II) facilitating referrals between such entities; (III) implementing evidence-based strategies to improve the health of communities, conduct outreach to eligible participants, and promote breastfeeding and access to healthy foods; and (IV) increasing awareness among such entities and program participants (including potential program participants) of the eligibility requirements for, and health benefits of, the program; and (ii) such local agencies and clinics and other health care providers, including pediatricians, obstetricians-gynecologists, family physicians, advance practice nurses, nurse midwives, community health centers, health departments, hospitals, and rural health clinics, for the purposes of— (I) facilitating and improving access to comprehensive prenatal, postnatal, and postpartum care for program participants; (II) facilitating certification of eligibility of persons for participation in the program and provision of program benefits at the hospital bedside for eligible postpartum women and infants; (III) improving the coordination, quality, and cost effectiveness of health care services; (IV) improving the sharing of information necessary to establish nutritional risk under subsection (b)(8); and (V) ensuring consistent nutrition education and breastfeeding messages are provided to program participants. (B) Application To be eligible to receive a grant under this paragraph, a local agency or clinic shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. (C) Authorization of appropriations (i) In general From amounts appropriated under subsection (g), $15,000,000 may be made available to carry out this paragraph for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2025. (ii) Adjustment The amount specified in clause (i) shall be adjusted annually for inflation by the same factor used to determine the national average per participant grant for nutrition services and administration for the fiscal year under paragraph (1)(B). (D) Definitions In this paragraph: (i) Program The term program (ii) Program participant The term program participant .

Summary: Community Access, Resources, and Education for Families Act or the CARE for Families Act This bill establishes a grant program in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to facilitate collaboration between WIC agencies and clinics and community health partners, including health care providers, social services programs, and early childhood learning and care providers. Among other purposes, WIC agencies and clinics may use grants to (1) promote community health and nutrition, (2) create linkages among such community partners, (3) ensure consistent nutrition education and breastfeeding information, and (4) conduct outreach and enrollment for eligible participants.