I 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5654 
To authorize a program to provide grants to youth-serving organizations 
that carry out child-parent visitation programs for children with incarcer-
ated parents. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 14, 2008 
Mr. RUSH (for himself, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Ms. KILPATRICK, Mr. 
BUTTERFIELD, Mr. ELLISON, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Ms. MOORE of Wis-
consin, Mr. PAYNE, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Mr. 
COHEN, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Ms. WATSON, Mrs. CAPPS, Ms. BALD-
WIN, Ms. HARMAN, Mr. CLAY, Ms. CLARKE, Mr. RUPPERSBERGER, Mr. 
LARSON of Connecticut, Ms. DELAURO, and Mr. HASTINGS of Florida) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Education and Labor 
A BILL 
To authorize a program to provide grants to youth-serving 
organizations that carry out child-parent visitation pro-
grams for children with incarcerated parents. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Families Beyond Bars 
Act of 2008’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds as follows: 
(1) The Bureau of Justice Statistics estimates 
that 1,500,000 children in the United States have at 
least one incarcerated parent, and an estimated 
10,000,000 more individuals have at least one par-
ent who was incarcerated at some point during the 
individual’s childhood. 
(2) In 2006, the Bureau of Justice Statistics 
estimated that 75 percent of incarcerated women 
were mothers, two-thirds of whom were mothers of 
children under the age of 18, and an estimated 32 
percent of incarcerated men were fathers of children 
under the age of 18. 
(3) The trauma associated with having an in-
carcerated parent has been well-documented, and in-
cludes depression, aggression, low self-esteem, poor 
academic performance, truancy, attention deficit dis-
orders, substance abuse, teen pregnancy, and symp-
toms of post-traumatic stress disorder. 
(4) The Bureau of Justice Statistics estimates 
that children with imprisoned parents may be almost 
6 times more likely than their peers to be incarcer-
ated. 
(5) Increased visitation between incarcerated 
parents and their children can reduce the anxiety 
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and sense of loss children of incarcerated parents ex-
perience. This beneficial, low-cost activity may also 
contribute to a reduction in future crime committed 
by, and incarceration of, children of incarcerated 
parents. 
(6) Participation in a comprehensive visitation 
program allows children of incarcerated parents to 
build relationships with caring adults and experience 
opportunities for meaningful involvement and mem-
bership, helping to reduce the negative effects of 
parent-child separation. 
(7) The incarceration of women who are moth-
ers introduces significant changes to the family 
structure, income level, living arrangements, and 
emotional support systems of their children. The in-
carceration of mothers is often more disruptive than 
the incarceration of fathers, because an estimated 
two-thirds of mothers who are incarcertated serve as 
the primary caregiver for at least one child before 
arrest. 
(8) Incarceration can present an opportunity to 
enhance parenting skills, encourage children to resist 
peer pressure, and foster high parental expectations 
for their children’s school work. 
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SEC. 3. BEYOND BARS GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) GRANT PROGRAM ESTABLISHED.— 
(1) GRANTS AUTHORIZED.—The Attorney Gen-
eral is authorized to award grants to qualified orga-
nizations to carry out child-parent visitation pro-
grams that foster and develop familial ties between 
eligible children and their incarcerated parents. 
(2) GRANT AMOUNT.—A grant awarded under 
this section to a qualified organization may not be 
less than $200,000 nor more than $310,000. 
(3) GRANT PERIOD; RENEWABILITY.—A grant 
awarded under this section shall be for not less than 
a 3-year period and not more than a 5-year period, 
and may be renewed. 
(b) GRANT USES.—Grants awarded under this sec-
tion may be used by a qualified organization to— 
(1) organize and lead group meetings, in ac-
cordance with subsection (c); 
(2) provide counseling to eligible children, and 
to their incarcerated parents; 
(3) select one or more qualified program 
facilitators to— 
(A) organize and lead group meetings, in 
accordance with subsection (c); and 
(B) provide counseling to eligible children, 
and to their incarcerated parents; 
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(4) provide to one or more such qualified pro-
gram facilitators a monthly stipend in accordance 
with subsection (d); 
(5) provide transportation for eligible children 
to attend such group meetings, and provide volun-
teer support to assist in such transportation; 
(6) provide security for eligible children during 
such group meetings, and comply with applicable se-
curity procedures required by the facility at which 
the eligible children’s parents are incarcerated; 
(7) provide enrichment activities for incarcer-
ated parents of eligible children during incarceration 
and pre-release, including parenting classes and 
transition programs; 
(8) provide connections to and coordination 
with community and social services and other sup-
port to eligible children, incarcerated parents, and 
individuals who serve as guardians of eligible chil-
dren while the eligible children’s parents are incar-
cerated; 
(9) obtain program materials and other supplies 
necessary to carry out other grant activities required 
or permitted under this subsection; 
(10) conduct periodic evaluations of the activi-
ties carried out with a grant under this section, in-
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cluding volunteer recruitment, parental support and 
development, measurement of children’s opportuni-
ties to build meaningful relationships with caring 
adults, and measurement of children’s opportunities 
for meaningful involvement and membership; 
(11) develop best practices regarding child-par-
ent visitation programs for eligible children and their 
incarcerated parents, based on the evaluations con-
ducted under paragraph (10); 
(12) provide age-appropriate enrichment activi-
ties for children, including activities related to basic 
life skills, hygiene, healthy and drug-free habits, so-
cial skills, and building self-esteem and confidence; 
(13) coordinate the logistics of the child-parent 
visitation program with the correctional facility at 
which the eligible children’s parents are incarcer-
ated; 
(14) supervise adult volunteers who are assist-
ing with the child-parent visitation program, whether 
such volunteers are working as individuals or as part 
of a team; and 
(15) conduct outreach activities to recruit eligi-
ble children. 
(c) GROUP MEETINGS.—The group meetings orga-
nized and led by a qualified organization with a grant 
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under this section shall be supervised and facilitated by 
a qualified program facilitator in accordance with the pro-
visions of this section, and shall include the following: 
(1) CHILD-PARENT
MEETINGS.—At least one 
day each month, a meeting that provides an oppor-
tunity for eligible children to visit their incarcerated 
parents in the prison facility in which their parents 
are incarcerated, and to take part in child-parent ac-
tivities based on evidence-based programs and 
emerging best practices that foster and develop fa-
milial ties. Such meeting shall provide a supportive 
environment for child-parent interaction, and may 
include arts and crafts, games, community service 
projects, and informal group mentoring sessions. 
(2) MEETINGS FOR CHILDREN.—At least one 
day each month, on a day other than the day de-
scribed in paragraph (1), a meeting in a location 
other than a prison facility that provides an oppor-
tunity for eligible children to build interpersonal 
problem-solving skills, character, self-confidence, and 
self-esteem by— 
(A) taking part in— 
(i) activities based on evidence-based 
programs and emerging best practices that 
address traumatic stress in children, such 
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as programs and practices recommended 
by the National Child Traumatic Stress 
Network; 
(ii) community service projects; and 
(iii) recreational activities; and 
(B) holding planning meetings. 
(3) MEETINGS
FOR
PARENTS.—At least one 
day each month, on a day other than the day de-
scribed in paragraph (1), a meeting in the prison fa-
cility in which parents of eligible children are incar-
cerated, that provides an opportunity for such incar-
cerated parents to obtain and improve parenting 
skills to ensure strong family foundations upon re-
lease, which may include evidence-based programs 
and emerging best practices. 
(d) 
STIPEND
FOR
QUALIFIED
PROGRAM 
FACILITATORS.—Not more than 45 percent of the grant 
funds provided to a qualified organization under this sec-
tion may be used to provide a monthly stipend to qualified 
program facilitators. To be eligible to receive such a sti-
pend, a qualified program facilitator shall enter into an 
agreement with a qualified organization to facilitate and 
supervise group meetings in accordance with the provi-
sions of this section for not less than a one-year period, 
in exchange for such stipend. Such agreement may be re-
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newable, at the discretion of the qualified organization, for 
additional one-year periods. 
(e) APPLICATIONS; PRIORITY.— 
(1) APPLICATIONS.—A qualified organization 
interested in receiving a grant under this section 
shall submit an application to the Attorney General 
at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information as the Attorney General may require. 
Such application shall include an assurance by the 
qualified organization that the organization will pro-
vide the non-Federal share of the costs of the activi-
ties funded by a grant under this section in accord-
ance with subsection (f). 
(2) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under this 
section, the Attorney General may give priority as 
follows: 
(A) First, to qualified organizations that, 
before and on the date of enactment of this Act, 
are carrying out a child-parent visitation pro-
gram for eligible children. 
(B) Second, to qualified organizations that 
serve the greatest number of eligible children. 
(C) Third, to qualified organizations that 
demonstrate the greatest need for funds to 
serve eligible children. 
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(f) NON-FEDERAL SHARE.—A qualified organization 
receiving a grant under this section shall provide a per-
centage of the costs described in subsection (e)(1) from 
non-Federal sources, which may be contributed in cash or 
in kind, fairly evaluated, including facilities, equipment, 
or services, and which may be provided from State or local 
public sources, or through donations from private entities. 
Such percentage of the costs shall be equal to— 
(1) in the case of a qualified organization that 
was established on or after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act— 
(A) 2.5 percent for the first year of such 
grant; 
(B) 5 percent for the second year of such 
grant; 
(C) 10 percent for the third year of such 
grant; 
(D) 10 percent for the fourth year of such 
grant; and 
(E) 10 percent for the fifth year of such 
grant; and 
(2) in the case of a qualified organization that 
was established before the date of the enactment of 
this Act— 
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(A) 10 percent for the first year of such 
grant; 
(B) 15 percent for the second year of such 
grant; 
(C) 20 percent for the third year of such 
grant; 
(D) 20 percent for the fourth year of such 
grant; and 
(E) 20 percent for the fifth year of such 
grant. 
(g) REGULATIONS; REPORTS.— 
(1) REGULATIONS.—The Attorney General is 
authorized to issue such regulations as may be nec-
essary to carry out this section. 
(2) REPORTS BY ORGANIZATIONS.—Each quali-
fied organization receiving a grant under this section 
shall submit to the Attorney General an annual re-
port relating to the activities carried out with a 
grant under this section. Each such report shall in-
clude— 
(A) the evaluations conducted under sec-
tion 3(b)(10), and the best practices developed, 
if any, under section 3(b)(11); 
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(B) demographic information about the eli-
gible children served by the qualified organiza-
tion; 
(C) demographic information about any el-
igible children who applied to participate in the 
activities carried out with a grant under this 
section by the qualified organization, but who 
were not accepted for participation; and 
(D) the number of eligible children served 
by the qualified organization who have been di-
agnosed with or treated for post traumatic 
stress disorder. 
(3) REPORTS BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.— 
Not later than one year after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Attor-
ney General shall submit to Congress a report sum-
marizing the annual reports submitted to the Attor-
ney General under paragraph (2). 
SEC. 4. GAO REPORT. 
(a) STUDY.—The Comptroller General shall, subject 
to the availability of appropriations, conduct a study of 
child-parent visitation programs for eligible children, in-
cluding— 
(1) the number of eligible children and incarcer-
ated parents served by such programs; 
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(2) demographic data for participants in such 
programs, including— 
(A) eligible children; 
(B) incarcerated parents; and 
(C) individuals who serve as guardians of 
eligible children while the eligible children’s par-
ents are incarcerated; 
(3) the recidivism rates of parents who partici-
pate in such programs; 
(4) the incarceration and recidivism rates for 
children who participate in such programs; 
(5) the secondary education graduation and 
drop-out rates of eligible children who participate in 
such programs; 
(6) the teen pregnancy rates of eligible children 
who participate in such programs; 
(7) the number of eligible children who partici-
pate in such programs who have any future adverse 
contact with the justice system; 
(8) the average amount of time such programs 
have been in existence; 
(9) the average length of time eligible children 
and incarcerated parents participate in such pro-
grams; 
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(10) reasons why eligible children and incarcer-
ated parents drop out of or do not otherwise com-
plete such programs; 
(11) the average distance between where eligible 
children reside from the prison facilities in which 
their parents are incarcerated; 
(12) the types of counseling that are available 
and are being provided through such programs; 
(13) whether such programs provide long-term 
services to participants in such programs, including 
whether any services are available after participants 
have completed such programs; 
(14) methods used to evaluate the performance 
of employees and volunteers of such programs; and 
(15) the methods used by such programs to 
find and recruit eligible children and incarcerated 
parents to participate in such programs, including 
methods used in prison facilities, schools, and any 
other service organizations. 
(b) STUDY PERIODS.—The Comptroller General shall 
conduct the study under subsection (a)— 
(1) during the one-year period beginning on the 
date of the enactment of this Act; and 
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(2) during the one-year period beginning on the 
date that is 5 years after the date of the enactment 
of this Act. 
(c) REPORTS.—Not later than 30 days after the end 
of each period described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of sub-
section (b), the Comptroller General shall submit to Con-
gress a report of the findings of the study conducted under 
subsection (a). 
SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS. 
For the purposes of this Act: 
(1) 
QUALIFIED
ORGANIZATION.—The 
term 
‘‘qualified organization’’ means a non-profit organi-
zation (such as Girl Scouts of the United States of 
America, Boy Scouts of America, Volunteers of 
America, Camp Fire USA, Big Brothers Big Sisters, 
and Amachi Mentoring Program), that carries out 
child-parent visitation programs that foster and de-
velop familial ties between eligible children and their 
incarcerated parents. 
(2) ELIGIBLE CHILDREN.—The term ‘‘eligible 
children’’ means individuals who— 
(A) are not younger than age 5 and are 
not older than age 18; and 
(B) have at least one parent who— 
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(i) is incarcerated in a Federal or 
State prison; 
(ii) during the 3-month period pre-
ceding participation in the activities car-
ried out by a qualified organization under 
section 3, has displayed exemplary compli-
ance with the disciplinary regulations of 
the prison, and during such participation, 
continues to display exemplary compliance 
with such disciplinary regulations; and 
(iii) has never been convicted of or 
plead guilty to any offense involving child 
abuse or any sex offense against a minor. 
(3) PRISON.—The term ‘‘prison’’ means any 
correctional, detention, penal, pre-release, or other 
confinement facility that is administered by the Fed-
eral Government or a State, or by a private organi-
zation on behalf of the Federal Government or a 
State. 
(4) QUALIFIED
PROGRAM
FACILITATOR.—The 
term ‘‘qualified program facilitator’’ means an indi-
vidual who— 
(A) is licensed as a clinical psychologist, 
psychiatrist, or mental health professional, or is 
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working under the direct supervision of such a 
licensed individual; 
(B) is licensed as a social worker or work-
ing under the direct supervision of a licensed 
social worker; 
(C) is a licensed or certified counselor of 
mental health, including an individual, school, 
or family counselor or therapist; 
(D) is an other licensed or certified mental 
health professional qualified to provide services 
to children and adolescents; 
(E) has 5 or more years of experience 
working with children in a counseling capacity; 
or 
(F) has undergone a criminal background 
check, and has completed an orientation and all 
in-service training that is provided by a grantee 
for facilitators of a child-parent visitation pro-
gram for eligible children. 
(5) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each of 
the several States of the United States, the District 
of Columbia, and any commonwealth, possession, or 
territory of the United States. 
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SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums 
as may be necessary to carry out this Act. 
Æ 
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