I 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6280 
To amend title V of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services to give priority to eligible entities that 
partner with certain community partners with respect to grants awarded 
under the maternal, infant, and early childhood home visitation program, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 28, 2016 
Mr. RUIZ introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, 
in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the juris-
diction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend title V of the Social Security Act to direct the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services to give priority 
to eligible entities that partner with certain community 
partners with respect to grants awarded under the ma-
ternal, infant, and early childhood home visitation pro-
gram, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Ensuring Healthy Be-
ginnings Act’’. 
SEC. 2. GIVING PRIORITY TO CERTAIN ELIGIBLE ENTITIES 
UNDER 
MATERNAL, 
INFANT, 
AND 
EARLY 
CHILDHOOD HOME VISITATION PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 511(c) of the Social Secu-
rity Act (42 U.S.C. 711(c)) is amended by adding at the 
end the following new paragraphs: 
‘‘(5) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under this 
section, the Secretary shall give priority to applica-
tions submitted by an eligible entities that are work-
ing in partnership with qualified community part-
ners. 
‘‘(6) STANDARDIZED
MATERIALS.—The Sec-
retary shall develop standard materials on the avail-
ability of the items and services described in sub-
section (k)(5) for dissemination by eligible entities 
whose applications are given priority under para-
graph (5).’’. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—Section 511(k) of the Social Se-
curity Act is amended by adding at the end the following 
new paragraphs: 
‘‘(4) COMMUNITY PARTNER.—The term ‘com-
munity partner’ includes any of the following: 
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‘‘(A) A local educational agency, elemen-
tary school, or secondary school (as those terms 
are defined in section 8101 of the Elementary 
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 7801)). 
‘‘(B) A law enforcement agency. 
‘‘(C) A hospital, community health center, 
or a local healthcare organization that furnishes 
items and services primarily to pregnant 
women, infants, and young children. 
‘‘(5) QUALIFIED
COMMUNITY
PARTNER.—The 
term ‘qualified community partner’ means a commu-
nity partner that provides, with respect to pregnant 
women, first-time mothers, and families described in 
subsection (d)(4), any of the following items and 
services: 
‘‘(A) Outreach services. 
‘‘(B) 
Literature, 
including 
pamphlets, 
newsletters, or online mass distributions. 
‘‘(C) Assistance in obtaining any informa-
tion on assistance which a pregnant woman, 
first-time mother, or a family described in such 
subsection may be eligible to receive, including 
counseling, employment and training assistance, 
educational assistance, and health care services. 
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‘‘(D) Assistance in obtaining and coordi-
nating the provision of other public benefits 
provided through Federal, State or local agen-
cies or other community partners, including any 
of the following services: 
‘‘(i) Marriage counseling. 
‘‘(ii) Child assistance services. 
‘‘(iii) Suicide prevention services. 
‘‘(iv) Substance abuse awareness and 
treatment services. 
‘‘(v) Mental health awareness and 
treatment services. 
‘‘(vi) Financial counseling. 
‘‘(vii) Anger management counseling. 
‘‘(viii) Domestic violence awareness 
and prevention services. 
‘‘(ix) Employment assistance. 
‘‘(x) Transportation services. 
‘‘(xi) Child care services. 
‘‘(xii) Housing counseling. 
‘‘(xiii) Assistance with preparing and 
updating family care plans.’’. 
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(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply with respect to grants awarded on 
or after the date of the enactment of this section. 
Æ 
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