I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5191 
To reauthorize the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 20, 2019 
Mr. YARMUTH (for himself, Mr. BACON, Mrs. HAYES, and Ms. JAYAPAL) in-
troduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Edu-
cation and Labor 
A BILL 
To reauthorize the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, and 
for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Runaway and Home-
less Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act of 2019’’. 
SEC. 2. REFERENCES. 
Except as otherwise specifically provided, whenever in 
this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms 
of an amendment to, or repeal of, a provision, the amend-
ment or repeal shall be considered to be made to a provi-
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sion of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (34 U.S.C. 
11201 et seq.). 
SEC. 3. FINDINGS. 
Section 302 (34 U.S.C. 11201) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘share of, se-
rious health, behavioral, and emotional problems’’ 
and inserting ‘‘share of, trauma, serious health, be-
havioral, social, and emotional problems, and sub-
stance use disorder,’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘socially, 
age, gender, developmentally, culturally and’’ before 
‘‘linguistically appropriate’’; 
(3) by redesignating paragraphs (3) through 
(6), as paragraphs (4) through (7), respectively; 
(4) by inserting after paragraph (2) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(3) research has documented that youth expe-
rience homelessness as fluid, such that many youth 
experience 2 to 3 different types of homelessness, in-
cluding couch surfing, emergency shelters, and stay-
ing on the streets;’’; 
(5) in paragraph (4)(C), as redesignated by 
paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘social contribution’’ and 
inserting ‘‘self-advocacy’’; 
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(6) in paragraph (4)(E), as redesignated by 
paragraph (3), by inserting ‘‘and peer’’ before ‘‘rela-
tionships’’; 
(7) in paragraph (5), as redesignated by para-
graph (3), by striking ‘‘outside the welfare system 
and the law enforcement system’’ and inserting ‘‘, in 
collaboration with public assistance systems, the law 
enforcement system, and the child welfare system’’; 
(8) in paragraph (6), as redesignated by para-
graph (3)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘a safe place to live, con-
nection to caring adults, and’’ after ‘‘youth 
need’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(9) in paragraph (7), as redesignated by para-
graph (3)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘between the Federal pro-
grams that serve runaway and homeless youth 
are’’ and inserting ‘‘at the Federal level’’; and 
(B) by striking the period at the end and 
inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(10) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(8) runaway and homeless youth are at a high 
risk of substance use disorder and becoming victims 
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of sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, trafficking in 
persons, and sex trafficking; 
‘‘(9) research has shown that— 
‘‘(A) the prevalence of homelessness among 
youth and young adults is similar in rural and 
urban communities; and 
‘‘(B) runaway and homeless youth pro-
grams, such as those funded under this Act, are 
integral services that every community, regard-
less of size, should provide; and 
‘‘(10) runaway and homeless youth programs 
provide expert adolescent services and are integral 
community partners for the child welfare and juve-
nile justice systems.’’. 
SEC. 4. BASIC CENTER GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) GRANTS FOR CENTERS AND SERVICES.—Section 
311(a) (34 U.S.C. 11211(a)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘The Secretary’’ and in-
serting ‘‘Every 2 or 3 years, the Secretary’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘and operate’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘, operate, and maintain’’; 
(C) by striking ‘‘services’’ and all that fol-
lows through the period at the end and insert-
ing ‘‘safe shelter and services, including trau-
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ma-informed services, for runaway and home-
less youth and, if appropriate, services for the 
families of such youth, including (if appro-
priate) individuals identified by such youth as 
family.’’; and 
(D) by inserting ‘‘Grants shall be awarded 
for a 5-year period.’’ after ‘‘by such youth as 
family.’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) by striking subparagraph (A) and in-
serting the following: 
‘‘(A) shall be provided to runaway youth, 
street youth, homeless youth, and youth at risk 
of separation from his or her family or at risk 
of becoming homeless;’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (B)— 
(i) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘21 days; 
and’’ and inserting ‘‘30 days or the max-
imum allowed by the State, whichever is 
greater;’’; 
(ii) by striking clause (ii) and insert-
ing the following: 
‘‘(ii) age, gender, developmentally, 
and culturally and linguistically appro-
priate individual, family, and group coun-
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seling, as appropriate (including, if appro-
priate, counseling for individuals identified 
by such youth as family); and’’; and 
(iii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(iii) 
suicide 
prevention 
services; 
and’’; and 
(C) in subparagraph (C)— 
(i) in clause (ii), by inserting ‘‘age, 
gender, developmentally, and culturally and 
linguistically appropriate, to the extent 
practicable,’’ before ‘‘home-based services’’; 
(ii) in clause (iii), by striking ‘‘and’’ 
after the semicolon; 
(iii) in clause (iv), by striking ‘‘dis-
eases.’’ and inserting ‘‘infections;’’; and 
(iv) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(v) trauma-informed and gender-re-
sponsive services for runaway or homeless 
youth, including such youth who are vic-
tims of sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, 
trafficking in persons, or sex trafficking; 
and 
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‘‘(vi) if safe and appropriate, supports 
for youth and their parents, legal guard-
ians, or (if appropriate) those identified by 
such youth as family, including— 
‘‘(I) an assessment of family en-
gagement to improve support for 
youth (and if appropriate) reunify 
youth; 
‘‘(II) 
strength-based 
interven-
tions; and 
‘‘(III) ongoing supportive serv-
ices.’’. 
(b) ELIGIBILITY; PLAN REQUIREMENTS.—Section 
312 (34 U.S.C. 11212) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by inserting ‘‘, to youth 
who are at risk of separation from the family,’’ after 
‘‘guardians’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘facility’’ 
and inserting ‘‘project’’; 
(B) in paragraph (2)(A)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘facility’’ and inserting 
‘‘project’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘requires’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘allows’’; 
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(C) in paragraph (5), by inserting ‘‘, or (if 
appropriate) individuals identified by such 
youth as family,’’ after ‘‘parents or legal guard-
ians’’; 
(D) in paragraph (6)— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘(which may include 
the use of online resources in order to 
reach and engage youth)’’ after ‘‘pro-
grams’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘cultural minority and 
persons with limited ability to speak 
English’’ and inserting ‘‘cultural minority, 
persons with limited ability to speak 
English, and runaway or homeless youth 
who are victims of sexual abuse, sexual ex-
ploitation, trafficking in persons, or sex 
trafficking’’; 
(E) by striking paragraph (7) and insert-
ing the following: 
‘‘(7) shall keep adequate statistical records 
profiling the youth and family members of such 
youth whom the applicant serves, including demo-
graphic information on and the number of such 
youth who— 
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‘‘(A) are not referred to out-of-home shel-
ter services; 
‘‘(B) are members of vulnerable or under-
served populations; 
‘‘(C) are victims of sexual abuse, sexual ex-
ploitation, trafficking in persons, or sex traf-
ficking; 
‘‘(D) are pregnant or parenting; 
‘‘(E) have been involved in the child wel-
fare system; and 
‘‘(F) have been involved in the juvenile jus-
tice system;’’; 
(F) by striking paragraph (8) and insert-
ing the following: 
‘‘(8) shall ensure that— 
‘‘(A) the records described in paragraph 
(7), on an individual runaway or homeless 
youth, shall not be disclosed without the con-
sent of the individual youth and of the parent 
or legal guardian of such youth or (if appro-
priate) an individual identified by such youth as 
family, to anyone other than another agency 
compiling statistical records or a government 
agency involved in the disposition of criminal 
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charges against an individual runaway or home-
less youth; and 
‘‘(B) reports or other documents based on 
the statistics described in paragraph (7) shall 
not disclose the identity of any individual run-
away or homeless youth;’’; 
(G) in paragraph (12)— 
(i) by striking subparagraph (B) and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘(B) detailed information on how the cen-
ter has been able to meet the goals of its plans; 
and’’; and 
(ii) in subparagraph (C)— 
(I) by striking clause (i) and in-
serting the following: 
‘‘(i) the number and characteristics of 
runaway and homeless youth, and youth at 
risk of family separation, who participate 
in the project, including such information 
on— 
‘‘(I) such youth (including run-
away and homeless youth, and youth 
at risk of family separation) who are 
victims of sexual abuse, sexual exploi-
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tation, trafficking in persons, or sex 
trafficking; 
‘‘(II) such youth who are preg-
nant or parenting; 
‘‘(III) such youth who have been 
involved in the child welfare system; 
and 
‘‘(IV) such youth who have been 
involved in the juvenile justice system; 
and’’; and 
(II) in clause (ii), by striking 
‘‘and’’ after the semicolon; 
(H) in paragraph (13) by striking the pe-
riod at the end and inserting ‘‘for natural disas-
ters, inclement weather, and mental health 
emergencies;’’; and 
(I) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(14) shall provide age, gender, develop-
mentally, and culturally and linguistically appro-
priate, to the extent practicable, services to runaway 
and homeless youth; and 
‘‘(15) shall inform youth of their status as inde-
pendent students under section 480 of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087vv), provide 
verification of such status for the purposes of the 
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Free Application for Federal Student Aid described 
in section 483 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1090), and assist youth in completing 
this application at the youth’s request.’’; 
(3) in subsection (d)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘age, gender, develop-
mentally, and culturally and linguistically 
appropriate, to the extent practicable,’’ 
after ‘‘provide’’; 
(ii) by striking ‘‘families (including 
unrelated individuals in the family house-
holds) of such youth’’ and inserting ‘‘fami-
lies of such youth (including unrelated in-
dividuals in the family households of such 
youth and, if appropriate, individuals iden-
tified by such youth as family)’’; and 
(iii) by inserting ‘‘suicide prevention,’’ 
after ‘‘physical health care,’’; 
(B) in paragraph (4)— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘, including training 
on trauma-informed and youth-centered 
care’’ after ‘‘home-based services’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘and’’ after the semi-
colon; and 
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the Office of Minority Health of the Department of 
Health and Human Services.’’; 
(3) in paragraph (4)(A) (as so redesignated)— 
(A) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘21’’ and in-
serting ‘‘26’’; and 
(B) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘and either’’ 
and all that follows through the end of the 
clause and inserting ‘‘but less than 26 years of 
age;’’; 
(4) in paragraph (6)(B)(as so redesignated)— 
(A) in clause (i), by striking the semicolon 
and inserting ‘‘, including the use of online 
methods of engagement, as appropriate, based 
on the needs of the community and population 
served;’’; and 
(B) in clause (v), by striking subclauses (I) 
through (IV) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(I) alcohol and substance use 
disorder; 
‘‘(II) sexual abuse, sexual exploi-
tation, trafficking in persons, and sex 
trafficking; 
‘‘(III) sexually transmitted infec-
tions, 
including 
human 
immuno-
deficiency virus (HIV); 
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