I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7689 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention, to support research and programmatic 
efforts that will build on previous research on the effects of adverse 
childhood experiences. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 20, 2020 
Mrs. MCBATH introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to direct the Sec-
retary of Health and Human Services, acting through 
the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, to support research and programmatic ef-
forts that will build on previous research on the effects 
of adverse childhood experiences. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; FINDINGS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Improving Data Collection for Adverse Childhood Experi-
ences Act’’. 
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(b) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) Certain negative events, circumstances, or 
maltreatment to which children may be exposed, 
known as adverse childhood experiences, are associ-
ated with negative health outcomes. 
(2) Childhood psychological, physical, or sexual 
abuse; household challenges such as violence, sub-
stance use, mental illness, separation or divorce, or 
incarceration of a family member; and emotional or 
physical neglect have been shown to negatively im-
pact a person’s long-term health and wellbeing. 
(3) Adverse childhood experiences and associ-
ated conditions such as living in under-resourced or 
racially segregated neighborhoods, frequently mov-
ing, experiencing food insecurity, and other insta-
bility can cause toxic stress, a prolonged activation 
of the stress-response system. 
(4) Experiencing one or more adverse childhood 
experiences is associated with higher risks of some 
of the leading causes of death and disability in the 
United States. 
(5) More than half of all Americans have expe-
rienced one or more adverse childhood experiences. 
(6) The Centers for Disease Control and Pre-
vention has recognized adverse childhood experiences 
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as a major public health concern and made it a pri-
ority area for focus in the National Center for In-
jury Prevention and Control at the Centers for Dis-
ease Control and Prevention. 
(7) Further research is needed to better define 
adverse childhood experiences, understand the causal 
pathway between adverse childhood experiences and 
physical health outcomes, and identify protective fac-
tors against adverse childhood experiences and their 
effects, in order to inform and improve current pro-
grams and future efforts to promote public health. 
(8) Evidence-based prevention and mitigation 
strategies to address adverse childhood experiences 
have been identified, but efforts are needed to facili-
tate implementation in communities. 
SEC. 2. SUPPORTING RESEARCH ON ADVERSE CHILDHOOD 
EXPERIENCES. 
Part J of title III of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 280b et seq.) is amended by inserting after 
section 393D (42 U.S.C. 280b–1f) the following: 
‘‘SEC. 393E. SUPPORTING RESEARCH ON PREVENTING OR 
REMEDIATING ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPE-
RIENCES. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through 
the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Pre-
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vention, may, in cooperation with the States, collect and 
report data on adverse childhood experiences through the 
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, the Youth 
Risk Behavior Surveillance System, or other relevant pub-
lic health surveys or questionnaires to contribute to a lon-
gitudinal study that— 
‘‘(1) builds on previous literature, including the 
seminal CDC–Kaiser Permanente Adverse Childhood 
Experiences (ACE) Study, on the biology and neuro-
science of childhood adversity that establishes the 
links between adverse childhood experiences and neg-
ative outcomes; 
‘‘(2) that focuses on elements not included in 
the study referred to in paragraph (1), including— 
‘‘(A) the inclusion of a diverse nationally 
representative sample of participants; 
‘‘(B) the strength of the relationship be-
tween individual, specific adverse childhood ex-
periences and negative health outcomes; 
‘‘(C) the intensity and frequency of adverse 
childhood experiences; 
‘‘(D) the relative strength of particular 
risk and protective factors; and 
‘‘(E) the effect of social, economic, and 
community conditions on health and well-being. 
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‘‘(b) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary may, 
directly or through awards of grants or contracts to public 
or non-profit private entities, provide technical assistance 
with respect to the collection and reporting of data as de-
scribed in subsection (a). 
‘‘(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2026.’’. 
Æ 
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