I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1377 
To provide emergency funding for caseworkers and child protective services. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 25, 2021 
Ms. SCHRIER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Appropriations, and in addition to the Committee on the Budg-
et, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each 
case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of 
the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To provide emergency funding for caseworkers and child 
protective services. 
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 ‘‘Emergency Funding 
for Child Protection Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. ADDITIONAL AMOUNT FOR THE STATE GRANT PRO-
GRAM FOR CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT PRE-
VENTION AND TREATMENT PROGRAMS. 
(a) APPROPRIATION.—There are hereby appropriated 
to the Secretary, out of amounts in the Treasury not oth-
erwise appropriated, $500,000,000 for fiscal year 2021, 
for the purpose of providing additional funding for the 
State grant program under section 106 of the Child Abuse 
Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5106a), in ac-
cordance with this section. Such amounts shall be in addi-
tion to other amounts made available for such purpose, 
and shall remain available until expended. 
(b) EMERGENCY DESIGNATION.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The amounts provided by 
this section are designated as an emergency require-
ment pursuant to section 4(g) of the Statutory Pay- 
As-You-Go Act of 2010 (2 U.S.C. 933(g)). 
(2) DESIGNATION IN SENATE.—In the Senate, 
this section is designated as an emergency require-
ment pursuant to section 4112(a) of H. Con. Res. 
71 (115th Congress), the concurrent resolution on 
the budget for fiscal year 2018. 
(c) ALLOTMENTS.—As soon as practicable, but not 
later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary shall make allotments out of the amounts 
appropriated under subsection (a) to each State and terri-
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tory receiving an allotment under section 106(f) of the 
Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 
5106a(f)) for fiscal year 2020, in the same manner that 
amounts appropriated under section 112 of such Act (42 
U.S.C. 5106f)) are allotted to States in accordance with 
section 106(f)(2) of such Act, except that, in allotting 
amounts under this subsection, ‘‘$50,000’’ shall be 
deemed to be ‘‘$1,000,000’’ each place such amount ap-
pears in such section 106(f)(2). 
(d) USE OF FUNDS.—Amounts received by a State 
or territory under subsection (c) may be used, consistent 
with section 106 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treat-
ment Act, to— 
(1) expand the ability of caseworkers to conduct 
safe, remote and in-person, homes visits and family 
visits to investigate and treat child abuse and ne-
glect, which may include— 
(A) purchasing personal protective equip-
ment for caseworkers and families, such as 
gloves, hand sanitizer, and face masks; 
(B) providing premium pay for case-
workers conducting in-home visits; 
(C) purchasing new technology and updat-
ing or improving existing technology infrastruc-
ture for child welfare agencies; 
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(D) purchasing technology, including inter-
net access, and prepaid telephone minutes for 
families; and 
(E) training on the use of such technology 
for caseworkers, families, and child welfare 
agencies; 
(2) access consultation and services related to 
mental health, substance use disorder, and domestic 
violence, including with infant-early childhood men-
tal health providers, to train and support case-
workers in the impacts of disasters and traumatic 
experience for children (including very young chil-
dren), youth, and adults, to help caseworkers provide 
trauma-informed services; 
(3) enhance the ability of caseworkers to con-
nect families with, or facilitate access to, other serv-
ices, such as telebehavioral health care, in-person 
well-child visits with pediatricians, substance use dis-
order treatment, and early intervention and special 
education services under the Individuals with Dis-
abilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.) for 
young children with developmental delays and dis-
abilities; 
(4) address the needs, including mental health 
needs, of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and 
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queer youth who are suspected victims of child abuse 
or neglect; 
(5) purchase emergency supplies for families 
caring for children under protective services super-
vision (either at home or in foster care) and not able 
to afford them, which may include cleaning and 
sanitizing supplies, diapers, hygiene products, for-
mula for infants and toddlers, and reusable cloth 
face coverings that are consistent with the guidelines 
of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
for preventing the spread of COVID–19 among the 
general public; 
(6) provide time-limited, direct payments for 
families caring for children under protective services 
supervision (either at home or in foster care) who 
are applying for government-funded assistance pro-
grams, to serve as a bridge until the family receives 
or is denied such assistance; 
(7) provide support, including assistance pay-
ments, training or mentorship in navigating virtual 
platforms such as virtual learning and telehealth, 
and access to legal representation, as needed, to rel-
atives or fictive kin to care for children, in lieu of 
placing such children in foster care, in the event that 
such children’s parents— 
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(A) are diagnosed with COVID–19; or 
(B) are unable to care for their children 
due to health or economic concerns stemming 
from the COVID–19 pandemic; 
(8) provide access to legal assistance for rel-
atives or fictive kin raising children with no parental 
involvement to make alternative plans for the chil-
dren in the event the caregivers die or become un-
able to care for the children; and 
(9) carry out such other activities that enhance 
the ability of the State or territory to protect chil-
dren and support families during the COVID–19 
pandemic. 
(e) NO STATE MATCH REQUIRED.—A State or terri-
tory shall not be required to provide any additional fund-
ing for the State program under section 106 of the Child 
Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act as a condition for 
receiving an allocation under subsection (c). 
(f) REPORTS.—Each State or territory receiving an 
allotment under this section shall submit to the Secretary, 
every 6 months until the amount so allotted has been fully 
expended, a report detailing how such State or territory 
is using such allotment in accordance with the require-
ments of this section. 
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SEC. 3. ADDITIONAL AMOUNT FOR COMMUNITY-BASED 
GRANTS FOR THE PREVENTION OF CHILD 
ABUSE AND NEGLECT. 
(a) APPROPRIATION.—There are hereby appropriated 
to the Secretary, out of amounts in the Treasury not oth-
erwise appropriated, $1,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2021, 
for the purpose of providing additional funding for the 
community-based grants for the prevention of child abuse 
and neglect under title II of the Child Abuse Prevention 
and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5116 et seq.), in accord-
ance with this section. Such amounts shall be in addition 
to other amounts made available for such purpose, and 
shall remain available until expended. 
(b) EMERGENCY DESIGNATION.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The amounts provided by 
this section are designated as an emergency require-
ment pursuant to section 4(g) of the Statutory Pay- 
As-You-Go Act of 2010 (2 U.S.C. 933(g)). 
(2) DESIGNATION IN SENATE.—In the Senate, 
this section is designated as an emergency require-
ment pursuant to section 4112(a) of H. Con. Res. 
71 (115th Congress), the concurrent resolution on 
the budget for fiscal year 2018. 
(c) ALLOTMENTS.—As soon as practicable, but not 
later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary shall make allotments out of the amounts 
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appropriated under subsection (a) to each State receiving 
an allotment under section 203 of the Child Abuse Preven-
tion and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5116b) for fiscal year 
2020, in the same manner that amounts appropriated 
under section 209 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 5116i) are allot-
ted to States in accordance with section 203 of such Act, 
except that, in allotting amounts under this subsection— 
(1) in subsection (a) of such section 203, ‘‘1 
percent’’ shall be deemed to be ‘‘5 percent’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)(1)(A) of such section 
203— 
(A) ‘‘70 percent’’ shall be deemed to be 
‘‘100 percent’’; and 
(B) ‘‘$175,000’’ shall be deemed to be 
‘‘$1,000,000’’; and 
(3) subsections (b)(1)(B) and (c) of such sec-
tion 203 shall not apply. 
(d) USE OF FUNDS.—Amounts received by a State 
under subsection (c) may be used, consistent with title II 
of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, to— 
(1) provide services and supports to help fami-
lies build protective factors linked to the prevention 
of child abuse and neglect; 
(2) purchase emergency supplies and basic ne-
cessities for families, which may include diapers and 
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infant hygiene products, formula, non-perishable 
food, water, soap, hand sanitizer, and reusable cloth 
face coverings that are consistent with the guidelines 
of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
for preventing the spread of COVID–19 among the 
general public; 
(3) provide time-limited, direct payments for 
families caring for children under protective services 
supervision (either at home or in foster care) who 
are applying for government-funded assistance pro-
grams, to serve as a bridge until the family receives 
or is denied such assistance; 
(4) maximize the participation of racial and 
ethnic minorities; children and adults with disabil-
ities; families experiencing domestic violence; fami-
lies experiencing homelessness and those at risk of 
homelessness; families with low-incomes and families 
with caregivers recently unemployed; lesbian, gay, bi-
sexual, transgender, and queer youth; relative and 
fictive kin caregivers and the children raised by such 
caregivers; and young parents in community-based 
and 
prevention-focused 
programs 
designed 
to 
strengthen and support families to prevent child 
abuse and neglect; 
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(5) bolster the efforts of the State hotlines by 
publicizing such hotlines, hiring more staff, and in-
creasing hours of operation; 
(6) establish satellite locations and mobile units 
for community based nonprofit organizations and 
family resource centers so families can access re-
sources and services in a safe manner; 
(7) hire, and provide premium pay to, social 
program navigators, parent coaches, and home visi-
tors to reach more families; 
(8) purchase technology, including internet ac-
cess, for staff and families to support the prevention 
of child abuse and neglect, and train staff and fami-
lies to facilitate usage of such technology; 
(9) develop and distribute parenting tip sheets 
and guides for families that address topics that may 
include— 
(A) children’s responses to trauma caused 
by the COVID–19 pandemic; 
(B) adult self-care and stress management; 
(C) familial conflict resolution and de-esca-
lation; 
(D) maintaining healthy attachments be-
tween caregivers and children, and where ap-
propriate, birth parents; 
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(E) understanding the intersection of trau-
ma with childhood development; and 
(F) other tips and advice pertinent to 
maintaining child and parent and caregiver 
well-being during the COVID–19 pandemic; 
(10) develop and distribute mandatory reporter 
tip sheets and guides that address topics that may 
include— 
(A) recognizing and reporting child abuse 
and neglect in a virtual environment; 
(B) helping parents, caregivers, and kin 
access community supports to help families with 
non-safety concerns outside of the child welfare 
system; and 
(C) other tips or advice pertinent to recog-
nizing and reporting child abuse or neglect, or 
supporting families at risk of child abuse or ne-
glect, during the COVID–19 pandemic; 
(11) access services related to mental health, 
substance use disorder, and domestic violence, in-
cluding infant-early childhood mental health services, 
through consultants to train and support staff 
around the impacts of the COVID–19 pandemic, 
about the intersection of trauma with childhood de-
velopment, and establish or support local trauma re-
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