Supporting Families Act
Bill: S.1922 | Sponsor: Sen. Hickenlooper, John W. (D-CO)
Policy area: Families

Summary:
Supporting Families Act
This bill modifies the Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention grant program to provide for the use of such funds for parent support and education programs that build protective factors linked to the prevention of child abuse and neglect.

To amend title II of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Supporting Families Act''.

SEC. 2. CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT ACT AMENDMENTS.

    (a) Purpose and Authority of Community-Based Grants for the 
Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect.--Section 201 of the Child Abuse 
Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5116) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by amending paragraph (2) to read as 
        follows:
            ``(2) to increase access to a continuum of community-based 
        and prevention-focused programs and activities designed to 
        strengthen and support families to prevent child abuse and 
        neglect, among diverse populations, in order to help families 
        develop protective factors linked to the prevention of child 
        abuse and neglect.''; and
            (2) in subsection (b)(1)--
                    (A) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through (H) 
                as subparagraphs (B) through (I), respectively; and
                    (B) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by 
                striking ``(1) developing, operating,'' and all that 
                follows through ``existing strengths that--'' and 
                inserting the following:
            ``(1) providing community-based and prevention-focused 
        programs and activities designed to strengthen and support 
        families to prevent child abuse and neglect in order to help 
        families build protective factors linked to the prevention of 
        child abuse and neglect that--
                    ``(A) are accessible, effective, culturally-
                responsive, and build upon existing strengths;''.
    (b) Application.--Section 204 of the Child Abuse Prevention and 
Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5116d) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (11), by striking ``; and'' and inserting 
        a semicolon;
            (2) in paragraph (12), by striking the period and inserting 
        ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(13) a description of how the lead entity will use grant 
        funds received under this title to provide community-based and 
        prevention-focused programs and activities designed to 
        strengthen and support families to prevent child abuse and 
        neglect, in a manner that--
                    ``(A) helps families build protective factors that 
                are linked to the prevention of child abuse and 
                neglect, including knowledge of parenting and child 
                development, parental resilience, social connections, 
                time-limited and need-based concrete support, and 
                social and emotional development of children;
                    ``(B) is trauma-informed, culturally-responsive, 
                and takes into consideration the assets and needs of 
                communities that the entity serves; and
                    ``(C) promotes coordination between local programs, 
                public agencies, and relevant private entities to 
                develop and expand a continuum of primary preventive 
                supports that promote child, parent, and family well-
                being, with a focus on increasing access to services 
                for diverse populations.''.
    (c) Local Program Requirements.--Section 205(a)(3)(A) of the Child 
Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5116e(a)(3)(A)) is 
amended--
            (1) by redesignating clauses (ii) through (iv) as clauses 
        (iii) through (v), respectively; and
            (2) by striking clause (i) and inserting the following:
                    ``(i) parent support and education programs that 
                build protective factors linked to the prevention of 
                child abuse and neglect;
                    ``(ii) mutual support and self help, and parent 
                leadership services;''.
    (d) Definitions.--Section 208 of the Child Abuse Prevention and 
Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5116h) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
            ``(3) Protective factors linked to the prevention of child 
        abuse and neglect.--The term `protective factors linked to the 
        prevention of child abuse and neglect' means evidence-based or 
        evidence-informed factors that have been demonstrated to ensure 
        that families are more likely to be healthy and strong and less 
        likely to experience child abuse and neglect. Such factors 
        include knowledge of parenting and child development, parental 
        resilience, social connections, concrete supports in times of 
        need, and support for the social and emotional development of 
        children.''.
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