Improving Data Collection for Adverse Childhood Experiences Act
Bill: S.4332 | Sponsor: Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. (I-ME)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Improving Data Collection for Adverse Childhood Experiences Act
This bill authorizes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to collect data, in cooperation with states, through relevant public health surveillance systems or surveys for a longitudinal study on the links between adverse childhood experiences and negative outcomes. In addition, the CDC may provide, directly or through grants or other agreements with public or nonprofit entities, technical assistance related to this data collection.

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.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 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 Experiences Act''.
    (b) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) Certain negative events, circumstances, or maltreatment 
        to which children may be exposed, known as adverse childhood 
        experiences (commonly referred to as ``ACEs''), are associated 
        with negative health outcomes.
            (2) Childhood psychological, physical, or sexual abuse; 
        household challenges such as violence, substance use, mental 
        illness, separation or divorce, or incarceration of a family 
        member; historical trauma; and emotional or physical neglect 
        have been shown to negatively impact a person's long-term 
        health and well-being.
            (3) Adverse childhood experiences and associated conditions 
        such as living in under-resourced or racially segregated 
        neighborhoods, frequently moving, experiencing food insecurity, 
        and other instability 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 people in the United States have 
        experienced one or more adverse childhood experiences.
            (6) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has 
        recognized adverse childhood experiences as a major public 
        health concern and made it a priority area for focus in the 
        National Center for Injury Prevention and Control of the 
        Centers for Disease 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 factors against adverse childhood 
        experiences and their effects, in order to inform and improve 
        current programs and future efforts to promote public health.
            (8) Evidence-based and culturally informed prevention and 
        mitigation strategies to address adverse childhood experiences 
        have been identified, but efforts are needed to facilitate 
        implementation in communities.
            (9) American Indian and Alaska Native communities have 
        experienced traumatic events that have had long-lasting 
        consequences for communities. More research on the critical 
        connections between historically traumatic events, contemporary 
        stressors, and adverse childhood experiences is needed.

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 EXPERIENCES.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Director of 
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 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 public 
health surveys or questionnaires to contribute to a longitudinal study 
that--
            ``(1) builds on previous literature, including the seminal 
        CDC-Kaiser Permanente Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) 
        Study, on the biology and neuroscience of childhood adversity 
        that establishes the links between adverse childhood 
        experiences and negative outcomes; and
            ``(2) 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 between 
                individual, specific adverse childhood experiences and 
                negative health outcomes;
                    ``(C) the intensity and frequency of adverse 
                childhood experiences;
                    ``(D) the relative strength of particular risk and 
                protective factors;
                    ``(E) the impact of historical trauma in 
                communities disproportionately impacted, as identified 
                by the Secretary, such as American Indians and Alaska 
                Natives, as well as the intersections between 
                historical trauma and adverse childhood experiences 
                scores; and
                    ``(F) the effect of social, economic, and community 
                conditions on health and well-being.
    ``(b) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary may, directly or through 
awards of grants or contracts to public or nonprofit private entities 
or Tribal organizations or Indian Tribes, provide technical assistance 
with respect to the collection and reporting of data as described in 
subsection (a).
    ``(c) Definitions.--In this section--
            ``(1) the term `historical trauma' means the cumulative, 
        transgenerational, collective experience of emotional and 
        psychological injury in communities; and
            ``(2) the terms `Indian Tribe' and `Tribal organization' 
        have the meanings given such terms in section 4 of the Indian 
        Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act.
    ``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $7,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2023 through 2028.''.
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