National Child Abuse Help Hotline Act of 2021
Bill: S.886 | Sponsor: Sen. Collins, Susan M. (R-ME)
Policy area: Families

Summary:
National Child Abuse Help Hotline Act of 2021  This bill provides for a grant to establish and operate a National Child Abuse Hotline that makes available assistance and information services 24 hours a day to victims of child abuse or neglect, their families, caregivers, and individuals required by law to report suspected child abuse or neglect. The Department of Health and Human Services may award the grant to a nonprofit entity with experience operating a hotline and providing such assistance and support.

To establish a National Child Abuse Hotline.

    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 ``National Child Abuse Help Hotline 
Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE HOTLINE.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services 
(referred to in this section as the ``Secretary'') may award a grant to 
a nonprofit entity to provide for the establishment and ongoing 
operation of a National Child Abuse Hotline, which shall provide a 24-
hour, national, toll-free telephone hotline to improve capacity for the 
provision of crisis intervention, assistance, and information services 
with respect to child abuse or neglect, to victims of child abuse or 
neglect, and to parents, caregivers, mandated reporters, and other 
concerned community members, including through implementation of other 
communication technologies to improve access for such victims and other 
individuals.
    (b) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive the grant under 
subsection (a), an entity shall have experience in operating a hotline 
that provides information and assistance to victims of child abuse or 
neglect, and to parents, caregivers, and mandated reporters.
    (c) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
subsection (a), a nonprofit entity shall submit an application to the 
Secretary, at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may 
require, and containing--
            (1) a complete description of the entity's plan for the 
        operation of a national child abuse hotline, including 
        descriptions of--
                    (A) the qualifications for hotline personnel;
                    (B) the professional development program for 
                hotline personnel, including technology professional 
                development to ensure that all individuals affiliated 
                with the hotline are able to operate the technological 
                systems used by the hotline;
                    (C) the methods for the creation, maintenance, and 
                updating of a comprehensive database of prevention and 
                treatment services resources;
                    (D) a plan for publicizing the availability of the 
                hotline throughout the United States;
                    (E) a plan for providing service to non-English 
                speaking callers, including service through hotline 
                personnel who have non-English language capability;
                    (F) a plan for facilitating access to the hotline 
                and alternative modality services by individuals with 
                hearing impairments and disabilities;
                    (G) a plan for providing crisis counseling, general 
                assistance, and referrals to youth victims of child 
                abuse; and
                    (H) a plan for utilizing available communications 
                technologies other than the telephone hotline, as 
                appropriate, such as texting or live chat;
            (2) information to demonstrate that the entity--
                    (A) has the capacity and the expertise to maintain 
                a child abuse and neglect hotline;
                    (B) has the ability to provide information and 
                referrals for contacts, directly connect contacts to 
                such service providers, and employ crisis 
                interventions; and
                    (C) complies with Federal and State privacy laws 
                and has established quality assurance practices; and
            (3) such other information, assurances, and agreements as 
        the Secretary may require.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--For purposes of carrying out 
this section, there are authorized to be appropriated $2,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026.
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