Title: Emergency Funding for Child Protection Act
Policy area: Families

Summary:
Emergency Funding for Child Protection Act  This bill funds additional grants to states for child abuse or neglect prevention and treatment programs in response to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic. Specifically, states may use such grants to expand services, provide support to community-based organizations, and purchase emergency supplies, among other uses. The bill does not require states to match funding under these grants.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6838 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6838

   To provide emergency funding for caseworkers and child protective 
                               services.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 12, 2020

   Ms. Schrier (for herself, Mr. Young, and Ms. Bass) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Appropriations, 
  and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, 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 Representatives 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''.

SEC. 2. ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS FOR THE STATE GRANT PROGRAM FOR CHILD ABUSE 
              OR NEGLECT PREVENTION AND TREATMENT PROGRAMS.

    (a) Appropriation.--There are hereby appropriated to the Secretary 
of Health and Human Services (referred to in this title as the 
``Secretary''), out of amounts in the Treasury not otherwise 
appropriated, $500,000,000 for fiscal year 2020, 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 accordance 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 requirement 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 requirement 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 territory receiving an allotment under section 106(f) of the 
Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5106a(f)) for 
fiscal year 2019, in the same manner that amounts appropriated under 
section 112 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 5106(f)) 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 appears 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 Treatment 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 neglect, which may 
        include--
                    (A) purchasing personal protective equipment for 
                caseworkers and families, such as gloves, hand 
                sanitizer, and face masks;
                    (B) providing premium pay for caseworkers 
                conducting in-home visits;
                    (C) purchasing new technology and updating or 
                improving existing technology infrastructure for child 
                welfare agencies;
                    (D) purchasing technology, including internet 
                access, and prepaid telephone minutes for families; and
                    (E) training on the use of such technology for 
                caseworkers, families, and child welfare agencies;
            (2) operating and expanding the national hotline, including 
        by publicizing such helpline, hiring more staff, and increasing 
        hours of operation;
            (3) access mental health consultation and services, 
        including with infant-early childhood mental health providers, 
        to train and support caseworkers in the impacts of disasters 
        and traumatic experience for children (including very young 
        children), youth, and adults, to help caseworkers provide 
        trauma-informed services;
            (4) enhance the ability of caseworkers to connect families 
        with, or facilitate access to, other services, such as 
        telebehavioral health care, in-person well-child visits with 
        pediatricians, substance abuse treatment, and early 
        intervention and special education services under the 
        Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et 
        seq.) for young children with developmental delays and 
        disabilities;
            (5) address the needs, including mental health needs, of 
        lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer youth who are 
        suspected victims of child abuse or neglect;
            (6) purchase emergency supplies for families caring for 
        children under protective services supervision (either at home, 
        in kinship care, or in foster care) and not able to afford 
        them, which may include cleaning and sanitizing supplies, 
        diapers, hygiene products, formula 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;
            (7) provide support, including assistance payments and 
        access to legal representation, as needed, to relatives or 
        fictive kin to care for children whose parents are diagnosed 
        with COVID-19 until the parents are recovered, in lieu of 
        placing such children in foster care; and
            (8) carry out such other activities that enhance the 
        ability of the State or territory to protect children and 
        support families during the COVID-19 pandemic.
    (e) No State Match Required.--A State or territory shall not be 
required to provide any additional funding 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 
requirements of this section.

SEC. 3. ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS 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 otherwise appropriated, 
$1,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2020, 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 accordance 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 requirement 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 requirement 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 receiving an allotment under section 203 of the Child Abuse 
Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5116b) for fiscal year 2019, in 
the same manner that amounts appropriated under section 209 of such Act 
(42 U.S.C. 5116i) are allotted 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 section 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 families build 
        protective factors linked to the prevention of child abuse and 
        neglect;
            (2) purchase emergency supplies and basic necessities for 
        families, which may include diapers and 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) maximize the participation of racial and ethnic 
        minorities; children and adults with disabilities; families 
        experiencing domestic violence; families experiencing 
        homelessness and those at risk of homelessness; families with 
        low-incomes and families with caregivers recently unemployed; 
        lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer youth; and young 
        parents in community-based and prevention-focused programs 
        designed to strengthen and support families to prevent child 
        abuse and neglect;
            (4) bolster the efforts of the State hotlines by 
        publicizing such hotlines, hiring more staff, and increasing 
        hours of operation;
            (5) establish satellite locations and mobile units for 
        community based nonprofit organizations and family resource 
        centers so families can access resources and services in a safe 
        manner;
            (6) hire, and provide premium pay to, social program 
        navigators, parent coaches, and home visitors to reach more 
        families;
            (7) purchase technology, including internet access, for 
        staff and families to support the prevention of child abuse and 
        neglect, and train staff and families to facilitate usage of 
        such technology;
            (8) 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-escalation;
                    (D) maintaining healthy attachments between 
                caregivers and children, and where appropriate, birth 
                parents;
                    (E) understanding the intersection of trauma with 
                childhood development; and
                    (F) other tips and advice pertinent to maintaining 
                child and parent well-being during the COVID-19 
                pandemic;
            (9) access mental health services, including infant-early 
        childhood mental health services, through mental health 
        consultants to train and support staff around the impacts of 
        the COVID-19 pandemic, about the intersection of trauma with 
        childhood development, and establish or support local trauma 
        response teams and the procedures to connect via remote 
        technology;
            (10) assist community-based organizations operating 
        programs and activities designed to strengthen and support 
        families to prevent child abuse and neglect with operating 
        costs to ensure that such organizations can continue providing 
        services during the COVID-19 pandemic; and
            (11) carry out other programs, services, and activities 
        that strengthen families and prevent child abuse and neglect.
    (e) No State Match Required.--Notwithstanding section 204(4) of the 
Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5116d(4)), a State 
shall not be required to provide any additional funding for the program 
under title II of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 
U.S.C. 5116 et seq.) as a condition for receiving an allocation under 
subsection (c).
    (f) Reports.--Each State 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 is 
using such allotment in accordance with the requirements of this 
section.
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