Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1667
Sponsor: Sen. Harkin, Tom [D-IA]
Introduced: 2011-10-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Families
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Child care and development
Child health
Child safety and welfare
Civil actions and liability
Crimes against children
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Criminal justice information and records
Department of Health and Human Services
Domestic violence and child abuse
Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Executive agency funding and structure
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Health facilities and institutions
Intergovernmental relations
Law enforcement administration and funding
Licensing and registrations
Mental health
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2011-10-06
text: 
Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act of 2011 - Directs the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families of the Department of Health and Human Services to require each location of a covered program to meet specified minimum standards if individually or together with other locations it has an effect on interstate commerce. 
 
Defines "covered program" as one operated by a public or private entity that with respect to one or more children unrelated to the program owner or operator: (1) provides a residential environment; and (2) operates with a focus on serving children with emotional, behavioral, or mental health problems or disorders, or problems with alcohol or substance abuse.
 
Directs the Assistant Secretary to: (1) implement an ongoing review process for investigating and evaluating reports of child abuse and neglect; (2) establish public websites with information about each covered program, as well as a national toll-free telephone hotline to receive complaints; (3) establish civil penalties for violations of standards; and (4) establish a process to ensure that complaints received by the hotline are promptly reviewed by persons with appropriate expertise.
 
Requires the Assistant Secretary to refer any violation of such standards to the Attorney General for appropriate action. Authorizes the Attorney General to file such a complaint on his or her own initiative regardless of whether such a referral has been made.
 
Amends the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to establish additional eligibility requirements for grants to states to prevent child abuse and neglect at residential programs. Require such states to develop policies and procedures to prevent child abuse and neglect at covered programs consistent with the standards specified by this Act.
 
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to study outcomes for children in both private and public covered programs under this Act encompassing a broad representation of treatment facilities and geographic regions.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-10-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S6335-6338)
action_date: 2011-10-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6334-6335)
action_date: 2011-10-06
text: Introduced in Senate