National Parent and Youth Helpline Act

Bill: 118-hr-7812
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Torres, Norma J. [D-CA-35]
Introduced: 2024-03-22
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Latest action: action_date: 2024-03-22
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Summaries:

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7812 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 22, 2024 Mrs. Torres of California (for herself, Ms. Norton , Ms. Clarke of New York , Mr. Allred , Ms. Chu , and Mr. Grijalva ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce A BILL To Direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out a grant program to support the establishment of a national, toll-free telephone helpline to provide information and assistance to parents, caregivers, and youth to prevent child abuse and strengthen families.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the National Parent and Youth Helpline Act . 2. Findings Congress finds as follows: (1) There are approximately 174,000,000 parents, caregivers, and youth in the United States. (2) Many parents, caregivers, and youth often do not have immediate access to a caring and supportive person to help them address various personal challenges. (3) Parents, caregivers, and youth could benefit from an effective helpline that fosters the strengths parents have, which would improve family and peer relationships, as well as community life and society overall. (4) Congress recognizes that helpline prevention services will empower parents and caregivers to positively address child development issues and help address child maltreatment, drug and alcohol problems, mental health, and personal growth and development. (5) Congress recognizes that helpline prevention services are trauma-informed by reducing risk factors and increasing protective factors with weekly, evidence-based mutual support groups. 3. Grant to establish a national parent and youth helpline Title I of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5101 et seq. ) is amended by inserting after section 103 the following: 103A. Grant to establish a national parent and youth helpline (a) In general The Secretary may award a grant to one nonprofit entity to— (1) provide for the establishment and ongoing operation of a national, toll-free telephone parent and youth helpline, as described in subsection (d), to provide emotional support and assistance to parents, caregivers, and youth to prevent child abuse and strengthen families through calls, texts, and live chats; (2) create and maintain a website with vital information and resources for parents, caregivers, and youth to address a broad spectrum of family issues related to emotional, social, behavioral, and educational well-being; and (3) develop and implement comprehensive outreach strategies to reach diverse parents, caregivers, and youth nationwide. (b) Priority In awarding the grant under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to an entity— (1) with experience in operating a national parent and youth helpline that provides emotional support to parents, caregivers, and youth; and (2) that operates weekly, evidence-based mutual support groups. (c) Duration The grant under this section may be awarded for a period of not more than 5 years. (d) Helpline activities The entity that receives the grant under this section shall use the grant to establish and operate a 24-hour, national, toll-free telephone helpline to provide (through calls, texts, and live chats)— (1) emotional support and assistance to diverse parents, caregivers, and youth (including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) parents, caregivers, and youth) who are facing personal challenges, including emotional distress, substance abuse, peer relationships, and educational concerns related to their well-being; (2) weekly, evidence-based mutual support groups nationwide to build protective factors and strengthen families; and (3) comprehensive outreach strategies to reach diverse parents, caregivers, and youth nationwide, distribute information and resources, and maintain a website. (e) Performance reports The entity that receives the grant under this section shall submit a performance report to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may reasonably require. Such performance report shall include— (1) a description of the activities carried out with the grant; (2) an evaluation of the effectiveness of such activities; and (3) such additional information as the Secretary determines appropriate. (f) Report to Congress Not later than three years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report addressing the implementation and effectiveness of the national parent and youth helpline funded with the grant under this section. (g) Authorization of appropriations There are authoirzed to be appropriated to carry out this section $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2030. .