Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act Amendments of 1996
PL 104-235 (S.919), enacted 10/03/1996

PUBLIC LAW 104-235—OCT. 3, 1996 
110 STAT. 3063 
Public Law 104-235 
104th Congress 
An Act 
To modify and reauthorize the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, and 
Oct. 3, 1996 
for other purposes. 
[87919] 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
Child Abuse 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
Treltment ^t 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the "Child Abuse A^^ndments of 
Prevention and Treatment Act Amendments of 1996". 
42 use 5101 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of this Act note, 
is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
TITLE I — A M E N D M E N T S TO THE CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AND 
TREATMENT ACT 
Sec. 100. Findings. 
Subtitle A—Greneral Program 
Sec. 101. Office on Child Abuse and Neglect. 
Sec. 102. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect. 
Sec. 103. Repeal of Inter-Agency Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect. 
Sec. 104. National clearinghouse for information relating to child abuse. 
Sec. 105. Research, evaluation and assistance activities. 
Sec. 106. Grants for demonstration programs. 
Sec. 107. State grants for prevention and treatment programs. 
Sec. 108. Repeal. 
Sec. 109. Miscellaneous requirements. 
Sec. 110. Definitions. 
Sec. 111. Authorization of appropriations. 
Sec. 112. Rule of construction. 
Sec. 113. Technical and conforming amendments. 
Subtitle B—Community-Based Family Resource and Support Grants 
Sec. 121. Establishment of program. 
Subtitle C—Certain Preventive Services Regarding Children of Homeless Families 
or Families At Risk of Homelessness 
Sec. 131. Repeal of title III. 
Subtitle D—Miscellaneous Provisions 
Sec. 141. Table of contents. 
Sec. 142. Repeals of other laws. 
TITLE II—AMENDMENTS TO OTHER ACTS 
Subtitle A—Family Violence Prevention and Services Act 
Sec. 201. State demonstration grants. 
Sec. 202. Allotments. 
Sec. 203. Authorization of appropriations. 
Subtitle B—Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment and Adoption Reform Act of 
1978 ("Adoption Opportunities Act") 
Sec. 211. Findings and purpose. 
110 STAT. 3064 
PUBLIC LAW 104-235—OCT. 3, 1996 
Sec. 212. Information and services. 
Sec. 213. Authorization of appropriations. 
Subtitle C—^Abandoned Infants Assistance Act of 1988 
Sec. 221. Priority requirement. 
Sec. 222. Reauthorization. 
Subtitle D—Reauthorization of Various Programs 
Sec. 231. Missing Children's Assistance Act. 
Sec. 232. Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990. 
TITLE I—AMENDMENTS TO THE CHILD 
ABUSE 
PREVENTION 
AND 
TREAT-
MENT ACT 
SEC. 100. FINDINGS. 
Section 2 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act 
(42 U.S.C. 5101 note) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), to read as follows: 
"(1) each year, close to 1,000,000 American children are 
victims of abuse and neglect;"; 
(2) in paragraph (3)(C), by inserting "assessment," after 
"prevention,"; 
(3) in paragraph (4)— 
(A) by striking "tens of; and 
(B) by striking "direct" and all that follows through 
the semicolon and inserting "tangible expenditures, as well 
as significant intangible costs;"; 
(4) in paragraph (7), by strilang "remedy the causes oP 
and inserting "prevent"; 
(5) in paragraph (8), by inserting "safety," after "fosters 
the health,"; 
(6) in paragraph (10)— 
_
_ 
(A) by striking "ensure that every community in the 
United States has" and inserting "assist States and commu-
nities with"; and 
(B) after "child" insert "and family"; and 
(7) in paragraph (11)— 
(A) by striking "child protection" each place that such 
term appears and inserting "child and family protection"; 
and 
(B) in subparagraph (D), by striking "sufficient". 
Subtitle A—General Program 
SEC. 101. OFFICE ON CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT. 
Section 101 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment 
Act (42 U.S.C. 5101) is amended to read as follows: 
"SEC. 101. OFFICE ON CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT. 
"(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—^The Secretary of Health and Human 
Services may establish an office to be known as the Office on 
Child Abuse and Neglect. 
"(b) PURPOSE.—^The purpose of the Office established under 
subsection (a) shall be to execute and coordinate the functions 
and activities of this Act. In the event that such functions and 
PUBLIC LAW 104-235—OCT. 3, 1996 
110 STAT. 3065 
activities are performed by another entity or entities within the 
Department of Health and Human Services, the Secretary shall 
ensure that such functions smd activities are executed with the 
necessary expertise and in a fully coordinated manner involving 
regular intradepartmental and interdepartmental consultation with 
all agencies involved in child abuse and neglect activities.". 
SEC. 102. ADVISORY BOARD ON CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT. 
Section 102 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment 
Act (42 U.S.C. 5102) is amended to read as follows: 
"SEC. 102. ADVISORY BOARD ON CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT. 
"(a) APPOINTMENT.—^The Secretary may appoint an advisory 
board to make recommendations to the Secretary and to the appro-
priate committees of Congress concerning specific issues relating 
to child abuse and neglect. 
"(b) SOLICITATION OF NOMINATIONS.—^The Secretary shall pub- Federal Register, 
lish a notice in the Federal Register soliciting nominations for publication, 
the appointment of members of the advisory board under subsection 
(a). 
"(c) COMPOSITION.—In establishing the board under subsection 
(a), the Secretary shall appoint members from the genereJ public 
who are individuals knowledgeable in child abuse and neglect 
prevention, intervention, treatment, or research, and with due 
consideration to representation of ethnic or racial minorities and 
diverse geographic areas, and who represent— 
"(1) law (including the judiciary); 
"(2) psychology (including child development); 
"(3) social services (including child protective services); 
"(4) medicine (including pediatrics); 
"(5) State and local government; 
"(6) organizations providing services to disabled persons; 
"(7) orgginizations providing services to adolescents; 
"(8) teachers; 
"(9) parent self-help organizations; 
"(10) parents'groups; 
"(11) voluntary groups; 
"(12) family rights groups; and 
"(13) children's rights advocates. 
"(d) VACANCIES.—Any vacancy in the membership of the board 
shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appoint-
ment was made. 
"(e) ELECTION OF OFFICERS.—^The board shall elect a chair-
person and vice-chairperson at its first meeting from among the 
members of the board. 
"(f) DUTIES.—Not later than 1 year aft;er the establishment Reports. 
of the board under subsection (a), the board shall submit to the 
Secretary and the appropriate committees of Congress a report, 
or interim report, containing— 
"(1) recommendations on coordinating Federal, State, and 
local child abuse and neglect activities with similar activities 
at the Federal, State, and local level pertaining to family 
violence prevention; 
"(2) specific modifications needed in Federal and State laws 
and programs to reduce the number of unfounded or unsubstan-
tiated reports of child abuse or neglect while enhancing the 
ability to identify and substantiate legitimate cases of abuse 
or neglect which place a child in danger; and 
110 STAT. 3066 
PUBLIC LAW 104-235—OCT. 3, 1996 
"(3) recommendations for modifications needed to facilitate 
coordinated national data collection with respect to child protec-
tion and child welfare.". 
SEC. 103. REPEAL OF INTER-AGENCY TASK FORCE ON CHILD ABUSE 
AND NEGLECT. 
Section 103 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment 
Act (42 U.S.C. 5103) is repealed. 
SEC. 104. NATIONAL CLEARINGHOUSE FOR INFORMATION RELATING 
TO CHILD ABUSE. 
Section 104 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment 
Act (42 U.S.C. 5104) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), to read as follows: 
Contracts. 
"(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—^The Secretary shall through the Depart-
ment, or by one or more contracts of not less than 3 years duration 
let through a competition, establish a national clearinghouse for 
information relating to child abuse."; 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
"Director" and inserting "Secretary"; 
(B) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) by inserting "assessment," after "prevention,"; 
and 
(ii) by striking ", including" and all that follows 
and inserting "; and"; 
(C) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking "general popu-
lation" and inserting "United States"; 
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by adding "and" at the 
end; 
(iii) in subparagraph (C), by striking "; and" at 
the end and inserting a period; and 
(iv) by striking subparagraph (D); and 
(D) by striking psiragraph (3); emd 
(3) in subsection (c)— 
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1)-^ 
(i) by striking "In establishing" and inserting the 
following: 
"(1) IN GENERAL.—In establishing"; and 
(ii) by striking "Director" and inserting "Secretary"; 
(B) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (4) as 
subparagraphs (A) through (D), respectively, and by moving 
the text of subparagraphs (A) through (D) (as redesignated) 
2 ems to the right; 
(C) in subparagraph (B) (as redesignated), by striking 
"that is represented on the task force" and inserting 
"involved with child abuse and neglect and mechanisms 
for the sharing of such information among other Federal 
agencies and clearinghouses"; 
(D) in subparagraph (C) (as redesignated), by striking 
"State, regional" and all that follows and inserting the 
following: "Federal, State, regional, and local child welfare 
data systems which shall include— 
"(i) 
standardized 
data 
on false, 
unfounded, 
unsubstantiated, and substantiated reports; and 
"(ii) information on the number of deaths due to 
child abuse and neglect;"; 
PUBLIC LAW 104-235—OCT. 3, 1996 
110 STAT. 3067 
(E) by redesignating subparagraph (D) (as redesig-
nated) as subparagraph (F); 
(F) by inserting after subparagraph (C) (as redesig-
nated), the following new subparagraphs: 
"(D) through a national data collection and analysis 
program and in consultation with appropriate State and 
local agencies and experts in the field, collect, compile, 
and make available State child abuse and neglect reporting 
information which, to the extent practical, shall be univer-
sal and case specific and integrated with other case-based 
foster care and adoption data collected by the Secretary; 
"(E) compile, analyze, and publish a summary of the 
research conducted under section 105(a); and"; and 
(G) by adding at the end the following: 
"(2) CONFIDENTIALITY REQUIREMENT.—In carrying out para-
graph (1)(D), the Secretary shall ensure that methods are estab-
lished and implemented to preserve the confidentiality of 
records relating to case specific data.". 
SEC. 105. RESEARCH, EVALUATION AND ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES. 
(a) RESEARCH.—Section 105(a) of the Child Abuse Prevention 
and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5105(a)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by strik-
ing ", through the Center, conduct research on" and insert-
ing ", in consultation with other Federal agencies and 
recognized experts in the field, carry out a continuing inter-
disciplinary program of research that is designed to provide 
information needed to better protect children from abuse 
or neglect and to improve the well-being of abused or 
neglected children, with at least a portion of such research 
being field initiated. Such research program may focus 
on"; 
(B) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through (C) 
as subparagraph (B) through (D), respectively; 
(C) by inserting before subparagraph (B) (as so redesig-
nated) the following new subparagraph: 
"(A) the nature and scope of child abuse and neglect;"; 
(D) in subparagraph (B) (as so redesignated), to read 
as follows: 
"(B) causes, prevention, assessment, 
identification, 
treatment, cultural and socio-economic distinctions, and 
the consequences of child abuse and neglect;"; and 
(E) in subparagraph (D) (as so redesignated)— 
(i) by striking clause (ii); 
(ii) in clause (iii), to read as follows: 
"(ii) the incidence of substantiated and unsubstan-
tiated reported child abuse cases;"; and 
(iii) by adding at the end the following: 
"(iii) the number of substantiated cases that result 
in a judicial finding of child abuse or neglect or related 
criminal court convictions; 
"(iv) the extent to which the number of unsubstan-
tiated, unfounded and false reported cases of child 
abuse or neglect have contributed to the inability of 
a State to respond effectively to serious cases of child 
abuse or neglect; 
110 STAT. 3068 
PUBLIC LAW 104-235—OCT. 3, 1996 
"(v) the extent to which the lack of adequate 
resources and the lack of adequate training of individ-
uals required by law to report suspected cases of child 
abuse have contributed to the inability of a State to 
respond effectively to serious cases of child abuse and 
neglect; 
"(vi) the number of unsubstantiated, false, or 
unfounded reports that have resulted in a child being 
placed in substitute care, and the duration of such 
placement; 
"(vii) the extent to which unsubstantiated reports 
return as more serious cases of child abuse or neglect; 
"(viii) the incidence and prevalence of physical, 
sexual, and emotional abuse £ind physical and emo-
tional neglect in substitute care; and 
"(ix) the incidence and outcomes of abuse allega-
tions reported within the context of divorce, custody, 
or other family court proceedings, and the interaction 
between this venue and the child protective services 
system."; and 
(2) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A)— 
(i) by strilung "and demonstration"; and 
(ii) by striking "paragraph (1)(A) and activities 
under section 106" and inserting "paragraph (1)"; and 
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking "and demonstra-
tion". 
(b) REPEAL.—Subsection (b) of section 105 of the Child Abuse 
Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5105(b)) is repealed. 
(c) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—Section 105(c) of the Child Abuse 
Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5105(c)) is amended— 
(1) by striking "(c)" and inserting "(b)"; 
(2) by striking "The Secretary" and inserting: 
"(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary"; 
(3) by striking ", through the Center,"; 
(4) by inserting "State and local" before "public and non-
profit"; 
(5) by inserting "assessment," before "identification"; and 
(6) by adding at the end thereof the following new para-
graphs: 
"(2) EVALUATION.—Such technical assistance may include 
an evaluation or identification of— 
"(A) various methods and procedures for the investiga-
tion, assessment, and prosecution of child physical and 
sexual abuse cases; 
"(B) ways to mitigate psychological trauma to the child 
victim; and 
"(C) effective programs carried out by the States under 
titles I and II. 
"(3) DISSEMINATION.—^The Secretary may provide for and 
disseminate information relating to various training resources 
available at the State and local level to—-
"(A) individuals who are engaged, or who intend to 
engage, in the prevention, identification, and treatment 
of child abuse and neglect; and 
"(B) appropriate State and local officials to assist in 
training law enforcement, legal, judicial, medical, mental 
PUBLIC LAW 104-235—OCT. 3, 1996 
110 STAT. 3069 
health, education, and child welfare personnel in appro-
priate methods of interacting during investigative, adminis-
trative, and judicial proceedings with children who have 
been subjected to abuse.". 
(d) GRANTS AND CONTRACTS.—Section 105(d) of the Child Abuse 
Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5105(d)) is amended— 
(1) by striking "(d)" and inserting "(c)"; and 
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking the second sentence. 
(e) PEER REVIEW.—Section 105(e) of the Child Abuse Prevention 
and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5105(e)) is amended— 
(1) in the heading preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
"(e)" and inserting "(d)"; 
(2) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A)— 
(i) by striking "establish a formal" and inserting 
", in consultation with experts in the field and other 
federal agencies, establish a formal, rigorous, and meri-
torious"; 
(ii) by striking "and contracts"; and 
(iii) by adding at the end thereof the following 
new sentence: 'The purpose of this process is to 
enhance the quality and usefulness of resesirch in the 
field of child abuse and neglect."; and 
(B) in subparagraph (B)— 
(i) by striking "Office of Human Development" and 
inserting "Administration on Children and Families"; 
and 
(ii) by adding at the end thereof the following 
new sentence: "The Secretary shall ensure that the 
peer review panel utilizes scientifically valid review 
criteria and scoring guidelines for review committees."; 
(3) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by strik-
ing ", contract, or other financial assistance"; and 
(B) by adding at the end thereof the following flush 
sentence: 
"The Secretary shall award grants under this section on the Grants, 
basis of competitive review."; and 
(4) in paragraph (3)(B), by striking "subsection (e)(2)(B)" 
each place it appears and inserting "paragraph (2)(B)". 
(f) TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.—Section 105 of the Child Abuse 
Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5105) is amended in 
the section heading by striking "OF THE NATIONAL CENTER 
ON CfflLD ABUSE AND NEGLECT". 
SEC. 
1
0
6
. 
GRANTS 
FOR 
DEMONSTRATION 
PROGRAMS. 
Section 106 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment 
Act (42 U.S.C. 5106) is amended— 
(1) in the section heading, by striking "OR SERVICE"; 
(2) in subsection (a), to read as follows: 
"(a) DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS.—^The Secretary 
may make grants to, and enter into contracts with, public agencies 
or private nonprofit agencies or organizations (or combinations of 
such agencies or organizations) for time limited, demonstration 
programs and projects for the following purposes: 
110 STAT. 3070 
PUBLIC LAW 104-235—OCT. 3, 1996 
"(1) 
TRAINING PROGRAMS.—The Secretary may 
award 
grants to public or private nonprofit organizations under this 
section— 
"(A) for the training of professional and paraprofes-
sional personnel in the fields of medicine, law, education, 
social work, and other relevant fields who are engaged 
in, or intend to work in, the field of prevention, identifica-
tion, and treatment of child abuse and neglect, including 
the links between domestic violence and child abuse; 
"(B) to improve the recruitment, selection, and training 
of volunteers serving in public and private nonprofit chil-
dren, youth and family service organizations in order to 
prevent child abuse and neglect through collaborative 
analysis of current recruitment, selection, and training pro-
grams and development of model programs for dissemina-
tion and replication nationally; and 
"(C) for the establishment of resource centers for the 
purpose of providing information and training to profes-
sionals working in the field of child abuse and neglect. 
"(2) 
MUTUAL SUPPORT PROGRAMS.—^The Secretary 
may 
award grants to private nonprofit organizations (such as Par-
ents Anonjonous) to establish or maintain a nationsd network 
of mutual support and self-help programs as a means of 
strengthening families in partnership with their communities. 
"(3) OTHER INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS.— 
"(A) IN GENERAL.—^The Secretary may award grants 
to public and private nonprofit agencies that demonstrate 
innovation in responding to reports of child abuse and 
neglect including programs of collaborative partnerships 
between the State child protective services agency, commu-
nity social service agencies and family support programs, 
schools, churches and sjniagogues, and other community 
agencies to allow for the establishment of a triage system 
that— 
"(i) accepts, screens and assesses reports received 
to determine which such reports require an intensive 
intervention and which require voluntary referral to 
another agency, program or project; 
"(ii) provides, either directly or through referral, 
a variety of community-linked services to assist fami-
lies in preventing child abuse and neglect; and 
"(iii) provides further investigation and intensive 
intervention where the child's safety is in jeopardy. 
"(B) KINSHIP CARE.—^The Secretary may award grants 
to public and private nonprofit entities in not more than 
10 States to assist such entities in developing or implement-
ing procedures using adult relatives as the preferred place-
ment for children removed from their home, where such 
relatives are determined to be capable of providing a safe 
nurturing environment for the child and where such rel-
atives comply with the State child protection standards. 
"(C) PROMOTION OF SAFE, FAMILY-FRIENDLY PHYSICAL 
ENVIRONMENTS FOR VISITATION AND EXCHANGE.—^The Sec-
retary may award grants to entities to assist such entities 
in establishing and operating safe, family-friendly physical 
environments— 
PUBLIC LAW 104-235—OCT. 3, 1996 
110 STAT. 3071 
"(i) for court-ordered supervised visitation between 
children and abusing parents; and 
"(ii) to safely facilitate the exchange of children 
for visits with noncustodian parents in cases of domes-
tic violence."; 
(3) by striking subsection (b); 
(4) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (b); 
(5) in subsection (b) (as redesignated)— 
(A) by striking paragraphs (1) and (2); and 
(B) by redesignating paragraphs (3) through (7) as 
paragraphs (1) through (5), respectively; and 
(6) by adding at the end the following new subsection: 
"(c) EVALUATION.—In making grants for demonstration projects 
under this section, the Secretary shall require all such projects 
to be evaluated for their effectiveness. Funding for such evaluations 
shall be provided either as a stated percentage of a demonstration 
grant or as a separate grant entered into by the Secretary for 
the purpose of evaluating a particular demonstration project or 
group of projects.". 
SEC. 107. STATE GRANTS FOR PREVENTION AND TREATMENT PRO-
GRAMS. 
Section 107 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment 
Act (42 U.S.C. 5106a) is amended to read as follows: 
"SEC. 1
0
7
. 
GRANTS TO STATES FOR CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT 
PREVENTION 
AND 
TREATMENT 
PROGRAMS. 
"(a) DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATION GRANTS.—^The Secretary Grants, 
shall make grants to the States, based on the population of children 
under the age of 18 in each State that applies for a grant under 
this section, for purposes of assisting the States in improving the 
child protective services system of each such State in— 
"(1) the intake, assessment, screening, and investigation 
of reports of abuse and neglect; 
(2)(A) creating and improving the use of multidisciplinary 
teams and interagency protocols to enhance investigations; and 
"(B) improving legal preparation 
and 
representation, 
including— 
"(i) procedures for appealing and responding to appeals 
of substantiated reports of abuse and neglect; and 
"(ii) provisions for the appointment of an individual 
appointed to represent a child in judicial proceedings; 
"(3) case management and delivery of services provided 
to children and their families; 
"(4) enhancing the general child protective system by 
improving risk and safety assessment tools and protocols, auto-
mation systems that support the program and track reports 
of child abuse and neglect from intake through final disposition 
and information referral systems; 
"(5) developing, strengthening, and facilitating training 
opportunities and requirements for individuals overseeing and 
providing services to children and their families through the 
child protection system; 
"(6) developing and facilitating training protocols for 
individuals mandated to report child abuse or neglect; 
"(7) developing, strengthening, and supporting child abuse 
and neglect prevention, treatment, and research programs in 
the public and private sectors; 
110 STAT. 3072 
PUBLIC LAW 104-235—OCT. 3, 1996 
"(8) developing, implementing, or operating— 
"(A) information and education programs or training 
programs designed to improve the provision of services 
to disabled infants with life-threatening conditions for— 
"(i) professional and paraprofessional personnel 
concerned with the welfare of disabled infants with 
life-threatening 
conditions, 
including 
personnel 
employed in child protective services programs and 
health-care facilities; and 
"(ii) the parents of such infants; and 
"(B) programs to assist in obtaining or coordinating 
necessary services for families of disabled infants with 
life-threatening conditions, including— 
"(i) existing social and health services; 
"(ii) financial assistance; and 
"(iii) services necessary to facilitate adoptive place-
ment of any such infants who have been relinquished 
for adoption; or 
"(9) developing and enhancing the capacity of community-
based programs to integrate shared leadership strategies 
between parents and professionals to prevent and treat child 
abuse and neglect at the neighborhood level. 
"(b) ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.— 
"(1) STATE PLAN.— 
"(A) IN GENERAL.—^To be eligible to receive a grant 
under this section, a State shall, at the time of the initial 
grant application and every 5 years thereafter, prepare 
and submit to the Secretary a State plan that specifies 
the areas of the child protective services system described 
in subsection (a) that the State intends to address with 
amounts received under the grant. 
Notification. 
"(B) ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT.—^After the submission 
of the initial grant application under subparagraph (A), 
the State shall provide notice to the Secretary of any sub-
stantive changes to any State law relating to the prevention 
of child abuse and neglect that may affect the eligibility 
of the State under this section. 
"(2) COORDINATION.—^A State plan submitted under para-
graph (1) shall, to the maximum extent practicable, be coordi-
nated with the State plan under part B of title IV of the 
Social Security Act relating to child welfare services and family 
preservation and family support services, and shall contain 
an outline of the activities that the State intends to carry 
out using amounts received under the grant to achieve the 
purposes of this title, including— 
"(A) an assurance in the form of a certification by 
the chief executive officer of the State that the State has 
in effect and is enforcing a State law, or has in effect 
and is operating a Statewide program, relating to child 
abuse and neglect that includes— 
"(i) provisions or procedures for the reporting of 
known and suspected instances of child abuse and 
neglect; 
"(ii) procedures for the immediate screening, safety 
assessment, and prompt investigation of such reports; 
"(iii) procedures for immediate steps to be taken 
to ensure and protect the safety of the abused or 
PUBLIC LAW 104-235—OCT. 3, 1996 
110 STAT. 3073 
neglected child and of any other child under the same 
care who may also be in danger of abuse or neglect 
and ensuring their placement in a safe environment; 
"(iv) provisions for immunity from prosecution 
under State and local laws and regulations for individ-
uals making good faith reports of suspected or known 
instances of child abuse or neglect; 
"(v) methods to preserve the confidentiality of all 
Confidentiality. 
records in order to protect the rights of the child and Records. 
of the child's parents or guardians, including require-
ments ensuring that reports and records made and 
maintained pursuant to the purposes of this Act shall 
only be made available to— 
"(I) individuals who are the subject of the 
report; 
"(11) Federal, State, or local government enti-
ties, or any agent of such entities, having a need 
for such information in order to carry out its 
responsibilities under law to protect children from 
abuse and neglect; 
"(III) child abuse citizen review panels; 
"(IV) child fatality review panels; 
"(V) a grand jury or court, upon a finding 
that information in the record is necessary for 
the determination of an issue before the court or 
grand jury; and 
"(VI) other entities or classes of individuals 
statutorily authorized by the State to receive such 
information pursuant to a legitimate State pur-
pose; 
"(vi) provisions which allow for public disclosure 
of the findings or information about the case of child 
abuse or neglect which has resulted in a child fatality 
or near fatality; 
"(vii) the cooperation of State law enforcement offi-
cials, court of competent jurisdiction, and appropriate 
State agencies providing human services in the inves-
tigation, assessment, prosecution, and treatment of 
child abuse or neglect; 
"(viii) provisions requiring, and procedures in place 
that facilitate the prompt expungement of any records 
that are accessible to the general public or are used 
for purposes of employment or other background checks 
in cases determined to be unsubstantiated or false, 
except that nothing in this section shall prevent State 
child 
protective 
services 
agencies 
from 
keeping 
information on unsubstantiated reports in their case-
work files to assist in future risk and safety assess-
ment; 
"(ix) provisions and procedures requiring that in 
every case involving an abused or neglected child which 
results in a judicial proceeding, a guardian ad litem, 
who may be an attorney or a court appointed special 
advocate (or both), shall be appointed to represent 
the child in such proceedings— 
"(I) to obtain first-hand, a clear understanding 
of the situation and needs of the child; and 
110 STAT. 3074 
PUBLIC LAW 104-235—OCT. 3, 1996 
Effective date. 
Effective date. 
"(11) to make recommendations to the court 
concerning the best interests of the child; 
"(x) the estabUshment of citizen review panels in 
accordance with subsection (c); 
"(xi) provisions, procedures, and mechanisms to 
be effective not later than 2 years after the date of 
the enactment of this section— 
"(I) for the expedited termination of parental 
rights in the case of any infant determined to 
be abandoned under State law; £ind 
"(II) by which individuals who disagree with 
an official finding of abuse or neglect can appeal 
such finding; 
"(xii) provisions, procedures, and mechanisms to 
be effective not later than 2 years after the date of 
the enactment of this section that assure that the 
State does not require reunification of a surviving child 
with a parent who has been found by a court of com-
petent jurisdiction— 
"(I) to have committed murder (which would 
have been an offense under section 1111(a) of title 
18, United States Code, if the offense had occurred 
in the special maritime or territorial jurisdiction 
of the United States) of another child of such par-
ent; 
"(II) to have 
committed voluntary 
man-
slaughter (which would have been an offense imder 
section 1112(a) of title 18, United States Code, 
if the offense had occurred in the special maritime 
or territorial jurisdiction of the United States) of 
another child of such parent; 
"(III) to have aided or abetted, attempted, con-
spired, or solicited to commit such murder or vol-
untary manslaughter; or 
"(IV) to have committed a felony assault that 
results in the serious bodily injury to the surviving 
child or another child of such parent; and 
"(xiii) an assurance that, upon the implementation 
by the State of the provisions, procedures, and mecha-
nisms under clause (xii), conviction of any one of the 
felonies listed in clause (xii) constitute grounds under 
State law for the termination of parental rights of 
the convicted parent as to the surviving children 
(although case-by-case determinations of whether or 
not to seek termination of parental rights shall be 
within the sole discretion of the State); 
"(B) an assurance that the State has in place proce-
dures for responding to the reporting of medical neglect 
(including instances of withholding of medically indicated 
treatment fi*om disabled infants with life-threatening condi-
tions), procedures or programs, or both (within the State 
child protective services system), to provide for— 
"(i) coordination £ind consultation with individuals 
designated by and within appropriate health-care 
facilities; 
"(ii) prompt notification by individuals designated 
by and within appropriate health-care facilities of cases 
PUBLIC LAW 104-235—OCT. 3, 1996 
110 STAT. 3075 
of suspected medical neglect (including instances of 
withholding of medically indicated treatment from dis-
abled infants with life-threatening conditions); and 
"(iii) authority, under State law, for the State child 
protective services system to pursue any legal rem-
edies, including the authority to initiate legal proceed-
ings in a court of competent jurisdiction, as may be 
necessary to prevent the withholding of medically 
indicated treatment from disabled infants with life 
threatening conditions; 
"(C) a description of— 
"(i) the services to be provided under the grant 
to individuals, families, or communities, either directly 
or through referrals aimed at preventing the occurrence 
of child abuse and neglect; 
"(ii) the training to be provided under the grant 
to support direct line and supervisory personnel in 
report taking, screening, assessment, decision making, 
and referral for investigating suspected instances of 
child abuse and neglect; and 
"(iii) the training to be provided under the grant 
for individuals who are required to report suspected 
cases of child abuse and neglect; and 
"(D) an assurance or certification that the programs 
or projects relating to child abuse and neglect carried out 
under part B of title IV of the Social Security Act comply 
with the requirements set forth in paragraph (1) and this 
paragraph. 
"(3) LIMITATION.—^With regard to clauses (v) and (vi) of 
paragraph (2)(A), nothing in this section shall be construed 
as restricting the ability of a State to refuse to disclose identify-
ing information concerning the individual initiating a report 
or complaint alleging suspected instances of child abuse or 
neglect, except that the State may not refuse such a disclosure 
where a court orders such disclosure after such court has 
reviewed, in camera, the record of the State related to the 
report or complaint and has found it has reason to believe 
that the reporter knowingly made a false report. 
"(4) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this subsection— 
"(A) the term 'near fatality* means an act that, as 
certified by a physician, places the child in serious or 
critical condition; and 
"(B) the term 'serious bodily injury' means bodily injury 
which involves substantial risk of death, extreme physical 
pain, protracted and obvious disfigurement, or protracted 
loss or impairment of the function of a bodily member, 
organ, or mental faculty. 
"(c) CITIZEN REVIEW PANELS.— 
"(1) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
"(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subparagraph 
(B), each State to which a grant is made under this section 
shall establish not less than 3 citizen review panels. 
"(B) EXCEPTIONS.— 
"(i) ESTABLISHMENT OF PANELS BY STATES RECEIV-
ING MINIMUM ALLOTMENT.—A State that receives the 
minimum 
allotment 
of 
$175,000 
under 
section 
110 STAT. 3076 
PUBLIC LAW 104-235—OCT. 3, 1996 
203(b)(1)(A) for a fiscal year shall establish not less 
than 1 citizen review panel. 
"(ii) DESIGNATION OF EXISTING ENTITIES.—A State 
may designate as panels for purposes of this subsection 
one or more existing entities established under State 
or FedergQ law, such as child fatality panels or foster 
care review panels, if such entities have the capacity 
to satisfy the requirements of paragraph (4) and the 
State ensures that such entities will satisfy such 
requirements. 
"(2) MEMBERSHIP.—Each panel established pursuant to 
paragraph (1) shall be composed of volunteer members who 
are broadly representative of the community in which such 
panel is established, including members who have expertise 
in the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect. 
"(3) MEETINGS.—Each panel established pursuant to para-
graph (1) shall meet not less than once every 3 months. 
"(4) FUNCTIONS.— 
"(A) IN GENERAL.—^Each panel established pursuant 
to paragraph (1) shall, by examining the policies and proce-
dures of State and local agencies and where appropriate, 
specific cases, evaluate the extent to which the agencies 
are effectively discharging their child protection respon-
sibilities in accordance with— 
"(i) the State plan under subsection (b); 
"(ii) the child protection standards set forth in 
subsection (b); and 
"(iii) any other criteria that the panel considers 
importEint to ensure the protection of children, includ-
ing— 
"(I) a review of the extent to which the State 
child protective services system is coordinated with 
the foster care and adoption programs established 
under part E of title IV o
f
^ the Social Security 
Act; and 
"(II) a review of child fatalities and near fatali-
ties (as defined in subsection (b)(4)). 
"(B) CONFIDENTIALITY.— 
"(i) IN GENERAL.—^The members and staff" of a 
panel established under paragraph (1)— 
"(I) shall not disclose to any person or govern-
ment official any identifjdng information about any 
specific child protection case with respect to which 
the panel is provided information; and 
"(II) shall not make public other information 
unless authorized by State statute, 
"(ii) CIVIL SANCTIONS.—^Each State that establishes 
a panel pursuant to paragraph (1) shall establish civil 
sanctions for a violation of clause (i). 
"(5) STATE ASSISTANCE.—Each State that establishes a 
panel pursuant to paragraph (1)— 
"(A) shall provide the panel access to information on 
cases that the panel desires to review if such information 
is necessary for the panel to carry out its functions under 
paragraph (4); and 
"(B) shall provide the panel, upon its request, staff 
assistance for the performance of the duties of the panel. 
PUBLIC LAW 104-235—OCT. 3, 1996 
110 STAT. 3077 
"(6) REPORTS.—Each panel established under paragraph Public 
(1) shall prepare and make available to the public, on an information, 
annual basis, a report containing a summary of the activities 
of the panel. 
"(d) ANNUAL STATE DATA REPORTS.—Each State to which a 
grant is made under this section shall annually work with the 
Secretary to provide, to the maximum extent practicable, a report 
that includes the following: 
"(1) The number of children who were reported to the 
State during the year as abused or neglected. 
"(2) Of the number of children described in paragraph 
(1), the number with respect to whom such reports were— 
"(A) substantiated; 
"(B) unsubstantiated; or 
"(C) determined to be false. 
"(3) Of the number of children described in paragraph 
( 2 ) -
"(A) the number that did not receive services during 
the year under the State program funded under this section 
or an equivalent State program; 
"(B) the number that received services during the year 
under the State program funded under this section or 
an equivalent State program; and 
"(C) the number that were removed from their families 
during the year by disposition of the case. 
"(4) The number of families that received preventive serv-
ices from the State during the year. 
"(5) The number of deaths in the State during the year 
resulting from child abuse or neglect. 
"(6) Of the number of children described in paragraph 
(5), the number of such children who were in foster care. 
"(7) The number of child protective services workers respon-
sible for the intake and screening of reports filed in the previous 
year. 
"(8) The agency response time with respect to each such 
report with respect to initial investigation of reports of child 
abuse or neglect. 
"(9) The response time with respect to the provision of 
services to families and children where an allegation of abuse 
or neglect has been made. 
"(10) The number of child protective services workers 
responsible for intake, assessment, and investigation of child 
abuse and neglect reports relative to the number of reports 
investigated in the previous year. 
"(11) The number of children reunited with their families 
or receiving family preservation services that, within five years, 
result in subsequent substantiated reports of child abuse and 
neglect, including the death of the child. 
"(12) The number of children for whom individuals were 
appointed by the court to represent the best interests of such 
children and the average number of out of court contacts 
between such individuals and children. 
"(e) ANNUAL REPORT BY THE SECRETARY.—^Within 6 months 
after receiving the State reports under subsection (d), the Secretary 
shall prepare a report based on information provided by the States 
for the fiscal year under such subsection and shall make the report 
29-194 O - 96 - 33 : QL 3 Part 4 
110 STAT. 3078 
PUBLIC LAW 104-235—OCT. 3, 1996 
and such information available to the Congress and the national 
clearinghouse for information relating to child abuse.". 
SEC. 108. REPEAL. 
Section 108 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment 
Act (42 U.S.C. 5106b) is repealed. 
SEC. 109. MISCELLANEOUS REQUIREMENTS. 
Section 110 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment 
42 use 5l06g. 
Act (42 U.S.C. 5106d) is amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (c); and 
(2) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (c). 
SEC. 110. DEFINITIONS. 
Section 113 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment 
Act (42 U.S.C. 5106h) is amended— 
(1) by striking paragraphs (1), (2), (5), and (9); 
(2)(A) by redesignating paragraphs (3), (4), and (6) through 
(8) as paragraphs (1) through (5), respectively; and 
(B) by redesignating paragraph (10) as paragraph (6); 
(3) in paragraph (2) (as redesignated), to read as follows: 
"(2) the term 'child abuse and neglect' means, at a mini-
mum, Einy recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent 
or caretaker, which results in death, serious physical or emo-
tional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation, or an act or failure 
to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm;"; 
and 
(4) in paragraph (4)(B) (as redesignated), by inserting ", 
and in cases of caretaker or inter-familial relationships, statu-
tory rape" after "rape". 
SEC. 111. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
Section 114(a) of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment 
Act (42 U.S.C. 5106h(a)) is amended to read as follows: 
"(a) IN GENERAL,— 
"(1) GENERAL AUTHORIZATION.—^There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this title, $100,000,000 for fiscsd 
year 1997, and such sums as may be necessary for each of 
the fiscal years 1998 through 2001. 
"(2) DISCRETIONARY ACTIVITIES.— 
"(A) IN GENERAL.—Of the amounts appropriated for 
a fiscal year under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall make 
available 30 percent of such amounts to fund discretionary 
activities under this title. 
"(B) DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS.—Of the amounts made 
available for a fiscal year under subparagraph (A), the 
Secretary make available not more than 40 percent of 
such amounts to carry out section 106.". 
SEC. 112. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION. 
Title I of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 
U.S.C. 5101 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following 
new section: 
42 use 51061. 
"SEC. 115. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION. 
"(a) IN GENERAL.—^Nothing in this Act shall be construed— 
"(1) as establishing a Federal requirement that a parent 
or legal guardian provide a child any medical service or treat-
PUBLIC LAW 104-235—OCT. 3, 1996 
110 STAT. 3079 
ment against the religious beliefs of the parent or legal guard-
ian; and 
"(2) to require that a State find, or to prohibit a State 
from finding, abuse or neglect in cases in which a parent 
or legal guardian relies solely or partially upon spiritual means 
rather than medical treatment, in accordance with the religious 
beliefs of the parent or legal guardian. 
"(b) STATE REQUIREMENT.—^Notwithstanding subsection (a), a 
State shall, at a minimum, have in place authority under State 
law to permit the child protective services system of the State 
to pursue any legal remedies, including the authority to initiate 
legal proceedings in a court of competent jurisdiction, to provide 
medical care or treatment for a child when such care or treatment 
is necessary to prevent or remedy serious harm to the child, or 
to prevent the withholding of medically indicated treatment from 
children with life threatening conditions. Except with respect to 
the withholding of medically indicated treatments from disabled 
infants with life threatening conditions, case by case determinations 
concerning the exercise of the authority of this subsection shall 
be within the sole discretion of the State.". 
SEC. 113. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS. 
(a) CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT ACT.— 
(1)(A) Sections 104 through 107 of the Child Abuse Preven-
tion and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5104 through 5106a), as 
amended by this subtitle, are redesignated as sections 103 
through 106 of such Act, respectively. 
(B) Sections 109 through 114 of the Child Abuse Prevention 
and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C 5106c through 5106h), as amend-
ed by this subtitle, are redesignated as sections 107 through 
112 of such Act, respectively. 
(C) Section 115 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treat-
ment Act, as added by section 112 of this Act, is redesignated 
as section 113 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment 
Act. 
(2) Section 107 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treat-
ment Act (as redesignated) is amended— 
(A) in subsection (a), by striking "acting through the 
Center and"; 
(B) in subsection (b)(1), by striking "sections" and 
inserting "section"; 
(C) in subsection (c)(1)— 
(i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by 
inserting a comma after "maintain"; and 
(ii) in subparagraph (F), by adding a semicolon 
at the end; and 
(D) in subsection (d)(1), by adding "and" at the end. 
(3) Section 110(b) of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treat-
ment Act (as redesignated) is amended by striking "effective-
ness of—" and £dl that follows and inserting "effectiveness 
of assisted programs in achieving the objectives of section 107.". 
(b) VICTIMS OF CRIME ACT OF 1984.—Section 1404A of the 
Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 10603a) is amended— 
(1) by striking "1402(d)(2)(D) and (d)(3)." and inserting 
"1402(d)(2)"; and 
(2) by striking "section 4(d)" and inserting "section 109". 
110 STAT. 3080 
PUBLIC LAW 104-235—OCT. 3, 1996 
Subtitle B—Community-Based Family 
Resource and Support Grants 
SEC. 121. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM. 
Title II of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act 
(42 U.S.C. 5116 et seq.) is amended to read as follows: 
"TITLE II—COMMUNITY-BASED FAMILY 
RESOURCE AND SUPPORT GRANTS 
42 use 5116. 
"SEC. 201. PURPOSE AND AUTHORITY. 
"(a) PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of this title— 
"(1) to support State efforts to develop, operate, expand 
and enhance a network of community-based, 
prevention-
focused, family resource and support programs that coordinate 
resources among existing education, vocational rehabilitation, 
disability, respite care, health, mental health, job readiniess, 
self-sufficiency, 
child and family development, community 
action, Head Start, child care, child abuse and neglect preven-
tion, juvenile justice, domestic violence prevention and interven-
tion, housing, and other human service organizations within 
the State; and 
"(2) to foster an understanding, appreciation, and knowl-
edge of diverse populations in order to be effective in preventing 
and treating child abuse and neglect. 
"(b) AUTHORITY.—^The Secretary shall make grants under this 
title on a formula basis to the entity designated by the State 
as the lead entity (hereafter referred to in this title as the 'lead 
entity) under section 202(1) for the purpose of— 
"(1) developing, operating, expemding and enhancing State-
wide networks of community-based, prevention-focused, family 
resource and support programs that— 
"(A) offer assistance to families; 
"(B) provide early, comprehensive support for parents; 
"(C) promote the development of parenting skills, espe-
cially in young parents and parents with very young chil-
dren; 
"(D) increase family stability; 
"(E) improve family access to other formal and informal 
resources and opportunities for assistance available within 
communities; 
"(F) support the additional needs of families with chil-
dren with disabilities through respite care and other serv-
ices; and 
"(G) decrease the risk of homelessness; 
"(2) fostering the development of a continuum of preventive 
services for children and families through State and community-
based collaborations and partnerships both public and private; 
"(3) financing the start-up, maintenance, expansion, or 
redesign of specific family resource and support program serv-
ices (such as respite care services, child abuse and neglect 
prevention activities, disability services, mental health services, 
housing services, transportation, adult education, home visiting 
and other similar services) identified by the inventory and 
PUBLIC LAW 104-235—OCT. 3, 1996 
110 STAT. 3081 
description of current services required under section 205(a)(3) 
as an unmet need, and integrated with the network of commu-
nity-based family resource and support program to the extent 
practicable given funding levels and community priorities; 
"(4) maximizing funding for the fingmcing, planning, 
community mobilization, collaboration, assessment, information 
and referral, 
startup, training and technical 
assistance, 
information management, reporting and evaluation costs for 
establishing, operating, or expanding a Statewide network of 
community-based, prevention-focused, family resource and sup-
port program; and 
"(5) financing public information activities that focus on 
the healthy and positive development of parents and children 
and the promotion of child abuse and neglect prevention activi-
ties. 
"SEC. 202. ELIGroniTY. 
42 USC 5116a. 
"A State shall be eligible for a grant under this title for a 
fiscal year if— 
"(IXA) the chief executive officer of the State has des-
ignated a lead entity to administer funds under this title for 
the purposes identified under the authority of this title, includ-
ing to develop, implement, operate, enhance or expand a State-
wide network of community-based, prevention-focused, family 
resource and support programs, child abuse and neglect preven-
tion activities and access to respite care services integrated 
with the Statewide network; 
"(B) such lead entity is an existing public, quasi-public, 
or nonprofit private entity (which may be an entity that has 
not been established pursuant to State legislation, executive 
order, or any other written authority of the State) with a 
demonstrated ability to work with other State and community-
based agencies to provide training and technical assistance, 
and that has the capacity and commitment to ensure the mean-
ingful involvement of parents who are consumers and who 
can provide leadership in the planning, implementation, and 
evaluation of programs and policy decisions of the applicant 
agency in accomplishing the desired outcomes for such efforts; 
"(C) in determining which entity to designate under 
subparagraph (A), the chief executive officer should give priority 
consideration equally to a trust fund advisory board of the 
State or to an existing entity that leverages Federal, State, 
and private funds for a broad range of child abuse and neglect 
prevention activities and family resource programs, and that 
is directed by an interdisciplinary, public-private structure, 
including participants from communities; and 
"(D) in the case of a State that has designated a State 
trust fund advisory board for purposes of administering funds 
under this title (as such title was in effect on the date of 
the enactment of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment 
Act Amendments of 1996) and in which one or more entities 
that leverage Federal, State, and private funds (as described 
in subparagraph (C)) exist, the chief executive officer shall 
designate the lead entity only after full consideration of the 
capacity and expertise of all entities desiring to be designated 
under subparagraph (A); 
110 STAT. 3082 
PUBLIC LAW 104-235—OCT. 3, 1996 
"(2) the chief executive officer of the State provides assur-
ances that the lead entity will provide or will be responsible 
for providing— 
"(A) a network of community-based family resource 
and support programs composed of local, collaborative, pub-
lic-private partnerships directed by interdisciplinary struc-
tures with balanced representation from private and public 
sector members, parents, and public and private nonprofit 
service providers and individuals and organizations experi-
enced in working in partnership with families with children 
with disabilities; 
"(B) direction to the network through an interdiscipli-
nary, collaborative, public-private structure with balanced 
representation from private and public sector members, 
parents, and public sector and private nonprofit sector serv-
ice providers; and 
"(C) direction and oversight to the network through 
identified goals and objectives, clear lines of communication 
and accountability, the provision of leveraged or combined 
funding from Federal, State and private sources, central-
ized assessment and planning activities, the provision of 
training and technical assistance, and reporting and 
evaluation functions; and 
"(3) the chief executive officer of the State provides assur-
ances that the lead entity— 
"(A) has a demonstrated commitment to parental 
participation in the development, operation, and oversight 
of the Statewide network of community-based, prevention-
focused, family resource and support programs; 
"(B) has a demonstrated ability to work with State 
and 
community-based 
public 
and 
private 
nonprofit 
organizations to develop a continuum of preventive, family 
centered, comprehensive services for children and families 
through the 
Statewide network of community-based, 
prevention-focused, family resource and support programs; 
"(C) has the capacity to provide operationsd support 
(both financial and programmatic) and training and tech-
nical assistance, to the Statewide network of community-
based, prevention-focused, family resource and support pro-
grams, through innovative, interagency funding and inter-
disciplinary service delivery mechanisms; and 
"(D) will integrate its efforts with individuals and 
organizations experienced in working in partnership with 
families with children with disabilities and with the child 
abuse and neglect prevention activities of the State, and 
demonstrate a financial commitment to those activities. 
42 use 5116b. 
"SEC. 203. AMOUNT OF GRANT. 
Native 
"(a) RESERVATION.—^The Secretary shall reserve 1 percent of 
Americans. 
the amount appropriated under section 210 for a fiscal year to 
make allotments to Indian tribes and tribal organizations and 
migrant programs. 
"(b) REMAINING AMOUNTS.— 
"(1) IN GENERAL.—^The Secretary shall allot the amount 
appropriated under section 210 for a fiscal year and remaining 
after the reservation under subsection (a) among the States 
as follows: 
PUBLIC LAW 104-235—OCT. 3, 1996 
110 STAT. 3083 
"(A) 70 percent of such amount appropriated shall be 
allotted among the States by allotting to each State an 
amount that bears the same proportion to such amount 
appropriated as the number of children under the age 
of 18 residing in the State bears to the total number 
of children under the age of 18 residing in all States 
(except that no State shall receive less than $175,000 under 
this subparagraph). 
"(B) 30 percent of such amount appropriated shall be 
allotted among the States by allotting to each State an 
amount that bears the same proportion to such amount 
appropriated as the amount leveraged by the State from 
private, State, or other non-Federal sources and directed 
through the State lead agency in the preceding fiscal year 
bears to the aggregate of the amounts leveraged by all 
States from private. State, or other non-Federal sources 
and directed through the lead agency of such States in 
the preceding fiscal year. 
"(2) ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT.—^The Secretary shall pro-
vide allotments under paragraph (1) to the State lead entity. 
"(c) ALLOCATION.—Funds allotted to a State under this sec-
tion— 
"(1) shall be for a 3-year period; and 
"(2) shall be provided by the Secretary to the State on 
an annual basis, as described in subsection (a). 
"SEC. 204. EXISTING GRANTS. 
"(a) IN GENERAL.—^Notwithstanding the enactment of the Child 
Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act Amendments of 1996, a State 
or entity that has a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement in 
effect, on the date of the enactment of such Act under any program 
described in subsection (b), shall continue to receive funds under 
such program, subject to the original terms under which such 
funds were provided under the grant, through the end of the 
applicable grant cycle. 
"(b) PROGRAMS DESCRIBED.—^The programs described in this 
subsection are the following: 
"(1) The Community-Based Family Resource programs 
under section 201 of this Act, as such section was in effect 
on the day before the date of the enactment of the Child 
Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act Amendments of 1996. 
"(2) The Family Support Center programs under subtitle 
F of title VII of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance 
Act (42 U.S.C. 11481 et seq.), as such title was in effect on 
the day before the date of the enactment of the Child Abuse 
Prevention and Treatment Act Amendments of 1996. 
"(3) The Emergency Child Abuse Prevention Services grant 
program under section 107A of this Act, as such section was 
in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of the 
Hum£in Services Amendments of 1994. 
"(4) Programs under the Temporary Child Care for Children 
With Disabilities and Crisis Nurseries Act of 1986. 
"SEC. 205. APPUCATION. 
"A grant may not be made to a State under this title unless 
an application therefor is submitted by the State to the Secretary 
and such application contains the types of information specified 
42 use 5115c. 
42 use 5116d. 
110 STAT. 3084 
PUBLIC LAW 104-235—OCT. 3, 1996 
by the Secretary as essentisil to carrying out the provisions of 
section 202, including— 
"(1) a description of the lead entity that will be responsible 
for the administration of funds provided under this title and 
the oversight of programs funded through the Statewide net-
work of community-based, prevention-focused, family resource 
and support programs which meets the requirements of section 
202; 
"(2) a description of how the network of community-based, 
prevention-focused, family resource and support programs will 
operate and how family resource and support services provided 
by public and private, nonprofit organizations, including those 
funded by programs consolidated under this Act, will be 
integrated into a developing continuum of family centered, 
holistic, preventive services for children and families; 
"(3) an assurance that an inventory of current family 
resource programs, respite care, child abuse and neglect preven-
tion activities, and other family resource services operating 
in the State, and a description of current unmet needs, will 
be provided; 
"(4) a budget for the development, operation and expansion 
of the State's network of community-based, prevention-focused, 
family resource and support programs that verifies that the 
State will expend in non-Federal funds an amount equal to 
not less than 20 percent of the amount received under this 
title (in cash, not in-kind) for activities under this title; 
"(5) an assurance that funds received under this title will 
supplement, not supplant, other State and local public funds 
designated for the Statewide network of community-based, 
prevention-focused, family resource and support programs; 
"(6) an assurance that the State has the capacity to ensure 
the meaningful involvement of parents who are consumers and 
who can provide leadership in the planning, implementation, 
and evaluation of the programs and policy decisions of the 
applicant agency in accomplishing the desired outcomes for 
such efforts; 
"(7) a description of the criteria that the entity will use 
to develop, or select and fund, individual community-based, 
prevention-focused, family resource and support programs as 
part of network development, expansion or enhancement; 
"(8) a description of outreach activities that the entity 
and the community-based, prevention-focused, family resource 
and support programs will undertake to maximize the participa-
tion of racial and ethnic minorities, children and adults with 
disabilities, homeless families and those at risk of homeless-
ness, and members of other underserved or underrepresented 
groups; 
"(9) a plan for providing operational support, training and 
technical assistance to community-based, prevention-focused, 
family resource and support programs for development, oper-
ation, expansion and enhancement activities; 
"(10) a description of how the applicant entity's activities 
and those of the network and its members will be evaluated; 
"(11) a description of the actions that the applicant entity 
will take to advocate systemic changes in State policies, prac-
tices, procedures and regulations to improve the delivery of 
PUBLIC LAW 104-235—OCT. 3, 1996 
110 STAT. 3085 
prevention-focused, family resource and support program serv-
ices to children and families; and 
"(13) an assurance that the applicant entity will provide 
the Secretary with reports at such time and containing such 
information as the Secretary may require. 
"SEC. 206. LOCAL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS. 
42 USC 5116e. 
"(a) IN GENERAL.—Grants made under this title shall be used 
to develop, implement, operate, expand and enhance community-
based, prevention-focused, family resource and support programs 
that— 
"(1) assess community assets and needs through a planning 
process that involves parents and local public agencies, local 
nonprofit organizations, and private sector representatives; 
"(2) develop a strategy to provide, over time, a continuum 
of preventive, family centered services to children and families, 
especially to young parents and parents with young children, 
through public-private partnerships; 
"(3) provide— 
"(A) core family resource and support services such 
as— 
"(i) parent education, mutual support and self help, 
and leadership services; 
"(ii) outreach services; 
"(iii) community and social service referrals; and 
"(iv) follow-up services; 
"(B) other core services, which must be provided or 
arranged for through contracts or agreements with other 
local agencies, including all forms of respite care services 
to the extent practicable; and 
"(C) access to optional services, including— 
"(i) referral to and counseling for adoption services 
for individuals interested in adopting a child or relin-
quishing their child for adoption; 
"(ii) child care, early childhood development and 
intervention services; 
"(iii) referral to services and supports to meet the 
additional needs of families with children with disabil-
ities; 
"(iv) referral to job readiness services; 
"(v) referral to educational services, such as 
scholastic tutoring, literacy training, and General Edu-
cational Degree services; 
"(vi) self-sufficiency and life management skills 
training; 
"(vii) community referral services, including early 
developmental screening of children; and 
"(viii) peer counseling; 
"(4) develop leadership roles for the meaningful involve-
ment of parents in the development, operation, evaluation, 
and oversight of the programs and services; 
"(5) provide leadership in mobilizing local public and pri-
vate resources to support the provision of needed family 
resource and support program services; and 
"(6) participate with other community-based, prevention-
focused, family resource and support program grantees in the 
110 STAT. 3086 
PUBLIC LAW 104-235—OCT. 3, 1996 
development, operation and expansion of the Statewide net-
work. 
"(b) PRIORITY.—In awarding local grants under this title, a 
lead entity shall give priority to effective community-based pro-
grams serving low income communities and those serving young 
parents or parents with young children, including community-based 
family resource and support programs. 
42 use 5116f. 
"SEC. 207. PERFORMANCE MEASURES. 
"A State receiving a grant under this title, through reports 
provided to the Secretary— 
"(1) shgJl demonstrate the effective development, operation 
and expansion of a Statewide network of community-based, 
prevention-focused, family resource and support programs that 
meets the requirements of this title; 
"(2) shall supply an inventory and description of the serv-
ices provided to families by local programs that meet identified 
community needs, including core and optional services as 
described in section 202; 
"(3) sh£dl demonstrate the establishment of new respite 
care and other specific new family resources services, £ind the 
expansion of existing services, to address unmet needs identi-
fied by the inventory and description of current services 
required under section 205(3); 
"(4) shall describe the number of families served, including 
families with children with disabilities, and the involvement 
of a diverse representation of families in the design, operation, 
and evaluation of the Statewide network of community-based, 
prevention-focused, family resource and support programs, and 
in the design, operation and evaluation of the individual 
community-based family resource and support programs that 
are part of the Statewide network funded under this title; 
"(5) shall demonstrate a high level of satisfaction among 
families who have used the services of the community-based, 
prevention-focused, family resource and support programs; 
"(6) shall demonstrate the establishment or maintenance 
of innovative funding mechanisms, at the State or community 
level, that blend Federal, State, local and private funds, and 
innovative, interdisciplinary service delivery mechsinisms, for 
the development, operation, expansion and enhancement of the 
Statewide network of community-based, 
prevention-focused, 
family resource and support programs; 
"(7) shall describe the results of a peer review process 
conducted under the State program; and 
"(8) shall demonstrate an implementation plan to ensure 
the continued leadership of parents in the on-going planning, 
implementation, and evaluation of such community based, 
prevention-focused, family resource and support programs. 
42USC5116g. 
"SEC. 208. NATIONAL NETWORK FOR COMMUNITY-BASED FAMILY 
RESOURCE PROGRAMS. 
"The Secretary may allocate such sums as may be necessary 
from the amount provided under the State allotment to support 
the activities of the lead entity in the State— 
"(1) to create, operate and maintain a peer review process; 
"(2) to create, operate and maintain an 
information 
clearinghouse; 
PUBLIC LAW 104-235—OCT. 3, 1996 
110 STAT. 3087 
"(3) to fund a yearly sjonposium on State system change 
efforts that result from the operation of the Statewide networks 
of community-based, prevention-focused, family resource and 
support progreims; 
"(4) to create, operate and maintain a computerized commu-
nication system between lead entities; and 
"(5) to fund State-to-State technical assistance through bi-
annual conferences. 
"SEC. 209. DEFINITIONS. 
42USC5116h. 
"For purposes of this title: 
"(1) CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES.—^The term 'children with 
disabilities' has the same mesining given such term in section 
602(a)(2) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. 
"(2) COMMUNITY REFERRAL SERVICES.—The term 'commu-
nity referral services' means services provided under contract 
or through interagency agreements to assist families in obtain-
ing needed information, mutual support and community 
resources, including respite care services, health and mental 
health services, employability development and job training, 
and other socied services, including early developmental screen-
ing of children, through help lines or other methods. 
"(3) FAMILY RESOURCE AND SUPPORT PROGRAM.—^The term 
'family resource and support program' means a community-
based, prevention-focused entity that— 
"(A) provides, through direct service, the core services 
required under this title, including— 
"(i) parent education, support and leadership serv-
ices, together with services characterized by relation-
ships between parents and professionals that are based 
on equality and respect, and designed to assist parents 
in acquiring parenting skills, learning about child 
development, and responding appropriately to the 
behavior of their children; 
"(ii) services to facilitate the ability of parents 
to serve as resources to one another (such as through 
mutual support and parent self-help groups); 
"(iii) outreach services provided through voluntary 
home visits and other methods to assist parents in 
becoming aware of and able to participate in family 
resources and support program activities; 
"(iv) community and social services to assist fami-
lies in obtaining community resources; and 
"(v) follow-up services; 
"(B) provides, or arranges for the provision of, other 
core services through contracts or agreements with other 
local agencies, including all forms of respite care services; 
and 
"(C) provides access to optional services, directly or 
by contract, purchase of service, or interagency agreement, 
including— 
"(i) child care, early childhood development and 
early intervention services; 
"(ii) referral to self-sufficiency and life manage-
ment skills training; 
110 STAT. 3088 
PUBLIC LAW 104-235—OCT. 3, 1996 
"(iii) referral to education services, such as scholas-
tic tutoring, literacy training, and General Educational 
Degree services; 
"(iv) referral to services providing job readiness 
skills; 
"(v) child abuse and neglect prevention activities; 
"(vi) referral to services that families with children 
with disabilities or special needs may require; 
"(vii) community and social service referral, includ-
ing early developmental screening of children; 
"(viii) peer counseling; 
"(ix) referral for substance abuse counseling and 
treatment; and 
"(x) help line services. 
"(4) OUTREACH SERVICES.—The term 'outreach services' 
means services provided to assist consumers, through voluntary 
home visits or other methods, in accessing and participating 
in family resource and support program activities. 
"(5) RESPITE CARE SERVICES.—The term 'respite care serv-
ices' means short term care services provided in the temporary 
absence of the regular caregiver (parent, other relative, foster 
parent, adoptive parent, or guardian) to children who— 
"(A) are in danger of abuse or neglect; 
"(B) have experienced abuse or neglect; or 
"(C) have disabilities, chronic, or terminal illnesses. 
Such services shall be provided within or outside the home 
of the child, be short-term care (ranging from a few hours 
to a few weeks of time, per year), and be intended to enable 
the family to stay together and to keep the child living in 
the home and community of the child. 
42 use 51161. 
"SEC. 210. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
"There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this 
title, $66,000,000 for fiscal year 1997 and such sums as may be 
necessary for each of the fiscal years 1998 through 2001.". 
Subtitle C—Certain Preventive 
Services 
Regarding Children of Homeless Fami-
lies or Families At Risk of Homelessness 
SEC. 131. REPEAL OF TITLE III. 
Title III of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act 
(42 U.S.C. 5118 et seq.) is repealed. 
Subtitle D—^Miscellaneous Provisions 
SEC 141. TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
The table of contents of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treat-
ment Act (42 U.S.C. 5101 note) is amended to read as follows: 
"Sec. 1. Short title and table of contents. 
"Sec. 2. Findings. 
"TITLE I—GENERAL PROGRAM 
"Sec. 101. Office on Child Abuse and Neglect. 
PUBLIC LAW 104-235—OCT. 3, 1996 
110 STAT. 3089 
"Sec. 102. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect. 
"Sec. 103. National clearinghouse for information relating to child abuse. 
"Sec. 104. Research and assistance activities. 
"Sec. 105. Grants to public agencies and nonprofit private organizations for dem-
onstration programs and projects. 
"Sec. 106. Grants to States for child abuse and neglect prevention and treatment 
programs. 
"Sec. 107. Grants to States for programs relating to the investigation and prosecu-
tion of child abuse and neglect cases. 
"Sec. 108. Miscellaneous requirements relating to assistance. 
"Sec. 109. Coordination of child abuse and neglect programs. 
"Sec. 110. Reports. 
"Sec. 111. Definitions. 
"Sec. 112. Authorization of appropriations. 
"Sec. 113. Rule of construction. 
"TITLE II—COMMUNITY-BASED FAMILY RESOURCE AND SUPPORT GRANTS 
"Sec. 201. Purpose and authority. 
"Sec. 202. Eligibility. 
"Sec. 203. Amount of grant. 
"Sec. 204. Existing grants. 
"Sec. 205. Application. 
"Sec. 206. Local program requirements. 
"Sec. 207. Performance measures. 
"Sec. 208. National network for community-based family resource programs. 
"Sec. 209. Definitions. 
"Sec. 210. Authorization of appropriations. 
SEC. 142. REPEALS OF OTHER LAWS. 
(a) TEMPORARY CHILD CARE FOR CHILDREN W I T H DISABILITIES 
AND CRISIS NURSERIES ACT OF 1986.—The Temporary Child Care 
for Children With Disabilities and Crisis Nurseries Act of 1986 
(42 U.S.C. 5117 et seq.) is repealed. 
(b) FAMILY SUPPORT CENTERS.—Subtitle F of title VII of the 
Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11481 
et seq.) is repealed. 
TITLE II—AMENDMENTS TO OTHER 
ACTS 
Subtitle A—Family Violence Prevention 
and Services Act 
SEC. 
201. 
STATE 
DEMONSTRATION 
GRANTS. 
Section 303(e) of the Family Violence Prevention eind Services 
Act (42 U.S.C. 10420(e)) is amended— 
42 USC 10402. 
(1) by striking "following local share" and inserting "follow-
ing non-Federal matching local share"; and 
(2) by striking "20 percent" and all that follows through 
"private sources." and inserting "with respect to an entity 
operating an existing program under this title, not less than 
20 percent, and with respect to an entity intending to operate 
a new program under this title, not less than 35 percent.". 
SEC. 202. ALLOTMENTS. 
Section 304(a)(1) of the Family Violence Prevention and Serv-
ices Act (42 U.S.C. 10403(a)(1)) is amended by striking "$200,000" 
and inserting "$400,000". 
SEC. 203. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
Section 310 of the Family Violence Prevention and Services 
Act (42 U.S.C. 10409) is amended— 
110 STAT. 3090 
PUBLIC LAW 104-235—OCT. 3, 1996 
(1) in subsection (b), by striking "80" and inserting "70"; 
and 
(2) by adding at the end thereof the following new sub-
sections: 
"(d) GRANTS FOR STATE COALITIONS.—Of the amounts appro-
priated under subsection (a) for each fiscal year, not less than 
10 percent of such amounts shall be used by the Secretary for 
making grants under section 311. 
"(e) NON-SupPLANTiNG REQUIREMENT.—^Federal funds made 
available to a State under this title shall be used to supplement 
and not supplant other Federal, State, and local public funds 
expended to provide services and activities that promote the pur-
poses of this title.". 
Subtitle B—Child Abuse Prevention and 
Treatment and Adoption Reform Act of 
1978 ("Adoption Opportunities Act") 
SEC. 211. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. 
Section 201 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment 
and Adoption Reform Act of 1978 (42 U.S.C. 5111) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) by striking "50 percent between 1985 and 1990" 
and inserting "61 percent between 1986 and 1994"; 
and 
(ii) by striking "400,000 children at the end of 
June, 1990" and inserting "452,000 as of June 1994"; 
(B) in paragraph (5), by striking "local" and inserting 
"legal"; and 
(C) in paragraph (7), to read as follows: 
"(7)(A) currently, 40,000 children are free for adoption and 
awaiting placement; 
"(B) such children are tjrpically school aged, in sibling 
groups, have experienced neglect or abuse, or have a physical, 
mental, or emotional disability; and 
"(C) while the children are of all races, children of color 
and older children (over the age of 10) are over represented 
in such group;"; and 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) by striking "conditions, by—" and all that follows 
through "Department of Health and Human Services 
to—" and inserting "conditions, by providing a mechanism 
to—"; and 
(B) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through (C) 
of paragraph (2), as paragraphs (1) through (3), respec-
tively, and by realigning the margins of such paragraphs 
accordingly. 
SEC. 212. INFORMATION AND SERVICES. 
Section 203 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment 
and Adoption Reform Act of 1978 (42 U.S.C. 5113) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking the last sentence; 
(2) in subsection {h}— 
(A) in paragraph (6), to read as follows: 
PUBLIC LAW 104-235—OCT. 3, 1996 
110 STAT. 3091 
"(6) study the nature, scope, and effects of the placement 
of children in kinship care arrangements, pre-adoptive, or adop-
tive homes;"; 
(B) by redesignating paragraphs (7) through (9) as 
paragraphs (8) through (10), respectively; and 
(C) by inserting after paragraph (6), the following new 
paragraph: 
"(7) study the efficacy of States contracting with public 
or private nonprofit agencies (including community-based and 
other organizations), or sectarian institutions for the recruit-
ment of potential adoptive and foster families and to provide 
assistance in the placement of children for adoption;"; and 
(3) in subsection (d)(2)— 
(A) by striking "Each" and inserting "(A) Each"; 
(B) by striking "for each fiscal year" and inserting 
"that describes the manner in which the State will use 
funds during the 3 fiscal years subsequent to the date 
of the application to accomplish the purposes of this section. 
Such application shall be"; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new subpara-
graph: 
"(B) The Secretary shall provide, directly or by grant to or Grants. 
contract with public or private nonprofit agencies or organizations— Contracts. 
"(i) technical assistance £ind resource and referral informa-
tion to assist State or local governments with termination of 
parental rights issues, in recruiting and retaining adoptive 
families, in the successful placement of children with special 
needs, and in the provision of pre- and post-placement services, 
including post-legal adoption services; and 
"(ii) other assistance to help State and local governments 
replicate successful adoption-related projects from other areas 
in the United States.". 
SEC. 213. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
Section 205 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment 
and Adoption Reform Act of 1978 (42 U.S.C. 5115) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking "$10,000,000" and all 
that follows through "203(c)(1)" and inserting "$20,000,000 for 
fiscal year 1997, and such sums as may be necessary for each 
of the fiscal years 1998 through 2001 to carry out programs 
and activities authorized"; 
(2) by striking subsection (b); and 
(3) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (b). 
Subtitle C—Abandoned Infants Assistance 
Act of 1988 
SEC. 221. PRIORITY REQUIREMENT. 
Section 101 of the Abandoned Infants Assistance Act of 1988 
(42 U.S.C. 670 note) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
"(h) PRIORITY REQUIREMENT.—In making grants under sub-
section (a), the Secretary shall give priority to applicants located 
in States that have developed and implemented procedures for 
expedited termination of parental rights and placement for adoption 
of infants determined to be abandoned under State law.". 
110 STAT. 3092 
PUBLIC LAW 104-235—OCT. 3, 1996 
SEC. 222. REAUTHORIZATION. 
Section 104(a)(1) of the Abandoned Infants Assistance Act of 
1988 (42 U.S.C. 670 note) is amended by striking "$20,000,000" 
and all that follows and inserting "$35,000,000 for fiscal year 1997 
and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 
1998 through 2001.". 
Subtitle D—^Reauthorization of Various 
Programs 
SEC. 231. MISSING CHILDREN^ ASSISTANCE ACT. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 408 of 
the 
Missing Children's Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5777) is amended— 
(1) by striking 'To" and inserting "(a) IN GENERAL.—^To"; 
(2) by striking "1993, 1994, 1995, and 1996" and inserting 
"1997 through 2001"; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new subsection: 
"(b) EVALUATION.—^The Administrator may use not more than 
5 percent of the amount appropriated for a fiscal year under sub-
section (a) to conduct an evaluation of the effectiveness of the 
programs and activities established and operated under this title.". 
(b) SPECIAL STUDY AND REPORT.—Section 409 of the Missing 
Children's Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5778) is repealed. 
SEC. 232. VICTIMS OF CHILD ABUSE ACT OF 1990. 
Section 214B of the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990 (42 
U.S.C. 13004) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (aX2), by striking "and 1996" and inserting 
"1996, and each of the fiscal years 1997 through 2000"; and 
(2) in subsection (bX2), by striking "and 1996 and inserting 
"1996, and each of the fiscal years 1997 through 2000". 
Approved October 3, 1996. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 919: 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 104-117 (Comm. on Labor and Human Resoxirces). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 142 (1996): 
July 18, considered and passed Senate. 
Sept. 25, considered and passed House, amended. 
Sept. 27, Senate concurred in House amendment.