Runaway, Homeless, and Missing Children Protection Act
PL 108-96 (H.R.1925), enacted 10/10/2003

117 STAT. 1167
PUBLIC LAW 108–96—OCT. 10, 2003
Public Law 108–96
108th Congress
An Act
To reauthorize programs under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act and the
Missing Children’s Assistance Act, and for other purposes.
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 ‘‘Runaway, Homeless, and Missing
Children Protection Act’’.
TITLE I—AMENDMENTS TO RUNAWAY
AND HOMELESS YOUTH ACT
SEC. 101. AMENDMENT TO FINDINGS.
Section 302 of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C.
5701) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘SEC. 302. FINDINGS.
‘‘The Congress finds that—
‘‘(1) youth who have become homeless or who leave and
remain away from home without parental permission, are at
risk of developing, and have a disproportionate share of, serious
health, behavioral, and emotional problems because they lack
sufficient resources to obtain care and may live on the street
for extended periods thereby endangering themselves and cre-
ating a substantial law enforcement problem for communities
in which they congregate;
‘‘(2) many such young people, because of their age and
situation, are urgently in need of temporary shelter and serv-
ices, including services that are linguistically appropriate and
acknowledge the environment of youth seeking these services;
‘‘(3) in view of the interstate nature of the problem, it
is the responsibility of the Federal Government to develop
an accurate national reporting system to report the problem,
and to assist in the development of an effective system of
care (including preventive and aftercare services, emergency
shelter services, extended residential shelter, and street out-
reach services) outside the welfare system and the law enforce-
ment system;
‘‘(4) to make a successful transition to adulthood, runaway
youth, homeless youth, and other street youth need opportuni-
ties to complete high school or earn a general equivalency
degree, learn job skills, and obtain employment; and
42 USC 5601
note.
Runaway,
Homeless, and
Missing Children
Protection Act.
Grants.
Oct. 10, 2003
[H.R. 1925]
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117 STAT. 1168
PUBLIC LAW 108–96—OCT. 10, 2003
‘‘(5) improved coordination and collaboration between the
Federal programs that serve runaway and homeless youth are
necessary for the development of a long-term strategy for
responding to the needs of this population.’’.
SEC. 102. GRANT PROGRAM CONFORMING AMENDMENT.
The heading for part A of the Runaway and Homeless Youth
Act (42 U.S.C. 5711 et seq.) is amended by striking ‘‘RUNAWAY
AND HOMELESS YOUTH’’ and inserting ‘‘BASIC CENTER’’.
SEC. 103. GRANTS FOR SERVICES PROVIDED.
Section 311(a)(2)(C) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act
(42 U.S.C. 5711(a)(2)(C)) is amended—
(1) in clause (ii) by striking ‘‘and’’;
(2) in clause (iii) by striking the period and inserting ‘‘;
and’’; and
(3) after clause (iii) by inserting the following:
‘‘(iv) at the request of runaway and homeless
youth, testing for sexually transmitted diseases.’’.
SEC. 104. REPEAL OF OBSOLETE PROVISION RELATING TO CERTAIN
ALLOTMENTS.
Section 311(b) the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C.
5711(b)) is amended—
(1) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘Subject to paragraph
(3), the’’ and inserting ‘‘The’’;
(2) by striking paragraph (3); and
(3) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (3).
SEC. 105. ELIGIBILITY PROVISION.
Section 312(a) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42
U.S.C. 5712(a)) is amended by striking ‘‘juveniles’’ each place it
appears and inserting ‘‘youth’’.
SEC. 106. RECOGNITION OF STATE LAW RELATING TO CAPACITY
LIMITATION ON ELIGIBLE RUNAWAY AND HOMELESS
YOUTH CENTERS.
Section 312(b)(2)(A) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act
(42 U.S.C. 5712(b)(2)(A)) is amended by inserting after ‘‘youth’’
the following: ‘‘, except where the applicant assures that the State
where the center or locally controlled facility is located has a State
or local law or regulation that requires a higher maximum to
comply with licensure requirements for child and youth serving
facilities’’.
SEC. 107. MATERNITY GROUP HOMES.
(a) ELIGIBILITY.—Section 322(a)(1) of the Runaway and Home-
less Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5714–2(a)(1)) is amended—
(1) by inserting after ‘‘group homes,’’ the following:
‘‘including maternity group homes,’’; and
(2) by inserting after ‘‘use of credit,’’ the following: ‘‘par-
enting skills (as appropriate),’’.
(b) DEFINITION.—Section 322 of the Runaway and Homeless
Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5714–2) is amended by adding at the end
the following new subsection:
‘‘(c) DEFINITION.—In this part, the term ‘maternity group home’
means a community-based, adult-supervised transitional living
arrangement that provides pregnant or parenting youth and their
children with a supportive and supervised living arrangement in
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117 STAT. 1169
PUBLIC LAW 108–96—OCT. 10, 2003
which such pregnant or parenting youth are required to learn
parenting skills, including child development, family budgeting,
health and nutrition, and other skills to promote their long-term
economic independence in order to ensure the well-being of their
children.’’.
SEC. 108. LIMITED EXTENSION OF 540-DAY SHELTER ELIGIBILITY
PERIOD.
Section 322(a)(2) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act
(42 U.S.C. 5714–2(a)(2)) is amended by inserting after ‘‘days’’ the
following: ‘‘, except that a youth in a program under this part
who is under the age of 18 years on the last day of the 540-
day period may, if otherwise qualified for the program, remain
in the program until the earlier of the youth’s 18th birthday or
the 180th day after the end of the 540-day period’’.
SEC. 109. PART A PLAN COORDINATION ASSURANCES.
Section 312(b)(4)(B) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act
(42 U.S.C. 5712(b)(4)(B)) is amended by striking ‘‘personnel’’ and
all that follows through the semicolon and inserting ‘‘McKinney-
Vento 
school 
district 
liaisons, 
designated 
under 
section
722(g)(1)(J)(ii) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42
U.S.C. 11432(g)(1)(J)(ii)), to assure that runaway and homeless
youth are provided information about the educational services avail-
able to such youth under subtitle B of title VII of that Act;’’.
SEC. 110. PART B PLAN COORDINATION AGREEMENT.
Section 322(a) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42
U.S.C. 5714–2(a)) is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ after the semicolon at the end of
paragraph (13);
(2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (14)
and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
‘‘(15) to coordinate services with McKinney-Vento school
district liaisons, designated under section 722(g)(1)(J)(ii) of the
McKinney-Vento 
Homeless 
Assistance 
Act 
(42 
U.S.C.
11432(g)(1)(J)(ii)), to assure that runaway and homeless youth
are provided information about the educational services avail-
able to such youth under subtitle B of title VII of that Act.’’.
SEC. 111. PART B PLAN DEVELOPMENT.
Section 322(a)(7) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act
(42 U.S.C. 5714–2(a)(7)) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘(7) to develop an adequate plan to ensure proper referral
of homeless youth to social service, law enforcement, edu-
cational 
(including 
post-secondary 
education), 
vocational,
training (including services and programs for youth available
under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998), welfare (including
programs under the Personal Responsibility and Work Oppor-
tunity Reconciliation Act of 1996), legal service, and health
care programs and to help integrate and coordinate such serv-
ices for youths;’’.
SEC. 112. COORDINATION OF PROGRAMS.
Section 341 of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C.
5714–21) is amended—
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117 STAT. 1170
PUBLIC LAW 108–96—OCT. 10, 2003
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘and’’ after the semicolon
at the end;
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
‘‘(3) shall consult, as appropriate, the Secretary of Housing
and Urban Development to ensure coordination of programs
and services for homeless youth.’’.
SEC. 113. CLARIFICATION OF GRANT AUTHORITY.
Section 343(a) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42
U.S.C. 5714–23(a)) is amended by inserting after ‘‘service projects’’
the following: ‘‘regarding activities under this title’’.
SEC. 114. TECHNICAL AMENDMENT RELATING TO DEMONSTRATION
PROJECTS.
The section heading of section 344 of the Runaway and Home-
less Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5714–24) is amended by striking ‘‘TEM-
PORARY’’.
SEC. 115. REPEAL OF OBSOLETE PROVISION RELATING TO STUDY.
The Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5701 et
seq.) is amended by striking section 345 (42 U.S.C. 5714–25).
SEC. 116. AGE LIMIT FOR HOMELESS YOUTH.
Section 387(3)(A)(i) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act
(42 U.S.C. 5732a(3)(A)(i)) is amended by inserting after ‘‘of age’’
the following: ‘‘, or, in the case of a youth seeking shelter in
a center under part A, not more than 18 years of age’’.
SEC. 117. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) OTHER THAN PART E.—Section 388(a)(1) of the Runaway
and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5751(a)(1)) is amended by
striking ‘‘such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2000,
2001, 2002, and 2003’’ and inserting ‘‘$105,000,000 for fiscal year
2004, and such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2005,
2006, 2007, and 2008’’.
(b) PART E.—Section 388(a)(4) of the Runaway and Homeless
Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5751(a)(4)) is amended by striking ‘‘2000,
2001, 2002, and 2003’’ and inserting ‘‘2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and
2008’’.
(c) PART B ALLOCATION.—Section 388(a)(2)(B) of the Runaway
and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5751(a)(2)(B)) is amended by
striking ‘‘not less than 20 percent, and not more than 30 percent’’
and inserting ‘‘45 percent and, in those fiscal years in which continu-
ation grant obligations and the quality and number of applicants
for parts A and B warrant not more than 55 percent’’.
SEC. 118. REPORT ON PROMISING STRATEGIES TO END YOUTH
HOMELESSNESS.
Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of
this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consulta-
tion with the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness,
shall submit to the Congress a report on promising strategies to
end youth homelessness.
SEC. 119. STUDY OF HOUSING SERVICES AND STRATEGIES.
The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall conduct
a study of programs funded under part B of the Runaway and
42 USC 5714–1
note.
Deadline.
42 USC 5701
note.
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Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5714–1 et seq.) to report on long-
term housing outcomes for youth after exiting the program. The
study of any such program should provide information on housing
services available to youth upon exiting the program, including
assistance in locating and retaining permanent housing and refer-
rals to other residential programs. In addition, the study should
identify housing models and placement strategies that prevent
future episodes of homelessness.
SEC. 120. RESTRICTION ON USE OF FUNDS.
The Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5701 et
seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
‘‘SEC. 389. RESTRICTION ON USE OF FUNDS.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—None of the funds contained in this title
may be used for any program of distributing sterile needles or
syringes for the hypodermic injection of any illegal drug.
‘‘(b) SEPARATE ACCOUNTING.—Any individual or entity who
receives any funds contained in this title and who carries out
any program described in subsection (a) shall account for all funds
used for such program separately from any funds contained in
this title.’’.
TITLE II—AMENDMENTS TO MISSING
CHILDREN’S ASSISTANCE ACT
SEC. 201. AMENDMENT TO FINDINGS.
Section 402 of the Missing Children’s Assistance Act (42 U.S.C.
5771) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘SEC. 402. FINDINGS.
‘‘The Congress finds that—
‘‘(1) each year thousands of children are abducted or
removed from the control of a parent having legal custody
without such parent’s consent, under circumstances which
immediately place the child in grave danger;
‘‘(2) many missing children are at great risk of both physical
harm and sexual exploitation;
‘‘(3) in many cases, parents and local law enforcement
officials have neither the resources nor the expertise to mount
expanded search efforts;
‘‘(4) abducted children are frequently moved from one
locality to another, requiring the cooperation and coordination
of local, State, and Federal law enforcement efforts;
‘‘(5) the National Center for Missing and Exploited
Children—
‘‘(A) serves as the national resource center and
clearinghouse;
‘‘(B) works in partnership with the Department of Jus-
tice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department
of the Treasury, the Department of State, and many other
agencies in the effort to find missing children and prevent
child victimization; and
‘‘(C) operates a national and increasingly worldwide
network, linking the Center online with each of the missing
42 USC 5752.
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PUBLIC LAW 108–96—OCT. 10, 2003
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 1925 (S. 1451):
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 108–118 (Comm. on Education and the Workforce).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 149 (2003):
May 20, considered and passed House.
Sept. 30, considered and passed Senate.
children clearinghouses operated by the 50 States, the Dis-
trict of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, as well as with Scotland
Yard in the United Kingdom, the Royal Canadian Mounted
Police, INTERPOL headquarters in Lyon, France, and
others, which enable the Center to transmit images and
information regarding missing children to law enforcement
across the United States and around the world instantly.’’.
SEC. 202. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) ANNUAL GRANT TO NATIONAL CENTER FOR MISSING AND
EXPLOITED CHILDREN.—Section 404(b)(2) of the Missing Children’s
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5773(b)(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘2005’’
and inserting ‘‘2008’’.
(b) IN GENERAL.—Section 408(a) of the Missing Children’s
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5777(a)) is amended by striking ‘‘2005.’’
and inserting ‘‘2008’’.
Approved October 10, 2003.
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