An Act to provide financial assistance for a demonstration program for the prevention, identification, and treatment of child abuse and neglect, to establish a National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, and for other purposes.
PL 93-247 (S.1191), enacted 01/31/1974

PUBLIC LAW 93-247-JAN. 31, 1974 
[88 STAT. 
Limitation. 
5 u s e 8905 
note. 
5 u s e 8901. 
Effective dates. 
5 u s e 8906 
note. 
5 u s e 8905 
note. 
S u s e 8902 
note. 
Effective date. 
5 u s e 8906 
note. 
"(2) The biweekly Government contribution for an employee or 
annuitant enrolled in a plan under this chapter shall not exceed 75 per-
cent of the subscription charge.". 
(b) Section 8906(c) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by 
striking out "subsections (a) and (b)" and inserting "subsection (b)" 
in lieu thereof. 
(c^ Section 8906(g) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by 
striking out "subsection (a) of". 
SEC. 2. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an 
annuitant, as defined under section 8901(3) of title 5, United States 
Code, who is participating or who is eligible to participate in the 
health benefits program offered under the Retired Federal Employees 
Health Benefits Act (74 Stat. 849; Public Law 86-724), may elect, in 
accordance with regulations prescribed by the United States Civil 
Service Commission, to be covered under the provisions of chapter 89 
of title 5, United States Code, in lieu of coverage under such Act. 
(b) An annuitant who elects to be covered under the provisions of 
chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code, in accordance with subsec-
tion (a) of this section, shall be entitled to the benefits under such 
chapter 89. 
SEC. 3. Section 8902 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end thereof the following subsection: 
"(j) Each contract under this chapter shall require the carrier to 
agree to pay for or provide a health service or supply in an individual 
case if the Commission finds that the employee, annuitant, or family 
member is entitled thereto under the terms of the contract,". 
SEC. 4. (a) The first section of this Act shall take effect on the first 
day of the first applicable pay period which begins on or after Jan-
uary 1,1974. 
(b) Section 2 shall take effect on the one hundred and eightieth 
day following the date of enactment or on such earlier date as the 
United States Civil Service Commission may prescribe. 
(c) Section 3 shall become effective with respect to any contract 
entered into or renewed on or after the date of enactment of this 
Act. 
(d) The determination of the average of subscription charges and 
the adjustment of the Government contributions for 1973, under sec-
tion 8906 of title 5, United States Code, as amended by the first sec-
tion of this Act, shall take effect on the first day of the first applicable 
pay period which begins on or after the thirtieth day following the 
date of enactment of this Act. 
Approved January 31, 1974. 
January 31, 1974 
[S. 1191} 
Public Law 93-247 
AN ACT 
To provide financial assistance for a demonstration program for the prevention, 
identification, and treatment of child abuse and neglect, to establish a National 
Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, and for other purposes. 
Child Abuse 
Prevention and 
Treatment Act. 
42 u s e 5I0I 
note. 
Be it BTiacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That this Act may 
be cited as the "Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act". 
88 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 93-247-JAN. 31, 1974 
THE NATIONAL CENTER ON CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT 
SEC. 2. (a) The Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare (here-
inafter referred to in this Act as the "Secretary'') shall establish an 
office to be known as the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect 
(hereinafter referred to in this Act as the "Center"). 
(b) The Secretary, through the Center, shall— 
(1) compile, analyze, and publish a summary annually of 
recently conducted and currently conducted research on child 
abuse and neglect; 
(2) develop and maintain an information clearinghouse on all 
programs, including private programs, showing promise of suc-
cess, for the prevention, identification, and treatment of child 
abuse and neglect; 
(3) compile and publish training materials for personnel who 
are engaged or intend to engage in the prevention, identification, 
and treatment of child abuse and neglect; 
(4) provide technical assistance (directly or through grant or 
contract) to public and nonprofit private agencies and organiza-
tions to assist them in planning, improving, developing, and 
carrying out progi-ams and activities relating to the prevention, 
identification, and treatment of child abuse and neglect; 
(5) conduct research into the causes of child abuse and neglect, 
and into the prevention, identification, and treatment thereof; and 
(6) make a complete and full study and investigation of the 
national incidence of child abuse and neglect, including a deter-
mination of the extent to which incidents of child abuse and 
neglect are increasing in number or severity. 
Establishment. 
42 u s e 5101. 
Annual research 
summary. 
Information 
clearinghouse 
Study. 
DEFINITION 
SEC. 3. For purposes of this Act the term "child abuse and neglect" 
means the physical or mental injury, sexual abuse, negligent treat-
ment, or maltreatment of a child under the age of eighteen by a person 
who is responsible for the child's welfare under circumstances which 
indicate that the child's health or welfare is harmed or threatened 
thereby, as determined in accordance with regulations prescribed by 
the Secretary. 
• 2 u s e 5102, 
DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS AND 
PROJECTS 
SEC. 4. (a) The Secretary, through the Center, is authorized to make 
grants to, and enter into contracts with, public agencies or nonprofit 
private organizations (or combinations thereof) for demonstration 
programs and projects designed to prevent, identify, and treat child 
abuse and neglect. Grants or contracts under this suijsection may be— 
(1) for the development and establishment of training pro-
grams for professional and paraprofessional personnel in the 
fields of medicine, law, education, social work, and other relevant 
Grants and 
contracts. 
42 u s e 5103. 
6 
PUBLIC LAW 93-247-JAN. 31, 1974 
[88 STAT. 
fields who are engaged in, or intend to work in, the field of the 
prevention, identification, and treatment of child abuse and 
neglect; and training programs for children,, and for persons 
responsible for the welfare of children, in methods of protecting 
children from child abuse and neglect; 
(2) for the establishment and maintenance of centers, serving 
denned geographic areas, staffed by multidisciplinary teams of 
personnel trained in the prevention, identification, and treatment 
of child abuse and neglect cases, to provide a broad range of 
services related to child abuse and neglect, including direct sup-
port and supervision of satellite centers and attention homes, as 
well as providing advice and consultation to individuals, agencies, 
and organizations which request such services; 
(3) for furnishing services of teams of professional and para-
professional personnel who are trained in the prevention, iden-
tification, and treatment of child abuse and neglect cases, on a 
consulting basis to small communities where such services are not 
available; and 
(4) for such other innovative programs and projects, includ-
ing programs and projects for parent self-help, and for prevention 
and treatment of drug-related cihild abuse and neglect, that show 
promise of successfully preventing or treating cases of child 
abuse and neglect as the Secretaiy may approve. 
Not less than 50 per centum of the funds appropriated under this Act 
for any fiscal year shall be used only for carrying out the provisions 
of this subsection. 
statTs"*^ '° 
( b ) ( l ) O f the sums appropriated under this Act for any fiscal 
year, not less than 5 per centum and not more than 20 per centum 
may be used by the Secretary for making grants to the States for the 
payment of reasonable and necessary expenses for the purpose of 
assisiting the States in developing, strengthening, and carrying out 
child abuse and neglect prevention and treatment programs. 
(2) In order for a State to qualify for assistance under this sub-
section, such State sihall— 
(A) have in effect a State child abuse and neglect law which 
shall include provisions for immunity for persons reporting 
instances of child abuse and neglect from prosecution, under any 
State or local law, arising out of such reporting; 
(B) provide for the reporting of known and suspected instances 
of child abuse and neglect; 
(C) provide that upon receipt of a report of known or suspected 
instances of child abuse or neglect an investigation shall be 
initiated promptly to substantiate the accuracy of the report, and, 
upon a finding of abuse or neglect, immediate steps shall be taken 
to protect the health and welfare of the abused or neglected child, 
as well as that of any other child under the same care who may be 
in danger of abuse or neglect; 
(D) demonstrate that there are in effect throughout the State, 
in connection with the enforcement of child abuse and neglect 
laws and with the reporting of suspected instances of child abuse 
and neglect, such administrative procedures, such personnel 
trained in child abuse and neglect prevention and treatment, such 
training procedures, such institutional and other facilities (public 
and private), and such related multidisciplinary programs and 
services as may be necessary or appropriate to assure that the 
State will deal effectively with child abuse and neglect cases in the 
State; 
42 u s e 601, 
620. 
88 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 93-247-JAN. 31, 1974 
(E) provide for methods to preserve the confidentiality of all 
records in order to protect the I'ights of the child, his parents or 
guardians; 
(F) provide for the cooperation of law enforcement officials, 
courts of competent jurisdiction, and appropriate State agencies 
providing human services; 
(G) provide that in every case involving an abused or neglected 
child which results in a judicial proceeding a guardian ad litem 
shall be appointed to represent the child in such proceedings; 
(H) provide that the aggregate of support for programs or 
projects related to child abuse and neglect assisted by State funds 
shall not be reduced below the level provided during fiscal year 
1973, and set forth policies and procedures designed to assure that 
Federal funds made available under this Act for any fiscal year 
will be so used as to supplement and, to the extent practicable, 
increase the level of State funds which would, in the absence of 
Federal funds, be available for such programs and projects; 
(I) provide for dissemination of information to the general 
public with respect to the problem of child abuse and neglect and 
the facilities and prevention and treatment methods available 
to combat instances of child abuse and neglect; and 
(J) to the extent feasible, insure that parental organizations 
combating child abuse and neglect receive preferential treatment. 
(3) Programs or projects related to child abuse and neglect assisted 
under part A or B of title IV of the Social Security Act shall comply 
with the requirements set forth in clauses (B), (C), (E), and (F) of 
paragraph (2). 
(c) Assistance provided pursuant to this section shall not be avail-
able for construction of facilities; however, the Secretary is author-
ized to supply such assistance for the lease or rental of facilities where 
adequate facilities are not otherwise available, and for repair or minor 
remodeling or alteration of existing facilities. 
(d) The Secretary shall establish criteria designed to achieve equi-
table distribution of assistance under this section among the States, 
among geographic areas of the Nation, and among rural and urban 
areas. To the extent possible, citizens of each State shall receive assist-
ance from at least one project under this section. 
AUTHORIZATIONS 
SEC. 5. There are hereby authorized to be appropriated for the pur- 
"^^ use 5io4. 
poses of this Act $15,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1974, 
$20,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1975, and $25,000,000 
for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1976, and for the succeeding fiscal 
year. 
ADVISORY BOARD ON CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT 
SEC. 6. (a) The Secretary shall, within sixty days after the date of 
'^^ ^^'^ ^^°^' 
enactment of this Act, appoint an Advisory Board on Child Abuse 
and Neglect (hereinafter referred to as the "Advisory Board"), which 
shall be composed of representatives from Federal agencies with 
Membership, 
responsibility for programs and activities related to child abuse and 
neglect, including the Office of Child Development, the Office of Edu-
cation, the National Institute of Education, the National Institute of 
Mental Health, the National Institute of Child Health and Human 
Development, the Social and Rehabilitation Service, and the Health 
Services Administration. The Advisory Board shall assist the Secre- 
Functions. 
tary in coordinating programs and activities related to child abuse 
PUBLIC LAW 93-248-FEB. 5, 1974 
[88 STAT. 
Report to 
President and 
C ongre s s. 
and neglect administered or assisted under this Act with such pro-
grams and activities administered or assisted by the Federal agencies 
whose representatives are members of the Advisory Board. The 
Advisory Board shall also assist the Secretary in the development of 
Federal standards for child abuse and neglect prevention and treat-
ment programs and projects. 
(b) The Advisory Board shall prepare and submit, within eighteen 
months after the date of enactment of this Act, to the President and 
to the Congress a report on the programs assisted under this Act and 
the programs, projects, and activities related to child abuse and neglect 
administered or assisted by the Federal agencies whose representatives 
are members of the Advisory Board. Such report Shall include a study 
of the relationship between drug addiction and child abuse and neglect. 
(c) Of the funds appropriated under section 5, one-half of 1 per 
centum, or $1,000,000, whichever is the lesser, may be used by the 
Secretary only for purposes of the report under subsection (b). 
42 use 5106. 
COORDINATION 
SEC. 7. The Secretary shall promulgate regulations and make such 
arrangements as may be necessary or appropriate to ensure that there 
is effective coordination between programs related to child abuse and 
neglect under this Act and other such programs which are assisted by 
Federal funds. 
Approved January 31, 1974, 
February 5, 1974 
[S.1070] 
Public Law 93-248 
AN ACT 
To implement the International Convention Relating to Intervention on the 
High Seas in Cases of Oil Pollution Casualties, 1969. 
Intervention on 
the High Seas 
Act. 
33 use 1471 
note. 
Definitions. 
33 
use 
1471. 
33 
use 
1472. 
Be if enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That this Act may 
be cited as the "Intervention on the High Seas Act". 
SEC. 2. As used in this Act— 
(1) "ship" means— 
(A) any seagoing vessel of any type whatsoever, and 
(B) any floating craft, except an installation or device 
engaged in the exploration and exploitation of the resources 
of the seabed and the ocean floor and the subsoil thereof; 
(2) "oil" means crude oil, fuel oil, diesel oil, and lubricating 
oil; 
(3) "convention" means the International Convention Relating 
to Intervention on the High Seas in Cases of Oil Pollution Cas-
ualties, 19(59; 
(4) "Secretary" means the Secretary of the department in which 
the Coast Guard is operating; and 
(5) "United States" means the States, the District of Columbia, 
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Canal Zone, Guam, 
American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, and the Trust Territory of 
the Pacific Islands. 
SEC. 3, Whenever a ship collision, stranding, or other incident of 
navigation or other occurrence on board a ship or external to it result-
ing in material damage or imminent threat of material damage to the 
ship or her cargo creates, as determined by the Secretary, a grave and 
imminent danger to the coastline or related interests of the United 
States from pollution or threat of pollution of the sea by oil which