[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2293 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2293

To establish a national, toll-free telephone parent helpline to provide 
  information and assistance to parents and caregivers of children to 
              prevent child abuse and strengthen families.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 18, 2012

 Mrs. Boxer (for herself, Mrs. Gillibrand, and Mr. Merkley) introduced 
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee 
               on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To establish a national, toll-free telephone parent helpline to provide 
  information and assistance to parents and caregivers of children to 
              prevent child abuse and strengthen families.

    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 ``National Parent Helpline Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds as follows:
            (1) There are approximately 149,000,000 parents and 
        caregivers in the United States.
            (2) Many parents and caregivers do not always have 
        immediate access to a caring and supportive person to help them 
        address various challenges with their children.
            (3) Parents and caregivers could benefit from an effective 
        helpline that fosters the strengths parents have, which would 
        improve family and peer relationships, as well as community 
        life and society overall.
            (4) Congress recognizes that helpline prevention services 
        will empower parents and caregivers to positively address child 
        care issues and help address child maltreatment, drug and 
        alcohol problems, mental health, and personal growth and 
        development.

SEC. 3. GRANT TO ESTABLISH A NATIONAL PARENT HELPLINE.

    Title I of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 
5101 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 103 the following:

``SEC. 103A. GRANT TO ESTABLISH A NATIONAL PARENT HELPLINE.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary may award a grant to one or more 
nonprofit entities to--
            ``(1) provide for the establishment and ongoing operation 
        of a national, toll-free telephone parent helpline to provide 
        information and assistance to parents and caregivers to prevent 
        child abuse and strengthen families; and
            ``(2) create and maintain an Internet website with vital 
        information and resources for parents and caregivers to address 
        a broad spectrum of family issues related to emotional, social, 
        behavioral, and educational well-being of parents and children.
    ``(b) Priority.--In awarding the grant under this section, the 
Secretary shall give priority to entities with experience in operating 
a national parent helpline that provides assistance to parents and 
caregivers and that operates shared leadership groups for parents and 
children nationwide.
    ``(c) Term.--A grant awarded under this section may be for a period 
of not more than 5 years.
    ``(d) Helpline Activities.--An entity that receives a grant under 
this section shall use the grant funds to establish and operate a 24-
hour, national, toll-free telephone helpline to provide--
            ``(1) information and assistance to parents and caregivers 
        who are facing parenting challenges; and
            ``(2) a link to needed resources, with a focus on weekly 
        shared leadership groups available nationwide.
    ``(e) Reports and Evaluation.--The entity receiving a grant under 
this section shall submit a performance report to the Secretary at such 
time as shall be reasonably required by the Secretary. Such performance 
report shall describe the activities that have been carried out with 
the grant funds, contain an evaluation of the effectiveness of such 
activities, and provide such additional information as the Secretary 
may reasonably require. In the case that more than 1 entities are 
awarded a grant under this section, such entities shall collaborate to 
prepare and submit a joint report as described in this subsection.''.
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