[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2687 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2687

To amend the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to improve plans 
    of safe care for infants affected by illegal substance abuse or 
  withdrawal symptoms, or a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 15, 2016

  Mr. Casey (for himself, Mr. Alexander, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Hatch, Mrs. 
Murray, and Ms. Collins) introduced the following bill; which was read 
 twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
                                Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to improve plans 
    of safe care for infants affected by illegal substance abuse or 
  withdrawal symptoms, or a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, 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 ``Plan of Safe Care Improvement Act''.

SEC. 2. STATE PLANS.

    Section 106(b)(2)(B)(iii) of the Child Abuse Prevention and 
Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5106a(b)(2)(B)) is amended by striking clause 
(iii) and inserting the following:
                            ``(iii) policies and procedures that 
                        require--
                                    ``(I) the development of a plan of 
                                safe care for an infant born and 
                                identified as being affected by illegal 
                                substance abuse or withdrawal symptoms 
                                or a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder; 
                                and
                                    ``(II) the development and 
                                implementation by the State of 
                                monitoring systems regarding the plan 
                                of safe care to--
                                            ``(aa) ensure the safety 
                                        and well-being of children;
                                            ``(bb) address the health, 
                                        including mental health, needs 
                                        of the child and family 
                                        involved; and
                                            ``(cc) determine whether 
                                        local entities are capable of 
                                        providing referrals to and 
                                        delivery of appropriate 
                                        services for the child and 
                                        family;''.

SEC. 3. DATA REPORTS.

    (a) In General.--Section 106(d) of the Child Abuse Prevention and 
Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5106a(d)) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:
            ``(18) The number of infants for whom a plan of safe care, 
        as referred to in subsection (b)(2)(B)(iii), was developed.''.
    (b) Rule of Construction.--In section 802(b)(2) of the Justice for 
Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 (Public Law 114-22; 129 Stat 264), 
the reference to ``adding at the end'' shall be considered to refer to 
``inserting after paragraph (16)''.

SEC. 4. MONITORING.

    Section 106 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 
U.S.C. 5106a) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(g) Monitoring.--The Secretary shall conduct monitoring of States 
to ensure that each State is meeting the requirements of subsection 
(b)(2)(B)(iii) to improve outcomes among children who are most at risk 
for child abuse and neglect.''.

SEC. 5. BEST PRACTICES FOR PLANS OF SAFE CARE.

    Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services shall issue guidance to States 
regarding the requirements and best practices for the development and 
implementation of plans of safe care, as referred to in section 
106(b)(2)(B)(iii) of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 
U.S.C. 5106a(b)(2)(B)(iii)). In developing the guidance, the Secretary 
shall seek and take into consideration input from all appropriate 
offices within the Department of Health and Human Services, including 
the Administration for Children and Families, the Centers for Medicare 
& Medicaid Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 
the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and the 
National Institutes of Health, and from the Department of Education.
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