[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8669 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8669
To amend title V of the Social Security Act to establish a grant
program for community-based maternal mentoring programs.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
August 5, 2022
Mrs. Miller of West Virginia introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title V of the Social Security Act to establish a grant
program for community-based maternal mentoring programs.
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 ``Community Mentors for Moms Act''.
SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR COMMUNITY-BASED MATERNAL MENTORING PROGRAMS.
Title V of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 701 et seq.) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 514. GRANTS FOR COMMUNITY-BASED MATERNAL MENTORING PROGRAMS.
``(a) In General.--In addition to any other payments made under
this title to a State, the Secretary shall make grants to eligible
entities to conduct demonstration projects for, and enable such
entities to deliver services under, community-based mentoring programs
that satisfy the requirements of subsection (c) to eligible mothers in
order to promote improvements in maternal and child well-being,
financial stewardship, child development, parenting, and access to
social services and other community resources.
``(b) Application.--The Secretary may not award funds made
available under this subsection on a noncompetitive basis, and may not
provide any such funds to an entity for the purpose of carrying out a
community-based mentoring program unless the entity has submitted an
application to the Secretary that includes--
``(1) a description of how the programs or activities
proposed in the application will improve maternal mental and
physical health outcomes in a service area identified by the
entity, substantially increase the number of eligible mothers
in a service area with access to a community-based mentoring
relationship, utilize community volunteer mentors, and
supplement, including by avoiding duplication with, existing
social services and community resources;
``(2) a description of how the program will partner with
other community institutions, including private institutions,
in identifying eligible mothers in need of a mentor and, as
applicable, creating support communities among eligible
mothers;
``(3) a description of the populations to be served by the
entity, including specific information on how the entity will
serve eligible mothers who belong to high-risk populations as
identified in subsection (d);
``(4) a description of the maternal and child health
indicators, financial well-being, and other needs of
populations to be served by the entity as described in
paragraph (3), including, to the extent practicable, the
prevalence of mentoring opportunities for such populations;
``(5) the quantifiable benchmarks that will be used to
measure program success;
``(6) a commitment by the entity to consult with experts
with a demonstrated history of mentoring and case management
success in achieving the outcomes described in subsection
(c)(2)(A) in developing the programs and activities; and
``(7) such other application information as the Secretary
may deem necessary, with the goal of minimizing the application
burden on small nongovernmental organizations that would
otherwise qualify for the grant.
``(c) Requirements.--
``(1) Core components.--A community maternal mentoring
program conducted with a grant made under this section shall
include the following core components:
``(A) Provision of community-based mentoring
relationships for eligible mothers, which may include
dedicated individual mentors and networks of peer and
community support groups.
``(B) An individualized needs assessment for each
eligible mother participating in the program, to be
administered at the outset of the program.
``(C) Recruitment and utilization of community-
based, volunteer mentors.
``(D) Provision of training to participating
mentors to equip them with mentoring best practices and
knowledge of public and private resources available to
eligible mothers (including public social services).
``(2) Measurable improvements in benchmark areas.--
``(A) In general.--The eligible entity shall
establish, subject to the approval of the Secretary,
quantifiable, measurable 3- and 5-year benchmarks
demonstrating the program results in improvements for
eligible mothers participating in the program in the
following areas:
``(i) The number of eligible mothers in the
eligible entity's service area with access to a
community-based mentoring relationship.
``(ii) Improved maternal and child health,
including mental and behavioral health.
``(iii) Improved financial literacy.
``(iv) Improved family economic self-
sufficiency.
``(v) Improved coordination and referrals
for other community resources and supports,
including public and private resources.
``(B) Demonstration of improvement.--
``(i) Report to the secretary.--Not later
than 30 days after the end of the third year in
which the eligible entity conducts the program,
the entity shall submit to the Secretary a
report describing the program's results in the
areas specified in subparagraph (A).
``(ii) Improvement plan.--If the report
submitted to the Secretary fails to demonstrate
improvements in at least 3 of the areas
outlined in subparagraph (A), the eligible
entity shall develop and implement a plan to
improve outcomes in each of the areas specified
in subparagraph (A), subject to approval by the
Secretary.
``(iii) No improvement or failure to submit
report.--If, 1 year after an eligible entity
submits an improvement plan under clause (ii),
the Secretary determines that the entity has
failed to demonstrate any improvement in the
areas specified in subparagraph (A), or if the
Secretary determines that an eligible entity
has failed to submit the report required under
clause (i), and has not agreed to a reasonable
timeline to submit such report under such
conditions as may be determined by the
Secretary, the Secretary shall terminate the
entity's grant and may reallocate any unpaid
grant funds toward future grants provided under
this section.
``(3) Improvements in participant outcomes.--
``(A) In general.--The program is designed, with
respect to an eligible mother participating in the
program, to result in the participant outcomes
described in subparagraph (B) that are relevant to the
mother (as determined pursuant to an individualized
needs assessment administered to the mother).
``(B) Participant outcomes.--The participant
outcomes described in this subparagraph are the
following:
``(i) Improvements in prenatal and maternal
health, including mental and behavioral health
and improved pregnancy outcomes.
``(ii) Improvements in child health and
development, including the prevention of child
injuries and maltreatment.
``(iii) Higher levels of engagement between
mothers, children, and their health providers.
``(iv) Reductions in mother's stress and
anxiety.
``(v) Improvements in parenting skills.
``(vi) Improvement in financial literacy
skills.
``(vii) Improvements in child's school
readiness and academic achievement.
``(viii) Improvements in family economic
self-sufficiency.
``(ix) Improvements in the coordination of
referrals for, and the provision of, other
community resources, including private and
public resources, and supports for eligible
families.
``(d) Prioritization.--An eligible entity receiving a grant under
this section shall identify and prioritize high-risk populations in
provision of services, including--
``(1) low-income eligible mothers;
``(2) eligible mothers who are pregnant women who have not
attained the age of 21;
``(3) eligible mothers from populations with a high risk of
maternal morbidity;
``(4) eligible mothers with a history of substance abuse or
victims of domestic abuse;
``(5) eligible mothers with children with developmental
disabilities; and
``(6) eligible mothers residing in a qualified opportunity
zone, as designated under section 1400Z-1 of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986.
``(e) Maintenance of Effort.--Funds provided to an eligible entity
under a grant awarded under subsection (a) shall supplement, and not
supplant, funds from other sources for maternal mentorship or case
management services.
``(f)(1) Evaluation.--The Secretary shall engage in ongoing
research and evaluation activities in order to increase knowledge about
the implementation and effectiveness of community maternal mentoring
programs. The Secretary may carry out such activities directly, or
through grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts, and shall submit
a report to Congress not less than annually on the research and
evaluation steps being taken to measure the impact and effectiveness of
programs funded under this subchapter, as well as any interim outcomes
that may be available.
``(2) Report Requirement.--Not later than 3 years after the date of
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit a report to
Congress on the effectiveness of programs funded with grants under
subsection (a) in producing the outcomes described in subsection
(c)(3)(B), which shall include recommendations for improving program
design and implementation.
``(g) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary shall provide an
eligible entity required to develop and implement an improvement plan
under clause (c)(2)(B) with technical assistance to develop and
implement the plan. The Secretary may provide the technical assistance
directly or through grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements.
``(h) No Funds to Prohibited Entities.--No prohibited entity shall
be eligible to receive a grant under subsection (a), or any other funds
made available by this section.
``(i) Protections for Participating Religious Organizations.--A
religious organization shall be eligible to apply for and receive
funding for a program under this section on the same basis as a
nonreligious organization, and a religious organization's exemptions,
in title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (including exemption from
prohibitions in employment discrimination in section 702(a) of that Act
(42 U.S.C. 2000e-1(a))), title VIII of the Civil rights Act of 1968,
title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1987, the Americans with
Disabilities Act, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, the Religious
Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, or any other provision in
law providing an exemption for a religious organization, shall not be
waived by its participation in, or receipt of funds from, a grant
provided by this section.
``(j) Authorization of Appropriations.--For purposes of carrying
out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated $100,000,000
for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2025.
``(1) Reservations.--Of the amounts appropriated under this
subsection for a fiscal year (or portion of a fiscal year), the
Secretary shall reserve 3 percent for purposes of carrying out
subsections (f) and (g).
``(2) Availability.--Funds made available to an eligible
entity under this section for a fiscal year (or portion of a
fiscal year) shall remain available for expenditure by the
eligible entity through the end of the third succeeding fiscal
year after award.
``(k) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means a
local government, Indian Tribe (or a consortium of Indian
Tribes), Tribal Organization, Urban Indian Organization, or
nonprofit organization, including religious organizations, with
a demonstrated history of serving eligible mothers.
``(2) Eligible mother.--The term `eligible mother' means--
``(A) a woman who is pregnant; or
``(B) a woman who has primary caregiving
responsibilities for a child under the age of 6.
``(3) Prohibited entity.--The term `prohibited entity'
means an entity, including its affiliates, subsidiaries,
successors, and clinics that, as of the date of enactment of
this section, performs, induces, refers for, or counsels in
favor of abortions, or provides financial support to any other
organization that conducts such activities.
``(4) Community-based mentoring relationship.--The term
`community-based mentoring relationship' means a dedicated
mentor and, as applicable, group of mentors or a peer support
group, that meet regularly with an eligible mother and help
that mother address barriers to care, mental, behavioral, and
physical well-being, and economic mobility by providing support
services and linkages to community resources. A community-based
mentoring relationship should, to the extent practicable, have
an understanding of the barriers and lived experience of that
community, which may include shared lived experience.''.
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