[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7812 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7812

  To Direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out a 
  grant program to support the establishment of a national, toll-free 
 telephone helpline to provide information and assistance to parents, 
 caregivers, and youth to prevent child abuse and strengthen families.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 22, 2024

 Mrs. Torres of California (for herself, Ms. Norton, Ms. Clarke of New 
 York, Mr. Allred, Ms. Chu, and Mr. Grijalva) introduced the following 
    bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the 
                               Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To Direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out a 
  grant program to support the establishment of a national, toll-free 
 telephone helpline to provide information and assistance to parents, 
 caregivers, and youth 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 and Youth Helpline 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds as follows:
            (1) There are approximately 174,000,000 parents, 
        caregivers, and youth in the United States.
            (2) Many parents, caregivers, and youth often do not have 
        immediate access to a caring and supportive person to help them 
        address various personal challenges.
            (3) Parents, caregivers, and youth 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 
        development issues and help address child maltreatment, drug 
        and alcohol problems, mental health, and personal growth and 
        development.
            (5) Congress recognizes that helpline prevention services 
        are trauma-informed by reducing risk factors and increasing 
        protective factors with weekly, evidence-based mutual support 
        groups.

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

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary may award a grant to one nonprofit 
entity to--
            ``(1) provide for the establishment and ongoing operation 
        of a national, toll-free telephone parent and youth helpline, 
        as described in subsection (d), to provide emotional support 
        and assistance to parents, caregivers, and youth to prevent 
        child abuse and strengthen families through calls, texts, and 
        live chats;
            ``(2) create and maintain a website with vital information 
        and resources for parents, caregivers, and youth to address a 
        broad spectrum of family issues related to emotional, social, 
        behavioral, and educational well-being; and
            ``(3) develop and implement comprehensive outreach 
        strategies to reach diverse parents, caregivers, and youth 
        nationwide.
    ``(b) Priority.--In awarding the grant under this section, the 
Secretary shall give priority to an entity--
            ``(1) with experience in operating a national parent and 
        youth helpline that provides emotional support to parents, 
        caregivers, and youth; and
            ``(2) that operates weekly, evidence-based mutual support 
        groups.
    ``(c) Duration.--The grant under this section may be awarded for a 
period of not more than 5 years.
    ``(d) Helpline Activities.--The entity that receives the grant 
under this section shall use the grant to establish and operate a 24-
hour, national, toll-free telephone helpline to provide (through calls, 
texts, and live chats)--
            ``(1) emotional support and assistance to diverse parents, 
        caregivers, and youth (including lesbian, gay, bisexual, 
        transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) parents, caregivers, and youth) 
        who are facing personal challenges, including emotional 
        distress, substance abuse, peer relationships, and educational 
        concerns related to their well-being;
            ``(2) weekly, evidence-based mutual support groups 
        nationwide to build protective factors and strengthen families; 
        and
            ``(3) comprehensive outreach strategies to reach diverse 
        parents, caregivers, and youth nationwide, distribute 
        information and resources, and maintain a website.
    ``(e) Performance Reports.--The entity that receives the grant 
under this section shall submit a performance report to the Secretary 
at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the 
Secretary may reasonably require. Such performance report shall 
include--
            ``(1) a description of the activities carried out with the 
        grant;
            ``(2) an evaluation of the effectiveness of such 
        activities; and
            ``(3) such additional information as the Secretary 
        determines appropriate.
    ``(f) Report to Congress.--Not later than three years after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a 
report addressing the implementation and effectiveness of the national 
parent and youth helpline funded with the grant under this section.
    ``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authoirzed to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $20,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2025 through 2030.''.
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