[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3125 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 3125

   To reauthorize the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 25, 2023

Ms. Collins (for herself and Mr. Durbin) introduced the following bill; 
  which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To reauthorize the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, 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 ``Runaway and Homeless Youth and 
Trafficking Prevention Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Section 302 of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (34 U.S.C. 11201) 
is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 302. FINDINGS.

    ``The Congress finds that--
            ``(1) youth who have become homeless or who leave and 
        remain away from home without parental permission are at risk 
        of developing, and have a disproportionate share of, trauma, 
        substance use disorders, and serious health, behavioral, 
        social, and emotional challenges because they lack sufficient 
        resources to obtain care and may live on the street for 
        extended periods of time, thereby endangering themselves;
            ``(2) many such young people, because of their age and 
        situation, are urgently in need of temporary shelter and 
        services, including services that consider their age, gender, 
        and social and developmental needs, are culturally and 
        linguistically appropriate, and acknowledge the environment of 
        youth seeking these services;
            ``(3) research has documented the fluid experiences of 
        homelessness of youth, where many youth experience 2 or more 
        different types of homelessness, including couch surfing, 
        living in motels, and staying on the streets;
            ``(4) research has documented that persons who are members 
        of historically marginalized and underserved communities of 
        color, LGBTQ youth, youth who do not complete high school or 
        achieve a high school equivalency, youth involved in the child 
        welfare system, youth who have been involved with the criminal 
        justice system, and pregnant and parenting youth are most 
        likely to experience homelessness in the United States while 
        unaccompanied by a parent or adult;
            ``(5) services to such young people should be developed and 
        provided using a positive youth development approach that 
        ensures a young person a sense of--
                    ``(A) safety and structure;
                    ``(B) belonging and membership;
                    ``(C) self-worth, empowerment, voice, and choice;
                    ``(D) independence and control over one's life; and
                    ``(E) closeness in interpersonal relationships;
            ``(6) in view of the interstate nature of the problem, it 
        is the responsibility of the Federal Government to develop an 
        accurate national reporting system to report the prevalence of 
        youth homelessness, and to assist in the development of an 
        effective system of care (including prevention services and 
        aftercare services, short-term housing with services, extended 
        housing with supportive services, and street outreach services) 
        outside the welfare system and the law enforcement system, in 
        collaboration with public assistance systems, the education 
        system, and the child welfare system;
            ``(7) to make a successful transition to adulthood, youth 
        who run away, youth experiencing homelessness, and youth living 
        in the street need a safe and stable place to live, connections 
        to caring adults, and opportunities to complete high school or 
        earn a general equivalency degree, learn job skills, and obtain 
        employment;
            ``(8) improved coordination and collaboration at the 
        Federal level between programs that serve runaway and homeless 
        youth are necessary for the development of a long-term strategy 
        for responding to the needs of this population;
            ``(9) runaway and homeless youth are at a high risk of 
        substance use disorders and becoming victims of sexual 
        exploitation and trafficking;
            ``(10) since research has shown that the prevalence of 
        homelessness among youth is similar in rural and urban 
        communities, runaway and homeless youth programs, such as those 
        funded under this title, are integral services that every 
        community should provide, regardless of the size of the 
        community; and
            ``(11) runaway and homeless youth programs, such as those 
        funded under this title--
                    ``(A) are expert adolescent service providers and 
                integral community partners for the child welfare and 
                juvenile justice systems as many youth exit these 
                systems to homelessness; and
                    ``(B) work to reunify youth with their family when 
                safe and appropriate.''.

SEC. 3. BASIC CENTER GRANT PROGRAM.

    Part A of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (34 U.S.C. 11211 et 
seq.) is amended--
            (1) in section 311, by striking subsection (a) and 
        inserting the following:
    ``(a) Grants for Centers and Services.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall--
                    ``(A) not later than 90 days before the start date 
                of the grant, award 5-year grants to public and 
                nonprofit private entities, and combinations of such 
                entities, to establish, operate, and maintain 
                (including renovate) local centers to provide--
                            ``(i) safe shelter and services for runaway 
                        and homeless youth, including trauma-informed 
                        services; and
                            ``(ii) if appropriate, services for the 
                        families of such youth, including individuals 
                        identified by such youth as family; and
                    ``(B) establish an appeal process for grantees.
            ``(2) Services provided.--Services provided under paragraph 
        (1)--
                    ``(A) shall be provided to runaway youth, street 
                youth, homeless youth, or youth at risk of separation 
                from the family;
                    ``(B) shall include--
                            ``(i) safe and appropriate shelter for not 
                        more than 30 days or the maximum allowed by the 
                        State, whichever is greater;
                            ``(ii) individual, family, or group 
                        counseling, as appropriate, including 
                        counseling for individuals identified by such 
                        youth as family, that considers the age, 
                        gender, and social and developmental needs of 
                        such youth, and is culturally and 
                        linguistically appropriate; and
                            ``(iii) suicide prevention services; and
                    ``(C) may include--
                            ``(i) street-based services;
                            ``(ii) home-based services for families 
                        with youth at risk of separation from the 
                        family, to the extent practicable, that 
                        consider the ages, genders, and social and 
                        developmental needs of the family, and are 
                        culturally and linguistically appropriate;
                            ``(iii) prevention services;
                            ``(iv) substance use disorder education and 
                        prevention services;
                            ``(v) at the request of runaway youth or 
                        homeless youth, testing for sexually 
                        transmitted infections;
                            ``(vi) trauma-informed services, including 
                        for such youth who are victims of trafficking; 
                        and
                            ``(vii) an assessment of--
                                    ``(I) family engagement in support 
                                and reunification, if reunification is 
                                appropriate;
                                    ``(II) interventions; and
                                    ``(III) services for parents or 
                                legal guardians of such youth or, if 
                                appropriate, individuals identified by 
                                such youth as family.'';
            (2) in section 312--
                    (A) in subsection (b)--
                            (i) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting 
                        the following:
            ``(2) shall use such assistance to establish, strengthen, 
        or fund a runaway and homeless youth center that provides 
        temporary shelter or a locally controlled project, including a 
        host family home, that has--
                    ``(A) a minimum capacity of not less than 4 youth, 
                except if there is an established minimum number of 
                beds per youth shelter or project location;
                    ``(B) a maximum capacity of not more than 20 youth, 
                except where the applicant demonstrates that the State 
                where the center or locally controlled project is 
                located has a State or local law or regulation that 
                allows a higher maximum to comply with licensure 
                requirements for child and youth serving centers or 
                projects;
                    ``(C) a ratio of staff to youth that is sufficient 
                to ensure adequate supervision and treatment; and
                    ``(D) if it is a mixed project, not more than 20 
                youth per project, except where the applicant 
                demonstrates that the project has a State or local law 
                or regulation that allows a higher maximum to comply 
                with licensure requirements for child and youth serving 
                projects;'';
                            (ii) in paragraph (5), by striking ``or 
                        legal guardians'' and inserting ``, legal 
                        guardians, or individuals identified by such 
                        youth as family, if appropriate,'';
                            (iii) by striking paragraphs (6), (7), and 
                        (8), and inserting the following:
            ``(6) shall develop an adequate plan, which may include the 
        use of online resources to reach and engage youth, for 
        establishing or coordinating with outreach programs designed to 
        attract persons, including persons who are members of 
        underserved populations, who are eligible to receive services 
        for which a grant under section 311(a) may be expended;
            ``(7) shall keep adequate statistical records profiling the 
        runaway youth or homeless youth and family members of such 
        youth whom the applicant serves, including demographic 
        information and the number of such youth who--
                    ``(A) are not referred to out-of-home shelter 
                services;
                    ``(B) are members of vulnerable or underserved 
                populations;
                    ``(C) are victims of trafficking;
                    ``(D) are pregnant or parenting;
                    ``(E) have been involved in the child welfare 
                system; and
                    ``(F) have been involved in the juvenile justice 
                system;
            ``(8) shall ensure that--
                    ``(A) the information maintained on individual 
                runaway youth or homeless youth contained in the 
                records described in paragraph (7) shall not be 
                disclosed without the consent of the individual youth 
                and the parent of the youth, the legal guardian of the 
                youth, or an individual identified by such youth as 
                family, to anyone other than an agency compiling 
                statistical records or a government agency involved in 
                the disposition of criminal charges against such youth; 
                and
                    ``(B) reports or other documents based on the 
                statistics described in paragraph (7) shall not 
                disclose the identity of any individual runaway youth 
                or homeless youth;'';
                            (iv) in paragraph (12), by striking 
                        subparagraphs (B) and (C) and inserting the 
                        following:
                    ``(B) detailed information on how the applicant has 
                been able to meet the goals of the plan of the 
                applicant; and
                    ``(C) statistical summaries describing--
                            ``(i) the data the Secretary requires to be 
                        collected;
                            ``(ii) the number and characteristics of 
                        runaway youth, homeless youth, street youth, 
                        and youth at risk of separation from family, 
                        who participate in the project, including 
                        information on such youth who--
                                    ``(I) are victims of trafficking;
                                    ``(II) are pregnant or parenting;
                                    ``(III) have been involved in the 
                                child welfare system; or
                                    ``(IV) have been involved with the 
                                criminal justice system; and
                            ``(iii) the services provided to such youth 
                        by the project;'';
                            (v) in paragraph (13), by striking the 
                        period at the end and inserting ``for natural 
                        disasters, inclement weather, and public health 
                        emergencies;''; and
                            (vi) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(14) shall provide services to runaway youth and homeless 
        youth that consider the age, gender, and social and 
        developmental needs of such youth, and are culturally and 
        linguistically appropriate, to the extent practicable; and
            ``(15) shall inform youth of their status as independent 
        students under section 480 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
        (20 U.S.C. 1087vv), provide verification of such status for the 
        purposes of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid 
        described in section 483 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
        (20 U.S.C. 1090), and assist youth in completing this 
        application at the request of the youth.'';
                    (B) in subsection (c)--
                            (i) in paragraph (3), by striking ``and'' 
                        after the semicolon;
                            (ii) in paragraph (4), by striking the 
                        period at the end and inserting ``; and''; and
                            (iii) by adding at end the following:
            ``(5) develop a plan, consistent with local needs, for the 
        use of online resources, if appropriate, to reach and engage 
        youth.'';
                    (C) in subsection (d)--
                            (i) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting 
                        the following:
            ``(1) provide counseling and information that consider the 
        age, gender, and social and developmental needs of such youth, 
        and are culturally and linguistically appropriate, to the 
        extent practicable, to youth and the families of such youth 
        (including unrelated individuals in the family households of 
        such youth and individuals identified by such youth as family), 
        including services relating to basic life skills, interpersonal 
        skill building, educational advancement, job attainment skills, 
        mental and physical health care, suicide prevention, parenting 
        skills, financial planning, and referral to sources of other 
        needed services;'';
                            (ii) in paragraph (4), by inserting ``, 
                        including training on trauma-informed care'' 
                        before the semicolon at the end; and
                            (iii) in paragraph (5)--
                                    (I) in subparagraph (A), by 
                                striking ``and'' after the semicolon;
                                    (II) in subparagraph (B), by 
                                striking the period at the end and 
                                inserting ``; and''; and
                                    (III) by adding at the end the 
                                following:
                    ``(C) youth are eligible for home-based services 
                when determined by the applicant to be at risk of 
                separation from family.'';
                    (D) in subsection (e), by striking the subsection 
                enumerator and all that follows through ``(b)--'' and 
                inserting the following:
    ``(e) Applicants Providing Substance Use Disorder Education and 
Prevention Services.--To be eligible to use assistance under section 
311(a) to provide substance use disorder education and prevention 
services, an applicant shall include in the plan required by subsection 
(b)--''; and
                    (E) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(f) Online Resources for Outreach.--An applicant may develop a 
plan, consistent with local needs, for the use of online resources to 
reach and engage youth.
    ``(g) Definition of Underserved Populations.--In this section, the 
term `underserved populations' means victims of homelessness or 
trafficking or runaway youth, who disproportionately face barriers in 
accessing and using victim services, including populations who are 
underserved due to limited English proficiency or are historically 
marginalized and underserved communities of color, and any other 
population determined to be underserved by the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services.''; and
            (3) in section 313, by striking subsection (b) and 
        inserting the following:
    ``(b) Priority.--In selecting applications for grants under section 
311(a), the Secretary shall give priority to eligible applicants who 
have demonstrated experience in providing services to runaway youth and 
homeless youth.''.

SEC. 4. TRANSITIONAL LIVING GRANT PROGRAM.

    Part B of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (34 U.S.C. 11221 et 
seq.) is amended--
            (1) in section 321--
                    (A) by inserting ``5-year'' after ``to make''; and
                    (B) by inserting ``and runaway youth. The Secretary 
                shall award such grants not later than 90 days before 
                the start date of the grant and establish an appeal 
                process for grantees'' after ``homeless youth''; and
            (2) in section 322--
                    (A) in subsection (a)--
                            (i) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting 
                        the following:
            ``(1) to provide to homeless youth, by grant, agreement, or 
        contract--
                    ``(A) shelter, such as group homes, maternity group 
                homes, host family homes, and supervised apartments; 
                and
                    ``(B) services, such as information and counseling 
                services in basic life skills, which consider the age, 
                gender, and social and developmental needs of such 
                youth, and are culturally and linguistically 
                appropriate, including topics on money management, 
                budgeting, consumer education, use of credit, parenting 
                skills, interpersonal skill building, educational 
                advancement, job attainment skills, mental and physical 
                health care, and suicide prevention services;'';
                            (ii) in paragraph (2)--
                                    (I) by striking ``18 years'' and 
                                inserting ``23 years''; and
                                    (II) by striking ``18th'' and 
                                inserting ``23rd'';
                            (iii) by striking paragraph (4) and 
                        inserting the following:
            ``(4) that such shelter project used to carry out such 
        project shall--
                    ``(A) have a minimum project capacity of not fewer 
                than 4 youth, except if there is an established minimum 
                number of beds per individual shelter or project 
                location;
                    ``(B) have the capacity to accommodate not more 
                than 20 individuals, excluding staff, within a single 
                project, except where the applicant demonstrates that 
                the State where the project is located has a State or 
                local law or regulation that allows a higher maximum to 
                comply with licensure requirements for child and youth 
                serving projects; and
                    ``(C) if it is a mixed project, limit runaway and 
                homeless youth shelter beds to 20 youth per project 
                with segregated access and programming, except where 
                the applicant demonstrates that the State where the 
                project is located has a State or local law or 
                regulation that allows a higher maximum to comply with 
                licensure requirements for child and youth serving 
                projects;'';
                            (iv) by striking paragraphs (6), (7), (8), 
                        and (9), and inserting the following:
            ``(6) to develop a written transitional living plan in 
        partnership with each youth based on an assessment of the needs 
        of each youth, designed to help the transition from supervised 
        participation in such project to independent living or another 
        appropriate living arrangement;
            ``(7) to develop an adequate plan to ensure proper 
        coordination, integration, and referral of homeless youth and 
        runaway youth, which considers the age, gender, and social and 
        developmental needs of such youth, and are culturally and 
        linguistically appropriate, to the extent practicable, to--
                    ``(A) social service;
                    ``(B) law enforcement;
                    ``(C) educational training, including post-
                secondary education;
                    ``(D) vocational training, including services and 
                programs for youth available under the Workforce 
                Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et 
                seq.);
                    ``(E) welfare, including programs amended under the 
                Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity 
                Reconciliation Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-193);
                    ``(F) legal service;
                    ``(G) mental health service and health care 
                programs;
                    ``(H) substance use disorder treatment; and
                    ``(I) programs providing wrap-around services to 
                victims of trafficking and gender-based violence;
            ``(8) to provide for the establishment of outreach programs 
        designed to attract individuals who are eligible to participate 
        in the project, which may include the use of online and social 
        media engagements;
            ``(9) to submit to the Secretary an annual report that 
        includes information regarding the activities carried out with 
        funds under this part, the achievements of the project under 
        this part carried out by the applicant and statistical 
        summaries describing the number, characteristics, and 
        demographic information of the homeless youth and runaway youth 
        who participate in such project, including the prevalence of 
        trafficking of such youth, and the services provided to such 
        youth by such project, in the year for which the report is 
        submitted;'';
                            (v) in paragraph (15), by striking ``and'' 
                        after the semicolon;
                            (vi) by striking paragraph (16) and 
                        inserting the following:
            ``(16) to develop an adequate emergency preparedness and 
        management plan regarding responses to natural disasters, 
        inclement weather, and mental health emergencies; and'';
                            (vii) by redesignating paragraphs (3) 
                        through (5) and (6) through (16), as paragraphs 
                        (5) through (7) and (9) through (19), 
                        respectively;
                            (viii) by inserting after paragraph (2) the 
                        following:
            ``(3) to provide counseling to homeless and runaway youth 
        and to encourage, if appropriate, the involvement in such 
        counseling of their parents, legal guardians, or individuals 
        identified by such youth as family;
            ``(4) to provide aftercare services, if possible, to 
        homeless and runaway youth who have received shelter and 
        services from a transitional living youth project, including, 
        to the extent practicable, such youth who, after receiving such 
        shelter and services, relocate to a geographic area or State 
        other than the geographic area or State in which such project 
        is located;'';
                            (ix) by inserting after paragraph (7), as 
                        redesignated by clause (vii), the following:
            ``(8) to develop a plan to provide services, which consider 
        the age, gender, and social and developmental needs of such 
        youth, and are culturally and linguistically appropriate, that 
        address the needs of runaway, homeless, and street youth;'';
                            (x) by adding at end the following:
            ``(20) to inform youth of their status as independent 
        students under section 480 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
        (20 U.S.C. 1087vv), provide verification of such status for the 
        purposes of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid 
        described in section 483 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
        (20 U.S.C. 1090), and assist the youth in completing this 
        application at the request of the youth.''; and
                    (B) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the 
                following:
    ``(b) Priority.--In selecting eligible applicants to receive grants 
under this part, the Secretary shall give priority to entities that 
have experience in providing to homeless youth shelter and services of 
the types described in subsection (a)(1).''.

SEC. 5. NATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM.

     Section 331 of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (34 U.S.C. 
11231) is amended by inserting ``, online, and social media'' after 
``telephone''.

SEC. 6. COORDINATING, TRAINING, RESEARCH, AND OTHER ACTIVITIES.

    Part D of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (34 U.S.C. 11241 et 
seq.) is amended--
            (1) in section 341--
                    (A) by inserting ``safety, well-being,'' after 
                ``health,''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (2) by striking ``other Federal 
                entities'' and inserting ``the Department of Housing 
                and Urban Development, the Department of Education, the 
                Department of Labor, and the Department of Justice'';
            (2) in section 342--
                    (A) by inserting ``5-year'' after ``make'';
                    (B) by inserting ``(including onsite and web-based 
                techniques, such as on-demand and online learning)'' 
                after ``training''; and
                    (C) by striking ``carrying out'' and inserting 
                ``implementing in a trauma-informed manner'';
            (3) in section 343(b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (5)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
                        ``abuse'' and all that follows through the 
                        semicolon at the end and inserting ``abuse, 
                        sexual assault, and trafficking;'';
                            (ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
                        ``abuse'' and all that follows through ``; 
                        and'' and inserting ``abuse, sexual assault, 
                        and trafficking;'';
                            (iii) in subparagraph (C), by striking 
                        ``who have been sexually victimized''; and
                            (iv) by adding at end the following:
                    ``(D) best practices for identifying and providing 
                services that consider the age, gender, and social and 
                developmental background of an individual, and are 
                culturally and linguistically appropriate, to the 
                extent practicable, to--
                            ``(i) vulnerable and underserved youth 
                        populations; and
                            ``(ii) youth who are victims of 
                        trafficking; and
                    ``(E) informing youth of their status as 
                independent students under section 480 of the Higher 
                Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087vv), providing 
                verification of such status for the purposes of the 
                Free Application for Federal Student Aid described in 
                section 483 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
                U.S.C. 1090), and assisting youth in completing this 
                application at the request of the youth;'';
                    (B) in paragraph (9), by striking ``and'' after the 
                semicolon;
                    (C) in paragraph (10), by striking the period at 
                the end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (D) by adding at end the following:
            ``(11) examining the intersection between the runaway and 
        homeless youth populations and trafficking, including noting 
        whether such youth who are victims of trafficking were 
        previously involved in the child welfare system or juvenile 
        justice system.'';
            (4) in section 344(a)(2)(A), by striking ``$100,000'' and 
        inserting ``$200,000'';
            (5) in section 345--
                    (A) in subsection (a)--
                            (i) by striking ``Not later than'' and all 
                        that follows through ``Homelessness'' and 
                        inserting ``Not later than 2 years after the 
                        date of enactment of the Runaway and Homeless 
                        Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act of 2023, 
                        and at 3-year intervals thereafter, the 
                        Secretary, acting through the Associate 
                        Commissioner of the Family and Youth Services 
                        Bureau'';
                            (ii) in paragraph (1)--
                                    (I) by striking ``13'' and 
                                inserting ``12''; and
                                    (II) by striking ``and'' after the 
                                semicolon;
                            (iii) in paragraph (2), by striking the 
                        period at the end and inserting a semicolon; 
                        and
                            (iv) by adding at end the following:
            ``(3) that includes demographic information of such 
        individuals, including youth who are victims of trafficking; 
        and
            ``(4) that does not disclose the identity of any such 
        individual.''; and
                    (B) in subsection (b)(1)--
                            (i) by striking ``13'' and inserting 
                        ``12'';
                            (ii) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
                        ``and'' after the semicolon;
                            (iii) in subparagraph (B)--
                                    (I) in clause (ii), by striking ``; 
                                and'' and inserting ``, including 
                                mental health services;'';
                                    (II) in clause (iii), by striking 
                                ``and'' after the semicolon; and
                                    (III) by adding at end the 
                                following:
                            ``(iv) connections to caring adults; and
                            ``(v) access to secondary education, higher 
                        education, and job training; and'';
                            (iv) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as 
                        subparagraph (E); and
                            (v) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the 
                        following:
                    ``(B) incidences, if any, of such individuals who--
                            ``(i) are victims of trafficking;
                            ``(ii) are victims of sexual exploitation; 
                        or
                            ``(iii) were involved in the child welfare 
                        or foster care system;
                    ``(C) demographic characteristics, including race, 
                color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity 
                (as defined in section 249(c) of title 18, United 
                States Code), sexual orientation, and disability;
                    ``(D) statistics on youth who are or were pregnant 
                or parenting; and''.

SEC. 7. SEXUAL ABUSE AND TRAFFICKING PREVENTION PROGRAM; STREET 
              OUTREACH PROGRAM.

    Part E of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (34 U.S.C. 11261 et 
seq.) is amended by striking section 351 and inserting the following:

``SEC. 351. AUTHORITY TO MAKE GRANTS.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall make 5-year grants to public 
and nonprofit private entities, and combinations of such entities, for 
the purpose of providing street-based services to runaway, homeless, 
and street youth who have been subjected to, or are at risk of being 
subjected to, sexual abuse or trafficking. The Secretary shall award 
such grants not later than 90 days before the start date of the grant 
and establish an appeal process for grantees.
    ``(b) Priority.--In selecting applicants to receive grants under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall give priority to public and 
nonprofit private entities that have experience in providing services 
to runaway, homeless, and street youth.
    ``(c) Eligibility Requirements.--To be eligible to receive a grant 
under subsection (a), an applicant shall certify to the Secretary that 
such applicant has expertise in serving runaway, homeless, and street 
youth and has systems in place to ensure that such applicant can 
provide services that consider the age, gender, and social and 
developmental background of youth described in subsection (a), and are 
culturally and linguistically appropriate.''.

SEC. 8. GENERAL PROVISIONS.

    Part F of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (34 U.S.C. 11271 et 
seq.) is amended--
            (1) in the heading, by striking ``part f'' and inserting 
        ``part g'';
            (2) in section 381--
                    (A) in subsection (a)(3), by striking ``facility'' 
                and inserting ``center or project''; and
                    (B) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ``facility'' 
                both places it appears and inserting ``center or 
                project'';
            (3) in section 382(a)--
                    (A) by striking ``2000'' and inserting ``2024'';
                    (B) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) 
                        through (D) as subparagraphs (C) through (E), 
                        respectively; and
                            (ii) by inserting after subparagraph (A) 
                        the following:
                    ``(B) identifying youth who are victims of 
                trafficking;''; and
                    (C) in paragraph (2)--
                            (i) by striking subparagraph (A) and 
                        inserting the following:
                    ``(A) the number and characteristics of youth 
                served by such projects, including such youth who--
                            ``(i) are victims of trafficking;
                            ``(ii) are pregnant or parenting;
                            ``(iii) have been involved in the child 
                        welfare system; or
                            ``(iv) have been involved in the juvenile 
                        or adult criminal justice system, the 
                        incarceration system, or legal proceedings 
                        related to such systems;''; and
                            (ii) by striking subparagraph (F) and 
                        inserting the following:
                    ``(F) the ability of such projects to encourage the 
                resolution of problems within the family, including 
                with individuals identified by such youth as family, 
                through counseling and development of self-sufficient 
                living skills; and'';
            (4) in section 383(a) by striking ``facility's budget'' and 
        inserting ``budget of the center or project'';
            (5) in section 384, by adding at the end the following: 
        ``Grantees are encouraged to share data with other programs and 
        systems, without identifying individual youth in any shared 
        records, to improve coordination and maximize the use of 
        resources.'';
            (6) by inserting after section 384 the following:

``SEC. 384A. ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT.

    ``(a) Request for Relief.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the 
        Associate Commissioner of the Family and Youth Services Bureau, 
        may waive any provision under this title for a period of not 
        more than 3 years, unless an extension is granted under 
        paragraph (6), if--
                    ``(A) a potential grantee requests a waiver that 
                describes 1 or more conflicting or duplicative 
                requirements or circumstances that prevent the 
                effective delivery of services to runaway and homeless 
                youth, such as an extraordinary circumstance, natural 
                disaster, public health emergency, or financial crisis;
                    ``(B) the Secretary determines that the waiver 
                will, by itself, contribute to or enhance the ability 
                of the grantee to carry out the purposes of this title; 
                and
                    ``(C) the Secretary determines that the waiver will 
                not be inconsistent with the objectives of this title.
            ``(2) Contents.--A request made under paragraph (1) shall 
        be provided to the Secretary in writing and shall--
                    ``(A) detail each provision within this title for 
                which the grantee seeks relief;
                    ``(B) describe how a waiver from such provision 
                will, by itself, improve delivery of services to 
                runaway and homeless youth; and
                    ``(C) certify that the health, safety, and well-
                being of runaway and homeless youth served through 
                assistance received under this title will not be 
                compromised as a result of the waiver.
            ``(3) Notification of approval or disapproval.--Not later 
        than 30 days after the receipt of a waiver request made under 
        paragraph (1), the Secretary shall inform the grantee of 
        approval or disapproval of the request.
                    ``(A) Disapproval.--If the request is disapproved, 
                the Secretary shall inform the grantee, the Committee 
                on the Judiciary of the Senate, and the Committee on 
                Education and the Workforce of the House of 
                Representatives of the reasons for the disapproval and 
                give the grantee the opportunity to amend the request 
                or appeal the decision.
                    ``(B) Approval.--If the request is approved, the 
                Secretary shall grant a waiver and, not later than 30 
                days after granting such waiver, notify and submit a 
                report to the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate, 
                and the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the 
                House of Representatives that describes--
                            ``(i) each specific provision waived;
                            ``(ii) the reason given by the grantee for 
                        the need for a waiver; and
                            ``(iii) the expected impact of the waiver 
                        on youth served under this program.
            ``(4) External conditions.--The Secretary shall not require 
        or impose any new or additional requirements in exchange for 
        receipt of a waiver if such requirements are not specified in 
        this title.
            ``(5) Termination.--The Secretary shall terminate approval 
        of a request for a waiver authorized under this subsection if 
        the Secretary determines, after notice and opportunity for a 
        hearing, that the performance of a grantee who was granted 
        relief under this subsection has been inadequate, or if such 
        relief is no longer necessary to achieve its original purposes.
            ``(6) Waiver extension.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary may grant an 
                extension to an existing waiver authorized under this 
                subsection for a period of not more than 1 year upon a 
                request for a waiver extension from the grantee.
                    ``(B) Extension request.--A request for a waiver 
                extension described under subparagraph (A) shall be 
                submitted to the Secretary not later than 30 days 
                before the expiration date of the existing waiver, and 
                shall re-certify the provisions in paragraph (2) and 
                explain the need for additional time of relief from 
                such provisions provided in this title.
            ``(7) Restrictions.--Nothing in this title shall be 
        construed as authorizing the Secretary to permit a grantee to 
        alter the eligibility requirements for eligible youth. Nothing 
        in this subsection shall be construed as authorizing the 
        Secretary to waive anything related to the Secretary's 
        authority under this title.'';
            (7) in section 386(a)--
                    (A) by striking ``3 consecutive'' and inserting ``5 
                consecutive'' both places it appears;
                    (B) by inserting ``, acting through the Associate 
                Commissioner of the Family and Youth Services Bureau,'' 
                after ``Secretary''; and
                    (C) by inserting `` or virtually when 
                appropriate,'' after ``on-site,'';
            (8) in section 386A--
                    (A) in subsection (a)--
                            (i) by striking ``Reconnecting Homeless 
                        Youth Act of 2008'' and inserting ``Runaway and 
                        Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act 
                        of 2023''; and
                            (ii) by inserting ``371,'' after 
                        ``sections''; and
                    (B) in subsection (c), by inserting ``371,'' after 
                ``sections'';
            (9) by inserting after section 386A the following:

``SEC. 386B. NONDISCRIMINATION.

    ``(a) In General.--No person in the United States shall be excluded 
from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to 
discrimination under this title on the basis of actual or perceived 
race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity (as 
defined in section 249(c) of title 18, United States Code), sexual 
orientation, or disability.
    ``(b) Exception.--If sex-segregation or sex-specific programming is 
necessary to the essential operation of a program, nothing in this 
section shall prevent any such program or activity from considering the 
sex of an individual. In such circumstances, grantees may meet the 
requirements of this section by providing comparable services to 
individuals who cannot participate in the sex-segregated or sex-
specific programming.
    ``(c) Disqualification.--The Secretary shall enforce this section 
pursuant to section 654 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9849). The 
provisions of such section relating to the procedure for review of an 
action taken by the Secretary shall apply.
    ``(d) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed as 
supplanting, displacing, preempting, or otherwise limiting the 
responsibilities and liabilities under other Federal or State civil 
rights laws with respect to discrimination on a basis described in 
subsection (a).'';
            (10) in section 387--
                    (A) by redesignating paragraphs (1), (4), (5), (6), 
                (7), and (8), as paragraphs (9), (6), (7), (8), (11), 
                and (13), respectively;
                    (B) by inserting before paragraph (2) the 
                following:
            ``(1) Culturally and linguistically appropriate.--The term 
        `culturally and linguistically appropriate', with respect to 
        services, has the meaning given the term `culturally and 
        linguistically appropriate services' in the `National Standards 
        for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in 
        Health and Health Care', issued in April 2013, by the Office of 
        Minority Health of the Department of Health and Human 
        Services.'';
                    (C) in paragraph (3)(A)--
                            (i) in clause (i), by striking ``21'' and 
                        inserting ``26''; and
                            (ii) by striking clause (ii) and inserting 
                        the following:
                            ``(ii) for the purposes of part B, not less 
                        than 15 years of age but less than 26 years of 
                        age;'';
                    (D) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following:
            ``(4) Mixed projects.--The term `mixed projects' means a 
        building, structure, or campus that may house multiple programs 
        serving youth under the age of 26. Any of these programs may be 
        funded as authorized under this Act as well as funded by other 
        entities, including private, public, and other government 
        funding.
            ``(5) Prevention services.--The term `prevention services' 
        means services to prevent youth from becoming runaway, 
        homeless, or street youth and may include--
                    ``(A) individual, family, group, and peer 
                counseling;
                    ``(B) family mediation;
                    ``(C) assessing the strengths, vulnerabilities, and 
                needs of youth;
                    ``(D) connecting youth to public services and 
                housing options;
                    ``(E) emergency respite care for clients within the 
                allowable age range of the underlying grant award, 
                including care that provides parents and other 
                caregivers with emergency services and temporary 
                shelter that offer relief;
                    ``(F) connecting youth to education and employment 
                programs;
                    ``(G) case management and resource navigation; and
                    ``(H) activities to improve access to local mental 
                health and substance use treatment and prevention.'';
                    (E) in paragraph (7)(B), as redesignated by 
                subparagraph (A)--
                            (i) in clause (i), by inserting ``, 
                        including the use of online methods of 
                        engagement, as appropriate, based on the needs 
                        of the community and population served'' after 
                        ``street youth''; and
                            (ii) by striking clause (v) and inserting 
                        the following:
                            ``(v) advocacy, education, and prevention 
                        services related to--
                                    ``(I) substance use disorder;
                                    ``(II) trafficking;
                                    ``(III) sexually transmitted 
                                infections, including human 
                                immunodeficiency virus;
                                    ``(IV) violence, including physical 
                                assault, sexual assault, domestic 
                                violence, and gender-based violence; 
                                and
                                    ``(V) suicide.'';
                    (F) in paragraph (8)(B), as redesignated by 
                subparagraph (A), by striking ``prostitution, or drug 
                abuse'' and inserting ``trafficking, or substance use 
                disorder'';
                    (G) in paragraph (9), as redesignated by 
                subparagraph (A), by striking the paragraph (9) 
                enumerator and all that follows through ``services--'', 
                and inserting the following:
            ``(9) Substance use disorder education and prevention 
        services.--The term `substance use disorder education and 
        prevention services'--'';
                    (H) by inserting after paragraph (9), as 
                redesignated by subparagraph (A), the following:
            ``(10) Trafficking.--The term `trafficking' has the meaning 
        given the terms `severe forms of trafficking in persons' and 
        `sex trafficking' in section 103 of the Trafficking Victims 
        Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7102).'';
                    (I) in paragraph (11), as redesignated by 
                subparagraph (A), by inserting ``, to establish family 
                or community supports,'' after ``self-sufficient 
                living'';
                    (J) by inserting after paragraph (11), as 
                redesignated by subparagraph (A), the following:
            ``(12) Trauma-informed.--The term `trauma-informed' has the 
        meaning given the term in section 103 of the Juvenile Justice 
        and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 (34 U.S.C. 11103).''; 
        and
                    (K) in paragraph (13)(B), as redesignated by 
                subparagraph (A)--
                            (i) in clause (ii)--
                                    (I) by inserting ``or able'' after 
                                ``willing''; and
                                    (II) by striking ``or'' after the 
                                semicolon;
                            (ii) in clause (iii), by striking the 
                        period at the end and inserting ``; or''; and
                            (iii) by adding at end the following:
                            ``(iv) who is involved in the child welfare 
                        system, juvenile justice system, or criminal 
                        justice system, but who is not being housed by 
                        any such system.''.

SEC. 9. PREVENTION SERVICES.

    The Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (34 U.S.C. 11201 et seq.) is 
amended by inserting after part E the following:

                     ``PART F--PREVENTION SERVICES

``SEC. 371. AUTHORITY TO MAKE GRANTS.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary is authorized to make 5-year 
grants to an eligible entity, as described under subsection (c), that 
applies for an optional, additional prevention services grant. Any 
funds provided under this part are in addition to other funds grantees 
receive under other parts in this title.
    ``(b) Priority.--In selecting grantees to receive grants under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities 
that are--
            ``(1) public entities and nonprofit, private entities that 
        have experience in providing services to runaway, homeless, and 
        street youth, and youth at risk of separation from the family; 
        and
            ``(2) public entities and nonprofit, private entities that 
        request prevention services grants of not more than $75,000 per 
        year.
    ``(c) Eligibility Requirements.--To be eligible to receive a grant 
under subsection (a)--
            ``(1) the potential grantee shall--
                    ``(A) be a successful basic center program or 
                transitional living program, which may include a 
                program that operates a maternity group home, that 
                wants to establish, strengthen, or provide prevention 
                services for youth at risk of homelessness and youth at 
                risk of running away; and
                    ``(B) submit to the Secretary a plan agreeing, as 
                part of such program, to provide prevention services; 
                and
            ``(2) the potential grantee shall certify to the Secretary 
        that such grantee has systems in place to provide services to 
        youth described in subsection (a) that consider the age, 
        gender, and social and developmental background of such youth, 
        and are culturally and linguistically appropriate.''.

SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    Section 388(a) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (34 U.S.C. 
11280(a)) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(a) In General.--
            ``(1) Authorization.--There are authorized to be 
        appropriated to carry out this title (other than parts E and F) 
        $200,000,000 for fiscal year 2024, and such sums as may be 
        necessary for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2028.
            ``(2) Allocation.--
                    ``(A) Parts a and b.--From the amount appropriated 
                under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year, the Secretary 
                shall reserve not less than 90 percent to carry out 
                parts A and B.
                    ``(B) Part b.--Of the amount reserved under 
                subparagraph (A), 45 percent and, in those fiscal years 
                in which continuation grant obligations and the quality 
                and number of applicants for parts A and B warrant not 
                more than 55 percent, shall be reserved to carry out 
                part B.
            ``(3) Parts c and d.--
                    ``(A) In general.--In each fiscal year, after 
                reserving the amounts required by paragraph (2), the 
                Secretary shall use the remaining amount (if any) to 
                carry out parts C and D (other than section 345).
                    ``(B) Periodic estimate.--Of the amount authorized 
                to be appropriated under paragraph (1), $2,000,000 
                shall be made available to carry out section 345 for 
                each of fiscal years 2024, 2026, and 2028.
            ``(4) Part e.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
        carry out part E $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2024, and such 
        sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2025 through 
        2028.
            ``(5) Part f.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
        carry out part F $67,500,000 for fiscal year 2024, and such 
        sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2025 through 
        2028.''.

SEC. 11. APPROVAL OF APPLICATION.

    The Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (34 U.S.C. 11201 et seq.) is 
amended by adding at end the following:

``SEC. 390. APPROVAL OF APPLICATIONS.

    ``(a) In General.--An application by a public or private nonprofit 
entity for a grant under section 311, 321, or 351, may be approved by 
the Secretary for an amount for a fiscal year that is--
            ``(1) not less than $225,000 and not more than $275,000 if 
        the amount appropriated to carry out this title (other than 
        parts E and F) for the fiscal year is equal to or greater than 
        $200,000,000; or
            ``(2) not less than $200,000 and not more than $250,000 if 
        the amount appropriated to carry out this title (other than 
        parts E and F) for the fiscal year is less than $200,000,000.
    ``(b) Priority.--In selecting applications for grants under 
sections 311, 321, and 351, the Secretary shall give priority to 
eligible grantees who have demonstrated experience in providing 
services to runaway and homeless youth.''.
                                 <all>