[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 30 (Friday, February 16, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2173-S2178]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BOND (for himself and Mrs. Clinton):
  S. 667. A bill to expand programs of early childhood home visitation 
that increase school readiness, child abuse and neglect prevention, and 
early identification of developmental and health delays, including 
potential mental health concerns, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. BOND. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent, on behalf of myself 
and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, that the text of the Education 
Begins at Home Act be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 667

       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 ``Education Begins at Home 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
       (1) the home is the first and most important learning 
     environment for children, and parents are their children's 
     first and most influential teacher;
       (2) through parent education and family support, we can 
     promote parents' ability to enhance their children's 
     development from birth until entry into kindergarten thereby 
     helping parents to prepare their children for success in 
     school;
       (3) undiagnosed and unaddressed developmental and health 
     problems can impede overall child development and school 
     readiness;
       (4) all parents deserve and can benefit from--
       (A) research-based information regarding child development;
       (B) enrichment opportunities with their children; and
       (C) early opportunities to become involved with their 
     community and schools; and
       (5) early childhood home visitation leads to positive 
     outcomes for children and families, including readiness for 
     school, improved child health and development, positive 
     parenting practices, and reductions in child maltreatment.
       (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are as follows:
       (1) To enable States to deliver services under early 
     childhood home visitation programs to pregnant women and 
     parents of children from birth until entry into kindergarten 
     in order to promote parents' ability to support their 
     children's optimal cognitive, language, social-emotional, and 
     physical development.
       (2) To improve Early Head Start programs carried out under 
     section 645A of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9840a).
       (3) To expand early childhood home visitation programs so 
     as to more effectively reach and serve families with English 
     language learners.
       (4) To expand early childhood visitation programs so as to 
     more effectively reach and serve families serving in the 
     military.
       (5) To establish a public education and awareness campaign 
     concerning the importance of the proper care of infants and 
     young children.
       (6) To make available for parents of newborn children 
     parenting classes that convey information about the 
     importance of proper care for newborns, including information 
     about symptoms of abusive head and other injuries.

     SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Eligible family.--The term ``eligible family'' means--
       (A) a woman who is pregnant, and the father of the child if 
     the father is available; or
       (B) a parent or primary caregiver of a child, including 
     grandparents or other relatives of the child, and foster 
     parents, who are serving as the primary caregiver from birth 
     until entry into kindergarten, including a noncustodial 
     parent during periods in which such noncustodial parent is 
     physically caring for such child.
       (2) Home visitation.--The term ``home visitation'' means 
     services provided in the permanent or temporary residence, or 
     in a mutually agreed upon location in the community, of the 
     individual receiving such services.
       (3) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian tribe'' has the 
     meaning given such term in section 4(e) of the Indian Self-
     Determination and Education Assistance Act (52 U.S.C. 
     450(b)(e)).
       (4) Secretary.--Except as provided in section 7, the term 
     ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Health and Human 
     Services.
       (5) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the 50 States, 
     the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto 
     Rico.
       (6) Territories and possessions.--The term ``territories 
     and possessions'' means American Samoa, the Commonwealth of 
     the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the United States 
     Virgin Islands.
       (7) Tribal organization.--The term ``tribal organization'' 
     has the meaning given such term in section 4(l) of the Indian 
     Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 
     450b(l)).

     SEC. 4. STATE GRANTS FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD HOME VISITATION.

       (a) Authorization.--The Secretary, in collaboration with 
     the Secretary of Education, shall make grants to States to 
     enable such States to establish or expand quality programs of 
     early childhood home visitation, as specified under 
     subsection (f). Each grant shall consist of the allotment 
     determined for a State under subsection (b).
       (b) Determination of Reservations; Amount of Allotments; 
     Authorization of Appropriations.--
       (1) Reservations from appropriations.--From the total 
     amount made available to carry out this section for a fiscal 
     year, the Secretary shall reserve--
       (A) 3 percent for an independent evaluation of the 
     activities carried out under this Act, as specified in 
     section 8;
       (B) not more than 3 percent for Federal administrative 
     costs;
       (C) 2 percent for training and technical assistance for 
     States;
       (D) not more than 2 percent for payments to Indian tribes 
     and tribal organizations with applications approved under 
     this section; and
       (E) not more than 0.5 percent for payments to territories 
     and possessions with applications approved under this 
     section.
       (2) State allotments for early childhood home visitation.--
       (A) In general.--In accordance with subparagraph (B), the 
     Secretary shall allot among each of the eligible States the 
     total amount made available to carry out this section for any 
     fiscal year and not reserved under paragraph (1), to carry 
     out early childhood home visitation in accordance with this 
     section.
       (B) Determination of state allotments.--
       (i) In general.--Subject to clause (ii), the Secretary 
     shall allot the amount made available under subparagraph (A) 
     for a fiscal year among the States in proportion to the 
     number of children, aged from birth to 5 years, who reside 
     within the State, compared to the number of such individuals 
     who reside in all such States for that fiscal year.
       (ii) Exception.--No State receiving an allotment under 
     clause (i) may receive more than $20,000,000.
       (3) Indian tribes, tribal organizations, territories and 
     possessions.--
       (A) Indian tribes and tribal organizations.--From amounts 
     reserved for each fiscal year under paragraph (1)(D), the 
     Secretary shall make payments to each Indian tribe or tribal 
     organizations with an application approved under this section 
     in an amount determined in accordance with the respective 
     needs described in the application.

[[Page S2174]]

       (B) Territories and possessions.--From amounts reserved for 
     each fiscal year under paragraph (1)(E), the Secretary shall 
     make payments to each territory and possession with an 
     application approved under this section in an amount 
     determined in accordance with the respective needs described 
     in the application.
       (4) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to carry out this section $400,000,000 for 
     the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2010.
       (c) Grant Applications.--
       (1) State applications.--A State that desires to receive a 
     grant under this section shall submit an application to the 
     Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
     information as the Secretary may require. The application 
     shall contain the following information:
       (A) An assurance that the Governor of the State has 
     designated a lead State agency, such as the State educational 
     agency or the State health and human services agency, to 
     carry out the activities under this section.
       (B) An assurance that the State will reserve 3 percent of 
     such grant for evaluation and will participate in the 
     independent evaluation under section 8.
       (C) An assurance that the State will reserve 10 percent of 
     the grant funds for training and technical assistance of 
     staff of programs of early childhood home visitation.
       (D) An assurance that the State will authorize child care 
     resource and referral agencies to refer parents seeking home 
     visitation services.
       (E) The results of a statewide needs assessment that 
     describes--
       (i) the quality and capacity of existing programs of early 
     childhood home visitation in the State;
       (ii) the number and types of eligible families who are 
     receiving services under such programs; and
       (iii) the gaps in early childhood home visitation in the 
     State.
       (F) A State plan containing the following:
       (i) A description of the State's strategy to establish or 
     expand quality programs of early childhood home visitation to 
     serve all eligible families in the State.
       (ii) A description of the quality programs of early 
     childhood home visitation that will be supported by a grant 
     under this section.
       (iii) A description of how the proposed program of early 
     childhood home visitation will promote positive parenting 
     skills and children's early learning and development.
       (iv) A description of how the proposed program of early 
     childhood home visitation will incorporate the authorized 
     activities described in subsection (f).
       (v) How the lead State agency will build on and promote 
     coordination among existing programs of early childhood home 
     visitation in an effort to promote an array of home 
     visitation that ensures more eligible families are being 
     served and are getting the most appropriate services to meet 
     their needs.
       (vi) How the lead State agency will promote channels of 
     communication between staff of programs of early childhood 
     home visitation and staff of other early childhood education 
     programs, such as Head Start programs carried out under the 
     Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.) and Early Head Start 
     programs carried out under section 645A of such Act, 
     preschool programs, and child care programs, to facilitate 
     the coordination of services for eligible families.
       (vii) How the lead State agency will provide training and 
     technical assistance to staff of programs of early childhood 
     home visitation involved in activities under this section to 
     more effectively meet the needs of the eligible families 
     served with sensitivity to cultural variations in parenting 
     norms and attitudes toward formal support services.
       (viii) How the lead State agency will evaluate the 
     activities supported under this section in order to 
     demonstrate outcomes related to the enhancement of--

       (I) parent knowledge of early learning and development;
       (II) child health, cognitive, language, social-emotional, 
     and physical development indicators; and
       (III) child maltreatment indicators for child abuse and 
     neglect prevention.
       (IV) School readiness indicators.
       (V) Links to community services.

       (ix) A description of how the lead State agency will ensure 
     that the home visitation programs will conduct outreach 
     activities to target both mothers and fathers, and increase 
     father involvement where appropriate.
       (x) A description of how the lead State agency will 
     increase home visitation programs participation rates for 
     fathers.
       (xi) A description of how the lead State agency will ensure 
     that services are made available under the program to 
     grandparents, other relatives or foster parents, of a child 
     from birth through age 5 who serve as the primary caregiver 
     of the child.
       (G) Such other information as the Secretary may require.
       (2) Indian tribes, tribal organizations, territories and 
     possessions.--
       (A) In general.--An Indian tribe, tribal organization, 
     territory, or possession that desires to receive a grant 
     under this section shall submit an application to the 
     Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
     information as the Secretary may require. The application 
     shall contain the information described in paragraph (1) with 
     respect to the applicant entity.
       (B) Approval.--The Secretary may approve an application 
     submitted under subparagraph (A) based on the quality of the 
     information contained in the application.
       (C) Exemptions.--The Secretary may exempt an applicant 
     under subparagraph (A) from any requirement of this section 
     if the Secretary determines that the application of such 
     requirements would be inappropriate taking into consideration 
     the resources, needs, and other circumstances of the 
     applicant entity. This subparagraph shall not apply to the 
     requirements described in subsections (f)(1) and (h).
       (d) Approval of Applications.--
       (1) Recommendation of panel.--
       (A) In general.--The Secretary shall approve an application 
     under this section based on the recommendations of a peer 
     review panel, as described in paragraph (2).
       (B) Selection criteria.--A peer review panel shall 
     determine which applicants to recommend for approval, for 
     purposes of subparagraph (A), based on the quality of the 
     application submitted. Consideration shall be given by the 
     panel to the inclusion of applicants, to the extent 
     practicable, that have the ability to incorporate comparison 
     or control groups in their service deliver model, recognizing 
     that universal access to home visitation services, among 
     other factors, may prevent some quality programs from 
     conducting such evaluation.
       (2) Peer review panel.--The peer review panel shall include 
     not less than--
       (A) 3 individuals who are experts in the field of home 
     visitation;
       (B) 2 individuals who are experts in early childhood 
     development;
       (C) 1 individual with experience implementing a statewide 
     program of early childhood home visitation;
       (D) 1 individual who is a board certified pediatrician or a 
     developmental pediatrician; and
       (E) 1 individual with experience in administering public or 
     private (including community-based) child maltreatment 
     prevention programs.
       (e) Duration of Grants.--Grants made under this section 
     shall be for a period of no more than 3 years.
       (f) State Uses of Funds.--Each State that receives a grant 
     under this section shall--
       (1) provide to as many eligible families in the State as 
     practicable, voluntary early childhood home visitation, on 
     not less frequently than a monthly basis with greater 
     frequency of services for those eligible families identified 
     with additional needs, through the implementation of quality 
     programs of early childhood home visitation that--
       (A) adopts a clear, consistent model that is grounded in 
     empirically-based knowledge related to home visiting and 
     linked to program-determined outcomes;
       (B) employs well-trained and competent staff, as 
     demonstrated by education or training, and the provision of 
     ongoing and specific training on the model being delivered;
       (C) maintains high quality supervision to establish home 
     visitor competencies;
       (D) demonstrates strong organizational capacity to 
     implement the program involved;
       (E) establishes appropriate linkages and referral networks 
     to other community resources and supports;
       (F) monitors fidelity of program implementation to ensure 
     that services are delivered pursuant to the specified model;
       (G) are research-based, that provide parents with--
       (i) knowledge of age appropriate child development in 
     cognitive, language, social-emotional, and motor domains;
       (ii) knowledge of realistic expectations of age-appropriate 
     child behaviors;
       (iii) knowledge of health and wellness issues for children 
     and parents;
       (iv) modeling and consulting services related to parenting;
       (v) skills to interact with their child to enhance age-
     appropriate development;
       (vi) skills to recognize and seek help for health issues 
     and developmental delays, and social, emotional, and 
     behavioral skills;
       (vii) activities designed to help parents become full 
     partners in the education of their children; and
       (viii) relevant information, consistent with State child 
     welfare agency training, concerning child welfare and 
     protective services resources if appropriate;
       (H) ascertain which developmental services the family 
     receives and work with service providers to eliminate gaps in 
     services by offering annual health, vision, hearing, and 
     developmental screening for children from birth until entry 
     into kindergarten, when not otherwise provided;
       (I) provide referrals for eligible families, as needed, to 
     additional resources available in the community, such as 
     center-based early education programs, child care services, 
     health or mental health services, family literacy programs, 
     employment agencies, social services, and child care resource 
     and referral agencies;
       (J) offer group meetings (at the discretion of the program 
     involved) for eligible families that--
       (i) further enhance the information, activities, and skill-
     building addressed during home visitation; and
       (ii) offer opportunities for parents to meet with and 
     support each other;
       (K) reserve 10 percent of the grant funds to provide 
     training and technical assistance, directly or through 
     contract, to early childhood home visitation and early 
     childhood care and education staff relating to--

[[Page S2175]]

       (i) effective methods of conducting parent education, home 
     visiting, and promoting quality early childhood development;
       (ii) the relationship of health and well-being of pregnant 
     women to prenatal and early childhood development;
       (iii) early childhood development with respect to children 
     from birth until entry into kindergarten;
       (iv) methods to help parents promote emergent literacy in 
     their children from birth until entry into kindergarten;
       (v) health, vision, hearing, and developmental screenings;
       (vi) strategies for helping eligible families with special 
     needs or those eligible families coping with crisis;
       (vii) recruiting, supervising, and retaining qualified 
     staff;
       (viii) increasing services for underserved populations;
       (ix) methods to help parents effectively respond to their 
     children's needs and behaviors; and
       (x) implementation of ongoing program quality improvement 
     and evaluation of activities and outcomes;
       (L) ensure coordination of programs of early childhood home 
     visitation, early childhood education and care, and early 
     intervention, through an existing or created State-level 
     early childhood coordinating body that includes--
       (i) representatives from relevant State agencies, including 
     the State agency responsible for carrying out the plan under 
     section 106 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act;
       (ii) representatives from State Head Start Associations;
       (iii) the State official with responsibility for carrying 
     out activities under part C of the Individuals with 
     Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.);
       (iv) the State official with responsibility for carrying 
     out activities under section 619 of the Individuals with 
     Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1419);
       (v) representatives from child care resource and referral 
     State offices;
       (vi) representatives from quality programs of early 
     childhood home visitation; and
       (vii) a board certified pediatrician or a developmental 
     pediatrician; and
       (M) not expend more than 5 percent of the amount of grant 
     funds received under this section for the administration of 
     the grant, including planning, administration, evaluation, 
     and annual reporting.
       (g) Maintenance of Effort.--A State is entitled to receive 
     its full allotment of funds under this section for any fiscal 
     year if the Secretary finds that the aggregate expenditures 
     within the State for quality programs of early childhood home 
     visitation, for the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for 
     which the determination is made was not less than 100 percent 
     of such aggregate expenditures for the second fiscal year 
     preceding the fiscal year for which the determination is 
     made.
       (h) Reporting Requirements.--Each State that receives a 
     grant under this section shall submit an annual report to the 
     Secretary regarding the State's progress in addressing the 
     purposes of this Act. Such report shall include, at a 
     minimum, a description of--
       (1) the actual services delivered under the grant, 
     including--
       (A) the program characteristics, including descriptive 
     information on the service models used and the actual program 
     performance;
       (B) the characteristics of the providers involved, 
     including staff qualifications, work experience, and 
     demographic characteristics; and
       (C) the characteristics of the recipient of services under 
     the program, including the number of recipients, their 
     demographic characteristics, and family retention;
       (2) recipient outcomes that are consistent with program 
     goals, including, where appropriate based on the outcomes 
     being evaluated a description of--
       (A) affected parental practices;
       (B) child health, cognitive, language, social-emotional, 
     and physical developmental indicators;
       (C) child maltreatment indicators, including prevention 
     strategies;
       (D) school readiness indicators; and
       (E) links to community services;
       (3) the research-based instruction, materials, and 
     activities being used in the activities funded under the 
     grant;
       (4) the effectiveness of the training and ongoing 
     professional development provided--
       (A) to staff supported under the grant; and
       (B) to the broader early childhood community;
       (5) beginning at the end of the second year of the grant, 
     the results of evaluations described in subsection (c)(4)(G); 
     and
       (6) the annual program implementation costs, including the 
     cost for each family served under the program.

     SEC. 5. STRENGTHENING EARLY HEAD START HOME VISITATION.

       Section 645A of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9840a) is 
     amended--
       (1) in subsection (b)--
       (A) in paragraph (4), by striking ``provide services to 
     parents to support their role as parents'' and inserting 
     ``provide additional services to parents to support their 
     role as parents (including training in parenting skills, 
     basic child development, and sensitivity to cultural 
     variations in parenting norms and attitudes toward formal 
     supports)'';
       (B) in paragraph (5)--
       (i) by inserting ``(including home-based services)'' after 
     ``with services''; and
       (ii) by inserting ``, and family support services'' after 
     ``health services'';
       (C) by redesignating paragraphs (7), (8), and (9) as 
     paragraphs (9), (10), and (11), respectively; and
       (D) by inserting after paragraph (6) the following:
       ``(7) develop and implement a systematic procedure for 
     transitioning children and parents from an Early Head Start 
     program into a Head Start program or another local early 
     childhood education program;
       ``(8) establish channels of communication between staff of 
     Early Head Start programs and staff of Head Start programs or 
     other local early childhood education programs, to facilitate 
     the coordination of programs;'';
       (2) in subsection (g)(2)(B), by striking clause (iv) and 
     inserting the following:
       ``(iv) providing professional development and personnel 
     enhancement activities, including the provision of funds to 
     recipients of grants under subsection (a), relating to 
     effective methods of conducting parent education, home 
     visiting, and promoting quality early childhood 
     development.''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(h) Staff Qualifications and Development.--
       ``(1) Home visitor staff.--
       ``(A) Standards.--In order to further enhance the quality 
     of home visiting services provided to families of children 
     participating in home-based, center-based, or combination 
     program options under this subchapter, the Secretary shall 
     establish standards for training, qualifications, and the 
     conduct of home visits for home visitor staff in Early Head 
     Start programs.
       ``(B) Contents.--The standards for training, 
     qualifications, and the conduct of home visits shall include 
     content related to--
       ``(i) structured child-focused home visiting that promotes 
     parents' ability to support the child's cognitive, social, 
     emotional, and physical development;
       ``(ii) effective strengths-based parent education, 
     including methods to encourage parents as their child's first 
     teachers;
       ``(iii) early childhood development with respect to 
     children from birth through age 3;
       ``(iv) methods to help parents promote emergent literacy in 
     their children from birth through age 3;
       ``(v) ascertaining what health and developmental services 
     the family involved receives and working with the service 
     providers to eliminate gaps in services by offering annual 
     health, vision, hearing, and developmental screenings for 
     children from birth through entry into kindergarten, when 
     needed;
       ``(vi) strategies for helping families coping with crisis; 
     and
       ``(vii) the relationship of health and well-being of 
     pregnant women to prenatal and early child development.''.

     SEC. 6. TARGETED GRANTS FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD HOME VISITATION 
                   FOR FAMILIES WITH ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary, in collaboration with the 
     Secretary of Education, shall make grants, on a competitive 
     basis, to eligible applicants to enable such applicants to 
     support and expand local efforts to deliver services under 
     quality programs of early childhood home visitation, to 
     eligible families with English language learners.
       (b) Eligible Applicant.--In this section, the term 
     ``eligible applicant'' means--
       (1) 1 or more local educational agencies (as defined in 
     section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
     1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801)); and
       (2) 1 or more public or private community-based 
     organizations or agencies that serve eligible families and 
     are capable of establishing and implementing programs of 
     early childhood home visitation.
       (c) Applications.--An eligible applicant that desires to 
     receive a grant under this section shall submit an 
     application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, 
     and containing such information as the Secretary may require. 
     The application shall include a description of--
       (1) the results of a community wide needs assessment that 
     describes--
       (A) community demographics demonstrating the need for 
     outreach and services to eligible families with English 
     language learners;
       (B) the quality, capacity, and existing programs of early 
     childhood home visitation for eligible families with English 
     language learners;
       (C) the gaps in programs of early childhood home visitation 
     for eligible families with English language learners; and
       (D) the type of program of early childhood home visitation 
     necessary to address the gaps identified;
       (2) the program of early childhood home visitation that 
     will be supported by the grant under this section;
       (3) how the proposed program of early childhood home 
     visitation will promote positive parenting skills and 
     children's early learning and development;
       (4) how the proposed program of early childhood home 
     visitation will incorporate the authorized activities 
     described in subsection (f);
       (5) how services provided through a grant under this 
     section will use materials that are geared toward eligible 
     families with English language learners;

[[Page S2176]]

       (6) how the activities under this section will build upon 
     and promote coordination among existing programs of early 
     childhood home visitation, if such programs exist in the 
     community, in an effort to promote an array of home 
     visitation that ensures more eligible families with English 
     language learners are being served and are getting the most 
     appropriate services to meet their needs;
       (7) how the program will ensure that--
       (A) eligible families with English language learners are 
     linked to schools; and
       (B) the activities under this section will support the 
     preparation of children for school;
       (8) how channels of communication will be established 
     between staff of programs of early childhood home visitation 
     and staff of other early childhood education programs, such 
     as Head Start programs carried out under the Head Start Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.) and Early Head Start programs 
     carried out under section 645A of such Act, preschool 
     programs, and child care programs, to facilitate the 
     coordination of services for eligible families with English 
     language learners;
       (9) how eligible families with English language learners 
     will be recruited and retained to receive services under this 
     section;
       (10) how training and technical assistance will help the 
     staff of programs of early childhood home visitation involved 
     in activities under this section to more effectively serve 
     eligible families with English language learners;
       (11) how the eligible applicant will evaluate the 
     activities supported under this section in order to 
     demonstrate outcomes related to the--
       (A) increase in number of eligible families with English 
     language learners served by programs of early childhood home 
     visitation;
       (B) enhancement of participating parents' knowledge of 
     early learning and development;
       (C) enhancement of positive parenting practices related to 
     early learning and development; and
       (D) enhancement of children's cognitive, language, social-
     emotional, and physical development; and
       (12) such other information as the Secretary may require.
       (d) Approval of Applications.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary shall select applicants for 
     funding under this section based on the quality of the 
     applications and the recommendations of a peer review panel, 
     as described in paragraph (2).
       (2) Peer review panel.--The peer review panel shall include 
     not less than--
       (A) 2 individuals who are experts in the field of home 
     visitation;
       (B) 2 individuals who are experts in early childhood 
     development;
       (C) 2 individuals who are experts in serving eligible 
     families with English language learners;
       (D) 1 individual who is a board certified pediatrician or a 
     developmental pediatrician; and
       (E) 1 individual with experience in administering public or 
     private (including community-based) child maltreatment 
     prevention programs.
       (e) Duration of Grants.--Grants made under this section 
     shall be for a period of no more than 3 years.
       (f) Authorized Activities.--Each eligible applicant that 
     receives a grant under this section shall carry out the 
     following activities:
       (1) Providing to as many eligible families with English 
     language learners as practicable, voluntary early childhood 
     home visitation, on not less frequently than a monthly basis, 
     through the implementation of other quality programs of early 
     childhood home visitation that are research-based, that 
     provide parents with--
       (A) knowledge of age appropriate child development in 
     cognitive, language, social-emotional, and motor domains;
       (B) knowledge of realistic expectations of age-appropriate 
     child behaviors;
       (C) knowledge of health and wellness issues for children 
     and parents;
       (D) modeling, consulting, and coaching on parenting 
     practices;
       (E) skills to interact with their child to enhance age-
     appropriate development;
       (F) skills to recognize and seek help for health issues and 
     developmental delays, and social, emotional, and behavioral 
     skills; and
       (G) activities designed to help parents become full 
     partners in the education of their children.
       (2) Activities to ascertain what health and developmental 
     services families receive and working with service providers 
     to eliminate gaps in service by offering an annual health, 
     vision, hearing, and developmental screening for children 
     from birth through their entry into kindergarten.
       (3) Providing referrals for participating eligible families 
     with English language learners, as needed, to additional 
     resources available in the community, such as center-based 
     early education programs, child care services, health or 
     mental health services, family literacy programs, employment 
     agencies, social services, and child care resource and 
     referral agencies.
       (4) Offering group meetings (at program discretion), on not 
     less frequently than a monthly basis, for eligible families 
     with English language learners that--
       (A) further enhance the information, activities, and skill-
     building addressed during home visitation;
       (B) offer opportunities for parents to meet with and 
     support each other; and
       (C) address challenges facing eligible families with 
     English language learners.
       (5) Providing training and technical assistance to early 
     childhood home visitation and early childhood care and 
     education staff relating to--
       (A) effective service to eligible families with English 
     language learners, including skills to address challenges 
     facing English language learners;
       (B) effective methods of implementing parent education, 
     conducting home visitation, and promoting quality early 
     childhood development, with sensitivity to cultural 
     variations in parenting norms and attitudes toward formal 
     support services;
       (C) the relationship of health and well-being of pregnant 
     women to prenatal and early child development;
       (D) early childhood development with respect to children 
     from birth until entry into kindergarten;
       (E) methods to help parents promote emergent literacy in 
     their children from birth until entry into kindergarten;
       (F) implementing strategies for helping eligible families 
     with English language learners coping with a crisis;
       (G) recruiting, supervising, and retaining qualified staff;
       (H) increasing services for underserved eligible families 
     with English language learners;
       (I) methods to help parents effectively respond to their 
     children's needs and behaviors; and
       (J) implementation of ongoing program quality improvement 
     and evaluation of activities and outcomes.
       (6) Coordinating existing programs of early childhood home 
     visitation in order to effectively and efficiently meet the 
     needs of more eligible families with English language 
     learners.
       (g) Reporting Requirements.--The recipient of a grant under 
     this section shall submit to the Secretary an annual report 
     concerning the progress of the program conducted by the 
     recipient in addressing the purposes of this Act. Each such 
     report shall, at a minimum, include a description of--
       (1) the actual service delivery provided for under the 
     grant, including--
       (A) program characteristics that include descriptive 
     information on the service model used under the program and 
     actual program performance;
       (B) the characteristics of service providers under the 
     program that include staff qualifications, work experience, 
     and demographic characteristics;
       (C) the characteristics of recipients of services under the 
     program that include the number, demographic characteristics, 
     and family retention under the program; and
       (D) an estimate of the annual program implementation costs;
       (2) with respect to recipients of services under the 
     program, whether such services were provided in a manner 
     consistent with program goals including, where appropriate--
       (A) parental practices;
       (B) child health and development indicators;
       (C) child maltreatment indicators;
       (D) school readiness indicators; and
       (E) links to community services;
       (3) the research-based instruction, materials, and 
     activities being used in the activities conducted under the 
     program; and
       (4) the effectiveness of the training and ongoing 
     professional development provided--
       (A) to the staff supported under the program; and
       (B) to the affected early childhood community.
       (h) Supplement Not Supplant.--Grant funds provided under 
     this section shall be used to supplement, and not supplant, 
     Federal and non-Federal funds available for carrying out the 
     activities described in this section.
       (i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to carry out this section $50,000,000 for 
     the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2010.

     SEC. 7. TARGETED GRANTS FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD HOME VISITATION 
                   FOR MILITARY FAMILIES.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense, in collaboration 
     with the Secretary of Education, shall make grants, on a 
     competitive basis, to eligible applicants to enable such 
     applicants to support and expand efforts to deliver services 
     under quality programs of early childhood home visitation, to 
     eligible families with a family member in the Armed Forces.
       (b) Eligible Applicant.--In this section, the term 
     ``eligible applicant'' means any of the following:
       (1) A local educational agency that receives payments under 
     title VIII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
     1965 (20 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.).
       (2) A school of the defense dependents' education system 
     under the Defense Dependents' Education Act of 1978 (20 
     U.S.C. 921 et seq.).
       (3) A school established under section 2164 of title 10, 
     United States Code.
       (4) A community-based organization serving families with a 
     family member in the Armed Forces.
       (c) Applications.--An eligible applicant that desires to 
     receive a grant under this section shall submit an 
     application to the Secretary of Defense at such time, in such 
     manner, and containing such information as the Secretary of 
     Defense may require. The application shall include a 
     description of--

[[Page S2177]]

       (1) the results of a community wide needs assessment that 
     describes--
       (A) community demographics demonstrating the need for 
     outreach and services to eligible families with a family 
     member in the Armed Forces;
       (B) the quality, capacity, and existing programs of early 
     childhood home visitation for eligible families with a family 
     member in the Armed Forces;
       (C) the gaps in programs of early childhood home visitation 
     for eligible families with a family member in the Armed 
     Forces; and
       (D) the type of program of early childhood home visitation 
     necessary to address the gaps identified;
       (2) the program of early childhood home visitation that 
     will be supported by the grant under this section;
       (3) how the proposed program of early childhood home 
     visitation will promote positive parenting skills and 
     children's early learning and development;
       (4) how the proposed program of early childhood home 
     visitation will incorporate the authorized activities 
     described in subsection (f);
       (5) how services provided through a grant under this 
     section will use materials that are geared toward eligible 
     families with a family member in the Armed Forces;
       (6) how the activities under this section will build on and 
     promote coordination with existing programs of early 
     childhood home visitation, if such programs exist in the 
     community, in an effort to promote an array of home 
     visitation that ensures more eligible families with a family 
     member in the Armed Forces are being served and are getting 
     the most appropriate services to meet their needs;
       (7) how the program will ensure that--
       (A) eligible families with a family member in the Armed 
     Forces are linked to schools; and
       (B) the activities under this section will support the 
     preparation of children for school;
       (8) how channels of communication will be established 
     between staff of programs of early childhood home visitation 
     and staff of other early childhood education programs, such 
     as Head State programs carried out under the Head Start Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.) and Early Health State programs 
     carried out under section 645A of such Act, preschool 
     programs, family support programs, and child care programs, 
     to facilitate the coordination of services for eligible 
     families with a family member in the Armed Forces;
       (9) how eligible families with a family member in the Armed 
     Forces will be recruited and retained to receive services 
     under this section;
       (10) how training and technical assistance will help staff 
     of programs of early childhood home visitation involved in 
     activities under this section to more effectively serve 
     eligible families with a family member in the Armed Forces;
       (11) how the eligible applicant will evaluate the 
     activities supported under this section in order to 
     demonstrate outcomes related to the--
       (A) increase in number of eligible families with a family 
     member in the Armed Forces served by programs of early 
     childhood home visitation;
       (B) enhancement of participating parents' knowledge of 
     early learning and development;
       (C) enhancement of positive parenting practices related to 
     early learning and development; and
       (D) enhancement of children's cognitive, language, social-
     emotional, and physical development; and
       (12) such other information as the Secretary of Defense may 
     require.
       (d) Approval of Local Applications.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense shall select 
     applicants for funding under this section based on the 
     quality of the applications and the recommendations of a peer 
     review panel, as described in paragraph (2).
       (2) Peer review panel.--The peer review panel shall include 
     not less than--
       (A) 2 individuals who are experts in the field of home 
     visitation;
       (B) 2 individuals who are experts in early childhood 
     development;
       (C) 2 individuals who are experts in family support for 
     military families;
       (D) 1 individual who is a board certified pediatrician; and
       (E) 1 individual with expertise in administering public or 
     private (including community-based) child maltreatment 
     prevention programs; and
       (e) Duration of Grants.--Grants made under this section 
     shall be for a period of no more than 3 years.
       (f) Authorized Activities.--Each eligible applicant that 
     receives a grant under this section shall carry out the 
     following activities:
       (1) Providing to as many eligible families with a family 
     member in the Armed Forces as practicable, voluntary early 
     childhood home visitation, on not less frequently than a 
     monthly basis, through the implementation of quality programs 
     of early childhood home visitation that are research-based, 
     that provide parents with--
       (A) knowledge of age appropriate child development in 
     cognitive, language, social-emotional, and motor domains;
       (B) knowledge of realistic expectations of age-appropriate 
     child behaviors;
       (C) knowledge of health and wellness issues for children 
     and parents;
       (D) modeling, consulting, and coaching on parenting 
     practices;
       (E) skills to interact with their child to enhance age-
     appropriate development;
       (F) skills to recognize and seek help for health issues and 
     developmental delays, and social, emotional, and behavioral 
     skills; and
       (G) activities designed to help parents become full 
     partners in the education of their children.
       (2) Ascertaining what health and development services the 
     family receives under the program and working with service 
     providers to eliminate gaps in service by offering annual 
     health, vision, hearing, and developmental screening for 
     participating children.
       (3) Providing referrals for participating eligible families 
     with a family member in the Armed Forces, as needed, to 
     additional resources available in the community, such as 
     center-based early education programs, child care services, 
     health or mental health services, family literacy programs, 
     employment agencies, social services, and child care resource 
     and referral agencies.
       (4) Offering group meetings (at the discretion of the 
     program), on not less frequently than a monthly basis, for 
     eligible families with a family member in the Armed Forces 
     that--
       (A) further enhance the information, activities, and skill-
     building addressed during home visitation;
       (B) offer opportunities for parents to meet with and 
     support each other; and
       (C) address challenges facing eligible families with a 
     family member in the Armed Forces.
       (5) Providing training and technical assistance to early 
     childhood home visitation and early childhood care and 
     education staff relating to--
       (A) effective service to eligible families with a family 
     member in the Armed Forces;
       (B) effective methods of conducting parent education, home 
     visiting, and promoting quality early childhood development, 
     with sensitivity to cultural variations in parenting norms 
     and attitudes toward formal support services;
       (C) the relationship of health and well-being of pregnant 
     women to prenatal and early child development;
       (D) early childhood development with respect to children 
     from birth until entry into kindergarten;
       (E) methods to help parents promote emergent literacy in 
     their children from birth until entry into kindergarten;
       (F) implementing strategies for helping eligible families 
     with a family member in the Armed Forces coping with crisis;
       (G) recruiting, supervising, and retaining qualified staff;
       (H) increasing services for underserved eligible families 
     with a family member in the Armed Forces;
       (I) methods to help parents effectively respond to their 
     children's needs and behaviors; and
       (J) implementation of ongoing program quality improvement 
     and evaluation of activities and outcomes.
       (6) Coordinating existing programs of early childhood home 
     visitation in order to effectively and efficiently meet the 
     needs of more eligible families with a family member in the 
     Armed Forces.
       (g) Reporting Requirements.--The recipient of a grant under 
     this section shall submit to the Secretary an annual report 
     concerning the progress of the program conducted by the 
     recipient in addressing the purposes of this Act. Each such 
     report shall, at a minimum, include a description of--
       (1) the actual service delivery provided for under the 
     grant, including--
       (A) program characteristics that include descriptive 
     information on the service model used under the program and 
     actual program performance;
       (B) the characteristics of service providers under the 
     program that include staff qualifications, work experience, 
     and demographic characteristics;
       (C) the characteristics of recipients of services under the 
     program that include the number, demographic characteristics, 
     and family retention under the program; and
       (D) an estimate of the annual program implementation costs;
       (2) with respect to recipients of services under the 
     program, whether such services were provided in a manner 
     consistent with program goals including, where appropriate--
       (A) parental practices;
       (B) child health and development indicators;
       (C) child maltreatment indicators;
       (D) school readiness indicators; and
       (E) links to community services;
       (3) the research-based instruction, materials, and 
     activities being used in the activities conducted under the 
     program; and
       (4) the effectiveness of the training and ongoing 
     professional development provided--
       (A) to the staff supported under the program; and
       (B) to the affected early childhood community.
       (h) Supplement Not Supplant.--Grant funds provided under 
     this section shall be used to supplement, and not supplant, 
     Federal and non-Federal funds available for carrying out the 
     activities described in this section.
       (i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to carry out this section $50,000,000 for 
     the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2010.

[[Page S2178]]

     SEC. 8. EVALUATION.

       (a) In General.--From funds reserved under section 
     6(b)(1)(A), the Secretary shall conduct an independent 
     evaluation of the effectiveness of this Act.
       (b) Reports.--
       (1) Interim report.--Not later than 2 years after the date 
     of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit an 
     interim report on the evaluation conducted pursuant to 
     subsection (a) to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 
     and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Education and 
     Labor of the House of Representatives.
       (2) Final report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit a final 
     report on the evaluation conducted pursuant to subsection (a) 
     to the committees described in paragraph (1).
       (c) Contents.--The reports submitted under subsection (b) 
     shall include information on the following:
       (1) How the grant funds have expanded access to early 
     childhood home visitation in a manner that demonstrates that 
     programs under this Act reflect the quality indicators under 
     this Act.
       (2) How the States are documenting compliance with the 
     service delivery indicators under this Act across all 
     entities carrying out programs under this Act with emphasis 
     on the number of families served and the level of service 
     received.
       (3) How the services provided under State programs affect 
     outcomes consistent with programs goals, including, where 
     appropriate based on the program being evaluated, parenting 
     practices, child health and development, child maltreatment, 
     school readiness, and links to community services.
       (4) The effectiveness of early childhood home visitation on 
     different populations, including the extent to which 
     variability exists in program ability to improve outcomes 
     across programs and populations, such as families with 
     English language learners and families with a family member 
     in the Armed Forces.
       (5) The effectiveness of the training and technical 
     assistance activities funded under this Act, including the 
     effects of training and technical assistance activities on 
     program performance and agency-level collaboration.
       (6) Recommendations on strengthening or modifying this Act.

     SEC. 9. SUPPORTING NEW PARENTS THROUGH HOSPITAL EDUCATION.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services 
     (referred to in this section as the ``Secretary'') shall 
     develop and implement a public information and educational 
     campaign to inform the public and new parents about the 
     importance of proper care for infants and children under 5 
     years of age, including healthy parent-child relationships, 
     the demands and stress associated with caring for infants, 
     positive responses to infants' challenging behaviors 
     including awareness of their social, emotional, and physical 
     needs, awareness of the vulnerability of young children to 
     abusive practices, and the signs and treatment of post-partum 
     depression .
       (b) Elements.--
       (1) In general.--The campaign developed under subsection 
     (a) shall include the following elements:
       (A) The dissemination of educational and informational 
     materials in print, audio, video, electronic, and other media
       (B) The use of public service announcements and 
     advertisements
       (C) The dissemination of effective child abuse prevention 
     practices and techniques, including information about 
     research-based home visiting programs, respite care, crisis 
     nurseries, and patent support networks, to parents, 
     caregivers, maternity hospitals, children's hospitals, 
     pediatricians, child care centers, organizations providing 
     prenatal and postnatal care, and organizations providing 
     parenting education and support services.
       (D) Connection to existing parental involvement programs.
       (2) Prevention practices.--In carrying out paragraph (1)(C) 
     through the campaign under subsection (a), the Secretary 
     shall ensure that every hospital, military hospital, and 
     birth center receiving these materials requests that each 
     maternity patient and father of a newborn child, if 
     available, participate in a single session parenting class, 
     that is approved by the Secretary, on the vulnerabilities of 
     their infant to abusive practices, as well as the importance 
     of proper care for infants and young children, and the 
     symptoms of abusive head and other injuries, and strategies 
     for caring for infants' social, emotional, and physical 
     needs. After participating in the class, the hospital or 
     birth center shall request that such patient or father sign a 
     form stating that they have participated or refused to 
     participate in the parenting class.
       (3) Existing programs.--The implementation and execution of 
     the public information and educational campaign under this 
     section should seek collaboration with and referrals to 
     existing parental involvement programs that specialize in 
     strengthening children's cognitive skills, early literacy 
     skills, social or emotional and physical development and 
     existing prenatal and early childhood home visit programs.
       (4) Existing state requirements.--The implementation and 
     execution of the public information and educational campaign 
     under this section should encourage the Secretary to work 
     with pre-existing State requirements to ensure that no 
     unnecessary burdens are placed on hospitals, military 
     hospitals, and birth centers receiving educational materials.
       (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out 
     this section for fiscal year 2008.
                                 ______