[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 84 (Monday, May 20, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H3978-H3994]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           STRONGER CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT ACT

  Ms. SCHRIER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2480) to reauthorize the Child Abuse Prevention and 
Treatment Act, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2480

       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 ``Stronger Child Abuse 
     Prevention and Treatment Act''.

     SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.

       The table of contents of this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Table of contents.

                        TITLE I--GENERAL PROGRAM

Sec. 101. Repeal of findings.
Sec. 102. Repeal of Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect.
Sec. 103. National clearinghouse for information relating to child 
              abuse.
Sec. 104. Research and assistance activities.
Sec. 105. Grants to States, Indian Tribes or tribal organizations, and 
              public or private agencies and organizations.
Sec. 106. Grants to States for child abuse or neglect prevention and 
              treatment programs.
Sec. 107. Miscellaneous requirements.
Sec. 108. Reports.
Sec. 109. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 110. Monitoring and oversight.
Sec. 111. Electronic interstate data exchange system.
Sec. 112. Technical and conforming amendments.

TITLE II--COMMUNITY-BASED GRANTS FOR THE PREVENTION OF CHILD ABUSE AND 
                                NEGLECT

Sec. 201. Purpose and authority.
Sec. 202. Eligibility.
Sec. 203. Amount of grant.
Sec. 204. Application.
Sec. 205. Local program requirements.
Sec. 206. Performance measures.
Sec. 207. National network for community-based family resource 
              programs.
Sec. 208. Definitions.
Sec. 209. Rule of construction.
Sec. 210. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 211. Study and report.

                   TITLE III--ADOPTION OPPORTUNITIES

Sec. 301. Purpose.
Sec. 302. Report and guidance on unregulated custody transfers.
Sec. 303. Information and services.
Sec. 304. Study and report on successful adoptions.
Sec. 305. Authorization of appropriations.

                   TITLE IV--AMENDMENTS TO OTHER LAWS

Sec. 401. Technical and conforming amendments to other laws.

                        TITLE I--GENERAL PROGRAM

     SEC. 101. REPEAL OF FINDINGS.

       Section 2 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 5101 note) is repealed.

     SEC. 102. REPEAL OF ADVISORY BOARD ON CHILD ABUSE AND 
                   NEGLECT.

       Section 102 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 5102) is repealed.

     SEC. 103. NATIONAL CLEARINGHOUSE FOR INFORMATION RELATING TO 
                   CHILD ABUSE.

       Section 103 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 5104) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (b)(1), by inserting ``early learning 
     programs and'' after ``including'';
       (2) in subsection (c)(1)(C)--
       (A) in clause (iii), by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (B) in clause (iv), by adding ``and'' at the end; and
       (C) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(v) the number of child fatalities and near fatalities 
     due to maltreatment, as reported by States in accordance with 
     the uniform standards established pursuant to subsection (d), 
     and any other relevant information related to such 
     fatalities;''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(d) Uniform Standards for Tracking and Reporting of Child 
     Fatalities Resulting From Maltreatment.--
       ``(1) Regulations required.--Not later than 24 months after 
     the date of the enactment of the Stronger Child Abuse 
     Prevention and Treatment Act, the Secretary shall develop and 
     issue final regulations establishing uniform standards for 
     the tracking and reporting of child fatalities and near-
     fatalities resulting from maltreatment. As a condition on 
     eligibility for receipt of funds under section 106, the 
     standards established under this paragraph shall be used by 
     States for the tracking and reporting of such fatalities 
     under subsection (d) of such section.
       ``(2) Maintenance of state law.--Notwithstanding the 
     uniform standards developed under paragraph (1), a State that 
     defines or describes such fatalities for any purpose other 
     than tracking and reporting under this subsection may 
     continue to use that definition or description for such 
     purpose.
       ``(3) Negotiated rulemaking.--In developing regulations 
     under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit such 
     regulations to a negotiated rulemaking process, which shall 
     include the participants described in paragraph (4).
       ``(4) Participants described.--The participants described 
     in this paragraph are--
       ``(A) State and county officials responsible for 
     administering the State plans under this Act and parts B and 
     E of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 621 et 
     seq., 670 et seq.);
       ``(B) child welfare professionals with field experience;
       ``(C) child welfare researchers;
       ``(D) domestic violence researchers;
       ``(E) domestic violence professionals;
       ``(F) child development professionals;
       ``(G) mental health professionals;
       ``(H) pediatric emergency medicine physicians;
       ``(I) child abuse pediatricians, as certified by the 
     American Board of Pediatrics, who specialize in treating 
     victims of child abuse;
       ``(J) forensic pathologists;
       ``(K) public health administrators;
       ``(L) public health researchers;
       ``(M) law enforcement;
       ``(N) family court judges;
       ``(O) prosecutors;
       ``(P) medical examiners and coroners;
       ``(Q) a representative from the National Center for 
     Fatality Review and Prevention; and
       ``(R) such other individuals and entities as the Secretary 
     determines to be appropriate.''.

     SEC. 104. RESEARCH AND ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES.

       Section 104 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 5105) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)--
       (A) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
       ``(1) Topics.--The Secretary shall, in consultation with 
     other Federal agencies and recognized experts in the field, 
     carry out a continuing interdisciplinary program of research, 
     including longitudinal research, that is designed to provide 
     information needed to improve primary prevention of child 
     abuse and neglect, better protect children from child abuse 
     or neglect, and improve the well-being of victims of child 
     abuse or neglect, with at least a portion of such research 
     being field initiated. Such research program may focus on--
       ``(A) disseminating evidence-based treatment directed to 
     individuals and families experiencing trauma due to child 
     abuse and neglect, including efforts to improve the 
     scalability of the treatments and programs being researched;
       ``(B) developing a set of evidence-based approaches to 
     support child and family well-being and developing ways to 
     identify, relieve, and mitigate stressors affecting families 
     in rural, urban, and suburban communities;
       ``(C) establishing methods to promote racial equity in the 
     child welfare system, including a focus on how neglect is 
     defined, how services are provided, and the unique impact on 
     Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian 
     communities;
       ``(D) improving service delivery or outcomes for child 
     welfare service agencies engaged with families experiencing 
     domestic violence, substance use disorder, or other complex 
     needs;
       ``(E) the extent to which the number of unsubstantiated, 
     unfounded, and false reported cases of child abuse or neglect 
     have contributed to the inability of a State to respond 
     effectively to serious cases of child abuse or neglect;
       ``(F) the extent to which the lack of adequate resources 
     and the lack of adequate professional development of 
     individuals required by law to report suspected cases of 
     child abuse and neglect have contributed to the inability of 
     a State to respond effectively to serious cases of child 
     abuse and neglect;
       ``(G) the extent to which unsubstantiated reports return as 
     more serious cases of child abuse or neglect;
       ``(H) the incidence and outcomes of child abuse and neglect 
     allegations reported within the context of divorce, custody, 
     or other

[[Page H3979]]

     family court proceedings, and the interaction between family 
     courts and the child protective services system;
       ``(I) the information on the national incidence of child 
     abuse and neglect specified in clauses (i) through (xi) of 
     subparagraph (J); and
       ``(J) the national incidence of child abuse and neglect, 
     including--
       ``(i) the extent to which incidents of child abuse and 
     neglect are increasing or decreasing in number and severity;
       ``(ii) the incidence of substantiated and unsubstantiated 
     reported child abuse and neglect cases;
       ``(iii) the number of substantiated cases that result in a 
     judicial finding of child abuse or neglect or related 
     criminal court convictions;
       ``(iv) the extent to which the number of unsubstantiated, 
     unfounded and false reported cases of child abuse or neglect 
     have contributed to the inability of a State to respond 
     effectively to serious cases of child abuse or neglect;
       ``(v) the extent to which the lack of adequate resources 
     and the lack of adequate education of individuals required by 
     law to report suspected cases of child abuse and neglect have 
     contributed to the inability of a State to respond 
     effectively to serious cases of child abuse and neglect;
       ``(vi) the number of unsubstantiated, false, or unfounded 
     reports that have resulted in a child being placed in 
     substitute care, and the duration of such placement;
       ``(vii) the extent to which unsubstantiated reports return 
     as more serious cases of child abuse or neglect;
       ``(viii) the incidence and prevalence of physical, sexual, 
     and emotional abuse and physical and emotional neglect in 
     substitute care;
       ``(ix) the incidence and prevalence of child maltreatment 
     by a wide array of demographic characteristics such as age, 
     sex, race, family structure, household relationship 
     (including the living arrangement of the resident parent and 
     family size), school enrollment and education attainment, 
     disability, grandparents as caregivers, labor force status, 
     work status in previous year, and income in previous year;
       ``(x) the extent to which reports of suspected or known 
     instances of child abuse or neglect involving a potential 
     combination of jurisdictions, such as intrastate, interstate, 
     Federal-State, and State-Tribal, are being screened out 
     solely on the basis of the cross-jurisdictional 
     complications; and
       ``(xi) the incidence and outcomes of child abuse and 
     neglect allegations reported within the context of divorce, 
     custody, or other family court proceedings, and the 
     interaction between family courts and the child protective 
     services system.'';
       (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``paragraph (1)(O)'' and 
     inserting ``paragraph (1)(J)'';
       (C) by amending paragraph (3) to read as follows:
       ``(3) Reporting requirements.--
       ``(A) In general.--Not later than 4 years after the date of 
     the enactment of the Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and 
     Treatment Act, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to the 
     Committee on Education and Labor of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor 
     and Pensions of the Senate a report that contains the results 
     of the research conducted under paragraph (2).
       ``(B) National incidence.--The Secretary shall ensure that 
     research conducted, and data collected, under paragraph 
     (1)(J) are reported in a way that will allow longitudinal 
     comparisons as well as comparisons to the national incidence 
     studies conducted under this title.''; and
       (D) by striking the second paragraph (4);
       (2) in subsection (b), by amending paragraph (2) to read as 
     follows:
       ``(2) Areas of emphasis.--Such technical assistance--
       ``(A) shall focus on--
       ``(i) implementing strategies that can leverage existing 
     community-based and State funded resources to prevent child 
     abuse and neglect and providing education for individuals 
     involved in prevention activities;
       ``(ii) reducing racial bias in child welfare systems, 
     including how such systems interact with health, law 
     enforcement, and education systems;
       ``(iii) promoting best practices for families experiencing 
     domestic violence, substance use disorder, or other complex 
     needs; and
       ``(iv) providing professional development and other 
     technical assistance to child welfare agencies to improve the 
     understanding of and to help address the effects of trauma 
     and adverse childhood experiences in parents and children in 
     contact with the child welfare system; and
       ``(B) may include the identification of--
       ``(i) various methods and procedures for the investigation, 
     assessment, and prosecution of child physical and sexual 
     abuse cases;
       ``(ii) ways to mitigate psychological trauma to the child 
     victim;
       ``(iii) effective programs carried out by the States under 
     titles I and II; and
       ``(iv) effective approaches being utilized to link child 
     protective service agencies with health care, mental health 
     care, and developmental services and early intervention to 
     improve forensic diagnosis and health evaluations, and 
     barriers and shortages to such linkages.'';
       (3) in subsection (c), by striking paragraph (3); and
       (4) by striking subsection (e).

     SEC. 105. GRANTS TO STATES, INDIAN TRIBES OR TRIBAL 
                   ORGANIZATIONS, AND PUBLIC OR PRIVATE AGENCIES 
                   AND ORGANIZATIONS.

       Section 105 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 5106) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)--
       (A) by redesignating paragraph (7) as paragraph (11);
       (B) by striking paragraphs (1) through (6) and inserting 
     the following:
       ``(1) Prevention services.--The Secretary may award grants 
     under this subsection to entities to establish or expand 
     prevention services that reduce incidences of child 
     maltreatment and strengthen families.
       ``(2) Traumatic stress.--The Secretary may award grants 
     under this subsection to entities to address instances of 
     traumatic stress in families due to child abuse and neglect, 
     especially for families with complex needs or families that 
     exhibit high levels of adverse childhood experiences.
       ``(3) Promoting a high-quality workforce.--The Secretary 
     may award grants under this subsection to entities to carry 
     out programs or strategies that promote a high-quality 
     workforce in the child welfare system through---
       ``(A) improvements to recruitment, support, or retention 
     efforts; or
       ``(B) education for professionals and paraprofessionals in 
     the prevention, identification, and treatment of child abuse 
     and neglect.
       ``(4) Improving coordination.--The Secretary may award 
     grants under this subsection to entities to carry out 
     activities to improve intrastate coordination within the 
     child welfare system. Such activities may include--
       ``(A) aligning information technology systems;
       ``(B) improving information sharing regarding child and 
     family referrals; or
       ``(C) creating collaborative voluntary partnerships among 
     public and private agencies, the State's child protective 
     services, local social service agencies, community-based 
     family support programs, State and local legal agencies, 
     developmental disability agencies, substance use disorder 
     treatment providers, health care providers and agencies, 
     domestic violence prevention programs, mental health 
     services, schools and early learning providers, religious 
     entities, and other community-based programs.
       ``(5) Primary prevention.--The Secretary may award grants 
     under this subsection to entities to carry out or expand 
     primary prevention programs or strategies that address family 
     or community protective factors.
       ``(6) Neglect due to economic insecurity.--The Secretary 
     may award grants under this subsection to entities to carry 
     out programs or strategies that reduce findings of child 
     neglect due in full or in part to family economic insecurity.
       ``(7) Education of mandatory reporters.--The Secretary may 
     award grants under this subsection to entities for projects 
     that involve research-based strategies for innovative 
     education of mandated child abuse and neglect reporters, and 
     for victims to understand mandatory reporting.
       ``(8) Sentinel injuries.--The Secretary may award grants 
     under this subsection to entities to identify and test 
     effective practices to improve early detection and management 
     of injuries indicative of potential abuse in infants to 
     prevent future cases of child abuse and related fatalities.
       ``(9) Innovative partnerships.--The Secretary may award 
     grants under this subsection to entities to carry out 
     innovative programs or strategies to coordinate the delivery 
     of services to help reduce child abuse and neglect via 
     partnerships among health, mental health, education 
     (including early learning and care programs as appropriate), 
     and child welfare agencies and providers.
       ``(10) Reducing child abuse and neglect due to the 
     substance use disorder of a parent or caregiver.--The 
     Secretary may award grants under this subsection to entities 
     to carry out activities to reduce child abuse and neglect due 
     to the substance use disorder of a parent or caregiver.''; 
     and
       (C) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(12) National child abuse hotline.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Secretary may award a grant under 
     this subsection to a nonprofit entity to provide for the 
     ongoing operation of a 24-hour, national, toll-free telephone 
     hotline to provide information and assistance to youth 
     victims of child abuse or neglect, parents, caregivers, 
     mandated reporters, and other concerned community members, 
     including through alternative modalities for communications 
     (such as texting or chat services) with such victims and 
     other information seekers.
       ``(B) Priority.--In awarding grants described in this 
     paragraph, the Secretary shall give priority to applicants 
     with experience in operating a hotline that provides 
     assistance to victims of child abuse, parents, caregivers, 
     and mandated reporters.
       ``(C) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant 
     described in this paragraph, a nonprofit entity shall submit 
     an application to the Secretary that shall--
       ``(i) contain such assurances and information, be in such 
     form, and be submitted in such manner, as the Secretary shall 
     prescribe;
       ``(ii) include a complete description of the entity's plan 
     for the operation of a national

[[Page H3980]]

     child abuse hotline, including descriptions of--

       ``(I) the professional development program for hotline 
     personnel, including technology professional development to 
     ensure that all persons affiliated with the hotline are able 
     to effectively operate any technological systems used by the 
     hotline;
       ``(II) the qualifications for hotline personnel;
       ``(III) the methods for the creation, maintenance, and 
     updating of a comprehensive list of prevention and treatment 
     service providers;
       ``(IV) a plan for publicizing the availability of the 
     hotline throughout the United States;
       ``(V) a plan for providing service to non-English speaking 
     callers, including service through hotline personnel who have 
     non-English language capability;
       ``(VI) a plan for facilitating access to the hotline and 
     alternative modality services by persons with hearing 
     impairments and disabilities;
       ``(VII) a plan for providing crisis counseling, general 
     assistance, and referrals to youth victims of child abuse; 
     and
       ``(VIII) a plan to offer alternative services to calling, 
     such as texting or live chat;

       ``(iii) demonstrate that the entity has the capacity and 
     the expertise to maintain a child abuse hotline and a 
     comprehensive list of service providers;
       ``(iv) demonstrate the ability to provide information and 
     referrals for contacts, directly connect contacts to service 
     providers, and employ crisis interventions;
       ``(v) demonstrate that the entity has a commitment to 
     providing services to individuals in need; and
       ``(vi) demonstrate that the entity complies with State 
     privacy laws and has established quality assurance 
     practices.''; and
       (2) by striking subsections (b) and (c) and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(b) Goals and Performance.--The Secretary shall ensure 
     that each entity receiving a grant under this section--
       ``(1) establishes quantifiable goals for the outcome of the 
     project funded with the grant; and
       ``(2) adequately measures the performance of the project 
     relative to such goals.
       ``(c) Performance Report Required.--
       ``(1) In general.--Each entity that receives a grant under 
     this section shall submit to the Secretary a performance 
     report that includes--
       ``(A) an evaluation of the effectiveness of the project 
     funded with the grant relative to the goals established for 
     such project under subsection (b)(1); and
       ``(B) data supporting such evaluation.
       ``(2) Submission.--The report under paragraph (1) shall be 
     submitted to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and 
     containing such information as the Secretary may require.
       ``(d) Continuing Grants.--The Secretary may only award a 
     continuing grant to an entity under this section if such 
     entity submits a performance report required under subsection 
     (c) that demonstrates effectiveness of the project funded.''.

     SEC. 106. GRANTS TO STATES FOR CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT 
                   PREVENTION AND TREATMENT PROGRAMS.

       (a) Development and Operation Grants.--Subsection (a) of 
     section 106 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 5106a) is amended to read as follows:
       ``(a) Development and Operation Grants.--The Secretary 
     shall make grants to the States, from allotments under 
     subsection (f) for each State that applies for a grant under 
     this section, for purposes of assisting the States in 
     improving and implementing a child protective services system 
     that is family-centered, integrates community services, and 
     is capable of providing rapid response to high-risk cases, by 
     carrying out the following:
       ``(1) Conducting the intake, assessment, screening, and 
     investigation of reports of child abuse or neglect.
       ``(2) Ensuring that reports concerning a child's living 
     arrangements or subsistence needs are addressed through 
     services or benefits and that no child is separated from such 
     child's parent for reasons of poverty.
       ``(3) Creating and improving the use of multidisciplinary 
     teams and interagency, intra-agency, interstate, and 
     intrastate protocols to enhance fair investigations; and 
     improving legal preparation and representation.
       ``(4) Complying with the assurances in section 106(b)(2).
       ``(5) Establishing State and local networks of child and 
     family service providers that support child and family well-
     being, which shall--
       ``(A) include child protective services, as well as 
     agencies and service providers, that address family-
     strengthening, parenting skills, child development, early 
     childhood care and learning, child advocacy, public health, 
     mental health, substance use disorder treatment, domestic 
     violence, developmental disabilities, housing, juvenile 
     justice, elementary and secondary education, and child 
     placement; and
       ``(B) address instances of child abuse and neglect by 
     incorporating evaluations that assess the development of a 
     child, including language and communication, cognitive, 
     physical, and social and emotional development, the need for 
     mental health services, including trauma-related services, 
     trauma-informed care, and parental needs.
       ``(6) Ensuring child protective services is addressing the 
     safety of children and responding to parent and family needs, 
     which shall include--
       ``(A) family-oriented efforts that emphasize case 
     assessment and follow up casework focused on child safety and 
     child and parent well-being, which may include--
       ``(i) ensuring parents and children undergo physical and 
     mental health assessments, as appropriate, and ongoing 
     developmental monitoring;
       ``(ii) multidisciplinary approaches to assessing family 
     needs and connecting the family with services, including 
     prevention services under section 471 of the Social Security 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 671);
       ``(iii) organizing a treatment team with the goal of 
     preventing child abuse and neglect, and improving parent and 
     child well-being;
       ``(iv) case monitoring that supports child well-being; and
       ``(v) differential response efforts; and
       ``(B) establishing and maintaining a rapid response system 
     that responds promptly to all reports of child abuse or 
     neglect, with special attention to cases involving children 
     under 3 years of age.
       ``(7) Educating caseworkers, community service providers, 
     attorneys, health care professionals, parents, and others 
     engaged in the prevention, intervention, and treatment of 
     child abuse and neglect, which shall include education on--
       ``(A) practices that help ensure child safety and well-
     being;
       ``(B) approaches to family-oriented prevention, 
     intervention, and treatment of child abuse and neglect;
       ``(C) early childhood, child, and adolescent development, 
     and the impact of adverse childhood experiences on such 
     development;
       ``(D) the relationship between child abuse and domestic 
     violence, and support for non-abusing parents;
       ``(E) strategies to work with families impacted by 
     substance use disorder and mental health issues (and, when 
     appropriate, be coordinated with prevention efforts funded 
     under section 471 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
     671));
       ``(F) effective use of multiple services to address family 
     and child needs, including needs resulting from trauma;
       ``(G) efforts to improve family and child well-being;
       ``(H) support for child welfare workers affected by 
     secondary trauma; and
       ``(I) supporting families and caregivers to combat and 
     prevent unsubstantiated, unfounded, or false reports, 
     including through education on the rights of families and 
     caregivers.
       ``(8) Creating or improving data systems that allow for--
       ``(A) the identification of cases requiring prompt 
     responses;
       ``(B) real-time case monitoring that tracks assessments, 
     service referrals, follow-up, case reviews, and progress 
     toward parent and child goals; and
       ``(C) sharing basic identifying data with law enforcement, 
     as necessary.
       ``(9) Improving the general child protective system by 
     developing, improving, and implementing safety assessment 
     tools, providing that such tools, protocols, and systems 
     shall not authorize the separation of any child from the 
     legal parent or guardian of such child solely on the basis of 
     poverty, or without a judicial order, except in the case of 
     imminent harm.''.
       (b) Eligibility Requirements.--
       (1) State plan.--Paragraph (1) of section 106(b) of the 
     Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5106a(b)) 
     is amended to read as follows:
       ``(1) State plan.--
       ``(A) In general.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
     this section, a State shall submit to the Secretary a State 
     plan that--
       ``(i) specifies how the grant will be used, and the State's 
     strategic plan, to treat child abuse and neglect and enhance 
     community-based, prevention-centered approaches that attempt 
     to prevent child abuse and neglect while strengthening and 
     supporting families whenever possible; and
       ``(ii) meets the requirements of this subsection.
       ``(B) Coordination and consultation.--
       ``(i) Coordination.--Each State, to the maximum extent 
     practicable, shall coordinate its State plan under this 
     subsection with its State plan under part B of title IV of 
     the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 621 et seq.) relating to 
     child and family services and, in States electing to provide 
     services under part E of title IV of the Social Security Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 670 et seq.) relating to foster care prevention 
     services, its State plan under such part E.
       ``(ii) Consultation.--In developing a State plan under this 
     subsection, a State shall consult with community-based 
     prevention and service agencies, parents and families 
     affected by child abuse or neglect in the State, law 
     enforcement, family court judges, prosecutors who handle 
     criminal child abuse cases, and medical professionals engaged 
     in the treatment of child abuse and neglect.
       ``(C) Duration and submission of plan.--Each State plan 
     shall--
       ``(i) be submitted not less than every 5 years; and
       ``(ii) if necessary, revised by the State to inform the 
     Secretary of any substantive changes, including--

       ``(I) any changes to State law or regulations, relating to 
     the prevention of child

[[Page H3981]]

     abuse and neglect that may affect the eligibility of the 
     State under this section; or
       ``(II) any changes in the State's activities, strategies, 
     or programs under this section.''.

       (2) Contents.--Paragraph (2) of section 106(b) of the Child 
     Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5106a(b)) is 
     amended to read as follows:
       ``(2) Contents.--A State plan submitted under paragraph (1) 
     shall contain a description of the activities that the State 
     will carry out using amounts received under the grant to 
     achieve the objectives of this title, including--
       ``(A) an assurance in the form of a certification by the 
     Governor of the State that the State has in effect and is 
     enforcing a State law, or has in effect and is operating a 
     statewide program, relating to child abuse and neglect that 
     includes--
       ``(i) provisions or procedures for an individual to report 
     known and suspected instances of child abuse and neglect, 
     including a State law for mandatory reporting by individuals 
     required to report such instances;
       ``(ii) procedures for the immediate screening, risk and 
     safety assessment, and prompt investigation of such reports 
     of alleged abuse and neglect in order to ensure the well-
     being and safety of children;
       ``(iii) procedures for immediate steps to be taken to 
     ensure and protect the safety of a victim of child abuse or 
     neglect and of any other child under the same care who may 
     also be in danger of child abuse or neglect and ensuring 
     their placement in a safe environment;
       ``(iv) methods to preserve the confidentiality of all 
     records in order to protect the rights of the child and of 
     the child's parents or guardians, including requirements 
     ensuring that reports and records made and maintained 
     pursuant to the purposes of this Act shall only be made 
     available to--

       ``(I) individuals who are the subject of the report;
       ``(II) Federal, State, or local government entities, or any 
     agent of such entities, as described in clause (xi) of this 
     subparagraph;
       ``(III) child abuse citizen review panels;
       ``(IV) child fatality review panels;
       ``(V) a grand jury or court, upon a finding that 
     information in the record is necessary for the determination 
     of an issue before the court or grand jury; and
       ``(VI) other entities or classes of individuals statutorily 
     authorized by the State to receive such information pursuant 
     to a legitimate State purpose;

       ``(v) provisions and procedures requiring that in every 
     case involving a victim of child abuse or neglect which 
     results in a judicial proceeding, a guardian ad litem, who 
     has received education appropriate to the role, including 
     education in early childhood, child, and adolescent 
     development, and domestic violence, and who may be an 
     attorney or a court appointed special advocate who has 
     received education appropriate to that role (or both), shall 
     be appointed to represent the child (who, for purposes of 
     this section, shall have any age limit elected by the State 
     pursuant to section 475(8)(B)(iii) of the Social Security Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 675(8)(B)(iii)) in such proceedings--

       ``(I) to obtain first-hand, a clear understanding of the 
     situation and needs of such child; and
       ``(II) to make recommendations to the court concerning the 
     best interests of such child;

       ``(vi) the establishment of citizen review panels in 
     accordance with subsection (c);
       ``(vii) provisions and procedures to require that a 
     representative of the child protective services agency shall, 
     at the initial time of contact with the individual subject to 
     a child abuse or neglect investigation, advise the individual 
     of the complaints or allegations made against the individual, 
     in a manner that is consistent with laws protecting the 
     rights of the informant;
       ``(viii) provisions, procedures, and mechanisms--

       ``(I) for the expedited termination of parental rights in 
     the case of any infant determined to be abandoned under State 
     law; and
       ``(II) by which individuals who disagree with an official 
     finding of child abuse or neglect can appeal such finding;

       ``(ix) provisions addressing the professional development 
     of representatives of the child protective services system 
     regarding the legal duties of the representatives, which may 
     consist of various methods of informing such representatives 
     of such duties (including providing such education in 
     different languages if necessary), in order to protect the 
     legal rights and safety of children and their parents and 
     caregivers from the initial time of contact during 
     investigation through treatment;
       ``(x) provisions for immunity from civil or criminal 
     liability under State and local laws and regulations for 
     individuals making good faith reports of suspected or known 
     instances of child abuse or neglect, or who otherwise provide 
     information or assistance, including medical evaluations or 
     consultations, in connection with a report, investigation, or 
     legal intervention pursuant to a good faith report of child 
     abuse or neglect;
       ``(xi) provisions to require the State to disclose 
     confidential information to any Federal, State, or local 
     government entity, or any agent of such entity, that has a 
     need for such information in order to carry out its 
     responsibilities under law to protect children from child 
     abuse and neglect;
       ``(xii) provisions requiring, and procedures in place that 
     facilitate the prompt expungement of any records that are 
     accessible to the general public or are used for purposes of 
     employment or other background checks in cases determined to 
     be unsubstantiated or false, except that nothing in this 
     section shall prevent State child protective services 
     agencies from keeping information on unsubstantiated reports 
     in their casework files to assist in future risk and safety 
     assessment;
       ``(xiii) provisions and procedures for requiring criminal 
     background record checks that meet the requirements of 
     section 471(a)(20) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
     671(a)(20)) for prospective foster and adoptive parents and 
     other adult relatives and non- relatives residing in the 
     household;
       ``(xiv) provisions for systems of technology that support 
     the State child protective services system and track reports 
     of child abuse and neglect from intake through final 
     disposition;
       ``(xv) provisions and procedures requiring identification 
     and assessment of all reports involving children known or 
     suspected to be victims of sex trafficking (as defined in 
     section 103(12) of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 
     2000 (22 U.S.C. 7102 (12));
       ``(xvi) provisions, procedures, and mechanisms that assure 
     that the State does not require reunification of a surviving 
     child with a parent who has been found by a court of 
     competent jurisdiction--

       ``(I) to have committed murder (which would have been an 
     offense under section 1111(a) of title 18, United States 
     Code, if the offense had occurred in the special maritime or 
     territorial jurisdiction of the United States) of another 
     child of such parent;
       ``(II) to have committed voluntary manslaughter (which 
     would have been an offense under section 1112(a) of title 18, 
     United States Code, if the offense had occurred in the 
     special maritime or territorial jurisdiction of the United 
     States) of another child of such parent;
       ``(III) to have aided or abetted, attempted, conspired, or 
     solicited to commit such murder or voluntary manslaughter;
       ``(IV) to have committed a felony assault that results in 
     the serious bodily injury to the surviving child or another 
     child of such parent;
       ``(V) to have committed sexual abuse against the surviving 
     child or another child of such parent; or
       ``(VI) to be required to register with a sex offender 
     registry under section 113(a) of the Adam Walsh Child 
     Protection and Safety Act of 2006 (42 U.S.C. 16913(a)); and

       ``(xvii) an assurance that, upon the implementation by the 
     State of the provisions, procedures, and mechanisms under 
     clause (xvi), conviction of any one of the felonies listed in 
     clause (xvi) constitute grounds under State law for the 
     termination of parental rights of the convicted parent as to 
     the surviving children (although case-by-case determinations 
     of whether or not to seek termination of parental rights 
     shall be within the sole discretion of the State);
       ``(B) an assurance that the State has in place procedures 
     for responding to the reporting of medical neglect (including 
     instances of withholding of medically indicated treatment 
     from infants with disabilities who have life-threatening 
     conditions), procedures or programs, or both (within the 
     State child protective services system), to provide for--
       ``(i) coordination and consultation with individuals 
     designated by and within appropriate health-care facilities;
       ``(ii) prompt notification by individuals designated by and 
     within appropriate health-care facilities of cases of 
     suspected medical neglect (including instances of withholding 
     of medically indicated treatment from infants with 
     disabilities who have life-threatening conditions); and
       ``(iii) authority, under State law, for the State child 
     protective services system to pursue any legal remedies, 
     including the authority to initiate legal proceedings in a 
     court of competent jurisdiction, as may be necessary to 
     prevent the withholding of medically indicated treatment from 
     infants with disabilities who have life-threatening 
     conditions;
       ``(C) an assurance or certification that programs and 
     education conducted under this title address the unique needs 
     of unaccompanied homeless youth, including access to 
     enrollment and support services and that such youth are 
     eligible for under parts B and E of title IV of the Social 
     Security Act (42 U.S.C. 621 et seq., 670 et seq.) and meet 
     the requirements of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 11301 et seq.);
       ``(D) a description of--
       ``(i) policies and procedures (including appropriate 
     referrals to child welfare service systems and for other 
     appropriate services (including home visiting services and 
     mutual support and parent partner programs) determined by a 
     family assessment) to address the needs of infants born with 
     and identified as being affected by substance use or 
     withdrawal symptoms resulting from prenatal drug exposure, or 
     a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, including a requirement 
     that health care providers involved in the delivery or care 
     of such infants notify the child protective welfare service 
     system of the occurrence of such condition in such infants, 
     except that--

       ``(I) child protective services shall undertake an 
     investigation only when the findings of a family assessment 
     warrant such investigation; and
       ``(II) such notification shall not be construed to--

[[Page H3982]]

       ``(aa) establish a definition under Federal law of what 
     constitutes child abuse or neglect; or
       ``(bb) require prosecution for any illegal action;
       ``(ii) the development of a multi-disciplinary plan of safe 
     care for the infant born and identified as being affected by 
     substance use or withdrawal symptoms or a Fetal Alcohol 
     Spectrum Disorder to ensure the safety and well-being of such 
     infant following release from the care of health care 
     providers, including through--

       ``(I) using a risk-based approach to develop each plan of 
     safe care;
       ``(II) addressing, through coordinated service delivery, 
     the health and substance use disorder treatment needs of the 
     infant and affected family or caregiver as determined by a 
     family assessment; and
       ``(III) the development and implementation by the State of 
     monitoring systems regarding the implementation of such plans 
     of safe care to determine whether and in what manner local 
     entities are providing, in accordance with State 
     requirements, referrals to and delivery of appropriate 
     services for the infant and affected family or caregiver;

       ``(iii) policies and procedures to make available to the 
     public on the State website the data, findings, and 
     information about all cases of child abuse or neglect 
     resulting in a child fatality or near fatality, including a 
     description of--

       ``(I) how the State will not create an exception to such 
     public disclosure, except in a case in which--

       ``(aa) the State would like to delay public release of 
     case-specific findings or information (including any previous 
     reports of domestic violence and subsequent actions taken to 
     assess and address such reports) while a criminal 
     investigation or prosecution of such a fatality or near 
     fatality is pending;
       ``(bb) the State is protecting the identity of a reporter 
     of child abuse or neglect; or
       ``(cc) the State is withholding identifying information of 
     members of the victim's family who are not perpetrators of 
     the fatality or near fatality; and

       ``(II) how the State will ensure that in providing the 
     public disclosure required under this clause, the State will 
     include--

       ``(aa) the cause and circumstances of the fatality or near 
     fatality;
       ``(bb) the age and gender of the child; and
       ``(cc) any previous reports of child abuse or neglect 
     investigations that are relevant to the child abuse or 
     neglect that led to the fatality or near fatality;
       ``(iv) how the State will use data collected on child abuse 
     or neglect to prevent child fatalities and near fatalities;
       ``(v) how the State will implement efforts to prevent child 
     fatalities and near fatalities;
       ``(vi) the cooperation of State law enforcement officials, 
     court of competent jurisdiction, and appropriate State 
     agencies providing human services in the investigation, 
     assessment, prosecution, and treatment of child abuse and 
     neglect;
       ``(vii) the steps the State will take to improve the 
     professional development, retention, and supervision of 
     caseworkers and how the State will measure the effectiveness 
     of such efforts;
       ``(viii) the State's plan to ensure each child under the 
     age of 3 who is involved in a substantiated case of child 
     abuse or neglect will be referred to the State's child find 
     system under section 635(a)(5) of the Individuals with 
     Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1435(a)(5)) in order to 
     determine if the child is an infant or toddler with a 
     disability (as defined in section 632(5) of such Act (20 
     U.S.C. 1432(5)));
       ``(ix) the State's plan to improve, as part of a 
     comprehensive State strategy led by law enforcement, 
     professional development for child protective services 
     workers and their appropriate role in identifying, assessing, 
     and providing comprehensive services for children who are sex 
     trafficking victims, in coordination with law enforcement, 
     juvenile justice agencies, runaway and homeless youth 
     shelters, and health, mental health, and other social service 
     agencies and providers;
       ``(x) the services to be provided under the grant to 
     individuals, families, or communities, either directly or 
     through referrals, aimed at preventing the occurrence of 
     child abuse and neglect;
       ``(xi) the State's efforts to ensure professionals who are 
     required to report suspected cases of child abuse and neglect 
     are aware of their responsibilities under subparagraph (A)(i) 
     and receive professional development relating to performing 
     such responsibilities that is specific to their profession 
     and workplace;
       ``(xii) policies and procedures encouraging the appropriate 
     involvement of families in decisionmaking pertaining to 
     children who experienced child abuse or neglect;
       ``(xiii) the State's efforts to improve appropriate 
     collaboration among child protective services agencies, 
     domestic violence services agencies, substance use disorder 
     treatment agencies, and other agencies in investigations, 
     interventions, and the delivery of services and treatment 
     provided to children and families affected by child abuse or 
     neglect, including children exposed to domestic violence, 
     where appropriate;
       ``(xiv) policies and procedures regarding the use of 
     differential response, as applicable, to improve outcomes for 
     children; and
       ``(xv) the State's efforts to reduce racial bias in its 
     child protective services system.''.
       (3) Limitations.--Paragraph (3) of section 106(b) of the 
     Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5106a(b)) 
     is amended--
       (A) in the paragraph heading, by striking ``Limitation'' 
     and inserting ``Limitations'';
       (B) by striking ``With regard to clauses (vi) and (vii) of 
     paragraph (2)(B),'' and inserting the following:
       ``(A) Disclosure of certain identifying information.--With 
     regard to subparagraphs (A)(iv) and (D)(iii) of paragraph 
     (2),'';
       (C) by striking the period at the end and inserting ``; 
     and''; and
       (D) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(B) Public access to court proceedings.--Nothing in 
     paragraph (2) shall be construed to limit the State's 
     flexibility to determine State policies relating to public 
     access to court proceedings to determine child abuse and 
     neglect, except that such policies shall, at a minimum, 
     ensure the safety and well-being of the child, parents, and 
     families.''.
       (4) Definitions.--Paragraph (4) of section 106(b) of the 
     Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5106a(b)) 
     is amended--
       (A) in the paragraph heading, by striking ``Definitions'' 
     and inserting ``Definition'';
       (B) by striking ``this subsection'' and all that follows 
     through ``means an act'' and inserting the following: ``this 
     subsection, the term `near fatality' means an act'';
       (C) by striking ``; and'' and inserting a period; and
       (D) by striking subparagraph (B).
       (c) Citizen Review Panels.--Section 106(c) of the Child 
     Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5106a(c)) is 
     amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking ``Exceptions.'' and 
     all that follows through ``A State may'' and inserting 
     ``Exception.--A State may'';
       (2) in paragraph (4)(A)--
       (A) in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking ``and 
     where appropriate, specific cases,''; and
       (B) in clause (iii)(I), by striking ``foster care and 
     adoption programs'' and inserting ``foster care, prevention, 
     and permanency programs''; and
       (3) by amending the first sentence of paragraph (6) to read 
     as follows: ``Each panel established under paragraph (1) 
     shall prepare and make available to the State and the public, 
     on an annual basis, a report containing a summary of the 
     activities of the panel, the criteria used for determining 
     which activities the panel engaged in, and recommendations or 
     observations to improve the child protective services system 
     at the State and local levels, and the data upon which these 
     recommendations or observations are based.''.
       (d) Annual State Data Reports.--Section 106(d) of the Child 
     Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5106a(d)) is 
     amended--
       (1) by amending paragraph (13) to read as follows:
       ``(13) The annual report containing the summary of the 
     activities and recommendations of the citizen review panels 
     of the State required by subsection (c)(6), and the actions 
     taken by the State as a result of such recommendations.'';
       (2) in paragraph (15), by striking ``subsection 
     (b)(2)(B)(ii)'' and inserting ``subsection (b)(2)(D)(i)'';
       (3) in paragraph (16), by striking ``subsection 
     (b)(2)(B)(xxi)'' and inserting ``subsection 
     (b)(2)(D)(viii)'';
       (4) in paragraph (17), by striking ``subsection 
     (b)(2)(B)(xxiv)'' and inserting ``subsection (b)(2)(A)(xv)''; 
     and
       (5) in paragraph (18)--
       (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``subsection 
     (b)(2)(B)(ii)'' and inserting ``subsection (b)(2)(D)(i)'';
       (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``subsection 
     (b)(2)(B)(iii)'' and inserting ``subsection (b)(2)(D)(ii)''; 
     and
       (C) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``subsection 
     (b)(2)(B)(iii)'' and inserting ``subsection (b)(2)(D)(ii)''; 
     and
       (6) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(19) The number of child fatalities and near fatalities 
     from maltreatment and related information in accordance with 
     the uniform standards established under section 103(d).''.
       (e) Allotments.--Section 106(f) of the Child Abuse 
     Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5106a(f)) is amended 
     by adding at the end the following:
       ``(6) Limitation.--For any fiscal year for which the amount 
     allotted to a State or territory under this subsection 
     exceeds the amount allotted to the State or territory under 
     such subsection for fiscal year 2019, the State or territory 
     may use not more than 2 percent of such excess amount for 
     administrative expenses.''.

     SEC. 107. MISCELLANEOUS REQUIREMENTS.

       Section 108 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 5106d) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (b), by inserting ``Indian tribes, and 
     tribal organizations,'' after ``States,'';
       (2) by redesignating subsections (c) through (e) as 
     subsections (d) through (f), respectively; and
       (3) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
       ``(c) Protecting Against Systemic Child Sexual Abuse.--
       ``(1) Reporting and task force.--Not later than 24 months 
     after the date of the enactment of the Stronger Child Abuse 
     Prevention

[[Page H3983]]

     and Treatment Act, each State task force established under 
     section 107(c) and expanded as described in paragraph (2) 
     shall study and make recommendations on the following, with a 
     focus on preventing systemic child sexual abuse:
       ``(A) How to detect systemic child sexual abuse that occurs 
     in an organization.
       ``(B) How to prevent child sexual abuse and systemic child 
     sexual abuse from occurring in organizations, which shall 
     include recommendations to improve--
       ``(i) practices and policies for the education of parents, 
     caregivers, and victims, and age appropriate education of 
     children, about risk factors or signs of potential child 
     sexual abuse; and
       ``(ii) the efficacy of applicable State laws and the role 
     such laws play in deterring or preventing incidences of child 
     sexual abuse.
       ``(C) The feasibility of making available the disposition 
     of a perpetrator within an organization to--
       ``(i) the child alleging sexual abuse or the child's 
     family; or
       ``(ii) an adult who was a child at the time of the sexual 
     abuse claim in question or the adult's family.
       ``(2) Task force composition.--For purposes of this 
     subsection, a State task force shall include--
       ``(A) the members of the State task force described in 
     section 107(c) for the State; and
       ``(B) the following:
       ``(i) Family court judges.
       ``(ii) Individuals from religious organizations.
       ``(iii) Individuals from youth-serving organizations, 
     including youth athletics organizations.
       ``(3) Reporting on recommendations.--Not later than 6 
     months after a State task force makes recommendations under 
     paragraph (1), the State maintaining such State task force 
     shall--
       ``(A) make public the recommendations of such report;
       ``(B) report to the Secretary on the status of adopting 
     such recommendations; and
       ``(C) in a case in which the State declines to adopt a 
     particular recommendation, make public the explanation for 
     such declination.
       ``(4) Definitions.--For purposes of this subsection--
       ``(A) the terms `child sexual abuse' and `sexual abuse' 
     shall not be limited to an act or a failure to act on the 
     part of a parent or caretaker;
       ``(B) the term `organization' means any entity that serves 
     children; and
       ``(C) the term `systemic child sexual abuse' means--
       ``(i) a pattern of informal or formal policy or de facto 
     policy to not follow State and local requirements to report 
     instances of child sexual abuse in violation of State and 
     local mandatory reporting laws or policy; or
       ``(ii) a pattern of assisting individual perpetrators in 
     maintaining their careers despite substantiated evidence of 
     child sexual abuse.''.

     SEC. 108. REPORTS.

       (a) Scaling Evidence-based Treatment of Child Abuse and 
     Neglect.--Section 110 of the Child Abuse Prevention and 
     Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5106f) is amended to read as 
     follows:

     ``SEC. 110. STUDY AND REPORT RELATING TO SCALING EVIDENCE-
                   BASED TREATMENT OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT; 
                   STUDY AND REPORT ON MARITAL AGE OF CONSENT; 
                   STUDY AND REPORT ON STATE MANDATORY REPORTING 
                   LAWS.

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall conduct a study that 
     examines challenges to, and best practices for, the 
     scalability of treatments that reduce the trauma resulting 
     from child abuse and neglect and reduce the risk of 
     revictimization, such as those allowable under sections 105 
     and 106.
       ``(b) Content of Study.--The study described in subsection 
     (a) shall be completed in a manner that considers the 
     variability among treatment programs and among populations 
     vulnerable to child abuse and neglect. The study shall 
     include, at minimum:
       ``(1) A detailed synthesis of the existing research 
     literature examining barriers and challenges to, and best 
     practices for the scalability of child welfare programs and 
     services as well as programs and services for vulnerable 
     children and families in related fields, including healthcare 
     and education.
       ``(2) Data describing state and local providers' 
     experiences with scaling treatments that reduce the trauma 
     resulting from child abuse and neglect and reduce the risk of 
     revictimization.
       ``(3) Consultation with experts in child welfare, 
     healthcare, and education.
       ``(c) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of the 
     enactment of the Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and 
     Treatment Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on 
     Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the 
     Committee on Education and Labor of the House of 
     Representatives a report that contains the results of the 
     study conducted under subsection (a), including 
     recommendations for best practices for scaling treatments 
     that reduce the trauma resulting from child abuse and neglect 
     and reduce the risk of revictimization.
       ``(d) Study and Report on Marital Age of Consent.--
       ``(1) Study.--The Secretary shall study, with respect to 
     each State--
       ``(A) the State law regarding the minimum marriage age; and
       ``(B) the prevalence of marriage involving a child who is 
     under the age of such minimum marriage age.
       ``(2) Factors.--The study required under paragraph (1) 
     shall include an examination of--
       ``(A) the extent to which any statutory exceptions to the 
     minimum marriage age in such laws contribute to the 
     prevalence of marriage involving a child described in 
     paragraph (1)(B);
       ``(B) whether such exceptions allow such a child to be 
     married without the consent of such child; and
       ``(C) the impact of such exceptions on the safety of such 
     children.
       ``(3) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of the Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and 
     Treatment Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on 
     Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the 
     Committee on Education and Labor of the House of 
     Representatives a report containing the findings of the study 
     required by this subsection, including any best practices.
       ``(e) Study and Report on State Mandatory Reporting Laws.--
       ``(1) Study.--The Secretary shall collect information on 
     and otherwise study State laws for mandatory reporting of 
     incidents of child abuse or neglect. Such study shall examine 
     trends in referrals and investigations of child abuse and 
     neglect due to differences in such State laws with respect to 
     the inclusion, as mandatory reporters, of the following 
     individuals:
       ``(A) Individuals licensed or certified to practice in any 
     health-related field licensed by the State, employees of 
     health care facilities or providers licensed by the State, 
     who are engaged in the admission, examination, care or 
     treatment of individuals, including mental health and 
     emergency medical service providers.
       ``(B) Individuals employed by a school who have direct 
     contact with children, including teachers, administrators, 
     and independent contractors.
       ``(C) Peace officers and law enforcement personnel.
       ``(D) Clergy, including Christian Science practitioners, 
     except where prohibited on account of clergy-penitent 
     privilege.
       ``(E) Day care and child care operators and employees.
       ``(F) Employees of social services agencies who have direct 
     contact with children in the course of employment.
       ``(G) Foster parents.
       ``(H) Court appointed special advocates (employees and 
     volunteers).
       ``(I) Camp and after-school employees.
       ``(J) An individual, paid or unpaid, who, on the basis of 
     the individual's role as an integral part of a regularly 
     scheduled program, activity, or service, accepts 
     responsibility for a child.
       ``(2) Report.--Not later than 4 years after the date of 
     enactment of the Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and 
     Treatment Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on 
     Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the 
     Committee on Education and Labor of the House of 
     Representatives a report containing the findings of the study 
     required by this subsection, including any best practices 
     related to the inclusion, as mandatory reporters, of 
     individuals described in paragraph (1).''.
       (b) Report on Child Abuse and Neglect in Indian Tribal 
     Communities.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General, in 
     consultation with the Indian tribes from each of the 12 
     regions of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, shall study child 
     abuse and neglect in Indian Tribal communities for the 
     purpose of identifying vital information and making 
     recommendations concerning issues relating to child abuse and 
     neglect in such communities, and submit to the Committee on 
     Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the Committee on 
     Indian Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Education 
     and Labor and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House 
     of Representatives a report on such study, which shall 
     include--
       (A) the number of Indian tribes providing primary child 
     abuse and neglect prevention activities;
       (B) the number of Indian tribes providing secondary child 
     abuse and neglect prevention activities;
       (C) promising practices of Indian tribes with respect to 
     child abuse and neglect prevention that are culturally-based 
     or culturally-adapted;
       (D) information and recommendations on how such culturally-
     based or culturally-adapted child abuse and neglect 
     prevention activities could become evidence-based;
       (E) the number of Indian tribes that have accessed Federal 
     child abuse and neglect prevention programs;
       (F) child abuse and neglect prevention activities that 
     Indian tribes provide using State funds;
       (G) child abuse and neglect prevention activities that 
     Indian tribes provide using Tribal funds;
       (H) Tribal access to State children's trust fund resources, 
     as described in section 202 of the Child Abuse Prevention and 
     Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5116a);
       (I) how a children's trust fund model could be used to 
     support prevention efforts regarding child abuse and neglect 
     of American Indian and Alaska Native children;

[[Page H3984]]

       (J) Federal agency technical assistance efforts to address 
     child abuse and neglect prevention and treatment of American 
     Indian and Alaska Native children;
       (K) Federal agency cross-system collaboration to address 
     child abuse and neglect prevention and treatment of American 
     Indian and Alaska Native children;
       (L) Tribal access to child abuse and neglect prevention 
     research and demonstration grants under the Child Abuse 
     Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5101 et seq.); and
       (M) an examination of child abuse and neglect data systems 
     to identify what Tribal data is being submitted, barriers to 
     submitting data, and recommendations on improving the 
     collection of data from Indian Tribes.
       (2) Definitions.--In this subsection--
       (A) the term ``Alaska Native'' has the meaning given the 
     term in section 111 of the Child Abuse Prevention and 
     Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5106g); and
       (B) the terms ``child abuse and neglect'' and ``Indian 
     tribe'' have the meaning given the terms in section 3 of the 
     Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5101 
     note).

     SEC. 109. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       Section 112(a) of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 5106h(a)) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1)--
       (A) by striking ``to carry out'' through ``fiscal year 
     2010'' and inserting ``to carry out this title $270,000,000 
     for fiscal year 2020''; and
       (B) by striking ``2011 through 2015'' and inserting ``2021 
     through 2025''; and
       (2) by striking paragraph (2)(A) and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(A) In general.--Of the amounts appropriated for a fiscal 
     year under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall make available 
     30 percent of such amounts, or $100,000,000, whichever is 
     less, to fund discretionary activities under this title.''.

     SEC. 110. MONITORING AND OVERSIGHT.

       Section 114(1) of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 5108(1)) is amended--
       (1) in each of subparagraphs (A) and (B), by striking 
     ``and'' at the end; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(C) include written guidance and technical assistance to 
     support States, which shall include guidance on the 
     requirements of this Act with respect to infants born with 
     and identified as being affected by substance use or 
     withdrawal symptoms, Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, or Fetal 
     Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, as described in clauses (i) and 
     (ii) of section 106(b)(2)(D), including by--
       ``(i) enhancing States' understanding of requirements and 
     flexibilities under the law, including by clarifying key 
     terms;
       ``(ii) addressing State-identified challenges with 
     developing, implementing, and monitoring plans of safe care; 
     and
       ``(iii) disseminating best practices on implementation of 
     plans of safe care, on such topics as differential response, 
     collaboration and coordination, and identification and 
     delivery of services for different populations, while 
     recognizing needs of different populations and varying 
     community approaches across States; and
       ``(D) include the submission of a report to the Committee 
     on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives and 
     the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of 
     the Senate not later than one year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act that contains a description of the 
     activities taken by the Secretary to comply with the 
     requirements of subparagraph (C); and''.

     SEC. 111. ELECTRONIC INTERSTATE DATA EXCHANGE SYSTEM.

       Title I of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 
     U.S.C. 5101 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:

     ``SEC. 115. ELECTRONIC INTERSTATE DATA EXCHANGE SYSTEM.

       ``(a) Interstate Data Exchange System.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary of Health and Human 
     Services shall consider the recommendations included in the 
     reports required under paragraph (8)(A) and subsection (b)(2) 
     in developing an electronic interstate data exchange system 
     that allows State entities responsible under State law for 
     maintaining child abuse and neglect registries to communicate 
     information across State lines.
       ``(2) Standards.--In developing the electronic interstate 
     data exchange system under paragraph (1), the Secretary 
     shall--
       ``(A) use interoperable standards developed and maintained 
     by intergovernmental partnerships, such as the National 
     Information Exchange Model;
       ``(B) develop policies and governance standards that--
       ``(i) ensure consistency in types of information shared and 
     not shared; and
       ``(ii) specify circumstances under which data should be 
     shared through the interstate data exchange system; and
       ``(C) ensure that all standards and policies adhere to the 
     privacy, security, and civil rights laws of each State and 
     Federal law.
       ``(3) Limitation on use of electronic interstate data 
     exchange system.--The electronic interstate data exchange 
     system may only be used for purposes relating to child 
     safety.
       ``(4) Pilot program.--
       ``(A) Implementation.--Not later than 6 months after the 
     date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary of 
     Health and Human Services shall begin implementation of a 
     pilot program to generate recommendations for the full 
     integration of the electronic interstate data exchange 
     system. Such pilot program shall include not less than 10 
     States and not more than 15 States.
       ``(B) Completion.--Not later than 30 months after the date 
     of the enactment of this section, the Secretary of Health and 
     Human Services shall complete the pilot program described in 
     subparagraph (A).
       ``(5) Integration.--The Secretary of Health and Human 
     Services may assist States in the integration of this system 
     into the infrastructure of each State using funds 
     appropriated under this subsection.
       ``(6) Participation.--As a condition on eligibility for 
     receipt of funds under section 106, each State shall--
       ``(A) participate in the electronic interstate data 
     exchange system to the fullest extent possible in accordance 
     with State law (as determined by the Secretary of Health and 
     Human Services) not later than December 31, 2027; and
       ``(B) prior to the participation described in subparagraph 
     (A), provide to the Secretary of Health and Human Services an 
     assurance that the child abuse and neglect registry of such 
     State provides procedural due process protections with 
     respect to including individuals on such registry.
       ``(7) Prohibition.--The Secretary of Health and Human 
     Services may not access or store data from the electronic 
     interstate data exchange system, unless the State to which 
     such data pertains voluntarily shares such data with the 
     Secretary of Health and Human Services.
       ``(8) Reports.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services 
     shall prepare and submit to Congress--
       ``(A) not later than 3 years after the date of the 
     enactment of this section, a report on the recommendations 
     from the pilot program described in paragraph (4); and
       ``(B) not later than January 31, 2025, a report on the 
     progress made in implementing this subsection.
       ``(9) Authorization of appropriations.--Of the funds 
     appropriated under section 112 for a fiscal year--
       ``(A) for each of fiscal years 2020 and 2021, $2,000,000 
     shall be reserved to carry out this section; and
       ``(B) for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2025, 
     $1,000,000 shall be reserved to carry out this section.
       ``(b) Working Group.--
       ``(1) In general.-- Not later than 60 days after the date 
     of the enactment of this section, the Secretary of Health and 
     Human Services shall convene a working group to study and 
     make recommendations on the following:
       ``(A) The feasibility of making publicly available on the 
     website of each State definitions and standards of 
     substantiated child abuse and neglect for the State.
       ``(B) Whether background check requirements under this Act, 
     the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 
     U.S.C. 9858 et seq.), and part E of title IV of the Social 
     Security Act (42 U.S.C. 670 et seq.) are complementary or if 
     there are discrepancies that need to be addressed.
       ``(C) How to improve communication between and across 
     States, including through the use of technology and the use 
     of the electronic interstate data exchange system established 
     under subsection (a), to allow for more accurate and 
     efficient exchange of child abuse and neglect records.
       ``(D) How to reduce barriers and establish best practices 
     for the State to provide timely responses to requests from 
     other States for information contained in the State's child 
     abuse and neglect registry through the electronic interstate 
     data exchange system established under subsection (a).
       ``(E) How to ensure due process for any individual included 
     in a State's child abuse and neglect registry, including the 
     following:
       ``(i) The level of evidence necessary for inclusion in the 
     State's child abuse and neglect registry.
       ``(ii) The process for notifying such individual of 
     inclusion in the State's child abuse and neglect registry and 
     the implications of such inclusion.
       ``(iii) The process for providing such individual the 
     opportunity to challenge such inclusion, and the procedures 
     for resolving such challenge.
       ``(iv) The length of time an individual's record is to 
     remain in the State's child abuse and neglect registry, and 
     the process for removing such individual's record.
       ``(v) The criteria for when such individual's child abuse 
     and neglect registry record may be--

       ``(I) made accessible to the general public;
       ``(II) made available for purposes of an employment check; 
     and
       ``(III) be shared for the purposes of participation in the 
     electronic interstate data exchange system described in 
     subsection (a).

       ``(2) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
     the enactment of this section, the working group convened 
     under paragraph (1) shall submit a report containing its 
     recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human 
     Services, the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
     Pensions of the Senate, and the Committee on Education and 
     Labor of the House of Representatives.
       ``(3) Construction.--There shall be no requirement for any 
     State to adopt the recommendations of the working group, nor 
     shall the Secretary of Health and Human

[[Page H3985]]

     Services incentivize or coerce any State to adopt any such 
     recommendation.''.

     SEC. 112. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

       (a) Technical Amendments.-- The Child Abuse Prevention and 
     Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5101 et seq.), as amended by the 
     preceding provisions of this Act, is further amended--
       (1) by striking ``Committee on Education and the 
     Workforce'' each place it appears and inserting ``Committee 
     on Education and Labor'';
       (2) in section 103(c)(1)(F), by striking ``abused and 
     neglected children'' and inserting ``victims of child abuse 
     or neglect''; and
       (3) in section 107(f), by striking ``(42 U.S.C. 10603a)'' 
     and inserting ``(34 U.S.C. 20104)''.
       (b) Conforming Amendments.--
       (1) Section 103.--Section 103(b)(5) (42 U.S.C. 5104(b)(5)) 
     is amended by striking ``section 106(b)(2)(B)(iii)'' and 
     inserting ``section 106(b)(2)(D)(ii)''.
       (2) Section 105.--Section 105(a)(11) (42 U.S.C. 5106(a)(11) 
     (as redesignated by section 105(1)(A) of this Act) is 
     amended--
       (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``section 
     106(b)(2)(B)(iii)'' and inserting ``section 
     106(b)(2)(D)(ii)'';
       (B) in subparagraph (C)--
       (i) in clause (i)(II), by striking ``section 
     106(b)(2)(B)(iii)'' and inserting ``section 
     106(b)(2)(D)(ii)'';
       (ii) in clause (i)(IV), by striking ``section 
     106(b)(2)(B)(iii)(II)'' and inserting ``section 
     106(b)(2)(D)(ii)(II)''; and
       (iii) in clause (ii), by striking ``clauses (ii) and (iii) 
     of section 106(b)(2)(B)'' and inserting ``clauses (i) and 
     (ii) of section 106(b)(2)(D)'';
       (C) in subparagraph (D)--
       (i) in clause (i)(I), by striking ``section 
     106(b)(2)(B)(iii)(I)'' and inserting ``section 
     106(b)(2)(D)(ii)(I)'';
       (ii) in clause (ii)(I), by striking ``section 
     106(b)(2)(B)(ii)'' and inserting ``section 106(b)(2)(D)(i)'';
       (iii) in clause (ii)(II), by striking ``section 
     106(b)(2)(B)(iii)'' and inserting ``section 
     106(b)(2)(D)(ii)(I)'';
       (iv) in clause (iii)(I), by striking ``section 
     106(b)(2)(B)(i)'' and inserting ``section 106(b)(2)(A)(i)'';
       (v) in clause (iii)(IV), by striking ``section 
     106(b)(2)(B)(iii)'' and inserting ``section 
     106(b)(2)(D)(ii)''; and
       (vi) in clause (v), by striking ``section 
     106(b)(2)(B)(iii)'' and inserting ``section 
     106(b)(2)(D)(ii)'';
       (D) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``section 
     106(b)(2)(B)(ii)'' and inserting ``section 106(b)(2)(D)(i)''; 
     and
       (E) in subparagraph (G)(ii), by striking ``clauses (ii) and 
     (iii) of section 106(b)(2)(B)'' and inserting ``clauses (i) 
     and (ii) of section 106(b)(2)(D)''.
       (3) Section 114.--Section 114(1)(B) (42 U.S.C. 5108(1)(B)) 
     is amended by striking ``clauses (ii) and (iii) of section 
     106(b)(2)(B)'' and inserting ``clauses (i) and (ii) of 
     section 106(b)(2)(D)''.
       (4) Table of contents.--The table of contents in section 
     1(b) of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act is 
     amended--
       (A) by striking the items relating to sections 2 and 102;
       (B) by inserting after the item relating to section 114 the 
     following:
``Sec. 115. Electronic interstate data exchange system.''; and
       (C) by striking the item relating to section 110, and 
     inserting the following:
``Sec. 110. Study and report relating to scaling evidence-based 
              treatment of child abuse and neglect; study and report on 
              marital age of consent; study and report on State 
              mandatory reporting laws.''.

TITLE II--COMMUNITY-BASED GRANTS FOR THE PREVENTION OF CHILD ABUSE AND 
                                NEGLECT

     SEC. 201. PURPOSE AND AUTHORITY.

       Subsections (a) and (b) of section 201 of the Child Abuse 
     Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5116) are amended to 
     read as follows:
       ``(a) Purpose.--The purposes of this title are--
       ``(1) to establish and maintain support for community-based 
     family strengthening services and statewide systems-building 
     approaches to the extent practicable, to ensure the 
     development, operation, expansion, coordination, and 
     evaluation of quality services, initiatives, programs, and 
     activities to prevent child abuse and neglect; and
       ``(2) to promote improved access for diverse populations 
     with demonstrated need, including low-income families, racial 
     and ethnic minorities, families with children or caregivers 
     with disabilities, underserved communities, and rural 
     communities, to family strengthening services in order to 
     more effectively prevent child abuse and neglect.
       ``(b) Authority.--The Secretary shall make grants under 
     this title on a formula basis to the entity designated by the 
     State as the lead entity (referred to in this title as the 
     `lead entity') under section 202(1) for the following 
     purposes:
       ``(1) Providing programs, activities, and initiatives to 
     help families build protective factors linked to the 
     prevention of child abuse and neglect, such as knowledge of 
     parenting and child development, parental resilience, social 
     connections, time-limited and need-based concrete support, 
     and social and emotional development of children, that--
       ``(A) are accessible to diverse populations, effective, and 
     culturally appropriate;
       ``(B) build upon existing strengths;
       ``(C) offer assistance to families;
       ``(D) provide early, comprehensive support for parents;
       ``(E) promote the development of healthy familial 
     relationships and parenting skills, especially in young 
     parents and parents with very young children;
       ``(F) increase family stability;
       ``(G) improve family access to formal and informal 
     community-based resources, including health and mental health 
     services, time-limited and need-based concrete supports, and 
     services and supports to meet the needs of families with 
     children or caregivers with disabilities; and
       ``(H) support the additional needs of families with 
     children with disabilities, including through respite care.
       ``(2) Fostering the development of a continuum of 
     preventive services to strengthen families through State- and 
     community-based collaborations and both public and private 
     partnerships.
       ``(3) Financing the start-up, maintenance, expansion, or 
     redesign of core services described in section 205, where 
     communities have identified gaps and decided to prioritize 
     the establishment of such services, to the extent practicable 
     given funding levels and community priorities.
       ``(4) Maximizing funding through leveraging Federal, State, 
     local, public, and private funds to carry out the purposes of 
     this title.
       ``(5) Developing or enhancing statewide and local networks 
     to operate, expand, or enhance community-based family 
     strengthening services, initiatives, and activities that 
     promote child, parent, family, and community health and well-
     being and prevent child abuse and neglect.
       ``(6) Promoting the development of, and coordination with, 
     existing community coalitions of networks of family 
     strengthening services that utilize culturally responsive 
     providers in order to enhance child, family, and community 
     well-being and prevent child abuse and neglect in all 
     families.
       ``(7) Financing public information activities that focus on 
     parent and child development and child abuse and neglect 
     prevention.
       ``(8) To the extent practicable--
       ``(A) promoting the development and implementation of a 
     statewide systems-building strategy to address the unmet 
     needs identified in the inventory described in section 
     204(3), including the participation of public and private 
     stakeholders, community-based organizations, legislators, 
     parents and other relevant stakeholders, and State agencies, 
     including the child welfare agency, the public health agency, 
     housing agency, and the State education agency, to scale 
     evidence-based, evidence-informed, and promising programs 
     that expand access to family strengthening services and 
     reduce the numbers of children entering the foster care 
     system;
       ``(B) developing comprehensive outreach strategies to 
     engage families with various risk factors, including families 
     who have experienced trauma or domestic violence, parents 
     with substance use disorder, and families with children or 
     caregivers with disabilities; and
       ``(C) providing capacity-building supports to local 
     programs to improve desired outcomes for children and 
     families, such as--
       ``(i) technical assistance, including support for local 
     programs to collect outcome data that helps improve service 
     delivery;
       ``(ii) professional development; and
       ``(iii) peer support networks, including through developing 
     a problem-solving forum.''.

     SEC. 202. ELIGIBILITY.

       Section 202 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 5116a) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1)--
       (A) by striking subparagraph (A) and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(A) the Governor of the State has designated a lead 
     entity to administer funds under this title for the purposes 
     identified under the authority of this title, including to 
     develop, implement, operate, enhance, or expand community-
     based family strengthening services designed to prevent child 
     abuse and neglect;''; and
       (B) by striking subparagraph (D) and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(D) the Governor of the State has given consideration to 
     the capacity and expertise of all entities requesting to be 
     designated under subparagraph (A);''; and
       (2) in paragraph (3)--
       (A) by striking subparagraph (A) and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(A) has demonstrated ongoing meaningful partnerships with 
     parents in the development, operation, and oversight of 
     State- and community-based family strengthening services 
     designed to prevent child abuse and neglect;'';
       (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``community-based and 
     prevention-focused programs and activities designed to 
     strengthen and support families'' and inserting ``community-
     based family strengthening services designed'';
       (C) by striking subparagraph (C) and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(C) has the capacity to provide operational support (both 
     financial and programmatic), professional development, 
     technical assistance, and evaluation assistance, to 
     community-based organizations;''; and
       (D) by striking subparagraph (D) and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(D) will integrate efforts with individuals and 
     organizations experienced in working in

[[Page H3986]]

     partnership with low-income families, racial and ethnic 
     minorities, families with children or caregivers with 
     disabilities, sexual and gender minority youth, victims of 
     domestic violence, and with the child abuse and neglect 
     prevention activities in the State, and demonstrate a 
     financial commitment to those activities; and
       ``(E) will take into consideration access for diverse 
     populations and unmet need when distributing funds to local 
     programs under section 205.''.

     SEC. 203. AMOUNT OF GRANT.

       Section 203 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 5116b) is amended--
       (1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:
       ``(a) Reservation.--For the purpose of making allotments to 
     Indian tribes and tribal organizations and migrant programs, 
     the Secretary shall reserve 5 percent of the amount 
     appropriated under section 210(a) for each fiscal year, 
     except that, if making such reservation would cause the total 
     amount allotted to States under this section for a fiscal 
     year to be less than such total for fiscal year 2019, the 
     Secretary shall reserve 1 percent of the amount appropriated 
     under section 210(a) for the year for such purpose.''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(d) Limitation.--For any fiscal year for which the amount 
     allotted to a State under subsection (b) exceeds the amount 
     allotted to the State under such subsection for fiscal year 
     2019, the State's lead entity may use not more than 10 
     percent of such excess amount for administrative expenses.''.

     SEC. 204. APPLICATION.

       Section 204 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 5116d) is amended--
       (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
     ``specified by the Secretary as essential to carrying out the 
     provisions of section 202, including'' and inserting ``and 
     assurances required in paragraphs (2) and (3) of section 202 
     and types of information specified by the Secretary as 
     essential in carrying out the provisions of section 201(b), 
     including'';
       (2) in paragraphs (1), (2), and (4), by striking 
     ``community-based and prevention-focused programs and 
     activities designed to strengthen and support families'' and 
     inserting ``community-based family strengthening services 
     designed'';
       (3) in paragraph (3) by striking ``community-based and 
     prevention-focused programs and activities'' and inserting 
     ``community-based family strengthening services designed'';
       (4) in paragraph (5), by striking ``and prevention-focused 
     programs and activities designed to strengthen and support 
     families to prevent child abuse and neglect;'' and inserting 
     ``services and statewide strategies designed to strengthen 
     and support families to promote child, family, and community 
     well-being and prevent child abuse and neglect;'';
       (5) by striking paragraph (6) and inserting the following:
       ``(6) a description of the State's capacity and commitment 
     to ensure the meaningful involvement of parents who are or 
     have been consumers of preventative supports, including the 
     involvement of parents of diverse populations, such as low-
     income families, families with children or caregivers with 
     disabilities, racial and ethnic minorities, and members of 
     other underrepresented or underserved groups, family 
     advocates, and adult victims of child abuse or neglect who 
     can provide leadership in the planning, implementation, and 
     evaluation of the programs and policy decisions of the 
     applicant agency in accomplishing the desired outcomes for 
     such efforts;'';
       (6) by redesignating paragraph (12) as paragraph (15);
       (7) by redesignating paragraphs (7) through (11) as 
     paragraphs (8) through (12), respectively;
       (8) by inserting after paragraph (6) the following:
       ``(7) a description of the process and criteria the lead 
     entity will use to identify and select communities in which 
     to build a continuum of family strengthening services, 
     including an assurance that the process will ensure access 
     for all families, including families in communities with high 
     rates of child abuse and neglect relative to other 
     communities in the State;'';
       (9) by striking paragraph (9), as so redesignated, and 
     inserting the following:
       ``(9) a description of outreach activities that the lead 
     entity and local grantees will undertake to maximize the 
     participation of low-income families, racial and ethnic 
     minorities, families with children or caregivers with 
     disabilities, sexual and gender minority youth, victims of 
     domestic violence, homeless families and those at risk of 
     homelessness, and members of other underserved or 
     underrepresented groups;''.
       (10) by striking paragraph (10), as so redesignated, and 
     inserting the following:
       ``(10) a plan for providing operational support, 
     professional development, and technical assistance to 
     grantees, other State and local programs and providers, 
     families, and other entities involved in strengthening 
     families and preventing child abuse and neglect;'';
       (11) in paragraph (11), as so redesignated, by striking 
     ``and its members (where appropriate)'' and inserting ``of 
     community-based family strengthening services and statewide 
     initiatives''; and
       (12) by striking paragraph (12), as so redesignated, and 
     inserting the following:
       ``(12) a description of the actions that the applicant 
     entity will take to inform systemic changes in State 
     policies, practices, procedures, and regulations to improve 
     the delivery of community-based family strengthening services 
     designed to promote child, family, and community well-being, 
     and to prevent child abuse and neglect;
       ``(13) a description of how the lead entity will 
     incorporate research evidence in its process for selecting 
     community-based family strengthening services;
       ``(14) an assurance that, in issuing regulations to improve 
     the delivery of community-based family strengthening services 
     designed to promote child, family, and community well-being, 
     and to prevent child abuse and neglect, the State will--
       ``(A) take into account how such regulations will impact 
     activities funded under this Act; and
       ``(B) where appropriate, attempt to avoid duplication of 
     efforts, minimize costs of compliance with such regulations, 
     and maximize local flexibility with respect to such 
     regulations; and''.

     SEC. 205. LOCAL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.

       Section 205 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 5116e) is amended to read as follows:

     ``SEC. 205. LOCAL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.

       ``(a) In General.--Grants from the lead entity made under 
     this title shall be used to develop, implement, operate, 
     expand, and enhance community-based family strengthening 
     services designed to prevent child abuse and neglect that--
       ``(1) assess community assets and needs and develop a 
     strategy to create a comprehensive continuum of effective 
     services that strengthen and support families to prevent 
     child abuse and neglect, through a planning process involving 
     parents, local and public agencies, local nonprofit 
     organizations and service providers, and private sector 
     representatives in meaningful ways;
       ``(2) develop or enhance existing place-based family 
     strengthening services, other parenting support services, and 
     connections and coordination among key family services in the 
     community by reaching spaces familiar to such families; and
       ``(3) help families build protective factors that support 
     child and family well-being and help prevent child abuse and 
     neglect, including knowledge of parenting and child 
     development, parental resilience, social connections, time-
     limited and need-based concrete support, and social and 
     emotional development of children.
       ``(b) Local Consideration.--In awarding grants, the lead 
     entity shall consider, consistent with the needs of the State 
     and community, how the grantee--
       ``(1) demonstrates the ability to form collaborations 
     across a range of services or initiatives and the commitment 
     to engage in long-term planning and strategic development for 
     community-based family strengthening services as well as 
     provide on-going problem solving support;
       ``(2) involves parents, including parents of children with 
     disabilities, diverse racial and ethnic groups, and members 
     of other underrepresented or underserved populations, in the 
     development, implementation, oversight, and evaluation of 
     services;
       ``(3) addresses the need for place-based services and the 
     need to reach families in hard-to-reach areas through 
     approaches that provide core family strengthening services;
       ``(4) promotes improved access to family strengthening 
     services for diverse populations and ensures that the 
     services address identified needs of all families; and
       ``(5) demonstrates an understanding of the sources of child 
     and family trauma and the strategies that mitigate the impact 
     of and prevent adverse childhood experiences.
       ``(c) Local Uses of Funds.--Grant funds from the lead 
     entity shall be used for community-based family strengthening 
     services designed to prevent child abuse and neglect, which 
     may include the following:
       ``(1) Developing a strategy based on supporting a 
     comprehensive continuum of preventive, family-centered 
     services that strengthen and support families to prevent 
     child abuse and neglect, especially to young parents, to 
     parents with young children, and to parents who are adult 
     victims of domestic violence or child abuse or neglect, 
     through public-private partnerships.
       ``(2) Addressing the needs of families in hard-to-reach 
     areas by creating access to place-based family strengthening 
     services.
       ``(3) Performing an assessment of community needs, 
     including by partnering, at the option of the grantee, with 
     an organization that already has performed a needs assessment 
     (such as a Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting 
     program under section 511 of the Social Security Act (42 
     U.S.C. 711) or a Head Start program under the Head Start Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.).
       ``(4) Supporting outreach for services, including by 
     coordinating with existing family strengthening services such 
     as home visiting and other early intervention programs.
       ``(5) Providing, promoting the development or enhancement 
     of, or connecting families to, core services that include--
       ``(A) parenting support and parent education programs, 
     including services that help parents and other caregivers 
     support children's development;
       ``(B) parent leadership skills development programs that 
     support parents' personal growth as leaders in their families 
     and communities;

[[Page H3987]]

       ``(C) mutual support groups for parents, children, and 
     parent partners;
       ``(D) respite and crisis care; and
       ``(E) referrals to optional community and social services, 
     including--
       ``(i) domestic violence services;
       ``(ii) screening and referrals to early intervention;
       ``(iii) voluntary home visiting programs;
       ``(iv) health and mental health services, including 
     referrals for information on the State Medicaid plan under 
     title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et 
     seq.);
       ``(v) early care and learning programs including child care 
     and Head Start programs and Early Head Start programs under 
     the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.);
       ``(vi) nutrition programs, including the special 
     supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and 
     children established under section 17 of the Child Nutrition 
     Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786) and the supplemental nutrition 
     assistance program established under the Food and Nutrition 
     Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.);
       ``(vii) education and workforce development programs, 
     including adult literacy, child development, wellness, and 
     family socioeconomic mobility programs; and
       ``(viii) services and supports to meet the needs of 
     families with children or caregivers with disabilities, such 
     as early intervention services for infants and toddlers with 
     disabilities and their families, as early intervention 
     services are defined in section 632 of the Individuals with 
     Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1432).
       ``(6) Providing leadership in mobilizing local public and 
     private resources to support the provision of community-based 
     family strengthening services designed to prevent child abuse 
     and neglect.
       ``(7) Developing and maintaining meaningful partnerships 
     with parents relating to the development, operation, 
     evaluation, and oversight of the programs and services.
       ``(8) Coordinating with other community-based family 
     strengthening services designed to prevent child abuse and 
     neglect in the development, operation, and expansion of 
     networks where appropriate.
       ``(d) Priority.--When awarding grants, a lead entity shall 
     give priority to effective community-based efforts that serve 
     low-income communities and are focused on comprehensive 
     approaches to serving young parents or parents with young 
     children.''.

     SEC. 206. PERFORMANCE MEASURES.

       Section 206 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 5116f) is amended--
       (1) in paragraphs (1), (5), (6), and (8), by striking 
     ``community-based and prevention-focused programs and 
     activities designed to strengthen and support families'' and 
     inserting ``community-based family strengthening services 
     designed'';
       (2) in paragraph (1), by striking ``meets'' and inserting 
     ``meet'';
       (3) in paragraph (2), by striking ``including core and 
     optional services as described in section 202'';
       (4) by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following:
       ``(3) shall demonstrate how they have addressed unmet needs 
     identified by the inventory required under section 204;''.
       (5) by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following:
       ``(4) shall describe the number of families served, 
     including families with children or caregivers with 
     disabilities, and the involvement of a diverse representation 
     of families in the design, operation, and evaluation of both 
     community-based family strengthening services and networks of 
     such services;'';
       (6) by striking paragraph (7) and inserting the following:
       ``(7) shall describe--
       ``(A) the number of programs funded disaggregated by urban, 
     suburban, and rural community type;
       ``(B) the number of children and families served under each 
     such program disaggregated by urban, suburban, and rural 
     community type; and
       ``(C) the number of programs that partner with outside 
     entities and the services such outside entities provide;'';
       (7) in paragraph (8)--
       (A) by striking ``leadership of'' and insert ``partnership 
     with''; and
       (B) by striking the period at the end and inserting ``; 
     and''; and
       (8) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(9) shall describe the extent to which there is evidence 
     to support the effectiveness of activities conducted under 
     this title for the program's intended purpose, or, in 
     instances where such evidence is not available, shall 
     describe barriers and challenges to developing evidence of 
     effectiveness.''.

     SEC. 207. NATIONAL NETWORK FOR COMMUNITY-BASED FAMILY 
                   RESOURCE PROGRAMS.

       Section 207 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 5116g) is amended--
       (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
     ``such sums as may be necessary'' and inserting ``not more 
     than 5 percent''; and
       (2) in paragraph (3), by striking ``community-based and 
     prevention-focused programs and activities designed to 
     strengthen and support families'' and inserting ``community-
     based family strengthening services designed''.

     SEC. 208. DEFINITIONS.

       Section 208 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 5116h) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as paragraphs 
     (2) and (1), respectively, and transferring paragraph (1) as 
     redesignated to appear before paragraph (2) as redesignated; 
     and
       (2) by striking paragraph (1) (as so redesignated) and 
     inserting the following:
       ``(1) Community-based family strengthening services.--The 
     term `community-based family strengthening services' includes 
     organizations such as family resource programs, family 
     support programs, voluntary home visiting programs, respite 
     care services, parenting education, mutual support groups for 
     parents, children, parent partner programs, and other 
     community programs or networks of such programs that provide 
     activities that are designed to prevent child abuse and 
     neglect.''.

     SEC. 209. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.

       (a) In General.--Title II of the Child Abuse Prevention and 
     Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5116 et seq.) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating section 209 as section 210; and
       (2) by inserting after section 208 the following:

     ``SEC. 209. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.

       ``Nothing in this title shall be construed to prohibit 
     grandparents, kinship care providers, foster parents, 
     adoptive parents, or any other individual in a parenting role 
     from receiving or participating in services and programs 
     under this title.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of contents in section 
     1(b) of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act is 
     amended by striking the item relating to section 209 and 
     inserting the following:
``Sec. 209. Rule of construction.
``Sec. 210. Authorization of appropriations.''.

     SEC. 210. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       Section 210 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 5116 et seq.), as redesignated by section 209 of 
     this Act, is amended--
       (1) by striking ``There are'' and inserting the following:
       ``(a) In General.--There are'';
       (2) by striking ``to carry out'' through ``fiscal year 
     2010'' and inserting ``to carry out this title $270,000,000 
     for fiscal year 2020'';
       (3) by striking ``2011 through 2015'' and inserting ``2021 
     through 2025''; and
       (4) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(b) Treatment of Non-Federal Funds in Certain Fiscal 
     Years.--For any fiscal year for which the amount appropriated 
     under subsection (a) exceeds the amount appropriated under 
     such subsection for fiscal year 2019, the Secretary shall 
     consider non-Federal funds and in-kind contributions as part 
     of the State contribution for the activities specified in 
     section 204(4).''.

     SEC. 211. STUDY AND REPORT.

       (a) Study Relating to New Prevention Programs.--
       (1) In general.--The Comptroller General of the United 
     States shall complete a study, using data reported by States 
     to the Secretary of Health and Human Services under section 
     206 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 
     U.S.C. 5116f), as amended by this Act--
       (A) to determine how many families and children in the 
     first 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act are 
     served annually through programs funded under title II of the 
     Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5116 et 
     seq.); and
       (B) to compare the number of such families and children 
     served annually in the first 3 years after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act to the number of such families and 
     children served in fiscal year 2019.
       (2) Contents.--The study required under paragraph (1) shall 
     include the following for each of the first 3 years after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act:
       (A) An examination of how many families received evidence-
     based programming under title II of the Child Abuse 
     Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5116 et seq.).
       (B) An examination of the extent to which local programs 
     conduct evaluations using funds provided under such title and 
     the findings of such evaluations.
       (C) An examination of whether findings of effectiveness in 
     evaluation studies vary by urban, suburban, or rural 
     community type.
       (D) An examination of whether programs partnering with 
     other entities are more effective than those that do not 
     partner with other entities.
       (E) An examination of barriers to implement evidence-based 
     programming or to conduct evaluations in instances where such 
     activities do not occur.
       (b) Report.--Not later than 4 years after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United 
     States shall submit to the Committee on Health, Education, 
     Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on 
     Education and Labor of the House of Representatives a report 
     that contains the results of the study conducted under 
     paragraph (1).

                   TITLE III--ADOPTION OPPORTUNITIES

     SEC. 301. PURPOSE.

       Section 201 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment and 
     Adoption Reform Act of 1978 (42 U.S.C. 5111) is amended--
       (1) in the section heading, by striking ``congressional 
     findings and declaration of purpose'' and inserting 
     ``purpose'';
       (2) by striking subsection (a); and
       (3) in subsection (b)--
       (A) by striking ``(b) Purpose.--'';
       (B) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by inserting 
     ``sexual and gender minority youth'' after ``particularly 
     older children, minority children,''; and

[[Page H3988]]

       (C) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``services and,'' after 
     ``post-legal adoption''.

     SEC. 302. REPORT AND GUIDANCE ON UNREGULATED CUSTODY 
                   TRANSFERS.

       The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment and Adoption 
     Reform Act of 1978 (42 U.S.C. 5111 et seq.) is amended by 
     inserting after section 201 the following:

     ``SEC. 202. REPORT AND GUIDANCE ON UNREGULATED CUSTODY 
                   TRANSFERS.

       ``(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that:
       ``(1) Some adopted children may be at risk of experiencing 
     an unregulated custody transfer because the challenges 
     associated with adoptions (including the child's mental 
     health needs and the difficulties many families face in 
     acquiring support services) may lead families to seek out 
     unregulated custody transfers.
       ``(2) Some adopted children experience trauma, and the 
     disruption and placement in another home by unregulated 
     custody transfer creates additional trauma and instability 
     for children.
       ``(3) Children who experience an unregulated custody 
     transfer may be placed with families who have not completed 
     required child welfare or criminal background checks or 
     clearances.
       ``(4) Social services agencies and courts are often unaware 
     of the placement of children through unregulated custody 
     transfer and therefore do not conduct assessments on the 
     child's safety and well-being in such placements.
       ``(5) Such lack of placement oversight places a child at 
     risk for future abuse and increases the chance that the child 
     may experience--
       ``(A) abuse or neglect;
       ``(B) contact with unsafe adults or youth; and
       ``(C) exposure to unsafe or isolated environments.
       ``(6) The caregivers with whom a child is placed through 
     unregulated custody transfer often have no legal 
     responsibility with respect to such child, placing the child 
     at risk for additional unregulated custody transfers.
       ``(7) Such caregivers also may not have complete records 
     with respect to such child, including the child's birth, 
     medical, or immigration records.
       ``(8) A child adopted through intercountry adoption may be 
     at risk of not acquiring United States citizenship if an 
     unregulated custody transfer occurs before the adoptive 
     parents complete all necessary steps to finalize the adoption 
     of such child.
       ``(9) Engaging in, or offering to engage in, unregulated 
     custody transfer places children at risk of harm.
       ``(b) Report to Congress.--
       ``(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     the enactment of this section, the Secretary of Health and 
     Human Services shall provide to the Committee on Education 
     and Labor of the House of Representatives, the Committee on 
     Ways and Means of the House of Representatives, the Committee 
     on Finance of the Senate, and the Committee on Health, 
     Education, Labor and Pensions of the Senate a report on 
     unregulated custody transfers of children, including of 
     adopted children.
       ``(2) Elements.--The report required under paragraph (1) 
     shall include--
       ``(A) the causes, methods, and characteristics of 
     unregulated custody transfers, including the use of social 
     media and the internet;
       ``(B) the effects of unregulated custody transfers on 
     children, including the lack of assessment of a child's 
     safety and well-being by social services agencies and courts 
     due to such unregulated custody transfer;
       ``(C) the prevalence of unregulated custody transfers 
     within each State and across all States; and
       ``(D) recommended policies for preventing, identifying, and 
     responding to unregulated custody transfers, including of 
     adopted children, that include--
       ``(i) amendments to Federal and State law to address 
     unregulated custody transfers;
       ``(ii) amendments to child protection practices to address 
     unregulated custody transfers; and
       ``(iii) methods of providing the public information 
     regarding adoption and child protection.
       ``(c) Guidance to States.--
       ``(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
     specified in subsection (b)(1), the Secretary shall issue 
     guidance and technical assistance to States related to 
     preventing, identifying, and responding to unregulated 
     custody transfers, including of adopted children.
       ``(2) Elements.--The guidance required under paragraph (1) 
     shall include--
       ``(A) education materials related to preventing, 
     identifying, and responding to unregulated custody transfers 
     for employees of State, local, and Tribal agencies that 
     provide child welfare services;
       ``(B) guidance on appropriate pre-adoption education and 
     post-adoption services for domestic and international 
     adoptive families to promote child permanency; and
       ``(C) the assistance available through the National 
     Resource Center for Special Needs Adoption under section 
     203(b)(9).
       ``(d) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(1) State.--The term `State' means each of the several 
     States, the District of Columbia, and any commonwealth, 
     territory, or possession of the United States.
       ``(2) Unregulated custody transfer.--The term `unregulated 
     custody transfer' means the abandonment of a child, by the 
     child's parent, legal guardian, or a person or entity acting 
     on behalf, and with the consent, of such parent or guardian--
       ``(A) by placing a child with a person who is not--
       ``(i) the child's parent, step-parent, grandparent, adult 
     sibling, legal guardian, or other adult relative;
       ``(ii) a friend of the family who is an adult and with whom 
     the child is familiar; or
       ``(iii) a member of the Federally recognized Indian tribe 
     of which the child is also a member;
       ``(B) with the intent of severing the relationship between 
     the child and the parent or guardian of such child; and
       ``(C) without--
       ``(i) reasonably ensuring the safety of the child and 
     permanency of the placement of the child, including by 
     conducting an official home study, background check, and 
     supervision; and
       ``(ii) transferring the legal rights and responsibilities 
     of parenthood or guardianship under applicable Federal and 
     State law to a person described in subparagraph (A).''.

     SEC. 303. INFORMATION AND SERVICES.

       (a) National Resource Center for Special Needs Adoption.--
     Section 203(b)(9) of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment 
     and Adoption Reform Act of 1978 (42 U.S.C. 5113(b)(9)) is 
     amended by inserting ``not later than 2 years after the date 
     of the enactment of the Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and 
     Treatment Act, establish and'' before ``maintain''.
       (b) Placement With Adoptive Families.--Section 
     203(b)(11)(C) of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment and 
     Adoption Reform Act of 1978 (42 U.S.C. 5113(b)(11)(C)) is 
     amended by striking ``such children'' and inserting ``the 
     children and youth described in the matter preceding 
     paragraph (1) of section 201''.
       (c) Pre-adoption Services.--Section 203(c)(1) of the Child 
     Abuse Prevention and Treatment and Adoption Reform Act of 
     1978 (42 U.S.C. 5113(c)(1)) is amended by striking ``post'' 
     and inserting ``pre- and post-''.
       (d) Services.--Section 203(c)(2) of the Child Abuse 
     Prevention and Treatment and Adoption Reform Act of 1978 (42 
     U.S.C. 5113(c)(2)) is amended by inserting ``and the 
     development of such services,'' after ``not supplant, 
     services''.
       (e) Elimination of Barriers to Adoption Across 
     Jurisdictional Boundaries.--Section 203(e)(1) of the Child 
     Abuse Prevention and Treatment and Adoption Reform Act of 
     1978 (42 U.S.C. 5113(e)(1)) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``with, States,'' and inserting ``with 
     States, Indian Tribes,''; and
       (2) by inserting ``, including through the use of web-based 
     tools such as the electronic interstate case-processing 
     system referred to in section 437(g) of the Social Security 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 629g(g))'' before the period at the end.

     SEC. 304. STUDY AND REPORT ON SUCCESSFUL ADOPTIONS.

       Section 204 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment and 
     Adoption Reform Act of 1978 (42 U.S.C. 5114) is amended to 
     read as follows:

     ``SEC. 204. STUDY AND REPORT ON SUCCESSFUL ADOPTIONS.

       ``(a) Study.--The Secretary shall conduct a study (directly 
     or by grant to, or contract with, public or private nonprofit 
     research agencies or organizations) on adoption outcomes and 
     the factors (including parental substance use disorder) 
     affecting those outcomes.
       ``(b) Report.--Not later than the date that is 36 months 
     after the date of the enactment of the Stronger Child Abuse 
     Prevention and Treatment Act the Secretary shall submit a 
     report to Congress that includes the results of the study 
     required under subsection (a).''.

     SEC. 305. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       Section 205(a) of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment 
     and Adoption Reform Act of 1978 (42 U.S.C. 5115(a)) is 
     amended--
       (1) by striking ``fiscal year 2010'' and inserting ``fiscal 
     year 2020''; and
       (2) by striking ``fiscal years 2011 through 2015'' and 
     inserting ``fiscal years 2021 through 2025''.

                   TITLE IV--AMENDMENTS TO OTHER LAWS

     SEC. 401. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS TO OTHER LAWS.

       (a) Head Start Act.--Section 658E(c)(2)(L) of the Head 
     Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9858c(c)(2)(L)) is amended by striking 
     ``will comply with the child abuse reporting requirements of 
     section 106(b)(2)(B)(i) of the Child Abuse Prevention and 
     Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5106a(b)(2)(B)(i))'' and inserting 
     ``will comply with the child abuse reporting requirements of 
     section 106(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Child Abuse Prevention and 
     Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5106a(b)(2)(A)(i))''.
       (b) Victims of Crime Act of 1984.--Section 1404A of the 
     Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (34 U.S.C. 20104) is amended by 
     striking ``section 109'' and inserting ``section 107''
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Washington (Ms. Schrier) and the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Comer) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Washington.


                             General Leave

  Ms. SCHRIER. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to

[[Page H3989]]

revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the 
measure under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Washington?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. SCHRIER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I am excited that the House of Representatives is 
considering this bill, Stronger CAPTA, today, a bipartisan bill I urge 
my colleagues to support.
  Stronger CAPTA is a reauthorization of the Child Abuse Prevention and 
Treatment Act, CAPTA, that will revamp already existing Federal 
supports for preventing child abuse and neglect.
  It has been 9 years since Congress comprehensively reauthorized 
CAPTA. This Congress, I partnered with several of my Democratic and 
Republican colleagues to introduce the bipartisan Stronger CAPTA, which 
would help States and communities address the recent rise in cases of 
child neglect, abuse, and death, many of which can be linked to an 
increasing number of parents affected by substance abuse and the opioid 
crisis.
  Stronger CAPTA will overhaul a prevention system that has always been 
overworked and underresourced. In Washington State, only 11 of about 
125 programs that apply receive funding. The support my State gets from 
the Federal Government is about 50 cents per child per year.

                              {time}  1700

  Stronger CAPTA will increase funding so that more programs can ensure 
families in need receive their services.
  It will also create a local system in which families who are seeking 
services but have not yet been identified as needing those services can 
receive the help they need.
  Currently, a family who knows they need help can't get it unless 
something bad happens to the child. Parents are the most informed 
regarding the needs of their children, and we should not punish 
families who are proactively seeking assistance. Stronger CAPTA will 
help these families before harm occurs.
  I am hopeful that, because of this legislation, Washington State will 
build on their efforts to support new mothers with parenting, help 
families teach social-emotional and early literacy skills, expand 
programs for Tribal families, counsel families and children exposed to 
violence and homelessness, and expand the countless other programs in 
place to help families seeking support.
  I am also excited that the bill I introduced with my Republican 
colleague   Steve Stivers, the Early Detection to Stop Infant Abuse and 
Prevent Fatalities Act, is included in this legislation. With passage 
of Stronger CAPTA, States will be able to help medical professionals, 
early childhood educators, and others better identify early signs of 
infant abuse and neglect that might look harmless to the untrained eye.
  As a pediatrician, I take care of the children and families we are 
talking about today. I want every parent to have the support they need 
to parent well. My bill will go a long way to making sure every family 
gets the support they need.
  I thank my colleagues, Representatives Trahan, Johnson, Stefanik, 
Bonamici, and Comer; Chairman Scott, and Ranking Member Foxx, for 
coleading this legislation with me.
  The well-being of children and their opportunity to grow up in 
stable, loving environments will be improved with the passage of 
Stronger CAPTA.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, as lead Republican for the Subcommittee on Civil 
Rights and Human Services, and as its lead Republican sponsor, I am 
happy to rise today to celebrate this bipartisan legislation, the 
Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act. This legislation 
will help target, prevent, and treat child abuse and neglect.
  The statistics of children in the United States who are abused and/or 
neglected are staggering. In 2016, child protective services determined 
approximately 676,000 children to be victims of abuse or neglect. This 
is simply heartbreaking.
  CAPTA was originally enacted in 1974 to support the development of 
programs aimed at prevention, assessment, investigation, prosecution, 
and treatment of child abuse and neglect. Stronger CAPTA seeks to 
continue this important work while putting more emphasis on prevention 
so that abuse and neglect can be stopped before they happen.
  Prevention takes a holistic approach to combating neglect and abuse 
by focusing on strengthening communities and educating parents and 
caregivers on how to keep their children safe. In addition to 
bolstering our prevention efforts, Stronger CAPTA streamlines current 
assurances and requirements so States can focus on serving and 
providing treatment to children rather than spending more time filling 
out paperwork.
  State agencies benefit from increased flexibility that allows them to 
respond more swiftly and effectively to reports of abuse and neglect. 
We must equip States with the tools and resources needed to address 
maltreatment and keep kids safe.
  I am very proud of the hard work done on both sides of the aisle to 
champion this bipartisan legislation aimed at protecting some of our 
most vulnerable citizens.
  Keeping America's children safe from the detrimental harm of abuse 
and neglect is something we can all agree is paramount, and I am glad 
that we could work together on such an important initiative.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. SCHRIER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
Oregon (Ms. Bonamici).
  Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2480, the 
bipartisan Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act.
  Child maltreatment is a public health crisis and a threat to our 
country. Although we have made progress toward reducing cases of child 
maltreatment since passage of the original CAPTA, in recent years, the 
rates at which children are abused and neglected have steadily 
increased. Evidence suggests that the opioid crisis is responsible for 
new challenges in protecting vulnerable children.
  Stronger CAPTA is an important step toward making sure that all 
children grow up in safe and healthy environments that allow them to 
reach their full potential.
  The bill will strengthen Federal investments in community-based 
prevention services so families across the country can receive help 
before children suffer.
  It will build networks of wraparound services that lower the risk of 
child maltreatment by helping families navigate complex health, 
education, and financial hardships.
  It will seek to reduce rates of child maltreatment exacerbated by the 
opioid crisis by supporting the development of best practices and 
strategies.
  Importantly, the bill will streamline communication between and among 
States so child protection agencies across the country can work 
together and prevent cases of maltreatment from slipping through the 
cracks, no matter where they occur.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Ms. SCHRIER. Madam Speaker, I yield the gentlewoman from Oregon an 
additional 15 seconds.
  Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman Scott and Ranking 
Member Foxx but also especially Ranking Member Comer of the 
subcommittee and Representatives Schrier, Trahan, Johnson, and Stefanik 
for their leadership.
  I strongly urge all my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to 
support this bill.
  Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Smucker), ranking member of the Subcommittee on 
Higher Education and Workforce Investment.
  Mr. SMUCKER. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleagues for the work that 
they have done on this bill, and I rise today in strong support of the 
Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act.
  Not only will this bill strengthen our laws to help keep children 
safe, but this legislation also makes needed investments to help ensure 
children impacted by the opioid epidemic do not face abuse, 
maltreatment, and neglect.

[[Page H3990]]

  Every one of our communities, sadly, has been impacted by the opioid 
epidemic. Sadly, our children are suffering the consequences.
  This bill includes a bipartisan amendment that I was pleased to offer 
in committee with Representative Underwood to study and learn more 
about how parental substance abuse affects the outcomes on adoption. 
This study is necessary to help States better serve children in need, 
and I was proud to see it unanimously adopted.
  Last Congress, I introduced legislation that was passed to reduce 
known barriers for foster placement, which was signed into law. This 
amendment builds on that important work to help States detect 
additional barriers to better serve children caught up by the opioid 
epidemic.
  Madam Speaker, child abuse is not a partisan issue, and I am proud of 
the strong bipartisan work my colleagues have done on the Committee on 
Education and Labor to strengthen prevention efforts.
  I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
  Ms. SCHRIER. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Washington (Ms. Jayapal).
  Ms. JAYAPAL. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of my colleague 
Representative Schrier's Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment 
Act, which increases funding for under-resourced child protection 
agencies.
  I am particularly proud that we could reach bipartisan agreement on a 
top priority of mine in this bill, which is ensuring that State plans 
of safe care for infants exposed to substances in utero do not unfairly 
target pregnant women who need to remain on medication in order to stay 
healthy.
  Prior to 2016, States only developed plans of safe care for infants 
exposed to illegal substances in utero. It became clear during the 
opioid crisis that we needed to look at the abuse of legal drugs during 
pregnancy.
  In 2016, Congress updated the law to ensure that all infants and 
families impacted by substance abuse could get the care they need. 
Unfortunately, as an unintended consequence, some States are now 
referring all infants exposed to substances in utero to child 
protective services and opening CPS investigations even if the mom was 
using the substance in a treatment plan that was prescribed by a 
doctor.
  In some States, new mothers using antidepressants during pregnancy 
are being referred automatically to CPS for investigation. This is not 
only unjust but also a waste of limited resources.
  Untreated depression during pregnancy is linked to premature birth, 
low birth weight, and developmental problems, not to mention increased 
risk of postpartum depression and poor health for pregnant mothers.
  There is already incredible stigma that prevents people from seeking 
treatment for mental illness, with communities of color facing greater 
barriers to that treatment.
  What is more, mothers who made a safe choice to transition to 
medication-assisted treatment for opioid withdrawal shouldn't 
automatically be investigated by CPS.
  I am so grateful to Representative Guthrie on the other side of the 
aisle, the chair and ranking member, and experts in pediatric medicine 
for finding a solution. This bill clarifies that CPS will only 
undertake an investigation when the findings of a family assessment 
warrant it, not when moms are simply following their doctors' advice to 
stay healthy.
  Stronger CAPTA will prevent unnecessary trauma to families.
  Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Taylor).
  Mr. TAYLOR. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2480, the 
Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, which includes my 
provision asking for a study of forced child marriages in the United 
States.
  It is shocking to think that the Tahirih Justice Center estimates 
that, between 2000 and 2015, more than 207,000 children were married in 
this country. In Texas alone, 40,000 minors were married between 2000 
and 2014.
  I hope we can all agree that marriage should be between consenting 
individuals and that children should not be married without their 
consent.
  I was proud, on a bipartisan basis in Texas, to end forced child 
marriages in Texas. I know that States, red and blue, have addressed 
this problem and solved it. But we need to work harder here in the 
United States Congress.
  I am grateful to my colleague from Washington for accepting this 
amendment to work on studying forced child marriage in the 43 States 
that have not adjusted their laws to end what I would consider to be a 
barbaric practice.
  I look forward to supporting this bill.
  Ms. SCHRIER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
Georgia (Mrs. McBath).
  Mrs. McBATH. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. I 
rise today in support of the Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and 
Treatment Act.
  Children are our future teachers, doctors, police officers, and 
Members of Congress. It is our responsibility to ensure that they are 
able to live, learn, and grow in a safe environment.

  My home State of Georgia ranked fifth in the Nation for the highest 
number of child abuse-related deaths in 2017 and third for calls to 
hotlines to report abuse.
  I was proud to introduce an amendment in the Education and Labor 
Committee with my colleague, the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. 
Stefanik), that would establish a national child abuse hotline.
  Stronger CAPTA is bipartisan legislation that will provide critical 
protections and resources to families and children across our Nation to 
prevent and end child abuse. Together, we can and we should ensure the 
safety of our Nation's children.
  I encourage my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Wright).
  Mr. WRIGHT. Madam Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 2480. I 
thank all of those who had any part in drafting this important 
legislation.
  The Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act takes an 
important step in improving the lives of children in every State.
  This bill authorizes important programs that will provide essential 
support for child protective service systems and communities fighting 
against child abuse and neglect.
  This legislation before us comes at a time when State child 
protective services around the country are seeing resources 
increasingly strained due to the opioid crisis. H.R. 2480 provides the 
resources and reforms needed for States to combat this crisis and 
ensure that abused or neglected children are getting the help they 
deserve.
  Under this bill, States and local providers can focus on serving 
children and families by streamlining duplicative and burdensome 
paperwork requirements. It also ensures community and parent 
involvement in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of 
prevention services.
  I am pleased that the bill before us today includes an amendment that 
I introduced with my colleague from Maryland (Mr. Trone). The amendment 
ensures those working in the child welfare system are of the highest 
professional quality.
  As has been said before, this work is critical. We want to ensure 
these people are ready to tackle this challenging work, and States need 
to know how to recruit the right people for the job.
  The child welfare system contains some of the most vulnerable 
citizens in our society, which makes it so important that those working 
in the field get the education and professional development that is 
needed.
  H.R. 2480 will allow State and local providers to better serve the 
almost 700,000 children who are victims of abuse and neglect every 
year.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

                              {time}  1715

  Ms. SCHRIER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
Illinois (Ms. Underwood).
  Ms. UNDERWOOD. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of this 
bipartisan bill. I thank Representative Schrier, an amazing woman, 
pediatrician, and fellow member of our freshman class, for leading this 
bipartisan effort.
  Preventing child abuse is an issue that is front-of-mind for our 
community in Illinois' 14th District, with the recent death of AJ 
Freund, a 5-year-old

[[Page H3991]]

boy from Crystal Lake, who was tragically killed.
  AJ's heartbreaking death was a result of a system that failed him. I 
am committed to honoring his life with action.
  Child abuse prevention is an issue that calls for big policy 
solutions, and this bill offers those, as my colleagues have outlined.
  Rates of child abuse have recently been rising as the opioid epidemic 
has devastated communities across the country; and children who are 
adopted after being removed from homes with substance abuse issues have 
special kinds of trauma.
  My bipartisan amendment, with Representative Smucker, looks out for 
those kids. It would allow us to track their outcomes and ensure we 
have the information we need to make informed policy decisions to best 
serve them and set them up for success.
  With my amendment, a Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment 
Act will help keep kids safe and make sure families get the services 
they need. I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to 
support this bill.
  Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
New York (Ms. Stefanik).
  Ms. STEFANIK. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the 
Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act.
  In 2016, there were 4.1 million referrals to child protective 
services. Far too many children experience some form of abuse or 
neglect in their lifetime, a sad reality that deserves our utmost 
attention.
  The Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act strengthens the 
original law in order to further protect our children. The bill 
provides for evidence-based support for the victims of abuse, 
establishes national reporting requirements to more accurately track 
child abuse trends, expands research into child welfare, and improves 
the grant funding process.
  As Representatives in Congress, protecting our children and most 
vulnerable members of society is an obligation we each take very 
seriously. This issue rises above party lines and, as an original 
cosponsor of the bill, I am grateful for my colleagues coming together 
to support this important legislation.
  I am also proud that this bill includes an amendment that I 
introduced with my colleague across the aisle, Mrs. McBath, to 
establish a National Abuse Hotline. This amendment offers grant funding 
to nonprofit entities to establish and maintain a 24-hour, national, 
toll-free, abuse hotline that gives at risk individuals the opportunity 
to report instances of abuse and receive immediate assistance without 
fear of retribution.
  I thank my colleagues for the unanimous support of this amendment, 
and I encourage all of my colleagues today to support this lifesaving 
bill.
  Ms. SCHRIER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Trone).
  Mr. TRONE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to show my support for a 
Stronger CAPTA.
  The opioid crisis is devastating communities across the country, and 
we are seeing rising rates of child abuse and neglect as a result of 
this crisis. In order to reverse these trends, we must invest in smart 
primary prevention efforts like those included in this bill.
  Passing Stronger CAPTA will mean stronger networks of prevention 
services that will benefit children and communities for decades to 
come.
  It will also mean a stronger child welfare workforce. Some States see 
a 40 percent annual turnover rate among the child welfare workforce. We 
must do more to equip our workers to better serve our most vulnerable 
children and families.
  That is why I am pleased this bill includes a provision I authored 
with the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Wright), my colleague, that will 
help develop and retain a high-quality workforce in the child welfare 
system.
  I urge a ``yes'' vote from my colleagues on this commonsense bill.
  Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
North Carolina (Ms. Foxx), ranking member of the Education and Labor 
Committee.
  Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from 
Kentucky for yielding, and for handling this bill today. I also commend 
my friend, Representative Comer, for his outstanding leadership of the 
Republicans on the Civil Rights and Human Services Subcommittee, and 
for his leadership on this bill.
  I have served on the committee under its different names for a long 
time. It was a great honor to serve as the Committee's chairwoman 
during the last Congress, and as Republican leader during this Congress 
because, from this perspective, I have seen just how much we are able 
to get done together that doesn't always capture the attention of the 
rest of this body or the public.
  It should be a great encouragement to all of us that when it comes to 
serving the most vulnerable Americans, children and youth, Republicans 
and Democrats on the Education and Labor Committee have been able to 
come together on numerous occasions and produce bipartisan legislation 
that is forward-looking and aims at prevention first.
  We did this last Congress with the Juvenile Justice Reform Act and 
with the reauthorization of the Missing Children's Assistance Act.
  In a perfect world, we would not need laws addressing child abuse. We 
certainly would not need stronger laws addressing child abuse. But this 
world is far from perfect.

  Today, members of the Education and Labor Committee have brought 
before the House an update to the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment 
Act which, since 1974, has helped States combat child abuse and 
neglect. This bill, aptly named Stronger CAPTA, looks to those who 
spend their professional and personal lives fulfilling what can only be 
described as a deep calling to stand between children and abuse, to 
lead us forward in our efforts to serve families.
  Last year, we saw a House-wide effort to address the scourge of 
opioid abuse in communities across the country. As our committee met 
for hearings and worked to determine our own contributions to that 
effort, the impact opioid abuse and addiction is having on innocent 
children came in to sharper focus. In many ways, today's legislation 
has its roots in those informative proceedings.
  This bill recognizes the power of community in supporting at-risk 
families. Leaders in Washington and in State capitals, more than 
anything, want to protect children in danger. But it is friends, 
neighbors, fellow church members, and community volunteers who can spot 
real trouble, hopefully, before it will start.
  This legislation strengthens and expands coordination among local 
agencies to help ensure families have access to physical and mental 
health services, domestic violence prevention programs, disability 
supports, and substance abuse treatment, when necessary.
  As opioid addiction continues its hold in communities in every single 
congressional district represented here, we must look at Stronger CAPTA 
as another way we can fight back.
  This bill puts families and children before bureaucracies and 
paperwork. I am proud of the members of the Education and Labor 
Committee on both sides of the aisle who worked together to bring this 
bill to the floor.
  I urge all Members to support the Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and 
Treatment Act.
  Ms. SCHRIER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
Nevada (Mrs. Lee).
  Mrs. LEE of Nevada. Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman Scott and Ranking 
Member Foxx for their work in bringing this bipartisan Stronger CAPTA 
to the floor; as well as Representative Watkins, for drafting our 
bipartisan amendment that ensures that poverty alone cannot be used as 
evidence of abuse and neglect.
  The fight against intergenerational poverty has many fronts, but one 
of the most important things we can do is preserve family stability for 
as many children as possible. Families struggling with poverty need 
supports to preserve stability, not additional toxic stress that can 
alter child development.
  Let me be clear: Abuse and neglect know no socioeconomic barriers. 
Poverty alone is neither abuse nor neglect. I am proud that our 
amendment will ensure that no child is removed from

[[Page H3992]]

their family solely because that family is living in poverty.
  Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this bipartisan 
bill.
  Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. SCHRIER. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Wisconsin (Ms. Moore).
  Ms. MOORE. Madam Speaker, I am so happy that H.R. 2480 includes 
several noteworthy improvements to the CAPTA Act. One is a bill that I 
introduced last Congress called Family Poverty is Not Child Neglect 
Act. It recognizes that 75 percent of child abuse referrals are not 
because of malicious abuse, but because of symptoms of poverty that 
officials categorize as neglect.
  It would mandate States to treat those conditions of poverty with 
service-based remedies that will reduce the parental separation risk 
disproportionately affecting low-income children and families.
  I am so pleased that federally-supported distinctions between 
poverty-based lack and parental maltreatment unrelated to poverty has 
been added to our Stronger CAPTA bill.
  Poverty-related conditions should be met with poverty-alleviating 
solutions, not child separation.
  Madam Speaker, I just want to share my own personal story. My own 
experience, at age 18, was that I was separated from my child, who was 
placed in foster care, because my scholarship money would not cover 
living expenses. And while she was placed in a loving foster home, this 
was traumatic for me, and constituted an adverse childhood experience 
for my daughter.
  So I am so pleased to stand here today to say, as a witness, that we 
should do everything we can to avoid child separations, and this bill 
addresses it.
  Madam Speaker, I thank all of the authors on both sides of the aisle.
  Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Ms. SCHRIER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman 
from Pennsylvania (Ms. Wild).
  Ms. WILD. Madam Speaker, I rise today in proud support of the 
Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, a bill that will 
help protect children from abuse and neglect.
  Across our country, more than 670,000 children were reported to be 
victims of child abuse or neglect. In 2016, almost 1,500 children in 
the United States died as a result of abuse or neglect.
  It is past time for us to act to prevent child abuse and neglect. 
That is why, earlier this month, I introduced the Speak Up to Protect 
Every Abused Kid Act. I am proud that portions of the Speak Up Act are 
included in the Stronger CAPTA Act.
  The Speak Up Act would take commonsense steps to increase reporting 
of child abuse or neglect by requiring States to implement a consistent 
standard for reporting suspected child abuse or neglect.
  The Speak Up Act would require individuals with professional 
responsibilities over children to report suspected child abuse and 
neglect directly to State authorities. We have heard too many stories 
of children being abused or neglected and not getting the help they 
need because adults do not report it to the proper authorities.
  I was proud to support the Stronger CAPTA Act in the Education and 
Labor Committee, and I am proud to vote for it on the floor today. I 
urge my colleagues to vote in support of this important bill.
  Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Ms. SCHRIER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin).

                              {time}  1730

  Mr. LANGEVIN. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of Stronger CAPTA, which includes 
provisions from the Safe Home Act, which is bipartisan legislation I 
introduced with Representative   Don Bacon.
  These provisions address unregulated custody transfers. This is the 
frightening practice of transferring a child, usually an adopted child, 
to a stranger outside the safeguards of the child welfare system.
  Known as rehoming, this phenomenon occurs when parents lack the 
supports to meet their children's needs and, instead, place them with 
individuals who haven't undergone background checks, home studies or 
supervision, where they are at risk of further abuse.
  Unregulated custody transfers are a form of child abuse and neglect, 
and Stronger CAPTA removes any ambiguity that might prevent child 
welfare agencies from being able to investigate these cases. So it will 
give States the tools to prevent, identify, and respond to such dangers 
so that they can safeguard our most vulnerable youth.
  Madam Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Schrier for her leadership, and 
I urge my colleagues to support Stronger CAPTA.
  Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. SCHRIER. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Scott), my colleague and the chair of our committee.
  Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I thank Dr. Schrier and Mr. 
Comer for sponsoring this important legislation.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Stronger Child Abuse 
Prevention and Treatment Act, or Stronger CAPTA.
  Congress has a vital role in helping States protect children from 
physical injury and emotional trauma associated with child abuse and 
neglect.
  Stronger CAPTA will fulfill that role by increasing investment in 
both treatment of child abuse and neglect, and programs designed to 
prevent maltreatment from happening in the first place.
  Specifically, this bill would provide States with resources to 
strengthen prevention programs, invest in child protective service 
agencies, and streamline communication between those agencies across 
this country. It would also build upon the bipartisan commitment to 
keep families together when it is in the best interests of the child.
  Last Saturday, May 18, was the 1-year anniversary of the tragic death 
of Heaven Watkins, an 11-year-old girl in my community who lost her 
life because of child abuse. Had the reforms in this bill been in 
place, Heaven's death could have been prevented.
  Specifically, investing in prevention strategies and improving the 
collection and sharing of vital information can help children like 
Heaven from slipping through the cracks.
  Madam Speaker, I would like to thank, again, Dr. Schrier and Mr. 
Comer for their leadership, as well as Ms. Bonamici, Mrs. Trahan, Mr. 
Johnson, Ms. Stefanik, and, of course, the ranking member, Dr. Foxx, 
for their work in bringing this bill to the floor.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support Stronger CAPTA.
  Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Madam Speaker, I just want to conclude by again thanking everyone for 
working together in a bipartisan way on this bill. This is very 
important. This is something that we can do to prove Congress can work 
together, can come together on issues of the utmost importance, and 
preventing child abuse and neglect is an issue that is bipartisan and 
of the utmost importance.
  This bill streamlines the process. It does just exactly the things 
that the States have asked us to do with the bill.
  Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to vote in favor of this 
bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. SCHRIER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Madam Speaker, I include in the Record the following: first, a letter 
from the National Child Abuse Coalition supporting H.R. 2480, which 
praises the legislation's improvements to interstate data sharing and 
increases to authorization levels; second, a letter from the American 
Academy of Pediatrics endorsing H.R. 2480, which praises the 
legislation's public health focus; and third, a letter from the 
American Psychological Association supporting H.R. 2480, which praises 
this legislation's improvement to research on helping families 
experiencing substance use disorders.

[[Page H3993]]

                               National Child Abuse Coalition,

                                                      May 7, 2019.
     Chairman Bobby Scott,
     House Committee on Education and Labor,
     Washington, DC.
     Representative Kim Schrier,
     Washington, DC.
     Ranking Member Virginia Foxx,
     House Committee on Education and Labor,
     Washington, DC.
     Representative James Comer,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Scott, Ranking Member Foxx, Representative 
     Schrier, and Representative Comer: On behalf of the National 
     Child Abuse Coalition, thank you for your outstanding 
     leadership on the Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and 
     Treatment Act. The reforms and funding levels you have 
     proposed in this legislation are extremely important, and we 
     strongly encourage all members of the House Committee on 
     Education and Labor to support its passage. If appropriately 
     funded, this legislation will reduce child abuse and neglect, 
     strengthen families through community-driven solutions, 
     improve local responses to child trauma, increase states' 
     child safety tools, and bring much improved data and 
     transparency around abuse and neglect fatalities so that 
     states can make tailored reforms to prevent future 
     fatalities. Though some changes to the bill are still needed, 
     we look forward to continuing to work with you as the 
     legislation moves forward.
       In particular, we strongly support the following elements 
     of the proposal:
       Authorization levels. Meaningful increases to CAPTA funding 
     are essential to ensure this bill's important reforms will 
     make children safer and families stronger. For too long, 
     Congress has sought key improvements to this law but has 
     failed to appropriate the funds that would allow states to 
     successfully implement them. The Coalition believes at least 
     $500 million for each title is critical, but we recognize the 
     authorization levels in this legislation reflect your strong 
     commitment to keeping children from being harmed. We were 
     very disappointed to learn that the House Labor-H bill 
     released today does not reflect the important investments you 
     have included in the Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and 
     Treatment Act. We look forward to working with you to ensure 
     the funding levels included in this legislation are executed 
     in the appropriations process. The reforms this Committee 
     envisions for CAPTA will not be realized without robust 
     increases to funding.
       Emphasis on family strengthening. We also applaud the 
     bill's focus on family strengthening, a clear reflection of 
     what we know to be true: that healthy and strong families are 
     key to ensuring children are healthy and can achieve their 
     full potential. The Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and 
     Treatment Act reflects the entire continuum of supports to 
     families, starting with primary prevention at the heart of 
     Title II and extending into the identification and treatment 
     of abuse and neglect in Title I. All are essential to 
     creating systems of support that both prevent child abuse and 
     neglect and keep families together whenever possible, and 
     also ensure timely and appropriate action when child abuse or 
     neglect does occur.
       Improvements to child protection systems to reduce child 
     fatalities and near fatalities from abuse and neglect. 
     Experts estimate nearly 3,000 children die every year from 
     child abuse and neglect. Without proper data and disclosure, 
     efforts to reduce these fatalities will not succeed. The 
     legislation's reforms in Section 103 to develop uniform 
     standards for tracking and reporting of child fatalities 
     resulting from maltreatment are absolutely essential to 
     making sure federal, state, and local governments have the 
     information they need to keep more vulnerable children alive. 
     The bill's reforms to clarify and strengthen disclosure about 
     fatalities and near fatalities in Section 106 are also very 
     important to these efforts. Both of these reforms were 
     proposed by the Commission to Eliminate Child Abuse and 
     Neglect Fatalities, a bipartisan Commission devised by 
     Congress to put an end to these tragic child deaths. We also 
     commend you for taking steps to improve interstate data 
     exchange.
       Thoughtful attention to children and families impacted by 
     substance use disorders. As the national rise in substance 
     use disorders continues to drive more children and families 
     into the child welfare system, we appreciate the thoughtful 
     attention paid by the Committee to these issues. In 
     particular, the bill incorporates new language reflecting the 
     intersection between child abuse and neglect and substance 
     use disorders, the needs of children and families with 
     substance use disorders, and how critical collaboration 
     across multiple public and community partners is to 
     effectively connect families to needed treatment services.
       Improved transparency, accountability, and focus on key 
     priorities. We greatly appreciate the legislation's much-
     needed streamlining and updating of CAPTA in ways that will 
     prioritize key needs from the experts working in states and 
     communities, and that will improve transparency and 
     accountability to ensure better implementation of the law. 
     The revisions to Sections 104 and 105 reflect a more focused 
     approach to key priorities in child welfare. The use of funds 
     in Section 106 presents a much more cohesive and coordinated 
     vision to help states in their efforts to prevent, treat, and 
     intervene in child abuse and neglect. The bill's revisions 
     specifying the state mandates in Section 106 will bring much-
     needed improvements to CAPTA's transparency and 
     accountability.
       Finally, as the bill advances, we look forward to working 
     with you so that the following provisions in Title II strike 
     the right balance to ensure effective use of taxpayer 
     dollars, reduce bureaucratic requirements for states, and 
     reflect the importance of a universal, or public health, 
     approach to primary prevention:
       Administrative cap. Thank you for working with the 
     Coalition and its members on this provision in between 
     introduction and mark-up. We appreciate your willingness to 
     respond to deep concerns from the states that the initial 
     proposed cap would hinder states' ability to carry out the 
     provisions of the legislation. CBCAP lead agencies are 
     committed to running their programs efficiently, and most of 
     them operate as part of larger agencies and do not always 
     control what shared expenses are charged to them. We heard 
     from numerous CBCAP lead agencies that a four percent cap 
     would greatly limit their ability to provide adequate 
     oversight and support in implementing the bold vision that is 
     proposed in the underlying legislation. As the legislation 
     advances, we hope to work with you to ensure that the 
     administrative cap is consistent with guidance from Office of 
     Management and Budget related to federally negotiated 
     indirect cost rates for federal funding, in a manner that 
     does not undermine state flexibility to effectively implement 
     the law.
       70/30 funding formula. The Coalition urges Congress to 
     simplify the Title II formula to be entirely population 
     based. Currently, thirty percent of the funding formula is 
     determined by a very complicated set of rules that burdens 
     states with onerous bureaucracy, reduces state flexibility, 
     produces accounting incentives that do not necessarily 
     reflect state investments, and creates a situation where 
     states that might benefit the most are the least able to 
     leverage funds. As a result, just three states receive nearly 
     one-third of the funding from this portion of the formula. We 
     hope that you will continue to work with us to create a more 
     appropriate formula for this Title.
       Public health approach. As the Committee repeatedly heard 
     from the witnesses at its March 26th hearing, a universal 
     approach to primary prevention services is essential to the 
     success of Title II. Primary prevention of child abuse is 
     most effective when it takes a universal approach to building 
     protective factors and reducing risks in families and 
     communities. It is important that CAPTA strike the right 
     balance between emphasizing building a universal--or public 
     health--approach and targeting higher risk communities. We 
     look forward to working with you to make sure the final law 
     addresses this in the best manner possible.
       Thank you for your commitment to the prevention and 
     treatment of child abuse and neglect, and to improving the 
     lives of children and families in the United States. The 
     National Child Abuse Coalition and its twenty-five 
     organizational members stand ready to continue to help 
     support your efforts as the critical bill moves through 
     Congress.
           Sincerely,

                                      Ruth J. Friedman, Ph.D.,

                                Executive Director, National Child
     Abuse Coalition.
                                  ____



                               American Academy of Pediatrics,

                                                      May 8, 2019.
     Hon. Kim Schrier,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. James Comer,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Representatives Schrier and Comer: On behalf of the 
     American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), a non-profit 
     professional organization of 67,000 primary care 
     pediatricians, pediatric medical sub-specialists, and 
     pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, 
     safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents, and 
     young adults, I am writing to share our endorsement of the 
     Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 2019 
     (H.R. 2480).
       As many as 25 percent of children in the United States have 
     experienced some form of maltreatment. Pediatricians have 
     long supported the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act 
     (CAPTA) because it is an essential federal policy tool for 
     preventing and responding to child maltreatment. CAPTA 
     provides critical support to states and nonprofit community-
     based organizations for services to prevent and treat child 
     abuse and neglect. While CAPTA is critically important, 
     limited federal funding has historically impeded its ability 
     to create meaningful change for vulnerable children and 
     families. This bipartisan legislation would create major 
     progress and support efforts to apply a public health 
     approach to preventing and addressing child maltreatment
       The Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act would 
     reauthorize and strengthen CAPTA to better promote child 
     health and well-being. Crucially, the bill authorizes $270 
     million for Title I state grants and $270 million for Title 
     II community-based prevention and state system improvement in 
     FY2020. The AAP strongly supports this critical funding 
     increase, which would improve CAPTA's ability to create 
     meaningful change for vulnerable children and families. In 
     addition, the AAP supports the bill's restructuring of CAPTA 
     to shift away from lists of state assurances to intentional 
     strategic planning. This will improve the quality

[[Page H3994]]

     and accountability of CAPTA-financed activities.
       H.R. 2480 also shifts CAPTA toward a public health focus on 
     prevention of child abuse. The bill streamlines CAPTA 
     research topics to focus on understudied areas such as how to 
     best address trauma, promote racial equity, and serve 
     families with substance use disorders in child welfare 
     systems. The Academy strongly supports the inclusion of a 
     provision to allow funds for research into ``sentinel'' 
     injuries. This will help develop practices for improving 
     early detection and management of injuries indicative of 
     potential abuse, preventing further maltreatment and 
     fatalities.
       The AAP also supports the bill's requirement for the U.S. 
     Department of Health and Human Services to create 
     standardized definitions for fatalities and near-fatalities 
     related to maltreatment, and to require data tracking on 
     those incidents. These data will be essential to applying a 
     public health approach to child maltreatment, enabling 
     researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to learn how to 
     better prevent maltreatment from studying the most tragic 
     outcomes.
       The AAP also supports the bill's creation of a new 
     interstate maltreatment registry system. This policy would 
     support essential information sharing to ensure that 
     information about maltreatment a child has experienced can 
     cross state lines. Currently, states do not readily share 
     this information, which can lead to missed opportunities to 
     intervene and protect children from further harm. This is 
     vital to protecting children and preventing child fatalities.
       Child maltreatment is a preventable but pervasive public 
     health problem. This bipartisan legislation offers critically 
     needed innovative approaches to improving child welfare 
     systems. The Academy supports this legislation and looks 
     forward to working with you to advance these important 
     policies.
           Sincerely,
                                         Kyle E. Yasuda, MD, FAAP,
     President.
                                  ____

                                            American Psychological


                                   Association Services, Inc.,

                                      Washington, DC, May 9, 2019.
     Chairman Bobby Scott,
     House Committee on Education and Labor, Washington, DC.
     Representative Kim Schrier,
     Washington, DC.
     Ranking Member Virginia Foxx,
     House Committee on Education and Labor, Washington, DC.
     Representative James Comer,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Scott, Ranking Member Foxx, Representative 
     Schrier, and Representative Comer: On behalf of the nearly 
     118,4000 members and affiliates of the American Psychological 
     Association (APA), thank you for your extraordinary 
     leadership on H.R. 2480, the Stronger Child Abuse Prevention 
     and Treatment Act (Stronger CAPTA). The reforms in this 
     legislation, in concert with the increased funding 
     authorization, are powerful steps toward preventing child 
     abuse and neglect and improving access to treatment and 
     essential services for children and families, especially 
     those recovering from trauma.
       APA is a scientific and professional organization 
     representing psychology, comprised of clinicians, 
     researchers, educators, consultants and students across the 
     United States and around the world. APA works to advance the 
     creation, communication and application of psychological 
     knowledge to benefit society and improve people's lives. Many 
     psychologists are specialized in child development and work 
     across research and practice to serve children and families, 
     including children who have experienced abuse and neglect.
       The Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act takes 
     a streamlined and family-oriented approach to addressing key 
     priorities in child welfare. The bill thoroughly emphasizes 
     the importance of strengthening families through a continuum 
     of services and supports including treating traumatic stress, 
     connecting parents and children to mental and physical health 
     services, programs to develop parenting skills, and other 
     core services. Building on the Family First Prevention 
     Services Act, the new Stronger CAPTA includes a greater focus 
     on the prevention of child abuse and neglect. APA is 
     particularly pleased to see trauma and adverse childhood 
     experiences highlighted across the bill's, research and 
     technical assistance components, as well as the state grants 
     in both Titles I and II. While there is much to be commended 
     in the proposal, APA strongly supports the following 
     elements:


              Improvements in Research and Data Collection

       The priorities set in section 104 focus on key areas of 
     research to identify evidence-based approaches that improve 
     primary prevention efforts, service delivery to children and 
     families, and the wellbeing of victims of child abuse and 
     neglect. The bill emphasizes scalability with an eye toward 
     better serving more children and families, particularly those 
     who have experienced trauma or have complex needs. APA 
     strongly supports the promotion of racial equity within the 
     child welfare system and the development of evidence-based 
     approaches that consider the unique needs of rural, urban, 
     and suburban families. In addition to streamlining research 
     priorities, Stronger CAPTA enables much needed improvements 
     in transparency and state data reporting through an update to 
     the state plan mandates in section 106.


              Reducing Findings of Neglect Due to Poverty

       Consistent with APA's Presidential Initiative on Deep 
     Poverty, APA applauds the new provisions aimed at preventing 
     and reducing findings of child neglect that result from a 
     family's economic insecurity. Keeping families together, 
     whenever possible, is critically important for healthy 
     development and children should not be separated from loving 
     families due to poverty. As the section 106 grants suggest, 
     families in financial need are better served by connecting 
     them to services, such as nutrition assistance benefits.


                    Addressing Complex Family Needs

       GI Stronger CAPTA recognizes the challenges of adequately 
     supporting and improving outcomes for families with complex 
     needs. Some of America's most vulnerable families are those 
     with multiple risk factors for child abuse and neglect, such 
     as parents with substance use disorders, parents who have 
     experienced domestic violence, caregivers and children with 
     disabilities, and young parents. Across both Titles, the bill 
     encourages comprehensive outreach and treatment strategies to 
     identify and support families with complex needs.


                        Substance Use Disorders

       The national epidemic of opioid use disorders has driven a 
     substantial increase in findings of child abuse and neglect 
     that has resulted in more children in the child welfare 
     system. This bill acknowledges the intersection of substance 
     use disorders and child maltreatment and incorporates new 
     provisions to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration 
     across community and public partners, with the goal of 
     ensuring families are connected to the mental health services 
     and additional supports that they need. These reforms reflect 
     a responsiveness to current needs identified by state and 
     local agencies and service providers.


                     Increased authorization levels

       Congress has long sought myriad improvements to CAPTA but 
     has historically failed to appropriate adequate funds for 
     proper implementation. Additional funding is vital to ensure 
     that the meaningful reforms of this legislation are fully 
     realized, to the benefit of vulnerable children and families. 
     The significant increases to authorization levels in H.R. 
     2480 illustrate a renewed commitment protecting children from 
     harm. The importance of the increases proposed cannot be 
     overstated, and the changes must be incorporated into the 
     Fiscal Year 2020 appropriations legislation accordingly, so 
     as to not risk delays in implementation.
       The Stronger Child Abuse and Prevention and Treatment Act 
     represents an encouraging federal commitment to preventing 
     child abuse and neglect before it occurs and proving the best 
     possible continuum of services to support to children and 
     families who have experienced child abuse and neglect. We 
     welcome opportunities to work together to strengthen and 
     advance this legislation.
           Sincerely,
                                                Katherine McGuire,
                                           Chief Advocacy Officer.

  Ms. SCHRIER. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 
2480. I am so pleased that we worked together in a bipartisan fashion.
  Parenting is the hardest job we have, and yet we have no training for 
it. This bill ensures that parents will have the support they need. It 
will save lives and prevent child mistreatment, maltreatment, abuse, 
and neglect.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Schrier) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2480, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________