,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ghfh ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,july #cj1 #bjbj,ms4 ,de,lauro 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,bilirakis1 ,mr4 ,suozzi1 ,mr4 ,soto1 ,mr4 ,steube1 and ,mr4 ,rutherford7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,public ,health ,service ,act to improve the health and well-being of maltreated infants and toddlers through the implementation of infant-toddler court teams within ,states1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,strengthening ,america's ,families ,act of #bjbj4 #b4 ,infant-toddler court teams for children experiencing or at risk of maltreatment ,part ,q of title ,,iii of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bhj;h et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #ccj,z-#c4 ,infant-toddler court teams for children experiencing or at risk of maltreatment 7a7 ,continuation and expansion of ,infant-,toddler ,court ,program 7#a7 ,continuation and expansion of program ,the ,secretary1 acting through the ,administrator of the ,health ,resources and ,services ,administration-- 7,a7 shall continue in effect the ,infant-,toddler ,court ,program2 and 7,b7 may1 beginning with fiscal year #bjba1 carry out such program on a national basis4 7#b7 ,infant-,toddler ,court ,program defined ,for purposes of paragraph 7#a71 the term ,infant-,toddler ,court ,program refers to the program carried out pursuant to section #eja7;a77#b7 of the ,social ,security ,act that is designed-- 7,a7 to support research-based infant-toddler court teams for purposes of changing child welfare practices to improve well-being for infants1 toddlers1 and their families1 including efforts to build on1 and continue the work of1 sites established through the ,quality ,improvement ,center for ,research-,based ,infant-,toddler ,court ,teams initiative funded by the ,administration for ,children and ,families2 and 7,b7 to provide training and technical assistance in support of infant-toddler court teams' efforts across the ,united ,states4 7b7 ,grants to ,states for implementation of infant-,toddler court teams 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services1 acting through the ,administrator of the ,health ,resources and ,services ,administration1 may make grants to ,states for purposes of seeding the establishment of1 or stabilizing and enhancing existing1 infant-toddler court teams for children experiencing or at risk of maltreatment4 7#b7 ,use of funds ,a ,state receiving a grant under this subsection may only use funds received through the grant to-- 7,a7 designate a ,state lead agency as a focal point for statewide planning administration and coordination-- 7i7 to identify sites and leadership for1 and establish1 enhance1 or stabilize1 local community infant-toddler court teams2 and 7ii7 to promote collaboration among ,state and local systems that address the needs of-- 7,i7 infants and toddlers and their families within the child welfare system2 and 7,,ii7 individuals in need of preventive family strengthening services to facilitate the provision of local services2 7,b7 provide funding to the sites identified under subparagraph 7,a77i7 to establish1 enhance1 or stabilize local community infant-toddler court teams that meet the criteria specified in paragraph 7#h72 and 7,c7 ensure that local community court team projects-- 7i7 provide for improved communication and coordination among the courts1 child welfare agencies1 and related child-serving organizations-- 7,i7 to share information and expedite appropriate high-quality services for young children and their families in the child welfare system2 and 7,,ii7 to prevent recurrence of maltreatment1 promote timely permanency1 and provide a community structure to help prevent entry into the child welfare system2 7ii7 protect young children in the child welfare system and at risk of entering the child welfare system from further maltreatment and developmental harm and address the damage already done2 and 7iii7 identify and address the structural issues in the child welfare system that are harmful to infants and toddler development and impede the ability to strengthen and stabilize families4 7#c7 ,term of grant ,a grant under this subsection shall be for a term of not less than #c years and may be renewed for a single term not to exceed #h years4 7#d7 ,application process 7,a7 ,in general ,a ,state seeking a grant under this subsection shall submit an application to the ,secretary at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,secretary may require1 including-- 7i7 the information specified in paragraph 7#e72 and 7ii7 a plan for the establishment or enhancement and ongoing support of local community infant-toddler court teams in the ,state4 7,b7 ,lead ,state agency ,the ,governor of a ,state submitting an application under subparagraph 7,a7 shall designate an appropriate ,state lead agency1 such as the ,state ,court ,improvement ,program or the ,state agency that administers child welfare services1 with the ability to carry out the activities specified in paragraph 7#b74 7#e7 ,application contents ,the information specified in this paragraph is-- 7,a7 a description of how the ,state lead agency designated pursuant to paragraph 7#d77;,b7 will implement infant-toddler court team projects that meet the criteria specified in paragraph 7#b77;,c7 and the communities in which local community infant-toddler court teams will be established1 enhanced1 or stabilized2 7,b7 an assurance that the ,state lead agency will consult with representatives of ,state agencies providing services to infants1 toddlers1 and families1 the ,state and local judiciary1 and local communities and stakeholders1 to develop a comprehensive plan for implementing infant-toddler court teams in the ,state1 that includes a plan for determining how the court team structure and approach will inform and support building a family strengthening continuum1 which may include using the infant-toddler court team structure in implementing prevention and family services and programs under section #dga7;e7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #fga7;e772 and 7,c7 a certification that any infant-toddler court team established1 enhanced1 or implemented using funds received through the grant meet the criteria specified in paragraph 7#h74 7#f7 ,continuum requirements ,the continuum referred to in paragraph 7#e77;,b7 shall-- 7,a7 seek to ensure that children and their families1 particularly families with histories of trauma and adversity1 receive effective1 timely services that strengthen protective factors2 7,b7 begin as early as possible before families encounter the child welfare system-- 7i7 to provide comprehensive supportive community services to families with very young children in need of such services2 and 7ii7 to emphasize the social determinants of health to strengthen families and prevent abuse and neglect2 7,c7 for young children with substantiated cases of maltreatment1 including those whose families have been placed in an alternative or differential response program1 include a comprehensive approach to stabilizing and strengthening families and preventing children from being placed in foster care that provides services and supports focused on in-home parent education and specialized programs that address the risk factors for removal of infants and toddlers from the home2 and 7,d7 use the community structure combined with the judicial oversight within the infant-toddler court team to improve outcomes for infants and toddlers who have been placed in foster care and their families through working with communities to ensure that-- 7i7 parents receive intensive services and supports1 including mental health and substance use disorder treatment1 to increase the likelihood of reunification2 and 7ii7 young children receive intensive interventions that will address their developmental needs and heal the trauma of abuse1 neglect1 domestic violence1 and separation from their caregiver and family4 7#g7 ,conditions ,a ,state selected to receive a grant under this subsection1 shall1 as a condition on receipt of such grant-- 7,a7 agree to work with the ,national ,infant-,toddler ,court ,team ,resource ,center established under subsection 7c7 to design or enhance and implement local infant-toddler court teams1 including supporting data collection and continuous quality improvement2 7,b7 provide information to the ,national ,infant-,toddler ,court ,team ,resource ,center on the plan developed pursuant to paragraph 7#e77;,b71 including the development of a continuum of family strengthening services that meets the conditions specified in paragraph 7#f72 7,c7 commit to building sustainability into the ,state lead agency function and the plan referred to in subparagraph 7,b72 and 7,d7 ensure that any infant-toddler court team established1 enhanced1 or implemented using funds received through the grant meets the criteria specified in paragraph 7#h74 7#h7 ,local community infant-toddler court team criteria ,the criteria specified in this paragraph with respect to a local community infant-toddler court team established1 enhanced1 or implemented using funds received through the grant are that the team-- 7,a7 organizes and promotes collaboration1 with leadership from judges and the heads of child welfare agencies1 among community stakeholders and service providers to address the needs of families with infants and toddlers1 through implementing trauma-informed practices for infants and toddlers and their families in the child welfare system and for creating a community structure that can provide a continuum of services2 7,b7 works to strengthen families to prevent foster care placement1 promote timely permanency1 prevent recurrence of maltreatment1 and promote positive early development2 7,c7 is coordinated through a local community coordinator2 7,d7 is composed of community stakeholders that include legal and child welfare professionals involved with families of infants and toddlers and community service providers that-- 7i7 have experience solving problems and filling gaps at the community systems level1 including with respect to evidence-based interventions appropriate for infants and toddlers and their families2 7ii7 receive training on the science of early childhood development1 the impact of trauma1 and the implications for child welfare and family strengthening practice2 7iii7 work to build a community structure for strengthening families across sectors1 including work support1 education1 health 7including mental health71 and social supports2 7iv7 undergo a period of preparation and training before taking families into the infant-toddler court program2 7v7 provide a team of professionals that provides support to an individual family to ensure the needs of individual children within such family and such family as a whole are met2 7vi7 focus on infants and toddlers under the court's jurisdiction or under in-home supervision2 and 7vii7 as resources and team structure permit1 work with families of infants and toddlers outside the child welfare system to provide preventive services to strengthen families of young children and avoid child welfare involvement2 7,e7 supports parents' strengths and needs in a compassionate1 respectful1 holistic1 and individualized way2 7,f7 prevents children from entering and reentering the child welfare system2 7,g7 addresses community service gaps and disparities using evidence-based strategies2 7,h7 commits to working toward sustainability for the infant-toddler court team program2 7,i7 removes barriers to racial equity and social justice1 and prevents disparate outcomes for racial and ethnic minorities1 ,tribes1 and lesbian1 gay1 bisexual1 transgender1 and queer individuals2 7,j7 integrates family support services to meet family needs in a comprehensive way1 including-- 7i7 developmentally appropriate evidence-based interventions for very young children and their families1 including developmental screening1 early intervention services1 high-quality early care and learning programs such as ,early ,head ,start1 and multigenerational mental health treatment focused on the child-caregiver relationship2 and 7ii7 assessments of parents' needs1 including past trauma1 high-quality health services1 including mental health services1 for parents1 including prenatal and postnatal care1 screening for depression1 well-woman care1 mental health treatment1 and evidence-based substance use disorder treatment2 7,k7 infuses a trauma-informed approach in the delivery of family support services that supports children1 families1 and professionals across systems of care2 7,l7 provides for a continuum of parenting interventions and mental health and substances use prevention and treatment services consistent with paragraph 7#g72 7,m7 uses continuous quality improvement practices1 including collecting project data elements established by the ,national ,infant-,toddler ,court ,team ,resource ,center under subsection 7c7 for case management and assessing progress2 and 7,n7 where placement of an infant or toddler in foster care is necessary1 uses-- 7i7 concurrent planning upon removal and limits the number of placements2 7ii7 mentoring and coparenting between birth and foster parents and kin caregivers and supports2 7iii7 preremoval conferences and monthly family team meetings to ensure support for family and child from the beginning as well as timely action and services to address child and family needs2 and 7iv7 frequent1 quality family time interaction or visitation in settings where families normally interact and coaches to support parent-child interactions4 7c7 ,national infant-,toddler court team resource center grant 7#a7 ,grant authorized ,the ,secretary shall award to an eligible entity a grant to establish a national center to carry out the activities specified in paragraph 7#c7 to serve as a resource for infant-toddler court teams 7to be known as and referred to in this section as the ,national ,infant-,toddler ,court ,team ,resource ,center74 ,the term of a grant under this subsection shall be for not less than #c years1 renewable for up to #h years4 7#b7 ,eligible entities ,an entity is eligible to receive a grant under this subsection if the entity is a national early childhood development organization with-- 7,a7 recognized experience as a training organization in infant-toddler development1 infant-early childhood mental health1 and other related topics2 7,b7 experience working in collaboration with1 and providing training to1 court officials1 child welfare agencies1 attorneys1 guardians1 court-appointed special advocates1 and other individuals and community organizations providing services to infants and toddlers in the child welfare system1 including-- 7i7 specific expertise in educating judges1 attorneys1 child welfare staff1 and community service providers about the impacts of child maltreatment and trauma on early development and family functioning2 and 7ii7 experience in incorporating the expertise described in clause 7i7 into the court and child-family service systems to promote change in the way courts and communities address cases involving maltreated infants and toddlers and support other families with infants and toddlers in need of family strengthening services2 7,c7 the capacity to carry out the activities of the ,national ,infant-,toddler ,court ,team ,resource ,center2 7,d7 a proven ability to provide training and technical assistance1 collect data and support its use for continuous quality improvement and evaluation1 and other tasks2 and 7,e7 a demonstrated ability to bring the collective impact of other national organizations together to address the needs of infants and toddlers that touch the child welfare system or are in need of preventive services to strengthen families and avoid the child welfare system4 7#c7 ,activities of national infant-toddler court team resource center ,the ,national ,infant-,toddler ,court ,team ,resource ,center shall carry out the following activities3 7,a7 ,provide technical assistance to ,states and communities with infant-toddler court teams receiving funding under subsection 7a7 established through the ,infant-,toddler ,court ,program1 or through other means in building the systemic team structure to identify and address the needs of at-risk children and families before maltreatment occurs4 7,b7 ,provide technical assistance and training to ,states and local jurisdictions-- 7i7 in selecting sites1 coordinating systems1 planning1 and implementing1 enhancing1 or stabilizing evidence-based infant-toddler court teams1 including embedding a child development approach to promote the healthy development and mitigate trauma of infants and toddlers experiencing or at risk of experiencing maltreatment and their families1 so that such court teams meet the criteria specified in subsection 7b77#g72 and 7ii7 in determining how to use the court team community structure to inform and support the continuum of family strengthening services described in paragraph 7#f74 7,c7 ,develop materials to guide judges in the decision-making process regarding infants and toddlers1 and train members of local infant-toddler court teams and others in the community regarding the appropriate care of infants and toddlers1 including the importance of-- 7i7 understanding early brain development1 the impact of abuse and neglect and placement in foster care1 and the need for preventing such occurrences2 7ii7 the social determinants of health2 7iii7 placement stability and caregiver continuity for very young children2 7iv7 supporting the parent-child relationship2 7v7 comprehensive services for children and parents to reduce the recurrence of abuse and neglect2 7vi7 comprehensive services to monitor and improve the health1 development1 and well-being of infants and toddlers in foster care or in in-home placements2 7vii7 for children placed in foster care1 timely permanent placement frequent parent-child visitation1 and concurrent planning2 and 7viii7 implementing a comprehensive service delivery plan addressing the needs of children and parents at the proximate time of a child's removal from the care of the child's biological parents4 7,d7 ,provide information to ,states1 communities1 and courts around the ,united ,states seeking to adopt an infant-toddler court team approach grounded in the science of early childhood development1 including information related to-- 7i7 the incorporation of knowledge about infant and toddler development into the resolution of cases by judges with jurisdiction over children in foster care and by child welfare agencies overseeing children under in-home supervision2 and 7ii7 methods to change ,state and local government systems to better address the needs of infants and toddlers in the child welfare system and their families4 7,e7 ,coordinate and facilitate peer learning opportunities for judges1 community coordinators1 and other personnel through communities of practice1 learning communities1 conferences1 and other means4 7,f7 ,ensure local infant-toddler court teams collect and report data specified under subparagraph 7,h7 and provide technical assistance in-- 7i7 ensuring quality data collection and reporting2 and 7ii7 using the data collected for case and site monitoring1 to establish a continuous quality improvement process to identify areas that need strengthening1 to develop a plan for such improvements1 and to monitor progress4 7,g7 ,provide technical assistance to ,states and communities-- 7i7 in evidence-based methods to change policies and practices to better address the needs of infants and toddlers experiencing maltreatment and their families as well as infants1 toddlers1 and families in need of services to strengthen families and prevent the likelihood of entry into the child welfare system2 and 7ii7 through onsite implementation assistance to local infant-toddler court teams tailored to the needs of each unique jurisdiction1 using a process of assessing and building on community strengths4 7,h7 ,define key metrics and collect data from local infant-toddler court teams related to the operation and outcomes of the projects supported by ,states receiving a grant under subsection 7b7 and other existing infant-toddler court team sites on elements that include-- 7i7 data on child and parent demographics and relevant family history2 7ii7 adult health care services1 including prenatal and postnatal care1 depression screening1 mental health services1 substance use treatment1 and well-woman care2 7iii7 child services1 including multigenerational mental health treatment focused on the relationship1 developmental screening1 early intervention services1 well-child care and medical homes1 and early childhood education2 7iv7 family engagement activities1 such as family team meetings and court hearings2 7v7 family well-being1 including health equity and health insurance2 7vi7 court practices1 such as frequency of hearings1 family team meetings1 and stakeholder meetings2 and 7vii7 foster care practices that support development and stable relationships1 including placement type1 visitation frequency1 and permanency outcomes and timeliness1 with an emphasis on reunification4 7,i7 ,compile such data annually and report to the ,secretary together with information from ,state planning processes reported under subsection 7b77#g77;,b74 7,j7 ,in developing data elements under subparagraph 7,h71 consult with the organization awarded a contract under paragraph 7#d74 7#d7 ,evaluation ,the ,national ,infant-,toddler ,court ,team ,resource ,center shall enter into a contract with an organization experienced in conducting a child welfare national evaluation over the course of the grant period of the effectiveness of local evidence-based infant-toddler court teams supported by ,states receiving a grant under subsection 7b7 as well as other infant-toddler court team sites that may participate in such evaluation in-- 7,a7 linking children and families to appropriate services and supports that prevent foster care placements1 expedite permanency where placements occur1 and strengthen families in improving family well-being and support for positive child development2 7,b7 preventing1 or reducing the recurrence of1 abuse and neglect2 7,c7 promoting access to timely1 high-quality primary health care and oral health care in a medical home for children and parents2 7,d7 promoting quality parent education1 mentoring1 and coaching to strengthen parenting skills2 7,e7 promoting timely assessment1 referral to1 and receipt of1 mental health treatment and substance use treatment for parents of infants and toddlers2 7,f7 promoting timely permanent placements of maltreated infants and toddlers2 and 7,g7 reducing costs through system improvements4 7d7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,the term child welfare system includes all services and supports provided through a ,state's child welfare system4 7#b7 ,the term ,state means each ,state of the ,united ,states1 the ,district of ,columbia1 each territory or possession of the ,united ,states1 and each federally recognized ,indian ,tribe 7as defined in section #d of the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd774 7e7 ,authorization of appropriations 7#a7 ,in general ,there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section1 #be1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjba1 #bjbb1 #bjbc1 and #bjbd4 7#b7 ,reservation of funds ,of the amounts made available under paragraph 7#a7 for a fiscal year1 the ,secretary shall reserve-- 7,a7 in the case of a fiscal year in which the amount made available under paragraph 7#a7 does not exceed #ae1jjj1jjj1 not less than #e1jjj1jjj for the ,national ,infant-,toddler ,court ,team ,resource ,center established pursuant to subsection 7c72 and 7,b7 in the case of a fiscal year in which the amount made available under paragraph 7#a7 equals or exceeds #ae1jjj1jjj but does not exceed #be1jjj1jjj1 not less than #g1jjj1jjj for such ,center4 4 #c4 ,reports to ,congress ,not later than #c years after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 and not later than #e years after such date of enactment1 the ,secretary shall submit to ,congress a report addressing the implementation and effectiveness of the infant-toddler court teams pursuant to section #ccj,z-#c of the ,public ,health ,service ,act1 as added by section #b1 including-- 7#a7 a compilation of the data on local community infant-toddler court teams included in the annual report from the ,national ,infant-,toddler ,court ,team ,resource ,center established pursuant to such section2 and 7#b7 interim or final results from the national evaluation of infant-toddler court teams conducted under such section4