,,ii #aagth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #agda ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #bj1 #bjba,mr4 ,lujn introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,child ,abuse ,prevention and ,treatment ,act to provide for alternative pathways of addressing child abuse and neglect4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,alternative ,pathways to ,child ,abuse ,prevention ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,section #b of the ,child ,abuse ,prevention and ,treatment ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eaja note7 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#aa71 by inserting trauma-informed1 after child-centered12 7#b7 in paragraphs 7#ab7 and 7#ad71 by inserting 1 ,indian ,tribes1 after ,states each place such term appears2 and 7#c7 in subparagraphs 7,c7 and 7,d7 of paragraph 7#ae71 by inserting and ,indian ,tribes after ,states each place such term appears4 #c4 ,advisory board on child abuse and neglect ,section #ajb of the ,child ,abuse ,prevention and ,treatment ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eajb7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7c7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#ac71 by striking and2 7,b7 in paragraph 7#ad71 by striking the period and inserting 2 and2 and 7,c7 by adding at the end the following3 7#ae7 domestic violence advocates and experts4 2 and 7#b7 in subsection 7f7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#b71 by striking 2 and2 7,b7 in paragraph 7#c71 by striking the period and inserting 2 and2 and 7,c7 by adding at the end the following3 7#d7 recommendations for actions ,federal1 ,state1 ,tribal1 and local public agencies can take to safely reduce the number of families referred to child protective services and direct such families to alternative pathways of preventive1 family-centered services for support4 4 #d4 ,national clearinghouse for information relating to child abuse ,section #ajc of the ,child ,abuse ,prevention and ,treatment ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eajd7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7b7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#c71 by striking relating to differential response2 and inserting 8relating to-- 7,a7 differential response2 and 7,b7 the use of alternative pathways that connect families experiencing difficulty meeting basic needs or other risk factors associated with child abuse and neglect1 such as parental stress1 family violence1 and isolation1 to community-based systems and programs that strengthen families seeking support instead of to the child protection system1 such as-- 7i7 ,state1 ,tribal1 or local helplines that provide information or assistance and connect families to voluntary community-based support services2 and 7ii7 alternative pathways for mandated reporters and other concerned adults to use to refer families for voluntary supports outside of the child protection system2 2 7,b7 in paragraph 7#h7 1 by striking subparagraph 7,b7 and inserting the following3 7,b7 appropriate ,state1 ,tribal1 and local officials to assist in training law enforcement1 legal1 judicial1 medical1 physical1 behavioral1 and mental health1 education1 child welfare1 substance use disorder treatment services1 and domestic violence services personnel1 including training on-- 7i7 the role of the child protective services system to identify children at risk of serious harm2 and 7ii7 how to direct families in need to alternative pathways to community-based systems and programs that strengthen such families in order to safely reduce the number of families unnecessarily referred to child protective services2 and 2 and 7,c7 in paragraph 7#i71 by inserting for both victims and for people who use violence before the period2 and 7#b7 in subsection 7c77#a77;,c7-- 7,a7 in clause 7iii71 by striking 2 and and inserting a semicolon2 7,b7 in clause 7iv71 by inserting and after the semicolon2 and 7,c7 by adding at the end the following3 7v7 information on the presence of domestic violence in advance of a child death2 4 #e4 ,research and assistance activities ,section #ajd of the ,child ,abuse ,prevention and ,treatment ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eaje7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7a77#a7-- 7,a7 in subparagraph 7,l71 by inserting and the use of alternative pathways that connect families to community-based prevention services where possible instead of system involvement after differential response2 and 7,b7 in subparagraph 7,o7-- 7i7 in clause 7ix71 by inserting presence of domestic violence1 after size712 7ii7 in clause 7x71 by striking 2 and and inserting a semicolon2 7iii7 in clause 7xi71 by striking the period and inserting 2 and2 and 7iv7 by adding at the end the following3 7xii7 the prevalence of domestic violence in child abuse and neglect reports and open cases4 2 7#b7 in subsection 7b77#b7-- 7,a7 in subparagraph 7,c71 by striking 2 and and inserting a semicolon2 7,b7 in subparagraph 7,d71 by striking the period and inserting 2 and2 and 7,c7 by adding at the end the following3 7,e7 ways to safely decrease the number of families being referred to child protective services and instead provide them with alternative pathways to community-based child abuse prevention services that strengthen families4 2 and 7#c7 in subsection 7e77#c71 by inserting and for demonstration projects that focus on building research-based protective factors in community organizations1 health care1 and schools for adult and child survivors of domestic violence as a strategy for keeping children out of the child protective services system before the period4 #f4 ,grants to ,states1 ,indian ,tribes or ,tribal organizations1 and public or private agencies and organizations ,section #aje7;a7 of the ,child ,abuse ,prevention and ,treatment ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eajf7;a77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#b77;,b71 by inserting and case management after through referral2 7#b7 in paragraph 7#e71 by inserting for survivors or people who use violence after violence service agencies2 7#c7 in paragraph 7#f71 by inserting accountability and meaningful pathways to change for the person using violence1 after parent involved and children12 and 7#d7 by adding at the end the following3 7#h7 ,alternative pathways to community-based family-strengthening services and programs ,the ,secretary may award grants to collaborations of ,state1 ,tribal1 and local child welfare agencies with community-based providers to support the development and implementation of alternative pathways and systems and supports that connect families experiencing difficulty meeting basic needs or risk factors associated with child abuse and neglect to community-based systems and programs that assist families seeking support as an alternative to the child protection system1 such as supporting-- 7,a7 the development and implementation of-- 7i7 local or ,state helplines1 websites1 or mobile applications that provide information or assistance and connect families to voluntary community-based support services1 including local programs supported under title ,,ii2 7ii7 a continuum of preventive services that strengthen families and promote child1 parent1 and family well-being2 and 7iii7 alternative pathways for mandatory reporters and other concerned adults to use to connect families to voluntary supports outside of child protection systems and educating adults about such pathways2 and 7,b7 the hiring of personnel to help connect families to voluntary supports outside of child protection systems1 navigate barriers to accessing these services1 and ensure services exist where families live and work4 4 #g4 ,grants to ,states for child abuse or neglect prevention and treatment programs ,section #ajf of the ,child ,abuse ,prevention and ,treatment ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eajf;a7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7a7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#ac77;,b71 by striking 2 or and inserting a semicolon2 7,b7 in paragraph 7#ad77;,b71 by striking the period and inserting 2 or2 and 7,c7 by adding at the end the following3 7#ae7 improving the child protective system to focus children at most serious risk of harm and safely reduce the number of families investigated for child abuse and neglect by increasing the number of families connected to voluntary1 community-based systems and programs that assist families in need of supports and services1 including by developing1 implementing1 and expanding-- 7,a7 local or ,state helplines1 websites1 and mobile applications that connect families to voluntary community-based resources1 including local programs funded under title ,,ii2 7,b7 a continuum of preventive services that strengthen families and promote child1 parent1 and family well-being2 7,c7 alternative pathways for mandatory reporters and other concerned adults to use to refer families for voluntary supports outside of child protection systems and educating adults about such systems2 and 7,d7 personnel to help connect families to voluntary supports outside of child protection systems1 navigate barriers to accessing these services1 and ensure services exist where families live and work4 2 and 7#b7 in subsection 7b77#b77;,d7-- 7,a7 in clause 7v71 by striking 2 and and inserting a semicolon2 7,b7 in clause 7vi71 by adding and after the semicolon2 and 7,c7 by adding at the end the following3 7vii7 changes in policies and procedures of ,state and local child welfare agencies that-- 7,i7 reduce the number of families referred to such agencies for incidents that are not child abuse or neglect1 such as families referred to the child protective system solely based on circumstances related to poverty2 7,,ii7 develop1 implement1 and scale systems of alternative pathways 7in coordination with the lead entity and local programs supported by title ,,ii7 that connect such families to voluntary community-based support to build protective factors that reduce the likelihood of child abuse and neglect1 or that reduce harm as a result of domestic violence1 including efforts to educate mandatory reporters and other concerned adults about such systems to refer families for voluntary supports outside of child protection systems2 and 7,,iii7 increase supports for families in navigating and accessing voluntary community-based support to reduce the likelihood of child abuse and neglect or that reduce harm as a result of domestic violence1 including personnel and casework4 4 #h4 ,grants to ,states for programs relating to the investigation and prosecution of child abuse and neglect cases ,section #ajg7;c77#a7 of the ,child ,abuse ,prevention and ,treatment ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eajf;c7c77#a77 is amended-- 7#a7 in subparagraph 7,i71 by striking 2 and and inserting a semicolon2 7#b7 in subparagraph 7,j71 by striking the period and inserting 2 and2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following3 7,k7 domestic violence and sexual violence prevention and treatment advocates4 4 #i4 ,authorization of appropriations 7a7 ,title ,i ,section #aab7;a77#a7 of the ,child ,abuse ,prevention and ,treatment ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eajf;h7a77#a77 is amended by striking #abj1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjaj and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years #bjaa through #bjae and inserting #ejj1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjbb and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years #bjbc through #bjbg4 7b7 ,title ,,ii ,section #bji of the ,child ,abuse ,prevention and ,treatment ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eaaf;i7 is amended by striking #hj1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjaj and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years #bjaa through #bjae and inserting #a1jjj1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjbb and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years #bjbc through #bjbg4