[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8814 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8814
To amend part B of title IV of the Social Security Act to establish a
competitive grant program to enhance the ability of evidence-based
child welfare programs to meet the research standards set by the Family
First Prevention Services Clearinghouse, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 25, 2024
Mr. Feenstra (for himself and Mr. Kildee) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend part B of title IV of the Social Security Act to establish a
competitive grant program to enhance the ability of evidence-based
child welfare programs to meet the research standards set by the Family
First Prevention Services Clearinghouse, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Strengthening Evidence-based
Prevention Services Act of 2024''.
SEC. 2. COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM.
Section 435 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 629e) is amended
by adding at the end the following:
``(f) Prevention Services Evaluation Partnerships.--
``(1) Purpose.--The purpose of this subsection is to
authorize the Secretary to make competitive grants to support
the timely evaluation of--
``(A) services and programs described in section
471(e); or
``(B) kinship navigator programs described in
section 474(a)(7).
``(2) Grants.--In accordance with applications approved
under this subsection, the Secretary may make grants, on a
competitive basis, to eligible entities to carry out projects
designed to evaluate a service or program provided by the
eligible entity or an entity in partnership with the eligible
entity with respect to the requirements for a promising
practice, supported practice, or well-supported practice
described in section 471(e)(4)(C).
``(3) Applications.--
``(A) In general.--An eligible entity may apply to
the Secretary for a grant under this subsection to
carry out a project that meets the following
requirements:
``(i) The project is designed in accordance
with paragraph (2).
``(ii) The project is to be carried out by
the applicant in partnership with--
``(I) a State agency that
administers, or supervises the
administration of, the State plan
approved under part E, or an agency
administering the plan under the
supervision of the State agency; and
``(II) if the applicant is unable
or unwilling to do so, at least 1
external evaluator to carry out the
evaluation of the service or program
provided by the applicant.
``(B) Contents.--The application shall contain the
following, in a form and manner determined by the
Secretary:
``(i) A description of the project,
including--
``(I) a statement explaining why a
grant is necessary to carry out the
project; and
``(II) the amount of grant funds
that would be disbursed to each entity
described in subparagraph (A)(ii) in
partnership with the applicant.
``(ii) A certification from each entity
described in subparagraph (A)(ii) that provides
assurances that the individual or entity is in
partnership with the applicant and will fulfill
the responsibilities of the entity specified in
the description provided pursuant to clause (i)
of this subparagraph.
``(iii) A certification from the applicant
that provides assurances that the applicant
intends to comply with subparagraph
(A)(ii)(II), if applicable.
``(iv) A certification from the applicant
that the applicant requires an external
evaluator secured by the Secretary pursuant to
paragraph (5), if applicable.
``(v) Any additional information the
Secretary may require.
``(4) Priorities.--In approving applications under this
subsection, the Secretary shall prioritize the following:
``(A) Addressing, with respect to the clearinghouse
of practices described in section 476(d)(2),
deficiencies or gaps identified by the Secretary in
consultation with--
``(i) States, political subdivisions of a
State, and tribal communities carrying out, or
receiving the benefits of, a service or
program; and
``(ii) child welfare experts, including
experts with lived experience.
``(B) Maximizing the number of services or programs
to be included in the clearinghouse of practices
described in section 476(d)(2).
``(C) Timely completing evaluations and the
production of evidence.
``(D) Supporting services or programs that are
based on, or are adaptations to new population settings
of, a service or program with reliable evidence about
the benefits and risks of the service or program, as
determined by the Secretary.
``(5) Availability of external evaluators.--
``(A) In general.--Before accepting applications
under this subsection, the Secretary shall make
reasonable efforts to secure at least 1 entity to serve
as an external evaluator for any eligible entity that
includes a certification under paragraph (3)(B)(iv)
with an application under this subsection.
``(B) Fees for services.--The Secretary and each
external evaluator described in subparagraph (A)
shall--
``(i) agree to and establish--
``(I) the fees that the external
evaluator may charge to an eligible
entity to carry out an evaluation of a
service or program provided by the
eligible entity; and
``(II) the expected timeframe for
the external evaluator to carry out the
evaluation based on the needs of the
eligible entity; and
``(ii) make publicly available a
specification of the fees and timeframe before
the Secretary accepts applications under this
subsection.
``(C) No effect on consideration of application.--
The Secretary may not consider whether an eligible
entity is in partnership with an external evaluator
described in paragraph (A) in approving an application
under this subsection submitted by the eligible entity.
``(6) Reports.--
``(A) By grant recipients.--Within 1 year after
receiving a grant under this subsection, and every year
thereafter for the next 5 years, the grant recipient
shall submit to the Secretary a written report on--
``(i) the use of grant funds;
``(ii) whether the program or service
evaluated by the project meets a requirement
specified in section 471(e)(4)(C), including
information about--
``(I) how the program or service is
being carried out in accordance with
standards specified in the requirement;
``(II) any outcomes of the program
or service; and
``(III) any outcome with respect to
which the service or program compares
favorably to a comparison practice; and
``(iii) whether the Secretary has included
the program or service in an update to the
clearinghouse of practices described in section
476(d)(2).
``(B) By the secretary.--The Secretary shall submit
to the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of
Representatives and to the Committee on Finance of the
Senate an annual written report on--
``(i) the grants awarded under this
subsection;
``(ii) the programs funded by the grants;
``(iii) any technical assistance provided
by the Secretary in carrying out this
subsection, including with respect to the
efforts to secure external evaluators pursuant
to paragraph (5); and
``(iv) any efforts by the Secretary to
support program evaluation and review pursuant
to section 471(e) and inclusion of programs in
the pre-approved list of services and programs
described in section 471(e)(4)(D) or the
clearinghouse of practices described in section
476(d)(2).
``(7) Restriction on funding.--The Secretary may not make a
grant under this subsection to an eligible entity that is a
for-profit business.
``(8) Regulations.--The Secretary may prescribe regulations
to carry out this subsection.
``(9) Funding.--
``(A) Authorization.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this subsection $5,000,000
for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2029.
``(B) Limitations.--Of the amounts available to
carry out this subsection, the Secretary may use not
more than 5 percent to provide technical assistance.
``(C) Carryover.--Amounts made available to carry
out this section shall remain available until expended.
``(10) Definitions.--In this subsection:
``(A) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity'
means any of the following providing a service or
program or, in the sole determination of the Secretary,
able to provide a service or program if awarded a grant
under this subsection:
``(i) A State, a political subdivision of a
State, or an agency or department of a State or
political subdivision of a State.
``(ii) An entity described in subparagraph
(A) or (B) of section 426(a)(1).
``(B) External evaluator.--The term `external
evaluator' means an entity with the ability and
willingness to evaluate a service or program pursuant
to paragraph (2) that is not provided by the entity.
``(C) Service or program.--The term `service or
program'--
``(i) means a service or program described
in section 471(e); and
``(ii) includes a kinship navigator program
described in section 474(a)(7).''.
<all>