ACYF-IM-94-19 10/26/94

ACF Administration for Children and Families	U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Administration for Children, Youth and Families
	1. Log No.: ACYF-IM-94-19	2. Issuance Date: 10/26/94
	3. Originating Office: National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, Family and Youth Services Bureau, and Children's Bureau
	4. Key Word: Community-Based Family Resource Program

INFORMATION MEMORANDUM

To: Offices of the Governors; State Children's Trust and Prevention Funds; Emergency Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Services Grantees; Family Resource and Support Demonstration Grantees; State Agencies Administering of Supervising the Administration of Titles IV-E and IV-B of the Social Security Act; Crisis Nurseries and Respite Care Grantees;

SUBJECT: New Legislation: Community-Based Family Resource Programs Legislation (The Human Services Amendments of 1994)

LEGAL AND RELATED REFERENCES: Title IV of the Human Services Amendments of 1994 (P.L. 103-252); Section 107A and Title II of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5106a-1, 5116 et seq.); Section 933 of the Claude Pepper Young Americans Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12339)

PURPOSE: This memorandum is intended to inform the States and the District of Columbia of the passage of new legislation and to provide basic information about the new statute and requirements related to Community-Based Family Resource Programs.

BACKGROUND: On May 18, 1994, the President signed the Human Services Amendments of 1994 which includes a number of provisions. Among other things, this legislation established a new Title II of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) entitled Community-Based Family Resource Programs.

Attached is a copy of Title IV of the Human Services Amendments of 1994 which contains the Community-Based Family Resource Program amendments passed by Congress. Also attached is the text of the Conference Committee report as published in the Congressional Record on May 9, 1994, which will contribute to a fuller understanding of Congressional intent.

Title IV of the Human Services Amendments of 1994 repealed the Family Resource and Support Grant program (section 933 of the Claude Pepper Young Americans Act,) the Emergency Child Abuse Prevention Services Grant program (section 107A of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act,) and the Community-Based Prevention Grant program (Title II of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act.)

INFORMATION: The major provisions of this new program are as follows:

To assist each State in implementing/ enhancing a statewide system of family resource services through innovative funding mechanisms and broad collaboration. Special attention should be paid to the section of the Conference Committee Report (Attached) captioned "LEAD AGENCY," as it is instructive with respect to relating the purpose of the legislation to the choice of the State lead agency, the importance of interdisciplinary governance, and the importance of involving a cross-section of agencies, organizations and individual families in planning and operating these programs. In States with one or more existing agencies or organizations eligible to administer this grant it may not be necessary to create a new entity for the purpose of administering this grant. Such States may choose the entity from among a number of eligible organizations, or may create a new entity, at State option.
To support a broad range of child abuse and neglect prevention activities and family resource programs. These programs should provide community-based services that support families.
A grant will be made to the officially- designated body in each State, including the District of Columbia, that meets the eligibility requirements. Part of the grant amount will be calculated on the basis of the number of children under 18 in the State, with a minimum award of $100,000 per State. In the aggregate, this will total fifty percent of the Congressional appropriation. The other part of the grant award will be a 25% Federal match of the amount collected in the Trust Fund or other pooled funding mechanism by each eligible State for integrating family resource services in Federal fiscal year 1994 (October 1, 1993 - September 30, 1994.) If the aggregate of these 25% matches exceeds 50% of the appropriation, the amounts for this part of the grant award will be reduced pro rata.
A State is eligible for a grant under this program if 1) that State has established or maintained, at the time application is made, a trust fund or any other mechanism that pools State, Federal, and private funds for integrating child, youth and family service resources; and 2) such trust fund or other funding mechanism includes provisions making funding available for a broad range of child abuse and neglect prevention activities and family resource programs.
The sum of $31,363,000 has been appropriate by Congress for this program for fiscal year 1995. Three States and a grantee exploring family resource programs in Indian country currently receive Federal funds under the Family Resource and Support grant program; Maryland, Virginia, Connecticut, and the National Congress of American Indians. These four grantees will continue to receive funds through the end of the grant cycle (FY 1995) at the same level for a total of $4.65 million which will be deducted from the amount appropriated for this program. The three States may also apply for additional funds under this new legislative authority.

To ensure full and effective implementation of this legislation, the Administration on Children, Youth and Families will issue a Program Instruction early in fiscal year 1995 which will describe the Community-Based Family Resource Program requirements and application instructions.

INQUIRIES TO: Regional Administrators, ACF

Regions I-X
Olivia A. Golden
Commissioner
Administration on Children, Youth and Families

Attachments:

Title IV of the Human Services Amendments of 1994
Excerpt from the Joint Explanatory Statement of the Committee of Conference (Congressional Record, May 9, 1994, Pages H3178-H3180)
List of Regional Administrators

[The attachments are not available in electronic format.]