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Home > Laws & Policies > Policy/Program Issuances > Program Instructions > PI-03-01

Part I: Introduction

Vision for a Network of Family Resource and Support Services

The enactment of the Community-Based Family Resource and Support Grants (CBFRS) legislation, Title II of CAPTA, on October 3, 1996, provided States with additional incentives to create Statewide networks for ensuring the safety of children in their families and neighborhoods. This legislation has a rich history, beginning with the Child Abuse Prevention Federal Challenge Grants Act in 1984 — the first law to direct Federal funds specifically to assist State efforts in preventing child abuse and neglect. Amendments to the law in 1992 and 1994 broadened the earlier legislation to include the provision of community-based child abuse prevention activities and family resource services.

The 1996 CBFRS legislation recognizes that individual child abuse and neglect prevention programs cannot stand alone. The most effective way to meet the challenge of preventing child abuse and neglect is for all child abuse prevention and treatment programs - public and private - to work together in partnership to achieve their common goals.

The CBFRS legislation includes provisions requiring that lead agencies have the capacity to establish Statewide networks of family support programs that (1) are based on State and community interagency partnerships, and (2) are implemented through an interdisciplinary, collaborative public-private structure that includes parents as full partners. Another prevailing theme of this legislation is that lead agencies are to seek innovative approaches to coordinating funding streams and leveraging additional resources to augment the Federal funds.

The Administration has established key priority areas which include promoting responsible fatherhood, healthy marriages, strengthening families, and outreach to faith and community-based organizations. The CBFRS program provides opportunities to advance these areas within the field of child abuse prevention. Emphasis should be placed on identifying ways to incorporate these priorities into CBFRS programs in the States.

The CBFRS grantees are in a unique position of leadership as they assume responsibility for directing the network of public-private partnerships and continuum of preventive services for children and families. Our children's safety and well-being will be best ensured when Federal, State, and community agencies work collaboratively to better coordinate programs and services and be responsive to the needs of all families.

A. Background

On October 3, 1996, the President signed the CAPTA Amendments of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-235). This legislation, among other things, amended Title II of CAPTA to create a new Community-Based Family Resource and Support Grants program by combining the authorities for: (1) the Community-Based Family Resource Programs (established under Title IV of the Human Services Amendments of 1994); (2) applicable programs under the Temporary Child Care for Children with Disabilities and Crisis Nurseries Act of 1986; and (3) the Family Support Program (Subtitle F of Title VII of the McKinney Homeless Assistance Act).

The purposes of the CBFRS program are: (1) to support State efforts to develop, operate, expand, and enhance a network of community-based, prevention-focused, family resource and support programs that coordinate resources among a range of existing public and private organizations; and (2) to foster understanding, appreciation, and knowledge of diverse populations in order to effectively prevent and treat child abuse and neglect.

A copy of Title II of the CAPTA Amendments of 1996, together with excerpts relating to the CBFRS program from (1) the Senate Report on those amendments (Senate Report 104-117), and (2) the September 25, 1996 Congressional Record (comments by Congressman Goodling) are included as Attachment 1.

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B. Use of Funds

Section 201(b) of the Act provides that funds made available to States under the CBFRS program must be used for:

  1. Developing, operating, expanding, and enhancing Statewide networks of community-based, prevention-focused, family resource and support programs that —

    1. Offer assistance to families;
    2. Provide early, comprehensive support for parents;
    3. Promote the development of parenting skills, especially in young parents and parents with very young children;
    4. Increase family stability;
    5. Improve family access to other formal and informal resources and opportunities for assistance available within communities;
    6. Support the additional needs of families with children with disabilities through respite care and other services; and
    7. Decrease the risk of homelessness. (Note: This provision has been removed from proposed bills in both the House and the Senate, but it is not yet law.)

  2. Fostering the development of a continuum of preventive services for children and families through State and community-based public and private partnerships.

  3. Financing the start-up, maintenance, expansion, or redesign of a variety of specific family resource and support program services that have been identified as unmet needs, and integrated with the network of community-based family resource and support programs, to the extent practicable.

  4. Maximizing funding for establishing, operating, or expanding a Statewide network of community-based, prevention-focused, family resource and support programs.

  5. Financing public information activities that focus on the healthy and positive development of parents and children and promotion of child abuse and neglect prevention activities.

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C. Availability and Distribution of Funds

The appropriation act enacted by the Congress makes $33.2 million available for the CBFRS program in Federal fiscal year 2003.

A certain amount must be set aside for specific legislative purposes, including: (1) one percent of the total appropriation "to make allotments to Indian tribes and tribal organizations and migrant programs;" (§203(a)) and (2) continued funding for a National Resource Center for CBFRS, and (3) continued funding for program support.

The remainder of the 2003 appropriation will be distributed to the States and Territories, as described below:

  1. Grants to States:

    A State1 is eligible for a grant under the CBFRS program if, in accordance with the eligibility requirements of §202, the State's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) has designated a lead entity to administer funds under this program and provided certain assurances. (The eligibility requirements are described in detail in Part II of this PI.)

    Section 203(b)(1) provides that the funds available for distribution to the States under the CBFRS program will be allotted as follows:

    1. Seventy percent (70%) of the funds will be allotted proportionately among the States based on the number of children under age 18 residing in each State2, "except that no State shall receive less than $175,000.."; and

    2. Thirty percent (30%) of the funds will be allotted proportionately among the States based on the amount leveraged by the State from private, State, or other non-Federal sources and directed through the State lead agency in the preceding fiscal year (i.e., 10/1/01 to 9/30/02). If the aggregate of the amounts of leveraged funds claimed by the States exceeds 30% of the amount appropriated under §210, that part of the grant award will be reduced for each State on a pro rata basis. The requirements for leveraged funds are discussed in Part III-G.

  2. Grants to Territories:

    The following Territories are eligible to receive funds under the CBFRS program: the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. These Territories are eligible to submit either: (1) a consolidated grant application in accordance with 45 CFR Part 97, OR (2) an independent application that meets all of the requirements set forth in this Program Instruction.

    Consolidated Application: If a Territory chooses to submit a consolidated grant application, it need not submit an application under this Program Instruction. An eligible Territory that applies for a consolidated grant will receive the base amount of $175,000 authorized under the CBFRS program. These grant funds will be included in the Territory's consolidated grant.

    Independent Application: If an eligible Territory submits an independent application that meets the requirements of this Program Instruction, the Territory is also eligible to submit a claim for its leveraged funds in accordance with §203(b)(1)(B) above, and receive its proportionate share of those funds, in addition to receiving the base amount of $175,000 for its population. If a Territory's independent application is approved, the designated lead agency of the Territory must ensure that the CBFRS grant funds it receives will be used only for the purposes set forth in Part I of this Program Instruction.

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D. Coordination and Collaboration with Existing Organizations

The CBFRS program is specifically authorized to foster the development of a continuum of preventive services for children and families through State and community-based collaborations and public-private partnerships. States have already established a broad range of Federal, State, and locally funded programs to support the prevention of child abuse and neglect and to provide community-based (and in several States, faith-based) resources to families. It is the responsibility of the lead agency to use the funds awarded under this authority to direct the networking effort that will integrate existing services and identify unmet needs that may be addressed by programs such as those described below:

These examples of programs are not meant to be all-inclusive. A strategic plan for the development of a network of family resource programs should include existing education, vocational rehabilitation, disability, health, mental health, job readiness, self-sufficiency, child and family development, community action, juvenile justice, domestic violence prevention and intervention, housing, faith and community-based, and other human service organizations within the State.

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E. Definitions

The following terms used in this Program Instruction have the same meaning given those terms in §209 of the Act: (1) "children with disabilities"; (2) "community referral services"; (3) "family resource and support program"; (4) "outreach services"; and (5) "respite care services". (See Attachment 1.)

It is expected that lead agencies will require local service providers to describe their services and programs according to these definitions so that there are common frames of reference within and across States in the implementation of this program.

 

1 In the absence of a definition in Title II, we have interpreted "STATE" as having the meaning given the term in CAPTA, §111 (5)[42 USC 5106g (5)], (i.e., "State" means each of the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.) back
2 The calculation of that portion of a State's award under paragraph (A) of the formula will be computed by ACYF, using the most current population data provided by the Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce. back

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