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Purposes of the CAPTA State Grants

The amendments revise, redesignate and add several purposes for the CAPTA State Grant, as follows:

• Improving the intake, assessment, screening, and investigation of reports of abuse and neglect (section 106(a)(1));

• Creating and improving the use of multidisciplinary teams and interagency protocols to enhance investigations; and improving legal preparation and representation, including —(i) procedures for appealing and responding to appeals of substantiated reports of abuse and neglect; and (ii) provisions for the appointment of an individual appointed to represent a child in judicial proceedings (section 106(a)(2));

• Improving the case management, including ongoing case monitoring¹, and delivery of services and treatment provided to children and their families (section 106(a)(3));

• Enhancing the general child protective system by developing, improving, and implementing risk and safety assessment tools and protocols (section 106(a)(4));

• Developing and updating systems of technology that support the program and track reports of child abuse and neglect from intake through final disposition and allow interstate and intrastate information exchange (section 106(a)(5));

• Developing, strengthening, and facilitating training including —(A) training regarding research-based strategies to promote collaboration with the families; (B) training regarding the legal duties of such individuals²; and (C) personal safety training for caseworkers (section 106(a)(6));

• Improving the skills, qualifications, and availability of individuals providing services to children and families, and the supervisors of such individuals, through the child protection system, including improvements in the recruitment and retention of caseworkers (section 106(a)(7));

• Developing and facilitating training protocols for individuals mandated to report child abuse or neglect (section 106(a)(8));

• Developing and facilitating research-based training for individuals mandated to report child abuse or neglect (section 106(a)(9)³);

• Developing, implementing, or operating programs to assist in obtaining or coordinating necessary services for families of disabled infants with life-threatening conditions, including —
  (A) existing social and health services,
  (B) financial assistance, and
  (C) services necessary to facilitate adoptive placement of any such infants who have been relinquished for adoption (section 106(a)(10));

• Developing and delivering information to educate the public on the role and responsibilities of the child protection system and the nature and basis for reporting suspected incidents of child abuse and neglect (section 106(a)(11));

• Developing and enhancing the capacity of community-based programs to integrate shared leadership strategies between parents and professionals to prevent and treat child abuse and neglect at the neighborhood level (section 106(a)(12));

• Supporting and enhancing interagency collaboration between the child protection system and the juvenile justice system for improved delivery of services and treatment, including methods for continuity of treatment plan and services as children transition between systems (section 106(a)(13)); and

• Supporting and enhancing collaboration among public health agencies, the child protection system, and private community-based programs to provide child abuse and neglect prevention and treatment services (including linkages with education systems) and to address the health needs, including mental health needs, of children identified as abused or neglected, including supporting prompt, comprehensive health and developmental evaluations for children who are the subject of substantiated child maltreatment reports (section 106(a)(14)).⁴

 

¹ Text in italics represents new provisions or changes to an existing provision. back
² Individuals referred to are "individuals overseeing and providing services to children and their families through the child protection system." back
³ There are two purposes related to training mandated reporters as a result of the reauthorization. This appears to be a drafting error. back
⁴ The purpose in former section 106(a)(7), to develop, strengthen and support child abuse and neglect prevention, treatment and research programs in the public and private sectors has been deleted. These activities are still an allowable use of CAPTA State grant funds. back

Attachments

ACYF-CB-PI-03-08
Attachment A	Purposes of the CAPTA State Grants HTML or PDF (85 KB)
Attachment B	New or Revised Eligibility Requirements HTML or PDF (81 KB)