Emergency Family Stabilization Act
This bill establishes a competitive grant program within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) for family stabilization agencies to provide emergency relief to children, youth, and families experiencing homelessness. These agencies include current ACF grantees or subgrantees, tribes and tribal organizations, and other organizations with expertise providing direct services to those experiencing homelessness. Recipients may use grant funds for, among other purposes, personnel costs, personal protective equipment, and other supplies to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019), as well as payments for security deposits and other housing-related needs.
Additionally, the ACF must award the grants based on factors including the need for the services in the area served by the agency and specified allocation and prioritization requirements.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7950 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7950
To provide emergency relief to youth, children, and families
experiencing homelessness, in light of the health and economic
consequences of COVID-19.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
August 7, 2020
Mr. Yarmuth (for himself, Mr. Bacon, Mr. Danny K. Davis of Illinois,
and Mr. Young) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Financial Services
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide emergency relief to youth, children, and families
experiencing homelessness, in light of the health and economic
consequences of COVID-19.
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 ``Emergency Family Stabilization
Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Current acf grant or subgrant recipient.--The term
``current ACF grant or subgrant recipient'' means an Indian
Tribe, Tribal organization, local educational agency, or a
local public, private, or Indian nonprofit agency or
organization (including culturally specific community-based and
faith-based organizations) that, as of the date of application
for a grant under section 3, is also receiving another grant or
subgrant administered by the Administration for Children and
Families.
(2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of
the Office of Community Services of the Department of Health
and Human Services.
(3) Direct services.--
(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph
(B), the term ``direct services'' does not include
providing referrals or operating a coordinated entry
system or homeless management information system, by
itself.
(B) Indian tribes or tribal organizations.--An
Indian Tribe or Tribal organization that provides
referrals or assists other service providers with
direct services shall be considered as providing direct
services for purposes of this Act.
(4) Family stabilization agency.--The term ``family
stabilization agency'' means--
(A) a current ACF grant or subgrant recipient;
(B) an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization;
(C) an urban Indian organization;
(D) a local educational agency; or
(E) a local public, private, or Indian nonprofit
agency or organization (including community-based,
culturally specific, and faith-based organizations),
with expertise and demonstrated experience providing
direct services to 1 or more of the following
populations:
(i) Children experiencing homelessness,
including children under age 6.
(ii) Unaccompanied homeless youth under the
age of 18.
(iii) Unaccompanied homeless youth between
the ages of 18 and 25.
(iv) Pregnant women, and pregnant or
parenting youth, experiencing homelessness.
(v) Families experiencing homelessness.
(vi) Survivors of dating violence, domestic
violence, sexual assault, family violence, or
trafficking.
(5) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' means an
Indian tribe, as defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
(6) Local educational agency.--The term ``local educational
agency'' has the meaning given the term in section 8101 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
7801).
(7) Rural.--The term ``rural'' means a unit of local
government with a population of less than 50,000.
(8) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Health and Human Services.
(9) Tribal organization.--The term ``Tribal organization''
means a tribal organization, as defined in section 4 of the
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25
U.S.C. 5304).
(10) Urban indian organization.--The term ``urban Indian
organization'' has the meaning given the term ``Urban Indian
organization'' in section 4 of the Indian Health Care
Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1603).
(11) Youth, child, or family experiencing homelessness.--
The term ``youth, child, or family experiencing homelessness''
means--
(A) a homeless child or youth, as defined in
section 725(2) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11434a(2)), who is under the
age of 25;
(B) an unaccompanied youth, as defined in section
725(6) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
(42 U.S.C. 11434a(6)), who is under the age of 25; or
(C) a household of not less than 2 people that
includes not less than 1 person under age 22 who is a
homeless child or youth, as defined in section 725(2)
of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42
U.S.C. 11434a(2)).
(12) State.--The term ``State'' means any of the several
States, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands of the
United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American
Samoa, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
SEC. 3. GRANTS TO FAMILY STABILIZATION AGENCIES.
(a) Grant Program Authorized.--
(1) In general.--From amounts made available under section
4 and not reserved under subsection (b), the Secretary, acting
through the Director, shall, on a competitive basis in
accordance with subsection (d), award grants to family
stabilization agencies (including current ACF grant or subgrant
recipients and entities that have not previously received
grants from the Administration for Children and Families) to
enable the family stabilization agencies to carry out the
activities described in subsection (e).
(2) Distribution timing.--
(A) Current acf grant or subgrant recipients.--The
Secretary shall award grants under this section, in
accordance with subsection (d), to family stabilization
agencies that are current ACF grant or subgrant
recipients by not later than the date that is 45 days
after the date of enactment of this Act.
(B) Additional grantees.--The Secretary shall award
grants under this section, in accordance with
subsection (d), to family stabilization agencies that
are not current ACF grant or subgrant recipients by not
later than the date that is 130 days after the date of
enactment of this Act.
(3) Dissemination of applications.--The Secretary shall--
(A) ensure the application for grants under this
Act is broadly disseminated, including through public
posting on the website of the Administration for
Children and Families and sharing with current ACF
grant or subgrant recipients; and
(B) make special dissemination efforts to rural
areas and among Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations.
(b) Reservation.--The Secretary shall reserve not less than 1
percent and not more than 1.5 percent of the amount appropriated under
this Act to be used for administration, oversight, and technical
assistance activities through the Administration for Children and
Families.
(c) Application.--A family stabilization agency that desires to
receive a grant under this Act shall submit an application to the
Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing or accompanied
by such information as the Secretary may reasonably require. Such
application shall include the following:
(1) A description of the housing, education, health, mental
and behavioral health, employment, and other needs of youth,
children, and families experiencing homelessness, in the area
served by such agency, specifically including youth, children,
and families who are sharing the housing of other persons due
to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason.
(2) Available data on the extent of youth, child, and
family homelessness in the area served by such agency,
including data available from local educational agencies and
data on child poverty in the area.
(3) A description of barriers youth, children, and families
experiencing homelessness face in accessing services, including
barriers related to dating violence, domestic violence, sexual
assault, family violence, poverty, lack of employment, lack of
transportation, lack of telephone and internet connectivity,
educational needs, and language accessibility.
(4) A description of such agency's direct service expertise
and experience with youth, child, or family homelessness,
specifically including youth, children, and families who are
sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing,
economic hardship, or a similar reason.
(5) A description of the area served by such agency,
including whether the service area is urban, suburban, rural,
or Tribal. If the applicant claims to cover a Tribal service
area but is not an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization, the
applicant shall provide evidence of having consulted with the
Indian Tribe or Tribal organization whose service area the
applicant claims to cover and provide proof that the Indian
Tribe or Tribal organization supports the applicant's
application.
(6) A description of such agency's existing partnerships
with other agencies or organizations with experience serving
youth, children, and families experiencing homelessness.
(7) A description of how funds received under the grant
will be used to provide emergency relief to youth, children,
and families experiencing homelessness, specifically
including--
(A) youth, children, and families who are sharing
the housing of other persons due to loss of housing,
economic hardship, or a similar reason; and
(B) youth, children, and families experiencing
homelessness who are not receiving services through the
Continuum of Care program under subpart C of title IV
of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42
U.S.C. 11381 et seq.) as of the date of the
application.
(d) Award Basis.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall award grants under
this section on the basis of--
(A) the need in the area served by each applicant;
(B) the quality of each application; and
(C) the distribution and priority requirements
under paragraphs (4) and (5).
(2) Need.--In determining need under paragraph (1)(A), the
Secretary shall consider--
(A) the extent of children, youth, and families
experiencing homelessness in the area served by the
family stabilization agency, including data available
from local educational agencies and data on child
poverty;
(B) the extent to which the proposed uses of funds
will provide emergency relief to meet unmet needs of
youth, children, and families experiencing
homelessness, specifically including youth, children,
and families who are sharing the housing of other
persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a
similar reason;
(C) the extent to which the proposed uses of funds
will provide emergency relief to youth, children, and
families experiencing homelessness who are not
currently receiving services through the Continuum of
Care program under subpart C of title IV of the
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11381
et seq.); and
(D) the extent to which the application addresses
the particular needs of pregnant women, pregnant and
parenting youth, Indian women, children under age 6,
children with disabilities, families experiencing
domestic violence, survivors of sexual assault or human
trafficking, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender,
queer, questioning, intersex, or asexual (LGBTQIA)
individuals, or racial and ethnic minority populations.
(3) Quality.--In determining quality under paragraph
(1)(B), the Secretary shall consider, for both current ACF
grant or subgrant recipients and not current ACF grant or
subgrant recipients, the following:
(A) The family stabilization agency's needs
assessment under subsection (c)(1) and the likelihood
that the program presented in the application will meet
such needs.
(B) The types, intensity, and coordination of the
emergency relief to be provided under the program to
youth, children, and families experiencing
homelessness.
(C) The extent of the family stabilization agency's
demonstrated expertise and experience providing direct
services to youth, children, and families experiencing
homelessness who are sharing the housing of other
persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a
similar reason.
(D) The robustness of such agency's plan to reach
youth, children, and families experiencing homelessness
who are sharing the housing of other persons due to
loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar
reason, including those who have lost a caregiver or
family member to COVID-19.
(E) The extent of such agency's demonstrated
expertise and experience in providing direct services
to youth, children, and families experiencing
homelessness specifically.
(F) The extent to which the program presented in
the application represents a multi-generational
approach to supporting youth, children, and families
experiencing homelessness.
(G) The extent to which the application reflects
coordination with local educational agencies and public
or private nonprofit agencies or organizations with
experience serving youth, children, and families
experiencing homelessness.
(H) The extent to which the family stabilization
agency is, has been, or has specific plans to partner
with, a recipient of a grant or subgrant administered
by the Administration for Children and Families.
(4) Distribution of awards.--
(A) Distribution among types of communities.--In
awarding grants under subsection (a), the Secretary
shall ensure that funds are distributed according to
the following allocation percentages:
(i) Not less than 10 percent of the funds
available for grants under this section shall
be awarded to family stabilization agencies
that are Indian Tribes or Tribal organizations
serving youth, children, and families
experiencing homelessness.
(ii) Not less than 36 percent of the funds
available for grants under this Act shall be
awarded to family stabilization agencies
serving predominantly rural areas.
(iii) Not less than 30 percent of the funds
available for grants under this Act shall be
awarded to family stabilization agencies
serving predominantly suburban areas.
(iv) Not more than 24 percent of the funds
available for grants under this Act shall be
awarded to family stabilization agencies
serving predominantly urban areas.
(B) Distribution to experienced grantees.--In
awarding grants under subsection (a), the Secretary
shall ensure that--
(i) 80 percent of the funds available for
grants under this section are distributed to
family stabilization agencies--
(I) that are current ACF grant or
subgrant recipients; and
(II) which may apply in partnership
with local educational agencies, Tribal
educational agencies, public housing
agencies, tribally designated housing
entities, community development
financial institutions, State housing
finance agencies, programs that provide
shelter to youth experiencing
homelessness who are pregnant or
parenting, public health agencies,
domestic violence, dating violence,
sexual assault, and family violence
organizations, culturally specific
organizations, institutions of higher
education as defined in section 101 of
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001), urban Indian
organizations, or other community
partners; and
(ii) 20 percent of the funds are
distributed as grants to family stabilization
agencies that are not current ACF grant or
subgrant recipients.
(C) Special exception for grants to indian tribes
or tribal organizations.--
(i) In general.--In awarding grants to
family stabilization agencies that are Indian
Tribes or Tribal organizations pursuant to
subparagraph (A)(i), the Secretary may waive
any requirements of paragraph (2) or (3) or
subsection (c).
(ii) Additional considerations.--In
awarding grants pursuant to subparagraph
(A)(i), the Secretary shall consider family
stabilization agencies that are Indian Tribes
and Tribal organizations that provide services
that address child abuse and neglect.
(D) Distribution among states.--In awarding grants
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall ensure that
at least one family stabilization agency in each State
receives a grant in each State from which an
application that meets the requirements of this section
is received.
(5) Priority in awards.--In awarding grants under paragraph
(1), the Secretary shall give priority to applications that
will provide emergency relief to youth, children, and families
experiencing homelessness who are sharing the housing of other
persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar
reason, while ensuring the distribution of awards in accordance
with paragraph (4).
(e) Authorized Activities.--Family stabilization agencies may use
funds awarded under this section to provide emergency relief to youth,
children, and families experiencing homelessness, including the
following:
(1) The provision of personnel necessary to provide
emergency relief and ensure services, resources, and assistance
reach youth, children, and families experiencing homelessness,
whether such personnel are employees of the family
stabilization agency or a nonprofit community partner.
(2) The provision of personal protective equipment, hygiene
supplies, and other supplies determined to be necessary to
mitigate the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) by
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, a State, an
Indian Tribe or Tribal organization, or a locality for
personnel delivering services and for youth, children, and
families experiencing homelessness.
(3) Payments to meet shelter and housing-related needs to
support safety and health, including payments for--
(A) security deposits;
(B) eviction prevention;
(C) utility connection fees and payments;
(D) outstanding rental, utility, motel, and other
bills as needed to enter housing or connect utilities;
(E) motel or hotel stays;
(F) housing placement;
(G) records expungement; and
(H) other assistance.
(4) The provision of food and equipment needed to prepare
food.
(5) The provision of medical and dental health services,
including preventive care.
(6) The provision of mental and behavioral health services,
including preventive care.
(7) The provision of clothing, access to laundry
facilities, clothes washers and dryers, detergent, and personal
hygiene supplies.
(8) The provision of transportation, including payments for
gas, emergency vehicle repairs, required insurance, driver's
education and driver's license fees, public transportation, and
other transportation appropriate for Tribal and rural
locations.
(9) The provision of support to meet communications and
connectivity needs, including internet connectivity,
outstanding internet or telephone bills as needed to connect
communications services, electronic and connected devices,
hotspots, portable chargers, pre-paid phone cards, calling
minutes and data plans, and costs to ship items and supplies.
(10) The provision of support to meet educational and
employment needs, including academic support, distance learning
support, resources, and access, child care, social and
emotional supports, career and technical education, employment
training and placement, and similar supports.
(11) The purchase and distribution of store cards, gift
cards, prepaid debit cards, and vouchers to allow youth,
children, and families experiencing homelessness to purchase
any items or services that constitute emergency relief.
(12) The provision of mentorship and service coordination.
(13) The provision of services and supports to meet the
particular needs of pregnant women, pregnant and parenting
youth, and children birth to age five, experiencing
homelessness.
(14) The provision of services and supports to meet the
particular needs of unaccompanied youth experiencing
homelessness.
(15) The provision of services and supports to meet the
particular needs of survivors of domestic violence, sexual
assault, or trafficking.
(16) The provision of assistance in accessing advance
refunds payable under section 6428(f) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986 (commonly referred to as ``economic impact
payments''), unemployment compensation, and other benefits
provided by Federal, State and local governments.
(17) The provision of services and supports to prevent and
respond to child abuse and neglect.
(18) The provision of culturally specific services and
supports to meet the particular needs of children, family, and
youth from racial and ethnic minority populations.
(19) The provision of other extraordinary or emergency
assistance needed to promote the safety and self-sufficiency of
youth, children, and families experiencing homelessness.
(20) Other purposes as determined by the Secretary.
(f) Reporting.--
(1) Report to the secretary.--A family stabilization agency
receiving a grant under this Act shall submit a report to the
Secretary at such time and in such manner as the Secretary
shall require, that describes the number and demographics of
children, youth, and families served with grant funds,
including the number of such youth, children, or families
experiencing homelessness, and the activities implemented to
provide emergency relief to youth, children, and families
experiencing homelessness.
(2) Report to the congress.--Not later than 18 months after
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall prepare
and submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Education and Labor
of the House of Representatives a report describing the
characteristics of the family stabilization agencies that
received a grant under this Act and summarizing the findings
from the reports received under paragraph (1).
(3) Confidentiality of information.--For the purpose of
preparing or submitting a report required under this
subsection, information that personally identifies any
individual may not be disclosed.
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act
$2,000,000,000.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
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