Child Advocacy Act

Child Advocacy Act - Declares that the purpose of this Act is to explore the feasibility of establishment of a national child advocacy system.

Authorizes the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to make grants for establishment and operation of up to 20 neighborhood offices of child advocacy, which are to provide means of gathering data to evaluate the cost effectiveness of all programs affecting children as a basis for reordering national and local priorities, and to test new types of remedial programs and service delivery systems.

Requires an evaluation of the effectiveness of such offices in providing a simple and convenient local point for such programs. Authorizes the Secretary to submit a report to the President and the Congress on this evaluation not later than 5 years from the date of enactment of this Act.

Provides that the Neighborhood Offices of Child Advocacy established under this Act be distributed throughout various geographic areas of the United States serving persons of various racial, ethnic and economic groups in the United States. Directs that if more than 7 offices are established, at least 1 shall be on an Indian reservation and at least 2 shall be in rural areas.

Authorizes the Secretary to make planning grants and assist through technical advice any public or nonprofit private agency and organization which desires to establish a Neighborhood Office of Child Advocacy.

Outlines the duties and functions of the Neighborhood Offices of Child Advocacy, including to: (1) provide assessment of needs of children who reside in the neighborhood; (2) publicize its services to all who reside in the neighborhood; (3) provide conseling to any family with children residing withinn the neighborhood; (4) provide to any such family referral purchasing services; (5) collect data and maintain current records of all its activities and services; and (6) provide training services.

Requires that services by a neighborhood office be provided through contract, purchase, or the creation of new programs but not directly by such office. Requires that all purchases of services shall be reviewed every 6 months to determine the effect and needs of the service, and states that any service which is purchased for more than 12 months be reported directly to the Secretary.

Directs that each Neighborhood Office develop and maintain relationships with public and private educational and training institutions in order to utilize the office as a resource for training of paraprofessional and professional personnel.

Provides that each office make maximum use of volunteer workers and utilize the young and the aged in carrying out functions and services of the office.

Authorizes the Secretary to prescribe amounts, terms and conditions for the application of grants to operate the neighborhood offices.

Directs the agency designated to plan the Neighborhood offices and to form a neighborhood council on child development to serve as a governing body of such office, composed of from 9-21 members. Outlines the qualifications, duties, and responsibilities of the members of this council.

Authorizes the Secretary to make a special demonstration grant in accordance with provisions in this Act to establish new experimental programs of comprehensive child care. Outlines the requirements for application of such a grant.

Authorizes the Secretary to encourage the establishment in each State (in accordance with the State's laws) of a Governor's Council on Child Development. Directs the Secretary to provide technical assistance and to maintain close liaison with the Governor's Council. Directs that the Governor's Council of any State shall serve as the State Child Advocate for such State. Outlines the duties and responsibilities of any governor's council, which shall be composed of 15 members, with at least 10 members representatives of families who live in the State and not more than 7 such members as professionals. Directs that no grant to a State under this section shall exceed 75 percent of the costs with respect to which the grant is made.

Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to assist in the establishment and operation of such additional councils as he deems necessary.

Authorizes the appropriation of $20,000,000 for each fiscal year commencing with the fiscal year ending June 30, 1972, to carry out the provisions of title I of this Act.

Prohibits the Neighborhood Offices to coerce any family to accept services provided by such office; but to encourage all eligible residents of the neighborhood to accept services provided by the Office.

Requires all records pertaining to any child of the Neighborhood Office to be kept confidential, and only made available for inspection and review if the parent or guardian agrees in writing. Provides penalties for any individual who divulges such information.

Allows each neighborhood office to impose fees for services provided by the office for children or families with children. States that if a family is below a specified level of income as determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, then the family shall be regarded as unable to pay any fee. Prohibits charging any fee for counseling services provided by the offices.