Runaway Youth Act

Runaway Youth Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to make grants to establish local institutions to deal primarily with youth runaways outside the traditional law enforcement juvenile justice system. Requires that grants be made on the basis of the number of runaways in the community and the present availability of services for runaways. States that priority be given to private organizations who have had experience dealing with runaways.

Establishes the requirements which runaway houses must meet to be eligible to receive grants: (1) location in an area frequented or reachable by runaways; (2) a maximum capacity of not more than 20; and (3) the development of adequate plans to insure proper contact with the child's parents, safe return of the runaway, and adequate after-care counseling. Provides that each proposed grantee must keep statistical surveys of their clients. Provides that such records shall not be disclosed without parental consent to anyone except another governmental agency compiling statistical records or involved in the disposition of criminal charges against an individual runaway.

Requires that a plan must meet the above requirements before it may be approved by the Secretary.

Provides that nothing in this Act shall give the Federal Government and its agencies control over the staffing and personnel decisions of facilities receiving Federal funds, except that the staffs of such facilities must meet the standards under this Act.

Requires the Secretary to report annually to Congress on the effectiveness of runaway houses.

Includes Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the Virgin Islands in the term "State".

Authorizes $10,000,000 annually for fiscal years 1974, 1975, and 1976 to carry out the provisions of this title. Requires that the Federal share of the cost of constructing such houses be not more than fifty percent. Establishes the Federal share of the cost of renovating existing structures, providing counseling services and staff training, and general operating expenses at ninety percent.

Authorizes the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to conduct research on all aspects of the runaway problem. Authorizes $500,000 to be spent for this purpose and requires the Secretary to report to Congress not later than June 30, 1974.