§9840a. Programs for families with infants and toddlers

(a) In general

The Secretary shall make grants, in accordance with the provisions of this section for-

(1) programs providing family-centered services for low-income families with very young children designed to promote the development of the children, and to enable their parents to fulfill their roles as parents and to move toward self-sufficiency; and

(2) provision of training and technical assistance to entities carrying out programs, and evaluation of programs, that were supported under the Comprehensive Child Development Act (42 U.S.C. 9881 et seq.), as in effect on the day before May 18, 1994.

(b) Scope and design of programs

In carrying out a program described in subsection (a) of this section, an entity receiving assistance under this section shall-

(1) provide, either directly or through referral, early, continuous, intensive, and comprehensive child development and family support services that will enhance the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development of participating children;

(2) ensure that the level of services provided to families responds to their needs and circumstances;

(3) promote positive parent-child interactions;

(4) provide services to parents to support their role as parents and to help the families move toward self-sufficiency (including educational and employment services as appropriate);

(5) coordinate services with services provided by programs in the State and programs in the community to ensure a comprehensive array of services (such as health and mental health services);

(6) ensure formal linkages with local Head Start programs in order to provide for continuity of services for children and families;

(7) in the case of a Head Start agency that operates a program and that also provides Head Start services through the age of mandatory school attendance, ensure that children and families participating in the program receive such services through such age; and

(8) meet such other requirements concerning design and operation of the program described in subsection (a) of this section as the Secretary may establish.

(c) Persons eligible to participate

Persons who may participate in programs described in subsection (a)(1) of this section include-

(1) pregnant women; and

(2) families with children under age 3 (or under age 5, in the case of children served by an entity specified in subsection (e)(3) of this section);

who meet the income criteria specified for families in section 9840(a)(1) of this title.

(d) Eligible service providers

To be eligible to receive assistance under this section, an entity shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. Entities that may apply to carry out activities under this section include-

(1) entities operating Head Start programs under this subchapter;

(2) entities that, on the day before the date of enactment of this section [May 18, 1994], were operating-

(A) Parent-Child Centers receiving financial assistance under section 9835(a)(4) of this title, as in effect on such date; or

(B) programs receiving financial assistance under the Comprehensive Child Development Act, as in effect on such date; and

(3) other public entities, and nonprofit private entities, capable of providing child and family services that meet the standards for participation in programs under this subchapter and meet such other appropriate requirements relating to the activities under this section as the Secretary may establish.

(e) Time-limited priority for certain entities

(1) In general

From amounts allotted pursuant to paragraphs (2) and (4) of section 9835(a) of this title, the Secretary shall provide financial assistance in accordance with paragraphs (2) through (4).

(2) Parent-Child Centers

The Secretary shall make financial assistance available under this section for each of fiscal years 1995, 1996, and 1997 to any entity that-

(A) complies with subsection (b) of this section; and

(B) received funding as a Parent-Child Center pursuant to section 9835(a)(4) of this title, as in effect on the day before May 18, 1994, for fiscal year 1994.

(3) Comprehensive child development centers

(A) In the case of an entity that received a grant for fiscal year 1994 to operate a project under the Comprehensive Child Development Act, the Secretary-

(i) shall make financial assistance available under this section, in a comparable amount and scope to the assistance provided for fiscal year 1994, for the duration of the project period specified in the grant award to such entity under such Act; and

(ii) shall permit such entity, in carrying out activities assisted under this section, to serve children from birth through age 5.

(B) In the case of an entity that received a grant for fiscal year 1989 to operate a project under the Comprehensive Child Development Act, the Secretary shall make assistance available under this section for each of fiscal years 1995, 1996, and 1997 to any entity that complies with subsection (b) of this section.

(4) Evaluations, training, and technical assistance

The Secretary shall make financial assistance available under this section as necessary to provide for the evaluation of, and furnishing of training and technical assistance to, programs specified in paragraph (3)(A).

(f) Selection of other grant recipients

From the balance remaining of the portion specified in section 9835(a)(6) of this title, after making grants to the eligible entities specified in subsection (e) of this section, the Secretary shall award grants under this subsection on a competitive basis to applicants meeting the criteria specified in subsection (d) of this section (giving priority to entities with a record of providing early, continuous, and comprehensive childhood development and family services).

(g) Distribution

In awarding grants to eligible applicants under this section, the Secretary shall-

(1) ensure an equitable national geographic distribution of the grants; and

(2) award grants to applicants proposing to serve communities in rural areas and to applicants proposing to serve communities in urban areas.

(h) Secretarial responsibilities

(1) Guidelines

Not later than September 30, 1994, the Secretary shall develop program guidelines concerning the content and operation of programs assisted under this section-

(A) in consultation with experts in early childhood development, experts in health, and experts in family services; and

(B) taking into consideration the knowledge and experience gained from other early childhood programs, including programs under the Comprehensive Child Development Act, and from migrant Head Start programs that serve a large number of infants and toddlers.

(2) Standards

Not later than December 30, 1994, the Secretary shall develop and publish performance standards for programs assisted under this section, and a grant announcement based on the guidelines developed under paragraph (1).

(3) Monitoring, training, technical assistance, and evaluation

In order to ensure the successful operation of programs assisted under this section, the Secretary shall use funds from the balance described in subsection (f) of this section to monitor the operation of such programs, evaluate their effectiveness, and provide training and technical assistance tailored to the particular needs of such programs.

(Pub. L. 97–35, title VI, §645A, as added Pub. L. 103–252, title I, §112(a), May 18, 1994, 108 Stat. 638 .)

References in Text

The Comprehensive Child Development Act, referred to in subsecs. (a)(2), (d)(2)(B), (e)(3), and (h)(1)(B), is subchapter F (§§670M–670T) of chapter 8 of subtitle A of title VI of Pub. L. 97–35, as added by Pub. L. 100–297, title II, §2503, Apr. 28, 1988, 102 Stat. 325 , and amended and redesignated, which was classified generally to subchapter V (§9881 et seq.) of this chapter, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 103–252, title I, §§112(b)(1), (2)(B), May 18, 1994, 108 Stat. 640 , 641.

Effective Date

Section effective May 18, 1994, but not applicable to Head Start agencies and other recipients of financial assistance under the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.) until Oct. 1, 1994, see section 127 of Pub. L. 103–252, set out as an Effective Date of 1994 Amendment note under section 9832 of this title.

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in section 9835 of this title.