republic-os/legal/us/code/title-42/chapter-67/section-5116.md

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LegalText	42 U.S.C. § 5116	Purpose and authority	us	united_states_code	code_section	42	THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE	67	CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT AND ADOPTION REFORM	5116	42 U.S.C. § 5116	current	119-100	2026-06-26	official	https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc42@119-100.zip	/us/usc/t42/s5116	data/legal/raw/us/code/title-42/usc42.xml	9b642704f05ecafa30e8b1b96374f4b29fa2b4c5da19cd5372c98e29192633fc	644321055a08eb1f260a6a3e31ac157fa024756abf612a9fd6857e7e400cf24e	aa99d1aee79d27a930ed40d890ae793d3e7114137e0be0224696b68a5be78c82	2026-07-04	official	legal us-code

42 U.S.C. § 5116 - Purpose and authority

Text

(a) Purpose It is the purpose of this subchapter—

(1) to support community-based efforts to develop, operate, expand, enhance, and coordinate initiatives, programs, and activities to prevent child abuse and neglect and to support the coordination of resources and activities, to better strengthen and support families to reduce the likelihood of child abuse and neglect; and

(2) to foster an understanding, appreciation, and knowledge of diverse populations in order to be effective in preventing and treating child abuse and neglect.

(b) Authority The Secretary shall make grants under this subchapter on a formula basis to the entity designated by the State as the lead entity (referred to in this subchapter as the “lead entity”) under section 5116a(1) of this title for the purpose of—

(1) developing, operating, expanding, and enhancing community-based and prevention-focused programs and activities designed to strengthen and support families to prevent child abuse and neglect that are accessible, effective, culturally appropriate, and build upon existing strengths that—

(A) offer assistance to families;

(B) provide early, comprehensive support for parents;

(C) promote the development of parenting skills, especially in young parents and parents with very young children;

(D) increase family stability;

(E) improve family access to other formal and informal resources and opportunities for assistance available within communities, including access to such resources and opportunities for unaccompanied homeless youth;

(F) support the additional needs of families with children with disabilities through respite care and other services;

(G) demonstrate a commitment to involving parents in the planning and program implementation of the lead agency and entities carrying out local programs funded under this title, including involvement of parents of children with disabilities, parents who are individuals with disabilities, racial and ethnic minorities, and members of other underrepresented or underserved groups; and

(H) provide referrals to early health and developmental services;

(2) fostering the development of a continuum of preventive services for children and families, including unaccompanied homeless youth, through State and community-based collaborations and partnerships both public and private;

(3) financing the start-up, maintenance, expansion, or redesign of specific community-based child abuse and neglect prevention program services (such as respite care services, child abuse and neglect prevention activities, disability services, mental health services, substance abuse treatment services, domestic violence services, housing services, transportation, adult education, home visiting and other similar services) identified by the inventory and description of current services required under section 5116d(3) 11 See References in Text note below. of this title as an unmet need, and integrated with the network of community-based child abuse and neglect prevention programs to the extent practicable given funding levels and community priorities;

(4) maximizing funding through leveraging of funds for the financing, planning, community mobilization, collaboration, assessment, information and referral, startup, training and technical assistance, information management and reporting, reporting and evaluation costs for establishing, operating, or expanding community-based and prevention-focused programs and activities designed to strengthen and support families to prevent child abuse and neglect; and

(5) financing public information activities that focus on the healthy and positive development of parents and children and the promotion of child abuse and neglect prevention activities.

(Pub. L. 93–247, title II, § 201, as added Pub. L. 104–235, title I, § 121, Oct. 3, 1996, 110 Stat. 3080; amended Pub. L. 108–36, title I, § 121(a), (b), June 25, 2003, 117 Stat. 813; Pub. L. 111–320, title I, § 132, Dec. 20, 2010, 124 Stat. 3478.)

Notes

Editorial Notes

References in TextSection 5116d(3) of this title, referred to in subsec. (b)(3), was in the original “section 205(a)(3)” and was translated as meaning section 204(3) of Pub. L. 93–247 to reflect the probable intent of Congress and the redesignation of section 205 as 204 by Pub. L. 111–320, title I, § 141, Dec. 20, 2010, 124 Stat. 3482, and because section 204 does not contain subsections.

Prior ProvisionsA prior section 5116, Pub. L. 93–247, title II, § 201, as added Pub. L. 103–252, title IV, § 401(a), May 18, 1994, 108 Stat. 666, related to community-based family resource programs, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 104–235, § 121. Another prior section 5116, Pub. L. 93–247, title II, § 201, formerly Pub. L. 98–473, title IV, § 402, Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2197; renumbered § 201 of Pub. L. 93–247, and amended Pub. L. 101–126, §§ 2(a), 3(a)(3), (c)(1), 4(a), Oct. 25, 1989, 103 Stat. 764, 766; Pub. L. 102–295, title I, § 121(b), May 28, 1992, 106 Stat. 198, set forth purpose of subchapter to assist States in supporting child abuse and neglect prevention activities through community based grants, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 103–252, § 401(a).

Amendments2010—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 111–320, § 132(1), added par. (1) and struck out former par. (1) which read as follows: “to support community-based efforts to develop, operate, expand, enhance, and, where appropriate to network, initiatives aimed at the prevention of child abuse and neglect, and to support networks of coordinated resources and activities to better strengthen and support families to reduce the likelihood of child abuse and neglect; and”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 111–320, § 132(2)(A), struck out “hereafter” before “referred” in introductory provisions. Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 111–320, § 132(2)(B)(i), in introductory provisions, inserted a comma after “expanding” and struck out “(through networks where appropriate)” after “child abuse and neglect”. Subsec. (b)(1)(E). Pub. L. 111–320, § 132(2)(B)(ii), inserted “, including access to such resources and opportunities for unaccompanied homeless youth” before semicolon at end. Subsec. (b)(1)(G). Pub. L. 111–320, § 132(2)(B)(iii), added subpar. (G) and struck out former subpar. (G) which read as follows: “demonstrate a commitment to meaningful parent leadership, including among parents of children with disabilities, parents with disabilities, racial and ethnic minorities, and members of other underrepresented or underserved groups; and”. Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 111–320, § 132(2)(C), inserted “, including unaccompanied homeless youth,” after “children and families”. Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 111–320, § 132(2)(D), substituted “specific community-based child abuse and neglect prevention program services” for “specific family resource and support program services”, inserted “substance abuse treatment services, domestic violence services,” after “mental health services,”, and substituted “the network of community-based child abuse and neglect prevention programs” for “the network of community-based family resource and support program”. Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 111–320, § 132(2)(E), inserted “and reporting” after “information management” and struck out comma after “prevention-focused” and “(through networks where appropriate)” after “child abuse and neglect”. 2003—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 108–36, § 121(a), amended par. (1) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (1) read as follows: “to support State efforts to develop, operate, expand and enhance a network of community-based, prevention-focused, family resource and support programs that coordinate resources among existing education, vocational rehabilitation, disability, respite care, health, mental health, job readiness, self-sufficiency, child and family development, community action, Head Start, child care, child abuse and neglect prevention, juvenile justice, domestic violence prevention and intervention, housing, and other human service organizations within the State; and”. Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 108–36, § 121(b)(1)(A), in introductory provisions, substituted “community-based and prevention-focused programs and activities designed to strengthen and support families to prevent child abuse and neglect (through networks where appropriate) that are accessible, effective, culturally appropriate, and build upon existing strengths that” for “Statewide networks of community-based, prevention-focused, family resource and support programs that”. Subsec. (b)(1)(G), (H). Pub. L. 108–36, § 121(b)(1)(B), (C), added subpars. (G) and (H) and struck out former subpar. (G) which read as follows: “decrease the risk of homelessness;”. Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 108–36, § 121(b)(2), inserted “through leveraging of funds” after “maximizing funding” and substituted “community-based and prevention-focused” for “a Statewide network of community-based, prevention-focused” and “programs and activities designed to strengthen and support families to prevent child abuse and neglect (through networks where appropriate)” for “family resource and support program”.