S. 667 - Education Begins at Home Act

110th CONGRESS
1st Session

S. 667

To expand programs of early childhood home visitation that increase school readiness, child abuse and neglect prevention, and early identification of developmental and health delays, including potential mental health concerns, and for other purposes.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

February 16, 2007

Mr. BOND (for himself and Mrs. CLINTON) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

A BILL

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 `Education Begins at Home Act'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

(a) Findings- Congress finds that--

(1) the home is the first and most important learning environment for children, and parents are their children's first and most influential teacher;

(2) through parent education and family support, we can promote parents' ability to enhance their children's development from birth until entry into kindergarten thereby helping parents to prepare their children for success in school;

(3) undiagnosed and unaddressed developmental and health problems can impede overall child development and school readiness;

(4) all parents deserve and can benefit from--

(A) research-based information regarding child development;

(B) enrichment opportunities with their children; and

(5) early childhood home visitation leads to positive outcomes for children and families, including readiness for school, improved child health and development, positive parenting practices, and reductions in child maltreatment.

(b) Purposes- The purposes of this Act are as follows:

(1) To enable States to deliver services under early childhood home visitation programs to pregnant women and parents of children from birth until entry into kindergarten in order to promote parents' ability to support their children's optimal cognitive, language, social-emotional, and physical development.

(2) To improve Early Head Start programs carried out under section 645A of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9840a).

(3) To expand early childhood home visitation programs so as to more effectively reach and serve families with English language learners.

(4) To expand early childhood visitation programs so as to more effectively reach and serve families serving in the military.

(5) To establish a public education and awareness campaign concerning the importance of the proper care of infants and young children.

(6) To make available for parents of newborn children parenting classes that convey information about the importance of proper care for newborns, including information about symptoms of abusive head and other injuries.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:

(1) ELIGIBLE FAMILY- The term `eligible family' means--

(A) a woman who is pregnant, and the father of the child if the father is available; or

(B) a parent or primary caregiver of a child, including grandparents or other relatives of the child, and foster parents, who are serving as the primary caregiver from birth until entry into kindergarten, including a noncustodial parent during periods in which such noncustodial parent is physically caring for such child.

(2) HOME VISITATION- The term `home visitation' means services provided in the permanent or temporary residence, or in a mutually agreed upon location in the community, of the individual receiving such services.

(3) INDIAN TRIBE- The term `Indian tribe' has the meaning given such term in section 4(e) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (52 U.S.C. 450(b)(e)).

(4) SECRETARY- Except as provided in section 7, the term `Secretary' means the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

(5) STATE- The term `State' means each of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

(6) TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS- The term `territories and possessions' means American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands.

(7) TRIBAL ORGANIZATION- The term `tribal organization' has the meaning given such term in section 4(l) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b(l)).

SEC. 4. STATE GRANTS FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD HOME VISITATION.

(a) Authorization- The Secretary, in collaboration with the Secretary of Education, shall make grants to States to enable such States to establish or expand quality programs of early childhood home visitation, as specified under subsection (f). Each grant shall consist of the allotment determined for a State under subsection (b).

(b) Determination of Reservations; Amount of Allotments; Authorization of Appropriations-

(1) RESERVATIONS FROM APPROPRIATIONS- From the total amount made available to carry out this section for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall reserve--

(A) 3 percent for an independent evaluation of the activities carried out under this Act, as specified in section 8;

(B) not more than 3 percent for Federal administrative costs;

(D) not more than 2 percent for payments to Indian tribes and tribal organizations with applications approved under this section; and

(E) not more than 0.5 percent for payments to territories and possessions with applications approved under this section.

(2) STATE ALLOTMENTS FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD HOME VISITATION-

(A) IN GENERAL- In accordance with subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall allot among each of the eligible States the total amount made available to carry out this section for any fiscal year and not reserved under paragraph (1), to carry out early childhood home visitation in accordance with this section.

(B) DETERMINATION OF STATE ALLOTMENTS-

(i) IN GENERAL- Subject to clause (ii), the Secretary shall allot the amount made available under subparagraph (A) for a fiscal year among the States in proportion to the number of children, aged from birth to 5 years, who reside within the State, compared to the number of such individuals who reside in all such States for that fiscal year.

(ii) EXCEPTION- No State receiving an allotment under clause (i) may receive more than $20,000,000.

(3) INDIAN TRIBES, TRIBAL ORGANIZATIONS, TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS-

(A) INDIAN TRIBES AND TRIBAL ORGANIZATIONS- From amounts reserved for each fiscal year under paragraph (1)(D), the Secretary shall make payments to each Indian tribe or tribal organizations with an application approved under this section in an amount determined in accordance with the respective needs described in the application.

(B) TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS- From amounts reserved for each fiscal year under paragraph (1)(E), the Secretary shall make payments to each territory and possession with an application approved under this section in an amount determined in accordance with the respective needs described in the application.

(4) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $400,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2010.

(1) STATE APPLICATIONS- A State that desires to receive a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. The application shall contain the following information:

(A) An assurance that the Governor of the State has designated a lead State agency, such as the State educational agency or the State health and human services agency, to carry out the activities under this section.

(B) An assurance that the State will reserve 3 percent of such grant for evaluation and will participate in the independent evaluation under section 8.

(C) An assurance that the State will reserve 10 percent of the grant funds for training and technical assistance of staff of programs of early childhood home visitation.

(D) An assurance that the State will authorize child care resource and referral agencies to refer parents seeking home visitation services.

(E) The results of a statewide needs assessment that describes--

(i) the quality and capacity of existing programs of early childhood home visitation in the State;

(ii) the number and types of eligible families who are receiving services under such programs; and

(iii) the gaps in early childhood home visitation in the State.

(F) A State plan containing the following:

(i) A description of the State's strategy to establish or expand quality programs of early childhood home visitation to serve all eligible families in the State.

(ii) A description of the quality programs of early childhood home visitation that will be supported by a grant under this section.

(iii) A description of how the proposed program of early childhood home visitation will promote positive parenting skills and children's early learning and development.

(iv) A description of how the proposed program of early childhood home visitation will incorporate the authorized activities described in subsection (f).

(v) How the lead State agency will build on and promote coordination among existing programs of early childhood home visitation in an effort to promote an array of home visitation that ensures more eligible families are being served and are getting the most appropriate services to meet their needs.

(vi) How the lead State agency will promote channels of communication between staff of programs of early childhood home visitation and staff of other early childhood education programs, such as Head Start programs carried out under the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.) and Early Head Start programs carried out under section 645A of such Act, preschool programs, and child care programs, to facilitate the coordination of services for eligible families.

(vii) How the lead State agency will provide training and technical assistance to staff of programs of early childhood home visitation involved in activities under this section to more effectively meet the needs of the eligible families served with sensitivity to cultural variations in parenting norms and attitudes toward formal support services.

(viii) How the lead State agency will evaluate the activities supported under this section in order to demonstrate outcomes related to the enhancement of--

(I) parent knowledge of early learning and development;

(II) child health, cognitive, language, social-emotional, and physical development indicators;

(III) child maltreatment indicators for child abuse and neglect prevention;

(IV) school readiness indicators; and

(V) links to community services.

(ix) A description of how the lead State agency will ensure that the home visitation programs will conduct outreach activities to target both mothers and fathers, and increase father involvement where appropriate.

(x) A description of how the lead State agency will increase home visitation programs participation rates for fathers.

(xi) A description of how the lead State agency will ensure that services are made available under the program to grandparents, other relatives or foster parents, of a child from birth through age 5 who serve as the primary caregiver of the child.

(G) Such other information as the Secretary may require.

(2) INDIAN TRIBES, TRIBAL ORGANIZATIONS, TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS-

(A) IN GENERAL- An Indian tribe, tribal organization, territory, or possession that desires to receive a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. The application shall contain the information described in paragraph (1) with respect to the applicant entity.

(B) APPROVAL- The Secretary may approve an application submitted under subparagraph (A) based on the quality of the information contained in the application.

(C) EXEMPTIONS- The Secretary may exempt an applicant under subparagraph (A) from any requirement of this section if the Secretary determines that the application of such requirements would be inappropriate taking into consideration the resources, needs, and other circumstances of the applicant entity. This subparagraph shall not apply to the requirements described in subsections (f)(1) and (h).

(d) Approval of Applications-

(1) RECOMMENDATION OF PANEL-

(A) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall approve an application under this section based on the recommendations of a peer review panel, as described in paragraph (2).

(B) SELECTION CRITERIA- A peer review panel shall determine which applicants to recommend for approval, for purposes of subparagraph (A), based on the quality of the application submitted. Consideration shall be given by the panel to the inclusion of applicants, to the extent practicable, that have the ability to incorporate comparison or control groups in their service deliver model, recognizing that universal access to home visitation services, among other factors, may prevent some quality programs from conducting such evaluation.

(2) PEER REVIEW PANEL- The peer review panel shall include not less than--

(A) 3 individuals who are experts in the field of home visitation;

(B) 2 individuals who are experts in early childhood development;

(D) 1 individual who is a board certified pediatrician or a developmental pediatrician; and

(E) 1 individual with experience in administering public or private (including community-based) child maltreatment prevention programs.

(e) Duration of Grants- Grants made under this section shall be for a period of no more than 3 years.

(f) State Uses of Funds- Each State that receives a grant under this section shall--

(1) provide to as many eligible families in the State as practicable, voluntary early childhood home visitation, on not less frequently than a monthly basis with greater frequency of services for those eligible families identified with additional needs, through the implementation of quality programs of early childhood home visitation that--

(A) adopts a clear, consistent model that is grounded in empirically-based knowledge related to home visiting and linked to program-determined outcomes;

(B) employs well-trained and competent staff, as demonstrated by education or training, and the provision of ongoing and specific training on the model being delivered;

(D) demonstrates strong organizational capacity to implement the program involved;

(E) establishes appropriate linkages and referral networks to other community resources and supports;

(F) monitors fidelity of program implementation to ensure that services are delivered pursuant to the specified model;

(G) are research-based, that provide parents with--

(i) knowledge of age appropriate child development in cognitive, language, social-emotional, and motor domains;

(ii) knowledge of realistic expectations of age-appropriate child behaviors;

(iii) knowledge of health and wellness issues for children and parents;

(iv) modeling and consulting services related to parenting;

(v) skills to interact with their child to enhance age-appropriate development;

(vi) skills to recognize and seek help for health issues and developmental delays, and social, emotional, and behavioral skills;

(vii) activities designed to help parents become full partners in the education of their children; and

(viii) relevant information, consistent with State child welfare agency training, concerning child welfare and protective services resources if appropriate;

(H) ascertain which developmental services the family receives and work with service providers to eliminate gaps in services by offering annual health, vision, hearing, and developmental screening for children from birth until entry into kindergarten, when not otherwise provided;

(I) provide referrals for eligible families, as needed, to additional resources available in the community, such as center-based early education programs, child care services, health or mental health services, family literacy programs, employment agencies, social services, and child care resource and referral agencies;

(J) offer group meetings (at the discretion of the program involved) for eligible families that--

(i) further enhance the information, activities, and skill-building addressed during home visitation; and

(ii) offer opportunities for parents to meet with and support each other;

(K) reserve 10 percent of the grant funds to provide training and technical assistance, directly or through contract, to early childhood home visitation and early childhood care and education staff relating to--

(i) effective methods of conducting parent education, home visiting, and promoting quality early childhood development;

(ii) the relationship of health and well-being of pregnant women to prenatal and early childhood development;

(iii) early childhood development with respect to children from birth until entry into kindergarten;

(iv) methods to help parents promote emergent literacy in their children from birth until entry into kindergarten;

(v) health, vision, hearing, and developmental screenings;

(vi) strategies for helping eligible families with special needs or those eligible families coping with crisis;

(vii) recruiting, supervising, and retaining qualified staff;

(viii) increasing services for underserved populations;

(ix) methods to help parents effectively respond to their children's needs and behaviors; and

(x) implementation of ongoing program quality improvement and evaluation of activities and outcomes;

(L) ensure coordination of programs of early childhood home visitation, early childhood education and care, and early intervention, through an existing or created State-level early childhood coordinating body that includes--

(i) representatives from relevant State agencies, including the State agency responsible for carrying out the plan under section 106 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act;

(ii) representatives from State Head Start Associations;

(iii) the State official with responsibility for carrying out activities under part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.);

(iv) the State official with responsibility for carrying out activities under section 619 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1419);

(v) representatives from child care resource and referral State offices;

(vi) representatives from quality programs of early childhood home visitation; and

(vii) a board certified pediatrician or a developmental pediatrician; and

(M) not expend more than 5 percent of the amount of grant funds received under this section for the administration of the grant, including planning, administration, evaluation, and annual reporting.

(g) Maintenance of Effort- A State is entitled to receive its full allotment of funds under this section for any fiscal year if the Secretary finds that the aggregate expenditures within the State for quality programs of early childhood home visitation, for the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for which the determination is made was not less than 100 percent of such aggregate expenditures for the second fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for which the determination is made.

(h) Reporting Requirements- Each State that receives a grant under this section shall submit an annual report to the Secretary regarding the State's progress in addressing the purposes of this Act. Such report shall include, at a minimum, a description of--

(1) the actual services delivered under the grant, including--

(A) the program characteristics, including descriptive information on the service models used and the actual program performance;

(B) the characteristics of the providers involved, including staff qualifications, work experience, and demographic characteristics; and

(C) the characteristics of the recipient of services under the program, including the number of recipients, their demographic characteristics, and family retention;

(2) recipient outcomes that are consistent with program goals, including, where appropriate based on the outcomes being evaluated a description of--

(A) affected parental practices;

(B) child health, cognitive, language, social-emotional, and physical developmental indicators;

(D) school readiness indicators; and

(E) links to community services;

(3) the research-based instruction, materials, and activities being used in the activities funded under the grant;

(4) the effectiveness of the training and ongoing professional development provided--

(A) to staff supported under the grant; and

(B) to the broader early childhood community;

(5) beginning at the end of the second year of the grant, the results of evaluations described in subsection (c)(4)(G); and

(6) the annual program implementation costs, including the cost for each family served under the program.

SEC. 5. STRENGTHENING EARLY HEAD START HOME VISITATION.

Section 645A of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9840a) is amended--

(1) in subsection (b)--

(A) in paragraph (4), by striking `provide services to parents to support their role as parents' and inserting `provide additional services to parents to support their role as parents (including training in parenting skills, basic child development, and sensitivity to cultural variations in parenting norms and attitudes toward formal supports)';

(B) in paragraph (5)--

(i) by inserting `(including home-based services)' after `with services'; and

(ii) by inserting `, and family support services' after `health services';

(D) by inserting after paragraph (6) the following:

`(7) develop and implement a systematic procedure for transitioning children and parents from an Early Head Start program into a Head Start program or another local early childhood education program;

`(8) establish channels of communication between staff of Early Head Start programs and staff of Head Start programs or other local early childhood education programs, to facilitate the coordination of programs;';

(2) in subsection (g)(2)(B), by striking clause (iv) and inserting the following:

`(iv) providing professional development and personnel enhancement activities, including the provision of funds to recipients of grants under subsection (a), relating to effective methods of conducting parent education, home visiting, and promoting quality early childhood development.'; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

`(h) Staff Qualifications and Development-

`(1) HOME VISITOR STAFF-

`(A) STANDARDS- In order to further enhance the quality of home visiting services provided to families of children participating in home-based, center-based, or combination program options under this subchapter, the Secretary shall establish standards for training, qualifications, and the conduct of home visits for home visitor staff in Early Head Start programs.

`(B) CONTENTS- The standards for training, qualifications, and the conduct of home visits shall include content related to--

`(i) structured child-focused home visiting that promotes parents' ability to support the child's cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development;

`(ii) effective strengths-based parent education, including methods to encourage parents as their child's first teachers;

`(iii) early childhood development with respect to children from birth through age 3;

`(iv) methods to help parents promote emergent literacy in their children from birth through age 3;

`(v) ascertaining what health and developmental services the family involved receives and working with the service providers to eliminate gaps in services by offering annual health, vision, hearing, and developmental screenings for children from birth through entry into kindergarten, when needed;

`(vi) strategies for helping families coping with crisis; and

`(vii) the relationship of health and well-being of pregnant women to prenatal and early child development.'.

SEC. 6. TARGETED GRANTS FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD HOME VISITATION FOR FAMILIES WITH ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS.

(a) In General- The Secretary, in collaboration with the Secretary of Education, shall make grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible applicants to enable such applicants to support and expand local efforts to deliver services under quality programs of early childhood home visitation, to eligible families with English language learners.

(b) Eligible Applicant- In this section, the term `eligible applicant' means--

(1) 1 or more local educational agencies (as defined in section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801)); and

(2) 1 or more public or private community-based organizations or agencies that serve eligible families and are capable of establishing and implementing programs of early childhood home visitation.

(c) Applications- An eligible applicant that desires to receive a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. The application shall include a description of--

(1) the results of a community wide needs assessment that describes--

(A) community demographics demonstrating the need for outreach and services to eligible families with English language learners;

(B) the quality, capacity, and existing programs of early childhood home visitation for eligible families with English language learners;

(D) the type of program of early childhood home visitation necessary to address the gaps identified;

(2) the program of early childhood home visitation that will be supported by the grant under this section;

(3) how the proposed program of early childhood home visitation will promote positive parenting skills and children's early learning and development;

(4) how the proposed program of early childhood home visitation will incorporate the authorized activities described in subsection (f);

(5) how services provided through a grant under this section will use materials that are geared toward eligible families with English language learners;

(6) how the activities under this section will build upon and promote coordination among existing programs of early childhood home visitation, if such programs exist in the community, in an effort to promote an array of home visitation that ensures more eligible families with English language learners are being served and are getting the most appropriate services to meet their needs;

(7) how the program will ensure that--

(A) eligible families with English language learners are linked to schools; and

(B) the activities under this section will support the preparation of children for school;

(8) how channels of communication will be established between staff of programs of early childhood home visitation and staff of other early childhood education programs, such as Head Start programs carried out under the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.) and Early Head Start programs carried out under section 645A of such Act, preschool programs, and child care programs, to facilitate the coordination of services for eligible families with English language learners;

(9) how eligible families with English language learners will be recruited and retained to receive services under this section;

(10) how training and technical assistance will help the staff of programs of early childhood home visitation involved in activities under this section to more effectively serve eligible families with English language learners;

(11) how the eligible applicant will evaluate the activities supported under this section in order to demonstrate outcomes related to the--

(A) increase in number of eligible families with English language learners served by programs of early childhood home visitation;

(B) enhancement of participating parents' knowledge of early learning and development;

(D) enhancement of children's cognitive, language, social-emotional, and physical development; and

(12) such other information as the Secretary may require.

(d) Approval of Applications-

(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall select applicants for funding under this section based on the quality of the applications and the recommendations of a peer review panel, as described in paragraph (2).

(2) PEER REVIEW PANEL- The peer review panel shall include not less than--

(A) 2 individuals who are experts in the field of home visitation;

(B) 2 individuals who are experts in early childhood development;

(D) 1 individual who is a board certified pediatrician or a developmental pediatrician; and

(E) 1 individual with experience in administering public or private (including community-based) child maltreatment prevention programs.

(e) Duration of Grants- Grants made under this section shall be for a period of no more than 3 years.

(f) Authorized Activities- Each eligible applicant that receives a grant under this section shall carry out the following activities:

(1) Providing to as many eligible families with English language learners as practicable, voluntary early childhood home visitation, on not less frequently than a monthly basis, through the implementation of other quality programs of early childhood home visitation that are research-based, that provide parents with--

(A) knowledge of age appropriate child development in cognitive, language, social-emotional, and motor domains;

(B) knowledge of realistic expectations of age-appropriate child behaviors;

(D) modeling, consulting, and coaching on parenting practices;

(E) skills to interact with their child to enhance age-appropriate development;

(F) skills to recognize and seek help for health issues and developmental delays, and social, emotional, and behavioral skills; and

(G) activities designed to help parents become full partners in the education of their children.

(2) Activities to ascertain what health and developmental services families receive and working with service providers to eliminate gaps in service by offering an annual health, vision, hearing, and developmental screening for children from birth through their entry into kindergarten.

(3) Providing referrals for participating eligible families with English language learners, as needed, to additional resources available in the community, such as center-based early education programs, child care services, health or mental health services, family literacy programs, employment agencies, social services, and child care resource and referral agencies.

(4) Offering group meetings (at program discretion), on not less frequently than a monthly basis, for eligible families with English language learners that--

(A) further enhance the information, activities, and skill-building addressed during home visitation;

(B) offer opportunities for parents to meet with and support each other; and

(5) Providing training and technical assistance to early childhood home visitation and early childhood care and education staff relating to--

(A) effective service to eligible families with English language learners, including skills to address challenges facing English language learners;

(B) effective methods of implementing parent education, conducting home visitation, and promoting quality early childhood development, with sensitivity to cultural variations in parenting norms and attitudes toward formal support services;

(D) early childhood development with respect to children from birth until entry into kindergarten;

(E) methods to help parents promote emergent literacy in their children from birth until entry into kindergarten;

(F) implementing strategies for helping eligible families with English language learners coping with a crisis;

(G) recruiting, supervising, and retaining qualified staff;

(H) increasing services for underserved eligible families with English language learners;

(I) methods to help parents effectively respond to their children's needs and behaviors; and

(J) implementation of ongoing program quality improvement and evaluation of activities and outcomes.

(6) Coordinating existing programs of early childhood home visitation in order to effectively and efficiently meet the needs of more eligible families with English language learners.

(g) Reporting Requirements- The recipient of a grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary an annual report concerning the progress of the program conducted by the recipient in addressing the purposes of this Act. Each such report shall, at a minimum, include a description of--

(1) the actual service delivery provided for under the grant, including--

(A) program characteristics that include descriptive information on the service model used under the program and actual program performance;

(B) the characteristics of service providers under the program that include staff qualifications, work experience, and demographic characteristics;

(C) the characteristics of recipients of services under the program that include the number, demographic characteristics, and family retention under the program; and

(D) an estimate of the annual program implementation costs;

(2) with respect to recipients of services under the program, whether such services were provided in a manner consistent with program goals including, where appropriate--

(A) parental practices;

(B) child health and development indicators;

(D) school readiness indicators; and

(E) links to community services;

(3) the research-based instruction, materials, and activities being used in the activities conducted under the program; and

(4) the effectiveness of the training and ongoing professional development provided--

(A) to the staff supported under the program; and

(B) to the affected early childhood community.

(h) Supplement Not Supplant- Grant funds provided under this section shall be used to supplement, and not supplant, Federal and non-Federal funds available for carrying out the activities described in this section.

(i) Authorization of Appropriations- There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $50,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2010.

SEC. 7. TARGETED GRANTS FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD HOME VISITATION FOR MILITARY FAMILIES.

(a) In General- The Secretary of Defense, in collaboration with the Secretary of Education, shall make grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible applicants to enable such applicants to support and expand efforts to deliver services under quality programs of early childhood home visitation, to eligible families with a family member in the Armed Forces.

(b) Eligible Applicant- In this section, the term `eligible applicant' means any of the following:

(1) A local educational agency that receives payments under title VIII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.).

(2) A school of the defense dependents' education system under the Defense Dependents' Education Act of 1978 (20 U.S.C. 921 et seq.).

(3) A school established under section 2164 of title 10, United States Code.

(4) A community-based organization serving families with a family member in the Armed Forces.

(c) Applications- An eligible applicant that desires to receive a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary of Defense at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary of Defense may require. The application shall include a description of--

(1) the results of a community wide needs assessment that describes--

(A) community demographics demonstrating the need for outreach and services to eligible families with a family member in the Armed Forces;

(B) the quality, capacity, and existing programs of early childhood home visitation for eligible families with a family member in the Armed Forces;

(C) the gaps in programs of early childhood home visitation for eligible families with a family member in the Armed Forces; and

(D) the type of program of early childhood home visitation necessary to address the gaps identified;

(2) the program of early childhood home visitation that will be supported by the grant under this section;

(3) how the proposed program of early childhood home visitation will promote positive parenting skills and children's early learning and development;

(4) how the proposed program of early childhood home visitation will incorporate the authorized activities described in subsection (f);

(5) how services provided through a grant under this section will use materials that are geared toward eligible families with a family member in the Armed Forces;

(6) how the activities under this section will build on and promote coordination with existing programs of early childhood home visitation, if such programs exist in the community, in an effort to promote an array of home visitation that ensures more eligible families with a family member in the Armed Forces are being served and are getting the most appropriate services to meet their needs;

(7) how the program will ensure that--

(A) eligible families with a family member in the Armed Forces are linked to schools; and

(B) the activities under this section will support the preparation of children for school;

(8) how channels of communication will be established between staff of programs of early childhood home visitation and staff of other early childhood education programs, such as Head State programs carried out under the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.) and Early Health State programs carried out under section 645A of such Act, preschool programs, family support programs, and child care programs, to facilitate the coordination of services for eligible families with a family member in the Armed Forces;

(9) how eligible families with a family member in the Armed Forces will be recruited and retained to receive services under this section;

(10) how training and technical assistance will help staff of programs of early childhood home visitation involved in activities under this section to more effectively serve eligible families with a family member in the Armed Forces;

(11) how the eligible applicant will evaluate the activities supported under this section in order to demonstrate outcomes related to the--

(A) increase in number of eligible families with a family member in the Armed Forces served by programs of early childhood home visitation;

(B) enhancement of participating parents' knowledge of early learning and development;

(D) enhancement of children's cognitive, language, social-emotional, and physical development; and

(12) such other information as the Secretary of Defense may require.

(d) Approval of Local Applications-

(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary of Defense shall select applicants for funding under this section based on the quality of the applications and the recommendations of a peer review panel, as described in paragraph (2).

(2) PEER REVIEW PANEL- The peer review panel shall include not less than--

(A) 2 individuals who are experts in the field of home visitation;

(B) 2 individuals who are experts in early childhood development;

(D) 1 individual who is a board certified pediatrician; and

(E) 1 individual with expertise in administering public or private (including community-based) child maltreatment prevention programs; and

(e) Duration of Grants- Grants made under this section shall be for a period of no more than 3 years.

(f) Authorized Activities- Each eligible applicant that receives a grant under this section shall carry out the following activities:

(1) Providing to as many eligible families with a family member in the Armed Forces as practicable, voluntary early childhood home visitation, on not less frequently than a monthly basis, through the implementation of quality programs of early childhood home visitation that are research-based, that provide parents with--

(A) knowledge of age appropriate child development in cognitive, language, social-emotional, and motor domains;

(B) knowledge of realistic expectations of age-appropriate child behaviors;

(D) modeling, consulting, and coaching on parenting practices;

(E) skills to interact with their child to enhance age-appropriate development;

(F) skills to recognize and seek help for health issues and developmental delays, and social, emotional, and behavioral skills; and

(G) activities designed to help parents become full partners in the education of their children.

(2) Ascertaining what health and development services the family receives under the program and working with service providers to eliminate gaps in service by offering annual health, vision, hearing, and developmental screening for participating children.

(3) Providing referrals for participating eligible families with a family member in the Armed Forces, as needed, to additional resources available in the community, such as center-based early education programs, child care services, health or mental health services, family literacy programs, employment agencies, social services, and child care resource and referral agencies.

(4) Offering group meetings (at the discretion of the program), on not less frequently than a monthly basis, for eligible families with a family member in the Armed Forces that--

(A) further enhance the information, activities, and skill-building addressed during home visitation;

(B) offer opportunities for parents to meet with and support each other; and

(5) Providing training and technical assistance to early childhood home visitation and early childhood care and education staff relating to--

(A) effective service to eligible families with a family member in the Armed Forces;

(B) effective methods of conducting parent education, home visiting, and promoting quality early childhood development, with sensitivity to cultural variations in parenting norms and attitudes toward formal support services;

(D) early childhood development with respect to children from birth until entry into kindergarten;

(E) methods to help parents promote emergent literacy in their children from birth until entry into kindergarten;

(F) implementing strategies for helping eligible families with a family member in the Armed Forces coping with crisis;

(G) recruiting, supervising, and retaining qualified staff;

(H) increasing services for underserved eligible families with a family member in the Armed Forces;

(I) methods to help parents effectively respond to their children's needs and behaviors; and

(J) implementation of ongoing program quality improvement and evaluation of activities and outcomes.

(6) Coordinating existing programs of early childhood home visitation in order to effectively and efficiently meet the needs of more eligible families with a family member in the Armed Forces.

(1) the actual service delivery provided for under the grant, including--

(A) program characteristics that include descriptive information on the service model used under the program and actual program performance;

(B) the characteristics of service providers under the program that include staff qualifications, work experience, and demographic characteristics;

(C) the characteristics of recipients of services under the program that include the number, demographic characteristics, and family retention under the program; and

(D) an estimate of the annual program implementation costs;

(2) with respect to recipients of services under the program, whether such services were provided in a manner consistent with program goals including, where appropriate--

(A) parental practices;

(B) child health and development indicators;

(D) school readiness indicators; and

(E) links to community services;

(3) the research-based instruction, materials, and activities being used in the activities conducted under the program; and

(4) the effectiveness of the training and ongoing professional development provided--

(A) to the staff supported under the program; and

(B) to the affected early childhood community.

(i) Authorization of Appropriations- There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $50,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2010.

SEC. 8. EVALUATION.

(a) In General- From funds reserved under section 6(b)(1)(A), the Secretary shall conduct an independent evaluation of the effectiveness of this Act.

(b) Reports-

(1) INTERIM REPORT- Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit an interim report on the evaluation conducted pursuant to subsection (a) to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives.

(2) FINAL REPORT- Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit a final report on the evaluation conducted pursuant to subsection (a) to the committees described in paragraph (1).

(1) How the grant funds have expanded access to early childhood home visitation in a manner that demonstrates that programs under this Act reflect the quality indicators under this Act.

(2) How the States are documenting compliance with the service delivery indicators under this Act across all entities carrying out programs under this Act with emphasis on the number of families served and the level of service received.

(3) How the services provided under State programs affect outcomes consistent with programs goals, including, where appropriate based on the program being evaluated, parenting practices, child health and development, child maltreatment, school readiness, and links to community services.

(4) The effectiveness of early childhood home visitation on different populations, including the extent to which variability exists in program ability to improve outcomes across programs and populations, such as families with English language learners and families with a family member in the Armed Forces.

(5) The effectiveness of the training and technical assistance activities funded under this Act, including the effects of training and technical assistance activities on program performance and agency-level collaboration.

(6) Recommendations on strengthening or modifying this Act.

SEC. 9. SUPPORTING NEW PARENTS THROUGH HOSPITAL EDUCATION.

(a) In General- The Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this section as the `Secretary') shall develop and implement a public information and educational campaign to inform the public and new parents about the importance of proper care for infants and children under 5 years of age, including healthy parent-child relationships, the demands and stress associated with caring for infants, positive responses to infants' challenging behaviors including awareness of their social, emotional, and physical needs, awareness of the vulnerability of young children to abusive practices, and the signs and treatment of post-partum depression.

(b) Elements-

(1) IN GENERAL- The campaign developed under subsection (a) shall include the following elements:

(A) The dissemination of educational and informational materials in print, audio, video, electronic, and other media.

(B) The use of public service announcements and advertisements.

(C) The dissemination of effective child abuse prevention practices and techniques, including information about research-based home visiting programs, respite care, crisis nurseries, and patent support networks, to parents, caregivers, maternity hospitals, children's hospitals, pediatricians, child care centers, organizations providing prenatal and postnatal care, and organizations providing parenting education and support services.

(D) Connection to existing parental involvement programs.

(2) PREVENTION PRACTICES- In carrying out paragraph (1)(C) through the campaign under subsection (a), the Secretary shall ensure that every hospital, military hospital, and birth center receiving these materials requests that each maternity patient and father of a newborn child, if available, participate in a single session parenting class, that is approved by the Secretary, on the vulnerabilities of their infant to abusive practices, as well as the importance of proper care for infants and young children, and the symptoms of abusive head and other injuries, and strategies for caring for infants' social, emotional, and physical needs. After participating in the class, the hospital or birth center shall request that such patient or father sign a form stating that they have participated or refused to participate in the parenting class.

(3) EXISTING PROGRAMS- The implementation and execution of the public information and educational campaign under this section should seek collaboration with and referrals to existing parental involvement programs that specialize in strengthening children's cognitive skills, early literacy skills, social or emotional and physical development and existing prenatal and early childhood home visit programs.

(4) EXISTING STATE REQUIREMENTS- The implementation and execution of the public information and educational campaign under this section should encourage the Secretary to work with pre-existing State requirements to ensure that no unnecessary burdens are placed on hospitals, military hospitals, and birth centers receiving educational materials.

(c) Authorization of Appropriations- There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section for fiscal year 2008.

END