Description:
Under the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), states that meet certain eligibility requirements, including the development of a plan of safe care for any drug-dependent infants, receive grants to address child abuse and neglect. S. 2687 would amend CAPTA to require states to carry out certain activities as part of the plan of safe care, including determining whether local authorities have the resources necessary to provide services for a child and family. The legislation also would require states to report the number of infants for whom a plan of safe care has been developed. Finally, S. 2687 would require the Department of Human Health and Services (HHS) to issue guidance to states regarding the requirements and best practices for the development and implementation of plans of safe care and to monitor states to ensure compliance with the bill’s requirements.
Based on information from HHS, CBO estimates that implementing the legislation would cost less than $500,000 annually for additional personnel to carry out the new requirements; such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds. Because enacting this bill would not affect direct spending or revenues, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. CBO estimates that enacting S. 2687 would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2027.
S. 2687 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments. Any costs states incur for complying with new grant requirements would be incurred voluntarily as a condition of receiving federal assistance.
