FAMILY RESOURCE AND SUPPORT PROGRAM GRANTS.

SEC. 933. FAMILY RESOURCE AND SUPPORT PROGRAM GRANTS. (a) Authority.—The Commissioner shall make grants under this section to States on a competitive basis, for the purpose of developing, expanding, and operating a network of local family resource and support programs in collaboration with existing health, mental health, education, employment and training, child welfare, and other social services agencies within the State. (b) Amount of Grant.—The amount of a grant awarded under this section for the first year in which a program is operated or expanded under this section shall not exceed $6,000,000 nor be less than $1,500,000 based on an assessment by the Commissioner of the application submitted by the State under subsection (d), the scope of the proposed program to be operated or expanded, and the population to be served by the program. (c) Duration.— (1) In general.—A grant awarded under this section shall be for a term of 3 years. (2) Limitation.— (A) Use.—During the 12-month period immediately after the date on which the grant is awarded to a State under this section, the State may use the funds received under such grant exclusively for program development. Subsequent to such period grant funds shall be used for program implementation and operation unless the Commissioner grants a waiver from this limitation. (B) Reporting requirements.—To receive funds after the period referred to in subparagraph (A) and after the 12-month period immediately following such initial period, the 104 STAT. 1275State shall report to the Commissioner concerning the plans of the State for— (i) the establishment and expansion of a network of family resource and support programs in the State; (ii) the number of family resource and support programs that have been expanded or newly established with grant funds under this section; (iii) the nature of those programs, including the populations served and services provided; and (iv) the extent of local community and parental participation in the development, operation, and governance of the programs. (d) Application.—To be eligible to receive a grant under this section a State shall prepare and submit, to the Commissioner, an application at such time, in such form, and containing such information as the Commissioner shall require, including— (1) an assurance that the chief executive officer of the State will designate a lead agency to assume responsibility for the development and implementation of family resource and support programs; (2) an assurance that the State has a process for effective program development that— (A) does not duplicate current processes or programs; (B) makes publicly available a written plan for the establishment of a network of local family resource and support programs; and (C) involves appropriate personnel in the development process, including— (i) parents and prospective participants in family resource and support programs; (ii) staff of existing family resource and support programs; (iii) representatives of State and local government social service, health, mental health, education, employment, and economic development agencies; (iv) representatives of the business community; (v) representatives of general purpose local government; (vi) representatives of local communities in which family resource and support programs are likely to be located; and (vii) other individuals with expertise in the services that the family resource and support programs of the State intend to offer; (3) a description of the current family support programs in the State, the current unmet need for such services, and the intended scope of the State family resource and support program, the population to be served, the manner in which the program will be operated, and the manner in which such program will relate to other community services and public agencies; (4) a description of the projected level of financial commitment by the State to developing a family resource and support program; (5) a description of the core services, as required under this chapter, and other support services to be provided by the program and the manner in which such services will be provided; 104 STAT. 1276 (6) assurances that the State program will maintain cultural diversity; (7) a description of the guidelines for requiring parental involvement in State and local program development, policy design, and governance and the process for assessing and demonstrating that parental involvement in program development, operation, and governance occurs; (8) an assurance that, in awarding local grants, priority will be given to programs serving low-income communities and programs serving young parents; (9) a description of the local interagency planning process to be utilized to develop and implement local family resource and support programs; (10) a description of the criteria that the State will utilize for awarding grants for local programs so that they meet the requirements of subsection (f); (11) a plan for providing training, technical assistance, and other assistance to local communities in program development; (12) a description of the methods to be utilized to evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of the family resource and support programs within the State; and (13) a description of proposed actions by the State that will reduce practical and regulatory barriers to the provision of comprehensive services to families, including family resource and support programs. (e) Criteria.—In determining whether to award a grant to a State under this section the Commissioner shall consider— (1) the plans for program development, expansion, and operation by the State, including the amount of training, technical assistance and other support that the State will provide to local communities in the development and operation of their programs; (2) the established guidelines for requiring and assessing parental involvement in local program development, policy design, and goverance; (3) the budget of the State for the expenditure of Federal and State funds and the ability of the program to secure financial commitments from a variety of sources, including public and private entities; and (4) any other factors determined appropriate by the Commissioner. (f) Local Program Requirements.—A State that receives a grant under such section shall use such grant to establish local family resource and support programs that— (1) implement a community planning process involving parents, local public and private non-profit agencies responsible for providing health, education, employment training, Head Start and other early childhood, child welfare, and other social services to determine local family needs, and identify appropriate community agencies to administer such programs locally; (2) provide core services, and other services directly or through contracts or agreements with other local agencies; and (3) involve parents in the development, operation, and governance of the program.