A bill to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to establish the Adverse Childhood Experiences Response Team grant program, and for other purposes.
- Bill Number
- S. 1897
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-05-22: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- Last Updated
- 2025-12-06T06:40:24Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This bill aims to address adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)—traumatic events like violence or abuse that can harm children's long-term health and well-being—by creating a federal grant program. It supports communities in building coordinated responses to help children and youth exposed to such trauma, integrating law enforcement, health services, and other support systems.
Key Provisions
- Grant Authorization: The Attorney General, working with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, can award grants to states, local governments, Indian Tribes, and community-based organizations to establish "Adverse Childhood Experiences Response Teams."
- Allowed Uses of Funds:
- Create protocols for identifying and supporting children exposed to trauma, ensuring access to services.
- Build partnerships with behavioral health providers, substance abuse treatment centers, and recovery programs for affected families.
- Combine law enforcement, mental health, and crisis response to handle trauma situations.
- Develop programs to support traumatized children.
- Identify community barriers to trauma-informed care (care that recognizes the effects of trauma and avoids re-traumatizing individuals).
- Train emergency responders, victim services, child protective services, schools, and other partners in trauma-informed approaches.
- Foster collaboration across systems like law enforcement, courts, child welfare, corrections, emergency medical services, healthcare, public health, and substance abuse support.
- Offer technical assistance to prevent and reduce the effects of trauma and violence.
- Application Process: Eligible recipients must submit an application to the Attorney General with required details.
- Funding: Authorizes $10 million annually from fiscal years 2026 through 2029 to fund the program.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
The bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (a key law funding crime prevention and justice programs) by adding a new Part PP to Title I. This introduces the first dedicated federal grant program focused on ACEs response teams, expanding the Act's scope from traditional crime control to include trauma prevention and support for children. It also adds a new funding line item for this initiative.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Enhances coordination between the Department of Justice (via the Attorney General) and the Department of Health and Human Services, potentially streamlining federal support for local trauma responses. Local and state agencies may see increased resources for training and partnerships, reducing silos between justice and health systems.
- On Citizens: Children and youth exposed to trauma could gain better access to supportive services, potentially improving mental health outcomes, reducing long-term social issues like substance abuse or involvement in the justice system, and benefiting their families through recovery programs.
- On International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic U.S. programs.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Children and Youth: Primary beneficiaries, receiving trauma-informed support to mitigate ACEs.
- Families: Gain access to substance treatment and recovery services.
- Government Entities: States, local governments, and Indian Tribes, which can apply for grants to build response capabilities.
- Community Organizations: Neighborhood and community-based groups involved in service delivery.
- Service Providers: Law enforcement, mental health professionals, child welfare workers, schools, emergency medical teams, and substance abuse programs, who receive training and collaboration opportunities.
- Federal Agencies: Department of Justice and Department of Health and Human Services, responsible for grant administration.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens the federal role in public health and child welfare under existing crime control laws, without creating new mandates; grants are voluntary and application-based, respecting state and local autonomy.
- Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's spending power to fund programs addressing public safety and health, potentially supporting equal protection by targeting vulnerable children, though it avoids imposing uniform national standards.
- Political: Bipartisan introduction (by Senators Shaheen, a Democrat, and Blackburn, a Republican) signals broad support for child trauma initiatives; could influence future funding debates on juvenile justice and mental health, emphasizing prevention over punishment.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2025-05-22: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2025-05-22: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to establish the Adverse Childhood Experiences Response Team grant program, and for other purposes. — issued 2025-05-22 — PDF (4 pages)