[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 468 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 468
To make grants to carry out activities to prevent teen pregnancy in
racial or ethnic minority or immigrant communities, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 12, 2007
Ms. Solis introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To make grants to carry out activities to prevent teen pregnancy in
racial or ethnic minority or immigrant communities, and for other
purposes.
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 ``Communities of Color Teen Pregnancy
Prevention Act of 2007''.
SEC. 2. COMMUNITY-BASED AND SCHOOL-BASED INTERVENTION PROGRAMS.
(a) Community-Based Intervention Programs.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services
(referred to in this Act as the ``Secretary'') shall make
grants to public and nonprofit private entities for the purpose
of carrying out projects to prevent teen pregnancies in racial
or ethnic minority or immigrant communities with a substantial
incidence or prevalence of cases of teen pregnancy as compared
to the average number of such cases in communities in the State
involved (referred to in this Act as ``eligible communities'').
(2) Requirements regarding purpose of grants.--A grant may
be made under paragraph (1) only if, with respect to the
expenditure of the grant to carry out the purpose described in
such paragraph, the applicant involved agrees to use one or
more of the following strategies:
(A) Promote effective communication among families
about preventing teen pregnancy, particularly
communication among parents or guardians and their
children.
(B) Educate community members about the
consequences of teen pregnancy.
(C) Encourage young people to postpone sexual
activity and prepare for a healthy, successful
adulthood, including by teaching them skills to avoid
unwanted verbal, physical, and sexual advances.
(D) Provide educational information, including
medically accurate contraceptive information, for young
people in such communities who are already sexually
active or are at risk of becoming sexually active and
inform young people in such communities about the
responsibilities and consequences of being a parent,
and how early pregnancy and parenthood can interfere
with educational and other goals.
(3) Utilizing effective strategies.--A grant may be made
under paragraph (1) only if the applicant involved agrees that,
in carrying out the purpose described in such paragraph, the
applicant will, whenever possible, use strategies that have
been demonstrated to be effective, or that incorporate
characteristics of effective programs.
(b) School-Based Projects.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary may make grants to public
and nonprofit private entities for the purpose of establishing
and operating for eligible communities, in association with
public secondary schools for such communities, projects for one
or more of the following:
(A) To carry out activities, including counseling,
to prevent teen pregnancy.
(B) To provide necessary social and cultural
support services regarding teen pregnancy.
(C) To provide health and educational services
related to the prevention of teen pregnancy.
(D) To promote better health and educational
outcomes among pregnant teens.
(E) To provide training for individuals who plan to
work in school-based support programs regarding the
prevention of teen pregnancy.
(2) Priority.--In making grants under paragraph (1), the
Secretary shall give priority to providing for projects under
such paragraph in eligible communities.
(3) Required coalition.--A grant may be made under
paragraph (1) only if the applicant involved has formed an
appropriate coalition of entities for purposes of carrying out
a project under such paragraph, including--
(A) one or more public secondary schools for the
eligible community involved; and
(B) entities to provide the services of the
project.
(4) Training.--A grant under paragraph (1) may be expended
to train individuals to provide the services described in
subparagraphs (A) and (B) of such paragraph for the project
involved.
(c) Reporting and Evaluation.--
(1) Report.--A grant may be made under subsection (a) or
(b) only if the applicant involved agrees to submit to the
Secretary, in accordance with the criteria of the Secretary, a
report that provides information on the project under such
subsection, including project outcomes and increased education
and awareness about the prevention of teen pregnancy. The
Secretary shall make such reports available to the public.
(2) Evaluations.--Not later than 12 months after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall, directly or
through contract, provide for evaluations of at least 10
percent or not less than 6 projects carried out with grants
under each of subsections (a) and (b). Each such evaluation
shall describe--
(A) the activities carried out with the grant; and
(B) the extent to which the activities were
effective in changing attitudes and behavior to achieve
the project strategies consistent with--
(i) subsection (a)(2) for grants under
subsection (a); or
(ii) subsection (b)(1) for grants under
subsection (b).
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) Community-based intervention programs.--For the purpose
of carrying out subsection (a), there is authorized to be
appropriated $40,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008
through 2012.
(2) School-based projects.--For the purpose of carrying out
subsection (b), there is authorized to be appropriated
$10,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2012.
(3) Evaluations.--Of the total amount appropriated to carry
out this section for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall reserve
10 percent of such amount to carry out subsection (c)(2).
SEC. 3. MULTIMEDIA CAMPAIGNS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall make grants to public and
nonprofit private entities for the purpose of carrying out multimedia
campaigns to provide public education and increase awareness with
respect to the issue of teen pregnancy and related social and emotional
issues.
(b) Priority.--In making grants under subsection (a), the Secretary
shall give priority to campaigns described in such subsection that are
directed toward eligible communities.
(c) Requirements.--A grant may be made under subsection (a) only if
the applicant involved agrees that the multimedia campaign under such
subsection will--
(1) provide information on the prevention of teen
pregnancy;
(2) provide information that identifies organizations in
the communities involved that--
(A) provide health and educational services related
to the prevention of teen pregnancy; and
(B) provide necessary social and cultural support
services; and
(3) coincide with efforts of the National Clearinghouse for
Teen Pregnancy Prevention that are made under section 4(b)(1).
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of carrying
out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $6,000,000 for
each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2012.
SEC. 4. NATIONAL CLEARINGHOUSE.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall make grants to a nonprofit
private entity to establish and operate a National Clearinghouse for
Teen Pregnancy Prevention (referred to in this section as the
``Clearinghouse'') for the purposes described in subsection (b).
(b) Purposes of Clearinghouse.--The purposes referred to in
subsection (a) regarding the Clearinghouse are as follows:
(1) To provide information and technical assistance to
States, Indian tribes, local communities, and other public or
private entities to develop content and messages for teens and
adults that address and seek to reduce the rate of teen
pregnancy.
(2) To support parents in their essential role in
preventing teen pregnancy by equipping parents with information
and resources to promote and strengthen communication with
their children about sex, values, and positive relationships,
including healthy relationships.
(c) Requirements for Grantee.--A grant may be made under subsection
(a) only if the applicant involved is an organization that meets the
following conditions:
(1) The organization is a nationally recognized,
nonpartisan organization that has at least 10 years of
experience focusing exclusively on preventing teen pregnancy
and working with diverse groups to reduce the rate of teen
pregnancy.
(2) The organization has a demonstrated ability to work
with and provide assistance to a broad range of individuals and
entities, including teens; parents; the entertainment and news
media; State, tribal, and local organizations; networks of teen
pregnancy prevention practitioners; businesses; faith and
community leaders; and researchers.
(3) The organization has experience in the use of
culturally competent and linguistically appropriate methods to
address teen pregnancy in eligible communities.
(4) The organization conducts or supports research and has
experience with scientific analyses and evaluations.
(5) The organization has comprehensive knowledge and data
about strategies for the prevention of teen pregnancy.
(6) The organization has experience in carrying out
functions similar to the functions described in subsection (b).
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of carrying
out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $1,500,000 for
each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2012.
SEC. 5. RESEARCH.
(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Director of the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall make grants to public
or nonprofit private entities to conduct, support, and coordinate
research on the prevention of teen pregnancy in eligible communities,
including research on the factors contributing to the disproportionate
rates of teen pregnancy in such communities and research-based
strategies for addressing such disparities.
(b) Research.--In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary shall
support research that--
(1) investigates the incidence and prevalence of teen
pregnancy in communities described in such subsection;
(2) examines--
(A) the relationships between teen pregnancy and
one or more of--
(i) the mental and physical health and
well-being of teenagers in the communities;
(ii) the scholastic achievement of such
teenagers;
(iii) family structure and communication;
and
(iv) other factors contributing to
disproportionate rates of teen pregnancy in
such communities;
(B) the variance in the rates of teen pregnancy
by--
(i) location (such as inner cities, inner
suburbs, outer suburbs, and rural areas);
(ii) population subgroup (such as Hispanic,
Asian-Pacific Islander, African-American, and
Native American);
(iii) level of acculturation; and
(iv) socioeconomic status (such as income,
educational attainment of the parents of the
teenager, and school attendance of the
teenager);
(C) the importance of the physical and social
environment as a factor in placing communities at risk
of increased rates of teen pregnancy; and
(D) the importance of aspirations and motivations
as factors affecting young people's risk of teen
pregnancy;
(3) is used to propose or identify additional strategies
that will address the disproportionate rates of teen pregnancy
in such communities; and
(4) wherever possible, includes efforts to link the
measures to relevant databases, including health databases.
(c) Priority.--In making grants under subsection (a), the Secretary
shall give priority to research that incorporates--
(1) interdisciplinary approaches; or
(2) a strong emphasis on community-based participatory
research.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of carrying
out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $7,500,000 for
each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2012.
SEC. 6. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS.
(a) Medically Accurate Information.--A grant may be made under this
Act only if the applicant involved agrees that all information provided
pursuant to the grant will be age-appropriate, factually and medically
accurate and complete, and scientifically based.
(b) Cultural Context of Services.--A grant may be made under this
Act only if the applicant involved agrees that information, activities,
and services under the grant that are directed toward a particular
population group will be provided in the language and cultural context
that is most appropriate for individuals in such group.
(c) Application for Grant.--A grant may be made under this Act only
if an application for the grant is submitted to the Secretary and the
application is in such form, is made in such manner, and contains such
agreements, assurances, and information as the Secretary determines to
be necessary to carry out the program involved.
SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act:
(1) The term ``eligible community'' has the meaning
indicated for such term in section 2(a)(1).
(2) The term ``racial or ethnic minority or immigrant
communities'' means communities with a substantial number of
residents who are members of racial or ethnic minority groups
or who are immigrants.
(3) The term ``Secretary'' has the meaning indicated for
such term in section 2(a)(1).
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