Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act

Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act

This bill establishes an interagency Federal Work Group on Youth Residential Programs to support and implement best practices regarding the health and safety, care, treatment, and appropriate placement of youth in youth residential programs.

The work group must develop recommendations about a national database to aggregate information about processes and outcomes for youth in such programs. The work group also must support the education and training of professional and paraprofessional personnel in fields that service such youth.

Further, the Department of Health and Human Services must contract with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to study and make recommendations about various aspects of federal and state oversight of youth residential programs.

Bill 118 hr 2955, also known as the Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act, is a piece of legislation currently being considered by the US Congress. The purpose of this bill is to address and prevent instances of child abuse within institutional settings such as schools, foster care facilities, and juvenile detention centers.

The bill outlines several key provisions aimed at achieving this goal. Firstly, it requires all institutions that care for children to implement comprehensive training programs for staff members on recognizing and reporting signs of abuse. This training would also include information on how to properly respond to allegations of abuse and provide support to victims.

Additionally, the bill calls for the establishment of a national registry of individuals who have been found guilty of child abuse or neglect. This registry would be accessible to institutions hiring employees who work with children, helping to prevent abusers from moving from one institution to another. Furthermore, the Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act mandates regular inspections and oversight of institutions that care for children to ensure compliance with child protection laws. Institutions found to be in violation of these laws would face penalties and potential closure. Overall, the Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act aims to protect vulnerable children from abuse and neglect within institutional settings by implementing stricter regulations, training programs, and oversight measures. It is currently under review in Congress and has garnered bipartisan support for its efforts to address this important issue.