Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act of 2024

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118th CONGRESS
1st Session

S. XXX

 

To reauthorize the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, and for other purposes.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

Quarter 1, 2024

Mr. Hunt (for himself and Mr. Durbin) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To reauthorize the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, 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 “Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act of 2023”.

SEC. 2. Findings.

Section 302 of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (34 U.S.C. 11201) is amended to read as follows:

“SEC. 302. Findings.

“The Congress finds that—

“(1) youth who have become homeless or who leave and remain away from home without parental permission are at risk of developing, and have a disproportionate share of, trauma, substance use disorders, and serious health, behavioral, social, and emotional challenges because they lack sufficient resources to obtain care and may live on the street for extended periods of time, thereby endangering themselves;

“(2) many such young people, because of their age and situation, are urgently in need of temporary shelter and services, including services that consider their age, gender, and social and developmental needs, are culturally and linguistically appropriate, and acknowledge the environment of youth seeking these services;

“(3) research has documented the fluid experiences of homelessness of youth, where many youth experience 2 or more different types of homelessness, including couch surfing, living in motels, and staying on the streets;

“(4) research has documented that persons who are members of historically marginalized and underserved communities of color, LGBTQ youth, youth who do not complete high school or achieve a high school equivalency, youth involved in the child welfare system, youth who have been involved with the criminal justice system, and pregnant and parenting youth are most likely to experience homelessness in the United States while unaccompanied by a parent or adult;

“(5) services to such young people should be developed and provided using a positive youth development approach that ensures a young person a sense of—

“(A) safety and structure;

“(B) belonging and membership;

“(C) self-worth, empowerment, voice, and choice;

“(D) independence and control over one’s life; and

“(E) closeness in interpersonal relationships;

“(6) in view of the interstate nature of the problem, it is the responsibility of the Federal Government to develop an accurate national reporting system to report the prevalence of youth homelessness, and to assist in the development of an effective system of care (including prevention services and aftercare services, short-term housing with services, extended housing with supportive services, and street outreach services) outside the welfare system and the law enforcement system, in collaboration with public assistance systems, the education system, and the child welfare system;

“(7) to make a successful transition to adulthood, youth who run away, youth experiencing homelessness, and youth living in the street need a safe and stable place to live, connections to caring adults, and opportunities to complete high school or earn a general equivalency degree, learn job skills, and obtain employment;

“(8) improved coordination and collaboration at the Federal level between programs that serve runaway and homeless youth are necessary for the development of a long-term strategy for responding to the needs of this population;

“(9) runaway and homeless youth are at a high risk of substance use disorders and becoming victims of sexual exploitation and trafficking;

“(10) since research has shown that the prevalence of homelessness among youth is similar in rural and urban communities, runaway and homeless youth programs, such as those funded under this title, are integral services that every community should provide, regardless of the size of the community; and

“(11) runaway and homeless youth programs, such as those funded under this title—

“(A) are expert adolescent service providers and integral community partners for the child welfare and juvenile justice systems as many youth exit these systems to homelessness; and

“(B) work to reunify youth with their family when safe and appropriate.”.

SEC. 3. Basic center grant program.

Part A of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (34 U.S.C. 11211 et seq.) is amended—

(1) in section 311, by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:

“(a) Grants for centers and services.—

“(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall—

“(A) not later than 90 days before the start date of the grant, award 5-year grants to public and nonprofit private entities, and combinations of such entities, to establish, operate, and maintain (including renovate) local centers to provide—

“(i) safe shelter and services for runaway and homeless youth, including trauma-informed services; and

“(ii) if appropriate, services for the families of such youth, including individuals identified by such youth as family; and

“(B) establish an appeal process for grantees.

“(2) SERVICES PROVIDED.—Services provided under paragraph (1)—

“(A) shall be provided to runaway youth, street youth, homeless youth, or youth at risk of separation from the family;

“(B) shall include—

“(i) safe and appropriate shelter for not more than 30 days or the maximum allowed by the State, whichever is greater;

“(ii) individual, family, or group counseling, as appropriate, including counseling for individuals identified by such youth as family, that considers the age, gender, and social and developmental needs of such youth, and is culturally and linguistically appropriate; and

“(iii) suicide prevention services; and

“(C) may include—

“(i) street-based services;

“(ii) home-based services for families with youth at risk of separation from the family, to the extent practicable, that consider the ages, genders, and social and developmental needs of the family, and are culturally and linguistically appropriate;

“(iii) prevention services;

“(iv) substance use disorder education and prevention services;

“(v) at the request of runaway youth or homeless youth, testing for sexually transmitted infections;

“(vi) trauma-informed services, including for such youth who are victims of trafficking; and

“(vii) an assessment of—

“(I) family engagement in support and reunification, if reunification is appropriate;

“(II) interventions; and

“(III) services for parents or legal guardians of such youth or, if appropriate, individuals identified by such youth as family.”;

(2) in section 312—

(A) in subsection (b)—

(i) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:

“(2) shall use such assistance to establish, strengthen, or fund a runaway and homeless youth center that provides temporary shelter or a locally controlled project, including a host family home, that has—

“(A) a minimum capacity of not less than 4 youth, except if there is an established minimum number of beds per youth shelter or project location;

“(B) a maximum capacity of not more than 20 youth, except where the applicant demonstrates that the State where the center or locally controlled project is located has a State or local law or regulation that allows a higher maximum to comply with licensure requirements for child and youth serving centers or projects;

“(C) a ratio of staff to youth that is sufficient to ensure adequate supervision and treatment; and

“(D) if it is a mixed project, not more than 20 youth per project, except where the applicant demonstrates that the project has a State or local law or regulation that allows a higher maximum to comply with licensure requirements for child and youth serving projects;”;

(ii) in paragraph (5), by striking “or legal guardians” and inserting “, legal guardians, or individuals identified by such youth as family, if appropriate,”;

(iii) by striking paragraphs (6), (7), and (8), and inserting the following:

“(6) shall develop an adequate plan, which may include the use of online resources to reach and engage youth, for establishing or coordinating with outreach programs designed to attract persons, including persons who are members of underserved populations, who are eligible to receive services for which a grant under section 311(a) may be expended;

“(7) shall keep adequate statistical records profiling the runaway youth or homeless youth and family members of such youth whom the applicant serves, including demographic information and the number of such youth who—

“(A) are not referred to out-of-home shelter services;

“(B) are members of vulnerable or underserved populations;

“(C) are victims of trafficking;

“(D) are pregnant or parenting;

“(E) have been involved in the child welfare system; and

“(F) have been involved in the juvenile justice system;

“(8) shall ensure that—

“(A) the information maintained on individual runaway youth or homeless youth contained in the records described in paragraph (7) shall not be disclosed without the consent of the individual youth and the parent of the youth, the legal guardian of the youth, or an individual identified by such youth as family, to anyone other than an agency compiling statistical records or a government agency involved in the disposition of criminal charges against such youth; and

“(B) reports or other documents based on the statistics described in paragraph (7) shall not disclose the identity of any individual runaway youth or homeless youth;”;

(iv) in paragraph (12), by striking subparagraphs (B) and (C) and inserting the following:

“(B) detailed information on how the applicant has been able to meet the goals of the plan of the applicant; and

“(C) statistical summaries describing—

“(i) the data the Secretary requires to be collected;

“(ii) the number and characteristics of runaway youth, homeless youth, street youth, and youth at risk of separation from family, who participate in the project, including information on such youth who—

“(I) are victims of trafficking;

“(II) are pregnant or parenting;

“(III) have been involved in the child welfare system; or

“(IV) have been involved with the criminal justice system; and

“(iii) the services provided to such youth by the project;”;

(v) in paragraph (13), by striking the period at the end and inserting “for natural disasters, inclement weather, and public health emergencies;”; and

(vi) by adding at the end the following:

“(14) shall provide services to runaway youth and homeless youth that consider the age, gender, and social and developmental needs of such youth, and are culturally and linguistically appropriate, to the extent practicable; and

“(15) shall inform youth of their status as independent students under section 480 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087vv), provide verification of such status for the purposes of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid described in section 483 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1090), and assist youth in completing this application at the request of the youth.”;

(B) in subsection (c)—

(i) in paragraph (3), by striking “and” after the semicolon;

(ii) in paragraph (4), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and

(iii) by adding at end the following:

“(5) develop a plan, consistent with local needs, for the use of online resources, if appropriate, to reach and engage youth.”;

(C) in subsection (d)—

(i) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:

“(1) provide counseling and information that consider the age, gender, and social and developmental needs of such youth, and are culturally and linguistically appropriate, to the extent practicable, to youth and the families of such youth (including unrelated individuals in the family households of such youth and individuals identified by such youth as family), including services relating to basic life skills, interpersonal skill building, educational advancement, job attainment skills, mental and physical health care, suicide prevention, parenting skills, financial planning, and referral to sources of other needed services;”;

(ii) in paragraph (4), by inserting “, including training on trauma-informed care” before the semicolon at the end; and

(iii) in paragraph (5)—

(I) in subparagraph (A), by striking “and” after the semicolon;

(II) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and

(III) by adding at the end the following:

“(C) youth are eligible for home-based services when determined by the applicant to be at risk of separation from family.”;

(D) in subsection (e), by striking the subsection enumerator and all that follows through “(b)—” and inserting the following:

“(e) Applicants providing substance use disorder education and prevention services.—To be eligible to use assistance under section 311(a) to provide substance use disorder education and prevention services, an applicant shall include in the plan required by subsection (b)—”; and

(E) by adding at the end the following:

“(f) Online resources for outreach.—An applicant may develop a plan, consistent with local needs, for the use of online resources to reach and engage youth.

“(g) Definition of underserved populations.—In this section, the term ‘underserved populations’ means victims of homelessness or trafficking or runaway youth, who disproportionately face barriers in accessing and using victim services, including populations who are underserved due to limited English proficiency or are historically marginalized and underserved communities of color, and any other population determined to be underserved by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.”; and

(3) in section 313, by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:

“(b) Priority.—In selecting applications for grants under section 311(a), the Secretary shall give priority to eligible applicants who have demonstrated experience in providing services to runaway youth and homeless youth.”.

SEC. 4. Transitional Living Grant Program.

Part B of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (34 U.S.C. 11221 et seq.) is amended—

(1) in section 321—

(A) by inserting “5-year” after “to make”; and

(B) by inserting “and runaway youth. The Secretary shall award such grants not later than 90 days before the start date of the grant and establish an appeal process for grantees” after “homeless youth”; and

(2) in section 322—

(A) in subsection (a)—

(i) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:

“(1) to provide to homeless youth, by grant, agreement, or contract—

“(A) shelter, such as group homes, maternity group homes, host family homes, and supervised apartments; and

“(B) services, such as information and counseling services in basic life skills, which consider the age, gender, and social and developmental needs of such youth, and are culturally and linguistically appropriate, including topics on money management, budgeting, consumer education, use of credit, parenting skills, interpersonal skill building, educational advancement, job attainment skills, mental and physical health care, and suicide prevention services;”;

(ii) in paragraph (2)—

(I) by striking “18 years” and inserting “23 years”; and

(II) by striking “18th” and inserting “23rd”;

(iii) by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following:

“(4) that such shelter project used to carry out such project shall—

“(A) have a minimum project capacity of not fewer than 4 youth, except if there is an established minimum number of beds per individual shelter or project location;

“(B) have the capacity to accommodate not more than 20 individuals, excluding staff, within a single project, except where the applicant demonstrates that the State where the project is located has a State or local law or regulation that allows a higher maximum to comply with licensure requirements for child and youth serving projects; and

“(C) if it is a mixed project, limit runaway and homeless youth shelter beds to 20 youth per project with segregated access and programming, except where the applicant demonstrates that the State where the project is located has a State or local law or regulation that allows a higher maximum to comply with licensure requirements for child and youth serving projects;”;

(iv) by striking paragraphs (6), (7), (8), and (9), and inserting the following:

“(6) to develop a written transitional living plan in partnership with each youth based on an assessment of the needs of each youth, designed to help the transition from supervised participation in such project to independent living or another appropriate living arrangement;

“(7) to develop an adequate plan to ensure proper coordination, integration, and referral of homeless youth and runaway youth, which considers the age, gender, and social and developmental needs of such youth, and are culturally and linguistically appropriate, to the extent practicable, to—

“(A) social service;

“(B) law enforcement;

“(C) educational training, including post-secondary education;

“(D) vocational training, including services and programs for youth available under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.);

“(E) welfare, including programs amended under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (Public Law 104–193);

“(F) legal service;

“(G) mental health service and health care programs;

“(H) substance use disorder treatment; and

“(I) programs providing wrap-around services to victims of trafficking and gender-based violence;

“(8) to provide for the establishment of outreach programs designed to attract individuals who are eligible to participate in the project, which may include the use of online and social media engagements;

“(9) to submit to the Secretary an annual report that includes information regarding the activities carried out with funds under this part, the achievements of the project under this part carried out by the applicant and statistical summaries describing the number, characteristics, and demographic information of the homeless youth and runaway youth who participate in such project, including the prevalence of trafficking of such youth, and the services provided to such youth by such project, in the year for which the report is submitted;”;

(v) in paragraph (15), by striking “and” after the semicolon;

(vi) by striking paragraph (16) and inserting the following:

“(16) to develop an adequate emergency preparedness and management plan regarding responses to natural disasters, inclement weather, and mental health emergencies; and”;

(vii) by redesignating paragraphs (3) through (5) and (6) through (16), as paragraphs (5) through (7) and (9) through (19), respectively;

(viii) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:

“(3) to provide counseling to homeless and runaway youth and to encourage, if appropriate, the involvement in such counseling of their parents, legal guardians, or individuals identified by such youth as family;

“(4) to provide aftercare services, if possible, to homeless and runaway youth who have received shelter and services from a transitional living youth project, including, to the extent practicable, such youth who, after receiving such shelter and services, relocate to a geographic area or State other than the geographic area or State in which such project is located;”;

(ix) by inserting after paragraph (7), as redesignated by clause (vii), the following:

“(8) to develop a plan to provide services, which consider the age, gender, and social and developmental needs of such youth, and are culturally and linguistically appropriate, that address the needs of runaway, homeless, and street youth;”;

(x) by adding at end the following:

“(20) to inform youth of their status as independent students under section 480 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087vv), provide verification of such status for the purposes of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid described in section 483 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1090), and assist the youth in completing this application at the request of the youth.”; and

(B) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:

“(b) Priority.—In selecting eligible applicants to receive grants under this part, the Secretary shall give priority to entities that have experience in providing to homeless youth shelter and services of the types described in subsection (a)(1).”.

SEC. 5. National communications system.

Section 331 of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (34 U.S.C. 11231) is amended by inserting “, online, and social media” after “telephone”.

SEC. 6. Coordinating, training, research, and other activities.

Part D of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (34 U.S.C. 11241 et seq.) is amended—

(1) in section 341—

(A) by inserting “safety, well-being,” after “health,”; and

(B) in paragraph (2) by striking “other Federal entities” and inserting “the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Education, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Justice”;

(2) in section 342—

(A) by inserting “5-year” after “make”;

(B) by inserting “(including onsite and web-based techniques, such as on-demand and online learning)” after “training”; and

(C) by striking “carrying out” and inserting “implementing in a trauma-informed manner”;

(3) in section 343(b)—

(A) in paragraph (5)—

(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking “abuse” and all that follows through the semicolon at the end and inserting “abuse, sexual assault, and trafficking;”;

(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking “abuse” and all that follows through “; and” and inserting “abuse, sexual assault, and trafficking;”;

(iii) in subparagraph (C), by striking “who have been sexually victimized”; and

(iv) by adding at end the following:

“(D) best practices for identifying and providing services that consider the age, gender, and social and developmental background of an individual, and are culturally and linguistically appropriate, to the extent practicable, to—

“(i) vulnerable and underserved youth populations; and

“(ii) youth who are victims of trafficking; and

“(E) informing youth of their status as independent students under section 480 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087vv), providing verification of such status for the purposes of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid described in section 483 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1090), and assisting youth in completing this application at the request of the youth;”;

(B) in paragraph (9), by striking “and” after the semicolon;

(C) in paragraph (10), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and

(D) by adding at end the following:

“(11) examining the intersection between the runaway and homeless youth populations and trafficking, including noting whether such youth who are victims of trafficking were previously involved in the child welfare system or juvenile justice system.”;

(4) in section 344(a)(2)(A), by striking “$100,000” and inserting “$200,000”;

(5) in section 345—

(A) in subsection (a)—

(i) by striking “Not later than” and all that follows through “Homelessness” and inserting “Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of the Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act of 2023, and at 3-year intervals thereafter, the Secretary, acting through the Associate Commissioner of the Family and Youth Services Bureau”;

(ii) in paragraph (1)—

(I) by striking “13” and inserting “12”; and

(II) by striking “and” after the semicolon;

(iii) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and

(iv) by adding at end the following:

“(3) that includes demographic information of such individuals, including youth who are victims of trafficking; and

“(4) that does not disclose the identity of any such individual.”; and

(B) in subsection (b)(1)—

(i) by striking “13” and inserting “12”;

(ii) in subparagraph (A), by striking “and” after the semicolon;

(iii) in subparagraph (B)—

(I) in clause (ii), by striking “; and” and inserting “, including mental health services;”;

(II) in clause (iii), by striking “and” after the semicolon; and

(III) by adding at end the following:

“(iv) connections to caring adults; and

“(v) access to secondary education, higher education, and job training; and”;

(iv) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (E); and

(v) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following:

“(B) incidences, if any, of such individuals who—

“(i) are victims of trafficking;

“(ii) are victims of sexual exploitation; or

“(iii) were involved in the child welfare or foster care system;

“(C) demographic characteristics, including race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity (as defined in section 249(c) of title 18, United States Code), sexual orientation, and disability;

“(D) statistics on youth who are or were pregnant or parenting; and”.

SEC. 7. Sexual abuse and trafficking prevention program; street outreach program.

Part E of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (34 U.S.C. 11261 et seq.) is amended by striking section 351 and inserting the following:

“SEC. 351. Authority to make grants.

“(a) In general.—The Secretary shall make 5-year grants to public and nonprofit private entities, and combinations of such entities, for the purpose of providing street-based services to runaway, homeless, and street youth who have been subjected to, or are at risk of being subjected to, sexual abuse or trafficking. The Secretary shall award such grants not later than 90 days before the start date of the grant and establish an appeal process for grantees.

“(b) Priority.—In selecting applicants to receive grants under subsection (a), the Secretary shall give priority to public and nonprofit private entities that have experience in providing services to runaway, homeless, and street youth.

“(c) Eligibility requirements.—To be eligible to receive a grant under subsection (a), an applicant shall certify to the Secretary that such applicant has expertise in serving runaway, homeless, and street youth and has systems in place to ensure that such applicant can provide services that consider the age, gender, and social and developmental background of youth described in subsection (a), and are culturally and linguistically appropriate.”.

SEC. 8. General provisions.

Part F of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (34 U.S.C. 11271 et seq.) is amended—

(1) in the heading, by striking “Part F” and inserting “Part G”;

(2) in section 381—

(A) in subsection (a)(3), by striking “facility” and inserting “center or project”; and

(B) in subsection (b)(1), by striking “facility” both places it appears and inserting “center or project”;

(3) in section 382(a)—

(A) by striking “2000” and inserting “2024”;

(B) in paragraph (1)—

(i) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) through (D) as subparagraphs (C) through (E), respectively; and

(ii) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following:

“(B) identifying youth who are victims of trafficking;”; and

(C) in paragraph (2)—

(i) by striking subparagraph (A) and inserting the following:

“(A) the number and characteristics of youth served by such projects, including such youth who—

“(i) are victims of trafficking;

“(ii) are pregnant or parenting;

“(iii) have been involved in the child welfare system; or

“(iv) have been involved in the juvenile or adult criminal justice system, the incarceration system, or legal proceedings related to such systems;”; and

(ii) by striking subparagraph (F) and inserting the following:

“(F) the ability of such projects to encourage the resolution of problems within the family, including with individuals identified by such youth as family, through counseling and development of self-sufficient living skills; and”;

(4) in section 383(a) by striking “facility’s budget” and inserting “budget of the center or project”;

(5) in section 384, by adding at the end the following: “Grantees are encouraged to share data with other programs and systems, without identifying individual youth in any shared records, to improve coordination and maximize the use of resources.”;

(6) by inserting after section 384 the following:

“SEC. 384A. Administration and enforcement.

“(a) Request for relief.—

“(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through the Associate Commissioner of the Family and Youth Services Bureau, may waive any provision under this title for a period of not more than 3 years, unless an extension is granted under paragraph (6), if—

“(A) a potential grantee requests a waiver that describes 1 or more conflicting or duplicative requirements or circumstances that prevent the effective delivery of services to runaway and homeless youth, such as an extraordinary circumstance, natural disaster, public health emergency, or financial crisis;

“(B) the Secretary determines that the waiver will, by itself, contribute to or enhance the ability of the grantee to carry out the purposes of this title; and

“(C) the Secretary determines that the waiver will not be inconsistent with the objectives of this title.

“(2) CONTENTS.—A request made under paragraph (1) shall be provided to the Secretary in writing and shall—

“(A) detail each provision within this title for which the grantee seeks relief;

“(B) describe how a waiver from such provision will, by itself, improve delivery of services to runaway and homeless youth; and

“(C) certify that the health, safety, and well-being of runaway and homeless youth served through assistance received under this title will not be compromised as a result of the waiver.

“(3) NOTIFICATION OF APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL.—Not later than 30 days after the receipt of a waiver request made under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall inform the grantee of approval or disapproval of the request.

“(A) DISAPPROVAL.—If the request is disapproved, the Secretary shall inform the grantee, the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate, and the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives of the reasons for the disapproval and give the grantee the opportunity to amend the request or appeal the decision.

“(B) APPROVAL.—If the request is approved, the Secretary shall grant a waiver and, not later than 30 days after granting such waiver, notify and submit a report to the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate, and the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives that describes—

“(i) each specific provision waived;

“(ii) the reason given by the grantee for the need for a waiver; and

“(iii) the expected impact of the waiver on youth served under this program.

“(4) EXTERNAL CONDITIONS.—The Secretary shall not require or impose any new or additional requirements in exchange for receipt of a waiver if such requirements are not specified in this title.

“(5) TERMINATION.—The Secretary shall terminate approval of a request for a waiver authorized under this subsection if the Secretary determines, after notice and opportunity for a hearing, that the performance of a grantee who was granted relief under this subsection has been inadequate, or if such relief is no longer necessary to achieve its original purposes.

“(6) WAIVER EXTENSION.—

“(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may grant an extension to an existing waiver authorized under this subsection for a period of not more than 1 year upon a request for a waiver extension from the grantee.

“(B) EXTENSION REQUEST.—A request for a waiver extension described under subparagraph (A) shall be submitted to the Secretary not later than 30 days before the expiration date of the existing waiver, and shall re-certify the provisions in paragraph (2) and explain the need for additional time of relief from such provisions provided in this title.

“(7) RESTRICTIONS.—Nothing in this title shall be construed as authorizing the Secretary to permit a grantee to alter the eligibility requirements for eligible youth. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as authorizing the Secretary to waive anything related to the Secretary's authority under this title.”;

(7) in section 386(a)—

(A) by striking “3 consecutive” and inserting “5 consecutive” both places it appears;

(B) by inserting “, acting through the Associate Commissioner of the Family and Youth Services Bureau,” after “Secretary”; and

(C) by inserting “ or virtually when appropriate,” after “on-site,”;

(8) in section 386A—

(A) in subsection (a)—

(i) by striking “Reconnecting Homeless Youth Act of 2008” and inserting “Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act of 2023”; and

(ii) by inserting “371,” after “sections”; and

(B) in subsection (c), by inserting “371,” after “sections”;

(9) by inserting after section 386A the following:

“SEC. 386B. Nondiscrimination.

“(a) In general.—No person in the United States shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under this title on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity (as defined in section 249(c) of title 18, United States Code), sexual orientation, or disability.

“(b) Exception.—If sex-segregation or sex-specific programming is necessary to the essential operation of a program, nothing in this section shall prevent any such program or activity from considering the sex of an individual. In such circumstances, grantees may meet the requirements of this section by providing comparable services to individuals who cannot participate in the sex-segregated or sex-specific programming.

“(c) Disqualification.—The Secretary shall enforce this section pursuant to section 654 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9849). The provisions of such section relating to the procedure for review of an action taken by the Secretary shall apply.

“(d) Construction.—Nothing in this section shall be construed as supplanting, displacing, preempting, or otherwise limiting the responsibilities and liabilities under other Federal or State civil rights laws with respect to discrimination on a basis described in subsection (a).”;

(10) in section 387—

(A) by redesignating paragraphs (1), (4), (5), (6), (7), and (8), as paragraphs (9), (6), (7), (8), (11), and (13), respectively;

(B) by inserting before paragraph (2) the following:

“(1) CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY APPROPRIATE.—The term ‘culturally and linguistically appropriate’, with respect to services, has the meaning given the term ‘culturally and linguistically appropriate services’ in the ‘National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health and Health Care’, issued in April 2013, by the Office of Minority Health of the Department of Health and Human Services.”;

(C) in paragraph (3)(A)—

(i) in clause (i), by striking “21” and inserting “26”; and

(ii) by striking clause (ii) and inserting the following:

“(ii) for the purposes of part B, not less than 15 years of age but less than 26 years of age;”;

(D) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following:

“(4) MIXED PROJECTS.—The term ‘mixed projects’ means a building, structure, or campus that may house multiple programs serving youth under the age of 26. Any of these programs may be funded as authorized under this Act as well as funded by other entities, including private, public, and other government funding.

“(5) PREVENTION SERVICES.—The term ‘prevention services’ means services to prevent youth from becoming runaway, homeless, or street youth and may include—

“(A) individual, family, group, and peer counseling;

“(B) family mediation;

“(C) assessing the strengths, vulnerabilities, and needs of youth;

“(D) connecting youth to public services and housing options;

“(E) emergency respite care for clients within the allowable age range of the underlying grant award, including care that provides parents and other caregivers with emergency services and temporary shelter that offer relief;

“(F) connecting youth to education and employment programs;

“(G) case management and resource navigation; and

“(H) activities to improve access to local mental health and substance use treatment and prevention.”;

(E) in paragraph (7)(B), as redesignated by subparagraph (A)—

(i) in clause (i), by inserting “, including the use of online methods of engagement, as appropriate, based on the needs of the community and population served” after “street youth”; and

(ii) by striking clause (v) and inserting the following:

“(v) advocacy, education, and prevention services related to—

“(I) substance use disorder;

“(II) trafficking;

“(III) sexually transmitted infections, including human immunodeficiency virus;

“(IV) violence, including physical assault, sexual assault, domestic violence, and gender-based violence; and

“(V) suicide.”;

(F) in paragraph (8)(B), as redesignated by subparagraph (A), by striking “prostitution, or drug abuse” and inserting “trafficking, or substance use disorder”;

(G) in paragraph (9), as redesignated by subparagraph (A), by striking the paragraph (9) enumerator and all that follows through “services—”, and inserting the following:

“(9) SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER EDUCATION AND PREVENTION SERVICES.—The term ‘substance use disorder education and prevention services’—”;

(H) by inserting after paragraph (9), as redesignated by subparagraph (A), the following:

“(10) TRAFFICKING.—The term ‘trafficking’ has the meaning given the terms ‘severe forms of trafficking in persons’ and ‘sex trafficking’ in section 103 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7102).”;

(I) in paragraph (11), as redesignated by subparagraph (A), by inserting “, to establish family or community supports,” after “self-sufficient living”;

(J) by inserting after paragraph (11), as redesignated by subparagraph (A), the following:

“(12) TRAUMA-INFORMED.—The term ‘trauma-informed’ has the meaning given the term in section 103 of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 (34 U.S.C. 11103).”; and

(K) in paragraph (13)(B), as redesignated by subparagraph (A)—

(i) in clause (ii)—

(I) by inserting “or able” after “willing”; and

(II) by striking “or” after the semicolon;

(ii) in clause (iii), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; or”; and

(iii) by adding at end the following:

“(iv) who is involved in the child welfare system, juvenile justice system, or criminal justice system, but who is not being housed by any such system.”.

SEC. 9. Prevention services.

The Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (34 U.S.C. 11201 et seq.) is amended by inserting after part E the following:

“PART F—Prevention Services

“SEC. 371. Authority to make grants.

“(a) In general.—The Secretary is authorized to make 5-year grants to an eligible entity, as described under subsection (c), that applies for an optional, additional prevention services grant. Any funds provided under this part are in addition to other funds grantees receive under other parts in this title.

“(b) Priority.—In selecting grantees to receive grants under subsection (a), the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that are—

“(1) public entities and nonprofit, private entities that have experience in providing services to runaway, homeless, and street youth, and youth at risk of separation from the family; and

“(2) public entities and nonprofit, private entities that request prevention services grants of not more than $75,000 per year.

“(c) Eligibility requirements.—To be eligible to receive a grant under subsection (a)—

“(1) the potential grantee shall—

“(A) be a successful basic center program or transitional living program, which may include a program that operates a maternity group home, that wants to establish, strengthen, or provide prevention services for youth at risk of homelessness and youth at risk of running away; and

“(B) submit to the Secretary a plan agreeing, as part of such program, to provide prevention services; and

“(2) the potential grantee shall certify to the Secretary that such grantee has systems in place to provide services to youth described in subsection (a) that consider the age, gender, and social and developmental background of such youth, and are culturally and linguistically appropriate.”.

SEC. 10. Authorization of appropriations.

Section 388(a) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (34 U.S.C. 11280(a)) is amended to read as follows:

“(a) In general.—

“(1) AUTHORIZATION.—There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this title (other than parts E and F) $200,000,000 for fiscal year 2024, and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2028.

“(2) ALLOCATION.—

“(A) PARTS A AND B.—From the amount appropriated under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall reserve not less than 90 percent to carry out parts A and B.

“(B) PART B.—Of the amount reserved under subparagraph (A), 45 percent and, in those fiscal years in which continuation grant obligations and the quality and number of applicants for parts A and B warrant not more than 55 percent, shall be reserved to carry out part B.

“(3) PARTS C AND D.—

“(A) IN GENERAL.—In each fiscal year, after reserving the amounts required by paragraph (2), the Secretary shall use the remaining amount (if any) to carry out parts C and D (other than section 345).

“(B) PERIODIC ESTIMATE.—Of the amount authorized to be appropriated under paragraph (1), $2,000,000 shall be made available to carry out section 345 for each of fiscal years 2024, 2026, and 2028.

“(4) PART E.—There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out part E $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2024, and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2028.

“(5) PART F.—There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out part F $67,500,000 for fiscal year 2024, and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2028.”.

SEC. 11. Approval of application.

The Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (34 U.S.C. 11201 et seq.) is amended by adding at end the following:

“SEC. 390. Approval of applications.

“(a) In general.—An application by a public or private nonprofit entity for a grant under section 311, 321, or 351, may be approved by the Secretary for an amount for a fiscal year that is—

“(1) not less than $225,000 and not more than $275,000 if the amount appropriated to carry out this title (other than parts E and F) for the fiscal year is equal to or greater than $200,000,000; or

“(2) not less than $200,000 and not more than $250,000 if the amount appropriated to carry out this title (other than parts E and F) for the fiscal year is less than $200,000,000.

“(b) Priority.—In selecting applications for grants under sections 311, 321, and 351, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible grantees who have demonstrated experience in providing services to runaway and homeless youth.”.