§290hh–1 — Title 42 The Public Health and Welfare | U.S. Code

Summary

The Secretary of Health and Human Services must give grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to public and nonprofit groups, and to Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations, to build and run programs that help children who have been through traumatic events. One goal is to keep the National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative (NCTSI) operating, including a coordinating center that studies and treats how trauma affects children’s minds, behavior, and bodies, prevents long-term harm, and provides early help and treatment. A second goal is to create and share evidence-based ways to find and treat mental, behavioral, and biological problems in children and youth after trauma. Priority for funding goes to universities, hospitals, mental health agencies, and other programs with trauma research and clinical experience. The NCTSI coordinating center must collect and share data on treatments and outcomes and help run training in trauma-informed, evidence-based care. Grantees must make trainings and tools to help others use these practices and must work with the center and the Secretary. Applications must include plans to evaluate activities and must help with evaluations led by the Secretary or center. Awards last at least 4 years and up to 5 years and can be renewed. Congress authorized $98,887,000 for each of fiscal years 2026, 2027, and 2028, and $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2029 and 2030. The initiative is named the Donald J. Cohen National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative (NCTSI).

Title 42, §290hh–1

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary shall award grants, contracts or cooperative agreements to public and nonprofit private entities, as well as to Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations, for the purpose of developing and maintaining programs that provide for—

(1)the continued operation of the National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative (referred to in this section as the “NCTSI”), which includes a cooperative agreement with a coordinating center, that focuses on the mental, behavioral, and biological aspects of psychological trauma response, prevention of the long-term consequences of child trauma, and early intervention services and treatment to address the long-term consequences of child trauma; and

(2)the development and dissemination of knowledge with regard to evidence-based practices for identifying and treating mental, behavioral, and biological disorders of children and youth resulting from witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event.

(b)In awarding grants, contracts or cooperative agreements under subsection (a)(2) (related to the development and dissemination of knowledge on evidence-based practices for treating mental, behavioral, and biological disorders associated with psychological trauma), the Secretary shall give priority to universities, hospitals, mental health agencies, and other programs that have established clinical expertise and research experience in the field of trauma-related mental disorders.

(c)The NCTSI coordinating center described in subsection (a)(1) shall collect, analyze, report, and make publicly available, as appropriate, NCTSI-wide child treatment process and outcome data regarding the early identification and delivery of evidence-based treatment and services for children and families served by the NCTSI grantees.

(d)(1)The NCTSI coordinating center shall facilitate the coordination of training initiatives in evidence-based and trauma-informed treatments, interventions, and practices offered to NCTSI grantees, providers, and partners.

(2)In carrying out subsection (a)(2), NCTSI grantees shall develop trainings and other resources, as applicable and appropriate, to support implementation of the evidence-based practices developed and disseminated under such subsection.

(e)(1)The NCTSI coordinating center shall, as appropriate, collaborate with—

(A)the Secretary, in the dissemination and implementation of evidence-based and trauma-informed interventions, treatments, products, and other resources to appropriate stakeholders; and

(B)appropriate agencies that conduct or fund research within the Department of Health and Human Services, for purposes of sharing NCTSI expertise, evaluation data, and other activities, as appropriate.

(2)NCTSI grantees shall, as appropriate, collaborate with other such grantees, the NCTSI coordinating center, and the Secretary in carrying out subsections (a)(2) and (d)(2).

(f)The Secretary shall, consistent with the peer-review process, ensure that NCTSI applications are reviewed by appropriate experts in the field as part of a consensus-review process. The Secretary shall include review criteria related to expertise and experience in child trauma and evidence-based practices.

(g)The Secretary shall ensure that grants, contracts or cooperative agreements under subsection (a) are distributed equitably among the regions of the United States and among urban and rural areas.

(h)To be eligible to receive a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under subsection (a), a public or nonprofit private entity or an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information and assurances as the Secretary may require, including—

(1)a plan for the evaluation of the activities funded under the grant, contract, or agreement, including both process and outcomes evaluation, and the submission of an evaluation at the end of the project period; and

(2)a description of how such entity, Indian Tribe, or Tribal organization will support efforts led by the Secretary or the NCTSI coordinating center, as applicable, to evaluate activities carried out under this section.

(i)With respect to a grant, contract or cooperative agreement under subsection (a), the period during which payments under such an award will be made to the recipient shall not be less than 4 years, but shall not exceed 5 years. Such grants, contracts or agreements may be renewed.

(j)There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section—

(1)$98,887,000 for fiscal year 2026;

(2)$98,887,000 for fiscal year 2027;

(3)$98,887,000 for fiscal year 2028;

(4)$100,000,000 for fiscal year 2029; and

(5)$100,000,000 for fiscal year 2030.

(k)This section may be cited as the “Donald J. Cohen National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative”.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Another section 582 of act July 1, 1944, was renumbered section 596A and is classified to section 290kk–1 of this title.

Amendments

2025—Pub. L. 119–44, § 107(b)(1), substituted “traumatic events” for “violence related stress” in section catchline. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 119–44, § 107(b)(2)(A), substituted “Tribes and Tribal” for “tribes and tribal” in introductory provisions. Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 119–44, § 107(b)(2)(B), inserted “and dissemination” after “the development”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 119–44, § 107(b)(3), inserted “and dissemination” after “the development”. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 119–44, § 107(b)(4), designated existing provisions as par. (1), inserted heading, and added par. (2). Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 119–44, § 107(b)(5), designated introductory provisions as par. (1) and inserted heading; redesignated former pars. (1) and (2) as subpars. (A) and (B), respectively, and realigned margins; inserted “and implementation” after “the dissemination” in subpar. (A); and added par. (2). Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 119–44, § 107(b)(6), amended subsec. (h) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “The Secretary, as part of the application process, shall require that each applicant for a grant, contract or cooperative agreement under subsection (a) submit a plan for the rigorous evaluation of the activities funded under the grant, contract or agreement, including both process and outcomes evaluation, and the submission of an evaluation at the end of the project period.” Subsec. (j). Pub. L. 119–44, § 107(b)(7), amended subsec. (j) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, $63,887,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.” 2018—Subsec. (j). Pub. L. 115–271 substituted “$63,887,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023” for “$46,887,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 through 2022”. 2016—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 114–255, § 10004(1), substituted “developing and maintaining programs that provide for—” and pars. (1) and (2) for “developing programs focusing on the behavioral and biological aspects of psychological trauma response and for developing knowledge with regard to evidence-based practices for treating psychiatric disorders of children and youth resulting from witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event.” Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 114–255, § 10004(2), substituted “subsection (a)(2) (related” for “subsection (a) related”, “treating mental, behavioral, and biological disorders associated with psychological trauma)” for “treating disorders associated with psychological trauma”, and “universities, hospitals, mental health agencies, and other programs that have established clinical expertise and research” for “mental health agencies and programs that have established clinical and basic research”. Subsecs. (c) to (f). Pub. L. 114–255, § 10004(4), added subsecs. (c) to (f). Former subsecs. (c) to (f) redesignated (g) to (j), respectively. Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 114–255, § 10004(3), (5), redesignated subsec. (c) as (g) and substituted “are distributed equitably among the regions of the United States” for “with respect to centers of excellence are distributed equitably among the regions of the country”. Former subsec. (g) redesignated (k). Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 114–255, § 10004(3), redesignated subsec. (d) as (h). Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 114–255, § 10004(3), (6), redesignated subsec. (e) as (i) and substituted “recipient shall not be less than 4 years, but shall not exceed 5 years” for “recipient may not exceed 5 years”. Subsec. (j). Pub. L. 114–255, § 10004(3), (7), redesignated subsec. (f) as (j) and substituted “$46,887,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 through 2022” for “$50,000,000 for fiscal year 2001, and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2003 through 2006”. Subsec. (k). Pub. L. 114–255, § 10004(3), redesignated subsec. (g) as (k). 2002—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 107–188 substituted “2003 through 2006” for “2002 and 2003”. Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 107–116 added subsec. (g).

§290hh–1 Grants to address the problems of persons who experience traumatic events

Summary

Title 42, §290hh–1

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Citations & Metadata