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§628b National Random Sample Study of Child Welfare

Title 42 › CHAPTER 7 — SOCIAL SECURITY › SUBCHAPTER IV — GRANTS TO STATES FOR AID AND SERVICES TO NEEDY FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN AND FOR CHILD-WELFARE SERVICES › Part B — Child and Family Services › subpart 1 — stephanie tubbs jones child welfare services program › § 628b

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must run a national study using random samples of children who are at risk of abuse or neglect, or who States say were abused or neglected. The study must follow children over time and produce data that is reliable for as many States as possible. It should prefer confirmed cases and follow each case for several years, collecting information on the kind of abuse, how often agencies contact the child, whether the child was removed from the family and why, details about out‑of‑home placements, and how long placements last. The Secretary must publish reports from the study and make them available to the public in print or electronic form, and may charge a fee for them. Congress provided $6,000,000 each fiscal year for 1996 through 2002 to do this.

Title 42, §628b

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

(a)In general

The Secretary shall conduct (directly, or by grant, contract, or interagency agreement) a national study based on random samples of children who are at risk of child abuse or neglect, or are determined by States to have been abused or neglected.

(b)Requirements

The study required by subsection (a) shall—

(1)have a longitudinal component; and

(2)yield data reliable at the State level for as many States as the Secretary determines is feasible.

(c)Preferred contents

In conducting the study required by subsection (a), the Secretary should—

(1)carefully consider selecting the sample from cases of confirmed abuse or neglect; and

(2)follow each case for several years while obtaining information on, among other things—

(A)the type of abuse or neglect involved;

(B)the frequency of contact with State or local agencies;

(C)whether the child involved has been separated from the family, and, if so, under what circumstances;

(D)the number, type, and characteristics of out-of-home placements of the child; and

(E)the average duration of each placement.

(d)Reports

(1)In general

From time to time, the Secretary shall prepare reports summarizing the results of the study required by subsection (a).

(2)Availability

The Secretary shall make available to the public any report prepared under paragraph (1), in writing or in the form of an electronic data tape.

(3)Authority to charge fee

The Secretary may charge and collect a fee for the furnishing of reports under paragraph (2).

(e)Appropriation

Out of any money in the Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated to the Secretary for each of fiscal years 1996 through 2002 $6,000,000 to carry out this section.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 429 of act Aug. 14, 1935, was renumbered section 426(c) and is classified to section 626(c) of this title.

Amendments

1997—Pub. L. 105–33, § 5592(a)(1)(C), transferred section in original to end of this subpart. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105–33, § 5591(a), inserted “(directly, or by grant, contract, or interagency agreement)” after “conduct”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1997 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 105–33 effective as if included in the enactment of title V of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, Pub. L. 104–193, see section 5593 of Pub. L. 105–33, set out as a note under section 622 of this title.