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United States · Bill · HR

H.R. 5876 (110th)

Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act of 2008

openUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

23 April 2008

Last action

Status

DEBATE - The House proceeded with ten minutes of debate on the Bachmann motion to recommit with instructions. The instructions contained in the motion seek to add an amendment requiring parents or legal guardians to give consent before prescription medication is administered to children. During the course of debate, further proceedings on H.R. 5876 were postponed until a time to be announced.

Sponsors

Subjects

Discovery layer

Source updated

6 December 2025

Summary

Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act of 2008 - Directs the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families of the Department of Health and Human Services to require each location of a covered program to meet specified minimum standards if individually or together with other locations it has an effect on interstate commerce. Defines "covered program" as one not operated by a governmental entity that for children unrelated to the program owner or operator: (1) provides a 24-hour residential environment with specialized education or treatment, therapy, counseling, behavior modification, discipline, rehabilitation, emotional growth services, or related services; and (2) operates with a focus on serving children with emotional, behavioral, or mental health problems or disorders, or problems with alcohol or substance abuse. Directs the Assistant Secretary to: (1) establish a process for conducting unannounced site inspections of each covered program location to determine compliance with such standards; (2) implement an on-going review process for investigating and evaluating reports of child abuse and neglect; (3) establish a national toll-free telephone hotline to receive such complaints; (4) establish civil penalties for violations of standards; and (5) establish a process to ensure that complaints received by the hotline are promptly reviewed by persons with appropriate expertise. Requires the Assistant Secretary to refer any violation of such standards to the Attorney General for appropriate action. Authorizes the Attorney General to file such a complaint on his or her own initiative regardless of whether such a referral has been made. Authorizes a private right of action in a U.S. district court for harm caused by a violation of minimum standards. Amends the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to establish additional eligibility requirements for grants to states to prevent child abuse and neglect at residential programs. Require such states to develop policies and procedures to prevent child abuse and neglect at covered programs consistent with the standards specified by this Act.

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Documents

6 official files

Reported in House (text)

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