On September 18, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed, by voice vote, the Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act (S. 2646). The House passed similar legislation, the Enhancing Services for Runaway and Homeless Victims of Youth Trafficking Act (H.R. 5076), on July 23 (see The Source, 7/25/14).
The bill would reauthorize through FY2019 the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (P.L. 110-378). The bill would modify the Basic Center Grant Program in order to provide safe shelter and services, such as trauma-informed services, for runaway and homeless youth, and, if appropriate, services for their families.
The bill also would help revise the sexual abuse prevention program in order to authorize the secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to public agencies to provide street-based services to runaway and homeless, and street youth who have been subjected to, or are at risk of, sexual abuse, violence, trafficking in persons, or sexual exploitation.
