National random sample study of child welfare

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. have a longitudinal component; and yield data reliable at the State level for as many States as the Secretary determines is feasible. carefully consider selecting the sample from cases of confirmed abuse or neglect; and the type of abuse or neglect involved; the frequency of contact with State or local agencies; whether the child involved has been separated from the family, and, if so, under what circumstances; the number, type, and characteristics of out-of-home placements of the child; and the average duration of each placement. From time to time, the Secretary shall prepare reports summarizing the results of the study required by subsection (a). 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. The Secretary may charge and collect a fee for the furnishing of reports under paragraph (2). 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. The study required by subsection (a) shall— In conducting the study required by subsection (a), the Secretary should— follow each case for several years while obtaining information on, among other things— (Source: (Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, § 429, formerly § 429A, as added Pub. L. 104–193, title V, § 503, Aug. 22, 1996, 110 Stat. 2277; amended Pub. L. 105–33, title V, §§ 5591(a), 5592(a)(1)(C), Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 643, 644; renumbered § 429, Pub. L. 109–288, § 6(f)(3), Sept. 28, 2006, 120 Stat. 1247.))