Child Abuse and Neglect State Grants

The CAPTA State Grant is a formula award to States only, to be used for improving child protective services systems.

States can choose from a wide variety of activities as outlined in the legislation. Under the CAPTA Reauthorization Act of 2010, each state was required to submit a new state plan for fiscal year (FY) 2011 funds specifying which of the 14 program areas described in section 106(a) of the CAPTA they planned to address. Examples include the intake, assessment, screening, and investigation of reports of abuse and neglect; creating and improving the use of multidisciplinary teams and interagency protocols to enhance investigations; improving legal preparation and representation; case management; developing, improving, and implementing risk and safety assessment tools and protocols; developing and updating systems of technology; training regarding research-based strategies to promote collaboration with families, legal duties of such individuals and personal safety training for case workers; improving the skills, qualifications, and availability of individuals providing services to children and families, and the supervisors of such individuals; developing and delivering information to improve public education relating to the role and responsibilities of the child protection system and the nature and basis for reporting suspected incidents of child abuse and neglect; supporting and enhancing interagency collaboration between the child protection system and the juvenile justice system for improved delivery of services and treatment; supporting and enhancing collaboration among public health agencies, the child protection system, and private community-based programs to provide child abuse and neglect prevention and treatment services (including linkages with education systems) and to address the health needs, including mental health needs, of children identified as abused or neglected, including supporting prompt, comprehensive health and developmental evaluations for children who are the subject of substantiated child maltreatment reports, or developing and implementing procedures for collaboration among child protective services, domestic violence services, and other agencies in investigations, interventions, and the delivery of services and treatment provided to children and families, including the use of differential response, where appropriate, and the provision of services that assist children exposed to domestic violence, and that also support the caregiving role of their non-abusing parents.