42 U.S.C. § 290hh–1 — Grants to address the problems of persons who experience traumatic events

(a) In general: The Secretary awards grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to public and nonprofit private entities, and to Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations, to develop and maintain programs that provide: (1) the continued operation of the National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative (NCTSI), including a cooperative agreement with a coordinating center, focused on the mental, behavioral, and biological aspects of psychological trauma response, preventing the long-term effects of child trauma, and offering early intervention and treatment for those effects; and (2) developing and sharing evidence-based practices for identifying and treating mental, behavioral, and biological disorders in children and youth caused by witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event. (b) Priorities: For grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements under (a)(2) — developing and sharing evidence-based practices for treating trauma-related disorders — the Secretary must favor universities, hospitals, mental health agencies, and other programs with established clinical expertise and research experience in trauma-related mental disorders. (c) Child outcome data: The NCTSI coordinating center must collect, analyze, report, and, as appropriate, make public NCTSI-wide data on child treatment process and outcomes — covering the early identification and delivery of evidence-based treatment and services for children and families served by NCTSI grantees. (d) Training: (1) The coordinating center must help coordinate training initiatives in evidence-based, trauma-informed treatments, interventions, and practices offered to NCTSI grantees, providers, and partners. (2) NCTSI grantees must develop trainings and other resources, as appropriate, to support putting those evidence-based practices to use. (e) Dissemination and collaboration: (1) The coordinating center must, as appropriate, work with (A) the Secretary, to share and implement evidence-based, trauma-informed interventions, treatments, products, and other resources with the right stakeholders, and (B) appropriate research-funding agencies within HHS, to share NCTSI expertise and evaluation data. (2) NCTSI grantees must, as appropriate, work with other grantees, the coordinating center, and the Secretary in carrying out subsections (a)(2) and (d)(2). (f) Review: The Secretary must, consistent with peer review, make sure NCTSI applications are reviewed by appropriate experts in the field, as part of a consensus-review process, and must include review criteria on expertise and experience in child trauma and evidence-based practices. (g) Geographical distribution: The Secretary must make sure these awards are distributed fairly among U.S. regions, and between urban and rural areas. (h) Application and evaluation: To be eligible for a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement, a public or nonprofit private entity, Tribe, or Tribal organization must submit an application including: (1) a plan for evaluating the funded activities, covering both process and outcomes, and submitting an evaluation at the end of the project; and (2) a description of how the entity will support evaluation efforts led by the Secretary or the NCTSI coordinating center. (i) Duration of awards: An award must pay the recipient for at least 4 years but no more than 5, and such awards may be renewed. (j) Authorization of appropriations: Congress authorized: (1) $98,887,000 for fiscal year 2026; (2) $98,887,000 for fiscal year 2027; (3) $98,887,000 for fiscal year 2028; (4) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2029; and (5) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2030. (k) Short title: This section may be called the "Donald J. Cohen National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative."