National ACERT Grant Program Authorization Act

From amounts made available to carry out this section, the Attorney General, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall make grants to States, units of local government, Indian Tribes, and neighborhood or community-based organizations to address adverse childhood experiences associated with exposure to trauma.

Amounts received under a grant under this section may be used to establish an adverse childhood experiences response team, including by—

(1) establishing protocols to follow when encountering a child or youth exposed to trauma to facilitate access to services;

(2) developing referral partnership agreements with behavioral health providers, substance treatment facilities, and recovery services for family members of children exposed to trauma;

(3) integrating law enforcement, mental health, and crisis services to respond to situations where children have been exposed to trauma;

(4) implementing comprehensive programs and practices to support children exposed to trauma;

(5) identifying barriers for children to access trauma-informed care in their communities;

(6) providing training in trauma-informed care to emergency response providers, victim service providers, child protective service professionals, educational institutions, and other community partners;

(7) supporting cross-system planning and collaboration among officers and employees who work in law enforcement, court systems, child welfare services, correctional reentry programs, emergency medical services, health care services, public health, and substance abuse treatment and recovery support; and

(8) providing technical assistance to communities, organizations, and public agencies on how to prevent and mitigate the impact of exposure to trauma and violence.

A State, unit of local government, Indian Tribe, or neighborhood or community-based organization desiring a grant under this section shall submit to the Attorney General an application in such form, and containing such information, as the Attorney General may reasonably require.

To carry out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2026 through 2029.