A. The State Department of Health, in its annual budget requests, shall identify the amount of funds requested for the implementation of the Child Abuse Prevention Act.

B. From monies appropriated or otherwise available to the Office of Child Abuse Prevention through state, federal or private resources the State Commissioner of Health shall implement the provisions of the Child Abuse Prevention Act and shall disburse such monies in the following manner:

1. The Commissioner shall establish a formula for the distribution of funds for the establishment, development or improvement of both public and private programs and services for the prevention of child abuse and neglect which shall provide for the allocation of funds across the state based upon the percentage of the total state reported cases of abuse and neglect reported in the district and the percentage of the total state population under the age of eighteen (18) and upon the child abuse prevention service and program needs of the comprehensive state plan; and

2. For the continuing development and establishment of child abuse prevention training programs and multidisciplinary and discipline-specific training programs for professionals with responsibilities affecting children, youth and families.

C. Appropriations made for distribution by the Office for grants or contracts for child abuse prevention programs and services shall be deposited in the Child Abuse Prevention Fund.

D. The Office shall develop and publish requests for proposals for grants or contracts for child abuse prevention programs and services which shall require no less than a ten percent (10%) cash or in-kind match by an agency or organization receiving a grant or contract and which are designed to meet identified priority needs.

A priority ranking shall be made based upon the extent to which a proposal meets identified needs, criteria for cost effectiveness, provision for an evaluation component providing outcome data and a determination that the proposal provides a mechanism for coordinating and integrating these preventive services with other services deemed necessary for working effectively with families who are at risk of child abuse or neglect.

E. On and after January 1, 1986, all budget requests submitted by any public agency to the Legislature for the funding of programs related to child abuse and neglect prevention shall conform to the comprehensive state plan and any subsequent updates or revisions of said plan developed pursuant to the provisions of the Child Abuse Prevention Act. Except for the purposes of planning and coordination pursuant to the provisions of the Child Abuse Prevention Act, the services and programs of the Department of Human Services which are mandated by state law or which are a requirement for the receipt of federal funds with regard to deprived, destitute or homeless children shall not be subject to the provisions of this subsection.

Added by Laws 1984, c. 216, § 7, operative July 1, 1984. Amended by Laws 1985, c. 299, § 3, eff. Nov. 1, 1985; Laws 1990, c. 154, § 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1990; Laws 2007, c. 147, § 6, eff. July 1, 2007.