§ 42-72-30. Family and children trust program. (a) There is created the family and children trust program. The director may apply for, receive and accept grants, gifts, and bequests from any source, governmental or private, with the approval of the director of administration. Upon receipt of any remittance the director shall transmit the entire amount to the general treasurer, who shall deposit it as general revenues. The general assembly may appropriate funds for the family and children trust program.

(b) The family and children trust program monies fund with the accumulated interest shall be used for the following purposes: (1) matching federal funds to purchase services relating to community-based programs for the prevention of problems of families and children; (2) providing start-up or expansion grants for community-based prevention projects or educational programs for the problems of families and children, primarily, but not limited to, child abuse and neglect and family abuse; and (3) studying and evaluating community-based prevention projects and educational programs for the problems of families and children; provided that grantees of funds shall be required to match those funds in cash, or services in kind, the value of which shall be determined by the director. For the purpose of this subsection, "educational programs" shall include instructional and demonstration programs whose main purpose is to disseminate information and techniques or to provide services for the prevention of problems of families and children.

(c) The state advisory council for children and their families or its successor, shall advise the director in detail on the expenditure of funds from the family and children trust fund, and shall:

(1) Develop a biennial plan for distribution of funds;

(2) Develop criteria for awarding funds;

(3) Review proposals for the funds and present recommendations to the director;

(4) Monitor the expenditure of funds and review the annual report on the use thereof as presented by the director; and

(5) Promote the general development of public and private sector child abuse prevention programs and activities.

(d) The state controller is authorized and directed to draw his or her orders upon the general treasurer for the payments of any expenditures out of the unexpended balance of the fund as may be ordered by the director upon proper vouchers presented to the controller by the director.

History of Section. (P.L. 1983, ch. 220, § 1; P.L. 1988, ch. 301, § 1; P.L. 1988, ch. 583, § 1; P.L. 1995, ch. 370, art. 40, § 142; P.L. 2006, ch. 216, § 45.)