§ 254c–7 — Special Needs Adoption Programs; Public Awareness Campaign And Other Activities

(1) The Secretary shall, through making grants to nonprofit private entities, provide for the planning, development, and carrying out of a national campaign to provide information to the public regarding the adoption of children with special needs. (2) In providing for the planning and development of the national campaign under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall provide for input from a number and variety of adoption organizations throughout the States in order that the full national diversity of interests among adoption organizations is represented in the planning and development of the campaign. (3) With respect to the national campaign under paragraph (1): (A) The campaign shall be directed at various populations, taking into account as appropriate differences among geographic regions, and shall be carried out in the language and cultural context that is most appropriate to the population involved. (B) The means through which the campaign may be carried out include— (i) placing public service announcements on television, radio, and billboards; and (ii) providing information through means that the Secretary determines will reach individuals who are most likely to adopt children with special needs. (C) The campaign shall provide information on the subsidies and supports that are available to individuals regarding the adoption of children with special needs. (D) The Secretary may provide that the placement of public service announcements, and the dissemination of brochures and other materials, is subject to review by the Secretary. (A) With respect to the costs of the activities to be carried out by an entity pursuant to paragraph (1), a condition for the receipt of a grant under such paragraph is that the entity agree to make available (directly or through donations from public or private entities) non-Federal contributions toward such costs in an amount that is not less than 25 percent of such costs. (B) Non-Federal contributions under subparagraph (A) may be in cash or in kind, fairly evaluated, including plant, equipment, or services. Amounts provided by the Federal Government, or services assisted or subsidized to any significant extent by the Federal Government, may not be included in determining the amount of such contributions. (b) The Secretary shall (directly or through grant or contract) carry out a program that, through toll-free telecommunications, makes available to the public information regarding the adoption of children with special needs. Such information shall include the following: (1) A list of national, State, and regional organizations that provide services regarding such adoptions, including exchanges and other information on communicating with the organizations. The list shall represent the full national diversity of adoption organizations. (2) Information beneficial to individuals who adopt such children, including lists of support groups for adoptive parents and other postadoptive services. (c) With respect to the adoption of children with special needs, the Secretary shall make grants— (1) to provide assistance to support groups for adoptive parents, adopted children, and siblings of adopted children; and (2) to carry out studies to identify— (A) the barriers to completion of the adoption process; and (B) those components that lead to favorable long-term outcomes for families that adopt children with special needs. (d) The Secretary may make an award of a grant or contract under this section only if an application for the award is submitted to the Secretary and the application is in such form, is made in such manner, and contains such agreements, assurances, and information as the Secretary determines to be necessary to carry out this section. (e) For the purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2001 through 2005.