§ 626 — Research, Training, Or Demonstration Projects

(a) There are hereby authorized to be appropriated for each fiscal year such sums as the Congress may determine— (1) for grants by the Secretary— (A) to public or other nonprofit institutions of higher learning, and to public or other nonprofit agencies and organizations engaged in research or child-welfare activities, for special research or demonstration projects in the field of child welfare which are of regional or national significance and for special projects for the demonstration of new methods or facilities which show promise of substantial contribution to the advancement of child welfare; (B) to State or local public agencies responsible for administering, or supervising the administration of, the plan under this part, for projects for the demonstration of the utilization of research (including findings resulting therefrom) in the field of child welfare in order to encourage experimental and special types of welfare services; and (C) of this title with such stipends and allowances as may be permitted by the Secretary; and (2) for contracts or jointly financed cooperative arrangements with States and public and other organizations and agencies for the conduct of research, special projects, or demonstration projects relating to such matters. (b) Payments of grants or under contracts or cooperative arrangements under this section may be made in advance or by way of reimbursement, and in such installments, as the Secretary may determine; and shall be made on such conditions as the Secretary finds necessary to carry out the purposes of the grants, contracts, or other arrangements. (c) The Secretary may approve an application for a grant to a public or nonprofit institution for higher learning to provide traineeships with stipends under subsection (a)(1)(C) only if the application— (1) provides assurances that each individual who receives a stipend with such traineeship (in this section referred to as a “recipient”) will enter into an agreement with the institution under which the recipient agrees— (A) to participate in training at a public or private nonprofit child welfare agency on a regular basis (as determined by the Secretary) for the period of the traineeship; (B) to be employed for a period of years equivalent to the period of the traineeship, in a public or private nonprofit child welfare agency in any State, within a period of time (determined by the Secretary in accordance with regulations) after completing the postsecondary education for which the traineeship was awarded; (C) to furnish to the institution and the Secretary evidence of compliance with subparagraphs (A) and (B); and (D) if the recipient fails to comply with subparagraph (A) or (B) and does not qualify for any exception to this subparagraph which the Secretary may prescribe in regulations, to repay to the Secretary all (or an appropriately prorated part) of the amount of the stipend, plus interest, and, if applicable, reasonable collection fees (in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Secretary); (2) provides assurances that the institution will— (A) enter into agreements with child welfare agencies for onsite training of recipients; (B) permit an individual who is employed in the field of child welfare services to apply for a traineeship with a stipend if the traineeship furthers the progress of the individual toward the completion of degree requirements; and (C) develop and implement a system that, for the 3-year period that begins on the date any recipient completes a child welfare services program of study, tracks the employment record of the recipient, for the purpose of determining the percentage of recipients who secure employment in the field of child welfare services and remain employed in the field.