text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Birthparent Assistance Act of 
  2008''.
  
  SEC. 2. PURPOSES.
  
      The purposes of this Act are--
              (1) to enhance post-placement services for birthparents who 
          have placed a child for adoption;
              (2) to initiate or enhance post-placement counseling 
          services for birthparents who have placed a child for adoption; 
          and
              (3) to identify how post-placement services for 
          birthparents who have placed a child for adoption can be 
          improved.
  
  SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF POST-ADOPTION SERVICES FOR BIRTHPARENTS.
  
      (a) Services Authorized.--The Secretary of Health and Human 
  Services shall, either directly or by grant to or contract with the 
  eligible entities described in subsection (b), provide services 
  described in subsection (c) for birthparents who have placed a child 
  for adoption.
      (b) Eligible Entities.--The eligible entities referred to in 
  subsection (a) are States, local governmental entities, and public or 
  private agencies or organizations, including public or private licensed 
  child welfare or adoption agencies or adoptive family groups and faith-
  based organizations.
      (c) Types of Services.--The types of services referred to in 
  subsection (a) are--
              (1) post-legal adoption services for birthparents;
              (2) counseling services for birthparents who have placed a 
          child for adoption, including--
                      (A) individual counseling;
                      (B) group counseling; and
                      (C) family counseling;
              (3) establishment and operation of a nationally-available 
          hotline to--
                      (A) provide counseling services described in 
                  paragraph (2) for birthparents; and
                      (B) provide other information relating to the 
                  availability of post-adoption services and benefits for 
                  birthparents, including contact information for post-
                  adoption services and benefits provided by States and 
                  local units of government, as appropriate; and
              (4) training of staff at hospitals and other appropriate 
          birth care facilities relating to interaction of such staff 
          with birthparents and adoptive families.
      (d) Application.--Each eligible entity referred to in subsection 
  (a) that desires to receive a grant or enter into a contract with the 
  Secretary under subsection (a) shall submit an application to the 
  Secretary that describes the manner in which the entity will use funds 
  under the grant or contract during the 3 fiscal years subsequent to the 
  date of the application to accomplish the purposes of this section. 
  Such application shall be in a form and manner determined to be 
  appropriate by the Secretary.
      (e) Reports.--The Secretary shall require each eligible entity 
  referred to in subsection (a) that receives a grant or enters into a 
  contract with the Secretary under subsection (a) to submit to the 
  Secretary a report on the services provided or activities carried out 
  by the entity for each fiscal year for which the entity receives 
  amounts under the grant or contract. The report shall contain such 
  information as the Secretary determines is necessary to provide an 
  accurate description of the services provided or activities carried out 
  with such amounts.
      (f) Services To Supplement and Not Supplant.--Services provided 
  under a grant or contract under subsection (a) shall supplement, and 
  not supplant, services provided using any other funds made available 
  for the same general purposes.
      (g) Technical Assistance and Administrative Provisions.--The 
  Secretary shall--
              (1) provide technical assistance to eligible entities 
          referred to in subsection (a) that receive a grant or enter 
          into a contract with the Secretary under subsection (a) for 
          purposes of providing the services described in subsection (c);
              (2) as appropriate, coordinate the provision of services 
          described in subsection (c) with other adoption-related 
          research, training, services, and assistance activities carried 
          out by the Department of Health and Human Services; and
              (3) either directly, or by grant to or contract with a 
          public or private agency or organization--
                      (A) evaluate the implementation and effectiveness 
                  of the provision of services described in subsection 
                  (c) and other activities carried out under this 
                  section;
                      (B) identify different post-placement services 
                  provided for birthparents, the availability and 
                  utilization of such services, and how post-placement 
                  services might be improved; and
                      (C) not later than 3 years after the date of the 
                  enactment of this Act, submit to Congress a report that 
                  contains the results of the evaluation under 
                  subparagraph (A) and the information described in 
                  subparagraph (B).
  
  SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
  
      (a) In General.--To carry out this Act, there are authorized to be 
  appropriated to the Secretary of Health and Human Services--
              (1) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; and
              (2) such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal 
          years 2010 through 2013.
      (b) Availability.--Amounts appropriated pursuant to the 
  authorization of appropriations under subsection (a) are authorized to 
  remain available until expended.
target: Birthparent Assistance Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide certain post-legal adoption services, counseling, and a nationally-available hotline for birthparents who have placed a child for adoption.
feat_title: To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide services for birthparents who have placed a child for adoption, and for other purposes.