SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Intended Recipient of the Award: ZERO TO THREE National Center for Infant, Toddler and Families, Inc.

Amount of Award: $2,750,000.

Project Period: September 30, 2026, to September 29, 2027.

Assistance Listing Number: 93.110.

Award Instrument: Non-competitive supplemental funding to the existing Cooperative Agreement.

Authority:42 U.S.C. 701(a)(2) (Title V, § 501(a)(2) of the Social Security Act). ( printed page 59144)

Justification: In FY 2022, under the authority for Special Projects of Regional and National Significance (SPRANS) (42 U.S.C. 701(a)(2) (Title V, § 501(a)(2) of the Social Security Act)), HRSA awarded the ITCP NRC to ZERO TO THREE National Center for Infant, Toddler and Families, Inc (HRSA-22-074). This award included expectations for the recipient to provide technical assistance to the ITCP (HRSA-22-073) state recipients and support the nationwide implementation and sustainability of the evidence-based ITC approach.

A Congressional Report accompanying the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (Pub. L. 118-47) included funding for this program to “continue and expand research-based Infant-Toddler Court Teams to change child welfare practices to improve wellbeing for infants, toddlers, and their families” (Senate Report 118-84). In addition, the Joint Explanatory Statement accompanying the FY 2024 appropriations act directed HRSA to “allocate funding to ensure continuation of existing grantees, technical assistance, and other activities.” In FY 2024, HRSA provided a supplement of $1,750,000 in SPRANS to the NRC Program recipient to continue work initiated in FY 2023 with an increased SPRANS appropriation, to expand technical assistance to ITC teams, provide financial and technical support to local infant-toddler court sites that previously received funding under HRSA-18-123, and advance national-level reach and impact of the program.

In addition, a Congressional Report accompanying the FY 2025 appropriations act directed HRSA to “allocate funding to ensure continuation of existing grantees, technical assistance, and support other expansion activities,” (House Report 118-585). In response to the congressional intent, HRSA provided a supplement of $1,750,000 to the NRC Program recipient in FY 2025 to continue work initiated in prior years to expand technical assistance to ITC teams, provide financial and technical support to local infant-toddler court sites that previously received funding under HRSA-18-123, and advance national-level reach and impact of the program.

A Congressional Report accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 (Pub. L. 119-75) included an additional $2,000,000, for a total of $20,000,000 in funding “for research-based Infant-Toddler Court Teams to change child welfare practices to improve well-being for infants, toddlers, and their families,” (House Report 119-271). The Report also included a directive to “allocate funding to ensure continuation of existing grantees, technical assistance, and support other expansion activities,” (House Report 119-271).

Consistent with congressional intent, HRSA, through its Maternal and Child Health Bureau, will provide a supplement of $2,750,000 in SPRANS funding to the ITCP NRC Program recipient. This funding will continue the number of ITC teams funded through subawards and continue to provide technical assistance to ITC teams, increase the number of ITC teams funded through subawards to new ITC teams, expand technical assistance to ITC teams funded under HRSA-22-073/074, and advance the national reach and impact of the program.

91 FR 59143