Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 110 Part 4.djvu/971

 PUBLIC LAW 104-235—OCT. 3, 1996 110 STAT. 3067 (E) by redesignating subparagraph (D) (as redesignated) as subparagraph (F); (F) by inserting after subparagraph (C) (as redesignated), the following new subparagraphs: "(D) through a national data collection and analysis program and in consultation with appropriate State and local agencies and experts in the field, collect, compile, and make available State child abuse and neglect reporting information which, to the extent practical, shall be universal and case specific and integrated with other case-based foster care and adoption data collected by the Secretary; "(E) compile, analyze, and publish a summary of the research conducted under section 105(a); and"; and (G) by adding at the end the following: "(2) CONFIDENTIALITY REQUIREMENT.—In carrying out paragraph (1)(D), the Secretary shall ensure that methods are established and implemented to preserve the confidentiality of records relating to case specific data.". SEC. 105. RESEARCH, EVALUATION AND ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES. (a) RESEARCH.— Section 105(a) of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5105(a)) is amended— (1) in paragraph (1)— (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking ", through the Center, conduct research on" and inserting ", in consultation with other Federal agencies and recognized experts in the field, carry out a continuing interdisciplinary program of research that is designed to provide information needed to better protect children from abuse or neglect and to improve the well-being of abused or neglected children, with at least a portion of such research being field initiated. Such research program may focus on"; (B) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through (C) as subparagraph (B) through (D), respectively; (C) by inserting before subparagraph (B) (as so redesignated) the following new subparagraph: "(A) the nature and scope of child abuse and neglect;"; (D) in subparagraph (B) (as so redesignated), to read as follows: "(B) causes, prevention, assessment, identification, treatment, cultural and socio-economic distinctions, and the consequences of child abuse and neglect;"; and (E) in subparagraph (D) (as so redesignated)— (i) by striking clause (ii); (ii) in clause (iii), to read as follows: "(ii) the incidence of substantiated and unsubstantiated reported child abuse cases;"; and (iii) by adding at the end the following: "(iii) the number of substantiated cases that result in a judicial finding of child abuse or neglect or related criminal court convictions; "(iv) the extent to which the number of unsubstantiated, unfounded and false reported cases of child abuse or neglect have contributed to the inability of a State to respond effectively to serious cases of child abuse or neglect;

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