
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 42USC12301]

 
                 TITLE 42--THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE
 
   CHAPTER 127--COORDINATED SERVICES FOR CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND FAMILIES
 
Sec. 12301. Findings

    Congress finds that--
        (1) children and youth are inherently the most valuable resource 
    of the United States;
        (2) the welfare, protection, healthy development, and positive 
    role of children and youth in society are essential to the United 
    States;
        (3) children and youth deserve love, respect, and guidance, as 
    well as good health, shelter, food, education, productive employment 
    opportunities, and preparation for responsible participation in 
    community life;
        (4) children and youth have increasing opportunities to 
    participate in the decisions that affect their lives;
        (5) the family is the primary caregiver and source of social 
    learning and must be supported and strengthened;
        (6) when a family is unable to ensure the satisfaction of basic 
    needs of children and youth it is the responsibility of society to 
    assist such family; and
        (7) it is the joint and several responsibility of the Federal 
    Government, each State, and the political subdivisions of each State 
    to assist children and youth to secure, to the maximum extent 
    practicable, equal opportunity to full and free access to--
            (A) the best possible physical and mental health;
            (B) adequate and safe physical shelter;
            (C) a high level of educational opportunity;
            (D) effective training, apprenticeships, opportunities for 
        community service, and productive employment and participation 
        in decisions affecting their lives;
            (E) a wide range of civic, cultural, and recreational 
        activities that recognize young Americans as resources and 
        promote self-esteem and a stake in the communities of such 
        Americans; and
            (F) comprehensive community services that are efficient, 
        coordinated, readily available, and involve families of young 
        individuals.

(Pub. L. 101-501, title IX, Sec. 902, Nov. 3, 1990, 104 Stat. 1262.)


                             Effective Date

    Chapter effective Oct. 1, 1990, see section 1001(a) of Pub. L. 101-
501, set out as an Effective Date of 1990 Amendment note under section 
8621 of this title.


                               Short Title

    Section 901 of title IX of Pub. L. 101-501 provided that: ``This 
title [enacting this chapter] may be cited as the `Claude Pepper Young 
Americans Act of 1990'.''
    Section 955 of Pub. L. 101-501 provided that: ``This chapter 
[chapter 3 (Secs. 955-960) of subtitle A of title IX of Pub. L. 101-501, 
enacting part C of subchapter I of this chapter] may be cited as the 
`Family Resource Act'.''
    Section 981 of Pub. L. 101-501 provided that: ``This subtitle 
[subtitle B (Secs. 981-988) of title IX of Pub. L. 101-501, enacting 
subchapter II of this chapter] may be cited as the `1993 White House 
Conference on Children, Youth, and Families'.''


                 Commission on Child and Family Welfare

    Pub. L. 102-521, Sec. 5, Oct. 25, 1992, 106 Stat. 3406, provided for 
establishment, membership, etc., of a Commission on Child and Family 
Welfare, specified that among other duties the Commission compile 
information and data on the issues that affect the best interests of 
children, including domestic issues such as abuse, family relations, 
services and agencies for children and families, family courts, and 
juvenile courts, directed Commission to submit to President and Congress 
an interim report no later than Jan. 1, 1994, and a final report no 
later than Jan. 1, 1995, containing a detailed statement of the findings 
and conclusions of the Commission, together with recommendations for 
such legislation and administrative actions as considered appropriate, 
and directed that the Commission terminate 90 days after the date it 
submitted its final report.
