16.543: Missing Children's Assistance

16.543

Active

Office of Justice Programs (OJP) [DOJ]

Aug. 9, 2022

Aug. 9, 2022

To coordinate Federal missing and exploited children activities and to support research, training, technical assistance, and demonstration programs to enhance the overall response to missing and exploited children and as well as their families. Establish and maintain a national resource center and clearinghouse dedicated to missing and exploited children issues that: (1) provides a toll-free hotline where citizens can report investigative leads and parents and other interested individuals can receive information concerning missing children; (2) provides technical assistance to parents, law enforcement, and other professionals working on missing and exploited children cases; (3) promotes information sharing and provides technical assistance by networking with regional nonprofit organizations, State missing children clearinghouses, and law enforcement agencies; (4) develops publications that contain practical, timely information; and (5) provides information regarding programs offering free or low-cost transportation services that assist in reuniting children with their families. On a periodic basis, as funding is designated by Congress for this purpose, conduct national incidence studies to determine the type and extent of missing children in America. Support law enforcement demonstration programs (e.g., the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program) to enhance the investigative response to missing and exploited children cases. Support research to broaden understanding of a wide range of missing and exploited children issues (e.g., abduction homicide investigation solvability factors), to inform training and technical assistance efforts and to identify promising practices and programs for replication. Develop training programs for law enforcement, child protective services, medical personnel, and prosecutors to enhance coordination and effectiveness of missing and exploited children investigations and to enhance the overall system response. Identify service gaps and develop programs to meet specialized needs of parents or guardians of children who are reported missing.

B - Project Grants

Eligible applicants are limited to states (including territories), units of local government, federally recognized tribal governments as determined by the Secretary of the Interior, nonprofit and for-profit organizations (including tribal nonprofit and for-profit organizations), and institutions of higher education (including tribal institutions of higher education). For-profit organizations (as well as other recipients) must forgo any profit or management fee. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) program is by invitation only and is not published as a competitive program. In addition, the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program is also by invitation only. The exception to this is only if one of the existing 61 task forces voluntarily agrees to no longer serve as the lead agency for the task force in their region. In those rare cases, a competitive solicitation is posted for the affected area.

State and local units of government, private nonprofit agencies, organizations, institutions or individuals.

https://sam.gov/fal/6461e228ef834687a11a3d436b3418fa/view