H.R. 3856, the Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act of 2025, reauthorizes and expands federal support for runaway and homeless youth through 2030, with a focus on vulnerable populations including LGBTQ youth, trafficking victims, and those involved in child welfare or criminal justice systems. The bill strengthens two main grant programs—Basic Center Grants and Transitional Living Programs—by requiring five-year awards to local nonprofits and public entities for safe shelter, trauma-informed counseling, mental health care, substance abuse education, and family reunification services, while establishing new Prevention Services grants and nondiscrimination protections. The legislation authorizes $200 million annually (fiscal years 2026-2030), with at least 90 percent dedicated to shelter and core services, and individual grants capped between $200,000 and $275,000 per year depending on funding levels. The bill also creates a waiver process allowing temporary regulatory relief for grantees facing extraordinary circumstances and requires improved data collection on youth served, with grant award decisions to be made 90 days before program start dates.
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