The Rural Mothers and Fathers Choice Act establishes a ten-year federal grant program administered by the Department of Health and Human Services to support families in rural and tribal communities. The bill will award up to six implementation grants of $6 million per year to eligible organizations, with priority given to counties with fewer than 50,000 residents and economically distressed areas. Grantees must operate community service hubs and spokes that provide integrated services across at least four of six categories: family support services, early childhood care, kindergarten through grade 12 education support, workforce development, health services, and infrastructure improvements like broadband access. Each grant recipient must establish a Family Advisory Council with at least 40 percent parent representation to help guide spending decisions. The bill requires grantees to meet performance benchmarks every three and six years to continue receiving funds, track outcomes related to employment, school attendance and graduation rates, and match federal dollars with 10 percent local contribution in years four through six and 20 percent in years seven through ten of the grant period.
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