A day after she introduced it on the floor of the House of Representatives, U.S. Congresswoman Norma Torres dropped by the Claremont headquarters of Parents Anonymous March 28 to announce Senate Bill 8156, the National Parent and Youth Helpline Act, “To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out a grant program to support the establishment of a national, toll-free telephone helpline to provide information and assistance to parents, caregivers, and youth to prevent child abuse and strengthen families,” according to its text.

(L-R) Giovanni, 5, plays Jenga with Parents Anonymous peer workforce developer Timothy Poland at the March 28 press conference announcing Congresswoman Norma Torres’s National Parent and Youth Helpline Act. Courier photo/Andrew Alonzo

The bill aims to allocate up to $20 million annually between 2027-2032 to fund the 24-hour National Parent and Youth Helpline, which is operated by Parents Anonymous, offering free emotional support and crisis assistance via phone or text at (855) 427-2736. Live computer chat options are also available at nationalparentyouthhelpline.org, with services available in 240 languages.

“This money would allow us to have more staff so that we have more coverage so we don’t have to try to just call people back,” said Parents Anonymous President and CEO Lisa Pion-Berlin.

The bill is Torres’ latest attempt to provide more funding for the helpline. A similar proposal, H.R. 7812, failed to reach the floor for a vote during the previous session.

Torres, who represents California’s 35th Congressional District, including Claremont, emphasized the new bill’s importance.

“As a former 911 dispatcher, I know how critical it is to have someone on the other end of the line when a family is in crisis,” she said. “The National Parent and Youth Helpline Act is about making sure every parent and every young person has access to support, guidance, and hope before a situation becomes an emergency.”

More information is at congress.gov/search (search SB 8156) or torres.house.gov.