1999 Request for proposals (Georgia. Children and Youth Coordinating Council)

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Office of the Governor Children and Youth Coordinating Council
Suite 410 10 Park Place South Atlanta, Georgia 30303
Telephone: (404) 656-1725 www.cycc.state.ga.us
This publication has been especially prepared under Grant #97JF-FX-0013 (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, United States Department of Justice) and Grant #1-XO1-MC0000-7-01 (United States Department of Health and Human Services). The Children and Youth Coordinating Council hopes this edition will serve the needs of those entities eligible for funding in providing services to Georgia's children, youth and families.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE ............................................................................................. 1

0 JUVENILE JUSTICE DELINQUENCY PREVENTION AND TREATMENT...... 2

I.

System Coordination and Training......................................... 3

II. Prevention/Early Intervention................................................ 5

A. Community Enrichment/Outreach................................. 5

B. Program for Female Youth.......................................... 9

Ill. Community Services for Juvenile Offenders........................... 11

A. Accountability-Based Sanctions................................... 11

B. Special Needs Offenders ............................................. 13

C. ln-SchoolProbation ..................................................... 16

D. Local Purchase of Pre-Commitment Services .................. 18

E. Juvenile Court Mediation ............................................. 20

@ TITLE V PREVENTION....................................................................... 22

@) ABSTINENCE EDUCATION ................................................................. 27

CYCC 1999 Request for Proposals

PREFACE

Page 1

During the 1999 spring funding cycle, the Children and Youth Coordinating Council will accept applications for funding under the following programs:

. Programs

Available Funds for New Programs

0

Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention

and Treatment

Title V Prevention

Abstinence Education

$ 860,000
$ 450,000 $ 43,995

Total

$ 1,353,995

'All applications must fall within a program area described in this booklet. Each program area specifies eligibility criteria, programmatic components, budget restrictions and other requirements.

The required application forms with instructions are contained in the Council's 1999 Grant Application Kit. The forms must be completed in relation to the grant program for which you are applying.

CYCC 1999 Request for Proposals

Page2

INTRODUCTION
During the 1999 spring funding cycle, the Children and Youth Coordinating Council will accept new and continuation applications for funding under the Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention and Treatment Formula Grants Program. All applications must fall within the program areas described in this section. Each program area specifies programmatic components, budget restrictions and other requirements. The Council currently has available $860,000 for new programs. A portion of these funds are administered at the national level by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (CFDA 16.540) as well as state appropriated funds for new community-based prevention programs.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Applicants may include state government, local governments, school systems, and nonprofit agencies. Non-profit agencies should refer to page 2 of the CYCC 1999 Grant Application Kit for further eligibility criteria and requirements.
PROGRAM CRITERIA
The proposed grant program should fit into one of the three primary program areas descr.ibed on the following pages. The grant program, however, may include components of more than one program area.

CYCC 1999 Request for Proposals
I. SYSTEM COORDINATION AND TRAINING

Page3

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES:

As the Children and Youth Coordinating Council identifies specific justice issues that require special analysis and research, it will provide support for projects addressing those issues. Support may also be provided for systemwide improvements intended to address specific deficiencies identified through research projects or the Council's planning process.

The Council will also identify specific topics of significance for juvenile justice professionals and support specialized training on these subjects. Training initiatives will be conducted primarily through the Juvenile Justice Training Network, although proposals for specialized training from other sources will be considered.

OVERALL OBJECTIVES: (Proposals must address one or more of the following.)

1. To support training initiatives for community-based juvenile justice field staff, including, but not limited to, the Juvenile Justice Training Project.

a. To provide statewide and regional workshops, seminars and other educational programs concerning treatment modalities and other topics of fundamental significance for juvenile justice professionals.

b. To enhance the quality and availability of training opportunities for juvenile justice professionals and law enforcement across the state.

2. To conduct research and/or evaluation projects concerning the state's juvenile justice system and related issues.

3. To conduct research and/or evaluation concerning specific program modalities for at-risk children and youth as well as specific projects initiated with Council funds.

4. To conduct monitoring and assessment activities necessary to maintain and document Georgia's compliance with federal mandates and Georgia law.

5. To enhance the Council's capacity as a coordinating and planning body providing leadership for the state on juvenile justice and other children and youth related issues.

6. To initiate specific systemic or organizational improvements in the state's juvenile justice and related child-serving systems to address issues and problems identified by the Council as crucial to improving the quality of services to at-risk children and youth statewide.

CYCC 1999 Request for Proposals
BUDGET:

Paqe4

There is no funding cap under this program area. However, applicants are encouraged to request training assistance through the Council's training network in lieu of a formal grant application. This training is available free of cost.

No matching funds are required under this program area, but priority will be given to those applications with significant local funds (cash and/or in-kind). Each project will be funded for a minimum of 12 months, with a possible 2 years of additional funding. Third-year continuation proposals will be subject to a 25% reduction in funding if original award exceeds $10,000.

SUGGESTED SUCCESS MEASURES:

1. The number of community-based juvenile justice field staff and other professionals receiving training under programs funded in this area as compared to previous years.

2. The number of training events provided as compared to previous years.

3. The quality of training as measured by post-training evaluations completed by training participants.

4. The amount of training opportunities provided not previously available to Georgia's juvenile justice professionals.

5. The accuracy and completeness of data collected through research and monitoring activities as well as the content and practical value of completed projects.

6. The content and effectiveness of public education and awareness projects funded.

7. The Council's success in documenting the degree of Georgia's compliance with the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act and Georgia law concerning the detention of status and delinquent offenders.

8. The success of individual projects seeking to make system wide improvements in meeting their goals and objectives.

ELIGIBILITY:

Competitive among state and local units of government and non-profit agencies.

CYCC 1999 Request for Proposals
II. PREVENTION AND EARLY INTERVENTION

Pages

A. COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT/OUTREACH PROGRAMS

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES:

Projects funded can represent new and innovative approaches to working with high-risk children and youth or may be modeled on prevention or early intervention projects previously developed through the CYCC or other organizations. Program format and activities should be based on local resources and the characteristics and needs of the targeted population.

Community-based programs operating during the evening and on weekends are particularly encouraged, as are projects serving minority youth. After-school educational and enrichment programs are eligible for funding within this category as are outreach and counseling services for alternative schools and youth oriented law enforcement programs. School based violence prevention and peer mediation programs also fall within this program area.

Ideally, projects should include two or more components such as: tutoring and other academic services; life skills activities; goal setting; cultural enrichment and recreation; group, individual and/or family counseling; vocational training and job placement; and conflict resolution exercises. All projects must provide for the involvement of participants' parents.

Proposals providing for extensive volunteer activity and interagency cooperation will be given the highest priority within this category.

OVERALL OBJECTIVES: (Proposals must address one or more of the following.)

1. To develop structured programs for early intervention into the lives of children who have either entered the juvenile court system through delinquent or unruly behavior or who exhibit behaviors or live under environmental circumstances that have a high likelihood of leading to delinquent activity. These programs may be primary prevention programs dealing exclusively with non-offenders or general populations, or they may serve juvenile offenders referred by the juvenile court or a combination of offenders and non-offenders.

2. To expand prevention and early intervention services for at-risk minority youth, thereby eventually reducing the existing disproportionate number of minority youth entering the juvenile justice system in Georgia, as well as the disproportionate number of juvenile offenders incarcerated.

3. To provide at-risk youth and their families with a comprehensive array of services such as family and individual counseling, parenting classes for the parents of participants, life skills training, tutoring, and cultural and recreational activities designed to address the various risk factors normally associated with delinquency.

CYCC 1999 Request for Proposals

Page6

These risk factors include such things as school dropout and academic failure, teenage pregnancy, dysfunctional families, and youth violence. Programs should encourage the development of positive, socially acceptable behavior and expose at-risk children and youth to new, worthwhile experiences promoting the development of high self-esteem and strong social values. Culturally specific programming, such as Rites of Passage programs and African-American history activities, are encouraged. as are linkages with minority civic and cultural organizations.

4. To foster the development of local community initiatives targeting some of the basic sources of delinquency such as poverty, teenage pregnancy, illiteracy and school failure, and family instability.

5. Through the provision of adequate after-care services, to ensure that the positive changes made by program participants during their participation in the program are internalized and become lasting changes.

6. To reduce by actual number and by percentages the program participants who re-offend during or after program participation, or who become offenders after entering a program.

7. To reduce, where possible, juvenile court referral, detention and/or commitment rates for participating jurisdictions.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

1. Program participants should consist primarily of non-offenders who are at high risk for delinquency, or less serious juvenile offenders.

2. With the exception of school-based violence prevention curriculums, projects must include two or more programming components.

3. The project must provide a means whereby the progress of each program participant will be tracked for at least one year following completion of the program.

4. All project proposals from non-governmental organizations must include a plan for establishing an appropriate advisory group to oversee the project unless such a body has already been established. Local Commissions on Children and Youth or similar organizations can be utilized for this purpose.

5. All proposals must provide some means of including the parents of participants in project activities.

6. lffunded and selected by the Children and Youth Coordinating Council for in-depth evaluation, applicants must agree to comply with the evaluation design and collect the required data.

CYCC 1999 Request for Proposals

Page?

7. Applications must include a detailed plan for the assumption of costs by the local community after successful implementation of the program.

BUDGET:

Individual projects may not exceed $50,000. Each project will be funded for a minimum of 12 months, with a possible 2 years of additional funding.

No matching funds are required under this program area, but priority will be given to those applications with significant local funds (cash and/or in-kind). Third-year continuation proposals will be subject to a 25% reduction in funding if original award exceeds $10,000.

TARGET POPULATION:

Initiatives sponsored through this program area will seek to intervene in the lives of children who are considered to be at high risk for delinquency. Such groups of children may include, but are not limited to:

1. Children who have delinquent siblings.

2. Children of alcoholics or drug addicts.

3. Children who exhibit behavior problems in school and/or in the community but who are not yet known to the juvenile court as delinquent children.
~
4. Youth who have been referred to the juvenile court for delinquent or unruly acts or who are on probation but have not been committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice.

5. Youth residing in low-income, high-crime areas.

SUGGESTED SUCCESS MEASURES:

1. The overall number of participants and number of minority children/youth served by projects funded under this category.

2. The type, frequency and nature of services provided.

3. The positive changes in behavior and/or attitude that can be noted and tracked for each program participant and his/her family.

4. When possible, the impact in numbers and percentages on new referrals for delinquency to the local juvenile court and juvenile court commitments. (For example, a comparison of first offender referrals from the targeted area prior to project implementation as compared with the referral rates after the project's implementation.)

CYCC 1999 Request for Proposals

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5. The rate of re-offense or first offenses for program participants as compared to overall recidivism and first offense rates for participating courts.

6. Improvement in school performance, behavior and attendance for program participants.

ELIGIBILITY:

Competitive among state and local units of government and non-profit agencies.

CYCC 1999 Request for Proposals
B. PROGRAMS FOR FEMALE YOUTH

Page9

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES:

Girls enter the juvenile justice system from a variety of avenues. Research has shown that girls are more likely than boys to become delinquency-involved for status offenses such as running away, truancy, and disobeying parents. Programs and services should target at-risk girls by providing all or part of a continuum of care that recognizes the unique problems facing young females. These services may include case management and aftercare. Suggested activities include anti-violence initiatives, substance abuse education and awareness strategies, teen pregnancy prevention programs and services, teen parent education and support services, dropout prevention awareness activities, and educational and vocational training opportunities.

OVERALL OBJECTIVES:

1. To develop and implement effective prevention programs for at-risk girls.

2. To address the needs of at-risk girls and female juvenile offenders by providing comprehensive, gender-specific services, treatment programs, and rehabilitative care.

3. To develop innovative community-based strategies that target girls at risk of pregnancy and deal with issues such as sexuality, self-esteem, health care, body-image and awareness, problem-solving skills, and positive relationship building.

4. To address the issues of emotional, physical and sexual abuse in the context of individual or group counseling services and to provide insight into the issue of domestic violence and its impact on families.

5. To strengthen the academic skills of at-risk juvenile offenders by providing tutoring or other services designed to enhance educational performance.

6. To provide vocational opportunities that support educational training and includes jobadvancement skills and career decision-making skills.

7. To provide training and support for girls who are in need of an independent living program.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

1. Projects must target at-risk girls or female juvenile offenders. An "at-risk" girl is defined as any girl who may have demonstrated difficulty in school performance; is chronically truant; has experienced a referral to the court; has poor relationships with parent or guardian; has used or is using alcohol or drugs or has exposure to alcohol or drugs; has been a victim of emotional, physical, or sexual abuse or dating violence; has demonstrated running away behavior; is at risk of pregnancy; is a teen parent; or demonstrates any other behavior normally associated with delinquency.

CYCC 1999 Request for Proposals

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2. If funded and selected by the Children and Youth Coordinating Council for in-depth evaluation, applicants must agree to comply with the evaluation design and collect the required data.

3. Applications must include a detailed plan for the assumption of costs by the local community after successful implementation of the program.

BUDGET:

Individual projects may not exceed $50,000. Each project will be funded for a minimum of 12 months, with a possible 2 -years of additional funding.

No matching funds are required under this program area, but priority will be given to those applications with significant local support (cash and/or in-kind). Third-year continuation proposals will be subject to a 25% reduction in funding if original award exceeds $10,000.

TARGET POPULATION:

Projects funded in this program area will seek to improve the lives of at-risk girls or female juvenile offenders. Such girls may include, but are not limited to:

1. Girls who have experienced, or are at risk of experiencing, emotional, physical, or sexual abuse.

2. Girls who exhibit behavior problems at school or in the community, but who are not yet known to the juvenile court.

3. Girls who have been referred to the juvenile court for delinquent or unruly acts or who are on probation.

4. Girls who are in transition from residential placement.

5. Girls residing in low-income, high-crime areas.

SUGGESTED SUCCESS MEASURES:

1. The number of at-risk girls receiving services or receiving referrals for service.

2. Successful completion rates for program participants.

3. Success in reducing teen pregnancy rates.

4. Improvement in school performance, behavior and attendance for program participants.

5. Reduction in recidivism rates, commitment rates and/or detention rates.

CYCC 1999 Request for Proposals
Ill. COMMUNITY SERVICES FOR JUVENILE OFFENDERS

Page 11

A. ACCOUNTABILITY-BASED SANCTIONS

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES:

This program area seeks to assist juvenile courts in initiating community-based intervention programs intended to either divert juvenile offenders from short-term detention or to provide an alternative to commitment to the Department of Juvenile Justice while simultaneously providing close supervision and meaningful sanctions for inappropriate behavior. Long-term probation programs usually include a structured behavior modification system allowing participants to progress through decreasing levels of supervision until they successfully complete the terms of their probation. Programs may focus on a single activity or consist of an array of program components and sanctions for probation/after-care violators. Short-term programs should provide for daily contact with participants with a minimum of two face-to-face contacts weekly.

Specific activities eligible for funding include: intensive probation/surveillance; aftercare services; electronic monitoring; vocational training/job placement services for offenders; "Drug Courts" which provide close supervision including frequent drug screens and inten~ive treatment to offenders with significant substance abuse problems; and projects providing a continuum of sanctions for probation/after-care violators.

OVERALL OBJECTIVES: (Proposals must address one or more of the following.)

1. To provide an additional community treatment option that will target chronic and serious offenders, particularly minority youth, who would otherwise be incarcerated.

2. To provide intensive supervision and treatment services for juvenile offenders, particularly minority youth, during or immediately following intake as an alternative to secure detention.

3. To strictly monitor the daily activities of each program participant so as to assure a high level of community safety and individual accountability.

4. To evaluate the effectiveness of the program in terms of cost effectiveness, recidivism and community reaction.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

1. Long-term probation programs must limit the target population to more serious/chronic delinquent offenders or chronic status offenders who have had more than two court appearances. Applications for these programs must detail the screening and referral process that will be utilized to select program participants.

2. The program description must include concrete expectations for the offender participants along with the specific sanctions which will be imposed for infractions of the program's rules and regulations.

CYCC 1999 Request for Proposals

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3. All programs must track participants for recidivism while under supervision as well as for a minimum of one year following termination from the program.

4. Applications must include job descriptions for project personnel and must include a training plan for said employees.

5. Applications must include a detailed plan for the assumption of costs by the local community after successful implementation of the program.

6. If funded, applicants may be required to develop an operation manual which can be made available to other jurisdictions wishing to replicate the program.

7. lffunded and selected by the Children and Youth Coordinating Council for in-depth evaluation, applicants must agree to comply with the evaluation design and collect the required data.

BUDGET:

Individual projects may not exceed $75,000 per grant year. Each project will be funded for 12 months, with a possible 2 years of additional funding.

No matching funds are required under this program area, but priority will be given to those applications with significant local funds (cash and/or in-kind). Third-year continuation proposals will be subject to a 25% reduction in funding if original award exceeds $10,000.

SUGGESTED SUCCESS MEASURES:

1. The number and percentage of chronic and serious juvenile offenders successfully diverted from commitment and/or incarceration (long-term probation programs).

2. The number and percentage of program participants re-offending both during and following successful completion of the program.

3. Reduction in commitment and/or detention rates for participating juvenile courts.

4. Improvement in school performance, behavior and attendance for program participants (long-term probation programs).

CYCC 1999 Request for Proposals
B. SPECIAL NEEDS OFFENDERS

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SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES:

Programs funded within this area should emphasize treatment services for juvenile offenders with clearly defined and diagnosed mental illness, substance abuse problems, histories of sexual offenses, or developmental disabilities. Participants should be either committed or probated youth who cannot be effectively served by existing resources and who would otherwise be institutionalized.

Therapeutic programs should, in most instances, provide a combination of group, family and individual therapy in conjunction with close supervision and life skills/educational services. However, projects may focus on a single activity, such as special education or vocational training, provided that they serve high-risk, special needs offenders. Specialized aftercare projects for existing therapeutic programs are also eligible for funding within this area.

Funding may be utilized for the initiation or enhancement of non-residential treatment programs serving juvenile offenders in lieu of incarceration. E~igible applicants include Juvenile Courts, the Department of Juvenile Justice, non-profit agencies, Community Service Boards, psycho-educational centers, and alternative schools.

OVERALL OBJECTIVES: (Proposals must address one or more of the following.)

1. To develop additional programs serving chronic and/or serious juvenile offenders with significant histories of violent behavior, substance abuse, sexual offending, mental illness, mental retardation or similar special needs.

2. To divert high-risk offenders with specialized needs from incarceration and penetration of the adult criminal justice system.

3. To encourage offense and/or diagnostic specific delivery of services to individual offenders within existing treatment programs.

4. To maximize the benefits of each program through aftercare services that are designed to help each participant retain the level of functioning reached in the program after successful completion and upon return to the community.

5. To reduce by actual numbers and by percentages the number of program participants who re-offend following the completion of a program as compared to similar current or past offenders who did not participate.

6. To ensure that special needs offenders are provided close supervision and held accountable for their behavior during and after treatment.

G YGG 1999 Request for Proposals

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7. To better coordinate services provided for special needs offenders by the Division of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse, local school systems, the Department of Juvenile Justice, juvenile courts, and private non-profit agencies. Priority will be given to collaborative projects utilizing more than a single funding source.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

1. Program participants must be adjudicated offenders and must be referred by either the juvenile court or the Department of Juvenile Justice. Participants must have documented histories of mental illness, violent behavior or similar problems placing them at high risk for recidivism and eventual penetration of the adult criminal justice system.

2. Initial applications must include a plan for development and implementation of the program which addresses treatment format, staffing patterns and methodology for ensuring that participants are held accountable for non-compliance with program requirements and/or further criminal behavior.

3. Successful applicants may be required to develop an operational manual that can be disseminated to those interested in replicating the program.

4. The project must provide a means whereby the progress of each program participant will be tracked following completion of the program. Program graduates must be tracked for recidivism for a minimum of three years.

5. Proposals must include a detailed description of the project's evaluation and referral process which ensures that all participants are appropriately placed and are adjudicated offenders who are at very high risk for recidivism and eventual penetration of the adult criminal justice system.

6. Project applications must include a plan for establishing an appropriate advisory group (i.e., either local for community-based projects or state for statewide projects) to oversee the project in instances where such bodies do not already exist.

7. If funded and selected by the Children and Youth Coordinating Council for an in-depth evaluation, applications must agree to comply with the evaluation design and collect the required data.

8. When applicable, projects must meet applicable state and local licensing requirements.

CYCC 1999 Request for Proposals
BUDGET:

Page 15

Individual projects may not exceed $100,000 per grant year. Each project will be funded for 12 months, with a possible 2 years of additional funding. Funding will not be provided for operating expenses of existing programs unless these expenses will result in significant expansion of program capacity.

No matching funds are required under this program area, but priority will be given to those applications with significant local funds (cash and/or in-kind). Third-year continuation proposals will be subject to a 25% reduction in funding if original award exceeds $10,000.

SUGGESTED SUCCESS MEASURES:

1. The number of special needs offenders successfully diverted from incarceration and penetration of the adult criminal justice system.

2. The degree to which each program focuses on the specific problems and needs of individual participants.

3. The daily or annual cost per participant for treatment as compared to comparable treatment settings.

4. The positive changes in behavior and/or attitude that can be noted and tracked for each program participant.

5. The impact in numbers and percent on the re-offense history of program participants as compared with similar offenders who do not participate.

ELIGIBILITY: Competitive among state and local units of government and non-profit agencies.

CYCC 1999 Request for Proposals
C. IN-SCHOOL PROBATION

Page 16

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES:

This program area is designed to provide selected school settings with a probation officer who is also a regular school teacher. This person (or persons) would be a sworn officer of the juvenile court, and would handle a small (6-10) caseload of students who are on probation with the juvenile court for delinquent or status offenses. Teachers serving as probation officers would be expected to make home visits, etc. after school hours, and would continue their work as probation officers during the summer months and on school holidays. Probation work would be limited to the selected group of students. Teachers serving in these positions are intended to operate as part-time probation officers under the direct supervision of local juvenile court or court service personnel. Their functions and duties should mirror as much as possible those of local probation officers and/or court service workers. A training plan should be included in the application.

Additionally, arrangements may be made to relieve the probation officer/teacher of a full teaching schedule in order that part of each school day may be devoted to providing counseling, etc. to assigned probationers. Other innovative approaches to meeting the objectives outlined for this program will also be considered for funding.

OVERALL OBJECTIVES:

1. To provide a direct link between the school setting and the juvenile court for youth who have penetrated the juvenile justice system.

2. To assist a select group ofjuvenile offenders to improve their behavior in school and in the community at large by providing close supervision within a natural school environment.

3. To provide probationers with a court worker who can relate to their school setting as well as to their home environment, thereby reducing both recidivism and school disciplinary infractions.

4. To provide school officials and court officials with a more realistic picture of each other's roles, responsibilities and liabilities.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

1. All proposals are required to include plans for providing services to participants
during the summer months when school is not in session.

2. Applications must include written agreements between the juvenile court and the participating school(s). These agreements must specify that the juvenile court will have supervisory authority over the I.S.P. officer while that person is acting as an officer of the court.

CYCC 1999 Request for Proposals

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3. lffunded and selected by the Children and Youth Coordinating Council for in-depth evaluation, applicants must agree to comply with the evaluation design and collect the required data.

4. Applications must include a detailed plan for the assumption of costs by the local community after successful implementation of the program.

BUDGET:

Individual projects may not exceed $5,000 per each school site. Each project will be funded for a minimum of 12 months, with a possible 2 years of additional funding.

No matching funds are required under this program area, but priority will be given to those applications with significant local funds (cash and/or in-kind).

SUGGESTED SUCCESS MEASURES:

1. Number of youth served annually.

2. School attendance records of program participants prior to involvement in the project as compared with school attendance records of youth during active involvement in the project.

3. School behavior and academic performance of youth prior to involvement in the project as compared with school behavior records of youth during involvement in the project.

4. Decrease in rate and type of criminal involvement for participating youth as compared with the rate and type of criminal involvement prior to participation.

ELIGIBILITY:

County governments and local school systems.

CYCC 1999 Request for Proposals
D. LOCAL PURCHASE OF PRE-COMMITMENT SERVICES

Page 18

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES:

The Council of Juvenile Court Judges (CJCJ) contracts with local counties to provide funds awarded on the basis of "population at risk," the county's ability to secure direct formula grant awards for similar projects, and the number of counties desiring to participate. Each participating juvenile court has the discretion to contract for those programs and services that it deems worthwhile, so long as they remain within the general guidelines-of the grant. The Project Director of the CJCJ will provide technical assistance to participating counties in developing services and seeking local funding for services provided through the project.

OVERALL OBJECTIVES:

1. To make funds available on an equitable basis to all areas of the state (rural as well as urban) for the development of local community-based resources.

2. To expand the resources of local courts and provide options for treatment of delinquent and unruly youth, especially minority youth, served by the state's juvenile courts.

3. To provide community-based services including:

a. Education;

b. Counseling (i.e., family, group or individual);

c. Psychological evaluations;

d. Drug screens;

e. Mediation; and

f.

Per diem for residential placement.

4. To provide funding for community service and other restitution activities.

5. To reduce the rate of commitment of unruly and delinquent offenders to the Department of Juvenile Justice in each participating county.

6. To successfully divert participating juvenile offenders from secure detention and/or long-term incarceration.

7. To eliminate the secure detention of status offenders for more than 24 hours in each participating county.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

1. Participating juvenile courts must focus on utilizing these funds to reduce minority incarceration and commitment rates within their respective jurisdictions.

2. Funding should be used to purchase services that would otherwise be unavailable.

CYCC 1999 Request for Proposals

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3. The project must provide a means of tracking the subsequent court history of each participant following receipt of services through the program.

BUDGET:

Grant application may not exceed $200,000. The applicant must continue to seek state and local funds for absorption of costs, and local matching funds must be documented.

SUGGESTED SUCCESS MEASURES:

1. Number of services created by type in each participating county.

2. Dollar amount expended in each service category by each county.

3. Average dollar amount expended per child.

4. Number of participating counties.

5. Total number of youth served, and number and percentage of minority youth served.

6. Reduction in commitment rate in participating counties as compared to the state's overall commitment rate.

7. Reduction in rate of status offenders held in secure detention in participating counties.

8. Reduction of recidivism rates for participating counties.

ELIGIBILITY:

Georgia Council of Juvenile Court Judges only.

CYCC 1999 Request for Proposals
E. JUVENILE COURT MEDIATION PROGRAMS

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SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES:

This program area provides funding to juvenile courts for the initiation or enhancement of local mediation programs designed to divert status and minor delinquent offenders from formal court hearings. These programs may include coordination with victim assistance projects and linkages with restitution and community mediation ptograms.

OVERALL OBJECTIVES: (Proposals must address one or more of the following.)

1. To assist juvenile courts in implementing programs allowing for the informal adjustment of delinquent and unruly cases through mediation rather than official court proceedings.

2. To reduce judicial caseloads by reducing the volume of official court hearings for participating courts.

3. To ensure that participants in mediation programs learn the consequences both for themselves and the community of continued illegal behavior, and when appropriate, make restitution to victims.

3. To achieve a recidivism rate for program participants equal to or lower than that for offenders with similar court histories processed through the formal court process.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

1. Applicants must demonstrate a clear and convincing need for the program based on current and projected judicial caseloads.

2. All project proposals from non-governmental organizations must include a plan for establishing an appropriate advisory group to oversee the project unless such a body has already been established. Local Commissions on Children and Youth or similar organizations can be utilized for this purpose.

3. If funded and selected by the Children and Youth Coordinating Council for in-depth evaluation, applicants must agree to comply with the evaluation design and collect the required data.

4. Applications must include a detailed plan for the assumption of costs by the local community after successful implementation of the program.

CYCC 1999 Request for Proposals
BUDGET:

Page 21

Individual projects may not exceed $50,000 per grant year. Funding will be allocated for a minimum of 12 months per project with a possible 2 years of additional funding.

No matching funds are required under this program area, but priority will be given to those applications with significant local funds (cash and/or in-kind). Third-year continuation proposals will be subject to a 25% reduction in funding if original award exceeds $10,000.

RELATIONSHIP TO SIMILAR PROGRAMS:

The University of Georgia's Carl Vinson Institute of Government has developed a model mediation program utilizing volunteer mediators which applicants may consider replicating. Where appropriate, applicants are encouraged to utilize existing mediation programs in their communities.

SUGGESTED SUCCESS MEASURES:

1. Number of Y(?Uth served annually and the number successfully completing mediation.

2. Recidivism rates for participating offenders.

3. Total number of official court cases processed annually.

ELIGIBILITY:

Local juvenile courts either as a unit of county government or in conjunction with an existing non-profit mediation program.

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INTRODUCTION
During 1999, the Children and Youth Coordinating Council will make available funding to county governments for the development and initiation of delinquency prevention activities targeting youth who have had or are likely to have contact with the juvenile justice system. The Council will also accept second and third year continuation proposals from current Title V Prevention grant recipients. The Council currently has available approximately $450,000 in Title V Prevention grant funds for new programs. These funds are administered at the national level by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (CFDA 16.546).
The ultimate objective of this grant program is to prevent youth from entering the juvenile justice system by addressing a variety of risk factors for delinquents such as youth violence, school failure, teenage pregnancy, and substance abuse. The Council will assist communities through this grant program in developing comprehensive prevention strategies that foster healthy and nurturing environments for children and encourages the growth and development of productive and responsible citizens.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Applicants are limited to county boards of commissioners who have established a local children and youth coalition and who have completed a comprehensive three-year prevention plan for the county based on an assessment of local risk factors and resources. Local coalitions should be officially authorized by the county commission as the county's planning and advocacy body for children, youth and families. Coalition membership should consist of 15+ members representing public agencies, private, non-profit organizations serving children, youth and families, and business/industry. Counties that have an existing coalition, such as a local commission on children and youth or family connection collaborative, are encouraged to authorize that group to become the official planning body for the county.
Eligibility is also contingent on counties being in compliance with the status offender provisions of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act restricting the detention of status offenders over 24 hours excluding weekends and holidays. (Please contact Pete Colbenson at 404/657-6982 to determine whether your county is in compliance.)

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Program development should consist of local comprehensive, delinquency prevention strategies which us~ and coordinate federal, state, local and private resources for establishing a client-centered continuum of services for at-risk children and their families. The funded program must directly relate to the county plan as a top priority. The county, if desired, could subcontract the funds to another group based on pri_orities in the county plan. It will be the responsibility of the coalition to monitor the implementation of the delinquency prevention program, monitor their progress, and modify the county plan as needed.

PROGRAM CRITERIA

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES:
Program format and activities should be based on local resources and the characteristics and needs of the targeted population. Projects funded can represent new and innovative approaches to working with high-risk children and youth or may be modeled on prevention or early intervention projects previously developed through the CYCC or other organizations.
Community-based programs operating during the evening and on weekends are particularly encouraged, as are projects serving minority youth. Family Resource Centers providing a continuum of services at central locations and youth development activities, such as the creation of new Boys & Girls Clubs or YMCAs, are also eligible for funding as are school-based programs serving the community after school hours. Specific projects included in comprehensive local systemic initiatives a_re also encouraged.
Projects should include two or more components such as: tutoring and other academic services; life skills activities; goal setting; cultural enrichment and recreation; group, individual and/or family counseling; vocational training and job placement; and conflict resolution exercises. All projects must provide for the involvement of parents of participants through parenting classes, parental group sessions or similar activities.
Proposals providing for extensive volunteer activity and interagency cooperation will be given the highest priority within this category.
OVERALL OBJECTIVES: (Proposals must address one or more of the following.)
1. To develop structured programs for early intervention into the lives of children who have either entered the juvenile court system through delinquent or unruly behavior or who exhibit behaviors or live under environmental circumstances that have a high likelihood of leading to delinquent activity. These programs may be primary prevention programs dealing exclusively with non-offenders or general populations, or they may serve juvenile offenders referred by the juvenile court, or a combination of offenders and non-offenders.

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2. To expand prevention and early intervention services for at-risk minority youth, thereby eventually reducing the existing disproportionate number of minority youth entering the juvenile justice system in Georgia, as well as the disproportionate number of juvenile offenders incarcerated.

3. To provide at-risk youth and their families with a comprehensive array of services such as family and individual counseling, parenting classes for the parents of participants, life skills training, tutoring, and cultural and recreational activities designed to address the various risk factors normally associated with delinquency. These risk factors include such things as school dropout and academic failure, teenage pregnancy, dysfunctional families, and youth violence. Programs should encourage the development of positive, socially acceptable behavior and expose atrisk children and youth to new, worthwhile experiences promoting the development of high self-esteem and strong social values. Culturally specific programming, such as Rites of Passage programs and African-American history activities are encouraged, as are linkages with minority civic and cultural organizations.

4. To support comprehensive community initiatives targeting some ofthe basic sources of delinquency such as poverty, teenage pregnancy, illiteracy and school failure, and family instability.

5. The extent to which various risk factors are reduced for program participants and the community at large.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

1. Projects should serve either at-risk youth not yet involved in the juvenile justice system or less serious juvenile offenders. Projects may serve a combination of both populations.

2. Projects must include two or more programming components.

3. The project must provide a means whereby the progress of each program participant will be tracked following completion of the program for at least one year.

4. Local children and youth coalitions should serve as the advisory group to oversee the project.

5. All proposals must provide some means of including the parents of participants in project activities.

6. If funded and selected by the Children and Youth Coordinating Council for in-depth evaluation, applicants must agree to comply with the evaluation design and.collect the required data.

7. Applications must include a detailed plan for the assumption of costs by the local community after successful implementation of the program.

v , vv I tititi Kequest ror t-'roposals
BUDGET:

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Individual projects may not exceed $50,000. Each project will be funded for a minimum of 12 months, with a possible 2 years of additional funding.

All proposals must contain a minimum of 50% local matching funds and/or in-kind services (50 cents on the grant dollar). For example, if the grant request is $50,000, the county must provide $25,000 in matching cash and/or in-kind for a total project cost of $75,000. Third-year continuation proposals will be subiect to a 25% reduction in funding if original award exceeds $10,000.

TARGET POPULATION:

Initiatives sponsored through this program area will seek to intervene in the lives of children who are considered to be at high risk for delinquency. Such groups of children may include, but are not limited to:

1. Children who have delinquent siblings.

2. Children of alcoholics or drug addicts.

3. Children who exhibit behavior and/or academic problems in school and/or in the community but who are not yet known to the juvenile court as delinquent children.

4. Youth who have been referred to the juvenile court for delinquent or unruly acts or who are on probation but have not been committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice.

5. Youth residing in low-income, high-crime areas.

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS:

1. The overall number of participants and number of minority children/youth served by projects funded under this category.

2. The type, frequency, and nature of services provided.

3. The positive changes in behavior and/or attitude that can be noted and tracked for each program participant and his/her family.

4. When possible, the impact in numbers and percentages on new referrals for delinquency to the local juvenile court and juvenile court commitments. (For example, a comparison of first offender referrals from the targeted area prior to project implementation as compared with the referral rates after the project's implementation.)

5. The rate of re-offense or first offense for program participants as compared to overall recidivism and first offense rates for participating courts.

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6. Improvement in school performance, behavior and attendance for program participants.

Eligibility:

County governments only.

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INTRODUCTION
During the 1999 spring funding cycle, the Children and Youth Coordinating Council will accept applications for funding under the Abstinence Education Block Grant from the United States Department of Health and Human Services (CFDA 93.235). The Council will have available $43,995 for new programs. It is anticipated that no more than 10 - 15 awards of $5,000 or less will be issued this cycle. These awards are one-time, one-year mini-grants and are not eligible for continuation funding.
This program area is intended for the funding and initiation of programs seeking to prevent teen sexual activity. Funding within this area will be devoted exclusively to abstinence only education programs seeking to prevent teen pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, school dropouts, out-of-wedlock teen births, abortions and welfare dependency.
Programs funded through these grants will provide abstinence education and, where appropriate, mentoring, counseling, and adult supervision to promote abstinence from sexual activity, with a focus on those groups which are most likely to bear children out-ofwedlock.
Given the limited amount of new abstinence education funding and the relatively small number of potential grant awards, organizations interested in teen pregnancy prevention are encouraged to explore other funding sources. Some organizations may be interested in the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention funds administered by CYCC.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Organizations eligible for funding include local government agencies, public and private schools, religious organizations with a 501 (c)(3) or group exemption status, and public and private non-profit agencies [501 (c)(3)].
PROGRAM CRITERIA
DEFINITION:
Abstinence education means an educational or motivational program which:
a. has as its exclusive purpose, teaching the social, psychological, and health gains to be realized by abstaining from sexual activity;

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b. teaches abstinence from sexual activity outside marriage as the expected standard for all school-age children;

c. teaches that abstinence from sexual activity is the only certain way to avoid out-ofwedlock pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and other associated health problems;

d. teaches that a mutually faithful monogamous relationship in context of marriage is the expected standard of human sexual activity;

e. teaches that sexual activity outside of the context of marriage is likely to have harmful psychological and physical effects;

f. teaches that bearing children out-of-wedlock is likely to have harmful consequences for the child, the child's parents, and society;

g. teaches young people how to reject sexual advances and how alcohol and drug use increases vulnerability to sexual advances; and

h. teaches the importance of attaining self-sufficiency before engaging in sexual activity.

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES:

Activities may include the delivery of school-based curricula, after-school programs, mentoring, peer counseling, and life skills training promoting personal responsibility and resistance skills leading to individual self-sufficiency.

Mini-grant awards must be used for appropriate abstinence education purposes. Specific examples include, but are not limited to, an abstinence resource center or lending library, purchase of abstinence until marriage curricula for an existing after-school or communitybased program, or a local community media awareness campaign. Staff and personnel expenses are not recommended for abstinence mini-grant applications, rather funds should be used for one-time purchases to initiate or augment abstinence education projects.

OVERALL OBJECTIVES:

1. To promote the initiation of successful, locally sustainable programs with an exclusive premarital abstinence message.

2. To promote parental and guardian involvement with program participants.

3. To foster the development of local community initiatives that address the problems of premarital sexual activity.

4. To initiate after-school and school-based programs utilizing acceptable abstinence only curricula.

CYCC 1999 Request for Proposals
5. To prevent teen pregnancies among program participants.

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6. To prevent sexually transmitted diseases among program participants.

7. To prevent abortions among program participants.

8. To prevent out-of-wedlock births among program participants.

9. To prevent eventual welfare dependency among program participants.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

To be eligible for funding, proposed projects cannot violate any aspect of abstinence education as previously defined and must emphasize premarital abstinence as the expected standard for children and teenagers. Projects funded do not need to place equal emphasis on every component of the legal definition.

BUDGET:

Individual projects may not exceed $5,000. Each project will be funded for 12 months and is not eligible for continuation funding.

All proposals must contain a minimum of 37.5% local matching funds and/or in-kind services. For example, if the grant request is $3,000, the applicant must provide $1,125 in matching funds (cash and/or in-kind) for a total project cost of $4,125.

TARGET POPULATION:

Programs considered for grant awards will target youth ages 10-19. Priority will be given to areas throughout Georgia where there is a high rate of out-of-wedlock teen births.

SUGGESTED SUCCESS MEASURES:

1. Number and rate of live births among program participants.

2. Number and rate of pregnancies and abortions among program participants.

3. Number and rate of sexually transmitted diseases among program participants.

4. School attendance, academic performance and behavior among program participants.

4. Number of youth and adults reached with the abstinence until marriage message.