YOUTH PROGRAMS - Youth at Risk
The following are a selection of 2002 -2003 legislative enactments that create or fund programs designed to reach youth at risk.
Arkansas
2003 Ark. Acts, HB 1978
Determines that monies from the Youth Violence Prevention Program, Common Ground, would be better served if utilized for the prevention and intervention of drug use. Authorizes the transfer of remaining monies by the Arkansas Department of Health. Creates the Drug Prevention and Intervention Program Fund.
California
2002 Cal. Stats., SB 1650, Chap. 355
Finds that youth struggle with four main risk factors-academic failure, substance abuse, involvement in the criminal justice system, and teen pregnancy. Declares the goal of the legislature to give every young person in California access to a quality mentoring relationship. Encourages state agencies and departments to collaborate to build youth developmental assets. Stipulates that in order to obtain funding appropriated by the legislature, mentor programs must have adopted the California Mentor Initiative Quality Assurance Standards. Further stipulates that programs must provide data regarding mentee outcomes.
Maryland
2003 Md. Laws, HB 0541
Establishes the Task Force to Study the Mentoring and Monitoring of Children in Custody of or Under the Supervision of the Department of Juvenile Justice. Establishes membership requirements including appointments by the governor. Stipulates the task force to look at feasibility of certain programs and make recommendations on findings. Requires the task force to report its findings to the Governor and General Assembly by October 1, 2004.
Missouri
2003 Mo. Laws, SB 0618, Chap. 0630
Directs the state departments of health, social services, education and corrections to collaborate on the design of a state suicide prevention plan, using evidence-based approaches, by December 31, 2004. Requires the plan to promote the use of student assistance and educational programs to support students with depression, other psychiatric illnesses and substance abuse disorders. Requires the plan to include the identification of risk factors for suicide, training and technical assistance in suicide prevention provided to community-based health professionals, and the creation of a suicide prevention hotline. Requires coordination between federal, state and local agencies to collect Missouri-specific data, analyze the data and report annually on suicide and suicidal behavior in Missouri.
New Hampshire
2003 N.H. Laws, SB 0116, Chap. 0160
Establishes a committee to consult with the department of education and other entities with relevant information or expertise to identify the reasons why students drop out of high school and the underlying causes of the high school dropout problem. Directs the committee to study the methods and approaches taken in other states regarding dropouts and to develop a plan to reduce the high school dropout rate statewide. Requires the committee to report its findings before November 1, 2003.
2003 N.H. Laws, HB 0240, Chap. 0142
Establishes a committee to study ways to prevent suicide among young people in New Hampshire. Directs the committee to collect and review information relative to the rate and cause of suicide among children and adolescents and examine ways to develop and enhance state programs to reduce the incidence of suicide, including the possibility of creating a local television campaign and establishing crisis hotlines for teen suicide prevention. Directs the committee to develop a plan to create greater coordination among existing suicide prevention programs and initiatives and research federal and private grants that may be available for suicide prevention programs. Requires the committee to report its findings before November 1, 2003.
2003 N.H. Laws, HB 0619, Chap. 0288
Establishes a dropout prevention and recovery program for high school students and creates an oversight council. Requires the program to provide and coordinate services to assist students in completing high school; encourage students to go to college by assisting in securing part-time work to accompany that education; introduce students to skills necessary in the workplace; provide tutoring, study skills training, and schoolsite mentors; provide alternative secondary school services with high academic standards; deliver work-based learning experiences such as internships, job shadowing and school-sponsored workplace mentoring, provide opportunities for community service and peer-centered activities that link youth with adult mentors; provide support services and transitional links that assist students in the elimination of barriers and establish an 85% graduation rate and 90 percent return-to-school rate.
New Mexico
2003 N.M. Laws, HB 0212, Chap. 153
Allows any public school to create a "family and youth resources program." Any school with at least 80% of students eligible for free & reduced lunch is eligible to apply for grants. States the goal of the program is to forge mutual long-term relationships with public and private agencies and community-based, civic and corporate organizations to help students attain high academic achievement by meeting certain nonacademic needs of students and their families. Creates the position of resource liaison and outlines responsibilities for the liaison. Stipulates types of services and resources programs may provide. Creates the "Family and Youth Resource Fund."
North Carolina
2003 N.C. Sess. Laws, HB 0397, PL 284
Transfers $2,249,642 from the TANF Block Grant to the Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to expand statewide the Support Our Students (SOS) program, a community-based afterschool initiative that links students wit adults to create clubs, participate in athletic activities and complete homework in a structured setting.
Tennessee
2003 Tenn. Pub. Acts, HB 1665
Creates the Inner City Educational Enhancement Pilot Project Act of 2003. Allows local education agencies (LEA's) with the greatest number of schools placed on notice or probation status to establish an inner city educational enhancement pilot project. Stipulates that pilot projects shall consist of after-school programs at all or a significant portion of the LEA's placed on notice or probation status. Includes before-school, Saturday, or summer programs in program type. Designates services programs shall include. Requires the department of education and the office of education accountability to jointly monitor the efficiency and effectiveness of the pilot programs and report recommendations to each member of the education oversight committee, and the education committees of the senate and house of representatives.
Texas
2003 Texas Laws, SB 0016
Authorizes each school district to provide a mentoring program to students at risk of dropping out of school. Requires a district that chooses to offer a mentoring program, using compensatory education funds, to meet standards adopted by the governor pursuant to the mentoring initiative established by the governor. Requires the board of trustees of the district to obtain the consent of a student's parent or guardian before allowing the student to participate in the program. Authorizes the district to arrange for any public or private community-based organization to implement the program. Authorizes funds allocated under Section 42.152 to be used to fund a district's mentoring services program.
2003 Texas Laws, HB 1828, Chap. 0601
Renames the Graffiti Eradication Fund to the Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Fund. Requires juvenile courts to assess an additional $5 fee to any youth adjudicated delinquent as a cost of court and designates those proceeds for the JDPF. Stipulates that the JDPF will provide funding for teen recognition and teen recreation programs, local teen court programs, local juvenile probation departments and educational or intervention programs designed to prevent juveniles from engaging in delinquent conduct.
Virginia
2003 Va. Acts, HB 1714, Chap. 483
Requires the State Executive Council for Comprehensive Services for At-Risk Youth and Families to establish a collaborative, multidisciplinary team process for referral and reviews of children and families. Stipulates membership requirements.
Washington
2003 Wash. Laws, HB 1028, Chap. 285
Directs the joint legislative audit and review committee to study proven intervention and prevention programs for at-risk youth. Directs the committee to review and analyze research to identify programs that been proven effective at preserving families and reducing crime committed by youth eleven to eighteen years of age. Directs the committee to report on the costs, benefits and measurable outcomes of successful programs and to evaluate and recommend incentives to encourage local government to invest in these programs. Stipulates that the committee submit an interim report to the legislature by September, 2004 and a final report by September, 2005.
2003 Wash. Laws, HB 1782, Chap. 0007
Finds that nonprofit youth organizations provide services that enable young people, particularly those at-risk, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens. Directs the department of community, trade and economic development to establish a competitive process to solicit proposals for and prioritize projects whose primary objective is to assist nonprofit youth organizations in acquiring, constructing, or rehabilitating facilities used for the delivery of nonresidential services, excluding outdoor athletic fields. Requires the DCTED to evaluate and rank applications in consultation with a citizen advisory committee. Requires projects to have a recreational component and either an educational or social service component. Requires applicants to demonstrate that the requested assistance will increase the efficiency or quality of the services it provides to youth. Stipulates that grant assistance must not exceed twenty-five percent of the total cost of the project. |
