 
Fact Sheet: Mentoring Children of Prisoners Program
Background
According to recent statistics, approximately 2 million children and youth in the United States have at least one parent in a Federal or State correctional facility. In addition to suffering disruption in the relationship with their parent, these young people often struggle with the economic, social, and emotional burdens of the incarceration. Data indicate that mentoring programs can help young people with incarcerated parents by reducing their first-time drug and alcohol use, improving their relationships and academic performance, and reducing the likelihood that they will initiate violence. In addition, mentoring programs can provide these children with opportunities to develop a trusting relationship with a supportive, caring adult and a stable environment that can promote healthy values and strong families.
Congress established the Mentoring Children of Prisoners Program through the Promoting Safe and Stable Families Amendments (Public Law 107–133), and assigned the administration of the program to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
The Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB) began funding mentoring projects in 2003, granting $8.9 million to 52 programs. In his 2003 State of the Union address, President Bush asked Americans to join the effort. “Government will support the training and recruiting of mentors,” he said. “Yet it is the men and women of America who will fill the need. One mentor, one person can change a life forever. And I urge you to be that one person.”
In 2006, Congress also reauthorized the Mentoring Children of Prisoners Program under the provisions of the Child and Family Services Improvement Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-288). Through the New Service Delivery Demonstration Program, the new legislation incorporates the President’s proposal to allow use of program vouchers to increase access to mentoring services nationwide for the especially vulnerable youth population.
Purpose
FYSB’s mission is to provide national leadership on youth and family issues. The Bureau promotes positive outcomes for children, youth, and families by supporting a wide range of comprehensive services and collaborations at the local, Tribal, State, and national levels. The goals of FYSB programs are to provide positive alternatives for youth, ensure their safety, and maximize their potential to take advantage of available opportunities.
Through the Mentoring Children of Prisoners Program, FYSB awards grants to community organizations that provide children and youth of incarcerated parents with mentors. Each mentoring program is designed to ensure that mentors provide young people with safe and trusting relationships; healthy messages about life and social behavior; appropriate guidance from a positive adult role model; and opportunities for increased participation in education, civic service, and community activities.
Services Provided
Mentoring Children of Prisoners Program grant recipients are required to provide services, both directly and in collaboration with other local agencies, to strengthen and support children of incarcerated parents and their families. This includes preserving families and connecting the children with their imprisoned parent when appropriate. In FY 2007, FYSB awarded $45.6 million in funding to support 220 mentoring programs.
Further, grant recipients are required to cultivate mentors from within the child’s family and community through recruitment, screening, training, and monitoring and evaluation:
- Recruiting: Grantees are required to recruit a diverse group of mentors who are committed to spending at least 1 hour per week with their assigned child for a period of at least 1 year.
- Screening: Grant recipients are required to screen volunteers extensively through appropriate reference checks, criminal background checks, and child and domestic abuse record checks, to ensure that they pose no safety risk to the young people.
- Training: Mentors must attend an orientation and training in mentoring skills and the practice of mentoring before being assigned to a young person. In addition, grant recipients are responsible for matching each child to a suitable adult mentor.
- Monitoring and Evaluating: Grantees are required to provide ongoing support and oversight of the mentoring relationship to ensure that young people are receiving appropriate support and are benefiting from the mentor match. Outcomes for each participating youth are measured by such factors as academic achievement and avoidance of risky behaviors.
In addition, FYSB encourages grantees to incorporate elements of a positive youth development approach. That approach suggests that the best way to prevent young people’s involvement in risky behavior is to help them achieve their full potential. Youth development strategies, therefore, focus on giving young people the chance to exercise leadership, build skills, and become involved in their communities.
FYSB’s Grant Award Process
FYSB solicits applications annually for the Mentoring Children of Prisoners Program through funding announcements on the Grants.gov Web site at http://www.grants.gov. FYSB also makes annual grant announcements on its Web site at www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/fysb. Grant awards are made on a competitive basis for a 1-year budget period, for up to 3 years.
For More Information
For further information about FYSB’s Mentoring Children of Prisoners Program, contact the National Clearinghouse on Families & Youth, P.O. Box 13505, Silver Spring, MD 20911; (301) 608-8098; fax: (301) 608-8721; e-mail: ncfy@acf.hhs.gov; Web site: ncfy.acf.hhs.gov.