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1992.09.22 :  Minneapolis Learning Readiness Project

Contact:  HHS Press Office (202) 690-6343
September 22, 1992

     HHS Secretary Louis W. Sullivan, M.D., today announced a
grant award of $500,000 to the Minneapolis Youth Coordinating
Board to support its project, "A Minnesota Learning Readiness
Initiative: Reforming the Delivery of Social Services to School-
Aged Children and Their Families in Hennepin County."
     The project is a collaborative effort of the Minneapolis
Youth Coordinating Board, Hennepin County, the City of
Minneapolis, United Way of Minneapolis Area, Honeywell
Foundation, Minneapolis Public Schools and Robbinsdale Public
Schools.  It focuses on ensuring that children arrive at school
each day ready to learn.
     The coalition developed a feasibility study of school-social
service links, which led to the selection for funding of 11 pilot
projects which demonstrate holistic social service delivery
strategies linking the efforts of schools, county and community
agencies with the goals of improving school success of children
and youth; improving and sustaining collaborations between
schools and social services; reducing the time school personnel
now spend in meeting students' social and mental health needs;
and improving accessibility and ease of use of existing services
for children, youth and their families.
     The grant will provide coordination and assistance to the
pilot projects as they are being initiated.  It will also fund an
evaluation of this process and the design of permanent systems
changes identified as successful in the pilot projects.
     Upon announcing the grant award, Secretary Sullivan said:
     "The Minnesota Learning Readiness Initiative will provide
important strategies for communities around the nation that are
committed to improving the status of children, youth and
families.  The grant will assist an innovative, community-wide
coalition of government, business and the voluntary sector in a
comprehensive attack on the barriers that prevent the success of
Hennepin County's children.
     "This effort directly implements the president's national
education strategy by ensuring the learning readiness of children
before and throughout the school years."

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