FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AG
THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 1998 (202) 616-2765
TDD (202) 514-1888
In a major policy address, Attorney General Janet Reno
announced today in Atlanta that a new coalition of national service
organizations will work in local communities to reduce youth
violence. The "Coalition for America's Children" will meet five
new challenges articulated by Reno.
The Coalition is forming at a time of continuing national
concern about youth violence and in the wake of the tragedy in
Jonesboro. United Way of America is the first organization to take
on these challenges. Her announcement took place at the group's
Community Leaders' Conference.
"I am very pleased to announce that today, as part of this
conference, United Way has agreed to help lead a national coalition
of service providers - The Coalition for America's Children - to
advance five specific, concrete, measurable goals aimed at
improving the health and safe development of our children," said
Reno.
"Over the next two years, the Coalition will aim to make a
dramatic difference in children's health care, school attendance
and after-school enrichment, added Reno. "The Coalition will
attack two other problems which impact children of all ages - gun
violence and the abuse of alcohol and drugs."
According to Reno, the five goals that United Way has agreed
to begin pursuing on behalf of the new Coalition are:
*To reduce truancy by one-third in 200 school districts across the nation;
*To develop new programs in 200 communities aimed both at
teaching young people and gun owners about safe and responsible gun
ownership and at keeping guns out of the hands of young people who
possess them illegally;
*To create constructive, engaging, after-school opportunities
for 100,000 children who previously have not had access to these
initiatives;
*To ensure that 100,000 more children will participate in
effective programs to prevent and discourage alcohol and drug
abuse; and
*To enroll 500,000 children - or approximately 10% of the
eligible children - in health insurance programs.
"By bringing together concerned adults from parent and teacher
groups, from law enforcement, from the medical and religious
communities, from academia and from every other group that cares
about children, I believe this Coalition can substantially improve
our nation in a lasting way," said Reno.
"As we are busy teaching children to be accountable for their
actions, let us, too, be accountable to them, marshalling all our
best resources and energies to ensuring that they have a chance at
a healthy, productive life."
98-190