02/05/99: Notice of Intent To Make Funds Available for School Violence Prevention and Early Childhood Development Activities Under the Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative[OESE]



[Federal Register: February 5, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 24)]
[Notices]               
[Page 5839-5840]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05fe99-104]

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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
Office of Community Oriented Policing Services

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
[OJP(OJJDP)-1208]
RIN 1121-ZB44

 
Notice of Intent To Make Funds Available for School Violence 
Prevention and Early Childhood Development Activities Under the Safe 
Schools/Healthy Students Initiative

AGENCIES: Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and 
Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP); Department of Justice, Office of 
Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS); Department of Education, 
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Safe and Drug-Free 
Schools Program; Department of Health and Human Services, Substance 
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for 
Mental Health Services (CMHS).

ACTION: Notice of intent to make funds available to enhance and 
implement comprehensive community-wide strategies for creating safe and 
drug-free schools and promoting healthy childhood development.

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SUMMARY: The Departments of Justice, Education, and Health and Human 
Services are collaborating to provide students with enhanced 
comprehensive educational, mental health, law enforcement, and as 
appropriate, juvenile justice system services and activities designed 
to ensure the development of the social skills and emotional resilience 
necessary to avoid drug use and violent behavior and the creation of 
safe, disciplined, and drug-free schools.
    Through a single application process, successful applicants will 
receive support for up to three years. Awards will be made to 
approximately 50 sites, ranging from up to $3 million per year for 
urban school districts, up to $2 million per year for suburban school 
districts, and up to $1 million per year for rural school districts and 
tribal schools designated as local education agencies by their states.

DATES: It is anticipated that the program solicitation and application 
will be available no later than March 15, 1999.

CONTACT: Detailed information regarding the Safe Schools Healthy/
Students Initiative is available at: Internet:http://www.ed.gov/
offices/OESE/SDFS Fax-on-Demand: Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse (800) 
638-8736

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority

    This action is authorized under the Omnibus Consolidated and 
Emergency Supplemental Appropriation Act of 1999, Public Law 105-277.

Background

    The purpose of the Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative is to 
assist schools and communities to enhance and implement comprehensive 
community-wide strategies for creating safe and drug-free schools and 
promoting healthy childhood development. Eligible activities may 
include, but are not limited to, programs such as mentoring, conflict 
resolution, after school, multisystemic therapy, functional family 
therapy, social skills building, school-based probation, student 
assistance, teen courts, truancy prevention, alternative education, 
developing information sharing systems, staff professional development, 
hiring additional school resource officers, and treatment efforts that 
involve the juvenile justice system and schools. Interventions selected 
must have evidence of effectiveness.
    To be eligible for funding, applicants must demonstrate evidence of 
a comprehensive community-wide strategy that at minimum consists of six 
general topic areas: (1) School safety, (2) drug and violence 
prevention and early intervention programs, (3) school and community 
mental health prevention and intervention services, (4) early childhood 
psychosocial and emotional development programs, (5) education reform, 
and (6) safe school policies. The plan must be developed by a 
partnership comprising the local education agency, local public mental 
health authority, local law enforcement agency, family members, 
students, and juvenile justice officials. The local education agency 
will be required to submit formal written agreements signed by the 
school superintendent, the head of the local public mental health 
authority, and the chief law enforcement executive to be certified as 
an eligible applicant. Applicants will be strongly encouraged to 
demonstrate partnerships with businesses, social services, faith 
communities, and other community-based organizations that support the 
educational, emotional and health needs of students in the school 
district.
    Applicants must conduct a basic assessment of the community risks 
and assets related to children and adolescents and have a plan for 
continual updating of this assessment. Assessments shall include, but 
are not limited to, numbers or percentages of the following: Students 
engaged in alcohol and drug use and violent behavior, firearms brought 
to school, incidents of serious and violent crime in schools, suicide 
attempts, students suspended and/or expelled from school, students 
receiving probation services, and students in juvenile justice 
placements. Applicants must also provide an assessment of the community 
resources available for children and adolescents, including number of 
after school programs, percentage of youth served by programs to build 
social skills, and number and quality of community mental health and 
social service organizations available to provide services to children 
and adolescents.
    Applicants must develop a plan for assessing the community-wide 
strategy and agree to participate in a national evaluation of this 
initiative. Applicants that do not have the capability to collect

[[Page 5840]]

data or develop a plan for assessing their strategy will be encouraged 
to join with a local university, research organization, or other 
appropriate entity to assist with these activities.
Shay Bilchik,
Administrator, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

Joseph E. Brann,
Director, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.

Gerald N. Tirozzi,
Assistant Secretary, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Richard Kopanda,
Executive Officer, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 99-2824 Filed 2-4-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-18-P