[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] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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