Runaway and Homeless Youth Program: Fiscal Year (FY) 1999; Proposed Program Priorities

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families

[Proposed Program Priorities--ACF/ACYF/RHYP 99-1]

Runaway and Homeless Youth Program: Fiscal Year (FY) 1999;

Proposed Program Priorities

AGENCY: Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB), Administration on

Children, Youth, and Families (ACYF), Administration for Children and

Families (ACF), HHS.

ACTION: Notice of request for public comments on proposed FY 1999

Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY) Program Priorities.

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The Runaway and Homeless Youth Act requires the Secretary to

publish annually, for public comment, a proposed plan specifying

priorities the Department will follow in awarding grants under the Act.

The public is urged to provide comments in response to this notice.

Suggestions and recommendations will be taken into consideration in the

development of final priorities.

The notice of the actual solicitation for grant applications will

be published later during FY 1999 in the Federal Register. No

applications for funding should be submitted at this time.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the

ADDRESSES section below on or before March 22, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be mailed or submitted in electronic

form to: Karen E. Cook, Youth Development Program Specialist, Family

and Youth Services Bureau, 330 C Street S.W., Washington, DC 20447;

(202) 205-8087. E-mail: K[email protected]

Introduction: The Family and Youth Services Bureau of the

Administration on Children, Youth and Families awards funds to public

and private agencies to provide services to youth in at-risk

situations.

The Runaway and Homeless Youth Basic Center Grant Program (BCP),

provides financial assistance to local agencies to develop and

strengthen services to meet the immediate needs (e.g., outreach,

temporary shelter, counseling, and aftercare services) of runaway and

homeless youth and their families.

The Transitional Living Program for Older Homeless Youth (TLP),

supports local agencies which provide long-term shelter (up to 18

months), life-skill training and support services to homeless youth to

assist them in making a smooth transition to self-sufficiency and to

prevent long-term dependency on social services.

The Street Outreach Program (SOP), provides street-based education

and outreach, counseling information, referral services and offers

emergency shelter to young people who have been, or who are at risk of

being, sexually abused or exploited, with the goal of helping them

leave the streets.

Central to all FYSB programs and activities is a priority that

services are delivered through a comprehensive youth development

approach. A developmental perspective views adolescence as the passage

from the dependence of the child to the independence and self-

sufficiency of the adult. The various emotional, intellectual, social

and physical changes during this passage are natural, healthy responses

to the challenges and opportunities of growing up.

The tasks of youth services providers are seen, thus, not as

correcting the problems of troubled youth, but rather as providing for

the successive developmental needs of maturing individuals: the

psychological need to develop a clear self-identity; the sociological

need to be an effective and contributing member of the community; the

economic need to prepare for and enter into a career; and the familial

needs for sharing, for trusting, for giving and receiving love and

commitment. This developmental approach is fundamental to all FYSB

programs and activities.

Financial assistance for programs and support efforts discussed

below is contingent upon the availability of funds.

I. Proposed Grant Funding in FY 1999

A. Basic Center

Approximately 65 percent of the Basic Center grants awarded in FY

1999 will be non-competing continuation grants and approximately 35

percent will be competitive new awards.

Eligible applicants for new awards are current grantees with

project periods ending in FY 1999 and otherwise eligible applicants who

are not current grantees. The applications will be reviewed by State,

and awards will be made during the last quarter of FY 1999 (July--

September 1999). FYSB is considering making awards for five-year

project periods and encourages public comments on this approach.

B. Transitional Living Program

All FY 1999 funds for Transitional Living Programs will be awarded

in the form of continuation grants. There will be a competitive

solicitation for new-start TLP applications in FY 1999.

However, funds for new start applications are expected to be

awarded if available in FY 2000. FYSB is considering making awards for

five-year project periods and encourages public comments on this

approach.

C. Street Outreach Program

All FY 1999 funds for Street Outreach Programs will be awarded in

the form of continuation grants. FYSB is considering making awards for

five-year project periods and encourages public comments on this

approach.

D. Training and Technical Assistance

In FY 1999, a national competition will be held to provide training

and technical assistance services to runaway and homeless youth service

providers. These services are currently provided via cooperative

agreements with ten organizations across the country. FYSB is

considering a range of approaches to meet the needs of programs and

encourages public comment.

E. National Communications System

In the second quarter of FY 1999, FYSB expects to award a new five-

year grant to the successful applicant to run the National

Communications System to provide information, referral services, crisis

intervention and communication services to runaway and homeless youth

and their families. Applications for this grant were solicited in the

FY 1998 Program Announcement for the Runaway and Homeless Youth

Program.

II. Proposed Contracts in FY 1999

A. National Clearinghouse on Runaway and Homeless Youth

In FY 1997, the Family and Youth Services Bureau awarded a five-

year contract to support a National Clearinghouse on Youth and Families

(NCFY). The purpose of the Clearinghouse is to disseminate information

to professionals and agencies involved in youth development efforts

and/or the delivery of direct services to runaway, homeless and at-risk

youth. The Clearinghouse collects, maintains and disseminates reports

and other materials, identifies areas in which new or additional

information is needed, and develops documents and materials relevant to

FYSB's mission and the needs of the field. It is expected that this

contract will receive continuation funding in FY 1999.

B. Runaway and Homeless Youth Management Information System (RHYMIS)

In FY 1997, the Family and Youth Services Bureau awarded a three-

year contract for continued development and implementation of the

Runaway and Homeless Youth Management Information System (RHYMIS).

RHYMIS is used by grantees to report statistical information on client

characteristics and services provided. It is expected that this

contract will receive continuation funding in FY 1999.

C. Monitoring Support for FYSB Programs

A comprehensive monitoring instrument and site visit protocols,

including a peer-review component, are used for monitoring runaway and

homeless youth programs. In FY 1997, the Family and Youth Services

Bureau awarded a three-year contract to provide logistical support for

peer review

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monitoring. It is expected that this contract will receive continuation

funding in FY 1999.

III. Proposed Research and Demonstration Activities in FY 1999

Section 315 of the Act authorizes the Department to award funds to

States, localities, and private entities to carry out research,

demonstration, and service projects designed to increase knowledge

concerning, and to improve services for, runaway and homeless youth.

These activities identify emerging issues and develop and test models

which address such issues.

During FY 1999, the Family and Youth Services Bureau will continue

to:

Support the nine Youth Development State Collaboration grants which

were awarded in FY 1998 to facilitate the use of a youth development

approach by States as they address the needs of adolescents at the

State and local levels;

Support a youth development approach to the provision of services,

both from theoretical and practical perspectives;

Pursue the development of youth development performance based

indicators and outcome measures as a method of evaluating the

effectiveness of youth services; and

Collaborate with Federal government agencies, State governments and

local community based youth services organizations.

References

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 93.623, Runaway and

Homeless Youth Program; Number 93.550, Transitional Living Program

for Homeless Youth; and Number 93.623, Training and Technical

Assistance Grants)

Dated: January 25, 1999.

Patricia Montoya,

Commissioner, Administration on Children, Youth and Families.

[FR Doc. 99-2612 Filed 2-3-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4184-01-P