Truancy Prevention and Intervention

The OJJDP FY 09 Earmarks Programs further the Department's mission by providing grants, cooperative agreements, and other assistance authorized by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, as amended, to organizations identified in the Explanatory Statement Regarding H.R. 1105 (Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009), 155 Cong. Rec. H1653 (daily ed. Feb. 23, 2009) (statement by Rep. Obey, Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations of the House).

The State of New Mexico's Children Youth and Families Department (CYFD) will pilot an expansion of its Prevention and Intervention Unit in Bernalillo County that will (1) fulfill the Department's expanded statutory role to serve truant students and students at risk of truancy due to habitual absences who attend charter and private schools in addition to those attending public schools, and (2) provide the necessary information to CYFD to support a full and accurate budget request
to the legislature for the following state fiscal year to support these expanded activities statewide. This expansion will then be duplicated in other communities in order of size of community student body, starting with Las Cruces in Doña Ana County. CYFD works with public, charter and private schools to intervene with truant youth. Components of this program include case management, pradjudication training for youth and parents, age and grade level interventions, school based behavioral health services and community coordinated teams. Performance measures will reflect the percentage of youth completing program requirements, percentage of youth using evidence based practices, recidivism, improved behavioral outcomes and an increase in knowledge exhibited by trained staff. NCA/NCF