CASE Delinquency Prevention Program

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 goal of this project is to reduce and prevent juvenile delinquency by improving family functioning and self-esteem in Maryland youth who are in foster care or were adopted. This will be accomplished through the expansion of C.A.S.E. services to a satellite office in Frederick, MD ' an area with a strong concentration of adoptive families, a shortage of adoption competent mental health services, and a donation of office space from the Department of Social Services. As funding and staff time allow, C.A.S.E. will address the needs of other communities, too, by providing on-site services. Objectives include: To improve mental health and family functioning by providing individual, family and group counseling; to foster nurturing adoptive home environments through the provision of adoption-competent services and training that increases parental and school staff knowledge and skills; and to create parent support forums that educate, support, and empower parents to become effective advocates for their children. Progress towards these objectives will be measured through the use of pre- and post-assessment instruments and documentation of activities and attendance consistent with the performance measurements and outcomes listed in the RFP. NCA/NCF