Bolder Options Rochester Expansion

The OJJDP FY 10 Earmarks Program furthers 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 Conference Report to accompany the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010 (P.L. 111-117), H.R. Conf. Rep. No. 111-366 at 702-714.

Bolder Options is a mentoring program model based on four main elements: (1) a focus on healthy lifestyles as a key to personal success in every youth; (2) a dedication to a program which uses an integrated system of delivery that encompasses stakeholders from the entire community; (3) a belief in program quality; and (4) and a reliance on evaluation to consistently improve program quality. Bolder Options' comprehensive truancy intervention program coordinates family, community, school, and county resources in a united effort to combat truancy and juvenile delinquency. The Olmsted court system, Rochester public schools, and other social service agencies refer participants to Bolder Options.

In 2009, Bolder Options served 153 youth in the Twin Cities metro area and expanded to Rochester in 2010. There are youth waiting to be matched in Rochester as the agency sets up in that community. The purpose of this initiative is to expand this model to the Rochester area by supporting the position of the Rochester Regional Director as well as to hire a Program Coordinator, who will match and manage the pairs. Fifteen youth will be matched from August 2010 to December 2010; an additional 35 youth will be matched in 2011. NCA/NCF