Coordinated Truancy Prevention

Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr. launched a Department-wide initiative on public safety and victim services in Tribal communities. As part of this effort, Department of Justice (DOJ) leadership conducted a series of meetings across the country addressing violent crime in Tribal communities. As a result, DOJ developed the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010, combining DOJ's existing Tribal government-specific competitive solicitations into one, and thus requiring only one application from each Tribe or Tribal consortium. This approach provides federally-recognized Tribes and Tribal consortia the opportunity to develop a comprehensive approach to public safety and victimization issues. This award was selected under Purpose Area #8, Prevent and control delinquency and improve the juvenile justice system (OJJDP-Tribal Youth Program - TYP), CFDA #16.731, authorized under the Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2010, Division B, Title II, Public Law 111-117, 123 Stat. 3122, 3134.

The goal of the Stockbridge-Munsee Community Mohican Family Center (MFC) is to reduce and prevent juvenile delinquency in the Stockbridge-Munsee community by lowering truancy rates among youth in the community. MFC and Family Service programs will work as part of a Coordinated Services Team to design case management plans for truant students. The MFC also seeks to increase academic performance among youth attending area schools. Mohican Family Center and Family Services programs will target Native youth (approximately 120) attending Bowler and Gresham schools to improve academic performance by hiring three student tutors to work part-time with after school programs. MFC will create a staff position, the Community Activities Coordinator (CAC) who, along with the MFC Manager, will work in tandem with a Coordinated Service Team (CST). The CST will be responsive to the needs of individual children who are currently at risk for truancy or other at-risk situations that could lead to delinquency. The CST will identify the specific needs of each child, determine a case manager for the family and child from all the tribal human services programs, and develop a case plan for helping the child and family. A case manager will work closely with the MFC Manager and CAC to monitor student/family participation in prevention and/or programming, tracking success and reevaluating individualized case plan to identify and correct weak areas of the plan. A School Resource Officer (SRO) and the tribal courts will be working closely with the CST as well to ensure that coordinated services are designed for each situation and that effective monitoring of each student/family is conducted regularly. MFC will also provide prevention services to youth and families to be sure each child referred to the program will have a case management plan, address poor academics and provide recreation and event activities that implement wellness programs that incorporate healthy lifestyle curriculums for youth. The Mohican Family Center will conduct evaluation through pre/post testing, surveys and data collection.

CA/NCF