La Jolla Strengthening Girls Initiative

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 #10, Develop new demonstration projects on violence prevention and rehabilitation (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 La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians seeks to establish a Native Girls Group that will intensively work to reinforce the importance of positive self-esteem, provide prevention resources and engage the young women of the Tribe in positive, culturally strengthening activities. This project will address areas of support from a caring adult and religiosity. Funding will help create the La Jolla Girls Group and provide intensive support between Tribal adults and young women, aged 11 -17, serving a minimum of 20 girls. The project will provide prevention and empowerment resources to participants, and will engage the Girls Group in cultural activities to strengthen their identity, self-esteem, assertiveness and ability to make healthy decisions. The youth tracking system will track the mandatory performance measures.

CA/NCF