OJJDP's State and Community Development Awards program was established to provide grants and cooperative agreements to organizations that OJJDP has selected for funds in prior years. This program has been authorized by an Act appropriating funds for the Department of Justice.
The National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention (Forum) was established by the White House in 2011 and is a network of cities united in their drive to prevent youth violence with federal agencies and private partners. The Forum has expanded to a total of 10 cities across the country implementing strategies and evidenced-based programs to reduce youth violence. The Departments of Justice, Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Labor as well as the Corporation for National and Community Service and the Office of National Drug Control Policy provide key supports to the Forum cities.
OJJDP provides funding to support the core activities in Forum cities linked to the approved comprehensive plans. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Education (ED), Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) has provided funding to the Forum cities to improve or expand the use of a "School-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports" (SWPBIS) framework.
The Task Force on Youth Violence Prevention is a diverse multi agency partnership under the leadership of the Mayor that includes the City of Camden, Camden Board of Education, Center for Family Services, Camden Metro Police Force, and others.
The Mayor is committed to expanding the work of the Task Force, and has garnered the support and involvement of key public and private institutions, each of which are critical to delivering a comprehensive and integrated approach to reducing youth violence and improving short and long term outcomes for Camden's residents and communities.
The City of Camden's project will directly address two areas of need that emerged from the Youth Forum planning process: 1) improving collaboration, service delivery integration, and data collection and sharing protocols among education, enforcement, reentry, and social services throughout Camden; and 2) launching a unifying framework for creating positive academic and social experiences across the city's schools by providing district- and school-level staff with the training and technical assistance necessary to help address the systemic issues that have long plagued the Camden City Public Schools.
The coordination, Results Based Accountability approach and data system proposed will provide the Task Force members with the management structure, support, and focus necessary to realize the commitments of each of the partners.
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) will serve as the framework to integrate the youth violence prevention plan within the schools by creating individualized goals, expectations, and plans that meets the specific needs of each school to address overall behavior norms and address high risk behavior in a positive and supportive manner.
NCA/NCF