City of Chicago application for funding to support activities related to the National Youth Forum on Violence, including school-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports component in Chicago

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 City of Chicago will utilize FY14 State and Community Development Invited award funds to update its comprehensive youth violence reduction strategy including smart policing, focused investment in prevention and intervention programs, new approaches to support justice-involved youth re-entering their communities, partnerships with the community and private sector, and strategies to reduce the supply and accessibility of illegal guns. Continued core program support is vital to sustain early successes, coordinate interagency youth violence prevention work, and identify smart investments and programming for the future. A critical component of this strategy includes implementing Positive Behavior Intervention Supports throughout Chicago Public Schools in the most high-risk neighborhoods. Chicago Public Schools supports a school-wide PBIS framework aimed at using evidence-based practices to establish positive learning climates where appropriate behaviors are the norm. Chicago Public Schools will continue to implement the PBIS model in a small group of elementary and high schools that have a basic level of school-wide preventions but continue to struggle with violence and drug use. These schools will serve as case studies for developing best practices to support all schools throughout the district. NCA/NCF