The Santee Sioux Nation of Nebraska is Proposing a Truancy Diversion Program to Improve Student Attendance and Student Success at the Santee Community School

The Justice Department's grant-making components have created a streamlined approach for federally recognized Tribes, Tribal consortia, Alaska Native villages and corporations, as well as authorized tribal designees to apply for Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 funding opportunities. The Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS) serves as a single solicitation for existing tribal government-specific grant programs administered by the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). The CTAS solicitation is designed to assist tribes with addressing crime and public safety issues in a comprehensive manner. The CTAS grant-application process was inspired by and developed after consultation with tribal leaders, including sessions at the Justice Department's Tribal Nations Listening Session in 2009, and has been updated based on continued tribal consultations and listening sessions. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) provides awards under CTAS Purpose Area 9--Tribal Youth Program (TYP) to federally recognized tribes to develop and implement programs that support and enhance Tribal efforts to prevent and control juvenile delinquency and strengthen juvenile justice system for American Indian/Alaska Native youth.

The Santee Sioux Nation Tribal Youth Program is a prevention and intervention program. The primary goal is the prevention of delinquency through a Truancy Diversion Program. The Truancy Diversion program will utilize the Tribal Prosecutor, along with a team with representatives from the School, Social Services, and juvenile probation. The team will meet with students and parents on a bi-weekly basis to determine the issues contributing to truancy and what kind of support can be provided to the family. This program is an evidence based approach that is also being practiced in other parts of the country as well as in the State of Nebraska. They are also enhancing mental health services through the “Sunktanka Oyate Wan Onispepi” (Teachings of a Horse Nation) and art therapy - two trauma informed care models of treatment. In addition, the program will incorporate more tribal language, culture, and traditions into the Community School. CA/NCF