Chehalis Youth Engagement Program

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 Chehalis Tribe will address the needs of high-risk children and youth by implementing a Youth Engagement Program to provide an in-depth one-on-one time with high risk youth to increase the amount of positive support they receive. The program will hire a Youth Engagement Specialist who will work with high-risk children on the reservation and at their local schools. The goal of the Chehalis Youth Engagement Program will focus on providing individual support to high-risk tribal youth, addressing issues of truancy, abuse and neglect, bullying, and substance abuse impacting tribal youth. The Youth Engagement Program will employ one new full-time staff member in the Education Department who will focus on working individually with high-risk youth. The program will utilize the Positive Action program model to provide socio-emotional learning for tribal children. All Education Department staff will utilize a Positive Action model to build character and prevent bullying and substance abuse for youth participating in the After-School Program. In addition, the program will be using the Guiding Good Choices program, a substance abuse prevention model to support tribal families and tribal youth struggling with substance abuse. The program will also expand the Youth Worker program to give Chehalis youth job and life skills and work experience, so they can succeed as an adult. The Youth Worker Program provides employment opportunities for tribal member teenagers each summer. They will also enhance the program by adding college visits and guest speakers who will talk about their career and educational paths. CA/NCF