[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 67 (Friday, May 11, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E781]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 
                                  2013

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. TOM LATHAM

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 10, 2012

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 5326) making 
     appropriations for the Departments of Commerce and Justice, 
     Science, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending 
     September 30, 2013, and for other purposes:

  Mr. LATHAM. Mr. Chair, because of limited funding resources, the 
Subcommittee was not able to provide funding, as requested by the 
Office of Juvenile Justice, for a needed evidence-based competitive 
juvenile justice demonstration grant program. This type of a program 
would allow for new, innovative practices that may well lead to 
comprehensive change which, in turn, would likely produce better 
outcomes in treating at-risk juveniles.
  A number of Members requested that the Subcommittee consider amending 
the Administration request to provide, within existing levels of 
funding in this bill, competitive grant program funding for qualified 
non-profit, private youth and family service organizations that can 
provide an Integrated Continuum of treatment services and programs for 
at-risk youth and their families.
  We believe this approach is still important because it is estimated 
that 70 percent of youth in the juvenile justice system suffer from 
mental health issues, substance abuse, and/or learning disabilities. 
Most of these juveniles require an integrated, comprehensive treatment 
in order to allow them to succeed within their peer groups and 
families, in school, on jobs, or in their communities. Just as 
important, the families of most at-risk juveniles also require services 
and treatment programs to ensure that a juvenile's home environment is 
addressed.
  There is a wide range of existing national, regional and state-wide, 
nonprofit qualified youth and family serving organizations that can 
provide evidenced-based, integrated continuum treatment services and 
programs for at-risk juveniles and their families. However most, if not 
all, of the existing program funding opportunities only provide funding 
for limited services and treatments for at-risk juveniles. They do not 
allow, where necessary, services and treatment programs for the 
families of juveniles.
  Using an integrated continuum is critical to providing programs and 
services (including mental health and drug treatment), for both 
juveniles and their families, that will result in juveniles being 
permanently returned to improved home environments and becoming 
productive citizens. Early evidence suggests that an integrated 
approach is preferable to isolated and limited programs, because the 
integrated approach shows more promising potential for keeping youth 
out of the juvenile justice system and avoiding further arrest and 
recidivism.
  Mr. Chair, I hope we can work with you, through the process, as your 
bill moves forward, to see if we can find a way to dedicate some 
resources to this integrated continuum of comprehensive services and 
treatment programs for both at-risk juveniles and their families.

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