[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 16]
[Senate]
[Page 22083]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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  RHODE ISLAND COUNCIL ON RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH

 Mr. CHAFEE. Mr. President, I am proud today to honor the Rhode 
Island Council on Residential Programs for Children and Youth, RICORP, 
for 25 years of service to 1,250 of Rhode Island's most needy children.
  RICORP developed training programs for childcare workers in Rhode 
Island throughout the 1980s and by 2000, the council had established 
training certification programs for childcare workers, supervisors and 
clinicians. In 2001, RICORP collaborated with the Community College of 
Rhode Island to develop a college curriculum in ``Children's 
Residential Programming'' and in September of 2002 the program became a 
reality.
  RICORP has also advanced legislation in the Rhode Island General 
Assembly in 2000 to give contracted providers rate increases in fiscal 
year 2001 and 2002. Additionally they lobbied for initiatives to 
improve the lives of children in care, such as the Higher Education 
Assistance Grant enacted in 1999. This grant gave youth in out-of-home 
placement free tuition if they attended one of the State colleges.
  These are just a few examples of RICORP's contributions toward 
improving the lives of needy children in the State of Rhode Island.
  I join all Rhode Islanders in congratulating RICORP on its 25th 
anniversary.

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