[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 63 (Thursday, April 2, 1998)] [Notices] [Pages 16360-16364] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 98-8650] [[Page 16359]] _______________________________________________________________________ Part VI Executive Office of the President _______________________________________________________________________ Office of National Drug Control Policy _______________________________________________________________________ Department of Justice _______________________________________________________________________ Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention _______________________________________________________________________ Drug-Free Communities Support Program; Notice Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 63 / Thursday, April 2, 1998 / Notices [[Page 16360]] EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT Office of National Drug Control Policy DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Drug-Free Communities Support Program AGENCY: Office of National Drug Control Policy, EOP, and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Justice. ACTION: Notice of Funding Availability program announcement. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Executive Office of the President, Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and the Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), pursuant to the provisions of the Drug-Free Communities Act of 1997, enacted on June 27, 1997 (Pub. L. 105-20), are issuing a program announcement and solicitation for applications from community coalitions to increase citizen participation and strengthen community anti-drug coalition efforts to reduce substance abuse among youth in communities throughout the United States and, over time, to reduce substance abuse among adults. This program is specifically designed to enable community coalitions to strengthen collaboration among communities, the Federal Government, and State, local, and tribal governments; enhance intergovernmental cooperation and coordination among all sectors and organizations of communities that demonstrate a long-term commitment to reducing substance abuse among youth; rechannel resources from the fiscal year (FY) 1998 Federal drug control budget to provide technical assistance, guidance, and financial support to communities that demonstrate a long-term commitment to reducing substance abuse among youth; and disseminate to communities timely information regarding state-of-the-art practices and initiatives that have proven to be effective in reducing substance abuse among youth. Eligible applicants are community coalitions whose components have worked together on substance abuse reduction initiatives, for a period of not less than 6 months, which include initiatives that target illegal drugs, including narcotics, depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, and cannabis; the abuse of inhalants; or the use of alcohol, tobacco, or other related products that are prohibited by State or local law, acting through entities such as task forces, subcommittees, or community boards with substantial participation from community volunteer leaders. Community coalitions shall implement comprehensive long-term plans to reduce substance abuse, including the use of alcohol and tobacco among youth and, over time, reduce substance abuse among adults. Coalition efforts should build on their ongoing efforts and plans. Congress authorized the following amounts to be appropriated to the ONDCP for the Drug-Free Communities Support Program for the 5-year period beginning in FY 1998: FY 1998--$10 million; FY 1999--$20 million; FY 2000--$30 million; FY 2001--$40 million; and FY 2002--$43.5 million. In FY 1998, initial grant funds available for award to community coalitions total $8.7 million (of $10 million appropriated). Approximately 100 to 200 grants of up to $100,000 will be made available through a competitive grant process in FY 1998, which will be administered by OJJDP through an interagency agreement with the ONDCP. DATES: Applications under this program are due May 18, 1998. ADDRESSES: The application kit is available through the ONDCP Clearinghouse at 1-800-666-3332 and the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse at 1-800-638-8736. The application kit can also be obtained online at ONDCP's and OJJDP's homepages at http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov and http://ncjrs.org/ojjhome.htm FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donna Bownes, Program Manager, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 810 Seventh Street, NW, Room 8118, Washington, DC 20531, 202-307-5924; e-mail: B[email protected]. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Introduction and Background Recent studies have confirmed that teen drug abuse is a national problem. Juveniles were involved in 14 percent of all drug arrests in 1996, and between 1992 and 1996, juvenile arrests for drug abuse violations increased 120 percent. Data from the National Parents Resource Institute for Drug Education (PRIDE) released in 1996 show one in four high school seniors use illicit drugs at least once a month and one in five use illicit drugs daily. The 1996 data on cocaine, hallucinogens, inhalants, and marijuana were the highest reported since PRIDE studies began in 1988. The National Household Survey, conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), confirms that these alarming rates of usage are part of an increasing trend. During the years 1994 to 1996, illicit drug use by 12- to 17-year-olds rose 78 percent. LSD and other hallucinogen use increased by 183 percent, and cocaine use increased by 166 percent during those 3 years. Teens are not perceiving the risks involved in drug use to the same extent they did just 5 years ago. The Monitoring the Future Study, conducted by Dr. Lloyd Johnson at the University of Michigan, indicates that the number of teens who perceive a great risk from using powder cocaine and crack cocaine have both dropped more than 10 percent among eighth graders, and 5 percent among tenth graders. Similar trends exist for the perception of risk in using LSD and marijuana. A National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) study reported that in just 1 year the number of 12- to 17-year-olds who said they would never try an illegal drug dropped 40 percent. The long-term trends presented in the Monitoring the Future Study show a strong inverse correlation between the perception of risk and rate of use, making these recent statistics particularly disturbing. The risks of drug use are great despite the decreased perception of risk. The Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN), which reports on drug- related emergency room episodes, shows a 30 percent increase for 12- to 17-year-olds over the 3 years from 1994 to 1996. The consequences of drug use are putting more teens in hospitals. On June 27, 1997, the Drug-Free Communities Act of 1997 (Act) was signed into law by President Clinton. This Act provides financial assistance and support to community coalitions to carry out their mission of reducing substance abuse among the Nation's youth. This Act responds to the doubling of substance abuse among youth in the 5-year period preceding 1996, with substantial increases in the use of marijuana, inhalants, cocaine, methamphetamine, LSD, and heroin. Congressional findings included the following:The most dramatic increases in substance abuse have occurred among 13- and 14-year-olds. Casual or periodic substance abuse by youth today will contribute to hard core or chronic substance abuse by the next generation of adults. Substance abuse is related to other problems, such as rising violent teenage and violent gang crime, increasing [[Page 16361]] health care costs, HIV infections, teenage pregnancy, high school dropouts, and lower economic productivity. Increases in substance abuse among youth are due in large part to an erosion of understanding by youth of the high risks associated with substance abuse and to the softening of peer norms against use. Substance abuse is a preventable behavior and a treatable disease. Data suggest that if parents would simply talk to their children regularly about the dangers of substance abuse, use among youth could be expected to decline as much as 30 percent. The General Accounting Office (GAO) found that research has identified promising programs that use multiple societal institutions, including schools, families, media, and the community, working together in collaboration, to achieve multicomponent approaches to substance abuse prevention involving school-age youth. GAO also found that common features of programs using a comprehensive approach included strategies to target multiple aspects of a youth's life. These common features include increasing the awareness of the social influences (i.e. culture, environment, etc.) that promote drug use; modifying societal and community-specific norms or expectations concerning drug use; and targeting aspects of a youth's life through the use of family, peer, school, and community factors. The Drug-Free Communities Act builds upon the success of community anti-drug coalitions throughout the Nation in developing and implementing comprehensive, long-term strategies to reduce substance abuse among youth on a sustained basis. The Act recognizes the critical value of intergovernmental cooperation and coordination involving national, State, and local or tribal leadership and partnerships in facilitating the reduction of substance abuse among youth in communities throughout the United States. It creates a vehicle for these entities to work together to reduce substance abuse through the Drug-Free Communities Support Program. II. Definitions Definitions are contained in the Drug-Free Communities Act. (The Act is available online at ONDCP's and OJJDP's homepages at http:// www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov and http://ncjrs.org/ojjhome.htm respectively.) III. Program Goals and Objectives Goals Reduce substance abuse among youth by addressing the factors that put youth at risk of substance abuse, including tobacco, and inhalant use. Disseminate information about effective substance abuse reduction strategies and initiatives for youth that can be replicated in other communities. Assess the effectiveness of community substance abuse reduction initiatives directed toward youth. Objectives Support the efforts of community coalitions to prevent and reduce substance abuse among youth and, over time, among adults. Strengthen collaboration among communities, the Federal Government, and State, local, and tribal governments and private nonprofit agencies. Enhance intergovernmental cooperation and coordination on the issue of substance abuse among youth. Serve as a catalyst for increased citizen participation and greater collaboration among all sectors and organizations of a community to reduce substance abuse among youth. IV. Project Strategy The application must include a description of how the applicant's proposed long-term strategic plan (a minimum of 5 years) meets the goals and objectives of the Drug-Free Communities Support Program. Applicants must describe how the Drug-Free Communities Support grant would enhance or augment the coalition's substance abuse reduction efforts. The discussion should include information on substance abuse reduction activities being conducted by the coalition, or members of the coalition, the coalition's plan to coordinate and leverage services to enhance substance abuse reduction efforts, and identify services and existing gaps in services and use this information to develop a strategy that minimizes duplication and inefficiencies and maximizes cooperation, coordination, and collaboration. The plan must include an articulated mission, timeline outlining the tasks associated with implementing the plan, and a strategy for ensuring that the coalition and the programs operated by the coalition will become self-sustaining within 5 years. Tasks Establish a system to measure and report outcomes. Conduct an initial benchmark survey of drug use among youth in the community (or use local surveys or performance measures available or accessible in the community at the time of the grant application). Conduct biennial surveys (or incorporate local surveys in existence at the time of the evaluation) to measure the progress and effectiveness of the coalition. Implement prevention and treatment activities designed to reduce substance abuse by juveniles. V. Dollar Amount and Duration FY 1998 community coalition award amounts for initial 12-month grants will be available up to $100,000, with a dollar for dollar match of non-Federal funds, to be provided in cash or in-kind (defined as the value of something received or provided that does not have a cost associated with it, such as donated services), by the applicant in the amount of Federal funds requested. It is anticipated that approximately 100 to 200 projects will be funded. In the event that there are insufficient funds to provide grants to all qualified applicants, ONDCP and OJJDP will consider, in the agencies discretion, use of FY 1999 funds to provide awards to such qualified applicants. Applicants funded with FY 1998 funds will be eligible for renewal grants for FY 1999-2002, based on availability of funds and grantee performance. Generally, no more than one coalition per community will be funded with FY 1998 funds. However, multiple coalitions serving a community may qualify for matching Federal grants if they independently meet the program criteria and demonstrate that they are collaborating with one another. Indian tribes will be limited to one grant per tribal entity. VI. Eligibility Requirements To be eligible to receive a grant, a coalition shall: Demonstrate a community coalition has been established and that the representatives of the community coalition have worked together, for a period of not less than 6 months, on substance abuse reduction initiatives, which must, at a minimum, include initiatives that target the illegal use or abuse of drugs, including narcotics, depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, and cannabis; and which may target the abuse of inhalants and the use of alcohol, tobacco, or other related products where such use is prohibited by State or local law. Demonstrate that the coalition represents the community and include in the coalition at least one representative of each of the following: Youth; parents; and representatives [[Page 16362]] from the business community; the media; schools; youth-serving organizations; law enforcement agencies; religious or fraternal organizations; civic and volunteer groups; health care professionals; State, local, or tribal governmental agencies with expertise in the field of substance abuse (including, if applicable, the State authority with primary authority for substance abuse); and other organizations involved in reducing substance abuse. Coalitions should consider other representatives, such as: State, local, or Federal elected officials, representatives of Indian tribes (as that term is defined in section 4(e) of the Indian Self- Determination Act (25 U.S.C. 450b(e)); juvenile justice; or child welfare agencies. Ensure that a community coalition member is designated as a representative of no more than one of the required representation categories. Ensure that there is a substantial community volunteer effort. Ensure that the coalition is a nonprofit, charitable, educational organization, or unit of local government; or is part of, or affiliated with, an eligible organization or entity. Ensure that the coalition will receive and expend non- Federal cash or in-kind match equal to or above the amount of the Federal funds sought. Possess a strategy to solicit substantial financial support from non-Federal sources to ensure that the coalition and the programs operated by the coalition will be self-sustaining following the period of Federal financial support. Agree to participate in evaluating the coalition's program and possess the capability to gather and submit data related to substance abuse among youth and commit to working cooperatively with OJJDP, evaluation team, training and technical assistance providers, ONDCP, and the ONDCP Advisory Commission on Drug-Free Communities. Mission and Strategies Community coalitions must: Have as their principal mission the reduction of substance abuse among youth, and the illegal use or abuse of drugs. A secondary mission may be reducing the abuse of inhalants, alcohol, tobacco, or other related products where such use is prohibited by State or local law. Describe and document the risk factors, nature, and extent of the substance abuse problem in the targeted community. Provide a description of substance abuse prevention and treatment programs and activities. Identify substance abuse programs and service gaps relating to the use and abuse of drugs. Develop a, or enhance an existing, 5-year strategic plan to reduce substance abuse among youth. Work to develop a consensus regarding the priorities of the community in combating substance abuse among youth. Identify and establish a system to collect core process and outcome indicators, measure and report outcomes consistent with common coalition indicators, and follow evaluation protocols established by ONDCP and OJJDP. Agree to participate in a cross-site national evaluation study that will include the collection of indicators, using common instruments and protocols designed to demonstrate the coalition's effect on perceived risk, attitudes, and drug-abusing behavior. Identify the agencies, programs, projects, and initiatives (other than those represented by the coalition members) that the coalition will collaborate and coordinate with to leverage services, resources, and efforts in order to have the greatest impact on achieving the goal of the Drug-Free Communities Support Program. Address how culturally competent strategies and services will be provided to minority populations. Address how rural communities, where applicable, can reduce substance abuse among youth. Disseminate information about effective substance abuse reduction strategies and initiatives for youth. VII. Selection Criteria Applications will be screened and then evaluated by ONDCP and OJJDP staff using the general selection criteria below. Applicants whose proposal meets all eligibility criteria and submission requirements, and which hold promise for a successful community coalition program, will then be evaluated and rated by a peer review panel according to the criteria outlined below. The selection criteria will be used to determine the extent of each applicant's responsiveness to program application requirements, organizational capability, and thoroughness and innovation in responding to strategic issues related to project implementation. Problems To Be Addressed (20 Points) Applicants should describe in the narrative section how their coalition, through collaborative efforts, long-term (minimum of 5 years) strategic planning, and implementation efforts will reduce substance abuse among youth and, over time, also among adults. Applicants can use this opportunity to indicate their understanding of substance abuse among youth and its effects upon families and communities. Applicants must provide a discussion of the substance abuse in the target community. This discussion must address: (1) The nature, and extent of youth substance abuse, including use of inhalants, alcohol, and tobacco products, in the target community, and (2) factors in the community that put youth at risk of substance abuse. The discussion in this section should answer the questions, What is the level of substance abuse among youth in the target community? What are the major drugs of abuse among youth in the target community? and What are the underlying factors associated with substance abuse in the target community? If available, applicants should provide findings from a recent school-based survey of drug use among youth or other local surveys of drug use that document the extent of the substance abuse problems among the community's youth. If such survey data are not available, applicants must report other indicators or measures of the extent of the problem using local data such as crime, justice, health, economic, and school-related statistics. The information provided in this section will be used as the baseline against which the progress and effectiveness of the coalition's efforts to prevent and reduce substance abuse among youth will be measured. As part of this narrative, applicants should indicate their knowledge of how and why coalitions can be effective in addressing alcohol and substance abuse issues in communities. Goals and Objectives (20 Points) Applicants must provide a clear discussion of the proposed project goals and objectives as they logically relate to the stated problems described in section I. In developing the proposed goals, applicants should consider this question: If we are successful, what will be the difference in the target community? The proposed project goals should state what the coalition hopes to accomplish with the Drug-Free Communities Support Program grant. In stating the goals, the applicant must be careful to describe the desired end result (the outcome) and not the means to the end. For example, if one of the goals is to ``reduce inhalant abuse [[Page 16363]] among youth in the target community,'' to accomplish it, the project objectives should describe, in concrete terms, who or what will change, by how much, and over what period of time. The project objectives should include measurable results associated with project goals. For example, one of the objectives related to the goal of reducing inhalant abuse among youth may be to ``gain commitment within 6 months from all merchants in the target community to keep inhalants behind the counter or in locked cases.'' Generally, the objectives should be tied to a timeline. Each of the goals and objectives must be addressed in this narrative section. Program Design/Strategy (25 Points) Applicants must provide a detailed description of the proposed program design that will achieve the project goals and objectives specified in section III and how those activities address the problems and associated risk factors described in section I. The description should address how the proposed activities will be culturally relevant. The proposed activities should be practical, achievable, and measurable. The program design must describe the logical links between the project goals, objectives, and the proposed activities. In describing these links, applicants should consider which goals and objectives will be attained by which activity(ies) and how the goals and objectives will be attained. The plan should include a description of the specific steps the applicant will take to meet the project goals and objectives. For example, if an applicant intends to reduce inhalant abuse by gaining commitment from all merchants in the target community to keep inhalants behind the counter or in locked cases, the applicant should describe exactly what steps it will take to secure their commitment. Applicants should provide a timeline outlining the steps that will be taken to implement the proposed activities as well as other tasks associated with implementing the Drug-Free Communities Support Program. The program design must specifically describe how the applicant will monitor progress toward achieving the project goals and objectives, including the types of information that they will collect and how they will collect it, so that the applicant knows the program is on track and working. Applicants will be expected to collect information on what activities are/were undertaken with this grant (core process indicators) and what results were achieved (core outcome indicators). Core process indicators allow grantees to answer these questions: What was done? How was it done? How much of it was done? and To whom/ for whom was it done? While it is anticipated that tools to collect the core indicators will be developed as part of a national evaluation, applicants should discuss how they plan to collect the following core process indicators: A description of the project, service, or activity (what goes on?). Project, service, or activity location (where does it occur?). Hours of operation/days of the week and hours of the day the activity occurs (when does it occur?). Frequency of activity (how often does it occur--hourly, daily, weekly, monthly). Number of paid staff and volunteers (who carries out the activity?). Target population (for service delivery programs such as tutoring and mentoring) including ages and other defining characteristics (who receives the service?). Target audience or system (for nonservice delivery programs such as media campaigns and policy development). The number of youth served/reached. For example, if one of the applicant's project objectives is to educate 100 youth per month on the dangers of substance use, the applicant must collect information on how often the activity occurred, how many youth participated in the activity, and how often each youth attended the activity. Core outcome indicators help to determine if the program is achieving the results the applicant planned to achieve. These indicators allow the applicant to state what participants will understand more about or be able to do after completing or being involved in the program. Applicants must describe what the indicators of success will be and how these indicators will be collected. In addition, coalitions will be required to provide information on the following core program outcome indicators: Improvements in the level of collaboration among communities, the Federal Government, and State, local, and tribal governments (e.g., increased number of interagency agreements). Enhancements in intergovernmental cooperation and coordination on youth substance abuse issues (e.g., adoption and use of an integrated management information system to share data on youth substance abuse). Increases in citizen participation in substance abuse prevention efforts. Changes in youth substance abuse measures as compared with the baseline measures described in section I. Other outcome indicators will be detailed in the national evaluation. Management and Organizational Capability (20 Points) Applicants must describe who will develop and implement the strategic plan and its associated program activities and how it will be accomplished. The application must indicate all principal individuals and their positions in the project management design. A roster must be completed containing information on the composition requirements and representation of the coalition member individuals and pertinent associated information. Memorandums of understanding must be listed in this narrative outlining what agencies, initiatives, programs, and projects will be working collaboratively with the coalition to accomplish the overall program goals of the Drug-Free Communities Support Program. Applicants must demonstrate that the individuals involved in the project have the experience and knowledge necessary to successfully complete the project within the 1-year project period. In assessing the coalition's capabilities and its collaborative partners, reviewers will give particular attention to the experience and capabilities of the overall staff. Additionally, how the coalition will manage this collaborative effort among coalition members and collaborative partners to meet the program goals. The applicant should also clearly indicate who will perform which function and by when (based on the timeline deliverable). Applicants should include a one-page organizational chart to graphically portray the management structure of the project. The coalition must demonstrate that the individuals involved in the project will be able to work effectively with the community, its associated collaborative partners, OJJDP, ONDCP, the evaluation team, and the training and technical assistance providers involved in this program. Applicants must describe how the non-Federal resources brought to the project will be managed. Budget (15 Points) Applicants must provide a proposed budget that is complete, detailed, reasonable, allowable, and cost effective in relation to the activities to be undertaken. Staff and peer reviewer recommendations are advisory only and the final award decision will be made [[Page 16364]] by the ONDCP Director and Drug-Free Communities Support Program Administrator and the OJJDP Administrator. OJJDP will negotiate specific terms of the award with the selected applicants. The ONDCP Director, Program Administrator, and Advisory Commission, in cooperation with the OJJDP Administrator, are committed to ensuring the likelihood of project success in urban, rural, and tribal communities. Therefore, in selecting applicants, consideration will be given to achieving representative demographic distribution (urban, rural, and tribal) of applications and to funding a variety of innovative program designs. VIII. Application Requirements Instructions are contained in the application kit available through the ONDCP Clearinghouse at 1-800-666-3332 and the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse at 1-800-638-8736. IX. Delivery Instructions and Due Date Instructions are contained in the application kit available through the ONDCP Clearinghouse at 1-800-666-3332 and the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse at 1-800-638-8736. Applications postmarked after May 18, 1998 will not be considered. Barry R. McCaffrey, Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy. Shay Bilchik, Administrator, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. [FR Doc. 98-8650 Filed 4-1-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3180-02-P