[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 24 (Friday, February 5, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5814-5815]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-2853]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration


Notice of Intent To Make Funds Available for School Violence 
Prevention and Early Childhood Development Activities Under the Safe 
Schools/Healthy Students Initiative

AGENCIES: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and 
Secondary Education, Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program; U.S. 
Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental 
Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Mental Health 
Services (CMHS); U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice 
and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP); U.S. Department of Justice, Office 
of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS).

ACTION: Notice of intent to make funds available to enhance and 
implement comprehensive community-wide strategies for creating safe and 
drug-free schools and promoting healthy childhood development.

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[[Page 5815]]

SUMMARY: The Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and 
Justice are collaborating to provide students with enhanced 
comprehensive educational, mental health, law enforcement, and as 
appropriate, juvenile justice system services and activities designed 
to ensure the development of the social skills and emotional resilience 
necessary to avoid drug use and violent behavior and the creation of 
safe, disciplined, and drug-free schools.
    Through a single application process, successful applicants will 
receive support for up to three years. Awards will be made to 
approximately 50 sites, ranging from up to $3 million per year for 
urban school districts, up to $2 million per year for suburban school 
districts, and up to $1 million per year for rural school districts and 
tribal schools designated as local education agencies by their states.

DATES: It is anticipated that the program solicitation and application 
will be available no later than March 15, 1999.

CONTACT: Detailed information regarding the Safe Schools Healthy/
Students Initiative is available at:

Internet: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/SDFS
Fax-on-Demand: Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse (800) 638-8736

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority

    This action is authorized under the Omnibus Consolidated and 
Emergency Supplemental Appropriation Act of 1999, Pub. L. 105-277 and 
the Public Health Service Act Section 501(d)(5).

Background

    The purpose of the Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative is to 
assist schools and communities to enhance and implement comprehensive 
community-wide strategies for creating safe and drug-free schools and 
promoting healthy childhood development. Eligible activities may 
include, but are not limited to, programs such as mentoring, conflict 
resolution, after school, multisystemic therapy, functional family 
therapy, social skills building, school-based probation, student 
assistance, teen courts, truancy prevention, alternative education, 
developing information sharing systems, staff professional development, 
hiring additional school resource officers, and treatment efforts that 
involve the juvenile justice system and schools. Interventions selected 
must have evidence of effectiveness and developmentally appropriate.
    To be eligible for funding, applicants will be required to 
demonstrate evidence of a comprehensive community-wide strategy that at 
minimum consists of six general topic areas: (1) School safety, (2) 
drug and violence prevention and early intervention programs, (3) 
school and community mental health preventive and treatment 
intervention services, (4) early childhood psychosocial and emotional 
development programs, (5) education reform, and (6) safe school 
policies. The plan must be developed by a partnership comprising the 
local education agency, local public mental health authority, local law 
enforcement agency, family members, students, and juvenile justice 
officials. The local education agency will be required to submit formal 
written agreements signed by the school superintendent, the head of the 
local public mental health authority, and the chief law enforcement 
executive to be certified as an eligible applicant. Applicants will be 
strongly encouraged to demonstrate partnerships with businesses, social 
services, faith communities, and other community-based organizations 
that support the educational, emotional and health needs of students in 
the school district.
    Applicants will be required to conduct a basic assessment of the 
community risks and assets related to children and adolescents and have 
a plan for continual updating of this assessment. Assessments shall 
include, but are not limited to, rates of the following: students 
engaged in alcohol and drug use and violent behavior, firearms brought 
to school, incidents of serious and violent crime in schools, suicide 
attempts, students suspended and/or expelled from school, students 
receiving probation services, and students in juvenile justice 
placements. Applicants will be required to provide an assessment of the 
community resources available for children and adolescents, including 
number of after school programs, percentage of youth served by programs 
to build social skills, and number and quality of community mental 
health and social service organizations available to provide services 
to children and adolescents.
    Applicants will be required to develop a plan for assessing the 
community-wide strategy and agree to participate in a national 
evaluation of this initiative. Applicants that do not have the 
capability to collect data or develop a plan for assessing their 
strategy will be encouraged to join with a local university, research 
organization, or other appropriate entity to assist with these 
activities.

    Dated: February 1, 1999.
Richard Kopanda,
Executive Officer, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 99-2853 Filed 2-4-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4162-20-P