42 USC 628 - Grants to States to enhance collaboration between State child welfare and juvenile justice systems

View all text of Subpart 1 [§ 620 - § 628c]

§ 628c. Grants to States to enhance collaboration between State child welfare and juvenile justice systems

(a) PurposeThe purpose of this section is to authorize the Secretary, in collaboration with the Attorney General and the Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention of the Department of Justice—

(1) to make grants to State child welfare and juvenile justice agencies and child- and youth-serving agencies to collaborate in the collection of data relating to dual status youth; and

(2) to develop practices, policies, and protocols—

(A) to confront the challenges presented and experienced by dual status youth; and

(B) for the development of interoperable data systems.

(b) Authority to award grants

(1) In general

(2) Length of grants

(A) In general

(B) Extension of grant

(1) ApplicationIn order for a State to be eligible for a grant under this section, the State shall submit an application, subject to the approval of the Secretary, that includes—

(A) a description of the proposed leadership collaboration group (including the membership of such group), and how such group will manage and oversee a review and analysis of current practices while working to jointly address enhanced practices to improve outcomes for dual status youth;

(B) a description of how the State proposes—

(i) to identify dual status youth;

(ii) to identify individuals who are at risk of becoming dual status youth;

(iii) to identify common characteristics shared by dual status youth in the State; and

(iv) to determine the prevalence of dual status youth in the State;

(i) to screen and assess dual status youth for risks and treatment needs;

(ii) to provide targeted and evidence-based services, including educational, behavioral health, and pro-social treatment interventions for dual status youth and their families; and

(iii) to provide for a lawful process to enhance or ensure the abilities of the State and any relevant agencies to share information and data about dual status youth, while maintaining confidentiality and privacy protections under Federal and State law; and

(D) a certification that the State has involved local governments, as appropriate, in the development, expansion, modification, operation, or improvement of proposed policy and practice reforms to address the needs of dual status youth.

(2) No supplantation of other funds

(3) EvaluationUp to 10 percent of the amount made available to carry out this section for a fiscal year shall be made available to the Secretary to evaluate the effectiveness of the projects funded under this section, using a methodology that—

(A) includes random assignment whenever feasible, or other research methods that allow for the strongest possible causal inferences when random assignment is not feasible; and

(B) generates evidence on the impact of specific projects, or groups of projects with identical (or similar) practices and procedures.

(4) ReportA State child welfare agency and a State juvenile justice agency receiving a grant under this section shall jointly submit to the Secretary, the Attorney General, and the Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention of the Department of Justice, a report on the evaluation of the activities carried out under the grant at the end of each fiscal year during the period of the grant. Such report shall include—

(A) a description of the scope and nature of the dual status youth population in the State, including the number of dual status youth;

(B) a description of the evidence-based practices and procedures used by the agencies to carry out the activities described in clauses (i) through (iii) of paragraph (1)(C); and

(i) the collection of data related to individual dual status youths;

(ii) aggregate data related to the dual status youth population, including—(I) characteristics of dual status youths in the State;(II) case processing timelines; and(III) information related to case management, the provision of targeted services, and placements within the foster care or juvenile justice system; and

(iii) the extent to which such practices and procedures have contributed to—(I) improved educational outcomes for dual status youths;(II) fewer delinquency referrals for dual status youths;(III) shorter stays in intensive restrictive placements for dual status youths; or(IV) such other outcomes for dual status youths as the State child welfare agency and State juvenile justice agency may identify.

(d) Training and technical assistanceThe Secretary may support State child welfare agencies and State juvenile justice agencies by offering a program, developed in consultation with organizations and agencies with subject matter expertise, of training and technical assistance to assist such agencies in developing programs and protocols that draw on best practices for serving dual status youth in order to facilitate or enhance—

(1) collaboration between State child welfare agencies and State juvenile justice agencies; and

(2) the effectiveness of such agencies with respect to working with Federal agencies and child welfare and juvenile justice agencies from other States.

(e) Report

(f) DefinitionsIn this section:

(1) Dual status youth

(2) Leadership collaboration group

(3) State juvenile justice agency

(4) State child welfare agency

(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, § 429A, as added Pub. L. 117–348, title I, § 101(a), Jan. 5, 2023, 136 Stat. 6212.)