DYS GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS
Why are we changing how grants are allocated?
Over the past two years, DYS has been participating in a statewide effort to safely reduce juvenile incarceration in Alabama. Research has shown that incarcerating youth can often increase the likelihood and severity of future delinquent behavior. Furthermore, over-reliance on secure care has forced the public to pay twice as much for juvenile justice as a decade ago, despite a large drop in juvenile crime. Although DYS takes pride in our facilities, we also know that many of the youth we serve are not dangerous and could be served more effectively in non-residential programs in their home communities. However, we recognize that many courts throughout Alabama lack the funding and expertise necessary to develop community-based services that, along with good intake and probation practices, can serve as alternatives to residential care.
Although the DYS budget has been negatively impacted by proration, we are committed to protecting a pool of grant funds for community-based alternatives to commitment. Due to DYS’s ongoing effort to increase fiscal accountability in the juvenile justice system, decisions about grant allocations will be based on a court’s ability to demonstrate how the proposed services will address specific needs of delinquent youth and why it is expected that these services will help reduce commitments. To achieve this goal, DYS has been working to develop an objective, data driven, and transparent grant application process.
What is the new process?
Under this new competitive process, all courts will have the opportunity to submit a grant application for non-residential alternatives to incarceration. The application will ask courts to identify the proposed services, the program structure, and the target population, as well as to clearly define outcome measures that will determine whether or not the program is effective.
The new process will require applicants to complete the following steps:
When can applications be submitted?
Applications for FY 09-10 funding will be accepted until November 1, 2009.
What is the process for reviewing and evaluating applications?
Once your application has been submitted, a DYS committee will evaluate the applications between November 1 and December 1, 2009. The committee will submit its recommendations to Executive Director Walter Wood for approval at that time. Courts will be notified of the decision about their grant application after December 1, 2009.
If I am awarded a grant, when will I receive the funds?
Grants will be dispersed beginning January 1, 2010.
Will I need to do anything to have my grant renewed?
Yes. You can apply for continued funding in future years by submitting an annual report, which will be reviewed for continuation, modification, or termination. The annual report will need to show how the program successfully enabled the court to keep youth at home in lieu of commitment to DYS. A template will be provided and available on the DYS website.
MODEL RISK INSTRUMENT DEFINITIONS
1. Age at First Referral to Juvenile Court Intake - Determine the youth’s age at the time he/she was first referred to
intake for a delinquent or status offense. Do not include referrals for dependency or custody. The outcome (e.g., diverted,
petitioned) of the first referral does not matter.
2. Total Number of Referrals to Intake - This is a count of the number of the number of different DATES that the youth
has been referred to juvenile court for a delinquent or status offense. If a youth was referred on one date for three different
offenses, or multiple counts related to one offense that is still considered one referral. (Note – this definition can be changed
by the local agency, but there needs to be clarity about what exactly is &;being counted – dates, incidents, charges, etc. and all
staff need to count the same things in the same way).
3. Total Referrals for Violent Offenses - this is a count of all referral ;DATES in which one or more allegations were for
violent offenses. Be sure to count any and all referrals for violent offenses that occurred up to the date of the current disposition
(even if they have not yet been adjudicated or disposed of). Violent offenses include all offenses against persons that are assaultive
nature including felony and misdemeanor assaults, kidnapping, murder, armed robbery and robbery, car jacking, sexual assaults,
etc. Burglary and weapons possession are not a violent offense. (Note: again, the local jurisdiction can change: (1) how a “referral”
is counted and, (2) what is considered a “violent offense”, but all staff must count the same things in the same way.)
4. Number of Prior Out of Home Placements – this is a count of the number of times the court has previously ordered an out
of home placement as a result of a delinquent or status offense. Include commitments to group homes, correctional facilities, residential
treatment centers and post dispositional detention. Do not include ;pre-dispositional stays in detention, informal placements with relatives
or foster care placements as a result of child abuse and neglect.
5. School Discipline/Attendance during the prior 12 months - this is a combined measure of the youth’s school attendance
and/or behavior.
Enrolled, attending regularly, no suspensions – during the past year, the youth has been enrolled in school, attended regularly
(fewer than 5 days truant), has not been suspended and is not considered a discipline problem by school officials. Include here any
youth who has graduated or obtained a GED.
Some truancy, or suspended 1-2 times or considered somewhat disruptive – during the past year the youth has been enrolled
in school, but has missed 5 -15 days of school due to truancy, OR has been suspended from school on 1-2 occasions due either to
truancy or behavior problems, OR is considered somewhat disruptive by school officials.
Major truancy or dropped out; suspended 3+ times or considered seriously disruptive - during the past year the youth has
been enrolled in school, but has missed more than 15 days of school due to truancy, OR was not in school due to dropping out or
expulsion; OR has been suspended from school on 3 or more occasions due either to truancy or behavior problems, OR is
considered a major discipline problem by school officials. (Note: the definition of how many truancies constitutes “some” vs. a “major”
problem can be determined by the local agency. The same is true for the number of suspensions.)
6. Substance Abuse - indicate the degree to which drug/alcohol involvement has affected the youth’s functioning in the year prior to
the current disposition.
No Problem/Experimentation: no use or occasional use that does not result in disruption of functioning. Uses less than once per
month; OR more frequently, but relationships with parents not strained over use or involvement with using peers; AND no school
problems associated with use; AND no arrests for D/A related offenses (within the past year).
Use sometimes interferes with functioning: use of substances is associated with some disruption of functioning. Family relationships
may have become strained over use; OR the youth often associates with substance abusing peers and this has had a negative impact on
family, school or community functioning; OR some deterioration in school performance believed to be D/A related; OR 1-2 school
disciplinary actions related to substance abuse; OR 1-2 substance abuse-related arrests in the past year; OR any referral in past year for
out-patient treatment for D/A abuse.
Use frequently interferes with functioning; chronic abuse; dependency - use of substances is associated with significant disruption
of functioning. Family relationships have become strained over use; OR the youth’s primary peer group is substance abusers and this has
had a negative impact on family, school or community functioning; OR major deterioration in school performance believed to be D/A related;
OR 3 or more school disciplinary actions related to substance abuse; OR 3 or more substance abuse-related arrests in the past year;
OR any referral in past year for in-patient treatment for D/A abuse; OR admitted or diagnosed dependency.
7. Peer Relationships - use the definitions below to guide scoring of this ;item.
Friends provide positive support and influence: friends not known to be delinquent or to have influenced youth’s involvement in
delinquent behavior; no more than one referral involving co-defendants within the past year.
Some delinquent peers: some companions involved in delinquent behavior. Has had co-defendants in two-three arrests in past year
and/or some friends have been referred to juvenile court.
Mostly delinquent peers/gang member: primary peer group has a strong delinquent orientation and/or most friends have been referred
to juvenile court, and/or four or more arrests involving codefendants in the past year.
Gang member/associate - youth is a gang or posse member or affiliate.
8. Victim of Child Abuse or Neglect - indicate whether the youth was ever referred to DSS as a victim of child abuse or neglect. It does
not matter if the allegation was founded/substantiated or not.
9. Parental Supervision - use the definitions below to determine the nature and extent of parental supervision.
No Problem: parental supervision, discipline and control is consistent and usually effective. Any conflict with parents over discipline reflects
a degree of conflict that would be expected with any teenager.
Some Problem: Parent-child conflict occurs occasionally and at times is disruptive, OR parental discipline and control are sometimes
ineffective or inconsistent.
Major Problem: problems severely inhibit the youth’s ability to function. Parent-child conflict occurs consistently and creates turmoil,
OR repeated instances of family violence involving the youth, OR parental discipline and control are almost non-existent, OR parents
contribute to youth’s delinquency OR parent rejecting of, or refuses responsibility for youth.
10. Parent/Sibling Criminality - this item asks whether a parent figure, or sibling, or both was on probation/parole or incarcerated during
&the three years prior to the current disposition. Incarcerated means sentenced to incarceration (do not include pre-trial jail or detention).
Parent figure includes natural parents, step-parents and live-inboyfriends/girlfriends. Do not include aunts, uncles, or other relatives unless they are caretakers/parent figures.
GRANT APPLICATION - WORKBOOK
Printable Version -(not to be submitted to DYS)
Application Prepared By:
DYS expects that court staff will be integral in planning for, implementing, and overseeing programs funded by DYS grants.
Therefore, court staff should be involved in the development of this application. Please identify the court staff who participated in
completing the application and also explain how they will be involved in the program’s ongoing monitoring (see section D on quality assurance).
Court Staff Members: ____________________________________________________
Other Preparer(s): _______________________________________________________
A. Risk & Needs Data
Using the Risk and Needs Assessments found on the DYS website, collect data on youth sent to
DYS from your county over the past few years, with a goal sample size of about 100. Once the assessments
have been completed, fill out the Committed Youth Data Analysis document, which is also located on
the DYS website. (In completing the data collection, do not go back farther than 5 years, even if your court
does not send many youth to DYS each year.)
B. Target Population
1. How does this program address a demonstrated need for your court?
What are the top needs in your court?
1)
2)
3)
Once you have identified the biggest areas of need among youth committed in the past, explain how the proposed program(s)
will address them. Your program should reach the maximum number of youth possible; therefore, it is important that your program
address the needs of a large number of youth – rather than a small percentage with a specific problem.
2. Who will be the target population for the program?
Age
It is important to think about what ages you will serve when working with youth. Different ages will
require different types of interventions and skills.
Age Range ___ to ___
Gender
Is the program for males, females or both?
Nature of Offense
Risk level
When working with delinquent youth, it is recommended to assess each youth to determine
his or her risk of re-arrest. Considerable evidence has been found that mixing risk levels in programming
can cause harm to lower risk offenders. In addition, risk should be considered when matching youth to
intensiveness of services. As found in empirical studies (Lowenkamp, et. al, 2006), offenders that present
When trying to figure out how to serve youth with multiple risk levels, keep in mind that
a program does not have to be a place. There are many programs that work with youth individually,
in their homes, or in various locations in the community. Through these programs, it is not necessary
to group youth at all, therefore reducing the likelihood of mixing low and high risk youth. Examples of
these programs can be found on the DYS website in the Grants section.
Thinking about likelihood of re-arrest, what level of risk will your program target?
If your program serves multiple risk levels, how will you ensure they do not mix?
Determining risk level
The NCCD Risk Assessment Instrument, developed by the National Council for Crime and
Delinquency is the most accurate way to determine risk. A copy of this instrument can be found on
the DYS website in the Data Collection section under Grants.
Exclusions
Are there specific youth that will not be eligible for this program? Not all populations will
benefit from the type of intervention planned. Level of risk is one area that could be included in the
exclusion/inclusion criteria. In addition to risk, types of offenses, age, history of violent adjudications,
gender or other factors may be included in the criteria.
3. How will this program enable youth who might otherwise be sent to DYS to remain in your community?
DYS grants must be used to keep youth in the community who would otherwise be at DYS.
The proposed program must result in reduced commitments – either directly or indirectly.
C. Description of Program
1. Identify the Program Area and provide a brief description of the program.
The Program Area is one of eight program categories under which your program should fall.
The identified program area should correspond with the data collected from the Risk and Needs
Assessment process. The list of program areas, along with examples of various programs can be
found on the DYS Website, in the Court Resources section.
DYS grants cannot be used for residential programs.
Programs that target specific needs of young people are found to be more effective in
changing criminal behavior. This section will focus on the specifics of the program in regards to changing behavior.
What is the length of time youth will be in the program?
Minimum length of stay ____ Maximum length of stay ______
Average length of stay _____
Types of Service
The types of service are also important. In thinking about the types of services provided it is important
to think about what population you are serving and what will work best in serving that population.
For instance, if you are working with severely mentally ill young people, a lot of group services may not be effective. I
f you are working with both boys and girls you may want to split up the services by gender or if you
are working with multiple risk levels you may want to find a way to not mix risk.
If yes, explain the aspects of the program that are the same as the model, what you have changed, and why.
D. Results/Outcomes
Outcome data must be tracked in order to determine that the program accomplishes its main goals: reducing
commitments to DYS and helping youth successfully complete the terms of their court orders. Thus, standard
monthly reports must be submitted to DYS. The data that must be reported includes:
There may be some additional data that you wish to track for the benefit of your court, such as number of youth in the
program successfully completing probation, number of VOPs filed, etc. You do not have to submit this additional data to
DYS, but please indicate what, if any, you will be tracking:
E. Quality Assurance
Quality assurance programs are found to help programs continuously evaluate the effectiveness of the
program in changing target behaviors. In order to assure continuous improvement, programs must design a
regular review process. This review process will help the program keep on track. Some suggestions are youth
satisfaction surveys, file reviews, pre-post testing, observation of staff, and external evaluations.
These do not have to be submitted to DYS, but you must identify a method of quality assurance
that will be used to monitor the program.
Identify any (recommended to have more than one) that your program will use to maintain program integrity.
Quality assurance should not be the responsibility of the provider. Court staff is responsible for overseeing
and monitoring the program. You must identify the individuals who will be responsible for this and
explain their role in the quality assurance process.
F. Budget
Please complete and submit the separate budget form, which can be found on the DYS website, in the Grants section.
DYS GRANT APPLICATION
For assistance with filling out this form, please refer to the Grant Application Workbook. The application should be completed in a separate document.
APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED UNTIL NOVEMBER 1, 2009
Program Title:
Standard Program Area (see website for categories):
Application Prepared By:
Court Staff Members: ____________________________________________________
Other Preparer(s): _______________________________________________________
A. Risk & Needs Data
1. Using the Risk and Needs Assessments found on the DYS website, collect data on youth sent to DYS from your county over the past few years, with a goal sample size of about 100. Once the assessments have been completed, fill out the Committed Youth Data Analysis document, which is also located on the DYS website. (In completing the data collection, do not go back farther than 5 years, even if your court does not send many youth to DYS each year.)
B. Target Population
1. How does this program address a demonstrated need for your court, based on the data compiled using Risk and Needs Assessments?
2. Who will be the target population for the program?
(Include age range, gender, nature of offense, risk level (risk of re-arrest), and possible exclusion criteria)
3. How will this program enable youth who might otherwise be sent to DYS to remain in your community?
C. Description of Program
1. Identify the program area (from the list on the DYS website) and provide a brief description of the program. Include the program goal, the types of services that will be provided, and the amount of time youth will remain in the program.
2. Is this program based upon a recognized model or evidence-based practice?
Yes ___ No ___
If yes, please explain the aspects of the program that are the same as the model, what you have changed, and why:
3. How will the program be accessible for youth and staff? Please explain transportation needs as well as location of the program in relation to youth who will likely access the program (if applicable).
4. Does this program require contracting with an outside provider? If so, identify potential providers and explain why you have selected them. An outside provider is not required, and all programs should be overseen and monitored by court personnel.
D. Results/Outcomes
Outcome data must be tracked in order to determine that the program accomplishes its main goals: reducing commitments to DYS and helping youth successfully complete the terms of their court orders. Thus standard monthly reports must be submitted to DYS. The data that must be reported includes:
There may be some additional data that you wish to track for the benefit of your court, such as number of youth in the program successfully completing probation, number of VOPs filed, etc. You do not have to submit this additional data to DYS, but please indicate what, if any, you will be tracking:
E. Quality Assurance
Quality assurance measures should be used to ensure that the program continues providing the similar services and is working toward providing better services. Please check any/all that apply.
_____ Youth Satisfaction Surveys _____ Periodic Review of Progress Notes
_____ Periodic File Reviews _____ Observation of Group Activities
_____ Pre- and Post-Testing _____ External Evaluation
_____ Re-assessment of youth’s progress _____ Peer Review Process
_____ Other: _________________________
Court personnel responsible for overseeing program QA: __________________________________
F. Budget
Please complete and submit the separate budget form, which can be found here.
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