Are you eligible for a Second Chance Act grant? And more -- news roundup

Juvenile Justice Reform

• Mississippi officials say more youth rehab facilities are needed
  Government officials in Mississippi say that a growing number of youth arrested for crimes are becoming repeat offenders because rehabilitation is not available.
• Iowa Governor visits state’s largest child welfare, juvenile justice and behavioral health agencies
  Governor Terry Branstad is interested in the concept of providing children and families with treatment, utilizing a long-term, comprehensive approach, rather than the standard short-term solution.
• Detroit tackles dropout crisis by engaging students and parents
  Over the next 18 months, PBS NewsHour is examining the consequences of, and solutions for, one of this country's most pressing education issues.
• Wyoming’s Natrona County earns recognition for juvenile justice progress
  The State Advisory Council on Juvenile Justice and Gov. Matt Mead's office honored Natrona county officials for developing a system that offers alternatives to detention for low-risk offenders, cutting its use of secure detention for status offenses like underage drinking by 99%.
• Feds: Florida’s youth prisons are “dangerous”
  Florida’s youth-corrections system is so poorly administered and conditions are so severe that the U.S. Department of Justice said that they violate the Constitution.

Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment

• Massachusetts theatre company receives federal grant to work with youth
  The Salem Theatre Company was recently awarded a grant from the Healthy People 2020 Community Innovations Project, a program of the US Department of Health and Human Services, to work with local youth. They plan to create three short plays focused on healthy choices with regards to nutrition, substance abuse and youth violence.

• Marijuana use among young adults at highest levels
  While teen alcohol and tobacco use are down, daily marijuana use is at its highest levels since 1991. Roughly 1 in 10 people who try marijuana get addicted, and young users are more vulnerable than older ones.
• Substance abuse greater problem among rural youth
  Substance abuse is a bigger problem among rural youth than among their non-rural peers, with rural teens having higher rates of alcohol consumption and usage of drugs such as cocaine, marijuana and heroin. And that problem can be influenced in part by rural communities limited expectations for students’ futures.
• Missouri goes Online to Treat Teens Recovering from Substance Abuse Addiction
  Realizing that transportation can be an barrier to receiving care, a counselor in Missouri is using online tools to lead group sessions for teens recovering from substance abuse addiction.
• Marijuana Use Growing Among Teenagers
  One out of every 15 high school students smokes marijuana on a near daily basis, a figure that has reached a 30-year peak even as use of alcohol, cigarettes and cocaine among teenagers continues a slow decline, according to a new government report.

Events and Webinars

• 2012 Juvenile Justice Beyond the Bench Conference
  The 2012 Santa Clara County Juvenile Justice Beyond the Bench Conference will focus on a range of issues including the Supreme Court’s involvement in family law, juvenile justice trends, national and statewide initiatives to improve outcomes for children, the recent changes to delinquency law, the importance of family involvement, the role of adult advocacy for youth, how best to serve high risk youth and disproportionate minority contact.
  When: February 3, 2012
  Where: San Jose, Calif.
  Register online
• 2012 Youth Summit: Working Together to Support New York’s Youth
  This summit, Prevention, Treatment, Recovery: A Better Tomorrow, will address challenges faced by adolescents and young adults with mental health and substance use disorders who may be involved with the justice system, child welfare, or other service delivery systems.
  When: March 22-23, 2012
  Where: Albany, NY
  Register online
• The American Probation and Parole Association Winter Training Institute
  The APPA is hosting the largest national training institute for community corrections officers. The institute offers workshops, special sessions, resource expositions, and networking opportunities.
  When: February 26-29, 2012
  Where: San Diego, Calif.
  Register online

Funding Opportunities

• Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Training and Technical Assistance Program
  Through the Department of Justice, the aim is to facilitate collaboration among the criminal justice, juvenile justice, and mental health and substance abuse treatment systems to increase access to mental health and other treatment services. BJA is currently funding 40 justice/mental health collaborations that are either in the planning, implementation and expansion phase. Nonprofits, corporations, colleges and faith-based groups can all compete for one, one-year cooperative agreement for $600,000. Deadline: February 2, 2012
• Second Chance Act Demonstration Field Experiment: Fostering Desistance through Effective Supervision
  The Department of Justice offers this grant for programs aimed at motivating a returning offender to change his or her ways, and to address mental health issues that foster crime-prone thinking. Up to four grants will be given for up to $1 million each to government agencies or tribal nations, although the projects are expected to be partnerships between parole offices and private service providers. The BJA funds can only constitute 75 percent of a project’s total cost; the other quarter has to be lined up by the grantee. Deadline: February 23, 2012 

Lori Howell is a Senior Associate at Prichard Communications. She is a seasoned public affairs practitioner with a background in public policy, fundraising, and education. Lori helps clients with online editorial services, media relations, and publications. Before joining Prichard Communications, she served as chief of staff for Greg Macpherson, a former Oregon state legislator, an account executive for the Northwest Evaluation Association, a nonprofit educational testing consortium, and once taught English in Choshi, Japan.