Federal Resources

This best practices guide  funded in part under a grant/contract supported by the Office of Disability Employment Policy of the U. S. Department of Laborh and the Technology Opportunities Program of the U. S. Department of Commerce,
National Telecommunications and Information Administration aims to help communities to  start mentoring programs or expand a program to include youth with disabilities.

The Census Bureau site serves as the leading source of quality data about the nation's people and economy. It contains thePopulation & Housing Census collected every 10 years, the Economic Census collected every 5 years, the Census of Governments collected every 5 years, the American Community Survey collected annually, a number of Demographic and Econmic surveys, and Economic Indicators that are released on a specific schedule.

A report by the U.S. Department of Commerce: Children and young adults have embraced new information technologies in large numbers. More than any other age group, these younger age groups use computers and the Internet widely for many of their daily activities.

This site includes a report, created by the Department of Commerce, which contains 11 stories about people who are working hard to ensure technology will enhance the lives of children.

Released by the Census Bureau, this report illustrates key indicators of poverty and family income. The report shows that the overall poverty rate fell 14.5% in 2013, and the poverty rate for people under age 18 fell 1.9% from 2012 to 2013, which is equivalent to 1.4 million young people lifted out of poverty. 

Volunteers play an integral role in supporting the environmental stewardship conducted every day by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Across the United states and its coastal waters, opportunities exist for volunteers to take part in research, observation and educational roles that benefit science, our citizens and our planet.

Regular updates and alerts from the National Weather Service.

This website uses Census data to educate K-12 students about statistical concepts and data analysis. Developed by educators to correspond with relevant education standards, teachers can incorporate these free resources into geography, history, math, and sociology activities. 

This module was created by the National Human Trafficking Resource Center to help service providers understand the intent of “Safe Harbor” legislation and learn about states that have enacted it. 

Edwin Gould Services for Children and Families, a New York City-based program, is one of three programs chosen to participate in a two-year demonstration project aimed at helping victims of severe trafficking. In this article, a representative from the organization discusses the project’s goals and wider efforts to combat trafficking in New York. 

The 15+ Make Time to Listen...Take Time to Talk campaign is based on the premise that parents who talk with their children about what is happening in their lives are better able to guide their children toward more positive, skill-enhancing activities and friendships. The campaign provides practical guidance for parents and caregivers on how to strengthen their relationship with their children by spending at least 15 minutes of daily, undivided time with them and focusing on them.

SAMHSA is charged with implementing the Synar Amendment, which requires states to enact and enforce laws prohibiting the sale or distribution of tobacco to minors (PDF, 8 pages). Major findings from the Synar data compiled from states in 2013 include an upward trend in retailer violation rates, a decline in youth smokers who obtain their tobacco products in retail settings, and the achievement of the overall Synar goal by 50 states and the District of Columbia. 

This report presents the outcomes from a series of town hall meetings to educate communities about underage drinking and engage them in prevention efforts. Brief case studies that illustrate different approaches are included, as well as lessons learned in hosting successful events. 

The  2012 School Health Profiles include information gathered through surveys conducted in 45 states, 16 large urban school districts, four territories, and two tribal governments on multiple measures related to school health. The report includes background information on the Profiles, a fact sheet on key 2012 results, and a fact sheet on each state, school district, territory, and tribal government on obesity, sexual risk behaviors, and tobacco use. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Adolescent and School Health published 2011 national, state, and local Youth Risk Behavior Survey results. These results show significant improvements in many health behaviors during the past two decades, as well as new possible risks resulting from an increased use of technology.

“Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance 2013” presents statistics and trends for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the United States through 2013. The report shows that STDs particularly affect young people, as well as gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM). The data reflect that cases and rates of chlamydia and gonorrhea infection are highest in Americans between the ages of 15 and 24. The report also shows that MSM now account for 75% of all syphilis infections, and that 52% of MSM who have primary and secondary syphilis are infected with HIV. 

This report presents data from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey for children under 18 years of age on selected measures of health, including asthma, dental care, learning disabilities, days of school missed due to illness, and contact with health care professionals.

The Monitoring the Future survey, conducted annually, measures the current drug use, and attitudes toward drugs, of students in grades 8, 10, and 12 across the country. Results included observed declines in the abuse of prescription opioids, alcohol, and cigarettes by teens, the use of synthetic marijuana, Vicodin, and salvia among twelfth graders, and the use of inhalants by eighth graders, but an increase in teens’ use of Adderall. The results also reveal that less than 40% of high school seniors believed that regular marijuana users risk harming themselves, meaning that the perception by seniors that regular marijuana may be dangerous is the lowest it has been since 1978. 

Based on the lessons learned from the Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative, the toolkit cultivates an approach that has left a legacy of success in schools and communities. This toolkit will show you how partnerships with representatives from sectors including education, law enforcement, mental health, juvenile justice, children’s services, families, and faith-based associations can take Three Bold Steps to create positive lasting change among our nation’s students.

Having a GED instead of a high school diploma, difficulty getting parental permission, lack of a GPA, and incomplete transcripts can all be obstacles that homeless students can face when seeking scholarship funding. In this blog post, Cyekeia Lee, director of higher education initiatives at the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth, shares strategies for youth-serving professionals who are helping students navigate the scholarship application process. 

Despite an overall decline in smoking, 58 million nonsmokers are still being exposed to secondhand smoke, says data from the CDC. 40 percent of children aged 3 to 11 are breathing in secondhand smoke, with 70 percent of black children experiencing exposure. 

This factsheet, available in English and Spanish, presents information about Hispanic and Latino gangs and provides recommendations for working with Hispanic and Latino gang members

This report, released by the President’s Cancer Panel, outlines the case for HPV vaccination and the urgency for action. The report presents three goals: to reduce missed opportunities to recommend/administer HPV vaccines; to increase acceptance of the vaccines among parents, caregivers, and youth; and to maximize access to HPV vaccination services

This blog post provides guidance to parents with children who have been recently diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), including information on medication and therapy. The blog also provides a list of recommended resources. 

The increased frequency of diagnosis in the past 10 years of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children prompted a review of diagnostic and treatment guidelines for ADHD that resulted in new recommended best practices for evaluating and treating adolescents with ADHD. These guidelines point to a need for adolescents with ADHD to take an active role in their own diagnosis and treatment.