Breadcrumb
- Federal Resources
Federal Resources
America's Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-being, 2012
Prepared by the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics, “America’s Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2012” highlights 14 key indicators on important aspects of children’s lives across seven domains:
- Family and social environment
- Economic circumstances
- Health care
- Physical environment and safety
- Behavior
- Education
- Health
Guidance to Improve Educational Outcomes of Children and Youth in Foster Care
This guidance, released by the Department of Education, provides states with information to implement the Uninterrupted Scholars Act, making it easier for caseworkers, child welfare agencies, and tribal organizations responsible for the placement and care of children and youth in foster care to have direct access to their education records.
Joint Letter: Supporting the Well-being of Students in Foster Care
Released by the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services, this joint letter to education authorities discusses increasing educational stability for children and youth in foster care.
National Academies Board on Children, Youth, and Families
The Board on Children, Youth, and Families (BCYF) addresses a variety of policy-relevant issues related to the health and development of children, youth, and families. It does so by convening experts to weigh in on matters from the perspective of the behavioral, social, and health sciences.
Quality Education Services Are Critical for Youth Involved With the Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare Systems
In May 2010, the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform at Georgetown University released the monograph ”Addressing the Unmet Educational Needs of Children and Youth in the Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare Systems” (PDF, 74 pages), which examines a number of topics relevant to the education and experiences of youth in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. This new practice guide (PDF, 27 pages) developed by NDTAC examines the principle included in the monograph that quality education services are critical for youth involved with the juvenile justice and child welfare systems, and offers a range of practices and strategies that juvenile justice, child welfare, and education professionals can use to improve education programming and outcomes for youth in their care.
Students in Foster Care
This Department of Education webpage provides information about important laws, guidance, and technical assistance materials related to the educational experience of youth in foster care.
Student Voices Session: Shining a Spotlight on Native Youth in Foster Care
This blog post describes a Student Voices session held at The White House on December 8, 2014. Here, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Secretary of Interior Sally Jewell, and current and former foster care youth from American Indian and Alaska Native nations discussed the struggles of Native youth. In the post, the author, a public policy specialist and a former foster care youth of Native Hawaiian and American Indian (Blackfeet) descent, also shares her personal experiences and the important role school played in her life.
Selecting Appropriate Pre-Posttests
This tip sheet highlights key questions and areas to consider for Title I, Part D administrators regarding the selection of an appropriate pre-posttest for tracking student progress in reading and mathematics. It focuses on students receiving educational services in juvenile justice and child welfare settings.
Share with Youth: Foster Care Transition Toolkit
This toolkit (PDF, 66 pages) includes tips and resources to help current and former foster youth as they transition to adulthood and pursue college and career opportunities. It provides information on important topics like finding a job, managing money, and securing housing.
Resource: Non-Regulatory Guidance: Ensuring Educational Stability for Children in Foster Care
This guidance (PDF, 28 pages) provides information to states, school districts, and child welfare agencies on new provisions in the Every Student Succeeds Act for supporting children and youth in foster care.
Prevalence and Implementation Fidelity of Research-Based Prevention Programs in Public Schools
This report from the Study of the Implementation of Research-Based Programs to Prevent Youth Substance Abuse and School Crime offers the following information which can be applied to gang prevention efforts: collecting background information on substance abuse and school crime, identifying research-based programs and practices, using data collection instruments, developing implementation fidelity measures, and collecting, processing, and analyzing data.
Center for Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships
The Center works with HUD field and program offices to offer over 40 organizational capacity building workshops annually around the country. These one- and two-day trainings are designed for smaller grassroots non-profits seeking to strengthen their effectiveness by covering topics like organizational development, strategic planning, financial management, logic models, and the science of finding and applying for grants.
Choice Neighborhoods
The Choice Neighborhoods initiative will transform distressed neighborhoods and public and assisted projects into viable and sustainable mixed-income neighborhoods by linking housing improvements with appropriate services, schools, public assets, transportation, and access to jobs. A strong emphasis will be placed on local community planning for access to high-quality educational opportunities, including early childhood education. In addition to public housing authorities, the initiative will involve local governments, non-profits, and for-profit developers in undertaking comprehensive local planning with residents and the community.
Ending Housing Discrimination against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Individuals and Families
This HUD website maintains a list of states that enumerate sexual orientation and gender identity in their state fair housing laws. It also provides information and resources to report housing discrimination.
Family Unification Program
Eligibility: Youth aged 18-21 who have aged out of foster care
Focus: Housing
The Family Unification Program provides Housing Choice Vouchers to communities to help assist in the transition of youth out of foster care. The Public Housing Authority administers the vouchers and the child welfare agency provides supportive services to youth. Vouchers are used to provide rental assistance to youth aged 18 to 21 who transition from foster care or who leave foster care at age 16 or older. The voucher subsidizes the rent of eligible youth for up to eighteen months.
Healthy Homes Program Brochure
The Healthy Homes program provides homeowners and rental property owners with practical information about how to prevent health and safety hazards. Specific problems such as asthma, allergies and mold are discussed.
Healthy Homes Website
The Healthy Homes program provides homeowners and rental property owners with practical information about how to prevent health and safety hazards. Specific problems such as asthma, allergies and mold are discussed.
HUD Strategic Plan FY 2010 -2015
This document lays out the strategic goals and implementation plan for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
McKinney Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program
Under this program, state educational agencies (SEAs) must ensure that homeless children and youth have equal access to the same free, appropriate public education as other children and youth. Homeless children and youth should have access to the educational and other services that they need to enable them to meet the same challenging state student academic achievement standards to which all students are held. In addition, homeless students may not be separated from the mainstream school environment. States and districts are required to review and undertake steps to revise laws, regulations, practices, or policies that may act as a barrier to the enrollment, attendance, or success in school of homeless children and youth.
Neighborhood Networks
HUD created Neighborhood Networks in 1995 to encourage property owners to establish multiservice community learning centers in HUD insured and assisted properties. Neighborhood Networks was one of the first federal initiatives to promote self-sufficiency and help provide computer access to low-income housing communities. Neighborhood Networks centers are alike. With support from innovative public-private partnerships, Neighborhood Networks centers sponsor a range of services and programs. Nearly all centers offer job training and educational opportunities, and many also provide programs that include access to healthcare information and microenterprise development.
Office of Public and Indian Housing Training and Technical Assistance
This resource provides technical assistance to public and Indian housing authorities.
Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control
In 1991, Congress established HUD's Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control to eliminate lead-based paint hazards in America's privately-owned and low-income housing. The OHHLHC provides funds to state and local governments to develop cost-effective ways to reduce lead-based paint hazards. In addition, the office enforces HUD’s lead-based paint regulations, provides public outreach and technical assistance, and conducts technical studies to help protect children and their families from health and safety hazards in the home
Public and Indian Housing
The role of the Office of Public and Indian Housing is to ensure safe, decent, and affordable housing; create opportunities for residents' self-sufficiency and economic independence; and assure fiscal integrity by all program participants.
Resident Opportunities and Self Sufficiency Program
ROSS links public housing residents with supportive services, resident empowerment activities, and assistance in becoming economically self-sufficient
Seven Steps to a Healthy Home
The Healthy Homes program offers seven steps to having a healthy home, providing homeowners and rental property owners with practical information about how to prevent health and safety hazards. These steps include the importance of keeping your home pest- and contaminant-free, as well as dry, clean, well-ventilated and well-maintained.