Breadcrumb
- Federal Resources
Federal Resources
Youth Advisory Councils
Youth Advisory Councils (YACs) provide ongoing advice and support to school districts on policies and practices that affect students. This webpage provides a detailed overview of Youth Advisory Councils (YACs). It describes the role YACs play in improving the schools and communities they serve, discusses how they can use data to make decisions and create action plans, and outlines the structure of a YAC.
3 Bold Steps for School Community Change
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.
Facilitating Cross-System Collaboration: A Primer on Child Welfare, Alcohol and Other Drug Services, and Courts
Reviews the population, framework, legislation, funding sources, and services of the child welfare, substance abuse service, and court systems and their capacity to support cross-system coordination within state, county, and tribal jurisdictions.
National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day 2013 Short Report, May 9, 2013
This report discusses the prevalence of mental health and other related challenges among children and youth in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems, as well as trauma-informed SAMHSA programs, services, and initiatives that support the recovery and resilience of these young people.
OJJDP’s Model Programs Guide Adds Three Literature Reviews
OJJDP's Model Programs Guide, an online resource of evidence-based juvenile justice and youth prevention, intervention, and reentry programs, has added three new literature reviews that address risk/need assessments for youth, disproportionate minority contact, and family therapy.
Resources on Trauma and Youth in the Juvenile Justice System: Assessing Exposure to Psychological Trauma and Posttraumatic Stress in the Juvenile Justice Population
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Assessing Exposure to Psychological Trauma and Posttraumatic Stress in the Juvenile Justice Population (PDF, 16 pages)
This resource discusses the importance of the screening and assessment of youth involved in the justice system for trauma exposure and related negative consequences. It provides information on screening tools, additional disorders related to the experience of trauma, legal and clinical considerations for trauma screening and assessment, and sources for more information.
Resources on Trauma and Youth in the Juvenile Justice System; Trauma Among Girls in the Juvenile Justice System
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Trauma Among Girls in the Juvenile Justice System (PDF, 11 pages)
This resource describes the prevalence of trauma exposure and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among girls involved in the juvenile justice system, potential consequences of trauma for girls, the impact of involvement with the justice system on girls who have been traumatized, and models of gender responsive programming.
Resources on Trauma and Youth in the Juvenile Justice System: Evidence-Informed Interventions for Posttraumatic Stress Problems with Youth Involved in the Juvenile Justice System
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Evidence-Informed Interventions for Posttraumatic Stress Problems with Youth Involved in the Juvenile Justice System (PDF, 14 pages)
This resource provides an overview of key issues to consider before providing therapeutic interventions to traumatized youth involved in the juvenile justice system. It also includes information on evidence-based interventions, interventions with an evidence-base, and promising evidence-informed interventions for treating traumatized adolescents.
Trauma-informed Care and Outcomes Among Youth
This report released by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration illustrates that children and youth participating in community-based programs, who are involved in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems, demonstrate improved outcomes after receiving trauma-informed services.
Economic Costs of Youth Disadvantage and High-Return Opportunities for Change
This report (PDF, 36 pages) describes the barriers that disadvantaged youth, particularly young men of color, face related to education, exposure to the criminal justice system, and employment, and how improving the opportunities would benefit the United States economy and individual communities. The report also highlights promising programs shown to improve outcomes for young people by helping them reach important life milestones.
Trainings: Substance Abuse Treatment, Child Welfare, and Court Professionals
NCSCW offers free online tutorials for a wide variety of professionals related to substance abuse disorders, treatment, and recovery. NCSACW requires users to register online before access these courses:
- Understanding Child Welfare and the Dependency Court: A Guide for Substance Abuse Treatment Professionals
- Understanding Substance Use Disorders, Treatment, and Family Recovery: A Guide for Child Welfare Professionals
- Understanding Substance Use Disorders, Treatment, and Family Recovery: A Guide for Legal Professionals
Resource: Building a School Responder Model
This website guides local leaders and stakeholders through the process of establishing a School Responder Mode (SRM), a behavioral health response to school infractions that provides an alternative to exclusionary school discipline and justice system referral. Launched by the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice, this site outlines key steps in setting up a successful SRM and provides tools and resources to implement an SRM and gauge its progress.
Report: National Juvenile Probation Office Survey
This report (PDF, 3 pages), developed by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, details the results of a national survey of probation officers on their roles, what they know about trauma and youth, and what they want to learn about trauma and trauma-informed practices.
Support for Child Victims and Witnesses of Human Trafficking
This set of graphic novels is now available to help young trafficking survivors, ages 2–18, navigate the justice system as a victim or witness. These resources help youth understand the justice system, their rights, and roles of different practitioners. Practitioner and Caregiver Guides and excerpts of support from individuals with lived experience are included.
Administration for Native Americans
The mission of ANA is to promote the goal of self-sufficiency and cultural preservation for Native Americans by providing social and economic development opportunities through financial assistance, training, and technical assistance to eligible Tribes and Native American communities, including American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and other Native Pacific Islanders organizations. ANA provides funding for community-based projects that are designed to improve the lives of Native children and families and reduce long-term dependency on public assistance.
Advancing the Self-Sufficiency and Well-Being of At-Risk Youth: A Conceptual Framework
This report explores how programs can help advance the self-sufficiency and well-being of at-risk youth. The research-based framework presented for efforts to help at-risk youth enter a career workforce trajectory is particularly relevant for youth who are or could be served by Administration for Children and Families programs but may also apply to other programs.
Communication Skills Building for Parents of Preteen Girls
The Office on Women's Health developed the new Communication Skills Building program to help community organizations lead discussions with families and caregivers about improving their communication with their preteen and teen daughters. The free materials include facilitators’ guides, online videos, and tip sheets for parents to use with African American and Hispanic communities.
Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB)
FYSB supports the organizations and communities that work every day to reduce the risk of youth homelessness, adolescent pregnancy and domestic violence. Learn more about FYSB programs.
Framework for Advancing the Well-being and Self-Sufficiency of At-Risk Youth
This brief summarizes a research-based framework that can serve as the foundation for efforts to move at-risk youth toward positive social, emotional, and economic functioning in adulthood.
Introduction to Positive Youth Development
The National Clearinghouse on Families & Youth has recently updated its two-part, self-paced online training, “Introduction to Positive Youth Development.” The modules focus on explaining the concepts and theories of positive youth development, and how this information can be put into practice.
Keep in Touch
Young people offer advice on staying connected and living independently
Learn More About Positive Youth Development
Learn more about Positive Youth Development with this resource by RHY. Positive Youth Development (PYD) 101 Online is a series of short courses intended to introduce PYD to new youth work professionals, volunteers, and advocates.
NCFY Voices: The Youth Dreamers Think Big
Two young people from Youth Dreamers share how they raised money to build a safe place for youth in their community to go after school. Youth Dreamers is a youth leadership group in Baltimore, MD.
National Training and Technical Assistance Center for Children's Mental Health
The National Technical Assistance Center for Children's Mental Health serves as a national resource to support and strengthen the capacity of states, territories, tribes and communities to transform their mental health systems to meet the diverse and complex needs of children and adolescents with or at risk for serious emotional disturbances and their families.
Putting Positive Youth Development Into Practice: A Resource Guide
This guide provides information about how you can put positive youth development principles into practice