**Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency**

**Prevention Quarterly Meeting**

**March 7, 2008**

White House Office of National Drug Control Policy

750 17th Street, 5th Floor Conference Room, Washington, DC 20503

**Abstract**

At the March 2008 Quarterly Meeting of the Coordinating Council on
Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, members heard presentations
about drug abuse and public health challenges among youth and Office of
National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) programs to address these
challenges. Presenters included Dr. Bertha Madras, Deputy Director for
Demand Reduction, ONDCP; Martha Gagne, Assistant Deputy Director, Office
of Demand Reduction; Nataki McMurray, Policy Analyst, Office of Demand
Reduction; Robert Denniston, Associate Director, National Youth
Anti-Drug Media Campaign, ONDCP; Jack Claypoole, Administrator, Drug
Free Communities, ONDCP; Mary Louise Embrey, Director of Government
Affairs, National Association of School Nurses; Eve Gallaudet, Executive
Vice President, Ruder Finn; and Scott Burns, Deputy Director, ONDCP.
Presentations focused on random student drug testing; National Youth
Anti-Drug Media Campaign; Drug-Free Communities Program; Screening,
Brief Intervention, Referral, and Treatment; Access to Recovery; ONDCP
efforts to combat prescription drug abuse; and treatment for children of
substance abusers.

In addition, Council members heard updates on Council partnership
projects, and several attendees provided program updates on behalf of
their agencies.

Action items emanating from the March 2008 Council meeting are as
follows:

-   Council contractors will contact federal staff to obtain agency
    information for the Council's Federal Partnership Project.

-   Mr. Flores asked designees to encourage their staffs to review
    current federal solicitations posted on grants.gov to identify
    potential areas for interagency collaboration.

-   Mr. Flores asked designees to use their agency criteria to identify
    particularly needy communities and to share this information with
    other federal agencies. OJJDP will share official crime statistics
    (e.g., Uniform Crime Data, National Crime Victimization Study data,
    gang statistics) with other agencies. If agencies are aware of
    significant overlap in areas of need (e.g., high rate of violent
    crime, housing needs, need for job training, educational needs,
    etc.), this information might help make funding decisions.

-   Mr. Flores encouraged Council agencies to share materials from
    ONDCP's National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign with their grantees.

**Meeting Summary**

**Welcome and Opening**

***J. Robert Flores, Vice Chair, Coordinating Council; Administrator,
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), U.S.
Department of Justice (DOJ)***

Mr. Flores called the March 7 quarterly meeting of the Coordinating
Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (Council) to
order and welcomed members of the Council, federal staff, and members of
the public. He thanked the Office of National Drug Control Policy
(ONDCP) for hosting the meeting and introduced Dr. Bertha Madras, Deputy
Director for Demand Reduction, ONDCP. Dr. Madras welcomed participants
to ONDCP.

**Presentation on Drug Abuse and Public Health Challenges Among Youth**

**Prevention, Intervention, and Treatment**

***Dr. Bertha Madras, Deputy Director for Demand Reduction, ONDCP***

Dr. Madras provided an overview of the morning's presentations
highlighting ONDCP's programs and policies that target the nation's
young people. She remarked that ONDCP is housed in the Executive Office
of the President because substance abuse affects such a wide range of
people across such a wide range of issues. Substance abuse affects
people of all ages---from in utero to old age---and challenges them
physically, mentally, socially, economically, academically, legally, and
in the workplace.

National surveys are used to measure the magnitude of the substance
abuse problem including the National Survey on Drug Use and Health,
Monitoring the Future, Treatment Episode Data Sets, and the Drug Abuse
Warning Network. The data indicate that drug use is very prevalent among
adolescents. During the past month, 2.5 million young people reported
illicit drug use. Marijuana is the number 1 substance used, followed by
psychotherapeutics (primarily pain medications). Prescription drug abuse
is increasing, and there is a powerful correlation between use of
alcohol, use of illicit drugs, and prescription drug abuse.

Because the adolescent brain is not fully developed, the use of drugs by
young people can alter behavior more significantly than at later stages.
Potential consequences of youth drug use include educational
consequences, medical consequences, criminal behavior, and addiction.
Researchers now know that marijuana, the number 1 drug for adolescents,
is addictive. Youth who first use marijuana at age 14 or younger are six
times more likely to develop an addiction than those who start using at
age 18 or above.

Research shows that prevention strategies work. Youth drug use has
dropped 24 percent over the past 6 years. In addition, prevention is
much cheaper than treatment. It costs \$10 to \$20 to conduct a random
drug test and approximately \$20 to verbally screen an adolescent for
substance abuse; it costs up to \$30,000 to treat a person. Because the
vast majority (95.5 percent) of people with a diagnosis of abuse or
addiction do not feel that they need treatment, it is critical to engage
in prevention and early intervention strategies.

**Random Student Drug Testing**

***Martha Gagne, Assistant Deputy Director, Office of Demand Reduction,
ONDCP; Nataki McMurray, Policy Analyst, Office of Demand Reduction,
ONDCP***

Random student drug testing (RSDT) is a powerful prevention program for
youth. It gives students a credible reason to resist pressure to use
drugs; it helps students who have started using drugs ("casual users")
by directing them to counseling; and it helps identify students who have
progressed to addiction, so they can receive appropriate treatment. RSDT
has been declared constitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court, who reasoned
that the school's responsibility to keep children safe overrides
students' personal privacy rights.

RSDT is confidential. Information is shared only with those who "need to
know" (e.g., parents, program director) and not with teachers or other
students. RSDT is nonpunitive. Students with positive test results are
not referred to the legal system, test results remain confidential,
results are not forwarded to other locations, and results are destroyed
when a student leaves school or graduates. RSDT is effective when it is
part of a comprehensive prevention program and combined with student
assistance programs, drug education classes, etc.

ONDCP has sponsored summits around the country to inform community
leaders and school officials about RSDT and to promote discussion of
this issue at the local level. Funding for RSDT programs can come from a
variety of sources. Applications for the U.S. Department of Education's
(ED's) Grants for School-Based Student Drug-Testing Programs are due
March 21, 2008
(<http://www.ed.gov/programs/drugtesting/applicant.html>).

***Questions and Discussion***

*What are the consequences of positive test results? Can a student be
removed from a team? If so, how is the child's confidentiality
protected?* Dr. Madras said that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that
schools cannot expel or suspend students or deny their academic
participation. Schools can decide that a student may not participate in
sports for a period of time. The Court's concept of confidentiality is a
legal concept (i.e., there is no written document that can be
transferred). School officials observe that removing a student from
sports for a positive drug test is not a breach of confidentiality
because "everyone knows if a kid uses."

*Is it more likely that marijuana use will lead to delinquent behavior
or that delinquent behavior will lead to marijuana use?* Dr. Madras
responded that all of the studies conducted on humans have been
association studies rather than cause-and-effect studies. In terms of
addiction, there is growing evidence that there is more than an
association between marijuana and addiction (that is, there is a measure
of causality). For example, in a study following identical twins, the
twin who started using marijuana before age 17 was much more likely to
become addicted. In another study, animals exposed to THC (the active
ingredient in marijuana) sought heroine because THC had caused change in
the brain opiate system. Regarding the link between marijuana use and
other behaviors (e.g., delinquent behaviors, violence), it has not been
proven that one causes the other. On the other hand, research shows that
children with neuropsychiatric disorders (such as
attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or oppositional defiance
disorder) are much more likely to use drugs. A person's personality,
genetics, family history, and environment are cofactors that can induce
or facilitate drug use.

*So is it correct to say that we know there is an association between
marijuana use and delinquent behavior but it depends on the individual?*
We cannot give a definitive answer about causality. There are at least
100 known risk factors that promote drug use in young people. Factors
related to the individual, the environment, and the drug converge.

*Given that there is controversy around RSDT, is there research on its
effectiveness?* Deborah Price, Assistant Deputy Secretary, Office of
Safe and Drug-Free Schools, ED, responded that her office is researching
this question. It is conducting a 5-year study of schools that have
instituted RSDT along with comparison sites that do not have the testing
program.

*For the past 35 years, I have watched the metamorphosis of the attack
on the juvenile drug problem. It has evolved from an emphasis on arrests
(punishment), parents and professionals working cooperatively (community
involvement), to drug courts (holding youth accountable for their
actions). Is the emphasis today on identification?* Dr. Madras responded
that today there is a concerted effort on identification and
intervention. Effective ways to modify behavior are being identified
through research. We know that there are many ways to modify behavior
including positive reinforcement (e.g., strong parental involvement),
negative reinforcement (e.g., drug courts), and a combination of
positive and negative reinforcement (e.g., RSDT). RSDT is a public
health approach. First, it is a deterrent. In addition, if a student
uses drugs, RSDT leads to negative reinforcement (e.g., parents finding
out). The media campaign emphasizes negative reinforcement (consequences
of drug use). All of these approaches are designed to modify behavior
with the gentlest of punitive measures rather than with heavy-hitting
hammers.

*In both of the U.S. Supreme Court decisions \[finding RSDT
constitutional\] referred to in the presentation, there was very strong
dissent.*

*As a practitioner in the field, I think the attempt to systematically
collect data on the effectiveness of RSDT is admirable. The government
is committed to evidence-based practices, and it is important to make
sure that RSDT has no unintended side effects. But meanwhile, while we
are waiting for the evidence, the federal government is attempting to
market this program all over the country. We do know from the research
that serious drug use occurs with kids whose relationships with caring
adults have been ruptured. We are spending time and money on RSDT rather
than trying to help young people get the social bonds they need.* Ms.
Price responded that ED hopes to attain definitive answers to this
question. She observed that RSDT is not a mandatory program. It is
voluntary on the part of school districts that feel they have a need. ED
emphasizes that drug testing is part of a comprehensive approach
addressing drug use in teens. Schools need to have a prevention program
in place. In addition, ED recognizes that student connection with the
school and with an adult is highly significant and that this component
must be part of a prevention program.

**National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign**

***Robert Denniston, Associate Director, National Youth Anti-Drug Media
Campaign, ONDCP***

The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign was established by Congress
in 1988 to prevent and reduce teen drug use. The campaign is funded by
Congress to buy media time and space, with 100 percent match from media.
In collaboration with ONDCP, Partnership for a Drug-Free America creates
most of the advertising. The campaign reaches approximately 70 percent
of teens about four times each week. Its national air coverage helps set
the public agenda and frame the issues, providing clear, consistent,
credible anti-drug messages. The campaign employs a sophisticated,
state-of-the-art research and development process to ensure that ads are
salient and effective. Over the years the campaign has launched a number
of initiatives targeting teens and/or parents, focusing on such issues
as marijuana prevention, methamphetamine prevention, and early
intervention.

In early 2008, the campaign launched a major initiative to combat
prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse. Although overall teen drug
use has decreased by 24 percent since 2001, teen abuse of prescription
and over-the-counter drugs remains alarmingly high. Young people abuse
prescription drugs more than any illicit drug except marijuana, and
first-time teen users are more likely to use pain relievers than any
other illicit drug. Many teens believe that these drugs are less harmful
than other street drugs. The majority of teens who abuse these products
get them for free, usually from family or friends. In response to this
growing problem, ONDCP has launched a national public education
initiative targeting parents. The initiative includes national
television ads, open letter ads to parents and medical and educational
professionals, national print ads, messages for pharmacists to
distribute, and Web-based ads and educational tools. Tracking data
indicate that awareness of teen prescription drug abuse doubled in the 3
weeks after the campaign was launched. For more information, visit
<http://www.theantidrug.com/>.

Mr. Flores encouraged Council agencies to share materials from the media
campaign with their grantees to help get the word out. OJJDP is reaching
out to its large national grantees that work with youth so that they can
use media campaign materials. He observed that this is a low-cost way of
getting ONDCP's message out to a large number of children and parents.

**Drug Free Communities**

***Jack Claypoole, Administrator, Drug Free Communities, ONDCP***

Since 1997, Congress has funded The Drug Free Communities Support
Program, a collaborative initiative sponsored by ONDCP in partnership
with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The
program encourages community coalitions to come together, assess the
youth substance abuse problem in their community, and develop strategies
to prevent and reduce substance abuse among youth. Currently the program
funds 770 grants in 49 states, reaching 32 percent of all U.S. youth in
grades 6 to 12. Approximately 150 new grants will be awarded this year.
Grantees, which will receive \$125,000 each year for 5 years, are
required to provide a nonfederal match. The deadline for 2008 grant
applications is March 21. For more information, visit
<http://www.ondcp.gov/dfc/>.

**Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral, and Treatment/Access to
Recovery**

***Dr. Bertha Madras***

Dr. Madras observed that substance abuse is a major public health
concern.

-   It leads to significant medical, social, legal, and financial
    consequences.

-   95.5 percent of those with diagnosable substance abuse/addiction do
    not feel they need treatment and do not seek it.

-   21 million people who need treatment do not receive it.

-   Substance abuse is frequently undiagnosed by medical professionals.

-   Treatment services for those who have progressed to addiction are
    costly.

Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral, and Treatment (SBIRT) is an
innovative new effort that uses the nation's healthcare system to help
diagnose and treat drug abuse before it becomes a more serious problem.
It represents an effective and cost-efficient public health approach to
the delivery of early intervention and treatment services for persons
with or at risk of developing substance use disorders. Healthcare
providers routinely use an evidence-based screening questionnaire to
identify patients who need further assessment or treatment. Screening
determines the severity of substance use and identifies the appropriate
level of intervention (e.g., brief intervention in an office-based
setting or referral to more extensive treatment). Results from SBIRT
demonstration sites across the country found that 23 percent of the
population screened positive, indicating risk for substance abuse. Of
those, the vast majority responded to a brief intervention. A 6-month
followup of these individuals found significant decline in illicit drug
and heavy alcohol use, improved health and emotional status, and other
positive outcomes. In addition, SBIRT results in cost savings. For every
1,000 persons screened, \$2 million is saved in Medicare costs; for
every \$1 spent for screening, \$4 is saved. Medicare and Medicaid
billing codes now cover alcohol and drug screening.

Research shows that screening, referral, and brief intervention is
effective with youth, but these efforts need to be reinforced. Dr.
Madras observed that SBIRT strategies could be expanded from the
healthcare setting to drug courts and perhaps to school settings.

Access to Recovery (ATR) is an innovative approach to treatment for
those who require specialty drug treatment, in which the patient has a
choice of treatment providers and has access to a comprehensive array of
services critical for recovery (e.g., job training, babysitting,
education). SAMHSA's ATR grants have provided \$400 million to various
states to expand capacity, support client choice, and increase the array
of faith- and community-based providers for clinical treatment and
recovery support services. States have the flexibility to use these
funds for specific target populations (e.g., individuals in the criminal
justice system, youth, methamphetamine users, parents or pregnant
women). More than 190,000 Americans have received services under this
program. Evaluation of the program has shown it to be very effective.

Mr. Flores reported that, later in 2008, OJJDP will partner with SAMHSA
and others to release a solicitation to train judges on SBIRT so they
can divert and remove from the normal process less serious cases and
devote their time and resources to more serious cases.

**Prescription Drug Abuse**

***Mary Louise Embrey, Director of Government Affairs, National
Association of School Nurses; Eve Gallaudet, Executive Vice President,
Ruder Finn***

Ms. Embrey reported that the National Association of School Nurses
(NASN), the leading worldwide expert for school health services, is
actively involved with prevention efforts. It partners with ONDCP's
media campaign to educate parents about the dangers of prescription and
over-the-counter drug abuse, Partnership for a Drug-Free America's "Time
to Talk" Campaign to emphasize the importance of parents in prevention,
the Consumer Healthcare Products Association and D.A.R.E. America to
disseminate materials on prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse in
the schools, and Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America to help
community coalitions gain greater access to schools. With a grant from
PriCara Division of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, NASN is
developing a training for school nurses on teen prescription drug abuse.

Ms. Gallaudet reported that Ruder Finn is working collaboratively with
NASN, Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, and MacNeil/Lehrer
Productions to develop "Smart Moves, Smart Choices," a video-based
educational tool for students and parents to help safeguard youth from
abuse of prescription drugs. The program will create innovative content
for use in middle and high schools (including videos and accompanying
curricula), put school nurses on the front lines in educating teens
about prescription drug abuse, and engage parents and the educational
community. The video series will cover "myth busting," definition of
prescription drugs, impact of prescription drug abuse, media literacy
and drug abuse, and guidance for parents. These videos will be house on
MacNeil/Lehrer's site, the**.**news (a series of news broadcasts done in
the schools). In April 2008, NASA will announce the program and launch a
national publicity campaign.

**Prescription Drug Abuse and Online Pharmacy Threats**

***Scott Burns, Deputy Director, ONDCP***

Mr. Burns reported that substance abuse among young people ages 12 to 17
has declined for all substances except prescription drugs. Prescription
drug abuse among teens has increased dramatically, and more than 60
percent of these drugs come from home medicine cabinets. ONDCP is
working on a number of fronts to combat prescription drug abuse among
youth:

-   Through the media campaign, it is educating parents to clean out
    medicine cabinets and monitor their prescription drugs to deter
    young people.

-   It is encouraging states to implement Prescription Drug Monitoring
    Programs, which allow physicians and pharmacists to prevent abusers
    from obtaining prescriptions from multiple doctors. Currently, 35
    states have initiated these programs.

-   It supports the Feinstein-Sessions Bill (S. 980) to combat illegal
    online sales of prescription medicines. The bill requires a one-time
    physician-patient encounter before a prescription is issued.

-   It is educating the medical community about the issue of
    prescription drug abuse.

**Treatment for Children of Drug Offenders and Drug Addicts**

***Dr. Bertha Madras***

Dr. Madras reported that children of substance-abusing parents are at
high risk of developing their own substance abuse problems. She observed
that the first step in intervening to prevent intergenerational
transmission of drug abuse is to identify the problem. Often, the
child's behavioral and academic difficulties are the first sign that all
is not well at home. Healthcare professionals must be educated on the
symptoms that children and teens in families with substance abuse
problems present (e.g., alcohol and drug abuse by the child, academic
failure, depression, antisocial behavior and aggression, family
conflict, poor parental supervision) and the benefits to children and
families of early intervention. It is important to screen at multiple
levels (e.g., screening children for physical and mental health
problems, family members of individuals who have substance abuse
problems, and adolescents). If an intervention is made, it is important
to establish rapport, educate, and maintain contact. Dr. Madras
concluded that it is critical to bring screening and interventions into
families to prevent intergenerational drug abuse and to protect the
minds and the future of our nation's young people.

***Questions and Discussion***

*Does ONDCP have responsibility for tobacco?* Ms. Gagne responded that
it does not.

*Has ONDCP taken a position in the growing debate about the equalization
of sentencing for crack and powder cocaine offenders?* Ms. Gagne
responded that ONDCP's legal office has a position on the issue of
mandatory minimum sentencing and said that she would send their position
statement to Judge Martin. Mr. Flores added that Attorney General
Mukasey recently testified before Congress about the U.S. Sentencing
Commission's decision to allow retroactive application.

*How much of the Media Campaign's \$14 million budget was paid to Fox to
broadcast the anti-prescription drug ad shown during the Super Bowl?*
Ms. Gagne replied that the ad cost approximately \$2.5 million. However,
the campaign relies on pro bono matching; ONDCP pays for one ad and then
the network shows the ad a second time (or more) at no cost. She
observed that this is an innovative way to maximize visibility.

**Partnership Projects: Updates**

***Robin Delany-Shabazz, Director, Concentration of Federal Efforts
Program, OJJDP***

Ms. Delany-Shabazz referred participants to their packets for a written
summary of the status of the Federal Partnership Project, which includes
three components---Comprehensive Community Initiatives Inventory,
Federal Collaboration Project, and Delinquency Development Statements.
She acknowledged the federal team and contract staff who have been
working on the project and announced that the project team will soon
contact federal staff to update agency information for the project. Ms.
Delany-Shabazz reported that these projects will be discussed in more
detail at the Council planning session following the open Council
meeting.

**Legislative and Program Updates, Announcements, and Other Business**

Mr. Flores observed that significant interagency collaboration has
occurred since the last Council meeting and asked agency representatives
to update the group on recent efforts.

**U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Updates**

***Gregg Weltz, Chief, Division of Youth Services, DOL***

Mr. Weltz reported on leadership changes at DOL's Employment and
Training Administration (ETA). Emily Stover DeRocco (former Assistant
Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training) and Mason Bishop (former
Deputy Assistant Secretary, ETA) have left the agency. The new Acting
Assistant Secretary, Brent Orrell, is a strong supporter of the agency's
work with young people.

Mr. Weltz updated the Council on collaboration and coordination to serve
youth in New Orleans. Other agencies have rallied around DOL's \$15
million National Emergency Grant (NEG).

-   Some 115 professionals attended a "youth mixer" in January. The
    meeting included representatives of a number of federal agencies as
    well as state and local organizations.

-   The Corporation for National and Community Service pledged \$1.2
    million in educational stipends.

-   The Helping American's Youth (HAY) community asset-mapping tool is
    being implemented by the regional partnership in the area.
    Practitioners have received training to use the tool at the local
    level, and efforts will be expanded to use the tool at the state
    level.

-   Orleans Parish Juvenile Court will receive \$1 million in NEG grant
    funds to place young people into the YouthBuild Program as an
    alternative to adult court.

-   Youth will help to rebuild public housing, and the U.S. Department
    of Housing and Urban Development is helping to coordinate this
    effort.

Mr. Flores observed that the Shared Youth Vision/NEG efforts in New
Orleans have been a huge success and are emblematic of what can be done
when agencies collaborate. He expressed thanks to DOL and all of the
partners.

**HHS Updates**

***Melissa Pardue, Assistant Deputy Secretary, Planning and Evaluation,
HHS***

Ms. Pardue referred participants to their meeting materials for a
written update of the interagency agreement between SAMHSA and OJJDP to
support joint development by federal, state, and local authorities of
guidelines for working with youth offenders in the areas of screening,
assessment, referral, and treatment.

On February 7, President Bush issued an Executive Order, "Improving the
Coordination and Effectiveness of Youth Programs." The order calls to
formalize and sustain the interagency working group (which represents 11
federal agencies) partnering in the HAY initiative. The order calls for
the creation of a new federal Web site on youth, built upon the HAY
Community Guide. Ms. Pardue reported that HHS is excited to lead this
effort to work with federal partners to make new resources available to
communities and coalitions who are serving youth.

**OJJDP Updates**

***J. Robert Flores***

Mr. Flores reminded participants of discussion from the Council's
December planning session, in which agencies were encouraged to share
information with one another about upcoming solicitations and
initiatives and moneys awarded to specific communities. This process
provides agencies the opportunity to leverage funds. For example, if
several agencies invest funds in New Orleans in FY 2008, if is important
that grantees know about all the other federal moneys going into the
area. In many cases, programs can work together and leverage off one
another.

Mr. Flores presented a chart on current solicitations from across
federal agencies. Of these, nine are directed to tribal communities, six
to research, six to substance abuse, three to mental health, four to
collaboration, and two to workforce development. Mr. Flores asked
designees to encourage their staffs to review current federal
solicitations posted on grants.gov to identify potential areas for
interagency collaboration.

Mr. Flores discussed OJJDP's ranking of communities with the greatest
need (based on justice-related criteria such as juvenile violent crime).
He asked designees to use their agency criteria (and practitioners to
use their professional expertise) to identify particularly needy
communities and to share this information with other federal agencies.
OJJDP will share official crime statistics (e.g., Uniform Crime Data,
National Crime Victimization Study data, gang statistics) with other
agencies. If agencies are aware of significant overlap in areas of need
(e.g., high rate of violent crime, housing needs, poor school
achievement), this information might help make funding decisions.

OJJDP has been using SMART (Socioeconomic Mapping and Resource
Topography), a Geographic Information System (GIS) and Web-based mapping
application that illustrates for specific geographic areas (1) juvenile
crime and delinquency and (2) nearby governmental and community
resources. This tool is available on the Web to all agencies
(<http://smart.gismapping.info/>). Through this site, agencies can view
communities with high need, communities where OJJDP resources are going,
and communities with great need and few or no federal resources.
Agencies can provide their own data elements (e.g., Public Housing
Authority sites) to OJJDP for inclusion in the system.

**Legislative Updates**

Mr. Flores referred participants to their meeting packets for a written
summary of pending federal legislation.

**Announcements and Other Business**

Larry Brendtro (practitioner member) referred participants to a flyer on
Reclaiming Youth International's Roots and Wings Seminars, a series of
seminars to be held in Detroit in September that will bring together
practitioners, policymakers, and researchers.

Judge Jones asked about the future of federal moneys to continue the
operation of drug courts. Mr. Flores responded that both HHS and DOJ
receive funds for this purpose. This year, DOJ received around \$14.5
million, which went to the Bureau of Justice Assistance primarily for
adult drug courts. OJJDP received a portion of this amount for juvenile
drug courts (around \$2.5 million). It is using these funds (1) to
evaluate juvenile drug courts (in partnership with the Robert Wood
Johnson Foundation), (2) to provide training to juvenile and family
court judges on the Brief Intervention Strategies (BIS) mentioned
earlier in the meeting, and (3) to evaluate the efficacy of BIS within
the juvenile population. Mr. Flores observed that effective juvenile
drug courts share one characteristic: the judge has the time and energy
to deal with cases on an individual basis. He said that his wish is to
give all judges more time to consider individual cases. He made the
point that OJJDP grants are not intended to sustain programs but rather
as a "spark" to pilot novel programs, to conduct research about "what
works," and to disseminate information about effective programs.

**Adjournment**

***J. Robert Flores***

The Council voted to approve the minutes from the December 2007
Quarterly meeting as written.

Mr. Flores thanked participants and members of the public for attending
and announced a closed Council planning session following the public
meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 12:40 p.m.