```
[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 205 (Thursday, October 23, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55266-55267]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-28025]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families
[Proposed Program Priorities--ACF/ACYF/RHYP 98-1]

Runaway and Homeless Youth Program: Fiscal Year (FY) 1998 
Proposed Program Priorities

AGENCY: Administration on Children, Youth and Families, ACF, DHHS.

ACTION: Notice of request for public comments on proposed Fiscal Year 
1998 Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY) Program Priorities for the Basic 
Center Program for Runaway and Homeless Youth; the Street Outreach 
Program for Runaway, Homeless and Street Youth; and the Transitional 
Living Program for Older Homeless Youth.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Runaway and Homeless Youth Act requires the Secretary to 
publish annually, for public comment, a proposed plan specifying 
priorities the Department will follow in awarding grants and contracts 
under the Act. The public is urged to provide comments in response to 
this notice. Suggestions and recommendations will be taken into 
consideration in development of final priorities. The actual 
solicitations for grant applications will be published later during 
Fiscal Year 1998 in the Federal Register. No applications for funding 
should be submitted at this time.

DATES: Closing date for submission of public comments is December 8, 
1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to: James A. Harrell, Deputy 
Commissioner, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, 
Attention: Family and Youth Services Bureau, P.O. Box 1182, Washington, 
DC 20013.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anita Wright, Youth Development 
Program Specialist, (202) 205-8030.

SUMMARY: The Family and Youth Services Bureau of the Administration on 
Children, Youth and Families announces that public comments are being 
requested on proposed program priorities for Fiscal Year 1998 for the 
following programs:
    The Runaway and Homeless Youth Basic Center Grant Program (BCP), 
which provides financial assistance to local agencies to develop and 
strengthen services to meet the immediate needs (e.g., outreach, 
temporary shelter, counseling, and aftercare services) of runaway and 
homeless youth and their families.
    The Street Outreach Program for Runaway, Homeless and Street Youth, 
which provides street-based outreach and education, including 
treatment, counseling, and information and referral services for 
runaway, homeless, and street youth who have been subjected to or are 
at risk of experiencing sexual abuse.
    The Transitional Living Program for Older Homeless Youth (TLP), 
which supports local agencies which provide long term shelter, life-
skill training and support services to homeless youth to assist them in 
making a smooth transition to self-sufficiency and to prevent long-term 
dependency on social services.
    Central to all FYSB programs and activities is a priority that 
services be delivered through a comprehensive youth development 
approach. A developmental perspective views adolescence as the passage 
from the dependence of the child to the independence and self-
sufficiency of the adult. The various emotional, intellectual, social 
and physical changes during this passage are natural, healthy responses 
to the challenges and opportunities of growing up.
    The tasks of youth services providers are seen, thus, not as 
correcting the problems of troubled youth, but rather as providing for 
the successive developmental needs of maturing individuals: The 
psychological need to develop a clear self-identity; the sociological 
need to be an effective and contributing member of the community; the 
economic need to prepare for and enter into a career; and the familial 
needs for sharing, for trusting, for giving and receiving love and 
commitment. This developmental approach is fundamental to all FYSB 
programs and activities.
    Financial assistance for programs and support efforts discussed 
below is contingent upon the availability of funds.

a. Basic Center Program Grants

    Approximately 65 percent of the Basic Center grants awarded will be 
non-competing continuation grants and approximately 35 percent will be 
competitive new awards in Fiscal Year 1998.
    Eligible applicants for new awards are current grantees with 
project periods ending in Fiscal Year 1998 and otherwise eligible 
applicants who are not current grantees. The applications will be 
reviewed by State, and awards will be made during the last quarter of 
Fiscal Year 1998 (July-September 1998).

b. Transitional Living Program Grants

    All potential Fiscal Year 1998 TLP funds will be awarded in the 
form of continuation grants and as new grants to applicants who 
competed successfully during Fiscal Year 1997.
    It is anticipated that all Fiscal Year 1999 funds will be used to 
award non-competitive continuation grants. No TLP funds are expected to 
be available in Fiscal Year 1999 to fund new-start applications. 
Therefore, there will be no solicitation for competitive new-start TLP 
applications in Fiscal Year 1998.

c. Street Outreach for Runaway, Homeless and Street Youth

    Fiscal Year 1998 funds will be used to award new grants to eligible 
applicants and non-competitive continuation awards to eligible 
grantees.

d. Support Services for Runaway and Homeless Youth Programs

(1) National Communications System

    In Fiscal Year 1994, a five-year grant was awarded to the National 
Runaway Switchboard, Inc., in Chicago, Illinois, to operate a National 
Communications System to assist runaway and homeless youth in 
communicating with their families and with service providers. Non-
competitive continuation funding will be awarded to the grantee in 
Fiscal Year 1998. The five-year project period will end in Fiscal Year 
1999.

(2) Training and Technical Assistance

    Part D, Section 342 of the Act authorizes the Department to make 
grants to statewide and regional nonprofit organizations to provide 
training and technical assistance (T&TA) to organizations receiving 
service grants under the Act in order to strengthen programs and 
enhance the knowledge and skills of youth workers.
    The Family and Youth Services Bureau funds ten Cooperative 
Agreements, one in each Federal Region, to provide T&TA to agencies 
funded by FYSB. Each Cooperative Agreement is based on the 
characteristics and different T&TA needs in the respective Region and 
has a five-year project period that will end in Fiscal Year 1999. Non-
competitive continuation funding will be awarded to the ten T&TA 
grantees in Fiscal Year 1998.

[[Page 55267]]

(3) National Clearinghouse on Runaway and Homeless Youth

    In Fiscal Year 1997, the Family and Youth Services Bureau awarded a 
five year contract to support a National Clearinghouse on Youth and 
Families (NCFY). The purpose of the Clearinghouse is to disseminate 
information to professionals and agencies involved in youth development 
efforts and/or the delivery of direct services to runaway, homeless and 
at-risk youth. The Clearinghouse collects, maintains and disseminates 
reports and other materials, identifies areas in which new or 
additional information is needed, and develops documents and materials 
relevant to FYSB's mission and the needs of the field. Non-competitive 
continuation funding will be awarded to the Clearinghouse in Fiscal 
Year 1998.

(4) Runaway and Homeless Youth Management Information System (RHYMIS)

    In Fiscal Year 1997, the Family and Youth Services Bureau awarded a 
three year contract for continued development and implementation of the 
Runaway and Homeless Youth Management Information System (RHYMIS) for 
FYSB programs. The data generated by the system are used to produce 
reports and information regarding FYSB's programs, including 
information for required reports to Congress. In Fiscal Year 1998 this 
effort will receive non-competitive continuation funding.

(5) Monitoring Support for FYSB Programs

    The Family and Youth Services Bureau uses a comprehensive 
monitoring instrument and site visit protocols, including a peer-review 
component for monitoring runaway and homeless youth programs. In Fiscal 
Year 1997, the Family and Youth Services Bureau awarded a three year 
contract to provide logistical support for peer review monitoring. In 
Fiscal Year 1998, this contract will receive non-competitive 
continuation funding.

6. Conference Logistics and Management Support Contract

    In Fiscal Year 1995, the Family and Youth Services Bureau awarded a 
twelve-month contract, with two option years, for logistics and 
management support. The purpose of the contract is to promote FYSB's 
comprehensive youth development message by making the arrangements 
necessary to assemble FYSB's grantees, youth development experts and 
other youth service providers at meetings, conferences, workshops and 
forums. In Fiscal Year 1998, the second year option will be funded to 
continue this effort.

7. Research Demonstration and Management Initiatives

    Section 315 of the Act authorizes the Department to award funds to 
States, localities, and private entities to carry out research, 
demonstration, and service projects designed to increase knowledge 
concerning, and to improve services for, runaway and homeless youth. 
These activities identify emerging issues and develop and test models 
which address such issues.
    During Fiscal Year 1998, the Family and Youth Services Bureau will 
continue to:
    Support a youth development approach to the provision of services, 
both from theoretical and practical perspectives;
    Pursue the development of youth development performance based 
indicators and outcome measures as a method of evaluating the 
effectiveness of youth services;
    Explore the potential for successful collaborations among federal 
government agencies, state governments and local community based youth 
services organizations, including the funding of possible pilot 
demonstration efforts;
    Continue to work in partnership with Regional Offices around the 
review and assessment of grant applications and the development and 
implementation of FYSB program efforts, and
    Continue to make sure that funding for programs will occur in a 
timely manner by publishing this Notice, as well as the final 
priorities in the Federal Register, as early in the Fiscal Year as 
possible.
    We welcome specific comments and suggestions on these proposed 
program priorities.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 93.623, Runaway and 
Homeless Youth Program; Number 93.657, Transitional Living Program 
for Homeless Youth; and Number 93.557, Street Outreach for Runaway 
and Homeless Youth.)

    Dated: October 15, 1997.
James A. Harrell,
Deputy Commissioner, Administration on Children, Youth and Families.
[FR Doc. 97-28025 Filed 10-22-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-P
```