HHS News Release

HHS Secretary Donna E. Shalala and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton today announced the award of over $1 million in Youth Development State Collaboration Demonstration Project grants to nine states to develop and support innovative youth development strategies. The announcement was made at a national conference for youth, Destination Future sponsored by the National Resource Center for Youth Services, at which many of the young people participating have been in the foster care system.

Each state will receive a grant of $120,000. The states are: Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New York, and Oregon. The grants will help the states identify, develop, and strengthen effective youth development strategies. Efforts will focus on young people at risk, such as teenagers who are leaving the foster care system, homeless and runaway youth, abused and neglected children, and others served in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems.

"The First Lady has said that it takes a village to raise a child and with these grants, states will engage entire communities in pro-active, youth development approaches that will emphasize positive outcomes for young people," said Secretary Shalala.

Programs with a youth development focus can offer young people the skills, knowledge and community support they need to function effectively. For the young people themselves, the efforts will promote a sense of competency, connection to others and to society as a whole, and a belief in control over one's own life. Successful strategies will be shared with program developers, managers and other youth service professionals across the country.

"Youth development is a community effort," said Olivia A. Golden, HHS assistant secretary for children and families. "To make it work, we need close collaboration among governments, communities, and organizations. These grants are designed to bring everybody together to make it happen."

Secretary Shalala also announced a new study to review and analyze data on the Independent Living Program, a Social Security Act title IV-E foster care program administered by HHS. The program was established in 1986 to help youth in foster care as they reach 18 years old make the transition to independent living by arranging educational and employment assistance, training in daily living skills, individual and group counseling, and a range of outreach programs. The report will also include examples of model program activities, information about problems and service delivery, shortcomings and gaps, and financial data.

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Contact: Michael Kharfen, (202) 401-9215