OJJDP Announces $17 Million to Support a Continuum of Care Approach to Address Youth Justice and Advance Community Safety

Harrisburg, Penn. — The Office of Justice Programs’ Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention announced today more than $17 million in awards to 23 state and local sites and three training and technical assistance providers to foster positive youth development, prioritize community safety and focus on effective program outcomes. The awards were made under the fiscal year 2023 Building Local Continuums of Care to Support Youth Success initiative, an integral part of OJJDP’s Continuum of Care framework that incorporates decades of learning to design the most effective juvenile justice practices and programming.

OJJDP Administrator Liz Ryan announced the awards at a press event in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, alongside Mike Pennington, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, and Lisa Varon, Deputy Director of Juvenile Justice Initiatives at the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Criminal Justice. Both agencies received planning grants under the initiative.

This new OJJDP investment leverages decades of evidence-based learning to prevent youth from entering or deepening their involvement in the juvenile justice system and steer them on a path to success. “At its core, the continuum of care framework is a holistic approach that is community-driven, leverages local insights and addresses youth needs through mentoring, after-school programs and other prosocial activities,” said Administrator Ryan. “Serving youth well strengthens communities and contributes to public safety.”

One of the key components of the initiative is the involvement of state and local stakeholders, who will play a crucial role in implementing evidence-based interventions tailored to the specific needs of their communities. “We’ve taken significant steps to improve the juvenile justice system in Pennsylvania, but there is more to be done,” said Pennington, whose organization is one of the grant recipients. “With this federal grant, we’ll be able to create a comprehensive statewide plan centered around the voices and experiences of impacted youth and families to guide Pennsylvania’s youth-focused programs and services. We are grateful for this funding from OJJDP to better understand the needs of our youth and set them up for lives of opportunity.” By prioritizing community safety and well-being, these grants support interventions that not only are cost-effective but also align with the values and priorities of the communities they serve.

Looking ahead, OJJDP plans to announce a new solicitation for the fiscal year 2024 Building Local Continuums of Care to Support Youth grants in the coming weeks, furthering its commitment to juvenile justice reform and community safety.

Additional press information and access to a live-stream of the event are located here.

For more information about OJJDP grant programs and initiatives, visit OJJDP’s website, ojjdp.ojp.gov.

About the Office of Justice Programs

The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance, and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime; advance equity and fairness in the administration of justice; assist victims; and uphold the rule of law. More information about OJP and its program offices – the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Institute of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office for Victims of Crime and SMART Office – can be found at www.ojp.gov

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OFFICE: ojjdp.ojp.gov
CONTACT: OJP Media at [email protected]