OJJDP FY 2023 Juvenile Justice Emergency Planning Demonstration Program for Juvenile Justice Residential Facilities

OJP is committed to advancing work that promotes civil rights and racial equity, increases access to justice, supports crime victims and individuals impacted by the justice system, strengthens community safety and protects the public from crime and evolving threats, and builds trust between law enforcement and the community.

OJJDP's guiding philosophy is to enhance the welfare of America's youth and broaden their opportunities for a better future. To bring these goals to fruition, OJJDP is leading efforts to transform the juvenile justice system into one that will Treat Children as Children; Serve Children at Home, With Their Families, in their Communities; and Open Up Opportunities for System-Involved Youth. OJJDP encourages all proposed applications that work with youth to highlight how the proposed program aligns with these priorities.

OJJDP envisions a juvenile justice system centered on the strengths, needs, and voices of youth and families. Young people and family members with lived experience are vital resources for understanding and reaching persons involved or at risk of involvement with youth-serving systems. OJJDP asks stakeholders to join us in sustainably integrating bold, transformative youth and family partnership strategies into our daily work. OJJDP believes in achieving positive outcomes for youth, families, and communities through meaningful engagement and active partnerships, ensuring they play a central role in collaboratively developing solutions.

Applicants must describe how their proposed project/program will integrate and sustain meaningful youth and family partnerships into their project plan and budget. Depending on the nature of an applicant's proposed project, youth and family partnership could consist of one or more of the following:

Individual-level partnership in case planning and direct service delivery (before, during, and after contact with youth-serving systems).
Agency-level partnership (e.g., in policy, practice, and program development, implementation, and evaluation; staffing; advisory bodies; budget development).
System-level partnership (e.g., in strategic planning activities, system improvement initiatives, advocacy strategies, reform efforts).

With this solicitation, OJJDP seeks to support emergency planning for state, local, and Tribal juvenile justice residential facilities. For youth that reside in residential facilities it is crucial that applicants plan for and facilitate continued meaningful engagement with family and other supportive members of their community. Applicants are encouraged to ensure that these activities and strategies are prioritized in any emergency planning effort. Examples of ways that applicants could partner with youth and families includes establishing or utilizing an existing advisory group that includes family members of and/or youth that are currently or have previously been housed in the facility. These members could be involved in the drafting and reviewing of existing and new emergency planning procedures, to include evacuation strategies, and plans to ensure ongoing notification and communication procedures.