The Arkansas Department of Human Services announced Tuesday that 21 newly funded programs will receive a total of $530,715 in federal grant funds.
Some of the programs are aimed to prevent juvenile delinquency at the community level and will teach youths necessary to get and maintain jobs, the department said in a statement. Human Services spokesman Amy Webb said the selected programs have to submit a new application each year, and the funding will reduce by 20 percent each year.
The 21 programs will serve more than 7,400 youths in 20 counties in Arkansas, the department said. The grant-funded programs will be awarded funds annually with the chance to win additional funds for up to three years.
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention provided funding for the grants, and the Division of Youth Services worked with the Arkansas Coalition for Juvenile Justice to select the programs. Thirty applicants submitted proposals, officials said.
Webb said the grant funding will begin Tuesday and come in the form of reimbursement for the work their programs do.
Seven of the 21 selected programs are based in Little Rock, such as the Life Skills for Youth’s ATM Project, which is receiving $30,000.
According to Life Skills for Youth’s website, the ATM project teaches youth how to manage “Anger, Time and Money.” Group sessions, one-on-one sessions, motivational speakers and workshops help teach participants these skills.
Our Club, a part of Pulaski County Youth Services, was also chosen to receive $30,000. The Our Club program provides “quality youth programming,” prepares children for life after high school and gives kids a place to go after school. Pulaski County Youth Services received another grant of $13,000 for its Digital Audio and Recording Klub.
“We believe that each of these programs is an important part of helping Arkansas implement successful, long-term strategies to address the problems associated with juvenile delinquency,” Division of Youth Services Director Tracy Steele said in a statement. “We are committed to developing partnerships to prevent young people from coming into the juvenile justice system so they can instead live positive lives.”
The following other programs receiving funding in the following amounts:
• Ashley County Juvenile Intake/Truancy Program overseen by 10th Judicial District, Division Five Judge Teresa French at McGehee, $30,000.
• Employment Support Program for Juvenile Re-Entry overseen by the Boys & Girls Club of Saline County, at the Arkansas Juvenile Assessment and Treatment Center, $29,335.
• Mentoring Program for At-Risk Youth overseen by Comprehensive Juvenile Services Inc. of Fort Smith, $29,470.
• First Tee Character Development for At-Risk Youth overseen by Conway County Community Services at Morrilton, $30,000.
• First Tee Character Development for At-Risk Youth Summer Program overseen by the city of Morrilton, $10,000.
• Delinquency Prevention to Address High Risk Delta Counties with Minority Youth overseen by East Arkansas Youth Service Inc. in Marion, $30,000.
• At Promise overseen by Intervention Associates LLC. of Little Rock, $19,025.
• Training & Technical Assistance for Sexual Abuse Management Teams overseen by UAMS-Arkansas Children’s Hospital Research Institute in Little Rock, $30,000.
• Breaking the Cycle overseen by Jefferson-Lincoln County Circuit Court, 6th Division (Juvenile), in Pine Bluff, $30,000.
• Attitude Determines Altitude overseen by Jefferson-Lincoln County Circuit Court, 6th Division (Juvenile), in Pine Bluff — $15,000.
• Project Reach/Club Hope overseen by Leaders Inc. of Sherwood, $30,000.
• Love Letters Community Center for Youth overseen by Love Letters A Universal Sound Multi-Purpose Community Youth Center & Gym of North Little Rock, $19,230
• Southwest Alive and Free Project overseen by Ministry of Intercession/Bridge to Success of Little Rock, $29,354.
• Quality Uplift and Education for Students overseen by Omegas of Greater Little Rock, $11,480.
• G.P.S. Monitoring Program overseen by Phillips County Juvenile Probation Department at Helena-West Helena, $30,000
• Follow the Leader overseen by Second Chance at Life of El Dorado, $30,000.
• Life’s Intensive Skills Training overseen by Garland County in Hot Springs, $45,900.
• The Community Garden of HEROS overseen by the Garland County Juvenile Court in Hot Springs, $8,951.25.