Authorizing the Mayor to submit to the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, an application for funding through the youth research and development grants program

Home Browse Search

Bonnie Strycker Executive Director Michele Dobski Assistant Director CITY of SOUTH BEND YOUTH SERVICE BUREAU ROGER 0. P0ENT, Mayor June 16, 1980 Mr. Lew McGann President, South Bend Common Council 4th Floor, County -City Building South Bend, Indiana 46601 Dear Mr. McGann: 121 South Michigan Street South Bend, Indiana 46601 219/284 -9231 Recently the South Bend Youth Service Bureau was offered the opportunity to apply for funding through the Youth Development Bureau of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare to implement an adolescent abuse and neglect project. These funds are available for demonstration projects to be funded for two years at a level of $100,000.00 fdjf4� two year f p-ek& `' No matching funds are required. Only three projects will be funded nationally. Because of the late notification of the funds availability and a deadline of June 30, 1980 the grant application itself is not available to the Council as it is still being finalized. The Youth Service Bureau believes it is in the community's best interest to make application for these funds. Currently there is no coordinated community effort to address the multiple service needs of adolescent victims of abuse, neglect, and maltreatment. The Youth Service Bureau believes it can and should provide leadership in this area. The St. Joseph County Department of Public Welfare is the legally mandated responsible agency. However it does not have the capacity to provide services directly or through referral to this sub - population. The Department of Public Welfare is anxious to cooperate with Youth Service Bureau in this endeavor. It is the commonly shared belief that too often adolescent victims are inappropriately labeled as status or juvenile offenders when in fact they are abuse victims. It is the responsibility of the community to address these issues and to create community-based approaches to abuse and neglect. If this pro- ject is successful, fewer young people will be placed outside of their homes in foster or group homes. Fewer young people will be institutionalized as a result of abuse and neglect. Hopefully the services provided through this project will help to prevent abuse from occurring with younger siblings by providing parents with new skills and alternatives.