OJJDP: Second Chance Act Addressing the Needs of Incarcerated Parents and their Minor Children – US

OJJDP recognizes that the term parent extends to a legal guardian, caregiver, or persons with a strong familial bond with a minor. This program supports activities that foster positive family engagement between incarcerated parents and their children within detention and correctional facilities, including juvenile detention and correctional facilities with young parents, and implements programs and services that support the children of incarcerated parents to reduce the likelihood of antisocial behaviors and future involvement in the juvenile justice system.

In addition, OJJDP seeks applicants who will emphasize partnerships to support housing, mental health services, substance use treatment, and caregiver engagement and support (i.e., support groups, incentives to participate, etc.) to aid in both the reunification of families and the successful reentry of the parent.

Goals and Objectives

• Goal 1: Develop or expand services within juvenile and adult detention and correctional facilities:
  • Objective 1: Expand relationships with community-based service providers and adult and juvenile detention and correctional facilities.
• Goal 2: Improve outcomes for incarcerated parents and their minor children:
  • Objective 1: Develop strategies and approaches to strengthen the relationships between incarcerated parents and their children.
  • Objective 2: Develop policies and practices around visitation.
  • Objective 3: Develop best practices for caregiver engagement.
• Goal 3: Implement programs and services to reduce recidivism and support responsible parenting:
  • Objective 1: Reduce the incarcerated parent’s behavioral infractions during incarceration and recidivism post-release.
  • Objective 2: Provide services to foster positive youth development for children of incarcerated parents.
• Goal 4: Improve interactions among incarcerated parents and their minor children:
  • Objective 1: Support adult and juvenile detention or correctional facilities, prisons, and jails in rural areas that meet the needs of incarcerated parents and their minor children.

Funding Information

• Total Amount to Be Awarded Under This Funding Opportunity: $4,000,000
• Anticipated Award Ceiling: Up to $750,000
• Anticipated Period of Performance Duration: 36 months.

Deliverables

• Program deliverables include:
  • Implement strategies that strengthen the relationships between incarcerated parents and their children while maintaining secure facilities.
  • Assist facilities with capturing data to identify parents.
  • Provide services that meet the needs of children of incarcerated parents and foster positive youth development.
  • Provide reentry and transitional services for incarcerated parents that focus on parental responsibility.
  • Provide family counseling services and educational support to children of incarcerated parents.
  • Develop safety protocols and procedures for innovative approaches to enhance child/parent (e.g., caregivers or persons with strong familial bonds) communication, such as video conferencing, electronic messaging software, audio recordings, additional in-person (special) visitations, specialized units for program participants, transportation assistance for in-person visits, and access for virtual visits.
  • Support facilities for technology, staffing, equipment, tools, and resources to create child friendly spaces for increased engagement.
  • Collect information on services offered or referred to parents and children in the program.
  • Provide corrections officers with expanded trauma-informed training to enhance officers’ self-protection and ensure the physical and emotional safety of visiting children and families.

Eligibility Criteria

• The types of entities that are eligible to apply for this funding opportunity are listed below:
  • Government Entities:
    • State governments
    • County governments
    • City or township governments
    • Native American Tribal governments (federally recognized)
    • Native American Tribal governments (other than federally recognized)
  • Nonprofit Organizations:
    • Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), other than institutions of higher education
    • Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
  • Other:
    • Native American Tribal organizations (other than federally recognized Tribal governments)
    • Units of local government

For more information, visit Grants.gov.