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Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Program Descriptions

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE

16.547: Victims of Child Abuse

Popular Name: (Judicial Child Abuse Training, Investigation and Prosecution of Child Abuse Through the Criminal Justice System, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), and Children's Advocacy Centers)

Objectives: To develop model technical assistance and training programs to improve the courts' handling of child abuse and neglect cases. Facilitate the adoption of laws to protect children against the potential second assault of the courtroom proceeding; to address the present situation in which many States have adopted innovative procedures that have far outpaced Federal law, leaving those children who do enter the Federal system inadequately protected; to address the inconsistency and disparity among State laws on child abuse; to train criminal justice system personnel on up-to-date, innovative techniques for investigating and prosecuting child abuse cases; and, to promote a multidisciplinary approach to coordinating the investigations and prosecution of child abuse cases and, thereby, limiting the number of pre-trial interviews a child must go through as well as better assure the accuracy of each interview. The National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association provides technical assistance, information and support to local CASA programs, as well as assists communities in developing new programs, and provides support to existing and developing State organizations on issues such as the development of goals and objectives, State legislation, and State standards to strengthen local programs. Assist communities in developing child-focused programs designed to improve the resources available to children and families; provide support to non-offending family members; enhance coordination among community agencies, professionals, and provide medical support to health care and mental health care professionals involved in the intervention, prevention, prosecution, and investigation systems that respond to child abuse cases. The American Prosecutors Research Institute's National Center for the Prosecution of Child Abuse (NCPCA) pursues improvement of the quality of child abuse prosecution by providing training and technical assistance in the subject area.

PROGRAM AND AWARD FINANCIAL AND INFORMATION CONTACTS

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO.

APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS INFORMATION CONTACTS

RELATED PROGRAMS ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS

PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS

16.547 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility: Eligible applicants are designated in the congressional appropriations process for judicial child abuse training, investigation and prosecution of child abuse through the criminal justice system, and Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA). Local nonprofit agencies/organizations may apply to National Court Appointed Special Advocates (NCASA) for State CASA programs and to start or expand local court appointed special advocate programs. Advocacy centers or agencies/organizations interested in start-up of children's advocacy centers may apply to the National Network of Children's Advocacy Centers (NNCAC) for funds awarded to them by OJJDP for this purpose.

Beneficiary Eligibility: Public or private agencies/organizations addressing child abuse problem.

Credentials/Documentation: Cost will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87 for State and local governments, A-21 for educational institutions, and A-122 for nonprofit organizations.

16.547 APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS:

Preapplication Coordination: This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure: Procedures for application for funds to support CASA programs will be available through competitive proposals issued by National Court Appointed Special Advocates (NCASA), 100 W. Harrison St., North Tower, Suite 500, Seattle, Washington 98119-4123; and funds to support local children's advocacy centers will be available through solicitations issued by the National Network of Children's Advocacy Centers, Inc. (NNCAC), 1319 F Street, NW.; Ste 1001, Washington, DC 20004-1106.

Award Procedure: The Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justice Programs, has final approval authority over grants awarded by OJJDP. Award package is sent to grantee. Procedures for applications for CASA and local children's advocacy funds will be provided in the solicitations for competitive proposals issued by NCASA and NNCAC.

Deadlines: None.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time: Not applicable.

Appeals: Not applicable.

Renewals: The term for this grant program budget period will be for a period of 12 to 36 months.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals: By congressional designation, funds will be made available specifically for the Judicial Child Abuse Training to the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, for the Investigation and Prosecution of Child Abuse through the Criminal Justice System to the American Prosecutor Research Institute, Court Appointed Special Advocates and the National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association, for the development of local Children's Advocacy Centers through the National Network of Children's Advocacy Centers and the four Regional Children's Advocacy Centers.

Examples of Funded Projects: Not applicable.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance: Not applicable.

16.547 RELATED PROGRAMS:

None.

16.547 PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

The NCPCA responded to about 6,500 calls for technical assistance and trained about 10,000 child abuse control professionals during fiscal year 1999. During 2000, technical assistance and training was provided by NCASA to 950 local CASA programs with 55,000 volunteers representing service to 275,000 children. A range of technical assistance materials were disseminated, and funds were made available to 100 new organizations/agencies either operating CASAS for start-up or to statewide CASA programs. Responses were provided to about 2,500 requests for technical assistance. Continuation awards totaling $22,600 were made to develop CASA programs in tribal courts. (1) 8,224 resource guides on improving court practices and other technical materials have been distributed to staff of the nation's juvenile and family courts to assist them in improving the handling of child abuse cases. The materials were developed by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges which is working with ten jurisdictions to replicate the demonstration court model; (2) Continuation awards to the National Network to support local CACs and continuation awards to the four regional centers for fiscal year 2000; (3) The National Council also developed and implemented a "Train the trainers" course on improving court practice in abuse and neglect cases and conducted more than 30 training sessions for judicial personnel. The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges provided training based on the Resource Guidelines was provided at 10 national and 45 state-based training programs. Information on this project was disseminated through specialized project sponsored publications, the Internet, conferences, publication of feature stories in Juvenile Justice Today magazine and distribution of a project brochure. Early project activities in each of the ten Original Model Courts began with the establishment of a judicially-led, system-wide, collaborative assessment of how each court was handling child abuse and neglect cases - how specific failures to promote safety and permanency for children could be remedied. These cross-systems collaborations quickly identified specific systemic barriers to safety and permanence, and pointed to practical plans for changes in each jurisdiction.

16.547 FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO:

Federal Agency: OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS, OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Type of Assistance: Project Grants.

Obligations: (Grants) FY 99 $13,643,100; FY 00 est $15,921,506; and FY 01 est $15,811,600.

Budget Account Number: 15-0405-0-1-754; 15-8586-0-1-754.

Authorization: Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990, Public Law 101-647.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature: Applications and current edition of the OJP Financial Guide, are available upon request.

16.547 INFO CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office: None.

Headquarters Office: Emily C. Martin, Training and Technical Assistance Division, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice, Washington, DC 2031. Phone: (202) 307-5940. Use the same number for FTS.

(See Appendix IV for more contact info.)

16.547 ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements: Not applicable.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance: Grants are generally awarded for a 12 month time period, but may have a 12 to 36 month project period.

Uses and Use Restrictions: Funds are available specifically to achieve the objectives of the Judicial Child Abuse Training, Investigation and Prosecution of Child Abuse Through the Criminal Justice System, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), and the Regional and Local Advocacy Centers.

16.547 POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports: Final financial reports and semi-annual and final program performance reports will be required as stipulated in the effective edition of the OJP Financial Guide. Similar reporting requirements will be required by NLASA and NNLAC to satisfy Federal requirements.

Audits: All organizations that expend financial assistance of $300,000 or more in any fiscal year must have a single audit for that year in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-133, as amended, unless the audit condition on the award says otherwise. These audits are due to the cognizant Federal agency not later than 9 months after the end of the grantee's fiscal year.

Records: Grantee must keep complete records on the disposition of funds.