S-1965

AN ACT Relating to community grants for programs for young adolescents; adding new sections to chapter 43.63A RCW; making an appropriation; and providing an expiration date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) Adolescence is a time of major developmental change. It is essential that adolescents establish an individual identity with unique goals and aspirations, emancipate from parents and caregivers physically and emotionally, and develop skills to become self-sufficient in order to become a successful adult. Increasing numbers of adolescents are having trouble successfully reaching adulthood, leaving them unable to function independently and causing great concern among parents, social services and health providers, educators, law enforcement, and the community at large. Children are our most valuable natural resource. A skilled and talented work force is businesses' most valuable resource. Children who drop out of school, are addicted to alcohol or other drugs, or become parents before they are ready to parent find it increasingly difficult to become successful, self-sufficient adults and productive members of the work force. This valuable work force is critical to a productive future for Washington. While the causes for these problems are complex, a central factor is extensive societal change that creates a need for adults to act as mentors and appropriate role models to guide children's growth and development.

(2) It is the intent of the legislature that the community become more capable of providing ample opportunity for success. The legislature recognizes that just as early childhood is a critical juncture in establishing the foundation for positive development, young adolescence is a critical juncture when young people form values and make fateful choices about what qualities they want in friends, how they will treat their bodies, what they expect from parents and adults, and how they will fit into the community and world.

(3) The legislature finds that these choices have significant social, health, and financial consequences for adolescents, their families, communities, and the state. The legislature further finds that enabling and motivating young adolescents to make these choices wisely is essential to improving the life chances of all adolescents in the state and to preventing such costly social and health problems as substance abuse, suicide, early sexual activity, adolescent pregnancy, sexually transmitted disease, crime, delinquency, school dropout, reduced earning capacity, and family dysfunction.

(4) The legislature finds that by providing the opportunity and incentive for the development of family and community strategies that enable and motivate adolescents to make choices wisely is essential to improving their success as adults and preventing costly social and health problems. Young adolescents are at a juncture between childhood and adolescence that makes them particularly receptive to well-defined activities that build their personal skills, self-esteem, and self-worth and will help them plan for the future and understand their goals and aspirations. Values such as honesty, good citizenship, a positive work ethic, and personal integrity are essential to their growth and development.

(5) The pilot projects established in sections 2 through 6 of this act are intended to mobilize communities to:

(a) Examine how well the community is providing middle-school-age youth the self-esteem, knowledge, skills, and motivation they need to make healthy choices and succeed in life;

(b) Plan and implement improvements in the community's system of programs and activities targeting middle-school-age youth and their families for success;

(c) Develop incentive programs to recognize and reward adolescents who are making healthy choices, are developing skills and abilities, and are contributing to their communities; and

(d) Enhance parent and young adolescent interaction by strongly

promoting parental involvement in programs and services.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout sections 1 through 8 of this act.

(1) "Community" means a political subdivision, a group of political subdivisions, or a geographic area within a political subdivision in the state.

(2) "Young adolescent" means middle or junior high school age youth.

(3) "Adolescent" means middle, junior high, and high school age youth.

(4) "Parent" means father, mother, stepfather, stepmother, grandparent, or guardian.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) The department shall establish and administer a community-based program targeting young adolescents for teen success. The department is authorized to award grants to communities for the planning and improvement of the community's system of programs, practices, policies, and activities to provide young adolescents the knowledge, self-worth, skills, motivation, self discipline, and family and community support necessary to make healthy choices and succeed in adolescence and throughout life.

(2) The director shall appoint a committee to evaluate grant applicants' fulfillment of the requirements under section 5 of this act and recommend projects for approval. One representative shall be appointed to the committee from each of the following: The department of community development, the office of the superintendent of public instruction, the department of health, the department of social and health services, the employment security department, and the administrator for the courts. Three members shall be appointed from professionals whose experience is in child and adolescent development. Three members shall be appointed from parents of young adolescents. One female young adolescent and one male young adolescent shall also be appointed. The department shall consider the recommendations of the committee in making grant awards.

(3) The department may solicit and accept grants and donations from public and private sources for the program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. (1) Pursuant to section 3 of this act, the department shall, from funds appropriated for this purpose, award eight grants to applicants representing diverse geographic locations, including both urban and rural communities, throughout the state.

(2) The department shall distribute the initial grants by August 31, 1991.

(3) Initial projects may be conducted for up to six years, if funds are so provided. Subject to department approval and continued state funding, projects initially funded for two years may be extended for a total period not to exceed six years. Future funding shall be conditioned on a positive evaluation of the project.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. (1) The goal of the pilot projects shall be to increase adolescent well-being and self-worth as evidenced by indicators of adolescent health and well-being including, but not limited to: Indicators of drug and alcohol abuse; indicators of tobacco use; suicide; early sexual activity; adolescent pregnancy; sexually transmitted disease; crime; delinquency; school dropout; reduced earning capacity; and family dysfunction.

(2) The pilot projects under section 3 of this act shall be based upon the following principles:

(a) Only a community, multidimensional approach to young adolescent success is likely to have a significant impact on the overall rate of adolescent success in the community.

(b) Each community has unique needs and circumstances regarding young adolescents and their families, and therefore communities should design their own projects.

(c) New, positive, innovative programs or activities that emphasize integration of existing positive programs or activities that involve young adolescents and their families should be developed.

(d) The focus should be on the periods of transition between elementary school and middle or junior high school, and between middle or junior high school and high school, which are particularly important to adolescent success.

(3) Each project shall include:

(a) Role modeling, business linkage, family life education involving young adolescents and parents, community service such as volunteerism, and citizenship learning.

(b) Development or improvement of community programs in at least three of the following areas, including steps to link these programs to other programs in the community related to young adolescent success:

(i) Tobacco, drug, and alcohol resistance education;

(ii) Peer counseling and support;

(iii) Expanding recreational and social opportunities for all young adolescents in the community; and

(iv) Education success.

(c) A family involvement component, which shall include at least parent education in preparing young adolescents for adolescent success, with attention to involving all families of young adolescents regardless of ethnicity, home language, economic status, or educational background.

(d) Development of an incentive program to reward adolescents for making healthy lifestyle choices and contributing to their communities. The incentive program shall:

(i) Be open to all adolescents in the community;

(ii) Use locally developed resources to provide rewards; and

(iii) Use a system of peer review to determine the granting of the rewards. This system shall be based on a policy developed locally with the involvement of young adolescents, older adolescents, parents, businesses, service organizations, churches, local government, and the local school district.

(4) Nothing in this section shall be construed to mean that a particular curriculum or program must be used. However, pilot projects are encouraged to use curricula, programs, and activities that have been evaluated and determined to be successful. The curricula, programs, and activities shall address the goals of this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. Applications for grants under section 4 of this act shall be submitted by July 31, 1991. Each application shall:

(1) Define the community requesting funding.

(2) Designate a lead agency or organization.

(3) Describe the current system of programs, activities, and services for young adolescents and their families in the community, and describe how it is envisioned the project will contribute to the integration and expansion of this system and the achievement of program goals.

(4) Document that a local advisory board has been created for the project after wide solicitation for membership and a fair selection process has been used. The advisory board shall have twelve members representing a broad cross-section of community members and shall include, at minimum, one male and one female adolescent.

(5) Include written assurance that each member of the advisory board will participate in a technical training and assistance program and as the project progresses oversee:

(a) Development of a community mission statement and community goals regarding preparing young adolescents for success;

(b) Assessment of young adolescent needs in the community;

(d) Ongoing local evaluation of the project.

(6) Include written assurance that all parties involved will work cooperatively during the term of the pilot project.

(7) Include written assurance that the project will cooperate with the program evaluation provided under section 9 of this act by providing requested data and information.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. (1) The department of community development shall report to the legislature on the progress of the young adolescent success program by January 1 of each odd-numbered year. The first report shall be submitted by January 1, 1993.

(2) Each organization receiving a grant under sections 2 through 6 of this act shall submit an annual report to the department of community development on the progress of the pilot project, including the detail of expenditures of public moneys and the results of ongoing local evaluation of the project, as a condition of receipt of continued funding. The department shall also develop a tool for use in the local ongoing evaluation of the projects.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. The department shall contract with an independent entity to conduct an evaluation of the effectiveness of the projects established in sections 2 through 6 of this act. The evaluation shall, at minimum, assess progress on the criteria identified in section 5(1) of this act and analyze which program elements were important to project success, taking into account the effect of other factors in the community on project success. The evaluation shall also identify any barriers to project success that may be caused by local, state, or federal rules, regulations, policies, or procedures. The January 1, 1995, department report on the young adolescent success program shall include preliminary results of the evaluation. The January 1, 1997, department report shall include final results of the evaluation and recommendations for a state-wide community-based young adolescent success program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. (1) The sum of nine hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the general fund to the department of community development for the biennium ending June 30, 1993, for the purposes of this act.

(2) Of this amount, eight hundred thousand dollars is provided solely for award grants provided by section 4 of this act.

(3) Of this amount, one hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is provided solely for the evaluation provided by section 9 of this act.

(4) Funds provided under this act shall not be expended for medical or pharmaceutical services or referrals or contraceptive services or referrals funded pursuant to chapter 74.09 RCW. Funds appropriated in this act shall not be supplanted for existing family planning services. Sexuality education programs for young adolescents under section 4 of this act shall not include the dispensing of contraceptives or showing young adolescents how to use them, through programs or materials.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. Sections 1 through 8 of this act are each added to chapter 43.63A RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 11. This act shall expire June 30, 1998.