Mentoring Grants Of $46 Milllion Target Children Of Prisoners
Grants ofF $45.6 million to provide mentors to children of prisoners hve been awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human services (HHS). The grants are aimed at helping some of the two million children who have at least one incarcerated.
Research has found that significant physical absence of a parent has profound effects on child development. Children of incarcerated parents are seven times more likely to become involved in the juvenile and adult criminal justice systems. Parental arrest and confinement often lead to stress, trauma, stigmatization and separation problems for children. These problems may be compounded by existing poverty, violence, substance abuse, high-crime environments, child abuse and neglect, multiple caregivers and/or prior separations.
The grants are administered through HHS’ Administration for Children and Families, which received 581 applications this year for new grant money. Panels were conducted in Washington for two weeks in May and 164 grantees were selected, totaling $35 million. Some of the recipients include Volunteers of America in Louisiana, the Anchorage Children’s Home in Florida and Big Brothers/Big Sisters in Michigan. The awards are the first installment in three-year grants.
Additionally, five tribal grantees won mentoring awards totaling $1.7 million. The awards are the first installment in three-year grants.
Finally, $8.9 million was awarded to organizations for their second year of mentoring service, continuing the three-year grants announced last year.
The mentoring children of prisoners program is a three-year initiative which has allowed approximately 6,000 kids to have been mentored, with an expectation of 33,000 additional youth served as a result of the new grants.