GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

EXTRA SESSION 1994

S	1 

SENATE BILL 86*

Short Title:  Child/Adolescent Mentoring Funds.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Senator Jordan.
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Referred to:  Juveniles/Prevention.
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February 15, 1994

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO DEVELOP COMPREHENSIVE COORDINATED CHILD AND ADOLESCENT ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG MENTORING INITIATIVES IN ORDER TO EFFECT SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM CRIME PREVENTION.
Whereas, each child and each adolescent are individuals who have social, emotional, mental, physical, spiritual, educational, and vocational needs that are interrelated; and
Whereas, each child and each adolescent have ethnic background, cultural heritage, and gender identity that should be respected and responded to sensitively and appropriately; and
Whereas, each child and each adolescent need the involvement and support of parents and family, caregivers, and other concerned adults; and
Whereas, children, adolescents, and their families respond to the values of their communities, and these communities should promote positive values and meaningful opportunities to support children, adolescents, and their families in achieving a positive and nurturing home environment; and
Whereas, substance abuse education and comprehensive primary prevention services are effective in preventing the use of alcohol and other drugs, in delaying the onset of substance abuse, and in reducing the incidence of substance abuse problems among children, adolescents, and their families; and
Whereas, broad-based groups within communities, including youth-serving organizations, churches, businesses, civic clubs, and other service organizations should be encouraged to participate in efforts to prevent alcohol and other drug use among children and adolescents; and
Whereas, there is a need for a more comprehensive, coordinated statewide approach to mentoring projects for children and adolescents specific to alcohol and other drug prevention programming; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Human Resources, Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services, the sum of four hundred fifty thousand dollars ($450,000) for the 1993-94 fiscal year and five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for the 1994-95 fiscal year, to:
(1)	Develop, promote, and implement child and adolescent alcohol and other drug abuse prevention mentoring programs to identified and targeted youth populations;
(2)	Conduct research and data collection that provide information on effective mentoring initiatives and the impact of alcohol and other drug prevention efforts, and disseminate pertinent facts and research to public officials, other decision makers, and to professionals and volunteers working with alcohol and other drug mentoring programs with, or on behalf of, children and adolescents in at-risk categories for alcohol and other drug abuse;
(3)	Provide services, training programs, and resources to identified mentoring projects in developing effective curricula and develop a training institute to train mentors on how to effectively implement the alcohol and other drug prevention curricula for the greatest impact and provide measures by which parents can effectively and appropriately be involved;
(4)	Initiate a statewide media campaign to promote mentoring programs as a viable alcohol and other drug prevention element to project a healthy, drug-free lifestyle;
(5)	Provide funds for eight to twelve eligible area programs and contract agencies within identified areas of the State and make available not less than thirty-five percent (35%) of total grant funds to provide opportunity grants to subgrantees such as incorporated nonprofit fraternal organizations, churches, neighborhood associations, and other groups.  Designated subgrantees may receive up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000) per year for the support of such mentoring project expenses as stipends and related program expenses;
(6)	Funds shall be made available through a Request for Proposals (RFP), with grants awarded on a competitive basis to eligible area programs and contract agencies.  Applicants may request grants of up to seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) per year for up to three fiscal years; and
(7)	In the first year of implementation, the Department shall select no less than 10 community mentoring projects for grants of up to seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) each.  In the second year the Department shall award no less than 12 grants up to seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) each.
Sec. 2.  In administering these funds, the Department of Human Resources shall:
(1)	Require applicants to conduct an analysis of current programs within a county to avoid duplication efforts;
(2)	Direct local programs to undertake an annual evaluation of the impact and outcome of the program;
(3)	Allow nonprofit organizations within a county to be eligible to apply for a mentoring program; and
(4)	Expand the State-level oversight by establishing an interdepartmental advisory group.
Sec. 3.  Of the funds appropriated in this act to the Department of Human Resources for the 1993-94 fiscal year and the 1994-95 fiscal year, the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) each fiscal year shall be used for the overall evaluation and on-going support of the mentoring programs as mandated by the General Assembly.  The Department shall develop appropriate outcome and impact measures and may require the return of funds from any programs that do not meet their performance standards.  As of the effective date of this act, any project selected for funding shall include a line item in the proposed budget for the evaluation of the individual project.
Sec. 4.  This act is effective upon ratification.