Family Group Conferences Program

The Congressionally Selected Awards Program, authorized by the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 (Pub. L. 111-8), helps improve the functioning of the criminal justice system, prevent or combat juvenile delinquency, and/or assist victims of crime (other than compensation). Funds should be used for the projects selected by Congress, in the amounts specified in the joint explanatory statement incorporated by reference into Pub. L. 111-8, and generally consistent with one or more of the following statutory purposes: improving the functioning of the criminal justice system, preventing or combating juvenile delinquency, or assisting victims of crime (other than compensation). Each of these purposes is framed using language drawn, respectively, from the former Byrne discretionary statute, the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, the Victims of Crime Act, and the Violence Against Women Act. This project is authorized and funded through a line item in the FY 09 Congressional Budget and by the joint explanatory statement that is incorporated by reference into the FY09 Omnibus Appropriations Act.

The county of Dauphin will continue the implementation of the nationally recognized modality of Family Group Conference (FGC). FGC is a strength-based, cross-collaborative planning method in the Department of Children and Youth Services. They support the idea that families have strengths and are experts. Dauphin County will expand the practice among the following county agencies: Children and Youth Services, Juvenile Probation, Adult Probation, the Area Agency on Aging and the Department of Drugs and Alcohol Services. In addition, FGC was expanded into the Harrisburg and Middletown School Districts and the Case Management Unit which oversees mental health circumstances. Within the Educational System, the goals are to decrease truancy and dropout rate; decrease the number of children that commit new or repeat juvenile offenses, decrease the number of children in out of home placement, system re-entry, and new allegations of abuse; and decrease the number of probation/parole violations and new offenses committed for those families that have planned using FGC.

NCA/NCF