DC Youth and Young Adult Update 02-14-2025

By NYEC | February 14, 2025

 

 

 

News at NYEC: 

  • OMB Federal Funding Freeze: Experiencing Issues or Have Questions? Contact us! On January 27th, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a memo requiring all agencies to temporarily pause disbursement of federal assistance and submit to OMB information on impacted programs by February 10. By January 29th, the memo was rescinded after a federal judge temporarily blocked the action. The National Council for Nonprofits has since filed a lawsuit against the OMB over the guidance, as have State Attorneys General. The White House released a Q&A sheet to clarify confusion surrounding the guidance, which can be found here. If your program has been impacted, we encourage you to reach out to [email protected] to share any information, and NYEC will continue to provide new information as we receive it. 
  • Join the National Youth Employment Coalition’s 2025 Annual Forum- Empowering Youth, Transforming Communities, in Minneapolis, MN, from May 12-14, 2025! This event will gather practitioners, youth advocates, and community leaders to explore key topics like youth leadership, holistic supports, living wage employment, and policy & advocacy.  
  • Fill out a 6-month Federal Advocacy Calendar! Interested in being more engaged in federal advocacy? The hyperlinked title will direct you to a JotForm that lists concrete steps that you can take in the first 6 months of the year to build a relationship with your Members of Congress! NYEC will make it easy to complete each goal of every month by sharing support, reminders, and more!  

Legislative Branch:  

  • 119th Congressional Committee Updates: 
  • Nomination Hearing – Secretary of Labor: The Senate HELP Committee rescheduled the nomination hearing for Lori Chavez-DeRemer, President Trump’s nominee for U.S. Secretary of Labor. The hearing is rescheduled for 10:00am on February 19, 2025. The meeting location has not been released yet. NYEC will virtually attend this hearing and will report out on any questions or responses related to opportunity youth.  
  • Senate Budget Committee: Russ Vought has been confirmed by the Senate as the next Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Vought was confirmed by a vote of 53-47. 
  • Reps. McBath, Hayes, Mannion, Takano, Thompson Introduce Legislation to Train American Workers: Representative Lucy McBath (GA-6)—alongside Representatives Jahana Hayes (CT-5), John Mannion (NY-22), Mark Takano (CA-39), and Mike Thompson (CA-4)—has re-introduced H.R.1132, the Training Retention and Investment Now for a Better America (TRAIN) Act. It strengthens an existing initiative in the Department of Labor (DOL) that invests in community college partnerships with their respective, local employers. The bill was previously introduced as part of the bipartisan Stronger Workforce for America Act. The full bill text has not been released yet. 
  • Senator Amy Klobuchar Introduces S.531: Sen. Klobuchar (D-MN) has introduced S.531, a bill to assist States in, and pay for the Federal share of the cost of, defraying the cost of pre-apprenticeships or related instruction associated with qualified apprenticeship programs, and for other programs. The full bill text has not been released yet. 

Executive Branch:  

  • U.S. Department of Education Reverses Biden-era CTE Program Regulations: The U.S. Department of Education announced the reversal of a regulatory reporting requirement introduced under the Biden-Harris Administration, which would have imposed additional compliance obligations on state and local career and technical education (CTE) programs. The Department plans to reinstate previous reporting guidelines and work collaboratively with stakeholders on future updates to the Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. 

Federal Funding Opportunities with upcoming deadlines: 

No new federal funding opportunities 

Previously Shared  

  • DOJ Grant: OJJDP FY25 Juvenile Justice System Reform and Reinvestment Initiative: This funding opportunity seeks to support states’ implementation of innovative and/or research-based, data-informed policies to improve juvenile justice system outcomes and sustainable strategies for reinvesting resulting costs saved or averted into effective juvenile justice prevention and intervention programs. Applications due March 3, 2025. 
  • DOJ Grant: OJJDP FY25 National Mentoring Resource Center: This funding opportunity seeks to build on OJJDP’s history and leadership in mentoring by providing the mentoring field and practitioners with comprehensive resources and training materials on the OJJDP National Mentoring Resource Center website. Applications due March 3, 2025. 
  • DOJ Grant: OJJDP FY25 National Mentoring Programs: This funding opportunity seeks to enhance and expand mentoring services for youth who are at risk or high risk for juvenile delinquency, victimization, and juvenile justice system involvement. Applications due March 5, 2025. 
  • DOJ Grant: OJJDP FY25 Strategies To Support Children Exposed to Violence: This funding opportunity seeks to provide funding to communities to develop coordinated and comprehensive community-based approaches to help children and their families who are exposed to violence (CEV) build resilience, restore their safety, heal their social and emotional wounds, and prevent future violence and delinquency. Applications are due March 10, 2025.  
  • DOJ Grant: OJJDP FY25 Regional Children’s Advocacy Centers Program: This program furthers DOJ’s mission by supporting and strengthening four regional children’s advocacy centers (CACs) that will deliver coordinated training and technical assistance within and across the regions to CACs, members of multidisciplinary teams, programs, and organizations to improve the investigation and prosecution of child abuse and neglect and the provision of children’s advocacy center services to child victims and their families. Applications are due March 12, 2025. 
  • HHS Grant: Statewide Family Network: The purpose of this program is to provide resources to enhance the capacity of statewide mental health family-controlled organizations to support, train, and mentor family members/primary caregivers who are raising children, youth, and young adults with serious emotional disturbance (SED) and/or co-occurring disorders (COD). Applications due March 17, 2025. 
  • FY25 U.S. Department of Justice Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation: This Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS) funding opportunity seeks to provide funding to improve public safety and victim services in tribal communities. CTAS provides federally recognized tribes and tribal consortia an opportunity to apply for funding to aid in developing a comprehensive and coordinated approach to public safety. Applications are due March 18, 2025.  
  • USDA Grant: Youth Farm Safety Education and Certification: Youth Farm Safety Education and Certification (YFSEC) Program for Fiscal Year 2025 supports national efforts to deliver timely, pertinent, and appropriate farm safety education to youth seeking employment or already employed in agricultural production. Applications are due March 20, 2025. 
  • DOJ Grant: Building a Community of Practice for Women in Strategic Trade: This grant exists to create a professional network and community of practice to advance women working in strategic trade through sustained mentorship. Experienced international strategic trade experts and practitioners will guide early- or mid-career women in the strategic trade field through a sustained six-month mentorship. Applications are due March 25, 2025. 
  • DOJ Grant: BJA FY25 STOP School Violence Program: This funding opportunity aims to support school safety by implementing solutions to enhance school climate, establish school-based behavioral threat assessment and intervention teams to identify violence risks, introduce technologies like anonymous reporting tools, and apply other evidence-based strategies to prevent violence. Applications are due March 27, 2025. 
  • DOJ Grant: BJA FY25 Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program: This funding opportunity seeks to fund programs that support collaborations to improve public safety responses and outcomes for people with mental health disorders (MHDs) or co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders (MHSUDs). The goal is to improve safety and well-being for adults with MHDs (including people with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)) or MHSUDs who come into contact with the criminal justice system. Applications are due April 3, 2025. 
  • DOJ Grant: OVW Fiscal Year 2025 Grants to Indian Tribal Governments Program: The Grants to Indian Tribal Governments Program, referred to as the Tribal Governments Program, assists Tribal governments (or their authorized designees) to respond to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking, and stalking in Tribal communities. Applications are due April 8, 2025.  
  • DOJ Grant: NIJ FY25 Graduate Research Fellowship: This funding opportunity seeks to support doctoral students whose dissertation research is relevant to preventing and controlling crime, advancing knowledge of victimization and effective victim services, or ensuring the fair and impartial administration of criminal or juvenile justice in the United States. Applications are due April 15, 2025.  
  • USDA Grant: Community Connect Grant Program: The Community Connect Grant Program provides financial assistance to eligible applicants that will provide service at or above the Broadband Grant Speed (100 Mbps down and 20 Mbps up) to all premises in rural, economically-challenged communities where broadband service (10 Mbps down and 1 Mbps up) does not exist. Applications due April 21, 2025. 

From The States: 

  • New York: A new report from the New York State Comptroller’s Office reveals a growing childcare crisis in the state, citing staff shortages, a scarcity of available slots, and prohibitive costs as the primary challenges. This alarming trend is further confirmed by the Office of Child and Family Services, which reports a steady decline in the number of childcare providers since before the pandemic. 
  • Washington: A state representative has introduced legislation to strengthen youth labor laws following a rise in workplace injuries among teenagers. House Bill 1644 proposes establishing minimum penalties for youth labor violations, prohibiting companies with multiple serious safety violations from hiring minors, and requiring inspections before authorizing certain minor work permits. This bill counters a recent trend in some Republican-led states where labor protections for young workers have been weakened. The proposed legislation prioritizes the safety and well-being of teenage employees. 

For The Youth: 

  • How To Write Your Resume: The Milwaukee Public Library offers a valuable resource for young people crafting their resumes: Peterson’s Career & Test Prep. This online tool provides guidance on resume creation, cover letter writing, and job searching, with features like resume templates and examples. Accessible through the library’s website, it empowers young job seekers to put their best foot forward in the competitive job market. 
  • How To Interview: Bridging Apps provides a valuable resource for young job seekers navigating the interview process. Their website offers a wealth of information, including tips on crafting a strong resume and cover letter, practicing common interview questions, and understanding different interview formats. Additionally, they offer resources on appropriate interview attire and workplace etiquette, helping young people make a positive impression and increase their chances of success. 

Resources:  

  • Pre-Trial Juvenile Detention Report: A new study published in Crime and Delinquency highlights the detrimental effects of pretrial detention on young people. Researchers from the University of Washington, supported by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, found that even a short stay in pretrial detention significantly increases a young person’s likelihood of reoffending. Specifically, felony recidivism rises by 33% and misdemeanor recidivism by 11%. This research challenges the widespread practice of pretrial confinement for youth, which accounts for 75% of admissions to local detention facilities, and calls for alternative strategies that prioritize community-based solutions and avoid unnecessary detention. 
  • Tips For Tapping Medicaid For Justice-Impacted Youth: States now have greater flexibility in using Medicaid funding to enhance the health and well-being of young people involved in the justice system. They can utilize this funding to provide comprehensive physical and behavioral healthcare services to youth in both juvenile justice facilities and adult jails. Furthermore, states can leverage Medicaid to ensure continuity of care as these young people transition back into their communities, supporting ongoing treatment and reducing disruptions in their healthcare. These expanded opportunities represent a significant advancement in addressing the healthcare needs of justice-involved youth. 

 

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