Letter to the Hon. Shaun Donovan, Director, Office of Management and Budget - Prioritize In-School Mentoring in its 2017 Budget Request

Letter

Today Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24) sent a letter urging the Obama administration to include at least $120 million in the Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention for the Youth Mentoring Grant.

"Youth from low-resource homes or communities are more likely than their more affluent peers to come into contact with the juvenile justice system. For the 31.8 million American children growing up in such circumstances, the complex problems associated with low economic status may become significant risk factors for juvenile delinquency," Rep. Wilson writes.

"School-based mentorship programs are an especially effective strategy for reaching youth from low-resource communities. Teachers and school faculty can identify students whose social, emotional, or academic behaviors signal a need for prevention or intervention services. Mentorship programs based in schools also promote the school connectedness associated with lower levels of delinquency," the letter continues.

"As a former principal and the architect of the nationally-recognized 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project, I can attest that school-based mentoring is a proven and positive prevention and intervention strategy. I stand ready to continue working with the administration on this issue, and I look forward to your taking into close consideration this important request as part of that effort."

The first step in the appropriations process, President Obama's budget request reflects the administration's priorities for the upcoming year. The president's fiscal year 2017 budget is scheduled to be released on February 9, 2016.

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