Maine comprehensive three-year plan FY 2021 - FY 2024 maine will continue to use the findings and recommendations from the children's center for law & policy report

The Maine Department of Corrections will receive $606,853 under a Formula Grant award from the Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. The funding supports the PREA Program: Strategic Support for PREA Implementation federal grant program (CFDA #16.735). Key services include supporting efforts in Maine confinement facilities to achieve compliance with the Prison Rape Elimination Act standards, with goals of reducing sexual abuse and supporting implementation of policies and practices. Specific initiatives focus on crisis response and diversion programs emphasizing community-based mental health services for at-risk youth, supportive housing for youth exiting secure care, and capacity building for organizations serving historically marginalized populations. The award period is October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2026.

Program area 12 mental health the jjag will support the development of more effective crisis responses with a focus on community-based initiatives that successfully minimize or eliminate the role of law enforcement in responding to the behavioral health needs of youth in schools, residential settings, and in the community. The jjag will support efforts to improve the quality of and accessibility to appropriate, evidence-based and promising programs to meet the needs of youth and divert them from justice system involvement. Program area 1 after care /reentry the jjag will support the development of inclusive supportive housing for system-involved youth with an emphasis on youth transitioning out of secure care. The work will focus on community-based support for youth to increase access to approaches that provide payment mechanisms (vouchers, subsidies) and to develop availability of housing stock. The jjag will continue its covid-19 response program to help accelerate the reintegration process and reduces reliance on detention. Program area 2 racial and ethnic disparities guided by the red/DMC plan the jjag will support targeted diversion and related capacity-building efforts in community-based organizations to meet the needs of youth in historically or currently marginalized populations. This includes supporting trainings for judges, court staff, attorneys, law enforcement on trauma informed responses, adolescent development, behavioral and mental health needs. The jjag will work with systems, schools, community-based organizations to amplify youth voice to help promote racial equity. (see: DMC/red draft goal #2, #3, #4) program areas 5 community based programs & 23 gender specific services the jjag will devote resources to community-based programs for girls and lgbtq/GNC youth. The jjag will continue to support local and regional efforts to establish sustainable restorative and transformative justice practices that demonstrate effectiveness in reducing system-involvement and promoting accountability and healing with a focus on ensuring that youth of color, immigrant youth, lgbtq/GNC youth, youth with disabilities, and tribal youth have access to these practices. Positive youth development the jjag will work to elevate and amplify the voices of youth involved in, or at risk of becoming involved in, the JJ system, to authentically engage them in reform efforts. The jjag will engage experts in youth engagement to assist in this goal and youth will receive a stipend for their participation. Jjag will distribute a scholarship, the paul vestal award annually for $5000.00.