The proposed continuation of the truancy prevention program will be implemented by the grand traverse band of ottawa and chippewa indians education department

The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians will receive $500,000 through September 2027 under a Project Grant from the Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Assistance Tribal Youth Program (CFDA 16.731). The funding will support continuation of the Tribe's Truancy Prevention Program, which aims to reduce chronic absenteeism among tribal member youth by 20% through community-based prevention and intervention services.

Key services include coordination with tribal court and other entities for student counseling, basic needs assistance, cultural experiences, classroom support, and home visits. A task force called "Naadimaadi-Daa" composed of tribal justice, education, and social services professionals will facilitate service delivery and work to improve the tribal juvenile justice system's response to chronic absenteeism issues. The goal of intervening early to address root causes of truancy aims to prevent at-risk youth involvement in the system, consistent with the broader goals of the Tribal Youth Program to strengthen tribally-driven juvenile justice approaches.

The truancy prevention program strives to intervene prior to chronic absenteeism and assist with the root of social issues that prevent students from attending school. The goal of this program is to provide a community-based prevention and intervention services to tribal member youths located within the tribal community and six-county service area intended to prevent and or intervene chronic absenteeism and at-risk of involvement with the juvenile justice system to reduce chronic absenteeism by 20%. The grand traverse band of ottawa and chippewa indians plan to accomplish this goal through a collaboration in conjunction with tribal court and other inter-tribal and community entities. A task force called "naadimaadi-DAA" ("let US help one another" in anishnaabemowin), was formed by the truancy intervention specialist through the FY 2018 ctas 9 grant. Members include a mixture of professional disciplines that includes the tribal judge, tribal prosecutor, tribal public safety officer, anishinaabek family services, tribal teachers, leelanau county family court, GTB youth intervention specialists, the grant technical advisor, GTB education manager, and other local school officials. The naadimaadi-DAA will work to improve a fair and equitable juvenile justice system for GTB youth. Interventions will include coordination for counseling, food services, school visits, cultural experiences, providing personal hygiene items, incentives, home visits, assisting teachers with developing classroom routines, and using culture as prevention.