This project is designed to comprehensively address the complex intersection of juvenile delinquency, the preservation of tribal culture, and pervasive educational disparities within the…

The Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Assistance awarded the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation $100,000 on October 1, 2025, under the Tribal Youth Program (CFDA 16.731) to develop a comprehensive strategic plan addressing juvenile delinquency, tribal cultural preservation, and educational disparities within Confederated Salish Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) communities.

The award funds a foundational planning period that integrates data-driven design, juvenile justice, and tribal education systems to reduce delinquency and recidivism rates while improving educational outcomes and fostering cultural identity among tribal youth. The planning process responds to documented gaps in mental health and substance use services tailored to CSKT students and limited family engagement in existing services, informed by ongoing community needs assessments and tribal agency reports.

Performance occurs in Pablo, Montana, with a performance period running through September 30, 2030. The assistance type is a project grant.

This project is designed to comprehensively address the complex intersection of juvenile delinquency, the preservation of tribal culture, and pervasive educational disparities within the confederated salish kootenai tribes (cskt) communities. The project will serve as a foundational planning period to empower the tribes to develop a robust strategic plan that focuses on empowering youth. This plan will integrate data-driven design, juvenile justice, and tribal education systems, with the overarching goals of significantly reducing delinquency and recidivism rates, while simultaneously improving educational outcomes and fostering a strong sense of cultural identity among tribal youth. This project is imperative because current data, derived from ongoing community needs assessments and tribal agency reports, reveals alarming gaps in essential services. Specifically, the tribes face severe shortages of mental health and substance use services tailored to the unique needs of cskt students and have limited family engagement in services. Conference activity description: n/a