MENTORING CHILDREN OF PRISONERS

Pilot project for Hurricane Katrina aftermath

The Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is pleased to announce a national pilot opportunity for established youth mentoring programs that are not current MCP grantees. Mentoring programs with the capacity to facilitate volunteer mentor matches for children of prisoners are eligible to receive financial match support.

What is the Pilot MCP Hurricane Katrina Project?

The pilot MCP Hurricane Katrina Project is an effort to reach potentially thousands of children who may have been displaced by Hurricane Katrina and whose parents are incarcerated. According to recent statistics approximately 2 million children in the U.S. have at least one parent in a Federal or State correctional facility.  In addition to the disruption in the relationship with their parent, these youth often struggle with economic, social, and emotional burdens due to the incarceration of their parent(s).

Data indicates that mentoring programs aid in reducing first-time drug/alcohol usage, improve family relationships, improve academic performance, and reduce the likelihood that the youth will initiate violence.  In addition, mentors provide these children with opportunities to develop trusting relationships with supportive, caring adults in a stable environment that promotes healthy values and strong families. Authorized by Congress in 2003, the Mentoring Children of Prisoners (MCP) program funds community and faith-based organizations and state and local governments across the country to provide children of prisoners with trained mentors to promote Positive Youth Development outcomes.

The pilot MCP Hurricane Katrina Project was created to seek out youth and families affected by the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. We also realize that families may have assimilated into their new communities and may no longer identify themselves as Katrina evacuees. Every effort should now be made to match children of prisoners with nurturing mentors. 

What services are available through the pilot MCP Hurricane Katrina Project?

This project includes ten Regional Youth Services Network Providers who were charged with the task of identifying and working with established mentoring programs in order to provide access to mentoring services to children of incarcerated parents. Match support resources are also involved in this pilot.

Can my mentoring program participate?

Yes, if your mentoring program is not a current MCP grantee and is structured so that you have the capacity to manage matches of children of federally and state sentenced prisoners, ages 4 to 18, appropriately matched with screened and trained adult volunteers for a sustained one-to-one relationship. Please contact your Regional Youth Services Network Provider for details. For a list of Providers, click here.

How do I apply for a pilot MCP Hurricane Katrina Project stipend?

  1. Contact the Regional Youth Services Network Provider that serves your state. A listing is attached.
  2. If eligible, complete and submit the pilot MCP Hurricane Katrina Agency Eligibility Application form to your Regional Youth Services Network Provider.  If approved, you will be able to invoice your Regional Youth Services Network Provider up to $1,000 for each successful match that meets the established MCP program criteria.