Summary

The New York County District Attorney’s Office (DANY) is requesting proposals to evaluate the programs funded under the Youth Opportunity Hubs initiative. The five Youth Opportunity Hubs deliver holistic, wraparound supports and opportunities to young people, increase coordination among social service providers in the delivery of these supports and opportunities, build the capacity of local organizations to better address the needs and opportunities in their neighborhoods, and increase the appeal and functionality of spaces and services that support young people’s development.

These five Youth Opportunity Hubs are part of DANY’s broader investments in prevention, which collectively aim to prevent crime, improve public safety, and reduce involvement in the justice system.

Increasing access to services and promoting more equitable opportunities in communities that have experienced high rates of criminal justice activity can help deter future juvenile and criminal justice system involvement, ultimately resulting in better individual, community, and societal outcomes. Current best practices for working with young people emphasize the importance of wraparound approaches,[i] which coordinate family, community, school, and agency resources based on a young person’s individualized needs and strengths; and a positive youth development framework,[ii] which emphasizes the role of assets, opportunities, and resources in healthy adolescent development. These approaches facilitate the prevention of undesired behaviors and outcomes in a way that supports holistic youth development by focusing on young people’s strengths rather than solely or predominantly on risk and delinquency.

Evaluation applicants should propose a research design that achieves a process evaluation; an outcome evaluation of the Youth Opportunity Hubs initiative, including participant-level outcomes (i.e., among clients) and organization- or systems-level outcomes (i.e., among providers and social service systems); and a cost-benefit analysis.

This solicitation reflects DANY’s broad commitment to data-driven decision-making and to informing the research and practice field in New York and more widely.

DANY anticipates awarding up to one contract, with total funding up to $2.2 million over up to five years.

Documents

• Request for Proposals to Evaluate Youth Opportunity Hubs
• ADDENDUM 1: Applicant Questions and Answers

Deadlines

• The deadline to submit questions about this RFP was Friday, November 3, 2017, at 11:59 p.m. EST.
• The deadline to submit proposals was Thursday, December 28, 2017, at 11:59 p.m. EST.
  

Background

ISLG is the technical assistance consultant to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for CJII. ISLG provides input to DANY, manages and provides guidance to the grantees funded under CJII, and conducts oversight and performance measurement throughout the lifetime of the initiative. All funds are administered through the Research Foundation of CUNY (Research Foundation).

Last updated: January 5, 2018

Notes

[i] Farmer, T.W., & Farmer, E.M.Z. (2001). Developmental science, systems of care, and prevention of emotional and behavioral problems in youth. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 71 (2), 171.

Hoagwood, K., Burns, B.J., Kiser, L., Ringeisen, H., & Schoenwald, S.K. (2014). Evidence-based practice in child and adolescent mental health services. Psychiatric Services.

McEvoy, A., & Welker, R. (2000). Antisocial behavior, academic failure, and school climate: A critical review. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 8(3), 130-140.

Spear, L.P. (2000). The adolescent brain and age-related behavioral manifestations. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 24(4), 417-463.

Sprague, J., & Walker, H. (2000). Early identification and intervention for youth with antisocial and violent behavior. Exceptional Children, 66(3), 367-379.

[ii] Benson, P.L., Scales, P.C., Hamilton, S.F., & Sesma, A. (2006). Positive Youth Development: Theory, research, and applications. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Catalano, R. F., Berglund, M.L., Ryan, J.A.M., Lonczak, H.S., & Hawkins, J.D. (2002). Positive Youth Development in the United States: Research findings on evaluations of Positive Youth Development programs. Prevention and Treatment, 5(15).

Durlak, J.A. (1998). Common risk and protective factors in successful prevention programs. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 68(4), 512-520.

Lerner, R.M., Almerigi, J.B., Theokas, C., & Lerner, J.V. (2005). Positive Youth Development. Journal of Early Adolescence, 25(1), 10-16.