Updated August 12, 2016

As part of CJII, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and the Institute for State and Local Governance (ISLG) solicited proposals to plan, pilot, and implement Youth Opportunity Hubs to provide wraparound support and opportunities to youth and young adults.

Preventing antisocial behavior and addressing risk factors for delinquency can help young people avoid juvenile and criminal justice system involvement, ultimately resulting in better individual and societal outcomes. Current best practices for working with young people emphasize the importance of wraparound approaches, which coordinate family, community, school and agency resources based on a young person’s individualized needs; and a positive youth development framework, which emphasizes assets, opportunities, and resources in healthy adolescent development. These approaches facilitate the prevention of maladaptive 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.

Youth Opportunity Hubs will link existing service providers within a neighborhood or community. Applicants should propose to provide wraparound support and opportunities to youth and young adults from one or more of the following four neighborhoods: East Harlem, Central and West Harlem, Washington Heights, or the Lower East Side.

Wraparound supports may include:

• Employment and workforce development opportunities
• Education and training
• Mentorship and relationship-building
• Recreation opportunities
• Arts and culture
• Life skills
• Family strengthening support
• Trauma-specific services
• Mental health screening and counseling
• Substance abuse services (including treatment and harm reduction)
• Health education
• Community service
• Housing assistance and placement
• Legal advocacy and access to benefits
• Civic engagement and leadership

Applicants should oversee and coordinate the proposed hub; however, applicants are also expected to explicitly identify other providers to deliver additional wraparound support and opportunities within the hub beyond what is provided currently, as necessary.

ISLG created a CJII LinkedIn group as a way for service providers interested in this opportunity to connect with one another. Participation in the group is voluntary and will not be a factor in selecting the proposals to be funded.

The anticipated total funding for up to six hubs is up to $51.5 million.

Background

ISLG is the technical assistance consultant to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for CJII. ISLG manages CJII on behalf of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, including managing the solicitation and contracting process, managing and providing guidance to award recipients, and providing oversight and performance measurement throughout the lifetime of CJII. Proposals will be submitted and funds awarded through the Research Foundation of CUNY (Research Foundation).

Deadlines

The deadline to submit proposals was Friday, September 23, 2016, at 11:59 pm EST.

The deadline to submit questions about this RFP was July 22, 2016, at 11:59 pm EST.

Documents

• CJII Youth Opportunity Hubs RFP
• ADDENDUM 1: Applicant Questions and Answers
• ADDENDUM 2: CJII LinkedIn Group