Technical Assistance Partnership for Child and Family Mental Health

APRIL/MAY 2003

Q: How are the Community Prevention Grants Program funds allocated from OJJDP to states, territories, and local communities?

All states, U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia may apply for Title V funds provided that they have a state agency designated by the chief executive under Section 299(c) of the JJDP Act and a State Advisory Group, or SAG. Title V grant awards are based on a formula derived from the state's population of juveniles younger than the maximum age allowed for original juvenile court delinquency jurisdiction, with a minimum award level of $100,000 for states and $33,000 for territories, with the exception of Puerto Rico, which receives an amount based on its juvenile population.

After OJJDP awards grants to the state, the SAG, in consultation with the state agency, awards subgrants to units of local government through a competitive process. Because states have broad discretion in applying Title V funds to prevention activities, the competitive process may differ from state to state.   Eligibility requirements, however, must be consistent across all states, as outlined in the Federal Register, August 1, 1994 (Volume 59, Number 146).

In the 2004 budget, Title V funding moves from the juvenile justice appropriation to the justice assistance appropriation with most funding under the Strengthening the Justice System Decision Unit.