Introduction

The Baltimore City Youth Development Strategy was developed in October 2001 by the Family League of Baltimore City's Youth Development Committee. The Strategy was required in order for Baltimore City to receive funding through the State's Consolidated Youth Strategy. The Consolidated Youth Strategy provided funding from a variety of state and federal funding sources to local jurisdictions, through their Local Management Boards, to develop effective programs and system-wide strategies for reducing delinquency, adolescent substance abuse and school dropout. The Baltimore City Youth Strategy-funded programs began in July 2002.

The Youth Development Committee is a standing committee of the Family League's Board of Directors. It comprises members from Baltimore City's key child and family serving agencies, youth and family services providers, community organizations, youth advocates, and other stakeholders. The Committee meets monthly and has held annual planning retreats to update the Youth Development Strategy for re-submission to the Governor's Office of Crime Control & Prevention and the Governor's Office for Children for continued Youth Strategy Initiative funding. The Family League currently receives over $11 million in State and local funding for youth and family development programs.

Mission Statement

Our mission is to maximize the well being of children and youth in Baltimore through the development and coordination of a comprehensive, citywide continuum of family-focused youth programs and services.

Goals & Objectives

Goal 1: Prevent and reduce delinquency in Baltimore City

Process Objective:

• Increase the number and effectiveness of delinquency prevention and reduction programs in the Youth Development Continuum of Services

• To reduce juvenile offenses—from FY’ 02 to FY ’06 as measured by Baltimore Police Department (BPD) data
• To reduce violent offenses—from FY’ 02 to FY ’06 as measured by Baltimore Police Department (BPD) data

Goal 2: Prevent and reduce adolescent substance abuse in Baltimore City

Process Objective:

• Increase the number and effectiveness of adolescent substance abuse prevention and reduction programs in the Youth Development Continuum of Services

• To reduce juvenile drug offenses—from FY ’02 to FY ’06 as measured by BPD data

Goal 3: Prevent and reduce school dropout in Baltimore City

Process Objective:

• Increase the number and effectiveness of dropout prevention and reduction programs in the Youth Development Continuum of Services

• To reduce school truancy rate—from FY ’02 to FY ’06 as measured by Baltimore City Public School System (BCPSS) data
• To reduce school dropout rate—from FY ’02 to FY ’06 as measured by BCPSS data

Strategy

The goals and objectives of the Youth Development Strategy will be met through building a continuum of research-based youth and family services throughout Baltimore City. This continuum will include (1) the programs funded directly by the State's Youth Strategy Initiative, (2) all "other-funded" Family League youth programs and (3) the youth and family services programs funded by the organizations that participate on the Family League Board and Youth Development Committee. It will take the efforts of all of these organizations, incorporating the Youth Development principles outlined in this Strategy, to attain our stated goals and objectives.

1. The Family League will incorporate the Youth Development principles identified in this Strategy into all youth services grant programs it funds and administers.
2. The Family League will, to the extent possible based on funding, track the success of its funded youth service programs on reducing risk factors and problem behaviors and strengthening youth resiliency.
3. Through monthly committee meetings, work groups, workshops, participation on citywide planning groups and committees, and its grant funding opportunities, the Family League will encourage and facilitate the incorporation of these principles by its partners on the Youth Development Committee and the Family League Board of Directors.
4. The Family League will track delinquency, adolescent substance abuse and school dropout trends citywide to help determine the overall impact of Baltimore City's youth services continuum of services on reducing those targeted problem behaviors.

Youth Development Principles

1. Based on the best available research on effective prevention and intervention practices, the youth development approach focuses on reducing known risk factors associated with problem behaviors such as delinquency, substance abuse and dropout, by strengthening known resiliency factors. This approach has demonstrated the greatest effectiveness at developing resilient youth and preventing problem behaviors.
2. Prevention and youth development research also indicates that the most effective programs will strengthen resiliency in several key domains: these domains include the individual, the family, school and the community. For example, programs funded through the Youth Strategy Initiative were focused on the following resiliency factors:
   • Strengthening families
   • Enhancing school performance
   • Strengthening youth relationships with positive peers and adults
   • Strengthening pro-social youth values and attitudes
3. Effective, resiliency-building youth development programs will be provide youth with skills, opportunities, positive activities and positive relationships. For example, programs funded through the Community Grant Services Program will strengthen youth resiliency through:
   • Time spent in supervised, constructive activities
   • Time spent with adults who demonstrate positive beliefs, values and standards
   • Time spent with positive peer groups
   • Time spent learning and practicing social skills
   • Recognizing and building upon the assets and strengths that youth bring to the program.
4. Research indicates that are a common set of risk and resiliency factors for a constellation of unwanted, negative behaviors, including delinquency, violence, substance abuse, truancy, school dropout, and teen pregnancy. An effective, resiliency strengthening youth development program designed to prevent any one of these behaviors is also likely to prevent the other behaviors. We do not need separate prevention programs for each problem behavior.
5. Prevention research also indicates that certain service delivery practices are also more likely to produce positive results. These practices include involving the community in the planning of services; providing accessible, community-based services; and providing culturally competent services in which services provided and service providers reflect the culture, ethnic diversity and values of the communities served. To this end the Family League requires all programs funded to be community based, family-focused and culturally competent.
6. Over the past several years, prevention research has provided us with many examples of promising and best practices and model programs. We will, to the fullest extent possible, allocate our Family League resources to support model programs and programs that are based on research based promising or best practices. We will encourage our Family League member organizations to also allocate their resources for model programs, promising and best practices.
7. All programs funded should establish measurable outcomes based upon the risk factors or behaviors they want to prevent as well as the resiliency factors that they want to strengthen. Attainment of these outcomes should be tracked and data used to both improve program performance and inform future funding decisions.