CFK reports from:Capitol Hill
Event: press conference announcing bipartisan support for Federal Youth Coordination Act
Organized by: The National Collaboration for Youth
Where/When: Washington, D.C., February 16, 2005

Today on Capitol Hill, the National Collaboration for Youth held a press conference to show support for the passage of the bipartisan Federal Youth Development Act of 2005. Members of the national alliance of youth development nonprofits say that the Act, if ultimately passed by the Senate and House and signed into law by President Bush, would vastly improve communication among federal agencies that serve at-risk youth throughout the nation.

The Act would establish a Federal Youth Development Council to assess the needs of youth agencies, coordinate goal setting and help agencies share best practices. Children served by federal programs include those in the foster care and juvenile justice systems, homeless youth and educationally at-risk kids.

The Act grew from recommendations made by the White House Task Force for Disadvantaged Youth, which reported in 2003 that 10 million American teens are at serious risk of not becoming successful adults. The Task Force found that programs aimed at helping these young people are spread across 12 federal departments—with little or no communication between them.

“We do a lot for young people today,” said Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN), one of the co-sponsors of the legislation. “But we’ve got to be sure we’re doing it the best we can.”

“The needs of America’s 10 million disadvantaged children and youth are complex and must be coordinated in an efficient manner,” added Congressman Donald Payne (D-NJ).

Congressman Tom Osborne (R-NE), also a co-sponsor, indicated that the $1.5 million price tag associated with the legislation “would be saved many times over” through increased coordination and communication among agencies.

Organizers said that they are hopeful President Bush will quickly add his voice to the Congressional support for the bill. Bush indicated in his 2005 State of the Union address that aiding high school students and at-risk youth are a priority for his second term.

Said Osborne, “I think we have it in good shape where it has a chance to pass.”

Connect for Kids worked with the National Collaboration for Youth in preparing materials for the event. For more information on the Act, visit: http://www.nydic.org/nydic/policy/fyca.htm