Announcement: Requests for letters of intent community based child abuse and prevention funding
The Department of Child Services Regional Service Council and Children’s Bureau will be selecting local child abuse prevention service providers. Local child abuse prevention services are defined as both primary and secondary prevention services.
Community Partners will fund primary and secondary prevention programs. Primary prevention is defined as those services and programs that positively influence families, parents, caretakers, and children in the general population before abuse or neglect occurs. Primary prevention services:
- are accessible to everyone in the community;
- are received voluntarily;
- seek to promote positive family functioning rather than preventing problems;
- attempt to influence social forces which impact parents and children;
- are culturally responsive to the program participants, building on the cultural strengths of the family and community; and
- utilize methods which are educational and supportive, rather than clinical or treatment-oriented.
Secondary prevention services are offered to populations considered “at risk”. Although child abuse or neglect may not have occurred within these families, there is a higher probability that it may occur (or it may have occurred without clear recognition). Secondary prevention services:
- are offered to a predefined group of vulnerable or “at risk” individuals
- are received voluntarily
- Focus on particular stressors or parenting issues for identified parents and caretakers
- seek to promote positive family functioning rather than just preventing problems
- build upon participants’ strengths and are not based on a deficit approach
- offer solutions oriented to specific program participants, building on the cultural strengths of the family and community
The goals or objectives of prevention services are:
- to promote the safety of children
- to reduce the number of children being removed from their parents, guardians, or custodians;
- to promote the efficiency of programs and services by coordinating available resources
- to prevent or reduce the number of children who are victims of child abuse, neglect, exploitation, or delinquency
Prevention funding is limited this year as reserves are being held to support the increased need for concrete assistance. Please submit proposals, of no more than (3) three pages, by April 9, 2021 at 5pm to:
Megan Wills, Director at mwills@childrensbureau.org
Jill Kelly, VP Prevention Services at jkelly@childrensbureau.org
Joanie Crum, Regional Manager at Joanie.Crum@dcs.IN.gov
Decisions will be announced at Regional Service Council on April 28, 2021.
Guidelines for completing a letter of intent
All letters of intent should include each section below.
- Description of the Agency:
This section should include agency background information including a brief description, the agency’s mission, services offered, geographic area served, number of individuals served, and the number of full-time and part-time staff. An organizational chart should also be attached.
- Description of Program Services:
Please describe the services being provided with requested funding including any information regarding evidence based services, a description of the target population, how many clients will be served in each county, and how to make referrals to the proposed services.
- Definition of how the services help prevent child abuse and neglect:
Please describe the goals of the program and how these goals prevent child abuse and neglect.
- Budget and Budget Narrative:
Provide a summary of project budget addressing the type and amount of funds requested, a line item description including staff costs, supplies, space/marketing, or any other costs associated with the project. Please provide a rate per services as well.
Below is a sample Budget:
Staff costs $10,000.00
Curriculum/Materials $ 5,000.00
Presentation per school $ 300.00
Please be aware that payment for brokered dollars is dependent upon state funding. Payments are made after funding is received by Children’s Bureau (approximately 60 days.) All agencies being funded through brokered dollars must be an established nonprofit, capable of obtaining appropriate liability insurance before a contract can be completed, and must comply with state regulations regarding background checks, fingerprinting, etc.
- Outcomes expected from the program and how they are measured:
- Please include expected outcomes and the tracking method for these outcomes.
Please include a Contact person for the program