Part II: Application Instructions

A. Submission Instructions

Format:

States may apply in a format best suited to their needs. States are no longer required to submit a Standard Form 424, "Application for Financial Assistance," although a State may use this form if it so chooses.

To receive a grant, States must meet the eligibility requirements identified in this Program Instruction.

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Applicant Information:

The application must clearly state:

name, address, and fax number of the applicant agency.
name, address, telephone number and Internet address of the program specialist responsible for the CJA program.
The applicant agency's Employer Identification Number (EIN).

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Signature:

The application must be signed by the Governor or an individual authorized to act on behalf of the State office, agency, or organization designated by the Governor to apply for a CJA grant, and to assume for that agency the obligations imposed by the terms and conditions of the grant award.

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Accompanying Documents:

The application must be accompanied by the required certification, assurances and/or documentation. (See "Documentation of Eligibility" on page 9.)

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Copies:

One signed original and one copy of the grant application, including all attachments, are required.

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Delivery:

Applications sent by mail should be addressed to:

Children's Bureau
Office on Child Abuse and Neglect
Attention: Ms. Tanya R. Howell, Federal Project Officer
Mary E. Switzer Building, Room 2417
330 C Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20447
(202) 205-8714

Applications delivered by hand or via a commercial delivery service should be addressed to:

Children's Bureau
Office on Child Abuse and Neglect
Attention: Ms. Tanya R. Howell, Federal Project Officer
Mary E. Switzer Building , Room 2417
330 C Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20447
(202) 205-8714

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B. Eligibility Instructions

Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility for a CJA grant is based on two sets of requirements:
1. States must be in compliance with the child abuse and neglect Basic State Grant requirements set forth in Section 106(b) at the time of the CJA award. States no longer eligible for a Basic State Grant will not be eligible for a FY 2003 CJA grant.
  
  In making decisions about eligibility for CJA grants, the Children's Bureau will use the most recently rendered Federal decision concerning a State's compliance with the requirements for the Basic State Grant under Section 106(b).
2. States must fulfill the CJA requirements specified in Section 107. These requirements differ for (A) States which have never established eligibility to receive CJA funding, (B) States which met the three-year assessment requirement and received CJA funding in FY 2001, and (C) all other States. These requirements are specified in the "Documentation of Eligibility" section which follows.
Documentation of Eligibility

N.B. All States must complete part A below, and applicable sections of part C on page 13. Both States which have not previously established eligibility and States required to submit a three-year assessment with this application must complete the additional requirements in part B on page 11.

Requirements for All States

All States must provide as part of the application:
1. Establishment/Maintenance of a Task Force (Sections 107(b)(2) and 107(c)(1))
  
  Documentation that the State has established or designated and maintained a multidisciplinary Task Force on children's justice, composed of professionals with knowledge of and experience with the criminal justice system and the system handling child physical abuse, child neglect, child sexual abuse and exploitation, and child maltreatment related fatalities.
  
  Documentation that the State Task Force includes members representing the following disciplines as specified in Section 107(c)(1):
  - Law Enforcement Community
  - Criminal Court Judge(s)
  - Civil Court Judge(s)
  - Prosecuting Attorney(s)
  - Defense Attorney(s)
  - Child Advocate(s) (Attorney(s) for Children)
  - CASA Representative(s), where such programs are in operation
  - Health Professional(s)
  - Mental Health Professional(s)
  - Child Protective Service Agencies
  - Individual(s) experienced in working with children with disabilities
  - Parent Group Representative(s)
  The documentation must include the names, titles, and brief descriptions of the relevant professional experience of each Task Force member, and above designation of which professional category the task force member represents.
2. Governor's Letter
  
  A letter addressed to Ms. Joan E. Ohl, Commissioner, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, 330 C Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20447, signed by the Governor certifying:
  1. the State received the FY 2001 child abuse and neglect Basic State Grant and continues to comply with the requirements stipulated in Section 106(b) of the Act; or the State has received a recently rendered Federal decision attesting to the State's current compliance with the requirements for the Basic State Grant under Section 106(b); and
  2. the State will maintain a State multidisciplinary task force on children's justice (only for those States not currently receiving CJA funds); or
  3. the State has maintained a State multidisciplinary task force on children's justice (only for those States currently receiving CJA funds); and
  4. the State has adopted or continues to progress in adopting recommendations of the State Task Force or a comparable alternative to such recommendations; and
  5. the State will make such reports to the Secretary as may reasonably be required, including an annual report on how assistance received under this program was expended throughout the State, with particular attention to the areas described in paragraphs (1) through (3) of Section 107(a); and
  6. the State will maintain and provide access to records relating to activities under CJA.
  7. States will participate in at least one federally initiated CJA conference each year that the grant is in effect and are authorized to use grant funds to cover travel and per diem expenses for 2 CJA representatives (CJA Coordinator and Task Force Director) to attend the conference.
3. Certifications
  
  The following certifications are required at the time of application for Federal funds:
  1. Certification Regarding Lobbying (Attachment 4)
    
    Pursuant to 45 CFR Part 93, the certification must be signed and submitted with the application. If applicable, a Standard Form LLL, which discloses lobbying payments, must be submitted.
    
    A retyped certification or a State's own certification form will not be acceptable.
  2. Certification Regarding Drug-Free Work Place (Attachment 5)
    
    Signature on the application by an authorized individual attests to the applicant's intent to comply with Drug-Free Work Place requirements. A signed form does not have to be returned with the application.
  3. Debarment Certification (Attachment 6)
    
    Signature on the application by an authorized individual attests to the applicant's compliance with the Debarment requirements. A signed form does not have to be returned with the application.
  4. Certification Regarding Environmental Tobacco Smoke (Attachment 7)
    
    Signature on the application by an authorized individual attests to the applicant's compliance with the Environmental Tobacco Smoke requirements. A signed form does not have to be returned with the application.
Additional Requirements for States

States which have not previously established eligibility and States which are required to submit a three-year assessment with this application must provide:
1. a statement of the task force's function/purpose; and
2. the date the task force was established.
Note: A commission or task force established after January 1, 1983 and presently maintained with substantially comparable membership and functions meets the Task Force requirements. See Section 107(c)(2)

States not previously eligible and States required to submit a three-year assessment with this application must also provide:
1. Task Force Recommendations (Section 107(d))
  
  Documentation that the Task Force has comprehensively:
  1. reviewed and evaluated State investigative, administrative, and civil and criminal judicial handling of cases of child abuse and neglect, particularly child sexual abuse and exploitation, as well as cases involving suspected child maltreatment related fatalities and cases involving a potential combination of jurisdictions, such as interstate, Federal-State, and State-Tribal; and
  2. made policy and training recommendations in each of the three CJA categories described in Section 107(e). (See page 6)
  Documentation must include a report of the State Task Force study including its recommendations in all areas required in Section 107(e).
2. State Implementation of the Task Force Recommendations (Section 107(e))
  
  Documentation that the State adopted the Task Force recommendations as stipulated in 1(b) above.
  
  Note: As provided in Section 107(e)(2) of the Act, a State shall be considered to be in fulfillment of Section 107(e)(1) requirements if it:
  1. adopts comparable alternatives to the recommendations of the Task Force in each of the categories for which the Task Force's recommendations are not adopted; or
  2. is making substantial progress toward adopting the Task Force recommendations or comparable alternatives to such recommendations.
  The documentation must identify all Task Force recommendations adopted and/or comparable alternatives designed to carry out the purposes of the Act; describe the actions yet to be taken and timetables for implementing each recommendation or comparable alternative; or be sufficient to support a showing that the State is making substantial progress in adopting Task Force recommendations or comparable alternatives.

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Program Description Instructions

Program Performance Reporting Requirements and Program Content:

Only one program performance report is required annually. The performance report is to be included as part of the application. The reporting period for a program performance report should include activities for the 12 month period preceding the date of submission of the application.

1. A program performance report should focus on the outcomes of CJA activities and projects:
- measure the impact of an activity or project on the system serving abused and neglected children;
- assess whether there has been significant change in the knowledge, attitudes, and/or behaviors of a program's participant population; and
- determine whether the activity resulted in the expected changes and improvements.
Applications from States currently receiving CJA funds must contain a performance report which describes project impact and/or progress in the following areas:
1. activities undertaken to improve the investigative, administrative and judicial handling of cases of child abuse and neglect, particularly child sexual abuse and exploitation, as well as cases involving suspected child maltreatment related fatalities and cases involving a potential combination of jurisdictions, including a discussion of how these improvements have reduced or will reduce additional trauma to the child victim;
2. steps taken to establish experimental, model or demonstration programs to improve the prompt and successful resolution of civil and criminal court proceedings or to enhance the effectiveness of judicial and administrative action in child abuse cases, particularly child sexual abuse and exploitation cases; and
3. activities undertaken to reform State laws, ordinances, regulations, protocols or procedures to protect children from abuse, particularly child sexual abuse and exploitation.
All applications must contain:

2. A description of the activities (as described in C.1. (a), (b) and (c) above) to be assisted with Children's Justice Act grant funds including:
- project objectives;
- the amount of funds for each proposed activity;
- the number and characteristics of the individuals to be targeted;
- approaches to be used;
- results expected; and
- the extent to which the activity contributes to the reform of State systems handling cases of child abuse and neglect.
3. A statement of how the activities proposed to be funded support implementation of State task force recommendations.

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