To research the effects of
stress on law enforcement and correctional personnel and their families and
disseminate the findings; identify and evaluate model programs that provide
support services to law enforcement and correctional personnel and families;
provide technical assistance and training programs to develop stress-
reduction and family support programs to State and local law enforcement and
correctional agencies; collect and disseminate information regarding family
support, stress-reduction, and psychological services to State and local law
enforcement and correctional organizations and other interested parties;
determine issues to be researched by the Department of Justice and grant
recipients.
TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:
Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition
USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:
Corrections and Law Enforcement Family Support funds may be used by State or
local law enforcement or corrections agencies and/or police or corrections
unions to demonstrate innovative techniques for, to provide training on, or to
conduct research on reducing stress in law enforcement or corrections
organizations or experienced by law enforcement or correctional officers
and\or their families.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant Eligibility:
State and local law enforcement or corrections
agencies and organizations representing State or local law enforcement or
correctional personnel including National, State, or local labor unions or
associations representing commissioned State or local law enforcement
correctional officers in contract negotiations or other employment matters in
one or more law enforcement or corrections agencies may submit proposals. Other
organizations such as universities, colleges, independent research enterprises,
professional associations, hospitals, health care clinics, and counseling or
other treatment service providers among others, while not eligible to submit
proposals, may provide technical assistance in either a consulting or
sub-contracting capacity to the applicant.
Beneficiary Eligibility:
State and local law enforcement and
corrections agencies and organizations representing State or local law
enforcement or correctional personnel including National, State, or local labor
unions or associations representing commissioned State or local law enforcement
or corrections officers in contract negotiations or other employment matters in
one or more law enforcement agencies may submit proposals. Other organizations
such as universities, colleges, independent research enterprises, professional
associations, hospitals, health care clinics, and counseling or other treatment
service providers among others, while not eligible to submit proposals, may
provide technical assistance in either a consulting or sub-contracting capacity
to the applicant.
Credentials/Documentation:
The applicant must submit a completed
Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424), including signed
assurances that the applicant will comply with statutory and administrative
requirements. The applicant is also required to submit a proposal describing the
program for which funds are sought and explaining how the program will advance
knowledge and/or the state of the art of practice in reducing stress for law
enforcement officers and their families.
-application Coordination:
Applicants are encouraged to review the
Issues and Practices Report titled, "Developing a Law Enforcement Stress
Program for Officers and Their Families", published by the National
Institute of Justice in 1997 and available through the National Criminal Justice
Reference Service (NCJRS) at telephone number 1-800- 851-3420. Applicants also
should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact
in their State to find out if the State has selected this program for review and
for information on the process the State requires when applying for Federal
assistance. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Application Procedure:
Applicants must submit a complete Standard Form
424 and other information outlined in the Application Kit titled, Corrections
and Law Enforcement Family Support: Solicitation for Research, Evaluation,
Development and Demonstration Projects available through the U.S. Department of
Justice Response Center at (800) 421- 6770, Telephone: (202) 307-1480, Fax:
(202)616-9249 or access the web site at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij.
Award Procedure:
Applications are awarded competitively on the basis
of impact of the proposed demonstration or training program, and feasibility,
originality, and economy of approach to the issue. A letter with copies of the
grant award is sent to the applicant agency upon approval of the Office of
Justice Programs. One copy of the grant award must be signed by the Authorized
Grantee Official and returned to the Office of Justice Programs.
Deadlines:
Consult the Application Kit.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:
Generally, applications will be
approved or denied within 90 days following the deadline for receipt of a
complete application.
Appeals:
This is a discretionary grant program and is not subject to
appeal.
Renewals:
Awards are generally for singular demonstration or training
programs, though renewals subject to available appropriations may be granted.
ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:
Formula and Matching Requirements:
Law enforcement and correctional
agencies are required to match all Federal funds with an equal amount of cash or
inkind goods or services from nonfederal sources.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:
Awards are made for 12 to 18
months.
POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Reports:
Semiannual financial and progress reports are required. In
addition, a final report including a 2,500 word Executive Summary and a complete
set of any machine-readable data generated in the course of the demonstration or
training program is due to the National Institute of Justice within 30 days of
completion of the grant period.
Audits:
All organizations that expend financial assistance of $300,000
or more in any fiscal year must have a single audit for that year in accordance
with OMB Circular No. A-133, as amended, unless the audit condition on the award
says otherwise. These audits are due to the cognizant Federal agency not later
than 9 months after the end of the grantee's fiscal year.
Records:
In accordance with the requirement set forth in 28 CFR, parts
66 and 70, grantees must maintain all financial records, supporting documents,
statistical records, and all other records pertinent to the award for at least 3
years following the close of the most recent audit.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION:
Account Identification:
15-0404-0-1-754.
Obligations:
(Grants) FY 01 $1,279,000; FY 02 est $2,872,051; and FY
03 est $1,497,000.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance:
The legislation specifies
that a maximum of $100,000 may be awarded to a single law
enforcement/correctional agency and that a maximum of $250,000 may be awarded to
an organization representing law enforcement or corrections personnel.
The Law Enforcement Family Support Program is discovering innovative ways to
prevent and treat the negative effects of stress experienced by law
enforcement and correctional officers and their families. The program
consists, among other development activities, of demonstration and research
grants which are periodically awarded to State and local law enforcement and
corrections agencies, or organizations (i.e., unions and associations)
representing law enforcement and corrections personnel. In fiscal year 2000,
fewer grants than expected were awarded due to decrease in innovative
proposals from the field of law enforcement and the requirement for rigorous
evaluation of all programs. Proposals that were funded focused primarily on
programming for the managerial rather than line staff. Two grants were awarded
for demonstration and training programs and will impact 571 supervisors and
420 officers and their families. Goals have shifted towards the development of
a field test model for fiscal year 2001 to ensure accurate scientific testing
of various program components. An external evaluation was selected to assist
with the development and evaluation of the field test.
REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:
OJP Financial Guide. Program implementation manual is available from the
National Criminal Justice Reference Service, P.O. Box 6000, Rockville,
Maryland 20850, 1-800-851-3420.
INFORMATION CONTACTS:
Regional or Local Office:
None.
Headquarters Office:
National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice
Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, 810 Seventh Street, NW., Washington, DC
20531. Parties interested in this effort and needing additional information are
encouraged to contact the U.S. Department of Justice Response Center at (800)
421-6770. Telephone: (202) 307-1480, Fax (202) 616-9249.
Web Site Address:
http://www.usdoj.gov/nij.
EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS:
Discretionary programs pertaining to critical incidence stress debriefings,
chaplaincy services, peer support and counseling.
CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:
Equitable distribution of assistance among the States, among urban and rural
areas of the United States, and among urban and rural areas of a State.
