1/11/99: Boost for Children Federal Register Notice--Performance Partnerships with State and Local Government for Results for Children

Archive

[Federal Register: February 11, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 28)]
[Notices]
[Page 6920-6921]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access
[DOCID:fr11fe99-106]

NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP FOR REINVENTING GOVERNMENT

BOOST FOR KIDS: Better Opportunities and Outcomes Starting Today

Performance Partnerships With State and Local Government for Results for Children

Authority Citation: Non-statutory, President's Budget for FY 2000

Background

All of our children deserve to grow up healthy, secure and able to realize their full potential. Vice President Al Gore has created a strong federal team to work with innovative local and State partners to get better results for children. This team will work to minimize administrative barriers and maximize how resources are used to get the best results for children.

The "Boost For Kids" Initiative will recognize the leadership of innovative States and localities that are improving the lives of their communities' children. Boost For Kids will work with them to reinvent how programs are administered to give people at the local level greater flexibility to improve the lives of all of their children. The initiative builds on meetings that Vice President Gore has had with families and communities across the country and at the "Family Re- Union," an annual discussion of public policy from the perspective of families that he moderates in Nashville, Tennessee.

Announcement

We are seeking to form up to 10 performance partnerships with State and local governments that are working together to enhance positive outcomes for children, youth, and families. These partnerships will permit leading local and State partners to work together with Federal representatives to:

  • Manage for results for children;
  • Streamline administration;
  • Address barriers at the federal, State and local levels--in ways allowable under current law--to better provide needed services and supports for children;
  • Maximize the use of resources for services for children; and
  • Share lessons with other communities.

What Are the Benefits to States and Communities?

This initiative will not provide additional Federal funds; it will support efforts by all levels of government to cut red tape, integrate services and use current funding more effectively. It will:
  • Facilitate consolidated planning and reporting and provide greater flexibility in administering grant funds with related goals as allowed under current law;
  • Recommend changes to pool administrative savings from discretionary grant programs to create local "Boost For Kids Investment Funds"---to turn dollars saved in administration to improving outcomes for children to the extent allowed under current law;
  • Help communities use data to achieve better outcomes for children;
  • Provide increased access to federal data and geographic information and assistance of federal data experts in devising strategies for collecting and analyzing data on outcomes such as child insurance coverage, immunization, housing, food security, traumatic injury rate, youth crime rate, and school readiness;
  • Share lessons learned electronically and through a "How To" Manual on ways to use flexibility to improve outcomes for children; and
  • Give national recognition to State and local partners for their results and work to improve the health, safety, living conditions, and well-being of children.

Who Can Apply To Be a Partner?

Expressions of interest can be submitted by any of the following: the head of a local collaborative that includes appropriate local government representation, the head of the local government, or a key local government agency head. For smaller jurisdictions, local governments can submit combined applications. Evidence of partnership with State government must be clear.

How Does My Community Express Interest in Boost For Kids?

Potential partners should submit a brief Expression of Interest. To minimize any burden, try to keep submissions under ten pages in length. Use existing plans and documents wherever possible.

Selection Criteria:

The Federal Steering Committee will select partners based on:

  • Existence of community goals or report card for children and a commitment by the partners to use data to measure progress and manage resources to improve child well-being;
  • Readiness and commitment of partners to cut red tape, integrate or better coordinate services, use current funding more effectively and achieve better results for children. Partners must include the community/local level and local and State government;
  • Commitment to a long-term strategic plan and a sustained effort to improve the well-being of children, youth and families within the community;
  • Potential impact of proposed partnership based on issues and proposed outcomes and time frame provided in the Expression of Interest; and
  • Balance in terms of geography, demographic characteristics and areas of focus.

Federal Partners:

Boost For Kids is led by a Federal Steering Committee which includes the following Federal partners: the Departments of Education; Health and Human Services; Housing and Urban Development; and Justice; the Federal Geographic Data Committee; the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Federal Interagency Forum on Family and Child Statistics; Food and Nutrition Services, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the National Partnership for Reinventing Government, and the Office of Management and Budget.

Expressions of interest in partnerships must be received by close of business on March 12, 1999. They may be submitted by mail, fax or electronically to: Boost For Kids, National Partnership for Reinventing Government, Suite 200, 750 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20006, (202) 632-0390 (fax), Boost4Kids@NPR.gov

For further information, please contact Pamela Johnson Pamela.Johnson@NPR.GOV, (202) 694-0011 or Ann Segal asegal@osaspe.dhhs.gov, (202) 690-7858. Pamela R. Johnson, Deputy Director, National Partnership for Reinventing Government.

[FR Doc. 99-3410 Filed 2-10-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4150-05-P

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