§ 7140. Mentoring programs
(a)
Purpose; definitions
(1)
Purpose
The purpose of this section is to make assistance available to promote mentoring programs for children with greatest need—
(2)
Definitions
In this part:
(A)
Child with greatest need
The term “child with greatest need” means a child who is at risk of educational failure, dropping out of school, or involvement in criminal or delinquent activities, or who lacks strong positive role models.
(b)
Grant program
(1)
In general
The Secretary may award grants from funds made available to carry out this subpart under section
7103
(2) of this title to eligible entities to assist such entities in establishing and supporting mentoring programs and activities for children with greatest need that—
(A)
are designed to link such children (particularly children living in rural areas, high-crime areas, or troubled home environments, or children experiencing educational failure) with mentors who—
(B)
are intended to achieve one or more of the following goals with respect to children with greatest need:
(iii)
Increase participation in, and enhance the ability to benefit from, elementary and secondary education.
(iv)
Discourage illegal use of drugs and alcohol, violence, use of dangerous weapons, promiscuous behavior, and other criminal, harmful, or potentially harmful activity.
(2)
Use of funds
(A)
In general
Each eligible entity awarded a grant under this subsection shall use the grant funds for activities that establish or implement a mentoring program, that may include—
(3)
Availability of funds
Funds made available through a grant under this section shall be available for obligation for a period not to exceed 3 years.
(4)
Application
Each eligible entity seeking a grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary an application that includes—
(A)
a description of the plan for the mentoring program the eligible entity proposes to carry out with such grant;
(B)
information on the children expected to be served by the mentoring program for which such grant is sought;
(C)
a description of the mechanism the eligible entity will use to match children with mentors based on the needs of the children;
(D)
an assurance that no mentor will be assigned to mentor so many children that the assignment will undermine the mentor’s ability to be an effective mentor or the mentor’s ability to establish a close relationship (a one-to-one relationship, where practicable) with each mentored child;
(E)
an assurance that the mentoring program will provide children with a variety of experiences and support, including—
(5)
Selection
(A)
Competitive basis
In accordance with this subsection, the Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities on a competitive basis.
(B)
Priority
In awarding grants under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall give priority to each eligible entity that—
(i)
serves children with greatest need living in rural areas, high-crime areas, or troubled home environments, or who attend schools with violence problems;
(C)
Other considerations
In awarding grants under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall also consider—
(i)
the degree to which the location of the mentoring program proposed by each eligible entity contributes to a fair distribution of mentoring programs with respect to urban and rural locations;
(ii)
the quality of the mentoring program proposed by each eligible entity, including—
(I)
the resources, if any, the eligible entity will dedicate to providing children with opportunities for job training or postsecondary education;
(II)
the degree to which parents, teachers, community-based organizations, and the local community have participated, or will participate, in the design and implementation of the proposed mentoring program;
(III)
the degree to which the eligible entity can ensure that mentors will develop longstanding relationships with the children they mentor;
(D)
Grant to each State
Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection, in awarding grants under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall select not less than one grant recipient from each State for which there is an eligible entity that submits an application of sufficient quality pursuant to paragraph (4).
(6)
Model screening guidelines
(A)
In general
Based on model screening guidelines developed by the Office of Juvenile Programs of the Department of Justice, the Secretary shall develop and distribute to each eligible entity awarded a grant under this section specific model guidelines for the screening of mentors who seek to participate in mentoring programs assisted under this section.
[1] So in original. No cl. (vii) has been enacted.