PRINTER'S NO.  398

  

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

  

HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

No.

72

Session of

2009

  

  

INTRODUCED BY HARHART, MOUL, MUNDY, YOUNGBLOOD, READSHAW, CREIGHTON, FRANKEL, GINGRICH, HELM, MILLER, MURT, O'NEILL, PICKETT, RAPP, REICHLEY, SCAVELLO, SIPTROTH, STERN, STEVENSON, TRUE, WANSACZ AND K. SMITH, FEBRUARY 11, 2009

  

  

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH, FEBRUARY 11, 2009  

  

  

  

A RESOLUTION

  

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Directing Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to

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investigate the costs and benefits of prevention and early

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intervention programs for the children and youth of this

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Commonwealth.

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WHEREAS, The General Assembly recognizes that child abuse,

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delinquency, school dropouts, violence and drug abuse are

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serious and persistent problems among our youth; and

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WHEREAS, The cost of services to dependent and delinquent

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children and youth in Pennsylvania is an estimated $4 billion

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per year; and

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WHEREAS, The cost of housing our children and youth in State-

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funded placements, including detention, residential and foster

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care, often exceeds the cost of programs and initiatives that

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can prevent such placements; and

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WHEREAS, The demand for quality, cost-effective prevention

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and intervention programs has never been greater; and

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WHEREAS, The Center for the Study of Prevention and Violence

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in Boulder, Colorado, has developed blueprints for exemplary

 


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violence prevention programs that have been shown to prevent and

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reduce rates of child abuse, delinquency, school dropouts,

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violence and drug abuse; and

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WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania State University's Prevention

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Research Center for the Promotion of Human Development evaluated

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nine evidence-based youth violence and delinquency prevention

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initiatives funded through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime

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and Delinquency; and

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WHEREAS, Researchers at the center reported that these

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community-based initiatives had positive effects on children,

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including better grades and school attendance, as well as

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improved parenting skills and parent-child relationships; and

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WHEREAS, The report also concluded that these programs have

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significantly decreased the risk factors that contribute to

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violence, delinquency, recidivism and substance use among our

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youth; therefore be it

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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the

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Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to further review

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research assessing the effectiveness of all prevention and early

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intervention programs funded by the Commonwealth; and be it

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further

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RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee

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identify additional prevention and early intervention programs

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that have demonstrated the ability to reduce crime, lower

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substance abuse, decrease teen pregnancy, reduce suicide

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attempts, lower child abuse or neglect, reduce domestic violence

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and improve educational outcomes; and be it further

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RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee

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identify specific research-proven programs that produce a

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positive return on the dollar compared to the costs of the

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program; and be it further

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RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee

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identify all existing Federal, State and county funding streams

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currently provided for programs to delinquent and dependent

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youth, mental health and drug and alcohol services and schools;

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and be it further

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RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee

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shall provide recommendations on how to create incentives for

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the adoption and implementation of evidence-based prevention,

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intervention and treatment programs; and be it further

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RESOLVED, That such recommendations include the feasibility

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of reimbursing local governments for a portion of the savings

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that accrue to the Commonwealth as a result of local investments

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in evidence-based prevention and intervention programs; and be

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it further

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RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee

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prepare a report of its findings and transmit copies of the

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report to the House of Representatives no later than one year

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after the adoption of this resolution.

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