The Clearinghouse Committee met August 6, 2011 in Kissimmee, FL
Click here for photos from the Clearinghouse Meeting.

The ASCA Clearinghouse Committee met in San Antonio, TX on January 29, 2011.  The Committee was updated on the status of the BJA Original Clearinghouse Grant and the the BJA Byrne Clearinghouse Grant.  Collaborative Committee web pages were demonstrated for the Committee and discussion included identifying funding for continued web based update and maintenance.  Click here for the meeting minutes

Click here for photos from the Winter 2011 Clearinghouse Committee meeting held January 29, 2011 in San Antonio, TX.

The Council of State Governments Justice Center Criminal Justice/Mental Health Collaboration Project July 2011 E-Newsletter features the Justice Center New Brief on Enrolling People with serious mental illnesses (SMI) for federal benefits.  Click here to download the July 2011 E-Newsletter.

The July 2011 BJA's Justice Today highlights the BJA "GrantStat" to Ensure Grant Program Performance; a highlight of a Featured Program; and the announcement of the new OJP CrimeSolutions.gov web site.  Click here to download the July 2011 BJA's Justice Today Newsletter.

The Bureau of Justice Assistance, National Training and Technical Assistance July 2011 Information Sharing Newsletter includes:

• Information Sharing Technical Assistance Provided by BJA;
  
• At A Glance: Information Sharing Training and Technical Assistance; and
• Provider Spotlight: The Regional Information Sharing Systems Program Helps Solve Cases and Safeguard Officers
  

It also highlights Online training opportunities for August.  Click here to link to the July 2011 Information Sharing Newsletter.

The July 2011 National Reentry Resource Center Newsletter highlights FAQs on Juvenile Justice and Reentry; a Brief on Enrolling People with Serious Mental Illness in Federal Benefits; and an Urban Institute Report Looking at the Role of Judges in Client Success in Drug Courts.  Click here to download the July 2011 National Reentry Resource Center Newsletter.

The Office of Justice Programs, July 18, 2011 Justice Information Sharing News features articles about FEMA and FCC Commit to More Training Before Implementing Emergency Mobile Alerts, How the Public Perceives Community Information Systems, and The Future of Cloud Computing.  Click here for the July 18, 2011 Justice Information Sharing News.

The most pressing issues facing corrections administrators are the subject matter of all ASCA's trainings and programs.  All ASCA trainings feature sessions whereby administrators suggest and discuss issues that are currently challenging them, issues that are emerging for their jurisdictions, and issues that are apparently decreasing in significance. A living Issues document is maintained not only from these trainings, but also from surveys conducted during the year. ASCA shares the information of what critical issues are facing corrections with our Federal Partners at the Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Institute of Corrections, Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services so that they can use the information from the report as they plan their research and funding priorities,  The most current list of issues of concern to ASCA members was initially generated during the All Directors Training (ADT) program held in Charleston, SC in December 2009.  It has been updated regularly with further input from the membership, most recently from a member survey conducted in November and December 2010 and from discussion of current issues at the 2010 All Directors Training held in San Francisco, CA on December 3 and 4, 2010.  The final report of  correctional issues facing corrections may be viewed by going to this link.

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) is pleased to announce the launch of a new online training program—the BJA Grant Writing and Management Academy. The Academy is designed to assist criminal justice practitioners and state, local, and tribal jurisdictions, including community and faith-based organizations, through the grant writing process and project management activities. Through self-paced modules, the user will learn about:

• Issues and requirements to consider before applying for BJA funds.
• Steps and development required to submit a well-rounded application.
• Management and administration necessary for a successful project.
• Supplemental information focusing on strategic planning and budget development.

The first module—Before Applying for BJA Funds—provides an overview of BJA, its funding opportunities, and the purpose of and the rules associated with grant funds and highlights various tools and resources available from BJA to help perspective applicants and grantees. Many potential applicants are unaware of the various rules and requirements associated with applying for and receiving federal grant funds. This module will help clarify those responsibilities so that applicants will know what is expected of them should they decide to apply for grant funds. In addition, the module offers tips to help agencies receive the variety of notices regarding funding availability in a timely fashion.

Future modules—Applying for BJA Funds and Managing Your BJA Funds—will be released in the coming weeks. The second module—Applying for BJA Funds—will address preapplication activities, such as registration with www.grants.gov and solicitation format requirements. It will also cover the application process, including information required for each section and tips on how to present the material to address the requested information, how applications are reviewed, and what an applicant can expect in terms of next steps and timing of award announcements. The third module—Managing Your BJA Funds—will offer an overview of the various administrative and financial requirements associated with managing a federal grant project, provide suggestions and methods to help manage daily project activities, and discuss the importance of ensuring accountability in all project operations.

In addition, two supplemental modules—Strategic Planning and Budget Development—are expected to be released this fall. These supplemental modules will provide more in-depth information and suggestions on how undertaking sound project planning and budget development will assist projects to be more effective and efficient in their operation.

Because BJA has a wide audience of potential applicants and grantees, we are always seeking ways to better serve you. In that regard, we have included a feedback mechanism as a "pop-up" at the end of each module. We encourage you to provide us feedback on the substantive material addressed in the training, as well as your experience with the BJA Grant Writing and Management Academy. Please consider providing comments and suggestions on: the functionality of the tool—was it easy to use?; delivery—was the information conveyed clearly; and the future—what additional topics would you like to see?

BJA is pleased to offer the BJA Grant Writing and Management Academy to the criminal justice community and is confident that this valuable resource will provide a blueprint for success for federally funded grant programs.

The Bureau of Justice Assistance announces the launch of the National Training and Technical Assistance Center. The center provides training opportunities, information, and other resources for the criminal justice community. BJA has created a one-stop-shop where you can learn more about BJA’s resources and services. Access BJA's newly designed training and technical assistance website here.

Gary Maynard (MD) was tapped by ASCA President Pat Caruso to take the leadership role for the Clearinghouse Committee and its work. Gary has shown tremendous interest in the work and has provided support to the project in a special way by allowing ASCA to use the Maryland Law Enforcement Dashboard to provide Dashboard capability to our Performance Measures web page and our Reentry web page. The Committee is grateful for his decision to take on this work.

The Committee is eternally grateful to A.T. Wall (RI) for his fine leadership of the Committee after the several years of struggle to gain footing. His insightful and wise direction inspired the Committee and staff to move ahead steadily and productively. His contribution was great and we appreciate it.