Legislation

 

Mentoring Earns a Place on the 2009 Legislative Agenda!

As they say, “Timing is everything.”  President Obama’s call to service is being answered on many fronts.  Even during these tough economic times, people continue to reach out, volunteer and contribute.  On a national and state level new legislation holds the promise that mentoring efforts will at last receive the recognition and resources to attract volunteers and build successful and sustainable programs.

 

Here’s some of what’s in the pipeline:

1. The Child Protection Improvements Act (S163/HR6995)
   
   If passed, this would allow mentor programs’ access to nationwide FBI fingerprint searches for its’ staff and potential mentors.

2. The Mentoring for All Act (S545/HR1165)
   
   This would authorize a $50million grant fund to strengthen and grow mentoring infrastructure, networks and programs.

3. The Mentoring America’s Children Act (HR913)
   
   This would enact law to strengthen and expand school-based mentoring programs.

4. Issuance of grants of $50 million each for Department of Education mentoring programs and mentoring children of prisoners

5. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (economic stimulus)
   
   This would make available $225 million dollars in grants to organizations to, among other things, support critical nurturing and mentoring of at-risk children and youth.

6. 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Bill
   
   This would allow for approximately $49.3 million for mentoring children or prisoners programs and approximately $48.5 million for mentoring programs.

7. The Foster Care Mentoring Act (S379)
   
   Passage of this would authorize grants to coordinating networks of mentoring programs to provide foster youth with mentors.  It would forgive a portion of student loans for students who become mentors, establish a national hotline and website to help direct individuals interested in becoming foster youth mentors, to appropriate mentor programs.

8. The Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act (S277/HR1388) – PASSED!
   
   This law recognizes the pivotal role of strong mentoring programs, mentoring infrastructures and mentoring partnerships.  The Serve America Act renews a spirit of national service by making volunteering easier and more rewarding for all Americans. This bill expands service opportunities for senior citizens that build on their skills and experience. Middle- and high school students would also receive incentives to volunteer by increasing the education award for full-time volunteers and linking it to increases in the maximum Pell Grant.

9. The Youth Prison Reduction through Opportunities, Mentoring, Intervention, Support, and Education Act (S435)

10. The California Fostering Connections to Success Act (AB12)
    
    This is the state’s answer to the passage of the 2008 Fostering Connections to Success Act (PL110-351).  This would provide the option for foster youth ti remain in care until the age of 21 with transitional support.  It would also provide federal funding for relative guardianship.
    
    The fact that the legislative agenda continues to highlight quality mentoring as a strategy to improve the lives of at-risk children and youth, increases the odds of linking of financial resources to this successful approach.