DYS to present spending plan for $1.5M block grant

Staff and officials of the Division of Youth Services pose with members of the CNMI House of Representatives shortly after the DYS Fiscal Year 2020 State Plan presentation on Capital Hill. (MARC A. VENUS)

As required by its mandate, the Division of Youth Services presented its Fiscal Year 2020 Consolidated Block Grant state plan to the House of Representatives on Capitol Hill yesterday, to show how it plans to spend the $1.49 million it expects to get in fiscal year 2020.

Next up is a DYS presentation tomorrow at the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center, from 5:30pm to 6:30pm.

DYS will also be presenting on Tinian and Rota next week, on Aug. 20 and Aug. 22, respectively.

There will be a question-and-answer session for the public after each presentation.

Yesterday’s presentation at the House of Representatives showed DYS’ blueprint on how it plans to spend a total of $1,495,920 in grants and the programs and services that will DYS will implement in fiscal year 2020.

The meeting was intended to be a joint legislative meeting but the Senate was having a session at the time of the presentation.

Representing DYS were DYS administrator Vivian Sablan, Family Youth Enhancement Program supervisor Jennifer Tanaka, Juvenile Probation Unit supervisor Sylvio Ada, Child Protective Services supervisor Julian Camacho, and grants writer Rita Castro.

The lawmakers present at the meeting were House Speaker Blas Jonathan “BJ” Attao (R-Saipan), vice speaker Lorenzo DLG (R-Saipan), and Reps. Joseph Flores (Ind-Saipan), Tina Sablan (Ind-Saipan), Shiela Babauta (Ind-Saipan), Edwin Propst (Ind-Saipan), Edmund Villagomez (Ind-Saipan), Marco Peter (R-Saipan), Ivan Blanco (R-Saipan), Roman Benavente (R-Saipan), and Jose Itibus (R-Saipan).

DYS is under the Department of Community & Cultural Affairs.

According to Sablan, DYS is required by the grantor to conduct a legislative and public presentation of the CBG state plan every two years.

The CBG is provided through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Social Services Block Grant projects.

According to the presentation, a total of 29 programs and services are funded by CBG, ranging from emergency sheltering for children, to providing services for those dealing with substance abuse.

DYS invites the public to its state plan presentations. For those who are interested in receiving a copy of the state plan, electronic copies can be viewed and downloaded on the DYS website on dys.gov.mp or physical copies can be picked up at the DYS office at the Chalan Piao Plaza Building, next to the Bank of Guam in Chalan Piao.