DC Goals for Children and Youth

What are the 6-citywide goals?
The six-citywide goals are an outline of the District's commitment
that children and youth make successful transitions from birth to
adulthood. By looking at ways to measure our success in each goal,
the District can determine how to make improvements in each critical
area. Implementing the 6 citywide goals requires the District to
work across agency boundaries and with community partners to align
critical supports and services for children, youth, and their
families.

How were the 6-citywide goals developed?
Back in 2000, former Mayor Anthony Williams developed an initiative
for children and youth entitled, "Safe Passages." Those initial
goals for children were morphed into six citywide goals. Those goals
became the basis for the Children's Budget that was introduced for
the 2006 Fiscal Year. The Fenty Administration built upon the work
of the Williams Administration and developed some draft indicators
to measure the effectiveness of government against these goals.

What is an indicator?
Indicators are measures of a condition or outcome that help describe
the well being of the District's children and families. They provide
a way to track a condition or outcome and set goals for improvement.
For example, the rate of low birth weight babies helps tell us
whether babies are born healthy, since babies born at low birth
weight reflect a segment of children at risk for a variety of health
problems as they progress through the various stages of growth. By
looking at measurements and rates we can track our progress through
data collection.

How is the government aligned around the 6-citywide goals?
A component of the Education Reform Act of 2007 was the
establishment of the Interagency Collaboration and Services
Integration Commission (Commission) made up of agency heads from
every child-serving agencies including health, human services,
public safety and education. The purpose of the Commission is to
address the needs of under-supported children by providing agency-
lead wraparound and support services to them and their families.
Agencies will be measured on their ability to work and address
issues collaboratively and impact the lives of families.

How can I find out what the city is focused on for each goal?
Each month, the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor for Education hold an
ICSIC meeting on a specific goal and research the data and what
actions are being taken to address that goal. Information about
ICSIC meetings is available on the government website at: www.dc.gov

How can I help?
The Fenty Administration understands that government cannot ensure
that youth transition successfully to adulthood on their own. It is
important to get input from community members and service
providers. You can contribute to the important work of the six
goals by participating in an interagency taskforce or work group
that connects with one of the six goals. In addition, we welcome
possible partnerships in the implementation of evidence based
practices that contribute to the improvements towards the six city-
wide goals.

Who do I contact for more information?
Mark Ouellette, Special Assistant, Office of the Deputy Mayor for
Education at: mark.ouellette@dc.gov or 202/727-5050.