Massachusetts HD 4946: A communication from the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (see item 4000-0005 of Section 2 of Chapter 28 of the Acts of 2023) submitting its report entitled: Safe and Successful Youth Initiative

Bill Text

February 2024 
Legislative Report 
Safe and Successful  
Youth Initiative 

 
Executive Office of Health and Human Services: SSYI Legislative Report — February 2024 2 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................... 4 
SAFE AND SUCCESSFUL YOUTH INITIATIVE  LEGISLATIVE REPORT.................................. 8 
Introduction ................................................................................................................ 8 
Safe and Successful Youth Initiative ......................................................................... 10 
Background ................................................................................................................................ 10 
SSYI Program Components ................................................................................................................. 11 
Cities with SSYI Programs ................................................................................................................... 11 
SSYI Program Administration and Operations ..................................................................................... 12 
SSYI Youth Violence Intervention and Prevention Grantees ...................................................... 14 
Goals and Benchmarks for Grant Recipients .............................................................................. 16 
Report Methods......................................................................................................................... 17 
SSYI Database .................................................................................................................................... 17 
FY23 Program Activities Across the Six Core Components ......................................................... 18 
Youth Identified for Services ............................................................................................................... 18 
Outreach and Case Management ....................................................................................................... 20 
Educational, Occupational Training and Employment, and Behavioral Health Services ........................ 21 
Program Participation Among Young Women .................................................................................... 25 
Race and Ethnicity ..................................................................................................................... 25 
SSYI Evaluation .......................................................................................................................... 27 
Operational and Technical Support: Trainings and Meetings..................................................... 31 
Program Management Support ......................................................................................................... 31 
SSYI Foundational Leadership Skills Trainings ..................................................................................... 32 
Data Management and Reporting Services......................................................................................... 33 
Youth Violence Prevention and Intervention Collaborations ................................... 34 
SSYI Human Trafficking Grant Program .................................................................... 35 
Background and Overview ......................................................................................................... 35 
FY23 Program Demographics and Activities  .............................................................................. 37 
Community Building and Healing through Groups and Prosocial Activities for Youth ............... 40 
Human Trafficking Trainings and Meetings ................................................................................ 41 
Collaboration with SSYI Cities on Human Trafficking ................................................................. 41 
SSYI Human Trafficking Success Stories ..................................................................................... 42 
Thoughts from Grantees on Survivor Mentoring ....................................................................... 45 
Evidence-Informed Human Trafficking Programming ................................................................ 47 
 

 
Executive Office of Health and Human Services: SSYI Legislative Report — February 2024 3 
BIBLIOGRAPHY .............................................................................................................. 48 
APPENDIX A: CITIES WITH SAFE AND SUCCESSFUL YOUTH INITIATIVE PROGRAMS ..... 49 
APPENDIX B: CHARACTERISTICS OF SSYI CITIES ............................................................ 50 
APPENDIX C: KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS ............................................................ 54 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
Background 
The Safe and Successful Youth Initiative (SSYI) is a nationall