Title 42The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73

§11841 Community youth activity program

Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 123— - DRUG ABUSE EDUCATION AND PREVENTION › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III— - COMMUNITY PROGRAM › § 11841

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of Health and Human Services must give grants to eligible states so they can run community programs to prevent drug abuse among young people. States must apply and show they need the help, describe what they will do, and say who will run the projects. Grants can pay for work by local school systems, law enforcement, community groups, community action agencies, local or State recreation departments, or businesses. The Secretary must arrange for evaluation of the projects, and each application must explain how the project’s effect on drug abuse will be measured. If a state’s application meets the rules and money is available, the state will get a grant. The Secretary will keep 5% of funds for national projects. After that, money is split so a share goes to all eligible states (25% shared if less than $40,000,000, or $250,000 to each state if the amount is $40,000,000 or more), 0.5% is given among Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Trust Territory, and the rest is awarded competitively to states with the greatest need or highest shares of at-risk youth. Priority is given to nine kinds of projects, including help for dropouts, after-school and weekend activities, gang-prevention programs, community-wide plans for hard-hit areas, outreach to high-risk individuals, and programs for unsupervised children that include education, sports, or creative activities. Authorized funding amounts are $40,000,000 for fiscal year 1989, $55,000,000 for 1990, $60,000,000 for 1991, $66,550,000 for 1992, and $73,205,000 for 1993.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §11841

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall make grants to eligible States to enable such States to carry out the activities described in subsection (e).
(b)(1)To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a State, acting on its own behalf or on behalf of a person, shall submit to the Secretary an application that contains such information and is in such form as may be required by the Secretary.
(2)In the application submitted under paragraph (1), the State shall demonstrate a need for the activities described in subsection (e) and provide a description of those activities and projects that will receive financial assistance from a grant made under this section to the State.
(c)(1)Each State that submits for a fiscal year an application under subsection (b) that meets the requirements of the Secretary shall, subject to the availability of appropriations, receive a grant in an amount determined in accordance with paragraph (3).
(2)Of amounts appropriated or otherwise available to carry out this section for any fiscal year, the Secretary shall reserve 5 percent to be provided for activities and projects of national significance or projects expected to have a significant impact in preventing the abuse of drugs by youth.
(3)(A)Of the aggregate amount appropriated under subsection (g) for any fiscal year and after reserving the amount required by paragraph (2), the Secretary shall—
(i)allot—
(I)25 percent equally among the eligible States if such amount is less than $40,000,000; or
(II)$250,000 to each eligible State if such amount equals or exceeds $40,000,000;
(ii)allot one-half of 1 percent of such amount on the basis of need among Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands of the United States, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; and
(iii)set aside the remainder to be disbursed as described in subparagraph (B).
(B)Amounts referred to in subparagraph (A)(iii) shall be used by the Secretary to make grants, on a competitive basis and taking into consideration with respect to the States—
(i)the highest proportions of school-aged youth are 11 So in original. Probably should be “who are”. at risk of drug abuse;
(ii)if a tangible need has been identified by the State involved; and
(iii)if the State involved has proposed the funding of additional projects targeted at the areas of highest need;
(d)In making grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to—
(1)projects aimed at youth who are not in school or who are at risk of dropping out of school;
(2)projects that seek to reinvolve dropouts in educational programs, involve youth community-based activities, develop training or employment opportunities for dropouts, or provide youth with alternatives to drug abuse;
(3)projects to provide after-school, vacation, and weekend activities designed to give youth opportunities to actively participate in a variety of activities, including youth sports programs;
(4)activities and projects that are consistent with activities and projects described in subsection (e)(1) and that include participation by the business community;
(5)projects that provide outreach to individuals of all ages who are at high risk of involvement with drug abuse;
(6)projects targeted to communities with the most serious drug abuse problems to enable such communities to develop programs that coordinate Federal, State, and local efforts to develop comprehensive, long-term, community-wide prevention and education strategies;
(7)projects that seek to involve youth who are members of gangs or who may join a gang, in—
(A)educational programs;
(B)community-based activities;
(C)training or employment opportunities; or
(D)other alternatives to gang involvement;
(8)programs for unsupervised children before and after school, including—
(A)education and instruction consistent with part A of title IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 [20 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.];
(B)athletic activities;
(C)creative activities; and
(D)other programs designed to reduce the risk of drug abuse; and
(9)projects that seek to inform youth regarding the existence and operation of the projects referred to in paragraph (7).
(e)Financial assistance may be provided with a grant received under subsection (a) 22 So in original. Words “under subsection (a)” probably should not appear. under this section by a State as follows:
(1)Such assistance may be provided for community services and partnerships designed to develop community activities targeted at drug abuse prevention through education, training, and recreation projects. Such services may be provided by, and such partnerships may be entered into with—
(A)local educational agencies;
(B)law enforcement agencies;
(C)community-based organizations;
(D)community action agencies;
(E)local or State recreational departments; or
(F)business organizations; and
(2)Such assistance may be provided to carry out projects or activities that are consistent with the activities and projects described in paragraph (1).
(f)The Secretary shall provide for the evaluation of activities and projects conducted with financial assistance received under this section. Applications for grants under this section shall include a description of the method to be used in evaluating the impact such activities and programs have on the drug abuse problem within the communities in which such activities and projects are carried out.
(g)To carry out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated $40,000,000 for fiscal year 1989, $55,000,000 for fiscal year 1990, $60,000,000 for fiscal year 1991, $66,550,000 for fiscal year 1992, and $73,205,000 for fiscal year 1993.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, referred to in subsec. (d)(8)(A), is Pub. L. 89–10, Apr. 11, 1965, 79 Stat. 27. Part A of title IV of the Act is classified generally to part A (§ 7101 et seq.) of subchapter IV of chapter 70 of Title 20, Education. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 6301 of Title 20 and Tables.

Amendments

2015—Subsec. (d)(8)(A). Pub. L. 114–95 substituted “education and instruction consistent with part A of title IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965” for “education and instruction consistent with title IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965”. 1998—Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 105–285 struck out “, such as activities authorized by section 9910(a)(2)(F) of this title,” after “national significance”. 1994—Subsec. (d)(8)(A). Pub. L. 103–382 substituted “title IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965” for “the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 1986”. 1989—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 101–93, § 4(1)(A), substituted “subsection (e)” for “subsections (c)(3)(B) and (e)”. Subsec. (c)(3)(A). Pub. L. 101–93, § 4(1)(B), substituted “subsection (g)” for “subsection (h)”. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 101–226, which directed amendment of section 3521(d) of the National Narcotics Leadership Act of 1988 by adding par. (8) and redesignating former par. (8) as (9), was executed to section 3521(d) of Pub. L. 100–690, the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, as the probable intent of Congress. Subtitle A (§§ 1001–1012) of title I of Pub. L. 100–690 is the National Narcotics Leadership Act of 1988.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2015 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 114–95 effective Dec. 10, 2015, except with respect to certain noncompetitive programs and competitive programs, see section 5 of Pub. L. 114–95, set out as a note under section 6301 of Title 20, Education.

Executive Documents

Termination of Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands For termination of Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, see note set out preceding section 1681 of Title 48, Territories and Insular Possessions.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 11841

Title 42The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73