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By Kimberly Beltran
Thursday, October 10, 2013
California won $50 million grant from a federal program aimed at developing creative new strategies for reducing the number of families and young adults receiving Supplemental Security Income.
The Promoting the Readiness of Minors in Supplemental Security Income, or PROMISE program, made a total of $211 million available in five-year grants to implement model demonstration projects to promote “positive outcomes” for children who receive SSI such as higher high school graduation rates, improved college attendance, job training opportunities and transition into the work force.
“All children deserve a chance to achieve their educational and career goals," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan in a statement earlier this month. “The PROMISE initiative provides services and support to help our most at-risk students and their families so that they can focus on their education and a brighter future.”
The SSI program for children provides cash payments to low-income families that have a child under the age of 18 that has a severe disability – either mental or physical.
The PROMISE program is limited to families with qualified children between the ages of 14 and 16. States are being required to recruit at least 2,000 participating children and their families and have been given two years to get their projects underway.
The expectations from federal officials is that state efforts can be evaluated for clear findings of success or failure with