MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

The Honorable Christopher K. Peace, Virginia House of Delegates
It is my pleasure as Chair of the General Assembly’s Commission on Youth to welcome you to our website. The Commission on Youth is tasked with providing a forum for review and study of youth policies and services. Whether you are a member or staff of the General Assembly, a government official, service provider, educator, parent or caregiver, or interested member of the public, you will find this website a wonderful resource on the Commission’s work on a host of issues, from child welfare to juvenile justice, or from mental health to education.

Children matter to policymakers in Virginia. Almost 2 million young people age 0-18 live in our state. This number represents almost 25% of our state’s population. Correspondingly, a significant percentage of our state budget goes directly to services for these youth and their families. Given the size of this population and the breadth of special needs associated with young people and their families, Virginia is fortunate to have the Commission on Youth to provide guidance and leadership on youth policy issues. I encourage you to familiarize yourself with our work and to let us know whenever we can be of assistance to your child, family or community.

MEDIA COVERAGE

Commission on Youth Chair Christopher Peace discussed "Quality Schools Start with Good Teachers, Leaders" in the Sunday, December 9, 2012 Richmond Times Dispatch COMMENTARY section.  This op-ed piece expounded on findings from the Commission's two-year study Comparison of Academic Achievement in Virginia with Leading Industrialized Countries.  Further information on this study, which concluded in December 2012, is available on this website under MEETINGS, STUDIES, and REPORTS. The final study report will be published in spring 2013.

http://www.timesdispatch.com/opinion/their-opinion/quality-systems-start-with-good-teachers/article_582b1a82-a9d8-59b5-ac11-174bb1606300.html

On January 4, 2013, in an interview aired on Blue Ridge PBS-TV News, Delegate Peace and the Commission's Executive Director Amy Atkinson talked with journalist David Bailey about the Commission's mandate and 2012 legislative studies.  "This Week in Richmond" is an on-going series of interviews and informational programming from the Virginia Capitol.

http://www.blueridgepbs.org/index.php/videos/local-productions/this-week-in-richmond/this-week-in-Richmond-video-archives

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Commission welcomes the Honorable Barbara A. Favola to its membership.  She fills one of three Senate seats on the Commission.

The Commission on Youth met on April 2, 2013 to take action on 2013 legislative study plans.  Meeting materials and minutes can be accessed under the header "Meetings."  Information about 2012 Legislative Studies is available under "Studies."  

The annual legislative Family Impact Seminar, sponsored by VCU with the Commission on Youth partnering,will be held the morning of May 21 in House Room 3, the Capitol. Legislators, legislative staff and others interested in policies related to homelessness and support for military families are invited to hear leading experts discuss "Military and Veteran Families: Focus on Strategies for Sustainable Housing and Family Well-being."  

Collection of Evidence-based Practices for Children and Adolescents with Mental Health Treatment Needs, 5th Edition Scheduled for Release in April 2013

Launched on-line as a chapter-by-chapter document on October 20, 2010, the Collection is now published as House Document 7 (2013).  First published in 2003 and - by mandate - updated biennially, the Collection summarizes current research on mental health treatments shown to be effective for youth.  It is designed, by mandate, for widespread dissemination as a web document. Compiled with the assistance of Virginia mental health and other professionals who work with youth, it serves a broad readership: educators, service providers, parents, caregivers and others seeking information on mental health treatments for youth. 

Thanks to the leadership of the General Assembly's Division of Legislative Automated Systems (DLAS), visitors to this site have available not only a user-friendly, well-designed presentation of information about the Commission on Youth, but also access the newly-released Collection in its entirety. In addition, web readers can use the new SEARCH feature to locate all documents related to a particular mental health disorder on the Commission's website.

Readers will find directions to accessing and printing the full document on Collection's Contents page.  Organizations needing copies in quantity may contact the Commission at coymail@vcoy.virginia.gov. Chapters are updated periodically and the Commission welcomes feedback and suggestions at any time.