What kids need: lawmakers are recognizing that children do not grow up in programs, but in families and communities.

Almost everyone knows stories of kids who succeeded "against the odds." They grew up in poor neighborhoods, with only one parent, or maybe a grandparent. They were poor. They attended lousy schools. Yet, in spite of the barriers they faced, they stayed out of trouble, attended college, found meaningful employment. Now, they are raising families of their own.

Why did these kids succeed when others in the same situation end up in jail, or become teen parents, or fail to escape the cycle of poverty?

Researchers say it's because of the support they had from family and their communities. "I felt that I was supposed to succeed and had been equipped to do so," says sociologist Karen Pittman, executive director of the Forum for Youth Investment. She grew up in low-income Washington, D.C., neighborhoods, raised by a widowed mother who worked long hours and a godmother who took her in during the week. Pittman says she was given the tools she needed to succeed. "I don't feel I have 'beaten' anything," she says. "Instead others--family, neighbors, church members, teachers and youth workers--had changed the odds by offering me a path of supports and opportunities."

A recognized leader in youth development, Pittman has had an impressive national career that includes stints at the Children's Defense Fund, the Academy for Educational Development, the Clinton administration, the International Youth Foundation and General Colin Powell's America's Promise project.

Experts at the National Academy of Sciences say they know why people like Pittman succeed. They've compiled a list of what children need--at home, at school, in the community--to be successful in life. This is the secret to preventing teen pregnancy, drug abuse, unemployment and youth violence, the academy says.

Kids need:

* To feel physically and psychologically safe and secure.

* Surroundings and programs that provide structure and support for their developmental needs.

* The ability to develop supportive relationships with their peers, family members and other adults.

* Opportunities to belong and participate in their peer groups, families and the larger community.

* Programs that promote positive social skills.

* To feel that their opinions matter and that they can make a difference.

* Opportunities to build skills and competency in and outside of school.

* Support from family, school and community.

States are taking this list to heart. Lawmakers are working on approaches that weave together efforts across agency and committee lines. They are putting attention and money into programs that promote the acadamy's recommendations.

CLEAR DIRECTION

"A positive youth development approach sets a clear direction and provides a vision for policymakers," says Representative Ken Green of Connecticut. "Most important," he says, "is that you don't write anyone off. We focus on what we want for all youth, instead of viewing them through a negative, 'deficit' model."

Young people do best when the programs and people around them focus on their strengths rather than their problems. Using scare tactics to curb youth violence and delinquency seldom works--and sometimes exacerbates the problems. Getting families involved and helping kids develop good social skills is far more effective.

Massachusetts, Missouri and Utah have shut down large juvenile institutions and opened small group homes and community-based programs. There, young people have clear and consistent consequences, are involved in decision making, build friendships with caring adults and have access to good educational and vocational programs. And it's worked. Repeat offenses by juveniles have decreased.

In Vermont, two state agencies are part of a public/private partnership that measures how kids are building on their strengths, instead of how many are in trouble. They develop data on the percent of kids who participate in youth programs and the percent of high school seniors who continue their education within six months of graduation.

Both California and Maryland are putting more money into after-school programs--a common strategy for helping kids succeed. California is up to $550 million in state funding and Maryland has committed $4 million from the general fund.

The New Mexico Legislature has put $2 million into a "Next Generation Fund" sponsored by Senator Cynthia Nava. She says the money will be invested, and once the fund is solidly established, private money has been promised. The idea is to provide a steady source of funds for youth programs.

Connecticut is concentrating on the training advice given by the National Academy of Sciences. It is using a federal grant to train frontline youth workers, supervisors, statewide association staff and funders. Alaska is using the whole list from the academy in an effort to fund successful programs--a strategy that has been dubbed "principle-based grant-making."

The state Department of Health and Social Services uses the list compiled by the National Academy of Sciences in its grant-making process to ensure that state-funded programs focus on positive strengths while preventing unwanted behavior.

COORDINATION IS KEY

Some states have experimented with ways to minimize duplication and maximize the return on investments in children and youth programs. A single family can be involved with up to 30 different state programs, all trying to address the same issues, but from their different points of reference.

Louisiana, Maryland and New Mexico created children's cabinets to deal with this problem. The mission of the Louisiana Cabinet is to produce "measurable improvements for children and youth in health, education and family life." Members include the secretaries of more than seven departments, including Education, Social Services and Public Safety. Also on the cabinet are a senator, a representative and members of the Supreme Court and the state Board of Education.

Some states have created joint legislative committees addressing children and family issues. "The Select Committee can set its own agenda--more than the standing committees are able to do," says Senator Roy Herron, chair of Tennessee's Select Committee on Children and Youth. "We can study and develop expertise on issues, and then devise legislation to address them, which is a more productive way to move forward." The Select Committee is bicameral and conducts most of its work in-between legislative sessions. Senator Herron says the committee helps support the work of the regular standing committees that address children's issues.

Arizona legislators have had a bicameral, bipartisan Children's Caucus since 2003. "The mission is that Arizona's children should be safe, healthy and have access to quality education," says the caucus co-chair and co-founder, Representative Pete Hershberger. He says the caucus also works with community partners, such as local United Ways, and not just with government agencies.

Many states and communities lack information about current funding and services for kids. So some have created children's budgets and report cards to give them a comprehensive picture of the total public funding for young people, broken down by age group and type of service, for example. A report card assesses the well-being of children and youth and the progress the state is making on improving those outcomes. This is ideally paired with information on how well programs perform.

The Kentucky Youth Development Partnership recently completed a full analysis of the state's investment in young people. It informed policymakers of programs and services that support kids, from promoting positive outcomes to preventing negative ones. It also provided guidance on how to fill in the gaps. Collecting data on current funding and services can help policymakers make tough choices and focus on the big picture of what kids need.

GETTING KIDS INVOLVED

Kids agree with the National Academy of Sciences' finding that young people need the opportunity to voice their opinions and feel that they can make a difference.

"If you had a problem in the black community, and you brought together a group of white people to discuss how to solve it, almost nobody would take that panel seriously," says 17-year-old Jason Warwin of New York City. "In fact there'd probably be a public outcry. But every day, in local arenas all the way to the White House, adults sit around and decide what problems kids have and what kids need, without ever consulting us."

It is easy to bring in one young person to consult on a policy decision, but involving more is harder. Training and support are needed so that young people are well-versed on the issues and the policymaking process. Then adults are prepared to pay attention to them.

Maine, New Mexico and Washington have created statewide youth advisory bodies to provide young people with a meaningful role in shaping policies that affect them. Members of Maine's Legislative Youth Advisory Council conduct public hearings, draft bills and make recommendations on pending proposals under consideration by the Legislature. Senator John says Maine is probably the first state in the country to have someone under age 18 co-chairing a committee with a legislator. "The purpose of the council is to get student input on things that concern them, and to involve them in the process. It is working very well," he says.

New Mexico lawmakers in 2003 created the New Mexico Youth Alliance to advise the governor, lieutenant governor and the Legislature on policy issues that matter to kids. Young people from each legislative district apply to serve on the alliance and meet four times a year to discuss policies and devise recommendations. They also are charged with collecting input from their peers.

Equally important are programs that make kids understand that as citizens their ideas count and that they do have a say. Louisiana formed a commission to promote and coordinate organizations in the state that conduct civic education programs. Senator Gerald Theunissen, who sponsored the legislation, says it is important that young people "understand what democracy is about, that their views are important and that they can make a difference. Kids who are involved when they are young become our leaders when they grow older."

CHANGING THE ODDS

Realistically, there is no one program that can work just anywhere. What works in Los Angeles may not work in Sacramento or rural Humboldt county. But successful programs share common characteristics--caring adults, safe places, opportunities to learn, and so on. We know these basic elements that make programs successful, and we are seeing examples across the country of how they are working to help young people create the futures they deserve. We have the tools, as Karen Pittman says, to change the odds for young people.

Stephanie Walton is NCSL's expert in policies dealing with young people. Elizabeth Gaines is a youth policy expert at the Forum for Youth Investment. Thaddeus Ferber, also with the Forum for Youth Investment, contributed to this story.