$11.67 million grant to expand the Patrick Administration’s Social Innovation Financing juvenile justice project.

The Patrick administration has been awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to expand a state juvenile justice project that aims to put at-risk youth on a path to success.

Gov. Deval Patrick announced the news Monday saying the state has been given an $11.67 million grant to expand the Patrick Administration’s Social Innovation Financing juvenile justice project.

The grant will allow the state to work with 400 additional youth aging out of youth detention centers and the probation system.

The juvenile justice project is meant to assist the youth in making a successful transition into adulthood.

In Jan. 2012, the Patrick administration announced its plan to allow Massachusetts to enter into “pay for success” contracts designed to encourage innovation to social problems, improve government performance and save taxpayer money, according to a press release from Patrick’s office.

“Social innovation financing is helping us shape out future by creating innovative tools to tackle long term social issues,” Patrick said. “I thank the Obama Administration or recognizing the potential social innovation financing has to help us change the delivery of state services to save money and improve program performance. This grant will help brighten futures for some of our most vulnerable youth.”

The state is partnering with Roca, a Chelsea-based organization that works with disengaged youth to move them out of violence and poverty, and Third Sector Capital Partners, a company that advises on performance-based contracting between government and social service providers like Roca.

The contract will be designed with a goal to improve education and employment outcomes for more than 750 youth exiting detention centers and the thousands leaving probation and reduce recidivism, according to the press release.

“All youth deserve a promising future,” Labor and Workforce Development secretary Joanne F. Goldstein said. “We thank the Department of Labor for these resources as we work together with partnering organizations and vulnerable communities to promote employment opportunities for our most high-risk youth.”