Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: John T. Keene, Chief Probation Officer
Subject: Amendment to Agreement with Fresh Lifelines for Youth, Inc. secured through Juvenile Justice Realignment Block Grant funds to provide career exploration and case management services to secure track youth at the Youth Services Center-Juvenile Hall.
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing the President of the Board of Supervisors to execute an amendment to the agreement with Fresh Lifelines for Youth, Inc. secured through Juvenile Justice Realignment Block Grant funds, adding $306,167 for a revised amount not to exceed $535,536.04, to expand case management, career exploration and reentry services for secure track youth, for a period effective retroactively as of January 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026.
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BACKGROUND:
In 2020, legislation (SB 823) initiated the closure of the state Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) and established the Juvenile Justice Realignment Block Grant Program to allocate funding to support county-based custody, care, and supervision of youth who previously would have been eligible for placement at DJJ facilities.
In November 2022, the Probation Department issued a request for proposals (RFP No. 2022-004 Youth Activities and Mental Health Services) for programs and services at the Youth Services Center-Juvenile Hall to be secured through Juvenile Justice Realignment Block Grant funding. Fresh Lifelines for Youth Inc. submitted a proposal and entered into an Agreement with the County to provide law-related education and career navigation workshops and one-on-one case management/coaching services to secure track youth at the juvenile hall in the grant’s target population. The term of the Agreement is July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2026.
DISCUSSION:
The Probation Department wishes to amend the agreement with Fresh Lifelines for Youth, Inc. to expand services for serious youth offenders serving longer commitments in the juvenile hall’s secure track program due to DJJ’s closure. This amendment would add funding to allow Fresh Lifelines for Youth, Inc. to allocate two-full time case managers to work exclusively with the juvenile hall’s secure track population, increasing the frequency of career and education workshops and one-on-one case management sessions, with an emphasis on improving reentry outcomes.
Under this amendment, one lead case manager would be available three days a week at the facility to support secure track youth with any issues that arise, build social emotional learning skills, and provide case planning support to Probation and other system partners. Eventually, the lead case manager would help prepare secure track youth for reentry and provide case management support upon release into the community. This amendment would also support a second case manager dedicated to overseeing career exploration and assisting in credible messenger opportunities and step-down planning for secure track youth.
The Probation Department views this expansion of services as a necessary step in the development of its secure track program at the juvenile hall. Last year, the County’s secure track population rose from one youth to five youths, with an additional one to three commitments expected annually, and first releases expected within the next two years.
In granting this amendment, the Probation Department requests that the Chief Probation Officer or his/her designee be granted authorization to execute additional amendments that modify the County’s maximum fiscal obligation by no more than $25,000 (in aggregate) for each agreement, and/or modify the contract term and/or services so long as the modified term or services is/are within the current or revised fiscal provisions.
PERFORMANCE MEASURE:
|
Performance Measures |
FY 2023-24 Target |
FY 2024-25 Target |
FY 2025-26 Target |
|
Youth will report they have more confidence to deal with negative peer pressure |
80% |
80% |
80% |
|
Youth report that they are less likely to commit crimes and more likely to make healthy choices |
75% |
75% |
75% |
|
Youth report that they have hope for the future and want to make positive changes |
80% |
80% |
80% |
|
Youth will who enroll and complete case management will achieve at least one goal from their service plans* |
100% |
100% |
100% |
*Service plans are personalized to each secure track youth and include major goals such as education/career advancement, completion of probation, social-emotional skill building, etc. Goals are designed to align with protective factors against later incarceration.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Funding for the Amendment will be secured through Juvenile Justice Realignment Block Grant funding which has been included in the FY 2024-25 and FY 2025-26 Recommended Budgets. There is no net County cost.