Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: John T. Keene, Chief Probation Officer
Subject: Agreement with Applied Survey Research to provide evaluation and research services for Juvenile Programs
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing the President of the Board of Supervisors to execute an agreement with Applied Survey Research (ASR) to provide evaluation and research services for juvenile programs funded through the Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act (JJCPA), Juvenile Probation and Camp Funding (JPCF), and Youthful Offender Block Grant (YOBG) for the term of January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2025, in an amount not to exceed $679,910.
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BACKGROUND:
The Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act (JJCPA) was created in 2000 by the State to provide a stable funding source for local juvenile justice programs that have been proven effective in reducing crime among at-risk and juvenile justice involved youth. The San Mateo County Probation Department has funded a number of services such as counselling, case management, mentoring and substance abuse treatment through the JJCPA. JJCPA requires that data be gathered 180 days after youth begin services. Data collection must include when a youth was arrested/detained in the juvenile hall, completed probation, had a probation violation, completed paying restitution, and completed community service. Local outcomes that speak to the effectiveness of each individual program are also collected.
The Juvenile Probation and Camp Funding (JPCF) was developed in 2005 to fund services and programs targeting at-risk youth, juvenile offenders, and their families. Services funded through JPCF include prevention/early intervention in the community as well as through detention in the juvenile hall and Camp Kemp. Youth served under JPCF are evaluated using the following tools: (1) Juvenile Assessment and Intervention System™ (JAIS), a gender-specific risk and needs assessment tool, and (2) the Child & Adolescent Needs & Strengths (CANS), a multi-purpose program developed for children’s services that will support decision making, facilitate quality improvement initiatives and monitor outcomes of program services.
The JJCPA mandates counties to establish a governing body to provide oversight to contracted services called the Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council (JJCC). The JJCC is chaired by the Chief Probation Officer, with members from criminal justice agencies, education, social services and community-based organizations. The JJCC meets quarterly to review program progress and evaluation data. In San Mateo County, the JJCC also provides oversight to juvenile programs funded by JPCF. The JJCPA also requires the JJCC to develop, review and update a comprehensive Local Action Plan every five (5) years to document the condition of the local juvenile justice system, outline proposed efforts to fill identified service gaps for youth and their families, and recommend future steps to be taken by the JJCC.
In 2007, in response to Senate Bill 81, also known as the Juvenile Justice Realignment bill, the State began providing Youthful Offender Block Grants (YOBG) to counties to enhance the capacity of probation, mental health, drug and alcohol, and other departments to provide appropriate rehabilitative and supervision services for youthful offenders who have become county’s responsibility.
Since 2011, Applied Survey Research (ASR) has been conducting data collection and evaluation services for the San Mateo County Probation Department for JJCPA and JPCF funded services as well as developing the County’s five-year Local Action Plan.
In July 2020, the San Mateo County Probation Department issued a Program Evaluation Services RFP, expanding evaluation services to not only include JJCPA, and JPCF funded programs but those under YOBG as well. This expansion will allow the department to evaluate its continuum of care model to serve all youth in its care, whether they are in secured facilities or in the community. This RFP included the development of the 2025-2030 Local Action Plan. Through this RFP, ASR was chosen to continue to be the Probation Department’s evaluator from January 1, 2021, through December 31, 2025.
DISCUSSION:
The County’s Procurement Manager approved a three-year waiver request for this agreement to align services with the Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council’s 2020-2025 Local Action Plan (LAP) and allow for the development of the next LAP in 2025.
This agreement will allow ASR to continue to provide and assist in data collection in compliance with the requirements for JJCPA and for specific programs through JPCF and YOBG.
The Probation Department requests that the Chief Probation Officer or his designee be granted authorization to execute contract amendments that modify the County’s maximum fiscal obligation by no more than $25,000 (in aggregate), 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.
The term of the agreement is January 1, 2021, through December 31, 2025. The Agreement and Resolution have been reviewed and approved by County Counsel.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Probation Department has secured $679,910 in JJCPA, JPCF, and YOBG funds to support this Agreement for the term January 1, 2021, through December 31, 2025. The funds have been included in the FY 2020-21 Approved Recommended Budget and will be included in the FY2021-22, FY2022-23, FY2023-24, FY2024-25, and FY 2025-26 Preliminary Recommended Budgets. There is no Net County Cost.