Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: John T. Keene, Chief Probation Officer
Subject: Agreement with the County of Santa Cruz for the placement of youth at the Margaret J. Kemp Camp for Girls
RECOMMENDATION:
title
Adopt a resolution authorizing the Chief Probation Officer to execute an agreement with the County of Santa Cruz for the placement of female youth at Margaret J. Kemp Camp for Girls for the term of February 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023, with the option to extend the agreement up to two (2) times, limited to one year per extension.
body
BACKGROUND:
The County of Santa Cruz desires to contract with the County of San Mateo to place a limited number of juveniles under the jurisdiction of the County of Santa Cruz Superior Court Juvenile Division at Margaret J. Kemp Camp for Girls (Camp Kemp). This agreement includes a payment schedule whereby the County of Santa Cruz will reimburse the County of San Mateo for this service. The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors approved the proposed agreement on January 25, 2022.
DISCUSSION:
The San Mateo County Probation Department operates Camp Kemp, one of the few all-girl juvenile camps managed by a probation department in the state of California. Camp Kemp offers gender-responsive services for female juvenile offenders in a non-secure, dorm-style facility.
Since 2018, the Probation Department has had a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the County of Sonoma for the placement of youth at Camp Kemp. So far, Camp Kemp has welcomed seven (7) youth from Sonoma County who have each stayed for about seven months, which is typically how much time it takes to complete the residential part of the girls’ camp program.
Similar to the MOU with Sonoma County, under this agreement, the County of Santa Cruz will pay the County of San Mateo $125 per day for each youth housed in our facility. In addition, the County of Santa Cruz will pay the County of San Mateo $125 per session for mental health services and reimburse the County of San Mateo for medical services provided to Santa Cruz County youth in our care. These rates are consistent with the terms of our existing Sonoma County MOU.
The County of Santa Cruz anticipates referring approximately one to two youth to Camp Kemp per year. The San Mateo County Probation Department shall have the authority to decline to accept or retain any youth from the County of Santa Cruz because of limited residential facilities, or any other reason affecting the welfare of the youth at our facilities.
This agreement will not apply to youth who have been adjudicated and committed to a Secure Youth Treatment Facility for an offense that may have resulted in their commitment to the state Division of Juvenile Justice prior to its closure, also known as the “Secure Track.”
FISCAL IMPACT:
The anticipated revenue that will be generated from this agreement is expected to exceed $200,000 assuming the agreement is extended through fiscal years 2023-24 and 2024-25.