title
Approve the submission of an application for the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program (YRG) through the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) in the amount of $100,000; and Designate the Solano County Probation Department as the Lead Public Agency to serve as the coordinator for local grant activities
body
Published Notice Required? Yes ____ No _X _
Public Hearing Required? Yes ____ No _X _
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Probation Department recommends that the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve the submission of an application for the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program (YRG) in the amount of $100,000;
2. Designate the Probation Department as the Lead Public Agency to serve as the coordinator for the local grant activities.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
Representatives from Solano County Law and Justice Agencies, the Solano County Office of Education, and community-based organizations have partnered with the W. Haywood Burns Institute (BI) to identify whether, and to what extent, racial and ethnic disparities exist in Solano County’s juvenile justice system. The Solano County Racial and Ethnic Disparities (R.E.D.) Steering Committee, which includes members such as the Solano Superior Court, the Superintendent of the Solano County Office of Education, the Chief of Probation, and the District Attorney, formed with the goal of utilizing a data-driven process to identify disparities, analyze and strategize, and pilot or adopt policy change that reduces disparate entry and deeper advancement of youth of color in the juvenile justice system. The initial focus of the R.E.D. Steering Committee has been on the analysis of existing youth diversion programs, and identifying what, if any, policies or practices can be changed or implemented to reduce the disparities.
Toward this end, the R.E.D. Steering Committee recommends that the Board approve submission of an application for the BSCC’s Youth Reinvestment Grant (YRG) program. The YRG program was established in the 2018 Budget Act (Senate Bill 840, Chapter 29, Statutes of 2018), and is aimed at diverting low-level offenders from initial contact with the juvenile justice system, using approaches that are evidence-based, culturally relevant, trauma-informed, and developmentally appropriate. Grant awards are a minimum of $50,000 and a maximum of $1,000,000 for a 44-month period, and will be awarded for use in targeting underserved communities with high rates of juvenile arrests and high rates of racial/ethnic disproportionality within those juvenile arrests. Ninety (90) percent of the awarded funds will be passed through to community-based organizations that must deliver services in underserved communities with high rates of juvenile arrests. Ten (10) percent of the total award will be retained by the Lead Public Agency to coordinate with local law enforcement agencies, social services agencies, and non-governmental organizations to ensure successful implementation of the grant program. The funding period for the YRG Program will be July 1, 2019 through February 8, 2023. The funds would be used by CBO’s to create new diversion programs or expand the capacity of existing diversion programs. The services provided by the CBO’s through diversion programs will include educational services (both academic and vocational), mentoring services, behavioral health and mental health services.
Acting as the Lead Public Agency for the YRG Program is in alignment with the vision and mission of the Probation Department. Probation consistently works to identify youth who can be diverted away from formal entry into the juvenile justice system. Receipt of funds through the YRG Program will increase the capacity of communities to deal with delinquency of youth at the lowest level possible thereby preventing youth from making formal entry into the juvenile justice system.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is minimal General Fund cost related to the submission of the application for the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program and can be absorbed by the Department’s budget. If awarded, grant funds would be used to increase capacity for dealing with youth delinquency in the community through evidence-based and culturally-relevant diversion programs. There is twenty-five percent ($25,000) match requirement, which would be met in-kind through salaries of staff assigned to the YRG Program, including the Probation Project Manager.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board of Supervisors could choose not to approve the submission of an application for the YRG Program or designate the Probation Department Probation Department as the Lead Public Agency; however, this alternative is not recommended as not applying for the grant funds would hinder the expansion of services in communities with the highest need.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
None.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION