To: Board of Supervisors of Sonoma County
Department or Agency Name(s): Probation Department
Staff Name and Phone Number: Vanessa Fuchs, (707) 565-2731
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Guiding People Successfully Program Memorandum of Understanding
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Authorize the Chief Probation Officer to execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the City of Santa Rosa for a term of July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028 with the option to extend three single year terms for $160,000 per year, up to $960,000 over six years. The County of Sonoma will reimburse the City of Santa Rosa for 50% of costs for supporting the ongoing Guiding People Successfully program, a violence and gang prevention and intervention program for all Sonoma County youth, and authorize the Chief Probation Officer, with County Counsel approval, to execute amendments that do not substantially alter the terms of the agreement, and does not increase the annual payment by more than ten percent, for a total potential contract maximum of $1,056,000.
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Executive Summary:
The Probation Department seeks Board approval for a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Santa Rosa (City) for an existing violence and gang prevention and intervention program called Guiding People Successfully (GPS) program. The MOU will support ongoing implementation of the GPS program and service coordination between Probation and the Santa Rosa Violence Prevention Partnership.
Discussion:
The GPS program has been in existence since 2015, serving gang-impacted youth involved with the juvenile justice system and those at risk for involvement with juvenile justice. This program is funded in equal partnership by the City of Santa Rosa, utilizing funds from the Public Safety and Prevention Tax (Measure H), and by Probation utilizing the Youthful Offender Block Grant, which provides funding for specific services to juveniles, including services under this partnership.
The GPS program provides a coordinated approach to identifying youth who are at risk of gang involvement, assessing the needs of the youth, and referring them to services designed to provide opportunities and alternatives to the gang lifestyle. The core elements of the GPS program are (1) centralized intake, (2) preliminary identification of risk and protective factors, (3) referrals to community-based organizations that provide interventions and services, and (4) case management through a monthly meeting of the Multi-Disciplinary Assessment and Referral Team (MDART). Examples of services youth are referred to through this process include career and life readiness training, individual and family counseling, gang mediation and intervention services, and mentoring. By coordinating services through the MDART, the program ensures that all agencies working with the youth have a common goal and shared strategies for each client. Partner agencies and service providers include Probation Department, Santa Rosa Police Department, Human Services Department, Santa Rosa City Schools, Sonoma Community Action Network's El Puente Program (formerly Lifeworks of Sonoma County), Buckelew Programs, Chop's Teen Club, Circuit Riders, Conservation Core North Bay, LandPaths, New Hope for Youth, Restorative Resources, Seneca Family of Agencies, TLC Child and Family Services, and other community-based organizations.
The Guiding People Successfully (GPS) Program run by the City of Santa Rosa’s Violence Prevention Partnership (“The Partnership”) aims to connect at-risk and gang-impacted Santa Rosa youth and their families to supportive services through The Partnership’s network of 50+ member community-based organizations. Since 2022, GPS has received 527 referrals for 485 individual youth ranging from 6 to 19 years old. These youth have had their needs triaged by Partnership staff, and 363 referrals for services have been made, including:
• 129 referrals to mental health services
• 118 referrals to Partnership internal programs
• 90 referrals to pro-social activities
• 44 referrals to mentorship programs
• 30 referrals to whole-family supportive services
• 28 referrals to restorative justice or aggression replacement training programs
• 22 referrals to intensive gang diversion programs
• 16 referrals to substance use disorder programs
• 8 referrals to sexual assault and human trafficking recovery programs
• 7 referrals to anti-truancy programs, and
• 3 referrals to workforce development programs
These referrals have resulted in 245 program enrollments, and 70.21% of program exits for which The Partnership has data have been successful.
The Guiding People Successfully program is included in the Santa Rosa Violence Prevention Partnership 2023-2028 Strategic Plan: <https://www.srcity.org/2198/Santa-Rosa-Partnership>
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Prior Board Actions:
April 4, 2023, the Board approved an MOU with the City of Santa Rosa effective July 1, 2022.
June 8, 2021, the Board approved an MOU with the City of Santa Rosa effective July 1, 2021.
August 4, 2020, the Board approved an MOU with the City of Santa Rosa effective July 1, 2020.
May 22, 2018, the Board approved an MOU with the City of Santa Rosa effective July 1, 2018.
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY 24-25 Adopted |
FY 25-26 Projected |
FY 26-27 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
|
$160,000 |
$160,000 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
|
$160,000 |
$160,000 |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
|
|
|
State/Federal |
|
$160,000 |
$160,000 |
|
Fees/Other |
|
|
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
|
$160,000 |
$160,000 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Funding for these services has been allocated in the FY 25-26 Recommended Budget from the Youthful Offender Block Grant, a Juvenile Justice sub-account of the State’s Local Law Enforcement Services Account (2011 Realignment), which is funded through Vehicle Licensing Fees. The department is requesting Chief Probation Officer authority to amend the agreement by up to 10% of the annual amount in the event there is an increase in client workload. There is sufficient funding from the funding source to cover such increases. There is no County General Fund impact of this MOU.
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Staffing Impacts: |
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Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
NA
Attachments:
MOU with the City of Santa Rosa for the Guiding People Successfully program
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
NA