To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Probation Department
Staff Name and Phone Number: Deputy Chief Vanessa Fuchs (707) 565-6258
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Santa Cruz County Secure Youth Track Agreement
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Authorize the Chief Probation Officer to execute an Agreement with the County of Santa Cruz to provide Secure Youth Track rehabilitation services to youth from Santa Cruz County, for revenue not to exceed $250,000 annually and a term of September 1, 2021 through August 31, 2024.
B) Authorize the Chief Probation Officer to execute future Agreements to serve youth from other Northern California and Bay Area counties as needed with terms and conditions consistent with this Agreement, including 3-year term and $300 daily rate, and as approved by County Counsel.
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Executive Summary:
SB 823, known as DJJ (Division of Juvenile Justice) Realignment, was signed into law in September 2020. This law directs the phased closure of state run youth detention facilities, with a commitment of annual funding to counties to serve impacted youth who would have historically been committed to DJJ for serious or violent felonies. The Department provided a comprehensive report to the Board regarding SB823, and the local plan for developing meaningful treatment for former DJJ youth and their families on May 25, 2021.
On June 10, 2021, Sonoma County was awarded $1.13 million from the Board of State and Community Corrections to develop a Secure Youth Track program and to make any necessary modifications to programs and facilities to address the needs of youth who would have previously been referred to DJJ. The Board authorized Probation to accept the funds on July 20, 2021. As a condition of that award, the County agreed to accept youth from other counties who do not have the capacity to address the specific rehabilitative needs of certain youth.
Today’s action is to recommend the Board authorize the Chief Probation Officer to enter into an Agreement with the County of Santa Cruz to accept appropriate youth into our Secure Youth Track and sets the expectations of both counties to benefit and support youth referred to the program, and their families. Revenue from this Agreement, designed to recoup the County’s housing and treatment costs associated with referred youth, is not to exceed $250,000 annually.
Additionally, in order to best serve youth from other Northern California and Bay Area counties, the Department is requesting delegated authority which would enable the Chief Probation Officer to enter into similar agreements with consistent terms and conditions to the one approved today, and as approved by County Counsel and the County Administrator.
Discussion:
DJJ Realignment, was signed into law in September 2020 with a commitment of annual funding, and a phased out closure of state run youth detention centers. The closure of all DJJ facilities is set for June 2023. The intent of SB 823 is to:
• Keep system involved youth connected to their families and communities. Evidence has shown that youth are more successful, with lower recidivism rates when more prepared to transition to their own community.
• Ensure youth receive age appropriate treatment while closer to home.
• For counties to use evidence-based and promising practices/programs that improve outcomes for youth and public safety while also reducing the transfer of youth into the adult system.
• Ensure dispositions are in the least restrictive appropriate environment, reduce and then eliminate racial and ethnic disparities and reduce the use of confinement in the juvenile justice system by utilizing community-based responses and interventions. End the practice of placing youth in custodial or confinement facilities that are operated by private entities whose primary business is the custodial confinement of adults or youth.
• End placements of justice system-involved youth in out of state facilities that do not appropriately address programming, service, safety and other needs.
The bill transfers responsibility of youthful offenders to local jurisdictions, which will include both secure detention and community-based treatment and rehabilitation services.
The Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) set aside $9.6M for one-time grant funding, the Youth Programs and Facilities Grant Program (YPFG), to provide resources to counties related to infrastructure and improvements to develop local continuum of care for justice-involved youth. These funds may be spent over the three years of the grant period to build service capacity and enhance safety within the Juvenile Hall, as well as in the community. This solicitation was divided into two Parts: Part A provides five awards of $1 million per award toward one-time infrastructure improvements, training, and information systems needed to prepare the county to accept out of county youth into their secure facility; Part B was available to all counties for similar purposes but with no expectations that the recipient accept youth from outside the county. Sonoma County successfully applied for and receive both Part A and Part B funding effective June 10, 2021.
Consistent with conditions of the Grant, and to provide the appropriate programs to youth with high criminogenic needs, Sonoma County is actively engaged in statewide initiatives. This includes the Chief Probation Officers of California (CPOC), California Association of County Executives (CACE) and California State Association of Counties (CSAC) SB823 County Collaboration Consortium. The specific functions of the Consortium will be determined based on decisions by participating members, but are expected to include: the development of standardized language and rates for counties who contract with each other for secure youth treatment beds or services; assistance with finding appropriate housing or treatment options for youth ordered by the court into a secure youth treatment facility; and other supports, as funding allows, to ensure high-quality services and programs across the state.
Although the Consortium is attempting to standardize the language and rates included in future inter-agency agreements, Santa Cruz County Probation has an immediate need to establish a contractual relationship with the Department. The attached Agreement has been developed, working with County Counsel and the County Administrator to safely and securely house out-of-county youth, provide (and evaluate) effective rehabilitative programs, and to maintain connections to support successful integration back to the community at the end of a commitment period. These obligations articulated in the Agreement include requiring the sending county to be actively engaged in crafting an individualized rehabilitation plan, sustaining positive family connections and making regular contact with the youth while he/she/they are committed to the program. The daily rate of $300 per youth, per day has been calculated to offset the County General Fund incremental costs associated with each youth in the Secure Youth Track detention program. Per the terms of the Agreement, this rate covers typical costs associated with housing, medical care, behavioral health treatment, education, and other rehabilitative services. Any transportation costs, or extraordinary medical costs would be borne by Santa Cruz County. As a result, the annual not to exceed amount of the Agreement is up to $250,000. These rates have been vetted by the County Administrator and will be reviewed annually to ensure they are adequately compensating the County for services provided to Santa Cruz County.
Assuming the Consortium may take some time to develop standard template agreements, and anticipating other Northern California and Bay Area counties with have urgent cases similar to Santa Cruz County, the Department requests delegated authority to execute similar agreements using the form, terms, and daily rate being approved by the Board today. Any such agreements would be reviewed by County Counsel and County Administrator prior to execution on a case-by-case basis. If Sonoma County ultimately accepts the Consortium’s standard templates and/or a rate structure different from those proposed today, the Department will return to the Board with new agreements for consideration and delegated authority to execute at that time. This is highly unlikely to occur prior to the expiration of the agreement submitted for approval today.
Prior Board Actions:
July 20, 2021 Authorized the Chief Probation Officer to accept $1 million Youth Programs and Facilities Grant from the Board of State and Community Corrections to create a regional Secure Youth Track program open to referrals from other California counties.
May 25, 2021 Approved the Juvenile Justice Realignment Block Grant Annual Plan.
Fiscal Summary
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
At this time, the fiscal impact of the Secure Youth Track Agreement in Fiscal Year 2021-22 is not known, and therefore no adjustments to the Probation Department budget are being requested. Any revenue associated with this Agreement would either favorably reduce General Fund Net Cost, or would be used to offset additional expenditures directly related to services provided under the Agreement. Any future budgetary impacts will be presented to the Board during the annual budget cycle, or as part of a Consolidated Budget Adjustment item through the County Administrator.
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
None
Attachments:
Santa Cruz County Secure Youth Track Agreement
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None