Title
Receive Monterey County’s SB 823 Juvenile Justice Realignment Block Grant Annual Plan for FY 21-22
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors receive Monterey County’s SB 823 Juvenile Justice Realignment Block Grant Annual Plan for FY 21-22.
SUMMARY:
The Probation Department has coordinated the preparation of the local Juvenile Justice Realignment Block Grant Annual Plan for FY 21-22, reviewed and approved by the Subcommittee of the Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council (JJCC), as mandated by law.
DISCUSSION:
On September 30, 2020 Governor Newsom signed Budget Trailer Bill SB 823, which transfers responsibility for managing youthful offenders under State custody to local jurisdictions and initiating the closure of California’s State Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) and its juvenile correctional facilities, effective July 1, 2021.
The realigned population includes youth under juvenile court jurisdiction who in the past would have been committed to custody in one of the State’s juvenile correctional facilities due to the severity of their crime(s), e.g., arson, rape, murder, aggravated assault, kidnapping, robbery and sex crimes. The average length of stay for all youth released in 2019 was 28 months.
The Juvenile Justice Realignment (JJR) legislation is complex and does not yet clearly address essential implementation details and responsibilities. It is expected that additional bills will bring further clarification on these issues in the coming months.
Major changes include:
§ Custody authority for realigned population is transferred from the State to Counties
§ Age of Jurisdiction: up to 21, 23, or 25 years
§ A newly created State entity, the Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR) will oversee realignment funding and local plans
§ Creation of a JJCC Subcommittee to develop the Local Plan, to be filed with OYCR by January 1, 2022 for FY 22-23, and then yearly by May 1st
§ Replacement of the current State system, the Juvenile Court and Probation Statistical System (JCPSS), to collect data from Counties
Funding will include:
• Juvenile Justice Realignment Block Grant, allocated through a funding formula established by Welfare and Institutions Code 1990 and 1991
• Regional Youth Programs and Facilities Grant, for infrastructure and facility improvements
The newly added Section 1995 of the Welfare and Institutions Code creates a Subcommittee of the multi-agency Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council (JJCC) for the purpose of developing an annual plan to manage at the local level the custody, supervision, and rehabilitation of the realigned population. By legislative mandate, the Subcommittee is composed of:
• Chief Probation Officer, as Chair
• One representative from the District Attorney’s Office
• One representative from the Public Defender’s Office
• One representative from the Department of Social Services
• One representative from the Department of Mental Health
• One representative from County Office of Education or a School District
• One representative from the Court
• At least three community members who have experience providing community-based youth services, youth justice advocates with expertise and knowledge of the juvenile justice system or have been directly involved in the juvenile justice system.
The plan for FY 22-23 is due to the newly created Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR) by January 1, 2022; thereafter, an annual plan must be submitted each year by May 1st, and is mandatory for counties to be eligible for the state funding available to manage the new responsibilities.
In the meantime, California counties have decided to prepare a preliminary plan for FY 21-22, due to the incoming implementation date of July 1, 2021. The Monterey County plan was approved by the newly formed JJCC Subcommittee at its meeting of April 28, 2021 and is presented today to the Board of Supervisors.
Plan Requirements
The legislation establishes multiple and complex requirements for the plan, including a description of the realigned target population; facilities, programs, placements, services and service providers; supervision and other responses; and use of grant funds in each area of need or development.
These areas include: mental health, sex offender treatment, or related behavioral or trauma-based needs; healthy adolescent development programs; family engagement; reentry, with planning and access to employment, housing, and continuing education; evidence-based, promising, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive programs; and possible services provided by nongovernmental or community-based providers.
It also requires a detailed plan for facilities used to house or confine realigned youth at varying levels of offense severity and treatment need, and improvements to accommodate long-term commitments, with a focus on maintaining the realigned youth within the jurisdiction and rehabilitative foundation of the juvenile justice system.
Lastly, the plan must include a description of any regional agreements, and a methodology for data collection of outcome measures to determine the results of programs and interventions supported by the state’s block grant funds.
Monterey County Plan
The Monterey County local plan for FY 21-22 addresses all the areas required by legislation, but also builds a framework for a comprehensive system of graduated responses which:
a) Focuses on diverting youth from the juvenile justice system
b) Implements strategies and activities at the lowest level of intervention and least restrictive and appropriate environment
c) Offers non-detention options as appropriate
d) Uses evidence-based supervision and programs
e) Fosters and supports rehabilitation at all levels of involvement in the juvenile justice system
f) Aims at reducing and then eliminating racial and ethnic disparities
g) While ensuring public safety, moves toward a holistic youth justice model based on treatment and rehabilitation for the realigned population of Secure Track Treatment Youth
A copy of the FY 21-22 Plan is on file with the Clerk of the Board.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
As legislatively mandated, the Subcommittee of the Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council has reviewed and approved the plan at its meeting of April 28, 2021. The Office of County Counsel-Risk Management has reviewed the report.
FINANCING:
Funding in the amount of $980,809 has been allocated to Monterey County for FY 21-22 to provide appropriate housing and supervision services to the realigned population. It is anticipated that funding will start to be distributed to counties in September 2021, and the Probation Department will work with the County Auditor Controller within established county procedures on depositing the monies into an appropriate restricted account. There is no additional cost to the County General Fund with the recommended action.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
This recommendation supports key objectives of: 1) Administration with efficient and effective fiscal management of the State realigned funds, and 2) Health and Human Services by providing pro-social and rehabilitative and reentry services to juvenile offenders, and 3) Public Safety for the safe and secure custody of residents in juvenile institutions.
☐ Economic Development: Through collaboration, strengthen economic development to ensure a diversified and healthy economy.
☒ Administration: Promote an organization that practices efficient and effective resource management and is recognized for responsiveness, strong customer orientation, accountability and transparency.
☒ Health & Human Services: Improve health and quality of life through County supported policies, programs, and services; promoting access to equitable opportunities for healthy choices and healthy environments in collaboration with communities.
☐ Infrastructure: Plan and develop a sustainable, physical infrastructure that improves the quality of life for County residents and supports economic development results.
☒ Public Safety: Create a safe environment for people to achieve their potential, leading businesses and communities to thrive and grow by reducing violent crimes as well as crimes in general.
Prepared by: Marisa Fiori, Management Analyst III, ext. 1100
Approved by: Todd Keating, Chief Probation Officer, ext. 3913
Attachments:
Board Report
Monterey County’s Juvenile Justice Realignment Block Grant Annual Plan FY 21-22