Title
Receive a presentation from the Monterey County Health Department Public Health Bureau’s Striving to Reduce Youth Violence Everywhere (STRYVE) Program to describe the current federally funded strategies and to provide an update on youth violence prevention activities.
Presenters: (Introduction) Christabelle Oropeza, Public Health Program Manager II, Julia Marmolejo Muruato, Chronic Disease Prevention Coordinator, and Roxann Seepersad, Supervising Public Health Epidemiologist, Health Department.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Health, Housing and Human Services Committee of the Board of Supervisors:
Receive a presentation from the Monterey County Health Department Public Health Bureau’s Striving to Reduce Youth Violence Everywhere (STRYVE) Program to describe the current federally funded strategies and to provide an update on youth violence prevention activities.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
For over twelve years the Monterey County Health Department Public Health Bureau’s Striving to Reduce Youth Violence Everywhere (STRYVE) Program has utilized funds from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to administer youth violence prevention programs. In 2016, STRYVE was awarded a five-year CDC grant entitled Preventing Teen Dating and Youth Violence by Addressing Shared Risk and Protective Factors (Project 1605). The overarching goal of Project 1605 was to engage communities in primary prevention activities to prevent teen dating and youth violence. The STRYVE program accomplished this through the implementation of Safe Dates at various high schools in Salinas and established sustainability by embedding Safe Dates into the Salinas Union High School District’s Health curriculum. In addition, Project 1605 provided seed money and expertise to support Harmony at Home’s efforts to deliver the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program and Strengthening Families parenting curriculums in Spanish. The success of prior years’ efforts has laid the foundation for the recent STRYVE program successes.
In 2021, the CDC released a new competitive grant opportunity entitled Preventing Violence Affecting Young Lives (PREVAYL). The STRYVE Program was awarded PREVAYL funding to address multiple forms of violence impacting adolescents and young adults in Salinas. PREVAYL funding recipients across the country utilize a multi-pronged approach to address four factors: youth violence, teen dating violence, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and conditions that put communities at greater risk for violence. PREVAYL has allowed Monterey County to build on the accomplishments and outcomes of the Project 1605 grant.
On January 25, 2022, the Board of Supervisors approved a request to use unexpended American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to extend the reach of our PREVAYL efforts within the cities of Salinas and Greenfield since both cities are disproportionately affected by higher rates of violent crimes. Salinas Police Department data reveals that prior to 2019, all violent crimes were declining in Salinas and Monterey County. However, in 2020 an increase in violent crime in Salinas and at the county level overall was noted. At the end of 2020, the Salinas violent crime rate was 554.6 per 100,000, which was higher than the rate for California (440.0 per 100,000) and Monterey County (341.5 per 100,000). In addition, according to Salinas Police Department data, between 2019 and 2021, teen dating violence (TDV) accounted for 61% of all intimate partner violence (IPV) in Salinas. The City of Greenfield had the second highest violent crime rate in Monterey County (Violent Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Report, 2019).
STRYVE staff will implement Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) in Salinas and Greenfield high schools to address the intersection between violence and the built environment. CPTED is an evidence-based strategy that requires high school participants to conduct safety audits in and around their campus for the purpose of improving social cohesion and decreasing crime. The STRYVE program’s original intent was to implement CPTED at a total of five high schools. While implementation at a total of five high schools has not been possible due to school staff and teacher shortages, four schools have agreed to participate in CPTED. By concentrating ARPA funds at these four participating schools, students will make a stronger impact on their community and effect greater change. The four high schools participating in CPTED are Everett Alvarez, Salinas, Rancho San Juan, and Greenfield. Public Health is currently drafting agreements with the school districts.
In addition to the implementation of CPTED, the STRYVE Program has established the That’s Not Cool (TNC) Ambassadors program developed by Futures Without Violence. TNC is a public education and social marketing campaign led by high school students to support healthy relationships, prevent teen dating violence and reduce digital dating abuse. TNC builds on the Postpone Program’s teen pregnancy prevention peer educator structure by training peer educators to become TNC Ambassadors. The STRYVE Program will continue to implement TNC at Alisal High School and Everett Alvarez High School.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Monterey County Health Department Public Health Bureau’s Striving to Reduce Youth Violence Everywhere (STRYVE) Program collaborated with the Monterey County Health Department’s Planning, Evaluation, and Policy (PEP) Unit and with participating schools.
FINANCING:
There is no financial impact to receiving this presentation. The PREVAYL grant is funded by the CDC. CPTED activities are funded by ARPA.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
Check the related Board of Supervisors Strategic Initiatives:
☐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: Julia Muruato, Chronic Disease Prevention Coordinator, 755-4619
Approved by:
______________________________Date:_________
Elsa Mendoza Jimenez, Director of Health, 755-4526
Attachments:
Staff Report
PowerPoint Presentation