Title
It is recommended that the Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee of the Board of Supervisors:
a. Receive an oral report and update on the Progress Report for the Monterey County Gang Violence Prevention Initiative.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee of the Board of Supervisors:
b. Receive an oral report and update on the Progress Report for the Monterey County Gang Violence Prevention Initiative.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
The Office of Community Engagement and Advocacy of the CAO functions as the Backbone Agency to the Monterey County Gang Violence Prevention Initiative (MCGVP) and a liaison between Monterey County departments, community based organizations, grass roots organizations and local municipalities to further advance local efforts to reduce youth and gang violence.
Staff will provide an oral report of an update to the Progress Report for the Monterey County Gang Violence Prevention Initiative demonstrating tasks, responsibilities and timelines. The oral report will highlight the following areas:
a. Governing for Racial Equity: A planning team consisting of key County staff led by OCESA has continued to work on developing a strategy for continued education on the key principles of Governing for Racial Equity (GRE) as a follow up to the half day workshop presented to full Board of Supervisors and County department heads on January 14, 2016. It quickly became evident that although the workshop introduced key principles of Governing for Racial Equity with the objective of developing a shared language and understanding of racial justice and racial healing concepts, there is greater need for advancing common knowledge of GRE concepts and continued discussion for applying GRE principles throughout County operated systems. We are working on a workshop with a tentative date of December 19, 2016 to be presented by Glenn Harris, President of the Center for Social Inclusion, founding member of the regional Governing for Racial Equity Network and former Manager for Seattle’s Race and Social Justice Initiative. In addition, a Monterey County delegation will be attending the Facing Race: A National Conference presented by Race Forward: The Center for Racial and Justice Innovation in Atlanta, Georgia November 10-12, 2016. The conference offers three tracks focused on: Organizing and Advocacy, Research and Policy, and Arts, Media & Culture with topics on Housing, Healthcare, Immigration, Education, Mass Incarceration and more. Additional partners in this process are The California Endowment’s Lauren Padilla-Valverde, Race Forward Executive Director Renku Sen and the National Compadres Network Founding Director Jerry Tello and Executive Director Hector Sanchez-Flores.
b. Regional Network: OCESA continues to provide support and technical assistance to our regional partners including the Cities of Salinas, Seaside, Gonzales, Soledad, Greenfield and King City as well as unincorporated areas of Castroville and North Monterey County. King City is in the early process of developing their City resourced strategic planning process to address violence prevention needs specific to the King City community. OCESA has served as a liaison between the Castroville Neighborhood Watch Group and the Sheriff’s Department and together will host a Town Hall meeting on Thursday, November 10, 2016. OCESA continues to provide support to the Seaside Youth Violence Prevention Task Force in the implementation of the Seaside Youth Resource Center. In partnership with the City of Salinas, the OCESA participated in the site visit by federal representatives for the OJJDP’s National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention, providing a County session sharing of the collaborations for countywide impact. The County presentation included Monterey County Free Libraries, Natividad Medical Center’s CHOICE Program, Health Department’s STRYVE program and Social Services’ efforts to address homelessness.
c. Reaching Teens: Reaching Teens is a professional development tool developed by Dr. Ginsburg, who presented during a workshop hosted by Natividad Medical Foundation in March 2015. Staffing changes in leadership roles for implementation of the pilot project have caused delays. Natividad Medical Foundation has recently hired Lisa Rico, MPH as the Project Coordinator and will be leading the implementation in collaboration with OCESA and the Behavioral Health Bureau of the Health Department for clinical oversight with the purpose of keeping alignment of a greater system-wide development of a framework for a trauma-informed system of care. Implementation of the pilot will begin with Natividad Medical Center resident staff with the South County health partners.
d. Literacy Campaign: Third grade reading proficiency is a priority indicator of the MCGVP Initiative. A countywide Campaign to promote literacy, “Porque me Amas” has launched in partnership with Early Childhood Development Initiative (ECDI), First 5 Monterey County and Literacy Campaign of Monterey County. Continued progress on the development of media and social marketing tools including bus ads; fotonovelas (comic-book format illustrated pamphlet), radio and TV blitzes.
e. Grant seeking: OCESA continues to collaborate with IGLA grant management program to seek funding for support of programs, services and strategies that align with the MCGVP Initiative’s Action Plan for Building Safe and Thriving Communities. A recent grant for victim services was awarded to Monterey County in the amount of $508,500 from the California Office of Emergency Services.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Partners of the Monterey County Gang Violence Prevention Initiative include: District Attorney’s Office, Public Defender’s Office, Probation Department, Sheriff’s Department, Department of Social Services, Economic Development Department, Health Department, Behavioral Health Bureau, and the Monterey County Free Libraries. Community Partners include: City of Salinas, CASP, City of Seaside, Blue Ribbon Task Force, City of Gonzales, and Four Cities for Peace and California Endowment’s East Salinas Building Healthy Communities. Natividad Medical Foundation and CHOICES is a partner in the exploration of implementing Reaching Teens.
FINANCING:
Accepting this oral report has no impact on the County General Fund Contribution at this time.