To view graphic version of this page, refresh this page (F5)

Skip to page body

Meeting Information



Programs_Committee

2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 

 

 

 


MINUTES OF OCTOBER 15, 2002 PROGRAM COMMITTEE MEETING
held at Youth Guidance Center Room 328 375 Woodside Ave San Francisco, CA 94127

The Minutes of this meeting set forth all actions taken by the Commission on the matters stated, but not necessarily the chronological sequence in which the matters were taken up


1.          (ACTION) Roll Call
The meeting was called to order at 5:49pm by Comm. Dupre. Comm. Bonilla was present at the gavel. Comm. Richard arrived at 5:50pm. CPO Williams, ACPO Tucker, S. Arcelona, L. Jackson-Simpson, D. Sanders were present for the Dept. Andrew Tobia, Steve La France were present for La France & Assoc.
2.          (ACTION) Approval of September 17, 2002 meeting minutes.
The minutes were approved as written.
(public comment) There was none.
3.          Public comment on any matter within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Juvenile Probation Commission
There was none.
4.          (DISCUSSION) Report from La France & Associates on the Intensive Home Based Supervision Program contracts
Liz Jackson-Simpson explained that this report is different from previous reports, which were CBO specific. Due to the sparse data on IHBS programs, an aggregate report was compiled by La France dealing with all of the IHBS contractors. The data represents from 6 mos to 2 yrs of collection efforts. She hit on highlights of the report: a significant number of those in the data pool came from homes where they lived with their parents, maintained a connection to their schools, and had exhibited self traumatic stressors.
Steven LaFrance passed out a revised version of the report, which they submitted as the final report. He added that this was primarily a profile of young people as they entered the program. The programs appear to be serving the exact kinds of young people that should be expected. It is a very diverse racial and ethnic group, and tend to be males. Many come from non native English speaking households. They have experienced many risk factors in the past, both community and family risk factors. Some have experienced loss of loved ones. One third of the population had a problem with consistent school attendance. Nearly all youth have experimented with drugs.
He commented that some of the psycho social indicators showed that the young people do not trust people in positions of authority, and had anger management problems.
He further commented that in doing this project, they are faced with two tasks, 1) analyzing data derived form the previous contractor, and 2) changing the current system of data collection. Some of the information in this report is not going to be part of the information collected in future samplings/evaluations. Specifically it is in the area of psycho-social functioning. The psycho social assessments are very technical scales which do not have clear relevance to the clients or providers and has caused a large alienation with the past and current process.
He pointed to some questionable measures: eg. self esteem. His experience is that young people, knowing how to answer these questions, typically hold themselves in higher esteem than an adult would. LaFrance is recommending discarding these measures, and using the more concrete indicators which directly relate to their lives.
He commented that it was interesting that half the youth in the sample had further contacts, and half didn't. It was not possible at this time to make an interpretation of that finding, given lack of comparison data.
Comm. Dupre aksed if there was a distinction between youth who use and those who deal drugs.
S. LaFrance said they do not have access to this information.
Comm. Dupre asked the staff if there was a way to make that distinction in the records. His concern was that there is no service for those who are "addicted" to selling drugs vs those who are addicted to using.
The Chief said that the JJIS does have data for those who use and sell.
There needs to be a clarification of offenses checked for, especially for those that are subsequent charges.
There was a explanation for charts on p. 14.
Comm. Bonilla said that the picture of the families involved in this report show that they are not significantly different than mainstream families.
Sheila Arcelona said that these young people may be suitable for help from services that attend to victims of violence. She commented that they hope to have a couple of more reports with the "old" PrIDE system, looking at CARECEN's youth in case management. And evaluations of Morrisania West and Girls 2000 programs. Then the new tools will be applied to all future reports from that point on. In Jan. they will piloting their new streamlined system.
Ques: are all CBOs participating in the data collection/recording. Ans: not as much as desired.
S. LaFrance commented that a large part of the problem was created by the complex design of the old PrIDE system. Eg. intake and discharge. It was very difficult to be able to do discharge due to the uncontrollable factors of separation. LaFrance is recommending to discard this in favor of a 3 mos interval follow up.
The Chief said that the Dept will be putting the service agencies on notice that the PrIDE data and other outcome data will be a part of the determination of continued funding or not. He said that at some point the data should be available and they should be able to use it to make decisions and provide good information to the programs.
LaFrance has met with all but 2 of the CBOs and are encouraged by the interest shown by them for the new process to be undertaken.
(public comment) There was none. .
5.          (DISCUSSION) Report on the follow up staff meeting at LCRS, held Oct. 7.
The Chief summarized that the meeting was very positive. It included counseling staff at the Ranch, Probation staff, schools, mental health and some community providers. The staff at the Ranch had already held meetings and created committees to address some of the topics in the plan.
The results of the Oct 7 meeting will be written up and given back to them for their continuing work. Copies will be made available to the Commission. There will be two more follow up meetings there.
D. Sanders said the staff is clear on what to do and will be doing it.
ACPO asked the Ranch staff to do the same exercise of imagining, with the youth there.
Both L. Jackson-Simpson and Jim Fithian agreed that the staff was on line with this and was very positive.
(public comment) There was none.
6.          (DISCUSSION) Discussion of the future of the LCRS Advisory Committee.
Comm. Richard said that he will be meeting with Rosa Sanchez before he makes a decision. There was a discussion regarding just having interested individuals work on ad hoc groups targeting specific tasks or goals related to problems that need addressing. Comm. Richard commented that he had also brought up this idea at the last committee meeting.
(public comment) There was none.
7.          Announcements, requests for future agenda items:
Matthew Frazier, of the Faith Based Coalition, asked to be put on the next month's agenda so he can describe a program they are setting up and how it might work along with the Dept.
Comm. Dupre commented that he asked them to come speak to the Committee, but they already have set up a meeting with the Chief.
L. Jackson-Simpson reminded them that there will be a report on CARECEN.
Comm. Dupre asked for an update on conditions and issues in Juvenile Hall.
(public comment) There was none.
7.          (ACTION) Adjournment
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:57pm.