Full_Commission
2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO
JUVENILE PROBATION COMMISSION
JUVENILE PROBATION COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING
Regular Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
5:30 p.m.
City Hall, Room 408
#1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102
Commissioners
Rebecca Woodson, President
Katharine Albright, Vice President
Dirk Beijen
Julian Chang
Ellouise Patton
Sarah Ching Ting Wan
Meeting Minutes
1. Roll call
· The Commission President called the meeting to order at 5:45 p.m. Commissioners Albright, Beijen, Chang, and Woodson were present. Commissioners Wan and Patton were not present.
2. Public Comment
· No public comments.
3. Review and Approval of the Full Commission Minutes of August 12, 2009
(ACTION ITEM)
· Motion to approve the Full Commission Minutes of August 12, 2009 by Commissioner Albright, second by Commissioner Beijen, and approved by the rest of the Commission.
· No public comments.
4. Resolution Advancing LCR Plan by Allison Magee (DISCUSSION ONLY)
· Commission President Woodson asked if the Commissioners had any comments or revisions to the draft plan prior to it being voted on at the next Full Commission meeting. There were no comments or revisions.
Commissioner Chang commended the staff with adopting the Missouri model because it is recognized as a national model.
· No public comments.
5. Report to the Commission (DISCUSSION ONLY)
b. Committee Reports
(Committee Reports went before the Chief’s Report because Chief Siffermann was caught in traffic).
· Programs:
COMM Beijen said the Committee met on August 17th. They heard from the Parents’ Group and the Committee will stay in touch with this group and will assist in any way they can. The Committee also heard from YGCIC and discussed their programs.
· The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 4th at LCR and will hear a presentation on the Missouri Youth Service Institute (MYSI) approach by the staff and residents. On September 25th, COMM Beijen attended a presentation by the LCR staff, Louis Molten and Tim Diestel, as well as an LCR resident, who expressed their support for the MYSI approach and presented this program to the judges.
· COMM Chang said they received the report from the Early Morning Academy and the numbers were impressive. The Early Morning Academy has the highest graduation rate in San Francisco to the credit of the staff, volunteers and students.
· No public comments.
· Finance:
COMM Albright said the Committee met on September 30th and Sue Wong, Finance Director, gave an overview of the department’s finances. Ms. Wong stated that the department has taken the necessary cuts in the last fiscal year through layoffs, as well as other administrative cuts. Although there will be an impact from the state cuts, it will be much smaller on the department.
COMM Albright stated that there continues to be an issue around a structural deficit with salary lines and the Committee is going to continue working with the department to get a better understanding and be advocates for the department to cure this deficit. In addition, at the next meeting or by email, Ms. Wong will prepare reports on a periodic basis both on the FY 09-10 final budget summary with a line item breakout of expenses and where the department is to date, as well as where the department is from actuals, to year projected, and the variance.
COMM Albright stated that the Committee will have periodic meetings as needed. Ms. Wong added that the mid-year cut has been pushed off until next year.
COMM Chang asked about the current status of the department. Ms. Wong said that in August, when the state passed their budget, the city was going to take a $123 million in revenue shortfall. The Mayor’s budget office would have issued a round of mid-year cuts from each department, around 2-5% out of JPD’s budget. The shortfall was $8.5 million. At the city level, it was sustained primarily in two departments, Public Health and Human Services. Their budget is $1 billion and $700 million and they were able to absorb the $8.5 million shortfall. JPD is living within their budget but has a structural deficit in the salary budget and needs more money for salaries to sustain the existing staffing level. JPD has a million dollar shortfall in salaries and is going to meet with the new budget director, Greg Wagner, in the next week to discuss this issue.
COMM Woodson asked that after meeting with Mr. Wagner, what would be the time period to make any adjustments and Ms. Wong said that it will not happen until the next budget year. If salaries become too high, they begin to freeze all requisitions for hires, even if they are backfills.
· No public comments.
a. Chief’s Report
· Introduction of the new Director of Probation Services:
· Chief Siffermann introduced the new Director of Probation Services, Therese Wagner. Ms. Wagner comes from the state of Arizona with a career of over 20 years in probation work. Ms. Wagner said she is looking forward to working with the Commissioners and JPD staff to help advance the Moving Forward Initiative and with the goals and mission of the department.
COMM Woodson welcomed Ms. Wagner and asked if the Moving Forward Initiative was a formal program. Chief Siffermann said the program helps build the capacity of JPD’s staff and partnerships with CBO’s, as well as importing best practices into their work.
COMM Chang welcomed Ms. Wagner and said that what they learned in working with the parents in the development of the Parents’ Handbook was the necessity of accessibility in language for the parents of children who are in the system. CBO’s are an untapped resource in terms of everything from language translation services to specific training modules and are eager to help.
· No public comments.
· Report on grant applications:
· Ms. Magee reported that the department did not receive funding through the stimulus grants that were offered through DOJ. JPD did receive a federal grant called the Second Chance Act for Juvenile Offenders. This proposal was submitted by JPD, Public Defender, and the CJCJ to improve the transition planning and aftercare for kids returning from out-of-home placement. This grant establishes a re-entry court, where six months after going to out-of-home placement, a preliminary plan is prepared by a partnership that consists of a placement probation officer, public defender, and a case manager from CJCJ. The plan is proposed, updates are provided at three months, and the plan is finalized at nine-months. CJCJ will help with the final aftercare once the child returns. The grant is $600,060 and is in the early stages of planning. It will fund the full salaries and benefits for an additional probation officer at JPD, a social worker for the Public Defender, a case worker for CJCJ, and some training and travel money to be shared. The metrics to be tracked are generally for recidivism and actual case planning process, such as whether or not mental health needs were identified for each child. There is discussion with JPD and the Reentry Counsel about additional grant funds from private foundations to fund a formal evaluation on these efforts.
· No public comments.
· Garry Bieringer reported on the Corrections Standards Authority grant application. The application will set up a partnership with the Bayview Police Station. Mr. Bieringer stated that “30% of San Francisco youths arrested live in the 94124 zip code.” JPD wants to develop a partnership with that station and work with youths who get the first or second contact with the JJC, so that JPD can make an impact on them before they get more deeply involved in the system. JPD also wants to focus on the two biggest factors that contribute to kids coming into the system, which are robberies and kids detained on a warrant, to reduce both the numbers in the system and the disproportionality. The RFP identifies that each county needs to bring in an expert consultant to help with training and analysis. The last focus of the proposal will be on the implementation of evidence based practices to help young people change their thinking. If funded, the first six months will be used for planning. The second six months will be the implementation phase. It is a three year grant and JPD asked for the maximum amount of $100,000 per year. If JPD meets the measurement of the first year, the department will be funded for the next year. JPD should hear something by November 15th.
· No public comments.
· Swearing-in ceremony for staff member(s): Chief Siffermann administered the oath of office to Clyde Livingston, Macey O’Johnson and Gary Thompson. They were presented with a badge representing the authority, responsibility and duty as counselors at LCR and Juvenile Hall. A supervising counselor at LCR, Troy Hines, was unable to attend and will be presented a badge at a later date.
· Department updates: Chief Siffermann stated the SFPD expressed interest in JPD’s vacant office space, the W1 cottages. This is now available until the courts build a new center on that site. The SFPD and Office of Citizen Complaints are working together in developing the revision to the department general order 7.01, which recognizes the need to keep youths out of police stations, where adults are processed.
· No public comments.
6. Future Agenda Items (ACTION ITEM)
Announcements
· Next Programs Committee meeting will be held on November 4th at LCR.
· The November 11th Full Commission Meeting is cancelled due to the holiday.
· Resolution Plan Advancing LCR will be voted on at the next Full Commission Meeting.
· Second Chance Act Grant to be discussed by Allison Magee.
· No public comments.
7. Adjournment (ACTION ITEM)
The meeting adjourned at 6:43 p.m.
