2.

(ACTION) Review and approval of March 16, 2005 meeting minutes.

Comm Rodriguez put action on the minutes over to the full commission meeting, as no current committee member was present at the March committee meeting.
(public comments)

There were none.

3.

Public comment on any matter within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Program Committee of the Juvenile Probation Commission
There were none.
 

4.

(DISCUSSION/ACTION) CBO performance/evaluations; and possible recommendations to full commission to contract with the following:

L. Jackson-Simpson introduced Stephen LaFrance and Nancy Latham, of LaFrance Associates. She reviewed some of the history of the PrIDE work.  She mentioned how the effort has been streamlined from trying to collect lots of data (from 6-7 different batteries/scales) to now just collecting information from 2 surveys per participant.  The Dept will now migrate to using the Contract Management System program that the Dept of Children Youth and Families uses.  It will now be more efficient in compiling data (being computerized for input).  S. LaFrance and N. Latham went over some main points that the report made, concluding with a couple of recommendations (the full report is available from the community projects division office).

Chief Siffermann asked if the responses to questions were self-disclosures by the youth.  Ans. Yes.

Did the orgs know what outcome measures would be evaluated? Ans. Yes, they chose the ones they wanted to be checked against.

Comm Hale said that the evaluation results need to be applicable and usable otherwise they are only academic.  He questioned the usefulness of some of the identified risk factors.  He said CBOs need to know what questions to ask young people. He also said the report needs to be useful to POs who could pick it up and learn about the CBOs and what they do, to aid them in deciding where to refer the youth. He didn’t think this report could serve that purpose.

Comm Hale referred to what looked like a mix up in parts of some reports (Huckleberry and DDAP)

G. Bieringer said he thought there were 5 IHBS programs that did not submit any data and therefore had no evaluations, aside from Huckleberry.  LaFrance confirmed the number.

Comm Hale asked for the names of those 5 programs. 

Chief Siffermann commented that the evaluation of programs should have specific outcome measures relevant to their services and not the generalized outcomes that the report showed, given the differences in what the services are supposed to achieve.

He agreed with Comm Hale that these resources (CBO services) should be a part of the case management plans.

Comm Hale asked what the significance of “some positive movement” was to concluding that a service is worth supporting.  He said CBO staff needs professional training.  Comm Hale spoke in favor of diverting funds that the Dept spends on non-probation youth.

Liz Jackson-Simpson reviewed the list of CBO contracts that they are recommending for FY 05-06.  (list available on the commission website). 

Liz Jackson-Simpson said that because of the new staff changes in the Dept, Community Programs Division didn’t want to make any dramatic changes in the matrix of services, to stay with the status quo, to have an opportunity to look at what works, where the gaps were, where we need to be providing service.

Comm Hale raised the question of Huckleberry Youth Services’ contract.  He wants the money to go for probation youth. He observed that there are no CBOs in the Bayview who provide services in the evening hours. He said that probation officers might be stationed out in the community during such times, that a 9-5 schedule for everybody was not the best way to connect with the youth.

Chief Siffermann agreed and said that he wants to look into everything and come up with new ways.

  Comm Hale offered two motions. 1) to withhold $200K from the Huckleberry contract and explore gaps in evening hour services, and 2) to not initiate contracts with the 5 IHBS contractors who did not provide data for this report, to see what was happening.

Chief Siffermann, recognizing the impacted timeline, asked the committee to go along with the recommended list, and use this year to revisit all the contracts and services to make changes for next year.

Comm Hale insisted on looking at Huckleberry’s contract, and why they haven’t found alternative sources to replace the Dept’s funds for it (as they said they would).

Comm Rodriguez moved to send the list of contracts to the full commission, with instructions for those orgs mentioned (questioned) to appear before the commission (Instituto Familiar de la Raza, Morrisania West, Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, Samoan Community Development Center, Vietnamese Youth Development Center, Huckleberry Youth Services).  The motion carried, Comms. Rodriguez and Hale voting aye.

(public comments)
Rich Perino commented that most of the youth in our system are “self correcting” –that they’ll ‘come around’ themselves--- and that we need to look critically at how we’re spending nearly $4 million; whether it’s going to those who most need it.

He also compared what the cost of $200K could pay for in numbers of POs and counselors.

5.

(DISCUSSION/ACTION) Update on work by the Mayor’s committee on Log Cabin Ranch School, with possible action on findings/recommendations.

Chief Siffermann reported that the committee is working out revisions to a draft plan, and when “finalized” will be disseminated to the wider community for comment.  A consultant with the Annie E Casey Foundation, Mark Stuart, will be reviewing the plan and giving some input.  There will be a fuller report when the plan is made public.

Comm Hale criticized the process of the committee and their deliberations/planning. He wanted a full report from someone on the committee.  Chief Siffermann said the co-chairs are Judge Feinstein and Murlene Randle.  Comm Hale asked that someone be asked to come to the next commission meeting to make a full report.

(public comments)

6.

(DISCUSSION/ACTION) Exploration of setting up new protocols for internal and external evaluations of CBO contracts and services.

Comm Hale asked what the genesis of this item was, and D. Chan commented that it was something mentioned by Comm Queen to set up how the committee would carry out its oversight role over program activities and progress, and also Comm Hale had mentioned that maybe it’s time for the commission to decide what outcome objectives should be for the programs contracted out.  Comm Rodriguez said it probably is a bigger discussion than can happen at this time, so the item was tabled until a future meeting.

(public comments)
there were none.

7.

(DISCUSSION/ACTION) Regarding probation officers’ safety in the field, with possible recommendations to the full commission.

This was an item brought up by Comm Stiglich in a previous commission meeting and involved the question of issuance of side arms, protective vests, and radios to POs.   Chief Siffermann said that he wants the dept to move toward more field work, and that they have had discussions regarding arming POs.  They are not inclined to do that, but to utilize other resources and non-lethal aids.  N. Yalon was prepared to give a report on those discussions, but Comm Rodriguez demurred and will carry this over to when Comm Stiglich could be part of the discussion.

Comm Hale mentioned that POs do not carry arms in LA.

(public comments)

Rich Perino said that there probably would be no support from POs about going into housing projects at night, without being armed.

8.

(DISCUSSION/ACTION) Regarding the protocols for court reporting, communications within the Dept, with the Commission, and with external bodies, with possibility for recommendations to the full commission, establishing new protocols.

This was also another item brought up by Comm Stiglich, so likewise, to allow for her to participate in the discussion, this was tabled.

(public comments)
there were none.

9.

(DISCUSSION) Public comment on any matter within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Program Committee of the Juvenile Probation Commission

Liz Jackson-Simpson commended the community service program (ordered service by the court), that is being overseen by the community programs division (John Knox, Omar Khalif).  Young people are doing service around the YGC, and also got involved in the community clean up dates in the city.

Chief Siffermann also commended this effort and those of the people mentioned and said that this was what the public needs to see and know about the dept.  He wants to build this community service element into some CBO contracts in the future.

(public comments)

Rich Perino commented that the drumming in the hall should be done outside so the noise level isn’t so high in the hall (as it is now).

10.

(ACTION) Announcements, future agenda items.  Adjournment
Comm Hale asked that a report on the interaction between staff and JDAI be given. G. Bieringer could do this.  He wanted to know what is being done about promoting balanced and restorative justice in the dept’s activities.  All contracts should have the principles of balanced and restorative justice in them.

Chief Siffermann said he had a meeting with a Bd of Supervisor’s legislative aide’s intern, and this was a question brought up.  He is a strong advocate of the principles and will be looking into it more for the dept’s overall movement.

With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:05pm.