San Francisco Youth Commission
Youth Justice Committee
Minutes
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
5:00-7:00pm
City Hall, Room 345A
1. Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Pl.
San Francisco, CA 94102

There will be public comment on each item.

Members: Ramon Gomez, Joshua Cardenas, Sophie Edelhart

1. Call to Order and Roll Call

The meeting was called to order at 5:06 p.m. Commissioners present: Ramon Gomez, Joshua Cardenas, Sophie Edelhart. There was quorum. Staff present: Phimy Truong.

2. Approval of Agenda (Action Item)

There was no public comment. Commissioner Gomez, seconded by Commissioner Cardenas, moved to approve the agenda. The motion was approved by acclamation.

3. Approval of Minutes (Action Item)

A. September 24, 2013
(Document A)

Due to the minutes being improperly noticed, the committee was not able to take action on this item.

4. Public Comment on Items not on Agenda (Discussion Only)

There were none.

5. Business (All Items to Follow Discussion and Possible Action)

A. Presentation on Success Center SF: an overview of the organization and youth services
Presenter: Liz Jackson-Simpson, Executive Director, Success Center SF

This item was tabled temporarily as the presenters were not yet at the meeting room.

B. Debrief 12-13 committee work related to Juvenile Probation

Ms. Truong provided committee members with the policy priorities related to Juvenile Probation that former youth justice committee members worked on. She also provided a brief overview of the committee’s work with Juvenile Probation in the previous term. Priorities included former commissioner’s work on increasing access to the recreation yard at juvenile hall and recommending against the arming of juvenile probation officers in any new safety proposal. Commissioners asked for more time to review. Commissioner Edelhart asked her peers to review the documents on their own time, and come to the next committee meeting prepared to discuss these priorities.

There was no public comment.

C. Review updates on committee work related to SFUSD and SFPD MOU

Ms. Truong and Commissioner Gomez provided a brief overview of the youth justice committee’s work related to updating a Memorandum of Understanding between the SFUSD and SFPD. Commissioner Gomez provided some context to the commission’s institutional work on the MOU. Ms. Truong shared that the school district has finalized their version of the MOU and is in the process of sending it over to the SFPD’s legal department. Ms. Truong emphasized that there isn’t clear timeline on when the MOU will be ready; former commissioners had urged the department and school district to work together to have an official MOU updated and ready within the first semester of this current school year. Commissioners asked clarifying questions related to the MOU status. Commissioners agreed to review policy priority documents related to the MOU and will be prepared at the next committee meeting for further discussion.

There was no public comment.

A. Presentation on Success Center SF: an overview of the organization and youth services
Presenter: Liz Jackson-Simpson, Executive Director, Success Center SF

Commissioner Edelhart called for item 5A to begin as staff members from Success Center SF were ready for their presentation. Ms. Truong welcomed Ms. Liz Jackson-Simpson, Executive Director of Success Center SF; Mr. Iswari Espana, Workforce Program Manager, and Mr. Rory Talley, Administrative Assistant, to the committee.

Ms. Jackson-Simpson provided an overview of the Success Center SF’s history. Success Center SF is located directly next to Juvenile Hall and provides program services for marginalized youth and youth engaged in the justice and foster care systems. Staff at Success Center provides services ranging from workforce development, study academy, G.E.D. preparation, and service learning. Mr. Talley and Mr. Espana provided more details about their respective services and programs for youth. Two Success Center youth also spoke about the positive impacts that the center has had on their lives, and in their leadership development. The two youth spoke about the variety of life skills and alternative opportunities offered at the Success Center.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions.

Public Comment
Mr. David Alex Renard asked about funding for the center, and about the GED preparation program.

Commissioners Edelhart and Gomez thanked the presenters for their time and work. Commissioner Edelhart asked her peers to work on suggestions on how to support the work of Success Center SF. Commissioners asked staff for time at the next meeting to follow up on Success Center SF’s presentation.

D. Follow up on Project WHAT presentation

Commissioner Edelhart stated that she was excited to have Project WHAT, a program led by youth with incarcerated parents, to provide awareness and promote policies that improve services for justice system involved youth, present at the full commission meeting. Committee members discussed the various ways in which they can offer support to Project WHAT’s work. Commissioners spoke about attending some Project WHAT community meetings, offering assistance with raising awareness of the program’s expansion in San Francisco, hosting youth focus groups for the program, as well as writing a motion to support and comment the youth leaders’ work. Commissioner Edelhart shared that she would like the committee to look into data and statistics of youth with incarcerated parents, of adults entering the justice system with children, and other statistics related to services provided to support the wellbeing of families for those who are in prison.

Commissioners asked for this item to be agendized at the next committee meeting to allow for more time to plan.

There was no public comment.

6. Staff Report

Ms. Truong shared the following updates: the next Juvenile Justice Providers Association meeting will take place on November 6th at 11a.m.; as this meeting will take place during commissioners’ school hours, staff will attend and report back to the committee. There was going to be a community meeting related to school suspensions and what that means for students at risk for entering the justice system. This meeting would take place on October 29th from 5-7 p.m. Commissioner Edelhart and Gomez expressed interest in attending this community meeting. Commissioner Edelhart agreed to attend the community meeting with staff and provide a report back to her peers. Commissioners agreed to cancel the October 29th committee meeting, and reschedule the meeting for Friday, November 1st at 5:45 p.m.

Public Comment
Mr. David Alex Renard asked staff to email him some more information about the community meeting.

7. Items to Report to Executive Committee (Discussion Only)

Commissioners asked staff to provide an overview of the committee’s current work, and invite Executive Committee members to the October 29th community meeting. There was no public comment.

8. Executive Committee Report (Discussion Only)

Commissioner Cardenas provided an update on his work as the legislative affairs officer.
There was no public comment.

9. Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 7:06 p.m.