AB 912: Strategic Anti-Violence Funding Efforts Act.
- Session Year: 2023-2024
- House: Assembly
- Latest Version Date: 2023-09-14
Current Status:
Failed
(2024-02-01: Consideration of Governor's veto stricken from file.)
Introduced
In Committee
First Chamber
In Committee
Second Chamber
Enacted
(1)Existing law establishes the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program within the Board of State and Community Corrections to grant funds, upon appropriation, to local jurisdictions and Indian tribes for the purpose of implementing trauma-informed diversion programs for minors, as specified.
This bill would repeal these provisions. The bill would reestablish the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program, to be administered by the Office of Youth and Community Restoration, for the purpose of implementing a mixed-delivery system of trauma-informed health and development diversion programs for youth, as specified. The bill would create the Youth Reinvestment Fund to be used, upon appropriation by the Legislature, by the office for the purposes of the program. The bill would require applicants for the program to be nongovernmental agencies or tribal governments, as specified. The bill would provide that an applicant under this program be awarded no less than $50,000, and no more than $2,000,000, and would specify the requirements of diversion programs to qualify for funding under these provisions.
(2)Existing law establishes, until January 1, 2025, the California Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program, administered by the Board of State and Community Corrections, to award competitive grants for the purpose of violence intervention and prevention.
This bill would establish, upon appropriation by the Legislature, the Department of Justice Violence Reduction Grant Program to be administered by the department for the purpose of supporting evidence-based, focus-deterrence collaborative programs that conduct outreach to targeted gangs and offer supportive services to preemptively reduce and eliminate violence and gang involvement. The bill would require the department to award grants on a competitive basis, with preference given to cities and local jurisdictions that are disproportionately impacted by violence and gang involvement. The bill would require the department to form a grant selection advisory committee, as specified. The bill would require grantees to report to the department, in a form and at intervals prescribed by the department, regarding the progress in achieving the grant objectives, and would require the department to report to the Legislature on the impact of violence prevention initiatives supported by the grant program.
(3)Existing law requires the governing board of a school district to give diligent care to the health and physical development of pupils and authorizes the governing board of a school district to employ properly certified persons for the work. Existing law requires a school of a school district or county office of education and a charter school to notify pupils and parents or guardians of pupils no less than twice during the school year on how to initiate access to available pupil mental health services on campus or in the community, or both, as provided.
This bill would also establish, upon appropriation by the Legislature, within the California Health and Human Services Agency a program to evaluate applications and award grants, in 5-year cycles, to schools to implement the Trauma Intervention Program to implement evidence-based interventions for pupils impacted by trauma. The bill would give the priority to the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles, as specified. The bill would require the agency to open eligibility for grants every 5 years, with priority to the top 6 counties that have the highest rate of violent crime and homicide, as reported by the Department of Justices annual crime data report. The bill would also require grants to be awarded to a research organization to conduct a study on the effects of the treatment, including any effect on subsequent criminality.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles.
(4)Existing law requires the State Department of Public Health, in cooperation with the State Department of Education, to establish a Public School Health Center Support Program, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to assist school health centers, which are defined as centers or programs, located at or near local educational agencies, that provide age-appropriate health care services at the program site or through referrals, as specified.
This bill would rename the program as the School-Based Health Center Support Program and would redefine a school-based health center to mean a student-focused health center or clinic that is located at or near a school or schools, is organized through school, community, and health provider relationships, and provides age-appropriate, clinical health care services onsite by qualified health professionals. The bill would authorize a school-based health center to provide primary medical care, behavioral health services, or dental care services onsite or through mobile health or telehealth. The bill would authorize the State Department of Public Health to contract with other entities for the purpose of providing assistance in specified areas to school-based health centers that receive grant moneys.
Existing law requires the department, subject to an appropriation, to establish a grant program within the Public School Health Center Support Program to provide technical assistance and funding for the expansion, renovation, and retrofitting of existing school health centers and the development of new school health centers. Existing law requires a health center receiving grant funds to meet or have a plan to meet specified requirements relating to the provision of certain services.
This bill would make changes to certain service requirements relating to, among other things, primary medical care, substance use disorder services, population health, and integrated and individualized support.
Existing law requires, subject to an appropriation, that planning grants under the program be available in amounts between $25,000 and $50,000 for a 6- to 12-month period for specified uses.
This bill would instead require that planning grants be available in amounts between $50,000 and $100,000, inclusive, for up to a 24-month period.
Existing law requires, subject to an appropriation, that facilities and startup grants be available in amounts between $20,000 and $250,000 per year for a 3-year period for the purpose of establishing a school health center, with the potential addition of $100,000 in the first year for facilities construction, purchase, or renovation.
This bill would instead require that facilities and startup grants be available in amounts between $300,000 and $850,000, inclusive, for a 3-year period. The bill would make certain changes to preference-related criteria.
Existing law requires, subject to an appropriation, that sustainability grants be available in amounts between $25,000 and $125,000 per year for a 3-year period for the purpose of operating a school health center, or enhancing programming at a fully operational school health center, and sets forth certain criteria for those grants.
This bill would delete those provisions and would instead require that expansion grants be available in amounts between $150,000 and $300,000, inclusive, for up to a 3-year period for the purpose of renovating and improving an existing school-based health center or enhancing and expanding programming at a fully operational school-based health center, as specified. The bill would require that sustainability grants be available in amounts between $150,000 and $300,000, inclusive, per year for the purpose of operating a school health center. The bill would set forth certain eligibility-related criteria for these grants.
This bill would require the department, subject to an appropriation, to administer grants pursuant to this program beginning on or before January 1, 2025.
Existing law requires the program, in collaboration with the State Department of Education, to act as a liaison for school-based health centers.
This bill would delete that provision.
Existing law requires the State Department of Education to establish an Office of School-Based Health Programs for the purpose of assisting local educational agencies regarding the current health-related programs under the purview of the department, as specified.
This bill would require the office to work with the State Department of Public Health in supporting the School-Based Health Center Support Program.
(5)Existing law requires the Director of Parks and Recreation to establish the Outdoor Equity Grants Program to increase the ability of underserved and at-risk populations to participate in outdoor environmental educational experiences at state parks and other public lands where outdoor environmental education programs take place.
This bill would create a grant program, subject to an appropriation, under the Department of Parks and Recreation to award grants to tribal and local governments and community-based organizations for the purpose of supporting existing and creating new parks and recreation opportunities and supporting existing and creating new summer programs for youth in order to create and enhance recreation- and health-based interventions for youth during peak times of violence. The bill would require the department to develop criteria, procedures, and accountability measures to implement the grant program and to administer the grant program to ensure priority is given to underserved populations, as specified. The bill would require the department to give priority for funding to outdoor recreation- and health-based intervention programs during peak times of violence that primarily provide outreach to and serve youth who are impacted by violence and gang involvement in their communities. The bill would also require the department to annually report to the appropriate policy, budget, and fiscal committee of the Legislature regarding the effectiveness of the programs awarded funding in achieving the overall objectives of the grant program.
(6)Existing law establishes the California Gang, Crime, and Violence Prevention Partnership Program for the purposes of reducing gang, criminal activity, and youth violence in specified communities. Existing law requires the Department of Justice to disburse all available funds to community-based organizations and nonprofit agencies that meet specified program requirements.
This bill would repeal those provisions.
(1)Existing law establishes the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program within the Board of State and Community Corrections to grant funds, upon appropriation, to local jurisdictions and Indian tribes for the purpose of implementing trauma-informed diversion programs for minors, as specified.
This bill would repeal these provisions. The bill would reestablish the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program, to be administered by the Office of Youth and Community Restoration, for the purpose of implementing a mixed-delivery system of trauma-informed health and development diversion programs for youth, as specified. The bill would create the Youth Reinvestment Fund to be used, upon appropriation by the Legislature, by the office for the purposes of the program. The bill would require applicants for the program to be nongovernmental agencies or tribal governments, as specified. The bill would provide that an applicant under this program be awarded no less than $50,000, and no more than $2,000,000, and would specify the requirements of diversion programs to qualify for funding under these provisions.
(2)Existing law establishes, until January 1, 2025, the California Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program, administered by the Board of State and Community Corrections, to award competitive grants for the purpose of violence intervention and prevention.
This bill would establish, upon appropriation by the Legislature, the Department of Justice Violence Reduction Grant Program to be administered by the department for the purpose of supporting evidence-based, focus-deterrence collaborative programs that conduct outreach to targeted gangs and offer supportive services to preemptively reduce and eliminate violence and gang involvement. The bill would require the department to award grants on a competitive basis, with preference given to cities and local jurisdictions that are disproportionately impacted by violence and gang involvement. The bill would require the department to form a grant selection advisory committee, as specified. The bill would require grantees to report to the department, in a form and at intervals prescribed by the department, regarding the progress in achieving the grant objectives, and would require the department to report to the Legislature on the impact of violence prevention initiatives supported by the grant program.
(3)Existing law requires the governing board of a school district to give diligent care to the health and physical development of pupils and authorizes the governing board of a school district to employ properly certified persons for the work. Existing law requires a school of a school district or county office of education and a charter school to notify pupils and parents or guardians of pupils no less than twice during the school year on how to initiate access to available pupil mental health services on campus or in the community, or both, as provided.
This bill would also establish, upon appropriation by the Legislature, within the California Health and Human Services Agency a program to evaluate applications and award grants, in 5-year cycles, to schools to implement the Trauma Intervention Program to implement evidence-based interventions for pupils impacted by trauma. The bill would give the priority to the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles, as specified. The bill would require the agency to open eligibility for grants every 5 years, with priority to the top 6 counties that have the highest rate of violent crime and homicide, as reported by the Department of Justices annual crime data report. The bill would also require grants to be awarded to a research organization to conduct a study on the effects of the treatment, including any effect on subsequent criminality.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles.
(4)Existing law requires the State Department of Public Health, in cooperation with the State Department of Education, to establish a Public School Health Center Support Program, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to assist school health centers, which are defined as centers or programs, located at or near local educational agencies, that provide age-appropriate health care services at the program site or through referrals, as specified.
This bill would rename the program as the School-Based Health Center Support Program and would redefine a school-based health center to mean a student-focused health center or clinic that is located at or near a school or schools, is organized through school, community, and health provider relationships, and provides age-appropriate, clinical health care services onsite by qualified health professionals. The bill would authorize a school-based health center to provide primary medical care, behavioral health services, or dental care services onsite or through mobile health or telehealth. The bill would authorize the State Department of Public Health to contract with other entities for the purpose of providing assistance in specified areas to school-based health centers that receive grant moneys.
Existing law requires the department, subject to an appropriation, to establish a grant program within the Public School Health Center Support Program to provide technical assistance and funding for the expansion, renovation, and retrofitting of existing school health centers and the development of new school health centers. Existing law requires a health center receiving grant funds to meet or have a plan to meet specified requirements relating to the provision of certain services.
This bill would make changes to certain service requirements relating to, among other things, primary medical care, substance use disorder services, population health, and integrated and individualized support.
Existing law requires, subject to an appropriation, that planning grants under the program be available in amounts between $25,000 and $50,000 for a 6- to 12-month period for specified uses.
This bill would instead require that planning grants be available in amounts between $50,000 and $100,000, inclusive, for up to a 24-month period.
Existing law requires, subject to an appropriation, that facilities and startup grants be available in amounts between $20,000 and $250,000 per year for a 3-year period for the purpose of establishing a school health center, with the potential addition of $100,000 in the first year for facilities construction, purchase, or renovation.
This bill would instead require that facilities and startup grants be available in amounts between $300,000 and $850,000, inclusive, for a 3-year period. The bill would make certain changes to preference-related criteria.
Existing law requires, subject to an appropriation, that sustainability grants be available in amounts between $25,000 and $125,000 per year for a 3-year period for the purpose of operating a school health center, or enhancing programming at a fully operational school health center, and sets forth certain criteria for those grants.
This bill would delete those provisions and would instead require that expansion grants be available in amounts between $150,000 and $300,000, inclusive, for up to a 3-year period for the purpose of renovating and improving an existing school-based health center or enhancing and expanding programming at a fully operational school-based health center, as specified. The bill would require that sustainability grants be available in amounts between $150,000 and $300,000, inclusive, per year for the purpose of operating a school health center. The bill would set forth certain eligibility-related criteria for these grants.
This bill would require the department, subject to an appropriation, to administer grants pursuant to this program beginning on or before January 1, 2025.
Existing law requires the program, in collaboration with the State Department of Education, to act as a liaison for school-based health centers.
This bill would delete that provision.
Existing law requires the State Department of Education to establish an Office of School-Based Health Programs for the purpose of assisting local educational agencies regarding the current health-related programs under the purview of the department, as specified.
This bill would require the office to work with the State Department of Public Health in supporting the School-Based Health Center Support Program.
(5)Existing law requires the Director of Parks and Recreation to establish the Outdoor Equity Grants Program to increase the ability of underserved and at-risk populations to participate in outdoor environmental educational experiences at state parks and other public lands where outdoor environmental education programs take place.
This bill would create a grant program, subject to an appropriation, under the Department of Parks and Recreation to award grants to tribal and local governments and community-based organizations for the purpose of supporting existing and creating new parks and recreation opportunities and supporting existing and creating new summer programs for youth in order to create and enhance recreation- and health-based interventions for youth during peak times of violence. The bill would require the department to develop criteria, procedures, and accountability measures to implement the grant program and to administer the grant program to ensure priority is given to underserved populations, as specified. The bill would require the department to give priority for funding to outdoor recreation- and health-based intervention programs during peak times of violence that primarily provide outreach to and serve youth who are impacted by violence and gang involvement in their communities. The bill would also require the department to annually report to the appropriate policy, budget, and fiscal committee of the Legislature regarding the effectiveness of the programs awarded funding in achieving the overall objectives of the grant program.
(6)Existing law establishes the California Gang, Crime, and Violence Prevention Partnership Program for the purposes of reducing gang, criminal activity, and youth violence in specified communities. Existing law requires the Department of Justice to disburse all available funds to community-based organizations and nonprofit agencies that meet specified program requirements.
This bill would repeal those provisions.
(1)Existing law establishes the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program within the Board of State and Community Corrections to grant funds, upon appropriation, to local jurisdictions and Indian tribes for the purpose of implementing trauma-informed diversion programs for minors, as specified.
This bill would repeal these provisions. The bill would reestablish the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program, to be administered by the Office of Youth and Community Restoration, for the purpose of implementing a mixed-delivery system of trauma-informed health and development diversion programs for youth, as specified. The bill would create the Youth Reinvestment Fund to be used, upon appropriation by the Legislature, by the office for the purposes of the program. The bill would require applicants for the program to be nongovernmental agencies or tribal governments, as specified. The bill would provide that an applicant under this program be awarded no less than $50,000, and no more than $2,000,000, and would specify the requirements of diversion programs to qualify for funding under these provisions. The bill would make an appropriation of $50,000,000 from the General Fund to the Office of Youth and Community Restoration for awarding grants pursuant to the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program.
(2)Existing law establishes, until January 1, 2025, the California Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program, administered by the Board of State and Community Corrections, to award competitive grants for the purpose of violence intervention and prevention.
This bill would establish establish, upon appropriation by the Legislature, the Department of Justice Violence Reduction Grant Program to be administered by the department for the purpose of supporting evidence-based, focus-deterrence collaborative programs that conduct outreach to targeted gangs and offer supportive services to preemptively reduce and eliminate violence and gang involvement. The bill would require the department to award grants on a competitive basis, with preference given to cities and local jurisdictions that are disproportionately impacted by violence and gang involvement. The bill would require the department to form a grant selection advisory committee, as specified. The bill would require grantees to report to the department, in a form and at intervals prescribed by the department, regarding the progress in achieving the grant objectives, and would require the department to report to the Legislature on the impact of violence prevention initiatives supported by the grant program. The bill would appropriate a sum of $35,000,000 from the General Fund to the department for the grant program.
(3)Existing law requires the governing board of a school district to give diligent care to the health and physical development of pupils and authorizes the governing board of a school district to employ properly certified persons for the work. Existing law requires a school of a school district or county office of education and a charter school to notify pupils and parents or guardians of pupils no less than twice during the school year on how to initiate access to available pupil mental health services on campus or in the community, or both, as provided.
This bill would also establish establish, upon appropriation by the Legislature, within the California Health and Human Services Agency a program to evaluate applications and award grants, in 5-year cycles, to schools to implement the Trauma Intervention Program to implement evidence-based interventions for pupils impacted by trauma. The bill would give the priority to the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles, as specified. The bill would require the agency to open eligibility for grants every 5 years, with priority to the top 6 counties that have the highest rate of violent crime and homicide, as reported by the Department of Justices annual crime data report. The bill would also require grants to be awarded to a research organization to conduct a study on the effects of the treatment, including any effect on subsequent criminality. The bill would appropriate $50,000,000 from the General Fund to the California Health and Human Services Agency for this grant program.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles.
(4)Existing law requires the State Department of Public Health, in cooperation with the State Department of Education, to establish a Public School Health Center Support Program, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to assist school health centers, which are defined as centers or programs, located at or near local educational agencies, that provide age-appropriate health care services at the program site or through referrals, as specified.
This bill would rename the program as the School-Based Health Center Support Program and would redefine a school-based health center to mean a student-focused health center or clinic that is located at or near a school or schools, is organized through school, community, and health provider relationships, and provides age-appropriate, clinical health care services onsite by qualified health professionals. The bill would authorize a school-based health center to provide primary medical care, behavioral health services, or dental care services onsite or through mobile health or telehealth.
Existing law requires the department, subject to an appropriation, to establish a grant program within the Public School Health Center Support Program to provide technical assistance and funding for the expansion, renovation, and retrofitting of existing school health centers and the development of new school health centers. Existing law requires a health center receiving grant funds to meet or have a plan to meet specified requirements relating to the provision of certain services.
This bill would make changes to certain service requirements relating to, among other things, primary medical care, substance use disorder services, population health, and integrated and individualized support.
Existing law requires, subject to an appropriation, that planning grants under the program be available in amounts between $25,000 and $50,000 for a 6- to 12-month period for specified uses.
This bill would instead require that planning grants be available in amounts between $50,000 and $100,000, inclusive, for up to a 24-month period.
Existing law requires, subject to an appropriation, that facilities and startup grants be available in amounts between $20,000 and $250,000 per year for a 3-year period for the purpose of establishing a school health center, with the potential addition of $100,000 in the first year for facilities construction, purchase, or renovation.
This bill would instead require that facilities and startup grants be available in amounts between $300,000 and $850,000, inclusive, for a 3-year period. The bill would make certain changes to preference-related criteria.
Existing law requires, subject to an appropriation, that sustainability grants be available in amounts between $25,000 and $125,000 per year for a 3-year period for the purpose of operating a school health center, or enhancing programming at a fully operational school health center, and sets forth certain criteria for those grants.
This bill would delete those provisions and would instead require that expansion grants be available in amounts between $150,000 and $300,000, inclusive, for up to a 3-year period for the purpose of renovating and improving an existing school-based health center or enhancing and expanding programming at a fully operational school-based health center, as specified. The bill would require that sustainability grants be available in amounts between $150,000 and $300,000, inclusive, per year for the purpose of operating a school health center. The bill would set forth certain eligibility-related criteria for these grants.
This bill would require the department department, subject to an appropriation, to administer grants pursuant to this program beginning on or before January 1, 2025. The bill would appropriate $50,000,000 from the General Fund to the State Department of Public Health for this grant program.
Existing law requires the program, in collaboration with the State Department of Education, to act as a liaison for school-based health centers.
This bill would delete that provision.
Existing law requires the State Department of Education to establish an Office of School-Based Health Programs for the purpose of assisting local educational agencies regarding the current health-related programs under the purview of the department, as specified.
This bill would require the office to work with the State Department of Public Health in supporting the School-Based Health Center Support Program.
(5)Existing law requires the Director of Parks and Recreation to establish the Outdoor Equity Grants Program to increase the ability of underserved and at-risk populations to participate in outdoor environmental educational experiences at state parks and other public lands where outdoor environmental education programs take place.
This bill would create a grant program program, subject to an appropriation, under the Department of Parks and Recreation to award grants to local governments and community-based organizations for the purpose of supporting existing and creating new parks and recreation opportunities and supporting existing and creating new summer programs for youth in order to create and enhance recreation- and health-based interventions for youth during peak times of violence. The bill would require the department to develop criteria, procedures, and accountability measures to implement the grant program and to administer the grant program to ensure priority is given to underserved populations, as specified. The bill would require the department to give priority for funding to outdoor recreation- and health-based intervention programs during peak times of violence that primarily provide outreach to and serve youth who are impacted by violence and gang involvement in their communities. The bill would also require the department to annually report to the appropriate policy, budget, and fiscal committee of the Legislature regarding the effectiveness of the programs awarded funding in achieving the overall objectives of the grant program. The bill would appropriate $50,000,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Parks and Recreation for the grant program.
(1)Existing law establishes the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program within the Board of State and Community Corrections to grant funds, upon appropriation, to local jurisdictions and Indian tribes for the purpose of implementing trauma-informed diversion programs for minors, as specified.
This bill would repeal these provisions. The bill would reestablish the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program, to be administered by the Office of Youth and Community Restoration, for the purpose of implementing a mixed-delivery system of trauma-informed health and development diversion programs for youth, as specified. The bill would create the Youth Reinvestment Fund to be used, upon appropriation by the Legislature, by the office for the purposes of the program. The bill would require applicants for the program to be nongovernmental agencies or tribal governments, as specified. The bill would provide that an applicant under this program be awarded no less than $50,000, and no more than $2,000,000, and would specify the requirements of diversion programs to qualify for funding under these provisions. The bill would make an appropriation of $50,000,000 from the General Fund to the Office of Youth and Community Restoration for awarding grants pursuant to the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program.
(2)Existing law establishes, until January 1, 2025, the California Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program, administered by the Board of State and Community Corrections, to award competitive grants for the purpose of violence intervention and prevention.
This bill would establish the Department of Justice Violence Reduction Grant Program to be administered by the department for the purpose of supporting evidence-based, focus-deterrence collaborative programs that conduct outreach to targeted gangs and offer supportive services to preemptively reduce and eliminate violence and gang involvement. The bill would require the department to award grants on a competitive basis, with preference given to cities and local jurisdictions that are disproportionately impacted by violence and gang involvement. The bill would require the department to form a grant selection advisory committee, as specified. The bill would require grantees to report to the department, in a form and at intervals prescribed by the department, regarding the progress in achieving the grant objectives, and would require the department to report to the Legislature on the impact of violence prevention initiatives supported by the grant program. The bill would appropriate a sum of $35,000,000 from the General Fund to the department for the grant program.
(3)Existing law requires the governing board of a school district to give diligent care to the health and physical development of pupils and authorizes the governing board of a school district to employ properly certified persons for the work. Existing law requires a school of a school district or county office of education and a charter school to notify pupils and parents or guardians of pupils no less than twice during the school year on how to initiate access to available pupil mental health services on campus or in the community, or both, as provided.
This bill would also establish within the California Health and Human Services Agency a program to evaluate applications and award grants, in 5-year cycles, to schools to implement the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) program for the improvement in the health and well-being of the youth and school and community stability. Trauma Intervention Program to implement evidence-based interventions for pupils impacted by trauma. The bill would give the right of first refusal for priority to the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles, as specified. The bill would require the agency to open eligibility for grants every 5 years years, with priority to the top 6 counties that have the highest rate of violent crime and homicide, as reported by the Department of Justices annual crime data report. The bill would also require grants to be awarded to a research organization to conduct a study on the effects of the treatment, including any effect on subsequent criminality. The bill would appropriate $50,000,000 from the General Fund to the California Health and Human Services Agency for this grant program.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles.
(4)Existing law requires the State Department of Public Health, in cooperation with the State Department of Education, to establish a Public School Health Center Support Program, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to assist school health centers, which are defined as centers or programs, located at or near local educational agencies, that provide age-appropriate health care services at the program site or through referrals, as specified.
This bill would rename the program as the School-Based Health Center Support Program and would redefine a school-based health center to mean a student-focused health center or clinic that is located at or near a school or schools, is organized through school, community, and health provider relationships, and provides age-appropriate, clinical health care services onsite by qualified health professionals. The bill would authorize a school-based health center to provide primary medical care, behavioral health services, or dental care services onsite or through mobile health or telehealth.
Existing law requires the department, subject to an appropriation, to establish a grant program within the Public School Health Center Support Program to provide technical assistance and funding for the expansion, renovation, and retrofitting of existing school health centers and the development of new school health centers. Existing law requires a health center receiving grant funds to meet or have a plan to meet specified requirements relating to the provision of certain services.
This bill would make changes to certain service requirements relating to, among other things, primary medical care, substance use disorder services, population health, and integrated and individualized support.
Existing law requires, subject to an appropriation, that planning grants under the program be available in amounts between $25,000 and $50,000 for a 6- to 12-month period for specified uses.
This bill would instead require that planning grants be available in amounts between $50,000 and $100,000, inclusive, for up to a 24-month period.
Existing law requires, subject to an appropriation, that facilities and startup grants be available in amounts between $20,000 and $250,000 per year for a 3-year period for the purpose of establishing a school health center, with the potential addition of $100,000 in the first year for facilities construction, purchase, or renovation.
This bill would instead require that facilities and startup grants be available in amounts between $300,000 and $850,000, inclusive, for a 3-year period. The bill would make certain changes to preference-related criteria.
Existing law requires, subject to an appropriation, that sustainability grants be available in amounts between $25,000 and $125,000 per year for a 3-year period for the purpose of operating a school health center, or enhancing programming at a fully operational school health center, and sets forth certain criteria for those grants.
This bill would delete those provisions and would instead require that expansion grants be available in amounts between $150,000 and $300,000, inclusive, for up to a 3-year period for the purpose of renovating and improving an existing school-based health center or enhancing and expanding programming at a fully operational school-based health center, as specified. The bill would require that sustainability grants be available in amounts between $150,000 and $300,000, inclusive, per year for the purpose of operating a school health center. The bill would set forth certain eligibility-related criteria for these grants.
This bill would require the department to administer grants pursuant to this program beginning on or before January 1, 2025. The bill would appropriate $50,000,000 from the General Fund to the State Department of Public Health for this grant program.
Existing law requires the program, in collaboration with the State Department of Education, to act as a liaison for school-based health centers.
This bill would delete that provision.
Existing law requires the State Department of Education to establish an Office of School-Based Health Programs for the purpose of assisting local educational agencies regarding the current health-related programs under the purview of the department, as specified.
This bill would require the office to work with the State Department of Public Health in supporting the School-Based Health Center Support Program.
(5)Existing law requires the Director of Parks and Recreation to establish the Outdoor Equity Grants Program to increase the ability of underserved and at-risk populations to participate in outdoor environmental educational experiences at state parks and other public lands where outdoor environmental education programs take place.
This bill would create a grant program under the Department of Parks and Recreation to award grants to local governments and community-based organizations for the purpose of supporting existing and creating new parks and recreation opportunities and supporting existing and creating new summer programs for youth in order to create and enhance recreation- and health-based interventions for youth during peak times of violence. The bill would require the department to develop criteria, procedures, and accountability measures to implement the grant program and to administer the grant program to ensure priority is given to underserved populations, as specified. The bill would require the department to give priority for funding to outdoor recreation- and health-based intervention programs during peak times of violence that primarily provide outreach to and serve youth who are impacted by violence and gang involvement in their communities. The bill would also require the department to annually report to the appropriate policy, budget, and fiscal committee of the Legislature regarding the effectiveness of the programs awarded funding in achieving the overall objectives of the grant program. The bill would appropriate $50,000,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Parks and Recreation for the grant program.
(1)Existing law establishes the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program within the Board of State and Community Corrections to grant funds, upon appropriation, to local jurisdictions and Indian tribes for the purpose of implementing trauma-informed diversion programs for minors, as specified.
This bill would repeal these provisions. The bill would reestablish the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program, to be administered by the Office of Youth and Community Restoration, for the purpose of implementing a mixed-delivery system of trauma-informed health and development diversion programs for youth, as specified. The bill would create the Youth Reinvestment Fund to be used, upon appropriation by the Legislature, by the office for the purposes of the program. The bill would require applicants for the program to be nongovernmental agencies or tribal governments, as specified. The bill would provide that an applicant under this program be awarded no less than $50,000, and no more than $2,000,000, and would specify the requirements of diversion programs to qualify for funding under these provisions. The bill would make an appropriation of $50,000,000 from the General Fund to the Office of Youth and Community Restoration for awarding grants pursuant to the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program.
(2)Existing law establishes, until January 1, 2025, the California Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program, administered by the Board of State and Community Corrections, to award competitive grants for the purpose of violence intervention and prevention.
This bill would establish the Department of Justice Violence Reduction Grant Program to be administered by the department for the purpose of supporting evidence-based, focus-deterrence collaborative programs that conduct outreach to targeted gangs and offer supportive services to preemptively reduce and eliminate violence and gang involvement. The bill would require the department to award grants on a competitive basis, with preference given to cities and local jurisdictions that are disproportionately impacted by violence and gang involvement. The bill would require the department to form a grant selection advisory committee, as specified. The bill would require grantees to report to the department, in a form and at intervals prescribed by the department, regarding the progress in achieving the grant objectives, and would require the department to report to the Legislature on the impact of violence prevention initiatives supported by the grant program. The bill would appropriate a sum of $35,000,000 from the General Fund to the department for the grant program.
(3)Existing law requires the governing board of a school district to give diligent care to the health and physical development of pupils and authorizes the governing board of a school district to employ properly certified persons for the work. Existing law requires a school of a school district or county office of education and a charter school to notify pupils and parents or guardians of pupils no less than twice during the school year on how to initiate access to available pupil mental health services on campus or in the community, or both, as provided.
This bill would also establish within the California Health and Human Services Agency a 5-year pilot program to evaluate applications and award grants grants, in 5-year cycles, to schools located in the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles to implement the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) program for the improvement in the health and well-being of the youth and school and community stability. The bill would give the right of first refusal for the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles, as specified. The bill would require the agency to open eligibility for grants every 5 years to the top 6 counties that have the highest rate of violent crime and homicide, as reported by the Department of Justices annual crime data report. The bill would also require grants to be awarded to a research organization to conduct a study on the effects of the treatment, including any effect on subsequent criminality. The bill would appropriate $50,000,000 from the General Fund to the California Health and Human Services Agency for this grant program.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles.
(4)Existing law requires the State Department of Public Health, in cooperation with the State Department of Education, to establish a Public School Health Center Support Program, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to assist school health centers, which are defined as centers or programs, located at or near local educational agencies, that provide age-appropriate health care services at the program site or through referrals, as specified.
This bill would rename the program as the School-Based Health Center Support Program and would redefine a school-based health center to mean a student-focused health center or clinic that is located at or near a school or schools, is organized through school, community, and health provider relationships, and provides age-appropriate, clinical health care services onsite by qualified health professionals. The bill would authorize a school-based health center to provide primary medical care, behavioral health services, or dental care services onsite or through mobile health or telehealth.
Existing law requires the department, subject to an appropriation, to establish a grant program within the Public School Health Center Support Program to provide technical assistance and funding for the expansion, renovation, and retrofitting of existing school health centers and the development of new school health centers. Existing law requires a health center receiving grant funds to meet or have a plan to meet specified requirements relating to the provision of certain services.
This bill would make changes to certain service requirements relating to, among other things, primary medical care, substance use disorder services, population health, and integrated and individualized support.
Existing law requires, subject to an appropriation, that planning grants under the program be available in amounts between $25,000 and $50,000 for a 6- to 12-month period for specified uses.
This bill would instead require that planning grants be available in amounts between $50,000 and $100,000, inclusive, for up to a 24-month period.
Existing law requires, subject to an appropriation, that facilities and startup grants be available in amounts between $20,000 and $250,000 per year for a 3-year period for the purpose of establishing a school health center, with the potential addition of $100,000 in the first year for facilities construction, purchase, or renovation.
This bill would instead require that facilities and startup grants be available in amounts between $300,000 and $850,000, inclusive, for a 3-year period. The bill would make certain changes to preference-related criteria.
Existing law requires, subject to an appropriation, that sustainability grants be available in amounts between $25,000 and $125,000 per year for a 3-year period for the purpose of operating a school health center, or enhancing programming at a fully operational school health center, and sets forth certain criteria for those grants.
This bill would delete those provisions and would instead require that expansion grants be available in amounts between $150,000 and $300,000, inclusive, for up to a 3-year period for the purpose of renovating and improving an existing school-based health center or enhancing and expanding programming at a fully operational school-based health center, as specified. The bill would require that sustainability grants be available in amounts between $150,000 and $300,000, inclusive, per year for the purpose of operating a school health center. The bill would set forth certain eligibility-related criteria for these grants.
This bill would require the department to administer grants pursuant to this program beginning on or before January 1, 2025. The bill would appropriate $50,000,000 from the General Fund to the State Department of Public Health for this grant program.
Existing law requires the program, in collaboration with the State Department of Education, to act as a liaison for school-based health centers.
This bill would delete that provision.
Existing law requires the State Department of Education to establish an Office of School-Based Health Programs for the purpose of assisting local educational agencies regarding the current health-related programs under the purview of the department, as specified.
This bill would require the office to work with the State Department of Public Health in supporting the School-Based Health Center Support Program.
(5)Existing law requires the Director of Parks and Recreation to establish the Outdoor Equity Grants Program to increase the ability of underserved and at-risk populations to participate in outdoor environmental educational experiences at state parks and other public lands where outdoor environmental education programs take place.
This bill would create a grant program under the Department of Parks and Recreation to award grants to local governments and community-based organizations for the purpose of supporting existing and creating new parks and recreation opportunities and supporting existing and creating new summer programs for youth in order to create and enhance recreation- and health-based interventions for youth during peak times of violence. The bill would require the department to develop criteria, procedures, and accountability measures to implement the grant program and to administer the grant program to ensure priority is given to underserved populations, as specified. The bill would require the department to give priority for funding to outdoor recreation- and health-based intervention programs during peak times of violence that primarily provide outreach to and serve youth who are impacted by violence and gang involvement in their communities. The bill would also require the department to annually report to the appropriate policy, budget, and fiscal committee of the Legislature regarding the effectiveness of the programs awarded funding in achieving the overall objectives of the grant program. The bill would appropriate $50,000,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Parks and Recreation for the grant program.
(1)Existing law establishes the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program within the Board of State and Community Corrections to grant funds, upon appropriation, to local jurisdictions and Indian tribes for the purpose of implementing trauma-informed diversion programs for minors, as specified.
This bill would repeal these provisions. The bill would reestablish the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program, to be administered by the Office of Youth and Community Restoration, for the purpose of implementing a mixed-delivery system of trauma-informed health and development diversion programs for youth, as specified. The bill would create the Youth Reinvestment Fund to be used, upon appropriation by the Legislature, by the office for the purposes of the program. The bill would require applicants for the program to be nongovernmental agencies or tribal governments, as specified. The bill would provide that an applicant under this program be awarded no less than $50,000, and no more than $2,000,000, and would specify the requirements of diversion programs to qualify for funding under these provisions. The bill would make an appropriation of $50,000,000 from the General Fund to the Office of Youth and Community Restoration for awarding grants pursuant to the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program.
(2)Existing law establishes, until January 1, 2025, the California Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program, administered by the Board of State and Community Corrections, to award competitive grants for the purpose of violence intervention and prevention.
This bill would establish the Department of Justice Violence Reduction Grant Program to be administered by the department for the purpose of supporting evidence-based, focus-deterrence collaborative programs that conduct outreach to targeted gangs and offer supportive services to preemptively reduce and eliminate violence and gang involvement. The bill would require the department to award grants on a competitive basis, with preference given to cities and local jurisdictions that are disproportionately impacted by violence and gang involvement. The bill would require the department to form a grant selection advisory committee, as specified. The bill would require grantees to report to the department, in a form and at intervals prescribed by the department, regarding the progress in achieving the grant objectives, and would require the department to report to the Legislature on the impact of violence prevention initiatives supported by the grant program. The bill would appropriate a sum of $35,000,000 from the General Fund to the department for the grant program.
(3)Existing law requires the governing board of a school district to give diligent care to the health and physical development of pupils and authorizes the governing board of a school district to employ properly certified persons for the work. Existing law requires a school of a school district or county office of education and a charter school to notify pupils and parents or guardians of pupils no less than twice during the school year on how to initiate access to available pupil mental health services on campus or in the community, or both, as provided.
This bill would also establish within the California Health and Human Services Agency a 5-year pilot program to evaluate applications and award grants to schools located in the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles to implement the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) program for the improvement in the health and well-being of the youth and school and community stability. The bill would also require grants to be awarded to a research organization to conduct a study on the effects of the treatment, including any effect on subsequent criminality. The bill would appropriate $50,000,000 from the General Fund to the California Health and Human Services Agency for this grant program.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles.
(4)Existing law requires the State Department of Public Health, in cooperation with the State Department of Education, to establish a Public School Health Center Support Program, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to assist school health centers, which are defined as centers or programs, located at or near local educational agencies, that provide age-appropriate health care services at the program site or through referrals, as specified.
This bill would require the department to administer grants pursuant to this program beginning on or before January 1, 2025. The bill would appropriate $50,000,000 from the General Fund to the State Department of Public Health for this grant program.
(5)Existing law requires the Director of Parks and Recreation to establish the Outdoor Equity Grants Program to increase the ability of underserved and at-risk populations to participate in outdoor environmental educational experiences at state parks and other public lands where outdoor environmental education programs take place.
This bill would create a grant program under the Department of Parks and Recreation to award grants to local governments and community-based organizations for the purpose of supporting existing and creating new parks and recreation opportunities and supporting existing and creating new summer programs for youth in order to create and enhance recreation- and health-based interventions for youth during peak times of violence. The bill would require the department to develop criteria, procedures, and accountability measures to implement the grant program and to administer the grant program to ensure priority is given to underserved populations, as specified. The bill would require the department to give priority for funding to outdoor recreation- and health-based intervention programs during peak times of violence that primarily provide outreach to and serve youth who are impacted by violence and gang involvement in their communities. The bill would also require the department to annually report to the appropriate policy, budget, and fiscal committee of the Legislature regarding the effectiveness of the programs awarded funding in achieving the overall objectives of the grant program. The bill would appropriate $50,000,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Parks and Recreation for the grant program.
(1)Existing law establishes the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program within the Board of State and Community Corrections to grant funds, upon appropriation, to local jurisdictions and Indian tribes for the purpose of implementing trauma-informed diversion programs for minors, as specified.
This bill would instead place the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program within the Office of Youth and Community Restoration and would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to reflect the change in administering agency. repeal these provisions. The bill would reestablish the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program, to be administered by the Office of Youth and Community Restoration, for the purpose of implementing a mixed-delivery system of trauma-informed health and development diversion programs for youth, as specified. The bill would create the Youth Reinvestment Fund to be used, upon appropriation by the Legislature, by the office for the purposes of the program. The bill would require applicants for the program to be nongovernmental agencies or tribal governments, as specified. The bill would provide that an applicant under this program be awarded no less than $50,000, and no more than $2,000,000, and would specify the requirements of diversion programs to qualify for funding under these provisions. The bill would make an appropriation of $50,000,000 from the General Fund to the Office of Youth and Community Restoration for awarding grants pursuant to the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program.
(2)Existing law establishes, until January 1, 2025, the California Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program, administered by the Board of State and Community Corrections, to award competitive grants for the purpose of violence intervention and prevention.
This bill would establish the Department of Justice Violence Reduction Grant Program to be administered by the department for the purpose of supporting evidence-based, focus-deterrence collaborative programs that conduct outreach to targeted gangs and offer supportive services to preemptively reduce and eliminate violence and gang-involvement. gang involvement. The bill would require the department to award grants on a competitive basis, with preference given to cities and local jurisdictions that are disproportionately impacted by violence and gang involvement. The bill would require the department to form a grant selection advisory committee, as specified. The bill would require grantees to report to the department, in a form and at intervals prescribed by the department, regarding the progress in achieving the grant objectives, and would require the department to report to the Legislature on the impact of violence prevention initiatives supported by the grant program. The bill would appropriate a sum of $35,000,000 from the General Fund to the department for the grant program.
(3)Existing law requires the governing board of a school district to give diligent care to the health and physical development of pupils and authorizes the governing board of a school district to employ properly certified persons for the work. Existing law requires a school of a school district or county office of education and a charter school to notify pupils and parents or guardians of pupils no less than twice during the school year on how to initiate access to available pupil mental health services on campus or in the community, or both, as provided.
This bill would create a grant program under the State Department of Education to provide grants to K-12 school districts for the sole purpose of hiring social workers and mental health professionals to provide mental health services to pupils for the improvement in the health and well-being of the youth and school and community stability. The bill would appropriate $50,000,000 from the General Fund to the State Department of Education for this grant program.This bill would also establish within the California Health and Human Services Agency a 5-year pilot program to evaluate applications and award grants to schools located in the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles for implementing to implement the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) program for the improvement in the health and well-being of the youth and school and community stability. The bill would also require grants to be awarded to a research organization to conduct a study on the effects of the treatment, including any effect on subsequent criminality. The bill would appropriate $50,000,000 from the General Fund to the California Health and Human Services Agency for this grant program.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles.
(4)Existing law requires the State Department of Public Health, in cooperation with the State Department of Education, to establish a Public School Health Center Support Program, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to assist school health centers, which are defined as centers or programs, located at or near local educational agencies, that provide age-appropriate health care services at the program site or through referrals, as specified.
This bill would require the department to administer grants pursuant to this program beginning on or before January 1, 2025. The bill would appropriate $50,000,000 from the General Fund to the State Department of Public Health for this grant program.
(4)(5)Existing law requires the Director of Parks and Recreation to establish the Outdoor Equity Grants Program to increase the ability of underserved and at-risk populations to participate in outdoor environmental educational experiences at state parks and other public lands where outdoor environmental education programs take place.
This bill would create a grant program under the Department of Parks and Recreation to award grants to local governments and community-based organizations for the purpose of supporting existing and creating new parks and recreation opportunities and supporting existing and creating new summer programs for youth in order to create and enhance recreation- and health-based interventions for youth during peak times of violence. The bill would require the department to develop criteria, procedures, and accountability measures to implement the grant program and to administer the grant program to ensure priority is given to underserved populations, as specified. The bill would require the department to give priority for funding to outdoor recreation- and health-based intervention programs during peak times of violence that primarily provide outreach to and serve youth who are impacted by violence and gang involvement in their communities. The bill would also require the department to annually report to the appropriate policy, budget, and fiscal committee of the Legislature regarding the effectiveness of the programs awarded funding in achieving the overall objectives of the grant program. The bill would appropriate $50,000,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Parks and Recreation for the grant program.
(1)Existing law establishes the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program within the Board of State and Community Corrections to grant funds, upon appropriation, to local jurisdictions and Indian tribes for the purpose of implementing trauma-informed diversion programs for minors, as specified.
This bill would instead place the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program within the Office of Youth and Community Restoration and would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to reflect the change in administering agency. The bill would make an appropriation of $50,000,000 from the General Fund to the Office of Youth and Community Restoration for awarding grants pursuant to the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program.
(2)Existing law establishes, until January 1, 2025, the California Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program, administered by the Board of State and Community Corrections, to award competitive grants for the purpose of violence intervention and prevention.
This bill would establish the Department of Justice Violence Reduction Grant Program to be administered by the department for the purpose of supporting evidence-based, focus-deterrence collaborative programs that conduct outreach to targeted gangs and offer supportive services to preemptively reduce and eliminate violence and gang-involvement. The bill would appropriate a sum of $35,000,000 from the General Fund to the department for the grant program.
(3)Existing law requires the governing board of a school district to give diligent care to the health and physical development of pupils and authorizes the governing board of a school district to employ properly certified persons for the work. Existing law requires a school of a school district or county office of education and a charter school to notify pupils and parents or guardians of pupils no less than twice during the school year on how to initiate access to available pupil mental health services on campus or in the community, or both, as provided.
This bill would create a grant program under the State Department of Education to provide grants to K-12 school districts for the sole purpose of hiring social workers and mental health professionals to provide mental health services to pupils for the improvement in the health and well-being of the youth and school and community stability. The bill would appropriate $50,000,000 from the General Fund to the State Department of Education for this grant program.
This bill would also establish within the California Health and Human Services Agency a 5-year pilot program to evaluate applications and award grants to schools located in the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles for implementing the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) program for the improvement in the health and well-being of the youth and school and community stability. The bill would appropriate $50,000,000 from the General Fund to the California Health and Human Services Agency for this grant program.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles.
(4)Existing law requires the Director of Parks and Recreation to establish the Outdoor Equity Grants Program to increase the ability of underserved and at-risk populations to participate in outdoor environmental educational experiences at state parks and other public lands where outdoor environmental education programs take place.
This bill would create a grant program under the Department of Parks and Recreation to award grants to local governments and community-based organizations for the purpose of supporting existing and creating new parks and recreation opportunities and supporting existing and creating new summer programs for youth in order to create and enhance recreation- and health-based interventions for youth during peak times of violence.
This act shall be known, and may be cited, as the Strategic Anti-Violence Funding Efforts Act, or SAFE Act.
SEC. 2.The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a)The Legislative Analysts Office (LAO) estimates that savings associated with the closure of prisons and Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) facilities, as well as a declining population of incarcerated persons, will total $1.5 billion annually by 2025.
(b)On December 6, 2022, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) announced the closure of Chuckwalla Valley State Prison (CVSP) and exiting of California City Correctional Facility (Cal City). CVSP will close by March 2025. CDCR will terminate the Cal City contract in March 2024 and end the use of that facility as a state prison.
(c)The LAO estimates that savings associated with the closure of CVSP amounts to $100 million in ongoing funds, and the exiting of Cal City amounts to $135.3 million. Therefore, the closure of CVSP and exiting of Cal City amounts to a cost savings of $235.3 million annually.
(d)It is the intent of the Legislature to reinvest the CDCR cost savings from prison closures and declining incarcerated persons populations to do all of the following:
(1)Create a grant program to implement evidence-based interventions for pupils impacted by trauma.
(2)Provide ongoing funding for the Youth Reinvestment Grant Fund.
(3)Create a fund to support existing and create new parks and recreation opportunities, as well as summer programs for youth.
(4)Provide grants to school-based health centers in order to provide physical health and mental health services to youth on school sites.
(5)Create a fund to support early intervention programs to reduce violence by mentoring at-promise individuals.
SEC. 3.Section 124174 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:124174.The following definitions shall govern the construction of this article, unless the context requires otherwise:
(a)Program means a School-Based Health Center Support Program.
(b)(1)School-based health center means a student-focused health center or clinic that meets all of the following conditions:
(A)Is located at or near a school or schools.
(B)Is organized through school, community, and health provider relationships.
(C)Provides age-appropriate, clinical health care services onsite by qualified health professionals.
(2)A school-based health center may provide primary medical care, behavioral health services, or dental care services onsite or through mobile health or telehealth.
(c)For purposes of this section, local educational agency means a school, school district, charter school, or county office of education if the county office of education serves students in kindergarten, or any grades from 1 to 12, inclusive.
(d)Department means the State Department of Public Health.
SEC. 4.Section 124174.2 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:124174.2.(a)The department, in cooperation with the Office of School-Based Health Programs in the State Department of Education, shall establish a School-Based Health Center Support Program.
(b)The program, in collaboration with the State Department of Education, shall perform the following program functions:
(1)Provide technical assistance to school-based health centers on effective outreach and enrollment strategies to identify children who are eligible for, but not enrolled in, the Medi-Cal program, Covered California, or any other applicable health insurance affordability program for children.
(2)Serve as a liaison between organizations within the department, including, but not limited to, prevention services, primary care, health equity, oral health, behavioral health, and family health.
(3)Serve as a liaison between other state entities, as appropriate, including, but not limited to, the State Department of Health Care Services, the Department of Managed Health Care, and the Office of Emergency Services.
(4)Provide technical assistance to facilitate and encourage the establishment, retention, or expansion of, school-based health centers. For purposes of this paragraph, technical assistance may include, but is not limited to, identifying available public and private sources of funding, which may include federal Medicaid funds, funds from third-party reimbursements, state demonstration projects or incentive programs, and available federal or foundation grant moneys.
(c)In addition to the duties described in subdivision (b), the department may enter into a contract with an entity that coordinates the efforts of school-based health centers for the purpose of providing assistance to school-based health centers that receive grant moneys. A contract entered into under this subdivision shall require the entity to perform the following:
(1)Provide technical assistance and community-specific ongoing training to school-based health centers, school districts, and local education agencies.
(2)Assist school-based health centers in improving business practices, including, but not limited to, practices related to billing and efficiencies.
(3)Assist school-based health centers in expanding their relationships with coordinated care organizations, sponsors of medical care for school-age children, and other community-based providers of school-based health and mental health services.
(4)Facilitate the integration of health and education policies and programs at the local level so that school-based health centers operate in an optimal environment.
(d)The department shall consult with interested parties and appropriate health and education stakeholders, including the California School-Based Health Alliance and representatives of youth and parents, in carrying out its responsibilities under this article.
SEC. 5.Section 124174.3 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:124174.3.(a)The department shall establish standardized data collection procedures and collect data specified in subdivision (c) from school-based health centers on an ongoing basis. School-based health centers shall report data to the department only to the extent that state funding is provided to school-based health centers under the program.
(b)The data collected pursuant to this section shall be submitted in a format determined by the department in accordance with applicable state and federal requirements for confidentiality and protected health information.
(c)Data collected pursuant to this section shall include the following:
(1)The name of the primary contact person, telephone numbers, including facsimile, physical address, and the email address, if applicable, for each school-based health center.
(2)The annual number of schoolage children receiving health services or mental health services from the school-based health center.
(3)The type and volume of services provided by the school-based health centers.
(4)The funding mechanisms used by the school-based health centers.
(5)Information on other programs offered by school-based health centers with an emphasis on preventative health services that address health issues unique to schoolage children, including, but not limited to, childhood obesity, asthma, immunizations against communicable diseases, and child and adolescent mental health disorders.
(d)This section shall be implemented only to the extent funds are appropriated for this purpose in the Budget Act or pursuant to the enactment of legislation subsequent to the addition of this section.
SEC. 6.Section 124174.4 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:124174.4.The Office of School-Based Health Programs in the State Department of Education, in collaboration with the department, shall perform the following functions:
(a)Coordination of programs within the State Department of Education that support school-based health centers.
(b)The provision of technical assistance to facilitate and encourage the establishment, retention, and expansion of school-based health centers in local educational agencies. For purposes of this subdivision, technical assistance may include the provision of information to local educational agencies and other entities regarding the utilization of facilities, liability insurance, cooperative agreements with community-based providers, and other issues pertinent to school-based health centers.
SEC. 7.Section 124174.5 of the Health and Safety Code is repealed.SEC. 8.Section 124174.6 of the Health and Safety Code is amended and renumbered to read:124174.5.The department shall establish a grant program within the School-Based Health Center Support Program to provide technical assistance, and funding for the expansion, renovation, and retrofitting of existing school-based health centers, and the development of new school-based health centers, in accordance with the following procedures and requirements:
(a)A school-based health center receiving grant funds pursuant to this section shall meet or have a plan to meet the following requirements:
(1)Provide primary medical care. The health center may also provide other health care services, including behavioral health, dental care, health education, and related services in response to community needs.
(2)Strive to provide a comprehensive and integrated set of other health care services, provided or supervised by licensed or credentialed professionals, which may include the following:
(A)Physical examinations, immunizations, and other preventive medical services.
(B)Diagnosis and treatment of minor injuries and acute medical conditions.
(C)Management of chronic medical conditions.
(D)Basic laboratory tests.
(E)Referrals to and followup for specialty care.
(F)Reproductive health services.
(G)Nutrition services.
(H)Mental health services provided or supervised by an appropriately licensed or credentialed mental health professional may include: assessments, crisis intervention, counseling, treatment, and referral to a continuum of services including emergency psychiatric care, community support programs, inpatient care, and outpatient programs. School-based health centers providing mental health services as specified in this section shall consult with the local county mental health department for collaboration in planning and service delivery.
(I)Substance use disorder services, including education, prevention, screening, early interventions, counseling, and referral to treatment services.
(J)Oral health services that may include preventive services, basic restorative services, and referral to specialty services.
(3)Strive to address the population health of the entire school campus by focusing on prevention services, including, but not limited to, group and classroom education, schoolwide prevention programs, and community outreach strategies within the schools Multi-Tiered System of Support or other similar framework employed by the local educational agency.
(4)Strive to provide integrated and individualized support for students and families and to act as a partner with the student or family to ensure that health, social, or behavioral challenges are addressed.
(5)Strive to integrate the school-based health center in the school or local educational agencys community school model, if applicable.
(6)Work in partnership with the school nurse, if one is employed by the local educational agency, to provide individual and family health education; school or districtwide health promotion; first aid and administration of medications; facilitation of student enrollment in health insurance programs; screening of students to identify the need for physical, mental health, and oral health services; referral and linkage to services not offered onsite; public health and disease surveillance; and emergency response procedures. A school-based health center may receive grant funding pursuant to this section if the local educational agency does not employ a school nurse. However, it is not the intent of the Legislature that a school-based health center serve as a substitute for a school nurse employed by a local educational agency.
(7)Have a written contract or memorandum of understanding between the local educational agency and the health care provider or any other community providers that ensures coordination of services, ensures confidentiality and privacy of health information consistent with applicable federal and state laws, and integration of services into the school environment.
(8)Serve all registered students in the school regardless of ability to pay.
(9)Be open during all normal school hours, or on a more limited basis if resources are not available, or on a more expansive basis if dictated by community needs and resources are available.
(10)Establish protocols for referring students to outside services when the school-based health center is closed.
(11)Facilitate transportation between the school and the health center if the health center is not located on school or school district property.
(b)Beginning on or before January 1, 2025, planning grants shall be available in amounts between fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) and one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), inclusive, for up to a 24-month period to be used for the costs associated with assessing the need for a school-based health center in a particular community or area, and developing the partnerships necessary for the operation of a school-based health center in that community or area. Applicants for planning grants shall be required to have a letter of interest from a local educational agency if the applicant is not a local educational agency. Grantees provided funding pursuant to this subdivision shall be required to do all of the following:
(1)Seek input from students, parents, school nurses, school staff and administration, local health providers, and if applicable, special population groups, on community health needs, barriers to health care and the need for a school-based health center.
(2)Collect data on the school and community to estimate the percentage of students that lack health insurance and the percentage that are eligible for Medi-Cal or private health care coverage benefits, or other public programs providing free or low-cost health services.
(3)Assess capacity and interest among health care providers in the community to provide services in a school-based health center.
(4)Assess the need for specific cultural or linguistic services or both.
(c)Beginning on or before January 1, 2025, facilities and startup grants shall be available in amounts between three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) and eight hundred fifty thousand dollars ($850,000), inclusive, for a three-year period for the purpose of establishing a school-based health center. Grant funds may be used to cover a portion or all of the costs associated with designing, retrofitting, renovating, constructing, or buying a facility or mobile health unit, for medical equipment and supplies for a school-based health center, or for personnel costs at a school-based health center. Preference will be given to proposals that include a plan for cost sharing among local educational agencies, health providers, and community organizations or that identify match funding for facilities construction and renovation costs. Preference will be given to proposals that include plans to provide integrated primary medical care and behavioral health services. Applicants for facilities and startup grants offered pursuant to this subdivision shall be required to meet the following criteria:
(1)Have completed a community assessment determining the need for a school-based health center.
(2)Have a contract or memorandum of understanding between the local educational agency and the health care provider, if other than the local educational agency, and any other provider agencies describing the relationship between the local educational agency and the school-based health center.
(3)Have a mechanism, described in writing, to coordinate services to individual students among school and school-based health center staff while maintaining confidentiality and privacy of health information consistent with applicable state and federal laws.
(4)Have a written description of how the school-based health center will participate in the following:
(A)School and districtwide health promotion, coordinated school health, health education in the classroom or on campus, program/activities that address nutrition, fitness, or other important public health issues, or promotion of policies that create a healthy school environment.
(B)Outreach and enrollment of students in health insurance programs.
(C)Public health prevention, surveillance, and emergency response for the school population.
(5)Have the ability to provide the linguistic or cultural services needed by the community. If the school-based health center is not yet able to provide these services due to resource limitations, the school-based health center shall engage in an ongoing assessment of its capacity to provide these services.
(6)Have a plan for maximizing available third-party reimbursement revenue streams.
(d)Beginning on or before January 1, 2025, expansion grants shall be available in amounts between one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) and three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000), inclusive, for up to a three-year period for the purpose of renovating and improving an existing school-based health center, enhancing and expanding programming at a fully operational school-based health center, including adding physical health, oral health, or behavioral health services, or supporting operations at a fully operational school-based health center. Preference will be given to proposals that increase access to comprehensive health care services at the school-based health center by adding staff or services or expanding the facility. Applicants for expansion grants offered pursuant to this subdivision shall be required to meet all of the criteria described in subdivision (c), in addition to all of the following criteria:
(1)The applicant shall be eligible to become or already be an approved Medi-Cal provider.
(2)The applicant shall have ability and procedures in place for billing public insurance programs, managed care health plans, or county mental health plans.
(3)The applicant shall develop a plan to sustain expanded services at the school-based health center after the grant period.
(e)Beginning on or before January 1, 2025, sustainability grants shall be available in amounts between one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) and three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000), inclusive, per year ongoing for the purpose of operating a school health center. Applicants for sustainability grants offered pursuant to this subdivision shall be required to meet all of the criteria described in subdivision (c), in addition to all of the following criteria:
(1)The applicant shall be eligible to become or already be an approved Medi-Cal provider.
(2)The applicant shall have ability and procedures in place for billing public insurance programs, managed care health plans, or county mental health plans.
(3)The applicant shall seek reimbursement and have procedures in place for billing public and private insurance that covers students at the school health center.
(f)The department shall award technical assistance grants through a competitive bidding process to qualified contractors to support grantees receiving grants under subdivisions (b), (c), (d), and (e). A qualified contractor means a vendor with demonstrated capacity in all aspects of planning, facilities development, startup, and operation of a school-based health center.
(g)The department, in collaboration with the Office of School-Based Health Programs in the State Department of Education, shall also develop a request for proposal (RFP) process for collecting information on applicants, and determining which proposals shall receive grant funding. The department shall give preference for grant funding to school-based health centers serving any of the following:
(1)Areas designated as federally medically underserved areas or with medically underserved populations or areas with a shortage of health professionals.
(2)Areas experiencing health disparities in child and adolescent access to primary care, behavioral health, preventative health, or oral health services.
(3)Schools in which more than 55 percent of pupils serviced are unduplicated pupils, as defined in Section 42238.02 of the Education Code.
(h)Moneys shall be allocated to the department annually for evaluation to be conducted by an outside evaluator that is selected through a competitive bidding process. The evaluation shall document the number of grantees that establish and sustain school-based health centers, and describe the challenges and lessons learned in creating successful school-based health centers. The evaluator shall use data collected pursuant to Section 124174.3, if it is available, and work in collaboration with the School-Based Health Center Support Program. The department shall post the evaluation on its internet website.
(i)Recipients of grants given pursuant to this section shall, when contracting for services with the grant moneys, give preference to schools and other entities that are not law enforcement entities.
(j)This section shall be implemented only to the extent that funds are appropriated to the department in the annual Budget Act or other statute for implementation of this article.
SEC. 9.Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 13825.1) of Title 6 of Part 4 of the Penal Code is repealed.SEC. 10.Title 10.3 (commencing with Section 14138) is added to Part 4 of the Penal Code, to read:10.3.Department of Justice Violence Reduction Grant Program14138.(a)The Department of Justice shall administer a grant program for the purpose of improving public safety and community health and well-being, especially amongst those communities that are impacted by violence and gang involvement.
(b)Grants awarded pursuant to this section shall be used to support, expand, and replicate evidence-based, focused-deterrence collaborative programs that conduct outreach to targeted gangs and offer supportive services in order to preemptively reduce and eliminate violence and gang involvement. These programs shall be primarily designed to reduce violent crimes by bringing together a collaborative partnership to communicate to individuals who are identified as having the highest risk of perpetrating or being victimized by violence or gang involvement in the near future that there are tailored services and support available to help them step away from violence. The supportive services shall include, but are not limited to, job training, health care, and crisis response to shootings and violence, among other services. The department shall give priority for funding to schools, community-based organizations, and nonprofit organizations.
(c)Grants pursuant to this section shall be made on a competitive basis with preference to cities and local jurisdictions that are disproportionately impacted by violence and gang involvement, and with preference to community-based organizations that serve the residents of those cities and local jurisdictions.
(d)An applicant for a grant pursuant to this section shall submit a proposal, in a form prescribed by the department, which shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(1)Clearly defined and measurable objectives for the grant.
(2)A statement describing how the applicant proposes to use the grant to implement an evidence-based, focused-deterrence violence reduction initiative in accordance with this section.
(3)A statement describing how the applicant proposes to use the grant to enhance coordination of existing violence prevention and intervention programs and minimize duplication of services.
(4)Evidence indicating that the proposed violence reduction initiative would likely reduce the incidence of homicides, shootings, aggravated assaults, and gang involvement.
(e)In awarding grants pursuant to this section, the department shall give preference to applicants whose grant proposals demonstrate the greatest likelihood of reducing the incidence of violence and gang involvement in the applicants community, without contributing to mass incarceration.
(f)The amount of funds awarded to an applicant shall be commensurate with the scope of the applicants proposal and the applicants demonstrated need for additional resources to address violence in the applicants community.
(g)Each grantee shall commit a cash or in-kind contribution equivalent to the amount of the grant awarded under this section. This subdivision does not apply if the grantee is suffering a hardship and is unable to generate matching funds. A grantee may demonstrate the hardship to the Department of Finance, and the Department of Finance shall determine whether the grantee is suffering a hardship. The grantee shall submit any information requested by the Department of Finance for purposes of determining whether a hardship exists.
(h)Each city and other local jurisdiction that receives a grant pursuant to this section shall distribute no less than 50 percent of the grant funds to one or both of the following types of entities:
(1)Community-based organizations.
(2)Public agencies or departments that are primarily dedicated to community safety or violence prevention.
(i)The department shall form a grant selection advisory committee, including, without limitation, persons who have been impacted by violence, formerly incarcerated persons, and persons with direct experience in implementing evidence-based violence and gang involvement reduction initiatives, including initiatives that incorporate public health and community-based approaches.
(j)The department may use up to 7 percent of the funds appropriated for the program described in this section each year for the costs of administering the program, including, without limitation, the employment of personnel, providing technical assistance to grantees, and evaluation of violence and gang involvement reduction initiatives supported by the program pursuant to this section.
(k)Each grantee shall report to the department, in a form and at intervals prescribed by the department, their progress in achieving the grant objectives.
(l)The department shall, by no later than 90 days following the close of each grant cycle, prepare and submit a report to the Legislature in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code regarding the impact of the violence prevention initiatives supported by the program pursuant to this section.
(m)The department shall make evaluations of the grant program available to the public.
14139.This title shall be implemented upon appropriation by the Legislature.
SEC. 11.Chapter 3.4 (commencing with Section 5660) is added to Division 5 of the Public Resources Code, to read:3.4.Parks and Recreation Anti-Violence Initiatives for Youth5660.(a)The department shall award grants to tribal governments and local governments and, with preference, community-based organizations for the purpose of supporting existing and creating new parks and recreation opportunities, as well as supporting existing and creating new summer programs for youth, including, but not limited to, extended park hours and expanded programming for nighttime sports, educational activities, and visual and performing arts opportunities, in order to create and enhance recreation- and health-based interventions for youth during peak times of violence.
(b)In developing the grant program, the department shall do both of the following:
(1)Develop criteria, procedures, and accountability measures as may be necessary to implement the grant program.
(2)Administer the grant program to ensure that priority is given to underserved populations, including both urban and rural areas and low-income communities, where participation in outdoor recreation- and health-based activities will best serve youth as intervention and deterrence from violence.
(c)The department shall give priority for funding to outdoor recreation- and health-based intervention programs during peak times of violence that primarily provide outreach to and serve youth who are impacted by violence and gang involvement in their communities. When available, the department shall additionally give priority for funding to schools, community-based organizations, and nonprofit organizations.
(d)The department may give additional consideration to outdoor recreation- and health-based intervention programs during peak times of violence that do any of the following:
(1)Maximize the number of participants that can be served.
(2)Demonstrate partnerships between public, private, and nonprofit entities.
(3)Contribute to healthy lifestyles, violence prevention and gang deterrence, and improved outdoor recreational and health experiences.
(4)Include service learning and community outreach components for purposes of building partnerships between participants and local communities.
(e)In implementing the grant program, the department shall work with relevant stakeholders to promote and implement the grant program in a manner that effectively reaches a wide geography throughout the state and ensures that regions most impacted by violence and gang involvement are adequately considered with an emphasis on addressing the violence prevention and gang deterrence needs within these regions.
(f)The department may use up to 5 percent of the funds appropriated for the program described in this section each year for the costs of administering the program.
5661.The department shall gather information from applicants following each award year for purposes of evaluating the effectiveness of selected programs in achieving the overall objectives of the grant program. Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, the department shall annually summarize and report this information for the previous award year to the appropriate policy, budget, and fiscal committees of the Legislature. The information in the annual report shall include the total number of youth served, the total number and types of entities that received grant awards, appropriate recommendations to improve the grant program, partnerships formed, educational objectives achieved, the total number of applications received, and the total number of youth who would have been served if all applicants for the award year received grant awards.
5662.The department shall adopt guidelines it determines are necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter. Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code does not apply to the adoption of guidelines pursuant to this section. The department shall develop a process for public comment and review of the guidelines that involves three public hearings in three different parts of the state before the adoption of those guidelines.
5663.This chapter shall be implemented upon appropriation by the Legislature.
SEC. 12.Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 1450) of Part 1 of Division 2 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is repealed.SEC. 13.Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 2300) is added to Division 2.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:6.Youth Reinvestment Grant Program2300.(a)The Office of Youth and Community Restoration shall establish the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program for the purposes described in this chapter.
(b)The Youth Reinvestment Fund is hereby created. Moneys in the fund shall be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, only for the purposes of this chapter.
(c)Funds appropriated for the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program shall be allocated as follows:
(1)Three percent shall be used for administrative costs to the office resulting from the implementation of this chapter.
(2)Five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for evaluation of the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program as described in Section 2305.
(3)Five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for technical assistance to grantees as described in Section 2305.
(4)Ten percent for Native American youth diversion programs pursuant to Section 2302.
(5)The remaining funds shall be used for youth diversion programs pursuant to Section 2303.
2301.For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:
(a)Applicant and grantee mean an eligible tribal government, tribal organization, or a nonprofit community-based organization that meets the requirements of Section 2302 or 2303.
(b)Area of high need means either of the following:
(1)A city or a ZIP Code with rates of youth arrests that are higher than the county average, based on available arrest data, as described by the applicant.
(2)A city or a ZIP Code with racial or ethnic disparities in youth arrests that are higher than their representation in the county population, as described by the applicant.
(c)Diversion means a nonpunitive response to address a youths conduct without involving a youth formally in the juvenile justice system.
(d)Diversion program means a program that promotes positive youth development by relying on responses that prevent a youths involvement or further involvement in the justice system. Diversion programs, which may follow a variety of different models, aim to divert youth from justice system involvement at the earliest possible point.
(e)Mixed-delivery system means a system of adolescent development and education support services delivered through a combination of programs, providers, and settings that include partnerships between community-based nonprofit organizations and public agencies and that is supported with a combination of public and private funds.
(f)Office means the Office of Youth and Community Restoration.
(g)Referring agency means organizations or agencies that may refer youth to diversion programs, including, but not limited to, education, law enforcement, child welfare, behavioral health, and public health entities.
(h)Trauma-informed means an approach that involves an understanding of adverse childhood experiences and responding to symptoms of chronic interpersonal trauma and traumatic stress across the lifespan of an individual.
(i)Youth means a person who is subject to the jurisdiction of the juvenile court.
2302.(a)The office shall allocate funds pursuant to Section 2300 through a three-year competitive grant program for the purpose of implementing a mixed-delivery system of trauma-informed health and development diversion programs for Native American youth.
(b)In addition to the conditions described in Section 2304, an entity is eligible for funding under this section if it is not otherwise excluded by another law, and is one of the following:
(1)A federally recognized Indian tribe, as defined in Section 1603(14) of Title 25 of the United States Code.
(2)A tribal organization, as defined in Section 1603(26) of Title 25 of the United States Code.
(3)An Urban Indian Organization (UIO), as defined in Section 1603(29) of Title 25 of the United States Code.
(4)A nonprofit organization whose board of directors is majority controlled by Native Americans, including organizations that are fiscally sponsored.
(c)Applicants who receive funding from a grant pursuant to this section shall be nongovernmental entities, with the exception of tribal government applicants, and shall not be law enforcement or probation entities.
2303.(a)The office shall allocate funds pursuant to Section 2300 through a three-year competitive grant program for the purpose of implementing a mixed-delivery system of trauma-informed health and development diversion programs for youth.
(b)In addition to the conditions described in Section 2304, in order to be eligible, an applicant shall be a nonprofit organization that is tax exempt pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(c)Applicants who receive funding from a grant pursuant to this section shall be nongovernmental entities and shall not be law enforcement or probation entities.
2304.The office shall distribute grants pursuant to Sections 2302 and 2303 with all of the following conditions:
(a)An applicant shall be awarded no less than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) and no more than two million dollars ($2,000,000).
(b)Applicants from two or more local jurisdictions may apply for funding under this chapter on a regional effort basis and receive the aggregate amount of funds that they would have received if awarded as an independent applicant.
(c)Grants shall be distributed in three installments. The first installment shall be distributed on the first day of the grant contract. The second installment shall be distributed no later than the first day of the second year of the grant contract. The third installment shall be distributed no later than the first day of the third year of the grant contract. The second and third installments shall be contingent on the applicant fulfilling the grant obligations and reporting requirements to the office.
(d)Funds shall be awarded to applicants who have obtained an official letter from at least one referring agency demonstrating the agencys intent to refer diverted youth to the diversion program to provide the youth with trauma-informed health and development services. For regional applications, letters of intent shall be required for each jurisdiction proposed in the application.
(e)Diversion services shall be provided in communities described as areas with high needs.
(f)Services shall be evidence based or research supported, trauma informed, culturally relevant, gender responsive, and developmentally appropriate.
(g)Applicants shall have experience effectively serving populations of youth who are juvenile justice system-involved or at-risk of system involvement.
(h)Priority shall be given to organizations that employ people with lived experience as a youth in the juvenile justice system.
(i)Diversion programs shall include alternatives to arrest, incarceration, and formal involvement with the justice system with priority given to programs that divert youth at the earliest possible point of involvement. Diversion programs shall also include one or more of the following:
(1)Educational services, including remedial and college preparation academic services.
(2)Career development services, including employment preparation, vocational training, internships, and apprenticeships.
(3)Mentoring services, including credible messenger services.
(4)Behavioral health services, including substance use treatment.
(5)Mental health services, including culturally rooted healing practices.
(6)Housing services, including permanent, short-term, and emergency housing services.
(7)Personal development and leadership training services.
(8)Prosocial activities, including cultural enrichment programs and services.
2305.The office shall be responsible for administration, oversight, and compliance of the program under this chapter and shall perform all the following duties:
(a)Support grantee data collection and analysis and require grantees to demonstrate outcomes of the funded programs.
(b)(1)(A)Set aside five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) of funds appropriated for purposes of the program, exclusive of the funds set aside for administrative costs to the office pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 2300, to contract with a research firm or university to conduct a statewide evaluation of the program and youth outcomes over a three-year grant period.
(B)The research firm or university evaluator shall have a demonstrated commitment to working with communities impacted by the juvenile and criminal justice system.
(C)The research firm or university evaluator shall develop a common assessment instrument for use by grantees to assess the needs and outcomes of youth participants.
(D)The research firm or university evaluator shall design a central data repository to standardize grantee data collection and reporting.
(E)The research firm or university evaluator shall support grantees with use of the common assessment and with collecting and reporting data utilizing the central data repository.
(2)The office shall make available on its internet website a report of grantees, projects, and outcomes at the state and local levels within 180 days of completion of the program.
(3)The office shall assist the research firm or university by providing relevant, existing data for the purposes of tracking outcomes. Outcomes measured may include, but are not limited to, any of the following:
(A)Reductions in law enforcement responses to youth for low-level offenses, court caseloads and processing, days the youth spend in detention, placement of youth in congregate care, school and placement disruptions, and facility staff turnover.
(B)Reduction in the number of school suspensions and expulsions.
(C)Improvement in the health and well-being of the youth, housing and community stability, educational attainment, and connections to employment opportunities.
(D)Projected state and local cost savings as a result of the diversion programming.
(c)(1)Set aside five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) of funds appropriated for purposes of the program, exclusive of the funds set aside for administrative costs and evaluation, to contract with a technical assistance provider to support implementation of the program and to build capacity of grantee organizations.
(2)Support from the technical assistance provider shall include all of the following:
(A)Provide grantees with support in establishing and maintaining relationships with system and community stakeholders, including public agencies, labor unions, tribal governments and communities, nonprofit organizations, and youth and families most impacted by the juvenile justice system.
(B)Provide grantees with training and support in implementing best practices and trauma informed, culturally relevant, gender responsive, and developmentally appropriate approaches to serving youth.
(C)Create peer learning opportunities for grantee organizations to learn from and alongside one another.
(D)Provide grantees with administrative and technical support, in collaboration with the research firm or university evaluator, to ensure compliance with data reporting, evaluation, and applicable laws, including confidentiality and diversion eligibility.
(E)Provide input to the research firm or university evaluator regarding the development of evaluation processes and metrics.
(F)Provide input to the office regarding the development of the programs requests for proposals.
(3)The technical assistance provider shall have experience in all the following areas:
(A)Developmental research and best practices for serving youth involved in, and youth at risk of involvement in, the juvenile justice system, including children who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation and youth in the dependency system.
(B)Research and best practices on systems that refer youths to the juvenile justice system, including the education, immigration, and child welfare systems.
(C)Presenting and disseminating best practices on alternatives to incarceration and system involvement.
(D)Working with and supporting community-based organizations serving youth involved in, and youth at-risk of involvement in, the juvenile justice system in California.
(E)Collaborating with juvenile justice system stakeholders.
(F)Working with and supporting Native American organizations and communities.
(G)Working with juvenile justice system-involved youth and communities and with elevating youth leadership.
(H)Priority shall be given to organizations that employ people with lived experience as youth in the juvenile justice system.
(d)The office shall contract with the research firm or university evaluator and technical assistance provider prior to developing and disseminating the requests for proposals. The office shall solicit and receive input from the university evaluator and technical assistance provider in developing the requests for proposals.
SEC. 14.Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 8270) is added to Division 8 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:9.Trauma Intervention Program8270.(a)(1)The California Health and Human Services Agency shall administer a grant program to provide funding to local educational agencies, including charter schools, to implement evidence-based interventions for pupils impacted by trauma, and to an organization to study specified pupil outcomes, for the improvement in the health and well-being of the youth and school and community stability.
(2)The agency shall develop an application process and criteria for funding, and shall evaluate applications and award grants under this program.
(3)The agency shall develop a list of evidence-based interventions that local educational agencies receiving funding pursuant to this section may implement.
(4)Local educational agencies applying for funding under this section shall demonstrate how they will prioritize interventions for pupils most impacted by trauma and typically unable to access traditional services, including, but not limited to, pupils who are low income or homeless, display symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder or severe trauma-related symptoms, members of immigrant and refugee groups, pupils with exceptional needs, and pupils who interact with child protective systems or who have had contact with the juvenile justice system.
(5)The agency shall give priority to, but not limit eligibility to, applicants located in the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles, as regions most impacted by gun violence.
(b)The agency, when considering the research grant applications, shall give preference to research organizations or universities that meet all of the following criteria:
(1)Study under-resourced, chronically traumatized neighborhoods where community violence is prevalent.
(2)Have a demonstrated track record of collaborating with schools to create trauma-informed and trauma-sensitive school environments.
(3)Have a demonstrated track record of studying children and youth who have received school-based trauma recovery care.
(c)A research organization or university that is awarded a grant shall do all of the following:
(1)Report to the agency annually on how grant funds were spent, expected and current preliminary data outcomes, and treatment outcomes, including academic performance, trauma-related symptom rates, and rates of criminal offenses.
(2)Publish a report to the Legislature by December 1, 2028, regarding the effectiveness of the program in improving child outcomes, including, but not limited to, academic performance, truancy rates, disciplinary actions, and rates of criminal offenses.
(3)Ensure any information disseminated to the public is distributed in accordance with Section 13202 of the Penal Code.
(d)Recipients of grants given pursuant to this section shall, when contracting for services with the grant moneys, give priority to schools, community-based organizations, and nonprofit organizations.
(e)Every five years, the agency shall open eligibility for grants under this program and shall give priority to the top six counties with the highest rate of violent crime and homicide, as reported by the Department of Justices annual crime data report.
8271.This chapter shall be implemented upon appropriation by the Legislature.
SEC. 15.The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the high rate of violent crime in the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles.
This act shall be known, and may be cited, as the Strategic Anti-Violence Funding Efforts Act, or SAFE Act.
SEC. 2.The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a)The Legislative Analysts Office (LAO) estimates that savings associated with the closure of prisons and Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) facilities, as well as a declining population of incarcerated persons, will total $1.5 billion annually by 2025.
(b)On December 6, 2022, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) announced the closure of Chuckwalla Valley State Prison (CVSP) and exiting of California City Correctional Facility (Cal City). CVSP will close by March 2025. CDCR will terminate the Cal City contract in March 2024 and end the use of that facility as a state prison.
(c)The LAO estimates that savings associated with the closure of CVSP amounts to $100 million in ongoing funds, and the exiting of Cal City amounts to $135.3 million. Therefore, the closure of CVSP and exiting of Cal City amounts to a cost savings of $235.3 million annually.
(d)It is the intent of the Legislature to reinvest the CDCR cost savings from prison closures and declining incarcerated persons populations to do all of the following:
(1)Create a grant program to implement evidence-based interventions for pupils impacted by trauma.
(2)Provide ongoing funding for the Youth Reinvestment Grant Fund.
(3)Create a fund to support existing and create new parks and recreation opportunities, as well as summer programs for youth.
(4)Provide grants to school-based health centers in order to provide physical health and mental health services to youth on school sites.
(5)Create a fund to support early intervention programs to reduce violence by mentoring at-promise individuals.
SEC. 3.Section 124174 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:124174.The following definitions shall govern the construction of this article, unless the context requires otherwise:
(a)Program means a School-Based Health Center Support Program.
(b)(1)School-based health center means a student-focused health center or clinic that meets all of the following conditions:
(A)Is located at or near a school or schools.
(B)Is organized through school, community, and health provider relationships.
(C)Provides age-appropriate, clinical health care services onsite by qualified health professionals.
(2)A school-based health center may provide primary medical care, behavioral health services, or dental care services onsite or through mobile health or telehealth.
(c)For purposes of this section, local educational agency means a school, school district, charter school, or county office of education if the county office of education serves students in kindergarten, or any grades from 1 to 12, inclusive.
(d)Department means the State Department of Public Health.
SEC. 4.Section 124174.2 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:124174.2.(a)The department, in cooperation with the Office of School-Based Health Programs in the State Department of Education, shall establish a School-Based Health Center Support Program.
(b)The program, in collaboration with the State Department of Education, shall perform the following program functions:
(1)Provide technical assistance to school-based health centers on effective outreach and enrollment strategies to identify children who are eligible for, but not enrolled in, the Medi-Cal program, Covered California, or any other applicable health insurance affordability program for children.
(2)Serve as a liaison between organizations within the department, including, but not limited to, prevention services, primary care, health equity, oral health, behavioral health, and family health.
(3)Serve as a liaison between other state entities, as appropriate, including, but not limited to, the State Department of Health Care Services, the Department of Managed Health Care, and the Office of Emergency Services.
(4)Provide technical assistance to facilitate and encourage the establishment, retention, or expansion of, school-based health centers. For purposes of this paragraph, technical assistance may include, but is not limited to, identifying available public and private sources of funding, which may include federal Medicaid funds, funds from third-party reimbursements, state demonstration projects or incentive programs, and available federal or foundation grant moneys.
(c)In addition to the duties described in subdivision (b), the department may enter into a contract with an entity that coordinates the efforts of school-based health centers for the purpose of providing assistance to school-based health centers that receive grant moneys. A contract entered into under this subdivision shall require the entity to perform the following:
(1)Provide technical assistance and community-specific ongoing training to school-based health centers, school districts, and local education agencies.
(2)Assist school-based health centers in improving business practices, including, but not limited to, practices related to billing and efficiencies.
(3)Assist school-based health centers in expanding their relationships with coordinated care organizations, sponsors of medical care for school-age children, and other community-based providers of school-based health and mental health services.
(4)Facilitate the integration of health and education policies and programs at the local level so that school-based health centers operate in an optimal environment.
(c)(d)The department shall consult with interested parties and appropriate health and education stakeholders, including the California School-Based Health Alliance and representatives of youth and parents, in carrying out its responsibilities under this article.
SEC. 5.Section 124174.3 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:124174.3.(a)The department shall establish standardized data collection procedures and collect data specified in subdivision (c) from school-based health centers on an ongoing basis. School-based health centers shall report data to the department only to the extent that state funding is provided to school-based health centers under the program.
(b)The data collected pursuant to this section shall be submitted in a format determined by the department in accordance with applicable state and federal requirements for confidentiality and protected health information.
(c)Data collected pursuant to this section shall include the following:
(1)The name of the primary contact person, telephone numbers, including facsimile, physical address, and the email address, if applicable, for each school-based health center.
(2)The annual number of schoolage children receiving health services or mental health services from the school-based health center.
(3)The type and volume of services provided by the school-based health centers.
(4)The funding mechanisms used by the school-based health centers.
(5)Information on other programs offered by school-based health centers with an emphasis on preventative health services that address health issues unique to schoolage children, including, but not limited to, childhood obesity, asthma, immunizations against communicable diseases, and child and adolescent mental health disorders.
(d)This section shall be implemented only to the extent funds are appropriated for this purpose in the Budget Act or pursuant to the enactment of legislation subsequent to the addition of this section.
SEC. 6.Section 124174.4 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:124174.4.The Office of School-Based Health Programs in the State Department of Education, in collaboration with the department, shall perform the following functions:
(a)Coordination of programs within the State Department of Education that support school-based health centers.
(b)The provision of technical assistance to facilitate and encourage the establishment, retention, and expansion of school-based health centers in local educational agencies. For purposes of this subdivision, technical assistance may include the provision of information to local educational agencies and other entities regarding the utilization of facilities, liability insurance, cooperative agreements with community-based providers, and other issues pertinent to school-based health centers.
SEC. 7.Section 124174.5 of the Health and Safety Code is repealed.SEC. 8.Section 124174.6 of the Health and Safety Code is amended and renumbered to read:124174.5.The department shall establish a grant program within the School-Based Health Center Support Program to provide technical assistance, and funding for the expansion, renovation, and retrofitting of existing school-based health centers, and the development of new school-based health centers, in accordance with the following procedures and requirements:
(a)A school-based health center receiving grant funds pursuant to this section shall meet or have a plan to meet the following requirements:
(1)Provide primary medical care. The health center may also provide other health care services, including behavioral health, dental care, health education, and related services in response to community needs.
(2)Strive to provide a comprehensive and integrated set of other health care services, provided or supervised by licensed or credentialed professionals, which may include the following:
(A)Physical examinations, immunizations, and other preventive medical services.
(B)Diagnosis and treatment of minor injuries and acute medical conditions.
(C)Management of chronic medical conditions.
(D)Basic laboratory tests.
(E)Referrals to and followup for specialty care.
(F)Reproductive health services.
(G)Nutrition services.
(H)Mental health services provided or supervised by an appropriately licensed or credentialed mental health professional may include: assessments, crisis intervention, counseling, treatment, and referral to a continuum of services including emergency psychiatric care, community support programs, inpatient care, and outpatient programs. School-based health centers providing mental health services as specified in this section shall consult with the local county mental health department for collaboration in planning and service delivery.
(I)Substance use disorder services, including education, prevention, screening, early interventions, counseling, and referral to treatment services.
(J)Oral health services that may include preventive services, basic restorative services, and referral to specialty services.
(3)Strive to address the population health of the entire school campus by focusing on prevention services, including, but not limited to, group and classroom education, schoolwide prevention programs, and community outreach strategies within the schools Multi-Tiered System of Support or other similar framework employed by the local educational agency.
(4)Strive to provide integrated and individualized support for students and families and to act as a partner with the student or family to ensure that health, social, or behavioral challenges are addressed.
(5)Strive to integrate the school-based health center in the school or local educational agencys community school model, if applicable.
(6)Work in partnership with the school nurse, if one is employed by the local educational agency, to provide individual and family health education; school or districtwide health promotion; first aid and administration of medications; facilitation of student enrollment in health insurance programs; screening of students to identify the need for physical, mental health, and oral health services; referral and linkage to services not offered onsite; public health and disease surveillance; and emergency response procedures. A school-based health center may receive grant funding pursuant to this section if the local educational agency does not employ a school nurse. However, it is not the intent of the Legislature that a school-based health center serve as a substitute for a school nurse employed by a local educational agency.
(7)Have a written contract or memorandum of understanding between the local educational agency and the health care provider or any other community providers that ensures coordination of services, ensures confidentiality and privacy of health information consistent with applicable federal and state laws, and integration of services into the school environment.
(8)Serve all registered students in the school regardless of ability to pay.
(9)Be open during all normal school hours, or on a more limited basis if resources are not available, or on a more expansive basis if dictated by community needs and resources are available.
(10)Establish protocols for referring students to outside services when the school-based health center is closed.
(11)Facilitate transportation between the school and the health center if the health center is not located on school or school district property.
(b)Beginning on or before January 1, 2025, planning grants shall be available in amounts between fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) and one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), inclusive, for up to a 24-month period to be used for the costs associated with assessing the need for a school-based health center in a particular community or area, and developing the partnerships necessary for the operation of a school-based health center in that community or area. Applicants for planning grants shall be required to have a letter of interest from a local educational agency if the applicant is not a local educational agency. Grantees provided funding pursuant to this subdivision shall be required to do all of the following:
(1)Seek input from students, parents, school nurses, school staff and administration, local health providers, and if applicable, special population groups, on community health needs, barriers to health care and the need for a school-based health center.
(2)Collect data on the school and community to estimate the percentage of students that lack health insurance and the percentage that are eligible for Medi-Cal or private health care coverage benefits, or other public programs providing free or low-cost health services.
(3)Assess capacity and interest among health care providers in the community to provide services in a school-based health center.
(4)Assess the need for specific cultural or linguistic services or both.
(c)Beginning on or before January 1, 2025, facilities and startup grants shall be available in amounts between three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) and eight hundred fifty thousand dollars ($850,000), inclusive, for a three-year period for the purpose of establishing a school-based health center. Grant funds may be used to cover a portion or all of the costs associated with designing, retrofitting, renovating, constructing, or buying a facility or mobile health unit, for medical equipment and supplies for a school-based health center, or for personnel costs at a school-based health center. Preference will be given to proposals that include a plan for cost sharing among local educational agencies, health providers, and community organizations or that identify match funding for facilities construction and renovation costs. Preference will be given to proposals that include plans to provide integrated primary medical care and behavioral health services. Applicants for facilities and startup grants offered pursuant to this subdivision shall be required to meet the following criteria:
(1)Have completed a community assessment determining the need for a school-based health center.
(2)Have a contract or memorandum of understanding between the local educational agency and the health care provider, if other than the local educational agency, and any other provider agencies describing the relationship between the local educational agency and the school-based health center.
(3)Have a mechanism, described in writing, to coordinate services to individual students among school and school-based health center staff while maintaining confidentiality and privacy of health information consistent with applicable state and federal laws.
(4)Have a written description of how the school-based health center will participate in the following:
(A)School and districtwide health promotion, coordinated school health, health education in the classroom or on campus, program/activities that address nutrition, fitness, or other important public health issues, or promotion of policies that create a healthy school environment.
(B)Outreach and enrollment of students in health insurance programs.
(C)Public health prevention, surveillance, and emergency response for the school population.
(5)Have the ability to provide the linguistic or cultural services needed by the community. If the school-based health center is not yet able to provide these services due to resource limitations, the school-based health center shall engage in an ongoing assessment of its capacity to provide these services.
(6)Have a plan for maximizing available third-party reimbursement revenue streams.
(d)Beginning on or before January 1, 2025, expansion grants shall be available in amounts between one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) and three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000), inclusive, for up to a three-year period for the purpose of renovating and improving an existing school-based health center, enhancing and expanding programming at a fully operational school-based health center, including adding physical health, oral health, or behavioral health services, or supporting operations at a fully operational school-based health center. Preference will be given to proposals that increase access to comprehensive health care services at the school-based health center by adding staff or services or expanding the facility. Applicants for expansion grants offered pursuant to this subdivision shall be required to meet all of the criteria described in subdivision (c), in addition to all of the following criteria:
(1)The applicant shall be eligible to become or already be an approved Medi-Cal provider.
(2)The applicant shall have ability and procedures in place for billing public insurance programs, managed care health plans, or county mental health plans.
(3)The applicant shall develop a plan to sustain expanded services at the school-based health center after the grant period.
(e)Beginning on or before January 1, 2025, sustainability grants shall be available in amounts between one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) and three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000), inclusive, per year ongoing for the purpose of operating a school health center. Applicants for sustainability grants offered pursuant to this subdivision shall be required to meet all of the criteria described in subdivision (c), in addition to all of the following criteria:
(1)The applicant shall be eligible to become or already be an approved Medi-Cal provider.
(2)The applicant shall have ability and procedures in place for billing public insurance programs, managed care health plans, or county mental health plans.
(3)The applicant shall seek reimbursement and have procedures in place for billing public and private insurance that covers students at the school health center.
(f)The department shall award technical assistance grants through a competitive bidding process to qualified contractors to support grantees receiving grants under subdivisions (b), (c), (d), and (e). A qualified contractor means a vendor with demonstrated capacity in all aspects of planning, facilities development, startup, and operation of a school-based health center.
(g)The department, in collaboration with the Office of School-Based Health Programs in the State Department of Education, shall also develop a request for proposal (RFP) process for collecting information on applicants, and determining which proposals shall receive grant funding. The department shall give preference for grant funding to school-based health centers serving any of the following:
(1)Areas designated as federally medically underserved areas or with medically underserved populations or areas with a shortage of health professionals.
(2)Areas experiencing health disparities in child and adolescent access to primary care, behavioral health, preventative health, or oral health services.
(3)Schools in which more than 55 percent of pupils serviced are unduplicated pupils, as defined in Section 42238.02 of the Education Code.
(h)Moneys shall be allocated to the department annually for evaluation to be conducted by an outside evaluator that is selected through a competitive bidding process. The evaluation shall document the number of grantees that establish and sustain school-based health centers, and describe the challenges and lessons learned in creating successful school-based health centers. The evaluator shall use data collected pursuant to Section 124174.3, if it is available, and work in collaboration with the School-Based Health Center Support Program. The department shall post the evaluation on its internet website.
(i)Recipients of grants given pursuant to this section shall, when contracting for services with the grant moneys, give preference to schools and other entities that are not law enforcement entities.
(j)This section shall be implemented only to the extent that funds are appropriated to the department in the annual Budget Act or other statute for implementation of this article.
SEC. 9.Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 13825.1) of Title 6 of Part 4 of the Penal Code is repealed.SEC. 9.SEC. 10.Title 10.3 (commencing with Section 14138) is added to Part 4 of the Penal Code, to read:10.3.Department of Justice Violence Reduction Grant Program14138.(a)The Department of Justice shall administer a grant program for the purpose of improving public safety and community health and well-being, especially amongst those communities that are impacted by violence and gang involvement.
(b)Grants awarded pursuant to this section shall be used to support, expand, and replicate evidence-based, focused-deterrence collaborative programs that conduct outreach to targeted gangs and offer supportive services in order to preemptively reduce and eliminate violence and gang involvement. These programs shall be primarily designed to reduce violent crimes by bringing together a collaborative partnership to communicate to individuals who are identified as having the highest risk of perpetrating or being victimized by violence or gang involvement in the near future that there are tailored services and support available to help them step away from violence. The supportive services shall include, but are not limited to, job training, health care, and crisis response to shootings and violence, among other services. The department shall give priority for funding to schools, community-based organizations, and nonprofit organizations.
(c)Grants pursuant to this section shall be made on a competitive basis with preference to cities and local jurisdictions that are disproportionately impacted by violence and gang involvement, and with preference to community-based organizations that serve the residents of those cities and local jurisdictions.
(d)An applicant for a grant pursuant to this section shall submit a proposal, in a form prescribed by the department, which shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(1)Clearly defined and measurable objectives for the grant.
(2)A statement describing how the applicant proposes to use the grant to implement an evidence-based, focused-deterrence violence reduction initiative in accordance with this section.
(3)A statement describing how the applicant proposes to use the grant to enhance coordination of existing violence prevention and intervention programs and minimize duplication of services.
(4)Evidence indicating that the proposed violence reduction initiative would likely reduce the incidence of homicides, shootings, aggravated assaults, and gang involvement.
(e)In awarding grants pursuant to this section, the department shall give preference to applicants whose grant proposals demonstrate the greatest likelihood of reducing the incidence of violence and gang involvement in the applicants community, without contributing to mass incarceration.
(f)The amount of funds awarded to an applicant shall be commensurate with the scope of the applicants proposal and the applicants demonstrated need for additional resources to address violence in the applicants community.
(g)Each grantee shall commit a cash or in-kind contribution equivalent to the amount of the grant awarded under this section. This subdivision does not apply if the grantee is suffering a hardship and is unable to generate matching funds. A grantee may demonstrate the hardship to the Department of Finance, and the Department of Finance shall determine whether the grantee is suffering a hardship. The grantee shall submit any information requested by the Department of Finance for purposes of determining whether a hardship exists.
(h)Each city and other local jurisdiction that receives a grant pursuant to this section shall distribute no less than 50 percent of the grant funds to one or both of the following types of entities:
(1)Community-based organizations.
(2)Public agencies or departments that are primarily dedicated to community safety or violence prevention.
(i)The department shall form a grant selection advisory committee, including, without limitation, persons who have been impacted by violence, formerly incarcerated persons, and persons with direct experience in implementing evidence-based violence and gang involvement reduction initiatives, including initiatives that incorporate public health and community-based approaches.
(j)The department may use up to 7 percent of the funds appropriated for the program described in this section each year for the costs of administering the program, including, without limitation, the employment of personnel, providing technical assistance to grantees, and evaluation of violence and gang involvement reduction initiatives supported by the program pursuant to this section.
(k)Each grantee shall report to the department, in a form and at intervals prescribed by the department, their progress in achieving the grant objectives.
(l)The department shall, by no later than 90 days following the close of each grant cycle, prepare and submit a report to the Legislature in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code regarding the impact of the violence prevention initiatives supported by the program pursuant to this section.
(m)The department shall make evaluations of the grant program available to the public.
14139.This title shall be implemented upon appropriation by the Legislature.
SEC. 10.SEC. 11.Chapter 3.4 (commencing with Section 5660) is added to Division 5 of the Public Resources Code, to read:3.4.Parks and Recreation Anti-Violence Initiatives for Youth5660.(a)The department shall award grants to tribal governments and local governments and, with preference, community-based organizations for the purpose of supporting existing and creating new parks and recreation opportunities, as well as supporting existing and creating new summer programs for youth, including, but not limited to, extended park hours and expanded programming for nighttime sports, educational activities, and visual and performing arts opportunities, in order to create and enhance recreation- and health-based interventions for youth during peak times of violence.
(b)In developing the grant program, the department shall do both of the following:
(1)Develop criteria, procedures, and accountability measures as may be necessary to implement the grant program.
(2)Administer the grant program to ensure that priority is given to underserved populations, including both urban and rural areas and low-income communities, where participation in outdoor recreation- and health-based activities will best serve youth as intervention and deterrence from violence.
(c)The department shall give priority for funding to outdoor recreation- and health-based intervention programs during peak times of violence that primarily provide outreach to and serve youth who are impacted by violence and gang involvement in their communities. When available, the department shall additionally give priority for funding to schools, community-based organizations, and nonprofit organizations.
(d)The department may give additional consideration to outdoor recreation- and health-based intervention programs during peak times of violence that do any of the following:
(1)Maximize the number of participants that can be served.
(2)Demonstrate partnerships between public, private, and nonprofit entities.
(3)Contribute to healthy lifestyles, violence prevention and gang deterrence, and improved outdoor recreational and health experiences.
(4)Include service learning and community outreach components for purposes of building partnerships between participants and local communities.
(e)In implementing the grant program, the department shall work with relevant stakeholders to promote and implement the grant program in a manner that effectively reaches a wide geography throughout the state and ensures that regions most impacted by violence and gang involvement are adequately considered with an emphasis on addressing the violence prevention and gang deterrence needs within these regions.
(f)The department may use up to 5 percent of the funds appropriated for the program described in this section each year for the costs of administering the program.
5661.The department shall gather information from applicants following each award year for purposes of evaluating the effectiveness of selected programs in achieving the overall objectives of the grant program. Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, the department shall annually summarize and report this information for the previous award year to the appropriate policy, budget, and fiscal committees of the Legislature. The information in the annual report shall include the total number of youth served, the total number and types of entities that received grant awards, appropriate recommendations to improve the grant program, partnerships formed, educational objectives achieved, the total number of applications received, and the total number of youth who would have been served if all applicants for the award year received grant awards.
5662.The department shall adopt guidelines it determines are necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter. Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code does not apply to the adoption of guidelines pursuant to this section. The department shall develop a process for public comment and review of the guidelines that involves three public hearings in three different parts of the state before the adoption of those guidelines.
5663.This chapter shall be implemented upon appropriation by the Legislature.
SEC. 11.SEC. 12.Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 1450) of Part 1 of Division 2 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is repealed.SEC. 12.SEC. 13.Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 2300) is added to Division 2.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:6.Youth Reinvestment Grant Program2300.(a)The Office of Youth and Community Restoration shall establish the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program for the purposes described in this chapter.
(b)The Youth Reinvestment Fund is hereby created. Moneys in the fund shall be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, only for the purposes of this chapter.
(c)Funds appropriated for the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program shall be allocated as follows:
(1)Three percent shall be used for administrative costs to the office resulting from the implementation of this chapter.
(2)Five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for evaluation of the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program as described in Section 2305.
(3)Five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for technical assistance to grantees as described in Section 2305.
(4)Ten percent for Native American youth diversion programs pursuant to Section 2302.
(5)The remaining funds shall be used for youth diversion programs pursuant to Section 2303.
2301.For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:
(a)Applicant and grantee mean an eligible tribal government, tribal organization, or a nonprofit community-based organization that meets the requirements of Section 2302 or 2303.
(b)Area of high need means either of the following:
(1)A city or a ZIP Code with rates of youth arrests that are higher than the county average, based on available arrest data, as described by the applicant.
(2)A city or a ZIP Code with racial or ethnic disparities in youth arrests that are higher than their representation in the county population, as described by the applicant.
(c)Diversion means a nonpunitive response to address a youths conduct without involving a youth formally in the juvenile justice system.
(d)Diversion program means a program that promotes positive youth development by relying on responses that prevent a youths involvement or further involvement in the justice system. Diversion programs, which may follow a variety of different models, aim to divert youth from justice system involvement at the earliest possible point.
(e)Mixed-delivery system means a system of adolescent development and education support services delivered through a combination of programs, providers, and settings that include partnerships between community-based nonprofit organizations and public agencies and that is supported with a combination of public and private funds.
(f)Office means the Office of Youth and Community Restoration.
(g)Referring agency means organizations or agencies that may refer youth to diversion programs, including, but not limited to, education, law enforcement, child welfare, behavioral health, and public health entities.
(h)Trauma-informed means an approach that involves an understanding of adverse childhood experiences and responding to symptoms of chronic interpersonal trauma and traumatic stress across the lifespan of an individual.
(i)Youth means a person who is subject to the jurisdiction of the juvenile court.
2302.(a)The office shall allocate funds pursuant to Section 2300 through a three-year competitive grant program for the purpose of implementing a mixed-delivery system of trauma-informed health and development diversion programs for Native American youth.
(b)In addition to the conditions described in Section 2304, an entity is eligible for funding under this section if it is not otherwise excluded by another law, and is one of the following:
(1)A federally recognized Indian tribe, as defined in Section 1603(14) of Title 25 of the United States Code.
(2)A tribal organization, as defined in Section 1603(26) of Title 25 of the United States Code.
(3)An Urban Indian Organization (UIO), as defined in Section 1603(29) of Title 25 of the United States Code.
(4)A nonprofit organization whose board of directors is majority controlled by Native Americans, including organizations that are fiscally sponsored.
(c)Applicants who receive funding from a grant pursuant to this section shall be nongovernmental entities, with the exception of tribal government applicants, and shall not be law enforcement or probation entities.
2303.(a)The office shall allocate funds pursuant to Section 2300 through a three-year competitive grant program for the purpose of implementing a mixed-delivery system of trauma-informed health and development diversion programs for youth.
(b)In addition to the conditions described in Section 2304, in order to be eligible, an applicant shall be a nonprofit organization that is tax exempt pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(c)Applicants who receive funding from a grant pursuant to this section shall be nongovernmental entities and shall not be law enforcement or probation entities.
2304.The office shall distribute grants pursuant to Sections 2302 and 2303 with all of the following conditions:
(a)An applicant shall be awarded no less than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) and no more than two million dollars ($2,000,000).
(b)Applicants from two or more local jurisdictions may apply for funding under this chapter on a regional effort basis and receive the aggregate amount of funds that they would have received if awarded as an independent applicant.
(c)Grants shall be distributed in three installments. The first installment shall be distributed on the first day of the grant contract. The second installment shall be distributed no later than the first day of the second year of the grant contract. The third installment shall be distributed no later than the first day of the third year of the grant contract. The second and third installments shall be contingent on the applicant fulfilling the grant obligations and reporting requirements to the office.
(d)Funds shall be awarded to applicants who have obtained an official letter from at least one referring agency demonstrating the agencys intent to refer diverted youth to the diversion program to provide the youth with trauma-informed health and development services. For regional applications, letters of intent shall be required for each jurisdiction proposed in the application.
(e)Diversion services shall be provided in communities described as areas with high needs.
(f)Services shall be evidence based or research supported, trauma informed, culturally relevant, gender responsive, and developmentally appropriate.
(g)Applicants shall have experience effectively serving populations of youth who are juvenile justice system-involved or at-risk of system involvement.
(h)Priority shall be given to organizations that employ people with lived experience as a youth in the juvenile justice system.
(i)Diversion programs shall include alternatives to arrest, incarceration, and formal involvement with the justice system with priority given to programs that divert youth at the earliest possible point of involvement. Diversion programs shall also include one or more of the following:
(1)Educational services, including remedial and college preparation academic services.
(2)Career development services, including employment preparation, vocational training, internships, and apprenticeships.
(3)Mentoring services, including credible messenger services.
(4)Behavioral health services, including substance use treatment.
(5)Mental health services, including culturally rooted healing practices.
(6)Housing services, including permanent, short-term, and emergency housing services.
(7)Personal development and leadership training services.
(8)Prosocial activities, including cultural enrichment programs and services.
2305.The office shall be responsible for administration, oversight, and compliance of the program under this chapter and shall perform all the following duties:
(a)Support grantee data collection and analysis and require grantees to demonstrate outcomes of the funded programs.
(b)(1)(A)Set aside five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) of funds appropriated for purposes of the program, exclusive of the funds set aside for administrative costs to the office pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 2300, to contract with a research firm or university to conduct a statewide evaluation of the program and youth outcomes over a three-year grant period.
(B)The research firm or university evaluator shall have a demonstrated commitment to working with communities impacted by the juvenile and criminal justice system.
(C)The research firm or university evaluator shall develop a common assessment instrument for use by grantees to assess the needs and outcomes of youth participants.
(D)The research firm or university evaluator shall design a central data repository to standardize grantee data collection and reporting.
(E)The research firm or university evaluator shall support grantees with use of the common assessment and with collecting and reporting data utilizing the central data repository.
(2)The office shall make available on its internet website a report of grantees, projects, and outcomes at the state and local levels within 180 days of completion of the program.
(3)The office shall assist the research firm or university by providing relevant, existing data for the purposes of tracking outcomes. Outcomes measured may include, but are not limited to, any of the following:
(A)Reductions in law enforcement responses to youth for low-level offenses, court caseloads and processing, days the youth spend in detention, placement of youth in congregate care, school and placement disruptions, and facility staff turnover.
(B)Reduction in the number of school suspensions and expulsions.
(C)Improvement in the health and well-being of the youth, housing and community stability, educational attainment, and connections to employment opportunities.
(D)Projected state and local cost savings as a result of the diversion programming.
(c)(1)Set aside five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) of funds appropriated for purposes of the program, exclusive of the funds set aside for administrative costs and evaluation, to contract with a technical assistance provider to support implementation of the program and to build capacity of grantee organizations.
(2)Support from the technical assistance provider shall include all of the following:
(A)Provide grantees with support in establishing and maintaining relationships with system and community stakeholders, including public agencies, labor unions, tribal governments and communities, nonprofit organizations, and youth and families most impacted by the juvenile justice system.
(B)Provide grantees with training and support in implementing best practices and trauma informed, culturally relevant, gender responsive, and developmentally appropriate approaches to serving youth.
(C)Create peer learning opportunities for grantee organizations to learn from and alongside one another.
(D)Provide grantees with administrative and technical support, in collaboration with the research firm or university evaluator, to ensure compliance with data reporting, evaluation, and applicable laws, including confidentiality and diversion eligibility.
(E)Provide input to the research firm or university evaluator regarding the development of evaluation processes and metrics.
(F)Provide input to the office regarding the development of the programs requests for proposals.
(3)The technical assistance provider shall have experience in all the following areas:
(A)Developmental research and best practices for serving youth involved in, and youth at risk of involvement in, the juvenile justice system, including children who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation and youth in the dependency system.
(B)Research and best practices on systems that refer youths to the juvenile justice system, including the education, immigration, and child welfare systems.
(C)Presenting and disseminating best practices on alternatives to incarceration and system involvement.
(D)Working with and supporting community-based organizations serving youth involved in, and youth at-risk of involvement in, the juvenile justice system in California.
(E)Collaborating with juvenile justice system stakeholders.
(F)Working with and supporting Native American organizations and communities.
(G)Working with juvenile justice system-involved youth and communities and with elevating youth leadership.
(H)Priority shall be given to organizations that employ people with lived experience as youth in the juvenile justice system.
(d)The office shall contract with the research firm or university evaluator and technical assistance provider prior to developing and disseminating the requests for proposals. The office shall solicit and receive input from the university evaluator and technical assistance provider in developing the requests for proposals.
SEC. 13.SEC. 14.Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 8270) is added to Division 8 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:9.Trauma Intervention Program8270.(a)(1)The California Health and Human Services Agency shall administer a grant program to provide funding to local educational agencies, including charter schools, to implement evidence-based interventions for pupils impacted by trauma, and to an organization to study specified pupil outcomes, for the improvement in the health and well-being of the youth and school and community stability.
(2)The agency shall develop an application process and criteria for funding, and shall evaluate applications and award grants under this program.
(3)The agency shall develop a list of evidence-based interventions that local educational agencies receiving funding pursuant to this section may implement.
(4)Local educational agencies applying for funding under this section shall demonstrate how they will prioritize interventions for pupils most impacted by trauma and typically unable to access traditional services, including, but not limited to, pupils who are low income or homeless, display symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder or severe trauma-related symptoms, members of immigrant and refugee groups, pupils with exceptional needs, and pupils who interact with child protective systems or who have had contact with the juvenile justice system.
(5)The agency shall give priority to, but not limit eligibility to, applicants located in the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles, as regions most impacted by gun violence.
(b)The agency, when considering the research grant applications, shall give preference to research organizations or universities that meet all of the following criteria:
(1)Study under-resourced, chronically traumatized neighborhoods where community violence is prevalent.
(2)Have a demonstrated track record of collaborating with schools to create trauma-informed and trauma-sensitive school environments.
(3)Have a demonstrated track record of studying children and youth who have received school-based trauma recovery care.
(c)A research organization or university that is awarded a grant shall do all of the following:
(1)Report to the agency annually on how grant funds were spent, expected and current preliminary data outcomes, and treatment outcomes, including academic performance, trauma-related symptom rates, and rates of criminal offenses.
(2)Publish a report to the Legislature by December 1, 2028, regarding the effectiveness of the program in improving child outcomes, including, but not limited to, academic performance, truancy rates, disciplinary actions, and rates of criminal offenses.
(3)Ensure any information disseminated to the public is distributed in accordance with Section 13202 of the Penal Code.
(d)Recipients of grants given pursuant to this section shall, when contracting for services with the grant moneys, give priority to schools, community-based organizations, and nonprofit organizations.
(e)Every five years, the agency shall open eligibility for grants under this program and shall give priority to the top six counties with the highest rate of violent crime and homicide, as reported by the Department of Justices annual crime data report.
8271.This chapter shall be implemented upon appropriation by the Legislature.
SEC. 14.SEC. 15.The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the high rate of violent crime in the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles.
This act shall be known, and may be cited, as the Strategic Anti-Violence Funding Efforts Act, or SAFE Act.
SEC. 2.The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a)The Legislative Analysts Office (LAO) estimates that savings associated with the closure of prisons and Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) facilities, as well as a declining population of incarcerated persons, will total $1.5 billion annually by 2025.
(b)On December 6, 2022, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) announced the closure of Chuckwalla Valley State Prison (CVSP) and exiting of California City Correctional Facility (Cal City). CVSP will close by March 2025. CDCR will terminate the Cal City contract in March 2024 and end the use of that facility as a state prison.
(c)The LAO estimates that savings associated with the closure of CVSP amounts to $100 million in ongoing funds, and the exiting of Cal City amounts to $135.3 million. Therefore, the closure of CVSP and exiting of Cal City amounts to a cost savings of $235.3 million annually.
(d)It is the intent of the Legislature to reinvest the CDCR cost savings from prison closures and declining incarcerated persons populations to do all of the following:
(1)Create a grant program to implement evidence-based interventions for pupils impacted by trauma.
(2)Provide ongoing funding for the Youth Reinvestment Grant Fund.
(3)Create a fund to support existing and create new parks and recreation opportunities, as well as summer programs for youth.
(4)Provide grants to school-based health centers in order to provide physical health and mental health services to youth on school sites.
(5)Create a fund to support early intervention programs to reduce violence by mentoring at-promise individuals.
SEC. 3.Section 124174 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:124174.The following definitions shall govern the construction of this article, unless the context requires otherwise:
(a)Program means a School-Based Health Center Support Program.
(b)(1)School-based health center means a student-focused health center or clinic that meets all of the following conditions:
(A)Is located at or near a school or schools.
(B)Is organized through school, community, and health provider relationships.
(C)Provides age-appropriate, clinical health care services onsite by qualified health professionals.
(2)A school-based health center may provide primary medical care, behavioral health services, or dental care services onsite or through mobile health or telehealth.
(c)For purposes of this section, local educational agency means a school, school district, charter school, or county office of education if the county office of education serves students in kindergarten, or any grades from 1 to 12, inclusive.
(d)Department means the State Department of Public Health.
SEC. 4.Section 124174.2 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:124174.2.(a)The department, in cooperation with the Office of School-Based Health Programs in the State Department of Education, shall establish a School-Based Health Center Support Program.
(b)The program, in collaboration with the State Department of Education, shall perform the following program functions:
(1)Provide technical assistance to school-based health centers on effective outreach and enrollment strategies to identify children who are eligible for, but not enrolled in, the Medi-Cal program, Covered California, or any other applicable health insurance affordability program for children.
(2)Serve as a liaison between organizations within the department, including, but not limited to, prevention services, primary care, health equity, oral health, behavioral health, and family health.
(3)Serve as a liaison between other state entities, as appropriate, including, but not limited to, the State Department of Health Care Services, the Department of Managed Health Care, and the Office of Emergency Services.
(4)Provide technical assistance to facilitate and encourage the establishment, retention, or expansion of, school-based health centers. For purposes of this paragraph, technical assistance may include, but is not limited to, identifying available public and private sources of funding, which may include federal Medicaid funds, funds from third-party reimbursements, state demonstration projects or incentive programs, and available federal or foundation grant moneys.
(c)The department shall consult with interested parties and appropriate health and education stakeholders, including the California School-Based Health Alliance and representatives of youth and parents, in carrying out its responsibilities under this article.
SEC. 5.Section 124174.3 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:124174.3.(a)The department shall establish standardized data collection procedures and collect data specified in subdivision (c) from school-based health centers on an ongoing basis. School-based health centers shall report data to the department only to the extent that state funding is provided to school-based health centers under the program.
(b)The data collected pursuant to this section shall be submitted in a format determined by the department in accordance with applicable state and federal requirements for confidentiality and protected health information.
(c)Data collected pursuant to this section shall include the following:
(1)The name of the primary contact person, telephone numbers, including facsimile, physical address, and the email address, if applicable, for each school-based health center.
(2)The annual number of schoolage children receiving health services or mental health services from the school-based health center.
(3)The type and volume of services provided by the school-based health centers.
(4)The funding mechanisms used by the school-based health centers.
(5)Information on other programs offered by school-based health centers with an emphasis on preventative health services that address health issues unique to schoolage children, including, but not limited to, childhood obesity, asthma, immunizations against communicable diseases, and child and adolescent mental health disorders.
(d)This section shall be implemented only to the extent funds are appropriated for this purpose in the Budget Act or pursuant to the enactment of legislation subsequent to the addition of this section.
SEC. 6.Section 124174.4 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:124174.4.The Office of School-Based Health Programs in the State Department of Education, in collaboration with the department, shall perform the following functions:
(a)Coordination of programs within the State Department of Education that support school-based health centers.
(b)The provision of technical assistance to facilitate and encourage the establishment, retention, and expansion of school-based health centers in local educational agencies. For purposes of this subdivision, technical assistance may include the provision of information to local educational agencies and other entities regarding the utilization of facilities, liability insurance, cooperative agreements with community-based providers, and other issues pertinent to school-based health centers.
SEC. 7.Section 124174.5 of the Health and Safety Code is repealed.SEC. 8.Section 124174.6 of the Health and Safety Code is amended and renumbered to read:124174.5.The department shall establish a grant program within the School-Based Health Center Support Program to provide technical assistance, and funding for the expansion, renovation, and retrofitting of existing school-based health centers, and the development of new school-based health centers, in accordance with the following procedures and requirements:
(a)A school-based health center receiving grant funds pursuant to this section shall meet or have a plan to meet the following requirements:
(1)Provide primary medical care. The health center may also provide other health care services, including behavioral health, dental care, health education, and related services in response to community needs.
(2)Strive to provide a comprehensive and integrated set of other health care services, provided or supervised by licensed or credentialed professionals, which may include the following:
(A)Physical examinations, immunizations, and other preventive medical services.
(B)Diagnosis and treatment of minor injuries and acute medical conditions.
(C)Management of chronic medical conditions.
(D)Basic laboratory tests.
(E)Referrals to and followup for specialty care.
(F)Reproductive health services.
(G)Nutrition services.
(H)Mental health services provided or supervised by an appropriately licensed or credentialed mental health professional may include: assessments, crisis intervention, counseling, treatment, and referral to a continuum of services including emergency psychiatric care, community support programs, inpatient care, and outpatient programs. School-based health centers providing mental health services as specified in this section shall consult with the local county mental health department for collaboration in planning and service delivery.
(I)Substance use disorder services, including education, prevention, screening, early interventions, counseling, and referral to treatment services.
(J)Oral health services that may include preventive services, basic restorative services, and referral to specialty services.
(3)Strive to address the population health of the entire school campus by focusing on prevention services, including, but not limited to, group and classroom education, schoolwide prevention programs, and community outreach strategies within the schools Multi-Tiered System of Support or other similar framework employed by the local educational agency.
(4)Strive to provide integrated and individualized support for students and families and to act as a partner with the student or family to ensure that health, social, or behavioral challenges are addressed.
(5)Strive to integrate the school-based health center in the school or local educational agencys community school model, if applicable.
(6)Work in partnership with the school nurse, if one is employed by the local educational agency, to provide individual and family health education; school or districtwide health promotion; first aid and administration of medications; facilitation of student enrollment in health insurance programs; screening of students to identify the need for physical, mental health, and oral health services; referral and linkage to services not offered onsite; public health and disease surveillance; and emergency response procedures. A school-based health center may receive grant funding pursuant to this section if the local educational agency does not employ a school nurse. However, it is not the intent of the Legislature that a school-based health center serve as a substitute for a school nurse employed by a local educational agency.
(7)Have a written contract or memorandum of understanding between the local educational agency and the health care provider or any other community providers that ensures coordination of services, ensures confidentiality and privacy of health information consistent with applicable federal and state laws, and integration of services into the school environment.
(8)Serve all registered students in the school regardless of ability to pay.
(9)Be open during all normal school hours, or on a more limited basis if resources are not available, or on a more expansive basis if dictated by community needs and resources are available.
(10)Establish protocols for referring students to outside services when the school-based health center is closed.
(11)Facilitate transportation between the school and the health center if the health center is not located on school or school district property.
(b)Beginning on or before January 1, 2025, planning grants shall be available in amounts between fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) and one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), inclusive, for up to a 24-month period to be used for the costs associated with assessing the need for a school-based health center in a particular community or area, and developing the partnerships necessary for the operation of a school-based health center in that community or area. Applicants for planning grants shall be required to have a letter of interest from a local educational agency if the applicant is not a local educational agency. Grantees provided funding pursuant to this subdivision shall be required to do all of the following:
(1)Seek input from students, parents, school nurses, school staff and administration, local health providers, and if applicable, special population groups, on community health needs, barriers to health care and the need for a school-based health center.
(2)Collect data on the school and community to estimate the percentage of students that lack health insurance and the percentage that are eligible for Medi-Cal or private health care coverage benefits, or other public programs providing free or low-cost health services.
(3)Assess capacity and interest among health care providers in the community to provide services in a school-based health center.
(4)Assess the need for specific cultural or linguistic services or both.
(c)Beginning on or before January 1, 2025, facilities and startup grants shall be available in amounts between three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) and eight hundred fifty thousand dollars ($850,000), inclusive, for a three-year period for the purpose of establishing a school-based health center. Grant funds may be used to cover a portion or all of the costs associated with designing, retrofitting, renovating, constructing, or buying a facility or mobile health unit, for medical equipment and supplies for a school-based health center, or for personnel costs at a school-based health center. Preference will be given to proposals that include a plan for cost sharing among local educational agencies, health providers, and community organizations or that identify match funding for facilities construction and renovation costs. Preference will be given to proposals that include plans to provide integrated primary medical care and behavioral health services. Applicants for facilities and startup grants offered pursuant to this subdivision shall be required to meet the following criteria:
(1)Have completed a community assessment determining the need for a school-based health center.
(2)Have a contract or memorandum of understanding between the local educational agency and the health care provider, if other than the local educational agency, and any other provider agencies describing the relationship between the local educational agency and the school-based health center.
(3)Have a mechanism, described in writing, to coordinate services to individual students among school and school-based health center staff while maintaining confidentiality and privacy of health information consistent with applicable state and federal laws.
(4)Have a written description of how the school-based health center will participate in the following:
(A)School and districtwide health promotion, coordinated school health, health education in the classroom or on campus, program/activities that address nutrition, fitness, or other important public health issues, or promotion of policies that create a healthy school environment.
(B)Outreach and enrollment of students in health insurance programs.
(C)Public health prevention, surveillance, and emergency response for the school population.
(5)Have the ability to provide the linguistic or cultural services needed by the community. If the school-based health center is not yet able to provide these services due to resource limitations, the school-based health center shall engage in an ongoing assessment of its capacity to provide these services.
(6)Have a plan for maximizing available third-party reimbursement revenue streams.
(d)Beginning on or before January 1, 2025, expansion grants shall be available in amounts between one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) and three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000), inclusive, for up to a three-year period for the purpose of renovating and improving an existing school-based health center, enhancing and expanding programming at a fully operational school-based health center, including adding physical health, oral health, or behavioral health services, or supporting operations at a fully operational school-based health center. Preference will be given to proposals that increase access to comprehensive health care services at the school-based health center by adding staff or services or expanding the facility. Applicants for expansion grants offered pursuant to this subdivision shall be required to meet all of the criteria described in subdivision (c), in addition to all of the following criteria:
(1)The applicant shall be eligible to become or already be an approved Medi-Cal provider.
(2)The applicant shall have ability and procedures in place for billing public insurance programs, managed care health plans, or county mental health plans.
(3)The applicant shall develop a plan to sustain expanded services at the school-based health center after the grant period.
(e)Beginning on or before January 1, 2025, sustainability grants shall be available in amounts between one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) and three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000), inclusive, per year ongoing for the purpose of operating a school health center. Applicants for sustainability grants offered pursuant to this subdivision shall be required to meet all of the criteria described in subdivision (c), in addition to all of the following criteria:
(1)The applicant shall be eligible to become or already be an approved Medi-Cal provider.
(2)The applicant shall have ability and procedures in place for billing public insurance programs, managed care health plans, or county mental health plans.
(3)The applicant shall seek reimbursement and have procedures in place for billing public and private insurance that covers students at the school health center.
(f)The department shall award technical assistance grants through a competitive bidding process to qualified contractors to support grantees receiving grants under subdivisions (b), (c), (d), and (e). A qualified contractor means a vendor with demonstrated capacity in all aspects of planning, facilities development, startup, and operation of a school-based health center.
(g)The department, in collaboration with the Office of School-Based Health Programs in the State Department of Education, shall also develop a request for proposal (RFP) process for collecting information on applicants, and determining which proposals shall receive grant funding. The department shall give preference for grant funding to school-based health centers serving any of the following:
(1)Areas designated as federally medically underserved areas or with medically underserved populations or areas with a shortage of health professionals.
(2)Areas experiencing health disparities in child and adolescent access to primary care, behavioral health, preventative health, or oral health services.
(3)Schools in which more than 55 percent of pupils serviced are unduplicated pupils, as defined in Section 42238.02 of the Education Code.
(h)Moneys shall be allocated to the department annually for evaluation to be conducted by an outside evaluator that is selected through a competitive bidding process. The evaluation shall document the number of grantees that establish and sustain school-based health centers, and describe the challenges and lessons learned in creating successful school-based health centers. The evaluator shall use data collected pursuant to Section 124174.3, if it is available, and work in collaboration with the School-Based Health Center Support Program. The department shall post the evaluation on its internet website.
(i)Recipients of grants given pursuant to this section shall, when contracting for services with the grant moneys, give preference to schools and other entities that are not law enforcement entities.
(j)This section shall be implemented only to the extent that funds are appropriated to the department in the annual Budget Act or other statute for implementation of this article.
SEC. 9.Title 10.3 (commencing with Section 14138) is added to Part 4 of the Penal Code, to read:10.3.Department of Justice Violence Reduction Grant Program14138.(a)The Department of Justice shall administer a grant program for the purpose of improving public safety and community health and well-being, especially amongst those communities that are impacted by violence and gang involvement.
(b)Grants awarded pursuant to this section shall be used to support, expand, and replicate evidence-based, focused-deterrence collaborative programs that conduct outreach to targeted gangs and offer supportive services in order to preemptively reduce and eliminate violence and gang involvement. These programs shall be primarily designed to reduce violent crimes by bringing together a collaborative partnership to communicate to individuals who are identified as having the highest risk of perpetrating or being victimized by violence or gang involvement in the near future that there are tailored services and support available to help them step away from violence. The supportive services shall include, but are not limited to, job training, health care, and crisis response to shootings and violence, among other services. The department shall give priority for funding to schools, community-based organizations, and nonprofit organizations.
(c)Grants pursuant to this section shall be made on a competitive basis with preference to cities and local jurisdictions that are disproportionately impacted by violence and gang involvement, and with preference to community-based organizations that serve the residents of those cities and local jurisdictions.
(d)An applicant for a grant pursuant to this section shall submit a proposal, in a form prescribed by the department, which shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(1)Clearly defined and measurable objectives for the grant.
(2)A statement describing how the applicant proposes to use the grant to implement an evidence-based, focused-deterrence violence reduction initiative in accordance with this section.
(3)A statement describing how the applicant proposes to use the grant to enhance coordination of existing violence prevention and intervention programs and minimize duplication of services.
(4)Evidence indicating that the proposed violence reduction initiative would likely reduce the incidence of homicides, shootings, aggravated assaults, and gang involvement.
(e)In awarding grants pursuant to this section, the department shall give preference to applicants whose grant proposals demonstrate the greatest likelihood of reducing the incidence of violence and gang involvement in the applicants community, without contributing to mass incarceration.
(f)The amount of funds awarded to an applicant shall be commensurate with the scope of the applicants proposal and the applicants demonstrated need for additional resources to address violence in the applicants community.
(g)Each grantee shall commit a cash or in-kind contribution equivalent to the amount of the grant awarded under this section. This subdivision does not apply if the grantee is suffering a hardship and is unable to generate matching funds. A grantee may demonstrate the hardship to the Department of Finance, and the Department of Finance shall determine whether the grantee is suffering a hardship. The grantee shall submit any information requested by the Department of Finance for purposes of determining whether a hardship exists.
(h)Each city and other local jurisdiction that receives a grant pursuant to this section shall distribute no less than 50 percent of the grant funds to one or both of the following types of entities:
(1)Community-based organizations.
(2)Public agencies or departments that are primarily dedicated to community safety or violence prevention.
(i)The department shall form a grant selection advisory committee, including, without limitation, persons who have been impacted by violence, formerly incarcerated persons, and persons with direct experience in implementing evidence-based violence and gang involvement reduction initiatives, including initiatives that incorporate public health and community-based approaches.
(j)The department may use up to 7 percent of the funds appropriated for the program described in this section each year for the costs of administering the program, including, without limitation, the employment of personnel, providing technical assistance to grantees, and evaluation of violence and gang involvement reduction initiatives supported by the program pursuant to this section.
(k)Each grantee shall report to the department, in a form and at intervals prescribed by the department, their progress in achieving the grant objectives.
(l)The department shall, by no later than 90 days following the close of each grant cycle, prepare and submit a report to the Legislature in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code regarding the impact of the violence prevention initiatives supported by the program pursuant to this section.
(m)The department shall make evaluations of the grant program available to the public.
14139.This title shall be implemented upon appropriation by the Legislature.
SEC. 10.Chapter 3.4 (commencing with Section 5660) is added to Division 5 of the Public Resources Code, to read:3.4.Parks and Recreation for Youth5660.(a)The department shall award grants to local governments and, with preference, community-based organizations for the purpose of supporting existing and creating new parks and recreation opportunities, as well as supporting existing and creating new summer programs for youth, including, but not limited to, extended park hours and expanded programming for nighttime sports, educational activities, and visual and performing arts opportunities, in order to create and enhance recreation- and health-based interventions for youth during peak times of violence.
(b)In developing the grant program, the department shall do both of the following:
(1)Develop criteria, procedures, and accountability measures as may be necessary to implement the grant program.
(2)Administer the grant program to ensure that priority is given to underserved populations, including both urban and rural areas and low-income communities, where participation in outdoor recreation- and health-based activities will best serve youth as intervention and deterrence from violence.
(c)The department shall give priority for funding to outdoor recreation- and health-based intervention programs during peak times of violence that primarily provide outreach to and serve youth who are impacted by violence and gang involvement in their communities. When available, the department shall additionally give priority for funding to schools, community-based organizations, and nonprofit organizations.
(d)The department may give additional consideration to outdoor recreation- and health-based intervention programs during peak times of violence that do any of the following:
(1)Maximize the number of participants that can be served.
(2)Demonstrate partnerships between public, private, and nonprofit entities.
(3)Contribute to healthy lifestyles, violence prevention and gang deterrence, and improved outdoor recreational and health experiences.
(4)Include service learning and community outreach components for purposes of building partnerships between participants and local communities.
(e)In implementing the grant program, the department shall work with relevant stakeholders to promote and implement the grant program in a manner that effectively reaches a wide geography throughout the state and ensures that regions most impacted by violence and gang involvement are adequately considered with an emphasis on addressing the violence prevention and gang deterrence needs within these regions.
5661.The department shall gather information from applicants following each award year for purposes of evaluating the effectiveness of selected programs in achieving the overall objectives of the grant program. Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, the department shall annually summarize and report this information for the previous award year to the appropriate policy, budget, and fiscal committees of the Legislature. The information in the annual report shall include the total number of youth served, the total number and types of entities that received grant awards, appropriate recommendations to improve the grant program, partnerships formed, educational objectives achieved, the total number of applications received, and the total number of youth who would have been served if all applicants for the award year received grant awards.
5662.The department shall adopt guidelines it determines are necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter. Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code does not apply to the adoption of guidelines pursuant to this section. The department shall develop a process for public comment and review of the guidelines that involves three public hearings in three different parts of the state before the adoption of those guidelines.
5663.This chapter shall be implemented upon appropriation by the Legislature.
SEC. 11.Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 1450) of Part 1 of Division 2 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is repealed.SEC. 12.Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 2300) is added to Division 2.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:6.Youth Reinvestment Grant Program2300.(a)The Office of Youth and Community Restoration shall establish the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program for the purposes described in this chapter.
(b)The Youth Reinvestment Fund is hereby created. Moneys in the fund shall be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, only for the purposes of this chapter.
(c)Funds appropriated for the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program shall be allocated in each fiscal year as follows:
(1)Three percent shall be used for administrative costs to the office resulting from the implementation of this chapter.
(2)Five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for evaluation of the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program as described in Section 2305.
(3)Five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for technical assistance to grantees as described in Section 2305.
(4)Ten percent for Native American youth diversion programs pursuant to Section 2302.
(5)The remaining funds shall be used for youth diversion programs pursuant to Section 2303.
2301.For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:
(a)Applicant means and grantee mean an eligible tribal government, tribal organization, or a nonprofit community-based organization that meets the requirements of Section 2302 or 2303.
(b)Area of high need means either of the following:
(1)A city or a ZIP Code with rates of youth arrests that are higher than the county average, based on available arrest data, as described by the applicant.
(2)A city or a ZIP Code with racial or ethnic disparities in youth arrests that are higher than their representation in the county population, as described by the applicant.
(c)Diversion means a nonpunitive response to address a youths conduct without involving a youth formally in the juvenile justice system.
(d)Diversion program means a program that promotes positive youth development by relying on responses that prevent a youths involvement or further involvement in the justice system. Diversion programs, which may follow a variety of different models, aim to divert youth from justice system involvement at the earliest possible point.
(e)Mixed-delivery system means a system of adolescent development and education support services delivered through a combination of programs, providers, and settings that include partnerships between community-based nonprofit organizations and public agencies and that is supported with a combination of public and private funds.
(f)Office means the Office of Youth and Community Restoration.
(g)Referring agency means organizations or agencies that may refer youth to diversion programs, including, but not limited to, education, law enforcement, child welfare, behavioral health, and public health entities.
(h)Trauma-informed means an approach that involves an understanding of adverse childhood experiences and responding to symptoms of chronic interpersonal trauma and traumatic stress across the lifespan of an individual.
(i)Youth means a person who is subject to the jurisdiction of the juvenile court.
2302.(a)The office shall allocate funds pursuant to Section 2300 through a three-year competitive grant program for the purpose of implementing a mixed-delivery system of trauma-informed health and development diversion programs for Native American youth.
(b)In addition to the conditions described in Section 2304, an entity is eligible for funding under this section if it is not otherwise excluded by another law, and is one of the following:
(1)A federally recognized Indian tribe, as defined in Section 1603(14) of Title 25 of the United States Code.
(2)A tribal organization, as defined in Section 1603(26) of Title 25 of the United States Code.
(3)An Urban Indian Organization (UIO), as defined in Section 1603(29) of Title 25 of the United States Code.
(4)A nonprofit organization whose board of directors is majority controlled by Native Americans, including organizations that are fiscally sponsored.
(c)Applicants who receive funding from a grant pursuant to this section shall be nongovernmental entities, with the exception of tribal government applicants, and shall not be law enforcement or probation entities.
2303.(a)The office shall allocate funds pursuant to Section 2300 through a three-year competitive grant program for the purpose of implementing a mixed-delivery system of trauma-informed health and development diversion programs for youth.
(b)In addition to the conditions described in Section 2304, in order to be eligible, an applicant shall be a nonprofit organization that is tax exempt pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(c)Applicants who receive funding from a grant pursuant to this section shall be nongovernmental entities and shall not be law enforcement or probation entities.
2304.The office shall distribute grants pursuant to Sections 2302 and 2303 with all of the following conditions:
(a)An applicant shall be awarded no less than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) and no more than two million dollars ($2,000,000).
(b)Applicants from two or more local jurisdictions may apply for funding under this chapter on a regional effort basis and receive the aggregate amount of funds that they would have received if awarded as an independent applicant.
(c)Grants shall be distributed in three installments. The first installment shall be distributed on the first day of the grant contract. The second installment shall be distributed no later than the first day of the second year of the grant contract. The third installment shall be distributed no later than the first day of the third year of the grant contract. The second and third installments shall be contingent on the applicant fulfilling the grant obligations and reporting requirements to the office.
(d)Funds shall be awarded to applicants who have obtained an official letter from at least one referring agency demonstrating the agencys intent to refer diverted youth to the diversion program to provide the youth with trauma-informed health and development services. For regional applications, letters of intent shall be required for each jurisdiction proposed in the application.
(e)Diversion services shall be provided in communities described as areas with high needs.
(f)Services shall be evidence based or research supported, trauma informed, culturally relevant, gender responsive, and developmentally appropriate.
(g)Applicants shall have experience effectively serving populations of youth who are juvenile justice system-involved or at-risk of system involvement.
(h)Priority shall be given to organizations that employ people with lived experience as a youth in the juvenile justice system.
(i)Diversion programs shall include alternatives to arrest, incarceration, and formal involvement with the justice system with a priority on priority given to programs that divert youth at the earliest possible point of involvement. Diversion programs shall also include one or more of the following:
(1)Educational services, including remedial and college preparation academic and personal development services.
(2)Career development services, including employment preparation, vocational training, internships, and apprenticeships.
(3)Mentoring services, including credible messenger services.
(4)Behavioral health services, including substance use treatment.
(5)Mental health services. services, including culturally rooted healing practices.
(6)Housing services, including permanent, short-term, and emergency housing services.
(7)Personal development and leadership training programs. services.
(8)Prosocial activities, including cultural enrichment programs and services.
2305.The office shall be responsible for administration, oversight, and compliance of the program under this chapter and shall perform all the following duties:
(a)Support grantee data collection and analysis and require grantees to demonstrate outcomes of the funded programs.
(b)(1)(A)Set aside five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) of funds appropriated for purposes of the program, exclusive of the funds set aside for administrative costs to the office pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 2300, to contract with a research firm or university to conduct a statewide evaluation of the program and youth outcomes over a three-year grant period.
(B)The research firm or university evaluator shall have a demonstrated commitment to working with communities impacted by the juvenile and criminal justice system.
(C)The research firm or university evaluator shall develop a common assessment instrument for use by grantees to assess the needs and outcomes of youth participants.
(D)The research firm or university evaluator shall design a central data repository to standardize grantee data collection and reporting.
(E)The research firm or university evaluator shall support grantees with use of the common assessment and with collecting and reporting data utilizing the central data repository.
(2)The office shall make available on its internet website a report of grantees, projects, and outcomes at the state and local levels within 180 days of completion of the program.
(3)The office shall assist the research firm or university by providing relevant, existing data for the purposes of tracking outcomes. Outcomes measured may include, but are not limited to, any of the following:
(A)Reductions in law enforcement responses to youth for low-level offenses, court caseloads and processing, days the youth spend in detention, placement of youth in congregate care, school and placement disruptions, and facility staff turnover.
(B)Reduction in the number of school suspensions and expulsions.
(C)Improvement in the health and well-being of the youth, housing and community stability, educational attainment, and connections to employment opportunities.
(4)(D)Projected state and local cost savings as a result of the diversion programming.
(c)(1)Set aside five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) of funds appropriated for purposes of the program, exclusive of the funds set aside for administrative costs and evaluation, to contract with a technical assistance provider to support implementation of the program. program and to build capacity of grantee organizations.
(2)Support from the technical assistance provider to the grantees shall include all of the following:
(A)Provide grantees with support in establishing and maintaining relationships with system and community stakeholders, including public agencies, labor unions, tribal governments and communities, nonprofit organizations, and youth and families most impacted. impacted by the juvenile justice system.
(B)Provide grantees with training and support in implementing best practices and trauma informed, culturally relevant, gender responsive, and developmentally appropriate approaches to serving youth.
(C)Create peer learning opportunities for grantee organizations to learn from and alongside one another.
(D)Provide grantees with administrative and technical support support, in collaboration with the research firm or university evaluator, to ensure compliance with data reporting, evaluation, and applicable laws, including confidentiality and diversion eligibility.
(E)Provide input to the research firm or university evaluator regarding the development of evaluation processes and metrics.
(F)Provide input to the office regarding the development of the programs requests for proposals.
(3)The technical assistance provider shall have experience in all the following areas:
(A)Developmental research and best practices for serving youth involved in the justice system in, and youth at risk of involvement, involvement in, the juvenile justice system, including children who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation and youth in the dependency system.
(B)Research and best practices on systems that refer youths to the juvenile justice system, including the education, immigration, and child welfare systems.
(C)Presenting and disseminating best practices on alternatives to incarceration and system involvement.
(D)Working with and supporting community-based organizations serving youth involved in the justice system in, and youth at-risk of involvement in in, the juvenile justice system in California.
(E)Collaborating with juvenile justice system stakeholders.
(F)Working with and supporting Native American organizations and communities.
(G)Working with juvenile justice system-involved youth and communities and with elevating youth leadership.
(H)Priority shall be given to organizations that employ people with lived experience as youth in the juvenile justice system.
(d)The office shall contract with the research firm or university evaluator and technical assistance provider prior to developing and disseminating the requests for proposals. The office shall solicit and receive input from the university evaluator and technical assistance provider in developing the requests for proposals.
SEC. 13.Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 8270) is added to Division 8 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:9.Trauma Intervention Program8270.(a)(1)The California Health and Human Services Agency shall administer a grant program to provide funding to local educational agencies, including charter schools, to implement evidence-based interventions for pupils impacted by trauma, and to an organization to study specified pupil outcomes, for the improvement in the health and well-being of the youth and school and community stability.
(2)The agency shall develop an application process and criteria for funding, and shall evaluate applications and award grants under this program.
(3)The agency shall develop a list of evidence-based interventions that local educational agencies receiving funding pursuant to this section may implement.
(4)Local educational agencies applying for funding under this section shall demonstrate how they will prioritize interventions for pupils most impacted by trauma and typically unable to access traditional services, including, but not limited to, pupils who are low income or homeless, display symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder or severe trauma-related symptoms, members of immigrant and refugee groups, pupils with exceptional needs, and pupils who interact with child protective systems or who have had contact with the juvenile justice system.
(5)The agency shall give priority to, but not limit eligibility to, applicants located in the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles, as regions most impacted by gun violence.
(b)The agency, when considering the research grant applications, shall give preference to research organizations or universities that meet all of the following criteria:
(1)Study under-resourced, chronically traumatized neighborhoods where community violence is prevalent.
(2)Have a demonstrated track record of collaborating with schools to create trauma-informed and trauma-sensitive school environments.
(3)Have a demonstrated track record of studying children and youth who have received school-based trauma recovery care.
(c)A research organization or university that is awarded a grant shall do all of the following:
(1)Report to the agency annually on how grant funds were spent, expected and current preliminary data outcomes, and treatment outcomes, including academic performance, trauma-related symptom rates, and rates of criminal offenses.
(2)Publish a report to the Legislature by December 1, 2028, regarding the effectiveness of the program in improving child outcomes, including, but not limited to, academic performance, truancy rates, disciplinary actions, and rates of criminal offenses.
(3)Ensure any information disseminated to the public is distributed in accordance with Section 13202 of the Penal Code.
(d)Recipients of grants given pursuant to this section shall, when contracting for services with the grant moneys, give priority to schools, community-based organizations, and nonprofit organizations.
(e)Every five years, the agency shall open eligibility for grants under this program and shall give priority to the top six counties with the highest rate of violent crime and homicide, as reported by the Department of Justices annual crime data report.
8271.This chapter shall be implemented upon appropriation by the Legislature.
SEC. 14.The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the high rate of violent crime in the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles.
SEC. 15.The sum of two hundred thirty-five million dollars ($235,000,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund for the purpose of delivering diversion and alternative-sanction programs, academic- and vocational-education services, mentoring, behavioral health services, and mental health services, as follows:(a)The sum of fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) to the California Health and Human Services Agency for the purposes of administering the Trauma Intervention Program pursuant to Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 8270) of Division 8 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.(b)The sum of fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) to the Office of Youth and Community Restoration for the purpose of awarding grants pursuant to the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program pursuant to Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 2300) of Division 2.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. (c)The sum of fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) to the Department of Parks and Recreation to award grants pursuant to Chapter 3.4 (commencing with Section 5660) of Division 5 of the Public Resources Code. (d)The sum of fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) to the State Department of Public Health to provide grants to school-based health centers in order to provide physical health and mental health services to youth on school sites pursuant to Article 10 (commencing with Section 124174) of Chapter 3 of Part 2 of Division 106 of the Health and Safety Code.(e)The sum of thirty-five million dollars ($35,000,000) to the Department of Justice for the purposes of providing funds to support evidence-based, focus-deterrence collaborative programs that conduct direct outreach to targeted gangs in order to preemptively reduce and eliminate violence and gang involvement pursuant to Title 10.3 (commencing with Section 14138) of Part 4 of the Penal Code.This act shall be known, and may be cited, as the Strategic Anti-Violence Funding Efforts Act, or SAFE Act.
SEC. 2.The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a)The Legislative Analysts Office (LAO) estimates that savings associated with the closure of prisons and Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) facilities, as well as a declining population of incarcerated persons, will total $1.5 billion annually by 2025.
(b)On December 6, 2022, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) announced the closure of Chuckwalla Valley State Prison (CVSP) and exiting of California City Correctional Facility (Cal City). CVSP will close by March 2025. CDCR will terminate the Cal City contract in March 2024 and end the use of that facility as a state prison.
(c)The LAO estimates that savings associated with the closure of CVSP amounts to $100 million in ongoing funds, and the exiting of Cal City amounts to $135.3 million. Therefore, the closure of CVSP and exiting of Cal City amounts to a cost savings of $235.3 million annually.
(d)It is the intent of the Legislature to reinvest the CDCR cost savings from prison closures and declining incarcerated persons populations to do all of the following:
(1)Expand the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) program. Create a grant program to implement evidence-based interventions for pupils impacted by trauma.
(2)Provide ongoing funding for the Youth Reinvestment Grant Fund.
(3)Create a fund to support existing and create new parks and recreation opportunities, as well as summer programs for youth.
(4)Provide operational grants to school-based health centers in order to provide physical health and mental health services to youth on school sites.
(5)Create a fund to support early intervention programs to reduce violence by mentoring at-promise individuals.
SEC. 3.Section 124174 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:124174.The following definitions shall govern the construction of this article, unless the context requires otherwise:
(a)Program means a School-Based Health Center Support Program.
(b)(1)School-based health center means a student-focused health center or clinic that meets all of the following conditions:
(A)Is located at or near a school or schools.
(B)Is organized through school, community, and health provider relationships.
(C)Provides age-appropriate, clinical health care services onsite by qualified health professionals.
(2)A school-based health center may provide primary medical care, behavioral health services, or dental care services onsite or through mobile health or telehealth.
(c)For purposes of this section, local educational agency means a school, school district, charter school, or county office of education if the county office of education serves students in kindergarten, or any grades from 1 to 12, inclusive.
(d)Department means the State Department of Public Health.
SEC. 4.Section 124174.2 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:124174.2.(a)The department, in cooperation with the Office of School-Based Health Programs in the State Department of Education, shall establish a School-Based Health Center Support Program.
(b)The program, in collaboration with the State Department of Education, shall perform the following program functions:
(1)Provide technical assistance to school-based health centers on effective outreach and enrollment strategies to identify children who are eligible for, but not enrolled in, the Medi-Cal program, Covered California, or any other applicable health insurance affordability program for children.
(2)Serve as a liaison between organizations within the department, including, but not limited to, prevention services, primary care, health equity, oral health, behavioral health, and family health.
(3)Serve as a liaison between other state entities, as appropriate, including, but not limited to, the State Department of Health Care Services, the Department of Managed Health Care, and the Office of Emergency Services.
(4)Provide technical assistance to facilitate and encourage the establishment, retention, or expansion of, school-based health centers. For purposes of this paragraph, technical assistance may include, but is not limited to, identifying available public and private sources of funding, which may include federal Medicaid funds, funds from third-party reimbursements, state demonstration projects or incentive programs, and available federal or foundation grant moneys.
(c)The department shall consult with interested parties and appropriate health and education stakeholders, including the California School Health Centers Association California School-Based Health Alliance and representatives of youth and parents, in carrying out its responsibilities under this article.
SEC. 5.Section 124174.3 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:124174.3.(a)The department shall establish standardized data collection procedures and collect data specified in subdivision (c) from school-based health centers on an ongoing basis. School-based health centers shall report data to the department only to the extent that state funding is provided to school-based health centers under the program.
(b)The data collected pursuant to this section shall be submitted in a format determined by the department in accordance with applicable state and federal requirements for confidentiality and protected health information.
(c)Data collected pursuant to this section shall include the following:
(1)The name of the primary contact person, telephone numbers, including facsimile, physical address, and the email address, if applicable, for each school-based health center.
(2)The annual number of schoolage children receiving health services or mental health services from the school-based health center.
(3)The type and volume of services provided by the school-based health centers.
(4)The funding mechanisms used by the school-based health centers.
(5)Information on other programs offered by school-based health centers with an emphasis on preventative health services that address health issues unique to schoolage children, including, but not limited to, childhood obesity, asthma, immunizations against communicable diseases, and child and adolescent mental health disorders.
(d)This section shall be implemented only to the extent funds are appropriated for this purpose in the Budget Act or pursuant to the enactment of legislation subsequent to the addition of this section.
SEC. 6.Section 124174.4 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:124174.4.The Office of School-Based Health Programs in the State Department of Education, in collaboration with the department, shall perform the following functions:
(a)Coordination of programs within the State Department of Education that support school-based health centers.
(b)The provision of technical assistance to facilitate and encourage the establishment, retention, and expansion of school-based health centers in local educational agencies. For purposes of this subdivision, technical assistance may include the provision of information to local educational agencies and other entities regarding the utilization of facilities, liability insurance, cooperative agreements with community-based providers, and other issues pertinent to school-based health centers.
SEC. 7.Section 124174.5 of the Health and Safety Code is repealed.SEC. 8.Section 124174.6 of the Health and Safety Code is amended and renumbered to read:124174.5.The department shall establish a grant program within the School-Based Health Center Support Program to provide technical assistance, and funding for the expansion, renovation, and retrofitting of existing school-based health centers, and the development of new school-based health centers, in accordance with the following procedures and requirements:
(a)A school-based health center receiving grant funds pursuant to this section shall meet or have a plan to meet the following requirements:
(1)Provide primary medical care. The health center may also provide other health care services, including behavioral health, dental care, health education, and related services in response to community needs.
(2)Strive to provide a comprehensive and integrated set of other health care services, provided or supervised by a licensed or credentialed professional, professionals, which may include the following:
(A)Physical examinations, immunizations, and other preventive medical services.
(B)Diagnosis and treatment of minor injuries and acute medical conditions.
(C)Management of chronic medical conditions.
(D)Basic laboratory tests.
(E)Referrals to and followup for specialty care.
(F)Reproductive health services.
(G)Nutrition services.
(H)Mental health services provided or supervised by an appropriately licensed or credentialed mental health professional may include: assessments, crisis intervention, counseling, treatment, and referral to a continuum of services including emergency psychiatric care, community support programs, inpatient care, and outpatient programs. School-based health centers providing mental health services as specified in this section shall consult with the local county mental health department for collaboration in planning and service delivery.
(I)Substance use disorder services, including education, prevention, screening, early interventions, counseling, and referral to treatment services.
(J)Oral health services that may include preventive services, basic restorative services, and referral to specialty services.
(3)Strive to address the population health of the entire school campus by focusing on prevention services, including, but not limited to, group and classroom education, schoolwide prevention programs, and community outreach strategies within the schools Multi-Tiered System of Support or other similar framework employed by the local educational agency.
(4)Strive to provide integrated and individualized support for students and families and to act as a partner with the student or family to ensure that health, social, or behavioral challenges are addressed.
(5)Strive to integrate the school-based health center in the school or local educational agencys community school model, if applicable.
(6)Work in partnership with the school nurse, if one is employed by the local educational agency, to provide individual and family health education; school or districtwide health promotion; first aid and administration of medications; facilitation of student enrollment in health insurance programs; screening of students to identify the need for physical, mental health, and oral health services; referral and linkage to services not offered onsite; public health and disease surveillance; and emergency response procedures. A school-based health center may receive grant funding pursuant to this section if the local educational agency does not employ a school nurse. However, it is not the intent of the Legislature that a school-based health center serve as a substitute for a school nurse employed by a local educational agency.
(7)Have a written contract or memorandum of understanding between the school district local educational agency and the health care provider or any other community providers that ensures coordination of services, ensures confidentiality and privacy of health information consistent with applicable federal and state laws, and integration of services into the school environment.
(8)Serve all registered students in the school regardless of ability to pay.
(9)Be open during all normal school hours, or on a more limited basis if resources are not available, or on a more expansive basis if dictated by community needs and resources are available.
(10)Establish protocols for referring students to outside services when the school-based health center is closed.
(11)Facilitate transportation between the school and the health center if the health center is not located on school or school district property.
(b)Beginning on or before January 1, 2025, planning grants shall be available in amounts between fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) and one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), inclusive, for up to a 24-month period to be used for the costs associated with assessing the need for a school-based health center in a particular community or area, and developing the partnerships necessary for the operation of a school-based health center in that community or area. Applicants for planning grants shall be required to have a letter of interest from a local educational agency if the applicant is not a local educational agency. Grantees provided funding pursuant to this subdivision shall be required to do all of the following:
(1)Seek input from students, parents, school nurses, school staff and administration, local health providers, and if applicable, special population groups, on community health needs, barriers to health care and the need for a school-based health center.
(2)Collect data on the school and community to estimate the percentage of students that lack health insurance and the percentage that are eligible for Medi-Cal or private health care coverage benefits, or other public programs providing free or low-cost health services.
(3)Assess capacity and interest among health care providers in the community to provide services in a school-based health center.
(4)Assess the need for specific cultural or linguistic services or both.
(c)Beginning on or before January 1, 2025, facilities and startup grants shall be available in amounts between three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) and eight hundred fifty thousand dollars ($850,000), inclusive, for a three-year period for the purpose of establishing a school-based health center. Grant funds may be used to cover a portion or all of the costs associated with designing, retrofitting, renovating, constructing, or buying a facility or mobile health unit, for medical equipment and supplies for a school-based health center, or for personnel costs at a school-based health center. Preference will be given to proposals that include a plan for cost sharing among local educational agencies, health providers, and community organizations or that identify match funding for facilities construction and renovation costs. Preference will be given to proposals that include plans to provide integrated primary medical care and behavioral health services. Applicants for facilities and startup grants offered pursuant to this subdivision shall be required to meet the following criteria:
(1)Have completed a community assessment determining the need for a school-based health center.
(2)Have a contract or memorandum of understanding between the local educational agency and the health care provider, if other than the local educational agency, and any other provider agencies describing the relationship between the district local educational agency and the school-based health center.
(3)Have a mechanism, described in writing, to coordinate services to individual students among school and school-based health center staff while maintaining confidentiality and privacy of health information consistent with applicable state and federal laws.
(4)Have a written description of how the school-based health center will participate in the following:
(A)School and districtwide health promotion, coordinated school health, health education in the classroom or on campus, program/activities that address nutrition, fitness, or other important public health issues, or promotion of policies that create a healthy school environment.
(B)Outreach and enrollment of students in health insurance programs.
(C)Public health prevention, surveillance, and emergency response for the school population.
(5)Have the ability to provide the linguistic or cultural services needed by the community. If the school-based health center is not yet able to provide these services due to resource limitations, the school-based health center shall engage in an ongoing assessment of its capacity to provide these services.
(6)Have a plan for maximizing available third-party reimbursement revenue streams.
(d)Beginning on or before January 1, 2025, expansion grants shall be available in amounts between one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) and three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000), inclusive, for up to a three-year period for the purpose of renovating and improving an existing school-based health center, enhancing and expanding programming at a fully operational school-based health center, including adding physical health, oral health, or behavioral health services, or supporting operations at a fully operational school-based health center. Preference will be given to proposals that increase access to comprehensive health care services at the school-based health center by adding staff or services or expanding the facility. Applicants for expansion grants offered pursuant to this subdivision shall be required to meet all of the criteria described in subdivision (c), in addition to all of the following criteria:
(1)The applicant shall be eligible to become or already be an approved Medi-Cal provider.
(2)The applicant shall have ability and procedures in place for billing public insurance programs, managed care health plans, or county mental health plans.
(3)The applicant shall develop a plan to sustain expanded services at the school-based health center after the grant period.
(e)Beginning on or before January 1, 2025, sustainability grants shall be available in amounts between one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) and three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000), inclusive, per year ongoing for the purpose of operating a school health center. Applicants for sustainability grants offered pursuant to this subdivision shall be required to meet all of the criteria described in subdivision (c), in addition to all of the following criteria:
(1)The applicant shall be eligible to become or already be an approved Medi-Cal provider.
(2)The applicant shall have ability and procedures in place for billing public insurance programs and managed care providers. programs, managed care health plans, or county mental health plans.
(3)The applicant shall seek reimbursement and have procedures in place for billing public and private insurance that covers students at the school health center.
(f)The department shall award technical assistance grants through a competitive bidding process to qualified contractors to support grantees receiving grants under subdivisions (b), (c), (d), and (e). A qualified contractor means a vendor with demonstrated capacity in all aspects of planning, facilities development, startup, and operation of a school-based health center.
(g)The department, in collaboration with the Office of School-Based Health Programs in the State Department of Education, shall also develop a request for proposal (RFP) process for collecting information on applicants, and determining which proposals shall receive grant funding. The department shall give preference for grant funding to school-based health centers serving any of the following:
(1)Areas designated as federally medically underserved areas or with medically underserved populations or areas with a shortage of health professionals.
(2)Areas experiencing health disparities in child and adolescent access to primary care, behavioral health, preventative health, or oral health services.
(3)Schools in which more than 55 percent of pupils serviced are unduplicated pupils, as defined in Section 42238.02 of the Education Code.
(h)Moneys shall be allocated to the department annually for evaluation to be conducted by an outside evaluator that is selected through a competitive bidding process. The evaluation shall document the number of grantees that establish and sustain school-based health centers, and describe the challenges and lessons learned in creating successful school-based health centers. The evaluator shall use data collected pursuant to Section 124174.3, if it is available, and work in collaboration with the School-Based Health Center Support Program. The department shall post the evaluation on its internet website.
(i)Recipients of grants given pursuant to this section shall, when contracting for services with the grant moneys, give preference to schools and other entities that are not law enforcement entities.
SEC. 9.Title 10.3 (commencing with Section 14138) is added to Part 4 of the Penal Code, to read:10.3.Department of Justice Violence Reduction Grant Program14138.(a)The Department of Justice shall administer a grant program for the purpose of improving public safety and community health and well-being, especially amongst those communities that are impacted by violence and gang involvement.
(b)Grants awarded pursuant to this section shall be used to support, expand, and replicate evidence-based, focused-deterrence collaborative programs that conduct outreach to targeted gangs and offer supportive services in order to preemptively reduce and eliminate violence and gang involvement. These programs shall be primarily designed to reduce violent crimes by bringing together a collaborative partnership to communicate to individuals who are identified as having the highest risk of perpetrating or being victimized by violence or gang involvement in the near future that there are tailored services and support available to help them step away from violence. The supportive services shall include, but are not limited to, job training, health care, and crisis response to shootings and violence, among other services. The department shall give priority for funding to schools, community-based organizations, and nonprofit organizations.
(c)Grants pursuant to this section shall be made on a competitive basis with preference to cities and local jurisdictions that are disproportionately impacted by violence and gang involvement, and with preference to community-based organizations that serve the residents of those cities and local jurisdictions.
(d)An applicant for a grant pursuant to this section shall submit a proposal, in a form prescribed by the department, which shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(1)Clearly defined and measurable objectives for the grant.
(2)A statement describing how the applicant proposes to use the grant to implement an evidence-based, focused-deterrence violence reduction initiative in accordance with this section.
(3)A statement describing how the applicant proposes to use the grant to enhance coordination of existing violence prevention and intervention programs and minimize duplication of services.
(4)Evidence indicating that the proposed violence reduction initiative would likely reduce the incidence of homicides, shootings, aggravated assaults, and gang involvement.
(e)In awarding grants pursuant to this section, the department shall give preference to applicants whose grant proposals demonstrate the greatest likelihood of reducing the incidence of violence and gang involvement in the applicants community, without contributing to mass incarceration.
(f)The amount of funds awarded to an applicant shall be commensurate with the scope of the applicants proposal and the applicants demonstrated need for additional resources to address violence in the applicants community.
(g)Each grantee shall commit a cash or in-kind contribution equivalent to the amount of the grant awarded under this section. This subdivision does not apply if the grantee is suffering a hardship and is unable to generate matching funds. A grantee may demonstrate the hardship to the Department of Finance, and the Department of Finance shall determine whether the grantee is suffering a hardship. The grantee shall submit any information requested by the Department of Finance for purposes of determining whether a hardship exists.
(h)Each city and other local jurisdiction that receives a grant pursuant to this section shall distribute no less than 50 percent of the grant funds to one or both of the following types of entities:
(1)Community-based organizations.
(2)Public agencies or departments that are primarily dedicated to community safety or violence prevention.
(i)The department shall form a grant selection advisory committee, including, without limitation, persons who have been impacted by violence, formerly incarcerated persons, and persons with direct experience in implementing evidence-based violence and gang involvement reduction initiatives, including initiatives that incorporate public health and community-based approaches.
(j)The department may use up to 7 percent of the funds appropriated for the program described in this section each year for the costs of administering the program, including, without limitation, the employment of personnel, providing technical assistance to grantees, and evaluation of violence and gang involvement reduction initiatives supported by the program pursuant to this section.
(k)Each grantee shall report to the department, in a form and at intervals prescribed by the department, their progress in achieving the grant objectives.
(l)The department shall, by no later than 90 days following the close of each grant cycle, prepare and submit a report to the Legislature in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code regarding the impact of the violence prevention initiatives supported by the program pursuant to this section.
(m)The department shall make evaluations of the grant program available to the public.
SEC. 10.Chapter 3.4 (commencing with Section 5660) is added to Division 5 of the Public Resources Code, to read:3.4.Parks and Recreation for Youth5660.(a)The department shall award grants to local governments and, with preference, community-based organizations for the purpose of supporting existing and creating new parks and recreation opportunities, as well as supporting existing and creating new summer programs for youth, including, but not limited to, extended park hours and expanded programming for nighttime sports, educational activities, and visual and performing arts opportunities, in order to create and enhance recreation- and health-based interventions for youth during peak times of violence.
(b)In developing the grant program, the department shall do both of the following:
(1)Develop criteria, procedures, and accountability measures as may be necessary to implement the grant program.
(2)Administer the grant program to ensure that priority is given to underserved populations, including both urban and rural areas and low-income communities, where participation in outdoor recreation- and health-based activities will best serve youth as intervention and deterrence from violence.
(c)The department shall give priority for funding to outdoor recreation- and health-based intervention programs during peak times of violence that primarily provide outreach to and serve youth who are impacted by violence and gang involvement in their communities. When available, the department shall additionally give priority for funding to schools, community-based organizations, and nonprofit organizations.
(d)The department may give additional consideration to outdoor recreation- and health-based intervention programs during peak times of violence that do any of the following:
(1)Maximize the number of participants that can be served.
(2)Demonstrate partnerships between public, private, and nonprofit entities.
(3)Contribute to healthy lifestyles, violence prevention and gang deterrence, and improved outdoor recreational and health experiences.
(4)Include service learning and community outreach components for purposes of building partnerships between participants and local communities.
(e)In implementing the grant program, the department shall work with relevant stakeholders to promote and implement the grant program in a manner that effectively reaches a wide geography throughout the state and ensures that regions most impacted by violence and gang involvement are adequately considered with an emphasis on addressing the violence prevention and gang deterrence needs within these regions.
5661.The department shall gather information from applicants following each award year for purposes of evaluating the effectiveness of selected programs in achieving the overall objectives of the grant program. Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, the department shall annually summarize and report this information for the previous award year to the appropriate policy, budget, and fiscal committees of the Legislature. The information in the annual report shall include the total number of youth served, the total number and types of entities that received grant awards, appropriate recommendations to improve the grant program, partnerships formed, educational objectives achieved, the total number of applications received, and the total number of youth who would have been served if all applicants for the award year received grant awards.
5662.The department shall adopt guidelines it determines are necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter. Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code does not apply to the adoption of guidelines pursuant to this section. The department shall develop a process for public comment and review of the guidelines that involves three public hearings in three different parts of the state before the adoption of those guidelines.
SEC. 11.Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 1450) of Part 1 of Division 2 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is repealed.SEC. 12.Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 2300) is added to Division 2.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:6.Youth Reinvestment Grant Program2300.(a)The Office of Youth and Community Restoration shall establish the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program for the purposes described in this chapter.
(b)The Youth Reinvestment Fund is hereby created. Moneys in the fund shall be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, only for the purposes of this chapter.
(c)Funds appropriated for the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program shall be allocated in each fiscal year as follows:
(1)Three percent shall be used for administrative costs to the office resulting from the implementation of this chapter.
(2)Five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for evaluation of the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program as described in Section 2305.
(3)Five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for technical assistance to grantees as described in Section 2305.
(4)Ten percent for Native American youth diversion programs pursuant to Section 2302.
(5)The remaining funds shall be used for youth diversion programs pursuant to Section 2303.
2301.For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:
(a)Applicant means an eligible tribal government, tribal organization, or a nonprofit community-based organization that meets the requirements of Section 2302 or 2303.
(b)Area of high need means either of the following:
(1)A city or a ZIP Code with rates of youth arrests that are higher than the county average, based on available arrest data, as described by the applicant.
(2)A city or a ZIP Code with racial or ethnic disparities in youth arrests that are higher than their representation in the county population, as described by the applicant.
(c)Diversion means a nonpunitive response to address a youths conduct without involving a youth formally in the juvenile justice system.
(d)Diversion program means a program that promotes positive youth development by relying on responses that prevent a youths involvement or further involvement in the justice system. Diversion programs, which may follow a variety of different models, aim to divert youth from justice system involvement at the earliest possible point.
(e)Mixed-delivery system means a system of adolescent development and education support services delivered through a combination of programs, providers, and settings that include partnerships between community-based nonprofit organizations and public agencies and that is supported with a combination of public and private funds.
(f)Office means the Office of Youth and Community Restoration.
(g)Referring agency means organizations or agencies that may refer youth to diversion programs, including, but not limited to, education, law enforcement, child welfare, behavioral health, and public health entities.
(h)Trauma-informed means an approach that involves an understanding of adverse childhood experiences and responding to symptoms of chronic interpersonal trauma and traumatic stress across the lifespan of an individual.
(i)Youth means a person who is subject to the jurisdiction of the juvenile court.
2302.(a)The office shall allocate funds pursuant to Section 2300 through a three-year competitive grant program for the purpose of implementing a mixed-delivery system of trauma-informed health and development diversion programs for Native American youth.
(b)In addition to the conditions described in Section 2304, an entity is eligible for funding under this section if it is not otherwise excluded by another law, and is one of the following:
(1)A federally recognized Indian tribe, as defined in Section 1603(14) of Title 25 of the United States Code.
(2)A tribal organization, as defined in Section 1603(26) of Title 25 of the United States Code.
(3)An Urban Indian Organization (UIO), as defined in Section 1603(29) of Title 25 of the United States Code.
(4)A nonprofit organization whose board of directors is majority controlled by Native Americans, including organizations that are fiscally sponsored.
(c)Applicants who receive funding from a grant pursuant to this section shall be nongovernmental entities, with the exception of tribal government applicants, and shall not be law enforcement or probation entities.
2303.(a)The office shall allocate funds pursuant to Section 2300 through a three-year competitive grant program for the purpose of implementing a mixed-delivery system of trauma-informed health and development diversion programs for youth.
(b)In addition to the conditions described in Section 2304, in order to be eligible, an applicant shall be a nonprofit organization that is tax exempt pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(c)Applicants who receive funding from a grant pursuant to this section shall be nongovernmental entities and shall not be law enforcement or probation entities.
2304.The office shall distribute grants pursuant to Sections 2302 and 2303 with all of the following conditions:
(a)An applicant shall be awarded no less than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) and no more than two million dollars ($2,000,000).
(b)Applicants from two or more local jurisdictions may apply for funding under this chapter on a regional effort basis and receive the aggregate amount of funds that they would have received if awarded as an independent applicant.
(c)Grants shall be distributed in three installments. The first installment shall be distributed on the first day of the grant contract. The second installment shall be distributed no later than the first day of the second year of the grant contract. The third installment shall be distributed no later than the first day of the third year of the grant contract. The second and third installments shall be contingent on the applicant fulfilling the grant obligations and reporting requirements to the office.
(d)Funds shall be awarded to applicants who have obtained an official letter from at least one referring agency demonstrating the agencys intent to refer diverted youth to the diversion program to provide the youth with trauma-informed health and development services. For regional applications, letters of intent shall be required for each jurisdiction proposed in the application.
(e)Diversion services shall be provided in communities described as areas with high needs.
(f)Services shall be evidence based or research supported, trauma informed, culturally relevant, gender responsive, and developmentally appropriate.
(g)Applicants shall have experience effectively serving populations of youth who are juvenile justice system-involved or at-risk of system involvement.
(h)Priority shall be given to organizations that employ people with lived experience as a youth in the juvenile justice system.
(i)Diversion programs shall include alternatives to arrest, incarceration, and formal involvement with the justice system with a priority on programs that divert youth at the earliest possible point of involvement. Diversion programs shall also include one or more of the following:
(1)Educational services, including academic and personal development services.
(2)Career development services, including employment preparation, vocational training, internships, and apprenticeships.
(3)Mentoring services, including credible messenger services.
(4)Behavioral health services, including substance use treatment.
(5)Mental health services.
(6)Housing services, including permanent, short-term, and emergency housing services.
(7)Personal development and leadership training programs.
(8)Prosocial activities, including cultural enrichment programs and services.
2305.The office shall be responsible for administration, oversight, and compliance of the program under this chapter and shall perform all the following duties:
(a)Support grantee data collection and analysis and require grantees to demonstrate outcomes of the funded programs.
(b)(1)Set aside five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) of funds appropriated for purposes of the program, exclusive of the funds set aside for administrative costs to the office pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 2300, to contract with a research firm or university to conduct a statewide evaluation of the program and youth outcomes over a three-year grant period.
(2)The office shall make available on its internet website a report of grantees, projects, and outcomes at the state and local levels within 180 days of completion of the program.
(3)The office shall assist the research firm or university by providing relevant, existing data for the purposes of tracking outcomes. Outcomes measured may include, but are not limited to, any of the following:
(A)Reductions in law enforcement responses to youth for low-level offenses, court caseloads and processing, days the youth spend in detention, placement of youth in congregate care, school and placement disruptions, and facility staff turnover.
(B)Reduction in the number of school suspensions and expulsions.
(C)Improvement in the health and well-being of the youth, housing and community stability, educational attainment, and connections to employment opportunities.
(4)Projected state and local cost savings as a result of the diversion programming.
(c)(1)Set aside five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) of funds appropriated for purposes of the program, exclusive of the funds set aside for administrative costs and evaluation, to contract with a technical assistance provider to support implementation of the program.
(2)Support from the technical assistance provider to the grantees shall include all of the following:
(A)Provide grantees with support in establishing and maintaining relationships with system and community stakeholders, including public agencies, labor unions, tribal governments and communities, nonprofit organizations, and youth and families most impacted.
(B)Provide grantees with training and support in implementing best practices and trauma informed, culturally relevant, gender responsive, and developmentally appropriate approaches to serving youth.
(C)Create peer learning opportunities for grantee organizations to learn from and alongside one another.
(D)Provide grantees with administrative and technical support to ensure compliance with data reporting, evaluation, and applicable laws, including confidentiality and diversion eligibility.
(3)The technical assistance provider shall have experience in all the following areas:
(A)Developmental research and best practices for serving youth involved in the justice system and youth at risk of involvement, including children who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation and youth in the dependency system.
(B)Research and best practices on systems that refer youths to the juvenile justice system, including the education, immigration, and child welfare systems.
(C)Presenting and disseminating best practices on alternatives to incarceration and system involvement.
(D)Working with and supporting community-based organizations serving youth involved in the justice system and youth at-risk of involvement in California.
(E)Collaborating with juvenile justice system stakeholders.
(F)Working with and supporting Native American organizations and communities.
(G)Working with juvenile justice system-involved youth and communities and with elevating youth leadership.
(H)Priority shall be given to organizations that employ people with lived experience as youth in the juvenile justice system.
SEC. 13.Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 8270) is added to Division 8 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:9.Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma Program Trauma Intervention Program8270.(a)(1)The California Health and Human Services Agency shall administer the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma program to evaluate applications and award grants on a five-year cycle to schools located in the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles for the purpose of implementing the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) program, and to an organization to study specified student outcomes, for the improvement in the health and well-being of the youth and school and community stability. For the purposes of this program, school includes charter schools.(2)The Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles shall have the right of first refusal for seeking grant funds pursuant to this program. If any of the counties listed in this subdivision elect not to seek grant funds pursuant to this program, the agency may open eligibility to other counties.(b)The agency shall award a grant to a school that meets all of the following criteria:(1)The school uses the award for the purpose of implementing the CBITS program. The use of trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy is not precluded when administering the CBITS program.(2)The school is located in a region most impacted by gun violence as indicated by violent crime data and whose students typically are unable to access traditional services, including, but not limited to, students who are low income or homeless, display symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder or severe-trauma related symptoms, members of immigrant and refugee groups, students with disabilities, and students who interact with child protective systems or who have had contact with the juvenile justice system.(3)The school presents substantial plans for the collection and distribution of information to an appointed research organization and for fidelity monitoring of its CBITS program.(4)Any other related criteria required by the agency.8270.(a)(1)The California Health and Human Services Agency shall administer a grant program to provide funding to local educational agencies, including charter schools, to implement evidence-based interventions for pupils impacted by trauma, and to an organization to study specified pupil outcomes, for the improvement in the health and well-being of the youth and school and community stability.
(2)The agency shall develop an application process and criteria for funding, and shall evaluate applications and award grants under this program.
(3)The agency shall develop a list of evidence-based interventions that local educational agencies receiving funding pursuant to this section may implement.
(4)Local educational agencies applying for funding under this section shall demonstrate how they will prioritize interventions for pupils most impacted by trauma and typically unable to access traditional services, including, but not limited to, pupils who are low income or homeless, display symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder or severe trauma-related symptoms, members of immigrant and refugee groups, pupils with exceptional needs, and pupils who interact with child protective systems or who have had contact with the juvenile justice system.
(5)The agency shall give priority to, but not limit eligibility to, applicants located in the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles, as regions most impacted by gun violence.
(c)(b)The agency, when considering the research grant applications, shall give preference to research organizations or universities that meet all of the following criteria:
(1)Study under-resourced, chronically traumatized neighborhoods where community violence is prevalent.
(2)Have a demonstrated track record of collaborating with schools to create trauma-informed and trauma-sensitive school environments.
(3)Have a demonstrated track record of studying children and youth who have received school-based trauma recovery care.
(d)(c)A research organization or university that is awarded a grant shall do all of the following:
(1)Report to the agency annually on how grant funds were spent, expected and current preliminary data outcomes, and treatment outcomes, including academic performance, trauma-related symptom rates, and rates of criminal offenses.
(2)Publish a report to the Legislature by December 1, 2028, regarding the effectiveness of the program in improving child outcomes, including, but not limited to, academic performance, truancy rates, disciplinary actions, and rates of criminal offenses.
(3)Ensure any information disseminated to the public is distributed in accordance with Section 13202 of the Penal Code.
(e)(d)Recipients of grants given pursuant to this section shall, when contracting for services with the grant moneys, give priority to schools, community-based organizations, and nonprofit organizations.
(f)(1)(e)Every five years, the agency shall open eligibility for grants under this program and shall give priority to the top six counties with the highest rate of violent crime and homicide, as reported by the Department of Justices annual crime data report.
(2)If any of the six counties identified by the agency under paragraph (1) elect not to seek grant funds pursuant to this program, the agency may open eligibility to other counties.SEC. 14.The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the high rate of violent crime in the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles.
SEC. 15.The sum of two hundred thirty-five million dollars ($235,000,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund for the purpose of delivering diversion and alternative-sanction programs, academic- and vocational-education services, mentoring, behavioral health services, and mental health services, as follows:
(a)The sum of fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) to the California Health and Human Services Agency for the purposes of administering the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) program Trauma Intervention Program pursuant to Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 8270) of Division 8 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(b)The sum of fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) to the Office of Youth and Community Restoration for the purpose of awarding grants pursuant to the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program pursuant to Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 2300) of Division 2.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(c)The sum of fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) to the Department of Parks and Recreation to award grants pursuant to Chapter 3.4 (commencing with Section 5660) of Division 5 of the Public Resources Code.
(d)The sum of fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) to the State Department of Public Health to provide operational grants to school-based health centers in order to provide physical health and mental health services to youth on school sites pursuant to Article 10 (commencing with Section 124174) of Chapter 3 of Part 2 of Division 106 of the Health and Safety Code.
(e)The sum of thirty-five million dollars ($35,000,000) to the Department of Justice for the purposes of providing funds to support evidence-based, focus-deterrence collaborative programs that conduct direct outreach to targeted gangs in order to preemptively reduce and eliminate violence and gang involvement pursuant to Title 10.3 (commencing with Section 14138) of Part 4 of the Penal Code.
This act shall be known, and may be cited, as the Strategic Anti-Violence Funding Efforts Act, or SAFE Act.
SEC. 2.The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a)The Legislative Analysts Office (LAO) estimates that savings associated with the closure of prisons and Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) facilities, as well as a declining population of incarcerated persons, will total $1.5 billion annually by 2025.
(b)On December 6, 2022, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) announced the closure of Chuckwalla Valley State Prison (CVSP) and exiting of California City Correctional Facility (Cal City). CVSP will close by March 2025. CDCR will terminate the Cal City contract in March 2024 and end the use of that facility as a state prison.
(c)The LAO estimates that savings associated with the closure of CVSP amounts to $100 million in ongoing funds, and the exiting of Cal City amounts to $135.3 million. Therefore, the closure of CVSP and exiting of Cal City amounts to a cost savings of $235.3 million annually.
(d)It is the intent of the Legislature to reinvest the CDCR cost savings from prison closures and declining incarcerated persons populations to do all of the following:
(1)Expand the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) program.
(2)Provide ongoing funding for the Youth Reinvestment Grant Fund.
(3)Create a fund to support existing and create new parks and recreation opportunities, as well as summer programs for youth.
(4)Provide operational grants to school-based health centers in order to provide physical health and mental health services to youth on school sites.
(5)Create a fund to support early intervention programs to reduce violence by mentoring at-promise individuals.
SEC. 3.Section 124174 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:124174.The following definitions shall govern the construction of this article, unless the context requires otherwise:
(a)Program means a Public School School-Based Health Center Support Program.
(b)School health center means a center or program, located at or near a local educational agency, that provides age-appropriate health care services at the program site or through referrals. A school health center may conduct routine physical, mental health, and oral health assessments, and provide referrals for any services not offered onsite. A school health center may serve two or more nonadjacent schools or local educational agencies.(b)(1)School-based health center means a student-focused health center or clinic that meets all of the following conditions:
(A)Is located at or near a school or schools.
(B)Is organized through school, community, and health provider relationships.
(C)Provides age-appropriate, clinical health care services onsite by qualified health professionals.
(2)A school-based health center may provide primary medical care, behavioral health services, or dental care services onsite or through mobile health or telehealth.
(c)For purposes of this section, local educational agency means a school, school district, charter school, or county office of education if the county office of education serves students in kindergarten, or any grades from 1 to 12, inclusive.
(d)Department means the State Department of Public Health.
SEC. 4.Section 124174.2 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:124174.2.(a)The department, in cooperation with the Office of School-Based Health Programs in the State Department of Education, shall establish a Public School School-Based Health Center Support Program.
(b)The program, in collaboration with the State Department of Education, shall perform the following program functions:
(1)Provide technical assistance to school school-based health centers on effective outreach and enrollment strategies to identify children who are eligible for, but not enrolled in, the Medi-Cal program, the Healthy Families Program, Covered California, or any other applicable program. health insurance affordability program for children.
(2)Serve as a liaison between organizations within the department, including, but not limited to, prevention services, primary care, health equity, oral health, behavioral health, and family health.
(3)Serve as a liaison between other state entities, as appropriate, including, but not limited to, the State Department of Health Care Services, the Department of Managed Health Care, and the Office of Emergency Services, and the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board. Services.
(4)Provide technical assistance to facilitate and encourage the establishment, retention, or expansion of, school school-based health centers. For purposes of this paragraph, technical assistance may include, but is not limited to, identifying available public and private sources of funding, which may include federal Medicaid funds, funds from third-party reimbursements, state demonstration projects or incentive programs, and available federal or foundation grant moneys.
(c)The department shall consult with interested parties and appropriate health and education stakeholders, including the California School Health Centers Association and representatives of youth and parents, in carrying out its responsibilities under this article.
SEC. 5.Section 124174.3 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:124174.3.(a)The department shall establish standardized data collection procedures and collect data specified in subdivisions (c) and (d) subdivision (c) from school school-based health centers on an ongoing basis. School-based health centers shall report data to the department only to the extent that state funding is provided to school-based health centers under the program.
(b)The data collected pursuant to this section shall be submitted in a format determined by the department in accordance with applicable state and federal requirements for confidentiality and protected health information.
(c)Data collected pursuant to this section shall include the following:
(1)The name of the primary contact person, telephone numbers, including facsimile facsimile, physical address, and the e-mail email address, if applicable, for each school school-based health center.
(2)The annual number of schoolage children receiving health services or mental health services from the school school-based health center.
(3)The type and volume of services provided by the school school-based health centers.
(4)The funding mechanisms used by the school school-based health centers.
(5)Information on other programs offered by school school-based health centers with an emphasis on preventative health services that address health issues unique to schoolage children, including, but not limited to, childhood obesity, asthma, immunizations against communicable diseases, and child and adolescent mental health disorders.
(d)To the extent feasible, the department shall collect data on health services provided at a local educational agency outside a school health center. (e)(d)This section shall be implemented only to the extent funds are appropriated for this purpose in the Budget Act or pursuant to the enactment of legislation subsequent to the addition of this section.
SEC. 6.Section 124174.4 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:124174.4.The Office of School-Based Health Programs in the State Department of Education, in collaboration with the department, shall perform the following functions:
(a)Coordination of programs within the State Department of Education that support school health centers and programs within the State Department of Health Care Services, where appropriate. school-based health centers.
(b)The provision of technical assistance to facilitate and encourage the establishment, retention, and expansion of school school-based health centers in public schools. local educational agencies. For purposes of this subdivision, technical assistance may include the provision of information to local educational agencies and other entities regarding the utilization of facilities, liability insurance, cooperative agreements with community-based providers, and other issues pertinent to school school-based health centers.
SEC. 7.Section 124174.5 of the Health and Safety Code is repealed.124174.5.The program, in collaboration with the State Department of Education, shall act as a liaison for school-based health centers.SEC. 3.Section 124174.6 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:124174.6.SEC. 8.Section 124174.6 of the Health and Safety Code is amended and renumbered to read:124174.5.The department shall establish a grant program within the Public School School-Based Health Center Support Program to provide technical assistance, and funding for the expansion, renovation, and retrofitting of existing school school-based health centers, and the development of new school school-based health centers, in accordance with the following procedures and requirements:
(a)A school school-based health center receiving grant funds pursuant to this section shall meet or have a plan to meet the following requirements:
(1)Strive to provide a comprehensive set of services including medical, oral health, mental health, Provide primary medical care. The health center may also provide other health care services, including behavioral health, dental care, health education, and related services in response to community needs.
(2)Provide primary and Strive to provide a comprehensive and integrated set of other health care services, provided or supervised by a licensed or credentialed professional, which may include all of the following:
(A)Physical examinations, immunizations, and other preventive medical services.
(B)Diagnosis and treatment of minor injuries and acute medical conditions.
(C)Management of chronic medical conditions.
(D)Basic laboratory tests.
(E)Referrals to and followup for specialty care.
(F)Reproductive health services.
(G)Nutrition services.
(H)Mental health services provided or supervised by an appropriately licensed or credentialed mental health professional may include: assessments, crisis intervention, counseling, treatment, and referral to a continuum of services including emergency psychiatric care, community support programs, inpatient care, and outpatient programs. School School-based health centers providing mental health services as specified in this section shall consult with the local county mental health department for collaboration in planning and service delivery.
(I)Substance use disorder services, including education, prevention, screening, early interventions, counseling, and referral to treatment services.
(I)(J)Oral health services that may include preventive services, basic restorative services, and referral to specialty services.
(3)Strive to address the population health of the entire school campus by focusing on prevention services, including, but not limited to, group and classroom education, schoolwide prevention programs, and community outreach strategies within the schools Multi-Tiered System of Support or other similar framework employed by the local educational agency.
(4)Strive to provide integrated and individualized support for students and families and to act as a partner with the student or family to ensure that health, social, or behavioral challenges are addressed.
(5)Strive to integrate the school-based health center in the school or local educational agencys community school model, if applicable.
(3)(6)Work in partnership with the school nurse, if one is employed by the school or school district, local educational agency, to provide individual and family health education; school or districtwide health promotion; first aid and administration of medications; facilitation of student enrollment in health insurance programs; screening of students to identify the need for physical, mental health, and oral health services; referral and linkage to services not offered onsite; public health and disease surveillance; and emergency response procedures. A school school-based health center may receive grant funding pursuant to this section if the school or school district local educational agency does not employ a school nurse. However, it is not the intent of the Legislature that a school school-based health center serve as a substitute for a school nurse employed by a local school or school district. educational agency.
(4)(7)Have a written contract or memorandum of understanding between the school district and the health care provider or any other community providers that ensures coordination of services, ensures confidentiality and privacy of health information consistent with applicable federal and state laws, and integration of services into the school environment.
(5)(8)Serve all registered students in the school regardless of ability to pay.
(6)(9)Be open during all normal school hours, or on a more limited basis if resources are not available, or on a more expansive basis if dictated by community needs and resources are available.
(7)(10)Establish protocols for referring students to outside services when the school school-based health center is closed.
(8)(11)Facilitate transportation between the school and the health center if the health center is not located on school or school district property.
(b)Beginning on or before January 1, 2025, planning grants shall be available in amounts between twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) and fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) for a 6- to 12-month and one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), inclusive, for up to a 24-month period to be used for the costs associated with assessing the need for a school school-based health center in a particular community or area, and developing the partnerships necessary for the operation of a school school-based health center in that community or area. Applicants for planning grants shall be required to have a letter of interest from a school or district local educational agency if the applicant is not a local education educational agency. Grantees provided funding pursuant to this subdivision shall be required to do all of the following:
(1)Seek input from students, parents, school nurses, school staff and administration, local health providers, and if applicable, special population groups, on community health needs, barriers to health care and the need for a school school-based health center.
(2)Collect data on the school and community to estimate the percentage of students that lack health insurance and the percentage that are eligible for Medi-Cal or private health care coverage benefits, or other public programs providing free or low-cost health services.
(3)Assess capacity and interest among health care providers in the community to provide services in a school school-based health center.
(4)Assess the need for specific cultural or linguistic services or both.
(c)Beginning on or before January 1, 2025, facilities and startup grants shall be available in amounts between twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) and two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) per year for a three-year period for the purpose of establishing a school health center, with the potential addition of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) in the first year for facilities construction, purchase, or renovation. three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) and eight hundred fifty thousand dollars ($850,000), inclusive, for a three-year period for the purpose of establishing a school-based health center. Grant funds may be used to cover a portion or all of the costs associated with designing, retrofitting, renovating, constructing, or buying a facility, facility or mobile health unit, for medical equipment and supplies for a school school-based health center, or for personnel costs at a school school-based health center. Preference will be given to proposals that include a plan for cost sharing among schools, local educational agencies, health providers, and community organizations or that identify match funding for facilities construction and renovation costs. Preference will be given to proposals that include plans to provide integrated primary medical care and behavioral health services. Applicants for facilities and startup grants offered pursuant to this subdivision shall be required to meet the following criteria:
(1)Have completed a community assessment determining the need for a school school-based health center.
(2)Have a contract or memorandum of understanding between the school district local educational agency and the health care provider, if other than the district, local educational agency, and any other provider agencies describing the relationship between the district and the school school-based health center.
(3)Have a mechanism, described in writing, to coordinate services to individual students among school and school school-based health center staff while maintaining confidentiality and privacy of health information consistent with applicable state and federal laws.
(4)Have a written description of how the school school-based health center will participate in the following:
(A)School and districtwide health promotion, coordinated school health, health education in the classroom or on campus, program/activities that address nutrition, fitness, or other important public health issues, or promotion of policies that create a healthy school environment.
(B)Outreach and enrollment of students in health insurance programs.
(C)Public health prevention, surveillance, and emergency response for the school population.
(5)Have the ability to provide the linguistic or cultural services needed by the community. If the school school-based health center is not yet able to provide these services due to resource limitations, the school school-based health center shall engage in an ongoing assessment of its capacity to provide these services.
(6)Have a plan for maximizing available third-party reimbursement revenue streams.
(d)Beginning on or before January 1, 2025, sustainability grants shall be available in amounts between twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) and one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars ($125,000) per year for a three-year period for the purpose of operating a school health center, or enhancing programming at a fully operational school health center, including oral health or mental health services. Applicants for sustainability grants offered pursuant to this subdivision shall be required to meet all of the criteria described in subdivision (c), in addition to both of the following criteria:(d)Beginning on or before January 1, 2025, expansion grants shall be available in amounts between one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) and three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000), inclusive, for up to a three-year period for the purpose of renovating and improving an existing school-based health center, enhancing and expanding programming at a fully operational school-based health center, including adding physical health, oral health, or behavioral health services, or supporting operations at a fully operational school-based health center. Preference will be given to proposals that increase access to comprehensive health care services at the school-based health center by adding staff or services or expanding the facility. Applicants for expansion grants offered pursuant to this subdivision shall be required to meet all of the criteria described in subdivision (c), in addition to all of the following criteria:
(1)The applicant shall be eligible to become or already be an approved Medi-Cal provider.
(2)The applicant shall have ability and procedures in place for billing public insurance programs and managed care providers. programs, managed care health plans, or county mental health plans.
(3)The applicant shall seek reimbursement and have procedures in place for billing public and private insurance that covers students at the school health center.(3)The applicant shall develop a plan to sustain expanded services at the school-based health center after the grant period.
(e)Beginning on or before January 1, 2025, sustainability grants shall be available in amounts between one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) and three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000), inclusive, per year ongoing for the purpose of operating a school health center. Applicants for sustainability grants offered pursuant to this subdivision shall be required to meet all of the criteria described in subdivision (c), in addition to all of the following criteria:
(1)The applicant shall be eligible to become or already be an approved Medi-Cal provider.
(2)The applicant shall have ability and procedures in place for billing public insurance programs and managed care providers.
(3)The applicant shall seek reimbursement and have procedures in place for billing public and private insurance that covers students at the school health center.
(e)(f)The department shall award technical assistance grants through a competitive bidding process to qualified contractors to support grantees receiving grants under subdivisions (b), (c), and (d). (d), and (e). A qualified contractor means a vendor with demonstrated capacity in all aspects of planning, facilities development, startup, and operation of a school school-based health center.
(f)(g)The department department, in collaboration with the Office of School-Based Health Programs in the State Department of Education, shall also develop a request for proposal (RFP) process for collecting information on applicants, and determining which proposals shall receive grant funding. The department shall give preference for grant funding to the following schools: school-based health centers serving any of the following:
(1)Schools in areas designated as federally medically underserved areas or in areas with medically underserved populations.(2)Schools with a high percentage of low-income and uninsured children and youth.(3)Schools with large numbers of limited English proficient (LEP) students.(4)Schools in areas with a shortage of health professionals.(5)Low-performing schools with Academic Performance Index (API) rankings in the deciles of three and below of the state.(1)Areas designated as federally medically underserved areas or with medically underserved populations or areas with a shortage of health professionals.
(2)Areas experiencing health disparities in child and adolescent access to primary care, behavioral health, preventative health, or oral health services.
(3)Schools in which more than 55 percent of pupils serviced are unduplicated pupils, as defined in Section 42238.02 of the Education Code.
(g)(h)Moneys shall be allocated to the department annually for evaluation to be conducted by an outside evaluator that is selected through a competitive bidding process. The evaluation shall document the number of grantees that establish and sustain school school-based health centers, and describe the challenges and lessons learned in creating successful school school-based health centers. The evaluator shall use data collected pursuant to Section 124174.3, if it is available, and work in collaboration with the Public School School-Based Health Center Support Program. The department shall post the evaluation on its internet website.
(h)(i)Recipients of grants given pursuant to this section shall, when contracting for services with the grant moneys, give preference to schools and other entities that are not law enforcement entities.
SEC. 4.SEC. 9.Title 10.3 (commencing with Section 14138) is added to Part 4 of the Penal Code, to read:10.3.Department of Justice Violence Reduction Grant Program14138.(a)The Department of Justice shall administer a grant program for the purpose of improving public safety and community health and well-being, especially amongst those communities that are impacted by violence and gang involvement.
(b)Grants awarded pursuant to this section shall be used to support, expand, and replicate evidence-based, focused-deterrence collaborative programs that conduct outreach to targeted gangs and offer supportive services in order to preemptively reduce and eliminate violence and gang involvement. These programs shall be primarily designed to reduce violent crimes by bringing together a collaborative partnership to communicate to individuals who are identified as having the highest risk of perpetrating or being victimized by violence or gang involvement in the near future that there are tailored services and support available to help them step away from violence. The supportive services shall include, but are not limited to, job training, health care, and crisis response to shootings and violence, among other services. The department shall give priority for funding to schools, community-based organizations organizations, and nonprofit organizations.
(c)Grants pursuant to this section shall be made on a competitive basis with preference to cities and local jurisdictions that are disproportionately impacted by violence and gang involvement, and with preference to community-based organizations that serve the residents of those cities and local jurisdictions.
(d)An applicant for a grant pursuant to this section shall submit a proposal, in a form prescribed by the department, which shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(1)Clearly defined and measurable objectives for the grant.
(2)A statement describing how the applicant proposes to use the grant to implement an evidence-based, focused-deterrence violence reduction initiative in accordance with this section.
(3)A statement describing how the applicant proposes to use the grant to enhance coordination of existing violence prevention and intervention programs and minimize duplication of services.
(4)Evidence indicating that the proposed violence reduction initiative would likely reduce the incidence of homicides, shootings, aggravated assaults, and gang involvement.
(e)In awarding grants pursuant to this section, the department shall give preference to applicants whose grant proposals demonstrate the greatest likelihood of reducing the incidence of violence and gang involvement in the applicants community, without contributing to mass incarceration.
(f)The amount of funds awarded to an applicant shall be commensurate with the scope of the applicants proposal and the applicants demonstrated need for additional resources to address violence in the applicants community.
(g)Each grantee shall commit a cash or in-kind contribution equivalent to the amount of the grant awarded under this section. This subdivision does not apply if the grantee is suffering a hardship and is unable to generate matching funds. A grantee may demonstrate the hardship to the Department of Finance, and the Department of Finance shall determine whether the grantee is suffering a hardship. The grantee shall submit any information requested by the Department of Finance for purposes of determining whether a hardship exists.
(h)Each city and other local jurisdiction that receives a grant pursuant to this section shall distribute no less than 50 percent of the grant funds to one or both of the following types of entities:
(1)Community-based organizations.
(2)Public agencies or departments that are primarily dedicated to community safety or violence prevention.
(i)The department shall form a grant selection advisory committee, including, without limitation, persons who have been impacted by violence, formerly incarcerated persons, and persons with direct experience in implementing evidence-based violence and gang involvement reduction initiatives, including initiatives that incorporate public health and community-based approaches.
(j)The department may use up to 7 percent of the funds appropriated for the program described in this section each year for the costs of administering the program, including, without limitation, the employment of personnel, providing technical assistance to grantees, and evaluation of violence and gang involvement reduction initiatives supported by the program pursuant to this section.
(k)Each grantee shall report to the department, in a form and at intervals prescribed by the department, their progress in achieving the grant objectives.
(l)The department shall, by no later than 90 days following the close of each grant cycle, prepare and submit a report to the Legislature in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code regarding the impact of the violence prevention initiatives supported by the program pursuant to this section.
(m)The department shall make evaluations of the grant program available to the public.
SEC. 5.SEC. 10.Chapter 3.4 (commencing with Section 5660) is added to Division 5 of the Public Resources Code, to read:3.4.Parks and Recreation for Youth5660.(a)The department shall award grants to local governments and, with preference, community-based organizations for the purpose of supporting existing and creating new parks and recreation opportunities, as well as supporting existing and creating new summer programs for youth, including, but not limited to, extended park hours and expanded programming for nighttime sports, educational activities, and visual and performing arts opportunities, in order to create and enhance recreation- and health-based interventions for youth during peak times of violence.
(b)In developing the grant program, the department shall do both of the following:
(1)Develop criteria, procedures, and accountability measures as may be necessary to implement the grant program.
(2)Administer the grant program to ensure that priority is given to underserved populations, including both urban and rural areas and low-income communities, where participation in outdoor recreation- and health-based activities will best serve youth as intervention and deterrence from violence.
(c)The department shall give priority for funding to outdoor recreation- and health-based intervention programs during peak times of violence that primarily provide outreach to and serve youth who are impacted by violence and gang involvement in their communities. When available, the department shall additionally give priority for funding to schools, community-based organizations organizations, and nonprofit organizations.
(d)The department may give additional consideration to outdoor recreation- and health-based intervention programs during peak times of violence that do any of the following:
(1)Maximize the number of participants that can be served.
(2)Demonstrate partnerships between public, private, and nonprofit entities.
(3)Contribute to healthy lifestyles, violence prevention and gang deterrence, and improved outdoor recreational and health experiences.
(4)Include service learning and community outreach components for purposes of building partnerships between participants and local communities.
(e)In implementing the grant program, the department shall work with relevant stakeholders to promote and implement the grant program in a manner that effectively reaches a wide geography throughout the state and ensures that regions most impacted by violence and gang involvement are adequately considered with an emphasis on addressing the violence prevention and gang deterrence needs within these regions.
5661.The department shall gather information from applicants following each award year for purposes of evaluating the effectiveness of selected programs in achieving the overall objectives of the grant program. Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, the department shall annually summarize and report this information for the previous award year to the appropriate policy, budget, and fiscal committees of the Legislature. The information in the annual report shall include the total number of youth served, the total number and types of entities that received grant awards, appropriate recommendations to improve the grant program, partnerships formed, educational objectives achieved, the total number of applications received, and the total number of youth who would have been served if all applicants for the award year received grant awards.
5662.The department shall adopt guidelines it determines are necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter. Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code does not apply to the adoption of guidelines pursuant to this section. The department shall develop a process for public comment and review of the guidelines that involves three public hearings in three different parts of the state before the adoption of those guidelines.
SEC. 6.SEC. 11.Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 1450) of Part 1 of Division 2 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is repealed.SEC. 7.SEC. 12.Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 2300) is added to Division 2.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:6.Youth Reinvestment Grant Program2300.(a)The Office of Youth and Community Restoration shall establish the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program for the purposes described in this chapter.
(b)The Youth Reinvestment Fund is hereby created. Moneys in the fund shall be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, only for the purposes of this chapter.
(c)Funds appropriated for the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program shall be allocated in each fiscal year as follows:
(1)Three percent shall be used for administrative costs to the office resulting from the implementation of this chapter.
(2)Five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for evaluation of the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program as described in Section 2305.
(3)Five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for technical assistance to grantees as described in Section 2305.
(4)Ten percent for Native American youth diversion programs pursuant to Section 2302.
(5)The remaining funds shall be used for youth diversion programs pursuant to Section 2303.
2301.For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:
(a)Applicant means an eligible tribal government, tribal organization, or a nonprofit community-based organization that meets the requirements of Section 2302 or 2303.
(b)Area of high need means either of the following:
(1)A city or a ZIP Code with rates of youth arrests that are higher than the county average, based on available arrest data, as described by the applicant.
(2)A city or a ZIP Code with racial or ethnic disparities in youth arrests that are higher than their representation in the county population, as described by the applicant.
(c)Diversion means a nonpunitive response to address a youths conduct without involving a youth formally in the juvenile justice system.
(d)Diversion program means a program that promotes positive youth development by relying on responses that prevent a youths involvement or further involvement in the justice system. Diversion programs, which may follow a variety of different models, aim to divert youth from justice system involvement at the earliest possible point.
(e)Mixed-delivery system means a system of adolescent development and education support services delivered through a combination of programs, providers, and settings that include partnerships between community-based nonprofit organizations and public agencies and that is supported with a combination of public and private funds.
(f)Office means the Office of Youth and Community Restoration.
(g)Referring agency means organizations or agencies that may refer youth to diversion programs, including, but not limited to, education, law enforcement, child welfare, behavioral health, and public health entities.
(h)Trauma-informed means an approach that involves an understanding of adverse childhood experiences and responding to symptoms of chronic interpersonal trauma and traumatic stress across the lifespan of an individual.
(i)Youth means a person who is subject to the jurisdiction of the juvenile court.
2302.(a)The office shall allocate funds pursuant to Section 2300 through a three-year competitive grant program for the purpose of implementing a mixed-delivery system of trauma-informed health and development diversion programs for Native American youth.
(b)In addition to the conditions described in Section 2304, an entity is eligible for funding under this section if it is not otherwise excluded by another law, and is one of the following:
(1)A federally recognized Indian tribe, as defined in Section 1603(14) of Title 25 of the United States Code.
(2)A tribal organization, as defined in Section 1603(26) of Title 25 of the United States Code.
(3)An Urban Indian Organization (UIO), as defined in Section 1603(29) of Title 25 of the United States Code.
(4)A nonprofit organization whose board of directors is majority controlled by Native Americans, including organizations that are fiscally sponsored.
(c)Applicants who receive funding from a grant pursuant to this section shall be nongovernmental entities, with the exception of tribal government applicants, and shall not be law enforcement or probation entities.
2303.(a)The office shall allocate funds pursuant to Section 2300 through a three-year competitive grant program for the purpose of implementing a mixed-delivery system of trauma-informed health and development diversion programs for youth.
(b)In addition to the conditions described in Section 2304, in order to be eligible, an applicant shall be a nonprofit organization that is tax exempt pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(c)Applicants who receive funding from a grant pursuant to this section shall be nongovernmental entities and shall not be law enforcement or probation entities.
2304.The office shall distribute grants pursuant to Sections 2302 and 2303 with all of the following conditions:
(a)An applicant shall be awarded no less than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) and no more than two million dollars ($2,000,000).
(b)Applicants from two or more local jurisdictions may apply for funding under this chapter on a regional effort basis and receive the aggregate amount of funds that they would have received if awarded as an independent applicant.
(c)Grants shall be distributed in three installments. The first installment shall be distributed on the first day of the grant contract. The second installment shall be distributed no later than the first day of the second year of the grant contract. The third installment shall be distributed no later than the first day of the third year of the grant contract. The second and third installments shall be contingent on the applicant fulfilling the grant obligations and reporting requirements to the office.
(d)Funds shall be awarded to applicants who have obtained an official letter from at least one referring agency demonstrating the agencys intent to refer diverted youth to the diversion program to provide the youth with trauma-informed health and development services. For regional applications, letters of intent shall be required for each jurisdiction proposed in the application.
(e)Diversion services shall be provided in communities described as areas with high needs.
(f)Services shall be evidence based or research supported, trauma informed, culturally relevant, gender responsive, and developmentally appropriate.
(g)Applicants shall have experience effectively serving populations of youth who are juvenile justice system-involved or at-risk of system involvement.
(h)Priority shall be given to organizations that employ people with lived experience as a youth in the juvenile justice system.
(i)Diversion programs shall include alternatives to arrest, incarceration, and formal involvement with the justice system with a priority on programs that divert youth at the earliest possible point of involvement. Diversion programs shall also include one or more of the following:
(1)Educational services, including academic and personal development services.
(2)Career development services, including employment preparation, vocational training, internships, and apprenticeships.
(3)Mentoring services, including credible messenger services.
(4)Behavioral health services, including substance use treatment.
(5)Mental health services.
(6)Housing services, including permanent, short-term, and emergency housing services.
(7)Personal development and leadership training programs.
(8)Prosocial activities, including cultural enrichment programs and services.
2305.(a)The office shall be responsible for administration, oversight, and compliance of the program under this chapter and shall perform all the following duties:
(1)(a)Support grantee data collection and analysis and require grantees to demonstrate outcomes of the funded programs.
(2)(A)(b)(1)Set aside five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) of funds appropriated for purposes of the program, exclusive of the funds set aside for administrative costs to the office pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 2300, to contract with a research firm or university to conduct a statewide evaluation of the program and youth outcomes over a three-year grant period.
(B)(2)The office shall make available on its internet website a report of grantees, projects, and outcomes at the state and local levels within 180 days of completion of the program.
(C)(3)The office shall assist the research firm or university by providing relevant, existing data for the purposes of tracking outcomes. Outcomes measured may include, but are not limited to, any of the following:
(i)(A)Reductions in law enforcement responses to youth for low-level offenses, court caseloads and processing, days the youth spend in detention, placement of youth in congregate care, school and placement disruptions, and facility staff turnover.
(ii)(B)Reduction in the number of school suspensions and expulsions.
(iii)(C)Improvement in the health and well-being of the youth, housing and community stability, educational attainment, and connections to employment opportunities.
(D)(4)Projected state and local cost savings as a result of the diversion programming.
(3)(A)(c)(1)Set aside five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) of funds appropriated for purposes of the program, exclusive of the funds set aside for administrative costs and evaluation, to contract with a technical assistance provider to support implementation of the program.
(B)(2)Support from the technical assistance provider to the grantees shall include all of the following:
(i)(A)Provide grantees with support in establishing and maintaining relationships with system and community stakeholders, including public agencies, labor unions, tribal governments and communities, nonprofit organizations, and youth and families most impacted.
(ii)(B)Provide grantees with training and support in implementing best practices and trauma informed, culturally relevant, gender responsive, and developmentally appropriate approaches to serving youth.
(iii)(C)Create peer learning opportunities for grantee organizations to learn from and alongside one another.
(iv)(D)Provide grantees with administrative and technical support to ensure compliance with data reporting, evaluation, and applicable laws, including confidentiality and diversion eligibility.
(C)(3)The technical assistance provider shall have experience in all the following areas:
(i)(A)Developmental research and best practices for serving youth involved in the justice system and youth at risk of involvement, including children who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation and youth in the dependency system.
(ii)(B)Research and best practices on systems that refer youths to the juvenile justice system, including the education, immigration, and child welfare systems.
(iii)(C)Presenting and disseminating best practices on alternatives to incarceration and system involvement.
(iv)(D)Working with and supporting community-based organizations serving youth involved in the justice system and youth at-risk of involvement in California.
(v)(E)Collaborating with juvenile justice system stakeholders.
(vi)(F)Working with and supporting Native American organizations and communities.
(vii)(G)Working with juvenile justice system-involved youth and communities and with elevating youth leadership.
(viii)(H)Priority shall be given to organizations that employ people with lived experience as youth in the juvenile justice system.
SEC. 8.SEC. 13.Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 8270) is added to Division 8 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:9.Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma Pilot Program 8270.(a)(1)The California Health and Human Services Agency shall administer a five-year pilot the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma program to evaluate applications and award grants on a five-year cycle to schools located in the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles for the purpose of implementing the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) program, and to an organization to study specified student outcomes, for the improvement in the health and well-being of the youth and school and community stability. For the purposes of this program, school includes charter schools.
(2)The Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles shall have the right of first refusal for seeking grant funds pursuant to this program. If any of the counties listed in this subdivision elect not to seek grant funds pursuant to this program, the agency may open eligibility to other counties.
(b)The agency shall award a grant to a school that meets all of the following criteria:
(1)The school uses the award for the purpose of implementing the CBITS program. The use of trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy is not precluded when administering the CBITS program.
(2)The school is located in a region most impacted by gun violence as indicated by violent crime data and whose students typically are unable to access traditional services, including, but not limited to, students who are low income or homeless, display symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder or severe-trauma related symptoms, members of immigrant and refugee groups, students with disabilities, and students who interact with child protective systems or who have had contact with the juvenile justice system.
(3)The school presents substantial plans for the collection and distribution of information to an appointed research organization and for fidelity monitoring of its CBITS program.
(4)Any other related criteria required by the agency.
(c)The agency, when considering the research grant applications, shall give preference to research organizations or universities that meet all of the following criteria:
(1)Study under-resourced, chronically traumatized neighborhoods where community violence is prevalent.
(2)Have a demonstrated track record of collaborating with schools to create trauma-informed and trauma-sensitive school environments.
(3)Have a demonstrated track record of studying children and youth who have received school-based trauma recovery care.
(d)A research organization or university that is awarded a grant shall do all of the following:
(1)Report to the agency annually on how grant funds were spent, expected and current preliminary data outcomes, and treatment outcomes, including academic performance, trauma-related symptom rates, and rates of criminal offenses.
(2)Publish a report to the Legislature by December 1, 2028, regarding the effectiveness of the pilot program in improving child outcomes, including, but not limited to, academic performance, truancy rates, disciplinary actions, and rates of criminal offenses.
(3)Ensure any information disseminated to the public is distributed in accordance with Section 13202 of the Penal Code.
(e)Recipients of grants given pursuant to this section shall, when contracting for services with the grant moneys, give priority to schools, community-based organizations organizations, and nonprofits. nonprofit organizations.
(f)(1)Every five years, the agency shall open eligibility for grants under this program and shall give priority to the top six counties with the highest rate of violent crime and homicide, as reported by the Department of Justices annual crime data report.
(2)If any of the six counties identified by the agency under paragraph (1) elect not to seek grant funds pursuant to this program, the agency may open eligibility to other counties.
8270.3.This chapter shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2029, and as of that date is repealed. SEC. 9.SEC. 14.The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the high rate of violent crime in the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles.
SEC. 10.SEC. 15.The sum of two hundred thirty-five million dollars ($235,000,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund for the purpose of delivering diversion and alternative-sanction programs, academic- and vocational-education services, mentoring, behavioral health services, and mental health services, as follows:
(a)The sum of fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) to the California Health and Human Services Agency for the purposes of administering the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) pilot program pursuant to Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 8270) of Division 8 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(b)The sum of fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) to the Office of Youth and Community Restoration for the purpose of awarding grants pursuant to the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program pursuant to Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 2300) of Division 2.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(c)The sum of fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) to the Department of Parks and Recreation to award grants pursuant to Chapter 3.4 (commencing with Section 5660) of Division 5 of the Public Resources Code.
(d)The sum of fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) to the State Department of Public Health to provide operational grants to school-based health centers in order to provide physical health and mental health services to youth on school sites pursuant to Article 10 (commencing with Section 124174) of Chapter 3 of Part 2 of Division 106 of the Health and Safety Code.
(e)The sum of thirty-five million dollars ($35,000,000) to the Department of Justice for the purposes of providing funds to support evidence-based, focus-deterrence collaborative programs that conduct direct outreach to targeted gangs in order to preemptively reduce and eliminate violence and gang involvement pursuant to Title 10.3 (commencing with Section 14138) of Part 4 of the Penal Code.
This act shall be known, and may be cited, as the Strategic Anti-Violence Funding Efforts Act, or SAFE Act.
SEC. 2.The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a)The Legislative Analysts Office (LAO) estimates that savings associated with the closure of prisons and Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) facilities, as well as a declining population of incarcerated persons, will total $1.5 billion annually by 2025.
(b)On December 6, 2022, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) announced the closure of Chuckwalla Valley State Prison (CVSP) and exiting of California City Correctional Facility (Cal City). CVSP will close by March 2025. CDCR will terminate the Cal City contract in March 2024 and end the use of that facility as a state prison.
(c)The LAO estimates that savings associated with the closure of CVSP amounts to $100 million in ongoing funds, and the exiting of Cal City amounts to $135.3 million. Therefore, the closure of CVSP and exiting of Cal City amounts to a cost savings of $235.3 million annually.
(d)It is the intent of the Legislature to reinvest the CDCR cost savings from prison closures and declining incarcerated persons populations to do all of the following:
(1)Expand the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) program.
(2)Provide ongoing funding for the Youth Reinvestment Grant Fund.
(3)Create a fund to support existing and create new parks and recreation opportunities, as well as summer programs for youth.
(4)Provide operational grants to school-based health centers in order to provide physical health and mental health services to youth on school sites.
(5)Create a fund to support early intervention programs to reduce violence by mentoring at-promise individuals.
SEC. 3.Section 124174.6 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:124174.6.The department shall establish a grant program within the Public School Health Center Support Program to provide technical assistance, and funding for the expansion, renovation, and retrofitting of existing school health centers, and the development of new school health centers, in accordance with the following procedures and requirements:
(a)A school health center receiving grant funds pursuant to this section shall meet or have a plan to meet the following requirements:
(1)Strive to provide a comprehensive set of services including medical, oral health, mental health, health education, and related services in response to community needs.
(2)Provide primary and other health care services, provided or supervised by a licensed professional, which may include all of the following:
(A)Physical examinations, immunizations, and other preventive medical services.
(B)Diagnosis and treatment of minor injuries and acute medical conditions.
(C)Management of chronic medical conditions.
(D)Basic laboratory tests.
(E)Referrals to and followup for specialty care.
(F)Reproductive health services.
(G)Nutrition services.
(H)Mental health services provided or supervised by an appropriately licensed mental health professional may include: assessments, crisis intervention, counseling, treatment, and referral to a continuum of services including emergency psychiatric care, community support programs, inpatient care, and outpatient programs. School health centers providing mental health services as specified in this section shall consult with the local county mental health department for collaboration in planning and service delivery.
(I)Oral health services that may include preventive services, basic restorative services, and referral to specialty services.
(3)Work in partnership with the school nurse, if one is employed by the school or school district, to provide individual and family health education; school or districtwide health promotion; first aid and administration of medications; facilitation of student enrollment in health insurance programs; screening of students to identify the need for physical, mental health, and oral health services; referral and linkage to services not offered onsite; public health and disease surveillance; and emergency response procedures. A school health center may receive grant funding pursuant to this section if the school or school district does not employ a school nurse. However, it is not the intent of the Legislature that a school health center serve as a substitute for a school nurse employed by a local school or school district.
(4)Have a written contract or memorandum of understanding between the school district and the health care provider or any other community providers that ensures coordination of services, ensures confidentiality and privacy of health information consistent with applicable federal and state laws, and integration of services into the school environment.
(5)Serve all registered students in the school regardless of ability to pay.
(6)Be open during all normal school hours, or on a more limited basis if resources are not available, or on a more expansive basis if dictated by community needs and resources are available.
(7)Establish protocols for referring students to outside services when the school health center is closed.
(8)Facilitate transportation between the school and the health center if the health center is not located on school or school district property.
(b)Beginning on or before January 1, 2025, planning grants shall be available in amounts between twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) and fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) for a 6- to 12-month period to be used for the costs associated with assessing the need for a school health center in a particular community or area, and developing the partnerships necessary for the operation of a school health center in that community or area. Applicants for planning grants shall be required to have a letter of interest from a school or district if the applicant is not a local education agency. Grantees provided funding pursuant to this subdivision shall be required to do all of the following:
(1)Seek input from students, parents, school nurses, school staff and administration, local health providers, and if applicable, special population groups, on community health needs, barriers to health care and the need for a school health center.
(2)Collect data on the school and community to estimate the percentage of students that lack health insurance and the percentage that are eligible for Medi-Cal benefits, or other public programs providing free or low-cost health services.
(3)Assess capacity and interest among health care providers in the community to provide services in a school health center.
(4)Assess the need for specific cultural or linguistic services or both.
(c)Beginning on or before January 1, 2025, facilities and startup grants shall be available in amounts between twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) and two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) per year for a three-year period for the purpose of establishing a school health center, with the potential addition of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) in the first year for facilities construction, purchase, or renovation. Grant funds may be used to cover a portion or all of the costs associated with designing, retrofitting, renovating, constructing, or buying a facility, for medical equipment and supplies for a school health center, or for personnel costs at a school health center. Preference will be given to proposals that include a plan for cost sharing among schools, health providers, and community organizations for facilities construction and renovation costs. Applicants for facilities and startup grants offered pursuant to this subdivision shall be required to meet the following criteria:
(1)Have completed a community assessment determining the need for a school health center.
(2)Have a contract or memorandum of understanding between the school district and the health care provider, if other than the district, and any other provider agencies describing the relationship between the district and the school health center.
(3)Have a mechanism, described in writing, to coordinate services to individual students among school and school health center staff while maintaining confidentiality and privacy of health information consistent with applicable state and federal laws.
(4)Have a written description of how the school health center will participate in the following:
(A)School and districtwide health promotion, coordinated school health, health education in the classroom or on campus, program/activities that address nutrition, fitness, or other important public health issues, or promotion of policies that create a healthy school environment.
(B)Outreach and enrollment of students in health insurance programs.
(C)Public health prevention, surveillance, and emergency response for the school population.
(5)Have the ability to provide the linguistic or cultural services needed by the community. If the school health center is not yet able to provide these services due to resource limitations, the school health center shall engage in an ongoing assessment of its capacity to provide these services.
(6)Have a plan for maximizing available third-party reimbursement revenue streams.
(d)Beginning on or before January 1, 2025, sustainability grants shall be available in amounts between twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) and one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars ($125,000) per year for a three-year period for the purpose of operating a school health center, or enhancing programming at a fully operational school health center, including oral health or mental health services. Applicants for sustainability grants offered pursuant to this subdivision shall be required to meet all of the criteria described in subdivision (c), in addition to both of the following criteria:
(1)The applicant shall be eligible to become or already be an approved Medi-Cal provider.
(2)The applicant shall have ability and procedures in place for billing public insurance programs and managed care providers.
(3)The applicant shall seek reimbursement and have procedures in place for billing public and private insurance that covers students at the school health center.
(e)The department shall award technical assistance grants through a competitive bidding process to qualified contractors to support grantees receiving grants under subdivisions (b), (c), and (d). A qualified contractor means a vendor with demonstrated capacity in all aspects of planning, facilities development, startup, and operation of a school health center.
(f)The department shall also develop a request for proposal (RFP) process for collecting information on applicants, and determining which proposals shall receive grant funding. The department shall give preference for grant funding to the following schools:
(1)Schools in areas designated as federally medically underserved areas or in areas with medically underserved populations.
(2)Schools with a high percentage of low-income and uninsured children and youth.
(3)Schools with large numbers of limited English proficient (LEP) students.
(4)Schools in areas with a shortage of health professionals.
(5)Low-performing schools with Academic Performance Index (API) rankings in the deciles of three and below of the state.
(g)Moneys shall be allocated to the department annually for evaluation to be conducted by an outside evaluator that is selected through a competitive bidding process. The evaluation shall document the number of grantees that establish and sustain school health centers, and describe the challenges and lessons learned in creating successful school health centers. The evaluator shall use data collected pursuant to Section 124174.3, if it is available, and work in collaboration with the Public School Health Center Support Program. The department shall post the evaluation on its internet website.
(h)Recipients of grants given pursuant to this section shall, when contracting for services with the grant moneys, give preference to entities that are not law enforcement entities.
SEC. 4.Title 10.3 (commencing with Section 14138) is added to Part 4 of the Penal Code, to read:10.3.Department of Justice Violence Reduction Grant Program14138.(a)The Department of Justice shall administer a grant program for the purpose of improving public safety and community health and well-being, especially amongst those communities that are impacted by violence and gang involvement.
(b)Grants awarded pursuant to this section shall be used to support, expand, and replicate evidence-based, focused-deterrence collaborative programs that conduct outreach to targeted gangs and offer supportive services in order to preemptively reduce and eliminate violence and gang involvement. These programs shall be primarily designed to reduce violent crimes by bringing together a collaborative partnership to communicate to individuals who are identified as having the highest risk of perpetrating or being victimized by violence or gang involvement in the near future that there are tailored services and support available to help them step away from violence. The supportive services shall include, but are not limited to, job training, health care, and crisis response to shootings and violence, among other services. The department shall give priority for funding to community-based organizations and nonprofit organizations.
(c)Grants pursuant to this section shall be made on a competitive basis with preference to cities and local jurisdictions that are disproportionately impacted by violence and gang involvement, and with preference to community-based organizations that serve the residents of those cities and local jurisdictions.
(d)An applicant for a grant pursuant to this section shall submit a proposal, in a form prescribed by the department, which shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(1)Clearly defined and measurable objectives for the grant.
(2)A statement describing how the applicant proposes to use the grant to implement an evidence-based, focused-deterrence violence reduction initiative in accordance with this section.
(3)A statement describing how the applicant proposes to use the grant to enhance coordination of existing violence prevention and intervention programs and minimize duplication of services.
(4)Evidence indicating that the proposed violence reduction initiative would likely reduce the incidence of homicides, shootings, aggravated assaults, and gang involvement.
(e)In awarding grants pursuant to this section, the department shall give preference to applicants whose grant proposals demonstrate the greatest likelihood of reducing the incidence of violence and gang involvement in the applicants community, without contributing to mass incarceration.
(f)The amount of funds awarded to an applicant shall be commensurate with the scope of the applicants proposal and the applicants demonstrated need for additional resources to address violence in the applicants community.
(g)Each grantee shall commit a cash or in-kind contribution equivalent to the amount of the grant awarded under this section.
(h)Each city and other local jurisdiction that receives a grant pursuant to this section shall distribute no less than 50 percent of the grant funds to one or both of the following types of entities:
(1)Community-based organizations.
(2)Public agencies or departments that are primarily dedicated to community safety or violence prevention.
(i)The department shall form a grant selection advisory committee, including, without limitation, persons who have been impacted by violence, formerly incarcerated persons, and persons with direct experience in implementing evidence-based violence and gang involvement reduction initiatives, including initiatives that incorporate public health and community-based approaches.
(j)The department may use up to 7 percent of the funds appropriated for the program described in this section each year for the costs of administering the program, including, without limitation, the employment of personnel, providing technical assistance to grantees, and evaluation of violence and gang involvement reduction initiatives supported by the program pursuant to this section.
(k)Each grantee shall report to the department, in a form and at intervals prescribed by the department, their progress in achieving the grant objectives.
(l)The department shall, by no later than 90 days following the close of each grant cycle, prepare and submit a report to the Legislature in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code regarding the impact of the violence prevention initiatives supported by the program pursuant to this section.
(m)The department shall make evaluations of the grant program available to the public.
SEC. 5.Chapter 3.4 (commencing with Section 5660) is added to Division 5 of the Public Resources Code, to read:3.4.Parks and Recreation for Youth5660.(a)The department shall award grants to local governments and and, with preference, community-based organizations for the purpose of supporting existing and creating new parks and recreation opportunities, as well as supporting existing and creating new summer programs for youth, including, but not limited to, extended park hours and expanded programming for nighttime sports, educational activities, and visual and performing arts opportunities, in order to create and enhance recreation- and health-based interventions for youth during peak times of violence.
(b)In developing the grant program, the department shall do both of the following:
(1)Develop criteria, procedures, and accountability measures as may be necessary to implement the grant program.
(2)Administer the grant program to ensure that priority is given to underserved populations, including both urban and rural areas and low-income communities, where participation in outdoor recreation- and health-based activities will best serve youth as intervention and deterrence from violence.
(c)The department shall give priority for funding to outdoor recreation- and health-based intervention programs during peak times of violence that primarily provide outreach to and serve youth who are impacted by violence and gang involvement in their communities. When available, the department shall additionally give priority for funding to community-based organizations and nonprofit organizations.
(d)The department may give additional consideration to outdoor recreation- and health-based intervention programs during peak times of violence that do any of the following:
(1)Maximize the number of participants that can be served.
(2)Demonstrate partnerships between public, private, and nonprofit entities.
(3)Contribute to healthy lifestyles, violence prevention and gang deterrence, and improved outdoor recreational and health experiences.
(4)Include service learning and community outreach components for purposes of building partnerships between participants and local communities.
(e)In implementing the grant program, the department shall work with relevant stakeholders to promote and implement the grant program in a manner that effectively reaches a wide geography throughout the state and ensures that regions most impacted by violence and gang involvement are adequately considered with an emphasis on addressing the violence prevention and gang deterrence needs within these regions.
5661.The department shall gather information from applicants following each award year for purposes of evaluating the effectiveness of selected programs in achieving the overall objectives of the grant program. Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, the department shall annually summarize and report this information for the previous award year to the appropriate policy, budget, and fiscal committees of the Legislature. The information in the annual report shall include the total number of youth served, the total number and types of entities that received grant awards, appropriate recommendations to improve the grant program, partnerships formed, educational objectives achieved, the total number of applications received, and the total number of youth who would have been served if all applicants for the award year received grant awards.
5662.The department shall adopt guidelines it determines are necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter. Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code does not apply to the adoption of guidelines pursuant to this section. The department shall develop a process for public comment and review of the guidelines that involves three public hearings in three different parts of the state before the adoption of those guidelines.
SEC. 6.Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 1450) of Part 1 of Division 2 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is repealed.SEC. 7.Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 2300) is added to Division 2.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:6.Youth Reinvestment Grant Program2300.(a)The Office of Youth and Community Restoration shall establish the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program for the purposes described in this chapter.
(b)The Youth Reinvestment Fund is hereby created. Moneys in the fund shall be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, only for the purposes of this chapter.
(c)Funds appropriated for the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program shall be allocated in each fiscal year as follows:
(1)Three percent shall be used for administrative costs to the office resulting from the implementation of this chapter.
(2)Five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for evaluation of the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program as described in Section 2305.
(3)Five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for technical assistance to grantees as described in Section 2305.
(4)Ten percent for Native American youth diversion programs pursuant to Section 2302.
(5)The remaining funds shall be used for youth diversion programs pursuant to Section 2303.
2301.For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:
(a)Applicant means an eligible tribal government, tribal organization, or a nonprofit community-based organization that meets the requirements of Section 2302 or 2303.
(b)Area of high need means either of the following:
(1)A city or a ZIP Code with rates of youth arrests that are higher than the county average, based on available arrest data, as described by the applicant.
(2)A city or a ZIP Code with racial or ethnic disparities in youth arrests that are higher than their representation in the county population, as described by the applicant.
(c)Diversion means a nonpunitive response to address a youths conduct without involving a youth formally in the juvenile justice system.
(d)Diversion program means a program that promotes positive youth development by relying on responses that prevent a youths involvement or further involvement in the justice system. Diversion programs, which may follow a variety of different models, aim to divert youth from justice system involvement at the earliest possible point.
(e)Mixed-delivery system means a system of adolescent development and education support services delivered through a combination of programs, providers, and settings that include partnerships between community-based nonprofit organizations and public agencies and that is supported with a combination of public and private funds.
(f)Office means the Office of Youth and Community Restoration.
(g)Referring agency means organizations or agencies that may refer youth to diversion programs, including, but not limited to, education, law enforcement, child welfare, behavioral health, and public health entities.
(h)Trauma-informed means an approach that involves an understanding of adverse childhood experiences and responding to symptoms of chronic interpersonal trauma and traumatic stress across the lifespan of an individual.
(i)Youth means a person who is subject to the jurisdiction of the juvenile court.
2302.(a)The office shall allocate funds pursuant to Section 2300 through a three-year competitive grant program for the purpose of implementing a mixed-delivery system of trauma-informed health and development diversion programs for Native American youth.
(b)In addition to the conditions described in Section 2304, an entity is eligible for funding under this section if it is not otherwise excluded by another law, and is one of the following:
(1)A federally recognized Indian tribe, as defined in Section 1603(14) of Title 25 of the United States Code.
(2)A tribal organization, as defined in Section 1603(26) of Title 25 of the United States Code.
(3)An Urban Indian Organization (UIO), as defined in Section 1603(29) of Title 25 of the United States Code.
(4)A nonprofit organization whose board of directors is majority controlled by Native Americans, including organizations that are fiscally sponsored.
(c)Applicants who receive funding from a grant pursuant to this section shall be nongovernmental entities, with the exception of tribal government applicants, and shall not be law enforcement or probation entities.
2303.(a)The office shall allocate funds pursuant to Section 2300 through a three-year competitive grant program for the purpose of implementing a mixed-delivery system of trauma-informed health and development diversion programs for youth.
(b)In addition to the conditions described in Section 2304, in order to be eligible, an applicant shall be a nonprofit organization that is tax exempt pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(c)Applicants who receive funding from a grant pursuant to this section shall be nongovernmental entities and shall not be law enforcement or probation entities.
2304.The office shall distribute grants pursuant to Sections 2302 and 2303 with all of the following conditions:
(a)An applicant shall be awarded no less than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) and no more than two million dollars ($2,000,000).
(b)Applicants from two or more local jurisdictions may apply for funding under this chapter on a regional effort basis and receive the aggregate amount of funds that they would have received if awarded as an independent applicant.
(c)Grants shall be distributed in three installments. The first installment shall be distributed on the first day of the grant contract. The second installment shall be distributed no later than the first day of the second year of the grant contract. The third installment shall be distributed no later than the first day of the third year of the grant contract. The second and third installments shall be contingent on the applicant fulfilling the grant obligations and reporting requirements to the office.
(d)Funds shall be awarded to applicants who have obtained an official letter from at least one referring agency demonstrating the agencys intent to refer diverted youth to the diversion program to provide the youth with trauma-informed health and development services. For regional applications, letters of intent shall be required for each jurisdiction proposed in the application.
(e)Diversion services shall be provided in communities described as areas with high needs.
(f)Services shall be evidence based or research supported, trauma informed, culturally relevant, gender responsive, and developmentally appropriate.
(g)Applicants shall have experience effectively serving populations of youth who are juvenile justice system-involved or at-risk of system involvement.
(h)Priority shall be given to organizations that employ people with lived experience as a youth in the juvenile justice system.
(i)Diversion programs shall include alternatives to arrest, incarceration, and formal involvement with the justice system with a priority on programs that divert youth at the earliest possible point of involvement. Diversion programs shall also include one or more of the following:
(1)Educational services, including academic and personal development services.
(2)Career development services, including employment preparation, vocational training, internships, and apprenticeships.
(3)Mentoring services, including credible messenger services.
(4)Behavioral health services, including substance use treatment.
(5)Mental health services.
(6)Housing services, including permanent, short-term, and emergency housing services.
(7)Personal development and leadership training programs.
(8)Prosocial activities, including cultural enrichment programs and services.
2305.(a)The office shall be responsible for administration, oversight, and compliance of the program under this chapter and shall perform all the following duties:
(1)Support grantee data collection and analysis and require grantees to demonstrate outcomes of the funded programs.
(2)(A)Set aside five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) of funds appropriated for purposes of the program, exclusive of the funds set aside for administrative costs to the office pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 2300, to contract with a research firm or university to conduct a statewide evaluation of the program and youth outcomes over a three-year grant period.
(B)The office shall make available on its internet website a report of grantees, projects, and outcomes at the state and local levels within 180 days of completion of the program.
(C)The office shall assist the research firm or university by providing relevant, existing data for the purposes of tracking outcomes. Outcomes measured may include, but are not limited to, any of the following:
(i)Reductions in law enforcement responses to youth for low-level offenses, court caseloads and processing, days the youth spend in detention, placement of youth in congregate care, school and placement disruptions, and facility staff turnover.
(ii)Reduction in the number of school suspensions and expulsions.
(iii)Improvement in the health and well-being of the youth, housing and community stability, educational attainment, and connections to employment opportunities.
(D)Projected state and local cost savings as a result of the diversion programming.
(3)(A)Set aside five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) of funds appropriated for purposes of the program, exclusive of the funds set aside for administrative costs and evaluation, to contract with a technical assistance provider to support implementation of the program.
(B)Support from the technical assistance provider to the grantees shall include all of the following:
(i)Provide grantees with support in establishing and maintaining relationships with system and community stakeholders, including public agencies, labor unions, tribal governments and communities, nonprofit organizations, and youth and families most impacted.
(ii)Provide grantees with training and support in implementing best practices and trauma informed, culturally relevant, gender responsive, and developmentally appropriate approaches to serving youth.
(iii)Create peer learning opportunities for grantee organizations to learn from and alongside one another.
(iv)Provide grantees with administrative and technical support to ensure compliance with data reporting, evaluation, and applicable laws, including confidentiality and diversion eligibility.
(C)The technical assistance provider shall have experience in all the following areas:
(i)Developmental research and best practices for serving youth involved in the justice system and youth at risk of involvement, including children who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation and youth in the dependency system.
(ii)Research and best practices on systems that refer youths to the juvenile justice system, including the education, immigration, and child welfare systems.
(iii)Presenting and disseminating best practices on alternatives to incarceration and system involvement.
(iv)Working with and supporting community-based organizations serving youth involved in the justice system and youth at-risk of involvement in California.
(v)Collaborating with juvenile justice system stakeholders.
(vi)Working with and supporting Native American organizations and communities.
(vii)Working with juvenile justice system-involved youth and communities and with elevating youth leadership.
(viii)Priority shall be given to organizations that employ people with lived experience as youth in the juvenile justice system.
SEC. 8.Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 8270) is added to Division 8 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:9.Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma Pilot Program 8270.(a)The California Health and Human Services Agency shall administer a five-year pilot program to evaluate applications and award grants to schools located in the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles for the purpose of implementing the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) program, and to an organization to study specified student outcomes, for the improvement in the health and well-being of the youth and school and community stability. For the purposes of this program, school includes charter schools.
(b)The agency shall award a grant to a school that meets all of the following criteria:
(1)The school uses the award for the purpose of implementing the CBITS program.
(2)The school is located in a region most impacted by gun violence as indicated by violent crime data and whose students typically are unable to access traditional services, including, but not limited to, students who are low income or homeless, display symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder or severe-trauma related symptoms, members of immigrant and refugee groups, students with disabilities, and students who interact with child protective systems or who have had contact with the juvenile justice system.
(3)The school presents substantial plans for the collection and distribution of information to an appointed research organization and for fidelity monitoring of its CBITS program.
(4)Any other related criteria required by the agency.
(c)The agency, when considering the research grant applications, shall give preference to research organizations or universities that meet all of the following criteria:
(1)Study under-resourced, chronically traumatized neighborhoods where community violence is prevalent.
(2)Have a demonstrated track record of collaborating with schools to create trauma-informed and trauma-sensitive school environments.
(3)Have a demonstrated track record of studying children and youth who have received school-based trauma recovery care.
(d)A research organization or university that is awarded a grant shall do all of the following:
(1)Report to the agency annually on how grant funds were spent, expected and current preliminary data outcomes, and treatment outcomes, including academic performance, trauma-related symptom rates, and rates of criminal offenses.
(2)Publish a report to the Legislature by December 1, 2028, regarding the effectiveness of the pilot program in improving child outcomes, including, but not limited to, academic performance, truancy rates, disciplinary actions, and rates of criminal offenses.
(3)Ensure any information disseminated to the public is distributed in accordance with Section 13202 of the Penal Code.
(e)Recipients of grants given pursuant to this section shall, when contracting for services with the grant moneys, give priority to community-based organizations and nonprofits.
8270.3.This chapter shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2029, and as of that date is repealed.
SEC. 9.The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the high rate of violent crime in the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles.
SEC. 10.The sum of two hundred thirty-five million dollars ($235,000,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund for the purpose of delivering diversion and alternative-sanction programs, academic- and vocational-education services, mentoring, behavioral health services, and mental health services, as follows:
(a)The sum of fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) to the California Health and Human Services Agency for the purposes of administering the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) pilot program pursuant to Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 8270) of Division 8 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(b)The sum of fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) to the Office of Youth and Community Restoration for the purpose of awarding grants pursuant to the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program pursuant to Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 2300) of Division 2.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(c)The sum of fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) to the Department of Parks and Recreation to award grants pursuant to Chapter 3.4 (commencing with Section 5660) of Division 5 of the Public Resources Code.
(d)The sum of fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) to the State Department of Public Health to provide operational grants to school-based health centers in order to provide physical health and mental health services to youth on school sites pursuant to Article 10 (commencing with Section 124174) of Chapter 3 of Part 2 of Division 106 of the Health and Safety Code.
(e)The sum of thirty-five million dollars ($35,000,000) to the Department of Justice for the purposes of providing funds to support evidence-based, focus-deterrence collaborative programs that conduct direct outreach to targeted gangs in order to preemptively reduce and eliminate violence and gang involvement pursuant to Title 10.3 (commencing with Section 14138) of Part 4 of the Penal Code.
This act shall be known, and may be cited, as the Strategic Anti-Violence Funding Efforts Act, or SAFE Act.
SECTION 1.SEC. 2.The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a)The Legislative Analysts Office (LAO) estimates that savings associated with the closure of prisons and Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) facilities, as well as a declining population of incarcerated persons, will total $1.5 billion annually by 2025.
(b)On December 6, 2022, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) announced the closure of Chuckwalla Valley State Prison (CVSP) and exiting of California City Correctional Facility (Cal City). CVSP will close by March 2025. CDCR will terminate the Cal City contract in March 2024 and end the use of that facility as a state prison.
(c)The LAO estimates that savings associated with the closure of CVSP amounts to $100 million in ongoing funds, and the exiting of Cal City amounts to $135.3 million. Therefore, the closure of CVSP and exiting of Cal City amounts to a cost savings of $235.3 million annually.
(d)It is the intent of the Legislature to reinvest the CDCR cost savings from prison closures and declining incarcerated persons populations to do all of the following:
(1)Expand the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) program.
(2)Provide ongoing funding for the Youth Reinvestment Grant Fund.
(3)Create a fund to support existing and create new parks and recreation opportunities, as well as summer programs for youth.
(4)Increase the number of social workers and mental health professionals at K-12 schools. Provide operational grants to school-based health centers in order to provide physical health and mental health services to youth on school sites.
(5)Create a fund to support early intervention programs to reduce violence by mentoring at-promise individuals.
SEC. 2.Article 13.7 (commencing with Section 33485) is added to Chapter 3 of Part 20 of Division 2 of Title 2 of the Education Code, to read:13.7.Mental Health Services Grants33485.(a)The department shall award grants to K-12 school districts for the sole purpose of hiring social workers and mental health professionals to provide mental health services to pupils for the improvement in the health and well-being of the youth and school and community stability.(b)The department shall award grants on a competitive basis and establish minimum standards, funding schedules, and procedures for awarding grants that further the purpose of this article.SEC. 3.Section 124174.6 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:124174.6.The department shall establish a grant program within the Public School Health Center Support Program to provide technical assistance, and funding for the expansion, renovation, and retrofitting of existing school health centers, and the development of new school health centers, in accordance with the following procedures and requirements:
(a)A school health center receiving grant funds pursuant to this section shall meet or have a plan to meet the following requirements:
(1)Strive to provide a comprehensive set of services including medical, oral health, mental health, health education, and related services in response to community needs.
(2)Provide primary and other health care services, provided or supervised by a licensed professional, which may include all of the following:
(A)Physical examinations, immunizations, and other preventive medical services.
(B)Diagnosis and treatment of minor injuries and acute medical conditions.
(C)Management of chronic medical conditions.
(D)Basic laboratory tests.
(E)Referrals to and followup for specialty care.
(F)Reproductive health services.
(G)Nutrition services.
(H)Mental health services provided or supervised by an appropriately licensed mental health professional may include: assessments, crisis intervention, counseling, treatment, and referral to a continuum of services including emergency psychiatric care, community support programs, inpatient care, and outpatient programs. School health centers providing mental health services as specified in this section shall consult with the local county mental health department for collaboration in planning and service delivery.
(I)Oral health services that may include preventive services, basic restorative services, and referral to specialty services.
(3)Work in partnership with the school nurse, if one is employed by the school or school district, to provide individual and family health education; school or districtwide health promotion; first aid and administration of medications; facilitation of student enrollment in health insurance programs; screening of students to identify the need for physical, mental health, and oral health services; referral and linkage to services not offered onsite; public health and disease surveillance; and emergency response procedures. A school health center may receive grant funding pursuant to this section if the school or school district does not employ a school nurse. However, it is not the intent of the Legislature that a school health center serve as a substitute for a school nurse employed by a local school or school district.
(4)Have a written contract or memorandum of understanding between the school district and the health care provider or any other community providers that ensures coordination of services, ensures confidentiality and privacy of health information consistent with applicable federal and state laws, and integration of services into the school environment.
(5)Serve all registered students in the school regardless of ability to pay.
(6)Be open during all normal school hours, or on a more limited basis if resources are not available, or on a more expansive basis if dictated by community needs and resources are available.
(7)Establish protocols for referring students to outside services when the school health center is closed.
(8)Facilitate transportation between the school and the health center if the health center is not located on school or school district property.
(b)Planning Beginning on or before January 1, 2025, planning grants shall be available in amounts between twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) and fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) for a 6- to 12-month period to be used for the costs associated with assessing the need for a school health center in a particular community or area, and developing the partnerships necessary for the operation of a school health center in that community or area. Applicants for planning grants shall be required to have a letter of interest from a school or district if the applicant is not a local education agency. Grantees provided funding pursuant to this subdivision shall be required to do all of the following:
(1)Seek input from students, parents, school nurses, school staff and administration, local health providers, and if applicable, special population groups, on community health needs, barriers to health care and the need for a school health center.
(2)Collect data on the school and community to estimate the percentage of students that lack health insurance and the percentage that are eligible for Medi-Cal benefits, or other public programs providing free or low-cost health services.
(3)Assess capacity and interest among health care providers in the community to provide services in a school health center.
(4)Assess the need for specific cultural or linguistic services or both.
(c)Facilities Beginning on or before January 1, 2025, facilities and startup grants shall be available in amounts between twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) and two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) per year for a three-year period for the purpose of establishing a school health center, with the potential addition of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) in the first year for facilities construction, purchase, or renovation. Grant funds may be used to cover a portion or all of the costs associated with designing, retrofitting, renovating, constructing, or buying a facility, for medical equipment and supplies for a school health center, or for personnel costs at a school health center. Preference will be given to proposals that include a plan for cost sharing among schools, health providers, and community organizations for facilities construction and renovation costs. Applicants for facilities and startup grants offered pursuant to this subdivision shall be required to meet the following criteria:
(1)Have completed a community assessment determining the need for a school health center.
(2)Have a contract or memorandum of understanding between the school district and the health care provider, if other than the district, and any other provider agencies describing the relationship between the district and the school health center.
(3)Have a mechanism, described in writing, to coordinate services to individual students among school and school health center staff while maintaining confidentiality and privacy of health information consistent with applicable state and federal laws.
(4)Have a written description of how the school health center will participate in the following:
(A)School and districtwide health promotion, coordinated school health, health education in the classroom or on campus, program/activities that address nutrition, fitness, or other important public health issues, or promotion of policies that create a healthy school environment.
(B)Outreach and enrollment of students in health insurance programs.
(C)Public health prevention, surveillance, and emergency response for the school population.
(5)Have the ability to provide the linguistic or cultural services needed by the community. If the school health center is not yet able to provide these services due to resource limitations, the school health center shall engage in an ongoing assessment of its capacity to provide these services.
(6)Have a plan for maximizing available third-party reimbursement revenue streams.
(d)Sustainability Beginning on or before January 1, 2025, sustainability grants shall be available in amounts between twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) and one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars ($125,000) per year for a three-year period for the purpose of operating a school health center, or enhancing programming at a fully operational school health center, including oral health or mental health services. Applicants for sustainability grants offered pursuant to this subdivision shall be required to meet all of the criteria described in subdivision (c), in addition to both of the following criteria:
(1)The applicant shall be eligible to become or already be an approved Medi-Cal provider.
(2)The applicant shall have ability and procedures in place for billing public insurance programs and managed care providers.
(3)The applicant shall seek reimbursement and have procedures in place for billing public and private insurance that covers students at the school health center.
(e)The department shall award technical assistance grants through a competitive bidding process to qualified contractors to support grantees receiving grants under subdivisions (b), (c), and (d). A qualified contractor means a vendor with demonstrated capacity in all aspects of planning, facilities development, startup, and operation of a school health center.
(f)The department shall also develop a request for proposal (RFP) process for collecting information on applicants, and determining which proposals shall receive grant funding. The department shall give preference for grant funding to the following schools:
(1)Schools in areas designated as federally medically underserved areas or in areas with medically underserved populations.
(2)Schools with a high percentage of low-income and uninsured children and youth.
(3)Schools with large numbers of limited English proficient (LEP) students.
(4)Schools in areas with a shortage of health professionals.
(5)Low-performing schools with Academic Performance Index (API) rankings in the deciles of three and below of the state.
(g)Moneys shall be allocated to the department annually for evaluation to be conducted by an outside evaluator that is selected through a competitive bidding process. The evaluation shall document the number of grantees that establish and sustain school health centers, and describe the challenges and lessons learned in creating successful school health centers. The evaluator shall use data collected pursuant to Section 124174.3, if it is available, and work in collaboration with the Public School Health Center Support Program. The department shall post the evaluation on its Internet Web site. internet website.
(h)This section shall be implemented only to the extent that funds are appropriated to the department in the annual Budget Act or other statute for implementation of this article.SEC. 3.SEC. 4.Title 10.3 (commencing with Section 14138) is added to Part 4 of the Penal Code, to read:10.3.Department of Justice Violence Reduction Grant Program14138.(a)The Department of Justice shall administer a grant program for the purpose of supporting evidence-based, focus-deterrence collaborative programs that conduct outreach to targeted gangs and offer supportive services to preemptively reduce and eliminate violence and gang involvement. These collaborative programs shall offer supportive services, which include job training, healthcare, and crisis response to shootings and violence, among other services. improving public safety and community health and well-being, especially amongst those communities that are impacted by violence and gang involvement.
(b)The department shall award grants on a competitive basis and establish minimum standards, funding schedules, and procedures for awarding grants that further the purpose of this chapter.(b)Grants awarded pursuant to this section shall be used to support, expand, and replicate evidence-based, focused-deterrence collaborative programs that conduct outreach to targeted gangs and offer supportive services in order to preemptively reduce and eliminate violence and gang involvement. These programs shall be primarily designed to reduce violent crimes by bringing together a collaborative partnership to communicate to individuals who are identified as having the highest risk of perpetrating or being victimized by violence or gang involvement in the near future that there are tailored services and support available to help them step away from violence. The supportive services shall include, but are not limited to, job training, health care, and crisis response to shootings and violence, among other services.
(c)Grants pursuant to this section shall be made on a competitive basis with preference to cities and local jurisdictions that are disproportionately impacted by violence and gang involvement, and to community-based organizations that serve the residents of those cities and local jurisdictions.
(d)An applicant for a grant pursuant to this section shall submit a proposal, in a form prescribed by the department, which shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(1)Clearly defined and measurable objectives for the grant.
(2)A statement describing how the applicant proposes to use the grant to implement an evidence-based, focused-deterrence violence reduction initiative in accordance with this section.
(3)A statement describing how the applicant proposes to use the grant to enhance coordination of existing violence prevention and intervention programs and minimize duplication of services.
(4)Evidence indicating that the proposed violence reduction initiative would likely reduce the incidence of homicides, shootings, aggravated assaults, and gang involvement.
(e)In awarding grants pursuant to this section, the department shall give preference to applicants whose grant proposals demonstrate the greatest likelihood of reducing the incidence of violence and gang involvement in the applicants community, without contributing to mass incarceration.
(f)The amount of funds awarded to an applicant shall be commensurate with the scope of the applicants proposal and the applicants demonstrated need for additional resources to address violence in the applicants community.
(g)Each grantee shall commit a cash or in-kind contribution equivalent to the amount of the grant awarded under this section.
(h)Each city and other local jurisdiction that receives a grant pursuant to this section shall distribute no less than 50 percent of the grant funds to one or both of the following types of entities:
(1)Community-based organizations.
(2)Public agencies or departments that are primarily dedicated to community safety or violence prevention.
(i)The department shall form a grant selection advisory committee, including, without limitation, persons who have been impacted by violence, formerly incarcerated persons, and persons with direct experience in implementing evidence-based violence and gang involvement reduction initiatives, including initiatives that incorporate public health and community-based approaches.
(j)The department may use up to 7 percent of the funds appropriated for the program described in this section each year for the costs of administering the program, including, without limitation, the employment of personnel, providing technical assistance to grantees, and evaluation of violence and gang involvement reduction initiatives supported by the program pursuant to this section.
(k)Each grantee shall report to the department, in a form and at intervals prescribed by the department, their progress in achieving the grant objectives.
(l)The department shall, by no later than 90 days following the close of each grant cycle, prepare and submit a report to the Legislature in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code regarding the impact of the violence prevention initiatives supported by the program pursuant to this section.
(m)The department shall make evaluations of the grant program available to the public.
SEC. 4.SEC. 5.Chapter 3.4 (commencing with Section 5660) is added to Division 5 of the Public Resources Code, to read:3.4.Parks and Recreation for Youth5660.(a)The department shall award grants to local governments and community-based organizations for the purpose of supporting existing and creating new parks and recreation opportunities, as well as supporting existing and creating new summer programs for youth, including, but not limited to, extended park hours and expanded programming for nighttime sports, educational activities, and visual and performing arts opportunities, in order to create and enhance recreation- and health-based interventions for youth during peak times of violence.
(b)The department shall award grants on a competitive basis and establish minimum standards, funding schedules, and procedures for awarding grants that further the purpose of this chapter.(b)In developing the grant program, the department shall do both of the following:
(1)Develop criteria, procedures, and accountability measures as may be necessary to implement the grant program.
(2)Administer the grant program to ensure that priority is given to underserved populations, including both urban and rural areas and low-income communities, where participation in outdoor recreation- and health-based activities will best serve youth as intervention and deterrence from violence.
(c)The department shall give priority for funding to outdoor recreation- and health-based intervention programs during peak times of violence that primarily provide outreach to and serve youth who are impacted by violence and gang involvement in their communities.
(d)The department may give additional consideration to outdoor recreation- and health-based intervention programs during peak times of violence that do any of the following:
(1)Maximize the number of participants that can be served.
(2)Demonstrate partnerships between public, private, and nonprofit entities.
(3)Contribute to healthy lifestyles, violence prevention and gang deterrence, and improved outdoor recreational and health experiences.
(4)Include service learning and community outreach components for purposes of building partnerships between participants and local communities.
(e)In implementing the grant program, the department shall work with relevant stakeholders to promote and implement the grant program in a manner that effectively reaches a wide geography throughout the state and ensures that regions most impacted by violence and gang involvement are adequately considered with an emphasis on addressing the violence prevention and gang deterrence needs within these regions.
5661.The department shall gather information from applicants following each award year for purposes of evaluating the effectiveness of selected programs in achieving the overall objectives of the grant program. Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, the department shall annually summarize and report this information for the previous award year to the appropriate policy, budget, and fiscal committees of the Legislature. The information in the annual report shall include the total number of youth served, the total number and types of entities that received grant awards, appropriate recommendations to improve the grant program, partnerships formed, educational objectives achieved, the total number of applications received, and the total number of youth who would have been served if all applicants for the award year received grant awards.
5662.The department shall adopt guidelines it determines are necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter. Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code does not apply to the adoption of guidelines pursuant to this section. The department shall develop a process for public comment and review of the guidelines that involves three public hearings in three different parts of the state before the adoption of those guidelines.
SEC. 5.Section 1450 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:1450.(a)There is hereby established the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program within the Office of Youth and Community Restoration to grant funds pursuant to this chapter, upon an appropriation of funds for the purposes described in this chapter.(b)(1)Notwithstanding any other law, the board may use any funds that were appropriated to the board in the Budget Act of 2018, but that have not been allocated as of January 1, 2020, for grants, as prescribed in Article 4 (commencing with Section 1456).(2)Funds appropriated to the board in the Budget Act of 2019 for purposes of the Youth Reinvestment Fund grant program shall be used for grants, as prescribed in Article 4 (commencing with Section 1456).(3)Funds appropriated to the board in the Budget Act of 2019 for purposes of the Tribal Youth Diversion grant program shall be used for grants, as prescribed in Article 2 (commencing with Section 1452).(c)Three percent of the funds in the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program shall be used for administrative costs to the board resulting from the implementation of this chapter.SEC. 6.Section 1457 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:1457.For purposes of this article, the following definitions apply:(a)Applicant means a nonprofit organization or local governmental entity.(b)Area of high need means either of the following:(1)A city or a ZIP Code with rates of youth arrests that are higher than the county average, based on available arrest data, as described by the applicant.(2)A city or a ZIP Code with racial or ethnic disparities in youth arrests that are higher than their representation in the county population, as described by the applicant.(c)Office means the Office of Youth and Community Restoration.(d)Diversion program means a program that promotes positive youth development by relying on responses that prevent a young persons involvement or further involvement in the justice system. Diversion programs, which may follow a variety of different models, aim to divert youth from justice system engagement at the earliest possible point. Departments or agencies that may refer youth to diversion programs include, but are not limited to, schools, service organizations, police, probation, or prosecutors.(e)Local governmental entity means a local government agency, including, but not limited to, a county child welfare agency, county probation department, county behavioral health department, county public health department, school district, or county office of education.(f)Nonprofit organization means a private, community-based organization that is exempt from taxation pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code, and that is nongovernmental and does not carry out any law enforcement duties.SEC. 7.Section 1458 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:1458.(a)The office shall allocate funds appropriated pursuant to Section 1450 through a competitive grant process for the purpose of implementing trauma-informed diversion programs for youth.(b)The office shall distribute a grant under this article pursuant to all of the following conditions:(1)A local governmental entity or nonprofit organization shall be awarded no less than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) and no more than two million dollars ($2,000,000).(2)(A)An applicant shall provide at least a 25-percent cash or in-kind match to the grant that it receives pursuant to this article. Funds used to provide the 25-percent match amount may include a combination of federal, other state, local, or private funds.(B)Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), an applicant entity may provide less than a 25-percent match, but at least a 10-percent cash or in-kind match, to the grant if the applicant identifies the service area as high need with low or no local infrastructure for diversion programming.(3)Ninety percent of the funds awarded to a local government entity shall pass through to community-based organizations to deliver services in underserved communities with high rates of youth arrests, as described by the applicant.(4)(A)Services shall be community based, located in communities of local jurisdictions with high needs.(B)Services shall be evidence based or research supported, trauma informed, culturally relevant, and developmentally appropriate.(C)Direct service providers who receive funding from a grant pursuant to this article shall be nongovernmental and not law enforcement or probation entities.(D)Direct service providers shall have experience effectively serving at-risk youth populations.(E)Diversion programs shall include alternatives to arrest, incarceration, and formal involvement with the juvenile justice system. Diversion programs shall also include one or more of the following:(i)Educational services, including academic and vocational services.(ii)Mentoring services.(iii)Behavioral health services.(iv)Mental health services.(c)Multiple applicants may apply for funding under this article on a regional basis in a single application and receive the aggregate amount of funds that they would have received if awarded as independent applicants.SEC. 8.Section 1459 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:1459.The office shall be responsible for administration oversight and accountability of the grant program under this article and shall perform both of the following duties:(a)Support grantee data collection and analysis and require grantees to provide outcomes of the funded programs.(b)(1)Set aside up to two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) of funds appropriated for purposes of the grant program, exclusive of the funds set aside for administrative costs to the office pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 1450, to contract with a research firm or university to conduct a statewide evaluation of the grant program and its outcomes over a three-year grant period.(2)The office shall make available on its internet website a report of grantees, projects, and outcomes at the state and local levels within 180 days of completion of the grant cycle.(3)The office shall assist the research firm or university by providing relevant, existing data for the purposes of tracking outcomes. Measures may include, but are not limited to, any of the following:(A)Reductions in law enforcement responses to youth for low-level offenses, court caseloads and processing, days the youth spend in detention, placement of youth in congregate care, school and placement disruptions, and facility staff turnover.(B)Improvement in the health and well-being of the youth, school and community stability, educational attainment, and employment opportunities.(C)Projected state and local cost savings as a result of the diversion programming.SEC. 6.Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 1450) of Part 1 of Division 2 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is repealed.SEC. 7.Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 2300) is added to Division 2.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:6.Youth Reinvestment Grant Program2300.(a)The Office of Youth and Community Restoration shall establish the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program for the purposes described in this chapter.
(b)The Youth Reinvestment Fund is hereby created. Moneys in the fund shall be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, only for the purposes of this chapter.
(c)Funds appropriated for the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program shall be allocated in each fiscal year as follows:
(1)Three percent shall be used for administrative costs to the office resulting from the implementation of this chapter.
(2)Five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for evaluation of the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program as described in Section 2305.
(3)Five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for technical assistance to grantees as described in Section 2305.
(4)Ten percent for Native American youth diversion programs pursuant to Section 2302.
(5)The remaining funds shall be used for youth diversion programs pursuant to Section 2303.
2301.For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:
(a)Applicant means an eligible tribal government, tribal organization, or a nonprofit community-based organization that meets the requirements of Section 2302 or 2303.
(b)Area of high need means either of the following:
(1)A city or a ZIP Code with rates of youth arrests that are higher than the county average, based on available arrest data, as described by the applicant.
(2)A city or a ZIP Code with racial or ethnic disparities in youth arrests that are higher than their representation in the county population, as described by the applicant.
(c)Diversion means a nonpunitive response to address a youths conduct without involving a youth formally in the juvenile justice system.
(d)Diversion program means a program that promotes positive youth development by relying on responses that prevent a youths involvement or further involvement in the justice system. Diversion programs, which may follow a variety of different models, aim to divert youth from justice system involvement at the earliest possible point.
(e)Mixed-delivery system means a system of adolescent development and education support services delivered through a combination of programs, providers, and settings that include partnerships between community-based nonprofit organizations and public agencies and that is supported with a combination of public and private funds.
(f)Office means the Office of Youth and Community Restoration.
(g)Referring agency means organizations or agencies that may refer youth to diversion programs, including, but not limited to, education, law enforcement, child welfare, behavioral health, and public health entities.
(h)Trauma-informed means an approach that involves an understanding of adverse childhood experiences and responding to symptoms of chronic interpersonal trauma and traumatic stress across the lifespan of an individual.
(i)Youth means a person who is subject to the jurisdiction of the juvenile court.
2302.(a)The office shall allocate funds pursuant to Section 2300 through a three-year competitive grant program for the purpose of implementing a mixed-delivery system of trauma-informed health and development diversion programs for Native American youth.
(b)In addition to the conditions described in Section 2304, an entity is eligible for funding under this section if it is not otherwise excluded by another law, and is one of the following:
(1)A federally recognized Indian tribe, as defined in Section 1603(14) of Title 25 of the United States Code.
(2)A tribal organization, as defined in Section 1603(26) of Title 25 of the United States Code.
(3)An Urban Indian Organization (UIO), as defined in Section 1603(29) of Title 25 of the United States Code.
(4)A nonprofit organization whose board of directors is majority controlled by Native Americans, including organizations that are fiscally sponsored.
(c)Applicants who receive funding from a grant pursuant to this section shall be nongovernmental entities, with the exception of tribal government applicants, and shall not be law enforcement or probation entities.
2303.(a)The office shall allocate funds pursuant to Section 2300 through a three-year competitive grant program for the purpose of implementing a mixed-delivery system of trauma-informed health and development diversion programs for youth.
(b)In addition to the conditions described in Section 2304, in order to be eligible, an applicant shall be a nonprofit organization that is tax exempt pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(c)Applicants who receive funding from a grant pursuant to this section shall be nongovernmental entities and shall not be law enforcement or probation entities.
2304.The office shall distribute grants pursuant to Sections 2302 and 2303 with all of the following conditions:
(a)An applicant shall be awarded no less than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) and no more than two million dollars ($2,000,000).
(b)Applicants from two or more local jurisdictions may apply for funding under this chapter on a regional effort basis and receive the aggregate amount of funds that they would have received if awarded as an independent applicant.
(c)Grants shall be distributed in three installments. The first installment shall be distributed on the first day of the grant contract. The second installment shall be distributed no later than the first day of the second year of the grant contract. The third installment shall be distributed no later than the first day of the third year of the grant contract. The second and third installments shall be contingent on the applicant fulfilling the grant obligations and reporting requirements to the office.
(d)Funds shall be awarded to applicants who have obtained an official letter from at least one referring agency demonstrating the agencys intent to refer diverted youth to the diversion program to provide the youth with trauma-informed health and development services. For regional applications, letters of intent shall be required for each jurisdiction proposed in the application.
(e)Diversion services shall be provided in communities described as areas with high needs.
(f)Services shall be evidence based or research supported, trauma informed, culturally relevant, gender responsive, and developmentally appropriate.
(g)Applicants shall have experience effectively serving populations of youth who are juvenile justice system-involved or at-risk of system involvement.
(h)Priority shall be given to organizations that employ people with lived experience as a youth in the juvenile justice system.
(i)Diversion programs shall include alternatives to arrest, incarceration, and formal involvement with the justice system with a priority on programs that divert youth at the earliest possible point of involvement. Diversion programs shall also include one or more of the following:
(1)Educational services, including academic and personal development services.
(2)Career development services, including employment preparation, vocational training, internships, and apprenticeships.
(3)Mentoring services, including credible messenger services.
(4)Behavioral health services, including substance use treatment.
(5)Mental health services.
(6)Housing services, including permanent, short-term, and emergency housing services.
(7)Personal development and leadership training programs.
(8)Prosocial activities, including cultural enrichment programs and services.
2305.(a)The office shall be responsible for administration, oversight, and compliance of the program under this chapter and shall perform all the following duties:
(1)Support grantee data collection and analysis and require grantees to demonstrate outcomes of the funded programs.
(2)(A)Set aside five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) of funds appropriated for purposes of the program, exclusive of the funds set aside for administrative costs to the office pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 2300, to contract with a research firm or university to conduct a statewide evaluation of the program and youth outcomes over a three-year grant period.
(B)The office shall make available on its internet website a report of grantees, projects, and outcomes at the state and local levels within 180 days of completion of the program.
(C)The office shall assist the research firm or university by providing relevant, existing data for the purposes of tracking outcomes. Outcomes measured may include, but are not limited to, any of the following:
(i)Reductions in law enforcement responses to youth for low-level offenses, court caseloads and processing, days the youth spend in detention, placement of youth in congregate care, school and placement disruptions, and facility staff turnover.
(ii)Reduction in the number of school suspensions and expulsions.
(iii)Improvement in the health and well-being of the youth, housing and community stability, educational attainment, and connections to employment opportunities.
(D)Projected state and local cost savings as a result of the diversion programming.
(3)(A)Set aside five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) of funds appropriated for purposes of the program, exclusive of the funds set aside for administrative costs and evaluation, to contract with a technical assistance provider to support implementation of the program.
(B)Support from the technical assistance provider to the grantees shall include all of the following:
(i)Provide grantees with support in establishing and maintaining relationships with system and community stakeholders, including public agencies, labor unions, tribal governments and communities, nonprofit organizations, and youth and families most impacted.
(ii)Provide grantees with training and support in implementing best practices and trauma informed, culturally relevant, gender responsive, and developmentally appropriate approaches to serving youth.
(iii)Create peer learning opportunities for grantee organizations to learn from and alongside one another.
(iv)Provide grantees with administrative and technical support to ensure compliance with data reporting, evaluation, and applicable laws, including confidentiality and diversion eligibility.
(C)The technical assistance provider shall have experience in all the following areas:
(i)Developmental research and best practices for serving youth involved in the justice system and youth at risk of involvement, including children who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation and youth in the dependency system.
(ii)Research and best practices on systems that refer youths to the juvenile justice system, including the education, immigration, and child welfare systems.
(iii)Presenting and disseminating best practices on alternatives to incarceration and system involvement.
(iv)Working with and supporting community-based organizations serving youth involved in the justice system and youth at-risk of involvement in California.
(v)Collaborating with juvenile justice system stakeholders.
(vi)Working with and supporting Native American organizations and communities.
(vii)Working with juvenile justice system-involved youth and communities and with elevating youth leadership.
(viii)Priority shall be given to organizations that employ people with lived experience as youth in the juvenile justice system.
SEC. 9.SEC. 8.Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 8270) is added to Division 8 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:9.Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma Pilot Program 8270.(a)The California Health and Human Services Agency shall administer a five-year pilot program to evaluate applications and award grants to schools located in the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles for the purpose of implementing the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) program, and to an organization to study specified student outcomes, for the improvement in the health and well-being of the youth and school and community stability. For the purposes of this program, school includes charter schools.
(b)The agency shall award grants on a competitive basis and establish minimum standards, funding schedules, and procedures for awarding grants that take into consideration, but not be limited to, the jurisdictions capacity and commitment to coordinate social services and to work to ensure that the discretionary decisions made by each participant in the administration of the program operates in a manner consistent with the purposes of this chapter.(b)The agency shall award a grant to a school that meets all of the following criteria:
(1)The school uses the award for the purpose of implementing the CBITS program.
(2)The school is located in a region most impacted by gun violence as indicated by violent crime data and whose students typically are unable to access traditional services, including, but not limited to, students who are low income or homeless, display symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder or severe-trauma related symptoms, members of immigrant and refugee groups, students with disabilities, and students who interact with child protective systems or who have had contact with the juvenile justice system.
(3)The school presents substantial plans for the collection and distribution of information to an appointed research organization and for fidelity monitoring of its CBITS program.
(4)Any other related criteria required by the agency.
(c)The agency, when considering the research grant applications, shall give preference to research organizations or universities that meet all of the following criteria:
(1)Study under-resourced, chronically traumatized neighborhoods where community violence is prevalent.
(2)Have a demonstrated track record of collaborating with schools to create trauma-informed and trauma-sensitive school environments.
(3)Have a demonstrated track record of studying children and youth who have received school-based trauma recovery care.
(d)A research organization or university that is awarded a grant shall do all of the following:
(1)Report to the agency annually on how grant funds were spent, expected and current preliminary data outcomes, and treatment outcomes, including academic performance, trauma-related symptom rates, and rates of criminal offenses.
(2)Publish a report to the Legislature by December 1, 2028, regarding the effectiveness of the pilot program in improving child outcomes, including, but not limited to, academic performance, truancy rates, disciplinary actions, and rates of criminal offenses.
(3)Ensure any information disseminated to the public is distributed in accordance with Section 13202 of the Penal Code.
8270.3.This chapter shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2029, and as of that date is repealed.
SEC. 10.SEC. 9.The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the high rate of violent crime in the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles.
SEC. 11.SEC. 10.The sum of two hundred thirty five thirty-five million dollars ($235,000,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund for the purpose of delivering diversion and alternative-sanction programs, academic- and vocational-education services, mentoring, behavioral health services, and mental health services, as follows:
(a)The sum of fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) to the California Health and Human Services Agency for the purposes of administering the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) pilot program pursuant to Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 8270) of Division 8 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(b)The sum of fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) to the Office of Youth and Community Restoration for the purpose of awarding grants pursuant to the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 1450) of Part 1 of Division 2 Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 2300) of Division 2.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(c)The sum of fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) to the Department of Parks and Recreation to award grants pursuant to Chapter 3.4 (commencing with Section 5660) of Division 5 of the Public Resources Code.
(d)The sum of fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) to the State Department of Education to provide additional funds to K-12 schools for the sole purpose of hiring social workers and mental health professionals to provide mental health services to pupils pursuant to Section 33485 of the Education Code. Public Health to provide operational grants to school-based health centers in order to provide physical health and mental health services to youth on school sites pursuant to Article 10 (commencing with Section 124174) of Chapter 3 of Part 2 of Division 106 of the Health and Safety Code.
(e)The sum of thirty five thirty-five million dollars ($35,000,000) to the Department of Justice for the purposes of providing funds to support evidence-based, focus-deterrence collaborative programs that conduct direct outreach to targeted gangs in order to preemptively reduce and eliminate violence and gang-involvement gang involvement pursuant to Title 10.3 (commencing with Section 14138) of Part 4 of the Penal Code.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a)The Legislative Analysts Office (LAO) estimates that savings associated with the closure of prisons and Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) facilities, as well as a declining population of incarcerated persons, will total $1.5 billion annually by 2025.
(b)On December 6, 2022, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) announced the closure of Chuckwalla Valley State Prison (CVSP) and exiting of California City Correctional Facility (Cal City). CVSP will close by March 2025. CDCR will terminate the Cal City contract in March 2024 and end the use of that facility as a state prison.
(c)The LAO estimates that savings associated with the closure of CVSP amounts to $100 million in ongoing funds, and the exiting of Cal City amounts to $135.3 million. Therefore, the closure of CVSP and exiting of Cal City amounts to a cost savings of $235.3 million annually.
(d)It is the intent of the Legislature to reinvest the CDCR cost savings from prison closures and declining incarcerated persons populations to do all of the following:
(1)Expand the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) program.
(2)Provide ongoing funding for the Youth Reinvestment Grant Fund.
(3)Create a fund to support existing and create new parks and recreation opportunities, as well as summer programs for youth.
(4)Increase the number of social workers and mental health professionals at K-12 schools.
(5)Create a fund to support early intervention programs to reduce violence by mentoring at-promise individuals.
SEC. 2.Article 13.7 (commencing with Section 33485) is added to Chapter 3 of Part 20 of Division 2 of Title 2 of the Education Code, to read:13.7.Mental Health Services Grants33485.(a)The department shall award grants to K-12 school districts for the sole purpose of hiring social workers and mental health professionals to provide mental health services to pupils for the improvement in the health and well-being of the youth and school and community stability.
(b)The department shall award grants on a competitive basis and establish minimum standards, funding schedules, and procedures for awarding grants that further the purpose of this article.
SEC. 3.Title 10.3 (commencing with Section 14138) is added to Part 4 of the Penal Code, to read:10.3.Department of Justice Violence Reduction Grant Program14138.(a)The Department of Justice shall administer a grant program for the purpose of supporting evidence-based, focus-deterrence collaborative programs that conduct outreach to targeted gangs and offer supportive services to preemptively reduce and eliminate violence and gang involvement. These collaborative programs shall offer supportive services, which include job training, healthcare, and crisis response to shootings and violence, among other services.
(b)The department shall award grants on a competitive basis and establish minimum standards, funding schedules, and procedures for awarding grants that further the purpose of this chapter.
SEC. 4.Chapter 3.4 (commencing with Section 5660) is added to Division 5 of the Public Resources Code, to read:3.4.Parks and Recreation for Youth5660.(a)The department shall award grants to local governments and community-based organizations for the purpose of supporting existing and creating new parks and recreation opportunities, as well as supporting existing and creating new summer programs for youth, including, but not limited to, extended park hours and expanded programming for nighttime sports, educational activities, and visual and performing arts opportunities, in order to create and enhance recreation- and health-based interventions for youth during peak times of violence.
(b)The department shall award grants on a competitive basis and establish minimum standards, funding schedules, and procedures for awarding grants that further the purpose of this chapter.
SEC. 5.Section 1450 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:1450.(a)There is hereby established the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program within the Board of State and Community Corrections the Office of Youth and Community Restoration to grant funds pursuant to this chapter, upon an appropriation of funds for the purposes described in this chapter.
(b)(1)Notwithstanding any other law, the board may use any funds that were appropriated to the board in the Budget Act of 2018, but that have not been allocated as of January 1, 2020, for grants, as prescribed in Article 4 (commencing with Section 1456).
(2)Funds appropriated to the board in the Budget Act of 2019 for purposes of the Youth Reinvestment Fund grant program shall be used for grants, as prescribed in Article 4 (commencing with Section 1456).
(3)Funds appropriated to the board in the Budget Act of 2019 for purposes of the Tribal Youth Diversion grant program shall be used for grants, as prescribed in Article 2 (commencing with Section 1452).
(c)Three percent of the funds in the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program shall be used for administrative costs to the board resulting from the implementation of this chapter.
SEC. 6.Section 1457 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:1457.For purposes of this article, the following definitions apply:
(a)Applicant means a nonprofit organization or local governmental entity.
(b)Area of high need means either of the following:
(1)A city or a ZIP Code with rates of youth arrests that are higher than the county average, based on available arrest data, as described by the applicant.
(2)A city or a ZIP Code with racial or ethnic disparities in youth arrests that are higher than their representation in the county population, as described by the applicant.
(c)Board means the Board of State and Community Corrections.(c)Office means the Office of Youth and Community Restoration.
(d)Diversion program means a program that promotes positive youth development by relying on responses that prevent a young persons involvement or further involvement in the justice system. Diversion programs, which may follow a variety of different models, aim to divert youth from justice system engagement at the earliest possible point. Departments or agencies that may refer youth to diversion programs include, but are not limited to, schools, service organizations, police, probation, or prosecutors.
(e)Local governmental entity means a local government agency, including, but not limited to, a county child welfare agency, county probation department, county behavioral health department, county public health department, school district, or county office of education.
(f)Nonprofit organization means a private, community-based organization that is exempt from taxation pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code, and that is nongovernmental and does not carry out any law enforcement duties.
SEC. 7.Section 1458 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:1458.(a)The board office shall allocate funds appropriated pursuant to Section 1450 through a competitive grant process for the purpose of implementing trauma-informed diversion programs for youth.
(b)The board office shall distribute a grant under this article pursuant to all of the following conditions:
(1)A local governmental entity or nonprofit organization shall be awarded no less than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) and no more than two million dollars ($2,000,000).
(2)(A)An applicant shall provide at least a 25-percent cash or in-kind match to the grant that it receives pursuant to this article. Funds used to provide the 25-percent match amount may include a combination of federal, other state, local, or private funds.
(B)Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), an applicant entity may provide less than a 25-percent match, but at least a 10-percent cash or in-kind match, to the grant if the applicant identifies the service area as high need with low or no local infrastructure for diversion programming.
(3)Ninety percent of the funds awarded to a local government entity shall pass through to community-based organizations to deliver services in underserved communities with high rates of youth arrests, as described by the applicant.
(4)(A)Services shall be community based, located in communities of local jurisdictions with high needs.
(B)Services shall be evidence based or research supported, trauma informed, culturally relevant, and developmentally appropriate.
(C)Direct service providers who receive funding from a grant pursuant to this article shall be nongovernmental and not law enforcement or probation entities.
(D)Direct service providers shall have experience effectively serving at-risk youth populations.
(E)Diversion programs shall include alternatives to arrest, incarceration, and formal involvement with the juvenile justice system. Diversion programs shall also include one or more of the following:
(i)Educational services, including academic and vocational services.
(ii)Mentoring services.
(iii)Behavioral health services.
(iv)Mental health services.
(c)Multiple applicants may apply for funding under this article on a regional basis in a single application and receive the aggregate amount of funds that they would have received if awarded as independent applicants.
SEC. 8.Section 1459 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:1459.The board office shall be responsible for administration oversight and accountability of the grant program under this article and shall perform both of the following duties:
(a)Support grantee data collection and analysis and require grantees to provide outcomes of the funded programs.
(b)(1)Set aside up to two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) of funds appropriated for purposes of the grant program, exclusive of the funds set aside for administrative costs to the board office pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 1450, to contract with a research firm or university to conduct a statewide evaluation of the grant program and its outcomes over a three-year grant period.
(2)The board office shall make available on its internet website a report of grantees, projects, and outcomes at the state and local levels within 180 days of completion of the grant cycle.
(3)The board office shall assist the research firm or university by providing relevant, existing data for the purposes of tracking outcomes. Measures may include, but are not limited to, any of the following:
(A)Reductions in law enforcement responses to youth for low-level offenses, court caseloads and processing, days the youth spend in detention, placement of youth in congregate care, school and placement disruptions, and facility staff turnover.
(B)Improvement in the health and well-being of the youth, school and community stability, educational attainment, and employment opportunities.
(C)Projected state and local cost savings as a result of the diversion programming.
SEC. 9.Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 8270) is added to Division 8 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:9.Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma Pilot Program 8270.(a)The California Health and Human Services Agency shall administer a five-year pilot program to evaluate applications and award grants to schools located in the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles for the purpose of implementing the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) program, and to an organization to study specified student outcomes, for the improvement in the health and well-being of the youth and school and community stability.
(b)The agency shall award grants on a competitive basis and establish minimum standards, funding schedules, and procedures for awarding grants that take into consideration, but not be limited to, the jurisdictions capacity and commitment to coordinate social services and to work to ensure that the discretionary decisions made by each participant in the administration of the program operates in a manner consistent with the purposes of this chapter.
8270.3.This chapter shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2029, and as of that date is repealed.
SEC. 10.The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the high rate of violent crime in the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles.
SEC. 11.The sum of two hundred thirty five million dollars ($235,000,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund for the purpose of delivering diversion and alternative-sanction programs, academic- and vocational-education services, mentoring, behavioral health services, and mental health services, as follows:
(a)The sum of fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) to the California Health and Human Services Agency for the purposes administering the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) pilot program pursuant to Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 8270) of Division 8 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(b)The sum of fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) to the Office of Youth and Community Restoration for the purpose of awarding grants pursuant to the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 1450) of Part 1 of Division 2 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(c)The sum of fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) to the Department of Parks and Recreation to award grants pursuant to Chapter 3.4 (commencing with Section 5660) of Division 5 of the Public Resources Code.
(d)The sum of fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) to the State Department of Education to provide additional funds to K-12 schools for the sole purpose of hiring social workers and mental health professionals to provide mental health services to pupils pursuant to Section 33485 of the Education Code.
(e)The sum of thirty five million dollars ($35,000,000) to the Department of Justice for the purposes of providing funds to support evidence-based, focus-deterrence collaborative programs that conduct direct outreach to targeted gangs in order to preemptively reduce and eliminate violence and gang-involvement pursuant to Title 10.3 (commencing with Section 14138) of Part 4 of the Penal Code.
|
Date
|
Status
|
|---|---|
| Feb 1, 2024 | Consideration of Governor's veto stricken from file. |
| Jan 3, 2024 | Consideration of Governor's veto pending. |
| Oct 8, 2023 | Vetoed by Governor. |
| Sep 19, 2023 | Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2023 | Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 3245.). |
| Sep 12, 2023 | Assembly Rule 77 suspended. (Page 3228.) |
| Sep 11, 2023 | In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending. May be considered on or after September 13 pursuant to Assembly Rule 77. |
| Sep 11, 2023 | Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 2561.). |
| Sep 5, 2023 | Read second time. Ordered to third reading. |
| Sep 1, 2023 | Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading. |
| Sep 1, 2023 | From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (September 1). |
| Aug 14, 2023 | In committee: Referred to APPR suspense file. |
| Jul 13, 2023 | From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (July 12). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. |
| Jun 20, 2023 | From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on HEALTH. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 20). Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH. |
| Jun 7, 2023 | Referred to Coms. on PUB S. and HEALTH. |
| May 31, 2023 | In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. |
| May 30, 2023 | Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 1921.) |
| May 22, 2023 | Read second time. Ordered to third reading. |
| May 18, 2023 | Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading. |
| May 18, 2023 | From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (May 18). |
| May 10, 2023 | In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file. |
| Apr 26, 2023 | In committee: Hearing postponed by committee. |
| Apr 18, 2023 | Re-referred to Com. on APPR. |
| Apr 17, 2023 | Read second time and amended. |
| Apr 13, 2023 | From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (April 12). |
| Apr 4, 2023 | Re-referred to Com. on ED. |
| Apr 3, 2023 | From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on ED. Read second time and amended. |
| Mar 27, 2023 | Re-referred to Com. on ED. |
| Mar 23, 2023 | Read second time and amended. |
| Mar 22, 2023 | From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on ED. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (March 21). |
| Mar 15, 2023 | Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S. |
| Mar 14, 2023 | From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. Read second time and amended. |
| Feb 23, 2023 | Referred to Coms. on PUB. S. and ED. |
| Feb 15, 2023 | From printer. May be heard in committee March 17. |
| Feb 14, 2023 | Read first time. To print. |
|
Date
|
Description
|
Location
|
Votes
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2023 | AB 912 Jones-Sawyer Concurrence in Senate Amendments | Assembly Floor |
Passed |
|
| Sep 11, 2023 | Assembly 3rd Reading AB912 Jones-Sawyer et al. By Skinner | Senate Floor |
Passed |
|
| Sep 1, 2023 | Do pass as amended | Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations |
Passed |
|
| Aug 14, 2023 | Placed on suspense file | Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations |
Passed |
|
| Jul 12, 2023 | Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] | Senate Standing Committee on Health |
Passed |
|
| Jun 20, 2023 | Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Health] | Senate Standing Committee on Public Safety |
Passed |
|
| May 30, 2023 | AB 912 Jones-Sawyer Assembly Third Reading | Assembly Floor |
Passed |
|
| May 18, 2023 | Do pass as amended. | Assembly Standing Committee on Appropriations |
Passed |
|
| Apr 12, 2023 | Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] | Assembly Standing Committee on Education |
Passed |
|
| Mar 21, 2023 | Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Education] | Assembly Standing Committee on Public Safety |
Passed |
This list shows positions taken on this bill by organizations on the date displayed, which is linked to the original source.
Positions by individuals are not included.
|
Organization
|
Position
|
Date
|
|---|---|---|
| Adolescent Health Working Group | ** Support | |
| Alliance for A Better Community | ** Support | |
| Alta Public Schools | ** Support | |
| American Academy Of Pediatrics, California | ** Support | |
| Bay Area Community Resources | ** Support | |
| California Alliance for Youth and Community Justice | ** Support | |
| California Alliance of Caregivers | ** Support | |
| California Alliance Of Child And Family Services | ** Support | |
| California Calls | ** Support | |
| California Children’s Trust | ** Support | |
| California Coalition for Childrens Safety and Health | ** Support | |
| California Faculty Association | ** Support | |
| California Nurses for Environmental Health and Justice | * Support | Aug 14, 2023 |
| California Public Defenders Association | ** Support | |
| California School-Age Consortium | ** Support | |
| California School-Based Health Alliance | ** Support | |
| California State Association of Psychiatrists | * Support | Apr 12, 2023 |
| CaliforniaHealth+ Advocates | ** Support | |
| Californians for Safety and Justice | ** Support | |
| Californians United for a Responsible Budget | ** Support | |
| Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice | ** Support | |
| Centinela Youth Services | ** Support | |
| Children Now | ** Support | |
| Community Agency For Resources Advocacy And Services | ** Support | |
| Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County | ** Support | |
| Community Works | ** Support | |
| Defy Ventures | ** Support | |
| Drug Policy Alliance | ** Support | |
| Ella Baker Center For Human Rights | ** Support | |
| Equality California | ** Support | |
| Essential Access Health | ** Support | |
| ExpandLA | ** Support | |
| Faith in the Valley | ** Support | |
| Fasd Network Of Southern California | ** Support | |
| Freedom 4 Youth | ** Support | |
| Freedom Within Prison Project | ** Support | |
| Freedom Within Project | ** Support | |
| Fresh Lifelines for Youth | ** Support | |
| Friends Committee On Legislation Of California | ** Support | |
| Haywood Burns Institute | ** Support | |
| Indivisible Ca: Statestrong | ** Support | |
| Initiate Justice | * Support | Jun 20, 2023 |
| Insight Prison Project | ** Support | |
| James Morehouse Project | ** Support | |
| John Burton Advocates for Youth | ** Support | |
| Kalw Public Media | ** Support | |
| Kids in Common | ** Support | |
| La Clínica De La Raza | ** Support | |
| LA Defensa | ** Support | |
| Lake County Office Of Education | ** Support | |
| Lincoln Families | ** Support | |
| Los Angeles County District AttorneyS Office | ** Support | |
| Los Angeles County Office Of Education | * Support | Jun 20, 2023 |
| Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Debra Duardo | ** Support | |
| Los Angeles Unified School District | ** Support | |
| milpa | ** Support | |
| Motivating Individual Leadership for Public Advancement | ** Support | |
| National Association Of Social Workers, California Chapter | ** Support | |
| National Center for Lesbian Rights | ** Support | |
| National Center for Youth Law | ** Support | |
| National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform | ** Support | |
| Pacific Juvenile Defender Center | ** Support | |
| Partners Against Violence | ** Support | |
| Prosecutors Alliance California | ** Support | |
| Racial and Ethnic Mental Health Disparities Coalition | ** Support | |
| Reevolution | ** Support | |
| Rising Communities | ** Support | |
| Sacred Purpose | ** Support | |
| Sacred Purpose LLC | ** Support | |
| San Francisco Board of Supervisors | ** Support | |
| San Francisco Youth Commission | ** Support | |
| San Mateo Union High School District | ** Support | |
| Santa Cruz Barrios Unidos | ** Support | |
| Santa Cruz County Office Of Education | ** Support | |
| Sharefest Community Development | ** Support | |
| Shaw Yoder Antwih Schmelzer & Lange | * Support | Jun 20, 2023 |
| Sigma Beta Xi Inc. | ** Support | |
| Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition | ** Support | |
| Smart Justice California | ** Support | |
| Sow a Seed Community Foundation | ** Support | |
| St. John's Community Health | * Support | Jul 12, 2023 |
| Starting Over | ** Support | |
| Success Stories Program | ** Support | |
| T.H.E. Health and Wellness Center | ** Support | |
| Teens for Vaccines | ** Support | |
| The Los Angeles Trust for Childrens Health | ** Support | |
| Theatreworkers Project | ** Support | |
| To Help Everyone Health and Wellness Centers | ** Support | |
| Transformative In-Prison Workgroup | ** Support | |
| Women'S Foundation California | ** Support | |
| Young Women’s Freedom Center | ** Support | |
| Youth Alliance | ** Support | |
| Youth Forward | ** Support | |
| Youth Mentoring Connection | ** Support |
GOVERNOR'S VETO
GV Bill Id:AB 912
Author:(Jones-Sawyer)
As Enrolled Ver:September 14, 2023
2/3 vote
SUMMARY
Provides for the establishment, expansion, and funding for early-violence-intervention programs, school-based physical and mental health services, and youth-recreational activities, contingent upon appropriation.
Senate Amendments
- Authorizes the State Department of Public Health (DPH) to contract with entities for the purpose of providing assistance to school-based health centers that receive grant moneys and requires those entities to provide assistance in a specified manner.
- Repeal the California Gang, Crime, and Violence Prevention Partnership Program.
- Specify that the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) must award grants to tribal governments in addition to local governments, when disbursing funds for anti-violence initiatives for youth.
- Allow DPR to use up to 5% of the funds annually from the Parks and Recreation Anti-Violence Initiative for Youth for the costs of administering the program.
Governor’s Veto Message
This bill would, subject to an appropriation, establish the Violence Reduction Grant Program to be administered by the Department of Justice, re-establish the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program to be administered by the Office of Youth and Community Restoration, and create additional grant programs designed to improve the health and well-being of youths in the State.
While I appreciate the author's commitment to early interdiction and violence reduction efforts, this bill creates new additional cost pressures and must be considered in the annual budget in the context of all state funding priorities.
In partnership with the Legislature, we enacted a budget that closed a shortfall of more than $30 billion through balanced solutions that avoided deep program cuts and protected education, health care, climate, public safety, and social service programs that are relied on by millions of Californians. This year, however, the Legislature sent me bills outside of this budget process that, if all enacted, would add nearly $19 billion of unaccounted costs in the budget, of which $11 billion would be ongoing.
With our state facing continuing economic risk and revenue uncertainty, it is important to remain disciplined when considering bills with significant fiscal implications, such as this measure.
COMMENTS
As Passed by the Assembly: This bill provided for the establishment, expansion, and funding for early-violence-intervention programs, school-based physical and mental health services, and youth-recreational activities, contingent upon appropriation.
Major Provisions
- Found and declared, in part, that the funding appropriated by the provisions in this bill is intended to derive from the estimated cost savings from the anticipated closure of specified state prisons.
- Provided that the DPH must, on or before January 1, 2025, make available planning grants in specified amounts to be used for costs associated with assessing the need for a school-based health center in a particular community or area and developing partnerships for its operation.
- Stated that, on or before January 1, 2025, DPH must make available facilities and startup grants in specified amounts for the purpose of establishing a school-based health center, as specified.
- Stated that, on or before January 1, 2025, DPH must make expansion grants available in specified amounts for the purpose of improving an existing school-based health center, enhancing and expanding programming at a fully operational school-based health center, or supporting operations at a fully operational school-based health center, among other things.
- Provided that, on or before January 1, 2025, DPH must make sustainability grants available in specified amounts for the purpose of operating a school health center and outlines the requisite criteria for eligibility.
- Required the DPH to collaborate with the Office of School-Based Health Programs in the State Department of Education when collecting applicant information and determining which proposals to accept. Gives preference to school-based health centers attending to underserved areas, as specified.
- Stated that when awarding the school health center grants, preference shall be given to schools and other non-law enforcement entities.
- Stated that the requirements imposed on DPH are contingent upon appropriation from the annual Budget Act or by a statute implementing these provisions.
- Created the Department of Justice (DOJ) Violence Reduction Grant Program (VRGP) which requires the DOJ to oversee a grant program to support, expand, and replicate evidence-based, deterrence-focused, collaborative programs that conduct outreach to individuals involved in gangs and offer supportive services as a preemptive measure to curb gang violence.
- Stated that the grants must be made on a competitive basis with preference to jurisdictions disproportionately impacted by violence and gangs, and schools and community-based organizations (CBOs) that serve such jurisdictions.
- Outlined criteria for VRGP proposals, as specified.
- Provided that, when awarding VRGP grants, the DOJ must give preference to applicants whose proposals demonstrate the greatest likelihood of reducing violence and gang involvement without contributing to mass incarceration.
- Required each city or local jurisdiction receiving VRGP funds to distribute no less than half of the monies to CBOs or government agencies primarily dedicated to community safety or violence prevention.
- Stated that the DOJ must form a grant selection advisory committee that includes victims of violence, formerly incarcerated persons, and persons with direct experience implementing evidence based violence and gang reduction programs.
- Required grantees of the VRGP to report to the DOJ progress reports.
- Required the DOJ to submit at the close of each grant cycle, a report to the Legislature regarding the impact of the violence prevention programs funded by the VRGP.
- Stated that the provisions in this bill regarding the VRGP are contingent upon appropriation by the Legislature.
- Required the DPR to award grants to local governments and with preference to CBOs to support existing and create new parks and recreation opportunities, as well as summer programs for youth.
- Stated that DPR, when developing the program, must establish criteria and accountability measures as needed, and must ensure priority is given to underserved populations, schools, and CBOs, as specified.
- Mandated that DPR give priority to outdoor recreational and health-based intervention programs that operate during peak times of violence.
- Required DPR to collect information from grantees for evaluation purposes, summarize such information, and report to the appropriate policy, budget and fiscal committees of the Legislature. The report must include total number of youth served, number and types of entities funded, improvement recommendations, and other specified information.
- Stated that the requirements imposed on DPR are contingent upon appropriation by the Legislature.
- Reestablished the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program (YRGP) and designates the Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR) to administer it.
- Created the Youth Reinvestment Fund and allocates monies into it, as specified.
- Required that OYCR allocate YRGP funds to implement a mixed-delivery system of trauma informed health and development diversion programs for Native American youth.
- Outlined eligibility criteria to receive YRGP funding, as specified.
- Required that OYCR allocate YRGP funds, as specified, to programs offering mixed-delivery systems of trauma-informed health and development diversion programs for youth, and specifies, among other things, that the entities must be not be governmental or law enforcement, or probation entities.
- Stated that YRGP funds must be awarded to applicants with an official letter from at least one government agency demonstrating the agency's intent to refer youth enrolled in a diversion program to the applicant.
- Stated that OYCR must distribute YRGP funds as follows:
- Be provided in communities with high arrest rates or with high racial or ethnic disparities in youth arrest rates;
- Be evidence based or research supported, trauma informed, culturally relevant, gender responsive, and developmentally appropriate;
- To applicants with prior experience serving at-risk youth; and,
- Give priority to organizations employing people who were youths with experience in the juvenile justice system.
- Stated that youth diversion programs under the YRGP must include alternatives to arrest and the justice system, with preference given to programs diverting youth as early as possible.
- Stated that YRGP funded diversion programs must include one or more of the following: educational services, mentoring services, mental health services, and other specified services.
- Stated that the OYCR is responsible for the administration, oversight, and compliance of the YRGP and specifies the duties included.
- Created the Trauma Intervention (TI) program.
- Designated the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) for the purpose of implementing the TI program and to select an organization to study specified student outcomes.
- Required HHSA to develop a list of evidence-based interventions, evaluate applications and award grants.
- Stated that local educational agencies applying for funding must demonstrate how they will prioritize interventions for pupils most impacted by trauma and in a demographic that has historically been unable to access traditional services.
- Stated that the HHSA must give priority to applicants in the counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles, as regions most impacted by gun violence.
- Required that HHSA award grants to schools that meet specified criteria.
- Requires HHSA, when considering research grant applications, give preference to organizations with demonstrated track records of studying youth, CBOs and nonprofits, working with schools to create trauma-sensitive environments, and other specified criteria.
- Stated that every five years, eligibility for grants shall open and priority be given to the six counties with the highest rate of violent crime and homicide, as outlined by the DOJ's annual crime data report.
- Required the agency to submit a report to the legislature detailing outcomes, including academic performance and rates of criminal offenses, among other things.
- Stated that the provisions in this bill regarding the TI program are contingent upon appropriation by the Legislature.
According to the Author
"By advancing sensible legislation and budget items to improve public safety and advance justice and equity, the State Legislature has decreased the number of incarcerated people in California. It is imperative that the resulting savings be reinvested into effective strategies proven to further reduce crime and violence. AB 912, the SAFE Act, will capture the savings from the closure of two prisons in the 2023-24 state budget and reinvest those funds in programs with proven success. By keeping the funding within our crime prevention budget rather than sending it back to the General Fund, we send a message that our efforts to reduce crime are continuous and we provide much needed resources for some outstanding programs. As such, the SAFE Act, specifically, will provide ongoing funding for the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program; reduce gang violence and gang involvement through programs modeled after successful ones, such as Oakland Ceasefire; expand the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) program; increase access to physical and mental health services for K-12 students through school-based health centers; and, support parks and recreation opportunities, including summer youth leagues and extended programming."
Arguments in Support
According to Indivisible CA: StateStrong, "On December 6, 2022, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation announced the closure and exiting of contract for two additional prison facilities. With the closure of these facilities, the Legislative Analyst's Office estimates a cost savings of $235.3 million annually. Rather than returning to the General Fund, it is imperative these savings are kept within the Legislature's crime prevention budget and reinvested into effective strategies proven to further reduce crime and violence.
"Studies have shown health-based approaches have been successful in curbing violence through applied, skill-based prevention programs. Addressing youth mental health and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is crucial in mitigating long-term effects, such as substance abuse, mental illness, chronic health problems, and criminality. Existing programs have been successful in providing crucial resources and early intervention to youth.
"The SAFE Act calls for the reallocation of the $235 million in annual savings from the proposed closure of two prisons in the 2023-24 state budget. Those funds will go to the following programs:
- $50 million annually to relocate the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program from the Board of State and Community Corrections to the Office of Youth and Community Restoration. Grants are available for local jurisdictions and California tribes for trauma-informed diversion programs for minors.
- $35 million annually to the Department of Justice for the purpose of programs that reduce gang violence and gang involvement, modeled after successful programs like Ceasefire in Oakland that resulted in a 43% reduction in homicides and a 50% reduction in non-fatal shootings.
- $50 million annually to the State Department of Public Health, in consultation with the State Department of Education, to provide operational grants to School-based Health Centers and provide health and mental health services to children on school sites.
- $50 million annually to the California Health and Human Services Agency to support a pilot program for Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) in Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulane, Kern and Los Angeles. This program supports early trauma-informed interventions for school-aged children experiencing extreme traumatic events in support of their health, well-being and community stability.
- 50 million annually to the Department of Parks and Recreation in support of grants to local governments and community-based organizations to create new parks and fund recreation and health-based opportunities during peak times of violence."
Arguments in Opposition
None Submitted.
FISCAL COMMENTS
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:
- General Fund (GF) cost pressures, likely in the low hundreds of millions, to fund the various grant programs that would be established by this bill. In its original version, this would have appropriated $235 million GF for these purposes. No funding has been included in the 2023-24 budget act for these grants.
- Ongoing, significant administration costs to each of the departments that would be responsible for the various grant programs that are created by this bill, including the DOJ, the OYCR, the California Health and Human Services Agency (HHS), the Department of Public Health (CDPH), the Department of Education (CDE), and the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) (General Fund).
VOTES
ASM PUBLIC SAFETY: 7-0-1
YES: Jones-Sawyer, Alanis, Bonta, Bryan, Ortega, Santiago, Zbur
ABS, ABST OR NV: Lackey
ASM EDUCATION: 6-0-1
YES: Muratsuchi, Juan Carrillo, Hoover, Lee, McCarty, Quirk-Silva
ABS, ABST OR NV: Megan Dahle
ASM APPROPRIATIONS: 12-0-4
YES: Holden, Bryan, Calderon, Wendy Carrillo, Mike Fong, Hart, Lowenthal, Mathis, Papan, Pellerin, Weber, Ortega
ABS, ABST OR NV: Megan Dahle, Dixon, Robert Rivas, Sanchez
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 77-0-3
YES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Juan Carrillo, Wendy Carrillo, Cervantes, Chen, Connolly, Megan Dahle, Davies, Dixon, Flora, Mike Fong, Vince Fong, Friedman, Gabriel, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Grayson, Haney, Hart, Holden, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Lee, Low, Lowenthal, Maienschein, Mathis, McCarty, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Stephanie Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Jim Patterson, Joe Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Reyes, Luz Rivas, Robert Rivas, Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Santiago, Schiavo, Soria, Ta, Ting, Valencia, Villapudua, Waldron, Wallis, Ward, Weber, Wicks, Wilson, Wood, Zbur, Rendon
ABS, ABST OR NV: Essayli, Lackey, Sanchez
SENATE FLOOR: 39-0-1
YES: Allen, Alvarado-Gil, Archuleta, Ashby, Atkins, Becker, Blakespear, Bradford, Cortese, Dahle, Dodd, Durazo, Eggman, Glazer, Gonzalez, Grove, Hurtado, Jones, Laird, Limón, McGuire, Menjivar, Min, Newman, Nguyen, Niello, Ochoa Bogh, Padilla, Portantino, Roth, Rubio, Seyarto, Skinner, Smallwood-Cuevas, Stern, Umberg, Wahab, Wiener, Wilk
ABS, ABST OR NV: Caballero
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 78-0-2
YES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Juan Carrillo, Wendy Carrillo, Cervantes, Chen, Connolly, Megan Dahle, Davies, Dixon, Flora, Mike Fong, Vince Fong, Friedman, Gabriel, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Grayson, Haney, Hart, Holden, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Lackey, Lee, Low, Lowenthal, Maienschein, Mathis, McCarty, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Stephanie Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Joe Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Rendon, Reyes, Luz Rivas, Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Santiago, Schiavo, Soria, Ta, Ting, Valencia, Villapudua, Waldron, Wallis, Ward, Weber, Wicks, Wilson, Wood, Zbur, Robert Rivas
ABS, ABST OR NV: Essayli, Jim Patterson
UPDATED
VERSION: September 14, 2023
CONSULTANT: Mureed Rasool / PUB. S. / (916) 319-3744 FN: 0002563
CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
CSA1 Bill Id:AB 912
Author:(Jones-Sawyer)
As Amended Ver:September 1, 2023
Majority vote
SUMMARY
Provides for the establishment, expansion, and funding for early-violence-intervention programs, school-based physical and mental health services, and youth-recreational activities, contingent upon appropriation.
Senate Amendments
- Authorize the State Department of Public Health (DPH) to contract with entities for the purpose of providing assistance to school-based health centers that receive grant moneys and requires those entities to provide assistance in a specified manner.
- Repeal the California Gang, Crime, and Violence Prevention Partnership Program.
- Specify that the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) must award grants to tribal governments in addition to local governments, when disbursing funds for anti-violence initiatives for youth.
- Allow DPR to use up to 5 percent of the funds annually from the Parks and Recreation Anti-Violence Initiative for Youth for the costs of administering the program.
COMMENTS
As Passed by the Assembly: This bill provided for the establishment, expansion, and funding for early-violence-intervention programs, school-based physical and mental health services, and youth-recreational activities, contingent upon appropriation.
Major Provisions
- Found and declared, in part, that the funding appropriated by the provisions in this bill is intended to derive from the estimated cost savings from the anticipated closure of specified state prisons.
- Provided that the DPH must, on or before January 1, 2025, make available planning grants in specified amounts to be used for costs associated with assessing the need for a school-based health center in a particular community or area and developing partnerships for its operation.
- Stated that, on or before January 1, 2025, DPH must make available facilities and startup grants in specified amounts for the purpose of establishing a school-based health center, as specified.
- Stated that, on or before January 1, 2025, DPH must make expansion grants available in specified amounts for the purpose of improving an existing school-based health center, enhancing and expanding programming at a fully operational school-based health center, or supporting operations at a fully operational school-based health center, among other things.
- Provided that, on or before January 1, 2025, DPH must make sustainability grants available in specified amounts for the purpose of operating a school health center and outlines the requisite criteria for eligibility.
- Required the DPH to collaborate with the Office of School-Based Health Programs in the State Department of Education when collecting applicant information and determining which proposals to accept. Gives preference to school-based health centers attending to underserved areas, as specified.
- Stated that when awarding the school health center grants, preference shall be given to schools and other non-law enforcement entities.
- Stated that the requirements imposed on DPH are contingent upon appropriation from the annual Budget Act or by a statute implementing these provisions.
- Created the Department of Justice (DOJ) Violence Reduction Grant Program (VRGP) which requires the DOJ to oversee a grant program to support, expand, and replicate evidence-based, deterrence-focused, collaborative programs that conduct outreach to individuals involved in gangs and offer supportive services as a preemptive measure to curb gang violence.
- Stated that the grants must be made on a competitive basis with preference to jurisdictions disproportionately impacted by violence and gangs, and schools and community-based organizations (CBOs) that serve such jurisdictions.
- Outlined criteria for VRGP proposals, as specified.
- Provided that, when awarding VRGP grants, the DOJ must give preference to applicants whose proposals demonstrate the greatest likelihood of reducing violence and gang involvement without contributing to mass incarceration.
- Required each city or local jurisdiction receiving VRGP funds to distribute no less than half of the monies to CBOs or government agencies primarily dedicated to community safety or violence prevention.
- Stated that the DOJ must form a grant selection advisory committee that includes victims of violence, formerly incarcerated persons, and persons with direct experience implementing evidence based violence and gang reduction programs.
- Required grantees of the VRGP to report to the DOJ progress reports.
- Required the DOJ to submit at the close of each grant cycle, a report to the Legislature regarding the impact of the violence prevention programs funded by the VRGP.
- Stated that the provisions in this bill regarding the VRGP are contingent upon appropriation by the Legislature.
- Required the DPR to award grants to local governments and with preference to CBOs to support existing and create new parks and recreation opportunities, as well as summer programs for youth.
- Stated that DPR, when developing the program, must establish criteria and accountability measures as needed, and must ensure priority is given to underserved populations, schools, and CBOs, as specified.
- Mandated that DPR give priority to outdoor recreational and health-based intervention programs that operate during peak times of violence.
- Required DPR to collect information from grantees for evaluation purposes, summarize such information, and report to the appropriate policy, budget and fiscal committees of the Legislature. The report must include total number of youth served, number and types of entities funded, improvement recommendations, and other specified information.
- Stated that the requirements imposed on DPR are contingent upon appropriation by the Legislature.
- Reestablished the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program (YRGP) and designates the Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR) to administer it.
- Created the Youth Reinvestment Fund and allocates monies into it, as specified.
- Required that OYCR allocate YRGP funds to implement a mixed-delivery system of trauma informed health and development diversion programs for Native American youth.
- Outlined eligibility criteria to receive YRGP funding, as specified.
- Required that OYCR allocate YRGP funds, as specified, to programs offering mixed-delivery systems of trauma-informed health and development diversion programs for youth, and specifies, among other things, that the entities must be not be governmental or law enforcement, or probation entities.
- Stated that YRGP funds must be awarded to applicants with an official letter from at least one government agency demonstrating the agency's intent to refer youth enrolled in a diversion program to the applicant.
- Stated that OYCR must distribute YRGP funds as follows:
- Be provided in communities with high arrest rates or with high racial or ethnic disparities in youth arrest rates;
- Be evidence based or research supported, trauma informed, culturally relevant, gender responsive, and developmentally appropriate;
- To applicants with prior experience serving at-risk youth; and,
- Give priority to organizations employing people who were youths with experience in the juvenile justice system.
- Stated that youth diversion programs under the YRGP must include alternatives to arrest and the justice system, with preference given to programs diverting youth as early as possible.
- Stated that YRGP funded diversion programs must include one or more of the following: educational services, mentoring services, mental health services, and other specified services.
- Stated that the OYCR is responsible for the administration, oversight, and compliance of the YRGP and specifies the duties included.
- Created the Trauma Intervention (TI) program.
- Designated the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) for the purpose of implementing the TI program and to select an organization to study specified student outcomes.
- Required HHSA to develop a list of evidence-based interventions, evaluate applications and award grants.
- Stated that local educational agencies applying for funding must demonstrate how they will prioritize interventions for pupils most impacted by trauma and in a demographic that has historically been unable to access traditional services.
- Stated that the HHSA must give priority to applicants in the counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles, as regions most impacted by gun violence.
- Required that HHSA award grants to schools that meet specified criteria.
- Requires HHSA, when considering research grant applications, give preference to organizations with demonstrated track records of studying youth, CBOs and nonprofits, working with schools to create trauma-sensitive environments, and other specified criteria.
- Stated that every five years, eligibility for grants shall open and priority be given to the six counties with the highest rate of violent crime and homicide, as outlined by the DOJ's annual crime data report.
- Required the agency to submit a report to the legislature detailing outcomes, including academic performance and rates of criminal offenses, among other things.
- Stated that the provisions in this bill regarding the TI program are contingent upon appropriation by the Legislature.
According to the Author
"By advancing sensible legislation and budget items to improve public safety and advance justice and equity, the State Legislature has decreased the number of incarcerated people in California. It is imperative that the resulting savings be reinvested into effective strategies proven to further reduce crime and violence. AB 912, the SAFE Act, will capture the savings from the closure of two prisons in the 2023-24 state budget and reinvest those funds in programs with proven success. By keeping the funding within our crime prevention budget rather than sending it back to the General Fund, we send a message that our efforts to reduce crime are continuous and we provide much needed resources for some outstanding programs. As such, the SAFE Act, specifically, will provide ongoing funding for the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program; reduce gang violence and gang involvement through programs modeled after successful ones, such as Oakland Ceasefire; expand the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) program; increase access to physical and mental health services for K-12 students through school-based health centers; and, support parks and recreation opportunities, including summer youth leagues and extended programming."
Arguments in Support
According to Indivisible CA: StateStrong, "On December 6, 2022, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation announced the closure and exiting of contract for two additional prison facilities. With the closure of these facilities, the Legislative Analyst's Office estimates a cost savings of $235.3 million annually. Rather than returning to the General Fund, it is imperative these savings are kept within the Legislature's crime prevention budget and reinvested into effective strategies proven to further reduce crime and violence.
"Studies have shown health-based approaches have been successful in curbing violence through applied, skill-based prevention programs. Addressing youth mental health and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is crucial in mitigating long-term effects, such as substance abuse, mental illness, chronic health problems, and criminality. Existing programs have been successful in providing crucial resources and early intervention to youth.
"The SAFE Act calls for the reallocation of the $235 million in annual savings from the proposed closure of two prisons in the 2023-24 state budget. Those funds will go to the following programs:
- $50 million annually to relocate the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program from the Board of State and Community Corrections to the Office of Youth and Community Restoration. Grants are available for local jurisdictions and California tribes for trauma-informed diversion programs for minors.
- $35 million annually to the Department of Justice for the purpose of programs that reduce gang violence and gang involvement, modeled after successful programs like Ceasefire in Oakland that resulted in a 43% reduction in homicides and a 50% reduction in non-fatal shootings.
- $50 million annually to the State Department of Public Health, in consultation with the State Department of Education, to provide operational grants to School-based Health Centers and provide health and mental health services to children on school sites.
- $50 million annually to the California Health and Human Services Agency to support a pilot program for Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) in Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulane, Kern and Los Angeles. This program supports early trauma-informed interventions for school-aged children experiencing extreme traumatic events in support of their health, well-being and community stability.
- 50 million annually to the Department of Parks and Recreation in support of grants to local governments and community-based organizations to create new parks and fund recreation and health-based opportunitiesduring peak times of violence."
Arguments in Opposition
None Submitted.
FISCAL COMMENTS
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:
- General Fund (GF) cost pressures, likely in the low hundreds of millions, to fund the various grant programs that would be established by this bill. In its original version, this would have appropriated $235 million GF for these purposes. No funding has been included in the 2023-24 budget act for these grants.
- Ongoing, significant administration costs to each of the departments that would be responsible for the various grant programs that are created by this bill, including the DOJ, the OYCR, the California Health and Human Services Agency (HHS), the Department of Public Health (CDPH), the Department of Education (CDE), and the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) (General Fund).
VOTES:
ASM PUBLIC SAFETY: 7-0-1
YES: Jones-Sawyer, Alanis, Bonta, Bryan, Ortega, Santiago, Zbur
ABS, ABST OR NV: Lackey
ASM EDUCATION: 6-0-1
YES: Muratsuchi, Juan Carrillo, Hoover, Lee, McCarty, Quirk-Silva
ABS, ABST OR NV: Megan Dahle
ASM APPROPRIATIONS: 12-0-4
YES: Holden, Bryan, Calderon, Wendy Carrillo, Mike Fong, Hart, Lowenthal, Mathis, Papan, Pellerin, Weber, Ortega
ABS, ABST OR NV: Megan Dahle, Dixon, Robert Rivas, Sanchez
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 77-0-3
YES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Juan Carrillo, Wendy Carrillo, Cervantes, Chen, Connolly, Megan Dahle, Davies, Dixon, Flora, Mike Fong, Vince Fong, Friedman, Gabriel, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Grayson, Haney, Hart, Holden, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Lee, Low, Lowenthal, Maienschein, Mathis, McCarty, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Stephanie Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Jim Patterson, Joe Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk- Silva, Ramos, Reyes, Luz Rivas, Robert Rivas, Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Santiago, Schiavo, Soria, Ta, Ting, Valencia, Villapudua, Waldron, Wallis, Ward, Weber, Wicks, Wilson, Wood, Zbur, Rendon
ABS, ABST OR NV: Essayli, Lackey, Sanchez
SENATE FLOOR: 39-0-1
YES: Allen, Alvarado-Gil, Archuleta, Ashby, Atkins, Becker, Blakespear, Bradford, Cortese, Dahle, Dodd, Durazo, Eggman, Glazer, Gonzalez, Grove, Hurtado, Jones, Laird, Limón, McGuire, Menjivar, Min, Newman, Nguyen, Niello, Ochoa Bogh, Padilla, Portantino, Roth, Rubio, Seyarto, Skinner, Smallwood-Cuevas, Stern, Umberg, Wahab, Wiener, Wilk
ABS, ABST OR NV: Caballero
UPDATED
VERSION: September 1, 2023
CONSULTANT: Mureed Rasool / PUB. S. / (916) 319-3744 FN: 0001786
SENATE RULES COMMITTEE Office of Senate Floor Analyses (916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) 327-4478 | AB 912 |
THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 912
Author: Jones-Sawyer (D), et al.
Amended: 9/1/23 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE: 5-0, 6/20/23
AYES: Wahab, Ochoa Bogh, Bradford, Skinner, Wiener
SENATE HEALTH COMMITTEE: 11-0, 7/12/23
AYES: Eggman, Nguyen, Glazer, Gonzalez, Hurtado, Limón, Menjivar, Roth, Rubio, Wahab, Wiener
NO VOTE RECORDED: Grove
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: 7-0, 9/1/23
AYES: Portantino, Jones, Ashby, Bradford, Seyarto, Wahab, Wiener
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 77-0, 5/30/23 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT: Strategic Anti-Violence Funding Efforts Act
SOURCE: Author
DIGEST:
This bill re-establishes the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program to be administered by the Office of Youth and Community Restoration and revises components of the program, establishes the Violence Reduction Grant Program to be administered by the Department of Justice (DOJ), and creates additional grant programs designed to improve the health and well-being of youth.
ANALYSIS:
Existing law:
- Establishes the Youth Reinvestment Grant (YRG) Program within the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) for the purpose of granting funds, as specified. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 1450.)
- Requires that three percent of funds for the YRG be allocated to Indian tribes for the purpose of implementing diversion programs for Indian children that use trauma-informed, community-based, and health-based interventions. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 1453, subd. (a).)
- Requires that priority be given to diversion programs addressing the needs of Indian children who experience high rates of juvenile arrest, suicide, alcohol and substance abuse, and average high school graduation rates lower than 75 percent. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 1453, subd. (b).)
- Requires YRG funds to be allocated by the BSCC through a competitive grant process for the purpose of implementing trauma-informed diversion programs for youth. Provides that grants be awarded to a local governmental entity or nonprofit organization for no less $50,000 and no more than $2 million. Requires an applicant to provide at least a 25-percent cash or in-kind match to the grant, except as provided. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 1458, subds. (a) & (b).)
- Requires 90 percent of YRG funds awarded to a local government entity to pass through to community-based organizations to deliver services in underserved communities with high rates of youth arrests. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 1458, subd. (b)(3).)
- Requires services offered to youth be community based, evidence based, culturally relevant, and developmentally appropriate. Requires services to be located in communities of local jurisdictions with the high needs. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 1458, subd. (b)(4).)
- Provides that the BSCC is responsible for oversight and accountability of the YRG, including supporting grantee data collection, contracting with a research firm or university to conduct a statewide evaluation of the grant program, and assisting the research firm or university by providing relevant, existing data for the purposes of tracking outcomes. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 1459.)
- Establishes the Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR) in the California Health and Human Services Agency with a mission to promote trauma responsive, culturally informed services for youth involved in the juvenile justice system that support their successful transition to adulthood and help them become responsible, thriving, and engaged members of the community. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 2200, subds. (a) & (b).)
- Moves all juvenile justice grant administration functions in the BSCC to the OYCR no later than January 1, 2025. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 2200, subd. (h).)
This bill:
- Re-establishes the YRG program, makes changes to the existing grant program, and designates the OYCR to administer it.
- Requires YRG funds to be allocated as follows:
- Three percent for administrative costs.
- $500,000 for evaluation of the grant program.
- $500,000 for technical assistance to grantees.
- Ten percent for Native American youth diversion programs.
- All remaining funds to be used for youth diversion programs.
- Includes the following definitions:
- “Applicant” and “grantee” mean an eligible tribal government, tribal organization, or a nonprofit community-based organization that meets specified requirements.
- “Area of high need” means either of the following: a city or a ZIP Code with rates of youth arrests that are higher than the county average, based on available arrest data; or a city or a ZIP Code with racial or ethnic disparities in youth arrests that are higher than their representation in the county population, as described by the applicant.
- “Diversion” means a nonpunitive response to address a youth’s conduct without involving a youth formally in the juvenile justice system.
- “Diversion program” means a program that promotes positive youth development by relying on responses that prevent a youth’s involvement or further involvement in the justice system.
- “Mixed-delivery system” means a system of adolescent development and education support services delivered through a combination of programs, providers, and settings that include partnerships between community-based nonprofit organizations and public agencies and that is supported with a combination of public and private funds.
- “Referring agency” means organizations or agencies that may refer youth to diversion programs, including, but not limited to, education, law enforcement, child welfare, behavioral health, and public health entities.
- “Trauma-informed” means an approach that involves an understanding of adverse childhood experiences and responding to symptoms of chronic interpersonal trauma and traumatic stress across the lifespan of an individual.
- “Youth” means a person who is subject to the jurisdiction of the juvenile court.
- Requires that OYCR allocate YRG funds through a three-year competitive grant program for the purpose of implementing a mixed-delivery system of trauma-informed health and development diversion programs for youth.
- Outlines eligibility criteria to receive YRG funding, as specified.
- Requires grants awarded to be no less than $50,000 and no more than $2 million.
- Requires diversion services to be provided in communities described as areas with high needs. Requires services to be evidence based, trauma informed, culturally relevant, gender responsive, and developmentally appropriate.
- Requires applicants to have experience effectively serving populations of youth who are juvenile justice system-involved or at-risk of system involvement. Requires priority be given to organizations that employ people with lived experience as a youth in the juvenile justice system.
- Requires that diversion programs include alternatives to arrest, incarceration, and formal involvement with the justice system with priority given to programs that divert youth at the earliest possible point of involvement. Requires diversion programs to also include one or more of the following: educational services; career development services; mentoring services; behavioral health services, including substance use treatment; mental health services; housing services; personal development and leadership training services; or prosocial activities.
- Provides that the OYCR is responsible for the administration, oversight, and compliance of the YRG. Requires the OYCR to support grantee data collection and analysis, contract with a research firm or university to conduct a statewide evaluation of the program, and contract with a technical assistance provider to support implementation of the program and to build capacity of grantee organizations. Specifies that $500,000 must be set aside to contract with the researcher for evaluation and $500,000 must be set aside to contract with the technical assistance provider.
- Establishes a grant program, contingent on an appropriation, to be administered by the DOJ for the purpose of improving public safety and community health and well-being with a focus on communities that are impacted by violence and gang involvement.
- Requires grants awarded to be used to support, expand, and replicate evidence-based, focused-deterrence collaborative programs that conduct outreach to targeted gangs and offer supportive services in order to preemptively reduce and eliminate violence and gang involvement. Requires the supportive services to include job training, health care, and crisis response to shootings and violence, among other services. Requires DOJ to give priority for funding to schools, community-based organizations, and nonprofit organizations.
- Requires grants to be awarded on a competitive basis with preference to cities and local jurisdictions that are disproportionately impacted by violence and gang involvement.
- Outlines the requirements for a grant application. Requires DOJ to give preference to applicants whose grant proposals demonstrate the greatest likelihood of reducing the incidence of violence and gang involvement in the applicant’s community, without contributing to mass incarceration.
- Requires each city and other local jurisdiction that receives a grant to distribute no less than 50 percent of the grant funds to one or both of the following: community-based organizations, or public agencies or departments that are primarily dedicated to community safety or violence prevention.
- Authorizes DOJ to use up to 7 percent of the funds appropriated for the program each year for the costs of administering the program.
- Specifies other program requirements.
- Requires the California Health and Human Services Agency, contingent on an appropriation, to administer a grant program to provide funding to local educational agencies, including charter schools, to implement evidence-based interventions for pupils impacted by trauma, and to an organization to study specified pupil outcomes, for the improvement in the health and well-being of the youth and school and community stability. Requires the agency to develop an application process and criteria for funding, evaluate those applications, and develop a list of evidence-based interventions that local educational agencies receiving grants may implement, among other things.
- Renames the Public School Health Center Support Program to the School-Based Health Center Support Program and makes numerous changes to the program, including its grant program.
- Establishes a grant program to be administered by the Department of Parks and Recreation, contingent on an appropriation, for the purpose of awarding grants to local governments and community-based organizations to support existing and create new parks and recreation opportunities in order to create and enhance recreation- and health-based interventions for youth during peak times of violence. Outlines requirements in developing and implementing the grant program.
Background
Youth Reinvestment Grant Program
The Youth Reinvestment Grant (YRG) program was established in the 2018 Budget Act and a related trailer bill. The YRG program is aimed at diverting low-level offenders from initial contact with the juvenile justice system using approaches that are evidence-based, culturally relevant, trauma-informed, and developmentally appropriate. When initially created, only California cities and counties were eligible to apply for grants. The applicant was required to designate a “lead public agency,” such as the applicant city or county, or a department or agency within the applicant’s jurisdiction, to receive 10% the funds and to coordinate with local law enforcement agencies, social service agencies, and nonprofit organizations to implement the local grant program. Applicants were required to pass through the remaining 90% of awarded funds to community-based organizations to deliver diversion programs to minors. (BSCC, Youth Reinvestment Grant Frequently Asked Questions <http://www.bscc.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/YRG-FAQ-POSTED-3.5.19.pdf [as of Jun. 13, 2023].)
AB 1454 (Jones-Sawyer, Chapter 584, Statutes 2019) revised the program to allow a non-profit organization to apply directly for a grant through the YRG program and increased the maximum grant amount from $1 million to $2 million. Examples of funded programs include a range of after-school and mentoring programs and a program that provides services to at-risk or justice-involved youth (such as a late-night sports league, case management, and mentorship).
All juvenile justice grant administration functions in the BSCC are required to move to the OYCR no later than January 1, 2025. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 2200, subd. (h).) This bill re-establishes the YRG program, designates the OYCR as the administrator of the program, and makes some changes to the existing grant program.
Violence Reduction Grant Program
In addition to the other grant programs created by this bill, this bill establishes a competitive grant program within DOJ to improve public safety and community health and well-being especially in communities impacted by violence and gang involvement. This bill requires grants awarded to be used to support, expand, and replicate evidence-based, focused-deterrence collaborative programs that conduct outreach to targeted gangs and offer supportive services in order to preemptively reduce and eliminate violence and gang involvement. This bill requires that the supportive services offered include job training, health care, and crisis response to shootings and violence, among other services. Schools, community-based organizations, and nonprofit organizations would be given preference for funding via the program but cities and local jurisdictions are also eligible to apply for grants.
This bill requires DOJ to give preference to applicants whose grant proposals demonstrate the greatest likelihood of reducing the incidence of violence and gang involvement in the applicant’s community, without contributing to mass incarceration. A city or local jurisdiction that receives a grant would be required to distribute at least 50 percent of the grant funds to at least one community-based organization or public agency that is primarily dedicated to community safety or violence prevention.
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:
- General Fund (GF) cost pressures, likely in the low hundreds of millions, to fund the various grant programs that would be established by this bill. In its original version, AB 912 would have appropriated $235 million GF for these purposes. No funding has been included in the 2023-24 Budget Act for these grants.
- Ongoing, significant administration costs to each of the departments that would be responsible for the various grant programs that are created by AB 912, including the DOJ, the OYCR, the California Health and Human Services Agency (HHS), the Department of Public Health (CDPH), the Department of Education (CDE), and the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) (General Fund).
SUPPORT: (Verified 9/1/23)
California Alliance of Caregivers
California Alliance of Child and Family Services
California Children’s Trust
California Coalition for Children’s Safety and Health
California Faculty Association
California Public Defenders Association
California School-Age Consortium
California School-Based Health Alliance
CaliforniaHealth+ Advocates
Californians United for a Responsible Budget
Centinela Youth Services
Children Now
Community Works
Ella Baker Center for Human Rights
Equality California
ExpandLA
Fresh Lifelines for Youth
Friends Committee on Legislation of California
Haywood Burns Institute
Kids in Common
LA Defensa
Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office
Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Debra Duardo
Los Angeles Unified School District
March for Our Lives Action Fund
National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter
National Center for Lesbian Rights
Prosecutors Alliance California
Rising Communities
San Francisco Youth Commission
Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition
Smart Justice California
Starting Over
T.H.E. Health and Wellness Centers
Women’s Foundation California
Young Women’s Freedom Center
Youth Alliance
Youth Mentoring Connection
OPPOSITION: (Verified 9/1/23)
None received
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 77-0, 5/30/23
AYES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Juan Carrillo, Wendy Carrillo, Cervantes, Chen, Connolly, Megan Dahle, Davies, Dixon, Flora, Mike Fong, Vince Fong, Friedman, Gabriel, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Grayson, Haney, Hart, Holden, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Lee, Low, Lowenthal, Maienschein, Mathis, McCarty, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Stephanie Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Jim Patterson, Joe Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Reyes, Luz Rivas, Robert Rivas, Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Santiago, Schiavo, Soria, Ta, Ting, Valencia, Villapudua, Waldron, Wallis, Ward, Weber, Wicks, Wilson, Wood, Zbur, Rendon
NO VOTE RECORDED: Essayli, Lackey, Sanchez
Prepared by: Stephanie Jordan / PUB. S. /
9/2/23 16:58:17
**** END ****
SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Senator Anthony Portantino, Chair
2023 - 2024 Regular Session
AB 912 (Jones-Sawyer) - Strategic Anti-Violence Funding Efforts Act
Version: May 18, 2023 | Policy Vote: PUB. S. 5 - 0, HEALTH 11 - 0 |
Urgency: No | Mandate: No |
Hearing Date: September 1, 2023 | Consultant: Matthew Fleming |
Bill Summary:
AB 912 would, subject to an appropriation, establish the Violence Reduction Grant Program to be administered by the Department of Justice (DOJ), re-establish the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program to be administered by the Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR), and create additional grant programs designed to improve the health and well-being of youths in the State.
*********** ANALYSIS ADDENDUM – SUSPENSE FILE ***********
The following information is revised to reflect amendments
adopted by the committee on September 1, 2023
Fiscal Impact:
- General Fund (GF) cost pressures, likely in the low hundreds of millions, to fund the various grant programs that would be established by the bill. In its original version, AB 912 would have appropriated $235 million GF for these purposes. No funding has been included in the 2023-24 budget act for these grants.
- Ongoing, significant administration costs to each of the departments that would be responsible for the various grant programs that are created by AB 912, including the DOJ, the OYCR, the California Health and Human Services Agency (HHS), the Department of Public Health (CDPH), the Department of Education (CDE), and the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) (General Fund).
Author Amendments:
- Authorize DPR to award grants to tribal governments, as specified.
- Provide that DPR may use up to 5 percent of the funds appropriated for the program for costs to administer the grant.
- Authorize CDPH to enter into a contract with an entity for the purpose of providing assistance to school-based health centers that receive grant money, as specified.
- Repeal the California Gang, Crime, and Violence Prevention Partnership Program.
-- END --
SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Senator Anthony Portantino, Chair
2023 - 2024 Regular Session
AB 912 (Jones-Sawyer) - Strategic Anti-Violence Funding Efforts Act
Version: May 18, 2023 | Policy Vote: PUB. S. 5 - 0, HEALTH 11 - 0 |
Urgency: No | Mandate: No |
Hearing Date: August 14, 2023 | Consultant: Matthew Fleming |
Bill Summary:
AB 912 would, subject to an appropriation, establish the Violence Reduction Grant Program to be administered by the Department of Justice (DOJ), re-establish the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program to be administered by the Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR), and create additional grant programs designed to improve the health and well-being of youths in the State.
Fiscal Impact:
- General Fund (GF) cost pressures, likely in the low hundreds of millions, to fund the various grant programs that would be established by the bill. In its original version, AB 912 would have appropriated $235 million GF for these purposes. No funding has been included in the 2023-24 budget act for the grants established AB 912.
- Ongoing, significant administration costs to each of the departments that would be responsible for the various grant programs that are created by AB 912, including the DOJ, the OYCR, the California Health and Human Services Agency (HHS), the Department of Public Health (CDPH), the Department of Education (CDE), and the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) (General Fund). See Staff Comments for additional detail.
Background:
In recent decades, violence has come to be widely been recognized as a public health issue. Societal changes in the second half of the twentieth century, including evolving views regarding child abuse and intimate partner violence, increased rates of homicide and suicide, and acceptance among public health researchers and practitioners regarding the significance of causal or preventative links between behavioral factors and disease led to widespread recognition and acceptance of addressing violence from a public health approach.
The Youth Reinvestment Grant (YRG) program was established in the 2018 Budget Act and a related trailer bill. The YRG program is aimed at diverting low-level offenders from initial contact with the juvenile justice system using approaches that are evidence-based, culturally relevant, trauma-informed, and developmentally appropriate. When initially created, only California cities and counties were eligible to apply for grants. The applicant was required to designate a “lead public agency,” such as the applicant city or county, or a department or agency within the applicant’s jurisdiction, to receive 10% the funds and to coordinate with local law enforcement agencies, social service agencies, and nonprofit organizations to implement the local grant program. Applicants were required to pass through the remaining 90% of awarded funds to community-based organizations to deliver diversion programs to minors.
AB 1454 (Jones-Sawyer, Chapter 584, Statutes 2019) revised the program to allow a non-profit organization to apply directly for a grant through the YRG program and increased the maximum grant amount from $1,000,000 to $2,000,000. Examples of funded programs include a range of after-school and mentoring programs and a program that provides services to at-risk or justice-involved youth (such as a late-night sports league, case management, and mentorship).
Proposed Law:
- Re-establishes the YRG program, makes changes to the existing grant program, and designates the OYCR to administer it.
- Requires YRG funds to be allocated as follows:
- Three percent for administrative costs.
- $500,000 for evaluation of the grant program.
- $500,000 for technical assistance to grantees.
- Ten percent for Native American youth diversion programs.
- All remaining funds to be used for youth diversion programs.
- Requires that OYCR allocate YRG funds through a three-year competitive grant program for the purpose of implementing a mixed-delivery system of trauma-informed health and development diversion programs for youth.
- Establishes eligibility criteria to receive YRG funding, as specified.
- Requires grants awarded to be no less than $50,000 and no more than $2,000,000.
- Requires diversion services to be provided in communities described as areas with high needs. Requires services to be evidence based, trauma informed, culturally relevant, gender responsive, and developmentally appropriate.
- Requires applicants to have experience effectively serving populations of youth who are juvenile justice system-involved or at-risk of system involvement. Requires priority be given to organizations that employ people with lived experience as a youth in the juvenile justice system.
- Requires that diversion programs include alternatives to arrest, incarceration, and formal involvement with the justice system with priority given to programs that divert youth at the earliest possible point of involvement. Requires diversion programs to also include one or more of the following: educational services; career development services; mentoring services; behavioral health services, including substance use treatment; mental health services; housing services; personal development and leadership training services; or prosocial activities.
- Provides that the OYCR is responsible for the administration, oversight, and compliance of the YRG. Requires the OYCR to support grantee data collection and analysis, contract with a research firm or university to conduct a statewide evaluation of the program, and contract with a technical assistance provider to support implementation of the program and to build capacity of grantee organizations. Specifies that $500,000 must be set aside to contract with the researcher for evaluation and $500,000 must be set aside to contract with the technical assistance provider.
- Establishes a grant program, contingent on an appropriation, to be administered by the Department of Justice (DOJ) for the purpose of improving public safety and community health and well-being with a focus on communities that are impacted by violence and gang involvement.
- Requires grants awarded to be used to support, expand, and replicate evidence-based, focused-deterrence collaborative programs that conduct outreach to targeted gangs and offer supportive services in order to preemptively reduce and eliminate violence and gang involvement. Requires the supportive services to include job training, health care, and crisis response to shootings and violence, among other services. Requires DOJ to give priority for funding to schools, community-based organizations, and nonprofit organizations.
- Requires grants to be awarded on a competitive basis with preference to cities and local jurisdictions that are disproportionately impacted by violence and gang involvement.
- Establishes requirements for a grant application and requires the DOJ to give preference to applicants whose grant proposals demonstrate the greatest likelihood of reducing the incidence of violence and gang involvement in the applicant’s community, without contributing to mass incarceration.
- Requires each city and other local jurisdiction that receives a grant to distribute no less than 50 percent of the grant funds to one or both of the following: community-based organizations, or public agencies or departments that are primarily dedicated to community safety or violence prevention.
- Authorizes DOJ to use up to 7 percent of the funds appropriated for the program each year for the costs of administering the program.
- Requires the California Health and Human Services Agency, contingent on an appropriation, to administer a grant program to provide funding to local educational agencies, including charter schools, to implement evidence-based interventions for pupils impacted by trauma, and to an organization to study specified pupil outcomes, for the improvement in the health and well-being of the youth and school and community stability.
- Requires the agency to develop an application process and criteria for funding, evaluate those applications, and develop a list of evidence-based interventions that local educational agencies receiving grants may implement, among other things.
- Renames the Public School Health Center Support Program to the School-Based Health Center Support Program and makes numerous changes to the program, including its grant program.
- Establishes a grant program to be administered by the Department of Parks and Recreation, contingent on an appropriation, for the purpose of awarding grants to local governments and community-based organizations to support existing and create new parks and recreation opportunities in order to create and enhance recreation- and health-based interventions for youth during peak times of violence. Outlines requirements in developing and implementing the grant program.
- Defines terms for purposes of the bill.
Related Legislation:
- AB 1454 (Jones-Sawyer) Chapter 584, Statutes of 2019, authorized additional grants to within the YRGP to administer diversion programs, as specified.
- AB 1812 (Jones-Sawyer) Chapter 36, Statutes of 2018, established the YRGP within the BSCC and appropriated funds for purposes of trauma-informed programs for minors, as specified.
Staff Comments:
The bill allows DOJ and OYCR to spend 7% and 3%, respectively, of the funds appropriated to them for program administration. The bill does not provide administrative cost guidelines for the other administering departments. If administrative costs for those agencies cannot be paid out of the grant funding appropriations, there will be administrative costs for each agency, likely in the high hundreds of thousands to the low millions of dollars annually.
-- END --
SENATE COMMITTEE ON
Senator Anthony Portantino, Chair
2023 - 2024 Regular Session
AB 912 (Jones-Sawyer) - Strategic Anti-Violence Funding Efforts Act
Version: | Policy Vote: |
Urgency: | Mandate: |
Hearing Date: | Consultant: |
Bill Summary:
AB 912 would, subject to an appropriation, establish the Violence Reduction Grant Program to be administered by the Department of Justice (DOJ), re-establish the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program to be administered by the Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR), and create additional grant programs designed to improve the health and well-being of youth.
Fiscal Impact:
- DOJ – low millions
- OYCR – approx. $850k
- DHCS –
- CDE
- Parks
Background:
In recent decades, violence has come to be widely been recognized as a public health issue. Societal changes in the second half of the twentieth century, including evolving views regarding child abuse and intimate partner violence, increased rates of homicide and suicide, and acceptance among public health researchers and practitioners regarding the significance of causal or preventative links between behavioral factors and disease led to widespread recognition and acceptance of addressing violence from a public health approach.
The Youth Reinvestment Grant (YRG) program was established in the 2018 Budget Act and a related trailer bill. The YRG program is aimed at diverting low-level offenders from initial contact with the juvenile justice system using approaches that are evidence-based, culturally relevant, trauma-informed, and developmentally appropriate. When initially created, only California cities and counties were eligible to apply for grants. The applicant was required to designate a “lead public agency,” such as the applicant city or county, or a department or agency within the applicant’s jurisdiction, to receive 10% the funds and to coordinate with local law enforcement agencies, social service agencies, and nonprofit organizations to implement the local grant program. Applicants were required to pass through the remaining 90% of awarded funds to community-based organizations to deliver diversion programs to minors.
AB 1454 (Jones-Sawyer, Chapter 584, Statutes 2019) revised the program to allow a non-profit organization to apply directly for a grant through the YRG program and increased the maximum grant amount from $1,000,000 to $2,000,000. Examples of funded programs include a range of after-school and mentoring programs and a program that provides services to at-risk or justice-involved youth (such as a late-night sports league, case management, and mentorship).
Proposed Law:
- Re-establishes the YRG program, makes changes to the existing grant program, and designates the OYCR to administer it.
- Requires YRG funds to be allocated as follows:
- Three percent for administrative costs.
- $500,000 for evaluation of the grant program.
- $500,000 for technical assistance to grantees.
- Ten percent for Native American youth diversion programs.
- All remaining funds to be used for youth diversion programs.
- Requires that OYCR allocate YRG funds through a three-year competitive grant program for the purpose of implementing a mixed-delivery system of trauma-informed health and development diversion programs for youth.
- Establishes eligibility criteria to receive YRG funding, as specified.
- Requires grants awarded to be no less than $50,000 and no more than $2,000,000.
- Requires diversion services to be provided in communities described as areas with high needs. Requires services to be evidence based, trauma informed, culturally relevant, gender responsive, and developmentally appropriate.
- Requires applicants to have experience effectively serving populations of youth who are juvenile justice system-involved or at-risk of system involvement. Requires priority be given to organizations that employ people with lived experience as a youth in the juvenile justice system.
- Requires that diversion programs include alternatives to arrest, incarceration, and formal involvement with the justice system with priority given to programs that divert youth at the earliest possible point of involvement. Requires diversion programs to also include one or more of the following: educational services; career development services; mentoring services; behavioral health services, including substance use treatment; mental health services; housing services; personal development and leadership training services; or prosocial activities.
- Provides that the OYCR is responsible for the administration, oversight, and compliance of the YRG. Requires the OYCR to support grantee data collection and analysis, contract with a research firm or university to conduct a statewide evaluation of the program, and contract with a technical assistance provider to support implementation of the program and to build capacity of grantee organizations. Specifies that $500,000 must be set aside to contract with the researcher for evaluation and $500,000 must be set aside to contract with the technical assistance provider.
- Establishes a grant program, contingent on an appropriation, to be administered by the Department of Justice (DOJ) for the purpose of improving public safety and community health and well-being with a focus on communities that are impacted by violence and gang involvement.
- Requires grants awarded to be used to support, expand, and replicate evidence-based, focused-deterrence collaborative programs that conduct outreach to targeted gangs and offer supportive services in order to preemptively reduce and eliminate violence and gang involvement. Requires the supportive services to include job training, health care, and crisis response to shootings and violence, among other services. Requires DOJ to give priority for funding to schools, community-based organizations, and nonprofit organizations.
- Requires grants to be awarded on a competitive basis with preference to cities and local jurisdictions that are disproportionately impacted by violence and gang involvement.
- Establishes requirements for a grant application and requires the DOJ to give preference to applicants whose grant proposals demonstrate the greatest likelihood of reducing the incidence of violence and gang involvement in the applicant’s community, without contributing to mass incarceration.
- Requires each city and other local jurisdiction that receives a grant to distribute no less than 50 percent of the grant funds to one or both of the following: community-based organizations, or public agencies or departments that are primarily dedicated to community safety or violence prevention.
- Authorizes DOJ to use up to 7 percent of the funds appropriated for the program each year for the costs of administering the program.
- Requires the California Health and Human Services Agency, contingent on an appropriation, to administer a grant program to provide funding to local educational agencies, including charter schools, to implement evidence-based interventions for pupils impacted by trauma, and to an organization to study specified pupil outcomes, for the improvement in the health and well-being of the youth and school and community stability.
- Requires the agency to develop an application process and criteria for funding, evaluate those applications, and develop a list of evidence-based interventions that local educational agencies receiving grants may implement, among other things.
- Renames the Public School Health Center Support Program to the School-Based Health Center Support Program and makes numerous changes to the program, including its grant program.
- Establishes a grant program to be administered by the Department of Parks and Recreation, contingent on an appropriation, for the purpose of awarding grants to local governments and community-based organizations to support existing and create new parks and recreation opportunities in order to create and enhance recreation- and health-based interventions for youth during peak times of violence. Outlines requirements in developing and implementing the grant program.
- Defines terms for purposes of the bill.
Related Legislation:
- AB 1454 (Jones-Sawyer) Chapter 584, Statutes of 2019, authorized additional grants to within the YRGP to administer diversion programs, as specified.
- AB 1812 (Jones-Sawyer) Chapter 36, Statutes of 2018, established the YRGP within the BSCC and appropriated funds for purposes of trauma-informed programs for minors, as specified.
Staff Comments:
>
-- END --
SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH
Senator Dr. Susan Talamantes Eggman, Chair
BILL NO: AB 912
AUTHOR: | Jones-Sawyer | ||
VERSION: | May 18, 2023 | ||
HEARING DATE: | July 12, 2023 | ||
CONSULTANT: | Reyes Diaz | ||
SUBJECT: Strategic Anti-Violence Funding Efforts Act
SUMMARY:
Renames the Public School Health Center Support Program as the School-Based Health Center Support Program, and makes various changes to assist in providing and expanding health services to students through school-based health centers. Establish the Violence Reduction Grant Program to be administered by the Department of Justice. Establishes additional grant programs designed to improve the health and well-being of youth, including by creating park and recreation opportunities, and addressing trauma. Makes these various grant programs contingent upon appropriation by the Legislature for these purposes.
Existing law:
- Requires the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), to the extent funding is appropriated annually in the Budget Act or other statute, to establish the Public School Health Center Support Program (PSHCSP), in collaboration with the California Department of Education (CDE), to assist in establishing, expanding, and sustaining school-based health centers (SBHCs), as specified. Requires CDPH to establish a grant program for local educational agencies (LEAs) for these purposes. [HSC §124174, et seq.]
- Requires the PSHCSP, in collaboration with CDE, to perform the following functions:
- Provide technical assistance to SBHCs on effective outreach and enrollment strategies to identify children who are eligible for, but not enrolled in, the Medi-Cal program, the Healthy Families Program, or any other applicable program;
- Serve as a liaison between organizations within CDPH, including, but not limited to, prevention services, primary care, and family health;
- Serve as a liaison between other state entities, as appropriate, including, but not limited to, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), the Department of Managed Health Care, the Office of Emergency Services, and the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board; and,
- Provide technical assistance to facilitate and encourage the establishment, retention, or expansion of SBHCs, as specified. [HSC §124174.2]
- Permits SBHCs to provide age-appropriate health care services at the program site, including conducting routine physical, mental, and oral health assessments onsite, and providing referrals for any services not offered onsite. Permits a SBHC to serve two or more nonadjacent schools or LEAs. [HSC §124174]
- Requires grant recipients to meet or have a plan to meet specified requirements, including providing such services as:
- Physical examinations, immunizations, and other preventive services;
- Management of chronic medical conditions;
- Reproductive health services; and,
- Mental health services, as specified. [HSC §124174.6]
- Requires CDPH to give preference for grant funding to schools in areas designated as federally medically underserved or in areas with medically underserved populations; schools with a high percentage of low-income and uninsured children and youth; schools with large numbers of limited-English proficient students; schools in areas with a shortage of health professionals; and low-performing schools, as specified. [HSC §124174.6]
- Requires CDE to establish an Office of School-Based Health Programs (OSBHP) for the purpose of assisting LEAs regarding the health-related programs under CDE’s purview and expanding access to SBHCs. Requires the scope of the OSBHP to include assisting LEA’s in such things as the Administrative Claiming process and LEA Medi-Cal Billing Option Program under the state’s Medi-Cal program. [EDC §49419]
- Establishes the Medi-Cal program, administered by DHCS, under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services, including through SBHCs. [WIC §14000, et seq.]
- Establishes the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program (YRGP) within the California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) for the purpose of granting funds, as specified. [WIC §1450]
- Establishes the Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR) in the California Health and Human Services Agency with a mission to promote trauma responsive, culturally informed services for youth involved in the juvenile justice system that support their successful transition to adulthood and help them become responsible, thriving, and engaged members of the community. Requires all juvenile justice grant administration functions in the BSCC to be moved to the OYCR no later than January 1, 2025. [WIC §2200]
- Requires the Department of Parks and Recreation (CDPR) to establish a local assistance program to distribute grants to the most critically underserved communities across the state, on a competitive basis, to eligible cities, counties, joint powers authorities, districts, and nonprofit organizations for the acquisition or development, or both, of property for parks and recreation areas and facilities. [PRC §5643]
This bill:
School-Based Health Center Support Program (SBHCSP)
- Renames the PSHCSP as the SBHCSP.
- Expands the SBHCSP to:
- Provide primary medical care, behavioral health services (including substance use disorder services with referral to treatment, as specified), and dental care services through mobile health or telehealth;
- Strive to provide a comprehensive and integrated set of services provided or supervised by credentialed professionals, in addition to the currently required licensed professionals;
- Strive to address the population health of the entire school campus within the school’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports employed by the LEA, as specified;
- Strive to provide integrated and individualized support for students and families, as specified;
- Strive to integrate the SBHC in the school or LEA’s community school model;
- Strive to provide integrated and individualized support for students and families, and to act as a partner with the student or family to ensure health, social, or behavioral challenges are addressed;
- Increase, beginning on or before January 1, 2025, planning grants from $25,000-$50,000 for six to12 months to $50,000-$100,000 for up to 24 months, as specified. Additionally requires these grantees to collect data on the percentage of students eligible for private health care coverage benefits;
- Increase, beginning on or before January 1, 2025, facilities and startup grants from $20,000-$250,000 to $300,000-$850,000. Gives additional preference for these grants for proposals that include plans to provide integrated primary medical care and behavioral health services; and,
- Provide expansion grants ranging from $150,000-$300,000 to renovate and improve an existing SBHC or enhance and expand a fully operational SBHC, as specified. Requires these grantees to be eligible to become or already be an approved Medi-Cal provider; have ability and procedures in place for billing public insurance, managed care health plans, or county mental health plans; and, to develop a plan for sustaining expanded services after the grant period; and,
- Provide, beginning on or before January 1, 2025, sustainability grants in amounts between $150,000 and $300,000, inclusive, per year ongoing for the purpose of operating a SBHC. Requires these applicants to meet specified criteria in addition to being eligible to become or already be an approved Medi-Cal provider; having ability and procedures in place for billing public insurance, managed care health plans, or county mental health plans; and, developing a plan for sustaining expanded services after the grant period.
- Requires CDPH to additionally give grant funding preference to SBHCs in areas experiencing health disparities in child and adolescent access to primary, behavioral, preventive, or oral health services.
- Adds to the scope of the OSBHP within CDE to include working with CDPH in supporting the SBHCSP.
- Requires all grant recipients, when contracting for services with grant money, to give preference to schools and other entities that are not law enforcement entities.
- Makes various nonsubstantive, conforming changes.
California Department of Justice (DOJ) Violence Reduction Grant Program (VRGP)
- Requires DOJ to administer the VRGP for the purpose of improving public safety and community health and well-being, especially among those communities that are impacted by violence and gang involvement, with preference to cities and local jurisdictions that are disproportionately impacted by violence and gang involvement.
- Requires grants awarded to be used to support, expand, and replicate evidence-based, focused-deterrence collaborative programs that conduct outreach to targeted gangs and offer supportive services in order to preemptively reduce and eliminate violence and gang involvement. Requires the programs to be primarily designed to reduce violent crimes by bringing together a collaborative partnership to communicate to individuals who are identified as having the highest risk of perpetrating or being victimized by violence or gang involvement, as specified, with supportive services that include, but are not limited to, job training, health care, and crisis response to shootings and violence, among other services. Requires DOJ to give priority for funding to schools, community-based organizations, and nonprofit organizations.
- Requires DOJ, in awarding these grants, to give preference to applicants whose grant proposals demonstrate the greatest likelihood of reducing the incidence of violence and gang involvement in the applicant’s community, without contributing to mass incarceration.
- Requires each city and other local jurisdiction that receives a grant pursuant to this section to distribute no less than 50% of the grant funds to one or both of the following types of entities: community-based organizations; and public agencies or departments that are primarily dedicated to community safety or violence prevention. Permits DOJ to use up to 7% of the funds appropriated for the VRGP each year for the costs of administering it.
- Requires each grantee to report to DOJ their progress in achieving the grant objectives. Requires DOJ, by no later than 90 days following the close of each grant cycle, to prepare and submit a report to the Legislature regarding the impact of the violence prevention initiatives supported by the VRGP and to make evaluations of the grant program available to the public.
- Requires the VRGP to be implemented upon appropriation by the Legislature.
Parks and Recreation for Youth
- Requires CDPR to award grants to local governments and, with preference, community-based organizations for the purpose of supporting existing and creating new parks and recreation opportunities, as well as supporting existing and creating new summer programs for youth, including, but not limited to, extended park hours and expanded programming for nighttime sports, educational activities, and visual and performing arts opportunities, in order to create and enhance recreation- and health-based interventions for youth during peak times of violence.
- Requires CDPR to give priority for funding to outdoor recreation- and health-based intervention programs that primarily provide outreach to and serve youth who are impacted by violence and gang involvement in their communities. Requires CDPR, when available, to additionally give priority for funding to schools and nonprofit organizations.
- Requires CDPR to gather information from applicants following each award year for purposes of evaluating the effectiveness of selected programs in achieving the overall objectives of the grant program. Requires CDPR to annually summarize and report this information for the previous award year to the appropriate policy, budget, and fiscal committees of the Legislature, including the total number of youth served; the total number and types of entities that received grant awards; appropriate recommendations to improve the grant program; partnerships formed; educational objectives achieved; the total number of applications received; and, the total number of youth who would have been served if all applicants for the award year received grant awards.
- Requires this grant program to be implemented upon appropriation by the Legislature.
YRGP
- Revises the YRGP to require the OYCR, rather than the BSCC, to establish the YRGP and establishes the Youth Reinvestment Fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to be allocated as follows: 3% to be used for administrative costs; $500,000 for evaluation of the YRGP; $500,000 for technical assistance to grantees; 10% for Native American youth diversion programs; and, the remaining funds for youth diversion program, as specified.
- Requires the OYCR to allocate funds through a three-year competitive grant program for the purpose of implementing a mixed-delivery system of trauma-informed health and development diversion programs. Requires the OYCR to distribute grants under specified conditions, such as: permitting applicants from two or more local jurisdictions to apply for funding on a regional effort basis; awarding grants to applicants who have obtained an official letter from at least one referring agency demonstrating the agency’s intent to refer diverted youth to the diversion program; having experience effectively serving populations of youth who are juvenile justice system-involved or at-risk of system involvement; and, giving preference to organizations that employ people with lived experience as a youth in the juvenile justice system.
Trauma Intervention Program (TIP)
- Requires the California Health and Human Services Agency (CHHSA) to administer a grant program, upon appropriation by the Legislature for this purpose, to provide funding to LEAs, including charter schools, to implement evidence-based interventions for pupils impacted by trauma, and to an organization to study specified pupil outcomes, for the improvement in the health and well-being of the youth and school and community stability.
- Requires CHHSA to develop a list of evidence-based interventions that LEAs receiving funding may implement. Requires LEAs to demonstrate how they will prioritize interventions for pupils most impacted by trauma and typically unable to access traditional services, such as: pupils who are low income or homeless; display symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder or severe trauma-related symptoms; members of immigrant and refugee groups; pupils with exceptional needs; and, pupils who interact with child protective systems or who have had contact with the juvenile justice system.
- Requires CHHSA to give TIP grant priority to, but not limit eligibility to, applicants located in the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles, as regions most impacted by gun violence.
- Requires recipients of these grants, when contracting for services with grant money, to give priority to schools, community-based organizations, and nonprofit organizations.
- Requires CHHSA, every five years, to open eligibility for TIP grants and to give priority to the top six counties with the highest rate of violent crime and homicide, as reported by the DOJ’s annual crime data report.
- Makes a Legislative finding and declaration that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable, as specified, because of the high rate of violent crime in the Counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles.
FISCAL EFFECT:
According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee:
One-time cost (GF) of $235 million, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the following agencies: (a) $50 million to CDPH to provide grants to school-based health centers; (b) $50 million to CHHSA to administer a trauma intervention program; (c) $50 million to CDPR to award grants for parks and recreation opportunities and youth activities; (d) $50 million to OYCR for youth reinvestment grants; and (e) $35 million to DOJ for violence reduction grants.
Potential ongoing administrative costs (GF) to CDPH, CHHSA, CDPR, OYCR, and DOJ of an unknown but significant amount. The bill allows DOJ and OYCR to spend 7% and 3%, respectively, of the funds appropriated to them for program administration. The bill does not provide administrative cost guidelines for CDPH, CHHSA, or CDPR. If administrative costs for those agencies are not paid out of appropriations, the administrative costs for each agency would likely be in the low millions of dollars annually. To the extent the bill adds additional responsibilities for CDPH, CHHSA, CDPR, OYCR, and DOJ outside of administration of the grant programs described above, those responsibilities would likely result in workload pressures requiring additional GF funding.
PRIOR VOTES:
Senate Public Safety Committee: | 5 - 0 |
Assembly Floor: | 77 - 0 |
Assembly Appropriations Committee: | 12 - 0 |
Assembly Education Committee: | 6 - 0 |
Assembly Public Safety Committee: | 7 - 0 |
COMMENTS:
- Author’s statement. According to the author, by advancing sensible legislation and budget items to improve public safety and advance justice and equity, the State Legislature has decreased the number of incarcerated people in California. As a result, the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) estimates $235 million annual cost savings associated with two recent prison closures. It is imperative that the resulting savings be reinvested into effective strategies proven to further reduce crime and violence. This bill, the Strategic Anti-Violence Funding Efforts Act (SAFE Act), will capture the savings from the closure of two prisons in the 2023-24 state budget and reinvest those funds in programs with proven success. By keeping the funding within our crime prevention budget rather than sending it back to the GF, we send a message that our efforts to reduce crime are continuous, and we provide much needed resources for some outstanding programs. As such, the SAFE Act, specifically, will extend funding for the YRGP; reduce gang violence and gang involvement through programs modeled after successful ones, such as Oakland Ceasefire; expand early trauma-informed intervention programs to school-aged kids; increase access to physical and mental health services for K-12 students through school-based health centers; and, support parks and recreation opportunities, including summer youth leagues and extended programming.
- SBHCs. According to the California School-Based Health Alliance (CSBHA) website, there are 293 SBHCs in California but over 10,000 schools, and their distribution is not a coordinated, state-wide project, although individual districts have strategically worked to increase access to care. Many SBHCs are located in schools serving some of the state’s most vulnerable children: 70% of students attending schools with a SBHC receive free and reduced-priced lunches and primarily serve low-income students and reduce health disparities for young people by increasing access to comprehensive health care. SBHCs also improve educational equity by reducing barriers to learning (e.g. missed school days due to illness), often disproportionately experienced by low-income students and students of color. The most common organizations serving as the health care providers and sponsors of SBHCs in California are community health centers and school districts. Other sponsoring organizations include county health departments, hospitals and medical centers, mental health agencies, nonprofit community-based organizations, and private physician groups. SBHCs are also funded through third-party reimbursement from state-sponsored programs, such as Medi-Cal. The CSBHA, the sponsor of this bill, states that SBHCs provide a safe place for students and family members to talk about challenging issues (depression, behavior problems, academic performance, substance abuse, sexuality, or relationships, etc.). SBHCs can connect medical services and mental health services to classroom health education, group interventions, and other campus projects, clubs, or activities. SBHCs offer a range of services with the most common being primary medical services. Services are provided at no or low cost to clients. No one is refused service for inability to pay. Some of the common services provided by SBHCs in California (and the percentage of SBHCs offering them) include: medical services (85%); mental health services (70%); reproductive health screening and prevention (57%); reproductive health clinical care (60%); dental prevention services (65%); dental treatment services (35%); and, youth engagement programs (51%).
- PSHCSP. AB 2560 (Ridley-Thomas, Chapter 334, Statutes of 2006) established the PSHCSP to provide technical assistance to school health centers on effective outreach and enrollment strategies to identify children who are eligible for, but not enrolled in, the Medi-Cal program, the Healthy Families Program, or any other applicable program; to serve as a liaison between organizations within CDE and between other state entities, as appropriate, and provide technical assistance to facilitate and encourage the establishment, retention, or expansion of school health centers. SB 564 (Ridley-Thomas, Chapter 381, Statutes of 2008) created, to the extent funds are appropriated for implementation of the PSHCSP, a grant program to provide technical assistance and funding for the expansion, renovation, and retrofitting of existing school health centers and the development of new school health centers. According to CDPH, the PSHCSP was not established within CDPH due to lack of funding appropriated for this purpose. During FY 2016-17, the Legislature appropriated limited one-time funding of $600,000 for CDPH to provide technical assistance in the development and expansion of school-based health centers. The FY 2017-18 Budget included an additional $600,000 in one-time funding. CDPH utilized this funding to establish relationships and serve as a liaison to SBHCs.
- YRGP. The YRGP was established in the 2018 Budget Act and a related trailer bill, and is aimed at diverting low-level offenders from initial contact with the juvenile justice system using approaches that are evidence-based, culturally relevant, trauma-informed, and developmentally appropriate. Currently, only California cities and counties are eligible to apply for grants. Current law requires the applicant to designate a lead public agency, which may be the applicant city or county, or a department or agency within the applicant’s jurisdiction to receive 10% of the funds and to coordinate with local law enforcement agencies, social service agencies, and nonprofit organizations to implement the local grant program. Applicants are required to pass through the remaining 90% of awarded funds to community-based organizations to deliver diversion programs to minors. Over $37 million was appropriated to the YRG program in the 2018 budget. Ninety-four percent of that amount must be awarded to local jurisdictions through a competitive grant process. Three percent of the amount must be awarded to Native American tribes for implementing diversion programs for tribal youth. The final three percent is available to BSCC for the administration of the grant program. All juvenile justice grant administration functions in the BSCC are required to move to OYCR no later than January 1, 2025.
- Double referral. This bill was heard in the Senate Public Safety Committee on June 20, 2023, and passed with a 5-0 vote.
- Related legislation. AB 85 (Weber) requires health plans and insurers to cover screenings for social determinants of health (SDOH) and provide primary care providers with adequate access to community health workers, social workers, and other specified types of workers. Requires DHCS to provide reimbursement for SDOH screenings as a covered Medi-Cal benefit. Requires the Department of Health Care Access and Information to convene a working group with specified membership to create a standardized model for connecting patients to community resources. AB 85 is set for hearing on July 10, 2023 in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
AB 1110 (Arambula) requires DHCS and the California Office of the Surgeon General (CA-OSG), subject to an appropriation and in collaboration with specified stakeholders, to review data and develop guidance for adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) screenings to be posted on the CA-OSG website. Sunsets this bill on January 1, 2027. AB 1110 is pending in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
- Prior legislation. AB 1940 (Salas of 2022) was similar to this bill’s provisions that rename the PSHCSP to the SBHCSP and increase grant amounts. AB 1940 was vetoed by Governor Newsom who stated that the author's effort to modernize the existing PSHCSP and their intent to increase access to physical and behavioral health services for students was appreciated, as SBHCs are vital tools to address the significant disparities in both health and educational outcomes for the state's children and youth. However, the bill could create significant one-time Proposition 98 General Fund cost pressures in the tens of millions of dollars to fund the SBHCSP, and ongoing General Fund costs in the millions of dollars for CDPH to administer the program that were not included in the budget. With the state facing lower-than-expected revenues over the first few months of this fiscal year, it is important to remain disciplined when it comes to spending. The Legislature sent measures with potential costs of well over $20 billion in one-time spending commitments and more than $10 billion in ongoing commitments not accounted for in the state budget. Bills with significant fiscal impact, such as this bill, should be considered and accounted for as part of the annual budget process.
AB 130 (Committee on Budget, Chapter 44, Statutes of 2021) among various provisions, required CDE, no later than January 1, 2022, to establish an OSBHP.
AB 563 (Berman, O’Donnell, and Ramos of 2021) and AB 1322 (Berman and O’Donnell of 2019) would have required CDE, no later than July 1, 2022, to establish an Office of School-Based Health Programs for the purpose of administering health-related programs under the purview of CDE and advising on issues related to the delivery of school-based Medi-Cal services. AB 563 was not heard in the Senate Education Committee. AB 1322 was vetoed by Governor Newsom who stated that in recognition that all state agencies must work together to better support our youth, the 2019 Budget Act included $500,000 in one-time funding to support the creation of an interagency collaborative between CDE, DHCS, and other regional and state agencies to improve the coordination and accessibility of services and supports to students. While this bill is well-intentioned, the creation of a school-based health unit at CDE would be premature given this recent investment.
AB 1454 (Jones-Sawyer, Chapter 584, Statutes of 2019) revised and recast the YRGP by increasing the maximum grant award from $1 million to $2 million and allowing nonprofit organizations to apply for grants through the YRGP.
SB 840 (Mitchell, Chapter 29, Statutes of 2018) and AB 1812 (Committee on Budget, Chapter 36, Statutes of 2018) established the YRGP.
AB 766 (Ridley-Thomas of 2015) would have required CDPH to give PSHCSP grant funding preference to schools with a high percentage of children and youth who receive free or low-cost insurance through Medi-Cal. AB 766 was held on the Senate Appropriations Committee suspense file.
SB 596 (Yee of 2014) would have required CDE to establish a three-year pilot program in four schools to provide school-based mental health services that leverage cross-system resources and offer comprehensive multi-tiered interventions; allocated a total of $600,000 in start-up funding to each school selected to participate in the program; and required CDE to submit a report to the Legislature evaluating the success of the program. SB 596 was held at the Assembly Desk.
AB 1955 (Pan of 2014) would have required the Superintendent of Public Instruction to establish the Healthy Kids, Healthy Minds Demonstration to provide grants to LEAs for the purpose of employing one full-time school nurse and one full-time mental health professional, and ensured that the schools’ libraries were open one hour before and three hours after the regular school day. AB 1955 was held on the Assembly Appropriations Committee suspense file.
SB 564 (Ridley-Thomas, Chapter 381, Statutes of 2008) created, to the extent funds are appropriated for this purpose, the PSHCSP grant program.
AB 2560 (Ridley-Thomas, Chapter 334, Statutes of 2006) established, to the extent funding was made available, the PSHCSP.
- Support. Supporters of this bill, largely organizations that advocate on behalf of youth and that work in the restorative justice space, state that on December 6, 2022, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation announced the closure and exiting of contract for two additional prison facilities. With the closure of these facilities, the LAO estimates a cost savings of $235.3 million annually. Rather than returning to the General Fund, it is imperative these savings are kept within the Legislature’s crime prevention budget and reinvested into effective strategies proven to further reduce crime and violence. Studies have shown health-based approaches have been successful in curbing violence through applied, skill-based prevention programs. Addressing youth mental health and ACEs is crucial in mitigating long-term effects, such as substance abuse, mental illness, chronic health problems, and criminality. Existing programs have been successful in providing crucial resources and early intervention to youth.
SUPPORT AND OPPOSITION:
Support: California School-Based Health Alliance (cosponsor)
National Center for Youth Law (cosponsor)
Adolescent Health Working Group
Alliance for a Better Community
Alta Public Schools
American Academy of Pediatrics, California
Bay Area Community Resources
California Alliance of Caregivers
California Alliance of Child and Family Services
California Alliance for Youth and Community Justice
California Calls
California Children’s Trust
California Faculty Association
California Health+ Advocates
California Public Defenders Association
California School-Age Consortium
California School-Based Health Alliance
Californians for Safety and Justice
Californians United for a Responsible Budget
Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice
Children Now
Community Agency for Resources, Advocacy and Services
Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County
Community Works
Defy Ventures
Drug Policy Alliance
Ella Baker Center for Human Rights
Essential Access Health
Equality California
ExpandLA
Faith in the Valley
FASD Network of Southern California
Freedom 4 Youth
Freedom Within Prison Project
Fresh Lifelines for Youth
Friends Committee on Legislation of California
Haywood Burns Institute
Indivisible CA: StateStrong
Insight Prison Project
James Morehouse Project
John Burton Advocates for Youth
KALW Public Media
Kids in Common
La Clínica De La Raza
La Defensa
Lake County Office of Education
Lincoln Families
Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office
Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Debra Duardo
Los Angeles Unified School District
March for Our Lives
Motivating Individual Leadership for Public Advancement
National Association of Social Workers—California Chapter
National Center for Lesbian Rights
National Center for Youth Law
National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform
Pacific Juvenile Defender Center
Partners Against Violence
Prosecutors Alliance California
Racial and Ethnic Mental Health Disparities Coalition
ReEvolution
Rising Communities
Sacred Purpose LLC
San Francisco Board of Supervisors
San Francisco Youth Commission
San Mateo Union High School District
Santa Cruz Barrios Unidos
Santa Cruz County Office of Education
Sharefest Community Development
Sigma Beta Xi, Inc.
Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition
Smart Justice California
Sow A Seed Community Foundation
Starting Over, Inc.
Success Stories Program
Teens for Vaccines
The Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health
TheatreWorkers Project
To Help Everyone Health and Wellness Centers
Women’s Foundation California
Transformative In-Prison Workgroup
Young Women’s Freedom Center
Youth Alliance
Youth Forward
Youth Mentoring Connection
Oppose: None received
-- END --
SENATE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY
Senator Aisha Wahab, Chair
2023 - 2024 Regular
Bill No: AB 912 Hearing Date: June 20, 2023
Author: | Jones-Sawyer | ||
Version: | May 18, 2023 | ||
Urgency: | No | Fiscal: | Yes |
Consultant: | SJ | ||
Subject: Strategic Anti-Violence Funding Efforts Act
HISTORY
Source: Author
Prior Legislation: AB 1454 (Jones-Sawyer), Ch. 584, Stats. 2019
AB 1812 (Jones-Sawyer), Ch. 36, Stats. 2018
Support: California Alliance of Caregivers; California Children’s Trust; California Faculty Association; California Health+Advocates; California Public Defenders Association; California School-Age Consortium; California School-Based Health Alliance; Californians United for a Responsible Budget; Children Now; Community Works; Equality California; ExpandLA; Fresh Lifelines for Youth; Friends Committee on Legislation of California; Haywood Burns Institute; Los Angeles Unified School District; March for Our Lives Action Fund; National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter; National Center for Lesbian Rights; Rising Communities; Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition; Starting Over; T.H.E. Health and Wellness Centers; Women’s Foundation California; Young Women’s Freedom Center; Youth Alliance
Opposition: None known
Assembly Floor Vote: 77 - 0
PURPOSE
The purpose of this bill is to re-establish the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program to be administered by the Office of Youth and Community Restoration and revise components of the program, establish the Violence Reduction Grant Program to be administered by the Department of Justice, and create additional grant programs designed to improve the health and well-being of youth.
Existing law establishes the Youth Reinvestment Grant (YRG) Program within the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) for the purpose of granting funds, as specified. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 1450.)
Existing law requires that 3 percent of funds for the YRG be allocated to Indian tribes for the purpose of implementing diversion programs for Indian children that use trauma-informed, community-based, and health-based interventions. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 1453, subd. (a).)
Existing law requires that priority be given to diversion programs addressing the needs of Indian children who experience high rates of juvenile arrest, suicide, alcohol and substance abuse, and average high school graduation rates lower than 75 percent. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 1453, subd. (b).)
Existing law requires YRG funds to be allocated by the BSCC through a competitive grant process for the purpose of implementing trauma-informed diversion programs for youth. Provides that grants be awarded to a local governmental entity or nonprofit organization for no less $50,000 and no more than $2 million. Requires an applicant to provide at least a 25-percent cash or in-kind match to the grant, except as provided. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 1458, subds. (a) & (b).)
Existing law requires ninety percent of YRG funds awarded to a local government entity to pass through to community-based organizations to deliver services in underserved communities with high rates of youth arrests. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 1458, subd. (b)(3).)
Existing law requires services offered to youth be community based, evidence based, culturally relevant, and developmentally appropriate. Requires services to be located in communities of local jurisdictions with the high needs. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 1458, subd. (b)(4).)
Existing law provides that the BSCC is responsible for oversight and accountability of the YRG, including supporting grantee data collection, contracting with a research firm or university to conduct a statewide evaluation of the grant program, and assisting the research firm or university by providing relevant, existing data for the purposes of tracking outcomes. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 1459.)
Existing law establishes the Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR) in the California Health and Human Services Agency with a mission to promote trauma responsive, culturally informed services for youth involved in the juvenile justice system that support their successful transition to adulthood and help them become responsible, thriving, and engaged members of the community. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 2200, subds. (a) & (b).)
Existing law moves all juvenile justice grant administration functions in the BSCC to the OYCR no later than January 1, 2025. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 2200, subd. (h).)
This bill re-establishes the YRG program, makes changes to the existing grant program, and designates the OYCR to administer it.
This bill requires YRG funds to be allocated as follows:
- Three percent for administrative costs.
- $500,000 for evaluation of the grant program.
- $500,000 for technical assistance to grantees.
- Ten percent for Native American youth diversion programs.
- All remaining funds to be used for youth diversion programs.
This bill includes the following definitions:
- “Applicant” and “grantee” mean an eligible tribal government, tribal organization, or a nonprofit community-based organization that meets specified requirements.
- “Area of high need” means either of the following: a city or a ZIP Code with rates of youth arrests that are higher than the county average, based on available arrest data; or a city or a ZIP Code with racial or ethnic disparities in youth arrests that are higher than their representation in the county population, as described by the applicant.
- “Diversion” means a nonpunitive response to address a youth’s conduct without involving a youth formally in the juvenile justice system.
- “Diversion program” means a program that promotes positive youth development by relying on responses that prevent a youth’s involvement or further involvement in the justice system.
- “Mixed-delivery system” means a system of adolescent development and education support services delivered through a combination of programs, providers, and settings that include partnerships between community-based nonprofit organizations and public agencies and that is supported with a combination of public and private funds.
- “Referring agency” means organizations or agencies that may refer youth to diversion programs, including, but not limited to, education, law enforcement, child welfare, behavioral health, and public health entities.
- “Trauma-informed” means an approach that involves an understanding of adverse childhood experiences and responding to symptoms of chronic interpersonal trauma and traumatic stress across the lifespan of an individual.
- “Youth” means a person who is subject to the jurisdiction of the juvenile court.
This bill requires that OYCR allocate YRG funds through a three-year competitive grant program for the purpose of implementing a mixed-delivery system of trauma-informed health and development diversion programs for youth.
This bill outlines eligibility criteria to receive YRG funding, as specified.
This bill requires grants awarded to be no less than $50,000 and no more than $2,000,000.
This bill requires diversion services to be provided in communities described as areas with high needs. Requires services to be evidence based, trauma informed, culturally relevant, gender responsive, and developmentally appropriate.
This bill requires applicants to have experience effectively serving populations of youth who are juvenile justice system-involved or at-risk of system involvement. Requires priority be given to organizations that employ people with lived experience as a youth in the juvenile justice system.
This bill requires that diversion programs include alternatives to arrest, incarceration, and formal involvement with the justice system with priority given to programs that divert youth at the earliest possible point of involvement. Requires diversion programs to also include one or more of the following: educational services; career development services; mentoring services; behavioral health services, including substance use treatment; mental health services; housing services; personal development and leadership training services; or prosocial activities.
This bill provides that the OYCR is responsible for the administration, oversight, and compliance of the YRG. Requires the OYCR to support grantee data collection and analysis, contract with a research firm or university to conduct a statewide evaluation of the program, and contract with a technical assistance provider to support implementation of the program and to build capacity of grantee organizations. Specifies that $500,000 must be set aside to contract with the researcher for evaluation and $500,000 must be set aside to contract with the technical assistance provider.
This bill establishes a grant program, contingent on an appropriation, to be administered by the Department of Justice (DOJ) for the purpose of improving public safety and community health and well-being with a focus on communities that are impacted by violence and gang involvement.
This bill requires grants awarded to be used to support, expand, and replicate evidence-based, focused-deterrence collaborative programs that conduct outreach to targeted gangs and offer supportive services in order to preemptively reduce and eliminate violence and gang involvement. Requires the supportive services to include job training, health care, and crisis response to shootings and violence, among other services. Requires DOJ to give priority for funding to schools, community-based organizations, and nonprofit organizations.
This bill requires grants to be awarded on a competitive basis with preference to cities and local jurisdictions that are disproportionately impacted by violence and gang involvement.
This bill outlines the requirements for a grant application. Requires DOJ to give preference to applicants whose grant proposals demonstrate the greatest likelihood of reducing the incidence of violence and gang involvement in the applicant’s community, without contributing to mass incarceration.
This bill requires each city and other local jurisdiction that receives a grant to distribute no less than 50 percent of the grant funds to one or both of the following: community-based organizations, or public agencies or departments that are primarily dedicated to community safety or violence prevention.
This bill authorizes DOJ to use up to 7 percent of the funds appropriated for the program each year for the costs of administering the program.
This bill specifies other program requirements.
This bill requires the California Health and Human Services Agency, contingent on an appropriation, to administer a grant program to provide funding to local educational agencies, including charter schools, to implement evidence-based interventions for pupils impacted by trauma, and to an organization to study specified pupil outcomes, for the improvement in the health and well-being of the youth and school and community stability. Requires the agency to develop an application process and criteria for funding, evaluate those applications, and develop a list of evidence-based interventions that local educational agencies receiving grants may implement, among other things.
This bill renames the Public School Health Center Support Program to the School-Based Health Center Support Program and makes numerous changes to the program, including its grant program.
This bill establishes a grant program to be administered by the Department of Parks and Recreation, contingent on an appropriation, for the purpose of awarding grants to local governments and community-based organizations to support existing and create new parks and recreation opportunities in order to create and enhance recreation- and health-based interventions for youth during peak times of violence. Outlines requirements in developing and implementing the grant program.
This bill includes legislative findings and declarations.
COMMENTS
- Need for This Bill
According to the author:
By advancing sensible legislation and budget items to improve public safety and advance justice and equity, the State Legislature has decreased the number of incarcerated people in California. As a result, the LAO estimates $235 million annual cost savings associated with two recent prison closures. It is imperative that the resulting savings be reinvested into effective strategies proven to further reduce crime and violence. AB 912, the SAFE Act, will capture the savings from the closure of two prisons in the 2023-24 state budget and reinvest those funds in programs with proven success. By keeping the funding within our crime prevention budget rather than sending it back to the General Fund, we send a message that our efforts to reduce crime are continuous and we provide much needed resources for some outstanding programs. As such, the SAFE Act, specifically, will extend funding for the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program; reduce gang violence and gang involvement through programs modeled after successful ones, such as Oakland Ceasefire; expand early trauma-informed intervention programs to school-aged kids; increase access to physical and mental health services for K-12 students through school-based health centers; and, support parks and recreation opportunities, including summer youth leagues and extended programming.
- Violence as a Public Health Issue
In recent decades, violence has come to be widely been recognized as a public health issue. Societal changes in the second half of the twentieth century, including evolving views regarding child abuse and intimate partner violence, increased rates of homicide and suicide, and acceptance among public health researchers and practitioners regarding the significance of causal or preventative links between behavioral factors and disease led to widespread recognition and acceptance of addressing violence from a public health approach. (Dahlberg and Mercy, History of Violence as a Public Health Problem (2009) American Medical Association (AMA) Journal of Ethics available at <https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/history-violence-public-health-problem/2009-02>.) Violence has been described as a contagious and epidemic disease, and public health methods have been employed across the country to stop the spread of various types of violence. (Slutkin, MD, How the Health Sector Can Reduce Violence by Treating It as a Contagion (2018) AMA Journal of Ethics available at <https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/how-health-sector-can-reduce-violence-treating-it-contagion/2018-01>.)
This bill creates grant programs, each subject to an appropriation, which use a public health approach to reduce violence and trauma among young people. Those grant programs will be review when the Senate Health Committee hears this bill.
- Youth Reinvestment Grant Program
The Youth Reinvestment Grant (YRG) program was established in the 2018 Budget Act and a related trailer bill. The YRG program is aimed at diverting low-level offenders from initial contact with the juvenile justice system using approaches that are evidence-based, culturally relevant, trauma-informed, and developmentally appropriate. When initially created, only California cities and counties were eligible to apply for grants. The applicant was required to designate a “lead public agency,” such as the applicant city or county, or a department or agency within the applicant’s jurisdiction, to receive 10% the funds and to coordinate with local law enforcement agencies, social service agencies, and nonprofit organizations to implement the local grant program. Applicants were required to pass through the remaining 90% of awarded funds to community-based organizations to deliver diversion programs to minors. (BSCC, Youth Reinvestment Grant Frequently Asked Questions <http://www.bscc.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/YRG-FAQ-POSTED-3.5.19.pdf> [as of Jun. 13, 2023].)
AB 1454 (Jones-Sawyer, Chapter 584, Statutes 2019) revised the program to allow a non-profit organization to apply directly for a grant through the YRG program and increased the maximum grant amount from $1,000,000 to $2,000,000. Examples of funded programs include a range of after-school and mentoring programs and a program that provides services to at-risk or justice-involved youth (such as a late-night sports league, case management, and mentorship).
All juvenile justice grant administration functions in the BSCC are required to move to the OYCR no later than January 1, 2025. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 2200, subd. (h).) This bill re-establishes the YRG program, designates the OYCR as the administrator of the program, and makes some changes to the existing grant program.
- Violence Reduction Grant Program
In addition to the other grant programs created by this bill, this bill establishes a competitive grant program within DOJ to improve public safety and community health and well-being especially in communities impacted by violence and gang involvement. This bill requires grants awarded to be used to support, expand, and replicate evidence-based, focused-deterrence collaborative programs that conduct outreach to targeted gangs and offer supportive services in order to preemptively reduce and eliminate violence and gang involvement. This bill requires that the supportive services offered include job training, health care, and crisis response to shootings and violence, among other services. Schools, community-based organizations, and nonprofit organizations would be given preference for funding via the program but cities and local jurisdictions are also eligible to apply for grants.
This bill requires DOJ to give preference to applicants whose grant proposals demonstrate the greatest likelihood of reducing the incidence of violence and gang involvement in the applicant’s community, without contributing to mass incarceration. A city or local jurisdiction that receives a grant would be required to distribute at least 50 percent of the grant funds to at least one community-based organization or public agency that is primarily dedicated to community safety or violence prevention.
- Argument in Support
The National Association of Social Workers – California Chapter writes:
This comprehensive measure reinvests cost savings, upon appropriation from the Legislature, from prison closures into programs that reduce violence, provide diversion opportunities, and deliver critical community supports, including mental health, education and vocational services.
On December 6, 2022, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation announced the closure and exiting of contract for two additional prison facilities. With the closure of these facilities, the Legislative Analyst’s Office estimates a cost savings of $235.3 million annually. Rather than returning to the General Fund, it is imperative these savings are kept within the Legislature’s crime prevention budget and reinvested into effective strategies proven to further reduce crime and violence.
Studies have shown health-based approaches have been successful in curbing violence through applied, skill-based prevention programs. Addressing youth mental health and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is crucial in mitigating long-term effects, such as substance abuse, mental illness, chronic health problems, and criminality. Existing programs have been successful in providing crucial resources and early intervention to youth.
The SAFE Act calls for the reallocation of the $235 million in annual savings from the proposed closure of two prisons in the 2023-24 state budget. Those funds will go to the following programs:
- Relocate the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program from the Board of State and Community Corrections to the Office of Youth and Community Restoration. Grants are available for local jurisdictions and California tribes for trauma-informed diversion programs for minors.
- Support programs that reduce gang violence and gang involvement, modeled after successful programs like Ceasefire in Oakland that resulted in a 43% reduction in homicides and a 50% reduction in non-fatal shootings.
- Increase access to physical and mental health services for children through school-based health centers, located on school sites.
- Expand early trauma-informed intervention programs for school-aged children experiencing extreme traumatic events in order to support their health, well-being and community stability.
- Provide grants to local governments and community-based organizations to create new parks and fund recreation and health-based opportunities during peak times of violence.
-- END --
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
ATR Bill Id:AB 912
Author:(Jones-Sawyer)
As Amended Ver:May 18, 2023
Majority vote
SUMMARY
Provides for the establishment, expansion, and funding for early-violence-intervention programs, school-based physical and mental health services, and youth-recreational activities, contingent upon appropriation.
Major Provisions
- Finds and declares, in part, that the funding appropriated by the provisions in this bill is intended to derive from the estimated cost savings from the anticipated closure of specified state prisons.
- Provides that the State Department of Public Health (DPH) must, on or before January 1, 2025, make available planning grants in specified amounts to be used for costs associated with assessing the need for a school-based health center in a particular community or area and developing partnerships for its operation.
- States that, on or before January 1, 2025, DPH must make available facilities and startup grants in specified amounts for the purpose of establishing a school-based health center, as specified.
- States that, on or before January 1, 2025, DPH must make expansion grants available in specified amounts for the purpose of improving an existing school-based health center, enhancing and expanding programming at a fully operational school-based health center, or supporting operations at a fully operational school-based health center, among other things.
- Provides that, on or before January 1, 2025, DPH must make sustainability grants available in specified amounts for the purpose of operating a school health center and outlines the requisite criteria for eligibility.
- Requires the DPH to collaborate with the Office of School-Based Health Programs in the State Department of Education when collecting applicant information and determining which proposals to accept. Gives preference to school-based health centers attending to underserved areas, as specified.
- States that when awarding the school health center grants, preference shall be given to schools and other non-law enforcement entities.
- States that the requirements imposed on DPH are contingent upon appropriation from the annual Budget Act or by a statute implementing these provisions.
- Creates the Department of Justice (DOJ) Violence Reduction Grant Program (VGRP) which requires the DOJ to oversee a grant program to support, expand, and replicate evidence-based, deterrence-focused, collaborative programs that conduct outreach to individuals involved in gangs and offer supportive services as a preemptive measure to curb gang violence.
- States that the grants must be made on a competitive basis with preference to jurisdictions disproportionately impacted by violence and gangs, and schools and community-based organizations (CBOs) that serve such jurisdictions.
- Outlines criteria for VRGP proposals, as specified.
- Provides that, when awarding VRGP grants, the DOJ must give preference to applicants whose proposals demonstrate the greatest likelihood of reducing violence and gang involvement without contributing to mass incarceration.
- Requires each city or local jurisdiction receiving VRGP funds to distribute no less than half of the monies to CBOs or government agencies primarily dedicated to community safety or violence prevention.
- States that the DOJ must form a grant selection advisory committee that includes victims of violence, formerly incarcerated persons, and persons with direct experience implementing evidence based violence and gang reduction programs.
- Requires grantees of the VRGP to report to the DOJ progress reports.
- Requires the DOJ to submit at the close of each grant cycle, a report to the Legislature regarding the impact of the violence prevention programs funded by the VRGP.
- States that the provisions in this bill regarding the VRGP are contingent upon appropriation by the Legislature.
- Requires the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to award grants to local governments and with preference to CBOs to support existing and create new parks and recreation opportunities, as well as summer programs for youth.
- States that DPR, when developing the program, must establish criteria and accountability measures as needed, and must ensure priority is given to underserved populations, schools, and CBOs, as specified.
- Mandates that DPR give priority to outdoor recreational and health-based intervention programs that operate during peak times of violence.
- Requires DPR to collect information from grantees for evaluation purposes, summarize such information, and report to the appropriate policy, budget and fiscal committees of the Legislature. The report must include total number of youth served, number and types of entities funded, improvement recommendations, and other specified information.
- States that the requirements imposed on DPR are contingent upon appropriation by the Legislature.
- Reestablishes the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program (YRGP) and designates the Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR) to administer it.
- Creates the Youth Reinvestment Fund and allocates monies into it, as specified.
- Requires that OYCR allocate YRGP funds to implement a mixed-delivery system of trauma informed health and development diversion programs for Native American youth.
- Outlines eligibility criteria to receive YRGP funding, as specified.
- Requires that OYCR allocate YRGP funds, as specified, to programs offering mixed-delivery systems of trauma-informed health and development diversion programs for youth, and specifies, among other things, that the entities must be not be governmental or law enforcement, or probation entities.
- States that YRGP funds must be awarded to applicants with an official letter from at least one government agency demonstrating the agency’s intent to refer youth enrolled in a diversion program to the applicant.
- States that OYCR must distribute YRGP funds as follows:
- Be provided in communities with high arrest rates or with high racial or ethnic disparities in youth arrest rates;
- Be evidence based or research supported, trauma informed, culturally relevant, gender responsive, and developmentally appropriate;
- To applicants with prior experience serving at-risk youth; and,
- Give priority to organizations employing people who were youths with experience in the juvenile justice system.
- States that youth diversion programs under the YRGP must include alternatives to arrest and the justice system, with preference given to programs diverting youth as early as possible.
- States that YRGP funded diversion programs must include one or more of the following: educational services, mentoring services, mental health services, and other specified services.
- States that the OYCR is responsible for the administration, oversight, and compliance of the YRGP and specifies the duties included.
- Creates the Trauma Intervention (TI) program.
- Designates the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) for the purpose of implementing the TI program and to select an organization to study specified student outcomes.
- Requires HHSA to develop a list of evidence-based interventions, evaluate applications and award grants.
- States that local educational agencies applying for funding must demonstrate how they will prioritize interventions for pupils most impacted by trauma and in a demographic that has historically been unable to access traditional services.
- States that the HHSA must give priority to applicants in the counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles, as regions most impacted by gun violence.
- Requires that HHSA award grants to schools that meet specified criteria.
- Requires HHSA, when considering research grant applications, give preference to organizations with demonstrated track records of studying youth, CBOs and nonprofits, working with schools to create trauma-sensitive environments, and other specified criteria.
- States that every five years, eligibility for grants shall open and priority be given to the six counties with the highest rate of violent crime and homicide, as outlined by the DOJ's annual crime data report.
- Requires the agency to submit a report to the legislature detailing outcomes, including academic performance and rates of criminal offenses, among other things.
- States that the provisions in this bill regarding the TI program are contingent upon appropriation by the Legislature.
COMMENTS
According to the Author
"By advancing sensible legislation and budget items to improve public safety and advance justice and equity, the State Legislature has decreased the number of incarcerated people in California. It is imperative that the resulting savings be reinvested into effective strategies proven to further reduce crime and violence. AB 912, the SAFE Act, will capture the savings from the closure of two prisons in the 2023-24 state budget and reinvest those funds in programs with proven success. By keeping the funding within our crime prevention budget rather than sending it back to the General Fund, we send a message that our efforts to reduce crime are continuous and we provide much needed resources for some outstanding programs. As such, the SAFE Act, specifically, will provide ongoing funding for the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program; reduce gang violence and gang involvement through programs modeled after successful ones, such as Oakland Ceasefire; expand the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) program; increase access to physical and mental health services for K-12 students through school-based health centers; and, support parks and recreation opportunities, including summer youth leagues and extended programming."
Arguments in Support
According to Indivisible CA: StateStrong, "On December 6, 2022, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation announced the closure and exiting of contract for two additional prison facilities. With the closure of these facilities, the Legislative Analyst's Office estimates a cost savings of $235.3 million annually. Rather than returning to the General Fund, it is imperative these savings are kept within the Legislature’s crime prevention budget and reinvested into effective strategies proven to further reduce crime and violence.
"Studies have shown health-based approaches have been successful in curbing violence through applied, skill-based prevention programs. Addressing youth mental health and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is crucial in mitigating long-term effects, such as substance abuse, mental illness, chronic health problems, and criminality. Existing programs have been successful in providing crucial resources and early intervention to youth.
"The SAFE Act calls for the reallocation of the $235 million in annual savings from the proposed closure of two prisons in the 2023-24 state budget. Those funds will go to the following programs:
- $50 million annually to relocate the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program from the Board of State and Community Corrections to the Office of Youth and Community Restoration. Grants are available for local jurisdictions and California tribes for trauma-informed diversion programs for minors.
- $35 million annually to the Department of Justice for the purpose of programs that reduce gang violence and gang involvement, modeled after successful programs like Ceasefire in Oakland that resulted in a 43% reduction in homicides and a 50% reduction in non-fatal shootings.
- $50 million annually to the State Department of Public Health, in consultation with the State Department of Education, to provide operational grants to School-based Health Centers and provide health and mental health services to children on school sites.
- $50 million annually to the California Health and Human Services Agency to support a pilot program for Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) in Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulane, Kern and Los Angeles. This program supports early trauma-informed interventions for school-aged children experiencing extreme traumatic events in support of their health, well-being and community stability.
- $50 million annually to the Department of Parks and Recreation in support of grants to local governments and community-based organizations to create new parks and fund recreation and health-based opportunities during peak times of violence."
Arguments in Opposition
None Submitted.
FISCAL COMMENTS
According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee:
- One-time cost (GF) of $235 million, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the following agencies: (a) $50 million to CDPH to provide grants to school-based health centers; (b) $50 million to HHSA to administer a trauma intervention program; (c) $50 million to DPR to award grants for parks and recreation opportunities and youth activities; (d) $50 million to OYCR for youth reinvestment grants; and (e) $35 million to DOJ for violence reduction grants.
- Potential ongoing administrative costs (GF) to CDPH, HHSA, DPR, OYCR, and DOJ of an unknown but significant amount. The bill allows DOJ and OYCR to spend 7% and 3%, respectively, of the funds appropriated to them for program administration. The bill does not provide administrative cost guidelines for CDPH, HHSA, or DPR. If administrative costs for those agencies are not paid out of the appropriations described in (1), the administrative costs for each agency would likely be in the low millions of dollars annually. To the extent the bill adds additional responsibilities for CDPH, HHSA, DPR, OYCR, and DOJ outside of administration of the grant programs described above, those responsibilities would likely result in workload pressures requiring additional GF funding.
The author submitted five budget requests related to this bill, seeking: (a) $50 million for school-based health centers; (b) $50 million for trauma intervention programs; (c) $50 million for parks, recreation, and health-based opportunities; (d) $50 million for the Youth Reinvestment Grant Fund; and (e) $35 million for programs to reduce gang violence and involvement.
VOTES
ASM PUBLIC SAFETY: 7-0-1
YES: Jones-Sawyer, Alanis, Bonta, Bryan, Ortega, Santiago, Zbur
ABS, ABST OR NV: Lackey
ASM EDUCATION: 6-0-1
YES: Muratsuchi, Juan Carrillo, Hoover, Lee, McCarty, Quirk-Silva
ABS, ABST OR NV: Megan Dahle
ASM APPROPRIATIONS: 12-0-4
YES: Holden, Bryan, Calderon, Wendy Carrillo, Mike Fong, Hart, Lowenthal, Mathis, Papan, Pellerin, Weber, Ortega
ABS, ABST OR NV: Megan Dahle, Dixon, Robert Rivas, Sanchez
UPDATED
VERSION: May 18, 2023
CONSULTANT: Mureed Rasool / PUB. S. / (916) 319-3744 FN: 0000925
Date of Hearing: May 10, 2023
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Chris Holden, Chair
ABPCA Bill Id:AB 912
Author:(Jones-Sawyer) – As Amended Ver:April 17, 2023
Policy Committee: | Public Safety | Vote: | 7 - 0 |
Education | 6 - 0 | ||
|
|
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill, citing the cost savings to the state from planned prison closures, allocates $235 million in grant funding to be distributed by state agencies to early violence intervention programs, school-based physical and mental health services, and youth recreational activities.
Specifically, this bill:
- Appropriates $235 million in funding from the General Fund (GF) for the purpose of delivering diversion and alternative-sanction programs, academic- and vocational-education services, mentoring, behavioral health services, and mental health services, as follows:
- $50 million to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to provide operational grants to school-based health centers in order to provide physical and mental health services to youth on school sites.
- $50 million to the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) to administer a grant program to provide funding to local education agencies to implement intervention program for pupils impacted by trauma.
- $50 million to the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to award grants for the purpose of supporting existing and creating new parks and recreation opportunities, as well as supporting existing and creating new summer programs for youth, including, but not limited to, extended park hours and expanded programming for nighttime sports, educational activities, and visual and performing arts opportunities, in order to create and enhance recreation- and health-based interventions for youth during peak times of violence.
- $50 million to the Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR) for the purpose of awarding grants pursuant to the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program.
- $35 million to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for the purposes of providing funds to support evidence-based, focus-deterrence collaborative programs that conduct direct outreach to targeted gangs in order to preemptively reduce and eliminate violence and gang involvement.
- Requires CDPH to make available planning grants, facilities and startup grants, expansion grants, and sustainability grants of $50,000 to $850,000, as specified, to establish, expand, and implement school-based health centers that provide primary medical care and strive to provide other comprehensive and integrated health care services, address the population health of a school campus, and provide support to students and families, among other specified goals.
- Requires DPR to award grants to local governments and with preference to community-based organizations (CBOs) to support existing and create new parks and recreation opportunities, as well as summer programs for youth, while ensuring priority is given to underserved populations and CBOs. Mandates that the DPR give priority to outdoor recreational and health-based intervention programs that operate during peak times of violence.
- Reestablishes the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program (YRGP) and designates OYCR to administer it. Creates the Youth Reinvestment Fund and allocates monies into it, and requires that OYCR allocate YRGP funds to implement a mixed-delivery system of trauma informed health and development diversion programs, with designated funding reserved for Native American youth diversion programs.
- Requires HHSA to administer a grant program to provide funding to local education agencies to implement intervention programs for pupils impacted by trauma, with priority to agencies located in Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles counties, and to fund a research organization to study specified student outcomes for the improvement in the health and well-being of the youth and school and community stability.
- Creates the DOJ Violence Reduction Grant Program (VGRP) which requires the DOJ to oversee a grant program to support, expand, and replicate evidence-based, deterrence-focused, collaborative programs that conduct outreach to individuals involved in gangs and offer supportive services as a preemptive measure to curb gang violence, and states that the grants must be made on a competitive basis with preference to jurisdictions disproportionately impacted by violence and gangs, and community-based organizations (CBOs) that serve such jurisdictions.
- Establishes requirements for the above-named agencies in implementing these grant programs, including eligibility criteria for grant recipients, specified populations to be served and prioritized for grants, programs, and services, grant size, and the timing and duration of grants. Defines terms relating to the services to be provided and populations to be served by the grants disbursed.
FISCAL EFFECT:
- One-time cost (GF) of $235 million in appropriations to the following agencies: (a) $50 million to CDPH to provide grants to school-based health centers; (b) $50 million to HHSA to administer a trauma intervention program; (c) $50 million to DPR to award grants for parks and recreation opportunities and youth activities; (d) $50 million to OYCR for youth reinvestment grants; and (e) $35 million to DOJ for violence reduction grants.
- Potential ongoing administrative costs (GF) to CDPH, HHSA, DPR, OYCR, and DOJ of an unknown but significant amount. The bill allows DOJ and OYCR to spend 7% and 3%, respectively, of the funds appropriated to them for program administration. The bill does not provide administrative cost guidelines for CDPH, HHSA, or DPR. If administrative costs for those agencies are not paid out of the appropriations described in (1), the administrative costs for each agency would likely be in the low millions of dollars annually. To the extent the bill adds additional responsibilities for CDPH, HHSA, DPR, OYCR, and DOJ outside of administration of the grant programs described above, those responsibilities would likely result in workload pressures requiring additional GF funding.
The author submitted five budget requests related to this bill, seeking: (a) $50 million for school-based health centers; (b) $50 million for trauma intervention programs; (c) $50 million for parks, recreation, and health-based opportunities; (d) $50 million for the Youth Reinvestment Grant Fund; and (e) $35 million for programs to reduce gang violence and involvement.
COMMENTS:
- Author’s Statement. According to the author:
By advancing sensible legislation and budget items to improve public safety and advance justice and equity, the State Legislature has decreased the number of incarcerated people in California. It is imperative that the resulting savings be reinvested into effective strategies proven to further reduce crime and violence. AB 912, the SAFE Act, will capture the savings from the closure of two prisons in the 2023-24 state budget and reinvest those funds in programs with proven success. By keeping the funding within our crime prevention budget rather than sending it back to the General Fund, we send a message that our efforts to reduce crime are continuous and we provide much needed resources for some outstanding programs. As such, the SAFE Act, specifically, will provide ongoing funding for the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program; reduce gang violence and gang involvement through programs modeled after successful ones, such as Oakland Ceasefire; expand the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) program; increase access to physical and mental health services for K-12 students through school-based health centers; and, support parks and recreation opportunities, including summer youth leagues and extended programming.
- Background. In 2022, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) announced that it intends to deactivate two state prisons by March 2025: California City Correctional Facility and Chuckawalla Valley State Prison. CDCR has also announced plans to close portions of six additional state prisons. The Governor’s budget for 2023-24 includes a reduction of about $280 million, primarily from the General Fund, due to the planned deactivation of prison facilities. This bill intends to capitalize on the anticipated cost savings from those prison closures and direct significant resources to fund long-term efforts to reduce violence and incarceration in California.
Analysis Prepared by: Annika Carlson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081
Date of Hearing: April 12, 2023
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Al Muratsuchi, Chair
ABPCA Bill Id:AB 912 (
Author:Jones-Sawyer) – As Amended Ver:April 3, 2023
[Note: This bill is double referred to the Assembly Public Safety Committee and was heard by that Committee as it relates to issues under its jurisdiction.]
SUBJECT: Strategic Anti-Violence Funding Efforts Act
SUMMARY: Redirects cost savings from Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation prison closures by investing in early violence intervention programs, school-based physical and mental health services, and youth recreational activities. Specifically, this bill:
- States that these provisions may be cited as the Strategic Anti-Violence Funding Efforts (SAFE) Act.
- Updates references in the Health and Safety Code from “Public School Health Center Program” to “School-Based Health Center Program.”
- Defines a “school-based health center” as a student-focused health center or clinic that meets off of the following conditions:
- Is located at or near a school or schools;
- Is organized through school, community, and health provider relationships; and
- Provides age-appropriate, clinical health care services onsite by qualified health professionals.
- Authorizes a school-based health center to provide primary medical care, behavioral health services, or dental care services onsite or through mobile health or telehealth.
- Requires school-based health centers to provide specified data to the State Department of Public Health (CDPH) only to the extent that they receive state funding under the program.
- Requires school-based health centers receiving grant funds under this program to meet, or have a plan to meet, certain requirements, including providing primary medical care, and authorizes the provision of other health care services, including behavioral health, dental care, health education, and related services in response to community needs; and requires school-based health centers to strive to provide a comprehensive and integrated set of health care services provided or supervised by a licensed or credentialed professional.
- Adds substance use disorder services to the list of services that a school-based health center may provide, including education, prevention, screening, early interventions, counseling, and referral to treatment services.
- Requires school-based health centers receiving funding under this program to:
- Strive to address the population health of the entire school campus by focusing on prevention services, including group and classroom education, schoolwide prevention programs, and community outreach strategies within the school’s Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) or other similar framework employed by the local educational agency (LEA);
- Strive to provide integrated and individualized support for students and families and to act as a partner with the student or family to ensure that health, social, or behavioral challenges are addressed; and
- Strive to integrate the school-based health center in the school or LEA’s community school model, if applicable.
- Requires the CDPH, on or before January 1, 2025, to make available planning grants of $50,000 to $100,000 for up to 24 months, to be used for costs associated with assessing the need for a school-based health center in a particular community or area and developing partnerships for its operation.
- Requires the CDPH, on or before January 1, 2025, to make available school-based health center facilities and startup grants of $300,000 to $850,000 for a three-year period, to establish a school-based health center. Funds may be used to cover a portion or all of the costs associated with designing, retrofitting, renovating, constructing, or buying a facility or mobile health unit for a school-based health center. Requires preference be given to proposals that include cost sharing among LEAs, health providers, and community organizations, or that identify match funds for facility construction and renovation costs. Also requires that preference be given to proposals that include plans to provide integrated primary medical care and behavioral health services.
- Requires CDPH, on or before January 1, 2025, to make available expansion grants of $150,000 to $300,000 for up to a three-year period for the purpose of renovating and improving an existing school-based health center; enhancing and expanding programming at a fully operational school-based health center, including adding physical health, oral health, or behavioral health services; or supporting operations at a fully operational school-based health center. Requires preference be given to proposals that increase access to comprehensive health care services at the school-based health center by adding staff or services or expanding the facility. Requires that the applicant has the ability to bill county mental health plans, in addition to managed care plans, or other public insurance programs. Also requires the applicant to develop a plan to sustain expanded services after the grant period.
- Requires the CDPH, on or before January 1, 2025, to make available sustainability grants of $150,000 to $300,000 per year ongoing, for the purpose of operating a school health center. Requires applicants to seek reimbursement and have procedures in place for billing public and private insurance that covers students at the school-health center.
- Requires the CDPH to collaborate with the Office of School-Based Health Programs in the California Department of Education (CDE) in developing a request for proposals (RFP) process and in determining which proposals receive grant funding. Requires preference for grant funding be given to school-based health centers serving any of the following:
- Areas designated as federally medically underserved areas or with medically underserved populations or areas with a shortage of health professionals;
- Areas experiencing health disparities in child and adolescent access to primary care, behavioral health, preventative health, or oral health services; or
- Schools in which more than 55% of the enrolled students are unduplicated pupils.
- Creates the Department of Justice (DOJ) Violence Reduction Grant Program (VGRP) which requires the DOJ to oversee a grant program to support, expand, and replicate evidence-based, deterrence-focused, collaborative programs that conduct outreach to individuals involved in gangs and offer supportive services as a preemptive measure to curb gang violence, and states that the grants must be made on a competitive basis with preference to jurisdictions disproportionately impacted by violence and gangs, and community-based organizations (CBOs) that serve such jurisdictions.
- Requires the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to award grants to local governments and with preference to CBOs to support existing and create new parks and recreation opportunities, as well as summer programs for youth. States that the DPR, when developing the program, must establish criteria and accountability measures as needed, and must ensure priority is given to underserved populations and CBOs. Mandates that the DPR give priority to outdoor recreational and health-based intervention programs that operate during peak times of violence.
- Reestablishes the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program (YRGP) and designates the Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR) to administer it. Creates the Youth Reinvestment Fund and allocates monies into it, and requires that OYCR allocate YRGP funds to implement a mixed-delivery system of trauma informed health and development diversion programs for Native American youth. Outlines eligibility criteria to receive YRGP funding, as specified. Defines, among other terms, “youth” as a person subject to the jurisdiction of the juvenile court.
- Establishes the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma Program and requires the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) to evaluate applications and award grants on a five-year cycle to schools, including charter schools, located in the counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles, to implement the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) program, and to an organization to study specified student outcomes for the improvement in the health and well-being of the youth and school and community stability.
- Requires that the specified counties have the first right of refusal for seeking grant funding for this program, and authorizes the HHSA to open eligibility to other counties if any of these counties elect not to seek funding for this program.
- Requires that HHSA award grants to schools that meet the following criteria:
- The school uses the monies for implementing the CBITS program, which may include trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy;
- The school is located in a region significantly impacted by gun violence as indicated by violent crime data, and whose students typically are unable to access traditional services, including, but not limited to, students who are low income or homeless, display symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder or severe trauma related symptoms, members of immigrant and refugee groups, students with disabilities, and students who interact with child protective services, or who have had contact with the juvenile justice system;
- The school present substantial plans for the collection and distribution of information to the appointed research organization and for fidelity monitoring; and,
- Any other criteria specified by HHSA.
- Requires recipients of grants to give priority to schools, community-based organizations, and nonprofit organizations in contracting for services under the CBITS program.
- Requires the HHSA to open eligibility for CBITS grants every five years and to give priority to the top six counties with the highest rate of violent crime and homicide, as reported by the DOJ’s annual crime data report. Requires the HHSA, if any of the six counties elect not to seek grant funds for this program, to open eligibility to other counties.
- Requires the HHSA, when considering research grant applications, to give preference to organizations with demonstrated track records of studying youth, and CBOs and nonprofits, working with schools to create trauma-sensitive environments, and other specified criteria.
- Requires the HHSA to submit a report to the Legislature by December 1, 2028 detailing outcomes, including academic performance, truancy rates, disciplinary actions, and rates of criminal offenses, among other things.
- Appropriates $235,000 in funding from the General Fund for the purpose of delivering diversion and alternative-sanction programs, academic- and vocational-education services, mentoring, behavioral health services, and mental health services, as follows:
- $50 million to the HHSA to administer the CBITS pilot program;
- $50 million to the OYCG for the purpose of awarding grants pursuant to the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program;
- $50 million to the DPR to award grants for the purpose of supporting existing and creating new parks and recreation opportunities, as well as supporting existing and creating new summer programs for youth, including, but not limited to, extended park hours and expanded programming for nighttime sports, educational activities, and visual and performing arts opportunities, in order to create and enhance recreation- and health-based interventions for youth during peak times of violence;
- $50 million to the CDPH to provide operational grants to school-based health centers in order to provide physical and mental health services to youth on school sites; and
- $35 million to the DOF for the purposes of providing funds to support evidence-based, focus-deterrence collaborative programs that conduct direct outreach to targeted gangs in order to preemptively reduce and eliminate violence and gang involvement.
EXISTING LAW:
- Requires the CDPH to establish the Public School Health Center Support Program (Program), in collaboration with the CDE, to perform specified functions relating to the establishment, retention, or expansion of SBHCs in California. (Health and Safety Code (HSC) 124174.2)
- Establishes a grant program administered by the CDPH to provide technical assistance and funding to SBHCs, to the extent funds are appropriated for implementation of the Program. Provides for planning grants of $25,000 to $50,000; facilities and startup grants of $20,000 to $250,000; and sustainability and technical assistance grants of $25,000 to $125,000 per year, as specified. (HSC 124174.6)
3) Requires a SBHC receiving grant funds to meet, or have a plan to meet the following:
- Strive to provide a comprehensive set of services including medical, oral health, mental health, health education, and related services in response to community needs;
- Provide primary and other health care services, provided or supervised by a licensed professional, which may include all of the following:
i) Physical examinations, immunizations, and other preventive medical services;
ii) Diagnosis and treatment of minor injuries and acute medical conditions;
iii) Management of chronic medical conditions;
iv) Basic laboratory tests;
v) Referrals to and follow-up for specialty care;
vi) Reproductive health services;
vii) Nutrition services;
viii)Mental health services, as specified; and
ix) Oral health services that may include preventive services, basic restorative services, and referral to specialty services. (HSC 124174.6)
4) Requires grant funding preference to be given to the following schools:
- Those located in areas designated as federally medically underserved areas or in areas with medically underserved populations;
- Those with a high percentage of low-income and uninsured children and youth;
- Those with large numbers of limited English-proficient students;
- Those in areas with a shortage of health professionals; and,
- Those that are low-performing with Academic Performance Index rankings in the deciles of three and below. (HSC 124174.6)
- Defines an SBHC, for purposes of the Program, as a center or program located at or near a LEA that provides age-appropriate health care services at the program site or through referrals, and may conduct routine physical, mental health, and oral health assessments, and provide referrals for any services not offered onsite. A school health center may serve two or more nonadjacent schools or LEAs. (HSC 124174)
- Establishes the Office of School-Based Health at the CDE for the purpose of assisting LEAs regarding the current health-related programs under the purview of the CDE, and requires the scope of the Office to include collaborating with the DHCS and other departments in the provision of school-based health services, and assisting LEAs with information on, and participation in specified school-based health programs. (Education Code (EC) 49419)
- Requires the governing board of any school district to give diligent care to the health and physical development of pupils, and authorizes it to employ properly certified persons to conduct this work. (EC 49400)
FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown
COMMENTS:
This bill establishes and funds a number of programs designed to reduce crime and support youth. This analysis will focus on the two programs linked most closely to educational institutions and students, namely the proposed investments in school-based health centers and the CBITS program. For discussion of the other proposed investments, see the analysis by the Assembly Public Safety Committee.
Need for the bill. According to the author, “By advancing sensible legislation and budget items to improve public safety and advance justice and equity, the State Legislature has decreased the number of incarcerated people in California. It is imperative that the resulting savings be reinvested into effective strategies proven to further reduce crime and violence. AB 912, the SAFE Act, will capture the savings from the closure of two prisons in the 2023-24 state budget and reinvest those funds in programs with proven success.
By keeping the funding within our crime prevention budget rather than sending it back to the General Fund, we send a message that our efforts to reduce crime are continuous and we provide much needed resources for some outstanding programs. As such, the SAFE Act, specifically, will provide ongoing funding for the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program; reduce gang violence and gang involvement through programs modeled after successful ones, such as Oakland Ceasefire; expand the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) program; increase access to physical and mental health services for K-12 students through school-based health centers; and, support parks and recreation opportunities, including summer youth leagues and extended programming.”
Youth mental health crisis intensifying as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The American Academy of Pediatrics noted in recent guidance that “emotional and behavioral health challenges were of growing concern before the COVID-19 pandemic, and the public health emergency has only exacerbated these challenges.” Prior to the pandemic, the incidence of youth mental health crises was increasing at an alarming rate. Suicide rates among youth ages 10-24 increased over 57% between 2007 and 2018, and as of 2018 suicide was the second leading cause of death for youth ages 15-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Youth visits to pediatric emergency departments for suicide and suicidal ideation also doubled during this time period (Burstein, 2019).
Since the pandemic began, rates of psychological distress among young people, including symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders, have increased. During 2020, the proportion of mental health-related emergency visits among adolescents aged 12-17 years increased 31% compared with during 2019. In early 2021, emergency department visits in the U.S. for suspected suicide attempts were 51% higher for adolescent girls and 4% higher for adolescent boys compared to the same period in 2019 (Yard, 2021).
Wide range of health needs of children and adolescents. In addition to behavioral health issues, there are a multitude of health conditions impacting children and youth that may impact their school attendance and academic performance. Data from the Population Research Bureau (PRB) identifies the impacts and incidences of childhood conditions:
- More than 1.25 million California children and youth, have, or are at increased risk for, a chronic health condition and require care and related services of a type or amount beyond that required by children generally. Their ongoing health problems—physical, behavioral, or developmental—can affect their ability to function and participate in important educational and social activities, and, in some cases, can shorten their lives. The vast majority of children with special health care needs nationally (86%) do not receive care that meets federal standards for a well-functioning system. Further, racial/ethnic and socioeconomic inequities in access to care and other supports can lead to poorer outcomes for vulnerable children and their families.
- Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases among children in the U.S. and is the top reason for missed school days, accounting for more than 5.2 million absences annually. Asthma affects around 6 million children nationwide. Approximately 14.3% of children in California aged 1-17 years have been diagnosed with asthma, which can be life-threatening when it is not managed properly. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that approximately 40% of children with asthma do not have their disease under control. Children who face difficulty accessing quality health care are less likely to have well-controlled asthma.
- Oral health affects overall health and is essential for healthy development. Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease and the greatest unmet health need among children in California and the U.S. Untreated dental problems such as cavities and gum disease can affect a child's health and quality of life by causing pain, loss of teeth, impaired growth, sleep and speech issues, self-confidence problems, poor school performance, and increased school absences, among other issues. Nationwide, children miss more than 51 million hours of school each year due to dental problems. In California, the disparity in oral health between low- and higher-income children is among the worst in the nation.
Many children are not receiving adequate medical services. A 2018 report by the California State Auditor on the oversight of the delivery of preventative services to children enrolled in the Medi-Cal program found that millions of children do not receive the preventative services to which they are entitled. The report notes that California ranks 40th for all states in providing preventative health services to children.
What is a school-based health center (SBHC)? According to the California School-Based Health Alliance:
SBHCs offer a range of health services, with the most common being primary medical services. Many SBHCs play an important role in managing students’ chronic illnesses such as asthma and diabetes, and in responding to acute injuries or illness on campus. Some SBHCs in secondary schools offer reproductive health services, such as abstinence counseling, pregnancy prevention, and STD/HIV testing and treatment. Other services provided by SBHCs include dental care, mental health counseling, and youth development programs.
SBHCs are uniquely situated to bring health care professionals and educators together to address the multifaceted needs of children, youth and families. Some SBHCs serve only students, while others also serve family members or the broader community surrounding the school. SBHCs provide a safe place for students and family members to talk about challenging issues (depression, behavior problems, academic performance, substance abuse, sexuality or relationships, etc.). The unique value of SBHCs is that they can connect medical services and mental health services to classroom health education, group interventions, and other campus projects, clubs or activities.
SBHCs respond to the needs of the schools and communities they serve. Local school boards give final approval to the services provided by the SBHC. According to the California School-Based Health Alliance, common services provided by SBHCs in California, and the percentage of SBHCs offering them, include:
- Medical services 85%;
- Mental health services 70%;
- Reproductive health 60%;
- Dental prevention 65%;
- Dental treatment 35%; and
- Youth engagement programs 51%.
SBHCs in California are operated by different entities, including the following:
- 52% by federally qualified health centers;
- 27% by school districts; and
- 22% by other agencies, including hospitals or local health departments.
How many SBHCs are there in California? According to the California School-Based Health Alliance, while there are over 10,000 schools in California, there are only 293 SBHCs, distributed as follows:
- 39% in high schools;
- 21% in elementary schools;
- 10% in middle schools; and
- 25% are “school linked” or mobile medical vans.
The existing SBHCs serve an estimated 286,000 students. These SBHCs are spread throughout the state, with high concentrations in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. They tend to be located in schools with higher concentrations of low-income Latino and African American students. Most of California’s SBHCs are physically located on campus within a main building or in a portable. In some areas, health services are provided by mobile medical or dental vans, and in other areas, “school-linked” health centers are off campus and have formal operating agreements with schools.
Disproportionate access to SBHCs. Currently, 70% of students attending schools with an SBHC are socioeconomically disadvantaged. The SBHCs reduce health disparities for these students by increasing access to comprehensive health care, and may also improve educational equity by reducing missed school days due to illness, often disproportionately experienced by low-income students and students of color.
As noted above, the current SBHCs in California are largely concentrated in large urban areas. The California School-Based Health Alliance recently released the Student Health Index, focusing on the need to support more SBHCs across the state to reach students facing the greatest health and education disparities.
The Student Health Index is made up of 12 indicators that characterize population characteristics and health care access and combines the component scores into a need score, based upon data from a variety of sources including the American Community Survey, the U.S. Census Bureau, the CDE, the CDC, and institutions of higher education.
Over 8,000 schools serving pupils in kindergarten through 12th grade and having over 100 pupils were included in the initial analysis. Further analysis focused on schools with large enough populations to warrant construction of a SBHC, so additional schools were excluded including small rural schools, and urban high schools with enrollments under 1,000 students. The final list includes 4,752 urban schools and 69 rural schools.
The indicators used in the student health index include the following:
- Health: diabetes rates, asthma admissions, teen birth rates, health professional shortage areas;
- Socio-economic: poverty among children and youth, lack of insurance coverage, healthy places index; and
- Schools: % of students qualifying for free and reduced lunch, % English learners, % homeless, chronic absenteeism, suspension rate.
Currently the counties with the greatest number of SBHCs are Los Angeles (38), Alameda (15), and Santa Clara (10). 23 counties have no SBHCs. Based upon the analysis conducted, the study concludes that San Bernardino, Fresno, San Joaquin, Kern, Riverside, and Los Angeles Counties all have over 100 schools and more than 25% of those schools have the highest relative need level. The majority of the top ten districts with highest need are located inland, in the central valley and southern counties east of Los Angeles and San Diego.
These factors will be important considerations in determining the feasibility of constructing or expanding SBHCs in high need locations. In some cases, telehealth options or mobile health clinics may be better suited to meet a school and community’s needs.
SBHCs are funded through a variety of funding streams. The existing SBHCs in California are financed through:
- Reimbursement for services through Medi-Cal and contracts for mental health services;
- School district contributions and in-kind support, such as space, nurses, utilities, and custodial services;
- Sponsoring agency contributions or subsidies; and
- Federal government and private grants.
Despite having had statutory authorization to establish SBHCs in California since 2006, California has not provided any state funds to establish or expand SBHCs. This bill proposes to appropriate $50 million from the General Fund to provide grants to establish and expand school-based health centers.
Children and youth facing significant trauma. According to the California Surgeon General:
An overwhelming scientific consensus demonstrates that cumulative adversity, particularly during critical and sensitive developmental periods, is a root cause to some of the most harmful, persistent and expensive health challenges facing our nation. The term Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) refers to ten categories of stressful or traumatic events. These include physical, emotional or sexual abuse, physical or emotional neglect or “household dysfunction” including parental incarceration, mental illness, substance dependence, parental separation or divorce, or intimate partner violence. A robust body of literature demonstrates that ACEs are highly prevalent, strongly associated with poor childhood and adult health, mental health, behavioral and social outcomes and demonstrate a pattern of high rates of intergenerational transmission.
In California, more than 36% of children had at least one ACE, 15% had two or more ACEs, and nearly 4% had four ACEs or more. Statewide and nationally, African American/black children were more likely than their Hispanic/Latino and white peers to have two or more ACEs. The range of children with two or more ACEs varies significantly across the state, from 12% in Marin, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties, to 25% in Lake and Mendocino counties, and 29% in Humboldt County. (Let’s Get Healthy California, 2023)
California has taken major steps to address adversity and its associated health- and development-disrupting stress, setting an ambitious goal to cut ACEs and toxic stress in half in one generation. The state has passed legislation to support early identification and intervention for ACEs and toxic stress, and made substantial investments in screening, research, and other cross-sector efforts. Still, ACEs remain common among California children, with children of color and those in poverty disproportionately impacted by adversity and trauma.
Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) This bill proposes to provide $50 million to the HHSA to administer the CBITS pilot program in California schools.
The Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) program is designed for use with groups of students who have experienced significant traumatic experiences and are suffering from related emotional or behavioral problems, particularly symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Delivered by school-based clinicians and taking into account cultural context, it uses a variety of cognitive behavioral techniques in an early intervention approach, including psychoeducation about trauma and its consequences, relaxation training, learning to monitor stress or anxiety levels, recognizing maladaptive thinking, challenging unhelpful thoughts, social problem-solving, creating a trauma narrative and processing the traumatic event, and facing trauma-related anxieties rather than avoiding them. CBITS focuses primarily on three goals: decreasing current symptoms related to trauma exposure, building skills for handling stress and anxiety, and building peer and caregiver support. (Jaycox, 2018)
CBITS was developed by a team of clinician-researchers from several institutions to help children traumatized by violence. The team included professionals from the RAND Corporation, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and has expanded over time to include colleagues at the University of Southern California and many community partners. RAND, UCLA, and LAUSD began to collaborate in 1998 to conduct studies to determine the magnitude of violence exposure and post-traumatic stress symptoms among LAUSD schoolchildren and to develop effective interventions. Building on the earlier work, the team designed and conducted a randomized controlled study in the 2000–2001 academic year. Students in the study attended one of two Los Angeles public middle schools in largely Latino neighborhoods. Students in the study were randomly assigned to two groups. One group started the program promptly; the other was waitlisted for later in the school year.
The CBITS consists of ten group sessions designed for inner-city schools with a multicultural population. Activities include training children in relaxation; dealing with negative thoughts; solving real-life problems; approaching anxiety-provoking situations; and coping with the violent event through talking, drawing pictures, and writing. The program is also designed to build both peer and parental support. In addition to the group sessions, the program included at least one individual session for each child, four group parenting meetings, and an educational presentation for teachers. The LAUSD school clinicians who delivered the program received two days of training and weekly supervision from the other members of the research team.
At three months, the early-intervention students showed substantial improvement. 86% of the early-intervention group reported less-severe post-traumatic stress symptoms than would have been expected without intervention. In addition, parents of students in the early-intervention group reported that their children were functioning significantly better. At six months, both groups had completed the program. The group that received CBITS after the waiting period also showed substantial improvement in symptoms, and the group that had received CBITS earlier maintained their gains.
Extensive research since 2000 has supported the team's initial study results. CBITS is now recognized as a recommended practice by several national agencies that assess the quality of mental health interventions, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Prevention Research Center, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA's) National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices, and the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
Although it is clear that the CBITS is an evidence-based program, the Committee may wish to consider whether funding should be allocated to one specific program to meet the needs of children and youth suffering from trauma, or if the funding should be made available for schools to choose the evidence-based practice most suited to meet the needs of their particular students and families.
Arguments in support. According to Children NOW, “This comprehensive measure reinvests cost savings from prison closures into programs that reduce violence, provide diversion opportunities, and deliver critical community supports, including mental health, education and vocational services. On December 6, 2022, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation announced the closure and exiting of contract for two additional prison facilities. With the closure of these facilities, the Legislative Analyst’s Office estimates a cost savings of $235.3 million annually. Rather than returning to the General Fund, it is imperative these savings are kept within the Legislature’s crime prevention budget and reinvested into effective strategies proven to further reduce crime and violence.
Studies have shown health-based approaches have been successful in curbing violence through applied, skill-based prevention programs. Addressing youth mental health and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is crucial in mitigating long-term effects, such as substance abuse, mental illness, chronic health problems, and criminality. Existing programs have been successful in providing crucial resources and early intervention to youth.”
Recommended Committee Amendments. Staff recommend that the bill be amended as follows:
- Make technical and clarifying changes to the sections related to school-based health centers.
- Delete references to the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma Program, and require the HHSA to establish a program to provide grants to local educational agencies to implement evidence-based interventions to pupils impacted by trauma, to improve the health and well-being of children and youth.
- Requires that the HHSA prioritize, but not limit grant funding, to specified counties most impacted by gun violence, as specified.
- Require the HHSA to develop a list of evidence-based interventions that local educational agencies receiving funding pursuant to this section may implement.
Related legislation. AB 1940 (Salas) of the 2021-22 Session would have renamed the existing Public School Health Center Support Program, established within the CDPH, as the School-Based Health Center Support Program (SBHCS Program). Would have also updated the functions of the SBHCS Program to include serving as a liaison between organizations on health equity, oral health and behavioral health. The bill also revised existing grant programs for purposes of the SBHCS Program. This bill was vetoed by the Governor with the following message:
I appreciate the author's effort to modernize the existing Public School Health Center Support Program and their intent to increase access to physical and behavioral health services for students. SBHCs are vital tools to address the significant disparities in both health and educational outcomes for our state's children and youth. However, I have concerns this bill could create significant one-time Proposition 98 General Fund cost pressures in the tens of millions of dollars to fund the SBHC Support Program, and ongoing General Fund costs in the millions of dollars for CDPH to administer the program that were not included in the budget.
With our state facing lower-than-expected revenues over the first few months of this fiscal year, it is important to remain disciplined when it comes to spending. We must prioritize existing obligations and priorities, including education, health care, public safety and safety-net programs.
AB 309 (Gabriel) Chapter 662, Statutes of 2021, requires the CDE to develop model student mental health referral protocols, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, subject to the availability of funding for this purpose.
SB 14 (Portantino) Chapter 672, Statutes of 2021, adds “for the benefit of the behavioral health of the student” to the list of categories of excused absences for purposes of school attendance; and requires the CDE to identify an evidence-based training program for LEAs to use to train classified and certificated school employees having direct contact with students in youth behavioral health; and an evidence-based behavioral health training program with a curriculum tailored for students in grades 10 to 12.
SB 224 (Portantino) Chapter 675, Statutes of 2021, requires schools that offer one or more courses in health education to students in middle school or high school to include in those courses instruction in mental health.
AB 552 (Quirk-Silva) of the 2021-22 Session would have authorized LEAs and county behavioral health agencies to enter into an Integrated School-Based Behavioral Health Partnership Program to provide school-based behavioral health and substance abuse disorder services on school sites, and authorizes the billing of private insurance providers for these services under specified conditions. This bill was vetoed by the Governor with the following message:
While I share the author's goal of addressing the mental health needs of children and youth, the partnership programs proposed under this bill would duplicate requirements for school-based behavioral health services being developed pursuant to the Children and Youth's Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI), which take effect in 2024. Implementation of the CYBHI's statewide all-payer fee schedule will provide a solution to the issue that this bill attempts to address. Additionally, I am concerned that this bill could create significant one-time and ongoing costs in the millions of dollars for the departments that would play a role in implementing these programs.
AB 2691 (Jones-Sawyer) of the 2017-28 Session would have established the Trauma-Informed Schools Initiative within the CDE, contingent upon the availability of funding, and required CDE to provide information regarding the trauma-informed care approach to school districts and charter schools; to develop a guide for schools on how to become trauma-informed schools; to offer training on the trauma-informed care approach to schools; and to develop and post online a website about the Trauma-Informed Schools Initiative. This bill was vetoed by Governor Brown with the following message:
It's a no brainer that our schools should be sensitive to the unique and diverse characteristics of all students. With that goal in mind, I have signed dozens of bills that have sought to ensure that all our students are free from discrimination, bullying, or any other form of disrespect. While this bill is intended to do good, I am alarmed by the amount of jargon it creates and the inevitable labeling it will encourage. The issues here are best handled by local schools -- and in plain English.
AB 766 (Ridley-Thomas) of the 2015-16 Session would have required the CDPH to give grant funding preference to schools with a high percentage of students enrolled in Medi-Cal, under the Public School Health Center Support Program. This bill was held in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
AB 1025 (Thurmond) of the 2015-2016 Session would have required the CDE to establish a three-year pilot program in school districts to encourage inclusive practices that integrate mental health, special education, and school climate interventions following a multi-tiered framework. AB 1025 was held in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
SB 1055 (Liu) of the 2013-14 Session would have renamed the Public School Health Center Support Program the School-Based Health and Education Partnership Program; made changes to the requirements and funding levels; and created a new type of grant to fund interventions related to obesity, asthma, alcohol and substance abuse, and mental health. This bill was held on the Senate Floor.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
California Alliance for Youth and Community Justice |
California Public Defenders Association |
Californians for Safety and Justice |
Children Now |
Community Agency for Resources, Advocacy and Services |
Community Works |
Defy Ventures |
Drug Policy Alliance |
Faith in The Valley |
Freedom 4 Youth |
Freedom Within Project |
Friends Committee on Legislation of California |
Indivisible CA Statestrong |
Insight Prison Project, a Division of Five Keys Schools and Programs |
John Burton Advocates for Youth |
Kalw Public Media |
LA Defensa |
March for Our Lives Action Fund |
Milpa |
National Center for Youth Law |
Pacific Juvenile Defender Center |
Prosecutors Alliance California |
Reevolution |
Sacred Purpose |
Santa Cruz Barrios Unidos |
Sigma Beta Xi |
Smart Justice California |
Sow a Seed Community Foundation |
Success Stories Program |
The Transformative In-prison Workgroup |
Theatreworkers Project |
Women's Foundation of California, Dr. Beatriz Maria Solis Policy Institute |
Young Women's Freedom Center |
Youth Forward |
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by: Debbie Look / ED. / (916) 319-2087
Date of Hearing: March 21, 2023
Counsel: Mureed Rasool
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON
Reginald Byron Jones-Sawyer, Sr., Chair
ABPCA Bill Id:
Author:() – As Ver:
As Proposed to be Amended in Committee
SUMMARY: Reinvests cost savings from Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) prison closures by funding early violence intervention programs, school-based physical and mental health services, and youth recreational activities. Specifically, this bill:
- States that these provisions may be cited to as the Strategic Anti-Violence Funding Efforts (SAFE) Act.
- Provides that the State Department of Public Health (DPH) must, on or before January 1, 2025, make available planning grants in specified amounts to be used for costs associated with assessing the need for a school health center in a particular community or area and developing partnerships for its operation.
- States that, on or before January 1, 2025, DPH must make available facilities and startup grants in specified amounts for the purpose of establishing a school health center, as specified.
- States that, on or before January 1, 2025, DPH must make sustainability grants available in specified amounts for the purpose of operating a school health center, or enhancing programming at a preexisting school health center, among other things, and give preference to non-law enforcement entities.
- States that when awarding the school health center grants, preference shall be given to non-law enforcement entities.
- Creates the Department of Justice (DOJ) Violence Reduction Grant Program (VGRP) which requires the DOJ to oversee a grant program to support, expand, and replicate evidence-based, deterrence-focused, collaborative programs that conduct outreach to individuals involved in gangs and offer supportive services as a preemptive measure to curb gang violence.
- States that the grants must be made on a competitive basis with preference to jurisdictions disproportionately impacted by violence and gangs, and community-based organizations (CBOs) that serve such jurisdictions.
- States that applicants seeking funding from the VRGP must submit proposals that include, but are not limited to:
- Defined and measurable objectives;
- A description of which evidence-based, deterrence-focused violence reduction program will be administered;
- A description of how coordination of existing violence intervention and prevention programs will be enhanced; and,
- Evidence that supports the proposed violence reduction program’s efficacy in reducing homicides, shootings, aggravated assaults, and gang involvement.
- Provides that, when awarding VRGP grants, the DOJ must give preference to applicants whose proposals demonstrate the greatest likelihood of reducing violence and gang involvement without contributing to mass incarceration.
- Requires each city or local jurisdiction receiving VRGP funds to distribute no less than half of the monies to CBOs or government agencies primarily dedicated to community safety or violence prevention.
- States that the DOJ must form a grant selection advisory committee that includes victims of violence, formerly incarcerated persons, and persons with direct experience implementing evidence based violence and gang reduction programs.
- Requires grantees of the VRGP to report to the DOJ progress reports.
- Requires the DOJ to submit at the close of each grant cycle, a report to the Legislature regarding the impact of the violence prevention programs funded by the VRGP.
- Requires the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to award grants to local governments and with preference to CBOs to support existing and create new parks and recreation opportunities, as well as summer programs for youth.
- States that DPR, when developing the program, must establish criteria and accountability measures as needed, and must ensure priority is given to underserved populations and CBOs, as specified.
- Mandates that DPR give priority to outdoor recreational and health-based intervention programs that operate during peak times of violence.
- Provides that DPR may consider any of the following when considering recreational and health-based intervention programs:
- The efficiency in serving the maximum number of participants;
- Demonstrated partnership with public, private and nonprofit entities;
- Contribution to healthy lifestyles, violence prevention and gang deterrence, and improved outdoor recreational experiences; and,
- Service learning and community outreach components.
- Requires DPR to collect information from grantees for evaluation purposes, summarize such information, and report to the appropriate policy, budget and fiscal committees of the Legislature. The report must include total number of youth served, number and types of entities funded, improvement recommendations, and other specified information.
- Reestablishes the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program (YRGP) and designates the Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR) to administer it.
- Creates the Youth Reinvestment Fund and allocates monies into it, as specified.
- Defines, among other terms, “youth” as a person subject to the jurisdiction of the juvenile court.
- Requires that OYCR allocate YRGP funds to implement a mixed-delivery system of trauma informed health and development diversion programs for Native American youth.
- Outlines eligibility criteria to receive YRGP funding, as specified.
- Requires that OYCR allocate YRGP funds, as specified, to programs offering mixed-delivery systems of trauma-informed health and development diversion programs for youth, and specifies, among other things, that the entities must be not be governmental or law enforcement, or probation entities.
- States that YRGP funds must be awarded to applicants with an official letter from at least one government agency demonstrating the agency’s intent to refer youth enrolled in a diversion program to the applicant.
- States that OYCR must distribute YRGP funds as follows:
- Be provided in communities with high arrest rates or with high racial or ethnic disparities in youth arrest rates;
- Be evidence based or research supported, trauma informed, culturally relevant, gender responsive, and developmentally appropriate;
- To applicants with prior experience serving at-risk youth; and,
- Give priority to organizations employing people who were youths with experience in the juvenile justice system.
- States that youth diversion programs under the YRGP must include alternatives to arrest and the justice system, with preference given to programs diverting youth as early as possible.
- States that YRGP funded diversion programs must include one or more of the following: educational services, mentoring services, mental health services, and other specified services.
- States that the OYCR is responsible for the administration, oversight, and compliance of the YRGP and specifies the duties included.
- Creates the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma Pilot Program (pilot program) for a period of five years.
- Designates the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) for the purpose of implementing the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) program and to select an organization to study specified student outcomes.
- Establishes the pilot program in the counties of Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles.
- Requires that HHSA award grants to schools that meet the following criteria:
- The school uses the monies for implementing the CBITS program;
- The school is located in a region significantly impacted by gun violence as indicated by violent crime data, among other things;
- The school present substantial plans for the collection and distribution of information to the appointed research organization and for fidelity monitoring; and,
- Any criteria specified by HHSA.
- Requires HHSA, when considering research grant applications, give preference to organizations with demonstrated track records of studying youth, CBOs and nonprofits, working with schools to create trauma-sensitive environments, and other specified criteria.
- Requires the agency to submit a report to the legislature detailing outcomes, including academic performance and rates of criminal offenses, among other things.
EXISTING LAW:
- Establishes the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program within the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) for the purpose of granting funds, as specified. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 1450.)
- Requires that a specified percentage of funds be allocated for the purpose of implementing diversion programs for Indian children that use trauma-informed, community-based, and health-based interventions. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 1453, subd. (a).)
- States that priority must be given to diversion programs addressing the needs of Indian children who experience high rates of juvenile arrest, suicide, and alcohol abuse, among other things. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 1453, subd. (b).)
- Requires that a specified percentage of funds be allocated for the purpose of implementing diversion programs for children throughout local jurisdictions that are trauma-informed, evidence-based, and culturally relevant, among other things. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 1454 subds. (a) & (b).)
- States that jurisdictions with the highest need must be provide a certain minimum of funds and defines “highest needs” as areas with high juvenile arrest rates and high levels of racial or ethnic disparity in juveniles arrest rates. (Welf. & Inst. Code, §1454, subd. (b).)
- Provides that the BSCC is responsible for oversight and accountability of the program and that it must track funding, provide guidance to programs, and contract with a research firm to conduct a statewide evaluation of the grant, as specified. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 1455.)
- States that the YRGP funds must be allocated by the BSCC through a competitive grant process, as specified. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 1458.)
- Establishes the Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR) in the California Health and Human Services Agency, whose mission is to promote trauma responsive, culturally informed services for youth involved in the juvenile justice system that support their successful transition to adulthood and help them become responsible, thriving, and engaged members of the community. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 2200, subds. (a) & (b).)
- Provides that all juvenile justice grant administration functions in the Board of State and Community Corrections shall be moved to the OYCR no later than January 1, 2025. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 2200, subd. (f).)
FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown
COMMENTS:
- Author's Statement: According to the author, “By advancing sensible legislation and budget items to improve public safety and advance justice and equity, the State Legislature has decreased the number of incarcerated people in California. It is imperative that the resulting savings be reinvested into effective strategies proven to further reduce crime and violence. AB 912, the SAFE Act, will capture the savings from the closure of two prisons in the 2023-24 state budget and reinvest those funds in programs with proven success. By keeping the funding within our crime prevention budget rather than sending it back to the General Fund, we send a message that our efforts to reduce crime are continuous and we provide much needed resources for some outstanding programs. As such, the SAFE Act, specifically, will provide ongoing funding for the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program; reduce gang violence and gang involvement through programs modeled after successful ones, such as Oakland Ceasefire; expand the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) program; increase access to physical and mental health services for K-12 students through school-based health centers; and, support parks and recreation opportunities, including summer youth leagues and extended programming.”
- Violence as a Public Health Issue: In recent decades, the approach to curbing violence primarily through law enforcement methods has shifted, and violence is now being recognized as a public health problem.[1] One of the proffered reasons for the transition is that, as the health care system achieved advancements in preventing and treating infectious diseases, homicide and suicide rose in the cause-of-death rankings.[2] Since 1965, homicide and suicide have consistently been one of the top 15 leading causes of death in the US.[3] For some groups, homicide has had an even greater impact. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), homicide has been the leading cause of death for black youth during the past three decades.[4] Another reason for the transition was the successful outcomes achieved by modifying behavioral factors for diseases such as stroke, cancer, and heart disease, which encouraged health professionals to believe the same epidemiological approach could be applied for behavioral challenges underlying violent behavior.[5] Lastly, the emergence of child maltreatment and intimate partner violence as recognized social problems in the 1960s and 1970s further demonstrated the need to move beyond relying on the criminal-justice sector for finding solutions for the problem of violence in general.[6]
Furthermore, it has been posited that the symptoms and behavior of violence mirrors those of a contagious and epidemic disease.[7] Such symptoms include morbidity and mortality, person to person transmission—youth with chronic exposure to violence have been found to be 3,150% (or 31.5 times) more likely to engage in chronic violent behavior, and incubation periods—for example, the period between being subjected to child abuse and becoming a perpetrator of violence may be years or decades.[8]
In the 1990s, the CDC began implementing and studying violence intervention programs influenced by a public health approach.[9] These studies demonstrated that significant reductions in violent behavior were possible through applied, skill-based violence prevention programs.[10] Since then many violence prevention programs have been used here in California, most notably programs such as Operation Ceasefire, Advance Peace, and Trauma Recovery Centers have been implemented with seemingly positive results. These programs operate based off of the well documented fact that violent crimes are highly concentrated in certain locations and among a small number of offenders.[11] In Oakland, crime data suggested that less than one half of one percent of the city’s population generated the majority of gun violence, and that these “at-risk” individuals tended to be involved in gang and other criminally-active groups.[12]
This bill would create a series of grant programs that take a public health approach method and seek to apply it to reduce violence instead of using a traditional law enforcement approach, which does not generally address the underlying causes that drive violence.
For example, there have been some notable and successful violence prevention programs with the same goals as the VGRP proposed in this bill. Oakland Ceasefire and Advance Peace reach out to individuals who are “at-risk.”
Operation Ceasefire’s primary design is to reduce violent crimes by bringing together a partnership of criminal justice and community organizations to communicate to “high risk” individuals that there are tailored services and support available to help them step away from violence, and that failure to do so will result in precision law enforcement attention for those continuing to commit violent acts.[13] In 2012, Oakland entered into a contract with the California Partnership for Safe Communities to help design and implement a new Ceasefire effort.[14] From 2012 to 2017, Oakland has experienced a 43% reduction in homicides and a 50% reduction in non-fatal shootings.” [15]
Similar to Operation Ceasefire, the Advance Peace program seeks to reduce urban violence by reaching out to individuals at high risk of committing a shooting or homicide.[16] Advance Peace programs engage at-risk individuals by using formerly incarcerated street outreach workers to provide consistent mentoring and mediation when conflicts arise.[17] A study of the program in Stockton found that the, “annual average of gun homicides and assaults also declined during the AP Stockton program period compared to the annual averages from 2015 through 2018. Specifically, we found that the 12-month average for gun homicides and assaults declined by 21% citywide…”[18] There is also an evaluation from an Advance Peace in Sacramento which stated that the mean number of gun homicides and assaults decreased by 21.4% over a four-and-a-half-year period of intervention.[19]
This bill would allow for funding of evidence-based interventions such as Operation Ceasefire and Advance Peace, while allowing flexibility for other programs to receive funding as well.
- Recreational Activities Options during Peak Hours of Violence: This bill would also provide funding for recreational activities youth can engage in. The idea being that youth having an option to go to a safe environment would limit the opportunity time-wise for them to be engaged in less productive behavior. One example of this is the Summer Night Lights program in Los Angeles. Starting in 2008, it aimed to provide a safe environment for youth in communities impacted by gang violence. They did so by providing free meals, extended programming and sports leagues, as well as safe spaces for recreation, community engagement, and linkages to local resources. (<https://www.lagryd.org/summer-night-lights.html>)
- YRGP: The YRGP was established in the 2018 Budget Act and a related trailer bill. The YRGP is aimed at diverting low-level offenders from initial contact with the juvenile justice system using approaches that are evidence-based, culturally relevant, trauma-informed, and developmentally appropriate. Currently, only California cities and counties are eligible to apply for grants. Current law requires the applicant to designate a “lead public agency”—which may be the applicant city or county, or a department or agency within the applicant’s jurisdiction—to receive 10% the funds and to coordinate with local law enforcement agencies, social service agencies, and nonprofit organizations to implement the local grant program. Applicants are required to pass through the remaining 90% of awarded funds to community-based organizations to deliver diversion programs to minors.[20]
According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, 30 local jurisdictions have received funding through the YRG program from the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC).[21] Examples of funded programs include a range of after-school and mentoring programs in Culver City and a program in Alameda County that provides services to at-risk or justice-involved youth (such as a late-night sports league, case management, and mentorship).[22]
All juvenile justice grant administration functions in the Board of State and Community Corrections are required to be moved to the OYCR no later than January 1, 2025. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 2200, subd. (f).) Moreover, in light of the public health approach to criminality, arguably the OYCR a branch of the Health and Human Services Agency, is better suited to administer the program.
This bill would reinstate the YRGP and designate its administration to the OYCR. In addition, it would provide enhanced guidelines for distribution of the YRGP funds to ensure organizations receiving funds had prior experience and communities with the highest need received greater priority, among other things.
- Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS): A core aspect of such programs as Operation Ceasefire or a TRC, is engaging with “at-risk” individuals to provide access to social services, mentoring, and helping them manage emotional responses.[23] However, given that victims and perpetrators of violent crimes are populations that often overlap, further violence intervention efforts should address factors to violent victimization and criminal involvement simultaneously.[24] Considering the fact that traumatic experiences during adolescence is associated with subsequent criminality, even when controlling for race, gender, and economic status; a look into addressing trauma for adolescents in schools is merited.[25]
In 1998, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), teamed up with UCLA and the Research and Development Corporation (RAND), to determine the extent of violence exposure and post-traumatic stress symptoms among LAUSD students and to implement a program designed to address such issues. Of the eligible participants, two randomly assigned groups were created. One group started the program immediately and the other received treatment later on in the year. RAND and mental health clinicians from LAUSD developed the CBITS intervention program. The CBITS program consisted of, among other things, individual sessions with clinicians, activities training such as relaxation methods, ways of dealing with negative thoughts, and coping with violent events through talking, drawing or writing.
Within three months, the students receiving CBITS intervention showed a greater substantial decrease in their Post-Traumatic Stress and Depressive symptoms than the students who had not yet received any intervention. After the three month period, the study stopped treating the group which had previously been helped, and began the CBITS program for the second group. After another three month period, the results were that the group that had received CBITS after the waiting period also showed substantial improvement, while the group that had initially received CBITS maintained their improvements. The data in figures 1 and 2 provide an overview of this information.
Since its inception at LAUSD, CBITS has been implemented broadly within the US and is, “included in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs (NREPP) and received high scores from NREPP on quality of research and readiness for dissemination.”[26] With such a program in place that does seek to modify behavior by dealing with underlying trauma, and in light of the public health data mentioned above, there should be a greater focus on expanding and evaluating CBITS programs as well as others like it in communities wherein individuals at-risk of committing gun violence live and presumably attend school.
This bill would create a five-year CBITS pilot program in five counties and would require a study be done to evaluate student outcomes in areas such as academic performance, trauma-related behavioral symptoms, and criminality rates.
Considering the fact that traumatic experiences during adolescence is associated with subsequent criminality, even when controlling for race, gender, and economic status; an epidemiological look into addressing trauma for adolescents seems to be merited.[27] This bill would provide a comprehensive public health oriented approach to violence in our communities.
- Argument in Support: According to Indivisible CA: StateStrong, “On December 6, 2022, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation announced the closure and exiting of contract for two additional prison facilities. With the closure of these facilities, the Legislative Analyst’s Office estimates a cost savings of $235.3 million annually. Rather than returning to the General Fund, it is imperative these savings are kept within the Legislature’s crime prevention budget and reinvested into effective strategies proven to further reduce crime and violence.
“Studies have shown health-based approaches have been successful in curbing violence through applied, skill-based prevention programs. Addressing youth mental health and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is crucial in mitigating long-term effects, such as substance abuse, mental illness, chronic health problems, and criminality. Existing programs have been successful in providing crucial resources and early intervention to youth.
“The SAFE Act calls for the reallocation of the $235 million in annual savings from the proposed closure of two prisons in the 2023-24 state budget. Those funds will go to the following programs:
1) $50 million annually to relocate the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program from the Board of State and Community Corrections to the Office of Youth and Community Restoration. Grants are available for local jurisdictions and California tribes for trauma-informed diversion programs for minors.
2) $35 million annually to the Department of Justice for the purpose of programs that reduce gang violence and gang involvement, modeled after successful programs like Ceasefire in Oakland that resulted in a 43% reduction in homicides and a 50% reduction in non-fatal shootings.
3) $50 million annually to the State Department of Public Health, in consultation with the State Department of Education, to provide operational grants to School-based Health Centers and provide health and mental health services to children on school sites.
4) $50 million annually to the California Health and Human Services Agency to support a pilot program for Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) in Alameda, Fresno, Merced, Tulane, Kern and Los Angeles. This program supports early trauma-informed interventions for school-aged children experiencing extreme traumatic events in support of their health, well-being and community stability.
5) $50 million annually to the Department of Parks and Recreation in support
of grants to local governments and community-based organizations to
create new parks and fund recreation and health-based opportunities
during peak times of violence.”
- Related Legislation:
- AB 1056 (Davies), would require the Department of Parks and Recreation to make funding available to nonprofit organizations and city or county parks and recreation departments to provide free swimming lessons for low-income and at-risk youth. AB 1056 is pending hearing in the Assembly Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee.
- AB 762 (Wicks), would repeal the sunset date for the California Violence Intervention and Prevention Program. AB 762 is currently pending hearing in the Assembly Public Safety Committee.
- SB 266 (Newman), would create the Public Safety Collaborative Fund in the State Treasury. SB 266would require the board, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to administer public safety collaborative grants from the fund to regional public safety collaboratives established for violence prevention, intervention, and suppression activities. SB 266 is pending hearing in the Senate Public Safety Committee.
- AB 1056 (Davies), would require the Department of Parks and Recreation to make funding available to nonprofit organizations and city or county parks and recreation departments to provide free swimming lessons for low-income and at-risk youth. AB 1056 is pending hearing in the Assembly Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee.
- Prior Legislation:
- AB 1454 (Jones-Sawyer) Chapter 584, Statutes of 2019, authorized additional grants to within the YRGP to administer diversion programs, as specified.
- AB 1812 (Jones-Sawyer) Chapter 36, Statutes of 2018, established the YRGP within the BSCC and appropriated funds for purposes of trauma-informed programs for minors, as specified.
- SB 191 (Beall) of the 2015-2016 Legislative Session, would have authorized a county, or a qualified provider operating as part of the county mental health plan network, and a local educational agency to enter into a partnership to create a program that includes, among other things, targeted interventions for pupils with identified social-emotional, behavioral, and academic needs. SB 191 was held in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
- AB 1018 (Cooper) of the 2015-2016 Legislative Session, would have required DHCS and CDE to convene a joint taskforce to examine the delivery of mental health services to children. AB 1018 was held in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
- AB 1644 (Bonta) of the 2015-2016 Legislative Session, would have required the Department of Public Health (DPH) to establish a four-year program to support local decisions to provide funding for early mental health support services, required DPH to provide technical assistance to local educational agencies, and required DPH to select and support school sites to participate in the program. AB 1644 was held in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
- AB 1025 (Thurmond) of the 2015-2016 Legislative Session, would have required CDE to establish a three-year pilot program in school districts to encourage inclusive practices that integrate mental health, special education, and school climate interventions following a multi-tiered framework. AB 1025 was held in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
- AB 1454 (Jones-Sawyer) Chapter 584, Statutes of 2019, authorized additional grants to within the YRGP to administer diversion programs, as specified.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
California Public Defenders Association (CPDA)
Californians for Safety and Justice
Children Now
Community Agency for Resources, Advocacy and Services
Community Works
Defy Ventures
Drug Policy Alliance
Faith in The Valley
Freedom 4 Youth
Freedom Within Project
Friends Committee on Legislation of California
Indivisible CA Statestrong
Insight Prison Project, a Division of Five Keys Schools and Programs
John Burton Advocates for Youth
Kalw Public Media
LA Defensa
March for Our Lives Action Fund
Milpa (motivating Individual Leadership for Public Advancement)
National Center for Youth Law
Pacific Juvenile Defender Center
Prosecutors Alliance California
Reevolution
Sacred Purpose LLC
Santa Cruz Barrios Unidos INC.
Success Stories Program
The Transformative In-prison Workgroup
Theatreworkers Project
Women's Foundation of California, Dr. Beatriz Maria Solis Policy Institute (SPI)
Young Women's Freedom Center
Youth Forward
Opposition
None.
Analysis Prepared by:
Dahlberg and Mercy. History of Violence as a Public Health Problem. American Medical Association (AMA) Journal of Ethics. (2009) <https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/history-violence-public-health-problem/2009-02> [as of Oct. 17, 0222]. ↑
Id. ↑
Id. ↑
CDC. A Comprehensive Technical Package for the Prevention of Youth Violence and Associated Risk Behaviors. <https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/youthviolence/fastfact.html> at 8. [as of Oct. 17, 2022]. ↑
Dahlberg and Mercy. History of Violence as a Public Health Problem. ↑
Id. ↑
Slutkin, MD. How the Health Sector Can Reduce Violence by Treating It as a Contagion. AMA Journal of Ethics. (2018) <https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/how-health-sector-can-reduce-violence-treating-it-contagion/2018-01> [as of Oct. 17, 2022]. ↑
Slutkin, MD. How the Health Sector Can Reduce Violence by Treating It as a Contagion. AMA Journal of Ethics. (2018) <https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/how-health-sector-can-reduce-violence-treating-it-contagion/2018-01> [as of Oct. 17, 2022]; Spano R, Rivera C, Bolland JM. Are chronic exposure to violence and chronic violent behavior closely related developmental processes during adolescence? Crim Justice Behav. (2010) <https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0093854810377164>; Ehrensaft MK, Cohen P, Brown J, Smailes E, Chen H, Johnson JG. Intergenerational transmission of partner violence: a 20-year prospective study. J Consult Clin Psychol. (2003) <https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2F0022-006X.71.4.741>; Huesmann LR, Moise-Titus J, Podolski CL, Eron LD. Longitudinal relations between children’s exposure to TV violence and their aggressive and violent behavior in young adulthood: 1977-1992. Dev Psychol. (2003) <https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2F0012-1649.39.2.201>. ↑
Dahlberg and Mercy. History of Violence as a Public Health Problem. American Medical Association (AMA) Journal of Ethics. (2009) <https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/history-violence-public-health-problem/2009-02> [as of Oct. 17, 0222]. ↑
Id. ↑
Hannah McManus. Street Violence Crime Reduction Strategies: A Review of the Evidence. (Feb. 2020) <https://www.theiacp.org/sites/default/files/Research%20Center/Violence%20Reduction%20Literature%20Review_FINAL.pdf> at vii [as of Sep. 27, 2022].); ↑
Braga et al. Oakland Ceasefire Evaluation: Final Report to the City of Oakland. (May 2019) <https://cao-94612.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/Oakland-Ceasefire-Evaluation-Final-Report-May-2019.pdf> at p. 9. [as of Oct. 17, 2022].) ↑
Id. 13, 15. ↑
Id. at 14. ↑
Id. 14-15, 101. ↑
Corburn et al. Advance Peace Stockton 2018-2020 Evaluation. (Jan. 2021). <https://stockton.advancepeace.org/about/learning-evaluation-impact/> at 4. [as of Oct. 21, 2022]. ↑
Ibid. ↑
Id. at 8. ↑
Corburn et al. Outcome Evaluation of Advance Peace Sacramento, 2018-19. Berkeley Institute of Urban and Regional Development. (2020) <http://healthycities.berkeley.edu/advance-peace.html> at 5. [as of Oct. 18, 2022]. ↑
BSCC, Youth Reinvestment Grant Frequently Asked Questions <http://www.bscc.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/YRG-FAQ-POSTED-3.5.19.pdf> [as of Jul. 3, 2019]. ↑
Legislative Analyst’s Office. Youth Reinvestment, Second Chance Act, and Trauma Recovery Center Grant Programs. (2019) <https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/4082> [as of Oct. 21, 2022]. ↑
Ibid. ↑
City of Oakland Human Services Department. CalGRIP Final Local Evaluation Report. (Mar. 30, 2018) <https://www.bscc.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/Oakland-CalGRIP-Final-Evaluation-Report.pdf> at 5 [as of Oct. 17, 2022]; Corburn et al. Advance Peace Stockton 2018-2020 Evaluation. (Jan. 2021) at 4. ↑
Hannah McManus. Street Violence Crime Reduction Strategies: A Review of the Evidence. (Feb. 2020) <https://www.theiacp.org/sites/default/files/Research%20Center/Violence%20Reduction%20Literature%20Review_FINAL.pdf> at 44-45 fn. 19 [as of Sep. 27, 2022].) ↑
Victimization and Juvenile Offending. National Child Traumatic Stress Network. (2016) <https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/resources//victimization_juvenile_offending.pdf> at 4 [as of Sep. 27, 2022]) see also: Phelan Wyrick. Examining the Relationship Between Childhood Trauma and Involvement in the Justice System. National Institute of Justice funded. (Oct. 2021) <https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/nij/255645.pdf> [as of Sep. 27, 2022].) ↑
Cognitive-Behavorial Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) RAND Corporation. https://www.rand.org/well-being/social-and-behavioral-policy/projects/cbits.html ↑
Victimization and Juvenile Offending. National Child Traumatic Stress Network. (2016) <https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/resources//victimization_juvenile_offending.pdf> at 4 [as of Sep. 27, 2022]) see also: Phelan Wyrick. Examining the Relationship Between Childhood Trauma and Involvement in the Justice System. National Institute of Justice funded. (Oct. 2021) <https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/nij/255645.pdf> [as of Sep. 27, 2022].) ↑
Discussed in Hearing
Assembly Floor
Senate Floor
Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
Senate Standing Committee on Health
Senate Standing Committee on Public Safety
Assembly Floor
Assembly Floor
Assembly Standing Committee on Education
Bill Author
Bill Co-Author(s):