COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

SHERIFF'S OFFICE

DATE:

February 27, 2002

BOARD MEETING DATE:

March 19, 2002

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Sheriff Don Horsley

SUBJECT:

Amendment to the Agreement with the Service League of San Mateo County to Implement the FATHERS Literacy Program.

Recommendation

Adopt a Resolution authorizing the President of the Board to execute Amendment No. 1 to the Agreement with the Service League of San Mateo County for Inmate Services, increasing the amount not-to-exceed by $10,000 to implement the FATHERS Literacy Program.

Background

On August 7, 2001, your Board executed an Agreement with the Service League of San Mateo County to provide inmate services in an amount not-to-exceed $400,730, funded through the Inmate Welfare Fund Committee. The Service League's ability to provide an optimum level of services to inmates at a reasonable cost is largely due to a dedicated staff, and to the recruitment and utilization of volunteers and community professionals. The Service League works in close cooperation with other organizations and agencies in the County to expand the number of resources available to inmates and their families. A significant portion of the cost for providing inmate services is subsidized by public donations and fund-raising carried out by Service League sponsors.

Discussion

In July 2001, the Service League proposed to design and implement a FATHERS [Fathers As Teachers: Helping Encouraging Reading Supporting] Literacy Program. The objectives of the Program are to interrupt the cycles of both incarceration and poor literacy, by making male inmates aware of their responsibility as fathers and as father figures to break both cycles. The proposed Program will be uniquely designed to accommodate the specific population of incarcerated fathers at MCF.

The Service League will enter into a contract with the National Americorps Program to place one [1] intern to staff the program for 30 hours per week. The Service League Correctional Services Director will provide interns with training, supervision and support. Additional training will be provided by Redwood City Library's Project Read. To each of the estimated 48-60 participants, the intern will provide: 1) individual attention, as most have not been in a classroom setting for many years; 2) basic literacy testing prior to entering the Program, as well as after completing the Program in order to measure results; and 3) gather information for progress reports which will be provided to the Inmate Welfare Oversight Committee.

Vision Alignment

Support for this Amendment aligns with Goal Number 4, "Residents have many educational and training opportunities beyond high school" of the Shared Vision Commitment to "Provide equal access to educational opportunity;" and Goal Number 19 "The skill level of new workers rises with improved K-12 education and training options." of the Shared Vision Commitment to "Sow the seeds of our future prosperity." This Amendment contributes to these commitments by informing parents about their important role as their child's first teacher and providing powerful tools to help children learn about books and develop a love of reading which is the foundation for succeeding in school.

Fiscal Impact

The proposed Amendment will increase the contract by $10,000 to an amount not-to-exceed $410,730. This increase will be funded through the Inmate Welfare Fund for the 2001-02 Fiscal Year. Therefore, there is no impact upon the County's General Fund.