COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

County Manager’s Office

 

DATE:

December 1, 2005

BOARD MEETING DATE:

December 13, 2005

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

4/5ths

 

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

John L. Maltbie, County Manager

SUBJECT:

Youth Services Center Mid-Year Budget Adjustments

 

RECOMMENDATIONS:

A)

Adopt an ordinance amending the Salary Ordinance adding 32 positions for the new Youth Services Center; and

   

B)

Adopt a resolution authorizing an Appropriation Transfer Request (ATR) of $1,288,164 from Non-Departmental Reserves to fund on-going costs for the new Youth Services Center

 

VISION ALIGNMENT:

Commitment: Responsive, Effective and Collaborative Government

Goal(s): Government decisions are based on careful consideration of future impact, rather than temporary relief or immediate gain; and County and local governments effectively communicate collaborate and develop strategic approaches to issues affecting the entire County. The Youth Services Center was developed through a community and stakeholder involved process to ensure that present and future needs of youth in the County are effectively met.

 

BACKGROUND:

The San Mateo County Youth Services Center project will replace Hillcrest Juvenile Hall and associated facilities located on Tower Road in San Mateo with a new Youth Services Center. There is currently no comprehensive Youth Services Center in San Mateo County. The current Juvenile Hall, juvenile courts, probation offices and receiving home, which were constructed between 1947 and 1976, are outdated and overcrowded.

The new Youth Services Center (YSC) will support the full range of services needed by juveniles who require County oversight due to criminal offense, state offense or dependency. The YSC will be the point of entry and central service point for pre- and post-adjudicated youth in San Mateo County. The YSC will provide a campus environment where the Probation Department, Juvenile Court, Health Services, Human Services Agency, County Office of Education and other service providers can work collaboratively to meet the needs of at-risk youth, their families and the community.

Youth services to be offered at the facility include:

§ Comprehensive assessment and screening of youth;

§ Range of housing alternatives including high security, low security, a Girls Ranch and Receiving Home for abused and neglected youth pending placement or reunification;

§ Dual Diagnosis unit to address the needs of youth with substance abuse problems;

§ Primary health care clinic;

§ Mental health services, including individual and group counseling and six-bed unit for severely disturbed adolescents;

§ School programs including classrooms, computer lab, resource room, vocational room and science lab.

The YSC will also provide space for Juvenile Court and Juvenile Probation administration and operations. Construction on the facility began in October 2003. The Girl’s Ranch, a 30-bed girls facility with gender-specific programming is scheduled to open in May 2006, and the Juvenile Hall, adjacent Juvenile Court, Community School, and Probation offices are scheduled to open July 1, 2006.

 

DISCUSSION:

One-time costs associated with the YSC, including furniture and equipment were included in the FY 2005-06 Adopted Budget. Positions and other on-going costs were not budgeted at that time. This Board action adds 32 positions and funding for facilities maintenance, food service charges, and shift relief for POST positions in the institutions. These costs will be annualized for the FY 2006-07 Recommended Budget at an estimated cost of $5,090,486. Positions must be added prior to the opening of the facilities to allow sufficient time for training and transition. The Salary Ordinance Amendment and Appropriation Transfer Request (ATR) are attached.

Fourteen of the 32 positions are for staffing at the Girl’s Ranch and an additional three positions are added to the Juvenile Hall. Extra Help funding has also been included to assist with training and transition as well as on-going shift relief for the detention facilities that does not currently exist. The remaining permanent positions are for enhanced programming in Mental Health and Correctional Health Services (nine positions) and operational support in Public Works and Food Services (six positions). Funding for staffing and operation of the security checkpoint at the Youth Services Center will be added once service levels and hours of operation have been determined.

County Counsel has reviewed and approved this item as to form.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:

With the Board’s approval of this request, $1,288,164 will be transferred from Non-Departmental Reserves to fund FY 2005-06 positions and other on-going costs associated with the opening of the new Youth Services Center in the Spring/Summer of 2006. The estimated annualized cost of the 32 positions, Extra Help shift relief, facilities maintenance and food service charges is $5,090,486.