Colusa County 
Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act Comprehensive Multi-Agency Juvenile Justice Plan
And
Youthful Offender Block Grant Juvenile Justice Development Plan                         2024/2025

                                                      TABLE OF CONTENTS
        Colusa County Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council 					2	
1.	Introduction to JJCPA 									2
2.	Comprehensive Multi-Agency Juvenile Justice Plan					3 
3.	Existing County Services 								4
Probation Department 								4
Juvenile Court 									6
District Attorney 									6
Defense Counsel 									6
Law Enforcement 									6
Education 										7
School Districts 									8
a. Education for Homeless Children and Youth				8
b. Foster Youth Services 							8
c. Tobacco Use Prevention Education (TUPE) 				9
             Girls Circle/ Boys Council 								9
             Child Welfare Services 								10
             Behavioral Health Services 								11
             Friday Night Live and Club Live							11
             Independent Living Program	 							12
4. Identification of County Areas Facing Public Safety Risk from Juvenile Crime		13
5. Juvenile Justice Action Strategy 								14
6. Programs Proposed to be Funded 								15
7. Introduction to YOBG 									16
8. Program funded by YOBG 									16
9. Programs and Strategies coordinated with JJCPA						17
10. Strategy for Non 707(b) Offenders: 							18
10. Conclusion 										18
11. Project Contact 										19

Colusa County Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council 2023-2024

Michael Rogers, Chief Probation Officer, Colusa County Probation Department
Joe Garofalo, Sheriff, Colusa County Sheriff's Office
Angie O’Cañas, Executive Director, Colusa County One Stop
Tony Hobson, Director, Colusa County Behavioral Health Department

Josh Fitch, Police Chief, Colusa Police Department			
Elizabeth Kelly, Director, Colusa County Department of Health & Human Service
Chris Miller, Police Chief, Williams Police Department
Albert Smith, Attorney, Colusa County Public Defender
Wendy Tyler, County Administrative Officer, Colusa County Administrative Office
Michael West, Superintendent, Colusa County Office of Education
Brendan Farrell, District Attorney, Colusa County District Attorney's Office
Gerry Munoz, Community Member

1. Introduction to JJCPA:
The Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act (JJCPA) 2000 provides funding to probation to support initiatives that target juvenile crime and delinquency. The JJCPA requires counties to annually review and approve the Comprehensive Multiagency Juvenile Justice Plan (CMJJP) that discusses the strategies employed to address juvenile crime, to report out on the programs utilized and their effectiveness, and indicate the cost associated with any program funded through it. The JJCPA is codified in Section 30061 of the Government Code.
Colusa County developed the current CMJJP in accordance with AB 1998 and the JJCPA to reflect historical progress, and current services and programs. Moving forward, the CMJJP will be updated and reviewed annually by the Colusa County Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council. The Probation Department will update the plan to reflect the progress made toward completing goals identified in the CMJJP, and present a current picture of the juvenile justice service delivery system.
JJCPA funds are now used primarily for early intervention efforts and supervision of juvenile offenders. Funds also support a variety of assessments, counseling services and an array of individualized services/programs.
2. Comprehensive Multi-Agency Juvenile Justice Plan:
Assessment of Services Targeting At-Risk Juveniles:
Juvenile delinquency and dependency cases are heard by the same Juvenile Court Judge. A Deputy District Attorney is assigned to prosecute cases. The Public Defender’s Office, contracted conflict counsel, and private defense counsel provide legal representation for juveniles. Probation receives juvenile referrals and citations from local law enforcement agencies and uses a validated assessment tool to determine the risk for recidivism. It also identifies areas where a juvenile may possess protective factors. Offenders who score as a high risk are generally referred for formal handling. Those who score as a lower risk are handled informally with referrals for programs or to Traffic Court. Some may be placed on informal probation, without appearing in Court.
Colusa County Probation Department is part of the joint power agreement for the Tri-County Regional Juvenile Rehabilitation Facility (Juvenile Hall). Yuba County oversees the daily operations of the facility. Most detained juveniles in the juvenile hall are awaiting adjudication of a formal matter or are pending Transfer to Adult Court.  Some are committed to Juvenile Hall for extended periods, waiting out of home placement or are pending a commitment to the Maxine Singer Youth Guidance Center (MSYGC). 
MSYGC was built in 2002, and is located next to the Juvenile Hall. The primary objectives of the MSYGC are community protection and the redirection of delinquent behaviors by holding juveniles accountable for their behavior. This is accomplished by programs being provided by a myriad of individuals and organizations. Supervising Juvenile Corrections Counselors and Juvenile Corrections Counselors, Behavioral Health Therapist, Drug and Alcohol Counselors, Intervention Counselors from Colusa, Sutter and Yuba County Probation Departments, Community Based Organizations, faith-based organizations and volunteers all work together to provide Individualized programming to each juvenile. Programs vary in time, but range from 30 minutes to two (2) hours in length. The programs are partitioned throughout the week to improve the effectiveness of the programs by ensuring the juveniles have time to fully absorb the content. MSYGC provides services to youth from surrounding counties  
Juvenile Court schools are located at the juvenile hall and MSYGC.  Special Education and Individualized Educational Plan services are adhered to strictly. Probation and personnel collaborate closely to ensure the highest degree of academic achievement. 
Probation has long-standing collaborative relationships with a number of allied agencies including Colusa County Department of Social Services (DSS), Colusa County Behavioral Health (CCBH), Colusa County Office of Education, Colusa Joint Unified School District, Williams Unified School District, Pierce Joint Unified School District, Maxwell Unified School District, and local law enforcement agencies.
Mental health assessments are widely used in determining specific risks and needs of a juvenile offender, to focus treatment efforts where they’ll have the greatest impact, while insuring public safety.
Preference is given to the least restrictive intervention necessary to address delinquent behavior and is maintained throughout the process and by all participants. In most cases, lower level local non-custodial treatment and intervention options are explored and exhausted before removal from the home is considered. Youth requiring more intensive services, are discussed at the monthly Colusa County Multiagency (MDT) Meeting, Participants include; probation, child welfare, behavioral health and local school districts.

Judges, deputy district attorneys, defense counsel, probation officers, other law enforcement, social workers, behavioral health clinicians, and local treatment providers all play pivotal and  active roles in the adjudication of juvenile justice cases and the development of related case plans.
Existing County services that target at-risk juveniles and juvenile offenders:
Probation Department:
Probation is the primary agency responsible for handling matters relating to juvenile crime and delinquency in the county. Through formal arrangements and informal coordination, it exercises discretion, having the best interests of the youth and the community in mind. It also plays a prominent role in many other venues where the general welfare of juveniles is the focus. When someone under the age of eighteen is arrested in Colusa County, they are transported and booked at the Colusa County Probation Department. After the initial booking process, the juvenile may be subsequently transported to the Tri-County Juvenile Rehabilitation Facility, if appropriate they may be released to a parent or guardian. If a juvenile is being transported to Tri-County Juvenile Rehabilitation facility, a parent or guardian will be notified by the Probation Department. 
If a juvenile is not arrested, but rather cited and released, the arresting agency forwards the report/citation to the Probation Department for review.  After receipt of the report a risk/needs assessment is conducted and the probation officer begins the process of deciding which form of supervision would best address the risks and needs of the juvenile.  
Forms of supervision include the following:
•	Probation pursuant to Section 654 WIC (Informal Probation) – If the probation officer determines a juvenile falls under the jurisdiction of the Court, the probation officer may, in lieu of filing a petition, and with the consent of the juvenile and the juvenile’s parent or guardian, delineate specific programs of supervision for the juvenile, for a period not to exceed six (6) months, and attempt to address the situation and circumstances that brought the juvenile within the jurisdiction of the Court. 
•	Probation pursuant to Section 725 (a) WIC (Probation without Wardship) – After the Court receives and considers the petition, as well as any other evidence regarding the proper disposition of the case, the Court may, without judging the juvenile a ward of the court, place the juvenile on probation, under the supervision of the probation officer, for a period not to exceed six (6) months. 
•	Probation pursuant to Section 602 WIC (Formal Probation) – Any juvenile who is between 12 years of age and 17 years of age, inclusive, when he/she violates the law, is within the jurisdiction of the Court.  The Court may adjudge the minor a ward of the Court.
All of the aforementioned programs of supervision are designed to meet the specific needs of each juvenile and his/her family.  Programs of supervision include regular meetings with the probation officer, school attendance and curfew requirements.  Other participation criteria may include community service, counseling and/or drug testing.
Probation staff participate in numerous activities in the four local school districts, Student Attendance Review Board (SARB), weekly adolescent support groups (GC/BC) offered and each Jr. high and high school, special school events such as Challenge Day, REACH, school assemblies and IEP meetings. 
Early interventions are important aspects of Colusa County’s juvenile justice continuum and have been an essential focus.  In 2007, the probation department implemented Girls Circle and Boys Council (GC/BC) prevention/ intervention support groups in all junior high and high schools throughout the county. These gender-responsive group models and interventions are designed in evidence-based principles and practices, incorporating Motivational Interviewing, Cultural Responsivity, Strengths-Based approaches, and Trauma-Responsive practices.
The activities presented in group for pre-teen and teen girls and for boys 9-18 years of age are engaging, promote critical thinking, and most importantly create a community of BELONGING - a need which is a vital element to youth programs to help youth navigate through the challenging years of adolescence. For this reason, girls want to be in circle, boys want to be in council. Most boys and girls involved in our programs want the program to run longer, look forward to coming, build positive social skills, and decrease their sense of isolation. Facilitators are amazed at the response from boys and girls and feel privileged to run a program that engages youth in building pro-social skills, participating in meaningful discussions and activities – having fun, and mostly, for making healthy connections and building positive relationships with peers and adults. Juveniles who have participated in group report.
•	“I learned I could trust people and how to set boundaries.” 
•	“I’ve learned more about myself and how to make better choices.” 
•	“I’ve learned how to communicate better and have more confidence.” 
•	“It made me feel good to tell my feelings out loud and know others feel the same.”
•	“Group has taught me to have more patience and think before making bad decisions.” 

Many students have expressed, their favorite day to come to school is the day they meet for group, so they make sure not to miss school on group days.  The improved attendance among those who attends is beneficial since truancy issues have proved to be a contributing factor in juvenile crime and delinquency.
Although groups are open to all students, many of the students involved in the program are from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and often from families with lower educational levels. GC/BC provides multifaceted services to address barriers faced by these families.  The facilitators account for the human diversity in their daily practices, help to address barriers to learning, and promote healthy development in these students.
Juvenile Court:
The Juvenile Court maintains one courtroom with the same judge presiding over delinquency and dependency matters. Members of the probation department, child welfare services, district attorney’s office, public defender’s office, conflict and private defense counsel, work collaboratively regularly to address a variety of issues related to the juvenile justice system.
District Attorney:
A Deputy District Attorney (DDA) is assigned to the Juvenile Court. In addition to their traditional role as prosecutor, the DDA will regularly consult with law enforcement and probation officers on matters regarding the handling of a case or a disposition.
Defense Counsel: 
Private defense attorneys, who are contracted through the Court, represent youth in most criminal matters. Defense Attorneys regularly consult with probation officers and the DDA on what is the best outcome of a case involving youth.
Law Enforcement Agencies:
The two city police departments in Colusa County are Colusa Police Department (CPD) and Williams Police Department (WPD). CPD is responsible for the city limits of Colusa and WPD is responsible for the city limits of Williams.  The Colusa County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) is responsible for the outlining and rural areas of Colusa County.  CCSO also operates the County Jail. All three of these law enforcement agencies are the source of most referrals to the Probation Department.
CCSO has maintained a dedicated School Resource Officer (SRO) to schools within the county.  Beginning at the onset of the 2024-2025 academic school year,  WPD will resume staffing a dedicated a School Resource Officer (SRO) to the WJUSD.  The SRO interacts with the youth; problem solves at the school level, and handles crimes on identified campuses. With the SRO handling the calls for service on campuses, this reduces the number of calls for service being handled by the patrol division. The SRO also identifies gang trends, becomes familiar with and establishes relationships that have been proven to be valuable investigative tools. 
Local law enforcement, including the probation department participate in a multi-agency task force. The task force convenes and patrols the local area in order to suppress gang involvement, by contacting individuals, conducting vehicle stops and/or searches of residences. 
Education:
Although the county is small and rural, it consists of four separate districts, each are very unique in their population and needs. Data from the California State Dashboard gives a glimpse of each district for the 2022-2023 school year.

•	Colusa Unified has a total enrollment of 1,533 students, with a chronic absentee rate of 23.4%, suspension rate of 2.9%, and a graduation rate of 91.8%. 	 
•	Pierce Joint Unified School District has a total enrollment of 1,490 students, with a chronic absentee rate of 19.6%, suspension rate of 4.0% and an overall graduation rate of 96.6%.
•	Williams Unified School District has a total enrollment of 1,350 students, with a chronic absentee rate of 24.8%, suspension rate of 4.6% and an overall graduation rate of 91.0 %.
*	Maxwell Unified School District has a total enrollment of 340 students, a district wide chronic absentee rate of 14.6%, suspension rate of 1.1% and a graduation rate of 95.7%. 
The Probation Department collaborates with the Colusa Unified School District, Maxwell Unified School District, Williams Unified School District and Pierce Joint Unified School District to provide support to each of the school as needed. The juvenile probation officer and counselors have a strong working relationship with administrators and school staff to help support at risk youth and those on probation. 
The Colusa County Office of Education (CCOE) supports the four school districts and maintains S. William Abel Community School that focuses on improving student achievement.  CCOE oversees the following juvenile outreach and prevention programs. 
	a. Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY):
This program is designed to assist in creating school stability and ensure that youth identified as homeless under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act have access to the same opportunities, experiences and resources as non-homeless youth. In the role of liaison, the Program Coordinator at each school district, advocates for the youth through communications between social service agencies and educational agencies regarding the rights of youth and by providing technical assistance and education to all concerned parties as it relates to the rights of the homeless youth. 		
	b. Foster Youth Services Coordinating Program (FYSCP):
The mission of the Foster Youth Services Coordinating Program (FYSCP) is to provide support services to foster children and youth living with their birth families but involved with child welfare. FYSC Programs have the ability and authority to ensure that health and school records are obtained to establish appropriate placements and coordinate instruction, counseling, tutoring, mentoring, vocational training, emancipation services, training for independent living, and other related services. These services are designed to improve foster children's educational performance and personal achievement.
Under Assembly Bill 490 Foster Youth have the right to:
•	Access the same opportunities to meet academic achievement standards including access to the same academic resources, services and extracurricular and enrichment activities as other students.
•	School stability by ensuring that they remain in their school of origin for the duration of the school year whenever possible.
•	Immediate, proper educational enrollment and placement regardless of available school and/or immunization records. 
•	Timely transfer of students and their records when a change of schools occurs.
•	Receive credit for full or partial coursework.
•	Not be penalized for absences due to placement changes, court appearances, or related court ordered activities.  	
	c. Tobacco Use Prevention Education (TUPE):
Tobacco Use Prevention Education program is focused on reducing youth tobacco use by helping students make healthful tobacco-related decisions. The program provides instruction and activities that build knowledge, social skills, and other youth developmental assets.
The program supports school districts to develop and implement effective, comprehensive tobacco education programs through a variety of training and technical assistance. 	
Girls Circle/ Boys Council:
In each of the districts the Girls Circle and Boys Council programs are offered at each junior high, high school and upper elementary school, as needed. The goal of both of the juvenile probation officer and the juvenile counselor, is to provide interventions aligned with the overall goal for the Colusa County JJCPA, of minimizing each youths exposure to the Juvenile Justice System, diverting juveniles out of the system, when appropriate, and providing rehabilitative services to those who remain in the system and continue to be in need of them. 
The pre-teen and teen activities for girls or for boys 9-18 years of age are engaging, promote critical thinking, and most importantly create a community of BELONGING - a need which is a vital element to youth programs to help youth navigate through the challenging years of adolescence. For this reason, girls want to be in circle, boys want to be in council. Most boys and girls involved in our programs want the program to run longer, look forward to coming, build positive social skills, and decrease their sense of isolation. Facilitators are amazed at the response from boys and girls and feel privileged to run a program that engages youth in building pro-social skills, participating in meaningful discussions and activities – having fun, and mostly, for making healthy connections and building positive relationships with peers and adults.
Child Welfare Services:
Child Protective Services (CPS) provides traditional services geared to preventing child abuse and neglect, and identifying and coordinating the treatment for children who have been abused. They provide family maintenance and family reunification services, and other mandated and voluntary services to persons subject to dependency laws. CPS Social Workers will respond with law enforcement officers in emergency situations to assess the suitability of a home for a child and can remove that child if it is deemed necessary. CPS holds the contracts for many programs that benefit at risk juveniles and juvenile offenders, including The Transitional Housing Placement Program and Independent Living Program (ILP). In addition to the investigations they conduct for dependency cases, CPS Social Workers will conduct investigations in concert with probation officers on dual-status youth and make recommendations regarding the appropriate venue for a case.
Behavioral Health Services:
Colusa County Behavioral Health Department provides mental health services to youth and families on Medi-Cal, CCBH maintains oversight of various programs that service at-risk juvenile or juvenile offenders. Mental health clinicians provide direct service to Medi-Cal eligible youth, including those supervised by Probation.

CCBH is the primarily entity responsible for youth in patient and out patient needs in Colusa County. They provide Functional Family Therapy, Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Therapeutic Behavioral Services.
CCBH also has staff assigned to the Tri-County Regional Rehabilitation Facility and the Maxine Singer Youth Guidance Center to provide crisis counseling to detained youth and consult with probation personnel regarding how to treat or handle offenders exhibiting suicidal, violent, aggressive, or otherwise problematic behavior. Provides individual counseling to juveniles in both the Tri-County Rehabilitation Facility and the camp. A psychologist also conducts in-depth evaluations on certain referred youth for the benefit of the Juvenile Court and concerned parties.
Friday Night Live and Club Live: 
Staff from Behavioral Health provide prevention services on high school and junior high campuses. The Friday Night Live (FNL) program is designed for high school-aged young people and is motivated by youth-adult partnerships that create essential and powerful opportunities that enhance and improve local communities. Club Live is provided on junior high school campuses supporting youth in much the same way. 
Friday Night Live Programs:
•	Encourage young people to develop programs that are fun and meaningful.
•	 Promote messages through shared experiences.
•	 Encourage peer-oriented programming (youth-driven & youth-led).
•	 Are goal-directed, action-oriented, and innovative.
•	 Encourage and empower young people as active leaders and community resources.
•	 Have broad appeal to diverse ethnic, racial and social groups.
•	 Encourage youth to care about each other and their environment.
•	 Offer conferences and training opportunities for young people to develop leadership and life skills.	
Independent Living Program (ILP)
ILP provides independent life skills training to county youth 15 years old and older. It focuses on youth preparing to leave foster care and young adults who are emancipated. The goal of ILP is to enable youth to achieve success as they merge into young adulthood and give them a core set of life skills and opportunities to practice in a real world environment by providing hands on experiences.  

The following are a few of the topics to be covered:
•	Basic living education 
•	Vocational training
•	Job seeking skills/ job placement 
•	Resources and referrals 
•	Career planning 
•	Legal information
•	College tours
•	Budgeting/ Bill Paying/ Time Management 
At the completion of the year, students who participate in 85% of the scheduled groups and activities are eligible to receive a laptop computer and a stipend.
Identification of County Areas Facing Significant Public Safety Risk from Juvenile Crime:	
Colusa County is a rural county with a population of 21,547 (Census, 2019). Colusa, is the county seat, with many of the county residents living in unincorporated areas. The county’s economy is primarily based on agriculture, with a large portion of the county consisting of agricultural land and orchards.
The 2016 United States Census reports that 14% of the residents in Colusa County live in poverty and the county has one of the highest unemployment rates in the state. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2020), Colusa County’s unemployment rate is 18.3%.
Colusa County is not immune to the exposure of citizens suffering from substance abuse, which in turn has led to a rise in domestic violence and child abuse cases.
Colusa County has taken the approach that the majority of its communities face the same general risks posed by juvenile crime and delinquency. Our rural location, coupled with a minimal access to transportation and resources, have affected most of the communities within the county. The same is generally true in regard to gang involvement, truancy, mental health needs, and substance abuse among adolescent youth.
All of the county’s schools could be identified as having a significant population of at-risk youth.  This assertion is based on a number of criteria to include, homelessness, truancy, crime rate, and substance abuse.  Through providing prevention and support groups in all the school districts, we offer early interventions and services to our youth as well as their families in order to divert youth from the criminal justice system.
Juvenile Justice Action Strategy: 
The Probation Department implements several strategies that constitute a continuum of responses for juvenile offenders and at-risk juveniles, which include prevention and intervention at all levels. The goal of the department is to “front load” services to juveniles and their families in order to divert juveniles from the delinquency system.

All Colusa County probation officers are trained in Motivational Interviewing (MI) to create a foundational relationship for change. Probation keeps MI at the forefront of probation officer’s tools by providing booster trainings. From prevention to out of home placement, services are provided along a continuum to maintain rehabilitation of juveniles and the safety and best interests of the community. All officers receive a minimum of additional 40 hours of training each year. These additional training hours are approved by the Standards for Training and Corrections and include Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) and Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA). 
School-based GC/BC support groups are offered at every Jr high and high school in the county. The Juvenile Probation Officer provides supervision of all probation supervised juveniles, as well as assisting with truancy matters, aiding in the triage of school behavior issues, as well as identify at-risk juveniles. In addition, they refer juveniles and families to appropriate programs and services as well as provide direct-service, evidence-based programming to juveniles as needed. Once a juvenile is cited and/or arrested by law enforcement for a criminal offense, an interview process with the juvenile and their family takes place. Using MI, the probation officer interviews the juvenile and family to gather information and completes the Positive Achievement Change Tool (PACT) assessment, in order to determine the juvenile’s risk to re-offend, as well as any immediate risks and/or needs to be addressed.  The probation officer will complete the assessment and if low risk to re-offend is indicated, then appropriate referrals to services and/or programs will be made.  These services could include Individual/Family Therapy, Anger Management, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Substance Abusing Adolescents, to join school based Girls circle/ Boys Council Group.  Colusa Behavioral Health, County One Stop and Adult Education, Colusa County Public Health, and Colusa County Welfare Division. Some of these services are offered through Colusa County Probation Department, while others are offered by other local community based organizations and agencies. 
If a juvenile is cited and/or arrested for an offense that is a mandatory referral to the District Attorney pursuant to Section 653.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code or the PACT assessment indicated moderate or high risk to re-offend, the probation officer begins to address the needs of the juvenile and the family as noted above. Additionally, the juvenile may then start the Court process simultaneously. The youth and family are subsequently referred to appropriate programs/services based on the outcome of each assessment tool. If/when a juvenile is placed on some type of supervision, the risk and needs of the assessment, along with a collaborative conversation with the juvenile and their family, translates into a written case plan. 

Programs Proposed to be Funded:
The following programs are proposed to be funded by JJCPA: 
JJCPA funds are currently used to partially pay for a full time Deputy Probation Officer dedicated to enhance the services to Juveniles in Colusa County. The Deputy Probation Officer directly provides case management using evidence based and best practices. With the PACT assessment tool, the Deputy Probation Officer can focus on the at risk juveniles and provide the best services to the juveniles to reduce the possibility of removing juveniles from their home and detour them from getting involved in the criminal justice system. The Deputy Probation Officer meets face to face with the juveniles and their parents on a regular basis. The Deputy Probation Officer also conducts monthly visits to juveniles in placement and meets with group home counselors and other agencies working with the juveniles. The Officer closely monitors the minors' education progress, community service, counseling progress, and overall behavior. The Deputy Probation Officer makes referrals to the appropriate agencies to further assist the juveniles in their success. By implementing best practices, the Colusa County Probation Department has been successful in keeping juveniles in their most appropriate placement, thus reducing the number of juveniles entering the criminal justice system and/or becoming wards of the Court.
Introduction to YOBG:
The Youthful Offender Block Grant (YOBG) provides funding to the Probation Department to enhance the capacity of local communities to implement an effective continuum of response to juvenile crime and delinquency. YOBG is codified in sections 1950 – 1978 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. Allocations from YOBG funds shall be used to enhance the capacity to provide appropriate rehabilitative and supervision services to youthful offenders.
The YOBG requires counties to submit an annual Juvenile Justice Development Plan that discusses programs and system enhancements, strategies related to non DJJ eligible youth, regional agreements supported by YOBG and programs/strategies that are coordinated with JJCPA.
On January 1, 2017, Assembly Bill 1998 went into effect, making significant changes to the reporting requirements for YOBG and JJCPA. The most significant change was that beginning January 2018; counties are required to submit a combined Comprehensive Multi-agency Juvenile Justice Plan for JJCPA and Juvenile Justice Development Plan for YOBG.
Program funded by YOBG: 
YOBG funding pays for a full time Counselor to facilitate the Girls Circle/ Boys Council (GC/BC) programs and the costs associated with the programing.  The GC/BC programs are gender specific groups that focus on the emotional and developmental needs of the youth. Groups are held weekly on each school campus. These intervention groups are designed with evidence based principles and incorporate Motivational Interviewing, strength based approaches, cultural awareness and trauma-responsive practices. Young women and men who have attended are likely to have an increase in self efficacy, more attachment to school, increase in positive body image and decrease in drug and alcohol use. They also have an increased sense of belonging. The groups are offered in all junior high and high schools and some elementary schools throughout the four school districts in the County. The counselors facilitate the Girls Circle and Boys Council Programs as well as coordinated activities to include college tours, pro-social excursions, and community service activities for these youth. By including community service activities, youth benefit by increasing a stronger connectedness to the community and reduce engagement of at-risk behavior. The YOBG funds are used to offset salaries and benefits for counselors to provide the program as well as utilized on supplies needed to offer groups throughout the County including materials for specific group activities, fuel, vehicle maintenance costs and the costs associated with promoting groups. During the past several years these programs have been offered, the Department's juvenile caseload has dropped significantly. The County is a small rural county with limited resources, this program offers positive experiences to all youth in the community. 
YOBG funding also covers the licensing for the PACT assessment tool. The PACT assessment is a validated evidenced based assessment tool that risk/needs of the youth as well as risk and protective factors relative to each youth. The funds were used to pay for licensing and maintenance of the software for the internet based.
 Programs and strategies coordinated with JJCPA:
The Probation Department has streamlined both the YOBG funded programs and the JJCPA funded programs to be inclusive of all minors on probation and support groups offered in the school districts. This means that a minor on informal probation has the same opportunities and services available to them as minors who are on formal probation. Both minors would participate in programming that is offender/risk appropriate. The important aspect to keep in mind is that all youth, regardless of offense/status, have the same programming opportunities available to them.  GC/BC intervention support programing is offered to all students in the local school districts.
Strategy for Non 707(b) Offenders:
Probation's strategy for dealing with non-707(b) offenders does not differ from its strategy for other justice-involved youth. The use of best practices by the department and community providers assists in addressing the county’s immediate and long-term goals. These include providing appropriate types and levels of programming and services to the County's justice-involved youth. The Probation Department continues to work towards building capacity to provide community supervision and serve the non-707(b) /PC 290.008 population in the following areas: 1) transitional living opportunities; 2) educational assistance and/or vocational training; 3) employment placement; 4) family support; 5) parenting skills; 6) mental health services; and 7) substance abuse treatment.
Conclusion:
JJCPA and YOBG funding strategies are geared toward efforts that have the greatest impact, not only on high risk offenders, but at risk youth as well. Future strategies must include a more pronounced prevention and intervention focus on younger youth and their families in Colusa County. Efforts that address violent behavior and promote public safety are a priority. The Probation Department, Juvenile Court, partner agencies, and treatment and service providers in Colusa County remain committed to assessing, addressing and effectively serving the needs of juvenile offenders and their families to ensure their success in the community and enhance public safety.
Project Contact:	
Jamie Sachs
Supervising Probation Officer
jsachs@countyofcolusa.com
(530) 458-0665

Norma Mendieta
Assistant Chief Probation Officer
nmendieta@countyofcolusa.com
(530) 458-0661
						
Michael Rogers
Chief Probation Officer
mrogers@countyofcolusa.com
(530) 458-0656