Safe Passages and Youth Ventures

Joint Powers AuthorityGovernment and Community Working

Together for Healthy Kids

Founded in 1996 as part of a national Urban Health Initiative of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Established in Oakland as a program of the East Bay Community Foundation.

In 2004, the new Executive Director charged with developing a sustainable organizational infrastructure for the initiative beyond the RWJF investment.

Today, the multi-jurisdictional organization exists as a Joint Powers Authority with a non-profit arm - Safe Passages (501)(c)(3) and Youth Ventures JPA, an independent governmental body of local public systems covering Oakland and Alameda County

Youth Ventures JPA is committed to advocating for children, youth and families with a special emphasis on vulnerable populations.

R&D of Public Systems: It is an initiative that researches, develops, implements, and evaluates prevention and intervention strategies for children and youth.

Safe Passages Background

City of OaklandOakland Unified

School District

County of Alameda

Policy Development and Implementation

Coordination Resource Development

Design & Incubation

Research and Evaluation

Advocacy

Institutionalizing Cross Jurisdictional Functions

San LorenzoUnified School

District

Youth Ventures Joint Powers Authority Board of Trustees

County of AlamedaSupervisor Keith Carson Supervisor Nate MileySusan Muranishi, County Administrator Dave Kears, Assistant to County

Administrator and Former Director of Health and Human Services Agency

Alex Briscoe, Director of Health Care Services Agency

Lori Jones, Director of Social Services Agency

David Muhammad, Chief of Probation

City of OaklandMayor Jean Quan Councilmember Jane Brunner Councilmember Nancy Nadel Anthony Batts, Chief of Police Andrea Youngdahl, Director of the Department of Human Services

OUSDBd. Member Alice SpearmanBd. Member Jody LondonBd. Member Gary YeeDr. Anthony Smith, SuperintendentMaria Santos, Deputy Superintendent

San Lorenzo USDDr. Dennis D. Byas, Superintendent, Dr. Ammar Saheli, Director of Student

Support Services

In 2004, Safe Passages staff directed to review organizational structures:

• Unincorporated Association Under a Fiscal Agent• University Affiliate• Incorporate as Independent 501 (c) (3) Nonprofit• Chatham Savannah Youth Futures Authority Model• Joint Powers Authority

After much deliberation, the Board requested that staff focus on two governmental structures: Joint Powers Authority and State Legislated Special Authority.

Safe Passages Background

The extensive research established that a JPA structure would: 

• Provide for a neutral, quasi-governmental entity for partnership among several public institutions;

• Institutionalize the unique public partnership built over the last ten years;• Maintain local control;• Allow for maximization of fiscal leveraging of external sources. A JPA is

eligible to apply for many federal and state grants for which non-profits are not. A JPA demonstrates an innovative approach to a wide range of potential funders; and

• A JPA would best support expansion of efforts within Oakland and Alameda County.

Board approved the Joint Powers Authority as the preferred structure for continuing and institutionalizing the expanded work of Safe Passages on October 17, 2005.

Organizational Structure Research

A 501(c)(3) non-profit arm of the JPA would provide important development opportunities to the new entity.

Foundation support, for example, would be facilitated through this arm.

The combination of a JPA and a 501(c)(3) would establish maximum development opportunity.

It was therefore, decided by the Board that the JPA would have a non-profit arm and the two organizations would work in tandem.

Creation of 501(c)(3) Organization

MISSION The Mission of the JPA shall be to advocate for children, youth and families in Alameda County with a special emphasis on vulnerable populations. The JPA shall operate in accordance with core principles intended to support and implement this mission. These core principles include, but are not limited to, the following: •Creation and institutionalization of inter-agency and intra-agency support systems and strategies•Data-driven, collaborative decision-making;•Protection of individual privacy and confidentiality;•Resource development, expansion, leveraging and pooling;•Mutual responsibility for meaningful outcomes;•Joint credit for success;•Promotion of best practices.

Mission and Core Principles

March 2006 The 501c3 Safe Passages is legally incorporated.

July 2006 The Oakland City Council adopts the JPA AgreementSeptember 2006 The Alameda County Board of Supervisors adopts the

Agreement

December 2006 The State Administrator and the OUSD Board adopts the JPA Agreement.

September 2007 JPA Board of Trustees is seated

September 2007 The Board of Trustees grants admission to the San Lorenzo Unified School District.

Chronology of Legislative/Legal Process

Early Childhood Initiative

Juvenile Justice Initiative

School-Linked Services Initiative(Middle School Strategy)

Addressing the Root Causes of Violence

EARLY CHILDHOOD INITIATVEACCOMPLISHMENTS

Prior to Safe Passages . . .

No coordinated means of identifying and helping children exposed to community violence.

Today:

Childcare centers, service providers, and over 800 police officers trained to identify and refer in Oakland, Hayward, San Leandro and Sheriff force.

Mental Health Consultations for teachers and families in childcare centers

Citywide referral network for children exposed to violence (Safe Start)

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Pre test Post Test

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Anger & Aggression Anxious & Withdrawn

Prosocial Behavior

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All children Matched

EARLY CHILDHOOD INITIATIVEImpact of Site-Based Services

• Teachers rated children as showing reduced anger and aggression, and reduced anxious and withdrawn behavior,

• Teachers also stated that children’s pro-social behavior had improved significantly compared to before the program.

EARLY CHILDHOOD INITIATIVE Classroom Literacy Environment

Early Language and Literacy Classroom Observation Results

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4.5

Pre-test Post-test

Oral Language Facilitation

Presence of Books

Approaches to BookReading

Approaches to Children’sWriting

Approaches to CurriculumIntegration

Recognizing Diversity in theClassroom

GOALS• Improve School Climate and • reduce the number of suspensions

SEVEN COMPONENT MODEL:

1) Violence prevention curriculum, 2) Site-based service coordination, 3) Case management, 4) School-based mental health counseling, 5) Parental engagement, 6) Alternatives to suspension, 7) After-school programs.

Middle School StrategyGoals and Components

SCHOOL-LINKED SERVICES ACCOMPLISHMENTS

In 1998, under the UHI, Safe Passages Middle School Strategy established the benchmark goal of reducing suspensions for violence 30% by 2005 at targeted middle schools.

The number of violent suspensions has decreased by 72%: 200% of goal met.

90% of the middle school population (9,300 students) are taught violent prevention/social skills curriculum.

The Middle School Strategy reached city-wide scale and has been sustained with local resources for past 6 years.

Students no longer have to be labeled “special ed” to qualify for mental health services.

MIDDLE SCHOOL STRATEGYACCOMPLISHMENTS

Total Suspension *Rate Comparison

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03_04 04_05*Rate: total incidences/total enrollment

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SP

NonSP

SP: From 48% to 39% suspension rate – a 19% decrease in overall suspension rate

Non SP: from 28% to 40% suspension rate – a 43% increase in overall suspension rate

MIDDLE SCHOOL STRATEGYACCOMPLISHMENTS

Violent Suspension Rates Decline for ALL Safe Passages Schools Served in 2004-2005

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%

03_04 04_05

School Year

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Carter

Frick

Havenscourt

Lowell

Madison

Simmons

Edna Brewer

OAKLAND’S VISION Access to educational opportunity, health services and family support should not be dictated by race or socio-economic status. Healthy and supported young people are better prepared to learn and succeed.

• In 2007, Safe Passages became the lead entity for The Atlantic Philanthropies Elev8 Initiative – an integrated services in schools initiative being implemented in four sites across the country

• Safe Passages leveraged the $15 Million grant from the foundation with another $23 Million from local public systems in Oakland.

Prior to Safe Passages . . .

No court ordered diversion program or police diversion program

Today:

Initiative has brought county probation, the courts, law enforcement and service providers together to implement case management programs as alternatives to incarceration.

Partners developed Project First, for first time offenders, and OPD 1st Diversion Program for youth.

JUVENILE JUSTICE INITIATIVEACCOMPLISHMENTS

2008-09 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

In 2008-09, Safe Passages leveraged $475,000 in partner dues into $16.8 million in funded services for Oakland’s children and families.

That’s a return on investment of 3437%:

Over $34 dollars of services returned for each $1 invested in Safe Passages’ systems change work!

SUSTAINABLE PUBLIC INVESTMENT

City: Department of Human Services, police department, voter approved measures -- $544,000

School District: General Fund, School Site Budgets, LEA MediCal -- $3.65 million

County: EPSDT Medical Expansion, EPSDT/MediCal, Tobacco Settlement -- $1.28 million

State Funds: ASES After School dollars -- $364,000 Federal Funds: US Dept. Health and Human Services, US Dept.

of Justice -- $309,000 Targeted Local Construction Bonds: Oakland Unified School

District -- $6.67 million

Leveraging Sustainable Funds

Federal

Title I, Title IX, Title IV, Supplemental Education Services, EPSDT, Medi-Cal, Title X (OFP), VOC, Healthy Smiles, MCH-Federal Financial Participation, 21st Century

Local (City, County & OUSD)

OFCY, Measure Y, Oakland Community Action Partnership, City General Fund, Workforce dollars – Oakland Police Department, Alameda County Social Services Agency, school site budgets, Williams Act, Measure E, Measure B, AB825, adult education ADA

State

State Supplemental Instruction, TIIG, Prop. 49, Family Pact, Tobacco Master Settlement, AB3632, Prop 63, General Fund, Family Planning Funds, Denti-Cal

TODAY

Youth Ventures Joint Powers Authority a successful inter-governmental infrastructure from which to platform city and county wide initiatives.