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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 03261996 - C28 TG:i BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contra i FROM: JOAN V. SPARKS, DIRECTOR . °`� Costa COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT ;r �� • ��° DATE: March 19, 1996 ° ° '�° County `J SUBJECT: APPROVE SUBMISSION OF GRANT APPLICATION FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE CALIFORNIA MENTOR INITIATIVE PROGRAM SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)6 BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION I. RECOMMENDED ACTION: APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Community Services Director, or her designee, to execute and submit to the State Department of Community Services and Development and Alcohol and Drug Programs, on behalf of the County, an Application for 1996 Community Services Block Grant Discretionary Funds and Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Grant to implement the California Mentor Initiative for the period from May 1, 1996, through April 30, 1997 in the amount Of $100,000. II. FINANCIAL IMPACT: If this Grant Application is approved by the-'State, funding will be included in the Department's FY 1995-96 budget. Funding for the period from July 1, 1996, through April 30, 1997, will be reflected in the Department's proposed FY 1996-1997 County budget. III. REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS/BACKGROUND On March 18, 1996, the Community Services Department received Notice of Funding Availability for 1996 discretionary funds of the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) and funds of the Safe and Drug-Free Schools Communities Grant for participation in the California Mentor Initiative from May 1, 1996 through April 30, 1997. The Governor has created the California Mentor Initiative (CMI) with the specific mission to provide support and guidance to low-income youth in at-risk conditions. The desired outcome of the Initiative is to reduce the four problem areas of alcohol/drug use, teen pregnancy, educational failure, and gangs and violence. The Initiative focuses state resources on the following goals: K CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: U�- z RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOR COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S): ACTION OF BOARD ON March 26, 1996 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE X UNANIMOUS(ABSENT I AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. COPfI•ACT: Joan Sparks, 313-7350 CC: CAO ATTESTED March 26, 1996 CSD PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR BYDEPUTY M382 (10/88) Grant Application California Mentor Initiative Program Board Order Page 2 1. Increase the number of trained mentors; 2. Increase the number of participating proteges; 3. Increase the number of mentor hours available to proteges; 4. Expand mentoring services; and 5. Increase public awareness and support for local mentor programs. Only CSBG-eligible entities, who are either Community Action Agencies, American Indian Agencies, Migrant and Seasonal Farm Worker Agencies, Limited Purpose Agencies or Rural Community Services Agencies, may apply for these funds, and only one award per county is expected. The State recommends collaboration on a single proposal from any county with more than one CSBG-eligible organization. The Community Services Department, Court Appointed Special Representative Program, Inc. (CASR), and New Connections will collaborate on a joint proposal for implementing a California Mentor Initiative program in Contra Costa County. Orig. Department: Community Services Contact: Joan Sparks (313-7350) cc: County Administrator CASR New Connections State (4 Sealed Copies) DG .. Via. NARRATIVE STATEMENT FORMAT 1. PROJECT/PROGRAM TITLE. California Mentor Initiative Program 2. FUNDING AGENCY. State Department of Community Services and Development(CSD) and State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs (ADP). This application is for 1996 Community Services Block Grant Discretionary Funds and Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Grant funds. 3. SUBMITTAL STATUS. This Board Order authorizes the Department to apply for funds for a new County program. 4. PROPOSED TERM. May 1, 1996 through April 30, 1997. 5. CURRENT FUNDING. None. 6. FUTURE FUNDING. This application if for one-time discretionary funding. 7. BUDGET SUMMARY. A budget will be prepared to cover the amount of funding under this application. A revised budget will be prepared should the County receive a grant for less than the $100,000 requested. 8. STAFFING REQUIREMENTS. Joan Sparks will be responsible for administration of this project. 9. PROGRAM NEED. The California Mentor Initiative was created as a public-private statewide mentoring program for youth in at-risk conditions. The Initiative will provide support and culturally sensitive guidance which the youth require to become productive members of society. The initiative was created in response to the fact that California faces a crisis of absent fathers and teenage pregnancy have a devastating effect on our children. The Annie E./ Casey Foundation has compiled statistics that indicate that in 1992, 11.7% of teens between the ages of 16 and 19 were high school dropouts, compared to the national average of 9.3%. Additionally, there were 634 juvenile violent crime arrests per 100,000 youths between the ages of 10 and 17, compared to a national rate of 483 per 100,000. Governor Wilson created the Initiative to address these types of challenges by expanding the number of trained mentors in California and by bringing together existing mentor programs to create a comprehensive network of resources to serve youth in at-risk conditions. Accordingly, the ultimate goal will be, to the degree practicable, to privatize mentoring activities by 1997. 10. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER PROGRAMS. The Community Services Department will collaborate with CASR Program (A Child's Voice in Court Child Advocates) and New Connections, Inc. to implement a California Mentor Initiative program in Contra Costa County. 1 The State also created a Mentor Resource Center at ADP to serve as a clearinghouse for mentoring resources and materials and to create a data system for mentor referrals. This clearinghouse may also be able to provide a variety of communication functions for grantees such as public relations, marketing, networking, newsletters, etc. Assistance to facilitate contact with private sector entities will be available from the Mentor Resource Center. 11. PROJECT GOALS. The goal of this program is to provide guidance and support to low- income youth in at-risk conditions and to reduce the problem areas of alcohol/drug use, teen pregnancy, educational failure, and gangs and violence. The ultimate goal will be, to the degree practicable, to privatize mentoring activities by 1997. 12. STATED OBJECTIVES. The objectives of this program are: a. Increase the number of trained mentors. b. Increase the number of participating proteges. c. Increase the number of mentor hours available to proteges. d. Expand mentoring services. e. Increase public awareness and support for local mentor programs. 13. ACTIVITY SUMMARY. The Community Services Department will collaborate with CASR Program (A Child's Voice in Court Child Advocates) and New Connections, Inc. to implement a California Mentor Initiative program in Contra Costa County. Schools, church groups, concerned citizens, juvenile justice, other community-based organizations, the private sector and mentoring entities are expected to participate in the development of a program that will maximize assistance to low-income youth in at-risk conditions. The Department will act as a catalyst in mobilizing the mentoring community to meet the needs of low-income youth in at-risk conditions. Efforts shall include a systematic public awareness and marketing program targeted toward the private sector that will highlight the positive rewards of mentoring and why and how the private sector can provide on-going financial and human resource support once the one-time public funds are no longer available. 14. EVALUATION METHOD(S). Information shall be collected and documented reflecting the goal increases outlined in Paragraph 12. (Stated Objectives) above. 15. CHANGES COMPARED TO PRIOR YEAR (if any). Not Applicable. 16. POTENTIAL CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES. None expected. 2