SR-701-006 (17)~~r
~ City of
SanLa Monica~
To: Mayor and City Council
City Council Report
City Council Meeting: September 12, 2006
Agenda Item: ~-~i
From: Barbara Stinchfield, Director, Community and Cultural Services
Subject: Department of Justice Grant Award for Virginia Avenue Park Teen
Programming
Recommended Action
It is recommended that the City Council accept U.S. Department of Justice grant funds
in the amount of $246,807 over a three-year period for a focused gang intervention
program, Night Bridges, at Virginia Avenue Park, appropriate funds and make
necessary budget changes, and authorize the City Manager to execute any necessary
agreements.
Executive Summary
The City of Santa Monica has been awarded a$246,807 grant from the United States
Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, to
expand teen program hours at Virginia Avenue Park. The funding will enable the
Virginia Avenue Park teen center to offer Night Bridges -- extending current evening
hours from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. three nights per week, providing life skills training
and monthly learning excursions that are linked to learning objectives. This grant
funding was awarded as part of a Congressional earmark secured by Congressman
Henry A. Waxman.
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Discussion
The goal of Night Bridges is to develop critical life skills in youth ages 14-21 and teach
parents how to recognize and prevent gang involvement in their children. Critical life
skills are the basic competencies needed to function as a productive member of the
community, such as money management, conflict resolution, job skills, communication
skills, customer service, problem solving, and critical thinking. The program is expected
to begin in January 2007, and will serve approximately 105 parents and 72 youth age
14-21 during the three-year grant period. Program success will be measured by a
decrease in juvenile arrests in Santa Monica, parents' increased awareness of gang
prevention strategies, and youth completion of workshops and retention of newly
acquired skills.
The program was designed to appeal to older, gang-involved youth that currently
frequent the park and Teen Center, have frequent contact with law enforcement and are
more difficult to engage with traditional park programs. Night Bridges was conceived as
a gang intervention program, in contrast to typical park programs that can be viewed as
more preventative in nature. The activities and services offered by Night Bridges will
complement existing services for youth at Virginia Avenue Park that include recreation
activities, homework assistance, cultural celebrations, employment assistance, the
Police Activities League fitness gym, arts and enrichment programs, and other
programs offered at the teen center. Together, these services reflect the City Council's
ongoing commitment to offer a range of human services in the Pico neighborhood.
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Night Bridges is consistent with the City's ongoing efforts to improve the quality of life in
the Pico neighborhood. In June 2006, the City Council reconfirmed as one of its
Community Priorities to "Enhance the quality of life, safety, and community involvement
of residents of the Pico neighborhood." Given the breadth of challenges facing the
neighborhood, the City has committed significant resources to involve residents,
businesses, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and religious and cultural
institutions. This collaborative approach has generated specific planning goals that
focus on coordinating existing services, job training and employment, neighborhood
appearance, community programs, public safety and community engagement. Night
Bridges embraces this collaborative approach to reducing gang violence by including
the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (Adult Education Center) and Police
Department (parent classes) as program partners. The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified
School District's Adult Education Center has committed to providing life skills classes
and educational opportunities for the Night Bridges Program.
Also as part of the grant, the Police Department will conduct parent education courses
to teach parents how to recognize and address gang behavior in their children. This
may include discussions of clothing and attire associated with gang membership,
changes in behavior or appearance that may signal gang involvement, and changes in
peer group association. Police and park staff agree that parental involvement in the
lives of children is a key component of the City's comprehensive gang prevention
strategy. The Police Department is a major partner in the City's gang prevention
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strategy at Virginia Avenue Park and Police persannel teaching the courses have
significant experience and knowledge working and communicating with youth to help
them make better life choices.
Staff also will be working with the Pico Youth and Family Center (PYFG), Probation
Department, School District Officials, and Police Department to craft an outreach
strategy and identify youth that can benefit from Night Bridges. Many youth interact with
all of these organizations and collaboration among these entities will enhance program
success. The PYFC and Police are members of the City's Youth Resource Team that
strives to connect youth and families to community resources and develop care plans
for incarcerated youth prior to their release into the community.
The initial grant documents were executed last month to meet the U.S. Department of
Justice's August 18th deadline. Amendments to the grant agreement may be required
for budget line item changes or program element modifications as the program is
implemented.
Public Outreach
Park staff will conduct outreach at all local high schools and nonprofit organizations that
serve Santa Monica youth. Additionally, staff will work closely with the Los Angeles
County Probation Department to identify prospective participants. Night Bridges will be
an important resource for incarcerated youth that will be released back into the
community.
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Budget/Financial Impact
The grant award of $246,807 from the U.S. Department of Justice will be used over a
period of three years -$89,621 for Year 1, $78,024 for Year 2 and $79,162 for Year 3-
to support one 0.5 FTE permanent Community Services Program Coordinator, 0.3 FTE
as-needed Community and Cultural Services Leader, consultant services and program
supplies. No matching funds are required. In accordance with Department of Justice
funding conditions, the City is committed to continuing the components of the Night
Bridges Program at the end of the three-year grant term, at an estimated annual cost of
$67,000. Due to one-time and start-up program expenditures in the first three years,
ongoing program costs are significantly reduced in Year 4. At the end of the three-year
grant term, the Community and Cultural Services Department/Human Services Division
will cover the ongoing costs in its maintenance of effort (MOE) budget to continue these
expanded pragram hours. Funds for one-time/start-up program expenditures allocated
to the Virginia Avenue Park Teen Center will be redirected to the Night Bridges Program
in Year 4 to support ongoing program costs of approximately $67,000 per year,
including staffing costs of permanent and as-needed positions.
Year 1 program costs are expected to begin January 1, 2007. The following budget
changes are needed to record receipt of the grant funds in FY 2006-07 and make it
available for program use:
1) Establish a revenue budget in the amount of $44,810 at account 20262.403060;
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2) Appropriate $24,510 in various operating budget accounts for salaries and fringe
benefits and $20,300 in various operating budget accounts for supplies and
expenses;
3) Increase the budgeted number of Permanent Employees by 0.5 FTE by adding a
permanent, part-time position, Community Services Program Coordinator, and
increase the budgeted number of Temporary Employees by 0.3 FTE by adding an
as-needed Community and Cultural Services Leader; and
4) Establish Non-Departmental/InterFund Transactions budget changes to provide for
reimbursement of the General Fund by the Miscellaneous Grants Fund for grant-
eligible expenses.
Revenue and expenditure appropriations for subsequent fiscal years will be included as
part of the City's Proposed Budget.
Prepared by: Scott Wasserman, Human Services Administrator, Neighborhood and
Park Initiatives
Approved: Forwarded to Council:
~ S ~ ,
Barbara Stinchfield nt Ew
Director, Community & Cultural Services anager
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