ROPP Project Descriptions

Fresno County: This program uses a wrap-around service approach emphasizing family and community strengths. Each ward assigned to the treatment group is assessed by a multidisciplinary team that is comprised of representatives from probation, law enforcement, school districts, mental health, social services, Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Council, Boys and Girls Club, parents and a family case advocate, if desired. The team then develops a service plan for each ward. The assigned probation officer is responsible for implementing and coordinating the recommended services, and the assessment team periodically reviews the case plan to determine progress and/or the need for modification. The probation officer is also responsible for ongoing case management; however the officer receives assistance from student interns. The project contracts for psychological services and parenting education classes. Thus far, volunteers have provided over 1,900 hours of service to the project.  Fresno County anticipates that its project will involve 160 first-time wards in selected urban and rural areas. The urban component includes Fresno zip codes 93702, 93703, 93704, 93705, 93706, 93725, 93726, 93727 and 93728. The rural element serves Clovis, Selma, Sanger and Reedley.

Humboldt County: In taking a multiagency, multidisciplinary approach, Humboldt County is using Neighborhood Service Hubs that operate in four areas: Eureka, McKinleyville, Fortuna and Garberville. Agencies supporting the Hubs include probation officers, a mental health case manager and clinician, child welfare services, police, Healthy Start, school counselor, Youth Services Bureau, health professionals and other private service providers. Participating juveniles are assigned to a probation officer (maximum caseload of 15), who works with the Hub closest to the minor’s residence for coordination of services. The role of the probation officer is to convene and facilitate a family team consisting of appropriate professionals and family identified "informal support" persons. The family team develops a service plan that is based upon the family’s strengths and resources and addresses the family’s needs related to delinquent and criminal behavior. The Hubs coordinate community resources and services identified in the service plan. Volunteers have contributed 400 hours of service to this project. This project, which serves the entire county, expects to involve a total of 150 first-time wards over the course of the grant period.

Los Angeles County: This program targets 200 first time wards 15½ years old and younger who reside in 16 zip codes in South Central Los Angeles. Wards randomly assigned to the Demonstration Group receive assessments at multi-agency multi-disciplinary case planning conferences (CPCs) to develop individualized strengths-based service plans. A County Department of Mental Health community-based mental health contract agency provides the site and coordination for CPCs and 75-day case reviews for each case. Wards and families receive services identified in their service plan from 20 collaborative and linkage agencies. Services for wards and families include but are not limited to: anger management; case management services; child-focused activities; family retreats for problem solving; health education; outpatient mental health services; individual and family counseling; field trips; parenting; recreation and socialization activities; role models and mentoring; self-help groups/family support; substance abuse counseling; teaching and demonstrating homemaking; transportation; tutoring; and vocational readiness training for care givers. Deputy Probation Officers provide case management services and intensive supervision to ensure that service plans are implemented and modified as necessary.

Orange County: This program, which serves first-time wards, is a collaborative effort of the Probation Department, the County Departments of Education and Health Care (Mental Health and Behavioral Health Services) and other contracted agencies, including Children’s Services Program and the American Academy of Pediatrics. The Youth and Family Resource Center (YFRC) is the primary source of services, bringing together the ward, the family and a broad range of service providers in one location. An individualized service plan is developed for each referral by the on-site assessment team composed of a probation officer, teacher(s), counselors who are responsible for afternoon recreation/community service/life skills programming, a substance abuse counselor, mental health staff, a nurse practitioner, and intensive in-home family counselors. Others may participate in the development of the plan, including social services agency representatives or a community case advocate. The majority of services, including school, are offered at the YFRC. Linkages to other services are made as necessary. A transportation component is included in the program to ensure that families have access to needed services and that minors attend school daily. As of May 1, 1999, volunteers had contributed more than 2,500 hours to the project.  )range County expects that it will serve 280 juveniles in the cities of Anaheim, Buena Park and Fullerton during the course of this project.

San Diego: This program consists of three multi-disciplinary, multi-agency teams working with 25 families each. The teams are comprised of a Probation Officer, Protective Services Worker, Community Family Monitor and a Student Worker. A part-time Clinical Psychologist and Family Counselor and one full time Alcohol and Drug Specialist support the teams as they work with families. An individualized service plan for treatment is developed for each family with the objective of empowering the wards and their families to effectively handle their family, school and community issues, court compliance and remain law-abiding. The services are based on assessment, interviews and family self-report of their strengths and needs. Families are connected with programs and resources within the community infrastructure. The level and type of service can be adjusted as the families become more capable of managing their own life domains. The Family And Community Team OutReach (FACTOR) Center opened in March 1999 as a collaborative effort of the Probation Department, County Schools, Health and Human Services Agency. The FACTOR Center provides a broad spectrum of services to the ward and family in one location. The center design includes a Summit School program with two classrooms. Day drug treatment and family counseling are also provided on site. San Diego has benefited from 316 hours of service from volunteer.  San Diego estimates that 220 juveniles in the following 15 contiguous zip codes within the city of San Diego will be a part of the program evaluation: 92101, 92102, 92103, 92104, 92505, 92113, 92114, 92115,92116,92139,92139,91941,91945,91950, 91977.

San Francisco: This project features a day treatment school-based center that emphasizes learning strengths and empowers parents to understand the school system and how their children learn.  The program provides individual, family and group therapeutic activities; substance abuse counseling; parenting classes; and medication management. Schoolteachers work with departmental staff to target behavior and emotional problems. The school district provides transportation to and from the school site and Probation staff works to ensure attendance. The site, known as the Robeson Rivera Academy, is open until 6:00 p.m. each evening and on Saturday. The after school component consists of a fine arts program encompassing four tracks: Dance, Drama, Visual Arts and Writing. Each track is offered five days a week for six weeks and involves 10 participants. The curriculum includes field trips to local museums, art exhibits and theatre. The Saturday program provides youth and their families the opportunity to attend local theatre, the opera and symphony. Probation staff case manage the youth and a social worker case manages their families. Psychologists from Children’s Mental Health Services  test all participants and provide them individual therapy on a weekly basis. A Child Crisis team is available 24 hours a day for emergency response to ROPP youth.  San Francisco anticipates that its project will serve 90 juveniles (first-time wards who are middle school) who reside throughout the City and County.

San Mateo: The San Mateo County Probation Department’s Preventing Repeat Offender Program (PROP) is dedicated to the objective of working with high-risk, first-time juvenile offenders in an effort to avert ongoing escalation of criminal and delinquent behavior and to promote positive social values and educational goals. The program provides intensive family-centered services and aims to empower the young person and his/her family to create strong healthy bonds with each other and their community. Program eligibility is determined through an assessment in the Probation Department’s Intake and Investigation Unit. The PROP Unit is staffed with three Deputy Probation Officers, a Case Aide, a Mental Health Clinical Program Specialist, a Mental Health Therapist and Social Worker. The program team, along with an Inter-Agency Multidisciplinary team, completes a needs assessment and develops a preliminary case plan for each ward admitted to the program. Strategies for interventions and services are identified for the family in the areas of education, treatment, recreation or living arrangements. Probation Officers provide ongoing supervision and service coordination. PROP team meetings are held weekly and Program Development workshops are facilitated quarterly by a Mental Health consultant. While the county does not regularly assign volunteers to the program, they have provided 65 hours of assistance with youth workshops.  For its project, San Mateo anticipates the participation of 120 juveniles in the cities of Brisbane, Broadmoor, Colma, Daly City, Pacifica and South San Francisco.

Solano County: Solano County is using a multidisciplinary team approach in assessing cases and making referrals for service. First-time wards assigned to the treatment group receive intensive supervision and services. Youth and Family Services, a community-based multiservice organization, is the main provider of services for the project. Each minor in the program is assigned a probation officer and a Youth and Family Services case manager who share a caseload of 20 juveniles and their family members. The probation officer and case manager develop an individualized program plan for each participating minor. All demonstration group minors, at a minimum, are required to participate in and complete an individual and group-counseling program with their assigned case manager. Group counseling is a 12-week core program and covers substance abuse, anger management, conflict resolution, job search, gangs, self esteem and gender issues. Minors in need of mentors, educational tutoring or other specialized programs are referred to appropriate agencies in the community for services. Since July 1998, volunteer mentors and tutors have contributed 94 hours of service to the project.  The program, which is expected to serve 130 juveniles, operates in five areas: the cities of Benicia and Vallejo in the south, and the cities of Fairfield, Suisan, and Vacaville in the north.