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    5.    
PUBLIC PROTECTION COMMITTEE
Meeting Date: 10/27/2014  
Subject:    Report on Discussions with California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Regarding Programming for Parolees in Contra Costa County
Submitted For: Philip F. Kader
Department: Probation  
Referral No.: N/A  
Referral Name: Report on Discussions with California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Regarding Programming for Parolees in Contra Costa County
Presenter: Donte Blue, County Reentry Coordinator Contact: Donte Blue, County Reentry Coordinator
Information
Referral History:
The Public Safety Realignment Act of 2011 has been one of the most innovative attempts to address recidivism to date. Believing local jurisdictions were better situated to implement effective rehabilitative programming, the State realigned the traditional prison population by redirecting those without a history of violent, serious, or sexual offenses to the custody and supervision of local officials. Contra Costa responded to the demands of realignment by developing a comprehensive and collaborative reentry program that utilizes the services of community-based organizations and public agencies to remove barriers to reintegration and thereby reduce recidivism. Through this public-private partnership, formerly incarcerated citizens in the East and Central parts of the County are able to access needed services through a Networked System of Care. In West Contra Costa County, a plan to develop a “first-stop” Reentry Resource Center is currently being implemented, and the Center’s doors are expected to be open by the early part of 2015. Consistent with this approach, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) has also recently made increased programming its preferred method reducing recidivism.

In 2013, the CDCR Division of Adult Parole Operations (DAPO) traded in their monitoring and enforcement supervision methods of old for an improved California Parole Supervision and Reintegration Model. This new model seeks to improve the safety of the public through recidivism reduction. This is accomplished by first assessing a parolee’s criminogenic needs, and then meeting these needs through the use of community-based programing and evidence-based practices. Across the state, the CDCR Division of Rehabilitative Programing (DRP) has contracted with local entities in an effort to build regional rehabilitative programs. Taking the form of a Day Reporting Center or a Community-Based Coalition, these community-based programs give parolees access to a host of rehabilitative services that are sometimes inclusive of individuals on probation. An example of some of the programs include:
  • Group and Individual Therapy
  • Domestic Violence counseling
  • Drug Treatment
  • Transitional Housing
  • Anger Management
  • Literacy & GED preparation
  • Job Readiness
  • Life skills training
  • Money Management
Referral Update:
Wanting to bring services to the parolees of Contra Costa, and having a preference for locating these services in an actual physical location, the DRP and DAPO saw the development of the Reentry Center in West County as an opportune time to open up dialogue with the County to gauge interest in possibly collocating parolee services at the Center. Over the past several months, these preliminary conversations confirmed enough interest in the proposal existed to move towards considering the feasibility of the project. Because Rubicon Programs is the County contractor acting responsible for the day to day operations of the Reentry Center, the County has sought and confirmed Rubicon’s interest in the State’s proposal. The County’s next meeting with CDCR is scheduled for November 12, 2014. This meeting should provide insight on the State’s programmatic expectations, and the expected scope and size of the proposed project. With a better understanding of the program the to be collocated at the West County Reentry Center, the County will be in a better position to determine if the collocation of these programs are in the County’s best interests, or if the needs of the State’s program as proposed will be best met in a location separate from the Reentry Center.

County Reentry Coordinator Donte Blue will present this report to the Committee and be available for questions.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
1. ACCEPT report from the County Reentry Coordinator on the status of discussions with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) regarding establishment of programming for certain parolees within Contra Costa County.
Fiscal Impact (if any):
No fiscal impact. This report is informational only.
Attachments
Contra Costa County Reentry Strategic Plan - Report Summary

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