This contract meets the social needs of County’s population by engaging youth at risk of mental illness or severe emotional disturbance in transformative work that recognizes and addresses the histories and inequitable burden of trauma and violence experienced in West Contra Costa County, including programs aimed at greater youth acceptance of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning (LGBTQQ) students in schools. This is done by providing harm reduction presentations in schools, facilitating access and linkage to mental health treatment and improving timely access to mental health treatment utilizing strategies which are non-stigmatizing and non-discriminatory, presenting to community organizations and public agencies at monthly cultural events, and during monthly membership meetings.  
  
On July 18, 2017, the Board of Supervisors approved Contract #74–377-8 with RYSE, Inc., a California Nonprofit Corporation, for the period from July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018, which included a six-month automatic extension through December 31, 2018, for the provision of MHSA-PEI services.  
  
Approval of Contract #74–377–9 replaces the automatic extension under the prior contract and allows the contractor to continue providing services through June 30, 2019.

If this contract is not approved, the contractor will not provide the health and wellness program which provides youth centered assessment goal setting, support and wellness services or the trauma response and resilience system providing support and response to incidents of violence to diverse cultural communities in West Contra Costa County.

This MHSA-PEI program supports the following Board of Supervisors’ community outcomes: “Families that are Safe, Stable, and Nurturing”; and “Communities that are Safe and Provide a High Quality of Life for Children and Families”. Expected program outcomes include increases in social connectedness, communication skills, parenting skills, and knowledge of the human service system in Contra Costa County.