DATE: September 23, 2025
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Kirk Haynes, Chief Probation Officer
SUBJECT: Agreement with Focus Forward for Youth Mentoring Services
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute an Agreement with Focus Forward for mentoring services for youth on probation or detained at the Juvenile Justice Campus, effective October 1, 2025, not to exceed five consecutive years, which includes a three-year base contract and two optional one-year extensions, total not to exceed $530,914.
REPORT
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended action, as costs for this recommended agreement are fully funded with Youthful Offender Block Grant (YOBG) funds. Focus Forward is a community-based non-profit corporation created in 2006 to serve at-risk youth in collaboration with the Probation Department. This organization has provided prevention and intervention services, including mentoring, to youth housed at the Juvenile Justice Campus (JJC) since that time. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
If the recommended action is not approved, the County would not be able to continue providing mentoring services to youth at the same level. The County would need to locate another vendor, through issuance of another Request for Proposals, which would leave a gap in services.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. The recommended agreement is fully funded with YOBG funds. The maximum cost of the recommended Agreement is $530,914 over five years. The annual maximum compensation includes an annual fiscal year rate increase based on National Consumer Price Index not to exceed 3%, beginning FY 2026-27. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues will be included in the Probation Org 3430 FY2025-26 Adopted Budget & future budget requests for the duration of the term.
DISCUSSION:
Under Welfare & Institutions Code Sections 1950, et seq., the YOBG program provides state funding to enhance the capacity of county probation, mental health, drug and alcohol, and other county departments to provide appropriate rehabilitative and supervision services to youthful offenders subject to Sections 731.1, 733, 1766, and 1767.35. Counties, in expending the YOBG allocation, shall provide all necessary services related to the custody and parole of the offenders.
On January 23, 2025, the County issued Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 25-052, which solicited bids for effective in-custody and community-based mentoring and case management services for at-risk youth during detention at the JJC and re-entry into the community. The RFP closed on March 10, 2025, resulting in five proposals listed below:
- Focus Forward, $530,857
- Integral Community Solutions Institute, $530,914
- North Star Wellness Center, $530,914
- StudentNest, Inc., $530,914
- Truly Reviving Our Youth (TROY Center), maximum compensation amount for the first year: $100,000. Proposal did not include a total maximum compensation amount.
The proposals were reviewed by a panel of three from the Probation Department, comprised of an Assistant Deputy Chief Probation Officer, Senior Accountant, and Deputy Probation Officer IV, which recommended to award services to Focus Forward. The panel determined Focus Forward to the most comprehensive, citing Focus Forward’s 19 years of experience with the target population, which demonstrated understanding of educational priorities, youth engagement, and focusing on recidivism.
Under the recommended agreement, Focus Forward will provide mentoring services to 100-150 Probation youth at any given time in custody and in the community. Focus Forward will also provide mentor coordination services which include, but are not limited to: volunteer outreach and recruitment, background checks, volunteer management and support, and case file review. As part of the recommended agreement, Focus Forward will non-exclusively utilize approximately 706 square feet of office and cubicle space at JJC, at no cost, to provide these services.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk – Agreement with Focus Forward
CAO ANALYST:
Fine Nai