October is National Youth Justice Action Month. During this month, there will be opportunities to both celebrate and educate around the progress that our counties, our state, and our nation is making towards a more just criminal justice system for youth. OYCR is in the process of two activities to elevate the meaningful work that is happening in California. On October 7, 2024, we will hold our one-year anniversary session of our Youth Justice Action Month webinars. The webinar will present a 15-to-20-minute reel of the year in review. Then, we will highlight the work of Roca’s trauma-informed practice, which will include some lessons learned from both CA and National work about how counties should be thinking about trauma-informed practices in programming. We are also hosting our 2024 Inaugural Youth Justice Summit for November 5 and 6 in Orange County. Please register here if you have not already done so. We invite you to join us at both of these events.
Judge Katherine Lucero (ret.) Director
Office of Youth and Community Restoration California Health & Human Services Agency
Youth Justice Action Month
October 2024
Governor Gavin Newsom recognizes October 2024 as "Youth Justice Action Month" in California. In a letter uplifting the importance of creating a fair and equitable youth justice system for the future of our state, the Governor underscores the groundbreaking steps California has taken to reform youth incarceration, including supporting youths closer to their communities and families, prioritizing education, and offering continuing medical services. He applauds the newly formed OYCR Youth Advisory Board and highlights the state’s first California Youth Justice Summit in November. Read the letter in full.
The Village: Connecting Youth Justice with Community-Centered Responses
November 5-6, 2024 at Hyatt Regency Orange County
The California Youth Justice Summit will bring together Juvenile Justice system partners for a day and a half of relationship building, learning from one another, updates on Juvenile Justice in California, and envisioning where we are going together. Come away with new partnerships and a commitment to further systems improvement and the implementation of the Positive Youth Justice Model.
Early bird registration is open until October 14, 2024
Full summit registration includes one continental breakfast, lunch, refreshment breaks, and admission to all plenary sessions, workshops, and summit materials
In August, the County Probation and County Fire in San Diego unveiled the Fuel Crew training program at the East Mesa Juvenile Detention Center. This year-long program offers justice-involved youth hands-on training in vegetation and fuel management with the goal of preparing them for careers in the fire service and related fields. The program's key features include:
Training: classroom instruction, physical fitness, medical training, and practical experience in fuel management.
Career Paths: graduates can apply for roles as Seasonal Firefighters or Forestry Technicians, join the California Conservation Corps, or pursue careers in land management and resource conservation.
Chairwoman Nora Vargas praised the first trainee groups for their achievements, while Chief Probation Officer Tamika Nelson highlighted the program's role in offering opportunities and fostering community connections. County Fire Director Jeff Collins then emphasized the valuable life skills gained through the program. The Fuel Crew program supports youth in transforming their lives while enhancing wildfire preparedness in San Diego County.
EMS Corps
EMS Corps is committed to providing opportunities to young people, who have historically faced career barriers and are under-represented in the fields of EMS, Fire and allied health, with upward mobility. In outreach and applicant selection, EMS Corps prioritizes qualified candidates who have been in the foster care, juvenile justice or welfare system.
EMS Corps combines rigorous EMS training with robust wraparound supports, including an earned monthly stipend, career exposure and job placement. It is a 5-month, cohort-based experience where members learn and develop together.
Born in Alameda County, EMS Corps has trained and certified more than 500 EMTs over 12 years of operations across three sites and is now expanding to 11 new sites in California.
Literacy Intervention in San Diego County
OYCR is partnering with the San Diego County Office of Education to implement a 30-day literacy intervention to help build foundational skills that help students in a juvenile court school setting. The intervention is designed to support youth while still pre-adjudicated with the intent to maximize educational benefit in a transient setting.
The school team is being supported with the SIPPS curriculum, side by side coaching and weekly check in sessions. The intervention is designed to meet students where they are and maximize literacy development with systematic instruction in phonological awareness, phonics, and polysyllabic and morphemic development. This intervention also supports IEP goals and objectives and allows for the school to support designated instruction for English Learners.
While still in the pilot period, measurable growth has been identified and remarkably. Growth has also been measured on other academic screening tools reflecting that the literacy development crosses over into other academic measurement tools.
Upcoming Events
Youth Justice Action Webinar Series
October 7 at 12 to 2 PM
Register today for the one-year anniversary of the Youth Justice Action webinar series! This special session will reflect on a year of impactful webinars, highlighting key lessons learned, followed by a deep dive into brain science and trauma.
Discover how insights from the past year can be applied to better understand behavior and develop strategies to support justice-involved youth.
Also, complete a brief survey to help us improve future webinars about your overall experience, suggestions for future topics, and preferred scheduling.
Past Webinar
OYCR Youth Justice Action Webinar Series
September
Last month’s Youth Justice Action webinar covered crucial updates to both the CalAIM and Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI). Speakers shared how these initiatives can be leveraged to develop practical strategies for securing funds and driving positive change.
