Advisory Board Information    |   Meeting Information

Background

Proposition 47

Proposition 47, also called the Safe Neighborhood and Schools Act, was a 2014 voter-approved initiative to focus prison spending on violent and serious offenses, to maximize alternatives for non-serious, nonviolent crime, and to invest the savings generated from this act into prevention and support programs. The money saved from Prop 47 will be deposited into a fund and disbursed through three grant programs according to the specifications of the Act.

One of the grant programs is administered by the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC)  and in November 2016, they released a funding announcement for the Proposition 47 Grant Program to public agencies aimed at supporting mental health treatment, substance abuse treatment, and diversion programs for people in the criminal justice system, with an emphasis on programs that reduce recidivism of people convicted of less serious crimes, such as those covered by the measure and those who have substance abuse and mental health problems.  

In March 2017, the Yolo County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA), in partnership with the District Attorney’s Office, Probation Department, and Public Defender’s Office, submitted an application to expand Yolo County’s existing continuum of criminal justice diversion programs. Specifically, the project proposed to apply the principles of restorative justice and trauma-informed care to provide wraparound services to individuals that are eligible for a diversion program, but are unlikely to succeed without intensive supports due to their history and current issues with mental health and/or substance use disorders.

Steps to Success

Out of the 58 proposals submitted for the first round of BSCC Prop 47 grant funding, Yolo County HHSA was one of 23 successful proposers and on June 8, 2017 the BSCC awarded HHSA $5,968,215 for its proposed program - Steps to Success. Steps to Success is a significant expansion to Yolo County’s existing continuum of criminal justice diversion programs. Specifically, the project applies the principles of restorative justice and trauma-informed care to provide wraparound services to individuals that are eligible for a diversion program, but are unlikely to succeed without intensive supports due to their history and current issues with mental health and/or substance use disorders.

 Advisory Board

The Steps to Success Local Advisory Committee (LAC) meets quarterly to identify and prioritize the most pressing needs to be address within the program. The LAC identifies the strategies, programs, and services to be undertaken to address and advises on the ongoing implementation of the grant project.