Probation Department Agenda / Minutes

DPC Minutes 11.07.2023

Meeting Date & Time 11:00 AM 11/7/2023
Location County Office of Education Board Room, 3350 Education Drive. San Luis Obispo, CA
Description DPC Minutes 11.07.2023
Virtual Link
  • Guests Attending:
    • Margurite Harris, Probation
    • Paula McGrath, Behavioral Health (Zoom)
    • Chris Balough, SLO County Office of Education
    • Katherine Aaron, SLO County Office of Education
    • Ramon Leija, Office of Youth and Community Restoration (Zoom)
  • Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 11:02 a.m. – a quorum was present
  • Superior Court – Judge Gayle Peron
    • Gwen McNamara was sworn in as a Commissioner by Judge Gayle Peron. She introduced herself and shared some background.
    • Arlene Sackman was re-sworn in as a Commissioner by Judge Gayle Peron
  • Approval of Minutes: The motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes of the September 5, 2023 meeting. Carried Unanimously.
  • Correspondence: Annual inspection of the Juvenile Hall is due. Karen Donaghe will take the lead scheduling and doing the inspection.
  • Public Comment: Ramon Leija, County Liaison from the Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR) introduced himself and the organization. Invited commissioners to get on the list-serve by emailing to [email protected].
  • Comments / Information from Agencies:
    • County Office of Education – Chris Balough: 80 students enrolled at Loma Vista; 20 at Juvenile Hall (16 or 17 in school); the graduates are taking classes at Cuesta.  Truancy Beyond SARB is up and running in the County.  The Mobile Kitchen is coming; it is now parked in the Courtyard at Loma.   Needs of the youth are higher than ever.Seeing an increase; Chris Jesperson youth are touching the Juvenile Hall more than ever before. Transportation issues are higher; trying to hire a second probation officer; officers will ride the buses; assaults at the bus stops and on the buses.  There is a waiting list for Special Ed programs at both Loma Vista and Chris Jesperson.
    • Behavioral Health – Paula McGrath: Division manager position will be chosen soon. Youth Treatment is fully staffed for 60 youth.  Event at SLO Library had 1 attend; at Centenniel Park PR had 3 attend.
  • Probation / Juvenile Hall – Marguerite Harris: 20 youth in building: 13 in detention; 7 in CVA (1 out of County). Shared updates to the facility:CVA yard rehabilitated; basketball area rearranged; artificial turf installed. Garden facelift; rock garden; garden beds (master gardeners to come in and work with the kids). Laundry room; repurposed old kitchen with new equipment. Furniture updated; now mobile; rocking chairs added (kids love them). Upcoming; Kitchen remodel, Security grates removal, Razor wire removal, Trailer pads for CTE, all Bathrooms to be remodeled.  PBIS presentation at the California Association of Probation Institutions Administrators (CAPIA) Conference, and later at the National PBIS Leadership Conference. PBIS is now mandated at state facilities in Nevada and Texas.  Goals for 2024 were shared.  Looking at ways to get parents to use it too.  CVA is doing the City Sea 5K this Sunday (November 12); most of the kids will participate.Seth Price, Supervisor of Juvenile Hall received Supervisor of the Year for the Central Region.
  • Committee / Commissioner Reports:
    •  Rising Scholars Grant scholarships – Rich Randolph
    • Cuesta College is collaborating with SLOCOE and the Juvenile Hall 
    • Flexible programs and services
    • Classes will be offered both in-person and virtually
  • Adjourn: The meeting was adjourned at 12:08 p.m.