HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/27/2021 04 GRIT Programs Update 44%,".1-;'"\
BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
AGENDA STATEMENT
Item No.4.
For Meeting of:April 27, 2021
ITEM TITLE: GRIT Programs Update
SUBMITTED BY: Sara Watkins, City Attorney
SUMMARY EXPLANATION:
Enclosed please find the following documents for the study session:
1. PowerPoint Presentation;
2. DCYF Progress Report#3 for the Yakima Youth Leadership Program. DCYF funds the
Education Advocate at Washington Middle School and this report only lists the number of
participants at Washington Middle School;
3. OJ J DP Progress Report#2 for the period of July 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020.
OJJ DP funds Education Advocates at the other three middle schools, but the report covers
information from all four middle schools for the time period because the OJJ DP grant funds the
Washington Middle School EA starting July 1, 2021; and
4. DCYF Progress Report#3 for the Walk About Yakima Program.
Sarah Augustine, Executive Director of the Dispute Resolution Center of Yakima and Kittitas Counties
(DRC)will also be available at the Study Session to answer questions about the WAY program. The
City contracts with DRC to administer the WAY program, as well as facilitate the Village and Steering
Committee meetings.
ITEM BUDGETED: NA
STRATEGIC PRIORITY: Public Safety
APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL BY THE CITY MANAGER
RECOMMENDATION:
ATTACHMENTS:
2
Description Upload Date Type
❑ GRIT Update-April 2021.pdf 4/19/2021 Backup Material
❑ Progress Report 3.pdf 4/19/2021 Backup Material
D CAPR July20 thru Dec 20.pdf 4/19/2021 Backup Material
D Commerce Q2.docx 4/19/2021 Backup Material
The Yakima Youth Leadership Program (YYLP)
Find out more at drcyakima.org/grit
Mentoring and Support for Students Support for Families
• One-on-one mentoring and support for • Education Advocates work with families
students done by a trained Education to give them support and services as
Advocate needed.
• Evidence-based curriculum on relevant • All Education Advocates are bilingual
topics for 6th graders: Communication
skills, goal-setting, harms of alcohol ■ Serve as help for families as they
and/or drug use, harms in joining or navigate the online school district
being involved in gangs, and conflict platforms and adjusting to in-person
resolution learning.
■ Students stay in the program as long as • One example is that one of the
they need, with the ability to exit to a Education Advocates connected a family
trusted mentor when appropriate with a homeless diversion program that
provides motel vouchers for families
who become homeless.
Quote from our EA Jasmin Vargas
Washington Middle School
"A major key accomplishment has been simply getting through to my
students. As the weeks have gone on, I have noticed a positive change in
behavior and attitude during the meetings, and nearly every student is
excited to meet with me and engage in discussions. In addition to this,
many of my students' grades are improving as a result of our collaborative
effort in creating study/homework/school-related goals."
WALK ABOUT YAKIMA (WAY)
WAY's Mission: We create alternatives to incarceration for youth and young adults by
rebuilding our communities through committed relationships centered on love,
compassion, and consistency. The WAY program is a pilot program aimed at reducing
gang-related gun violence in Yakima County, by providing direct intervention to
individuals who are most vulnerable to being killed or incarcerated due to gun violence
and gang activity. WAY relies on a unique, evidence-based, community-centered model
that provides an alternative to the current criminal justice system.
PROGRAM ADVISORS PROGRAM PARTNERS
UW Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Dispute Resolution Center of Yakima & Kittitas
Health Counties (DRC)
Community Passageways of South King County Yakima Police Department
US Department of Justice Yakima County Juvenile Court
Project Safe Neighborhoods Madison House (UGM Youth Center)
Drcyakima.org/way
WALK ABOUT YAKIMA (WAY)
WAY is funded through a Washington State Department of Commerce grant.
ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES STATISTICS
1. Use Yakima municipal data to identify 40-45 1. There are 18 individuals who have chosen to enroll in
individuals most at risk of perpetuating gun violence the program.
in Yakima County (COMPLETE
2. Program services provided include clothing,
2. Provide notification meetings to the at-risk groceries, helping individuals obtain identification,
individuals (ONGOING). support for education, housing, job placement, and
access to drug/alcohol treatment.
3. Provide program services to those individuals who
opt into the program (ONGOING). 3. Other services provided include accompanying youth
to court, meeting with parents, meeting with
4. Reduce quality contacts with the criminal justice landlords, meeting with school officials and
system. connecting them to community services.
s. Reduce gang involved gun crimes in Yakima County 4. Participants are paired with credible messenger
during the program period. mentors.
5. Mentors also help participants manage emotions,
address behavioral problems and improve
communication skills.
Funding and Sustainability
• Funding Necessary: Funding is necessary to continue the Yakima Youth Leadership Program and Walk About Yakima, as both are currently funded
wholly through grant funds. DRC's work is funded through a grant obtained by the Yakima Police Department for the WAY program.
• Current Funding
— $230,000 for the period of October 1, 2019—September 30, 2022 from OJJDP (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention) from a Youth Gang Suppression
Grant for the Yakima Youth Leadership Program. This equates to approximately$72,000.00 per year for the program.
— $50,000 for the period of July 1, 2020—June 30, 2021 from DCYF (Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families) to pay for one Education Advocate
for the Yakima Youth Leadership Program
— $285,000 for the period of July 1, 2020—June 30, 2021 from the Department of Commerce for the Walk About Yakima program.
— $303,000 for the period of July 1, 2020—June 30, 2021 from DCYF for the Walk About Yakima program.
• Pending Funding Requests
— The City of Yakima, partnering with the Yakima School District and ESD 105, applied for funding from Representative Newhouse for FY2022. The City requested
approximately $175,000 to add Education Advocates to the program for Fiscal Year 2022 (October 1, 2021—September 30, 2022).
• Future Funding Opportunities
— Staff continues to look for opportunities to obtain funding to continue the GRIT approach,the Yakima Youth Leadership Program and Walk About Yakima, including
private and foundation grants.
— State and federal grants for gang reduction and intervention efforts, including the upcoming round of OJJDP grant opportunities.
— This may become a focus of the Steering Committee
— Funding needs to be consistent and diversified to create sustainable programs.
This reporting period the Education Advocate continued to meet with school staff, including the
counselors and principal. She also continued to meet with the student participants on a weekly basis.
Using the Program Manual developed last quarter, she is moving through the program lessons.
Students are showing a clear understanding of what the content of the lessons means and why it is
important. The curriculum includes lessons as follows: social media awareness; bullying, intimidation
and harassment; conflict resolution and communication; substance use prevention; gang prevention;
and community resources and family involvement. Each participant is moving through the curriculum
at their own pace. The Education Advocate has also created individualized achool-related goals for
each participant to better prepare them as they transition back to in-person schooling.
In the third quarter the YYLP enrolled two additional students into the program. Those students'
parents/guardians have been advised of the program components and expectations and have agreed to
allow their student to participate. In conjunction with our researcher(funded through a separate
grant), the students and parents/guardians have been working through the initial survey which asks
about a number of relevant issues, such as knowledge/use of drugs and alcohol, thoughts on gangs, goal
setting and thoughts on school. That information is provided to the researcher anonymously and will
be tabulated for a final report. An exit survey is also being developed as students and families
transition out of the program in the future.
This third quarter also consisted of the return to in-person learning in the Yakima School District. As
of the beginning of March, students could return to the classroom. This allowed the Education
Advocate to begin meeting in-person with the participants, rather than solely meeting virtually or by
telephone call.
2. Provide indicators/outcome measures that show progress.
One project indicator and outcome is that we continue to increase the number of participants, adding
two additional participants before the students went back to in-person learning. It is anticipated that
with in-person learning, more participants will be identified and brought into the program. The
Education Advocate is working closely with the 6th grade staff at Washington Middle School to compile
a list of other students that may benefit from the program. We have continued our monthly telephone
conferences with the school principals and representatives of the ESD. One of the Education
Advocates comes each month to talk about one aspect of the program, after which the principals have
an opportunity to ask questions,voice concerns, or put forward ideas to make the program better.
The Education Advocate also indicates that she is reaching the end of the curriculum with some of the
participants. All of them have indicated a desire to continue meeting with her each week,showing that
she is having a direct impact on their lives, she has developed a trust relationship with them, and they
have been positively impacted by her work.
3. Describe any problems or challenges you have encountered and your plan to address them.
Our program remains challenged by the fact that students did not return to the classroom until March.
The Education Advocate is addressing this challenge by working with school faculty and personnel to
develop a list of students who could benefit from the program, based on observations by teachers and
staff. She also, as indicated above,worked on individualized plans and goals for each of the
participants for their return to in-person learning.
The Education Advocate continues to express difficulty communicating with some of the students and
their families. She notes that the transition back to in-person learning has heightened communication
barriers as students are struggling to adjust to the new learning format and forget to attend meetings.
However, she indicates that as the students begin to familiarize themselves with in-person learning,
they generally begin to attend their meetings more regularly. To address this she is working eto build
consistency with the students by trying to schedule their meetings on the same day and at the same time
each week, making it easier for them to remember to attend.
4. Describe any significant changes made within the program/project or services since the last
reporting period.
Other than the return to in-person learning,which allows the Education Advocate to meet in person
with students, there have been no significant changes made within the program since the last reporting
period.
5. Provide highlights or key accomplishments during this reporting period.
The Education Advocate reports the following highlight with regards to her student participants:
"A major key accomplishment has been simply getting through to my students. As the weeks have
gone on, I have noticed a positive change in behavior and attitude during the meetings, and nearly
every student is excited to meet with me and engage in discussions. In addition to this, many of my
students' grades are improving as a result of our collaborative effort in creating
study/homework/school-related goals."
Other highlights arise from work the Education Advocate is doing with the students' families. In one
instance the Education Advocate was able to connect one of the mothers of a student participant with
the Homeless Diversion Plan when she learned that the family needed help. This program provides
motel vouchers so that people who lose housing are not without shelter while they look for new housing.
She also helped one student get back into school when she realized that his family was not aware that
the school had gone back to in-person learning. She provided the family with the information
necessary to get him back into school,helped them navigate the school district website to find school
calendars and schedules, and contacted the principal of the school to get extra tutoring for the student
because he missed two weeks of classes. She then followed up with an advisor at the school who was
able to connect with the student and his family to walk them through the in-person school schedule,
school expectations and regulations.
9 (1 I z1
Project Director's Signature: Date:
City of Yakima CAPR
OJJDP Youth Gang Suppression Grant
Yakima Youth Leadership Program
2019-PB-BX-0017
Reporting Period 1 Reporting Period 2
January 2020—June 2020 June 2020—December 2020
Objective 1: Reduce 1. Count the number of YSD 1. No count has been made. Schools in 1. No count has been made. Schools
the number of YSD Middle School students Yakima have been closed since March 18, in Yakima have been closed since
6th graders joining wearing gang colors,sporting 2020 due to COVID-19 and the plan to reopen March 18, 2020 due to COVID-19 and
gangs hair styles associated with has not been determined. the plan to reopen has not been
gang life, or displaying gang 2. The program has not started due to COVID determined.
signs at school at 3 points so no surveys have been completed. With 2. Of the 12 participants who have
during each of the school the aid of the hired researcher,surveys are completed the initial program survey,
years covered in the program. being updated so they will be ready when the the answers are as follows:
2. Measure the attitudes program starts. Q.There are gangs in my school.
towards gangs of program A. 3 answered not true at all, 5
participants at the beginning answered not very true,4 answered
of participation in the YYLP sort of true, and 0 answered very
and at the end of it via true.
surveys/interviews. Q. Most kids join gangs
A. 2 answered not true at all,7
answered not very true,2 answered
sort of true,and 1 answered very
true.
Q. Kids that join gangs have more
protection.
A. 2 answered not true at all, 5
answered not very true, 1 answered
sort of true, and 4 answered very
true.
Q. Kids join gangs to feel they belong
to something.
1
City of Yakima CAPR
OJJDP Youth Gang Suppression Grant
Yakima Youth Leadership Program
2019-PB-BX-0017
A. 2 answered not at all true, 1
answered not very true,6 answered
sort of true,and 3 answered very
true.
Q.Joining a gang could be dangerous.
A. 1 answered not true at all,0
answered not very true, 2 answered
sort of true, and 9 answered very
true.
Q.There are gangs in my
neighborhood.
A.4 answered not true at all, 2
answered not very true, 3 answered
sort of true and 3 answered very true.
Q. Kids join gangs because their
friends pressure them.
A. 2 answered not true at all,4
answered not very true,3 answered
sort of true, and 3 answered very
true.
The answers about school probably
skew downward because 6`h graders
have not yet stepped into their school
buildings, being new to the middle
school. Nearly all the students
thought joining a gang was
dangerous, and half or a majority
thought that kids joined gangs due to
peer pressure, and to feel like they
2
City of Yakima CAPR
OJJDP Youth Gang Suppression Grant
Yakima Youth Leadership Program
2019-PB-BX-0017
Objective 2: 1. Reduce the number of 1. The program has not started due to 1. The program just got started and
Increase missed school days and COVID-19. It is projected to begin,whether the participants' missed school days
instructional time tardiness levels of students students are in class or remote learning, in have not yet been tracked.
and reduce participating in the YYLP. September 2020. 2. The program just got started and
disciplinary issues 2. Reduce the number of 2. The program has not started due to the participants' discipline incidents
of YYLP students. discipline incidents for COVID-19. It is projected to begin,whether have not been tracked. With virtual
students in the program. students are in class or remote learning, in learning discipline may not be
September 2020. addressed the same in the schools.
Objective 3: 1. Increase the completion 1. The program has not started due to 1. The program just got started and
Increase YYLP rate for homework and other COVID-19. It is projected to begin,whether the participants' homework
students'school school projects for youth in students are in class or remote learning, in completion rates have not yet been
engagement and the YYLP. September 2020. tracked.
desire to learn. 2. Increase the number of 2. The program has not started due to COVID 2. Of the 12 participants who
youth who report being so no surveys have been completed. With completed the initial survey,answers
happy at school and liking the aid of the hired researcher, surveys are about school satisfaction are as
school via pre and post being updated so they will be ready when the follows:
program participation program starts. Q: I am happy when I am at school
surveys/interviews. A: 2 answered not true at all, 2
answered not very true,4 answered
sort of true, and 4 answered very
true.
Q: I like being at school.
A:3 answered not at all true, 1
answered not very true,0 answered
sort of true, and 8 answered very
true.
We also added questions concerning
distance learning to the survey. Here
are those answers:
Q: I am happy doing distance learning.
3
City of Yakima CAPR
OJJDP Youth Gang Suppression Grant
Yakima Youth Leadership Program
2019-P B-BX-0017
A: 8 answered definitely not true, 2
answered not very true, 2 answered
sort of true and 0 answered very true.
Q: I learn better doing online classes
than in person school.
A:8 answered not at all true, 1
answered not very true, 1 answered
sort of true, and 2 answered very
true.
It appears that half are happy at
school, while a majority like being in
school, which likely means they like it
better than being at home,even if
they aren't happy while they are
there. It also appears that the 6th
graders participating in the program
do not find that distance learning is
working for them. They are not
happy with online classes.
Objective 4: Help 1. Measure participating 1.The program has not started due to COVID 1. The program just got started and
YYLP students youths' awareness and so no surveys have been completed. With the Education Advocates have not yet
become more utilization of leadership skills the aid of the hired researcher, surveys are started the curriculum with the
resilient. including verbal and non- being updated so they will be ready when the participants. They are still
verbal communications skills; program starts. onboarding, conducting the surveys
awareness of the risk of social 2. The program has not started due to and engaging with the students to
media causing upset feelings, COVID-19. It is projected to begin,whether create trust.
disrespect and isolation; students are in class or remote learning, in 2. Of the 12 participants who have
bullying and its impact on September 2020. completed the survey,answers about
others/self; risks of drug and hope for the future and vision
alcohol use; knowledge of rendered relatively consistent results.
what gang life is really like Students answered that they
4
City of Yakima CAPR
OJJDP Youth Gang Suppression Grant
Yakima Youth Leadership Program
2019-P B-BX-0017
and the risks associated with generally stuck with goals. A majority
it;conflict resolution; and answered that they tried as many
self-regulation skills. This will possibilities as necessary to succeed
be done via interviews at the in their goal. A majority also
beginning and end of answered that they make every effort
program participation. to achieve a goal and think about
2. Measure the participating their plans to achieve that goal.
youths' hopefulness for their
future by interviewing them
about their vision for their
future in the areas of home
and family,education and
career, hobbies and
recreation,and community
service, utilizing the model of
Kids at Hope time travel.
Objective 5: Provide 1. Record and count the 1. The program has not started due to 1. The program just got started and
YYLP students with number of YYLP student COVID-19. It is projected to begin,whether the Education Advocates are still in
leadership referrals of other students to students are in class or remote learning, in the initial stages of evaluating what
opportunities. the program,YYLP students' September 2020. other referrals might be needed.
participation in leadership There have been no group events due
roles at YYLP group events, to COVID-19 or school events where
and YYLP students' stepping the participants could show
up to leadership roles in the leadership skills.
broader school environment.
Objective 6: Match 1. Measure the number of 1. The program has not started due to 1. The program just got started and
YYLP students with YYLP youth who have mentor COVID-19. It is projected to begin,whether the Education Advocates have signed
mentors. matches at the beginning and students are in class or remote learning, in up 14 students under this grant.
end of their program September 2020. Further, mentor matches Students are continuing with remote
participation. will be difficult if students continue with learning in Yakima so connecting with
virtual learning. mentors is going to be challenging.
5
City of Yakima CAPR
O11DP Youth Gang Suppression Grant
Yakima Youth Leadership Program
2019-PB-BX-0017
Objective 7: Refer 1. Measure the number of 1.The program has not started due to COVID- 1. The program just got started and
and help referrals made and successful 19. It is projected to begin,whether students the Education Advocates are working
parents/guardians connections facilitated. are in class or remote learning, in September with the participants to gain trust and
connect to needed 2020. learn their needs and the needs of the
community families. No referrals or connections
resources. have been facilitated yet other than
better connections with the schools
through the Education Advocates.
Objective 8: Reduce 1. Work with Yakima Police 1. The program has not started due to 1. For the year 2020 there were 52
youth gang Department crime COVID-19. It is projected to begin,whether validated gang incidents. The
violence. statisticians to measure the students are in class or remote learning, in breakdown is as follows:
incidence of gang related September 2020. -Aggravated Assaults: 35
crime and violent crime over - Intimidation Incidents: 2
the course of the 36 month - Kidnapping/Abduction: 1
period of the grant. - Homicide: 4
- Robbery:3
-Simple Assault:7
There were 9 homicides total. 44%of
the homicides were validated gang
related.
Objective 9: 1. Report on the frequency of 1. GRIT Village meetings have been held 1. GRIT Village meetings continue to
Convene GRIT GRIT Village meetings, approximately every 2 months since the be held via Zoom. The Village met
Village identification of service gaps beginning of the grant. After COVID,those three times during this reporting
and barriers and what steps meetings moved to Zoom,where attendance period:July 8, 2020,September 16,
have been taken to fill those has been significantly less than in-person 2020, and November 18, 2020.
gaps and reduce barriers. attendance. GRIT Village meetings have During those meetings organizations
provided education and resources to providing services to youth were
stakeholders in attendance.The Village met featured.
two times during this reporting period:
March 4, 2020 and May 6,2020.
Objective 10:Grow 1. Using surveys at three 1. At each GRIT Village meeting in person 1. We continued to struggle with
GRIT Village points during the grant period prior to COVID there were opportunities for attendance at GRIT Village meetings
6
City of Yakima CAPR
OJJDP Youth Gang Suppression Grant
Yakima Youth Leadership Program
2019-PB-BX-0017
partnerships and (first month, ninth month and networking and education about resources in 2020. For 2021 the group has a
collaborations. eighteenth month)to available in the community. Surveys were new strategy to meet monthly for a
measure the current and completed at the end of each meeting. We shorter period of time. There should
planned partnerships and anticipate the next survey to address possible be more to report in the upcoming
collaborations between GRIT collaborations in the post-COVID reporting period on this matter. At
Village participants. environment, but, as stated above, the Village meetings in this reporting
attendance has dropped for Zoom meetings. period, participants heard from local
The City partnered with community agency service providers who can provide
Dispute Resolution Center to facilitate all services to youth in the community,
GRIT Village meetings. Further,the GRIT such as homeless youth and youth
Steering Committee has undertaken a project who need activities after school to
to create a strategic plan to address gang and stay out of trouble.
gun violence in Yakima County. That
collaborative work is ongoing.
Objective 11: 1. Measure the number of 1. This will be a question on the initial survey 1. This was not included in the initial
Increase available participating youth who have for youth participants which will be given at survey due to the COVID-19
mentors to serve been matched with mentors. the start of the program. The program has restrictions with meetings. It may be
YYLP youth and 2. Measure the number of not started due to COVID-19. It is projected revisited once the program has been
others. mentors participating in to begin,whether students are in class or running for a few months.
youth mentoring programs in remote learning, in September 2020. 2. This has not been done yet and will
Yakima at two points during 2.This has not been done since the program be facilitated through the Village later
the grant period. has not been started. This will be facilitated in 2021, hopefully when there is more
primarily through the GRIT Village. participation.
Objective 12: 1. Report on the membership 1.At the time of the grant application,the 1. The GRIT Steering Committee
Expand members of of the GRIT taskforce steering GRIT Steering Committee had 7 members. remains the same as initially
the GRIT Steering committee, including number That committee has been expanded to 9 reported. There has been some turn
Committee. of members and their sector members,to include the police chief and a over in representatives, but the
affiliations. former gang member. There are 9 members sectors remain the same. There is
of the Steering Committee. They include: currently a discussion as to whether
• Police Chief to add seats for direct service
•School District representative providers.
• Health Care industry representative
7
City of Yakima CAPR
OJJDP Youth Gang Suppression Grant
Yakima Youth Leadership Program
2019-P B-BX-0017
•County Prosecuting Attorney The Strategic Plan Committee
•3 City Council representatives continues its work and will be
•Juvenile Probation representative presenting a proposed strategic plan
• Former Gang Member to the Village and the Steering
Committee in 2021.
Further,the Steering Committee appointed
an ad hoc committee to create a strategic
plan. This ad hoc committee includes
community stakeholders from non-profit
organizations working with gang members,
community center representatives, and a
family law attorney. As such, more
stakeholders are involved in GRIT Steering
Committee activities and projects.
8
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YPD/DRC Walk About Yakima Program
Quarterly Report Q2
(Washington State Department of Commerce RFP no. S21-31453)
Abstract
The Walk About Yakima Program is a partnership between the Yakima Police Department and
the Dispute Resolution Center of Yakima and Kittitas Counties. While the original RFP (RFP
no. S21-31453)estimated a contract timeline of July 2020-June 2021, the contract was delayed.
While a revised contract reflected an end date of August 31, we have been advised that the
project end date will now be June 30. This report will report activities for the 60-day period
between January 1-March 1, 2021. We have completed outcome 1, listed below. We believe
we have completed work for outcome 2, although it may be possible to provide additional
custom notifications should current program participants exit our caseload. Since we are
consistently serving program participants who have opted into the program, we are tracking
outcomes 3 and 4. Outcome 5 will be evaluated at the conclusion of the contract, in June 2021.
During January and February, we have: completed custom notifications; identified and
continuously served program participants who have opted-in to the program; created data
tracking systems for all outcomes; and created a data-tracking system for mental health services
provided. This program projected providing 40-45 tier 1 interventions (notification only), 10-12
tier 2 interventions (YPD or other law-enforcement referred), and up to 5 tier 3 interventions
(self-referred). To date, twenty-three notifications have occurred; Eighteen program participants
(12 male and 6 female)have opted-in to the program. Services provided are listed below.
Obstacles included: revision of contract, truncating service-period by three months; and better
than expected opt-in rates (25-50% projected, 74%actual)which has reduced overall anticipated
notifications, since we are serving a full-caseload and do not want to offer notifications without
also offering an opportunity to opt-in to the program. We identified and inducted the current
caseload by mid-January.
Outcomes:
1
26
Below are contract outcomes and progress. Detailed program activities are described in the
lessons, below.
OUTCOME 1: Use Yakima municipal data to identify 40-45 individuals most at risk of
perpetrating gun violence in Yakima County. COMPLETE
OUTCOME 2: Provide notification meetings to 40-45 at-risk individuals identified by Yakima
municipal data.
As of March 12 2021, seventeen males have been notified and twelve have opted in to the
program; seven females have been notified while six have opted in. Our current opt-in rate is
74%. We have recruited 18 program participants, 16 of whom are Tier 2 (referred by law-
enforcement) and two of whom are Tier 3 (self-referral) categories. Our high response rate has
caused us to re-evaluate the number of tier 1 interventions we are able to provide. Now that we
have reached out maximum case-load (15-18 tier 2 and tier 3 participants), we will not perform
additional notifications unless one or more respondents leave the program. We feel we cannot
notify program participants without offering them services, and we do not have the capacity to
serve up to 30 program participants given our current opt-in rate.
OUTCOME 3: Provide program services to all program participants who opt in.
The following services have been provided to date:
Clothing—5 individuals
Transportation Services: 8 individuals
Food/Grocery: I 0 individuals
ID Services (to include state ID, birth certificate, and/or social security card): 5 individuals
Job placement support: 3 individuals
Educational supports: 7 individuals
Emergency housing/housing stabilization: 6 individuals
Court fees/restitution: 2 individuals
Access to drug/alcohol treatment: 7 individuals
The following non-monetary services were also provided:
Accompanying youth to court; meeting with a parent/parents; meeting with a landlord; meeting
with a school official; connecting program participant or family members with community
services; and providing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy(CTB) or Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
(DBT skills). All program participants have been provided CBT and DBT skills by their
2
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mentors, which include de-escalation, managing bio-feedback and emotions, enduring and
responding to trauma, and effective communication skills.
OUTCOME 4: Reduce quality contacts with the criminal justice system.
We have not been provided YPD data since the first quarter. However, based on our own
tracking system, Three of the 18 program participants on our caseload have had quality contacts
with law enforcement since opting-in to the program (data may differ from YPD official data,
which will be provided in the final report). Fifteen of 18 program participants have not. Since
we are serving those identified by law-enforcement as at high-risk of incarceration or quality
contacts with law enforcement, we are pleased with this outcome. Seven program participants
attend regularly scheduled court and/or probation appointments accompanied by their mentors;
we consider this contact successful one since program support enables participants to keep their
commitments to probation. We began notifications November 16, so program participants have
only been engaged in program activities for nearly four months. Daily contact with mentors and
connection with services will continue to have the effect of reducing quality contacts for program
participants. Four program participants referred to us were incarcerated at the time of referral.
Program activities for these individuals concentrate on re-entry. Two program participants have
become incarcerated since opting-in to the program. Their mentors continue to accompany them
as they work through the criminal justice system. In both cases, program staff were able
intervene to avoid further violence. In one instance, this meant informally negotiating a gang
cooling-off period, avoiding further shootings. In another case, this meant working with law
enforcement to peacefully detain the youth in question.
OUTCOME 5: Reduce gang involved gun crimes in Yakima County during the program period.
This outcome will be evaluated at the end of the contract period, June 2021.
Lessons:
During the first quarter of the program period, we focused on hiring and training staff, building
program capacity, and beginning notifications. The second quarter has focused on providing
program participants with services. A primary goal is to build strong rapport between mentors
and program participants so that participants will be receptive to receiving mental health services
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and charting a path toward change. While program participants are initially enthusiastic about
changing their lives, this initial period dims as the work of drug/alcohol treatment, counseling,
and behavior change begin to become a lot of work. A strong bond between mentors and
participants has eased this difficult period. The second quarter has also entailed assessment of
individual cases. It is not readily obvious which changes need occur in each individual family or
household in order for sustained change to occur.
The WAY program currently serves a caseload of eighteen youth and young adults. Of this
number, fifteen are supervised by the criminal justice system, either through probation or
incarceration. Seventy-nine percent of those supervised, or eleven out of fifteen, have been able
to keep their commitments to attend probation and court dates regularly. In many cases there has
been significant behavioral change. The lives of these young people have been significantly
impacted by daily contact with a mentor, delivery of basic services, and help accessing
education, healthcare, and treatment. Five youth and two adults have been successfully enrolled
in drug and alcohol treatment. Every program participant has developed an education plan and
has been provided support to see it through. For some youth this is access to the internet, or
access to a laptop or tablet. For others this is advocacy in finding the right program and being
enrolled. For still others, mentors call to ensure program participants wake up, or even pick
them up and transport them to programs.
In addition to supports for program participants, we have further provided stabilization to family
members. Many program participants have described a necessity to contribute financially to
their families. Stabilizing families removes the need to "put in work"with gangs in order to earn
money. Six program participants have received housing stabilization services. That means these
youth and their families, formerly homeless, have been housed with program funds. Nearly
every program participant has received groceries for their families, as well as basic clothing like
winter coats and shoes. By meeting basic needs, program participants are able to focus on
education goals, and independence goals.
Providing temporary food assistance, clothing or housing stabilization is not enough for
sustained change to occur. Our team is in the process of working with families, including
parents, to identify and pursue long-term solutions such as relocation,job placement, upskilling
and gaining access to SNAP and other social services.
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The truncated grant period has not provided us with adequate time to identify and pursue
sustainable solutions for every participant on our caseload. Because our program is a pilot, we
spent the first three months of our grant period building capacity to serve a case load, including
hiring and training staff, building community partnerships, developing program curriculum, and
building a process for referrals. Effectively, we have had just three months so far to work with
our program participants.
In many cases, it takes time for the program participant and his or her family to even identify or
imagine what could change. In some cases, relocation is the best opportunity to leave the gang
lifestyle behind. For others, stabilizing parents with drug and alcohol intervention, or with job
training, takes time. The parent must first identify the need for change, and then work through a
process of creating and executing a plan. Of the participants on our caseload who are
incarcerated, we are in the process of planning re-entry for each of them and their families.
Stabilized individuals are individuals with a future. Removing eighteen youth and young adults
from the gang lifestyle neutralizes eighteen potential violent perpetrators, preventing perhaps
dozens of shootings. The impacts of stabilization on parents and siblings, and on the community
at large, is immeasurable.
Last week, a program participant and his mentor left a local park just minutes before a drive-by
shooting occurred. The program participant was not involved in the shooting, but just happened
to be there before it occurred. Many by-standers, including children at play, were traumatized by
the shooting. The WAY mentor reflected on the impact of the shooting with his mentee, and
together they were able to identify the trauma inflicted on the innocent people who happened to
be in the park during the shooting, the impact on the neighborhood, and on the whole
community. The youth was able to reflect on his own prior involvement with gang violence
from a new vantage point, and expressed deep remorse for past behavior, expressing he had not
ever thought about the pain caused to the people around him. This conversation is indication of
real progress. But for this progress to be realized, the youth must be in a stable context where
good choices are possible. Extending the grant period will enable the WAY program to continue
to stabilize program participants currently enrolled in the program, and set a course of sustained
change for each one.
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We have experienced several key accomplishments we did not anticipate. The first is that gang
members have voiced support for our program activities, especially in serving younger gang-
members. Two mentors have been approached by influences within gangs and applauded for
providing services to younger gang members. Several have also voiced willingness to negotiate
with a rival gang to avoid violence with the help of our staff, who have offered "shuttle
diplomacy."
Another key accomplishment is one youth with an outstanding warrant for violence, whom the
police were searching for, turned himself in to a staff member in order to opt-in to the program.
When he went to court with his mentor the same day, the judge quashed the warrant, offering
him a chance to thrive in the program. This indicated trust on the part of the youth, the court,
and the police, who offered "safe passage" for this youth to turn himself in (which means they
did not stop him as he was in route, although they were aware of where he was and the
program's intentions to help him remain outside of detention).
We are sensitive to the fact that this perception is still fragile. While our program participants
are successful so far, our program is young. In the event a youth for whom we have advocated
commits a crime while in the program, we may lose the ground we have gained. Our team has
created shared, consistent messaging based in our values that we are hopeful will mitigate
negative attitudes over time.
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