Probation plans to reinvest $160,000 in local youth diversion and reentry services

Santa Cruz County's Probation Department presented a midyear report on March 10 showing an estimated $160,000 in FY2025-26 savings tied to operation of the Secure Youth Treatment Facility (SYTF) locally, after an unanticipated out-of-county placement reduced the initial projection. Chief Probation Officer Sandra Mendez said the department plans to reinvest the money in diversion and family-centered reentry services shaped by youth and family input.

Planned uses include restorative justice and parent-teen mediation, culturally centered youth voice and restoration programs, victim-awareness and community-impact education, art- and music-based therapeutic activities (the presentation highlighted a guitar program now offered in juvenile hall), and vocational education such as barbering, mechanics, construction and culinary arts with credentialing where possible. The department also intends to continue services funded by grants that are sunsetting at the end of March 2026 and to bridge those services until new contracts are awarded through an RFP process closing March 13, 2026.

Supervisors asked about lengths of stay, court review schedules, clinical oversight and whether programs will provide certificates or licenses; Mendez confirmed programs are designed to deliver recognized certifications where appropriate. Public commenters and partner agencies including the county office of education and nonprofit Milpa praised the youth-focused, family-centered approach. The board unanimously approved the reinvestment plan and the department's approach to continued community partner engagement.

Staff noted these reinvestments are one-time allocations tied to projected savings and that numbers may shift based on future court decisions, early releases, or additional commitments.