Board approves Probation budget; Secure Youth Treatment Facility open and board directs return with plan to reinvest savings

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to approve the Probation Department’s proposed 2025–26 budget and directed staff to return by June 10 with a detailed report showing how savings from the new local Secure Youth Treatment Facility (SYTF) could be reinvested in community‑based prevention and diversion programs.

Lede and nut graf: Chief Probation Officer Fernando Giraldo and juvenile staff briefed the board on operations at the county’s new SYTF and the juvenile hall. The department reported reduced out‑of‑county placements and identified approximately $700,000 in projected savings tied to changes in placement patterns; the board asked staff to specify what portion of that saving can be used immediately in FY 2025–26 for community‑based services and to return with precise figures and recommendations.

What the department presented - SYTF and camp program status: Probation described the SYTF as a five‑month‑old, locally operated facility designed to meet SB 823/92 requirements and provide trauma‑informed, culturally responsive rehabilitation. Juvenile Hall Director Sarah Berman detailed education, vocational and life‑skills programming, including partnerships to provide laptops, college access and culinary and financial literacy offerings for youth in custody. She said youth voice and family engagement were central to program planning. - Budget numbers: The department asked the board to approve revenues of about $25.77 million, expenditures of about $37.38 million, and a general fund contribution of approximately $11.6 million for a 135‑FTE budget. The budget assumes a status‑quo staffing count but realigns state block grants and identifies savings tied to reduced out‑of‑county placements. - Savings and reinvestment plan: Probation staff explained an estimated $370,000 reduction in out‑of‑county placements, leading to approximately $300,000 in available savings this fiscal year. Department staff proposed using roughly $100,000 of that to cover part of juvenile hall medical and behavioral‑health cost increases, applying $150,000–$175,000 toward a competitive RFP cycle to expand community prevention contracts, and holding the remainder in reserve pending further needs and federal funding uncertainty.

Board direction and public comment Supervisors pressed staff for specifics and asked that the department return June 10 with a precise accounting of what portion of the placement savings can be obligated in FY 2025–26 and how the funds could be used immediately through purchase orders while the next RFP cycle is prepared. Supervisor Bruce Cummings and others emphasized reinvesting savings in community providers, prevention and reentry supports to reduce the need for out‑of‑county placements.

Public commenters and community advocates — including representatives of peer‑run organizations and MHCan — urged the board to protect funding for community behavioral‑health services and neighborhood programs. Several family members and nonprofit leaders described the value of local programming and the need for stable funding.

Outcome The board approved the Probation Department’s proposed FY 2025–26 budget by unanimous roll call and adopted the additional direction that staff return on June 10 with the exact savings available from SYTF implementation and recommended uses to reinvest in community‑based programs in FY 2025–26.