On Oct 8th, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors approved on the consent calendar:  

Public Safety Realignment Transitional Housing Agreement 

Authorize the Chief Probation Officer to execute a professional services agreement with Interfaith Shelter Network, Inc. for the initial term October 1, 2024, through September 30, 2027, in the amount of $1,247,892 to provide transitional housing beds and services for individuals on felony probation and to execute up to two one-year renewal options for a maximum five-year agreement value of $2,188,000.

The Probation Department requests Board approval to execute a professional services agreement with Interfaith Shelter Network, Inc. (IFSN) to provide transitional housing services for homeless Public Safety Realignment individuals and others on felony probation being supervised in the community.  Under this Agreement, IFSN will operate drug- and alcohol-free residential facilities to provide these probationers with an out-of-custody structured housing environment, including wrap-around supportive services to assist with placement into permanent housing and transitioning back into the community.  The probationers participating in this program are those who would otherwise be living marginally in the community with little or no support and who would likely resort to criminal behavior without supportive housing and Probation oversight.  The program is intended to reduce recidivism and enhance public safety by providing a secure, sober living environment for participants.

The Sonoma County Community Corrections Partnership (CCP) allocates funding for this program and has approved the fiscal year 24-25 expenses.  Future funding will depend upon continued CCP approval.

Funding for the contract comes from state legislation (AB109, 2011) which transferred responsibility for managing select adult offenders from the state to California counties.  As of June 2024, Sonoma County Probation supervises 440 individuals.   The state provides funding to help manage this increased responsibility, which the CCP, in turn, allocates, pending Board approval.  Because many realigned offenders are homeless and lack the community connections and resources needed to secure stable housing, the CCP has allocated funding for transitional housing every year since 2011.

The Probation Department issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) announcement in June 2024, which was distributed to 487 known organizations that might have interest in operating transitional housing facilities for probationers as well as 2,200 notifications to subscribers on Purchasing’s RFP posting list. 

The RFP sought proposals from one or more organizations to provide at least 26 transitional housing beds for probationers, most of whom will be individuals on felony probation and some of whom will be sex offenders.  In addition to beds, the RFP requested an array of supportive services to help probationers stabilize their lives and become productive community members.  Finally, the RFP required that the successful organization(s) develop a quality assurance plan to ensure high service standards and report on outputs and outcomes to help stakeholders determine program performance.

IFSN was the only organization to submit a proposal.  A panel of representatives from the Probation Department and the Department of Health Services rated the proposal using clear criteria such as qualifications and experience, staffing, program services, and cost of service.  Based on its proposal review, the evaluation committee recommends awarding transitional housing services to IFSN.

While this program is intended primarily for realigned offenders, it will also be available for non-realigned individuals on felony probation as space permits.  During an intake process, Probation and IFSN will coordinate to determine which supportive services IFSN will provide to offenders.  Available services include case management; individual therapy; individual and group counseling; skill building; referrals for substance abuse, healthcare, food, and general assistance services; employment preparation; and permanent housing search and placement assistance.  IFSN will coordinate supportive services with offenders’ supervising Probation Officers to address individual needs without duplicating services from other sources.  All therapy and counseling services will be conducted by licensed therapists or interns under the supervision of a licensed clinical director. 

IFSN currently provides 26 beds.  Under the new contract, IFSN will provide 30 beds distributed among multiple houses in Santa Rosa and Rohnert Park.  The additional four beds will be for a female-only home in Santa Rosa.

Additionally, IFSN will develop and implement quality assurance and outcome reporting plans.  Quality assurance plans ensure, for example, that staff receives proper training, resources, and certifications, and that facilities are clean, safe, and up to code.  Outcome reporting can help the CCP and other stakeholders determine program performance.  Example data points include residents’ post-discharge living arrangements, success in completing programming, and behavioral changes such as improved cooperation, communication, and conflict resolution.

 Gregory Fearon