To: Board of Supervisors
From: Esa Ehmen-Krause, County Probation Officer
Report Title: COPE contract
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the County Probation Officer, or designee, to execute a contract with Counseling Options and Parent Education Support Center, Inc. (COPE Family Support Center) in the amount not to exceed $300,000 to provide family reunification services as part of the County’s AB 109 Reentry Project, for the period October 1, 2025 through June 30, 2028.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The contract is funded 100% with AB 109 Public Safety Realignment revenue.
BACKGROUND:
COPE Family Support Center is a trusted, community-based nonprofit with over a decade of experience serving justice-involved families throughout Contra Costa County. COPE is uniquely positioned to support formerly incarcerated parents through a trauma-informed, client-centered approach that acknowledges the complex intersection of reentry, child welfare, mental health, and generational healing.
The COPE Family Reunification Program is designed to strengthen family bonds and promote long-term stability through the following core components:
• Parenting Education (Triple P Level 5): Evidence-based, culturally responsive parenting interventions, including Triple P modules tailored for families navigating trauma, conflict, and post-incarceration separation.
• Family Reunification Therapy: Up to five sessions facilitated by licensed clinicians trained in trauma-informed modalities such as Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT). These sessions focus on rebuilding trust, enhancing communication, and assessing readiness for reunification.
• Case Management and Support Services: Comprehensive wraparound support addressing housing, employment, legal advocacy, and linkage to community-based resources. Participants also receive access to group workshops, peer mentoring, anger management, and therapeutic services for children, youth, and teens impacted by parental incarceration.
The program offers moderate service intensity, with participants receiving an average of 2-3 hours of direct service per week over a 10-week period. The overarching goal is to improve developmental, emotional, and behavioral outcomes for children by fostering more supportive, responsive, and consistent caregiving environments.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
Without funding, justice-involved parents and their children will lose access to trauma-informed reunification services, increasing barriers to family stability and heightening the risk of recidivism.