To: Board of Supervisors
From: Esa Ehmen-Krause, County Probation Officer
Report Title: Add Seven (7) Juvenile Institution Officer I Positions
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
ADOPT Position Adjustment Resolution No. 26520 to add seven (7) Juvenile Institution Officer I (7KWB) (represented) positions at salary plan and grade VP5 1159 ($5,310.55 - $6,455.00) within the Probation Department.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This action will be cost neutral to the department’s existing General Fund allocation as the permanent annual salary and benefit cost increase of approximately $840,000 will have a respective cost decrease in overtime and temporary salary costs. The cost shift will be realized as the permanent positions are filled. Five of the positions will be funded by the department’s existing General Fund allocation and two of the positions will be fully funded by the State Youthful Offender Block Grant. Overall ongoing cost will result in a 71% General Fund and 29% State funded cost split.
BACKGROUND:
The Probation Department is seeing great success with recent recruitment and selection efforts and anticipates filling the current Juvenile Institution Officer (JIO) vacancies by the end of this calendar year. While this will help the department achieve minimum staffing standards in the Juvenile Hall, the department has determined that these positions are insufficient to alleviate the increasing staffing needs, specifically those related to treatment programming.
Probation’s position losses in 2024 from the countywide 18-month vacancy eliminations, included 16 full-time Juvenile Institution Officers (JIOs). As the department has been working diligently to fill its vacant positions, it has determined it necessary to replenish a minimum of 12 JIO positions over the period of the current and upcoming fiscal year. At this time, the department is requesting to add 7 full-time JIO positions, which will:
• Significantly reduce reliance on overtime for standard operation needs. Overtime costs are currently costing the department approximately $300,000 each month, and this is expected to be redirected toward the new full-time positions.
• Address unpredictable operational needs that require higher staffing ratios for high needs youth without sole reliance on overtime, including high risk safety plans and close observation staffing.
• Allow an additional treatment unit to be opened to reduce capacity on the current Briones Youth Academy Commitment Pathway unit, which will positively impact the level of intensive supervision, treatment and care staff can provide through smaller group programming and likely result in earlier program completion.
• Allow a female only unit to be opened to replace the co-ed unit, so gender specific and responsive needs can be more adequately addressed for the emerging female population.
While the department is optimistic of the opportunities the 7 new positions will provide, it anticipates the need for an additional 5 full-time JIOs in the coming fiscal year. Aware of the current federal funding uncertainties and through discussions with the County Administrator’s Office regarding the uncertainty of those impacts on operations countywide and to the General Fund, the department has postponed the request for the additional 5 JIOs. The department plans to instead include them as a position modification request through the FY 2026-27 budget development process, understanding there are no guarantees of funding to accommodate the request.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If unapproved, the Probation Department will continue to rely heavily on costly overtime. Staffing shortages will persist, limiting the Department’s ability to adequately respond to operational fluctuations and high-needs youth, thereby increasing safety risks for both staff and youth.