To: Board of Supervisors
From: Esa Ehmen-Krause, County Probation Officer
Report Title: Vocational Training for Justice-Involved Clients
?Recommendation of the County Administrator ? Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the County Probation Officer, or designee, to execute a contract with Ameelio Emerge Public Benefit Corporation - Emerge Career (d/b/a), in an amount not to exceed $350,000 for a vocational training and employment program for the period of January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2027.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This contract will be funded 100% by Assembly Bill 109 Local Innovation Funds.
BACKGROUND:
Emerge Career is a workforce development platform focused on improving reentry outcomes through high-wage, high-demand vocational training. Its local innovative program supports Contra Costa AB109-eligible individuals in obtaining their Class A Commercial Driver's License (CDL-A) and securing employment in the trucking industry. Using a hybrid model, the program includes digital literacy, job readiness, CDL-A instruction, individualized coaching, and post-placement support.
Instruction is provided by approved regional training partners, and participant progress is tracked through a centralized platform that supports real-time monitoring and coordinated support.
Projected outcomes include licensure, job placement, and sustained retention support. The program integrates vocational training, reentry coaching, and employer engagement into a single, data-informed model designed to promote long-term success. The goal is to formalize a structured pathway that moves participants from training to stable employment, strengthening overall reentry outcomes, supporting long-term economic mobility, and ultimately lowering recidivism.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If unapproved, the Department would not have a contract to fund this program that may restrict access to high-wage career pathways for justice-involved individuals.
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