To: Board of Supervisors
From: Esa Ehmen-Krause, County Probation Officer
Report Title: The Gemma Project
?Recommendation of the County Administrator ? Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the County Probation Officer, or designee, to execute a contract with The Gemma Project, in an amount not to exceed $1,250,000 for client gender responsive services for the period October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2028.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This is 100% funded by State funding through Assembly Bill 109. This funding is from the AB 109 one-time funding allocation of $15 million recommended by the CAB. The $1,250,000 allocation is under one of the four areas of focus identified by the CAB, which include Pre/Post Release Engagement.
BACKGROUND:
The Gemma Project was founded in 2003 by, and for, justice involved women to address the unique needs of the female population. The program delivers evidence based, gender and trauma responsive in-custody and wraparound services through two core components: The Gemma Day Program and The Continuing Care Program.
The Gemma Day Program is a comprehensive 10-week in-custody curriculum designed to help participants identify behavior patterns, personal strengths and needs, and barriers to success, while developing skills to break the cycle of incarceration. The program uses a therapeutic cohort model that fosters trust, safety, and group cohesion.
The Continuing Care Program provides wraparound services that begin prior to release and continue into the community to ensure stability and continuity of care. This phase includes additional skill-building and post-release transition support to help participants navigate the reentry process. Participants co-create individualized Wellness & Reentry Plans that address key life domains such as housing, recovery, income, healthcare, family, legal obligations, and system navigation. Grounded in a peer support model, the program promotes long-term, relationship-base...
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