County’s Upstream Investments initiative deemed ‘fiscally responsible’

Program aims to reduce funding on criminal justice
Sonoma County continues to invest “Upstream” and is inviting preventative social programs to qualify for its Upstream Investments portfolio.
Upstream Investments is an initiative incorporated into the county’s strategic plan in 2007 that attempts to reduce general fund spending on criminal justice costs — more than half of general fund spending and growing — by redirecting money into programs that are proven to be effective means for keeping children out of jail and stabilizing home environments.
A presentation given to the supervisors by the Human Services Department on Nov. 8, 2011 reported that the county has invested more than $280,000 in the initiative since 2007, with Human Services providing more than $800,000 in “staffing and operations.”
County officials estimate that it will take about 10 years for the initiative to pay for its initial expenditures, but the economic benefits will include a larger tax base due to an expanded workforce, with a better quality of life for Sonoma County residents.
“This is fiscally responsible policy,” Project Manager Marla Stuart said to a group of representatives from local nonprofits at a workshop last week. “We’re doing this because we want to be good stewards of public dollars.”
Stuart added that eliminating poverty and providing equal economic and educational opportunities is not so much a goal as a vision.
“Usually, the vision is something you’re not going to get to, but it is a vision,” she said.
According to the 2010 American Community Survey — conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau — 13.1 percent of the Sonoma County population is in poverty, with those under 18 years of age at 14.5 percent.
Sonoma County Latino’s poverty rate is 22 percent.
“Children who grow up in a family that makes $15,000 a year are 22 times more likely to be abused than children who grow up in a family with income of $30,000 or more,” Stuart wrote in an e-mail. “Young men who grow up in poverty are more likely to be incarcerated as a juvenile than young men who don’t.”
Human Services found that the average cost per arrest — including victim costs — in Sonoma County in 2008-2009 for adults was $13,812 for a felony and $3,338 non-felony. The cost for juvenile arrest was $16,843 and $8,293 respectively.
“Just to be clear, these costs are County General Fund only,” Stuart said. “The costs are greater when you include State and Federally funded costs.”
In order to address these costs, Upstream Investments seeks to “invest early” by dedicating funding and other resources to prevention-focused policies and interventions; “invest wisely,” by ensuring that “upstream policies and interventions have the highest possible likelihood of success by selecting those that are backed by sound evidence” and “invest together,” by focusing on “community-wide upstream policies and interventions.”
The initiative has four goals and 22 “indicators of success.”
The goals include bringing the community together to support the healthy development of kids; ensuring that all members of the community have access to education and training; ensuring all community members are “sheltered, safe and socially supported.”
The indicators of success include reduced child malnutrition; reduced youth binge drinking, drug and tobacco use; reduced youth depression, teen pregnancy and obesity, as well as improved pre-school attendance, 3rd grade reading and math scores, high school completion and higher education.
Implementation of the plan could reap as much as $55 in savings for every dollar spent, through savings on education, crime, substance abuse, child abuse and neglect, teen pregnancy and public assistance, according to Human Services analysis.
Since April 2010, the county has developed the program’s policy; implemented a portfolio of “model Upstream programs”; funded and implemented a program to assist county departments and local organizations in expanding their ability to design, implement, and evaluate programs and practices that are informed by available research and implemented procedures for organizations to formally declare support of the policy through a “Resolution of Alignment.”
“Resolutions of Alignment are part of Invest Together,” Stuart said. “Organizations that want to make a public commitment to aligning with the Upstream Investment Policy are invited to submit a Resolution of Alignment signed by their board of directors, which lists the specific actions, their organization will take to support Upstream Investments.”
The resolutions can be found on the Human Services Department website at www.SonomaUpstream.org.
The next Upstream Portfolio Workshop will take place on April 16 from 1 to 4 p.m. at 2550 Paulin Dr. in Santa Rosa, to teach member organizations how to successfully apply for the portfolio.
The workshops are presented by Stuart and Julie Sabbag-Maskey of First 5.
E-mail Caryn Henkel at in**@so************.org to RSVP. Space is limited to 14 people and RSVP is required.
For additional information, call Henkel at 565-8797.
David Abbott can be reached at Ab****@so********.com.