Youth Outreach and Comprehensive Services: Street Outreach, based on a best practice from Boston, is strategy supporting school and/or community based outreach workers who provide mentoring, case management and support services for truants, school drop-outs, and other disengaged youth.  Another high risk population is epidemic number of sexually exploited minors in Oakland.  The goal of Outreach to Sexually Exploited Youth is to reach this population and connect them to the programs and support they need to succeed. The goal of Sports and Recreational Programs is to intervene with high risk youth 18 and under to develop pro-social behaviors via recreational programs that provide a high intensity of mentorship. The City-County Neighborhood Initiative, a program based on best practices, has community builders going door-to-door to support and encourage neighbors to address their issues (e.g., typically truant youth, blight, and drug dealing) and help them to organize their communities.

Special Services to Children and Youth Exposed to Violence and/or Sexually Exploited: Family Violence Intervention intervenes to reduce the negative effects of exposure to domestic violence among children and youth, and their families, by providing them with Family Advocates and Child Caseworker(s). Mental Health Services are critical for young children (0-5) who witness violence in their homes, neighborhoods, and schools.  Youth Support Groups based on a mental health model are the most effective support for older youth exposed to violence.

Diversion and Reentry Services: The Project Choice Model provides intensive support both pre- and post-release for youth and young adults paroling to Oakland in order to reduce recidivism.  Pathways to Change is a diversion program for repeat juvenile offenders on probation.  Both programs are highly comprehensive, with low caseloads for case workers, frequent contact, family contact and support, and careful coordination of community services. Restorative Justice Training will teach staff who work with young people on probation and parole how to engage communities in dialogue with perpetrators of violence and find ways for each to heal.

Employment and Training for parolees, probationers, and high risk youth:  For parolees, Intensive Reentry Training and Employment, including subsidized on-the-job training, helps to reduce the allure of the underground economy while skills are developed. Crew-Based Employment offers parolees subsidized work activity as part of an eight-person crew, such as Public Works, Fire Services, or Community Service. After-School Job Training helps high-risk youth acquire skills and contributes financially as well. The Transitional Jobs strategy prioritizes direct placement of clients into employment via contracts that pay per client per job placement and retention benchmark.  Subsidized Summer Youth Employment provides job placements for high risk youth in Oakland’s Mayor’s Summer Jobs Program.

School Based Services: The Safe Passages Middle School Model provides school-based assessment, case management and referrals to needed services, including mental health, for high-risk students at Oakland public middle schools.  Second Step Violence Prevention Curriculum is a nationally renowned social-emotional learning program that has been shown to reduce suspensions and violence in Oakland schools.  A Peer Conflict Resolution Program for middle schools with high rates of truancy is a best practice shown to reduce playground and classroom conflicts, office referrals, and suspensions by preventing the escalation of conflicts that could otherwise lead to disruption of learning.

Demonstration Projects: Oakland Unified School District Alternative Education Schools will work with California Youth Outreach to provide Gang Intervention Services to 75 gang involved youth at five of Oakland’s toughest Alternative Schools. Project Re-Connect provides Parent Education and Gang Awareness to over 80 parents with of elementary and middle school aged children at high risk for future gang involvement.

Violent Incident Response: Catholic Charities provides first response, intensive support services and support groups to friends and relatives of homicide victims through the Community Response and Support Network. Alameda County Health Care Services Agency provides mental health services to CRSN participants.  Youth ALIVE!’s Caught in the Crossfire program provides intensive support services to young gun shot victims at Highland Hospital.