(Sacramento, CA) – Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D – Highland) joined Assemblymember Reggie Jones Sawyer (D – South Los Angeles) today in calling for $10 million for the Tribal Youth Diversion program, as part of the request for a $100 million Youth Reinvestment Grant. Both programs seek to reduce juvenile contact with the justice system.
“Today’s Native American youth have inherited a legacy of historical trauma caused by loss of home, land, culture, visibility, and language as the result of centuries of eradication and assimilation-based policies. Bringing resources to Tribes in our state to expand programs informed by the weight of history and their current lived experience will strengthen our tribal communities and will be an important step in improving outcomes for all Native American youth,” said Assemblymember Ramos.
The Tribal Youth Diversion Grant program is funding set aside for diversion programs that specifically cater to Native American youth. The programs use trauma-informed, community-based, and health-based interventions to address the needs of tribal communities that experience high rates or arrest, suicide, alcohol and substance abuse, or average high school graduation rates that are lower than 75 percent.
The Youth Reinvestment Grant program directs money to the local level to divert low-level offenders from initial contact with the juvenile justice system. Communities with high juvenile arrest rates, or experience high rates of racial disproportionality within those arrests are targeted with grant funding. Funding for such diversion programs include academic and vocational education services, mentoring, behavioral health services, mental health services, and alternative-sanction programs.
This budget request is supported by the California Tribal Families Coalition, which promotes and protects the health, safety and welfare of tribal children and families, which are inherent tribal governmental functions and are at the core of tribal sovereignty and tribal governance.
“What Tribes know from experience is that programming for typical diversion programs does not meet the culturally-specific needs of tribal youth. Time and again tribes have said they know what tribal youth need—services created and operated by tribes or tribal organizations to address the unique needs of Native children, which stem from generations of trauma created by state and federal government policies. Tribes are ready to provide these services, but need the funding in order to do so,” said Delia M. Sharpe, Executive Director of the California Tribal Families Coalition.
Assemblymember James C. Ramos speaks at a press conference for a request for $10 million in Tribal Youth Diversion Grant funds
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For Immediate Release
Monday, May 6, 2019
Contact: Brendan Wiles (909) 476-5023
Follow Assemblymember Ramos on social media: Facebook @AsmJamesRamos / Twitter @AsmJamesRamos / Instagram @asmjamesramos
Assemblymember James Ramos proudly represents the 40th Assembly district which includes Highland, Loma Linda, Mentone, Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands, and San Bernardino.