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Extracted from Consolidated Report

This investigation was originally published as part of a larger consolidated report containing multiple investigations. View the consolidated PDF for the complete document.

Los Angeles County Grand Jury • 2008-2009

Policy vs. Results: Youth Employment Programs Funded but Not Fully Utilized

62 pages
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Findings 8 findings

F1 Page 41
1.1 The seven Youth Councils in the geographic region of Los Angeles County do not work together to promote youth employment programs. Although the Workforce Investment Act does not require collaboration among the Youth Councils, increased coordination of youth employment programs would better leverage resources. Youth Councils with minimal business representation could benefit from resources provided by business members of other Youth Councils, including assistance in recruiting business members and links to private employers who could provide jobs to youth. Increased coordination would also help local Workforce Investment Areas publicize existing programs and recruit youth to programs who otherwise may not be reached.
F2 Page 50
1 The Department of Human Resources’ Student Worker and Career Development Intern Programs are underutilized with only 65 percent of budgeted positions filled in FY 2007- 08. The program is not mandatory for County departments and only two of the County’s ten largest departments participated in the Career Development Intern Program for foster youth in FY 2007-08.
F3 Page 58
1 Only one-fourth of foster and probation youth are served by youth employment programs earmarked for these populations. While the number of eligible youth far exceeds the number of actual youth participants, existing youth employment programs are underutilized. In FY 2007-08, the County of Los Angeles under spent available funds by $1.5 million, representing an estimated 500 youth employment opportunities. Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the seven Workforce Investment Areas in the geographic region of Los Angeles County will receive millions of dollars14 in federal stimulus funds to pay for work experience programs for low-income and at-risk youth. The County of Los Angeles and City of Los Angeles will receive the largest share of these funds. The County of Los Angeles, as well as other local governments in the geographic region of Los Angeles County, will need to increase recruitment efforts for youth employment programs to ensure effective use of the federal stimulus funds. Foster and youth participation in youth employment programs funded by the Workforce Investment Act has declined. Foster and probation youth made up only 17 percent of County of Los Angeles Workforce Investment Act participants in FY 2007-08 compared to 21 percent of participants in FY 2005-06. Less than one-half of the Hire LA’s Youth employment program slots set aside for foster and probation youth are filled by Independent Living Program youth each year, although the Independent Living Program has primary responsibility for youth transitioning from foster and County care to living in the community, including providing job readiness and work opportunities. The actual allocation has not yet been determined. 2008-2009 Los Angeles County Civil Grand Jury Report 51
F4 Page 63
1 The County of Los Angeles does not have a first source hiring program, missing an opportunity to increase the number of jobs available to low-income and at-risk youth and young adults. The City of Los Angeles, City of Long Beach, and Los Angeles World Airports have established first source hiring programs requiring publicly-funded contractors and employers to provide job opportunities to local residents, thus increasing the availability of jobs available to low income adults and youth. As of February 19, 2009, local governments receiving Proposition A funds had spent $54.6 million on employment for at-risk youth, exceeding required spending of $44.2 million by $10.4 million. According to the County of Los Angeles Auditor-Controller, (a) the City of Lancaster received $1.6 million Proposition A funds in FY 2003-04 and (b) the City of Downey received $436,861 in FY 2004-05. However, as of February 2009 (a) the City of Lancaster had spent only $1,564 to meet its youth employment goals, and (b) the City of Downey had spent no funds to meet its youth employment goals. 56 2008-2009 Los Angeles County Civil Grand Jury Report
F5 Page 54
The Residential Treatment Services Bureau oversees the CALGrip Project. This is an 18-month demonstration project at Camps Afflerbaugh and Paige in the 12 The Probation Department has 18 camps at 9 locations throughout the County, providing custody and rehabilitation to juveniles convicted of crimes and sentenced to incarceration. Also, the Probation department operates a residential treatment center, the Dorothy Kirby Center, in conjunction with the Department of Mental Health. 2008-2009 Los Angeles County Civil Grand Jury Report 47 eastern part of Los Angeles County. The demonstration project provides two programs: (1) a training and job placement program for gang affiliated and at-risk youth ages 17 to 18 years serving sentences in Camps Afflerbaugh and Paige, and (2) a work experience program for gang affiliated youth ages 18 to 24 residing in San Gabriel Valley. Both programs provide job readiness training, life and basic skills training, support for earning industry-recognized “diversified occupations” credentials, and preparation to begin unsubsidized employment or advanced training. These programs are provided through an agreement between the Probation Department and LA Works, a Workforce Investment Act one-stop provider.
F6 Page 54
The Residential Treatment Services Bureau oversees the “Project Youth Embrace” two-year demonstration project at Camp Miller in collaboration with the Public Defender and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Division of Juvenile Justice. The program provides comprehensive re-entry services to juvenile offenders returning to the community from custody or out-of- home placement, including housing, mental health and substance abuse, education, health, and vocational services. As part of this project, a community provider, Homeboy Industries, offers job training and employment assistance. Job developers work with local employers to find available jobs and work one-on- one with probation youth to develop resumes and interviewing skills and to match youth with jobs. Youth are often placed into jobs in small businesses operated by Homeboy Industries, such as bakery, silkscreen, café, landscaping, maintenance, and other businesses.
F7 Page 55
The Adult Field Services Bureau administers the Day Reporting Center, which provides services to young adult men, ages 18 years to 24 years with gang involvement. The Day Reporting Center is funded by a three-year, $5 million State grant to provide intensive employment and support services. Youth Employment Programs Targeted to Foster and Probation Youth are Underutilized While the number of low-income youth in Los Angeles County eligible for federal, state, and local youth employment programs far exceeds the availability of these programs, existing programs are underutilized. For example, the County of Los Angeles under spent Workforce Investment Act funds allocated to youth employment program service providers, who operate the one-stop youth centers and provide job readiness, job placement, and other services funded by the Workforce Investment Act, in FY 2007-08. Additionally, the County’s Youth Jobs Program has not been fully utilized since its inception in FY 2005-06. More than 10 percent of the program’s funds have remained unspent at the end of each year. In FY 2007-08, the County of Los Angeles under spent for youth employment programs by $1.5 million, equivalent to an estimated 500 youth jobs, as shown in Table 3.1. 48 2008-2009 Los Angeles County Civil Grand Jury Report Table 3.1 County of Los Angeles Unexpended Workforce Investment Act and Youth Jobs Program Funds FY 2007-08 Youth Jobs Program Workforce Investment Act Services Providers Total Budget $6,479,886 $10,082,832 $16,562,718 Expenditures 5,789,529 9,289,919 15,079,448 Surplus/(Deficit) $690,357 $792,913 $1,483,270 Surplus as a Percent of Budget 11% 8% 9%
F08 Page 50
The program is not mandatory for County departments and only two of the County’s ten largest departments participated in the Career Development Intern Program for foster youth in FY 2007-08.

Recommendations 8