Grand Jury Findings:

RSO deputies are assigned to HHCYC trom 12 p.m. to a.m. This amount of '12 time is insufficient as the children tend to act out after RSO deputies go off duty at 12 a.m. Response to Grand Jury Finding #2: Respondent disagrees partially with the finding. HHCYC contracts with a roundthe-clock private security firm for facility monitoring, crisis de-escalation, and staff support in maintaining safety protocols. However, security personnel must also operate within a trauma-informed framework to prevent an overly restrictive or punitive environment that nullifies a trauma-informed approach. The RUHS Behavioral Health Crisis Response Team is available on call during nighttime and weekend hours and prepared to appropriately respond to youth in crisis. Our priority is to ensure that the necessary behavioral health supports and wrap-around services are readily available to help each and every youth at HHCYC effectively address the traumatic roots of challenges that underpin behaviors. As a state-licensed therapeutic, home-like center, HHCYC alongside Riverside University Health System and other health and human service collaborators, is expanding on-site and community-based mental health and health resources and supports. These resources provide trauma-informed care for foster youth, many of whom are demonstrating behaviors rooted in the psychological and emotional distress of abuse, neglect, sexual exploitation, and placement disruptions. Trained behavioral health staff have increased their presence on campus throughout the week to offer support, interventions, and behavioral management for youth dealing with trauma-related challenges. At HHCYC, we are actively engaging with the entire behavioral, medical and public health system to ensure appropriate supports are available to meet the unique and complex needs of each youth and child served at HHCYC. Facilities upgrades will incorporate trauma-informed safety-oriented design features that include clear sight lines, visual access to staff and community, clearly defined spaces for people inside and out, appropriate day and nighttime lighting. As a community of many partners committed to the wellbeing of Riverside County's youth, HHCYC is at the forefront and committed to a sustainable long-term initiative to change the trajectory of foster youth whose complex behaviors add to the challenges of longterm placement but who deserve a nurturing and stable long-term home, and the critical emotional and behavioral health supports they need to prepare them for success in that environment. Grand Jury Finding #3: Staff Member Oversight and Authority

Staff members are unable to enforce basic rules due to guidelines contained in Foster Youth Bill of Rights (FYBR), that were passed in California in 2001. Response to Grand Jury Finding #3: Respondent disagrees partially with the finding. The california Foster Youth Bill of Rights (FYBR), ouilined in welfare and lnstitutions code $ 16001.9 and adopted by the state Legislature, provides essential protections to 2 ensure foster youth are treated with dignity, respect, and fairness. These rights, including privacy, communication, and personal autonomy, are particularly critical for youth who have experienced trauma, displacement, or abuse. At HHCYC, staff must navigate the complex balance betvveen safeguarding these individual rights and safeguarding the safety of all youth, visitors, and staff. While the FYBR establishes necessary protections, certain provisions pose challenges and require navigation by staff to maintain a consistently secure environment. For example, under the FYBR youth have the right to refuse psychotropic medication and no punitive actions may be taken. Medication compliance among youth with psychiatric disorders is a recognized treatment challenge. On-site trained behavioral health staff are engaging youth at HHCYC to provide behavioral health interventions and collaborate with staff and youth to develop strategies that respect the youth's autonomy but empower the youth to act in their best self-interest. Similarly, limitations on physical searches without particularized suspicion complicate efforts to prevent the introduction of contraband, such as drugs or weapons. The FYBR also guarantees youth the right to communicate freely with family and supportive adults, a principle that staff strongly uphold. Staff at HHCYC exercise reasonable and prudent parenting standards, which permit them to place reasonable limitations on cell phone usage to safeguard the health and safety of a youth. The FYBR does not explicitly grant foster youth the freedom to leave placements at will, however the FYBR limits actions that staff can take when youth go AWOL, other than notifying law enforcement and child welfare partners. The FYBR emphasizes the importance of treating AWOL cases with care, prioritizing re-engagement and access to appropriate supports. HHCYC staff employ multiple crisis communication tactics to dissuade youth from departing the campus without authorization. To address these challenges, staff utilize de-escalation strategies, individualized safety plans, high levels of supervision, emotional regulation techniques, and enrichment activities tailored to the needs of each youth in care. With a daily maximum capacity of 48 youth on-site, HHCYC maintains a strong commitment to ongoing improvements in safety and security measures. lf staff determine a youth is imminently dangerous to themselves or others, staff will implement de-escalation strategies and call the appropriate authority. DPSS, alongside our Riverside County partners, fully affirms that the FYBR is grounded in trauma-informed principles designed to uphold dignity, stability, and healing for every youth in care, ensuring services are delivered in the least restrictive environments possible. At the same time, we recognize that a small, highly vulnerable subset of this population may require enhanced safeguards and tailored support structures to protect their well-being, promote positive outcomes, and uphold their best interests. For these youth, blanket approaches fall short. Therefore, we are committed to a more nuanced 3 response that balances individual needs with the broader values of empowerment, choice, and care inherent in the FYBR. Grand Jury Finding #4: Transportation

Presently, HHCYC staff transport children to schools throughout the county and pick them up after school. This is an undue burden on staff members, waste of resources, and potential liability to RIVCO. Response to Grand Jury Finding ll4: Respondent disagrees wholly with finding. We respectfully disagree with the assertion that HHCYC staff transporting children to school and other activities constitutes an undue burden, a misuse of resources, or an unacceptable liability to the county. On the contrary, providing transportation is a fundamental and necessary responsibility of staff operating a temporary youth shelter and serving as placement providers, as outlined in the HHCYC Program Statement. All staff responsible for transporting youth are properly trained in child supervision, behavior management, and vehicle safety. They also undergo background checks and are trained in emergency protocols to ensure youth safety during transport. Staff use county-owned vehicles that are regularly maintained and inspected, and children are transported using age-appropriate safety restraints, in full compliance with California law and county policy. Staff at HHCYC are caregivers charged with the care and supervision of all youth at HHCYC, responsible for meeting the dayto-day needs of youth in care, including ensuring their timely attendance at school, medical appointments, court dates, and extracurricular activities. Transporting children to these obligations is a standard expectation across licensed foster homes, group homes, and temporary shelters. Given that HHCYC is designed for very shortterm stays, often lasting just a few days, coordinating transportation through local school districts or other external providers is not always feasible. The process of arranging school bus routes or specialized transportation services can take longer than the child's entire stay at the facility. Relying solely on external systems would delay services and disrupt continuity of education or care. Children placed at HHCYC are often in crisis or transition. Many may be unwilling or emotionally unable to attend school or other appointments without personalized support. HHCYC staff-who have rapport with the youth and training in trauma-informed care- are best positioned to de-escalate resistance, ensure attendance, and supervise behavior during transport. Outsourcing this responsibility could pose greater risks, both for the youth and for any third-party providers unfamiliar with their needs. While transportation always involves some level of risk, the county minimizes liability through structured training, vehicle safety standards, supervision ratios, and comprehensive insurance coverage. The controlled use of trained staff and dedicated vehicles is often safer and more consistent than relying on external vendors unfamiliar with county procedures or the unique needs of foster youth. ln conclusion, the transportation of children by HHCYC staff is neither excessive nor avoidable-it is a practical, efficient, and necessary function aligned with the mission of HHCYC and the responsibilities of placement providers. Attempting to offload this responsibility would likely cause delays, disrupt essential services, and increase the risk of non-attendance or behavioral incidents. For these reasons, staff-led transportation should be recognized as a best practice, not a burden. Grand Jury Finding #5: Transportation

Commercial rideshare companies may well be picking up underage children in violation of company policies. Response to Grand Jury Finding #5: Respondent agrees with finding. We agree that commercial rideshare companies may be picking up underage children in violation of their own company policies. Most major rideshare providers-such as Uber and Lyft-explicitly prohibit transporting unaccompanied minors under the age of 18 unless the ride is arranged through a specific program that allows for youth transport (such as Uber for Teens, which still has age and consent requirements). However, in practice, drivers may not always verify a passenger's age or may be unaware of the policy, leading to unauthorized rides involving minors. This presents safety, legal, and liability concerns, especially in the context of foster youth. Many of these children may be particularly vulnerable to exploitation, trafficking, or other harms. When minors arrange rides, the rideshare companies are exposed to legal risk, and the children may be placed in unmonitored, unsafe situations. Because of these concerns, HHCYC staff avoid relying on commercial rideshare servjces for transporting unaccompanied minors, and instead continue using trained personnel, authorized transportation services, or court-approved alternatives to ensure youth safety and compliance with both company policies and child welfare regulations. Grand Jury Finding #6: Activities

HHCYC areas such as the gym, farm, and classrooms, are being underutilized for activities. Response to Grand Jury Finding #6: Respondent disagrees partially with the finding. ln June 2023, the County of Riverside acquired the 120-acre Childhelp, USA property to establish short{erm (72-hour) residential-style accommodations for foster youth in transition. Faced with a shortage of qualified foster homes, the County-like many counties nationwide-sometimes had to place youth in social services offices or hotels under staff supervision overnight. By purchasing a property with four cottages and a total of 48 beds, Riverside County was able to quickly increase its bed capacity and establish a centralized, trauma-informed space, ensuring youth could receive temporary housing in a stable and supportive environment. Harmony Haven Children and Youth Center (HHCYC) became Riverside County's first and only state licensed 72-Hour Transitional Shelter Care Facility for foster youth in March 2024. The scope of HHCYC's licensure does not extend to the entire 120-a$e campus. Rather the footprint of the transition al 72-hour shelter known as HHCYC is limited to the cottages and a newly renovated intake center on roughly seven acres, which serve as the licensed and designated spaces for youth in foster care transition. Unlike Childhelp, USA, which offered extensive amenities such as a swimming pool and farm animals for younger children in long-term residential care, HHCYC staff are dedicated to addressing the immediate needs of Riverside County foster youth of all ages during their brief transitional period before placement in a stable home, in accordance with HHCYC's state licensure. HHCYC staff prioritize trauma-informed supervision and smooth daily operations, ensuring youth receive essential emotional and behavioral support. Cunently, and in collaboration with the County of Riverside, select campus facilities, including the gymnasium, basketball courts, and outdoor ball fields are regularly utilized to support a wide range of sports and team-building activities for HHCYC youth. While these spaces remain active, many other on-site facilities are undergoing extensive renovations to meet building and code standards for future uses outlined in the site master plan. We recognize the essential role that physically and emotionally enriching activities and on-site academic opportunities play in supporting youth at HHCYC. HHCYC is actively working to decrease the length of stay by expanding kinship care outreach and strengthening our processes and communications. To further enhance these resources, we are expanding on-site recreational, social and enrichment activities and programming. HHCYC hopes to welcome a teacher and teacher's aide from Beaumont Unified School District within the year to facilitate hybrid learning, ensuring continued education for all foster youth during their transitions in care. We are fully committed to providing the very best experiences and outcomes for each youth who comes to HHCYC. GRAND JURY RECOMMENDATIONS: Grand Jury Recommendation #1: Medical R-l The Riverside County Civil Grand Jury recommends that al least one medical professional be assigned at least part time to HHCYC. Dedicated, on-site behavioral health support should be expanded to 24-hours daily. Based on Findings: F-1 lmplementation: January 1,2026 Financial lmpact: Moderate to High Response to Grand Jury Recommendation #1: Recommendation will not be implemented because it is not warranted or reasonable. Although this in not warranted or feasible DPSS is exploring options for on-site medical care with medical partners and will continue to partner with RUHS. DPSS has instituted the following processes in partnership with RUHS Medical Center and Clinics: . Express Care Services (Urgent GareMalk-ln): RUHS and HHCYC have collaboratively developed a streamlined protocol to address urgent patient needs. For any acute medical concern, HHCYC staff can call a dedicated line to initiate a same-day video visit with RUHS Express Care. Based on the virtual assessment, the patient may: Require no further care, be scheduled for an in-person Express Care visit or be referred to the nearest emergency department for emergent treatment. Express Care is available Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on weekends from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. ln-person visits are directed to the clinic on the main hospital campus in Moreno Valley at this time; virtual care is provided from the Express Care clinic in Lake Elsinore. . Routine Care: For non-urgent needs, RUHS operates a specialized foster care clinic staffed by a physician and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). HHCYC has direct access, and appointments are scheduled within seven business days of the request. Routine care is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the pediatric clinic on the main hospital campus in Moreno Valley. . After-Hours Care: For acute medical issues that arise outside of the hours noted above, HHCYC is responsible for ensuring the patient is directed to appropriate medical services based on the urgency and nature of the concern. Additionally, RUHS Pharmacy Services has worked proactively with DPSS personnel at Harmony Haven to organize, safeguard and ensure proper medication distribution to youth. ln April 2025, Pharmacy Services educated Harmony Haven staff on best practices for medication safety and provided guidance on setting up medication 7 carts. DPSS continues to partner with RUHS for continued training and support in proper medication handling. RUHS Behavioral Health: DPSS is exploring options to provide 24-hour on-site behavioral health professional support to meet the needs of youth. RUHS-Behavioral Health's staffing model does not include 24-hour on-site coverage at HHCYC. RUHS-BH services are designed around a Monday through Friday schedule and structured to support treatment-focused engagement during regular business hours. RUHS-BH continues to partner with DPSS to ensure interim behavioral health services remain in place while DPSS explores longterm options and partnerships outside of RUHS to support potential 24-hour on-site care. There is a consistent and structured behavioral health presence on campus during weekdays. RUHS-BH maintains a team of behavioral health staff that includes a Behavioral Health Specialist lll (BHS lll) and a Transitional Age Youth Peer Support Specialist (TAY PSS), who are physically present throughout the week and embedded as part of day-to-day operations. It is important to clarify that the Mobile Crisis Management Team (MCMT) is not the primary behavioral health support model for HHCYC, as suggested on of the Grand Jury report. Although MCMI staff respond frequently to crises at the site, they are not embedded for ongoing treatment or case management services. Behavioral Health support is structured around treatment-focused roles during business hours, with emergency/crisis response support provided separately and coordinated as needed in partnership with HH leadership and RUHS-BH administrators. Current behavioral health staffing at the Harmony Haven Children & Youth Center (HHCYC) includes a Behavioral Health Specialist lll and a TAY Peer Support Specialist, with additional Clinical Therapist positions in recruitment. A 24-hour behavioral health coverage model has not been adopted, consistent with the structure and intent of the emergency shelter. Crisis response services remain available 24171365 through RUHS-BH's established Mobile Crisis infrastructure, and direct coordination with shelter leadership occurs regularly during off-hours. ln addition to the on-site team, Harmony Haven youth are supported by clinical staff from other RUHS-BH programs and facilities. The Banning clinic supervisor oversees the BH team at Harmony Haven and serves as a liaison between the clinic and on- site staff to coordinate psychiatry, individual and group therapy, nursing support, case management, and peer/parent support as needed. some youth receive services at the Banning clinic directly, while others are connected to specialized programs based on acuity, including the Youth Hospital lntervention program (yHlp), youth connect, and Youth and Family Community Services (YFCS). ln May 2025, RUHS-BH was awarded a Behavioral Health continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCTP) grant through proposition 1 to buird the Harmony Haven chirdren & Youth Wellness center on the same campus. This facility rs schedlled for completion 8 in spring/summer 2028 and will be designed to deliver an expanded range of behavioral health services that directly align with the core concerns raised. The new center will include: . A 16-bed Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility . A 30-bed Adolescent Residential Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Program . A 1S-station Mental Health Urgent Care for same-day behavioral health support . A behavioral health outpatient clinic for mental health and substance use services These services will allow or coordinated, developmentally appropriate care aligned with youth and family needs, without requiring 24-hour embedded behavioral health staffing in the shelter itself. This expansion reflects RUHS-BH's continued investment in strengthening the continuum of care for vulnerable youth in Riverside County. The expansion reflects a system-wide investment in improving care delivery and bridging service gaps for vulnerable youth, ultimately supporting the goals outlined by the Civil Grand Jury in this recommendation. Grand Jury Recommendation #2: Security