Santa Cruz, CA - Reclaiming Futures, Santa Cruz County

Reclaiming Futures Santa Cruz County was one of the first 10 sites in the nation funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to help teens in trouble with drugs, alcohol and crime. We have partnered with the courts, alcohol and drug treatment providers, community organizations, and youth and their families to meet the urgent needs of young people in our juvenile justice system.

The number of teens in detention in Santa Cruz County continues to decline as does crime committed by these young people. Santa Cruz's detention reform effort is saving the County millions of dollars by avoiding the construction and staffing of a new detention facility. Still in 2008, there were at least 20 youth in juvenile detention each day.

At Reclaiming Futures Santa Cruz County we have improved the alcohol and drug treatment services these youth receive in the following ways:

• Focused on youth in need of higher services, or those most challenged to succeed
• Used the highly regarded Seven Challenges treatment modality
• Included family and youth in decision making
• Created a Youth Involvement Work Group
• Used cultural programs: Cara y Corazon (face and heart) Family Strengthening and Joven Noble -Rites of Passage

Our core partners
Santa Cruz County Juvenile Court and Juvenile Probation
Santa Cruz County Alcohol and Drug Programs
Santa Cruz County Children's Mental Health
Office of Education Alternative Schools
Family Partnerships Program
Criminal Justice Council of Santa Cruz
Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance
Santa Cruz Barrios Unidos
Community Action Board
CRP Youth Services
UCSF Child Services Research

Contact: Yolanda Perez-Logan, Project Director
Address: Juvenile Division of Santa Cruz County Probation
P.O. Box 1812
Santa Cruz, CA 95061
Phone: 831.763.8174
Email: prb285@co.santa-cruz.ca.us