Proposed 2025-26 Budget

Overall Budget Summary

The Proposed Budget recommends status quo staffing of 135.0 full-time equivalent (FTE), including negotiated salary and benefit increases. The Probation budget includes the 2024-25 mid-year addition of 1.0 FTE Senior Group Supervisor. Appropriations total $37,381,694, funded by revenues of $25,772,820 and a General Fund contribution of $11,608,874.

The Budget includes a decrease in total revenues of $965,560 largely due to a $650,000 decrease from the end of Proposition 47 grant funding, $161,904 decrease in federal funding largely from a reduction of Title II Formula Grants, $90,000 decrease in State-mandated reimbursements, and $165,000 decrease in departmental charges for services, which is offset by a $205,000 increase in federal funding reimbursements for Medi-Cal Administrative Activities.

Total expenditures decreased by $351,433 largely from a $650,000 decrease in community-based professional services from the end of Proposition 47 grant funding, $700,000 decrease in out-of-county placements for secure youth treatment facilities, $865,980 decrease in transfers out for completed initiatives, and $160,001 decrease in technology hardware and data processing costs. This decrease was offset by a $718,063 increase in negotiated salary and benefits, $439,696 increase in payments to the Health Services Agency for medical and behavioral health care, and $515,585 increase from a change in facility charges to properly reflect the costs of facility services and utilities. These budget adjustments prioritize sustaining critical services, optimizing available funding sources, and adapting to grant funding changes while ensuring continued support for justice-involved adults and youth.

Proposition 36 Impacts: Proposition 36, "The Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act," approved on November 5, 2024, and effective December 18, 2024, focuses on reducing homelessness by creating a "treatment-mandated felony" for certain drug offenses after two convictions, requiring probation to coordinate treatment plans using existing resources. It also provides tougher drug trafficking penalties, enables felony prosecution after two theft convictions, aggregates stolen property value to meet the $950 felony threshold, and adds penalties for significant property loss. Probation's role in assessing drug cases and coordinating supervision will expand. Additional funding may be needed to address rising pretrial numbers and voter mandates, potentially requiring prioritization of services. Rising felony filings and convictions will likely increase formal probation caseloads, and Assembly Bill (AB) 109 Post Release Community Supervision beyond current staffing capacity. While Proposition 47 reduced probation supervision by 500 cases, Proposition 36 may reverse that trend as cases proceed through adjudication.

Juvenile Hall Facility Improvements: Construction of the multi-purpose gymnasium, Seed to Table Program, and significant renovations to the Juvenile Hall facility will begin in April 2025. These are Senate Bill (SB) 81 Round 1 and 2 grant-funded improvements. Completion of these improvements will significantly enhance programming and opportunities for detained youth and address much needed facility upgrades. The Juvenile Hall facility will remain open and operational throughout construction, which will require staff and youth flexibility.

Proposing 47 Grant Funding: Proposition 47’s Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act of 2014 changed how certain low-level drug and property crimes are classified by reducing these offenses from felonies to misdemeanors. This change allowed for significant savings, which were then distributed to counties across California through a competitive grant process. For the period of 2019 to 2026, the Probation Department was awarded nearly $12 million from the California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC). This funding was designated to help individuals involved in the criminal legal system who were facing challenges related to substance use disorders, mental health issues, or both. Most of these funds have been allocated to non-governmental organizations in our local communities, allowing them to provide essential services. However, these grant funds are expected to be fully utilized by early 2026.

SB 823 Funding Formula: SB 823 funding formula uncertainty makes it difficult to develop an appropriate budget for associated staffing and programming for the new local Secure Youth Treatment Facility.

SB 678 Funding Formula: SB 678 funding formula uncertainty makes it difficult to develop an appropriate budget for associated staffing and programming to support adult evidence-based practices. Any significant decrease in this allocation could result in a reduction to staffing. For example, a 15% reduction could result in reduced client supervision capacity through a loss of 2.0 FTE Deputy Probation Officers.