Our New Year’s resolution is to double down on four key areas that have taken root over the last four years as we launch into our 5th year at OYCR. These strategies are shifting the landscape of how we address adolescents who commit law violations in California.
Our first goal will be familiar, Treat Youth as Youth: Adolescence is described as the period of human development between the ages of 10 to 25. It is a stage marked by peer pressure, impulsiveness, and a lack of self- awareness. Teens are easily influenced by negative peer groups just as they are easily influenced by positive peer groups. Applying Positive Youth Development and Restorative Justice principles as our response to an adolescent who breaks the law are successful strategies that restore both the adolescent and the community. In 2026 our promise is to continue to offer current research and data that shows that a model built on age-appropriate accountability and rehabilitation is the remedy to build safer communities.
Our second priority is to continue to Build Community Based Organizational Capacity: Communities that have a well-resourced family and youth centered safety net keep children safe and out of trouble. A well-resourced CBO can also be there to assist if there is government involvement and after-system involvement. One way that OYCR will continue this work is to build on the Justice Serving Network (JSN) initiative which is designed to strengthen the capacity of CBOs serving system-impacted young people and now has 61 organizations participating through the support of the Public Works Alliance. JSN leverages the opportunities created by Medi-Cal and CalAIM reforms, which allow CBOs that work with youth – 90% of whom are Medi-Cal eligible – to access new and sustainable revenue streams. CBOs building infrastructure for and with sustainable dollars helps to create strong communities to serve their families and children.
The third priority is to Expand the Continuum of Care for Less Restrictive Programs (LRPs) for youth being diverted from or stepping down from Secure Youth Treatment Facilities (SYTFs). In year one of the OYCR data collection efforts after the DJJ realignment, less than 10 youth were stepped down from an SYTF to an LRP. In year two, 100 youth were stepped down, and in years three and four, 161 and 215 were stepped down, respectively. This number is growing and the options being developed for LRPs are diverse and tailored to the needs of each young person. It also requires evaluation and analysis to make sure we are on the right track.
The last goal is to Improve Facility Climate: the numerous contacts to the OYCR Ombuds Office from young people and their families from all over the state, tell us that there is room for improvement. OYCR stands ready and able to provide technical assistance to counties and CBOs to address concerns that are being raised by the youth, their families, and others about their custodial environments. Rehabilitation goals fall flat if youth and staff do not feel safe in their living and work environments. Through research, data analysis, a connection to resources, and technical assistance we can make a difference in these areas. Our commitment to public and personal safety for all Californians continues to drive our work. We at OYCR look forward to a year of partnership, prosperity and opportunities to continue the forward movement for the communities we serve.
Judge Katherine Lucero (ret.) Director
Office of Youth and Community Restoration California Health & Human Services Agency
OYCR Highlight
OYCR Community Reading List
Stories shape how we understand youth justice—and what’s possible within the system. This week, we’re excited to share OYCR’s first Community Reading List, a collection of books that have inspired, grounded, and transformed the people closest to the work.
From powerful memoirs to fiction that expands our sense of empathy, these recommendations come directly from probation officers, social workers, community partners, advocates, and young people—including those who have experienced incarceration. Across every conversation, a common truth emerged: stories open minds, shift perspectives, and move us toward a more just and compassionate system.
Explore the full list and hear why these books resonate so deeply with our community.
Voices of Youth Justice
Voices of Youth Justice: Q & A with Kent Mendoza
“I want young people to know they are capable of far more than they’ve been led to believe.” —Kent Mendoza, Director of Policy at the Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC)
Youth justice transformation depends on centering the leadership and lived expertise of those closest to the work. In our latest blog, we speak with Kent Mendoza—Director of Policy at the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, artist, mentor, and OYCR’s 2024 Outstanding Youth Justice Advocate Award recipient. Kent reflects on the mentors who shaped him, the young people he now guides, and why authentic youth voice is essential to building lasting change.
Read the full interview to hear Kent’s story in his own words and learn what he hopes all stakeholders carry forward in this post-DJJ era.
News and Updates
New Year...new housing resource
On January 1, 2026, the Behavioral Health Community-Based Organized Networks of Equitable Care and Treatment (BH-CONNECT) began requiring managed care plans to offer 6-months of rental assistance for Medi-Cal eligible members who meet certain criteria. The Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR) is excited about this enhanced resource to support our youth. Among the myriad of services under BH-CONNECT, the 6-month rental assistance combined with CalAIM Justice Involved community supports through Enhanced Care Management (ECM) for Children and Youth which can assist with housing navigation and housing deposits and will strengthen the safety net for our youth.
ECM is available to children and youth with the highest social and clinical risk enrolled in Medi-Cal managed care plans. For these young members, ECM is intended to identify and close gaps in needed services, as well as ensure closed loop care coordination occurs between a child’s or youth’s medical care, behavioral health care, and social services delivery systems. These services are critical for our youth who may be leaving carceral settings and integrating back into their communities.
To learn more about these services for youth, please contact your local ECM provider who is contracted with a managed care plan to access this new resource for your youth serving networks.
In San Diego County Probation Youth Shine at Theater Camp
Three Probation youth not only got to help build theater sets backstage at the La Jolla Playhouse, they also got to build their self-esteem and their resumes.
The youth are students at the Youth Transition Campus and the week-long Tech Theatre Training camp is done in partnership with the theater, the San Diego County Office of Education and the County Probation Department.
“Programs like these support the long-term success of Probation youth by enriching their lives with creativity, structure, and opportunity,” said Mike Whatley, Probation division chief.
Justice-involved youth have more often than not experienced trauma or instability in their lives. Experiences like the camp expose them to new possibilities and interests, and the arts provide a therapeutic outlet, Whatley said. Read more about this groundbreaking program.
Youth Success Stories
Josohamy “Josy” Mendez is a Computer Science major at California State University, Fullerton, with a strong interdisciplinary background in UX/UI design, graphic design, and full-stack web and mobile development. Josy began building this academic and technical foundation while serving a juvenile life sentence at Ventura Youth Correctional Facility, where she earned an Associate of Science in Computer Studies from Santa Rosa Junior College. During this time, Josy was committed to learning and personal growth, teaching herself how to code and developing skills in front-end and full-stack web and mobile development within the constraints of incarceration, limited access to technology, and an environment not designed to support advanced academic study.
Through educational and vocational programs, such as The Last Mile, Josy strengthened her skills. Her experience navigating education within a juvenile facility shaped both her approach to technology and her dedication to creating pathways for others. Having seen firsthand the long-term impacts of youth incarceration, Josy is committed to helping young people envision and access opportunities beyond confinement.
About a year ago, Josy was released and approved for Less Restrictive Programming (LRP), which allowed her to live on campus. While still incarcerated, she had learned about CSUF Project Rebound, an initiative designed to support justice-involved students, and connected with the office upon her arrival at her university. Through support from Dare 2 Dream within CSUF Project Rebound, Josy gradually built rapport and confidence as she navigated campus life, developing life and academic skills that were previously limited to her while incarcerated, including understanding university systems, building self-advocacy and time management skills, and clocking in daily for work. Through this foundation she has strengthened her academic confidence and sense of belonging and has become an honored Scholar and she is preparing for graduate school to continue her education and expand her impact through technology and mentorship.
Josy also serves as a Youth Mentor with Dare 2 Dream, the same program that supported her own transition and development. In this role, Josy contributes as a mentor and is helping shape the future of the program. When incarcerated youth learn that Josy spent a significant portion of her adolescence incarcerated in the same facilities and was in similar circumstances just a year ago, it makes a profound impact. By connecting through lived experience, Josy builds trust and offers an authentic perspective on what is possible beyond incarceration and her story carries immediate credibility, allowing her to build trust quickly and engage youth in ways that others cannot. Through mentorship, advocacy, and program support, Josy works with youth to help them identify opportunities, build confidence, and plan for long-term academic and personal success.
Josy works alongside university staff, community mentors, and leaders in youth justice and reentry to help youth see themselves as capable learners and future professionals in higher education, technology, and the career pathways they choose.
The Youth Employment Initiative
The Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) is a statewide workforce development demonstration project designed to provide youth with disabilities involved in the justice system with the necessary tools, resources, and support to successfully transition into the workforce. This initiative began in 2024 and is led by the Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR), The California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) and Amity Foundation, in collaboration with:
• County Probation Departments,
• County Offices of Education
• Workforce Development Boards, and
• Other community-based partners.
The program is designed to provide structured employment opportunities, job training,
and supportive services to help participants build long-term career stability and financial
independence.
In late 2025, the OYCR and DOR dedicated $1 million over a two-year period to support the expansion of the Youth Employment Initiative into Humboldt County. Two Feathers Native American Family Services was selected lead efforts in the region to make referrals for youth in the justice system to DOR.
The contract with Two Feathers Native American Family Services became effective on November 1, 2025, marking the transition from planning to implementation. The organization is positioned to begin service delivery under the YEI sometime in early February of 2026. They have identified and assigned staff to support the initiative and are prepared to initiate services once final coordination activities are completed. Preparatory activities have been focused on coordination and readiness. Two Feathers Native American Family Services has stepped up to connect participating partner agencies while leading the planning to better understand the local service landscape and referral pathways in Humboldt County. Part of their efforts have been to engage Tribal Courts and the Humboldt County Probation Department on this project.
Two Feathers American Family Services was established in 1998 as a consortium of several Tribes to provide direct social services. They became a Tribal non-profit chartered under the federally recognized Big Lagoon Rancheria in 2002. Currently, their staff include mental health clinicians, substance abuse counselors, family and youth advocates, cultural coordinators, administrators and administrative assistants, and project managers.
OYCR Recruitment
Come work with us - OYCR is hiring a Ombuds Section Chief - Supervisor II
The Division of the Ombudsperson receives and responds to inquiries and complaints received from youth, parents/caregivers, the public, advocacy groups, and others concerning the care of youth in juvenile justice facilities and policies, practices, and processes within juvenile justice facilities in California.
Under the general direction of the Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR) Ombudsperson (CEA), the Supervisor II provides planning, direction and leadership within the Division of the Ombudsperson. The Supervisor II manages efforts aimed at responding to complaints, conducting investigations, and producing reports. The Supervisor II manages staff, engages in complex and sensitive interpretation, analysis, and decision-making, and supports program development and improvement related to the personal rights, safety, facility conditions, and wellbeing of youth in the juvenile justice system in California. Apply now. The position closes March 1, 2026.
Webinars, Meetings & Events
Youth Justice Action Webinar Series
Youth Justice Action Webinar Series: Insights from the California Youth Advisory Board
Join us to hear from the members of California’s Youth Advisory Board (YAB), who will share highlights and reflections from their inaugural year in action.
Date: Tuesday, February 17, 2026 Time: Noon to 1:00 PST
The Medi-Cal Behavioral Health Scholarship Program (MBH-SP) is ready to launch! The goal for the MBH-SP program is to support scholarship for individuals who are pursuing behavioral health degrees or certifications and who can commit to serving Medi-Cal members. MBH-SP offers up to $240,000 in educational scholarships.
The application cycle opens February 2 and closes on March 16, 2026. Now is the time for individuals to take full advantage of this exciting new opportunity.
This webinar is designed for potential applicants to learn about the program and application process. We also welcome leaders, faculty, program managers, and others who support behavioral health students so that this information can be widely shared.
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