HomeMy WebLinkAboutApplications_Restorative Partners DEI 2022 Application (1)Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
2022-2023 GRANT FUNDING FOR HIGH IMPACT DE&I PROJECTS
Pl e ase provi de al l re que ste d i nformati on be f ore submi tti ng your appl i cati on. Please be as spe cific as possible !
I f accommoda on or assistance is n eed ed in co mple ng this A pplica on, or if a paper ve rsion is prefe rre d, ple ase
contact (805) 781-7100 or D EI@slocity.org
Organization Name :*
Y e ar Establishe d:*
Fiscal Age nt, if diffe re nt than abov e :*
Tax ID #:*
Docume nt Ce rtifying Fe de ral Tax-Exe mpt status, if applicable
Name of Exe cutiv e Dire ctor (or highe st le ade rship position)
Approximate Annual Budge t:
M ajor Source s of Funding:
M ission State me nt:
Numbe r of paid staff (full- or part-time ):
Numbe r of v olunte e rs:
Name of Board Pre side nt or Chair:
Organizational Le ade rship Chart *
Name of Pe rson comple ting this Application:
PART 1: APPLICANT INFORMATION
Restorative Partners
2011
n/a
474825349
IRS 501c(3) Declaration 11.12.15.pdf 1.07MB
Sister Theresa Harpin
2,300,000
GEO Reentry Services; SLO County Behavioral Health; Drug & Alcohol Services; CalOES; SLO County
Sheriff's Office
Transforming lives impacted by crime through healing services and relationships.
22
200
Mark Connely
RP Org Leadership Chart.docx 37.75KB
Sister Theresa Harpin
Organization M ailing Addre ss:*
Phone :*
E-mail:*
Brie fly de scribe your organization’s mission, primary activ itie s, and ope rating structure s.
De scribe the community(ie s) your organization supports.
Name of DE&I Proje ct *
Est. numbe r of pe ople se rv e d through this proje ct:*
City
San Luis Obispo
State / Province / Region
CA
Postal / Zip Code
93401
Country
United States
Street Address
3196 S. Higuera St, Suite D
Address Line 2
8052421272
sistertheresa@restorativepartners.org
Restorative Partners, Inc. (RP) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) agency located in San Luis Obispo County. We
are governed by a Board of Directors and the organization is led by an Executive Director. The goal of our
work is to reduce violence and lower recidivism by providing restorative alternatives to incarceration and,
for those who are in custody, by providing a continuum of care from incarceration through reincorporation
into the community. We do this through a number of programs and services designed to meet the diverse
needs of system-involved people in our community.
Our work began in 2011 with in-custody programming at the San Luis Obispo County Jail. We currently
coordinate and facilitate over 30 programs at the County Jail and Honor Farm, and at the County Juvenile
Hall. We also coordinate an Adult Reentry Mentorship Program that matches volunteer mentors with newly-
released adults and a Vocational Training Program that supports returned citizens through job readiness
programs. We operate five recovery homes throughout the county for individuals needing outpatient
treatment, people on Probation and Parole, and women reuniting with their children. These residences
provide housing for over 45 men, women, and children each night.
In 2019, we added a Restorative Conferencing Program that provides alternatives to traditional methods of
punitive justice. Our certified facilitators coordinate Restorative Conferences in partnership with our
Housing & Treatment Team to address harm and relapse within our recovery housing and substance use
treatment programs. We also partner with the local court system to provide Restorative Conferencing as
an alternative or supplement to the traditional criminal justice process. We are in the process of
advocating for this practice to be adopted on a larger scale in our community.
Please be specif ic in the population and geographic area.
Restorative Partners provides supportive, holistic services to a number of populations throughout SLO
County. We work with people in custody at the SLO County Jail and Juvenile Hall, and those who are
returning to our community from incarceration in those facilities and state and federal prisons. We operate
two homes for men on parole in San Luis Obispo, a home for women in recovery from substance use and
women on parole in Los Osos, a home for men in recovery from substance use in Los Osos, and a home
for women reuniting with their children in Paso Robles. Our Mentorship Program provides social-emotional
support for our clients and graduates by pairing returned citizens and those in recovery with a volunteer
Mentor from the community. Mentors provide pro-social support for Mentees and help them work toward
reentry and/or recovery goals.
PART 2: PROJECT INFORMATION
Restorative Conferencing Program
20
Est. numbe r of SLO CITY RESIDENTS se rv e d through this proje ct *
Total Proje ct Cost:*
AM OUNT OF CITY FUNDING REQUESTED:*
De scribe your propose d proje ct or program.
De scribe the community the proje ct will support.
De scribe the e quity gaps and community ne e ds this proje ct will addre ss.
10
74,100
55,492
Specify w hat the requested f unds w ill be used f or, the need for this project, the number of people impacted. Include a project plan, if available.
We are proposing an expansion of the Restorative Partners Restorative Conferencing Program. At this
time, the program is run on a very part-time basis as part of our Education Program. We are applying for
funding to expand the program to a full-time position (the Restorative Conference Program Coordinator)
within our Programs & Services Department. By doing this, we hope to expand our impact from 2
Restorative Conferences to 10 for the 2023 calendar year.
We have estimated that this program will serve 20 people (including those who have caused harm and
those who have been harmed) through 10 Restorative Conferences in 2023, but this does not take into
account conferences that involve more than one person who has caused harm or more than one person
who has been harmed. For this reason, we have stated our goal as serving 20+ individuals through 10
conferences. We also anticipate that the impact of this program will be far greater when we consider the
families, friends, and other support systems of those individuals. Restorative justice processes involve
everyone impacted by harm or wrongdoing, not just those who might be traditionally referred to as “victims
and offenders.” This often includes their support systems, who are given a chance to speak about how
they, themselves, have been affected and what their needs are. This ripple effect creates a powerful web
of healing and accountability after harm has been done. These support people are also part of the “plus”
in our 20+ goal.
The Restorative Conference Program (RCP) Coordinator hired through this grant will lead the outreach
efforts with community partners and coordinate the logistics of the conferences, as well as scheduling
facilitators. We currently have five facilitators on staff.
During a restorative process, we ask questions like “Who has been harmed? What do they need? Whose
obligation is it to meet these needs?” This process recognizes that there can be a multitude of
stakeholders in any given situation - not necessarily just a victim and an offender. We also recognize that
there is also not always a victim-offender binary when harm has been caused, so these processes don’t
prescribe the outcome of each situation because we know that relationships and situations can be tricky
and complex. In these instances, a conference can help determine who needs to take accountability for
what, and what healing needs to occur for everyone involved. The International Institute for Restorative
Practices - the entity through which our staff are trained as facilitators - explains that “a restorative
conference is a specific process, with defined protocols, that brings together those who have caused harm
through their wrongdoing with those they have directly or indirectly harmed.” Through Restorative
Conferences, our trained facilitators lead a process that allows those who have been harmed to speak
about their needs and for those who have caused harm to listen, take accountability, and take action steps
to repair the relationship.
Specify the population, location of services provided, and any other identif iers your proposed project w ill support.
The Restorative Conferencing Program will support individuals involved in the local criminal justice system
- those who have been harmed and those who have caused harm. By providing alternatives to traditional,
punitive justice processes, this program will allow individuals to pursue healing and resolution and will
center the needs of those who have been harmed. These services will take place at our offices in San Luis
Obispo and will be run in partnership with City and County officials.
In the table below briefly list 2-3 methods of evaluation and indicators of success or
measurable outcomes.
M e thods of Ev aluation Indicators of Succe ss / M e asurable Outcome s
In the chart below, identify any partnerships/collaborations that are supporting this
project, and their roles.
74% of people in American Jails have not been convicted. This is largely due to bail policies that keep
people incarcerated if they cannot afford to buy their release. The median bail amount for a felony charge
is $10,000. A study by the Prison Policy Initiative showed that that figure represents 8 months of income
for a typical person who is detained because they cannot pay bail. The current bail system punishes and
reinforces poverty by keeping those who cannot afford bail in custody and impacting both current and
future employment.
We also know that these systems disproportionately impact BIPOC communities. Nationally, Black men are
six times as likely to be incarcerated as White men and Latinx men are more than twice as likely to be
incarcerated as White men. Locally, the SLO County Probation Department reports that in the 2018-19
fiscal year, of those on formal Probation, 64.3% were White, 28.0% were Latinx, and 3.6% were Black -
compared to local population statistics from 2019 that were 84.2%, 18.3%, and 2.2%, respectively. We
have tried a number of times to gain access to statistics from our local Jail and are currently advocating
again for increased transparency about the population of the SLO County Jail, so we aren’t able to report
on the demographics of those incarcerated in the facility at this time. However, from the Probation statistics
alone, it is clear that BIPOC communities are overrepresented in our local justice system.
Overall, BIPOC are more likely than White people to be arrested; once arrested, BIPOC are more likely to
be convicted; and once convicted, BIPOC are more likely to face stiff sentences. Anti-racism and
restorative justice are, therefore, linked because restorative justice offers alternatives to these traditional
punitive systems, as discussed in a previous section. Our first Restorative Conferencing Program client to
come through the courts was a man of color who was facing felony charges after a fight because he had a
prison-prior from his youth. We were able to advocate along with his Public Defender for a Restorative
Conference. Through this process, the person who had been harmed in the case was able to say that they
didn’t want the person who had caused harm to go back to prison. Instead, the person who caused harm
was able to enroll in anger management classes and therapy with our agency. He is on a path to healing
and restoration that likely would not have happened had he been sentenced to another prison term.
Through this process, we also witnessed a transformation in the way the Prosecutor and Judge thought
about the case. They were able to ask the person who had been harmed about his needs and make
decisions based on his input.
We offer Restorative Conferencing within our programs as a way to disrupt these systems because early
intervention can help keep our reentry clients from returning to custody. We are advocating for this
process to be adopted by our local courts on a more consistent basis for that same reason. If we can
provide alternatives to incarceration through a restorative, anti-racism lens, we can help keep BIPOC from
being disproportionately booked, incarcerated, and imprisoned. If funded, our Restorative Conferencing
Program has the potential to keep people out of custody and provide actionable pathways to healing and
restoration.
Example : # of BIPOC serving on public boards, committees
Percentage of individuals referred to the program
who are facing incarceration and are diverted from
incarceration to other services (clinical services,
residential treatment, vocational support, etc.) due
to a Restorative Conference process
Example: 10% increase by end of 2021
100%
Example : # of BIPOC serving on public boards, committees
Percentage of individuals who have caused harm
who follow through with Restorative Conferencing
Agreements (therapy, anger management,
substance use treatment, restitution, apology, etc.)
Example: 10% increase by end of 2021
100%
Name of Partne r Activ ity/Se rv ice The y Prov ide for This Proje ct
Prov ide the time line for this propose d proje ct.
De scribe your plan for sustainability be yond the City’s one -ye ar award funding, if applicable .
Using the table below, please provide a broadly-itemized budget for your project,
including the source of any matching funds.
Ite m De scription *Total Cost *Amount Prov ide d by
City Funds *
Amount of Othe r
Funds and Source of
Funding *
1
2
Example: ABC Business
SLO County Public Defenders (in progress)
Example: Free Use of Space f or Weekend Classes
Referring clients and cases for Restorative
Conferencing
Example: ABC Business
SLO County DA’s Office (in progress)
Example: Free Use of Space f or Weekend Classes
Referring clients and cases for Restorative
Conferencing
Example: ABC Business
SLO County Superior Court (in progress)
Example: Free Use of Space f or Weekend Classes
Referring clients and cases for Restorative
Conferencing
January 2023: Hiring begins for Program Coordinator, new hire is trained
February 2023: Program Coordinator and Restorative Justice Programs Director continue outreach to
courts, DA’s Office, and Public Defenders, and other community agencies and partners
Ongoing: Coordination and facilitation of Restorative Conferences, continued outreach to partners for
referrals
March/April 2023: First Progress Report
Ongoing: Coordination and facilitation of Restorative Conferences, continued outreach to partners for
referrals
June/July 2023: Mid-Year Impact Report
Ongoing: Coordination and facilitation of Restorative Conferences, continued outreach to partners for
referrals
December 2023: Final Impact Report
Funding from the City of SLO will allow us to expand this program from part-time to full-time. We anticipate
that a year of full-time funding will allow us to measure outcomes and pursue additional funding to make
the program sustainable. We will also be pursuing contracts with various justice system partners to help
sustain this program beyond the funding year. District Attorney Dan Dow has agreed to support this
proposal and help our team find sustainable funding in the grant year.
PART 3: PROJECT COST / BUDGET
Restorative Justice Programs
Director: Provides direct
program supervision, training,
direct client services. .25 FTE
x $62,400
15,600.00$0.00$15,600.00$
Restorative Conference
Program Coordinator: Lead
the outreach efforts with
community partners and
coordinate the logistics of the
conferences, as well as
scheduling facilitators. 1FTE x
$43,680
43,680.00$43,680.00$0.00$
3
4
5
6
*During application review , you may be asked for f urther f inancial information or f or proof of any matching f unds
De scribe the plan for promoting this proje ct within the City of San Luis Obispo.
How will you highlight the City's support of your proje ct?
By signi ng thi s applicaon, I ce rfy that the i nformaon containe d w i thin is true and corre ct to the be st of my
know l e dge . I agre e to comply w i th the re quire me nts of the Ci ty of the San Lui s Obispo.
Name of Pe rson comple ting this Application:*
Signature *
Title :*
Date :*
RP Employee Benefits:
Includes SSI, Medicare, SUI,
ETT, WC, Health Benefits.
salaries x 18%
10,670.00$7,862.00$2,808.00$
Mileage reimbursement,
phone stipend, IT support,
Database access.
$175/month
2,100.00$2,100.00$0.00$
Office Supplies: $100/Monthly 1,200.00$1,000.00$200.00$
Laptop: Laptop, Microsoft
professional
850.00$850.00$0.00$
PART 4: AWARENESS AND VISIBILITY
We are already in partnership with the Public Defender’s Office to advocate for Restorative Conferencing
with their clients. We are also providing training and information for the District Attorneys and the Judges
about this program and the possibilities that come with adopting this framework. We have been working
with the Sheriff’s Office and Probation Department since our agency was founded and we are already in
conversation with them about the possibilities Restorative Conferencing presents for their work. We plan to
speak with the SLO Police Department as well. Having a full-time staff person to coordinate this outreach
will increase our capacity to continue this promotion of the program, in addition to the coordination of the
services.
The City of SLO will be mentioned in outreach regarding this project. We will also emphasize the role the
City played in any press releases and newsletters we send with regards to the Restorative Conferencing
Project. Since this grant would provide the initial funding to expand the program to full-time, we would also
acknowledge the City in ongoing marketing and outreach as we work to make it sustainable.
PART 5: CERTIFICATION
Vivien Devaney
Associate Director
8/31/2022
Board of Directors
Committees: Governance Committee, Finance Committee,
Development/Marketing Committee, AdHoc Committee
Executive Director -
Sister Theresa
Grants and Database
Manager
Restorative Justice
Programs Director
Housing Program
Director
Treatment & Mental
Health Programs
Director
Finance Director
Operations &
Development
Manager
Cafe General
Manager