Primary Department: Public Health Services
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Leah Barton - Executive Director
Secondary Department: N/A
Secondary Department Head/Elected Official:
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Grant - Application
Project ID (if applicable): N/A
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): U.S. Department of Justice
MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Current Participation (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): 10%
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A - Rate is not 0% and is listed above.
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
title
Request by Public Health Services for approval to submit an application to the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) for grant funds in the amount of $750,000, with a required match of $375,000, for the FY25 Second Chance Act Youth Reentry Program.
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Background and Discussion:
Harris County serves one of the largest juvenile justice populations in Texas. Each year, hundreds of youth are placed in detention or residential facilities operated by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO). Statewide data indicate that youth returning from placement face recidivism rates ranging from 40-50% within three years, with higher rates among moderate- to high-risk youth. The OJJDP FY25 Second Chance Act Youth Reentry Program (Category 1: Improving Youth Reentry) provides funding to implement coordinated, evidence-based reentry services for youth before, during, and after release from confinement. Under this initiative, youth exiting the County’s residential program will transition into structured case management and coordinated care through Harris County Public Health’s Health Prevention and Coordinated Care (HPCC) Division in partnership with the Harris County Juvenile Probation Division (HCJPD). HPCC will conduct pre-release needs assessments, develop individualized reentry plans, and ensure continuity of behavioral health, medical, housing, education, and workforce supports upon release, while HCJPD will support prerelease coordination and alignment of supervision expectations. The initiative spans Precincts 1, 2, and 4, targeting identified reentry hot spots to ensure coordinated, countywide impact. This collaboration formalizes cross-system coordination between justice and public health systems to reduce service gaps, strengthen reintegration outcomes, and improve public safety.
Expected Impact:
Approval of this item will enable Harris County to implement a coordinated reentry model that connects youth exiting the County’s residential program directly to structured case management and comprehensive support services. Through prerelease planning and post-release care coordination, participating youth will receive timely access to behavioral health treatment, primary care, housing navigation, educational reengagement, and workforce readiness services, reducing service gaps during the critical transition period. By targeting moderate- to high-risk youth and strengthening collaboration between the HCJPD and HCPH, the initiative is expected to reduce recidivism and supervision violations within 24 months of release, increase engagement in health and social services, and improve overall stability for participating youth. Over time, improved reintegration outcomes may reduce repeat detention utilization and associated system costs while enhancing public safety in Harris County.
Alternative Options:
One alternative is to take no action and continue providing reentry services within existing operational capacity and funding levels. However, without this federal support, the County’s ability to formalize prerelease planning, expand coordinated case management through HPCC, and strengthen collaboration with HCJPD would remain limited. Additionally, the County would lack the comprehensive, multi-year framework necessary to implement an evidence-based, system-wide reentry model designed to reduce recidivism and improve long-term outcomes for justice-involved youth.
County Strategic Plan Goal: 1. Make Harris County safer and more just.
County Strategic Plan Objective: B: Reduce criminal legal system exposure that does not advance public safety.
Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1): B3: Increase school-based juvenile justice diversion and other interventions.
Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2): Choose an item.
Economy Initiative (Goal 3): Choose an item.
Health Initiative (Goal 4): Choose an item.
Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): Choose an item.
Housing Initiative (Goal 6): Choose an item.
Additional notes related to the Strategic Plan:
Prior Court Action (if any):
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Precinct(s): Countywide
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Local Match Source - Existing Budget: 1000 - General Fund |
$375,000 |
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Grant Funds Applied for/Awarded (Total) |
$506,250 |
$243,750 |
$750,000 |
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Anticipated Court Date: 3/19/2026
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): 4/6/2026
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or ARPA related item
Contact(s) name, title, department: Jamie Hughes, Director of Health Prevention and Coordinated Care Division, Public Health Services
Attachments (if applicable): Notice of Funding Opportunity, Grant Synopsis