Primary Department: Juvenile Probation
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Henry Gonzales, Executive Director/Chief Juvenile Probation Officer
Secondary Department: N/A
Secondary Department Head/Elected Official:
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Supplemental RCA
Type of Request: Grant - Award
Project ID (if applicable):
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): Justice Forward
MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable):
MWBE Current Participation (if applicable):
Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): 0%
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): Grantor does not allow indirect cost capture
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
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Request by Juvenile Probation that the County Judge execute a Memorandum of Understanding with Justice Forward to provide gift cards for youth who are participating in the Problem-Solving Support for Court-Involved Youth programs.
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Background and Discussion:
Harris County Juvenile Probation Department works with Juvenile District Courts, community stakeholders, and community-based organizations to address service gaps and provide wrap around programming to families involved in the juvenile justice system. Justice Forward is a community-based organization that attempts to break the cycle of incarceration and funds essential programs for individuals involved in problem-solving courts in Harris County. For the last seven (7) years, JF has provided youth participating in HCJPD’s problem-solving courts with financial assistance, by means of gift cards.
The cards help pay for a variety of basic daily living needs, such as food, school supplies, therapy, and clothing, etc. JF only provides gift cards upon request by HCJPD and will not exceed $10,000.00 for the period described in the attached Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). No specific amount is guaranteed.
Expected Impact:
Youth involved in problem-solving courts will be able to pay for basic needs with the assistance of JF. The ability to pay for these basic needs will provide stability and assist youth in successfully completing their terms of probation.
Alternative Options:
In the event these gift cards were not available, youth would potentially have to go without some of these basic needs being met. Alternatively, the families would have to seek limited funding from other organizations, or HCJPD would have to pay for these basic needs. There were no alternative options identified.
County Strategic Plan Goal: 1. Make Harris County safer and more just.
County Strategic Plan Objective: A: Reduce violent crime across the County.
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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Fiscal and Personnel Summary |
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Problem-Solving Support for Court-Involved Youth |
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Grant Funds Applied for/Awarded (Total) |
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$10,000.00 |
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County Attorney’s Office Legal Review (for Harris County Code Items only) |
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CAO Reviewer Name and Title |
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Anticipated Court Date: 11/13/2025
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): Click or tap to enter a date.
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or ARPA related item
Contact(s) name, title, department: Zack Pratt, Health Services Administrator, Health Services Division-Harris County Juvenile Probation Department and Kendall Mayfield, Assistant Director of Legal Services and Public Affairs, Executive Administration-Harris County Juvenile Probation Department
Attachments (if applicable): Memorandum of Understanding