PURPOSE

At the request of the City Council, staff is providing a more detailed description of the Youth Counseling Program which was previously recommended for funding by the Mayor�s Youth Task Force. This recommendation was in response to the needs identified by Burbank youth during the 2001 Youth Solution Summit. The purpose of the Youth Counseling Program is to provide local middle school students with a positive, safe environment in which to seek counseling that is both accessible and affordable. If approved by the City Council and the Burbank Unified School District (BUSD) Board of Education, the proposed Youth Counseling Program will be operated in the BUSD middle schools during the 2004 spring semester through a partnership with the Burbank Family Services Agency and the BUSD. Staff is requesting City Council authorization to appropriate $50,000 in one-time funding from the previously approved Non-Departmental Holding Account (Youth Services) and begin to implement the Youth Counseling Program.

BACKGROUND

In March 2001, at the direction of the City Council and BUSD�s Board of Education, City and School District staff conducted a survey of all Burbank middle and high school youth. At the conclusion of the survey, students were asked to describe the three most significant issues Burbank youth face. Focus group discussions were conducted among diverse students at all Burbank middle and high schools with the goal of further defining these issues and beginning the solution development process. During the summer of 2001, a group of 26 dedicated students known as Burbank Youth for Youth (BY4Y) were assembled for the purpose of developing a Youth Solution Summit.  In October of 2001 a cross section of 200 students from Burbank middle and high schools gathered for a full day to discuss and develop potential solutions to the many issues identified by youth during the survey and focus group process.  The product of this process has been documented in the Youth Solution Summit Report.

During the fiscal year 2002-2003 budget process, the City Council directed staff to set aside $500,000 of one-time funding in a Non-Departmental Holding Account (Youth Services) to be utilized for teen services and programming. With direction from the City Council, BUSD�s Board of Education, the Mayor�s Youth Task Force, the Park, Recreation and Community Services Board, the Youth Board and the Teens In Action teams, staff continues to implement programs reflecting the solutions developed by youth.

As part of the City Council�s adopted 10-Year Strategic Plan, staff from Park, Recreation and Community Services was directed to work closely with local students to follow-up on the 2001 Youth Solution Summit. One of the overwhelming needs expressed by youth in our community throughout this process is for more accessible and affordable counseling opportunities.

In June of 2003, staff submitted the Mayor�s Youth Task Force recommendations for additional youth services and programming (Attachment I). The City Council directed staff to return with a strategic plan of action for initiating the Youth Counseling Program. The Mayor�s Youth Task Force created a Youth Counseling Subcommittee in order to further develop the strategy for implementation. The Subcommittee included representatives from the Boys and Girls Club, the YMCA, the City of Burbank, the City Council, and the BUSD.  

The guidelines for developing a successful Youth Counseling Program responsive to the needs of Burbank youth were found in the Youth Solution Summit Report. During the Youth Solution Summit, participants focused on nine topics; depression, school violence, domestic violence, sex, drugs, alcohol, racism, police youth relations, and peer pressure. Each of these issues had three workshop sessions dedicated to engaging youth in developing solutions. According to the Youth Solution Summit Report, �[One] major idea that was common throughout all of the workshops was the need for more availability of counseling [services]� The youth envisioned counseling taking place in three locations; the schools, a community teen center, and in the comfort of people�s homes via television.�

In response, the Mayor�s Youth Task Force and the Youth Counseling Subcommittee are recommending that the first suggested location be addressed by providing counseling opportunities at Burbank middle schools. A community teen center is still considered an effective solution and continues to be explored. The third suggested location, �in peoples� homes via television� is currently being addressed. Since January, 2002, Teens In Action Presents� has been producing television shows on Channel 6 with each episode focusing on a specific teen issue. Presently, Teens In Action Presents� is working on a television episode addressing the issue of depression among Burbank youth. This episode will air during the 2004 spring semester.

As stated previously, youth identified counseling as a valuable solution to all nine teen issues. There is an urgent need for counseling services that are accessible, confidential, affordable, and led by �passionate, well-trained counselors who are committed to youth.� The teens were very specific and stated clearly throughout the Youth Solution Summit Report that counseling opportunities needed to be available on school campuses (Attachment II).

Once the guidelines developed by the youth had been reviewed, the Subcommittee began by researching existing counseling opportunities for youth in the community. Through this process the Subcommittee was able to identify specific gaps in services for youth. Based on these gaps, and coupled with the needs identified during the Youth Solution Summit, the Subcommittee was able to define the requirements for a Youth Counseling Program in Burbank. While the need for counseling services spans across all ages of youth, the Youth Counseling Subcommittee recognized that based on the parameters of time, money, and feasibility, the program needed to focus on a specific age group in order to be successful. Through discussion, it was further determined that an urgent need for counseling existed among middle school students. Therefore, the specified requirements for the Youth Counseling Program are accessible, affordable counseling services for middle school youth located on school campuses, and facilitated by trained professionals who are familiar with issues facing middle school students and whom the students can feel comfortable with.

The Subcommittee requested proposals from local counseling agencies with strategies for addressing the identified target needs. The proposals were presented to the Youth Counseling Subcommittee for review. In December, 2003, the agencies were given the opportunity to present their proposals to the Mayor�s Youth Task Force. After discussion and evaluation of each of the programs, the Mayor�s Youth Task Force recommended implementing the proposal presented by the Burbank Family Services Agency (Attachment III).

ANALYSIS

The recommended proposal from the Burbank Family Services Agency addresses each of the guidelines specified by the Youth Counseling Subcommittee. The proposed Youth Counseling Program provides counseling opportunities on the middle school campuses, directly aimed at the targeted participants and accessible to Burbank youth. The counselors will maintain a consistent presence on campus, increasing their familiarity and the comfort level of students potentially accessing counseling services. It is recommended that the Youth Counseling Program be funded from the City of Burbank General Fund Non-Departmental Holding Account (Youth Services) in order to provide counseling services at no cost to the participant. Thus, all of the target needs identified by the Youth Solution Summit and the Youth Counseling Subcommittee (accessible, affordable counseling services for middle school youth within their schools facilitated by trained, familiar professionals) are addressed through this program.

The Burbank Family Services Agency�s proposed Youth Counseling Program is modeled after the success of a similar counseling program implemented by the Burbank Family Services Agency at BUSD�s Community Day School. As a result, the Burbank Family Services Agency and BUSD already have a strong successful partnership in place for providing youth with counseling opportunities within schools.

In response to the Park, Recreation and Community Services Department�s commitment to continually improving services to the community, staff feels that ongoing feedback from young people is essential to the success of these programs and achieving the goals established by staff and youth. As standard practice, staff will continue to solicit feedback from diverse groups of youth throughout Burbank, focusing specifically on the most difficult to reach youth. Students continue to be an integral part of the planning and evaluation process.

It is recommended that the City Council funds the implementation of the Burbank Family Services Agency�s proposed Youth Counseling Program in BUSD middle schools utilizing $50,000 in one-time funding from the Non-Departmental Holding Account (Youth Services) set aside for youth services and programming.

The Youth Counseling Program is a one-time expenditure. At the conclusion of the program, staff will conduct an evaluation and provide the City Council with further recommendations. Should the City Council decide to continue or expand this program, staff will develop an overview of future needs.

If the funding for this counseling service is approved by the City Council, the proposal will be placed on the BUSD Board of Education agenda in February. Representatives from BUSD staff and Board of Education are members of the Mayor�s Youth Task Force and have shown their support of this valuable service. Prior to initiating the program on BUSD campuses, the Board of Education must take formal action.

FISCAL IMPACT

During the Fiscal Year 2002-2003 budget process, the City Council directed staff to establish a Non-Departmental Holding Account (Youth Services) and approved the one-time appropriation of $500,000 for the development and implementation of youth oriented projects and services. At this time, $225,800 is still available for expenditure. If approved as proposed, the Youth Counseling Program will expend $50,000 of the remaining funds available in the General Fund Non-Departmental Holding Account (Youth Services) 001.ND000.62970. 

RECOMMENDATION

It is the recommendation of staff, the Mayor�s Youth Task Force, and the Youth Counseling Subcommittee that the City Council approve the one-time expenditure of $50,000 from the Non-Departmental Holding Account (Youth Services) for implementation of the Burbank Family Services Agency�s proposed Youth Counseling Program in BUSD middle schools.

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Attachments

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