PURPOSE

Staff, supported by a recommendation from the Burbank Youth Task Force, is requesting City Council authorization to provide funding for youth counseling programs on Burbank Unified School District campuses.  If approved, the Family Services Agency of Burbank will receive up to $200,000 from the Youth Services Holding Account to fund the continuance of programming at three middle school campuses and three high school campuses, and, the expansion of high school services to include a Phase II component.

BACKGROUND

During the Fiscal Year 2002-2003 budget process, the City Council directed staff to set aside funding in a Non-Departmental Holding Account (Youth Services) to be utilized for teen services and programming.  Since then, additional funds have been approved to replenish the account.  There is currently $295,550 in this account. With approval from the City Council and recommendations of the Burbank Unified School District (BUSD) Board of Education, the Burbank Youth Task Force, the Youth Board and the Teens In Action teams, staff implements programs reflecting solutions developed by youth through processes via survey, summits, and focus groups.  These tools have provided the guidelines for considerations of programs.

The City of Burbank places a strong emphasis on the provision of quality programs, services, and facilities benefiting the youth of the community. Programs which have received funding from the Youth Services Holding Account have included the Teens in Action Media Communications Team, Teens in Action Police Youth Relations Team, Bliss Unlimited, the Middle School Grant Program, the Middle School Counseling Program, the High School Counseling Program, Challenge Day, and the creation of a Mayor�s Youth Task Force Grant Resources Account.  

One of the overwhelming needs expressed by youth in our community via 2001 and 2006 survey and focus groups and a 2001 Youth Solution Summit process was for more accessible and affordable counseling opportunities.  Issues identified by Burbank teens and the Burbank Youth Task Force included self-esteem, anger management, alienation, substance abuse, dating and family relationships, and family communication.

BUSD�s Luther Burbank, John Muir and Jordan middle schools were selected for initial focus.  The Family Service Agency of Burbank was selected as the service provider and the Middle School Counseling Program commenced in spring 2004 at the three campuses. The total appropriated funding to date for the middle school program is $250,000.

Following the successful model of the Middle School Counseling Program, the Burbank Youth Task Force recommended and City Council approved funding appropriations to provide services which commenced in the fall of 2005 for high school students on BUSD�s Burbank and John Burroughs.  In the fall of 2006, additional funds were allocated to include the Monterey High School campus.  The total funding to date for the high school program is $175,000.

ANALYSIS

The Burbank Youth Task Force meets regularly to review and discuss updates of current programs and receive presentations for consideration for different programs that may meet the needs of the youth of Burbank.  The focus has been on intervention and education for secondary students.

The Family Service Agency of Burbank is the service provider working in cooperation with the Burbank Unified School District and the City of Burbank to provide free and accessible counseling to students on six school campuses. The Burbank Youth Task Force desires to continue and enhance the on-campus counseling programs at the three middle schools and three high schools; and, to initiate Phase II of counseling services for students on the high school campuses as proposed by Family Service Agency.  (Attachment I)

Family Service Agency staff members in these school based programs work under the supervision of a licensed therapist.  All are registered with the Board of Behavioral Sciences and carry one or more of the following:  a clinical license with the State of California, a Ph.D in Clinical Psychology, a Master�s Degree in Behavioral Sciences, and a Bachelor�s Degree with enrollment in the final year of a Master�s Program in Behavioral Sciences.

Middle School Counseling 

The initiation of Phase I of the Middle School Counseling Program was implemented in spring 2004.  Phase I involved a program design and a provision of services on a referral basis for individual or group counseling. The funding of services allows for the hiring of counselors with a total direct impact on approximately 700 youth.  Indirectly, the program positively impacts family, friends, classmates, school personnel, and the community. Phase II, a self-referral component of the program, was implemented during the 2005/2006 school year.  It includes regular Psycho-educational group sessions which allow students to participate in non-therapeutic interventions based on topic requests identified by current student need or the Burbank Youth Task Force.  Examples of the middle school �Teen Talk� sessions were bullying, self-esteem and peer relationships/friendships.

At its June 6, 2006 meeting, the City Council approved funding up to $75,000 from the holding account to continue Phase I and Phase II counseling services for the 2006/2007 school year.  This funding amount was expended for services by January, 2007.  To continue its commitment to the middle school program for the remainder of the school year, the Family Service Agency has utilized alternative funding resources. 

At its June 20, 2007 meeting, the Burbank Youth Task Force received a proposal from the Family Service Agency of Burbank and recommends City Council to continue to provide funds for counseling services on the three BUSD middle schools from September 1, 2007 through August 31, 2008 in an amount up to $75,000.  

High School Counseling

Following the successful model of the Middle School Counseling Program, on July 12, 2005, the Burbank Youth Task Force recommended and City Council approved an appropriation of $50,000 to expand individual and group counseling services to include high school students with a focus on 9^th grade students.  An additional $25,000 was appropriated on February 21, 2006 to expand services to meet the counseling needs for the 10^th, 11^th, and 12^th grade classes.

Approximately 200 high school students are directly impacted by the therapeutic services they receive. As with the middle school, these services also indirectly impact families, friends, classmates, school personnel, and the greater Burbank community. High School counseling services were initially implemented with funding from the Youth Services Account on Burbank and John Burroughs high school campuses.

 Following the successful programs at the three middle schools and the two high schools, the Burbank Youth Task Force recommended implementing counseling services on the campus of Monterey High School.  Approximately 200 students are enrolled at Monterey High School.  With the approval by City Council on June 6, 2006 for an allocation of $100,000 for high school counseling services, the Monterey High School program commenced on September 1, 2006.  The $100,000 for the three high school campuses was expended by March, 2007.  To continue its commitment to the high school program for the remainder of the school year, the Family Service Agency has utilized alternative funding resources.

At its June 20, 2007 meeting, the Burbank Youth Task Force recommended to request City Council approval of an appropriation of $125,000 from the holding account to continue Phase I high school counseling services and to implement a Phase II component on the high schools as proposed by the Family Service Agency.  Similar to the middle schools, the Phase II component will provide for regular psycho-educational groups including information regarding critical issues facing youth.

It is significant to note that FSA also provides counseling services on the Community Day School campus for its middle and high school students.  The program on this campus is not funded from the Youth Services Account.

Since initiation of the middle school and high school programs, it has been reported that students and parents are establishing stronger comfort levels to access counseling services.  School personnel work cooperatively with Family Services Agency personnel to provide access to students and space on their campuses. Over 1,000 students will be directly impacted this year by FSA services on seven campuses:  Jordan Middle School, Luther Burbank Middle School, John Muir Middle School, Burbank High School, John Burroughs High School, Monterey, and Community Day School.  Indirectly, the families, friends, the school community, and the community at large are positively impacted.

The Burbank Youth Task Force is recommending funding for three middle school and three high school counseling programs in the amount of $200,000.  This figure does not cover the total cost of the services provided.  The Family Service Agency is dedicated to seeking and identifying additional funding sources to maintain and expand services which may include additional groups, individual, family, and other services to best meet the needs of Burbank students.

For the current 2006/2007 school year (September 2006 through August 2007), the $75,000 allocated for the middle schools was depleted in January 2007.  The $100,000 allocated for the high schools was depleted in March 2007.  An additional $173,830 from FSA continued both programs through May and a projected $48,300 will continue the programs from June through August.  At the end of August, the total cost of the 2006/2007 programs is anticipated to be $397,130.  Last year�s grant funding from the City as recommended by the Youth Task Force account for approximately forty percent (40%) of the total cost of the counseling services.

FISCAL IMPACT

There will be no fiscal impact. During the Fiscal Year 2002-2003 budget process, City Council directed staff to establish a holding account for the development and implementation of youth oriented projects. There is currently $295,550 available in the General Fund Non-Departmental Holding Account (Youth Services) 001.ND000.62970. 0000.

RECOMMENDATION

It is the recommendation of staff and the Burbank Youth Task Force that the City Council approve funding in the amount of $200,000 from the Non-Departmental Holding Account (001.ND000.62970.0000) and appropriate $75,000 to the Middle School Counseling Program (001.PR31F.62135.1003); and $125,000 to the High School Counseling Program (001.PR31F.62135.1004).

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