Summary of Specifications:
The Orange County Department of Social Services ("DSS") is hereby announcing its intent to contract for operational services for the Center for Hope.
The County of Orange ("County") maintains a wide array of preventive and alternative services to children at risk of placement or in need of discharge, the total number of children in residential care has been maintained at an average of 80 for the past three years. Children in our custody continue to remain in highly restrictive environments for greater lengths of time, face greater barriers to discharge and require intensive community services to successfully reintegrate into their communities. Recent changes in our Persons In Need of Supervision (PINS) and Juvenile Delinquency prevention programs have enhanced our community-based Continuum of Care for children in need of prevention services. While many of these programs continue to have success preventing placement, the County has a disproportionate number of youth in the system from the City of Newburgh. The City of Newburgh faces specific economic and social challenges, which have an impact on the children and families residing within the City limits.
Gang activity in the City of Newburgh has been a significant factor in placements rates for children living in the City of Newburgh. The Center for Hope was created in 2010 to offer a safe place for children, adolescents and their families to engage in educational and social activities in a safe place located in the center of the City of Newburgh. The Center for Hope program model aims to offer a positive alternative to time spent on the street or in unsupervised, unproductive activities.
Through a process to strengthen the Continuum of Care for children from the City of Newburgh, creative, strength-based agencies are encouraged to apply for funds to operate the Center of Hope and coordinate primary preventive services for at-risk children from the target geographic area. Agencies are encouraged to offer a proposal for services that will reduce the total number of children at risk of gang involvement within the City of Newburgh.
The Center for Hope is based at 280 Broadway (Neighborhood Resource Center) in the City of Newburgh and the funded services shall be located there. The DSS also encourages child welfare agencies to make an effort to develop new resources to serve children within our defined target population through a process that draws on the best practices in the field. Agencies that elect to offer a program are strongly encouraged to develop strength-based, family focused project geared towards meeting the needs of children in the community rather than in out-of-home placement.
