REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
October 7, 2025
FROM
TRACY REECE, Chief Probation Officer, Probation Department
SUBJECT
Title
Amendment to Contract with Life Builders Incorporated for Division of Juvenile Justice Realignment Youth Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve Amendment No. 4 to Contract No. 4400018176 with Life Builders Incorporated to provide Division of Juvenile Justice Realignment Youth Services to Probation youth that are at-risk or are currently involved in the juvenile justice system, increasing the contract amount by $408,000, from $550,000 to a not to exceed amount of $958,000, with no change to the term of November 1, 2021 through October 31, 2026.
(Presenter: Tracy Reece, Chief Probation Officer, 387-5692)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote the Countywide Vision.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The contract amount increase of $408,000, from $550,000 to $958,000, is funded with Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act (Assembly Bill 1913) funds. The cost for these services are included in the Probation Department’s (Probation) 2025-26 budget and will be included in the 2026-27 budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Probation is responsible for building stronger families and safer communities by improving the lives of those it serves through assessment, treatment, rehabilitative services, and enforcement.
On July 9, 2021, Probation issued Request for Proposal (RFP) No. PROB21-PROB-4280, for Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) Realignment Youth Services, the purpose of this RFP was to obtain proposals from providers with experience working with system-involved youth to provide evidence-based, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive rehabilitative services and programs such as youth empowerment, group therapy and healing circles that would benefit the DJJ realigned youth. The RFP resulted in four contracts with Life Builders Incorporated (Life Builders), Operation New Hope, Simple Solutions, and California Association of Health and Education Linked Professions (CAHELP).
On November 1, 2021, under the Purchasing Agent’s authority, Contract No. 4400018176 (Contract) with Life Builders was approved for Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) Realignment Youth Services, with an aggregate amount of $300,000 and a not to exceed amount of $150,000 annually, effective November 1, 2021 through October 31, 2023.
On November 1, 2023, the Purchasing Agent approved Amendment No. 1 to the Contract for DJJ Realignment Youth Services, extending the contract term by one year from November 1, 2021 through October 31, 2024, with no change to the aggregate amount of $300,000 and $150,000 annually.
On November 1, 2024, the Purchasing Agent approved Amendment No. 2 to the Contract for DJJ Realignment Youth Services, extending the Contract by an additional year for a total contract term of November 1, 2021 through October 31, 2025, with no change to the aggregate amount of $300,000 and $150,000 annually. A dollar amount increase was not required at this time, as contracts were not used consistently during the first two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and staffing shortages.
On April 1, 2025, the Purchasing Agent approved Amendment No. 3, extending the Contract for a final year through October 31, 2026, and increased Life Builders rates by 5% for year 2025 and 2026. The amendment also increased the aggregate amount by $250,000 from $300,000, to a total aggregate amount of $550,000, and a not to exceed amount of $200,000 annually.
Currently, the Life Builders Contract is the only active contract approved under the approved DJJ Realignment Youth Services RFP, which was limited to serving youth housed at the County’s Juvenile Detention Centers. The Contracts with Operation New Hope and Simple Solutions Psychotherapy were terminated, and new contracts were entered into with these contractors under another subsequent RFP for Innovative Strategies services. The Innovative Strategies RFP expanded the scope of services to include all youth ages 12 to 25 who are involved in, or at risk of, entering the juvenile justice system. These services continue to focus on evidence-based, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive rehabilitative services and programs such as youth empowerment, group therapy and healing circles. CAHELP, the fourth contractor, did not renew its contract in August of 2023.
As of March 2025, Probation’s Programming Unit, through its ongoing efforts to provide youth with the highest quality services, increased the number of programs offered at the Central Valley Juvenile Detention Center from 16 to 35. Similarly, programs at the A Restorative Integration for Successful Engagement (ARISE) Secure Youth Treatment Facility grew from 28 to 47, substantially expanding services delivered by providers who have demonstrated success in transforming the lives of the youth Probation serves.
Approval of this item will enable Probation to continue providing needed services to the juvenile population housed at the County’s Juvenile Detention Centers, for a total of five years, as allowed by County policy. These services have consistently demonstrated their effectiveness in equipping youth with skills that help them become more resilient and composed individuals. Probation will develop a new RFP for similar services prior to the Contract’s expiration to ensure continuity of services.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Maria Insixiengmay, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on September 2, 2025; Purchasing (Ariel Gill, Supervising Buyer, 387-2070) on September 5, 2025; and County Finance and Administration (Iliana Rodriguez, Finance Analyst, 387-4205) on September 19, 2025.