Inaugural ATI Impact Report
October 2021
The ATI Office bases its policy development and program implementation on the Sequential Intercept Model, which aims to support people before they even come into contact with the criminal justice system and divert them from the wrong path. The model also focuses on supporting those within the criminal justice system to ensure better outcomes for individuals and communities.
The ATI Office identifies critical gaps in service throughout this model and works to disrupt the cyclical elements that lead people to a downward trajectory through the criminal justice system.
In its first year of operation, the ATI Office has:
- Spent more than 430 hours holding meetings to engage community leaders and the public – including 130 hours focused on Care First Community Investment (formerly known as Measure J).
- Supported the expansion of Alternative Crisis Response, building the foundation for the forthcoming 988 number to replace 911 and a law-enforcement response for mental health crisis calls.
- Invested in the countywide expansion of Youth Diversion & the Rapid Diversion Court Program, working to divert juveniles and individuals with mental health or substance use disorders into care-first models.
- Piloted programs such as ATI Pre-Filing Diversion & the ATI Incubation Academy.
Presentation on Measure J
by Veronica Lewis, Executive Director of HOPICS
For the LARRP General Meeting, August 16, 2021
So many of our LARRP Network have participated in the important Measure J deliberations. Where do we stand now? If you are confused about Measure J, you are not alone!
Veronica Lewis gave a thorough and clear presentation at the August General meeting that is a must watch to have a good grounding in where we stand now as a basis for future decisions and actions!
Third Party Administrators (Tpas)
Needed To Direct Care First Community Investments
Last week, the Board of Supervisors approved an unprecedented $187.7 million spending package to advance the county's care first, jails last vision with a series of direct community investments and funding for alternatives to incarceration—accelerating the process of creating a more just and equitable Los Angeles County for all residents.
As part of the package, known as the Care First Community Investment (formerly Measure J), more than $60 million will be allocated to direct community investments and many of those programs will be administered by a third party administrator(s) (TPA) with direct ties to the community.
The County is seeking qualified applicants to serve as the TPA(s).
CLICK HERE for more information and to apply.
INCUBATION ACADEMY
The ATI Office opened applications for its Incubation Academy.
The academy provides training, funding and technical assistance to new and existing community-based organizations, especially those run by Black, Latinx, and justice involved individuals.
The Incubation Academy builds capacity to deliver prevention and intervention service to justice involved individuals in their communities, giving judicial officers an alternative to incarceration in communities with the greatest needs.
Message from the Executive Director of Alternatives to Incarceration May 25, 2021
A year ago today, George Floyd's murder catalyzed a national reckoning with systemic racism and led to a verdict that signaled a new era for accountability in law enforcement. Floyd's murder by a police officer, as well as the other officers who stood by and watched it happen, was a reminder of the senseless state of violence that has plagued our communities for generations. The 9.5 minutes, where we watched his life end, occurred during a time when we were quarantined in our homes and glued to our TVs and devices during COVID. As we witnessed this tragedy, we awoke to the reality that there is still so much work to be done across our country to ensure that each of us gets to live in communities where everyone's human dignity is valued, where we are all treated equally and where all of our rights are safeguarded. As we pause to reflect on the events of last year, we stand with the people who marched in the streets calling for justice for Aiyana Stanley-Jones, Trayvon Martin, Kathryn Johnston, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Alberta Spruill, Philando Castile, Tamir Rice, Freddie Gray, Ahmaud Marquez Arbery, Breanna Taylor, George Floyd, Andres Guardado and so many others. Remembering their names is not enough, and our efforts will have been in vain if we allow this moment in history to pass without making lasting change in our criminal justice and social service systems -- in particular, for the Black, Native, and Brown people who have historically been harmed by them. George Floyd's murder focused our collective attention on our Country's many historic wrongs: the seizure of indigenous lands, the sweat of enslaved peoples and the privileging of certain groups of people over others. Only by advancing anti-racist policies and practices, with a lens towards intersectionality and investing in evidence-based solutions that keep individuals, families and our communities safe and intact, can we truly see enduring change. We all thrive when we (the public sector, the private sector and the community) work in concert to design and support systems that ensure equitable access and opportunities. This is what we are committed to doing in the ATI Office & ARDI Initiative. We do this in the memory of George Floyd and the many other people who deserve justice.
ATI Information and Links:
- Alternatives to Incarceration Initiative: Adult justice system transformation
- Youth Justice Reimagined: Juvenile justice system transformation
- Alternative Crisis Response: Countywide coordination effort to implement national 9-8-8 hotline for non-law enforcement response to crisis calls
- Measure J Funding Allocation Process: Funding recommendation process for justice system transformation and community investment
- Complete ATI calendar of events at ceo.lacounty.gov/ati-
calendar.
Message from the Executive Director of Alternatives to Incarceration
The true measure of our character is how we treat the poor, the disfavored, the accused, the incarcerated, and the condemned.” – Bryan Stevenson
Dear Alternatives to Incarceration (ATI) Work Group Members and ATI Community Stakeholders,
I would like to thank you for joining the first convening for the Los Angeles County Alternatives to Incarceration Initiative!
As the first executive director of this important initiative, I am honored to serve the community and help lead our County forward in fulfilling the vision of our Board of Supervisors to establish a human-focused approach to justice system engagement that truly prioritizes “care first, jails last.”
As stated during our meeting: Our work will build on the groundbreaking accomplishments of the Alternatives to Incarceration Work Group (Work Group), unanimously established by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on February 12, 2019. The group was charged with drafting a plan to build a more effective justice system. With collaboration and leadership from community stakeholders, the Work Group put forward a comprehensive report that included five overarching strategies, twenty-six foundational recommendations, and 114 overall recommendations. On March 10, 2020, the Board adopted the five strategies, directed the creation of the Los Angeles County Alternatives to Incarceration (ATI) Unit, and directed that the new initiative begin to develop a strategic plan to implement the “care first, jails last” approach in Los Angeles County, all while maintaining continuous stakeholder engagement. I am happy to report that recruitment is already underway for staff positions (Principal Analyst, CEO (Alternatives to Incarceration) - M0830W-R) to support the ATI Initiative. Please review and forward accordingly.
This work has never been more timely.
Soon after the Board adopted the ATI motion, the COVID-19 pandemic changed our world suddenly and drastically, highlighting the central importance of care and health system support, and further exposing a tragic disparity: that the very people deprived of these supports are those who need them most. At the same time, we have witnessed attacks on African American and Latinx men and women, reopening some of our nation’s oldest and most painful wounds, and bringing virtually the entire world into the conversation about institutionalized racism in the American justice system. In the wake of these events, people everywhere have become more vocal about the need for thoughtful, long-lasting and transparent institutional changes to our justice system—changes backed up by data and real outcomes—to reduce racial inequities and improve community health and safety.
As ATI’s first executive director, my role is to fulfill and implement the Board’s “care first, jails last” vision through innovative, data-informed policy design, strategic coordination, transparency and accountability. By way of this initiative, the County will strive to focus on care and preventing contact with the justice system whenever possible, while increasing access to services and the resources needed to maintain community health. This huge feat will take a village. On ATI’s new website you will find various resources and a calendar of events that include the following convenings, if you, too, want to get involved.
Thursday, December 16, 2020 @ 9:00 AM
Over time, the ATI website will expand to provide additional information and opportunities for engagement.
In this moment, I am grateful and humbled to serve and walk alongside our community as we achieve these goals together.
We know that the success of ATI will enhance the overall health of the County and its residents. With that in mind, please feel free to contact us at ATI@lacounty.gov. This email can also be used to be added to our mailing list. It is our pleasure to serve you!
Alternatives to Incarceration (ATI) Work Group
Sign-Up to get on the general distribution list, and to indicate which committee(s) folks may want to join. We will send out information on the additional community feedback and special sessions as they are finalized.