City of Santa Rosa Approves New Street Outreach and Crisis Response Team to Combat Youth Violence

The City of Santa Rosa is taking a bold step forward to address youth violence and improve community safety. On Tuesday, Nov. 19, the City Council voted to allocate $1.2 million in funding from the city's Public Safety and Prevention Sales Tax (PSAP) to launch a partnership with New Hope for Youth, a nonprofit organization specializing in violence prevention through street outreach and crisis response services. The new program will focus on preventing violence, providing immediate crisis intervention, and offering comprehensive whole-family support to high-risk youth and their families.

"Santa Rosa is at a critical juncture when it comes to youth and community safety," said Ernesto Olivares, Executive Director of the California Violence Prevention Network and a former Santa Rosa City Council Member who helped launch the City's efforts on youth violence prevention. "This partnership with New Hope for Youth is a key investment in our community's future, offering a balanced approach to violence prevention that includes intervention, prevention, reentry, and ongoing community support."

The new Street Outreach and Crisis Response Team is expected to begin its Santa Rosa operations and outreach in January 2025. Following a model of proven success in San Jose and Santa Clara County, New Hope for Youth will deploy a team of "credible messengers"-individuals with lived experience and deep ties to the community who can effectively engage youth affected by gang violence and trauma - to identify potential conflicts early and engage youth and families in real-time with crisis response, counseling, and support. The team will conduct services in eight areas including street outreach, neighborhood climate checks, crisis response, victim support services, re-entry and diversion services, case management, whole family support, and pro-social activities. They will also partner with local organizations, such as the Santa Rosa Police Department, Sonoma County Juvenile Probation, and area hospitals to provide immediate services to those impacted by violence and trauma.

"This approach is about more than just responding to violence," said Santa Rosa Violence Prevention Program Manager Danielle Garduño. "It's about building trust, offering support, and helping youth envision a better future. By addressing the root causes of violence and providing wraparound services-such as mental health counseling, job training, and educational support-we are giving young people the tools to succeed and break the cycle of violence."

The $1.2 million in PSAP funding is a significant step in addressing longstanding gaps in services for high-risk youth in Santa Rosa. The program will help reduce the strain on law enforcement by allowing officers to focus on more severe threats while New Hope for Youth addresses nonviolent situations with a supportive, non-punitive approach.

"This is an opportunity to not only prevent violence but also create a path to hope and opportunity for our youth," said Oliveras.

Santa Rosa's Violence Prevention Partnership has been advocating for comprehensive violence prevention since 2003 by investing in local initiatives to benefit local youth and parents. Visit SRCity.org/ThePartnership for more information.

New Hope for Youth is a nonprofit organization committed to reducing violence and improving the lives of at-risk youth in the Bay Area through outreach, intervention, and community support. Visit NewHopeForYouth.org for more information.