With an additional resource commitment from the County, along with re-assigned existing staff, the Probation Department created Re-entry, Americans with Disabilities Act, and Programming (RAP) Units within each facility. The RAP unit officers are not considered in the facilities’ youth supervision staffing ratios, allowing them to focus on specific services designed to reduce recidivism and effect positive change. The goal of these RAP Units is to increase programming, reinforce positive behavior, improve staff/youth interactions, de-escalate tense situations, reduce use of force incidents, and change the facility culture. The RAP unit officers receive specialized training and serve as coordinators for different aspects of the program.

The RAP Units begin working with youth upon their arrival to help them adjust in the program. The ADA Coordinators collaborate with the medical, behavioral health and school staff to ensure each youth’s individual needs are being met. The Case Planning Coordinators ensure each youth has a case plan targeted at increasing personal accountability and empowering the youths to make positive changes in their attitudes and behaviors. The Programming Coordinators continually seek industry leading trends in programming to identify and deliver effective structured activities to the youth with the hope of being a catalyst for positive redirection in their lives. The Re-entry Coordinators actively identify and strengthen existing community support through collaboration with local partners and link youth with appropriate services to facilitate successful re-entry into the community. Additional RAP Unit staff support these coordinators and act as Crisis Awareness Response (CARE) Team members, designated to respond to youth in crisis in an attempt to de-escalate potentially violent situations before they deteriorate further.