Juvenile Hall

San Mateo County Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Commission’s 2022 Youth Services Center inspection report and 2023 draft Camp Kemp Inspection Report outline the most pressing concerns at our Juvenile Hall including:

 Lack of Rehabilitative Programs: 

• No vocational programs 
• No substance abuse treatment
• No restorative justice programs
• No parenting classes (for youths with children) 
• The contract with Rape Trauma Services was cancelled

Medical and Dental Services & Records

• The dentist only comes to the facility once a month.
• The wait for glasses is 4-6 months. 

No Dedicated Mental Health Space/Therapeutic Counseling Room:

• Almost all youth at the Juvenile Hall require mental health services.
• The housing units lack a designated therapeutically space where youths can receive mental health services.
• No access to the multi-sensory de-escalation Room since it opened.

Electronic Monitoring Program “EMP” Services for Out of County Youth

The Commission strongly believes the Probation Department’s recommendations related to eligibility for EMP services be based upon the facts and circumstances of the charges and the best interest of the youth, regardless where they live. A youth’s ability to be released from the juvenile hall on EMP should never be based on a parents ability to pay for these services.  

Food Services & Meal Times

• The food is no longer prepared at the facility. It is prepared at the San Mateo County Jail and transported over the following day to be reheated.
• Children have filed dozens of grievances over being hungry and not having enough to eat since the change in food service occurred in 2021.
• Medical staff is being asked to write RX for children who are still hungry after meals so they can have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Critically Low Staffing levels

• Girls from the Camp Kemp program (including those contacted from Sonoma County) are brought to the Juvenile Hall to sleep every night. 
• No plans to create a Secure Track Unit (for youth who would have gone to CYA/DJJ).
• 4/10 shifts were canceled and switched to 5/8 shifts. This has caused personal and financial hardships for staff (commute, day care, time away from family) and contributed to low morale overall.