Office of Youth and Community Restoration

Effective July 1, 2021, pursuant to Senate Bill 823, a new Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR) operates within the California Health & Human Services (CalHHS) Agency. Supporting the transition of justice involved youth being served in local communities, the OYCR will promote a youth continuum of services that are trauma responsive and culturally informed, using public health approaches that support positive youth development, build the capacity of community-based approaches, and reduce the justice involvement of youth.

By promoting the use evidence-based and promising practices, the OYCR will improve youth and public safety outcomes by

• Reducing the transfer of youth into the adult criminal justice system,
• Reducing racial and ethnic disparities, and
• Increasing community-based responses and interventions.

The OYCR will also assess the efficacy of local programs, provide technical assistance and support, review local Juvenile Justice Realignment Grants, fulfill statutory obligations of an Ombudsperson and develop policy recommendations