Public comment on the Tarrant County Juvenile Board’s decision to cut ties with a youth justice program was abruptly cut short at the board’s regular meeting Wednesday — meaning some of the programs aimed at rehabilitating troubled youth will end without public feedback.
Several people showed up to push back on the decision by board members — county leader Tim O'Hare and district judges — to end the county’s contract with Youth Advocate Programs, a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit with a local branch commonly known as the Tarrant County Advocate Program.
"Others deliver some of what we do but are not positioned to serve the highest-risk youth with our unique, holistic, no-eject, no-reject YAP approach," Kimberly Brandon, vice president of the program's western region, said over an hour into the meeting.
But Brandon’s remarks were soon interrupted as board chair Judge Elizabeth Beach announced there were no longer enough members at the meeting to proceed. Fourteen were present instead of the necessary 15 board members needed for a quorum. Public comments could technically continue, but the board wouldn’t be allowed to take any action, leading Beach to cut things short.
“I believe we’ve lost our quorum for the day,” Beach said and adjourned the meeting.
The board voted July 17 against renewing its contract with Youth Advocate Programs, which provides substance abuse services and alternatives to detention for kids in the criminal justice system. The county has partnered with the organization since 1992.
County Judge Tim O’Hare and Judge Chris Wolfe made the motion to end the county’s contract with Youth Advocate Programs, raising concerns over language like “diversity initiatives” and “systemic racism” on the organization’s website.
According to meeting minutes, Judge Andy Porter said he complained to staff and felt Youth Advocate Programs was a “complete shame.” O’Hare suggested Tarrant County Juvenile Services reach out to other organizations who could provide the same services.
In response to concerns from the juvenile services department's director that more youth would end up detained without the program, Judge Alex Kim said the decision to detain kids was a court decision, not a juvenile services decision.
Responding to questions from the board, Youth Advocate Programs president and CEO Gary Ivory said the program was not against school choice or against police officers working in schools. But, he said, the program does work to eliminate systemic racism, according to minutes.
He told KERA News after the last board meeting he would be meeting with O’Hare to discuss future plans for the program.
O'Hare declined to comment when approached by KERA News after the meeting.
Youth Advocate Programs maintains it’s a nonpartisan organization, does not use Tarrant County taxpayer money to lobby and does not mention diversity initiatives on its website.
Currently, two of the four Youth Advocate Programs contracts with the county provide “wraparound” services — considered a more comprehensive alternative to detention — for 53 justice-involved kids and 22 participants in a separate substance use program, according to the program.
A spokesperson said the county has not referred any youth to Youth Advocate Programs since the vote to terminate the contracts.
Youth Advocate Programs estimates its programs cost taxpayers significantly less than incarceration, though those numbers could not be independently verified with the county.
Three of the group's contracts with the county will end Aug. 31, and one will end Sept. 30. The juvenile board’s next meeting is Sept. 18.
“We are still going to service those individuals throughout the remaining period of our contractual obligations,” Brandon said. “We are going to make sure that we connect them to sustainable community linkages to hopefully continue to champion their success.”
YAP has worked with Fort Worth organizations like Community Frontline to provide mentorship for children, help them explore their interests, apply for jobs and continue going to schools.
MarQuetta Clayton, a local criminal defense attorney, has served as a mentor as part of the nonprofit's programs, and said that while Youth Advocate Programs does provide tools for the criminal justice system to rehabilitate youth, it's not all the organization does.
“They’re not just trying to deter, ‘don’t steal again,’” she said. “They are genuinely working with the youth to ensure that they are enhancing their lives.”
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