Public Hearing: YES ☐ NO ☒ Department: Human Services
SUBJECT:
Title
Commission District(s): All
To reallocate $20,000 from the Human Services CVIP Grant project/award 106493/102840 to DeKalb County Police Department PALS PLUS Midnight Summer League at no cost to the County.
Body
Information Contact: Damon Scott, Director, DeKalb Human Services Department
Phone Number: (404) 687-2385
PURPOSE:
To consider reallocating $20,000 from the Human Services CVIP Grant project/award 106493/602840 from the already approved funds to support structured youth engagement initiatives designed to mitigate the risk of violent behavior for the period May 1, 2025 - August 31, 2025.
NEED/IMPACT:
In November 2022, Agenda Item # 2022-2374, was approved to accept funds in the amount of $1,500,000 from the Department of Justice for a Community Based Violence Intervention & Prevention Initiative (CVIP).
Funds have been allocated to several key partners, including Grady Memorial Hospital, H.O.P.E. Hustlers, Georgia State University, and Emory University-to develop a targeted, public health-based violence intervention program. In addition, the department plans to establish a partnership agreement with DeKalb County PALS PLUS to support a youth outreach initiative centered around basketball. This program not only offers a safe environment for recreational activity but also provides mentorship through a series of educational workshops focused on life skills development.
The "After Dark Basketball Summer League" will be held twice weekly over a seven-week period during the peak summer months of June, July, and August 2025. Sessions will take place from 9:00 PM to 12:00 AM-hours identified as high-risk for criminal, gang, and drug-related activities.
The program provides a safe place to play organized basketball while providing community outreach services to teens and young adults with DeKalb County Police
Officers acting as basketball team coaches. Our program provides DeKalb County youth
with educational and employment opportunities that will lead to positive outcomes and avoid a life that involves criminal activity.
In 2024 the program was supported by partnerships with DeKalb County Human Services and Office of Youth Services, the YMCA of Metro Atlanta Inc., and DeKalb County Juvenile Court. Throughout the summer, professional business owners, managers, community leaders, educators, elected officials, law enforcement personnel, and nonprofit program directors participated in the mandatory life skill workshops before each night’s games.
120 teenagers and young adults signed up for the After Dark Basketball Summer League. Additionally, 12 teenagers aged 15-18 were employed by the DeKalb County Police Athletic League. Duties included serving food, managing the sign-in desk, managing the scoreboard and sheets, and preparing and cleaning the gym which all assist in soft-skill development. Throughout the 7-week program, a total of 1388 people signed in and attended the summer league. It was noted through the partnership with Human Services that 2024 was the most successful since its inception in 2016. The MVP of the 2024 After Dark Basketball Summer League championship game was 2024 high school graduate of Green Forest Academy High School in Decatur & was accepted to Coastal Alabama Community College on a basketball Scholarship.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact to the County as the reallocation will be taken from the already approved funds in the CVIP Grant Project Award 106493/102840.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommended Action
To approve the relocation of $20,000, to DeKalb County Police Department PALS PLUS Midnight Summer League from the CVIP project/award 106493/102840; authorize Finance to issue payments to PALS PLUS and authorize the Chief Executive Officer to execute all necessary documents.