Richmond City Council
October 1, 2024

RFCY COMMUNITY

NEEDS ASSESSMENT
REPORT

2 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT
TABLE OF CONTENTS | ORDER OF REPORT

1. Executive Summary

2. Snapshot of Richmond

3. Methodology of Community Needs Assessment

4. Poverty and the Child Opportunity Index

5. Richmond Children and Youth Needs
A. Mental and Behavioral Health
B. Physical Health
C. Learning Needs
D. Safety, Belonging and Community
E. Connective Supportive Services

6. Children and Youth Community-Based Services: Current State

7. Community Investments & Resource Needs: Current State

8. Envisioning Ideas to Address Needs: Next Steps

9. Acknowledgements

Appendix A: COI Indicators
Appendix B: Community Engagement Learnings

1. Summary and Survey Results

2. RFCY Survey Template
Appendix C: Richmond Children and Youth Organizations by Priority Areas/Domains Appendix D: Richmond Based Community Organizations Census Tract Analysis by Priority Area

3 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Executive Summary
Why a Community Needs Assessment?
The Richmond Fund for Children and Youth (RFCY or
Fund) plays a crucial role in guiding the distribution
of the City’s three-percent allocation of general funds dedicated to improving the lives and addressing the
needs of Richmond’s children and youth under 24.

To ensure that their guidance and grant-making are
informed and strategic, RFCY conducts Community
Needs Assessments every 3 years as mandated by
Article XV of the City of Richmond Charter. These
assessments engage community members, including
youth, agencies, and organizations that serve children
and youth in Richmond, to identify needs through
their knowledgeable lived-experiences. Additionally,
data analysis, reports, and research further enhance
understanding of the pressing needs that the Fund and
its Oversight Board Committee seek to address.

How We Identified Children and Youth Needs
The principle of “Nothing About Me, Without Me”
was central to this community needs assessment,
emphasizing the importance of listening to and
learning from youth, their families, and organizations
serving them. Through a highly interactive community
engagement process, spanning from January to July
2024, the voices of approximately 400 individuals
are reflected in this report. The assessment began
with interviews of 24 thought leaders experienced in
working with children and youth and those involved
in policy, allocation, and program decisions within
city departments and public offices. These interviews
framed questions for focus groups involving more than
100 individuals from the Priority Populations identified by RFCY per the charter: African American Youth, Asian
American Pacific Islander Youth, Immigrant Family
Youth, Justice Impacted Youth, Latinx Youth, LGBTQIA+
Youth, Transitional Age Youth, and Youth Experiencing
Homelessness. Youth participants received dinner and
a gift card in appreciation for their time. Additional
focus groups included a Parent/Caregiver Group and a
Teacher/Counselor Group.

A 14-question survey developed from focus
group insights was distributed to 33 youth-serving
organizations, resulting in 200 completed surveys
from youth, service providers, parents/caregivers, and
community members. The findings were presented at a
two-hour Community Visioning Event attended by over
70 people, generating nearly 50 ideas for consideration in the next phase of this project, a Strategic Investment Plan.

Investing in Children and Youth
The City of Richmond’s commitment to enhancing
the lives of its children and youth is evidenced by its creation of the Richmond Fund for Children and Youth.

By harnessing the community’s assets of non-profits
and community partners in both the public and private
sectors along with the City dedicating millions of dollars towards programs that advance opportunities for
children and youth to thrive, RFCY is building futures
and the community’s capacity to assure that those
futures are bright.

A Resource Gap
The City and its robust network of community partners
offer a wide array of programs and services to address
the needs of children and youth. In so doing, they fully recognize that these needs persist and are substantial
requiring continued and increased resources while
creatively finding ways to achieve the best return on
investment for children, youth and their families. This Community Needs Assessment is a foundational step in
giving voice to these needs and developing a roadmap
to address them.

Envisioning Ideas to Address Needs: Next Steps
The commitment and innovative ideas generated from
the Community Visioning Event show that community
members are ready to tackle the core needs identified.

RFCY will engage the consulting team of Public
Works LLC to develop a Strategic Investment Plan,
addressing connectivity issues, transportation, and
holistic family support. The plan will identify benchmarks and outcomes to guide RFCY’s grant-making process,
ensuring that funded programs provide a return-on-
investment worthy of Richmond’s children and youth.
4 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
What We Learned
As a result of nearly 400 community and youth voices
informing the consulting team and RFCY leadership on
the needs of children and youth along with conducting
research on the extent and impact of those needs within the Richmond community, five core needs emerged:

Five Core Needs Emerge from Community
Engagement

1. Mental & Behavioral Health Needs
Stressors from living in poverty, bullying,
discrimination, and safety concerns
were repetitive themes. Youth report
high levels of anxiety and depression
among their peers and a lack of access
to counseling and therapy sessions.

Parents/caregivers seek guidance on
recognizing mental and behavioral
health issues and supporting their
children. Social isolation from the
pandemic remains a significant issue.

2. Physical Health & Access
The need for safe parks, open spaces,
and access to healthy foods, nutrition,
and fitness programs is high. Concerns
over healthcare access were repeatedly
cited, with Richmond designated as a
Medically Underserved Area, lacking
primary care physicians, mental health
professionals, and dentists. There is
a high demand for drug awareness,
prevention, and treatment programs.

3. Learning Needs
Learning loss from the pandemic
continues to impact students, with
third-grade reading levels and other
benchmarks negatively affected.

There is a significant need for career
and college preparation, one-on-one
mentoring, and guidance. Schools are
seen as under-resourced, with high
demand for homework assistance,
after-school programs, and quality early
childhood education.

4. Safety, Community & Belonging
Needs
Fear of lack of safety is extremely high
among youth, with violence becoming
normalized. Priority populations report
harmful stereotypes and isolation.

Justice-impacted youth and LGBTQIA+
groups particularly report feeling
othered.

5. Connective Supportive Services
Navigation of available services is
challenging, and many families lack
transportation to access after-school
programs and other activities. Youth
organizations would benefit from
connecting with the whole family to
support and uplift children and youth.
5 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

2. SNAPSHOT OF RICHMOND
On June 5, 2018, Richmond voters approved Measure
E and Measure K, known as the Richmond Kids First
Initiative, which approved a City of Richmond Charter
amendment (Article 15) and authorized creation of the
Richmond Department and Fund for Children and Youth
to provide increased and dedicated funding for children, youth, and young adult services for those under 24 years of age.

Richmond has significant strengths and assets. Despite the challenges of over one-third of children and youth living in poverty, limited access to health care, high mental health needs, and concerns about neighborhood safety, the community highly values the resources provided by the City. Youth attending focus groups spoke highly of the programs supported by RFCY and expressed a desire for more of what community-based organizations offer, with services available closer to their homes.
111,441
Since 2020, population
has decreased by 4.3%
1 52%
Homeowners
$88,594
Median household income
35%
Households with
children under 18

2.9 people
Average
household size
37%
Children living in poverty
(200% FPL)

4.7%
Unemployment rate
(April 2024)

79.5%
High school
graduates

34.4%
Born outside U.S.

A young, diverse city
Richmond is a young city, relative to cities
across California with 24% of residents under
the age of 20 years.
44% Hispanic/Latino

24.2% White

18.3% Black

14.2% Asian

13.3% Multiracial
1https://worldpopulationreview.com/us-cities/richmond-ca-population

6 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

3. BACKGROUND
About Measure E and Measure K
On June 5, 2018, Richmond voters approved
Measure E and Measure K, known as the Richmond
Kids First Initiative, which approved a City of
Richmond Charter amendment (Article 15) and
authorized creation of The Richmond Fund for
Children and Youth City of Richmond Department.

The ballot initiative also authorized establishment
of a 15-member Oversight Board and required
the Department to conduct a Community Needs
Assessment to guide the development of a Strategic
Investment Plan.

Under Section 2 of Article 15, the City is required
to allocate 3% of the City’s General Fund to the
Richmond Fund for Children and Youth each fiscal
year, starting FY 2023-24 through FY 2027-28 to
support the ongoing needs of the Department and
Fund (Additional information about the Department
can be found at
www.richmondyouth.org).

Goals of the Richmond Fund for Children and Youth
• To ensure that Richmond’s children, youth, and young adults are physically, emotionally, mentally, and socially healthy, educated, successful in school, and live in stable, safe, and supported families and communities;
• To increase safety for children, youth, young adults, their parents/guardians, families and the communities in which they live by preventing problems and enhancing the strengths of children, youth, young adults and their families;
• To ensure young people are provided with gender responsive, trauma-informed, population specific and culturally-competent services;
• To strengthen collaboration among public agencies and community-based organizations around shared outcomes among all service providers for children, youth, young adults and their parents/ guardians;
• To ensure an equitable distribution of resources to all of Richmond’s young people in recognition of the importance of investment in their futures from birth through young adulthood; • To fill gaps in services and leverage other resources whenever feasible.

The City of Richmond’s
Department of Children and
Youth has initiated a needs
assessment and strategic
planning process that honors
community voices and includes a
diverse range of youth and adults
to develop a comprehensive,
equitable investment plan that
reflects community vision.

7 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

3. BACKGROUND
Vision Statement
The City of Richmond’s Department
of Children and Youth has initiated
a needs assessment and strategic
planning process that honors
community voices and includes a
diverse range of youth and adults
to develop a comprehensive,
equitable investment plan that
reflects community vision.

Richmond Department of Children
& Youth Guiding Principles
• Community assets are our core strength.

Richmond residents are experts in their
lived experience and have valuable insight
to share;
We center the needs and dreams of
children and youth;
• We value collaboration and shared
ownership;
We believe considerations of race and
equity are critical to this process;
• We will be inclusive of all ages, races,
ethnicities, gender expressions, languages,
and abilities/disabilities;
• We will communicate in a way that is
accessible and easy to understand;
• We believe all voices should contribute and
encourage participants to bring their full,
authentic selves to this process; and
• We believe it is important to be (1)
innovative and flexible and (2) transparent
and accountable.
8 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

3. BACKGROUND
Who is the Fund Designed to Support?
The Fund prioritizes Richmond and North Richmond children (birth 0-12); youth (ages 13 to 17) and transitional age youth (ages 18-24) who are most impacted by harm, inequity and lack of access to support services.

The priority populations include, but are not limited to:

Funding Categories
• Violence Prevention/Response
• Education/Job Training
• Parent/Guardian Support
• Media, Arts, Culture & Technology
• Youth/Family Leadership, Organizing
& Civic Engagement
• Health and Well-Being
• Environmental Health & Justice
• Outdoor Education/ Recreation
• Deportation Support
• Justice-impacted youth;
• Young people who have been pushed out
of school;
• Young people who themselves are
homeless, or whose families are homeless or
threatened by homelessness;
• Young people living in poverty; immigrant
and undocumented children, youth, and
families;
• LGBTQIA+ children, youth, and families;
• Teen parents and families, including single
mothers; young people with poor physical,
mental, emotional, and behavioral health
outcomes, and children with disabilities;
• Families with children and youth who are
impacted by the criminal justice system, and/ or
who have family members who are incarcerated,
and/or who are involved in or transitioning from
the foster care, juvenile/ criminal justice, or
special education systems.

This Community Needs Assessment (CNA) will be used by the Richmond Department of Children and Youth to develop of a Strategic Investment Plan, which will guide the Department’s grant decisions for the Fund from January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2027. 9 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

4. METHODOLOGY OF COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT
Methodology of the Community Needs
Assessment
To develop a Community Needs Assessment that reflects
the community’s concerns and priorities, Public Works LLC public policy consulting firm conducted individual and group interviews, focus groups, and brainstorming sessions to identify key issues and gaps in services impacting Richmond’s children and youth and their families.

Throughout this highly interactive community-engagement process, Public Works partnered with the leadership team of the Richmond Fund for Children and Youth (RFCY) to ensure that representatives from the Priority Populations, community- based organizations and community members would inform
the research, findings and recommendations of the Community Needs Assessment.

Key Informant Interviews
• Public Works launched this project in March 2024 by conducting initial interviews with the Department’s project management team and senior staff about the Richmond Fund for Children and Youth’s current grantees, the communities they serve, and their perception of the unmet needs of Richmond’s children and young people.

Based on those interviews, the consulting team developed a list of diverse interest holders, including City officials and employees, community-based organizations, providers, business leaders, educators, and Richmond youth and their families. Interviews were held with twenty-four individuals in one-on-one and group interviews conducted in person, over the phone, and via Zoom.

Community Surveys and Focus Groups
• Based upon the insights shared by community members resulting from interviews, combined with extensive research on demographic, economic, and other data related to Richmond and its residents, Public Works developed, distributed, and administered a 14-question community survey made available in English and Spanish. A survey link was sent via email to 33 community organizations to distribute among their constituencies generating 200 completed surveys over a two-month period. The survey received over 300 open-ended comments in addition to the multiple-choice questions they answered. • Ten focus groups were held involving 104 participants representing priority youth populations identified in the City of Richmond Charter Article 15, as detailed on the previous page. In addition to the youth groups, two others were held: one with parent and caregivers and the other with school counselors and teachers. These sessions were designed to give young people a chance to speak directly about their needs and those of their friends and family, how they view living in Richmond, what their goals are and what type of support they need to reach them.

The participants were referred by 33 community organizations serving Richmond’s children and youth. Most were held in-person at community centers; each participant received dinner and a stipend in appreciation for their time. Youth also discussed the types of activities and programs they attend and shared perspectives on obstacles they face in accessing youth-oriented programs and services that are most valuable to them. 10 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

4. METHODOLOGY OF COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT
Public Visioning Event
After gathering and analyzing insights on children and
youth needs from over 300 community members, the
consulting team partnered with RFCY leaders to co-
design and present a public “visioning” event. The
event held at the Richmond Auditorium provided
dinner while diverse groups of participants were seated at round tables for break-out discussions following
5-minute Ted-Talk type “briefings” covering three
topics: Mental & Behavioral Health Needs, Learning
Needs and Safety, and Community and Belonging
during the two-hour event. Participants spent break-
out sessions at their tables generating ideas on how
to address each of the three topics and then reported
on their ideas to the entire group. The event created
a highly interactive, social opportunity for members of the Richmond community to share their experiences,
insights and perspectives on the needs of children and
youth and offer experienced and innovative ideas on
how to address them. Nearly fifty ideas were generated
and will become part of the research in developing the
Strategic Investment Plan, the second component to the
Community Needs Assessment.

The “Visioning” event drew more than 70 community
members (both adult and youth) with representatives
from 17 organizations. An interactive feature of the
evening was the live illustration of the ideas that
participants reported at the plenary sessions. An artist (Graphic Recorder) drew these ideas on a large white
board in real-time creating an eight-foot mural shown
at the end of this report. This method is highly useful in revealing key ideas, highlighting diverse perspectives, and creating an engaging record of participants’
collective input. Using this type of creative, dynamic, visual record has proven especially helpful in sparking input from younger participants – as shown by a group
of youth taking selfies and pictures in front of the mural at the end of the event.

Data Analysis
• All responses and comments gleaned from surveys,
interviews, focus groups and community forums
were collected and analyzed. The consulting team’s
research drew from a wide range of validated
sources, including: the U.S. Census and its American
Community Survey, local, regional, and state
governmental reports, and whitepapers published
by foundations and nonprofit organizations.

Dashboards, Scorecards and Data Depositories, Bills
and Legislative Documents, Surveys (e.g. Juvenile
Detention Profile Survey; CA Healthy Kids Survey),
Child Opportunity Index by DiversityDataKids.org
and GIS Mapping were also reviewed as part of the
secondary research component of the Community
Needs Assessment.
• The consulting team has looked for patterns across
all elements of its data analysis enlightened and
informed by over 400 voices heard through the
community engagement process. The needs and
priorities laid out in this document represent careful
validation and synthesis of community voices
supported by independent data and research.
(Section of mural from Visioning Event)
11 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

5. IMPACTS OF POVERTY ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH
Impacts of Poverty on Children
and Youth
In its simplest terms, poverty is an economic state in
which an individual’s or family’s income cannot cover
the basic needs of everyday life. They struggle to pay
for necessities such as housing, food utilities, child-care and transportation. The fear of losing their housing as they struggle between paying rent/mortgage versus
medications, food, a child’s school supplies, clothing or an unexpected repair bill, all lead to high stress levels for the entire family unit. The state of experiencing
poverty both causes and worsens hardships.

Poverty can be situational, due to a life event such as a death of a main income earner, job loss, divorce,
health condition, recession or pandemic that throws
one into poverty. Sometimes it is chronic when at least two generations have been born into poverty and there
is no wealth to share among family members during
difficult times or hand down. Eight determinants that
interconnect, cause and sustain poverty are shown in
this graphic to illustrate the multiple factors that impact families, children and youth who must contend with
poverty every day.

Concentrated Poverty
Many children live in concentrated poverty in which high numbers of people living in a neighborhood or census tract are poor. A common benchmark used to determine a concentrated poverty area is generally 30% or more of the residents living in poverty.1 Richmond has five such census tracts ranging from 29% to 47% of children living at or below the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) within their neighborhood.2 1 https://www.aecf.org/topics/concentrated-poverty
2 ACS 5-Year Estimates. Census Tracts 3740.00,3760.00,3820.00,3810.00, 3770.00 12 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

5. IMPACTS OF POVERTY ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH
Children and adults living in highly disadvantaged neighborhoods face poorer health, food insecurity, lack of access to quality health care, attend schools that are resource challenged and underperforming and are often exposed to crime and environmental pollution. 3 Most often, People of Color are overly represented within such communities which holds true for the five highly concentrated tracts in Richmond just referenced. This speaks to the consequences of structural racism when laws, rules, regulations and practices in society unfairly treat certain racial groups differently. This kind of racism is essentially “built into” the systems that run or oversee, for example, schools, workplaces, housing, local governments, and healthcare resulting in perpetuating racial disparities.

Research shows that, “children who experience the disadvantages of growing up in and surrounded by poverty will continue to bear the burden of those disadvantages into adulthood. 4
Measuring Poverty. How poverty is defined and measured has a powerful impact on how a community marshals its resources (or not) to address and prevent it. The measure draws the line as to who is eligible for services, who must wait and who will be turned away. The current Federal Poverty Level (FPL) was created sixty years ago and significantly underestimates the true costs of meeting basic needs of everyday life in today’s economy. Most federal and state programs use 150% to 200% of FPL as a marker of need for eligibility of services. As was recommended in RFCY’s 2020 Community Needs Assessment, we also recommend that RFCY use a threshold of twice the FPL (200%) to determine the numbers of children living in poverty within Richmond in need of services.

Currently, more than one-third (37%) of youth and children under the age of 18 years in Richmond are below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level while 35% of adults are below this threshold.5 This means that a family of four in 2024, for example, lives on an income of $5,200 per month and an individual at $2,510 per month. 6 Most of these individuals and families are cost-burdened by paying more than thirty percent of their income ($1,560) towards their monthly rent. This leaves the remaining $3,640 dollars to cover all expenses for a family of four.

Housing costs are significantly impacting middle income families, as well. Richmond, where median household income is $88,594,7 is the second most housing cost-burdened city in the Bay area, with 42% of residents paying more than 30% of their income on housing costs. Over half (54%) of all renters and 38% of homeowners in Richmond are housing cost burdened.8 Access to affordable and secure housing has been consistently identified as a community need impacting health in Richmond.9
37% of
Richmond
youth
living in
poverty.

Half of Richmond
renters are
cost-burdened.

3 https://www.aecf.org/topics/concentrated-poverty
4 https://www.cbpp.org/sites/default/files/atoms/files/11-3-15hous2.pdf 5 https://data.census.gov/table?q=s1701%20Richmond,%20Californi 6 https://aspe.hhs.gov/topics/poverty-economic-mobility/poverty-guidelines 7 U.S. Census Bureau. “Income in the Past 12 Months (in 2022 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars).”American Community Survey, ACS 1-Year Estimates Subject Tables, Table S1901, 2022, https://data.census.gov/table/ACSST1Y2022.

S1901?q=median household income&g=160XX00US0616000,0660620,0681666. Accessed on March 9, 2024. 8 https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/housing-costs-rent-mortgage-18535110.php 9 https://about.kaiserpermanente.org/content/dam/kp/mykp/documents/reports/community-health/Richmond- CHNA-2019.pdf, https://about.kaiserpermanente.org/content/dam/kp/mykp/documents/reports/community-health/ richmond-chna-2022.pdf
13 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

5. IMPACTS OF POVERTY ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH
Beyond Poverty: Geography & Opportunity. We’ve applied a tool known as the Childhood Opportunity Index (COI) to assess the level and breadth of need among Richmond’s children and youth. This index is based on the premise that a neighborhood’s resources and conditions matter and that children growing up in neighborhoods with “quality schools, safe housing, access to healthy food, parks, clean air and economic opportunities are more likely to grow into healthy, productive adults than children who do not have access to these resources.”10 Using a set of 44 indicators in the domains of Education, Health and Environment, and Social and Economic, the COI measures and maps the quality of resources and conditions in the neighborhoods where children and youth live. The COI groups all neighborhoods via census tracts into five Opportunity levels: Very Low, Low, Moderate, High, and Very High-opportunity neighborhoods.

Children living in “low opportunity” neighborhoods experience few of the conditions necessary to thrive as compared to their counterparts living in “High Opportunity” communities. Black, Hispanic and Native American children are especially likely to live in very low-opportunity neighborhoods. A complete listing of all 44 indicators is provided in Appendix A. The table below shows the three domains of the Child Opportunity Index and the sub-domains of indicators assessed by each.
10 https://www.diversitydatakids.org/child-opportunity-index

EDUCATION SOCIAL & ECONOMICHEALTH & ENVIRONMENT
Early Childhood Education
Elementary Education
Secondary & Post-
secondary Education
Educational Resources
Pollution
Healthy Environment
Safety Related Resources
Health Resources
Socioeconomic Inequity
Housing Resources
Social Resources
Wealth
Employment
Economic Resources
Table of Childhood Opportunity Index Neighborhood Indicator Domains and Sub-domains
14 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

5. IMPACTS OF POVERTY ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH
11 https://www.diversitydatakids.org/child-opportunity-index The graphic chart above shows the percentage
of census tracts distributed among the five Child
Opportunity Index levels and cites the census tracts
below each level. This illustrates that nearly half
(45%) of Richmond’s neighborhoods show “Very Low”
and “Low” opportunities for children and youth to
thrive. In contrast, thirty-eight percent experience
High and Very High Opportunities while seventeen
percent fall between them.

While the COI incorporates income and non-income-
based factors, a correlation can be seen between
Richmond census tracts with higher levels of child
poverty and lower COI scores. Like poverty rates, there is a wide disparity in COI across the different census tracts in Richmond, ranging from Very Low to Very High Opportunity.

And like national trends, there is a stark disproportionate number of Black and Hispanic children living in the low COI neighborhoods.

If you are interested in learning more about the Child
Opportunity Index and using their dashboard, go to Diversity Data Kids by going to https://www.diversitydatakids.org/child- opportunity-index.

Percentage of COI Ratings Among Richmond Census Tracts on Education, Health & Environment, Social & Economic Indicators Percentage of COI Ratings Among Richmond Census Tracts on Education, Health & Environment, Social & Economic Indicators 17%28%17%28%10%0% 100%%
379000
373000
377000
381000
376000
367200
367100
375000
365002
382000
374000
360200
371000
372000
369002
365003
370000
378000
362000
363000
364002
360101
361000…
384000
360102
356002
Very Low
17%
Low
28%
Moderate
17%
High
28%
Very
High
10%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
%
15 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

5. IMPACTS OF POVERTY ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH
The following map shows
the Child Opportunity
Index (COI) level and the
number of children and
youth residing within
each of the twenty-
six census tracts and
their corresponding
neighborhoods as they
geographically appear on a
census map of Richmond.
2,147
1,203
1,308
934 482
428
1,015
689
670
948
810
843
1,454
2,798
1,450
943
1,523
1,790
1,714
341
1,417
1,092
866
1,838
2,340
3,906
794
1,758
1,110
1,113

VERY HIGH

CHILD OPPORTUNITY INDEX
HIGH

MODERATE
LOW

VERY LOW
KEY:
1 mi © MapTiler © OpenStreetMap contributors
Zip Codes Percent Families at < 200% of Poverty
Source: Census
Year: 2018-2022
Insufficient Data

9.57% or less

9.58% - 17.35%

17.36% - 26.37%

26.38% - 39.44%

39.45% or greater
Shaded by: Census Tract, 2022
Estimated percent of families at less than 200% of poverty, between 2018-2022.

CHILD OPPORTUNITY

INDEX (COI) LEVELS

AND CHILD/YOUTH

POPULATION

DISTRIBUTION IN

RICHMOND CENSUS
TRACTS

ESTIMATED PERCENT

OF FAMILIES LIVING
AT LESS THAN 200%
FPL – RICHMOND
(2018-2022)

16 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

6. RICHMOND CHILDREN AND YOUTH FIVE CORE NEEDS
Five core needs emerged that significantly impact
children and youth in Richmond resulting from
interviews, focus groups, surveys and research. This
section of the needs assessment reviews each of the
five: Mental & Behavioral Health, Physical Health,
Learning, Safety, Belonging & Community and
Connective Supportive Services.

A. MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL

HEALTH SECTION
What do we mean by Mental and Behavioral Health?
Mental health involves our emotional, psychological
and social well-being affecting how we think, feel, and act. It influences how we handle stress, relate to others and make choices. Biological and environmental factors, family history and life experiences play significant roles in maintaining one’s mental health. Behavioral Health,
on the other hand, involves how our actions influence
our health and well-being. Engaging in unhealthy
behaviors such as smoking, vaping, drinking, abusing
substances, or consuming a diet of largely fast-foods will negatively impact mental health and well-being.

Among all categories of needs impacting children and
youth, mental and behavioral health rose to the top.

Youth, parents, grandparents, caregivers and those
working with children and youth all agree that young
people are facing high levels of stress that negatively affect their mental well-being. Richmond youth are
struggling with poverty, bullying, racial discrimination, safety concerns in neighborhood and schools, trauma
and stress associated with exposure to violence which are taking a serious toll on Richmond’s children and youth.

Depression and Anxiety. Most youth in focus groups
commented that the two most common mental health
issues facing young people -- even grade schoolers -- are depression and anxiety. They report experiencing growing levels of anxiety and depression exacerbated by the loss of learning and social isolation due to the pandemic’s
closure of schools, cancellation of socio-recreational
activities and the practice of social-distancing.

The Impact of COVID-19 Continues. Many children and
teens missed out on vital opportunities to develop social skills that would aid them in peer interactions, ability to work in teams, and leadership development. Due to the
need for masking, young children missed out in learning how to interpret body language, facial expressions and
social ques. Focus group youth shared that the pandemic also set the stage for excessive use of “screen time”
influenced by the shift from in-person teaching to remote learning. Beyond hearing these concerns from over one-
hundred youth participating in focus groups, two-hundred respondents to the RFCY Community Needs Assessment
Survey echoed similar views as shown below.

Impact to Children and Youth
How much do the following impact children
and youth in Richmond?
RFCY awarded $1,045,923 in grants
addressing Mental & Behavioral
Health to 10 organizations during
2021-2023.”
17 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

6. RICHMOND CHILDREN AND YOUTH FIVE CORE NEEDS
Overall, three out of four survey respondents rated
the following 5 impacts as having “Very High and
High” degree of impact on children and youth’s mental
wellbeing: poverty (86%), bullying (80%), learning
loss (79%), general anxiety (78%), racial and ethnic
discrimination (76%).

California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS). Data
collected by the California Department of Education
through the CHKS among students in 5th, 7th, 9th and
11th grades validate the sentiments expressed during
the community engagement process of this needs
assessment. The table below shows the results of three
key mental health measures among West Contra Costa
County Unified School District students.

One of the more concerning trends revealed by this
table, is among fifth graders. In the school year when fifth graders were first asked about feelings of sadness:
one in five (20%) of fifth graders reported being “sad
most or all of the time.” Today, one in four (25%) of
ten-to-eleven-year-olds in fifth grade say they feel
sad “most or all of the time.” Nearly 40% of eleventh
graders frequently say they feel sad, as do at least
one-third of 7th and 9th graders. On average, 30%
– nearly one-third -- of 7th through 11th graders are
experiencing “social and emotional” distress and on
average 15% have considered suicide.
1California Department of Education. California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS). https://calschls.org/my-surveys/4954886f-dbfa-469b-ad47-9452d4e2efda/ and https://calschls.org/my-surveys/f882f1e2- dfc0-4448-b90b-f49cef6e6d3f/. Accessed on February 22, 2024.

Chronic Sadness
Mental Health Measure Percent
2022 | 2023
5th Graders
Percent
2022 | 2023
7th Graders
Percent
2022 | 2023
9th Graders
Percent
2022 | 2023
11th Graders
Socio-Emotional Distress
Considered Suicide
21% 36% 34% 39%
30% 29% 31%
15% 17% 15%
25% 33% 35% 39%
27% 26% 35%
14% 14% 13%
Not Asked on
Survey
Not Asked on
Survey
California Healthy Kids Survey (2022-2023) on Mental Health Measures Among West Contra Costa County Unified School District 5th, 7th, 9th and 11th Graders.1
Today, one in four (25%) of ten-to-eleven-year-
olds in fifth grade say they feel sad most or
all of the time.
18 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

6. RICHMOND CHILDREN AND YOUTH FIVE CORE NEEDS
2 CHKS, Percent of youth under age 19 years insured by Medi-Cal (2022) 3 Kaiser Permanente Medical Center 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment.

Two Key Areas of Need Identified. Among the
hundreds of comments offered on mental and
behavioral health, two major challenges emerge:
• Need for Increased Awareness and Education.

Parents, grandparents, teachers, and caring adults
report needing support and education regarding
how to recognize the signs of mental and behavioral
health needs, how to respond to someone who
needs help, assistance with accessing mental
behavioral health resources, and how to respond
to the youth or child experiencing these issues in a
sensitive and culturally-appropriate manner.
• Lack of Access to Mental Health Resources. Even
though 96.5 % of children and youth are insured
in Richmond through Medi-Cal 2 ; focus group
participants, key informant interviewees and survey
respondents report long wait times associated with
scheduling appointments for mental and behavioral
health services. There is also a mental health
provider workforce shortage.3 Schools often lack
sufficient mental health professionals to adequately
address the mental and behavioral health needs of
students.

When survey respondents were asked whether they
think the mental health needs of children and youth are being met in Richmond, more than half (52%) felt “Not
So Well or Not Well at All.”
Mental Health Needs
Overall, how well do you think the mental health needs of youth are being met in Richmond? Addressing Needs
Another way of assessing needs is asking youth,
community members and key informant interviewees
what types of programs and initiatives they believe
are needed to address the impacts on the mental and
behavioral health of children and youth.

The top three programs and services to address
mental and behavioral health needs among survey
respondents and community visioning event attendees
were:
• Affordable 1:1 Mental Health Counseling
(In-person or Virtual)
• Access to Behavioral Health Services (e.g.
anger management)
• Programs that address youth trauma and
exposure to violence (later addressed in the
Safety Section of this report).

Overall, mental and behavioral health needs were front
and center throughout the community engagement
process. Efforts and strategies to address mental and
behavioral health needs will remain a priority in the
next phase of this project: the development of the
RFCY Strategic Investment Plan.
19 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

6. RICHMOND CHILDREN AND YOUTH FIVE CORE NEEDS
B: PHYSICAL HEALTH &

WELLNESS SECTION
The physical well-being of children and youth is strongly influenced by what public health experts refer to as
social determinants of health (SDOH). These are “the
conditions in the environments where people are born,
live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life
outcomes and risks.”1 Access to quality health care, a
living wage job, good schools, safe neighborhoods,
affordable quality housing and living in a welcoming
and thriving community – all make up the social
determinants that impact one’s health.

If children grow-up in neighborhoods where they
witness or hear gun shots, are exposed to lead or mold
in run-down housing or exposure to pollution from
traffic or industrial sites near dense neighborhoods,
don’t have playgrounds or open space to safely play
or exercise, lack access to dental and primary health
care, or live in “food deserts” with limited access to
affordable, healthy foods often over-populated with fast food paving a path towards obesity, their health will
suffer. Living under these conditions fuels a constant
state of stress that robs children and youth of physical well-being vital to their growing bodies and cognitive
development.

Through focus groups with youth, parents and
caregivers, school counselors and a general public
survey, we explored whether or not children and
youth are being impacted by these types of social
determinants of health.

Childhood Opportunities Index (COI) and Health
Indicators. As shown in the “Poverty and Childhood
Opportunities Index” section of this report, 45%
of children and youth live in neighborhoods of
concentrated poverty. The overall rate of children and
youth at 200% of FPL accounts for 37% impacted by
poverty which is a social determinant of health.

The COI measures physical health and health care
access among four categories: Pollution, Healthy
Environment, Safety Related Resources and Health
Resources. Within these categories, the index includes
measuring factors such as air pollution, living near
hazardous waste sites, how many fast-food chains vs.
fresh produce, meats, fish grocery stores are in the
neighborhood, walkability and open spaces, vacant
housing, health care resources provided by non-profits
and health insurance. Thus, those neighborhoods
rated by the COI as “Very Low and Low” indicate low
opportunities to foster and achieve physical well-being resulting from the high incidence of negative outcomes
among the factors analyzed by the index.

Barries to Access: Findings on
Shortages
A consistent theme among the 400 voices we listened
to during our community engagement, centered on
access. Youth, parents, school counselors and survey
respondents raised the need for better access to health care services and resources. And it’s no wonder. Beyond COI indicators verifying Richmond faces four shortage
areas in health care that clearly explains why access
to health care and health resources is significantly
inadequate and is negatively impacting thousands of
children and youth in Richmond. It also speaks as to
why the “Resource Needs” described in this report is
so wide when it comes to meeting the physical health
needs of children and youth.2
1 https://health.gov/healthypeople/priority-areas/social-determinants-health 2 https://www.transparentrichmond.org/stories/s/Quality-and-Accessible-Health-Homes- Services/y8gx-ywn5
Richmond’s Four
Designated Professional
Health Shortage Areas
• Medically Under-served Area (MUA)
• Primary Care Health Professional
Shortage
• Mental Health Professional Shortage
• Dental Health Professional Shortage
RFCY awarded $218,000 in grants
addressing Basic Needs to 4
organizations during 2021-2023.

Source: CA Statewide Office of Health Planning & Development, 2024. 20 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

6. RICHMOND CHILDREN AND YOUTH FIVE CORE NEEDS
One youth shared how her
mother was forced to hold-
off getting her an x-ray for an
injured foot until she received
her paycheck a week later.

Two Resounding Themes. Among the hundreds of
comments shared through the community engagement
process and responses to multiple-choice questions
exploring specific social determinants of health, two
essential areas of needs related to physical health and access emerged.
(1) Healthy Food Access, Fitness & Nutrition
Programs. There is a strong interest within the
Richmond community in finding ways to live more
healthily. Ninety percent of survey respondents rate the need for access to affordable healthy foods as “Very
High and High,” while eight out of ten rate the need for Food Banks and Food Vouchers at the same levels.

Eighty-six percent feel there’s a “Very High or High
Need” for fitness and nutrition programs for youth
while 84% feel the same way towards providing children
and youth outdoor activities such as hiking, gardening
and camping. Youth focus group participants voiced
these same sentiments towards the high need for
these types of healthy lifestyle programs. Youth want
to be more active outside and socialize in open spaces
but are hesitant because they are not feeling safe in
many neighborhoods. Parents and grandparents report
keeping young children at home for the same concerns.

This is discussed in more detail in the Safety, Community and Belonging section of this report.
(2) Access to Clinics, Urgent Care and Drug Awareness
and Treatment Programs.

As with Mental and Behavioral Health, children and youth are mostly insured through Medi-Cal, however, the wait
to getting into seeing a specialist can be long. Receiving

21 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

6. RICHMOND CHILDREN AND YOUTH FIVE CORE NEEDS
care at an Urgent Care Center can require a co-pay
that a low-income individual or family can ill-afford.

Overall, those responding to the survey expressed a
“Very High and High” need for easily accessible free
clinics and walk-in centers (86%) without long wait
times. Focus group participants also felt the same while older youth favored the idea of being able to seek
services and education on their own. Urgent Care was
seen as a preferable way of receiving care without the
necessity of going to an Emergency Department. Some
respondents, however, express concerns that their
insurance does not cover co-pays which they felt were
rather high and pose a barrier to seeking urgent care.

One of the more concerning physical health issues
facing children and youth, as cited by focus group
youth and survey respondents, is the growing incidence
of substance abuse, especially related to drugs. They
raised concerns about the fentanyl crisis; Contra Costa County reported 181deaths due to the drug, accounting
for 15.6 deaths per 100,000 population in the past
twelve months.3 Though this rate is low compared
to other communities throughout the state, news
reports about the dangers of this drug were alarming.

It may explain why 85% of survey respondents, rate
85% rate drug prevention &
education as a High Priority.
2024 RFCY Community Needs Assessment Survey
3 Data is preliminary for the last 12 months, as of 2023 Q1. County is based on place of residence. https://calmatters.org/explainers/california-opioid-crisis/#1ceb3f93-f2a1-44fc-a556- 4c039bd4861b
4 https://calschls.org/my-surveys/f882f1e2-dfc0-4448-b90b-f49cef6e6d3f/ “preventive education and awareness of drug usage (e.g. vaping)” as a “Very High or High Need.”
Not just older adults raised concerns about the growing use of vaping, but so did youth who were beginning to
question, “if it’s really that safe” despite all the hype that it’s much better than smoking a cigarette. According to California School Climate, Health, and Learning Surveys, 11% of eleventh graders report electronic cigarette/vaping and 14% are using marijuana in Contra Costa County. 4
Overall, the most overarching need raised by community
members is addressing the multiple barriers to accessing health-related care and resources that will better enhance the physical well-being of Richmond’s children and youth.

And that includes living in healthy neighborhoods.
22 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

6. RICHMOND CHILDREN AND YOUTH FIVE CORE NEEDS
C. LEARNING NEEDS SECTION
Understanding Learning Needs. The scope of learning
reviewed in preparation for this Community Needs Assessment spans a wide spectrum from pre-kindergarten, elementary, middle and high school to post-secondary education through youth 24 years of age. The learning needs of children and youth were also a leading discussion topic among focus
group participants, survey respondents, key informants and Community Visioning event attendees.

Key learning benchmarks were identified and reviewed along this spectrum to assess whether children and youth are falling behind indicating a “learning need” to address. Needs were discussed along this learning spectrum providing deeper, lived- experience insights to the data and benchmarks reviewed.

The following information, data, benchmarks and insights from community members provide a fuller understanding as to the learning needs of Richmond’s children and youth.

Richmond’s Diverse Student Population. The West Contra
Costa School District (WCCUSD) consists of 54 schools and serves a student population of 26,312 students.1 Families in the school district speak more than 50 different languages2; 36% of students are English Language Learners. The
district’s minority enrollment is 90% and 31% of students are economically disadvantaged.3
Pandemic-Related Learning Loss. Among over 100 youth attending focus groups, many shared how they’ve experienced learning loss and have found it challenging to make up for lost time. Nearly 80% of survey respondents feel the learning loss due to COVID-19 is having a “Very High or High Impact” upon children and youth in Richmond.

Access to Quality Childcare. Richmond has the largest number of children in Contra Costa County; more than half (53%) of the preschool-aged children countywide are income-eligible for subsidized preschool programs. Childcare providers, that receive funding for state and federally-subsidized childcare programs, served 40% of eligible preschool- aged children, leaving the childcare and pre-school needs of 60% of eligible children unmet.4 This unmet need is significantly greater than the 47% of unmet need cited in 2017. 1 https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/california/districts/west-contra-costa-unified-104246 2 https://www.wccusd.net/domain/2594
3 https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/california/districts/west-contra-costa-unified-104246#:~:text=Students%20at%20West%20Contra%20 Costa,Hawaiian%20or%20other%20Pacific%20Islander.
4 https://cdnsm5-ss16.sharpschool.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_1077313/File/Final%20Contra%20Costa%20County%20Child%20Care%20Needs%20 Assessment%202022%20Report.pdf p.10
Hispanic/Latino
54%
Multiracial
2%
Asian
10%
African American
18%
Filipino
6%
White
10%
23 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

6. RICHMOND CHILDREN AND YOUTH FIVE CORE NEEDS
Readiness for Kindergarten. A School Readiness
Assessment by the West County First Five Center, a non- profit family resource center for 0-5 year old children, found that only 29% of WCCUSD kindergartners are prepared for school.5 Forty-four percent of kindergarteners are partially ready, and 27% are not ready for school. This is the most recent school readiness assessment available, but this
data has not been updated since 2018. Notably, children born between September 2, 2019 and June 2, 2020 will
be eligible for Universal Transitional Kindergarten (UTK) , a new grade level preceding kindergarten that all children in California will be eligible for.6
Chronic Absenteeism. Chronic absenteeism is defined
as the percentage of students who are absent more than
10% of instructional days they are enrolled. WCCUSD has a chronic absenteeism rate of 32% (2022-23). This is a
marked improvement from the year prior (2021-2022) which was at 42% and influenced by the pandemic. However, the 2021-2022 rate was nearly double that of 2017-2018 (17%), suggesting that chronic absenteeism has not returned to pre- pandemic levels. Chronic absenteeism is highest among the following groups7 :
5 April 2018. Applied Survey Research. Ready or Not Here We Come: An Assessment of Kindergarten Readiness in Contra Costa County. 6 https://cauniversalprek.org/families/
7 blob:https://caschooldashboard.org/7cfd0219-5919-4418-807a-39b9d6a72320 0 10
20 30
40 50
60 70
Foster Youth (35%)
Hispanic Students (40%)
African American Students (44%)
American Indian Students (49%)
Students Experiencing Homelessness (59%)

CHRONIC ABSENTEE RATES

24 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

6. RICHMOND CHILDREN AND YOUTH FIVE CORE NEEDS
English Language Learners. Over one third (36%) of
WCCUSD students are English Language Learners (ELL).8
The majority of ELL students speak Spanish (83%), however approximately 50 languages are represented among ELL
students. About 40% made progress (increasing one level) on the English Language Proficiency exam in 2023 (down from 44% in 2022). 9
Predictors of Future Success in School.Third grade literacy and eighth grade math proficiency are benchmarks used to predict how well a child will do throughout their school years.

Both of these current benchmarks are below pre-pandemic levels in Richmond. In 2023, less than a third (29%) of third graders met or exceeded grade-level reading standards -- down from 32% in 2018-2019. A mere 14% of 8th graders
met or exceeded grade-level math standards.10
Disparities in Learning. There are significant disparities in academic achievement across student racial/ethnic groups in WCCUSD.
• In 2022-2023 only 20% of African American students and 21% of Hispanic students met or exceeded English Language Arts standards.

• Only 9% of African American students and 12% of Hispanic students met or exceeded mathematics standards.12
Prepared to Graduate. Nearly half of the graduating class of WCCUSD in 2023 (48 %) was NOT considered prepared for college or a career, according to the College/Career Indicator (CCI), one of several indicators used by the California Department of Education. Just over a third (34 %) were “prepared” and nearly one in five (18%) were “approaching prepared.” 13 14

8 https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/california/districts/west-contra-costa-unified-104246#:~:text=Students%20at%20West%20Contra%20Costa,Hawaiian%20or%20other%20Pacific%20Islander. 9 https://www.caschooldashboard.org/reports/07617960000000/2023/academic-performance#english-learner-progress 10 Ibid, 8th Grade Math Scores
11 https://webutil.csac.ca.gov/Dashboard/
12 https://www.ed-data.org/district/Contra-Costa/West-Contra-Costa-Unified 13 https://www.caschooldashboard.org/reports/07617960000000/2023/academic-performance#college-career 14 The College/Career Indicator (CCI) is one of several state indicators that the California Department of Education (CDE) reports on the California School Dashboard. It represents the percentage of high school graduates who are prepared for college or a career. This indicator is reported for any local educational agency (LEA) and high school that enrolls students in grade twelve. 71% OF 3RD GRADERS

ARE NOT READING AT
GRADE LEVEL,11 AND 86%
of 8th GRADERS ARE

BELOW THE STANDARD
LEVELS IN MATH.

HALF OF HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS ARE NOT
PREPARED FOR COLLEGE OR CAREER.
25 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

6. RICHMOND CHILDREN AND YOUTH FIVE CORE NEEDS
Graduation Rate. Graduation rates at WCCUSD have been
relatively steady (84 - 86%) since 2018 except for the 2020- 2021 school year during the pandemic.15 The graduation rate among students who attended high school together (cohort rate) was 85% in the 2022-2023 school year according to Ed Data Education Data Partnership 16

Groups of students at risk of not graduating with their high-school classmates are: Foster Care Youth (40%), Youth Experiencing Homelessness (26%), Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Youth (19%), English Language Learners (29%) and Students with Disabilities (43%).

Racial/Ethnic Breakdown - Students
Not Graduating Within 5 Years of
Entering Ninth Grade17
College/Career
The percent of students in the
Class of 2023 that qualify as Not
Prepared, Approaching Prepared,
and Prepared.
15 https://www.ed-data.org/district/Contra-Costa/West-Contra-Costa-Unified 16 https://www.ed-data.org/district/Contra-Costa/West-Contra-Costa-Unified 17 https://www.caschooldashboard.org/reports/07617960000000/2023/academic-engagement#graduation-rate 0 20
40 60
80 100

34.1%

17.7%

48.2%
Not Prepared
Approaching Prepared
Prepared
Class of 2023
0 5 10 15 20
Percent Did Not GraduateRace/Ethnicity
African American 17.9%
Asian 11.2%
Hispanic/Latino 19.7%
Two or More Races 13.5%
Two or More Races 11.5%
26 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

6. RICHMOND CHILDREN AND YOUTH FIVE CORE NEEDS
Student Aid for College. In the West Contra Costa
Unified School District, 65% of graduating high school
seniors in 2023 submitted a FAFSA and 59% applied for
Cal Grants.18 The percent of students that applied for
CalGrants in WCCYSD is significantly lower than the 70% of WCCUSD students that applied for it a decade ago.19
Overall, 40% of students are not applying for financial aid. Most of those who aren’t applying for financial
aid fall into the category of the Priority Populations
that RFCY addresses. These students have a high
likelihood of qualifying for financial aid if they apply.

This is a lost opportunity for these students who could receive assistance to attend college. This speaks to the fact that 85% of survey respondents cited a “Very
High or High” need for “College and Career Prep
Assistance.”
Key Areas of Need Identified. Overall, the learning
needs of children and youth in Richmond are significant as demonstrated not only by facts and figures, but also through the more than 400 individuals who participated
in this needs assessment and voiced their ideas and
concerns regarding theirse needs.

Among the hundreds of responses and comments
related to learning needs, these two areas surfaced:
(1) High Need for Career and College Preparation.

Schools were seen as under-resourced in helping
students explore careers, learn how to prepare for
those careers, and acquire training after graduating
from high school. Youth interested in college, reported needing access to college preparatory courses and 1:1
guidance that assists them in searching for and applying to colleges along with finding financial aid. High-speed broadband for all ages was seen as strongly needed to
support learning at home.
(2) High Need for Mentors, Parental Support, After
School Programs, Summer Jobs and Camps. Nine out
of ten survey respondents felt that each of these types of programs and initiatives are vital to support learning.

Caring adult mentors, especially those who can relate
and “look like me” were seen as crucial, for youth of
color, Justice-Impacted Youth and LGBTQIA+ youth.

Ninety percent of survey respondents cite educating
parents/caregivers on how to support children’s
learning needs as “Highly Needed.” Teachers also
felt that aiding parents in methods to further their child’s learning is an extremely valuable partnership to form and skill to impart to parents and caring adults. Youth and adults would like to see additional after-school programs, summer camps and summer jobs for teens.
18 https://webutil.csac.ca.gov/Dashboard/
19 https://webutil.csac.ca.gov/Dashboard/
85 percent of survey
respondents cited a
“Very High or High” need
for “College and Career
Prep Assistance.”
RFCY awarded $1,136,150 in grants addressing
Education, Employment, Training to 13
organizations during 2021-2023.”
27 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

6. RICHMOND CHILDREN AND YOUTH FIVE CORE NEEDS
D. SAFETY, BELONGING AND

COMMUNITY SECTION
A recurrent theme among those interviewed, focus group
participants, and hundreds of survey respondents was
that residents are proud to live in Richmond. While they embrace its diversity, sense of community, and believe in its promise, they are also aware of their city’s challenges and are willing to roll up their sleeves to take them on.

Safety
Concerns about safety is one of the most pressing
challenges raised by all groups engaged in this needs
assessment. Youth made it very clear that they long for a community where everyone can feel safe everywhere in
Richmond. When asked, “How much do you think youth
worry about their safety in their neighborhoods,” nearly all respondents believe youth are worried (95%) about
safety.

Three out of four respondents believe that the “fear for safety,” among children and youth is having a “Very High or High” impact on their well-being. It explains why 92% of respondents rate “Creating safe and quality spaces for 13-year plus age group” as a “Very High or High Need.”
Major themes arising from open-ended survey comments
and focus groups with youth include: varying levels
of safety by neighborhoods, with some considered
dangerous; youth viewing violence as normal due to their daily experiences; the urgent need to address the lack
of safe, public spaces; inadequate safety in and around schools; and the need for community policing to deter
crime. They cautioned, however, against profiling racial and ethnic populations or justice-impacted youth.

In West Contra Costa County Unified School District
fewer than half of high school students perceive
their school as “safe” or “very safe,” according to
the 2023 California Healthy Kids Survey1 (Only 43%
of 9th graders, 38% of 10th graders, 42% of 11th
graders, and 44 % of 12th graders said they felt safe
at school.) While in 2023 the number of homicides
in Richmond reached its lowest point in a generation,
evidence also suggests that many youth in Richmond
have experienced cumulative exposure to violence,
specifically gun-violence over the past decade. Of the
2,300 gunshots fired in Richmond since 2013, 41% took
place within a half-mile of a school, and 81% of those
took place near an elementary school.
1 https://www.caschooldashboard.org/reports/07617960000000/2023/conditions-and- climate#priority6
65 % say youth are “Extremely or Very Worried” about
safety in their neighborhoods.

RFCY awarded $339,625 in grants addressing
Youth Violence Prevention to 5 organizations
during 2021-2023.
— RFCY Community Needs Assessment Survey 2024.
28 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

6. RICHMOND CHILDREN AND YOUTH FIVE CORE NEEDS
The campuses with the most incidents nearby were those
in neighborhoods with lower median incomes than the
rest of the city, census data showed. One elementary
school has seen an average of six nearby shootings per
year over the past decade.2
According to the 2021 National Community Survey (NCS)
73% of people in Richmond say they feel safe in their
neighborhood during the day and 43% say they feel safe
in the commercial/downtown area during the day. Fewer
people report feeling safe in their Richmond community
than 99% of communities surveyed nationally.

Crime Trends in Richmond
Richmond recorded eight homicides in 2023, — the
fewest since officials started keeping track in 1971.

This represents a 64% reduction from the 22 homicides
the city recorded in 2020 and a 56 % reduction from
the 18 logged each during both 2021 and 2022. This
is consistent with nationwide trends, with major U.S.
metro areas reporting a roughly 12% decrease in 2023.3
Four types of crimes that increased over the last year
are: burglaries at 30%; vehicle theft at 18%; robberies and aggravated assault each at 10%. Decrease in types
of crime were seen in Larceny Theft (29 %) and sexual
assault (12%) while the remaining crimes showed slight
decreases.
2 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jun/26/children-gun-violence-schools-bay-area- ptsd-richmond-california
3 AH Datalytics. https://www.ahdatalytics.com/dashboards/ytd-murder-comparison/ 4 https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/4010/Crime-Statistics-Reports There have been many
incidents involving
gang disputes, physical
altercations, and drug
sales around and even
within my school campus.

Just recently, there had
been a shooting in front
of my school campus
which had left many
of my fellow students
appalled.
— Youth Survey Respondent, RFCY
Community Needs Assessment Survey 2024
YEAR OVER YEAR 2021 20232022
Crime Trends in Richmond
2021-2023
4 Homicide
Sexual Assault
Robbery
Aggravated Assault
Larceny-Theft
Arson
Burglary
Vehicle Theft
Index Crime Totals
Year Over Year Crime Statistics
Source: Richmond Police Department
18 18 8
86 86 100
243 258 298
832 857 941
1,849 1,993 1,696
44 34 30
311 262 343
1,044 1,068 1,258
4,471 4,604 4,674
29 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

6. RICHMOND CHILDREN AND YOUTH FIVE CORE NEEDS
Police Use of Force
Justice-impacted youth and young adults between the
ages of 18-24 years are considered Priority Populations by the Richmond Fund for Children and Youth. Justice-
impacted youth are those who “are at risk of being
incarcerated or have been formally incarcerated, have
had a sibling, parent or extended family member
impacted by the justice system, or have been arrested,
convicted or involved in the juvenile justice system. All too often, they have “been affected by law enforcement
to the point where such an involvement has altered their life.”5
Justice-impacted youth are also more at-risk of
experiencing encounters with police, especially those
living in poor communities and are youth of color.6 In a focus group with justice-impacted youth for this needs
assessment, participants expressed concerns over
interactions with police that had or could evolve into
use of force.

From 2018 to 2022 the number of annual arrests made
by Richmond Police Department fell by 58% from 2,376
arrests to 999 arrests and use of force fell by 23%. In 2021 and 2022 the use of force rate per one hundred
arrests averaged about 10%, a significant increase from the two years prior that averaged six percent.7
Three demographic groups (gender, race, and age)
made up half of all use of force subjects: Black and
Hispanic males between 18 and 39 years of age.

Insights from Justice-Impacted
Youth Focus Group
In a focus group of 22 justice-impacted youth,
participants shared experiences of being unfairly
targeted by law enforcement. They believe race factors
into why they are pulled over for traffic stops and that they are treated differently due to their involvement with the justice system. They shared that they value programs that support them in moving away from or steering clear of gang culture in Richmond. Mentors that have “walked
in their shoes” are extremely important to them. They
are concerned about limited job opportunities, low
wages and the need for more vocational training and
employment. They feel that there’s a need for greater
community collaboration to ensure safe communities,
foster unity and reduce violence. Access to education, social services, and mental health counseling focused on helping them cope with the amount of violence they’ve
experienced; substance abuse counseling and treatment
are all vitally needed. They would also like to know their rights when approached by police officers.
5 https://www.csusb.edu/educational-opportunity-center/information-resources/justice- impacted-students
6 https://www.lsac.org/data-research/research/justice-impacted-individuals-pipeline-national- exploration-law-school
7 https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/65620/Second-Summary-Use-of-Force- Report---Richmond-PD---April-2023?bidId=
GENDER AGERACE %

OF FORCE

INCIDENTS
NUMBER
OF

SUBJECTS
Most Common Characteristics
of Use of Force Subjects
2018 – 2022
Male Black
HispanicMale
All Other Demographic
Groups & Unknown
Total
Source: Richmond Police Department
18-39 161 26%
18-39
18-39
147 24%
302 50%
610 100%
PTSD is one of the
biggest causes of stress
for us.
— Focus Group Participant
30 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

6. RICHMOND CHILDREN AND YOUTH FIVE CORE NEEDS
Belonging
Children and youth thrive from a feeling of belonging
among their family and friends, their neighborhoods,
schools, and community. A true sense of belonging
requires appreciation for who someone is and not
being seen through a lens of harmful stereotypes. As
one justice-impacted youth, who wasn’t made to feel
like he belonged, put it: “The way they see me is how
they treat me.”
Article 15 tasks RFCY with identifying and addressing
the needs of vulnerable priority populations among
children and youth in Richmond. To better understand
their needs, sense of belonging and perspectives, focus groups were held with priority populations youth and
one survey question asked, “How well do you think the
needs of the following groups of youth are being met?”
The chart below shows seven such groups illustrating
that 50% of over 200 survey respondents felt that
Justice-Impacted and LGTBQIA+ youth’s needs are
not being met. (Not so Well and Not Well at All) as are the needs of African-American youth (44%), Immigrant
Family Youth (33%) and Latinx, Asian and Second
Language Youth at (30%).

All priority population groups face the five categories of needs presented in this report, each struggling with their unique challenges and often navigating them
alone.

Priority Youth Populations
How well do you think the needs of the following groups of Youth are being met? As one justice-impacted
youth, who wasn’t made
to feel like he belonged,
put it: “The way they
see me is how they treat
me.”

31 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

6. RICHMOND CHILDREN AND YOUTH FIVE CORE NEEDS
Two Other Populations in Need of
Belonging & Support
Two vulnerable populations are discussed throughout the 2024 Community Needs Assessment:

Disconnected Youth are defined as youth between 18
and 24 years of age who are out of school, are on their own without jobs or support and/or have transitioned
out of the Foster Care System. These youth require a
great deal of support as they transition into adulthood.

One of the most highly needed services they require is
training and job placement along with support in gaining a secondary education should they want to pursue it.

They also need assistance in securing stable housing,
mentoring and support from a caring adult.

Youth Experiencing Homelessness are those without
a stable sleeping/living arrangement or living in
shelters. This includes what is referred to as “hidden
homelessness,” for example, when a single mom and
her children repeatedly live for short stays at friends or relatives; often disrupting where the children attend
school.

The most current count of people experiencing
homelessness in Contra Costa County is 2,843 persons,
marking an increase from 2,372 persons in 2023. Among
those numbers, Richmond shows a decrease from the
year prior while the East County accounts for most of the increases. This number is a result of the Point in Time (PIT) Count taken of people experiencing homelessness
on a given night in the County. This count is a nationwide initiative of the federal Housing and Urban Development agency.

As illustrated below, 14% of the homeless population
were under the age of 24, and half of these individuals (7%) were under the age of 18.8 The number of younger
persons experiencing homelessness has increased by 2%
since 2023.

Students who are experiencing homelessness are at
greater risk of underperforming in school largely due to high rates of chronic absenteeism. Nearly sixty percent (59%) of unhoused students in 2023 attending WCCUSD
were chronically absent placing them at significant risk of not graduating or moving up to the next grade-level.9 In a focus group to gather insights from youth and
families experiencing homelessness, several needs
were identified: accessing basic necessities such as
transportation, laundry services, clothing and food;
mental health support for youth struggling with
depression and anxiety due to being without a stable
homelife and the stigma of being unhoused; loss of
access to school activities and remaining with their
peers when they’ve moved out of the school district;
and the impact of their family’s loss of income due to
COVID-19.

Source: West Contra Costa Point in Time Count 2024
8 West Contra Costa County Point in Time Count 2024, https://www.cchealth.org/home/ showpublisheddocument/30271/638525089151900000
9 https://www.cde.ca.gov/homelessyouth.asp
32 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

6. RICHMOND CHILDREN AND YOUTH FIVE CORE NEEDS
Building Community
One of the most popular types of programs that youth
and parents view as valuable in both fostering child
and youth development and building “community” are
neighborhood and community centers that offer multiple
enrichment programs (performing arts, music, STEM
programs) along with social, sports and recreational
activities. They envision these centers also offering
programs and resources for parents and families that
uplift the whole family, often times intergenerational
families, in raising their children and youth.

These would include services to help parents navigate
social and health care services, parenting classes, or
teach caring adults how to help children with homework.

Youth in focus groups spoke highly of the multi-purpose neighborhood centers that exist in Richmond but say
waiting lists and transportation issues prevent youth from participating. Affordable after-school programs, summer camps and summer jobs for youth also rate high in need.

At the Community Needs Assessment Visioning Event
involving over 70 community members and youth, there
was high interest in creating community events with
residents and families throughout the year and in using locations throughout the city to build a stronger sense of community all over Richmond.
85% rate the need for
neighborhood centers as
“Very High or High Need.”
RFCY awarded $1,361,200 in grants addressing
After School Sports, & Enrichment to 18
organizations during 2021-2023

33 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

7. RESOURCE NEEDS: CURRENT STATE
E. CONNECTIVE SUPPORTIVE

SERVICES SECTION
Throughout the entire community engagement process
with over 400 individuals sharing insights on needs of
Richmond’s children and youth, three connective and over- arching needs stand out:

1. Transportation. The need for transportation to connect families and individuals to jobs, schools, childcare, job training, education, health care and after-school programs that enrich their children is central to moving beyond
poverty. Most low-income individuals and families can’t afford reliable transportation and if they do, can’t afford costly car repairs. Public transportation isn’t conducive to schedules when juggling getting to childcare, jobs and
after-school programs. This may explain why only 10% of workers in Richmond use public transportation to get to their jobs while 63% drive alone.1 Youth often cited that there are neighborhood centers and programs they’d love to attend but there’s no reliable source of transportation that allows them to get there from school and then back home. As a result, they simply don’t have access to these valuable resources that could enrich their lives.

2. Navigation Support. There is a need to assist families and individuals in navigating social services, housing, educational services and health care delivery systems that could connect them to resources needed to address the
numerous challenges they face. Parents and grandparents who attended the “Parent and Caregiver” focus group
raised this as a very high need. They find that the eligibility criteria and application process to receive services is complex and overwhelming with every organization
demanding its own set of requirements. It is a time-
consuming task to track down much-needed resources,
determine whether you’re eligible and then provide the
documents required to apply. This is why participants
at the Community Needs Assessment Visioning event
viewed the idea of “Developing a city-wide universal
application for health and social services” as a high
priority.

3. It Takes Two Generations. There is a need for
children and youth service providers and organizations
to embrace a multi-generational approach (2-GEN) to
support children and youth. This approach is based
on the premise that if they uplift parents, they uplift children. Two-generation (2Gen) approaches “build
family well-being by intentionally and simultaneously
working with children and the adults in their lives
together. 2Gen begins with the mindset that by
designing pathways to educational and economic
success that support children and families together,
the resulting structure is stronger and better for both generations.”2 For example, if a center offers teens
socio-recreational activities and homework help, they
could arrange for assistance with resume writing, job-
hunting or financial literacy to their parents to ensure the whole family’s economic security. The 2Gen approach
engages all organizations working with children to think of offering services that promote a family’s well-being which secures the well-being of every member in it and
community as a whole. This 2-Gen approach includes
grandparents raising grandchildren, as well.
1 U.S. Census Bureau. “Selected Economic Characteristics.” American Community Survey, ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles, Table DP03, 2022, https://data.census.gov/table/ ACSDP5Y2022.DP03?g=040XX00US06_160XX00US0660620. Accessed on March 16, 2024. 2 https://ascend.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Ascend_ FactSheet_2Gen_1.18.2024.pdf

CONNECTIVE

SUPPORTIVE

SERVICES
Transportation
Navigating Services
2Gen Approach
RFCY awarded $300,000 in grants addressing
Information, Guidance, & Case Management to 5
organizations during 2021-2023
34 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

7. RESOURCE NEEDS: CURRENT STATE
Child and Youth Community-Based
Services in Richmond: The Current State
The City of Richmond seeks to ensure that all children
and youth within the community are given the resources
and opportunities they need to thrive, prosper, and
grow within their vibrant and diverse hometown. One
way of addressing those needs is through organizations
from the public, private, non-profit, education and faith- based sectors offering a wide-range of quality services to children, youth and their families.

The 2022 Resource Guide that the Richmond
Department of Children and Youth (RDCY) developed
following the 2020 Community Needs Assessment and
the Strategic Investment Plan for Fiscal Years 2021-2024, provides a framework of what the community-based
services delivery system for children and youth looks like in Richmond. This is especially relevant to RFCY’s focus on providing funds to community-based organizations
seeking to enhance the lives of children and youth.

The goal of the guide is in response to community
members needing a centralized list of organizations
to easily find basic information on what resources
and services are available to address their needs.

Organizations have also found it useful as an “Information & Referral” guide for the youth and families they serve and as a means of learning about other organizations with which they can partner and collaborate to better serve
their constituencies.

The 2022 RDCY Resource Guide identified 52
organizations that offer services to Richmond children and youth and their families. The Resource Guide provides
the following information for each listed organization:
name, address, phone number, description of services,
age group, and link to its website. Among the 52
organizations listed in the Resource Guide, one-third are in the Health and Well Being Category and nearly one-
quarter in the Education and Job Training Category while about ten percent are in each of the remaining Category.

CATEGORY PERCENT OF ORGANIZATIONSNUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS The 2022 RDCY Resource Guide
Health and Well Being
Education and Job Training
Media, Arts, and Culture
Youth & Family Leadership/Organizing and
Civic Engagement
Parent and Guardian Support
Outdoor Education and Recreation
TOTAL
A list of the 52 organizations in the Resource Guide by Priority Area is shown in Appendix C. 17 32.7%
12 23.1%
6 11.5%
5 9.6%
7 13.5%
5 9.6%
52 100%
35 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

7. RESOURCE NEEDS: CURRENT STATE

RFCY COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS
In response to the needs identified by RFCY in its
previous 2020 Community Needs Assessment, the Fund
has invested nearly 4.5 million dollars into services,
programs and activities within Richmond. These have
been delivered through non-profit community-based
organizations to address needs identified by the
community and cited in Article XV among the following
six priority areas: School Time, After School, Sports & Enrichment; Employment/Training Support; Behavioral
Health, Mental Health and Wellness; Youth Violence
Prevention; Information, Guidance & Case Management;
and Access to Basic Needs.

In the three years following the 2020 Community Needs
Assessment and the development of the Strategic
Investment Plan, RFCY has awarded 55 grants to
community organizations ranging from $15,000 to
$150,000. The largest number of grants was awarded
in the areas of: School Time, After School, Sports &
Enrichment (18); Employment/Training Support (13); and
Behavioral Health, Mental Health and Wellness (10). The remaining three areas were awarded four to five grants
over the past three years: Youth Violence Prevention (5); Information, Guidance & Case Management (5); and
Access to Basic Needs (4).
$4.5 million dollars
invested in children
& youth programs.

RFCY DISTRIBUTION OF GRANTS
2021-2023
Number Of Grants & Range: 55 Grants $15k – 150k
Total Amount: $4,400,902
Percent Of Total Funds Awarded: 100%
Behavioral Health, Mental Health & Wellness:

Number Of Grants & Range: 10 Grants
Range: $41,000-$150,000 Total: $1,045,923
Education Support & Employment/Training Support:

Number Of Grants & Range: 13 Grants
Range: $22,000-$150,000 Total: $1,136,150
Out-Of-School Time, After School, Sports & Enrichment:

Number Of Grants & Range: 18 Grants Range: $15,000-
$150,000 Total: $1,361,200
Youth Violence Prevention: Number Of Grants & Range: 5 Grants Range: $35,000-$100,000 Total: $339,625
Basic Needs: Number Of Grants & Range: 4 Grants
Range: $25,000-$75,000 Total: $218,004
Info, Guidance, Case Management: Number Of Grants &
Range: 5 Grants Range: $20,000-$110,000
Total: $300,000
36 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

7. RESOURCE NEEDS: CURRENT STATE
To appreciate the breadth and type of organizations receiving funds from RFCY to address the multi-faceted needs of Richmond’s children and youth, the following table presents the names of organizations receiving grants from RFCY by Priority Area and Year. It was very common to hear youth and survey respondents identify their participation in programs offered by these organizations and they did so in a very positive light.

RFCY GRANTEE ORGANIZATIONS

PRIORITY
AREA 2021 2022 2023

1. Behavioral Health,
Mental Health and
Wellness

2. Education Support
& Employment/
Training Support

3. Out-of-School
Time, After
School, Sports &
Enrichment

4. Youth
Violence
Prevention

6. Information,
Guidance & Case
Management

5. Access to Basic
Needs
Familias Unidas Mindful Life Project West County Mandarin School; Early Childhood Mental Health Program New Life Movement Greater Richmond Interfaith Group (GRIP) Bridges from School to Work; College is Real (CIR) Richmond Art Center Seneca Family of Agencies
None
Richmond Promise
Community Violence Solutions
Rosie the Riveter Trust D.R.E.A.M. Financial Academy Envisioneers Inc.

East Bay Center for the Performing Arts Aim High for High School ABLE Community Development Foundation
Child Abuse Prevention Council of CCC
Community Services Department
Recreation
Oshiana Unique Thompkins Foundation Community Education Partnerships RYSE Rosie the Riveter Trust Community Services-Recreation Project Avery
West County Digs Pogo Park Easter Hill United Methodist Church Youth Code Now The Practice Space Social Progress Inc. (SPI) 18 Reasons
Contra Costa Youth Service Bureau
Greater Richmond Interfaith Program
(GRIP)
Fresh Approach
Fresh Lifelines for Youth (FLY)
Youth Finance Institute of America (YFIA);
None
Richmond Police Activities League
Bay Service Area Community Services Richmond Community Foundation (RCF) Improve Your TomorrowUrban Tilth The Watershed Project
Bay Area Community Resources;
Healthy Contra CostaRichmond Build Things That Creep
City of Richmond Employment & TrainingRichmond Promise
Richmond Public Library Black Fighters Association (BFA) 37 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

7. RESOURCE NEEDS: CURRENT STATE
Resource Gaps: Current State
Overall, the Richmond community offers a wide array of
programs and services focused on strengthening and
enhancing children, youth and their families. Centers that offer comprehensive enrichment, recreational, sports and performing arts programs are highly regarded by parents and youth, alike. So are the many programs listed in the Resource Guide featuring what 52 community-based
organizations offer in the community.

Yet, despite all the good works and initiatives being
provided, community members feel there’s substantial
work that remains in meeting the needs identified and
reviewed in this 2024 Community Needs Assessment.

Overall Rating on Meeting Needs of Children and
Youth. Survey respondents were asked using a five-star
rating with five as best and one as least, “Overall, how many stars would you give the Richmond community in
meeting the needs of children and youth?” Nearly 40%
gave a 1or 2 star rating, while an equal number gave a 3 star rating. Nineteen percent chose a 4 or 5 star rating.

The weighted average among all ratings yielded 3 stars.

Source: 2022 RDCY Resource Guide.

Source: COI – Child Opportunity Index for Richmond Census Tracts. *Health & Wellness has 11 Richmond-based organizations; however, one of them only has a mailbox for an address; no census tract was identified for this organization. **The census tract list cites 3690.02.

Ratings
Overall, how many stars would you give the Richmond community in meeting the needs of children and youth? (One star being the lowest and five the highest).
(2.7)

38 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

7. RESOURCE NEEDS: CURRENT STATE
Many of the open-ended comments throughout the
survey suggest that community members and youth
participating in focus groups find the services that
are available helpful and believe there’s a genuine
commitment among organizations and civic leaders
to meet the needs of children and youth. The
problem is that the needs of children and youth are
significant, escalating and remain unmet because
the demand for services and resources exceeds the
supply. The stark number of “Very Low” and “Low”
Childhood Opportunity Index neighborhoods, the high
concentration of poverty census tracts, a near 40%
poverty rate (200% FPL) among children and youth, and
Richmond’s four separate designations as Medically
Under-served Area (MUA), Primary Care Health
Professional, Dental Health Professional, and Mental
Health Professional shortage areas are all indicative as to why demand for services is so difficult to meet.1 This is especially true among the two core areas of Mental & Behavioral Health Needs and Physical Health & Access
Needs.

This overall “Resource Gap” impacts all five of the
Core Categories of Needs identified in this report.

Addressing them will require– not one program or
category at a time – but a systemic community-wide
level to create a collective impact.

What does this mean? The Richmond Fund for
Children and Youth in its role as a catalyst and convener, could bring together community-based organizations,
anchor institutions like medical centers, major
employers, and the school district along with fellow
City departments to identify how they can find ways to
collaborate to maximize the resources each brings to
bear on the Five Core Needs.

To close the Resource Gap, it will be vital to collectively strategize, invest, and develop ways to stretch dollars and find new sources of funding through collaborative
efforts such as grant writing and partnerships.

Addressing the core need of “Connective Supportive
Services” is also essential. Additionally, solving the
1 CA Office of Statewide Health Planning & Development: https://www.transparentrichmond.org/ stories/s/Quality-and-Accessible-Health-Homes-Services/y8gx-ywn5

RICHMOND CHILDREN AND YOUTH FIVE

CORE NEEDS
access barrier posed by lack of transportation, which
prevents youth from attending after-school programs,
summer camps, clubs, sports, STEM, music, and arts
programs, will require a systemic response to achieve a community-wide impact.

The City of Richmond recognizes that needs persist and are substantial and require continuous investment. The next phase of this project is to develop a Strategic Investment Plan that will explore, analyze and recommend steps in
achieving collective impact through prudently investing in programs, services and systemic solutions that reduce the Resource Gap and Five Core Needs described throughout
this Community Needs Assessment.

FIVE
CORE
NEEDS
Mental/Behavioral
Health & Wellness
Physical Health &
Wellness
Learning Needs
Safety
Belonging
Community
Connective
Supportive Services

39 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

8. ENVISIONING IDEAS TO ADDRESS NEEDS: NEXT STEPS
The energy, commitment, resilience and innovative
ideas generated from community members and youth
participating at the Community Visioning Event, gives
every indication that community members are up for
the challenge in addressing the core needs reviewed in
this Community Needs Assessment. And they believe
in the promise and aspirations of Richmond’s children
and youth despite the resource gaps in the community.

The mural below is a testament to the innovative and
thoughtful ideas generated by over 70 community
members to change the course of the resource gap
impacting children and youth in Richmond.

During the next phase of this project, RFCY will engage the consulting team of Public Works LLC to facilitate the development of a Strategic Investment Plan to address
the needs assessed in this report, including those
that involve the connectivity issues of navigation of
services, transportation and “2generational” programs
that holistically uplift families as a means of supporting children. The plan will also identify benchmarks and
outcomes to guide the application and award process
of RFCY grant-making to assure that the programs it
chooses to fund realizes a return-on-investment worthy
of Richmond’s most treasured resource – its children and youth.

40 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

9. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Richmond Department of Children and Youth deeply values the participation of Richmond community members and interest holders in the collaborative creation of the 2020 Community Needs Assessment Report. Special thanks go to the youth, parents, guardians, and service providers who contributed their insights. Their input was crucial in shaping a vision where children, youth, and families in Richmond and North Richmond are equipped with the opportunities and resources they need to thrive.

Richmond Department of Children and Youth Staff
LaShonda White
Patrick Seals
Guadalupe Morales
Nicholas Delgado
Abdul Black
Richmond Fund for Children and Youth Oversight Board
Members
Khalieghya Dandie-Evans
Guadalupe Enllana
Teyona Galloway
Carol Hegstrom
Zeonta Johnson
Katherine Lee
Stephanie Sequeira
Geselle Alvarado
Madiha Qader
Public Works LLC Team
Eric Schnurer
Ester Smith
Jenni Wall
Jeanette Sanchez
Linda Rhodes
Kristi Guillory Reid
Elizabeth Austin
Community Needs Assessment Partners
City of Richmond West Contra Costa Unified School District Department
Fresh Lifelines for Youth
Contra Costa Youth Service Bureau
The Practice Space
Community Health For Asian Americans (CHAA)
West County DIGS - Mira Vista School
City of Richmond YouthWORKS
West Coast Chess Alliance
Things That Creep
YES Parent Fellows
Love Your Block
Mira Vista School of Art
Park Plaza Neighborhood Council
The Watershed Project
Literacy for Every Adult Program (LEAP)
College is Real
Social Progress Inc
Richmond Fire Youth Academy
The Berkeley Baby Book Project
Science Adventures for Girls
Mindful Life Project
Fierce Advocates
Seneca Family of Agencies
RYSE
Yes Nature to Neighborhoods
East Bay Center of the Performing Arts
West Contra Costa Public Education Fund (WestEd Fund)
New Life Movement
Familias Unidas
Greater Richmond Interfaith Program (GRIP)
Early Childhood Mental Health Program
Latina Center
Family Justice Center
Richmond Police Activities League
City of Richmond Office of Neighborhood Safety
Life-Long Medical Center
POGO Park
Bay Area Rescue Mission
Fresh Approach
18 Reasons
City of Richmond Library Department
NIAD
Men & Women of Valor
GroundWork Richmond
Urban Tilth
Contra Costa County Independent Living Skills Program

Richmond City Council
Mayor Eduardo Martinez
Vice Mayor Claudia Jimenez
Council Member Soheila Bana
Council Member Gayle McLaughlin
Council Member Doria Robinson
Council Member Melvin Willis
Council Member Cesar Zepeda
41 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

APPENDIX
Child Opportunity Index (COI) by Domain, Subdomain, Indicators

EDUCATION
SUBDOMAIN (4) INDICATOR (12) INDICATOR (13) INDICATOR (19)SUBDOMAIN (4) SUBDOMAIN (6)

SOCIAL & ECONOMICHEALTH & ENVIRONMENT
Early childhood
education
Pollution
Socioeconomic
inequity
Wealth
Healthy
environment
Healthy
environment
Health resources
Housing
resources
Social resources
Employment
Employment
Elementary
education
Secondary and
post-secondary
education
Educational
resources
Private pre-K enrollment Airborne microparticles
Adults with advanced
degrees
Homeownership rate
Fast food restaurant
density
Employment Rate
Median household
income
Reading and math test
scores
Advanced Placement
course enrollment
Adult education
attainment
Industrial pollutants in
air, water or soil
Adults without high
school degrees
Aggregate capital
income
Extreme heat exposure
Full-time year-round
earnings
Public assistance rate
Poverty-adjusted
reading and math test
scores
High school graduation
rate
Teacher experience
Eligible for Free/
Reduced Lunches
Public pre-K enrollment Ozone concentration
Very-high income
households
Aggregate home values
Healthy food retailer
density
Community safety-
related non-profits
Health-related non-
profits
Broadband access
Mobility-enhancing
friendship networks
Crowded housing
Single-parent families
Non-profit organizations
Vacant housing
Health insurance
coverage
High-skill employment
rate
Poverty rate
Reading and math test
score growth
College enrollment in
nearby institutions
Child enrichment-related
non-profits
Hazardous waste dump
sites
Very-low income
households
Aggregate real estate
taxes
Source: Diversity Data Kids.Org To learn about the Child Opportunity Domains, Subdomains, Indicators and their definitions, please go to https://www.diversitydatakids.org/research-library/child-opportunity-index-30-indicators Access to Open Spaces
Walkability
Appendix A:
42 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

APPENDIX
Appendix B: Community Engagement Learnings

1. Summary and Survey Results

2. RFCY Survey Template
Source: 2022 RDCY Resource Guide.

Appendix C: 2022 RDCY Resource Guide List of Organizations by Priority Areas/ Domains
Health and Well Being
18 Reasons
Brighter Beginnings
Child Abuse Prevention Council of Contra Costa County
(CABC)
Multicultural Institute
Project Marc
Rotacare Bay Area
Rubicon Programs Inc. (Reentry Success Center)
Ryse Center
Shelter Inc.

The Latina Center
The Pinkney Foundation
Urban Tilth
West County Digs
West County Digs (Earth Island Institute)
YMCA of the East Bay
James Morehouse Project
Greater Richmond Interfaith Program (GRIP)
Media, Arts and Culture
Big Picture Anthems
East Bay Center for the Performing Arts
The Quinan Street Project
Los Cenzontles Cultural Arts Academy
Maya’s Music Therapy Fund
Rosie the Riveter Trust
Outdoor Education and Recreation
Wheelhouse Academy of Baseball
Hercules Running Rebels
It Takes A Village Resource Center
Lead2Play
Mira Vista (elementary) PTA
Education and Job Training
10,000 Degrees
After-School All Stars Bay Area
Bay Area Community Resources (BACR)
Bright Future Growth and Development Center
Calculus Roundtable
City of Richmond- Library and Cultural Services
City of Richmond - Youth Works
Coco Kids, Inc.

College is Real, Inc.

Desarrollo Familias Unidas
Girls, Inc. Of West Contra Costa
Go Public Schools
Youth & Family Leadership/Organizing and Civic
Engagement
Fierce Advocates (Formerly, BBK)
Healthy Richmond Schools and Neighborhoods Action Team (SNAT) Raising Youth Resilience
Richmond Community Foundation (SPARKPOINT)
Safe Return Project
Parent and Guardian Support
Contra Costa County First Five: Richmond Center
Contra Costa Family Justice Center
Dreamcatchers Empowerment Network
Rich City Rides
Tandem, Partners in Early Learning
West Contra Costa Public Education Fund (West County Reads) West Contra Costa Unified School District - Expanded Learning 43 | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

APPENDIX
Source: 2022 RDCY Resource Guide.

Source: COI – Child Opportunity Index for Richmond Census Tracts. *Health & Wellness has 11 Richmond-based organizations; however, one of them only has a mailbox for an address; no census tract was identified for this organization.
**The census tract list cites 3690.02.

Appendix D: Richmond Based Community Organizations Census Tract Analysis by Priority Area
CENSUS
TRACTS
COI

LEVEL BY

CENSUS TRACT

PERCENT OF

CHILDREN IN

POVERTY

PARENT &

GUARDIAN

SUPPORT
(4)

OUTDOOR

EDUCATION &

RECREATION
(4)

YOUTH &
FAMILY

LEADERSHIP

AND CIVIC

ENGAGEMENT
(3)
MEDIA. ARTS,

CULTURE &

TECHNOLOGY
(2)

EDUCATION &

JOB TRAINING
(6)

HEALTH &

WELLNESS
(11)*

NUMBER OF

ORGANIZATIONS
BY
CENSUS
TRACT
3620
3780
3630
3790
3650.02
3800.02
3690.01**
3810
3710
3770
3700
3820
3740
TOTAL

2.4% 1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 High

7.0% 1High

19.3% 3 1
1 2
Low

9.7% 1 1
1 Low

8.0% 1 1Moderate

28.7% 4 1

2.0% 2

25.0% 3 2
2 21.9% 1 1
1 29.4% 6 3

29.8% 2
2 29 10 6 2 3 4 4
Very Low
High
Very Low
NA
Very Low
Low

0.0% 1 1High

46.6% 3 1Low