CITY OF SIMI VALLEY
MEMORANDUM
Janu
ary 9, 2023
TO: Cit
y Council
Board of Directors, Ventura County Waterworks District No. 8 Board of Directors, Simi Valley Industrial Development Authority Board of Directors, Simi Valley Public Facilities Financing Authority Board of Trustees, Simi Valley Library Board of Trustees FR
OM: Office of the City Manager/District Manager/Executive Director/Officer SUBJ
ECT: APPOINTMENT OF REPRE SENTATION OF CITY COUNCIL/BOARD
MEMBERS ON BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES AND
CONSIDERATION OF RECOMMENDED CHANGES
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council/Boards of Directors/Board of Trustees review the attached list of City Council Boards, Commissions, and Committees, make any desired changes to the listed appointments , and considered recommended changes to the bodies.
BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW
Historically, the City Council reviews continuing representation by City Council Members on various Boards, Commissions, and Committees annually. Attached is a listing of various City Council Board, Commission, and Committee appointments (page 5 ). Staff h as evaluated the Board, Commissions, and Committees and has made recommendations regarding several of these entities.
It is recommended the City Council/Boards of Directors /Board of Trustees review the assignments on the attached listing, make changes as desired and review the recommended changes to several bodies.
Board/Commission/Committee appointments
Annually, the City Council reviews the list of Boards/Commissions/Committees on which Council Members serve. The complete list of current committees/entities and the current Council Member assignments are reflected on Attachment A (page 5).
Neighborhood Council liaison appointments
Neighborhood Council liaison appointments rotate semi-annually in January and July. As of January 2023, the following Neighborhood Council assignments would apply:
AGENDA ITEM NO.
3(A)2
2 Neighborhood Council No. 1 Council Member Cavanaugh
Neighborhood Council No. 2 Council Member Litster
Neighborhood Council No. 3 Council Member Rhodes
Neighborhood Council No. 4 Mayor Pro Tem Judge
M
ayor Thomas serves as the liaison to the Neighborhood Council Joint Chairs.
FINDINGS AND ALTERNATIVES
S
taff has evaluated the list of Boards/Commissions/Committees and based on changes in State law as well as City circumstances, recommends several changes for the City Council’s consideration:
A
ffordable Housing Subcommittee – The current function of the Affordable Housing Subcommittee (AFS) is to review all development proposals that contain affordable units and to review and recommend the final form of an affordable housing agreement. Pursuant to the requirements of the Housing Accountability Act (Gov’t Code Sec. 65589.5) (“HAA”), a local agency shall not disapprove a housing development project, for Very Low, Low -, or Moderate- income households, or an emergency shelter, or condition approval in a manner that renders the housing development project infeasible for development of the affordable units unless certain findings can be made. With the passage of HAA, the significance of a review by the AFS is minimized. Additionally, the HAA limits the number of “hearings” an HAA-applicable project can be subject to; mandating a meeting before the AFS would reduce the number of possible Planning Commission and City Council hearings.
Staff would recommend the AFS be
utilized only when the development applicant is requesting financial consideration from the City for a development that contains affordable units.
R
esidential Building Permit Allocation System Technical Advisory Committee – In 1986, in response to perceived expansive residential growth in the community, Simi Valley voters approved a ballot measure that established a managed growth plan; the Residential Building Permit Allocation System. This System is designed to regulate the number of residential building permits available to the development community each year. The Committee was created to review modifications to the System and recommend changes as the System requires re- adoption by the voters. Generally, t he HAA and other state law prohibit the adoption or implementation of growth management programs that effectively limit the number of housing units that can be permitted.
Therefore, it is recommended this
Committee the eliminated.
A
rroyo Simi Committee – The Committee was established to oversee the development of the Visioning Study and the development of the Arroyo Simi Greenway Specific Plan. The Visioning Study was completed and adopted by the City Council in October 2007 and the Specific Plan was completed and adopted by the City Council in 2011 and most recently amended in June 2018. As the Specific Plan is adopted by the City, there are no other future issues or decision 3 points that would necessitate the Committee; all amendments would be considered by the City Council as a whole. Therefore, it is recommended this Committee be eliminated.
Simi Valley Community Task Force on Heroin Prevent ion – The Task Force was formed as a community-based effort to raise awareness of the issues surrounding substance abuse and to develop and move forward with a plan to combat drug use and its impacts in the community. Its primary goal was to develop a coordinated, community substance abuse prevention strategy and develop recommendations for immediate implementation. During the August 8, 2022, City Council meeting, then Mayor Pro Tem Litster requested an update on the status on the Task Force.
Staff has developed an analysis of the background, actions, results, and current status of the Task Force, attached on page 20. The last meeting of the Task Force was in 2017. Since that time, the entities involved in the Task Force have implemented the recommendations of the Task Force.
Additionally, with the recent increase in drug use, primarily Fentanyl, the State and the State legislature are becoming engaged with legislation to distribute Narcan to schools and other entities involved in preventing drug abuse and are stepping up a public outreach program. Additionally, it is anticipated that the Ventura County Sher iff’s Office will be launching a Fentanyl/Opioid Drug Task Force to deal with drug use and availability; Simi Valley Police Department will be participating. Lastly, the City is working with V.C. Behavioral Health to increase messaging and to ensure cohesive messaging is used by the City and the County. As such, the level of involvement in fighting drug abuse is substantially higher than when the Task Force was originally created and met. Staff recommends the City Council review the attached summary regarding the Task Force and decide whether to re-engage the Task Force.
Task Force on Homelessnes s – In 1999, the City Council approved the formation of the Task Force on Hom elessness. The Task Force was established to evaluate the issue of homelessness with a foc us on resource allocation and availability, clarific ation of r oles and responsibilities of the County, other public agencies and non-profit service providers, and to develop recommendations resulting from the evaluation to the City Council.
The City Council last m odified the role and structure of the Task Force in September 2017 in response to the community’s developing approach to the issue and to allow for ongoing community dialogue. At the August meeting, the Task Force on Homelessness discussed its name and possibly recommend a change to the City Council. While many government agencies and resources still use the word homeles s, the Task Force discussed that unhoused is a more accurate descriptor as many individuals ex periencing homelessness are doing so in the c ommunity they call hom e. At the November 10, 2022, meeting, by a 7-2 vote, the Task Force on Homelessness voted to recommend the name change to the Task Force for the Unhoused. Staff recommends the City Council consider the name change request by the Task Force.
4 The following alternatives are available to the City Council/Boards of Directors/Trustees:
1. Rev
iew the attached list of City Council Boards, Commissions, and Committees and consider appointment of City Council Member s/Special District Members/Trustees as desired;
2. Cons
ider the modifications to the five Boards, Commissions, and Committees discussed in this Staff Report and provide direction to staff;
3. Pr
ovide staff with further direction.
St
aff recommends Alternative Nos. 1 and 2.
SUGGESTED MOTION
I m
ove to appoint City Council Member s to Boards, Commissions, and Committees discussed by the City Council and approve the modifications to certain bodies as also discussed by the City Council.
SUMMARY
Th
e City Council/Board Members, on an annual basis, make desired changes to the attached listing of Board, Commission, and Committee assignments and to fill vacancies as necessary . Additionally, s taff has evaluated the list of Boards/Commissions/Committees and based on changes in State law as well as City circumstances, recommends several changes for the City Council’s consideration.
St
aff is recommending that the City Council /Boards review the listing of Boards, Commissions, and Committees, and make any desired changes in assignments as well as consider recommended changes to several bodies.
______
______________________________
Lucy Blanco
City Clerk
Pr
epared by: Lucy Blanco, City Clerk & Brian P. Gabler, City Manager INDEX Page
Atta
chment A – Boards, Commissions, and Committees List……………5 Attachment B – Memo regarding Task Force on Heroin Prevention ….20
BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES
POSITION/COMMITTEE APPOINTEE APPOINTED
Mayor Pro Tem Mike Judge Dec. 2022
Affordable Housing
Subcommittee
Mike Judge
Ruth Luevanos
Dec. 2011
Jan. 2022
Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA) Paratransit Advisory
Committee Liaison
Keith Mashburn Jan. 2021
Armed Forces Banner Advisory
Committee
Dee Dee Cavanaugh
Mike Judge
Dec. 2018
Dec. 2018
Arroyo Simi Committee Dee Dee Cavanaugh
Elaine Litster
Dec. 2016
Dec. 2019
Association of Water Agencies Keith L. Mashburn
City Staff (Alt.)
Dec. 2018
Dec. 2010
Clean Power Alliance Ruth Luevanos
Keith L Mashburn
(Alt. 1)
Deputy City Manager
(Alt. 2)
Dec. 2018
Dec. 2018
Economic Development
Collaborative of Ventura County
Dee Dee Cavanaugh
Asst. City Manager
(Alt.)
Dec. 2016
E-Government Committee Mike Judge
Dee Dee Cavanaugh
Dec. 2010
Dec. 2018
League of California Cities,
Channel Counties Division
Mike Judge
(Entire Council as
Alternates)
Dec. 2010
League of California Cities,
Voting Delegate
Keith L. Mashburn *
Dee Dee Cavanaugh
** (Alt.)
Aug. 2021
Aug. 2021
Murphy Estate Property Agency Keith L. Mashburn Dec. 2018 Neighborhood Council Joint
Councils Meeting Liaison
Keith L. Mashburn Dec. 2018
5 ATTACHMENT A
MEETING DATE &
TIME
two Mondays each
month
as determined
third Thursday,
quarterly -3:00 p.m.
as determined
as determined
first Thursday, bi-
monthly 3:00 p.m.
first Thursday, monthly
2:00 p.m.
third Thursday,
monthly 4:00 p.m.
as determined
quarterly - Friday
evenings
as determined prior to
League Annual
Conference
as determined
first Tuesday
POSITION/COMMITTEE APPOINTEE APPOINTED MEETING DATE &
TIME
Neighborhood Council Liaisons
(July 1, 2022 – Dec. 31, 2022)
(Rotate semi-annually)
N.C. No. 1
Elaine Litster
first Thursday after
first Tuesday
N.C. No. 2
Ruth Luevanos
second Tuesday
N.C. No. 3
Mike Judge
second Thursday after
first Tuesday
N.C. No. 4
Dee Dee Cavanaugh
third Tuesday
Regional Defense Partnership
for the 21st Century (RDP-21)
Keith L. Mashburn Dec. 2016 second Tuesday,
monthly
7:30 a.m.
Residential Building Permit
Allocation System Technical
Advisory Committee
Mike Judge
Dee Dee Cavanaugh
Dec. 2010
Dec. 2018
as determined
Simi Valley Arts Commission Keith L. Mashburn
Elaine Litster
Dec. 2018
Dec. 2019
third Wednesday,
quarterly 3:30 p.m.
Simi Valley Council On Aging
Liaison
Mike Judge
Elaine Litster (Alt.)
Dec. 2012
Dec. 2019
second Monday,
monthly 1:00 p.m.
Simi Valley Community Task
Force on Heroin Prevention
Mike Judge
Elaine Litster
Feb. 2012
Jan. 2021
as determined
Simi Valley Tourism Alliance Keith L. Mashburn Dec. 2016 as determined Southern California Association
of Governments (SCAG) –
General Assembly Voting
Representative
Ruth Luevanos
Keith L. Mashburn
(Alt.)
Jan. 2021
Jan. 2021
yearly - as notified
Task Force on Homelessness Mike Judge
Ruth Luevanos
Dec. 2012
Dec. 2018
as determined
Ventura Council of Governments
(VCOG)
Elaine P. Litster
Mike Judge (Alt.) **
Jan. 2022
Dec. 2019
second Thursday,
bi-monthly - 5:00 p.m.
Ventura County Animal
Services Commission
Dee Dee Cavanaugh
Elaine Litster (Alt.)
Dec. 2018
Dec. 2019
second Thursday,
quarterly
9:00 a.m.
Ventura County Regional
Energy Alliance (VCREA)
Mike Judge
Keith L. Mashburn
(Alt.)
March 2018
March 2018
third Thursday,
bi-monthly - 10:15 a.m.
6 POSITION/COMMITTEE APPOINTEE APPOINTED MEETING DATE & TIME
Ventura County Transportation
Commission (VCTC)
Mike Judge Dec. 2016 first Friday of each
month
Youth Council Liaison Keith L. Mashburn
Elaine Litster
Jan. 2022
Jan. 2021
first and third Tuesday,
monthly - 5:00 p.m.
VENTURA COUNTY WATERWORKS DISTRICT NO. 8:
Chair Keith L. Mashburn* Dec. 2018 City Council Meeting Vice-Chair Elaine Litster** Dec. 2021
SIMI VALLEY INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT
AUTHORITY:
Chair Keith L. Mashburn* Dec. 2018 City Council Meeting Vice-Chair Elaine Litster** Dec. 2021
SIMI VALLEY LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES:
President Keith L. Mashburn* Dec. 2018 City Council Meeting President Pro Tem Elaine Litster** Dec. 2021
SIMI VALLEY PUBLIC FACILITIES FINANCING
AUTHORITY:
Chair Keith L. Mashburn * Dec. 2018 City Council Meeting Vice-Chair Elaine Litster ** Dec. 2021
7 DESCRIPTION OF BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES
Committee Name: Affordable Housing Subcommittee
When Formed: Established by the City Council in April 1982.
Membership: Two City Council Members.
Function: Review affordable housing development proposals prior to the development being forwarded to the City Council for consideration. The review is intended to ensure all
affordable issues are addressed by the applicant. The
Subcommittee also negotiates and makes
recommendations on the final form of Affordable Housing Agreements with applicants and reviews other affordable housing program issues prior to consideration by the City Council.
Current Council Appointees: Mike Judge (Appointed Dec. 2011), Ruth Luevanos (Appointed Jan. 2022)
Meeting Date and Time: As determined.
Committee Name: Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Paratransit Advisory Committee (City Council Member Liaison)
When Formed: Formed in May 1993 with three members and two alternates; expanded to five members and two alternates in May 1995; added a City Council Member liaison in April
1997.
Membership: One City Council Member as a liaison; five Committee members; two alternate members; must be Simi Valley
resident; 18 years of age or older; disabled or live in a household with an individual who is disabled; or be actively associated with a public or private agency providing
services to the disabled.
Function: Provide ongoing public input to agencies providing public transportation for the disabled.
Current Council Appointees: Keith Mashburn (Appointed Jan. 2021) Meeting Date and Time: Third Thursday, quarterly - 3:00 p.m. 8 Committee Name: Armed Forces Banner Advisory Committee When Formed: Formed in August 2010
Membership: Two City Council Members and three community-at-large representatives.
Function: To assist the City with policy decisions related to future changes or modifications to the Armed Forces Banner
Program.
Current Council Appointees: Mike Judge (Appointed Dec. 2018), Dee Dee Cavanaugh (Appointed Dec. 2018)
Meeting Date and Time: As determined.
Committee Name: Arroyo Simi Committee
When Formed: February 27, 2006
Membership: Two City Council Members, two Planning Commission Members, two Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District
Board Members and Ventura County Board of Supervisor’s District 4 representative (or designee)
Function: Oversee consultant’s preparation of a visioning study to explore and analyze the full potential of the Arroyo Simi corridor.
Current Council Appointees: Dee Dee Cavanaugh (Appointed Dec. 2016), Elaine Litster (Appointed Dec. 2019)
Meeting Date and Time: As determined.
Committee Name: Association of Water Agencies
When Formed: 1976
Membership: Eighteen member board, including representatives of water agencies; citizen groups; business; and agriculture; and a City Council representative of each Ventura County city with a population of over 100,000.
Function: Non-profit organization formed to develop and encourage cooperation among water agencies, citizen groups,
business, and agriculture for the development, protection, conservation, and improvement of water resources in
Ventura County.
Current Council Appointees: Keith L. Mashburn (Appointed Dec. 2018), City Staff (Alt.) (Appointed Dec. 2010)
Meeting Date and Time: First Thursday, bi-monthly – 3:00 p.m. 9 Committee Name: Clean Power Alliance (formerly Los Angeles County Community Energy Choice (LACCE)
When Formed: Joined February 2018. (Entity certified by CA Public Utilities Commission November 13, 2017)
Membership: One Primary Director (City Council Member) to serve on the Clean Power Alliance Board of Directors and up to two
Alternate Directors (can be elected official, an appointee or city staff)
Function: Formed as a Community Choice Aggregation program that seeks to develop an electric supply portfolio with overall lower greenhouse gas emissions than Southern California Edison by offering various renewable energy options to its customers.
Current Council
Appointees:
Ruth Luevanos (Dec. 2018); Keith L. Mashburn, Alternate 1 (Dec. 2018); Deputy City Manager as Alternate 2 (May 2019) Meeting Date and Time: First Thursday – 2:00 p.m..
Committee Name: Economic Development Collaborative of Ventura County
When Formed: City Council approved conceptual proposal on December 11, 1995.
Membership: One representative from each City in the County, business representatives, and the County of Ventura.
Function: A regional public/private partnership formed with local government officials and private industry to develop and implement strategies for Countywide economic development.
Current Council
Appointees:
Dee Dee Cavanaugh (Appointed Dec. 2016), Assistant City Manager (Alt.)
Meeting Date and Time: Third Thursday - 4:00 p.m.
10 Committee Name: E-Government Committee
When Formed: December 11, 2006
Membership: Two City Council Members
Function: Provide direction and explore alternatives for improving public and customer services via computer applications and technology.
Current Council Appointees: Dee Dee Cavanaugh (Appointed Dec. 2018), Mike Judge (Appointed Dec. 2010)
Meeting Date and Time: As determined.
Committee Name: League of California Cities, Channel Counties Division When Formed: Established by the League of California Cities.
Membership: One City Council Member and an alternate from each city within the Channel Counties Division of the League of
California Cities are designated as voting representatives.
All others are members.
Function: Representatives bring issues of interest to the attention of the Executive Committee and Division membership.
Channel Counties Division includes cities within the
counties of Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo.
Current Council Appointees: Mike Judge (Appointed Dec. 2010) (Entire City Council as Alternates)
Meeting Date and Time: Quarterly, Friday evenings.
Committee Name: League of California Cities, Voting Delegate When Formed: December 1994
Membership: One designated representative and two alternates from each member City.
Function: City’s voting delegate for the League of California Cities Annual Conference.
Current Council Appointees: Keith Mashburn (Appointed Sept. 2021), Dee Dee (Alt.) (Appointed Sept. 2021),
Meeting Date and Time: As determined.
11 Committee Name:
Murphy Estate Property Agency
When Formed: July 1996
Membership: One City Council Member; one Board Member from Park District; one representative of the Patricia Murphy Estate.
Function: Joint powers authority formed to manage the resources from the disposition of property bequeathed to City of Simi Valley from Murphy Simi Valley Ranch.
Current Council Appointees: Keith L. Mashburn (Appointed Dec. 2018) Meeting Date and Time: As determined.
Committee Name: Neighborhood Council Joint Chairs Meeting Liaison When Formed: December 1974
Membership: The Mayor serves as a liaison to the Chair, Vice-Chair, and Secretary from each of the four Neighborhood Councils.
Function: The Mayor attends the Joint Chairs Meeting of the Neighborhood Council and acts as a liaison between the
City Council and the Joint Chairs.
Current Council Appointees: Keith Mashburn (Appointed Dec. 2018) Meeting Date and Time: First Tuesday of the month.
Committee Name:
Neighborhood Council Liaisons
When Formed: First meetings held in May 1971.
Membership: One City Council Member serves as a liaison to each Neighborhood Council. Liaison rotates among City Council Members each January 1 and July 1.
Function: City Council Members act as a liaison between the City Council and the Neighborhood Councils.
Current Council Appointees:
(effective July 2022)
N.C. No. 1 – Elaine Litster
N.C. No. 2 – Ruth Luevanos
N.C. No. 3 – Mike Judge
N.C. No. 4 – Dee Dee Cavanaugh
12 Meeting Date and Time: N.C. No. 1 – first Thursday after first Tuesday N.C. No. 2 – second Tuesday
N.C. No. 3 – second Thursday after first Tuesday
N.C. No. 4 – third Tuesday
Committee Name: Regional Defense Partnership for the 21st Century
When Formed:
Joined May 2013.
Membership: Elected and appointed officials from the County of Ventura and governments of Cities located in Ventura County,
Congressional Offices that represent Ventura County, and members of the public.
Function: This regional community group lobbies on issues in support of the Ventura County Naval Base, including the prevention of any proposed closure of the Base, prevention of actions with adverse impacts to the Base, and support for the
expanding activities located at the Base.
Current Council Appointees: Keith L. Mashburn (Appointed Dec. 2016) Meeting Date and Time: Second Tuesday of each month – 7:30 a.m.
Committee Name:
Residential Building Permit Allocation System
Technical Advisory Committee
When Formed: Established by the City Council in October 1986.
Membership: Two City Council Members; two Planning Commission Members; three members recommended by the Building
Industry Association (BIA) and appointed by the City
Council.
Function: Review and provide recommendations to the City Council regarding the Residential Building Permit Allocation System criteria and procedures.
Current Council Appointees: Mike Judge (Appointed Dec. 2010), Dee Dee Cavanaugh (Appointed Dec. 2018)
Meeting Date and Time: As determined.
13 Committee Name: Simi Valley Arts Commission
When Formed: 1997
Membership: Two City Council Members; one Simi Valley Cultural Arts Foundation member; four at-large members; one alternate.
Function: Oversee the operations and programming of the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center.
Current Council Appointees: Keith L. Mashburn (Appointed Dec. 2018), Elaine Litster (Appointed Dec. 2019)
Meeting Date and Time: Third Wednesday, quarterly - 3:30 p.m.
Committee Name:
Simi Valley Council On Aging Liaison
When Formed: January 1974
Membership: All Simi Valley senior citizens are members of the Council On Aging; the Mayor/Council appoints nine (9) members of the Council On Aging to serve as an Executive Board.
Function: The Council On Aging is advisory to the City Council regarding senior citizens programs and issues. The City Council selects a City Council Member as a liaison to the Council On Aging and the Executive Board.
Current Council Appointees: Mike Judge (Appointed Dec. 2012), Elaine Litster (Alt.) (Appointed Dec. 2019)
Meeting Date and Time: Second Monday of each month - 1:00 p.m. 14 Committee Name: Simi Valley Community Task Force on Heroin Prevention
When Formed: February 2012
Membership: Two City Council Members; two representatives from the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District Board of
Directors; two representatives from the Simi Valley Unified School District Board of Education; two representatives from Not One More, two representatives from the Faith
Based community, and one representative from the
Chamber of Commerce.
Function: Develop a coordinated, comprehensive community plan and recommendations to prevent heroin use in Simi Valley.
Current Council Appointees: Mike Judge (Appointed February 2012); Elaine Litster (Appointed Jan. 2021)
Meeting Date and Time: As determined.
Committee Name:
Simi Valley Tourism Alliance (SVTA)
When Formed: June 2014
Membership: One representative each from the five Simi Valley hotels in the Simi Valley Tourism Marketing District; one City Council Member or staff designee; one Simi Valley Chamber of
Commerce representative; and two at -large
representatives.
Function: The Simi Valley Tourism Alliance an advisory committee supporting the Simi Valley Tourism Marketing District. The SVTA is responsible for developing and approving
marketing, promotional activities, and the program budget for the Simi Valley Tourism Marketing District.
Current Council Appointees: Keith L. Mashburn (Appointed Dec. 2016) Meeting Date and Time: As determined.
15 Committee Name: Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) General Assembly - Voting Representative
When Formed: SCAG was formed in the late 1950's. The SCAG General Assembly is required under SCAG By-laws.
Membership: All member agencies (cities and counties) may appoint two voting representative to the SCAG General Assembly.
Function: Annually a SCAG General Assembly session is held to review the SCAG budget and membership dues.
Current Council Appointees: Ruth Luevanos (Appointed Jan. 20201, Keith L. Mashburn (Alt.) (Appointed Jan. 2021) (for 2021 General Assembly Conference)
Meeting Date and Time: Yearly - as notified.
Committee Name: Task Force on Homelessness
When Formed: Established by the City Council in January 1999; membership restructured in September 2017.
Membership: Thirteen total members. Two City Council Members as Co- Chairs; one representative from each of the following: Area Housing Authority, County Health Care Agency, County
Human Services Agency, County Board of Supervisors
District 4 representative, Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District, Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce, Simi Valley
Unified School District, and a State Senate or Assembly representative; and three representatives from local service provider organizations which have the ability to rotate as needs arise.
Function: Analyze and develop strategies to address the homeless problem in Simi Valley, identify agencies that provide
services to the homeless and clarify their role and
responsibilities in providing services to the homeless.
Current Council Appointees: Mike Judge (Appointed Dec. 2012), Ruth Luevanos (Appointed Dec. 2018)
Meeting Date and Time: As determined.
16 Committee Name: Ventura Council of Governments (VCOG) When Formed: Formed as a result of a Joint Powers Agreement originally executed in November 1992.
Membership: One elected representative from each Ventura County City and one member of the Board of Supervisors.
Function: The stated purpose of VCOG is to provide a vehicle to engage in regional, cooperative and comprehensive
planning. In addition, VCOG will provide a regional
organization for the review of Federal and State projects, which involve the use of Federal and/or State funds in
various forms.
Current Council Appointees: Elaine Litster (Appointed Jan. 2022), Mike Judge (Alt.) (Appointed Dec. 2019)
Meeting Date and Time: Second Thursday, bi-monthly – 5:00 p.m.
Committee Name: Ventura County Animal Services Commission When Formed: The Commission was established by the County in April 1979.
Membership: One member of the Board of Supervisors and one City Council Member from each contracting City (all cities in the County except Thousand Oaks).
Function: Review all issues affecting animal regulation service delivery and recommend appropriate programs,
procedures, funding, and priorities.
Current Council Appointees: Dee Dee Cavanaugh (Appointed Dec. 2018); Elaine Litster (Alt.) (Appointed Dec. 2019)
Meeting Date and Time: Quarterly - as determined.
17 Committee Name: Ventura County Regional Energy Alliance When Formed: September 2003
Membership: Two City Council Members; one serving as Director and the other as Alternate Director on the Board.
Function: Formed for the purpose of establishing Ventura County, its communities, and neighboring regions as leaders in
developing and implementing sustainable energy initiatives and advancing the use of clean, efficient and renewable local resources.
Current Council Appointees: Mike Judge (Appointed Mar. 2018), Keith Mashburn (Alt.) (Appointed Mar. 2018)
Meeting Date and Time: Third Thursday, bi-monthly
Committee Name: Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) When Formed: Established in 1987 as the Local Transportation Authority for Ventura County.
Membership: Comprised of five Ventura County Board of Supervisor members, one member from each of the ten Cities, two
citizen representatives, and a Governor -appointed non - voting member.
Function: Responsibilities include allocating federal, state and local funds for transportation and related projects throughout the County.
Current Council Appointees: Mike Judge (Appointed Dec. 2016) Meeting Date and Time: First Friday of each month.
18 Committee Name: Youth Council Liaison
When Formed: Established by the City Council in December 1999.
Membership: Two City Council Members, two students each from Royal High School, Santa Susana High School, and Simi Valley
High School, one student from Apollo High School, one
student each from Hillside Middle School, Sinaloa Middle School and Valley View Middle School, 11 Community at
Large members and 3 alternate members.
Function: Liaison between City Council and Youth Council.
Current Council Appointees: Keith L. Mashburn (Appointed Jan. 2022); Elaine Litster (Appointed Jan. 2021)
Meeting Date and Time: First and Third Tuesday - 5:00 p.m. 19 CITY OF SIMI VALLEY MEMORANDUM
DATE: January 9, 2023
TO: City Council
FROM: Samantha Argabrite, Assistant City Manager
SUBJECT: TASK FORCE ON HEROIN PREVENTION UPDATE
During the August 8, City Council meetings, Mayor Pro Tem Litster requested an update on the status on the Task Force on Heroin Prevention. Background and statu s information is provided below.
In February 2012, the City of Simi Valley (City), Simi Valley Unified School District (SVUSD), and Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District (RSRPD) called for the three agencies to develop a focused, aggressive community action plan to help prevent the use of heroin in Simi Valley. The Task Force on Heroin Prevention (Task Force) was formed as a commun ity-based effort to raise awareness of the issues surrounding substance abuse and to develop and move forward with a plan to combat drug use and its impacts in the community. Its primary goal was to develop a coordinated, community substance abuse prevention strategy and develop recommendations for immediate implementation.
The Task Force is comprised of two representatives each from the Simi Valley City Council, the Simi Valley Unified School District Board of Education, the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District Board of Directors, the non-profit organization Not One More, the faith community and one representative from the Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce.
The Task Force met between April 10, 2012 and January 26, 2017 . Over the course of the six meetings held in 2012, the Task Force developed a comprehensive plan inclusive of strategies to stem the use of heroin in Simi Valley. These recommended strategies were presented to, and reviewed by, Task Force representatives from the City, SVUSD, and the RSRPD and presented in a staff report and Summary Report that are available on the Task Force webpage, ( https://www.simivalley.org/departments/police- department/services/task-force-on-heroin-prevention). The Summary Report is attached for your reference.
As a result of the Task Force’s work, for a time, each of the entities maintained a dedicated section on their website extolling the evils of drug use. The City and SVUSD still maintain their pages. RSRPD recently updated their website and the information is no longer included. The Task Force ’s webpage is available on the City’s website at https://www.simivalley.org/departments/police-department/services/task-force-on- heroin-prevention.
ATTACHMENT B
20 In the section of the Summary Report entitled “The Future”, the Task Force concluded with a recommendation for the involved entities to monitor the progress of the implementation of the strategies and continue to work toward meeting the goal of “Not One More” person affected by drug use. A chart with tasks assigned to the City and taken since the conclusion of the Task Force meetings is attached.
The last meeting of the Task Force was in 2017. Since that time, a meeting of the Task Force has not been requested and due to the lapse of time since the last meeting, new representatives from each agency would need to be requested from the participating agencies before a meeting could be conducted.
Since the Task Force has not met, minutes are not available from the last meeting , however a summary of the actions taken during the last meeting in 2017 are provided below.
Public comments were received;
Elaine Freeman of the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District was selected as the Vice Chair;
The minutes from the previous meeting in 2015 were received; A presentation from the Simi Valley Youth Council (Youth Council) was received regarding discussions at the Youth Summit regarding drug use; The Simi Valley Police Department provided an update that arrests fo r the possession of heroin were down, very few dealers operate in town, typically people get, and use, the drugs in the San Fernando Valley. As a result, at the time, it appeared that there were fewer heroin users in Simi Valley, and therefore difficult to identify the users and get them on a path to help. The Simi Valley Police Department has two detectives that serve on the Southwest Border Task Force to stem the flow of illegal drugs into the community. It was also reported that there was a steep decline in overdoses in the last few years; A presentation was made by the County of Ventura regar ding a s yringe replacement program and overdose rescue kits. At the time, they were seeking a location in Simi Valley for the replacement program. The Task Force members provided suggestions. Narcan is provided to those who participate in the syringe replacement program. The Task Force requested an update on the program at the next meeting;
The City Manager, SVUSD Superintendent and RSRPD District Manager provided updates. The Superintendent reported that SVUSD provides a voluntary drug testing program and at the time, 500 students were enrolled. Students are enrolled until parents unenroll them. RSRPD reported that as the largest employer of youth in town, they believe firmly in drug prevention; and
21 The Task Force discussed having meetings twice a year if there were topics to discuss, with the next meeting in six months if needed.
Since the last meeting of the Tas k Force, work to discourage opioid use and provide healthy alternatives has continued in Simi Valley, Ventura County, and across the state.
Beginning in August 2018, Simi Valley Police Officers were equipped with Naloxone and authorized to administer it in emergency situations. Naloxone is a medication that reverses the effects of opioid overdose , including Heroin, Morphine, Methadone, Oxycontin, Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, and Fentanyl. Police officers are frequently the first to arrive on the scene of an overdose and every second counts. The administration of Naloxone via nasal atomizer by law enforcement personnel has become standard in jurisdictions throughout California. Project Safer provided Simi Valley Police Department 65 two-dose Naloxone kits at no cost. The Naloxone kits are deployed in every patrol vehicle. Project Safer Educational Foundation is a non -profit organization established to provide quality education to reduce harms associated with the use of alcohol and other drugs.
Ventura County Behavioral Health is available to provide resources and support for those battling addiction and created www.Venturacountyresponds.org, a website dedicated to providing resources, information to prevent opioid overdoses in Ventura County. The website also offers users the ability to obtain an Overdose Rescue Kit with training on how to use Narcan and provides treatment center locations across the County, including in Simi Valley.
The County of Ventura created the County Opioid Abuse Suppression Taskforce (COAST) which received a grant to create a public facing dashboard to provide the community with important statistics regarding opioid drug use and other information. The dashboard created by COAST is available at https://www.coastventuracounty.org/ and shows that 49% of the overdoses occur in the 30 -44 age bracket. The County has al so set up a rescue kit and syringe replacement kit location in Simi Valley to increase the safety of needle use.
Not One More (notonemore.net), founded in Simi Valley, continues to be active and attends community events to encourage youth to avoid vaping, drugs, and alcohol, and to educate parents about the signs to look for in thei r child if they are be abusing substances. Not One More continues to be a resource for local families and families across the country.
SVUSD and RSRPD arguably have access to most children in the community, and therefore the messaging and programs they provide related to drug avoidance have a significant impact to Simi Valley youth.
SVUSD maintains multiple pages on its website that address crisis resources, drug abuse and prevention programs available to students in District schools. A page of Crisis Hotlines and Resources is available on its website to address a variety of issues that its students may be facing from drug abuse to suicide prevention at 22 https://www.simivalleyusd.org/localhotlines. SVUSD also has a webpage dedicat ed to drug abuse and prevention which addresses treatment hotlines, counseling services, the drug testing program offered by the District, and other programs related to substance abuse at https://www.simivalleyusd.org/substanceabuse. Finally, the District provides an overview of its Prevention and Intervention Programs (Tobacco Use Prevention Education – TUPE). Opportunities to support the curriculum have included Not One More, Friday Night Live, and Parent Reality Parties. Each school has the latitude to expand on the provided grade level curriculum and principals may coordinate additional speakers or events to support the messaging. SVUSD continues to offer the student voluntary drug testing program referenced above, which is still widely used.
RSRPD provides positive programming for youth of all ages and healthy alternative s to drug use. RSRPD has Teen Clubs at the three middle schools, a game center and arcade at Berylwood and is actively working on the build out of the new Activity Center on Guardian Street to provide more healthy activities for youth and a safe place for them to spend time. These activities are in addition to the youth programs and sports leagues that youth can participate in. Additionally, RSRPD begins providing positive activities , programming, and role models to many children in elementary school through the before and after school programs. Finally, they are the largest em ployer of youth in the community. As previously mentioned, for many years following the meetings of the Task Force, RSRPD maintained a section of its website for “Drugs Destroy” (https://www.rsrpd.org/staff/drugsdestroy.php) which included links to a number of websites and phone numbers for individuals seeking support. Following the upgrades to the District’s website in 2022, the information was removed.
The City provides the Youth Council and Youth Employment Service (YES) programs which serve thousands of youth annually. Each year, the Youth Council creates a work plan to determine its priorities during th e annual Youth Summit, attended by over 100 local high school students . Over the past few years, these attendees have prioritized mental health, bullying, and suicide prevention . The Youth Council recognized that if students’ mental health was suffering, or they weren’t coping with past traumas, they were more likely to abuse substances such as vapes, cigarettes, drugs or alcohol, and be at a higher risk for suicide. Therefore many of their activities have focused on bringing awareness to those issues, such as their Rock Painting Night . This year, the Youth Council identified “decrease substance use among teens” as one of their main focuses and this spring, the Youth Council will be cohosting a Wellness Expo with SVUSD’s TUPE program focusing on substance use prevention and other wellness areas. During last year’s term, the Youth Council they focused on Mental Health for their Youth Town Hall and May campaign and held a Bracelet Making night in cooperation with SVUSD’s TUPE program to bring attention to substance abuse prevention. The Simi Valley Youth Council continues to print the Teen Crisis Resource Numbers on the back of all middle and high school students’ ASB cards. In the 2019/2020 school year, the Youth Council added SAMSA’s Substance Abuse Helpline.
The YES Advisory Bo ard, comprised of volunteers from the business community, government sector, local schools and youth, prepares youth to interview for jobs and be 23 positive employees through Interview Skills Workshops at the local high schools and an annual Job Expo in the spring and an annual Volunteer Fair in the fall. The YES Coordinator hosts one on one meetings with local youth to provide job referrals, interview coaching and resume assistance. The individuals involved are committed to not on ly preparing the future workforce but ensuring that Simi Valley youth are provided with tools to make healthy choices to ensure their success.
The Simi Valley Police Department maintains a strong community outreach campaign targeted to children and young people, such as the Not So Strange Drive Through/Trunk or Treat event to engage with youth. The Simi Valley Police Department offers a number of resources for youth and parents alike, including Parent Project classes for parents raising difficult children and the Simi Valley Police Explorers who volunteer to serve at a variety of community events. Two School Resource Officers serve on the local school campuses and are able to build relationships with students, and introduce law enforcement is a less threatening way, which is key to building trust.
Recognizing that different situations call for dif ferent tactics, the Department has Community Liaison Officers, a Vulnerable Population Detective who works with a Behavioral Health clinician and all Simi Valley Police Officers are certified in Crisis Intervention through Ventura County Behavioral Health.
Since the Task Force’s last meeting, the City has begun to actively utilize social media and other electronic forms of communication to meet the community where they are with information. In addition to its social media accounts, t he Police Department regularly utilizes Nixle, a direct communication tool for residents who have signed up for updat es from the Police Department. City staff also utilizes its social media accounts, SVTV, City Focus newsletter, press releases and website to distribute information on a wide variety of topics that are of general interest to the community, including substance abuse updates and resources as needed. Staff also periodically updates the Task Force on Heroin webpage on the City’s website to ensure Simi Valley residents are aware of the most current local, county and state resources available.
Young people who grow up in Simi Valley are provided with drug prevention education and a variety of options for healthy activities, from volunteering to sports to work, to keep them busy so drugs aren’t an appealing choice. Fortunately, the number of overdose deaths among youth people in Ventura County tend to bear this out.
However, upon review of the overdose statistics provided by the Ventura County Medical Examiner for 2019 through 2021 , attached, adults account for the highest number of overdose deaths.
In 2021, the highest number of Fentanyl overdose deaths were adults between the ages of 31 to 40 years old (45 deaths).
In 2020, the highest number of overdose deaths were adults between the ages of 31 to 40 years old, and of those, 24 involved Fentanyl.
24 In 2019, the highest number of overdose deaths were adults between the ages of 51 to 60 years old, and Fentanyl accounted for 33 deaths.
Deaths caused by F entanyl and the recent widely reported deaths among high school students across the state has recently drawn the attention of state Senator Dave Cortese from Santa Clara County. In November 2022, Senator Cortese announced he is planning to introduce legislation in the next session which would help prevent Fentanyl overdoses in young people. His plan would include providing Narcan to schools, adding F entanyl prevention groups to school site councils, and raising awareness about the impacts of Fentanyl. Staff will be watching for this bill in the new legislative session and on a related note, will bring forward the City’s Legislative Platform in early 2023.
While the Task Force has not been actively meeting, its commitment to creating a healthier community through a multi-organizational approach has not waned. The partners in the Task Force continue to provide community resources, education and support to the residents of Simi Valley in the fight against the opioid epidemic. Therefore, in consultation with the Interim Chief of the Simi Valley Police Department, reconstituting the Task Force on Heroin Prevention would duplicate existing efforts and supporting the regional approach provided by the County of Ventura is more effective.
Attachments
Simi Valley Task Force on Heroin Summary Report
Simi Valley Lead Agency Activity Update Chart
Medical Examiners Overdose Reports – 2019 through 2021
25 Simi VallelJ _ .. -.7
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26 TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION .... .... ..... . ... .......... ......... ... .. ..... . ... ..... , . .. .. ... . .. . . ................. 1 OVERVIEW OF THE PRESENTATIONS . ... ...................... .. .. . .. .. . .. ........... .... 2 RECOMMEND ATIONS .... " ................... .. ........................... ......................... 12 THE FUTURE ........ ~ . ~ .. No . .. . " • ~ ••• " • •. • ~ •••• .1, , •• ~ • II . • • • 't, , • . 1, I ! of, , .f' • + I It .. I • + IN ••• -" ••••• • ••••••• , . .... .. • 15 27 INTRODUCTION
In February 2012, the City of Simi Valley, Simi Valley Unified School District, and Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District called for the three agencies to develop a focused, aggressive community action plan to help prevent the use of heroin in Simi Valley. The Task Force on Heroin Prevention was formed as a community-based effort to raise awareness of the issues surrounding substance abuse and to develop and move forward with a plan to combat drug abuse and its impacts in the community. Its primary goal was to develop this coordinated, community substance abuse prevention strategy and develop recommendations for immediate implementation. With very strong and active community support, including hundreds who attended the February 13, 2012 City Council meeting, Simi Valley has demonstrated its commitment to doing everything possible to achieve the goal of "Not One More." The Task Force on Heroin Prevention is comprised of two representatives each from the Simi Valley City Council, the Simi Valley Unified School District Board of Education, the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District Board of Directors, and the non-profit organization Not One More, and one representative from the Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce. The Task Force held public meetings over the course of four months to hear community concerns, learn about available resources, and create strategies for combating drug abuse.
Representatives to the Task Force are listed below.
Member Appointing Entity
Mike Judge, City Council Member and Task City of Simi Valley Force Chair
Rob Collins, Clerk of the Board and Task Simi Valley Board of Education Force Vice Chair
Bob Huber, Mayor City of Simi Valley
Janice DiFatta, President Simi Valley Board of Education Kate O'Brien, Chair Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District Gene Hostetler, Director Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District Mike McCaffrey, Board Chair Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce Susan Klimusko Not One More
Pat Montoya Not One More
The Simi Valley Task Force on Heroin Prevention held its first meeting on April 10, 2012.
During this introductory meeting, the Task Force discussed its focus and mission and selected a chair and vice chair. In subsequent meetings the Task Force received presentations from the Simi Valley Unified School District, the Simi Valley Police Department, City of Simi Valley Community Services Department, the Ventura County Probation Agency, Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District , and Not One More . Public Comment was accepted at each of these meetings and the public was able to comment following the presentations and the Task Force's discussion.
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OVERVIEW OF THE PRESENTATIONS TO THE SIMI VALLEY TASK FORCE ON
HEROIN PREVENTION
Presentation by Cheri Toyen, Tobacco Use Prevention Education (TUPE)/Drug Prevention and Intervention Coordinator and Dan Houghton, Director of Secondary Education, Simi Valley Unified School District
The Simi Valley Unified School District (SVUSD) evaluated recommendations made by Not One More and has committed to include drug prevention and resource education in the monthly newsletters distributed to parents of students. The column will include such information as the Prescription Drop-Off Program, where parents can obtain drug testing kits, phone numbers for information and support, and referral information available on the Simi Valley Unified School District's website. School Resource Officers, parents, administrators, and teachers may write articles for the column.
The SVUSD will place calls to parents via their Parent Link system, including information on the anonymous narcotics tip line. In addition, the District will brainstorm ideas to obtain more participation in information nights and provide a variety of topics at those events.
The SVUSD partners with the Simi Valley Youth Council to provide contact information for a variety of resources on the back of student identification cards. Contact information has been provided for the following organizations: 9-1-1, the Childrens' Intensive Response Team (CIRT) Teen Crisis Hotline, the California Youth Crisis Hotline, 2-1-1 Helpline (Interface), Runaway Hotline, Action Family Counseling, Free Clinic, Crime Stoppers, Sierra Vista Urgent Care, and Teen Assistance and Resource Program (TARP). Referrals are also provided to Jewish Family Services, Voluntary Group Counseling at Apollo High School, the Parent Project, "We Tip", United Parents and Ventura County Behavioral Health. SVUSD is currently researching a real-time, anonymous reporting line and is targeting implementation for August 2012.
SVUSD is operating in a state of heightened awareness and has implemented additional training for its staff related to recognizing the signs of drug abuse. The Simi Valley Police Department (SVPD) has conducted training in symptom identification for District administrators who can then take the information back to individual school campuses. Police Department staff will also provide training on individual campuses if requested. SVUSD enforces a Zero Tolerance policy on its campuses and will follow-up on every reported suspicion or tip. As a result of this policy, appropriate action is taken to eliminate the possession, use or sale of, alcohol and other drugs on school grounds, at school events, or in any situation in which the school is responsible for the conduct and well being of students.
SVUSD ensures that each campus has appropriate supervision, including checking and escorting campus visitors, instituting frequent restroom checks, monitoring the fences surrounding the campuses to ensure that unauthorized visitors are not attempting to gain campus entry, and monitoring the students who return from off-campus lunch. 2 29
The SVUSD has policies in place at school sites regarding alcohol and other drugs. Staff is encouraged to get to know their students and become familiar with their behavior, so should there be a behavioral change, staff can recognize it, and provide referrals to the appropriate resources. Students caught with drugs are suspended from all school activities for a period of one year. Should the student commit to counseling and community service, and provides proof these requirements have been completed, the suspension period is reduced to a period of 60 days on a one time basis. SVUSD, along with SVPD, is committing to doubling the use of K- 9s to conduct campus searches in the 2012-13 school year, and will search all parking areas, including staff parking, and classrooms.
The District is working on a real-time anonymous reporting mechanism for students and parents in addition to the We Tip program to ensure that the information reaches the schools in a timely manner. Video classes will be filming public service announcements by students for students about the dangers of drug abuse, and the video of the Every 15 Minutes program will be made available to the lower grade levels. The District is in the process of creating a speakers bureau for each campus. Should a topic be scheduled to be covered in class, the teacher can contact the principal to request a speaker familiar with that topic.
The District has a variety of programs to reduce drug, alcohol, and tobacco use. Keepin' It Real (KIR) is presented to all 6th grade students in the classroom. It has been proven effective for reducing drug use, and establishing anti-drug attitudes and beliefs. The program teaches students how to say "no" to alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. It enhances life skills through providing lessons on decision-making, communication, and fostering drug resistant strategies.
There are 10 lessons and four videos, each by students and for students. Evaluation results of the program have shown that the program produced a significant effect in reducing gateway drug use (alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana), increasing attitudes that support; drug-free choices, and increasing resistance strategies useful in avoiding drug use. Historically, KlR was implemented at three middle schools and seven elementary schools and approximately 30 of the elementary school teachers were trained. For the 2011-12 school year, 18 of the 21 elementary schools implemented the KlR curriculum and additional elementary schools will receive training as soon as it is available.
Project Alert is a nationally recognized substance abuse prevention program for 7th and 8th grade students. The program gives students insight, understanding, and skills for resisting substance abuse and addresses tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, and inhalants. It is implemented at each middle school in the district and all 7th and 8th grade teachers have been trained. In 7th grade, students receive 11 lessons, including six videos on the following topics: marijuana, consequences of smoking and smoking cessation, alcohol (including consequences and alternatives), peer/social pressure, resisting internal and external pressures, inhalants, practicing resistance skills, influence from the media, and the benefits of not using drugs. In 8th grade, there are three booster lessons focused on the following topics: resisting drugs, frequently asked questions about cocaine and methamphetamines, what teenagers want to know about prescription drugs and cough medicine, practicing resisting external and internal pressures, and the benefits of resisting drugs. This program also incorporates parental interviews and interactions.
3 30
Project Toward No Drug Abuse (TND) is provided in 9th grade Health classes and focuses on three factors that predict tobacco, alcohol and other drug use, violence related behaviors, and other problem behaviors among youth. These factors include motivation (such as attitudes, beliefs, and desires); social skills, self control, and coping abilities; and decision making for positive behaviors.
The Brain: Understanding Neurobiology Through the Study of Addiction is a program developed through a partnership of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) and is a supplement to the curriculum of 10th grade Biology classes. It was created as a tool for school science teachers to make this subject area easier to teach and learn and is a supplement to alcohol, tobacco, and other drug abuse prevention tools.
The curriculum focuses on how drug abuse begins, the difference between abuse and addiction, and treatment.
Tobacco Free Generations is a comprehensive tobacco-use prevention and intervention program for pregnant and parenting teens. This program is provided at Apollo High School as part of the Minor Parent Program . It provides seven cross-curricular tobacco-specific lessons with strong language arts and visual arts links. The lessons emphasize the responsibility young parents must embrace for their own health and the health of their children.
Friday Night Live Mentoring is a youth development and substance abuse prevention program.
This program provides high school students with the opportunity to act as peer mentors. The program works to empower young people by giving them a voice in combating issues that are important to them and their respective communities. Currently, Royal High School students mentor students at Sinaloa and Hillside Middle Schools and Simi Valley High School students mentor students at Valley View Middle School. Middle school students who are identified as "at risk" are referred by school administrators, counselors, and/or teachers to be mentored by high school students in the program.
Smoking cessation groups, known as Tobacco Education Groups (TEG), are provided on school campuses through the Tobacco Use Prevention Education (TUPE) grant. TEG is used at the middle schools, and is an option for high schools, and is a practical, science based program that shows staff how to effectively deal with students who violate a school's tobacco policy. It is frequently used as an alternative to suspension. TEG is an eight session program that teaches the dangers and negative consequences of tobacco use. The program encourages teens to adopt healthier lifestyles, move toward quitting, and enroll in a voluntary cessation program, such as the Tobacco Awareness Program (TAP). TAP is provided weekly at each high school and less frequently at the middle school campuses.
Additional classroom curriculum is provided on the campuses related to healthy behaviors.
Curriculum in Health classes include information related to tobacco, alcohol, and drug use, while Physical Education curriculum addresses healthy living and the effects of drug and alcohol abuse.
The programs offered by SVUSD are evaluated in a variety of ways. The high school cessation groups are monitored by the TUPE Coordinator on a monthly basis. Keepin' It Real, 4 31
Project TND, Project Alert, Tobacco Free Generations, and "The Brain" are evaluated by the grant administrator, which is the Ventura County Office of Education. In addition, students in 7th, 9th , and 11 th grade participate in the California Healthy Kids Survey every two years. The most recent survey was conducted in November 2011. The data collected is reviewed by the Ventura County Office of Education and evaluated based on Simi Valley's previous results as well as the results throughout the County of Ventura.
SVUSD provides additional programs including Red Ribbon Week, which is focused on drug prevention; the Every 15 Minutes program in conjunction with the Simi Valley Police Department, which is focused on drinking and driving; Second Step, a program targeted to middle school students to encourage participants to avoid bullying, violence, and drugs. Safe School Ambassadors are high school students who have been identified as socially influential and taught nonviolent communication and intervention skills to stop bullying and violence among their peers. The Tobacco Bus is provided to 6th grade students in the fall and spring by Ventura County Behavioral Health; the SVUSD supports attendance at the annual Youth Summit, which provides youth the opportunity to discuss issues of concern and brainstorm solutions; Kick Butts Day is provided at the secondary school level to increase alcohol and tobacco awareness; and "Why Try" is an elective for middle school students which encourages them to fulfill their greatest potential. PTSA Health Fairs are provided to educate students about nutrition and health; Assemblies are presented to secondary level students at the beginning of each school year; Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) is a lunchtime club for students.
Additional resources are available on a daily basis for students and parents, such as the School Resource Officers, resources for parents on each school's website, and staff assigned to each school, including the Administrators, Counselors, Teachers, Campus Supervisors, Support Staff and the School Nurse. At Apollo High School, the principal, and counselors are trained in recognizing the signs and symptoms of drug abuse.
Students also have access to additional programs that address positive life choices, such as extra and co-curricular activities, National Honors Society, campus clubs, Agenda Book Chats, Renaissance Rallies, and leadership activities.
SVUSD takes a proactive role to address the health and safety of its students and encourages parents to meet with school counselors should they observe unusual behavior in students.
Counselors can provide resources to the parents, and can work with teachers to monitor those students throughout the day and provide additional support as needed. 5 32
Presentation on Resources and Programs, Simi Valley Police Department, Interim Chief Ron Chambers and Captain John McGinty
The Simi Valley Police Department administers and/or assists with a variety of programs available related to drug prevention, including the Parent Project, Prescription Drug Drop-Off Program, Every 15 Minutes, the Explorer Program, Citizens Academy, and the Community Crime Prevention Task Force.
The Police Department's Narcotics Enforcement includes the Patrol Division, Special Enforcement Section (including Street Level Narcotics Enforcement), and the Special Investigative Section (including Narcotics Detectives, and the Federal Narcotics Task Force).
During the period of August 20, 2011 through April 30, 2012, the Police Department made 73 heroin related arrests, 61 of which were between the ages 18 - 30. During this same time period, no heroin related arrests were made among subjects between the ages of 10 and 17 and no heroin related arrests were made on school campuses.
The demographic breakdown of heroin related arrests throughout Simi Valley from January 1, 2010 through March 21, 2012 was: 84.6% male and 15.4% female; 76.9% White, 17.2% Hispanic, 3.6% Black, and 2.4% classified as Other.
During the period of January 1, 2010 through March 21, 2012, the age demographics for heroin related arrests were:
Ages 11 - 15: 0%
Ages 16 - 18: 2.4%
Ages 19-20: 13.6%
Ages 21 - 25: 49.1 %
Ages 26- 30: 21.9%
Over the age of 30: 13%
The Police Department partners with the Simi Valley Unified School District to provide on campus enforcement, including K-9 Units, School Resource Officers, and Patrol Officers.
Moving forward, strategies to decrease heroin use in the community include the expanded presence of K-9s on campus; School In-Service Training; a Community Forum on drug abuse to include representatives from law enforcement, the media, community, and treatment programs; and the Drug Drop-off Program which is available 24 hours a day at the Simi Valley Police Station.
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Presentation on Resources and Programs, Debbie Solomon, Director, Community Services Department
The Simi Valley Conununity Services Department offers a variety of programs for youth, including the Teen Assistance and Resource Program, Youth Employment Service, Youth Services and Resources, Crossing Guards, Citizen Advisor, and Simi Valley Youth Council.
The Community Services Department offers resources and referral assistance, interagency collaboration, employment services, workshops/crisis intervention, and youth engagement.
The Teen Assistance and Resource Program provides resources and referrals, crisis intervention, and workshops directed to teens aged 12 - 17 and their families on communication, behavioral issues, skills training and empowerment.
The Youth Employment Service provides employment training for youth ages 13 - 22, one-on one job counseling, job search/referral, Entering the Workforce workshops for 13 and 14 year olds, interview skills workshops, and the Annual Job and Career Expo for youth ages 15 - 22.
The Department also provides youth services and resources, such as the Crossing Guard program, and the Youth Services Providers Meet and Greet. The Meet and Greet is a collaboration with the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District which provides information on the available resources, creates greater access to services, interagency networking and collaboration, with over 40 participating youth organizations.
The Citizen Advisor Program is a resource and referral service for adults, and provides resource dissemination with a directory of social services. The Citizen Advisor Program also manages the Task Force on Homelessness.
The Simi Valley Youth Council identifies community issues that impact teens and annually creates a Youth Council Work Plan to address those issues. The Council serves as a resource by partnering with the Simi Valley Unified School District to provide teen crisis phone numbers to be printed on the back of the high school identification cards, and they organize and host the annual Youth Leadership Summit which focuses on leadership development and civic engagement.
The 2012 Youth Council recommendations related to heroin abuse resulting from input received at the Annual Youth Leadership Summit are: an Every 15 Minutes-type program related to drug abuse, teen presenters, outside agency speakers, "Scared Straight" speakers, and a focus at the 9th grade level.
The Community Services Department can partner with the Task Force on Heroin Prevention to provide public service announcements on the Simi Valley Transit Bus Shelters.
Based on conununity input received by the Conununity Services Department over time, residents would like centralized information on youth resources, educational outreach on those 7 34
resources, increased access to services, and enhanced networking and collaboration among youth service providers.
Informational Presentation by the Ventura County Probation Agency Presented by Chief Deputy Probation Officer, Alan Hammerand and Probation Adult Services Officer, Pat Olivares
Of the clients on formal probation in Ventura County, 13,150 are adults (of which, approximately 8,000 are on Formal Probation for DUI and multiple DUI convictions) and 1,354 are juveniles. Of the clients on Formal Probation in East County, 634 are adults and 244 are juveniles.
There are four sentencing options for drug related crimes. Deferred Entry of Judgment (DEJ) is where the client is deferred from being further processed in the criminal justice system and the focus is on treatment. 1210 PC (Prop 36) is where the client has the option to participate by admitting to the charges against them, in which case, their conviction is set-aside for 36 months, and the focus is on treatment. Drug Court is utilized if the convicted is not eligible for any other program, and they can complete a one year residential treatment program. The last option is Standard Formal Probation.
Evidence Based practices are: Risk and Needs Assessments including the PROXY and Ohio Risk and Needs Assessment (ORAS-CST) tool. The Department focuses on high risk clients, and on case plans targeting criminal risk factors. The Department dedicates resources primarily to moderate and high-level risk offenders. The graduated responses that the Department employs include: Jail/Work Furlough, Community Work, Cognitive Restructuring Group, Residential Treatment, Out-Patient Treatment, random testing, Narcotics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous, and increased reporting. Jail is not the only option and is not always be the best deterrent to the abuse of drugs.
The Probation Department provided an overview of the process flow once someone has been arrested in Simi Valley.
Three programs are offered for juvenile offenders: the Recovery Classroom, Juvenile Drug Court, and Solutions Court. The Recovery Classroom is a collaboration between Ventura County Behavioral Health, Gateway School in Camarillo and Pacific High School in Ventura, offered to youth who have a dependency on substances. East County youth are eligible to participate in the program. Juvenile Drug Court is administered by Ventura County Behavioral Health with offenders required to see a judge weekly, bi-weekly or as directed. There is a no tolerance enforcement posture, and if an offender tests positive for substances, they are remanded to custody. Solutions Court is for offenders who are dependent on drugs but also have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder.
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Presentation of Programs and Resources Offered by the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District, by Larry Peterson, General Manager, Colleen Janssen, Marketing and Community Outreach Specialist, Doug Gale, Recreation Administrator, and Jerry DeRosa, Senior Park Ranger
Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District (RSRPD) offers healthy and safe alternatives to drug and alcohol use through programs, facilities, partnerships, employment, and volunteer opportunities. RSRPD partners with the City's Senior Center to provide programs to senior citizens. RSRPD partners with the City's Youth Council to provide a host location for the Annual Youth Leadership Summit at no cost to the Ctiy. RSRPD has partnered with the Simi Valley Unified School District (SVUSD) to perform site improvements and maintenance at a variety of sports fields. SVUSD assists with the maintenance costs and RSRPD conducts programming during after school hours. Partner locations include: Apollo High School, Berylwood Elementary School, Hillside Middle School, and the Rancho Simi Pool and Fields.
The City and RSRPD partner on a Meet and Greet Event to facilitate the exchange of information between youth service providers; RSRPD, the City and the Rotary Club partner to host the annual 4th of July Extravaganza; and RSRPD partners with the Kiwanis Club to provide the K-bus to transport senior citizens and Alternative Recreation participants to programs.
The RSRPD Volunteer Program has more than 700 volunteers, in addition to sports program coaches. 49% of those volunteers are teens between the ages of 12-18, 51 % are over the age of 18, and five of those 700 volunteers are over the age of 80. Volunteers work on a variety of tasks, including office/clerical work, special events, assistance with classes/programs, trail work, and the Alternative Recreation program. RSRPD can also accommodate group projects, and works with SVUSD, ARC, Pathpoint and Villa Esperanza, to provide volunteer opportunities for people with disabilities. RSRPD also provides volunteer opportunities to youth are participating in the Simi Valley Police Department's Diversion Program.
RSRPD will include an ad in the Volunteer Scoop newsletter, scheduled for distribution in June 2012 to 750 people and in the fall issue of the Reporter, scheduled for distribution in August 2012, with a distribution of 44,000, advising readers of the Task Force on Heroin Prevention and how they can get involved.
There are 41 parks on 450 acres in Simi Valley. There are equestrian facilities, basketball and tennis courts, golf courses, historical parks, passive, and natural parks. There are sports fields that are owned and/or maintained by RSRPD, including seven soccer fields, in addition to Berylwood Elementary School and Hillside Middle School, 20 softball fields, and 19 baseball fields. There are 4,500 acres of Open Space which provides opportunities for hiking, biking, horseback riding, nature watching, and more.
There are programs and activities for pre-teens, teens, adults, and seniors. The Early Age (pre-teen) programs include 10 preschools that serve over 200 youth. 300 "classes" and 2,300 youth participate per quarter in activities such as art, BMX, bowling, cheer, dance, fencing, gymnastics, ice skating, martial arts, skateboarding, soccer, swimming, surfmg, tennis, 9 36
theater, Triathalon training, youth instructional volleyball, grass volleyball, youth instructional basketball, and youth basketbaUleagues. There is also before and after school programming at eight elementary schools that serve over 700 youth.
The Teen programs include teen sports leagues that include approximately 180 participants in basketball and 50 participants in volleyball. There are dances and Battle of the Bands competitions which offers prizes at a drug and alcohol free concert venue. RSRPD offers excursions and a teen travel camp for the 2012 summer. Also offered are outdoor movies, movies at the Town Center mall, and a new summer program called FUSE offering movie and video gaming followed by a DJ Dance. There programs for middle school students at lunch and after school. Also available for middle school students are gaming nights, and Girls' Night Outs and Boys' Night Out overnight events, Club Anime, Jr. Guard (lifeguard) program, babysitting certification classes, summer sports camps, and aquatic programs, including swimming, springboard diving and water polo. RSRPD supports local youth sports organizations with both facilities and field use coordination.
RSRPD employs over 260 young adults between the ages of 16 and 24 in a variety of positions, such as the After School Care (ASC) Recreation Counselors and Summer Day Camp Counselors, Youth and Adult Sports league scorekeepers and referees, aquatic lifeguards, and special events. RSRPD considers itself the largest employer of youth in the City.
The RSRPD Park Rangers are tenured law enforcement professionals. They are Peace Officers who have the ability to cite, arrest, and educate park-goers. There are two full-time and nine part-time Rangers. The role of the Rangers is to promote the safe use of the facilities by all, enforce public safety and protect district property, respond to requests for assistance and additional coverage, interact with the Simi Valley Police Department and Ventura County Sheriffs Department, maintain visibility to deter crime, educate the public on the rules and regulations of the parks, issue warnings and citations when needed, call for back up when appropriate, and provide security at special events. Of the 22 interactions the Rangers had with the public regarding drugs during the period of May 2011 through May 2012, two of those were related to heroin.
RSRPD partners with the community, has many opportumtles for involvement, pledges its support to reduce drug abuse, and invites suggestions on how it can help on these important issues.
Presentation of the Mission and Resources Provided by Not One More (NOM), presented by Susan Klimusko and other NOM Members
Not One More presented a film depicting the dangers of drug abuse and personal accounts of addiction and its impacts on individuals and their families. Presenters discussed NOM's purpose, which is to educate families about the hazards of heroin and other drug abuse to guide children to take a path, which is free of devastation, incarceration and death; to help those who may be struggling with addiction; and to lift them to a place of recovery and peace. This purpose will only be accomplished by working in concert with city leaders, the media, social 10 37
networking sites, and other available resources. Members of NOM can be role models for others in the community to follow, as the community stands unIted to say "Not One More overdose, Not One More lost spirit, Not One More grieving heart." Not One More will be focusing on: fundraising; educating parents about drugs in the community, how they are used and their effects on users; providing a 2417 web-based resource center with information about drugs, recovery and where families can turn in times of crisis; helping to bridge the cost of rehabilitation and insurance coverage through scholarships and gifts; helping families navigate the insurance, rehabilitation and services maze that currently exists; providing an active grief outreach program, low or no cost intervention services; advocating for age appropriate drug education at all school levels; and actively working with the Task Force on Heroin Prevention to inspire change.
NOM helps find jobs for recovering addicts, hosts fundraising events, and raises awareness of heroin and other drug abuse in the community.
11 38
RECOMMENDATIONS
In July 2012, members of the Task Force began discussion of specific strategies to combat the abuse of heroin and other drugs in the community.
The following strategies comprise opportunities identified over the course of the Task Force meeting schedule. While some strategies represent successful programs that are currently in effect, many are the product of the outreach and resource gathering process undertaken by the Task Force. The strategies are presented in priority order based on the rankings assigned by Task Force members. Each ranking is out of a possible 5 points.
Strategy Responsible Agency·
Implement educational programs beginning with 6th grade All Agencies students through high school youth (4.625)
Develop middle school and high school peer support groups Simi Valley Unified School (4.5) District and City of Simi
Valley
Employ media targeted to youth (4.5) All Agencies
Invite organizations which provide resources to youth and Simi Valley Unified School families (such as the City, Police Department and Park District District) to participate during middle school and high school events such as back to school night, health fairs, college information nights, and other events to distribute information about activities and programs (4.375)
Provide drug and alcohol awareness classes for parents and All Agencies kids (4.375)
Disseminate information to the public on All Agencies
intervention/treatment programs (4.375)
Promote positive activities for youth (4.25) All Agencies Continue attempts to educate public via written materials and All Agencies social media. (4.125
Develop ability for anonymous reporting of drug possession, Simi Valley Police sales, or use (4) Department
Continue to develop web site information regarding drugs and All Agencies alcohol abuse (4)
Provide anti-drug education in 6th grade (perhaps the every 15 Simi Valley Police minutes program) (4) Department and Simi Valley
Unified School District
Develop list of rehabilitation centers, post on website (4) All Agencies Request local news outlets to run articles on the subject of All Agencies alcohol and drug abuse every four months (4)
Educate service providers on available resources (4) All Agencies Allow an increased number of event and activity flyers to be Simi Valley Unified School distributed by teachers in middle schools and high schools District during announcements (3.875)
12 I
39 Strategy Responsible Agency
Provide infonnation to detainees being released by SVPD and Simi Valley Police Ventura County Sheriff on where and how to get help (3.875) Department Educate Neighborhood Watch program participants about City of Simi Valley and Simi what to look for to detennine drug use and sales, how and Valley Police Department where to report, etc. (3.875)
Issue Public Service Announcements, i.e. bus shelters (3.875) All Agencies Coordinate with religious institutions to meet, develop ideas All Agencies and collaborate on solutions (3.75)
Conduct random K-9 Searches at schools (3.75) Simi Valley Police Department
Coordinate regional efforts (3.75) All Agencies
Hold community forums targeted to parents (3.5) All Agencies Place articles discouraging drug use and indicating where and All Agencies how to get help (3.5)
Mail educational flyers with water and cable bills (3 .5) City of Simi Valley Identify resources for parents and youth (3.5) All Agencies Limit drug availability, e. g. drop off programs (3.25) Simi Valley Police Department
Involve businesses by placing posters at their locations that All Agencies advise people about the places to go and people to talk to (3.125)
Maintain an on-campus presence and support, e.g. School Simi Valley Police Resource Officers (3.125) Department and Simi Valley
Unified School District
Increase the number of School Resource Officers by two (3) City of Simi Valley and Simi Valley Police Department
Create 12 step group on school campuses (3) Simi Valley Unified School District
Develop a survey to ask the cOl)1l11unity: are they aware of All Agencies drug use, the age of the user, do they reside in Simi Valley, do they know what to look for, do they know where to get help; do they have recommendations, etc. (2.75)
Implement diversion programs (2.75) Simi Valley Police
Department
In addition to the strategies provided above, the following strategies were identified and ranked by a majority of the Task Force members subsequent to the preparation of the preceding list.
Strategy Responsible Agency
Make sure parents see the details of events - death, arrests, All Agencies etc. (4.6)
Real people and fonner addicts speaking to school kids (i.e. Simi Valley Unified School youth to youth) (4.2) District
Education on the dangers of pill usage (4.2) All Agencies 13 40
Strategy Responsible Agency
Public Awareness - have parent/guardian sign drug forms in Simi Valley Unified School addition to students (4.2) District
Build peer pressure to keep students off drugs and tobacco (4) All Agencies More drug prevention education in schools (4) Simi Valley Unified School District
Additional treatment options through our local hospitals (e.g. All Agencies/Simi Valley NarcaniNaloxone which prevents or reverses the effects of Hospital opiodes) (3.6)
Distribute informational material to drug users (3.4) Simi Valley Police Department
Ride alongs for people working on their credentials to reach Simi Valley Police out to the people using drugs on the streets (3.4) Department Promote student groups to support anti-drug use (3.4) Simi Valley Unified School District
Introduce age appropriate prevention programs in schools Simi Valley Unified School starting at a younger age (K-6) so children learn how to say District no to drugs (3)
14 41
THE FUTURE
The Task Force on Heroin Prevention recognizes the impacts of heroin abuse on the community and is committed to addressing this problem. Throughout the four months that the Task Force met, its members were educated about the resources currently available to those who use heroin and to their families. While there are a number of programs available, the Task Force has confirmed that more can be done and has identified additional strategies to combat the abuse of heroin. These strategies will not only increase awareness of the problem, but also will serve to inform of the resources available to families before they are in a time of crisis.
The Task Force brought together a broad spectrum of community leaders who are committed to carrying out the strategies identified, as well as continuing to identify resources and programs that can assist with the furtherance of the Task Force's mission.
The Task Force recommends monitoring the progress of the implemented strategies and their impacts on heroin abuse in Simi Valley and that the responsible agencies continue to collaborate on an on-going basis to meet the goal of "Not One More" . 15 42
Strategies Identifying the City of Simi Valley as the Lead Agency Strategy Cost Implication Implementation
Considerations
2022 Update
Develop middle and
high school peer
support groups.
None. Members of the Youth
Council could be
engaged to work on
their individual
campuses.
Each high school offers a Wellness Club. For
example, the Simi Valley High School
Wellness Club is run by the Health Occupation
Students of America and is chaired by the
Youth Council Chair. The Club’s focus is on
addiction and healthy ways to handle stress.
Develop ability for
anonymous reporting
of drug possession,
sales, or use.
None. The We Tip program is
in place.
The We Tip Program is now Ventura County
Crime Stoppers and is still in place. This is
also in the process of being adopted in the
Simi Valley Unified School District. The Tip
Hotline is 1-800-222-TIPS (8477)
Provide anti-drug
education in 6th grade
(perhaps Every 15
Minutes program).
Could be
considerable. If
Police Officers host
one assembly per
school at the
elementary school
level, there are 21
elementary schools,
which would require
21 officer visits. This
does not include the
cost of materials or
the amount of time
required to generate
materials for the
presentations.
The Police
Department could
work with the School
District to identify age
appropriate education.
An Every 15 Minutes
program may be more
appropriate at the high
school level.
The Simi Valley Unified School District offers
drug prevention education through its
curriculum across grade levels. An overview
is available on SVUSD’s website at
https://www.simivalleyusd.org/substanceabuse
43 Strategies Identifying the City of Simi Valley as the Lead Agency Strategy Cost Implication Implementation
Considerations
2022 Update
Provide information to
detainees being
released by SVPD
and Ventura County
Sheriff on where and
how to get help.
Minimal. Cost of
materials.
The Police Department
books offenders
through the Ventura
County Sheriff’s
Department and could
provide informational
pamphlets to be
distributed to
detainees upon
release.
Information is available to offenders upon
release, however whether they take the
information or take action on it is individual
choice.
Educate
Neighborhood Watch
program participants
about what to look for
to determine drug use
and sales, how and
where to report, etc.
None. Staff could conduct
outreach to current
and new program
participants.
Neighborhood Watch groups, and members
of the Simi Valley community, are
encouraged to report suspicious behavior in
their neighborhoods and are notified if there
is an uptick in crime in their neighborhood.
Additionally, Neighborhood Watch members
are encouraged to sign up for Nixle updates.
Conduct random K-9
searches at schools.
No additional cost
over the current
budget.
Random K-9 searches
are currently
conducted; Simi Valley
Police Department is
working with the Simi
Valley Unified School
District to increase the
number of searches
during the 2012-13
School Year.
K-9 searches are conducted following
anonymous tips. The Police Department has
seen a significant decrease in items being
kept in lockers as students have transitioned
to keeping items on their person. Officers
tend to primarily find marijuana on students,
which is now an infraction.
44 Strategies Identifying the City of Simi Valley as the Lead Agency Strategy Cost Implication Implementation
Considerations
2022 Update
Mail educational
flyers with water and
cable bills.
Minimal cost
implications.
(Approximately $650)
The City’s Waterworks
District #8 serves
approximately 60% of
water customers
throughout the City;
the remaining portion
are served by Golden
State Water.
With the wide transition to social media and
electronic communications, the City shares
information via its social media pages, on its
website, SVTV channel and City Focus
Newsletter.
Limit drug availability
(e.g. drop off
programs).
None. The Prescription Drug
Drop-Off program is
available 24 hours per
day, 7 days per week
at the Simi Valley
Police Station and
support group
pamphlets are
positioned near the
drop-off.
The Drug Drop off program is no longer
available 24/7 at the Simi Valley Police
Department, however the department
partners with the Drug Enforcement Agency
to host drop off events at the Police Station.
Maintain on-campus
presence and
support, e.g. School
Resource Officers.
No additional cost
implication over the
current budget.
There are currently two
School Resource
Officers in place.
Two School Resource Officers continue to
maintain a presence at the Simi Valley
Schools and build relationships with students
in a positive environment.
Increase the number
of School Resource
Officers by two.
Estimated cost is
approximately
$171,550 per
additional Officer.
City Council might
choose to instruct staff
to consider this item
during future budget
cycles.
The number of School Resource Officers
was increased from two to three due to
SVUSD’s receipt of grant funds. However,
once the grant funds were exhausted, the
number of SROs was returned to two. The
City and School District continue discussions
regarding increasing the number of SROs on
campus and the associated cost.
45 Strategies Identifying the City of Simi Valley as the Lead Agency Strategy Cost Implication Implementation
Considerations
2022 Update
Implement diversion
programs.
None. The City and County
currently work with the
Ventura County
Superior Court to
identify the appropriate
candidates for
diversion.
This practice continues - The City and
County currently work with the Ventura
County Superior Court to identify the
appropriate candidates for diversion.
Distribute
informational material
to drug users.
Minimal. Cost of
materials.
The Police Department
books offenders
through the Ventura
County Sheriff’s
Department and could
provide informational
pamphlets to detainees
upon their release.
The Officers are familiar with the repeat
offenders in Simi Valley, and when they
encounter them during the course of their
duties on Patrol, Officers encourage users to
seek assistance and offer to connect them
with resources.
Ride Alongs for
people working on
their credentials to
reach out to the
people using drugs on
the streets.
None. Civilians interacting
with people under the
influence poses a
safety concern to the
civilian and Police
Officer. The Police
Department could
provide informational
pamphlets to be
distributed to detainees
upon their release by
the Ventura County
Sheriff’s Department.
All Simi Valley Police Officers are certified in
Crisis Intervention through Behavioral Health
and are trained to appropriately interact with
individuals who have substance abuse
and/or behavioral health issues.
46 Ventura County
Medical Examiner’s Office
3100 Foothill Road
Ventura, CA 93003-3099
Phone (805) 641-4400
FAX (805) 658-4598
Christopher R. Young, M.D.
Chief Medical Examiner
Othon J. Mena, M.D.
Assistant Chief Medical Examiner
Special Report: 2019 Fatal Overdoses
1,651 deaths were reported to the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office during calendar year 2019.
Jurisdiction was accepted for 826 of these deaths, requiring further investigation and certification.
Postmortem examinations were performed on 585 cases. Of the cases investigated, 149 deaths were due to medications, alcohol and or illicit drugs.
Of the 149 deaths, 128 were accidents, 17 were suicide and four deaths were undetermined. Of the overdose deaths, men accounted for 107 deaths (71.8%) and women accounted for 42 deaths (28.2%).
Multiple drugs or medications may be involved in one case; therefore, one should not add the numbers of individual substances. The same case may be represented multiple times by different drugs or drug categories. Deaths by city are based on the location of death which may not be the same location as where the overdose occurred.
Noteworthy trends:
1) Total overdose deaths between 2018 and 2019 decreased by 21. Compared to the previous year, accidental overdoses for 2019 decreased by 28 while suicidal overdoses increased by 4. 2) Except for overdoses involving ethanol, deaths from all drug types and categories decreased compared to 2018 (opioid, heroin, fentanyl, benzodiazepine, methamphetamine and cocaine). 3) The highest number of overdose deaths in 2019 were between ages 51 to 60 years (45 deaths) and the majority of these deaths involved methamphetamine (25 deaths). 149
128
64 85
General Drug Death Statistics
2019
Total OD
Accidental OD
single substance
mixed substance
* In 2019, four overdose deaths were ruled undetermined (accident versus suicide) 47 Ventura County
Medical Examiner’s Office
3100 Foothill Road
Ventura, CA 93003-3099
Phone (805) 641-4400
FAX (805) 658-4598
Christopher R. Young, M.D.
Chief Medical Examiner
Othon J. Mena, M.D.
Assistant Chief Medical Examiner
116
105
11 165
142
23 170
156
13 149
128
17 0
20 40
60 80
100
120
140
160
180
Total OD Deaths Accident OD Deaths Suicide OD Deaths
General Drug Death Statistics: 2016-2019
2016
2017
2018
2019
77 33 33
17 20
61 8
2 0
10 20
30 40
50 60
70 80
90Number of Deaths
Drug type
Accidental Overdose by Drug 2019
opioid
heroin
fentanyl
benzodiazepine
ethanol
methamphetamine
cocaine
fentanyl analog
48 Ventura County
Medical Examiner’s Office
3100 Foothill Road
Ventura, CA 93003-3099
Phone (805) 641-4400
FAX (805) 658-4598
Christopher R. Young, M.D.
Chief Medical Examiner
Othon J. Mena, M.D.
Assistant Chief Medical Examiner
55 20
8 20 18
33 12
92 37
22 34 31
50 7
96 40 35 40
16 78
9 77
33 33
17 20
61 8
0 20
40 60
80 100
120
Accidental Overdose by Drug: 2016-2019
2016 2017 2018 2019
1 8
19 22
27 45
21 5
1 1-17
18-24
25-30
31-40
41-50
51-60
61-70
71-80
81-90
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Death by Age (yrs)
Number of Deaths
2019 Drug Death By Age
49 Ventura County
Medical Examiner’s Office
3100 Foothill Road
Ventura, CA 93003-3099
Phone (805) 641-4400
FAX (805) 658-4598
Christopher R. Young, M.D.
Chief Medical Examiner
Othon J. Mena, M.D.
Assistant Chief Medical Examiner
45 38
18 14 13
5 4 3 3 1 1 1 1 1 1
0 5
10 15
20 25
30 35
40 45
50 2019 Fatal Overdose By Location of Death
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
1 to 17
18 to 24
25 to 30
31 to 40
41 to 50
51 to 60
61 to 70
71 to 80
81 to 90
Number of Deaths
Death by Age (yrs)
2019 Death By Age: Benzodiazepine, Fentanyl,
Methamphetamine, and Heroin
Heroin Benzodiazepine Fentanyl Methamphetamine
50 Ventura County
Medical Examiner’s Office
3100 Foothill Road
Ventura, CA 93003-3099
Phone (805) 641-4400
FAX (805) 658-4598
Christopher R. Young, M.D.
Chief Medical Examiner
Othon J. Mena, M.D.
Assistant Chief Medical Examiner
1 16
2 1
2 4
4 13
2 1
3 4
6 3
23 3
3 9
8 19
1 21
2 5
5 24
1 1
1 3
1 2
3 5
1 3
1 2
1 1
5 1
1 2
9 0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Camarillo
Oxnard
Port Hueneme
Santa Paula
Simi Valley
Thousand Oaks
Ventura
Accidental Fatal Overdose by City and Drug
* Only cities with higher numbers of deaths included
Ethanol
Cocaine
Benzodiazepine
Fentanyl Analog
Methamphetamine
Opioid
Fentanyl
Heroin
51 Ventura County
Medical Examiner’s Office
3100 Foothill Road
Ventura, CA 93003-3099
Phone (805) 641-4400
FAX (805) 658-4598
Christopher R. Young, M.D.
Chief Medical Examiner
Othon J. Mena, M.D.
Assistant Chief Medical Examiner
* Prescription drugs refers to medications commonly obtained through prescription; however, in some deaths, the prescription drugs may have been illicitly obtained.
21 23
77 7
Accidental Deaths: Illicit vs. Prescription Drug Deaths prescription combined illicit other
10 9
13 8
9 12
8 13
10 12 12 12
2 1
2 2
1 1 1
3 0
2 0
2 0
2 4
6 8
10 12
14 2019 Fatal Overdose by Month
Accident Suicide
52 Christopher R. Young, M.D.
Chief Medical Examiner
Othon J. Mena, M.D.
Assistant Chief Medical Examiner
3100 Foothill Road
Ventura, CA 93003-3099
Phone (805) 641-4400
FAX (805) 658-4598
February 24, 2021
Special Report: 2020 Fatal Overdoses
2,045 deaths were reported to the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office during calendar year 2020.
Jurisdiction was accepted for 1001 of these deaths, requiring further investigation and certification.
Postmortem examinations were performed on 706 cases. Of the cases investigated, 217 deaths were due to medications, alcohol and or illicit drugs.
Of the 217 deaths, 203 were accidents, 12 were suicides and two deaths were of undetermined manner.
Of the overdose deaths, men accounted for 151 deaths (70%) and women accounted for 66 deaths (30%).
Multiple drugs or medications may be involved in one case; therefore, one should not add the numbers of individual substances. The same case may be represented multiple times by different drugs or drug categories. Overdose by city reflects the location of injury (overdose). In some cases, the location of death is different than the city of injury because of transport to a medical facility prior to death.
Noteworthy trends:
1) Total overdose deaths between 2019 and 2020 increased by 68 (45.6% increase). Compared to the previous year, accidental overdoses for 2020 increased by 75 while suicidal overdoses decreased by 5.
2) Fentanyl and benzodiazepine deaths increased significantly in 2020 compared to 2019. Fentanyl contributed to 54 more deaths than the previous year. Benzodiazepines contributed to 34 more deaths than the previous year.
3) The highest number of overdose deaths in 2020 were between ages 31 to 40 years (49 deaths) and of these deaths, 24 involved fentanyl.
217
203
77 140
General Drug Death Statistics
2020
Total OD
Accidental OD
single substance
mixed substance
* In 2020, two overdose deaths were ruled undetermined (accident versus suicide) 53 Christopher R. Young, M.D.
Chief Medical Examiner
Othon J. Mena, M.D.
Assistant Chief Medical Examiner
3100 Foothill Road
Ventura, CA 93003-3099
Phone (805) 641-4400
FAX (805) 658-4598
116
105
11 165
142
23 170
156
13 149
128
17 217
203
12 0
50 100
150
200
250
Total OD Deaths Accident OD Deaths Suicide OD Deaths
General Drug Death Statistics: 2016-2020
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
137
30 87
51 37
79 16 10
0 20
40 60
80 100
120
140
160Number of Deaths
Drug type
Accidental Overdose by Drug 2020
opioid
heroin
fentanyl
benzodiazepine
ethanol
methamphetamine
cocaine
fentanyl analog
54 Christopher R. Young, M.D.
Chief Medical Examiner
Othon J. Mena, M.D.
Assistant Chief Medical Examiner
3100 Foothill Road
Ventura, CA 93003-3099
Phone (805) 641-4400
FAX (805) 658-4598
55 20
8 20 18
33 12
92 37
22 34 31
50 7
96 40
27 40
16 78
9 77
33 33
17 20
61 8
137
30 87
51 37
79 16
0 20
40 60
80 100
120
140
160
Accidental Overdose by Drug: 2016-2020
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
4 13
29 49
40 45
27 8
1 0-17
18-24
25-30
31-40
41-50
51-60
61-70
71-80
81-90
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Death by Age (yrs)
Number of Deaths
2020 Drug Death By Age
55 Christopher R. Young, M.D.
Chief Medical Examiner
Othon J. Mena, M.D.
Assistant Chief Medical Examiner
3100 Foothill Road
Ventura, CA 93003-3099
Phone (805) 641-4400
FAX (805) 658-4598
52 48
22 22
18 15
7 7 5 4 3 3 3 1 1 1 1 1 3
0 10
20 30
40 50
60 2020 Fatal Overdose By Location of Injury
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
1 to 17
18 to 24
25 to 30
31 to 40
41 to 50
51 to 60
61 to 70
71 to 80
81 to 90
Number of Deaths
Death by Age (yrs)
2020 Death By Age: Benzodiazepine, Fentanyl,
Methamphetamine, and Heroin
Heroin Benzodiazepine Fentanyl Methamphetamine
56 Christopher R. Young, M.D.
Chief Medical Examiner
Othon J. Mena, M.D.
Assistant Chief Medical Examiner
3100 Foothill Road
Ventura, CA 93003-3099
Phone (805) 641-4400
FAX (805) 658-4598
5 5
3 4
10 9
4 6
8 7
8 11
1 1
2 2
3 3
5 4
5 8
24 20
5 4
3 2
8 6
4 7
8 7
19 29
8 14
16 13
31 38
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Santa Paula
Camarillo
Thousand Oaks
Simi Valley
Ventura
Oxnard
Accidental Fatal Overdose by City of Injury and Drug
* Only cities with six highest numbers of overdoses included Opioid
Fentanyl
Heroin
Methamphetamine
Cocaine
Benzodiazepine
Ethanol
57 Christopher R. Young, M.D.
Chief Medical Examiner
Othon J. Mena, M.D.
Assistant Chief Medical Examiner
3100 Foothill Road
Ventura, CA 93003-3099
Phone (805) 641-4400
FAX (805) 658-4598
* Prescription drugs refers to medications commonly obtained through prescription; however, in some deaths, the prescription drugs may have been illicitly obtained.
26 10
41 116
7 3
Accidental Deaths: Illicit vs. Prescription Drug Deaths prescription prescription + ethanol combined illicit ethanol other 8 11 13
18 16
13 25
20 15
21 27
16 2 0 0 1 0 0
4 1 1 0 0
3 0
5 10
15 20
25 30
2020 Fatal Overdose by Month
Accident Suicide
58 Christopher R. Young, M.D.
Chief Medical Examiner
Othon J. Mena, M.D.
Assistant Chief Medical Examiner
3100 Foothill Road
Ventura, CA 93003-3099
Phone (805) 641-4400
FAX (805) 658-4598
March 10, 2021
Special Report: 2021 Fatal Overdoses
2,127 deaths were reported to the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office during calendar year 2021.
Jurisdiction was accepted for 1061 of these deaths, requiring further investigation and certification.
Postmortem examinations were performed on 785 cases. Of the cases investigated, 289 deaths were due to overdose with medications, alcohol and or illicit drugs.
Of the 289 deaths, 269 were accidents, 15 were suicides and five deaths were of undetermined manner.
Of these overdose deaths, men accounted for 215 deaths (74%) and women accounted for 74 deaths (26%).
Multiple drugs or medications may be involved in one case; therefore, one should not add the numbers of individual substances. The same case may be represented multiple times by different drugs or drug categories. Overdose by city reflects the location of injury (overdose). In some cases, the location of death is different than the city of injury because of transport to a medical facility prior to death.
Noteworthy trends:
1) The total number of overdoses in 2021 represent a 33% increase compared to 2020 and a 94% increase compared to 2019.
2) Fentanyl is largely responsible for the increased number of overdose deaths over the past two years. Methamphetamine related overdoses also increased significantly in 2021. 3) The highest number of overdose deaths in 2021 were between ages 51 to 60 years (65 deaths).
The highest number of fentanyl overdose deaths were between ages 31 to 40 (45 deaths).
289
269
113
176
General Drug Death Statistics
2021
Total OD
Accidental OD
single substance
mixed substance
* In 2021, five overdose deaths were ruled undetermined for manner 59 Christopher R. Young, M.D.
Chief Medical Examiner
Othon J. Mena, M.D.
Assistant Chief Medical Examiner
3100 Foothill Road
Ventura, CA 93003-3099
Phone (805) 641-4400
FAX (805) 658-4598
116 105
11 165
142
23 170 156
13 149
128
17 217 203
12 289
269
15 0
50 100
150
200
250
300
350
Total OD Deaths Accident OD Deaths Suicide OD Deaths
General Drug Death Statistics: 2016-2021
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
196
164
16 16
47 58
117
22 0
50 100
150
200
250Number of Deaths
Drug type
Accidental Overdoses by Drug 2021
opioid
fentanyl
fentanyl analog
heroin
benzodiazepines
ethanol
methamphetamine
cocaine
60 Christopher R. Young, M.D.
Chief Medical Examiner
Othon J. Mena, M.D.
Assistant Chief Medical Examiner
3100 Foothill Road
Ventura, CA 93003-3099
Phone (805) 641-4400
FAX (805) 658-4598
55 8 20 20 18
33 12
92 22
37 34 31
50 7
96 27 40 40
16 78
9 77
33 33
17 20
61 8
137
87 30
51 37
79 16
196
164
16 47 58
117
22 0
50 100
150
200
250
Accidental Overdoses by Drug: 2016-2021
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
3 23
29 62
59 65
40 7
1 0-17
18-24
25-30
31-40
41-50
51-60
61-70
71-80
81-90
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Death by Age (yrs)
Number of Deaths
2021 Drug Deaths By Age
61 Christopher R. Young, M.D.
Chief Medical Examiner
Othon J. Mena, M.D.
Assistant Chief Medical Examiner
3100 Foothill Road
Ventura, CA 93003-3099
Phone (805) 641-4400
FAX (805) 658-4598
82 80
40 27
15 10 7 5 5 4 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 2
0 10
20 30
40 50
60 70
80 90
2021 Fatal Overdoses By Location of Injury
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
1 to 17
18 to 24
25 to 30
31 to 40
41 to 50
51 to 60
61 to 70
71 to 80
81 to 90
Number of Deaths
Death by Age (yrs)
2021 Deaths By Age: Heroin, Benzodiazepine,
Fentanyl, and Methamphetamine
Heroin Benzodiazepine Fentanyl Methamphetamine
62 Christopher R. Young, M.D.
Chief Medical Examiner
Othon J. Mena, M.D.
Assistant Chief Medical Examiner
3100 Foothill Road
Ventura, CA 93003-3099
Phone (805) 641-4400
FAX (805) 658-4598
0 5
4 4
7 4
7 15
35 41
1 6
15 13
15 1
7 8
12 12
1 3
3 5
3 7
19 21
49 44
12 21
29 60
50 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Camarillo
Thousand Oaks
Simi Valley
Ventura
Oxnard
2021 Fatal Overdoses by City of Injury and Drug
* Only the five cities with the highest numbers of overdoses Opioid
Fentanyl
Heroin
Benzodiazepines
Ethanol
Methamphetamine
Cocaine
63 Christopher R. Young, M.D.
Chief Medical Examiner
Othon J. Mena, M.D.
Assistant Chief Medical Examiner
3100 Foothill Road
Ventura, CA 93003-3099
Phone (805) 641-4400
FAX (805) 658-4598
* Prescription drugs refers to medications commonly obtained through prescription; however, in some deaths, the prescription drugs may have been illicitly obtained.
18 10
178
54 9
2021 Accidental Deaths: Illicit vs. Prescription Drug Deaths prescription prescription + ethanol illicit combined ethanol only 20 12
22 29
18 26
21 27
21 22 22
29 1 0
3 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 0
0 5
10 15
20 25
30 35
2021 Fatal Overdoses by Month
Accident Suicide
64