Facebook Twitter
Governor's Office of Gang and Youth Violence Policy

Promoting Collaboration Among State Agencies

Project Description and Background

Until now, collaboration has not been required, nor has there been a mechanism for collaboration among state agencies, not even those with complementary missions.  As a result, OGYVP has adopted as its primary mission – consistent with the legislation that codified the office – bringing collaboration to the many state departments and agencies working to reduce gang and youth violence.

One of the first tasks of the Governor’s Office of Gang and Youth Violence Policy (OGYVP) was to create an “inventory” of state funding streams and programs that support youth crime prevention, intervention and suppression efforts at the local level.  To that end, OGYVP assembled a “working group” of high-level liaisons from state agencies and departments that have significant roles in efforts to reduce gang and youth violence.  This group’s assignment is to help OGYVP gather information about state policies, practices, and funding, identify mechanisms for collaboration and suggest ways in which state policy could be made more efficient and effective.

As the first substantive step in promoting collaboration, OGYVP identified all state offices that have a role in reducing gang and youth violence.  Through surveys and interviews, with the working group’s assistance, OGYVP produced the first-ever state inventory of funding streams and programs.  It obtained information from 17 state agencies and departments that provided local assistance (or administered programs) to reduce gang and youth violence, or had the capacity to do so, during state fiscal year 07/08.

The results revealed first that 14 offices in eight agencies or departments allocated approximately $1.5 billion to the local level (78 percent state funds and 22 percent federal funds) through 42 funding streams.  OGYVP also identified state funding streams that have substantial but largely untapped capacity to reduce violence: five offices in four departments or agencies that allocated approximately $600 million (77 percent state and 23 percent federal) through nine funding streams.  One of those departments – Caltrans – will be discussed below.  Finally, OGYVP identified 14 offices in nine departments or agencies that directly delivered services through 24 programs at an approximate cost of $83 million (80 percent state and 20 percent federal).

The inventory allows policymakers to understand the nature and scale of the state’s investment in strategies to reduce gang and youth violence, and the need to better manage this “portfolio” of programs.  The inventory can be used by state leaders and policymakers to identify areas of overlap and duplication and opportunities to better collaborate. It can help them streamline programs, create efficiencies and identify critical gaps in services. 

Next Steps

  • State departments and agencies have been asked to review the inventory of programs developed by OGYVP and to identify, within their own departments and across departments, opportunities to collaborate, streamline or consolidate programs to improve outcomes and reduce costs.  OGYVP, in cooperation with the Legislature, our departmental liaisons and independently, will identify the same opportunities and make recommendations to Governor Schwarzenegger.

  • OGYVP will next review funding streams within larger programs, such as Medi-Cal and Foster Care, to identify opportunities to better serve youth at risk for gangs and violence by coordinating, consolidating or streamlining programs.


Related Documents and Reports

     OGYVP Working Group to Improve Collaboration and Effectiveness