A new $400,000 grant will go toward strengthening a network of health, social and probation services for Marin residents ages 9 to 25.

The grant, from the California Accountable Communities for Health Initiative, is intended to bolster the work of what is known as the “Marin 9 to 25” initiative over the next 21/2 years, said Samantha Klein, administrative services director for the Marin County Probation Department, a lead agency in the effort.

“Marin 9 to 25 was formed to address the county’s youth physical and mental health challenges and associated substance abuse crisis,” Klein said. “We aim to expand access to care navigation and behavioral health services to all youth in Marin County.”

According to Klein, the number of case referrals to Marin’s juvenile probation department is up by 60% in the first quarter of this year.

“This speaks to the increasing crisis and needs in our community as we try to return to normality following the prolonged pandemic,” Klein said.

Probation department staffers “can often identify how earlier supports and interventions could have eliminated the need for law enforcement involvement,” she said.

“Probation is as much a social services agency as it is a law enforcement agency, especially when it comes to youth,” said Marlon Washington, the county’s chief probation officer.

The grant will help streamline operations and communications among more than 90 local organizations involved in the program. The groups include nonprofits, schools and county agencies and more than 75 youths who have been participating, according to Klein.

The main goal of the grant is for Marin 9 to 25 and the other entities to create a coordinated network called an “accountable community for health.”

“A youth-driven ‘accountable community for health’ is an innovative approach to promote and realize positive outcomes for youth,” Supervisor Stephanie Moulton-Peters said. “I’m proud that Marin 9 to 25 has been chosen to embrace this model to improve the health and well-being of all young people in Marin County.”

The Probation Department is providing technical assistance and fiscal services toward creating the coordinated plan for youth services. The department will act as the fiscal agent in the grant administration process.

The county also approved a contract with the Larkspur consulting firm BluePath Health to help set up the network so that it is compatible with state and local public funding.

Health screenings at San Rafael High School and Novato High School during the 2021-22 school year indicated that “chronic feelings of sadness or hopelessness are high,” Klein said.

“A total of 75% of youth screened expressed extreme hopelessness, with 28% exhibiting evidence of suicidal ideation,” Klein said. She said 78% of youths seeking services at San Rafael High School were Latino students.

“The behavioral and mental health crisis our youth face is manifesting itself in unprecedented levels of substance use,” said Klein, citing the California Healthy Kids Survey and drug MediCal data. “Youth of color in Marin County demonstrate health, emotional and financial challenges at far greater rates than those of their White peers.”

A small percentage of Marin youths are referred to county probation by law enforcement agencies. The youths tend to share a history of social and economic disadvantages, Klein said.

“On average, this is less than 3% of the Marin population under the age of 21,” she said.

Other benefits of the grant will include expanded scholarships to help youths who work with various agencies and assistance translating various program materials into Spanish.

In addition to the Probation Department, other contributing agencies in Marin include the Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Division of Marin County Department of Health and Human Services, the Board of Supervisors, the Multicultural Center of Marin, the Asian American Alliance of Marin and the Marin County Office of Education.

More information is at marin9to25.org.