City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: MARCH 17, 2021
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MARK B. JINKS, CITY MANAGER /s/
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Public Hearing for the Alexandria Children and Youth Master Plan 2025.
BODY
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ISSUE: Presentation of the Children and Youth Master Plan 2025 (CYMP 2025).
RECOMMENDATIONS: That City Council receive the attached Children and Youth Master Plan and set it for Alexandria School Board endorsement, public hearing and adoption on April 17, 2021.
BACKGROUND: The Children, Youth & Families Collaborative Commission developed the first Children and Youth Master Plan <https://www.alexandriava.gov/dchs/info/default.aspx?id=89653> as the basis for the coordination, alignment and delivery of effective services to all city children and youth from birth to 21 years-old and their families. Adopted by the Alexandria School Board on May 17, 2014 and subsequently by City Council on June 24, 2014, the outgoing plan established long-term, community-wide priorities for youth as well as the specific action steps necessary to realize those priorities. The goals of the plan were to ensure that all children and youth are healthy and safe, academically and vocationally prepared, and socially and civically connected. CYMP 2025 builds upon the original Plan’s foundation and progress while updating it for the future. This was accomplished through a collaborative effort whereby 2,100 community members, 88% of whom were youth, were engaged in hour-long workshops designed to craft a vision of where we want to go and how we are going to get there.
DISCUSSION: Strategies for CYMP 2025 were assessed by the CYFCC, middle school students, and key stakeholders to meet specific criteria:
1. Community Impact -the strategy must make the biggest impact on the lives of youth.
2. Feasibility -there must be enough resources and capacity to implement the strategy right now.
3. Community Values - the strategy must be consistent with our community values, meaning it must be equitable, trauma-informed, and builds assets.
The result of this effort maintains the original vision from 2014 - that all Alexandria’s children and youth thrive today and tomorrow. However, the 2025 CYMP version reflects the today’s views on effectively arriving at that vision. These are:
1. All children, youth, and families are physically safe and healthy
2. All children and youth are academically successful and career ready
3. All children, youth, and families have positive experiences
Within each of these goals are strategies for mitigating the harmful effects of traumatic events such as abuse and neglect, parental mental illness, substance use, divorce, incarceration, and intimate partner violence - also known as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) - and for building The 40 Developmental Assets® which are positive supports, relationships, and strengths that all young people need to succeed. In short, this Plan is all about decreasing ACEs and increasing assets.
FISCAL IMPACT: There are recommendations for actions that have fiscal implications within the Plan. Plans such as this are intended to be aspirational, and any additional resources articulated as needed by the Plan are subject to budget prioritization, as well as subsequent appropriation decision making by City Council.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. CYMP 2025 Plan
2. CYMP Presentation
STAFF:
Debra R. Collins, Deputy City Manager
Kate Garvey, Director, Department of Community and Human Services, (DCHS)
Stacey D. Hardy-Chandler, Director, Center for Children and Families, (DCHS)
Chelsea Eickert, Children and Youth Master Plan Coordinator, (DCHS)