Johanna Rasmussen, chair of the San Mateo County Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Commission, told the Board of Supervisors on Dec. 9 that the county’s system‑impacted youth are living with persistent, operational gaps — notably poor meal quality, limited mental‑health coverage and transportation and language barriers that reduce family visits.

“Sometimes it’s cold. The ovens don’t heat it right. Sometimes it’s burned… the kids are hungry,” Rasmussen said, describing meals that are prepared offsite, transported and reheated at the hall rather than cooked in a commercial kitchen on site.

Rasmussen, who said the commission inspects facilities and delivers volunteer programs such as a clothing program and a laptop initiative, said Juvenile Hall’s average population is about 25, with an average age of 16 and that 95% of the youth are youth of color. She urged the board to consider ongoing Measure K funding and to help the commission with staffing and program support.

Supervisors pressed for immediate fixes and more information. Supervisor Spear asked the commission to identify its highest priorities; Rasmussen said food quality was the top concern and urged restoring onsite food preparation if feasible. Supervisor Corso and others pressed for a study session at Juvenile Hall so the board could hear directly from youth and staff; the board agreed to arrange a January session and asked staff to prepare options, including a rough tabulation of commissioner support and gaps the commission has been covering out of pocket.

Board members also discussed other immediate needs the commission raised: delays in dental care and the shortage of mental‑health clinicians (the commission said there is only one full‑time clinician serving many youth), a lack of step‑down programs and transportation barriers because some transit routes no longer serve the facility. Commissioners and community members said fear of immigration enforcement keeps some parents from attending court and visits, increasing isolation and complicating rehabilitation.

Rasmussen described programs the commission has launched, including a countywide civic education program, a clothing program for court appearances, and a laptop initiative for youth preparing to attend college. She said many of the commission’s programs are self‑funded or supported by donations and requested that the board consider Measure K or other discretionary funds to avoid placing the funding burden on volunteer commissioners.

The board closed the discussion by asking staff to bring back a study‑session plan and to explore specific funding paths; supervisors who represent different districts signaled interest in directing discretionary Measure K funds to juvenile programming while the board considers longer‑term budget commitments. The commission will provide a list of key needs and cost estimates to inform the study session and future budget work.

The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Commission presentation opened at the board meeting and prompted extensive public comment and follow‑up discussion; the board took the matter under advisement and scheduled a January study session at the juvenile services facility to examine options and next steps.