The JJCC includes representatives from every major human service agency and private organization in the county. Though the Tehama County Probation Department is responsible for the success of the initiative, all of the activities are being coordinated through the JJCC to maximize resources.

The JJCC undertook a massive assessment of Tehama County youth, families, and human service systems. The assessments included:

1. Three surveys of the entire populace dealing with risk behaviors surrounding youth and their families
2. A youth behavioral risk factor survey through the Rocky Mountain Behavioral Science Institute
3. Focus groups with adolescents and human service workers
4. Several community forums
5. An interagency data match that tracked costs across agencies for children currently in out-of-home placements

These are some of the results of the assessment:

• 54% (ages 15 - 24) regularly smoke tobacco - over twice the national average
• 46% have no health insurance and/or receive MediCal
• 39% identified substance abuse as the number one problem in the county
• 33% of the 11th and 12th graders report that they smoke marijuana at least monthly - twice the national average
• 30% of the 11th and 12th graders admit to having used hallucinogens
• 29% of the adults have not received their high school diploma
• 29% of the families make less than $14,000 annually
• 25% said juvenile crime is the county's number one priority

• the average cost of a child in a higher-level out-of-home placement is over $5,400 monthly

These assessments provided the basis for the Local Action Plan that was the genesis for the System of Care program.