[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 6309]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE WEST CONTRA COSTA YOUTH SERVICE 
                                 BUREAU

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. GEORGE MILLER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 28, 2014

  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the 
tremendous work of the West Contra Costa Youth Service Bureau as the 
agency celebrates 30 years of service to the children and families of 
my Congressional District. The Youth Services Bureau (YSB) began in 
1984 as a grass roots community movement focused on addressing the 
systemic causes of violence plaguing our West County neighborhoods at 
that time.
  Under the outstanding leadership of Ms. Taalia Hasan, the Bureau 
consolidated services independently offered by the West County Unified 
School District, the County Probation Department, municipal and county 
law enforcement agencies, and local community based organizations. By 
coordinating the efforts of these agencies, YSB developed an innovative 
``wraparound'' response system that has, since that time, been widely 
acclaimed as the most effective way to address the needs of children 
and families in crisis.
  Using the Best Practices Model, the Youth Services Bureau staff has, 
for 30 years, successfully supported children and their families in 
difficult situations by providing reliable case management, 
professional counseling, critical crisis intervention, and caregiver 
respite services. YSB has also developed innovative programs such as 
the Family Enhancement Collaborative--known as Kinship, the Early 
Periodic Screening and Diagnostic Testing Program (EPSDT)--and has 
collaborated with community initiatives such as Building Blocks for 
Kids to ensure children and families in West County grow and thrive. 
The Youth Services Bureau also works closely with local law enforcement 
agencies and the West Contra Costa Unified School District to enhance 
delinquency prevention efforts and promote academic achievement.
  Throughout the past 30 years, the Youth Service Bureau has been a 
constant guiding light in the West County community. I ask my 
colleagues to join with me today in recognizing work well done by 
Taalia Hasan and her dedicated staff and wish them many more years of 
success as they support our children, families and community.

                          ____________________