The Houston Health Department (HHD) requests City Council approve and authorize a First Amendment to an Agreement for Professional Services between the City and Social Justice Learning Institute (SJLI) for the City of Houston’s My Brother’s Keeper Initiative Program. This amendment will extend the term of the contract from December 30, 2018 to December 31, 2020. No additional funds will be added to this contract.
The need to extend the contract is due to phase one of the project, Assessment and Design, taking longer than anticipated. Phase one of the project encompasses the analysis of data related to the chosen schools’ programs and identification of their needs, which includes interviewing key Houston school district administrators, teachers, and staff.
SJLI will provide HHD with professional services in the development and implementation of a program to improve the educational outcomes of boys and young men of color (BYMOC) participating in Houston’s My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) initiative. HHD serves as the lead agency supporting MBK Houston. The initiative’s goal is to improve academic success, employment and safety from violent crime for BYMOC. MBK Houston works with HISD schools comprising the feeder patterns of Kashmere, Wheatley and Scarborough High Schools.
SJLI will provide extensive program development guidance and training support to accomplish program objectives and desired outcomes, which include the following:
- Improved academic competencies, self-efficacy, and college readiness
- Use of innovative practices to improve literacy among program participants
- Serve the socioemotional needs of boys and men of color
- Develop parent engagement activities
- Provide youth with training to become a community of leaders
- Support critical consciousness development in youth
- Developed program outcomes and evaluation metrics, identified through data collection
SJLI received $250,000 in match funding from the nonprofit organization All Ways Up to assist in the implementation of the Houston expansion. Therefore, HHD will receive a total of $500,000 in services from SJLI.
The national MBK initiative was launched in 2014 to address persistent opportunity gaps in employment, educational outcomes, career skills and to eliminate barriers preventing BYMOC from realizing their potential. Houston accepted the MBK Community Challenge as part of the local MBK initiative.
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Stephen L. Williams, M.Ed., M.P.A.
Director - Houston Health Department