CPOC leadership was front and center at the Capitol this month, testifying before lawmakers on two critical issues impacting probation and California’s broader justice system.

On February 26, Chief Vanessa Fuchs of Sonoma County Probation provided expert testimony at a joint hearing of the Senate Health Committee and Senate Public Safety Committee on the CalAIM Justice-Involved Initiative. Chief Fuchs highlighted the vital role probation plays in supporting individuals with complex behavioral health needs and emphasized the importance of ongoing collaboration between probation and counties, health plans, and justice partners to ensure successful implementation of CalAIM’s care model for justice-involved populations.

Earlier that week, CPOC President and Chief Probation Officer of San Joaquin County, Steve Jackson, testified at a joint informational hearing of the Senate Public Safety Committee and the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 5 on Corrections, Public Safety, Judiciary, Labor, and Transportation. The hearing focused on the implementation of Proposition 36, which expands opportunities for accountable treatment programs for individuals with substance use disorders.

Chief Jackson underscored the need to enhance resources for probation to effectively implement Prop 36, sharing a clear message with lawmakers:

“We can’t go back to over-incarceration without rehabilitation. And we can’t stay where we are—without that balance of accountability, people miss the structure and support needed to do the hard work of recovery,” he said. “Without additional support, California is left with only two costly alternatives: sending more people to prison or placing them in ineffective rehabilitative programs that lead to relapses and reoffending. Either way, the state will be spending money—so the real question isn’t whether to invest in Prop 36, but how to invest in it wisely.”

Probation Chiefs remain committed to partnering with policymakers in shaping policy solutions that improve community safety, promote rehabilitation and lead to sustainable safety in California communities.