HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 2510-5379D.Update on JED Foundation Implementation
City Schools Liaison Committee
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Lead Department: City Manager
Meeting Date: November 13, 2025
Report #:2510-5379
TITLE
Update on JED Foundation Implementation
RECOMMENDATION
This item is to briefly update the City Schools Liaison Committee on the first steps taken related
to implementation of the contract with the JED Foundation.
BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
The City Schools Liaison Committee recommended that the City Council approve and authorize
the City Manager or their designee to execute a contract with the JED Foundation to provide
technical assistance, evaluation, and support regarding youth and young adult mental health
programs for a term of two (2) years and a total not to exceed amount of $149,000.
The City Council approved this contract on September 29, 2025. The report and full contract
can be found online.1 For context, the Jed Foundation (JED) is a nonprofit devoted to emotional
health and suicide prevention for teens and young adults nationwide.
To keep the City Council, School Board of Trustees, and community updated on progress, staff
will bring these brief updates to the City Schools Liaison Committee as updates are available.
This first update is just sharing information about the project team and that the teams are
working together to progress this very important work.
Implementation Updates
Since the contract was approved, City staff held a kickoff call with the JED Foundation team.
The initial call included introductions, basic information about how the teams will work
together to progress the work, and clarification around project goals and initial conversations
around timing. The next steps include mapping stakeholder engagement and planned project
1 September 29, 2025 City Council Meeting, Item #12
Link: https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/Weblink/DocView.aspx?id=83610
milestones. The JED team is eager to work on this important topic in Palo Alto. The JED project
team includes the following individuals (with biographies also included here):
and real estate management and development industries. She holds a bachelor’s in
accounting from the City University of New York and is a certified public accountant in
New York.
The City‘s staff project team includes: Kojo Pierce (Wellness and Belonging Program Manager),
Kristen O‘Kane (Director of Community Services), and Chantal Cotton Gaines (Deputy City
Manager).
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
This information was included with the contract in the September 29th report to City Council
but also repeated here as context on the project funding. The total not-to-exceed amount for
this contract is $149,000, which includes $140,000 for services and $9,000 for travel for up to
six (6) visits. This contract funding will be split over two (2) fiscal years (FY) with $79,000 of the
services provided in FY 2026 and $70,000 in FY 2027. The FY 2026 Adopted Budget includes the
first-year contract costs in the General Fund Community Services Department budget for youth
mental health. Funding in FY 2027 is subject to City Council approval as part of the annual
budget process.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
The next steps in the project will involve stakeholder engagement. Staff is mapping out this
next step with JED based on the contract and JED’s engagement practices. At the next project
update to this Committee, staff should have more information on engagement conducted to-
date at that point.
APPROVED BY:
Ed Shikada, City Manager