Life Enrichment Committee Meeting – May 12, 2026

The Life Enrichment Committee of the Oakland City Council met on May 12, 2026, at 4:11 p.m. to consider four agenda items and hear public comments. The committee approved staff recommendations on all items, forwarding them to the May 19, 2026 City Council meeting for consent.

Consent Calendar

• The draft minutes of the committee meetings on March 3, 2026 and April 21, 2026 were approved on a motion by Councilmember Guile, seconded by Councilmember Wong, with a vote of 4 ayes (Guyo, Wong, Chair Fife; Houston excused).
• A determination of schedule outstanding committee items was adopted as amended, removing item 3 (report on the city’s official newspapers) from the pending list without a date specific, and noting Councilmember Guile’s request for a future report on cannabis operations. The motion (by Councilmember Houston, seconded by Councilmember Guyo) passed 4 ayes.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Ms. Sada urged the committee to give more attention to seniors, persons with disabilities, foster youth, and victims of crime. He expressed concern about the lack of consistent leadership in the Human Services Department and asked for evidence that services for homelessness and Head Start are on task.
• Blair Beekman supported the Digital Lift MOU, noting the importance of teaching responsible internet use to seniors and young people to reduce fear. He also cautioned about the end of COVID-era funding and the need for sustainability.
• David Boatwright raised concerns about federal funding sustainability, questioned eligibility criteria that may prioritize non‑citizens, and argued that lawful residents should have first priority for city health services.
• Blair Beekman (on Zoom) reiterated support for the Cal AIM project and urged continued efforts to sustain social services as pandemic funding ends.
• During the OFCY evaluation item, Ms. Sada recommended incorporating life‑skills training (teamwork, anger management, critical thinking) and questioned how evaluations capture the experience of very young children.

Discussion Items

• Item 3 – Digital Lift MOU – Jesse Cutter (Human Services Department) presented a $67,500 one‑year agreement with Digital Lift to provide digital literacy training at Oakland Senior Centers (basic and beyond‑basic classes in English and Mandarin, each with 40 participants per cohort). Councilmember Houston asked about past completion rates; staff noted 98 unique learners in April 2025 but only 27 completed the series. The committee ensured post‑evaluation data would be collected. The item was forwarded to City Council on consent.
• Item 4 – Cal AIM Ready Oakland Project – Anna Bagtus (Human Services Manager) presented a resolution to accept a $1,351,113.75 grant from the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), requiring a 50% local match of $675,556.75 (already substantially met through existing staff). The project will establish enhanced care management and community supports for high‑need Medi‑Cal residents (seniors at risk of institutionalization, unhoused adults 25+, complex‑needs individuals). Staff emphasized that the infrastructure will position Oakland to eventually contract directly with managed care plans (e.g., Kaiser, Alameda Alliance) for sustainable per‑member reimbursement (~$400+/month/client). Councilmember Wong asked about coordination with Alameda County and expansion to other city departments; staff confirmed ongoing work with the county on data sharing and care coordination. The item was forwarded to City Council on consent.
• Item 5 – Oakland Fund for Children and Youth (OFCY) FY 24‑25 Evaluation – Robin Love and Katie Kramer (Bridging Group) presented the independent annual evaluation. Key data: $18.8 million funded 145 programs; 20,801 unduplicated children/youth served, of whom 93% were from priority populations; over 4 million hours of service provided (109% of projected); 126% of projected participants served. The evaluation introduced a results‑based accountability framework and leveraged 9,400 participant surveys (including 3,000 from OUSD). Outcomes showed positive gains in academic preparation, employment (1,400 youth placed in paid internships at $15/hour average wage), parent engagement, and belonging/safety. Councilmember Houston requested a list of District 7 funded organizations; staff agreed to provide it. Councilmember Guile asked about safety resources for youth and coordination with schools; staff noted deeper investments in place‑based safety and life‑skills programming in the upcoming grant cycle. The item was forwarded to City Council on consent.

Key Outcomes

• Votes: All four agenda items were approved unanimously (4‑0) and forwarded to the May 19, 2026 City Council meeting as consent items.
• Directives:
  • Councilmember Guile will work with policy staff to bring an informational report on cannabis operations to the Rules Committee.
  • Human Services staff will provide Councilmember Houston with a list of OFCY‑funded organizations in District 7.
  • Staff will continue to refine evaluation methods (including site visits, interactive activities for younger children) and track demographics of sub‑populations (foster youth, homeless youth, commercially sexually exploited youth).
• Sustainability planning: The Cal AIM project aims to transition from time‑limited grant funding to ongoing reimbursement from managed care plans, with certified Medi‑Cal provider status expected within months.