A Cuyahoga County Council committee on Nov. 5 voted to send Resolution 20250307 to the full council for second reading. The resolution authorizes an amendment to master contracts with various providers for the county's summer youth employment program, which serves low-income eligible youth aged 14 to 24, according to the resolution read at the meeting.

Marcos Cortez of Health and Human Services said the amendment extends contract time and adds funding; staff expect to issue a request for proposals for these services in 2026. Paul Ballas, deputy administrator for the Department of Job and Family Services, told the committee that for the current program year the department has award letters and funding in place and does not expect rescission of awarded dollars this year, though he warned that future funding levels could be affected by federal budget actions.

Providers described recruitment and application processes. Eric Dellenbeck of Youth Opportunities Unlimited said the YOU application goes live Feb. 1 and closes May 1; outreach includes flyers, school and library locations, community partners and social media. Lisa Evans of Verge Inc. described field outreach to out-of-school youth, QR-code application links and partnerships with community centers. Providers reported serving about 1,788 youth across Cuyahoga County in 2025 and planning for roughly 2,000 in 2026 across funding sources.

Committee members pressed staff on how many youth the contracts cover. County staff said the master contract contains slots for roughly 700 in-school youth and about 150'175 out-of-school youth under the county contract; providers said they typically overenroll to account for variable hours and no-shows. Officials explained that many slots are funded through Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), which requires either parenting status or being in a household with a minor to qualify; that requirement limits service to some older youth without dependents. Providers said they are seeking additional discretionary funding to serve more older youth who do not meet TANF criteria.

The committee voted by voice to move the contract amendment to the next full council meeting for second reading. The motion was made by President Miller and seconded by Councilman Jones; members present voted in favor.