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>> CASTILLO: GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. THE TIME IS NOW 2:04 ON THIS MONDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2023. THE COMMUNITY HEALTH COMMITTEE IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER. MADAM CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
QUORUM. >> CASTILLO: WE CAN MOVE ON TO ITEM 1, THE APPROVAL
OF THE MINUTES. >> MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE. >> SECOND.
>> CASTILLO: WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND. CAN WE GET A VOICE VOTE? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE. MOTION PASSES.
WE CAN NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM 2, OVERVIEW OF THE SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS CONTROL AND PREVENTION PROGRAM AT METRO HEALTH PRESENTED BY DR. KURIAN.
>> CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME? SO SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS ARE THE MOST COMMON INFECTIONS THAT WE ENCOUNTER NATIONWIDE AND THIS IS WHAT WE SEE IN OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL. SO ANNUALLY EVERY -- MORE THAN ABOUT 19 MILLION MEN AND WOMEN ARE AFFECTED BY STIS. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BRIEF YOU GUYS ON THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE AND ALSO GIVE SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF THE LOCAL BURDEN OF THE STIS. SO THIS IS TO ORIENT AS TO WHERE THIS PROGRAM SITS. METRO HEALTH IS HUGE. THIS IS ONE OF THE FIVE PROGRAMS THAT SIT WITHIN THE DIVISION WHICH IS UNDER MY PURVIEW.
AS YOU CAN SEE UP THERE, MAJORITY OF OUR STAFFING, SO WE HAVE 61 STAFF IN THIS PROGRAM AND ABOUT 72% OF THE STAFF AND THE OPERATIONS ARE GRANT-FUNDED IN THIS PROGRAM. THIS IS NOT UNIQUE TO JUST THIS PROGRAM.
MOST OF THE COMMUNICABLE DISEASE PROGRAMS ARE PRIMARILY GRANT-FUNDED.
WHAT YOU SEE UP THERE IS THE CONDITIONS FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS.
I KNOW IT IS HARD TO READ SO I HAVE PROVIDED THE HANDOUTS FOR YOU TO REFER TO.
SO EVERY STATE ACROSS THE NATION HAS A STATE-SPECIFIC LIST.
THIS IS THE LIST FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS. WE HAVE ABOUT 85 CONDITIONS THAT ARE ON THIS CONDITIONS LIST. FIVE OF THEM ARE SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS, HI HIV/AIDS AND THIS IS THE CORNERSTONE OF ALL OUR INFECTIOUS DISEASE SURVEILLANCE ACTIVITIES. PROVIDERS, HOSPITAL SYSTEMS, INFECTION CONTROL NURSES, SCHOOL NURSES, MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE, LABS, ANYONE WHO MAKES A DIAGNOSIS OF ANY ONE OF THESE CONDITIONS ON THAT LIST, THEY ARE REQUIRED BY THE STATE LAW TO REPORT IT TO THE LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT WHICH IS METRO HEALTH FOR BEXAR COUNTY. WITHIN THE REPORTING TIME FRAMES THAT ARE DESIGNATED UP THERE. WHAT YOU ALSO SEE IS THOSE REPORTING LINES THAT ARE INCLUDED, SO WE ASK THE PROVIDERS, HOSPITALS, ALL THESE REPORTING ENTITIES THAT I JUST LISTED TO USE THIS SECURE LINES TO CALL US OR FAX US THAT INFORMATION. THE INFORMATION THAT WE REQUEST ARE DEMOGRAPHICS, MEDICAL RECORDS, HISTORY, PHYSICAL, LABS, ET CETERA. ONCE WE GET ALL THIS INFORMATION THAT WE NEED, A PUBLIC HEALTH INVESTIGATION IS LAUNCHED INTO EACH OF THESE REPORTS. SO TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE WORKLOAD FOR THE COMMUNICABLE DISEASE DIVISION, THIS PROGRAM PER SE, EVERY YEAR WE GET ABOUT 45,000 TO 50,000 DISEASE REPORTS. AND MORE THAN HALF OF THOSE REPORTS ARE SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTION REPORTS.
SO THIS IS THE OVERVIEW OF THE STI PREVENTION CONTROL PROGRAM.
THE MAIN GOAL OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO CONTROL FOR THE SPREAD OF THESE SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY AND PREVENT NEW CASES FROM OCCURRING IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND THIS IS ACHIEVED COLLABORATIVELY BY THE WORK OF THESE THREE DISTINCT UNITS. THE FOLLOW-UP UNIT, OUTREACH, SERVICES UNIT AND THE CLINICAL SERVICES UNIT. I WANT TO PAUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE STAFF WHO ARE HERE. THESE ARE THE STAFF WHO WORK BEHIND THE SCENES. LET'S START WITH MIGUEL WHO IS PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR OF THIS PROGRAM. RON HENDERSON, PROGRAM MANAGER.
AND WE HAVE MR. JESSE, WHO IS THE SUPERVISOR, LEADS THE PUBLIC HEALTH FOLLOW-UP TEAM. OUTREACH SERVICES LED BY RENEE AND OUR CLINIC SUPERVISOR. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
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THEY HARDLY GET OUT OF THEIR CLINIC SETTING TO HAVE ANY SORT OF VISIBILITY ON THEM.SO THE NEXT FEW SLIDES YOU'LL SEE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF WHAT EACH OF THESE UNITS PERFORM. THE ACTIVITIES PERFORMED BY EACH OF THESE UNITS.
WHAT YOU SEE IS THE SCHEME OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH FOLLOW-UP TEAM ACTIVITIES.
ONCE WE RECEIVE THE CASE NOTIFICATIONS FROM THE PROVIDERS, THEN THIS IS THE TEAM THAT SPRINGS INTO ACTION TO INITIATE AND COMPLETE THE PUBLIC HEALTH INVESTIGATION. THIS TEAM IS COMPRISED PRIMARILY OF DIS, THE DISEASE INTERVENTION SPECIALISTS, OR CHANNEL WE REFER TO THEM AS THE DISEASE DETECTIVES. AND THEY CALL EACH OF THESE CASES AND DO A DETAILED INTERVIEW AND DEVELOP A RAPPORT WITH THESE PATIENTS TO ILLICIT THE SOURCE OF INFECTION AND ILLICIT INFORMATION ON ALL THE EXPOSURES THAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED. SOMETIMES, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THE INFORMATION THAT IS SHARED BY THE PATIENTS OR ASKED OF THE PATIENTS ARE VERY SENSITIVE IN NATURE. SO SOMETIMES WE GET THOSE EXPOSURES OR THE SOURCE OF INFECTION INFORMATION RELAYED BACK TO US. IF YOU DON'T, I SAY DIS ARE SO SKILLED IN WHAT THEY DO, THEY NOT JUST RELY ON PATIENT INFORMATION, BUT TECHNOLOGY. SOCIAL MEDIA, DATING APPS. THEY WORK WITH THE FUSION CENTERS TO ILLICIT THAT EXPOSURE INFORMATION. AND THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE NEED TO IDENTIFY ALL THE EXPOSURES TO PREVENT AND TREAT THEM AND TO PREVENT NEW CASES FROM OCCURRING. AND HERE I WANT TO TAKE A MINUTE TO ALSO HIGHLIGHT ONE OF THE CLINICAL PRACTICES THAT IS PRACTICED ONLY IN LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENTS CALLED EXPEDITED PARTNER THERAPY.
SO WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT WE CLINICIANS IN THIS PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE MEDICATIONS, PRESCRIPTIONS FOR MEDICATIONS TO THE TO THEIR SEXUAL PARTNERS.
SO THE IDEA IS TO EXPEDITIOUSLY TREAT THOSE SEXUAL PARTNERS WITHOUT HAVING THEM COME INTO OUR CLINIC OR RUN INTO THE RISK OF NOT BEING ABLE TO FOLLOW UP WITH THEM PROMPTLY. THE EBT IS AND MOST OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH, LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENTS ENGAGE IN THIS CLINICAL PRACTICE TO EXPEDITIOUSLY TREAT CASES OF CHLAMYDIA AND I DON'T GONORRHEA.
OUR MOBILE TEAM USES OUR 34-FEET-LONG BUS USED TO HOST 150 MOBILE EVENTS YEAR ROUND. WE PROVIDE ALL THE SERVICES ON OUR MOBILE UNITS THAT ARE PROVIDED IN OUR CLINIC. AND IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ACCESSING THE CALENDAR FOR THESE MOBILE EVENTS, THEY ARE UPDATED ON A WEEKLY BASIS AT OUR WEBSITE, POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE. PATHWAYS IS A TEAM OF TWO. IT'S A [INAUDIBLE] PROJECT, A FIVE-YEAR PROJECT THAT WAS IMPLEMENTED IN 2020 TO INCREASE HIV AND OTHER STI AWARENESS AMONG TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS. THEY USE A FULL WEEK-LONG EVIDENCE-BASED CURRICULUM TO EDUCATE THE TEENS WHO ARE ACTUALLY AT THE HIGHEST RISK OF DEVELOPING STIS. WHAT'S NEAT ABOUT THIS PROGRAM IS THEY JUST DON'T FOCUS ON STI OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE AWARENESS, THEY ALSO PROVIDE LINKAGES TO SERVICES THAT THEY MIGHT IDENTIFY. THEY PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WITH THE ADDICTION PROGRAMS, PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WITH ENROLLING SOME OF THESE FOLKS IN INSURANCE OR MEDICAID. THEY ALSO PROVIDE BUS PASSES FOR -- TO GET TO MOST OF THE DOCTORS' APPOINTMENTS. TO DATE WE'VE ENROLLED AND GRADUATED ABOUT 129.
AGAIN, NOT REALLY PROUD OF THE COMPLETION RATES. WE PROBABLY MIGHT ENROLL TWICE THAT NUMBER THAT YOU SEE UP THERE, BUT THAT IS A LOT OF FOLLOWING OUT OF THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE OF THE LENGTH OF THE PROGRAM ITSELF.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO CHANGE IN THE NEXT FUNDING CYCLE IF POSSIBLE. WE ALSO HAVE A LINKAGE AND -- TO CARE FOR HIV PROGRAM. AGAIN, THIS TEAM IS -- THEIR SOLE RESPONSIBILITY IS TO CONSTANTLY REVIEW CASES OF HIV THAT ARE NEW OR FALLEN OUT OF CARE AND LINK THEM TO THE HIV PROVIDERS, LIKE RYAN WHITE PROVIDERS. AND AGAIN, THIS IS NOT A MATTER OF CALLING THESE PATIENTS AND GIVING THEM RESOURCES.
THAT IS A WARM HANDOFF DOWN HERE. THEY COELOMES PROVIDERS,
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MAKE THESE APPOINTMENTS AND ALSO ASSIST THEM WITH TRANSPORTATION ISSUES IF THAT'S ONE OF THE BARRIERS KEEPING THEM FROM SEEKING CARE AND STAYING IN CARE.CLINICAL SERVICES. OUR CLINIC -- AND AGAIN, THIS PROGRAM IS LOCATE AT 512 EAST HIGHLAND BOULEVARD. WE SEE 65 TO 70 PATIENTS EVERY DAY.
NO APPOINTMENTS NEEDED IN OUR CLINICS. ONE THING THAT'S UNIQUE OF OUR STI CONTROL AND PREVENTION CLINIC IS THAT WE ALSO OFFER VACCINES.
NOTAL VACCINE CLINICS ACROSS THE STATE OFFER THIS SERVICE.
NEEDLESS TO SAY 100% OF OUR SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE ARE CONFIDENTIAL.
WE ALSO HAVE A PREP CLINIC WITHIN OUR CLINICAL SERVICES.
PREP IS PRE-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS WHICH IS ONE OF THE SAFE OPTIONS FOR PREVENTING HIV INFECTIONS. THIS WAS STARTED EARLY 2017, AND WHEN WE STARRED WE WERE ONE OF MAYBE SIX PREP PROVIDERS. TODAY WE ARE ONE OF MORE THAN 20. AND WE ARE ONE OF AT LEAST 20 PROVIDERS WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE HAVE A CAPACITY TO SEE 200 PATIENTS AND THIS IS ONE PROGRAM WE ALSO HAVE TELEHEALTH OPTIONS AVAILABLE.
AND THE STAFF DO SPEND A LOT OF TIME WITH THE UNINSURED, UNDER INSURED FOLKS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET ENROLLED, GET ASSISTANCE WITH THE DRUG ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
SO THEY ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE TREATMENT. SO WE ARE TRANSITIONING NOW INTO THE LOCAL BURDEN OF STIS. I DON'T HAVE TO SAY THIS, COVID-19 HAD DISRUPTED SEVERAL OF THE STI-RELATED CARE AND PREVENTION SERVICES WHICH HAS LED TO THIS EPIDEMIC OF STIS WE ARE DOCUMENTING NATIONWIDE, NOT JUST IN OUR COMMUNITY. WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS THE INCREASED NUMBER OF CASES OF CHLAMYDIA, GONORRHEA, SYPHILIS CASES AMONG NEWBORN.
COMPARED TO THE PRE-PANDEMIC YEAR, 2029. COMPARED TO 2029, WE ARE DOCUMENTING A 64% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF CASES OF CHLAMYDIA, 121% INCREASE IN NUMBER OF CASE OF GONORRHEA. 85 INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF CASES OF SYPHILIS.
AND 16% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF CASES OF SYPHILIS. WE DO HAVE A DEVASTATING AND OUT OF CONTROL STI EPIDEMIC ON OUR HANDS AT THIS TIME. HERE'S THE NUMBER OF CASES AND RATES OF SYPHILIS SINCE 2011. AGAIN, THE IDEA IS TO ILLUSTRATE THAT WE ARE SEEING A STEADY INCLINE SINCE 2019.
WHAT'S NOT SHOWN HERE IS THAT MORE THAN 75% OF THESE CASES ARE DOCUMENTED AMONG THE 15 TO 34-YEAR-OLDS. SO TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS. MEN HAVE RATES THAT ARE THREE TIMES HIGHER THAN WOMEN, AND AFRICAN AMERICANS HAVE DISPROPORTIONATELY HIGHER RATES THAN HISPANICS AND NON-HISPANIC. BENCHMARKING OUR SYPHILIS RATES TO THE STATE AND NATIONAL ESTIMATES, AGAIN, NOT PART OF THIS.
OUR RATES ARE ABOUT 1.8 TIMES HIGHER THAN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND I CAN'T SEE THAT, SORRY, ABOUT TWICE THE RATES -- TWICE THE NATIONAL ESTIMATES.
HERE'S THE CONGENITAL, THE STATE OF THE CONGENITAL SYPHILIS CASES IN OUR JURISDICTION. AGAIN, IT MIRRORS THE SAME TREND AS WE SEE FOR THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SYPHILIS, AND WHEN WE BENCHMARK IT AGAIN, IT'S THE SAME TREND. OUR ESTIMATES ARE MUCH, MUCH HIGHER THAN THE STATE AND THE NATIONAL ESTIMATES. SO IF EVER THERE WAS A TIME TO PRIORITIZE STI PREVENTION CARE SERVICES FOR MORE PEOPLE HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND ENHANCE OUR FIGHT AGAINST THE STI STIGMA, STI-RELATED STIGMA AND STIGMA ASSOCIATE WITH SEXUAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES, NOW IS THE TIME. I WANT TO END BY HIGHLIGHTING A COUPLE OF NOTEWORTHY INITIATIVES THAT WE ALREADY HAVE IN PLACE TO ADDRESS THIS EMERGING PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS OF CONGENITAL SYPHILIS.
THE FIRST IS THE HEALTHY BEATS PROGRAM. IT'S A -- IT'S A FUNDED PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES PRE-NATAL CASE MANAGEMENT. OUR TEAM ENROLLS PREGNANT WOMEN WE ENCOUNTER EITHER IN THE CLINIC OR FIELD OR ACCEPT [INAUDIBLE] INTO THIS PROGRAM AND THEY FOLLOW UP WITH THESE WOMEN UNTIL THE BABY IS BORN.
AND THE WHOLE IDEA IS TO ENSURE THAT PREGNANT WOMEN IN OUR COMMUNITY OR PREGNANT
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WOMEN ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM OR PREGNANT WOMEN WE ENCOUNTER DURING OUR SERVICES GET THOSE STATE MANDATED TEXAS SCREENING. THE TEXAS HEALTH AND SAVED CODE MANDATES ALL PREGNANT WOMEN RECEIVE SYPHILIS TESTING AT THE TIME OF THEIR FIRST PRE-NATAL CARE VISIT. THE SECOND ONE NO EARLIER THAN 28 WEEKS.AND THE THIRD ONE FOR HIGH-RISK PATIENTS WHO TEST POSITIVE EARLIER AT THE TIME OF DELIVERY. SO THIS TEAM FOLLOWS UP WITH THESE PREGNANT WOMEN, MAKES SURE THEY ARE CONNECTED WITH THE PRE-NATAL CARE PROVIDERS AND MAKE THAT YOU ARE SHE GET THE -- SURE THEY GET THE TREATMENTS. WE JUST DON'T FOCUS ON THE PRE-NATAL CARE ACCESS AND CONNECTIONS. THEY ALSO DO A WARM HANDOFF TO ANY SOCIAL SERVICE NEEDS THESE WOMEN MIGHT HAVE. THEY HELP WITH MEDICAID ENROLLMENT, WIC ENROLLMENT, REFER THEM TO HAVE HOUSING ASSISTANCE, DRUG PROGRAM AND WHAT'S COOL ABOUT THIS PROGRAM IS THAT THEY CELEBRATE EACH OF THESE PREGNANCIES WITH A BABY SHOWER. SO THEY GET A BIG BAG OF GOODIES, ESSENTIAL BABY CARE ITEMS AND ITEMS MOMS MAY NEED AT THE TIME -- POSTPARTUM PERIOD. THE SECOND ITEM STARTED JUST BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.
THE PANDEMIC DERAILED THE PROJECT. NOW IT'S BACK ON TRACK.
WE HAVE A BOARD THAT CONSISTS OF METRO HEALTH STAFF, SOCIAL SERVICES, SOCIAL WORKERS, COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS, OB-GYN, NEONATOLOGISTS.
WE ARE INCREASING ENROLLMENT INTO THIS CRB AND THIS CRB CONVENES ON A QUARTERLY BASIS TO REVIEW CASE SUMMARIES PREPARED BY THE METRO HEALTH TEAM TO IDENTIFY ANY MISSED OPPORTUNITIES FOR DISEASE INTERVENTIONS OR BARRIERS TO MEDICAL CARE MANAGEMENT THAT MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO CONGENITAL SYPHILIS.
THIS IS A STATE-FUNDED PROGRAM SO I AM WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE STATE TO FORMULATE A COMMUNITY ACTION BOARD. SO IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT REVIEWING CASES, BUT ALSO DEVELOPING AND IMMATERIAL IMPLEMENTING STRATEGIES.
WE HOPE TO HAVE THAT COMMUNITY ACTION BOARD DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED IN THE COMING MONTHS, BUT JUST WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW THAT METRO HEALTH IS NOT WAITING FOR THIS TO HAPPEN. WE ARE ALREADY ADDRESSING SOME OF THE GAPS WE'VE IDENTIFIED AS PART OF OUR REVIEW PROCESS OF THESE CONGENITAL SYPHILIS CASES.
THE MOST COMMON MISSED OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED IS LACK OF TIMELY TESTING OF THESE PREGNANT WOMEN. AND THIS IS PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF LACK OF ACCESS TO CARE. ESPECIALLY LACK OF ACCESS TO PRE-NATAL CARE HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO I'M A STRONG BELIEVER THAT IT'S A MYTH THAT WE CANNOT IMPROVE SYPHILIS DETECTIONS IN PREGNANT WOMEN JUST BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE REGULAR PRENATAL CARE. WE NEED TO EXPAND THE SYPHILIS TESTING TO NON-TRADITIONAL SETTINGS OUTSIDE OF OB-GYN OFFICES INTO PLACES LIKE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS, URGENT CARE CENTERS, PRIMARY CARE OFFICES BECAUSE WE KNOW WOMEN, PREGNANT WOMEN WHO DO NOT HAVE REGULAR PRE-NATAL CARE CAN AND WILL PRESENT IN ONE OF THESE EMERGENCY SETTINGS.
WE NEED TO MAKE USE OF EVERY ENCOUNTER THAT WE MIGHT HAVE AND USE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TEST. SO WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH BEXAR COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY THROUGH STRAC. WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO ED DOCS, URGENT CARE DOCS AND TO JAILS TO PROBABLY INCREASE TESTING OR AT LEAST TEST FOR SYPHILIS, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU SEE PREGNANT WOMEN COMING THROUGH YOUR SETTINGS.
SO THAT PRETTY MUCH -- LIKE I SAID EARLIER, THESE INFECTIONS WILL CONTINUE TO FORGE AHEAD FOR SEVERAL MORE YEARS IF WE DON'T AS A COMMUNITY MAKE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO MAKE A DENT IN THESE NUMBERS THAT WE ARE SEEING RIGHT NOW.
THAT PRETTY MUCH ENDS MY PRESENTATION. THOSE ARE THE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR CLINIC. LIKE I SAID, ALL OUR OPERATIONS ARE LOCATED AT THAT ONE LOCATION AND IT IS ACCESSIBLE BY VIA. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR ALL THE CONTINUED WORK THAT YOU DO TO PROVIDE CARE TO SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS.
LOOKING AT THE DATA, IT'S A HUGE TASK AND I'M GRATEFUL TO HEAR THAT YOU ALL ARE MOVING WITH URGENCY. AND WHILE THE COMMUNITY ACTION BOARD IS BEING
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DEVELOPED THAT THERE'S OTHER INITIATIVES YOU ARE EXPLORING AND MOVING FORWARD. WHERE THE INCREASED NUMBER AND ACCESS TO CARE, THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING WHAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND METRO HEALTH PROVIDE.DO WE KNOW -- ARE THESE CLINICS ACCESSIBLE TO FOLKS UNDER 18?
>> OUR SERVICES ARE FOR ANYBODY 13 AND OLDER BECAUSE STATE OF TEXAS HAS THAT -- WE DON'T NEED MINOR -- WHAT'S IT CALLED, CONSENT, ADULT CONSENT FOR MINORS IN
THE STATE OF TEXAS. >> CASTILLO: THAT'S HELPFUL TO KNOW BECAUSE THE QUESTION AND CONCERN I HAD IS THE STIGMA THAT COMES WITH GETTING TESTED AND THEN ALSO MINORS JUST NOT FEELING COMFORTABLE TALKING TO THEIR PARENTS ABOUT NEEDING TO GET ACCESS TO CARE. SO THAT'S HELPFUL TO KNOW THAT FOLKS 13 AND OLDER HAVE ACCESS TO THESE SERVICES. I KNOW YOU PROVIDED SOME DATA ON A BREAKDOWN OF HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS ARE IMPACTED WITH DIFFERENT STIS.
DO WE HAVE A A BREAKDOWN FOR THE AGES OF INDIVIDUALS GETTING CHECKED AND TESTING
POSITIVE? >> YES, WE DO AND I CAN PROVIDE THAT.
LIKE I SAID, MOST OF THESE -- MORE THAN 75% OF THESE CASES WE ARE DOCUMENTING IN THAT 15 TO 34-YEAR-OLD AGE GROUP. BUT I CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH THAT BREAKDOWN. YOU WANT TO KNOW THE AGE GROUP BREAKDOWN OF FOLKS WHO
ARE ACCESSING OUR SERVICES. >> CASTILLO: CORRECT. AND THEN WITH THE TRAVELING COMMUNICATION THAT YOU ALL HAVE, -- CLINICS THAT YOU ALL HAVE, ARE YOU SEEING SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE CITY UTILIZING THE SERVICES MORE THAN OTHERS AND SEEING THE POSITIVE RATES CORRELATE WITH THE USAGE OF THE CLINICS.
AND IF SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? >> I CAN PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION. BUT I CAN TELL YOU WE INTENTIONALLY PICK THE SITES WHERE WE HOST MOBILE EVENTS. SO WE KEEP -- WE MONITOR THE CASES THAT ARE WALKING INTO OUR CLINIC AND WE TRY TO, YOU KNOW, IF THE CASES ARE COMING MORE FROM A CERTAIN ZIP CODE, WE KNOWNO THERE'S A PROBLEM IN THAT PARTICULAR ZIP CODE AND HOST A MOBILE UNIT IN THAT PARTICULAR ZIP CODE TO HOPEFULLY MITIGATE THE PROBLEM THAT'S ONGOING.
SO I FORGOT THE SECOND PART OF YOUR QUESTION. >> CASTILLO: JUST IF THE -- THE DATA WHO IS USING IT AND WHICH ZIP CODES. THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF YOU COULD SEND OVER TO ME. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT HOW YOU HIGHLIGHTED WHAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM DO. IT'S NOT JUST CONNECTING FOLKS TO A TEST, IT'S PROVIDING A LINKAGE TO CARE AND OFFERING MEDICATION FOR AN INDIVIDUAL TO ISSUE TO THEIR PARTNER I THINK IS IMPACTFUL. SO I THINK IT'S VERY MUCH IMPORTANT WORK AND I SEE THE SLIDE WITH -- IT'S BETWEEN I BELIEVE FIVE AND SIX WHICH JUST GIVES OVERALL THE INCREASED AMOUNT OF -- THE STATE OF STDS IN BEXAR COUNTY. WHAT IS -- I GUESS MARKETING LOOK LIKE? ARE THERE FACEBOOK ADS WITH THIS DATA TOWARDS SPECIFIC AGE GROUPS? HOW ARE WE LETTING FOLKS KNOW THAT THERE ARE -- THERE'S A 64% INCREASE OF CHLAMYDIA AND 121 IN INCREASE FROM 2019 OF GONORRHEA?
>> ACCESS THIS INFORMATION, IT IS POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE. WE HAVE OUR STI REPORT THAT WE PREPARE AND POST IT ANNUALLY EVERY YEAR. SO IT'S UP ON OUR WEBSITE.
WE ALERT THE PROVIDERS, WE ALERT THE SCHOOLS, WE WORK WITH THE UNIVERSITIES.
AND PRIMARILY THE GOAL IS TO INCREASE AWARENESS. BECAUSE MOST OF THESE FOLKS DON'T KNOW THEY ARE AT RISK, THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE A STI OR WHAT THEIR RISK OF STI IS. BECAUSE THE STIGMA I WAS TALKING ABOUT EXISTS AT THE PROVIDER LEVEL, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WENT FOR A PHYSICAL EXAM AND YOUR PROVIDER ASKED ANYTHING ABOUT SEXUAL HEALTH, YOUR SEXUAL HEALTH.
THEY MAKE ASSUMPTIONS. YOU ARE MARRIED, PROBABLY IN A MONOGAMOUS RELATIONSHIP OR NOT AT RISK FOR STI. MAJORITY OF THESE ARE SYMPTOMATIC.
THESE MAY GO UNDETECTED AND THAT'S DANGEROUS BECAUSE, A, THE DISEASE WILL PROGRESS AND RESULT IN DEVASTATING HEALTH HAZARDS OR EFFECTS OR COMPLICATIONS.
NUMBER 2, YOU MAY UNKNOWINGLY SPREAD THE DISEASE.
>> CASTILLO: I THINK WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF METRO HEALTH CAN IS TARGETED ADS ON INSTAGRAM AND FACEBOOK WITH THE STATE OF STDS IN SAN ANTONIO.
I'VE SEEN DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS ADVERTISING ABOUT HOW MANY FOLKS APPLIED
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FOR HOME REHAB AND I THINK THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO PUT IN FRONT OF PEOPLE TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON IN BEXAR COUNTY. BUT I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP TO MY COLLEAGUES IF THEY HAVE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS. COUNCILMEMBER GAVITO.>> GAVITO: THANK YOU, CHAIR. I AGREE WITH YOU, THE MORE WE COULD PUSH AND BE OUT THERE WITH THIS. I THINK SOMETIMES PEOPLE FORGET THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE CITY AND KEEPING EVERYBODY HEALTHY, SO KIND OF TARGETING THE ADVERTISEMENTS THAT WAY I THINK WOULD WORK TOO.
I AGREE. >> CASTILLO: COUNCILMEMBER KAUR.
>> KAUR: THANK YOU. I WAS SURPRISED BY THIS DATA, NOT HAVING LOOKED AT IT PRIOR. AND I WOULD HAVESLY A FALSE ASSUMPTION, WE WOULD HAVE SEEN DECLINES DURING COVID BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE MORE IN THEIR HOMES.
>> MISSED OPPORTUNITIES OF DIAGNOSIS AND SEEKING CARE. >> KAUR: SO I GUESS I DEFINITELY AGREE I HAD SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT WHY THE CHARTS AFTER THE SLIDES, THERE'S THREE OR FOUR ABOUT SYPHILIS. IS THAT SOMETHING ABOUT THAT INFECTION THAT'S MORE
PREVALENT IN OUR COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW? >> IN THE STI WORLD, WE SAY THE CANARY IN THE COAL MINE FOR A DEVASTATING OR OUT OF CONTROL EPIDEMIC OF STI.
>> KAUR: WE NEED TO GET AHOLD OF THAT SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE IT CAN BE PASSED ON.
>> IT IS PREVENTABLE ACTUALLY. >> KAUR: CAN WE GO BACK TO THE FLOW CHART SLIDE IN I LOVE FLOW CHARTS. I'M WONDERING THAT ORANGE BOX IN THE MIDDLE, HOW DO YOU KNOW IF THE PATIENT DOES NOT TELL THE PARTNER SO THE
DIS STARTS THE TRACING PROCESS? >> SO LIKE I SAID -- JESSE, DO YOU WANT TO COME -- YEAH, I DON'T WANT TO TAKE THE TIME AWAY FROM THE DIS.
THEY DO SPEND A LOT OF TIME TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THIS PATIENT MIGHT HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, WHERE THIS PATIENT MOST FREQUENTLY VISITS, SITES, LOCATIONS, AND THEN THEY GO ON THESE APPS THAT THEY HAVE TO FIND OUT IF THERE IS A SEXUAL NETWORK THAT ALREADY EXISTS AT THESE SITES. I'LL LET JESSE ELABORATE.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. THE CONVERSATION WE HAVE WITH THE CLIENT IS WE ASK QUESTIONS AS FAR AS THE EXPOSURES OF WHO THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE. JUST TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF THE INFECTION.
AND SOCIAL NORM NOW, SOCIAL MEDIA PARTNERS ARE LON ENRON SO EVERYTHING IS ON LINE OR SOCIAL APPS. ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WE ASK WHEN YOU TURN ON YOUR APP WHEW IS YOUR RADIUS AROUND THAT SECTION AND WHO ARE THE PARTNERS YOU CAN CONNECT AND SEND A MESSAGE. SOME APPS DON'T HAVE THE MESSAGES THAT INFORM THEM ABOUT AN EXPOSURE. INNOVATIVE WAYS AS FAR AS APPS THAT CAN PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO SEXUAL PARTNERS. THE MAJORITY OF THE INFORMATION WE TRY AND ASK THOSE QUESTIONS TO ENSURE THE CONFIDENTIALITY, THE MOST IMPORTANT THAT WE INFORM THE PARTNERS TO STOP THE SPREAD.
THEY DO TELL US, JUST AN EXAMPLE IS THE MEDICAL CENTER, THE AREA, ZIP CODE AND WE JOT DOWN AND GO BACK TO THE MOBILE TEAM, MAYBE WE GO OUT AND DO SOME TESTING.
WE WORK WITH THIS INDIVIDUAL THAT WE'RE WORKING AS FAR AS TO GET TESTED AND TREATED, AND ALSO CREATE LIKE AN AGREEMENT, YOU KNOW, SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH YOUR PARTNERS, LET THEM KNOW THIS IS OUR INFORMATION AND COME AND REACHES DIRECTLY SO EACH DISEASE INTERVENTION THEY CONNECT TO. IT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE PEOPLE MEETING ONLINE, WE GET THE SNAP CHAT INFORMATION, WE UTILIZE THAT INFORMATION, WE SEND IT OUT, WE HAVE OTHER RESOURCES THAT WE DO WORK WITH THAT THEY SEND OUT.
FASCINATING. WHAT PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE DO YOU THINK FALL IN THAT ORANGE BOX IN THE MIDDLE WHERE THE PARTNER IS NOT GETTING TESTED AND NOT
RECEIVING TREATMENT? >> SO THESE ARE FOLKS WHO ARE NOT IN CARE, IT'S ABOUT,
I WOULD SAY ABOUT 25 TO 30%. >> KAUR: PRETTY BIG CHUNK. THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING IS YOU ARE NOT EVER GETTING EVEN TESTED, THERE'S NO WAY -- IF YOU CHOOSE WHATEVER BECAUSE I'M ASYMPTOMATIC, I DON'T HAVE ANY CONCERNS.
SO I FEEL LIKE THAT -- FIGURING OUT A WAY TO TARGET THAT ORANGE BOX WOULD BE
REALLY IMPORTANT. >> ONE THING I DIDN'T GO MUCH INTO IT IS WE ARE IN A
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RAPID RESPONSE MODE. WHAT THAT MEANS WE ARE NOT WAITING FOR -- ONE THING I FAILED TO MENTION DURING THE PRESENTATION BECAUSE OF TIME CONSTRAINT, WE ARE IN A RAPID RESPONSE MODE WHEN IT COMES TO STI TESTING AND TREATMENT.IF OUR MOBILE UNIT ENCOUNTERS SOMEBODY OUT IN THE FIELD WHO SAYS I HAVE THESE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS AND I THINK I MIGHT BE EXPOSED TO SYPHILIS OR ANY OF THE STIS, WE DON'T WAIT, WE TREAT THEM PRE-EMPTIVELY. NINE OUT OF TEN TIMES THEY MIGHT HAVE ONE OF THOSE STIS. WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE THOSE
FOLKS THAT WE ENCOUNTER DURING -- >> KAUR: THANK YOU FOR SHARING. THE LAST COMMENT WAS THE LAST PART YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF GETTING THE TESTING ACCESS IN EMERGENCY ROOMS AND ANY KIND OF ACCESS BECAUSE YOU ARE RIGHT, THE PRE-NATAL CARE IS SUCH A CHALLENGING COMPONENT. WHERE ARE WE ON MAKING -- OH, SHOOT.
>> GO AHEAD. >> KAUR: WHERE ARE WE ON MAKING MOVEMENT IN THAT? IS THERE HURDLES YOU ARE FACING? HOW CAN WE PUSH THAT
FORWARD? >> IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO FUNDING, RIGHT? ED DEPARTMENTS ARE STRUGGLING FOR FUNDS TOO. I CAN TELL YOU WITHOUT THROWING ANYBODY UNDER THE BUS YOU CAN UHS IS ALREADY ON BOARD AND DOING THIS AND FEW OTHER SYSTEMS MIGHT COME ON BOARD. THEY ARE DOING THIS ON THEIR OWN. WE ARE NOT FUNDING THEM TO DO SYPHILIS TESTING IN THEIR
EDS OR URGENT CARE SETTINGS. >> KAUR: THANK YOU.
>> CASTILLO: COUNCILMEMBER GAVITO. >> GAVITO: ON SIDE 8, 96 CASES OF SYPHILIS AMONG NEWBORNS. WHAT HAPPENS TO A NEW WORN
WHO HAS SYPHILIS? >> IT'S PRETTY DEVASTATING. THEY CAN DEVELOP IF IT'S NOT TREATED, IT'S IMPORTANT EVEN THE NEWBORNS GET TESTED AND TREATED AND THEY CAN PREVENT THE FULL-BLOWN CASES. IF IT'S UNTREATED, THEY CAN HAVE COMPLICATIONS, THEY CAN DEVELOP BLINDNESS, DEAFNESS, SKELETAL ABNORMALITIES. SO THEY CAN HAVE A LOT OF
LONG-TERM HEALTH ISSUES. >> GAVITO: I'M WONDERING TOO, I'M NOT GETTING POLITICAL, BUT I THINK IT'S JUST THE STATE OF TEXAS OF HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE NOT GETTING EARLY TREATMENT AND POTENTIALLY DETECTED EARLIER ON JUST BECAUSE -- BECAUSE OF THE STATE WE LIVE IN. YEAH, 96 CASES OF SYPHILIS AMONG NEWBORNS --
>> THAT'S THE RECORD HIGH. IT'S BEEN THE HIGHEST IN 30 YEARS.
IT'S TEN TIMES MORE THAN WHAT WE DOCUMENTED ALMOST A DECADE AGO.
IT'S HUGE. >> GAVITO: AND I DO THINK, I KNOW THIS IS NOT A CONVERSATION FOR TODAY, BUT WHEN WE DO TALK ABOUT THE REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE FUND, WE SHOULD TAKE THIS INTO CONSIDERATION, ESPECIALLY IF PEOPLE ARE NOT GETTING TESTED SO THAT WAY NEWBORNS AREN'T BEING BORN WITH THIS. YEAH, THAT'S A LOT OF
BABIES. >> YES. AND ONE OF THE ISSUES, AGAIN, I'M TOOTING OUR HORN HERE, ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT I DIDN'T MENTION, THIS IS HOT OFF THE PRESS, WE JUST GOT NIH FUNDING. WE ARE PART OF THE MILITARY I CENTRIC CLINICAL -- MULTICENTRIC -- ARE BORN ASYMPTOMATIC. THERE IS -- SO IF, YOU KNOW, AND WE ARE PART OF THE CLINICAL TRIAL. IT IS GOING TO START MAYBE IN A COUPLE MONTHS.
WE ARE PARTNERING WITH CHRISTUS ON THIS AND IMMEDIATELY DIAGNOSE WHEN THE BABY IS BORN AND GIVE THAT TREATMENT TO PREVENT THAT LONG-TERM
HEALTH-RELATED SYMPTOMS I MENTIONED EARLIER. >> GAVITO: AND I WOULD JUST, AGAIN, KIND OF TO ECHO COUNCILMAN DR. KAUR'S COMMENTS ABOUT ANYTHING THAT WE COULD DO AS A COUNCIL TO BE SUPPORTIVE. I MEAN I CARE ABOUT ADULTS TOO, BUT SPECIFICALLY ABOUT NEWBORNS BECAUSE THEY ARE BORN INTO THIS AND HOWEVER WE CAN KIND OF JUST RALLY AND TAKE CARE OF THEM IS WHAT I WOULD OFFER AT LEAST
MY HELP TO DO. >> THIS PROGRAM IS GRANT FUNDED.
YOU WILL SEE IT AS A BUDGET IMPROVEMENT THAT'S COMING. >> GAVITO: AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, MY COLLEAGUES' COMMENTS ON YEAH, IT'S INTERESTING THAT THESE INCREASES ON SLIDE 8 WERE JUST SO DRAMATIC ALL AROUND -- AND SO WHAT YOU'RE
[00:35:04]
SAYING IT'S MOSTLY BACK OF LACK OF TESTING. >> RIGHT.
>> GAVITO: OKAY. AND HOWEVER I THINK WE CAN SUPPORT TO INCREASE THE TESTING. YOU ALREADY HAVE A GOOD MODEL FOR HOW TO DO SO BUT FOR ANYTHING WE COULD DO TO OFFER SUPPORT, I WANT TO HELP TOO.
>> GAVITO: THANK YOU. >> CASTILLO: THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT DISCUSSION.
WHAT COMES TO MIND AS COUNCIL, WHEN WE COME UP WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA AND THE IMPORTANCE OF MEDICAID OR MEDICARE EXPANDING BECAUSE WHEN OR BEFORE THEY BECOME PREGNANT THEY ARE AWARE OF THEIR STATUS SO IT DOESN'T PASS ON TO THEIR CHILD. I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING UP THE REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE FUND, IT'S SOMETHING TO POTENTIALLY INVEST MORE IN BECAUSE 500,000 IS A DROP IN THE BUCKET. THAT'S A COUPLE OF DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS.
IT IS MUCH NEEDED TO I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT.
I DID HAVE ONE QUESTION. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE D5 ACCESS DATA.
HOW MANY D5 RESIDENTS ARE ACCESSING THE MOBILE CLINICS.
I ASK BECAUSE I THINK ABOUT MY TIME IN COLLEGE AND THERE YOU HAVE ACCESS TO RESOURCES AND THERE WOULD BE INCENTIVE TO GET TESTED. I ALWAYS WANTED THAT STARBUCKS GIFT CARD BECAUSE I WAS ALWAYS GETTING TESTED AND I WANTED THAT STARBUCKS GIFT CARD. IF THERE WAS INCENTIVES I WOULD BE EXCITED TO GET MORE FOLKS TESTED IN D5. THANK YOU TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM AND THERE'S SO MUCH MORE WORK, SO APPRECIATE YOU ALL. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. >> CASTILLO: WE CAN NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM 3, ARTS FUNDING GUIDELINES FOR NON-PROFITS AND INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS PRESENTED BY KRYSTAL
JONES. >> HI. I AM NOT KRYSTAL JONES.
CURRENTLY THE DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE MANAGING SEVEN DIFFERENT GRANT PROGRAMS AND WE HAVE THREE DIFFERENT FUNDING GUIDELINES THAT THIS IS OUR POLICY FOR THESE SEVEN DIFFERENT GRANT PROGRAMS. AND WE'VE CONDUCTED A REVIEW PROCESS. IT'S BEEN THREE YEARS SINCE WE'VE LOOKED AT OUR GRANT FUNDING GUIDELINES. SO WE WENT OUT TO THE COMMUNITY TO CONDUCT ANOTHER GRANT AND PUT PROCESS WHERE WE HAD AN ONLINE SURVEY THROUGH SA SPEAK UP FOR ARTISTS AND NON-PROFITS AND JUST THE COMMUNITY IN GENERAL TO PROVIDE THEIR FEEDBACK ON ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS. AND THEN WE HELD EIGHT COMMUNITY INPUT SESSIONS THAT WERE IN-PERSON FROM AUGUST TO SEPTEMBER.
AND WE GOT A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM OUR CURRENTLY FUNDED GRANTEES AND INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY HAVE NOT RECEIVED OUR GRANT SO FAR. OVERWHELMINGLY THEY FELT LIKE THE PROGRAM IS WORKING REALLY WELL AND OF THOSE FUNDED THEY HAVE REALLY GREAT RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR GRANT MANAGEMENT DIVISION. THEY DO A REALLY GOOD JOB WORKING WITH ARTISTS AND NON-PROFITS THROUGH THE GRANT PROCESS.
BUT THE FEEDBACK WAS USED TO REFINE OUR GUIDELINES. WE ARE CONSOLIDATING THIS INTO ONE DOCUMENT SO IT'S ONE EASY TO POINT TO LOCATION FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO KNOW WHAT THE DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE OFFERS IN TERMS OF GRANTING. WE ARE RECOMMENDING SOME INCREASED GRANT AMOUNTS AND TIERS AND I'LL GO THROUGH MORE SPECIFICS WHEN I GO INTO EACH OF THE GRANT PROGRAMS. WE'RE INCREASING ACCESS FOR ARTISTS VIA PREFERENCE POINTS FOR DISABILITIES, THOSE WITH DISABILITIES. WE ARE RECOMMENDING A WAITING PERIOD FOR REPEAT GRANTEES FOR INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS, AN ANNUAL PROCESS FOR GRANTS AND WE'VE REVISED OUR FUNDING PRIORITIES WHERE OUR CURRENTLY FUNDED ORGANIZATIONS WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE TAKEN CARE OF BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO FUNDING ANY ADDITIONAL ORGANIZATIONS. SO OUR OPERATIONAL SUPPORT PROGRAM, THIS IS THE ONE YOU ARE PROBABLY MOST FAMILIAR WITH.
WE CURRENTLY FUND 35 NON-PROFITS THROUGHOUT SAN ANTONIO.
THESE ARE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, THEY ARE PROVIDING PROGRAMMING ALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY, AND THEY HAVE A THREE-YEAR HISTORY OF -- AT LEAST A THREE-YEAR HISTORY BUT MOST HAVE BEEN AROUND MANY YEARS. THEY HAVE AT LEAST A THREE-YEAR HISTORY OF PRODUCING ART FOR SAN ANTONIO.
WE LOOK AT THEIR BUDGET SIZE, TAKE A THREE-YEAR AVERAGE AND BASED ON THEIR BUDGET THEY GET A MAXIMUM GRANT ALLOCATION PERCENTAGE. AND THAT PERCENTAGE DECREASES AS THEIR BUDGET SIZE INCREASES. A LOT OF THE ORGANIZATIONS
[00:40:03]
ARE CONCERNED DUE TO THE PANDEMIC OF HOW THEIR THREE-YEAR HISTORY OF THEIR 990, WHAT THEIR AVERAGE WILL LOOK LIKE WHEN WE DO THAT AVERAGE AGAIN NEXT YEAR.SO WE ARE RECOMMENDING DUE TO THE IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC ON THE ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, WE ARE RECOMMENDING NO DECREASES FOR OUR CURRENTLY FUNDED ORGANIZATIONS. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE STABLE.
THIS IS, OF COURSE, CONTINGENT UPON AVAILABLE FUNDING.
WE WOULD HAVE AN ANNUAL OPENING PROCESS. SO AGAIN, THIS IS A THREE-YEAR CYCLE, AND CURRENTLY WE HAVE AN APPLICATION THAT IS OPEN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE THREE-YEAR CYCLE. IF AN ORGANIZATION BECOMES NEWLY ELIGIBLE, THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO APPLY FOR FUNDING UNTIL THE THREE-YEAR CYCLE OPENS UP AGAIN. SO WE ARE RECOMMENDING TO HAVE AN ALTERNATE APPLICATION PROCESS IN YEAR 2 AND IN YEAR 3 SO THAT A NEWLY ELIGIBLE ORGANIZATION CAN GET FUNDED FOR THE REMAINING DURATION OF THE CYCLE.
AND THEN WE CURRENTLY HAVE A PHASE-IN WHERE NEW ORGANIZATIONS REACH THEIR 100% ALLOCATION AFTER FOUR YEARS. WE ARE RECOMMENDING TO REDUCE THAT TO THREE YEARS SO THAT WITHIN THAT THREE-YEAR CYCLE THEY ARE ABLE TO REACH 100% OF THEIR ALLOCATION. FOR OUR CULTURALLY SPECIFIC SUPPORT, THIS IS FOR ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE OPERATIONAL GRANTEES, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE A MISSION AND PROGRAMMING THAT PRESERVES, PROMOTES AND ENHANCE CERTAIN CULTURES. THOSE ARE LATINO, LATINA, AFRICAN AMERICAN, NATIVE AMERICAN, ASIAN WOMEN AND LGBTQ+. WE WOULD IMPLEMENT THE ANNUAL OPENING FOR THIS GRANT AS WELL BECAUSE THIS GRANT IS ON A THREE-YEAR CYCLE, SO NEW ORGANIZATIONS WOULD HAVE THE OPTION TO APPLY.
WE WOULD MIRROR THE SAME PHASE-IN WHERE AN ORGANIZATION WOULD REACH THEIR 100% AFTER THREE YEARS. AND WE DID GET FEEDBACK JUST THAT ORGANIZATIONS WANTED US TO TRACK THE THREE-YEAR HISTORY OF MISSION AND PROGRAMMING FOR AN ORGANIZATION JUST TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE MEETING THOSE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY ARE PRESERVING AND PROMOTING.
MIDDLE EASTERN WAS NOT INCLUDED ON THE CULTURES SO WE ARE RECOMMENDING TO ADD THAT. IF AN ORGANIZATION PRESERVES, PROMOTES OR ENHANCES MIDDLE EASTERN CULTURES, THEY COULD APPLY FOR THIS ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
OUR ARTIST GRANTS, THIS HAS BEEN A REALLY POPULAR GRANT PROGRAM.
WE'VE HAD 156 ARTISTS THAT HAVE RECEIVED THIS GRANT SO FAR OVER THE THREE YEARS THAT WE'VE HAD THIS GRANT PROGRAM IN PLACE. IT'S A $5,000 GRANTS FOR SAN ANTONIO ARTISTS TO CREATE AND DISPLAY ARTWORK ALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
WE ARE RECOMMENDING A TIERED GRANT FOR THIS. INSTEAD OF $7,500 -- EXCUSE ME, INSTEAD OF $5,000, WE WOULD DO $7,500, OR AN ARTIST COULD APPLY FOR 15,000 IF THEY ARE DOING A LARGER PRODUCTION, OR THEY ARE WORKING IN A COLLABORATIVE OR ENSEMBLE, THEY COULD APPLY TOGETHER FOR A $15,000 GRANT.
WE ARE RECOMMENDING TO IMPLEMENT A 12-MONTH WAITING PERIOD.
SO FOR FISCAL YEAR '26 IF AN ARTIST APPLIES FOR THE GRANT OR AWARDED THE GRANT, THEY WOULD HAVE TO WAIT 12 MONTHS BEFORE APPLYING AGAIN. THIS IS A 18-MONTH GRANT SO WE REALLY WANT ARTISTS TO FOCUS ON THEIR PROJECT BEFORE THEY APPLY FOR ANOTHER PROJECT. IT WOULD ALSO ALLOW ACCESS TO OTHER ARTISTS THAT MAYBE HAVEN'T BEEN AFFORDED THE GRANT BEFORE. WE ARE ALSO RECOMMENDING TO GIVE PREFERENCE POINTS TO APPLICANTS WITH DISABILITIES.
WE CURRENTLY GIVE POINTS FOR ETHNICITY, GENDER, LGBTQ+ AND VETERANS.
SO WE WOULD ADD THOSE ARTISTS THAT ARE APPLYING IF THEY HAVE A DISABILITY, THEY WOULD GET POINTS AS WELL. PERFORMING ARTS GRANTS, THESE ARE FUNDED BY THE CITY'S AGREEMENT WITH TICKET MASTER. THESE ARE TWO DIFFERENT GRANT PROGRAMS THAT WE IMPLEMENTED. THEY ARE ON ALTERNATING CYCLES, SO ONE YEAR WE IMPLEMENT THE PERFORMING ARTS VENUE IMPROVEMENT GRANT AND THEN ON THE ALTERNATE YEARS WE HAVE THE PRODUCTION COST GRANTS.
WE ARE RECOMMENDING THE INCREASE ON THE PERFORMING ARTS VENUE IMPROVEMENT GRANT TO $25,000. THAT'S TO HELP ORGANIZATIONS PURCHASE EQUIPMENT, IMPROVEMENTS FOR THEIR FACILITY. IF THEY OWN OR HAVE A LONG-TERM LEASE, THEY COULD APPLY FOR THIS, THIS GRANT TO HELP THEIR LOCATION.
AND THEN THE PRODUCTION COST GRANT, THIS IS FOR PERFORMING ARTS ORGANIZATIONS AND PERFORMING ARTS PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS. THIS IS TO HELP THEM PUT ON A PRODUCTION. SO THE CHANGES TO THIS GRANT WOULD BE $7,500 FOR PERFORMING ARTS ARTISTS AND 15,000 FOR PERFORMING ARTS ORGANIZATIONS.
[00:45:02]
WE WOULD ALSO USE THE PREFERENCE POINT MODEL AND APPLICANTS WITH DISABILITIES WOULD RECEIVE THOSE PREFERENCE POINTS IF YOU ARE APPLYING AS AN ARTIST.FOR OUR FILM FESTIVAL GRANT, THIS HELPS WITH OUR LOCAL FILM CULTURE AND COMMUNITY IN SAN ANTONIO. IT'S CURRENTLY ON A TWO-YEAR PROCESS SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING TO INCREASE THAT TO THREE YEARS THAT WILL MIRROR SOME OF OUR OTHER GRANTS. THIS GRANT NEEDS TO INCLUDE ONE IN-PERSON INDUSTRY WORKSHOP OR PANEL DISCUSSION OR PRESENTATION. THE ORGANIZATION PUTTING ON THE FESTIVAL WOULD HAVE TO ENGAGE WITH SAN ANTONIO-BASED FILMMAKERS AND THIS AWARD IS 20% OF THE FESTIVAL AND WE ARE PUTTING A MAXIMUM AWARD AMOUNT OF 15,000 ON THIS GRANT. SO THIS IS THE PROCESS WE'VE GONE THROUGH SO FAR FOR APPROVAL OF THE GUIDELINES. THE SAN ANTONIO ARTS COMMISSION'S ARTS FUNDING COMMITTEE REVIEWED THE GUIDELINES IN EARLY NOVEMBER AND THEN THE SAN ANTONIO ARTS COMMISSION, IF APPROVED BY COMMUNITY HEALTH, WE WOULD GO TO CITY COUNCIL A SESSION ON DECEMBER 12 AND WOULD BE APPROVED FOR FISCAL YEAR '24 FUNDING.
THAT'S ALL. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, DIANA.
I APOLOGIZE. I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM BECAUSE OUR OFFICE HAS MET WITH THE WEST SIDE ARTS COALITION AND SHARED THAT THESE GRANTS ARE SOME OF THE BEST AND MOST IMPACTFUL GRANTS THAT ALLOW THEM TO CONTINUE CREATING AND SERVING SAN ANTONIO WITH THEIR ART. THE EXPANSION OF GRANTS IS WHAT THEY ASKED FOR AND YOU ALL HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM ABOUT THESE UPDATED PARAMETERS. THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM SO I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION IF ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
COUNCILMEMBER GAVITO. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU. I LOST THE SLIDE -- GIVE ME ONE QUICK SECOND. WHAT DID I SEE THAT THE MIDDLE EASTERN --
>> UNDER CULTURALLY SPECIFIC. >> GAVITO: GOT IT.
YES, YES, YES, THANK YOU. ONE, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU ALL FOR INCLUDING THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE CIVIC 7 HAS A -- BECAUSE DISTRICT 7 HAS A LARGE MIDDLE EASTERN COMMUNITY. THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING THAT.
WITH REGARD TO ARTS USING THE H.O.T. TAX, DO WE TAP INTO THE 15% THAT THE STATE
ALLOWS? >> ALL OF THESE GRANT PROGRAMS ARE FUNDED BY THE
ALLOCATION OF THE H.O.T. TEXAS. >> GAVITO: SO YOU GET AN
ALLOCATION -- >> THAT 15% GOES TO THE OPERATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT
AND ALSO TO FUND THESE GRANT PROGRAMS. >> GAVITO: GOT IT.
I JUST NEEDED THAT CLARIFICATION. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> CASTILLO: COUNCILWOMAN DR. KAUR.
>> KAUR: SO ON THE SPECIFIC INDIVIDUAL ARTIST GRANTS, CAN WE GO TO THAT REAL QUICK? SO I SAW THE ELIGIBILITY FOR A LOT OF THESE, I THINK THIS IS AWESOME. HOW DO WE COORDINATE THIS WITH THE PUBLIC ARTWORK THAT
WE'RE DOING IN THE DEPARTMENT? >> SO THESE ARE -- THAT'S TWO SEPARATE PROGRAMS, BUT WE DO MARKET THEM TO THE SAME COMMUNITIES.
SO WE HAVE AN ARTIST REGISTRY WITH OVER 1,000 ARTISTS ON OUR REGISTRY AND WORK TO GET THE WORD OUT TO ARTISTS ON ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES THE DEPARTMENT HAS AVAILABLE. THE PUBLIC ART IS CURRENTLY -- THEY WILL CURRENTLY -- THEY ARE CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH THEIR PROCESS TO GET ARTISTS ON THEIR PRE-QUALIFIED LIST. ONCE THIS GRANT OPENS IN THE SPRING, WE WILL MARKET IT TO ALL THOSE SAME ARTISTS TO LET THEM KNOW THIS GRANT OPPORTUNITY IS ALSO AVAILABLE. THIS GRANT IS OPEN TO DIFFERENT ART FORMS, SO A PERFORMING ARTIST COULD APPLY FOR THIS GRANT WHERE COULD NOT APPLY FOR A PUBLIC ART PROJECT. THIS ONE IS -- THIS IS A LOT MORE -- GIVES AN ARTIST A LOT MORE FREEDOM TO BE ABLE TO DECIDE ON WHAT PROJECT THEY WANT TO PRESENT AND WHERE IN THE COMMUNITY THEY WANT TO PRESENT IT. THEY REALLY TAKE OWNERSHIP OF IT AND WE STRESS THAT WE WANT THEM TO TRY TO PRESENT IN -- AREAS THAT DON'T GET A LOT OF ARTS PRESENTED OR PERFORMED. BUT IT'S REALLY UP TO THE ARTIST. AND THOSE ARE EVALUATED, THEY ARE COMPETITIVELY -- IT'S A COMPETITIVE GRANT AND THEY ARE EVALUATED, SO THE ARTISTS COME UP WITH GREAT
[00:50:01]
PROJECTS AND LOCATIONS TO SHOWCASE THROUGHOUT SAN ANTONIO.>> KAUR: I GUESS WHAT I WAS THINKING OF IS LIKE DO WE HAVE A LARGE ART, PUBLIC ARTS STRATEGY? LIKE WE WANT SPECIFIC -- THIS AMOUNT OF PIECES IN
THIS AREA? >> ABSOLUTELY. AS WE -- NOW THAT WE HAVE THE -- THROUGH THE BOND, WE HAVE IDEAS OF WHERE THOSE ARE GOING TO GO.
WE DO A COMMUNITY INPUT PROCESS TO DETERMINE WHAT ART IS GOING TO BE PUT IN
DIFFERENT AREAS, BUT YES, WE DO HAVE -- >> KAUR: THAT'S
SPECIFICALLY FOR THOSE PROJECTS. >> YES.
>> KAUR: MY THOUGHT PROCESS IS THESE GRANTS SEEM AMAZING, BUT FIGURING OUT A WAY -- IT FITS OR NOT. I WAS TRYING TO THINK WHAT WOULD BE A WAY WE COULD TIE IT OR MAKE KIND OF -- AND I KNOW THERE'S LIKE PREFERENCE POINTS GIVEN FOR BACKGROUND.
BUT WOULD THERE BE A NEED TO PROVIDE PREFERENCE POINTS FOR, LET'S SAY, A VENUE IN -- I'M GOING TO USE D1, OF COURSE, BUT A VENUE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF D1 THAT NEEDS A LITTLE MORE -- THERE'S NOT AS MANY OPTIONS THERE FOR PEOPLE.
THAT'S KIND OF WHERE MY HEAD WAS GOING. >> WE HAVE PANELS THAT EVALUATE THIS GRANT. THEY ARE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS THAT THEY GO THROUGH TRAINING, BUT THEY ARE EXPERTS IN THEIR OWN FIELD. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY EVALUATE IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU MENTIONED. IS THE ARTIST PRESENTING IN AN AREA OF TOWN THAT'S MAYBE UNDER REPRESENTED OR UNDERUTILIZED, AND THE ARTIST DOES HAVE TO EXPLAIN THAT IN THEIR APPLICATION, WHERE DO YOU PLAN ON HAVING THAT. WE DO STRESS THAT'S SOMETHING WE WANT THEM TO REALLY THINK ABOUT. NOT EVERY ARTIST DOES THAT, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THE PANELISTS KNOW TO LOOK OUT FOR. SO THEY WOULD SCORE BETTER IF THEY EXPLAINED THAT THEY ARE PRESENTING SOMEPLACE THAT THERE'S -- THERE ARE
NOT A LOT OF OTHER ARTS RESOURCES IN THE AREA. >> KAUR: YEAH.
I WONDER IF WE COULD DO LIKE THAT MAP THEY CREATED FOR THE LIGHTING, WHERE WE HAVE THE MOST AMOUNT OF LIGHTING GAPS, I WONDER IF WE COULD DO A MAP LIKE THAT FOR ART JUST SO THAT -- BECAUSE WE CAN PROVIDE PREFERENCE, BY OUR BIASES ALWAYS COME THROUGH IF THERE'S NO SPECIFIC RUBRIC ITEM PRESENTED.
IF THERE WAS SOMETHING TANGIBLEY THEY COULD REFER TO TO SAY THIS IS THE AREAS THAT WE REALLY -- AND SOMETIMES WITH PUBLIC ART IT DOES HAPPEN WHERE WE MIGHT HAVE THREE IN ONE OF OUR LOWER INCOME COMMUNITY AND NOTHING ON THE OTHER SIDE.
I WAS TRYING TO THINK OF TANGIBLE WE COULD USE DURING THE PREVIEW PROCESS TO
ENSURE WE'RE EQUITABLY SPREADING OUT THE ART. >> WE HAVE A PRETTY COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF VENUES BUT WE ALWAYS WANT TO BE ADDING TO THAT LIST.
AT THE END OF THE LAST GRANT, ARTIST GRANT PROCESS, WE SURVEYED THE ARTISTS TO ASK THEM IF THERE'S A VENUE THAT YOU'VE WORKED WITH THAT WAS REALLY GREAT OR MAYBE DIDN'T NORMALLY HAVE ARTS PROGRAMMING BUT YOU REACHED OUT TO THEM AND YOU HAD SOMETHING THERE AND IT WORKED OUT REALLY WELL, PLEASE LET US KNOW SO WE CAN
ADD THAT TO OUR LIST AS WELL. >> KAUR: THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> CASTILLO: IS THERE A MOTION TO MOVE THIS ITEM
FORWARD? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND.
>> CASTILLO: THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND. CAN WE HAVE A VOICE VOTE? MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE IT.
WE CAN NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM 4, A BRIEFING ON COSA PROGRAMS EMPOWERING AND
SUPPORTING SAN ANTONIO YOUTH. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, I'M REBECCA FLORES, THE EDUCATION PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR HOUSED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES. AND I AM SO EXCITED TO SHARE WITH YOU THE GREAT WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING WITH YOUTH, YOUTH VOICE.
AND JUST KIND OF TO SET CONTEXT, SAN ANTONIO AREA, WE HAVE ABOUT 345,000 KIDS IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SO IF YOU START OFF WITH 100 KIDS AND THEY START OFF IN 9TH GRADE, FROM THAT 100 KIDS, ABOUT 91 WILL GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL.
FROM THAT 91, ONLY 46 WILL BE COLLEGE READY. AND THEN ONLY ABOUT 26, 27 WILL END UP GETTING A BACHELOR'S DEGREE. THE BIG $5 MILLION QUESTION IS WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE 73 KIDS OUT OF THAT 100. AND THAT REALLY IS WHERE COSA AND DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES IN OUR WORK REALLY TRY TO FOCUS ON IS THOSE 73 KIDS OUT OF THAT 100 THAT JUST DON'T GET TO THE FINISH LINE AND MAY NEED SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS. AND I WANT TO ALSO PUT THE CONTEXT THAT A LOT OF THE
[00:55:06]
PROGRAMS THAT I'M GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT TODAY, WE ACTUALLY INCLUDED IT IN OUR APPLICATION FOR THE ALL AMERICA CITY AWARD THIS YEAR.AND I'M PROUD, AGAIN, TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE WERE NAMED AN ALL AMERICA CITY FINALIST FOR OUR WORK AROUND YOUTH VOICE AND EMPOWERMENT. I THINK IT'S A TESTAMENT TO THE WORK OUR SMALL BUT MIGHTY TEAM IN DHS HAS BEEN DOING.
A LOT OF THAT IS WE START OFF WITH THE PREMISE WE'RE GOING TO MEET YOUTH WHERE THEY ARE. SO WE KIND OF HAVE PROGRAMS WITH YOUTH THAT TEND TO HAVE LOWER BARRIERS, NOT ALL, BUT SOME, AND THEN WE GO KIND OF THROUGH THE GAMUT AND THOSE THAT JUST NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS. EVERY YEAR WE FIND $13 MILLION THROUGH STATE, FEDERAL AND THROUGH GENERAL FUNDS OF COSA TO 45 NON-PROFITS AND FIVE SCHOOL DISTRICTS. SOME OF THE PROGRAMMING THAT WE HAVE IN DHS FOR YOUTH, THE SAN ANTONIO YOUTH COMMISSION.
DURING THE PANDEMIC THE YOUTH COMMISSION MET AND THEY WERE STARTING TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, AGAIN NO SURPRISE, HAVING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES THEMSELVES, THEY STARTED TO SEE VAPING INCREASE AMONG THEIR FRIENDS AND KIND OF PUSHED US, LIKE, WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH TEEN MENTAL HEALTH. AND THEY CAME UP WITH THE IDEA OF DOING A CITYWIDE SURVEY. AND WE HAD OVER I THINK IT WAS CLOSE TO 1100 YOUTH WHO ENDED UP PARTICIPATING IN THIS SURVEY THAT, AGAIN, JUST SHOWED THE AMOUNT OF STRESS THAT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE HAD DURING THE PANDEMIC.
DURING ALSO THROUGH THIS TIME, CITY COUNCIL HAD APPROVED $100,000 TO THE YOUTH COMMISSION TO UTILIZE, AND, OF COURSE, THEY LIKE TOOK IT AND RAN.
AND THEIR FUNDING, THEY STARTED THIS TEENS DAY SA WHICH IS KIND OF COLLABORATIVE OF NON-PROFITS TO REALLY TALK ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH, SEXUAL HEALTH, WHICH WAS INTERESTING TO HEAR. AND JUST THE WELLNESS AND WELL-BEING OF YOUTH. THEY HAD THEIR FIRST EVENT IN MAY OF LAST YEAR.
WE HAD ALMOST 400 YOUTH COME OUT AND LEARN ALL KINDS OF STUFF.
IT WAS FANTASTIC. AND IT WAS SUCH A SUCCESS THAT THE YOUTH COMMISSION SAYS WE WANT TO DO IT AGAIN, SO WE'RE DOING IT AGAIN. WITH THAT $100,000, THEY ALSO DEDICATED $75,000 TO MICRO GRANTS TO STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND COUNSELORS, IDEAS ON SUPPORTING MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING. SO THEY ARE GIVING GRANTS UP TO $3,000 FOR A GARDEN FOR A ZEN ROOM, FIELD TRIPS AND JUST THINGS THEY FELT THAT YOUTH NEEDED TO REALLY THRIVE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND THESE IDEAS, AGAIN, CAME DIRECTLY FROM COUNSELORS, TEACHERS AND OUR YOUTH. THE YOUTH MADE THEIR OWN PANEL, THE COMMISSION, AND THEY DETERMINED WHO WE WERE GOING TO FUND AND SO WE DID IT. AND THIS YEAR THEY DECIDED THAT THEY WANT TO TAKE ON BOOK BANS. THEY REALLY FEEL THAT NOT ONLY IS THIS LIMITING THEIR VOICE, BUT THEY ALSO FEEL THAT IT IS A MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS ACCESSIBILITY BECAUSE A LOT OF YOUTH LEARN THROUGH BOOKS. WHAT THEY ARE GOING THROUGH WHEN THEY READ IT IN A BOOK, THEY RECOGNIZE THEY ARE NOT ALONE AND ALSO GET ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS THEY MAY HAVE.
PROGRAM, WHEN I FIRST KIND OF TOOK OVER, YOU KNOW, PRETTY MUCH IF YOU APPLIED, WE ACCEPTED YOU. AND THIS PAST SUMMER WE HAD CLOSE TO 700 APPLICATIONS FOR ABOUT 200 SLOTS AND IT KIND OF BROKE OUR HEARTS TO SEND THOSE, SORRY, WE CAN'T ACCEPT YOU INTO THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS.
AND WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT, I ALSO WANT TO SHARE MARABELL WAS OUR AMBASSADOR FOR THE SUMMER AND SHE'S CONTINUING HER INTERNSHIP IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE. TESTAMENT TO THE AMBASSADOR AND THE GREAT COLLABORATIVE WORK THAT WE DO WITH THEM. ONE OF, LIKE, THE LITTLE SECRETS OF OUR AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, EVERY YEAR ABOUT 40 TO 50% OF OUR AMBASSADORS, AGAIN, THIS IS OPEN TO COLLEGE STUDENTS WHO GRADUATED FROM A SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC SCHOOL, ABOUT 40 TO 50% OF THESE COLLEGE KIDS GO TO SCHOOL OUTSIDE OF SAN ANTONIO.
SO WE ARE ATTRACTING THEM BACK AND ONE OF OUR GOALS THIS SUMMER IS SELL SA.
WE DO A STAY IN SA EVENT. WE'VE HOSTED IT WITH OTHER PROGRAMS.
[01:00:01]
THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAS BEEN A HUGE, HUGE SUPPORTER OF THIS SO WE BRING BUSINESS LEADERS, WE BRING CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. WE'VE HAD SOME OF Y'ALL COME. AND BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, WE TELL THE YOUTH, ONCE YOU GET YOUR DEGREE, CONTINUE TO WORK IN SAN ANTONIO BECAUSE THERE'S SOME FABULOUS AND GREAT JOBS THAT WE HAVE HERE. WE HAVE REALLY, REALLY FOCUSED ON KIND OF EXPANDING OUR PROGRAM. AS A FORMER PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER, I HAVE A VERY, VERY SOFT SPOT FOR OUR STUDENTS WHO HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS.FOSTER KIDS. AND SO WE HAVE DONE A LOT WITH EXPANDING OUR PROGRAM THAT WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT OUR AMBASSADORS ARE REFLECTIVE OF WHAT OUR COLLEGE KIDS LOOK LIKE. THIS YEAR WE HAD I THINK ABOUT 12ISH KIDS WITH FOSTER CARE EXPERIENCE THAT ATTENDED THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.
THIS WAS ALSO THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE ASSISTED AMBASSADORS WITH CHILDCARE.
WE HELPED THEM ALSO WITH PROFESSIONAL CLOTHING AND IT WAS JUST A FABULOUS PROGRAM AND WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE WHAT OUR NEXT SUMMER COHORT, HOW MANY APPLICATIONS WE'LL GET THIS SUMMER. AND THEN OUR NEXT LEVEL YOUTH OPPORTUNITY CENTER.
THIS REALLY STEMMED AND THESE WERE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE STARTED TO HAVE WITH COSA DEPARTMENTS ON WHAT WERE WE DOING FOR YOUTH WHO ARE NOT IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, WHO ARE NOT WORKING. THEY WERE SHOWING UP AT OUR COURTS, OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, OUR SAFE OFFICERS, NOBODY WAS CREATING SERVICES FOR THEM.
WE CREATED PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS WITH GOOD WILL.
SOMETIMES I HEAR PEOPLE SAY THIS IS A SECOND CHANCE FOR OUR KIDS.
I'M LIKE WELL SOMETIMES IT'S THEIR FIRST CHANCE. UNFORTUNATELY SOME ADULTS HAVE NOT BEEN GOOD OR KIND OR SUPPORTIVE SYSTEMS FOR OUR YOUTH AND NEXT LEVEL IS REALLY THERE TO KIND OF PUSH THEM AND ENCOURAGE THEM AND GUIDE THEM.
AND SO WE PROVIDE EDUCATION AND CAREER SUPPORT. WE ALSO HAVE ON-SITE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. SO THROUGH KIND OF OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH YOUTH, WE HAVE CLINICIANS THERE. AND I'M ALSO PROUD TO SAY THAT WE'VE STARTED A YOUTH ADVISOR GROUP WITH NEXT LEVEL AND WE HAVE THREE YOUNG PEOPLE HERE THAT I AM GOING TO INTRODUCE. REBECCA, MIKALA AND DERRICK. THEY ARE PART OF OUR PATH BUILDERS. THEY ARE, AGAIN, NON-TRADITIONAL STUDENTS, THE KIND THAT CAME TO US AND SAY HEY, I NEED SOME HELP KIND OF FIGURING OUT MY NEXT STEPS AND NOW THEY ARE ROCKING AND ROLLING. THIS ADVISORY GROUP REALLY HELPS OUR PROGRAM, NOT ONLY ARE THEY GIVING INPUT ON THE ACTIVITIES, BUT HOW WE CAN IMPROVE SERVICES. FOR NEXT YEAR THEY ARE GOING TO BE BUILDING OUT A PIER TO PIER GROUP SO THEY ARE GOING TO SUPPORT WHO COME TO A NEXT LEVEL.
THEY ARE GOING TO GET A PHONE CALL FROM ONE OF THEIR COLLEAGUES AND NOT STAFF.
WE THINK IT'S FABULOUS AND COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD OF INCORPORATING THAT YOUTH VOICE INTO OUR PROGRAMMING WITH NDHS. WE ALSO HAVE REALLY TAKEN ON --T FROM DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS AND WE'RE SUPPORTING HAVEN FOR HOPE.
THEY JUST OPENED I THINK IT WAS 54 ADDITIONAL YOUTH BEDS THIS SUMMER AND GUESS WHAT, WE ALREADY HAVE A WAIT LIST. SO THEN SAMM, WE SUPPORT SAMM WITH THESE FUNDS.
THERE'S A CENTER IN DOWNTOWN THAT HELPS WITH JUST HOMELESS YOUTH.
AND AGAIN, TRYING TO SUPPORT THEM GETTING BACK INTO EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE ONCE THEY GET HOUSING. AND THEN THESE FUNDS ALSO SUPPORT CASE MANAGEMENT.
SO WHEN YOU CALL THE HOMELESS HOTLINE, IF YOU ARE BETWEEN THE AGES 18 TO 24, YOU GET SENT TO ONE SPECIFIC PERSON AND THAT PERSON REALLY CASE MANAGES AND HELPS AND WE HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT PERSON IN NXT LEVEL.
EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T HAVE THAT MANY HOMELESS YOUTH, WHEN WE DO IT'S ALL HANDS ON DECK AND IT TAKES A LOT FOR US TO GET THEM HOUSED AND IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT, AND THIS YOUTH NAVIGATOR HAS JUST BEEN A LIFE SET FOR US AND ALL THE PROGRAMMING THAT SUPPORTS YOUTH. YOUTH COORDINATION. SO WE -- I THINK AS COSA WE'RE STARTING TO DO A LOT OF WORK, WE'RE ALSO REALIZING THAT A BIG MISSING PIECE IS JUST WHAT ARE WE DOING AS A COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
[01:05:05]
AND SO WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER AN INTERNSHIP COLLABORATIVE SO ALL THE NON-PROFITS THAT HAVE, YOU KNOW, SIZABLE INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS LIKE FAMILY SERVICES, SA WORKS, US, WE KIND OF MEET BEFORE OUR INTERNSHIP, KNOW, EXTRAVAGANZA STARTS HAPPENING DURING THE SUMMER JUST TO COORDINATE. WE REALLY FELT PARTICULARLY FOR SMALL BUSINESSES, DO YOU WANT TO GET A PHONE CALL FROM SA YOUTH SAYING HEY, YOU WANT TO SUPPORT AN INTERNSHIP AND THEN GET ANOTHER CALL AND TRYING TO MINIMIZE THAT AND MAKING IT EASIER FOR BUSINESSES AND NON-PROFITS TO SAY YES, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT YOUTH WORK EXPERIENCES. SO THAT'S THE WORK THE COLLABORATIVE HAS DONE. THROUGH FOCUS GROUPS WE ALSO REALIZED THAT IF YOU ARE YOUTH, IT'S VERY HARD RIGHT NOW TO FIGURE OUT WHERE DO YOU GO FOR AN INTERNSHIP.YOU HAVE TO KNOW THE NAMES OF SPECIFIC NON-PROFITS. THERE'S NO CENTRALIZED WAY TO SAY SAN ANTONIO INTERNSHIPS, NOTHING REALLY POPS UP.
AND SO DHS IS STARTING A CITYWIDE -- WE DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE, WE WILL VET THE INTERNSHIP POSSIBILITIES, BUT IT WILL BE INTERN HUB SA THAT IT'S OPEN TO ALL AND IT WILL BE A RESOURCE TO ALL YOUTH TO KIND OF FIND AN INTERNSHIP AND WORK EXPERIENCE. WE JUST FINISHED BETA TESTING IT AND WE'RE BUILDING IT OUT NOW WITH INTERNSHIP POSSIBILITIES AND WE WILL BE GOING LIVE IN JANUARY. WE ALSO HAVE THE SAN ANTONIO OPPORTUNITY YOUTH COLLABORATIVE, AND THAT'S MADE UP OF 54 -- 53 NON-PROFITS IN SAN ANTONIO THAT PROVIDE SERVICES TO YOUTH. AND THIS REALLY WAS FUNDED AND KIND OF THE ASPEN INSTITUTE WAS POKING SAN ANTONIO LIKE WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR THE ECOSYSTEM, LIKE YOU ARE DOING GREAT WORK, BUT IT'S ONLY IMPACTFUL IF YOU GET EVERYBODY SINGING FROM THE SAME HYMNAL.
AND THAT REALLY IS WHAT THIS OPPORTUNITY YOUTH COLLABORATIVE IS.
AND SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH UNITED WAY, UNITED WAY AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO ARE THE LARGEST FUNDERS OF OPPORTUNITY YOUTH PROGRAMMING AND SO WE ARE NOW SAYING, HEY, YOU SEE THESE METRICS, UNITED WAY AND COSA, THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO MEASURE SUCCESS. AND THIS REALLY IS HELPING US WITH KIND OF OUR COLLECTIVE IMPACT MODEL. AND AGAIN, AMPLIFYING YOUTH VOICES, OUR GOAL IS JUST AS WE HAVE THE PATH BUILDERS AT NEXT LEVEL, WE WANT TO SEE THAT KIND OF YOUTH VOICE ALL OVER THE CITY AND REALLY WORKING AND PUSHING AND CHALLENGING OUR NON-PROFITS TO EMPOWER THEIR YOUTH TO ALSO GIVE THEM FEEDBACK ON THEIR PROGRAMMING.
IN COSA, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD LIKE POCKETS OF EXCELLENCE. I SAW SARA SHARP, ARE YOU STILL HERE, SARA SHARP IN METRO HEALTH HAS BEEN OUT TO NXT LEVEL TO DO TESTING, BY THE WAY. LIKE WHAT ARE WE DOING AS COSA TO AMPLIFY, TO REACH OUT TO OUR YOUTH TOGETHER ON YOUTH LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN COLLECTING, LIKE OKAY IF I'M A YOUTH, WHERE DO YOU GO IN SAN ANTONIO, AND WE HAVE A LOT IN COSA. CLEAN YOUR HOUSE FIRST BEFORE YOU START TELLING OTHERS, AND THAT'S REALLY THE GOAL OF THIS IS THAT PRETTY SOON -- AND WE PLAN TO PUBLISH IT IN OUR INTERN HUB SA IS ALL THE YOUTH LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE WITHIN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND WE STARTED HAVING YOUTH SERVING DEPARTMENT MEETINGS SO WE HAVE ABOUT SEVEN DEPARTMENTS WITHIN COSA THAT SOMEWHERE IN THEIR BUDGET THEY HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOUTH. WE STARTED TO MEET AND THEN WE KIND OF DROPPED OFF, BUT WE'RE GOING TO START THOSE BACK UP AGAIN SO WE CAN START TALKING ABOUT HOW DO WE COORDINATE MESSAGING, MARKETING. WHEN THAT SUMMER COMES AROUND AND WE HAVE ALL THESE WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR LIBRARY, METRO HEALTH, PARKS AND DHS, HOW DO WE HAVE A UNIFIED FRONT AND PUSH IT
>> AND SO WE'RE GOING TO BE STARTING THAT WORK IN THE SPRING.
AND THAT IS IT FOR MY PRESENTATION, AND I AM HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, REBECCA.
WE CONTINUE THE PRESENTATION AND THE CONTINUED ADEQUACY THAT YOU AND THE TEAM DO ON BEHALF OF SAN ANTONIO YOUTH.
I HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OF NOTES ON THIS ITEM BECAUSE THEY WERE PREPARED BY [INDISCERNIBLE] RICK, WHO, BY THE WAY, I MET BEFORE BEING IN OFFICE, BECAUSE HE AND A COALITION OF STUDENTS WERE LOOKING FOR CANDIDATES WHO WERE GOING TO PRIORITIZE YOUTH IN THEIR POSITION AND HERE WE ARE. SO THANKS, RICK.
BUT WITH THAT, I HAD A COMMUNITY MEETING TWO DAYS AGO AND WE WERE JUST
[01:10:05]
TALKING ABOUT TAKING A MACRO APPROACH TO DISTRICT 5 ISSUES AND WHAT SURFACED TO THE TOP WERE SERVICES FOR YOUTH AND CRIME, RIGHT? AND HAVING LOOKED AT WHAT THE CITY OF CHICAGO HAS DONE TO HELP REDUCE SUMMER VIOLENT CRIME BY YOUTH WAS CREATING SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM BUT THEY CALL IT ONE SUMMER CHICAGO.AND IT'S THE AGE RANGE IS 16 TO, I BELIEVE, 24. WITH THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, IS IT FOR LIABILITY PURPOSES THAT IT'S LIMITED TO 18 AND
COLLEGE STUDENTS OR WHAT'S -- >> WHEN IT WAS FIRST CREATED, IT WAS ACT ACTUALLY CREATED BY THEN CITY COUNCILMEMBER JULIAN CASTRO, AND IT WL REALLY WAS KIND OF THE PREMISE OF ADDRESSING THE BRAIN DRAIN. SO IT PURPOSELY WAS WORKING WITH COLLEGE STUDENTS. THROUGH OUR DELEGATE AGENCY FUNDING, WE ACTUALLY HAVE HIGH SCHOOL INTERNSHIPS, SO FAMILY SERVICES RECEIVES MONEY AND OTHER NONPROFITS HAVE -- HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY FOR FUNDS. WITHIN THIS LAST ROUND OF ARPA, WAS IT LAST YEAR -- IT SEEMS LIKE ARPA TOOK FOREVER, BUT WE DID HAVE SOME LANGUAGE IN THERE THAT WE WANTED SOME WORK NONTRADITIONAL YOUTH, SO THOSE THAT WEREN'T IN
SCHOOL. >> CASTILLO: UH-HUH. >> AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE
DID NOT GET ANY APPLICANTS. >> CASTILLO: OH, I SEE.
>> FOR THAT. >> CASTILLO: I'M HOPEFUL THAT NEXT ROUND THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO THAT AGAIN, BECAUSE I WASN'T AWARE OF, LIKE, THAT PIECE, RIGHT? AND ONE OF OUR PRIORITIES AS AN OFFICE ARE AT RISK OR OPPORTUNITY YOUTH. BECAUSE JUST SO MANY OF MY COMMUNITY MEMBERS, RIGHT, DON'T HAVE ACCESS OR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO COMMUNITY COLLEGE OR COLLEGE, AND JUST ENSURING THAT WE'RE NOT CREATING BARRIERS FOR OUR YOUTH TO ACCESS THESE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES. I WAS IN THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM IN 2019, AND IT WAS SUCH A GREAT EXPERIENCE.
I WANT TO BE SURE THAT IT'S ACCESSIBLE TO ALL FOLKS WHO MAY NOT BE IN JUNIOR COLLEGE OR COLLEGE TO HAVE THESE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES.
IN CHICAGO, RIGHT, THEY HAVE THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DELL GRAT AGENCIES, THAT IF YOU'RE RECEIVING CITY FUNDING, YOU HAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT COSA DOES?
DO WE ASK DELEGATE AGENCIES TO PARTICIPATE? >> CASTILLO: WE DO NOT.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING VERY MUCH WORTH EXPLORING.
AND THEN ESPECIALLY LOOKING AT THE READY TO WORK PROGRAMS APPLICANTS, 41% ARE YOUNGER THAN 29, RIGHT? SO OUR YOUTH AND YOUNG FOLKS ARE INTERESTED IN TRAINING AND WORKFORCE, AND I THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITY AS A COUNCIL FOR US TO RECALIBRATE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND HOW WE CAN PLUG THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN, OF COURSE, LOOKING AT THE INDUSTRY'S NEEDS AS WELL. BUT I JUST SEE SO MUCH OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR YOUTH TO GET PLUGGED IN. ONE THING THAT I'VE SHARED WITH JUDGE OBLEDO IS FOR YOUTH WHO MAY NEED COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS, RIGHT, HOW CAN WE PLUG THEM INTO MY FIELD OFFICE, RIGHT? BECAUSE EVERYTHING SHOULDN'T BE -- OH, YOU MADE A MISTAKE, YOU HAVE TO GO PICK UP TRASH. I THINK YOU MADE A MISTAKE, LET'S GET PLUGGED INTO A CONSTITUENT SERVICES OFFICE TO SEE -- AND FILTER THESE CASES, AND SOMETHING THAT IS -- THEY CAN PUT ON A RESUME, RIGHT? BUT I KNOW YOU ALL ARE DOING GREAT WORK.
I WANTED TO SHOUTOUT REBECCA, KAYLA AND DERRICK AND THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING. I THINK IT'S JUST PHENOMENAL TO SEE WHAT EVERYONE'S WORKING ON, RIGHT? AND HOW DO WE SCALE IT UP AND INVEST MORE SO THAT WAY THERE'S MORE OPPORTUNITY. BUT I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR CONVERSATION.
COUNCILWOMAN GAVITO? >> GAVITO: THANK YOU, CHAIR.
I DO WANT TO START OFF BY ECHOING A LOT OF WHAT OUR CHAIRWOMAN JUST MENTIONED. I -- I LOVE THIS INTERN HUB AS YOU SAY, BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE ARE A LOT OF YOUTH WHO ARE LOOKING FOR INTERNSHIP, AND YOU ALMOST -- YOU HAVE TO KNOW SOMEONE WHO KNOWS SOMEONE TO GET INTO THE INTERNSHIPS AT USAA, TO GET INTO THE INTERNSHIPS AT H-E-B AND OTHERS, SO I LOVE THAT Y'ALL ARE KIND OF MAKING IT AN OPEN PLAYING FIELD FOR EVERYONE TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THOSE INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES. AND I DO THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT IS ALREADY A GOOD THING, AND SO IT'S HOW DO WE SCALE IT TO INCLUDE OTHERS.
I LOVE THE COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS SUGGESTION THAT WAS JUST MENTIONED, SO THAT THEY CAN GET PLUGGED IN AND I DO THINK THAT -- I AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY, THERE IS AN APPETITE FOR OUR YOUTH TO GET PLUGGED IN.
THEY WANT TO GET PLUGGED IN, AND ALSO THERE'S A LOT OF WORK -- MORE WORK THAT NEEDS TO GET DONE BY ALL OF US. SO HOWEVER WE COULD BEST SUPPORT THAT. I LIKED THE IDEA YOU JUST MENTIONED OF MAKING SURE OUR DELEGATE AGENCIES, LIKE THIS IS KIND OF, YOU KNOW, A REQUIREMENT, MANDATORY, FOR THEM TO PLUG INTO. I DON'T THINK THAT'S A HEAVY L LIFT FOR THEM. AND I THINK IT SHOULD
[01:15:01]
JUST BE LIKE, HEY, IF YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO WORK WITH US, THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO, TOO, TO SUPPORT THE YOUTH. I DID HAVE A COUPLE QUICK QUESTIONS ON -- OH, GOD, I DON'T KNOW WHAT SLIDE NUMBER IT IS, ON THE SUPPORT FOR THE UNHOUSED YOUTH. SO HOW MANY YOUTHS AREUNSHELTERED IN SAN ANTONIO? >> ABOUT -- IT'S -- ACCORDING TO THE POINT IN TIME COUNT, IT'S ABOUT 5% OF, I THINK, 3,000, SO IT'S ABOUT 160 YOUTH. SO IT'S NOT THAT MANY, BUT IT TAKES A LOT TO GET
THEM HOUSED. >> GAVITO: YEAH. >> AND I -- I HAVE A FEELING THAT NUMBER IS UNDERESTIMATED, TO BE HONEST.
>> GAVITO: SURE. >> BUT THAT'S THE BEST THAT WE HAVE IN TERMS OF
OFFICIAL NUMBER, 160 TO 200. >> GAVITO: OKAY.
I DID USED TO SIT ON THE BEXAR COUNTY CHILD WELFARE BOARD AND WE DID TALK A LOT ABOUT THE KIDS WHO AGE OUT OF THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM.
RIGHT? SO THEY'RE NOT GAINING THOSE LIFE SKILLS OF HOW DO I FIND AN APARTMENT, HOW DO I BUDGET FOR THIS, HOW DO I BUY A CAR, HOW DO I DO ANY OF THESE THINGS? AND SO THEY -- THE UNHOUSED YOUTH DO NEED A WWHOLE LOT MORE SUPPORT THAN OTHERS.
AND SO I'M CURIOUS ON THE WAY THAT WE -- WE DO SUPPORT THEM.
I THINK HAVING A YOUTH NAVIGATOR IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT.
I VISITED -- AND I CANNOT REMEMBER THE ORGANIZATION'S NAME, BUT IT'S RIGHT THERE -- IT'S RIGHT BY TRAVIS PARK CHURCH.
>> IT'S THE SAM, PROBABLY THE -- WHAT SAM IS DOING.
>> GAVITO: THEY'RE UPSTAIRS. THIS IS PRIOR TO COUNCIL. I HAD VISITED WITH THEM BECAUSE THEY WERE HAVING INTERNET CONNECTIVITY ISSUES AND IT WAS FRUSTRATING FOR THEM BECAUSE OUR UNHOUSED YOUTH MAY STOP BY THERE AND THEY NEED TO GET THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE OR ANY PAPERWORK DONE, AND IF THEY HAD INTERNET ISSUES, THAT OPPORTUNITY WAS GONE. AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THAT ORGANIZATION WOULDN'T SEE THEM FOR TWO OR THREE WEEKS, SO IT JUST DELAYED THE ENTIRE PROCESS. AND, YOU KNOW, I GOT A GOOD GRASP OF THE -- I GUESS TIME SENSITIVE, YOU KNOW, NATURE THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH WITH OUR UNSHELTERED YOUTH. AND SO, YOU KNOW, MY WHOLE THING IS HOWEVER WE CAN EVEN FURTHER SUPPORT THEM, SO THAT THEY DON'T ADD TO OUR UNHOUSED POPULATION. I'D LOVE TO SEE SOME NUMBERS AROUND IT.
YOU KNOW, HEY, WE'RE WORKING WITH MAYBE 160, GO HUNDRED YOUTH.
200 YOUTH, THIS IS HOW MANY WE'RE WORKING TO GET HOUSED, THIS IS HOW MANY, YOU KNOW, WE COULDN'T CAPTURE. SO THAT WAY WE COULD KNOW WHAT WE'RE WORKING WITH AND WHETHER WE NEED TO SCALE THOSE EFFORTS UP, DOWN, MAYBE WE'RE GETTING HALF HOUSED, MAYBE THAT'S ENOUGH -- OR NOT ENOUGH AT ALL. SO I'D JUST LOVE TO SEE SOME NUMBERS AROUND THAT SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND THAT. BECAUSE I DEFINITELY -- I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY OUR UNHOUSED POPULATION COMES FROM SEVERAL DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHICS AND BACKGROUNDS AND STUFF, BUT I DO THINK THAT IF THERE IS A FOCUS ON OUR UNHOUSED YOUTH, WE COULD HELP CHANGE THAT
TRAJECTORY FOR THEM. >> I CAN SAY THAT AT NEXT LEVEL, ABOUT 20% OF THE YOUTH THAT WE SERVE AND WE'RE SERVING BETWEEN 40500 A YEAR, SO ABOUT 20% ARE UNHOUSED OR UNSTABLE HOUSING. AND SO A LOT OF THEM ARE COMING TO US . AND SO WE'RE COORDINATING.
AND INTERESTINGLY, ABOUT 20% ARE ALSO -- HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE IN THE FOSTER
CARE SYSTEM, TOO. >> GAVITO: UH-HUH. >> SOME OF THEM ARE -- THEY'RE DOUBLE COUNTED IN THE UNHOUSED AND FOSTER, BUT AT NEXT LEVEL, WE ARE -- WE ARE DEFINITELY A HUB FOR SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY'S MOST VULNERABLE YOUTH. AND SO I THINK THAT'S WHY THE WORK OF GETTING THAT ECOSYSTEM IS SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE CANNOT DO THIS ALONE.
>> GAVITO: RIGHT. >> AS I SAID, YOU KNOW, HAVEN JUST OPENED UP THESE ADDITIONAL BEDS THIS SUMMER, AND WE ALREADY HAVE A WAITLIST.
AND WE'VE HAD HAD A WAITLIST, AND SO THE NEED IS THERE.
AND, AGAIN, IT'S JUST COORDINATING AND KIND OF BETTER UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE NEEDS ARE AND WHAT THE TRUE NUMBER OF YOUTH THAT NEED SERVICES.
>> GAVITO: YEAH. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND EFFORTS.
I WOULD JUST REALLY WANT TO HONE IN ON OUR SUCCESS RATE.
LIKE OUT OF THE UNHOUSED YOUTH, HOW MANY ARE WE GETTING PLACED INTO SOME SORT OF HOUSING AND HOW MUCH WORK IS LEFT TO BE DONE AND WHAT WE COULD DO TO SUPPORT THAT. SORRY. I THINK I'M OVER MY
LIMIT. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> CASTILLO: COUNCILWOMAN
DR. KAUR? >> KAUR: THANK YOU, CHAIR.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS PRESENTATION. YOU HAVE A ROOM FULL OF
ADVOCATES FOR KIDS IN THIS -- >> WHOO!
>> KAUR: I LOVE HEARING ABOUT THIS WORK AND ALSO LOVE HEARING ABOUT
[01:20:04]
COLLABORATION BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES WE FACE, I FEEL, IS THE SILOS. I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.ONE, I NOTICED THAT WE STOPPED PARTNERING WITH THE GREATER SATX GREATER
WORKS -- >> WE HAVE NOT. WE STILL WORK WITH THEM.
>> KAUR: OKAY. I THINK WHEN I WAS AT THE -- ONE OF THEIR MEETINGS, THEY HAD TOLD ME THAT WE HAD DECREASED THE NUMBER OF INTERNS THAT WE WERE TAKING FROM PREVIOUS YEARS. I WASN'T SURE IF THAT WAS BECAUSE WE WERE SUPPLEMENTING WITH THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM OR
SOMETHING ELSE? >> THEY ARE PARTNERING -- ACTUALLY, I DID FORGET ABOUT IT. WE DO, ACTUALLY THROUGH HR, DURING THE SUMMER WHERE WE DO BRING IN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT COME IN AND DO INTERNSHIP WITHIN COSA. AND SO IT'S HR THAT RUNS THAT, NOT DHS.
>> KAUR: OH, GOT IT. OKAY. SO IT'S A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT. SO -- BUT -- WOULD IT BE SA WORKS PARTNERSHIP
WOULD GO THROUGH YOU GUYS OR THROUGH HR? >> WE WORK WITH THEM ON KIND OF THE COORDINATION ON OUTREACH AND KIND OF MESSAGING, BUT IT'S HR THAT IS ACCEPTING THEIR STUDENTS INTO INTERNSHIPS WITHIN COSA.
>> KAUR: AND THEN THEY PLACE THEM? >> CORRECT.
>> KAUR: GOT IT. I'D LOVE TO SEE JUST SOME OF THE DATA AND MAYBE SOME FEEDBACK FROM FOLKS THAT WERE IN BOTH PROGRAMS BEFORE WITH THE SA WORKS AND WITH THE INTERNSHIP, AND TO SEE MAYBE FROM DEPARTMENT HEADS IF THERE WAS A NEED -- OR ABILITY TO DO EXTRA WORK, SINCE WE'RE OFF IN JULY, I FEEL LIKE THERE'S ALWAYS THINGS TO BE DONE.
BUT I WOULD LOVE -- I THINK THAT -- I MEAN, ALL OF -- ANY -- AS MANY INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS AS WE CAN FOR KIDS IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND MAKING SURE THEY GET ACCESS, WHICH BRINGS ME TO THE NEXT POINT, WHERE I LOVE THE WEBSITE, THE INTERN HUB SA. IS THIS ALREADY
LAUNCHED? >> NO. >> KAUR: OKAY.
BECAUSE WHEN I TRIED TO GOOGLE TO LOOK FOR KEY WORDS, I WAS LIKE, THIS
IS NOT POPULATING. >> IT'S NOT. WE'VE BEEN VERY SENSITIVE. WE DON'T -- YOU KNOW, LIKE GOING TO COMMENT, LIKE WE ONLY HAVE ONE CHANCE. AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE A ROBUST NUMBER OF INTERNSHIPS ON THE WEBSITE SO THAT WHEN WE DO THE PR CAMPAIGN, THAT WHEN YOUTH COME, THEY'RE LIKE, OH, YEAH, THIS IS A REAL RESOURCE. AND SO WE'RE NOW WORKING WITH EMPLOYERS, COSA DEPARTMENTS, TO POST THEIR INTERNSHIPS AND THE PLAN IS IN JANUARY, WE'RE GOING TO DO A MASS MEDIA BLAST WITH TEACHER, COUNSELORS AND YOUTH AND OUR SAN ANTONIO YOUTH COMMISSION HELPED US
DESIGN -- >> KAUR: AWESOME. >> -- AND THEY WERE VERY, VERY VOCAL ON KIND OF -- IT HAS THIS FEATURE THAT YOU CAN BASICALLY SIGNED UP FOR A NEWSLETTER, SO IF YOU WANT TO INTERNSHIP ON THE SOUTH PART OF SAN ANTONIO THAT OFFERS TRANSPORTATION STIPEND AND PAID, YOU CHECK THOSE BOXES AND ANY TIME AN INTERNSHIP MEETS THAT CRITERIA, YOU'LL GET AN E-MAIL EITHER EVERY DAY OR ONCE A WEEK, AND WE MADE SURE THAT IT WAS MOBILE PHONE COMPATIBLE, BECAUSE THEY SAID THAT'S WHAT THEY DO. AND SO, AGAIN, THE YOUTH COMMISSION HAS BEEN FABULOUS IN GIVING US THAT FEEDBACK. AND THEY BASICALLY SAID, IF THERE'S NO INTERNSHIPS, WE'RE GOING TO SEE IT ONCE AND THEN WE WON'T COME BACK. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON NOW.
>> KAUR: AND I LOVE THAT. I REMEMBER SOME OF THE CHALLENGES IS LIKE HOW DO WE GET TO OUR KIDS THAT REALLY NEED IT.
AND SO FROM THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATION, I'M WONDERING IF THERE IS A WAY TO DO SNAPCHAT ADS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT WHERE IT POPS UP SAYING, LIKE, PAID INTERNSHIP, YOU KNOW, AROUND THE CORNER OR SOMETHING.
JUST EVEN CONTINUOUSLY GET -- BECAUSE NOW THAT -- ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS GETTING THE DATA. SO NOW THAT WE HAVE EVERYBODY -- OR WILL HAVE EVERYBODY PUTTING INFORMATION IN HERE, I THINK GETTING IT OUT WOULD -- AT LEAST WE HAVE A PLACE TO START.
>> YEP. CAUSER AND SUPER COOL. YOU MENTIONED.
>> KAUR: YOU MENTIONED YOUTH MAY NOT KNOW WHERE TO GO FOR SERVICES.
IS THAT GOING TO BE FOR SERVICES. >> WHAT DO YOU MEAN FOR
SERVICES. SERVICES. >> KAUR: LIKE ALL THE
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORTING ME. >> WE DO HAVE SOME RESOURCES ON THERE ALSO, SO THE COLLABORATIVE IS SEPARATE AND APART.
THAT, WE'RE JUST WORKING ON REFERRAL PROCESS, WARM HANDOFFS, BUT A LOT OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS WILL BE A PART OF INTERN HUB SA AND SO NOT ONLY WILL IT HAVE INTERNSHIPS, BUT WE HAVE INFORMATION ON APPLYING TO COLLEGE, HOW TO WRITE YOUR RESUME, AND THEN, AGAIN, OTHER RESOURCES FOR OTHER HIGH NEEDS. AND, OF COURSE, WE'LL ALWAYS REFER FOLKS TO SACRED, WHICH IS THE MOST ROBUST KIND OF DATABASE THAT WE HAVE.
>> KAUR: OKAY. GOT IT. WELL, I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS LIKE YOU HAVE A LOT OF GREAT DATA WITH LIKE THE LOW TO HIGH SUPPORT AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE PROVIDING. IT WOULD BE GREAT TO SEE, LIKE, WHAT THE REPORTS OR OUTPUTS LOOK LIKE BACK TO OUR SCHOOLS OR OUR DISTRICTS TO SAY LIKE THIS IS WHAT WE'VE -- THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'VE CREATED, THIS IS HOW THE LATITUDE OF SUPPORT THAT WE'RE ABLE
TO SUPPORT AND IT'S LIKE A PACKAGE THING. >> AND JUST A QUICK PLUG, I KNOW WE FOCUS A LOT ONION PROFITS OF SUPPORTING INTERNSHIPS.
[01:25:07]
OUR NONPROFIT COMMUNITY HAS BEEN FANTASTIC. WHERE WE NEED HELP IN IS STEM AND HEALTHCARE. OUR YOUTH ARE COMING AND ASKING FOR INTERNSHIPS IN STEM AND HEALTHCARE, AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE HAVING THE HARDEST TIME NAVIGATING INTERNSHIPS FOR THEM. SO ANY PLUGS FOR THAT, WE'D APPRECIATE IT. WHICH BOTHER HER ALL THE TIME.>> KAUR: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. I'M JUST REFLECTING ABOUT -- I SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN IN SCHOOL SUSPENSION AND CLEANING UNDER THE BLEACHERS OF
LIKE MY MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL. >> THE TRUTH COMES OUT.
>> CASTILLO: AND I'M ALSO THINKING OF I WENT TO ONE OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS TO TRY AND RECRUIT OUR YOUTH COMMISSION BECAUSE OUR YOUTH COMMISSIONERS THEY'VE GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL AND NOW WE'RE TRYING TO GET THEM PLUGGED INTO THE HIGHER EDUCATION COMMITTEE, AND WHEN I SHARE WITH THEM, RIGHT, THE ROLE THAT THEY SERVE, THEIR EYES LIGHT UP.
REALLY, WE'LL GIVE RECOMMENDATION. YEAH, LIKE Y'ALL HAVE A WHOLE BUDGET AND IT'S JUST IMPRESSION AND I ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES.
I SAT IN ONE OF THE YOUTH COMMISSION MEETINGS. IT'S SO IMPRESS, ROBERT'S RULES, FOLLOWED LIKE NO OTHER. IT'S JUST VERY IMPRESSIVE, AND I LEFT THAT MEETING HOPEFUL, JUST WITH THE
PARTICIPATION. >> I'M READY FOR THE YOUTH TO TAKE OVER.
>> CASTILLO: YES. >> THEY'RE PHENOMENAL. WITH THAT, RIGHT, I WANTED TO COMMEND YOU AND THE TEAM ON THE YOUTH COMMISSION SURVEY THAT FOUND THAT MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES ARE A HUGE PRIORITY AND A CONCERN FOR SAN ANTONIO'S YOUTH, AND I'M CURIOUS THAT IF WE'VE PARTNERED OR IF DHS HAS EXPLORED PARTNERING WITH THE UT HEALTH SYSTEM TO EXPAND SERVICES TO OUR HIGH SCHOOLS, RIGHT? I THINK ABOUT THE STUDENT TEACHER MODEL, RIGHT? UNIVERSITY'S PARTNER ALL THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM AND WE GO INTO THE SCHOOLS AND WE MENTOR AND WE EVENTUALLY TEACH THE CLASS, RIGHT? IS THERE A PROGRAM WITH UT HEALTH WHERE STUDENTS STUDYING TO BE CLINICIANS GO IN AND PROVIDE THAT SUPPORT TO OUR YOUTH? DO WE KNOW IF THAT'S A
PROGRAM THAT EXISTS? >> I'M NOT SURE. OH, WE HAVE AN EXPERT
HERE. >> HI, I'M JESSE HI HI AGAINS.
TT CHAT, I'LL HAVE TO GET YOU THE ACRONYM FULLY. BUT IT IS THROUGH UT HEALTH AND IT IS A LEGISLATIVE EFFORT WHERE WE ARE BRINGING TELEMEDICINE BOTH COUNSELING, SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT AND PSYCHIATRY INTO HIGH SCHOOLS AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS. AND SO THIS IS A WIDESPREAD INITIATIVE, AND MOST SAN ANTONIO SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE USING TTCHAT. AND SO IT'S USING A WIDE RANGE OF PROFESSIONALS TO HELP ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH IN THE SCHOOLS. THERE'S PARENT CONCEPT ANCONSENT AND THEY HAVE TO HAVE A COUNSELOR REFERRAL AND ALL THESE THINGS BUT IT IS SCHOOL BASED. AND SO A LOT OF OUR SCHOOL-BASED PARTNERS -- LIKE FAMILY SERVICE, ARE AIBILITY TO GET PEOPLE INTO TTCHAT FOR PSYCHIATRY OR MAYBE EVEN COUNSELING WHILE THEY WAIT ON A WAITING LIST TO
SEE SOMEONE IN PERSON. >> CASTILLO: GREAT. THANK YOU.
THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL. THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS.
DO ANY OF THE COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? GREAT. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH, REBECCA.
WE APPRECIATE IT. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. OUR LAST ITEM, ITEM 5, OLDER ADULT PROGRAMMING AND SERVICES PRESENTED BY MELODY WOOLSEY.
THANK YOU. >> WOOSLEY: GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCILMEMBERS. SO WE'RE GOING TO GO SEVERAL DECADES DOWN THE PATH AND TALK ABOUT OLDER ADULTS. SO THIS ITEM DOES PROVIDE A BRIEFING ON THE STATUS OF OLDER ADULTS IN SAN ANTONIO AND SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY INITIATIVE AS WELL AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS. FIRST, I WANT TO START BY ACKNOWLEDGING DHS'S SENIOR SERVICES MANAGEMENT TEAM, ALONG WITH YVONNE PEREZ, OUR SENIOR SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR, WE HAVE HERE DEBORAH CALIFORNIA, MARIA RIVERA AND VICTOR OBAVONE WHO ARE MANAGERS OVER THE SENIOR CENTERS.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A NENUMBER OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO ENSURE THAT OLDER ADULTS IN SAN ANTONIO ARE HEALTHY, INDEPENDENT AND ENGAGED.
SO VINCENT FARIAS, THE CEO OF MEALS ON WHEELS IS HERE, CAROL ZERNEEL, AND LAURA CISNEROS FROM THE WELLMED CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, LISA AND DARRELL GREER FROM OATS. YOU'VE HEARD MY SAY THAT WE DON'T DO ANYTHING ALONE AT DHS AND WHICH DON'T WANT TO. AND SO WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THIS GROUP OF CONNECTED AND EXPERT PARTNERS TO HELP US WITH THIS WORK. AND SO THIS PRESENTATION WILL INCLUDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE STATUS OF OLDER ADULTS, AN OUTLINE OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AND
[01:30:05]
ALIGNMENT WITH H FRIENDLY CITY'S FAME WORK AND ALSO I WILL REVIEW PROGRAMS, INITIATIVES AND PARTNERSHIPS, ALONG WITH OUR FISCAL YEAR '24 PRIORITIES. SO BASED ON DATA FROM THE U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, THE FIVE-YEAR ESTIMATES FROM THE COMMUNITY SURVEY, AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY, WE KNOW THAT OLDER ADULTS AGES 60 PLUS ACCOUNT FOR 17% OR 250,000 MEMBERS OF SAN ANTONIO'S OVERALL POPULATION.A CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND COMMUNITY PARTNER PROGRAMMING IS CRITICAL FOR THE OLDER ADULTS WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE TO THE EFFECTS OF ISOLATION, FOOD AND RESOURCE INSECURITY AND DEPRESSION.
27% OF OLDER ADULTS ARE LIVING ALONE. 45% ARE WITHOUT ACCESS TO A HOME COMPUTER, AND ACCORDING TO THE CENSUS, 13% LIVE IN POVERTY.
BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR SENIOR CENTER MEMBERS, 29% OF OUR PARTICIPANTS HAVE SELF-REPORTED THAT THEY ARE LIVING IN POVERTY.
SO SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT 35,000, WHICH IS ABOUT ROUGHLY 14% OF OUR ADULT POPULATION, ARE ENROLLED AT ONE OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE SENIOR CENTERS OR NUTRITION SITES, WHERE THEY CAN CONNECT TO PROGRAMS TO IMPROVE THEIR HEALTH AND WELL-BEING.
AND WE'RE NOT THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN. SO SENIORS HAVE ACCESS ALSO TO PROGRAMS AND SERVICES ACROSS THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE OPERATED BY THE PARTNERS THAT ARE WITH US TODAY AND MANY OTHERS.
AND SO IN 2014, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO JOINED THE AARP NETWORK OF AGE-FRIENDLY STATES AND COMMUNITIES AND THE COMMITMENT WAS REAFFIRMED IN 2017 BY MAYOR NIRENBERG. OUR 2019 SENIOR SERVICES STRATEGIC PLAN FOCUSED ON THIS FRAMEWORK AND IDENTIFIED RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND THREE PRIMARY AREAS: EVOLVING DEMAND FOR SENIOR SERVICES BASED ON, YOU KNOW, PREDICTED DEMOGRAPHIC INCREASES, AS WELL AS ADVANCING THE CITY'S WORK AS AN AGE-FRIENDLY COMMUNITY.
LOCATION DECISIONS FOR FUTURE SENIOR CENTERS IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE CHANGING DEMOGRAPHIC MAKEUP OF THE CITY, AND INTEGRATION OF AGE-FRIENDLY POLICY ACTION INTO LOCAL DECISION MAKING AND CITY DEPARTMENTS. AND SO THE MAJORITY OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN'S KEY RECOMMENDATIONS ARE IMPLEMENTED OR IN PROCESS, AND THAT INCLUDES ENHANCING EQUITY-BASED PROGRAMMING, INCREASING FINANCIAL AND SOCIAL SERVICES, EXTENDING OPERATIONAL HOURS AND AGE-ELIGIBILITY THROUGH THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN INVESTMENTS, ENHANCING HEALTH AND WELLNESS SERVICES, DIVERSIFYING MEAL OPTIONS AND REBRANDING SENIOR CENTERS AND PROGRAMS TO BE MORE INCLUSIVE, ALONG WITH INTEGRATION OF AGE-FRIENDLY POLICIES CITY WIDE. THESE ARE PARTIALLY IMPLEMENTED AND , REALLY, ALTHOUGH IMPLEMENTED, THEY'RE ALL ONGOING. WE DON'T FINISH SOMETHING AND THEN STOP.
WE CONTINUE TO IMPROVE AND EXPAND. AND SO DHS CONTINUES TO WORK WITH OUR OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS AND LOCAL PARTNERS TO FURTHER IMPROVE THE ALIGNMENT WITH THE AGE-FRIENDLY CITY POLICIES.
SO THE MAJORITY OF OLDER ADULT PROGRAMMING PROVIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES IS COORDINATED THROUGH 11 COMPREHENSIVE SENIOR CENTERS AND 33 PART-TIME NUTRITION SITES THAT OPERATE THROUGHOUT SAN ANTONIO, A 12TH COMPREHENSIVE CENTER WILL OPEN LATER THIS YEAR IN DISTRICT FOUR NEAR HERITAGE PARK. AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, WE HAVE ALMOST 35,000 MEMBERS ENROLLED AND PROVIDE APPROXIMATELY 450,000 MEALS ANNUALLY. OUR OVERALL PROGRAM SATISFACTION RATE IS 96%. AND THIS IS CALCULATED THROUGH A QUARTERLY MEMBER SURVEY. 90% OF OUR MEMBERS STATED THEY SAW AN INCREASE IN THEIR SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL AND/OR PHYSICAL HEALTH BY ATTENDING THE CENTERS.
AND IN FISCAL YEAR '23, WE WERE ABLE TO INCREASE PARTICIPATION IN OUR CONGREGATE MEAL PROGRAM BY 13%. THIS IS OUR QUEST TO EXCEED PREPANDEMIC LEVELS OF MEALS SERVED. AND SO THROUGH THE DIRECT SERVICES OF THE CITY AND PARTNERSHIPS, OLDER ADULT PROGRAMMING IS FOCUSING ON FOOD SECURITY, DAILY NEW MEALS PROVIDED BY MEALS ON WHEELS, FOOD COMMODITIES THROUGH THE FOOD BANK AS WELL AS NUTRITIONAL EDUCATION AND COOKING CLASSES, MENUS INCLUDE ITEMS THAT ARE CULTURALLY OR ETHNICALLY
[01:35:06]
APPROPRIATE AND SENIOR PARTICIPANTS HAVE REPORTED MEAL SATISFACTION RATE OF N 97%, AND THIS IS LARGELY DUE BY THE QUALITY OF MEALS THAT ARE PROVIDED BY MEALS ON WHEELS. RECREATION AND FITNESS PROGRAMS ARE TAILORED FOR EACH CENTER TO MEET THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE SERVING AT THE CENTER. WE HAVE ADVISORY GROUPS AT EVERY CENTER TO STEER THOSE -- THAT -- THOSE PROGRAMMING MENUS, ACTIVITIES, THAT THEY WANT TO SEE. EDUCATION CLASSES INCLUDING ART, DRAMA AND DIGITAL LITERACY ARE OFFERED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE YMCA, SENIORS IN PLAY, FIELD HOUSE ARTS, OATS AND OASIS, AND SUPPORT SERVICES INCLUDING HEALTH SERVICES THROUGH WELLMED CHARITABLE FOUNDATION AND WELLMED PROVIDE MEDICAL, HEARING, VISION AND DENTAL SCREENINGS, IMMUNIZATIONS AND PREVENTATIVE SERVICES, AS WELL AS FINANCIAL COUNSELING AND CAREGIVER SUPPORT.CAREGIVER SUPPORT FOR FAMILY MEMBERS, NEWLY FUNDED THROUGH ARPA, IS PROVIDING CARE WITH DEMENTIA OR CHRONIC ILLNESS, CAREGIVER COACHING, STRESS BUSTING AND TELECONNECTION PROGRAMMING.
SEVERAL OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS I WANT TO MENTION ALSO PROVIDE SERVICES TO ENSURE THAT OUR OLDER ADULTS ARE HELPING, ENGAGED AND INDEPENDENT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PROVIDES SAFETY EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS TO EDUCATE SENIORS ON ISSUES LIKE HOARDING, FALLS, FIRE SAFETY AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND ENSURING THAT THEY HAVE FIRE ALARMS IN THEIR HOMES. THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT BRINGS DIABETES [INDISCERNIBLE] HEALTH AND WELLNESS AWARENESS TO OUR CENTERS AN ACROSS THE COMMUNITY. I BELIEVE ALSO PROVIDING STD EDUCATION AT THE SENIOR CENTERS. THE OFFICE OF INNOVATION COLLABORATES TO REDUCE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE FOR OLDER ADULTS. LIBRARY HAS TARGETED RESOURCES AND HOLDS SPECIAL EVENTS. WE HAVE THE DIGITAL WALLPAPER IN EACH OF OUR SENIOR CENTERS SO THAT SENIORS HAVE ACCESS TO A VARIETY OF MEDIA AND BOOKS. PARKS AND RECREATION OPERATES FOUR ADULT AND SENIOR CENTERS THAT PROVIDE A VARIETY OF MUSIC, ART, CULTURAL AND RECREATIONAL PROGRAMMING.
AND NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES PROVIDE -- PRIORITIZES OLDER ADULTS FOR SERVICES INCLUDING RELOCATION ASSISTANCE, HOUSING REHAB AND LEGAL SERVICES. AND THE NEWEST, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, NOW OFFERS ASSISTANCE TO SENIOR HOUSEHOLD STRUGGLING TO COMPLY WITH CODE REQUIREMENTS. AND SO WE'VE ALSO WORKED CLOSELY WITH MORE THAN 20 COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO ENSURE THAT OLDER ADULTS HAVE ACCESS TO SERVICES AND RESOURCES TO HELP THEM STAY HEALTHY AND INDEPENDENT FOR AS LONG AS THEY CAN. A FEW EXAMPLES ARE OUR CONTRACTED SERVICE PROVIDERS LIKE FOOD BANK, OATS, YMCA AND MANY OTHERS.
UNIVERSITY INTERNS AND PROGRAMS THROUGH UT HEALTH, UTSA, ALAMO COLLEGES AND TEXAS A&M, COLLABORATION WITH ACOG, AARP, WELLMED CHARITABLE FOUNDATION AND THE SALSA INITIATIVE TO COORDINATE AGE-FRIENDLY BEST PRACTICES AND SERVICES ACROSS THE COMMUNITY. THE ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION AND UT HEALTH AND BIGS INSTITUTE PROVIDE CURRICULUM ON DEMENTIA EDUCATION, DOA SILVER CONNECT CHAT LINE TO ADDRESS SOCIAL ISOLATION AND ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES AND LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATIONS TO RECOGNIZE AND COMBAT ELDER ABUSE, ELDER FRAUD AND SCAMS THAT PRAY ON OUR SENIOR CITIZENS. SAN ANTONIO HAS A UNIQUE AND NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED MODEL, MOST RECENTLY IN OCTOBER, THE NATIONAL COALITION ON AGING AWARDED THE CITY AND WELLMED CHARITABLE FOUNDATION WITH THEIR PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNER SHIP AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP AND COLLABORATION TO EMPOWER OLDER SAN ANTONIANS TO AGE WITH HEALTH, FINANCIAL SECURITY AND DIGNITY.
LAST YEAR HUMAN SERVICES RECEIVED THE ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES COMMUNITY BOARD PURPOSE HERO AWARD FOR CONTRIBUTING TO GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE FIELD OF AGING WITH CREATION OF OUR OLDER ADULT FINANCIAL COUNSELING PROGRAM. OUR FISCAL YEAR 2024 PRIORITIES INCLUDE EXPANDING VOLUNTEERING EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. SO THROUGH OUR SENIOR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM, WHICH WE CURRENTLY HAVE 495 ACTIVE VOLUNTEERS ACROSS OUR CENTERS, SENIORS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ENGAGED IN PROGRAMMING AND SOCIAL BENEFITS.
[01:40:09]
HOSTING THE AARP SENIOR EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM TO HELP LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS 55 AND OLDER FIND WORK, IF THEY WANT IT AND NEED IT.WE WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO PROMOTE HIRING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH OUR EXTENDED HOURS PROGRAM. WE'RE WORKING -- SO SENIORS ARE WORKING PART-TIME TO ASSIST WITH MANAGEMENT OF EVENING ACTIVITIES AT THE CENTER. 67% OF HIRED EXTENDED HOURS EMPLOYEES ARE OVER THE AGE OF 60, AND THEY EARN THE CITY'S MINIMUM WAGE, $17 PER HOUR, AS THE REST OF THE CITY EMPLOYEES DO. THROUGH ARPA AND GENERAL FUND INVESTMENTS, WE WILL EXPAND ADA ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORTATION THIS YEAR AND OFFER MORE ACTIVITIES DURING OUR EXTENDED HOURS.
AND WE ALSO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH METRO HEALTH AND OUR PARTNERS TO EXPAND COMMUNITY SERVICES TO COMBAT SOCIAL ISOLATION, DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY. LIKE THE OASIS SENIOR CHAT LINE, SACRED RESOURCE PAGES AND COMMUNITY COMPANION PROGRAMS. AND FINALLY, WE ARE IMPLEMENTING THE SAVES PILOT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE COMMUNITY OLDER ADULT VOLUNTEERS WITH UP TO $400 CREDIT TOWARDS THE CITY PORTION OF THEIR PROPERTY TAX BILLS. AND THAT'S IN EXCHANGE FOR VOLUNTEER HOURS. THE PROGRAM LAUNCHED IN OCTOBER OF 2023, AND ENROLLMENT BEGAN IN NOVEMBER WITH 14 APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED TO DATE. AND SO THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AND I'M
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MELODYCH I'LL HAND IT OVER TO COUNCILWOMAN GAVITO.
>> GAVITO: SORRY. I DO HAVE TO HEAD OUT EARLY, I HAVE MY DAUGHTER'S CHRISTMAS CONCERT. THE ONE QUESTION I DID HAVE IS, DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY -- AND HEY, DARRELL, I SAW HIM BACK THERE.
DO Y'ALL DO ANY OUTREACH TO OUR SENIOR CENTERS THAT ARE OPPORTUNITY HOME CENTERS? LIKE [INDISCERNIBLE] TO APARTMENTS, WE WERE JUST AT SUNSHINE ESTATES EARLIER TODAY. BECAUSE I DO -- WE HAVE HAD ISSUES AT A LOT OF THOSE CENTERS WHERE THEY'RE FEELING THEY'RE NOT GETTING HEARD. YOU KNOW, OUR TEAM GETS A LOT OF E-MAILS WITH EXTREMELY SUBPAR LIVING CONDITIONS. WE'RE KIND OF STUCK BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE BECAUSE THE CITY CAN'T GO IN AND FIX IT, SO WE'RE WORKING WITH OPPORTUNITY HOME TO ADDRESS IT, WE'RE WORKING WITH THE APARTMENT FOLKS, BUT WHAT I FEEL LIKE I'M SEEING AND HEARING A LOT OF IS PEOPLE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF THOSE SENIOR CENTERS.
YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S TOWING COMPANIES, YOU KNOW, GETTING CARS TOWED THERE MORE THAN THEY NEED TO OR -- JUST DIFFERENT THINGS, LACK OF SECURITY. AND I FEEL THAT IN LISTENING TO OUR SENIORS, THEY'RE ALWAYS TOLD, WE'RE ON IT, WE'RE ON IT, BUT THEY'RE TOLD THAT FOR YEARS. AND I DON'T FEEL IT'S RIGHT.
AND SO ANY WAY WE COULD PARTNER TO -- >> WOOSLEY: SURE.
SO WE PROVIDE THE SENIOR CONGREGATE MEAL TO SEVERAL OF THE SENIOR
APARTMENTS. >> GAVITO: UH-HUH. >> WOOSLEY: AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM AND HELP CONNECT TO RESOURCES.
IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO GET SOME OF THEM TO COME DOWN JUST TO EAT IT IN THE CONGRA GATT SETTING. THEY WOULD PREFER TO HAVE IT IN THEIR ROOMS, SO THAT'S BEEN A STRUGGLE. WE WORK WITH OPPORTUNITY HOME ON THAT.
AND WE CAN -- WE CAN ALSO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH OPPORTUNITY HOME ABOUT HOW WE CAN BEGIN TO GET MORE FEEDBACK AND -- ON WHAT SENIORS ARE --
WHAT RESOURCES THEY NEED. >> GAVITO: YEAH.
AND I WOULD LOVE US TO PARTNER OFFLINE ON THAT, BECAUSE I THINK IF Y'ALL SAW SOME OF THE PICTURES WE SAW, WE SHOULD PARTNER TOGETHER ON THAT FIGHT.
>> WOOSLEY: OKAY. ABSOLUTELY. >> GAVITO: TO WORK WITH OPPORTUNITY HOME TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE NOT BEING NEGLECTFUL OF OUR OLDER
ADULTS IN THOSE AREAS. >> WOOSLEY: SOUNDS GOOD. >> GAVITO: THANKS.
THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> CASTILLO: GO AHEAD. DR. KAUR?
>> KAUR: THANK YOU, CHAIR. I JUST WANT TO POINT TO SLIDE FIVE, THERE'S A BIG BLANK IN THE MIDDLE WHERE HOPEFULLY THE NEXT TIME YOU PRESENT TO US THERE WILL BE KENWOOD UP THERE.
WE ARE -- YOU KNOW, IT'S -- THIS MAP IS SO VISUAL AND IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY GREAT, BECAUSE IF YOU TRY TO TAKE A POINT FROM EVEN DOWNTOWN AND GO OUT TO SOME OF THE FURTHER SENIOR CENTERS, MY UNDERSTANDING, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A RESIDENT OF THAT DISTRICT TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS.
>> WOOSLEY: NO. >> KAUR: SOME OF OUR FAVORITE SENIOR ADVOCATES LIKE TO TALK ABOUT HOW GREAT WALKER RANCH IS BECAUSE IT'S BEAUTIFUL
[01:45:03]
AND THERE'S MORE LAND UP THERE. BUT I JUST CAN'T WAIT TO WORK WITH YOU ALL TO DEVELOP KENWOOD AGAIN, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE AWESOME. IT WILL BE SO CENTRAL. FOLKS WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS IT. AND I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THOSE CENTERS ARE FOR PEOPLE JUST TO BE FEELING ENGAGED. LIKE I WILL NEVER FORGET JUST KNOCKING ON DOOR, AND PEOPLE WOULD INVITE ME IN TO SIT AND TALK BECAUSE THEY JUST WANTED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION AND SHARE.I THINK I SHARED THAT WITH SOME OF TO ADVOCATES IN THE BACK, TOO, AND IT'S BEEN GREAT GETTING TO KNOW ALL OF THE SERVICES PROVIDED.
EVERYBODY SURE WHEN THE MEALS ON WHEELS DRIVERS GO IN AND DROP OFF FOOD, IT'S LIKE A POINT OF CONTACT, IT'S LIKE A WELLNESS CHECK THAT WE REALLY NEED. SO THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT WORK.
AND I -- THE ONE THING THAT I REALLY HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT IS THIS LAST IMPLEMENT, THE SAVES PILOT, DO YOU HAVE NUMBERS OR CAN YOU GIVE ME ANY -- HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE USING IT, HOW CAN WE GROW THAT? IT SEEMS LIKE SUCH AN AMAZING PROGRAM, AND I ALWAYS THINK WHEN YOU TALK TO PEOPLE THAT HAVE LIVED LONGER THAN I HAVE LIVED, I'M ABLE TO LEARN SO MUCH. SO I WONDER IF -- I MEAN, THAT SEEMS JUST LIKE SUCH AN AWESOME WAY TO HELP WITH THE TAX -- PROPERTY TAX ISSUE, WHICH WE HEAR AS THE NUMBER ONE CONCERN THAT AGE WITH THEIR RETIREMENT AND SOCIAL SECURITY DWINDLING. SO WHAT ARE THE NUMBERS ON THAT?
>> WOOSLEY: SO WE STARTED ENROLLING PEOPLE IN NOVEMBER, SO JUST LAST MONTH, AND WE HAVE 14 SO FAR ENROLLED. AND WE CONTINUE TO DO
THAT OUTREACH DAILY. >> KAUR: WHAT'S THE CAPACITY WE HAVE FOR IT?
>> WOOSLEY: I BELIEVE -- YOLANDA -- 200. >> KAUR: SO WE CAN HAVE UP TO 200 PEOPLE. AND HOW MUCH CREDIT DO THEY GET FOR IT?
>> WOOSLEY: $400. >> KAUR: $400 FOR THE YEAR.
>> WOOSLEY: FOR THE YEAR. >> KAUR: AND HOW MANY
HOURS DO THEY COMMIT TO? KOOLZ T >> WOOSLEY: THEY CAN COMMIT TO AS MANY AS THEY WANT TO TO GET TO THAT 400.
I GUESS REALLY IT'S 7.25 DIVIDED BY 400. IF THEY'RE TRYING TO GET
TO THAT $400 THRESHOLD, THEN THEY WOULD DO -- >> KAUR: AND HOW DO WE
MATCH THEM WITH WHERE THEY'RE VOLUNTEERING. >> WOOSLEY: I'M SORRY?
>> KAUR: DO YOU MATCH THEM WITH WHERE THEY'RE VOLUNTEERING?
>> WOOSLEY: SO RIGHT NOW OUR FIRST STEP WAS TO WORK THROUGH THE VOLUNTEERS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR SENIOR CENTERS, BECAUSE IT'S SORT OF A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE AND THEY -- WE CONDUCTED FOCUS GROUPS WITH THEM BEFORE WE IMPLEMENTED THE PROGRAM, GOT A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE STARTED. BUT IT'S AVAILABLE TO ANYONE -- ANY OLDER ADULT THAT'S VOLUNTEERING IN THE COMMUNITY.
>> KAUR: THAT'S AWESOME. I WONDER IF LIKE -- IF THIS OBVIOUSLY WE'RE
PILOTING TO SEE IF IT'S SUCCESSFUL. >> WOOSLEY: RIGHT.
>> KAUR: AND I WONDER IF WE COULD DO A -- THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY I FELT LIKE REACHING THE SENIOR CITIZENS IS THROUGH MAIL, LIKE THEY APPRECIATE THEIR DIRECT MAIL LIKE NOBODY ELSE. AND SO LIKE EVEN IF IT WAS JUST LIKE A POSTCARD THAT SAYS, LIKE, SAVE $400 ON YOUR TAX BILL, VOLUNTEER CERTAIN HOURS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I WONDER -- AND I MEAN, THAT -- FOR 200 PEOPLE, IT'S PROBABLY YOU DON'T NEED THAT SYSTEM, BUT AT LEAST ONCE -- IF IT WORKS AND WE'RE READY TO GET THE WORD OUT, I THINK THAT COULD BE SO POWERFUL FOR PEOPLE, BECAUSE WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR INNOVATIVE WAYS TO HELP PEOPLE SAVE ON THEIR PROPERTY TAXES.
I LIKE THAT A LOT. >> WOOSLEY: WE'LL LOOK INTO THE DIRECT SERVICE
SNAPCHAT. >> KAUR: PROBABLY NOT THIS ONE.
THANK YOU MELODY. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> WOOSLEY: AND ALSO JUST TO LET YOU KNOW ON KENWOOD, IT WAS STAFFED BEFORE WE CLOSED IT AS A PART-TIME SITE. SO THAT'S WHY YOU DON'T SEE IT UP THERE, BUT OUR PLAN IS TO REOPEN IT AS A COME PREHAPPY NEW YEARSIVE CENTER, SO
FULL-TIME STAFF. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN.
THANK YOU, MEDI. I WANTED TO THANK THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT ARE HERE IN HELPING SUSTAINING SOME OF THIS WORK.
I WAS SPEAKING TO A SENIOR THAT WAS LOOKING FOR SOMEWHERE TO GO TO GET A MEAL TOO EAT, HE'S IN BETWEEN PLACES, HE OWNS A HOME BUT IT'S GOING THROUGH A REHAB PROGRAM SO HE NEEDS TO RELOCATE FOR THE MEANTIME. HIS HOME'S PAID OFF AND NOW HE HAS RENT.
I'M REALLY TIGHT ON FUNDING. WE HELPED APPLY FOR EMERGENCY FOOD STAMPS, THAT DIDN'T WORK OUT. BUT WE WERE ABLE TO CONNECT HIM TO SERVICES. ONE THING THAT I HIGHLIGHTED AND I WANTED TO THANK VINCENT AND HIS TEAM IS, I ALWAYS HEAR FROM SENIORS HOW GOOD THE FOOD IS. I HEAR GREAT THINGS ABOUT THE FOOD, AND I REALLY DO, SO I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU AND THE TEAM FOR THAT.
BECAUSE HE WANTED TO BE SURE LIKE HE WASN'T GOING TO GO SOMEWHERE WHERE IT WAS SOMETHING THAT HE DIDN'T WANT TO EAT, RIGHT, AND I WAS LIKE, NO, ALWAYS POSITIVE THINGS. SO THANKS TO THE PARTNERS FOR THAT. WITH THE SAVES PROGRAM, WOULD THERE BE OPPORTUNITY TO LACK SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS, FOR EXAMPLE? I SPOKE TO ONE OF THE SENIORS AND SHE MENTIONED THAT SHE WAS INTERESTED BUT SHE DIDN'T QUALIFY BECAUSE SHE DOESN'T OWN THE HOME YET.
SHE'S MAKING PAYMENTS ON IT. AND THAT, I BELIEVE,
[01:50:04]
DISQUALIFIES HER. IS THERE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REDUCE SOME OFTHOSE BARRIERS TO INCREASE THIS ACCESS. >> WOOSLEY: IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE NEGOTIATING WITH FINANCE DEPARTMENT ON HOW WE
WOULD DO THAT. >> CASTILLO: UH-HUH. >> WOOSLEY: THAT WAS A RECOMMENDATION, I THINK, FROM FINANCE, CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, SO THAT -- TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT FUNDING SOMETHING THAT MAY BE REPOSSESSED ANYWAY OR TAKEN. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CONTINUE TO DISCUSS AND TRY TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION FOR, BUT THERE ARE -- YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME BARRIERS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO WORK
OUT. >> CASTILLO: AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, TOO, RIGHT, IS THERE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO PUM DATA FROM NHSD ON FOLKS WHO HAVE APPLIED FOR HOME REHAB PROGRAM FUNDING AND SUPPORT AND ONE OF THEIR REQUIREMENT THERE'S IS YOU OWN THE HOME, SO THERE MAY BE OPPORTUNITY TO PAIR THE TWO. I THINK THIS IS GREAT PROGRAM.
I WANT TO THANK YOU AND THE TEAM BECAUSE WE KNOW WE'RE SEEING AN INCREASE IN UNHOUSED SENIORS, RIGHT, AND IT JUST MAKES SENSE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU AND THE TEAM FOR THE CONTINUED WORK AND THERE'S A LOT OF NEED, AND I WANT TO THANK THE TEAM MEMBERS THAT ARE OUT IN THE SENIOR CENTERS, BECAUSE THEY LOVE YOU ALL, LIKE THEY TALK ABOUT Y'ALL LIKE Y'ALL ARE FAMILY AND IT'S -- I JUST LOVE IT.
SO THANK Y'ALL. THANK YOU, MELODY. >> MCCARY: MADAM CHAIR, I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE, MELODY, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE PARKS DEPARTMENT, SOME OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE PARTNERS WITH YOU GUYS.
I SEE THEM IN THE AUDIENCE LIKE ON THE VERY BACK ROW, NIKKI AND CREW, JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORT.
>> WOOSLEY: OH, ABSOLUTELY. AND METRO WAS HERE
EARLIER. >> MCCARY: THANK YOU. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MELODY. THE TIME IS NOW 3:56 AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR MEETING. THANK Y'ALL.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.