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COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN.
COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ AND CHAIR SANDOVAL.
[1. 21-3963 Approval of the meeting minutes from the March 25, 2021 Community Health and Equity Committee Meeting. ]
OUR FIRST ITEM FOR TODAY IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MEETING MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 25TH COMMUNITY HEALTH AND EQUITY COMMITTEE MEETING.DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION TO APPROVE? I'LL SECOND.
WE HAVE UNANIMOUS APPROVAL ON ONE ITEM.
[2. 21-3964 Approval of the meeting minutes from the March 29, 2021 Community Health and Equity Committee Meeting. ]
LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER TWO.APPROVAL OF THE MEETING MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 29TH COMMUNITY HEALTH AND EQUITY COMMITTEE MEETING.
WE HAVE MOTION, I'LL MOTION TO APPROVE THIS.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? ALL ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
[3. 21-3907 Briefing on the Community-wide COVID-19 vaccination efforts. [Anita K. Kurian, MBBS, MPH, DrPH, Assistant Director, Health] ]
WE WILL MOVE ON TO, UH, A REALLY EXCITING TOPIC.WE'RE DOING, UH, A BRIEFING ON THE C OVID 19 VACCINATION EFFORTS, AND SO GLAD TO HAVE, UH, OUR METRO HEALTH TEAM WITH US, AS WELL AS, UH, GEORGE HERNANDEZ FROM U H SS.
SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE STAFF AT THIS TIME.
IS SOMEONE SPEAKING RIGHT NOW?
BRIDGET TO, UM, PERHAPS, UM, INTRODUCE US.
SO I WAS WAITING ON YOU TO ANNOUNCE THEM.
SO THIS IS, UM, AS YOU MENTIONED, COUNCILMAN, AN EXCITING UPDATE ON OUR COVID VACCINATION EFFORT.
UM, PRESENTING TODAY, WE HAVE GEORGE HERNANDEZ FROM UNIVERSITY HEALTH.
WE HAVE BOB LEVERANCE FROM UT HEALTH.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, JIMMY KEENAN FROM WELLMED, AND WE HAVE ANITA IAN FROM METRO HEALTH.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHO THE FIRST SPEAKER IS ON THE SLIDE, BUT WHOEVER THAT IS, IF YOU'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE IT AWAY.
SO I THINK IT IS, IT IS MR. HERNANDEZ.
YOU KNOW, UH, THE, THE, THE, THE FOLKS ON THIS CALL, UM, ALL SURVIVED COVID, UH, BUT AT UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEM, WE HAD, UH, FOUR PEOPLE WHO DID NOT.
AND I THOUGHT IT'D BE GOOD TO START OFF TODAY'S MEETING, AT LEAST FROM MY PRESENTATION, TO, TO REMEMBER THOSE FOLKS THAT WE'VE LOST, UH, BECAUSE OF COVID.
IT'S, IT'S REAL, AND IT'S, UH, AND I'M SURE THAT, UH, THOSE LAWS HAVE BEEN, UH, REPLICATED IN OTHER HEALTHCARE FACILITIES ACROSS THE STATE, MAYBE EVEN ACROSS THE CITY.
UH, ALL THESE INDIVIDUALS, UH, GOT COVID BEFORE THE VACCINE WAS AVAILABLE.
SO, UM, JUST TELLS YOU HOW IMPORTANT THAT VACCINE IS, UH, TO THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF OUR STAFF.
AND WE CAN'T TAKE CARE OF ANYBODY ELSE.
WE CAN'T TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES FIRST.
THE STATE GAVE US GUIDING PRINCIPLES.
UH, I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, AND WE, WHEN WE HAVE GUIDING PRINCIPLES FROM ANY, FROM ANY GROUP, TO SEE HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THEM AND, AND, AND, AND APPLY THEM TO OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, SO WHEN WE READ THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES ON, ON VACCINATIONS HERE IN BEXAR COUNTY, UH, OR APPLY THEM HERE IN BEXAR COUNTY, THE STATE GUIDING PRINCIPLES, UH, WE THOUGHT IT WAS ESSENTIAL THAT WE, UH, VACCINATE FRONTLINE WORKERS WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF THE, OF, OF THE VACCINATION EFFORT.
THAT THE, THE GUIDANCE THE STATE HAD GIVEN US, AS YOU ALL REMEMBER, THE ONE A, UH, FOLKS WERE HEALTHCARE WORKERS AND ONE B, UH, WERE A VARIETY OF OTHER GROUPS.
UH, BUT THERE WAS NO MENTION LIKE THE C D C HAD OF ESSENTIAL, UH, WORKERS OR FRONTLINE WORKERS.
AND SO, WHAT WE DID AT UNIVERSITY HEALTH, AND, AND WE DID IT, UH, PROACTIVELY, IS WE SOUGHT OUT, UH, FOLKS AT VIA, WE SOUGHT OUT POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE SOUGHT OUT, UH, FIREFIGHTERS, ANYONE WHO HAD, UH, UH, PREEXISTING CONDITION AND VACCINATED THOSE FOLKS.
THEY ALL MET THE, THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STATE.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE ALSO PROTECTED OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, AND, AND, AND, UH, AND I THINK THAT THAT WAS A, THE APPROPRIATE WAY TO HANDLE THESE, THE,
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THE, THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES HAD BEEN GIVEN TO US.AND, AND IT, WE TALKED EARLIER AT A MEETING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF JOTTING DOWN, UH, LESSONS LEARNED.
AND I THINK THIS IS GONNA BE ONE OF THOSE THINGS WE'RE GONNA JOT DOWN, UH, HOW CAN WE, UH, APPLY THE, THE RULES OF THE GAME IN A WAY THAT BENEFITS OUR COMMUNITY AND PROTECTS OUR COMMUNITY AS BEST POSSIBLE.
UH, NO ONE RE NO PARTICULAR REGISTRATION APPROACH WORKS FOR EVERYONE.
UH, WE WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL WITH INTERNET SCHEDULING, BUT, BUT IT, IT'S A TECHNOLOGY INTENSIVE, UH, PROCESS.
UH, UH, SO YOU NEED TO HAVE OTHER WAYS OF REGISTERING FOLKS.
UH, THE PHONE BANK, UH, HAS HELPED US.
WE HAD A PHONE BANK HERE, SO PEOPLE COULDN'T GET ONLINE.
WE COULD, WE COULD, UH, UH, REGISTER 'EM THAT WAY.
UH, BUT BOTTOM LINE IS THAT SOMETIMES NEITHER OF THOSE TECHNIQUES WORKS.
UH, AND YOU HAVE TO FORM PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER ENTITIES.
AND I THINK SOME OF US HERE HAVE FORMED PARTNERSHIPS WITH, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, THE DAYCARE CENTERS AND THE, LIKE, WE FORMED PARTNERSHIPS, UH, WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
UH, THOSE KEY PARTNERSHIPS, UH, PAID OFF BIG TIME.
'CAUSE WE WERE ABLE THEN TO APPLY WHATEVER THE STATE RULES, UH, WERE, UH, UH, ABOUT VACCINATION TO THE, TO THAT PARTNERSHIP ARRANGEMENT.
AND SO, WITHOUT THOSE PARTNERSHIPS, I DON'T THINK WE WOULD'VE BEEN AS SUCCESSFUL.
UH, UH, WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF UNINSURED TEXAS LEADS.
THE NATION IN THE PERCENTAGE OF UNINSURED AND SAY IN BEXAR COUNTY IS PROBABLY AROUND 17% UNINSURED.
SO SOMETIMES E EVEN, UH, PARTNERSHIPS DON'T HELP.
SO WE HAVE OUR CARELINK PROGRAM, WHICH REGISTERS FOLKS.
SO WE DID DIRECT TARGETING OF VULNERABLE POPULATIONS NO MATTER WHERE THEY LIVED IN BEXAR COUNTY.
BUT IF THEY WERE UNINSURED, THEY, THEY WANT TO GET VACCINATED.
WE, WE, WE CALLED 'EM OUT SEVERAL TIMES.
WE MADE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THEM TO COME IN.
AND I WAS GONNA ADD ONE MORE THING HERE THAT I DIDN'T PUT BEFORE.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S MORE RECENT.
WITHIN THE LAST 30 DAYS, WE NOW HAVE WALK UP.
UH, YOU KNOW, AT, AT FIRST, WE, WE, WE WERE NOT, UH, ENAMORED WITH PEOPLE JUST WALKING UP AND TRYING TO GET A VACCINE BECAUSE IT, IT, UH, IT DELAYED THE LINE.
BUT AS THE LINE TAPERS OFF, WALK UP VACCINATIONS IS THE BEST WAY TO HANDLE IT.
YOU DON'T NEED THAT REGISTRATION PROCESS IN ADVANCE.
YOU CAN JUST HANDLE PEOPLE AS A, AS THEY COME IN.
SO THIS IS THE VACCINATION, UH, UH, NUMBERS FOR UNIVERSITY HEALTH BY LOCATION, UH, 11,000 115 AT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL.
A COUPLE OF, UM, OF, UH, OTHERS THAT MET THE CRITERIA THAT MAY HAVE BEEN AT THE HOSPITAL AT THE SAME TIME.
BUT I'D SAY THE GREAT MAJORITY OF THOSE ARE EMPLOYEES.
THE ROBERT B. GREEN CAMPUS, UH, ALMOST 30,000.
THOSE, UH, THAT WAS EMPLOYEES PLUS A LOT OF THOSE ESSENTIAL WORKERS I MENTIONED BEFORE.
THAT'S WHERE WE VACCINATED POLICE OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS VIA BUS DRIVERS, SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES, UH, EARLY ON.
'CAUSE WE DID NOT HAVE, UH, WE DID NOT HAVE WONDERLAND IN IN THE MONTH OF DECEMBER.
UH, UH, S PHARMACIES AND CLINICS, VERY SMALL NUMBER AS OF, UH, LAST SATURDAY.
UH, THIS IS OUR LATEST EFFORT.
THIS IS, THIS IS WITHIN THE LAST TWO WEEKS.
UH, WE GENERALLY CONCENTRATED OUR EFFORTS IN LARGE LOCATIONS TO, TO TRY TO MAXIMIZE OUR EFFICIENCY.
UH, BUT WE HAVE SEVERAL PHARMACIES.
THE, THE, THE T D I PHARMACY, WHICH IS ON, UH, ON SOUTH SARA SAMMO.
AND WE ALSO HAVE THE, UH, UH, SOUTHEAST AND SOUTHWEST PHARMACIES.
AND, AND, UH, BUT YOU, YOU GET ABOUT 10, 15 PER DAY.
UH, BUT IT'S STILL AN OPPORTUNITY TO VACCINATE FOLKS.
WE WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL, I THINK WITH ST.
MOST OF THOSE 20,000 ARE AT ST.
UH, I WOULD WOULD SAY ABOUT 17,000 OF THOSE 20,000 ARE AT ST.
MARY'S UNIVERSITY, TEXAS A AND M, AND SOME OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCHES THAT WE, UH, THAT, UH, WE HELD, UH, VACCINATION CLINICS, UH, THERE AFTER, AFTER SUNDAY SERVICES.
AND THEN, UH, BY FAR THE MOST SUCCESSFUL, UH, LOCATION WE HAD WAS WONDERLAND MALL OF THE AMERICAS.
AT ITS PEAK, WE WERE DOING ABOUT 7,000 VACCINATIONS A DAY, REALLY WITHOUT MUCH TROUBLE.
SOME OF THE, UM, UH, UH, UH, BENEFITS OF THAT.
AND, AND THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THE, THE, THE FLIP OF THE NEXT SLIDE.
ONE OF THE REASONS I THINK WONDERLAND WORKED WAS THE LOCATION, FIRST OF ALL.
AND WE HAVE A SMALL LITTLE MAP OF BEXAR COUNTY.
UH, UH, WONDERLAND IS AT THE POPULATION CENTER OF BEXAR COUNTY.
IF YOU DIVIDE THE POPULATION ON AN EASTWEST AXIS OR NORTH SOUTH AXIS, IN BOTH THOSE SITUATIONS, WONDERLAND ISS ALMOST DEAD CENTER.
SO IT WAS EASY FOR PEOPLE TO GET THROUGH.
UH, AND SO I THINK THAT WAS THE FIRST THING.
EASE OF PARKING, UH, EASE OF ACCESS INTO THE, INTO THE CLINICS OR INTO THE VACCINATION AREAS.
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UH, WE HAD, WE HAD TWO SITES, UH, A SITE ON THE LOWER LEVEL SITE ON THE UPPER LEVEL.UH, WE WERE ABLE TO ADAPT THE LOWER SITES WHERE PEOPLE HAD ISSUES WITH, UH, UH, WITH WALKING, OR THEY WERE, THEY, THEY NEEDED ASSISTANCE.
WE WERE ABLE TO VACCINATE THEM VERY QUICKLY RIGHT THERE, UH, NOT TOO FAR FROM THEIR CAR.
AND, AND, AND AS, AS WE HAD MORE AND MORE FOLKS, WE WERE ABLE TO, TO ACTUALLY RUN OUT TO THEIR CARS AND VACCINATE THEM.
ALTHOUGH WE DID NOT HAVE A DRIVE-THROUGH, WE WERE, WE WERE ABLE TO ADAPT AND HAVE SOME DRIVE-THROUGH AS AS NECESSARY WITH, WITH A LITTLE BIT OF HEADS UP.
UH, THE SITE WAS SIZED FOR RAPID THROUGHPUT.
WE HAD TWO SITES, UH, AND, UH, BOTH SITES COULD, COULD HANDLE A, A, A GREAT DEAL OF VOLUME.
THE, THE, UH, THE UPPER LEVEL, OF COURSE, WAS ONE LARGE, UH, UH, ROOM.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO, TO DESIGN IT THE WAY WE WANTED.
THERE'S A PICTURE THERE OF THAT, OF THAT, UH, ROOM.
YOU SEE THAT US, THE, YOU, THAT, UH, UNITED STATES FLAG IN THE BACKGROUND COMPLIMENTS A BIXIE FLAG THAT IS GONNA PUT PLUG FOR THEM FOR PUTTING THAT UP FOR US.
UH, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE ON THE RIGHT SIDE, YOU'LL SEE THAT SECOND FLAG AGAIN.
UH, WE MADE THE FRONT PAGE OF THE, OF THE, OF THE NEW YORK TIMES ON THE 14TH OF, UH, MAY AS ONE OF THE MASS VACCINATION SITES THAT WAS, THAT WAS VACCINATING, UH, 12 TO 15 YEAR OLDS.
AND SO, UM, UH, UH, I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT MADE THAT SITE WORK IS WE'RE ABLE TO, UH, TO HAVE ONSITE PREP.
WE HAD A, A BACK ROOM FOR THEM, UH, UH, CO UH, COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL OR CHAIRMAN SANDOVAL, YOU, YOU, YOU VISITED THE SITE MULTIPLE TIMES.
YOU SAW THAT PHARMACY, UH, PREP ROOM, HAVING THAT PHARMACY PREP ROOM RIGHT THEN AND THERE, UH, MADE IT EASY FOR US TO, TO, TO, UH, KNOW, UM, UH, TO PREPARE THE VACCINES AND, AND, AND, BUT ALSO TO KNOW HOW MANY VACCINES TO PREPARE BECAUSE, UH, WE COULD SEE THE, THE, THE LINE AND, AND WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO.
UH, SO I THINK ALL THESE, UH, FACTORS HELPED CONTRIBUTE TO MAKE, UH, WONDER LINE SITE REALLY A, UH, I THINK ONE OF THE, IF NOT THE BEST SITE IN THE STATE, I WOULD BE SURPRISED BECAUSE, UH, UH, NOTHING BUT, BUT COMPLIMENTS, UH, REGARDING THE STAFF THERE.
UM, AND, AND THE THROUGHPUT WAS, WAS REALLY AMAZING.
I THINK THAT, UH, UH, THE ONE, THE ONE THING THAT YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER ABOUT MASS VACCINATION SITES IS THAT THEY BENEFIT THE PERSONS THAT ARE INTERESTED.
THE SELF-MOTIVATED, UH, PERSONS WHO WANNA GET THAT VACCINE MASS VACCINATION SITE.
AND YOU MAKE IT EASY FOR THEM, THEY'LL COME, BUT IT DOESN'T HELP OUT.
AND, AND SAME THING AT THE ALIMO DO.
IF, IF, UH, YOU'RE ON THE FENCE REGARDING A VACCINE, THE MASS VACCINATION SITE DOESN'T HELP.
SO, UH, WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH OTHER TECHNIQUES.
AND THAT CONCLUDES, I THINK, MY SLIDE PRESENTATION AND, UH, HOPEFULLY, UM, AND, UH, I DUNNO IF YOU WANNA ASK QUESTIONS NOW AT THE END OF YOUR, UH, THE PRESENTATION.
SO SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE GONNA RESERVE QUESTIONS FOR THE END.
WE'RE AT A NEW LOCATION HERE, AS YOU CAN TELL.
WE'LL, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND HOLD OFF TILL THE END.
UM, BOY, THAT'S, UH, GEORGE IS A, A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW.
UH, U H IS TRULY A POWERHOUSE WHEN IT COMES TO THESE VACCINES, FOR SURE.
WELL, THIS IS, I'M BOB LEVERANCE.
UH, GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL AGAIN.
I'M CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, UH, FOR UT HEALTH.
SO I'LL, I'LL TOUCH ON OUR VACCINE NUMBERS AND THEN, UH, OUR MOBILE VACCINATION CLINIC.
THERE'S A, A NUMBER OF THEM OUT THERE, SO I'LL, I'LL TALK ABOUT OURS.
AND THEN ALSO OUR, OUR VACCINE HESITANCY CAMPAIGN THROUGH OUR DEPARTMENT OF MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS, WHICH WE FEEL HAS BEEN A CRITICAL ASPECT TO, UM, UH, OUR, OUR VACCINATION CAMPAIGN HERE AT UT HEALTH.
UH, SIMILAR TO THE OTHER VACCINATION SITES, UH, OVER THE PAST MONTH, WE'VE GONE FROM GIVING SEVERAL THOUSAND VACCINES, UH, PER DAY TO NOW A A FEW HUNDRED VACCINES PER DAY, SUCH THAT WE'VE JUST ABOUT TRANSITIONED OUR HUB FROM THE LARGE HERD AUDITORIUM HERE ON CAMPUS AT UT HEALTH DOWN THE STREET, UH, TO OUR MARK LOBBY, WHICH IS A SMALLER VENUE.
ON THE, ON THE SLIDE YOU SEE HERE, THIS SHOWS THE, UM, THE VACCINATIONS GIVEN OVER, SAY, THE PAST THREE WEEKS, MAY 17TH THROUGH JUNE 4TH, UH, DIVIDED BY AGE.
UH, AS YOU CAN SEE THERE ON THE, UH, THE LEFT, UH, DUE TO THE EXPANDED E U A FOR PFIZER, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE GIVING MORE VACCINES TO THAT AGE GROUP.
UM, WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE GIVEN CLOSE TO 600 OF THOSE VACCINES, UH, UH, OVER THIS THREE WEEK TIMEFRAME.
UH, THE, THE BLUE BAR, BY THE WAY, IS FIRST DOSES, RED BAR IS SECOND DOSES.
IN TERMS OF TOTAL, TOTAL VACCINATIONS ADMINISTERED, YOU'LL SEE AT THE BOTTOM WE'VE GIVEN 164,000, UH, VACCINES.
UH, MOST OF THAT HAS BEEN THROUGH PFIZER, SOME MODERNA AS WELL.
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OF J AND J VACCINES, ONLY 553, YOU KNOW, APPROXIMATELY.CUT THAT 164,000 AND HALF, AND YOU'LL GET THE NUMBER OF, YOU KNOW, FULLY VACCINATED INDIVIDUALS, UH, THAT CAME THROUGH OUR DOORS.
THIS IS THE, UH, THE RACIAL AND ETHNIC BREAKDOWN FOR THE VACCINATIONS GIVEN HERE AT UT HEALTH.
UH, UH, COLLEEN, I, I JUST SAW THE, UH, THE DATA THAT YOU SENT OVER FOR METRO HEALTH, WHICH POOLS ALL THE VACCINATION, UH, DATA FOR, UH, ALL OF THE HUBS AND, AND OTHER CENTERS HERE IN TOWN.
AND AS YOU CAN PROBABLY APPRECIATE, UH, THIS DATA PRETTY CLOSELY PARALLELS THAT PULLED VACCINATION DATA, WHEREAS, UH, UH, 4% OF OUR RECIPIENTS WERE AFRICAN AMERICAN.
UH, 72% WERE WHITE, AND THAT ROUGHLY BREAKS DOWN HALF AND HALF HISPANIC AND A HALF NON-HISPANIC.
IT'S NOT EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE POOL DATA, BUT RELATIVELY CLOSE.
ALL RIGHT, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
ALL RIGHT, HERE'S THE, UH, THE ZIP CODE LOCATIONS OF THOSE WHO HAVE RECEIVED, UH, VACCINATIONS.
AGAIN, HERE AT UT HEALTH, A SMALL SMATTERING CAME FROM, UH, SURROUNDING STATES, NEW MEXICO AND OKLAHOMA, AND LOUISIANA.
UH, BUT YOU'LL SEE THAT THE VAST MAJORITY, IN FACT, I I WOULD SAY 98%, UH, WERE IN A BEXAR COUNTY OR CON CONTINGENT COUNTIES.
AND THAT ACTUALLY SHOWS IT A LITTLE BIT BETTER THERE.
SO, AND THERE GIVES, UH, THE NUMBER OF ACCIDENT NATIONS PER, UH, PER ZIP CODE.
THE, THE HALLMARK OF OUR VACCINATION EFFORT HERE AT UT HEALTH HAS BEEN TARGETING HIGH RISK POPULATIONS IN SOME WAYS, UH, VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT GEORGE DESCRIBED.
UH, AT, AT, UH, UH, WE MOSTLY UTILIZED INITIALLY, UH, OUR, OUR, OUR IT PLATFORM IN ORDER TO REACH OUT AND DRAW PATIENTS IN.
UH, BUT LATER ON IN THE VACCINATION MOVEMENT STARTING OH, AND, UH, EARLY JANUARY, WE DEVELOPED OUR MOBILE VACCINATION CLINIC, UH, NUMBERS THERE ARE SMALLER, UH, WE'VE GIVEN A TOTAL OF, UH, 4,000 VACCINES JUST OVER THAT.
AND THIS IS INCLUDED IN THE TOTAL, YOU KNOW, 164,000 THAT I SHOWED YOU A LITTLE BIT AGO.
AND, AND AGAIN, A RELATIVELY SMALL NUMBER OF THE, THE J AND J VACCINE.
WE STILL HAVE IT, WE STILL ADMINISTER IT, UH, BOTH AT OUR MAIN HUB AND, UH, UH, IN OUR, UH, MOBILE VACCINATION CLINIC, BUT ONLY 190, UH, WE'VE GIVEN THUS FAR THROUGH OUR MOBILE, UH, MOBILE CLINIC.
UH, WE HAVE VISITED, UH, 32 COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND WE'VE HOSTED, UH, 76, UH, UH, EVENTS.
UH, MOST OF THESE CENTERS ARE HOMELESS SHELTERS, UH, SENIOR CENTERS, MOSQUES, SYNAGOGUES, OR, OR CHURCHES SIMILAR TO THE OTHER MOBILE CLINICS THAT, THAT ARE OUT THERE AS WELL.
WELL MET AND IN IN METRO HEALTH.
ALL RIGHT, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND THESE ARE THE LOCATIONS OF, UH, THOSE, UH, UH, SITES THAT WE'VE, UH, GIVEN VACCINATIONS WITH THE, THE, THE MOBILE CLINIC.
WE'VE TOUCHED, YOU KNOW, 21 OF OUR ZIP CODES HERE IN, UH, IN BEXAR COUNTY.
YOU KNOW, I WANNA END WITH OUR, UH, PUBLIC RELATIONS AND SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN, AND, UM, 'CAUSE THAT'S BEEN AN IMPORTANT ARM OF OUR, UM, UH, TOTAL CAMPAIGN FOR VACCINATIONS.
I WANNA DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE, UH, THE BOTTOM TWO BULLETS ON THE RIGHT.
UH, SINCE, UH, LAST SEPTEMBER, APPROXIMATELY 70 OF OUR FACULTY FROM, UH, MULTIPLE SCHOOLS WITHIN OUR HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER HAVE PARTICIPATED IN MORE THAN 370, UH, COVID SPECIFIC MEDIA STORIES.
SINCE LAST MONTH, UH, OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN TARGETING YOUNG ADULTS WITH VIDEOS AND ARTICLE POSTS.
THIS SAW APPROXIMATELY OVER, WELL, WELL OVER 400,000 VIEWS AND A CLICK-THROUGH RATE OF OVER THREE, 3000 CONNECTIONS TO OUR SCHEDULING WEBSITE.
IT'S HARD TO KNOW IF ALL OF THEM SCHEDULED, UH, VACCINATIONS ON OUR WEBSITE, BUT 3000, UH, DID VISIT OUR, UH, SCHEDULING WEBSITE FROM THOSE, UH, OUTREACHES, UH, ELECTRONICALLY.
AND, UH, THIS, THIS SLIDE DECK, I'M SURE, UH, WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO ALL, OR CAN BE DISTRIBUTED TO Y'ALL.
AND IF YOU WERE TO CLICK, UH, ON THE LINKS THERE, YOU CAN, UH, ACTUALLY SEE THE VIDEOS AND SOME OF THE PRINTED DOCUMENTS THAT, THAT WE'VE PROVIDED IN OUR CAMPAIGN TO HELP REDUCE HESITANCY AND INCREASE VACCINATION RATES.
UH, AND THAT'S, AND THAT'S IT FROM, UH, UT HEALTH.
AND I THINK WE HAVE, UH, JIMMY GENERAL, UH, MAJOR GENERAL KEENAN ON FOR THE WELLMED PRESENTATION.
OH, AND REAL QUICK, TINA, UH, CAN YOU MAKE SURE YOU MARK, UH, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ HAS JOINED US.
LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE IN THE NEW OFFICE TOO.
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THANK YOU, JIMMY.I'M THE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF PRISE CLINICAL OPERATIONS, UH, FOR WELLMED AND ALSO ON THE BOARD FOR OUR WELLMED CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, WHICH IS REALLY DRIVEN, UH, MUCH OF OUR EFFORT, UH, FOR, UH, UH, STANDING UP OUR TWO COMMUNITY VACCINATION SITES.
AS YOU ALL WILL RECALL, UH, YOU KNOW, WE MET WITH THE, UH, COUNCILWOMEN, UH, ON, UH, THE 7TH OF JANUARY, UH, IN, UH, GEORGE HERNANDEZ WHO, UH, LINKED US UP, UH, AT OUR CI CENTER ON THE, THE, UH, SOUTH SIDE OF, UH, SAN ANTONIO.
UH, BY FRIDAY WE HAD OUR TWO SITES, UH, UH, PREPPED AND READY TO GO.
UH, AND ON THEN THE 9TH OF JANUARY, WE HAD OUR JOINT, UH, PRESS CONFERENCE AND ANNOUNCED THAT OUR PHONE LINE WOULD GO LIVE.
AND NOT KNOWING THAT WE WOULD RECEIVE MILLIONS UPON MILLIONS OF CALLS THROUGH THAT PHONE, PHONE LINE TO SCHEDULE, UH, VACCINE, UH, APPOINTMENT.
NOW, HERE WE ARE, FAST FORWARD, UH, THE 27TH OF MAY.
UH, I'M, I'M RECEIVING ABOUT MAYBE 20 CALLS THROUGH OUR PHONE LINE A DAY, AND WE TAKE WALK-INS.
AND LAST WEEK, UH, IT WAS KIND OF BITTERSWEET.
OUR LOPEZ CENTER FINISHED THEIR SECOND SHOT.
NOW OUR LOPEZ CENTER IS PREPARING TO OPEN BACK TO OUR SENIORS.
OUR CISNEROS CENTER CONTINUES, UH, TO DELIVER SECOND DOSE, UH, MODERNA, AS WELL AS THE, THE, UH, UH, FIRST, UH, AND ONLY DOSE J AND J.
AND THEY WILL CONTINUE THAT THROUGH NEXT FRIDAY, THE 4TH OF JUNE, WHEN THEY WILL COMPLETE THEIR OPERATIONS AND QUICKLY MOVE TOFI, THE SENIOR CENTER SO WE CAN WALK ALL OF OUR SENIORS BACK TO THE SENIOR CENTER.
AND I REALLY THINK IT'S A, A TESTAMENT OF THE COMMUNITY WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, UH, THAT DR.
THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE TALK ABOUT OUR SENIORS, THOSE THAT ARE THE 65 AND OVERPOPULATION IN BEAR COUNTY, NOW, 93.6% HAVE BEEN VACCINATED.
I, I THINK THAT IS TREMENDOUS.
I THINK OUR SENIORS CAN SAFELY RETURN TO THEIR SENIOR CENTERS AND, AND, AND REJOIN LIFE.
THIS IS GONNA BE CRITICAL BECAUSE WE KNOW MANY OF THEM HAVE FELT ISOLATED AND LONELY.
AND SO WE'RE EXCITED THAT, UH, WE'LL BE ABLE TO, UH, NOT ONLY, UH, HAVE THE DOOR GRIP AND SENIOR CENTER OPEN, BUT ALSO OUR LOPEZ SENIOR CENTER AND OUR CI SENIOR CENTER.
SO, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF OUR NUMBERS, AND, AND I, I CALL OUT THE ENTERPRISE NUMBER BECAUSE, UH, UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE ALSO GIVING VACCINATIONS NOT ONLY IN TEXAS, BUT ACROSS, UH, THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
SO AS AN ENTERPRISE, WE'VE GIVEN OVER, UH, 285,000, UH, VACCINES.
AND IN 95% OF THOSE HAVE BEEN IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND A MAJORITY OF THOSE HAVE BEEN HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, 212,000 7 61.
AND THIS IS A BREAKDOWN BY DOSE.
UH, SO, UH, OF THAT, UH, TOTAL NUMBER, UH, 53% ARE DOSE ONES.
AND AS THIS IS, AS OF SUNDAY, 45% ARE DOSE TWOS.
AND THEN YOU SEE OUR SINGLE DOSE, UH, WHICH IS THE J AND J, UH, WE'VE, UH, THAT'S BEEN 2% OF OUR, OUR SHOTS.
SO 6,680 DOSES OF, OF J AND J DELIVERED.
AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF, OF CONTINUING TO COMMUNICATE THE MESSAGE OUT, UH, FLACCO JIMENEZ DID GET HIS SECOND SHOT OF MODERNA TODAY.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE THRILLED ABOUT THAT.
AND WE HAVE RELEASED THE, THE, UH, PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS, UH, UH, TO THE MEDIA IN BOTH SPANISH AND ENGLISH, UH, FROM FLACCO ENCOURAGING, UH, THE POPULATION TO GET VACCINATED.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS, UH, UH, OUR, UH, ETHNIC BREAKDOWN SLIDE.
UH, 53% OF THOSE THAT WE VACCINATED ARE HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND 46% ARE ARE NON-HISPANIC OR LATINO.
WE HAVE THE, WE DIDN'T INCLUDE IT IN THIS DECK, BUT WE ALSO HAVE, UH, UH, THE, THE OTHER BREAKDOWNS, UH, THAT WE COULD, WE COULD PROVIDE IF, IF ASKED.
AND JUST AS, UH, UH, GEORGE HAS TALKED
[00:25:01]
ABOUT IT, UH, AND DR.VERSON HAS TALKED ABOUT IT, UH, WE ARE, UH, DOING COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
UH, LAST WEEK, UH, WE DID THREE EVENTS.
FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY, UH, WE DID ONE WITH THE, UH, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE, UH, LEFT FUND, WHICH IS LOCATED ON, UH, SOUTH MARTIN STREET.
WE KNOW THAT'S, UH, OUR POOR ZIP CODE IN SAN ANTONIO.
WE DID THAT, UH, WITH, UH, JAMIE RA AND HER TEAM.
UH, WE WERE OPEN FROM THREE TO SEVEN.
THIS WAS, YOU KNOW, WE, WE OFFERED TO SIGN UP.
UH, EVERYBODY ELSE, UH, WALKED IN.
UH, AND ONE OF THE, UH, THE, THE DIFFERENT THINGS WE TRIED TO GET PEOPLE TO COME IN IS ALAMO BREWING, UH, OFFERED, UH, A FREE CAN OF BEER.
SO THEY DONATED BEER AND THEN SMOKED, UH, ACTUALLY DIDN'T OFFER A TACO VOUCHER.
SO, UH, IF, UH, SOMEONE CAME IN AND GOT THEIR, THEIR, UH, ONE DOSE J AND J, UH, THEY WERE GIVEN A, UH, A BEER AND A TACO TO TAKE HOME WITH THEM.
UH, AND SO, UH, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO GET, UH, YOU KNOW, MANY OF THAT COMMUNITY DID A, THE LIFT FUND, UH, TO COME OVER AND, AND GET A VACCINE, UH, THE NEXT MORNING.
UH, AND I, I KNOW I GOT SEE, UH, UH, SEVERAL OF YOU, UH, AT THE EVENT.
WE, UH, ALONG WITH, UH, CARVER HALL PHARMACY, WHO WE PARTNER WITH, UH, AND ACTUALLY HAVE SOME PHARMACIES, UH, THEIR PHARMACIES IN SOME OF OUR CLINICS, UH, PARTNERED, UH, TO DELIVER THE VACCINE FOR THE EL RAYO EVENT.
AND IT WAS, UH, DRIVE UP, UH, ONLY, ONLY.
AND, UH, WE HAD 134, DESPITE THE RAIN, UH, GREAT TURNOUT, UH, MANY, UH, IN THE CARS THAT DROVE UP, I WAS ACTUALLY VACCINATING.
WE WOULD HAVE THREE TO FOUR, UH, FAMILY MEMBERS IN A CAR.
AND THEY WERE ALL EXCITED NOT ONLY TO GET THE VACCINE AS A FAMILY, BUT ALSO TO BE ABLE TO GET THE, UH, FIESTA MEDALS.
AND KNOWING THAT IN TWO WEEKS FROM THAT TIME, THEY WOULD BE, UH, FULLY VACCINATED AND READY TO CELEBRATE FIESTA.
ON SUNDAY, WE WENT TO HOLY REDEEMER.
WE WERE ASKED TO GO THERE BY THE ARCHDIOCESE.
UH, WE, IT WAS STRICTLY A WALKUP EVENT.
UH, WE WERE ABLE TO GET 29 AT THAT EVENT.
UH, AGAIN, UH, YOU KNOW, WE THINK THAT, UH, PROBABLY WITH BETTER SIGNAGE, UH, COMING IN TO, TO NEVADA STREET, WHETHER, YOU KNOW, MAYBE OUT ON NEW FELS, WE COULD HAVE PROBABLY GOTTEN MORE PEOPLE IN.
SO NOW WE'VE GOT YARD SIGNS TO DO WAYFINDING IN ON THE 4TH OF JUNE IN SOUTH TOWN, WE'LL BE, UH, UH, PARTNERING WITH, UH, BEETHOVEN, UH, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE GERMAN CLUB, UH, HAS BEEN, UH, PART OF OUR, OUR, OUR CITY AND OUR HISTORY SINCE THE 18 HUNDREDS.
UH, AND WE WILL BE, UH, GIVING, UH, J AND J VACCINE THERE.
WE HAVE A SIGNUP, UH, AND WE ALSO, UH, THEY CAN CALL OUR, UH, PHONE LINE TO SCHEDULE, AND WE'LL BE TAKING WALKUP AND, UH, THEY WILL BE GIVING, UH, IF, UH, SOMEONE 21 AND OLDER, UH, GETS A VACCINE, THEY'LL BE GIVING 'EM A TICKET TO GET A, UH, A BEER.
UH, AND THIS ONE WE'VE GOT FLYERS FOR, AND THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, OF, UH, OUTREACH TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO COME AND GET VACCINATED ON THE 5TH OF JUNE.
UH, SMOKE BARBECUE AND SKYBAR, WHICH IS LOCATED ON 5 0 1 EAST CROCKETT, UH, WE'VE BEEN PARTNERING WITH THEM FOR QUITE SOME TIME TO HELP US FEED OUR, OUR, UH, VOLUNTEERS.
UH, THEY, THEY SAID THEY WANTED TO GIVE BACK TO, TO THE COMMUNITY.
UH, AND SO WE WERE GOING TO BE DOING A EVENT THERE, AND THEY'LL BE, IF SOMEONE COMES AND GETS VACCINATED, THEY'LL BE GETTING A, A, A TACO.
THEN ON THE 6TH OF JUNE, WE'RE, WE'LL BE AT OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HEALTH, UH, AGAIN, UH, TARGETING J AND J.
AND THIS WILL BE, UH, A WALKUP ALSO.
SO WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE, UH, EVEN AS WE, UH, TRANSITION OUR, OUR MASS VAC SITES, UH, BACK TO SENIOR CENTERS, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DO OUR, OUR POPUP EVENT, UH, PARTNERING WITH THE, WITH THE, WITH THE CITY AND, AND THE STRATEGY AROUND GOING TO THOSE POPULATIONS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN REACHED YET.
AND, UH, AS LONG AS WE'VE GOT, UH, VACCINES, AND I STILL HAVE PLENTY OF JOHNSON AND JOHNSON VACCINE TO GIVE NEXT SLIDE.
AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, BEING ABLE TO, UH, PARTNER, UH, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE WONDER HOW, UH, UH, PRIVATE AND, AND PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP WORK.
I THINK WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SHOW THAT WE CAN DO THAT VERY WELL, UH, IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
[00:30:04]
ALRIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON.UM, I'LL BE PROVIDING AN UPDATE ON THE COVID 19 VACCINATION EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF METRO HEALTH.
UH, SO CO METRO HEALTH'S C OVID 19 VACCINATION EFFORTS, IF YOU WILL, YOU CAN CA BROADLY CATEGORIZE IT INTO TWO MAIN CATEGORIES.
ONE IS THE MASS VACCINATION EFFORTS AT THE ALAMODOME, AND THE SECOND IS THE MOBILE CLINICS OR THE COMMUNITY CLINICS.
UM, COVID 19, UH, VACCINATIONS, UH, AS, AS PARTNERS HAD ALREADY MENTIONED, HAVE SLOWED DOWN, AND THEY HAVE SLOWED DOWN AT ALAMODOME AS WELL.
THIS IS A TREND THAT'S BEEN DOCUMENTED ACROSS THE STATE AND ACROSS THE NATION.
OUR CURRENT NO-SHOW RATES AT THE ALAMODOME IS AS HIGH AS ABOUT 90% FOR THE FIRST DOSES, AND ABOUT 10 TO 12% FOR THE SECOND DOSES.
AND BECAUSE THE VACCINE ADMINISTRATIONS HAVE DRASTICALLY SLOWED DOWN THE OPERATIONS, THEY AT THE ALMA DOME HAVE BEEN SCALED DOWN AS WELL.
SO, EFFECTIVE THIS WEEK, MASS VACCINATION SITE AT THE ALMA DO WILL BE OPEN WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, 12:00 PM TO 8:00 PM.
UH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE A DRIVE-THROUGH OPERATION, UH, WITH A WALKUP COMPONENT.
THERE'S A SMALL WALKUP COMPONENT AT THE ALAMO DORM, UM, AT THIS TIME TO ACCOMMODATE INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT TRANSPORTATIONS.
UM, WE WILL CONTINUE TO OFFER PRE-SCHEDULED APPOINTMENTS AND WALK-INS.
UM, WE CERTAINLY HAVE REACHED, UH, A STATE WHERE, UH, VACCINE SUPPLIES FAR EXCEEDS THE DEMANDS.
SO VACCINES ARE WIDELY AVAILABLE.
THEY ARE EASILY ACCESSIBLE, AND I THINK WE HAVE VACCINATED INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE EAGER TO GET VACCINATED.
AND NOW, WHAT WE ARE ENCOUNTERING WITH THIS LAG IN VACCINATION CO, UH, VACCINATION RATES AT THESE MASS VACCINE SITES, UH, IS A COMBINATION OF VACCINE APATHY AND VACCINE HESITANCY.
SO, INDIVIDUALS, THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HARD TO REACH, UM, OR WE ARE ENCOUNTERING FOLKS WHO ARE ON THE FENCE ON GETTING VACCINATED, AS GEORGE HAD ALREADY MENTIONED.
SO, CONVENIENCE WILL BE THE KEY TO GETTING THE NEXT ROUND OF OUR RESIDENTS VACCINATED.
UM, HENCE METRO HEALTH WITH OUR PARTNERS, UM, HAVE TRANSITIONED, UM, MORE INTO THE MOBILE CLINIC OR THE COMMUNITY CLINIC, UH, REALM.
SO FOR THE PAST TWO WEEKS, THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS AT ALMO ARE PRIMARILY STAFFED BY THE TEXAS MILITARY DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL WITH METRO HEALTH, AND S A F D A SKELETAL CREW OF METRO HEALTH AND S A F D, STILL PROVIDING OVERSIGHT AT THE OPERATIONS OF THE ALMA DOME.
BUT OUR STAFF ARE PRIMARILY NOW INVOLVED WITH MOBILE AND COMMUNITY CLINICS.
TO DATE, WE HAVE ADMINISTERED 190,000 VACCINES AT THE ALMA DOME.
UH, SLIGHTLY OVER 1300 OF THESE HAVE BEEN AMONG 12 TO 15 YEARS OF AGE.
THE NEXT, UH, EFFORT IS, UH, PRIMARILY OUR COMMUNITY AND MOBILE CLINIC, METRO HEALTH, LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, WITH OUR SEVERAL COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS.
UM, WE ARE WORKING WITH COMMUNITY AGENCIES, LOCAL CHURCHES TO HOLD CVID 19 POPUP VACCINE CLINICS USING THE HEALTH AND EQUITY DATA TO COORDINATE EVENTS.
UM, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, CONVENIENCE WILL BE THE KEY TO GETTING THE NEXT ROUND OF, UH, RESIDENTS VACCINATED.
UM, SO NO PRIOR REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED AT ANY OF OUR WALK-IN CLINICS, UH, AT LEAST THE EVENTS THAT ARE HOSTED BY METRO HEALTH.
UH, TWO DATE, WE HAVE HOSTED 135 POP-UP CLINICS.
AND THESE ARE CLINICS NOT JUST BY METRO HEALTH, BUT METRO HEALTH IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN AREAS WITH HIGH C OVID 19 INDEX SCORES.
SLIGHTLY OVER 10,000 VACCINES HAVE BEEN ADMINISTERED IN ALL THESE POP-UP CLINICS.
THE MAP YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE SCREEN, IT'S THE GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF THE POP-UP CLINIC SCHEDULED FOR THIS WEEK.
UM, YOU WILL FIND INFORMATION ON THESE POP-UP CLINICS.
AGAIN, ALL THE CLINICS THAT JIMMY MENTIONED AND DR.
BOB LEVERANCE MENTIONED, OR GEORGE HAS BEEN MENTIONING, IS PUT UP ON, ON THIS MAP.
AND IT IS, UH, AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE AT COVID 19 DOT SAN ANTONIO.GOV.
UH, YOU CAN ALSO CALL 3 1 1 OR EMAIL COVID-19 AT SAN ANTONIO.GOV FOR ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY ONE OF THESE POP-UP CLINIC LOCATIONS OR EVENTS.
UM, IN ADDITION TO POP-UP CLINICS, METRO HEALTH IN COLLABORATION WITH S A F D, UM, HAS HOSTED SEVERAL WORK SITE VACCINATION CLINICS.
THESE ARE NOT OPEN TO GENERAL PUBLIC TO DATE, WE'VE HELD 34 WORK SITE CLINICS FOR BIG AND SMALL EMPLOYERS IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND HAVE ADMINISTERED SLIGHTLY OVER 1400 VACCINES AT THESE WORK SITE CLINIC EVENTS.
UM, IN COLLABORATION WITH S A F D, WE ARE CONTINUING WITH OUR HOME BOUND SENIOR VACCINATION PROGRAM, WHICH IS AN EXTENSION OF THE STATE'S
[00:35:01]
SAVER SENIORS INITIATIVE.TO DATE, UH, SLIGHTLY OVER 10,000 VACCINES HAVE BEEN ADMINISTERED TO HOME BOUND SENIORS TO THROUGH THIS, UH, INITIATIVE AND COLLABORATION.
SORRY, GO BACK TO THE LAST PREVIOUS SLIDE.
UM, WANNA MENTION, UM, BRIEFLY ON THE SCHOOL-BASED CLINIC EFFORTS THAT WE ARE, UM, UH, WE ARE INVOLVED IN CURRENTLY WE, MEANING THE CITY HAS CONTRACTED WITH CURATIVE, CURATIVE.
IF WE RECALL, THIS WAS A VENDOR THAT WAS CONTRACTED WITH THE CITY FOR TESTING.
UH, THEY'RE TRANSITIONING FROM ASSISTING US WITH TESTING TO VACCINE ADMINISTRATIONS.
SO WE ARE WORKING WITH CURATIVE TO WHOLE HOST, SCHOOL-BASED VACCINATION CLINICS.
WE'VE ALREADY REACHED OUT TO ALL THE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
WE ARE STARTING TO REACH OUT TO PRIVATE AND CHARTER SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL-BASED EVENTS ARE BEING SET UP TO VACCINATE THE 12 TO 15 YEAR OLDS AND OTHER VACCINE ELIGIBLE PERSONS WITH WITHIN, UH, THESE SCHOOL FACILITIES.
UM, VACCINATION CLINICS WITH JUDSON, I S D E, CENTRAL I S D, AND N I S D HAVE ALREADY BEEN SCHEDULED, AND ONE OF THEM, IN FACT, JUDSON, I S D.
WE'VE ALREADY HOSTED, UM, CLINICS AT THREE OF THEIR SCHOOLS ON THIS PAST MONDAY, THE 24TH, AND WHERE 291 VACCINES WERE ADMINISTERED.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A NUMBER OF FIESTA EVENTS THAT WE ARE PLANNING.
THE NEXT FEW SLIDES, UH, YOU'LL SEE WE'LL ILLUSTRATE THE SUMMARY OF THE C OVID 19 VACCINATION COVERAGE IN BAYER COUNTY.
SO COUNTYWIDE COVERAGE WILL BE ILLUSTRATED IN THE NEXT FEW SLIDES.
AS OF MAY 24TH, BAYER COUNTY REACHED A MAJOR MILESTONE.
UH, I'M SURE EVERYBODY'S SEEN THE PRESS RELEASE THAT WENT OUT THIS PAST MONDAY.
JUST OVER 1 MILLION PEOPLE WERE VACCINATED WITH AT LEAST ONE DOSE OF COVID OVID 19.
AND AS OF MAY 24TH, APPROXIMATELY 47% OF OUR VACCINE ELIGIBLE RESIDENTS WERE FULLY VACCINATED.
UH, WE DO GENERATE A WEEKLY IMMUNIZATION, UH, COVID 19 VACCINATION COVERAGE REPORT.
THE MOST RECENT REPORT WAS RELEASED JUST TODAY, JUST THIS AFTERNOON.
AND THESE NUMBERS HAVE, HAVE, HAVE, UM, HAVE BEEN UPDATED.
UM, BUT THE GOAL IS TO VACCINATE ALL VACCINE ELIGIBLE BAY COUNTY RESIDENTS AT THIS TIME.
THIS GRAPH THAT YOU SEE, UH, ILLUSTRATES PERSON VACCINATED BY AGE GROUP.
AND I'VE HIGHLIGHTED WHEN EACH PHASE OF ELIGIBLE PRIORITY POPULATION WAS ADDED, JUST TO TRACK OUR VACCINATION PROGRESS IN EACH AGE GROUP, THE TOP LINE, THE TOP MOST DARK BLUE LINE DEPICTS THE PERCENT OF VAC THE PERSON VACCINATED IN, UH, 65 TO 74 YEARS AGE GROUP.
THE RED LINE BELOW THAT BLUE LINE IS THE PERCENT VACCINATED IN 75 YEARS AND OLDER.
AND THE GREEN LINE BELOW IT IS THE PERCENT VACCINATED IN 52 64 YEARS OF AGE.
SO ONE OF THE BIGGEST SUCCESSES, UH, HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY IS THE HIGH C OVID 19 VACCINATION COVERAGE AMONG OUR SENIORS.
UM, AS OF MAY 17TH, SLIGHTLY UNDER 95% OF OUR 65 TO 74 YEAR OLD HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED AT LEAST ONE DOSE.
SLIGHTLY UNDER 85% OF OUR 74 YEARS AND OLDER HAVE RECEIVED AT LEAST ONE DOSE, AND SLIGHTLY UNDER 75% OF OUR 50 TO 64 YEAR OLDS HAVE RECEIVED AT LEAST ONE DOSE.
SO WE ARE DOING PRETTY GOOD IN TERMS OF COVID 19 VACCINATION COVERAGE AMONG OUR SENIORS.
AND THESE HIGH VACCINATION COVERAGE AMONG OUR SENIORS, I BELIEVE, UM, HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN THE DECLINE IN THE RATE OF HOSPITALIZATIONS THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND HOSPITALIZATION RATE IS, AS YOU ALL KNOW, IS ONE OF THE KEY METRICS THAT WE LOOK AT TO TRACK THE C OVID 19 BURDEN IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I'M ALSO HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE'VE SEEN A STEADY DECLINE IN HOSPITALIZATIONS, UM, AND COVID OVID 19 FATALITIES, NOT JUST HOSPITALIZATIONS, BUT ALSO COVID 19 FATALITIES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, MANY OF YOU ALREADY KNOW THIS, WE EMBARKED ON VACCINATING OUR ADOLESCENT POPULATION ON MAY 13TH.
AND AS OF YESTERDAY, UH, SLIGHTLY OVER 18,000, 18,000 EIGHT HUNDRED AND SIXTY THREE, TWELVE TO 15 YEAR OLD IN BAYER COUNTY HAVE RECEIVED AT LEAST ONE DOSE OF PFIZER.
WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS THE BAYER COUNTY POPULATION BY RACE ETHNICITY.
THIS IS THE PIE CHART ON THE LEFT, AND ON THE RIGHT IS THE PIE CHART THAT ILLUSTRATE PERSONS WHO HAVE BEEN VACCINATED WITH AT LEAST ONE DOSE BY RACE ETHNICITY.
AGAIN, THIS IS COUNTYWIDE, UH, RATES.
SO THIS DATA, IT, IT, IT LETS US TRACK OUR VACCINATION COVERAGE IN A SPECIFIC RACIAL ETHNIC GROUP, AND, UH, ALERTS US TO WHERE WE ARE DOING WELL AND WHERE WE MIGHT NEED TO HAVE TARGETED EFFORTS TO, TO IMPROVE OR INCREASE OUR VACCINATION COVERAGE.
[00:40:01]
VACCINATION COVERAGE BETWEEN, UH, AGE GROUPS, UH, RACIAL ETHNIC GROUPS, OR EVEN GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS OF OUR COMMUNITY, CAN HINDER OUR PROGRESS TOWARDS ENDING THIS PANDEMIC.SO ENSURING HIGH AND EQUITABLE VACCINATION COVERAGE IN ALL POPULATIONS, REGARDLESS OF THE GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION, REGARDLESS OF THE AGE GROUP OR RACE ETHNICITY, IS CRITICAL TO PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF C OVID 19 AND BRINGING AN END TO THIS PANDEMIC HERE AND, AND, AND NATIONWIDE.
AND TO PROMOTE, UH, THIS VACCINATION, UH, COVID 19 VACCINATIONS AND ACHIEVE VACCINATION EQUITY.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE LAUNCHED, UH, UH, AN ELABORATE C OVID 19 VACCINATION CAMPAIGN.
UH, WE HAVE PURCHASED, UH, TRADITIONAL ADVERTISING ON ALL LOCAL MAJOR TV STATIONS, RADIO AND PRINT.
UM, OUR ADS PROMOTING C OVID 19 VACCINES RUN IN THE PRIMETIME AND DAYTIME PRO PROGRAMMING ON ENGLISH AND SPANISH STATIONS.
THE RADIO ADS AIR DURING PEAK DRIVE TIMES FROM 6:00 AM TO 9:00 AM AND 3:00 PM TO 7:00 PM IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH RADIO STATIONS.
UH, THEY RUN ON A TOTAL OF 24 RADIO STATIONS, UH, THE PRINT ADS THEY RUN IN SEVEN LOCAL COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS.
WE ALSO HAVE, UH, OUTDOOR SIGNAGE, OUTDOOR ADS WITH SIGNAGES AT POP-UP LOCATIONS, BILLBOARDS ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS AND POSTER BOARDS IN NEIGHBORHOODS.
HE KIOSKS AT WALMART, UH, ON THE SOUTHEAST AND WEST SIDES, AND VIDEO ADS ON JUKEBOXES AND BARS ACROSS THE CITY TO PROMOTE COVID 19 VACCINATION.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, WE'VE ALSO, WE ALSO HAVE ORGANIC AND PAID, UH, SOCIAL MEDIA ADS FROM CITY AND METRO HEALTH'S, UH, SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS, FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM, UM, OUR PEER INFLUENCER CAMPAIGN.
UM, THIS HAS BEEN INFORMATIONAL POSTS.
UH, THIS, THESE ARE INFORMATIONAL POSTS FROM PEER INFLUENCERS ON THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS, USING THE TRUSTED VOICE TO PROMOTE, UH, COVID 19 INFORMATION TO THEIR FOLLOWERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, ALL IN ALL, BEYOND ADDRESSING THE ISSUE OF VACCINE APATHY AND VACCINE HESITANCY, UM, BY SEEKING OUT TRUSTED COMMUNITY LEADERS, UH, USING PEER INFLUENCERS TO CONVEY PEOPLE'S UNCERTAINTY AROUND COVID VACCINES, AND HOPEFULLY USING THESE REPRESENTATIVES, UH, TO BECOME, UH, RESPECTED, UM, I CALL PURVEYORS OF UPDATES.
WE CAN EFFECTIVELY, UH, ADDRESS, UH, WHAT WE CALL THE INDE OF VACCINE INFORMATION.
UH, WE ARE ALSO ADDING INCENTIVES TO FURTHER IMPROVE THE UPTICK OF COVID OVID 19 VACCINES IN IN COMMUNITY.
WE ARE STARTING WITH OUR FIESTA METAL CAMPAIGN, OUR, UH, THE FIESTA CAMPAIGN WITH THE FIESTA METAL GIVEAWAYS AT OUR UPCOMING POP-UP LOCATIONS.
AND BEGINNING, UH, TUESDAY, WHICH WAS ON THE 25TH.
UM, INDIVIDUALS WHO GOT VACCINATED AT ANY OF THE POP-UP CLINICS, UH, IN, IN OUR COMMUNITY, RECEIVED A COMPLIMENTARY ONE DAY TICKET TO SIX FLAGS, UH, FIESTA, TEXAS, UH, WHICH IS VALID THROUGH SEPTEMBER 6TH, 2021.
AND THIS IS A USEFUL RESOURCE.
I JUST WANTED TO END WITH THIS USEFUL RESOURCE PUT OUT THERE.
AND I SAY THIS ALL THE TIME, EVEN IF WE HAVE HIGH LEVELS OF VACCINATION, BAYER COUNTYWIDE, INSUFFICIENT VACCINATION IN ANY AREAS COULD ALLOW POCKETS OF C OVID 19 TRANSMISSION TO PERSIST.
HENCE, IT IS IMPORTANT, IT IS CRITICAL, IMPORTANT FOR ALL COVID 19 VACCINE ELIGIBLE PERSONS TO BE VACCINATED AT THE EARLIEST.
IT IS ESTIMATED THAT, UH, ABOUT 90% OF US NOW HAVE VACCINES RIGHT NOW WITHIN FIVE MILES OF OUR RADIUS.
AND SO WHAT YOU SEE UP THERE IS A VACCINE FINDER.
VACCINE FINDER HELPS YOU FIND CLINICS, PHARMACIES, OR OTHER VACCINE COVID 19 VACCINE LOCATIONS, UH, NOT JUST IN A, IN, IN, IN THIS COMMUNITY OR IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
SO IF YOU WANNA GET, WANNA KNOW WHERE TO GET VACCINATED, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS JUST TAKE YOUR PHONE OUT, TEXT YOUR ZIP CODE TO GET VAX, THAT'S 4 3 8 8 2 9, AND YOU'LL BE TEXTED BACK THREE LOCATIONS NEAR YOU WITH VACCINES IN STOCK.
IF YOU PREFER THE INFORMATION IN SPANISH, YOU CAN JUST TEXT YOUR ZIP CODE TO UNA.
AND IF YOU PREFER VACCINE AS SPECIFIC VACCINE, ALL YOU'VE GOT TO DO IS CLICK ON THE TEXT OR VISIT VACCINE, UH, VACCINES.GOV TO GET, UH, INFORMATION ON LOCATIONS THAT OFFER A SPECIFIC TYPE OF VACCINE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
UM, BEFORE I END, I JUST WANNA, ON BEHALF OF METRO HEALTH, I JUST WANNA THANK OUR PARTNERS, UH, MY FELLOW PRESENTERS, UH, FOR NOT JUST SHOWING UP TODAY, BUT BEING GREAT PARTNERS TO METRO HEALTH DURING THIS UNPRECEDENTED PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS.
WE ARE ALL AVAILABLE TO TAKE QUESTIONS.
[00:45:01]
YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS YOU WANNA ADD BEFORE WE MOVE INTO COMMENTS? UH, AND NO, COUNCILMAN, JUST REITERATE OUR APPRECIATION AND SUPPORT FOR OUR PARTNERS.UM, WE'LL HAVE, UH, FIVE MINUTES PER COUNCIL MEMBER, ALTHOUGH I DON'T SEE ANY HO HANDS UP YET.
UM, WHILE WE GO INTO THAT, I, I DO WANNA GIVE A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE PARTNERS, UH, AS ALWAYS.
UH, GEORGE, THANK YOU FOR SETTING UP WONDERLAND OF THE AMERICAS MALL, UH, SO CLOSE TO MY HOUSE.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE SUCH A, I THINK, A GOOD VACCINATION RATE IN IN THAT AREA.
UH, AND ALSO, I KNOW U I W ISN'T WITH US, BUT I ALSO WANNA GIVE THEM A HUGE, HUGE THANK YOU, DR.
CURIAN CONNECTED, UH, THE DISTRICT SEVEN COUNCIL OFFICE WITH THEM.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE RECENT, UH, POP-UP EVENTS THAT WE DID AT A MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND WE HAD A WONDERFUL TURNOUT.
AND, AND THANK YOU TO LINDA HOOK AND THE TEAM AT U I W.
UH, I'M GONNA MOVE OVER TO COUNCILWOMAN ANDREW SULLIVAN.
UM, THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
UM, AND TO ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH U I W AND PHI, WHO HAS BEEN GOING INTO OUR COMMUNITY, UH, SINCE THEY WERE GIVEN THE PERMISSION TO USE THE VACCINES.
THEY STARTED OFF WITH THE JOHNSON AND JOHNSON, AND WITH THE PAUSE CAME A LOT OF HESITANCY WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT THEY DID NOT STOP.
THEY CONTINUED TO PUSH THE EFFORT OF GETTING THE VACCINE INTO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU, UH, TO DR.
HOOK OVER AT U I W WHO TRULY LED THE INITIATIVE, UM, WITH GETTING THIS INTO OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE BEEN CONTINUING TO DO, AND THANK YOU FOR PARTNERING WITH METRO HEALTH TO GET THAT DONE.
UM, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I DO HAVE IS HERE IN THE DISTRICT TWO AREA.
WE KNOW THAT THE OBSERVER IS OUR LOCAL PAPER.
UM, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE ALSO LISTEN TO A LOCAL, UH, RADIO STATION HERE WITHIN THE DISTRICT TWO COMMUNITY.
UM, AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO ADVERTISE, WHERE THE CLINICS ARE GONNA BE, UM, WHAT TIME THE CLINICS ARE FOR, AND, AND TO TRULY MAKE THAT CONNECTION WITH THOSE WHO STILL DON'T HAVE, UM, THE ACCESS TO INTERNET OR STILL DON'T HAVE THE ACCESS TO, UM, GETTING TO THE LOCATIONS TO GET A PAPER.
AND SO WE WANTED TO KNOW IF THAT IS A CONNECTION WE CAN MAKE HERE IN THE DISTRICT TWO AREA TO BRING ABOUT THOSE, UH, DATES THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR POP-UP CLINICS OR WHO THEY CAN ACTUALLY CONTACT THROUGH THE TEXT MESSAGING SERVICE.
AND SO, UM, WANTED TO MAKE THAT CONNECTION.
UM, AND THEN THAT'S PRETTY MUCH REALLY THE ONLY RECOMMENDATION I HAVE, BUT TO TRULY JUST SAY THANK YOU, UH, FOR THE WORK THAT YOU ALL CONTINUE TO DO TO MAKE THE VACCINES AVAILABLE, TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY, BUT DEFINITELY MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING THE RESOURCES THAT WE NEED OUT.
AND SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA TAKE THAT QUESTION.
I DID JOT DOWN, UH, THE RADIO STATION THAT COUNCILWOMAN WAS, UH, TALKING ABOUT, AND WE WILL REACH OUT AND MAKE THAT CONNECTION AND WE'LL REACH OUT TO YOUR OFFICE FOR ASSISTANCE AS WELL.
AND, UM, COUNCILWOMAN VRAN, THANK YOU, CHAIR.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR PARTNERS, UM, GEORGE, DR.
LEVIN, UH, MAJOR GENERAL KEENAN AND ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
THANK YOU TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES AS WELL.
ALL OF US WHO CAME, CAME UP WITH THESE, UM, CREATIVE IDEAS OR TO SAY, HEY, COME OVER HERE.
WHAT ABOUT OVER HERE? I THINK IT SPEAKS TO HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH YOU SERVE, OBVIOUSLY, AND I, AND YOU ALL BEING WILLING TO PARTNER WITH US.
ALL OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO'VE ALSO REACHED OUT ASKING FOR HELP.
TIERING, THE ONLY THING I'M ASKING IS IF YOU CAN CONTINUE TO PLEASE PROVIDE US WITH THE LIST OF ALL OF THE FIESTA EVENT OR FIESTA THEMED, UM, VACCINATION CLINICS.
UH, I THINK THAT WILL AGAIN GO BY REALLY WELL.
AND IT'S ABOUT, UM, BEING AGILE AND MAKING THINGS HAPPEN.
BECAUSE I REMEMBER ON OUR WEEKLY CALL THAT WE, OR OUR, YEAH, OUR WEEKLY CALL THAT WE HAVE, UM, WITH YOU ALL OUR, OUR PARTNERS.
[00:50:01]
VACCINATION CLINIC WITH RAYO, AND WE GOT IT DONE.AND IT WAS A GREAT TURNOUT AND IT WAS A TEAM EFFORT.
AND I'M GLAD WE HAD 134 PEOPLE GET THE JOHNSON AND JOHNSON VACCINE.
AND I KNOW THAT MORE COMMUNITIES, UH, WANT TO SEE IF THEY CAN HAVE A MOBILE POP-UP SITE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO, UH, WE'LL BE REACHING OUT TO YOU, UH, 'CAUSE I AM, I'M SPRINTING THROUGH THE FINISH LINE, SO IF WE CAN HAVE ANOTHER POP-UP, UH, SOMEHOW SOMEWHERE IN DISTRICT THREE, UH, BEFORE THE 15TH, WE'LL BE PARTNERING WITH YOU.
'CAUSE IT'S ALSO BEFORE FIESTA.
UH, SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK.
IT'S BEEN ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE.
AND ALSO THANK YOU TO THE BA, UM, WHO ALSO WENT OUT INTO THE SOUTHERN SECTOR OF SAN ANTONIO TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR VETERANS DIDN'T HAVE TO TRAVEL ALL THE WAY ACROSS TOWN, BUT WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE IT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN, AND CONGRATULATIONS ON THE GREAT SUCCESS OF YOUR, OF YOUR FIRST VS EVENT, BECAUSE THERE WILL BE MANY MORE.
I HOPE YOU HAVE ENOUGH MEDALS FOR, FOR ALL OF THAT.
UM, MOVING ON TO COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ.
AND ALSO, AGAIN, THANK YOU TO ALL THE, UH, PEOPLE WHO PARTICIPATED AND, UM, HAVE GIVEN AN UPDATE.
UH, ANY, UH, STATUS ON WHEN CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN 12 MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE VACCINE.
SO YOUNGER THAN, UH, THE NEXT THING THAT'S GOING TO COME UP ON THE VACCINATION FRONT IS MODERNA.
MODERNA IS ALSO GOING FOR AN EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION FOR 12 TO 15 YEAR OLDS ADOLESCENTS.
BUT AS FAR AS CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN 12, UM, THERE ARE TRIALS GOING ON, AND I THINK THE EARLIEST WE WILL SEE IS SOMETIME EARLY LATE THIS YEAR OR EARLY NEXT YEAR.
UH, BUT CERTAINLY THERE ARE STUDIES OR TRIALS GOING ON TO GET THE VACCINES FOR ANYBODY SIX MONTHS AND OLDER, BUT THAT'LL BE NOT UNTIL NEXT YEAR.
UH, AND I, I GUESS, UH, AND YOU KNOW, OF COURSE I'M ASKING FOR PERSONAL REASONS, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, I MEAN ALL THE CHILDREN, UM, IN OUR SCHOOLS ARE WE SEEING, UM, ANY ADDITIONAL RATES, UH, UM, OR, UM, INCIDENTS IN THO THAT AGE GROUP SINCE THEY'RE NOT GETTING VACCINATED.
SO EVEN DURING OUR PEAK, UH, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY OUTBREAKS DURING, UM, IN, IN THAT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AGE KIDS.
UM, SO WE HOPE TO, UH, AND, AND, AND THAT IS WHY, IF YOU'VE SEEN THOSE GUIDANCES THAT, THAT WERE COMING OUT, YOU KNOW, OR, OR, UH, I SHOULD SAY, UH, C D C, UH, FINDINGS THAT WERE COMING OUT, THAT, THAT THEY WERE SAYING THAT THE CASES AMONG KIDS ARE, UM, MILD AND NOT AS FREQUENTLY DOCUMENTED AS YOU, YOU TEND TO SEE IN OR DOCUMENT IN OLDER, OLDER, UH, KIDS AND ADULTS.
UH, SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, NO, WE HAVEN'T.
EVEN DURING THE PEAK TIME, WE DIDN'T SEE THAT MANY OUTBREAKS.
UM, OR, OR THERE, THERE WAS NO COST PER OR THERE WAS ANY HIGHER COST FOR CONCERN IN THIS ELEMENTARY AGE SCHOOL KIDS.
UM, AND SO, UH, OF COURSE I THINK THAT ALL OF THE EFFORTS THAT WE'RE MAKING, UM, OBVIOUSLY HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL, UM, AND USEFUL IN MAKING IT CONVENIENT FOR EVERYONE.
UM, DO WE ANTICIPATE CONTINUING TO DO THAT IN THE FUTURE, USING THESE SAME STRATEGIES UNTIL WE GET TO WHAT LEVEL, UM, OF, OF VACCINATED PEOPLE? SO IF WE'RE LIKE AT 60% NOW, UM, WILL WE GET TO 80 AND THEN START TO BACK OFF OR WHAT IS THERE OR WE DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION JUST YET.
SO THE GOAL, UH, LIKE I SAID, THE GOAL IS TO VACCINATE EVERYONE WHO IS VACCINE ELIGIBLE AT THIS TIME.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE PERCENT WHO ARE FULLY VACCINATED, IT'S ABOUT 47%, RIGHT? SO THE GOAL IS TO GET EVERYONE, AND WHICH IS VACCINE ELIGIBLE IS AROUND ONE POINT, SLIGHTLY OVER 1.6 MILLION.
SO WE DO HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO AND WE DON'T INTEND TO SLOW DOWN TILL WE VACCINATE EVERYONE WHO'S VACCINE ELIGIBLE.
IT SEEMS, I WAS CONCERNED AS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE GETTING VACCINATED SLOWED DOWN.
IF WE MIGHT START TO SEE SOME OF THESE POP-UP SITES CLOSE OR PERHAPS, I KNOW THERE WAS DISCUSSION OF PERHAPS CLOSING THE ALAMOS SITE.
IS THAT ON THE HORIZON OR DO WE STILL ANTICIPATE KEEPING THAT GOING
[00:55:01]
FOR AT LEAST FOR THE SHORT TERM? UM, AT LEAST FOR THE SHORT TERM? UH, WE MAY SCALE DOWN OPERATIONS, BUT UH, IT IS GOING TO BE, UM, IT'S GOING TO REMAIN OPERATIONAL.THE SCALE MAY GO DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE UPDATES.
AND THEN I THINK, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S REALLY PITCHING IN AND DOING THEIR PART.
IT'S BEEN GREAT COOPERATION AND, UM, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE I THINK TO DO WHAT WE'RE DOING TILL WE DO MAKE IT CONVENIENT FOR EVERYONE, UH, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY THE YOUNGER PEOPLE WHO, UM, MAY BE RELUCTANT, UM, TO GET THE VACCINE.
AND JUST ONE LAST QUESTION, UH, FOR DR.
CORIAN OR, OR ALL OF THE MEMBERS, I THINK YOUR SLIDE SAID THAT IF WE WERE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN A POP-UP, WE SHOULD CALL 3 1 1 OR EMAIL COVID TO 19.
THAT WAS, IF YOU NEEDED INFORMATION AS A RESIDENTS, IF YOU NEEDED INFORMATION ON WHERE THESE POPUPS ARE, UH, WE DO HAVE THE INTERACTIVE MAP ON OUR WEBSITE, BUT IF YOU, YOU KNOW, DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO INTERNET, YOU FEEL FREE TO CALL 3 1 1 AND THEY WILL BE HAPPY TO DIRECT YOU TO THESE POPUP LOCATIONS.
AND, AND AGAIN, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN, IF YOU HAVE AN, UH, LOCATION IN MIND, PLEASE DO SEND IT OUR WAY.
WE'LL BE HAPPY TO, YOU KNOW, COORDINATE WITH OUR PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE A POP-UP EVENT IS HELD THERE.
THAT'S WHAT I, WHAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HAD A MOMENT TO TALK ABOUT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE COUNCILWOMEN.
IF WE KNOW OF A, OF A LOCATION OR A COMMUNITY THAT IS WILLING TO, TO HOST ONE, WE SHOULD SEND THAT DIRECTLY TO, TO YOU.
YOU CAN SEND IT TO COVID-19 AT SAN ANTONIO.GOV.
AND WHAT DOES, UH, WHAT DOES THE, THE CALENDAR LOOK LIKE? LIKE WOULD IT TAKE SEVERAL WEEKS TO GET IT ON THE CALENDAR RIGHT NOW? SO RIGHT NOW THE, BECAUSE WE ARE WORKING WITH ALL OUR PARTNERS, U H SS, UT HEALTH, U I W, WELLMED, UH, H E B HEALTH COLLABORATIVE.
SO THE INTENT IS TO, UM, YOU KNOW, GET AN EVEN COORDINATED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, HOPEFULLY WITHIN THE SAME WEEK THAT WE GET THE REQUEST.
BECAUSE YEAH, THAT IS THE INTENT, RIGHT? SO, SO WE ARE ALL WORKING CLOSELY, UH, IN A VERY WELL COORDINATED MANNER TO GET THESE EVENTS SCHEDULED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE WE DO NOT WANNA GIVE UP THAT OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE THE LONGER WE WAIT, WE ARE SEEING THAT FOLKS ARE MOVING ON, YOU KNOW, OR CHANGING THEIR MIND.
WE WANNA GET THEM TO BE EVEN BEFORE THEY HAVE TIME
AND BEFORE WE MOVE ON, DO ANY OF THE PARTNERS HAVE ANY, UH, ANY WORDS FOR US? IT'S OKAY IF YOU DON'T.
ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH DR.
UH, EXCELLENT WORK FOR, FOR EVERYONE.
[4. 21-3908 Briefing on the COVID-19 Research Grants Project administered and managed by the partnership of The Health Collaborative and Metro Health. [Anita K. Kurian, MBBS, MPH, DrPH, Assistant Director, Health] ]
UM, WE'RE MOVING ON TO THE, UM, NEXT AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS, UM, A BRIEFING ON THE C OVID 19 RESEARCH GRANTS PROJECT ADMINISTERED AND MANAGED BY THE PARTNERSHIP OF THE HEALTH COLLABORATIVE AND METRO HEALTH.KIAN, I HAVE YOUR NAME ON HERE AS WELL.
UM, THIS WILL BE A PRESENTATION BY ELIZABETH LUDD, SHE'S THE C E O OF THE HEALTH COLLABORATIVE.
AND LIZ, ARE YOU ON? I AM, YES.
SO THANK YOU, UM, COUNCILWOMAN SANDAL FOR INVITING US TO, TO THE GROUP AND FIRST AND FOREMOST, WANNA INTRODUCE MY COLLEAGUE, JORDAN CELVIN, WHO'S ALSO ON THE CALL WITH ME TODAY.
SHE'S GONNA BE SHARING THE PRESENTATION TIME WITH ME.
UM, I JUST REALLY WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO, IF YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I'M SORRY.
REALLY WANTED TO JUST EXPRESS TO YOU OUR DEEPEST GRATITUDE.
UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THANK YOU TO COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL.
BRIDGER, THE CHECK COMMITTEE FOR MAKING THE RECOMMENDATION AND SECURING THESE FUNDS TO BE USED FOR COMMUNITY LEARNING.
UM, YOU ALLOCATED OR RESERVED ABOUT $500,000 OF CARES FUNDING FOR THE SANTO FOR SAN ANTONIO WITH THESE COVID BASED, UM, RESEARCH PROJECTS, UM, WITH THE GOAL TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF COVID AND REALLY TO GIVE OUR PARTNERS, THOSE, THE FRONTLINE WORKERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW OR TO HELP, UM, UH, BEGIN A COMMUNITY OF LEARNING, A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE AND LEARNING FOR, UH, FOR BEXAR COUNTY AND FOR SAN ANTONIO.
SO THIS WAS A GREAT INVESTMENT, NOT, UH, WITH FRONTLINE TEAMS SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, BUT MORE SO FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
IT ENCOURAGED THEM EN ENCOURAGED THEM TO TELL THEIR STORIES AND TO REALLY USE THAT TIME TO EDUCATE US ON HOW WE SHOULD SERVE AND WHERE WE NEED IMPROVEMENT.
YOU KNOW, OFTENTIMES WHEN WE THINK ABOUT INNOVATION, THE INNOVATION IS COMING FROM THE
[01:00:01]
RESIDENTS.WHEN WE SIT DOWN AND ACTUALLY TALK WITH THEM, ASK THEM QUESTIONS, THINK ABOUT ACCESS POINTS, AND REALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE POP-UP VACCINES THAT WE'RE SEEING, JUST THAT THE INFORMATION THAT WAS DEMONSTRATED IN THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATION IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE IF YOU REALLY CONNECT WITH RESIDENTS, THEY CAN TELL YOU WHAT CAN HAPPEN AND THEY CAN ACTUALLY BE THE PEOPLE TO MOBILIZE LOCAL NEIGHBORHOODS AND GET PEOPLE CONNECTED TO THOSE RESOURCES.
UM, SO I WANNA THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR MAKING THAT AS INVESTMENT IN HELPING PUT TOGETHER A FOUNDATION WHERE WE CAN ALL LEARN TOGETHER, UM, AND, AND INNOVATE WITH SOME PRACTICE.
UM, THIS IS REALLY JUST A QUICK SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT AND THE USE OF FUNDS.
AGAIN, THE INFORMATION THAT, THAT YOU SEE ON SCREEN IS, IS PROVIDING, UM, THAT SUMMARY FOR YOU.
AND I WANNA SHARE ALSO THAT THE PROCESS THAT WE TOOK, THIS WAS A VERY SHORT, UH, PROJECT TIMELINE.
WE BEGAN REALLY AROUND THE MONTH OF JULY.
VERY QUICKLY MOVED INTO AN R F P PROCESS, MADE COMMUNICATION WITH DIFFERENT PARTNERS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO SUBMIT THEIR RESPONSES FOR THIS, UH, FUNDING AWARD.
UM, YOU'LL SEE THE TIMELINE THERE.
AND THEN BY DECEMBER, UH, 11TH PROJECT REPORTS WERE DUE RESEARCH NEEDED TO BE CONCLUDED AND FOR THOSE PROGRAMS THAT WOULD CONTINUE OUTSIDE OF THIS PROJECT PERIOD, THE COMMITMENT WAS FOR US TO CONTINUE TO STAY ENGAGED WITH THEM SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE YOU MORE INFORMATION AND INSIGHT AS TO THOSE CONTINUED FINDINGS.
UM, I WANNA MAKE MENTION THAT NOT ONLY DID THE INV DID THE CHECK COMMITTEE INVEST, UM, FUNDING RESOURCES AND ALSO SUPPORT, BUT WE ALSO, UH, WERE PRIVILEGED TO HAVE, UM, A SELECTION COMMITTEE THAT HELPED US VET ALL OF THE PROPOSALS THAT CAME IN.
THESE WERE PEOPLE FROM THE MEXICAN AMERICAN UNITY COUNCIL, WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS.
WE ALSO HAD GREAT HELP FROM DR.
ROBERT TAYLOR OVER AT UT HEALTH AND A COUPLE OF BOARD MEMBERS, UH, FOR THE HEALTH COLLABORATIVE AND ALEX MILLER MATTINGLY, WHICH, UH, WAS A REPRESENTATIVE FOR METRO HEALTH.
THAT REALLY HELPED US ENSURE THAT THERE WAS A GOOD PROCESS OF BEING ABLE TO VET THE APPLICATIONS, VET THE RFPS, AND THEN MAKE A SELECTION OF SIX, UH, OF THE SIX PROPOSALS.
WE WERE ABLE TO, UM, PROVIDE AWARDS, UH, FOR FIVE RESEARCH PROJECTS.
AND I'D LIKE TO PASS IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE JORDAN ALVIN.
AGAIN, BOTH HER, BOTH, UH, SHE AND A**L TREVINO, OUR MANAGERS AT THE HEALTH COLLABORATIVE.
THEY WERE THE ONES THAT SUPPORTED THE PARTNERS WITH COMPLETE OVERSIGHT, SUPPORT, DEDICATION, ENGAGEMENT, AND EVEN DID SOME OF THE FINANCING, UM, BUDGET ALLOCATION WITH THE, WITH THE PARTNER.
SO SHE'S GONNA PROVIDE MORE SPECIFIC DETAIL ON THE PROJECT FINDINGS THEMSELVES.
UM, SO AS LIZ MENTIONED, ALL, ALL BASE IN THE FALL OF 2020, SO ALL OF THIS WORK THAT WAS CONDUCTED, IT WAS, UM, WAS PRE, PRE, UH, TIME WHEN VACCINES WERE AVAILABLE IN SAN ANTONIO.
UM, SO I'LL SHARE SOME OUTCOMES OF THE RESEARCH, UM, OF ALL THE DIFFERENT RESEARCH PROJECTS.
UM, OUR AWARDEES WERE THE CHILDREN'S REHABILITATION INSTITUTE, TON U SS, A COMMUNITY INFORMATION, NOW MARTINEZ STREET WOMEN'S CENTER, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AT SAN ANTONIO, THE REACH CENTER AND UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT SAN ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND EN ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING.
AND, UM, SO ALL OF THESE RESEARCH TEAMS ARE AVAILABLE FOR ADDITIONAL FOLLOW-UP.
THEY'RE INTERESTED IN CONTINUED COLLABORATION TO, UM, CONTINUE SERVING DIFFERENT POPULATIONS IN SAN ANTONIO AND SUPPORTING THEM.
ALRIGHT, WITH CRIT, UH, CRIT WAS THE ALSA LEVEL OF FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, AND THEY FOUND, UM, THAT 85% OF THEIR, UM, PARTICIPANTS, UM, IDENTIFIED AS HISPANIC LATINO.
AND SO A LOT OF THEIR, UH, RESEARCH FINDINGS, THEY THINK WILL HELP BENEFIT FAMILIES, ESPECIALLY, UM, HISPANIC LATINO FAMILIES WHO HAVE CHILDREN WITH A DISABILITY.
UM, SOME OF THE, THE THEMES THAT CAME UP WITH THEIR SURVEYS WERE, UH, FINDING THAT, THAT FAMILIES WERE EXPERIENCING INCREASED FINANCIAL INSECURITY, EXACERBATED CAREGIVER BURDEN, AND CHRONIC FEAR OVER THEIR CHILD'S COMORBIDITIES.
UM, A LOT OF THE FAMILIES WORKING WITH CRIT THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE, IN THESE SURVEYS AND FOCUS GROUPS, UM, WERE REALLY STRUGGLING WITH, UM, THE DECISION TO SEND THEIR CHILD BACK TO SCHOOL OR TO SCHOOL FROM HOME AND TO GO, UH, THE DECISION TO GO TO WORK OR TO, TO LEAVE THEIR JOBS AND BE AT HOME.
UM, THEY DID, THEY DID FIND THAT FOR FAMILIES WITH A CHILD WITH DISABILITIES, TELEMEDICINE HAD A LOT OF STRONG POINTS.
IT WAS CONVENIENT FOR FAMILIES.
THERE WERE LESS NO-SHOWS FOR APPOINTMENTS AND, AND FEWER CANCELLATIONS DUE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES.
AND SO BECAUSE OF THEIR PROJECT, THEY, UH, CRIT IS ACTUALLY ADOPTING TELEMEDICINE AS A PERMANENT OPTION FOR THEIR FAMILIES.
AND THEY FEEL THAT, UH, FAMILIES THAT HAVE CHALLENGES SUCH AS UNEMPLOYMENT, UM, SINGLE PARENTS, FAMILIES FACING EVICTION
[01:05:01]
AND FAMILIES THAT HAVE CHILDREN WITH A DISABILITY CAN REALLY BENEFIT FROM, UM, ONGOING TELEMEDICINE RESOURCES.COMMUNITY INFORMATION NOW, UM, WORKED TO COMPILE, UH, UH, TO SHED LIGHT ON DIFFERENCES IN HOW COVID IS AFFECTING BEXAR COUNTY NEIGHBORHOODS AND GROUPS OF PEOPLE.
AND THEY LOOKED AT THAT IN TERMS OF HEALTH, INCOME, EMPLOYMENT AND BUSINESS HOUSING, AND OTHER COMMUNITY PRIORITIES.
SO THEY WANTED TO REALLY LOOK AT HOW THE PANDEMIC IS WORSENING OR MAYBE JUST CHANGING THE INEQUITIES, UM, ALREADY EXPERIENCED BY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES IN, IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO THEY FOUND THAT, UH, THEIR RESEARCH SHOWED THAT C OVID 19 CASES, HOSPITALIZATIONS, DEATHS AND VACCINATIONS, UM, ARE TRACKING WITH THE NUMBER OF SOCIAL OF HEALTH AT BOTH THE ZIP CODE AND CENSUS TRACT LEVEL.
UM, SOME OF THE CORRELATIONS THAT THEY DISCOVERED INCLUDE A POSITIVE CORRELATION OF COVID RELATED HOSPITALIZATIONS WITH SAN ANTONIO'S HISPANIC OLDER ADULTS.
UM, ALSO A POSITIVE CORRELATION BETWEEN SAN ANTONIO'S POPULATION AGES 25 AND OLDER, WITH LESS THAN A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AND HIGHER RATES OF COVID CASES.
AND A POSITIVE RELATION WAS ALSO FOUND IN, UH, SAN ANTONIO'S POPULATION EXPERIENCING POVERTY AND, UM, HIGHER NUMBER OF COVID RELATED DEATHS.
SO, UM, THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT C NOW IS ABLE TO PULL TOGETHER AND MAKE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE A DATA SET WITH THIS NUMBER OF INDICATORS FROM THIS MANY ISSUE AREAS.
AND SO, UM, THEY'RE CONTINUING TO UPLOAD DATA.
I THINK THEY HAVE A REQUEST, UM, WORKING WITH METRO HEALTH TO CONTINUE, UM, DATA SHARING FOR THIS PROJECT.
THEY'RE ALSO TRYING TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE TOOL.
THIS IS AVAILABLE ONLINE, UH, FOR PUBLIC ACCESS, AND THEY'RE HOPING THAT LOCAL NONPROFITS AND OTHER AGENCIES CAN USE, UH, SCREENSHOTS, CAN PULL, UH, GRAPHS AND CHARTS TO USE, UM, IN GRANT WRITING AND FOR ADVOCACY.
UM, AND THEY JUST PRESENTED THIS TOOL TO THE NATIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD INDICATORS PARTNERSHIP THIS WEEK.
UM, ALRIGHT, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO, WINTER, UH, CONDUCTED THE UN UNDOCU FUND EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE RESEARCH PROJECT WHERE THEY WORKED WITH, WITH FAMILIES THAT HAD ONE OR MORE, UM, MEMBERS THAT WERE UNDOCUMENTED.
UM, AND THEY FOUND THAT, UH, THE, THE ASSISTANCE, THEY LOOKED AT THE ASSISTANCE THAT WAS NEEDED WITH THE FAMILIES AND, AND ACCESS TO SOME OF THOSE RESOURCES.
UM, THEY FOUND THAT RENT, UTILITY, CLEANING SUPPLIES AND FOOD WERE THE TOP FOUR MOST REQUESTED, UM, NEEDS.
AND THAT MOST OF THE, THE FAMILIES THAT CAME DIRECTLY TO MARTINEZ STREET FOR THAT ASSISTANCE, UM, AND THEY THINK THAT THAT IS BECAUSE OF THEIR DEEP ROOTED RELATIONSHIP IN THE COMMUNITY.
THEY HAVE A, A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER MODEL THAT CONNECTS DIRECTLY WITH FAMILIES NEARBY.
AND SO THEY HAVE THAT TRUSTED RELATIONSHIP THAT ALLOWS FOR FAMILIES TO ACCESS THOSE RESOURCES.
SO SOME FAMILIES THAT DID SEEK ASSISTANCE ELSEWHERE DID REPORT, UM, A HARD OR FAIRLY HARD TIME ACCESSING THOSE RESOURCES.
AND THEY REPORTED THAT THAT WAS IN PART BECAUSE OF, UM, EXTENSIVE PAPERWORK OR LANGUAGE BARRIERS AS MANY OF THE, THE FAMILIES IN THIS, UH, PROJECT WERE PRIMARILY SPANISH SPEAKING.
UM, ANOTHER INTERESTING THING ABOUT MARTINEZ MARTINEZ'S PROJECT IS THAT, UM, NUMBER OF CLIENTS SEEKING ASSISTANCE WERE FEMALE.
AND SO THEY SEE THAT THERE'S SOME OPPORTUNITY TO TARGET OTHER EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE AND RESOURCES TOWARDS FEMALES.
UM, IN SAN ANTONIO, THEY ALSO SAW, BECAUSE RENTAL ASSISTANCE WAS SUCH A CRITICAL NEED THAT, UM, THAT THERE WERE ALSO SOME CONFLICTS BETWEEN TENANTS AND LANDLORDS THAT CAME UP.
SO THERE COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOME ADDITIONAL EDUCATION, UM, ADVOCACY AND OF COURSE, FINANCIAL RELIEF FOR, UM, FOR LANDLORDS AND FOR RENTERS AND THE RESEARCH.
MARTINEZ ALSO RECEIVED SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM POWER, THE PEOPLE IN UNITED WAY TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING UNDOCUMENTED FAMILIES.
AND THEY ALSO WERE ABLE TO DEDICATE, UH, TWO NEW COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS TO THIS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND ALSO ADDED A, UH, DATA POSITION TO THEIR OR OVERALL ORGANIZATION TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO TRACK, UM, OUTCOMES.
UM, THE REACH CENTER, UH, DID THEIR
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PROJECT, QUALITY OF LIFE, OF PERCEIVED NEEDS, NEEDS OF COVID 19 INFECTION.UM, SO REACH CENTER PRIMARILY CONDUCTED THEIR RESEARCH THROUGH, UH, COMMUNITY SURVEYS, AND THEY ARE ACTUALLY CONTINUING THEIR RESEARCH, UM, NOW.
SO WE SHOULD SEE, UM, ANOTHER REPORT ON THEIR FINAL, UM, FINDINGS LATER THIS YEAR, UM, SO THAT THEY CAN, THEY CAN REPORT ON THOSE LONGER TERM IMPACTS OF COVID.
UM, SO THEY FOUND THAT SURVIVORS OF COVID, UM, IN THEIR COMMUNITY REPORTED
THEY ALSO SAW THAT LA LATINOS REPORT WORSE HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE THAN NON-LATINOS WITH REGARDS TO ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, SLEEP DISTURBANCE, AND COGNITIVE FUNCTION ABILITIES, AND ALSO REPORTED DETRIMENTAL IMPACTS OF C OVID 19 ON SOCIAL, UM, DETERMINANTS SUCH AS FINANCES AND CONFLICT WITHIN THE HOME OR FAMILY.
UM, SO REACH CENTER, UM, AS I SAID, IS CONTINUING THESE, THESE SURVEYS.
UM, THEY SHOULD BE PRESENTING US WITH ADDITIONAL FINDINGS LATER THIS YEAR.
UTSA'S, DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING CONDUCTED A PROJECT, UM, ON WASTEWATER INFORMED EPIDEMIOLOGICAL MONITORING OF COVID 19 IN BEXAR COUNTY.
SO, UH, THIS WAS A PROJECT THAT WAS, I THINK, HIGHLIGHTED IN A FEW DIFFERENT NEWS SOURCES OVER THE LAST YEAR.
UM, THEY, UM, USED CLINICAL TESTING DATA ALONG WITH INFORMATION THAT THEY COLLECTED FROM THE VIRAL LOAD AND MUNICIPAL WASTEWATER TO, UM, PROVIDE ADDITIONAL CONTEXT AND TRACING OF COVID IN OUR, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THEY DID FIND THAT THE CONCENTRATIONS THAT THEY WERE MEASURING COMPARED WELL WITH PUBLICLY REPORTED DATA ON DAILY POSITIVE CASES IN BEX COUNTY.
UM, THEY ALSO SAW AN INCREASE IN COVID CASES AND THE WASTE HOLIDAY WEEKEND.
SO THEY THINK THAT THIS CAN BE USED, UM, IN AN ONGOING WAY TO PROVIDE ADVANCED NOTICE OF INFECTION DYNAMICS, UM, AND CAN INFORM SOME POTENTIAL PUBLIC HEALTH INTERVENTIONS AT THAT TIME.
AND SO, COMBINED WITH THE PUBLIC HEALTH DATA FOR METRO HEALTH THAT WE ALREADY HAVE FOR TESTING, UM, THEY THINK THAT IT CAN REALLY HELP WASTEWATER, UM, TESTING CAN ALSO HELP TO MEASURE THOSE HOTSPOTS, ASSESS TRENDS OVER TIME, UM, AND PARTICULARLY USEFUL FOR TRACKING THE DISEASE TRENDS IN SMALL COMMUNITIES WHERE ISN'T, UH, CURRENTLY PROVIDING REAL TIME AND COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH ABOUT, UM, INFORMATION ABOUT THE HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT MAY BE DUE TO LOGISTICAL DIFFICULTIES OR, OR HIGH COSTS WITHIN THAT, THAT COMMUNITY.
UM, SO U T S A IS ALSO CONTINUING THIS PROJECT.
THEY ARE CURRENTLY CONDUCTING ADDITIONAL WASTEWATER TESTING TO DETECT THE VARIANTS OF, UH, CONCERN THE UK VARIANT, AS WELL AS THE BRAZILIAN VARIANT IN BEXAR COUNTY.
SO WE SHOULD SEE ONGOING REPORTING ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND THEY'RE ALSO PREPARATION TO CONDUCT WASTEWATER BASED SURVEILLANCE OF COVID 19 AT SCHOOL CAMPUSES WITHIN THE NORTHSIDE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND SO, AGAIN, UM, WE'LL BE SURE TO SHARE CONTACT INFORMATION ABOUT THE RESEARCHERS, AND I BELIEVE IT MAY BE INCLUDED IN OUR REPORT THAT'S PUBLISHED ONLINE AS WELL.
THEY'RE ALL, UM, EXPERTS IN THEIR PROJECTS.
THEY KNOW, YOU KNOW, SO MANY VALUABLE THINGS ABOUT THEIR FINDINGS AND ARE JUST WILLING AND READY TO CONTINUE HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT THEY FOUND.
AND LIZ, I'LL PASS IT OFF TO YOU.
THANK YOU, JORDAN, I APPRECIATE THAT.
SO, JUST SO YOU KNOW, UM, WE CONTINUE TO RECEIVE PRESS PRESS REQUESTS FOR THE PROJECTS THAT, UH, JORDAN HAS GIVEN A BRIEF SUMMARY OVERVIEW AND THEIR FINDINGS WERE CONNECTING WITH THE RESEARCH LEADS ON THEIR ONGOING WORK, UM, THAT WE DID CREATE A WEBSITE WHERE ALL OF THIS INFORMATION IS HOUSED, AND WE'LL BE SHARING THAT WITH YOU.
THERE WERE PRINTED COPIES THAT WERE PROVIDED TO SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND OF COURSE, ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE A ABLE TO RECEIVE A PRINT COPY AS WELL AS HAVING THE DIGITAL FORMAT AVAILABLE TO THEM.
UM, AS JORDAN MENTIONED, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO KEEP UPDATED WITH REGARDS TO ONGOING EFFORTS WITHIN THESE PARTNERS.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, AS JORDAN MENTIONED, MANY OF THESE PROJECTS CONTINUED WELL PAST THEIR, THEIR FUNDING PERIOD.
AND THAT WAS REALLY THE INTENTION.
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INTENTION WAS TO ENSURE THAT THE DOLLARS THAT YOU INVESTED WAS GOING TO, WAS GOING TO BE TOWARDS A LONGER TERM INTERVENTION, A LONGER TERM ANALYSIS OF WHAT IS GOING ON WITH COMMUNITY.UM, THE HEALTH COLLABORATIVE, WE OURSELVES HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THESE PARTNERS ON OTHER PROJECTS SINCE YOUR, IN YOUR INITIAL INVESTMENT, THINGS LIKE HOUSING ASSISTANCE, FOOD SECURITY, ACCESS TO CARE, CARE COORDINATION.
SO WE TOOK ALL OF THIS INFORMATION AND REALLY USED IT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS OUR BEST, UH, PLACE IN SUPPORTING THIS ONGOING WORK, NOT JUST WITH THOSE THAT WERE GRANTED, BUT ALSO THOSE OUTSIDE OF THIS, OF THIS GRANT PARTNERSHIP.
SO, AGAIN, FOR US, THIS INFORMATION HAS BEEN VERY VITAL AND INFORMING, UM, WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE DO AND HOW WE DO WHAT WE'RE DOING, AND ALSO WHERE WE CONNECT AND EXPAND THE OUTREACH INTO NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, IN ADDITION, UM, AS YOU KNOW, THE HEALTH COLLABORATIVE CONDUCTS THE COUNTYWIDE NEEDS ASSESSMENT.
WE'RE GETTING READY TO RELEASE THE RE THE, THE, UH, REVISION TO THE LAST COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN WITH OUR PARTNERS IN SUPPORT OF SAN ANTONIO METRO HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
SO WE HOPE TO HAVE THAT COMPLETED.
UM, BY THIS SUMMER, JORDAN IS ALSO LEADING, UH, THAT WORK.
UH, AND THEN IN, IN AUGUST, IN THE AUGUST TIMEFRAME, WE WILL START DOING OUR PLANNING AND AS, UH, OF OUR NEEDS ASSESSMENT THAT WILL BE PUBLISHED IN 2022.
UM, COVID AND THE EFFECTS OF COVID IS GOING TO BE HIGHLIGHTED, IS ONE OF THE KEY AREAS, BOTH IN THE COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND IN THE HEALTH AND IN THE HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE EXPANDING SOME OF THAT WORK INTO THE ATASCOSA COUNTY, AS WE DID IN THE PREVIOUS ASSESSMENT.
AND, AND WE ALL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO NOW REACH INTO, UH, SAN MARCOS AND NEW BRAUNFELS AREA.
BUT COVID CONTINUES TO BE, UH, AN ISSUE OF GREAT CONCERN.
LOTS OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS ARE STILL WORKING THROUGH BARRIERS WITH FAMILIES, CARE COORDINATION.
FROM, FROM OUR SIDE, WE'VE SEEN A BIG JUMP IN CARE COORDINATION FOR FAMILIES, GETTING THEM CONNECTED TO THOSE EMERGENCY RESOURCES, BUT ALSO LOOKING FOR THOSE LONG-TERM SU SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS SO THAT WE CAN GET PEOPLE BACK TO BACK TO THEIR BACK TO THEIR NORMAL.
UM, SO I, I WILL SAY, UH, JORDAN IS ALSO LEADING A, A, A, UM, COMMUNITY HEALTH EQUITY ALLIANCE GROUP THAT'S MADE UP OF LOCAL PARTNERS, BUT MORE SO, UM, MADE OF LOCAL RESIDENTS.
AND SO THIS INFORMATION IS ALSO BEING, UM, HIGHLIGHTED AND IT'S GONNA BE USED FOR THAT ENGAGEMENT EFFORT.
UM, YOU'LL SEE THOSE REFLECTED IN THOSE IN, IN, IN THAT PLAN, UM, AND THOSE REPORTS GOING FORWARD.
UM, ON YOUR SLIDE HERE, WHAT YOU'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO SEE IS, UM, SOME QUICK LINKS BACK OVER TO, UH, THE PUBLICATION OF THE REPORT, UH, THE INTERVIEWS, UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, THE LIVESTREAM OF THE PRESS RELEASE THAT WE HAD, UM, IN JANUARY.
KIAN FOR BEING OUR SPOKESPERSON FOR THE PRESS CONFERENCE AND JUST BEING A TRUE LEADER AROUND, UM, ACCESS TO, TO CARE AND ACCESS TO VACCINE, UM, THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO UPDATE THE GROW HEALTHY FUND.COM WEBSITE, WHICH IS WHERE ALL OF THE INFORMATION IS STORED.
UM, AGAIN, AS JORDAN CONTINUES TO RECEIVE MORE INFORMATION FROM PARTNERS AND THESE, AND THESE RESEARCH, UH, PROGRAMS CONTINUE TO EVOLVE, UM, WE WILL BE POSTING ALL UPDATES RELATED TO THAT MATTER THERE.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR NEED TO HAVE A SECOND DEBRIEF OR YOU'RE SUPER INTERESTED IN ONE PARTICULAR PROJECT, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO, TO JORDAN OR MYSELF, AND WE WILL MAKE A COMMITMENT TO ENSURE THAT YOU'RE ALSO CONNECTED TO THAT PARTNER FOR WHATEVER INFORMATION NEEDS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
CURRAN, I'LL PASS IT BACK OVER TO YOU.
THANK YOU, LIZ, THANK YOU FOR, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
AND THANKS JORDAN AND THE TEAM, UH, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE AROUND THIS.
COUNCILWOMAN SBO, WE CAN'T HEAR YOU, COUNCILWOMAN.
ANDREW SULLIVAN, I BELIEVE YOU HAVE A QUESTION IF YOU'D LIKE TO, UM, GO AHEAD AND, OR COMMENT IF YOU'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD WHILE WE TRY TO FIX THE AUDIO ISSUES WITH COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL.
UM, AND MADAM CHAIR, WE, WE KNOW THAT YOU'RE OVER THERE, SO, UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE INFORMATION.
UM, AS IT RELATES TO THE COVID, UH, 19 GRANT PROCESS, AND SOME OF THE QUESTIONS I HAVE, UM, CIRCLES AROUND THE UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS THAT THE MARTINEZ, UH, MARTINEZ STREET WOMEN'S CENTER HAS BEEN DOING.
UH, WE RAN INTO A FAMILY THAT WAS LIVING IN A VERY, UM, NOT
[01:20:01]
SO, UH, NEAT AREA.UM, AND SO THEY WERE SUFFERING FROM A LOT OF, UH, MOLD AND, AND DIFFERENT LIVING CONDITIONS THAT WERE UNACCEPTABLE.
AND I WANTED TO FIND OUT IF DURING THE TIME THAT THE MARTINEZ WOMEN'S STREET OR THE MARTINEZ STREET WOMEN'S CENTER IS MEETING WITH THE FAMILIES, ARE THEY PROVIDING THEM WITH T R L A OR ANY KIND OF IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY RESOURCES? THANK YOU.
MARTINEZ STREET WOMEN'S CENTER HAS BEEN ONE OF THE LEADERS THAT, OF THIS COMMUNITY, EVEN BEYOND COVID, UM, THAT HAS BEEN ASSISTING, UH, FAMILIES SPECIFICALLY FOR UNDOCUMENTED NEEDS.
UM, CERTAINLY DURING COVID THERE WAS AN, THERE WAS NEED, A LOT MORE NEED THAN WE HAD RESOURCES.
AND SO THAT IS ONE OF THE RESOURCES THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE FAMILIES.
I I WILL SAY THAT, UM, THERE ARE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY THAT PROVIDE SERVICES TO UNDOCUMENTED FAMILIES.
IF YOU EVER COME ACROSS A SITUATION WHERE YOU'RE NEEDING TO, UM, SEE HOW TO SUPPORT, UH, A FAMILY, ESPECIALLY WITHIN YOUR DISTRICT, UM, YOU CAN ALSO JUST REACH OUT TO THE HEALTH COLLABORATIVE.
UM, THROUGH THE PATHWAYS CARE COORDINATION PROJECT THAT WE HAVE, WE'RE ABLE TO QUICKLY CONNECT, UH, FAMILIES TO COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS THAT ARE SERVING IN THEIR AREA.
AND THEIR ROLE IS TO REALLY UNDERSTAND AND KIND OF BE A BROKER OF UNDERSTANDING WHERE ALL THE RESOURCES ARE, WHAT ARE THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS, SO THAT FAMILIES DON'T GET LOST IN THAT TRANSLATION.
UM, SO MARTINEZ STREET WOMEN CENTER, AGAIN, IS A LEADER IN THAT AREA.
THEY'VE BEEN VERY ACTIVE AND, AND CERTAINLY THEY WOULD USE THAT AS A RESOURCE, BUT WE CAN LEVERAGE OTHER, UH, TYPES OF, OF AVAILABLE RESOURCES FOR THOSE FAMILIES AS WELL.
AND THEN I KNOW THAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, BECAUSE THE CARES ACT FUNDING, UM, THAT WE RECEIVED FOR EMERGENCY HOUSING AND PLACEMENT, UM, ONLY SPOKE TO THOSE WHO WERE, UH, CITIZENS.
BUT I WANTED TO KNOW UNDER THE, UH, FINANCES AND, AND RESOURCES THAT WE AS A CITY ALLOCATED, DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY OF THOSE FAMILIES ACTUALLY WERE ABLE TO GET THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES THAT THEY NEEDED THROUGH THE, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES? AND HOW MUCH WAS THAT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET INTO THOSE FAMILIES HANDS? I WILL GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU AFTER THIS MEETING, COUNCILMAN.
AND THEN I KNOW THAT A LOT OF THE, UM, FAMILIES ARE LIVING, UH, BASED ON, ON WHATEVER RESOURCES THEY CAN FIND.
WE HAVE ONE FAMILY, THEY WERE LIVING IN THE RENTAL HOUSE, BUT THEY WERE WORKING FOR THE LANDLORD AT THE SAME TIME AND ONLY MAKING A HUNDRED DOLLARS A WEEK.
SO DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY FAMILIES RIGHT NOW ARE LIVING WITHIN THOSE VULNERABILITIES? AND THEN, UH, HOW ARE WE ASSISTING THEM EITHER THROUGH THE ESSAY READY TO WORK PROGRAM OR ASSISTING THEM WITH, UM, TRULY TACKLING, UM, THOSE EMERGENCY RELOCATION SERVICES? SO I KNOW THAT'S PROBABLY ANOTHER ONE YOU CAN GET FOR ME AFTER THIS.
AND THEN THE, THE NEXT QUESTION I HAVE IS WITH THE AMERICAN RESCUE, UM, FUNDING, HAVE THEY INCLUDED FUNDING FOR FAMILIES WHO ARE HERE WITHIN THE UNITED STATES BUT ARE NOT DOCUMENTED AT THIS TIME? OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE AS A CITY STILL NEED TO ALLOCATE MORE DOLLARS TO? UM, AND IF WE KNOW WHAT THAT AMOUNT WOULD BE, AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION IS, ARE WE PROVIDING HOME BOUND VACCINES TO THOSE FAMILIES WHO ARE WITHIN THIS CATEGORY AND DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET THOSE VACCINES OR WHERE THEY QUALIFY? UM, AND SO THAT'LL WRAP UP ALL OF MY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND COUNCILMAN, WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU ON ALL OF THOSE QUESTIONS.
THE LAST ONE I CAN ANSWER, WE DO NOT INQUIRE ABOUT RESIDENCY THROUGH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S M V P PROGRAM.
YOU DO HAVE TO BE HOMEBOUND, HOWEVER, UM, BUT ALL OF THE OTHER VACCINATION SITES DO NOT REQUIRE, UM, PROOF OF RESIDENCY IN ORDER TO RECEIVE A VACCINATION.
BUT ALL THE HOUSING RELATED ONES, I'LL GET BACK TO YOU.
THOSE ARE ALL OF MY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN, FOR BEING SO ENGAGED, UH, IN, IN OUR MEETING.
UM, AND WHAT I WAS SAYING WHEN MY SOUND WAS OFF IS, THANK YOU, JORDAN.
KIAN, FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
I WAS REALLY EXCITED WHEN WE ADOPTED THE RECOVERY AND RESILIENCY PLAN LAST JUNE ABOUT THE SET ASIDE FOR RESEARCH AND EVALUATION OF HOW OUR PROGRAMS ARE WORKING.
SO I'M, I'M GLAD TO, TO FINALLY SEE THE RESULTS OF THAT.
I KNOW THAT, LIZ, WE PUT YOU UNDER A TIME CRUNCH BECAUSE THAT WAS CARE'S MONEY.
IT HAD TO ALL BE USED UP BY, BY DECEMBER.
SO YOU GUYS DID A FANTASTIC JOB OF LETTING, LETTING THE FUNDS AND MAKING SURE THAT THERE WERE DELIVERABLES AND ALL VERY INSIGHTFUL WORK.
MY QUESTION TO, TO OUR TEAM, UM, I, EITHER DR.
[01:25:01]
UH, I KNOW WE'RE JUST SEEING THESE RESULTS RIGHT NOW, BUT YOU HAD THESE LONG BEFORE WE DID.UH, WERE YOU ABLE TO BUILD ON THE FINDINGS, UH, IN SOME OF THESE RESEARCH STUDIES AS WE MOVED FORWARD IN, IN, IN RECOVERING FROM THE PANDEMIC IN, IN THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING OUT OF D H S OR, OR METRO HEALTH? COULD YOU SPEAK TO, TO THE VALUE OF THAT WORK IN OUR, IN OUR WORK? THANK YOU, ANITA.
I'M GONNA REFER THIS ONE TO YOU.
UM, I, I CAN TELL YOU WE HAD A LOT OF INTEREST IN THE RESEARCH CENTER STUDY, UM, ON, ON WHAT THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF COVID WAS.
AND I THINK WE INCLUDED, UM, A PART OF THIS INTO OUR NEW HEALTH DISPARITIES GRANT.
UH, BUILT UP THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO, UH, DETERMINE WHAT THE, UH, LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF COVID ARE.
SO THAT'S NOT MUCH HAS BEEN DONE, UH, OTHER THAN JUST BUILDING SOME INFRASTRUCTURE INTO LOOKING INTO THE, UH, LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF COVID.
UM, THANK YOU AND I TO A NEW BUDGET YEAR, BUT, UH, BEGAN DISTRIBUTE, DISTRIBUTING SOME ADDITIONAL FEDERAL FUNDING, UH, THANK GOD FOR, FOR THOSE PACKAGES.
AND, UH, I GUESS I'D, I'D LIKE TO PUT IT OUT THERE.
ARE THERE OTHER HEALTH PROGRAMS WE MAY WANT TO EVALUATE, UH, WITH THAT FUNDING? UM, IT'S, IT'S BEEN MY EXPERIENCE THAT WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE THE LUXURY TO STOP AND MEASURE EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING TO SEE HOW WE CAN FINE TUNE IT OR, OR IDENTIFY WHERE THE GREATEST POCKETS OF NEED ARE IN A, IN A SYSTEMATIC WAY, ESPECIALLY NOT WHEN WE'RE IN A TIME CRUNCH.
SO, UM, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT SOME OF THE FUNDING COMING FROM THE FEDERAL, UM, THE FEDERAL PACKAGES COULD BE USED FOR ADDITIONAL, UH, EVALUATION OR RESEARCH? THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES.
UM, AND I BELIEVE WE'LL HAVE A FEW MORE DETAILS FOR YOU WHEN WE MEET THIS EVENING.
UM, WELL, I'M GONNA, UH, MOVE ON OVER TO COUNCILMAN TRIVIO.
UM, IN READING THE REPORTS FOR EACH PROJECT, I'M, I'M GLAD THAT EACH WAS CENTERED AROUND COMMUNITY PARTNER PARTICIP PARTICIPATORY, UH, RESEARCH.
IT SEEMED AS THOUGH, UH, MOST OF THE ORGANIZATIONS DEALT WITH SOME, UH, COVID RELATED SETBACKS.
SO I'M EXTRA GRATEFUL FOR THEIR PERSISTENCE FOR ME.
THERE, THERE WAS A CENTRAL THEME AND AT LEAST TWO OF THE RESEARCH PROJECTS, AND THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT WAS THE INVOLVEMENT OF SOCIAL OR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER INCREASED ACCESS TO ASSISTANCE AND REDUCED SYSTEMIC BARRIERS FACED BY MARGINALIZED GROUPS SUCH AS THOSE WITH DIFFERENT ABILITIES OR THOSE WHO ARE UNDOCUMENTED.
UM, I'LL BEGIN WITH
HOW MANY FAMILIES KNEW ABOUT THAT PROGRAM? HOW MANY FAMILIES WERE ASSISTED WITH THE CRISIS FUNDING THROUGH THE CRIT SOCIAL WORKER, AND WAS WAS THE AVERAGE AWARD? SO IS HOW MANY OF THE FAMILIES SURVEYED INDICATED THAT THEY APPLIED FOR A KNEE APPLY FOR A NEW OF THE EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM? OKAY.
I DON'T HAVE IT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT I'M HAPPY TO TAKE REST TO GET THAT TO YOU RIGHT AWAY.
UH, WELL, PERSONALLY, I, I'D I'D LIKE TO, UH, I'VE LEARNED MORE ABOUT THIS.
UH, I THINK IT'S, IT, IT'S, UH, ABOUT 50 FAMILIES, UH, OR SO THAT WERE ASSISTED THE, THE CRISIS FUNDING THROUGH A SOCIAL WORKER.
UM, IT PRESENTED AN OPPORTUNITY TO MORE DEEPLY UNDERSTAND HOW THE PRESENCE OF A SOCIAL WORKER WORKER IMPACTED FINANCIALLY INSECURE FAMILIES DURING THE PANDEMIC, SPECIFICALLY FAMILIES CARING FOR SOMEONE WITH PHYSICAL, OCCUPATIONAL, OR SPEECH NEEDS.
DID THE, DID THE INVOLVEMENT OF A SOCIAL WORKER LEAD TO FEWER EVICTIONS, MORE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, MORE TRUST, AND LESS OVERALL
[01:30:01]
STRESS ON THE FAMILY COMPARED TO SIMILAR FAMILIES WITHOUT A SOCIAL WORKER? MM-HMM.UM, COUNCILMAN, I WANNA ADD SOMETHING TO YOU.
IN THAT SPECIFIC PROJECT, IN, IN SOME OF THESE, THE, THE PARTNERS WERE PROVIDED A FUNDING ALLOCATION TO ASSIST THE FAMILY WHEN THERE WAS AN EMERGENCY OR AN IMMEDIATE NEED NOT TO REPLACE THE SERVICES THAT MAY HAVE BEEN PROVIDED BY WAY OF OTHER CARES DOLLARS.
SO, SO JORDAN, I THINK WE WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND TALK TO, UM, THE, THE TEAM AT THE LATON TO, TO, TO, TO FACT FIND A LITTLE BIT MORE WHAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO IS THE DATA OR THE SURVEYS THAT SHOW WHEN A FAMILY WAS ASSISTED.
AND WE'D HAVE TO GO BACK IN THE SURVEY TO FIND OUT IF THEY DOCUMENTED CONNECTING THAT FAMILY TO A LONGER TERM SOLUTION, LIKE THOSE EMERGENCY HOUSING DOLLARS OR SUPPORTIVE DOLLARS.
SO WE, WE ARE GONNA HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT TELE LATON WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE AS AN INCENTIVE OR AS AN EMERGENCY SUPPORT THROUGH THE SURVEY.
BUT BEYOND THAT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO CONNECT WITH THEM SO THAT THEY CAN GIVE US THE BACKEND DATA TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION VERY SPECIFICALLY.
UH, THAT, THAT, THAT IS, THAT IS INFORMATION THAT I THINK THE CITY CAN USE TO IMPROVE PROGRAMS LIKE THE EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
UH, I REALLY, UH, AS, AS, AS I, AS I THINK THROUGH THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THAT INFORMATION THAT WE AS A CITY, UH, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO USE THAT TO CONSIDER WHEN IT COMES TO BUILDING TRULY ATTAINABLE HOUSING, NOT JUST FOR THE FUTURE, UH, BUT A 2022 BOND, BUT IMMEDIATELY WITH INCOMING RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDS.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE RESCUE PLAN CAN BE USED TO CONVERT PROPERTIES LIKE HOTELS INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, WHAT IF WE CONVERTED A HOTEL INTO SUPPORTIVE HOUSING UNITS WITH THEY, WITH FOUR SINGLE MOTHERS OR FAMILY VIOLENCE SURVIVORS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS? MM-HMM.
SO, I, I GUESS I, I GUESS SINCE I'M RUNNING OUTTA TIME, I'M JUST GONNA WRAP UP MY COMMENTS.
BUT I HOPE STAFF AND THIS COUNCIL WILL CONSIDER IDEAS LIKE THIS, AS WE DISCUSSED THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT PLANNING SOON.
ALSO, WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF THE MARTINEZ STREET WOMEN'S CENTER COULD PRESENT ON THESE FINDINGS FURTHER AS PART OF THE EAP ITEM AT THE JUNE CULTURE AND NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETING THERE, THERE WAS A LOT TO UNPACK, AND I FEEL THE DATA COULD FURTHER ASSIST THE C N S COMMITTEE WITH POTENTIAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE EAP.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE FOLKS AT THE MARTINEZ COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS ASSISTED RATED, UH, THE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IS VERY, IS AS VARIED TO FAIRLY EASY.
UH, AND THESE ARE UNDOCUMENTED FILINGS WHO CAN, WHO CAN BE RETICENT TO PROVIDE ANY PERSONAL INFORMATION OR DOCUMENTS TO STRANGERS.
UH, MY CONSTITUENTS HAVE TOLD ME JUST HOW INTENSE THE CITY'S EAB APPLICATION PROCESS CAN BE, AND SOMETIMES IT JUST SCARES THEM OFF, ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE UNDOCUMENTED OR EVEN ON A WORK VISA.
SO, THANKFULLY, UM, UH, MY CONSTITU SERVICE STAFF IS ABLE TO WORK WITH THEM AND THE CITY TO APPLY FOR ASSISTANCE.
SO THE GOOD NEWS IS THE FEDERAL LEVEL, THE FEDERAL LEVEL HAS, HAS LESS THAN SOME OF THE DOCUMENTATION BURDEN WITH THE INCOMING RESCUE PLAN ACTS FUNDS.
SO I WOULD APPRECIATE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE BEST PRACTICES FROM THE MARTINA STREET STUDY CAN, CAN BE APPLIED TO EAP GOING FORWARD.
AGAIN, THANK YOU, UH, TO ALL THE RESOURCE ORGANIZATIONS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO USING THIS DATA IN FUTURE POLICY MAKING.
THANK YOU FOR THE HEADS UP, COLLEEN.
UH, WHEN IT COMES TO THIS, UH, NO, I WAS, UH, AGREEING TO, TO A GREAT EXTENT WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER BECAUSE ONCE THE EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM BEGAN OPERATING, WE HEARD FROM SEVERAL GROUPS THAT THEY WERE FACING CHALLENGES.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY DATA AROUND IT.
WE DIDN'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW OFTEN, AND IT SEEMED TO BE A, A HEARSAY, UH, SITUATION.
SO IT WAS, IT'S SOMETIMES HARD TO GET IT RESOLVED WHEN YOU ONLY HAVE ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE.
SO I THINK HAVING A STUDY LIKE THIS IS, IS SO HELPFUL IN TERMS OF DESIGNING OUR PROGRAMS AND IMPROVING THEM ONCE THEY'RE ALREADY UNDERWAY.
SO, UH, I, I THINK, UH, YOU HEARD COUNCILMAN'S REQUEST THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO PRESENT AT SOME POINT IN, IN HIS COMMITTEE AND, AND HAVE THE RESEARCHERS, UH, THERE WHO CAN REALLY GO INTO, INTO MORE DETAIL.
SO, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, FOR YOUR COMMENTS, COUNCILMAN AND LIZ AND JORDAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, FOR JOINING US TODAY.
[01:35:01]
ALL[5. 21-3940 Briefing on the ReWorksSA commercial recycling program. [David McCary, Assistant City Manager; David Newman, Director, Solid Waste Management Department] ]
RIGHT, UH, WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR, UH, NEXT AND FINAL ITEM FOR TODAY'S COMMITTEE MEETING MEETING.AND THAT IS OUR BRIEFING ON THE REWORKS ESSAY COMMERCIAL RECYCLING PROGRAM.
AND I HAVE HERE DAVID NEWMAN FROM OUR SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
I'VE ASKED MS. JOSEPHINE VALENCIA TO PRESENT THIS ITEM TODAY.
SHE IS OUR EXPERT ON RECYCLING.
SHE'S ALSO NEWLY PROMOTED TO OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR POSITION.
SO AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO PASS THE MIC OVER TO MS. VALENCIA.
SO, COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME THIS AFTERNOON.
TODAY I'M GONNA BE SHARING AN EXCITING IMPROVEMENT TO OUR REWORKS SA RECYCLING PROGRAM.
BUT BEFORE I GET TO THAT CHANGE, LET ME REMIND YOU ABOUT WHAT THE PROGRAM CURRENTLY IS.
IF YOU HEARD MR. NEWMAN'S PRESENTATION, UH, LAST MONTH, YOU KNOW THAT COA DOES NOT PROVIDE RECYCLING COLLECTION TO COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENT.
HOWEVER, WE DO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO COMPANIES WHO WANT TO START A RECYCLING PROGRAM OR IMPROVE AND EXIST EXISTING RECYCLING PROGRAM.
IN 2018, WE LAUNCHED A PROGRAM CALLED REWORKS SA TO FORMALIZE THAT ASSISTANCE.
COMPANIES THAT EXCEL IN RECYCLING COULD BECOME CERTIFIED AT ONE OF THREE LEVELS.
COMPANIES THAT OFFER A BASIC RECYCLING PROGRAM TO THEIR STAFF OR CUSTOMERS MAY OBTAIN A BRONZE CERTIFICATION, COMPANIES THAT GO BEYOND THE BASICS IN RECYCLING TO POSSIBLY OBTAIN A SILVER OR GOLD CERTIFICATION.
THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN A HUGE SUCCESS WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY SINCE PROGRAM INCEPTION, WE HAVE CERTIFIED 130 COMPANIES.
WE ALSO WON SEVERAL AWARDS FOR OUR MARKETING EFFORTS TO PROMOTE THE PROGRAM, INCLUDING AWARDS FROM THE PUBLIC RELATIONS SOCIETY OF AMERICA, THE AMERICAN MARKETING ASSOCIATION, AND THE CITY COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING ASSOCIATION.
THERE ARE SEVERAL ADVANTAGES TO BECOMING CERTIFIED.
RECYCLING IS IMPORTANT TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.
IT'S CERTAINLY IMPORTANT TO ME.
AND A COMPANY THAT HAS BECOME CERTIFIED GETS TO CLAIM THAT PUBLICLY, THOSE COMPANIES THAT ARE CERTIFIED CAN DISPLAY A WINDOW, CL AND PLAQUE AT THEIR RETAIL ESTABLISHMENT.
WE ALSO FEATURE THEM ON OUR WEBSITE.
I KNOW A LOT OF CONSUMERS TRY TO SHOP AND SPEND THEIR MONEY AT SUSTAINABLE BUSINESSES.
SO WE TRY TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR COM, UH, FOR CONSUMERS TO FIND THAT.
AND ALSO, COMPANIES THAT IMPLEMENT A RECYCLING OR COMPOSTING PROGRAM COULD POTENTIALLY SAVE MONEY BY REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF WASTE THAT THEY NEED TO DISPOSE OF.
AND OF COURSE, OUR CERTIFIED PARTNERS CONTINUE TO RECEIVE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FROM US AS NEEDED TO CONTINUE OR ENHANCE THEIR PROGRAM.
SOME OF OUR CERTIFIED BUSINESS ARE LARGE COMPANIES SUCH AS H E B, TOYOTA, PEARL, AND GOODWILL.
ALL FOUR OF THE COMPANIES FEATURED ON THIS SLIDE HAVE ACHIEVED A GOLD CERTIFICATION, AND THEY WERE AMONG SOME OF THE FIRST OBTAINED CERTIFICATION WHEN WE FIRST LAUNCHED.
BUT WHAT I'M MOST PROUD OF IS OUR CERTIFICATION OF SMALL COMPANIES.
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR BUSINESS TO HAVE A RECYCLING PROGRAM OR TO BECOME CERTIFIED.
THESE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF SOME OF OUR SMALL LOCAL BUSINESS THAT HAVE BECOME CERTIFIED, AND THEY WA RANGE IN A WIDE VARIETY OF INDUSTRIES.
HERE ON THE LEFT IS A PHOTOGRAPH FROM REMNANT TECHNOLOGIES, WHICH IS A SOFTWARE COMPANY.
IN THE MIDDLE, WE HAVE VEG OUT, WHICH IS AN URBAN FARM RIGHT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND ON THE RIGHT IS A PHOTOGRAPH FROM ORGANIC BATH AND BEAUTY, SO BIG DIVERSITY.
AND ALL THREE OF THESE SMALL COMPANIES OBTAIN A SILVER CERTIFICATION.
THE QUOTE HERE ON TOP IS FROM 10,000 VILLAGES, WHICH IS A RETAIL STORE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND THEY DID NOT USE TO HAVE A RECYCLING PROGRAM, BUT THEY WORKED WITH US TO HELP FIGURE OUT HOW TO START ONE.
THEY WERE ALSO RECIPIENTS OF ONE OF OUR BRING BIN GRANTS FOR COMPANIES THAT DO NOT HAVE RECYCLING PROGRAMS YET.
WE CAN AWARD THEM AT NO COST, SOME RECYCLING BINS TO HELP THEM GET STARTED.
OUR CERTIFICATION FOR, UH, LAST FOR TWO YEARS.
AND WHEN THEY FIRST STARTED, 10,000 VILLAGES STARTED AT THE LOWEST LEVEL OF BRONZE.
WHEN THEY JUST RECERTIFIED RECENTLY, THEY WERE ABLE TO OBTAIN A SILVER CERTIFICATION, WHICH I THINK IS PRETTY EXCITING THAT THEY ARE CONTINUING TO ENHANCE THEIR PROGRAM.
SO, EVEN THOUGH WE'VE BEEN VERY HAPPY WITH OUR RE REWORKS PROGRAM, WE STARTED ASKING OURSELVES, WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE IT BETTER? IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ADD TO THE PROGRAM TO ENHANCE THE ENVIRON BENE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT TO THE CITY? SO WE STARTED DOING A LOT OF RESEARCH.
UH, WE TALKED TO A LOT OF OTHER CITIES.
WE TALKED TO AUSTIN AND DALLAS, AND LOTS OF DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS SAWS, C P S, AND VIA, AND OF COURSE, OUR OWN OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY.
THEY HAVE BEEN WONDERFUL IN THIS PROCESS.
[01:40:03]
SO, SUSTAINABILITY HAS BEEN AN IMMENSELY VALUABLE RESOURCE TO OUR DEPARTMENT.YOU KNOW, WITHOUT THEM, I DON'T THINK WE COULD HAVE MADE THIS IMPROVEMENT.
WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE WITH THEM, AND WHAT COULD A COMPANY DO TO IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENTAL OUTCOME FOR THE CITY.
AND WITH THEIR HELP, WE JOINTLY DECIDED TO ADD FOUR NEW CATEGORIES FOR OUR EXISTING CERTIFICATION PROGRAM.
AND THEY ARE ENERGY, WATER, TRANSPORTATION, AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES.
SO, JOINTLY, THESE NEW CATEGORIES LED TO THE CREATION OF A NEW CERTIFICATION LEVEL, AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TODAY TO INTRODUCE THE NEW PINNACLE AWARD.
THIS WILL OFFICIALLY LAUNCH NEXT WEEK ON JUNE 1ST.
NEXT SLIDE, LIKE THIS IS STILL A SOLID WASTE PROGRAM, AND COMPANIES HAVE TO RECYCLE IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE A LEVEL OF CERTIFICATION.
BUT FOR A COMPANY THAT IS DOING AWESOME THINGS WITH ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES BEYOND JUST RECYCLING, WE WANNA RECOGNIZE THEIR EFFORTS WITH THIS NEW PINNACLE AWARD.
THE WAY A COMPANY CAN OBTAIN THE PINNACLE AWARD IS SIMILAR TO OUR CURRENT CERTIFICATION LEVEL.
COMPANIES CAN GET A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF POINTS BASED ON, UH, INDUSTRY BEST PRACTICES IN A VARIETY OF SUBJECT AREAS.
OUR ORIGINAL CERTIFICATION LEVELS ARE NOT GOING AWAY.
IT'S STILL POSSIBLE TO GET CERTIFIED IF YOUR ONLY ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICE IS RECYCLING.
OUR POINT SYSTEM ALSO TAKES INTO CONSIDERATION THE WIDE VARIETIES OF BUSINESS THAT WE HAVE.
IT'S ACCESSIBLE TO BOTH SMALL AND LARGE COMPANIES, WHETHER THEY OWN THEIR OWN FACILITY AND HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO RETRO MAKE SOME RETROFITS, OR IF THEY LEASE IN A LARGER FACILITY.
POINTS COULD BE AWARDED, UH, FOR ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE MINIMAL COST OR PERHAPS EVEN NO COST.
FOR EXAMPLE, A COMPANY MAY HAVE, UH, ACHIEVED CERTAIN POINTS FOR ENCOURAGING CARPOOLING OR EVEN REMOTE WORKING IN THE TRANSPORTATION CATEGORY.
WE HAVE SEVERAL PLANS FOR MARKETING AND OUTREACH.
WE HAD MADE MULTIPLE UPGRADE STORE WEBSITE, INCLUDING A NEW CERTIFICATION GUIDE THAT DESCRIBES IN DETAIL HOW TO QUALIFY FOR THE PINNACLE AWARD.
WE ALSO ARE PLANNING SOME TRADITIONAL ADVERTISING IN THE SAN ANTONIO BUSINESS JOURNAL AS WELL AS THE EXPRESS NEWS.
BUT MOST OF OUR OUTREACH IS YOUR OLD FASHIONED PROSPECTING AND NETWORKING.
WE HAVE COLLABORATED WITH SOME CITIES, UH, DEPARTMENTS SUCH AS BETA AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO HELP US IDENTIFY WHO ARE SOME GOOD BUSINESSES TO TARGET.
SO, WEWORK'S SA IS ONE OF OUR STRATEGIES IN OUR CAP PLAN.
WE BELIEVE THAT THE, THE COMPANIES THAT ACHIEVE THE, UH, THE PINNACLE AWARD CERTIFICATION WILL BE CHAMPIONS THAT CAN CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE POSITIVE, MEASURABLE RESULTS TO THE CITY'S CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU MAY HAVE I, JOSEPHINE, THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR PROMOTION.
WE WERE ALL VERY IMPRESSED WHEN WE HEARD YOU ANSWER SO MANY OF THE QUESTIONS, UH, LAST MONTH.
THANK YOU, THAT YOU RECOGNIZE FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR EXPERTISE.
UM, I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.
UH, MR. MCCAREY HADN'T TOLD ME THE DETAILS, BUT JUST SAID THAT I WOULD HEAR ABOUT IT AT COMMITTEE MEETING, AND HE WOULDN'T TELL ME WHAT IT WAS.
HE JUST SAID THAT YOU GUYS HAD BEEN WORKING VERY HARD AND WERE BEING VERY INNOVATIVE, UH, ABOUT IT.
AND, UH, THAT, THAT I WOULD BE HAPPY WITH IT.
UM, CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE, MAYBE NOT REQUIREMENTS, RIGHT, BUT THE, BUT THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES THAT, THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT BUSINESSES CAN DO TO RECEIVE, UH, THE CERTIFICATION IN THOSE MANY CATEGORIES THAT YOU MENTIONED.
SO THERE ARE BASICALLY 200 DIFFERENT QUESTIONS OR CATEGORIES.
WE LIKE TO CALL THEM BEST PRACTICES, WHERE A COMPANY CAN QUALIFY, UH, TO GET POINTS.
WE REQUIRE THEM TO GET A CERTAIN MINIMUM NUMBER OF POINTS IN THE RECYCLING INDUSTRY.
AND THE OTHER ONES ARE ALMOST LIKE YOUR COLLEGE ELECTIVES, LIKE SAID, YOU HAVE TO RECYCLE, EVERYONE HAS TO DO THAT.
BUT OTHER, TO GET THE PINNACLE AWARD, YOU CAN DO OTHER THINGS RELATED TO ENERGY CONSERVATION.
FOR EXAMPLE, YOU COULD, UH, INSTALL MOTION SENSOR LIGHTS OR IN INSTALL L E D LIGHTS TO KIND OF REDUCE YOUR ENERGY CONSUMPTION.
YOU COULD ALSO, UM, HAVE AN ENERGY EFFICIENCY AUDIT WITH C P S, WHICH THEY DO FREE OF CHARGE FOR A LOT OF COMPANIES.
BUT AS I MENTIONED, SOME PEOPLE LEASE THEIR SPACE.
SO LET'S SAY YOU ARE A RENTER AND YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU WANNA CHANGE THE LIGHT BULBS, BUT THE LANDLORD HAS HANDLES ALL OF THAT, SO YOU CAN'T DO THOSE THINGS.
BUT THERE ARE STILL THINGS THAT AS A TENANT YOU COULD DO.
[01:45:01]
EXAMPLE, YOU COULD DO SOMETHING VERY SIMPLE AS PUTTING STICKERS NEXT TO ALL YOUR LIGHTS, REMINDING PEOPLE TO TURN THEM OFF.OR YOU CAN DESIGNATE A MONITOR.
YOU CAN HAVE, WE ALMOST EVERY PLACE HAS ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO JUST LIKE TO TELL EVERYONE WHAT TO DO.
SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT PERSON CAN WALK AROUND AND SAY, HEY, DID YOU TURN OFF THE LIGHTS? AND THAT COULD GET THEM POINTS AS WELL.
I APOLOGIZE IF MY SOUND IS, IS OFF.
I KNOW MY, MY MY STAFF IS TOTALLY IRRITATED BY IT RIGHT NOW.
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU YOU'D LIKE TO ADD TO TODAY'S CONVERSATION? UH, NO.
UH, JUST WANT TO GIVE KUDOS TO, UM, THE DAVID NEWMAN, UM, AND, UH, JOSEPHINE AND THEIR TEAM.
YOU KNOW, THIS WAS A, UM, A HUGE PROJECT AND IT'S REALLY INNOVATIVE.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT WE DID, WE DID WAS JUST LOOKED AROUND AT, UM, UH, CERTIFICATION PRO PROGRAMS LIKE THIS AROUND THE COUNTRY.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS BUILDS UPON IT.
AND SO WE'RE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT, UM, BEING PART OF IT AND REALLY SEEING THE UPTAKE IN BUSINESSES AND STEPPING UP AND, AND TAKING ACTION, NOT JUST FOR RECYCLING, BUT JUST THE BROADER, UM, SUSTAINABILITY, UH, INITIATIVES.
I THINK YOU OVERHEARD ME SAY THAT THE SOUND IS OKAY FOR ME ON
UH, WE HAVE ICY HERE, BUT WE'LL WRAP UP SOON.
I'M GONNA MOVE OVER TO COUNCIL IO.
UM, AND REALLY ALL I, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT PROGRAM.
NOTHING BUT COMPLIMENTS FOR ME ON THIS SIDE.
AND, UH, THANK YOU, UH, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, AGAIN, THIS DEPARTMENT IS, IS ALWAYS DOING GREAT INNOVATIVE THINGS.
SO I, I I JUST WANNA SAY KUDOS TO YOU.
UH, MY ONLY REQUEST OR QUESTION WOULD BE THAT, UM, I WONDER IF THERE'S A CHANCE, UH, TO, TO SEE HOW THIS COULD WORK ALONGSIDE, UH, WITH WHAT, UH, A LOT OF THE, THE, UH, A E C OR THE ARCHITECTURE ENGINEERING, CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY IS DOING WITH REGARDS TO LEAD AND CONSTRUCTION.
UM, YOU KNOW, MANY OF THESE, THESE COMPANIES, UM, AS, AS, AS THIS CITY CONTINUES TO GROW AND WE, WE, WE LOOK FORWARD TO A HEALTHY RECOVERY, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THAT, THAT A PROGRAM LIKE THIS, UH, MAYBE IN CONSULTATION WITH THE A G C AND A I A AND PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE MIGHT BE A, A, SOMETHING DOVETAILING NICELY INTO THAT AS WELL.
SO, UH, THAT'S MY ONLY COMMENT.
THANK YOU CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMENT.
UH, MOVING ON TO COUNCILWOMAN
I JUST WANT, UH, WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO DAVID, THANK YOU TO JOSEPHINE.
I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT, UH, GETTING OUR RETAIL, OUR COMMERCIAL ENTITIES TO GET RECYCLING.
'CAUSE WE HAVE THAT GOAL THAT WE WANNA REACH FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, ALTHOUGH WE WILL NOT REACH IT.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO THIS SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT WHO HAS HAD SOME IN, WHO HAS, AND HAS, HAS HAD SOME INCREDIBLE TEAM MEMBERS HERE WORKING HARD AND HELPING ALL OF US, SAN ANTONIO AND MYSELF INCLUDED, AND ESPECIALLY HERE AT OUR NEW CITY, PAUL, UM, BE MORE VIGILANT IN OUR RECYCLING EFFORTS.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I'M GLAD TO SEE THIS, THIS PROJECT MOVE FORWARD.
AND I JUST WANNA SHARE, UM, AS I, I'M CHECKING OUT, I WANTED TO SHARE MY THANKS WITH ALL OF YOU AND THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND YOUR TEAM, UM, IN THE OFFICE, BUT ALSO IN THE FIELD, THE, THE WORK THAT THEY DO DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
IT HAPPENS EVERY DAY OUT IN THE FIELD.
UH, WE SEE, WE SEE THE TEAM WORKING, UH, COUNCILWOMAN SHIRLEY GONZALEZ.
AND, UM, I, I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS UNRELATED OR NOT, BUT ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES, I THINK, I THINK IT WAS DISTRICT SIX, SHE HAD A, UH, A, A SERVICE, UM, TO HER CONSTITUENTS WHERE THEY COULD, UM, HAVE THEIR, UH, PAPERS, UM, SHREDDED.
UH, AND I FELT THERE WAS A FABULOUS, UM, THING FOR THE CONSTITUENTS.
IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE OFFERING REGULARLY FOR DISPOSAL OF, IN PARTICULAR PAPER DOCUMENTS? UM, AND CAN WE DO MORE OF THAT? I THINK THEY WERE LIMITED TO SIX BOXES.
[01:50:01]
UH, AND I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, THAT'S JUST NOT ENOUGH.SO THAT IS NOT SOME, THAT IS NOT A SERVICE WE CURRENTLY OFFER.
WE ARE EXPLORING A BUDGET IMPROVEMENT TO DO FOUR, FOUR EVENTS NEXT YEAR.
A A QUARTERLY SHREDDED EVENT WHERE RESIDENTS WOULD BE ABLE TO BRING THIS PAPER TO BE SHREDDED AND IT WOULD BE SHREDDED ON SITE IN A PARKING LOT.
THE IDEA IS WE WOULD HIRE A CONTRACTOR WITH ONE OF THOSE GIGANTIC SHREDDING TRUCKS AND THAT THE CONTRACTOR WOULD, WOULD PROVIDE THIS OR WOULD PROVIDE THE SERVICE FOUR TIMES A YEAR.
SO I GUESS WE'LL GET, THAT'LL BE A FUTURE, UM, ALLOCATION.
BUT I THOUGHT THAT WAS A GREAT SERVICE.
I, I WISH THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT HAD COME UP SOONER BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, I, UH, I, I, I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS A, AND I DIDN'T GET IT.
I HAVEN'T HEARD BACK IF IT WAS A SUCCESS.
I, I IMAGINE IT WAS SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE THERE'S SUCH A TREMENDOUS NEED FOR THAT.
IF YOU HAVE TO TAKE YOUR DOCUMENTS SOMEWHERE TO BE SHREDDED, IT CAN BE IN THE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH, UM, YOU HAVE TO, UM, SHRED.
SO, UM, ANYWAY, I, I, I JUST LOOK FORWARD TO THAT ADDITIONAL SERVICE WE HAVE.
WE HAVE DONE THE DIAL A TRAILER ALMOST MONTHLY IN MY DISTRICT EVERY MONTH FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS.
UH, AND THEN UNTIL COVID, AND THEN WE STOPPED DOING IT, BUT THE PEOPLE REALLY APPRECIATED IT.
SO I HOPE THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ADD ON AS A SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
THAT, SO COUNCILWOMAN, CAN I JUST ADD THAT, THAT, UH, COUNCILWOMAN ANDREW SULLIVAN, UH, SHE RECENTLY AUTHORED A C C R ON THIS SHREDDING OF DOCUMENTS.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE TAKEN THAT AND WE'RE GOING TO PROPOSE THAT AS A BUDGET IMPROVEMENT FOR NEXT YEAR.
OH, WELL, I THINK THAT'S GREAT, COUNCILMAN.
I'M SO GLAD TO SHARE THAT THAT MIGHT BE A REGULAR SERVICE THAT WE OFFER.
UM, UH, IT'S JUST, IT'S SO, SUCH A CRITICAL NEED, AND SO I HOPE THAT, UM, THAT GETS ADDED ON.
SO GOOD LUCK TO YOU COUNCILWOMAN ON THAT ONE.
UH, THANK YOU TO JOSEPHINE AND DAVID AND I, I THINK I, I WILL HAVE OFFLINE A LOT MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SUSTAINABILITY, UH, CHAMPION, UH, PROGRAM, BUT VERY GLAD TO HEAR THAT, UH, GOOD WORK.
UH, SO PROUD OF, OF THAT DEPARTMENT.
AND THAT'S THE LAST ITEM WE HAVE FOR TODAY.
SO, UH, UNLESS THERE'S, UH, FINAL COMMENTS FROM STAFF, ANYTHING WE NEED TO KNOW, WE MISSED.
UH, WE WILL SEE YOU, UH, NEXT TIME.