[00:00:06]
WELCOME EVERYONE TO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH.
WE HAVE A LOT TO COVER TODAY, SO WE'RE GONNA GET STARTED.
UM, WE'RE, WE'RE WAITING A COUPLE OF, UM, COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO, TO COME IN, BUT WITH THE RAIN, IT'S, IT'S A LOT TODAY.
SO, UM, BUT WE, WE NEED TO GET GOING.
SO, UH, MADAM CLERK, IF YOU'LL PLEASE CALL, CALL THE ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER MAKI RODRIGUEZ.
HERE, MA'AM, WE HAVE A QUORUM.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
[Approval of Minutes ]
OUR AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM OUR FEBRUARY 15TH MEETING.DO I HAVE A MOTION? AND A SECOND? I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
UM, ARE WE USING THE MACHINE? YES.
UM, SO WE'RE DOING SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT TODAY.
UM, SO WE HAVE SO MANY, THERE'S SO MANY PUBLIC SAFETY ITEMS TO ADDRESS.
AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO, UM, START HAVING A, A OPERATING IN A CONSENT AGENDA WITH A CONSENT AGENDA, JUST LIKE A SESSION.
SO WE HAVE A COUPLE ITEMS ON CONSENT.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF ITEMS ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA TODAY.DOES ANYBODY WANNA PULL ANYTHING FROM THAT CONSENT AGENDA? THREE, PLEASE.
THOSE AREN'T CONSENT CURRENTLY, TOO.
IS THAT WHAT, UH, SO UNDER THE CONSENT AGENDA, I'M LOOKING AT CORRECTIVE ITEMS TWO AND THREE ARE CONSENT.
SO IF YOU WANNA PULL ONE OF THOSE.
SO, UM, SO WE'LL, WE'LL HEAR ITEM THREE AND WE WILL NOW BEGIN WITH PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, UM, SO ANY, I'LL ENTERTAIN ANY MOTIONS TO PASS, UH, THE CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH IS JUST ITEM TWO.
AT THIS POINT, I MAKE A MOTION TO PA TO PA TO PASS THE CONSENT AGENDA SECOND WITH A MOTION AND A SECOND, PLEASE VOTE.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE A, UM, UH, AN, AN ORAL VOTE.
[Public Comment ]
WE'LL BEGIN WITH PUBLIC, PUBLIC COMMENT.A QUICK REMINDER TO ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK TODAY.
UH, COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO TWO MINUTES UNLESS SOMEONE SEEDS THEIR TIME TO YOU, IN WHICH CASE, OF COURSE, YOU'LL HAVE THEIR TWO MINUTES.
ANYONE THAT SEEDS THEIR TIME MUST BE LISTED AS A SPEAKER.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA START, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PUBLIC, UH, COMMENT TODAY, WHO WE'RE GONNA START WITH.
YOU CAN MOVE MIC IF YOU NEED TO.
MY NAME IS DEANNA DAVILA, AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT ONE COUNCIL, MARIO BRAVOS DISTRICT.
I'M ALSO AN ADVOCACY ORGANIZER FOR, WITH ACT FOUR S A, WHERE WE SEEK A MORE ACCOUNTABLE, COMPASSIONATE, AND TRANSPARENT PUBLIC SAFETY SYSTEM.
I AM TESTIFYING TODAY ABOUT THE NEED TO IMPLEMENT AN ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD.
THE MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVES YOU ARE BEING BRIEFED ON TODAY, WERE BROUGHT UP BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THE FAMILIES OF THOSE KILLED BY POLICE AND OUR ALLIES, TOOK TIME OFF WORK, HIRE BABYSITTERS, AND DID WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO TO MAKE THEIR VOICE HEARD.
THEY'RE NOT HERE TODAY BECAUSE NINE 30 ON A MONDAY ISN'T NECESSARILY A TIME WHERE A LOT OF CITIZENS CAN COME AND SPEAK, BUT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE LISTENING.
AS THESE PROGRAMS ARE IMPLEMENTED IN OUR CITY, WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO SHAPE THE WAY THEY WORK FOR THREE KEY REASONS.
NUMBER ONE, THIS TEAM WAS A COMPROMISE AND NOT THE FULL VISION OF THE COMMUNITY.
OUR ASK WAS FOR A NON-POLICE RESPONSE TEAM, BUT OUR CONSULTING FIRM HIRED BY THE CITY, CONCLUDED THAT SS A P D NEEDED TO BE PART OF IT.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT GIVEN THAT THIS TEAM DEALS WITH SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS, SUBSTANCE USE, ET CETERA.
THE COMMUNITY DESERVES AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE IMPLEMENTATION, EVALUATION AND DIRECTION OF THIS INITIATIVE.
OTHER CITIES HAVE ALREADY DONE
[00:05:01]
THIS.FOR EXAMPLE, DENVER, ALBUQUERQUE, AND SAN FRANCISCO.
THE CITIES PROVIDE A MODEL FOR US TO CONTINUE SEEKING COMMUNITY DIRECTION.
AND THREE, ALTHOUGH THESE ALTERNATIVE RESPONDERS PROGRAMS EXIST, MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THEM.
SO HAVING COMMUNITY INPUT FROM THOSE DIRECTLY IMPACTED GRASSROOTS GROUPS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS WILL ENSURE THE CONTINUED AWARENESS AND UTILIZATION OF THESE ALTERNATIVES.
WHAT WOULD THIS COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD DO? ENSURE THAT THE PROGRAM IS ADHERING TO ITS CORE VALUES AND GOALS.
ANALYZE AND RECOMMEND CHANGES.
GATHER AND UPLIFT COMMUNITY FEEDBACK ABOUT THE PROGRAM, AND ENSURE THE COMMUNITY KNOWS ABOUT THE ALTERNATIVE RESPONDERS PROGRAM.
WE ASK THE CITY COUNCIL TO WORK WITH US TODAY IN THE CREATION OF A TRUE COMMUNITY LED ADVISORY BOARD.
MS. AVIDA, JANE WARSAW, JANE WARSAW, JUSTIN MARTINEZ.
I WORK AT THE TEXAS CENTER FOR JUSTICE AND EQUITY AS A POLICY ANALYST AND BEXAR COUNTY PROJECT DIRECTOR.
UM, TODAY I WANTED TO BRIEFLY DISCUSS TWO IMPORTANT AREAS REGARDING THE M D R TEAM.
ONE ON PROGRAM METRICS AND EVALUATION, AND TWO, ON THE CREATION OF A COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD.
UM, IN FRONT OF YOU, WE CREATED PACKETS THAT SORT OF DETAILS AND LAYS OUT SOME OF THAT INFORMATION, UM, ON THOSE TWO AREAS.
I HOPE YOU GET A CHANCE TO, TO GO THROUGH THAT.
SO, ON PROGRAM METRICS AND EVALUATION, RIGHT? I MEAN, THINK IT'S OBVIOUSLY IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE TRACKING MEANINGFUL DATA AND THAT DATA IS TRACKED IN A, UM, ACCESSIBLE AND TRANSPARENT WAY.
BUT WHAT IS ALSO IMPORTANT IS THAT COMMUNITY HAS A VOICE IN WHAT THAT MEANINGFUL DATA LOOKS LIKE.
UM, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY TO INVOLVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, COMMUNITY ADVOCATES IN THIS STAGE OF THE PROCESS AND IN EVERY OTHER KEY DECISION MAKING PROCESS IN THIS PROGRAM.
UM, IF YOU LOOK TOWARDS THE BEGINNING OF THE PACKET, WE SORT OF OUTLINED SOME COMMON METRICS THAT MANY PROGRAMS USE REGARDING THIS TYPE OF PROGRAM.
AND WE'VE ALSO INCLUDED TWO FULL REPORTS FROM TWO DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. SO YOU CAN SEE ONE, WHAT METRICS THEY ARE TRACKING, AND TWO, HOW THOSE METRICS ARE BEING REPORTED OUT.
AND THEN LASTLY, UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE THINK ALLOWING COMMUNITY TO BE A PART OF THIS PROCESS IS, WOULD BE EASIER THROUGH AN IMPLEMENTATION OF A COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, RIGHT, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A COMMITTEE THAT PRIORITIZES BIPO, LGBTQI PLUS MARGINALIZED COMMUNITY COMMUNITIES, AND THOSE IMPACTED, RIGHT? WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT A COMMITTEE THAT'S FULL OF SYSTEM ACTORS ARE FULL OF PEOPLE FROM, UH, MAINSTREAM NONPROFITS.
UM, THE MAKEUP, THE FUNCTION, THE ROLE OF THIS COMMITTEE WOULD BE TO REALLY EMBRACE AND UPLIFT THE IDEA THAT THOSE CLOSEST TO THE PROBLEM ARE THE ONES CLOSEST TO THE SOLUTION.
UM, AND IF YOU LOOK TOWARDS THE BACK OF YOUR PACKET, WE'VE INCLUDED SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT THAT COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD COULD LOOK LIKE.
OLIN, SCHLUTER, OLIN SCHLUTER, WILLIAM SCHILLER, WILLIAM SCHILLER, SCARLET PACHECO, SCARLET PACHECO, ANNETTE S ROSS, ANNETTE ERO.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE THAT CAME TO SPEAK TODAY.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE MATERIALS.
THERE THERE ARE THREE WRITTEN COMMENTS THAT WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE COMMITTEE AS WELL.
SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO ITEM THREE THAT WAS PULLED FROM CONSENT.
GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR, SIR.
SO TH THIS FIRST SLIDE DESCRIBES ESSENTIALLY WHAT THE ROOK IS AND WHAT IT DOES AND WHAT IT IS.
IT'S A RESPONSE VEHICLE TO, UH, ANY KIND OF HIGH RISK SITUATION OR NATURAL DISASTER DISASTER WHERE THERE'S RESCUE, UH, UH, CAPABILITY IS NEEDED.
UH, IT CAN, UM, IT PROVIDES BALLISTIC, UM, PROTECTION FOR OFFICERS RESPONDING TO THESE TYPES OF SITUATIONS.
AND I'LL GO INTO WHAT TYPE OF SITUATIONS HERE IN A MINUTE.
UM, BUT THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT THAT FIRST SLIDE
[00:10:01]
IS.IT SIMPLY DESCRIBES WHAT THAT ROOK IS AND WHY WE NEED IT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND, AND THE WHY IS BECAUSE WE ARE THE ONLY TIER ONE SWAT TEAM, UH, IN THE ACOG REGION.
AND WE WOULD NOT ONLY USE THAT HERE, BUT WOULD USE IT IN OTHER AREAS OF THE ACOG REGION AS WELL.
SO, UH, WE TALKED ABOUT THE TYPES OF SITUATIONS THE, THE ROOK WOULD RESPOND TO, UH, ACTIVE SHOOTER, NATURAL DISASTERS, UH, HIGH RISK SEARCH WARRANTS AND ARREST WARRANTS.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE CHANGED OUR PROTOCOLS WHEN WE, AS WE RESPOND OR WHEN WE RESPOND TO THE, TO THE HIGH RISK WARRANT SERVICES.
UH, THE R WOULD ASSIST US IN BEING, UH, UH, IN PROTECTING THE OFFICERS AT THESE TYPES OF SITUATIONS.
AND, UH, LASTLY, UH, FOR SPECIAL EVENTS SUCH AS FIESTA, UM, ANY TYPE OF HIGH PROFILE SPECIAL EVENT WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE INVOLVED.
AND SO THE, JUST TO DESCRIBE THE, THE CAPABILITIES OF THE ROOK A LITTLE BIT.
UH, NO WEAPONRY CAN BE ATTACHED TO IT.
IT'S SIMPLY AN ARMORED DEPLOYMENT PLATFORM THAT CAN PROTECT UP TO FOUR POLICE OFFICERS AT A TIME.
AND IT WOULD BE USED IN, UH, PRIMARILY RESCUE OPERATIONS.
SO IF WE HAD TO GO INTO, LET'S SAY A WAREHOUSE WHERE SOMEONE WAS BEING HELD HOSTAGE, AND WE NEEDED TO GET IN THERE, WE COULD GO IN AND THE ROOK AND IT WOULD PROVIDE, UH, PROTECTION FOR BALLISTIC PROTECTION FOR FOUR OFFICERS AS OPPOSED TO THEM GOING IN WITH, YOU KNOW, BODY-WORN ARMOR OR SHIELDS.
THIS WOULD ACTUALLY PUT THEM IN A, IN A, IN A SMALL STRUCTURE THAT'S BALLISTIC PROOF.
UM, AND THEN, UH, IT EVEN HAS A, OH, IT, IT HAS A PLATFORM THAT CAN ACTUALLY GO UP, EXCUSE ME, CAN ACTUALLY GO UP TO A SECOND STORY.
SO IF WE NEEDED TO MAKE ENTRY TO RESCUE SOMEONE FROM A SECOND STORY, THAT, UH, THE ROOF WOULD PROVIDE THAT CAPABILITY.
AND THEN, UH, LASTLY, UH, IT HAS A CLAW ON IT THAT CAN PULL DEBRIS, UH, AWAY.
UM, SO THAT'S AN ADDED, ANOTHER FUNCTION, UH, THAT, THAT COULD BE, THAT IT COULD BE USED FOR.
AND THEN LASTLY, UH, WE RECOMMEND THAT THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MOVE THIS FORWARD, UH, TO FULL CITY COUNCIL, UH, ON 22 APRIL.
CHIEF, THIS IS A GRANT FUNDED, CORRECT? YES.
THIS IS UUA C GRANT, UH, FOR 300 SOME THOUSAND THREE, I THINK IT'S 369,000.
UM, YEAH, IT'S NO MONEY OUT OF THE CITY'S BUDGET.
IF THAT, IF THAT, UH, IF THE COUNCIL WERE DECIDE THAT THAT, UH, NOT TO MOVE AHEAD WITH THIS, THAT MONEY WOULD GO BACK TO, UM, WOULD GO BACK TO THE GOVERNMENT.
UM, AND THE, I'M INTERESTED IN THIS CLAUSE, IF, IF, I MEAN, IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE USED IN JUST, UM, YOU KNOW, TACTICAL SITUATIONS.
IF THERE'S A, UM, YOU KNOW, GOD FORBID A, A COLLAPSE OR SOME SORT, COULD THAT CLAW BE USED TO MOVE AWAY? UM, YES.
MATERIALS TO GET TO PEOPLE AND, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE, THERE ARE OTHER RESCUE, UM MM-HMM.
BUT LET'S SAY THAT THERE WAS SOMEONE ARMED AND WE NEEDED TO, YOU KNOW, REMOVE SOME DEBRIS AND HOPEFULLY RESCUE SOMEONE WHO'S TRAPPED UNDER THERE.
WE COULD DO IT WITH THE OFFICERS AND WITH, WITH SAFETY IN MIND WITH THE OFFICERS THERE.
BEHIND THAT BALLISTIC PROTECTION.
UM, ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN MIA RODRIGUEZ? THANK YOU, CHAIR.
UM, SO MY CONCERN WITH THE PUR PURCHASE OF THIS ARMORED VEHICLE IS THAT OUR CITY IS YET TO HAVE A, UM, A VERY THOROUGH CONVERSATION ABOUT THE USE OF MILITARY GRADE WEAPONS.
UM, YOU KNOW, ON CIVILIANS AND IN A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF ABOUT, LET ME READ THIS, 9,000 LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, PRINCETON UNIVERSITY STUDIED SWAT TEAMS AND THE USE OF MILITARY GRADE EQUIPMENT.
THE AUTHOR FOUND THAT THE INCREASED MILITARIZATION OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ERODED PUBLIC TRUST, UM, CAUSED FURTHER HARM TO POLICE AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS, AND WERE USED MOST OFTEN IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
UM, THE STUDY ALSO SHOWED THAT MILITARY GRADE EQUIPMENT DID NOT, UH, IMPACT THE LEVEL OF CRIME, NOR DID IT IMPACT THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS LIVES SAVED.
UM, BESIDES THESE FACTORS, WHAT ALSO GIVES ME A LITTLE BIT OF PAUSE IS THAT THIS VEHICLE IS CAPABLE OF INCREASED LE LEVELS OF SURVEILLANCE, UM, THE MECHANICAL INVASION OF PERSONAL PROPERTY, AND EVEN THE DEPLOYMENT OF NOXIOUS GAS INTO A BUILDING FROM A, FROM A, UH, REMOTE POSITION.
UM, I'M WONDERING, DO WE CURRENTLY HAVE A PROCEDURAL MANUAL ON HOW AND WHEN WE WOULD DEPLOY THE USE OF THESE, UM, INCREASED MILITARY GRADE TACTICS ON OUR PUBLIC? I'M, I'M SORRY.
DO WE HAVE WHAT? A, A PROCEDURAL MANUAL ON HOW WE WOULD USE THESE, UH, LIKE MILITARY GRADE TACTICS ON OUR PUBLIC? I KNOW YOU LISTED NO, THERE'S NOTHING CURRENTLY.
THERE'S NOTHING CURRENTLY IN THE MANUAL ABOUT THIS SINCE WE DON'T HAVE THE CAPABILITY YET.
[00:15:04]
SO THERE'S NOTHING THAT IN THE FUTURE, IF THE, IF THE CITY WERE TO PURCHASE MILITARY GRADE EQUIPMENT, HOW WE WOULD USE THEM? YEAH, I MEAN, WE, THAT, THAT WOULD BE ENTERED INTO THE, INTO OUR STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE.UH, WHEN, WHEN SWAT WOULD EVER USE THIS VEHICLE.
THERE, AGAIN, THIS IS NOT AN OFFENSIVE, UM, TYPE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.
IT IS STRICTLY DEFENSIVE, WELL, DEFENSIVE AND RESCUE TYPE EQUIPMENT.
IT IS A DOOR AND A GATE TO OPEN, UH, MORE, UM, I'M NOT GONNA BE SUPPORTING THIS ITEM TODAY, BUT MY HOPE IS THAT CHAIR, WE HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, BENEFITS VERSUS CONSEQUENCES OF MILITARY GRADE TACTICS AND EQUIPMENT, UM, ON OUR PUBLIC SAFETY.
ANY OTHER, UH, COUNCILMAN
UH, CHIEF, CURRENTLY, UH, IF WE HAVEN'T, AND GOD FORBID, WE HAVE AN ACTIVE SHOOTER HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, BUT CURRENTLY, UM, DO WE, SO OUR OFFICERS ARE JUST GOING IN WITH THEIR, THEIR TACTICAL GEAR, IF AN ACTIVE SHOOTER IS THERE.
AND DO, AND HOW WOULD WE GET TO A SECOND FLOOR IF THEY'RE IN A MULTI-STORY BUILDING? DO WE HAVE THE MEANS TO DO UP THE STAIRS? OKAY.
UM, AND, UM, THE HOSTAGE SITUATIONS, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE THOSE IN SAN ANTONIO WHERE IT'S, IT'S ONE BARRICADED INTO THE HOME, WOULD THIS BE USED IN THOSE SITUATIONS IF NECESSARY? IT WOULD.
UH, I, I'M MOVED TO APPROVE THIS ITEM.
UM, WE, THE STATS ARE THERE FOR VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN.
THE STATS ARE THERE, UM, THAT ACTIVE SHOOTERS WILL CONTINUE.
UH, AND I KNOW THAT THIS WOULD PROBABLY BE IN USE FOR OUR, UM, OUR, OUR COUNTIES THAT ARE, UM, THAT NEIGHBOR US, UH, IN HELPING IN THOSE SITUATIONS TOO.
SO I, I MOVE TO APPROVE, UH, THE, THE, THE ACCEPTANCE OF THIS GRANT.
UH, CHIEF, UM, WHEN I HEAR THE WORD MILITARY GRADE EQUIPMENT, UM, I SPENT 21 YEARS IN THE AIR FORCE, AND I NEVER SAW A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT LIKE THIS IN THE MILITARY.
THIS IS A, THIS IS A SKID LOADER WITH A, WITH A, A PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT ON THE FRONT OF IT.
I, YOU KNOW, I, AGAIN, I JUST NEVER SAW THIS ON THE MILITARY SIDE.
WE COULD CALL IT A CONSTRUCTION GRADE EQUIPMENT IN, IN MY, MY VOCABULARY.
UM, YEAH, I, I DON'T SEE THE ISSUE WITH THIS.
UM, NO MILITARY, THERE'S NO OFFENSIVE, UH, CAPABILITY ON THIS.
AND, UM, I FULLY SUPPORT THIS.
UH, THANKS FOR BRINGING THIS UP, CHIEF.
I, I THINK, UH, COUNCILMAN MKI RODRIGUEZ'S POINT IS WELL TAKEN THOUGH, AND I THINK YOU SAID, UM, UH, THERE WILL BE, UM, A STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE AROUND THIS PIECE OF EQUIPMENT AND ANY, I GUESS, ANY FUTURE EQUIPMENT THAT WE WOULD, UH, PROCURE AS WELL.
AND AGAIN, IT, IT, IT'S ONLY GONNA BE USED FOR RESCUE PURPOSES.
UH, AND THAT'S IT, UH, WITH ADDED PROTECTION FOR THE, FOR THE OFFICERS.
UM, SO WITH A MOTION AND A SECOND, UH, PLEASE VOTE.
[Briefing and Possible Action on]
UH, TO ITEM FOUR, WE'RE GONNA ACTUALLY COUPLE UP, UH, BECAUSE IT'S ALL RELATING TO MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE, UM, ITEM FOUR AND FIVE A.UM, SO WE'LL INVITE, UM, MS. MS. BURLEY AND MADAM CHAIR MEMBERS.
I'M SORRY, I USED, I HAVE TO CORRECT MYSELF.
UM, BUT IS HE GONNA START WITH JULIE? JUST WANTED TO DO A QUICK INTRODUCTION, PLEASE, MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, MENTAL HEALTH WAS A KEY, UH, ITEM THAT WE DISCUSSED DURING THE REVIEW OF THE POLICE SERVICES REVIEW PROJECT, UH, LAST YEAR.
AND ONE OF THE AREAS THAT THE CITY IS COMMITTED TO ENHANCE A RESPONSE TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO, UH, WE ARE GOING TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE TODAY ON THE TEAM THAT WAS INCLUDED ON THE BUDGET.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, MENTAL HEALTH CONTINUES TO BE A PRIORITY OF OUR COMMUNITY AND OF THE COUNCIL, AS WITH THE RECENT DISCUSSIONS WITH ARPA AND, UH, IN, AND THE ALLOCATION OF FUNDING MADE MADE TO, TO THAT PARTICULAR CATEGORY.
SO WE HAVE ASKED, UM, OUR CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR PARTNERS, UH, UH, IN THE CITY, AND, UH, THEIR EXECUTIVE, UH, OFFICER AND PRESIDENTS HERE, UH, TO GIVE US AN
[00:20:01]
OVERVIEW OF OUR MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE ECOSYSTEM IN SAN ANTONIO, TO PROVIDE YOU WITH A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE COMMUNITY RE RESPONDS TO MENTAL HEALTH.AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IS ONE OF THE RESPONDERS, ONE OF THE PARTNERS, BUT THERE ARE MORE ENTITIES THAT ARE DEDICATED TO THIS EFFORT.
SO WE WILL TAKE THOSE TWO ITEMS TO ONE, GIVE YOU AN UPDATE, BUT ALSO GIVE YOU A TOTAL OVERVIEW OF OUR ECOSYSTEM.
THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION TO VISIT WITH YOU THIS MORNING.
UH, AS MARIA MENTIONED, I'M THE C E O FOR THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES, THE LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY FOR BEXAR COUNTY.
BUT I AM JOINED THIS MORNING BY MANY ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE FOCUSED ON INCREASING ACCESS TO TREATMENT FOR SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT, AS WELL AS MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS.
AND I WOULD ASK THEM TO PLEASE STAND THIS MORNING.
WE CALL OURSELVES THE S A T COALITION, BUT I, I AND THE CENTER STAND ON THEIR SHOULDERS WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE FOR BEXAR COUNTY.
SO I APPRECIATE THEM BEING WITH ME THIS MORNING.
SO, STIGMA, STIGMA IS DEFINED AS THE MARK OF DISGRACE ASSOCIATED WITH A CIRCUMSTANCE OR A PERSON.
SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT A PERSON WHO HAS, WHO IS SUFFERING FROM A MENTAL HEALTH DISORDER OR A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, HAS TO NAVIGATE JUST TO RECEIVE SUPPORT MANY TIMES FROM THEIR FAMILY, SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY, OR ACCESS TO TREATMENT.
ALL OF US HAVE TRIED TO NAVIGATE THE MEDICAL SYSTEM.
WE GO TO OUR PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN, WE'RE THEN REFERRED TO A SPECIALIST.
WE MUST FIND A WAY TO CONTACT THAT SPECIALIST TO GET TO SEE THAT SPECIALIST.
SOMETIMES THERE'S A LONG WAIT.
IT IS A DIFFICULT SYSTEM TO NAVIGATE.
THE LANGUAGE THEY USE IS A LANGUAGE.
MANY OF US DON'T UNDERSTAND MANY OF THE DIAGNOSES OR WORDS THAT WE HAVE, DIFFICULTY EVEN PRONOUNCING.
IT IS MORE DIFFICULT FOR SOMEONE WITH A MENTAL HEALTH DISORDER OR A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER TO NAVIGATE A SYSTEM OF CARE.
THEY'RE NOT SURE WHERE TO GO, HOW TO GET THERE.
MANY TIMES THE COST AND THE TIME TO GET COM TIMELY TREATMENT IS A CHALLENGE.
SO LET ME TALK A LITTLE ABOUT THE ECOSYSTEM FOR BEXAR COUNTY.
WE HAVE A POPULATION OF APPROXIMATELY 2 MILLION RESIDENTS, ACCORDING TO NAMI.
ONE IN FIVE OF US EXPERIENCE MENTAL HEALTH DISORDER.
ONE IN 20 HAVE EXPERIENCED A SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS, AND ONE IN 15 HAVE EXPERIENCED A SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL ILLNESS, WHAT WE CALL A CO-OCCURRING DISORDER.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, WE KNOW THAT APPROXIMATELY 400,000 INDIVIDUALS WHO LIVE IN BEXAR COUNTY HAVE EXPERIENCED MENTAL ILLNESS.
ABOUT 20,000 HAVE A SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS, AND ABOUT 28,000 HAVE OCCUR OCCURRING.
THEY SUFFER FROM MENTAL HEALTH DISORDER AND OR SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT.
WE HAVE A PERFORMANCE CONTRACT WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS TO SEE 38,000.
SO I HOPE THAT BEGINS TO PUT IN CONTEXT THE TREMENDOUS GAP AND THE CHALLENGE WE HAVE IN THIS COMMUNITY TO SERVE THOSE WHO SUFFER WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT.
THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS AUTHORIZED 39 LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES, LIKE THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES.
I'M GONNA CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO NUMBER 23 ON THE MAP.
THAT'S THE HELEN FARABEE CLINIC.
IT SERVES 16,000 SQUARE MILES.
BEXAR COUNTY IS 1200, AND THEY SERVE 19 COUNTIES.
SO WHILE THEIR POPULATION IS NOT AS DENSE AS BEAR COUNTY, YOU CAN SEE THE DISTANCE AND THE CHALLENGES WITH MULTIPLE JURISDICTION THAT THIS ONE LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY FACES TO SERVE ITS CITIZENS.
AS I MENTIONED, WE ARE ONE OF 39 LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES.
WE ARE THE THIRD LARGEST BY POPULATION IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
OUR EMPHASIS IS ON SAFETY NET SERVICES FOR THE UNINSURED AND UNDERINSURED.
AND WE HAVE TWO SPONSORING ENTITIES, BEXAR COUNTY AND THE UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEM.
BOTH OF THESE ENTITIES APPOINT OUR BOARD.
FIVE MEMBERS ARE APPOINTED BY BEXAR COUNTY, FOUR APPOINTED BY THE UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEM AND STATE LAW RECENTLY APPOINTED OUR SHERIFF TO THE BOARD.
WE HAVE AN ANNUAL BUDGET OF 129 MILLION WITH 1,302 AUTHORIZED POSITIONS.
JUST A COPY OF ALL OF OUR PARTNERS.
WE SERVE ADULT AND CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS IN THE BEXAR COUNTY COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE A TARGET POPULATION THAT WE SERVE, CRISIS,
[00:25:01]
OUR HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS WITH SEVERE EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCES, AS WELL AS CONTRACTS WITH JUVENILE PROBATION, C P S AND THE VARIOUS SCHOOL DISTRICTS.OUR PERFORMANCE CONTRACTS ALLOWS US TO TREAT INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE OPIOID DEPENDENT ADULTS.
UH, WE ALSO TREAT MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER.
WE HAVE CONTRACTS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND WE SCREEN FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS FOR SUBSTANCE USE.
WE DO NOT TREAT, WE HAVE PARTNERS WHO TREAT CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS.
WE ALSO SERVE THE INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY COMMUNITY.
WE HOUSE RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS FOR THEM.
WE OPERATE GROUP HOMES WHERE OUR ADULT CONSUMERS LIVE, AND WE CARE FOR THEM IN THOSE SETTINGS.
MOST OF OUR SERVICES ARE OUTPATIENT.
WE DO HAVE CONTRACTS WITH SEVERAL RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT CENTERS, ONE LOCATED AT HAVEN FOR HOPE.
AND THE OTHER, WE HAVE A HOME FOR, UM, WOMEN WHO ARE OPIOID DEPENDENT AND TRYING TO RECONNECT WITH THEIR CHILDREN.
OUR FUNDING SOURCES ARE WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS.
WE ALSO HAVE CONTRACTS WITH UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEM.
UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEM ALSO PROVIDES OUR LOCAL, UM, OUR LOCAL MATCH FOR STATE FUNDING, AND IT'S ABOUT 7% OF OUR TOTAL STATE FUNDING.
WE ALSO ENTER INTO INTERGOVERNMENTAL CONTRACTS WITH U H SS AND BEXAR COUNTY, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO STRAC, TO PROVIDE CERTAIN SERVICES WITH BEXAR COUNTY.
WE PROVIDE CLINICIANS AT THE BOOKING FACILITY WHERE THEY ARE ASSESSING INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN SCREENED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR POTENTIAL MENTAL HEALTH OR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS.
AND WE MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE MAGISTRATE FOR TREATMENT.
WE ALSO HAVE COURT ORDERED TREATMENT PROGRAMS ASSOCIATED WITH CERTAIN JUDGES AT BEXAR COUNTY, WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
YOU CONTRACT WITH US TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC SAFETY UNIT, OR MORE COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE SOBERING UNIT, WHERE LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN PICK UP AN INDIVIDUAL, A PUBLIC INEBRIATE, AND BRING THEM TO THE SOBERING CENTER.
THEY ARE ALLOWED TO RECOVER, AND THEN THEY ARE VOLUN.
THEY CAN VOLUNTARILY LEAVE THE SOBERING CENTER WHEN THEY ARE IN A POSITION TO DO SO.
WE ALSO ARE CONTRACTED WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO PROVIDE THE MINOR MEDICAL CLINIC.
AND THIS PREVENTS LAW ENFORCEMENT FROM BEING, UH, SUSTAINED IN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS AT HOSPITALS FOR MANY HOURS.
WE DETERMINE THE CRITERIA WITH OUR MEDICAL DIRECTOR AT E M S, AND INDIVIDUALS ARE BROUGHT IN THAT MEET THAT CRITERIA TO THE MINOR MEDICAL CLINIC, AND THEY ARE CLEARED, AND THE OFFICER IS NOT DETAINED FOR MANY HOURS.
IT'S BEEN A SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP OVER THE YEARS.
WE ALSO CONTRACT WITH STRAC, AND YOU WILL HEAR MORE ABOUT OUR CONTRACT WITH STRAC, UM, AS WE CONTRACT CLINICIANS WITH THEM FOR THE MULTIPLE MENTAL, UH, CRISIS RESPONSE UNITS THROUGH STRAC.
WE HAVE A FOUNDATION, WHICH IS THE FUNDRAISING ARM FOR OUR ORGANIZATION.
THIS PIE CHART JUST REPRESENTS THE PERCENTAGE OF FUNDING FROM THE VARIOUS ENTITIES THAT WE HAVE CONTRACTS WITH.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE MAJORITY OF THE FUNDING IS WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS AT 42%.
OUR NEXT TWO HIGHEST AREAS ARE FEDERAL AND MEDICAID FUNDING.
AND THEN WE ALSO SHOW THE CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE WITH OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES.
SO, I WANNA TALK A BIT ABOUT THE EVOLUTION OF CRISIS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE FIRST DEPLOYED A CRISIS HOTLINE BACK IN 1994.
BEXAR COUNTY'S FIRST CRISIS PROGRAM WAS CREATED IN 2002 BY COUNTY JUDGE NELSON WOLF, AND THEN PROBATE JUDGE POLLY JACKSON SPENCER.
THEY FUNDED SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS OF THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT TO CREATE THE VERY FIRST MOBILE OUTREACH TEAM IN 2002 TO 2005.
AND THIS WAS TOTALLY FUNDED BY C H C S AT THE TIME.
ALSO, IN 2002, WE CREATED A CRISIS STABILIZATION UNIT THAT WAS OPENED AT OUR FACILITY AT 77 11 JOSEPHINE STREET.
BY 2007, THE STATE OF TEXAS DECIDED TO REDESIGN ITS CRISIS APPROACH FOR ALL OF ITS LMHA, AND THEN REQUIRED EVERY LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS TO CREATE A CRISIS HOTLINE TO FUND THE TRAINING OF LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR CRISIS INTERVENTION TRAINING, WE CREATED OUR EXTENDED OBSERVATION UNIT LOCATED AT 6 0 1 REO.
IT'S ALSO KNOWN AS A PSYCHIATRIC ER EMERGENCY CENTER, THEREFORE, CREATING 24 ACCESS FOR CRISIS ASSESSMENT IN ALL OF THE STATE OF TEXAS.
BY 20 17 20 18, WE JOINED WHAT IS NOW KNOWN AS THE SOUTHWEST TEXAS CRISIS COLLABORATIVE.
I WON'T GO INTO MUCH DETAIL, MR. ERIC EPLEY WILL SHARE THE
[00:30:01]
EVOLUTION OF THE SOUTHWEST TEXAS CRISIS COLLABORATIVE.BUT BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO HIM, I WOULD LIKE TO TALK A BIT MORE ABOUT THE CIVILIAN MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE TEAM THAT'S BEEN AT C H C S SINCE 2007.
AND THEN I'LL CLOSE TODAY WITH SOME ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION FOR THE S A T COALITION, OUR CIVILIAN CRISIS OUTREACH TEAM.
AT C H C S, WE HAVE ONE DEDICATED FOR ADULT RESPONSE AND ONE DEDICATED FOR CHILDREN'S RESPONSE.
WE RECEIVE ANYWHERE FROM 1400 TO 2000 CRISIS HOTLINE CALLS A MONTH.
THIS IS OPERATED BY A VENDOR OF AVAIL WHO IS CERTIFIED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS TO BE STAFFED BY QUALIFIED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS.
THEY RECEIVE THESE CALLS, THEY TRIAGE THE CALLS, AND MANY TIMES WHEN APPROPRIATE, WE CALL UPON LAW ENFORCEMENT LESS THAN LESS THAN 1% OF THE TIME.
OVER THE SPAN OF SEVEN YEARS, WE'VE TAKEN OVER 27,000 MOBILE CRISIS OUTREACH CALLS.
THIS IS OUR ADULT UNIT, RESULTING IN OVER 21,600 COMMUNITY VISITS WITH APPROXIMATELY 92% RESOLUTION RATE ON SITE, NOT HAVING, NOT RESULTING IN AN ARREST, BRINGING IT CLOSER.
OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, WE HAVE RECEIVED OVER 7,600 CALLS TO THE MOBILE CRISIS OUTREACH TEAM, AN AVERAGE OF 211 CALLS PER MONTH.
APPROXIMATELY 96% OF THOSE CALLS HAVE BEEN RESOLVED BY DEESCALATION AND OR COMMUNITY REFERRALS.
THE CENTER OF HEALTHCARE SERVICES BECAME A CERTIFIED COMMUNITY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CENTER IN 2018, AND WE NOW PERFORM RISK ASSESSMENT SCREENINGS ON EACH CALL RECEIVED ON OUR CRISIS LINE.
OUR MOBILE CRISIS OUTREACH TEAM, BOTH CIVILIAN TEAMS FOR ADULT AND CHILDREN HAVE AN ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET.
UM, OUR ADULT TEAM HAS AN ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET OF ABOUT 715,000.
THE CHILDREN'S UNIT HAS A BUDGET OF $464,000, AND I WOULD REMIND THE, THE COUNSEL THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT BY STATE LAW IS THE ONLY ENTITY THAT CAN ISSUE AN EMERGENCY DETENTION ORDER, THEREFORE TAKING SOMEONE INVOLUNTARILY.
SO I'LL STOP AT THIS POINT AND, UH, TURN IT OVER TO ERIC, AND I'LL RETURN WITH OUR SAN ANTONIO, OUR S A T COLLABORATION, MADAM CHAIR, AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
AS, UH, ERIC EPLEY IS COMING TO THE PODIUM, I JUST WANTED TO REMIND YOU THAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAS A CONTRACT WITH RAC BY WHICH RAC PROVIDES MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIANS TO WORK WITH OUR MENTAL HEALTH UNIT AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND MOST RECENTLY, WE AMENDED THAT CONTRACT IN DECEMBER TO HAVE STR HELP US WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESPONSE TEAM, AND ALSO TO ASSIST US IN SECURING THE CLINICIANS THAT ARE NEEDED FOR THAT TEAM.
SO, JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE THAT CONTEXT AS TO OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH STRAC AND THEIR ROLE WITH THEIR, WITH THE MULTI MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM.
THANK YOU, MS. KOM, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
UH, IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY TO TALK ABOUT, UH, ONE OF THE NEWEST TOOLS IN THE TOOLBOX IN OUR SYSTEM OF CARE AS WE DEVELOP FOR, UH, RESPONDING TO MENTAL HEALTH IN SAN ANTONIO.
UM, SEVERAL, SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE MENTIONED THE JOLENE AND, UM, MS. VILLAGOMEZ MENTIONED THE SOUTHWEST TEXAS CRISIS COLLABORATIVE.
IF YOU TORTURE SOUTHWEST TEXAS CRISIS COLLABORATIVE LONG ENOUGH, THOSE INITIALS WILL SOUND LIKE STICK.
SO YOU'LL HEAR ME REFER TO STICK IN THIS, UH, THAT'S A DIVISION OF STRAC.
STRAC IS THE REGIONAL TRAUMA AND EMERGENCY HEALTHCARE SYSTEM FOR THIS REGION.
UM, ONE OF OUR COMPONENTS, OBVIOUSLY, IS MENTAL HEALTH.
THIS BEGAN IN 2017, UM, AND CURRENTLY HAS, UH, AN OVERALL BUDGET OF OVER 17 MILLION AND IS PROVIDING MANY OF THE OTHER TOOLS IN THE TOOLBOX PARTNERS INCLUDE THE PEOPLE YOU SEE THERE, THE CITY AND COUNTY, CLEARLY REPRESENTED WITH FIRE AND POLICE AND SENIOR LEADERSHIP, THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS, THE MENTAL HEALTHCARE, NAMI, AND, UH, UH, MOST IMPORTANTLY, SOME OF OUR, UH, PHILANTHROPY GROUPS.
SO, I, I WANT YOU TO THINK OF MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSES OF FABRIC AS A NETWORK, AS A SYSTEM.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE STARTED WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT NAVIGATION, WHICH MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN OVER TO THE OFFICE AND HEARD THIS BRIEFING ABOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT NAVIGATION, WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO SEND THOSE PEOPLE NOT TO JAIL, NOT TO THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, BUT TO WHERE THEY'LL GET CARE AT A PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY SERVICES BED,
[00:35:01]
UH, IN ONE OF OUR MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES FOR SOME, UH, UH, DEESCALATION FOR THEM IN A 48 HOUR OBSERVATION BED.UM, WE TAKE TRAUMA PATIENTS TO THE TRAUMA CENTER.
WE TAKE STROKE PATIENTS TO THE STROKE CENTER.
AND IF WE REALLY CAN, THERE'S NO MEDICAL EMERGENCIES.
WE WANT TO TAKE PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS TO A PSYCHIATRIC CENTER TO TRY TO GET THEM THE HELP THEY NEED.
USUALLY THAT ENDS UP IN THEM GOING INTO A STEP DOWN UNIT OR PERHAPS OUTPATIENT SERVICES.
BUT THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESPONSE TEAM, WE BELIEVE WILL HELP BY, UM, AVOIDING THESE PEOPLE, GETTING INTO THAT VORTEX OF PAIN.
SO WHEN A MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESPONSE TEAM MAKES THAT MISSION, HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THEM INTO OUTPATIENT SERVICES QUICKER, FASTER, AND, UH, WITH MORE EFFECTIVENESS.
THE EVOLUTION OF THESE MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESPONSE TEAMS STARTED IN 2019, THE CITY, UH, WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND C H C SS WITH TWO INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS. ONE CALLED THE PROGRAM FOR INTENSIVE CARE COORDINATION AND THE CONTINUANCE OF THE CHRONIC CRISIS STABILIZATION INITIATIVE.
THOSE TEAMS, HOWEVER, THEY WERE FOCUSED ON FINDING PEOPLE AND GETTING THEM HELP AND CONTINUING TO MONITOR THEM AND CONTINUE TO GET THEM INTO THE RIGHT SERVICES THAT, THAT HAD MAYBE SIX OR MORE EMERGENCY DETENTIONS IN A YEAR, GOT THEM INTO THAT CIRCUMSTANCE, RIGHT? THE NEW TEAMS WE'RE SEEING IN THE LAST 18 MONTHS, AT FIRST AT THE COUNTY WITH THE SMART, AND NOW WITH CORE, UM, HAVE TO DO WITH 9 1 1 RESPONSE.
SO MOVING A LITTLE QUICKER, NOT IN FACT, WE FOUND, UH, JUST IN SOME OF THE DATA FROM SMART, OVER 75% OF THE PEOPLE WE'RE ENCOUNTERING IN THESE 9 1 1 RESPONSE TEAMS. THOSE PATIENTS HAVE NEVER BEEN IN SERVICES.
THESE ARE NOT NECESSARILY CHRONIC PEOPLE WHO ARE USING THE SYSTEM A LOT.
THEY'RE NEW PATIENTS, AND WE DON'T WANT TO GET THEM INTO SERVICES.
UM, THESE ARE THE MEMBERS OF, UH, SA CORE, THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH RESILIENCY EFFORT.
STRAC SERVES REALLY AS THE CONVENER.
UH, I SHOULD SEE US AS THE CATALYST, AS THE CONVENER, THE MAIN STAKEHOLDERS BEING POLICE, FIRE, AND THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES, ALONG WITH METRO HEALTH.
AS WE DEVELOP THIS SYSTEM, WE HAVE A PLAN FOR SOFT LAUNCH, UH, FOR APRIL 4TH.
AND, UH, WE HAVE A FORMAL LAUNCH ON THE 18TH.
UM, THEY'LL RESPOND TO MENTAL HEALTH RELATED CALLS WITH SAFETY BEING THE PRIORITY, BOTH FOR THE TEAM AND THE PATIENT, EFFECTIVELY TREATING THAT PATIENT, UH, WITH A LEAST RESTRICTIVE APPROACH WITH THE CLINICAL TEAM.
TAKING THE LEAD ON THOSE RESPONSES, REDUCE THE NUMBER OF ARRESTS, OBVIOUSLY, IS ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANNA SEE HAPPEN.
AND, AND IT'S FUNNY, I LEFT A BULLET POINT OUT HERE THAT SAID, WE WANT TO GET PATIENTS TO THE RIGHT CARE.
RIGHT? IT'S SO OBVIOUS TO US THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE GET PEOPLE TO WHERE THEY NEED TO GO, UH, THIS OPPORTUNITY WILL PROVIDE THAT.
I THINK IT'S GONNA BE BETTER FOR THOSE PATIENTS.
AND, UH, WE WANT TO INCREASE ACCESS TO THOSE OUTPATIENT SERVICES WITH, UH, RAPID ACCESS TO OUTPATIENT SERVICES.
SOME OF THE METRICS, THESE ARE NOT ALL OF THEM, BUT THESE, SOME OF THE METRICS THAT WE'LL BE COLLECTING, NUMBER OF CALLS BY DAY, WEEK, MONTH, AND TIME OF DAY, OF COURSE, PROBLEM NATURES, UM, WITH PERCENTAGES, DISPOSITION OF THE CALL, WHETHER IT RESULTED IN A VOLUNTARY OR AN EMERGENCY DETENTION, OR PERHAPS, HOPEFULLY NOT JAIL, UM, CALLS THAT WOULD HAVE RECEIVED, UH, A CORE RESPONSE BUT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE CENTRAL.
WERE STARTING WITH THE PILOT PROGRAM IN THE CENTRAL SUBSTATION AREA, BUT WE WILL BE TRACKING ALL 9 1 1 CALLS THAT COME INTO THE PUBLIC, PUBLIC SAFETY ANSWERING POINTS, SO THAT WE'LL HAVE A MUCH BETTER IDEA, UM, AT THE END OF THIS PILOT.
WE'LL KNOW IT DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T SEND A TEAM TO THE PERU SUB WHEN THAT WOULD'VE NORMALLY, THE, THE, THE PROTOCOL WOULD'VE INDICATED, BUT WE COUNTED THAT AS A POSSIBLE CORE RUN.
SO BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU THAT FEEDBACK AT THE END OF THE PILOT AS WE GO ALONG.
NUMBER OF FOLLOW-UPS, OUTCOMES OF THE FOLLOW-UPS, AND THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS CONNECTED TO SERVICES.
WE'VE, UH, COMPARED THESE TO SOME OF THE OTHER TEAMS. UM, SMART IS COLLECTING THE SAME SET OF DATA, AND THE DALLAS TEAMS ACTUALLY COLLECT SLIGHTLY LESS DATA THAN WE'RE GONNA BE COLLECTING ALREADY.
THIS HAS BEEN A, A, A, A FAST JOURNEY, UM, STARTING WITH, UH, YOUR APPROVAL IN, UH, THE 16TH OF DECEMBER AT CITY COUNCIL, AND THEN SOME OF THE MILESTONES ALONG THE WAY WITH AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, UM, APPROVED ON JANUARY 19TH.
THE TEAM HAS BEEN MEETING WEEKLY AND SOMETIMES MULTIPLE TIMES A WEEK.
OUR STRATEGY GROUP TO DO THAT, RE REPRESENTED BY SENIOR LEADERS FROM POLICE, FIRE, AND C H C S AND METRO HEALTH AND OURSELVES.
DISPATCH PROTOCOL HAS BEEN FINALIZED, THE VIRTUAL VEHICLE'S HAVE BEEN PURCHASED.
AND, UH, THE CH H C S CLINICIANS ONBOARDED.
I WANT TO THANK INE AND HER TEAM WITH, UH, BEING ABLE TO NOT ONLY HIRE MORE PEOPLE, BUT THEY HAVE DEVELOPED A NEW CRISIS RESPONSE CLINICIAN, AN ENTIRELY NEW JOB DESCRIPTION AND ROLE AT C H C SS.
[00:40:01]
A, A VERY, VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.SO REALLY APPRECIATE THE EXTRA EFFORT.
AS WE ALL KNOW, TRYING TO CREATE NEW ROLES AND NEW POSITIONS THAT HIRE FOR THEM CAN BE ONE OF THE MORE DIFFICULT THINGS WE DO IN OUR ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, UNIFORMS HAVE ACTUALLY ARRIVED.
AND, UH, THE, THE TRAINING, THE TRAINING IS BEGINNING, BEGINNING THIS MORNING, I'M SORRY.
SO THE CORE TEAM WILL BE AVAILABLE FROM 7:00 AM TO 11:00 PM SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, AND CENTRAL SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, SEVEN TILL 11 ON OUR HEAT MAPS OF WHEN CALLS ARISE.
THAT WAS WHEN WE HAD THE MOST CALLS, UH, THAT WERE GONNA BE TARGETED AS THAT TIMEFRAME.
IT'LL HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH UNIT VEHICLE, UM, WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH, UM, PD OFFICER, AND A CLINICAL VEHICLE WITH THE PARAMEDIC AND CRISIS RESPONSE CLINICIAN.
AND, UH, OF COURSE, THE CRISIS RESPONSE CLINICIANS WILL ALSO DO THE FOLLOW UP.
UM, AFTER THE PATIENT'S BEEN VISITED, HERE'S THE LOGO AND THE SHIRTS.
THEY'LL BE WEARING THESE SOFT UNIFORMS. UM, AND WE BELIEVE THAT IS LESS THREATENING AND SHOULD BE, UH, WELL RECEIVED.
SO THE CORE TRAINING STARTS TODAY.
THERE ARE FOUR CLASSROOM DAYS AT THE FIRE ACADEMY A DAY, UH, ON HANDS-ON WITH SOME, UH, SCENARIO TRAINING, UH, WITH, UH, TRAINING ACADEMY.
AND BY THE WAY, I WANNA MENTION THE BENEFITS OF THE TEAMS THAT WE'RE USING.
ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN SELECTED ARE COMING FROM THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE MENTAL HEALTH UNIT.
THEY'RE ALREADY WELL EXPERIENCED.
WE'RE SIMPLY BRINGING THEM TOGETHER THIS WEEK TO DO THE TEAMWORK.
THEY'RE GONNA HAVE THE SAME THING FOR THE FIRE.
UH, PARAMEDICS ARE COMING FROM M I H AND, UH, OF COURSE, THE CRISIS CLINICIANS, UM, ARE COMING WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH BACKGROUND, WHICH IS A MASTER'S PREPARED, UM, LICENSED CLINICIAN.
THEY'LL BE FOCUSING ON CRISIS, UH, INTERVENTION TRAINING, LAW ENFORCEMENT BASICS, AND MENTAL HEALTH UNIT ORIENTATION, BASIC MEDICAL TRAINING, DOCUMENTATION, WELLNESS AND RESILIENCY, COMMUNICATIONS, TACTICAL AND SCENARIO TRAINING.
AND THERE'LL BE 24 HOURS ADDITIONALLY OF CRISIS INTERVENTION TRAINING FROM EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS.
SO, HOW DOES THIS ACTUALLY WORK? WHEN A NINE ONE ONE CALL COMES IN THOSE NINE ONE ONE, PEOPLE ARE TRAINED TO ASK WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY? AND ANYTIME THERE WILL BE A MENTAL HEALTH COMPONENT, THE CORE TEAM WILL BE, UH, DISPATCHED WITH PRIORITY GIVEN TO THOSE CALLS WITH IMMEDIATE THREAT TO LIFE.
THE OFFICER WILL MAKE, UM, THE APPROACH, MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A SAFE, A SAFE SCENE, WHICH IS A NORMAL PROCESS AND PUBLIC SAFETY TODAY FOR ANY OTHER CALLS.
AND, UH, WE'LL BE THERE TO MAINTAIN, UH, THAT SCENE SAFETY AT ALL TIMES.
THE CLINICIAN WILL BE PERFORMING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ASSESSMENTS.
THE PARAMEDIC WILL BE PERFORMING MEDICAL ASSESSMENTS, AND BASED ON THE TOTALITY OF THOSE THREE COMPONENTS WILL COME UP WITH A DISPOSITION BASED ON THE TEAM'S ASSESSMENT.
SO WHAT CAN THEY DO? WE'RE HOPING THAT A LOT OF THESE CAN BE RESOLVED ON SCENE BY CONNECTING THEM TO THEIR PROVIDER, OR, UM, ENSURING THAT THEY CAN HAVE FOLLOW-UP.
WE CAN PROVIDE COURTESY RIDES, AND IF NECESSARY, WE CAN DO, UH, VOLUNTARY, UH, TRANSPORT TO A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH FACILITY, UH, AND UP TO AND INCLUDING EMERGENCY DETENTION.
SO YOU SEE THAT WE'RE STARTING FROM THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE AND MOVING THROUGH THAT CONTINUUM TO THE MOST RESTRICTIVE FOLLOWUP OPTIONS WILL INCLUDE OUTPATIENT CARE, CLINICAL CARE MANAGERS, AND PRIVATE PROVIDERS, AND THE RESOURCES.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THEIR MENTAL, MENTAL HEALTH CARE, BUT ALSO THINGS LIKE SOCIAL SERVICES AND FOOD, HOUSING AND BENEFITS.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE TAKE CARE OF ALL THOSE THINGS FOR THOSE PATIENTS.
I THINK THAT GOES BACK TO GHISLAINE.
I'LL PAUSE THERE AND TURN IT BACK OVER TO THIS JAMESON.
ERIC DIDN'T FLIP MY SLIDES FOR ME.
SO, I MENTIONED TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, WE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT SOME INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES BEFORE YOU.
WE WOULD LIKE TO DUPLICATE THE SUCCESS OF THE STICK MODEL, THE SOUTH TEXAS CRISIS COLLABORATIVE MODEL, TO INCLUDE COMMUNITY AND PRE-CRISIS SERVICES, KNOWING THAT EFFORTS COMMUNITY-WIDE EFFORTS TO REDUCE STIGMA TO TREATMENT, ENHANCING ACCESS TO TREATMENT AND ACCESS TO CARE, REALLY WILL HELP US SOLVE THE SITUATION THAT WE FIND OURSELVES IN.
WITH THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM, WE PROPOSE TO LAUNCH PUBLIC AWARENESS AND A REDUCTION CAMPAIGN, COLLABORATE WITH CURRENT NAVIGATION LINES THAT ARE IN PLACE TODAY, AND EXPAND TREATMENT OPTIONS THROUGHOUT SAN ANTONIO FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT.
AT A LATER TIME, WE'D LIKE TO COME BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE AND THE COUNCIL TO TALK ABOUT FUNDING THE SS A
[00:45:01]
T COALITION TO MODEL THE STICK, THE SOUTH TEXAS CRISIS COLLABORATIVE AND EXPAND TO INCLUDE PRE-CRISIS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES, SO THAT WE CAN BEGIN TO ADDRESS THIS SITUATION CITYWIDE WITH MORE EVIDENCE-BASED TREATMENT.I'VE TAKEN THE LIBERTY OF ERIC'S PREVIOUS SLIDE TO SHOW YOU THE STICK.
THIS IS WHAT AN EXPANDED SOUTHWEST TEXAS COLLABORATIVE MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
WITH PRE-CRISIS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE TABLE, WE TOO HAVE GOALS AND METRICS.
WE BELIEVE BY EXPANDING ACCESS TO TREATMENT AND ACCESS TO CARE, AND REDUCING STIGMA, WE CAN REDUCE THE NUMBER OF AVOIDABLE NAVIGATIONS BY LAW ENFORCEMENT, BY PROVIDING AND DIRECTING TO A MORE APPROPRIATE CARE AT THE RIGHT TIME.
WE ALSO BELIEVE WE CAN REDUCE THE UTILIZATION OF IMPATIENT BEDS FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN WITH MENTAL ILLNESS.
BY EXPANDING PRE-CRISIS SERVICES, WE KNOW THAT WE CAN INCREASE THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS CONNECTED OR RECONNECTED TO SERVICES AFTER ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM.
WE BELIEVE WE NEED EXPANDED RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT CAPACITY IN BEXAR COUNTY.
WE ALSO NEED EXPANDED MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION AND OUTREACH FOR YOUTH AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
WITH THE EXPANSION OF ACCESS TO CARE AND ACCESS TO TREATMENT, WE BELIEVE WE CAN REDUCE THE NUMBER OF AVOIDABLE NAVIGATIONS BY LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH ADDICTION WHO DO NOT NEED DETOX, BUT RATHER NEED RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT SERVICES, OUTPATIENT SERVICES AND PEER SUPPORT, WE BELIEVE WE CAN REDUCE THE UTILIZATION OF INPATIENT BEDS BY SENDING CLIENTS WHO HAVE BEEN DETOXED TO RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT, OUTPATIENT SERVICES, SOBER LIVING HOMES, AND OR SUPPORT GROUPS.
AND FINALLY, WE CAN INCREASE THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WITH SUBSTANCE USE DIAGNOSIS TO CONNECTIONS WITH THE NECESSARY SUPPORT GROUPS, EDUCATION, RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT FACILITIES, PEER SUPPORT, AND OUTPATIENT TREATMENT.
SO WE STAND AS A WILLING PARTNER TO WORK WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO EXPAND THE CIVILIAN CRISIS RESPONSE TEAMS. IF YOU WISH, WE APPLAUD THE INVESTMENT THAT YOU'VE MADE THUS FAR IN YOUR MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM.
WE BELIEVE WE CAN TRANSFORM THIS COMMUNITY BY ADDRESSING HEALTH DISPARITIES TO ACHIEVE HEALTH EQUITY BY MAKING INVESTMENT IN REDUCING STIGMA, EXPANDING ACCESS TO CARE, AND EXPANDING TREATMENT.
EARLIER I HEARD A GENTLEMAN ASK FOR A CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT WOULD FOCUS ON EVALUATING THE PILOT THAT YOU HAVE STOOD UP.
I WOULD OFFER TO YOU THE CENTER OF HEALTHCARE SERVICES HAS A CENTER ADVISORY COUNCIL.
IF I COULD GET ASSISTANCE WITH PLACING THIS ON THE, UM, I'M GONNA SHOW MY AGE AND CALL IT I IN THE SKY, BUT I DON'T THINK YOU USE THAT ANYMORE.
BY VIRTUE OF OUR CERTIFICATION AS A COMMUNITY BEHAVIOR HEALTH CENTER, WE MUST CREATE A CENTER ADVISORY COUNCIL.
THAT COUNCIL IS CHARGED WITH REPORTING TO THE L M H A, AT LEAST QUARTERLY ON THE NEEDS AND PRIORITIES OF THE LOCAL SERVICE AREA, ALL OF THE SERVICES AND THE GAPS AND SERVICES IN BEXAR COUNTY.
OUR MEMBERSHIP IS COMPRISED OF AT LEAST 51% OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE CONSUMERS OR FAMILY, MEMBERS OF CONSUMERS, FAMILY MEMBERS OF ADULTS, AND CHILDREN WHO HAVE HAD A DIAGNOSIS OF MENTAL HEALTH, SERIOUS EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE, OR INTELLECTUAL OR DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES.
UP TO NINE MEMBERS OF OUR CENTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE MUST BE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMMUNITY AND ARE SELECTED FOR THEIR EXPERTISE IN HEALTH SERVICES, COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, FINANCE, BANKING, LEGAL AFFAIRS, TRADE UNIONS, FAITH COMMUNITIES, COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL CONCERNS, OR SOCIAL AGENCIES WITHIN THE LOCAL SERVICE AREA.
AGAIN, OUR LOCAL SERVICE AREA IS BEXAR COUNTY.
NO LESS THAN FOUR MEMBERS OF THE CENTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE MUST BE ADULT CONSUMERS, A PARENT OR A GUARDIAN OF A CHILD, OR AN I D D CONSUMER THAT IS NOMINATED BY EACH OF THE C H C S SERVICE UNITS AND CONFIRMED BY THE C H C S BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
IF THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU AND PROVIDE THE SERVICES OF THE CENTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO ALSO LOOK AT THE EVALUATION OF YOUR PILOT AND REPORT BACK TO YOU ON THE FEEDBACK RECEIVED BY
[00:50:01]
THE CENTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE.THIS CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION.
WE'RE CERTAINLY AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, AND THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO ON BEHALF OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, AS, UM, MY OTHER DAY JOB AS A DISABILITY ATTORNEY, OF COURSE, I SEE THE STIGMA EVERY DAY WITH PEOPLE THAT DEAL WITH, UH, MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS.
SO I THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
YOU, I WANNA START ACTUALLY, WHERE YOU JUST LEFT OFF.
ONE OF MY QUESTIONS IS GONNA BE ABOUT A COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD.
UM, BUT THE BOARD THAT YOU CURRENTLY HAVE, IT, IT, IT, IT ANSWERS TO THE C H C S BOARD.
IT ANSWERS TO THE C C S BOARD.
SO WHO APPOINTS THOSE MEMBERS OF THE, THE C H C S BOARD, UH, MAKES THE FINAL NOMINATION TO THE CENTER ADVISORY BOARD.
THE CENTER ADVISORY BOARD, UH, RECEIVES THE NOMINATIONS.
THEY REVIEW THOSE NOMINATIONS, AND THE BOARD IS THEN RATIFIED BY THE C H C S BOARD.
I WOULD SUBMIT JUST A THOUGHT, UM, IF WE'RE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS AS MAYBE, UM, ADDING TO THAT BOARD TO INCLUDE MEMBERS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL WOULD, UM, SURE.
APPOINT OR, OR EVEN, YOU KNOW, UM, ONE OF THE CITY COMMISSIONS.
I AM JUST THINKING THAT TO, TO REPRESENT THE GENERAL COMMUNITY.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE, THE MEMBERS THAT YOU HAVE ON THAT BOARD.
NOW, UM, BEING WHEN WE ARE ANOTHER INVOLVED WITH THE SYSTEM AND HAVING LOVED ONES OR THEMSELVES MAYBE, UM, SUFFERING FROM A MENTAL HEALTH DISORDER, BUT, UM, BUT OUT AND OUTSIDE THAT COMMUNITY, MAYBE A NUMBER OF, UM, INDIVIDUALS THAT MIGHT BE APPOINTED BY COUNCIL.
WE ARE CURRENTLY AT 13 MEMBERS.
UM, OUR CERTIFICATION ALLOWS US TO INCREASE THIS BOARD UP TO 17.
SO I'M OFFERING THAT TO SAY, OKAY, I THINK THERE'S SOME ROOM TO WORK WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
I THINK THAT'S A CONVERSATION THAT WE CAN HAVE.
UM, SO I, I WANNA ASK ALSO, UM, THERE WAS A, A, I THINK THAT ERIC BROUGHT UP KIND OF A TIMELINE OF THERE'S A 9 1 1 CALL.
UM, AND THIS MAY BE FOR YOU, ERIC, BUT, UM, I, I DO, WELL, MAYBE NOT.
I, I'M, I, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE TRAINING.
THE 9 1 1 OFFICERS, OR, UM, DISPATCHERS WILL RECEIVE TO, TO COMPREHEND THAT THIS IS NOT A, AN ISSUE THAT WILL NOT GO TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.
CHIEF ESTRADA, SO THEY'RE CURRENTLY TRAINED.
WE'VE BEEN IDENTIFYING MENTAL HEALTH CALLS IN THAT SYSTEM ALREADY FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS.
AND THAT CALL TREE ALLOWS THEM TO USE WHAT THEY CALL A SHORT CODE TO BE ABLE TO INPUT THAT QUICKLY TO GET THE, THE CORE TEAM ASSIGNED TO THOSE CALLS.
SO OUR SENSE IS THAT, UH, THAT PRO, THE, THE DISPATCH SUPERVISORS WERE THERE FOR SEVERAL OF OUR MEETINGS AND SAID, THEY ALMOST ALWAYS IDENTIFY THAT VERY EARLY IN THE CALL.
THEY'LL SAY, HEY, WE'RE HAVING A PROBLEM HERE, BUT THIS PERSON HAS A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE.
IT'S, IT COMES UP ALMOST, UH, ALWAYS VERY EARLY IN THE CALL.
SO IT'S VERY EASY TO IDENTIFY THOSE.
WHAT'S THE CRITERIA? I'M JUST CURIOUS.
WHAT, WHAT, WHAT'S THE DEC SOME OF THE DECIDING FACTORS? UH, I HAVE A LIST OUT OF SIX 11, UH, AT THE, SO THE, THE TRIAGE THAT OCCURS WITH OUR CRISIS CALL MM-HMM.
THEY'RE FEELING LIKE THEY CANNOT MAKE A, THEY CANNOT MAKE A DECISION.
THEY, THEY ARE JUST, UH, THEY'RE HIGH ANXIETY, THEY ARE VERY DEPRESSED.
SO ALL OF THOSE ARE INDICATORS FOR THE, UH, INDIVIDUALS TO BEGIN TO SEEK THE APPROPRIATE DISPATCH.
AND GENERALLY SPEAKING, HOW QUICKLY ARE, UM, THESE CALLS RESPONDED TO? AND THEY'RE LIKE, SO PATROL AND THE CORE TEAM WHEN THEY'RE ON DUTY, WILL BE DISPATCHED IMMEDIATELY.
I, I ALSO SAW IN THE SLIDES, I THINK IT WAS SEVEN TO 11, UM, WHICH SEVEN, EIGHT, OR 11:00 PM AND I HEARD YOUR, YOU YOUR POINT, UH, ABOUT THE HEAT MAP.
UM, BUT IS THERE A PLAN TO EXTEND THOSE HOURS EVENTUALLY? OF COURSE, WE'D LIKE TO SEE THAT A 24 HOUR.
UM, BUT, BUT IS THERE A PLAN TO EXPAND HOURS? I THINK THAT WOULD BE FROM THE RESULTS OF THE MADAM.
WELL, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, AS YOU KNOW, AS A PILOT PROGRAM.
SO OUR COMMITMENT TO THIS PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE AND TO THE FULL COUNCIL IS TO BRING THE RESULTS OF THIS PROGRAM.
UM, OUR, WE ANTICIPATE TO RUN IT FOR 12 MONTHS.
WE'LL GIVE YOU AN UPDATE AT SIX MONTHS OF IMPLEMENTATION.
AND THEN BASED ON THOSE FINDINGS AND OUTCOMES, WE CAN RECOMMEND THE EXTENSION TO OTHER TEAMS OUTSIDE THE CENTRAL SUBSTATION.
COUNCILMAN, LET ME ADD, WHILE WE ARE IN THE PILOT WITH SA CORE, UM, ERIC AND I HAVE TALKED, WE KNOW THAT WE NEED TO CREATE MORE VISIBILITY BETWEEN THE CRISIS CALLS THAT OUR CRISIS LINE RECEIVES MM-HMM.
SO WE'RE WORKING ON HOW TO CREATE THAT VISIBILITY, UH, BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THERE'S, THERE MAY BE SOME OVERLAP AND THERE'S A NEED FOR BOTH OF THOSE SYSTEMS TO SPEAK WITH EACH OTHER.
[00:55:01]
BARRIER.I SEE, UM, IF YOU'RE A FAMILY MEMBER, YOU HAVE A LOVED ONE THAT'S, UM, GOING THROUGH A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, UM, THEY MAY BE WORRIED THEY DON'T WANNA CALL BECAUSE THEY DON'T, THEY CAN'T AFFORD, UM, THE EMERGENCY CARE OR EVEN THE FOLLOW-UP CARE.
UM, SO I THINK A LOT OF THIS IS GONNA BE IN THE MESSAGING THAT WE SEND OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, BUT HOW IS THAT PAID FOR? HOW ARE THE EMER, THE INITIAL EMERGENCY FUNDING? IS THAT, AND THEN OF COURSE, THE FOLLOW-UP CARE.
SO MANY TIMES, WELL, FROM A CIVILIAN STANDPOINT, WHEN WE'RE CALLED, THEY'RE EITHER TRANSPORTED TO, THEY ARE NAVIGATED THROUGH ELLIE NAF TO ONE OF THE HOSPITALS THAT IS, HAS AN AVAILABLE BED.
AND THAT INDIVIDUAL, EITHER IF THEY ARE INSURED, THEIR INSURANCE PICKS IT UP.
IF THEY ARE UNINSURED, THEN THEY ARE REFERRED TO ONE OF THE CENTERS' BEDS FOR UNINSURED INDIVIDUAL.
AND THEN WE CONNECT THEM WITH OUTPATIENT SERVICES.
SO THAT HAPPENS WITH ELLIE NAV OR WITH THE CIVILIAN TEAM, AND IF THEY'RE UNINSURED, THEY'LL STILL, UM, OUTPATIENT SERVICES WILL STILL BE AVAILABLE TO THEM? ABSOLUTELY.
THE, THE FOLLOW UP CARE, RIGHT.
UM, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S, UM, MY, THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS.
I, I REALLY AM INTERESTED IN, UM, THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD BEING INCLUDED WITH, WITH YOUR BOARD.
UM, AND I'M NOT SURE THAT WAS THE INTENT THAT MAYBE FOR THIS, AT LEAST THE PILOT PROGRAM, THAT CAN BE THE START AND THEN WE EXPAND THAT SURE.
I, I'M NOT SURE, BUT, UM, I DO APPRECIATE THE OFFER AND THE, AND THE, THE, UM, THE SENSITIVITY TO THAT NEED.
IF I COULD ADD, I, I KNOW EARLIER THE INDIVIDUAL BROUGHT UP THE CRISIS RESPONSE TEAMS AND OTHER COMMUNITIES.
AND I JUST WANT TO ADD THIS BECAUSE I KNOW THIS IS A VERY SENSITIVE SUBJECT.
AND I, I TAKE SENDING MY EMPLOYEES OUT ON THESE CALLS VERY SERIOUSLY.
THESE CITIES, DENVER, DALLAS, SAN FRANCISCO, AS WELL AS THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
WE ALL HAVE EXCLUSIONARY CRITERIA BEFORE WE SEND OUR TEAMS OUT TO RESPOND TO THESE CALLS.
IF THERE'S AN INDIVIDUAL WITH AN ACTIVE WARRANT, IF THERE'S AN INDIVIDUAL KNOWN TO BE VIOLENT, UM, WE CALL ON LAW ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONES TRAINED TO MANAGE THOSE SITUATIONS.
MOST OF THE TIME THEY HAVE SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES.
I'M NOT SAYING IT'S A PERFECT SYSTEM, NO SYSTEM IS PERFECT.
UM, BUT FOR THE SAFETY OF THE INDIVIDUAL THAT IS MAKING THE CALL, AND FOR THE SAFETY OF INDIVIDUALS WHO WORK IN THIS FIELD, A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE TIME, LAW ENFORCEMENT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.
AND SO I HAVE THAT INFORMATION IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE IT.
UM, SO I WOULD JUST OFFER THAT I, I'M NOT, UH, I'M IN SUPPORT OF GET GETTING AN INDIVIDUAL THE HELP THEY NEED WITH THE RIGHT INDIVIDUAL.
IT'S CIVILIAN, OR IN THE CASE IT HAS TO BE LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT LET'S JUST FOCUS ON CARE OF THE INDIVIDUAL FIRST AND BE REALISTIC ABOUT ALL, ALL OF THEM WHO ARE CONCERNED, THE EMPLOYEES, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND OF COURSE THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE SEEKING HELP.
THAT'S CERTAIN, UH, CERTAINLY UNDERSTANDABLE.
I THINK WHAT WE'RE LOOKING IS WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE TOWARDS, UM, A PROGRAM OR A REALLY A SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY WHERE IT'S NOT THE DEFAULT TO CALL.
IT'S, IT'S, THIS IS THE FIRST, UM, THIS FIRST CALL FROM A FAMILY MEMBER.
IT'S VERY LIKELY, YOU KNOW, VERY OFTEN, AS YOU WELL KNOW, PROBABLY A FAMILY MEMBER, AN EARLY CALL, AN RIGHT.
AN EARLY CALL, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE GOING THROUGH A DIFFERENT PROGRAM THAN, UM, INITIALLY GOING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.
UM, SO THAT'S THE POINT WE'LL TAKE IN.
UH, IF, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK, YOU CAN USE THE COMPUTER NOW.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, ADDRESS THE QUESTION ABOUT THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
IT IS THE INTENT OF, UH, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO PARTNER WITH OUR MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY, HEALTH AUTHORITY TO USE THEIR ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
UH, WE BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE, UM, SOME EXPERTS, UH, ALREADY IN PLACE, UH, UNDER THE MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY TO BE ABLE TO REVIEW THE OUTCOMES OF OUR PROGRAM.
UH, SPECIFICALLY THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE BEEN, UH, UTILIZERS OF MENTAL HEALTH, UH, SERVICES THAT SIT ON THE BOARD THAT CAN HELP INFORM ON THE RESULTS OF OUR PROGRAM.
SO WE CAN SHARE THOSE BACK TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
AND WE'LL GO MOVE ON TO COUNCIL, UH, COMM COMMITTEE QUESTIONS.
COUNCILMAN MKE RODRIGUEZ? THANK YOU, CHAIR.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN, UM, LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS ONE.
AND, UM, I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE AREAS IN WHICH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY ARE MOVING IN A, A POSITIVE DIRECTION.
UH, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A MEETING A FEW MONTHS AGO WHERE C H C SS WAS BROUGHT UP, AND, UH, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE PEOPLE GONNA
[01:00:01]
CALL? AND THE NUMBER FOR C H C S ISN'T NECESSARILY ONE THAT'S INGRAINED IN PEOPLE'S MINDS.SO I'M WONDERING, UM, I KNOW THAT ONE OF THE GOALS WAS TO INCREASE THE, UM, VISIBILITY OR THE RECOGNITION OR THE, THE CONNECTION TO WHEN SOMEONE'S HAVING A CRISIS TO CALL MAYBE C H C S.
WHAT ARE THE PLAN? HOW ARE THE, HOW DO YOU PLAN TO DO THAT? AND HOW CAN WE SUPPORT? WE JUST NEED TO ADVERTISE THE NUMBER.
UM, AND WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO USE WHATEVER AVENUES AVAILABLE TO MAKE PEOPLE MORE AWARE OF THE 2, 2 3 SAFE LINE, WHICH IS THE CRISIS LINE.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO CENTER, UM, THOSE WHO PRESENTED AND THOSE WHO CAME UP TO SPEAK.
UM, AND THIS DISCUSSION, THE FAMILIES DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THIS POLICY, UM, THIS IS AN ISSUE OF HUMAN LIVES.
I'M TALKING ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR MODEL, THE PILOT PROGRAM WE'RE WORKING ON.
UM, THIS IS VERY MUCH AN ISSUE OF HUMAN LIVES.
THESE ARE OUR FAMILY MEMBERS, UM, OUR BROTHERS, SISTERS, FATHERS, AND MOTHERS, OUR VETERANS WHO ARE VERY MUCH THE REASON AND THE LIVES BEHIND THIS PILOT PROGRAM.
UM, THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE TODAY MAY SAVE LIVES.
AND AS WE SAW IN THE PRESENTATION BY C H C S, WE HAVE THE CHANCE TO CONNECT INDIVIDUALS TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES THAT WILL DEFINITELY HELP THEM IN THE LONG TERM.
AND TO GET US THE BEST PROGRAM, I'D LIKE TO ENSURE WE HAVE A FORMAL PROCESS FOR RECEIVING FEEDBACK, UM, FROM THOSE MOST DIRECTLY IMPACTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UM, I'M INTRIGUED BY THE CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING NOW.
THIS IS THE FIRST I'M HEARING OF, UH, WORK WITH THE, UM, CENTER ADVISORY COUNCIL AS AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY ONE OF, SO, YOU KNOW, WE RECEIVED THIS INFORM, WE RECEIVED THIS, UH, THREE ORGANIZATIONS I REALLY RESPECT, UM, ARE SUPER SUPPORTIVE AND EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROGRAM, AND HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR A COMMITTEE, UM, THAT MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE PILOT PROGRAM.
AND I BELIEVE IT'S REASONABLE.
AND I THINK THAT THERE'S, WE HAVE DIFFERENT IDEAS OF WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS A ADVISORY BOARD.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WAS PROPOSED, WHICH WAS, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL COMMITTEE APPOINTMENT OR COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS, UH, BY DISTRICT, UM, WITH MAYBE AN AT LARGE OR TWO, UH, MEMBERS AS WELL.
I'M WONDERING, IS IT PO, WOULD THIS HAVE TO BE A MOTION TO, UM, SEND THIS BRIEFING TO COUNCIL FOR, WITH CONSIDERATION OF THE CREATION OF A COMMITTEE THAT, AND YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT, WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE IN US? FINALIZE THAT AS A COUNCIL, NOT NECESSARILY JUST US.
SO, UM, COUNCILMAN, WE, WE ARE ABLE TO DEVELOP A RECOMMENDATION TO THIS COMMITTEE.
IF YOU, IF THE COMMITTEE DESIRES A DIFFERENT TYPE OF ADVISORY, UH, GROUP, WE CAN DEFINITELY DO THAT AND COME BACK TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
I'M LOOKING AT, UM, LIZ PROVENCIO IN TERMS OF ESTABLISHING THAT NEW ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT WOULD REQUIRE CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL.
IT WOULD JUST DEPEND ON THE FUNCTION OF THE COMMITTEE.
AND SO BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF WHAT THE ROLE THE COMMITTEE WOULD PLAY, IT COULD, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO, BUT IT DEPENDS ON THE ROLE WE EXPECT THEM TO PLAY.
SO WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND IS WE, IF, IF THE, THAT IS WHAT THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE DESIRES, WE CAN COME BACK WITH A RECOMMENDATION AND WE'LL DO THAT ANALYSIS AND, AND PROVIDE YOU WITH, WITH THAT FEEDBACK.
IF, IF IT'S SOMETHING, AN ACTION THE COMMITTEE CAN TAKE OR WE HAVE TO TAKE IT TO THE FULL COUNCIL FOR SURE.
BASED ON THE CHARGE OF THE COMMITTEE.
THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
AND, UM, I'M INTERESTED IN HEARING WHAT MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE.
UM, I JUST WANNA, REAL QUICK BEFORE, UM, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON THIS CALL, THIS MODEL YOU WOULD CALL 9 1 1.
I JUST DON'T WANNA GET IT CONFUSED WITH THE OTHER NUMBER.
IF THERE'S SOMEBODY GOING THROUGH A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, THEY CALL 9 1 1 AND THEY WOULD GET TRIAGED TO EITHER LAW ENFORCEMENT OR THIS PILOT PROGRAM BETWEEN THE HOURS RIGHT NOW OF SEVEN AND 11.
COUNCILWOMAN
SO WE CAN TAKE THAT, UM, TAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMITTEE AND COME BACK WITH A, WITH A SEP WITH A DIFFERENT RECOMMENDATION THAN WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING TODAY.
[01:05:02]
UM, THANK YOU.I MOVE, UM, TO REQUEST OF STAFF THAT YOU EXPLORE OTHER OPTIONS ASIDE FROM THE, UM, CENTER ADVISOR COUNCIL FOR A COMMITTEE, UH, OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
UH, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL, WE DISCUSS THE QUESTION.
WELL, SO, UM, IF I, IF I MAY, I FEEL LIKE WE PROBABLY WANNA DISCUSS THE WHOLE PROGRAM AND HOW THE COMMITTEE WOULD, WOULD FIT INTO THAT.
SO LET'S, LET'S, IN YOUR SEVEN MINUTES, LET'S, UM, 'CAUSE I, WE, WE HAVE MORE ITEMS TODAY.
UM, GO AHEAD AND DISCUSS THE ITEM, BUT LET'S TAKE JUST A COUPLE MINUTES TO DISCUSS THE MOTION AS WELL ON YOUR, IN YOUR SURE.
UM, AND I BELIEVE IT'S AGENDIZED AS BRIEFING AND POSSIBLE ACTION.
UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UH, I APOLOGIZE I WASN'T HERE TO SEE IT IN PERSON.
I DID, UH, LISTEN AND REVIEW THE, THE SLIDES.
SO, UH, A COUPLE OF, UH, FIRST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR OUR STAFF.
UM, I KNOW WE ARE IN A PILOT PHASE AND WE ARE BEGINNING THE PILOT PHASE IN APRIL.
WE ARE HAVING OUR BUDGET RETREAT FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, OR OUR GOAL SETTING SESSION IN APRIL.
UM, SO IT SOUNDS LIKE WE MAY NOT HAVE THE RESULTS IN TIME TO MAKE, UH, A FULLY FORMED RECOMMENDATION FOR THE NEXT BUDGET.
NONETHELESS, AT THIS POINT, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT WE ESTABLISH A PLACEHOLDER FOR AT LEAST ONE MORE M D R T.
IS THAT THE RIGHT ACRONYM? TEAM? UM, THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESPONSE TEAM, UM, AT LEAST ONE MORE.
I BELIEVE IT WAS, UH, DISTRICT'S, SORRY, ZIP CODE 7 8 2 2 8, WHICH HAD THE SECOND HIGHEST, UM, UH, MENTAL HEALTH, UH, CRISIS CALLS.
IT WAS IN THE PER ROAD SUBSTATION? YES.
AND THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE PROXIMITY TO THE MEDICAL CENTER.
SO AT, AT THIS POINT, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST A PLACEHOLDER FOR ANOTHER M D R T TEAM TO ADDRESS THAT AREA.
I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO, UM, AND I WOULD BE CURIOUS TO KNOW IF MY, IF THE COUNCIL, UH, MEMBERS ON THIS COMMITTEE WOULD, WOULD SUPPORT THAT REQUEST AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
SECONDLY, UM, THERE WAS TALK OF STAFF FROM, UH, M I H, UH, FIRE AND THE MENTAL HEALTH UNIT FORMING PART OF THE NEW M D R T TEAM.
THEY'LL BRING WITH THEM THE RIGHT, UM, BACKGROUND.
HOWEVER, ARE WE BACK FILLING THOSE POSITIONS? RIGHT NOW? WE ARE COUNCILWOMAN.
SO YOU MAY RECALL, AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE ADDED, UM, A POSITION TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO BE ABLE TO TACKLE THIS ADDITIONAL WORK.
AND WE ADDED SOME OVERTIME DOLLARS TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ON THE, THE ADDITIONAL WORK.
SO WE ARE MAKING ADJUSTMENTS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENTS TO ENSURE THAT THESE POSITIONS THAT ARE ALLOCATED TO THE SA CORE DO NOT IMPACT THE OTHER OPERATIONS OF BOTH DEPARTMENTS.
UH, THIS QUESTION IS FOR, UM, MR. ERIC OF STR.
UM, WHEN PEOPLE DO CALL 9 1 1 RIGHT NOW, THEY ARE ASKED POLICE, FIRE OR E M S, WHAT WOULD THE OPTION BE IN ORDER TO DISPATCH AN M D R T TEAM? SO ANY CALL TAKER THAT IDENTIFIES A MENTAL HEALTH COMPONENT, UH, THAT WILL AUTOMATICALLY ROLL INTO A DISPATCH OF THE CORE TEAM, OR IT WILL BE LOGGED IF THE COURT TEAM'S NOT AVAILABLE.
SO IF I CALL, I WILL STILL GET THOSE THREE SAME OPTIONS.
POLICE, FIRE, E M S? THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE DONE ANY, UM, CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE WHO DO CALL, UH, YOU, YOU PROBABLY HAVE RIGHT? YOU DO THEM DAILY.
UM, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THE FEW CONVERSATIONS THAT I'VE HAD WITH SOME MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO HAVE CALLED THAT THEY FIND THAT CONFUSING WHEN THERE IS A MENTAL HEALTH EMERGENCY AND FEEL LIKE THEY ARE FORCED TO SAY POLICE EVEN THOUGH THAT'S NOT WHAT THEY WANT.
UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT? AND COUNCILWOMAN, IF, IF I MAY.
'CAUSE WE, WE TALKED ABOUT IT AS A TEAM, UM, ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WE ARE EXPLOITING IS POTENTIALLY HOW CAN WE MAKE THAT EASIER FOR THE USER? AND, UM, INITIALLY ONE OF THE CONVERSATIONS WAS TO HAVE A SEPARATE OPTION FOR MENTAL HEALTH.
WE DO WANNA DO ADDITIONAL WORK WORKING WITH THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES AS THEY ALREADY HAVE A CRISIS, UH, HEADLINE THAT ADDRESSES MENTAL HEALTH CALLS AND SEE HOW WE, UH, WHAT OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE THERE.
UM, SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE PART OF OUR WORK AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO REPORT TO THIS COMMITTEE.
BUT THAT IS ONE OF THOSE ACTION ITEMS THAT IS STILL ON OUR LIST OF THINGS TO DO.
[01:10:02]
OKAY.UM, JUST BASED ON THE LIMITED INFORMATION I HAVE RIGHT NOW FROM TALKING TO CONSTITUENTS, I'M NOT CONVINCED THAT CONTINUING WITH THOSE THREE OPTIONS MAY GIVE US THE RESULTS THAT, THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR BY FUNDING THIS PROGRAM.
UM, I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS, UM, BUT I'LL JUMP INTO THE COMMITTEE, UM, COMMENT RIGHT NOW.
UH, I I ALSO APPRECIATE THE, WHAT YOU MENTIONED ABOUT THE COMPONENTS, I'M SORRY, NOT THE COMPONENTS.
UM, I I WONDER IF NOW THAT WE'RE IN THE PILOT PHASE, IT'S REALLY APPROPRIATE TO CHANGE YOUR STRUCTURE AND ADD THE CITY BECAUSE MAYBE WE WANT TO SEE HOW THIS TURNS OUT.
ALTHOUGH I THINK THAT IS A GREAT LONG-TERM SOLUTION.
WHAT I WOULD PROPOSE A CHAIR JUST TO THROW ANOTHER, UH, WRENCH IN THIS IS POSSIBLY AN AD HOC COMMITTEE, WHILE THIS IS IN A PILOT PHASE, AND, UH, AND AGAIN, HAVING, UH, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL BE INVOLVED.
BUT I ALSO THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT TO ALSO, UM, INTERACT WITH SOME OF THE MEMBERS ON YOUR ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
'CAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY HAVE BEEN SELECTED VERY, VERY THOUGHTFULLY.
AND I KNOW WHAT, WHAT WE WANT WHEN WE SELECT COUNCIL MEMBERS IS, SORRY, APPOINTEES AS COUNCIL MEMBERS IS SOMEONE THAT WE CAN RELATE TO THAT WE TRUST IN THE COMMUNITY TO SORT OF BE OUR REPRESENTATIVE.
UM, IN ADDITION, I I'M JUST CONCERNED THAT, UH, DURING THE PILOT PHASE, YOU, YOU MIGHT WANT MORE ATTENTION ON IT, RIGHT? IT NEEDS A LITTLE BIT MORE, MORE DETAILED REVIEW.
AND YOU, YOU MENTIONED A FOUR TIME PER YEAR MEETING, AND THEY, THEY HAVE A BIG, BIG CHARGE AT A MINIMUM.
AND THEY HAVE A VERY BIG CHARGE.
SO, UM, THAT'S, UH, THAT WOULD BE MY, MY SUGGESTION.
UH, SO HOW WOULD THIS, OR, OR HOW DO WE LINK TO, THIS IS A QUESTION ABOUT YOUR ECOSYSTEM, UH, LINK TO OUR HOMELESS SERVICES, AND I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S A QUESTION FOR YOU OR, OR FOR MARIA.
WE, UH, RECENTLY, UH, THANKS TO THE ADVOCACY OF, UH, COUNCILMAN PERRY, UH, FUNDED A POSITION FOR A HOMELESS LIAISON IN EVERY COUNCIL, DISTRICT COUNCIL MM-HMM.
UM, AND I JUST WANNA KNOW HOW, HOW ARE THEY FORMING PART OF YOUR ECOSYSTEM RIGHT NOW? A COUPLE OF WAYS.
SO OUR, UH, VP OF, UH, COMMUNITY AND CRISIS SERVICES MEETS WITH A GROUP OF THE, UH, OUTREACH INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE IN YOUR VARIOUS COUNCIL DISTRICTS TO MAKE THEM AWARE OF THE SERVICES BECAUSE WE KNOW SOMETIMES STAFF CHANGE.
AND SO WE WANT THEM TO BE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE CRISIS CENTER LOCATED ON FREO, WHICH HAS DETOX SERVICES AND THE E O U.
AND YOU CAN WALK IN, NOT ONLY DO WE ACCEPT INDIVIDUALS FROM ELLIE NF, BUT COMMUNITY INDIVIDUALS CAN WALK IN THE DOOR 24 7, UM, ALL THE TIME.
SECONDLY, WE HAVE CLINICS LOCATED ON THE HAVEN CAMPUS.
UM, AND SO WE HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM ON THE HAVEN CAMPUS.
AND WE HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH OUTPATIENT CLINIC LOCATED ON THE HAVEN CAMPUS.
WE HAVE AN OUTREACH TEAM AND WE WORK WITH HAVEN'S OUTREACH TEAM AS WELL.
I'LL COME BACK FOR FOLLOW-UPS.
UM, I DON'T SEE ALL HIS NAMES ON HERE.
DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? OH, OKAY.
UM, YEAH, GOT A FEW QUESTIONS HERE.
UM, AND ON SLIDE NUMBER 10 SHOWS A PIE CHART WITH THE, UH, F Y 22 FUNDING SOURCES THERE.
UM, $129 MILLION, AND THAT'S ALL ENCOMPASSING FOR ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT AGENCIES.
I REALLY DON'T SEE ANY KIND OF BREAKOUT ON WHERE THAT MONEY IS GOING TO, INCLUDING THE OVER $2 MILLION THAT THE CITY IS PUTTING IN.
UM, THIS IS JUST C H C S FUNDING, NOT ALL OF THE AGENCIES THAT ARE REPRESENTED TODAY.
THIS IS JUST THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES ANNUAL BUDGET.
I, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE, UH, THE BREAKOUT ON HOW THAT MONEY IS BEING USED.
UM, BE BECAUSE THE CITY'S PUTTING IN THE $2 MILLION, ALTHOUGH $129 MILLION FOR THAT.
DO WE HAVE A, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S, IS THAT PEOPLE EQUIPMENT SUPPLIES? WHAT IS, WHAT IS THAT AMOUNT? MONEY? THE MAJORITY OF IT GOES FOR STAFFING AND ALL THE MAJORITY OF MY EMPLOYEES ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO TREATMENT.
SO WE HIRE PSYCHIATRIST, CLINICIANS.
THAT'S WHAT I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE A BREAKOUT.
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? WE HAVE AUTHORIZED POSITIONS 1,302.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE KIND OF DETAIL I'D LIKE TO SEE.
ON, ON WHAT THIS MONEY IS REALLY GOING FOR.
THE $2 MILLION FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO FUNDS, THE SOBERING UNIT.
THE PUBLIC SAFETY UNIT, THE MINOR MEDICAL
[01:15:01]
CLINIC.AND IT ALSO IS A HUGE CONTRIBUTOR TO THE RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT PROGRAM LOCATED AT HAVEN.
YEAH, IF I COULD JUST GET THAT BREAKOUT ON OKAY.
WHAT, WHERE ALL THIS MONEY IS GOING TO.
UM, AND THEN IN THE FUTURE, I, I SEE THIS IS FOR F Y 22.
UH, UM, DO WE HAVE, UM, COMMITMENTS FOR FUTURE YEARS THAT WE, THAT YOU'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO GET THIS FUNDING FROM ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT SOURCES HERE? OR WHAT, WHAT DOES THAT MECHANISM LOOK LIKE? WELL, THE STATE OF TEXAS JUST, YOU KNOW, THEY APPROVED THE BUDGET FOR TWO YEARS.
UH, THE LEGISLATURE CONTINUES TO INDICATE TO US THAT MENTAL HEALTH IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THEM.
UH, SAMHSA UH, THE FEDERAL AGENCY THAT PRIMARILY FUNDS GRANTS HAS INDICATED, AND AS YOU RECALL, OUR PRESIDENT JUST INDICATED IN HIS STATE OF THE UNION THAT MENTAL HEALTH CONTINUES TO BE A PRIORITY.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE COUNCIL FUNDING IS ANNUAL, WE HAVE TO RESPOND TO THE TWO YEAR BUDGETS THAT WE GET FROM THE STATE, AN INDICATION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT THERE'S A COMMITMENT TO CONTINUE TO FUND MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT.
WE ALSO TAKE COM COMMERCIAL INSURANCE, AND SO INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE INSURANCE CAN PRESENT AND RECEIVE TREATMENT AT THE CENTER.
UM, I WAS JUST, AND I, I'M ASSUMING THAT IT'LL COME WITH FUTURE INFORMATION ON THIS, BUT OTHER REVENUE, IT, 16, $17 MILLION HERE, 13% OF THE BUDGET.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER REVENUE MEANS.
WHERE DOES THAT MONEY COME FROM? SO IF I COULD JUST GET A BREAKOUT OF ALL THIS STUFF ON, YOU KNOW, THE MONEY, THE REVENUE, THE, THE, THE EXPENDITURES, UH, THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC.
UM, ON SLIDE NUMBER, UM, OH, WE TALKED ABOUT, ABOUT THAT.
UH, I, I SEE THE PROGRAM GOALS, AND I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT.
I, I, I DON'T SEE ANYTHING, UH, PRESENTED ON WHAT YOUR TYPICAL METRICS ARE GONNA BE.
AND I, I REFER BACK TO MR. MARTINEZ, UH, UM, HE GAVE US A HANDOUT MM-HMM.
AND THEN, I DON'T HAVE A SLIDE NUMBER, BUT A COUPLE OF SLIDES BACK.
WHAT WE PROPOSE ARE THE GOALS AND METRICS TO TRACK THE EXPANSION, THE ULTIMATE EXPANSION OF THE SS A T COALITION.
WELL, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE THE METRICS, THE ACTUAL METRICS THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE MEASURING.
WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE OUTPUT HERE? WHAT, WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO ACHIEVE VERSUS WHAT COMES IN THE DOOR? SURE.
THE GOAL IS TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF AVOIDABLE NAVIGATIONS BY LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AND I, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT WHAT'S THE ACTUAL GOAL? IS IT BY 10%? IS IT BY 20%? WHAT'S YOUR METRIC? THE ACTUAL TARGETS, YES.
WE'D BE HAPPY TO SHARE, SHARE WITH YOU THE TARGETS, THE TARGET, WHAT ARE THE TARGETS? SURE.
AND WHAT ARE YOU REALLY ACHIEVING DURING THAT TIME? I WANNA SEE THE OUTCOMES, YOU KNOW, OF THESE PROGRAMS. I WOULD INVITE MR. EPLEY TO COME AND BRING WHAT LAW ENFORCEMENT NAVIGATION HAS ACHIEVED SINCE 2018.
WE TRACK THOSE METRICS ON A MONTHLY BASIS, AND WE HAVE YEAR OVER YEAR DATA TO SHOW, UH, HOW MANY FOLKS WE'RE NAVIGATING, HOW MANY FOLKS WE'RE GETTING INTO INPATIENT BIDS, HOW MANY FOLKS ARE CONNECTED TO OUTPATIENT SERVICES.
AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, I, WE ARE WORKING WITH MEADOWS, THE CONSULTANT THAT HELPED DO THE STUDY IN THE FIRST PLACE, AND THEY'RE GONNA BE DOING THE EVALUATION.
WE HAVE SOME OF THE DATA POINTS WE'VE DISCUSSED EARLIER IN THE PRESENTATION, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM THEM AS, AS WE PARTNER WITH THEM.
WE, WE BELIEVE THAT'S GONNA BE EXTREMELY HELPFUL.
DOES THAT, THOSE ARE ANY, YOU NEED TO GET A COPY OF THIS ALSO.
I JUST WENT THROUGH THIS VERY QUICKLY AND IT'S GOT SOME VERY GOOD DATA POINTS THAT YOU COULD BE LOOKING AT AND, UH, HELP TO FORMULATE THIS PROGRAM.
UM, SO WITH THAT, MY, MY, MY BIG THING IS FUTURE, FUTURE REQUIREMENTS, FUTURE MONEY COMING INTO THIS PROGRAM.
AND HAVING SAID THAT, I NO, I WON'T SUPPORT DOING AN ADDITIONAL, UH, UNIT OUT THERE IN THE CITY UNTIL WE START TO GET SOME, UM, INPUT FROM THIS PILOT.
THIS IS A PILOT, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO, TO START GETTING THE DATA TO SEE ARE WE REALLY BEING EFFECTIVE WITH THESE PROGRAMS? AND
[01:20:01]
THEN TAKE THAT THE NEXT STEP FORWARD.I, I'M NOT WILLING TO START PUTTING OUT MORE MONEY ON A PROGRAM THAT HASN'T BEEN PROVEN, OR THE DATA SHOWS THAT WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
SO, UM, I, I THINK THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS FOR THIS RIGHT NOW.
COUNCILMAN PERRY, COUNCILWOMAN VIE.
I WANNA THANK, UH, THANK YOU JOLENE.
UH, THIS STAT SHEET IS GREAT, BUT I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO RE-CHANGE IT AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC BECAUSE OF, UM, WHAT WE'RE SEEING AS PEOPLE, AND ESPECIALLY AS THE YOUTH COME OUT OF IT.
UH, BUT I REALLY, UH, APPRECIATE ALL YOUR EFFORTS, UH, FROM, UH, C H C SS.
UM, I REALLY FEEL THOUGH, HOWEVER, IT IS MORE OF A DOWNSTREAM CRISIS.
SO I THINK YOUR PRIORITY REALLY NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSING THAT STIGMA, UH, SO THAT EARLY ON WHEN THEY SEE THAT SOMEBODY'S BLUE OR SAD, THEY START, THEY CALL YOU AND THEY SAY, HEY, SHE JUST WON'T EAT.
OR SHE'S CUTTING HERSELF BECAUSE THEY WAIT UNTIL IT GETS TO THAT CRISIS POINT WHERE WE'RE CALLING 9 1 1.
UM, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE SAFETY OF THE INDIVIDUALS.
AND SO MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, IF Y'ALL GET A CALL AND SOMEBODY TELLS YOU THAT THE PERSON JUST CAME OUT OF JAIL, DO YOU SEND INDIVIDUALS OUT TO DO A VISIT? OR DO YOU CALL A LAW, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT TO COME OUT WITH Y'ALL TO DO A HOME VISIT IN THAT CIRCUMSTANCE? WELL, SURE.
SO THAT CALL IS REALLY, WE TALK WITH THE INDIVIDUAL.
THE FACT THAT THEY'RE JUST COMING OUT OF JAIL DOESN'T NECESSITATE SENDING LAW ENFORCEMENT.
WE FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE INDIVIDUAL AND WHAT THE ACTUAL NEED IS.
UM, AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE TALKING WITH U H S, WE WILL PROBABLY DEPLOY IN JUNE WHERE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE RELEASED FROM JAIL WILL BE CONNECTED WITH A JAIL LIAISON, A C H C S STAFF PERSON, AND THEY WILL DIRECTLY CONNECT THEM TO SERVICES.
SO YOU HAVE THE PROFESSIONALS TO, TO KIND OF DO THAT YES.
HOMEWORK AND ASK THOSE QUESTIONS YES.
AND, AND DO THE DANGER ASSESSMENT.
SO ERIC, I GUESS MY NEXT QUESTION FOR YOU OR FOR THE CHIEF IS WE GET A NINE ONE ONE CALL AND OUR CHOICE IS SENDING OUT OUR PILOT TEAM OR, OR SENDING OUT JUST PATROL.
UM, WHAT WOULD, WHAT WOULD, WHAT WOULD MERIT A PILOT TEAM? AND I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A SPECIFIC EXAMPLE THAT I GOT.
WE GET A CALL, UM, HE, SHE TELLS THAT HE, HE DOES HAVE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, UM, A VETERAN, BUT HE IS GOT A KNIFE AND HE IS BANGING ON THE DOOR.
DO WE SEND THAT PILOT TEAM OR DO WE SEND PATROL? HE'LL BE GETTING A PATROL, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THIS IS FROM THE COMMUNICATIONS DISPATCHER.
SO I'M PARROTING, AND WE'VE BEEN THROUGH SOME OF THOSE SCENARIOS.
HE WOULD GET A PATROL RESPONSE, AND THE CORE TEAM MIGHT BE SENT TO THAT BASED ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT THEY WOULD NOT BE THE PRIMARY RESPONDER TO SOMETHING, SOMEBODY WITH A WEAPON.
UM, I, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS PILOT PROGRAM.
UM, BUT FOR SUCCESS, FOR ME, AND Y'ALL CAN BLAME CHIEF HOOD FOR THIS, IS WHEN HE WENT IN WITH HIS, HIS PROGRAM FOR, UH, E M SS CALLS AND PEOPLE WHO WERE HER FE WERE FEELING ILL, IT WAS THE REDUCTION OF THOSE CALLS.
SO IF WE'RE SENDING OUT OUR CORE TEAM, WHAT I WANNA SEE IS THAT, THAT HOME DOESN'T, THEY DON'T CALL 9 1 1 ANYMORE.
THEY'RE CALLING, UM, C H, THEY, THEY'RE CALLING YOU AND THEY'RE ASKING FOR SERVICES.
AND I THINK EACH COUNCIL MEMBER, AS YOU TALK TO THEM, WILL HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE.
I DON'T THINK WE NEED ANOTHER COMMITTEE.
I JUST, I DON'T, WE HAVE TONS OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
YOU CAN GO TO MY DISABILITIES, THEY'LL HAVE INPUT FOR YOU.
YOU CAN GO TO MY SENIORS, YOU CAN GO TO OUR YOUTH AMBASSADORS, AND THEY'RE ALL GONNA HAVE INPUT ON WHAT THEY LOOK, WHAT THEY THINK SUCCESS IS, IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
UH, WE HAVE OUR CHECK COMMITTEE, WE HAVE THIS COMMITTEE.
UM, WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE TALKING TO THE COMMUNITY THAT CAN GIVE YOU THAT INPUT.
IF THE PROFESSIONALS, THE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS WANT TO COME AND GIVE THEIR OPINION, I'M ALL FOR THAT.
BUT I WANT TO SEE THIS PILOT PROGRAM MOVE QUICKLY.
AND THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN IF WE SET UP ANOTHER COMMITTEE.
UM, I THINK THE, UM, THAT'S PRIMARILY THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD FOR YOU, JILL, IS WHEN WE COME TO YOUR GOALS AT THE END, UM, AND I'M GLAD COUNCILMAN PERRY BROUGHT UP THAT BUDGET.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A BREAKDOWN OF COST.
BECAUSE, UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GETTING THEM HELP AND GETTING THEM SERVICES, I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHAT SORT OF FUNDING WE NEED COST-WISE TO MAKE SURE SOMEONE WHO, AND I'LL, I'LL BRING UP CUTTING AGAIN OR HAS AN EATING DISORDER AND, AND DEPRESSED.
WHAT, WHAT DOES THAT THERAPY COST
[01:25:01]
FOR THEM? UH, BECAUSE AS WE LOOK IN OTHER PROGRAMS IN METRO HEALTH ABOUT ADDRESSING UPSTREAM ISSUES OR GIVING TO, TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS LIKE CASA THAT HELP EARLY ON, HOW, HOW DO WE MEASURE THAT? 'CAUSE THE THING IS, WE EITHER PAY, WE PAY FOR IT UP FRONT, OR WE PAY FOR IT IN THE END.SO WE KIND OF NEED TO KNOW THAT ONE TO MAKE SURE WE GET THE HELP FOR, FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HURTING AND THAT THE FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE.
AND TWO, THAT WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS THE UPSTREAM ISSUES.
SO IF YOU COULD, IN TERMS OF THOSE GOALS FOR THOSE THAT ARE UN UNINSURED OR UNDERINSURED, WHAT SORT OF, WHAT SORT OF FUNDING WOULD NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN GET THE, THE HELP AND THE THERAPY THEY NEED FOR THAT? UH, IT, WHETHER IT'S WEEKLY, WHETHER IT'S A FACE, FACE-TO-FACE THERAPIST OR A ZOOM CALL, I KNOW ALL OF IT COSTS SOMETHING.
AND, AND SO THAT WE HAVE AN IDEA FOR THAT.
UM, SO I'M, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A DIFFICULT CONVERSATION, BUT YOU GUYS ARE DOING THE BEST.
AND I THINK IF WE CONTINUE TO COME TOGETHER AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS, UH, WE CAN, WE CAN ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AND, AND MOVE, MOVE THE NEEDLE SO THAT WE SEE, WE SEE LESS, LESS OF OUR MENTAL HEALTH, THOSE THAT ARE SUFFERING FROM MENTAL HEALTH, SPENDING TIME IN JAIL.
SO I'VE HEARD ONE COMMENT ON MY, UH, REQUEST TO HAVE A PLACEHOLDER IN THE BUDGET FOR ANOTHER M D R T TEAM.
UM, I'M GONNA TAKE YOUR SILENCE AS A YES.
SO I HOPE YOU HEARD THEIR SILENCE.
THEY'RE ALL READY TO GO WITH A SECOND M D R T TEAM.
UM, REGARDING THE LINK TO OUR HOMELESS POPULATION AND OUR HOMELESS LIAISONS, UM, I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD.
I DON'T KNOW IF, UM, D H S IS HERE, IF WE COULD FIND A WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S WORKING OR, OR HOW IT'S WORKING.
UM, I KNOW IT'S THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE ALL SET, ALL 10, UM, LIAISON STAFFED.
I KNOW I LOST, UH, THE DISTRICT SEVEN ONE AT ONE POINT.
UH, BUT IT WOULD BE GREAT TO, UH, MAYBE GET AN UPDATE HERE OR AT, UH, THE COMMUNITY HEALTH COMMITTEE ON HOW THAT'S WORKING OUT.
THAT, THAT LINK TO THE MENTAL HEALTH ECOSYSTEM.
UM, I, I UNDERSTAND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO COME AND GIVE US PROBABLY WHAT IS OUR FIRST OR OVERVIEW OF WHAT YOU CALL THE MENTAL HEALTH ECOSYSTEM WHILE WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO GET THIS ONE PARTICULAR PILOT PROGRAM OFF THE GROUND.
THERE ARE LIKE, THERE'S LOTS OF LEARNING HAPPENING RIGHT NOW AT THE, AT THE DIOCESE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR PATIENCE, UM, WITH US.
UH, AND I THINK YES, AT ANOTHER POINT WE CAN TALK ABOUT UPSTREAM.
I MEAN, THERE'S, THAT'S JUST A WHOLE, IT CANNOT BE DONE IN, IN A SINGLE MEETING FOR SURE.
UH, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK IS, UM, YOU MENTIONED, UH, JILLIAN, THAT ONE OF YOUR CONTRACTS IS WITH COUNTY, YOU DON'T NEED TO GET UP.
IT'S ACTUALLY FOR MARIA IS WITH COUNTY, WITH THE COUNTY AT MAGISTRATION AND DETENTION.
AND THAT SEEMS, UH, REALLY, REALLY USEFUL.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE AT OUR, UH, DETENTION CENTER? MARIA, I'M GONNA ASK THE CHIEF TO ANSWER THAT.
I BELIEVE WE DO, BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE.
AND, AND WHEN THEY ALSO, IF I CAN TALK ABOUT THE COUNTY REAL QUICK, THEY HAVE A PSYCHOLOGICAL REVIEW OVER THERE AS WELL, ONCE THEY GO OVER TO COUNTY.
SORRY, WAS THAT LIKE 30 SECONDS? I HAVE ONE MORE
THANK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIR.
AND THEN, UH, LASTLY I, REGARDING THE, THE ECOSYSTEM.
SO THIS GOES BACK TO THE BASIC UNDERSTANDING.
YOU'D MENTIONED YOU ARE ONE OF 39 LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES AND, BUT THAT YOU ARE ALSO A PROVIDER.
AND WE HAD THIS DISCUSSION ON OUR, ON OUR BRIEFING AND ABOUT HOW THAT'S WHY YOU RECOMMEND STRAC AS BEING THIS, UM, THE CONVENER.
UM, IS THAT A TYPICAL MODEL FOR THE OTHER LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES, OR IS THAT UNIQUE TO OUR AREA? I BELIEVE AT THIS POINT, WE ARE THE ONLY ENTITY THAT HAS A SOUTHWEST TEXAS CRISIS COLLABORATIVE WHERE WE'RE DOING LAW ENFORCEMENT NAVIGATION.
UM, WE'RE ORGANIZING PEZ BEDS AND WE'RE CONNECTING TO OUTPATIENT SERVICES.
WE HAVE PRESENTED THIS MODEL AT TEXAS COUNCIL, UH, AND OTHER PLACES IN THE STATE.
BUT I BELIEVE OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS THIS SOUTH TEXAS CRISIS COLLABORATIVE.
AND IN TERMS OF THE ROLE OF THE, AND THE SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE L M H A MM-HMM.
[01:30:01]
INVOLVED IN MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT.SOME SERVE THE I D D POPULATION, SOME DO NOT.
SOME PROVIDE SUBSTANCE USE SERVICES, SOME DO NOT.
BUT WE PROVIDE ALL OF THOSE SERVICES MUCH LIKE TART OR HARRIS.
BUT THERE'S SOME SMALLER L M HHAS THAT DO NOT HAVE SERVICES FOR ALL OF THE ILLNESSES.
THANK YOU FOR EDUCATING ME ON THAT, JILL.
COUNCILMAN MKI RODRIGUEZ, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I'LL START OFF BY SAYING I AM SUPPORTIVE OF A SECOND, UH, SECOND LOCATION.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I WOULD PERSONALLY REQUEST THAT, UM, WE FIND A ZIP CODE THAT HAS A CONCENTRATION OF BLACK RESIDENTS.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HOW THIS MODEL, UH, I, I JUST WANT DIVERSE DEMOGRAPHICS WHEN WE'RE ANALYZING AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROGRAM.
UM, THAT COULD BE ON ANY SIDE OF TOWN, BUT I HAVE A FEELING IT WOULD BE IN DISTRICT TWO.
I'LL ALSO SAY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE, WE DO HAVE A LOT OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF COMMITTEES.
AND AS ARPA, AS BOND, AS EVERYTHING HAS COME UP, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF COMMITTEES.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S FOR A WONDERFUL REASON.
IT'S THAT WE WANT THE COMMUNITY TO BE INVOLVED.
WE WANT THEM TO HAVE A SAY, AND WE WANT THEM TO HAVE FOCUSED CHARGE THAT THEY'RE CHARGES THAT THEY'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT.
SO WHILE SOMEONE MAY APPLY TO BE ON THE, UM, YOU KNOW, DISABILITY ACCESS COMMISSION OR WHAT, I MAY HAVE MESSED UP THE NAME, UM, THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT A WIDE SPECTRUM OF ISSUES.
WHAT THIS COMMITTEE WOULD SPECIFICALLY DO IS HAVE ONE FOCUS, AND THAT'S TO PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS AND FEEDBACK ON THIS SPECIFIC PROGRAM.
AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS AND WOULD LOVE TO BE INVOLVED.
AND I CAN NAME A PERSON FROM EVERY SINGLE DISTRICT RIGHT NOW THAT I THINK WOULD LIKE TO SERVE ON A, A COMMITTEE LIKE THAT.
UM, I'D BE SUPPORTIVE OF ANY NUMBER OF, BASICALLY THE MOTION THAT, THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS FOR STAFF TO JUST EXPLORE.
IT'S NOT, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT GIVING YOU THE DIRECTIVE TO DO SOMETHING SPECIFIC, IT'S TO EXPLORE.
SO THE REQUEST FROM COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL IS CAPTURED IN THAT SAME, UM, IF, IF, IF THE PUBLIC, BECAUSE THOSE ARE OPTIONS THAT WE'LL BRING BACK, BACK TO THIS COMMITTEE, WE WILL EXPLORE SEVERAL OPTIONS TO BRING BACK TO YOU.
I HOPE WHEN MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES VOTE, THEY KEEP THIS IN MIND.
COUNCILMAN MKI RODRIGUEZ, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN ADDITIONAL TEAM.
HOW MUCH MONEY ARE WE, ARE WE DISCUSSING? WHAT IS THE COST FOR A TEAM? DO WE KNOW, COUNCILMAN, WE ADDED ROUGHLY ABOUT $1.7 MILLION IN THIS BUDGET CYCLE.
AND THAT INCLUDED ALL THE CLINICIANS AS WELL, UM, THAT WE WERE GONNA HAVE AT THE FLOOR, AT THE, AT THE PSAP.
SO I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY PROBABLY SOMEWHERE ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS OR A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN THAT.
WELL, I MEAN, UM, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF AN ADDITIONAL TEAM AT THIS TIME.
I WOULD RATHER SPEND ANY, ANY MONIES ON EXPANDING THE TIMEFRAME.
I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, I I, WE HAVE TO REMEMBER, THIS IS A PILOT PROGRAM.
I THINK I AM PROBABLY SOME OF MY COMMITTEE MEMBERS ARE READY TO GO.
WE WANNA SEE THIS OUT THERE AND, AND USE, BUT IT IS A PILOT PROGRAM.
I WOULD RATHER SEE ANY ADDITIONAL MONIES, UM, GO TOWARDS EXPANDING THE TIME OR, OR, UM, NOT EVEN CONSECUTIVELY WITHIN THE SEVEN TO 11, EVEN SOME EVENING HOURS.
BUT, UM, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF A, A TEAM AT THIS TIME, BUT WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
UM, DO YOU MIND COUNCILMAN RESTATING YOUR MOTION JUST AS A REMINDER, UH, FOR THE COMMITTEE? I DON'T KNOW IF I COULD.
UM,
WAS THAT ACCURATE? UH, OPTIONS FOR ADVISORY COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEES, YES.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? WELL, ACTUALLY, I'M SORRY.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
UM, VERY QUICKLY, MR. MARTINEZ, WILL YOU PLEASE PROVIDE US, DO YOU MIND EMAILING US A COPY OF YOUR PRESENTATION OR YOUR, YOUR DOCUMENT TODAY? AND DO WE HAVE YOUR PERMISSION TO SHARE THAT WITH THE PUBLIC? OKAY.
SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO, UM, ITEM FIVE B.
AND IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, UH, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CUT ITEM SIX TODAY.
THE CAR WILL MOVE IT TO A FUTURE DATE, BUT, UM, FOR NOW WE'LL DO FIVE FIVE B.
[01:35:01]
YOU, MADAM CHAIR.SO ITEM FIVE B IS AN, AN UPDATE FROM METRO HEALTH, UH, DIRECTOR, UH, CLAUDE JACOB ON THE EXPANSION OF THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROGRAM.
THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE 2022 BUDGET.
YOU MAY RECALL THAT WE ADDED AN ADDITIONAL 27 POSITIONS TO EXPAND OUR CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM, AS WELL AS TO ADD SOME CASE MANAGERS.
AND THIS WILL ALSO SERVE AS AN UPDATE OF THE 20 POSITIONS THAT WE MOVE FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO METRO HEALTH IN 2020, UH, FOR THE CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM.
SO I AM HERE TO PROVIDE A QUICK UPDATE.
I REALIZE IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, IT'S BEEN A FASCINATING DISCUSSION.
THIS IS AN ILLUSTRATION OF WHAT THE COVID PIVOT LOOKS LIKE ON THE GROUND AT OUR DEPARTMENT.
THEMATICALLY, YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT THE MEMBERS OF OUR VILLAGE, OUR SHARED VILLAGE.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION BY OUR PARTNERS AT C H C S AND ATRAC.
UH, AND THIS IS JUST TO DRILL DOWN A LITTLE BIT TO TALK ABOUT OUR VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAM, EXPANSION, EXPANSION, AND, UM, TO AT LEAST BRING UP TO SPEED ON WHERE WE ARE WITH HIRINGS.
SO THIS IS A QUICK SNAPSHOT, AND YOU DO HAVE THE SLIDES.
SO LET ME QUICKLY HIGHLIGHT THAT.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE DV CALL VOLUMES OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST THREE YEARS, 20 19, 20 20, AND 2021.
CALLS THAT COME INTO S A P D HAVE BEEN STEADILY INCREASING OVER THE YEARS, WITHIN 11% INCREASE BETWEEN 2019 AND 2020, AND A 5% INCREASE BETWEEN 2020 AND 2021 OVER THE, UH, OVER, UH, OF THE OVER 71,000 CALLS TO 9 1 1.
OVER 20,000 REPORTS WERE FILED BY SS A P D FOR, UH, METRO HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE ADVOCATES TO FOLLOW UP WITH.
SO THIS IS A QUICK SNAPSHOT, AND AGAIN, IN THE CONTEXT OF THE WORK ON THE GROUND, UH, THIS IS A SNAPSHOT OF THE 9 1 1 CALLS THAT HAVE OCCURRED OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, BROKEN DOWN BY SIX SUBSTATIONS.
THE LIGHT GRAY REPRESENTS THE 2019 DATA.
THE MEDIUM GRAY OR THE MIDDLE BAR, UH, REFLECTS 2020 CALL VOLUMES.
AND THE DARKEST BAR, THE BLACK BAR, UM, RE SHOWS THE 2021 DATA.
THE EAST SUBSTATION SHOWS ABOUT 12,000 CALLS FOR EACH OF THE LAST TWO YEARS, WHILE THE SOUTH AND THE WEST SUBSTATIONS AVERAGE OVER 14,000 CALLS THIS PAST YEAR.
SO WHY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS TODAY? SO WE HAVE, AS PART OF OUR GLOBAL BUDGET, UH, THIS PAST OCTOBER, OUR ADOPTED BUDGET WAS OVER $81 MILLION, UH, WITH A TOTAL OF 512 POSITIONS, UH, MOSTLY GRANT FUNDED POSITIONS.
THE VIOLENCE PREVENTION SECTION HAS A BUDGET OF $11 MILLION AND INCLUDES OUR STANDUP ESSAY, UH, PROGRAM, OUR, UH, ACES OR ADVERSES CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES, AND THE TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE, OUR TRIPLE P PROGRAM AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THROUGH THE F Y 22 BUDGET PROCESS.
UH, METRO HEALTH, OUR DEPARTMENT RECEIVED CLOSE TO $3.2 MILLION TO BRING ON 27 NEW POSITIONS TO SUPPORT OUR DV EFFORTS.
THIS INCLUDED ONE CRISIS RESPONSE ADVOCATE MANAGER, SIX ADVOCATE, UM, SUPERVISORS TO OVERSEE THE 20 EXISTING THAT WERE TRANSFERRED FROM SS A P D BACK IN 2019 AND 10 NEW CRISIS RESPONSE ADVOCATES.
JUST NOTE THAT THESE 17 POSITIONS WERE APPROVED TO START IN JANUARY, THIS PAST JANUARY, AND THIS ALSO HELPS TO ESTABLISH A NEW CASE MANAGEMENT COMPONENT, WHICH, UH, ADDED 10 ADDITIONAL POSITIONS APPROVED TO START LATER THIS SPRING OR NEXT MONTH.
WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS AGAIN, AS IT'S BEEN ALL COVID ALL THE TIME FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, UH, THE CITY MANAGER, THE MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL, OUR MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO SHORE UP AND LEAN IN A LITTLE BIT MORE AND EXPAND OUR VIOLENCE PREVENTION EFFORTS.
SO THESE ARE FOUR COMPONENTS THAT I'LL BE HIGHLIGHTING.
OUR ON SCENE ENHANCEMENTS, OUR CASE MANAGEMENT EXPANSION, OUR DATA-DRIVEN STRATEGIES, AND OUR COM ONGOING COMMUNITY EDUCATION EFFORTS.
SO YOU HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS AND JUST KNOW THAT OUR, UM, THIS IS THE SORT OF PRIOR RESPONSE EFFORTS.
OUR PRIOR RESPONSE FOCUSED ON PROVIDING SUPPORT TO VICTIMS WITHIN 24 TO 96 HOURS OF AN INCIDENT.
UH, ADVOCATES PROVIDED SAFETY PLANNING AND ASSISTED S A P D INVESTIGATION, INCLUDING GATHERING EVIDENCE AND WITNESS STATEMENTS.
THEY HAD LIMITED RESOURCES TO PROVIDE VICTIMS AND PROVIDE REFERRALS.
THERE WAS NO LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP AND CASE MANAGEMENT WAS MOSTLY AVAILABLE IF A VICTIM WAS PLACED AT THE BATTERED WOMEN'S SHELTER.
VICTIMS WHO ARE WILLING OR UNABLE TO ENTER SHELTER HAVE FEW OPTIONS FOR COMMUNITY-BASED CASE MANAGEMENT, AND YET WE KNOW THAT VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE REQUIRE COMPLEX CASE MANAGEMENT OVER TIME.
SO, WITH THAT, THESE ARE EACH OF THE, UH, COMPONENTS OF OUR EXPANSION.
THE CRISIS RESPONSE ADVOCATE ROLE IS TO REACH OUT TO THE VICTIM OF FAMILY VIOLENCE ONCE A REPORT IS FILED BY PD ADVOCATES ARE LO CO-LOCATED WITH S A P D TO PROVIDE SUPPORT
[01:40:01]
TO VICTIMS IN CRISIS BY CONDUCTING ASSESSMENTS, EDUCATING ON DYNAMICS OF THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND VICTIM RIGHTS, PROVIDING SAFETY PLANNING, AND MAKING REFERRALS TO SOCIAL SERVICES.IN 2020, THE ADVOCATE SERVED OVER 14,500 FAMILY VIOLENCE VICTIMS AND CONDUCTED NEARLY 2,700 HOME VISITS.
KEEP IN MIND THAT CRISIS ADVOCATES ATTEMPT TO CONTACT EACH VICTIM WITHIN 24 TO 96 HOURS OF THE REPORT BEING FILED BY SS A P D ADVOCATES WILL MAKE TWO ADDITIONAL ATTEMPTS, ONE WITHIN 72 HOURS, AND ANOTHER WITHIN ONE WEEK TO CONTACT THE VICTIM.
THIS IS DONE BY PHONE, TEXTS, OR VIA HOME VISIT, WHICHEVER IS MOST APPROPRIATE.
UH, R T O METRO HEALTH IS CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF HIRING AND ONBOARDING AND TRAINING NEW TEAM MEMBERS IN ORDER TO EXPAND OUR HOURS.
ONE OF THE SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS TO THE SERVICES THAT THE ADVOCATES ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE INCLUDE DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS TO ENSURE THEIR SAFETY AND TO STABILIZE THEIR FAMILY.
DIRECT ASSISTANCE INCLUDES, UH, UTILITY ASSISTANCE PLACEMENT IN SHELTERS OR HOTELS, CELL PHONES OR CALLING CARDS, TAXI VOUCHERS, GIFT CARDS FOR GROCERIES, STROLLERS, AND DIAPERS.
THE SECOND COMPONENT ON CASE MANAGEMENT, A STRUCTURED ASSESSMENT OF, UH, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RELATED SERVICES RESULTED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR CITY OF SAN ANTONIO COMPREHENSIVE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PLAN, WHICH WAS PUBLISHED IN OCTOBER OF 2019.
I KNOW THAT SEEMS LIKE A LONG TIME AGO.
THAT WAS JUST THREE YEARS AGO.
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME OUT.
THAT PLAN INCLUDED THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IDENTIFIED AS BEING AT MEDIUM OR HIGH RISK OF, OF FOR LETHALITY.
THE CASE MANAGEMENT ASPECT ASPECT OF THE DV PROGRAM IS, UH, RELATIVELY NEW WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE TEAM AUTHORIZED AGAIN TO START, UH, IN APRIL.
EARLIER THIS YEAR, A MANAGER TO OVERSEE THE CASE MANAGEMENT TEAM WAS HIRED, AND WE RECENTLY HIRED FIVE CASE MANAGERS TO SUPPORT THE SUBSTATIONS.
JUST KNOW THAT CURRENTLY THE CASE MANAGERS ARE HELPING THE CRISIS RESPONSE ADVOCATES CALL VICTIMS OF FAMILY VIOLENCE, UH, BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN SHORT STAFFED, CASE MANAGERS ARE ALSO REFERRED CLIENTS WHO ARE AT THE HIGHEST RISK OF INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE OR SEVERE NEAR LETHAL ASSAULT.
CASE MANAGERS ALSO PROVIDE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, INCLUDING IDENTIFYING TEMPORARY HOUSING, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, SAFETY PLANNING, AND ONGOING TRAUMA-INFORMED CASE MANAGEMENT.
IN ADDITION CASE MANAGERS ARE ALSO ABLE TO PROVIDE DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS, WHICH CAN INCLUDE, UH, FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR TEMPORARY EMERGENCY HOUSING, EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.
AGAIN, GIFT CARDS FOR FOOD ASSISTANCE, ASSISTANCE WITH PAYING, PAYING UTILITIES, LOCK AND DOOR REPAIR, TRANSPORTATION, CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES, SUPERVISED VISITATION, AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
SO THE THIRD COMPONENT, UH, IN TERMS OF, UH, THIS PILOT PROGRAM THAT YOU'VE AT LEAST HEARD, BUT JUST KNOW THAT, UH, WE DO HAVE ANOTHER PILOT THAT WAS LAUNCHED THIS PAST AUGUST.
SO IN ADDITION TO THE CASE MANAGERS ARE RESPONDING TO THE CALLS THAT COME IN THROUGH OUR LETHAL LETHALITY ASSESSMENT HOTLINE PILOT.
THIS PILOT PROGRAM WAS INITIATED LAST SUMMER IN AUGUST OF 2021, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH STRAC UNIVERSITY HEALTH, BEXAR COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AND FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION SERVICES, AND WAS ALSO A RECOMMENDATION THAT CAME OUT OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE DV PLAN FROM A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
CURRENTLY, VICTIMS IDENTIFIED WITH HIGH LETHALITY SCORES ARE TRIAGED TO APPROPRIATE TIMELY RESOURCES THROUGH OUR CASE MANAGERS.
THESE CASE MANAGERS ARE ON CALL AND AVAILABLE TWENTY FOUR SEVEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK TO RESPOND TO CALLS COMING IN THROUGH THE HOTLINE.
THE DANGER ASSESSMENT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OR DALE, UH, IS A LETHALITY ASSESSMENT, WHICH HELPS DETERMINE THE LEVEL OF DANGER OF, UH, DANGER OF AN ABUSED WOMAN HAS OF BEING KILLED BY HER INTIMATE PARTNER AND PROVIDES A SCORE OF HIGH, MEDIUM, AND LOW RISK.
JUST KNOW THE ASSESSMENT IS CONDUCTED VIA 10 QUESTIONS SCREENER CONDUCTED BY BAYER COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPUTY AND PROVIDED DISTRACT MEDCOM.
SO IN TERMS OF HOW WE'VE EVOLVED THEN, SO YOU SAW PRIOR RESPONSE AND WHERE WE ARE NOW.
SO JUST KNOW THAT CONDUCTING THE DALE HELPS WOMEN KNOW WHEN THE RELATIONSHIP THEY ARE IN HAS REACHED A DANGEROUS POINT.
THE ENHANCED RESPONSE WOULD BRING THE CRISIS ADVOCATE EITHER ON SCENE WITH SS A P D OFFICER, OR WOULD HAVE THE CRISIS ADVOCATE BE AVAILABLE VIA HOTLINE.
SO THE OFFICER COULD IMMEDIATELY CONNECT THE VICTIM THAT HAD A HIGH OR MEDIUM LETHALITY RISK TO A DI THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CRISIS ADVOCATE.
THE ADVOCATE WOULD IMMEDIATELY BEGIN SAFETY PLANNING WITH THE VICTIM, AS WELL AS CONDUCTING A NEEDS ASSESSMENT TO DETERMINE WHAT SUPPORT THE INDIVIDUAL WOULD NEED TO SEEK SHELTER ELSEWHERE.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS AN ENHANCEMENT AS PART OF THE ROLLOUT OF OUR PROGRAM.
AND JUST KNOW THAT THE CASE MANAGER WILL WORK WITH THE VICTIM TO PROVIDE HER WITH THE LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP CARE.
THIS MIGHT INCLUDE PLACEMENT FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, LONG-TERM HOUSING, LEGAL SERVICES, IMMIGRATION SERVICES, EDUCATION, AND JOB PLACEMENT.
THE LAST COMPONENT OF OUR ENHANCEMENTS.
[01:45:01]
WORK AROUND COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.I CAN TRULY BELIEVE IN THE ROLE OF OUR AMBASSADORS OUT IN COMMUNITY.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS NOT A PROBLEM, UH, PROBLEM JUST BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS, BUT IN THE COMMUNITY, WHICH HAVE NORMS, INSTRUCTIONS IN PLACE THAT SUPPORT UNHEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS.
WE DO PLAN TO EXPAND OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EDUCATION INITIATIVES THAT WILL INCLUDE TRAINING, UH, FOR ALL COMMUNITY SECTORS ON IDENTIFYING AND RESPONDING TO VIOLENT RELATIONSHIPS TO INCREASE COMMUNITY CAPACITY TO PREVENT VIOLENCE.
AGAIN, FURTHER UPSTREAM, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF HIRING TWO COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS TO IMPLEMENT TRAINING CURRICULA AND SUPPORT GROUPS FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING VIOLENCE, TEACH THE DYNAMICS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TO FAMILIES, SCHOOLS, AND COMMUNITY AGENCIES AS A PREVENTION EFFORT, AGAIN, IN CONCERT WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS ON THE GROUND, AND ASSIST IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND DISTRIBUTION OF CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY APPROPRIATE EDUCATIONAL AND OUTREACH MATERIALS.
IN ADDITION, UH, WE WILL CONTINUE OUR LOVE IS, UH, UH, COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGN, ALL THE ONGOING WORK OF THE COLLABORATIVE COMMISSION ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, WHICH IS CO-CHAIRED BY OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGER AND JUDGE MONIQUE DIAZ, OUR TRAUMA AND CORE AND CARE INITIATIVES AND THE TRIPLE P PARENTING PROGRAM, AS WELL AS OUR EFFORTS, UH, FOR THE RECENT CCRS THAT WERE PRESENTED THE CHECK EARLIER THIS MONTH.
SO WITH THAT, AGAIN, WE WILL EXPAND AND INCREASE AND THE DEVELOPMENT AND DISTRIBUTION OF OUR SIGNAGE AND EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR POSTING AND DISTRIBUTION THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY AS PLANNED AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON THE CCRS RELATED TO SIGNAGE.
SO IN CLOSING, JUST KNOW THAT WE, UH, PLAN TO HAVE OUR CRISIS RESPONSE ADVOCATES HIRED, UH, BY THE END OF APRIL.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE 22, UH, VACANT CRISIS ADVOCATE POSITIONS, WHICH WE ARE, UH, ACTIVELY TRYING TO FILL.
WE HAVE MADE OFFERS TO 14 OF THOSE TWO HAVE START DATES AT THE END OF MARCH OF THIS MONTH.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE HAVE THAT MANY VACANCIES IS THAT THE CIVILIAN CRISIS ADVOCATE MANAGER AND SUPERVISOR POSITIONS WERE ALL FILLED BY EXISTING CRISIS ADVOCATES WHO HAVE MANY YEARS OF WORKING HERE IN THE CITY.
WE ALSO RECOGNIZE AS THE TIGHT JOB MARKET, AND WE CONDUCT AND SELECT APPLICANTS WHO TURN US DOWN OR WANT TO NEGOTIATE FOR HIGHER SALARIES.
THAT'S JUST THE NATURE OF THE, THE, THE, THE EXPERIENCE WE'VE BEEN HAVING.
THE TEAM IS WORKING, UH, DILIGENTLY TO FILL THESE POSITIONS.
AND I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK IN PARTICULAR, UH, JENNIFER HARRIET, WHO'S THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR THE COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SAFETY DIVISION.
UH, SHE HAS TAKEN ON THE TASK OF WORKING WITH OUR VIOLENCE PREVENTION SECTION IN THE MIDST OF STAFFING TRANSITIONS AND ADJUSTMENTS WITHIN THIS UNIT.
AGAIN, IT HAS BEEN ALL COVID ALL THE TIME, BUT I DO APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE WITH OUR VIOLENCE PREVENTION EFFORTS.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, WE'LL MOVE TO, UH, COMMITTEE COMMENTS.
UH, COUNCILMAN MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
SORRY, UH, COUNCILWOMAN GERRAN.
THANK YOU CLAUDE, FOR THE UPDATE.
UM, I CALL, I, I ASKED FOR THIS UPDATE AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, AND MAYBE SOME OF YOU DON'T.
I WAS ON A CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM FOR SEVEN YEARS WITH THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I THINK IF WE LOOK AT THE SLIDE ABOUT WHAT WE USED TO DO, UH, IN SLIDE SIX IS ONE THING THAT WASN'T, UM, PUT ON THERE IS THAT WE DID HAVE, UH, WE DID GO THROUGH THE TRAINING SO THAT WE COULD LOOK AT CRIMINAL HISTORIES, AND WE DID DO SAFE VIC TRAINING, WHICH MEANT IF WE WERE CALLED, WE COULD TESTIFY IN CASES, AND THAT THAT IS NO LONGER GOING TO BE PART OF THIS TEAM.
WHICH, UM, THEN GAVE ME CLAUDE TO THE CONVERSATION OF HOW IS THIS TEAM DIFFERENT FROM THE TEAMS AT, UM, CATHOLIC CHARITIES OR FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION SERVICES, OR THE BATTERED WOMEN'S AND CHILDREN'S SHELTER? BECAUSE I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING THE SERVICES.
WE LOSE WOMEN EVERY YEAR TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VIOLENT, THIS CITY'S STATS TO BEING, UH, VIOLENT AND UNSAFE FOR WOMEN ARE, ARE WELL DOCUMENTED.
SO I I, I AM GLAD THAT WE ARE MOVING FORWARD IN THIS EFFORT.
I'M CONCERNED THAT THERE IS NO ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE PERPETRATORS OF THIS CRIME.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT THAT IS THE, THE CHIEF'S JOB AND IN GETTING THEM ARRESTED AND BRINGING THEM IN, AND THEN IT'S THE DA'S JOB IN MAKING SURE THAT THEY, UM, THEY GO THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEM, BUT IT, IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN IF WE, IF WE DON'T, UM, IF WE DON'T HAVE THESE WOMEN, UH, TAKE THAT STEP TO FILE CHARGES.
AND CLAUDE AND MARIA AND I HAVE HAD A CONVERSATION, AND THE ONE THING I WANT TO SEE, WHICH I KNOW PERSONALLY, IS THIS ISN'T JUST ONE, UH, PERSON, ONE HUSBAND AND WIFE TEAM.
WE HAVE PERPETRATORS THAT, AND THIS IS SOMETHING WITH THE NEWS, AND I KNOW THE NEWS DOESN'T WANNA DO IT.
[01:50:01]
HISTORY OF FAMILY VIOLENCE, BUT WHAT THEY DON'T TELL YOU IS THAT'S A HISTORY OF THIS WIFE, HIS FIRST WIFE, HIS MOTHER.AND SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO ADDRESS THAT? AND, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS WITH THE CASE MANAGER BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S NEEDED.
BUT IN TERMS OF THE SUCCESS, HOW WE'RE GOING TO MEASURE THE, UH, SUCCESS OF THE CRISIS ADVOCATE, UM, THAT GOES OUT WITH THE OFFICER THAT IS REACHING THEM IN, UM, HOW MANY HOURS ARE, ARE WE, WE'RE MOVING IT FROM 96 TO HOW MANY HOURS FOR THEM TO CONTACT THE VICTIMS 24 HOURS.
SO I, I REALLY WANT TO, TO SEE HOW WE CAN, UM, MEASURE THE SUCCESS BECAUSE IT, IT DOES BECOME ABOUT SAVING WOMEN'S LIVES AND SAVING CHILDREN'S LIVES, UM, IN THIS, THIS ASPECT.
SO I, I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THIS MOVE FORWARD.
UH, BUT I THINK, AND I KNOW WE'VE ALREADY TALKED, THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE LA LARGER CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR, UH, AGENCIES OUT THERE DOING THIS WORK ALREADY.
WITH THAT, I THANK EVERYONE FOR YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY.
AND THANK YOU, OF COURSE, TO OUR COMMITTEE FOR YOUR QUESTIONS.
THIS WAS A PRODUCTIVE MEETING FOCUSING ON THE SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY.
IN TIMES WHEN BOTH CIVILIANS AND OFFICERS CAN, UM, BE THE MOST VOL VULNERABLE, WE'VE SEEN PLANS AND HAVE HEARD DISCUSSIONS ON HOW TO BEST KEEP OUR CITIZENS SAFE AND RECEIVE THE RESOURCES THEY NEED.
PLEASE REMEMBER, OUR NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 19TH.
I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS WORK WITH ALL OF YOU.