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>> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY. WELCOME TO THE CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL SESSION, JUNE 18TH, 2024. WE HAVE ONE OF OUR COUNCILMEMBERS, I THINK, JUST STEPPED OUT. OKAY.
MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU GO AHEAD AND READ THE ROLL?
[ ITEMS]
>> THANK YOU. WE'RE HERE FOR A BRIEFING.
WE HAVE ONE ITEM ON THE AGENDA. I'LL ASK THE CLERK TO GO ACED A HAND AND READ ITEM ONE. PLEASE.
CLERK: ITEM ONE IS A BRIEFING ON THE RELEASE OF A SOLIS INDICATION FOR MULTIPLE CONTRACTS, UP TO TEN, WITH THE SAN ANTONIO METROPOLITAN HEALTH DISTRICT TO PROMOTE COMMUNITY CAPACITY-BUILDING, HEALTHCARE NAVIGATION AND REPRODUCTIVE AND SEXUAL HEALTHCARE SERVICES FUND BY THE REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE FUND FOR A TOTAL VALUE OF 500,000 FOR A ONE-YEAR TERM.
COURAGE: THANK YOU. CITY MANAGER, ERIK WALSH.
>> WALSH: THANK YOU. TODAY THE METRO HEALTH WILL BE PROVIDING A BRIEFING ON THE PRESOLICITATION OF THE REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE FUND FUNDED IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. THE EFFORT IS BASED ON THE FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED FROM COUNCIL EARLIER THIS YEAR DURING THE APRIL 10TH B SESSION. IT'S CONTEMPLATED AND DR. WOO WILL WALK THROUGH THIS, THAT THE SOLICITATION COULD BE FOR MULTIPLE CONTRACTS AIMED AT PROMOTING COMMUNITY CAPACITY BUILDING, HEALTHCARE NAVIGATION, AND REPRODUCTIVE AND SEXUAL HEALTHCARE SERVICES. THE CONTRACTS ARE FUNDED WITH HALF A MILLION DOLLARS IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. AND TODAY'S BRIEFING IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COUNCIL TO WEIGH IN IN ADVANCE OF GOING OUT FOR SOLICITATION. SO WE'LL TAKE ANY INPUT YOU HAVE TODAY, AND THEN PROCEED ACCORDINGLY. SO WITH THAT I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO DR. WOO, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S MEDICAL DIRECTOR AND THE LOCAL
HEALTH AUTHORITY. DR. WOO. >> OKAY.
DO I HAVE SLIDES? OH, HERE WE GO. OKAY.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SO I THINK, AS YOU'VE JUST HEARD, WE'VE GOT A SOLICITATION FOR ONE YEAR FOR $500,000 FOR COMMUNITY CAPACITY-BUILDING, HEALTHCARE NAVIGATION AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE SERVICES. TAKING A STEP BACK TO ORIENT US TO THE CONVERSATION FROM APRIL 10TH, WE'RE LOOKING AT UPSTREAM, MIDSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM CONTRIBUTIONS TO SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH BECAUSE UPSTREAM INITIATIVES CAN REDUCE THE NEED FOR DOWNSTREAM SERVICES. IT'S NOT A LOT OF MONEY SO IF WE DO SOME THINGS THAT ARE MORE UPSTREAM AND MIDSTREAM WE HAVE A BETTER HOPE OF HAVING LONG TERM SYSTEMS CHANGE.
UPSTREAM WORK, I TALKED ABOUT HOW -- SO, AGAIN, TAKE A STEP BACK.
SORRY. LAST TIME I MENTIONED THE FOUR BIG GAP AREAS.
RIGHT? CONTRACEPTION, ACCESS, PRENATAL -- EARLY PRENATAL CARE, ACCESS TO SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTION, TESTING AND
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TREATMENT. AND THEN ABORTION CARE. SO UPSTREAM WORK REALLY FOCUSES ON ECONOMIC STABILITY BECAUSE UNINTENDED PREGNANCY IS SO CLOSELY TIED TO INCOME. THE MORE INCOME YOU HAVE, THE LIKELY YOU ARE TO HAVE AN UNINTENDED PREGNANCY.WHEN WE INCREASE PEOPLE'S FOOD SECURITY AND HOUSING SECURITY, THEN WE ARE BROADLY INCREASING THEIR ABILITY TO ACCESS CONTRACEPTION.
MIDSTREAM ACTIVITIES COULD INCLUDE NAVIGATION, SEXUAL HEALTH EDUCATION, MORE CONTRACEPTION PROVIDERS IN PRIORITY GEOGRAPHIC AREAS IN SOME WAY, NAVIGATION NOT JUST TO CARE BUT TO INSURANCE AND TEXAS PROGRAMS THAT COVER CARE. INCREASING OUR PROVIDERS OF RESPECTFUL AND QUALITY HEALTHCARE, OR EDUCATION LIKE DOULA TRAINING. THESE ARE NOT INCLUSIVE LISTS.
AND THEN THE DOWNSTREAM LISTS CATEGORIZED BY THOSE FOUR GAPS.
SO ACCESS TO CONTRACEPTION, EARLY PRENATAL CARE, STI TESTING AND TREATMENT, AND ABORTION CARE. SO PEOPLE MAY BID ON SOME OF THESE, NONE OF THESE, ALL OF THESE. THEY MAY HAVE DIFFERENT IDEAS. WE HAVE THE DATA. WE'RE SHOWING THE COMMUNITY WHERE THE GAPS ARE AND WE'RE ASKING THE COMMUNITY TO COME TO US WITH SPECIFICS. BASED ON THE INPUT FROM THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE WE'VE CHANGED THE PROPORTIONS IN EACH CATEGORY SOME.
EARLIER WE TALKED ABOUT 20% UPSTREAM, 50% MIDSTREAM, AND 30% DOWNSTREAM. WE HEARD PEOPLE WANT MORE MONEY DOWNSTREAM SO NOW IT'S 10, 50, AND 40. THESE ARE THE GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT CODES AND THE NUMBER OF SENDERS. WE'LL BE NOTIFYING ABOUT 3500 VENDORS.
THE USUAL ADVERTISING. YOU CAN SEE THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE MEMBERS. THE USUAL EVALUATION CRITERIA.
THIS IS IN LINE WITH WHAT IS PRETTY STANDARD. SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A BUNCH OF PROPOSALS THAT COVER A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS AND NEEDS AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO JUDGE. SO WE ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR WHAT THE POPULATION OF FOCUS IS, RIGHT? AGAIN, IT'S NOT A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY SO WE'RE DEFINITELY NOT ABLE TO CONCENTRATE JUST ON WOMEN. BUT IF PEOPLE SAY, OUR POPULATION IS IN THESE PRIORITIES ZIP CODES, WOMEN WHO USE SUBSTANCES, FOR EXAMPLE, AMONG WHOM 80% OF PREGNANCY ARE UNINTENDED, OR WHO ARE EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR HOMELESSNESS.
WHAT IS YOUR FOCUS POPULATION AND HOW DOES THAT ALIGN WITH POPULATION HEALTH NEEDS. THAT'S O ONE CONSIDERATION.
WHAT IS YOUR EXPERIENCE AND BACKGROUND AND QUALIFICATIONS IN PROVIDING THAT CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY APPROPRIATE FOR WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR. IF YOUR INITIAL INCLINATION WAS JUST TO PROVIDE DOWNSTREAM, WHAT KIND OF MIDSTREAM AND UPSTREAM APPROACHES CAN YOU ADD? AND EVIDENCE BASE ON INTERNAL INVESTMENT FOR WHAT IT IS YOU'RE PROPOSING TO DO.
THESE WERE THE SBEDA GOAL SETTING COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
AND HERE'S THE TIMELINE. SO HERE WE ARE IN FRONT OF YOU.
FOR THE PRESOLICITATION BRIEFING WITH A RELEASE DATE OF RFP FOR JUNE 24TH. THERE WILL BE A WEBEX PUBLIC PRESUBMITTAL CONFERENCE ON JULY 8TH WITH DEADLINE FOR QUESTIONS OF JULY 12TH. THE RFP BIDS ARE DUE ON AUGUST THE 9TH.
AND WE WILL HAVE COMPLETED OUR INITIAL EVALUATION BY -- WELL, OUR EVALUATIONS BY SEPTEMBER 13TH. IT USUALLY TAKES A FEW MONTHS, FROM SEPTEMBER TO NOVEMBER, YOU SEE ON HERE, TO WORK WITH THE BIDDERRING ON WHAT ARE YOUR PERFORMANCE METRICS, OUTPUTS AND OUTCOMES ARE GOING TO BE. WHAT IS YOUR DATA MANAGEMENT PLAN, WHAT IS YOUR TIMELINE. SO WHEN WE COME BACK IN FRONT OF YOU FOR THAT PRO SOLICITATION BRIEFING ON NOVEMBER 12TH WE'RE GOING TO HAVE REALLY SPECIFIC INFORMATION.
WE'RE GOING TO GET MORE INPUT THEN. WE MAY NEED TO GO BACK AND DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT WITH CONTRACTS BY THEN, AFTER THAT CONVERSATION. AND THEN WE COME BACK TO YOU ON FEBRUARY 20TH, 2025, FOR YOUR APPROVAL OF THE FINAL CONTRACTS.
COURAGE: THANK YOU, DR. WOO. THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION ON BEHALF OF THE ADMINISTRATION. OKAY. AT THIS TIME THIS IS A BRIEFING AND WE'LL ACCEPT ANY -- FROM ANY OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS,
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ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS THEY CARE TO MAKE.I HAVE THREE PEOPLE IN THE QUEUE RIGHT NOW. I'LL START WITH COUNCILMAN MCKEE RODRIGUEZ. MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU.
I DID NOT INTEND TO BE FIRST. I JUST HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS AND I'LL BE FAIRLY BRIEF. WHEN WE HAD A PREVIOUS BRIEFING ON THIS TOPIC THERE WAS A SENSE OF URGENCY ABOUT THE NEED FOR THESE SERVICES, YET IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE DELAYING EVERY STEP OF THIS PROCESS QUITE SIGNIFICANTLY. AND THE CONTRACT START DATES WON'T BE UNTIL SPRING OF 2025. CAN YOU WALK ME THROUGH -- MAYBE I'M -- IF WE CAN LOOK AT SLIDE 12. CAN YOU SHARE IF THERE'S ANY ROOM FOR US TO HASTEN THE PROCESS A LITTLE BIT MORE?
>> COUNCILMAN, I'M HAVING A HARD TIME HEARING YOU.
SORRY. WHAT WAS YOUR QUESTION AGAIN? MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: OVERALL, THE GIST OF MY QUESTION IS THIS IS A VERY, VERY LONG TIMELINE WHEN WE START WHEN WE APPROVED THIS BUDGET IN 2023. WHAT OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE TO MAYBE SPEED UP SOME OF THIS? EVEN LOOKING AT THE POST SOLICITATION BRIEFING BEING IN NOVEMBER AND CONSIDERATION NOT BEING UNTIL THE END OF FEBRUARY, I'M WONDERING IF WE CAN SHORTEN THAT, IF WE CAN SHORTEN THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATION PERIOD, ANY OF THAT.
>> COURAGE: REST ASSURED, I THINK THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS BEING REALLY, REALLY CONSERVATIVE BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TYPE OF SOLICITATIONS. IT COULD BE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT AREAS.
WE COULD GET A WHOLE SLEW OF SOLICITATIONS. WE COULD GET TWO.
BUT, YOU KNOW, PENDING WHAT WE RECEIVE, THAT COULD -- THAT TIMELINE COULD MOVE UP. THE OTHER BIG PART THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS BEING VERY CONSERVATIVE ON IS THE AGAIN BETWEEN THE POST-SOLICITATION BRIEFING. YOU HEARD DR. WOO SAY DURING THE PRESENTATION THAT SHE'S ANTICIPATING DURING THE POST-SOLICITATION GETTING ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK FROM THE COUNCIL.
BUT BARRING ANY ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK, IT COULD GO TO COUNCIL RIGHT AFTER THE POST-SOLICITATION. SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF THE UNKNOWN. I THINK WE FEEL THE SAME WAY, IF WE CAN SPEED THIS UP, WE WILL DO THAT AT ALL POSSIBLE -- REALLY IT'S GOING TO BE BASED ON THE COUNCIL FEEDBACK AT THAT -- AND SOLICITATIONS WE GET.
WE'LL SQUEEZE DOWN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: PERFECT.
THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR. THAT BRINGS ME TO ANOTHER CONCERN.
IT'S THAT I GUESS THIS QUESTION IS, AS A PART OF THE TRIAL BUDGET THAT YOU PRESENTED, DID YOU INCLUDE THIS FUNDING FOR THIS BOTH IN THIS FISCAL
YEAR AND THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR? >> NO, SIR.
IT'S ONLY FUNDED IN FISCAL YEAR '24. >> I KNOW WE'RE LOOKING AT CHALLENGES BUT I FELT LIKE THERE WAS INTEREST IN, YOU KNOW, ADDING MORE FUNDING IN THAT COMING FISCAL YEAR. I THINK STARTING -- NOT HAVING THE CONTRACT START UNTIL SPRING WOULD BE A DAMPER ON THAT, IN ADDITION TO ANOTHER -- HOST OF OTHER THINGS. I'M ALSO IMAGINING WE'LL SEE A LARGE NUMBER OF NONPROFITS APPLY FOR THIS FUNDING, NONPROFITS NORMALLY DON'T GET SBEDA CERTIFIED BECAUSE IT'S NOT THE NORM IN THE INDUSTRY. THEY DON'T REQUIRE THIS CERTIFICATION.
SO I'M WONDERING IF IT'S NECESSARY TO INCLUDE SCORING CRITERIA FOR SBEDA AND VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESSES. AND DO WE THINK THOSE
POINTS MIGHT BE BETTER ADDED ELSEWHERE. >> THE SBEDA WAS ADDED IN ANTICIPATION THAT SOME PEOPLE MIGHT APPLY AS A COALITION.
IN OTHER WORDS, THERE MAY BE SUBCONTRACTORS. SOMEBODY MIGHT APPLY AND SUBCONTRACT OUT AND WHAT PROCUREMENT TOLD US WAS THAT THAT WOULD ENTAIL
NEEDING THE SBEDA PART. >> MCKEE RODRIGUEZ: CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE. WHAT IS DOES THAT
INCLUDE AS OP PLYING TO A COALITION. >> DR. WOO: I GO TO PROCUREMENT ON THAT ACTUALLY. THAT WAS WHAT I WAS
TOLD. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M WITH THE PROCUREMENT DIVISION. I'M SORRY. CAN YOU REPEAT THE
QUESTION REGARDING THE PROCUREMENT QUESTION? >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: YES.
I ASKED IF IT WAS NECESSARY TO INCLUDE SCORING CRITERIA FOR SBEDA AND VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESSES AND THE ANSWER I GOT ALLUDED TO COALITIONS APPLYING. OR ORGANIZATIONS APPLYING AS A COALITION.
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AND THAT MAY BE NECESSITATING THE SBEDA POINTS.I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THE CORRELATION OF THE IMPLICATIONS OF
ORGANIZATIONS APPLYING AS A COALITION. >> THAT, I AM SORRY, I'M NOT ABLE TO RESPOND TO THAT QUESTION. I WOULD HAVE TO DEFER THAT QUESTION TO OUR SMALL BUSINESS OFFICE REGARDING THAT QUESTION,
REGARDING THE SBEDA REQUIREMENT. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU.
SO EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND THE ROOT OF MY QUESTION, THE SBEDA AND VETERAN POINTS. I WOULD LIKE SOMEONE TO WORK ON THE ANSWER TO THAT AND THE CORRELATION OF THAT AND COALITION, IDEALLY BY THE END OF
THIS MEETING SO WE CAN GIVE DIRECTION ON THAT. >> YES, WE WILL.
THANK YOU. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: MY LAST QUESTION, I REALLY LIKE THE LANGUAGE A FULL RANGE OF FAMILY PLANNING OPTIONS WITHOUT BIAS OR COERCION, ON PAGE 3 OF THE PRESENTATION. CAN WE INCLUDE THAT LANGUAGE IN THE RFP CRITERIA AS WELL? OKAY. THE ANSWER WAS YES.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR TELL. >> COURAGE: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. NEXT WE HAVE COUNCILMAN WHWHYTE.
WHYTE: THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. CAN YOU HEAR ME ALL RIGHT? TODAY IN MY OPINION IS ONE STEP CLOSER TO A DARK DAY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. AT SOME POINT IT SEEMS AS THIS THIS COUNCIL IS MARCHING TOWARDS THE DAY WHEN WE'RE GOING TO APPROVE A CONTRACT TO SPEND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF TAXPAYER MONEY ON WHAT'S BEING CALLED THE REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE FUND.
AND I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO MAKE ANY MISTAKE ABOUT WHAT THIS REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE FUND IS. THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO NEED TO KNOW THAT THIS FUND IS ABOUT ONE THING AND ONE THING ONLY, AND THAT'S TAX PAYER FUNDED ABORTION. AND I, LIKE MANY OTHERS, HAVE STATED NUMEROUS TIMES IN THE PAST, ARE AGAINST ABORTION.
BUT THIS SHOULD NOT BE ABOUT MY FEELINGS ON THIS VERY CONTROVERSIAL TOPIC AND IT SHOULDN'T BE ABOUT ANY COUNCILMEMBER'S INDIVIDUAL FEELINGS ON ABORTION. THIS IS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT IT IS APPROPRIATE TO USE TAXPAYER MONEY TO FUND OUT OF STATE ABORTION. I THINK WHEN WE STARTED THE BUDGET CONVERSATIONS A COUPLE MONTHS AGO IT WAS NOTED THAT WE'RE GOING -- WE'RE LOOKING AT MORE THAN A $5 MILLION DEFICIT THIS YEAR.
WE JUST DID A SURVEY OF OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT ARE THE ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO OUR CITIZENS. AND WE HEARD ABOUT OUR FAILING STREETS, OUR SIDEWALKS. WE HEARD THAT CITIZENS WANT MONEY TO BE USED TO CLEAN UP HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS.
WE HEARD ABOUT A HOST OF ISSUES THAT OUR CITIZENS WANT US FOCUSED ON.
AND NOWHERE DID I SEE ANYTHING ABOUT OUR CITIZENS WANTING US TO SPEND MONEY TO FUND OUT-OF-STATE ABORTION. ON TOP OF ALL THAT, EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT WE'RE FULLY ENGAGED IN THESE FIRE NEGOTIATIONS.
MANY OF US WANT TO ENSURE THAT OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY, IS PAID AS SUCH. AND THAT IS GOING TO TAKE A LARGE PORTION OF OUR BUDGET. AND YET WITH ALL THESE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO SPEND MONEY ON, TODAY WE SIT HERE TO CONTEMPLATE SPENDING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF TAXPAYER MONEY TO FUND OUT-OF-STATE ABORTION. SAN AN T ANTONIANS DO 23409 WANT THIS.
I'VE HEARD FROM REST INTERDISCIPLINARY THES --RESIDENTS FROM EVERY SINGLE OF OUR CITY. NOBODY WANTS IT. WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON BEING A CITY THAT IS UNIQUE, THAT HAS A FAMILY ORIENTED CULTURE, THAT RESPECTS EVERY CITIZEN IN OUR, THAT'S COMPASSIONATE WITH RESPECT TO THE BELIEFS OF EVERY CITIZEN IN OUR CITY.
AND HERE WE ARE TODAY TALKING ABOUT TELLING OUR CITIZENS THAT REGARDLESS OF THEIR BELIEFS ON THIS ISSUE, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER
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THEIR STREETS ARE IN DISREPAIR, REGARDLESS OF THE FACT THAT WE ARE HUNDREDNESS OF POLICE OFFICERS SHORT AND PUBLIC SAFETY IS OUR PRIMARY DUTY AS A CITY COUNCIL PERSON. REGARDLESS OF ALL OF THAT, TODAY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SPENDING MONEY, OUR CITIZENS' MONEY, OUR CITIZENS' HARD-EARNED MONEY, THAT THEY PAID THE CITY ON OUT OF STATE ABORTION. THAT'S ALL THIS IS ABOUT TODAY.I'M FULLY IN SUPPORT OF WOMEN'S HEALTH. WE SPEND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON WOMEN'S HEALTH EVERY YEAR FROM OUR BUDGET.
I'M HAPPY TO SPEND MORE ON WOMEN'S HEALTH ISSUES.
BUT ON FUNDING OUT OF STATE ABORTION, THAT IS SIMPLY WRONG.
IN MY VIEW, IT'S IMMORAL. IT'S AN INAPPROPRIATE USE OF TAXPAYER MONEY. AND I WANT TO STRESS TO OUR COUNCIL TODAY THAT IT IS NOT TOO LATE. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TURN BACK ON THIS AND I HOPE THAT MY FELLOW COUNCILMEMBERS WILL CONSIDER THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM.
>> COURAGE: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. NEXT, COU COUNCILWOMAN --
>> THANK YOU. THE THING THAT I THINK STANDS OUT IN THESE CONTRACTS IS WE'RE MOVING BEYOND STUDIES AND TALK AND WE'RE GETTING THINGS DONE. WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT WOMEN'S HEALTH, WE'RE REDEFINING IT ONE CONTRACT AT A TIME. THIS IS A PRETTY BIG STEP FORWARD. I'M COMMITTED TO MAKING PARTNERSHIPS THAT BREAK DOWN BARRIERS AND EVERY WOMAN IN SAN ANTONIO HAVE ACCESS TO COMPREHENSIVE HEALTHCARE. THOSE THAT SAY ABORTION CARE IS NOT WOMEN'S HEALTHCARE, THEY ARE WRONG.
ABORTION IS WOMEN'S HEALTHCARE. I DO LIKE THE UPSTREAM AND MIDSTREAM APPROACHES BECAUSE THEY ADDRESS IMMEDIATE NEEDS BUT THE DOWNSTREAM APPROACH BECAUSE IT PROVIDES ACCESSIBLE AND TIMELY CARE FOR WOMEN. I CAN GO OVERALL THE STATISTICS, WE HEARD THEM THOLE A TEXAS IS 49 OUT OF FIFTH OF WOMEN'S HEALTH.
TODAY DR. WOO SAID UNINTENDED PREGNANCIES ARE TIED TO INCOME AND WE HAVE THAT ISSUE HERE IN BEXAR COUNTY. UNMARRIED WOMEN HAVE AN INCREASED SHARE OF BIRTHS A, A NEGATIVE 44% IN BEXAR COUNTY.
SO MANY STATISTICS. MY FIRM COMMITMENT THESE FUNDS SHOULD BE USED TO HELP WOMEN MAKE CHOICES ABOUT THEIR BODY, THEIR HEALTH AND THEIR OWN FUTURES. THAT INCLUDES ACCESS TO OPTIONS THEY CAN ONLY GET OUTSIDE OF TEXAS. WOMEN IN TEXAS ARE HELD HOSTAGE.
SOME MIGHT SAY FALSELY IMPRISONED AGAINST THEIR WILL WHEN THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO ACCESS THE HEALTHCARE THEY WANT, NEED, AND CANNOT AFFORD.
THE CLOSEST CLINIC THAT PROVIDES ALL THE SERVICES THEY MIGHT NEED IS IN NEW MEXICO. THAT'S 564 MILES AWAY AND EIGHT-HOUR DRIVE.
WHEN YOU'RE WORKING HARD AND YOU'RE GOING TO SCHOOL OR YOU'RE CARING FOR YOUR CHILDREN, YOU DON'T HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
SO PUBLIC FUNDS SHOULD BE USED TO PROMOTE HEALTH, PERIOD.
THAT INCLUDES PROVIDING WOMEN WITH THE MEANS TO GET THE CARE OF THEIR CHOICE EVEN IF IT IS IN ANOTHER STATE. FULL STOP.
SO REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE FUNDS PROVIDE FREEDOM OF AUTONOMY.
REMEMBER WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT PREGNANCY IS POSING A DANGER TO THEIR LIVES AND THEY MAY HAVE OTHER CHILDREN THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR.
IT'S VITAL. WE HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP THEM FACE BARRIERS TO REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH. TO THOSE WHO SAY IT'S NOT A CITY ISSUE. I DISAGREE. IT BECAME A CITY ISSUE.
THIS IS MY CITY PROTECTING ITS OWN COMMUNITY.
AND WE DID HAVE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY CAME AND THEY CAME TO SPEAK TO US AT COUNCIL. I HEARD ALL THROUGHOUT THIS CITY SUPPORT FOR THIS INITIATIVE. SO I THINK THAT'S PRETTY TELLING.
YOU KNOW, I THINK SAN ANTONIO IS TELLING US THAT THEY WANT THIS.
REPRO DUCT I JUSTICE IS NOT MERELY ABOUT THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE, IT'S ABOUT A BROAD SCOPE OF ISSUES INCLUDING ACCESS TO COMPREHENSIVE HEALTHCARE, CONTRACEPTION, PRENATAL CARE AND SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES. IT'S ABOUT RECOGNIZING THAT REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS INTERSECT WITH ALL ASPECTS OF OUR LIVES, LIKE ECONOMIC STABILITY AND OPPORTUNITY. I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
DID YOU SAY THE NUMBER OF CONTRACTS THAT WOULD BE AWARDED?
>> IT WOULD BE UP TO TEN. PROBABLY SOMEWHERE BETWEEN FOUR AND TEN BUT IT DEPENDS ON THE STRENGTH OF THE SUBMISSIONS. AND COUNCIL MAN MCKEE RODRIGUEZ, WE'RE GOING TO EARMARK FOR THE NEXT BUDGET THAT $400,000, AS FYI.
GAVITO: AND THE AWARDS WOULD BE ANNOUNCED AUGUST 9TH? DID I HEAR THAT
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CORRECTLY? >> COURAGE: DR. WOO, FOLLOW-UP QUESTION.
>> I APOLOGIZE. ASK THE QUESTIONIN. >> GAVITO: ARE THE A.
AWARDS ANNOUNCED AUGUST 9TH?>> DR. WOO: AUGUST 9T H -- I THOUGHT IT WAS SEPTEMBER 13TH IS WHEN WE WILL BE DONE WITH THE REVIEW
COMMITTEE. >> GAVITO: WE'RE FOUR MONTHS OUT.
>> DR. WOO: THIS THIS IS A CRUNCH VERSION OF THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
THROUGH THE END OF SEPTEMBER. >> GAVITO: OKAY.
THANK YOU. IT ADDRESSES INEQUALITIES PROPORTIONALLY IMPACT MARGINALIZE COMMUNITIES. I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT ALL WOMEN EXACTLY. I MEAN, WE ALSO ARE INCLUDING PEOPLE OF COLOR, LOW-INCOME, IMMIGRANTS, LBQTIA+ FOLKS. DISCRIMINATION OR OTHER OBSTACLING WHEN SEEKING REPRODUCTIVE SERVICES. I WHOLE HEART I'DLY SUPPORT THIS.
AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHO WILL ANSWER THE RFP. I DO THINK THAT COUNCILMAN MCKEE RODRIGUEZ, HE BROUGHT UP A GOOD POINT ABOUT THE NONPROFITS. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR HIS COMMENTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANKS, MAYOR PRO TEM.
>> MAYOR PRO TEM, IF YOU WILL ALLOW US, LET US ANSWER THE QUESTION ABOUT THE NONPROFITS THAT BOTH COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ AND --
>> THANK YOU, MIKE. CAN YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION FOR US?
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL COUNCIL. ADMINISTRATOR WITH THE DEPARTMENT. WHEN DISCRETIONARY SOLIS TAKESES WE LOOK TO SEE IF WE CAN APPLY SBEDA POINTS TO THEM. IN THE CASES WE KNOW IT'S NOT RESTRICTED TO NONPROFITS, IT'S OPEN TO ANY BUSINESS APPLYING, WE APPLY THOSE POINTS ON THERE TO MAKE SURE MINORITY OR WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES HAVE A MORE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IN PARTICIPATING IN THE
PROJECT. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. NEXT, COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO.
COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO. SHE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO HEAR US AT THIS TIME. WE'LL GO ON TO COUNCILWOMAN KAUR, FROM
DISTRICT 1. >> KAUR: THANKS, MAYOR PRO TEM.
I WANT TO FIRST OF ALL THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION TODAY.
I SAW THE LAST TIME Y'ALL HAD PRESENTED WE HAD ASKED FOR A MORE OF THE FUNDING TO GO TO MIDSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM EFFORTS SO WE SEE THAT REFLECTED TODAY. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. ALSO, WE REQUESTED THE POTENTIAL DASHBOARD TO SEE ISSUES LIKE THIS. SO WE KNOW HOW THAT HAS A GREAT VISUALIZATION THAT SHOWS THE PROGRESS TOWARDS THAT METRIC. SO APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING THERE. I WANT TO ECHO SOME OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES' COMMENTS THAT THIS IS ABOUT WOMEN'S HEALTH.
ALL OF THE -- ALL OF THOSE POINTS THAT YOU MADE ABOUT ACCESS IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH ACROSS OUR CITY.
SO I WANT TO ECHO COUNCIL MAN CABELLO, THE COMMENTS SHE JUST MADE.
I ALSO WANT TO ECHO COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ' COMMENTS ABOUT THE TIMELINE ISSUE, THAT IS A CONCERN, RIGHT? WHEN WE -- WHEN WE BUDGET SOMETHING IN FISCAL YEAR 2023 WE HOPE THAT IT GETS SPENT IN FISCAL YEAR 2023. AND SO IT'S FRUSTRATING TO SEE AN ISSUE SO IMPORTANT FEEL LIKE IT GET DRAGGED OUT.
SO I KNEE KNOW YOU ARE -- BECAUSE IT'S NEW AND WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE A PROGRAM FOR THIS, WE FEEL LIKE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE MIGHT GET WHICH IS WHAT THE RESPONSE WAS. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO URGE US TO TRY TO PUSH THAT THROUGH FASTER. IF WE CAN MAYBE REDUCE THE NEGOTIATION PERIOD FOR GETTING PROPOSALS BACK TO AUGUST, CAN WE REDUCE THE NEGOTIATION PERIOD TO ONE MONTH. AND I'M SURE THE NONPROFITS WOULD BE WILLING TO RESPOND QUICKER AND GIVE US FEEDBACK QUICKER SO WE CAN ABRIDGE THAT TIMELINE AND SEE IF MAYBE BEFORE THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR -- MY REQUEST WOULD BE BEFORE FISCAL YEAR 2023 CLOSES OUT, THAT WE -- SORRY, FISCAL YEAR 2024 CLOSES OUT IS WHAT I MEAN, THAT WE HAVE THIS -- THESE GRANTS EXECUTED.
SO BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER. AND IF THAT'S -- I KNOW THAT'S REALLY PUSHING IT BUT I'M SAYING THAT IN HOPES THAT WE TRULY GET
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IT IN OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER. JUST REQUESTING, DOUBLING DOWN ON MY REQUEST ON COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ' REQUEST TO PUSH THE TIMELINE UP. THE ADDITIONAL -- ERIK, I KNOW YOU WERE EXPLAINING THIS. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN SHARE WITH US ABOUT THE POINTS AND WHETHER IT'S REQUIRED FOR THIS SOLICITATION?>> WALSH: YES, THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. THEY'RE NOT REQUIREMENTS FOR NONPROFITS BUT A LOT OF THIS GOES BACK TO THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE DONE A SOLICITATION LIKE THIS. IT IS OPEN FOR PROFIT OR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. THOSE REQUIREMENTS THAT THE COUNCILMAN WAS ASKING ABOUT ARE REQUIREMENTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH ORDINANCES AND THE SBED ORDINANCE. AT THE END OF THE DAY, DEPENDING ON WHO WE GET, WE'LL EVALUATE IN ORDER TO CREATE A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD. AND THE BEST EXAMPLE I CAN GIVE THE COUNCIL IS THE CONTRACT WE HAVE FOR SENIOR MEALS AT SENIOR CENTERS.
THAT WAS A CONTRACT. AND THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN VERY OFTEN WHERE IT'S PROFIT AND NONPROFIT COMPETING. BUT IN THAT CASE, A FOR-PROFIT COMPANY HAD THE CONTRACT BEFORE AND AS WE WENT THROUGH THE SOLICITATION, A NONPROFIT WON THE CONTRACT.
SO WE'LL CREATE AN EVEN PLAYING FIELD. THAT'S ONE OF THE ASPECTS OF SEEING WHO WE GET A RESPONSE FROM IN EARLY AUGUST.
>> GAVITO: HOW DID YOU DO THAT IN THAT CONTRACT?
>> WHYTE: WE'LL GO INTO MORE DETAIL LATER. >> I WANT TO ECHO THE CONCERN THAT WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT LEVELING THE FLAYING FIELD. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS POSSIBLE BUT WORST CASE SCENARIO WE GET A BUSINESS THAT IS NOT ALIGNED TO WHAT WE'RE GETTING AT AND THEY'RE GETTING MORE POINTS THAN A NONPROFIT, RIGHT?
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO PREVENT. >> WHYTE: WHEN WE GET THE SOLICITATION RESPONSES. PART IS BECAUSE WE'VE NEVER GONE THROUGH THIS BEFORE. IT'S THE SAME AS THE TIMELINE. WE'RE BEING SUPER CONSERVATIVE.
IF WE GET GOOD SOLID PROPOSALS WE CAN MOVE QUICKLY.
IT'S NOT CONTEMPLATED. AS WE LOOKED TO OTHER CITIES THERE'S NOT A LOT OF -- I HATE TO SAY THIS, BUT THERE'S NOT A LOT OF FOR-PROFITS THAT HAVE BEEN PUTTING IN WE'VE SEEN FROM OTHER CITIES.
WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT HERE LOCALLY WE'LL SEE. >> KAUR: IF WE GET SOMETHING BACK ARE WE ABLE TO CHANGE THE SCORING OR -- WHAT
HAPPENS WHEN WE GET IT BACK? >> I'LL WALK THROUGH THE SCORING PROCESS WITH YOU AFTER THE MEETING. BUT IT'S SEGREGATED.
THE VALUATION COMMITTEE DOES NOT SEE POINTS THAT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT ASSIGNS TO THE PROPOSALS. THEY WILL SCORE AND EVALUATE BASED ON EXPERIENCE, THE PROPOSAL, THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT, ALL THOSE QUALITATIVE THINGS. THEY DON'T SEE ANYTHING ELSE FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT UNTIL THEY'RE DONE.
THAT'S OVERALL. THAT'S HOW WE CAN CONTROL FOR THE PROCESS AS WE GO THROUGH. AND IT'S NOT -- THAT'S NOT DIFFERENT THAN ANY
OTHER PROCESS WE GO THROUGH. >> KAUR: LIKE LAST WEEK. THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE DONE THIS WORK AND HAVE STRONGER QUALITY AND APPLICATION WILL STILL PERFORM BETTER ON
OVERALL RUBRIC. >> OVERALL, THAT'S THE IDEA, YES, MA'AM.
>> KAUR: OKAY. IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT WORRISOME, THAT'S WHY I THINK WE'RE ASKING ABOUT THAT. BUT, YEAH, IN GENERAL, THOSE ARE MY MAIN TWO POINTS, MAKING SURE WE WORK ON THE TIMELINE AND CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THE LANGUAGE, I WANT TO ECHO, BASICALLY EVERYTHING COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ SAID, THE LANGUAGE ON THE RFP TO KNOW FOR SURE EXACTLY WHAT SERVICES WE'RE GETTING FROM THE PEOPLE THAT RESPOND. THANK YOU FOR THE WORK ON THIS.
YOU HEAR THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO MANY OF US ON THE DAIS.
SO WANTING TO SEE -- GRATEFUL FOR THE PRESENTATION AND WANTING TO SEE MOVEMENT ON IT. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM.
>> COURAGE: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. TRY AGAIN, COUNCILWOMAN
ALDERETE GAVITO? >> GAVITO: YES, THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM.
CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? OKAY. PERFECT.
THANK YOU, METRO HEALTH, FOR THIS PRESENTATION. I'M GLAD WE'RE BEING INNOVATIVE, EVEN WHILE OUR STATE LEGISLATURES ARE TRYING TO MOVE US BACKWARDS IN REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE. I'M ROOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THE PROPOSALS THAT COME IN. LOOKING AT THE IDENTIFIED NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY, WHAT SORT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DID WE DO TO FIND OUT WHAT SERVICES ARE IMPORTANT TO RESIDENTS?
>> DR. WOO: SO OUR IS THE DATA AND WHERE THE GAPS ARE.
AND NOW WE PUT THIS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND LET THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND TELL US WHAT THEY THINK IS GOING TO WORK.
AND OF COURSE WE DO HAVE THE EVIDENCE BASED OF SOME THINGS WE KNOW
[00:35:05]
WORKS. IT'S A COMBINATION OF BOTH.I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION. >> GAVITO: IT DOES.
I WAS JUST CHECKING WHAT THE PLAN WAS FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTS, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. I HAD A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS ON SLIDE FIVE IN REGARDS TO MIDSTREAM. WHAT IS OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE SEXUAL HEALTH
EDUCATION WITHIN THE CONFINES OF STATE LAW? >> DR. WOO: BECAUSE IT IS MORE LIMITED IN THE CLASSROOM, THERE ARE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DOING OUT OF CLASSROOM VOLUNTARY EDUCATION. AND SO THAT MIGHT BE -- THAT MIGHT BE AN AREA WHERE THEY BID. I DON'T KNOW.
WE'LL SEE. >> GAVITO: OKAY. I WAS ALSO CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT TYPE OF PROVIDERS ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO
CONTRACEPTIVES. >> DR. WOO: WHAT KIND OF PROVIDERS? SO RIGHT NOW THERE'S AN OVER THE COUNTER ORAL CONTRACEPTION.
THE WHOLE RANGE OF CONTRACEPTION, YOU KNOW, IT GOES ALL OF THE WAY TO VASECTOMY AND LONG ACTING REVERSAL CONTRACEPTION WHICH WOULD NEED A LICENSED MEDICAL PROVIDER. IF YOU THINK OF OVER THE COUNTER CONTRACEPTION AND CONDOMS AS CONTRACEPTION THEN IT GOES BROADER. AGAIN, WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO PROPOSE TO US, I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE WHOLE RANGE OF CONTRACEPTION REPRESENTED. I DON'T KNOW HOW PRACTICAL THAT WILL BE.
AND PEOPLE WILL TELL US IN WHAT THEY SUBMIT. >> GAVITO: YES, BECAUSE, YES, YOU'RE RIGHT. LIKE YOU WERE SAYING, YOU HAVE TO GET FROM A DOCTOR BUT I WAS CURIOUS WHAT COULD BE RECEIVED FROM OTHER NONPROFITS. ON SLIDE SEVEN, THANK Y'ALL FOR SHIFTING YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS WITH COUNCIL FEEDBACK ON THAT.
THE VALUE OF UPSTREAM SERVICES IS NOT LOST ON ME, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME P MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY'RE AT. RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN A REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE CRISIS IN TEXAS. OUR STATE OFFICIALS HAVE UNFORTUNATELY CREATED AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE DOWNSTREAM SERVICES ARE NEEDED BECAUSE THE PREVENTIVE SERVICES ARE NOT BEING OFFERED.
WE HAD A HEADLINE THAT 35,000 PEOPLE TRAVELED FROM TEXAS TO GET ABORTIONS LAST YEAR. THAT'S HIGHER THAN ANY OTHER STATE.
CLEARLY WE HAVE A NEED FOR DOWNSTREAM SERVICES. THIS IS A SAD REALITY THAT WE'RE LIVING IN. SO I'M GLAD WE'RE PLACING A STRONGER EMPHASIS ON THAT. I'M EXCITED TO SEE THE PROPOSALS.
I ECHO COUNCILMAN MCKEE RODRIGUEZ AND COUNCILMEMBER'S KAUR AROUND THIS AND I'M GLAD TO SEE THE CITY HAS PRIORITIZED PROVIDING THIS ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR THE COMMUNITY. THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
THANKS. >> DR. WOO: YEAH, WE'RE GOING TO DO WHAT
WE CAN. >> COURAGE: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN.
COUNCIL WOMAN GARCIA. >> GARSY: THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING THIS.
I WANT TO A APPRECIATE COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ, DOING THIS WITHOUT BIAS OR COERCION. I APPRECIATE THAT LANGUAGE AS WELL. NOW FOR POINTING THAT OUT.
I HAD A CONVERSATION EARLIER WITH FOUR OF MY INTERNS.
THEY JUST -- THREE OF THEM STARTED TODAY, ONE STARTED YESTERDAY.
WE HAVE AMY FROM ST. MARY, ZACHARY FROM UTSA, AVA FROM UT AUSTIN AND HANNAH FROM DARTMOUTH STARTING THIS FALL.
AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IF PRESENTATION. SO THEY WENT OVER YOUR PRESENTATION AND THEY LOVED THE WAY THAT IT WAS LAID OUT.
THEY ASKED ME IN PARTICULAR SOMETHING THAT COUNCILMEMBER MENTIONED RIGHT NOW AND IT WAS ABOUT SEX EDUCATION.
AND SO THEY MENTIONED THAT THEY HADN'T TAKEN A SEX EDUCATION CLASS SINCE MIDDLE SCHOOL. AND I WAS I THINK A COUPLE OF THEM AND THERE WAS NOTHING AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL. AND SO THERE ARE YOUTH THAT OUT THERE EVERY SINGLE DAY WITH OTHER YOUTH.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT WE SHOULD BE ASKING FOR MORE OPINIONS ON.
THEY ARE OUR FUTURE. AND I BELIEVE THAT THEY NEED TO HAVE A BIGGER PRESENCE IN OUR DECISION MAKING. SO I WANTED TO LET THEM KNOW I APPRECIATE THEM ALREADY, AND IT'S THEIR FIRST DAY ON THE JOB AND THEY'RE ALREADY MAKING A GREAT IMPACT. WITH THAT SAID, I WANTED TO ASK, SO I APPRECIATE THAT THERE WAS A REFERENCE TO STRENGTHENING UPSTREAM INITIATIVES. THAT CAN EVENTUALLY REDUCE THAT DOWNSTREAM SERVICE. WOMEN'S HEALTH IS IMPORTANT. I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS A LITTLE BIT MORE ON WOMEN'S HEALTH IN PARTICULAR. SO WITH THAT, SEX EDUCATION FOR YOUTHS, WITH THE MORE CONTRACEPTION PROVIDERS IN THOSE GEOGRAPHIC AREAS THAT MOST NEED IT, I THINK THAT WOULD BE ACCESS, RIGHT? THAT WOULD BRING ACCESS. WE KNOW THERE'S NOT
[00:40:01]
ENOUGH ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE. FOR INSTANCE, IN THE SOUTH, WEST, AND EAST SIDES OF TOWN. THAT HELP WITH THE NAVIGATION OF INSURANCE AND TEXAS POLICEMANS, A WELL WOMAN CARE FAMILY PLANNING. ALL OF THAT I FEEL IS ABSOLUTELY H AND I FEEL THAT SOME OF THE RESIDENTS THAT I REPRESENT DON'T HAVE NEARLY AS MUCH ACCESS TO IT BECAUSE IT'S JUST SO FAR AWAY.RIGHT? AND SO WHEREAS OTHERS MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIND IT LITERALLY IN THEIR BACKYARDS, WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
SO I THINK THAT IT'S DEFINITELY IMPORTANT TO DO THAT.
SHOWCASING THE ACCESSIBILITY, RESPECTFUL PROVIDERS AND QUALITY WOMEN'S H, I ALSO AGREE WITH. AS I WAS TALKING TO OUR INTERNS, ONE OF THEM ASKED ABOUT AN ONLINE SERVICE.
SO WOULD IT BE APPROPRIATE TO HAVE MORE OF AN ONLINE PUSH FOR THIS? BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT, FOR INSTANCE, GEN Z ARE ONLINE AND HAVE ACCESS AND WOULD IT BE IMPORTANT TO PUSH OUT EDUCATION ONLINE AND WOULD IT BE MORE BENEFICIAL OR MORE IMPACTFUL WITH THE SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE HAVE, BECAUSE REALISTICALLY, IT'S $500,000. AND SO HOW MUCH CAN REALLY BE DONE WITH $500,000. SO I FEEL LIKE WE ARE ARGUING OVER A VERY SMALL POT OF MONEY ANYWAY.
SO WHY DON'T WE MAKE IT AS IMPACTFUL AS POSSIBLE.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS DIRECT FROM MY INTERNS, RIGHT? AND WHAT THEY'RE HEARING. I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU ALL HAVE BLACK MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTHCARE VISITS.
YESTERDAY I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH A GROUP OF PARENTS THAT WERE ASKING FOREL ADDITIONAL HELP WITH MENTAL HEALTHCARE VISITS. ONE OF THE WOMEN THAT I GOT TO MEET WITH HAD 15 CHILDREN RANGING FROM -- I BELIEVE IT WAS 4 YEARS OLD TO 24 YEARS OLD.
AND SO -- SHE WAS TAKING CARE IN A BLENDED FAMILY, RIGHT? AND SO WE KNOW THAT IS ALSO IMPORTANT. RIGHT? AND THE FACT IS THAT I HAD A PARENT WHO WAS THERE, A GENTLEMAN TOLD ME, WE NEED ADDITIONAL HELP WITH MENTAL HEALTHCARE.
AND WE NEED IT ALL AROUND. SO WE KNOW THAT THIS IS NEEDED. WE ABSOLUTELY CAN MAKE AN AN IMPACT.
AND I DO FEEL THAT TELEHEALTH VISITS FOR STIS ARE ALSO CRITICAL. YOU ALL HAVE THE MOBILE HEALTH UNIT, THE STI UNIT, AND I LOVE TOURING THAT THE OTHER DAY. I THINK WE NEED TO GET IT OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE. RIGHT? SO WHAT CAN -- WHERE CAN WE HELP WITH ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO SUPPORT THAT MOBILE HEALTH UNIT, THE STI UNIT SPECIFICALLY, GOING OUT TO PLACES WHERE OUR YOUTH CONGREGATE. WHEN WE KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE THERE, IT'S GOING TO BE EASY AND ACCESSIBLE.
I HAVE AN INTERN, ONE OF MY INTERNS IS SPECIFICALLY WORKING ON NARCAN THIS SUMMER. THAT'S ALL HER JOB IS, TO FOCUS ON HOW TO GET NARCAN TRAINING OUT THERE, HOW TO GET NARCAN INTO THE HANDS OF PEOPLE WHO CAN BETTER UTILIZE IT. AND I FEEL THAT TALKING TO SOMEONE IN THAT AGE GROUP, SO I'M TALKING ABOUT GEN Z OR EVEN SOME OF JEN GEN Y STILL. I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE STI HOME TESTS IN THERE AS WELL AS A RECOMMENDATION. I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES, COUNCILMEMBER DR. KAUR AND COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ, ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO SHAVE OFF THE PROCESS AND USE THAT MONEY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO ME.
FOR ME EVEN SHAVING OFF A FEW WEEKS OFF OF SOME OF THE PROCESSES AS LONG AS, LIKE WHAT DR. WOO SAID, WE STAY OUT OF OUR CONFINES OF WHAT WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO DO, IT'S GOING TO BE CRITICAL.
I WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF I APPRECIATE THE CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY APPROPRIATE SERVICES THAT YOU HAVE PAID ATTENTION TO FOR PRIORITY GEOGRAPHIC AREAS.
AGAIN, BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MUCH THAT IS LEFT OUT, THAT I DON'T THINK THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO. I MENTIONED LAST TIME THE DOULAS.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT YOU ALL HAVE A FOCUSED EFFORT AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IF THERE WOULD BE SUPPORTING WITH DOULAS, ET CETERA.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION, AND THIS IS -- IT KIND OF CAME UP BECAUSE OF MY COLLEAGUES' QUESTIONS. IN PARTICULAR, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT BUSINESSES, RIGHT? AND SO THE REASON THAT WAS ADDED.
BUT WHAT KIND OF BUSINESSES DO YOU ANTICIPATE, CAN YOU GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE OF SOME BUSINESSES THAT WOULD ACT ON THIS BASE, DR. WOO? WHEN I WAS THINKING ABOUT IT, I WAS HARD PRESSED TO THINK OF A BUSINESS THAT DOES THIS. LIKE I CAN ONLY THINK OF NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. SO CAN YOU HELP ME MAYBE JUST LIKE A BUSINESS
THAT COMES TO MIND. >> DR. WOO: THERE ARE IN SOME CITIES HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS THAT HAVE RECEIVED THE FUNDING.
THAT'S A BUSINESS. >> OKAY. I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT.
YOU'RE CONSIDERING HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS. OR THEY CAN.
NOT THAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING IT BUT THEY WOULD BE ELIGIBLE.
OKAY. WONDERFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[00:45:01]
THAT'S MY ONLY QUESTION. THANK YOU SO MUCH, DR. WOO AND MR. JACOB.>> COU>> COURAGE: COUNCILWOM AN CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU. IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF WORK FOR A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF FUNDING. MY TEAM CALLS IT, BUDGET DUST.
AND WHEN I LOOK AT THE RFP PROCESS FOR THE $150 MILLION-OUNCING BOND, THAT RFP PROCESS WAS ROUGHLY SEVEN MONTHS.
SO I SHARE THE SAME CONCERN WITH HOW DRAGGED OUT THIS PROCESS AND RFP PROCESS HAS BEEN LOOKING TO 2025 IS A BIT CONCERNING GIVEN THIS WAS A RESPONSE TO THE OVERTURNING OF ROE V. WADE AND THE URGING THAT SAN TAN TONE YOU RESIDENTS ENCOURAGED US MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO CHALLENGE THIS ISN'T A PRIORITY FOR SAN ANTONIO, RIGHT? IT WAS INITIATED IN PROPOSED BY CITY SAN ANTONIO NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WHILE I'M SURE FOLKS ON COUNCIL WOULD LOVE TO TAKE CREDIT FOR THIS INITIATIVE IT WAS PUTTED PUT FORTH BY SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS WHO KNOW THEIR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE. AND I WOULD ALSO ARGUE THAT 78% OF WOMEN IN THE STATE OF TEXAS DISAGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE IN DISTRICT TEN. "THE NEW YORK TIMES" RECENTLY REPORTED MORE THAN 14,000 TEXAS PATIENTS HAVE CROSSED THE BORDER INTO NEW MEXICO FOR AN ABORTION LAST YEAR. SO I THINK THAT EMPHASIZES THE URGENCY TO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN DOWNSTREAM, UPSTREAM AND MIDSTREAM SERVICES. I DID HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH DISTRICT FAVORITES DENT RAYMOND WHO IS LIKELY WATCHING THIS NOW.
HE DISAGREED WITH THE TRAVEL PIECE HE EMPHASIZED THE NEED FOR SEX EDUCATION. AND I HOPE YOU'RE WATCHING, RAYMOND, BECAUSE ON SLIDE FIVE THE CURRENT NEEDS IS FOR REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE FOCUS, WORKERS AND SEXUAL HEALTH EDUCATION FOR OUR YOUTH.
AND I THINK THAT'S AN AGREEMENT THAT WE HAD, WAS THAT WE DO NEED TO ENSURE TO PROVIDE SEX EDUCATION TO FOLKS FROM K-12 AND ANY WE THAT WE WAY THAT WECAN BECAUSE IT'S EFFECTIVE. I'M SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ PROPOSED ON SLIDE THREE, MAKING SURE IT'S IN THE RFP LANGUAGE. ULTIMATELY I'M A BIT DISAPPOINTED TO SEE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT 2025 TO PROVIDE SERVICES.
WE KNOW, YOU KNOW, WOMEN ARE HAVING TROUGH TRAVEL OUT OF STATE.
WE'RE SEEING RECORD INCREASE OF TEEN PREGNANCY.
WHILE IT IS ONLY $500,000, THAT WILL HAVE GREAT IMPACT BUT I AM PLEASED TO HEAR THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT EARMARKING FUNDING BECAUSE THE CONCERN THAT I HAVE HEARD FROM COMMUNITY IS THAT WE HAVEN'T SPENT THE MONEY, SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO ENSURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO REPLENISH THIS FUND TO PROVIDE MUCH NEEDED SERVICES AND WE ARE GOING THROUGH THAT BUDGET CONVERSATION AND THAT WOULD MEAN WE WOULD LOSE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THE REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE FUND. ALL THAT TO SAY, I'M HOPEFUL THAT, AS COUNCILWOMAN DR. KAUR MENTIONED, WE CAN MOVE THIS ALONG RATHER SOONER THAN LATER TO ENSURE THAT SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO CARE AND HIGHLIGHTING THAT BEXAR COUNTY AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IN PARTICULAR HAVE A HIGH UNINSURED RATE. SO WHY IT'S $500,000, IT'S VERY MUCH NEEDED TO KEEP WOMEN SAFE. THANK YOU.
>> COURAGE: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.
>> PELAEZ: THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THE WORK, DR. WOO.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS AND EXPLAIN COM SOME OF THESE THINGS. I WAS TALKING TO MY KIDS ABOUT THIS A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. I TOLD THEM, YOU KNOW, THE REASON THIS IS A HOT TOPIC ISSUE IS BECAUSE WE'RE BEING INVITED TO A DEBATE, RIGHT? WE'RE BEING INVITED TO A FIGHT.
AND ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS TO DO IN LIFE IS TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT IT'S A FIGHT YOU NEED TO JOIN OR A DEBATE -- WHETHER OR NOT YOU NEED TO ACCEPT THAT INVITATION. AND THAT -- YOU KNOW, THERE'S OFTEN THINGS THAT WE FEEL THAT WE SHOULD DO WHEN, IN FACT, MAYBE WE SHOULDN'T. RIGHT? AND GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN TELL THE DIFFERENCE REQUIRES A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DISCIPLINE AND THAT CHOOSING TO SAY NO IS OFTENTIMES VERY DIFFICULT, RIGHT? AND IN THIS INSTANCE, I DO UNDERSTAND THE UNDERLYING MOTIVATION BEHIND PUTTING FORTH THIS PROPOSAL THAT WE USE FUNDS TO PAY FOR TRANSPORTATION OF WOMEN ACROSS STATE LINES.
I GET IT. RIGHT? I, TOO, AM VERY
[00:50:01]
FRUSTRATED AND FURIOUS AROUND DISGUSTED AT THE CRUELTY OF THE U.S.SUPREME COURT AND THE WHAT TERMISTIC CRUELTY OF THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE. I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES 100%.
I THINK ABORTION IS HEALTHCARE. AND I THINK THAT DENYING WOMEN THIS FORM OF VITAL HEALTHCARE IS OUTRAGEOUS.
AND I ALSO AGREE THAT NO MAN SHOULD EVER TELL A WOMAN WHAT TO DO WITH HER BODY. AND THAT NO MAN HAS A RIGHT TO DISTURB OR FRUSTRATE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE WOMAN AND HER DOCTOR.
I ALSO THINK THAT MORE AND MORE WOMEN TODAY, BECAUSE OF THIS, ARE BEING TREATED LIKE CATTLE AND THAT THEY'RE BEING ROBBED OF THEIR AGENCY. BY MEN. AND THAT THIS DISPROPORTIONALLY WILL IMPACT WOMEN OF COLOR AND THAT IT WILL DISPROPORTIONALLY IMPACT WOMEN WHO FIND THEMSELVES IN THE CLUTCHES OF POVERTY. NO DAYLIGHT BETWEEN MY COLLEAGUES AND I ON THAT ISSUE. WHERE WE DO PART WAYS AND REASONABLE MINDS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DISAGREE ON THIS, IS WHETHER OR NOT IT IS THE ROLE OF MUNICIPALITIES TO SOLVE THAT PROBLEM. AND SO I DO AGREE.
I'VE ALSO LOOKED AT THE NUMBERS. AND 78% OF WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES DO THINK THAT DENYING WOMEN ACCESS TO ABORTIONS IS WRONG. RIGHT? CONVERSELY THOUGH, ANOTHER WAY OF RESTATING THAT IS 78% OF WOMEN ARE IN FAVOR OF MAINTAINING THE RIGHT TO ACCESS ABORTION BECAUSE IT IS HEALTHCARE.
WHAT I DON'T THINK IS TRUE, HOWEVER, IS THAT 78% OF WOMEN THINK THAT IT IS THE ROLE OF A MUNICIPALITY TO PAY FOR MUNICIPAL COFFERS FOR THAT SERVICE. FOR A WHOLE HOST OF REASONS THAT I'VE ARTICULATED BEFORE AND I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH IT TODAY.
BUT THAT IS WHY I CAN'T SUPPORT THIS. AND MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE TO BE MOVE, THE FUNDS ALLOTTED TO TRANSPORTATION TO OUT OF STATE, TO ALL THE OTHER CATEGORIES IN THE PROPOSAL, BECAUSE I THINK THAT WE'VE GOT A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY HERE TO FIND CONSENSUS AND TO DO LESS DAMAGE TO THE TRUST THAT PEOPLE HAVE, THE BRITTLE TRUST THAT PEOPLE HAVE IN GOVERNMENT. AND I THINK THAT WE CAN GET A LOT MORE THAN 78% OF THE PEOPLE RALLYING AROUND A DIFFERENT USE FOR THAT MONEY. LIKE CONTRACEPTIVE, LIKE CONTRACEPTION, LIKE EDUCATION, LIKE VACCINATION, LIKE EDUCATION.
AND AGAIN, I'M HOPE TO HAVING ANYBODY DISAGREE WITH ME AND I RESPECT
THE DISAGREEMENT. THANK YOU. >> COURAGE: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. COUNCILMAN MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
>> MCKEE RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU FOR THE ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD ASKED. I APPRECIATE THE DIRECTION OF THIS CONVERSATION IS GOING. I WAS THOUGH RAISED TO LET NO MAN GO UNCHECKED. AND I DO WANT TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE WE'RE SPENDING $50,000 TO SUPPORT CAPACITY BUILDING INITIATIVES AND SHARED STORYTELLING BY PARTNERS IN HEALTH EQUITY NETWORK TO ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY, HOUSING INSECURITY AND ACCESS TO RESPECTFUL CARE. THAT'S $50,000 RIGHT THERE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT $250,000 AND I'M READING OFF THE SLIDES ALMOST, SUPPORTING COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS, CARE NAVIGATORS AND PATIENT ADVOCATES, SEXUAL HEALTH EDUCATION FOR YOUTH, INSURANCE AND FAMILY PLANNING, DOULA TRAINING AND SCHOLARSHIPS, $250,000.
ANOTHER $200,000 FOR HOME PREGNANCY TESTS AND CONTRACEPTION, TRANSPORTATION TO PRENATAL CARE, DOULAS, BLACK MATERNAL VISITS, STI AND STI HOME TEST KITS AND TRAVEL TO ABORTION IS ONE OF MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY THINGS. TO SAY THAT NO ONE IS ASKING FOR THIS OR THIS IS ALL ABOUT FUNDING ABORTION IS DISINGENUOUS AND MISINFORMED, ESPECIALLY WHEN THIS INITIATIVE WAS BROUGHT FORTH BY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY FROM MANY DISTRICTS.
I DO WANT TO ADDRESS THIS PIECE, WE'RE TOLD THAT CITIES SHOULD STAY OUT OF PRIVATE BUSINESS AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, GUN VIOLENCE, SCHOOL OPERATION, IMMIGRATION, HEALTHCARE, ALL OF THESE THINGS, BUT -- GOVERNMENT OR OTHER ENTITIES ARE NOT SUPPORTIVE OF.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY WE WERE APPROACHED FOR THIS INITIATIVE AND THAT'S WHY WE AS A MAJORITY OF COUNCIL SUPPORTED IT IN THE BUDGET SEASON. SO TO KEEP REHASHING THE DEBATE AND TO KEEP MAKING IT ABOUT A SINGULAR PART OF THIS IS REALLY FRUSTRATING AND IT'S UNNECESSARY. I LOOK FORWARD TO, YOU KNOW, THIS ITEM COMING FORTH. I LOOK FORWARD TO APPROVING CONTRACTS.
AND MY HOPE IS THAT ALL OF THOSE OTHER THINGS THAT I MENTIONED, THESE ARE BIG DEALS. BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH RATES, THAT IS HUGE.
THAT'S A BIG ISSUE. THE LACK OF SEXUAL EDUCATION FOR OUR YOUTH
[00:55:03]
IS A BIG DEAL. THESE ARE HUGE GAPS IN OUR SYSTEM.ALL OF THIS, NAVIGATING FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES, THESE ARE BIG, BIG ISSUES THAT WE ARE AIMING TO ADDRESS WITH THIS.
AND I KNOW THAT IT'S THE HOT THING TO TALK ABOUT ABORTION AND TO TALK ABOUT TRAVEL TO ABORTION, BUT, PLEASE, I'M LOOKING TO THE MEMBERS OF THE PRESS, PLEASE DON'T LEAVE THE REST OF THOSE BIG ISSUES OUT OF THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE IT'S A HUGE ADDITION SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY. AND I SAY THAT TO MY COLLEAGUES AS WELL, WHEN THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS FUND AND WHEN THEY'RE SHARING INFORMATION AND... LET'S ALL BE REAL AND LET'S ALL BE FACTUAL.
THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. AND THANK YOU, CITY
STAFF. >> COURAGE: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN.
COUNCILMAN WHYTE. >> WHYTE: YEAH, TO MY FRIEND IN DISTRICT TWO, I MEAN, GIVE ME A BREAK, MAN. GIVE ME A BREAK.
THIS IS ABOUT ONE THING AND ONE THING ONLY. AND THAT'S ABORTION.
AND TO SAY THAT IT'S NOT IS COMPLETELY DISINGENUOUS.
WE FUND WOMEN'S HEALTH EVERY SINGLE YEAR HERE AT THE CITY TO THE TUNE OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. AND I'M HAPPY TO GIVE ANOTHER $500,000 TO IT.
BUT THIS IS ABOUT ONE THING AND ONE THING ONLY, AND THAT IS ABORTION. AND IT'S BECAUSE THERE ARE MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL WHO SAY THAT THEY'VE HEARD THIS IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT YOU KNOW, WHETHER THEY HAVE OR HAVEN'T, I'M NOT GOING TO DISAGREE WITH THAT. BUT IT'S MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL THAT WANT TO PUT FORWARD THIS INITIATIVE TO HAVE US RIGHT ALONG SOME OF THE OTHER CITIES IN THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE DONE THIS. AND FRANKLY, I JUST BELIEVE THAT IT'S WRONG. AND THENIS TICKS GET CITED, LIKE 78% OF, YOU KNOW, WOMEN WANT MORE ACCESS OR, YOU KNOW, BELIEVE THAT THEIR ACCESS IS BEING TAKEN AWAY, I MEAN, I DON'T -- I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S NOT TRUE BUT THAT'S A DISINGENUOUS STATISTIC TO CITE IN A DEBATE LIKE THIS BECAUSE THIS IS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT PEOPLE WANT TAXPAYER MONEY SPENT TO PROVIDE WOMEN ACCESS TO ABORTION SERVICES OUT OF THE STATE. THAT'S WHAT IT'S ABOUT. IT'S NOT ABOUT WHO IS FOR ABORTION AND WHO IS NOT AND WHO FEELS THEIR RIGHTS HAVE BEEN TAKEN AWAY AND WHO DOESN'T. THIS IS ABOUT WHETHER A MUNICIPALITY, A CITY GOVERNMENT, SHOULD TELL ITS CITIZENS THEIR DOLLARS ARE GOING TO BE USED TO SEND FOLKS OUT OF STATE FOR ABORTION SERVICING.
THIS IS AN ATTENDED END RUN AROUND STATE LAW. I UNDERSTAND THAT FOLKS ARE UNHAPPY WITH OUR STATE GOVERNMENT, BUT WE ARE WHERE WE ARE.
WE LIVE IN THE GREATEST STATE IN THE UNION. AND THESE ARE THE LAWS THAT WE HAVE TO LIVE BY. AND A MUNICIPALITY SHOULD NOT BE SPENDING ITS GENERAL FUND MONEY LIKE THIS. THANKS, MAYOR PRO TEM.
>> COURAGE: THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SHARE MY THOUGHTS ON THIS SUBJECT RIGHT NOW. THIS SUGGESTION WAS CALLED REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE FUND. AND I CERTAINLY RESPECT WOMEN'S RIGHTS TO CHOOSE THEIR HEALTHCARE SERVICES, WHAT THEY WANT TO DO WITH THEIR BODY.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS A FRO POSE FROM CITY STAFF THAT HAS MULTIPLE LEAVES, MIDSTREAM, UPSTREAM, DOWNSTREAM.
WITHIN EACH OF THOSE LEVELS WERE LISTED HEALTHCARE NEEDS.
I DIDN'T SEE A LIST OF, WE ARE GOING TO DO THIS, WE HAVE TO DO THAT.
THEY'RE SIMPLY NEEDS THAT FALL INTO CERTAIN CATEGORIES THAT THE PROPOSAL IS GOING TO OFFER NONPROFITS AND BUSINESSES IN THIS COMMUNITY TO RESPOND TO. I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT. NOTHING ON THAT LIST FOR ANY OF THOSE STREAMS IS GUARANTEED. THESE ARE JUST HEALTHCARE NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED. YOU KNOW, AND JUST LOOKING AT THOSE NEEDS, 60% OF THEM ARE IN UPSTREAM AND MIDSTREAM. AND THE DOWNSTREAM IS THE ONLY ONE THAT LISTS ANYTHING ABOUT ABORTION, AND THAT WOULD BE TRANSPORTATION FOR ABORTION. AND THERE ARE OTHER CATEGORIES IN THERE, TOO. SO THIS IS A BRIEFING FOR US TO CONSIDER THIS MOVING FORWARD FOR MORE PUBLIC INPUT, FOR MORE NONPROFITS, AND OTHER FOR-PROFIT BUSINESSES TO SAY HOW THEY WOULD SPEND
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THIS MONEY TO GO AHEAD AND PROVIDE THE SERVICES TO MEET THE NEEDS THAT ARE LISTED HERE. BUT WHEN WE GET TO THE PART ABOUT TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE FOR WOMEN WHO MAY WANT TO LEAVE THE STATE FOR AN ABORTION, I WAS CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO GO GET THE BEST CANCER TREATMENT AT ONE OF THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY THEY WOULD PROBABLY GO TO HOUSTON. THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WOULD NOT PAY FOR THEIR COST TO GO TO HOUSTON. IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO GO AND GET SOME OF THE BEST BRAIN SURGERY IN THIS COUNTRY THEY WOULD GO TO BOSTON. THE CITY WOULD NOT PAY FOR THAT HEALTHCARE SERVICE FOR THAT PERSON TO GO TO BOSTON. IF SOMEBODY NEEDED HEART SURGERY, THEY WOULD GO TO LOS ANGELES WHERE THEY HAVE THE FINEST HEART SURGEONS IN THE COUNTRY. THE CITY WOULD NOT PAY FOR THEIR TRANSPORTATION. TO GO FOR HEART SURGERY.NOW, I RECALL A FEW YEARS AGO THERE WAS A DISCUSSION IN THE CITY ABOUT WHETHER AN ABORTION CLINIC COULD OPEN IN A CERTAIN FACILITY. AND THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO WERE SAYING, NO, WE SHOULDN'T HAVE AN ABOX FACILITY IN THAT LOCATION.
AND AT THAT TIME ABORTION WAS NOT ILLEGAL IN THE COUNTRY OR ILLEGAL IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. AND IT WAS THE CITY'S ROLE TO LOOK AT ZONING AND PLACEMENT OF A BUSINESS IN A FACILITY.
AND SO THE CITY HAD RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE SOME ACTION THERE.
THAT IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT FROM NOW SPENDING CITY FUNDS FOR SOMETHING LIKE TRANSPORTING SOMEBODY ELSE FOR HEALTHCARE NEED, EVEN IF IT IS ABORTION. AND I THINK THAT WE OVER-STEP OUR OBLIGATION TO THE OVERALL COMMUNITY IF WE DECIDE THAT WE ARE GOING TO FUND PEOPLE'S HEALTHCARE TRAVEL FOR ABORTION OUT OF THE STATE OF TEXAS. AND IF WE DO, THEN WE NEED TO START HELPING PEOPLE WHO NEED TO GO ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY FOR A HEALTHCARE NEED.
SO THAT'S MY PERSPECTIVE RIGHT NOW. I AM WILLING TO LEARN MORE AND HEAR MORE FROM THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE WILL SEE HOW THIS DEVELOPS AS THIS BID GOES TO THE COMMUNITY.
YES, CLAUDE, YOU HAVE SOME OTHER REMARKS? >> JACOB: AS WE'RE WINDING DOWN. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ALLOW DR. WOO WALK US THROUGH A VERY DELICATE TOPIC.
I ALSO WANT TO UNDERSCORE THE SENSE OF URGENCY.
WE HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR TO REVISIT AT LEAST THE SCHEDULE AS WE HAVE CURRENTLY SHARED ON SLIDE 12. WE WILL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO EXPEDITE THIS PROCESS. THE FEEDBACK IS INVALUABLE. JUST LIKE ON APRIL 10TH YOU SHARED WITH US A REALLOCATION, RECOMMENDED ACROSS THOSE THREE BUCKETS. BUT WE ALSO WANT TO UNDERSCORE THE APPRECIATION FOR THAT FEEDBACK AND WE WILL REVISIT THE TIMELINE AND REVISIT DEVELOPING A DASHBOARD THAT WE CAN SHARE WITH COUNCIL.
SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND WE
APPRECIATE THIS FEEDBACK THIS AFTERNOON. >> COURAGE: THANK YOU.
CITY MANAGER, DO YOU HAVE ANY FINAL REMARKS? >> WALSH: NO, SIR.
WE ARE GOING TO TAKE THE CONVERSATION TODAY AND BEFORE WE ISSUE THE RFP, REVISIT AND MAYBE ONLY LIMIT IT TO NONPROFITS. THAT WAY -- THERE WERE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS BUT WE'LL DO THAT HOMEWORK AND SHARE THAT WITH THE
COUNCIL BY MEMO BEFORE THE RFP IS ISSUED. >> COURAGE: THANK YOU.
THEN THE BRIEFING IS CONCLUDED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.