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WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL V SESSION.
THE TIME IS 2:12 PM I BELIEVE WE DO HAVE A QUORUM IN THE CHAMBER.
AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START THE AV.
ALRIGHT, THE SPANISH TRANSLATION, THE TRANSLATION.
WELCOME TO THE CITY COUNCIL B SESSION OF OCTOBER 30TH, 2019.
COUNCIL MEMBER TINO, COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN.
HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER VIE GRAND HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA WILL NOT BE HERE TODAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER SON DEVAL WILL NOT BE HERE TODAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESENT.
WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL B SESSION.
THE TIME IS 2:13 PM UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
WE DO HAVE TWO ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA TODAY.
I'LL, UH, CALL ON OUR CITY MANAGER TO WELCOME THE INVITE.
SO THIS AFTERNOON'S, UH, BRIEFINGS.
UH, THE FIRST ITEM WILL BE, UH,
[1. 19-7938 Briefing on the Domestic Violence Comprehensive Plan and the Commission on Collaborative Strategies to Prevent, Combat, and Respond to Domestic Violence presented by the City of San Antonio [Colleen M. Bridger, MPH, PhD, Assistant City Manager; Jennifer Herriott, MPH, Interim Director, Health]]
A REPORT ON A COMPREHENSIVE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PLAN AND, AND, UH, PREVENTING.THE COUNCIL CERTAINLY IS AWARE THAT, UH, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED, UH, AS A ONE OF OUR VERY HIGHEST PRIORITIES, UH, BY THIS COUNCIL EARLIER THIS YEAR.
AND, UH, THE METRO HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UH, ENACTED A, UM, JOINT REVIEW WITH THE COUNTY AND A NUMBER OF OTHER STAKEHOLDERS EARLIER THIS SUMMER.
UM, UH, ONCE, UH, THE PRIORITY ISSUE WAS IDENTIFIED AND, AND IT STEMMED FROM A CONVERSATION THAT JUDGE SAKA AND I HAD, UM, THIS AFTERNOON WITH US.
UM, JUDGE, UH, MONIQUE, UH, DIAZ IS HERE AS WELL.
UH, JUDGE DIAZ CO-CHAIRED, UH, THE, UH, COMMISSION THAT REVIEWED AND DEVELOPED A STRATEGIC PLAN, UH, WITH DR.
AND, UM, I'LL, I'LL TELL YOU THAT, UM, I'LL SAY THIS BEFORE THEY GIVE THE PRESENTATION AND BEFORE YOU SEE THE DETAILS, UM, THESE TWO INDIVIDUALS, ALONG WITH PATRICIA CASTILLO AND A WHOLE HOST OF OTHER PUBLIC ENTITIES AS WELL AS, UM, PROVIDERS, DID A LOT OF WORK OVER THE SUMMER.
AND, UH, I'LL REMIND THE COUNCIL THAT WE ALLOCATED, WE BUDGETED HALF A MILLION DOLLARS IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, BUT DID NOT ALLOCATE IT PENDING THE, UH, PRESENTATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN, UH, AND THE EFFORTS THAT YOU'LL HEAR THIS AFTERNOON.
SO THE PRESENTATION WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT HALF A MILLION DOLLARS AND RECOMMENDED NEXT STEPS.
BRIDGER WILL LEAD US OFF, UH, ON THE PRESENTATION AND, UM, I'M SURE IT'LL BE A GREAT PRESENTATION.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S COMPREHENSIVE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PLAN.
UM, BEFORE I START, I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UM, FOUR CITY DEPARTMENTS WORKED REALLY, REALLY HARD ON THIS PLAN.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, ESPECIALLY RECOGNIZE METRO HEALTH, THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, UH, UH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND G P A WHO, UM, WORKED OVER THE SUMMER AND, UM, SOME LATE HOURS THIS WEEK TO MAKE THIS, UH, COME TOGETHER.
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HAS MENTIONED MY, MY CO-CHAIR, UH, JUDGE MONIQUE DIAZ, WHO'S HERE WITH US.UM, AND SHE AND I HAVE, UM, DONE A LOT OF THINGS TOGETHER SINCE THE COMMISSION WAS FORMED, AND I'M REALLY, REALLY ENJOYING WORKING WITH HER AND GETTING TO KNOW HER.
SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
OF COURSE, YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM ME.
UH, WE ARE LOOKING AT, UH, IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INCREASING? THAT'S ONE OF THE FIRST QUESTIONS WE HAD TO ADDRESS WHEN WE STARTED PUTTING TOGETHER THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE MURDERED AS A RESULT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HAS BEEN TRENDING UP, WHETHER YOU LOOK AT IT AS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE, OR YOU LOOK AT IT AS THE RATE TO TRY TO CONTROL FOR THE FACT THAT OUR POPULATION IS ALSO INCREASING.
UM, SO HOMICIDES AS A RESULT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ARE INCREASING, AND THAT TREND IS VERY WORRISOME FOR US.
WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE CASES THAT WERE FILED WITH THE DA'S OFFICE FOR, UM, MISDEMEANOR OFFENSES FOR FAMILY VIOLENCE, WE SAW A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT PICTURE.
AND SO WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS THE TREND LINE IS A CALCULATED RATE.
SO THAT ADJUSTS FOR THE FACT THAT POPULATION IS INCREASING IN THE CITY.
AND WHAT WE SEE IS THAT THE RATE PEAKED IN 2009 DROPPED FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND IS NOW IN A PLATEAU.
THE CHART ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE IS LITERALLY THE NUMBERS OF CASES THAT WERE REFERRED TO THE DA'S OFFICE, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT'S A PRETTY STEADY INCREASE.
BUT AGAIN, THAT DOESN'T CONTROL FOR POPULATION, WHICH IS WHY WE WENT AHEAD AND, UM, CALCULATED THE RATE.
WHAT ELSE DO WE KNOW? WE KNOW THAT, UM, CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES ESTIMATES THAT AT LEAST 25% OF THEIR CASES ARE DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
WE KNOW THAT FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION SERVICES HAS REPORTED THE HIGHEST AVERAGE MONTHLY CENSUS EVER IN MAY OF 2019, AND THAT THE S A P D HAS EXPERIENCED AN INCREASE IN FAMILY VIOLENCE RELATED REPORTS.
SO WHEN WE ANSWER THE QUESTION, IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INCREASING? WHAT WE CAN SAY DEFINITIVELY IS THAT BOTH THE NUMBER AND THE RATE OF HOMICIDES DUE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS INCREASING.
HOWEVER, OTHER INDICATORS ARE A LITTLE BIT LESS CLEAR.
I MENTIONED THAT THE REPORTS FROM S A P D WERE GOING UP, BUT CALLS TO SS A P D HAVE BEEN STABLE, STABLE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
WHAT THIS REFLECTS IS A MORE, UH, ROBUST RESPONSE WHEN POLICE ARE RESPONDING TO THE CALLS.
THE OTHER THING WE SEE IN SUPPORT OF THAT IS THAT THE FAMILY VIOLENCE ARRESTS HAVE INCREASED 6% A YEAR FROM 2014 THROUGH 2018.
SO WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A MIXED, UM, BAG HERE WITH THE DATA AROUND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
AND SO AS A RESULT, UM, WHAT WE DID WAS CONDUCT A GAP ANALYSIS.
NOW, THE FRAMEWORK THAT WE USED TO CONDUCT THIS GAP ANALYSIS WAS VERY MUCH STEEPED IN A PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH.
SO IT WAS FOCUSED ON WHAT CAN WE DO TO PREVENT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FROM EVER OCCURRING IN THE FIRST PLACE.
THE BASIC CONCEPT HERE IS THAT IF WE CAN DECREASE RISK FACTORS FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND INCREASE PROTECTIVE FA FA INCREASE PROTECTIVE FACTORS FOR HEALTHY CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, UH, WE WILL BE ABLE TO MOVE THE NEEDLE ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
I LIKE TO JOKE ABOUT THE FACT THAT NOBODY FROM PUBLIC HEALTH EVER GIVES A PRESENTATION WITHOUT HAVING AT LEAST TWO TRIANGLES.
UM, AND THIS ONE JUST BASICALLY SHOWS THE CUMULATIVE EFFECTS OF INTERGENERATIONAL, UM, TRAUMA ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES, UH, THOSE EFFECTS ON SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL FUNCTIONING AMONG OUR CHILDREN AND OUR FAMILIES.
UM, HOW THAT INFLUENCES HEALTH AND OTHER RISK BEHAVIORS LIKE, UM, SUBSTANCE USE, FOR EXAMPLE, HOW THAT THEN CONTRIBUTES TO DEATH AND DISEASE AND, UM, AND SHOWS
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THE, THE CUMULATIVE EFFECT THAT WE DEAL WITH WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH REALLY STICKY ITEMS LIKE VIOLENCE IN THE COMMUNITY.THIS ALSO SHOWS THAT THERE'S AN, AN ECOSYSTEM OF VIOLENCE EXPERIENCED BY OUR FAMILIES.
RARELY ARE WE DEALING WITH JUST ONE FORM OF VIOLENCE IN OUR HOUSEHOLDS.
SO WHERE WE HAVE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, WE TEND TO ALSO SEE CHILD ABUSE, ELDER ABUSE, GUN VIOLENCE.
UM, SO THE THOUGHT IS THAT WE, WE CANNOT ADDRESS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN ISOLATION.
WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S PART OF A BIGGER ECOSYSTEM, UM, THAT SHARE MANY OF THE SAME RISK FACTORS AND MANY OF THE SAME PROTECTIVE FACTORS.
SO AS WE'RE IMPLEMENTING PARTS OF THIS PLAN, WE'LL BE DOING SO WITH AN EYE TOWARDS THIS ENTIRE PICTURE.
SO I MENTIONED THAT DATA IS A CHALLENGE FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM.
UH, WHAT WE NOTICED WAS THAT MANY OF THE INDICATORS, UH, VARY TREMENDOUSLY FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
WE, UH, HAVE NO UNIVERSAL DEFINITION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE, FAMILY VIOLENCE.
THERE'S A WIDE ARRAY OF DEFINITIONS HERE.
AND SO WE'VE REALLY, UM, WORKED HARD ON WRAPPING OUR MINDS AROUND WHAT ARE SOME UNIVERSAL DEFINITIONS THAT WE, THE COMMUNITY CAN COME TO CONSENSUS ON.
THE OTHER THING WE KNOW IS THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF DATA THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US IS LAW ENFORCEMENT DATA.
BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT WOMEN ARE OFTEN ACCESSING MEDICAL SERVICES MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE LAW ENFORCEMENT IS EVER INVOLVED.
AND SO WHAT TENDS TO HAPPEN IS WE TEND TO SH TO, TO FOCUS OUR EFFORTS ON THOSE AREAS WHERE WE HAVE DATA, WHICH MAKES IT FEEL LIKE THIS IS A LAW ENFORCEMENT ISSUE, WHEN IN REALITY IT'S NOT.
IF WE'RE GOING TO REALLY GET IN FRONT OF THIS, WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT OTHER DATA SOURCES THAT CAN HELP US FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT.
SO WHEN WE WERE CONDUCTING THE GAP ANALYSIS, IN ORDER TO, UM, ROUND OUT THE FACT THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE THE BEST DATA AVAILABLE TO US, WE WENT TO THE COMMUNITY TO GET THEIR INPUT AND THEIR PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS HAPPENING AND WHAT THEY THOUGHT A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
HERE ARE THE DIFFERENT DATA SOURCES THAT WE USED WHEN WE DID THE GAP ANALYSIS.
SO WE WENT TO THE, UM, TOWN HALL THIS SUMMER AND, UM, WERE ABLE TO SURVEY 83 PARTICIPANTS IN THAT TOWN HALL.
UM, THAT WAS A COMBINATION OF SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AS WELL AS, UM, STAKEHOLDERS AND ORGANIZATIONS WHO WORK ON BEHALF OF VICTIMS WHO'VE EXPERIENCED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
WE ALSO DID TWO SURVEYS OF COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS WHO WORK WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PERPETRATORS AND SURVIVORS.
UH, AND WE HAD 43 ORGANIZATIONS RESPOND TO THAT SURVEY.
WE ALSO DID 52 INTERVIEWS WITH COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS.
SO, UM, EMPLOYEES WHO WORK WITH THESE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, ADVOCATES WHO WORK ON BEHALF, ATTORNEYS WHO WORK ON BEHALF.
UM, WE DID A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, RANGING FROM ONE HOUR TO THREE HOUR INTERVIEWS, UH, WITH THESE KEY STAKEHOLDERS TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS GOING ON.
AND THEN FINALLY, WE INTERVIEWED FEDERAL AND STATE EXPERTS.
SO AS WE STARTED GETTING A SENSE OF THE THEMES OF THE GAPS, WE REACHED OUT TO THEM TO SEE WHAT ARE OTHER PLACES DOING THAT HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE, AND HOW CAN WE INCORPORATE THAT INTO THE PLAN THAT WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER.
SO I WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, THE TOWN HALL SURVEY RESULTS.
AND IT WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, OFTEN WHEN YOU DO THIS KIND OF WORK, YOU END UP WITH, YOU TALK TO 15 PEOPLE AND YOU HAVE 15 DIFFERENT IDEAS ABOUT WHAT TO DO HERE.
WE TALKED TO 83 DIFFERENT PEOPLE, AND WE HAD A TREMENDOUS CONSENSUS AROUND WHAT SOME OF THE SOLUTIONS NEEDED TO BE AND WHAT SOME OF THE GAPS WERE.
UM, AND SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT OUR SURVEY RESPONDENTS SAID THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE US DO.
THE VERY FIRST THING IS REMOVING WEAPONS FROM THE HOME OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ABUSERS.
UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO HAVE LEGAL ABILITY TO DO.
AND I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT, UM, WHO'S GOING TO BE TACKLING THAT
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IN A LITTLE BIT LATER.THE, THE, UM, TOWN HALL RESPONDENTS ALSO SAID THAT WE NEED TO DO MORE WORK WITH TEENS.
WE NEED TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND, UH, HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATE CONFLICT WITHOUT RESORTING TO VIOLENCE IN THESE EARLY RELATIONSHIPS, BECAUSE THESE EARLY RELATIONSHIPS ARE SETTING PATTERNS AND HABITS FOR LATER RELATIONSHIPS IN LIFE.
UM, THEY MENTIONED MORE TRAINING FOR POLICE OFFICERS.
THEY MENTIONED THE NEED TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF LEGAL ADVOCATES TO SUPPORT SURVIVORS.
UM, IT'S A TREMENDOUSLY COMPLICATED SYSTEM AT ITS BEST.
AND SO HAVING SOMEBODY WHO CAN HELP, UM, THESE FAMILIES WHO ARE ALREADY STRUGGLING, NAVIGATE THROUGH THAT COMPLICATED SYSTEM AND PROCESS, UH, WAS, WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS MENTIONED TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
THE, THE TOWN HALL RESPONDENTS ALSO SAID, WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB HELPING PARENTS, UM, MEDIATE CONFLICT WITH THEIR YOUNG CHILDREN WITHOUT RESORTING TO VIOLENCE, WHICH OF COURSE, TIES INTO THE ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCE AND TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.
UM, AND CAME UP AGAIN AND AGAIN THAT, UM, CHILDREN WHO ARE VICTIMS OF ABUSE ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE INVOLVED IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, EITHER AS A PERPETRATOR OR AS A VICTIM.
UH, THE OTHER THING THAT CAME UP TREMENDOUSLY CONSISTENTLY IS THERE ISN'T A COMMUNICATION CAMPAIGN TO HELP WOMEN KNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN THEY ARE FACED WITH A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SITUATION.
WHO DO THEY CALL? WHERE DO THEY GO? WHERE IS HELP? AND SO WE HAVE STARTED THAT CAMPAIGN THROUGH THE LOVE IS CAMPAIGN THAT MANY OF YOU PARTICIPATED IN, THAT'S BEEN INCREDIBLY, UM, POPULAR, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THAT CAMPAIGN.
AND THEN FINALLY, AS I ALLUDED TO, UM, HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS ARE OFTEN THE FIRST RESPONDERS WHEN IT COMES TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND THEY DO NOT GET ANY SORT OF TRAINING AS PART OF THEIR, UM, MEDICAL SCHOOL ROTATION.
AND SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE GETTING WHAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY AND THEN REFER APPROPRIATELY FOR SERVICES.
SO WE ALSO DID COMMUNITY INTERVIEWS AND, UM, SOME OF THE THEMES THAT CAME OUT OF THOSE INTERVIEWS WERE, UM, THAT THERE IS A COMMUNITY NORM HERE THAT SEEMS TO, UM, FOSTER OR AS STATUS QUO THAT THERE WILL ALWAYS BE VIOLENCE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
UM, THERE WERE ALSO SOME, UM, PERCEPTIONS THAT, WELL, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS A PRIVATE, PRIVATE ISSUE THAT HAPPENS IN SOMEBODY'S HOME.
SO IT'S NOT REALLY OUR BUSINESS.
IT'S NOT REALLY SUPER IMPORTANT TO THE GENERAL POPULATION.
UH, THERE WAS ALSO A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT THIS IS INCREDIBLY COMPLEX WORK.
THIS IS RARELY JUST ONE MAN, ONE WOMAN, AND A VIOLENT SITUATION.
THERE ARE OFTEN CHILDREN OR OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS.
SO THERE'S CUSTODY ISSUES, THERE'S FINANCIAL ISSUES, THERE'S HOUSING ISSUES.
AND SO THIS, WELL, WHY DOESN'T SHE JUST LEAVE HIM, UM, OVER SIMPLIFIES THE PROBLEM AND, UM, REALLY LEADS TO AN UNDERVALUING OF THE WORK THAT IS HAPPENING.
WE HEARD ABOUT THE NEED FOR OUR, UM, SERVICES AND PROGRAMS TO BE MORE RESPONSIVE TO SPECIAL POPULATIONS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, L G B T Q POPULATION, UM, THAT THEY DON'T FIT THE MOLD OF A TYPICAL, UM, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVOR, AND THE SYSTEMS HAVEN'T BEEN BUILT IN ORDER TO RESPOND TO A TRANSGENDER PERSON.
UM, AND, UH, HOW, HOW DO WE PROVIDE SHELTER? SO THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT THEY SAID IS, IS COMING UP MORE AND MORE THAT WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF.
THEY MENTIONED A LACK OF COORDINATION AND POINTED ALSO TO THE FACT THAT THE, THE WORK IS SO COM COMPLEX.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE THAT LACK OF COORDINATION, UM, IT, IT FURTHER COMPLICATES AND ALREADY COMPLICATED SITUATION.
AND THEN, UM, THERE'S THIS LACK OF SHARED DATA.
UH, WE DON'T ALL USE THE SAME NUMBERS, WE DON'T ALL USE THE SAME DEFINITIONS, AND THAT MAKES IT REALLY HARD TO BE ABLE TO POINT TO COMMUNITY SUCCESS AROUND THE ISSUE.
UM, NOW THIS IS NOT TO TAKE AWAY FROM ALL OF THE REALLY INCREDIBLE WORK BEING DONE IN THE COMMUNITY.
PEOPLE ARE WORKING REALLY HARD.
WHAT WE NEED IS A SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS US TO FOCUS ON PREVENTION AND ALLOWS US TO COMMUNICATE ABOUT WHAT EVERYBODY IS DOING.
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A VIOLENCE PREVENTION FRAMEWORK AT METRO HEALTH THAT ALLOWS US TO HELP VISUALIZE WHAT THIS SYSTEM SHOULD LOOK LIKE.AND AGAIN, WITH THE FOCUS ON THE PRIMARY PREVENTION, THE BULK OF THE WORK HAPPENING AT THAT BASE OF THE TRIANGLE SO THAT WE'RE NOT CONSTANTLY RESPONDING.
WE MAY BE RESPONDING PERFECTLY, BUT IF WE'RE NOT INTERVENING UPSTREAM, WE'LL JUST CONTINUE TO HAVE TO RESPOND TO MORE AND MORE AND MORE VIOLENCE.
SO THE RESULTS OF THE GAP ANALYSIS, UM, AS YOU KNOW, CATEGORIZED BY OUR TRIANGLE, ARE SHOWING THAT, UM, IN THESE FOUR DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
SO PRIMARY PREVENTION, WHICH IS PREVENTING VIOLENCE FROM OCCURRING IN THE FIRST PLACE.
YOU CAN SEE THERE WERE THREE GAPS.
UM, NOT ENOUGH, UH, PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND FAMILIES.
UM, THESE COMMUNITY NORMS THAT NURTURE VIOLENCE AS BEING INEVITABLE AND THE LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT RESOURCES ARE OUT THERE.
AND THEN, UM, THE POPULATIONS THAT ARE UNIQUELY VULNERABLE TO EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE NEED A DIFFERENT KIND OF RESPONSE THAT OUR COMMUNITY DOESN'T CURRENTLY PROVIDE.
SECONDARY PREVENTION TARGETS PEOPLE OR PLACES AT HIGH RISK FOR EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
AND, UM, WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT WE HAVE A GOOD SENSE OF WHO AND WHERE WE NEED TO OFFER THESE SERVICES, BUT THAT WE'RE NOT DOING AS GOOD OF A JOB OF COORDINATING RESOURCES AND EVALUATIONS BETWEEN AGENCIES.
UH, THE ACUTE RESPONSE IS 48 HOURS IMMEDIATELY AFTER A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INCIDENT.
AND WHAT WE IDENTIFIED WAS THAT, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO COLLECTING SOME OF THE EVIDENCE THAT SURVIVORS NEED IN ORDER TO PROVE THEIR CASE IN COURT, UM, THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, FOR EXAMPLE, NEEDS BETTER TRAINING, NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO, TO, UM, HAVE BETTER TOOLS TO DO THAT.
AND, UM, THAT THE ENTRY POINTS FOR SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INTO THE SYSTEM ARE UNCLEAR.
THEY DON'T KNOW WHO TO CALL OR WHERE TO GO.
AND THEN FINALLY, TERTIARY, UH, LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP TO INCLUDE HOUSING SERVICES AND TREATMENT FOR OFFENDERS, JOB TRAINING, UM, ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT ARE ON A LOT OF OUR LISTS, UM, AS WE'RE TRYING TO, UM, STRENGTHEN OUR FAMILIES AND CHILDREN AND WHAT WE FOUND, THEIR HOUSING LEGAL SERVICES ARE STRETCHED, NEED ADDITIONAL CAPACITY.
AND, UM, SERVICES AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR OFFENDERS, UM, ARE INCONSISTENT.
AND WE DON'T ALWAYS, UH, SUFFICIENTLY REMOVE THE WEAPONS FROM THE HOUSEHOLD, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE THE LEGAL AUTHORITY TO DO SO.
FOR EVERY GAP, WE IDENTIFIED EVIDENCE-BASED SOLUTIONS THAT OTHER PLACES HAD IMPLEMENTED, AND THIS IS WHERE THE COMMISSION COMES IN.
THE COMMISSION WAS, UM, FORMED BY DOC, BY DR.
BY JUDGE SAKAI, UM, WHO APPOINTED, UM, JUDGE MONIQUE DIAZ AND ME AS CO-CHAIRS OF THE COMMISSION.
YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE FIVE, WE'RE GETTING READY TO ADD A SIXTH FOR HIGHER EDUCATION.
WE HAVE, UM, THESE DIFFERENT SUBCOMMITTEES THAT LOOKED AT THE GAPS AND THE SOLUTIONS AND SAID, WE'RE GOING TO PICK ONE OR TWO OF THESE ITEMS AND WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON JUST THOSE THINGS THIS YEAR.
SO THAT IT WAS A, A FOCUSED APPROACH AND IT WAS A COORDINATED APPROACH BETWEEN THE COMMISSION AND THE, THE COORDINATED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PLAN.
THE OTHER NEAT THING ABOUT THE COMMISSION IS THAT WE HAVE, UM, A POLICY WORK GROUP, SO THAT AS THE HEALTHCARE, UM, SUBCOMMITTEE FOR EXAMPLE, WAS WORKING ON THINGS, IF THEY IDENTIFIED THE NEED FOR POLICY OR LEGISLATIVE CHANGES, THEN THEY COULD REPORT THAT TO THE POLICY WORK GROUP WHO WOULD WORK WITH THE MACHINES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE AT THE CITY AND THE COUNTY AND THE HOSPITAL TO, UM, FIGURE OUT IF THAT'S A LOCAL, STATE OR FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE OR POLICY CHANGE, AND THEN WORK TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
HERE ARE THE ITEMS THAT EACH OF THOSE, UM, COMMITTEES SELECTED TO WORK ON.
SO FOR THE HEALTHCARE COMMITTEE, THEY ARE GOING TO AUGMENT THE COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGN THAT WAS LAUNCHED BY THE CITY, UM, WHICH IS GREAT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT'S A REAL STRENGTH OF OUR HEALTHCARE, UH, INSTITUTIONS.
THEY'RE ALSO WORKING ON THIS REFERRAL AND TRAINING SYSTEM SO THAT WHEN A PHYSICIAN IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, THINKS
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THAT THERE MIGHT BE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE GOING ON WITH THIS WOMAN, I DON'T KNOW WHY IT'S BLINKING, I DON'T THINK I'M DOING THAT RIGHT, UM, THAT THIS, UM, ED PHYSICIAN KNOWS, UM, HOW TO ASK THE QUESTIONS THE RIGHT WAY.AND THEN HOW TO HELP THE WOMAN NAVIGATE THE SYSTEM WHEN SHE'S READY TO DO THAT.
JUDICIAL, UM, COMMITTEE IS WORKING ON IMPROVING ACCESS TO PRO BONO REPRESENTATION AND WORKING ON THE LOGISTICS AROUND FIREARM SURRENDER ENFORCEMENT.
LAW ENFORCEMENT IS WORKING ON, UM, HIGH RISK TEAMS, UH, WHICH IS A REALLY NEAT APPROACH FOR THEM BECAUSE IT, AGAIN, IT'S ALLOWING THEM TO WIDEN THEIR LENS ON HOW THEY'RE RESPONDING AND PREVENTING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE GETTING MORE UPSTREAM.
UH, THE NONPROFIT GROUP IS WORKING ON SCHOOL-BASED EDUCATION AND, UM, COLLABORATING WITH THE JUDICIAL GROUP ON PRO BONO ACCESS.
AND THEN FOR THE PROSECUTION GROUP IS, UM, DOING A REALLY DEEP ANALYSIS THROUGH THE, UM, PRAXIS INTERNATIONAL BLUEPRINT ON THE PROCESS THAT THEY USE FROM START TO FINISH WHEN DEALING WITH VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
BECAUSE WHAT WE FOUND WAS THAT AS MANY OF THE GAPS AND CHALLENGES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IN THIS ANALYSIS HAD TO DO WITH PROCESS PROBLEMS AS LACK OF RESOURCE PROBLEMS. AND SO THIS WILL REALLY ALLOW THEM TO GET INTO THAT.
UM, THE OTHER THING I DO WANNA MENTION IS THAT WE ARE COLLABORATING WITH STRAC AND WORKING ON FORENSIC NURSE EXAMS. UM, THEY'RE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH THE, THE HEALTHCARE COMMITTEE AND THE PROSECUTION COMMITTEE ON TRAINING FOR FORENSIC NURSE EXAMS, UM, WHICH IS JUST FURTHER EVIDENCE OF THIS CROSS SECTOR COLLABORATION.
THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO ALLOCATED, UM, A MILLION DOLLARS BETWEEN HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TO ADDRESS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
HALF OF THAT WENT TO, UH, PARENTING PROGRAMS. SO 250,000 TO THE POSITIVE PARENTING PROGRAM OR TRIPLE P.
UM, 80,000 OF IT WENT TO A SCHOOL-BASED VIOLENCE TO GOOD FOR VIOLENCE CURRICULUM TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN SOME ISDS.
AND THEN 170,000 WAS ALLOCATED TO THE LOVE IS CAMPAIGN.
THE REMAINING HALF A MILLION DOLLARS WAS SET ASIDE TO, UM, RESPOND TO PRIORITIES IDENTIFIED BY THE COMMISSION, UH, IN ORDER TO FUND NONPROFITS WORKING ON, UH, BEHALF OF THAT.
SO, UM, IN ADDITION TO THIS, I ALSO WANT TO REMIND Y'ALL THAT SS A P D IS WORKING ON, UH, MULTIPLE INITIATIVES, INCLUDING THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM THAT PROACTIVELY DEPLOYS, UH, STAFF IN HIGH RISK AREAS OF THE CITY.
THEY'RE ALSO EXPANDING MY FAVORITE PROGRAM EVER, WHICH IS THE HANDLE WITH CARE PROGRAM.
UM, IN ALL ISDS, THEY'RE TRAINING THEIR SAFE OFFICERS AND CITIZENS ON PATROL, VOLUNTEERS ON FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND HAVING THEM GIVE PRESENTATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEN THE CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM IS DOING PROACTIVE FOLLOW UP WITH VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AT REGULAR INTERVALS WAITING RATHER THAN JUST WAITING FOR THEM TO CALL AND ASK FOR HELP.
UH, IN ADDITION, SSS A P D HAS ADDED 16 ADDITIONAL, UH, OFFICERS.
THIS IS A SUPER EXCITING SLIDE BECAUSE IN THE TIME THAT WE WERE WORKING ON PUTTING TOGETHER THIS COMPREHENSIVE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PLAN, WE HAD OTHER FUNDERS IN THE COMMUNITY COME TO US AND ASK HOW THEY COULD HELP.
AND SO, UH, WE HAD THE SAN ANTONIO AREA FOUNDATION COMMIT TO $200,000 A YEAR FOR THREE YEARS TO FUND TRIPLE P IMPLEMENTATION WITH COMMUNITY NONPROFITS.
UM, WE'VE HAD UT HEALTH PROVIDE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO EXPAND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TWO GOOD FOR VIOLENCE CAMPAIGN.
AND, UM, WE'VE BEEN NOTIFIED BY THE TEXAS COUNCIL ON FAMILY VIOLENCE THAT, UM, WE ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY FOR FUNDING FOR THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HIGH RISK TEAM GRANT THAT THEY HAVE COMING.
UM, AND THEN THE KONKOWSKI FOUNDATION HAS REACHED OUT TO US AND NOTIFIED US THAT, UM, THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED TRIPLE P AND THE, UM, TOO GOOD FOR VIOLENCE AS PRIORITY FUNDING AREAS FOR THEIR UPCOMING, UH, RE RELEASE.
SO NOW I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MEL, WHO'S GOING TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE, UM, THE PRES SOLICITATION INFORMATION.
SO WE ARE COMBINING TWO THINGS HERE IN ORDER TO EXPEDITE THE RELEASE OF THE R F P.
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UM, SO THIS WOULD NORMALLY BE DONE THROUGH AN AUDIT COMMITTEE AND THEN A B SESSION.WE HAVE PUT IT ALL HERE IN THE B SESSION SO THAT Y'ALL KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
WE'RE ABLE TO DO ALL OF THE REQUIRED ELEMENTS, BUT IT MEANS THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO RELEASE THE R F P ON FRIDAY RATHER THAN IN A MONTH.
SO MEL'S GONNA COME TALK TO Y'ALL ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND SO THIS IS A HIGH PROFILE SOLICITATION.
UM, HUMAN SERVICES WILL ISSUE A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, UM, ACTUALLY ON THIS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER THE FIRST, UM, TO PROVIDE $500,000 TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY-WIDE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UM, EFFORTS TO ELIMINATE AND PREVENT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
WE WILL SOLICIT APPLICATIONS FROM NON-PROFIT EIGHT ORGANIZATIONS FOR SPECIFIC SERVICES THAT ARE RELATED TO THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PLAN THAT DR.
AND THE FUNDING CONTRACT TERM WILL RUN FOR 19 MONTHS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2021, UM, WITH A ONE YEAR RENEWAL THAT WILL ALLOW US TO ALIGN THE FUNDS, UM, THIS PROCESS WITH THE CON NORMAL CONSOLIDATED FUNDING PROCESS.
UH, BUT THESE DOLLARS ARE SEPARATE AND THE SCOPE OF WORK IS SEPARATE FROM THE CURRENTLY FUNDED CONTRACTS THROUGH CONSOLIDATED FUNDING.
AND SO THE, UM, NOW THE ANNUAL AMOUNT THAT WOULD BE FUNDED FOR, UM, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, IF THE PRIORITY REMAINS THE SAME THROUGH CONSOLIDATED FUNDING WILL BE OVER A MILLION DOLLARS.
AND SO THE R F P SCOPE OF WORKS INCLUDES THE PRIORITIES THAT DR.
BRIDGER JUST PRESENTED TO YOU ALL, UM, THAT ALIGN WITH THE PRIORITIES THE COMMITTEES, UM, SELECTED.
SO THOSE INCLUDE THE REFERRAL SYSTEM, PRO BONO REPRESENTATION, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, HIGH RISK TEENS TEAMS, UH, SCHOOL-BASED EDUCATION, THE BLUEPRINT FOR SAFETY FORENSIC NURSE EXAMINERS AND LETHALITY ASSESSMENTS.
UM, SO THE, THAT, THAT SCOPE OF WORK WILL REFLECT THOSE.
THESE ARE NEW CATEGORIES AND WE ARE HOPING FOR, UM, NEW AND INNOVATIVE APPLICATIONS THAT WILL MOVE THIS PROCESS FORWARD.
UM, AND AGAIN, SEPARATE AND DISTINCT FROM THE CURRENTLY FUNDED CONTRACTS FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE UNDER CONSOLIDATED FUNDING.
SO THE, UH, OUTREACH FOR THE SOLICITATION INCLUDES, UM, SENDING THE SOLICITATION DIRECTLY TO A NUMBER OF, UM, CENTRAL VENDORS IN THE CENTRAL VENDOR REGISTRY.
SOME, UH, VETERAN OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES, TARGETED VENDOR OUTREACH AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
AND WE'LL ALSO SEND IT TO OUR LIST OF DELEGATE AGENCIES THAT WE RECEIVED APPLICATIONS FOR IN THE CONSOLIDATED FUNDING PROCESS.
UM, SO EVEN THOUGH IT DOES INCLUDE, UM, VETERAN OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES, THE FUNDING WILL BE AWARDED TO NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR REGULAR PROCESS.
UM, THE GRANT, THE SOLICITATION HAS BEEN GRANTED A WAIVER FOR THE CITY'S, UM, SMALL BUSINESS MINORITY OWNED BUSINESS GOALS.
SO BETA GOALS, UM, WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW MANY PROPOSALS THAT WE'LL RECEIVE, UM, BUT WE'LL SET UP AN EVALUATION TEAM THAT WILL REVIEW THOSE PROPOSALS.
THE EVALUATION TEAM INCLUDES DR.
BRIDGER AND MYSELF, AS WELL AS RICHARD KEITH FROM HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND JENNY HIXSON FROM METRO HEALTH.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, TWO REPRESENTATIVES FROM AREA COLLEGES, AND WE'VE IDENTIFIED DR.
SHE'S A PROFESSOR WITH SPECIAL INTEREST IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, TEEN DATING VIOLENCE, AND THE DESIGN AND EVALUATION OF DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENTALLY AND CULTURALLY GROUNDED INTERVENTIONS, AS WELL AS DR.
LORI RODRIGUEZ FROM PALO ALTO COLLEGE.
SHE, HER SPECIAL INTERESTS ARE EXPERTISE IN THE AMERI, THE, UM, AREA OF AMERICAN MEXICAN AMERICAN STUDIES.
WE ALSO WILL INCLUDE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT WHO HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED QUITE YET.
AND SO EVALUATION CRITERIA FOR THIS R F P AGENCY EXPERIENCE AND BACKGROUND, 30 POINTS.
THE PROPOSED PROGRAM PLAN WILL BE WORTH, UM, UP TO 45 POINTS.
AND THEN THE FUNDING BUDGET AND BUDGET NARRATIVE WOULD BE, UM, ASSESSED AT UP TO 25 POINTS.
THE SUB BETA PROGRAM, AGAIN, IS WAIVED SINCE THE FUNDING WILL BE AWARDED TO NONPROFIT AGENCIES.
THE LOCAL PREFERENCE PROGRAM IS NOT APPLICABLE IN THIS INSTANCE, AGAIN, BECAUSE OF IT'S NONPROFITS.
AND THE SAME WITH VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS PREFERENCE PROGRAM, UM, IS NOT APPLICABLE.
AND SO, AGAIN, THE PROJECT TIMELINE, UM, HUMAN SERVICES AND COORDINATION WILL FI WITH FINANCE WILL ISSUE THE R F P ON FRIDAY,
[00:35:01]
NOVEMBER THE FIRST.A PRE-SUBMIT CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD FOR INTERESTED BIDDERS ON NOVEMBER THE 14TH AT THREE EIGHT 3:00 PM AND THE EVALUATION TEAM WILL MEET TO RECOMMEND FUNDING AWARDS ON JANUARY THE SEVENTH, 2020.
UM, WE'LL BE, UH, SEEKING CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL OF THE CONTRACTS AWARDS BEFORE THE END OF FEBRUARY WITH CONTRACT START DATE IN MARCH.
AND SO I'M GONNA TURN IT BACK OVER TO DR.
THE BULK OF THE PRESENTATION HAS TALKED ABOUT THE FIRST YEAR'S WORK, BUT I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS A FIVE YEAR PLAN.
AND SO WE HAVE IDENTIFIED OUR FIVE YEAR GOALS IN THE PLAN, AND, UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT THEY ALIGNED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE GAPS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED, AS WELL AS, UH, ALIGNED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH THAT WE'RE TAKING WITH THE REAL FOCUS ON PREVENTION, THE PROCESS THAT WE'RE GOING TO USE FOR EVALUATION.
WILL YEAR ONE COME TO CONSENSUS AROUND THESE DATA CHALLENGES.
WHAT ARE THE DEFINITIONS THAT WE'RE ALL GOING TO USE? WHAT ARE THE DATA SOURCES THAT WE'RE ALL GOING TO USE AND USE THAT AS OUR BASELINE FOR YEAR ONE.
SO BY THE END OF THE FIRST YEAR, WE WILL HAVE ESTABLISHED THE BASELINE INDICATORS FOR EACH OF OUR OBJECTIVES.
THEN YEAR TWO, WE WILL, UM, COME TO YOU.
SO THIS TIME NEXT YEAR, WE WILL COME TO YOU AND WE'LL SAY, HERE WAS OUR YEAR ONE WORK PLAN.
HERE'S HOW WE DID, HERE'S OUR YEAR TWO WORK PLAN, WHICH WILL INCLUDE THE SPECIFIC MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES.
AND THEN EVERY YEAR IN OCTOBER, WE WILL COME BACK TO YOU FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS AND REPORT OUT ABOUT OUR PROGRESS FOR THE PREVIOUS YEARS AND OUR PLAN FOR THE FUTURE YEARS.
AT THE END OF YEAR FIVE, WE WILL ISSUE A FINAL REPORT AND WE WILL, UM, FIGURE OUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO NEXT, WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS.
SO THIS WILL BE AN ITERATIVE PLAN, AN ITERATIVE PROCESS FOR EVERYBODY, WHERE EVERY YEAR WE WILL BE COMING BACK TO YOU SHARING, UM, WHAT HAPPENED THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND WHAT WE PLAN TO DO THE NEXT YEAR.
THAT IS THE END OF THE OFFICIAL PRESENTATION, AND WE ARE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
BRIDGER AND MELODY FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, ALSO, THANK YOU TO THE COMMISSION.
I SEE MANY MEMBERS HERE WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS WORK FOR, UH, A NUMBER OF MONTHS.
I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ AND COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, PIAS FOR INITIATING THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS.
I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING AND I COULDN'T HELP BUT GO BACK OVER THE SA 2020 REPORT BACK IN 2010 THAT KIND OF PUT THIS ON THE RADAR FOR THE CITY AND, AND SEE HOW FAR WE'VE COME.
AND UNFORTUNATELY HOW FAR WE'VE FALLEN.
UM, IN 2014, WE HAD FIVE WOMEN KILLED, UH, BY THEIR INTIMATE PARTNERS.
IN 2018, THAT NUMBER JUMPED TO 26.
WE ARE CLEARLY GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION, UH, AND UNFORTUNATELY THAT THAT STORY IS NOT, UM, DIFFERENT IN OTHER CITIES, UH, IN TEXAS AND THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.
BUT I THINK THAT, UH, WITH THE KIND OF TEAM THAT WE'VE ASSEMBLED, UH, WE CAN GET FOCUSED AND WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
SO, UM, THE GOAL OF THIS ALL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT VICTIMS, UM, AND PERPETRATORS, UH, ARE MADE WHOLE AGAIN, THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO, UH, BECOME PART OF THE COMMUNITY AGAIN, WHICH WILL HELP SAVE FAMILIES AND HOPEFULLY HELP PREVENT FURTHER INCIDENTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
AND SO, UH, THE FOCUS ON PREVENTION, UH, IS CERTAINLY A WELCOME ONE, BUT SO IS THE, UH, GAP ANALYSIS THAT SHOWS THAT WE EVEN HAVE WORK TO DO WITHIN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, UH, AND WORK THAT WE, WE CAN DO WITH MAKING SURE THAT, UH, FOR INSTANCE, WEAPONS DON'T FALL IN THE HANDS OF PEOPLE THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE THEM.
UM, I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES.
'CAUSE I KNOW THIS IS AN EXTREMELY HIGH PRIORITY FOR EVERYONE AROUND THE DIOCESE.
BRIDGER, WE, WE KNOW SORT OF THE, UH, SHORT TERM HISTORY OF WHERE WE'VE BEEN AND, AND THE DIRE STRAITS THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS FOUND ITSELF IN WITH REGARD TO HOW SIGNIFICANT THE PROBLEM IS.
UM, CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON? UH, THERE SEEMS TO BE HA THERE SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN A, A, A, A MARKED INCREASE IN THE LEVEL OF AWARENESS, WHICH IS STEP ONE.
UM, CAN YOU TELL US, AND, AND MAYBE THIS IS ALSO FOR THE CHIEF, IS THERE ANYTHING HAPPENING IN THE NUMBERS, UH, THAT KIND OF GIVES US A GLIMPSE OF, UH, YOU KNOW, A DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT OR WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS YEAR? UH, IS IT, ARE WE STILL ON THE SAME, UH, TRACK OR
[00:40:01]
IS THERE ANY DIFFERENCE? SO IF YOU LOOK AT PAGE FOUR IN THE ACTUAL DOCUMENT, UM, YOU HAVE THE YEAR TO DATE THROUGH JULY 31ST OF, UM, HOMICIDES RELATED TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, BOTH FOR WOMEN AND FOR, UM, THE TOTAL POPULATION.SO YOU CAN SEE IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE, IT'S A LITTLE EARLY TO TELL WHAT'S, UM, WHAT THAT TREND'S GONNA LOOK LIKE AT THE END OF THE YEAR, BUT WE ARE TRACKING IT MORE CLOSELY THAN EVER BEFORE.
SO THAT CHART IS, UM, ONE THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO UPDATE AND WE WILL SHARE WITH PEOPLE AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
UM, YOU'LL NOTICE THOUGH THAT SOME OF THE NUMBERS ARE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT HAVE BEEN QUOTED IN THE PAST.
AND THAT AGAIN, GOES BACK TO THAT CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE WITH, UH, WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF.
AND SO AS WE FINE TUNE AND COALESCE AROUND THAT DEFINITION, THOSE NUMBERS MAY CHANGE.
AND WE WILL SEND THOSE NUMBERS TO YOU ON A REGULAR BASIS SO THAT AS YOU'RE ASKED TO COMMENT ON SOMETHING, YOU ARE ABLE TO USE THE SAME NUMBERS THAT THE REST OF THE COMMISSION AND ALL OF THE OTHER STAKEHOLDERS ARE USING AROUND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOMICIDES, AS WELL AS THE PREVALENCE OF CASES.
THAT'S PAGE SIX, RIGHT? COUNSEL? RIGHT.
UH, COLLEEN, I'M SORRY, YOU SAID PAGE FOUR, BUT IT'S PAGE SIX IN THE REPORT.
UM, ALSO ON, ON THE SLIDE PRESENTATION, I KNOW WHAT NUMBER, UH, PAGE IT IS IN THE REPORT, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE SEEN A CHART THAT TRACKS MISDEMEANOR OFFENSES RELATED TO FAMILY VIOLENCE.
I, I ALWAYS REFLECT ON MY FIRST RIDE ALONG WITH S A P D, AND WITHOUT EXCEPTION, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE CALLS THAT WE MADE WAS RELATED TO FAMILY VIOLENCE.
UM, BUT IT'S INTERESTING TO NOTE, UH, THERE WAS, THERE SEEMED TO BE A MARKED, UH, DROP OFF IN THE NUMBER OF MISDEMEANOR OFFENSES, UH, OF FAMILY VIOLENCE FROM 20 20 0 9 TO SAY 2014.
IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WAS HAPPENING DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME? WAS THERE A PROGRAM IN PLACE, UM, THAT SHOWED THAT LEVEL OF DROP, BECAUSE WE SORT OF PLATEAUED IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF OFFENSES SINCE THAT TIME? NO, SIR.
THERE, THERE WAS NOT ANY TYPE OF SPECIAL PROGRAM IN PLACE.
I, I, I DON'T HAVE AN EXPLANATION FOR THE, FOR THE DROP.
UM, I DO HAVE, UH, SOME INSIGHT AS TO THE INCREASE, UM, IN CALLS SUBSEQUENT TO THAT.
AND, AND IT, IT, IT APPEARS TO BE A NATIONWIDE TREND THAT FAMILY VIOLENCE OFFENSES ARE INCREASING, UH, YEAR TO DATE.
OUR, OUR NUMBERS ARE RELATIVELY STATIC.
UH, BUT, BUT THE CALLS, UM, HAVE INCREASED, BUT THE NUMBERS HAVE DROPPED A LITTLE BIT.
UM, AND, AND TO EMPHASIZE THIS IS NOT A, AN ISSUE RELATED TO ONE SOCIOECONOMIC BRACKET OR ONE PART OF TOWN, OR ONE ZIP CODE, THIS FLATLY OCCURS ALL ACROSS TOWN AFFECTS EVERY POPULATION THAT WE HAVE.
AND THAT'S, I MEAN, IS THAT A FAIR ASSESSMENT? YES, SIR.
UM, THE ONLY OTHER QUESTION I HAVE, DOC, IS RELATED TO THE GAP ANALYSIS PRIORITIES.
COULD YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO HOW THOSE WERE SELECTED AND WHAT THE NEXT, UH, SAY FOUR YEARS OF THE PROGRAM LOOKS LIKE? I'M TRYING TO THINK OF THE BEST PLACE TO TELL YOU TO GO.
REALLY, IT RELATES TO THE, THE R F P, UM, AND HOW THE PARTICULAR PROGRAMS, THE OUTCOMES YOU'LL BE SEEKING IN THIS INITIAL YEAR OF THE R F P, HOW THOSE ARE, HOW THOSE WERE SELECTED, AND WHAT WE NEED TO BE LOOKING OUT FOR TO ENSURE, UM, WE'RE MEETING OUR MARKS.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE, THE BIG DOCUMENT ON PAGE 2021 AND 22, THAT GIVES YOU A SUMMARY OF ON PAGE 20, THE PROCESS THAT WE USED IN ORDER TO SELECT, UM, THE PRIORITIES AND THE PROGRAMS. AND THEN IT SHOWS YOU THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE GAP, THE STRATEGY THAT WAS SELECTED, AND THE CONNECTION TO THE FIVE YEAR GOAL.
UM, THE COMMISSION WAS THE, THE GROUP THAT WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS OF SAYING, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON THIS YEAR.
SO THEY GOT THE FULL LIST OF ALL OF THE GAPS AND ALL OF THE POTENTIAL, UM, SOLUTIONS.
AND THEY IDENTIFIED ONE TO TWO THINGS FOR EACH OF THE GROUPS THAT THEY WERE GOING TO WORK ON THIS YEAR.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE WON'T CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR WAYS TO WORK ON THESE OTHERS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, BUT IT, WE ALSO DIDN'T WANNA BITE OFF MORE THAN WE COULD CHEW.
WELL, I MEAN, I THINK GIVEN WHERE WE ARE, PEOPLE'S ATTENTION MIGHT, UM, QUICKLY GO TO THINGS LIKE MAKING SURE THAT, UH, DOMESTIC ABUSERS AND AREN'T ABLE TO ACCESS GUNS IF THE LAW ENTITLES US TO, TO ENSURE THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THOSE, UM, THAT IS GONNA BE ONE OF OUR FIRST ORDER PRIORITIES.
WELL, UM, THIS IS A VERY WELCOMED PLAN, UH, WELL THOUGHT THROUGH LOTS OF GREAT WORK.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE, THE REPORTS
[00:45:01]
ABOUT, UH, ABOUT PROGRESS.WILL YOU BE REPORTING ON AN INTERIM BASIS, QUARTERLY BASIS TO THE COMMUNITY HEALTH AND EQUITY COMMITTEE, OR HOW WILL THAT WORK? WE, WE CAN, I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO CHECK IN AT VARIOUS, UH, POINTS DURING THE YEAR.
UH, 'CAUSE THERE'S GONNA BE NU UH, A LOT OF INTEREST IN IT, SO.
BRIDGER, COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALES, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH, UM, FOR THE PRESENTATION AND FOR PUTTING IT TOGETHER SO QUICKLY, UM, APPROVE THE BUDGET, JUST OCTOBER ONE, AND FINALLY ALREADY HAVE ALL THE STUDY AND EVERYTHING AND READY TO PRESENT.
SO I'M, I'M REALLY IMPRESSED BY THAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR PRIORITIZING THIS AND ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, AND IN FACT, I'LL JUST START WITH MY QUESTION FROM THERE.
YOU MENTIONED THERE WERE FIVE DEPARTMENTS THAT WERE WORKING ON THIS.
SO COULD YOU, UM, COULD YOU MENTION THOSE AGAIN? SO HOPEFULLY I SAID FOUR METRO HEALTH, D H S SS A, P D AND G P A.
I COUNTED FOUR, BUT I THOUGHT YOU HAD SAID FIVE, SO, OKAY.
IT'S PROBABLY, UM, UH, SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I DIDN'T MISS ANYONE.
SO THEN LET ME JUST START WITH SOME OF THE QUESTIONS REGARDING, UM, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.
SO IT SEEMS THAT IN YOUR PRESENTATION, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE PRIORITIZATION WAS PER PREVENTION, BUT IN THE, IN THE PRESENTATION, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT, UM, THEIR KIND OF PRIORITY AREAS, BUT THREE OF THEM SEEM LIKE THEY'RE LAW ENFORCEMENT.
SO WHEN IS LAW ENFORCEMENT? I, I DON'T SEE THE SLIDE NOW.
OH, SO HERE IT IS, HEALTHCARE, JUDICIAL, LAW ENFORCEMENT, NONPROFIT, AND PROSECUTION.
SO AREN'T THREE OUT OF FIVE OF THOSE LAW ENFORCEMENT.
UM, SO THOSE CATEGORIES ARE MORE LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING IS MORE PREVENTION ORIENTED.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU LOOK AT LITERALLY LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE SELECTED TO WORK ON FOR THIS FIRST YEAR IS TO DEVELOP THESE HIGH RISK TEAMS. SO THEY WOULD WORK WITH FAMILIES WHO WERE AT HIGH RISK OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE CONNECTED TO ALL THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO RESPOND APPROPRIATELY.
SO I SEE THE CATEGORIES ARE, ARE ARE TYPICAL KIND OF OLD SCHOOL, BUT THE APPROACHES THAT THEY'RE USING ARE VERY MUCH UPSTREAM.
AND I DON'T KNOW, CHIEF IF YOU WANNA ADD ANYTHING ELSE TO IT? JUST THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR FOCUS, WE HAVE FOCUSED A LOT ON THE, ON THE BACKEND OF FAMILY VIOLENCE WHEN ONCE YOU BECOME A VICTIM, THAT'S WHERE OUR FOCUS HAS BEEN, OUR FOCUS GOING FORWARD ON THIS COMMISSION IS TO FOCUS ON KEEPING YOU FROM BECOMING A VICTIM.
UH, THAT'S WHERE ALL OF OUR WORK WILL STEM AND STARTING WITH THIS, UM, HIGH RISK DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TEAM.
I, I, I THINK THAT HELPS A LITTLE BIT JUST TO UNDERSTAND, UM, THAT THEY ARE, THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING IS STILL PREVENTATIVE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S SEEMED TO BE HEAVY LAW ENFORCEMENT.
UM, AND SO THEN MAYBE I CAN ASK ABOUT THE REMOVAL OF, OF, DOES IT SAY SPECIFICALLY FIREARMS? YOU SAY REMOVING WEAPONS FROM THE HOME OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ABUSERS.
I MEAN, ARE YOU, CAN YOU, ARE YOU PREPARED TO DISCUSS TODAY? LIKE WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? LIKE, DO YOU PHYSICALLY GO IN THE HOME AND REMOVE GUNS OR A WEAPON? I MEAN, 'CAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYTHING'S A WEAPON IN A VI DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SITUATION.
SO WHAT, WELL, THE, THE FIREARMS P EVERYTHING IS A WEAPON, BUT THE FIREARMS PIECE, UH, IS A, IS A FOCAL POINT.
UM, UM, BECAUSE QUITE OFTEN, UH, UH, ENEMY PARTNERS ARE KILLED WITH FIREARMS. UH, MATTER OF FACT, MOST OF THE TIME THEY'RE KILLED AND ALSO AREN'T ALSO THE OFFICERS WHO ARRIVE AT THE SCENE ALSO AT GREATEST RISK.
IN A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE MA'AM SITUATION, MA'AM, YES.
ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS CALLS THAT WE RESPOND TO.
BUT, BUT THE FIREARMS PIECE IS A FOCAL POINT, UH, TRYING TO GET THOSE FIREARMS AWAY FROM SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN ARRESTED FOR FAMILY VIOLENCE, WHO'S, WHO'S GOT A CONDITION OF BOND THAT SAYS YOU'VE GOTTA TURN IN ALL YOUR FIREARMS. RIGHT NOW THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO SURE FIRE WAY TO REMOVE EVERY FIREARM FROM THE HOME OR FROM THEIR POSSESSION.
UM, RIGHT NOW IT'S KIND OF THE HONOR SYSTEM JUDGE TELLS ME TO TURN IN MY WEAPONS.
AND, AND IF I DON'T, WHO KNOWS ANY DIFFERENT.
THERE, THERE, THERE'S, WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING ON A PROCESS THAT WILL HELP US DEVELOP OR HELP US BE A LITTLE MORE CERTAIN OF HOW MANY FIREARMS THAT PERSON HAS ACCESS TO.
BUT THAT'S RELIANT ON INFORMATION THAT THE VICTIM MAY PROVIDE AND INFORMATION THAT THE, THAT THE ARRESTED PERSON MAY PROVIDE.
[00:50:01]
SO I, I GUESS MAYBE IT'S STILL TO BE DETERMINED, BUT YOU GO AND CONFISCATE THEM OR YOU STILL YEAH.EXPECT THEM TO TURN THEM IN OR LIKE IF, IF THE A FAMILY MEMBER TURNS THEM IN RIGHT.
OR SOMEBODY WHO HAS ACCESS TO THE HOME, LIKE A SOCIAL WORKER TURNS THEM IN, OR DO YOU GO INTO THE HOME AND REMOVE THEM? YES.
SO, UM, SO MAYBE YOU COULD JUST ANSWER THE MORE TECHNICAL PART OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
UM, SO THAT'S A, A STRATEGY THAT THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE HAS DECIDED TO TAKE ON.
UH, AND TO KIND OF EXPLAIN THE SITUATION ON A DAILY BASIS.
I AM SIGNING PROTECTIVE ORDERS THAT STATE THAT INDIVIDUALS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO POSSESS FIREARMS. UH, THERE ARE OTHER JUDGES THAT ARE SIGNING ON A DAILY BASIS MENTAL HEALTH ORDERS THAT STATE INDIVIDUALS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO POSSESS FIREARMS. AND THERE ARE OTHER COURT ORDERS WITH THE SAME TERMS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE DON'T HAVE A CLEAR PROCESS IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT INDIVIDUALS THEN SURRENDER THOSE FIREARMS AFTER THEY'RE COURT ORDERED TO NO LONGER POSSESS THEM.
SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS LOOKING AT OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE ALREADY.
UM, IN DALLAS, JUDGE KANE, UH, HAS BEEN A LEADER ON THIS ISSUE AND HAS IMPLEMENTED SOME POLICIES, UH, THERE, BUT TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THIS CAN PLAY OUT, UH, IN SOME COMMUNITIES, WHAT WE SEE IS YES, INDIVIDUALS, UM, ARE ORDERED TO GO SURRENDER THEIR FIREARMS TO A SUBSTATION, FOR EXAMPLE, IN OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE PERHAPS MORE RESOURCES OR MANPOWER, THERE IS A COURT ORDER THAT ALLOWS THE LAW ENFORCEMENT TO GO INTO THE HOME AND OBTAIN THOSE WEAPONS.
NOW, HOW DO WE KNOW WHICH WEAPONS THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO OBTAIN? WELL, WHEN WE HAVE THESE INDIVIDUALS COME THROUGH OUR COURT PROCESS, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO ASK BOTH THE VICTIMS AND THE PERPETRATORS UNDER OATH TO TELL US WHAT WEAPONS ARE IN THE HOME, UH, SPECIFICALLY FIREARMS. AND WE WILL MAKE NOTE OF THAT, AND THAT WILL BE INCLUDED IN OUR COURT ORDERS.
THAT WILL THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY HOW WE'RE GONNA BE FOLLOWING UP WITH THAT IS WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING RIGHT NOW WITH THE COMMITTEE.
SO TALKING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT, TO THE CHIEF, TO THE SHERIFF, TO THE DA ABOUT THE SPECIFICS OF HOW THAT LOOKS, IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT.
AND IT'S GONNA BE IN PART, DEPENDENT UPON THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US AS WELL.
SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
AND, AND I, I, I KNOW THAT THIS IS THE FIRST REPORT AND THAT MAYBE IT'LL BE MORE CLEAR AS WE GO THROUGH, BUT BEING THAT YOU LISTED IT AS THE NUMBER ONE RES, ARE THESE IN A PARTICULAR ORDER OR NO, THE SURVEY RESULTS HERE IS JUST WHAT THEY SURVEYED, OR THIS IS HOW, UH, IN LEVEL ORDER OF PRIORITIZATION, IT IS NOT A PRIORITIZED LIST.
SO, UM, I WOULD BE CURIOUS TO, I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO, BUT HOW THAT GOES, 'CAUSE I KNOW THAT THAT IS A DELICATE SUBJECT, UM, AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL AS WELL, IS HOW WE, UH, REMOVE FIREARM FROM PEOPLE WHO SHOULDN'T HAVE THEM.
SO LET, LET ME GO ON, UM, IN FACT, CHIEF, SINCE YOU'RE THERE, UM, OH WAIT, CHIEF, AND, UH, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE PILOT PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE RUNNING IN THE DISTRICT FIVE FOR THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TASK FORCE? UM, YOU MENTIONED IT AT OUR, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING THE OTHER DAY.
UH, WE WERE WORKING WITH SAHA, UH, AND THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TEAM, UH, PILOTING A HOUSING PROJECT.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? SO I CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? UM, WE HAVE, UH, SS A P D COLLABORATION AS PART OF THAT, BUT IT, THE INITIATIVE IS BEING LED BY HUMAN SERVICES AND, UH, WE HAD TO, IT TOOK US A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN WE ANTICIPATED TO, UM, WORK WITH SAHA ON IDENTIFYING THE LOCATION WHERE THIS PILOT WOULD ROLL OUT.
UM, THAT LOCATION HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED, THE DELIVERABLES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED, THE ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS AND SERVICES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AND ARE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING IMPLEMENTED IN, UM, THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WAS IDENTIFIED.
SO IT IS ROLLING OUT AND IS IT, IS THAT, UM, IS, CAN WE NOT DISCUSS THAT? IS IT BEST NOT TO DISCUSS THERE? PROBABLY, YEAH, PROBABLY.
SO THEN I'LL, I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT BECAUSE, UM, UH, ONE OF THE REASONS THIS CAME TO MY ATTENTION, UH, THE PRIORITIZATION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND CHILD ABUSE WAS BECAUSE OF THE VERY HIGH NUMBER OF CHILD ABUSE AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES COMING OUT OF, OF PARTICULARLY TWO DISTRICT TWO ZIP CODES IN MY DISTRICT, OH SEVEN AND TWO EIGHT, UH, I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE PRIORITIZING IT CITYWIDE, BUT IT ALSO, UM, WAS RIGHT WHERE ALL THE PUBLIC HOUSING WAS AS WELL.
SO SAHA PROPERTIES WERE REPORTING VERY HIGH RATES OF DOMESTIC
[00:55:01]
VIOLENCE AND CHILD ABUSE JUST WITHIN THEIR HOUSING UNITS.AND SO IT SEEMED LIKE AN EASY PLACE TO START, UM, AS WE'RE TRYING TO TACKLE THIS ISSUE, JUST GIVEN THE VERY HIGH NUMBERS THAT WERE COMING OUT.
SO I GUESS IF WE DON'T WANNA TALK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THAT, WE'LL GET SOME REPORT, UH, UPDATE.
UM, BUT WHAT IS THE RELATION, UM, OR I DUNNO IF IT'S STILL TOO EARLY TO IDENTIFY.
UH, WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON SOME POVERTY REPORTS AND POVERTY STUDIES AND THEIR RELATION TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND CHILD ABUSE AS IT RELATES TO THE INCREASING NUM POVERTY RATES IN OUR CITY.
SO WHILE, UM, WHAT THE MAYOR SAYS IS, IS ACCURATE THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AFFECTS ALL PORTION, ALL COMPONENTS OF OUR SOCIETY, WE DO KNOW THAT STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET IS A STRESSOR IN A FAMILY THAT CAN LEAD TO INCREASED VIOLENCE.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT WITH THE POVERTY REPORT THAT IS IN PROGRESS, UH, IS HOW CAN WE ADDRESS POVERTY AS PART OF THE COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH THAT WE'RE USING TO ADDRESS, UM, NOT JUST POVERTY, BUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AS WELL.
SO I, I, WELL, I GUESS WE'LL SEE HOW THAT EVOLVES, UM, AS WE DO MORE WORK ON THE POVERTY REPORTS AS WELL.
UH, SO I AM, UM, TO SEE HOW WE ADDRESS IT MM-HMM.
UM, SO HOW ABOUT, COULD, COULD YOU TALK ABOUT, I DIDN'T SEE ANY MENTION HERE ABOUT THE WORK WE'RE DOING WITH TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE.
SO WHEN, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE FIRST, UM, PYRAMID THAT I SHOWED THAT HAD, UM, INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMA AND, UM, CHILD ABUSE, IT'S NUMBER SLIDE NUMBER EIGHT EIGHT, UH, THAT'S WHERE THE ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES THAT SECOND ONE FALLS.
UM, AND IT IS PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING WE DO IN PUBLIC HEALTH IS RELATED TO SOMETHING ELSE WE'RE DOING IN PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND SO FOR THE PURPOSES OF COMMUNICATION SIMPLICITY, WE, WE TRY TO, UM, CATEGORIZE THINGS, BUT IN, IN OUR BRAINS, THEY'RE ALL RELATED.
AND, UM, THERE'S ABSOLUTELY A CONNECTION BETWEEN ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
AND THERE'S A CONNECTION BETWEEN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES BECAUSE ONE OF THE 10 ACES IS, UH, WITNESSING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN YOUR HOME.
SO THIS WORK THAT WE'RE DOING HERE WILL HELP THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING AROUND ACES AND TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE AND THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING AROUND ACES AND TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE WILL HELP DECREASE VIOLENCE IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THIS PARTICULAR STUDY, I GUESS THEY'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP THEM SEPARATE JUST TO HELP IDENTIFY, MAYBE DIG A LITTLE BIT DEEPER.
I JUST, I KNOW THAT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE, AT LEAST SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL, HAVE TRIED TO REALLY ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF TRAUMA IN OUR CITY.
AND SO WE HAD A WHOLE NOTHER SECTION THAT WE APPROVED IN THE BUDGET RELATED TO TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE, TOTALLY SEPARATE IN TERMS OF FUNDING YES.
AND AS WE GET MORE SOPHISTICATED IN, UM, TALKING ABOUT THAT, I THINK WE'LL DO A BETTER JOB OF SHOWING THOSE CONNECTIONS FOR YOU.
I, I, I, UM, HOPEFULLY THAT WILL BE MORE CLEAR AS WE EVOLVE, UM, BECAUSE I THINK, UH, TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW, AS WE MOVE ALONG, I'M TRYING TO GET TO, TO MAKE A POINT THAT I, I HAVE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT WE NEED TO INVEST MUCH MORE IN OUR DELEGATE AGENCIES.
UH, AND JUST BECAUSE THE DELEGATE AGENCIES THAT WE FUND DON'T NECESSARILY RELATE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR CHILD ABUSE, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY ORGANIZATIONS IN OUR CITY THAT ARE KEEPING OUR KIDS SAFE OFF THE STREET ON TRACK, LIKE THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OR THE, UH, Y M C A Y W C A LIKE THOSE, OR THE AVANI OR THE, THOSE ORGANIZATIONS, WELL, MAY NOT DIRECTLY IMPACT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DOES MEAN THAT CHILDREN HAVE A SAFE PLACE TO GO AFTER SCHOOL.
AND SO WHILE THEY'RE THERE, UM, THEY CAN THEN CONNECT TO SERVICES WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY LEAD TO STABLE FAMILIES AND CHILDREN.
SO, YES, I GUESS THAT WAS TRYING TO MAKE THAT POINT THAT I, I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO SPEND A LOT MORE MONEY IN OUR DELEGATE AGENCIES, UM, AS WE EVOLVE, YOU KNOW, HERE, WE, WE HAVEN'T SPENT MORE THAN $21 MILLION
[01:00:01]
IN THE LAST SEVEN YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE, AND I'VE BEEN MAKING THIS POINT ALL ALONG THAT I FEEL LIKE WE REALLY NEED TO FUND THOSE SERVICES MORE GENEROUSLY BECAUSE IT HAS AN IMPACT ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF ALL OF OUR FAMILIES THAT ARE SUFFERING IN THIS WAY.SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION AS TO WHY I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD INVESTMENT FOR US TO DO THAT, UM, AS WE GO THROUGH THIS, UH, PORTION, UH, AND THIS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UH, COMPONENT OF THE BUDGET, AND THEN THE TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE PART OF THE BUDGET, WHICH WAS I THINK, ANOTHER 600,000 FOR THE YEAR, BUT MAYBE ONE AND A HALF MILLION OVER FIVE YEARS OR SOMETHING.
SO, UM, I, I GUESS MY FINAL QUESTION, UH, IS, UM, UH, WHEN, WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT SOMETHING NEW OVER HERE, UH, I THINK MELODY SAID IT REGARDING THE R F P, UM, I, I WONDER IF YOU COULD SAY SLIDE 22.
LIKE, LIKE WHAT, UM, UH, I MEAN, I, I YOU'RE WAITING FOR SOLICITATION, SO, BUT YOU, YOU MENTIONED THAT, OR SHE MENTIONED THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH, BUT DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE FOR SOME OF THEM? WE DO KNOW WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE FOR OTHERS.
UM, WE'RE VERY CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT OUR, UM, INCREDIBLY INNOVATIVE NONPROFITS CAN COME UP WITH.
UM, SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE BLUEPRINT FOR SAFETY, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH LAID OUT EXACTLY WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
WE JUST NEED, UM, SOME NONPROFIT INVOLVEMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THIS, THIS TRANSPARENCY THAT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR THE SYSTEM, UH, FOR PRO BONO REPRESENTATION THAT COULD BE DONE 10 DIFFERENT WAYS.
AND WE'RE VERY CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
WHAT KIND OF INFRASTRUCTURE COULD A NONPROFIT PROVIDE TO THE PRO BONO REPRESENTATION IN ORDER FOR IT TO, UM, REACH THE MOST WOMEN POSSIBLE AND PROVIDE THE MOST HELP POSSIBLE? OKAY.
WELL, I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO, UH, TO SEE WHAT, WHAT, UH, WHAT COMES UP.
UM, AND IF THERE ARE, UM, IMPORTANT NEW WAYS OR IF IN FACT, UM, JUST AS INVESTMENT IN OUR EXISTING COMMUNITIES WOULD BE THE BEST WAY, SINCE WE HAVEN'T REALLY FUNDED THEM PROPERLY AND GIVEN THEM THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO BE EFFECTIVE IN THEIR PROGRAMMING.
WE KNOW THAT
PEOPLE IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES ARE TRAINED, UM, TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEMS RATHER THAN BRINGING IN EXPERTS MM-HMM.
SO WE GIVE WOMEN USUALLY THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL, UM, OR, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS IT'S NOT NECESSARILY SOMETHING NEW, BUT IN FACT SOMETHING VERY OLD THAT WE JUST FUND APPROPRIATELY.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN.
BERGER ON PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
UM, SO FOR ME SITTING HERE, GOING THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, IT'S MORE OF, I WISH THIS WAS IN PLACE YEARS AGO.
UM, IT REALLY IS SOMETHING THAT TRULY MAKES ME BELIEVE WE COULD HAVE AT LEAST SAVED ONE LIFE IF THIS HAD BEEN IN PLACE YEARS AGO.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, UM, JUDGE DIAZ AS WELL, AND TO ALL OF THE COMMISSION FOR PUTTING SO MUCH WORK AND EFFORT INTO THIS PROCESS, IT IS SOMETHING THAT TRULY NEEDS TO BE DONE AND ADDRESSED.
UM, AND YOU GUYS ARE DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB AT ADDRESSING THAT.
THE FEW QUESTIONS I HAD, UM, ON PAGE 17 UNDER THE COMMITTEES, I WAS WONDERING IF ANY SURVIVORS WERE ACTUALLY GONNA BE INCLUDED IN EITHER THE STAKEHOLDER COMMITTEES OR ANYWHERE IN THE POLICY WORK GROUP, OR WHERE DO SURVIVORS FIT INTO THIS SCOPE? WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHERE DO SURVIVORS FIT.
AND, UM, IN CONSULTATION WITH SURVIVORS AND STAKEHOLDERS, WHAT WE'VE DECIDED TO DO IS, UH, PROVIDE QUARTERLY, UM, TOWN HALLS OR LISTENING SESSIONS WHERE SURVIVORS WILL BE ENCOURAGED TO COME AND TELL US WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT OUR PLANS OR HOW WE'RE IMPLEMENTING OUR PLANS, UM, TO GET THEIR PERSPECTIVE THERE.
WE ALSO ARE DOING, UM, MONTHLY FACEBOOK LIVE SESSIONS WHERE PEOPLE CAN PROVIDE INPUT
[01:05:01]
INTO HOW WE'RE DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING.UM, AND ALSO OTHER, THERE'S, UM, ON THE FACEBOOK SITE, THERE'S A PLACE, A DOCUMENT THAT PEOPLE CAN FILL OUT IF THEY WOULD JUST LIKE TO AT ANY TIME, SUBMIT INFORMATION TO US.
WE FELT LIKE THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT SAFER SPACE FOR SURVIVORS THAN HAVING THEM COME TO A MEETING WITH A BUNCH OF JUDGES AND, YOU KNOW, FOLKS LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, THAT WAS, THAT WAS WHERE WE ALL ENDED UP IN HOW WE CAN INCLUDE SURVIVORS IN THIS WORK WITHOUT HAVING ONE FEEL LIKE THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE A VOICE OUT OF 20 PEOPLE AT A TABLE.
AND THEN AS FAR AS WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, MAYBE JUDGE DIAZ CAN ANSWER THIS ONE
THE PROTECTIVE ORDERS, UH, IT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST COMPLAINTS THAT WE HEAR FROM INDIVIDUALS IS ISSUES THAT THEY RUN INTO WHEN THEY'RE SEEKING PROTECTIVE ORDERS.
UH, AND IT'S CERTAINLY BEING ADDRESSED BY THE COMMISSION, NOT SPECIFICALLY UNDER THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE, UM, BUT THROUGH, UH, THE PROSECUTION COMMITTEE, I BELIEVE IS TAKING A LOOK AT IT.
UH, THE NONPROFIT COMMITTEE IS SPECIFICALLY LOOKING TO EXPAND LEGAL SERVICES REGARDING, UH, PROTECT PROTECTIVE ORDERS AS WELL.
SO, UM, THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE IS LOOKING TO EXPAND LEGAL SERVICES FOR RELATED ISSUES BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WHEN FOLKS SEEK PROTECTIVE ORDERS, THERE ARE OFTEN CUSTODY OR, UH, DIVORCE ISSUES, OTHER THINGS INVOLVED.
AND CURRENTLY THE STATE OF OUR LEGAL SERVICES ARE NOT, UM, UH, AT THE LEVEL WHERE WE CAN PROVIDE THAT ASSISTANCE ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, AT THE PROCESS FROM BEGINNING TO END, WALKING THROUGH THE PROCESS, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE FOR A VICTIM WHO'S SEEKING A PROTECTIVE ORDER? WHERE DO THEY GO, UH, YOU KNOW, DOES IT COST THEM ANY MONEY? WHAT DO THEY DO, UM, WITH THEIR CHILDREN AND THEIR PETS? AND, UH, THERE THERE'S SO MUCH INVOLVED IN THAT.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT THE PROCESS IS CURRENTLY, UH, AND THEN I KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA SPECIFICALLY TRY TO EXPAND ACCESS TO LEGAL SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE SEEKING PROTECTIVE ORDERS.
THAT ALSO TIES INTO THE COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGN THAT'S BEEN LAUNCHED HERE BY THE CITY, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE AUGMENTED BY THE COMMISSION FIRST THROUGH THE HEALTHCARE COMMITTEE.
AND, AND THEN TO HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A MORE COMPREHENSIVE PICTURE AND CLEAR, CONCISE WAY TO OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT WHERE YOU CAN GO TO SEEK HELP.
UH, AND THAT WILL INCLUDE, UH, ADDRESSING THE COMMUNITY ON PROTECTIVE ORDERS AND HOW THE PROCESS WORKS.
UM, I KNOW CHIEF, I THINK HE LEFT.
BUT, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO THE COORDINATE COORDINATED EFFORTS AND MATCHES BETWEEN SS A P D AND OH, THERE, YOU'RE AND BEXAR COUNTY, UM, WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, HOW DOES THAT LOOK WHEN IT COMES TO A FAMILY THAT HAS ALREADY EITHER HAD A INCIDENT HAPPEN, BUT S A P D WASN'T A PART OF IT, THE COUNTY WAS A PART OF IT.
IF THERE'S ANY MATCH THAT WILL BE HAPPENING BETWEEN THE TWO THERE, THERE'S TYPICALLY NOT BECAUSE THEY, THEY STAY PRIMARILY IN THE COUNTY AND WE STAY PRIMARILY IN THE CITY.
SO, UH, UNLESS THERE'S SOME JOINT EFFORT TO DO SOMETHING, UM, NOW WE, IT WOULD BE S A P D, THE COUNTY WOULD DO THEIR THING IN THE COUNTY.
'CAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF TIMES WITH THESE CASES, FAMILIES HAVE TO MOVE QUITE OFTEN.
AND SO THEY MIGHT BE IN THE CITY ONE MOMENT, THE COUNTY THE NEXT MOMENT, JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO DISCONNECT WHEN THEY HAVE TO RELOCATE.
AND, AND IN THAT CASE, WE WOULD TALK WITH THE COUNTY TO COORDINATE EFFORTS IF, IF IN FACT THEY MOVE FROM THE COUNTY TO THE CITY, FROM THE CITY TO THE COUNTY.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR.
AND THEN, UM, MY LAST QUESTION WOULD BE ON PAGE NINE.
UM, DOES ANY FORM OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE OR, UH, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, WHERE WILL THAT ALL FALL INTO THIS SCOPE? UNDER THE ABUSE OF, OF DIFFERENT SUBSTANCES AND MENTAL HEALTH INTO THE REALMS OF CHILD ABUSE AND THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SUICIDE? MM-HMM.
[01:10:01]
LIKE LOW EDUCATION, UM, LOW EMPLOYMENT, THOSE RISK FACTORS, AND WHERE THEY WERE LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE CITY.IN DOING THE RESEARCH TO IDENTIFY RISK FACTORS FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, WHAT WE FOUND WAS THAT THERE IS NO CURRENT RESEARCH THAT DEFINITIVELY SHOWS A CONNECTION BETWEEN SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AND A HIGHER RISK FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
UM, WE CERTAINLY KNOW THAT IN HOMES WHERE THERE IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, THERE IS SUBSTANCE ABUSE, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT IN HOMES WHERE THERE IS SUBSTANCE ABUSE, THERE ISN'T DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
SO, UM, UNFORTUNATELY, SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER HAS BECOME SO PERVASIVE.
MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES HAVE BECOME, UM, REALLY CHALLENGING FOR PEOPLE TO ACCESS TREATMENT.
AND SO WE'RE SEEING THAT AS A CHALLENGE TO OUR ENTIRE STRONG CHILDREN AND FAMILIES MODEL, BUT IT DOESN'T PREDICT A HIGHER RISK OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
UM, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WHEN WE'RE WORKING WITH EITHER PERPETRATORS OR SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, THAT SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AND MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT, UM, WON'T BE ADDRESSED AS A WAY TO STRENGTHEN THAT FAMILY UNIT.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN.
AND A NOTE THAT, UH, THANK JUDGE DIAZ FOR HER ATTENDANCE TODAY, EVEN THOUGH SHE HAD TO GET BACK TO HER OTHER CIVIC POST.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER COVEO HVAR, OR, I'M SORRY, COUNCIL MEMBER GRO.
PATRICIA, EVERYONE ON THE COMMITTEE.
MELODY, THIS IS, THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING AND I AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE PRESENTED HERE TODAY BECAUSE IT HAS THE TANGIBLE STEPS MOVING FORWARD.
AND, UM, WHAT I, I REMEMBER AT THAT SAME TOWN HALL THAT YOU WERE AT, ONE OF THE SPEAKERS GOT UP AND SAID, UM, YOU NEED THE ANSWERS, YOU NEED THE SOLUTIONS.
WE ARE THE ONES WITH THE SUGGESTIONS AND THE ANSWERS AND THE SOLUTIONS.
AND YOU SPOKE TO 83 OF THOSE RESPONDENTS.
AND SO TO SEE THE COALESCING OF THOSE TOWN HALL SURVEY RESULTS, UM, I'M VERY, UM, EXCITED, I GUESS AND MOTIVATED ON THESE IN PARTICULAR.
AND MAYOR, TO THAT POINT, AS WE LOOK AT THE LAW ENFORCEMENT SIDE, UH, I SHOULD, I SHOULD SAY, AS WE LOOK AT THE REMOVAL OF FIREARMS AS IT GOES TO, UM, THE COMMUNITY HEALTH AND EQUITY, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE AT LEAST THAT PORTION WHEN IT TALKS ABOUT REMOVAL OF FIREARMS, IF IT CAN GO TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE AS WELL.
UM, 'CAUSE WE WILL BE HAVING THAT CONVERSATION.
SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE THAT A PART OF IT.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER ASAN DEVAL IS THE, IS THE CHAIR OF THAT COMMITTEE AS WELL.
UM, SO I, I'M, I'M INTERESTED IN THAT.
AND SO I THINK I WANNA, AND I THINK IT WAS ANSWERED BY JUDGE DIAZ BECAUSE THE, WHAT YOU MENTIONED WAS LOGISTICAL, REMOVING OF THE WEAPONS FROM THE HOME OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ABUSERS, THAT THERE'S A LOGISTICAL ISSUE WITH THAT.
AND, AND SHE SPOKE TO THE LOGISTICS THAT WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT.
SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT NOT JUST THE GAP ANALYSIS, BUT THE OTHER, UM, ITEMS HERE, WHEN WE'RE DOING THIS REVIEW, WILL WE, ARE WE, OR HAVE YOU ALREADY IDENTIFIED THE GAPS IN OUR CITY SYSTEMS, SUCH AS IF IT'S THROUGH MUNICIPAL COURTS OR IF WE SEE IT, UM, IN, UH, THE, THE, UM, MAGISTRATE'S OFFICE OR WITH, UH, THE FIREARMS ACCIDENTALLY GOING BACK TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO WERE BONDED OUT, BUT WERE, UH, BUT WERE ARRESTED OR CHARGED WITH, UM, SOMETHING OR AT LEAST BONDED OUT FOR DOMESTIC ABUSE.
HAVE WE LOOKED AND IDENTIFIED THOSE GAPS? OR, OR IS THAT PART OF THIS WHOLE REVIEW? THAT WILL BE PART OF THIS WHOLE REVIEW LED BY THE PROSECUTION GROUP? OKAY.
UM, 'CAUSE I THINK THAT CONNECTIVITY, LIKE YOU ALREADY IDENTIFIED AND THE STREAMS OF CONNECTIVITY IS, IS ESSENTIAL TO ALL OF THIS HERE.
UM, I, I HAVE A LOT OF, UM, OF NOTES HERE OF TRAINING FOR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS TO IDENTIFY AND SUPPORT SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
I'M PARTICULARLY, UM, EXCITED ABOUT THAT, ESPECIALLY AS WE KNOW WE HAVE THE, THE MD SCHOOL AND THE DO SCHOOL AND HOW WE CAN EVEN LOOK
[01:15:01]
IN TRAINING THESE STUDENTS IF UT HEALTH AND U I W IS S O M IS UP FOR IT MM-HMM.BUT AT LEAST START HERE IN SAN ANTONIO WITH THAT.
AND I KNOW, AND I REALLY LIKE THAT YOU'VE ALREADY IDENTIFIED THE DATA THAT WE'RE MISSING AND THE DATA THAT WE NEED HERE.
UM, SO WHAT KIND OF OF DATA COULD WE EVEN PULL FROM OTHER ENTITIES BESIDES JUST POLICE? AND PLEASE TELL ME HOW THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE A PART OF THIS AND INGRAINED IN THIS TOO.
SO THE DATA PIECE IS, UM, IN AN IDEAL WORLD, WHAT WE WOULD HAVE WOULD BE A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FLAG THAT COULD BE PUT INTO HOSPITAL SYSTEMS, EHRS, FOR EXAMPLE.
AND THEN THEY COULD RUN, UM, YOU KNOW, IF THEY, IF THEY THINK DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND THEN THEY TAKE THAT NEXT STEP AND START HAVING THAT CONVERSATION WITH THE WOMAN, UM, THERE COULD BE, YOU KNOW, A SERIES OF NOTES THAT COULD BE ADDED TO THE ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD THAT INDICATES WHETHER THIS IS SUSPECTED OR CONFIRMED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
AND THEN EVERY YEAR THAT HOSPITAL SYSTEM COULD RUN A REPORT AND COULD TELL US THE NUMBER OF, UM, INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE FLAGGED AS A POTENTIAL OR CONFIRMED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
SO THAT'S ONE EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE'LL BE WORKING TOWARDS.
CAN WE DO THIS? AND IF WE CAN'T, THEN WE'LL GO DOWN TO THE PROXIES AND SEE IF WHAT WE FIGURE OUT FROM THERE.
THE INABILITY TO RESOLVE CONFLICT WITHOUT RESORTING TO VIOLENCE IS A CRITICAL ISSUE FOR ISDS.
AND THEN HOLD ON, ANOTHER QUESTION.
YOU ALREADY TALKED ABOUT DEFINITIONS AND HOW WE HAVE TO HAVE THE UNIVERSAL DEFINITIONS AND ON, I GUESS THIS IS FOR CHIEF OR FOR, UM, LIEUTENANT, UH, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, SS A P D HAS EXPERIENCED AN INCREASE IN FAMILY VIOLENCE ACCORDING TO SS A P D.
WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF FAMILY VIOLENCE? WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REPORTS THAT WE'VE DECREASED EVERY, AND, UH, WE'VE RECEIVED AN INCREASE IN REPORTS AND FAMILY VIOLENCE IS, UM, VIOLENCE THAT'S, THAT'S RELATED TO, UH, PEOPLE THAT ARE, UH, IN THE SAME HOUSEHOLD, PEOPLE THAT ARE IN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS, UH, PEOPLE THAT ARE, UH, RELATED BY BLOOD OR MARRIAGE.
SO THAT IS THE OVERALL, SO SIBLINGS, UH, GRANDPARENTS, PARENTS.
SO IT COULD MEAN ALL OF OF THOSE? CORRECT.
UP UNTIL THE SECOND DEGREE OF RELATION EVEN COUSINS AND UNCLES AND NEPHEWS.
I JUST NEEDED THAT, UM, A CLARITY THERE AND THEN, BECAUSE I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WASN'T JUST A, A CATCHALL, BUT, SO FAMILY VIOLENCE CAN ALSO THOUGH INCLUDE IT AUTOMATICALLY INCLUDES DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR A YES.
WE'RE USE, WE, WE, WE KIND OF USE THOSE TERMS INTERCHANGEABLY, BUT, SO IT'S INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE, UM, WHICH IS RELATED TO PEOPLE THAT ARE IN AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP MM-HMM.
IF, IF I COULD GO BACK JUST BRIEFLY, UH, ON THE GUN ISSUE.
UM, WE STARTED DOING THAT AS, AS A CITY.
UM, THE MAGISTRATES STARTED DOING THAT AS A CONDITION OF BOND, UH, AS A CONDITION OF RELEASE.
SO WHEN, WHEN SOMEBODY'S ARRESTED, UH, AND AS A CONDITION OF THAT, THEY'VE GOT TO, UH, THEY AGREE TO TURN OVER THEIR FIREARMS AND THE CHIEF TELLS THE STORY ABOUT, UH, AN INDIVIDUAL THAT WAS ARRESTED AND WAS GIVEN THIS ORDER TO TURN OVER THE FIREARMS. AND, AND HE SAYS ALL OF THEM.
SO, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S ONE OF THE, BUT AGAIN, THERE, THERE'S STUFF THAT WE'RE DOING MM-HMM.
AND THAT'S WORKING THROUGH THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE YEAH.
WHERE WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE ON THERE FROM THE DEPARTMENT AND, AND PROSECUTORS AND JUDGES TO TRY TO HELP US WORK THROUGH THAT.
AND JUST THE, THE SYSTEM AND THE FLOW OF THE CONNECTIVITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE AREN'T GETTING THEIR GUNS BACK AT ALL.
AND ON THAT SAME SLIDE FOR YOU, DR.
BRIDGER, YOU MENTIONED THIS, UM,
[01:20:01]
FROM THE C P S ESTIMATED 50 25% OF THEIR CASES ARE DIRECTLY INVOLVED.DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND THEN YOU SAID FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION SERVICES REPORTED THE HIGHEST AVERAGE MONTHLY CENSUS EVER IN MAY, 2019.
CAN YOU GO OVER THAT ONE FOR ME JUST ONE MORE TIME? SO JUST EXPLAIN IT TO ME THAT, THAT ONE RIGHT THERE, I DON'T KNOW IF I'M READING TOO MUCH INTO IT.
SO JUST EXPLAIN THIS ONE TO ME IN VERY CLEAR TERMS. OKAY.
SO THE FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION SERVICES.
SO I'M GONNA VERIFY WITH JENNY THAT'S IN THE SHELTER.
SO THIS IS, UM, FAMILIES WHO HAVE LEFT A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SITUATION OKAY.
ON OUR RECEIVING SHELTERING SERVICES, UM, THROUGH, THROUGH THE FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION SERVICES ORGANIZATION.
UM, AND THEN ANOTHER QUESTION I HAVE, UM, SO WE TALKED ABOUT RE UH, ON NUMBER 16, THE GAP ANALYSIS OR SLIDE 16 GAP ANALYSIS.
UM, RESOURCES AND EVALUATION ARE, ARE NOT COORDINATED BETWEEN AGENCIES AND SECTORS.
SO ARE WE ANTICIPATING THAT THIS R F P WOULD HELP IDENTIFY THE COORDINATE, WHO WILL BE THE COORDINATOR, OR WHO IS WHO IS THE COORDINATOR OF ALL OF THESE? WE'RE HOPING THAT THE COMMISSION WILL SERVE THAT COORDINATING ROLE.
AND IT'S THE, UH, ONE TIME WHEN EVERY SECTOR INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, JUDICIAL AND PROSECUTION COME TOGETHER AND TALK THROUGH SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT EACH AREA IS FACING SO THAT THEY CAN SAY, OH, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DO THIS AND THAT MIGHT HELP YOU WITH THAT.
SO THAT'S THE, THE HOPE IS THAT THROUGH THE COMMISSION.
UM, I ALSO NEED TO GIVE, UH, TONS OF CREDIT TO THE DOMESTIC, THE BEXAR COUNTY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TASK FORCE BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS COORDINATION ISSUE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AS WELL.
AND I THINK, UM, HAVING THEM WORK SO CLOSELY WITH THE COMMISSION IS, IS REALLY, THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THAT ONE KIND OF MISSING LINK FOR THEM TO REALLY TACKLE THIS ISSUE AS WELL.
AND, UM, I THINK I'M GONNA JUMP BACK REALLY QUICK TO THE DATA COLLECTION AND I GUESS THE POLICE OFFICE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT PHONE CALLS.
'CAUSE I KNOW A NUMBER OF CALLS.
ONE THING THAT WE HEARD AT THE TOWN HALL AND THAT WE HEAR ON MANY TIMES IS, UH, PEOPLE WHEN UNFORTUNATELY THERE'S, UH, A VICTIM OR SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENED, UM, MANY PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OR APARTMENT NEIGHBORS SAY, WELL, I'VE CALLED THE POLICE MULTIPLE TIMES ON THIS.
I'VE DONE THIS, I'VE CALLED THIS AND NOTHING'S EVER HAPPENED.
OR THEY JUST DON'T TAKE IT SERIOUSLY ANYMORE.
WE'RE, WE'RE COLLECTING THAT DATA, CORRECT? YES, WE ARE.
UM, AND YOU SAID ACUTE, UH, THE PRIMARY SECONDARY, THE ACUTE IS YOU SAID 40, 48 HOURS.
AND THEN, UM, I'M GLAD TO SEE SLIDE 18 JUST VERY CLEAR, VERY CONCISE, VERY FORWARD.
AND THEN, UM, I THINK I NEED MORE CLARIFICATION ON THE R F P.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT MULTIPLE NONPROFITS, CORRECT.
SO THERE'LL BE ONE R F P WITH ALL OF THOSE CATEGORIES.
AND WE COULD GET, AND WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY WE WILL GET, UM, BUT WE COULD GET MULTIPLE RESPONSES FOR EACH OF THOSE CATEGORIES.
SO WE'LL HAVE THE HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.
UM, THE OTHER NICE THING THOUGH IS WE ALSO HAVE THE OTHER NONPROFIT FUNDERS MM-HMM.
AND SO THEY'RE SAYING TO US, LET US KNOW HOW THIS FIRST ROUND GOES SO THAT IF YOU HAVE UNMET NEEDS, WE CAN HELP OUT AS WELL.
AND THE COMMISSION WOULD BE THE ONE OVERSEEING THIS.
UM, THE R F P OR THE CITY OVERSEES THE R F P, THE CITY WILL SEE THE R F P AND WE WILL SEE IF THEY'RE HITTING ALL OF OF THESE.
SO THE COMMISSION IDENTIFIED THE PRIORITIES.
THE CITY IS FUNDING THOSE PRIORITIES AND WILL OVERSEE THE USE OF THOSE DOLLARS.
AND NUMBER 26, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE FIVE YEAR GOALS.
AND SO THEN YOU ALSO MENTIONED, OH, WE WILL BE COMING BACK TO YOU, THE COUNCIL, TO SEE WHERE WE'VE DONE AT THE GOAL ONE, ET CETERA.
SO WHEN YOU SAY WE, YOU MEAN CITY STAFF OR THE COMMISSION? C BOTH.
UM, BUT THE COMMISSION WILL MAKE SURE THAT IT'S ALL STILL WE'RE IN ALIGNMENT OF WHERE THE GOALS HAVE BEEN.
[01:25:01]
YOU.AND THEN, UM, FINALLY MY LAST THING THAT, UH, I'LL, UH, MY QUESTION HERE WILL BE FOR THE EVALUATION, THE EVALUATION VOTING MEMBERS.
CAN YOU PLEASE TELL ME, YOU MENTIONED DR.
LAURIE RODRIGUEZ, BUT OF THE EVALUATION VOTING MEMBERS, TELL ME WHO THE OTHER MEN AND WOMEN OF COLOR ON, ON ARE ON THE EVALUATION VOTING MEMBERS.
I KNOW THREE OF YOU ALL, BUT I DON'T KNOW THE REST OF THEM.
AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING SENSITIVE MM-HMM.
UM, AND SO I'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT FOR DR.
I ACTUALLY DON'T, AM NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE.
UM, AND THEN AS WE FILL THE REST OF THE POSITIONS, THE SS A P D POSITION WILL, WILL LOOK, UM, TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THAT DIVERSITY.
I JUST WANT US TO BE AWARE AND HAVE THAT AWARENESS AND OKAY.
AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH, UH, INCLUSION MOVING FORWARD.
THANK YOU FOR THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I WANTED TO MAKE THAT, UH, CLEAR.
AND, AND RICHARD JUST LET ME KNOW.
THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR S A P D WOULD BE, UM, JESSE SME, LIEUTENANT SME.
AND THEN, UH, SO I THINK MY LAST COMMENTS WILL BE, YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER BACK IN 2014, YOU WEREN'T HERE, DR.
BUT IN 2014 IN THE BUDGET, WE, UH, WERE HAVING THE CONVERSATION, WHAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK WAS CUTTING OUR C R T UNITS OUT OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
'CAUSE WE WERE LOOKING AT SAVINGS.
I'M GLAD WE'RE NOT THERE ANYMORE.
I'M GLAD THAT WE SAID NO, AND THAT WE FOUGHT HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEPT THEM IN OUR BUDGET, BECAUSE I DON'T EVEN WANT TO EVEN THINK ABOUT WHERE WE WOULD BE IF THAT HAD HAPPENED BACK THEN.
UM, AND I ALSO WANT TO JUST SAY TO EVERYONE WHO HAVE BEEN A PART OF THIS, WHO HAVE SHOWN UP, WHO'VE GONE TO THE MEETINGS, WHO WENT TO THE TOWN HALL, WHO'VE BEEN ADVOCATES LIKE YOU, PATRICIA, EVERYONE WITH PEACE INITIATIVE, EVERYONE, THE CHRISTINE MESA FOUNDATION, EVERYBODY WHO'S BEEN A PART OF THIS, THAT WE HAVE HEARD YOU AND WE ARE HEARING YOU AND WE ARE MAKING MOVES, UH, BECAUSE OF YOU, BECAUSE OF THEM.
UM, AND THAT ALL OF THE PEOPLE, ALL OF THE, THOSE THAT VICTIMS, THOSE THAT HAVE SUFFERED AND ENDURED THE ABUSE, BUT ALSO THOSE WHO HAVE DIED AT THE HANDS OF IT, THAT IT WAS NOT IN VAIN.
AND THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO, UM, RIGHT BY YOU BY DOING THIS.
COUNCIL MEMBER VILLA GRIN, COUNCIL MEMBER KEEO.
THANK YOU TO THE CITY DEPARTMENT'S, METRO HEALTH, D H SS, UM, S C P D G P A, AND OF COURSE, YOU DR.
BRIDGER, FOR, FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE ON THIS, I WANNA PARTICULARLY THANK PATRICIA CASTILLO, WHO IS A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT SIX.
I HAVE TO ALWAYS PENT IT OUT,
I THINK SHE'S A STAR AND I'M GRATEFUL TO, TO HAVE HER WORKING IN THIS CAPACITY.
I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS, UM, IN REGARD, WELL ACTUALLY, I THINK COUNCIL MORAN ANSWERED PART OF IT.
UM, I WAS ASKING, GOING TO ASK IF IT'S GONNA BE ONE ENTITY THAT'S GONNA BE PERFORMING ALL OF THESE PRIORITIES, BUT I HEAR THAT IT'S NOT, IT'S MULTIPLE AND I HAVE A CONCERN THAT WE'RE GONNA SPREAD $500,000 PRETTY THIN.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT A LOT OF MONEY GIVEN WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE IT, IT'S GREAT.
IT'S JUST NOT A LOT TO BE SPREAD OUT AMONG MULTIPLE ORGANIZATIONS.
SO MY CONCERN IS THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, 10 ORGANIZATIONS FULFILLING THIS PRIORITY, BUT THEY ONLY GET SO MUCH MONEY MM-HMM.
AND SO THAT'S A BIG CONCERN THAT I HAVE.
UM, I DUNNO IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING I I SHARE THAT CONCERN.
SO WE'RE GONNA TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO ABOUT THAT.
AND THAT'S WHY I'M SO EXCITED THAT WE HAVE THE OTHER FOUNDATIONS MM-HMM.
SO WE CAN DIVVY UP SOME OF THIS, UM, AMONGST MORE THAN JUST THE CITY.
UM, WITH REGARD TO THE GAPS IDENTIFIED AND THE IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES, IS THERE ONE AREA THAT YOU COULD SEE THAT WE COULD HAVE SOME KIND OF, UM, IMMEDIATE APPLICATION? SORRY.
WELL, THE, THE WAY THAT WE APPROACHED LET'S DO SOMETHING IMMEDIATELY WAS TO LOOK AT THE OTHER HALF OF THE MILLION DOLLAR ALLOCATION THAT THE CITY GAVE, UH, TO METRO HEALTH AND TO D H S.
SO, UM, HALF OF THAT IS GOING TO NON-PROFITS.
THAT HAS TO GO THROUGH A BIT OF A LENGTHY PROCESS.
THE OTHER HALF OF THAT, THOUGH, IS BEING USED IMMEDIATELY TO IMPLEMENT THE TRIPLE P TO IMPLEMENT THE TWO GOOD FOR VIOLENCE AND THE COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGN, WHICH,
[01:30:01]
YOU KNOW, ROLLED OUT EARLY, EARLY OCTOBER.SO THAT WAS OUR WAY OF SAYING, OKAY, WE KNOW WE NEED TO START DOING THINGS IMMEDIATELY, BUT WE ALSO KNOW WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT JUST DOING THINGS WILLY-NILLY.
SO THAT WAS OUR SOLUTION TO LET'S HAVE SOME IMMEDIATE THINGS THAT WE KNOW WE CAN DO AND DO WELL.
AND THEN LET'S TAKE THE TIME TO DO THE MORE LONG-TERM THINGS, UM, DELIBERATELY.
AND ALSO, CAN YOU TELL ME WHO ARE THE EXPERTS THAT ARE GUIDING THIS WORK? WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE A LOT TO LEARN HERE, AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHO'S GONNA BE BROUGHT IN TO EDUCATE US.
SO, JENNY HICKSON, RAISE YOUR HAND.
JENNY, UM, HAS BEEN THE PERSON AT METRO HEALTH WHO HAS BEEN REACHING OUT TO THE EXPERTS FROM HIGH POINT NORTH CAROLINA TO DALLAS, TO HOUSTON, TO AUSTIN.
UM, ANYTIME SOMEBODY SAID, OH, WELL, THIS PROGRAM IN THIS, THE CARDIFF MODEL OUT OF THE UK, UM, ANYTIME SOMEBODY IDENTIFIED AN EVIDENCE-BASED SOLUTION, JENNY WAS ON THE PHONE TALKING TO THEM.
SO JENNY'S OUR EXPERT LIAISON TO ANY PLACE THAT WAS IDENTIFIED AS, YOU REALLY OUGHT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS.
I, I'M GLAD THAT WE ARE, THAT WE HAVE JENNY AND THAT SHE'S IN THAT CAPACITY.
THAT'S, OH, I'M GLAD WE HAVE JENNY TOO.
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND THE FAITH COMMUNITY IN, IN THIS PROGRAM? THE FAITH COMMUNITY IS PART OF THE TASK FORCE THAT I MENTIONED.
AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IS, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON IS WITH THE CHAMBER, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO ROLLED OUT A, A NEW ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE AROUND HOW WE HANDLE EMPLOYEES WHO ARE DEALING WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, EITHER AS A VICTIM OR AS A PERPETRATOR.
AND, UM, THE CITY MANAGER WILL THIS WEEK ACTUALLY BE REACHING OUT TO THE CHAMBERS AND SAYING, HERE IS A MODEL POLICY THAT WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO THINK ABOUT SHARING WITH OTHER BUSINESSES IN YOUR MEMBERSHIP, UH, SO THAT WE CAN EMBRACE THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE WHEN DEALING WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
UM, THE SAN ANTONIO CHAMBER HAS ALSO COMMITTED TO DOING A TRAINING ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
AND SO WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS AND CITY EXPERTS TO HELP THEM PUT TOGETHER THAT TRAINING.
AND I IMAGINE THAT WILL NOT BE THE LAST CHAMBER TO ASK US TO DO THAT.
AND UM, LASTLY, UM, I DO HAVE ANOTHER CONCERN ABOUT THE COMMISSION SERVING AS, AS A COORDINATOR, UM, FOR ALL OF THIS.
THEY'RE, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IT'S A VOLUNTEER CAPACITY THAT THEY'RE SERVING IN.
SO I JUST WONDER IF THEY'RE GONNA HAVE THE, THE TIME, THE WHEREWITHAL, THE FULL CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO SERVE AS COORDINATORS FOR ALL THESE, THESE PROGRAMS. THE MODEL THAT WE'VE USED PRETTY EFFECTIVELY OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COMMIT STAFF TIME TO ALL OF THESE COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS.
AND THAT IS REALLY THE THING THAT MAKES THEM SUCCESSFUL.
SO, UH, COMMISSION MEMBERS WILL SHOW UP ONCE A MONTH FOR AN HOUR LONG MEETING, AND THEY WILL MAKE THE HIGH LEVEL IMPORTANT DECISIONS.
BUT STAFF WHO ARE ASSIGNED TO THE COMMISSION ARE THE ONES BEHIND THE SCENES GETTING THE WORK DONE AND GETTING THE AGREEMENTS PUT TOGETHER AND GIVING THE OPTIONS OF, UH, CHOICES THAT THE COMMISSION WILL MAKE, YOU KNOW, DECIDE ON.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AGAIN FOR YOUR WORK.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAVE H, COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO.
BRIDGER FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK, UM, DOING YOUR ENTIRE DEPARTMENT, UH, MELODY AS WELL AS THE CHIEF, AND OF COURSE, UH, JUDGE DIAZ, WHO'S NOT HERE WITH US.
UH, BUT, UH, I JUST, A COUPLE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE ARE, UH, HAVE WE ENGAGED J J B SS A ON THIS? YES, WE HAVE.
UM, I HAVE THE NAME OF THE GENERAL, GENERAL LENDERMAN WILL BE WORKING WITH US ON THE COMMISSION.
UM, WE HAD A CONVERSATION EARLIER ABOUT SAFE PLACES WITH, UH, THE, UH, Y W A CA CA OVER AT, UH, THE DR.
SIMS AND THEY TALKED ABOUT A PROGRAM CALLED SAFE PLACES.
AND DO WE HAVE A SIMILAR PROTOCOL THAT CAN MAYBE KIND OF WORK IN CONCERT WITH THAT? HAVE YOU HEARD OF THIS PROGRAM? I AM VAGUELY FAMILIAR WITH IT, AND WE WILL LOOK INTO THAT.
WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE PLANS TO DO THAT, BUT WE'LL ADD THAT TO THE LIST.
I, I THINK IT WAS, IT WAS A, IT WAS INCREDIBLE TO TO HEAR, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY, THEY'RE TRAINING THEIR EMPLOYEES TO BE ABLE TO ACCEPT THOSE, UM, THAT, THAT ARE SEEKING HELP OR SUPPORT WITHIN THAT FACILITY, AND THEN CONNECT THEM WITH
[01:35:01]
ALL THE, THE, THE NECESSARY, UH, TOOLS AND, AND PEOPLE THAT CAN HELP THEM.SO I THINK IT WOULD BE A GREAT PROGRAM TO LOOK INTO.
ALSO, I, I WOULD MAKE A, A SUGGESTION OR A, UM, A, A REQUEST THAT, UH, ON YOUR EVALUATION COMMITTEE THAT THERE BE AN L G B T Q COM COMPONENT OR, OR REPRESENTATION, SOMEBODY ON THAT EVALUATION COMMITTEE WOULD BE, UH, I THINK WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL IF, UH, IF THEY WERE ADDED TO THAT.
UM, I ALSO SPOKE WITH, UM, JUDGE LACEY OVER MUNICIPAL COURT, AND SHE BROUGHT SOMETHING UP TO ME THAT WAS VERY INTERESTING AND IT, AND IT HAD TO DO WITH MINORS WHO WERE ACCUSED OF A CLASSY FAMILY VIOLENCE ISSUE AND TALKED ABOUT HOW THERE MANY OF THEM DON'T, DON'T HAVE ANY REPRESENTATION.
AND I'M TALKING ABOUT THE ACCUSED MM-HMM.
AND, AND SO IN YOUR OPINION, UM, HAVE WE, HAVE WE, ARE WE GONNA STUDY THIS? I THINK, UH, THE, THE QUESTION WAS, UH, HAVING THESE YOUNG KIDS, YOU KNOW, SORT OF FACING SOME, SOME MAJOR, UH, ACCUSATIONS AND, UH, OF COURSE POTENTIALLY LIFE CHANGING OR LIFE ALTERING EVENTS.
UM, DOES, DOES THAT ADD TO THE RECIDIVISM RATES? UH, HOW CAN, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF, AS I'M READING, UH, THROUGH THIS BOOKLET, IT SOUNDS LIKE, I MEAN, THERE'S, THIS IS MORE OF A RESTORATIVE JUSTICE STRATEGY VERSUS A A A A PUNISHMENT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, ARE, ARE WE GONNA BE LOOKING AT ANY OF THAT, ESPECIALLY WITH REGARDS TO MINORS? I BELIEVE THAT THAT IS PART OF THE PRAXIS ASSESSMENT BEING DONE BY THE PROSECUTION GROUP.
BUT I'LL MAKE A NOTE TO MAKE SURE THAT IF IT WASN'T PLANNED, IT WILL BE.
I, I THINK SOMEBODY WANTS TO MAKE A COMMENT.
THE CO-CHAIR, JOE NIO, CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE PROSECUTION, I WILL TELL YOU THE, UH, THE JUVENILE CASES THAT THEY DO, UH, ARE FILED IN OUR COURT.
UH, THEY USUALLY GO THROUGH A PRETRIAL DIVERSION PROGRAM.
UH, SO I THINK IT'S KIND OF A RARE OCCASION TO HAVE A JUVENILE GET ANY SORT OF CONVICTION WHATSOEVER WHEN IT COMES TO FAMILY VIOLENCE TYPE CASES, ASSAULT TYPE CASES.
UH, WE WORK PRETTY WELL WITH THEM WITH, UH, CERTAIN PROGRAMS WHERE THEY'RE JUVENILE CASE MANAGERS.
UH, SO, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE CLASS C, SO THEY DO NOT HAVE THE, UH, THEY'RE NOT APPOINTED, UH, LAWYERS, NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
BUT IT, BUT, BUT THERE'S SOME CRITERIA THAT THEY'D HAVE TO SIGN OFF ON, EVEN IF, EXCUSE ME.
UH, THERE, THERE'S, THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT THEY DO SIGN OFF ON THAT CAN AFFECT THEIR EMPLOYMENT STATUS, UH, OR MAYBE EVEN, UH, AFFECT, UH, PO POSSIBLY SOME OF THEIR IMMIGRATION.
NO, WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO NOT HAVE ANYTHING ON THEIR RECORD WHEN IT COMES TO JUVENILES.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE BASICALLY A MEDIATION PROGRAM THAT WE DO WITH THEM, UH, WITH THE IDEA THAT NOTHING IS REALLY FILED, NOTHING IS FILED WITH THE COURT, UH, FOR ANY SORT OF CONVICTION.
UH, IT BASICALLY IS, UH, I GUESS A BIG RESET FOR A BETTER, BETTER WORD TO USE.
UH, BUT OF COURSE, THEY ARE GIVEN PROGRAMS, UH, NOT ONLY WITH THE JUVENILE, BUT THE FAMILY AND WHAT HAVE YOU, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES ARE.
UH, BUT WE DO WORK WITH THEM, UH, NOT TO HAVE ANY SORT OF CONVICTION WHATSOEVER AT THE END OF THE DAY.
DO YOU, DO YOU LAYER ON WHAT WE'RE DOING AT THE YOUTH REENGAGEMENT CENTER AS WELL? UH, DO THEY HAVE ACCESS TO, TO THOSE SERVICES? UH, I, I BELIEVE THEY DO.
UH, THEY DO AT THE, HAVE A LOT OF REFERRALS FROM MUNICIPAL COURT.
WELL, AGAIN, I, I, I GUESS I WOULD JUST ASK THAT, UM, FOR THOSE THAT THAT DO, LET'S, I'D LIKE FOR US TO, I'VE MADE THAT AT LEAST LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, THOSE WITH AND THOSE WITHOUT, IS IS THERE, IS THERE A, A DIFFERENCE IN THE RECIDIVISM MM-HMM.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
I DO HAVE A, UH, FEW QUESTIONS HERE.
UH, ON THE SLIDE TWO RIGHT AWAY, YOU SAY, UH, IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INCREASING? AND YES, OVER TIME, IT LOOKS LIKE IT DOES THROUGH TWO 18, UH, 2018 AND THAT FIRST CHART, BUT IN 2019, THE NUMBER OF HOMICIDES WENT DOWN DRAMATICALLY.
WELL, THAT'S JUST THROUGH JULY.
SO WE HAVE TO THROUGH JULY, GET THROUGH THE JULY.
THAT'S, THIS IS CALENDAR YEAR.
SO WE'RE NOT THROUGH THE YEAR YET.
WELL, LET'S HOPE THAT IT STAYS AT THAT LEVEL.
ON THE NEXT, UH, NEXT CHART HERE, I DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND.
UM, THE DARK BOXES ARE WOMEN, BUT THEN ALL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS
[01:40:01]
THE LIGHTER COLOR.AND HOW CAN THE WOMEN BE GREATER THAN THE ALL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE? BECAUSE IT'S A RATE.
SO THE CHART ON THE LEFT IS ACTUAL RAW NUMBERS.
UH, THE CHART ON THE RIGHT CONTROLS FOR POPULATION GROWTH BY CONVERTING IT TO A RATE.
SO THE RATE OF ALL PEOPLE IS LARGER, THE DENOMINATOR IS A BIGGER NUMBER.
UM, SO IT IS, IT IS NOT UNUSUAL FOR THAT NUMBER TO SHOW UP ON THIS BAR CHART LESS THAN THE WOMEN, BECAUSE IT'S A LOWER RATE AMONG THE GENERAL POPULATION THAN IT IS AMONG WOMEN.
I STILL DIDN'T, I STILL DIDN'T DESCRIBE THAT.
WELL, BECAUSE YEAH, THAT DOESN'T MAKE IT, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE TAKING IN ALL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, THAT SHOULD BE A LARGER NUMBER THAN JUST THE WOMEN.
SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE WAY THIS IS CALCULATED, IT'S ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE KILLED AS A RESULT OF PO OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DIVIDED BY THE TOTAL POPULATION OF PEOPLE.
THE OTHER ONE IS ALL OF THE WOMEN WHO ARE KILLED AS A RESULT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, BUT ONLY DIVIDED BY THE NUMBER OF WOMEN IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO YOU'VE GOT A BIGGER DENOMINATOR FOR THAT OLDER ONE.
THANKS FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
ALL RIGHT, JESSE, TO THE RESCUE.
SO, SO MR, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? MISDEMEANORS ARE YOUR, YOUR CLASS C ASSAULTS, WHICH COULD RANGE FROM A SIMPLE TOUCH OR PUSH, SOMEBODY'S OFFENDED YOUR CLASS B ASSAULT, WHICH IS BODILY INJURY.
UH, AND THAT COULD BE EITHER VISIBLE BODILY INJURY OR SOMEBODY SAYING THEY FEEL PAIN.
AND AND THOSE ARE YOUR, YOUR TYPICAL, YOUR MISDEMEANOR TYPE FAMILY VIOLENCE OFFENSE CASES.
YOUR OTHER MISDEMEANOR CASES THAT COULD APPLY WOULD BE INTERFERENCE WITH A 9 1 1 CALL, WHICH IS A CLASS A MISDEMEANOR.
AND AGAIN, THOSE ARE TYPICALLY NOT, THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE NOT TYPICALLY CASES WHERE PEOPLE GO TO PRISON FOR THE FELONY CASES ARE THE MORE SERIOUS CASES.
SO, AGAIN, LOOKING AT THE, THE TRENDS ON THAT CHART, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A DRAMATIC DECREASE GOING ACROSS FROM STARTS IN 2009, I GUESS, THROUGH 2018.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, IT, IT KIND OF STAYS CONSTANT BETWEEN, I GUESS, 2014 THROUGH 18.
YOU KNOW, IT'S PRETTY CONSTANT ACROSS THERE.
NO, BECAUSE THIS CONTROLS FOR POPULATION GROWTH, THIS IS A RATE.
SO IT CONTROLS FOR POPULATION GROWTH.
AND ESSENTIALLY WHAT THE CHIEF SAID IS, WE'RE NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED IN 2009 THAT LED TO THAT.
UH, WELL, IT, IT, IT STARTED MUCH BEFORE THAT BECAUSE 2009 IS THE, THE PEAK.
UH, BUT SEVERAL YEARS, WELL, A GOOD NUMBER OF YEARS, IT WAS ON THE IN INCREASE MM-HMM.
AND OVER THE LAST NUMBER OF YEARS, IT'S BEEN ON A DECREASE.
SO I GUESS IT KIND OF GOES INTO MY NEXT QUESTION.
YOU MENTIONED ABOUT, UH, THANK YOU, JESSE.
UH, YOU WENT INTO LOOKING AT, UH, WHAT I CALL BENCHMARKING WITH OTHER CITIES.
AND HOW FAR HAVE Y'ALL GOTTEN TO FIND PROGRAMS THAT ARE EFFECTIVE FROM OTHER CITIES? DO WE KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING WE'RE DOING THAT WE DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THAT CAUSES THIS DECLINE? UH, I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THIS A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION.
ARE WE LOOKING AT WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING? YES.
AND THEN THE SECOND PART OF YOUR QUESTION IS, UM, HOW DEEPLY ARE YOU LOOKING INTO THOSE PROGRAMS TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THEM? RIGHT.
AND THAT IS PART OF THIS FIRST YEAR'S WORK PLAN.
SO THIS TIME NEXT YEAR, WE'LL BE ABLE TO SAY, HERE'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENS IN HIGH POINT, NORTH CAROLINA, WHEN THEY EXPERIENCED THIS, WE REPLICATED THAT, BUT CHANGED IT SLIGHTLY TO BE MORE APPROPRIATE TO SOUTH TEXAS.
AND HERE'S HOW WE'RE DOING IT HERE.
BUT RIGHT NOW, WE'RE JUST IN THE PROCESS WHERE WE'VE IDENTIFIED THOSE EVIDENCE-BASED SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
NEXT, WE'LL GET MORE EXPERT IN THEM.
AND WILL YOU BE COMING BACK TO THE COUNCIL TO BRIEF THOSE THINGS THAT Y'ALL HAVE FOUND IN OTHER CITIES THAT ARE EFFECTIVE THAT YOU'RE PLANNING ON DOING HERE? OR WILL Y'ALL JUST BE ADOPTING THOSE AND DOING 'EM? IT DEPENDS.
UM, THE COMMISSION MAY, THE DA'S OFFICE MAY DECIDE TO DO THINGS.
[01:45:01]
NOT COME BACK TO COUNCIL BEFORE IMPLEMENTING AN EVIDENCE-BASED SOLUTION.UM, IF IT INVOLVES CITY STAFF AND CITY RESOURCES, WE WOULD DEFINITELY COME BACK.
I THINK AS PART OF THESE QUARTERLY UPDATES, WE CAN INCORPORATE THAT INFORMATION INTO WHAT WE SHARE WITH COUNCIL THAT WE'RE FINDING AND THAT WE'RE WORKING ON WITH OUR PARTNERS.
'CAUSE UH, AGAIN, I'LL WANT TO KNOW WHEN THESE PARTICULAR PROGRAMS ARE BROUGHT HERE.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A COST TO THOSE, UH, YOU KNOW, EITHER IN RESOURCES OR PEOPLE OR SUPPLIES, EQUIPMENT, TRAINING, WHATEVER, UM, WHAT THOSE COSTS ARE AND HOW MUCH OF A, HOW MUCH OF A DECREASE THERE WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT COST.
AND THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT OF THIS PLAN.
AND, UM, I'M, I'M STILL, YOU KNOW, I KEEP
AND FOR US NOT TO HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THAT'S BASED ON OR WHY, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT WE, UH, WE'RE OBVIOUSLY DOING SOMETHING RIGHT OR, YOU KNOW, IS IT THE ENFORCEMENT SIDE THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT THERE, THAT THERE'S CONSEQUENCES TO THOSE ACTIONS, UH, THAT WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED OVER TIME THAT HAS CAUSED THESE DECREASES OR WHAT ELSE IS OUT THERE.
THAT'S WHAT I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT.
ARE WE GONNA BE, ARE WE GONNA BE ADDING MORE RESOURCES TO THIS PROGRAM AND NOT GET THESE KIND OF RESULTS? WELL, AND I, I DO NEED TO CAUTION INTERPRETING THIS SLIDE AS A COMPLETELY POSITIVE THING.
UH, THESE ARE CASES THAT WERE REFERRED TO THE DA'S OFFICE.
SO IT COULD BE THAT IN 2009, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE WERE MORE CASES REFERRED BECAUSE THE POLICE WERE REALLY FOCUSED ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND THEY WEREN'T JUST EMBRACING A CULTURE OF VIOLENCE AS BEING NORMAL.
AND THEN AS THAT CHANGED, IT COULD, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I'M NOT SAYING THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED, I'M JUST SAYING I WOULD NOT WANT TO INTERPRET THIS CHART AS A HUNDRED PERCENT POSITIVE.
IT'S SOMETHING, IT'S A NUANCE THAT WE NEED TO BETTER UNDERSTAND AND WE NEED TO MONITOR AS PART OF A LOT OF DIFFERENT DATA POINTS THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF WOMEN AND, AND PEOPLE BEING KILLED, THAT'S DEFINITELY GOING UP.
UH, WE JUST NEED TO BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON HERE, AND IT COULD BE A PROCESS PROBLEM, RATHER THAN THE FACT THAT THERE WAS LESS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
UM, AND JESSE, THAT I, I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU.
IN OUR, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ABOUT TO, UH, GET INTO A NEW, UH, REPORTING PROGRAM.
UM, WILL WE GET BETTER DEFINITIONS OF THIS WHENEVER WE, UH, PUT THESE REPORTS INTO THE NEW SYSTEM, THE NEW, UH, COMPUTER SYSTEM THAT WE'RE GETTING? AND IS THIS INFORMATION DECIPHERABLE THROUGH THE NEIGHBORS REPORTS TO BETTER DEFINE WHAT THESE, WHAT THESE INSTANCES ARE? YES, SIR.
SO ON THE FIRST QUESTION, ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK THAT WAS ONE OF THE, UH, THE, THE THINGS THAT WE WERE MEASURING FOR A NEW SYSTEM, UH, THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT DATA AND, AND HAVE THAT, UH, READILY AVAILABLE AND EASILY SEARCHABLE.
AND THAT GETS DOWN TO THE GRANULAR LEVEL OF, OF THESE TYPES OF OFFENSES, THESE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CASES.
UH, THAT'LL HELP US REALLY PUT A, A, A NUMBER, A DEFINITIVE NUMBER ON, ON WHAT EXACTLY THE SCOPE OF OUR ISSUES ARE HERE.
SO THE, THOSE NUMBERS ARE BROKEN OUT IN BETTER DETAIL THAT THE F B I IS WANTING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORS REPORT.
THE NEIGHBORS WILL ACCOUNT FOR SPECIFIC OFFENSES RATHER THAN RELYING ON THE HIERARCHY RULE.
SO IF YOU'VE GOT A, UM, A, A FELONY OFFENSE, AND WE GO BACK TO TALKING ABOUT FELONIES AND MISDEMEANORS UNDER OUR CURRENT U C R TRACKING SYSTEM OR REPORTING SYSTEM, ONLY THE FELONY IS REPORTED.
AND SO YOU DON'T GET THE UNDERLYING MISDEMEANOR, WHICH WOULD BE THE ASSAULT BODILY INJURY, OR THE ASSAULT FAMILY VIOLENCE.
UM, YOU MIGHT GET THE, UM, AGGRAVATED KIDNAPPING, FOR EXAMPLE.
UM, AND, AND THAT'S, AND THAT'S WHAT BRS IS GONNA DO, IS GOING TO REALLY DEFINE THAT AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO DETERMINE EXACTLY HOW MANY OF THOSE CASES ARE OCCURRING.
UM, AND THEN, AND COUNCILMAN, I DO WANNA ADD, UH, JENNY, WHO KNOWS EVERYTHING JUST CAME UP AND WHISPERED IN MY EAR, AND SHE MADE A REALLY GOOD POINT, WHICH IS THAT IN 2009, A NUMBER OF MISDEMEANORS WERE RECLASSIFIED AS FELONIES.
SO THAT WOULD ACCOUNT FOR A DECREASE IN MISDEMEANOR CHARGES, BUT NOT A DECREASE IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
[01:50:01]
YEAH.UM, BUT IF YOU COMBINE THEM AS AN AGGREGATE, IT'S STILL RIGHT.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT.
IN THIS, UH, SOLICITATION, UH, I'M ASSUMING, HAVE Y'ALL BEEN THROUGH THE AUDIT AND ACCOUNTABILITY MEETING YET? NO, WE'RE COMBINING.
THAT'S WHY WE PRESENTED THIS INFORMATION TO YOU.
TO BE ABLE TO GET THIS OUT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
WE'RE GOING STRAIGHT TO B SESSION.
UM, WHEN THIS GOES OUT, ARE NONPROFIT AGENCIES THAT ARE ALREADY WORKING THESE PROGRAMS, ARE THEY GONNA BE ELIGIBLE TO BID ON THESE AS WELL? ABSOLUTELY.
UH, YEAH, BUT THEY'RE ALREADY DOING THESE PROGRAMS. THEY'RE NOT DOING THESE PROGRAMS, THEY'RE DOING OTHER PROGRAMS. SO THERE WON'T BE ANY OVERLAP BETWEEN WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE ASKING FOR NEXT, AND NO.
UH, ONE MORE, I THINK THIS IS A JESSE ONE, THIS, UH, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HIGH RISK TEAM PILOT PROGRAM.
HOW IS THAT GONNA WORK? OR WHAT, WHAT ARE Y'ALL REALLY GONNA BE DOING? SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'VE ALREADY, UH, STARTED, UH, REACHING OUT AND WE'VE, UM, LOOKED AT TALKING TO, AND WE'VE SPOKEN TO THE TEXAS COUNCIL FAMILY VIOLENCE.
THEY'VE ALREADY GOT PROGRAMS ACROSS THE STATE THAT THEY'RE WORKING.
AND WHAT THAT IS, ESSENTIALLY IS EARLY INTERVENTION AND LOOKING AT THESE HIGH RISK CASES AND BRINGING ALL OF OUR, UH, MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAMS TO THE TABLE.
SO IT'S LAW ENFORCEMENT, IT'S PROBATION, IT'S, UH, THE, THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE.
AND, AND IT'S THROUGH, UH, A VICTIM'S ADVOCACY SERVICE GROUP.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO IS, IS FORM THAT TEAM.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT.
I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO HELP US IDENTIFY THESE HIGH RISK CASES AND PREVENT, UH, THESE, THESE, UH, CASES FROM BECOMING THE HOMICIDES THAT WE'VE SEEN.
AND, AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO IS, UH, WE'VE, AND WE'VE GOTTA REALLY, UH, WORK ON THIS QUICKLY, IS WE'RE GONNA TRY TO APPLY FOR SOME GRANTS TO IMPLEMENT THAT HERE.
WHEN, WHEN YOU SAY TO PREVENT A HOMICIDE, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT FAMILIES OR COUPLES OR WHATEVER THAT HAVE HAD PROBLEMS IN THE PAST? AND, AND, UH, WE WILL GO AND INTERVENE, IF YOU WILL? UH, I, I, I GUESS I JUST DON'T SEE HOW THAT MECHANISM IS GONNA WORK.
WELL, IT, IT'S A, IT, IT'S SORT OF A REFERRAL PROCESS AND, AND ANYBODY CAN BRING A REFERRAL FORWARD, AND THEN IT BRINGS EVERYBODY TOGETHER.
SO THE PROCESS WOULD BE, IF, IF WE'RE ALL ON THIS, UH, HIGH RISK TEAM, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT WAYS TO INTERVENE AND, AND WAYS TO SORT OF BREAK THAT CYCLE OF VIOLENCE.
AND, AND MAYBE THAT SOMEBODY DOESN'T WANNA LEAVE BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO DO IT, OR THIS IS A SERIAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UM, ISSUE.
AND, AND, AND MAYBE, UM, UM, THERE'S, THERE'S SOME OTHER UNDERLYING ISSUES, PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES.
WE WILL BRING EVERY RESOURCE TO BEAR SO THAT WE CAN TRY TO INTERVENE AND GET THAT PERSON OUT OF THAT SITUATION TO PREVENT AN ESCALATION.
I MEAN, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO? JUST GO KNOCK ON THE DOOR OR, I, I, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW, HOW THAT MECHANISM IS GONNA WORK.
'CAUSE YOU JUST DON'T GO BARGING IN A, IN A HOUSE TO SAY, WE'RE INTERVENING HERE.
HOW, HOW, HOW DO YOU GET TO THAT POINT? WELL, YOU BRING EVERYBODY TOGETHER AND THEN YOU LOOK FOR STRATEGIES.
AND MAYBE IT'S A SITUATION WHERE WE'VE GOT, UM, A BUNCH OF REPORTS AND A BUNCH OF CASES, AND WE'VE GONE TO LOOK FOR, UM, WAYS TO MAYBE YOU, WE NEED TO GET, UM, UH, CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES INVOLVED.
MAYBE WE NEED TO TRY TO INTERVENE THROUGH THE SCHOOL.
IT'S JUST LOOKING AT THESE ISSUES FROM A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT ANGLES AS OPPOSED TO A LAW ENFORCEMENT ENTITY ONLY.
AND A DETECTIVE JUST LOOKING, DO I HAVE PROBABLE CAUSE TO MAKE AN ARREST? DOES THIS WOMAN WANT TO PRESS CHARGES? AND THEN WE'RE DONE WITH IT BECAUSE WE CAN'T GO ANY FURTHER.
IT'S LOOKING AT A, A MORE ROBUST WAY TO TRY TO IDENTIFY THESE ISSUES AND TRY TO TAKE SOME ACTION WHEN MAYBE SOMEBODY'S NOT NECESSARILY BEING COOPERATIVE OR WE'VE HIT A ROADBLOCK IN THE INVESTIGATION.
UH, THAT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THAT ACTUALLY OPERATES.
'CAUSE I, YOU KNOW, IF PEOPLE DON'T WANT THE HELP, I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU DO IN THAT CASE? I MEAN, IF THEY, THIS IS A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM.
AND YEAH, WE'RE NOT FORCING ANYBODY TO, BUT AGAIN, IF, IF THERE IS, YOU KNOW, FAMILY VIOLENCE IS ONE OF THOSE CASES THAT WE CAN PROCEED AND FILE WITHOUT THE VICTIM'S COOPERATION.
AND SO ULTIMATELY, IF THAT'S, IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO DO, WE'LL DO IT.
AND THE, AND THE DECISION TO PROSECUTE OR NOT TO PROSECUTE THEN GETS HANDED OVER TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
BUT, UM, THAT IS ONE OF THOSE, UH, CASES.
AND, AND IT'S, IT'S CODIFIED IN THE STATE LAW THAT WE, WE WILL FILE THOSE CASES.
SAME WAY, WHEN YOU HAVE A VIOLATION OF A PROTECTIVE
[01:55:01]
ORDER AND WE CATCH SOMEBODY, WE SHALL ARREST.THAT'S ONE OF THE FEW PLACES WHERE THE CHIEF TALKS ABOUT DISCRETION.
WE DO NOT HAVE DISCRETION IN THAT CASE.
IF SOMEBODY VIOLATES PROTECTIVE ORDER AND YOU CATCH THEM, YOU BETTER ARREST THEM.
AND THEN, UM, THANK YOU, JESSE.
YOU HAVE, UH, YOU HAVE DIFFERENT IN THE SOLICITATION, I'M ASSUMING YOU HAVE, UH, UM, YOU'VE BROKEN IT OUT IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT AREAS ON YOUR ESTIMATES.
HOW DID Y'ALL ESTIMATE, YOU KNOW, THE 80,000 IN THE 170 AND THE, UH, I MEAN, WHERE DID YOU COME UP WITH THOSE ESTIMATES? SO THAT'S SLIDE NUMBER 19.
UM, THOSE ARE NOT R F P OPTIONS.
THOSE ARE PROGRAMS WE ARE ALREADY IMPLEMENTING THROUGH METRO HEALTH.
AND THAT IS THE ACTUAL COST OF THOSE PROGRAMS. OKAY.
AND THEN THE, THE LAST, THE LOWER RIGHT HAND, 500,000 IS THE TOTAL AMOUNT FOR THE RFPS.
SO, SO ALL FOUR BOXES TOTAL A MILLION DOLLARS.
THOSE FIRST THREE ARE THINGS WE'RE ALREADY DOING.
AND, AND BEFORE I GET TO COUNCILMAN PLIE, IT, UH, THERE WAS A CONVERSATION IN THERE THAT PIQUED MY INTEREST.
'CAUSE I ASKED ABOUT IT, ASKED ABOUT IT EARLIER, UH, WITH REGARD TO THE DECREASE IN MISDEMEANOR RATE.
IT WASN'T A RESULT OF PARTICULAR CRIMES BEING RECLASSIFIED.
IT WAS A, IT WAS A RECLASSIFICATION OF A TYPE OF CRIME THAT WAS, WE WERE, WE WERE SEEING IN SAN ANTONIO.
IS THAT RIGHT? AND THAT'S WHY THE DECREASE HAS STATE CONSISTENT.
SO SOMETHING IN 2009 WHEN WE WERE AT OUR HIGHEST, CERTAIN MISDEMEANORS WERE RECLASSIFIED AS FELONIES.
AND SO THE NEXT YEAR WHEN WE REPORTED ON THE NUMBER OF MISDEMEANORS FILED, THAT NUMBER WENT DOWN.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THOSE NOW FELONY ITEMS ALSO WENT DOWN.
BUT THE, THE TYPE OF CRIME WAS RECLASSIFIED.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER S THANK YOU, UM, DR.
BRIDGER, I APPRECIATE YOUR WORK AND, AND THE WORK OF EVERYBODY, UM, THAT YOU BROUGHT TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT TODAY HAPPENS.
UM, WITH REGARDS TO THIS SLIDE, I NOTICED DOWN ON THE FOOTNOTE THAT IT'S A SLIDE PUT TOGETHER BY LILY URA AND ROGER ENRIQUE.
I, I, I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS SLIDE IS TELLING US.
I MEAN, A MISDEMEANOR OFFENSE WENT UP, UM, OVER A CERTAIN NUMBER OF YEARS.
I, I NEED MORE DATA ON THIS SLIDE TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE HECK IT MEANS.
WELL, THEN DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE SLIDE.
I'M NOT, I'M JUST, THE POINT IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE, WE'RE GETTING HUNG UP ON IT DATA.
THAT'S WHY I'M BRINGING IT UP.
SO, UM, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE, UH, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THE LED BY RICHARD BEEZ HAD, HAD REACHED OUT AND HAD, UM, OFFERED TO ENGAGE MM-HMM.
THAT THAT IS A REALLY BIG DEAL.
UM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I WAS GONNA COME AND JUMP DOWN YOUR THROAT, UH, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T SEE BUSINESS COMMUNITY MENTIONED IN THE FLOW CHART OF, YOU KNOW, OF AGE OR ORGANIZATIONS THAT REPORT UP AND ARE PART OF THE PLAN.
AND I DON'T THINK WE CAN DO ANYTHING WITHOUT THEM CONSIDERING THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE THIRD OF THEIR EMPLOYEES, UH, OR WHAT IS IT, YOU KNOW, HALF OF HALF OF THEIR EMPLOYEES ARE WOMEN AND ONE THIRD OF THOSE EMPLOYEES ARE, YOU KNOW, HAVE A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TO TELL.
THAT DATA'S ONE OF THOSE DATA POINTS THAT ARE CHALLENGING, BUT IT'S A BIG DEAL.
RIGHT? IT'S, AND SO, UM, I ALSO THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT 'CAUSE I LOOK FOR IT AND I DON'T SEE IT, AND MAYBE I'M JUST MISSING THE PAGE THAT WE DEFINE DOMESTIC ABUSE.
UM, WE WANT TO HAVE, WE CAN'T JUST MAKE UP A DEFINITION.
WE NEED TO HAVE A GROUP OF PEOPLE COME TOGETHER AND ALL AGREE ON WHAT WE ALL MEAN WHEN WE SAY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
BECAUSE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE MEANS SOMETHING.
AND THEN I, YOU KNOW, WHILE THERE'S A FRIEND OF MINE WATCHING THIS MEETING WHO'S TEXTING ME, AND, YOU KNOW, SHE SAYS, HEY, YOU KNOW, DON'T FORGET THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SOMETIMES DOESN'T INCLUDE THE WORD ABUSE.
WHICH IS NON-ART, NON-VIOLENT ABUSE, LIKE ILLEGAL RESTRAINT OR MM-HMM.
RIGHT? AND SO, WITHHOLDING MEDS.
WITHHOLDING MEDS, UH, AND SO I, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE'RE NOT JUST LASER FOCUSING ON ONE TYPE OF ABUSE, RIGHT? YES.
AND THAT WE'RE BEING REALLY THOUGHTFUL AND INCLUSIVE OF ALL KINDS OF ABUSE, RIGHT? YES.
AND THAT IS ONE OF THE ATTENDANCE OF THE LOVE IS CAMPAIGN.
SO, UM, UH, I KNOW THAT IT'S A MOVING NUMBER, BUT I SAW IT IN THE REPORT.
ONE IN THREE WOMEN HAVE A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE STORY TO TELL.
UM, AND THAT, OR A DOMESTIC ABUSE STORY TO TELL, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
[02:00:01]
UM, AND IT, IT'S, IT'S A REAL NUMBER.UM, AND IT'S NOT A NUMBER THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, IS, UH, LIVES WITHIN ONE CERTAIN DEMOGRAPHIC, RIGHT? AND THIS IS A NUMBER THAT IMPACTS WOMEN WITH VERY LITTLE MONEY AND VERY WEALTHY WOMEN AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN, RIGHT? IT IMPACTS LATINAS AND WHITE WOMEN, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, BLACK WOMEN, IT IMPACTS CHILDREN.
UM, IT IMPACTS THE L G B T Q COMMUNITY IN WAYS THAT WE HAVEN'T EVEN BEGUN TO EXPLORE YET.
UM, THE ONE IN THREE NUMBER IS ALSO, YOU KNOW, UH, INCLUDES WOMEN WHO ARE GOING TO U T S A TODAY WHO ARE SITTING IN CLASS RIGHT NOW.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE, A LOT OF THEM HAVE A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE STORY TO TELL, AND THEY'RE STILL TRYING TO, UH, GO TO SCHOOL.
AND THIS SUNDAY WHEN ALL OF US GO TO CHURCH, YOU KNOW, IF WE TAKE A LOOK AROUND, ONE IN THREE OF THOSE WOMEN WILL HAVE HAD A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE STORY TO TELL.
UM, AND SO I, I JUST, I WANNA POINT OUT THAT THIS SLIDE, AND I KNOW WE'RE GETTING HUNG UP ON THE SLIDE, BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT IT IS ONE DATA POINT.
AND I'M NOT EVEN SURE WHAT THE HECK THAT DATA POINT IS, BUT I CAN GIVE YOU SOME REAL ONES RIGHT NOW.
UM, IN 2018, WE ADDED IT UP AND, AND I'VE HAD THEM ADDED UP WHILE I'VE BEEN SITTING HERE.
UM, IN 2018, THE BATTERED WOMEN AND CHILDREN'S SHELTER HOUSED 4,063 NEW WOMEN AND CHILDREN CLIENTS, THAT THAT MEANS THAT THESE ARE PEOPLE 4,063 SAN ANTONIANS THAT HAD NEVER BEEN VISITING THE SHELTER BEFORE.
THAT WAS LAST YEAR, UM, IN 2019 SO FAR.
AND THAT'S NOT EVEN COUNTING OCTOBER.
SO THIS IS JANUARY THROUGH, UM, SEPTEMBER IN JUNE IN 2019.
SO FAR THAT NUMBER IS 3,777, RIGHT? TWO, TWO THIRDS OF THESE ARE KIDS.
AND SO WE'RE EXPECTING US TO SURPASS, I MEAN, EVERYBODY KNOWS WE ARE GOING TO SURPASS MM-HMM.
UM, AND OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF WOMEN HOUSED AND, AND, UH, AND CHILDREN HOUSED AND TREATED, UM, BY THAT ONE AGENCY ITSELF, UM, THEIR CENSUS, THEIR DAILY NIGHTLY CENSUS, RIGHT? UH, AND IT'S AN AVERAGE CENSUS THAT WE TAKE EVERY SINGLE MONTH HAS INCREASED 120% BETWEEN, UH, OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, RIGHT? SO THERE WAS A TIME WHERE WE WOULD ALL SAY, OH MY GOSH, THE CENSUS AT THE BATTERED WOMEN SHELTER TONIGHT IS 68 WOMEN.
THAT WAS A LOT, RIGHT? IN THE PAST THREE MONTHS, WE'VE BLOWN PAST 300, UM, IS OUR HEADCOUNT, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST THREE MONTHS AT THAT SHELTER, UM, USING THAT 300 IN THE PA, AND THESE THREE MONTHS ARE ABERRANT FOR US, RIGHT? SO IN THE PAST THREE MONTHS, IF YOU USE THAT, COMPARE IT TO FIVE YEARS AGO, THAT'S A 242% INCREASE, UM, OVER FIVE YEARS OF JUST PEOPLE HOUSED AND TAKING SHELTER AND RECEIVING, YOU KNOW, VITAL SERVICES.
AND SO, AGAIN, I APPRECIATE MS. URAS CHART, BUT THIS DOES NOT PAINT ANY ACCURATE PICTURE OF ANYTHING.
I REALLY DON'T FIND IT USEFUL.
UM, SO OVER THOSE PAST FIVE YEARS, HOWEVER, I'VE ALSO BEEN OBSERVING OTHER THINGS, RIGHT? UM, AND, AND I'LL EVEN SHORTEN THAT PERIOD, UM, THIS CITY COUNCIL MOVED A CONFEDERATE STATUE AND WE HAD THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE SHOW UP, EMAIL, CALL US, WRITE TEXT MESSAGES, AND LOSE THEIR MINDS OVER THAT, RIGHT? WE PAINTED A SINGLE SOLITARY CROSSWALK, AND WE HAD PEOPLE WITH THEIR HAIR ON FIRE, YOU KNOW, ACCUSING US OF DESTROYING AMERICA AND SHOWING UP AND FILLING THESE ROOM, THIS ROOM IN PARTICULAR, FILLING OUR INBOXES.
EVERY ONE OF US GOT TONS OF PHONE CALLS OVER THAT ISSUE.
UM, AND INANIMATE OBJECT CALLED THE SENATE.
THE SENATE TAF JUST DOWN THE STREET, WE'RE GONNA MOVE IT 500 FEET TO THE RIGHT.
AND I MEAN, I DON'T REMEMBER, I CAN'T COUNT THE NUMBER OF HOURS THAT WE'VE BLOWN, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT THAT ONE INANIMATE OBJECT AND THE NUMBER OF MEGABYTES SAVED ON MY COMPUTER, YOU KNOW, CONTAINING EMAILS AND TEXT MESSAGES AND ALL THAT DEDICATED TO THAT ONE ISSUE.
UM, THE AMOUNT OF BANDWIDTH THAT WE'VE BEEN USING LATELY OVER AN EIGHT BLOCK STRETCH OF BROADWAY AND DEBATING WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GONNA HAVE BIKE LANES THERE, ONE BIKE LANE OVER IS ASTONISHING.
UH, AND THE HUNDREDS OF FAITH LEADERS THAT SHOWED UP IN THIS ROOM, AND I THINK YOU WERE HERE, DOC FOR THAT, HUNDREDS OF FAITH LEADERS SHOWED UP IN THIS ROOM.
THEY FILLED THIS ROOM, UM, TO TALK TO US AND GIVE US A PIECE OF THEIR MIND ABOUT THE CONCESSION AGREEMENT AT THE AIRPORT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST TIME, I THINK THE ONLY TIME SENATOR CAMPBELL HAS EVER VISITED THIS ROOM WAS TO COME, GIVE US A PIECE OF OUR MIND, OF HER MIND ABOUT, UH, THE CHICKEN SANDWICH AT THE AIRPORT.
THAT WAS THE ONLY TIME I'VE EVER SEEN HER AND HERE IN THIS ROOM.
AND SHE SPENT A LOT OF OUR TIME FIGHTING US ON WHICH TREES TO CUT AND WHICH ONES NOT TO CUT.
UM, SHE DOES A GREAT JOB PROTECTING TREES.
SO, UM, WE, UH, I REMEMBER ALL THE
[02:05:01]
CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE COMING IN HERE OVER A VERY, VERY SPOOKY, SCARY LABOR PEACE AGREEMENT.AND IT'S REALLY FRUSTRATING FOR ME, BECAUSE I'LL TELL YOU ONE OTHER THING.
TAKE ALL OF THAT AND CONSIDER SOMETHING SOMEBODY, UM, WHO LEFT A DOG IN THE BACKYARD OF, UH, IN A BACKYARD IN MY DISTRICT.
YOU REMEMBER, MOLLY, THE DOG, UH, COUNCILMAN TREVINO, YOU WERE HELPFUL IN THIS.
THERE WAS SOMEBODY WHO LEFT A DOG IN THEIR BACKYARD, AND THAT DOG HAD THIRD DEGREE BURNS FROM NOSE TO TAIL, BECAUSE THEY LEFT THAT DOG IN THE SUN.
AND OH, WE RECEIVED SO MANY CALLS ABOUT THAT, AND HUNDREDS OF PHONE CALLS.
PEOPLE CAME OUT CONGRATULATING US, WROTE LETTERS DEMANDING CARE FOR DOGS.
AND I WAS CONGRATULATED, PRACTICALLY CARRIED OUT ON PEOPLE'S SHOULDERS, YOU KNOW, IN TOWN HALLS, UH, BECAUSE PEOPLE LOVED THAT WE DID SOMETHING FOR THIS ONE DOG WHO'D SUSTAINED THIRD DEGREE BURNS.
THE TV COVERED IT, EVERYBODY WAS CELEBRATING IT.
ABOUT TWO MONTHS AFTER THAT, IN MAY 27TH OF SUNDAY, A YOUNG WOMAN NAMED ANGIE WAS SLEEPING, AND HER BOYFRIEND CAME INTO THE ROOM AND DOUSED HER ALCOHOL, POURED A BOTTLE OF ALCOHOL OVER HER.
ANGIE WAS THANKFULLY PUT OUT BY A FAMILY MEMBER WHO WAS THERE, BUT SHE WAS TAKEN TO B S C WHERE THEY TREATED HER IN OUR TRAUMA BURN UNIT.
UM, AND THEY TREATED HER FOR THIRD DEGREE BURNS ALL OVER HER BODY.
UM, THIS GUY, UH, FOR THE, FOR, DURING THE ENTIRE TIME THAT THEY'D BEEN DATING YEARS, SHE WAS SIX MONTHS PREGNANT, BY THE WAY.
BUT DURING THE ENTIRE SIX MONTH PERIOD, I'M SORRY, THE ENTIRE PERIOD THAT THEY WERE DATING, UM, HE TRIED TO KILL HER MULTIPLE TIMES AND PUNCHED HER AND BEAT HER AND CUT HER WITH BLADES.
AT ONE INSTANCE, HE TRIED TO CHOKE HER AND KILL HER WITH A NECK TIE.
UM, AND HE'D, YOU KNOW, THE YEAR BEFORE THAT HE'D BEEN, UH, CONVICTED OF TRYING TO ASSAULT AND KILL HIS MOTHER, UM, AS WELL, HE WAS ARRESTED BY S A P D AND TAKEN, UM, TO, YOU KNOW, GET PROCESSED.
AND THE BOND THAT WAS ASSESSED TO HIM, UM, WAS $40,000.
UH, WHICH MEANS THAT ALL HE WOULD HAVE TO COME UP WITH IS 10% TO GET OUTTA JAIL THAT NIGHT AND GO TERRORIZE ANGIE AGAIN.
WHICH HAPPENS OFTEN, BY THE WAY.
UM, COMPARE THAT TO THE FACT THAT OUR FORMER SENATOR CARLOS ARRESTEE AND HIS ACCOMPLICE HAD TO PAY MORE TO GET OUTTA JAIL.
A WHITE COLLAR CRIMINAL HAS TO PAY MORE TO GET OUTTA JAIL TEMPORARILY THAN SOMEBODY WHO HAS A HISTORY OF TRYING TO KILL THE WOMEN THAT HE LIVES WITH.
UM, ANYWAY, THANKFULLY THAT GUY'S GETTING PROSECUTED AND HE'LL BE HELD FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
THE POINT I'M MAKING, AND WHAT REALLY BREAKS MY HEART IS THAT NOBODY CALLED US.
I DON'T THINK ANY OF MY COUNCIL MEMBERS RECEIVED A CALL, AN EMAIL, A TEXT.
NO CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE, NO LABOR UNIONS.
NOBODY SHOWED UP AND CALLED US.
A SUNBURNT DOG ELICITS MORE OF A REACTION THAN A WOMAN WHO'S LIT ON FIRE BY HER BOYFRIEND.
SO, UM, AND JUST TO PROOF THAT ANYBODY HERE FROM A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, ANYBODY HERE FROM, UH, THE FAITH COMMUNITY, A FAITH LEADER, ANYBODY SHOWED UP TODAY, IS ANYBODY HERE FROM TEXAS A AND M OR U T S A OR A C C D OR ANY LARGE EMPLOYER, ANY LABOR UNIONS IN THE ROOM? I SAW THE FIRE AND POLICE UNION HERE, BUT SO, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO SHAME THEM.
I I'M JUST TRYING TO POINT OUT, DOC, THAT YOUR, I THINK YOUR HEAVY LIFT IS, IS REALLY HEAVY.
WE, ON THIS DAAS, HAVE A REALLY HEAVY LIFT, A VERY HEAVY LIFT, AND THAT HEAVY LIFT IS GONNA BE RECRUITING THOSE FOLKS THAT I JUST CALLED OUT AND DIDN'T SHOW UP TODAY, UM, TO CARE AS MUCH AS THEY CARE ABOUT ALL THE OTHER THINGS I LISTED OFF, BECAUSE IT'S THEIR EMPLOYEES, IT'S THEIR STUDENTS, IT'S THEIR NEIGHBORS, IT'S THE MEMBERS OF THOSE UNIONS.
UM, AND IT'S THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN WHO SIT IN THOSE PARISHES AND IN THOSE CHURCHES AND THOSE TEMPLES, UM, WHO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I DO PRAY THAT ONE DAY WE CAN FILL THIS ROOM WITH THE SENATOR CAMPBELLS AND, YOU KNOW, THE PASTOR HAES AND ALL THE, ALL THE FAITH LEADERS TO COME TALK TO US ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WITH THE SAME ZEAL THAT THEY TALKED TO US ABOUT SANDWICHES.
COUNCIL MEMBER EZ, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
THANK YOU COUNCILMAN FOR BRINGING THOSE POINTS BEFORE THIS COUNCIL.
BRIDGER AND EVERYBODY ON THE TEAM THAT, UH, PUT THIS WHOLE PRESENTATION TOGETHER.
I THINK IT'S VERY SIGNIFICANT AND, UH, YEAH, I'M, I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS.
I HAD, UH, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ON SLIDE 16.
YOU, UH, YOU REVIEW SLIDE 15 AND YOU TALK ABOUT, UM, ALL OF THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF PRIMARY PREVENTION, SECONDARY, ET CETERA.
ON 15, IT POINTS OUT WHAT THE CITY'S DONE ON 16.
[02:10:01]
OUT HOW UNSUCCESSFUL ALL THOSE THINGS HAVE BEEN.IS THAT PRETTY ACCURATE? NO, I WOULDN'T, I WOULDN'T SUMMARIZE IT LIKE THAT ON SLIDE 15.
SO IT'S JUST CONCRETE PROGRAMS TO HELP IT MAKE IT MORE REAL TO PEOPLE.
AND ON 16, IT, IT TENDS TO SAY ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AREN'T VERY SUCCESSFUL OR AREN'T COMPLETELY SUCCESSFUL.
SO AT SLIDE 15, UH, IF YOU LOOK AT THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE LISTED UNDER PRIMARY PREVENTION, FOR EXAMPLE MM-HMM.
ONE OF THE GAPS THAT CAME UP WAS THAT'S NOT HAPPENING.
UM, THAT THERE SHOULD BE SCHOOL-BASED SOCIAL EMOTIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS TO TEACH CONFLICT RE RESOLUTION.
UM, AN EXAMPLE WOULD BE TO IMPLEMENT TRIPLE P.
WELL, WE JUST IMPLEMENTED TRIPLE P OCTOBER 1ST.
THERE IS ONE THING THAT, UH, THAT WAS REALLY THE POINT I WANTED TO MAKE.
AND IT WAS UNDER TERTIARY AND IT SAID ON, ON SLIDE 16, SERVICES AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR OFFENDERS DO NOT SUFFICIENTLY REMOVE WEAPONS.
UH, AND WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE WHILE AGO.
RIGHT? SO THAT'S ACTUALLY, THAT'S A GAP.
AND THE OTHER ONE IS, UH, PROVIDE TREATMENT TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE.
AND THAT'S THE POINT I REALLY WANTED TO ADDRESS.
'CAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE ARE PROGRAMS THAT ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED THAT ARE, THAT, UH, THAT OFFENDERS ARE BEING REFERRED TO.
SO WHY, UM, WHY IS THAT NOT, UM, SUCCESSFUL? ARE YOU SIMPLY SAYING THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE OF THEM OR THEY NEED TO BE DIFFERENT OR MORE INTENSE? OR ARE WE TRYING TO FIND BETTER PROGRAMS IN THAT AREA? ALL OF THE ABOVE.
SO JUST WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW AREN'T DOING THE JOB SUFFICIENT, BUT WE NEED AND NOT EFFECTIVE.
THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE OF.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A NATIONAL REGISTRY, A STATE REGISTRY, A LOCAL REGISTRY OF SEX OFFENDERS.
IS THERE ANY KIND OF REGISTRY FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OFFENDERS? NO.
AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING I WOULD RECOMMEND.
AND WHY IS THAT? IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT EVIDENCE-BASED.
THERE'S BEEN RESEARCH AROUND WHETHER THAT WOULD BE AN EFFECTIVE THING TO DO.
SO WE, WELL THEN HOW DO WE KEEP TRACK OF, UH, PEOPLE WHO REPEATEDLY COMMIT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE? I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE HOW TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION IN A SHORT RESPONSE, BUT I WILL SAY THAT THE POLICE, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY KNOW WHO THE, UM, WHO THOSE FOLKS ARE.
AND ULTIMATELY OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET ACCESS TO THAT TREATMENT THAT YOU MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY.
SO THE, THE, THE, THAT'S A LONGER CONVERSATION.
I'M HAPPY TO COME TO YOUR OFFICE AND SIT DOWN AND HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, BUT THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS AN EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE, NOR IS IT SOMETHING THAT ANYBODY INVOLVED IN THIS WORK WOULD RECOMMEND? WELL, I JUST THINK OF THE TIMES I'VE HEARD ABOUT PEOPLE WHO'VE EVENTUALLY SERIOUSLY HARMED OR KILLED SOMEBODY WHO THE POLICE WILL SAY, WELL, THEY'VE HAD A RECORD OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS OR AGAINST FORMER PARTNERS.
BUT THE PEOPLE WHO FINALLY ARE KILLED OR MEAN BY THAT, THEY HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING.
'CAUSE THERE'S NO RECORD THAT, UH, THEY COULD CHECK ON.
THERE'S NO WAY ANYBODY CAN LET THEM KNOW AHEAD OF TIME IF THERE'S NO RECORD OF IT AS WE HAVE WITH SEX OFFENDERS.
SO I, I WONDER WHY, UM, YOU KNOW, WHY YOU OR OTHERS WORKING ON THIS WOULD NOT THINK THAT ANYBODY WHO'S BEEN CONVICTED, UH, AND MAYBE MULTIPLE TIMES SHOULDN'T SOMEHOW BE IN A DATABASE SO THE PUBLIC CAN PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM THAT.
I MEAN, IF YOU HAPPY TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION IN YOUR OFFICE.
ALRIGHT, WELL, THAT WAS THE LAST QUESTION THAT I HAD.
THAT IS AN EXCELLENT, UH, QUESTION.
AND IT'S A SENTIMENT THAT, UM, I HEAR QUITE A BIT BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF RECIDIVISM AND ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, IT ENDS AND THE, THE, THE MAN IS STOPPED ONLY WHEN HE IS IN PRISON FOR LIFE AFTER KILLING, RIGHT? HER, UM, THE, THE PROBLEM
[02:15:01]
IS, IS THAT FOR EVERY ONE OF THOSE CASES, THERE'S THOUSANDS OF CASES OF BATTERERS NEVER DOING IT AGAIN.UM, AND BECAUSE THEY GO THROUGH BATTERERS INTERVENTION PROGRAMS LIKE THE ONES WE HAVE HERE IN BEXAR COUNTY, WHICH ARE PART OF THIS PLAN, AND WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO DO IS, UM, YOU KNOW, CREATE AN IMPEDIMENT FOR THEM ONCE THEY'VE RECOVERED BECAUSE IT IS, YOU KNOW, THERE IS RECOVERY.
UH, ONCE YOU ARE AN ABUSER, YOU CAN BECOME A NOT ABUSER.
RIGHT? UM, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T STAND IN THE WAY OF, OF THEIR ABILITY TO GET JOBS OR GO TO SCHOOLS OR GET LICENSES OR, UM, STAY EMPLOYED.
UM, AND I'LL COME VISIT WITH YOU AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT IT BECAUSE I, THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF THAT I'M LEARNING ABOUT THIS TOO.
ALL THE FOLKS IN THE COMMITTEE, PATRICIA, UH, EVERYONE WHO'S CONTRIBUTED TO THIS, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA WATCH IT CLOSELY.
AND, AND, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOUR WORK.
DO YOU THINK WE CAN GET THROUGH IT? YES, SIR.
[2. 19-7764 Briefing by the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District on the mandatory posting of letter grade placards in food establishments. [Colleen M. Bridger, MPH, PhD, Assistant City Manager; Jennifer Herriott, Interim Director, Health]]
A SHORTER ITEM AND WE'LL, WE'LL, UH, MOVE THROUGH IT PRETTY QUICKLY.UM, IS, UH, IS A REPORT AND A RECOMMENDATION ON, UM, IMPLEMENTING A VOLUNTARY, UM, I'M SORRY.
IN 2016, METRO HEALTH IMPLEMENTED A VOLUNTARY, UH, UH, LETTER GRADE PLACARD SYSTEM FOR FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS.
UH, AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UH, EARLIER, UH, ALMOST A YEAR AGO, PRESENTED A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COMMUNITY HEALTH AND EQUITY COMMITTEE.
UM, AND IS COMING BEFORE THE FULL COUNCIL TODAY WITH A RECOMMENDATION ON, ON A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS TO MAKE THIS, UH, PERMANENT AS WELL AS A RECOMMENDATION.
UH, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS COORDINATED WITH THE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION.
THERE'S ONE SMALL PART OF, UH, MARIO'S PRESENTATION, UH, AN ADJUSTMENT TO HOW WE LICENSE AND BILL RESTAURANTS, WHICH WOULD MAKE IT EASIER FOR THE RESTAURANTS, UH, AND WOULD REQUIRE AN ORDINANCE CHANGE.
SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MARIO SO WE CAN RUN THROUGH IT.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR COUNSEL.
UH, AS ERIC MENTIONED, UH, WE DO HAVE TWO DIFFERENT ITEMS FOR YOU TODAY.
THE FIRST IS ON THE FOOD ESTABLISHMENT, LITIGATE PLACARDS, AND THE SECOND IS A BRIEF SUMMARY THAT WILL COVER AN ORDINANCE CHANGE ON OUR LICENSE BILLING SCHEDULE.
SO IN 2014, THE CITY'S OFFICE OF INNOVATION CONDUCTED A STUDY ON OUR DEPARTMENT'S FOOD AND ENVIRONMENTAL SECTION.
AND ONE OF THE RECOMMENDED OUTCOMES OF THAT STUDY, UH, INDICATED TO US THAT WE NEEDED TO UPDATE OUR SCORING SYSTEM PUBLIC.
SO WITH INPUT FROM THE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS, UH, METRO HEALTH IMPLEMENTED A VOLUNTARY LETTER, GREAT PLACARD.
IN 2016, PER STATE LAW IN THE CITY ORDINANCE, FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS MUST DISPLAY THE LATEST FOOD INSPECTION SCORE, AND IT MUST BE IN A CONSPICUOUS PLACE FOR PUBLIC VIEWING.
HOWEVER, IN MOST LOCATIONS, UH, THE INSPECTION REPORT, UM, IS NOT EASILY SEEN FROM A SHORT DISTANCE ARE LIT.
LETTER GRADE PLACARDS, AGAIN, IS VOLUNTARY.
AND CURRENTLY OUR PLACARDS DO INCLUDE THE, THE LATEST INSPECTION SCORE ON THOSE.
MOST ESTABLISHMENTS ARE SCORING BETWEEN THE 90 TO A HUNDRED, WHICH IS EQUIVALENT TO AN A SINCE 2016.
WE HAVE MORE ESTABLISHMENTS SCORING A SCORES, AND THEN WE HAVE THOSE THAT ARE SCORING BS AND CSS THAT ARE DECREASING OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
1% OF ALL ESTABLISHMENTS CITYWIDE, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 50 ESTABLISHMENTS, ARE SCORING, UM, C LETTER GRADES AT THIS TIME.
SO LETTER GRADES ARE MORE TRANSPARENT TO THE PUBLIC.
IT HELPS CUSTOMERS, UH, BECOME MORE INFORMED ABOUT THE PLACES THEY WISH TO D IT HELPS TO REDUCE FOODBORNE ILLNESSES AND SAVE AN ASSOCIATED COST.
AND IT ALSO HELPS WITH THE FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS WITH LONG-TERM COMPLIANCE.
THE LATEST STUDIES SHOW, UM, A GREAT PLACARD SYSTEM IN NEW YORK CITY HELPED TO DECREASE FOODBORNE ILLNESSES SPECIFIC TO CELL OSIS.
IT ALSO SHOWED THAT THERE WAS A NEUTRAL IMPACT ON THE CITY, ON THEIR CITY AND RESTAURANT REVENUES, AND ALSO HELPED TO IMPROVE SANITARY CONDITIONS ACROSS THE NATION.
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CITIES HAVE ADOPTED LITTLE GRADE PLACARDS, AND IN TEXAS THERE ARE SEVERAL CITIES AS WELL THAT ARE ALSO REQUIRING THE POSTING OF LETTER.GREAT PLACARDS AND FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS LETTER.
GREAT PLACARDS ARE ALSO SUPPORTED BY THE BIG CITIES HEALTH COALITION AND ALSO BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY AND CITY HEALTH OFFICIALS.
BACK ON DECEMBER 14TH, 2018, DR.
COLLEEN BRIDGER, OUR HEALTH DIRECTOR AT THE TIME, UH, UPDATED THE COMMUNITY HEALTH AND EQUITY COMMITTEE ON THE STATUS OF OUR VOLUNTARY LETTER GRADE PLACARD SYSTEM.
THE COMMITTEE APPROVED A MOTION FOR A CITY COUNCIL VOTE ON THE MANDATORY DISPLAY OF LITIGATE PLACARDS.
SO WITH THAT COMMITTEE'S DECISION, OUR DEPARTMENT WORKED ON THE TIMELINE TO SEEK RESIDENT AND ALSO FOOD ESTABLISHMENT, UH, INPUT.
THIS TIMELINE INCLUDES PRESENTING THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION RESULTS TO YOU TODAY, AND ALSO TO SEEK APPROVAL TO IMPLEMENT A MANDATORY LETTER GRADE PLACARD SYSTEM IN JANUARY OF 2020.
THIS TIMELINE ALSO INCLUDES A THREE MONTH EDUCATION PERIOD BEFORE ANY ENFORCEMENT.
OUR DEPARTMENT CREATED AN ENGLISH SPANISH SURVEY TO SEEK INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC AND ALSO FROM FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS.
THE SURVEY GAUGED THEIR AWARENESS OF LETTER GRADES AND THEIR IMPORTANCE TO THEM.
IN ADDITION, THE SURVEY ASSESSED THEIR INTEREST IN SEEING LETTER GREAT PLACARDS IN PUBLIC VIEW.
OVER 29 INDIVIDUALS RESPONDED TO A PUBLIC SURVEY, WHICH WAS MADE AVAILABLE FROM JUNE 10TH THROUGH OCTOBER 15TH.
AND THE SURVEY WAS ALSO PROMOTED ON OUR METRO HEALTH AND S A SPEAKUP WEBSITES THROUGH VARIOUS SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS AND THROUGH COUNCIL OFFICES AS WELL.
THE PUBLIC SURVEY WAS ALSO SHARED WITH FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS WITH OVER 5,000 PO POSTCARDS WITH THE WEB LINK TO THE PUBLIC SURVEY THAT WERE MAILED TO THEM ON SEPTEMBER 24TH.
OUR PUBLIC SURVEY WAS ALSO SHARED AT COMMUNITY EVENTS.
METRO HEALTH HOSTED A PUBLIC MEETING ON AUGUST 1ST AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY, UH, WITH 14 ATTENDEES.
SEVEN OF THOSE WERE RESTAURANT OWNERS AND MANAGERS.
UH, THE PUBLIC SURVEY WAS ALSO SHARED AT THE AUGUST 17TH AND AUGUST 24TH AS THEY SPEAK UP COMMUNITY DAY EVENTS WHERE WE COLLECTED 136 SURVEYS OVER OVERALL 67%.
THE RESPONDENTS WERE AWARE THAT OUR HEALTH INSPECTORS PROVIDE A VOLUNTARY LETTER GRADE PLACARD TO RESTAURANTS.
72% HAVE SEEN THOSE, THOSE LETTER GRADE PLACARDS, 96% BELIEVE THAT POSTING OF LETTER GRADES IS IMPORTANT TO THEM.
AND 97% OF RESPONDENTS WOULD LIKE TO SEE LETTER GRAPES POSTED IN PUBLIC VIEW AT RESTAURANTS.
ALL COMMENTS FROM RESIDENTS AND FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS ARE INCLUDED IN OUR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION REPORT THAT WAS SENT TO COUNCIL OFFICES LAST THURSDAY.
IN REGARDS TO INDIVIDUALS RESPONDING TO OUR SURVEY, WE SAW AN ALMOST EVEN DISTRIBUTION OF RESPONDENTS FROM EACH OF THE 10 COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
UH, WE HAVE ADDITIONAL DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION IN OUR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION REPORT, UM, THAT GIVES YOU MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THOSE RESPONDENTS.
OUR DEPARTMENT ALSO CREATED AN ENGLISH SPANISH FOOD ESTABLISHMENT SURVEY TO HELP DETERMINE THE LETTER GRADE.
AND SO WE MET WITH BOARD MEMBERS FROM THE SAN ANTONIO RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION BACK ON APRIL THE NINTH, UH, TO SEEK INPUT ON CREATING THE SURVEY.
WE ALSO MET WITH BOARD REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE SAN ANTONIO AREA, UH, TOURISM COUNCIL BACK ON APRIL THE 18TH.
AND BOTH ASSOCIATIONS SHARED THE SURVEY WITH THEIR MEMBERS.
FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS WERE PROVIDED WITH THREE OPTIONS TO DETERMINE THE LETTER GRADE, AND THEY WERE ALSO PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON OUR PROPOSAL TO MAKE LETTER GRADE MANDATORY IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
OVER 2,800 SURVEYS WERE COLLECTED VIA OUR HEALTH INSPECTORS, MEANING WITH OWNERS AND MANAGERS OVER JUST OVER 2,600 RESPONDED TO OUR SURVEY.
216 PROVIDED A SURVEY BACK TO US BUT DID NOT HAVE A RESPONSE.
AS I MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, WE PROVIDED THREE OPTIONS TO FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS ON DETERMINING THE LETTER GRADE.
SO OPTION ONE ALLOWS FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS THAT
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RECEIVE A C GRADE TO REQUEST A FULL INSPECTION AND COULD RECEIVE UP TO A LETTER B GRADE WITH IMPROVEMENT IN CORRECTIONS.THIS WOULD REQUIRE A REGRADE FEE OF $150 AND ESTABLISHMENTS MAY ONLY REQUEST OR QUALIFY FOR A ONE REGRADE PER A 12 MONTH PERIOD.
319 ESTABLISHMENT SELECTED THIS OPTION.
OPTION TWO ALLOWS ESTABLISHMENTS THAT RECEIVE A C GRADE TO REQUEST AGAIN, A FULL INSPECTION.
IN THIS CASE, THEY COULD RECEIVE UP TO A LETTER, A LETTER GRADE WITH CORRECTIONS MADE, AND JUST MUCH MORE IMPROVEMENTS IN THEIR OVERALL OPERATIONS.
UH, A REGRADE FEE OF $150 WOULD ALSO APPLY, AND AGAIN, THEY WOULD ONLY RE ONLY QUALIFY FOR ONE REGRADE IN THE 12 MONTH PERIOD, 854 ESTABLISHMENTS SELECTED THIS OPTION.
OPTION THREE, WHICH IS THE LAST OF THE OPTIONS PROVIDED TO FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS, WOULD ALLOW, UH, ESTABLISHMENTS TO RECEIVE A NEW SCORE BASED ON THE AVERAGE OF THE PAST THREE INSPECTIONS.
AND THE CURRENT INSPECTION, THE AVERAGE OF ALL FOUR SCORES WILL DETERMINE THE LETTER GRADE, NO FEES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS OPTION.
AND WE HAD OVER 400 1400, UH, ESTABLISHMENTS SELECTING THIS OPTION.
OUR DEPARTMENT EFFORTS REACHED APPROXIMATELY 60% OF THE FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
UH, THOSE ARE GEOCODED ON THIS MAP BY ZIP CODE AND CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT, UH, 26 HUN 20 OVER 2,600 RESPONDED TO THE SURVEY.
WE HAD 12% THAT SELECTED OPTION ONE 33% SELECTING OPTION TWO AND 55% THE MAJORITY SELECTING OPTION THREE.
AND WE ALSO INCLUDED THE COMMENTS FROM FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS IN OUR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION REPORT.
THE CONCERNS WE HEARD FROM BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING, THE LETTER GRADE IS A POINT IN TIME SCORE.
OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO USE THE AVERAGE OF FOUR SCORES TO BETTER REFLECT THEIR HISTORICAL PERFORMANCE OF AN ESTABLISHMENT.
ANOTHER CONCERN WE HEARD WAS, UM, BUSINESSES WOULD LIKE TO USE A NUMERICAL SCORE INSTEAD OF A LETTER GRADE.
UH, OUR BEST PRACTICE ACROSS THE NATION IS TO USE A LETTER GRADE, AND WE WOULD CONTINUE TO USE THE SCORE LIKE WE DO NOW ON THOSE PLACARDS.
ANOTHER CONCERN IS POSTING THE C AT THE FRONT DOOR WINDOW MAY DETER CUSTOMERS FROM ENTERING THE ESTABLISHMENT.
UH, AGAIN, THE BEST PRACTICE IS TO POST THE PLACARD ON THE FRONT DOOR WINDOW.
HOWEVER, UH, WE WOULD CONSIDER POSTING THE PLACARD WITHIN FIVE FEET OF THE ENTRY OR AT THE POINT OF SALE.
ANOTHER CONCERN WE HEARD WAS THE IMPACT ON SMALL BUSINESSES.
WE LOOKED INTO THIS CONCERN ON AVERAGE 30 ESTABLISHMENTS WITH ONE TO 10 EMPLOYEES RECEIVED A C IN F Y 19.
UH, THIS IS 1% OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ESTABLISHMENTS WITH ONE TO 10 EMPLOYEES.
BY USING THE AVERAGE OF THE FOUR SCORES, WE DETERMINED THAT APPROXIMATELY FIVE ESTABLISHMENTS WOULD REMAIN A C 22 WOULD MOVE UP TO A B, AND THEN THREE WOULD MOVE UP TO AN A SCORE.
IN ADDITION, UH, WE WOULD PROVIDE ADDITIONAL EDUCATION TO THOSE ESTABLISHMENTS THAT SCORE A C.
ANOTHER CONCERN WE HEARD WAS THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ESTABLISHMENT SCORING 10 POINTS LOWER THAN THE AVERAGE.
OF THE THREE LAST THREE INSPECTION SCORES, WE LOOKED INTO THIS AS WELL.
AND F Y 19, ONLY 2% OF ESTABLISHMENTS SAW A DECREASE IN THEIR SCORE OF 10 POINTS OR MORE FROM THE PREVIOUS INSPECTION.
IN THESE CASES, WE WOULD ALLOW FOR A REINSPECTION.
UH, I MEAN, AGAIN, WE WOULD, UM, ALLOW THAT ONLY ONCE IN THE 12 MONTH PERIOD AND IT WOULD ALSO BE A $150, UH, REGRADE FEE FOR THAT.
SO IN ADDITION TO THE APRIL MEETING WITH THE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION, WE ALSO MET WITH BOARD MEMBERS ON AUGUST 28TH AND OCTOBER 8TH.
THEY SELECTED OPTION TWO AND THEIR RECOMMENDATION IS TO POST THE PLACARD IF APPROVED INSIDE, UH, FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS, THE SAN ANTONIO AREA TOURISM COUNCIL, AND THE SAN ANTONIO RIVERWALK ASSOCIATION, BOTH SELECTED OPTION THREE.
AND THE THE RECOMMENDATION AGAIN, IS TO POST THOSE, UH, LETTER GRADE PLACARDS INSIDE.
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE TO HAVE A MANDATORY LETTER GRADE PLACARD, UM,
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ON JUNE, ON JANUARY, 2020.USE THE AVERAGE OF THE LAST THREE IN THE CURRENT SCORES TO DETERMINE THE LETTER GRADE.
AND THEN THE LETTER GRADE WOULD INCLUDE THE, UH, THE SCORE AS WE CURRENTLY DO NOW, UH, WE RECOMMEND THE POSTING OF THE PLACARD IN THE FRONT DOOR OR WINDOW AS BEST PRACTICE.
THE IMPLEMENTATION WOULD INCLUDE A THREE MONTH EDUCATION PERIOD, AND ESTABLISHMENTS CAN REQUEST A REGRADE INSPECTION IF 10 POINTS LOWER FROM THE AVERAGE OF THE LAST THREE SCORES.
AND THEN FINALLY, UH, WE WOULD, UH, PROVIDE A GOLDEN, A PLACARD FOR ESTABLISHMENTS WITH FOUR CONSECUTIVE SCORES OF 90 PLUS OR ABOVE.
THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS ARE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
SO ITEM ONE IS REGARDING THE PLACARD SYSTEM OPTIONS TO DETERMINE, UH, THE LETTER GRADE.
ITEM TWO IS REGARDING THE POSTING LOCATION OF THE LETTER GRADE PLACARD.
ITEM THREE IS A WEATHER TO INCLUDE THE INSPECTION SCORE ON THE LETTER GRADE PLACARD.
AND THEN FOUR IS REGARDING THE IMPLEMENTATION DATE FOR THIS, UH, NEW SYSTEM.
UM, SO AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO PAUSE FOR QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION, JUST A FEW MINUTES TO MOVE ON TO THE SECOND BRIEFING ITEM.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADD ONE THING.
UH, GIVEN THE TIME CRUNCH THAT WE'RE IN, WHAT I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE IS THAT ASK ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE AND THEN WE'LL COME VISIT YOU IN YOUR OFFICES TO GET A SENSE OF WHICH OF THESE OPTIONS YOU WOULD LIKE PRESENTED AT THE A SESSION IN TWO WEEKS.
THAT WILL MAYBE EXPEDITE THE MEETING A LITTLE BIT.
SO IF THAT WORKS FOR Y'ALL, THAT'S A RECOMMENDATION.
SO IS THAT THE END OF THE BRIEFING? JUST ONE MORE SLIDE.
UH, THIS ITEM HERE IS A REQUEST OF COUNSEL TO APPROVE A CHANGE IN OUR CUSTOMER LICENSE BILLING SCHEDULE, UH, TO START ON OCTOBER 1ST OF EVERY YEAR.
SO CURRENTLY, UH, WHEN ESTABLISHMENTS, UH, PAY FOR A PERMIT THAT HAPPENS AT ANY TIME DURING THE YEAR.
AND SO THIS HAS BEEN THE CHALLENGE, UH, FOR METRO HEALTH AND CU OUR CUSTOMERS IN THIS REGARD TO, UM, TRACKING OF INVOICES AND PAYMENTS.
SO THIS INITIATIVE WOULD BETTER TRACK THOSE PAST DUE ACCOUNTS AND HELP CUSTOMERS TO STAY UP TO DATE ON, ON, YOU KNOW, ANY PAST DUE AMOUNTS AND NOT LET THEM OCCUR ANY, UH, LATE FEES.
UH, SO THIS CHANGE HAS NO CHANGE IN OUR INVOICE LICENSE FEES.
UH, WE BROUGHT THIS UP TO THE SAN ANTONIO RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION AND, AND THEY AGREE WITH THIS PROPOSED CHANGE.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE WE WOULD WORK WITH, UH, NEW ESTABLISHMENTS, UM, TO PRORATE ANY ANNUAL FEES, UH, FOR THEIR PERMITS.
AND THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION.
UH, ANDY, YOU HAD SOMETHING? YES, MA'AM.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE ONE CLARIFICATION THAT DR.
BRIDGER WILL STOP BY EACH COUNCIL MEMBER'S OFFICE AND REVIEW THE OPTIONS AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
SHE WILL NOT DETERMINE WHICH OPTIONS THE COUNCIL MEMBERS PREFER.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UM, MR. MARTINEZ, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I THINK THIS WAS YOUR FIRST TIME PRESENTING TO COUNCIL.
I WAS A LITTLE DAUNTED BY THE 27 SLIDES, BUT YOU DID THAT VERY EFFICIENTLY FOR US.
UM, AND GOOD INFORMATION THERE TOO.
UH, YOU KNOW, I'LL, I'LL JUST SAY THAT, UH, IT, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION SEEMS SOUND, UH, PROVIDED.
I ASK A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS TO DR.
UM, THE WHOLE GOAL HERE IS TO APPROACH DISCLOSURE OF IMPORTANT PUBLIC INFORMATION ABOUT EATING ESTABLISHMENTS THROUGH A PUBLIC HEALTH LENS.
AM I GETTING THAT RIGHT? YOU GOT THAT PERFECTLY.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR ME THE ISSUES AND THE OPTIONS THAT ARE IN FRONT OF THE COUNCIL, I MEAN, WE SHOULD ANSWER THEM THROUGH A PUBLIC HEALTH LENS.
UM, NO ONE'S TRYING TO GET SHAMED.
WE'VE TRIED TO GET OUR EATING ESTABLISHMENTS, OUR RESTAURATEURS TO UM, BE ENCOURAGED TO MOVE ALONG AND, AND, AND LIVE UP TO THE HIGHEST STANDARDS THAT THEY THEMSELVES TRY TO DO.
THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE, I ACTUALLY HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.
ONE IS, UM, THE, THE AVERAGING OF GRADES, UM, IF YOU TAKE FOUR INSPECTIONS AND YOU AVERAGE THEM, HOW OLD WILL THE MOST, UH, THE OLDEST INSPECTION BE THAT YOU'RE AVERAGING INTO A SCORE? GENERALLY SPEAKING, THAT WOULD REPRESENT A YEAR.
SO THAT WOULD, THE ONLY CONCERN I HAVE USING AN AVERAGE IS THAT YOU TAKE AN INSPECTION THAT'S, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN A YEAR OLD, IT'S ALMOST IRRELEVANT TO THE OPERATION OF THE BUSINESS THAT IF WE'RE
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DOING AVERAGING THAT THEY'RE REPRESENTATIVE ENOUGH OF HOW THE BUSINESS WORKS.UM, BUT I DO AGREE WE SHOULD GIVE RESTAURANTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, TO RECTIFY THINGS AND GET A NEW SCORE.
UM, AND LIKE I SAID, I, I QUESTION, UH, MARIO HAS A CLARIFYING RESPONSE.
SO WE INITIALLY PROPOSED, UH, THE AVERAGE OF THREE SCORES AND THE FEEDBACK WE GOT FROM FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS WAS TO MOVE IT UP TO FOUR SCORES.
AND, AND WHAT DOES THAT DO TO THE TIMEFRAME OF THE INSPECTIONS? IT DOESN'T CHANGE.
BIDER MENTIONED, IT REALLY JUST GOES BACK TO A YEAR AND OKAY.
IT PROVIDES A HISTORICAL PERFORMANCE ON THEIR, I WOULD JUST WANT US, US TO MAKE SURE THAT IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING AN AVERAGE AND WE'RE NOT USING DATA, UH, OR AN INSPECTION THAT IS SO OLD THAT IT'S NOT RELEVANT.
AND MAYBE THAT CAN BE A CRITERIA THAT YOU WORK INTO BUILDING OF THE SCORE ITSELF.
UM, THE ONLY OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS MORE FOR, UH, EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES.
AND, AND FOR ME, WE HAVE $150 REINSPECTION FEE.
HOW MUCH IS THE INSPECTION FEE TO BEGIN WITH? SO THERE'S A REINSPECTION FEE OF $103 AND THEN THE INSPECTOR GOES OUT AGAIN.
AND AT THAT POINT THERE'S UM, IS IT A REGRADE REINSPECTION? AND THAT IS 1 0 1 50 FOR THE RE ONE 50.
AND IS THAT A FLAT FEE FOR ALL RESTAURANTS NO MATTER THE SIZE? YES.
HAVE WE THOUGHT ABOUT SCALING THAT FEE SO THAT SMALLER, SMALLER ESTABLISHMENTS ARE PAYING A SMALLER FEE? LARGER ESTABLISHMENTS ARE PAYING A LARGER FEE? 'CAUSE I I, I TAKE IT, IT TAKES MORE, I WOULD ASSUME THAT IT HA IT TAKES MORE MAN HOURS TO CONDUCT A INSPECTION FOR A LARGE RESTAURANT AS OPPOSED TO A SMALL MOM AND POP.
ACTUALLY, WE SPEND MORE TIME ON THE SMALLER ESTABLISHMENTS PROVIDING EDUCATION BEING IN THE BACK OF THE KITCHEN AND THE LARGER OPERATIONS THAT HAVE PRETTY GOOD POLICIES AND PROCESSES IN PLACE.
UH, BUT YES, WE CAN DEFINITELY CONSIDER THE FEES BY EMPLOYEE SIZE.
THAT'S COUNTERINTUITIVE, BUT I TAKE YOUR WORD FOR IT.
BUT IF THERE IS A WAY OF MAKING SURE THAT THE IMPACT OF INSPECTION FEES IS FELT, UM, LESSER ON SMALLER BUSINESSES, THEN I MEAN, I THINK THAT WOULD BE AN EQUITABLE APPROACH.
LIKE I SAID, I, UM, BELIEVE IN YOUR APPROACH, DR.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER VRAN, MARIO ABOUT THIS.
UH, I THINK, UM, THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING.
QUICK QUESTION, MARIO, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU.
UM, SO CURRENTLY, WHERE ARE THESE PLACARDS BEING PLACED? SO IT'S REALLY UP TO THE FOOD ESTABLISHMENT.
UM, I, WE'VE SEEN THEM AT, UH, THE FRONT DOOR, THE FRONT WINDOW MM-HMM.
UM, MOST ESTABLISHMENTS ARE PLACING JUST THE LETTER A PLACARDS MM-HMM.
UM, AND SO BASICALLY WE'RE SAYING, YOU KNOW, PLACE OTHERS IF THIS BECOMES MANDATORY, YOU KNOW, YOUR B'S AND C'S.
AND WHAT ABOUT, UM, SO REMIND ME AGAIN, HOW LONG ARE THESE INSPECTIONS GOOD FOR? SO IF THEY HAVE A, AN MM-HMM.
AND SO THAT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE GETTING THREE INSPECTIONS, UH, PER YEAR.
MEDIUM RISK ARE GETTING TWO INSPECTIONS PER YEAR.
AND SO THAT'S EVERY SIX MONTHS FOR THOSE.
AND IF THEY HAVE AN A, THEY STAY WITH THAT A FOR SIX MONTHS.
IF THEY'RE A MEDIUM RISK UHHUH OR IF THEY'RE A HIGH RISK, THEN THEY STAY WITH THAT FOR FOUR MONTHS.
BUT, SO IT'S EITHER SIX MONTHS OR EVERY THREE MONTHS THEY'RE GETTING INFECTED DEPENDING ON THE RISK LEVEL.
UM, WELL, AND THEY MENTIONED YOU, YOU, UH, ONE, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE OPTIONS THAT YOU ALL PROVIDED.
UM, AND YOU WORKED, IT LOOKS VERY HAND IN HAND WITH THE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION AND THE FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS, WHICH I THINK IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TOO.
IS THIS ALSO GOING TO THEN, UH, THIS IS ALSO GOING TO APPLY TO OUR, UH, FOOD TRUCKS AND OTHER, UM, ESTABLISHMENTS LIKE THAT.
THE CHALLENGE WITH MOBILE TRUCKS IS THEY'RE MOBILE.
AND SO JUST GETTING TO, UM, HAVE 'EM TO PLACE A PLACARD AND WE WON'T SEE 'EM UNTIL NEXT TIME WE CATCH THEM.
SO I THINK, AGAIN, I THINK THIS IS GOOD.
IT SHOWS THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH THE ESTABLISHMENTS AND, UH, TO SEE WHAT IS BEST AND TO KEEP PUBLIC HEALTH IN THIS SANITARY CONDITIONS THE MOST IMPORTANT UP, UH, FORWARD FOR US.
UM, SO I THINK THEY ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE, UM, THE IMPACT TO SMALL BUSINESSES.
THE CONCERNS OF THE IMPACT TO SMALL BUSINESSES.
TELL ME AGAIN WHAT THEIR CONCERNS
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WERE WITH THE MANDATORY PLACARDS.BECAUSE THEY'RE SMALL OPERATIONS, IF A SMALL BUSINESS HAS A LETTER C MM-HMM.
AND SO WE HAD A, WE LOOKED AT THE NUMBERS TO SEE HOW MANY WOULD BE IMPACTED.
UM, WE'RE SAYING THIS IS, IT'S A SMALL NUMBER ABOUT 30.
UM, BUT THEY STILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REGRADE IF THEY NEEDED TO.
UM, AND SO YOU HAD SOME POST THE PLACARD INSIDE AND THEY'RE SAYING THAT THEY DON'T WANT IT AT THE FRONT DOOR BECAUSE THEN IF IT'S A C, THEN PEOPLE WON'T WANT TO GO IN.
AND OTHERS SAY ALL OF THEM SAID POSTCARD POST PLACARD INSIDE OR OPTION, AND THE MAJORITY SAID OPTION THREE.
AND SO IF WE POST THE PLACARD INSIDE, WOULD THE PLACARD BE, CAN WE DETERMINE THAT IT WOULD BE RIGHT BY THE CASH REGISTER OR MM-HMM.
SO THAT WOULD BE THE POINT OF SALE, WHICH WOULD BE THE CASH REGISTER MM-HMM.
UM, I THINK FOR THE, FOR THE DISPLAY SCORE WITH LETTER GRADE, YES.
I THINK WE DO NEED TO DO BOTH DISPLAY THE, THE SCORE WITH A LETTER GRADE.
I THINK YOUR IMPLEMENTATION DATE OF YOUR RECOMMENDATION WITH THE THREE MONTH EDUCATION PERIOD IS IMPORTANT.
UM, BECAUSE, UH, THE AVERAGE IS THE, UH, PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR AN OPTION THREE.
'CAUSE IF YOU ALL FEEL, UH, FINE WITH THAT RECOMMENDATION MOVING FORWARD, I WOULD FEEL FINE WITH THAT RECOMMENDATION AS WELL.
THE DISPLAY OF THE LETTER, OF THE LETTER GRADE PLACARD.
I WILL SAY THE REASON I KNOW ABOUT THEM BECAUSE I GO WHEN I TRAVEL IS BECAUSE THEY'RE IN THE FRONT WINDOW MM-HMM.
AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US TO FEEL, TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING WHEN WE'RE WALKING INTO.
SO, UM, I CAN FEEL VERY, UH, FINE, FINE WITH THE, UH, THE BEST PRACTICE THAT WE'RE SEEING THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES AND THE LARGE CITY.
THANK YOU MAYOR COUNCILWOMAN VERAN.
UM, DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS HERE.
UM, SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THIS, AND IT GOES BACK TO WHAT COUNCILWOMAN VRAN WAS TALKING ABOUT.
UH, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THE SA RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION, TOURISM COUNCIL, RIVERWALK ASSOCIATION.
DID WE GIVE THEM AN OPTION TO SAY ON THE QUESTIONNAIRE IF THEY WANTED THIS PROGRAM AT ALL? A YES OR NO? WELL, THEY TOLD US THAT REGARDLESS, UM, WHEN WE MET WITH THEM, THEY SAID WE DON'T WANT THIS TO BE MANDATORY.
UH, WE LIKE, AS IS VOLUNTARY, UM, GREAT PLAQUES IS WHAT WE WOULD LIKE IT TO REMAIN.
UM, WE THEN ASKED FOR THEM TO GIVE US INPUT ON THE QUESTIONS FOR THE FOOD ESTABLISHMENT SURVEY.
UM, THE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION, UH, DID NOT PROVIDE THAT INPUT.
AND WHY IS THAT? WHY DIDN'T THEY PROVIDE ANY INPUT? THEY DID NOT EXPLAIN THE REASON WHY.
UM, I MEAN, I, I COULD PROBABLY FIGURE OUT WHY.
WELL, THEY TOLD US THAT THEY WOULDN'T PARTICIPATE.
THIS IS A GOVERNMENT IMPOSE THING ON THEIR PLACE OF BUSINESS AND THEY DON'T WANT TO, THEY DON'T WANT TO GIVE YOU INPUT BECAUSE OF THAT.
SO OVER THE DISCUSSIONS WE HAD WITH THEM, UM, AS I MENTIONED LATE AUGUST AND EARLY OCTOBER, UM, EVEN DR.
BRIDGER WENT WITH US TO MEET WITH THEM.
AND SO THROUGH THOSE CONVERSATIONS, UM, THEY ARRIVED TO SELECTING OPTION TWO AND THEN ALSO POSTING THAT INSIDE AS A RECOMMENDATION FROM THEM.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO CLARIFY IS THIS, UM, THE SARAH RECOMMENDATION OF GOING WITH OPTION TWO WAS NOT BASED ON SURVEYS, IT WAS BASED ON CONVERSATIONS IN MEETINGS THAT WE HAD WITH THEM, UM, TO COME TO CONSENSUS AROUND SOME OPTIONS.
SO THIS WAS NOT A SURVEY RESPONSE, THIS WAS MEETING FACE-TO-FACE WITH THE BOARD OF SARAH.
BUT NOT THE TOURISM COUNCIL AND, UH, RIVERWALK ASSOCIATION.
THEY WERE ALL AROUND THE TABLE FACE.
THEY WERE FACE, FACE-TO-FACE AS WELL.
THEY WERE ALL AROUND THE TABLE.
DISCUSS THOSE WERE MEETINGS WITH THEM AS WELL.
BUT INDIVIDUALLY OR ALL TOGETHER? NO, INDIVIDUALLY.
IN SEPARATE MEETINGS WITH THOSE ASSOCIATIONS.
BUT AGAIN, THEIR INITIAL INPUT ON
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THIS WAS NO.THEY DON'T WANT A MANDATORY PROGRAM.
BUT WITH DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM LATER, AGAIN, THE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION THEN MOVED TO OPTION TWO.
WELL, BUT WAS THAT BECAUSE WE GAVE THEM AN INDICATION THEY DON'T, THEY'RE NOT GONNA GET A CHOICE.
WE'RE GONNA BECAUSE OF THE SURVEYS OF THE PUBLIC AND WE'RE GONNA DO THIS.
SO WHAT, WHAT OPTION WOULD YOU PREFER OF YOU HAVING TO DO THIS? WELL, IN OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM, I MEAN THEY, THEY KNOW THAT, UM, LARGE CITIES ACROSS THE US ARE DOING THIS ALREADY.
WHAT, WHAT, WHAT WAS THEIR INPUT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO? I DON'T CARE ABOUT OTHER CITIES.
I WANNA KNOW WHAT THEY TALKED ABOUT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
THE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION IS SAVVY ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT STAFF ARE WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES TO TRY TO BUILD CONSENSUS AROUND POTENTIALLY CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES.
THEY ALSO KNOW THAT WE ARE NOT THE ONES MAKING THE CALL.
SO IT'S NOT ENTIRELY FAIR TO CHARACTERIZE THE MEETINGS THAT WE HAD HAD WITH THEM AS, OH WELL THIS IS GONNA HAPPEN ANYWAY.
WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO MAKE THAT STATEMENT BECAUSE WE AREN'T THE ONES MAKING THE DECISION.
THIS WAS LIKE WE DO WITH A LOT OF CONTENTIOUS ISSUES.
THIS WAS MULTIPLE MEETINGS DISCUSSING MULTIPLE CONCERNS AND GOING BACK AND FORTH AND COMING TO A COMPROMISE, UM, THAT THEY AGREED TO.
AND THAT'S WHY THEY SHOWED UP ON THAT SLIDE.
NO, I, I DON'T THINK THEY AGREED TO POSTING ON THE WINDOWS OR DOORS OUTSIDE THE FACILITY.
THEY WANT 'EM INSIDE THE SLIDE THAT WE SHOWED YOU THAT SAID THAT THEY WANTED OPTION TWO WITH POSTING INSIDE IS THE AGREEMENT THAT WE CAME TO WITH SARAH.
UM, WE HAD INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS WITH TWO OTHER KEY STAKEHOLDERS.
THEY CAME TO SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE SHOWING ALL OF THESE OPTIONS TO Y'ALL AS THE POLICY MAKERS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE BEST APPROACH.
BUT, BUT I DO WANNA BE VERY CLEAR THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WHERE WE SAID, WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TWO CHOICES AND BOTH OF THEM INVOLVE MANDATORY, WHICH ONE DO YOU PICK? THIS WAS A CONVERSATION OVER YEARS TO COME TO CONSENSUS AND COMPROMISE AROUND THEIR SELECTION OF OPTION TWO.
UM, WE'LL, I WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.
UM, JUST YOUR, YOU'RE, LET'S SAY THEY, THEY MAKE A BAD SCORE THAT THAT COULD POSSIBLY, UH, LOWER THEIR AVERAGE OF INSPECTIONS, RIGHT? CORRECT.
AND THEY CAN, THEY CAN SAY, HEY, WE WANT TO GET REINSPECTED RIGHT FOR $150.
BUT HOW OFTEN DO YOU GO AND DO, WHAT'S THE ROTATION OF GOING AND INSPECTING THESE FACILITIES ANYWAY? IS IT ONCE EVERY TWO YEARS? ONCE A YEAR, TWICE A YEAR? WHAT, WHAT IS THE INSPECTION FREQUENCY? SO HIGH RISK ESTABLISHMENTS GET THREE INSPECTIONS PER YEAR.
MEDIAN RISK GET TWO INSPECTIONS PER YEAR.
SO WE'RE IN THERE A FEW TIMES A YEAR TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, THEIR OPERATIONS, YOU KNOW, FOOD SAFETY.
AND SO IT'S AT THOSE CRITICAL POINTS WHERE THEY RECEIVE NEW SCORES AND THEN RECEIVE A, A GREAT PLACARD.
BUT IF THEY HAVE ONE BAD SCORE, THEY CAN'T GET A REINSPECTION WITHIN 12 MONTHS.
SO WE'RE SAYING THAT IF THEY GET A BAD SCORE THAT'S 10 POINTS OR LOWER FROM THE PREVIOUS THREE AVERAGE SCORES MM-HMM.
BUT THEY CAN'T DO IT MORE THAN ONCE A YEAR.
UM, SO IF YOU INSPECT IT LIKE THREE TIMES A YEAR AND THEY GET ONE BAD INSPECTION, BUT YOU'RE GONNA COME BACK TWO MORE TIMES DURING THAT YEAR MM-HMM.
SO THERE WAS AN EXAMPLE THAT WE USE WHERE WE HAD SMALL ESTABLISHMENTS FROM ONE TO 10 EMPLOYEES WHERE THERE WERE 30 OF THOSE THAT WERE SCORING CS.
BUT IF WE'RE USING THE AVERAGE OF THE FOUR SCORES, ONLY FIVE OF THOSE WOULD REMAIN AT A C 22 OF THOSE WOULD MOVE, BE BUMPED UP TO A B BECAUSE OF THEIR AVERAGE SCORE.
AND THEN THREE OF THOSE WOULD MOVE UP TO AN A BECAUSE THEY HAD PERFORMED HIGHER ON THE PREVIOUS SCORES.
[02:50:03]
OKAY.UM, I'M, SO EVEN WITH A LITTLE, I'M SLOW WITH MATH, I'D HAVE TO SEE THAT ON A PIECE OF PAPER.
SO IF Y'ALL COULD COME BY AND SHOW ME WHAT THAT, WHAT THAT INSPECTION PROCESS IS, AND UH, AND I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE COST.
I, ESPECIALLY FOR SMALL MOM AND POP ESTABLISHMENTS, THAT'S, THAT'S A BIG COST.
AND UH, THIS IS, UH, A PRETTY RIGOROUS INSPECTION SCHEDULE ANYWAY IF YOU'RE GOING THERE TWO TO THREE TIMES A YEAR ANYWAY.
UH, SO YEAH, GOT SOME, GOT SOME CONCERNS WITH THAT.
BUT I, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE PERCENTAGE WAS OR THE NUMBER OUT OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF RESTAURANTS, UM, THAT AGREED OR DIDN'T AGREE WITH PLACARDS TO BEGIN WITH.
HOW MANY SAID YES, HOW MANY SAID NO, I MEAN WE, WE HAVE THE, WE HAVE THE, WE HAVE THE PUBLIC'S INPUT, THE TOTAL NUMBERS, BUT WE'RE NOT SHOWING WHAT THE NUMBERS WERE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE SYSTEM OF THE ACTUAL BUSINESSES AND I'D, I'D JUST LIKE TO SEE THAT.
AND THEN, UH, UM, AGAIN, THIS OPTION OF PUTTING IT INSIDE VERSUS OUTSIDE, UH, IS I'D LIKE TO SEE THE NUMBERS.
YOU KNOW, YOU JUST SAID THE INPUT WAS OPTION TWO OR OPTION THREE, BUT NO NUMBERS ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
IF WE'RE GONNA SHOW NUMBERS IN ONE PART OF THE PRESENTATION, I'D LIKE TO SEE THE NUMBERS IN THE OTHER PARTS OF THE PRESENTATION ALSO.
SO ON THAT PARTICULAR SLIDE, THOSE WERE THE, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE BOARDS, FROM THOSE THREE ASSOCIATIONS.
SO THE NUMBERS THAT YOU SAW ON THE OTHER SLIDES I SEE ARE THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF ESTABLISHMENTS I, OKAY.
YEAH, IF I CAN GET THAT, THAT'D BE GREAT.
BUT IF Y'ALL CAN COME IN AND EXPLAIN THIS SCORING SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED WITH THE INSPECTIONS AND HOW THAT, HOW THAT OPERATES AND YOU KNOW, IF THEY GET REGRADED THEN ONCE, YOU KNOW, THEY GOTTA WAIT FOR ANOTHER YEAR, YEAR FOR ANOTHER REGRADE IF UH, THEY HAVE A BAD, BAD SCORE OUT THERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY AND MARIO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
ALRIGHT, THE TIME IS NOW 5:04 PM
[Executive Session]
ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30TH, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WILL NOW MEET IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONSULT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.071 CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY AND TO DELIBERATE TO DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING ITEMS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.087 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.072 REAL PROPERTY AND LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.071 CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY AND TO NOTE ANY ITEMS NOT COVERED IN TODAY'S EXECUTIVE SESSION MAY BE CONTINUED UNTIL TOMORROW.