[1. 20-4670 Staff presentation of the FY 2021 Proposed Budget focusing on, but not limited to, the following City Departments or Initiatives: [Erik Walsh, City Manager; Scott Huizenga, Director, Management and Budget] A. Public Health Department B. Human Services Department and Delegate Agencies]
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UM, WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL BUDGET SESSION.
HOPEFULLY WE GET A FEW MORE FOLKS ONLINE HERE SHORTLY.
BUT THE TIME IS 2:05 PM ON THIS TUESDAY, AUGUST 18TH.
UH, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL THE SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL BUDGET.
MADAM CLERK COUNCIL MEMBER VINNO.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN.
COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESENT.
ALRIGHT, UH, WE HAVE, UH, TWO, UH, PRESENTATIONS TODAY AND SO WE'RE GONNA DO THE PRESENTATIONS, I BELIEVE BACK TO BACK, BUT WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE BIT EXTENDED DISCUSSION AFTER THAT SO WE CAN GET THROUGH QUESTIONS ON BOTH OF THESE, UH, PRESENTATIONS.
SO, UM, LEMME TURN IT OVER TO ERIC WALSH.
GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THE FIRST ONE WILL BE MELODY WOOSLEY AND OUR HUMAN SERVICES AND DELEGATE AGENCY PROPOSED BUDGET.
BRIDGER AND THE METRO HEALTH TEAM WILL GO SECOND WITH THE METRO HEALTH BUDGET.
SO, WITH THAT, LEMME TURN IT OVER TO MELODY SO WE CAN KICK IT OFF.
WELL, THANK YOU ERIC, AND GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
SO TODAY I'M PRESENTING THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2021 HUMAN SERVICES, BUDGET AND DELEGATE AGENCY RECOMMENDATIONS.
FIRST, I WANT TO QUICKLY INTRODUCE A COUPLE OF MY GREAT HUMAN SERVICES TEAM MEMBERS WHO ARE ON THE LINE WITH ME.
JESSICA DELINA, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WHO OVERSEES SENIOR SERVICES CHILDCARE SUBSIDY PROGRAM AND CONSOLIDATED FUNDING PROCESS.
AND PATRICK, INTERIM ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WHO OVERSEES HOMELESS SERVICES, FAMILY ASSISTANCE, AND COMMUNI COMMUNICATIONS.
AND SO, HUMAN SERVICES DOES THIS WORK TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR VULNERABLE RESIDENTS TO ENSURE THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACHIEVE THE CITY'S VISION OF PROSPERITY FOR ALL.
OUR WORK IS FOCUSED ON FOUR, LEARN LONG-TERM GOALS.
CHILDREN AND YOUTH ARE SAFE, HEALTHY, AND READY TO SUCCEED IN SCHOOL AND LIFE.
FAMILIES ARE FINANCIALLY SECURE, SENIORS ARE HEALTHY, ENGAGED, AND INDEPENDENT.
HOMELESSNESS IS RARE, BRIEF, AND NON-RECURRING.
THE FAITH-BASED INITIATIVE AND DELEGATE AGENCY PARTNERS AS WELL AS MENTAL HEALTH UM, INITIATIVES SUPPORT OUR DIRECT SERVICES AND MAXIMIZE OUR IMPACT.
WE LEVERAGE A WIDE CROSS SECTOR OF NONPROFIT BUSINESS AND GOVERNMENT STAKEHOLDERS, AS WELL AS OUR SISTER DEPARTMENTS TO ENHANCE THESE GOALS.
HUMAN SERVICES IS COMMITTED TO ADVANCING OUR EQUITY WORK TO MORE EFFECTIVELY IMPACT COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS.
THIS INCLUDES ENHANCING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND ENSURING THE TARGET POPULATION IS AT THE TABLE AND PART OF THIS SOLUTION IN EVERY ASPECT OF OUR WORK.
IN FISCAL YEAR 20, WE DEVELOPED BUILDING BLOCKS FOR COMMUNITY TRANSPARENCY AND ASSESSING EQUITY DRIVEN STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITY LEVEL OUTCOMES.
AND OUR BUILDING BLOCKS REALLY STARTED WITH PROJECT METRIC, WHICH IS A PERFORMANCE MEASURE DASHBOARD THAT WILL LAUNCH ON OUR WEBSITE.
IN SEPTEMBER, WE USED THE COVID EQUITY ACTION TOOL IN DEVELOPING HUMAN SERVICES COVID ACTION PLANS, AND PARTICIPATED IN COVID EQUITY ACTION TEAM MEETINGS, AND ALSO FORMED A DEPARTMENT EQUITY ACTION TEAM TO FACILITATE, FACILITATE THE COMPLETION OF OUR EQUITY ASSESSMENT AND OUR TWO YEAR EQUITY ACTION PLAN.
MOVING INTO FISCAL YEAR 21, WE ARE COMMITTED TO FURTHER EMBEDDING EQUITY, UH, FRAMEWORK INTO HUMAN SERVICES EFFORTS BY COLLECTING AND EVALUATING EQUITY DRIVEN DATA FROM PROGRAMS TO SHAPE PROGRAMMATIC PRIORITIES, CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT SERVICE GAPS, AND ADDRESS BARRIERS TO SERVICES, PRIORITIZING RESOURCES AND TARGETING SERVICES TO THOSE MOST IMPACTED.
BASED ON THIS EQUITY DRIVEN DATA AND COMMITTING TO SUPPORTING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH RESIDENTS, WE SERVE VIA COMMUNITY AND CLIENT SURVEYS, FOCUS GROUPS, AND
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ADVISORY COUNCILS.AND LASTLY, WE WANT TO, UH, PROVIDE LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS.
A GREAT MODEL FOR THIS IS OUR HEAD START PARENT POLICY COUNCIL, WHICH IS AN ADVISORY AND DECISION MAKING COUNCIL REGARDING EVERY ASPECT OF THE HEAD START PROGRAMS, FROM PROGRAM POLICIES TO PERSONNEL DECISIONS AND BUDGET.
AND THEN FINALLY, UM, WE ARE INCORPORATING INE EQUITY APPROACH TO IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FINANCIAL AND HOUSING RECOVERY CENTER THROUGH DOOR TO DOOR ENGAGEMENT, INCLUDING PARTICIPATING WITH TRUSTED COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO REACH DISCONNECTED RESIDENTS IN TARGETED NEIGHBORHOODS.
ON MARCH 13TH, 2020, HUMAN SERVICES CLOSED ALL PUBLIC FACING FACILITIES TO INCLUDE SENIOR CENTERS.
SENIOR SERVICES TRANSITIONED ITS FOCUS TO DISTRIBUTING AND DELIVERING MEALS, BOXES OF FOOD, COMMODITIES AND BOX FANS TO ENSURE THAT SENIORS ARE SAFE AND CONTINUE TO RECEIVE NUTRITIOUS MEALS.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, SENIOR SERVICES STAFF AND CONTRACTED, UH, DELEGATE AGENCIES ALSO IMPLEMENTED TELEPHONE WELLNESS CHECKS ON SENIOR PARTICIPANTS.
HOMELESS SERVICES SUSPENDED THE ENCAMPMENT OUTREACH INITIATIVE IN APRIL AND OPENED THE HOMELESS CONNECTION HOTLINE AND HOMELESS FEEDING HUBS IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT UNSHELTERED HOMELESS HAD ACCESS TO FOOD HYGIENE ITEMS, SHOWERS AND C OVID 19 INFORMATION.
AS MANY OF OUR, UH, PARTNER AGENCIES AND SHELTERS CLOSE TO INTAKE AND SERVICES, ALL OTHER TRADITIONAL IN-PERSON SERVICES IN OUR DEPARTMENT, HUMAN SERVICES, INCLUDING FREE TAX PREPARATION, FINANCIAL COUNSELING, AND FAMILY SUPPORT, TRANSITION TO VIRTUAL OR TELEPHONE BASED ASSISTANCE WITH NO INTERRUPTION OF SERVICES.
HUMAN SERVICES PARTNERED WITH THE FOOD BANK ON FOOD DISTRIBUTION EVENTS FOR PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS.
SAN ANTONIO'S VITA PROGRAM WAS THE ONLY COMMUNITY IN THE UNITED STATES AUTHORIZED BY THE I R S TO PROVIDE PHONE-BASED TAX PREPARATION AS A 2020 PILOT.
AS THE CITY TRANSITIONS TO PHASE TRANSITION TO PHASE TWO, WE CONTINUE TO DISTRIBUTE MEALS TO SENIORS ACROSS THE CITY AND TO OPERATE HOMELESS HUBS.
AND WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY CONTINUED TO PROVIDE SERVICES THROUGH VIRTUAL AND PHONE-BASED ASSISTANCE.
WE ARE ALSO OPENING THE FINANCIAL HOUSING RECOVERY CENTER IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
AND THAT DOES INCLUDE BOTH IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL SERVICES.
HUMAN SERVICES PROPOSED, UM, FISCAL YEAR 21 BUDGET IS $185 MILLION, INCLUDING 41.4 MILLION FROM THE GENERAL FUND FOR IN D H SS BUDGET AND FOR DELEGATE AGENCIES.
AND 144 MILLION FROM ANNUAL FEDERAL GRANTS AND CARESS ACT FUNDING FOR C OVID 19 RESPONSE AND RECOVERY.
78% OF THE BUDGET IS FROM STATE AND FEDERAL GRANTS, PREDOMINANTLY FOR CHILDREN'S SERVICES.
THIS BUDGET DOES REFLECT OUR LONG-TERM OUTCOMES.
WHAT YOU SEE REPRESENTS EVERYTHING HUMAN SERVICES DOES AND INCORPORATES WHAT OUR FUNDED AGENCIES DO FOR US.
FOR EXAMPLE, OF THE 20.7 MILLION IN HOMELESS SERVICES, THE MAJORITY OF IT IS CONTRACTED TO COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
IT SUPPORTS HUMAN SERVICES, HOMELESS COORDINATION, AND DIRECT SERVICES.
AND THE BALANCE, UM, GOES TO COMMUNITY HOMELESS PROVIDERS.
OUR OVERALL BUDGET INCREASED BY ALMOST $9 MILLION, INCLUDING 560,000 IN GENERAL FUND INCREASES TO FEDERAL, UM, HOMELESS, FEDERAL HEAD HOMELESS AND CHILDREN'S SERVICES GRANTS.
THE FISCAL YEAR 2021 BUDGET INCLUDES 379 POSITIONS AND INCREASE OF SIX GENERAL FUND POSITIONS TO EXPAND HOMELESS OUTREACH TO ALL 10 COUNCIL DISTRICTS AND
HUMAN SERVICES PROVIDES A CONTINUUM OF EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS THAT SERVE OVER 21,000 CHILDREN, AGES ZERO TO 12 DAILY, A TOTAL OF 130 MILLION FROM GENERAL FUNDS AND GRANTS, INCLUDING CARES ACT, WILL SUPPORT HEAD START, EARLY HEAD START, CHILDCARE SERVICES AND TRAINING FOR PARENTS ENROLLED IN A RECOVERY PLAN, WORKFORCE TRAINING INITIATIVES.
AND OF COURSE, THEY, UH, UH, SERVICES HAVE BEEN, UH, REALIGNED TO PROVIDE BOTH VIRTUAL, UM, HEAD START SERVICES WILL BE PARTIALLY IN PERSON WHEN THE SCHOOL YEAR STARTS AND ALIGNED WITH OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT WE WORK WITH.
AND EARLY HEAD START SERVICES ARE BEING PROVIDED IN CHILDCARE CENTERS.
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AND SO THESE EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO SERVE OUR MOST VULNERABLE CHILDREN, INCLUDING THOSE WHO ARE DISABLED, HOMELESS, AND THOSE IN THE CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES SYSTEM.UM, BY CONNECTING CHILDREN TO EARLY LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS, HELPING THOUSANDS OF PARENTS WORK OR TRAIN, AND SERVING AS A PROTECTIVE FACTOR.
WE PROMOTE, UH, YOUTH SUCCESS DIRECTLY BY PROVIDING PAID INTERNSHIPS AND, UM, CAREER EXPLORATION THROUGH OUR AMBASSADOR PROGRAM SCHOLARSHIPS AND COLLEGE ACCESS OPPORTUNITIES AND CAFE COLLEGE THROUGH THE EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP, AS WELL AS THROUGH CONTRACTS WITH DELEGATE AGENCIES AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO PROVIDE OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME AND YOUTH SUCCESS PROGRAMS. OUR NEXT LEVEL OPPORTUNITY YOUTH CENTER HAS BEEN OPEN FOR 18 MONTHS, ENGAGING ALMOST 500 DISCONNECTED YOUTH WHO ARE NOT WORKING AND NOT IN SCHOOL, IN COUNSELING AND CAREER ACTIVITIES.
WE CONTINUE TO LEARN AND REFINE THIS PROGRAM TO ADDRESS OVERWHELMING BARRIERS THESE YOUTH ARE EXPERIENCING.
UM, WE DO HAVE STUDENTS WHO ARE STARTING IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS WITH ALAMO COLLEGES TO WORK ON ON, UM, TRAINING OR START THEIR, UH, POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION.
AND WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO CONNECT OUR YOUTH TO RECOVERY PLAN, WORKFORCE INITIATIVES, AND WE RECEIVED AN ASPEN INSTITUTE PLANNING GRANT THIS YEAR THAT, UH, WE ARE CURRENTLY ENGAGED WITH THEM IN AND THAT WE HOPE THAT WILL LEAD TO A BIGGER INVESTMENT FROM THE ASPEN INSTITUTE.
ADDITIONALLY, THROUGH THE CONSOLIDATED FUNDING DELEGATE AGENCY PROCESS, UM, I AM RECOMMENDING AWARDS TO 35 AGENCIES AND 40 PROGRAMS TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO CHILDREN AND YOUTH TO REDUCE CHILD ABUSE, IMPROVE SCHOOL READINESS AND EDUCATION SUCCESS AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES.
FAMILY STRENGTHENING KEY PRIORITIES ARE FINANCIAL SECURITY AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION.
A TOTAL OF 12 MILLION INCLUDING, UM, UH, FROM THE GENERAL FUND AND ANNUAL GRANTS.
AND CARESS ACT GRANTS SUPPORTS PROGRAMS THAT REDUCE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND STABILIZE AND IMPROVE THE FINANCIAL SECURITY OF SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS BY PROVIDING, UM, AN EMERGENCY SAFETY NET CONNECTIONS TO PUBLIC BENEFITS AND FINANCIAL SECURITY.
AND SO, COUNSEL, THIS BUDGET INCLUDES 1.1 MILLION FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO SUPPORT NINE CRITICAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION PROGRAMS, INCLUDING THE 500,000 THAT YOU ADDED TO THE BUDGET FOR 2020.
TO ADDRESS THE PRIORITIES OF THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE STRATEGIC PLAN, HUMAN SERVICES THREE FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT CENTERS HAVE TRANSITIONED TO FINANCIAL AND HOUSING RECOVERY CENTERS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING AND SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND FAMILY SERVICE ASSOCIATION, EXPANDING FINANCIAL COUNSELING TO INCLUDE EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE, HOUSING COUNSELING, PUBLIC BENEFITS NAVIGATION, AS WELL AS CONNECTIONS TO SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE AND WORKFORCE TRAINING AND HUMAN SERVICES UTILITY ASSISTANCE DEMAND SINCE COVID STARTED HAS INCREASED BY 56% OVER FISCAL YEAR 20 OVER FISCAL YEAR 2019.
UH, WE'RE SERVING ALMOST 12,000 HOUSEHOLDS, UM, DUE TO COVID THIS YEAR.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
WHEN THEY RECEIVE APPLICATIONS THAT ARE, UH, FOR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE ONLY, OR REQUEST FROM, UH, EMERGENCY UTILITY ASSISTANCE ONLY, THEY REFER THOSE OVER TO OUR PLATFORM.
AND SO, UM, OUR VI VITA PROGRAM, UH, EXTENDED INTO UNTIL JULY 15TH THIS YEAR PROVIDING SERVICES TO OVER 22,000 HOUSEHOLDS AND RETURNING ALMOST 40 UH, MILLION TO THE COMMUNITY.
WE, IN MARCH, WE TRANSITIONED TO TELEPHONE AND VIRTUAL SERVICES, AND AS WE PROVIDE SERVICES TO SAN ANTONIO, RESIDENTS HUMAN SERVICES REGULARLY PROVIDES REFERRALS, UM, TO BENEFITS CONNECTIONS AVAILABLE THROUGH OUR DE OUR DELEGATE AGENCY PARTNERS, SO TO HELP TO ACHIEVE LONG-TERM STABILITY AND SUCCESS FOR THE FAMILIES.
MOVING FORWARD TO SENIORS, WE WILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE 10 COMPREHENSIVE SENIOR CENTERS AND 42 PART-TIME NUTRITION SITES ACROSS THE COMMUNITY.
UH, ONCE THEY REOPEN, WE UPDATED OUR SENIOR SERVICES STRATEGIC PLAN EARLIER THIS YEAR TO ENSURE THAT SAN ANTONIO IS AN AGE-FRIENDLY CITY WHERE SENIORS ARE ABLE TO AGE IN PLACE AND LIVE AS INDEPENDENTLY AS POSSIBLE.
AND WE'RE ANTICIPATING TWO NEW CENTERS FUNDED THROUGH THE 2017 BOND WILL OPEN IN, UM, 2022.
WITH THOSE SITES O SITES OPEN, WE ESTIMATE THAT 95%
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OF THE CITY'S SENIOR POPULATION WILL LIVE WITHIN FIVE MILES OF A COMPREHENSIVE CENTER.AND WITH TRANSPORTATION ACCESS, WE ANTICIPATE SERVING ALMOST 30,000 SENIORS THIS YEAR WITH AN OVERALL SATISFACTION RATE OF 96%.
AND THE NUMBER OF MEALS SERVED HAS EXPANDED WITH OUR TRANSITION TO CURBSIDE DISTRIBUTION AT OUR CENTERS DURING THE PANDEMIC, FITNESS, ARTS AND CRAFTS, NUTRITION, COMPUTER EDUCATION AND ACTIVITIES ARE PROVIDED IN OUR CENTERS THROUGH THE CONSOLIDATED FUNDING DELEGATE AGENCY PROCESS.
ALTHOUGH TEMPORARILY PROVIDED VIRTUALLY SENIOR AGENCIES RECOMMENDED FOR FUNDING WILL PROVIDE SERVICES IN OUR CENTER ONCE OPEN.
AGAIN, 97% OF THE SENIORS WHO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PRO, THESE PROGRAMS INDICATE THAT THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED IMPROVED SOCIAL EMOTIONAL AND OR PHYSICAL WELLBEING THROUGH ACTIVITIES PROVIDED AT THE CENTERS IN F Y 20 THROUGH MARCH.
UM, AND THEN, UH, ALSO LAST YEAR, FISCAL YEAR 19.
SO, TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE MORE OF AN IDEA OF THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING, UM, IN, IN THIS, UH, REALIGNED MODEL IN MARCH, UM, WE DID CLOSE OUR SENIOR CENTERS AND ALL OF OUR NUTRITION SITES AND, UH, CONVERTED OVER TO CURBSIDE DELIVERY OF MEALS THE EARLIER DAYS.
IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE PANDEMIC, UM, THE TRADI AND DUE TO THE TREMENDOUS NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY, REALLY HIGHLIGHTED EXISTING RACIAL AND ECONOMIC DISPARITIES FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR AND MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT WERE AT A HIGHER RISK FOR ADVERSE HEALTH IMPACTS, ISOLATION AND DISCONNECTION FROM SUPPORTIVE SERVICES AND PROGRAMMING.
AND REALLY THIS INCLUDED OUR SENIORS TO A HIGH, TO A HIGH DEGREE, AND PARTICULARLY SENIORS THAT WE SERVE WHO ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR, UM, AND LOW INCOME.
THE STRESSORS OF THE PANDEMIC AND INCREASED RISK OF ISOLATION ALSO DREW INTO SHARP FOCUS, SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR INCREASED AND UNREPORTED INSTANCE OF ELDER FOUGHT FRAUD AND ABUSE.
AS A RESULT, WE MODIFIED FOOD SERVICES TO PROVIDE BOTH CENTER-BASED MEALS FOR PICKUP AND HOME DELIVERED MEAL OPTIONS TO SENIORS WHO DID NOT HAVE ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION.
UM, WE CONVERTED OUR COMPREHENSIVE CENTERS TO SERVE AS HUB SITES FOR MEAL DISTRIBUTION, COOLING CENTERS, AND FOOD COMMODITY DISTRIBUTIONS WITH MORE THAN DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF SENIORS RECEIVING CO COMMODITY RESOURCES AND EIGHT TIMES THE AMOUNT OF, UH, POUNDS OF FOOD DISTRIBUTED.
UH, SINCE MARCH, WE IMPLEMENTED WELLNESS CHECKS BY PHONE TO PROVIDE RESOURCE INFORMATION, CHECK ON SENIOR WELLBEING, AND INCREASE AWARENESS OF, UM, OF, OR IDENTIFYING CONCERNS RELATED TO, TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ELDER FRAUD OR, AND ABUSE HUMAN SERVICES.
AND OUR PARTNERS ALWAYS ALSO WORK TO PROVIDE VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING AND SERVICES THAT SENIORS COULD ACCESS FROM THEIR HOMES.
IT'S INCLUDED ART CLASSES, EXERCISE CLASSES, UM, COMPUTER EDUCATION, AND WE'VE PARTNERED WITH OAKS, ACOG, AND WELLMED AND OTHERS TO INCREASE, UM, SENIOR ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY AND RESOURCES.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE MODIFIED SERVICES AS LONG AS NEEDED TO ENSURE THE WELLBEING OF OUR SENIOR POPULATION.
I WE DON'T ANTICIPATE REOPENING THE CENTERS UNTIL NEXT YEAR.
SO, THE, UM, PROPOSED HUMAN SERVICES BUDGET INCLUDES 20.7 MILLION IN TOTAL TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES OF HOMELESSNESS AND OVERALL INCREASE OF 7.7 MILLION.
AND THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE COSTS THAT, UM, ARE, YOU KNOW, OCCURRED BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, UM, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AROUND HOMELESS, UH, ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES OF HOMELESSNESS.
THAT TOTAL BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020 WAS ALMOST $40 MILLION.
AND SO, UM, THE HUMAN SERVICES OVERALL BUDGET INCREASED FOR HOMELESSNESS, INCREASED BY 7.7 MILLION.
THIS INCLUDES 7.3 MILLION IN GENERAL FUND AND 9.7 MILLION FROM THE CARESS ACT.
EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANTS TO SUPPORT EMERGENCY SHELTER, HOMELESS PREVENTION, HOMELESS OUTREACH, AND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
THE HISTORIC, THIS HISTORICALLY LARGE ONE-TIME EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT CARESS ACT FUNDING PROVIDES A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO STRATEGICALLY RESPOND TO COVID AND TO MEASURABLY REDUCE HOMELESSNESS.
THE C OVID 19 RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE PLAN HOUSING PILLAR IN ALIGNMENT WITH EXISTING INITIATIVES AND THE HOMELESS STRATEGIC PLAN PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK TO EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS BY EXPANDING OUTREACH, IMPROVING ACCESS TO
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SHELTER, HOUSING AND SERVICES, AND ENSURING PROVIDER COORDINATION.AS A REMINDER, THE RECOVERY PLAN HOUSING PILLAR INCLUDES HOMELESS INITIATIVES THAT ARE DESIGNED TO EXPAND HOMELESS STREET OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY COORDINATION, AND TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO CARE.
AND AS WELL AS EXPANDING RAPID REHOUSING.
WE WILL USE, UM, THE FUNDING, THE COVID FUNDING IN THE HOUSING PILLAR, YOU KNOW, FOR SEVERAL INITIATIVES.
AND PRIMARILY THAT'S BASED AROUND EXPANDING EMERGENCY SHELTER CAPACITY BY, UM, UH, LEASING A HOTEL.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP THAT LEASE THAT HAVEN FOR HOPE IS OPERATING THROUGH AT LEAST DECEMBER OF 2020, UM, TO SPREAD THE, REDUCE THE SPREAD OF COVID AND ALSO TO FREE UP BEDS FOR UNSHELTERED AND NEWLY HOMELESS.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO MANAGE AND OPERATE THE HOMELESS CONNECTIONS HOTLINE, WHICH PROVIDES A FRONT DOOR ACCESS POINT FOR CLIENTS SEEKING ASSISTANCE.
AND WE WILL, UM, ASSESS NEED AND HANDOFF FOR APPROPRIATE INTERVENTION AS PEOPLE MAKE CALLS TO THE HOTLINE PRE-SCREEN FOR EMERGENCY SHELTER PROGRAMS AND DIVERSION RESOURCES.
AND SO WHEN THEY CALL IN, WE CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, ROUTE THEM TO HAVEN FOR HOPE OR TO ANOTHER EMERGENCY SHELTER, OR TO POTENTIALLY A PROGRAM FOR DIRECT HOUSING PLACEMENT.
UM, WE WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE HOMELESS RES RESOURCE HUBS.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE TWO, ONE AT SAN FERNANDO GYM AND CHRISTIAN ASSISTANCE MINISTRIES.
UM, THEY ARE PROVIDING MEALS, HYGIENE SUPPLIES, C OVID 19 INFORMATION.
SAN FERNANDO GYM IS OPERATING AS A COOLING STATION.
UM, CAM IS PROVIDING SHOWERS AND, UM, BOTH AND SAN FERNANDO GYM IS ALSO PROVIDING ID RECOVERY AND ALL.
THEY ARE ASSESSING CLIENTS, UM, WHO COME TO THE HUBS FOR SERVICE CONNECTION AND TRANSITION TO HOUSING AND SHELTER AS WELL.
AND SO WE WERE ALSO CONTINUING TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY, COLLABORATIVELY WITH HOMELESS, HOMELESS PROVIDERS, CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND HEALTH SYSTEMS TO REDUCE BARRIERS TO SHELTER ACCESS, PREVENT DISCHARGE TO UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS, AND TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY TO DEVELOP A HOMELESS DIVERSION COURT.
AS FAR AS RAPID REHOUSING, $6 MILLION OF THE RECOVERY PLAN WILL PROVIDE THREE TO 24 MONTHS OF RENTAL UTILITY AND INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE FOR APPROXIMATELY A THOUSAND INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES.
UM, AGAIN, THIS, THE RAPID REHOUSING DO DOLLARS HELP US FREE UP SPACE AND SHELTERS FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING AND PREVENT A BO BOTTLENECK FROM EXPANDED OUTREACH.
UM, AN ADDITIONAL 2 MILLION ALLOCATED THROUGH THE COUNTY.
AND, UM, SARAH EMERGENCY SHELTER GRANT ALLOCATIONS WILL ALSO HELP SUPPORT RAPID REHOUSING.
AND SO, THROUGH THIS BUDGET, THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES WILL CONTINUE TO COORDINATE THE CITY'S HOMELESS POLICY AND INITIATIVES AND DEPART AND PARTNER CLOSELY WITH HAVEN FOR HOPE AND MANY COMMUNITY HOMELESS PROVIDERS.
TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES OF HOMELESSNESS, UM, HUMAN SERVICES LEADS THE VETERAN HOMELESS COLLABORATIVE AND CONTINUES TO MAINTAIN THE FEDERAL BENCHMARKS THAT DEMONSTRATE WE HAVE EFFECTIVELY ENDED VETERAN HOMELESSNESS AND COORDINATE A MULTI-DEPARTMENTAL WORKING GROUP TO PLAN AND IMPLEMENT HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT OUTREACH.
THESE PROGRAMS CONTINUE ALONG WITH THE, THE INITIATIVES I JUST SPOKE ABOUT WITH THE RECOVERY RESILIENCE PLAN.
THE ANNUAL POINT IN TIME COUNT HELD IN JANUARY SHOWED THAT OUR HOMELESS POPULATION WAS INCREASING BEFORE COVID TOTAL HOMELESS.
UM, INCREASED HOMELESSNESS INCREASED BY 2% FROM 2019 TO 2020.
AND UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS INCREASED BY 9%.
OUR VETERAN HOMELESS POPULATION CONTINUES TO DECLINE SLIGHTLY, AND THE DECLINE IN CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS IS VERY GOOD NEWS AS THEY REPRESENT THE MOST DIFFICULT TO SERVE POPULATION AND THE MOST EXPENSIVE.
HOWEVER, THE POINT IN TIME COUNT ALSO SHOWED THAT THE NUMBERS OF HOMELESS OVER THE AGE OF 55 AND THE NUMBER WHO IDENTIFY AS HAVING A MENTAL ILLNESS IS INCREASING.
AND WHILE OUR POPULATION GROWTH IN SAN ANTONIO, IF WE LOOK AT HOMELESSNESS ON A PER CAPITA, UH, BASIS OF ONE TO 10,000, HAS DECLINED QUITE SIGNIFICANTLY.
UM, FROM 24.8 TO 18.9, UH, A RATE OF 18.9 PER 10,000, WE STILL HAVE, UH, 3000 HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IT'S EXACERBATED BY THE COVID, UH, PED ACCESS TO SHELTER AND SERVICES.
AND, YOU KNOW, FINALLY, IN ANTICIPATION OF THE RESULTS OF OUR HOMELESS
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STRATEGIC PLAN, THE FISCAL YEAR 20 ADOPTED BUDGET INCLUDED 560,000 IN RESERVE TO ADDRESS KEY RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH INCLUDES SIGNIFICANTLY EXPANDING, UH, STREET OUTREACH AND IMPROVING COORDINATION ACROSS OUTREACH PROVIDERS, CREATING ADDITIONAL LOW BARRIER SHELTER OPTIONS, AND EXPANDING PERMANENT HOUSING OPTIONS TO THIS END.THROUGH THE RESERVE 560,000 IN GENERAL FUND AND CARES ACT FUNDING, HUMAN SERVICES WILL EXPAND HOMELESS OUTREACH ACROSS THE CITY.
THIS, UH, AGAIN, LARGE, UH, ONE-TIME EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT IS REALLY A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO STRATEGICALLY RESPOND TO COVID, UM, AND THROUGH THE ALIGNMENT WITH THE HOUSING PILLAR AND OUR EXISTING INITIATIVES, UM, WELL AS THE HOMELESS STRATEGIC PLAN, THIS FUNDING PROVIDES FRAMEWORK TO REALLY EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS BY EXPANDING OUR STREET OUTREACH SIGNIFICANTLY AND OUR RAPID REHOUSING AS WELL AS DIVERSION AND PREVENTION, UM, OPPORTUNITIES.
AND SO, THE CHALLENGES WITH UNSHELTERED HOMELESS LIVING ON THE STREET AND ENCAMPMENTS ARE GREAT SIGNIFICANT HEALTH, CRIMINAL JUSTICE TRAUMA, MENTAL ILLNESS, AND SUBSTANCE USE ISSUES IMPEDE THEIR DECISION MAKING AT TIMES AND THEIR CHOICE TO ACCEPT SERVICES.
AND THIS BUDGET IMPROVEMENT, UH, THAT IS AUGMENTED BY CARES ACT FUNDING AS RESOURCES TO SUPPORT 11 FULL-TIME HOMELESS OUTREACH POSITIONS AND STIPENDS FOR 11, WORK FOR 11 WORK, UH, SOCIAL WORK INTERNS TO CREATE 10 DISTRICT HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAMS, PLUS AN ADDITIONAL TEAM FOR THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
OUTREACH TEAMS WILL SERVE AS LIAISONS, TEACH COUNCIL DISTRICT TO PROVIDE INTENSIVE OUTREACH AND CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO CONNECT THE CITY'S ESTIMATED, UH, 1300 UNSHELTERED HOMELESS RESIDENTS TO THE APPROPRIATE SERVICES IN THE RIGHT SEQUENCE AND ANY LEVEL SUFFICIENT TO MAKE LASTING CHANGE.
THIS NEW OUTREACH TEAM WILL COVER ALL GEOGRAPHIC AREAS OF THE CITY TO BUILD CONSISTENT RAPPORT WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS AND BUILD TRUST.
THEY WILL ALSO WORK WITH SERVICE PROVIDERS LIKE HAVEN FOR HOPE, SAM MINISTRIES SINCE ST.
VINCENT DEPAUL, C H C S AND SALVATION ARMY AND OTHERS TO CONNECT PEOPLE, UM, TO SERVICES WITH THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF ATTAINING HOUSING STABILITY.
HUMAN SERVICES WILL ALSO CREATE A NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE TO IMPROVE AND EXPAND RAPID ID RECOVERY.
LACK OF IDENTIFICATION IS A HUGE BARRIER FOR UNSHELTERED HOMELESS TO RECEIVE SERVICES, ENROLL IN BENEFITS, AND FIND WORK.
WE'VE HAD SUCCESS AND EXPERIENCE WITH THIS MODEL.
AND TWO, UM, SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHIC AREAS OF SAN ANTONIO.
SINCE JUNE, WE HAVE WORKED COLLECTIVELY, UH, COLLABORATIVELY WITH COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO AND DISTRICT ONE STAFF, AS WELL AS THE SAN ANTONIO PD, SAFE UNIT, SOLID WASTE AND PUBLIC WORKS, AND HAVEN FOR HOPE TO PROVIDE INTENSIVE COORDINATED OUTREACH IN THE BELLEVUE AREA WITH GOOD SUCCESS IN TRANSITIONING OVER 20 HOMELESS TO HAVEN FOR HOPE, ADDRESSING CRIME, UM, FROM IN, FROM TWO HOTELS AND IN THE AREA, AND CLEANING, UM, UP THE AREA AND THE AREA AROUND THE FIELD OFFICE.
SECOND, THE FISCAL YEAR 2019 BUDGET INCLUDED FUNDING FOR A CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER TO PERFORM INTENSIVE OUTREACH TO PEOPLE LIVING UNSHELTERED IN DISTRICT 10 AND WORKING WITH THE SS A P D SAFE UNIT AGAIN.
AND THE CLINICIAN WAS ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY TRANSITION CHRONICALLY HOMELESS CLIENTS INTO HOUSING AND STARTED MANY ON A PATH TO ACCESSING SERVICES AFTER YEARS AND YEARS OF DISCONNECTION.
THE CITY MANAGERS PROPOSED BUDGET ALSO INCLUDES A TOTAL OF 6 MILLION TO IMPROVE PROVIDER SERVICES, UH, TO INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS THROUGH, UM, THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND HUMAN SERVICES.
AND THIS BAD BUDGET ALSO ADDS 500,000 IN RESERVE FOR AN ALTERNATIVE MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE OPTION, 3.1 MILLION IN THE HUMAN SERVICES BUDGET SUPPORTS THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES, SOBERING AND DETOX SERVICES, AND THE INTEGRATED TREATMENT PROGRAM IN HAVEN FOR HOPE, WHICH HELPS BOTH HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL HEALTH, HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS, OR BOTH, AND FUNDING TO EXTRACT FROM THREE MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIANS THAT SUPPORT THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT MENTAL HEALTH UNIT, AS WELL AS OTHER DELEGATE AGENCIES WHO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, INCLUDING CHILDREN'S BEREAVEMENT AND RESPITE CARE FOR CHILDREN.
[00:30:01]
CO-SPONSORS THE PATHWAY TO HOPE ANNUAL MENTAL HEALTH CONFERENCE, WHICH WILL FOCUS ON THE IMPACT OF COVID AND MENTAL HEALTH THIS YEAR.AND SO, JUST SORT OF AS A, A SUMMARY BEFORE I MOVE ON TO DELEGATE AGENCIES.
KEY PRIORITIES FOR HUMAN SERVICES FOR FISCAL YEAR 21 INCLUDE FINANCIAL RECOVERY FOR VULNERABLE RESIDENTS, IMPLEMENTATION OF THE HOMELESS STRATEGIC PLAN, AND, UH, RAMPING UP THE EXPANDED OUTREACH, UH, PROGRAM, ENSURING SENIORS NUTRITIONAL, UH, SECURITY AND WELLNESS, AND CONTINUING TO REDUCE BARRIERS TO COLLEGE AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES FOR DISCONNECTED YOUTH.
AND THESE ARE ALL CENTERED AROUND EMBEDDING EQUITY IN OUR PROGRAMS AND PRIORITIZING RESOURCES TO IMPACT COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
CONSOLIDATED FUNDING FOR HUMAN SERVICES.
HUMAN AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES IS A COMBINED PROCESS THAT INVOLVES BOTH HUMAN SERVICES AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENTS.
UH, TOMORROW AT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BUDGET BRIEFING, ALEX LOPEZ WILL PROVIDE MORE DETAIL ON, UH, FISCAL YEAR 21 WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATIONS.
THIS POOL DOES, UH, FUNDING DOES MAXIMIZE OUR ABILITY TO IMPACT THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS, UH, FOCUSING ON COMMUNITIES' MOST IN NEED, AND SUPPORTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT'S KEY PRIORITIES.
THIS YEAR, IN RESPONSE TO, UH, COVID HUMAN AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AGENCIES JOINED MANY DEPARTMENTS IN SERVING ON THE FRONT LINES TO HELP LOCAL FAMILIES THROUGH, UM, THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND ECONOMIC CHALLENGES OF OUR, THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS FACING.
IN JULY, HUMAN SERVICES SURVEYED OUR DELEGATE AGENCIES TO UNDERSTAND THEIR FISCAL YEAR, UH, 2021, PROPOSED SCOPE OF WORK AND WORK PLANS.
THESE AGENCIES RAPIDLY WORK TO ADJUST SERVICES AND PROGRAMS TO MEET THE NEW RESTRICTIONS AND DEMANDS OF OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH, UH, EITHER REVISED SECURE, UH, SERVICE DELIVERY MODELS.
THEY IMPLEMENTED NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO SUPPORT REMOTE SERVICES AND CONVERSION FROM FACE-TO-FACE TO REMOTE SERVICES, AND IN MANY CASES, RETOOLED EXISTING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES TO MEET THE NEW AND INCREASED DEMANDS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC, THE FISCAL YEAR 2021 AND 2022, CONSOLIDATED FUNDING PROCESS R F P WAS POSTPONED.
UH, WE WILL ISSUE THAT IN THE SPRING OF 20, UH, 21, AND IT WILL BE FOR FISCAL YEAR 22 AND FISCAL YEAR 23.
AND, UM, AND SO THE FISCAL YEAR 2021 FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS ARE BASED ON, UM, FISCAL YEAR 19 AND FISCAL YEAR 20, PERFORMANCE ALIGNMENT WITH THE COVID TO COMMUNITY RECOVERY AND RESILIENCY PLAN.
PROPOSED ADJUSTMENTS TO SERVICE, SERVICE DELIVERY MODEL, UM, YOU KNOW, MEANING ONSITE VERSUS VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING, AND, UM, ANTICIPATED SAVINGS IN SENIOR SERVICES AND YOUTH SERVICES THAT WERE DUE TO CLOSURES, DELAYS, AND REDUCED ENROLLMENT.
AND SO, THE FISCAL YEAR 21 PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES 24.3 MILLION FOR HUMAN AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AGENCIES.
THIS FUNDING IS IN ADDITION TO CARESS ACT FUNDING THAT HAS BEEN AWARDED TO COMMUNITY AGENCIES TO ASSIST WITH THE RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE PLAN.
AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, TAKE INTO ACCOUNT PERFORMANCE ALIGNMENT WITH RECOVERY PLAN, AND THEY REFLECT, UM, SERVICE DELIVERY, ADJUSTMENTS, CLOSURES, AND DELAYS.
WE ANTICIPATE MORE THAN 67,000 DUPLICATED FAMILIES WILL BE SERVED FOR BY OUR PARTNERS FUNDED IN CHILDREN AND YOUTH SERVICES, STRENGTHENING FAMILIES, ENDING HOMELESSNESS AND SENIOR INDEPENDENCE AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS ALSO INCLUDE A RESERVE OF 1.5 MILLION TO BE AWARDED IN FISCAL YEAR 21 TO SUPPORT PROGRAMS AND AGENCIES THAT ARE PROVIDING ENHANCED OR INCREASED SERVICES ALIGNED WITH THE RECOVERY PLAN AND FUNDING CAN ALSO BE USED TO ADDRESS ADDITIONAL SERVICE NEEDS, INCLUDING, INCLUDING THOSE THAT AREN'T, AREN'T CURRENTLY FUNDED OR ANTICIPATED THAT ARE, THAT HAPPEN AS A RESULT OF C OVID 19 PANDEMIC.
AND, UM, SUPPORT THE RECOVERY PLAN EFFORTS, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
UH, THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL $500,000 FOR THE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS INITIATIVE TO ADDRESS GAPS IN THE LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM AND TO, UM, ADDRESS UNFORESEEN NEEDS.
AND MOVING ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE, FISCAL YEAR 2021, FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE AN INCREASE OF 377,000,
[00:35:02]
WHICH IS PRIMARILY RELATED TO INCREASED GRANT FUNDING.UH, THESE RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE 56 AGENCIES AND 86 HUMAN SERVICES PROGRAMS. ADJUSTMENTS WERE MADE TO CHILDREN AND YOUTH SERVICES AND SENIOR, UM, INDEPENDENCE, ANTICIPATED SAVINGS AND YOUTH DUE TO ANTICIPATED SAVINGS AND YOUTH AND, AND SENIOR PROGRAMS, UM, DUE TO CLOSURES AND DELAYS IN THE, IN THE START OF SCHOOL AND SCHOOL-BASED PROGRAMS. THE PROPOSED BUDGET DID NOT INCLUDE FUNDING FOR TWO YOUTH PROGRAMS AS A RESULT OF PERFORMANCE CONCERNS IN FISCAL YEAR 19 AND 20.
AND RECOMMENDATIONS DO INCLUDE A DELEGATE AGENCY RESERVE OF 1.5 MILLION, AGAIN, TO BE ALLOCATED, UM, TO AGENCIES WHO ARE EXPERIENCING INCREASED SERVICE LEVELS.
RECOMMENDATIONS ALSO, UM, INCLUDE, UM, SUPPORT FOR, OR, I'M SORRY, THE RECOMMENDATIONS DO ALSO INCLUDE THE $500,000 FOR, UM, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
AND SO THAT THIS DOES CONCLUDE MY PRESENTATION FOR THIS AFTERNOON.
I WILL NOW PASS THE MICROPHONE OVER TO DR.
BRIDGER TO PROVIDE A BRIEF BRIEFING ON THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT BUDGET.
AND, UH, MELODY, UH, I'M SORRY.
BRIDGER, BEFORE YOU START, UM, WE HAVE THE WEBEX FUNCTION NOW THAT WILL HELP US CREATE A QUEUE WITHOUT HAVING TO GO AND, AND FIX ORDER.
AND I WANNA DRAW EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION TO THAT.
AS YOU THINK ABOUT, UM, QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO ASK IN ORDER TO ACCESS THE QUEUE, UM, JUST HOVER OVER YOUR SCREEN AND CLICK ON THE LITTLE, UM, UM, BUTTON THAT LOOKS LIKE A PERSON.
YOU'LL FIND YOUR NAME AT THE TOP OF THE LIST AND JUST CLICK THE HAND BUTTON THAT'LL PUT YOU IN THE QUEUE TO SPEAK.
AND THAT WAY I'LL KNOW, UH, WHO'S NEXT TO, UM, ASK A QUESTION.
AND JUST FOR, UM, JUST SO EVERYONE KNOWS, WE'LL HAVE 10 MINUTES, UH, FOR QUESTIONS.
AND IF NECESSARY WE CAN GO ANOTHER ROUND.
UH, SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND START MAKING USE OF THAT QUEUE FUNCTION IN THE APPLICATION, UH, THAT WAY WE DON'T HAVE TO GO, UH, USE AN ARBITRARY FIXED ORDER.
I'M GONNA TAKE THE BATON FROM MEL AND, UM, GO THROUGH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT BUDGET.
SO, JUST STARTING OFF WITH GIVING YOU A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THE DIFFERENT DIVISIONS THAT ARE IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE RIGHT NOW THREE DIVISIONS AND, UM, THE MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED BUDGET WOULD INCLUDE ADDING A FOURTH DIVISION FOCUSING ON VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
UM, SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE, UH, COMMUNICABLE DISEASE, WHICH IS OVERSEEN BY DR.
WE HAVE COMMUNITY HEALTH, WHICH IS OVERSEEN BY, UM, DEPUTY DIRECTOR JENNIFER HARRIET.
AND THEN WE HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND OPERATIONS, WHICH IS OVERSEEN BY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR MARIO MARTINEZ.
UM, AS I MENTIONED, WE, WE ARE PROPOSING ADDING VIOLENCE PREVENTION AS A SECOND DIVISION.
THAT DIVISION WOULD ALSO FALL UNDER DEPUTY DIRECTOR, UM, JENNIFER HARRIET.
PLEASE WANTED TO COVER BRIEFLY, UM, SOME OF THE NON COVID THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE THIS YEAR, UM, IN THROUGH THE LENS OF OUR FOUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES.
SO, JUST AS A REMINDER, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WENT THROUGH A PRETTY, UM, COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS A YEAR AGO THAT WE IDENTIFIED FOR, UM, PRIORITIES WHICH ARE ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES, UH, AND TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE, VIOLENCE PREVENTION, NUTRITION, AND ACCESS TO CARE, UM, SPECIFIC TO ACES AND TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE.
THAT HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLE YEAR FOR US.
UM, WE HAVE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH U H SS ESTABLISHED THE INSTITUTE FOR TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE, UM, THAT ROLLED OUT IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR.
UM, WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH METHODIST HEALTHCARE MINISTRY, WHO FUNDED THE ECUMENICAL CENTER AS THE CERTIFYING ENTITY FOR OUR TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE CERTIFICATION PROCESS.
UM, AND SO TOGETHER NOW WE HAVE THREE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE ALL WORKING ON TRAUMA-INFORMED APPROACHES.
UM, WE HAVE THE ORIGINAL SOUTH TEXAS TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE CONSORTIUM, WHICH FOCUSES ON WHY TRAUMA-INFORMED APPROACHES ARE IMPORTANT.
WE HAVE THE INSTITUTE FOR TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE THAT FOCUSES ON WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE TRAUMA-INFORMED.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE ECUMENICAL CENTER AS THE
[00:40:01]
CERTIFYING ENTITY, WHICH FOCUSES ON WHO IS TRAUMA-INFORMED.ECUMENICAL CENTER HAS FINISHED DEVELOPING THE FIRST LEVEL STANDARDS FOR CERTIFICATION AND WILL BEGIN PILOTING WITH THREE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, THOSE STANDARDS TO SEE HOW THEY WORK IN THE REAL WORLD.
UM, SO WE ARE WELL ON OUR WAY TO HAVING, UM, THE NATION'S MOST ADVANCED PROCESS FOR INSURING, ENSURING TRAUMA, TRAUMA-INFORMED PRACTICES.
UM, VIOLENCE PREVENTION HAS, UM, BECOME A, AN A, AN EVEN MORE IMPORTANT PRIORITY FOR US IN THIS BUDGET.
BUT WE DID A LOT OF WORK OVER THIS LAST FISCAL YEAR ON VIOLENCE PREVENTION, UM, WITH A FOCUS ON FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
UH, WE HAVE HAD SOME GOOD SUCCESS EVEN IN A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT ON ROLLING OUT TRIPLE P, WHICH IS THE POSITIVE PARENTING PROGRAM.
UH, WE HAVE 52 DIFFERENT PROVIDERS WHO ARE TRAINED IN, UM, THE VARIOUS LEVELS OF TRIPLE P AND HAVE REACHED OVER A THOUSAND PARENTS.
AGAIN, EVEN IN THIS VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT.
UM, WE HAVE ALSO ROLLED OUT TOO GOOD FOR VIOLENCE.
WE HAD 937 STUDENTS COMPLETE EIGHT OUT OF 10 SESSIONS BEFORE SCHOOL WAS CLOSED AS A RESULT OF COVID.
UM, AND SO WE WILL RESUME THOSE ONCE SCHOOLS ARE ABLE TO RESUME.
UH, WE'VE ALSO HAD A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THE, UM, COLLABORATIVE COMMISSION ON THE PREVENTION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
UM, SO WE'VE, WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF COMMUNITY, UM, ENGAGEMENT AND, UM, ACTIVISM AND PASSION, UM, BEHIND THAT GROUP AND CONTINUE TO MAKE GOOD PROGRESS ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WE PRESENTED.
UM, WE HAVE EXPANDED OUR COR VITA PROGRAM.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, EXPANDED OUR HEALTHY CORNER STORES PROGRAM.
WE HAVE ROLLED OUT THE MAP SAC PROGRAM, STARTING WITH DOING, UM, NUTRITION ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS AT A HUNDRED EARLY CHILDCARE CENTERS.
UM, SOME OF THAT WORK HAD TO BE PAUSED BECAUSE OF COVID, BUT WE'RE READY TO RESUME THAT AS SOON AS COVID IS NO LONGER AN ISSUE.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY ON ACCESS TO CARE.
OUR, UM, OUR FOCUS IS ON COLLABORATING WITH OTHERS IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE CONNECTING WITH SERVICES AND RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM.
YOU HEARD MEL TALK ABOUT, UM, THE FIRST TWO PROGRAMS AND THEN THROUGH THE RECOVERY AND RESILIENCY PLAN, WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING, UM, OUTREACH INFORMATION ABOUT HEALTH INSURANCE OPTIONS TO ALL OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO WILL BE GOING DOOR TO DOOR.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET, UM, THOSE OF YOU WHO LIKE TO TRACK OUR BUDGET FROM YEAR TO YEAR, UM, WILL THINK THAT $76 MILLION SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND I DO WANNA JUST POINT OUT THAT OUR OPERATING BUDGET MINUS COVID IS $44.8 MILLION.
UM, AND THAT IS A, A $3.6 MILLION INCREASE.
UM, THE, THE, THE BIGGER PORTION OF THE INCREASE IS ALL RELATED TO CARES GRANTS.
THAT'S ABOUT 41% OF THE, UM, $76 MILLION THAT YOU SEE THERE.
UM, FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S OPERATING BUDGET, ABOUT 60% OF IT COMES FROM GRANT FUNDING.
UM, AND YOU SEE WE HAD A BIT OF A DECREASE IN OUR GRANTS.
THE MAJORITY OF THAT COMES FROM A, AN EXPECTED DECREASE IN OUR WAIVER FUNDING.
UM, I'VE TALKED PRETTY IN DEPTH ABOUT THE WAIVER PROGRAM IN PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS.
NOT GONNA DO THAT TO YOU THIS YEAR.
UM, BUT JUST A REMINDER THAT THAT IS A PROGRAM THAT IS DECREASING OVER TIME.
AND 2022, WE'LL MARK THE END OF WAIVER FUNDING FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
UM, THAT REPRESENTS ABOUT $8 MILLION OF OUR, UM, 25 MILLION GRANTS IN GRANTS.
THE, UM, INCREASE OF $3.6 MILLION IN GENERAL FUND IS PREDOMINANTLY THROUGH THE CREATION OF THE VIOLENCE PREVENTION DIVISION.
I'M GONNA TALK MORE ABOUT THAT IN JUST A SECOND.
UM, AS WELL AS AN INCREASE IN FUNDING FOR HEALTHY CORNER STORES, WHICH I WILL ALSO TALK ABOUT, UM, IN, IN MORE DETAIL.
UM, FINALLY, I DID WANNA POINT OUT THAT, UM, THE, THE COVID FUNDING, UM, FOR THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR IS, IS $31 MILLION.
THE MAJORITY OF THAT FUNDING NEEDS TO BE SPENT BEFORE THE END OF DECEMBER.
UM, AND SO THAT'S GOING TO, UM, LEAVE US PERHAPS FOR
[00:45:01]
QUANTIFYING WHETHER, UM, THAT'S GONNA LEAVE US WITH A CHALLENGE AFTER DECEMBER AND BEING ABLE TO CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THE PANDEMIC.SO, VIOLENCE PREVENTION, WE ARE, UM, VERY EXCITED THAT THE MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED BUDGET INCLUDES THE CREATION OF A VIOLENCE PREVENTION DIVISION AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
UM, THIS RECOMMENDED BUDGET, UH, CONTAINS THREE FOCUS AREAS.
ONE IS GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION, UH, AND THAT WOULD DOUBLE OUR STANDUP SA PROGRAM FROM, UH, 10 PEOPLE TO 20 PEOPLE.
AND IT WOULD TAKE IT FROM, UM, NOT JUST TO THE EAST SIDE, BUT ALSO TO THE NEAR WEST SIDE.
IT ALSO DOUBLE DOUBLES THE HOSPITAL BASED VIOLENCE INTERRUPTERS, UM, TO FOUR.
AND SO BETWEEN THESE EXPANSIONS, WE FEEL LIKE WE WILL BE IN A MUCH BETTER PLACE TO BE ABLE TO REALLY, UM, WORK AT PREVENTING RETALIATORY VIOLENCE, ESPECIALLY AMONG YOUTH.
THE SECOND FOCUS OF THIS, UM, VIOLENCE PREVENTION DIVISION WILL BE THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND RESPONSE.
UM, THIS CONSOLIDATE AND UNITE STRATEGIES BETWEEN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO PREVENT AND RESPOND TO FAMILY VIOLENCE.
UM, THIS CHANGE WOULD MOVE 20 C R T CIVILIAN PERSONNEL FROM SS A P D OVER TO METRO HEALTH.
IT WOULD ALSO, UM, ADD THROUGH CARESS ACT MONEY FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, HIGH RISK TEAM MEMBERS, UM, AND ALLOW US TO BE MORE, UH, COORDINATED AND CONSOLIDATED IN OUR APPROACH WITH BOTH PREVENTING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND RESPONDING TO IT WITH, UM, ALL OF THE DIFFERENT RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, AND THEN THE THIRD FOCUS AREA IS CHILDREN AND YOUTH VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
AND, UM, THIS WOULD CONSOLIDATE ALL OF THE EXISTING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT OFFERS, UM, INCLUDING OUR ACES, WHICH AT ITS HEART IS ABOUT REDUCING TRAUMA AND VIOLENCE IS, UM, PROBABLY THE NUMBER ONE TRAUMA THAT CHILDREN DEAL WITH, UM, AS WELL AS THE EDUCATION THAT WE HAVE IN SCHOOLS THROUGH OUR TWO GOOD FOR VIOLENCE PROGRAM AND OF COURSE OUR POSITIVE PARENTING PROGRAM AS WELL.
UM, SO TOTAL BUDGET FOR THIS NEW DIVISION IS $8.9 MILLION.
THAT ALSO INCLUDES THE DELEGATE AGENCY FUNDING THAT GOES TOWARDS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
WE'RE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHETHER OR THAT STAYS WITH D H S OR COMES WITH US, BUT IT'S VERY MUCH FOCUSED ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UM, AND INCLUDES NEW FUNDING OF $2.6 MILLION IN, UM, FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
SO THE OTHER IMPROVEMENT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WAS THE HEALTHY CORNER STORES INITIATIVE.
UM, THIS WAS AN INITIATIVE THAT WE PILOTED IN, UH, IN D THREE, UM, HAD REALLY GREAT SUCCESS COLLABORATING WITH U I W.
UM, AND SO WE ARE, UM, HAPPY TO, UM, THAT THE CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED BUDGET HAS AN EXPANSION OF THIS PROGRAM IN IT OF $120,000.
UM, THIS WOULD EXPAND THE PROGRAM, UM, THREE STORES IN DISTRICTS, 1, 2, 4, AND SEVEN.
THOSE WERE THE AREAS ON THE MAP THAT HAD THE MOST FOOD DESERT.
AND AGAIN, A FOOD DESERT IS A CENSUS TRACK THAT HAS BOTH LOW INCOME AND, UM, A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF RESIDENTS THAT ARE MORE THAN A MILE FROM THE NEAREST SUPERMARKET.
SO THAT'S THE, THE U S D A'S DEFINITION OF A FOOD DESERT.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT $108,000 TO, UH, EXPAND THE HEALTHY CORNER STORES PROJECT, WE'RE ALSO INCLUDING 12,000 IN ORDER TO CONTINUE, UM, THE WORK THAT'S HAPPENING IN THESE THREE.
ONE OF THE CHALLENGES OF COVID IS, UM, WE CAN'T HAVE LARGE GROUPS GATHERING TOGETHER FOR ANY REASON.
UM, AND SO THAT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR CCL VIA, UH, WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING FOR THIS NEXT BUDGET YEAR IS, UM, ACTUALLY A DECREASE IN FUNDING FOR CCL VIA, BUT ALSO AVIA, SO THAT WE ARE ROLLING OUT A SMALLER NEIGHBORHOOD-BASED, UM, APPROACH TO DOING SLAVIA, WHERE WE CAN SHUT DOWN,
[00:50:01]
UM, FEWER MILES OF STREETS IN NEIGHBORHOOD SPECIFIC GATHERINGS.SO WE'RE GONNA PILOT THIS A COUPLE OF TIMES WITH THE Y AND SEE HOW, IF THAT WORKS, UM, SO THAT WE DECREASE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE GATHERING TOGETHER, UM, AND DECREASE THE RISK OF OF COVID.
PLEASE WANNA TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT OUR BUDGET EQUITY TOOL.
UM, WE, WE HAD A, A GOOD YEAR FROM A BUDGET EQUITY OR FROM A HEALTH EQUITY PERSPECTIVE.
UM, WE DID RECEIVE THE REACH GRANT AND, UM, THAT'S BEEN, UM, A NICE BOOST TO OUR OFFICE OF HEALTH EQUITY.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE ESTABLISHED AN EQUITY TRAINING TEAM THAT'S A GROUP OF ABOUT A HALF A DOZEN INDIVIDUALS WHO, UM, HAVE GONE THROUGH A WEEK LONG TRAIN THE TRAINER MODEL TO REALLY HELP THEM, UM, BE HEALTH EQUITY AMBASSADORS, TRAIN OUR NEW EMPLOYEES, TRAIN OUR EXISTING EMPLOYEES ON, UM, WHAT HEALTH EQUITY MEANS AND HOW WE CAN DO IT BETTER.
UM, AND THEN THIS IS THE YEAR THAT WE LAUNCH OUR DEPARTMENT EQUITY ASSESSMENT.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE OFFICE OF EQUITY ON THAT.
UM, THE, THE BUDGET EQUITY TOOL INCLUDES OUR COMMITMENTS FOR THIS COMING FISCAL YEAR.
UM, AND SO YOU CAN SEE OUR FOUR COMMITMENTS TO EQUITY FOR THIS COMING FISCAL YEAR, UM, TO REALLY EMBED EQUITY IN OUR COVID 19 RESPONSE, UM, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE PRIORITIZING THE MOST MARGINALIZED POPULATIONS.
UM, TWO TO, UM, FINISH UP OUR DEPARTMENT EQUITY ASSESSMENT AND DEVELOP AN EQUITY ACTION PLAN THAT IS THAT, THAT WE, THAT'S PART OF THE NORMAL ROLLOUT SCHEDULE.
UM, IMPROVE THE INCLUSION OF BLACK AND AFRICAN AMERICANS AND OTHER COMMUNITIES OF COLOR TO HELP INFORM ANTI-RACIST PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY.
AND FOUR, ADDRESS RACIAL HEALTH DISPARITIES THROUGH CROSS DEPARTMENTAL COLLABORATIONS.
UM, WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR SISTERS OVER AT THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, UM, BUT ALSO WE'LL BE WORKING WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE OFFICE OF INNOVATION, AND IT, UM, TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN, UM, ADDRESS THAT NUMBER FOUR.
AND THEN, UM, MY LAST SLIDE IS TO, UM, TALK ABOUT RACISM AS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS.
SO, UM, I'M GONNA LOOK OVER AT THIS TIMELINE SECTION OF THE SLIDE TO START.
SO IN JUNE, UM, WE RECEIVED A C C R, UM, FROM COUNCIL OFFICES, UM, FROM FROM D TWO, UM, SUPPORTED BY A NUMBER OF OTHER COUNCIL OFFICES THAT WENT TO GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE THAT THEN SENT IT TO, UM, COMMUNITY HEALTH AND EQUITY, UH, AUGUST 7TH.
WE HAD A, A GREAT CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT AT THE CHECK COMMITTEE.
UM, THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND, UM, DAVID MCCAREY DID I THINK, A, A GREAT JOB OF INCORPORATING ALL OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED DURING THAT MEETING.
UM, AND WHAT WE ARE PRESENTING TO YOU TODAY CONTAINS THE, THE LATEST INFORMATION THAT WE RECEIVED AS LATE AS I THINK, UH, YESTERDAY ABOUT, UM, WHAT THAT RESOLUTION WOULD LOOK LIKE AT CHECK.
WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT WAS THAT, UM, I WOULD PRESENT THIS RESOLUTION AS PART OF MY BUDGET PRESENTATION SO THAT COUNCIL WOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY DURING THE SESSION TO DISCUSS THEIR THOUGHTS.
UM, AND THEN IF ALL GOES WELL, WE WILL TAKE IT TO COUNCIL ON THURSDAY, UM, FOR FULL COUNCIL CONSIDERATION AND ACTION.
UM, JUST A REMINDER, THIS WAS A JOINT EFFORT BETWEEN THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS' OFFICES, PRIMARILY D TWO AND D SEVEN, UM, AS WELL AS THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND METRO HEALTH OFFICE OF HEALTH EQUITY.
UM, THERE WERE A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO GAVE INPUT INTO THE RESOLUTION.
WE HAD, UM, REALLY GREAT, UM, PARTICIPATION AND COMMENTS THAT CHECKS PEOPLE CALLED IN.
THEY WERE ABLE TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THE, UM, THE COVID COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
AND, UM, IT, I THINK IS, UM, A, A REALLY NICE PROCESS THAT THE OFFICE OF EQUITY PRIMARILY HAS USED TO WORK WITH COUNCIL TO CREATE THIS, UM, RESOLUTION.
SO WE ARE ALL AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, SHOULD YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR TO TAKE YOUR FEEDBACK, UM, AS WE CRAFT THE LATEST VERSION FOR, UM, YOUR CONSIDERATION ON THURSDAY.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL FINISH UP MY PRESENTATION AND, UM, MEL AND I ARE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
[00:55:01]
THANK YOU.AND THANK YOU MELODY FOR THE PRESENTATIONS.
AND, AND I SUPPOSE WE'LL, WE'LL PICK IT UP RIGHT THERE.
I'M VERY PLEASED TO SEE, UH, THE RESOLUTION MOVING FORWARD, UH, EXPEDITIOUSLY.
I'M ALSO GLAD THAT WE'RE FULLY FUNDING, UH, THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND THE BUDGET, UH, EQUITY DEPARTMENT, UM, TOOLS.
SO, UM, SO TO GET INTO THAT RIGHT NOW, LET ME JUST GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVER FIRST TO COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN, AND MAYBE SHE CAN ALSO INTRODUCE THE, OR REINTRODUCE THE RESOLUTION TO THE COUNCIL AGAIN, AND WE CAN GET INTO DISCUSSION THAT WAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN.
BRIDGER, AND THANK YOU MELODY, UH, FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND ASSISTING US WITH THIS.
UH, THE CONVERSATION ABOUT DECLARING RACISM AS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS WAS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE HEARD A CRY FROM OUR COMMUNITY.
EMRICH AND I, UM, HAD A CONVERSATION AND I ASKED HER TO ASSIST ME WITH GETTING SOME, UM, DEVELOPMENTAL INFORMATION ON THE HEALTH SIDE, AND SHE WAS VERY, UM, ACCEPTING AND HELP ME THROUGH THAT.
SO I REALLY WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO HER PUBLICLY.
AS, UM, WE STARTED GETTING THIS PROCESS UNDERWAY, UM, AS WE WENT FORWARD, DR.
BRIDGER WAS ONE OF MY GREATEST, GREATEST SUPPORTERS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAD OUR VOICES HEARD THROUGH THIS RESOLUTION.
AND SO, UM, WE DECIDED THAT WE WOULD SIT DOWN.
WE HAD THE ORIGINAL DRAFT, UH, WHICH WAS A LITTLE BIT LESS, UM, UH, THAN WHAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU, UM, THEN WE TALKED TO MR. FERRELL CLARK, WE TALKED TO MS. JORDAN SPAR, UH, PARKS, UM, MARLON DAVIS, ESTE BROWN, AND A, UM, LOT OF OTHER COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS WHO HELPED US TO DRAFT THIS.
UM, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL WAS VERY INFLUENTIAL IN HER PLATFORM THAT SHE USED THROUGH HER FACEBOOK TO TALK ABOUT THIS, UM, THROUGH THE COMMUNITY TO TRULY HEAR WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE RACISM DECLARED AS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS.
UM, THROUGH THE RESEARCH THAT WE DID, WE FOUND OUT THAT MANY OTHER CITIES, I BELIEVE AT THIS TIME, IT'S ABOUT 81 CITIES THAT HAVE ADOPTED A RESOLUTION DECLARING RACISM AS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS.
WE HAVE SAT DOWN WITH, UH, MR. DAVID MCCAREY, AND, AND HE HAS HELPED US TREMENDOUSLY WITH GETTING THE VERBIAGE.
AND ZAN ZAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE TO HELP US TO FORMULATE THIS.
AND THROUGH THE COMMUNITY HEALTH AND EQUITY COMMITTEE, COUNCILWOMAN VERON WAS ABLE TO ENLIGHTEN US ON EVEN MORE HISTORY, UM, OF WHY DECLARING RACISM AS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS IS NOT JUST FOR ONE, BUT IT IS DEFINITELY INCLUSIVE FOR ALL.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE TO HELP US GET TO THIS POINT OF BRINGING THE RESOLUTION FORWARD.
THIS IS THE FIRST STEP OF MANY STEPS THAT WE AS A CITY COUNCIL WILL BE TAKING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING THIS, UH, MONSTER THAT IS IN THE ROOM.
AND WE'RE DEFINITELY MAKING THE STRIDES TO DEFEAT THE THINGS THAT WERE STANDING BEFORE US.
SO, MAYOR, WITH THAT BEING SAID, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN ADDRESSING THIS AS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY BEING HEARD ACROSS THE CITY, THAT WE ARE DOING WHAT IS NEEDED TO BE DONE BASED ON THE CRIES OF OUR COMMUNITY TO ASK US AS ELECTED OFFICIALS TO STEP UP.
UM, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
AND, UM, I, YOU WANT ME TO GO INTO MY QUESTIONS NOW, MAYOR, OR DO YOU WANT ME TO STOP THERE? UM, SURE.
YOU'RE WELCOME TO, UH, JADE, IF YOU'D LIKE TO NOW, OR, OR WE CAN COME BACK TO YOU, BUT, UH, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR IF YOU WANT.
SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND ADDRESS MY QUESTIONS, MELANIE.
UM, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS WHEN IT COMES UNDER THE CHILDREN AND YOUTH, UM, INITIATIVE WITHIN THE BUDGET.
I WANTED TO FIND OUT, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU SAID WE'RE WORKING WITH CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, WHAT AND HOW MUCH IS BEING DEDICATED TO THE SERVICES THAT ARE HELPING TO TRANSITION OUR YOUTH OUT OF THE CHILD PROTECTIVE SYSTEM TO HELP THEM GAIN THEIR INDEPENDENCE THROUGH OUR DELEGATE AGENCIES OR THROUGH ANY OF THE FUNDING OF THE CITY? SO COUNCILWOMAN, WE HAVE HAVE SEVERAL PROGRAMS THAT, UM, WORK WITH CHILDREN WHO ARE IN THE CHILD PROTECTIVE SYSTEM AND AGING OUT, UH, YOU KNOW, STARTING WITH OUR CHILDCARE SERVICES.
UM, A A GOOD PORTION OF THAT GRANT, AND I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT BREAKOUT, UM, SUPPORTS CHILDREN AND WHO ARE IN THE C P S SYSTEM AND HELPS THEM REMAIN IN A CONSISTENT PROTECTIVE CHILDCARE ENVIRONMENT FOR AT LEAST A YEAR.
SO ONCE THEY'RE ENROLLED, UM, THEY STAY IN THEIR, STAY IN THOSE, UH, UH, CHILDCARE CENTERS AND STAY WITH THE SAME PROVIDER FOR AT LEAST A YEAR TO
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PROVIDE SOME STABILIZATION, UM, TO THE CHILD AND THE FAMILY.IT CHILDCARE SERVES AS A PROTECTIVE FACTOR.
A LOT OF TIMES IT MAY BE THE ONLY, UM, ADULT IN THEIR LIFE, UH, THEIR TEACHER, THE, THE CENTER DIRECTOR THAT IS REALLY, UM, LOOKING FOR SIGNS OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT.
AND, UM, UH, WHEN CHILDREN ARE DISCONNECTED FROM SCHOOL LIKE WE'VE SEEN WITH COVID AND, AND THEY'RE NOT BEING SEEN DAILY, THEY'RE, WE SEE CHILD ABUSE INCREASING.
AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE FIRST PART.
WE ALSO, IN OUR NEXT LEVEL PROGRAM ARE SERVING A NUMBER OF YOUTH WHO ARE EITHER IN THE FOSTER SYSTEM OR HAVE AGED OUT OF THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE NOT DONE WELL ON, ON EXIT FROM THAT SYSTEM.
THEY'RE DISCONNECTED FROM WORK AND DISCONNECTED FROM SCHOOL.
AND SO WE PROVIDE SERVICES TO, TO ADDRESS THAT BARRIER.
WE ALSO HAVE A GRANT FROM THE STATE, UM, IT'S ABOUT $250,000 THAT, UM, SUPPORTS HOMELESS YOUTH.
AND IT'S ALMOST ENTIRELY FOCUSED ON YOUTH WHO, UM, HAVE AGED OUT OF FOSTER CARE.
ALMOST ALL OF THEM ARE, ARE PART OF THAT.
AND THOSE DOLLARS GO TO ROY MOSS YOUTH ALTERNATIVES TO PROVIDE, UM, SHELTER TO OUR THRIVE YOUTH CENTER, UM, ALSO TO SHELTER AND PROVIDE SERVICES TO, UM, HOMELESS YOUTH AND, AND ALSO TO, UM, ALAMO COLLEGES FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE FOR YOUTH WHO, UM, HA ARE HOMELESS.
WE ARE INVOLVED IN A NUMBER OF PARTNERSHIPS ALSO TO ADDRESS, UM, THE ISSUE OF, OF STUDENTS AGING OUT OF FOSTER CARE WITHOUT, UM, A PLACE TO GO OR, OR WHO, UM, ARE NOT READY TO START COLLEGE OR JOB TRAINING.
AND, UM, THERE, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON TO ADDRESS THAT SITUATION.
AND THEN UNDER THE FAMILY STRENGTHENING, UM, TOOL THAT WE HAVE, ARE WE ASSISTING FAMILIES WITH WHEELS OR BEING ABLE TO GET THEIR NEEDS VIRTUALLY THROUGH THIS CLIMATE? I, I, I THINK I MISSED PART OF YOUR QUESTION.
I SAID THROUGH THE FAMILY STRENGTHENING TOOL, ARE WE HELPING AND ASSISTING FAMILIES WITH WHEELS OR GETTING THEIR DEEDS VIRTUALLY? UM, YES.
SO WE, WE SWITCHED ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY IN MARCH TO VIRTUAL SERVICES.
UM, UH, YOU KNOW, ALSO ALLOWING FOR PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT ABLE TO ACCESS TECHNOLOGY, UH, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD, WE WOULD MAKE APPOINTMENTS AND SEE THEM IN PERSON, BUT ALMOST ENTIRELY VIRTUALLY.
ACTUALLY, OUR, OUR APPOINTMENT RATES HAVE GONE UP AS FAR AS PEOPLE KEEPING THEIR APPOINTMENTS.
UM, AND I THINK FOR A LOT OF FOLKS, UH, FINANCIAL COUNSELING AND, AND THOSE KIND OF SERVICES REQUESTING ASSISTANCE IS MAYBE EASIER VIRTUALLY OR OVER THE PHONE.
UM, IT'S DEFINITELY EASIER TO GET THERE.
UH, THEY DON'T HAVE TO WORK THROUGH TRANSPORTATION ISSUES.
AND SO THAT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.
BUT WE ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE AVAILABLE IN PERSON TO PEOPLE THAT NEED THAT SERVICE.
UM, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PLACES WE CAN REFER PEOPLE TO IF THEY NEED ACCESS TO A COMPUTER AS WELL.
AND, UM, IF I COULD ASK MELODY, IF YOU WILL PROVIDE A DISTRICT SPECIFIC BREAKDOWN OF THE SENIOR SURVEYS THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN.
UM, WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE WHAT THE SENIORS ARE ARE ASKING OR LOOKING FOR.
HOW CAN WE STEP UP TO PROVIDE BETTER SERVICES AS WE GO THROUGH THE CLIMATE THAT WE'RE IN AT THIS TIME AS WELL.
UM, THE NEXT QUESTION I HAVE, YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE WILL BE TWO NEW SENIOR CENTERS OPENING IN 2022.
DO YOU KNOW WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED? YES.
IN DIS I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T MENTION THAT.
IN, UH, COUNCIL DISTRICT FOUR IN THE HERITAGE PARK AREA, UM, AND THEN IN COUNCIL DISTRICT NINE.
AND THEN UNDER THE, UH, MODEL THAT WE'RE USING FOR THE HOTEL, FOR HAVEN FOR HOPE, CAN YOU EX, UH, JUST SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF THE CHALLENGES OR HAVE THERE BEEN ANY NEW JOBS THAT HAVE BEEN, UH, CREATED THROUGH THIS MODEL? SO, UM, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY DOING IT THIS WAY HELPED PRESERVE SOME JOBS BECAUSE THE HOTEL THAT WE'RE USING, UM, THEY ARE CHARGING US ON A PER NIGHT RATE THAT INCLUDES LAUNDRY CLEANING.
UM, AND SO THEY WERE ABLE TO KEEP SOME OF THEIR STAFF ON, MOST OF THEIR STAFF ON BOARD TO, UM, ATTEND TO THOSE DUTIES.
AND SO INSTEAD OF US HIRING, UM, OUTSIDE CONTRACTORS FOR JANITORIAL AND, UM, THAT KIND OF THING, THEY WERE ABLE TO, TO KEEP THEIR STAFF ON INSTEAD OF LAYING THEM OFF.
UM, WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO HIRE, UM, SECURITY GUARDS WHO, WHO MIGHT'VE BEEN LAID OFF, WHO, WHO MIGHT, MIGHT NOT HAVE HAD A JOB TO
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DO.AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT MODEL HAS BEEN QUITE SUCCESSFUL ACTUALLY, AND THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO HAVEN FOR HOPE, HAS BEEN ABLE TO PLACE, UM, DOZENS OF PEOPLE IN PERMANENT HOUSING THROUGH, THROUGH THAT MODEL.
UM, WHILE I HAVE A FEW SECONDS LEFT, DR.
BRIDGER, UM, IF YOU COULD, UM, ADDRESS, IF UNDER THE MENTAL HEALTHCARE PLATFORM, WILL THERE BE A WAY FOR VIRTUAL APPOINTMENTS FOR THOSE WHO ARE HOMELESS OR GOING THROUGH THE HAVEN FOR HOPE PROGRAM TO RECEIVE MENTAL HEALTH CARE? UM, IF THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO SEE SOMEONE FACE TO FACE? SO, UM, I, I, MEL JUST NOD YOUR HEAD IF I'M SAYING THIS WRONG, UM, THEY ARE DEFINITELY ENGAGED IN TELEP PSYCHIATRY, SO THAT'S A GOOD THING.
UM, AND THERE'S NO REASON WHY OUR HOMELESS POPULATION CAN'T ALSO PARTAKE OF THAT TELEPSYCHIATRY, UM, ACCESS.
IS THAT FAIR ANSWER, MEL? YES.
COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER R GARCIA.
AND THANK YOU, UM, MELODY, I APPRECIATE, UH, YOUR UPDATE.
I THINK IT WAS VERY, UM, CLEAR AND THOROUGH.
AND SO ONE OF MY QUESTIONS IS GONNA BE WHEN DO SENIOR CENTERS OPEN BACK UP? THAT HAS BEEN, UM, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE GETTING, UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF SENIORS IN DISTRICT FOUR, BUT I ALSO HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE, UH, FOLKS FROM THE TEXAS CIVIL RIGHTS PROJECT YESTERDAY.
AND, UH, THEY WERE ASKING, UH, HOW TO BE CREATIVE.
AND SO, UM, I'D LIKE TO JUST PUT A BUG IN YOUR YEAR THAT MAYBE WE COULD USE SOME OF THESE CLOSED SENIOR CENTERS FOR EARLY VOTING SITES, UM, AROUND OUR CITY.
AND SO, UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WOULD TAKE, BUT I KNOW THAT THERE'S PLENTY OF SPACE AND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO, UH, GIVE SOME ADDITIONAL, UH, SPACING OUT REQUIREMENTS FOR THAT.
UM, BUT I DO HAVE A QUESTION, UH, FOR YOU.
ALL THE, UM, NEW, NEW CENTERS, BY THE WAY.
THANK YOU FOR THE CENTER IN DISTRICT FOUR HERITAGE.
WE'RE VERY HAPPY, UM, TO, UH, TO, TO WORK ON THAT WITH YOU ALL AND THAT IT'S COMING TO FRUITION.
ARE THEY BEING PLANNED NOW? ARE YOU ALL PLANNING FOR THE ADDRESSING, UH, THE POST COVID ENVIRONMENT? IS THERE GOING SOME ADDITIONAL SAFEGUARDS? UM, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, IS IT GOING TO TAKE ADDITIONAL FUNDING NOW? ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO BUDGET FOR, UH, ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO, YOU KNOW, LIVE IN THIS COEXISTING WITH COVID AND REALLY POST COVID ENVIRONMENT? AND SO, UH, REGARDING THE SENIOR CENTERS, YES, WE ARE, UM, WE'RE ACTUALLY MAKING ADJUSTMENTS TO ALL OF OUR FACILITIES.
WE RECEIVED, UM, SOME ADDITIONAL GRANT FUNDING THROUGH CARESS ACT FOR SENIORS, UM, SENIOR MEALS AND, UH, THROUGH ACOG.
AND ACOG IS ALLOWING US TO USE SOME OF THOSE FUNDS, UM, THAT WE WOULD OTHERWISE BE CARRYING FORWARD AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR TO MAKE SOME RENOVATIONS AT OUR CENTERS.
AND THAT INCLUDES TOUCHLESS FAUCETS, TOUCH TOUCHLESS, UM, UH, TOILETS, DOORS, THAT OPEN, UM, THING, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT YOU HEAR ABOUT THE P P E, THE, THE PLEXIGLASS GUARDS.
AND SO WE, WE HAVE STARTED WORKING ON THAT.
AND, UM, BEFORE THE SENIORS COME BACK, WE WILL HAVE ALL OF THOSE, UM, UM, CHANGES MADE, UM, WHICH WE ARE NOT ANTICIPATING, UM, FOR THE REST OF 2020.
AND, UM, DISTRICTS FOUR AND DISTRICT NINE WILL HAVE THOSE, UH, THOSE THINGS BUILT INTO THEM PROBABLY ALSO INCLUDING, UH, YOU KNOW, REALLY, UM, UH, HIGH QUALITY AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS, UM, AS WELL AS UV LIGHTING IN THE APPROPRIATE PLACES.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO BUILD FROM THE GROUND UP FOR SENIORS.
WE'VE DONE THAT TWICE NOW AND WE GET BETTER AT IT EVERY TIME.
I'M EXCITED THAT WE'RE GONNA BE AT THE FOREFRONT OF, OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK ON THAT.
UM, I DO HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.
THE HOME BASE REPORT, WHEN DO WE GET IT AND IS IT ALSO GOING TO BE TAKING INTO ACCOUNT, ACCOUNT THE, UM, THE POST COVID AND, AND YES.
THE COEXISTING WITH COVID ENVIRONMENT? ABSOLUTELY.
AND SO, UM, WE HAD ORIGINALLY PLANNED TO, UH, ISSUE THAT IN APRIL.
OUR, OUR ACTUALLY OUR CONSULTANT, UM, WAS SICK FOR A WHILE AND UNABLE TO WORK ON IT.
AND THEN, UM, JUST COVID IN GENERAL.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE ARE BACK TO WORKING ON IT.
WE'VE HAD A STEERING COMMITTEE THAT IS LOOKED AT IT AND GIVEN COMMENTS.
UM, OUR CONSULTANT IS MAKING THE LAST ROUND OF EDITS, UM, TO THE DOCUMENT AND, UM, WE SHOULD BE GETTING THAT OUT RATHER SOON.
[01:10:01]
UM, THANK YOU ALSO FOR WORKING WITH THE OATS PROGRAM.I THINK THAT THEY HAVE A GREAT SERVICES TO OUR, UH, OLDER FOLKS AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU ALL, UM, ARE INVESTING, UM, RESOURCES WITH IN INTO THEM.
I DO HAVE, UM, A QUESTION, UH, US STILL WITH STAYING WITH THE SENIOR, UM, CENTERS.
WHAT, WHERE IS OUR STAFF AT SENIOR CENTERS RIGHT NOW? ARE THEY, UH, REDEPLOYED TO WORK ELSEWHERE, OR WHERE ARE THEY HOUSED? RIGHT NOW, THEY ARE ACTUALLY STILL WORKING AT THE SENIOR CENTERS.
UM, SO WE ARE DISTRIBUTING, UH, MEALS AND OTHER THINGS, YOU KNOW, TWO TO THREE DAYS, A WORK A WEEK AT EACH CENTER.
OUR, UH, EMPLOYEES HERE AT THEIR PART-TIME SITES THAT CLOSED ARE REDEPLOYED OVER.
TO HELP WITH THAT, WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF, UM, OUR SENIOR STAFF WHO HAVE BEEN QUARANTINED OR ISOLATION.
SO IT'S HELPED TO HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL STAFF THAT WE CAN ROTATE AROUND.
UM, ACTUALLY THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS ALSO HELPED US OUT A GREAT DEAL WITH STAFFING THOSE SITES.
SO THEY'VE BEEN BUSY AND ON THE DAYS THAT THEY'RE NOT DISTRIBUTING FOOD IS WHEN THEY'RE DOING THOSE WELLNESS CHECKS, UM, FOR SENIORS.
AND I KNOW THAT I WENT OVER TO THE, UH, VIRGINIA HEAL CENTER MM-HMM.
AND, AND THE STEP IS WONDERFUL OVER THERE.
WE WERE DOING A FOOD DISTRIBUTION.
UM, I DO WANNA SAY A GREAT IDEA ON THE 11, UH, HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAMS. I APPRECIATE, UM, FROM A PROFESSOR'S PERSPECTIVE, THE, THE PAID INTERNSHIP THAT YOU ALL WILL ALSO BE INCLUDING IN ADDITION TO AN OUTREACH SPECIALIST FOR EACH DISTRICT.
AND I'M EXCITED, LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
UM, DO WE HAVE, UH, ALSO, UM, ANY INFORMATION? I KNOW THAT WE WORK KIND OF ON A STANDSTILL BECAUSE OF C D C GUIDELINES, AND I KNOW CHIEF MCMANUS ADDRESSED THIS.
ONE OF THE MAJOR, UM, AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT IN D FOUR IS, UH, IS, IS, IS FOCUSED AROUND HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS.
AND IN FACT, AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH THIS MEETING, UM, AS, AS YOU ALL WERE PRESENTING, I RECEIVED, UH, A, UH, MESSAGE FROM A CONSTITUENT WHO WAS PARTICULARLY, UM, WORRIED.
IT WAS A BUSINESS OVER AT MARBA AND FOUR 10, WHICH HAS BEEN A CONSTANT PROBLEM AREA IN D FOUR, ABOUT A GROWING HOMELESS ISSUE AT, AT THE SITUATION, UH, OR SORRY, AT THE, UH, GAS STATION.
AND HE WAS JUST WORRIED BECAUSE HE, IT, IT, THEY'RE FEARING FOR THEIR SAFETY NOW BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE, UH, SOME FOLKS ARE GETTING, UM, A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, AGGRESSIVE EVEN.
AND SO, CAN YOU HELP ME EXPLAIN WHEN THAT C D C GUIDELINE, UM, MAYBE EXPIRES WHEN WE WILL GO BACK? BECAUSE THEN I DO HAVE OTHER AREAS THAT I'VE NOTICED.
UM, D ONE, THE W AREA HAS BEEN CLEANED UP.
I KNOW YOU ALL WORKED WITH COUNCILMAN ELIAS IN HOLLYWOOD PARK, I BELIEVE AREA TO CLEAN UP SOME, SOME AREAS.
SO HOW DO I GET D FOUR INVOLVED IN SOMETHING LIKE THAT WITHOUT HAVING TO WAIT FOR C D C GUIDELINES TO BE CLEARED? WELL, YOU KNOW, AS, UM, THINGS HAVE OPENED BACK UP, WE HAVE BEGUN DOING, UM, OUR ENCAMPMENT WORK AGAIN WITH THE POLI, YOU KNOW, IN, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE COORDINATION, I GUESS WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS TO, UH, REALLY PRIORITIZE AREAS THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, ARE A PUBLIC, REALLY A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE OR, OR THERE'S CRIMINAL ACTIVITY OR THE POTENTIAL FOR THE HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS TO BE INJURED.
YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, ALONG THE SIDE OF A HIGHWAY CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS FOR BOTH DRIVERS AND, AND HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS.
AND SO WE ARE, UH, WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED THAT PROGRAM AGAIN.
AND, UM, WE'LL TAKE THE INFORMATION THAT YOU JUST GAVE US AND FOR EXAMPLE, WE'LL ASSESS THE SITE AND LOOK AT PUTTING TOGETHER A TIMELINE TO GIVE US A COUPLE OF WEEKS TO DO OUTREACH SO THAT WE CAN TRY TO MOVE PEOPLE, UM, TO HAVEN FOR HOPE OR OTHER SHELTERS FOR SERVICES.
AND THEN WE CAN GO BACK BEHIND THAT, UM, AND, AND DO SOME CLEANUP WORK, RESTORE THE NEIGHBORHOOD, RESTORE THE AREA.
SO THAT'S REALLY THE PROCESS WE USE.
AND WITH THE HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAMS, THAT WILL CONTINUE.
SO WE WILL STILL HAVE THE ENCAMPMENT INITIATIVE, CLEANUP INITIATIVE, UM, BUT THE HOME, THE OUTREACH TEAMS WILL REALLY BE WORKING SEPARATE FROM THAT, ADDRESSING THE HOTSPOTS, BUT CONTINUING TO, UM, BUILD RAPPORT WITH THE HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A MUCH HIGHER RATE OF SUCCESS WITH GETTING THEM, UM, OFF THE STREET AND INTO A APPROPRIATE LIVING CONDITIONS.
AND, UM, AS WE SPOKE AS WELL, WE RECEIVED ANOTHER EMAIL ABOUT, UM, ANOTHER SITUATION, A NEW ENCAMPMENT THAT HAS POPPED UP IN DEFOR, THE HERITAGE AREA.
BUT THERE'S A FIRE STARTED YESTERDAY, UM, BY, UH, SOME AGGRESSIVE FOLKS OUT THERE.
AND SO, UM, IT CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM.
AND, UH, AND, AND SO I'LL, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL CHAT OFFLINE WITH YOU 'CAUSE THOSE ARE LITERALLY, AS WE WERE SPEAKING THAT CAME IN.
UM, CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND, FOR THE RESIDENTS OUT THERE, WHAT IS THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW OF REACHING OUT TO,
[01:15:01]
UM, HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AND HOW, HOW OFTEN DO WE COMMUNICATE RIGHT NOW? UM, AND, UH, AND OFFER THEM SERVICES? SO WE'VE HAD, UM, ONGOING, UM, OUTREACH WORKERS, BOTH, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A COUPLE IN THE DEPARTMENT, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE, UH, CONTRACTS WITH SOME OF OUR NONPROFITS, SAM MINISTRIES IN HAVEN AND, UM, THRIVE YOUTH TO DO SOME OF THAT OUTREACH WORK TO SPECIFIC TARGET POPULATIONS.UM, THEY, YOU KNOW, THE PROCESS REALLY IS WE, WHEN AN AREA IS IDENTIFIED A PROBLEM AREA, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE START WITH THAT INITIAL OUTREACH.
IT'S BEEN PART OF THE ENCAMPMENT CLEANUP PROCESS.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, OUR STRATEGIC PLAN DOCUMENT, ONE OF THE DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS IS TO SIGNIFICANTLY EXPAND THE AMOUNT OF OUTREACH THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US IN THE COMMUNITY AND AS WELL AS COORDINATING IT BETTER.
AND I THINK THE COORDINATION IS KEY.
WE STARTED IN JULY, UM, A FACILITATED PROCESS TO WORK WITH ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, INCLUDING CENTRO, DOWNTOWN CENTRO, SAN ANTONIO, UM, AND THE OTHER EMERGENCY SHELTERS, HAVEN FOR HOPE AND SALVATION ARMY AND AMERICAN GI FORUM TO CREATE A, UH, CONSISTENT PROTOCOL POLICY FOR A, FOR, UM, UH, COORDINATING OUTREACH SO THAT WE'RE ALL FOLLOWING THE SAME RULES, WE'RE ALL USING THE SAME PROCESSES, AND WE ALL AGREE TOGETHER.
SO THAT'S THE, THE GOAL IS THAT WE COME TO AN AGREEMENT ON WHAT IT SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
SO I FEEL LIKE THAT'S GOING TO SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE, UM, THE WAY WE DO OUTREACH AND THE SITUATION ON THE STREET.
COUNCIL MEMBER RO GARCIA, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ.
CAN I GET A MIC CHECK? WE HEAR YOU.
UM, SO I, MELODY, LET, LEMME JUST, YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR PRESENTATION ABOUT THE HOTELS AND THAT, UM, OPERATION.
UM, DO YOU KNOW, HOW DOES THE COST WORK? IS IT LIKE PER INDIVIDUAL OR IS IT BASED ON THE FACILITY OR ARE THE EXTENT OF WRAPAROUND SERVICES? UM, AND CAN YOU GIVE AN ESTIMATE OF HOW MUCH HAS BEEN SPENT JUST ON THAT, UH, OPERATION? SURE.
SO, UH, WE'RE PAYING, UM, $50 PER NIGHT PER PERSON FOR THE ROOMS THAT ARE FILLED.
AND, UM, ON TOP OF THAT, THERE'S COST FOR SECURITY.
THERE'S COST FOR, UM, THE, UH, MEAL DISTRIBUTION HAVEN FOR HOPE IS STAFFING IT.
SO, UM, THEY, THAT'S, THAT WAS THEIR CONTRIBUTION.
MOST OF THE MEALS, UH, WE'RE PAYING FOR THE COST TO TRANSPORT THE MEALS FROM THE CAMPUS.
THE MEALS WERE ALREADY THERE SINCE MOST OF THE PEOPLE CAME FROM HAVEN FOR HOPE CAMPUS.
AND WE'VE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, THE COST IS AROUND $500,000 A MONTH.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN THERE NOW FOR APRIL, ALMOST FOUR MONTHS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE PROBABLY REACHING ABOUT $2 MILLION.
FEMA HAS APPROVED, OR FEMA IS COVERING THE HOTEL FOR THE, DEFINITELY THE FIRST TWO MONTHS WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM ON, UM, YOU KNOW, PAYING FOR THAT FOR AS LONG AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
AND THEN E S G CARES ACT FUNDING WILL KICK IN AND, AND COVER THE REST OF IT.
UM, AND SO, AND HOW MUCH, SO, YOU KNOW, 500,000 A MONTH SOUNDS LIKE A PRETTY HEFTY STILL.
UM, UH, SO I GUESS THAT'S NOT A LONG-TERM SOLUTION.
UM, I MEAN, SO CURRENTLY WE SPEND A, SEEMS LIKE OVER THE YEARS, $20 MILLION ANNUALLY FOR HAVEN FOR HOPE, NOT ALL PRIVATELY FUND, I MEAN, UH, WITH A DIFFERENT VARIETY OF FUNDS.
UM, SO WHY THE REAL, UM, SIGNIFICANT, MAYBE I HAVE TO DO THE MATH REAL QUICK, BUT I GUESS I'M TRYING TO JUST, UM, DECIDE IF THIS IS A GOOD INVESTED FOR THE CITY TO MAKE LONG TERM.
THAT'S WHAT I'M, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT JUST BASED ON, YOU KNOW, THIS REALLY BRIEF, UM, DISCUSSION.
UM, IS IT, I MEAN, BECAUSE GIVEN, YOU KNOW, HAVEN'S ALSO AT CAPACITY, AND OF COURSE I'VE HAD A LOT, A BIG CONCERN OVER THE YEARS ABOUT THE CONSOLIDATION OF ALL THOSE SERVICES IN ONE PLACE, UM, BECAUSE IT ALSO THEN ATTRACTS MM-HMM.
SO WHAT IS THE, I GUESS WHAT IS THE LONG-TERM VIABILITY OF A PROGRAM LIKE THAT?
[01:20:01]
LONG-TERM WE DO NEED, UM, THIS ADDITIONAL CAPACITY, UH, LEASING HOTELS AND, AND THEN PAYING FOR ALL OF THE SERVICES, LAYERING THEM IN ON TOP OF THAT IS EXPENSIVE.UM, IT'S AN EXPENSIVE ALTERNATIVE, UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, CONGREGATE SHELTER IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE, YOU CAN GET MORE PEOPLE IN IN LESS SPACE, BUT WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING, UM, WE DON'T REALLY SEE GOING BACK TO THAT FOR QUITE A WHILE.
AND SO, HAVEN FOR HOPE IS, UM, LOOKING TO KEEP THE CAPACITY OF THE COURTYARD.
IT'S SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN, THAN IT WAS BEFORE.
AND, UM, AND ON CAMPUS, YOU KNOW, MAKING ADJUSTMENTS IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE SOCIAL DISTANCING.
BUT THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, SLOWLY STARTED TO REOPEN.
UM, AND THEY ANTICIPATE OVER THE NEXT MONTH BEING ABLE TO, UH, SHELTER BETWEEN THE CAMPUS, THE COURTYARD, AND THE HOTEL, UM, TO, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE IN OVER 400 MORE PEOPLE, AND THEY'LL DO THAT.
I THINK THEY'RE LOOKING AT, UM, 30 TO 35 PEOPLE PER DAY OVER THE NEXT MONTH TO RAMP BACK UP TO THAT, THAT LEVEL.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE FEEL LIKE WITH THE HOTEL, UM, WE WILL BE ABLE TO MANAGE THE, UM, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SEEKING EMERGENCY SHELTER.
NOW WHAT WE DON'T KNOW IS IF EVICTIONS WILL RESULT IN A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE TRYING TO, UM, ACCESS THE EMERGENCY SHELTER, UM, OR IF THOSE WILL BE MORE OF A, A DIVERSION TO RAPID REHOUSING AND HOMELESS PREVENTION.
SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF, UM, PATHS FOR PEOPLE TO TAKE WHEN THEY BECOME NEWLY HOMELESS.
UM, WE WILL DIVERT AS MANY OF THOSE AS WE CAN AWAY FROM HOMELESSNESS.
AND SOMETIMES THAT'S, UM, AS LITTLE AS NEGOTIATING WITH THEIR FAMILY SO THAT MAYBE THEY CAN GO BACK HOME OR PROVIDING SOME DOLLARS FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, A DEPOSIT ON A NEW APARTMENT.
AND SO, UM, AND THEN RAPID REHOUSING GIVES US THE OPTION OF, UM, IMMEDIATELY AND QUICKLY PUTTING THEM INTO PERMANENT HOUSING AND HELPING WITH RENTAL ASSISTANCE FOR THREE TO 24 MONTHS.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE EMERGENT EMERGENCY SHELTER OPTION.
BECAUSE YOU KNOW OF, OF COURSE, LIKE COUNCILMAN, UH, DR.
GARCIA, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE HAD LOTS OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHAT SEEMS TO BE AN INCREASE IN HOMELESSNESS, AND THIS WAS BEFORE COVID.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT SEEMS TO CONTINUE TO BE A CONCERN FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO I, I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, PRIORITIZING THAT INITIATIVE, UM, IS REALLY, UH, I I THINK WE, WE NEED TO JUST FIGURE OUT SOME ALTERNATIVES, UH, AND, AND, AND REALLY, UH, INVEST IN THEM.
BUT YOU, YOU DID, I, I HAVE SOME OTHER QUESTIONS, UH, SO MAYBE I'LL HAVE A, AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHIME BACK IN.
BUT, UM, UH, ANOTHER QUESTION, UH, I ALSO, I HAVE, UM, WELL, LET ME ASK THE QUESTIONS AND THEN I'LL LET YOU GUYS TALK SO I DON'T RUN OUT OF TIME.
BUT ONE OF 'EM, UM, HAD TO DO WITH, UM, THE OPPORTUNITY USE.
UM, AND IF YOU COULD, UM, DESCRIBE, UM, I GUESS THE SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM.
I MEAN, YOU, I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THE INVESTMENT.
I KNOW IT HASN'T BEEN VERY LONG, SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE SUFFICIENT, UH, INFORMATION, UM, LIKE JUST TO DETERMINE IF IT WAS A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM OR NOT, AND IF WE COULD PILOT THAT IN OTHER AREAS.
THAT WAS, THAT WAS ALWAYS MY HOPE WHEN WE STARTED IT.
UM, OF COURSE, PRE COVID, UM, THAT IT WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL AND WE COULD REPLICATE THAT IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY.
SO LET, LET ME A ASK THE REST OF MY QUESTIONS AND THEN, UM, I'LL LET YOU, UM, ALSO EXPAND ON THAT.
SO EVEN THE ISSUE OF, YOU KNOW, ONE PERSON PER COUNCIL DISTRICT WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING THE HOMELESS SITUATION, I MEAN, IS THAT ALSO DONE BASED ON NEED? UM, AND, UH, I, I GUESS THAT'S, UM, WELL, PERHAPS YOU COULD ELABORATE ON HOW THAT DECISION GETS MADE, THAT IT WAS ONE PER DISTRICT AND NOT PERHAPS, UM, I MEAN, WELL, I, I DON'T, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE SITUATION IS LIKE IN OTHER DISTRICTS, SO I, I THINK I'LL JUST HAVE TO GET YOUR FEEDBACK.
MY SENSE IS THAT DISTRICT FIVE HAS A LOT MORE THAN DISTRICT NINE, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT FOR A FACT.
SO WE WOULD, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HOW THAT DECISION WAS MADE, BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE WE'VE HAD LOTS OF PILOTS.
WE'VE, YOU KNOW, REALLY, ESPECIALLY IN DISTRICT SIDE BECAUSE OF HAVEN FOR HOPE IN THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE TRIED
[01:25:01]
TO, UM, ADDRESS THE ISSUE AND IT HASN'T WORKED, UH, TO, UM, ANY LARGE EXTENT.SO PERHAPS WE COULD, UH, UH, I COULD UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT OF THAT.
UM, THE, THE LAST QUESTION, UH, I HAD ALSO, UM, REGARDING, UM, OUR SENIOR CENTERS.
UH, SO, UM, I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND, UM, THE DIFFICULTY OF BRINGING PEOPLE BACK, UH, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE, UM, TRYING TO BE, I KNOW THAT YOU ALL ARE MAKING HOUSE CALLS.
I KNOW WE'VE BEEN MAKING HOUSE CALLS AS WELL, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE OKAY.
UM, BUT JUST REGARDING THE TECHNOLOGY SIDE, AND I'LL BE VERY HONEST THAT I NEVER THOUGHT THAT THE TECHNOLOGY WAS THAT IMPORTANT FOR THE SENIORS.
LIKE MY GREATEST PRIORITY FOR THEM WAS THAT THEY WERE GETTING NUTRITION AND THEY WERE GETTING MEALS, AND HONESTLY, THAT THEY WERE HAVING THE FACE-TO-FACE INTERACTION, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S HOW YOU KNOW THAT IF SOMEBODY'S OKAY OR NOT, IS THAT YOU HAVE TO SEE THEM PHYSICALLY LOOK AT THEM AND KNOW IF THEY'RE OKAY OR NOT, THEY'RE OKAY OR NOT.
BUT NOW WE'RE IN A DIFFERENT ERA, SO WHAT ARE THE PROGRAMS, UM, HOW TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SENIORS ARE BEING TRAINED IN TECHNOLOGY, UM, YOU KNOW, BESIDES BEING ABLE TO CALL 9 1 1 OR SOMETHING IN THE EVENT OF A, A FALL OR, YOU KNOW, UH, BECAUSE MY CONCERN FOR OUR SENIORS HAS ALWAYS BEEN LONELINESS.
AND SO I FEEL VERY CONCERNED FOR THEM RIGHT NOW THAT THEY CONTINUE TO BE LONELY FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME, AND THAT MAY NOT GET RESOLVED.
SO WHAT ARE WE DOING, UM, TO, TO INVEST IN TECHNOLOGY FOR THEM? UM, AND SO I, AND, UH, MY LAST QUESTION EVEN REGARDING THE PORT VIVA, UM, WHICH WOULD BE TO, UH, DR.
BRIDGER, AND WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HEALTHY CORNER STORES THE LAST TIME, AND I MENTIONED, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WHILE WE DON'T QUALIFY AS A FOOD DESERT, WE DO HAVE A LOT OF, UH, FAST FOOD.
UH, AND THOSE ARE ALSO VERY TEMPTING, BUT ALSO A LOT OF THOSE FAST FOODS.
AND I KNOW THIS ALSO FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, UM, THAT, LIKE BILL MILLER'S AND MCDONALD'S HAVE STOPPED SERVING SALADS, UH, AND I SUSPECT THAT SOME OF THE OTHER FAST FOOD FOOD HAVE ALSO STOPPED SERVING THOSE.
SO THEN WE ARE THEN EVEN MORE LIMITED IN OUR CHOICES BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THOSE HEALTHY OPTIONS ANYMORE.
BUT HOPEFULLY THEY'LL, WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A A, AN ANSWER TO THAT OR NOT, BUT, UM, HOPEFULLY I'LL TURN IT OVER TO ANSWER SOME OF MY QUESTIONS.
COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, WAS THERE A STAFF RESPONSE? GO AHEAD.
YES, I CAN START WITH THE, UM, I'LL, I'LL GO QUICKLY.
UM, THE OPPORTUNITY YOUTH SITES, AND SO YES, WE DO FEEL LIKE, UM, WE'RE ACHIEVING SUCCESS.
WE WERE TAKEN ABACK AT FIRST BY THE, UM, SOME OF THE LEVEL OF, UH, THAT THE STUDENTS ARE ACTUALLY ON.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD MORE, ABOUT HALF OF THEM HAVE LESS THAN A 10TH GRADE EDUCATION.
MANY OF THEM ACTUALLY PROBABLY, AGAIN, ABOUT 45, 50%, UM, ARE READING AT THE SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE LEVEL, AS WELL AS, UM, THE NUMBER THAT HAVE, UH, ADVERSE CHILDHOOD, UH, SCORES OF FOUR AND MORE, UM, IS SIGNIFICANT AND MUCH HIGHER THAN THE GENERAL POPULATION.
WE ALSO HAVE A NUMBER OF STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT DID, WE DID HAVE TO RETOOL TO SOME EXTENT TO PROVIDE, UM, MORE SERVICES AT THAT LEVEL, UH, BECAUSE IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT IN A YEAR GOING TO GET TO YOUR, UM, HIGH SCHOOL CREDENTIAL SO THAT YOU CAN GO STRAIGHT INTO COLLEGE.
IT'S, IT'S GONNA TAKE A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN THAT, BUT, BUT WE'VE HAD SOME GREAT SUCCESSES.
WE DO HAVE, I THINK, UH, 15 STUDENTS THAT ARE STARTING AT ALAMO COLLEGES THIS FALL.
AND WE ARE WORKING WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO TRY TO IDENTIFY STUDENTS WHO, UM, WE CAN COORDINATE WITH THEM IN THE WORKFORCE PROGRAM.
UH, WE HAVE ALMOST 500 ENROLLED RIGHT NOW.
AND, UM, AND, BUT WE'VE ALSO BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN MAKING THOSE CONNECTIONS.
IT'S NOT UNLIKE THE, UM, HOMELESS POPULATION SOMETIMES AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO BUILD TRUST AND RAPPORT WITH THE STUDENTS AND, AND JUST STAY CONNECTED TO THEM RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, THEY COME IN ONE TIME, FILL OUT THE PAPERWORK, UM, AND YOU NEVER SEE 'EM AGAIN.
AND SO, UM, THAT HAS REALLY BEEN A FOCUS.
BUT WE'VE HAD, LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE A NUMBER STARTING THAT ARE STARTING COLLEGE IN THE FALL, AND WE HAVE A NUMBER THAT WE'RE ABLE TO, UM, GO INTO WORK SITUATIONS.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WITH COVID, UM, MANY OF THEM, UH, DID LOSE THEIR JOBS.
AND SO WE'VE CONTINUED TO STAY CONNECTED VIRTUALLY WITH SOME IN-PERSON APPOINTMENTS AT THE CENTER.
[01:30:01]
AND WE FEEL LIKE, UM, MAYBE NEXT YEAR WE'LL HAVE A REALLY, REALLY STRONG DATA THAT CAN HELP, UM, UH, DETERMINE THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL SITES.AND THE SECOND QUESTION, I THINK WAS THE ONE PER, UH, REGARDING ONE PER COUNCIL DISTRICT.
SO WE DO ENCAMPMENT, UM, WE DO ENCAMPMENT, UM, OUTREACH IN EVERY, EVERY COUNCIL DISTRICT.
WE HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF ENCAMPMENT CLEANUPS IN EVERY DISTRICT.
THERE ARE DISTRICTS WITH MORE DISTRICT ONE IS VERY, VERY HIGH, DISTRICT FIVE IS HIGH, UM, AS IS SIX.
BUT YOU KNOW, FOR THE MOST PART, THERE, THERE ARE HOMELESS IN EVERY COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, THESE OUTREACH WORKERS WILL HELP HELP US ADDRESS THOSE HOTSPOTS.
WE WILL STILL HAVE OUR ENCAMPMENT OUTREACH PROGRAM.
AND, UM, WHAT I'M KIND OF THINKING AS A FLOATER THAT CAN ADDRESS, HELP ADDRESS MULTIPLE HOTSPOTS OR VERY LARGE, UM, ENCAMPMENTS IN THE COMMUNITY TO ENSURE THAT YES, THERE'S DISTRICTS THAT HAVE, UM, MORE HOMELESS THAN OTHERS, BUT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS, I FEEL LIKE.
AND THEN I THINK THE THIRD QUESTION WAS DOES SENIORS AND TRAINING THEM IN TECHNOLOGY.
SO WE PARTNER WITH OATS ON THAT, AND, UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE VERY FOCUSED ON THAT INITIATIVE, NOT JUST IN OUR CENTERS, BUT AROUND THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, ACOG IS ALSO PART OF THAT INITIATIVE.
AND THEN WE ARE ALSO ASKING OUR, OUR PARTNERS ARE FUNDED CONTRACTED AGENCIES THAT, YOU KNOW, AS THEY SEE, UM, ADDITIONAL SAVINGS IN THEIR PROGRAMS FROM NOT PROVIDING IN-PERSON SERVICES IN THE CENTERS TO, TO HELP, UM, GET THAT TECHNOLOGY OUT.
BUT WE, WE CONTRACT WITH OASIS TO PROVIDE COMPUTER EDUCATION, AND THEN OATS COMES IN AND WAS COMING INTO OUR, EXCUSE ME, CENTERS TO DO IT, AND THEN IS PROVIDING SOME TRAINING ONLINE.
ALRIGHT, UH, WE'LL GO NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO.
UM, AND, UH, THANK YOU, UH, MELODY AND, UH, AND, UH, DR.
UM, CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I, I DO WANNA CONGRATULATE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GERRAN ON THE SUCCESS OF THE HEALTHY CORNER STORE INITIATIVE.
I THINK IT'S, IT'S A WONDERFUL PROGRAM, UM, ON BEHALF OF MY FRIEND, UH,
BUT WHEN I RIDE, WHEN I USED TO RIDE WITH HIM, HE WAS VERY POOR, AND THERE WAS, THERE WASN'T VERY, UH, GOOD ACCESS TO FOOD.
AND I REMEMBER HE WOULD BUY THESE REALLY, REALLY CHEAP COOKIES AS HIS BREAKFAST.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVING, HAVING ACCESS TO GOOD, HEALTHY FOOD IS SUCH AN AMAZING THING.
SO THANK YOU ON, ON BEHALF OF MY, MY GOOD FRIEND ALISE, UH, AND ALL THE, THE OTHER OF THOSE OUT THERE THAT, THAT WILL BE BENEFITING FROM THIS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO EXPANDING THIS PROGRAM.
UH, I THINK THAT, UH, I, I'D LOVE TO, TO, UH, WORK WITH METRO HEALTH ON, ON, ON IDENTIFYING THESE OTHER SITES.
UH, I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT INITIATIVE, SO THANK YOU.
UM, I ALSO, UH, REGARDING THE VIOLENCE PREVENTION TEAM, UH, MANY WOMEN HAVE REPORTED FINANCES AS A, AS A KEY STRESSOR FOR, FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, WHICH CAUSES DIFFICULTY, UH, LEAVING A A VIOLENT SITUATION.
UH, DOES THE VIOLENT PREVENTION TEAM, UH, MAKE USE OF ANY OF THE RISK MITIGATION FUNDS OR ANY ASSISTANCE FUNDS, LET'S SAY IF SOMEBODY, UH, WANTS TO, WANTS TO MOVE OR, OR, OR LEAVE A BAD SITUATION, YOU KNOW, UH, IS IT PERMISSIBLE TO, TO, UH, TO APPLY THIS FOR, FOR RELOCATION FUNDS FOR SURVIVORS, UH, OF, OF, OF, UM, OF A VIOLENCE, VIOLENCE SITUATION? UH, CAN, IS THAT, IS THAT POSSIBLE? YES, IT'S HAPPENING.
UH, ALL RIGHT, WELL, UH, THAT ANSWERS THAT.
UM, I WANNA GET TO OUR, UM, PROGRAM THAT WE, WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT REGARDING THE OUTREACH PROGRAM, UH, FOR, REALLY WANNA START OFF BY THANKING, UH, MELDY WOOLSEY AND, AND ALL THE FOLKS AT D H S FOR ALL THAT.
THEY, THEY DO, I, I HAVE REALLY, UH, COME TO JUST, UH,
[01:35:02]
THROUGHOUT THIS SUMMER, UH, UH, JOE VAN KIKEN SPECIFICALLY HAS DONE A, A TREMENDOUS JOB IN HELPING TO SET, SET SOMETHING UP THAT WE THINK IS, IS TRULY REMARKABLE AND HAS, HAS, HAS DEMONSTRATED, UH, A, A, A REMARKABLE TRANSFORMATION THAT WE BELIEVE IS A, IS IS TRULY A LONG-TERM, UH, UH, UH, SOLUTION.UH, I ALSO WANNA THANK, UH, JAMIE NICHOLSON FROM OUR LADY OF THE LAKE UNIVERSITY.
I THINK THERE, THERE, THE, THE FACT THAT, UH, OUR LAKE UNIVERSITY IS KNOWN AS THE SAINTS IS, IS, IS, UH, IS APROPOS TO ALL THE WORK THAT JAMIE NICHOLSON HAS DONE OVER THE SUMMER.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUED WORK WITH HER AND EXPANDING THIS AND, AND SPECIFICALLY WANT TO THANK MARIA VIA GOMEZ FOR, FOR HELPING, UH, TO REALLY, REALLY LISTENING TO US ABOUT THIS PROGRAM AND HELPING TO, TO SET THIS UP IN, IN WAYS THAT I, I, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE WE'RE SEEING THAT IT'S GONNA REALLY IMPACT THE ENTIRE CITY.
UM, I THINK THAT, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE SETTING THE RIGHT TONE.
UH, BOTTOM LINE IS, WHEN IT COMES TO HOMELESSNESS, THESE ARE PEOPLE IN CRISES.
AND THE IMPACT OF HELPING THEM WHERE, WHERE THEIR, WHERE THEIR NEEDS ARE IS, IS SO CRITICAL.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE CANNOT ARREST THE PROBLEM AWAY, AND WE, WE DON'T WANT TO CREATE ANY SHORT TERM SOLUTIONS THAT, THAT DON'T SOLVE ANYTHING.
WE WANT TO, WE WANT TO DO PROGRAMS LIKE THIS ONE.
UM, AND SO I ALSO, UH, WANT TO MENTION THAT, UH, THE, THE ID RECOVERY SERVICES MELLY THAT YOU MENTIONED, UM, YOU KNOW, FIRST I WANT TO THANK THE HOPE TEAM FOR HELPING TO ESTABLISH THAT.
I THINK, UH, EXPANDING THAT, UH, PROGRAM SO THAT WE HAVE A D H SS AND THE CITY CLERK REALLY HELPING TO PROVIDE ID RECOVERY AND ID SERVICES, UH, IS SUCH, I THINK IS, IS IS TRULY A, AN AMAZING THING.
WHAT WE KNOW IS, YOU KNOW, THE HOMELESS SERVICE PROVIDERS HAVE IDENTIFIED THE LACK OF IDENTIFICATION AS THE NUMBER ONE REASON.
SO MANY PEOPLE ARE STUCK IN A CYCLE OF HOMELESSNESS.
SO EXPANDING THIS IS SO, SO CRITICAL.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, ALSO HELPING TO PROVIDE THAT PARTNERSHIP, I THINK WILL HELP, UH, OUR, OUR OFFICERS DEDICATE TIME, UH, TO, TO SERVICES THAT, THAT ARE MUCH NEEDED, UH, UH, OR SPECIALIZED FOR, FOR POLICE OFFICERS ONLY, AND ALLOWS OUR CITY CLERK AND, AND D H S TO HELP IDENTIFY WHERE THOSE NEEDS ARE.
AND AS YOU POINTED OUT, ME, I WANNA, I WANNA MENTION THAT I THINK THE IDEA OF HAVING THE, THE, THE DIFFERENT, UH, HOMELESS OUTREACH COORDINATORS THROUGHOUT EVERY DISTRICT IS THAT THEY ARE, THEY'RE GONNA ALSO BE ATTACHED TO THAT COUNCIL DISTRICT, THAT OFFICE.
AND SO, UM, WHAT IT, WHAT IT REALLY DOES, AS IT DID FOR ME, UH, IT GIVES US A, A A, A GREAT WINDOW INTO A LOT OF THE, UH, THE STORIES.
AND, AND THIS IS WHAT I, WHAT I'VE LEARNED IS THAT EVERY, EVERY, UH, PERSON THAT THAT'S OUT ON THE STREETS HAS, HAS, ITS THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL STORY.
AND, UH, AND LEARNING THAT IS, IS SO, SO, SO IMPORTANT IN, IN HOW WE CAN, UH, SHAPE OUR RESOURCES TO HELP THEM WHERE THEY'RE IN NEED.
UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THERE'S, THERE'S A BOTTLENECK WHEN IT COMES TO THINGS LIKE BEDS AND MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN YOU'RE, WHEN, WHEN YOU GET TO SEE THIS FIRSTHAND, UH, IT, IT HELPS US, UH, ALLOCATE THOSE RESOURCES MORE APPROPRIATELY AND REALLY HIGHLIGHT WHERE, WHERE WE CAN PROVIDE MORE HELP AND SUPPORT.
UH, I DO WANNA GET TO A COUPLE OTHER THINGS, UH, REGARDING THE, UH, LOCAL IMMIGRANT DEMOGRAPHICS.
UH, HOW MUCH FUNDING IS INCLUDED IN THE DE, UH, DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES BUDGET FOR EFFORTS RELATING SPECIFIC TO IMMIGRANT, UNDOCUMENTED, AND REFUGEE POPULATION? WELL, WE DON'T, UM, NECESSARILY HAVE A SPECIFIC BUDGET FOR, BY POPULATION FOR, UM, IMMIGRANTS AND UN UNDOCUMENTED AND REFUGEES.
BUT ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS, TO SOME EXTENT, SERVE THOSE POPULATIONS.
UM, WE HAVE COUPLE OF FUNDING SOURCES, MAYBE FEDERAL FUNDING SOURCES THAT, UM, WE CANNOT USE FOR UNDOCUMENTED, UM, INDIVIDUALS.
BUT OUR HEAD START AND OUR UTILITY ASSISTANCE THAT HAS GENERAL FUNDING IN IT, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, MOST OF OUR OTHER PROGRAMS, WE FIND A WAY TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES.
AND SO WE DON'T TURN PEOPLE AWAY, UM, BASED ON DOCUMENTATION.
BUT I THINK IT'S CRITICAL TO POINT OUT, AS YOU JUST SAID, THAT, THAT, UM, UH, THAT WE DON'T NECESSARILY TURN PEOPLE AWAY, BUT DEPENDING ON YOUR FUNDING SOURCE,
[01:40:01]
YOU ARE RESTRICTED THAT, CORRECT.WE'RE RESTRICTED WITH FEDERAL FUNDS SOMETIMES, UM, BUT WE HAVE OTHER, OTHER FUNDS THAT WE CAN BRING IN AND LAYER, UM, IN ORDER TO SERVE POPULATIONS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THE FEDERAL PROGRAMS WON'T ALLOW US TO.
AND SO, LIKE I SAID, WE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DON'T TURN PEOPLE AWAY.
WE'RE ABLE TO, UM, BE FLEXIBLE AND, AND PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT PEOPLE NEED.
I THINK PROBABLY WHAT THE CON THE CONCERN I HAVE IS THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT PROBABLY DON'T COME IN FOR SERVICES THAT THEY DESPERATELY NEED BECAUSE THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, GOVERNMENT IN GENERAL.
AND SO WE, WE TRY TO PUSH OUT INFORMATION ON, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT WE ARE, WE ARE HERE TO HELP, WE UNDERSTAND, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO FEAR.
IT'S ALSO ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE CONTRACT WITH, UH, DELEGATE AGENCIES IS SO, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THEY HAVE BETTER CONNECTIONS TO, YOU KNOW, NEIGHBORHOODS AND POPULATIONS.
AND TO THAT POINT, I, I THINK YOU'RE, YOU'RE A HUNDRED PERCENT RIGHT.
I MEAN, PEOPLE SIMPLY WON'T EVEN, UH, THINK ABOUT LOOKING TO THE CITY FOR, FOR SOME OF THIS.
AND, UM, I THINK I'M LOCKED UP.
UM, SO, UH, THE, THE, THE POINT IS, IS THAT I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, I DID ASK ABOUT LEGAL KIOSK, 'CAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN EXPLORE THROUGH D H SS, UH, TO HELP PROVIDE SUPPORT AND SERVICES FOR, FOR FOLKS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, I BROUGHT UP THIS ISSUE, UH, WITH LEGAL OF, OF ADDING LEGAL KIOSKS, UM, THROUGHOUT THE CITY, UH, THAT, THAT COULD BE IN S UH, HELP PROVIDE SOME, SOME SUPPORT SERVICES.
LASTLY, UH, YOU KNOW, I WANNA MENTION THAT, UH, THE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT REUSE PROGRAM, UH, DOES IT INCLUDE RESIDENTIAL WHEEL, WHEELCHAIR RAMPS? WHERE ARE THE MOST HIGHLY REQUESTED MEDICAL ITEMS IN DISTRICT ONE? AND IT IS OFTEN DIFFICULT TO CONNECT WITH AN ORGANIZATION WHO CAN, WHO CAN TAKE THAT ON.
AND I WANNA POINT OUT THAT CITY HALL GOT ITS, UH, A D A RAMPS, UM, YOU KNOW, SAID IT COULD, THEY SAID IT COULDN'T BE DONE.
UH, I WANNA THANK AGAIN, THE A I A FOR HELPING PROVIDE THAT.
BUT AGAIN, I, I DO THINK I WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT, UH, WHEELCHAIR RAMPS IS SUCH A, A CRITICAL ITEM FOR SO MANY INNER CITY.
AND, UH, I'D LIKE TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.
COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL.
UH, THANK YOU MELODY, AND THANK YOU DR.
BRIDGER, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, I WANT TO, UH, JUST PUT OUT THERE THAT, UH, I'M REALLY GLAD TO SEE THE HOMELESS LIAISONS INCLUDED IN THE, UH, HUMAN SERVICES BUDGET.
AND, UH, I, I WILL BE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT ONCE THE ONCE THAT GOES TO, TO COUNCIL FOR A VOTE.
SO THANK YOU COUNCILMAN
AND I ALSO WANT TO, UH, CONGRATULATE COUNCIL AND GERRAN ON THE HEALTHY CORNER STORE INITIATIVE AND THE FUNDING, UH, BOOST FOR THAT.
UM, I ACTUALLY, UH, I THINK THE FUNDING BOOST IS A LITTLE BIT MODEST FOR SUCH AN IMPORTANT, UH, PROGRAM.
SO I HOPE IN THE FUTURE WE WILL, UH, CONSIDER, UH, ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THAT.
I'M ALSO GLAD TO SEE THAT CARES WAS PART OF THE PRESENTATION THAT HELPED GIVE US A COMPLETE PICTURE OF WHAT THE DEPARTMENTS ARE DOING.
UH, WILL THAT FORM PART OF THE FINAL, UH, DOCUMENT, UH, MARIA OR ERIC? YES, COUNCILWOMAN.
UM, THE, THE CARES, UH, FUNDING, IT IS PART OF OUR BUDGET DOCUMENT RIGHT NOW.
UH, THERE'S A PORTION MORE, UH, GRANTS, UH, SECTION, AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO VISIT WITH YOU, UH, OFFLINE AND SECTION OF THE BUDGET WHERE WE HAVE THAT.
I DIDN'T SEE IT IN THE DEPARTMENTAL, UH, SUMMARY.
UM, I WANTED TO KNOW REGARDING THE GROWTH IN THE METRO HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
HOW MUCH IS, UH, INCREASED VERSUS, UH, TRANSFERRED FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS? ABOUT $1.3 MILLION IS AN INCREASE IN FUNDING, AND 1.3 IS TRANSFERRED FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, SO I, I HAD A SMALL QUESTION REGARDING SOME OF THE GRANT FUNDING.
YOU MENTIONED THAT MEDICAID WAIVER FUNDING IS GOING DOWN.
UM, I SAW THERE WAS A SLIGHT DECLINE IN A COUPLE OF OTHER GRANT CATEGORIES.
UH, AND THOSE, ALL THOSE CATEGORIES USED, UH, WERE USED TO FUND POSITIONS.
SO I'M WONDERING, UH, AND, AND I DON'T SEE A REDUCTION IN POSITIONS.
[01:45:01]
IN FACT, THERE'S AN INCREASE BECAUSE OF, OF THE TRANSFER.SO I'M, I'M GLAD TO KNOW THOSE PEOPLE AREN'T LOSING THEIR JOBS WITH THE, WITH THE LOSS IN FUNDING.
SO HOW WILL THEY BE SUPPORTED? THE PEOPLE WHO WERE PREVIOUSLY ON, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHERE ON MEDICAID WAIVER OR SOMEWHERE WITH THE WIC OR THE, I THINK H I V PREVENTION IS ONE OF THE REDUCTIONS I SEE TOO.
SO THE, UM, IT DEPENDS ON THE SIZE OF THE REDUCTION, COUNCILMAN.
THE REDUCTION TO THE MEDICAID WAIVER PROGRAM IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ONE.
UM, AND THAT'S ONE WHERE WE ARE KEEPING, WE'RE HOLDING POSITIONS VACANT AS THEY BECOME, UM, AS PEOPLE NEED THEM BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING TO FILL THEM.
UM, WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF GRANTS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS WHERE WHEN WE DID LOSE THE MONEY, WE DID HAVE TO, UM, UH, RISK THE EMPLOYEE BECAUSE THE FUNDING SOURCE WAS GONE.
BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, UM, THE WIC CUT, FOR EXAMPLE, IS NOT LARGE ENOUGH THAT WE NEED TO LAY OFF STAFF.
UM, BUT OFTENTIMES WHAT WE DO TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE IS JUST NOT FILL VACANT POSITION, UH, IN THAT PARTICULAR PROGRAM THROUGHOUT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
UM, SO ANOTHER QUESTION I HAD, UH, WAS, SO OBVIOUSLY YOUR TEAM HAS BEEN DOING A LOT OF THE C OVID 19 WORK NEAR NEARLY ALL OF IT.
UM, AND HOW WOULD YOU SAY RIGHT NOW, HOW MUCH OF THE METRO HEALTH STAFF IS STILL DEPLOYED ON C OVID 19 VERSUS WHAT THEY DO? I REGULARLY, PROBABLY 75% OF METRO HEALTH TEAM IS DEPLOYED TO COVID.
UM, IF OUR CASE NUMBERS CONTINUE TO BE LOW, LIKE THEY HAVE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, UM, OUR PLAN IS TO START TO TRANSITION STAFF BACK TO, UM, THEIR REGULAR DUTIES, STARTING WITH, FOR EXAMPLE, THE ASTHMA PROGRAM THAT'S DUE TO HAPPEN SEPTEMBER 1ST, UM, FOLLOWED BY OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES, MOVING THE STAFF OVER, UM, FIRST AND THEN AS WE, UM, HAVE CAPACITY MOVING THE REST OF THE STAFF BACK BECAUSE WE DO HAVE THE U HEALTH CONTRACT, AND WE DO HAVE THE TEMPS THAT WE'VE BROUGHT ON TO DO A LOT OF THAT WORK.
YEAH, I WAS REALLY PARTICULARLY WORRIED ABOUT SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT STAFF CANNOT, UH, ATTEND TO RIGHT NOW BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, UH, IT'S SO DIFFICULT.
EVERYONE'S GETTING REDEPLOYED EVERYWHERE.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK IS ESSENTIAL IS, IS THE WORK THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT PROVIDES TO THE PUBLIC, RIGHT? SO HELPING THEM WITH DIABETES, HELPING THEM WITH ASTHMA, LIKE THOSE DISEASES DON'T GO AWAY NECESSARILY BECAUSE WE'RE IN A PANDEMIC.
SO, UH, HOPEFULLY PREGNANCIES GO DOWN, BUT, OR TEEN PREGNANCIES GO DOWN.
BUT, UM, SO I, I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE REDUCTION IN SOME OF YOUR, THE PERFORMANCE TARGETS FOR NEXT YEAR.
I, I SEE A BIG REDUCTION IN THE VACCINATIONS, AND IS THAT, UH, I THINK WE'RE STILL IN TIME TO DECIDE, RIGHT? WE HAVEN'T ADOPTED THE BUDGET.
HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE, UH, THAT WE DON'T DECLINE IN THAT AREA? UM, SO I, I SEE THAT, UM, YOU'VE STARTED VIRTUAL DIABETES SESSIONS.
I'M JUST WONDERING IF THERE ARE WAYS TO ADAPT SOME OF THE WORK THAT METRO HEALTH DOES SO THAT WE CAN STILL DO IT SAFELY, UH, WHEN WE'RE IN THIS ERA OF, OF, YOU KNOW, QUASI PANDEMIC HOPEFULLY COMING OUT OF IT RIGHT NOW.
WHAT, WHAT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES WOULD YOUR DEPARTMENT NEED TO, TO BE ABLE TO, TO REALLY DO, DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO? WELL, A A COUPLE OF THINGS.
UM, THE IMMUNIZATION DECREASE IS BEING SEEN ACROSS THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES.
THE LAST PLACE PEOPLE WANNA GO WHEN THEY'RE NOT SICK IS A CLINIC.
UM, AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE ALL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO ADAPT TO.
CAN WE TAKE IMMUNIZATION CLINICS OUTDOORS, FOR EXAMPLE, SO THAT PEOPLE FEEL A LITTLE BIT SAFER BRINGING THEIR KIDS, ESPECIALLY IN FOR THEIR SHOTS.
SO THOSE ARE CONVERSATIONS WE'VE BEEN A PART OF.
UM, BUT I THINK YOUR QUESTION HINT AT A LARGER CHALLENGE, WHICH IS, UM, HEALTH DEPARTMENTS ARE NOT FUNDED TO SIMULTANEOUSLY DO THE WORK THEY DO AND ADDRESS EMERGING PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES SUCH AS A HUNDRED YEAR PANDEMIC.
UM, AND SO THAT IS A, A CHALLENGE THAT I THINK A LOT OF FOLKS HAVE RECOGNIZED AND ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO.
UM, AND SO I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A FOLLOW UP CONVERSATION, PERHAPS WITH YOUR COMMITTEE COUNCILWOMAN, TO COME UP WITH A, ALMOST A FUNDING GOAL FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
BRIDGER, I THINK YOU'VE TAKEN THE WORDS OUTTA MY
[01:50:01]
MOUTH.SO, SO HERE'S, HERE'S WHAT I WAS THINKING.
UH, WE, WE ADOPTED, UH, YOU KNOW, $200 MILLION RECOVERY AND RESILIENCY PLAN SO THAT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY COULD RECOVER AND BE RESILIENT IN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS.
AND WE CAN'T FORGET THAT OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT ALSO NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO RECOVER AND ALSO NEEDS TO BE RESILIENT, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A HUNDRED YEAR PANDEMIC TODAY, IT'S NOT GONNA BE THE LAST ONE THAT WE SEE, AND THERE WILL BE OTHER EMERGENCIES.
SO HOW DO WE ENSURE, NUMBER ONE, THAT OUR, THAT OUR HEALTH SYSTEM, OUR OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT, HAS THE TOOLS THAT THEY NEED TO REACT IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS SO THAT YOU'RE NOT HAVING TO BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE BRAND NEW WHEN THIS HAPPENS, RIGHT? SO YOU CAN BE NIMBLE AND QUICK, BUT ALSO HOW DO YOU, LIKE YOU SAID, DO BOTH THINGS AT THE SAME TIME.
SO WHAT I, I, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AT COMMITTEE.
WE CAN, JUST THE SAME WAY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS HAVING SORT OF A, A REVIEW, RIGHT? BASED ON WHAT'S HAPPENING ON, ON CURRENT EVENTS.
I THINK IT'S COMPLETELY APPROPRIATE FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO HAVE THAT TYPE OF DISCUSSION AS WELL AND COME BACK WITH SOME SORT OF, MAYBE WE'LL BEAT THE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND COME BACK BEFORE APRIL WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE HAVE TO DO IT BEFORE YOU LEAVE, UH, WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT HOW, UH, HOW WE CAN DO THAT, UH, LONG TERM.
AND, UM, ONE THING I HOPE THAT WE DO TAKE INTO THAT DISCUSSION IS HOW DO WE CONTROL OUR OWN BUDGET RIGHT NOW, OUR GRANTS, UH, YOU GOTTA LOVE THEM, RIGHT? THEY HELP US, BUT BECAUSE THEY OVERSHADOW OUR LOCAL INVESTMENT, THEY REALLY GET TO DRIVE WHAT OUR CITY DOES.
AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO SET THOSE PRIORITIES BASED ON OUR POPULATION.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A MUCH LARGER DISCUSSION, AND I, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, TO HAVING THAT WITH THE, WITH THE COMMITTEE.
UM, SO BEFORE I END THOUGH, I DO WANNA SAY, UH, I DO WANNA TALK MORE ABOUT IMMUNIZATIONS AND, UH, HOW THOSE IDEAS THAT YOU'RE TALKING THROUGH ABOUT HOW TO, HOW TO BE ABLE TO REACH PEOPLE, UH, SO THAT THEY FEEL SAFE.
AND WE STILL KEEP OUR CHILDREN SAFE BECAUSE ONE DAY, YOU KNOW, THEY WILL GO BACK TO SCHOOL.
AND, UH, SAME THING FOR THE FLU.
WHAT ARE WE DOING TO PREPARE FOR THAT? AND, UM, ON THE, ON THE MUCH LARGER FRONT, I, I THINK WE, WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED FOR A POSSIBLE SPIKE AGAIN, ONCE SCHOOL IS, UH, IS MORE IN SESSION.
SO HOW, HOW CAN WE BE PREPARED FOR THAT? SO I'D REALLY LIKE TO, UH, DISCUSS EITHER AT COMMITTEE OR WITH, UH, IN A B SESSION IS, UH, OUR PREPARATION FOR THOSE, FOR THOSE THREE THINGS.
COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL, UH, ERIC, YOU WANTED TO JUMP IN ON YEAH.
UH, I, YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO KIND OF REINFORCE I THINK WHAT DR.
BRIDGER AND COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL WERE TALKING ABOUT.
BRIDGER, UH, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO IN, IN, UH, IN, UH, IN AN ARTICLE, REALLY KIND OF HER, HER QUOTE SUMMARIZED IT, UH, VERY WELL IN MY MIND.
AND, AND, UH, CHIEF HOOD WOULD BE PROUD BECAUSE SHE USED THE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AS AN EXAMPLE.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU, WE FUND A FIRE DEPARTMENT TO BE PREPARED FOR EMERGENCIES.
UM, AND, AND WE MAKE THE INVESTMENT TO, TO DO ALL THE THINGS THEY DO.
BUT TO BE READY TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO AN EMERGENCY AND A AND A PARTIC POTENTIALLY A HUGE EMERGENCY THAT WOULD REQUIRE, YOU KNOW, HALF OF THE FIRE STATIONS THAT ARE, UH, IN EXISTENCE TODAY NEED TO RESPOND.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE ISSUE THAT, THAT COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL AND DR.
AND WE DID HAVE CONVERSATIONS THIS SUMMER ABOUT WHAT IS THE, WHAT IS THE PLAN IN TERMS OF PUBLIC HEALTH INVESTMENT, UM, AND HOW DO WE BALANCE THAT? HOW DO WE SET A PATH FORWARD, UH, TO DO THAT, UH, WITH, WITH REAL DOLLAR INVESTMENT? AND, AND, AND I THINK IT'S ALSO CRITICAL AS WE DO THAT TO ALSO LOOK AT THE PUBLIC HEALTH ASPECTS OF, OF, UH, U H SS AND, AND THE CLINICAL SUPPORT THEY PROVIDE, THE COMMUNITY, UM, THE, YOU KNOW, THE ACCESS TO CARE THAT THEY PROVIDE, UH, TO, UH, PARTS OF OUR CITY, UM, IS ALSO AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT.
AND I THINK, I THINK COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT MAYBE WE ALSO INCLUDE AT LEAST THAT PORTION OF, OF U H SS AND THOSE CONVERSATIONS, BECAUSE MAYBE THERE'S A BETTER WAY TO TIE WHAT WE'RE DOING FROM A PREVENTATIVE STANDPOINT WITH, UH, THE DIRECT CARE, UH, OUT OF THE DENTISTRY.
SO, JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT PIECE, ERIC.
I THINK YOU'VE EARNED YOUR M P H DURING THIS WHOLE PROCESS, UH, BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT.
I MEAN, WHAT WE DO, WHAT WE DO AS A HEALTH DEPARTMENT, IT WILL DICTATE WHAT ENDS UP AT U H S'S DOOR IN TERMS OF INDIGENT
[01:55:01]
HEALTHCARE, RIGHT? IF WE'RE NOT PROTECTING THE POPULATION, THAT'S A HIGHER COST ON THE, ON THE HOSPITAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THOSE TWO TO BE COORDINATED, UH, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.SO, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL, WE GOTTA MOVE NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER GRA.
I WAS ENJOYING THAT BACK AND FORTH DISCUSSION.
I WAS HOPING TO GET MY M T H AS WELL, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL.
UM, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATIONS.
UH, AGAIN, I WILL SAY I'M THRILLED, UH, ALBEIT MODEST, UH, INCREASE TO THE HEALTHY CORNER STORE INITIATIVE.
BUT, UM, WE ALWAYS KNEW THIS WAS AN ISSUE AND IT'S JUST BEEN MAGNIFIED AND AMPLIFIED DURING THIS TIME.
I REALLY HAVE TO THINK THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT THREE, BECAUSE THEY WERE THE ONES WHO WERE CRYING OUT FOR OPTIONS FOR FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, UM, KNOWING THAT SPECIFICALLY IN THE SOUTH SIDE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT AT ROOSEVELT AND LOOP FOUR 10, THEY DO NOT HAVE A GROCERY STORE IN THE SOUTH SIDE I S D AREA.
SO, UM, WE NEED MORE PARTNERS.
BUT BECAUSE OF THAT, WE STEPPED UP AND WE FILLED, UM, THAT VOID.
RIGHT NOW I DO WANT TO THANK, UM, THE CENTENNIAL FOOD POLICY COUNCIL, LESLIE PROVAN, MITCH HANEY, UH, FOR THEIR, THEIR ADVOCACY.
AND, UM, JUST COMING IN AND MEETING WITH ME, I WANNA THANK FROM YOUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
CHER, NADIA AYAAN SAID NORA, EVERYONE WHO'S BEEN A PART OF IT AND REALLY, UM, WORKED AND KNOCKED ON DOORS, OF COURSE, THE SAN ANTONIO FOOD BANK, UH, CHEF KELLY DARI, UH, DR.
LOUS, MIRIAM
UM, BUT FINALLY, I DO HAVE TO THANK, UM, ALL OF THE STORE OWNERS AND IN PARTICULAR, BECAUSE THIS WOULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN DONE WITHOUT HIM.
MY CHIEF OF STAFF, RUBEN ALDE, WHO WAS ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY LIFTING, I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD BE SAYING THIS, LIFTING REFRIGERATORS, GETTING THEM INTO THE STORES, UM, MAKING SURE THAT THE STORE OWNERS UNDERSTOOD THAT THE NEIGHBORS UNDERSTOOD AND GETTING THAT WHOLE BUY-IN.
SO THIS WOULD NOT HAVE GONE OFF WITHOUT RUBEN ALDE.
I KNOW THIS IS VERY MUCH, UM, A PART OF HIS HEART AND SOUL WORKING ON THIS PROJECT.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THIS IN THE OTHER COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
IT IS GOING TO DO WONDERS YOU ALL, UM, AND REALLY LET PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS FIND OUT EVEN WHAT FRUITS AND VEGETABLES ALREADY GROW IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, THAT THEY HAVE LEMON TREES, THAT THEY HAVE POMEGRANATE TREES, AND THEY MAY NOT EVEN KNOW IT, BUT IT, IT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT IS, THE COMMUNITY HAS GROWN.
UM, UH, TO SLIDE NUMBER FOUR IN THE, IN YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION, COLLEEN, UH, WITH THE 2021 PROPOSED BUDGET, 76.3 MILLION.
SO YOU HAVE THE CARES RELATED GRANTS FOR F Y 20 IS 25.6, AND THEN 21 AND IT'S 31.5.
HOW MANY OF PHYSICIANS ARE CONNECTED TO THE CARES RELATED GRANT, OR ARE THERE ANY POSITIONS CONNECTED TO THE CARES RELATED GRANT? SO THERE ARE 89 TEMPORARY CONNECTED TO THE CARESS RELATED GRANT.
WE ARE ALSO FUNDING SOME OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S EXISTING POSITIONS.
AND I, I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT THAT NUMBER IS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THERE ARE AN ADDITIONAL 89 POSITIONS THAT ARE FUNDED THROUGH THE CARES GRANT.
AND, UM, I WILL CONCUR WITH MY, UH, COLLEAGUE SPEAKING ABOUT WE NEED TO LOOK AT MORE INVESTMENT WHEN IT COMES TO OUR PUBLIC HEALTH, UH, OUR METRO HEALTH, THIS DEPARTMENT.
AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND OPERATIONS, WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, COMMUNICABLE DISEASES AND OF COURSE, COMMUNITY HEALTH.
WE NEED TO BUILD THAT SYSTEM AND BUILD THE SYSTEM ALSO WITH THE EQUITY TOOLS THAT YOU'RE PUTTING INTO PLACE.
AND THAT'S ALREADY BEING PUT INTO PLACE.
UM, AS WE CONTINUE THAT INVESTMENT THAT WILL CONT THAT WILL, I BELIEVE, BE THE ROOTS THAT WILL
[02:00:03]
RESTART, I GUESS, OR REINVIGORATE OUR COMMUNITY AND GROW HEALTHY WHERE WE NEED TO GROW HEALTHY, UM, OR CELEBRATING HEALTHY CORNER STORES.BUT THAT SHOULDN'T BE, THAT SHOULDN'T EVEN EXIST RIGHT NOW.
BUT WE'RE HAVING TO DO THESE THINGS IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE INEQUITIES OF THE PAST OR JUST THE CHANGES THAT HAVE HAPPENED, UM, TO THE HOMELESS SERVICES.
UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WHERE I REALLY DID SEE THE, THE INCREASE IN THE, UM, THE NUMBERS, THE 2% INCREASE, AND THIS WAS PRE COVID.
SO I AM, I'M GOING TO BE NOT SURPRISED WHEN THIS NUMBER GOES UP, BUT WE WE'RE CONTINUING TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO, UM, LIMIT THAT.
AND I WILL SAY, I THINK, I DON'T, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHO ASKED IT, BUT I KNOW ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES MENTIONED ABOUT, UM, SENIORS TRAINING ON TECHNOLOGY.
JUST A LITTLE INSIGHT FOR YOU ALL.
UM, COUNCIL MOM, MY MOM IS ON OATS AND SENIOR PLANET NOW, AND I WALKED INTO HER HOUSE AND HEARD HER ON A CLASS.
THEY WERE TALKING TO THEM ABOUT ALEXA
AND IT'S NOT JUST IN SAN ANTONIO, IT'S THROUGHOUT, UM, THE NATION, ACTUALLY.
SO IT IS A REALLY A GREAT IDEA, AND I REALLY WANNA ENCOURAGE PEOPLE WHO CAN TO GET CONNECTED THAT WAY TO THE SENIOR CENTERS.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA HAD A, A GREAT BIG, UH, A GREAT IDEA ABOUT THE MAIL, UH, THE, UM, THE VOTING CENTERS FOR SENIOR CENTERS.
BUT EVEN IF THAT'S NOT THE CASE, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT IS ON THIS, BUT IF THERE'S EVEN A WAY THAT WE CAN UTILIZE OUR SENIOR CENTERS AS MAIL-IN BALLOT DROP POINTS IF WE NEED TO, OUR SENIORS KNOW WHERE THESE LOCATIONS ARE, IF WE CAN CREATE A SECURED PLACE FOR THEM TO BE MAIL-IN DROP, UH, MAIL-IN BALLOT DROPPING POINTS, I THINK THAT COULD BE HELPFUL.
AND, UM, I'M GLAD TO OF COURSE, SEE THE INVESTMENT IN, UM, IN THE HOMELESS.
'CAUSE YOU'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK IN DISTRICT THREE AND OUR GOAD AREA, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE AREAS THAT YOU'VE ALREADY ADDRESSED AND CONTINUE TO CLEAN UP.
GO GOLIAD AND SOUTHEAST MILITARY IN THAT AREA.
AND FINALLY, UM, TO THE ISSUE OF THE RESOLUTION, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL HAVING A THANK YOU, UM, DR.
BRIDGER FOR BRINGING THAT HERE TO THIS, TO THIS, UM, TIME TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION.
AND I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN, UM, SOME MORE CHANGES AND I HAVE GIVEN MY, UH, THOUGHTS ON THOSE CHANGES.
AND I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH MY COLLEAGUE WITH THE CHAIR OF THE COMMUNITY HEALTH AND EQUITY COMMITTEE.
AND, UM, I THINK WE'RE GETTING TO THAT POINT.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND CALLING IT OUT SPECIFICALLY, UM, ANTI-RACIST, UH, WORK THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH OUR, UH, PUBLIC HEALTH AND OUR METRO HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
I THINK THAT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AS WE CALL THAT OUT.
UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO CONTINUE TO DO.
I I I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE SOME AREAS THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO INVEST, FIND MORE DOLLARS TO INVEST IN FOR BOTH, UM, V H SS AND PUBLIC HEALTH, OR THE ANSWERS ARE, I DON'T KNOW YET.
UM, OBVIOUSLY, BUT DON'T WORRY, I'LL CONTINUE TO LOOK THROUGH THIS, UH, TO SEE WHERE WE CAN, WE CAN HAVE SOME MORE OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS, UM, AND PUT SOME MORE DOLLARS IN, UH, CERTAIN FUNDS HERE.
DO I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION? UM, NO, NOT RIGHT HERE.
BUT I DO WANNA THANK EVERYONE FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK.
AND, YOU KNOW, UH, MELODY, WE ALWAYS IN DISTRICT THREE HAD A GREAT BIG HOLIDAY PARTY FOR OUR SENIORS.
UM, I AM SO BROKEN HEARTED THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO DO IT FOR THIS LAST TERM, BUT I'M SURE IN THE SPRING IF THINGS ARE LIFTED, WE'LL BE HAVING A PARTY FOR THEM IN DISTRICT THREE.
COUNCIL MEMBER GRA, COUNCIL MEMBER CAB.
UH, AGAIN, TO COUNCIL MIRAN FOR TRAILBLAZING THE CORNER STORE INITIATIVE.
NOW I WANT TO BRING IT TO D SIX.
WILL YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN THE EXPANSION
[02:05:01]
MODEL FOR THE HEALTHCARE STORE INITIATIVE? I ASK BECAUSE THE EDGEWOOD AREA IS A LOCATION I'D LIKE EXPLORED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION.EDGEWOOD SPANS, UH, BOTH DISTRICTS FIVE AND SIX.
UM, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE A VIABLE LOCATION.
MUCH LIKE THE AREA COUNCILMAN MENTIONED PART OF EDGEWOOD, UH, I'M THINKING NEAR OLD HIGHWAY 90 AND 1 51.
THEY DON'T HAVE A HEALTHY GROCERY STORE, SO I THINK IT'S TIME WE HELP THEM WITH THAT ISSUE.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE, THE EXPANSION MODEL? I CAN, I'M LOOKING HERE AT THE, UM, ELIGIBLE STORE.
AND THAT PUTS YOU AT NUMBER FIVE ON THE LIST, SO YOU WERE REALLY CLOSE.
UM, SO I THINK IF WE CAN HAVE ANOTHER ROUND OF EXPANSION, UM, C SIX WOULD DEFINITELY BE ON THE LIST THERE.
WELL, I LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, CONTINUING TO, TO WORK ON THAT AND, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THAT SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
FOR THEN, UM, THEY, WITH THE HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAM WILL THO THOSE, UM, WILL THEY PROVIDE 24 HOUR SERVICE AND RESPONSE TO CITIZEN CALLS.
UM, WE WON'T BE, UH, AVAILABLE 24 HOURS, BUT WE WILL RESPOND WHAT WE, WE CURRENTLY NOW HAVE A, UM, EMAIL SITE FOR HOMELESS OUTREACH THAT WE ANSWER JUST WITHIN, UM, HOURS AS, AS WE GET THEM.
UM, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE EMERGENCY AVAILABILITY OVER THE WEEKENDS AND EVENINGS, BUT ON AN ONGOING, YOU KNOW, STANDARD NORMAL BASIS, NO, I DON'T, WE WON'T BE COVERED 24 HOURS.
UM, WHAT ARE THE, WHAT ARE THE, THE TIMES, THE HOURS, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT ARE, WHAT WOULD THE BEST HOURS BE FOR, UM, FOR THIS TEAM? AND IT MAY BE THAT THEY'RE STAGGERED SO THAT WE HAVE MORE, YOU KNOW, LONGER COVERAGE.
IT'S NOT JUST EIGHT HOURS A DAY.
UH, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW THAT WOULD WORK, WHAT A SCHEDULE WOULD LOOK LIKE.
UH, BUT WE, WE HAVE A TEAM THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE FOR EACH DISTRICT.
AND SO, UH, TWO PEOPLE WILL WORK ON SCHEDULES SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE MAXIMUM COVERAGE, UM, AND AT THE SAME TIME CREATE A, A TEAM ENVIRONMENT.
UM, SO WE'LL GET THAT OUT FOR YOU ALL AS TEAM AS WE WORKED OUT ALL THOSE DETAILS.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR DELEGATE AGENCY PARTNERS THAT, UM, WE CAN CALL ON AND SUPPLEMENT.
UH, NONE OF THOSE OUTREACH WORKERS ARE 24 7 EITHER.
UH, GENERALLY, YOU KNOW, FOR THE, THE, YOU KNOW, MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND EARLY MORNINGS CALLS WILL GO TO POLICE DEPARTMENT IF THERE'S AN EMERGENCY.
UM, AND THEN WE WORK ON IT AS SOON AS WE
SPEAKING OF DELEGATE AGENCIES, CAN YOU HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE NOTABLE PROGRAM CHANGES FOR DELEGATE AGENCIES, INCLUDING ENHANCEMENTS, REDUCTIONS, AGENCY TERMINATIONS? SURE.
AND SO WE, UM, ARE PROVIDING AN ADDITIONAL $442,000 TO THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES.
AND THAT'S TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE ADEQUATE, UH, MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENTS AT THE HAVEN FOR HOPE CAMPUS.
THEY HAVE A PROGRAM CALLED THE INTEGRATED TREATMENT PROGRAM, UM, THAT SERVES BOTH POPULATIONS AND THOSE DOLLARS ARE, ARE COMING FROM CARES ACT.
UM, SO WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAPPY TO SEE THEM BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THAT SERVICE.
AND THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, OTHER NOTABLE CHANGES, THERE WAS ADDITIONAL FUNDING IN OUR, THROUGH OUR NORMAL ANNUAL GRANTS FOR, UM, HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONS WITH AIDS.
THOSE ADDITIONAL DOLLARS ARE GOING TO BEAT AIDS SAN ANTONIO AIDS FOUNDATION AND PARK, AND THEN ALSO ADDITIONAL EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT FUNDS IN OUR, OUR NORMAL ANNUAL, UM, ALLOCATION THAT WILL HELP, UH, SUPPLEMENT FOOD BANK AND, UM, ST.
WERE THERE ANY CHANGES FOR THE PEACE INITIATIVE? UH, SO WE DON'T FUND, WE DON'T HAVE THE PEACE INITIATIVE IN OUR, OUR CONSOLIDATIVE.
UM, WE CAN TAKE, I WANNA HAVE THAT CONVERSATION OFFLINE ON, UM, OFFLINE BECAUSE, UM, I'M REALLY EXCITED AND PLEASED TO KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA BE SUPPORTING THE WEST SIDE STANDUP, THE SA PROGRAM, AND REALLY DELVING INTO VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAMS. I THINK PART OF THE SOLUTIONS TO SO MANY OF THE PROBLEMS WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE RIGHT NOW IS AS A, AS A CITY, BUT REALLY AS A COUNTRY CAN BE SUPPORTED BY THESE VIOLENCE INTERRUPTERS, THE CRISIS RESPONSE TEAMS, AND OF COURSE, TEACHING KIDS FROM THE START THAT THE VIOLENCE THEY SEE ALL AROUND THEM IS NOT ACCEPTABLE IN BREAKING THAT CYCLE.
I KNOW THAT THAT'S A LOT OF WHAT THE PEACE INITIATIVE DOES, UM, NOW, UH, AND, AND MAYBE WE CAN TALK ABOUT INCLUDING THEM, UM, AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE, BUT I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT PREVENTION
[02:10:01]
POLICIES BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S REALLY WHAT'S GONNA MAKE A LOT OF CHANGE IN OUR COMMUNITY LONG TERM.COUNCIL MEMBER BERDA, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PLIE.
I NOTICED SLIDE TWO, UM, AND ON THE VERY BOTTOM, UM, MENTIONS FAITH-BASED INITIATIVES.
UM, AND THAT'S THE ONLY TIME THIS IS MENTIONED.
AND THAT'S, I MEAN, THAT'S OKAY.
UH, BUT I, I GOTTA TELL YOU, I FEEL LIKE, UM, LIKE I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON WITH OUR FAITH-BASED INITIATIVES IN 2020, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT Y'ALL HAVE PLANNED FOR 2021.
UM, AND IT JUST SEEMS LIKE IT'S THE, IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT PIECE TO, UM, WHAT COULD BE GREATER SUCCESS, RIGHT? IF, IF WE MANAGED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET THEM TO LEAN IN ALL THE WAY, RIGHT? AND, AND TO BUY IN ALL THE WAY.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WITH A LITTLE BIT OF SNARK, I'LL REMIND EVERYBODY THAT YOU KNOW, YOU FOR CHICKEN SANDWICHES, THEY SHOWED UP, RIGHT? AND THEY FILLED THE BLEACHERS, BUT, UH, FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS $185 MILLION SPEND THAT IS GONNA BASICALLY DO WHAT, YOU KNOW, OR CHECK ALL THE BOXES THAT THEY CHECK OFF.
AND I'M LOOKING NOW AT SLIDE FIVE, SENIOR SERVICES, THAT'S WHAT THEY DO.
STRENGTHENING FAMILIES, THAT'S WHAT THEY DO.
THEY WORK ON HOMELESSNESS INITIATIVES, UM, MENTAL HEALTH, THAT'S WHAT THEY WORK ON TOO.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, CHILDREN AND YOUTH SUCCESS, THAT'S WHAT THEY WORK ON TOO.
AND I, I KNOW THAT THEY CANNOT BE DELEGATE AGENCIES, BUT THEY CAN CER CERTAINLY BE PARTNER AGENCIES OF OURS IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE ABSENCE OF A CONVERSATION ABOUT FAITH INITIATIVES HELPING US MOVE THE BALL ACROSS THE LINE, I, I THINK IS, UM, WELL, I THINK IT'S, I THINK THAT ABSENCE IS IMPORTANT AND WORTH NOTING, RIGHT? 'CAUSE I THINK, I THINK THAT WE CAN DO BETTER.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT, I, I'D LOVE A B SESSION WHERE WE CAN FIND OUT WHAT IT IS THAT, UM, PASTOR HELMKE AND, AND Y'ALL'S DEPARTMENT IS DOING IN ORDER TO ROPE IN WHAT IS THE LARGEST INSTITUTION IN, IN ALL OF SAN ANTONIO, RIGHT? I MEAN, WE ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE, HEY, EVERYTHING THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO DOES WILL IMPACT YOUR LIFE ONE WAY OR ANOTHER ON A DAILY BASIS.
YOU KNOW, THE OTHER ONE IS THE CHURCH COMMUNITY, UH, HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND SO, UM, I I I, I, I GOTTA BE, HONESTLY, I THINK WE CAN DO BETTER, UM, THERE, AND, AND I'M, I'M GONNA BE PUSHING Y'ALL FOR THE REST OF THIS YEAR TO, UM, YOU KNOW, TO, TO JUST HIGHLIGHT WHAT IT IS WE DO THERE AND SEE IF WE CAN PUT SOME WIND IN THAT SAIL, RIGHT? BECAUSE I THINK THAT IF WE FOUND A WAY TO ENGAGE WITH 'EM MORE EFFECTIVELY, WE COULD ACTUALLY LEVERAGE, UM, THE RELATIONSHIP TO, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE DOUBLE THE IMPACT OF 185 MILLION.
SO THE SECOND THING I'LL I'LL POINT OUT IS THAT, UM, WITH, UH, PROJECTS LIKE, YOU KNOW, SENIOR PLANET OATS, RIGHT? THAT ARE WORKING IN OUR SENIOR CENTERS AND, UH, TEACHING SENIORS HOW TO USE, YOU KNOW, HOW TO USE, UH, THEIR PHONES, RIGHT? UM, AND HOW TO USE THEIR IPADS AND ALL THAT TO DO IMPORTANT STUFF.
I, I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'LL EVER END.
I MEAN, ONCE YOU TEACH THEM HOW THEY'LL CONTINUE DOING IT, RIGHT? AND SO, UM, THE IMPORTANT THING THAT THEY'RE TEACHING THEM AT SENIOR CENTERS IS HOW TO INTERACT WITH, WITH US, OUR OFFICES, UH, WITH YOU GUYS, AND THEN HOW TO, TO SEARCH FOR, UH, RESOURCES, RIGHT? AND HOW TO STAY IN TOUCH WITH FAMILY MEMBERS AND HOW TO NOT BE LONELY AND, UH, HOW TO BE MORE RELEVANT TO THEIR COMMUNITY AND MAKE SURE THAT THEIR, THEIR COMMUNITY IS RELEVANT TO THEM.
UM, I, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS SPENDING THAT WE DO ON SENIORS AND TECHNOLOGY IS JUST GONNA, YOU KNOW, INCREASE FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S A GOOD THING.
UM, I DON'T THINK WE'LL EVER GET BACK TO THE OLD NORMAL, UM, THAT TO WHICH WE WERE ACCUSTOMED AND, UM, THINKING THAT WE WILL IS, IS NAIVE.
AND, AND I'M GLAD THAT THE CITY COUNCIL IS, IS LEANING IN AND, AND REALLY INVESTING IN TECHNOLOGY.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I, I, MAYOR, I GOTTA TELL YOU THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVING DEANNE QUAR ON MY COMMITTEE, UH, FOR, YOU KNOW, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY, THAT'S A HUGE WIN FOR US BECAUSE SHE REALLY IS A, AN IMPORTANT VOICE IN BRIDGING THE, UH, DIGITAL DIVIDE.
AND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE DIGITAL DIVIDE, WE'RE ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT KIDS NOT BEING ABLE TO DO THEIR HOMEWORK, RIGHT? OR PEOPLE NOT BEING ABLE TO APPLY FOR JOBS, BUT IT'S EQUALLY APP APPLICABLE TO SENIORS WHO, UM, YOU KNOW, CAN'T MAKE THEIR OWN DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT ONLINE.
AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE WAYS YOU MAKE DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS THESE DAYS, RIGHT? SO WHO CAN'T CHECK ON SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE, MEDICAID ISSUES ONLINE AND INSTEAD HAVE TO WAIT FOR TWO, THREE HOURS ON HOLD, RIGHT? UM, THAT'S NOT A QUALITY OF LIFE, UH, WIN AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.
AND SO I'M, I'M GLAD WE'RE DOING THIS.
UM, THE OTHER THING TOO IS MELODY, WHERE ARE WE ON THESE MOBILE SHOWERS, UM, FOR OUR, YOU KNOW, HOMELESS FOLKS? MM-HMM.
[02:15:01]
TREVINO SAID THAT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, UM, WAYS OF, OF BEING ABLE TO GET OUT OF THIS CYCLE OF HOMELESSNESS IS TO GET YOUR ID BACK, BUT ALSO ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT WAYS TO BE ABLE TO GET AN IMMEDIATE JOB IS TO BE CLEAN.RIGHT? UM, AND SO WHERE ARE WE ON THOSE? SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A SHOWER INITIATIVE AT COMM, UH, CHRISTIAN ASSISTANCE MINISTRIES.
IT'S, UH, DOWNTOWN ON THE EAST SIDE OF DOWNTOWN.
UM, THERE'S A LARGE SHOWER UNIT THERE, AND WE HAVE A VERY ACTIVE, UM, SHOWERING PROGRAM FOR HOMELESS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S HAPPENING EVERY DAY AND, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF DEMAND FOR IT.
WE HAVE A MOBILE SHOWER UNIT ON THE WAY.
THAT COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO HAD BEEN, UH, HAS BEEN WORKING ON FOR A WHILE, AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S, WE'RE SLATED FOR DELIVERY IN MID TO LATE AUGUST, AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN CHECKING ON THAT FREQUENTLY.
AND SO WE'RE EXPECTING IT ANY DAY AND LOOK, REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO IT BECAUSE IT, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE IT BE AT OUR HUBS.
UM, YOU KNOW, ONE ON SAN PEDRO WOULD BE A PERFECT LOCATION TO HAVE IT, UM, A FEW TIMES A WEEK.
AND THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE EVENTS ALL OVER THAT WE COULD, UM, WELL, LESS EVENTS NOW, BUT, UH, THERE ARE PLACES WHERE WE CAN TAKE IT.
THINGS ARE, OTHER THINGS ARE GOING ON, AND THAT'S AN EXTRA SERVICE FOR HOMELESS.
AND THEN I'LL REMIND EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT TEMPERATURES, UM, THAT ARE BREAKING RECORDS.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, A SHOWER IS AN IMPORTANT WAY ALSO OF BEING ABLE TO BRING YOUR CORE TEMPERATURE DOWN.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, A SHOWER COULD BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DYING OF A HEAT STROKE,
SO, UH, I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT TOOL.
UM, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THAT SHOWER, UH, IN DISTRICT EIGHT MAKE ITS WAY OUT THERE.
MAYOR, CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YES, WE DO.
UH, I WANNA START OFF BY REALLY CONGRATULATING ERIC AND THE LEADERSHIP TEAM ON WHAT THEY'VE PRESENT BEEN PRESENTING US SO FAR ON THESE BUDGET ISSUES.
UH, I, I THINK WE'VE HAD SOME REALLY GOOD PRESENTATIONS, THESE, THESE THREE, AND I'M SURE WE'LL HAVE MORE.
UH, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK THAT MELODY'S PUT IN ON, ON HUMAN SERVICES.
AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE MADE A LOT OF, UH, IMPROVEMENTS IN HOW WE ARE ADDRESSING A LOT OF THOSE CONCERNS WITH THE LIMITED RESOURCES THAT WE REALLY HAVE RIGHT NOW, AND HOW WE'VE KIND OF PUT TOGETHER, UH, WHAT, UH, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S PROVIDED THROUGH CARESS ACT FUNDING AND OTHER FEDERAL DOLLARS WITH WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GENERATE LOCALLY.
COLLEEN BRIDGER AND METRO HEALTH.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE UNDERTAKING THEY'VE HAD, BUT THE PLANS THAT THEY'RE LAYING OUT TOO, I THINK ARE, ARE VERY GOOD SOLID FOR HOW WE SHOULD BE MOVING FORWARD.
UM, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT I THINK REALLY STANDS OUT THAT WE NEED TO BE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF IS, IS VIOLENCE PREEN, UH, PREVENTION.
I THINK ALL OF US RECOGNIZE THE MORE WE CAN DO TO HELP REDUCE THE, UH, THE, THE VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, THROUGH PREVENTION AND EDUCATION AND SUPPORT THAT HELPS PEOPLE FEEL BETTER ABOUT WHERE THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY CAN DO WITH THEIR LIVES IS CRITICAL IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, AND SO, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE FOCUSING MORE, UH, RESOURCES ON THAT.
UH, ANOTHER CONCERN THAT, UH, ALL OF US SHARE IS THE HOMELESSNESS.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I'D, I'D LIKE TO GET JUST A, AN UPDATE ON SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THAT TO HELP ME UNDERSTAND IT A LITTLE BIT BETTER AS I LOOK THROUGH THIS.
I THINK I'D LIKE, AND, AND MAYBE MANY OF, MANY OF US WOULD LIKE TO KNOW EXACTLY HOW MANY PEOPLE THERE ARE AT, UH, HAVEN FOR HOPE FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS, AND MAYBE AN UPDATE ON HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE PROGRESSING THROUGH HAVEN AND GETTING BACK OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY OVER, UH, AN ANNUAL BASIS SO THAT WE CAN SEE THAT FLOW FROM HOMELESSNESS INTO, UH, YOU KNOW, BETTER LIVES FOR THEMSELVES.
UH, AND THAT INCLUDES KNOWING HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE USUALLY IN A COURTYARD.
'CAUSE I BELIEVE THE LAST COUNT THAT WE SAW SHOWED SOMETHING LIKE 2,900 HOMELESS PEOPLE.
AND, UH, I, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IF THAT INCLUDES ALL THE FAMILIES AND FAMILY MEMBERS LIVING AT HAVEN, ALL THE ONES GOING THROUGH THEIR PROGRAMS FOR REHABILITATION AND, AND HOUSING AND, AND JOBS, AND, UH, AS WELL AS THE PEOPLE IN THE COURTYARD, AND AS WELL AS ALL THE PEOPLE WHO NEVER GO IN A COURTYARD WHO IS SLEEPING IN THE DOORSTEPS OF BUILDINGS AND OFFICES.
[02:20:01]
THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.AS A MATTER OF FACT, I SENT TO MELODY A, A REQUEST FROM THE PRINCIPAL AT CHURCHILL HIGH SCHOOL TO SEE IF THERE'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO ABOUT A GROWING HOMELESS POPULATION RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM THERE.
SO I THINK, UH, ANOTHER UPDATE ON THAT, AS WE LOOK AT THE BUDGET FOR THAT, UH, WOULD BE IN ORDER.
AND I, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT AND HAVE IT SHARED WITH ALL OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
OBVIOUSLY, FROM WHAT WE'RE HEARING TODAY, FROM WHAT WE'RE OFFERING OR, OR PLANNING TO DO AS A CITY, THERE ARE HUGE NEEDS ALL OVER THE CITY, AND THERE'S LARGE, LARGE SEGMENTS OF OUR POPULATION THAT HAVE NO NEED, HAVE THOSE NEEDS.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE CARES ACT HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF ALL OF IT.
AND WE, WITH OUR, OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET, CAN'T TAKE ALL OF IT.
AND, UH, I THINK WE'RE DOING A, A PRETTY GOOD JOB WITH THE LIMITED RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE.
UM, BUT I'LL CONTINUE TO CLOSELY EXAMINE, UH, THESE ITEMS AS, AS THEY'RE BROUGHT TO US.
WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE A LOT OF TIME TO LOOK AT ALL THOSE DETAILS BEFORE THESE MEETINGS.
BUT SO FAR, I WANNA SAY I'M PRETTY SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT I'VE HEARD ON THESE ISSUES AND, AND, UH, SO I APPRECIATE THE REPORTS AND LOOK FORWARD TO LOOKING AT 'EM MORE AND CONTINUING TO SEE THE PROGRESS OUR DEPARTMENTS ARE MAKING AT THIS TIME.
UM, MELODY ON THE HOMELESS, LET'S JUST STAY IN THAT, THAT CATEGORY THERE.
OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN ASKING THE QUESTION, HOW MUCH MONEY ARE WE REALLY GETTING HERE IN SAN ANTONIO? AND IT'S RANGED ANYWHERE FROM $50 MILLION TO $80 MILLION, UH, DOLLARS COMING INTO SAN ANTONIO, WHETHER THE FEDERAL, STATE, OR LOCAL LOCAL FUNDS, I'M STILL ASKING THAT QUESTION.
HOW MUCH ARE WE REALLY GETTING? AND WHERE IS THAT MONEY GOING TO? I STILL SEE A LOT OF DIFFERENT AGENCIES THAT ARE, ARE, UM, SERVING THE HOMELESS, INCLUDING DELEGATE AGENCIES, MORE THAN ONE THAT, UH, I, I THINK WE CAN STILL DO SOME COORDINATION BETWEEN THOSE AGENCIES AND BETTER USE, UTILIZE THAT NEED TO PROVIDE MORE AND BETTER SERVICES ACROSS, ACROSS THE WHOLE SPECTRUM FOR, FOR THE HOMELESS.
AND I MEAN, WHETHER YOU USE A 50 OR $80 MILLION, UH, FIGURE, UH, THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR 28 OR 2,900 PEOPLE IS, TO ME, THAT'S STAGGERING.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF A LOT OF THAT MONEY IS GOING TO, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS OR, UM, YOU KNOW, SINCE IT'S SPREAD ACROSS A LOT OF DIFFERENT MULTIPLE AGENCIES, THERE'S DUPLICATION THERE.
UH, AND WE GOT TOO MANY STOVEPIPE, UM, ORGANIZATIONS.
WE, WE SHOULD LEVEL THAT AND FLATTEN THAT AND HAVE MORE CROSS CROSS SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE.
SO I'M STILL CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
I, I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY MOVEMENT IN THAT DIRECTION.
AND I KEEP ASKING THAT SAME QUESTION YEAR AFTER YEAR THAT THIS IS A, A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY, AND NOW WE'RE SPEND, WE'RE PUTTING MORE MONEY INTO THE, UH, HOMELESS, UM, HOMELESS ISSUES HERE THROUGH OUR OWN BUDGET AND THROUGH THE CARESS ACT.
SO I, I'M, I'M JUST STILL CONCERNED ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY WE'RE, WE'RE ACTUALLY, UH, GETTING AND SPENDING ON THIS PROGRAM.
UH, I, I GOT TO SAY THAT, UM, OUR, OUR, UH, PERSON THAT WE HIRED HERE A COUPLE YEARS AGO WAS VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING THE HELP TO THE INDIVIDUALS ACROSS DISTRICT 10.
UM, HOWEVER, IT DIDN'T SOLVE ALL THE PROBLEMS, BUT THERE WAS PROGRESS BEING MADE.
AND I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT THIS, THIS PROGRAM IS GONNA BE DUPLICATED ACROSS THE DIFFERENT DISTRICTS.
UH, AND THIS PROBLEM IS CONTINUING TO, UM, GROW RIGHT NOW WITH THE, UH, THE VIRUS OUTBREAK.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO TRY TO, TO DEAL WITH THAT IN SOME SHAPE, FORM, OR FASHION.
BUT, UM, AGAIN, I, I, I JUST THINK THAT THERE'S SOME, SOME WAYS TO COMBINE.
AND I MEAN, THAT, THAT'S JUST MONEY COMING HERE TO SAN ANTONIO THAT'S NOT COUNTING ALL THE DIFFERENT AGENCIES, AS COUNCILMAN KAIA SAID, UH, FAITH-BASED AGENCIES AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT EVEN COUNTING WHAT THEY'RE PUTTING INTO THIS PROGRAM.
THAT'S NOT COUNTING OUR S A P D SUPPORT THAT'S GOING OUT THERE AND, UH, SUPPORTING, YOU KNOW, HELPING TO CLEAN UP HELP POLICE, UM, THOSE AREAS THAT THEY'RE GETTING A LITTLE BIT TOO AGGRESSIVE WHERE THE ENCAMPMENTS ARE, ARE SPREADING AND CAUSING ISSUES LIKE FIRES, UH, HEALTH CONCERNS, UH, HAZARDS IN THE, THOSE AREAS BUILT.
AND I, I BROUGHT IT UP AT A MEETING HERE.
IT WAS A SAFETY MEETING, UH, THAT WE
[02:25:01]
HAD, GOSH, THAT WAS ONE OF THOSE REMOTE MEETINGS, UH, COUNCILWOMAN HAVER.I DON'T RECALL WHICH LOCATION THAT WAS.
BUT ANYWAY, I BROUGHT UP ABOUT THE ISSUE OF THESE ENCAMPMENTS AND THE COSTS THAT BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS ARE HAVING TO GO THROUGH TO CLEAN UP THESE ENCAMPMENTS.
I WAS AMAZED THAT, UH, I HAD A PLACE ON, ON, UH, ON, UM, ON 35 THAT IT COST THEM $10,000 TO CLEAN UP AN ENCAMPMENT THAT HAD BECOME AN ISSUE THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW WAS THERE AT FIRST.
BUT WHEN THEY BECAME AWARE, YEAH, THEY HAD TO SPEND $10,000 TO, TO CLEAN UP THAT AREA, BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HAZARDOUS WASTE NEEDLES, ALL KIND OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT, UM, BUILD UP IN THESE AREAS.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
HOW CAN WE, HOW CAN WE HELP, UM, DO THAT AS WELL TO HELP DEFRAY SOME OF THOSE COSTS THAT, UH, ARE BUILDING UP IN THERE.
THOSE AREAS, AND I KNOW WE DO GET OUT WITH OUR OWN IN, IN, UH, HOUSE SERVICES TO CLEAN UP, BUT NOT IN ALL THESE AREAS.
NOT ON, NOT ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, THAT'S MOSTLY IN LIKE DRAINAGE WAYS AND CREEKWAY, THAT KIND OF THING.
BUT WHEN IT'S ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, THAT'S, THAT'S PUTTING A BIG BURDEN ON THOSE, THOSE OWNERS FOR THAT PROPERTY.
SO I'M STILL CONCERNED ABOUT THE OVERALL PROGRAM.
AGAIN, I'M GLAD TO SEE THE INDIVIDUALS BEING ASSIGNED TO THE DIFFERENT DISTRICTS.
BUT TO SAVE MONEY, IT'S NOT GONNA SAVE MONEY.
I MEAN, I, I THOUGHT THAT WE COULD SAVE MONEY BY HIRING, YOU KNOW, I PUT IT IN THE BUDGET AND WHAT WAS IT THREE YEARS AGO, TO ACTUALLY HIRE THIS INDIVIDUAL.
AND I THOUGHT THAT WOULD SAVE, UH, POLICE TIME BY THEM NOT HAVING TO RESPOND.
WELL, THAT'S NOT TRUE, BECAUSE THE SAFE OFFICERS WERE STILL HAVING TO RESPOND WITH THE INDIVIDUAL BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WANNA PUT HER IN A, IN AN UNSAFE SITUATION, GOING INTO THESE ENCAMPMENTS AND APPROACHING INDIVIDUALS OUT THERE THAT NEEDED THE HELP.
SO IT, IT WAS, IT WAS A COST ON TOP OF WHAT WAS ALREADY BEING DONE BY, BY THE SAFE UNITS AND, UH, TRYING TO HANDLE THOSE ISSUES.
SO THERE'S STILL A LOT OF OPEN ISSUES IN MY MIND ON THE OVERALL PROGRAM.
HOW CAN WE BETTER COORDINATE BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT AGENCIES TO INCLUDE THE DELEGATE AGENCIES THAT WE FUND ON A YEARLY BASIS? AND THEN, UH, HOW DO WE WRAP IN ALL OF THESE FAITH-BASED AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE THAT ARE, THAT ARE PROVIDING SUPPORT.
SO, I, I LOOK FORWARD TO SOME ANSWERS AND SOME, UH, UH, SOME RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHAT WE CAN DO TO BETTER, BETTER USE THAT MONEY AND BE MORE, UM, GETTING THE HELP OUT TO THE FOLKS INSTEAD OF DUPLICATING THOSE SERVICES, PARTICULARLY WITH THE ADMINISTRATION OF, OF THOSE, THOSE AGENCIES.
SO ANYWAY, UH, THOSE, THOSE ARE, THAT'S THE AREA THAT I'M STILL CONCERNED ABOUT AND HOPE THAT, UH, WE CAN WORK TO SOLVE SOME OF THOSE ISSUES.
UH, WE'LL GO NOW TO, UH, BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ.
UM, YOU KNOW, MARY DIDN'T HAVE ANY OTHER, UH, ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
UM, IF THERE IS NOBODY ELSE, LET ME JUST, UH, CLOSE UP.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I DO, I, I DO SEE A NUMBER OF OUR METRO HEALTH STAFF, UH, THAT ARE ON THE CALL WITH US TODAY.
AND, AND I DON'T THINK WE CAN, UH, WASTE AN OPPORTUNITY TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR HERCULEAN WORK OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE BEEN PUTTING, UH, 24 HOUR DAYS IN SOMETIMES SEVEN DAYS A WEEK FOR MONTHS AT A TIME.
AND, AND BELIEVE ME, THAT, THAT THAT WORK HAS NOT GONE UNNOTICED.
AND WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR EFFORTS TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
UM, AND, UH, LET ME ALSO JUST REPEAT WHAT I SAID EARLIER ABOUT THE RESOLUTION.
I'M GLAD IT'S GOING BEFORE THE COUNCIL AND, UH, THANK YOU.
THE COMMUNITY HEALTH AND EQUITY COMMITTEE FOR, UH, WEIGHING INTO IT AND PROVIDING SOME ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE FOR US.
UM, EVERY TIME WE PUT A RESOLUTION LIKE THIS FORWARD, ESPECIALLY THE ONES WITH, UH, THESE PRETTY HIGH I HIGH MINDED IDEAS, THERE'S ALWAYS A CONCERN THAT'LL JUST END THERE.
UH, BUT I THINK THE, THE PATH THROUGH THE COMMITTEE, UH, REINFORCES THE FACT THAT WE DON'T WANT IT TO BE JUST A SYMBOLIC ACT.
UM, VERY SIMILAR TO, UH, THE, THIS COUNCIL SUPPORT OF THE COMPASSIONATE CITY CHARTER.
WE DIDN'T WANT IT TO BE JUST A SYMBOLIC ACT.
WE BUILT ON THAT POLICY, UH, WHICH IN REINFORCED OUR WORK ON HOUSING SECURITY, ON EQUITY, BUDGETING ON WORK, LIKE THINGS, UH, LIKE THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.
[02:30:01]
SPRINGS FROM THAT.AND SO I HOPE THAT THIS IS IN THE SAME WAY, A, A FOUNDATIONAL MOMENT FOR THE COUNCIL.
IN FACT, UM, JADA, THE, THE, THE, THE RESOLUTION ITSELF REMINDS ME, UH, AND TAKES ME BACK TO THE B SESSION IN WHICH WE HAD DR.
RENAN, UH, FOR THE FIRST TIME BRIEF, THE COUNCIL ON THE ORIGIN OF, UH, SOME OF OUR GREATEST HEALTH DISPARITIES IN THE CITY, WHICH POINTED BACK TO OUR REDLINING POLICIES, UH, MANY GENERATIONS AGO.
IF THERE IS, UH, SOMEONE WHO'S TRYING TO, WHO'S SCRATCHING THEIR HEAD ABOUT WHAT IS THE LINK BETWEEN PUBLIC HEALTH AND RACISM, WE JUST NEED TO LOOK AT REDLINING POLICIES IN OUR OWN CITY THAT TRACK TO THE VERY REAL HEALTH DISPARITIES THAT WE SEE EVEN TODAY.
AND SO THE OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSCORE THAT AND CONTINUE TO BUILD POLICY FROM IT, I THINK IS ONE THAT, UH, IS A LONG TIME COMING.
AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU AND COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL AND THE COMMITTEE HAVE BEEN DOING ON THIS TO BRING IT FORWARD TO US.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER VERAN FOR, UH, STAYING ON TOP OF THE HEALTHY CORNER STORES INITIATIVE.
UH, IT WAS TALKED ABOUT IN CONCEPT IN OUR ESSAY TOMORROW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, BUT IT'S BECOME REAL AND, AND, AND MUCH MORE ROBUST IMPACT THAN WE COULD HAVE EVEN IMAGINED, UH, BY THE PILOT THAT WAS IN DISTRICT THREE.
AND SO I'M GLAD THAT IT'S BEING EXPANDED TOO.
BRIDGER, I'M, I'M ON BOARD TO GET IT INTO DISTRICT SIX AS FAST AS WE CAN.
UH, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE IT, UH, IN ALL THE DISTRICTS, AND I KNOW RESOURCES ARE, UH, WHAT'S ONLY HOLDING US BACK THERE, BUT ANY GUIDANCE YOU CAN GIVE ON US, UH, FOR US TO ACCELERATE THAT, I'M, I'M ON BOARD.
UM, I JUST HAD ONE, UM, OVERALL QUESTION, AND I'M NOT SURE, UM, WHO REALLY IS THE PERSON TO ANSWER IT, BUT, YOU KNOW, OUR BUDGET PRESENTATIONS, FORGET THE FACT THAT WE'RE VIRTUAL RIGHT NOW, BUT OUR BUDGET PRESENTATIONS HAVE EVOLVED OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS.
AND AT ONE TIME, THE FOCUS OF OUR PRESENTATIONS WERE THESE MEASUREMENTS, UH, THINGS LIKE, UM, RESPONSE TIMES IN THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS, AND, YOU KNOW, LOTS OF NUMBERS TO SHOW HOW MUCH IMPACT WE'RE GETTING.
WE'RE WE'RE TRYING TO ILLUSTRATE THE IMPACT OF OUR INVESTMENTS IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SA 2020 AND OTHERS HAVE RIGHTLY SAID THAT, UM, SIMPLY GOING BY THESE QUANTITATIVE MEASUREMENTS IS A NOT REALLY A GOOD WAY OF ILLUSTRATING THE IMPACT OF OUR INVESTMENTS.
UH, INSTEAD WE'RE FOCUSED ON OUTCOMES.
AND THAT'S, IT'S, IT'S ABOUT HOW WE'RE CHANGING THE TRAJECTORY OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND THAT'S NOT EASILY MEASURED BY THINGS LIKE RESPONSE TIMES.
SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, WHAT ARE WE EXPECTING IN TERMS OF REPORTING BACK TO THE COUNCIL OUTCOMES AS IT RELATES TO THE EQUITY BUDGETING TOOL? WHAT, WHAT SHOULD WE BE LOOKING FOR, UH, IN TERMS OF THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR SOME OF THESE, UH, BIGGER IDEAS? AND, AND IN PARTICULARLY, UH, IN PARTICULAR, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE VIOLENCE PREVENTION DIVISION THAT'S BEING CREATED, THINGS LIKE THAT.
WHAT SHOULD WE BE LOOKING FOR? I'LL, I'LL ANSWER THAT, MARY.
YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR BUDGET EQUITY TOOL HAS CHANGED EVERY YEAR.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, THE WORK, DAN, UH, AND THE GROUP DID ON THIS'S EQUITY TOOL, AND AS, AS, AS YOU SEE EACH OF THESE DEPARTMENTAL PRESENTATIONS, IT REALLY FOCUSED ON THE WORK PLAN OF THE DEPARTMENT FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND, AND INCORPORATING, UH, EQUITY INTO BASIC ELEMENTS, WHETHER IT'S HUMAN SERVICES OR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
YOU, YOU'RE LOOKING AT ACTUAL EXAMPLES, UH, HOW WE'RE INCORPORATING IT INTO, UH, HOW WE OPERATE.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, AFTER GOING THROUGH THIS EQUITY BUDGET OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST MEANINGFUL EFFORTS BECAUSE IT'S NOT TIED TO AN INVESTMENT OR AN IDEA.
UH, EVERY DEPARTMENT IN Z WORKED WITH EVERY DEPARTMENT TO DEVELOP, UH, AND INCORPORATE IT WITHIN THE WORK PLAN OF THE DEPARTMENT.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK, I THINK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UM, UM, DISPARITIES, UH, THAT HAVE HAPPENED OVER GENERATIONS, UM, ONE OF THE BIGGEST HURDLES THAT WE HAVE TO CLIMB AS AN ORGANIZATION IS MAKING SURE THAT IT'S INCORPORATED WITHIN THE THINGS WE DO AND HOW WE DO IT.
AND, AND THOSE THINGS ARE A LOT MORE, UH, MEANINGFUL, UH, THAN DOLLARS.
UM, IF WE CAN START TO IMPACT PRACTICES AND CULTURE, UH, THEN, THEN THAT'S GONNA BE A LOT LASTING AND WE'LL, YOU KNOW, FRANKLY, UH, UH, UH, LAST LONGER, UH, AND RIDE THE UP BUDGET UPS AND DOWNS THAT WE WILL INVARIABLY SEE.
[02:35:01]
UM, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THAT FOCUSING ON OUTCOMES AND, AND WE, WE, WE KIND OF HAVE THE SAME CONVERSATION EVERY YEAR, BUT I THINK IT'S BECOME EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THIS YEAR, ESPECIALLY AS PEOPLE TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE RE-IMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOW WE ARE, UH, SUPPOSED TO BE EFFECTIVELY, UH, ALLOCATING RESOURCES WITHIN OUR POLICE BUDGET.UM, IF UNLESS WE'RE FOCUSED ON AN OUTCOME, WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE, THE NUMBERS AND THE DISCUSSIONS ARE, ARE ARBITRARY AND ONLY POINTED AT CHECKING A BOX.
AND I KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT WHERE THE DISCUSSION ORIGINATES.
IT'S ABOUT CLOSING GAPS AND DISPARITY.
UM, IT'S ABOUT, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZING THAT NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH, WITH, UM, EDUCATION ATTAINMENT, BUT THAT IT'S UNEQUAL, UH, AND IT'S INEQUITABLE ACROSS THE CITY, AND HOW CAN WE NARROW THOSE GAPS.
AND SO, UM, I GUESS WHAT I WOULD, WHY WOULD, WHAT I WOULD ASK IS THAT WE FIGURE OUT A WAY THAT WE CAN START WORKING MORE DIRECTLY WITH THE EQUITY OFFICE TO IDENTIFY WHAT THOSE OUTCOMES ARE SO THAT WE'RE PREPARED TO SEE THEM, UH, AND REPORT BACK TO THE COMMUNITY ON THEM.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS EARLY AS, AS WE CAN, MAYBE IT'S THE, MAYBE IT'S A MIDYEAR BUDGET ADJUST BUDGET ADJUSTMENT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, THESE NEW, NEW WAYS OF, UH, MEASURING OUR SUCCESS.
AND, AND I GUESS AS WE GO THROUGH THIS COUNCIL WORK SESSION PERIOD FOR THE PROPOSED BUDGET, IF THERE ARE IDEAS OR ADJUSTMENTS THAT THE COUNCIL WANTS TO SEE, THEN NOW'S THE TIME TO HELP KIND OF CRYSTALLIZE WHAT THOSE OUTCOMES ARE.
AND IF WE NEED TO SHIFT, UH, IN ORDER TO, TO, UH, IDENTIFY THOSE THINGS.
YOU KNOW, I, I, YOU KNOW, FRANKLY, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT TYPE OF FEEDBACK EITHER DO THESE WORK SESSIONS ARE OFFLINE SO WE CAN MAKE THE NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE I PROMPTED A QUESTION, UH, UH, BEFORE WE WRAP UP FROM COUNCIL MEMBER GROM, BUT BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO HER AND WE WRAP UP, UM, I, I DID HAVE A QUESTION I ALREADY ASKED IT TO, UH, OF YOU, ERIC.
UH, IF, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER NOW, WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT OFFLINE.
BUT I AM INTERESTED IN, UM, THE VE VERE INSTITUTE, AMERICAN GATEWAYS, UH, PROGRAM THAT WE WERE INVOLVED WITH STARTING IN 2017, AND THE IMMIGRATION SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDED THROUGH, UH, THOSE MATCHED FUNDS.
UM, SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT AT A, AT A LATER DATE.
MEL, DO YOU HAVE AN ANSWER TO THAT? YOU'RE ON MUTE NOW.
RIGHT? SO WE CONTINUE, AND THIS, UM, BUDGET INCLUDES $150,000 FOR LEGAL SERVICES, UM, THAT WOULD GO THROUGH AMERICAN GATEWAYS AND RAICES.
UM, WELL IT'S, IT'S YEAR THREE OF OUR FUNDING.
UM, WELL ACTUALLY LAST YEAR WAS YEAR THREE, BUT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T ISSUE AN R F P, THOSE CONTRACTS ARE EXTENDED.
SO THEY WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE R F P FOR FISCAL YEAR 22 AND 23, THOSE FUNDS.
AND THEN WE WOULD, WE WOULD GET NEW RFPS.
UH, AND UH, GREAT JOB AGAIN TO, UH, OUR STAFF COUNCIL MEMBER
JUST QUICKLY, UM, ERIC, FOR DIRECTION I WOULD BE IN SUPPORT OF EXPANDING THE HEALTHY CORNER STORE, AT LEAST TO ONE STORE IN DISTRICT SIX WITH THE EDGE IN, WITHIN SPECIFICALLY THE EDGEWOOD AREA THAT IS NEEDED.
UH, I AM, UH, AND IF YOU NEED TO FIND PLACES TO LOOK AT IT, LOOK AT THE POLICE BUDGET AND SEE WHERE WE CAN MOVE SOME DOLLARS.
SO NOT NECESSARILY WITHIN, UM, THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER VERAN.
UM, WELL IT'S BEEN A GREAT DISCUSSION.
UH, THE TIME IS 4:44 PM ON THIS TUESDAY.
UM, AUGUST 18TH, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL SESSION IS NOW ADJOURNED.