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AND I WILL CALL THIS MEETING OF THE AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE MEETING TO ORDER A QUORUM IS PRESENT.
WE HAVE CHAIR TOBO JOINING US VIRTUALLY AND COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN IS HERE ALONG WITH ME ON THE DAY.
S THE FIRST ITEM WE HAVE IS PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
AND I JUST WANT TO DO A QUICK CHECK.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? NO ONE IS SIGNED UP.
[1. Approve the minutes of the Public Health Committee meeting on April 13,2022.]
ITEM IS THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM THE APRIL 13TH, 2022 MEETING.IS THERE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? THANK YOU, CASPER KITCHEN.
TOBO ANY DISCUSSION ALL IN FAVOR.
[2. Briefing and discussion on issues related to homelessness.]
ALL RIGHT.THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER TWO, A BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION ON ISSUES RELATED TO HOMELESSNESS.
AND WE HAVE OUR CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER DIANA GRAY WITH US WHO WILL BE DOING A PRESENTATION.
WHILE WE BRING THE PRESENTATION UP, UM, I WILL, UH, LET YOU KNOW THAT TODAY THE BULK OF THE PRESENTATION WILL BE DELIVERED BY AUDREY MONTH'S, WHO I BELIEVE IS PRESENT IN CHAMBERS, UH, THIS MORNING.
AND THE TOPIC OF OUR BRIEFING IS THE PROCESS WE HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH WITH PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT, UM, FROM THE FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT REGARDING THE MANAGEMENT OF HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS.
AS WE HAVE REPORTED PREVIOUSLY, WE STARTED THIS PROCESS IN THE FALL, YOU KNOW, REALLY RECOGNIZING THAT THERE WAS A VERY SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITY IN THIS REALM, BOTH RELATED TO ENFORCEMENT OF THE, UH, KEY, BOTH LOCAL AND STATE CAMPING ORDINANCES, AS WELL AS CLEAN UP OF ABANDONING CAMP MINTS, CLEAN UP AROUND EXISTING ENCAMPMENTS AND REALLY A NEED TO PROVIDE SOME INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT TO EASE THE COORDINATION BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS.
UM, AND TO CLARIFY REALLY WHAT THE PROCESS IS PARTICULARLY AROUND PRIORITIZATION.
SO, AS WE MOVE THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION, I'M GOING TO BRIEFLY DESCRIBE CURRENT STATE, UH, REPORTED ON THIS BEFORE, BUT GIVE SOME SENSE OF THE VOLUME OF WORK THAT IS OCCURRING ACROSS DEPARTMENTS.
AND THEN I'LL HAND IT OVER TO AUDREY MONTHS, UH, WHO WILL REVIEW OUR PROCESS, THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY COMING OUT OF THAT PROCESS, UM, PROVIDE A PROGRESS REPORT, KEY DELIVERABLES, UM, AND TIMELINE, AND THEN CERTAINLY ASKED FOR YOUR FEEDBACK ON THAT.
UM, BEFORE I MOVE ON, I JUST WANT TO, UM, TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK AUDREY FOR COORDINATING, UH, THIS PROCESS, AS YOU WILL HEAR, THERE ARE MANY, MANY STAKEHOLDERS IN THE PROCESS, AND SHE HAS JUST DONE A FABULOUS JOB OF LAYING OUT REALLY WHAT SOME OF THE PAIN POINTS ARE AREAS WE HAVE FOR POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENT AND GUIDING US THROUGH THE PROCESS OF, OF BUILDING A STRUCTURE THAT WE THINK, UH, WILL, WILL BE MUCH MORE EFFICIENT, UM, MOVING FORWARD NEXT TIME.
SO IN OUR ACTIVITIES RELATED TO, UM, PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT AROUND HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS, UH, WE HAVE OVER 10 DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE REGULARLY PARTICIPATING.
UM, THOSE INCLUDE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE TASKED WITH, UH, ACTUAL CLEANUP, UM, RELATED TO, UH, CLEARING SITES OR PROVIDING, UM, CLEANUP OF EXISTING SITES, CLEANING UP ABANDONED SITES.
UM, OF COURSE, AUSTIN, UM, POLICE DEPARTMENT RELATED TO THOSE SITES WHERE ENFORCEMENT IS OCCURRING AND, UM, SIGNIFICANTLY PARKS AND RECREATION, UM, AS THEY ARE THE LANDHOLDER ON WHICH MANY OF THESE SITES ARE LOCATED, UH, THERE ARE QUITE A FEW OTHER DEPARTMENTS WHICH AUDREY WILL, WILL, UH, GIVE A SUMMARY OF TOUCH OF DIFFERENT EFFORTS DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION.
UM, BUT THESE ARE FIVE DEPARTMENTS WHO ARE SPENDING AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF TIME AND EFFORT, UH, ON, UM, ON THESE INITIATIVES.
UH, WE STILL ARE IN, UM, A SCENARIO IN WHICH REQUESTS FOR SERVICE FAR EXCEED CAPACITY.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF ENCAMPMENTS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND OUR DEPARTMENTS ARE WORKING REALLY AT A CAPACITY TO RESPOND TO REQUESTS FOR SERVICES.
AND SO I'VE PROVIDED HERE, UM, SOME INDICATOR OF THAT VOLUME, THE THREE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE PARTICULARLY TASKED WITH THE CLEANUP, UM, OF REFUSE FROM ABANDONING CAMP MINTS, UH, WHEN THERE IS ENFORCEMENT AND, UM,
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FOLKS HAVE LEFT SOME OF THEIR ITEMS BEHIND, OR EVEN CLEANING UP, UM, AROUND SOME EXISTING ENCAMPMENTS, UM, FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY REASONS.AND SO WHAT I'VE PROVIDED HERE IS THE AVERAGE MONTHLY NUMBER OF SITES SERVICED AS WELL AS THE, UH, AVERAGE MONTHLY, UM, AMOUNT OF REFUSE THAT IS COLLECTED IN TONS.
SO ON AVERAGE BETWEEN AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY, PUBLIC WORKS AND AUSTIN WATERSHED, THAT IS 68 SITES, UH, AND AN AVERAGE MONTHLY, UM, TONNAGE OF 138 TONS.
UM, AGAIN, WE HAVE MANY OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE VISITING ENCAMPMENTS, UM, POTENTIALLY CARRYING OUT SMALLER CLEANUPS, ET CETERA, BUT I DO JUST WANT TO LAY OUT THAT THIS WORK HAS BEEN GOING ON, UM, IN A ROBUST MANNER.
AND SO THE PROCESS AND THE DISCUSSIONS THAT AUDREY IS GOING TO BE GIVING YOU AN OVERVIEW OF TODAY ARE NOT ABOUT STARTING THIS WORK, BUT RATHER CREATING A PROCESS AND AN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT ALLOWS US TO CLEARLY IDENTIFY WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE AND SUPPORT STAFF AS THEY MOVE THROUGH THE PROCESS WITH THAT, WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND I'LL HAND IT OVER TO AUDREY.
UM, SO AS DIANA MENTIONED, THERE IS AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF WORK ALREADY HAPPENING IN THE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT MANAGEMENT SPACE.
THEY'VE BEEN DOING THIS WORK FOR MANY YEARS, COLLABORATING IN PART ARE PARTNERING TO IMPROVE THE PROCESS, BUT GIVEN THE CHANGING LAWS OVER THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF, AS WELL AS THE ADDITIONAL CONSTRAINTS ON SOCIAL SERVICES, INCLUDING SHELTER, IT FELT LIKE AN OPPORTUNE TIME TO BRING TOGETHER THESE DEPARTMENTS AND LOOK HOW WE MIGHT BETTER COLLABORATE ACROSS THE CITY TO TAKE A WIDE APPROACH TO HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT MANAGEMENT.
AND SO THE HOMELESS STRATEGY DIVISION WITH THE SUPPORT OF THEN INTERIM ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER AND MORGAN TAPPED OUR OFFICE, THE FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT PERFORMANCE TEAM TO BEGIN FACILITATING THIS WORK IN NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR.
AND SO WE PULLED TOGETHER THE 15 MOST IMPACTED DEPARTMENTS TO TAKE ON THIS OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE AND STREAMLINE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT MANAGEMENT.
AND SO IN NOVEMBER, WE BEGAN PLANNING AND DISCOVERY WORK SO THAT WE COULD IDENTIFY THE MULTITUDE OF PAIN POINTS THAT DEPARTMENTS WERE EXPERIENCING IN HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT MANAGEMENT.
AND I'LL DISCUSS THOSE IN JUST A MOMENT.
WE THEN WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THE CURRENT STATE OF HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT MANAGEMENT.
SO SPENT SOME TIME MAPPING OUT THE PROCESS SO THAT WE COULD IDENTIFY WAYS THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY SIMPLIFY OR COLLABORATE BETTER AND BUILD A FUTURE STATE THAT WAS EASIER AND MORE EFFECTIVE.
AND SO TODAY I'LL BE SHARING WITH YOU THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME OUT OF THIS WORK AND DISCUSS A FEW OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE MOVING INTO THE PILOTING AND IMPLEMENTATION PHASE.
AND I DO JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE PARTICIPATING DEPARTMENTS THAT YOU SEE HERE ON THE SCREEN.
UM, THEY'VE BEEN INCREDIBLY ENGAGED IN THIS WORK, WHY THEY, WHY HAVE THEY, WHILE THEY HAVE CONTINUED TO DO THEIR WORK IN THAT FIELD? UM, SO IT'S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE EFFORT AND PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN A VERY HUMAN CENTERED APPROACH TO THIS WORK.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO ALL OF THE TEAM MEMBERS.
SO, UM, I THINK WE SKIPPED A SLIDE BACK, PLEASE.
UM, SO DURING WORKSHOPS AND DISCUSSIONS, DEPARTMENTS DID IDENTIFY NUMEROUS PAIN POINTS.
WE ALSO PULLED OUT A NUMBER OF PAIN POINTS WHEN WE MAPPED OUT THE CURRENT STATE OF THE PROCESS, YOU'LL SEE HER ON THE SCREEN, THE PAIN POINTS THAT WERE THE MOST COMMON THAT THEN DROVE OUR IDEATION AND GENERATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT I'LL SHARE WITH YOU IN JUST A MOMENT.
BUT IN THE CURRENT STATE OF THE PROCESS, THERE IS A LACK OF A UNIFIED CITY-WIDE APPROACH TO THIS WORK INFORMATION IS FLOWING INTO DEPARTMENTS FROM NUMEROUS SOURCES AND EACH IS MANAGING ITS RESPONSE AND PRIORITIZATION IN THEIR AREA OF EXPERTISE.
AND SO THE TEAM WANTED TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE APPLIED A CITY-WIDE LENS TO THIS WORK AND PRIORITIZE THOSE CAMPS THAT WERE PRESENTING THE HIGHEST RISK TO SAFETY AND HEALTH AT A CITY-WIDE LEVEL.
CURRENT STATE, LARGE CLEANUPS ARE EXTREMELY COLLABORATIVE IN NATURE.
HOWEVER MUCH OF THIS COLLABORATION IS HAPPENING THROUGH EMAILS, PHONE CALLS, MEETINGS, OR WITHIN, UH, UH, DEPARTMENT'S INTERNAL PROCESS.
AND SO THE TEAM SAW OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE THIS WORK MORE TRANSPARENT.
ADDITIONALLY, WHEN A CAMP IS CLEARED WITHOUT HOUSING AVAILABLE, THEN THAT DOES, UH, UM, THAT DOES CREATE A CYCLICAL NATURE TO THIS PROCESS WITH PERSONS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, MOVING TO PRIVATE OR PUBLIC LAND AND TRIGGERING THIS PROCESS FOR EITHER THE SAME DEPARTMENT OR ANOTHER DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY.
SO IN DESIGNING, UH, IMPROVED STATE, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE THOUGHT ABOUT FUTURE IMPACT OF CLOSURES.
AND AGAIN, TOOK ON THAT CITY-WIDE LENS WHEN CONSIDERING ACTION AND ADDITIONALLY, UH, DEPARTMENTS DID DESCRIBE ACCELERATED BURNOUTS ON CONTRACTS, AS WELL AS HAVING TO
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DIVERT STAFF TIME AND RESOURCES AWAY FROM OTHER PROJECTS OR ACTIVITIES TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS WORK.SO, AS WE DEVELOP A PROCESS THAT CITYWIDE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE USING OUR LIMITED RESOURCES IN THE MOST EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE WAY POSSIBLE.
AND HERE IN THE MIDDLE WAS THE BIGGEST PAIN POINT STAFF IDENTIFIED, WHICH WAS HAVING TO DISPLACE PEOPLE DURING DISCLOSURES VERSUS BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE SHELTER OR HOUSING.
WE DID DEEM THIS INSUFFICIENCY OF RESOURCES OUT OF SCOPE OF THIS PROJECT, AS THERE ARE OTHER TEAMS AND DEPARTMENTS WORKING ON INCREASING SHELTER AND HOUSING, AND WE WANTED TO STAY FOCUSED ON IMPROVING THE MANAGEMENT OF HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS AND RESPONSE TO THOSE ENCAMPMENTS WHILE WE AWAIT FOR THE, THOSE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES STAFF, UM, AS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS AND THE CYCLICAL NATURE OF THIS WORK DID DESCRIBE FEELINGS OF BEING BURNT OUT.
WE DO HOPE THIS CAN BE ALLEVIATED AT LEAST TO SOME EXTENT THROUGH THE CREATION OF MORE EFFICIENT PROCESSES, AS WELL AS BY CREATING CONSISTENCY THROUGH CITYWIDE PROTOCOL AND ADDITIONAL TRAINING FOR STAFF WITHIN THE TECHNOLOGY SPACE DEPARTMENTS ARE USING NUMEROUS DATA SYSTEMS WITH VARIOUS LEVELS OF MATURITY TO COLLECT INFORMATION ABOUT ENCAMPMENTS AND THEY'RE COLLECTING DIFFERENT TYPES OF DATA, SO DIFFERENT TYPES OF FIELDS, WHICH CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO GET A CITYWIDE PICTURE WITH THE CURRENT TECHNOLOGY THAT WE HAVE.
AND ALL OF THESE PAIN POINTS DO LEAD TO IT, BEING DIFFICULT, TO COMMUNICATE A CONSISTENT AND CLEAR MESSAGE TO THE COMMUNITY AND PERSONS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
AND SO WE'RE AWARE OF THAT AS AN ADDITIONAL PAIN POINT AS WELL.
AND SO, AS A RECAP OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME OUT OF THE DISCOVERY WORK AND IDEATION WORKSHOPS WITH THOSE 15 KEY DEPARTMENTS, THE TEAM DID FEEL THAT IT WAS KEY TO ACCOMPLISH THIS TOP RECOMMENDATION OF A CENTRAL RESPONSE STRUCTURE.
FIRST, AS IT WILL PROVIDE THE FRAMEWORK GUIDANCE AND OVERSIGHT THE TEAM TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THESE ADDIC ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH INCLUDE COORDINATED PRIORITIZATION AND RESOURCE DEPLOYMENT, A COMMUNICATION PLAN THAT CONSIDERS COMMUNICATING TO PERSONS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, THE PUBLIC, AS WELL AS BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS STANDARDIZED CITY-WIDE PROTOCOL THAT TACKLE SOME KEY ISSUES LIKE BIOHAZARD CLEANUP AND PROPERTY, A CENTRAL HUB FOR STAFF RESOURCES WHERE THIS CENTRAL STRUCTURE AND INFORMATION CAN LIVE AS WELL AS INCREASED STAFF TRAINING.
AND THEN FINALLY, A TECHNOLOGY SYSTEM THAT CAN TAKE A CITYWIDE LENS FOR TRACKING CAMPS, PRIORITIZATION, RESOURCES, AND RESPONSE.
WE CAN GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
AND SO I DO JUST WANT TO SAY, UM, AS WE CONTINUE TO MAKE PROGRESS ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS, I DO BELIEVE WE WILL BE ABLE TO MINIMIZE MANY OF THOSE PAIN POINTS THAT I SHARED EARLIER, BUT I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WITHOUT THE ROOT CAUSE SOLUTION OF HOUSING, THAT MANY OF THOSE PAIN POINTS, INCLUDING THE CYCLICAL NATURE OF THE WORK THAT TRAUMA OF REPEAT DISPLACEMENT FOR PERSONS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, FRUSTRATION FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND CHALLENGES MANAGING LIMITED RESOURCES WILL REMAIN TO, TO SOME EXTENT, BUT I AM, AM HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN IMPROVE THE PROCESS THROUGH THESE RECOMMENDATIONS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY AND THE WORK THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO.
AND SO NOW I'LL HIGHLIGHT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEN SHARE SOME KEY MILESTONES THAT WE'VE ACHIEVED IN THE LAST, UH, COUPLE OF MONTHS, WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON TWO OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WITH CROSS DEPARTMENTAL WORK GROUPS, TACKLING BOTH THE CENTRAL RESPONSE STRUCTURE, AS WELL AS THE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT MANAGEMENT PRIORITIZATION TOOL, WHICH SUPPORTS THE TRACKING AND PRIORITIZATION OF ENCAMPMENTS USING A CITY-WIDE LENS.
THE TEAM FELT THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO DO THIS PRIORITIZATION TOOL IN PARALLEL WITH THE SETUP OF THE CENTRAL RESPONSE TEAM, BECAUSE THIS TOOL WILL PROVIDE INSIGHTS INTO ENCAMPMENTS THAT SUPPORT DECISION-MAKING WITH A CITY-WIDE LENS.
AND SO AGAIN, TO REITERATE THE VALUE OF THIS CENTRAL RESPONSE STRUCTURE, IT ALLOWS US TO APPLY A CITY-WIDE LENS TO ENCAMPMENT RESPONSE SO THAT WE MAKE SURE TO PRIORITIZE, UH, PRIORITIZE RESOURCES TO ENCAMPMENTS THAT PRESENT THE HIGHEST RISK TO HEALTH AND SAFETY BY HAVING A CROSS DEPARTMENTAL TEAM, IT WILL SUPPORT CONSISTENCY AND ENCAMPMENT ACTION, AS WELL AS IMPROVED COMMUNICATION TO DEPARTMENTS.
I ALSO THINK AS IT BEGINS TO DO ITS WORK, IT WILL IMPROVE OUR COMMUNICATION WITH THE PUBLIC AND PERSONS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE A CLEAR STRUCTURE AND PROCESS FOR HOW WORK IS BEING DONE CITYWIDE.
SO THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE THUS FAR ON THIS RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE MISSION PRELIMINARY GOAL AND OBJECTIVE AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED.
I'LL SHARE THOSE IN JUST A MOMENT, AS WELL AS AN ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND GOVERNANCE FOR THAT TEAM, THE LEADERSHIP TEAM HAS BEEN UNDERWAY AND DEVELOPING THESE MISSION AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES.
UM, HOWEVER, THERE IS A DEPENDENCY ON THAT PRIORITIZATION TOOL TO ACTIVATE THE TEAM AS WE FULLY ENVISIONED,
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BUT WE ARE CONSIDERING THE TASKS OF THIS CENTRAL RESPONSE STRUCTURE COMPLETE.UM, AND THIS PHASE, WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE OUT THIS PHASE AND ACTUALLY ACTIVATE THE TEAM SUMMER WHEN THAT TOOL GOES, UH, IS IMPLEMENTED.
AND SO WE'RE REFERRING TO THE TEAM THAT CAME OUT OF THE CENTRAL RESPONSE STRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT AS A HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT RESPONSE TEAM.
IT IS A CROSS DEPARTMENTAL TEAM WITH THE MISSION OF PROVIDING A COORDINATED CROSS DEPARTMENTAL CITY RESPONSE TO ENCAMPMENTS THAT PRIORITIZES THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF ALL AUSTINITES AND STRIVES TO PRESERVE HUMAN DIGNITY AND RESPECT WITH THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES THAT EVERYONE EXPERIENCING UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS DESERVES TO BE TREATED WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT THAT EVERY EFFORT WILL BE MADE TO CONNECT INDIVIDUALS, EXPERIENCING UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS WITH AVAILABLE RESOURCES AND HOUSING, RECOGNIZING LIMITED AVAILABILITY WHEN DETERMINING INTERVENTIONS, THE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT RESPONSE TEAM, PRIORITIZES SAFETY AND HEALTH, WHILE ALSO CONSIDERING IMPACTS TO INFRASTRUCTURE, PROPERTY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT RECOGNIZES THAT THE PUBLIC SPACE THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY IS USED FOR A VARIETY OF PURPOSES AND SHOULD BE CLEAN AND ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, THE TEAM ALSO DEVELOPED A PRELIMINARY GOAL OF REDUCING THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF ENCAMPMENTS WITH THE ASSOCIATED OBJECTIVE OF REDUCING ACUITY OF ENCAMPMENT SCORES.
WE WILL UPDATE HOW EXACTLY THIS IS MEASURED AS WE PROGRESS FURTHER IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT PRIORITIZATION TOOL.
BUT IF WE'RE ACHIEVING OUR GOALS AND OUR STRATEGIES ARE WORKING, WE SHOULD SEE A REDUCTION IN THE ACUITY OF ENCAMPMENT SCORES TOWARDS THIS GOAL.
AS WE DO OUR WORK, AS THE TEAM MATURES, THERE'LL BE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, BUT WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND TRENDS AROUND ENCAMPMENTS AT THAT CITY-WIDE LEVEL, AS WELL AS WHAT WE CAN INFLUENCE AND REASONABLY TRACK PRIOR TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ADDITIONAL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.
AND SO, UM, THE TEAM WILL DEVELOP ADDITIONAL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES AS TIME GOES ON.
UM, HERE'S THE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT RESPONSE TEAM STRUCTURE MODEL, TO SOME EXTENT OFF OF AN INCIDENT COMMAND STRUCTURE.
EACH OF THESE TEAMS AND SECTIONS IS CROSS DEPARTMENTAL HAVING REPRESENTATIVES FROM SOME OF THOSE KEY DEPARTMENTS I SHOWED ON THAT EARLY SLIDE ON EACH OF THESE TEAMS, THE LEADERSHIP TEAM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ESTABLISHING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES AND SETTING LONG-TERM STRATEGY.
AND WE'LL REVIEW THE WORK OF THE SECTIONS BELOW, INCLUDING REVIEWING AND APPROVING CAMP PRIORITIZATION, RESPONSE AND OPERATIONAL PLANS.
THE PLANNING SECTION WILL MAINTAIN SITUATIONAL AWARENESS OF HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT, CITYWIDE, AND DEVELOP PRIORITIZATION PRIORITIZATION, AND RESPONSE PLANS THAT THEN CAN SIT UP TO THE LEADERSHIP TEAM FOR APPROVAL.
THIS TEAM, OR THIS SECTION WILL BE THE OWNER OF THAT ENCAMPMENT PRIORITIZATION TOOL AND USE THAT TOOL TO HELP GUIDE DECISION-MAKING ABOUT WHAT CAMPS SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED BASED ON RISK TO HEALTH AND SAFETY THAT'S CAPTURED AS PART OF THAT TOOL, THE OPERATIONAL AND LOGISTICS SECTION WILL BE ACTIVATED AS NEEDED WHEN A CAMP HAS BEEN SELECTED FOR CLOSURE AND WILL BE CHIEFED BY THE LAND, A SPOCK FROM THE LAND OWNING DEPARTMENT.
AND WE'LL WORK AGAIN WITH A CROSS DEPARTMENTAL TEAM TO DEVELOP OPERATIONAL PLANS, INCLUDING IDENTIFYING RESOURCE NEEDS AND COMMITMENTS THAT THEN GETS SENT UP TO THE LEADERSHIP TEAM FOR APPROVAL BEFORE THIS TEAM CARRIES THAT OUT.
AND FINALLY, THE POLICY SECTION WILL BE ACTIVATED AS NEEDED WHEN THE LEADERSHIP TEAM OR ANOTHER SECTION IDENTIFIES A GAP IN A POLICY OR PROCEDURE.
OBVIOUSLY IN THE SHORT TERM, THIS POLICY SECTION WILL HAVE A HEAVY LIFT AS THEY DEVELOP HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT CITY-WIDE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, INCLUDING CLOSURE PROTOCOL, BIOHAZARD, AND PROPERTY PROCEDURES.
SO THIS TEAM WILL BE, UM, SUPPORTED BY THIS HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT PRIORITIZATION TOOL, WHICH ALSO APPLIES THAT CITY-WIDE LENS TO ENCAMPMENT RESPONSE AND SUPPORTS CONSISTENT DATA CAPTURE ACROSS ENCAMPMENT CITYWIDE.
IT'LL HELP IMPROVE OUR UNDERSTANDINGS OF NEEDS, RISKS, AND TRENDS ACROSS ENCAMPMENTS BECAUSE ALL TEAMS WILL BE USING THE SAME TOOL IT'S MODELED USING THE HEEL PRIORITIZATION TOOL.
WE DIDN'T WANT TO START FROM SCRATCH.
THAT TEAM HAS ALREADY DONE INCREDIBLE WORK ON COLLECTING INFORMATION ABOUT HAZARDS WITHIN ENCAMPMENTS, AS WELL AS VULNERABILITIES.
AND SO WE HAVE UPDATED THAT TOOL SO THAT A SINGLE TOOL CAN MEET PRIORITIZATION FOR CLOSURE, BOTH WITH AND WITHOUT HEAL.
AND SO WE DIDN'T WANT THE TEAMS OUT IN THE FIELD HAVING TO USE TWO DIFFERENT TOOLS.
SO WE HAVE CREATED A SINGLE TOOL FOR BOTH OF THOSE.
UM, WE HAVE FI FINALIZED SCORING AND GOT A PREVIEW OF THE TOOL YESTERDAY FROM CTM AND WE'LL BEGIN TESTING NEXT WEEK.
SO T CTM IS SUPPORTING THE CREATION OF THIS TOOL AND WE'LL WORK TO REFINE IT OVER THE NEXT MONTH MONTHS, INCLUDING MAKING SURE TO ADJUST ANY QUESTIONS OR WEIGHTS TO MEET OUR NEEDS WITH AN ESTIMATED IMPLEMENTATION IN EARLY JULY.
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OF THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE THUS FAR AS I MENTIONED, WE'RE CONSIDERING THAT CENTRAL RESPONSE STRUCTURE PHASE COMPLETE, IT GOES HAND IN HAND WITH THE LAUNCH OF THE AR EXCUSE ME.THE LAUNCH OF THAT CENTRAL RESPONSE TEAM GOES HAND IN HAND WITH THE COORDINATED PRIORITIZATION AND RESOURCE DEPLOYMENT.
AND SO WE ARE CONSIDERING THAT UNDERWAY AND WE'LL BE BETTER ABLE TO DO THAT.
ONCE THAT TOOL IS IMPLEMENTED MIDSUMMER THE COMMUNICATION PLAN, WE HAVE NOT BEGUN TACKLING WITHIN THE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT PROCESS, BUT CPIO HAS ESTABLISHED A JOINT COMMUNICATION TEAM WITH OTHER PIOS TO COORDINATE INFORMATION ACROSS DEPARTMENTS.
AND APH HAS RECENTLY HIRED A PIO TO FOCUS ON HOMELESSNESS COMMUNICATIONS.
THE GROUP IS WORKING TO UNIFY MESSAGING, INCLUDING UPDATING THE WEBSITE TO HELP INFORM CITIZENS ABOUT WHAT THEY CAN EXPECT REGARDING THE CITY'S RESPONSE, THE STANDARDIZED PROTOCOL, A CITYWIDE PROTOCOL.
WE ARE GOING TO ACTIVATE THAT POLICY SECTION, UH, IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS TO BEGIN WORKING ON STANDARDIZED PROTOCOL, STARTING WITH THE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT CLOSURE PROTOCOL.
WE HAVE NOT BEGUN WORK ON THE CENTRAL HUB FOR STAFF RESOURCES WITHIN INCREASED STAFF TRAINING DEPARTMENTS ARE SHARING RESOURCES AND, UM, TRAINING HAS INCREASED IN SOME OF OUR PARTNER DEPARTMENTS.
AND THEN FINALLY THE TECHNOLOGIES RECOMMENDATION WE DO HAVE THAT SYSTEM FOR TRACKING CAMPS ON PRIORITIZATION IS THE TOOL THAT I HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING.
AND ONCE WE HAVE ITERATED AND WORKED THAT TOOL OUT, WE'LL THEN EXPLORE HOW WE CAN BETTER TRACK RESOURCES AND RESPONSE WITHIN THAT WITHIN A TECHNOLOGY SOLUTION AS WELL.
AND SO HERE'S OUR TIMELINE, YOU'LL SEE, WITHIN THE CENTRAL RESPONSE STRUCTURE THAT WE COMPLETED, THE TASKS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED WITHIN THE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT PRIORITIZATION TOOL, WE'RE WORKING ON DEVELOPING A DEPLOYMENT PLAN, AS WELL AS TRAINING MATERIALS FOR STAFF AS, AND TESTING IT WITH CTM TO MAKE SURE THE TOOLS CAN MEET ALL OF OUR MANY TEAM'S NEEDS.
AND THEN FINALLY, WITHIN PROTOCOL DEVELOPMENT, WE'LL START WITH AN OPERATIONS TEMPLATE PART ALREADY HAS AN OPERATIONS TEMPLATE THAT THEY USE.
SO IT CAN BE USED ACROSS THE CITY BY DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
AND THEN WE'LL WORK ON TACKLING THIS ENCAMPMENT CLOSURE PROTOCOL.
UM, THERE ARE SOME TOPICS LIKE PROPERTY THAT WILL TAKE US A LONG TIME TO, TO WORK THROUGH.
AND SO WE'VE GIVEN OURSELVES A LONG RUNWAY TO GET THROUGH THAT BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER WE PUT IN THE PROTOCOL THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY DO IN PRACTICE ACROSS DEPARTMENTS, CITYWIDE.
THANK YOU, MS. BONDS FOR THAT PRESENTATION COLLEAGUES QUESTIONS, CUSTOMER KITCHEN.
I'LL JUST ASK ONE OF ONE OF THEM AND THEN PASS IT ALONG AND THEN, OKAY.
SO, UM, THE FIRST THING THAT I WANT TO ASK IS I WANT TO UNDERSTAND, UM, HOW THIS, UH, FIRST OFF, LET ME SAY, THANK YOU.
I KNOW, I KNOW THIS IS NOT EASY WORK AND IT'S CERTAINLY NOT BEEN EASY WORK FOR ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS.
AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE EFFORT THAT IS GOING INTO, UM, GETTING, UH, GETTING MORE ORGANIZED, UM, ACROSS THE CITY IN TERMS OF RESPONSE.
UH, SO THE FIRST QUESTION I HAVE IS I WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW THIS WORK, UH, RELATES TO THE PLACEMAKING, UM, INTENT OR COMPONENT.
IT'S NOT INTENT, IT'S A COMPONENT OF HEAL.
AND I WANT TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT MANAGED, WHO MANAGES THAT ASPECT.
AND WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE HEAL INITIATIVE IS DESIGNED TO, UM, TO, YOU KNOW, IDENTIFY THE PLACES, YOU KNOW, USING THE PRIORITIZATION TOOL, UH, AND THEN WORK WITH PEOPLE, UM, LIVING IN THOSE PLACES TO, UM, CONNECT THEM TO SHELTER.
UM, AND THEN, BUT THE OTHER COMPONENT, THE LAST COMPONENT OF THAT IS, UM, IS, UM, DEALING WITH THE, UH, THE LOCATION AND MAKING CHANGES TO THE LOCATION.
UM, AND SO I WANT TO ASK WHERE IS THE CONVERSATION HAPPENING ABOUT PLACE-MAKING AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S FOR YOU OR FOR, UH, DIANA GRAY.
I THINK I CAN TAKE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, SO I WILL SAY THAT AS WE LAUNCHED THE HEAL INITIATIVE, OF COURSE, UM, THE LOCAL CAMPING ORDINANCE HAD NOT BEEN CHANGED.
UM, AND SO RATHER THAN, COULD YOU, I'M SORRY, I CAN'T QUITE HEAR YOU.
ARE YOU ABLE TO HEAR ME NOW? YES.
UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THE ADVENT OF THE CAMPING ORDINANCE, UM, RATHER THAN CLEARING A FEW ENCAMPMENTS AT A TIME WHERE WE'RE SERVICING HUNDREDS, AND SO IT HAS NOT BEEN PLAUSIBLE TO DO THAT WORK, UM, CERTAINLY IN ALL OF THE ENCAMPMENTS THAT ARE BEING SERVICED
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AND WOULD BE, UH, ADDRESSED THROUGH THIS PROCESS, UM, AND, AND REALLY THE DECISIONS AROUND, UH, WHAT TO DO POST RESOLUTION OF AN ENCAMPMENT, UM, HAVE MOVED TO THE LANDHOLDING DEPARTMENTS, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, BASED ON THEIR RESOURCES AND THEIR PRIORITIES, BECAUSE OFTEN THEY ARE LOOKING AT MULTIPLE SITES THAT MAY HAVE BEEN THE LOCATION OF AN ENCAMPMENT PREVIOUSLY.UM, I THINK WE CAN POTENTIALLY AT A LATER TIME, I WILL SAY THAT THE RESOURCE LANDSCAPE GIVEN THE SIGNIFICANTLY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE, GREATER NUMBERS OF ENCAMPMENTS BEING CLEARED, UM, IS SOMETHING THAT WE PROBABLY NEED TO REVISIT AND THINK ABOUT.
UM, I'M, I NEED A TIMELINE AND A, AND A METHOD TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
THE HEEL ORDINANCE, WHEN IT WAS PASSED, INCLUDED A, UH, AS A STEP AS THE LAST STEP, UH, WHAT I'M CALLING PLACEMAKING THAT MAY NOT BE THE RIGHT TERM, BUT IT WAS, IT WAS A, UH, COMPONENT THAT CLEARLY SAID THAT THE CONFIGURATION OF THOSE PLACES, UH, WOULD BE CONSIDERED IN POTENTIALLY CHANGED.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE A YEAR AND A HALF INTO HEAL.
AND SO I JUST NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHO IS IT THAT I NEED TO WORK WITH TO UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, OR THAT EFFORTS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN.
I KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME EFFORTS AROUND, AROUND SOME PLACES, BUT I'M NOT HERE WHEN I'M NOT HEARING IS A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO THAT.
AND I UNDERSTAND IF, YOU KNOW, MY IDEA WOULD BE THAT ALL THESE LOCATIONS WOULD BE THAT HEAL WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR ALL THESE LOCATIONS.
AND THAT'S A SEPARATE CONVERSATION THAT'S THAT I'VE MENTIONED.
AND OTHERS HAVE MENTIONED THAT WE NEED TO ACCELERATE THE HEAL PROGRAM.
UH, BUT THAT'S ANOTHER CONVERSATION AND IT HAS TO DO WITH SHELTERS AND OTHER KINDS OF THINGS IN TERMS OF RESOURCES.
BUT WHAT IS CONCERNING ME IS THAT WE'RE NOT EVEN DOING ALL ASPECTS OF HEAL RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE NOT ADDRESSING THE LAST PIECE.
SO, UM, I'LL LEAVE IT THERE, BUT, UH, PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHO I CAN TALK TO AND WHO'S IN CHARGE.
AND IF IT'S GOING TO BE HANDLED UNDER THIS STRUCTURE, THAT'S FINE.
I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHERE IT'S GOING TO BE HANDLED BECAUSE I'M NOT SEEING IT ANYWHERE IN THIS PRESENTATION.
IT'S NOT ANTICIPATED BEING HANDLED UNDER THIS STRUCTURE AT THIS TIME COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT I'M HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP.
WELL THEN WE CAN HANDLE IT UNDER WEATHER, WHATEVER STRUCTURE IS APPROPRIATE, BUT, UM, BUT I WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW IT'S BEING HANDLED.
UM, I'LL I HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL MOVE, LET OTHERS ASK.
AND ALSO WANTED TO NOTE THAT WE HAVE, WE ARE JOINED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, HARPER, MADISON, VIRTUALLY, AND MAYOR ADLER ON THE DEUS COLLEAGUES, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? YES.
I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION AND THE ORGANIZATION AND PULLING EVERYBODY TOGETHER.
CAUSE IT, IT WAS FEELING LIKE A LITTLE BIT LIKE WE'RE HAVING KIND OF, UH, UNCOORDINATED RESPONSE AS EVERYBODY WAS TRYING TO, TO, TO PUT OUT THE FIRE AS IT WERE, AND TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH IN THEIR AREAS.
AND I THINK THIS WILL HELP A LOT TO COORDINATE IT.
UM, I THINK THAT, THAT, UH, AS YOU WENT THROUGH THE PAIN POINTS, UH, WHICH ARE THE, THE BARRIERS FOR BEING ABLE TO GO OUT TOMORROW AND CLOSED DOWN ALL THE ENCAMPMENTS AND PUT EVERYBODY INTO A, UH, A PLACE THAT WILL HELP THEM STAY OFF THE STREETS AND OUT OF TENSE.
AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT SLIDES WE HAVE, BECAUSE THAT GOES TO WHAT THE COMMUNITY'S HEALING.
HOW DO WE GET FROM HERE TO THERE? UH, AND THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING AND THIS RESPONSE SETTING UP THIS ORGANIZATION BEGS THE QUESTION OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF THAT PAIN POINT, WHICH WAS THE, THE, THE, THE PEOPLE PAIN POINT IN THE INSUFFICIENT RESOURCES OR PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO GO.
UH, AND, AND AS SOON AS WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR THAT, I WOULD IMAGINE A LOT OF THE OTHER ISSUES GO AWAY.
THERE'S LESS TONNAGE IN THE CAMERAS.
THERE'S LESS ENCAMPMENTS, THERE'S LESS MOVING PEOPLE AROUND.
THERE'S LESS TAKING THEM FROM ONE PLACE, MOVING THEM, THEY SHOW UP SOMEWHERE ELSE AND HAVE THE SAME ISSUE SOMEWHERE, SOMEWHERE ELSE.
UM, AND YOU STARTED OFF THE PRESENTATION TODAY BY SAYING, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS PART OF YOUR PRESENTATION, BUT IT IS.
AND I UNDERSTAND THE STRUCTURE AND WHAT YOU'RE WORKING ON, WHICH I THINK IS
[00:30:01]
VERY MUCH DEEDED, BUT, YOU KNOW, FOR THE, FOR THE COMMUNITY, WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE WILL BE NO ANSWER TO THIS.THERE WILL BE NO DISAPPEARING ENCAMPMENTS.
THERE'LL BE NO, UM, THOROUGH AND EXHAUSTIVE PLACEMENT OF PEOPLE INTO HOMES UNTIL WE HAVE PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO BE.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT, UH, DIANA AND, UH, OTHER FOLKS, THE COUNTY ARE DOING TO, TO START PUTTING UNITS ON THE GROUND.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, WE COULD HAVE BEEN DOING THIS, YOU KNOW, YEARS AND YEARS AGO TO BUILD OUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE SO THAT WE HAD THAT INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE.
SO WE'RE NOW TRYING TO, TO CATCH UP, UH, BUT AT SOME POINT WE NEED A PRESENTATION AND I'D RECOMMEND, UH, MADAM CHAIR, MADAM VICE CHAIR, THAT WE HAVE A PRESENTATION THAT JUST REALLY SPEAKS TO WHAT IS THE ARC AND THE TIMEFRAME AND THE PROSPECTS FOR ACTUALLY HAVING THE UNITS AVAILABLE, UH, BECAUSE THERE'S A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF UNITS THAT ARE GOING TO BE COMING ONLINE OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS RELATIVE TO ANYTHING THAT WE'VE DONE BEFORE.
UH, AND THE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO BOTH SEE THAT THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT ALSO SEE THAT IT DOESN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT SO THAT THE COMMUNITY COULD HAVE A REALISTIC, UH, UH, ASSESSMENT.
UH, THIS COUNCIL INITIATED A LOT OF THAT WORK WITH OUR OFFICE PAD, THE COUNTY JOINED AND MATCHED US WITH THE ARPAD SPEND AND ORGANIZATIONS LIKE HAKA, REDIRECTED THEIR RESOURCES FOR THAT.
AND THERE ARE ASKS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY NOW, UH, THAT HOPEFULLY WILL GET US THAT LAST A HUNDRED MILLION OF THE 500 MILLION WHEN WE HAVE THAT, THEN WE'VE LAID OUT THAT PATH REALLY TO GET TO THAT, THAT SYSTEM BUILD OUT OVER THAT THREE-YEAR PERIOD OF TIME.
BUT I THINK PRESENTATION ON THAT.
SO, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S REALLY THE QUESTION.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE, ARE, ARE, ARE ASKING.
UH, AND I WOULD JUST COMMENT, THERE WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, MEDIA REPORTS HERE ABOUT SOME ENCAMPMENTS THAT WE NOW SEE UP IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY.
HAVEN'T QUITE FIGURED OUT YET HOW THE JUDGE THINKS THAT US OWNING A VACANT BUILDING HAS CREATED A CAMP MINT IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY, UM, BECAUSE US OWNING A BUILDING DOESN'T CREATE ENCAMPMENTS THERE, BUT THE TRUTH IS THERE ARE ENCAMPMENTS IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY TO, UH, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A CHALLENGE THAT IS JUST ONE IN AUSTIN, BUT IT'S A REGIONAL CHALLENGE.
UH, AND I HOPE THAT TO EVER GREATER DEGREE, WE ARE, WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS TO DEAL WITH OUR COMMON CHALLENGE OF, OF ENCAMPMENTS THAT EXISTS ALL OVER THE, UH, THE AREA.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THIS IS REALLY HELPFUL TO HAVE, UH, AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROCESS THAT YOU'VE BEEN UNDERTAKING, AND I AGREE THAT IT IS REALLY NECESSARY TO HAVE THIS KIND OF STREAMLINED APPROACH.
I HAVE A SERIES OF QUESTIONS, I GUESS MY FIRST IS, AS YOU LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THIS TEAM UP AND IN PLACE ARE THE CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE SUFFICIENT TO SUPPORT THE WORK.
YOU KNOW, I, MY GUESS IS THAT THIS INCREASED EFFICIENCY WILL, WILL REALLY HELP.
UM, BUT I KNOW THAT YOU'VE ALSO RUN INTO SOME LIMITATIONS WITH THE CONTRACTS.
UM, WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY IN ONE OF OUR CONVERSATIONS AT COUNCIL, I THINK, OR, OR AT OUR, ONE OF OUR PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEES TO TALK ABOUT THE ENCAMPMENT AND, AND BOLDEN CREEK AND WEST BOLDEN CREEK, THAT WAS PART OF HEAL AND INDIVIDUALS WERE CONNECTED WITH HOUSING, AND I BELIEVE MOST OF THEM MOVED INTO THAT HOUSING, BUT THERE WAS QUITE A LOT OF, UM, QUITE A LOT OF ITEMS LEFT BEHIND AND THE CONTRACT, THE CONTRACT E THE CONTRACTOR, SORRY.
UM, THE CONTRACTOR WAS NOT ABLE TO COME IN FOR MULTIPLE WEEKS AND IN THAT TIME THERE WAS ACTUALLY A FIRE IN THAT LOCATION.
SO WE'LL HOW, I GUESS THE, SO IT'S REALLY A QUESTION OF RESOURCES.
HOW MUCH WILL THIS STREAMLINED PROCESS REALLY HELP WITH EFFICIENCY? ARE WE STILL GOING TO BE FACING THE LIMITATION OF RESOURCES IN TERMS OF THE KINDS OF CONTRACTS WE HAVE FOR DOING THIS REALLY, REALLY CHALLENGING CLEANUP WORK? OKAY.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT IN AN I'LL INVITE AUDREY TO ADD TO IT, UM, BASED ON HER OBSERVATIONS? SO WE DO HAVE, UM, SEVERAL RESOURCES FOR, UM, PRENUPS THAT INCLUDES BOTH, UH, CITY STAFF THROUGH AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY,
[00:35:01]
FOR EXAMPLE, AND CONTRACTS, UM, THAT, UH, PUBLIC WORKS AND, UM, AND WATERSHED PROTECTION REPORT SAMPLE HOLD.UH, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE ARE ADDITIONAL STAFF THAT COME ON SITE, PARTICULARLY FROM THE LANDLORD HOLDING DEPARTMENTS.
UM, I DO THINK THAT WE WILL LIKELY SEE, UH, BASED ON THE UTILIZATION OF RESOURCES TO DATE, SOME NEED FOR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES IN THOSE CONTRACTS, BUT DEPARTMENTS ARE LOOKING AT THEIR RESOURCE ARRAY TO SEE WHETHER THERE ARE RESOURCES THEY CAN DRAW FROM OTHER PLACES TO SUPPORT THE WORK.
UM, I THINK THE OTHER PIECE THAT HAS BEEN CHALLENGING IS THAT PUBLIC WORKS WATERSHED, UM, AND, UM, ALSO RESOURCE RECOVERY, DEPENDING ON THE FUNDING SOURCE CAN USE THOSE CONTRACTS OR STAFF ONLY IN PARTICULAR PLACES.
SO OBVIOUSLY, AND SO I THINK THAT RESOURCE COORDINATION IS SOMETHING WE'RE REALLY HOPING TO IMPROVE THINK YOU'RE GOING OUT, UM, YOU KNOW, REALLY LOOKING AT THE CREWS THAT WE CAN USE IN A PARTICULAR LOCATION, UH, AND SEEING IF WE CAN ALLEVIATE, YOU KNOW, THE SITUATION THAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED, WHERE EITHER WE HAVE A SITE THAT A PARTICULAR TEAM NEEDS TO ADDRESS, OR THERE'S SO MUCH WORK BEING DONE ON A PREVIOUS SITE, THAT'S ALREADY UNDERWAY THAT WE HAVE A DELAY.
I WILL SAY THAT FOR THE MOST PART, WE HAVE NOT HAD A DELAY JUST BECAUSE OF THE REASON, UM, THAT YOU HAVE DESCRIBED NOT ONLY, UH, YOU KNOW, IN THAT CASE, UH, THE DANGER OF FIRE, BUT A REOCCUPATION.
SO IN MOST CASES, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO START BEING UP, YOU KNOW, THE DAY OF, OR THE DAY AFTER, UH, AN ENCAMPMENT CLOSURE.
AND THAT'S CERTAINLY ARTICLE THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, SO WATERSHED PROTECTION IS I REMEMBER, AND THEY WERE REALLY THE FIRST AS I RECALL, THE FIRST DEPARTMENT TO COME FORWARD TO COUNCIL WITH THIS IDEA OF HAVING, HAVING THESE CONTRACTS.
SO THEY'RE, THEY, UM, THEIR CONTRACTS ARE SPECIFICALLY FOR AREAS THAT TOUCH ON BODIES OF WATER IS PUBLIC WORKS.
I THINK YOU CITED THAT PUBLIC WORKS HAS SOME RESTRICTIONS AS WELL.
IS, CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THOSE ARE OR IF YOU COULD GET BACK TO US ABOUT THAT? I WAS INTERESTED IN KNOWING THAT, UM, THROUGHOUT IN PART OF THE PRESENTATION, IT WAS NOTED AS A GOAL TO RE RECRUIT REDUCED THE ACUITY OF SOME OF THE SITES.
MY SORT OF LAYPERSON'S TAKEAWAY ON THAT.
COULD YOU TELL US KIND OF WHAT THAT MEANS, OR DO YOU WANT TO TAKE THAT? YES.
UM, SO THAT, W WE'RE HOPING THAT IF WE TACKLE CAMPS THAT ARE THE HIGHEST RISK TO HEALTH AND SAFETY, THAT WE'LL SEE THE SCORES DECREASE OVER TIME, AND THAT THE TEAM HAVING THIS FULL CITYWIDE PICTURE CAN ALSO IDENTIFY OTHER STRATEGIES THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO REDUCE ENCAMPMENTS A ACUITY, IF A CLOSURE CANNOT HAPPEN FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME.
SO IF THERE'S A HIGH TRASH LOAD THAT ARR COULD GO AND DO SOME CLEANUP, UM, OR IF THERE'S WAYS TO, UM, FOR FIRE TO GO IN AND REDUCE FIRE RISK, THAT THERE'S OTHER STRATEGIES THAT COULD BE TAKEN, AND WE'RE STILL WORKING OUT EXACTLY WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE.
UM, AND WE'LL BE BETTER ABLE TO DEVELOP THAT STRATEGY.
ONCE WE HAVE THE DATA FROM A CITY-WIDE PERSPECTIVE AND HAVE SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL DETAILS THAT WE'LL BE COLLECTING IN THE TOOL THAT ISN'T CURRENTLY CAPTURED IN SOME OF THE PRIORITIZATION TOOLS FROM DEPARTMENTS.
AND I'VE, I'VE ONE LAST QUESTION.
UM, THIS TOOL AND THE CONVERSATION REALLY FOCUSES, UH, IT SOUNDS LIKE TO A LARGE EXTENT ON SOME OF OUR LARGER ENCAMPMENTS, CAN YOU HELP, UH, ADDRESS HOW NIMBLE THIS TEAM WILL BE AT RESPONDING TO, TO, UH, SMALLER POTENTIALLY EVEN JUST INDIVIDUAL ENCAMPMENTS, BUT THAT ARE TAKING PLACE IN, IN AREAS WHERE THERE NEEDS TO BE FULL LIKE ACCESS.
AND LET ME GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES, UM, AND COMES FROM THE CHILDREN'S ALLIANCE GARDEN, I'VE THAT FALLS WITHIN DISTRICT NINE.
WE'VE RECEIVED RECENTLY QUITE A FEW, QUITE A FEW COMMENTS ABOUT INDIVIDUALS CAMPING IN THAT AREA.
UM, INCLUDING SOMEBODY WHO WROTE IN OVER THE WEEKEND, JUST TO SAY THAT THERE WAS SOMEBODY CAMPING IN ONE OF THE CHILDREN'S TUNNELS, ONE OF THE TUNNELS THAT'S PART OF THE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT AT RICKY GUERRERO PARK THERE'S, UM, THAT IS THE PARK THAT, THAT HAS, UH, THAT HAS ALSO IN DISTRICT NINE.
IT SITS ALONGSIDE MEADOWBROOK DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS MAIN SPRING PRESCHOOL.
AND THERE'S A VERY NICE PARK WITH A WATER FEATURE OF SUDDENLY FORGOTTEN THE NAME OF THAT.
UH, AND THERE WERE, THERE WERE SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS CAMPING IN THAT AREA.
WHAT I, WHAT I HEAR AGAIN AND AGAIN FROM OUR COMMUNITY IS THAT IN, IN
[00:40:01]
THOSE CASES WHERE YOU HAVE VERY WELL USED PUBLIC ASSETS, THERE REALLY SHOULD BE A MORE IMMEDIATE RESPONSE.YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THE EXTENT TO WHICH THERE'S SIGNAGE IN SOME OF THOSE KINDS OF PLACES, OR, YOU KNOW, MORE IMMEDIATE EDUCATION OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE IN THAT AREA, THAT THIS IS NOT A PLACE THAT'S ALLOWABLE FOR CAMPING.
UM, BUT SINCE, SINCE THE PRESENTATION IS REALLY FOCUSING ON THOSE LARGER ENCAMPMENTS, CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND HOW THOSE, HOW THE EXAMPLES I'M DESCRIBING INTERFACE INTERFACE WITH THAT AND, AND HOW WE AS A CITY, UM, ARE GOING TO, TO RESPOND TO THOSE? SO FOR THE TOOL, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANT TO DO IS MAKE SURE TO HAVE A PROMPTING PAGE, IF IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS AN OBSTRUCTION TO ACCESS, LIKE OBSTRUCTING THE ACCESS OF A LIBRARY DIRECTLY ON AN AMENITY, THEN THAT ISN'T A CAMP THAT WILL BE SCORED THAT PROMPTS SOME ADDITIONAL ACTION AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PERSON, THE STAFF PERSON ON SITE THAT WOULD BE VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE FOR MOVEMENT, AND THEN ADDITIONAL STEPS IF VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE IS AND ACHIEVED.
BUT THAT THOUGH, AND THAT'S SOMETHING WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WORK INTO THE CITY-WIDE PROTOCOL, THESE KINDS OF THINGS THAT ARE NOT THAT'S, THAT WOULD BE IMMEDIATE ACTION FROM STAFF VERSUS A SCORING SITUATION THAT WOULD THEN BE FILTERED INTO A PRIORITIZATION FOR LATER ACTION.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT HAVING SEEN SOME OF THE LETTERS THAT GO OUT TO CONSTITUENTS, YOU KNOW, IT IS, UM, IT IS UNSATISFACTORY RESPONSE TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THAT THESE ARE WHERE WE HAVE A MATRIX AND WE'RE SCORING.
I MEAN, WHEN THERE ARE, WHEN THERE ARE, UM, SITUATIONS LIKE THAT, I THINK THEY WANT A MORE IMMEDIATE RESPONSE.
AND AGAIN, I THINK WE, I THINK, UH, IT WOULD JUST, IT WOULD, IT'S A BETTER STRATEGY TO KIND OF ADDRESS IT EARLY ON BEFORE, BEFORE THERE IS A LARGER ENCAMPMENT THERE.
SO HOW, HOW IS THAT THE CURRENT PRACTICE? WELL, NO, I GUESS HOW SOON WILL THAT BE, WILL THAT PART OF THE, THE PRACTICE KIND OF BE IN PLACE? SO WHAT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED TO ME BY PART, AND I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE, I HAVE ANY PART FOLKS HERE IS THAT IF THEY SEE SOMEONE THAT IS ON A PLAYGROUND OR OBSTRUCTING, UH, ENTRANCE, YOU KNOW, AT A LIBRARY, SAME SITUATION, THAT THEY WOULD FOLLOW THE STEPS THAT WE'RE GOING TO CAPTURE IN PROTOCOL THAT THEY WOULD ASK FOR THAT VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE RIGHT AWAY, AND THEN MOVE, UM, AND THEN MOVE TO ADDITIONAL ACTION IF VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE ISN'T ACHIEVED.
UM, I THINK THAT THE DIFFICULTY IS THAT IF SOMEONE IS ON A PLAYGROUND AND AN A PART PERSON, ISN'T THERE TO SEE THEM, UM, THAT SOMEONE MAY COME UPON A PERSON CAMPING ON THAT SITE PRIOR TO WHEN A STAFF COULD BE AT THAT SITE TO ASK FOR THAT VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE.
AND SO THAT I THINK IS A PIECE THAT WE WOULD, UH, CAN KIND OF THINK THROUGH.
AND I THINK, UH, IF I SHOULD, I SHOULD JUST CLARIFY, AND THEN I'M GONNA BE QUIET.
UM, IT SOUNDS, IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT IS THE PRACTICE, BUT THAT PART IS WOEFULLY UNDERSTAFFED PROVIDE THAT KIND OF OUTREACH.
AND SO I WOULD RAISE THIS TO THE ATTENTION REALLY OF THE TEAM, BUT ALSO OUR CITY MANAGER, THAT THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS ADDRESSING SINCE A LOT OF THESE INCIDENCES INSTANCES ARE HAPPENING ON PARKLAND, UM, REALLY NEEDS TO BE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR PART.
TOVO UM, I HAVE JUST A FEW QUESTIONS ON MY END TO ASK AS WELL, AND I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE PUBLIC KNOWS AND IS AWARE OF THE REVIEW THAT STAFF HAS UNDERTAKEN AND LOOKED AT IMPROVEMENTS THAT CAN BE MADE AND WILL BE MADE TO OUR PROCESS IN REDUCING HOMELESSNESS AND TRANSITIONING OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS INTO HOUSING.
UM, AND I APPRECIATE THE FOCUS ON CREATING A CENTRALIZED RESPONSE STRUCTURE, AS WELL AS DOING A, UM, IMPLEMENTING A PRIORITIZATION TOOL ACROSS THAT'D BE UTILIZED ACROSS ALL OF THOSE 10 PLUS DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE ENGAGED WITH, UM, WHEN THERE IS A, UM, A RELOCATION INVOLVED.
UH, ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT YOU CITED AS A PAIN POINT WAS INSUFFICIENT RESOURCES TO MEET THE NEED FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
UM, I WANTED TO ASK, UH, WHERE WE ARE IN OUR SHELTER BED CAPACITY.
I KNOW THAT, UM, A FEW MONTHS AGO WE WERE A LOT OF OUR, UM, SHELTERS WERE OPERATING AT HALF CAPACITY, UH, DUE TO COVID.
UH, I'M CURIOUS IF WE RECEIVED AN UPDATE ON THE EXPANSION OF THE AVAILABILITY OF THE SHELTER BEDS.
SO I, I SEE THAT EIGHT, UH, DIRECTOR STIRRUP IS ON THE LINE, AND I KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN CONVERSATIONS WITH THE MEDICAL AUTHORITY, UM, AND,
[00:45:01]
UM, THE SHELTERS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR THAT.UM, AND I BELIEVE SHE'S HAD THE MOST RECENT CONVERSATIONS RELATED TO THAT.
ARE YOU ABLE TO SPEAK TO, UM, WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S BEEN AN EXPANSION IN THE SHELTER BED CAPACITY? GOOD MORNING, UM, HADRIAN STAR, BOSTON, PUBLIC HEALTH.
UM, WE ARE STILL IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ARCH, UM, ABOUT EXPANDING THE CAPACITY.
THEY HAVE UNDERGONE SOME STAFFING CHANGES THERE.
SO WE ARE HELPING THEM NAVIGATE THOSE AND GIVING TO A PLACE WHERE THEY WILL BE ABLE TO ADMIT MORE, MORE CLIENTS.
UM, THEY REPORT THAT THEY TYPICALLY ARE SERVING ABOUT 60 PER NIGHT.
UM, AND THAT SEEMS TO BE THE CURRENT DEMAND, UM, AND UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO HAVE THE ADDITIONAL CAPACITY TO SUPPORT THE WORK THAT'S GOING ON WITH THE HEAL PROGRAM.
AND SO I HOPE TO HAVE SOME UPDATES, UM, THIS FRIDAY, MY MEETING WITH THE BOARD AND LEADERSHIP TO FINALIZE THOSE PLANS.
YES, I, I, UM, THAT WOULD BE GREAT IF THEY'RE ABLE TO EXPAND THEIR CAPACITY BECAUSE IT'S ULTIMATELY WHEN PEOPLE RECEIVED THEIR NOTICE TO VACATE, WE NEED TO HAVE SOMEWHERE, SOME FORM OF SHELTER FOR FOLKS TO GO.
SO THAT WOULD BE, UM, I'LL BE, UM, FOLLOWING UP WITH YOU TO SEE HOW THAT UPDATE GOES.
THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS FOR THE, UM, I WAS GLAD TO HEAR THAT WE HAVE A PIO OFFICER PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER NOW WITHIN THE HOMELESSNESS STRATEGY OFFICE.
UM, CAN YOU SHARE THE NAME OF THAT INDIVIDUAL CHRIS SOLA WEB? YES.
IS IT CHRISTELLA WEB CHRIS SOLA OR SOLA? C H C H CHRIS SOLA WEB.
AND, UM, THE, I KNOW YOU ALL HOSTED SOME COMMUNITY MEETINGS THIS PAST WEEK, OR WAS IT LAST WEEK? UM, HOW DID, CAN YOU JUST SHARE HOW THEY WENT? UM, AND THEN I'D BE CURIOUS FOR YOUR THOUGHTS ON HOW THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN ENGAGED IN THIS PROCESS OF, OF, UM, OF US, OF OUR DEPARTMENT LOOKING AT THE IMPROVEMENTS TO HOW WE, UM, PROCESS AND RESPOND.
SO WE HAD, UM, THREE COMMUNITY, UM, SESSIONS, UPDATE SESSIONS, UH, STARTING, I BELIEVE ON, UM, THE 1ST OF MAY, UH, HAD ONE DURING THE DAY, PRIMARILY WITH PROVIDERS AND ADVOCATES, AND THEN TWO EVENING SESSIONS.
WE HAD, I BELIEVE A TOTAL OF ABOUT 250 PEOPLE ATTEND THOSE SESSIONS, WHICH WERE VIRTUAL.
UM, AND THIS REALLY GREW OUT OF THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT WE DID AROUND OUR FUNDING AT COUNCIL DIRECTION BACK IN OCTOBER, BEFORE WE PRESENTED THE SPENDING FRAMEWORK.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO UPDATE ON A NUMBER OF FRONTS, UM, CERTAINLY ON THE SOLICITATION PROCESS FOR ARPA FUNDS, WHICH I THINK PEOPLE WERE, UM, EXCITED ABOUT.
UM, HAD SOME INTEREST IN, WE TALKED A BIT ABOUT, UM, HOUSING PRODUCTION TO MAYOR ADLER'S, UH, COMMENT ABOUT WHAT WE ANTICIPATE BEING A MARKETING PERSON IN UNITS AVAILABLE THAT THERE CONTINUES CERTAINLY TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT, UH, ENFORCEMENT IN GENERAL, WITHOUT ACCESS TO HOUSING.
AND SO, UM, AS WELL AS SOME, YOU KNOW, SOME INPUT ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE CONCERNED THAT ENFORCEMENT'S NOT HAPPENING FAST ENOUGH.
UM, I THINK THE PIECES THAT THE COMMUNITY IS MOST INTERESTED IN ASIDE FROM PACE, UM, PARTICULARLY FOLKS WHO ARE IN THE ADVOCACY OR SERVICE PROVISION SPACE ARE IN ADDITION TO HOW, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE EXPAND SHELTER AND HOUSING ARE ACCELERATED, HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT PEOPLE ARE BEING TREATED RESPECTFULLY, UM, WHEN ENFORCEMENT OCCURS THAT THEIR PROPERTY IS BEING PROTECTED, THAT SUFFICIENT NOTICE IS GIVEN, UM, THAT WHATEVER SERVICES DO EXIST IN THE COMMUNITY, WE'RE CONNECTING TO THEM.
SO WE FELT LIKE IT WAS A REALLY PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION, UM, AND HAVE COMMITTED TO DOING THOSE COMMUNITY UPDATES QUARTERLY, UM, UH, THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, OPEN TO REALLY, TO ANYONE IN THE COMMUNITY TO JOIN.
I REALLY APPRECIATE DOING THOSE UPDATES QUARTERLY.
THAT'LL BE A GOOD TOUCH POINT WITH THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY AS WE CONTINUE CONVERSATIONS OF HOW WE'RE SPENDING OUR RP DOLLARS AND PROVIDING ADDITIONAL HOUSING.
COLLEAGUES, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON YES, CUSTOMER KITCHEN? UM, THANK YOU.
UM, I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT THE, UM,
[00:50:01]
JUST, JUST FOR MY CLARITY AND THE PUBLICS.SO WHAT IS, UM, I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY PART OF WHAT Y'ALL ARE, UM, ARE WORKING ON.
HOW DOES THE COMMUNICATE, HOW DOES THE PUBLIC BEST COMMUNICATE IF THEY WANT TO REPORT OR IDENTIFY A, UM, AN ENCAMPMENT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, UH, UM, UH, SAFETY RISK OR HEALTH RISK, OR WHAT DO THEY DO? SO I WOULD SAY THAT RIGHT NOW, THE MOST UNIFIED, UM, WAY THAT WE HAVE, UH, TRACKING THOSE REQUESTS IS 3 1, 1, BUT THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT, THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND ABSOLUTELY IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE WE JUST HAVE SO MANY ENCAMPMENTS.
UM, AND I, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL BE LOOKING AT IN THIS PROCESS.
UM, THE WAY THAT 3, 1, 1 IS CURRENTLY STRUCTURED, THE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE GETTING AND HOW THAT'S DISPATCHED TO THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS THAT MIGHT NEED INVOLVED, UH, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, FOLKS ARE TAKING MULTIPLE AVENUES TO COMMUNICATE THEIR CONCERNS.
UM, SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, QUITE FREQUENTLY THERE'S DUPLICATION, WHICH CAN, CAN, UH, CREATE SOME CONFUSION.
UM, AND WE WANT TO ALSO ENSURE THAT WE'RE RELIABLY GETTING THAT INFORMATION, UH, TO THE DEPARTMENTS AND STAFF THAT THAT SHOULD HAVE IT ON HAND.
SO, SO IS THE THINKING THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THIS, UH, SLIDE PHASE ONE CENTRAL RESPONSE STRUCTURE.
SO IS THE THINKING THAT, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, UH, UNDERSTANDING THAT IT WON'T ALWAYS HAPPEN THIS IDEALLY, BUT IS IT THINKING THAT AN INN THAT A COMMUNITY MEMBER MIGHT CALL 3 1, 1, AND THAT THOSE CALLS WILL BE ROUTED THROUGH THIS LEADERSHIP TEAM? UM, IS THAT WHAT IS MEANT BY THE CENTRAL RESPONSE STRUCTURE? AND THEN THE LEADERSHIP TEAM WILL WE'LL ROUTE IT TO THE RIGHT TEAM.
UM, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HOW THE CENTRAL RESPONSE WORKS.
SO LET ME, UM, GIVE YOU MY ANSWER.
AND THEN ALSO ANDREW MAY HAVING THE, I THINK THAT WITHIN THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE FOR THE CENTRAL RESPONSE THAT WE HAVE ESTABLISHED THE LEADERSHIP TEAM REALLY IS ABOUT DECISION-MAKING RIGHT AND APPROVING ACTION, THE TEAM, OR THE SECTION THAT IS MOST RELEVANT TO INPUT ABOUT PARTICULAR ENCAMPMENTS, UM, IS THE, UH, PLANNING SECTION, WHICH MAINTAINS THE TOOL.
SO I THINK THE MECHANISM THAT WE NEED TO IDENTIFY ONE OF THE MECHANISMS IS WE HAVE A TOOL THAT IS, UM, RECORDING ENCAMPMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN ASSESSED, RIGHT, AND WHERE THEY ARE IN THE PRIORITY LIST.
WHAT IS THE INPUT PROCESS? NO, WE CERTAINLY WERE AWARE OF A LOT OF ENCAMPMENTS AND TWO THAT NEED ASSESSED OR HAVE BEEN ASSESSED.
BUT I THINK THAT THE PROCESS WHERE THERE, YOU KNOW, LET'S JUST SAY THERE IS A NEW ENCAMPMENT, OR THERE ARE NEW CONCERNS OR, YOU KNOW, OR, UM, OR POTENTIALLY SOMETHING THAT CITY STAFF IS NOT AWARE OF FEEDING THAT INTO THAT PLANNING SECTION FOR IDENTIFYING AN ENCAMPMENT THAT NEEDS ASSESSED OR REASSESSED IS HOW I WOULD VIEW THAT HAPPEN.
AUDREY, DO YOU HAVE OTHER THOUGHTS? NO, THAT'S OUR THOUGHTS.
SO THAT'LL BE IN A FUTURE PHASE.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HAD THE BACK PROCESS TO SUPPORT THE INPUTS.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE TACKLED THE TOOL AND THE STRUCTURE FIRST.
WELL, THE REASON I ASK IS IF, IF FROM THE COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVE, AND I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE WORKING ON THIS, THAT'S A REAL NEED TO, TO, TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW.
AND IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR OUR OFFICES TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW IS WE'RE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFF I THINK YOU MENTIONED THIS, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT AVENUES THAT THESE, THAT THESE QUESTIONS, UM, AND CONCERNS ARE GOING TO, AND THEY'RE DUPLICATIVE.
AND, UM, AND THEN THERE'S A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING ABOUT WHAT SHOULD, UM, WHAT SHOULD A COMMUNITY MEMBER EXPECT IN RESPONSE, YOU KNOW, AND, AND FOR OUR OFFICES TO, WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT IN RESPONSE? SO WE WANT TO BE, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO BE EFFICIENT, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF HOW THAT INFORMATION FLOWS.
SO IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL ARE, UM, YOU, YOU'RE WORKING ON.
CAN YOU GIVE ME AN IDEA OF THE TIMELINE FOR, FOR WORKING ON THAT PIECE OR HAVE YOU ALL FIGURED THAT OUT YET? WE HAVE NOT FIGURED OUT A TIMELINE YET.
UM, I WOULD JUST URGE THAT, THAT IS REALLY, OF COURSE THIS WHOLE THING IS IMPORTANT.
I UNDERSTAND Y'ALL NEED TO PUT THE STRUCTURE IN PLACE, BUT THAT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST, UM, THE BIGGEST CONCERNS THAT I HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC IN MY OFFICE
[00:55:01]
HAS ALSO IS WHO DO WE TALK TO AND WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO EXPECT IN RESPONSE? AND, UH, BECAUSE IT'S JUST GOING TO CONTINUE.WE TALKED TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT SURE WHO DO WE SHOULD BE TALKING TO.
SO, UM, IF, IF YOU, IF YOU ALL COULD LET US KNOW, I MEAN, I KNOW YOU NEED TO GIVE SOME THINKING, BUT GIVE US A TIMELINE SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHEN THAT QUESTION WILL BE ADDRESSED.
SO I'D LIKE TO ASK FOR THAT JUST AS A FOLLOWUP ITEM.
UM, AND THEN I WOULD, I WOULD, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND ALSO AS THAT FOLLOWUP ITEM, HOW WILL OUR PIO, UM, OFFICER BE INVOLVED IN COMMUNICATING THAT PARTICULAR PIECE TO THE PUBLIC? SO THAT'S THE FOLLOW-UP THAT I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND.
AND THEN, UM, AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU.
UM, I KNOW THAT DIANA, UH, MS. GRAY, YOU AND YOUR OFFICE ARE WORKING VERY HARD ON ALL ASPECTS OF THIS.
UM, AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, THE NAME OF THE GAME IS TO GET HOUSING AND SHELTER IN THE MEANTIME, AND THAT'S VERY DIFFICULT, VERY DIFFICULT.
SO I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF EFFORTS HAPPENING ON THAT REGARD, AND I APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS THAT ARE HAPPENING AROUND, UH, GETTING SOME ORGANIZATION TO OUR RESPONSE, TO THE ENCAMPMENTS.
SO TO SAY, THANK YOU, AND ALSO WANT TO REITERATE, AND I KNOW YOU GUYS KNOW THIS, PLEASE LET US KNOW IF THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE YOU NEED TO MAKE THESE THINGS WORK.
UM, AND, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE HERE TO BE HELPFUL WITH THAT.
THANK YOU, MS. MUNSON, CAN MS. GRAY FOR, FOR THE PRESENTATION? GREAT CONVERSATION.
COLLEAGUES, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE MY HANDS.
UM, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS PRESENTATION.
I THINK IT'S, IT'S RELATIVELY THOROUGH AND COMPREHENSIVE.
IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THE PRIORITY IS THE COMMUNICATION PIECE.
UM, I THINK OFTEN AS A MUNICIPALITY, THAT'S OUR PRIMARY ISSUE IS HAVING ALL THE DEPARTMENTS WORK WELL TOGETHER.
UM, THE ONE THING I'M NOT SEEING THAT I THINK IS RELEVANT AND IMPORTANT IS THE RECOGNITION AROUND COLLECTING THE DATA AROUND, UM, PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND MENTAL HEALTH DISRUPTIONS AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISRUPTIONS.
UM, AND SO, AND THE TRAINING COMPONENT, THERE'S A SLIDE THAT SORT OF TALKS ABOUT NEXT STEPS AND IT SAYS TRAINING.
AND I WONDER IF SOME OF THAT TRAINING IS TO, YOU KNOW, PRODUCE COMMUNITY PEOPLE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE TO BE CONSIDERED COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS.
I WONDER IF THAT TRAINING IS INCLUDING, UM, FOLKS BEING ABLE TO RECOGNIZE WHEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES AND NEED A DIFFERENT KIND OF REFERRAL OR WRAPAROUND SERVICE, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN PRODUCE ALL THE HOUSING WE WANT, BUT THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THERE ARE A LOT OF FOLKS WHO ARE NOT GONNA REMAIN HOUSED.
AND IT'S PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF, UM, ANCILLARY ISSUE, YOU KNOW, WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER OR MENTAL HEALTH.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT'S OUR PLAN FOR ADDRESSING THAT AND COLLECTING THE DATA.
UM, BECAUSE TRUTH BE TOLD THAT ONLY WE DO, WE NOT HAVE ENOUGH HOUSING.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ENOUGH CAPACITY AND THE, AND THE WAY OF, YOU KNOW, TREATING PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES AND, AND I MEAN, THAT'S INPATIENT INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT.
I REALLY JUST DON'T THINK WE HAVE ENOUGH.
AND IN MY MIND'S EYE THERE, YOU KNOW, THEY SHOULD BE PARALLEL TO ONE ANOTHER COUNCIL MEMBER.
SO I THINK IT IS TRUE THAT THE SORT OF UNIT OF ANALYSIS OF THIS PROCESS IS HOW DO WE ADDRESS AN ENCAMPMENT WHEN IT IS GOING TO BE CLEARED, WHETHER THAT'S HEEL OR SO IT IS THE PRACTICAL WORK OF THAT.
HOWEVER, IT CONNECTS TO REALLY THE PEOPLE'S SIDE.
AND HERE'S SOME WAYS THAT I THINK THAT, UM, WILL MANIFEST THEN ONE OF THE THINGS WE HOPE IS THAT AS PART OF OUR PROTOCOL FOR WHEN, UH, AN ENCAMPMENT IS GOING, THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME INTERVENTION THERE THAT WE ARE ENSURING THAT OUTREACH IS GOING OUT.
OFTENTIMES IF THE, UM, THE LOCATION OF THE ENCAMPMENT ALLOWS THAT WOULD BE A HOST TEAM, RIGHT? WHO HAVE MEN WHO HAVE INTEGRAL CARE STAFF WHO HAVE DOC SOCIAL WORKERS, AS WELL AS APD AND, AND ER EMS, SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE, WE'RE IDENTIFYING THE FOLKS IN THE CAMPS AND THEY DO HAVE THEIR OWN DATA SYSTEM, WHICH TRACKS SORT OF, UM, INTERACTIONS WITH INDIVIDUALS.
ANOTHER THING IN PART OF THAT OUTREACH THAT WE REALLY WANT TO PRESS W AND THAT THIS IS PART OF OUR CURRENT OPEN SOLICITATION TO TRY TO EXPAND CITYWIDE OUTREACH IS THAT WE'RE ENSURING THE COORDINATED ASSESSMENT HAPPENS IN THE FIELD SO THAT PEOPLE ARE ESSENTIALLY IN LINE FOR SERVICES OR CONNECTED TO EXISTING SERVICES.
[01:00:01]
UM, I WILL, UM, SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR BIGGEST PROVIDERS OF BOTH RAPID REHOUSING AND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING IS INTEGRAL CARE.AND WE DO ASK OTHER PROVIDERS TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE, UM, EXPLICIT CONNECTION TO CLINICAL CARE, WHETHER THAT'S THROUGH INTEGRAL CARE OR PRIVATE PROVIDER, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, BUT A RURAL HEALTH NEEDS ARE REALLY, UM, VERY PROMINENT AMONG THE POPULATION.
UH, AND THAT IN THE FINALLY THAT IN THE THIRD SOLICITATION THAT WILL COME OUT THROUGH APH, WE HAVE SET ASIDE SOME DOLLARS EXPLICITLY FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, UM, THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY ATTACHED TO PERMANENT HOUSING, BUT COULD BE UTILIZED IN THESE INTERVENTIONS, YOU KNOW, AMONG THE ANGELO POPULATION.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT THINKING ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, CAUSE AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE CAN PROVIDE ALL THE HOUSING IN THE WORLD, BUT IF WE'RE NOT ADDRESSING SORT OF THE ROOT CAUSE OF, UM, PEOPLE BECOMING HOMELESS AND, YOU KNOW, UH, EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, YOU KNOW, UH, MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE OF OUR GOALS IS, UM, NON-REOCCURRING RIGHT.
AND SO, YEAH, I, I, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU RECOGNIZING THAT.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE THE DATA ABOUT HOW MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ARE CHALLENGED WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, UM, CHALLENGES, DO YOU HAVE ANY SORT OF DATA? SO, UM, I THINK I'D LIKE TO COME BACK TO YOU WITH THAT COUNCIL MEMBER, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF SOURCES.
ONE IS SELF-REPORT, WHICH YOU CAN IMAGINE IS PROBABLY LOWER THAN THE, YOU KNOW, THE ACTUAL, UH, PREVALENCE BECAUSE OF STIGMA.
NOT EVERYONE WANTS TO TELL SOMEBODY WHO'S COLLECTING DATA, THAT THEY ARE LIVING WITH A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DISORDER.
UM, I MEAN, OUR INDICATORS ARE, IT'S VERY HIGH, RIGHT? IT'S PROBABLY GREATER IF IT'S GREATER THAN 50%, FOR EXAMPLE, AMONG INTEGRAL CARE SCIENCE, IT'S VERY COMMON THAT THERE ARE COMORBIDITIES OF BOTH MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS.
AND OF COURSE WE HAVE LOTS OF FOLKS WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES AS WELL.
SO LOTS OF CO-OCCURRING AND TRIBAL AFFINITY IN THE POPULATION.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THE FOLLOW-UP CONVERSATION.
I'LL LEAVE WITH, WITH THIS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, UH, A COMMUNITY IN MY DISTRICT THAT HAS SOME CHALLENGES, UM, WITH A LONG TIME, YOU KNOW, HOMELESS POPULATION.
AND THERE'S A PARTICULAR NEIGHBOR, UM, WHO HAPPENS TO BE A PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WHO TOOK IT UPON HIMSELF TO OPEN HIS HOUSE.
AND, YOU KNOW, HE'S RENTING OUT TOOLS BASICALLY.
SO TUCSON GETS STOLEN OUT OF PEOPLE'S SHED, HE'S PROVIDING VEST AND JOBS.
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK AT THAT COMMUNITY LEVEL, UM, WHAT HE'S DOING IS HELPING DOZENS OF PEOPLE AND I WANT TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN DUPLICATE THE BOTTLE.
UM, AND HE JUST HAPPENED TO BE INNOVATIVE AND WANT TO BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION.
YOU KNOW, HE HEARD SOME FOLKS IN HIS NEIGHBORHOOD COMPLAINING PRETTY REPEATEDLY AND HE WAS COMPLAINING TOO.
AND JUST DECIDED, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION.
SO THEY'RE HAVING AN EVENT THIS WEEKEND.
IF YOU COULD JOIN THE EVENT, THEY'RE BRINGING INTEGRAL CARE IN APD AND YOU KNOW, SEVERAL OTHER LOCAL OFFICIALS, BUT I DEFINITELY THINK IT'S AN ORGANIZATION AND AN INITIATIVE THAT WE SHOULD TAKE A LOOK AT AND SEE IF WE CAN, YOU KNOW, REALLY ENCOURAGE OTHER COMMUNITIES.
BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF LIMITED CAPACITY, YOU GUYS CAN'T DO IT ALL, YOU KNOW, AND COUNCIL CAN'T DO IT ALL.
UM, NOBODY'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO IT ALL.
WE HAVE TO COLLECTIVELY, YOU KNOW, ADDRESS, UH, PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AS A COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD WAY TO START AND OFFER PEOPLE SOME EMPOWERMENT BY WAY OF REALLY PARTICIPATING IN ADDRESSING, UM, THE SOLUTIONS OR PROBLEMATIC ELEMENTS OF THEIR COMMUNITY.
I BELIEVE I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE ORGANIZATION YOU REFERRED TO, AND I'M REALLY ENCOURAGED BY THEIR MODEL.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE MAY WANT TO INVITE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS AS WELL TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING BECAUSE I THINK THAT IT IS A REALLY, UM, EXCITING, UH, STRATEGY THAT'S TOTALLY NEIGHBORHOOD BASED.
[3. Briefing by the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM) on healthcare issues impacting local musicians]
MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS A BRIEFING FROM THE HEALTH ALLIANCE FOR AUSTIN, FOR AUSTIN MUSICIANS, HAM, UH, ON HEALTHCARE ISSUES FACING LOCAL MUSICIANS.UM, I'M PAUL SCOTT ON THE CEO OF THE HEALTH ALLIANCE.
WE'RE ALSO MUSICIANS HAM AND I'VE, UH, RECENTLY JOINED THERE, UM, IN NOVEMBER, AFTER HAVING SERVED AS THE CEO OF AIDS SERVICES OF AUSTIN.
UH, PRIOR FOR THE PREVIOUS 12 YEARS BEFORE IT'S MERGED WITH THE BIVENS HEALTH, I'M ALSO GOING TO BE CO-PRESENTING WITH OUR CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, RACHEL BLAIR.
WHO'S BEEN WITH THE ORGANIZATION NOW FOR SEVEN YEARS, I BELIEVE.
AND, UM, AND SO WE'RE HAPPY TO, UM,
[01:05:01]
BE PRESENTING ABOUT HEALTH ALLIANCE HAM, UM, TODAY.AND WE APPRECIATE, UM, CHEER TOVO, UH, MAYOR ADLER, COUNCIL MEMBERS, FINTECH, KITCHEN, AND HARPER MADISON TO, UH, BEING HERE TODAY.
UM, SO AS WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, MEAN OUR MISSION AT HAM IS TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE, TO AUSTIN'S LOW INCOME WORKING MUSICIANS WITH A FOCUS ON PREVENTION AND WELLNESS.
YOU KNOW, WE SERVE OUR LOW INCOME WORKING MUSICIANS WHO ARE MOSTLY SELF-EMPLOYED IN OUR COMMUNITY AND NOT CAPTURED BY THE TYPICAL SOCIAL SAFETY NET, SLIGHT SOCIAL SECURITY AND, UM, RECEIVING A RETIREMENT BENEFIT BENEFITS FOR EXAMPLE, AND THE CRITERIA FOR OUR MEMBERSHIP IS TO BE A PROFESSIONAL WORKING POSITION, UM, TO HAVE INCOME BELOW THE 40% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL AND BE IN TRAVIS COUNTY OR THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES AROUND TRAVIS.
MOST OF OUR MUSICIANS ARE LIVING AT BETWEEN 100 AND 200% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL, UM, WHICH FOR A SINGLE PERSON IS $24,280 PER YEAR.
UM, OUR MUSICIANS TYPICALLY ARE NOT RECEIVING HEALTH INSURANCE, UM, OPTIONS, UM, BECAUSE THEY'RE GIG WORKERS AND THEY'RE NOT IN A TRADITIONAL EMPLOYMENT ENVIRONMENT.
UM, THEY WORK HARD AND LIVE HARD AND ARE ADVERSELY IMPACTED BY THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH INCLUDE INCLUDING HOUSING AND FOOD INSECURITIES, UM, AS WELL AS, UH, MENTAL HEALTH AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES.
UM, UH, NEXT SLIDE, UM, AS YOU KNOW, I'M, AUSTIN IS THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.
UM, AND, UH, THE MUSIC INDUSTRY HAS A $2 BILLION ECONOMIC IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY WITH BRINGING, UM, OVER $38 MILLION, A LOCAL REVENUE EACH YEAR INTO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND OF COURSE OUR MUSICIANS OR AN ICONIC SUBCULTURE AT THE HEART OF OUR CULTURAL IDENTITY HERE IN AUSTIN, UM, AND ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR ECONOMIC AND OVERALL SUCCESS.
WE HAVE OVER 8,000 MUSICIANS LIVING IN OUR COMMUNITY AND MANY MORE LOOKING TO MAKE THEIR WAY HERE TO AUSTIN TO CRAFT THEIR MUSIC.
UM, HAM IS HELPING NEARLY 3000 A YEAR OF THESE MUSICIANS, UM, TO ACCESS HEALTHCARE ANNUALLY.
UM, HAM IS IN THE MIDDLE OF BEING, UM, UH, TO PRESERVING THIS ICONIC CULTURAL CORNERSTONE CORNERSTONE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AND OUR PROGRAMMING WORKS AT THE INTERSECTION BETWEEN AUSTIN'S CULTURAL, ECONOMIC AND PUBLIC HEALTH PRIORITIES.
SO ONE THING TO NOTE IS THAT MUSICIAN LIFE EXPECTANCY IS 25 YEARS LESS THAN THE AVERAGE POPULATION.
AND THIS IS BACKED UP BY RESEARCH STUDIES AS WELL.
SO, UM, OUR MUSICIANS, YOU KNOW, ARE FUELING THE ECONOMY HERE IN AUSTIN.
AND OF COURSE WE DEPEND UPON OUR MUSICIANS, UM, TO SERVE THE ECONOMIC VIABILITY OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THEN OF COURSE, OUR MUSICIANS DEPENDS ON US AND OUR COMMUNITY TO ADDRESS SERIOUS BARRIERS THEY FACE, INCLUDING, UM, THIS IS THIS STATISTIC HERE IN TERMS OF LIFE EXPECTANCY.
AND OF COURSE THIS UNDERSCORES THE AMOUNT OF PERSONAL AND HEALTH RELATED SACRIFICE MADE BY MUSICIANS, UH, TO PROVIDE THIS ECONOMIC VITALITY TO OUR COMMUNITY, OUR MUSICIANS ARE LIVING THEIR CRAFT, UH, BUT FACED MANY CHALLENGES, SUCH AS UNSTABLE INCOME THEY'RE SELF-EMPLOYED, UM, WITH LOW INCOMES.
UM, AND THEY DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO TRADITIONAL EMPLOYER BENEFITS, SUCH AS COMPANY MATCHES, HEALTH INSURANCE, DENTAL, AND WELLNESS AND BENEFIT PROGRAMS. THEY WORK VERY LONG HOURS AND MOSTLY AT NIGHT, AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, THEY EXPERIENCE, UM, DESTABILIZATION OF THE RELATIONSHIPS, UM, BECAUSE THERE'S FREQUENT TRAVEL RELATED TO THEIR CRAFT AND THEIR WORK.
THEY DO THIS WORK BECAUSE THEY LOVE IT, BUT THEY CERTAINLY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO SACRIFICE NEARLY A QUARTER CENTURY OF THEIR LIVES JUST TO HAVE THIS OCCUPATION AT HAND, WE BELIEVE OUR MUSICIANS LIKE OTHER CITIZENS OF AUSTIN, SHOULDN'T HAVE TO DECIDE BETWEEN THEIR CAREERS AND THEIR HEALTH AND THEIR LIFE AND THEIR LIFE.
AND THAT'S WHERE HAM COMES IN.
SO, UM, HAM SINCE 2005 HAS SERVED NEARLY 6,500 MUSICIANS IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND THAT HAS PROVIDED OVER $113 MILLION IN AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCESS BY THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING HERE AT HAM.
WE HAVE LONG HATED THE CALLS SINCE 2005 TO TAKE CARE OF AUSSIE MUSICIANS.
UM, AND SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR OUR LOCAL HEALTHCARE COMMUNITY? THAT MEANS OUR, OUR MUSICIANS, UM, OUR FUNDED PATIENTS GOING TO PROVIDERS WHO ARE INTERNAL PAY THROUGH HEALTHCARE DOLLARS.
AND ALSO WE ARE RELIEVING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM FUNDING SYSTEMS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE PAID PAID FOR THROUGH EXPENSIVE EMERGENCY CARE OR THROUGH UNFUNDED PARTNERS.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO RACHEL, KIND OF EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT OUR PROGRAMS AND THEIR IMPACT.
RACHEL OFTENTIMES FOLKS ASK US HOW HAM IS ABLE TO DO WHAT WE DO.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO LEVERAGE EVERY HUNDRED DOLLARS DONATED INTO $700 OF HEALTHCARE.
[01:10:02]
AND TRUTHFULLY, IF YOU COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, WE REALLY COULD NOT DO THIS WITHOUT OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS OF WHICH THE CITY IS A VERY IMPORTANT ONE.WE LOOK FOR EVERY RESOURCE AVAILABLE TO, UM, OUR MUSICIANS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE NOT DUPLICATING RESOURCES THAT ARE ALREADY PROVIDED IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT INSTEAD WE LEVERAGE THOSE RESOURCES, CONNECT OUR MUSICIANS WITH THE SERVICES CARE AND FUNDING THAT IS ALREADY OFFERED.
AND BECAUSE OF THIS, OUR MUSICIANS HAS MADE AN INCREDIBLE TRANSFORMATION FROM DOING WHAT PAUL WAS TALKING ABOUT BEFORE, LIKE ACCESSING PRIMARY CARE IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM.
NOW THEY'RE WORKING TO ESTABLISH MEDICAL AND DENTAL HOMES.
THEY'RE ENGAGING IN PREVENTATIVE SERVICES, THEY'RE MANAGING CHRONIC DISEASE.
SO IF YOU CAN IMAGINE HAVING DIABETES ON THE ROAD WITHOUT A HEALTHCARE PROVIDER, THAT WOULD BE VERY CHALLENGING OR EATING HEALTHY ON THE ROAD OR NEEDING TO ACCESS EXERCISE ON THE ROAD, IF YOU HAVE A CHRONIC HEART DISEASE, THAT WOULD ALSO BE REALLY CHALLENGING WITHOUT HIM.
WE ARE REALLY PROUD OF THE DIVERSION FROM THE EMERGENCY ROOM INTO PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS, OFFICES, BOTH IN PERSON AND WITH A TELE-HEALTH RESOURCES.
SO WE WANTED TO JUST DESCRIBE A LITTLE BIT OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE TOGETHER, THE HAM HAM, AND THE CITY, UM, WITH MANY OF YOU WHO ARE HERE TODAY, UM, WE'VE WORKED WITH EDD, UM, WITH CARES ACT FUNDING HELP WITH HAM DAY.
UM, WE'VE WORKED WITH, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER OF HIS OFFICE ON VACCINE ACCESS, UM, WITH APH ON VACCINE ACCESS WITH THE MAYOR.
AND SO WE REALLY, UM, ARE DEEPLY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.
THAT HAS MADE A HUGE, HUGE DIFFERENCE, UH, FOR OUR MUSICIANS.
UM, WE HAVE ALSO ENGAGED WITH THE CITY AS A THOUGHT PARTNER WITH, UM, CITY LEADERS IN UNDERSTANDING MUSICIANS AND, UH, PROVIDING RELEVANT SERVICES LAST YEAR DURING THE PANDEMIC LAST FEW YEARS DURING THE PANDEMIC.
BUT WHEN THE VACCINES CAME OUT, IF YOU WOULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, WE, UM, WORKED TIRELESSLY TO CONNECT FOLKS WITH, UM, VACCINES.
HERE'S A QUOTE FROM, UH, MAMA DUKE, WHO I JUST SAW IS IN THE ACL LINEUP FOR THIS YEAR.
SO SUPER EXCITING, BUT SHE SAID THAT, UM, WHEN I FIRST GOT THE VICK VACCINE, IT WAS SUCH A RELIEF.
AND WE WALKED WITH HER THROUGH VACCINE, INITIAL VACCINE HESITANCY OR RELUCTANCE ALL THE WAY TO GETTING HER VACCINE AT THE UM, EVENT THAT WE HAD AT EMOS.
AND THEN SHE BECAME A SPOKESPERSON REACHING OUT TO MEMBERS OF HER COMMUNITY TO ENCOURAGE, UM, HER FRIENDS, HER FANS, AND, UM, PEOPLE THAT SHE KNOWS TO ALSO GET, UH, VACCINATED AS WELL.
AND THAT IS FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE ENGAGED IN, UM, VACCINE ADOPTION WORK, THAT'S, UH, UM, IT'S QUITE A FEAT TO HELP SOMEBODY IN THAT TRANSITION FROM HESITANCY TO BECOMING A SPOKESPERSON.
SO WE'RE REALLY GRATEFUL TO HER FOR THAT.
COULD YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE? I'D LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE DO WHAT WE DO.
UM, WE REALLY FOCUS ON SOME KEY AREAS, OF COURSE, ACCESS TO CARE AFFORDABILITY.
WE WANT OUR MUSICIANS TO HAVE A VIP LEVEL OF ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY HEALTH CARE THAT THEY CAN TRULY AFFORD.
IF YOU MAKE $14,000 A YEAR, YOU DON'T HAVE $300 FOR AN EMERGENCY ROOM COPAY YOU'RE GOING TO NEED HELP WITH THAT SUCCESS IN THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IS ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT.
ALL OF US IN THIS ROOM ARE HEALTHCARE CONSUMERS.
IF YOU'RE LIKE ME AND GET A BILL AND ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, IS THIS A STATEMENT? IS THIS A BILL? WHAT DO I DO WITH THIS? DOES THIS COUNT TOWARDS MY DEDUCTIBLE? DOES THIS NOT COUNT TOWARD MY, I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
WELL, HAM MUSICIANS HAVE OUR PROFESSIONAL LICENSED NAVIGATORS TO CALL AND WALK THROUGH THE PROCESS WITH THEM AND TROUBLESHOOT AND ANTICIPATE, UH, FUTURE ISSUES AND THINK OF QUESTIONS THAT WE NEED TO ANSWER FOR THEM BEFORE THEY EVEN KNOW THEY HAVE THEM.
ANOTHER CORNERSTONE OF OUR WORK IS CULTURAL COMPETENCE.
SO WE REALLY, UM, TRY TO PROVIDE PERSONALIZED AND ATTUNED CARE.
WE DO OUTREACH TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, AND WE THINK OF OURSELVES AS YOUR FAVORITE AUNT OR FAMILY MEMBER WHO IS THERE TO GUIDE YOU AND SUPPORT YOU
[01:15:01]
TO GIVE YOU A GENTLE NUDGE AND SOMETIMES A PERSISTENT, UH, NAGGING MESSAGE TO DO THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT NORMALLY NOT WANT TO DO SUCH AS, UH, MAKE SURE YOU'RE CURRENT ON YOUR TAXES, SIGN UP FOR, UH, INSURANCE OVERRIDE THAT NATURAL HUMAN BEHAVIOR THAT MAKES US WANT TO WAIT UNTIL THERE'S A CRISIS TO ACT.WE'RE ASKING OUR MUSICIANS TO COMMIT TO PROACTIVE STEPS THAT NOT ONLY BENEFIT THEM, BUT BENEFIT OUR COMMUNITY.
SO IN OUR SERVICE DELIVERY MODEL, WE TRY TO THINK ABOUT A FEW THINGS.
ONE IS COMPREHENSIVE CARE OR COVERAGE, OCCUPATIONAL RELEVANCE, AND ATTUNED AND RESPONSIVE SERVICE DELIVERY.
WE DO THIS THROUGH GUIDING OUR MUSICIANS THROUGH THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, HELPING THEM PREVENT ISSUES BEFORE THEY ARISE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A SUITE OF PROGRAMS THAT REALLY ADDRESS THE CONCERNS OF A WHOLE PERSON.
THE OCCUPATIONAL RELEVANCE IS ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT HELPING SOMEBODY ACCESS CARE, YOU NEED TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THEIR MOTIVATORS.
WHY WOULD A MUSICIAN CARE ABOUT TAKING CARE OF THEIR HEALTH BEYOND THEIR BASELINE LEVEL OF ADOPTION OF HEALTH-RELATED BEHAVIORS? WELL, IF YOU HAVE A NOTE ON YOUR VOCAL CORD, IT'S GOING TO PREVENT YOU FROM BEING ABLE TO SING.
IF YOU HAVE HEARING LOSS, IT'S GOING TO PREVENT YOU FROM BEING ABLE TO HEAR CUES FROM YOUR BAND MATES.
IF YOU CAN'T, IF YOU'RE DRIVING AT NIGHT AND HAVE PROBLEMS WITH NIGHT DRIVING OR GLARE WITH YOUR GLASSES, THOSE THINGS REALLY, REALLY MATTER TO OUR MUSICIANS.
I MENTIONED CHRONIC DISEASE EARLIER.
WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE DISEASES ARE, UM, BROUGHT INTO REMISSION IF POSSIBLE, OR VERY WELL MANAGED AND MAINTAINED SO THAT, UM, DIABETES, HEART DISEASE, COPD WILL NOT DISRUPT A TOUR.
I SHOULD ALSO MENTION DENTAL WORK.
SO VERY DIFFICULT TO GET UP ON STAGE IF YOU'RE, UM, EMBARRASSED, IF YOUR TEETH, IF YOU HAVE, UM, POOR ORAL HEALTH OR FOR INSTANCE, A HORN PLAYER, I DIDN'T KNOW THIS UNTIL I STARTED WORKING FOR HIM.
UH, ONE OF OUR HORN PLAYERS CHIPPED A FRONT TOOTH AND THAT CHANGES THE WAY THE AIR FLOWS OUT OF THEIR MOUTH INTO THE INSTRUMENT.
AND THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO HIT THE CORRECT NOTES WHEN THEY'RE ON STAGE.
AND SO WE HAD SOMEBODY WALK IN, WE GOT HIM PATCHED UP AND HE WAS ON STAGE LATER THAT NIGHT.
SO THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT REALLY MATTER TO OUR MUSICIANS, GET THEM IN THE DOOR.
AND THEN WE REALLY WORK ON HELPING THEM ACCESS SOME OF THE MORE, UM, MONOTONOUS, CHALLENGING, SCARY PARTS ABOUT TAKING CARE OF YOUR HEALTH.
BUT WE HAVE SUCH A PERSONALIZED RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM.
OFTENTIMES, IF WE SAY, HEY, YOU REALLY NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THIS.
THEY WILL BECAUSE HAM SETS, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
OUR PREMIUM ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IS OF, UH, A CRITICAL, CRITICAL OFFERING THAT WE PROVIDE.
SO THIS YEAR WE'RE REALLY PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE HAVE LEVERAGED OUR INVESTMENT IN PREMIUM ASSISTANCE TO $14 MILLION OF HEALTH CARE COVERAGE.
WE DO THIS THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, THROUGH DONATIONS AND LEVERAGING THE TAX CREDITS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE ACA.
SO IF YOU GIVE ME $2,000, I CAN TURN THAT INTO ALMOST $9,000 OF COVERAGE.
AND THEN OUTSIDE OF THOSE FUNDS AND THOSE NUMBERS, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO WRAP AROUND THE MUSICIAN AND WALK THEM THROUGH THE ENTIRE PROCESS, GETTING ONTO THE ACA AND STAYING INSURED THROUGH THE ACA IS ACTUALLY QUITE COMPLICATED AND HARD.
AND SO HIM, UM, WALKS MUSICIANS THROUGH THAT AND WE HOLD OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE FOR OUR CONTINUOUS COVERAGE RATE.
SO THAT MEANS HOW MANY OF OUR MUSICIANS WHO ARE INSURED MAINTAIN THAT INSURANCE FOR A 12 MONTH PERIOD.
IT'S ONE THING TO HAVE INSURANCE.
AND IT'S ANOTHER THING TO BE ABLE TO USE YOUR INSURANCE AND TO BE ABLE TO KEEP YOUR INSURANCE.
WE'RE ESTIMATING THAT AT LEAST A THOUSAND MUSICIANS IN AUSTIN, QUALIFY FOR HAM ABOVE AND BEYOND THE 3000 THAT WE SERVE.
SO GRAPHS AND, AND NUMBERS, BUT HUGE IMPACT.
AND MEANING FOR US, WE HAVE SEEN A 53% INCREASE IN OUR HAM ENROLLMENT NUMBERS SINCE 2015 WHILE GRAPPLING WITH THAT INCREASE IN TERMS OF THE DEMAND ON OF RESOURCES ON OUR ORGANIZATION, WE HAVE TAKEN THE RATE OF UNINSURED IN OUR MIX OF, UM, MUSICIANS DOWN FROM 85% TO 6%.
THAT MEANS 94% OF OUR MUSICIANS ARE INSURED, WHICH IS, UM, UH, GOT GOOSEBUMPS.
[01:20:01]
JUST THINKING ABOUT THAT, THAT REALLY, REALLY MATTERS.UM, WHEN WE TAKE GRAPHS THAT ARE FILLED WITH DATA AND THEN THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS ON A PERSONAL LEVEL.
WE THINK ABOUT JOHN BLONDELL AS A GOOD EXAMPLE, WHAT HAVING INSURANCE AND ACCESS TO CARE MEANT FOR JOHN WAS THAT WHEN HE COLLAPSED ON HIS KITCHEN FLOOR AND HIS NEIGHBOR WAS OVER AND SAID, SHOULD WE TAKE YOU TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM? HE SAID, YES.
HE TOLD US THAT HE WOULD NOT HAVE SAID YES, HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR HIM.
HE SAID, I'M PLAYING, I'M PLAYING A LOT.
AND IF IT WEREN'T FOR HIM, I CERTAINLY WOULDN'T BE, I WOULD HAVE BEEN DEAD.
I WOULDN'T HAVE EVEN TRIED TO GO TO SETON HOSPITAL.
IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR HIM, HE WAS IN A COMA FOR MONTHS.
HE'S HAD MULTIPLE STENTS WITH SIGNIFICANT, UM, UH, HOSPITALIZATIONS AND HAS NEEDED, UH, QUITE A BIT OF CARE.
BUT IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN TO THE ELEPHANT ROOM, UM, YOU'LL SEE HIM, YOU'LL SEE HIM THERE AND YOU'LL SEE HIM, UH, PLAYING OUT LIVE STILL, WHICH WE'RE ALL VERY, VERY GRATEFUL FOR.
AND SO, UM, I WANT TO TRANSITION IT BACK TO PAUL TO TALK ABOUT HAM'S ONGOING NEED AND, UM, HOW WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING.
I REMEMBER A FEW WEEKS AGO, RACHEL WAS TELLING ME THAT AS PART OF OUR SERVICE, NOW WE WERE CONTACTING, I BELIEVE LIKE 55 OF OUR, UM, FEMALE MUSICIANS TO REMIND THEM ABOUT THAT THEY WERE DUE FOR THEIR ANNUAL MAMMOGRAMS. AND SO THAT'S KIND OF A CRITICAL RESOURCE.
HE HAS ONE EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE DO AT HAM CALLED THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO IN SPEAKING ABOUT KIND OF AN ONGOING NEED, YOU KNOW, HAM HAS KIND OF REACHED A PLATFORM WITH SUSTAINABILITY TO, UM, UM, SERVE OUR, OUR CURRENT MUSICIANS.
UM, BUT WE KNOW THERE'S AN INCREASING NEED.
AND SO WE WOULD LIKE TO BROADEN OUR REACH OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, INTO THE INDUSTRY, BUT WE'RE LIMITED BY OUR CURRENT RESOURCES.
UM, WE BUDGET FROM OUR RESERVES ACTUALLY EVERY YEAR TO COVER THE PREMIUM ASSISTANCE, ALMOST A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.
NOW WE, WE TRY TO EXCEED THAT WITH THROUGH FUNDRAISING OR THROUGH GRANTS OR THROUGH OTHER RESOURCES TO HELP, YOU KNOW, MITIGATE TAKING THAT FROM OUR RESERVES.
SO WE FEEL LIKE IT'S SUCH A VALUE TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO OUR MUSICIANS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE THAT AS OUR, AS OUR KEY PRIORITY, AS, AS IT'S CORE TO OUR MISSION.
UM, WE ARE AT A CROSSROADS RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING AT HAM, UM, AND TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND, TO SERVE MORE ELIGIBLE MUSICIANS.
UM, IT'S CLEAR THAT WE HAVE THAT WE'RE INTEGRAL TO THE COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE A QUANTIFIABLE, A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT, UH, NOT ONLY ON THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO THE HEALTH OF OUR ECONOMY AS WELL IN TERMS OF THE, THE HEALTHCARE DOLLARS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO LEVERAGE AND PULL INTO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING TO OUR OWN SUSTAINABILITY, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HERE AND, UM, OUR MUSICIANS WANT TO HEAR THAT SO THAT THEY KNOW THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO PLAY AND CREATE AND WORK AND KNOWING THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE.
UM, WE KNOW THAT THE KNEE CONTINUES TO BE GREAT.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW DO WE EXPAND AND RISE TO THE CHALLENGE TO BE ABLE TO SERVE MORE OF OUR MUSICIANS.
AS WE LOOK AT OUR SUSTAINABILITY, UM, WE ARE ASKING
UM, WE GET ORIGINALLY, WE'RE LOOKING TO, UM, PULL FUNDS FROM, FROM ARPA.
UH, WE KNOW SOME OF THOSE FUNDS WERE OBLIGATED AS WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT THOSE MAY BE LOOKING LIKE AND HAD THE FORTUNATE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH ASSISTANT MANAGER.
UM, STEPHANIE, UM, HAYDEN HOWARD, ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF, I KNOW SOME RFPS MAYBE COMING OUT THAT MAYBE RELATED, UM, TO THE WORK WE'RE DOING.
SO WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THAT AND WE'RE AGGRESSIVELY LOOKING AT OTHER RESOURCES AS WELL.
UM, IN TERMS OF PRIVATE FUNDING AND PRIVATE GRANTS, UM, B CURRENTLY WE CURRENTLY NEED TO RAISE THE BUDGETED $800,000 TO SERVE OUR PREMIUM ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
UM, AND THAT WILL, THAT WILL SUPPORT OUR CURRENT MUSICIANS.
UM, AND THEN AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE'LL NEED TO PULL FROM OUR RESERVES TO COVER THAT FULL AMOUNT.
WE NEED AN ADDITIONAL $200,000 SO THAT WE CAN INCLUDE THOSE A THOUSAND, THOSE THOUSAND MEMBERS THAT RACHEL MENTIONED THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR SERVICES, BUT CURRENTLY WE CANNOT SERVE, UM, BECAUSE OF THE LIMITED RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE.
UM, SO WE'D LIKE TO ENTER INTO A CONVERSATION, UM, WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, TO SEE HOW WE CAN, UM, CONTINUE TO INVEST IN OUR MUSICIANS AND IN THEIR HEALTH CARE, AS WELL AS LEVERAGE THE HEALTHCARE DOLLARS AVAILABLE, UM, BY THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.
AND SO WE'D LIKE TO EITHER SEE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, OR REFERRAL TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE OR A BUDGET RESOLUTION FOR, UM, FUNDS THAT WOULD EITHER BE ONE-TIME FUNDS THAT MAYBE WERE UNSPENT OR OBLIGATED.
UM, BECAUSE WE KNOW VERY CLEARLY AS WE'VE HEARD, IT'S, IT'S A TIGHT BUDGET YEAR.
IT'S LIKE EVERY YEAR IS A TIGHT BUDGET YEAR.
WE ALSO KNOW THE IMPACT OF WHAT'S HAPPENED WITH THE CAPS AS WELL.
[01:25:01]
UM, SO WE KNOW THAT $1 MILLION WOULD CLOSE THE SCALP.UM, OUR AUSTIN MUSICIANS CONTINUE TO HELP THEY'RE INTEGRAL TO OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, THEY'RE FILLING THE PINCH STILL WERE NOT CLEARLY RECOVERED YET FROM THE, FROM THE PANDEMIC, UM, IN TERMS OF ACCESS TO VENUES AND ACCESS TO, UM, GIGS FOR OUR MUSICIANS IS VERY NIMBLE.
SO WE'RE ABLE TO KIND OF LEVERAGE FUNDS AND BE ABLE TO ACT QUICKLY AND BE ABLE TO GET THOSE FUNDS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND IDENTIFY THOSE MUSICIANS THAT NEED US.
AND SO WE KNOW THIS ALIGNS WITH THE PUBLIC, AS WELL AS THE CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC PRIORITIES OF THE CITY.
SO TOGETHER WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THE HEALTH CARE THAT IS NEEDED IN THE COMMUNITY SO THAT WE CAN SUSTAIN THIS INNER INDUSTRY THAT IS SO CRITICAL TO OUR ECONOMY.
SO I'D LIKE TO KIND OF CLOSE IT OUT WITH THIS NEXT SLIDE HERE.
SOME OF Y'ALL MAY KNOW ELEHANT RODRIGO'S SO THIS IS A QUOTE.
UM, HE SAID, I THINK WE WERE ON THE CUSP OF A MUSICAL RENAISSANCE THAT IS GOING TO BE HISTORIC SUPPORTING MUSICIANS TO THIS MOMENT.
IT'S LIKE A GATE OPENER FOR THE FUTURE.
IT'S SUCH AN OPTIMISTIC THING.
OPTIMISTIC THING TO INVEST IN AS LIVE MUSIC STARTS TO OPEN BACK UP AND WE CAN BE BACK TOGETHER AGAIN.
SO ALEJANDRO WAS ONE OF OUR, IS ONE OF OUR MEMBERS WHO, UM, WAS IMPACTED BY THE CORONAVIRUS SHUTDOWN FOR SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST IN 2020.
UM, HE WAS WITH THE BAND BLACK ODYSSEY, UM, AND HE HAD TURNED HIS ATTENTION TO A CRITICAL MEDICAL CONDITION, WHICH REQUIRED HIM TO HAVE BRAIN SURGERY.
UM, THIS HAS MADE POSSIBLE BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO SUBSIDIZE HIS HEALTH COVERAGE AT HAM AND THE HEALTH NAVIGATION WORK OF OUR HAM, SOCIAL WORKERS ASSISTED HIM AND FIGURING OUT HIS HEALTH INSURANCE, HIS RECOVERY PLAN, AND DRESSING HIS RESULTING MEDICAL BILLS.
HE CREDITS HIM FOR PROVIDING SUPPORT.
HE NEEDED TO RECOVER, UM, AND, UM, MAKING SURE THAT HE COULD CONNECT BACK TO HIS MUSIC AND HIS WORK.
AND SO AFTER A LONG SUCCESSFUL RECOVERY, UM, ALEJANDRO AND BLACK ODYSSEY ARE THRUSTING FORWARD AND, UM, AND EVEN PLAYED THEIR FIRST ACL MUSIC FESTIVAL BACK IN 2021 LAST YEAR.
UM, HE HAS A WONDERFUL SUCCESS STORY OF HOW, UH, WE WORK AT HAM WITH, WITH OUR MUSICIANS AND WITH ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE.
UM, AND WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT WITH ALL OF OUR MUSICIANS.
AND SO I THANK YOU FOR WHAT RACHEL MENTIONED EARLIER IN TERMS OF THE PARTNERSHIP WE HAVE WITH MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN SUPPORT THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING ON BEHALF OF OUR MUSICIANS.
AND THANK YOU FOR, UM, ALLOWING US TO PRESENT THIS INFORMATION TO YOU TODAY.
SO WE'RE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN SOME QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL.
THANK YOU, CATHERINE MOORE KITCHEN.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO.
UM, I HAVE, UH, ONE, ONE QUESTION WITH THE FEW RELATED TO IT.
SO, UM, THE 6% THAT THAT ARE NOT COVERED IS, IS THAT THE, UM, GAP YOU'RE TRYING TO FILL WITH THE 800,000, OR IS THAT 800,000 MORE TO MAINTAIN, UH, WHERE YOU'RE AT? YEAH, THE 800,000 IS THE CURRENT BUDGETED AMOUNT TO COVER THE NEARLY 3000 MUSICIANS THAT ARE RECEIVING ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE.
UM, AND SO THEN THAT 6% OF BELIEVER THOSE PEOPLE THAT DON'T QUALIFY FOR HEALTH INSURANCE OR THE ACA THE A THOUSAND, THE THOUSAND THAT WE MENTIONED IS ON TOP OF THAT.
SO THAT'S OUTSIDE OF THAT NUMBER.
SO THE 6% OF THOSE THAT DON'T, DON'T, UH, QUALIFY FOR THE ACA HAVE YOU ALL, UM, AND NOW I KNOW THAT THE, THESE PROGRAMS ARE NOT A DIRECT FIT, BUT HAVE YOU ALL, UM, EXPLORED WITH TECHS, HEALTH, CENTRAL TEXAS, WHETHER THERE ARE ANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU THERE, ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THAT GROUP? YES.
YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT OR, OH, IN TERMS OF WHAT GROWTH CENTRAL HEALTH? OH, NO.
EXHALE CENTRAL TEXAS IS A NONPROFIT.
THEY HAVE DOLLARS TO SUBSIDIZE COVERAGE OF THEIR STATE DOLLARS THAT THEY HAVE.
THERE ARE SOME LIMITATIONS TO THEIR PROGRAM THEY'RE FOCUSED ON SMALL BUSINESSES.
SO TO THE EXTENT THEY'RE THERE, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE HELPFUL FOR US, SOMEONE WHO WHO'S NOT, UH, WHO'S JUST AN INDIVIDUAL MUSICIAN, BUT SOME MUSICIANS MAY BE OPERATING WITH THEIR BAND OR THEY MAY BE MAYBE GROUPS.
SO, UM, THAT PROGRAM IS ONE, I SUGGEST YOU CHECK OUT, UH, I'M NOT SUGGESTING IT AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR THE CITY.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT THEY MAY HAVE SOME DOLLARS AVAILABLE FOR, UH, UH, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY DO IS THEY SUBSIDY, THEY DO PREMIUM ASSISTANCE AND THEY'RE NOT BOUND BY THE ACA.
SO WITH THE DOLLARS THAT THEY HAVE.
SO, SO I CAN'T PROMISE YOU THAT, THAT, THAT THEY WOULD BE A FIT FOR YOU, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT AND IT'S, UM, UH, JIM RODRIGUEZ IS THE CEO.
IT'S JUST, IF Y'ALL WILL GIVE ME YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION, I WILL, CAN,
[01:30:01]
I'LL MAKE AN INTRODUCTION FOR YOU AND YOU CAN JUST INVESTIGATE WHETHER IT'S USEFUL OR NOT.THANK YOU FOR THAT, THAT RESOURCE.
AND I THINK ALSO IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT WE'RE, WE'RE BEING CREATIVE IN HOW WE'RE ESTABLISHING PARTNERSHIPS.
I KNOW WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING RIGHT NOW ON, UH, UH, PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS FOR SOME OF THOSE 6% TO GET ACCESS TO BASIC PRIMARY CARE AT A VERY LOW, LOW AFFORDABLE, MONTHLY RATE THAT WILL HELP SUBSIDIZE AS PART OF THAT $800,000.
SO WE CAN OBLIGATE SOME OF THAT MONEY TOWARDS THAT.
AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE W WE'RE REACHING OUT AND KIND OF CREATED, UH, WORKING ON SOME CREATIVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH SOME PRIVATE ENTITIES AROUND THIS AS WELL.
THE OTHER THING THAT TAKES HEALTH CAN HELP YOU WITH, IF THEY'RE NOT THE RIGHT FIT, THEY ARE INSURANCE AGENTS, SO THEY UNDERSTAND THE BUSINESS AND THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP YOU ALL THINK ABOUT THAT.
YOU PROBABLY HAVE, YOU MAY HAVE SOMEONE ALREADY WHO'S HELPING YOU WITH THAT, BUT IF NOT, THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THEY CAN HELP YOU WITH.
MAY YOU'RE OUT THERE JUST REAL FAST.
UH, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION, UH, UM, AND, AND THE WORK BEING DONE.
OH, YOU STEPPED INTO BIG, UH, UH, BOOTS BOOTS HERE WITH, UH,
I THINK THAT ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE, WE CAN LEGITIMATELY CLAIM THE MONIKER OF THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL IS IN PART BECAUSE OF YOUR ORGANIZATION AND SIMS, WE PROVIDE AS A COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR MUSICIANS THAT JUST DOESN'T EXIST IN OTHER CITIES.
AND YOU GUYS ARE A REAL BIG PART OF THAT.
THE, THE, THE REACH AND EXPANSION SINCE 2015 AND THE WORK YOU DO IS, IS JUST, UH, INCREDIBLE AND, AND, AND LIFESAVING.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT ARE ALWAYS COMING TO AUSTIN, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THEIR MUSIC INDUSTRIES WORK.
HI, WHEN THEY COME IN AND TALK TO ME, THE VERY FIRST THING I TALK ABOUT IS HAM, WHICH IS NOT WHAT THEY EXPECT.
THEY EXPECT TO BE TALKING ABOUT VENUES AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
UM, SO I, I APPRECIATE THE, THE, THE ASK AND YOU'RE TALKING TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE AND TALKING TO STEPHANIE AND PUBLIC HEALTH, UH, TRY AND PUSH THAT.
UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF NOW NEW NATIONAL AND LARGER PLAYERS THAT ARE COMING INTO AUSTIN.
UH, YOU KNOW, AND OBVIOUSLY THAT'S RAISED BOTH THE SPECTER OF ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND HELP AS WELL AS CONCERN THAT IF WE'RE NOT CAREFUL, WE COULD LOSE THE, KIND OF THE LOCAL ORGANIC GRASSROOTS FEEL TO THE MUSIC INDUSTRY.
BUT IF YOU NEED HELP, UM, UH, AS YOU GO TO THOSE ORGANIZATIONS TO ASK FOR ASSISTANCE WITH THE MUSIC INDUSTRY INFRASTRUCTURE IN THIS CITY, THAT, THAT HAM OFFERS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF I CAN HELP PUT MY SHOULDER TO THOSE ASKS AS WELL.
MAY WE APPRECIATE THAT? I KNOW RACHEL HAS BEEN SPEAKING WITH MICHAEL MCGILL AND I KNOW MICHAEL AS WELL, SO WE'LL REACH OUT TO YOUR OFFICE AND CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY THOSE RESOURCES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WONDERFUL.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
[Additional Item]
WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA, IS ANY NEW BUSINESS COLLEAGUES, ANY NEW TOPICS THAT FOLKS WOULD LIKE TO PUT FOR CONSIDERATION FOR THE NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING? YES.THIS DOESN'T HAVE TO BE FOR THE NEXT ONE.
WHENEVER THERE'S THERE'S TIME.
I THINK THE COMMITTEE MIGHT FIND IT INTERESTING TO HEAR FROM TEX HEALTH CENTRAL TEXAS, UM, ABOUT THEIR PROGRAM FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.
OUR NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING IS ON JUNE 1ST, AND I KNOW CUSTOMER KITCHEN, YOU AND I ATTENDED A TOWN HALL RECENTLY HOSTED BY THE TEXAS HARM REDUCTION ALLIANCE.
UM, I BELIEVE THE COUNTY JUDGE THIS MORNING, UH, ISSUED A STATEMENT RELATED ABOUT HOW OUR, UH, COUNTY EXAMINER SAID THAT THE NUMBER ONE LEADING CAUSE OF ACCIDENTAL DEATH HERE IN TRAVIS COUNTY IS RELATED TO OVERDOSES.
AND WE ARE SEEING A RISE IN OPIOID RELATED OVERDOSES AND, AND, AND ESPECIALLY, UH, WITH FITNESS, UH, BEING PART OF THOSE OPIOID OVERDOSES.
AND SO WE ARE AT A CRISIS LEVEL.
UH, SO THIS COMMITTEE, I BELIEVE WE W WE ARE, UM, SCHEDULED TO RECEIVE AN UPDATE, UH, FROM STAFF AND FROM THE TEXAS HARM REDUCTION ALLIANCE IN JUNE TO FURTHER DISCUSS THIS MATTER AND TO SEE WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE DOING ALL THAT WE CAN TO REDUCE HARM IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND, AND I ALSO SAW THAT INFORMATION AND IT'S EXTREMELY CONCERNING.
I KNOW THE MAYOR AND THIS COUNCIL PAST SUB DIRECTION, UH, REGARDING, REGARDING
[01:35:01]
THE OPIOID CRISIS IN THIS COMMUNITY SEVERAL YEARS AGO.AND I HOPE THAT WILL, AND WE WILL KIND OF A MESH, UM, AS WE HAVE OUR UPDATE FROM STAFF IN JUNE, WE'LL ASK OUR STAFF TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT AS WELL.
I DO WANT TO JUST MENTION THAT TOMORROW.
REMEMBER WE DO HAVE A SPECIAL CALLED PUBLIC HEALTH MEETING AND IT'S, UH, FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF INTERVIEWING CANDIDATES FOR OUR SOBERING CENTER POSITION.
AND THAT TAKES PLACE TOMORROW AT 10 O'CLOCK.
AND AS I AM STILL, UM, I'M STILL GONNA BE OFFSITE RECOVERING FROM COVID.
I WILL, UM, ASK, I BELIEVE ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES IS, IS GOING TO BE ONSITE, UH, STARTING US OFF, BUT THEN IF IT WAS GOING TO BE CONDUCTED VIRTUALLY TOMORROW.
I'D LIKE VERY MUCH FOR US TO RESUME THE CONVERSATION WE HAD LAST YEAR ABOUT A MISERABLE EQUITY.
I KNOW YOU AND I WERE BOTH CONTACTED BY SOME MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY ABOUT PRODUCING A RESOLUTION AND, YOU KNOW, SUBSEQUENTLY, UM, PICK THEM BACK UP THAT DIALOGUE.
SO I'D LIKE TO ADD THAT TO OUR AGENDA FOR THE FOLLOW UP ON WHAT WE ACCOMPLISHED SO FAR.
MAYBE GIVE SOME RESULTS OF THE PILOT AND THEN MOVE FORWARD, UM, WITH HAVING THAT DISCUSSION AGAIN.
IF NO FURTHER BUSINESS, THE MEETING OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE IS ADJOURNED AT 11:10 PM.