May 10, 2023 Public Health Committee

BRIEFING NUMBER FIVE UP FIRST.

SO MOVED AND APPROVED.

UH, NEXT UP WE'RE GONNA TAKE SOME OF OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS A LITTLE OUT OF ORDER IN RECOGNIZING THAT WE DO HAVE OUR COUNTY PARTS COUNTY COUNTERPARTS WITH US TODAY.

AND SO I WANTED TO BRING UP

[5. Briefing on the Mental Health Diversion Program from Pilar Sanchez, County Executive with Travis County Health and Human Services]

THAT IS A BRIEFING ON THE MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSION PROGRAM FROM PI LA SANCHEZ COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND WITH TRAVIS COUNTY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.

AND WE ARE JOINED BY OUR COUNTY JUDGE ANDY BROWN.

AND, UM, ALSO, I BELIEVE WE HAVE COMMISSIONER ANN HOWARD JOINING IN VIRTUALLY.

IS THAT RIGHT? YES.

SHE SHOULD BE JOINING AND I BELIEVE THE JUDGE IS GONNA OPEN WITH COMMENTS FIRST.

GOOD DEAL.

YES, UHHUH .

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE APPEARED IN FRONT OF A COUNCIL COMMITTEE OR HERE AT ALL, I THINK AS JUDGE.

SO VERY EXCITING AND A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC, .

SO THANK YOU.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

UM, I'M ANDY BROWN.

I'M THE TRAVIS COUNTY JUDGE, AND I WANT TO THANK CHAIR FUENTES, UH, VICE CHAIR VELASQUEZ AS THE MAYOR AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE FOR INVITING THE COUNTY TO BE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THIS IMPORTANT WORK THAT TRAVIS COUNTY HAS BEEN WORKING ON AND THAT WE ARE GOING TO WORK ON TOGETHER, UH, TO END THE CYCLE OF INCARCERATION FOR PEOPLE WITH SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS OR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS.

I'M JOINED VIRTUALLY BY COMMISSIONER ANN HOWARD AND HERE IN PERSON BY COUNTY EXECUTIVE PILAR SANCHEZ, KATHY MCCLARTY WITH OUR JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT AND OTHERS.

PEOPLE WITH LI LIVING WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS TOO OFTEN LAND IN THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM BECAUSE OF DISRUPTIVE OR ERRATIC BEHAVIORS CAUSED BY THESE CONDITIONS THAT LEAD THEM TO GET ARRESTED.

IN MANY CASES, EVEN IF NO CRIMINAL INTENT EXISTED, LAWS WERE BROKEN, AND THIS PRODUCES A DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS LANGUISHING IN OUR JAIL WHEN TREATMENT IN THE COMMUNITY WOULD'VE BEEN A BETTER OPTION.

AS THIS BODY'S ALL TOO AWARE, THE STATE OF TEXAS WOEFULLY UNDERINVEST IN MENTAL HEALTH CARE AND THE STATE MENTAL HEALTH HOSPITAL SYSTEM, SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO MORE OF.

AS A RESULT, OUR COUNTY JAIL IS THE LARGEST MENTAL HEALTH FACILITY IN THE COUNTY, AND THIS IS AN UNACCEPTABLE STATE OF AFFAIRS IN THAT COUNTY JAIL.

BEFORE COVID, WE HAD ABOUT 20% OF THE POPULATION THAT RESPONDED AS TO OUR SURVEY THAT WE DO WHEN PEOPLE COME IN TO HAVING AN UNMET MENTAL HEALTH NEED THAT HAS NOW DOUBLED SINCE COVID.

SO IT'S OVER 40% AT THIS POINT.

AND I THINK THAT NUMBER'S ACTUALLY LOW, AND I THINK WE'D ALL PROBABLY AGREE THAT IT'S PROBABLY CLOSER TO 70% OF THE JAIL POPULATION THAT HAS A MENTAL HEALTH NEED.

ABOUT A YEAR AGO IN APRIL OF 22, THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT APPROVED A CONTRACT WITH DR.

STEVE CHERKOWSKI, WITH THE DELL MEDICAL SCHOOL TO LEAD STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE, MENTAL HEALTH AND LEGAL EXPERTS, JUDICIAL LEADERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND COMMUNITY ADVOCATES.

IN A 10 MONTH SOLUTION DRIVEN PROCESS TO CREATE ACTIONABLE RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADDRESS THESE COMPLEX ISSUES, WE HAD A LOT OF CITY PARTNERS WHO JOINED US IN THIS WORK, INCLUDING CHIEF CHACON AND DIANA GRAY.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

THE CULMINATION OF THAT WORK WAS A REPORT THAT IDENTIFIED MANY GAPS, MANY RESOURCES, AND ULTIMATELY FIVE PRIORITY RECOMMENDATIONS, INCLUDING THE CREATION OF A DIVERSION CENTER, TO DECREASE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS AND SUBSTANCE USE PROBLEMS ENTERING JAIL, HELP THEM EXIT JAIL AND KEEP THEM OUT OF JAIL.

TODAY, A TOTAL OF 2,231, I'M SORRY, A TOTAL OF 2,231 POTENTIAL INDIVIDUALS WERE IDENTIFIED.

AND WITHIN THIS TOTAL SAMPLE, WE IDENTIFIED 106 PEOPLE EACH WITH BETWEEN THREE AND 89 ARRESTS WHO TYPIFIED PEOPLE CYCLING IN AND OUT OF JAIL.

MOST OF THOSE ARRESTS WERE FOR MISDEMEANORS.

FOR EXAMPLE, CRIMINAL TRESPASS ACCOUNTED FOR 55% OF THOSE MULTIPLE ARRESTS.

HAD ALTERNATIVE INTERVENTIONS BEEN IN PLACE.

MANY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS MIGHT HAVE RECEIVED CARE FOR THEIR MENTAL HEALTH DISORDER IN A THERAPEUTIC AND LESS RESTRICTIVE SETTING THAN JAIL, AND NOT HAD THE RESIDUAL BARRIERS THAT INTERACTIONS WITH THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM CREATE, SUCH AS HOUSING, EDUCATION, AND EMPLOYMENT CHALLENGES.

YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE TO GO TO JAIL IN TRAVIS COUNTY TO GET THE MENTAL HEALTH CARE THAT YOU NEED OR A SAFE PLACE TO SLEEP.

[00:05:01]

OUR TEAM HERE IS GONNA PROVIDE SOME MORE CONTEXT AND DETAILS ABOUT OUR PLANS, BUT THE KEY HERE IS IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE THIS WAY, AND WE HAVE ALL COMMITTED TO BUILDING OUR MENTAL HEALTH SAFETY NET TOGETHER.

THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH.

SO I THINK WE MAY HAVE, IS COMMISSIONER HOWARD ONLINE SOMEWHERE? THIS WOULD BE THE IDEAL TIME FOR THAT NOT THERE, AND IF NOT, THEN Y'ALL COULD MAYBE STEP IN UNTIL SHE'S READY.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

SO, UH, COVERING THE AGENDA TODAY, UH, JUDGE BROWN HAS ALREADY MADE HIS INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

UH, HOPEFULLY COMMISSIONER HOWARD WILL JOIN US.

WE HAVE THREE SECTIONS ON THIS AGENDA TO ENHANCE AND FURTHER DEVELOP AN EFFECTIVE DIVERSION SYSTEM AS OUR FIRST TOPIC.

THEN WE'LL MOVE TO THE COUNTY ACTION TO SUPPORT AN EFFECTIVE DIVERSION SYSTEM WHERE WE'LL BE COVERING BOTH A DIVERSION CENTER AND PILOT.

AND THEN FINALLY CONCLUDE WITH NEXT STEPS ON COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP.

WE ALSO KNOW, UH, WE DO HAVE A LIMITED TIME, SO, UH, I'LL BE TRYING TO, TO KEEP SPEAKERS MOVING TO STAY WITHIN OUR 15 MINUTES.

GOOD MORNING.

MY NAME IS KATHY MCLARTY.

I'M WITH TRAVIS COUNTY JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY.

AND IF YOU COULD GO TO THE FIRST OF MY SLIDES.

AND I'M GONNA BE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF VICKI ASHLEY.

SHE'S THE INTERIM COUNTY EXECUTIVE FOR TRAVIS COUNTY JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY.

SHE'S UNABLE TO BE WITH US TODAY.

I'M GONNA BE SPEAKING BRIEFLY TO THE SECTION ON ENHANCING AND FURTHERING THE, UM, THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN EFFECTIVE DIVERSION CENTER.

SO THE QUESTION IS, WHAT IS DIVERSION? AND DIVERSION IS A REALLY BROAD TERM, AND IT REFERS TO THE IDEA THAT A PERSON WHO GETS INVOLVED IN OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, AT ANY POINT THAT THEY ENTER OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, THEY CAN BE DIVERTED AWAY.

AS IT SHOWS HERE ON THIS SLIDE, THERE ARE EXIT RAMPS THAT WOULD MOVE PEOPLE AWAY FROM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

IT CAN HAPPEN EARLY, IT CAN HAPPEN MIDWAY, IT CAN HAPPEN LATER.

UM, WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KNOW IS THAT DIVERSION PRO PROGRAMS TARGET WHAT CAUSE A PERSON TO BECOME INVOLVED IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM IN THE FIRST PLACE, WHETHER IT'S FOOD OR HOUSING INSECURITY, NOT HAVING A JOB, LACK OF EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES, UNMET PHYSICAL MENTAL HEALTH OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE NEEDS.

UM, THAT'S WHAT THE PROGRAMS NEED TO DO.

IT'S TO GET THE PERSON OUT OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND TO KEEP THEM HOPEFULLY FROM REENTERING.

AND THIS RIGHT HERE, IT'S A REALLY BUSY SLIDE, BUT ESSENTIALLY THIS IS OUR SEQUENTIAL INTERCEPT MODEL, AND WE'VE USED IT TO MAP OUT OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

IT SHOWS DIFFERENT INTERCEPTS, AND THESE ARE THE POINTS OF ENTRY WHERE AN INDIVIDUAL CAN ENTER OR BECOME INVOLVED IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT ALL THE, THE WAY FROM INTERCEPT ZERO, WHICH IS IDEAL, WHICH WOULD BE PRE INVOLVEMENT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.

YOU CAN REALLY DEFLECT A PERSON AT THAT POINT, BUT THEN YOU'VE GOT LAW ENFORCEMENT, YOU'VE GOT YOUR COURT, YOU'VE GOT REENTER, REENTRY AND REINTEGRATION.

AND AT ANY POINT THAT A PERSON, AGAIN, ENTERS A CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, THEY CAN EXIT.

BUT WHEN THEY EXIT, YOU WANT TO HAVE THEM EXITING TO SUPPORT SERVICES.

AND THOSE SUPPORT SERVICES ARE GOING TO BE A MENU.

THEY CAN INCLUDE CLINICAL, MEDICAL SERVICES, LEGAL SERVICES, ADDRESSING THEIR HOUSING, ANY SORT OF WRAPAROUND SERVICES, INCLUDING CASE MANAGEMENT, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND ALL OF THIS CAN REALLY BE BOUND TOGETHER BY PROVIDING PEER SUPPORT TO THESE INDIVIDUALS TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE SUCCESSFUL AND AGAIN, DO NOT REENTER THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

UM, WE WANNA BUILD ON OUR CURRENT DIVERSION SYSTEM RESOURCES.

WE HAVE MANY, IT'S ROBUST.

THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.

SOME OF THE ELEMENTS OF THE DIVERSION SYSTEM, WHICH ARE ALREADY IN PLACE, ARE OUR CRISIS SERVICES, OUR NON-RESPONDER TEAMS, OUR SPECIALTY COURTS, PEER SUPPORT AND SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, AND THE VOUCHERS THAT GO WITH THAT, THE WORK AHEAD AND ITS BIG WORK IS EXPANDING AND IMPLEMENTING THESE EXISTING SERVICES, ALIGNING AND LINKING THESE MULTIPLE DIVERSION RESOURCES AND THE HEAVY LIFT, WHICH WILL BE BUILDING A DIVERSION CENTER.

TRAVIS COUNTY IS A UNIQUE COMMUNITY, AND WE NEED TO CREATE A PROGRAM THAT MEETS OUR NEEDS SO WE CAN TAKE THESE ELEMENTS AND MAKE THEM WORK FOR US.

WE CAN REALLY LEARN FROM OUR PEER COMMUNITIES, AND A LOT OF THE KEY STAKEHOLDERS WITHIN THE COUNTY AND THE CITY HAVE TAKEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT, VISIT SOME OF THE NATIONAL MODELS, INCLUDING SITES IN HARRIS COUNTY, BAYER, NASHVILLE, TUCSON, AND MIAMI DADE.

UM, THERE WAS A, THERE WERE A LOT OF TAKEAWAYS.

WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE CAN EMULATE FROM THESE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, BUT THE ONE THING WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND IS, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SIMILARITIES AND THERE ARE THINGS WE CAN USE, AUSTIN,

[00:10:01]

THESE PROGRAMS LINKED TOGETHER.

AND AS JUDGE BROWN REFERENCED EARLIER, THE FORENSIC MENTAL HEALTH PROJECT RESULTED IN A VERY THOROUGH REPORT THAT HAD FIVE KEY TAKEAWAYS.

AND THOSE TAKEAWAYS ARE, ONE OF 'EM IS SURROUNDING DATA USE AGREEMENTS, TECHNOLOGY, UPDATING DATA SHARING THE CREATION OF A DIVERSION CENTER, ESTABLISHING A WIDE RANGE OF HOUSING OPTIONS, EXPANDING OUR CERTIFIED PEER PROGRAMS, AND OUR COUNCIL AT FIRST APPEARANCE PROGRAM.

WHAT WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING ON TODAY IS THE DIVERSION CENTER.

BUT THE ONE THING THAT WE WANT TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW IS THIS, THIS IS NOT A MENU.

YOU CAN'T HAVE ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER.

AND I AM NOW GOING TO PASS THIS OVER TO PILAR SANCHEZ.

SHE IS THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE FOR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.

THANK YOU, KATHY.

SO, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE, UM, TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER SCORED PASSED A RESOLUTION ON MARCH 21ST, UH, DIRECTING STAFF TO BEGIN THE WORK OF BUILDING A DIVERSION CENTER.

UM, THAT INCLUDES PUTTING TOGETHER A TIMELINE AND A PHASING PLAN.

UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, AND CAN JUST IMAGINE THAT THERE WILL BE A LOT OF PHASES IN INVOLVED WITH BUILDING A DIVERSION CENTER AND PREPARING FOR THAT.

UM, IT'LL INCLUDE DESIGNING AND CONSTRUCTING AN ACTUAL NEW CENTER.

THAT'LL INCLUDE OUR CENTRAL BOOKING INTAKE AND THE ACTUAL DIVERSION CENTER.

UH, WE'LL HAVE TO IDENTIFY FUNDING STREAMS AND WAYS THAT WE CAN, UM, INCLUDE PRE AND POST-ARREST SERVICES.

JUST LIKE KATHY MENTIONED, THERE'S SEVERAL INTERCEPTS THROUGHOUT THE THE SIMS MODEL, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE COVER ALL OF THOSE.

UH, WE WANNA BUILD AND STRENGTHEN THE LOCAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE CONTINUUM, WHICH SHE MENTIONED A FEW OF THE PARTS OF THAT.

AND BECAUSE WE HAVE SEVERAL OF THOSE IN PLACE, UM, THAT IS A REALLY GREAT, UH, BEGINNING AND FOUNDATION TO BUILD ON.

BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT TO DO WITHIN THAT CONTINUUM TO EXPAND AND, AND IMPROVE THAT.

UM, IT IS TO IMPROVE OUR PUBLIC SAFETY AND TO REDUCE THE JAIL POPULATION.

UH, WE'LL BE, WE HAVE APPLIED FOR A, A DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GRANT, AND WE WILL BE RECEIVING THAT.

AND AGAIN, THIS IS WHY WE'RE HERE.

PART OF OUR DIRECTION IS TO CREATE A PARTNERSHIP WITH YOU, THE CITY OF AUSTIN, CENTRAL HEALTH, INTEGRAL CARE, COMMUNITY CARE, AND OTHER PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ENTITIES THAT ARE INTERESTED AND HAVE THE EXPERTISE TO ASSIST.

THE KEY ELEMENTS OF A DIVERSION CENTER, UM, THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED THUS FAR WILL INCLUDE, UH, PRE AND POST-ARREST SERVICES.

WE VISITED SEVERAL PEER COMMUNITIES THAT HA ARE DOING THIS.

SOME OF 'EM HAVE PRE SERVICES, PRE-ARREST SERVICES, OTHER OTHERS HAVE POST.

WE WANNA BE ABLE TO BUILD ON BOTH OF THOSE.

UM, WE WANT TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF BEDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR THOSE EXPERIENCING, UH, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS AND CHALLENGES, AND TO HELP THEM STABILIZE, UH, AND INCLUDE, UH, CONNECTIONS TO SUPPORT SERVICES, JUST LIKE KATHY MENTIONED.

AND THAT HOW WE'VE LEARNED FROM SEVERAL OF OUR, UH, PEER COMMUNITIES THAT, UM, WITH, YOU CAN'T JUST DIVERT SOMEBODY FROM JAIL.

YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE CONTINUED AND LONG-LASTING SUPPORTS TO BE ABLE TO HELP THEM BE SUCCESSFUL AND NOT REENTER THE, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

UM, HELPING THOSE WHO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THE CLINICAL TREATMENT, UM, UH, NOT BE PROSECUTED FOR ANY LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO THE UNDERLYING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES.

THAT IS KEY TO, TO WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO BUILD HERE, IS TO HELP TO, UH, THOSE THAT ARE GO THROUGH OUR TREATMENT TO, UM, STAY AWAY FROM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND NOT BE PROSECUTED, AND TO FOCUS ON DECREASING THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH BE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS, ENTERING JAIL, HELP THEM EXIT SUCCESSFULLY AND TO SUCCESSFULLY STAY OUT OF JAIL.

UM, IN ADDITION, A KEY ELEMENT TO OUR CENTRAL BOOKING, UM, UH, CENTER, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS SUFFICIENT SPACE IN THAT CENTER FOR FIRST APPEARANCE, CLINICAL PERSONNEL, PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST, AND THE OTHER INNOVATIVE PRACTICES THAT WE WILL FIND FROM THIS EXERCISE OF WORKING WITH YOU, OUR PARTNERS, THE COMMUNITY, AND TO THE EXPERTS IN THIS AREA.

NEXT, I'LL PASS IT OVER TO LAURA PTO, WHO'S OUR DIVISION DIRECTOR, UH, IN HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.

GOAL IS THE DIVERSION CENTER, BUT TRAVIS COUNTY ASKED, WHAT CAN WE DO NOW? WHAT CAN WE DO IMMEDIATELY TO IMPACT OUR RESIDENTS, THOSE THAT ARE EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES, HOW CAN WE START DIVERTING THEM FROM THE JAILS AND INTO APPROPRIATE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES? AND SO WITH THAT, THE COUNTY IS WORKING WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN INTEGRAL CARE AND OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO PILOT DIVERSION FOCUSED SERVICES AND HOUSING.

ALL RIGHT.

UM, WE MAIN

[00:15:01]

AND WITH THAT, WE WANNA LEVERAGE OUR EXISTING RESOURCES AND PROGRAMS AND CREATE PATHWAYS TO, UH, ME, MEDICAL, CLINICAL CARE, SUPPORT SERVICES AND HOUSING.

THE IDEA BEHIND THIS IS TO REALLY TEST AND REFINE THIS WORK TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS WORK SHOULD LOOK LIKE WITHIN A DIVERSION CENTER, SO THAT WE CAN UTILIZE OUR EXPERTISE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE TO US AS WELL AS START THIS WORK NOW, UM, WE WANT TO HAVE THE IMPACT OF REDUCING OUR JAIL POPULATION AND MEETING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS.

AND AGAIN, WE WANNA DO THIS WORK NOW WHILE WE WORK TOWARDS AND BUILD THE DIVERSION CENTER.

UM, THE OTHER GOAL WOULD BE TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF UNSHELTERED INDIVIDUALS ON THE STREET AND IN THE JAILS, BECAUSE WE KNOW OUR UNSHELTERED POPULATION HAS A HIGH PROPENSITY OF MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR UNHOUSED STATE.

AND SO WE WANT TO ADDRESS THOSE MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS.

WE WANNA BRING THOSE INDIVIDUALS OFF THE STREET AND INTO TREATMENT, AND WE WANNA USE AND EXPAND OUR EXISTING RESOURCES.

AND WE KNOW TO DO THIS, WE ALSO HAVE TO COLLABORATE AND COORDINATE OUR WORK TOGETHER, WHICH MEANS OUR, WE NEED TO MODERNIZE OUR DATA AND OUR TECHNOLOGY, AND WHAT A BETTER CITY TO DO THAT.

WE HAVE INCREDIBLE RESOURCES AND BRAINS IN THIS CITY THAT CAN HELP US DO THAT WORK AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

WHEN WE LOOK AT PILOTING THE DIVERSION, WHICH IS FOCUSED ON THE SERVICES AND THE HOUSING, WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT EXPANDING OUR PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY SERVICES TO 24 7.

SO THAT MEANS ANYONE THAT'S EXPERIENCING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE RESOURCES AND SUPPORTS THEY NEED, REGARDLESS OF WHEN THEY HAVE THAT CRISIS.

WE'RE LOOKING AT ACCEPTING THOSE REFERRALS AT MULTIPLE ENTRY POINTS.

SO WE WANNA BE ABLE TO SUPPORT PEOPLE PRE-ARREST AND POST-ARREST.

SO WE ARE, AGAIN, USING THOSE EXIT RAMPS THAT KATHY MENTIONED EARLIER.

AT ALL POINTS, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING SHORT-TERM STABILIZATION.

WE WANNA END THE REVOLVING DOOR, RIGHT? WE BRING INDIVIDUALS IN, WE STABILIZE THEM, WE RELEASE THEM, THEY GO BACK TO THE STREET, THEY RE-OFFEND, OR THEY HAVE ANOTHER MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS WE NEED TO DO BETTER.

AND DOING BETTER MEANS HAVING LONGER STAYS WHERE PEOPLE CAN BECOME, UH, MORE STABLE.

UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING THAT THROUGH, UM, RE-ENVISIONING OUR, THE CENTER AT 15TH STREET, UM, AND THE IN AS WELL.

SO AGAIN, USING EXISTING RESOURCES, REPURPOSING THEM TO MEET THE CURRENT NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.

UM, WE WOULD LOOK AT, UH, CAPACITY OF 25 BEDS, 30 TO 90 DAYS, AND THEN AN ARRAY OF SERVICES TO SUPPORT THOSE INDIVIDUALS.

AND I ARE WORKING TOGETHER ON, UH, HER, HER MOTION THAT GOT $6 MILLION BASICALLY TO START ON THE PILOT OF THIS EFFORT.

ALL RIGHT, SO FROM THERE, I WANNA TURN IT OVER BACK TO JUDGE ANDY BROWN, WHO'S GOING TO, UH, HIGHLIGHT THE NEXT STEPS.

JUDGE BROWN.

AND THERE'S ONE MORE SLIDE, PLEASE.

THERE'S ONE MORE SLIDE.

THERE'S ONE MORE.

IS COMMISSIONER HOWARD UP YET, OR SHE, WHAT'S SHE ON? IS SHE ON? UM, SO WHILE WE'RE WORKING ON THAT, SO OVER THE NEXT, WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO, UH, KIND OF WHAT WE'RE DOING SHORT TERM, LIKE LAURA TALKED ABOUT, AND THEN WHAT WE'RE ALSO DOING LONG TERM SIMULTANEOUSLY.

AND SO COMMISSIONER HOWARD MAY TALK ABOUT THE SHORT TERM THING THAT WE'RE DOING.

UM, WHILE SHE'S GETTING LOADED IN, I JUST WANT TO ADDRESS ONE THING.

SO YESTERDAY WE VOTED TO RAISE THE SALARIES OF PEOPLE THAT WORK IN THE JAIL AND THE CORRECTIONS OFFICERS THERE BY A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT.

WE'VE DONE A, RAISED A, A VERY SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT SINCE 2021.

UM, BUT WE'RE STILL HAVING TROUBLE RECRUITING PEOPLE TO WORK IN THE JAIL.

BUT IF TODAY, IF WE HAD A MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSION CENTER UP AND RUNNING TODAY, UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE, THE MENTAL HEALTH POPULATION THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER IS ABOUT EIGHT OR 900 OF THE 2200 PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE JAIL TODAY.

SO IF WE COULD REMOVE THAT POPULATION, OR A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF THAT POPULATION TO, UH, DIVERSION RESOURCES, SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, REDUCED RECIDIVISM THAT, THAT THE MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSION CENTER, UM, OFFERS AND HAS BEEN PROVEN TO OFFER IN NASHVILLE, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, THAT WOULD HELP SO MUCH ON SO MANY THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING AT THE COUNTY.

IT WOULD LOWER THE REQUIREMENTS OF STAFFING IN THE JAIL AND FRANKLY WOULD MAKE THIS COMMUNITY A SAFER PLACE.

COMMISSIONER HOWARD, I SEE YOU THERE.

IF YOU WANT TO TALK KIND OF ABOUT, WE'RE IN THE NEXT STEPS PART, IF YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT MAYBE WHAT WE'RE DOING SHORT TERM.

CAN, CAN YOU REMEMBER ME? THERE YOU GO.

THANK YOU, JUDGE.

I'LL LET YOU GO.

THANKS.

CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? YES.

UM, GOOD MORNING.

UH, FROM DALLAS, TEXAS.

I'M HERE WORKING WITH A GROUP FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

UM, YOU KNOW, JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR TUNING

[00:20:01]

IN WITH US.

I THINK, UM, IN THE NEXT STEPS, WE WANT TO REALLY BE WORKING TOGETHER NOT ONLY WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, BUT ALSO OUR HEALTHCARE PARTNERS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, LAWYERS AND JUDGES WHO REALLY UNDERSTAND, UH, THE, THE PLAY BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND LOCKUP AND HEALTHCARE NEEDS.

UM, ANDY, I'M GONNA, I'M GOING TO, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE NEXT STEPS THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE TALKING TO THIS GROUP TODAY ABOUT, UM, BUT I WANTED TO REITERATE, UM, YOU KNOW, OVER THE LAST DECADE WHEN OUR COMMUNITY HAS WORKED, UH, CLOSELY, UH, ACROSS, UH, HEALTHCARE, HOUSING, UH, HEALTH, UH, AND NONPROFITS AND GOVERNMENT TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS, I THINK WE'RE AT AN INFLECTION POINT WHERE WE NEED TO SHORE UP ALL THE, UM, COMPONENTS TO MAKE THE SYSTEM WORK.

AND, UM, WE'RE EXPANDING HOUSING, WE'RE EXPANDING SHELTER, AND WE'VE GOT TO EXPAND THE CRISIS, UM, NEEDS, ADDRESS THE CRISIS NEEDS OF THESE FOLKS AND THEIR HEALTHCARE NEEDS.

AND, UM, THIS HAS BEEN A PIECE THAT WE'VE BEEN MISSING, UM, HOW TO HELP PEOPLE STABILIZE WITH THEIR MENTAL HEALTH SO THEY CAN, UM, ENTER OUR HOUSING SYSTEM AND STAY OUT OF OUR LEGAL SYSTEM.

AND SO I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT WE HAVE COMMITTED FEDERAL FUNDING, UM, OUR ARPA DOLLARS TO THIS.

AND, UM, I KNOW, UH, LOTS OF FOLKS HAVE SPENT ALL THEIR ARPA FUNDING, BUT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO SHORE UP THIS PILOT.

SO WE, THAT WE MAKE THE BEST USE OF, OF THE, THE NEW DIVERSION CENTER WHEN WE BUILD IT.

UM, ANDY, ARE YOU PREPARED TO TALK ABOUT LIKE, THE JUNE MEETING, OR, I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU WANNA COVER NEXT.

I'LL FILL IN.

WELL, I, I KNOW THAT WE'RE OVER TIME, SO I WANTED TO SORT OF JUST WRAP UP WITH THE, THE LAST BULLETS IN THE SLIDE.

UH, THERE ARE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO WORK TOGETHER, AND THE AREAS THAT WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE SOME ASSISTANCE IS, UH, IDENTIFYING WORKING, UH, GROUPS ON YOUR END THAT HIT WORK WITH US.

WE'LL START WITH A, A SUMMIT ON JUNE 5TH.

IT'LL BE, UH, AN ALL DAY SUMMIT WHERE WE'LL GET TOGETHER WITH ALL THE ENTITIES THAT MIGHT BE INVOLVED, UM, IF A WORKING GROUP COULD BE IDENTIFIED TO HELP US BRING DECISION POINTS TO, UM, THE TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT AND TO THE CITY COUNCIL.

UH, FINDING WAYS TO, UM, UH, CREATE A GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE AND, UH, BUILDING ON, UH, HOW WE CAN SHARE DATA TO MAKE THIS SUCCESSFUL.

IF WE CAN FIND A WAY WHERE A P D AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE CAN IMMEDIATELY SEE A FLAG ON THE SYSTEM WHEN THEY ARREST SOMEBODY THAT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED, SOMEBODY WITH A MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGE, THEN WE CAN IMMEDIATELY START DIVERTING THEM VERSUS ARRESTING THEM.

EVEN, EVEN IF IT'S POST-ARREST, KNOWING THAT THEY HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGE, THEN WE CAN START WORKING THEM IN A DIFFERENT FASHION TO HELP THEM SUCCESSFULLY EXIT THAT SYSTEM.

SO, THROUGH OPERATIONS POLICIES, HELPING US FINDING FUNDING, GOVERNANCE, UH, SO WE CAN HAVE THAT PARTNERSHIP, IT WOULD BE, UH, GREAT FOR US TO WORK TOGETHER.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

UM, COLLEAGUES, ONE THING THAT I SHOULD HAVE STARTED THE MEETING OFF WITH IS ACKNOWLEDGING THAT MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH.

AND SO TODAY'S PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE MEETING IS FOCUSED ON MENTAL HEALTH.

SO ALL OF OUR AGENDA ITEMS LINE UP WITH BOTH WHAT THE COUNTY AND THE CITY ARE DOING, UH, TO SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH IN, IN AUSTIN.

I WANNA THANK THE COUNTY FOR BEING HERE WITH US TODAY.

I JUST WANTED A FLAG THAT WE HAVE ABOUT, UM, 15 MINUTES FOR, FOR QUESTIONS ON, ON THIS SECTION.

AND I GUESS MY FIRST QUESTION IS, UH, ONE, I JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE AND RECOGNIZE YOUR LEADERSHIP, JUDGE BROWN AND COMMISSIONER HOWARD, UH, AND MS. SANCHEZ FOR, FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.

IT CERTAINLY IS NEEDED IN OUR COMMUNITY.

I'M SURPRISED IT'S TAKEN US THIS LONG, UH, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE DIVERSION CENTER.

I APPRECIATE THE LAST SLIDE WHERE YOU'VE HIGHLIGHTED WHAT WE CAN DO, UM, SPECIFICALLY IN TERMS OF POLICIES THAT WE MIGHT BRING FORWARD.

UH, BUT I GUESS JUST TO MAKE IT, UH, JUST TO PUNCTUATE, WHAT IS THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN CAN DO TO HELP SUPPORT THE MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSION CENTER? UM, I, I THINK BY, BY JOINING WITH US AND BECOMING PARTNERS IN, IN THE MEETING ON JUNE 5TH, WHERE WE'RE GONNA BRING SOME FOLKS IN FROM MIAMI TO HELP US FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT FIRST STEP IS THAT WE TAKE TOGETHER, UM, WOULD BE THE, THE BEST WAY.

AND I KNOW THAT COMMISSIONER HOWARD

[00:25:01]

AND SO PUTTING ALL OUR HEADS TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT WHAT DOES THAT PILOT DO EXACTLY? DO WE RESERVE FIVE BEDS FOR POST-ARREST DIVERSION, FIVE BEDS FOR PRE-ARREST DIVERSION, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT, WHAT WORKS, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY QUICKLY WHILE, YOU KNOW, WE WAIT FOR THE DIVERSION CENTER ITSELF TO BE BUILT OVER THE NEXT, IDEALLY TOO, BUT MORE LIKELY PROBABLY THREE YEARS BASED ON HOW, HOW THINGS GO WITH BIDDING AND STUFF.

SO JOINING UP AS PARTNERS TO US IN THIS EFFORT.

AND WHEN IS THE PILOT PROGRAM SLATED TO COMMENCE? AS SOON AS WE KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT.

AND COMMISSIONER HOWARD, LET ME PASS IT TO YOU.

IF YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON, ON THAT QUESTION.

WE'VE HAD REALLY GOOD SUCCESS IN AUSTIN OF DOING A HUNDRED DAY CHALLENGES WHERE WE JUST SAY, WE'RE GONNA MAKE THIS HAPPEN IN, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF A HUNDRED DAYS.

SO I THINK I'M, I'M LOOKING AT THE JUNE 5TH IS THE KICKOFF, AND WE REALLY TAKE THE SUMMER MONTHS, AND I KNOW WE ALL NEED A VACATION, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT A HUNDRED DAYS TO, UM, FIGURE THIS OUT, UM, INTERVAL CARE HAS OFFERED UP, YOU KNOW, SOME SPACE THAT THEY CURRENTLY RENT FROM THE CITY, UM, AS WELL AS THEIR PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY SERVICES.

SO WE HAVE SOME NUTS AND BOLTS TO WORK WITH.

IT'S A MATTER OF, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK US AS LEADERS, WORKING WITH EXPERTS IN THE COMMUNITY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE, WHAT WE WANNA DO AND MAKE IT HAPPEN.

GOOD DEAL.

AND YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT I APPRECIATE FROM THE COUNTY, I SAW THAT YOU ALL, UM, RECENTLY SHARED OUT WITH THE COMMUNITY HOW YOU'VE ALLOCATED THE REMAINING FUNDS OF YOUR AMERICAN RESCUE ACT RELIEF DOLLARS OF THE CITY.

WE'VE, WE EARMARKED AND ALLOCATED OUR, UM, POT OF, OF DOLLARS, UM, LAST YEAR, I BELIEVE IT WAS.

YEAH, THESE PANDEMIC YEARS.

THEY, THEY FEEL LONG.

UM, BUT I THINK IT MIGHT BE TIME FOR US TO REVISIT HOW THE CITY HAS ALLOCATED OUR ARPA DOLLARS TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY, UM, YOU KNOW, ANY ABILITY FOR US TO BE FLEXIBLE IN HOW WE ALLOCATE.

SO IT MIGHT BE GOOD FOR THE CITY TO, TO SEE WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THOSE, UM, WITH THOSE ALLOCATION, IF WE HAVE ANY REMAINING UNUSED FUNDS OR IF THERE HAVE BEEN ANY, ANY SHIFTS IN THE NEEDS THAT WE HAVE THAT, UM, WOULD LEND ITSELF FOR US TO, TO ALLOCATE FROM, FROM THERE.

UM, AND THEN I KNOW, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER YOU AND COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE BROUGHT FORWARD A RESOLUTION ON COUNCIL THAT, THAT DEMONSTRATED AND, AND DIRECTED OUR CITY MANAGER TO IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL REVENUE SOURCES TO SUPPORT, UM, THIS PILOT PROGRAM.

COLLEAGUES.

ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? NOPE.

AND THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE PARTICIPATION.

I KNOW IN THESE VISITS, WE WE'RE FRAMING IT AS A COUNTY THING, BUT WE'VE HAD, LIKE, UH, APD HAS COME, OTHER FOLKS FROM THE CITY HAVE COME ON THESE VISITS TO THE DIFFERENT PLACES.

AND SO JUST REALLY THANKFUL FOR THE PARTNERSHIP AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING TOGETHER ON THIS EFFORT.

[3. Briefing on Mental Health First Aid initiative from Raul Alvarez, Executive Director of Community Advancement Network]

WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO OUR BRIEFING FROM UL AVAREZ, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE COMMUNITY ADVANCEMENT NETWORK ON CANNES MENTAL HEALTH PRIORITIES AND INITIATIVES.

UM, ASRA MAKES HIS WAY TO, UH, TO THE PODIUM.

I ALSO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT WE DO HAVE AN ACTION ITEM ON THE AGENDA THAT I WANT TO, UM, CONSIDER FIRST, UM, TO ENSURE THAT WE STILL HAVE OUR QUORUM AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTRA FOR, FOR JOINING OUR COMMITTEE.

UM, SO I WANNA DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE A PRINTED COPY IN FRONT OF YOU.

THIS IS REGARDING THE MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID INITIATIVE THAT I, UH, ALONG WITH CAN, UH, LAUNCHED EARLIER THIS MORNING.

AND IT IS A, UH, MISSION TO TRAIN 1000 AUSTINITE TO GET CERTIFIED WITH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID.

UH, IT'S AN EIGHT HOUR COURSE.

WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE COMMITMENT FROM OUR CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, THAT WE WILL SHARE HERE SHORTLY WHAT THE CITY WILL BE DOING IN OFFERING THIS COURSE TO CITY EMPLOYEES.

UH, THE COUNTY IS ALSO COMMITTED AND PLEDGED TO TRAIN COUNTY EMPLOYEES, AND ROLOS GONNA TALK US THROUGH THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND, AND THE PROGRAM ITSELF.

BUT THIS RESOLUTION, UH, THAT I HAVE HERE BEFORE YOU JUST REITERATES AND DEMONSTRATES THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO THE MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID INITIATIVE, UH, AND SHOWS OUR SUPPORT FOR ELEVATING THE CONVERSATION OF MENTAL HEALTH IN AUSTIN.

UM, SO I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE ADOPTION OF THIS RESOLUTION.

CAN I HAVE A SECOND? YES.

MAYOR SECONDS.

ANY OBJECTIONS TO ADOPTING THIS RESOLUTION AS A, OR DO YOU HAVE A DISCUSSION? ALL I WANTED TO POINT OUT, AND, UH, I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL ALTER REMEMBERS THIS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID, WE, WE DID JUST THIS SORT OF THING IN THE

[00:30:01]

SENATE OFFICE WHEN I WAS IN THE SENATE, AND IT WAS SUCH A SUCCESS THAT WE DECIDED TO OFFER IT AT THE CAPITOL, AND WE HAD A BIG TURNOUT, UH, FOR IT AT THE CAPITOL.

AND IT IS A, IT'S A REALLY GOOD PROGRAM.

PEOPLE LEARN A LOT FROM IT, AND THEY DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

UH, SO I'M PLEASED TO SEE THAT WE'RE DOING THIS AND, AND, AND WITH SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE THAT WAS VERY GRATIFYING.

SO, GOOD DEAL.

I WAS JUST GONNA ADD, I I'M NOT ALLOWED TO VOTE ON IT HERE, BUT I CAN'T WAIT TO SUPPORT IT WHEN WE GET TO THE FULL COUNCIL, SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS.

THIS IS GREAT.

ANY OBJECTIONS TO ADOPTING THIS RESOLUTION? YOU'RE DOING WONDERFUL.

SO THIS WILL COME AS A, IT WILL COME BEFORE COUNSEL AS A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE.

TO GET SUPPORT? AND, AND THEY, UH, THEY FELT THAT, UH, PEER SUPPORT IS ONE.

SO WITH THAT, WE'LL TOSS IT OVER TO RAUL AZ FOR A BRIEFING ON THE MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID INITIATIVE.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR APPROVING THAT.

AND MY WORK HERE IS DON NOGS .

BUT, UH, , UH, THANK YOU, UH, MADAM CHAIR AND, UH, COUNCIL, UH, MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE, THE WORK, UH, CAN IS DOING AROUND MENTAL HEALTH.

UM, AND IF YOU COULD, UM, GO TO THE FIRST SLIDE.

UH, AS YOU KNOW, WE PUBLISHED AN ANNUAL COMMUNITY INDICATORS REPORT.

ONE MORE.

UM, AND WE'RE NOT GONNA TALK ABOUT ALL THESE, THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF IN THAT PRESENTATION THAT Y'ALL CAN LOOK AT, AT YOUR LEISURE.

UH, WE'RE GONNA GET TO THE MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID PIECE, BUT, UH, BUT DID WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT, UH, AGAIN, WE HAVE THIS DATA AVAILABLE, AND IT DOES SHOW, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE FIVE YEAR TREND HERE, WHERE WE ARE WITH, UH, INDIVIDUALS REPORTING POOR MENTAL HEALTH, AND JUST KIND OF WHERE WE WERE IN 2017, WHERE WE ARE NOW, AND JUST THE, THE TREND THAT IS VERY APPARENT.

AND, UM, AND I'M JUST GONNA SHARE A COUPLE SLIDES VERY, VERY QUICKLY.

UM, NEXT SLIDE.

UM, AGAIN, WE, WE, YOU KNOW, TRY TO BREAK DOWN, UM, THE NUMBERS BY DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHICS, RIGHT? BECAUSE AGAIN, IF YOU SEE ONE, UH, UH, ONE DATA POINT, IT'S HARD TO DRAW CONCLUSIONS.

BUT HERE YOU SEE SORT OF THE TRENDS BY RACE, YOU KNOW, OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

AND YOU SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, ACROSS ALL RACES, REALLY, THIS HAS BEEN, UM, UH, A MORE CHALLENGING TIMES.

WE HAVE POST COVID AND, UH, AND RIGHT NOW THE HIGHEST RATES ARE, UH, FOR HISPANICS, IF YOU SEE THAT.

BUT, UH, IT'S IMPORTANT, I THINK, TO LOOK AT THE TREND, NOT JUST LOOK AT ONE YEAR, UH, IN TIME.

UH, THE NEXT SLIDE IS, UM, AGAIN, LOOKING AT IT BY, UH, YOU KNOW, SEX MEN, MEN VERSUS WOMEN.

THERE'S A LITTLE, UH, DISPARITY THERE.

UM, AND I SAY LITTLE, JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE ONES WHERE THERE'S GREAT DISPARITY.

I DON'T WANNA BELITTLE THE, THE DISPARITY SHOWN HERE.

UH, THE NEXT ONE IS, UM, THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, WOULD BE, UM, BY EMPLOYMENT STATUS.

AGAIN, YOU KNOW, NOT, NOT SURPRISINGLY, RIGHT, THERE IS A DISPARITY THERE BY FOLKS WHO ARE EMPLOYED AND NOT EMPLOYED.

UH, NEXT SLIDE, UH, BY AGE.

THIS IS THE ONE THAT'S KIND OF VERY, UM, STARK.

UH, AND YOU SEE THERE THE VERY TALL BLUE LINE MOST RECENTLY, WHICH IS FOR THAT 18 TO 29 CATEGORY.

UM, AND IT'S NOT EVEN GOING DEEPER THAN THAT, WHICH IS TO OUR YOUNG, YOUNG PEOPLE, WHICH WE KNOW.

ALL THE DATA SHOWS THAT, THAT, UM, MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS ARE VERY HIGH.

BUT EVEN IN THIS 18 TO 29 CATEGORY, YOU SEE, UH, GREAT NEED FOR SUPPORT.

AND THE NEXT SLIDE, I THINK IT'S A COUPLE MORE SLIDES.

ONE IS, UM, BY EDUCATION LEVEL, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE FOLKS WITH HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA OR LESS, RIGHT? HAVE, UH, SOME OF THE HIGHEST, UH, REPORTED, YOU KNOW, UH, MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES, UH, OR AT LEAST REPORTING POOR MENTAL HEALTH, I SHOULD SAY.

UH, THE NEXT, UH, SLIDE IS, UH, UH, AGAIN, A LOT OF THESE, THEY START PUSHING 50%, RIGHT? SO ANYBODY WHO FALLS IN THIS GROUP, ONE OUTTA TWO, YOU'RE SEEING, YOU KNOW, REPORTING, YOU KNOW, THESE CHALLENGES, UH, FOR OUR, UH, MEMBERS OF OUR LGBTQ COMMUNITY, AGAIN, YOU SEE VERY HIGH REPORTED RATES OF, OF, UM, OF, UH, POOR MENTAL HEALTH.

AND IN THE, ALSO, FOR THE LAST SLIDE, I BELIEVE THE DATA HERE IS, UH, FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO, UM, WHO ARE DISABLED.

IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, HAVE A DISABILITY, RIGHT? AGAIN, YOU SEE VERY BIG DISPARITIES, AND AGAIN, ALREADY PUSHING OVER THAT 50%.

UM, MARK, UH, AND IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, MAYBE, AND THIS IS AGAIN, JUST, UH, A COUPLE OF, UH, SUGGESTIONS AS WE, AS WE PROCEED WITH THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, FROM OUR COMMUNITY COUNCIL WHO'S JUST PUBLISHED THEIR SECOND REPORT ON MENTAL HEALTH TO GIVE, UM, OUR CANNED BOARD SOME IDEAS FOR HOW TO MOVE FORWARD AROUND ADDRESSING THESE NEEDS.

AND I'LL MAINLY TALK ABOUT THIS FIRST SLIDE HERE, WHICH IS, UH, PEER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS, YOU KNOW, WHICH, AGAIN, THE COMMUNITY COUNCIL HAS SAID, OR THAT THEY FEEL THIS IS A, A GREAT, UM, RESOURCE TO EXPAND, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE, UM, NOT EVERYONE WILL BE ABLE TO GET A, UH, AN APPOINTMENT, RIGHT? WITH A CLINICIAN, RIGHT? BECAUSE THERE'S ALREADY WAITING LISTS.

BUT NOT EVERYONE ALSO NEEDS A CLINICIAN, RIGHT? SO HOW DO WE KIND OF CREATE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

[00:35:01]

AND AGAIN, YOU CAN TARGET YOUR TRAINING OF PEER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS TO, TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT NEED IT, WHETHER IT'S HISPANICS OR AFRICAN AMERICANS, OR THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY WITH A DISABLED COMMUNITY.

AGAIN, YOU CAN TARGET YOUR RESOURCES TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS APPARENT IN THE DATA.

AND, UH, I'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

AND HERE'S JUST A LIST OF SOME PEER SUPPORT PROGRAMS. AGAIN, PART OF IT IS BEFORE YOU DECIDE TO INVEST MORE RESOURCES, YOU GOTTA KNOW KIND OF WHAT'S OUT THERE.

SO THIS IS KIND OF TO HELP IN THAT REGARD.

AND THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, IS JUST, AGAIN, THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT, RIGHT? IF YOU INVEST IN PEER SUPPORT, WHAT DOES IT DO, RIGHT? AND THOSE BULLETS AT THE BOTTOM, KIND OF TALK ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, REDUCE REHOSPITALIZATION, YOU KNOW, REDUCE DAYS, INPATIENT OVERALL COSTS, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.

UH, NEXT SLIDE.

AND THEN AGAIN, THERE'S A LOT OF RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE REPORT.

AND THAT REPORT WILL BE, UH, FINALIZED, I THINK, ON FRIDAY, AND WE'LL GET IT TO YOU SO YOU CAN READ IT IN MORE DEPTH.

BUT, UH, I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO THAT, UH, UH, VERY DIRECTLY, BUT YOU'LL SEE IT TALKS ABOUT PEER SUPPORT, AND IT TALKS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID, AND IT TALKS ABOUT WE AS EMPLOYERS, WHAT CAN WE DO TO SUPPORT OUR EMPLOYEES, RIGHT? ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES AND YOU KNOW THAT FOLKS WHO HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA OR LESS NEED HELP, WELL, OF YOUR EMPLOYEES, CAN YOU DO AN OUTREACH TO THEM OR OUTREACH TO THE FOLKS WHO HAVE A DISABILITY OR WHO ARE LGBTQ.

AGAIN, YOU AS A LARGE EMPLOYER, YOU CAN ALSO LOOK AT YOUR, UM, YOUR EMPLOYEES, RIGHT? AS A WAY OF TARGETING SUPPORT.

AND IF WE GO TO THE NEXT, UH, SLIDE AND KEEP GOING TILL WE GET TO, UH, I THINK THE LAST SLIDE, WHICH HAS SECOND TO THE LAST SLIDE, AND AGAIN, THIS IS TO GETTING YOU BACK TO THE MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID.

AND THE REASON WE'RE TRYING TO PUT THE, A CONTEXT TO MENTAL HEALTH FIRST STATE, ONE MORE SLIDE, PLEASE.

UM, IS THAT, AGAIN, MENTAL HEALTH FIRST STATE IS ANOTHER APPROACH, UM, THAT YOU CAN USE TO, UM, AGAIN, BETTER IDENTIFY AND RESPOND TO MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS, BETTER SERVE COMMUNITIES AND TARGET RESOURCES, RIGHT? I THINK THAT'S PART OF WHY IT'S, AGAIN, IF, IF WE WANT TO TRAIN MORE FOLKS IN THIS BANK COMMUNITY AROUND MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID, OR IN THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IT IS ANOTHER TOOL LIKE PEER SUPPORT WHERE YOU CAN TARGET THE RESOURCES IN A WAY TO, UM, PROVIDE SUPPORT TO THOSE, UH, IN HIGHEST NEED.

AND WE JUST ANNOUNCED THE, UH, CAMPAIGN TO, UM, TO TRAIN, UM, A THOUSAND CAN EMPLOYEES OF CANNED MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS, RIGHT? BECAUSE WITH ALL THIS IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S SUCH A DAUNTING TASK, BUT HOW CAN WE NOT BE PARALYZED BY THE EXTENT OF THE TASK? BUT SO YOU IDENTIFY WHAT YOU CAN DO, RIGHT? SO AS CAN WE'RE 25 PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS.

UM, SO HOW CAN WE CHALLENGE OUR OWN PARTNERS, RIGHT? TO TRAIN THEIR EMPLOYEES, UH, WHICH AGAIN, IMPROVES THE WORKPLACE, UH, MORE SUPPORTIVE WORKPLACE, BUT IT ALSO, SINCE MOST OF OUR PARTNERS ARE SERVICE PROVIDERS, RIGHT? IT IMPROVES THE ABILITY OF THAT WORKFORCE TO BETTER SERVE THEIR NEEDS OF THE CLIENTS.

AND SO THAT'S CAN'S COMMITMENT, THAT'S CAN'S CHALLENGE, RIGHT? THAT WE'VE TAKEN ON AND THAT WE ANNOUNCED TODAY.

UM, AND THAT WE WILL BE FIGURING OUT HOW TO DELIVER, RIGHT? A THOUSAND, UH, CAN EMPLOYEES OR EMPLOYEES OF, CAN MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS TRAINED ON MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID, AND I'LL, I'LL JUST END REAL QUICK, BUT WITH THE LESSONS LEARNED IS THEN HOW DO WE TRANSFORM THAT INTO A COMMUNITY-WIDE CHALLENGE, RIGHT? FOR TRAINING X THOUSANDS, I DON'T WANNA COMMIT, UH, UH, OUR, OUR CAN, UH, PARTNERS TO, UH, A BIG NUMBER.

BUT AGAIN, HOW WITH OUR LEARNINGS, AGAIN, HOW DO WE, WE FIGURE OUT WHAT RESOURCES WE NEED TO TAKE IT UP ANOTHER NOTCH.

SO I'LL END THERE.

I KNOW WE HAVE SOME TIME FOR Q AND A, SORRY FOR GOING OVER A LITTLE BIT, BUT VERY EXCITED, UH, TO BE WITH YOU TODAY AND FOR THE ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.

THANKS TO, UH, OUR COLLEAGUES AT A P H AND TRAVIS COUNTY HHS, WHO ARE VERY, UH, INTEGRAL, UH, TO THIS EFFORT AS, AS IS INTEGRAL CARE AND ALL OUR OTHER CAN PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS.

UH, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

COUNCIL MEMBER.

THANK YOU, RO COLLEAGUES.

I'M GOING TO CALL UP LAA DETE.

DID I SAY THAT RIGHT? OR IS IT LAK LA LAE? WHO'S GONNA PRESENT AND SHARE WITH US WHAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN WILL BE DOING? SURE.

CAN I PULL UP THE PRESENTATION, PLEASE? GOOD MORNING, LAK WITH AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, AND I AM PINCH HITTING FOR STEPHANIE HAYDEN ACM, STEPHANIE HAYDEN, HOWARD, UM, SO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

WHAT ARE WE DOING? UM, AS A CITY, WE DO BELIEVE IN THE IMPORTANCE OF STAFF DEVELOPMENT, BOTH FOR OUR INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL CUSTOMERS.

AS WE'RE WORKING KIND OF, AND PARTICULARLY AT AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, WE KNOW WITH THE PANDEMIC, KIND OF THE ISOLATION AND, UM, OTHER, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING, UM, ISSUES WITH THEIR MENTAL HEALTH.

SO ONE THING WE WANNA DO IS WE WANNA ABOUT CELEBRATE THE STAFF THAT HAVE COMPLETED THE TRAINING AND DOING SOME RESEARCH BEHIND MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID.

WE IDENTIFIED THAT OVER 700 CITY OF AUSTIN EMPLOYEES HAD ALREADY BEEN TRAINED, AND WE ALSO IDENTIFIED

[00:40:01]

THAT WE ACTUALLY HAD SOME TRAIN THE TRAINERS, UM, WITHIN, UH, THE CITY THAT WERE EMPLOYED BY THE CITY THAT WERE PROVIDING THIS TRAINING.

UM, AT THE DIRECTOR'S MEETING IN APRIL, ON APRIL 12TH, WE DID PRESENT MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID AND REMINDED ALL THE DIRECTORS OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DEPARTMENTS, UM, THAT MAYA WAS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH.

AND WE WANTED TO PROVIDE THEM THE INFORMATION OF THE BENEFITS TO THEMSELVES, TO THE STAFF, TO THE PUBLIC, HOW THIS TOOL COULD BE HELPFUL FOR THEM IN DOING THAT TRAINING.

AND I WILL SAY AFTER THAT TRAINING, THE NEXT DAY, I GOT A CALL FROM SOMEONE FROM A DEPARTMENT THAT SAID, HEY, I JUST TALKED TO SOMEONE WHO SOUNDED LIKE THEY MIGHT BE A LITTLE SUICIDAL.

WHAT DO I DO? AND I WAS ABLE TO REACH OUT TO INTEGRAL CARE AND BE LIKE, HERE'S A NUMBER, HERE'S A TOOL.

HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN DO, UM, IN THE EVENT THAT THAT HAPPENS AGAIN.

SO I THINK THESE ARE REAL LIVE SCENARIOS WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INDIVIDUALS THAT INTERACT WITH THE PUBLIC ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS, OR JUST INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER WHEN THEY MIGHT HEAR SOMETHING, SEE SOMETHING THAT MIGHT PROVIDE THEM SOME SUPPORT.

UM, AND AS I MENTIONED, WE DO HAVE DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE STAFFS TRAINED TO BE TRAINERS AT AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.

WE HAVE, I THINK, 120 EMPLOYEES SET TO START DOING THE TRAINING IF THEY HAVEN'T ALREADY STARTED BETWEEN NOW AND JUNE.

BUT WE ARE LISTENING, LOOKING TO HOW WE CAN EXPAND ADDITIONAL TRAINING TO OUR STAFF.

UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT EMS ALSO HAS PLANS TO HAVE ANOTHER STAFF TRAINED TO BE A TRAINER, SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE ON BEYOND THIS INITIAL TRAINING.

BUT AS WE HAVE NEW STAFF COME ON BOARD, AS WE DO REFRESHERS, WANTING TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THIS MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING AVAILABLE TO OUR STAFF.

SO, OUR TRAINING INITIATIVES ARE ADVERTISED THROUGH THE FOLLOWING MECHANISM.

SO THERE IS A QUARTERLY HUMAN RESOURCE UPDATE THAT GOES OUT.

UM, THERE IS AN ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT INTRANET SITE TO LET, UM, DEPARTMENT AND STAFF KNOW ABOUT THE DIFFERENT TRAININGS THAT ARE OFFERED.

UH, WE ALSO HAVE DISTRIBUTION LIST BASED ON PREVIOUS CLASS ATTENDANCE TO REMIND PEOPLE OF THE TRAINING.

UH, WE WILL DISTRIBUTE INFORMATION THROUGH LEARNING COMMUNITY THROUGH EACH DEPARTMENT'S POINT OF CONTACT AND ALL EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATIONS AND MEMOS, AND ALSO THE CITY NEWS, UM, TO LET PEOPLE KNOW, TO CONTACT TAYLOR JOHNSON AT INTEGRAL CARE IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN GOING TO A TRAINING, PAYING FOR A TRAINING, OR HOSTING A TRAINING SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT DEPARTMENT OR THOSE PARTICULAR UNITS.

AND AGAIN, SO CITY NEWS WILL BE SENDING OUT INFORMATION.

WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH OUR HUMAN RESOURCES ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO SEND OUT MESSAGE TO DEPARTMENT, DEPARTMENT POINT OF CONTACTS TO COORDINATE WITH INTEGRAL CARE, TO BE ABLE TO TRACK THE NUMBER OF STAFF TRAINED SO THAT WE CAN CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS THE OVERALL CAN GOAL TO GET A THOUSAND INDIVIDUALS TRAINED IN MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID.

THANK YOU, MS. LAFE.

COLLEAGUES, ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? UH, ONLY TO MAKE A COMMENT THAT, UH, I'M REALLY PLEASED TO SEE ALL THIS.

I LOOK FORWARD TO FRIDAY, OR ACTUALLY, I PROBABLY WON'T LOOK AT IT THIS WEEKEND, SO, UM, FRIDAY OR MONDAY, GETTING THE, THE FULL REPORT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S, AND I, I LOVE THE GOAL, UH, THIS, THIS TRAINING IS LIKE IF YOU, IF YOU SAW SOMEBODY THAT WAS HAVING A HEART ATTACK AND YOU WANT TO, WE, WE, WE IMMEDIATELY PAY ATTENTION TO THAT.

WE, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE TRAINED IN THAT, BUT THEY'RE NOT TRAINED IN IT WHEN IT COMES TO BRAIN HEALTH.

MM-HMM.

AND SO, I, I, I REALLY LOVE THAT THERE'S A, A PROGRAM THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE OFF ON THAT.

AND I, I THINK THE GOAL, WHILE, UH, WE STAND HERE TODAY, UH, THINKING IT'S ASPIRATIONAL FOR A THOUSAND, I, UM, I THINK THAT'S GOOD TO HAVE THAT ASPIRATIONAL GOAL.

AND SO I APPRECIATE IT BOTH FROM, FROM CAN AND FROM THE, UH, THE CITY REPORT.

SO THANK Y'ALL FOR THAT.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

AND THANK YOU MR. AVAREZ FOR JOINING US TODAY FOR REPRESENTING CAN AND, UH, FOR SHARING OUT WHAT CAN IS WORKING ON.

LAST AGENDA ITEM IS A BRIEFING ON COMMUNITY HEALTH PARAMEDICS MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE PROGRAM.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, WE ARE JUST FLYING THROUGH THESE ITEMS, .

UM, OUR

[6. Briefing on the Community Health Paramedics Mental Health Response Unit from the Austin Travis County Emergency Medical Services Department]

WE'LL HAVE CLINICAL SPECIALIST KENNY PAS AND DIVISION CHIEF STEVE WHITE, JOIN US FOR THIS PRESENTATION.

UM, COLLEAGUES, WE WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT WE USUALLY HAVE DIANA GRAY, OUR HOMELESSNESS STRATEGY OFFICER, JOIN US FOR AN UPDATE ON, ON OUR HOMELESSNESS EFFORTS.

AND, UM, WHILE SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE HERE WITH US TODAY, GIVEN OUR PACKED AGENDA, I DID REQUEST THAT A MEMO BE PROVIDED TO US WITH AN UPDATE ON, ON THE LATEST.

UH, MENTAL HEALTH PATIENTS THAT ARE OFTEN IN CRISIS.

GOOD MORNING.

UH, MY NAME IS STEVEN WHITE.

I'M THE DIVISION CHIEF OF INTEGRATED SERVICES, WHICH, UH, INCLUDES OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH PARAMEDIC PROGRAM.

AND I'D LIKE TO THANK THE COMMITTEE FOR, UH, GIVING US A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THIS PROGRAM THAT IT'S VERY EXCITING, IT'S A GREAT SUCCESS STORY.

IT'S VERY INNOVATIVE, AND, UH, WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO SHARE IT WITH YOU.

UM, WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

UH, AUSTIN.

TRAVIS COUNTY EMS SITS IN A VERY UNIQUE POSITION WHERE WE INTERSECT WITH,

[00:45:01]

AS THIS DEPARTMENT MOVES BEYOND ITS TRADITIONAL SCOPE OF JUST RESPONDING WITH AMBULANCES, AND WE'RE FOCUSING MORE ON BRINGING THE RIGHT RESOURCE TO THE RIGHT PATIENT AT THE RIGHT TIME.

UH, ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO, WE DEVELOPED OUR MENTAL HEALTH FIRST RESPONDER PROGRAM THAT IS CONTAINED WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH PROGRAM.

AND, UH, WE'RE ABLE TO BRING THE RIGHT RESOURCE, WHICH IS A HIGHLY TRAINED, UM, MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL, UH, TO A PATIENT IN CRISIS AT THE TIME OF THE 9 1 1 CALL.

UH, AMBULANCES, MUCH LIKE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS AND EMERGENCY ROOMS, ARE REALLY SET UP BEST FOR LIFE-THREATENING EMERGENCIES, LIKE HEART ATTACKS AND STROKES, AND, UH, SEVERE TRAUMA.

UH, IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE START, UH, REALLY FOCUSING IN ON CRISIS MENTAL HEALTH AND PROVIDING THE RIGHT RESOURCES TO THOSE PATIENTS PRIOR TO THEM GOING TO AN EMERGENCY ROOM, WHICH MAY NOT BE THE BEST, UH, EQUIPPED OR THE BEST OPTION FOR THEM AT THAT TIME.

SO, WHEN WE DEVELOPED THIS PROGRAM, UH, WE KIND OF TOOK A THREE-PRONG APPROACH TO IT.

UM, THE MENTAL, UM, HEALTH FIRST RESPONDER RESPONDS, UH, TO THESE CRISIS MOMENTS AT THE TIME OF THE 9 1 1 CALL.

UH, USUALLY AN AMBULANCE ALSO RESPONDS, AND THEN THE, UH, COMMUNITY HEALTH PARAMEDIC RESPONDS WITH THEM.

AND THEN IF THE AMBULANCE IS NEEDED FOR ANY OTHER ISSUES THAT THEY MAY IDENTIFY ON SCENE, THEN THE AMBULANCE CAN TRANSPORT.

IF NOT, UM, USUALLY ABOUT 75% OF THE TIME, THE COMMUNITY HEALTH PARAMEDIC CAN FIND AN ALTERNATIVE DIVERSION FOR THAT PATIENT TO GO TO OR PROVIDE TREATMENT RIGHT THERE ON THE SCENE.

UM, WE'VE ALSO DEVELOPED, UH, A PARTNERSHIP AND A COLLABORATION WITH, UH, SOME OF OUR PARTNER AGENCIES, UH, FOR THE AUSTIN CARES TEAM, UH, TO ADDRESS OUR MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS PROACTIVELY.

UH, AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.

AND THEN WE ALSO, UH, PARTICIPATE WITH INTEGRAL CARE ON THE CALL CENTER, UH, CLINICIAN PROGRAM, THE C3 INSIDE OF THE 9 1 1 CENTER.

SO, UH, AUSTIN IS UNIQUE IN THE FACT THAT WHEN YOU CALL 9 1 1, YOU CAN ASK FOR A POLICE, FIRE, EMS, OR MENTAL HEALTH.

WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

WE TOOK THE APPROACH, UH, AT AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY EMS, THAT MENTAL HEALTHCARE IS HEALTHCARE.

UH, IN A CRISIS SITUATION, WE ALL, WE FREQUENTLY FIND OURSELVES TREATING THE SYMPTOMS OF A MENTAL HEALTHCARE CRISIS INSTEAD OF THE MENTAL HEALTHCARE ISSUE ITSELF.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE FOCUSED ON WITH THE TRAINING OF THIS PROGRAM FOR THESE RESPONDERS TO RECOGNIZE, UH, PAST THE SYMPTOMS THAT WE'RE SEEING, UH, ON SCENE, AND ACTUALLY TRY TO PROVIDE CARE TO THE BASE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE.

UM, WE WANNA FIND THE BEST SOLUTION FOR THESE PATIENTS IN THEIR TIME OF CRISIS.

THEIR SOLUTION IS NOT ALWAYS AN EMERGENCY ROOM.

IT MAY BE, UM, TREATMENT THEY'RE ON SCENE WHERE WE CAN BRING THEM BACK DOWN TO A LEVEL AND THEN CONNECT THEM, UH, TO SERVICES.

IT MAY BE GOING, UH, INTO AN END TREATMENT, UH, TYPE FACILITY.

WE HAVE A LOT OF OPTIONS.

AND, UH, THESE, THESE TEAM MEMBERS ARE VERY WELL VERSED IN HOW TO NAVIGATE THAT SYSTEM.

AND THEN WE TOOK A, ANOTHER GOAL, OUR TERTIARY GOAL OF WE WANT TO SUPPORT OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERSHIPS AND, AND TRY TO LIMIT THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN THESE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS BECAUSE WE VIEW THIS AS A HEALTHCARE CRISIS, AND AS AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY EMS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PEOPLE'S HEALTHCARE IN THE 9 1 1 SYSTEM, WE WANT TO TAKE THAT SAME APPROACH TO THESE MENTAL HEALTH CRISISES AS WELL.

UH, THEN WE ALSO WANT TO FIND NEW AND NEW ALTERNATIVES AND, AND NEW WAYS TO ADDRESS THESE CRISIS ISSUES AND REALLY PUSH, UM, OUR INDUSTRY AND EMS FURTHER INTO THIS REALM SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE BETTER SERVICES FOR OUR PATIENTS AND DO THE RIGHT THING BY THEM AND JUST OFFER THEM THE RIGHT SERVICES AT THE RIGHT TIME.

GIVE THEM AS MANY OPTIONS AS THEY CAN.

WE REALLY FOCUS ON PAT PATIENT-CENTRIC CARE, WHERE PEOPLE HAVE CHOICE AND THEY HAVE OPTIONS.

UH, THIS PROGRAM IS EXCELLENT FOR THAT.

UM, CLINICAL SPECIALIST, KENNY PES HERE NEXT TO ME, HE HELPED DESIGN THIS PROGRAM.

HE'S HELPED BUILD THIS PROGRAM.

HE CURRENTLY TRAINS OUR CURRENT TEAM MEMBERS.

UH, I WANTED TO GIVE HIM AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF TELL YOU WHAT THAT TRAINING LOOKS LIKE, IF YOU'D GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

THANK YOU, CHIEF.

UH, I AM, I'M VERY EXCITED AND, AND PROUD TO SAY THAT I'M A PART OF THIS TEAM, WHICH, UH, I THINK HAS, HAS BEEN ABLE TO, AS CHIEF SAID, INNOVATE AND CHANGE HOW OUR CITY RESPONDS TO PEOPLE IN MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.

UH, JUST LIKE CHIEF SAID, IT REALLY WAS A PRETTY BIG, UM, TO USE AN OVERUSED PHRASE, PARADIGM SHIFT FOR US.

TRADITIONALLY, PARAMEDICS, UM, DID NOT HAVE A GREAT DEPTH

[00:50:01]

OF TRAINING IN MENTAL HEALTHCARE SPECIFICALLY.

UH, SO WE CREATED, WHAT WE REALLY THINK IS, IS POSSIBLY A FIRST OF ITS KIND IN THE NATION TRAINING PROGRAM.

UM, WE OF COURSE, LEANED ON, LEANED HEAVILY ON SOME OF OUR PARTNERS WITH EXPERTISE TO CREATE THE MATERIAL.

UH, BUT NOW MEMBERS OF OUR TEAM RECEIVE, UH, THREE WEEKS OF, UH, INTENSIVE IN CLASSROOM TRAINING.

UH, SUBJECT MATTER SUBJECT MATERIAL INCLUDES SOME REALLY FOUNDATIONAL CONCEPTS LIKE, UM, TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE, UH, APPROPRIATE DEESCALATION, UM, SUICIDE PREVENTION, MORE IN DEPTH SUICIDE ASSESSMENT, UH, THAN A PARAMEDIC WOULD TYPICALLY DO.

UH, WE ALSO, OF COURSE, ARE VERY FOCUSED ON, UM, A LOT OF THE, THE OTHER ISSUES WE'VE HEARD SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS MENTION TODAY, SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER ASSESSMENT FOR SUBSTANCE USE, AND EVEN TREATMENTS FOR THAT AND PSYCHOSIS.

UH, ONE OF THE THINGS CHIEF MENTIONED A SECOND AGO IS HOW WE'RE TRYING TO INNOVATE AND PUSH OUR PROFESSION FORWARD.

AND, UM, THAT INCLUDES A FACT THAT ONE OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS, UM, SAW AN OPPORTUNITY, AND YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THIS IN THE NEWS, TO, UH, ADD A NEW TREATMENT TO OUR TEAM, WHICH IS THE USE OF ZYPREXA AND ANTIPSYCHOTIC MEDICATION.

WE'RE USING THAT IN A WAY, NOBODY ELSE IN THE NATION IS.

ALSO, WE'RE USING THAT TO TREAT PEOPLE EXPERIENCING PSYCHOSIS OR AGITATION IN THE COMMUNITY AND MAKE IT SAFE FOR THEM TO REMAIN IN THE COMMUNITY.

UM, AGAIN, AS HAS BEEN SAID MANY TIMES IN THE PAST, THE MODEL FOR EMS REALLY WAS JUST, UH, WE ARRIVE WITH AN AMBULANCE AND WE EITHER TAKE YOU TO THE ER OR WE DON'T.

AND NOW WITH THIS PROGRAM, WE'VE IDENTIFIED 42, ACTUALLY OVER 42 ALTERNATIVES TO THOSE DISPOSITIONS.

SO, UH, GETTING OUR FOLKS TO A POINT WHERE, UH, THEY CAN SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY, UM, MOVE PEOPLE TO ONE OF THOSE DISPOSITIONS TAKES, TAKES TRAINING LIKE THIS.

UM, SO IN ADDITION TO THE THREE WEEKS OF CLASSROOM TRAINING, SO CAN I INTERRUPT YOU? YES, SIR.

CHAIR, DO YOU MIND? SO, SORRY.

I I ONLY WANT TO INTERRUPT YOU TO HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING THAT YOU JUST SAID, SIR, AND DESCRIBED, AND I, I THINK IT'S INCUMBENT UPON ALL OF US TO POINT OUT THE WORK THAT GETS DONE IS REALLY, HE, HE'S USED THE WORD TREATMENT SEVERAL TIMES.

I MEAN, WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT TREATMENT , WE'RE, WE'RE PROVIDING HEALTHCARE, AND IN THIS CASE, BRAIN HEALTHCARE THROUGH THE SERVICES THAT ARE BEING PROVIDED HERE.

AND THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN, AS YOU JUST POINTED OUT, JUST PUTTING SOMEBODY IN THE, THE BACK OF A, UH, AMBULANCE AND TAKING THEM SO THAT THAT'S WHERE THEY GET TREATMENT EVEN UP TO, AND INCLUDING, I DON'T RECOGNIZE THE NAME OF THE DRUG THAT YOU, UH, MENTIONED, BUT THE ANTI-PSYCHOTIC MEDICATION MM-HMM.

THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO STAY IN THE COMMUNITY AND NOT END UP IN OUR EMERGENCY ROOMS BECAUSE OF THE TREATMENT THEY'RE, THEY'RE RECEIVING.

I DON'T THINK THAT GETS SAID ENOUGH.

I DON'T THINK IT GETS EMPHASIZED ENOUGH.

SO, UH, I CONGRATULATE YOU ON HAVING A, A PUBLIC HEALTH MEETING THAT FOCUSES ON MENTAL HEALTH.

I THINK THAT'S, BUT THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PART.

AND, AND SO I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT, UH, IT, IT, IT SCRATCHES A STRONG ITCH OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND I APPRECIATE YOU, YOU SAYING IT.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

NO, I, I, I, I'M WITH YOU ON THAT.

OUR CITY DOES SO MUCH WHEN IT COMES TO MENTAL HEALTH CARE.

I'M REALLY PROUD TO, TO HAVE A CITY OF AUSTIN THAT PRIORITIZES MENTAL HEALTH.

THE FACT THAT WHEN SOMEONE CALLS 9 1 1, THE DISPATCHER SAYS, IS THIS A MENTAL HEALTH EMERGENCY? LIKE, HAVING THAT INCLUDED INTO OUR, OUR SYSTEM IS INCREDIBLE.

SO, UH, I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING AND HAVING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY ELEVATE CITY SERVICES.

SORRY.

OH, PLEASE DON'T APOLOGIZE FOR THAT INTERRUPTION.

THAT WAS WONDERFUL.

I, UH, AND, UH, ON BEHALF OF MY TEAM, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

YEAH.

UM, WE, UM, OBVIOUSLY NEEDED TO, UH, DO SOME MORE INNOVATION TO GET TO A POINT WHERE WE COULD DO THINGS LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, TREATING PEOPLE IN A COMMUNITY EVEN SAFELY IN A COMMUNITY.

SO, UM, WITHOUT GETTING INTO TOO MUCH OF THE, TOO MANY OF THE DETAILS, THAT DOES INCLUDE, UM, A VERY DETAILED ASSESSMENT THAT WE ALSO THINK IS INNOVATIVE IN FIRST OF ITS KIND IN THE COUNTRY.

IT'S A LOT FOR THE CITY TO BE PROUD OF IN THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS THAT THIS TEAM HAS, HAS ACCOMPLISHED.

UM, THE, UH, UH, AGAIN, ONE THING I WANT TO EMPHASIZE IS THAT ALL OF THIS IS THROUGH THE LENS OF MEDICAL PRACTICE.

IT'S THROUGH, WE ARE VIEWING THESE AS PATIENTS.

WE ARE ALWAYS, THIS IS WHY IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PARAMEDICS TO BE INVOLVED.

UM, WE ARE ALWAYS ASSESSING THESE PEOPLE FOR THE POTENTIAL THAT THERE'S ALSO A COMORBID MEDICAL NEED.

AND, UM, WE ENSURE WE'RE ENSURING THAT THEY'RE GETTING ACCESS TO APPROPRIATE CARE FOR THAT AS WELL.

UH, THE REST OF THE TRAINING INVOLVES, UM, SOME FAMILIARIZATION WITH OTHER THINGS OUR TEAM DOES THAT'S ACCESS TO SOCIAL SERVICES.

AND SOME OF THE THINGS YOU HEARD EARLIER ABOUT, UM, THINGS THAT AFFECT PEOPLE'S, UH, DOWNSTREAM, UM, UH, CHANCE AND RISK FOR

[00:55:01]

INCARCERATION, SUBSTANCE USE, UH, THAT SORT OF THING.

AND ABOUT OVER HALF OF OUR TRAINING ACTUALLY INVOLVES TRAINING WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH PARAMEDICS WHO HAVE BEEN ON THE TEAM FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS AND HAVE DEVELOPED THESE PRACTICES SO THAT WE CAN ASSURE NEW TEAM MEMBERS, UH, ARE DOING THINGS NOT JUST EFFECTIVELY BUT SAFELY.

SO, UM, NO SMALL PART OF THIS.

OF COURSE, I, I WOULD BE RE REALLY REMISS IF I DIDN'T MENTION, WE HAVE A VERY CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR MEDICAL DIRECTORS IN THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER.

UM, THEY ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS TEAM.

THEY'RE VERY INVOLVED IN OUR TRAINING, AND THEY ALSO, UH, ARE DEVELOPING APPROPRIATE CREDENTIALING.

OF COURSE, WE'RE WORKING UNDER THEIR LICENSE, SO THAT MAKES SENSE.

UH, THE OTH ANOTHER COMPONENT THAT OUR, OF OUR CITY'S RESPONSE OR CITY'S APPROACH TO MENTAL HEALTH THAT OUR TEAM IS INVOLVED IN IS THE AUSTIN CARES TEAM.

UH, THIS IS A MULTI-AGENCY TEAM.

SO THERE'S LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY, EMS, AND, UH, INTEGRAL CARE LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY.

UH, THIS IS, UH, AN APPROACH TO SOMETHING ACTUALLY THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS, HAS REALLY BEEN DOING ON THEIR OWN FOR, FOR QUITE A WHILE.

UH, THE A P D C I T TEAM HAS, HAS ALWAYS HAD OFFICERS THAT HAVE TAKEN REFERRALS FROM PATROL OFFICERS FOR FOLKS THAT, THAT MAYBE OFFICERS IDENTIFIED NEED MORE IN DEPTH, UM, UH, MENTAL HEALTH CARE OR MENTAL HEALTH CON, THEY HAVE CONCERNS FOR THEIR MENTAL HEALTH.

UM, NOW INSTEAD OF JUST THE OFFICERS THEN FOLLOWING UP, WE HAVE THIS, UH, MULTI-AGENCY TEAM THAT GOES AND REALLY IT'S COLLABORATIVE, IT'S PROBLEM SOLVING, UH, AND IT'S BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE.

ONE OF THE AREAS THAT THEY REALLY FOCUS ON ARE, UM, IDENTIFYING PEOPLE WHO ARE HIGH UTILIZERS OF THE 9 1 1 SYSTEM.

AND THEY'VE HAD, UH, JUST A LOT OF SUCCESS, OBVIOUSLY WITH GREAT RESPECT FOR PEOPLE'S PRIVACY.

UM, I CAN'T TELL YOU SOME OF THE STORIES, BUT THERE, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE KNOWN VERY WELL TO PEOPLE WITHIN OUR SYSTEM, UM, THAT WE HAVE SEEN, UM, MOVED AWAY FROM USING JUST NINE ONE ONE AS THEIR FIRST CALL FOR HELP, UH, OR ONLY CALL FOR HELP AND INTO, UM, MORE APPROPRIATE, UM, UH, PLACES.

SO THAT'S BEEN A VERY EFFECTIVE PROGRAM, I THINK, AND OUR, OUR TEAM IS, IS REAL INVOLVED IN THAT TOO.

THE, UH, LAST OF THE THREE, UM, PRONGED APPROACH TO CHANGING OUR CITY RESPONSE TO MENTAL HEALTHCARE IS THE, UH, C3, WHICH IS, UH, INTEGRAL CARE, ACTUALLY HAS A, UM, QUALIFIED MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDER.

SO THIS IS USUALLY SOMEBODY WITH A MASTER'S DEGREE AND A LICENSE AT THE NINE ONE ONE CALL CENTER.

SO WHEN WE, WE KEEP SAYING THAT, WHEN YOU CALL 9 1 1 AND YOU'RE ASKED, CAN YOU PLEASE FIRE EMS OR MENTAL HEALTH, WHAT IF THAT ANSWERS MENTAL HEALTH? AND THE CALL TAKER HAS SCREENED THIS AND ASSURED THAT IT'S NOT A PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, ISSUE OR A MEDICAL ISSUE.

IT, IT GOES TO THAT QUALIFIED MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDER AND THEY WILL FIND, UH, ALTERNATIVE DISPOSITIONS AS WELL THAT DON'T INVOLVE, UM, LAW ENFORCEMENT OR EMS, OR THEY, UH, SOMETIMES DO REFER IT BACK TO, UH, EMS AND TRY TO, UH, BRING OUR TEAM IN SPECIFICALLY.

UM, ONE THING THAT I THINK AS A, AS A KIND OF USEFUL STATISTIC THAT ISN'T IN OUR SLIDE, BUT I'D LIKE TO SAY, UH, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THESE, UH, ALTERNATIVE DISPOSITIONS, UH, WE DID AN INTERNAL STUDY OF OUR OWN RESPONSES AND FOUND THAT OVER 75% OF THE TIME THAT OUR TEAM RESPONDS TO SOMEBODY IN MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, WE ARE NOT PUTTING THEM ON AN AMBULANCE AND TAKING THEM TO AN ER.

SO, UH, THAT'S NOT ONLY A TREMENDOUS BENEFIT TO THE PATIENT, BUT YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S A TREMENDOUS BENEFIT TO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY SYSTEM.

UM, WE'RE CREATING MUCH BETTER EFFICIENCY FOR ALL OF OUR RESOURCES.

UM, SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW OFTEN THIS TEAM IS BEING USED, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE ON PACE TO HIT ABOUT, UM, FIVE AND A HALF TO 6,000 CALLS FOR MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS THIS YEAR.

UH, ON OUR LAST DATA POOL, WE HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR 8,000 CALLS PER YEAR.

SO IF WE'RE LOOKING AT, IF WE'RE MAKING A DIFFERENCE, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE TAKING 75% OF THE CALLS AND WE'RE DIVERTING THEM AWAY FROM AN AMBULANCE.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT LAW ENFORCEMENT INVOLVEMENT IN THOSE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS CALLS.

WE CONTINUALLY AVERAGE BETWEEN 90 AND 95% OF THESE MENTAL HEALTH CALLS DO NOT REQUIRE LAW ENFORCEMENT

[01:00:01]

INVOLVEMENT.

THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER, AND THE POTENTIAL IS THERE TO MAKE THAT EVEN BETTER.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE VERY, VERY PROUD OF, UH, AT THE, AT AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY EMS. UH, THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT, SIGNIFICANT SUCCESS.

I WILL SAY THAT MENTAL HEALTH IS A DAUNTING THING TO TAKE ON.

IT TAKES A LOT OF THE TRAINING THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT TODAY.

IT IS NOT AN EASY THING TO DO, AND IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT AUSTIN DRIVES COUNTY EMS CAN EVEN COME CLOSE TO DOING ON ITS OWN.

WE WORK, EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IS A COLLABORATION.

EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IS A PARTNERSHIP.

WE WORK HAND IN HAND WITH INTEGRAL CARE.

UM, WE LEARN FROM OUR PARTNERSHIPS AND WE LEARN FROM OUR COLLABORATIONS, AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO COLLABORATING ON MANY MORE THINGS IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE I REALLY FEEL LIKE WE SIT IN A VERY UNIQUE POSITION WHERE WE INTERSECT WITH THESE PATIENTS WHEN THEY'RE HAVING THEIR WORST DAY, AND WE CAN SEE BY THE NUMBERS AND WE CAN SEE BY THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE A LOT TO OFFER.

A, UM, THE CITY, UH, LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS PROGRAM.

WE ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE FOR THAT.

UM, WE ARE, UH, MAKING EFFORTS TO GET, UH, FOUR RESPONDERS PER DAY FOR A 24 HOUR SHIFT UP AND RUNNING THAT I THINK WOULD GET US TO THAT FULL POTENTIAL OF ABOUT 8,000 CALLS PER YEAR.

UM, WE ARE ONBOARDING, NOT JUST US, ALL OF OUR PARTNERSHIPS HAVE MADE IT, UH, A GOAL TO ONBOARD AS MANY ON-CALL PRESCRIBERS AS POSSIBLE SO THAT WHEN WE FIND THESE PATIENTS IN CRISIS, WE CAN ACTUALLY GET THEM CONNECTED TO A PRESCRIBER THAT CAN FILL, UH, SOME OF THEIR NEEDED MEDICATIONS.

AND THEN I JUST WANTED TO MAKE, UH, A PROMISE, UH, TO THIS COMMITTEE THAT AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY EMS WILL CONTINUE TO STRIVE TO PUSH THIS INITIATIVE EVEN FURTHER INTO THIS SPACE, UH, AND DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR OUR PATIENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY.

I REALLY APPRECIATE TODAY'S PRESENTATION.

UH, AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE SOME QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

WONDERFUL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD THIS CORRECTLY.

YOU SAID THAT YOU, THE COMMUNITY HEALTH PARAMEDICS HAVE THE CAPACITY TO SERVE ABOUT 8,000 CALLS.

AND UP UNTIL THIS POINT ALREADY, YOU KNOW, HERE WE ARE IN MAY.

YOU'VE ALREADY SERVED BETWEEN 5,000 AND 6,000 CALLS, IS THAT RIGHT? NO, WE'RE ON TRACK FOR FIVE TO 6,000 FOR THIS YEAR.

FOR THIS YEAR, OKAY.

CORRECT.

UH, WE CURRENTLY CAN AVERAGE BETWEEN TWO AND THREE RESPONDERS ON PER DAY.

UH, THE ONBOARDING TAKES A LOT OF TIME.

THAT'S A 11 WEEK TRAINING PROCESS.

UM, WHEN WE REACH FOUR UH RESPONDERS PER DAY, THAT'S WHEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO MEET ABOUT 8,000 PER YEAR.

GOTCHA.

THAT'S, THAT'S PHENOMENAL.

AND I, I DO WANNA TAKE A SECOND TO RECOGNIZE ASSISTANT CHIEF HOPKINS AND CHIEF OF STAFF TERESA GARDNER, WHO ARE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY.

THANK YOU FOR, FOR JOINING US, COLLEAGUES.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? LAST CHAIR, LA LAST VELAZQUEZ.

I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE, UH, ZYPREXA, YOU SAID THAT WE ARE USING IT UNLIKE ANYBODY ELSE IN THE NATION.

IS THAT CORRECT? CAN YOU, AND CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE? YES, SIR.

YEAH.

UH, ZYPREXA, UH, OLANZAPINE IS THE NAME OF THE MEDICATION.

UH, WE USE IT WHEN SOMEBODY, WHEN THERE'S A CLINICAL INDICATION FOR IT, USUALLY THAT'S AGITATION OR PSYCHOSIS, MAYBE SOMEBODY EXPERIENCING AUDITORY HALLUCINATIONS, UH, VOICES.

UM, IN THE PAST, UH, THE ONLY OPTION WAS REALLY TO TAKE SOMEBODY TO THE ER AND IT WAS A VERY COMMON MEDICATION ADMINISTERED IN THE ER, UH, THAT OFTEN RESULTED IN A PRETTY SHORT STAY IN THE ER AND DISCHARGE.

UM, WHAT OTHER EMS SYSTEMS ARE DOING THAT HAVE OLANZAPINE IS USING IT FOR TREATMENT DURING TRANSPORT TO THE ER.

SO THE WAY IN WHICH WE BELIEVE WE'RE THE ONLY ONES USING IT IS THAT WE WILL TREAT, STAY WITH SOMEBODY, UM, ENSURE THAT IT'S BEEN EFFECTIVE AND THAT THEY'RE SAFE AND LEAVE THEM IN THE COMMUNITY IF THAT'S APPROPRIATE.

UH, ABOUT HOW LONG DOES THAT TAKE, THAT PROCESS? OH, IT'S, IT'S VERY QUICK.

UH, 20 TO 30 MINUTE ACTION, OUR ONSET OF ACTION AND, UM, PRETTY GOOD DURATION, 1224 HOURS OF DURATION.

WE'VE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS.

IT'S NOT JUST GIVING THEM THE MEDICINE, WATCHING THEM, AND THEN LEAVING.

WE ACTUALLY, UM, AND A REAL IMPORTANT FACET OF THIS IS THAT WE ARE CONNECTING THEM TO FOLLOW UP CARE.

UH, SO AGAIN, LIKE PART OF WHY THIS IS JUST THE SMALL TEAM DOING THIS, AND NOT JUST EVERY AMBULANCE IS, UH, IT DOES REQUIRE A GOOD IN-DEPTH ABILITY TO ASSESS SOMEBODY'S MENTAL HEALTH, THEIR SAFETY, OF COURSE, THAT SUICIDE ASSESSMENT, AND THEN UNDERSTAND WHAT RESOURCE TO CONNECT THEM TO, WHICH, WHICH INVOLVES A LOT

[01:05:01]

OF THINGS.

WOW.

THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE.

YEAH.