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[CALL TO ORDER]
THIS AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION MEETING TO ORDER.[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM SPEAKERS HERE.GIVE YOUR NAME AND DO I HAVE TO? YES.
I'M MICHELLE MURKY, AND I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY VACCINE EQUITY COMMISSION.
UM, AND WE ARE COMING BACK NEXT MONTH TO DO A MUCH BROADER PRESENTATION.
SO THIS MONTH I'M HERE TO KIND OF ELICIT FROM Y Y'ALL, ONCE I BROACH THE TOPIC, IF THERE'S ANYTHING SPECIFIC THAT YOU'D LIKE US TO COVER IN OUR PRESENTATION SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS AND REALLY HELP YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO, UM, LAY OUT FOR YOU.
SO ESSENTIALLY WE ARE, UM, AS A COALITION, WE'VE BEEN EXAMINING THE POST COVID WORLD OF VACCINES, UH, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT ARE PUBLICLY FUNDED OR PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP FUNDED.
SO OUR, GENERALLY ALL THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM, UM, AND WHAT PUBLIC HEALTH COVERS AND WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS THAT THERE ARE A LOT MORE CHILDREN WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO ACCESS THE SAFETY NET VACCINES IN THE WAY THAT WE THINK THEY ARE.
SO WHERE THIS IS SHOWING UP IS IN SCHOOLS, UM, BOTH AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR IN AUGUST AND NOW DECISION DAY, WHICH THEY CALL IT, WHICH WAS YESTERDAY, WHICH IS THE DAY THAT CHILDREN CAN NO LONGER ATTEND SCHOOL IF THEY HAVEN'T BROUGHT THEIR VACCINES UP TO DATE.
UM, AND THE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN PRETTY ALARMING.
SO I WILL BRING THOSE TO YOU IN THE FORM OF MATH NEXT TIME.
BUT, UM, WHAT WE'RE ESSENTIALLY TRYING TO ACHIEVE WITH THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION IS FIGURING OUT IF THERE ARE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION OR FOR MAKING A COLLABORATIVE PLAN BETWEEN PUBLIC HEALTH AND ALL OF THE OTHER PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERS, UH, ESPECIALLY THE VFC PROVIDERS AND OUR FQHCS, TO MAKE IT EASIER OR MORE, UM, EFFICIENT FOR CHILDREN WHO NEED VACCINES TO ATTEND SCHOOL TO GET THOSE VACCINES.
UH, BECAUSE AT THIS TIME WE ARE TRULY THE ONLY SAFETY NET, SAFETY NET THAT WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL GIVE YOU THE VACCINES NO MATTER WHAT.
IF YOU QUALIFY FOR THE VACCINES FOR CHILDREN PROGRAM, MOST OF OUR PARTNERS REQUIRE SOMETHING ELSE, REQUIRE A WELL-CHILD VISIT, OR, UM, YOU KNOW, BECOMING A PATIENT OF THAT PRACTICE, THINGS THAT, UH, PARENTS DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE, UH, TIME FOR.
OR WE ALSO ARE HEARING THAT SOMETIMES THE PHONES AREN'T, AREN'T BEING ANSWERED OR PEOPLE AREN'T ABLE TO GET THROUGH TO THOSE PROVIDERS AT ALL.
SO IN PUBLIC HEALTH, WE TYPICALLY SAY, WELL, WE'RE, WE'RE A VERY SMALL END OF THE ROAD SAFETY NET, AND WE HAVE 89 VFC PROVIDERS, AND THAT'S WHERE THE SAFETY NET SHOULD BE FOR THE CHILDREN WHO NEED VACCINES FOR SCHOOL.
BUT IN OUR WORK THROUGH THE COALITION, WE'RE WE'RE FINDING THAT WHAT, WHAT OUR ASSUMPTIONS ARE, ARE NOT NECESSARILY BEARING OUT IN THE DATA.
SO OUR INTENTION NEXT MONTH IS TO BRING YOU DATA TO SHOW WHERE WE'RE AT IN SCHOOLS IN TERMS OF THE PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN THAT ARE SHOWING UP, UM, WITHOUT THE REQUIRED VACCINES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
UM, AND, AND THEN WHERE WE ARE IN OCTOBER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
UM, I THINK WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS LATER IN THE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, BUT I THINK WE JUST SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU NEXT MONTH.
LET ME KNOW IF YOU, YOUR MIND BUBBLES.
YEAH, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD, SHE MENTIONED VFC, WHICH IS THE VACCINES FOR CHILDREN PROGRAM, AND I JUST WANNA NOTE THAT VACCINES FOR CHILDREN IS CELEBRATING 30 YEARS THIS YEAR.
UM, ACTUALLY YOU'LL PROBABLY SEE ME ON KXAN AT FIVE TODAY, UH, TALKING ABOUT IT.
UM, BUT VOC HAS IS CELEBRATING 30 YEARS AS A NATIONAL PROGRAM, AND IT'S, IT HELPED TO MAKE MEASLES BE DEEMED ERADICATED IN 2000 FROM THE UNITED STATES.
UNFORTUNATELY, MEASLES IS BACK NOW, WHICH SHOWS THAT VACCINES DO WORK, BUT ONLY IF YOU GET VACCINATED.
OUR NEXT INDIVIDUAL, IS THERE SOMEONE ON THE PHONE? HI, UH, CALLER, CAN YOU HEAR US? UM, IF YOU'RE READY, JUST OPEN YOUR MIC AND PLEASE TALK,
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CALLER, WHEN YOU'RE READY.DO WE HAVE A, I KNOW WE HAVE THREE IN TOTAL.
DO WE WANNA MAYBE GIVE THAT INDIVIDUAL WHO'S ON THE CALL A MOMENT TO COLLECT THEMSELVES AND WE CAN MOVE TO THE THIRD? CAN YOU HEAR ME? JUST MAKE SURE YOU PUSH YOUR MIC.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? ALL RIGHT.
INTEGRAL CARE IS PRESENTING TODAY.
SO I'M HERE TO JUST, UH, INFORM YOU ALL OF MAYBE SOME QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT WANT TO ASK.
SO, UM, YOU'LL HEAR DIFFERENT THINGS ABOUT ASSERTIVE COMMUNITY TREATMENT, FORENSIC, ASSERTIVE COMMUNITY TREATMENT.
THESE ARE THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF CARE IN THE COMMUNITY LEVEL OF CARE FOR, UH, JUST AS BACKGROUND, THE OIG ACTUALLY PUT OUT A REPORT A COUPLE YEARS AGO ABOUT A PATTERN OF PRACTICE ACROSS THE LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES ACROSS THE STATE, UH, ROUTINELY PUTTING PEOPLE ON LOWER LEVELS OF CARE, LC ONE, LOC TWO, WHEN THEY REALLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN LO C3, LLC FOUR, BECAUSE WE CAN'T KEEP THOSE TEAMS STAFFED.
SO WE MAKE A LOT OF DECISIONS BASED ON CAPACITY.
AND I'M GONNA CONTINUE TO ARGUE THAT UNTIL WE COLLECT THE DATA OF WHAT WE REALLY NEED, WE'RE FAILING EVERYONE AND WE'RE TAKING A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS AND TURNING IT INTO A PUBLIC SAFETY CRISIS BECAUSE WE CAN CONTINUE TO WORK WITHIN THIS FRAMEWORK THAT CANNOT CAPTURE THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS.
SO, AND THEN THERE'S ALSO ASSISTED OUTPATIENT TREATMENT.
WE JUST FUNDED IT AGAIN IN THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
THEY HAD A SAMHSA GRANT FOR FOUR YEARS, UM, A MILLION A YEAR.
AND WE JUST, AS THE TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, UH, GAVE, I BELIEVE IT WAS ABOUT A MILLION A YEAR FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS, I ACTUALLY ARGUED TO NOT FUND IT BECAUSE ASSISTED OUTPATIENT TREATMENT IS WHERE THE CIVIL COURT IS NOW INVOLVED.
AND THERE'S AN AGREED UPON TREATMENT PLAN.
AND THE COURT IS HOLDING EVERYONE, THE PERSON AND ALL THE PROVIDERS ACCOUNTABLE TO THIS PLANT.
THE TEETH OF A OT IS, IF THE PERSON'S DECOMPENSATING, WE'RE GONNA BRING YOU BACK INTO THE HOSPITAL, STABILIZE YOU, IT'S ACTUALLY EXPECTED BECAUSE THESE ARE HIGHEST NEEDS INDIVIDUALS THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME IN AND OUT OF INPATIENT TO STABILIZE.
AND WE HAVE PEOPLE RIGHT NOW IN OUR JAIL WHO WERE ARRESTED ON A OT THAT IS NOT APPROPRIATE.
AND SO WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT ARE WE DOING.
SO I WOULD ASK, HOW OFTEN ARE, WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEONE ON A OT, HOW OFTEN ARE YOU UTILIZING INPATIENT, WHEN THE PERSON'S DECOMPENSATING? HOW OFTEN IS A PERSON BEING ARRESTED ON THAT HIGHEST LEVEL OF CARE? ARE YOU LOOKING AT OUTCOMES? HOW OFTEN IS SOMEONE ON THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF CARE ARRESTED? AND WE NEED TO ALSO, UM, THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED THE CCQ CONTINUITY OF CARE QUERY.
SO WHEN YOU ARE ARRESTED, I CAN'T DO THIS OUT IN THE FIELD.
YOUR OFFICER DOESN'T HAVE THIS INFORMATION.
IT'S A LITTLE UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE THEY'RE BETTER TRAINED.
BUT ONCE I GET TO THE JAIL, THE JAILER RUNS A REPORT TO SEE IF YOU HAVE TOUCHED THE PUBLIC MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM IN THE LAST THREE YEARS.
SO ARE YOU A CLIENT OF AN LMHA, A LOCAL IDD AUTHORITY? HAVE YOU GONE TO THE STATE HOSPITAL? HAVE YOU GONE TO A STATE SUPPORT OF LIVING CENTER? HAVE YOU USED ANY OF THOSE PRIVATE PSYCHIATRIC BEDS THROUGH UTILIZATION MANAGEMENT? UM, IS THAT MY TIME? OKAY.
SO ASK WHAT ARE THEY DOING WITH THAT INFORMATION? AND THEN HERE'S THE REAL QUESTION, BASELINE.
IF I AM TOO ACUTE TO VOLUNTARILY ENGAGE IN SERVICES, NOT ACUTE ENOUGH FOR INPATIENT, WE'RE SEEING THIS OVER AND OVER AND OVER.
I'VE BEEN ON THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF CARE, OR I'VE NOT BEEN ON ANY LEVEL OF CARE 'CAUSE I CAN'T ENGAGE, THEN WHAT, WHAT IS THIS AGENCY DOING? BECAUSE THE FORENSIC WAIT LIST IS LARGE AND THE CIVIL WAIT LIST WHERE WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PUTTING THEM ON THAT CIVIL WAIT LIST IS MINIMAL.
WE'LL, WE'LL GET, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
DO WE WANNA TRY MAYBE OUR INDIVIDUAL ON THE, THE PHONE IF YOU ARE HERE, UM, CALLER, IF YOU'RE READY, PLEASE UNMUTE YOUR MIC.
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NO.WELL, WE'LL LET THEM HANG OR SHOULD THEY GET DISCONNECTED OR HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CALL BACK IN NEXT MONTH.
[1. Approve the minutes of the Public Health Commission Regular Meeting on September 4 th, 2024.]
SO, UM, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FOR THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 4TH, 2024.DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? THANK YOU.
ANY QUESTIONS TO THE MOTION? YES.
ON THE SECOND PAGE UNDER FOUR DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS, I'M JUST CURIOUS WITH THE FOUR PARAGRAPH, I GUESS, UM, FOUR PEOPLE VOTED YAY, TWO PEOPLE ABSTAINED.
SO, BUT IS THAT, DOES THAT MEAN IT WAS SIX TWO OR IS IT FOUR? TWO, TWO, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
UH, MY BAD IT SHOULD BE FOUR TWO, NOT, I MEAN, TWO FOUR, NOT TWO SIX.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WONDERFUL.
[2. Presentation by Jeff Richardson and Kathleen Casey from Integral Care on organizational structure, programs and services provided. ]
WITH OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS? WE HAVE A PRESENTATION BY JEFF RICHARDSON AND KATHLEEN CASSIE FROM INTEGRAL CARE ON ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND PROGRAMS AND SERVICES PROVIDED.SO IT DOES NOT SEEM THAT, UM, THEY ARE HERE YET.
I HAVE EMAILED THEM TO SEE IF THERE'S LIKE A HOLDUP OR IF THEY WERE NEEDING TO RESCHEDULE, UM, BUT THEY WERE CONFIRMED OKAY.
SO WE CAN MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER THREE.
[3. Discuss purpose and duties section of the Austin Travis County Public Health Commission bylaws and governance document.]
TO ITEM NUMBER THREE, DISCUSS THE PURPOSE AND DUTY SECTION OF THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION BYLAWS AND GOVERNANCE DOCUMENT, WHICH IS 2 1 2 3, TAB FIVE.OH, THIS WAS MY DOCUMENT, WASN'T IT? UM, SO I WANTED TO JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO REVIEW THIS.
THIS WAS, AS WE TRANSITION INTO OUR NEXT YEAR, OUR NEXT TIME NOT ONLY LOOKING AT WHAT THE COMMISSION IS DOING, BUT WHAT OUR CAPACITY AS A COMMISSION IS TO DO ALONGSIDE WHAT OUR WORKING GROUPS ARE.
AND IF THERE ARE ANY, UM, MOMENTS OF CLARITY THAT ARE NEEDED.
BUT JUST TO LIKE, BRING US BACK AND REFLECT.
I BELIEVE IT'S THE, THERE'S A ACTUAL PART AT THE VERY END, UH, WHERE WE TALK ABOUT OUR RESOLUTION AND WHAT WE ARE DOING AS AN ACTUAL COMMISSION, UH, AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO APRIL, 2025 WITH, UH, VICE CHAIR LYNN SHA AND I, UM, IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS OF WHAT OUR CAPACITY IS AND WHAT WE WOULD BE DOING THAT WAS THIS MOMENT TO REVIEW.
I WAS JUST GONNA REFLECT THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, I THINK SOMETIMES I THINK, AND AGAIN, THIS IS JUST ME, I HAVE A SENSE THAT THE FEEDBACK HAS BEEN THIS COMMISSION SHOULD SPEAK TO THINGS THAT IT CAN, WITHIN THE POWER OF THE CITY CAN CHANGE OR SOMETHING.
IN OTHER WORDS, IT RELATES TO AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH OR THE TRAVIS COUNTY SYSTEM.
AND, UM, WHEN I LOOK AT THE, UM, ACTUALLY THE, THE RESOLUTIONS THAT WERE PART OF THE TRAVIS COUNTY AND THE, UM, AND THE, UM, CITY, YOU KNOW, THE WORDING THERE IS
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NEVER ABOUT THE SPECIFIC STRUCTURES OF THE AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH OR OTHER WORDS, OR THE, THE COUNTY.SO THAT THE THINGS WE MIGHT LOOK AT, IF YOU SAID, WELL, GEEZ, THERE'S ONLY 24 COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS AT THE CITY AND THE AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM, WE SHOULD ONLY TALK ABOUT THE 24 HEALTH, YOU KNOW, UH, UM, UM, PUBLIC HEALTH, UH, COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS, AND TALK ABOUT THEIR SALARIES AND ALL THAT.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT THIS SAYS.
THIS, THIS HAS A MUCH BROADER VIEW.
AND JUST AN EXAMPLE, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST READING MONITOR THE PUBLIC HEALTH STATUS OF AUSTIN.
WELL, OKAY, THAT'S NOT, THAT EXPLORE THE BEST EVIDENCE FOR PRACTICES, BUT IT DOESN'T SAY ONLY THAT APPLY TO, YOU KNOW, THE, UM, THE, THE, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE INFORMED POLICY MAKERS ABOUT THIS AND THAT.
BUT, UM, WHERE HERE, THIS IS WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT, WELL, THAT'S PROVIDED AN ANNUAL FORMAL RECOMMENDATION ANYWAY.
SO I, I WAS JUST TRYING TO MAKE THE POINT THAT I, I LOOK AT THE COMMISSION AS HAVING A BROADER VIEW AND WOULD SAY WE WANNA LOOK OUTSIDE TO OPPORTUNISTIC OPPORTUNISTICALLY LOOK FOR BEST PRACTICES AND OTHER KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE MIGHT BRING TO THE CITY IN ADDITION TO JUST BEING MORE INWARDLY FOCUSED, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
NO, I, I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND THE SENTIMENTS.
AND I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, AS, AS READING THIS, NUMBER ONE PROBABLY DEFINITELY SPEAKS TO THAT, RIGHT? LOOKING EXTERNALLY TO SEE, UH, WHAT THINGS ARE PROBABLY PRACTICAL AND VIABLE THAT MAY NEED INCORPORATION OR COULD BE POTENTIALLY INCORPORATED.
BUT I ALSO SEE IN TWO, WHICH, WHICH, YOU KNOW, I WAS HIGHLIGHTING THERE THAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS, THE END OF THAT SENTENCE SAYS, UH, TO IMPROVE THE OVERALL PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS, PROJECTS AND SERVICES WITHIN THE GOVERNING ENTITIES IN THE CITY AND COUNTY.
AND SO THE GOVERNING ENTITIES WOULD BE THE AGENCIES OR THE DEPARTMENTS THAT THE CITY AND COUNTY ACTUALLY OVERSEE.
SO THAT'S THE LIMITING FACTOR THERE.
AND I DEFINITELY WANT THIS TO BE A CONVERSATION, UM, ABOUT HOW WE ARE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD IN A VERSUS A, UM, AND, AND ALSO UNDERSTANDING OUR CAPACITY.
WE DO NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DICTATE WHAT OTHER ENTITIES DO.
UM, WE ARE HERE TO MAKE THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO ENTITIES, UM, THAT ARE WITHIN THAT PURVIEW, RIGHT? THE CITY, TRAVIS COUNTY CENTRAL HEALTH, UM, AND BEING ABLE TO SAY, OKAY, WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.
LET'S JUST USE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS.
WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS.
WE'VE SEEN WHAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN CAN DO.
WE'VE SEEN WHAT TRAVIS COUNTY CAN DO.
WE'VE HEARD FROM CENTRAL HEALTH ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE DOING AND GOING TO DO AS A COMMISSION.
WE ARE NOW AT A SPACE TO SAY, ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE, WE HAVE HEARD ENOUGH OF WHAT COULD HAPPEN, WHAT IS HAPPENING, WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN, AND WHAT WOULD WE RECOMMEND THINKING ABOUT THE PUBLIC HEALTH STATUS OF THE INDIVIDUALS IN THE CITY AND COUNTY SPACE, WHAT IS A EVIDENCE-BASED PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE THAT CAN SUPPORT ANY IMPROVEMENT OR RECOMMENDATIONS? IS THERE A POLICY THAT DIRECTLY AFFECTS THE ACCESS THAT MAYBE THE HEALTHCARE, THE PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEMS ARE NOT, UM, ABLE TO OP OPERATE AT THEIR FULL CAPACITY? AND WHAT WOULD THAT RECOMMENDATION BE TO ONE, ADDRESS HEALTH DISPARITIES AND IMPROVE AND IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES? UM, MAYBE IT IS A RECOMMENDATION TO INCREASE THE BUDGET FOR PROGRAMMING RECOMMENDATIONS SPECIFICALLY THAT WE CAN HAVE A, UM, IMPACT ON, AND THEN ASK THAT WE ARE REPORTED BACK TO OF WHAT THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE DONE TO THE IMPACT OF THOSE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE SAID TO.
SO THAT'S, I THINK IF WE PUT IT INTO THAT PERSPECTIVE, WE CAN THEN POTENTIALLY SHIFT OUR NARRATIVE ON HOW WE AS A COMMISSION MAKE AN IMPACT.
UM, I DUNNO IF ANYBODY HAS ANY COMMENTS TO THAT, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR FRIENDS ONLINE.
YEAH, I AGREE WITH WHAT YOU SAID.
UM, I THINK PUBLIC HEALTH IS JUST A VERY BROAD TOPIC.
SO WE COULD SPEND A LOT OF TIME THINKING ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT IF WE DON'T NARROW DOWN OUR SCOPE, UM, WE CAN'T HAVE MEANINGFUL, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE WANNA GET TO THE LEVEL OF DETAIL WHERE SOMEONE CAN ACTUALLY, UH, WHERE IT'S ACTIONABLE IN SOME WAY, WHERE THE RECOMMENDATIONS IS SPECIFIC, WHERE IT HAS NUMBERS WHERE SOMEONE CAN MAKE A DECISION OUT OF IT.
SO I DO AGREE THAT WE CAN SPEND A LOT OF TIME
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KIND OF VIEWING THIS VERY BROADLY, OR WE CAN GO NARROW AND HAVE, UH, MORE OF A SPECIFIC IMPACT THAT WAY.I'LL JUST ECHO THOSE SENTIMENTS.
I THINK THAT'S A, A GOOD APPROACH.
I THINK THAT WE'VE SPENT SOMEWHAT SO, SO FAR, YOU KNOW, GATHERING THE DATA AND STUFF, SO NOW LET'S, YOU KNOW, LET'S TAKE SOME ACTION STEPS.
AND I LIKE THE IDEA OF LOOKING AT THIS RESOLUTION AND POINTING OUT THE SEVEN ITEMS THAT I THINK THAT IS A GREAT WAY OF HELPING GUIDE WHAT WE, OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE MEETING THE CHARGE THAT WE'VE BEEN GIVEN IN THE FIRST PLACE.
UM, SO YEAH, I, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
UH, MADAM CHAIR, MAY I GO AHEAD.
SO I WONDER IF, IF, UH, SOME OF THE CITY FOLKS CAN MAYBE GIVE US SOME GUIDANCE NEXT TIME ON HOW YOU ALL CAN MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS.
I KNOW THAT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT WAYS THAT YOU ALL SHOULD BE WORKING TOWARDS IS AN ANNUAL REPORT OF RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT I'M THINKING OF WHAT'S ON YOUR AGENDA NOW ON OPIOID ABATEMENT, AND THERE ARE GONNA BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU ALL TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW TO SPEND THAT MONEY TO THE COUNTY.
UM, I'M NOT SURE HOW HOW THE CITY'S GONNA ACCEPT THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CENTRAL HEALTH, BUT DEFINITELY THE COUNTY, WE'RE ALWAYS OPEN TO THOSE.
SO I'M WONDERING WHAT IS THE PROCESS THAT THIS COMMISSION IS SUPPOSED TO USE TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR IF IT ISN'T THROUGH THAT FINAL REPORT? UM, SO I, I, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME, UH, THAT I'VE BEEN IN EX OFFIC COMMISSION.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I WAS IN A COMMISSION WITH THE CITY, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE, HOW YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO THAT, BUT I HOPE THAT WE CAN ALL LEARN.
UM, TWO THOUGHTS KIND OF COME TO MIND.
UM, I'D LOVE TO GET YOUR FEEDBACK ON, I THINK ONE IS YES, THE, THE, THE ANNUAL REPORT, RIGHT? BUT I DON'T READ ANYTHING IN HERE THAT PRECLUDES US FROM WHEN WE DO HAVE SOMETHING AND IT CAN'T BE TIMELY THAT IT GETS, UH, SENT TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THE FOUR ENDORSEMENTS TO ACTUALLY BE PUT ON AN AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION.
UM, THE OTHER PIECE WOULD BE IS I THINK AS YOU HIGHLIGHTED WITH THE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS, RIGHT? WE GOT ALL THIS INFORMATION, AND I THINK WHERE WE'RE KIND OF HAVING, UH, A CERTAIN PIECE OF INSTALLATE HERE IS WHERE DOES GUIDANCE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE A PART OF THIS, WHERE'S THAT LEVEL OF COMFORTABILITY OF ASSISTING US IN DRAFTING? AND I THINK TO ME, THAT'S WHERE THE VOID IS RIGHT NOW.
WE GOT THE INFORMATION WE CAN ASK FOR ALL THE INFORMATION, BUT THEN AT THE SAME TIME, NOT TRYING TO GET DOWN INTO THE WEEDS OF, WELL, LET'S LOOK AT ALL YOUR POLICIES.
WHERE IS THAT INTERTWINING? THAT DOESN'T PUT ANY OF THE EX OFFICIALS, UH, IN A PREDICAMENT OF THE COMMISSION RECOMMENDING SOMETHING, AND IT'S BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT WAS TOLD TO US, OR THIS IS WHAT THE ISSUE WAS.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ISSUE IS IF WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GET A LITTLE BIT INTO THE SPECIFICS OF, WELL, WHAT IS THIS POLICY ACTUALLY PERMITTING OR NOT PERMITTING? UM, I THINK IF WE CAN GO THROUGH THAT RIGMAROLE, I THINK THAT'LL FLESH OUT WHAT THE PROCESS PROBABLY LOOKS LIKE FOR OPIOID AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
NOT TO PUT OUR PHENOMENAL STAFF LIAISONS ON THE SPOT, BUT WHEN WE'RE DOING OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, I KNOW IF WE'RE GONNA SUBMIT SOMETHING THAT IS A A WHEREAS STATEMENT OR A RESOLUTION, WOULD YOU ALL BE ABLE TO GUIDE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IF WE NEED SUPPORT IN THE LANGUAGE OF DRAFTING THAT? IS THAT WHEN WE COULD TAP INTO YOU ALL? I THINK THAT IS, THAT'S A FEASIBLE QUESTION TO ASK.
UM, I THINK WE ARE ABLE TO HELP YOU, BUT AS FAR AS LIKE GUIDANCE, IT'S GOTTA BE REALLY WHAT, WHAT YOU WANT TO, TO SAY AND WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADVOCATE FOR IN EITHER POLICY DESIGN OR, YOU KNOW, FISCAL IMPACT.
IT'S, IT'S WHAT YOU WANT AND HOW YOU SEE THAT THAT PO THAT RECOMMENDATION BEING FULFILLED.
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WE TALKED ABOUT COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS A LOT, AND WHILE YOU CAN'T DICTATE THE NUMBER OF FTES, YOU CAN SAY WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE, AND AGAIN, THIS IS HYPOTHETICAL THAT YOU WANT TO SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, MORE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS IN THE 7, 8, 7 4 4 AREA TO ADDRESS DISPARITIES WITH VACCINES, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF THING.SO IF THERE'S ONLY TWO, MAYBE YOUR RECOMMENDATION IS WHEN WE ARE AT HIGH PEAK SEASON OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU WANT FOUR TO SIX SO THAT THERE'S A MEASURE, THEN YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, THIS IS GOING TO IMPACT THAT MANY MORE PEOPLE IN THAT AREA.
WHERE IS THAT IN FOUR THREE? I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT IS.
BUT THAT'S THE NUMBER, UM, WHERE IT ZIP CODE 7 4 3 IS THAT THERE'S ONLY A NEED FOR TWO AND YOU, YOU BASICALLY DON'T NEED TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION.
SO, SO IT'S, IT'S HOW YOU PERCEIVE THAT, THAT, UM, ADVOCACY BEING APPLIED TO THE NEED OF YOUR, YOUR, UM, YOUR OVERALL RECOMMENDATION.
SO WE CAN GUIDE AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
I THINK WE SHARED SOME OF THOSE TEMPLATES WITH YOU EARLIER, UM, AS A TOOL TO HELP YOU START DRAFTING THAT LANGUAGE.
AND OF COURSE, UM, ENSURING THAT IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ALL THREE AGENCIES APPLYING THAT SAME POLICY, THEN OF COURSE WE MAY HAVE TO, UM, REQUEST LEGAL REVIEW, UM, TO ENSURE THAT THAT IS IN A COMPLIANCE AREA.
UM, BUT THEN WE CAN'T DICTATE WHAT CENTRAL HEALTH DECIDES OR WHAT.
SO IF YOUR DIRECTION IS, I'D LIKE TO SEE AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, EMPLOY MORE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS IN THE ZIP CODE, THAT WILL BE PART OF YOUR RECOMMENDATION.
AND THEN IT WILL BE UP TO THE DEPARTMENT TO FIGURE OUT HOW THAT WILL BE BASED OFF, BASED OFF OF THE CITY MANAGERS OR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, HOW THAT, THAT WOULD BE ADVOCATED FOR THROUGH BUDGETARY IMPACTS.
AND JUST FOR CLARITY, WE CAN CREATE THESE AND SUBMIT THEM ENTIRELY SEPARATE FROM THIS ANNUAL REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION THAT WE SUBMIT.
SO ANYTIME YOU HAVE AN ACTION ITEM THAT WILL REQUIRE SOME KIND OF, UM, OVERSIGHT, I THINK THAT THERE'S NO LIMITATION OF WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, WHEN IT CAN GO.
WE, IT WOULD JUST BE A PART OF AGENDA ITEM.
AND I, I WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW UP WITH THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE AS TO IF IT NEEDS TO GO THROUGH THE, THE OVERSEEING, UM, PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE, OR IF IT JUST NEEDS TO GO THROUGH, UM, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
I'M, I'M NOT REALLY SURE, BUT WE CAN FIND THAT OUT.
AND I THINK SOMEONE ONLINE HAD THEIR HANDS RAISED FOR COMMENT.
JUANITA, DID SOMEONE ONLINE COMMISSIONER, UM, I WONDER IF THIS WOULD BE ALLOWED WHEN WORKING ON OPIATE ABATEMENT, WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND IF YOU WANTED TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO TRAVIS COUNTY IS TO HAVE TO VOTE AS A GROUP TO ALLOW SOMEBODY, ONE OR TWO PEOPLE TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY STAFF ON, UH, UNDERSTANDING HOW THE MONEY'S BEING USED.
AND, UM, OUR STAFF CAN HELP YOU DRAFT YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON WHAT THEY KNOW, UM, AND PROVIDE YOU THAT KIND OF EXPERTISE.
SO, UM, I'M, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S ALLOWED.
I, I'M HOPING THAT IT IS, BUT FIRST AND FOREMOST, IT NEEDS TO BE AN ACTION APPROVED BY THE ENTIRE COMMISSION THAT ONE OR TWO OF YOU WORK ON SOMETHING TOGETHER.
YOU CAN WORK ON YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS, DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS WITH OUR STAFF, AND THEN YOU CAN BRING 'EM TO THE COMMISSION FOR A VOTE, UH, TO SEE IF THESE ARE THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE COMMISSION WANTS TO PUT FORWARD TO TRAVIS COUNTY.
UM, SO WE ARE WILLING TO HELP YOU WITH STAFF AND THAT KIND OF EXPERTISE.
I'M CURIOUS IF THE BUDGET WORKING GROUP, IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF WHAT YOU ALL ARE ALREADY WORKING ON, THAT THAT COULD BE A ACTIVITY, I IMAGINE.
IT COULD BE, AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE ALLOWED.
I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, I'VE REACHED OUT TO A PH INDIVIDUALS TO GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT CHW SPECIFICALLY, SO WE'RE ALLOWED TO MEET WITH SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS AND, AND GET THEIR FEEDBACK AND INPUT.
SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, APPROPRIATE.
I KNOW THIS IS, UH, OUR DISCUSSION ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
UM, NOT TO JUMP AHEAD TO LOOK AT THE OPIOID CRISIS, BUT TO CIRCLE BACK ON MAYBE IF WE COULD PUT A TIMELINE IN PLACE ONCE WE GET TO DISCUSSION
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ITEM FIVE ABOUT HOW WE CAN USE OUR BUDGET WORKING GROUP TO CONNECT WITH THE COUNTY'S, UM, STAFF AND WORK ON WHAT THAT DRAFT WOULD LOOK LIKE.UM, AND AGAIN, MAYBE THIS IS A PROCESS COMMENT, AND MAYBE THIS IS A SUBGROUP WORK COMMENT, BUT FOR INSTANCE, UM, THE RESEARCH THAT I'VE DONE ON OPIOID TOPIC, I'M JUST GONNA USE THAT AS AN EXAMPLE.
I, I FIND THAT THE MOST RECENT DATA SAYS THAT IN KENTUCKY, THE OPIOID MORTALITY RATE IS, IS, HAS IMPROVED 17% DOWN 17%, AND TEXAS IS 1.4%.
AND IN KENTUCKY, I BELIEVE, IF I'VE GOTTEN THE, THE REFERENCED ARTICLES, THEY ARE, UM, D DEPLOYING FIVE TIMES AS MUCH NALOXONE PER A HUNDRED THOUSAND POPULATION AS WE ARE IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
SO I WOULD, I THINK THAT'S A, MAYBE THAT'S NOT A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE DO SOMETHING MORE, BUT REALLY WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS HAVE, FOR INSTANCE, ANOTHER SERIES OF QUESTIONS WITH, WITH AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH AND WITH THE TRAVIS COUNTY TEAMS TO ASK THE QUESTION, HOW DID YOU DECIDE ON HOW MUCH NALOXONE WE SHOULD BE DEPLOYING? SO THAT'S NOT A RECOMMENDATION, BUT THAT'S A FACT FINDING AND A QUESTION.
I'D LIKE TO HAVE A CYCLE WITH THEM, AND I'M NOT SURE WHERE THAT FITS IN THE SYSTEM.
AND AGAIN, MAYBE IT'S SUBGROUPS, BUT I HAVE QUESTIONS LIKE THAT WHICH ARE FOUNDATIONAL KIND OF QUESTIONS.
AND IF, IF INDEED MAYBE THE ANSWER WAS, WELL, WE DIDN'T LOOK AT THAT OR SOMETHING, THEN A RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE, MAYBE WE SHOULD LOOK AT THE NUMBER PER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOSES.
NOW I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT THE BUDGET.
I'M WORRIED ABOUT WHAT SHOULD BE.
AND THEN THE CITY COUNCIL CAN DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THEY NEED TO RAISE MORE MONEY OR DO SOMETHING ELSE.
IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY ALWAYS JUST WITHIN WHAT'S THE BUDGET.
AND I THINK, UM, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD ABSOLUTELY HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH DR.
I, I WAS GONNA, UM, PIGGYBACK ON, UM, COMMISSIONER RICE.
YOUR QUESTIONS DON'T HAVE TO BE ANECDOTAL TO THE COMMISSION.
YOU'RE FREE TO CONTACT STAFF OUTSIDE OF THIS COMMISSION TO HAVE THOSE QUESTIONS SENT TO, TO ADDRESS THEM.
SO IF YOU EVER HAVE THOSE QUESTIONS THAT ARE FOLLOW UP FOLLOWING A MEETING OR YOU KNOW, YOU JUST, YOU, THEY'RE JUST BURNING TO HELP YOU MAKE THOSE DECISIONS, WE CAN HELP CONNECT YOU TO THOSE STAFF PEOPLE SO THAT YOU CAN GET THOSE ANSWERS.
THAT'S WHY YOUR WORK GROUPS ARE CREATED.
SO OUTSIDE OF THESE MEETINGS, YOU CAN RESEARCH AND, AND CONNECT TO THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS TO HELP YOU PULL TOGETHER THE RIGHT DATA, THE RIGHT INFORMATION TO HELP YOU FORMULATE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO IT'S NEVER JUST NEEDING TO HAPPEN HERE, IT'S WELCOMED OUTSIDE AT ANY TIME.
AS MM-HMM,
SO IN THE FUTURE, I'LL, UM, NOT THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS, CONVERSATIONS, UM, FROM ONLINE REGARDING OUR PURPOSE AND DUTIES? BEAUTIFUL.
[4. Discuss the Commission’s priority list of topics related to public health issues. ]
NUMBER FOUR, UH, WHICH ARE, IS THE, TO DISCUSS THE COMMISSION'S PRIORITY LIST OF TOPICS RELATED TO PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES THAT IS IN YOUR BINDER.UM, IMMEDIATELY AFTER OUR AGENDA, I WANTED TO REVIEW THIS ONE JUST TO DO A LEVEL SET.
I KNOW WE, UM, HAVE COMPLETED A LOT OF INFORMATION, SO JUST TO, IF YOU HAVEN'T REVIEWED THIS, TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND SEE WHAT WE HAVE DONE, WHAT THAT'S LOOKED LIKE OVER THE PAST YEAR.
UM, AND THEN LOOKING AT OUR FUTURE LIST OF TOPICS UP AT THE VERY TOP, UM, I KNOW WE, OUR VERY FIRST ONE WAS TO RECEIVE THAT PRESENTATION AND MAYBE WE CAN, WE CAN FOLLOW BACK UP ON THAT.
UM, SHOULD WE BE PROJECTING DATES FOR THIS NOW? SHOULD WE TAKE A MOMENT TO REVIEW AND THEN PUT THAT IN PLACE? OR YOU THINKING WE SHOULD PUT SOME DATES ON THIS NOW? MADAM CHAIR, THAT IS YOUR DISCRETION.
LET'S
I KNOW WE HAVE, UM, THE FIRST ONE WE'RE WAITING FOR INTEGRAL CARE, SO I GUESS WE CAN JUST CHECK THAT OFF THAT THEY'LL MAYBE COME NEXT MONTH.
SO I WAS ABLE TO GET AHOLD OF THEM.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, JEFF IS SICK RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT I HAVE, OR LET THEM KNOW IF Y'ALL'S OKAY FOR THEM TO COME NEXT MONTH.
DO WE NEED TO VOTE ON THAT? OKAY, GREAT.
THANKS FOR WORKING WITH ME ON THIS, Y'ALL.
UH, JUST IN REGARDS, I KNOW THIS IS GONNA BE A BURNING TOPIC FOR MOST OF US, BUT, UM, AS EX OFFICIO SANCHEZ BROUGHT UP, UH, LOOKING AT THE ITEM THREE,
[00:35:01]
WHICH IS FOLLOW-UP PRESENTATION ON OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS, COORDINATING PRESENTATION WITH CENTRAL HEALTH TRAVIS COUNTY AND A PH.WOULD THAT, THIS IS MY QUESTION TO THE COMMISSION, UM, WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING WE WOULD WANT TO SEE IN NOVEMBER SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE THAT CONVERSATION? I SEE HEAD NODS.
UM, DEFER HAUSEN, I SAID THAT RIGHT? MM-HMM.
I WAS JUST SAYING, YEAH, I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO BRING IT UP SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
CAN WE WORK ON GETTING THAT AS A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM PRESENTATION WITH THE GROUP? YES.
UM, I JUST WANNA POINT OUT THAT WE ALREADY GONNA BE HAVING A PRESENTATION WITH INTEGRAL CARE AS WELL AS THE VACCINATION GROUP.
SO JUST PUTTING THAT OUT IN THE RADAR FOR Y'ALL.
DISCUSSED RIGHT NOW, I JUST WANTED TO KEEP IT ON TOPIC.
SO THEN WE WOULD END UP HAVING THREE POTENTIAL PRESENTATIONS AS A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM.
UM, FROM THE COMMISSION VOTING ON HAVING THAT DONE IN, IN DECEMBER.
IS THAT IT? YEAH, DECEMBER OR NOVEMBER.
UH, NOVEMBER WE WOULD ALREADY HAVE HAD THREE.
SO WE'LL HAVE, UM, THE VACCINE EQUITY PRESENTATION THAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT AS A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM TO APPROVE.
WE WILL HAVE INTEGRAL CARE WHO MISSED TODAY, THAT WILL BE HERE NEXT MONTH.
AND THEN WE WILL HAVE A THIRD PRESENTATION THAT DANNY JUST REMINDED US IS ALREADY A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM AS WELL.
SO WE HAVE VACCINES, WE HAVE INTEGRAL CARE, AND THEN THE ONE THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, THE WOULD BE A POTENTIAL THIRD YES.
SO INSTEAD OF DOING A THIRD ITEM NEXT MONTH, LOOKING AT HAVING TWO PRESENTATIONS INSTEAD OF THREE MISSING.
BUT THE THIRD, THE THIRD WOULD BE THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS COORDINATING PRESENTATION.
ARE WE GOOD TO MOVE THAT TO DECEMBER? TO MOVE THE OPIOID TO DECEMBER? MM-HMM.
TWO FRIENDS TO PUT 30 MINUTES.
I FEEL LIKE WE ARE A VERY, UH, OPINIONATED COMMISSION.
AND MADAM CHAIR, THIS IS A REFLECTION.
THE OPIOID IS PRESENTING WITH ALL THREE AGENCIES, SO YOU WANNA GIVE ADEQUATE TIME FOR THEIR PRESENTATIONS Q AND A.
SO IF THAT'S THE CASE, YOUR DECEMBER MEETING WOULD LIKELY BE THE LONGEST OF YOUR PRESENTATIONS.
UM, WHAT DO YOU WANT US TO PRESENT ON OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS THAT'S DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE'VE ALREADY PRESENTED? DO WE KNOW WHO RECOMMENDED THIS GREAT
I SEE THIS WAS, THAT WAS, UM, THE FOLLOW-UP CONVERSATION WITH COUNCIL MENTOR, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES OF AT LEAST BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME TYPE OF FEEDBACK ON THE CURRENT, UH, PROGRAM ROLLOUT BASED OFF OF FEEDBACK, UH, AND QUESTIONS SHE'S GOTTEN FROM HER CONSTITUENTS.
AND I'M PRETTY SURE PROBABLY THE SAME WITH SOME OF THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A REGULAR MEETING AMONG ALL THREE ENTITIES, SO PERHAPS WE COULD HAVE ONE PRESENTATION ABOUT THE ONGOING COORDINATION INSTEAD OF THREE SEPARATE PRESENTATIONS THAT MIGHT MAKE THINGS EASIER.
I WOULD ALSO BE CURIOUS IF, IF WE ARE GONNA DO THAT IN DECEMBER, UM, IF WE COULD ALSO THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT OPIOID ABATEMENT, UH, COUNTY FUNDING CONVERSATION WOULD LOOK LIKE WITH OUR BUDGET WORKING GROUP AND, UH, AS EXOFFICIO
[00:40:01]
SANCHEZ OFFERED, UM, MAYBE WE CAN PLAN FOR THAT AS WELL TO HAPPEN IN DECEMBER.IS THAT A BIG REQUEST? YOU'RE REQUESTING AN UPDATE FROM THE BUDGET WORK GROUP TO THE SURE.
SO MAYBE YOU ALL CAN CONNECT IN NOVEMBER, GET TOGETHER, OR SOMETIME BETWEEN NOW AND NOVEMBER, AND THEN YOU CAN ALSO SAY, HEY, WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION, UH, WITH THE COUNTY ABOUT THE ABATEMENT FUNDING PLAN OR POTENTIAL PLAN.
AND THAT CAN SEGUE POST PRESENTATION INTO A REPORT OUT FROM THE BUDGET GROUP.
UM, SO WE WILL SAY THAT IS FOR DECEMBER.
UM, LOOKING AT, I KIND OF JUMPED TO ITEM THREE, THE TRAVIS COUNTY FORENSIC MENTAL HEALTH REPORT, UM, FROM 2023, MARCH, 2023.
THAT WAS A COMMISSION CENSUS, BRINGING THAT BACK TO THE FOREFRONT OF EVERYONE'S MINDS.
UM, AND IT ALSO WOULD SAY, I'M GOING TO SPECULATE THAT IT GOES IN, IN CONTEXT WITH THE, RECEIVE A PRESENTATION FROM AUSTIN OR TRAVIS COUNTY JAIL SYSTEM, A PD TO DISCUSS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
THOSE ARE PRETTY HEAVY CONVERSATIONS.
A GOOD AGENDA FOR THE SESSION IN JANUARY COMBINED.
JUST ANY OBJECTIONS, IDEAS, FEEDBACK ON THAT FROM OUR ONLINE? ARE YOU SUGGESTING WE PUT THOSE TWO TOGETHER IN ONE? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING? THAT'S CORRECT.
IN JANUARY, I JUST WANNA CLARIFY.
IT'S ALMOST A YEAR SINCE THAT REPORT WAS, UM, PRESENTED.
AND SO IT'S A QUESTION OF THE RELEVANCE OF THE INFORMATION, HOW MUCH VARIANCE WOULD BE THERE WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PRESENTING IT AGAIN OR COMING BACK TO DISCUSS IT SO THAT, AGAIN, IT'S YOUR DISCRETION, BUT IT, I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE REPORT WAS FROM 2023 AND WE ARE ALL READY A YEAR INTO NOT HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT IT.
I HAVE SO MANY THINGS THAT WAS GONNA COME ON,
SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT WHEN TO HAVE THE TRISH COUNTY FORENSIC BRIEF? IS THAT, IS THAT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? OR IS IT THE JAIL SYSTEMS A PT NUMBER FOUR.
SO THE, THE FIRST WAS DISCUSSION ITEM NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS THE, THE TRAVIS COUNTY FORENSIC MENTAL HEALTH PROJECT REPORT.
AND I'M CURIOUS THE RELEVANCE TO THIS MARCH, 2023 REPORT THAT WE HAVE NOT YET DISCUSSED, THAT WE ARE POTENTIALLY HAVING TO MOVE FURTHER OUT.
SO THAT WAS MY FIRST INITIAL THOUGHT OF RELEVANCE.
UM, THINKING ABOUT, AGAIN, THE PRIMARY ITEMS WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON, WHICH ARE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS, UH, THE FOOD PLAN, AND NOW WE'RE ROLLING INTO THIS VERY LARGE TOPIC OF THE OPIOID CRISIS.
UM, IF WE, MY, MY, MY BRAIN IS SAYING IF WE ARE GONNA KEEP STACKING ALL OF THESE THINGS, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO KEEP PUSHING ITEMS FARTHER AND FARTHER AND FARTHER OUT.
UM, AND, AND NOT TO SAY THAT THIS FORENSIC REPORT IS NOT ALSO A PRIORITY AND IMPORTANT, BUT IS IT GOING TO DEVIATE OUR CONVERSATIONS OF WHAT WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING ON BY, BY KEEPING IT ON OUR PRIORITY, ON OUR, ON OUR AGENDA TOPICS LIST, UM, A DOVETAIL RECOMMENDATION? SURE.
POTENTIALLY, UM, I THINK TO NOT MOVE ANYTHING BASED OFF OF WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE, IT KIND OF ALLOCATED AS WOULD BE MAYBE EITHER REVIEWING THE FORENSIC MENTAL HEALTH REPORT INDIVIDUALLY PRIOR TO THE INTEGRAL CARE DISCUSSION.
SO THAT CAN BE A PIECE OF DATA POINTS AND INFORMATION, UH, ON HAND AS PART OF THAT.
[00:45:01]
UNDERSTANDING INTEGRAL CARE IS SERVICES AND PROGRAMS BETTER COULD THEN ALSO TIE INTO QUESTIONS ABOUT ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ABOUT OPIOID AND STUFF.'CAUSE I THINK EVEN LOOKING AT THIS LIST, LIKE QUESTIONS I WOULD HAVE OR LIKE FUNDING HAS BEEN ALLOCATED, SO HOW MANY PEER SUPPORT PEOPLE ARE WE LOOKING AT? RIGHT? THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
AND PROBABLY GETTING A LITTLE BIT TOO SPECIFICITY, UM, OF WHAT IS THE ACTUAL TRACTION NOW THAT STUFF HASN'T BEEN ALLOCATED.
BUT I WOULD ALSO SAY THEN TO PROBABLY PROTECT THE TIMELINE, YOU COULD REALLY MAYBE LOOK AT NUMBER FOUR AS BEING A CONVERSATION FOR FEEDBACK AND GUIDANCE ON THE CREATION OF THE DIVERSION CENTER AND, AND, AND, AND, UM, THE FOCUS WITH REENTRY AND HIGH RISK POPULATIONS.
SO IT SHIFTS THE FOCUS, BUT IT STILL INCORPORATES ALL THE OTHER PRESENTATIONS INTO WHAT THE DIVERSION CENTER'S SUPPOSED TO BE SUPPORTING OVERALL.
DO WE HAVE THAT REPORT THAT IT'S ALREADY, IT'S LIKE, I KNOW IT'S SOMETHING WE'VE SEEN BEFORE, BUT COULD WE HAVE THAT SENT BACK OUT TO US AS HOMEWORK AS THIS FORENSIC? MM-HMM.
ALRIGHT, SO JUST TO, AND COULD SOMEONE RE SURE.
COULD SOMEONE REMIND US HOW OFTEN THAT REPORT HAPPENS? IS IT LIKE, UH, EVERY TWO YEARS OR? OKAY.
UH, WE WILL HAVE A FOLLOW UP ANSWER FOR YOU.
DANNY IS CHECKING INTO THE DETAILS ON THAT.
SO JUST A FORENSICS, IS IT THE FORENSICS REPORT FROM DELL MEDICAL SCHOOL TO TRAVIS COUNTY? MY DR.
I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT, OH, YEAH.
THAT WAS JUST, IF IT IS, THAT WAS JUST A ONE TIME, UH, ENGAGEMENT WITH DELL MEDICAL SCHOOL, AND THAT WAS A FINAL DELIVERABLE.
SO, JUST TO WRAP UP EVERYBODY'S THOUGHTS, THE IDEA IS THAT AS A COMMISSION, WE WILL REVIEW THIS ONE TIME PROJECT THAT COMMENCED MARCH, 2023, PRIOR TO THE NOVEMBER COMMISSION MEETING TO, UH, IN INFORM US, UM, ABOUT THE INTEGRAL CARE CONVERSATION THAT WE WILL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS TO OUR HOMEWORK, OUR PROCESS, AND OUR PLAN FOR DISCUSSION ITEM OR PRI OR AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO,
WE HAVE OUR HOMEWORK, UM, IN ORDER TO BE READY FOR OUR NOVEMBER MEETING.
UH, AND AS COMMISSIONER WALLACE MENTIONED, LOOKING AT THE PRESENTATION, UM, WITH A DIFFERENT SET OF EYES POTENTIALLY FOR JANUARY, ONCE WE'VE GOTTEN ALL OF THAT INFORMATION, UM, WE'VE MAYBE DONE A LITTLE HOMEWORK ON OUR OWN, UM, AROUND WHAT'S HAPPENING, UM, WITH THE REENTRY POPULATION AND SYSTEMS AND PROCESS IN PLACE.
DID I CAPTURE ALL OF THAT? YES.
UM, LOOKING AT AGENDA TOPIC FIVE REAL QUICK, PLEASE.
CHAIR FIVE, I BELIEVE IS, UH, SPONSORED BY, UH, COMMISSIONER, UM, RICE.
OH, AND I THINK SEVEN, I I BELIEVE THOSE WERE TWO THINGS THAT YOU WERE HIGHLIGHTING TO HAVE DONE.
I GUESS THAT WAS JUST A GENERIC COMMENT.
I THINK WE MADE PRETTY EARLY ON ABOUT LOOKING FOR BEST PRACTICES.
UH, CAN YOU USE THE MICROPHONE PLEASE? SORRY.
I WAS JUST SAYING THAT, UM, I THINK THAT NUMBER FIVE WAS A GENERIC COMMENT VERY EARLY ON, AND SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW GERMANE IT IS, BUT I'M INTERESTED IN BEST PRACTICES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS WE ALL ARE, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, BUT I, THERE'S NO SPECIFICITY THERE, SO I'M NOT SURE THAT ADDS ANY VALUE RIGHT NOW.
I WOULD SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, MY PERSONAL INTEREST RIGHT NOW IS BEST PRACTICES AS IT RELATES TO OPIOIDS, AND MAYBE THERE'S OTHER BEST PRACTICES RELATIVE TO FOOD AND TO, UM, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS.
SO THAT MIGHT BE A, A CONTEXT BUT NOT A, A SEPARATE ITEM.
I THINK IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD
[00:50:01]
TAKE INTO OUR WORKING GROUPS AND MAYBE MOVE AS AN AGENDA ITEM, UH, MOVE OFF AS AN AGENDA ITEM TO SEE BEFORE WE MAKE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, TAKING A LOOK AT WHAT LOS ANGELES, BOSTON, OR OTHER COMMISSIONS AND FORUMS ARE DOING, UH, TO GUIDE US.AND THAT CAN JUST BE A, A PRACTICE THAT WE TAKE INTO OUR WORKING GROUPS.
SO WE ARE GOOD TO PULL AGENDA TOPIC ITEM FIVE, UM, TO LOOK AT LOS ANGELES, BOSTON, AND OTHER PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION'S, FORMS AND, AND FORMS OF PUBLIC MEETINGS, UM, JUST AS OUR GENERAL GUIDE OF FUNCTIONALITY AND OUR WORKING GROUPS.
UM, AS COMMISSIONER WALLACE MENTIONED, UH, SORRY, I'M CHUCKLING.
UH, BRING BACK FARM SHARE FOR PRESENTATION AND FOOD ACCESS AND INSECURITY.
UM, THIS WAS SOMETHING I WAS SPONSORING AND I WOULD SAY WITH THE PROGRESS AND PROCESS THAT THE UM, FOOD PLAN HAS MADE, I WOULD SAY I'M STILL HAPPY TO SUPPORT WHAT THEY ARE GONNA BE DOING WITH THE FOOD POLICY BOARD AND MOVING THAT ITEM OFF AS WELL.
I WOULD LIKE TO DOUBLE DOWN ON ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.
I HAVE NEW INFORMATION AND I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO, UM, PROBABLY INVITE, UH, IF NOT FOOD PLAN REPRESENTATIVES, BUT MAYBE IDENTIFY, UH, THERE ARE SOME GLARING CONCERNS ABOUT THE FOOD PLAN, THE ONCE IT GETS APPROVED, UM, HOW SOME OF THOSE THINGS ARE GONNA BE EXECUTED AND WILL IT REALLY TRULY BE INCLUSIVE OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.
CAN WE, UM, CAN WE BRING A REBUTTAL TO THAT, WHICH I THINK COULD BE A GREAT WAY FOR US TO USE WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND ACCESS WORKING GROUP.
UM, PART OF OUR RECOMMENDATION WAS TO SUPPORT DIFFERENT PARTS OF THAT FOOD PLAN, BUT IF THERE ARE AREAS THAT HAVE GLARING CONCERNS MM-HMM.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF THIS PLAN GOES THROUGH AS STATED, UM, WE RECOMMEND AS THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION THESE ACTIVITIES BE HAD AS WELL.
SO IN THIS SENSE, UM, CHAIR IS MORE OF ASPECT OF, UM, ORGANIZATIONS THAT MAY BE TAPPED TO EXECUTE THE PLAN AND WHAT THEY SEE AS THEIR ROLE VERSUS, UM, WHAT IS BEING REQUESTED ASKED AS FAR AS INCLUSIVE VERSUS, UM, MONOPOLIZING, PLEASE.
UH, SO I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY HAD ACKNOWLEDGED, I THINK THERE WERE ABOUT 60 OR 65 POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE FOOD PLAN.
AND, UH, THERE WERE SOME ASPIRATIONAL GOALS, AND THEN THERE WERE SOME MORE TANGIBLE ONES.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY STAFF, ALONG WITH EVERYBODY, CONTRIBUTED TO THE PLAN.
WERE GOING THROUGH AN EXERCISE OF PRIORITIZING THE POLICIES.
SO PERHAPS WE SHOULD CHECK IN WITH THE CITY STAFF AND THE FOLKS IN CHARGE OF THAT EXERCISE, BUT, AND THEN FIGURE OUT WHEN TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA.
WOULD YOU BE AGREEABLE TO THAT? I WOULD SAY THIS IS A VERY ALARMING CONCERN.
UM, I WOULD SAY IN THIS SENSE, IT WOULD, AND I THINK FIGURING OUT THE SENSITIVITY MATTER OF WHERE THE COMMISSION SHOULD BE INVOLVED AND NOT BE INVOLVED, BUT I THINK THERE COULD BE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT COME FROM THE COMMISSION AS IT RELATES TO INVOLVEMENT OR INCLUSIVENESS OF, UM, THESE INDI THIS ORGANIZATION OR TWO ORGANIZATIONS, WHETHER IT MAY BE, IF THEY'RE OPERATING IT, THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ACCESS AND EQUITY AND SO FORTH, THAT WE'RE DOUBLING DOWN THAT THOSE THINGS ARE ALSO WRITTEN INTO BY THE COUNTY AND BY THE CITY WHEN THEY GO INTO A SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH THOSE ORGANIZATIONS TO EXECUTE IT, IMPLEMENT THE PLAN, BECAUSE THOSE THINGS CAN BE WRITTEN OUT.
[00:55:01]
I KNOW THE FOOD POLICY BOARD IS THE ONE LEADING THE PROCESS OF THIS PLAN AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AS A WORKING GROUP.CAN WE DIRECTLY REACH OUT TO THEM AND ASK FOR THEM TO JOIN US IN A MEETING OR TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH US ABOUT WHERE THEY'RE AT IN THEIR PROCESS? YES.
UM, I KNOW THIS THE, FOR FARM SHARE SPECIFICALLY, THE PRESENTATION WAS BASED OFF OF PUBLIC COMMENTS, UM, THAT WERE MADE.
UM, SINCE THEN, I, I THINK THERE'S BEEN A LOT THAT'S HAPPENED SINCE WE HAD THAT, THOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS MADE.
IF, IF THIS WORKS FOR THE COMMISSION, I THINK WE COULD TAKE THIS INTO THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND ACCESS AND, UM, PARTNERSHIPS, GROUP WORKING GROUPS.
I DON'T WANNA HAVE A WALKING QUORUM.
I WAS JUST ABOUT TO SAY, TO AVOID A WALKING QUORUM OF IT IS START THAT CONVERSATION IN YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE GROUP, UM, TO ENSURE THAT ONE, IT IS ENCAPSULATING THE ISSUES THAT THAT GROUP CAN ADDRESS THROUGH THAT WORKING GROUP, AND THEN EXPAND IT TO THE OTHER MEMBERS WITHOUT BEING A WORK A WALKIN QUORUM.
SO IT MIGHT BE GOOD TO START SMALL, UM, TO GET THE MEAT OF WHAT THE ISSUES ARE, THE CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO COMMISSIONER WALLACE'S ATTENTION TO GET THOSE THINGS IRONED OUT FIRST.
AND, AND I'M DEFINITELY GOOD WITH WHATEVER YOU PREFER CHAIR IN THE COMMISSION.
UH, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE AT LEAST HAVE OUR EAR TO IT AND WE MAKE A DECISION TO MOVE IN OR MOVE OR NOT, VERSUS HOW SIGNIFICANT THIS 10 TO 15 YEAR PLAN EFFORT IS AND WHAT IS NOW THE CONCERN BY THE CAC HAVING BEEN TOGETHER FOR 18 MONTHS, THAT NOW BEFORE IT'S GOING FOR SIGNATURE, THEIR WHOLE EFFORT IS BASICALLY THEIR VOICES BEING REMOVED.
CHAIR RICE OR COMMISSIONER RICE.
SO I'M GONNA JUST WONDER IS, IS THERE A FOOD PLAN? ARE WE SAYING THAT'S GETTING READY TO BE OR HAS BEEN APPROVED? I WONDER IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD BE EMAILED TO THE COMMISSION SO THE COMMISSION CAN BEGIN TO HAVE DEEP KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT WE'RE EVEN TALKING ABOUT AND THEN BRING YOUR CONCERNS INTO THAT CONVERSATION.
AGAIN, JUST FOR ME PERSONALLY, I JUST AM NOT SURE WHAT IT IS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND, UM, SO I THINK I'D LIKE TO, FOR US ALL TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY IT IF I MAYBE ONLINE, BUT I'D LOVE IT IF SOMEBODY COULD SEND ME A PDF F 'CAUSE I LIVE BY PDFS.
IT, I'M BEING VAGUE INTENTIONALLY.
UM, AND I, I WOULD SAY THERE'S JUST CERTAIN SECTIONS WHERE IT, I'M BEING VAGUE INTENTIONALLY.
HOPEFULLY IT CAN BE BROUGHT OUT, UH, FOR, FOR EVERYBODY TO REVIEW AND I CAN PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL, UH, REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION TO YOU CHAIR.
UH, SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE BETTER READ IN.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I DON'T STATE ANY NAMES OR ORGANIZATIONS, UH, UNTIL THE GROUP HAS A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S GOING ON, ESPECIALLY SINCE THIS IS BEING TELEVISED AND RECORDED.
AND, UH, COMMISSIONER RICE, WE DID RECEIVE A PRESENTATION ON THE FOOD PLAN.
IF YOU, IT'S KIND OF IN THE RIGHT, IN THE BACK, BUT WE HAVE A DRAFT SUMMARY OF THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY FOOD PLAN.
WE ALSO HAVE AN EX, NOT THE FULL PLAN, UH, BUT WE HAVE THE FOOD PLAN FOR AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY, WHICH ALSO OUTLINES ALL OF THEIR STRATEGIES, HOW THEY'RE GONNA BE EXECUTING THAT.
SO MAYBE WE CAN JUST GET THAT SENT BACK OUT TO US FOR REVIEW, UM, FOR OUR OWN EDUCATION VERSUS ANOTHER PRESENTATION.
YOU WANT US TO RESEND THAT, THAT FULL PRESENTATION? MM-HMM.
UM, SURE WE CAN, WE CAN SEND THAT BACK OUT.
I WAS GONNA ASK, UM, DR. WALLACE BEFORE HE EXITED THE DS, UM, BUT I CAN WAIT TILL YOU COME BACK.
IT WAS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT HE HAD SOMETHING, UM, THAT HE COULD SHARE WITH US THAT WE COULD SEND OUT FOR YOU ALL TO REVIEW.
AND IF IT'S THE SAME PLAN, THEN WE'LL JUST USE THE PLAN THAT WE, THAT WE RECEIVED INFORMATION FROM ALREADY.
BUT AS FAR AS ANYTHING ELSE, IF THERE'S A ACTUAL RECOMMENDATION THAT HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED, UM, IT MAY BE IN DRAFT AND WE MAY NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THAT.
THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY OTHER, UM, CONCERN, DR. RICE.
UM, SO IF IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN PUBLISHED OR, OR APPROVED ALREADY, WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET THAT.
BUT WE CAN SEND OUT THE ONE THAT THEY HAVE PRESENTED TO US.
I'M ON THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY WEBSITE AND IT SAYS THAT THEIR, UM, THE CURRENT STATUS IS THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO FINALIZE AND ADOPT THE PLAN SO THAT IT'S STILL IN DRAFT FORM.
SO I DON'T THINK THERE'S BEEN ANY CHANGES SINCE.
UNLESS THEY HAVEN'T UPDATED THE WEBSITE.
THEY'RE GONNA KEEP WORKING ON THAT PLAN AND, AND POTENTIALLY PRESENT SOMETHING.
[01:00:01]
BE COMING TO, BUT AGAIN, WE DON'T KNOW YET.UM, I DO, I AM CURIOUS, I KNOW THIS, THIS IS JUST A, A SHORT PRESENTATION WE RECEIVED.
UM, THE FULL PLAN HAS A MULTITUDE OF STRATEGIES AND, UH, ACTIVITIES.
COULD WE, CAN WE SEE IF THEY'LL SEND US THE FULL PLAN WITH ALL OF THE STRATEGIES? IT WAS A LOT OF READING.
DO YOU HAVE THE LINK TO THAT, THAT DOCUMENT? IF NOT, WE CAN, WE'LL, WE'LL RESEARCH IT AND PULL IT UP FOR, UM, TO RESEND OUT TO THE COMMISSIONERS, BUT DO YOU HAVE IT? UM, I'D HAVE TO GO THROUGH MY OLD EMAILS OR, OKAY.
NO, WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE CARE OF IT.
DOES THAT ADDRESS YOUR MM-HMM,
UM, SO JUST TO, TO WRAP ALL OF THIS UP, I WOULD BE, UH, GRATEFUL TO THE ADVOCACY AND PARTNERSHIP WORKING GROUP, UM, TO HAVE YOUR CONVERSATIONS ABOUT PARTNERSHIP ACCESS AND INEQUITIES REGARDING THAT FOOD PLAN.
AND THEN WITHIN THE INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, AND ACCESS GROUP, WE CAN HAVE OUR OWN INDIVIDUAL CONVERSATIONS SO THAT WE DO NOT HAVE A WALKING QUORUM, UH, AND BRING THAT BACK TO THE FOREFRONT WITH ANY CONCERNS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE.
FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE NEXT STEPS FOR THAT? NO, I APPRECIATE IT.
AND I THINK I FOUND A, UH, THE LAKE JUANITA, I'LL, UM, SEND IT TO YOU, MADAM CHAIRMAN.
SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE, THE DRAFT IS COMPLETE AND WILL BE PRESENTED FOR APPROVAL TO THE CITY AND TO THE COUNTY.
UM, AND SO I THINK WHAT I HEAR COMMISSIONER WALLACE SAYING IS NOT NECESSARILY MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE FOOD PLAN, BUT MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS AND KEEPING AN EYE OUT ON HOW IT'S IMPLEMENTED.
UM, SO I THINK IT'S TOO, IT'S TOO LATE FOR RECOMMENDATIONS TO CHANGE THE FOOD PLAN AT THIS POINT.
UM, ANY CHANGES REQUIRES A CONSISTENT VOTE BY THE CAC.
IT IT IS AT ITS FINAL STAGES, UH, TO GO BEFORE CITY AND, UH, COUNTY FOR APPROVAL.
IT'S MORE FOCUSED ON, UM, ONCE IT'S APPROVED, HOW DOES IT GET HANDED OVER FOR IMPLEMENTATION AND MAKING SURE THAT THOSE THAT ARE PRESUMED TO BE THE IMPLEMENTERS, UM, WHERE THE CONCERNS ARE AT BY THE CAC, THAT THOSE ARE, UH, HIGHLIGHTED IN RECOMMENDATIONS WHERE FEASIBLE COME FROM THIS COMMISSION, AND MAYBE EVEN IN COLLABORATION WITH THE FOOD POLICY BOARD TO BO UH, TO BOTH ORGANIZATIONS TO ENSURE AT LEAST OUR INPUT HAS GONE THERE BASED OFF OF THE CONCERNS OF THE CAC.
CAN WE SEE THAT DRAFT? I'LL SEND IT OUT RIGHT NOW.
UM, I WOULD SAY DEFINITELY TAKING THIS BACK TO THE WORKING GROUP, ONCE WE GET THAT, THE ACCESS TO THAT DRAFT, UM, WHICH DOES SHIFT, I THINK, ESPECIALLY FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND ACCESS GROUP OF HOW WE WERE GOING TO APPROACH THIS.
UM, SO MAYBE WE CAN HAVE THIS ON OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS. UM, I'LL, I'LL PUT THAT AS A FUTURE AGENDA, UH, ITEM REQUEST.
AND THEN THE LAST AGENDA TOPIC, WHICH WAS AMERICAN YOUTH WORKS.
THAT WAS MORE OF JUST, UH, ORGANIZATIONAL PRESENTATION BY, UH, UH, THE CEO OR ONE OF HIS REPRESENTATIVES OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING, UH, IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH SPACE.
THEY NOW HAVE A, UH, A VISTA PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, PROGRAM.
UM, SO I THINK JUST LEARNING WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND WHERE, UH, THERE MIGHT JUST BE OPPORTUNITIES WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RESOURCES AND CHWS.
SO THEY, THEY HAVE A CHW TRAINING PROGRAM.
COULD WE PUT THAT AS A PRESENTATION FOR JANUARY? YOU MM-HMM.
UM, AND UNLESS WHAT, UNLESS MAY I, UM, THE CHW PROGRAM FOR AMERICORPS, UM, ACTUALLY THEY DON'T, UM, WE WORKED WITH THEM WHEN I WAS WITH UT.
WE WENT AHEAD AND, UH, PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM TO HAVE SOME OF THE CHWS.
UM, THERE, THAT PROGRAM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT POLICY AND PROCEDURE, THAT PROGRAM REALLY NEEDS,
[01:05:01]
UM, SOME WORK.UM, THE WAY THAT THEY'RE PROMISING, UH, THE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORK WORK IS, IS NOT BEING VERY, UM, TRANSPARENT.
AND SO SOMETIMES SOME OF THE CHWS AND THE STUDENTS, WHICH, WHICH ARE GREAT PROGRAM BECAUSE THEY WERE GIVING THEM A THOUSAND DOLLARS STIPEND PER MONTH.
UH, THEY, THEY GOT, THEY GOT THEIR HOURS AND I THINK IT'S LIKE A DUAL PROGRAM.
SO IT'S PART OF A CHW AND I THINK ALSO SOMETHING WITH, UM, MA I THINK, SO IT WAS KIND OF LIKE A LITTLE HALF AND HALF.
UM, BUT HONESTLY, UM, WE ENDED UP LOSING OR HAVING TO, UM, KIND OF RELEASE THE STUDENTS DUE TO THE EXPECTATIONS THAT THEY WERE HAVING OF COMMUNITY HEALTH WORK.
SO, UM, WE TRIED, WELL, I LEFT BEFORE I CAN KEEP ON WORKING WITH, UM, SHE'S A, AN AMAZING YOUNG LADY THAT'S TEACHING THE GIRLS, I JUST CAN'T REMEMBER HER NAME, UM, TO KIND OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, SIT DOWN AND REALLY TALK ABOUT THE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORK, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE IN THE SPACE OF DOING COMMUNITY HEALTH WORK AND DIRECT SERVICES.
SO DEFINITELY, UM, THEY HAVE A GOOD PROGRAM TO A POINT, BUT I THINK IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT BEING GIVEN, IT'S GIVEN MORE OF A TEXTBOOK THAN REALLY WHAT, WHAT A REALLY COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER DOES.
SO IT'S LIKE BUILDING A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER WITH THIS EXPECTATION, WITH THIS, WITH, WHEN WE HAVE OUR, OUR, OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR VALUES, OUR MISSION AND EVERYTHING, BUT WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THE WORK, THEY'RE BOTH, BOTH THINGS ARE CLASHING.
SO, UM, THEY DO NEED A LITTLE WORK.
UM, BUT THEY HAVE GREAT PROGRAMS. UM, BUT ME BEING FRONTLINE DIRECT SERVICES AS A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER ON PRETTY MUCH, YOU KNOW, GETTING DIRTY, THERE WAS A LOT OF, UM, A MISCONCEPTION OF COMMUNITY HEALTH WORK CHAIR.
I THINK WITH THAT ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK, UM, YOU KNOW, MY REQUEST WAS MORE OF AN ASPECT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LIKE ELWIN CREATING COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS AND OTHER PLACES THAT ARE DOING THAT.
THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH WHERE I WAS COMING FROM WITH THIS.
I THINK WITH THE INFORMATION BEING PROVIDED BACK THEN, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT THE ORIGINAL INTENT IS AS, UM, VIABLE BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S NOT A RESOURCE THAT WE CAN BASICALLY SAY, HEY, CONNECT WITH, YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENT AGENCIES HERE TO GREAT.
DOES THAT MEAN YOU'RE GOOD TO, THAT MEANS I'M GOOD, BUT I, I WOULD, I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO SEE HOW, WHAT THE ORGANIZATION LIKE AMERICAN YOUTH WORKS, WHICH IS WORKING WITH INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE NEEDING TO STILL PURSUE THEIR GED OR DIPLOMA OR INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE, UM, YOUNG ADULTS, UM, SINGLE OR HAVE KIDS.
I MEAN, THEY'RE, THEY'RE FOCUSED IN A PARTICULAR POPULATION OF GETTING THEM INTO WORK, RIGHT? SO I THINK IT HITS DEFINITELY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW DO WE GET INDIVIDUALS INTO HEALTHCARE, UM, WHEN THERE MAY NOT BE ANOTHER ROUTE BECAUSE OF THEM JUST GOING TO SCHOOL FULL TIME AND HAVING THE FUNDS TO GO TO SCHOOL IS NOT VIABLE.
UM, SO I, I THINK THERE'S A BENEFIT THERE.
I JUST NEED TO RETHINK HOW TO, UH, COME UP WITH A DIFFERENT RECOMMENDATION TO BRING THEM BEFORE, UH, THE COMMISSION.
CAN THAT BE SOMETHING THAT'S IDEATED, UH, WITH THE ADVOCACY AND PARTNERSHIP GROUP, ESPECIALLY WITH COMMISSIONER LUJAN KNOWING SO MUCH, UH, BOOTS ON THE GROUND OF WHAT'S HAPPENING.
MAYBE THERE'S A, A BETTER STRATEGY, NOT HOW I RECOMMEND THAT.
AND COMMISSIONER LUJAN, FEEL, FEEL FREE.
I'M ON THE BOARD, SO WHATEVER YOU WANNA RELAY TO ME, I'LL GO RELAY THAT DIRECTLY BACK TO, ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE MOVED THROUGH ALL OF OUR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, FIGURED OUT WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO WITH THOSE, PUT THEM ON THE CALENDAR.
ANY LAST COMMENTS ABOUT OUR PRIORITY LIST? UM, I MIGHT HAVE MISSED IT, BUT THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY JAIL SYSTEM, A PD, WHAT DATES OR WHAT MONTH DID Y'ALL DECIDE TO DO THAT? OR? JANUARY.
[5. Discuss how to address the opioid crisis from the presentation by Travis County.]
DISCUSSION ITEM NUMBER FIVE, HOW DISCUSS HOW TO ADDRESS THE OPIOID CRISIS FROM THE PRESENTATION[01:10:01]
BY TRAVIS COUNTY.UM, THIS WAS ALSO REFERRING, WHICH I THINK WE'VE ALREADY STARTED TO TOUCH ON, UH, THE OPIOID ABATEMENT FUNDS.
BUT LOOKING AT THE TRAVIS COUNTY EFFORTS TO ADDRESS OPIOID CRISIS AUGUST, 2024, UPDATE, UH, WE DID HAVE THIS PRESENTATION.
AND THE PART THAT I WOULD LOVE TO BRING BACK TO THE FOREFRONT OF EVERYBODY'S MINDS IS THE COUNTY TOLD US, UH, FROM HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY, IF WE LOOK AT ABOUT, I DON'T KNOW, THESE ARE MAYBE 18 BULLETS, THERE WERE SOME OF THESE ITEMS THAT FROM THE, DIRECTLY FROM THE COMMUNITY, THEY STATED, WE WANT YOU ALL TO PRIORITIZE THESE.
UM, AND THINKING ABOUT HOW WE AS A COMMISSION CAN NOT ONLY USE OUR, OUR VOICE, OUR IMPACT TO SUPPORT WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS ACTUALLY SAYING, THAT THEY NEED TO PUSH THAT TO THE FOREFRONT OF THE SERVICES OF PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS THAT WE ARE IN.
BUT ALSO SAYING, UM, WHAT IT IS THAT WE WANT.
YOU KNOW, HOW ARE WE GONNA START HAVING THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW THE FUNDS ARE USED? UH, INSTEAD OF GOING INTO ANOTHER PRESENTATION ON OTHER THINGS, WE HAVE THIS UPDATE.
WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL PIECE, WHICH IS ON PAGE THREE OF THIS, OF HOW THE FUNDS HAVE BEEN USED AND THE EFFORTS, AND I APOLOGIZE, I LEFT MY NOTES.
UH, BUT THERE ARE SOME PIECES WITHIN THESE DIRECTIVES THAT I THINK COULD USE OUR SUPPORT IN EITHER GETTING MORE INFORMATION ON HOW IT'S BEEN IMPLEMENTED AND EXECUTED, BUT THEN ALSO LOOKING AT THINGS WHERE WE HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OF, UM, I'LL BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO DIRECTIVE 4G, WHICH IS ON PAGE FOUR.
AND AS OF AUGUST, 2024, THEY STILL HAVE ALLOCATED $35,000, UM, HAS BEEN EARMARKED TOWARDS THESE KIOSKS.
I WOULD BE CURIOUS, WHERE ARE THEY AT ON EXECUTING THAT? UM, ONE OF THE OTHER PIECES OF THIS CONVERSATION, I THINK WE COULD ALSO HAVE IS HAVING BETTER ACCESS TO SEE HOW WE'RE DOING WITH THESE EFFORTS.
IF THERE IS, UM, A DASHBOARD THAT COULD BE DEVELOPED SO THAT WE CAN EASILY CHECK THIS WITHOUT HAVING TO BRING THE COUNTY BACK EVERY SINGLE TIME, UM, TO HAVE A, A REPORT FROM US OR A REPORT TO US, OR SOMETHING OF THAT SORTS.
SO, THINKING ABOUT THIS FROM WHAT CAN WE ASK AS THE COMMISSION, UH, TO NOT ONLY MAKE OUR ROLE, UH, BETTER INFORMED, BUT ALSO HOW WE WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN TO HAVE A CONVERSATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, CHAIR, UH, I'M, I'M GONNA BE REAL RAW ON KIND OF WHERE I STAND
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN THERE'S A RFPS AND CONTRACTS FROM OUR AGENCIES TO ORGANIZATIONS, THE REPORTING IS NOT JUST WHAT WERE THE ACTIVITIES, WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY HOW MANY AND WHO WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANYTHING ABOUT HOW MANY AND WHO, SO HOW CAN THESE AGENCIES ASK THAT FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT THEY'RE CONTRACTING WITH? AND WITH THE TAX DOLLARS THAT ARE GOING INTO THIS EFFORT, WE'RE NOT GETTING THE SAME TYPE OF FEEDBACK FOR ME, NOT KNOWING HOW MANY AND WHO, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INCREASING HERE, INCREASING HERE, OKAY, HOW MANY IN? WHO IS IT ACTUALLY WORKING? YOU'RE DOING IT, BUT IT IS ACTUALLY WORKING.
AND IF IT'S A LOW NUMBER, THEN WHAT SHIFTS ARE BEING MADE? WHAT SHIFTS ARE BEING PLANNED, RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU CAN PUT ACTIVITY IN A PLACE AND IT HAS A LOW IMPACT VERSUS MODIFYING IT, DOING THE SAME INTENT, BUT A DIFFERENT WAY THAT HAS A GREATER IMPACT.
AND I THINK THAT'S KIND OF THE SYNOPSIS OF WHAT I'M HEARING, THAT EVEN FROM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES IS THAT'S THE TYPE OF RECOMMENDATION SHE'S HOPING TO GET BACK FROM THE COMMISSION.
IS, IS IT WORKING, IS IT NOT WORKING? DO WE NEED TO GIVE IT SOME MORE TIME? BECAUSE WE'RE SEEING SOME ACTIVITY HAPPENING, BUT 175,000 CONTRACTOR TO PEER SUPPORTS, OKAY, HOW MANY OVER WHAT PERIOD TO DO WHAT? HOW MANY HAVE THEY TOUCHED? RIGHT? UM, THAT DOESN'T GET THAT LEVEL OF SPECIFICITY.
AND JUST FOR CLARITY, WHEN YOU SAY HOW MANY AND WHO ARE YOU TALKING INDIVIDUALS AFFECTED BY THIS FUNDING AND THIS PROGRAM? YES.
'CAUSE ULTIMATELY WE'RE ADDING ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO REACH MORE PEOPLE.
SO IF WE'RE NOT REACHING MORE PEOPLE, WE'RE PUTTING MORE MONEY OUT THERE, THEN IT'S WASTED MONEY.
[01:15:03]
COMMISSIONER LUHAN, I'D LIKE TO SHARE SOMETHING ON THAT.UM, COMMISSIONER WALLACE, UM, I DEFINITELY SEE YOUR CONCERN, AND I AGREE WITH YOU.
UH, THERE IS A LOT OF MONEY COMING IN AND FOR PEER SUPPORT AND OBVIOUSLY, UH, PEER SUPPORT IS EVIDENCE-BASED TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUALS RECOVERY, ET CETERA.
UH, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, IT'S USED IN, IN, UH, IT'S A, IT IS AN UMBRELLA OVER A LOT OF, UM, A LOT OF CLIENT.
BUT, UM, THEY'RE, SEE THERE, WHAT I'M COMING TO UNDERSTAND IN MY NEW ROLE IS THAT SOME OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE HANDLING THIS ARE USING, UM, THERE'S BARRIERS IN INTAKE PROCESS.
THERE'S NO UNDERSTANDING OF, THERE'S NO UNDERSTANDING OF THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH.
NOBODY WANTS TO ANSWER A QUESTION THAT SAYS, ARE YOU SUICIDAL? NOBODY WANTS TO ANSWER A QUESTION WHILE YOU'RE DOING AN INTAKE.
'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE ASKING FOR DELIVERABLES, DATA, ET CETERA, WHICH, HEY, IT'S THE WAY YOU GOTTA MEASURE.
UM, I THINK THE WAY THAT THEY'RE GOING ABOUT IT, UM, YOU'LL SEE THAT THOSE NUMBERS OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN SEEN IS GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT LOW.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'M COMING ACROSS RIGHT NOW IS BECAUSE OF THAT.
UM, I THINK THE WAY THAT THEY'RE ADDRESSING SOME OF THE CLIENTS THAT NEED PEER SUPPORT, UM, ARE UNREACHABLE BECAUSE OF THE VERBIAGE OF INTAKE.
SOME OF THE BARRIERS OF NOT MEETING THEM WHERE THEY ARE, THEY'RE EXPECTING SOME OF THESE CLIENTS, AND I'VE SAID THIS MANY TIMES, IF A CLIENT IS, DOES NOT FEEL SAFE, DOES NOT HAVE HOUSING, WHICH FOR ME IS THE, THE PRIORITY TO BE ABLE TO HELP SOMEONE IN THEIR MENTAL HEALTH WITH THEIR MENTAL HEALTH OR WITH DRUG ADDICTION, IS HAVE HOUSING BE SAFE BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT THINK ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE BUT FILLING IN THAT VOID OR DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.
RIGHT? SO, UM, YOU HAVE MANY PEOPLE SITTING, STRUGGLING ON THE STREETS AND THEY'RE EXPECTING SOME OF THESE INDIVIDUALS TO COME TO SOME OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS AND SAY, HEY, I'M HERE FOR HELP.
OR, HEY, I'M JUST HERE FOR TODAY.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO WEAR? AND THEN WHEN THEY'RE READY, WHICH OF COURSE IS IN ANY SITUATION, YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO BE, DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO UNTIL I'M READY FOR IT.
UNTIL YOU RECOGNIZE, I THINK FOR US TO JUST MAKE THE SPACE AND SOME OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE NOT REALLY MAKING THE SPACE, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE RECEIVING THE MONEY, UM, FOR INDIVIDUALS TO COME BY OR GOING OUT TO THE STREETS.
I THINK, UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PEER SUPPORT, I THINK IT'S A VERY MOBILE, AGAIN, HA LIKE FEET ON THE GROUND.
LIKE LITERALLY TO BE ABLE TO REACH SOME OF THE PEOPLE, UM, AND OPEN THAT SPACE FOR THEM, WHAT THEY NEED OR WHEN THEY NEED IT, AND WHEN THEY'RE READY TO COME BACK IN AND SAY, HEY, CAN YOU TELL ME MORE ABOUT RECOVERY? CAN YOU TELL ME MORE ABOUT PEER SUPPORT? WHERE I CAN ATTEND A GROUP ONCE A WEEK FOR THE, THE WELLBEING OF THIS INDIVIDUAL TO BE ABLE TO START FROM STEP ONE IS MAKING THAT SPACE.
BUT SOME OF THESE INTAKES I'VE NOTICED AND, AND I'M COMING ACROSS, UH, UM, IT'S THE INTAKE FORM AND HOW THEY WANNA BE ADDRESSED WITH A LOT OF MENTAL HEALTH.
AND, UM, THERE IS A LOT OF MONEY COMING IN.
AND LIKE I'VE SAID, IT, THERE'S, UH, THIS THING THAT I QUOTE UNQUOTE PERSONAL WAY I'VE EXPRESSED MYSELF, UH, GOVERNMENT LEECHES THAT THEY WILL TAKE THE MONEY, BUT THEY WON'T DO THE WORK.
SO I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU, AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE ALSO THAT, UM, THOSE NUMBERS OF HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HELPED THROUGH ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS AND ALL OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE RECEIVING SOME OF THIS FUNDING FOR PEER SUPPORT.
I KIND OF WANNA PIGGY, OH, IS MY, AM I OFF MUTE? OKAY.
I WANNA PIGGYBACK ON THAT A LITTLE BIT.
ESPECIALLY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DATA IN THIS PARTICULAR POPULATION, KEEPING IN MIND THAT DRUGS ARE ILLEGAL AND THERE IS A LOT OF STIGMA, THERE'S A LOT OF CONSEQUENCE THAT GETS ATTACHED TO INDIVIDUALS WHO USE DRUGS.
AND WE HAVE THESE ENTITIES THAT ARE SET UP, AND I OFTEN DO WANNA PUT OUT THERE THAT OUTREACH IS A REALLY BIG PART THAT I THINK IS KIND OF MISSING FROM WHAT'S GOING ON.
IT'S MENTIONED IN THAT LIST OF LIKE WHAT THE COMMUNITY WOULD LIKE TO SEE, BUT IT ALSO IS THAT BIG PIECE OF LIKE MOBILIZING NARCAN DISTRIBUTION.
YOU CAN BUY AS MUCH NARCAN AS YOU WANT, BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT OUTREACH PIECE, YOU WON'T GET THAT END RESULT.
KIND OF GOING BACK TO SOME OF THE LIMITATIONS WITH INDIVIDUALS TO USE DRUGS AND LIKE GETTING
[01:20:01]
THE KIND OF FEEDBACK DATA THAT YOU WANT.UM, ANOTHER THING IS IN CONSIDERATION WITH LIKE OVERDOSE IS TYPICALLY THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PERFORMING OVERDOSE REVERSALS AND USING NARCAN ARE OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE USING DRUGS.
AND SO THAT TYPE OF DATA, THAT TYPE OF INFORMATION STAYS WITHIN THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
IT'S NOT ALWAYS GONNA BE YOUR EMS INDIVIDUAL'S, NOT, NOT GONNA BE YOUR POLICE OFFICER.
IT'S TYPICALLY GONNA BE OTHER DRUG USERS.
AND AS MUCH AS WE WANT TO GET THAT DATA AND BE ABLE TO SAY, HEY, THIS IS EFFECTIVE.
UM, DRUG OVERDOSES ARE INCREDIBLY TRAUMATIC.
THERE'S A LOT OF SENSITIVITY THAT HAS TO BE TAKEN CONSIDERATION WITH A LOT OF THIS.
UM, AND SO I JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THERE IS THAT BARRIER.
AND SO IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO EVALUATE INTERVENTIONS THAT WE'RE PUTTING INTO PLAY ALTERNATIVES TO HARD NUMBERS.
I THINK QUALITATIVE DATA SHOULD NOT BE, UH, NOT TAKING CONSIDERATION, BUT SOMETIMES IN SCENARIOS LIKE THIS, WE HAVE TO, BECAUSE OF THE LIMITATIONS OF HARD DATA.
UM, SO I THINK THAT'S A DIFFICULT THING.
'CAUSE LIKE WE'D LIKE TO MONITOR HOW THINGS ARE GOING.
WE LIKE TO BE ABLE TO REPORT BACK, OH, WE'RE DOING X, Y, Z, BUT COLLECTING DATA FOR THIS SPECIFIC TYPE OF INFORMATION IS SO DIFFICULT THAT I THINK WE HAVE TO LEAD, BUT THE BEST OF OUR ABILITIES WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO UNDERSTAND HARM REDUCTION, WHO UNDERSTAND OPIOID USE, AND THEN IN A VERY SENSITIVE WAY TRY TO GET FEEDBACK AS BEST AS POSSIBLE.
BUT I DON'T THINK THE HARD NUMBER SITUATION IS GONNA BE FEASIBLE BASED OFF OF THE SUBJECT.
DO YOU MIND IF I PUT A POINT OF CLARITY ON, I I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND THAT.
I, I THINK FOR ME, IT'S, IT IS GONNA BE THESE THINGS LIKE, UM, INCREASING CAPACITY FOR OUTREACH, RIGHT? UH, A NUMBER CAN BE PUT TO THEIR INCREASING MOBILE HEALTH CLINIC CAPACITY.
SO IT'S MORE ON THOSE ASPECTS AND MAYBE NOT NECESSARILY AS FAR AS, UM, HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE WERE PREVENTED FROM HAVING A OVERDOSE, BUT WHEN YOU'RE SAYING THIS MONEY'S GOING TO EXPAND THESE CAPACITIES, THAT THOSE THINGS CAN DEFINITELY HAVE, UH, A, A VISUAL IMPACT, RIGHT? UM, SO, SO THAT'S, THAT'S MORE OR LESS WHAT I'M, WHAT I'M SPEAKING TO, UH, NOT NECESSARILY WHAT ALL OUR PEER SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS DOING, BUT IF WE'RE PUTTING MONEY TO BRING ON MORE PEER SUPPORTS, THEN JUST WHERE ARE THEY GOING? AND HOPEFULLY IT'S NOT IN THE SAME LOCATION THAT WE ALREADY HAVE A SATURATION OF PEER SUPPORTS.
SO THAT, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I MEANT IN, IN, IN THAT ASPECT OF, OF DATA CHAIR KNOWS THAT I SUBMITTED SOMETHING TO THE SUBCOMMITTEE.
I GUESS WE HAVEN'T REALLY GOTTEN TO IT, BUT, UM, I'VE DONE A LOT OF STUDY ABOUT THE OPIOID CRISIS IN THE LAST, UM, SAY THREE OR FOUR WEEKS, LET'S JUST SAY SPECIFICALLY WITH REFERENCES TO SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT I'VE HAD.
AND, AND I, I DON'T WANT TO, UM, IT MAY BE THAT THAT NEEDS TO FIND ITS CHANNEL, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THAT WITH THE COMMISSION BECAUSE IT MAY STIMULATE OTHER IDEAS AND QUESTIONS, WHICH ARE IMPORTANT.
AND AGAIN, THE THINGS I LOOKED FOR, I'LL JUST, I USE THE SAME EXAMPLE I I DID EARLIER.
THE QUESTION IS, HOW MANY NALOXONE DOSES PER HUNDRED THOUSAND POPULATION DO WE GIVE IN TRAVIS COUNTY? AND HOW DOES THAT COMPARE WITH COUNTIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY? WELL, THERE'S A LITERATURE IN THE PA THERE'S PAPERS, ACADEMIC PAPERS WRITTEN ABOUT THIS AND ABOUT THE IMPACT OF SOME OF THAT.
AND SO THAT KIND OF INFORMATION MIGHT BE USEFUL FOR US TO HAVE AS A FRAMING TO THEN ASK, UH, THE QUESTIONS THAT WE WANT TO ASK LOCALLY.
UM, SO I, I JUST THROW THAT TO SUBMIT TO WONDER IF, UM, IF I SHARED THAT, IF WE COULD DO THAT OR HOW THAT SHOULD GO.
UM, I THINK THAT WAS SOMETHING DR.
WA WANTED TO CONNECT WITH ON OUR NEXT WORKING GROUP, UM, TO, I WOULD SAY MORE GO INTO THE CLINICAL SIDE OF THAT WITH YOU.
UM, I WOULD BE CURIOUS, AND I KNOW YOU HAD SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.
I THINK THERE'S ABOUT 12 SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAD LISTED WITHIN THAT PRESENTATION.
UH, EVEN JUST LISTENING TODAY, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE STILL HAVE A VARIETY PACK OF QUESTIONS WITH RELEVANCE IN A, IN A VAST SPACE, RIGHT? SOME OF THESE WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION ON OR PARTICULARLY DO SOMETHING WITH.
SO I WOULD BE, I WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT TO THE COMMISSION TO SAY, IF WE CAN COME BACK, UH, WITH OUR QUESTIONS THAT STILL HAVE NOT BEEN ANSWERED, LIKE HARD QUESTIONS, SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT,
[01:25:01]
UM, YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT WHAT COMMISSIONER WALLACE SAID OF HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN IMPACTED, THAT IS A QUESTION THAT WE COULD ABSOLUTELY GET INFORMATION FROM.BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE NECESSARILY WOULD NEED A PRESENTATION TO THAT.
MAYBE THAT IS SOMETHING WE CAN DO WITHIN OUR WORKING GROUPS TO GET THAT INFORMATION PROVIDED TO US TO MAKE A, UM, WELL-INFORMED DECISION.
BUT THEN ALSO LOOKING AT THE OUTREACH PLAN.
UM, IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THAT OUTREACH PLAN, WE'VE NEVER SEEN AN OUTREACH PLAN.
WE DON'T KNOW IF AN OUTREACH PLAN EXISTS.
THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE COULD COME BACK TO THE COUNTY AND SAY, COULD YOU PLEASE PROVIDE US AN UPDATE IN ORDER TO KNOW AND BE WELL MORE, MORE WELL INFORMED.
UM, I TOOK A LOT OF DIFFERENT NOTES.
LIKE PERSONALLY, I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHAT THEIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT AND QUALITY CONTROL PLAN IS FOR THE, THE RESEARCH THEY'RE DOING ON THEIR OWN IN ORDER TO MEET THE STANDARDS OF THEIR GRANT.
UM, THERE ARE VERY SPECIFIC THINGS THAT THEY SAID THEY HAD TO DO IN ORDER TO FULFILL THIS FUNDING.
HOW ARE THEY DOING? HAS IT GONE WELL WITH THE, THEIR FUNDER IS, ARE THEY SUBMITTING ALL OF THESE THINGS? SO IF WE COULD COME BACK WITH AN ACTUAL LIST OF WHAT HASN'T BEEN ANSWERED AND THEN CONDENSE THAT LIST INTO ACTION ITEMS, OUR COMMISSION CAN TAKE ITEMS THAT WE NEED, EITHER OUR WORKING GROUP TO LEAD, WORKING GROUPS TO LEAD, AND THEN WE NEED THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE RECEIVING THIS FUNDING, WHICH LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A WHOLE LITANY WHO HAVE EVEN GOTTEN SOME TRAINING FOR, FROM NARCAN, UH, ON NARCAN FROM THE COUNTY.
WHAT IMPACT HAS THAT MADE? WE DON'T KNOW.
SO THOSE WOULD, THAT WOULD BE A CALL OUT THAT WE COULD ALSO REQUEST OF NEED, UM, OF HOW THOSE FUNDS ARE BEING USED.
AND THEN WE WOULD BE ABLE TO, UM, HAVE A BETTER CONVERSATION AROUND THAT.
ANY OBJECTIONS, QUESTIONS TO OUR POTENTIAL HOMEWORK? DOES EVERYBODY FEEL CONFIDENT ABOUT BEING ABLE TO COMPILE OUR, OUR, OUR REMAINING QUESTIONS? I KNOW, UH, DR. RICE HAS A FOOT UP ON US ON THIS ONE.
UM, AND THEN BRING THOSE TO THE NEXT COMMISSION SO THAT WE CAN ACTIVELY CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION AND ADDRESS SOME THINGS.
CHAIR, WHEN DO YOU WANT THOSE QUESTIONS? TO THE NEXT COMMISSION? SO BRING, BRING THEM, UH, FOR, FOR NOVEMBER.
I'LL JUST BRING AN EXAMPLE OF A QUESTION THAT'S IN THE, UM, THE SLIDE DECK THAT I PRODUCED.
THE TRAVIS, THE, THE TEXAS, UM, THESE ARE TE TEXAS HHS STATISTICS THAT SAY OPIOID MORTALITY RATE IN TRAVIS COUNTY IS APPROXIMATELY 50% HIGHER THAN THE OTHER LARGE COUNTY POPULATION, LARGE POPULATION COUNTIES.
TRAVIS COUNTY OPIOID MORTALITY IS 50% HIGHER ACCORDING TO A SOURCE.
THIS IS A TEXAS STATE DATA SOURCE.
50% HIGHER THAN OTHER LARGE POPULATION COUNTIES, INCLUDING BEXAR COUNTY, HARRIS COUNTY, DALLAS COUNTY, TARRANT COUNTY, AND, AND, UM, DID I SAY HARRIS COUNTY OR, MM-HMM.
SO, SO IT'S ALL THE LARGE OTHERS.
SO I HAVE CRITICAL AND VERY ANXIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT WHY THAT IS TRUE.
AND I'M INTERESTED, UM, TO BRING THAT TO THIS COMMISSION AS A PRIMARY CONCERN.
50% HIGHER IS THAT, IS, IS IS PHENOMENAL.
IT'S ALMOST TWO STANDARD DEVIATIONS ABOVE THE AVERAGES OF THE OTHERS.
SO, UM, AGAIN, THAT'S THE KIND OF QUESTION I'VE BEEN TRYING TO, TO ASK IN THIS, THIS THING I'VE TALKED ABOUT.
AND I WOULD, UM, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION 'CAUSE I'D LIKE TO ASK, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THAT'S, THAT SOUNDS PEJORATIVE.
I DON'T MEAN TO SOUND THAT WAY.
I WOULD LIKE US ALL TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT AND, AND FOR THE AGENCIES TO EXPLAIN WHY THAT MIGHT OR MIGHT NOT BE TRUE OR WHAT THE CONCERN IS OR WHY.
I MEAN, AGAIN, UM, YOU KNOW WHY THAT'S PAC SEEMS TO BE IN PRESENCE.
I KNOW OUR EX OFFICIOS CAN PROBABLY SPEAK TO THAT.
COULD WE LET THEM KNOW THAT IN NOVEMBER WE WILL HAVE AN IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION ABOUT OUR, OUR OPIOID PROCESSES IN THE CITY, COUNTY CENTRAL HEALTH AND MAYBE THEY CAN PREPARE THEMSELVES FOR OUR QUESTIONS.
UM, EX OFFICIO SANCHEZ IS ON THE LINE.
UM, AND SO SHE CAN SPEAK FOR TRAVIS COUNTY, BUT WE CAN SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH DR.
WALKS AS WELL AS ADRIAN, UH, DOC, UH, DIRECTOR DISTURB.
UM, AND I WILL, I'LL SAY THAT, UH, WE WOULD NOT BE PREPARED TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS UNLESS YOU GIVE US THE QUESTIONS IN ADVANCE.
SO IF YOU'RE JUST COMPILING YOUR QUESTIONS AT THIS MEETING, WE WOULDN'T BE READY TO, TO ANSWER THEM.
I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE A QUESTION OF ANSWERING THEM.
[01:30:01]
A, YOU KNOW, WE'VE COMPILED ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS.WE'VE ALL BROUGHT OUR 5 7 13
AND, UH, AGAIN, THINKING OF THIS FROM A CATEGORY PERSPECTIVE, UM, WE'RE LISTING OUT, AND MAYBE WE CAN GET THIS DONE BEFOREHAND.
I CAN FOLLOW BACK UP TO SEE IF WE HAVE THE BANDWIDTH, UM, OF COMPILING ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS INTO ONE DOCUMENT AND THEN CATEGOR CATEGORIZING THEM.
UM, IS THAT, IS THAT TOO MUCH OF A TASK TO PUT ON OUR ALREADY LONG LIST OF HOMEWORK? SO LET ME JUST REPHRASE THAT QUESTION.
THIS WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY THAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO AS INDIVIDUALS ON THIS COMMISSION ON TOP OF OUR ALREADY THREE ITEMS. UH, ACTION ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE DONE BEFORE THE NEXT COMMISSION WOULD BE TO SUBMIT ALL OF OUR PENDING QUESTIONS TO THE STAFF IN A RUNNING SPREADSHEET.
WE'LL, WE'LL DETERMINE THAT AND THEN CATEGORIZE THEM AS TO WHAT WE BELIEVE THE COMMISSION CAN WORK ON, WHAT WE BELIEVE THE, UH, STANDING BODIES THAT WORK WITH US, THE CITY, COUNTY, CENTRAL HEALTH.
AND THEN WHERE WE STILL HAVE PENDING DATA QUESTIONS THAT WOULD GO TO OUR WORKING GROUPS TO DO RESEARCH.
I WOULD SAY IF WE COULD JUST BRING OUR FULL QUESTIONS TO THE NEXT COMMISSION AND AT LEAST COMMIT TO HAVING THEM WRITTEN DOWN WOULD BE A LOT LESS ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR US TO DO.
SO IF WE COME NOVEMBER WITH OUR QUESTIONS AND WE HAVE THE AGENCIES, WOULD IT BE MORE OF KIND OF A DISCUSSION AND GETTING MORE CONTEXT AND INFORMATION FROM THEM THAT HELPS US BETTER UNDERSTAND THE ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS? OKAY.
UH, 'CAUSE AN ALTERNATIVE COULD BE WE COME, WE PREPARE OUR QUESTIONS, COMBINE THEM, AND THEN PROVIDE THAT DOCUMENT TO THE AGENCIES TO COME BACK MAYBE DECEMBER, YOU KNOW, AFTER THEY'VE HAD A MONTH TO PREPARE THE ANSWERS.
BUT I PERSONALLY LIKE THE IDEA BETTER OF JUST KIND OF A WORKING GROUP OF WHERE WE'RE JUST HAVING A CONVERSATION FOR MORE CONTEXT.
MY INITIAL THOUGHT WAS THAT FIRST PART OF BRINGING THEM TOGETHER, BRINGING ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS TOGETHER, HAVING THEM PREPARED TO SAY OUT LOUD.
UM, FOR INSTANCE, WITH VISIO SANCHEZ, IF SHE'S LIKE, ACTUALLY THAT IS A COUNTY QUESTION AND WE HAVE THAT DATA AND IT'S AN EASY ANSWER, WE CAN BRING THAT BACK TO YOU IN DECEMBER.
I THINK THAT IS A QUICK WAY FOR US TO SCRATCH A QUESTION OFF OF OUR LIST.
UM, INSTEAD OF SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA, WE EXPECT THEM TO HAVE ANSWERS.
AT THE RISK OF PERSISTENCE AND WITH APOLOGIES AGAIN, I HAVE 13 QUESTIONS, ALL OF THEM WITH ACADEMIC REFERENCES.
WHY WOULDN'T WE SHARE THAT WITH ALL THE COMMISSIONERS SO THAT THEY WON'T DUPLICATE THE EFFORT TO THINK OF QUESTIONS OR DUPLICATE THE EFFORT TO FIND ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS? THAT WOULD BE PERSPECTIVE.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE, WE COULDN'T, MY THOUGHT IS JUST WE ALREADY HAVE OTHER HOMEWORK.
YOU ALREADY HAVE THOSE QUESTIONS.
I'M NOT SAYING WE CANNOT SHARE THEM OUT IN LIKE A SPREADSHEET OF SOME SORT THAT I DON'T KNOW.
CAN WE, CAN WE DOCUMENT IN A SPREADSHEET AS AN ENTIRE COMMISSION? OR WOULD THAT CONSIDER BE CONSIDERED A WALKING QUORUM? COOL.
SO WE COULD, MY, MY REQUEST IS TO SIMPLY LET ME SEND THEM TO THE TEAM AND LET THEM SEND TO THE, THE EIGHT COMMISSIONERS DONE.
WITH THAT, WE'RE GONNA, I THUMBS LOVE IT.
WE ARE GETTING TO OUR FINAL ITEMS AND I'LL MOVE THIS ALONG.
[6. Discuss and approve the Austin Travis County Public Health 2025 meeting schedule.]
DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS, UH, DISCUSS AND APPROVE THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH 2025 MEETING SCHEDULED.DO WE HAVE ANY CONFLICTS WITH THE DATES AS SCHEDULED? AND, YOU KNOW, I'M LOOKING AT YOU CURRICULUM.
TYPICALLY, JU JULY, UM, THAT'S USUALLY THE MONTH THAT MOST OF THE COMMISSIONS AND OR COUNCILS BREAK.
AND SO I JUST WANT YOU ALL TO REALIZE THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO USE THAT AS A TIME TO REFRESH,
[01:35:01]
UM, SINCE IT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER, RIGHT? DURING THE HOLIDAYS.UM, BUT OF COURSE THIS IS AT YOUR BOARD, YOUR COMMISSION, AND WE WILL ACCOMMODATE WHATEVER DAYS AND TIMES YOU ARE WILLING TO MEET.
BUT JUST AS A REMINDER, THAT'S USUALLY ONE OF THOSE MONTHS THAT, THAT THOSE THINGS KIND OF CEASE.
WE WELCOME YOUR ADVICE AND KNOWLEDGE.
UM, DOES ANYONE HAVE A
SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE IN QUESTIONS NOW, RIGHT? WE'RE IN QUESTIONS.
DO WE WANT TO, UM, TAKE THE MONTH OF JULY OFF AS A MOMENT TO REFLECT ON ALL OF THE WONDERFUL WORK THAT WE'VE DONE? UM, SURE.
I I WOULD LIKE TO ONE, POSE A QUESTION IF THE COMMISSION WANTS TO TAKE A MONTH OFF, AND IF SO, YOU KNOW, MAYBE, MAYBE THAT MIGHT BE THE FIRST KIND OF THING THERE.
AND IF, SO I'M LOOKING AT THIS DECEMBER ONE AND IT'S LIKE RIGHT AFTER THANKSGIVING.
SO I WANNA BE LAZY AND FAT AND HAPPY
THE FIRST QUESTION WAS, DO WE WANT TO TAKE THE MONTH OF JULY OFF AND, UM, ENJOY A BREAK? ANYONE, UH, ACCEPT THAT MOTION TO TAKE THE MONTH OF JULY OFF? WHAT'S THAT? I, I ACCEPT THAT MOTION.
UM, MAINLY THINKING ABOUT OUR STAFF AND IF THEY'RE TAKING THAT TIME OFF BECAUSE OTHER COMMISSIONS ARE TAKING THAT TIME OFF.
I DON'T WANT TO MAKE THEM COME JUST FOR US.
I THINK THAT'S A GOOD AND VERY THOUGHTFUL POINT TO MAKE.
SO WE ARE GONNA TAKE THE MONTH OF JULY OFF.
AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION IS LOOKING AT EITHER A DIFFERENT DATE FOR THE DECEMBER, WHICH WILL BE WEDNESDAY THE THIRD, UM, POST HOLIDAY, IF WE CAN MAKE THAT LATER.
ANY OBJECTIONS TO MOVING THE DECEMBER 3RD MEETING? NONE OPPOSED.
WONDERFUL, BEAUTIFUL STAFF MEMBERS.
COULD WE SEE IF WE CAN GET THIS SPACE BE DECEMBER, JUNE ACTUALLY DECEMBER 10TH.
SO YOU WOULD LIKE TO MOVE IT TO DECEMBER 10TH, LIKE THE FOLLOWING WEEK? YES, PLEASE.
UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU GUYS A HEADS UP, UM, THE BOOKING PROCESS CAN BE, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL REMEMBER THE LITTLE HEART ATTACK THAT WE GOT LAST YEAR, UM, DURING THIS DECEMBER.
UM, SO IT CAN BE A LITTLE BIT, UH, TRICKY.
IF THE CASE WERE TO BE THAT THE 10TH IS NOT AVAILABLE, WOULD YOU STILL WANT TO KEEP IT ON THE THIRD OR YOU JUST WANT TO SCRATCH IT OFF? COULD WE, COULD WE SEE WHAT THE EFFORTS ARE IF WE MOVE IT TO THE 10TH? AND IF WE CANNOT REMO, IF WE CANNOT MOVE IT, WE WILL KEEP IT ON THE THIRD AND, UH OKAY.
UM, JUST BECAUSE, UM, WE, I AM NOT NOT NOTIFIED, LIKE I WILL SUBMIT THIS TODAY.
I AM NOT NOTIFIED UNTIL LITERALLY DECEMBER.
SO JUST, WE WILL BE AWARE AND WE WILL MAYBE PUT A HOLD ON THE CALENDAR FOR THAT DAY.
WILL WE LOSE THE SPOT THE THIRD IF WE APPLY FOR THE 10TH? I CAN'T SAY WITH A HUNDRED PERCENT GUARANTEE JUST BECAUSE OF HOW IT WAS LAST YEAR.
AND, AND WE, WE JUST RECALL THAT THERE'S OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT ARE ALSO SUBMITTING DATES, SO IT BECOMES, YOU KNOW, WHOSE NAME'S IN THE HAT FIRST KIND OF THING.
UM, AND SO WE, WE NEVER KNOW UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE, WHICH IS, WHICH IS NOT THE MOST FEASIBLE WAY TO, TO SCHEDULE, BUT WE TRY TO BE AS ACCOMMODATING, UM, AS ANOTHER RULE.
THERE'S ALWAYS OPTION FOR YOU TO SCHEDULE A SPECIAL CALL MEETING IF YOU DO NOT GET THE DATE AND TIME.
WE JUST HAVE TO ALWAYS COORDINATE WITH RESOURCES TO GET YOU A SPACE, UM, THAT WILL MEET YOUR, YOUR OVER MEETINGS REQUIREMENTS.
OH, I'LL, OH, SORRY, GO AHEAD.
CAN YOU CLARIFY? WE WON'T KNOW ABOUT DECEMBER 25 UNTIL DECEMBER 25, OR WE WON'T KNOW ABOUT DECEMBER 25 UNTIL THIS YEAR.
WE CAN ALSO LOOK AND SEE ABOUT SPACE OVER AT
[01:40:01]
TRAVIS COUNTY.OH, SO IT'S NOT JUST CITY OF AUSTIN.
WE, WE, I'M GETTING HEAD NODS.
UM, BUT WE COULD
WE GOT THE HEAD NOD ON THAT ONE.
SO WE'RE GONNA SEE IF DECEMBER, WE'LL PUT THIS AS A FUTURE ITEM FOR DECEMBER, 2024 TO REVISIT IF WE ARE MOVING OUR DECEMBER, 2025 MEETING.
SO 2024 IS NOT, 2024 IS ALL GOOD.
WHY CAN'T WE MEET, UH, IN TRAVIS COUNTY? WE CAN'T.
I MEAN, AS LONG AS WE HAVE ACCESS TO ALL THE NECESSARY, UM, OPEN MEETING REQUIREMENTS, THERE'S NO, NO LIMIT TO WHERE THERE'S NO RESTRICTIONS.
WE DEFINITELY WOULD NEED TO HAVE A FULL COMPLIMENT OF AUDIO VISUAL AND ABILITY TO RECORD, BUT THERE'S NO, NO RESTRICTIONS TO THAT.
WE WILL, BUT WE TRY TO BE CONSISTENT, UM, WHENEVER THERE'S BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
'CAUSE HAVING PEOPLE MOVE AROUND, THEY'RE USED TO MEETINGS BEING IN ONE PARTICULAR PLACE, BUT WE HAVE A YEAR.
AND SO IF WE HAVE TO MOVE IT TO ANOTHER FACILITY LIKE THE RETREAT OR WHATEVER, UM, WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S ADVANCED NOTICE OF, OF THE LOCATION CHANGE.
BECAUSE TYPICALLY WHEN THEY PUT OUT THE CALENDAR, IT, IT'S THE FULL YEAR.
[7. Update from Infrastructure & Access work group by Chair Natalie Poindexter on next steps for presenting a recommendation on Community Health Workers and Food Policy Board.]
I WILL BE VERY, THIS IS OUR LAST ITEM.UH, WE HAD A PHENOMENAL CONVERSATION AND OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND ACCESS WORKING GROUP.
I'M HAPPY TO SHARE THOSE MEETING NOTES OUT TO EVERYONE.
UH, JUST TO KEEP TIME, UM, IN PLACE.
UH, WE HAD A VERY IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION AROUND THE FOOD POLICY BOARD AND HOW, UH, WE WERE GOING TO MAKE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT THEIR FOOD WASTE PROCESSES, LOOKING AT, UM, WHAT HAPPENS IN THE, THE CONCEPT OF IF THEY ARE NOT IMPROVING THEIR FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM, WHAT SHOULD BE HAPPENING.
UM, ALSO LOOKING AT, UM, HOW THEY'RE AFFECT, LIKE HOW THEY'RE MEASURING THEIR EFFECTIVENESS OF THAT PLAN.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE SOME OF THE CONCERNS, UH, THAT WERE BROACHED TODAY ARE ALSO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE HAD ON HOW, UH, WE WERE GOING TO BE ABLE TO TRACK AND SEE THIS.
AND, UM, ALSO LOOKING AT THE SUSTAINABILITY OR THE, UM, I'M SORRY, THE SYSTEMS, THE NATURAL SYSTEMS, UM, AND THE ENVIRONMENT OF HOW WE ARE POTENTIALLY HARMING OUR ENVIRONMENT HERE IN AUSTIN, UH, BY NOT HAVING SOME SORT OF PLAN IN PLACE FOR FOOD DISTRIBUTION AND FOOD WASTE.
UM, SO THAT WAS A LOT OF OUR CONVERSATION AROUND WHAT, WHAT STRATEGIES WE BELIEVE THEY SHOULD ACTUALLY PUT AT THE FOREFRONT.
UM, OUR NEXT STEPS FOR THAT ARE TO, UM, POTENTIALLY CREATE THAT RECOMMENDATION BY NOVEMBER, BUT THAT WAS GONNA BE PUT ON HOLD, UM, UNTIL WE CAN HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING.
AND THEN FOR THE CHWS, WE ALSO HAD A ANOTHER CONVERSATION AROUND, UM, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE SPECIFICALLY BASED OFF OF THE LAST PRESENTATION THAT WAS PROVIDED, UH, WITH THAT TEXAS POLICY FOR THE MATERNAL CHILD HEALTH REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM, HOW COULD WE POTENTIALLY IMPLEMENT SOMETHING LIKE THAT FOR OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS? AND ALSO HOW DO WE ACTIVATE OUR CORPORATE COMPANIES HERE, UM, IN AUSTIN TO SPECIFICALLY SUPPORT COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS.
UH, DURING COVID T-MOBILE WAS GIVING FREE PLANS TO FIRST RESPONDERS, UM, LOOKING AT A WAY THAT WE CAN GO BACK TO T-MOBILE AND SAY, HOW DO YOU KEEP THIS GOING FOR ANYONE THAT IS A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER FOR OUR ENTITIES, UM, THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO SUPPORT.
AND THEN ALSO LOOKING AT WHAT IS CAP METRO DOING FOR TRANSPORTATION FOR OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS.
IS THAT GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT IS MANDATED? CAN WE SAY THAT OUT LOUD? RIGHT.
THAT THEY HAVE TO SUPPORT THE TRANSPORTATION OF THESE INDIVIDUALS TO POTENTIALLY OFFSET THE QUAL THE, THE, THE COST OF LIVING, THE COST OF LIFE IN AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY AS A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER AT THE CURRENT SALARY THAT THEY'RE AT.
SO WE ARE GOING TO, UM, TAKE A LOOK
[01:45:01]
AT THAT AND SEE HOW WE CAN PUT SOMETHING IN PLACE, UH, THAT WOULD BE A RECOMMENDATION TO ENCOURAGE, TO KEEP THOSE SAME SUPPORT SYSTEMS THAT WERE IN PLACE DURING COVID IN PLACE HERE IN AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS.UM, SAYING ALL OF THAT, UH, VERY, VERY QUICKLY.
BUT, UM, AGAIN, I WILL SHARE THESE NOTES BACK OUT.
WE DID NOT GET TO OUR OPIOIDS CONVERSATION.
UM, WE RAN OUT OF TIME, BUT WE WILL CIRCLE BACK ON THAT FOR OUR NEXT WORKING GROUP MEETING.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
OKAY.THIS KIND OF CAME TO MIND AS I'M LOOKING AT THIS COVER PAGE ON OUR BINDER.
IS THERE ANY REASON THAT INTEGRAL CARE AS THE MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY IS NOT REPRESENTED ON THIS COMMISSION? AND IF SHOULD THEY BE? WOULD THAT BE A I I THINK THAT'S A CONVERSATION WITH, UM, WITH OUR EX OFFICIOS, UM, WHEN THIS BOARD WAS, UM, COMMISSIONED MM-HMM.
UM, WHILE PARTNERS WERE NOT EXCLUDED FROM COMMUNICATIONS, I DON'T THINK THEY WERE A PART OF THE SELECTION OF THE MEMBERS.
AND THAT MAY BE WHY THEY'RE NOT INCLUDED ON AS A LOGO, BUT THAT'S A CONVERSATION THE EX OFFICIALS COULD HAVE.
AND THEN THAT WOULD BE AN EXPANDING YOUR BOARD.
SO, UM, I WOULD DEFER THAT CONVERSATION TO THEM IN THEIR PRESENCE.
UH, I WOULD REQUEST TO HAVE THAT ADDED.
I THINK THEY PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND IN, UM, A VOICE AND THEY OPERATE IN CERTAIN SPACES, SIGNIFICANT CERTAIN SPACES THAT THE OTHERS DON'T.
AND THERE'S, UM, NOT ONLY ARE THEY RECEIVING TAX DOLLARS, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE CONTRACTS AMONGST THE DIFFERENT EX OFFICIOS BEING REPRESENTED.
ARE ARE YOU ASKING THAT THEY, UM, BECOME AN EX OFFICIO MEMBER? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? OR INQUIRING OF WHY THEY'RE NOT GIVEN THE, THE SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT IN, UH, BEING THE MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES SPECIFICALLY FOR TRAVIS COUNTY.
JUST LIKE CENTRAL HEALTH IS THE HEALTHCARE DISTRICT FOR TRAVIS COUNTY.
BUT I, I GUESS I WAS THOUGHT YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT EX SOMETHING ABOUT THE COMMISSION, WHICH IS NINE PEOPLE, WHICH IS APPOINTED, APPROVED BY THE TRES COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND THE CITY OF COUNCIL.
AND THAT'S NOT, I I DON'T, I DIDN'T YOU'RE NOT SAYING THAT.
WHY, WHY ARE THEY NOT A PART OF THE EX OFFICIAL EXHIBITION? REPRESENTATION.
SO THAT CAN BE, UM, FOR OUR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, A DISCUSSION, A DISCUSSION ITEM THAT'S HAD.
UM, OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT CAN JUST BE EMAILED AND ASKED WHY THEY WEREN'T PARTICIPATING? I, I WOULD DEFER THAT CONVERSATION TO, UM, DIRECTOR STIR, UM, TO HAVE THAT BECAUSE THE WAY THE GOVERNANCE WAS CREATED, UM, MAY HAVE HAD SOME SIGNIFICANCE OF WHY THEY WEREN'T INCLUDED.
BUT I, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK ON THAT WITHOUT HER PRESENCE AND HER BEING ABLE TO ARTICULATE THE WHY.
UM, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE FOR VARIOUS REASONS.
UM, I KNOW THAT, UM, THE RESOLUTIONS THAT CALLED FOR THE CREATION OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION ONLY NAMED THE THREE ORGANIZATIONS AND THE INTEGRAL CARE.
AND SO, UM, THAT'S WHY WE ONLY HAD EX FIOS FROM THE THREE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE, UH, PART OF YOUR SCOPE.
UM, BUT AS TO, UM, I THINK YOUR, THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE FOR, THAT YOU WOULD BE MAKING TO THESE THREE ORGANIZATIONS OR TAXING ORGANIZATIONS OR INTEGRAL CARE IS NOT, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH WHEN CITY COUNCIL AND COMMISSIONER'S COURT CREATED THAT RESOLUTION, BUT JUANITA IS RIGHT.
UH, I MEAN, DIRECTOR STIR PROBABLY HAS MORE HISTORY THAN I WHEN I FIRST CAME ON.
THE RESOLUTIONS HAD ALREADY BEEN PASSED.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
SOMETHING, UM, WE CAN BRING UP AND GET AN ANSWER TO.
UM, FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, WE HAVE THE VACCINE EQUITY PRESENTATION, WHICH WILL BE IN NOVEMBER.
UM, AGAIN, WE'RE, WE WERE TASKED WITH COMING UP WITH GOOD QUESTIONS.
UM, AND WE ARE GONNA GET SOME INFORMATION AROUND THE SCHOOL'S COLLABORATION AND PLAN FOR THE VACCINES FOR CHILDREN, THE FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTHCARE CENTERS, AND WHAT ACCESS TO VACCINES LOOK LIKE.
SO COME PREPPED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT WILL BE FOR NEXT MONTH.
[01:50:01]
AGENDA ITEM IS LOOKING AT WHAT THAT FOOD PLAN DRAFT.I BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE A DISCUSSION ITEM.
AND THEN, UM, I'M SPECULATING, THIS IS PROBABLY ANOTHER DISCUSSION ITEM, WHICH IS RECOMMENDATIONS AND HOW THOSE LOOK AND HOW WE SHOULD, UH, PROCESS ORIENT THEM FOR BOTH THE CITY, COUNTY, AND CENTRAL HEALTH.
ONE OTHER, UM, FUTURE AGENDA ITEM IS OUR JOINT SUSTAINABILITY, UH, COMMISSION CONVERSATION, WHICH I'VE, I AM THE LIAISON FOR OUR, OUR, OUR COMMISSION TO, UM, THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION.
EVERY MONTH THEY ASK FOR UPDATES FROM EACH COMMISSION, UH, TO SHARE OUT TO THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION.
UM, I DID NOT GET MY REQUEST IN FAST ENOUGH TO SHARE TO YOU ALL TODAY WHAT THEY SAID.
UM, BUT MY REQUEST WOULD THAT WE WOULD PUT THAT, UH, WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE BACK WITH THEM.
UM, THAT CAN BE EVERYTHING FROM, THERE'S SOME LAND ACQUISITION CONVERSATIONS.
I IMMEDIATELY MENTIONED HOUSING.
UM, THERE'S SOME CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE ENVIRONMENT AND I IMMEDIATELY MENTIONED THE FOOD PLAN AND, UM, THE DISTRIBUTION PROCESS, REDISTRIBUTION PROCESS.
SO NOT JUST SPEAKING ON MY OWN, BUT HAVING A CONSENSUS OF WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE BACK WITH THEM.
UM, BECAUSE THERE ARE REPRESENTATIVES FROM EVERY SINGLE COMMISSION ON THAT, UH, IN, IN THAT COMMISSION.
UM, WE GET TO HEAR QUICKLY WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH OTHER FOLKS AND, AND WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING.
SO THERE WAS A, A HEAT PLAN THAT I I WE WERE SHOWN, UM, WHICH IS A, WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED THAT HERE.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO PROMPT THAT WE ARE GIVEN THAT, THAT PRESENTATION, UH, BY THE, IT WAS AN A PH, UM, ENTITY THAT DID THIS, THIS REPORT.
AND IT'S LOOKING AT THE AMOUNT OF HEAT STROKES, UH, HEAT, HEAT CONCERNS THAT ARE HAPPENING ACROSS THE CITY.
AND I TRULY, TRULY BELIEVE AS A PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION, WE SHOULD HAVE SOME INSIGHT INTO HOW THAT'S BEING ADDRESSED, ESPECIALLY LOOKING AT, UM, INDIVIDUALS WHO CAN'T AFFORD TO TURN ON THEIR AIR CONDITIONING BECAUSE IT COSTS TOO MUCH.
AND SO NOW THEIR HEALTH IS ACTIVELY AFFECTED.
UM, SO I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT THAT PRESENTATION IS GIVEN TO US BY MARK CORDE.
UM, IF ANY DOESN'T ANYONE WANT TO SECOND WE RECEIVE THAT SECOND? BEAUTIFUL.
I KNOW YOU GOT A GLIMPSE OF IT TOO.
I, AND I CAN SEND YOU THE PRESENTATION.
I THINK YOU JUST HIGHLIGHTED A THING WHERE IT COMES BACK TO WHAT, WHAT MY CONCERN HAS ALWAYS BEEN IS WE'RE JUST GETTING GENERALIZED PRESENTATIONS.
JUNE 5TH, WE HAD A TOPIC DISCUSS INCLEMENT WEATHER OF ORGANIZATIONS ACTIVATION PROCESS AND MITIGATION.
SO I THINK THAT GOES BACK TO, WE HAD A TOPIC, IT WAS NOT PRESENTED TO US ON THE SAME TOPIC TOPIC THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO WE'RE GETTING PIECEMEALED INFORMATION VERSUS THE INTENT OF WHAT THIS COMMISSION IS FOR.
THE QUESTION ALL ACTIVITIES THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THAT ACT, IN THAT TOPIC TO THEN COME UP WITH RECOMMENDATIONS TO SUPPORT AND ENHANCE.
'CAUSE WE KNEW, YOU KNOW, I I I GET IT THAT, UM, WINTER WAS COMING UP, BUT STILL AGAIN, RIGHT.
JUST BEING ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE THINGS.
AND I, I KNOW, UM, THE J THE JSC OPERATES AT A DIFFERENT LEVEL.
THEY'VE BEEN IN, UM, THEY'VE BEEN AROUND FOR MUCH LONGER THAN OUR COMMISSION HAS.
UM, I'M NOT SURE HOW TO DO THIS, SO PLEASE REEL ME IN.
BUT I KNOW THEY HAVE A, UH, DASHBOARD THAT HAS BEEN BUILT.
IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT, PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY DISCUSS, MAYBE DISCUSS OF HOW CAN WE GET A STAFF PERSON TO DO THAT FOR US AS WELL? YES, PLEASE.
CLARIFI, THEY HAVE A DASHBOARD, A PH OR JSC.
UH, THE J THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY HAS A DASHBOARD THAT DIRECTLY CORRELATES TO THE ACTION ITEMS THEY ARE WORKING ON WITH THE JSC OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY SUPPORTS, THE JSCS DASHBOARD CREATION.
I KNOW THAT WE ARE STILL YOUNG, BUT BIG HIGH HOPES.
I'M SORRY TO ASK A STUPID QUESTION.
[01:55:01]
JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION? YEAH, THANK YOU.I WILL, I WILL ROLL THAT BACK TO A CHRISTMAS WANT LIST.
UM, AND MAYBE THERE'S SOME LOVELY STUDENT LISTENING THAT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT? I NEED A PROJECT.
ANYWAYS, UH, ANY FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS THAT I MISSED? ANY TOPICS THAT WE NEED TO PLACE? YES, PLEASE.
NOT SURE WHERE IT GOES EXACTLY, BUT I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS MAYBE HAVING ANOTHER RETREAT, UH, IN THE NEW YEAR DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEM, DISCUSSION ITEM.
UM, WE CAN ADD THAT TO YOUR AGENDA.
DO YOU OFFER YOUR CALENDAR DATES? DO YOU HAVE A PARTICULAR TIMEFRAME THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER? 'CAUSE WE CAN ADD THAT TO YOUR LIST OF DATES NOW.
UM, SO THAT IT'S ALREADY ON THE AGENDA OR ALREADY RESERVED.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE LOCATION CAN BE A TBA OR TO BE DETERMINED BASED ON WHEN THAT IS.
IF YOU'RE NOT, IF NOT HERE, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT IT'S HERE.
WE DID OURS LIKE IN THE MIDDLE OF SOUTH BY LAST YEAR.
IT WAS CHALLENGING FOR EVERYONE.
OR DO YOU WANT, ARE YOU THINKING MAYBE EARLIER ON, LIKE FEBRUARY, FALL 24.
ARE YOU LOOKING AT THIS YEAR? NO, I WAS LOOKING MORE LIKE MAYBE JANUARY, FEBRUARY.
YOU KNOW, ALSO, I THINK IT DEPENDS ON WHEN WE GET OUR NINTH MEMBER, WHEREVER WE ARE IN THAT PROCESS, WHEN WE GET THE NEW COMMISSION MEMBER, IT'D BE GOOD TO GET TOGETHER ANY IDEA WHEN THAT HAPPENS? THE MATRIX HAS BEEN RESHARED.
UM, I THINK THERE'S CONVERSATION THAT IS GOING TO ENSUE WITH THE EX OFFICIOS ABOUT THAT POSITION.
UM, AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO WAIT UNTIL DIRECTOR STIR AND ALL OF THE OTHER EX OFFICIOS HAVE HAD THEIR MEETING TO DISCUSS THAT.
PERHAPS WE COULD JUST TABLE THIS UNTIL FUTURE MEETING AND THEN ONCE WE GET THAT INFORMATION, THAT'LL HELP US DETERMINE.
AND, AND AS YOU CAN ALSO DURING, DURING THE MONTH, IF I MEAN, WELL WITH ENOUGH ADVANCE NOTICE, YOU CAN CALL A SPECIAL CALL MEETING TO HOLD YOUR RETREAT.
SO IF WE CAN'T PINPOINT A DATE NOW, UM, LIKE WE ARE GETTING READY TO PUT THESE OUT, UM, WE COULD, WE COULD WAIT UNTIL WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, INFORMATION, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO APPOINT, HAVE YOUR, YOUR NINTH MEMBER APPOINTED BY THEN.
AND THEN OF COURSE TO, TO ADDRESS DR.
UM, COMMISSIONER WALLACE'S, UM, CONCERN ABOUT POTENTIALLY, UM, INTEGRAL CARE BEING A PART OF THAT EX OFFICIO BOARD CONVERSATION.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
UM, ANY FINAL REMARKS? WONDERFUL.
WELL, AT FOUR THIRTY FOUR, WE WILL CALL THIS MEETING OFFICIALLY ADJOURNED.