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TO GO.DID THEY JUST LOOK THE OTHER WAY? ALRIGHTYY.
[CALL TO ORDER]
CALL THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION TO ORDER AT TWO THREE, I'M SORRY.UH, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? OKAY, NO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.SO APPROVING THE MINUTES FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING ON DECEMBER 4TH, 2024.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO WHOM? SECOND.
ANY QUESTIONS TO THE MOTION? OKAY, WE'RE GOOD TO GO.
CHECK TO TO COMMISSIONER ROKU.
WE ARE, OH, SO WE NEED TO VOTE.
UH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND VOTE FOR THE APPROVAL.
UH, EVERYONE IN AGREEMENT RAISE THEIR HAND? AYE.
[2. Presentation by Marc Coudert with the City of Austin’s Office of Resilience on Heat Resilience Playbook.]
DISCUSSION ITEMS. WE HAVE A PRESENTATION BY MARK CORDE.I BELIEVE I SAID THAT CORRECTLY.
PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I WAS WRONG WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S OFFICE OF RESILIENCE ON HEAT RESILIENCE ON THE HEAT RESILIENCE PLAYBOOK.
HEY, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY.
INTERESTING WEEK TO TALK ABOUT HEAT
I'M WITH THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE.
I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THE HEAT RESILIENCE PLAYBOOK.
UM, I'LL GO A LITTLE BIT AROUND THE BACKGROUND OF HOW WE GOT HERE, WHY WE CREATED THE PLAYBOOK, WHAT'S IN THE PLAYBOOK, AND THEN ALSO NEXT STEPS AS WE GO FORWARD INTO PAST WINTER TIME.
UM, WE CREATED THE PLAYBOOK BECAUSE FOR ONE, IT IS DEFINITELY GETTING HOTTER.
IN 2011, WE HAD 90 DAYS OVER A HUNDRED TWENTY, TWENTY THREE.
WE HAD 80 DAYS OVER 140 DAYS, OVER 105.
AND LAST YEAR, ALTHOUGH WE DIDN'T GET THOSE HIGH TEMPERATURES, IT WAS THE HOTTEST YEAR ON RECORD.
IF YOU REMEMBER, IT WAS LIKE 75 DEGREES JUST LAST WEEKEND.
UM, SO IT IS GETTING HOTTER AND WE ARE SEEING, UH, A LOT OF IMPACTS THROUGH THE COMMUNITY COUNCIL IS ASKING ABOUT IT.
COMMUNITY MEMBERS SORT OF WANNA KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING AS A CITY AROUND HEAT, BUT ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING A LOT ACROSS ALL THESE DEPARTMENTS TO MITIGATE HEAT AND WE WANNA BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE THAT GOING FORWARD.
MY QUESTION WHY IT'S CALLED A PLAYBOOK.
IT DOESN'T HAVE A TIMELINE, IT DOESN'T HAVE A BUDGET.
IT IS THERE JUST TO ELEVATE ALL THE THINGS THE CITY IS DOING AND WOULD LIKE TO BE DOING TO MITIGATE HEAT IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, WE STARTED TO DO WORK ON CLIMATE IMPACTS TO OUR ASSETS AND OPERATIONS BACK IN 2017.
IN 2018, WE CAME OUT WITH THE CLIMATE RESILIENCE ACTION PLAN THAT LOOKS AT HOW HEAT, DROUGHT, FLOOD, AND WILDFIRE IMPACT OUR ASSETS AND OPERATIONS, LOOKING AT SORT OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT ALSO OUR STAFF WHO WORK OUTSIDE.
UM, IN 2020, WE WERE ABLE TO GET A FUNDING THROUGH NOAA TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AROUND HEAT, TO WORK WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS, DRIVE AROUND THE COMMUNITY WITH SENSORS TO IDENTIFY HEAT AND HUMIDITY AT THE GROUND LEVEL.
SO MOSTLY IN THE EASTERN CRESCENT.
AND THAT ALSO LED TO A LOT OF SORT OF IN-PERSON CONVERSATIONS AROUND HOW HEAT IMPACTS COMMUNITY MEMBERS AT HOME.
UM, AND THAT LED US TO A MAPPING OF LIKE, WHAT IS HEAT VULNERABILITY IN AUSTIN AND SOCIAL VULNERABILITY IN AUSTIN.
AND THEN THROUGH THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THEY ASKED US LIKE, WHAT IS THE CITY DOING? DO WE HAVE POOLS? WHAT DO WE DO AROUND WEATHERIZATION? SO WE PUT TOGETHER THIS PLAYBOOK TO SORT OF OUTLINE ALL THAT WORK.
UM, WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH A LOT OF CITY DEPARTMENTS, BUT ALSO CAP METRO AND TRAVIS COUNTY TO ENSURE THAT.
SO WE KEEP THEIR VOICES IN THAT CONVERSATION AS WELL.
SO THE AIRPORT, AUSTIN ENERGY HOUSING PLANNING DEPARTMENTS, A LOT OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE, THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
BUT WHAT WE DID IS WE STARTED WITH INTERNATIONAL BEST PRACTICES.
WE LOOKED AT WHAT OTHER CITIES WERE DOING INTERNATIONALLY.
WE LOOKED WITH C 40, WHICH IS A GLOBAL, UH, ORGANIZATION THAT WORKS WITH CITIES,
SAW WHAT THE BEST PRACTICES WERE FOR CITIES TO MITIGATE HEAT IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE THEN TOOK THOSE TWO CITY DEPARTMENTS AND SAID, WHAT ARE WE DOING BASED ON THESE? SOME OF THEM WERE RARELY RELEVANT TO AUSTIN, SOME WERE NOT BECAUSE WE LIVE IN A VERY HOT TEMPERATURE.
AND WE GOT IT DOWN TO ABOUT 50.
SO STRATEGIES THAT WE'RE DOING HERE IN AUSTIN, AND WE REFINED THEM, WE REVIEWED THEM, WE SAW WHAT WE'RE DOING AND HOW WE COULD DO IT BETTER.
UM, BUT WHAT WE LEARNED THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS IS THAT THERE'S NO, YOU KNOW, SILVER BULLET, THERE'S NO ONE THING WE CAN DO.
HEAT IMPACTS A LOT OF DIFFERENT ASPECTS WITHIN THE CITY.
IT IMPACTS OUR ENERGY COSTS, IT IMPACTS OUR
[00:05:01]
INFRASTRUCTURE ITSELF.FOOD PRODUCTION IMPACTS OUR WATER, UH, QUALITY AND SO MANY OTHER THINGS.
SO WE WANT, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS, THERE'S NO ONE THING WE CAN DO.
IT HAS TO BE ACROSS ALL THESE DEPARTMENTS, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO, UM, SORT OF STRESS THAT HEAT DOESN'T HIT BACK EVERYBODY EQUALLY.
THOSE WITH THE MEETS, THE LEAST AMOUNT OF RESOURCES ARE IMPACTED MOST.
IF YOU ARE STRUGGLING TO PAY FOR FOOD AND TRYING TO DECIDE BETWEEN THAT AND SAY ENERGY BILLS, IT BECOMES A VERY SERIOUS AND, AND DIFFICULT QUESTION TO HAVE.
SO WE WANNA ENSURE THAT WE'RE ALLOCATING RESOURCES BASED ON NEED AND SORT OF THINKING ABOUT WHO ARE THOSE THAT ARE MOST VULNERABLE TO HEAT GOING FORWARD.
AND AS I SAID BEFORE, WHILE THERE'S NO ONE SOLUTION, THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT OPPORTUNITIES WHEN WE LOOK AT THE COMMUNITY.
WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WEATHERIZATION, GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, BUS SHELTERS WHERE WE DON'T HAVE BUS SHELTERS, UH, OUTDOOR SPACES, SORT OF THINKING ABOUT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY AND WHAT ARE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES THE CITY COULD SORT OF LEVERAGE AND INVEST IN TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A COOLER COMMUNITIES WHEN IT GETS HOTTER.
SO BASED ON THAT PROCESS OF LOOKING AT ALL THE STRATEGIES, WE CAME OUT WITH 56 ACTIONS AND WE PUT 'EM INTO THESE THREE BUCKETS.
UH, FIRST ONE IS WHAT WE CALL 'EM PILLARS.
THE FIRST ONE IS LOOKING AT SORT OF THE HEALTH, THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THEMSELVES.
THE SECOND ONE IS A LITTLE BIT LARGER, LIKE THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I'LL GET INTO MORE DETAILS ABOUT ALL THESE IN A SECOND.
UM, THE FIRST ONE, LOOKING AT SORT OF PERSONAL COMMUNICATION AND, AND HEALTH.
UH, WE IDENTIFIED COMMUNICATION CAME UP A LOT THAT WE NEED TO COMMUNICATE MORE WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS BEFORE, DURING, AND EVEN AFTER HEAT WAVES HAPPEN.
UM, THROUGH WORKING WITH AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, WE UNDERSTAND THAT MORE PEOPLE ARE IMPACTED BY HEAT WHEN THERE'S A CHANGE IN TEMPERATURE VERSUS OVERALL TEMPERATURE.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TALKING TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS AHEAD OF TIME.
SO WE'RE THINKING ABOUT HEAT BEFORE IT ACTUALLY HAPPENS.
BEFORE I GO FORWARD THOUGH, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THERE'S CHAMPION THERE AND THEN ALL THESE DEPARTMENTS, THEY'RE CHAMPIONS AND NOT LEADERS BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE A ROLE IN THIS, BUT ALSO THEY'RE IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER.
SO I DON'T WANT YOU TO ASSUME THAT AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH HAS, UH, CONTROL OVER ALL OF THESE.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, IN THAT COMMUNICATION, A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS HAVE SORT OF A ROLE TO PLAY IN THAT.
THE SECOND ONE IS AROUND, YOU KNOW, ENSURING THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE COMMUNICATING PEOPLE DURING A HEAT EVENT.
UM, LIKE THAT WE'RE TALKING TO PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR TALKING TO MEMBERS WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE ARE SAFE.
UM, THE THIRD ONE IS LOOKING AT POLICIES WITHIN THE CITY OR WITHIN, UM, TO LOOK AT WHAT IS THE SAFETY MEASURES THAT WE HAVE FOR STAFF AND HOW DO, WE'RE THINKING ABOUT POOR PEOPLE WHO WORK OUTSIDE.
AND THE LAST ONE IS AROUND DATA EVALUATION.
YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO GET REAL TIME DATA WORKING WITH UT TO GET SOME MORE SENSORS OUT THERE SO WE CAN COMMUNICATE WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN REAL TIME.
THE SECOND PILLAR IS AROUND SORT OF A LARGER NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, PIECE.
THE FIRST ONE IS LOOKING AT, UH, HOW DO WE GET THE WEATHERIZATION PROGRAMS OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY BASED SPECIFICALLY FOR THOSE WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE TO HEAT, WHO MAY NOT HAVE INSULATION OR MAY HAVE, UH, OLDER HVAC SYSTEMS. THE SECOND ONE IS LOOKING AT INDOOR COOLING SPACES.
UM, WE DO HAVE REC CENTERS AND LIBRARIES AND HEALTH CENTERS THAT ARE OPEN FOR PEOPLE DURING HEAT SPELLS, COLD SPELLS AS WELL.
BUT WHAT OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO OPEN COMMUNITY SPACES FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHEN IT GETS HOT? UH, THE THIRD ONE IS OUTDOOR SPACES.
LOOKING AT LIKE PARKS AND REC AND PLANTING MORE TREES, ENSURING THAT WE HAVE MORE, UH, ELEMENTS OUTSIDE THAT PROVIDE COOLING FOR THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
AND THE FIRST ONE IS THAT WHEN WE HAVE THOSE COOL OASIS, MAKE SURE THEY'RE CONNECTED WHEN PEOPLE GET TO AND FRONT PLACES.
SO WE'RE LOOKING RIGHT NOW IN INVESTING IN COOL CORRIDORS, SO LOOKING AT ROADS WHERE WE CAN PLANT MORE TREES, UH, PUT IN BUS SHELTERS, WATER FOUNTAINS, ET CETERA.
AND THEN THE THIRD PIECE IS REALLY SORT OF CITYWIDE, UM, LOOKING.
THE FIRST ONE'S LOOKING AT SORT OF OUR CODE AND OUR POLICIES AROUND HOUSING AND ENSURING THAT WHEN WE BUILD NEW HOUSING THAT WE PUT IN INSULATION AND ABILITY FOR PEOPLE TO COOL IN EFFICIENT AND, AND EFFECTIVE WAY.
WE DO HAVE A GOAL, AND IT'S A LOFTY GOAL OF, UH, PLANTING 50% TREE CANOPY BY 2050.
UH, SO PLANTING MORE TREES IN THE COMMUNITY, SPECIFICALLY IN THE AREAS THAT HAVE A LOW TREE CANOPY LIKE NORTHEAST AUSTIN.
UH, LOOKING AT PARKS AND GREEN SPACES, INVESTING MORE IN COOLING WITHIN THE PARKS THEMSELVES.
THAT COULD BE DRINKING FOUNTAINS, TREES AND SHELTER AND SHADING DEVICES.
UH, THE FOURTH ONE'S LOOKING AT SORT OF OUR ENERGY SYSTEM.
WE ARE WORKING WITH US IN ENERGY TO INVEST IN SOLAR AND BATTERY BACKUP AT LOCATIONS, BUT LIKE ENSURING THAT WE DO HAVE POWER WHEN WE HAVE STRESSED, UH, GRID.
AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS SORT OF THINKING ABOUT HEAT AS IT IMPACTS OUR ASSETS AND OPERATIONS GOING FORWARD, AS WE KNOW IT'S GONNA GET HOTTER.
WE DO HAVE ROADS, WE HAVE SUBSTATIONS, WE HAVE A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE ENSURING THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT HEAT AS WE GO FORWARD.
[00:10:01]
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, UH, WE ARE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, UH, AROUND CLIMATE PROJECTIONS, UH, SEASONAL OUTLOOKS, WHAT'S GONNA BE LIKE FOR THE NEXT SIX TO 12 MONTHS AND SORT OF, YOU KNOW, GETTING SOME REAL TIME DATA, BUT ALSO MEDIUM TERM AND LONG TIME DATA TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION BASED ON CLIMATE IMPACTS.UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I HEARD THIS PRESENTATION WITH THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY, UH, COMMISSION, AND I KNOW THEY HAD A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION AROUND WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH HEAT IN AUSTIN.
BUT I'M CURIOUS, BASED OFF OF THE DATA YOU'VE COLLECTED, DO YOU HAVE ANY CONTENT AROUND, UM, HEALTH RELATED EXPERIENCES THAT INDIVIDUALS ARE HAVING ACROSS THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF HEAT EXPOSURE? SO THAT'S THE FIRST PART OF THE QUESTION.
AND THEN THE SECOND PART OF THE QUESTION IS, ARE THERE ANY CONVERSATIONS HAPPENING ABOUT EMERGENT NEEDS? SO THINKING ABOUT OUR, UM, INDIVIDUALS WITH CHRONIC COMORBIDITIES WHO ARE TRYING TO NAVIGATE STAYING WELL.
UM, BUT THEN ALSO THIS IS EXACERBATED BY INCREASED AMOUNT OF HEAT IS ARE THERE ANY PROGRAMS THAT ARE BEING LOOKED INTO ON HOW TO SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE IN CRISIS, UM, BECAUSE OF THIS? YEAH, SO THE FIRST QUESTION IS AROUND HEAT SURVEILLANCE.
UM, I'M NOT WITH AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, SO I MAY LOOK AT AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH TO CHIME IN IF I INCORRECTLY SPEAK.
UH, THEY DO DO HEAT SURVEILLANCE, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY TRACK HOW MANY PEOPLE GET PICKED UP BY EMERGENCY, UH, AMBULANCES AND OR SHOW UP TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM.
AND WHEN SOMEBODY SHOWS UP, THEY'LL ASK A QUESTION.
IF THEY SAY HEAT OR HEAT IMPACTS, THEY'LL AUTOMATICALLY GET TRACKED.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE DID START TO SEE THIS TREND A COUPLE YEARS AGO OF WHEN THERE'S A CHANGE IN TEMPERATURE, SAY FROM LIKE 85 TO 95 IN 24 HOURS IS WHEN YOU CAN SEE THE MOST AMOUNT OF PEOPLE SHOW UP.
BUT IN 2023, WHAT WE STARTED TO SEE IS AS WE START TO GET TO 105 FOR MULTIPLE DAYS, IT STARTED TO TAKE BACK UP BECAUSE PEOPLE JUST COULDN'T DEAL WITH IT.
UM, THE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A GREAT PRESENTATION AROUND THIS, YOU KNOW, THAT I THINK OVER 70% OF THE PEOPLE WHO AREN'T IMPACTED BY HEAT TEND TO BE MALE.
UM, AND THEN I WOULD GUESS PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WILL ALSO BE A, A LARGE PART OF THE PEOPLE IMPACTED, BUT I CAN'T SAY THAT FOR SURE.
THEN YOUR SECOND PART, UM, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE A LOT OF PROGRAMS AROUND WEATHERIZATION AND AROUND FUNDING FOR HELPING PEOPLE, UH, FIX THEIR HOMES.
UH, AUSTIN ENERGY DOES HAVE A PROGRAM THAT IF YOU ARE ON LIFE SUPPORT OR SOME KIND OF ASSISTED, UM, MECHANISMS, YOU ARE PUT ON THE REGISTRY, WHICH MEANS THAT IF THERE IS A ROLLING BROWN OUT OR BLACKOUT, YOU WON'T BE SUBJECT TO THAT.
UH, AND I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO LOOK UP THE REGISTRY TO GET ON IT IF THEY NEED TO.
UM, WHAT I SCARES ME THE MOST IS IF WE GET HEAT AND A BLACKOUT, RIGHT? BECAUSE THAT GETS VERY, VERY SCARY.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING SORT OF EMERGING THAT LIKE, WHAT IF WE GET TWO THINGS AT ONCE A WILDFIRE SPEAKING OF CALIFORNIA AND A HEAT WAVE OR SOMETHING ELSE? AND THAT BECOMES A LITTLE BIT SCARY.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO DO A LOT MORE WORK AROUND THAT PERSONALLY.
YEAH, I'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN IT UP.
NO, I APPRECIATE THE, UH, THE INFO.
UM, YOU KNOW, I GUESS SOME OF MY QUESTIONS WOULD BE RELATED AROUND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND AGENCIES THAT Y'ALL ARE WORKING WITH WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME STRATEGIES THAT ARE FOR HEAT NOW, CURRENTLY WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE COLD WEATHER, BUT, UM, WHAT ENTITIES CAN HELP ASSIST OR SERVE AS CAPACITY BUILDING WHEN IT COMES TO AREAS OF JUST SEALANT ASPECTS, RIGHT? WHERE, UM, THE HEAT IS SEEPING IN THROUGH THIS BO UH, POOR, UH, WINDOW INFRASTRUCTURES, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
UH, THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS WHEN, UH, WINTER STORM URI HAPPENED.
THAT IT WAS THE MESSAGING, THE NOTIFICATIONS AND SO FORTH WENT OUT.
UM, BUT THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT STILL LIVE IN HOUSES THAT WERE LIVABLE, THEY MIGHT HAVE HAD, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST SMALL, VERY SMALL INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, CRACKS AND CEILING AREAS THAT, UM, COULD HAVE BEEN HANDLED OR, OR, OR SUPPORTED.
UM, I, I GET THE PIECE OF REACHING OUT, GETTING ON A LIST AND PROBABLY SOME MAJOR STUFF THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, BUT WHAT ABOUT THOSE, THOSE THOSE FAMILIES WHERE IT COULD JUST BE A COUPLE WINDOW SILLS, DOOR SEALS, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
AND HOW ARE WE PLUGGING INTO THE RESOURCES THAT ARE OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY TO, TO GET THOSE THINGS EASILY DONE, EASILY SUPPORTED.
SO SOMEONE'S RUNNING THEIR AC IT'S NOT SEEPING OUT OUTSIDE.
UM, ANY, ANY THOUGHTS OR EFFORTS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THAT SPACE? YEAH, IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
UM, WE, MY WIFE AND I OWN A HOUSE IN EAST AUSTIN.
IT WAS BUILT IN 1954 WITH ZERO INSULATION.
SO WE WERE SURPRISED BY THAT 'CAUSE WE DIDN'T EXPECT THAT.
[00:15:01]
I UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE MIGHT BE LIVING IN HOMES AND TO YOUR POINT, YOU KNOW, HOMES THAT HAVE CRACKED WINDOWS WHO HAVE INSUFFICIENT AIR CONDITIONING, ET CETERA.WHEN WE WORKED WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WE WORKED REALLY CLOSELY WITH GOS AND VAMO, AUSTIN GAVA.
WE WORKED REALLY CLOSELY WITH C TWO H.
UH, WE WORK A LOT WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS.
WE REALIZED THAT WHEN WE TRIED TO PUT MESSAGES OUT, IT DOESN'T REALLY GO OUT TO THOSE COMMUNITIES.
SO WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS TO GET THE WORD OUT TO, TO GET THEM INVOLVED.
AND I'LL GIVE YOU ONE STORY, UH, WITH COST VAMOS AUSTIN, THERE'S A WOMAN NAMED FRANCIS UNA, AND SHE WAS ACTUALLY TO WORK WITH AUSTIN ENERGY TO GET FREE WEATHERIZATION FOR HER HOME.
AND NOW WHEN THERE'S AN EVENT, PEOPLE GO TO HER HOUSE BECAUSE SHE ALWAYS HAS AC, ET CETERA.
SO THE MORE THOSE SUCCESS STORIES WE CAN GET OUT THERE, THE BETTER.
UM, BUT IT'S JUST ABOUT TYING THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT TO THE RESOURCES, AND THAT'S NOT ALWAYS A, AN EASY THING TO DO.
COMMISSIONER POES JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT A POINT OF, OF INFORMATION HERE.
UM, OFTENTIMES A LOT OF THE EFFORTS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH SPACE AND FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH SECTOR OR, OR GOVERNMENT SECTOR, UM, IS, IS OFTEN COMING FROM THE GOVERNMENT WEBSITES OR GOVERNMENT SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES WHERE THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE LIVING WITH THESE ISSUES AND SITUATIONS ARE NOT ACTIVELY FOLLOWING OR GOING THROUGH, UM, YOU KNOW, TO, TO SATURATE THE MARKET.
UH, MEANING THE TV TELEVISION MARKET WHERE EVERYBODY IS GOING TO IS USUALLY LIKE AROUND A MILLION DOLLARS.
I'D BE INTERESTED ON HOW WE'RE LEVERAGING NEWS RELATIONSHIPS THAT THE CITY HAS, UM, FOR COMMERCIAL BREAKS, FOR, UH, NOTIFICATION BREAKS AND SO FORTH, UH, FOR THESE TYPES OF EFFORTS, ESPECIALLY AROUND SERVICES PROGRAMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
UM, SO IT'S REALLY HITTING WHERE THE, THE COMMUNITY IS SPENDING MAJORITY OF THEIR TIME GETTING INFORMATION FROM, SINCE GOING TO GOVERNMENT WEBSITES AND LEANING ON OUR GOVERNMENTAL DEPARTMENTS TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT, ULTIMATELY IS PASSIVE NO MATTER HOW PROACTIVE THEY TRY TO BE.
I, I THINK WEBSITES NOT ONLY DO PEOPLE NOT GO TO THEM, THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS EASY TO READ OR EASY TO UNDERSTAND.
THE FORMS ARE NOT ALWAYS EASY TO FILL OUT.
UM, AND THEN WE COULD, UH, DEFINITELY DO MORE TO MARKET AND ADVERTISE, BUT I THINK WHAT WE MIGHT NEED TO DO IS MORE ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS OR WORKING WITH FAITH-BASED INSTITUTIONS TO SORT OF GET TO THE PEOPLE AND HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
BECAUSE I MEAN, I TEND TO NOT PAY ATTENTION TO ADVERTISEMENTS BECAUSE I GET SO MUCH OF IT.
SO I THINK IT'S ABOUT SUCCESS STORIES, ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS AND REALLY GETTING INTO THE COMMUNITY.
AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A TIME THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY LEVERAGING THE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS WITH AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH OR EVEN OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT WORK WITH CLOSELY WITH THE CITY TO GET THAT WORD OUT AND ADVERTISEMENT OUT AND, YOU KNOW, STRIKE WHEN IT'S HOT.
PROBABLY NOT A GOOD TERM TO USE, BUT LIKE, WHEN IT'S HOT OUT, LIKE REALLY GET OUT THERE AND SEE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THINK ABOUT IT.
PEOPLE ARE NOT THINKING ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE RISING NOW.
PEOPLE ARE NOT THINKING ABOUT HEAT RIGHT NOW.
SO BEING AT THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME, TALKING TO PEOPLE, EVEN GOING TO LIKE HEB AND TALKING TO PEOPLE WHEN THEY COME IN, I THINK WOULD BE REALLY NICE IF WE HAD THE RESOURCES AND CAPACITY TO DO THAT.
THANK YOU FOR, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION DAY AND YOUR INFORMATION.
IT'S VERY INTERESTING AND VERY STIMULATING THOUGHTS.
UM, I GUESS I HAD TWO THOUGHT, TWO THINGS I WONDERED ABOUT AS I LISTENED AND, AND I'M SURE I'LL HAVE MORE ONCE THIS IS ALL OVER, BUT YOU SAID THERE WERE 56 SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS MM-HMM
I WONDERED IF, IF, IF THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING YOU COULD SHARE JUST VIA EMAIL OR SOMETHING, SOMETHING THAT TAKES US A LITTLE DEEPER THAN THE DESCRIPTIONS.
NOT THAT WE'RE GONNA DO ANYTHING WITH IT PARTICULARLY, BUT I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE THE GRANULARITY OF WHAT YOU'VE GOT.
SO LY I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT IF YOU HAVE YEAH, WE CAN SEND OUT THE REPORT.
IF NOT, YOU COULD JUST GOOGLE AUSTIN HEAT RESILIENCE PLAYBOOK, BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY FOLLOW UP AND SEND IT TO EVERYBODY.
AND THAT'S IN THE PLAYBOOK THAT'S ONLINE.
SO IF YOU WOULD EMAIL, IT'D BE GREAT TO SAY AS A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO CAN'T NAVIGATE THE GOVERNMENT SITES VERY WELL.
UM, AND THE SECOND THING I WONDER ABOUT, AGAIN, JUST KIND OF IN THE CONTEXT OF THE NEWS IN THE WEST COAST TODAY, BUT I WONDER HOW WE THINK ABOUT FIRE MITIGATION ACROSS OUR MM-HMM
WHATEVER PORTION OF OUR COUNTY, CITY COUNTY IS HIGHLY TREATED AND, YOU KNOW, UM, I DON'T WANNA SAY ANYTHING THAT'S, THAT'S GONNA JINX US IF THAT'S AN APPROPRIATE TERM, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE SOMEWHAT AVOIDED WITH, WITH SOME EXCEPTIONS, ACTUALLY A VERY BIG EXCEPTION A DECADE OR SO AGO.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE WE DO FAIRLY WELL IN AVOIDING FIRE PROBLEMS. AGAIN, I'M NOT EVEN SURE THAT'S ENTIRELY TRUE, BUT THE QUESTION IS, WHAT DO WE DO TO THINK ABOUT INCREASING
[00:20:01]
RISK OF FIRE AMONGST THE FORESTED AREA OF TRAVIS COUNTY? UM, AND IS THAT PART OF YOUR PLAN? UM, GREAT QUESTION.AND, UH, I DO WANT TO SORT OF GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THEY HAVE A WHOLE WILDFIRE DIVISION WHO DOES A REALLY GREAT JOB OF WORKING WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO SAY LIKE HOW TO MAKE YOUR HOUSES MORE FIRE WISE.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, LOOKING AT EAVES AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE BUILT UP OF LEAVES ON TOP OF YOUR ROOFS, OF LOOKING AT VENTS OF HOW AMBERS MIGHT GET INTO YOUR ROOF.
BUT ALSO, UH, FENCES, WOODEN FENCES CAN SOMETIMES JUST BRING FIRE RIGHT TO YOUR HOUSE.
AND THEY HAVE A WHOLE PROGRAM AROUND THAT.
AND FOR MOSTLY FOCUS ON WEST AUSTIN, WHERE IT'S HILLIER AND MUCH MORE A WILDFIRE IMPACT.
UM, BUT ON THE TOPIC OF WILDFIRE, I DO WANT TO ALSO MENTION GRASS FIRES.
WE GET A WILDFIRE ONCE EVERY DECADE, AND THEY'RE BIG.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE PLANES COME IN AND EVERYBODY SHOWS UP AND THEY'RE REALLY IMPACTFUL.
BUT WE GET A GRASS FIRE ALMOST EVERY DAY IN EAST AUSTIN IN AN AREA WITH THE HIGHEST AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE ASTHMA OR COPD.
SO WE DID START TO MAP THAT AND LOOK AT THAT.
AND I THINK WHATEVER YOU CAN DO TO WEATHERIZE YOUR HOUSE TO CRACK, YOU KNOW, PLUG THOSE LEAKS TO WHAT YOU EVER DO FOR HEAT CAN ALSO HELP YOU FOR INDOOR AIR QUALITY AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, CURIOUS ON THE PLAYBOOK TIMELINE.
I, I LIKE THAT YOU'VE, YOU KNOW, WENT FROM 2018 TO ESSENTIALLY THE PRESENT AND IT LOOKS LIKE I CAN BARELY READ, BUT MOVING FORWARD, TRACKING AND IMPLEMENTATION, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN YOUR NEXT STEPS? YEAH.
UM, BECAUSE THIS WASN'T DIRECTED BY COUNCIL AND WE WERE WORKING CLOSELY WITH DEPARTMENTS ALREADY THAT WE PUT THIS TOGETHER, WE DID IDENTIFY STRATEGIES THAT WE'D LIKE TO PUSH FORWARD IF WE HAD CAPACITY TO DO SO.
SO THERE ARE A LOT OF STRATEGIES THAT WE ARE PUSHING FORWARD, BUT WE HAVEN'T SORT OF SET A TIMELINE FOR THE WHOLE REPORT OR ANY KIND OF TIMELINE TO COME BACK IN FIVE YEARS TO REDO IT.
UM, IT WAS SORT OF FOCUSED ON WHAT DEPARTMENTS ARE CURRENTLY DOING OR REALLY WANT TO BE DOING, AND NOW WE'RE HELPING THEM SORT OF PUSH THAT FORWARD.
UH, THINGS LIKE, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF FUNDING TO PUT IN NEW BUS SHELTERS ALONG BERG, UH, LOOKING FOR FUNDING TO PUT IN, UH, DRINKING FOUNTAINS AT GUS GARCIA AND THE YMCA, WORKING WITH THE LIBRARY UP THERE, LITTLE WALNUT CREEK TO PUT WATER FOUNTAINS THERE.
SO WE ARE WORKING WITH DEPARTMENTS TO PUSH THESE FORWARD, BUT WE DON'T HAVE SORT OF A, A BENCHMARK OR OR TIMELINE GOING FORWARD.
AND I GUESS THAT GOES BACK TO YOUR STATEMENT THAT THIS IS NOT A PLAN.
SO THAT, THAT'S GREAT TO HEAR.
LIKE I UNDERSTAND IT'S NOT A PLAN AND I TOTALLY AGREE WITH THAT, BUT IT'S GREAT THAT YOU ARE WORKING ON INITIATIVES AND WITH OTHERS TO, TO FORWARD THESE, THESE IDEAS.
UM, AND THEN ALSO, JUST IF I COULD REAL QUICK, JUST WANNA RECOGNIZE YOU FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU DO.
I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH YOU FOR SEVERAL YEARS OFF AND ON, AND YOU, I THINK ARE PROBABLY THE, THE PERSON THAT WE USUALLY GO TO AND THINK OF WHENEVER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS KIND OF STUFF.
SO I JUST WANNA RECOGNIZE YOU FOR ALL THE STUFF THAT YOU'VE DONE, AND THANK YOU.
JUST TO FOLLOW UP, UH, WITH COMMISSIONER CROOKHAM, WHAT'S, AND THIS MIGHT BE A LITTLE FARTHER THAN THAN YOU'RE READY TO SAY OUT LOUD, BUT THINKING ABOUT HOW TO DEVELOP THIS INTO A PLAN MM-HMM
THAT CAN BE BACKED AND SUPPORTED, UM, TO BEGIN TO TRULY MOVE THAT NEEDLE AND NOT SAY, WE CAN DO A LITTLE BIT OF THINGS HERE BECAUSE THIS DEPARTMENT HAD SOME FUNDING, RIGHT.
HOW, HOW COULD WE SUPPORT IN PUSHING THIS TOWARDS BECOMING A DEVELOPED PLAN, UH, FOR AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY? AND IF YOU NEED TO COME BACK ON THAT, TOTALLY FINE IF THIS IS
UM, HEARING WHAT YOU'RE DOING, YEAH.
UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS AN EVOLVING THING, BUT IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS, UM, CHAMPIONED INDIVIDUALLY, RIGHT.
IT IS A, A JOINT PROCESS, WHICH IS MOVING THE NEEDLE TRULY AND MAKING PEOPLE TALK TO EACH OTHER.
UM, BUT THEN AGAIN, HOW DO WE HELP MOVE THIS INITIATIVE FORWARD? UM, IF THERE, IF, IF THERE'S NOT SOME PARTICULAR BACKING, I MEAN, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT MOST ALL DEPARTMENTS UNDERSTAND THAT HEAT IS IMPACTING OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
IT'S IMPACTING THEIR STAFF, IT'S IMPACTING THEIR ASSETS AND OPERATIONS.
SO THERE IS A LOT OF SUPPORT INTERNALLY TO, TO DO THIS.
UM, I MEAN, IT IS BUDGET SEASON.
UM, SO THAT IS ALWAYS A GOOD THING.
AND WE DO HAVE GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENTS LIKE PUBLIC HEALTH WHO COULD DEFINITELY USE CAPACITY TO HELP COMMUNITY MEMBERS AROUND HEAT.
I AM CURIOUS ACTUALLY ON THAT BUDGET PART, IF, UM, AS WE THINK ABOUT MORE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS THAT COME FROM THIS COMMISSION, IF THERE ARE PARTS OF THIS PLAN THAT ALREADY HAVE A BUDGET WHERE WE COULD THEN CRAFT A RECOMMENDATION THAT WAS QUITE SPECIFIC AROUND IF WE INCREASE THE BUDGET BY THIS
[00:25:01]
AMOUNT, THIS PART OF THAT INITIATIVE CAN BECOME SOMETHING MORE ESTABLISHED.I THINK THAT WOULD BE A FANTASTIC QUESTION FOR AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, GOING FORWARD.
I I DID HAVE ONE QUESTION AROUND THE INSULATION, UH, CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING.
DO, IS THERE ANYTHING RIGHT NOW THAT Y'ALL HAVE PUT TOGETHER THAT CAN BE PUSHED OUT BY, UH, THE CITY, THE COUNTY, AND THE, THE KIND OF THE LOCAL AREAS WHEN IT'S TALKING ABOUT INSULATION IN THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF HOUSES, RIGHT? MM-HMM
UM, AND WHAT TYPE OF AC UNITS ARE BEST RECOMMENDED AND SO FORTH.
'CAUSE UH, UH, FIRST TIME HOMEOWNERS, THOSE ARE DOING RENTING AND SO FORTH, MAY NOT NECESSARILY, UH, KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THEIR BILLS GONNA GO UP BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE INCORRECT INSULATION OR THE WRONG KIND OF AC UNITS AND SO FORTH.
AND A LOT OF TIMES THE RENTERS AND THE SELLERS AND THE HOME BUILDERS ARE NOT GONNA DIVULGE THAT INFORMATION AS WELL.
UM, SO SIMILAR TO NOT KNOWING WHAT JURISDICTION OR EXTRATERRITORIAL LINE YOU ARE, WHICH RESULTS INTO THESE OTHER SOCIAL DETERMINANT OF HEALTH ISSUES, IS THERE SOMETHING ALREADY KIND OF IN PLACE THAT CAN KIND OF BE A GOOD TO KNOW, OR THINGS TO ASK BEFORE YOU GO INTO A COMMITMENT THAT Y'ALL KIND OF HAVE TOGETHER THAT RELAYS OUT, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, COMPOUNDING ISSUES THAT COULD OCCUR? OR EVEN, HEY, YOUR ENERGY BILL MIGHT BE THIS, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO WEATHER HEAT COLD, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU MAY NOT BE, UH, AS CONCEALED AS YOU THINK YOU ARE.
AND IF NOT, IS THERE A WAY TO POTENTIALLY PUT TOGETHER SOME TYPE OF, UH, INFORMATION OR DOES THAT NEED TO BE SOME TYPE OF POLICY RECOMMENDATION AS FAR AS ADDITIONAL INSIGHT AND GUIDANCE FROM AN EXPERT, UH, DEPARTMENT IN THIS SPACE OF BETTER PROVIDING INFORMATION AND CLARITY TO ITS CONSTITUENTS? YEAH, I MEAN, GREAT QUESTION.
UM, SO I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO LOOK AT AUSTIN ENERGY AND THEIR WEBSITE GOES FROM PRETTY DI BIG DETAIL OF LIKE WHAT YOU SHOULD BE CONSIDERING WHEN IT COMES TO WEATHERIZATION AND, AND UH, ENERGY EFFICIENCY.
BUT AUSTIN ENERGY GREEN BUILDING IS A, YOU KNOW, WITHIN AUSTIN ENERGY ACTUALLY HAS CLASSES ON, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE GONNA DO A PROJECT, HERE ARE THINGS YOU SHOULD CONSIDER WHEN IT COMES TO GREEN BUILDING AND GREEN DESIGN AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY.
AND THEN THEY'RE A STAFF OF 20 OR SO.
SO THEY CAN ALSO PROVIDE CONSULTATION TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND POTENTIALLY EVEN GO OUT TO, UH, ORGANIZATIONS TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT WHAT ARE THE BEST PRACTICES.
IT DOES GET PRETTY CONFUSING AND PRETTY EXPENSIVE PRETTY FAST.
SO IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE SORT OF A SECOND CONVERSATION.
AND THEN, UM, LIKE I SAID, AUSTIN ENERGY DOES HAVE, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, FORMS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
AND THEN IF YOU ARE A LOW INCOME CUSTOMER, YOU ALSO GET A LOT OF REBATES AND SOMETIMES A LOT OF FREE, UH, WEATHERIZATION PROGRAMS. THE SECOND ONE IS, I THINK OUR HOUSING DEPARTMENT ALSO HAS A REPAIR PROGRAM FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS IF THEY NEED ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR REPAIRING OF THEIR HOUSES.
SO I THINK BETWEEN THOSE TWO, THERE ARE RESOURCES WITHIN THE CITY TO HELP PEOPLE.
I WAS JUST GONNA ASK IF THERE'S ANY CURRENT POLICIES TO PROTECT PEOPLE WHO DO WORK OUTSIDE, OR ONES THAT YOU WOULD RECOMMEND FOR PEOPLE WHO WORK OUTSIDE OR ARE OUTSIDE REGULARLY? YEAH, SO, UM, THE CITY HAS ABOUT 14,000 EMPLOYEES.
A LOT OF THOSE EMPLOYEES WORK OUTSIDE, BUT DEPENDING ON WHICH DEPARTMENT THEY WORK WITH AND WHAT WORK THEY DO, THEY MIGHT HAVE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT SORT OF POLICIES AROUND IMPACTING FOR HEAT.
UM, I THINK RIGHT NOW AUSTIN ENERGY PROBABLY HAS THE MOST SOPHISTICATED POLICIES THAT IF YOU, IF IT'S OVER A CERTAIN TEMPERATURE, YOU HAVE TO TAKE BREAKS EVERY SO OFTEN, YOU HAVE TO HAVE ACCESS TO, TO WATER AND TO SHADE AND SO ON.
UM, WE ARE LOOKING AT THE WHOLE CITY AND SEE WHO DOES WORK OUTSIDE.
UH, IT'S JUST, IT'S SORT OF WEIGHING WHAT ARE THEY DOING, HOW LONG ARE THEY OUTSIDE, AND THEN HOW CAN WE SORT OF MAKE SURE THEY'RE PROTECTED.
JUST WONDERED, JUST FOR THE COMMISSION, IF THIS IS A, SUCH AN IMPORTANT AND LARGE TOPIC, IF WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT REVISITING IT AT SOME POINT AND HOW YOU WOULD SCHEDULE THAT.
I JUST THOUGHT THAT OUT AS A, AS A AN OPEN QUESTION.
UM, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD BE VERY CURIOUS ABOUT, UH, SEEING AS COMMISSIONER CROOKHAM IS HERE WITH US AND HAS VAST KNOWLEDGE OF EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, UM, ON HOW WE COULD, UH, MAYBE SUPPORT A DEVELOPMENT OF AN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLAN SPECIFICALLY FOR HEAT RESILIENCE, IF WE DO END UP GETTING THAT HIGH HEAT AND BLACKOUT, THAT IS A VERY, VERY SPECIFIC PROBLEM
[00:30:01]
THAT WE WOULD NEED TO NAVIGATE.UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ONE THAT ALREADY EXISTS, SO JUST SAYING THAT OUT LOUD MIGHT BE A, A GREAT START TO THE CONVERSATION.
UM, AND THEN I, I'M VERY ALSO CURIOUS OF HOW WE AS A COMMISSION CAN SUPPORT WITH OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS THAT ARE ENGAGED BOTH WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN AS WELL AS CENTRAL HEALTH, UM, AND, AND UT RIGHT? UM, THE CITY, HAVING THOSE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS AS A WHOLE, BEING THOSE ADVOCATES THAT ARE BOOTS ON THE GROUND, HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS.
UM, BUT THEN AGAIN, PULLING, PULLING TOGETHER ACTUALLY LIKE A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN BECAUSE IF THERE ARE PROGRAMS THAT EXIST AND TRAFFIC TO THAT WEBSITE IS NOT SKYROCKETING WHEN WE'RE HITTING HIGH TEMPERATURES, THAT'S A PROBLEM.
SO IF WE AREN'T GETTING COMMUNITY MEMBERS ENGAGED TO KNOW WHAT WEATHERIZATION RESOURCES ARE THERE FOR THEM, UM, HOW CAN WE SUPPORT GETTING THAT DONE? UM, WHO CAN WE TAP INTO AND TAG TO, TO SAY THIS IS A GREAT THING FOR YOU ALL TO COME TOGETHER AND HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I KNOW THIS IS, IS A LITTLE CHEESY, BUT, UM, FROM OHIO AND WE, WHEN WE HAD TRIPLE DIGITS, WHICH WAS NOT A REGULARLY OCCURRING THING, UM, IF WE HAD THEM FOUR DAYS IN A ROW, UH, THE MAYOR HAD A STANDING ORDER THAT ALL SWIMMING POOLS WERE FREE.
SO IT DIDN'T MATTER IF YOU HAD A POOL PASS OR NOT, YOU GOT TO GO TO THE SWIMMING POOL UNTIL THE A HUNDRED DEGREES WAS GONE.
UM, DID THAT HAVE A MASSIVE INFLUX TO OUR PARK AND RECS DEPARTMENT? ABSOLUTELY.
BUT IT GOT PEOPLE INTO A SPACE AND PLACE THAT THEY COULD COOL OFF.
UH, THEY COULD BE WITH THEIR COMMUNITY.
THE KIDS WERE NOT STUCK WHEREVER THEY ARE.
UM, SO EVEN RECOMMENDING SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS THAT.
UM, AND THEN AGAIN, FINDING OUT, YOU KNOW, THROUGH A PH, WHAT CAN WE DO? BUDGET SEASON IS COMING UP, UH, DIRECTOR STIR IS ON THE LINE.
UM, SO BEING ABLE TO SAY, WHAT CAN WE DO TO SUPPORT AS THIS COMMISSION TO MOVE SOME SORT OF BUDGET RECOMMENDATION TO THE FOREFRONT OF EVERYBODY'S MIND IS THE THINGS THAT ARE RUNNING THROUGH MY BRAIN OF WHAT WE COULD ABSOLUTELY DO.
UM, AND, AND START THERE IF I COULD, YOU SAID SOMETHING THAT MADE ME THINK OF SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE OF INTEREST, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT IF, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S OVER A HUNDRED DEGREES, ALL MASS TRANSIT IS FOR FREE IN AUSTIN, SO NOBODY'S GOTTA WALK 16 BLOCKS WHEN THEY'VE GOTTA TRY TO GO SOMEPLACE OR FOUR BLOCKS OR WHATEVER.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE KIND OF STUFF WE MIGHT BE THINKING OF.
AND THEN ALSO CURIOUS, UM, SINCE WE DO GET KIND OF ALERTS ON OUR PHONE, WHETHER THOSE ALERTS COULD ALSO LINK TO SOME OF THOSE RESOURCES.
SO IT'S NOT JUST, IT'S REALLY HOT, STAY INSIDE, BUT ALSO VISIT THIS WEBSITE AND LOOK FOR RESOURCES HERE AND THERE.
AND JUST TO ADDRESS YOUR QUESTION, I BELIEVE, CORRECT ME MARK IF I'M WRONG, BUT THERE IS A CITY HEAT PLAN ALREADY, CORRECT? UM, THERE IS A HEAT PLAN WITHIN, UH, HOMELAND SECURITY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MM-HMM
UM, BUT I'M SURE THERE, IT COULD BE ENHANCED FOR SURE, BUT YES, THERE IS ONE.
SO IT'S AT LEAST A STARTING POINT.
AND, AND JUST TO, SINCE WE ARE HAVING THAT, DO YOU KNOW IF IT ADDRESSES WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE DO HAVE A HIGH HEAT AND A BLACKOUT ALREADY? I DON'T THINK IT DOES.
UM, NO, THAT'S A HYPOTHETICAL.
I I, I DON'T WANT TO ASSUME IT'LL HAPPEN.
I MEAN, RISK IS LIKELIHOOD AND CONSEQUENCE.
THE CONSEQUENCE OF ARE BAD, THE LIKELIHOOD IS LESS.
SO THE LIKELIHOOD OF GETTING HEAT, YES.
HEAT AND A BLACKOUT UNCERTAIN.
I THINK THERE WAS A HAND UP ON THE SCREEN.
OH, COMMISSIONER LUHAN, PLEASE.
UM, HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE.
UM, SO I WAS THINKING ON WHAT, UH, ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS SAID ABOUT, UM, THE BUS, UH, GIVING, PROVIDING FREE TRANSPORTATION.
I THINK THAT ALSO HAPPENS TO TAKE HIM TO SOME OF THE, THE COOLING CENTERS.
UM, I THINK THAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE.
THE WEATHERIZED PROGRAM THAT IS WITH THE CITY, WITH THE AUSTIN ENERGY HAS BEEN THERE FOR MANY YEARS.
MY HOME HAS BEEN WEATHERIZED, UH, THANKS TO THAT AND THAT HELPED A LOT, UM, BRINGING DOWN MY BILL.
UM, SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT UNTIL YOU'RE ABOUT TO GET DISCONNECTED, ARE KIND OF PRESENTED TO YOU, WHICH IS, UM, IS GREAT BECAUSE AT THAT POINT YOU'RE JUST LIKE HAVING SO MUCH ON YOUR PLATE THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT.
AND THEN, BUT ALL THOSE THINGS HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED AT THAT MOMENT, RIGHT? LIKE, YOU DON'T NEED TO GET TO THAT POINT OF STRESS THAT YOUR BILL IS 2000, $3,000, LIKE TWO YEARS AGO.
LIKE, WELL, FOUR YEARS AGO, FIVE YEARS AGO, 2020 THAT HAPPENED.
UM, BUT I THINK MAYBE SENDING OUT SURVEYS, UH, THROUGH, IF IT'S
[00:35:01]
THE, A BILINGUAL SURVEY THAT ASKS A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT HOW ABOUT THEIR, UM, ABOUT HOW MUCH THEY'RE SPENDING, IF THEY LIKE TO SPEND THAT MUCH, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE GONNA SAY NO, UM, YOU KNOW, AND THEN MAYBE GIVE THEM A $25, UH, VISA CARD SO THEY CAN ANSWER THIS SURVEY WHERE THEN YOU CAN HAVE THAT DIRECTLY FOR THE, FOR THE CUSTOMER TO BE ABLE TO FILL OUT AND KIND OF LIKE OPT IN TO BEING ABLE TO GET THIS INFORMATION.UM, WHAT I'VE RECOGNIZED IS THAT AFTER 2020, THERE HAS BEEN SO MANY PROGRAMS, TRAVIS COUNTY FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE FOR BUREAU, UH, PROGRAMS LIKE TRAVIS COUNTY HAS HAD A LOT OF PROGRAMS, RIGHT? AND THEY, THEY'VE BEEN THERE FOREVER.
BUT WHEN 2020 HAPPENED, IT SEEMED LIKE EVERYTHING, ALL OF THESE RESOURCES WERE EXPOSED.
AND NOWADAYS PEOPLE ARE LIKE, WELL, TRAVIS COUNTY IS LIKE, LEMME TELL YOU, TRAVIS COUNTY HAS HAD THESE PROGRAMS BEFOREHAND WHEN 2020 HIT, OBVIOUSLY IT WAS A BIG IMPACT AND IT WAS LIKE ESCALATED 10 TIMES, RIGHT? BUT IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THERE, UH, THE CITY WITH THE ENERGY, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THERE AND IT'S THERE.
UM, YOU CALL, YOU HAVE LIKE THREE PROGRAMS. I THINK YOU HAVE THE CUSTOMER CARE PROGRAM, WHICH HELPS YOU LIKE, WELL, I KNOW THERE'S THREE PROGRAMS AND ONE OF THEM IS THE WEATHER ICE PROGRAM AND THEY'RE ALL GREAT TO TAP INTO.
BUT THE ONLY THING THAT I FEEL AS A BARRIER IS THAT YOU DON'T WANNA TAP INTO THOSE THINGS WHEN YOU'RE ALREADY AND ABOUT TO DISCONNECT.
OR WHEN YOU'RE ABOUT TO LIKE HAVE TO GET ON A PAYMENT LINE.
AND I THINK MAYBE PREVENTION JUST BECAUSE THAT ALSO HELPS THE CUSTOMER AND IT ALSO HELPS THE, THE, THE EMERGENCY, RIGHT? LIKE THAT'S MY THOUGHT PROCESS BASED ON HOW I'VE UTILIZED SOME OF THESE SERVICES AND I'VE LEARNED OF THEM BECAUSE I'VE HAD TO BE IN THAT POSITION.
RIGHT? I THINK MAYBE SOME KIND OF CAMPAIGN.
I KNOW THAT, UM, WHEN PEOPLE ARE COMING TO APPLY, I KNOW YOU GUYS TALKED ABOUT COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS AND YOU KNOW, I'M ALL ABOUT COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS, BUT ALSO WHEN WE'RE HELPING, UH, CUSTOMERS FIND RESOURCES FOR FOOD PANTRIES, CLOTHING, ET CETERA, OR EVEN PAYING A BILL, WE CAN ALSO HAVE THAT INFORMATION HANDY WHERE, HEY, JUST REMEMBER THERE'S THIS, THIS, THIS AND THAT.
RIGHT? UM, BUT OF COURSE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVEN'T HAD TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS WHERE THERE IS A PREVENTION.
YOU GO TO A CLASS ON A SATURDAY, THEY GIVE YOU A WHOLE BOOKLET, THEY SHOW YOU, HEY, USE THESE KIND OF LIGHT BULBS.
THIS IS GOING ON WITH YOUR DOORS, YOUR WINDOWS.
IT'S VERY EDUCATIONAL, IT HELPS YOU A LOT.
AND THEN OF COURSE, BECAUSE I'VE GONE THROUGH IT, I'M ABLE TO LIKE LET OTHER PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT IT, RIGHT? SO, BUT I, I THINK THERE'S THINGS IN PLACE THAT ARE NOT BEING REALLY TAPPED INTO OR BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT REALLY BEING SHOWN UP THERE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, I THINK A LITTLE BIT MORE ADVERTISING, A LITTLE BIT MORE PUSH ON CAMPAIGNING SO CUSTOMERS DON'T GET THERE.
UH, THAT WAS ONE ON THE HEAT PART.
UM, I THINK WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO, LIKE I AM GONNA ADVOCATE FOR, UM, DELL VALLEY A LOT AND I THINK THAT RICHARD MOYA IS A GREAT, ALSO ONE OF THE GREAT PARKS RIGHT NOW THAT HAS A LOT OF CAPACITY FOR A COOLING CENTER AND A HEATING CENTER.
UH, FIRST BECAUSE IT'S ALL THE WAY IN RURAL AND YOU HAVE SOME OF THOSE CANOPY PLACES, UM, COSTCOS I GUESS THEY'RE CALLED, WHERE THEY CAN BE, YOU KNOW, COVERED UP IF IT'S FOR HEATING OR FOR COOLING.
UM, I THINK ALSO LIKE BUS STOPS.
WHAT I NOTICED, ONE THING ABOUT THE BUS STOPS IS A LOT OF UNHOUSED WE'RE SITTING ON THE BUS STOPS WHERE YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, YOUR SHADED AREA.
AND I NOTICED THAT ON RIVERSIDE, THOSE WERE RE WERE REMOVED WITH PRETTY MUCH IT TELLS ME THAT IS NOT TO ENCOURAGE THE UNHOUSED TO SIT THERE.
RIGHT? MIND YOU, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE PLACES THAT ARE SAFE BECAUSE THEY WERE LIT AND THEY WERE COVERED.
RIGHT? SO I FEEL THAT MAYBE PUTTING THOSE BACK WOULD BE GREAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HEAT AND COOLING.
AND THEN ALSO IF COOLING, YOU HAVE SOME OF THOSE AIR MIST, UM, WHERE PEOPLE MIGHT BE JUST SITTING THERE.
UM, I SAW SOMETHING IN FORT WORTH IN A TRAIL.
THEY LITERALLY HAVE A WATER, UH, A WATER FOUNTAIN AND A, A MISTER.
SO YOU CAN LITERALLY PUSH THE BUTTON AND IT'LL MISS YOU AND THEN YOU KEEP ON GOING.
UM, I THINK THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE SEE FROM OTHER CITIES THAT LOOK VERY INNOVATING AND VERY SIMPLE, AND THEY'RE ON A TRAIL THAT ARE THERE IN FORT WORTH.
UM, I FEEL THAT I, WHOEVER BROUGHT UP THE BUDGET, I FEEL THAT WE, IT WOULD BE A GREAT FOR US TO SUPPORT ADDITIONAL THINGS TO COME UP FOR AUSTIN.
UH, NOT ONLY FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, GOING ON THE BUS AND, AND GOING BACK AND FORTH, BUT ALSO FOR AN OUR, ON OUR UNHOUSED.
SO IT COULD BE LIKE A DUAL ROLE, RIGHT? UM, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES THAT'S
[00:40:01]
ALL THEY HAVE.LIKE, AND I KNOW THAT EVERYBODY WANTS TO TALK ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AND SENDING OUT A MASS TEXT.
UM, I'VE COME ACROSS TO SOME PEOPLE THAT RIGHT NOW ARE UNHOUSED, RIGHT? I, I CHECKED UP ON THEM 'CAUSE I SAW THEM ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.
THEY'RE LIVING OUT OF THEIR CAR AND THEY DON'T HAVE A PHONE OR THEY DON'T HAVE THE WAY TO GET TO A, UH, TO A, A WARMING CENTER.
SO AS MUCH AS WE WANT TO SAY TECHNOLOGY, NOT EVERYBODY HAS TECHNOLOGY TO HAVE ACCESS TO THESE.
SO IT'S LIKE THROWING THAT RESOURCE OUT THE WINDOW AND IT'S NOT TOUCHING THE PEOPLE THAT IT NEEDS TO BE TOUCHED.
UM, SO I FEEL THAT THERE SHOULD BE SOME OTHER WAY OF LETTING SOME OF THE COMMUNITY KNOW OF SOME OF THESE HEATING CENTERS OR WARM, I MEAN, COOLING CENTERS AND WARMING CENTER, WELL, COOLING AND WARMING CENTERS THAT ARE OUT THERE AND HOW CAN WE DO THAT? I KNOW THAT, UH, CAPITAL METRO IS PICKING UP PEOPLE RIGHT NOW AND TAKING THEM DOWN TO BARTON SPRINGS FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR THE WEATHER RIGHT NOW.
BUT NOT EVERYBODY HAS ACCESS, OR NOT EVERYBODY HAS THE ACCESS TO BE THERE AT THE CAPITAL NETWORK.
I ALSO WANNA SAY THERE'S SOME GREAT PROGRAMS THERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON, BUT I THINK THAT THEY NEED TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, I DON'T KNOW, MORE EXPOSED WHERE A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN TAP INTO IT MORE EASILY AND MORE FREELY.
UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? WE ARE GOOD TO GO.
APPRECIATE YOU FOR BEING HERE.
[3. Presentation by Alex White and Maggie Luna with Texas Harm Reduction Alliance on organizational structure, programs and services provided.]
NEXT PRESENTATION, UH, BY ALEX WHITE AND MAGGIE LUNA WITH THE TEXAS HARM REDUCTION AGENTS ALLIANCE, SORRY.ON ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES PROVIDED.
HI, WE HAVE MR. STEVEN SMITH INSTEAD OF ALEX WHITE TODAY.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT TEXAS HARM REDUCTION ALLIANCE.
I'M THE REENTRY LEAD AT TEXAS HARM REDUCTION ALLIANCE.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT TEXAS HARM REDUCTION ALLIANCE IS.
UM, WE WERE BORN OUT OF THE, UM, OPIOID CRISIS AND WE ARE A TEAM OF INDIVIDUALS.
SO WE WERE FORMED BECAUSE OF THE OPIOID CRISIS, THE OVERDOSE RATE WAS INCREASING AND, UM, THRA IS A RESOURCE FOR ALL OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UM, WHO ARE SEEKING EVIDENCE-BASED SERVICES AND PATHWAYS WITH ISSUES RELATED TO DRUG USE AND OVERDOSE PREVENTION.
AND SO, UM, THRA IS UNIQUELY POSITIONED, UM, TO FULFILL THIS WORK BECAUSE WE ARE A TEAM OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED.
AND BY IMPACTED, I MEAN, WE ALL HAVE, UM, EXPERIENCED BEING UNHOUSED, UM, USING DRUGS, SEX WORK.
UM, AND WE HAVE BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY IN ON THE GROUND MM-HMM
AND SO THOSE WHO ARE CLOSEST TO THE PROBLEM ARE CLOSEST TO THE SOLUTION.
AND WE ARE USUALLY FUR THIS AWAY FROM THE RESOURCES TO GET THOSE TO THE PEOPLE.
AND, UM, WE INVEST IN LEADERSHIP OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST IMPACTED BY THESE.
AND I'M GONNA LET STEVE GO OVER THE HISTORY.
HOW Y'ALL DOING TODAY? SO PART OF THE HISTORY COMING TOGETHER, UM, WE HAD LEADERS COMING, I'M GONNA BE, THIS GONNA BE JUST MINE THING.
LEADERS COMING FROM AROUND THE US COMING TO AUSTIN AND PUTTING THIS PROGRAM TOGETHER, UM, BECAUSE OF THE OVERWHELMINGLY, UH, OVERDOSES THAT WAS GOING ON AT THAT TIME, UM, KNEW MOST OF 'EM, I REMEMBER I WAS LIKE ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE THAT THEY HIRED FOR LIKE, THE OUTREACH WE'RE HAVING, UH, MEETINGS AND, UH, MARK KEN'S LIVING ROOM.
AND AT THAT TIME IT WAS JUST TWO OF US WORKING.
UM, WE HAVE A MOBILE CLINIC THAT GOES OUT.
[00:45:01]
DELL VALLEY JAIL, UM, DO GROUPS MEET, DO PEER SERVICES, UH, BUT WE ALSO, UM, FOLLOW THEM OUT TO CONNECT PEOPLE WITH SERVICES.UM, AS FAR AS I'M KNOW THAT WE ARE THE ONLY PROGRAM THAT DOES THAT IN THE US NORMALLY EACH PLACE OR HAVE LIKE A LITTLE PART, BUT WE FOLLOWED THEM FROM JAIL TO OUTSIDE CONNECTING THEM TO, UM, HOUSING AND OTHER RESOURCES THEY MAY NEED.
UM, THAT WE HAVE, UH, SEVERAL PEOPLE ON OUR TEAM THAT DO COORDINATE ASSESSMENTS FOR HOUSING.
UM, I DO THE HOUSE, THE COORDINATOR ASSESSMENTS FOR HOUSING AND WE ALSO, UM, DO A HOUSING PACKET.
UH, SINCE I HAVE MY LCDC, I CAN, UM, SIGN OFF ON THE PACKETS FOR MOST OF OUR PEOPLE BECAUSE I CAN DIAGNOSE THE SUBSTANCE USE, YOU KNOW, SO I CAN SIGN OFF ON THAT.
AND THAT HELPS, THAT MOVES ALONG THAT PROCESS EVEN FASTER, YOU KNOW, SO HAVING THAT ABILITY MYSELF USING, GETTING OUT OF PRISON AND GETTING OUT TO ME, LIKE I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT RESOURCES.
I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT RESOURCES, YOU KNOW, SO IMMEDIATELY WITHIN AN HOUR OF ME GETTING OUT, YOU KNOW, I AM LIKE BACK ON THE BLOCK AGAIN.
YOU KNOW, AND THAT EXPERIENCE IS WHAT I BROUGHT, UM, TO THE JAIL AND WHAT OUR GREAT, UM, LEADERSHIP, YOU KNOW, UM, WE'RE ABLE TO BUILD THAT OUT SOMEWHAT, BUT ONLY HAVING LIKE THREE OF US ON A TEAM THAT'S REALLY HARD, YOU KNOW, UM, REALLY HARD TO EXPAND THAT EVEN MORE.
YES, WE WANT TO SAY YES TO EVERYTHING.
UM, I DO, THEY HAVE TO RUB ME BACK IN
UM, BUT ALSO KNOW LIKE THAT NEED AND THAT URGENCY WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, PEOPLE GETTING OUT OF PRISON, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE GETTING OUT AND WE NEED TO BE DOING, WE NEED THOSE RESOURCES.
LIKE RIGHT, RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW? 'CAUSE WE KNOW HOW WE ARE.
UM, AND LIKE WE NEED TO GET CONNECTED TO SOMETHING, YOU KNOW.
UM, WE'VE HOUSED, UH, QUITE A FEW PEOPLE.
WE DO QUARTERLY ASSESSMENTS AGAIN.
AND JUST HAVING THAT CONNECTION, THAT COMMUNITY WHEN THEY COME TO THE DROP-IN, UM, IT, LIKE, IT'S, IT'S, YEAH, IT'S CHANGED A LOT OF PEOPLE.
AND THRA WENT FROM, UM, A GIVING SUPPLIES OUT OF A VAN AND NOW WE HAVE THE DROP-IN CENTER, WHICH IS AT 1803 EAST CAESAR CHAVEZ.
OUR DROP-IN CENTER IS AVAILABLE FOR, UM, PERSON CENTERED JUDGMENT FREE RESOURCES FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE SEEKING.
WE PROVIDE OVERDOSE PREVENTION TRAINING.
WE GIVE NARCAN TO ALMOST EVERY SINGLE PERSON.
WE ALSO PROVIDE, UM, PEER SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE WITNESSING MM-HMM
UM, OVERDOSES IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND MOST OF OUR PEOPLE LIVE IN THE ENCAMPMENTS, AND SO WE GIVE THEM THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE SUPPLIES TO TAKE BACK TO THE CAMPS WITH THEM.
OUR OUTREACH TEAM IS ALSO MADE UP OF PEOPLE WHO'VE LIVED IN THE CAMPS.
AND SO THEY HAVE A PERSONAL CONNECTION WITH THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE.
AND WE HEAR A LOT OF STORIES THAT THEY WILL, UM, PROBABLY NEVER CALL THE POLICE FOR EMS WILL NEVER BE CALLED.
BUT WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE BEING SAVED BECAUSE OF THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE.
UM, BECAUSE WE AREN'T THERE WHEN EVERYBODY'S ASLEEP.
AND THAT'S WHEN PEOPLE ARE OVERDOSING.
AND SO THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE LIKE US CAN GET IN THERE AND PROVIDE THESE SERVICES AND THIS EDUCATION TO PEOPLE WHO, AND I KNOW AS SOMEBODY I WAS, UM, AN OPIOID USER FOR 20 YEARS, AND SO IT WAS NOT SOMETHING I WAS GONNA LISTEN TO FROM SOMEBODY WHO'S A DOCTOR.
AND SO WHEN, WHEN THEY SEE SOMEBODY THAT THEY CAN RELATE TO, EVEN SOME OF US THAT THEY HAVE, UM, BEEN ON THE STREETS WITH BEFORE MM-HMM
THERE'S ALREADY A TRUST THERE AND THERE'S A RELATIONSHIP THERE.
AND SO, UM, WE PROVIDE STIGMA FREE, SHAME FREE, A PLACE FOR THEM TO SEEK WHATEVER RESOURCE THEY MAY, UM, BE SEEKING FOR THEIR IMPROVEMENT OF THEIR LIVES.
WE CONNECT PEOPLE TO THE MEDICAID ASSISTED THERAPY.
UM, WE DO HAVE SUBSTANCE USE CONNECTIONS.
[00:50:01]
MORE CONNECTIONS TO HOUSING AND BEDS.FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE READY TO GET INTO TREATMENT.
THAT'SS, ONE THING THAT IS LACKING IS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF OPTIONS OUT THERE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE ABSTINENT.
AND YOU HAVE ALL OF THESE REQUIREMENTS TO GET IN.
AND THEN THERE'S ALL OF THOSE OPTIONS ARE NOT ALWAYS AVAILABLE.
SO THE PERSON WHO IS NOT ABLE TO STAY ABSTINENT AND NOT ABLE TO GET INTO A BED IS BEING REJECTED FROM EVERY PLACE.
AND SO WE ARE PROVIDING A PLACE FOR, UM, FOR THEM TO HAVE A SPACE TO THINK ABOUT THEIR NEXT STEP.
WITHOUT BEING BURDENED WITH THE, I CAN'T COME THERE BECAUSE I HAVE USED TODAY, YOU KNOW, OR I WON'T BE ABLE TO DO THIS TOMORROW BECAUSE I'VE USED, YOU KNOW, SO WE ALLOW THAT, UM, THAT SPACE FOR THEM, THAT SPACE AND ALSO, UM, TO BE A PART OF A COMMUNITY AND THERE IS A COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, UM, ISOLATION IS NOT GOOD FOR US, YOU KNOW? UM, BUT BUILDING THAT COMMUNITY, BUILDING THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH EVERY PERSON THAT WALKS THROUGH OUR GATE, UM, IS, IS TO ME LIKE THAT'S LIKE THE, THAT'S THE BIGGEST PART OF THE PUZZLES.
HAVING SOMEBODY, LIKE I ALWAYS SAY, KEEP IT REAL WITH ME.
YOU KNOW, UM, I ONLY CAN GO BY WHAT YOU TELL ME AND I WANT TO, WHATEVER YOU TELL 'EM, I WON'T BE ABLE TO HELP YOU.
SO, UM, BUILDING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH ALL THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UH, COMMUNITY PARTNERS AS COMMUNITY HEALTH PARAMEDICS.
UM, INTERSCOPE, I USED TO WORK AT INTERSCHOOL CARE FOR, UH, SIX YEARS, SO HAVING THOSE COMMUNITY PARTNERS, UM, IS VERY IMPORTANT AS WELL.
BECAUSE TO ME, WE'RE USUALLY THE FIRST POINT OF CONTACT AND THAT FIRST POINT OF CONTACT WHEN WE HAVE TO, LIKE, WELL HAVE TO CALL THIS PERSON RIGHT HERE.
YOU ALL RIGHT? YOU KNOW, AND IT USED TO BE LIKE, WELL, STEVE, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT LIKE, HAVING THAT TRUST, THAT'S WHERE THAT TRUST COMES IN.
YOU KNOW, UM, HAVING THAT TRUST, UM, WITH THE DECISION THAT THEY MAKE AND THEY'RE GONNA BE ALL RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, HAVING THAT TRUST IN US TO BE LIKE, OKAY, I'M GONNA TRUST YOU TO GO HERE WHEN NORMALLY THEY WOULDN'T MM-HMM
SO THAT, THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MANY COMMUNITY PARTNERS MEMBERS, WE MAKE ONE BIG COMMUNITY AND WE CAN REACH MORE PEOPLE IF WE HAVE MORE PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S ONE THING ABOUT OUR, UM, DROP IN CENTER IS WE HAVE A SPACE WHERE PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALL LIVED EXPERIENCE, WE HAVE ALL, UM, BEEN IN THE SITUATION OF MAYBE PSYCHOSIS.
I'VE BEEN IN THE, IN THE SPACE WHERE I WAS UP FOR THREE DAYS AND I WAS NOT COHERENT.
AND SO WHEN WE SEE THESE THINGS, WE CAN TALK THEM DOWN, WE CAN FIGURE OUT, OH, SHE JUST NEEDS SOMETHING SUGARY, YOU KNOW? MM-HMM
AND WE DON'T HAVE TO CALL THE POLICE AND HAVE ALL OF THESE, UM, SITUATIONS BECAUSE WE CAN SPOT MM-HMM
OH, SHE'S ON HER THIRD DAY, LET'S JUST GET HER SOME FOOD.
YOU KNOW? AND THESE ARE THINGS THAT HAPPEN EVERY SINGLE DAY.
UM, AND THESE PEOPLE TRUST US TO BE ABLE TO COME AND HAVE THESE EXPERIENCES AND KNOW THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO END UP IN JAIL.
THEY'RE NOT GONNA END UP LOCKED UP SOMEWHERE, YOU KNOW? UM, SO THAT'S WHAT MAKES THE DROP-IN CENTER SO UNIQUE IS THAT WE CAN SPOT THESE THINGS AND DEESCALATE SITUATIONS.
WE ALSO HAVE A TRAINING ARM AND, UM, WE WORK WITH T TO R TEXAS TARGETED OPIOID RESPONSE TO PROVIDE TRAINING TO HEALTHCARE WORKERS AND PEOPLE WHO WORK WITH SUBSTANCE USE.
UM, PEOPLE WHO WORK WITH PEOPLE WHO USE SUBSTANCES TO PROVIDE THAT STIGMA.
FREE LANGUAGE AND TRAINING ON HOW TO, UM, SPOT AN OVERDOSE, HOW TO PREVENT AN OVERDOSE, AND HOW TO, UM, ADDRESS AN OVERDOSE MM-HMM
AND, UM, THIS IMPROVES OUR PUBLIC HEALTH OUTCOME WHEN SOMEBODY'S USING IV DRUGS.
IT'S NOT JUST, UM, THAT PERSON, THERE'S A WHOLE COMMUNITY THAT'S AFFECTED, IMPACTED.
WE HAVE HEP CHIV, WE HAVE, UM, SO MANY INFECTIONS THAT ARE GOING AROUND WHEN XYLAZINE IS PRESENT, THERE ARE SORES THAT ARE HAPPENING.
AND SO TEACHING THESE, THIS COMMUNITY HOW TO CARE FOR THEMSELVES ALSO HELPS TO CARE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE NUMBERS OF WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR.
I WAS GONNA SAY I CAN'T SEE THAT, BUT THEY'RE THERE FOR YOU GUYS.
[00:55:02]
SO, AND WE ALSO PROVIDE WOUND CARE TO A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS.WHO WILL NOT GO SEE MEDICAL, SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION.
UM, WE HAVE TRIED TO GET SOME PEOPLE TO SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION, BUT THERE'S SO MUCH MISTRUST AND THEY WOULD PREFER TO COME TO US.
AND THE OTHER DAY I WALKED INTO OUR DAY ROOM AND ONE OF OUR DROP-IN CENTERS, SHE WAS ON HER KNEES CLEANING SOMEBODY'S FEET MM-HMM
AND JUST TALKING TO THEM AND, YOU KNOW, THIS PERSON'S INFECTION HAD GOTTEN REALLY BAD, BUT THE, THEY CAME BACK AND GOT IT CLEANED A COUPLE OF DAYS IN A ROW AND NOW THEY'RE DOING BETTER.
AND THIS IS SOMEBODY WHO WOULD NOT SEEK MEDICAL SERVICES AND MICHELLE MADE NO BONES ABOUT IT.
SHE WAS JUST LIKE, HEY, COME HERE.
BECAUSE SHE KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON.
AND SO, UH, THINGS LIKE THAT HAPPEN EVERY DAY.
I JUST LOVE THE WORK THAT WE DO.
I MEAN, YOU SEE THESE THINGS THAT HUMANIZE PEOPLE WHO USE DRUGS, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT PEOPLE NEED IS WE ALREADY SHAME OURSELVES ENOUGH.
AND SO WHEN YOU TREAT SOMEBODY WITH HUMANITY, THEIR CHANCE OF SUCCESS IS MUCH MORE HIGHER.
THAN ALLOWING THEM MUCH MORE HIGHER.
MUCH HIGHER THAN, UM, JUST ALLOWING THEM TO ISOLATE.
WE LOSE A LOT OF PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE TO TURN.
AND SO, UM, AND AGAIN, THAT'S WHERE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS COME IN AT, YOU KNOW, LET ME GO OVER HERE AND TALK TO MICHELLE MM-HMM
LEMME GO OVER HERE, TALK TO STEVE.
UM, SO WE CAN GIMME A RESOURCE FOR MAYBE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING OR WHATEVER.
IT, IT CAN BE A LOT OF A RANGE OF, UM, RESOURCES, BUT BUILDING THAT RELATIONSHIP IN THE COMMUNITY IS LIKE, I, IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, AND THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE RESOURCES THAT WE'VE PROVIDED AT THE DROP-IN CENTER, UM, ABOUT NALOXONE EDUCATION.
AND WE GIVE, WE, WE ARE REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF THE CITY AND AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH BECAUSE WE GIVE OUT A LOT OF NALOXONE MM-HMM
AND WE USED TO, UM, HAVE A HARD TIME GIVING OUT THE INJECTABLE.
AND NOW WITH ALL THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING, PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY STARTING TO BE ABLE TO, 'CAUSE IT'S EASIER WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO, WHEN YOU'RE OUT AT NIGHT OR WHAT, I DON'T KNOW.
MORE PEOPLE ARE COMFORTABLE USING THE NASAL YEAH.
SO IT'S A LOT OF, A LOT OF STUFF THAT WE DO.
NO, THE HOT MEAL, WE WERE GIVING A HOT MEAL EVERY DAY, AND THEN WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE OUT A HOT MEAL ON OUTREACH.
WE'VE LOST THAT CONTRACT WITH COOKS NOS.
AND SO, UM, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE ARE EXPECTING FOOD, THEY'RE HUNGRY.
AND SO WE HAD TO START LOOKING IN THE COMMUNITY FOR PEOPLE WHO PROVIDE FOOD.
BUT ALSO, UM, TRANSPORTATION IS HARD FOR THESE, FOR OUR PEOPLE, YOU KNOW? AND SO, UM, IT'S SO MUCH, IT'S BETTER FOR THEM IF THEY CAN HAVE FOOD ON SITE.
SO WE DO USE OUR LITTLE UNRESTRICTED FUNDS TO GET LIKE FRUIT SNACKS AND RAMEN WHEN WE HAVE IT.
UM, I JUST FOUND A FOOD PANTRY ON SATURDAY THAT I'M GONNA GO START HITTING NOW
BUT, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THINGS THAT, UM, WE LIKE TO PROVIDE BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE OUT THERE.
EVEN TO SEEK RESOURCES TO LIKE A CHURCH THAT DOES THIS DAILY.
IT'S EVEN HARDER FOR SOMEBODY WHO USES DRUGS TO SIT THERE IN A LINE IF YOU'RE SICK.
YOU KNOW, OR IF YOU JUST USED AND YOU'RE PARANOID, YOU KNOW? AND SO HAVING THESE THINGS ON SITE ARE SO MUCH, UM, THEY'RE BETTER FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THAT SITUATION.
AND SURVIVAL ITEMS. LIKE RIGHT NOW WE'RE GIVING OUT HAND WARMERS.
WE GIVE OUT THE LITTLE, UM, DIRECTIONS ON HOW TO GET TO THOSE COOLING CENTERS.
UM, WHAT WAS THE ONE? THE SOCKS, UM, SOCKS.
I FORGOT WHERE WE GET THOSE DONATIONS.
AND SO THOSE, WE JUST WE'RE, WE'RE GIVING OUT A WHOLE BUNCH OF THEM TODAY.
[01:00:01]
YEAH.INTENSE AND WHATEVER WE HAVE, WHEN WE HAVE IT, WE GIVE IT OUT.
AND, UH, WE PROVIDE HIV TESTING ON SITE ONCE A WEEK.
WE PROVIDE ACUPUNCTURE ON SITE ONCE A WEEK.
WOMEN'S WEDNESDAYS IS, UH, WEDNESDAYS FOR, UM, L-G-B-T-Q WOMEN AND PEOPLE WHO IDENTIFY AS FM FEM.
AND, UM, IT'S JUST A SAFE SPACE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF TRAUMA OUT THERE.
SOME DAYS WE JUST HAVE A LITTLE, UM, LITTLE WOMEN'S, I MEAN, EVERY WEDNESDAY WE HAVE A WOMEN'S DAY, AND SO IT'S A NICE SPACE FOR EVERYBODY.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE BIGGEST PART, IS A SAFE PLACE FOR EVERYBODY WHO WALKS THROUGH THOSE FENCE.
UM, AND WE, WE CONNECT THEM TO LEGAL AID FOR SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
I SEE WHAT, I THINK THAT'S IT.
UH, SO THIS IS THE NEEDS THAT WE'VE, WE ARE SEEING AS WE CONTINUE TO DO THIS WORK.
UM, WE ARE GETTING A LOT OF PEOPLE ASKING FOR INCREASED OUTREACH, ESPECIALLY ON THE NORTH SIDE OF AUSTIN.
WE HAD ONE OF OUR PARTICIPANTS TAKE THE BUS FROM BREAKER AND BRING ME A STACK OF SIGNED JUST SIGNATURES SAYING, THESE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT SAY THEY NEED, THEY, YOUR SERVICES OUT THERE.
AND SO I'VE GIVEN THAT TO THE COUNTY.
AND SO, UM, IT'S DEFINITELY A NEED, A VERY BIG NEED.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS IS THAT DEALING WITH PEOPLE WHO USE DRUGS IN THE ENCAMPMENTS, IT'S ONE THING TO JUST WANT TO HELP.
AND THOSE PEOPLE ARE VERY NEEDED.
BUT WHEN SOMEBODY TRUSTS YOU AND KNOWS YOU AND RECOGNIZE YOU, THEN THEY'RE MORE WILLING TO COME AND ACCEPT, UH, AND LISTEN.
LIKE, HEY, SHE SAID THAT THIS IS WHAT WORKED.
YOU KNOW? AND WHEN PEOPLE HEAR ME SAY, I'VE BEEN CLEAN FOR EIGHT YEARS, AND I USED TO BE RIGHT THERE.
I MEAN, YOU CAN SEE A LIGHT JUST SWITCH LIKE, WAIT, HOLD ON.
AND SO HAVING PEOPLE LIKE US IN THE STREETS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST NEEDS.
UM, SO INCREASED MOBILE HEALTH CLINIC.
OH, WE DO HAVE A MOBILE HEALTH CLINIC THAT I DIDN'T SAY.
A MOBILE HEALTH CLINIC THAT GOES OUT ONCE A WEEK, AND, UM, THEY HAVE SALARIES ON IT.
WE HAVE A, UM, LITTLE TESTING, LITTLE AREA FOR LIKE, IF, WHEN WE'RE ABLE TO DO OUR OWN TESTING, UM, SHOWERS ON THE INSIDE, OUTSIDE, WE HAVE A TOILET THAT'S A INCINERATOR.
SO DO WHAT YOU GONNA DO AND WHAT YOU GONNA DO WITH LIKE A LITTLE COFFEE FILTER
AND THEN WHEN YOU FLUSH IT, IT LIKE, UM, IT TURNS TO ASHES INTO A LITTLE ASHTRAY.
I, I KNOW I HAD TO SEE IT MYSELF TOO.
I SEE IT FOR MYSELF TOO, BUT I MEAN, IT'S REAL.
AND IT TAKES OUT A LOT OF, UM, MAINTENANCE FOR OTHER STUFF, BECAUSE LIKE AFTER 150 USES, YOU JUST PULL OUT THIS LITTLE ASHTRAY, DUMP IT AND PUT IT BACK IN THERE.
AND IT'S ALSO MAINLY USED FOR WOUND CARE.
AND FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING ABSCESSES, UM, THEY CAN COME ONSITE AND NOT BE HAVING OUT OUTSIDE.
SO, SO, AND STILL BE, YOU KNOW, HAVE THAT PRIVACY OF GETTING STUFF LOOKED AT QUESTIONS.
UM, AND AGAIN, HAVING THAT SPACE, EVEN BEING OUT MOBILE, UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE OUT THERE AND AIN'T NO TELLING LAST TIME THEY TOOK A SHOWER, BUT GOING AND TRUSTING OUR TEAMS AND TAKING THAT SHOWER INSIDE OR OUTSIDE OR JUST STARTING THOSE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT THE NEXT STEP IS AND WHAT THEY CHOOSE.
AND THE LAST NEED IS, YOU KNOW, MORE BEDS FOR WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
UM, STEVE GOES INTO THE JAILS, MEETS WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE MORE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE AN OVERDOSE ONCE RELEASED FROM YES.
AND SO THAT WORK IS SO IMPORTANT TO GET TO THEM BEFORE THEY'RE EVER RELEASED AND GIVE THEM THAT EDUCATION THAT, HEY, LOOK, THIS IS THE DANGER WHEN YOU'RE COMING OUT.
AND SO, UM, FOR IT, IT WOULD, ONE OF OUR GREATEST NEEDS IS FOR STEVE TO HAVE MORE BEDS TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT THESE PEOPLE STRAIGHT TO, INSTEAD OF, YOU KNOW, HEY, THIS IS WHAT'S OUT THERE WHEN YOU GET OUT, GOOD LUCK.
YOU KNOW, STEVE AND THE REENTRY TEAM FOLLOWS THEM.
[01:05:01]
AND, UH, SO MOST OF THE GROUPS THAT I DO IN, UH, DELL VALLEY, UM, HALF THE PEOPLE, UH, GOT KICKED OUT OF THE, UH, UM, TRANSITIONAL PLACE, AND THEY'RE LIKE, I DON'T WANNA GO BACK.I MEAN, I JUST STAYED THERE, DID ALL THESE DRUGS, AND THEY SENT ME BACK.
UM, WHERE I, WHERE I HAVE A CHANCE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANNA GO BACK THERE.
I DON'T LIKE, I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA GO BACK THERE.
SO HAVING SOMETHING TO ANOTHER OPTION WHEN IT COMES TO PEOPLE REENTERING, UM, IS TO LIKE, HAVE SOMEWHERE MORE BEDS, MORE PLACES, MORE ROOMS, SO THAT, LIKE PEOPLE WE WANT TO CHANGE, YOU KNOW, BUT IF, IF THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE THEY'RE GONNA GO TO AND HAVING ALL THESE DRUGS THAT'S SO READILY AVAILABLE, AND LIKE NOW I'VE, YEAH.
I EVEN TALK AT PEOPLE'S PAROLE HEARINGS AND LIKE SEEING IF WE CAN DO SOMETHING ELSE ASIDE FROM THAT, YOU KNOW? UM, BUT THAT IS A BIG NEED, YOU KNOW, WE JUST NEED, YOU KNOW, MORE BEDS SO THAT I WANT TO CHANGE, YOU KNOW? MM-HMM
HAVING MORE OPTIONS, YOU KNOW? UM, AND THEN WHAT ABOUT THOSE OPTIONS? YOU KNOW, AND GOING INTO THE JAIL, LETTING PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THEIR OPTIONS.
AND WE NEED PROBABLY LIKE ABOUT A TRILLION MORE PEOPLE
UM, BUT ALSO WITH THE, UM, IT IS ALL AROUND THE JAIL.
WE HAVE THE, UM, THE OFFICERS IN THERE, THEY'RE ASKING FOR RESOURCES MM-HMM
YOU KNOW, ON TOP OF THE POPULATION THERE THAT ALSO ASK FOR THOSE RESOURCES.
BUT IT'S ONLY THREE OF US THAT GO OUT THERE.
SO
THIS IS PHENOMENAL PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU FOR, UH, YOUR TRANSPARENCY FOR THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
UM, I THINK I COULD PROBABLY SPEND THE NEXT 20 MINUTES SAYING THANK YOU.
IT'LL BE IN A FORMAL LETTER, UH, SIGNED BY THE COMMISSION.
UM, BUT YEAH, I MEAN, THIS IS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS OF HOW CAN WE, AS A PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION SUPPORT THE OPIOID CRISIS THAT AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY IS NAVIGATING? AND WE DIDN'T HAVE, UH, ALL OF THE PIECES AND PARTS.
AND SO, UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU TO COMMISSIONER DOHA FOR, UM, EN ENCOURAGING US TO HEAR FROM THRA, UM, TO HEAR FROM BOOTS ON THE GROUND, AND TO ALSO HEAR WHAT IS TRULY NOT WORKING MM-HMM
UM, AND HOW WE CAN CREATE A BETTER IMPACT.
AND I WILL, I PREFACED ALL OF THAT WITH, UM, WE DO HAVE A VOTE COMMISSIONERS TO DO.
UH, AND WE ARE ON A TIME, TIME NINE HERE.
UM, SO FOR OUR, OUR QUESTIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WE MAY FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AFTERWARDS IF WE DO RUN OUT OF TIME.
BUT MY, MY, I THINK OUR BIG QUESTION WE ALL ARE WONDERING IS BUDGET NEEDS, BUDGET NEEDS.
WE THANK YOU FOR COMING WITH YOUR PROPOSED SOLUTIONS AND NEEDS THAT LETS US KNOW WHERE TO STAY FOCUSED.
UM, DO YOU ALL HAVE A NUMBER, RIGHT? I MEAN, OF COURSE, IF WE COULD JUST DUMP MILLIONS AND MILLIONS RIGHT? WE COULD, WE COULD SOLVE PROBLEMS, BUT DO YOU HAVE NUMBERS BROKEN DOWN FOR EACH ONE OF THESE NEEDS ALREADY CREATED? I DO.
I HAVE A BUDGET BROKEN DOWN THAT I CAN SEND YOU, PLEASE.
UH, IF YOU COULD GET THAT OVER TO DANNY AND THEN YES, WE CAN KEEP THAT CONVERSATION GOING.
UM, AND THEN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED YOU'RE CAPTURING DATA MM-HMM
AND YOU'RE CAPTURING THESE, UM, I'M GONNA NERD OUT THESE QUALITATIVE PIECES, RIGHT? THE MUSHY DATA MM-HMM
THAT WE, WE NEED TO HEAR FROM INDIVIDUALS.
DO YOU USE THAT IN ANY WAY TO HELP TELL THE STORY WHERE WE COULD SEE IT AS PUBLIC FOLKS LOOKING AT THIS AND NOT JUST INTERNALLY? THAT IS ONE OF OUR NEEDS.
I REALLY WANT TO CREATE LIKE A REPORT FOR EVERYBODY.
WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET AN INTERN OR, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO DO, IS CREATE A REPORT MM-HMM
BASED ON THE DATA AND THE THINGS THAT WE DO DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
BUT RIGHT NOW WE JUST HAVE THE NUMBERS, UM, AND WHAT'S ON OUR WEBSITE.
AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION WOULD BE FOOD.
UM, WE, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT, AND I KNOW YOU MENTIONED, UM, YOU WERE RECEIVING HOT MEALS MM-HMM
[01:10:01]
AND I KNOW WITH COOK'S, NO, THOSE WERE ALREADY PREPARED, SO YOU DIDN'T NEED TO HAVE A KITCHEN TO DO THAT.
UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENT CONVERSATIONS HAPPENING WITH THAT OR I'VE, I'VE, NO, I'VE TRIED.
THAT'S WHAT THE CONVERSATIONS I'M HAVING NOW ARE LIKE, MAYBE WE'RE JUST GONNA START MAKING SANDWICHES AT ONCE A WEEK AND GETTING PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY AND BREAD.
BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, WE ARE PROVIDING RAMEN NOODLES AND FRUIT SNACKS.
UM, I WILL CUT MY QUESTIONS SHORT THERE AND THEN MAYBE JUST TYPE UP THE REST OF THEM TO HAVE EMAILED OVER TO YOU.
BUT, UM, COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? YEAH, GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
UH, I ECHO, UH, THE SENTIMENTS, SO THANK YOU FOR ANOTHER 20 MINUTES.
WE DO PARTNER WITH A AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, AND THAT IS A BIG CHUNK OF OUR, UM, EVERY KEEPS US RUNNING.
AND WE ALSO HAVE, UM, TEXAS TARGETED OPIOID RESPONSE WITH UT AND, UM, UT SAN ANTONIO, OH, BE, WELL, TEXAS, THEY'RE BE WELL TEXAS NOW.
SO THAT BRINGS ME TO MY NEXT QUESTION.
I KNOW Y'ALL HAVE SOME LEGAL CONSTRAINTS JUST BASED OFF, YOU KNOW, THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THOSE CONSTRAINTS AND LIKE WHAT THEY'RE PREVENTING YOU FROM BEING ABLE TO DO? LIKE IN TERMS OF PARTNERING MAYBE WITH OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES OR OTHER RESOURCES? RIGHT.
WELL, LIKE WE, WE CAN'T PROVIDE SAFE USE SUPPLIES WITH ANY GOVERNMENT CITY FUNDING AT ALL.
AND SO, UM, FENTANYL TEST STRIPS ARE CONSIDERED PARAPHERNALIA AND XYLAZINE TEST STRIPS, ALL OF THOSE.
AND SO THOSE, UM, THAT'S ONE OF OUR BIGGEST ISSUES IS BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE SAFE USE SUPPLIES AND CLEAN WORKS.
ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW WITH EVERYTHING GOING ON, THOSE, THE XYLAZINE STRIPS, THE, THE FENTANYL TEST STRIPS, LIKE IT'S, YEAH.
AND I KNOW THAT, UH, A PHI WORK FOR A BEACH AS WELL.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE AWARE OF THAT ISSUE AND I KNOW THERE'S AT LEAST ONE BILL THAT'S BEEN PROPOSED IN THE TEXAS LEDGE, YOU KNOW, TO HELP ALLEVIATE THAT.
UM, WE'LL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THAT AS BEST AS, AS I CAN ANYWAY.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY, UH, TALKING ABOUT YOUR NEED TO INCREASE TRAINING ACCESS OR PEOPLE TO TRAIN MM-HMM
UM, I'M WONDERING IF THE COLD WEATHER SHELTERS MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY LOOKED AT THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE PARTNERING.
WE HAVE ONE TRAINER AND SHE WILL SHOW UP WHEREVER, BUT RIGHT NOW SHE'S ONLY MM-HMM
YOU KNOW, AROUND, LIKE, AROUND THE STATE TOO.
AND SO IF WE COULD GET ANOTHER TRAINER TO DO CITYWIDE TRAININGS, I MEAN, AND LIKE THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT GO OUT AND DO OUTREACH, WE HAVE ASKED TO BE ABLE TO JUST SPEAK WITH EVERYBODY WHO'S GONNA HAVE ANY CONTACT WITH SOMEBODY WHO USES DRUGS MM-HMM
SO WE CAN, UM, HELP TRAIN HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH OUR PEOPLE.
UH, I ECHO WHAT MY COMMISSIONERS HERE SAID.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
UH, CURIOUS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE VAN, UH, IN THE MOBILE CLINIC.
IS THAT, WAS THAT A DONATION? UM, MAYBE THINKING ABOUT A RECOMMENDATION AS YOU MENTIONED, KIND OF A NEED FOR MAYBE ANOTHER VAN, UH, WHERE THAT WOULD COME FROM AND KIND OF WHERE THAT PERSON CAME FROM AND YEAH.
THE, THE CLINIC WAS A DONATION BY A PERSON WHO LOST A FAMILY MEMBER TO, UM, THE OPIOID CRISIS.
WE STILL LIKE DO MAINTENANCE REPAIRS AND THEY WORK WITH US ON HOW TO, UM, TO GET TO KEEP IT UP.
OUR VAN IS VERY OLD
AND SO I JUST HAD THIS CONVERSATION WITH OUTREACH, LIKE, WHAT, WHAT ABOUT UPGRADING? WHAT IS THAT GONNA LOOK LIKE? SHOULD WE UPGRADE OR SHOULD WE GET ANOTHER ONE? IF SO, WHAT IS THAT GONNA LOOK LIKE? BECAUSE THE BIGGEST DREAM RIGHT NOW IS TO HAVE TWO OUTREACH VANS, ONE FOR THE NORTH SIDE AND ONE FOR CENTRAL.
AND THEN EVENTUALLY WENT ON SOUTH SIDE
THOSE ARE OUR PIE IN THE SKY DREAMS.
[01:15:02]
I'LL ASK ONE QUESTION.FIRST OF ALL, AGAIN, I WANNA ECHO TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE HEARTFELT, UH, CONVERSATION AND, AND TEACHING US ABOUT YOUR WORK, UM, PROFOUNDLY IMPORTANT.
I WONDERED IF, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS I'M ALWAYS TRYING TO DO IS SAY, WHAT'S THE SCOPE AND SCALE OF THIS? IF YOU HAD A COMPLETE SOLUTION FOR THE COMMUNITY, WOULD YOU NEED FOUR VANS OR, OR 16 VANS? AND I, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN ANSWER THAT.
I'M NOT ANSWERING FOR THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT IT'D BE HELPFUL, I THINK, FOR ME ANYWAY, IF YOU HAD FEEDBACK FOR US AMONGST THOSE QUESTIONS THAT WE MIGHT SHARE, WHICH WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE, IN A PERFECT WORLD SCENARIO, TWO PARAGRAPHS, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE? I'D HAVE, YOU KNOW, THREE PEOPLE THAT CONSTANTLY ARE WORKING AT THE JAIL THAT CATCH EVERYBODY THAT COMES OUT, THAT YOU HAVE FOUR VANS, BECAUSE I GET THAT.
WHATEVER THAT WOULD BE AS A DESCRIPTION.
I THINK IT'D BE INTERESTING TO KNOW WHAT YOUR KIND OF VIEW OF THE BEST WOULD BE FOR THE COMMUNITY OF AUSTIN TO ADDRESS WHAT'S THAT PICTURE LOOK LIKE? WE HAVE IT, AND I'LL SEND IT TO YOU,
ANOTHER, I'M LIKE, WE, IF WE HAD THIS BUILDING, I KNOW EXACTLY.
AND SO I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SEND IT TO YOU.
AND THAT, THE OTHER LAST QUESTION I WOULD SAY IS, HOW MANY EMPLOYEES ARE THERE? I MEAN, ASSUMING, AND MAYBE THERE'S VOLUNTEERS AND OTHER KIND OF THINGS, BUT HOW MANY PEOPLE MAKE UP THE ORGANIZATION? WE HAVE 17 PEOPLE ON PAYROLL.
FOUR PEOPLE GO OUT ON OUTREACH.
WE HAVE FOUR PEOPLE IN THE DROP-IN CENTER AND THE DROP-IN CENTER.
WE SEE OVER A HUNDRED PEOPLE A DAY.
AND IT IS INTENSE, MOSTLY BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE IN CRISIS MM-HMM
AND, UM, IT'S INTENSE, YOU KNOW, AND SO IT, IT'S A LOT OF TRAUMA ON TRAUMA, SECONDARY TRAUMA FOR OUR PEOPLE.
THERE'S FOUR PEOPLE, BUT YOU KNOW, THEY'RE VERY SPECIAL PEOPLE AND THEY'RE BEING, UM, VERY UNDERAPPRECIATED RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE THE REENTRY TEAM, WHICH IS THREE PEOPLE.
AND THEN, UM, WHY DID SHE THINK I FORGOT? OH, A GRANT MANAGER.
SHE HELPS US DO OUR GRANT REPORTING AND STUFF AND, AND OUR TRAINER.
AND SO EVERYBODY'S SPREAD VERY THIN.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING HERE.
I, I THINK MY COMMENTS ON THIS IS GONNA BE MORE OF JUST, JUST RECONNECTING IT TO THE, THE, UM, CONNECTION HERE WITH, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS COMMISSION, AT LEAST AS, AS I SEE IT FROM THE, UM, THE CONSTRUCTS OF WHAT THE COUNTY AND THE CITY COUNCIL ESTABLISHED AND, YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY CAN ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS, BUT I WOULD SAY REALLY WHAT THE ROOT OF IT WOULD BE IS WHAT IS THE CURRENT RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE DIFFERENT AGENCIES THAT ARE THERE AT THE TABLE AND THAT ARE, THAT ARE HERE AS WELL.
'CAUSE IT STILL WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE, THE, THE, THE, UM, THE RFP PROCESS AND SO FORTH.
AND WE HAD A SIMILAR ORGANIZATION THAT DID COME BEFORE US.
COOKS, NOOK, AS YOU'VE ALREADY BEEN WORKING WITH THAT WAS IN A FINANCIAL BIND AS WELL.
AND PRESIDENTS WAS KIND OF ALREADY SET WITH HOW DO WE COME UP WITH A RECOMMENDATION THAT SUPPORTS IN WRITING, NOT A SPECIFIC ORGANIZATION, BUT A ORGANIZATION THAT OPERATES WITHIN CERTAIN CONFINES OR STRUCTURES.
SO I THINK BEING ABLE TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT AGAIN, WHAT THAT MODEL IS, HOW IT'S FUNDED AND SO FORTH, THEN WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN ESTABLISHED AS PRESIDENTS, RIGHT.
UM, CAN BE DONE A AGAIN, RIGHT.
AS OTHER ORGANIZATIONS LIKE YOURSELVES MAY COME FORWARD.
HOW ARE WE HELPING OR ASSISTING OR PROVIDING GUIDANCE TO THE, UH, COM, UH, COMMISSIONERS AS WELL AS CITY COUNCIL ON WHERE THERE MAY NEED TO BE REVISIONS IN HOW SELECTIONS ARE OCCURRING DURING THE RFP PROCESS, RIGHT? MM-HMM
UH, IF THERE'S POTENTIAL EXCLUSIONS OR LACK OF, UH, MAYBE IF IT'S A POINT SYSTEM, UH, GIVING MORE POINTS TO CERTAIN ACTIVITIES THAT YOU AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS ARE DOING THAT ARE BEING OVERLOOKED.
UH, OTHER ASPECTS OF KIND OF LIKE HIRING WHAT IT USED TO BE THAT, UH, CAN'T SAY EQUITY ANYMORE, BUT WHAT TYPE OF ORGANIZATIONS ARE BEING SELECTED THAT ARE VERY REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CLIENTELE MM-HMM
THAT NEEDS TO BE SUPPORTED AND SO FORTH.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, THE ONLY REASON I SAY THAT IS 'CAUSE I, I WOULD, I WOULD HATE, UM, YOU KNOW, YES, WE CAN ASK AND I COULD, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE DIFFERENT VANS AND SO FORTH LIKE THAT.
BUT AGAIN, HOW DOES THAT MEET THE IMPACT OF THE AGENCIES THERE AT THE TABLE THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE GIVING GUIDANCE AND RECOMMENDATION TO.
BECAUSE WE DO SEE A LOT OF, UM, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WHO, UM, DO HARM REDUCTION, BUT HARM REDUCTION IS SO MUCH MORE THAN NALOXONE.
AND IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE PEOPLE AT THE TABLE WHO'VE BEEN THERE.
[01:20:01]
ABSOLUTELY.AND I KNOW WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT NARCAN AND THE OPIOID PROCESS, AND WE HAVE DELVED IN, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN AT THE, THE LAST MEETING OR TWO, ESPECIALLY WITH, UH, UH, CHAIR POINDEXTER LEADING IT, UM, REALLY DIVING INTO, UH, WITH THEIR PLANS AND THE FUNDING THAT HAS BEEN GOING OUT, WHO IS IT GOING TO? WHAT HAS BEEN THAT IMPACT? IS IT IN THE RIGHT PLACES? AND I THINK, UH, BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE LIKE THAT WILL MAKE IT A LOT SWIFTER FOR, FOR, UH, UH, FOR, FOR ACTIONING POTENTIALLY ON OUR END.
UM, AND THOSE ASPECTS WHERE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE MORE POLICY HEAVY FOCUSED IN MAKING SURE WHAT THESE AGENCIES ARE DOING IS HAVING THE INTENDED OUTCOME NOT ONLY BY WHAT THEY'RE, WHAT THEY'RE, UH, EXPECTING TO HAVE HAPPEN, BUT WHAT THE COUNCIL AND COMMISSIONERS ARE EXPECTING TO HAPPEN IN SUPPORT OF THEIR CONSTITUENTS.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN FOR THE PRESENTATION, FOR THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'VE PROVIDED TO US.
UM, I KNOW THERE'S A FEW THINGS WE WOULD LOVE TO CONTINUE TO SEE FROM YOU ALL WITH ANY DATA OR, UH, REPORTS OR THE PERFECT THINGS THAT YOU COULD HAVE THAT WOULD BE PHENOMENAL, UM, TO SHARE OVER WITH, WITH DANNY TO, TO SEND OUT TO US.
AND, UM, WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
WE APPRECIATE YOU SHOWING UP AND DOING THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
I WILL SEND YOU ALL A FOLLOW UP.
[4. Discuss and possible action to choose a new representative for the Joint Sustainability Committee. ]
OUR DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS. UM, OUR FIRST ITEM IS TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE ACTION TO CHOOSE A NEW REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE THAT IS CURRENTLY ME.I AM, UM, CURIOUS IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN REPLACING ME AS THE LE LIAISON FOR, UH, THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION.
THEY, AGAIN, MEET ONCE A MONTH, UM, OPERATING AS CHAIR AND OPERATING AS LIAISON AND COORDINATING THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND ACCESS WORKING GROUP.
IT IS A LITTLE, UH, A LITTLE BIT MUCH.
SO IF THERE'S ANYONE THAT IS INTERESTED, WANTED TO BRING THAT DISCUSSION TO THE TABLE, UH, TO THE COMMISSION.
I'M HAPPY TO TAKE OVER THAT FOR YOU.
OH, DO WE NEED TO DO A VOTE OR ANYTHING? NO.
WHAT ABOUT UNANIMOUS CONSENT?
THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, APPRECIATE IT.
I WILL WORK WITH DANNY AND JUANITA TO CONNECT YOU AND GET YOU, UM, INTO THE CONVERSATION.
[5. Approve a recommendation by Infrastructure & Access Working Group on Community Health Workers.Item 7]
ON TO APPROVE, UH, OUR RECOMMENDATION, UM, BY THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND ACCESS WORKING GROUP ON COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS.UH, YOU ALL WERE SENT THE FINAL VERSION OF THE RECOMMENDATION.
UH, VICE CHAIR LYNN CHAO AND I WORKED TIREDLY LISTLY ON THIS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE CAPTURING, UM, NOT ONLY EVERYTHING FROM THE COMMISSION, BUT ALSO, UM, HOW WE WANT TO SEE THIS POTENTIALLY PUT INTO PLACE.
AND JUANITA AND DANNY, I WILL LOOK TO YOU ALL FOR THE APPROPRIATE STEPS ON APPROVING THIS RECOMMENDATION.
ARE WE, DO WE DO A VOTE AND THEN MO LIKE, DO WE DO AN APPROVAL AND THEN A VOTE? YOU, YOU'RE GONNA FOLLOW THE SECOND, THE NORM.
UM, UM, ALL IN FAVOR? OH, ANY, ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCESSION TO THE RECOMMENDATION? BEAUTIFUL.
ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR FOR THE CH HW RECOMMENDATION.
UH, VICE CHAIR SHAW AND I, WE HAVE OUR WORK CUT OUT FOR US TO CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION TO, TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
UH, AND I WILL BE SURE TO KEEP EVERYBODY UPDATED ON WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THAT.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
I KNOW WE HAVE CAN WE? WE'RE GOOD.UH, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. UM, I KNOW WE HAVE OUR FUTURE PRESENTATIONS ALREADY ALIGNED AND WE'RE WAITING.
WE WE'RE GOOD TO GO WITH THE FUTURE PRESENTATIONS.
UM, I KNOW THAT THE OTHER PIECE,
[01:25:01]
UH, COMMISSIONER K*M PROVIDED TO US BOTH THE, UM, HEAT RESILIENCE PRESENTATION AND THE 2024 OCTOBER, 2024, AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY C COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN.UM, I'M NOT SURE IF WE'VE ALL HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THAT, SO I WOULD MOVE THAT WE HAVE THAT AS A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM, AS A DISCUSSION FOR THE COMMISSION.
THE PRIORITIES THAT THEY HAVE IN HERE ARE VERY, VERY RELEVANT TO WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON, AND THEY DID A PHENOMENAL JOB OF GIVING US JUST A LITTLE NUGGET TO REVIEW AND NOT A, A FULL, UM, DISSERTATION.
UM, SO EVEN IF WE CAN REVIEW THOSE PRIORITY AREAS, UM, SOME OF THEM ARE DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD TODAY, UM, SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT THE MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS AND THEN AS WELL AS THE ECONOMIC SU UM, SUSTAINABILITY AND SU STABILITY, UM, UH, REGARDING THE ENTIRE COUNTY.
SO, UH, IF WE COULD ADD THAT AS A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM.
AND THEN I KNOW WE ARE RUNNING UP TO BUDGETS AND BUDGET SEASON.
UM, I THINK THIS MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT OF WORK FOR US AS A COMMISSION TO KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO SUPPORT, BUT THEN ALSO, UM, IF WE NEED TO CAPTURE ANY DATA FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS PROGRAMS SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR, EARLIER THIS YEAR WITH THE SEVEN OR EIGHT I THINK THAT WE SUPPORTED.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S TOO EARLY TO START GETTING THOSE ON THE AGENDA TO REVIEW, BUT IF WE HAVE ANYTHING PENDING THAT WE COULD REVIEW FOR THE BUDGETS, THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC DISCUSSION ITEM.
UM, AND THEN MY ONE THING I WOULD LOVE TO PRESENT AS WELL IS SHIFTING OUR WORKING GROUPS.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE HEARD OVER AND OVER ABOUT IS CAMPAIGNS.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS ALL THE WAY FROM WHEN WE HAD CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE ACTUAL HEALTH AND COMORBIDITIES THAT, UM, AUSTINITES ARE EXPERIENCING.
AND, UM, COMMISSIONER RICE BROUGHT UP, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS, WHAT IS THE HEART HEALTHY CAMPAIGN THAT'S HAPPENING? WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH THESE CAMPAIGNS? UM, LOVE TO DISCUSS HOW WE COULD, AS A COMMISSION, PUSH THE NARRATIVE ON A PUBLIC HEALTH CAMPAIGN.
AND, AND MAYBE THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT WE JUST NEED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT, UM, BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE AWARENESS IS WHAT WE'RE MISSING.
UM, SO MAYBE LOOKING AT WHAT, WHICH ONE OF OUR WORKING GROUPS COULD ADD IN AWARENESS OR, UM, TRANSITION INTO AWARENESS.
AND I THINK THOSE ARE MY, MY SUGGESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE TALKED ABOUT? MISSED AND WANT TO, YEAH, PERHAPS ONCE THE COLD WEATHER IS COMPLETE FOR MAYBE A REVIEW OF HOW THE SEASON WENT AND HOW IT IMPACTED PEOPLE'S HEALTH AND IF THERE'S ANY RECOMMENDATIONS WE CAN MAKE FOR NEXT SEASON.
WOULD THAT BE LIKE A, A PH COUNTY CONVERSATION IN TERMS OF WHAT, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? UH, LIKE WHEN WE'RE REVIEWING, ARE WE, ARE WE THINKING LIKE CALL EMS CALLS THAT HAPPENED? ARE WE, I GUESS RIGHT NOW I'M THINKING ABOUT ALL THE SHELTERS THAT ARE OPEN OVERNIGHT, THE 24 HOUR SHELTERS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ONLY OPEN IF IT'S 35 DEGREES OR LOWER.
UH, YOU KNOW, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, WHICH IS AN IMPROVEMENT OVER PREVIOUS YEARS, BUT THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE THINK MAY, YOU KNOW, HAVE A BETTER IMPACT ON HEALTH.
COULD WE, WOULD, WOULD THAT, UH, JUST THINKING LIKE WE COULD GET A REPORT, RIGHT? AND THEN THAT WOULD JUST BE FROM MAYBE AN ASK FROM ALL OF THE, I MEAN, PROVIDERS, I'M SORRY.
I WOULD IMAGINE HOMELAND SECURITY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WOULD DO AN AFTER ACTION REVIEW.
AND SO WE COULD JUST LOOK AT THAT REPORT AND PERHAPS DISCUSS THAT.
UM, REALLY HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE IS LEADING, UH, YOU KNOW, THE INITIAL SHELTERS AND SO PERHAPS WE COULD HAVE THEM COME PRESENT.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A BIG POPULATION THAT'S AFFECTED, UH, THAT WE, WE COULD LOOK AT CLOSER.
DANNY, CAN I COLLABORATE WITH YOU ON HOW WE CAN FIND OUT WHO CAN MM-HMM
ANYTHING THAT I MISSED FROM ONLINE? WONDERFUL.
WELL, UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR SHIFTING OUR MEETING TIME TO A LITTLE BIT LATER.
WE WILL BE BACK AT OUR REGULAR TIME NEXT MONTH.
UM, WE WILL CALL THIS MEETING ADJOURNED AT 5:03 PM THANK YOU.