Jan 07, 2026 Public Health Commission

THE APPROVAL OF OUR MINUTES.

HELLO, HELLO, HELLO.

AND WELCOME TO THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION.

OFFICIALLY COMING TO ORDER AT 2 32.

UH, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS TODAY OR COMMENTS.

UM, SO WE WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO

[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

UH, WE ARE LOOKING AT APPROVING THE MINUTES FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING ON NOVEMBER 5TH.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE? I MOVE.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

WAT RICE? ANYONE TO SECOND? SECOND.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CURRICULUM.

I'LL SECOND.

ANY QUESTIONS TO THE MOTION? AWESOME.

ALL IN FAVOR OF, UH, WHAT WE HAVE APPROVED FOR THE MINUTES OF THE COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING.

NOVEMBER 5TH, 2025.

RAISE YOUR HAND AND OR COME OFF OF YOUR SCREEN TO VOTE.

MOVING ON TO OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS, UH, ITEMS WE ARE LOOKING AT ANY UPDATES FROM COMMISSIONERS, UNASSIGNED ACTION ITEMS OR, UH, ANY UPDATES ON PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN WORKED ON OUTSIDE OF OUR TIME HERE AT THE COMMISSION? UM, I'LL JUST GIVE AN UPDATE ON MINE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH AND WELCOME TO OUR FRIENDS WHO ARE JOINING US VIRTUALLY ALSO HAPPY NEW YEAR.

I DON'T THINK I GOT THAT OUT.

UM, AND ALSO WELCOME COMMISSIONER ALI TO OUR, OUR SPACE.

AND WE ARE EXCITED TO HAVE YOU, UH, JOINING US AND IT'S A GOOD TIME TO JOIN US.

SO WE HOPE TO HEAR SOME GOOD THINGS FROM YOU TODAY.

[2. Receive updates from commissioners on assigned action items.]

BUT I THINK THAT ACTION ITEM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN LIKE SHELVE IT OR REMOVE IT.

'CAUSE I JUST DON'T SEE IT PROGRESSING ANY FURTHER.

I DON'T KNOW IF COMMISSIONER WITTY HAS ANYTHING ADDITION TO ADD TO THAT, BUT I JUST THINK THAT MIGHT NOT PROGRESS ANY FURTHER.

YEAH, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD.

I AGREE.

TOTALLY UNDERSTAND.

WE CAN GO AHEAD AND TABLE THAT AND SEE IF IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN REVISIT AT A LATER DATE, UM, OR THROUGH ANOTHER POTENTIAL COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITY OR MEMBER, UM, PARTNER.

ANY OTHER UPDATES? YEAH, PLEASE.

SO I'M STILL WORKING ON THE DRAFT RESOLUTION OF PERHAPS USING, YOU KNOW, INCOME OR TAXES FROM THE CAPTAIN STITCH TO BE, YOU KNOW, A PORTION OF IT TO GO TOWARDS PUBLIC HEALTH AND TO ADDRESS THE 1928 PLAN AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT VARIOUS PLANS FROM THE CITY, INCLUDING THE 1928 PLAN, UM, BUT ALSO JUST HOUSING AND OTHER AREAS, UH, THAT ARE RELEVANT TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND THAT HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY, YOU KNOW, 35 AND SPLITTING THE CITY THERE.

SO TRYING TO BE AS COMPREHENSIVE AS POSSIBLE TO, TO REALLY CREATE A STRONG ARGUMENT.

SO, UM, I AM DRAFTING SOMETHING AT THE MOMENT.

I HOPE TO HAVE SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY TO SEE BY NEXT MONTH.

UM, IT'LL BE A DRAFT STILL.

AND, AND REALLY AS I GO THROUGH THIS AND MORE AND MORE DEVELOPMENTS OCCUR, IT SEEMS LIKE THE TIMELINE'S REALLY GETTING PUSHED BACK FURTHER AND FURTHER FOR CAPTAIN STITCH.

AND IT'S, WHETHER OR NOT IT HAPPENS IS STILL KIND OF UP IN THE AIR JUST BASED ON FUNDING AND ALL THAT.

SO, UM, I THINK THOUGH THAT DESPITE THAT, I, YOU KNOW, I IMAGINE THERE'LL BE SOMETHING IF, EVEN IF IT IS JUST ONE LITTLE STITCH OR SOMETHING THAT, UM, WOULD STILL BE WORTHWHILE, YOU KNOW, EXPLORING THIS OPTION.

SO, UH, I AM STILL WORKING ON THAT.

AND AGAIN, I'LL HOPEFULLY HAVE SOMETHING FOR Y'ALL NEXT MONTH TO REVIEW ANY UPDATES FROM THOSE ONLINE.

I CAN GIVE AN UPDATE ON MINE.

I'VE BEEN WORKING ON DRAFTING THE, UH, RECOMMENDATION TO PRESERVE SEXUAL HEALTH FUNDING, BUT I'VE BEEN WAITING ON MORE INFORMATION AND DATA FROM AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, TO BACK THE CLAIMS FOR DOLLARS AND REASONS.

SO THAT'S STILL IN PROGRESS.

SO I'M JUST WAITING ON MORE INFORMATION BACK FROM A PH.

UH, COMMISSIONER LUHAN, COMMISSIONER RICE? NOTHING AT THIS TIME.

UH, JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF THERE WERE ANY UPDATES ON ACT ASSIGNED ACTION ITEMS OR ANYTHING THAT YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON PROJECTWISE OUTSIDE OF OUR REGULAR COMMISSION MEETINGS, UM, I HAVE SUBMITTED, UM, SOME INFORM, I I HAVE A PRESENTATION AND A PROPOSAL, AND THEN ALSO, UH, WITH CAPITAL METRO.

COMMISSIONER LUHAN, THE BEGINNING OF YOUR QUESTION.

HOW WELL I WAS LOGGING IN.

NO WORRIES, NO WORRIES AT ALL.

[00:05:01]

AND, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE STILL WAITING, UM, WITH THEM.

ANY FURTHER CONVERSATIONS, UM, WITH ALL THE MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS IN THIS AREA? UH, RIGHT NOW, UH, WE STILL HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY CONCRETE.

I DID HAVE A PRE-MEETING WITH CAPITAL METRO AND THEY JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHAT THEY TRIED TO EXPLAIN HOW AND WHY, UM, IT'S AGAINST THE LAW FOR THEM TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION IN THIS AREA.

AND, UH, I DID PROPOSE A COUPLE OF THINGS WHERE IT CAN HAPPEN, UH, SINCE, UH, CODA IS ANNEXED AND THEY'RE CONSIDERED CITY OF AUSTIN.

UH, SO I'M JUST WAITING FOR THAT RESPONSE, UM, AFTER I WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE ALL THE FOUNDATION ON THAT AND HOW WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

UM, HAVEN'T RECEIVED A, UM, MEETING INVITE YET FOR ALL THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE'RE GONNA SIT TODAY, UH, TOGETHER LIKE CENTRAL HEALTH, UM, TRAVIS COUNTY, I IS, UH, DELL VALLEY, DELL, A ISD, CODA, AND, UH, WHO ELSE? WE HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE ON THE TABLE.

UM, BUT I HAVE SENT OUT A PRESENTATION, UM, I THINK SOME, LIKE TWO MONTHS AGO, IF NOT THREE, BUT I CAN RESEND IT TO EVERYONE, UM, ABOUT WHAT I WAS WORKING ON.

AND THAT IS FOR THE COMMISSIONER TO REVIEW, CORRECT? YES, MA'AM.

UM, MOVING ON TO OUR DISCUSSION ITEM THREE, WHICH IS TO DISCUSS THE REVISED HARM REDUCTION OUTREACH EXPANSION RECOMMENDATION THAT HAS BEEN DRAFTED BY COMMISSIONER DOHA.

AND IF YOU NEED ANY SUPPORT, PLEASE TAP US IN, UM, TO SUPPORT YOU ON, ON COORDINATING THE MEETING OR WORKING WITH DANNY TO, UM, GET ANYTHING TAKEN CARE OF, AND THEN WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE REVIEW, UH, YOUR PRESENTATION AND PUT IT POTENTIALLY AS A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM FOR OUR NEXT MEETING.

THANK YOU FOR UPDATES.

AGAIN, UH, ALWAYS REACH OUT TO EACH OTHER, UH, MYSELF INCLUDED.

UM, SEND A DOUBLE EMAIL IN CASE I DON'T RESPOND.

[3. Discuss revised Harm Reduction Outreach Expansion recommendation. ]

UM, SO THE DRAFT THAT YOU RECEIVED IS INCLUDING ALL THE EDITS THAT WERE PROVIDED THROUGH FEEDBACK, UM, INCLUDING SOME UPDATED RESOLUTIONS, AS WELL AS, UM, SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE TOTALING COSTS OF THE CONTRACTS THAT EXPIRE IN SEPTEMBER, 2026.

THAT IS ADDED BACK IN THERE.

UM, SO SOME OF THE LANGUAGE WAS KIND OF GENERALIZED AND REDUCED A LITTLE BIT, UM, BUT NUMBER TWO ON THE SECOND PAGE IS SPECIFIC FUNDING, WHICH IS A RENEWAL OF THOSE CONTRACTS AND AN INCREASED AMOUNT.

BUT I DIDN'T PUT A SPECIFIC DOLLAR AMOUNT BECAUSE I THINK I'VE BEEN GUIDED TO NOT DO THAT, BUT MAKE IT VERY GENERAL.

SO I THINK THAT WAS THE BIGGEST ADDITION, JUST IN ADDITION TO MORE CONTEXT IN THE FIRST PAGE.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE HAS READ IT OR HAS ANY FEEDBACK ON THOSE SPECIFIC PARTS, BUT I BASICALLY WENT THROUGH THE DOCUMENT AND ALL THE COMMENTS AND, UM, ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WAS ADDED IN THERE.

JUST CURIOUS, WOULD THIS BE SOMETHING WE ARE SUBMITTING NOW IN REGARDS TO THE 2027 BUDGET? I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S DIFFICULT IS THAT I DON'T KNOW, AND THIS IS WHY IT'S A DISCUSSION NOW, BECAUSE I'M NOT ENTIRELY SURE WHERE THAT FITS INTO, LIKE THE BUDGET CYCLE OR IF IT EVEN HAS TO DO ADHERE TO IT IF IT IS INDEPENDENT.

I DON'T KNOW.

AND I THINK THAT'S THE QUESTION MARK I CURRENTLY HAVE THAT I NEED ASSISTANCE FIGURING OUT FROM YOU AND EVERYONE ELSE.

WELL, I WILL LOOK TOWARDS OUR EX OFFICIOS OF THE CITY AND COUNTY TO MAYBE CHIME IN AND TELL US THE BEST NEXT STEP FOR THIS.

IS IT A BUDGET? IS IT A, DO WE NEED TO FOLLOW THAT CYCLE TO GET THIS DONE AND SUBMITTED BY MARCH? IT'S SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT TRAVIS, IT'S SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT TRAVIS COUNTY PROGRAMS. IS ANNA MIGUEL ON? YES.

YEAH, I WOULD DEFER TO HER FOR THAT PROCESS.

SO I'M HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU.

ANNA, WE SAW YOU WAIVE .

UM, I BELIEVE THAT THE CONTRACTS ARE UNDER E UM, FUNDED BY OUR OPIOID FUNDS AND THEREFORE NOT PART OF THE BUDGET REQUEST, BUT IT'S NEVER A BAD IDEA TO SUBMIT, UH, A BUDGET REQUEST AND AN INTEREST.

[00:10:01]

AND THIS WOULD GO WITH THE FOLKS THAT YOU'VE COMMUNICATED WITH IN THE PAST, THAT WOULD BE LAURA PITO AND COURTNEY LUCAS TO, UM, TO MOVE THAT REQUEST ALONG.

SO I COULD JUST EMAIL THE REVISED VERSION BACK TO THEM? YES.

OKAY, PERFECT.

I THINK THAT WAS THAT LIKE NEXT STEP THAT I WAS UNSURE OF.

UM, BUT YEAH, I WENT THROUGH THE DOCUMENT, THEY PROVIDED SUCH CLEAR FEEDBACK THAT IT MADE IT SO MUCH EASIER TO MAKE THESE REVISIONS.

RIGHT.

SO I WILL THEN SEND THAT BACK TO THEM AND THEN I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN BE INCLUDED ON THAT, BUT I'LL JUST CC Y'ALL AS WELL, SEND IT TO DANNY.

OKAY, COOL.

BETTER SEE, AND IF YOU CC ME, THAT'LL BE GREAT.

I'LL, I'LL BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR IT.

AND ANY IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK? UM, BASED ON THE FINAL REVISIONS, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THE COMMISSION IN GENERAL, BUT COMMISSIONER, UM, FOR DOING THE WORK TO PUT THIS TOGETHER, UM, AND HELPING US TO CONTINUE THE FIGHT THAT WE'VE STARTED SEVERAL YEARS AGO THAT'S BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN HELPING INDIVIDUALS, PARTICULARLY IN THE HARM REDUCTION SPACE.

ANY FEEDBACK OR COMMENTS FROM OUR FRIENDS ONLINE? I WOULD JUST ECHO THAT.

THANKS.

YEAH, I THINK IT LOOKS GREAT.

I LOVE IT.

ALL RIGHT.

SO WE KNOW NEXT STEPS.

WE CAN, UH, MAYBE GET AN UPDATE FROM YOU NEXT MEETING ON HOW THAT'S GOING AND IF THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL SUPPORT THAT YOU NEED, UM, IN ORDER TO KEEP MOVING IT ALONG.

[4. Discuss and approve goals for the 2026 fiscal year.]

WE ARE INTO OUR NEXT, UH, AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS THE DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS. UH, ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS TO DISCUSS AND APPROVE GOALS FOR 2026 FISCAL YEAR, WHICH IS WILD TO SAY THAT WE'RE ALREADY HERE, BUT WE ARE, UH, EVERYONE HAS A TOPIC LIST, UM, OF WHAT WE'VE ALREADY DONE AND THEN WHAT'S STILL OUTSTANDING.

UH, I KNOW THAT WE'VE ALREADY HEARD THAT COMMISSIONER LUHAN IS STILL WORKING WITH CAP METRO, UM, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR FUTURE TOPICS, UM, THAT WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN ADAMANTLY WORKING ON.

UH, COMMISSIONER CROOK HAS ALREADY SHARED WITH US ABOUT THE CAP AND STITCH DISCUSSION AND WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON THERE.

UM, I KNOW THAT WE ARE STILL ACTIVELY WORKING ON, UH, OUR A PD TRAVIS COUNTY JAIL SYSTEM CONVERSATION.

SO ONCE WE'RE, WE'RE BACK IN THE SWING OF THINGS.

WE'RE GONNA WORK TO SEE IF THEY CAN COME AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH US AS WELL.

AND I'M CURIOUS FOR FEEDBACK ON THIS.

I THINK THAT, UH, FARM SHARE BROUGHT US SOME REALLY INTERESTING THINGS.

THE FOOD PLAN BROUGHT US SOME REALLY INTERESTING INFORMATION.

ARE WE, ARE WE LOOKING AT FOOD ACCESS AND FOOD INSECURITIES AS ONE OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAVE, UH, THROUGHOUT 2026? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE STILL WANT TO HAVE AT THE FOREFRONT OF OUR, OUR COMMISSION'S FOCUS? AND I WILL LEAVE THAT OPEN FOR PUSHBACK YES.

OR NOS.

I THINK WE CAN MOVE EITHER WAY, PLEASE.

I THINK WE SHOULD.

I THINK WE SHOULD KEEP IT AT THE FOREFRONT.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, WITH THE ISSUES LAST FALL WITH SNAP FUNDING AND EVERYTHING, I KNOW THE AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH COMMUNITY SERVICES REALLY HAD TO STEP UP AND SERVED TO, I THINK, THE MOST PEOPLE THEY'VE EVER SERVED.

UH, SO IT'S DEFINITELY A, AN ISSUE THAT'S AFFECTING OUR COMMUNITY STILL.

AND WE KNOW THAT THERE COULD BE ANOTHER FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUT DOWN SOON.

SO, UH, IT'S DEFINITELY GONNA CONTINUE TO BE A TOPIC.

I'M SEEING HEAD NODS, PLEASE.

YEAH, I'LL AGREE WITH THAT AS WELL.

THEN ALSO, UM, THIS IS A CAVEAT TO THAT.

I THINK SOME OF THE REFUGEE COMMUNITIES IN AUSTIN ARE PARTICULARLY STRUGGLING AS, YOU KNOW, THE, UM, FOOD SOURCES AND ALSO THE REFUGEE FUNDING SOURCES, UM, WENT AWAY.

AND SO JUST TO KIND OF, UM, ADD THAT ADDITIONAL ASPECT, DANNY, COULD WE GET IN TOUCH WITH OUR FOOD PLAN FRIENDS, UH, AND SEE IF WE CAN MAYBE GET JUST A ONE PAGER UPDATE FROM THEM, OR EVEN HAVE INVITE THEM TO COME BACK, UM, MARCH JUST SKIPS.

YEAH, PLEASE.

I WONDER IF WE COULD ALSO INVITE COMMUNITY SERVICES TO TALK ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS THEY MAY HAVE OR WHAT THEY, THEIR NEEDS ARE.

UM, PERHAPS WE ALSO NEED TO HEAR FROM, UH, AGENCIES SERVING REFUGEES AND SEE WHAT THE NEW GAPS AND NEEDS ARE THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, BECAUSE IT'S NOT RIGHT.

AND, AND THEN REACHING OUT TO, UM, I CAN COORDINATE REACHING OUT WITH FARM SHARE AGAIN.

UM, YEAH, IT MIGHT ALSO BE, UM, HELPFUL TO HAVE THE CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK TO COME.

I THINK THIS IS ALSO MAYBE ONE OF THE CASES WHERE YOU WANT TARGETED INTERVENTION AND, UM, MEANING,

[00:15:01]

IT'S NOT ONE SIZE FITS ALL IN THIS, IN THIS CASE.

THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP, ANNA.

I WOULD LOVE TO SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE INTENTIONALLY, UM, SO THAT WE ARE NOT CREATING, UH, AN INEQUITABLE PLAN OR NOT HAVING ENOUGH PEOPLE AT THE SEAT WITH THE SEAT AT THE TABLE.

UM, I KNOW DATA IS GONNA BE HARD TO GET RIGHT NOW, BUT I, I WOULD KNOW THAT WITH SNAP BEING HELD AND OR FINALLY MAYBE COMING BACK TO EVERYONE THAT IS, WAS RECEIVING IT OR MAYBE NOT, UM, WHAT THAT MEANS FOR SOME OF OUR FAMILIES IN THE CITY COUNTY.

UM, AND THEN ALSO THINKING ABOUT SUMMERTIME SCHOOLS OUT, WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH FOOD PROGRAMS FOR OUR KIDDOS.

UM, NOT TO NECESSARILY BRING IN SCHOOL SYSTEMS, BUT I THINK MAYBE, MAYBE A PH PART COULD BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION WITH SUMMER PROGRAMMING AND, AND ARE THEY ABLE TO STILL PROVIDE FOOD FOR, I DON'T KNOW.

I, AND I THINK THAT'S MAYBE MY BIG QUESTION, UM, BUT MAYBE IT'S A EVEN LARGER QUESTION ABOUT WHAT FOOD ACCESS ACTUALLY MEANS, UH, FOR EACH PART OF OUR, OUR, UM, OUR CITY AND OUR COUNTY INDIVIDUALS ACCESS, WHETHER IT'S TRAVEL, UM, ACCESSIBILITY, FINANCIAL ACCESSIBILITY.

I THINK WE COULD, WE COULD START ON A, A WHOLE NEW RECOMMENDATION FOR THAT AS WELL.

UM, SO YEAH, PLEASE.

UM, SO, SO FAR YOU'VE NAMED, UH, FARM SHARE THE REFUGEE, UM, COMMUNITY CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK, AS WELL AS COMMUNITY SERVICES ALL FOR MARCH.

UM, IF, IF WE COULD DO SIMILARLY WHAT WE DID WITH THE CHA CHIP, WHERE WE HAD, UM, INTENTIONAL TIME FOR THEM TO COME AND TALK TO US, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE, THEY ALL COME AT THE SAME TIME.

UM, BUT IF WE END UP GETTING MAYBE A CLEAR SCHEDULE IN MARCH, UM, AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER TOPICS THAT TAKE PRECEDENCE FOR US TO GET DONE, I SAY WHY NOT BREAK 'EM ALL IN, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE AVAILABLE.

UM, I DON'T WANNA LOSE THE PORTION OF MAY I, OH, DO YOU WANNA GO AHEAD? I DUNNO THAT OKAY.

I WASN'T SURE.

UM, I DON'T WANNA LOSE THE PORTION ABOUT, UM, REFUGEE SERVICES.

SO IF SOMEONE ON THE COMMISSION OR ANYONE IN THIS ROOM HAS AN EXISTING COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIP WITH AN ORGANIZATION, UM, I THINK THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO HAVE AS WELL.

ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THEY'RE ALSO FACING VERY SPECIFIC CHALLENGES.

SO WE COULD DO THE BROAD STROKES, BUT, UM, I DON'T WANNA LOSE THAT PIECE.

SO I WOULD WANT TO INCLUDE THAT EITHER IN THE SAME MONTH OR HAVE THE BROAD STROKES INFORMATION SUPPLEMENTAL VIA EMAIL AND THEN HAVE A REFUGEE ORGANIZATION IN MARCH AS WELL, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

SO LIKE SOME PRE-READS WOULD BE REQUIRED IN THAT, UM, JUST FOR THE SAKE OF TIME, AND THEN HAVE THAT ORGANIZATION, WHATEVER ORGANIZATION THAT IS INCLUDED IN THAT MONTH.

IT'S A THOUGHT, BUT I DUNNO HOW YOU'LL FEEL ABOUT THAT.

YES, I'VE WORKED WITH THE, UM, REFUGEE COLLECTIVE, UM, FOR A FEW YEARS.

AND, UM, THERE, THEY'RE A NONPROFIT THAT EMPLOY REFUGEES AND ALSO HAVE A FARM AND A CSA.

UM, AND SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD FIT.

YEAH, IF YOU CAN COORDINATE THE CONNECTION WITH DANNY AND, UH, WE CAN GET THAT TAKEN CARE OF.

ADAM CHAIR, SHOULD WE WAIT TILL MARCH? SINCE WE'RE ANTICIPATING SOME THINGS HAPPENING AT THE END OF THE MONTH, IF THE TIMELINE CAN BE PUSHED UP.

I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT FLEXIBILITY AND COORDINATION OF PEOPLE'S SCHEDULES, BUT IF IT'S, IF WE CAN DO IT FOR NEXT MONTH, LET'S TOTALLY DO IT FOR FEBRUARY.

ANY FEEDBACK? UM, FROM OUR FRIENDS ONLINE, THERE IS A COUPLE OF, UM, UH, A PARTICULAR ORGANIZATION THAT I JUST MADE A CONNECTION DURING THE CHRISTMAS, UH, BREAK.

IT'S ALA UM, I CAN SEND THAT INFORMATION.

CONTACT IS LURE.

SHE IS THE FOUNDER.

UM, SHE'S WORKING A LOT WITH, UM, THE IMMIGRANT, UH, COMMUNITY ALSO, UM, LOW INCOME.

AND THEN ALSO I WOULD LIKE TO CALL IN, UH, GARMAN FROM GAVA.

THERE IS SOME ADDITIONAL, UM, EFFORTS DOING IN THIS AREA OF DELL VALLEY TO BE ABLE TO BRING IN A, UH, FOOD CO-OP.

UM, WITH THE, WITH THE SUPPORT OF VANESSA

[00:20:01]

FUENTES OFFICE.

UH, THERE HAS BEEN SOME CHALLENGES, BUT DEFINITELY TO SEE HOW THEY CAN BE SUPPORTED IN THE SENSE OF MAKING IT HAPPEN HERE IN DELL VALLEY.

UM, AS WE KNOW, UM, NOT, WE HAVE LITERALLY, UM, BOYCOTTED FOOD DESERT.

UM, SO IT'S JUST FOOD ACCESS AT THIS POINT.

SO, UM, MAYBE GABA FROM CAR, UH, CARMEN, AND THEN ALSO LOURDES.

AND I DO HAVE A NUMBER, SO I CAN ALWAYS SEND IT OVER TO DANIELLA IF IT'S POSSIBLE.

YES, PLEASE.

HI.

I KNOW I RUNG THIS BELL BEFORE, BUT I'M GONNA CONTINUE TO DO IT.

UM, FOR A SMALL COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION, ESPECIALLY IN THE LIGHT OF FUNDING CUTS, COMING AND PREPARING A PRESENTATION FOR A COMMISSION IS A BIG DEAL, YOU KNOW, AND IT TAKES AWAY FROM BOOTS ON THE GROUND.

AND SO IF WE CAN JUST BE SENSITIVE TO THAT WHILE WE'RE THINKING OF THE WHOLE WORLD OF PEOPLE ADDRESSING FOOD INSECURITY OUT THERE, LIKE I'M, I'M, I'M NOT SURE HOW TO MANAGE THAT SO THAT YOU CAN GET THE RIGHT INFORMATION AND HEAR FROM THE RIGHT PEOPLE, BUT ALSO NOT TAKE AWAY RESOURCES FROM OTHER PLACES IF WE CAN JUST BE THINKING ABOUT THAT.

YEAH, OF COURSE.

UM, DANNY, CAN WE USE THE FORM STRUCTURE THAT WE WORKED ON? UM, WE PUT ONE TOGETHER FOR THE COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS, AND THEN ONE FOR THE EX OFFICIOS.

CAN WE BRING THAT BACK OUT AND SHARE IT TO THE COMMISSIONERS? UM, DANNY AND I WORKED ON A FEW DIFFERENT THINGS, JUST SO THAT WE COULD GET STRUCTURED INFORMATION AND NOT HAVING FOLKS FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE TO DO A 70 PAGE PRESENTATION.

UM, AND I THINK MAYBE THE EX OFFICIOS HAVE LIKE FIVE QUESTIONS, AND THE COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS HAVE MAYBE EIGHT QUESTIONS.

UM, BUT IT'S ALL THE SAME INFORMATION.

HAS YOUR, HAVE YOUR, UH, HAS YOUR FUNDING BEEN CUT? UM, THOSE TYPES OF QUESTIONS.

SO IT'S, IT'S MOSTLY A TOGGLE TYPE OF EXPERIENCE.

AND THEN, UH, GIVE US SOME MORE IN DEPTH INFORMATION SO THAT WE CAN GET THAT FROM THEM AND HAVE ALL OF THE SAME STRUCTURED OF INFORMATION AS WELL.

SO WE CAN RECIRCULATE THAT OUT AND MAKE SURE, IS THAT SOMETHING WE NEED TO VOTE ON TO SHARE IF WE SHARE IT WITH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS? , WITHOUT SEEING THE FORM, I'M, I'M THINKING NO.

UM, BUT ONCE I TALK TO DANNY, I, I WILL ASK, I I, I DO WANNA MENTION THAT ONE BOY, CENTRAL TEXAS DID A SURVEY OF THE TIME, THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE ASKING, BUT FOR ALL THE NONPROFITS, BUT ORGANIZED BY TYPE.

AND SO DO WE WANNA SEND THAT OUT OR DO WE WANNA WAIT TILL WE SEE THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS OF ANALYZING THE DATA NOW AND THEY PLAN TO COME TO PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE TO MAKE A FULL PRESENTATION? WE CAN ASK FOR THEM TO DO THAT THERE.

THAT WAY THE AGENCIES DON'T HAVE SURVEY FATIGUE.

YOU MIGHT GET SOME BASELINE KNOWLEDGE.

SO WHEN YOU ASK THEM TO COME OUT, WE'LL HAVE SOME VERY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT WE WANNA ASK THEM INSTEAD OF JUST LIKE INFORMATION SHARING.

'CAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE GONNA WANT SOMETHING.

LIKE, IF I'M BRINGING OUT THE DOGS AND THE PONIES, I WANT, I WANT, I WANT SOMETHING BACK.

SO JUST TO SAY IT.

AND I THINK, UH, VICE CHAIR AND, UH, CIA WAS GONNA COMMENT ON ONE VOICE.

WE THANK YOU FOR THE REMINDER DIRECTOR.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS AND HAVING ONE VOICE CONNECT WITH US, UH, VICE CHAIR.

I CONNECTED WITH THEM BACK IN DECEMBER WHEN THEY WERE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF SHARING THE SURVEYS.

UH, I HAVE SEEN THAT THEY'RE NOW IN THE PROCESS OF, UH, ANALYZING THE DATA.

THEY EXPRESSED, UM, ENTHUSIASM TO COME TO THE COMMITTEE AND TO SHARE SOME OF THE FINDINGS.

SO I DO THINK AS DIRECTOR STIR MENTIONED, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO MAYBE, UM, WALK THROUGH THOSE FINDINGS FIRST, UM, BEFORE WE SEND AN ADDITIONAL SURVEY.

THE OTHER THING TOO IS THAT CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK WOULD HAVE A LOT OF GOOD DATA ON WHERE THE FOOD'S GOING, BUT MAYBE NOT THE LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES.

SO JUST PUTTING THAT OUT THERE.

CONNECTING WITH THE REFUGEE COLLECTIVE, UM, SO THAT WE'RE, WE ARE ALSO NOT JUST OVERWHELMED WITH INFORMATION AND DATA, AND WE CAN MAYBE MOVE FORWARD MORE INTENTIONALLY.

SO IF WE TAKE A STEP BACK, INSTEAD OF SAYING, HAVING EVERYONE COME TO A MEETING, UM, WE PAUSE AND SEE WHERE, UH, ONE VOICE IS AT FOR A POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO COME IN AND SHARE WITH US, UM, THEIR FINDINGS.

UM, BUT THEN ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE STILL INTENTIONALLY

[00:25:01]

YES, PLEASE.

YES, MA'AM.

BUT I ALSO THINK YOUR, YOUR FIRST SUGGESTION OF HAVING THE FOOD PLAN FOLKS COME, BECAUSE I'M SURE EDWIN MARTY AND HIS TEAM HAVE BEEN DOING SOME RESEARCH AND GATHERING INFORMATION, AND THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU LIKE, THE BROAD LANDSCAPE, AND THEN WE CAN FIGURE OUT AFTER THAT WHAT PIECES OF INFORMATION YOU WANNA FILL IN FROM THE NONPROFITS DIRECTLY.

IS THAT, UM, ARE WE TRACKING DANNY? YES.

UM, SO WHAT WE COULD DO, UM, JUST TO MAKE SURE I GOT EVERYTHING RIGHT, IS CONSOLIDATE ONE VOICE.

UM, I ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT THE CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK JUST CAME AND PRESENTED TO US IN NOVEMBER.

SO INSTEAD OF HAVING THEM RETURN, I COULD REACH OUT FOR A ONE PAGER ON ANY GAPS THAT, OR QUESTIONS THAT YOU GUYS MAY HAVE, UM, FOLLOW UP WITH ONE VOICE, HOPEFULLY HAVE THEM COME IN.

ALSO, THE, UM, WHAT WAS IT THAT, UH, THE FOOD PLAN AND HAVE THEM COME IN, IN ADDITION TO THE REFUGEE SERVICES.

SO THOSE ARE GONNA BE THE ONLY TWO THAT WE DON'T CONSOLIDATE TO ONE VOICE.

I SEE SOME HEAD NODS.

WE'RE HA WE'RE WE FEEL GOOD ABOUT THIS.

THANK YOU FOR THE DIRECTION.

I, I, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT MO, THE CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK SERVES 21 COUNTIES, I THINK IT IS.

AND THEY DO HAVE THE DATA.

AND THIS IS, THIS IS STILL AN ONGOING EMERGENCY IN MY VIEW.

UM, THE NEED FOR FOOD HASN'T DECREASED AT ALL.

AND I, I WANT US TO BE FLEXIBLE IN WHETHER OR NOT WE JUST ACCEPT DATA OR WHETHER WE NEED THEM TO COME BECAUSE THEY WENT FROM SPENDING A MILLION DOLLARS A MONTH TO A MILLION DOLLARS A WEEK DURING THE SHUTDOWN.

JUST FOR MY OWN, UM, CLARITY, I KNOW THAT CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK IS PRIMARILY GRANT FUNDED, AND ARE THEY, ARE WE ABLE TO COORDINATE A RECOMMENDATION WITH THEM? TELL ME WHAT YOU MEAN BY WITH THEM.

WELL, I MEAN, IF WE'RE, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS, AND WE ARE CURRENTLY IN A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS IN A, IN SO MANY DIFFERENT MATTERS OF CATEGORIES, BUT IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT JUST LIKE FOOD STABILITY, I FEEL LIKE IF WE COULD INTENTIONALLY CRAFT SOMETHING, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOOD ACCESS FOR OVER A YEAR NOW.

UM, AND I'M JUST CURIOUS OF WHAT WE, WHAT ACTION WE COULD TAKE TO AS A COMMISSION.

SO IF WE HAVE EVERYONE COME IN, THEY SHARE WITH US, AGAIN, WE KNOW THERE'S STILL A CRISIS, THERE'S BEEN A CRISIS, THERE'S EVEN A BIGGER CRISIS AS A COMMISSION.

IS THAT A, A POLICY REFORM CONVERSATION BECAUSE POLICY IS BEING DISRUPTED? IS THAT A, UM, BUDGET RECOMMENDATION? BECAUSE MAYBE THAT'S THE PART OF OUR 2027 CYCLE, BUT THEN, I MEAN, WE'RE STILL IN A STATE OF EMERGENCY, SO IF WE'RE SAYING FOOD IS, IS ON THE 2027 CONVERSATION, BUT WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING IN THE MEANTIME.

I'M JUST CURIOUS, LIKE ONCE WE GET THIS INFORMATION, WHAT STEPS COULD WE TAKE AS A COMMISSION TO ACTIVATE THE POWERS THAT BE? I THINK IT COULD BE MULTILAYERED.

UM, DEPENDING ON WHAT WE HEAR, THERE COULD BE SOME PROGRAMMATIC RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, FOR THE CITY, UM, AND FOR THE COUNTY, THAT WOULD MOST LIKELY BE A FUNDING RECOMMENDATION.

UM, I THINK FOR THE RESPECTIVE BODIES, IT COULD BE A RECOMMENDATION FOR A BUDGET ALLOCATION AND THEN FOR SOME POLICY.

AND THEN IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT STATE POLITICS, LIKE WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF PLANNING FOR THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION, SO IS THERE SOME TYPE OF STATE LEVEL POLICY THAT WE NEED TO ADVOCATE FOR AND, AND WORK ON? SO WITHOUT LIKE KNOWING THE DETAILS, LIKE THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I'M THINKING THE COMMISSION COULD BE ACTIVE.

[00:30:01]

DIRECTOR.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THE FOOD SHARE? UH, A FOOD ACCESS, FOOD INSTABILITY TOPIC.

OKAY, SO WE'RE MOVING THAT UP TO FEBRUARY.

UM, TO GET CHAIR, JUST TO NOTE, THIS IS ACTUALLY GOING TO WORSEN NOT ONLY FOR THE PENDING CLO UH, CLOSING, BUT ALSO BECAUSE, UM, WITH INSURANCE COSTS SKYROCKETING, THAT REALLY CREATES JUST SUCH A BURDEN AS SUCH AN ECONOMIC BURDEN.

SO, UM, JUST HIGHLIGHTING THAT AS WELL.

THANK YOU, ANNA.

UM, OKAY.

I'LL PULL THAT, I'LL PULL THAT COMMENT BACK.

UM, DO, DO WE HAVE A ABILITY TO TALK TO THE, THE HEB AS A COMMISSION AS FAR AS WHAT THEIR COMMUNITY ACTIVATION AND, UH, SUPPORT LOOKS LIKE? ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A STATE LEVEL POLICY, WHOEVER WE WANT TO.

I SEE, I SEE.

SO WE'LL, SO LET'S SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.

YOU KNOW, UM, COMMISSIONERS, IF YOU HAVE ANY RELATIONSHIPS WITH HEV OR YOU HAVE SOMEONE THAT YOU, UH, WOULD, WOULD BE WILLING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH, UM, EVEN IF THAT MEANS WE ARE CAMPAIGNING TO CONNECT, UM, I KNOW THEY ARE ADVOCATES FOR FOOD, UH, NO PUN INTENDED.

UM, BUT ALSO HAVE, UH, MAYBE SOME SUPPORTIVE RESOURCES THAT CAN, CAN BE A PART OF OUR CONVERSATION AS WELL.

YEAH, I WAS JUST GONNA PROVIDE ADDIT ADDITIONAL CONTEXT.

SO I DID WORK WITH AN HEB CONTRACT WHEN I WAS ALSO WORKING IN TANDEM UNDER SNAP EDUCATION OR P SNAP ED, UM, .

BUT YEAH, I WILL SAY LIKE THEY ARE VERY PRO PROFU, THESE, THAT TYPE OF WORK, SO I DON'T THINK IT'S LIKE A CRAZY IDEA THAT THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING TO HAPPEN.

SO I THINK IT'S LIKE WITHIN THEIR WHEELHOUSE, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

SO JUST ADDING THAT CONTEXT.

SO WHAT I'M, SO WHAT I'M HEARING IS, UM, YOU ARE WILLING TO COLLABORATE WITH SOMEONE, MYSELF OR ON THE COMMISSION TO ENGAGE AND HAVE THIS CONVERSATION.

SURE.

LET'S DO IT.

I LOVE IT.

VOLUNTEERING OURSELVES.

UM, WONDERFUL.

LET'S, LET'S DO THAT.

UM, I WILL, I WILL STAND ON MY SOAPBOX ABOUT FOOD ACCESS FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

UM, BUT I KNOW WE ONLY HAVE LIMITED TIME TO BE HERE TOGETHER.

YES, MA'AM.

PLEASE.

COMMISSIONER LUHAN.

UM, AND I BRING BACK A, GAVA HAS A LOT OF INFORMATION.

UH, THEY HAVE TALKED DIRECTLY WITH, UH, HEB, UH, IN A LOT OF THEIR EFFORTS TO SUPPORTING CERTAIN AREAS IN CERTAIN COMMUNITIES THAT NEED ACCESSIBLE, UH, FOOD, UM, QUALITY AND, UH, QUALITY.

UM, THEY HAVE NUMBERS.

I, I'M NOT TOO INFORMED OF ALL THE INFORMATION THAT THEY HAVE GATHERED.

SO INSTEAD OF YOU GUYS STARTING FROM LIKE SCRATCH, MAYBE TOUCH BASE WITH G YOU, IF THEY CAN SHARE SOME OF THAT INFORMATION WITH Y'ALL, AGAIN, THEY HAVE BEEN SUPPORTED BY VANESSA FUENTES, UH, OFFICE.

SO I'M SURE THAT SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU GUYS MIGHT NEED TO BE ANSWERED HAVE ALREADY BEEN ANSWERED.

SO WHEN YOU COME IN AND HAVE THOSE MEETINGS WITH THEM, YOU KNOW, YOU AT LEAST KNOW GET MORE OUT OF THE MEETING THAN, YOU KNOW, HAVING TO START FROM SCRATCH.

COMMISSIONER LUHAN, COULD YOU, UM, CREATE A CONVERSATION, UM, AT LEAST FOR MYSELF, YOU AND COMMISSIONER DO HAUSEN, UH, SO THAT WE CAN COORDINATE HOW TO CONNECT? YES, MA'AM.

WILL DO.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ANY OTHER, NOT THAT THIS IS A TABLE TOPIC, BUT WE'RE JUST, I WANNA MAKE SURE WE GET ALL OF THE TOPICS THAT ARE AT HAND THAT WE WANNA DISCUSS.

ONE OF OUR OTHER FUTURE ITEMS WAS SOMETHING, UH, THAT COMMISSIONER RICE, UM, HAD MENTIONED, WHICH WAS TO INVITE COMMISSIONER, UM, COUNCILWOMAN FUENTES TO PROVIDE INPUT AND GUIDANCE.

UH, COMMISSIONER RICE.

ARE WE, ARE WE STILL MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS REQUEST? IT SOUNDS LIKE I NEED TO ACTIVATE THE, UH, IDEA TO TRANSFORM IT INTO AN ACTION, IS WHAT THAT SUGGESTION WOULD BE, AND I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT.

IS THAT SOMETHING YOU WOULD ASK? WE'D ASK HER.

COME, UM, JOIN OUR, OUR COUNCIL FOR A SESSION.

[00:35:01]

WE WOULD LOVE THAT.

AND IF YOU NEED ANY SUPPORT HAVING DANNY, UH, HELP YOU WITH THAT, WE ARE READY TO ACTIVATE HER TO SUPPORT YOU IN THAT SPACE AS WELL.

AND SINCE I GAVE YOU THE SPOTLIGHT, I KNOW COMMISSIONER RICE, UH, YOU SHARED OVER SOME TOPICS, DID YOU WANNA SHARE ANY OF YOUR, UM, UM, TOPICS THAT YOU WANNA SHARE OUT LOUD? OR I CAN ALSO JUST PICK AND CHOOSE IF YOU WOULD LIKE, YOU KNOW, UM, MAYBE I'LL JUST TOSS OUT A COUPLE, JUST BECAUSE I HAD TRIED TO THINK EXPANSIVELY A LITTLE BIT AND I HAD SOME THOUGHTS ON THINGS, BUT I DON'T KNOW, IT'S KINDA LIKE A BALLOON THAT DOESN'T HAVE AIR IN IT YET.

SO MAYBE SOME OF THE THINGS I'M GONNA WONDER ABOUT, WE COULD, UM, PUSH SOME AIR INTO IT.

UM, I WAS JUST THINKING, I'LL JUST MENTION A COUPLE THINGS.

JUST THANK YOU FOR THE, THE CHANCE TO CHAT FOR A MINUTE.

AND I'M SORRY I'M REMOTE TODAY, BUT THIS IS JUST THE WAY MY SCHEDULE WORKS OUT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKING ABOUT, UM, THE AUSTIN, UM, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN AS A, AS A RESOURCE THAT, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY AS A, YOU KNOW, A STATE INSTITUTION, BUT THEY LIVE AND BREATHE IN, IN CENTRAL TEXAS AND AUSTIN.

AND, UM, I WONDERED IF THERE'S A MORE WE COULD BE DOING AT THE, AT THE CITY OF THE AUSTIN, UM, UM, I'M SORRY, THE, YOU KNOW, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH.

I KNOW WE'VE TALKED OR MAYBE HAD SOME CONTACTS IN THE PAST, BUT I WONDERED IF WE INVITED THE DEAN OVER MAYBE TO SAY, COME TALK TO US.

WE'D LIKE TO COLLABORATE.

WE WE HAVE THINGS WE MIGHT WANT TO ASK OR, OR PROJECTS WE MIGHT WANT TO ASK OR, OR, UM, AGAIN, I'M, I LEAVE IT TO THE, THE, THE GREAT THINKING OF THE OVERALL COMMISSION TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WE MIGHT ASK THEM TO DO.

BUT IT SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE A RESOURCE THAT WE MIGHT TRY TO TAP MORE FORMALLY, AND THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE INITIATED BY THE CONVERSATION WITH THE DEAN.

AND, UM, I'VE FOR A LONG TIME WONDERED AND WISHED WE COULD FIND A WAY TO ASK THE, UM, ADVANCED COMPUTING CENTERS TO MODEL COMMUNITY HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH AS AN EXERCISE THAT COULD THEN, THEN BE USED AS A, UM, A TOOL, UM, FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO, UM, THINK ABOUT DIFFERENT INTERVENTIONS WE MIGHT DO.

AND SUCH A MODEL WOULD THEN TELL YOU, WELL, IN THREE YEARS, OR IN SIX MONTHS, OR IN WHATEVER NUMBER, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER TIMEFRAME, IF YOU DID THAT, THIS WOULD BE AN OUTCOME.

SO MODELING, COMPUTATIONAL MODELING OF COMMUNITY HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH WOULD BE AN INTERESTING IDEA.

THEY HAVE THE, THE PEOPLE THAT KNOW HOW TO DO THAT FOR ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT MODELING PROBLEMS. BUT I DON'T THINK ANYBODY'S DOING THAT AT SCALE, ACTUALLY ANY PLACE THAT I'M AWARE OF.

AND THAT I'VE, I'VE WONDERED ABOUT THAT.

UM, SO THOSE ARE JUST A COUPLE THINGS.

UM, I, YOU KNOW, MY COMMENTS TO YOU ARE JUST TRYING TO BE EXPANSIVE TO THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, AND AS WE'VE ALL TALKED ABOUT, KNOWING MORE ABOUT WHAT OTHER PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSIONS DO, WHAT THEY'RE WORKING ON, WHAT THEY STUDY, WHO'S TALKING TO THEM, YOU KNOW, AND THEN LASTLY, KIND OF THE IDEA OF, UM, YOU KNOW, ARE THERE NATIONAL OR GLOBAL EXPERTS WHO ARE COMING THROUGH AUSTIN WHO MIGHT, YOU KNOW, HAVE AN AVAILABILITY TO TALK TO US ON THE SUB SUBJECT? I DON'T KNOW HOW WE WOULD KNOW THAT, BUT ALSO MAYBE EXPERTS THAT IN ONE THING OR ANOTHER, THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE TALKED ABOUT FOOD, MAYBE THERE'S AN EXPERT THAT WORKS AT HARVARD.

I'M JUST MAKING IT UP, WORKS AT UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AND AUSTIN, SO I DON'T WANNA, YOU KNOW, SOUND CRAZY HERE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, ARE THERE EXPERTS IN DC OR SOMEPLACE ELSE THAT, THAT WOULD BE INTERESTED IN COMING DOWN TO TALKING TO US AND GIVE US A LITTLE GLOBAL OR, OR DIFFERENT KIND OF PERSPECTIVE THAN WE MAY HAVE LOCALLY ON THESE KIND OF PRIMARY PROBLEMS THAT RELATE TO PUBLIC HEALTH? SO I'LL STOP THERE, BUT THOSE WERE JUST SORT OF THINGS I WONDERED ABOUT AND WOULD WELCOME ANYBODY'S COMMENTS OR DERIVATIVE IDEAS.

TO TODAY AS WELL, TO UNDERSTAND WHO TO CONNECT THEM WITH.

IF, IF I MAY COMMENT.

UM, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING ALL THAT, UH, TO OUR ATTENTION.

UH, COMMISSIONER RICE, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO A FEW PEOPLE.

I REACHED OUT TO PROFESSOR HANNAH KANG FROM THE UT SCHOOL OF PHARMACOLOGY.

HER RESEARCH FOCUSES ON EVALUATING THE IMPACTS OF HEALTH, POLICIES ON HEALTH OUTCOMES, UH, HEALTHCARE RESOURCE UTILIZATION COSTS, IDENTIFYING PREDICTORS OF CLINICAL AND ECONOMIC OUTCOMES THROUGH THE ANALYSIS OF LARGE REAL WORLD DATABASES.

SHE SAID SHE WAS VERY INTERESTED IN ACCESS TO DATA, COLLABORATING WITH THE COMMISSION WITH RELEVANT QUESTIONS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE.

UM, I ALSO TALKED TO PROFESSOR AL GUSTO, CESAR DE MOAI.

HE'S AT THE DEPARTMENT OF EPIDEMIOLOGY, UT HEALTH, HOUSTON SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH BASED IN AUSTIN.

UH, AND THEN PROFESSOR SONYA GONZALEZ, THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, PROGRAM AT UT, THEY ALL DISCUSSED, UH, AND SAID THEY'RE INTERESTED IN PURSUING, FOR EXAMPLE, CAPSTONE PROJECTS, INTERESTED IN CONNECTING WITH NONPROFITS THAT MAY BENEFIT FROM HELP FROM UT STUDENTS.

THEY ALSO ASK WHETHER THE COMMISSION CAN PROVIDE A LIST OF KEY NONPROFITS THAT CURRENTLY HAVE STRONG NEED.

UM, SO I WANTED TO BRING THAT

[00:40:01]

IN TERMS OF A PH IN TRAVIS COUNTY, I KNOW WE'VE TALKED IN THE PAST ABOUT ACCESS TO DATA.

UM, WHO NECESSARILY SHOULD WE BE CONNECTING, UH, THESE GROUPS AND PROFESSORS WITH? AND THEN AS A MORE ACTIVATING QUESTION, UH, I THINK AS A COMMISSION, MAYBE WE CAN START GATHERING KEY QUESTIONS WE WOULD WANT TO RESEARCH, UH, ON AN EXO VIA DANNY, UM, AND THEN PRIORITIZE IN OUR NEXT MEETING BEFORE SENDING TO THESE RESEARCHERS.

BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT WE'RE ASKING.

UH, I THINK A FEW OF THE ONES WE'VE HEARD IN THE PAST ARE, WHAT IS THE IDEAL PERCENTAGE OF LOCAL BUDGETS THAT SHOULD BE PROVIDED TO PUBLIC HEALTH? CAN WE LOOK AT LOCAL AND OTHER PLACES? UM, THE 3% NUMBER HAS, UH, KIND OF CIRCLE AROUND, BUT WE COULD USE THESE RESOURCES TO KIND OF SHAPE SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS AND GET SOME ANSWERS THAT, UM, WOULD HELP US AS WELL WITH OUR DECISIONS.

AND THEN I KNOW WE'VE HAD QUESTIONS AROUND POLICIES AND INTERVENTIONS AND OUTCOMES QUESTIONS AROUND OTHER CITIES AND WHAT COULD WORK HERE.

SO THOSE WERE SOME INITIAL THOUGHTS FROM MY CONVERSATIONS.

IT'S INTERESTING.

IN SOME WAYS, IT WOULD BE NICE FOR US TO THINK ABOUT THE QUESTIONS WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE PROFESSORS.

IT'D ALSO BE NICE, THOUGH, TO ASK THE PROFESSORS WHAT QUESTIONS THEY THINK WE OUGHT TO BE ASKING.

YOU KNOW, UM, A PROFESSORS ARE PRETTY BUSY AND THEY HAVE THEIR OWN INCENTIVES.

SO I THINK THE E THE MORE WE CAN DO FOR THEM, THEN THE MORE WE CAN USE THEIR THEM AS AS A RESOURCE.

VERY SIMILAR AREAS OF CONCERN AND NEED.

SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY, I CAN TELL YOU, UM, THAT, UM, WHAT WE CAN OFFER, UH, RESEARCHERS IS, UH, OUR RESEARCH AND PLANNING DIVISION PRODUCES A ANNUAL, UH, SUR AN ANALYSIS OF THE, AN ANNUAL COMMUNITY SURVEY FOR TRAVIS COUNTY.

SO WE WRITE UP A REPORT ON THAT AND ALSO USUALLY DO ONE ON, UM, ON POVERTY.

THAT'S ALSO AN, AN ELEMENT OF THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY.

WE ALSO ANNUALLY PRODUCE, UH, WHAT IS CALLED A COMMUNITY IMPACT REPORT, WHICH IS OUR, UH, PERFORMANCE, UH, REVIEW OF, OR SOCIAL SERVICE INVESTMENTS BY DOLLAR AMOUNT, BY THE ISSUE AREA AND THE PERFORMANCE OF THOSE AGENCIES AND THE AGENCIES WITH WHOM WE CONTRACT.

SO THAT IS ALSO SOMETIMES A USEFUL, UH, BACKGROUND FOR, FOR, FOR RESEARCH.

YEAH, IT WOULD BE GREAT.

MAYBE I CAN CONNECT WITH YOU AFTERWARDS.

SURE.

WE CAN GATHER THOSE RESOURCES.

SOUNDS GOOD.

DR.

WALKS, I KNOW YOU WERE GONNA JUMP IN.

UH, I REALLY ENJOYED THIS DISCUSSION.

UM, I JUST WANTED TO LET THE COMMISSION KNOW THAT WE HAVE AN ONGOING AGREEMENT WITH UT TO ALLOW FOR DATA EXCHANGE.

UM, AND WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH MANY OF THE DEPARTMENTS THERE, UM, TO PRODUCE OUR, UM, COMMUNITY HEALTH ASSESSMENT AND COMMUNITY, UM, HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN.

SO THOSE ARE IN ADDITION TO THE ONES THAT ANA JUST, UH, LISTED.

I THINK THAT GIVES A LARGE, UH, BODY OF INFORMATION AS FAR AS DATA GOES.

UM, I, I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT SOME RESEARCH RECENTLY AND THERE'S A RECENTLY PUBLISHED PAPER, UM, IN BY WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL SCHOOL.

AND IT CLEARLY CONCLUDES THAT GREATER STATE LEVEL PUBLIC HEALTH FUNDING PER CAPITA APPEARS TO HAVE PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION AGAINST REPORTING GREATER THAN OR EQUAL TO 14 DAYS OF POOR PHYSICAL HEALTH IN INDIVIDUALS AND LOWER HOUSEHOLD INCOMES, AND MAY BE HELPFUL IN REDUCING HEALTH INEQUITIES.

AND I THINK IN OUR CURRENT CLIMATE, WHERE WE'RE, UM, HAVE THE UNCERTAINTY AND DEFINITE IMPACT ON OUR CAPACITY DUE TO FUNDING CUTS THAT, UM, IT WOULD BEHOOVE US TO BE REALLY INTENTIONAL ABOUT WHERE WE'RE SPENDING OUR MONEY AND OUR TIME, UM, SO THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY HELPING THE PEOPLE THAT NEED THE HELP.

AND, UM, UNDERSTANDING THAT A LOT OF TIMES WE STUDY THINGS AND, AND WE'RE NOT SURPRISED BY OUTCOMES.

UM, AND THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING IN THE CARE COORDINATION SPACE RIGHT NOW TO GATHER REAL TIME DATA, I THINK IS GONNA BE HELPFUL TO, UM, OUR COMMITTEE, OUR COMMUNITY, AND THIS COMMITTEE, AND TO OUR GOVERNING AGENCIES AND UNDERSTANDING TRENDS AND IMPACTS.

SO, JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT STATEMENT.

AND I DID WANNA CIRCLE BACK TO THE PRESENTATION THAT WE HAD AROUND THE CHA CHIP IN NOVEMBER.

UM, WE HAVE ASCENSION, BAYLOR SCOTT AND WHITE, ST.

DAVID CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK, A PH ALL WORKING ON

[00:45:01]

AND ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I'VE BEEN CURIOUS ABOUT IS, UM, WITH ALL OF THE WORK, UNDERSTANDING THE LIMITATIONS, UNDERSTANDING THE, THE LACK OF FUNDING, WE'VE HEARD SOME OF THIS BEFORE.

WE'VE HEARD THIS OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

WE'VE, WE'VE SEEN WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE.

AND, AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS OUR COMMISSION COULD DO IS INTENTIONALLY START HAVING REAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, UH, WHAT DOES COMMUNITY HEALTH LOOK LIKE? AND I SAY COMMUNITY HEALTH IN A BROAD ARCHING STATEMENT, UM, BY 2028.

AND IF, AND, AND WHEN WE START TO HAVE THAT QUESTION OR WHAT THAT MEANS, WE HAVE LOSS OF FOOD ACCESS, WE HAVE LOSS OF HEALTHCARE ACCESS, WE HAVE LOSS OF MENTAL HEALTH.

I MEAN, WE COULD GO DOWN THAT LIST OF EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE LOSING AT THIS POINT.

UM, BUT I THINK IF WE START TO LOOK IN THE FUTURE OF WHAT IS, WHAT DOES THAT IMPACT ACTUALLY MEAN AND OUTCOMES TO THE FAMILIES THAT ARE LIVING HERE, WE CAN THEN LOOK AT POTENTIALLY STATE LEVEL POLICY THAT IS INHIBITING POTENTIALLY SOMETHING CATASTROPHIC, RIGHT? WE CAN TALK ABOUT BUDGET ALLOCATION WITH MORE INTENTION OF THIS IS A DIRECT CONNECTION TO A DEVASTATING OUTCOME TO OUR COMMUNITY OF X AMOUNT OF PEOPLE.

AND THIS IS WHY WE BELIEVE THIS 3%, JUST TO CONTINUE WITH THE 3% COULD POTENTIALLY SHIFT TO THE NARRATIVE.

I, I KNOW THAT IT'S GONNA TAKE SOME RESEARCH ON OUR OWN HA ON OUR OWN BEHALFS TO DO THAT.

UM, BUT I FEEL LIKE THAT'S WHAT WE COULD ACTUALLY ASK THE PROFESSORS TO SUPPORT US IN.

UM, JUST SO THAT WE'RE NOT COLLECTING MORE DATA TO ASK MORE QUESTIONS, TO COLLECT MORE DATA, ANY GUTTURAL REACTIONS FROM THE GROUP IS WELCOMED.

I, I'D SAY THAT I LIKE THE IDEA THAT WE WOULD GO TO THEM WITH A QUESTION, WITH THE INTENTION THAT WE WOULD HAVE A RECOMMENDATION AT THE END OF IT, NOT JUST A QUESTION FOR THE SAKE OF IT.

SO I, I LIKE WHAT YOU PROPOSED.

UM, I'LL SECOND THAT.

OH, UM, I'M JUST GOING TO USE THE RECOMMENDATION WE JUST TALKED ABOUT AS LIKE AN EXAMPLE.

SO I THINK THERE'S THINGS THAT LIKE, ARE SUPER OBVIOUS, KIND OF LIKE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

IT'S LIKE PEOPLE NEED FOOD.

LIKE YEAH, THAT'S LIKE, EVERYONE KIND OF KNOWS THAT.

SO I THINK WHAT'S REALLY DIFFICULT ABOUT THIS COMMISSION IS LIKE, YEAH, WE'RE COLLECTING DATA, WE HAVE ALL THIS INFORMATION TO LIKE CREATE THE WHY YOU SHOULD BE DOING THIS.

BUT I THINK THIS LIKE FINAL STEP OF LIKE, HOW WE'RE GONNA DO THIS AND LIKE THAT BUDGET, LIKE WHERE DOES THE MONEY COME FROM? WHO'S IN CHARGE OF THIS? I THINK THAT'S A PIECE THAT'S LIKE KIND OF KEEPING US FROM LIKE DOING ACTIONABLE THINGS.

'CAUSE I THINK IN MY OPINION, WE'RE LIKE STUCK IN THIS KIND OF LIKE ASKING QUESTIONS, TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT.

BUT LIKE, THERE ARE SOME VERY OBVIOUS THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO.

I THINK IT'S JUST HOW TO OPERATIONALIZE IT IS A BIG PIECE, BIG QUESTION MARK THAT I THINK WE NEED TO DIG A LITTLE BIT MORE INTO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS.

I THINK THAT'S A VERY GOOD POINT, COMMISSIONER.

UM, I FORESEE YOUR CHALLENGE BEING THE COMMISSION'S CHALLENGE, BEING NARROWING DOWN YOUR FOCUS BECAUSE FOOD IS BIG WITHIN ITSELF, BUT TO REALLY DEFINE WHAT PUBLIC HEALTH'S ROLE AND THEN BY EXTENSION THE COMMISSION'S ROLE SHOULD BE IN THAT SPACE, SHOULD BE VERY NARROW AND SPECIFIC.

AND THAT'LL BE HARD BECAUSE THAT MEANS THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOME PIECES THAT WE CAN'T TOUCH.

AND SO I THINK THAT NOW I KNOW THAT'S THE CHALLENGE YOU'RE GONNA HAVE WITH EVERY ISSUE THAT YOU FACE, WHETHER IT BE FOOD ACCESS, WHETHER IT BE HOUSING STABILITY, WHETHER IT BE VACCINES, WHETHER ANYTHING THAT SUPPORTS PEOPLE'S WELLBEING HAS A PUBLIC HEALTH IMP IMPLICATION.

AND SO I, I AGREE IT'S TIME TO PROBABLY REALLY NARROW AND MAKE SOME HARD DECISIONS TO SAY, THIS IS THE THING, WE KNOW THESE OTHER THINGS ARE IMPORTANT, BUT THIS IS THE THING THAT WE'RE GONNA RIDE ON THIS YEAR AND THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE GOOD POLICY ABOUT AND THAT WE'RE GONNA MAKE STRONG BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT.

BUT YET, CAN I ALSO RECOMMEND THAT YOU LEAN INTO WHERE YOUR, UM, POWERS AND INFLUENCE ARE? MO POWERS ARE MOST INFLUENTIAL.

[00:50:01]

I HEAR US TALKING A LOT ABOUT STATE POLICY, BUT WE ARE A LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION, AND THAT IS NOT NOTHING AT A LOCAL LEVEL.

AND SO LET'S NOT DILUTE OUR EFFORTS.

UM, UM, YEAH.

I ALSO WANTED TO ADD TO THIS DISCUSSION SINCE, UH, VICE CHAIR, VICE ALSO TALKED ABOUT HOW WE COULD ENGAGE OTHER, UH, CITIES AND COMMISSIONS.

UM, AND THE CHAIR HAVE CONNECTED US TO PHILIP HUANG, WHO SOME OF YOU KNOW, IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE DALLAS COUNTY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES PREVIOUSLY SERVED AS THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR AND HEALTH AUTHORITY FOR AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.

UH, AND REALLY THE TOPIC WE HAD FOR DISCUSSION WITH HIM WAS HOW WE ACTIVATE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION, ESPECIALLY IN THE WAKE OF CURRENT FUNDING CUTS.

UM, I THINK THE KEY INSIGHTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HE PROVIDED WERE THAT THE COMMISSION'S ROLE SHOULD INCLUDE AND REALLY BE STRONG AROUND ADVOCATING FOR PUBLIC HEALTH FUNDING.

UH, ALSO REMINDING LEADERS THAT PUBLIC HEALTH AND CLINICAL CARE ARE NOT THE SAME THING.

UM, AND SOME OF THE OTHER AREAS THAT HE TOUCHED ON WERE THAT THE FOCUS ON POOR PUBLIC HEALTH FUNCTIONS WAS REALLY IMPORTANT, UH, FOR OUR COMMISSION, NOT NECESSARILY ON SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OR HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATION, BUT HE FELT THAT NO ONE ELSE IS GONNA BE ABLE TO, UH, STRENGTHEN THE PUBLIC HEALTH VOICE, UH, THE SAME WAY THAT THE COMMISSION CAN IN TERMS OF ELEVATING PUBLIC HEALTH VISIBILITY, UM, AMID GROWING ATTENTION ON HEALTHCARE AND SOCIAL SERVICES.

SO HE DID EMPHASIZE THE NEED FOR, OR THAT WE COULD EMPHASIZE THE NEED FOR MORE STAFF AND RESOURCES IN PUBLIC HEALTH TO MEET LOCAL NEEDS.

UM, AND THEN HE ALSO MENTIONED COMMUNITY DATA AND INFORMATION IS KEY, IS A KEY ROLE OF PUBLIC HEALTH, UH, IN HOW, UM, THAT IS USED TO MAKING DECISIONS.

UH, AND FINALLY HE MENTIONED, UM, THAT THE COMMISSION CAN ADVOCATE FOR FUNDING AT BOTH LOCAL AND MAYBE PERHAPS AS WELL AT FEDERAL LEVELS.

AND THOSE WERE KIND OF THE KEY AREAS THAT HE TOUCH ON IN OUR CONVERSATION.

VERY INTERESTING.

ACROSS MAYBE, UH, ADOPTING SOME OF SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS WHERE NOT ONLY DO THEY NEED SUPPORT TO COLLECT DATA FOR THEM TO GROW AND REALLY BRING SOMETHING TO THE TABLE WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC HEALTH, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT IMPACT, THAT'S WHERE THE IMPACT COMES IN.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT.

I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THAT PLEASE GO AHEAD.

SORRY, GO AHEAD.

UM, I DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THAT, DEFINITELY WE NEED MORE, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT STAFFING, UH, WHEN WE WANNA GET LIVE NUMBERS.

I REALLY FEEL THAT I HAD A MEETING WITH ST.

DAVIS FOUNDATION MAYBE ABOUT A MONTH AGO, UH, FOR A PERSONAL, UH, SITUATION AND ADVOCACY FOR OTHER SMALL ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE STARTING UP BECAUSE IT SEEMS THAT A LOT OF THE FUNDING THAT IS GOING IS GOING TO SOME OF THESE BIG DOGS AND, YOU KNOW, BIG ORGANIZATIONS AND, UH, KIND OF SPREAD HERE AND THERE, UH, PROMISES FOR SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS, BUT WE HAVE TO BE VERY REALISTIC PEOPLE ON THE GROUND, AND SOMEBODY MENTIONED IT RIGHT NOW, I KNOW I HEARD HER, IT'S PEOPLE WITH BOOTS ON THE GROUND, HANDS ON, HAVE BEEN SOME OF THESE SMALL ORGANIZATIONS WHO CAN GIVE YOU VERY ACCURATE NUMBERS OF WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE STREETS RIGHT NOW WITH, WITH OPIOIDS, UH, HARM REDUCTION, RIGHT? WHO IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO COME AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT? SO I THINK ON THE BUDGET PART, I THINK MAYBE WE SHOULD START TALKING ABOUT HOW TO SUPPORT SMALL ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE ACTUALLY ON THE STREETS, WHICH WOULD BE ABLE, ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT I HAVE COME ACROSS WITH A LOT OF OTHER ORGAN SMALL ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE STARTING OUT IS COLLECTING DATA.

THERE'S NOT ENOUGH PROGRAMS FOR SOME OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS TO COLLECT DATA AND THEN HAVE TO KIND OF BE THE PERS THE HANDS ON, ON, ON DOING THE SERVICES, DIRECT SERVICES, BUT NOT HAVING THAT FUNDING, UH, JUST FOR EXPOSURE.

UM, I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE THIS IS HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, I'VE COME ACROSS FIVE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY SAT DOWN AND TALKED.

HOW DO WE SIT TOGETHER AND COLLABORATE ON SOME OF THESE THINGS? SOME OF SOMEBODY ELSE'S STRONGEST IS SOMEBODY ELSE'S NOT STRONGEST, AND BRINGING IT TOGETHER.

UM, I THINK BRINGING SOME FUNDING FOR SOME OF THESE SMALL ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE STARTING, THAT ARE ALREADY ABLE TO COME TO THIS TABLE AND SHARE WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

WHERE ARE YOU FEEDING PEOPLE HAVE, UH, COLLECTING THE DATA OF WHERE ARE YOU, WHERE ARE YOU LITERALLY GOING TO THE STREETS TO PROVIDE ANY KIND OF FOOD, RIGHT? UM, WE, WE KNOW THIS, WE KNOW A LOT OF OUR PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE STREETS WILL, WILL SLEEP ALL DAY TO STAY OUT OF PEOPLE'S SITE, OUT OF PUBLIC SITE AND COME OUT AT NIGHT.

WHERE ARE THOSE PROGRAMS? UM, SO I FEEL THAT YES, I KNOW PUBLIC HEALTH NEEDS MORE STAFFING, YOU GUYS NEED MORE FUNDING, BUT I ALSO MAYBE IF THAT COMES

[00:55:01]

IT'S NOT ABOUT JUST TALKING ABOUT NUMBERS AND TALKING ABOUT, WELL, YEAH, NO, ACTUALLY I'M LEARNING THAT, SORRY, I'M LEARNING ABOUT DATA AND ACCEPTING THAT YES, WE NEED NUMBERS, BUT I ALSO, I'M TAUGHT, UM, I'VE COME TO A REALIZATION THAT A LOT OF THESE SMALL ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE BOOTS ON THE GROUND ARE NOT GETTING ENOUGH SUPPORT.

AND THEY ARE DEALING DEFINITELY FIRST FRONT WITH PUB WITH, WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC HEALTH.

YOU KNOW, IF PEOPLE NEED CONDOMS, RIGHT? WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HIV, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT STD SPREADING, WHO'S SPREADING OUT? WHO'S GIVING OUT CONDOMS, WHO'S BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE ANYTHING THAT'S FOR HARM REDUCTION? WHO IS PROVIDING FOOD DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE ON THE STREETS? I WANNA KNOW THAT NOT JUST TO ATTEND A CENTRAL FOOD BANK, UH, PLACE WHERE EVERYBODY GOES IN LINE FOR AN HOUR OR TWO HOURS.

WE NEED TO ALSO BRING BACK MENTAL HEALTH.

RIGHT NOW I'VE HAD A COUPLE OF MEETINGS WITH SMALL ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DEALING WITH A LOT OF MENTAL HEALTH BECAUSE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH ICE.

UH, MY COMMUNITY HERE IN DE VALLEY, UM, I'M STARTING TO COORDINATE SOMETHING WHERE WE STEP, STEP OUT IN CASE ICE DECIDES TO COME INTO DELL VALLEY BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN COMING VERY CLOSE, UH, STANE, UH, 71 BY THE AIRPORT, LIKE THEY'VE BEEN COMING REALLY CLOSE AND IT'S MENTAL HEALTH RIGHT NOW HAS OUR, OUR FAMILIES, WHICH COMES BACK TO FOOD ACCESS.

WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD A GROUP WHERE IF WE NEED TO GO BUY GROCERIES FOR SOME OF THE FAMILIES THAT ARE AFRAID TO GO INTO AUSTIN, WHICH IS RIVERSIDE, WHICH WE ALREADY KNOW THAT HAS BEEN TARGETED OVER AND OVER AND OVER, UH, BY PROFILING, TRYING TO BUILD THAT WHERE WE CAN SUPPORT THEM TO BRING FOOD TO THEM.

UH, SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT I'VE SEEN WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PUBLIC HEALTH, IS MENTAL HEALTH.

PEOPLE ARE SCARED.

I MYSELF, YOU KNOW, MIGHT BE A US CITIZEN, BUT OBVIOUSLY THESE PEOPLE HAVE SHOWN A LOT OF FEAR IN OUR COMMUNITY AND IN OUR PEOPLE THAT YOU HAVE TO SECOND GUESS HOW PREPARED AM I TO SAY THAT I'M A US CITIZEN AND NOT BE TAKEN BOTTOM LINE JUST BY PROFILING.

UH, SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE BIG THINGS.

UM, I FEEL THAT FUNDING FOR SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS OR WORKING WITH SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DOING DIRECT SERVICES, UM, MENTAL HEALTH, BRING IT BACK TO THE TABLE, UM, BECAUSE IT ALL COMES BACK.

FOOD ACCESS, SOME PEOPLE ARE NOT LEAVING, UM, DELL VALLEY, THEY'RE HAVING TO GO TO THE CORNER STORE AND PAY LOW QUALITY, HIGH COST BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANNA STEP INTO THE CITY.

UM, SO I FEEL THAT JUST IF WE DO THINK ABOUT BUN, UH, BUDGET AND SOME FUNDING, I WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO THE TABLE THAT SOME OF THESE SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS, UM, I'M NOT SURE HOW TO WORD 'EM.

I'M JUST BRINGING IT TO YOU AS LIVED EXPERIENCE AND CONVERSATIONS THAT I'VE BEEN HAVING WITH SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS.

UM, AND YEAH, THAT, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT I WANTED TO BRING TO THE TABLE ABOUT THAT.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

UM, I HEAR YOU.

I THINK THAT, UH, YOU SAID A LOT AND UNDERSTANDING THAT WE DO NEED TO NARROW IN WHAT WE'RE DOING.

UM, I, I THINK IF WE'RE HAVING A MENTAL HEALTH CONVERSATION, I ALSO AM VERY CURIOUS LIKE ASCENSION, BAYLOR SCOTT AND WHITE ST.

DAVID'S ALL PUT MENTAL HEALTH AND OR, UH, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IN THEIR TOP FIVE THEMES THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE FOCUSING ON BASED ON THE RESEARCH THAT THEY'VE JUST DONE, UH, AND THE DATA THAT THEY PRESENTED TO US.

I DO THINK WE SHOULDN'T HAVE OVERLAP IF THERE ARE ORGANIZATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE REALLY HONING IN IF WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT, UH, JUST USING WHAT, UM, WHAT VICE CHAIR LYNN CHAO BROUGHT UP, UM, AROUND SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH.

UM, WE HAVE REALLY, REALLY BIG TOPICS.

AND IF WE'RE TALKING FOOD AND FOOD ACCESS, UM, INTENTIONALLY TALKING ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS AND LOOKING AT SPECIFIC GROUPS, UM, AND NOT JUST SAYING THAT WE CAN SAVE THE ENTIRE CITY COUNTY POTENTIALLY WITH, WITH ONE ORDINANCE.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S POSSIBLE.

I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO MULTIPLE, UH, ACTIVATIONS OF, OF FOOD ACCESS AND FOOD SUPPORT.

UM, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, HARM REDUCTION, UM, THAT IS ALSO A VERY LARGE TOPIC AND LARGE AREA.

UM, WHAT IS IT THAT WE WANT TO TEND LIKE TO, TO FOCUS IN ON? UM, WE HAVE SO MUCH DATA.

WE HAVE SO MUCH DATA.

AND I WOULD ALSO SAY, UH, CONNECTING SOME OF THOSE SMALLER NONPROFITS

[01:00:01]

TO BAYLOR SCOTT AND WHITES COMMUNITY DATA ATLAS, WHICH IS WHAT THEY SHARED WITH US, UH, IN NOVEMBER.

IT'S A FREE RESOURCE.

IT'S, IT'S OPEN, IT'S LIVE, IT'S REAL.

UM, AND I THINK THAT LEADS ME INTO MY, LIKE IS THERE A, A PART OF THE COMMISSION THAT WE CAN, UM, NAVIGATE THE EDUCATION SIDE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING? I DON'T, I KNOW THAT THAT'S ALL HAPPENING THROUGH AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, THROUGH THE COUNTY.

PEOPLE ARE KNOWING WHERE THEY CAN GO AND GET FOOD, BUT I THINK THERE IS A LACK OF EDUCATION THAT'S HAPPENED.

UM, EVERYBODY WAS VERY EXCITED ABOUT PUBLIC HEALTH WHEN COVID HIT.

UH, WE WERE THE HEROES.

WE WERE THE ONES THAT KNEW EVERYTHING, AND WE TOOK IT ON AND WE HANDLED IT WITH WHAT I WOULD SAY, UM, TALENT AND CARE.

BUT NOW THAT COVID ISS QUOTE UNQUOTE OVER, I FEEL LIKE PEOPLE ARE FORGETTING WHAT PUBLIC HEALTH MEANS UNTIL NOW.

WE CAN'T FEED PEOPLE.

SO, UM, I'M SAYING THAT IN A VERY BROAD STATEMENT OF WE CAN'T TAKE ON ALL THINGS IN PUBLIC HEALTH.

UM, IF WE COULD, MAYBE WE WOULDN'T HAVE A COMMISSION.

UM, BUT IF WE CAN TAKE OUR, OUR EXPERTISE IN THESE DIFFERENT AREAS, IN THESE DIFFERENT TOPICS, BUT ALSO KNOWING, HEY, WE HAVE SUPPORT OUT HERE AND HOW CAN WE ACTIVATE OURSELVES IN THINGS THAT THOSE OUTSIDE OF THIS COMMISSION CAN'T ACTUALLY DO.

UM, I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A CITY ORDINANCE ORDINANCE FOR A FEW TIMES NOW.

UM, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WHAT, WHAT IS IT THAT WE COULD WORK ON TO, UM, DRAFT A POTENTIAL CITY ORDINANCE OR LOOK AT A SYDNEY ORDINANCE THAT IS INHIBITING INDIVIDUALS FROM X, Y, Z, WHATEVER THAT MIGHT BE, UM, THAT WE CAN PUT A NEW RECOMMENDATION TO CHANGE A VERY SPECIFIC CITY ORDINANCE, UM, BUDGET.

I KNOW WE NEED TO GET THAT IN BY MARCH.

SO JUST LIKE BRINGING THIS IN, IF WE ARE GONNA START TALKING ABOUT BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS, I WOULD ASK THE COMMISSION TO COME WITH A VERY, VERY CLEAR BUDGET RECOMMENDATION.

UH, IF WE'RE RUNNING WITH THE 3%, WE HAVE THE EXPERTS AT THE TABLE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION OF WHAT DOES 3% LOOK LIKE IF WE ARE GOING TO RECOMMEND THAT FOR THE BUDGET, RIGHT? UM, JUST TO BRING US BACK IN, BECAUSE WE ARE ALL VERY PASSIONATE HUMANS.

UM, WE ARE HERE FOR A REASON.

WE ARE HERE TO MAKE AN IMPACT.

AND I THINK WE'RE IN A REALLY GREAT SPACE AND STATE OF, UH, UH, HUMAN SUPPORT TO MAKE THAT IMPACT HAPPEN.

BUT WE HAVE TO DECIDE WHAT THAT IMPACT IS THAT WE'RE GONNA FOCUS ON.

UM, IF IT'S RESEARCH, WE'VE DONE OUR RESEARCH, I, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MORE WE, WE, SORRY TO SAY IT, BUT WE'RE NOT WRITING A DISSERTATION.

Y'ALL LIKE, WE'RE .

WE'RE HERE, UH, TO DO SOME THINGS.

AND WHEN I'M THINKING ABOUT GOALS FOR 2026, WE, IF WE WANNA REVISIT THINGS LIKE THE COLD WEATHER AND MAYBE THERE WAS A, THERE'S A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE NEED TO BE MAKING BASED OFF OF WHAT COULD BE COMING IN JANUARY, FEBRUARY THIS YEAR.

WE DON'T KNOW.

IT'S 80 DEGREES TODAY.

UM, MAYBE WE DON'T HAVE WINTER, I DON'T KNOW, BUT WE HAVE ENOUGH.

UM, WE'VE HEARD ENOUGH.

AND SO I, I'M, I'M BRINGING THIS TO A QUESTION OF WHAT ARE SOME ACTUAL GOALS THAT WE CAN SET FOR OURSELVES AS A COMMISSION, UM, TO ACTIVATE, WHETHER IT'S QUARTERLY, UM, WE WANNA FOCUS ON GETTING SOME SORT OF, UH, RECOMMENDATION OUT QUARTERLY.

UM, IS IT PROGRAMMATIC CHANGES? AND WE NEED TO HELP WITH SOME LANGUAGE TO SUPPORT A PH NOT TO TELL THEM WHAT TO DO, BUT TO SUPPORT AND TRANSFORMATION.

UM, WE'VE HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT WHAT THET CHIP IS GONNA BE DOING.

HOW DO WE TAKE THAT LEVEL OF INFORMATION AND ACTIVATE IT, THIS ALL, AGAIN, WE REMEMBER THAT THIS IS DONE WITHOUT ANY FUNDING, UM, AND EVEN LESS OF FUNDING THAN WHAT WE ARE ALREADY USED TO, WHICH IS ZERO.

UM, SO I I, IF THERE ARE IDEAS AROUND ACTUAL GOALS THAT WE CAN SET TO DO, UM, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR IF FOLKS HAVE INPUT ON THAT.

UM, OR IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN RUMINATE ON AND COME BACK IN FEBRUARY WITH TRUE.

HERE'S WHAT WE WANNA DO.

I'LL TAKE A BREATH, PLEASE.

UM, THE FIRST THING IS A CLARIFYING QUESTION FOR COMMISSIONER LUHAN.

WHAT I HEAR IS THAT BUDGETS, CONTRACTS SHOULD BE FOCUSED MORE ON SMALL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS RATHER THAN LARGER ORGANIZATIONS.

IS THAT MY UNDERSTANDING? LIKE A SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU WERE SAYING ROUGHLY?

[01:05:03]

UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY YES, BUT BASED ON ATTENDING CERTAIN THING, UH, CERTAIN GRANT WORKSHOPS, IT SEEMS THAT THE SMALLER, YES, IT IS FOCUSING ON SMALLER, BUT REALISTICALLY I COULD SAY THAT.

BUT IF, UH, BUT ATTENDING SOME GRANT WORKSHOPS MYSELF HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT SOMETIMES SOME OF THESE SMALL ORGANIZATIONS WILL NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY OF SOME OF THESE GRANTS.

SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE, YEAH, LET'S HELP ALL THOSE SMALL ORGANIZATIONS, BUT THEN ATTENDING SOME AND LEARNING MYSELF HA HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN SOME ABOUT THESE GRANTS.

SOME OF THESE SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY OF HAVING A GRANT WRITER, HAVING SOMEBODY THAT HA KNOWS HOW TO, UH, I GUESS LIKE PUT A GRANT TOGETHER OR LIKE, THEY DON'T HAVE THE STAFF.

THEY DON'T HAVE THE VOLUNTEERS.

UH, SO YEAH, AS MUCH AS I WOULD LOVE THAT TO BE ON A WISHLIST, I ALSO HAVE TO BE REALISTIC OF WHAT COMES WITH IT.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S HAVING PARTICULAR ORGANIZATIONS THAT GET FUNDING GIVING TO 'EM, THAT THE, THE MAIN EVENT, THE THE, THE FOCUS IS GOING TO BE SUPPORTING.

LIKE, AND I'VE HEARD ABOUT FISCAL, FISCAL, UM, I, I, BUT OWNERSHIP SPONSORSHIP MEANS A LOT TO SOME OF THESE SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS AND LEARNING.

SO, BUT DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? UM, I THINK SO.

AND I THINK WE ARE SAYING THAT FISCAL SPONSORSHIP IS NOT SOMETHING WE DO, BUT I WILL SAY JUST LIKE GOING BACK TO LIKE BUDGET ALLOCATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO DO.

AND I THINK WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LIKE, ACTUALLY KIND OF LIKE DOING SOMETHING IS LIKE, IT MIGHT BE WORTH WRITING IT OUT AND THINKING ABOUT WHAT YOU ACTUALLY WANT TO HAPPEN AND DOING THAT TYPE OF STUFF SO WE CAN LIKE WORK IT OUT ON PAPER.

'CAUSE OTHERWISE IT'S LIKE, WE HAVE THESE IDEAS, BUT THE WAY TO ADVANCE IT IS TO PUT IT DOWN AND START TRYING TO MAKE IT ACTIONABLE.

I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYONE'S IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT, BUT I THINK IT'S LIKE, YOU SEEM VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT IT.

YOU KNOW WHAT THESE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WANT PUT PEN TO PAPER AND START BEING LIKE, OKAY, SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FROM THE POWERS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO USE, UM, WITH THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE.

SO I THINK FOR YOU, BUT ALSO FOR EVERYONE, IT'S LIKE IF YOU HAVE THAT IN YOUR MIND AND THERE'S SOMETHING ACTUALLY YOU WANT TO DO, IN MY OPINION, THERE'S NO HARM IN BRINGING IT TO THIS COMMISSION.

THAT'S WHAT IT'S FOR.

LIKE WORKSHOPPING IT AS A GROUP, HAVING INPUT FROM OTHERS IN ORDER TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.

I HEAR YOU.

UM, AND COMMISSIONER LUHAN, IF YOU DECIDE TO TAKE THIS ON, I'D BE HAPPY TO, TO TALK THROUGH SOME OF THE CITY'S PROCESSES FOR FUNDING.

TO GIVE YOU SOME CONTEXT, I WILL SAY, UM, GENERALLY THE COUNCIL DOES NOT MAKE SPECIFIC FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ORGANIZATIONS FROM THE DAIS.

HOWEVER, THEY WILL INSTRUCT STAFF AROUND ISSUE AREAS.

UM, SO THAT'S ONE THING TO KEEP IN MIND.

THE OTHER OPPORTUNITY WOULD BE TO, UM, PERHAPS DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR, UM, DEPARTMENTS TO CONSIDER, UM, WITH THEIR SOLICITATION PROCESSES TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

WE HAVE DONE SOME OF THAT WORK IN THE PAST WITH THE EQUITY OFFICE AND WE'VE, UM, RELAXED SOME OF THE INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS AND OTHER THINGS TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR, UM, NON SMALLER NONPROFITS TO ACCESS CITY FUNDS.

UM, AND SO IT MAY BE TIME TO, TO LOOK AT THOSE EQUITY CONSIDERATIONS AGAIN.

UM, BUT HAPPY TO HELP YOU, UM, THINK THROUGH SOME OF THE PAIN POINTS AND LINE THEM UP WITH THE CITY PROCESS SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE A REALLY SOLID RECOMMENDATION TO, TO BRING FORWARD.

YEAH, I THINK MAYBE A POSSIBLE, UH, WE SEE THIS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL WHERE THERE ARE SOME GRANTS THAT KIND OF FORCE YOU TO PARTNER WITH SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS TOO, LIKE RIH GRANTS AND OTHER THINGS.

UM, AND I WONDER IF WE COULD CONSIDER SOMETHING SIMILAR HERE WHERE MAYBE THERE'S A PRIME AWARDEE THAT HAS A LOT MORE RESOURCES AND MORE GRANT, UH, WRITING EXPERIENCE, AND ALSO THE ABILITY TO KIND OF FULFILL ALL THE COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS THAT COMES WITH A GRANT.

UH, BUT THEN THAT THEY'RE FORCED TO HAVE S AWARDEES OR THEY GET POINTS FOR HAVING SAVA AWARDEES THAT ARE THE SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE NOT ABLE TO APPLY BY THEMSELVES OR MANAGE THAT GRANT.

AND THEN, UM, HAVING SOMETHING SIMILAR AT THE LOCAL LEVEL COULD BE INTERESTING TO RECOMMEND.

BEAUTIFUL HEAD NODS AND CLAPS ALWAYS FEEL

[01:10:01]

LIKE A GOOD WAY TO KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING.

UM, MY ASK FOR THIS IS, UM, ALTHOUGH WE'RE DISCUSSING THESE, I DO NOT THINK THAT WE'RE AT A SPACE TO APPROVE OUR GOALS AT THIS MEETING.

UM, ALTHOUGH THAT WAS THE PLAN, UM, MY ASK IS THAT WE HAVE THIS FINALIZED BY FEBRUARY'S MEETING, UH, WITH REAL GOALS.

UM, IF WE NEED TO REVIEW OUR SMART GOALS WITH, LET'S REVIEW OUR SMART GOALS, UH, AS PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, I THINK WE ALL KNOW.

LET'S PUT SOME, SOME DATA BEHIND IT, SOME NUMBERS, SOME, SOME OBJECTIVES, SOME METRICS, UH, AND DEADLINES SO THAT WE CAN ALSO HOLD OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE.

UM, SO THAT IS MY ASK OF, UH, ALL OF THE COMMISSIONERS, UM, FOR OUR FEBRUARY MEETING, WHETHER YOU ARE PRESENT OR NOT, UH, TO PLEASE SHARE AT LEAST ONE GOAL THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS AND THEN HAVE APPROVED FOR THROUGH OUR FEBRUARY FROM OUR FEBRUARY MEETING.

I'D LIKE TO GO BACK TO ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION THAT COMMISSIONER RICE HAD ABOUT INVITING, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE TO COME IN AND SPEAK, WHO MIGHT BE HERE.

COINCIDENTALLY, COINCIDENTALLY IN APRIL, UH, TCHO, THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY AND CITY HEALTH OFFICIALS IS HAVING ITS ANNUAL COM, UH, CONFERENCE HERE IN AUSTIN RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD.

AND OUR VERY OWN DIRECTOR STIR IS THE CURRENT PRESIDENT I BELIEVE, OF TETRO .

SO, UM, SHE MAY HAVE SOME INSIGHTS AS TO WHO WILL BE HERE AND WHO MIGHT BE ABLE TO SPEAK AND WHO MAY BE ABLE TO PRESENT.

UM, THAT JUST IS AN OPPORTUNITY RIGHT THERE.

, NOT TO GIVE YOU HOMEWORK, BUT HOMEWORK.

I LOVE IT.

SO WE'RE, WE'RE SAYING APRIL, THE MONTH OF APRIL IS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WE COULD HAVE SOME GUESTS JOIN US, UH, TO SHARE THEIR EXPERTISE.

YES.

THE FIRST DAY OF THE CONFERENCE HAPPENS TO BE THE EIGHTH, WHICH IS WHEN WE MEET.

WOW.

AT THIS MEETING, WE WILL FEEL YOU IN, IN SPIRIT WITH US CHAMPIONING YOU ON STAGE, UH, BRINGING EVERYONE IN.

UM, SO YEAH, DANNY, UM, I THINK THAT IS A, AN AWESOME, UM, STEP FOR APRIL.

UM, AND WE CAN GET THAT COORDINATED.

UM, ANY OTHER OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD MONTHS AND OR, UH, TIMELINE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE COULD ALREADY PUT ON OUR CALENDAR? PLEASE? ACTUALLY, I APOLOGIZE.

I JUST REALIZED THE EIGHTH IS THE SECOND WEDNESDAY, SO WE ARE NOT MEETING THAT DAY.

PERHAPS WE COULD MOVE OUR MEETING TO THE EIGHTH TO ACCOMMODATE THAT.

JUST THROWING THAT OUT THERE.

OTHERWISE THAT DOESN'T WORK.

, SORRY.

UM, SO, UM, KEEPING UP WITH ANNUAL TRADITION OF HAVING ISSUES BOOKING THIS ROOM, UM, I WILL CHECK TO SEE IF IT'S AVAILABLE, UM, IF IT'S A POSSIBILITY FOR MARCH 8TH, UM, APRIL, APRIL FOR APRIL THE EIGHTH.

UM, BUT I WILL HAVE TO GET BACK AND SEE WHAT THEY HAVE AVAILABLE.

PERHAPS ANOTHER SUGGESTION COULD BE THAT IF WE'RE NOT ABLE TO MOVE THE MEETING AND EVERYTHING, PERHAPS A CONTINGENCY OF THE COMMISSION COULD PERHAPS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH SOME LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE STATES, PUBLIC HEALTH LEADERS AND, YOU KNOW, JUST HAVE A CONVERSATION ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT COMMISSIONER RICE WAS TALKING ABOUT AND JUST, YOU KNOW, GETTING FEEDBACK AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

ABSOLUTELY.

I THINK AS LONG AS WE DON'T HAVE A WALKING QUORUM OR WE PUT OUT THE NOTIFICATION THAT WILL BE THERE, UM, WE CAN BE INVOLVED AND ENGAGED WITH THE COMMUNITY.

DID I SAY THAT RIGHT? OKAY.

SO BASICALLY LET DANNY KNOW IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND ANYTHING, AND THAT WAY SHE CAN MAKE SURE WE DON'T HAVE A WALKING QUORUM, BUT ALSO IF WE WANNA COORDINATE SOMETHING, WE CAN PUT THAT OUT LIVE.

FINAL DISCUSSION ITEM, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT, WHICH IS A PERFECT SEGUE ABOUT APRIL 8TH, UM, TO DISCUSS AND APPROVE THE 2026 ANNUAL SCHEDULE OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION.

DID I MISS ANYTHING FROM ONLINE? OKAY.

UM, JUST FOR THE SAKE OF TIME, I'M GOING TO MOVE TO OUR

[5. Discuss and approve the 2026 annual schedule of the Public Health Commission.]

DO WE HAVE ANY DATE CHALLENGES THAT ARE PRESENT FOR FOLKS? DANNY SENT THIS OUT TO US.

NOTHING'S CHANGING FIRST WEDNESDAY, SAME TIME, SAME PLACE.

NO MEETING IN JULY, NO MEETING IN JULY.

YEAH, THAT WORKS.

DID WE DO THAT? WHO SAID NO MEETING IN JULY? MM-HMM .

WE DID THIS LAST

[01:15:01]

YEAR.

WE DID DO THIS LAST YEAR.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONER CROOKHAM FOR ALWAYS KEEPING US A LIE, UH, ONLINE.

ANY FOLKS QUESTIONS? WONDERFUL.

SO WE ARE GOING TO APPROVE, UH, THE 2026 ANNUAL SCHEDULE FOR THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION.

DO I HAVE SOME, UH, BEFORE WE DO THAT, DANNY, UM, I SHOULD HAVE CLARIFIED THIS BEFORE.

UM, IT WAS KIND OF COVERED ALREADY ON ITEM NUMBER FOUR, BUT WE, I HAD TO TWEAK THE LANGUAGE A LITTLE BIT TO MEET CITY CLERK'S GUIDELINES, UM, BY APPROVING THE 2026 ANNUAL SCHEDULE MEANS WHAT WILL BE COVERED IN EACH MEETING.

SO WE KIND OF ALREADY COVERED THAT IN THE PREVIOUS AGENDA ITEM.

UM, SO JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT I HAVE EVERYTHING RIGHT, IN MARCH WE'RE GONNA BE HAVING THE HOPEFULLY ONE VOICE, UM, REFUGEE SERVICES IN TEXAS FOOD SERVICES.

THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT.

I MEAN, FEBRUARY, IN FEBRUARY, MARCH APPROVE.

AND ANY POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATIONS, APRIL THE TACHO TACHO.

UM, ANYTHING ELSE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE OR COVERED THERE? YOU GUYS DID BRING UP BRINGING IN, UM, VANESSA PUES NO DATE OR MONTH WAS, I MEAN, NO MONTH WAS BROUGHT UP FOR THAT.

UM, SAME THING FOR THE MENTAL HEALTH, I MEAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE, UH, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYSTEM.

SO THAT, THAT YOU CAN'T VOTE ON.

SO WE CAN OR CAN'T.

WE CAN CAN, UM, FOR COUNCILWOMAN FUENTES, UM, I DON'T KNOW THE CITY COUNCIL'S SCHEDULE, BUT WOULD WOULD A MAY OR WOULD A MAY, UH, CONVERSATION WITH HER WORK? WE'D HAVE TO CHECK ALL.

COOL.

SO IT'S JUST SENSITIVE.

SO WE WILL PUT A TENTATIVE MAY JUST SO DR. RICE IS AWARE AS WELL, WE'LL PROPOSITION TO HAVE, UH, COUNCILMAN FUENTES COME FOR MAY.

I'M CONFUSED IF I COULD JUST ASK, ARE WE TRYING TO, DANNY, ARE YOU SAYING YOUR INTERPRETATION OF WHAT WAS SENT OUT AS THE REQUIRED CHANGES IN BYLAWS? IS THAT WHAT YOU REFERRED TO OR WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE WE, ARE WE TRYING TO SCHEDULE THE YEAR RIGHT NOW? OR ARE YOU JUST TRYING TO RECAP THE, TODAY'S MEETING? I'M JUST MISSING IT.

WE'RE WE'RE DOING A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH.

NO, DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE BYLAWS.

THE BY BYLAWS CONVERSATION WILL BE FEBRUARY.

THAT JUST CAME OUT TODAY, SO IT WASN'T ON OUR AGENDA.

UH, WE ARE LOOKING AT THE ITEMS THAT WE, THE CONVERSATION THAT WE'VE HAD THUS FAR, UH, ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING THIS YEAR AND COULD WE PUT MORE DATES TO OUR TIMELINE.

GOT IT.

AND THEN THE QUESTION WITH YOU WAS, WOULD, WOULD A MAY DATE OUR MAY MEETING BE A GREAT TIME FOR US TO ASK, UH, COUNCILWOMAN FUENTES TO COME JOIN US? AND THEN WOULD YOU BE HERE WITH US, UH, TO HELP FACILITATE THAT CONVERSATION WITH THE COMMISSION? YEAH, YEAH.

AND, AND I'LL, UM, LET ME PLEDGE THAT I'LL COM I'LL COMMUNICATE WITH HER OFFICE WITHIN THE WEEK OR SO, AND THEN I'LL GET US A SENSE OF, YOU KNOW, IF, IF SHE'S AVAILABLE ANY SOONER WE COULD, WE COULD TALK ABOUT AMONGST OURSELVES WHEN THE NEXT MEETING COMES OR WHATEVER.

SO, WE'LL, WE MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT AT HER AVAILABILITY MORE SO THAN, THAN OUR PARTICULAR SCHEDULE AS IT, AS IT WERE, YOU KNOW, SO, BUT I'LL BRING BACK SOME SPECIFIC INFORMATION AND I'LL PROBABLY TALK OFFLINE WITH YOU CHAIR JUST TO MAKE SURE WE'RE, UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THINKING IN SYNC.

I APPRECIATE YOU.

UM, I WOULD ALSO SAY COMMISSIONER LUHAN, WHEN YOU'RE HAVING YOUR CONVERSATIONS WITH CAP METRO, UM, KNOWING THAT FEBRUARY AND MARCH ARE POTENTIALLY TAKEN, UM, IN APRIL, IF MAY IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY.

AND THAT WOULD BE ONE OF OUR TWO ITEMS, UM, THAT WE CAN SPEND MORE TIME ON FOR CAP METRO AS WELL, UH, JUST TO GIVE THEM SOME TIME AND GRACE.

UM, FOCUSED LESS PRESENTATIONS I THINK WOULD BE AWESOME.

TEN FOUR.

BEAUTIFUL.

UH, SO THAT GETS US THROUGH TO JUNE.

UM, JUST THINKING ABOUT WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TODAY, DO WE NEED TO HAVE ALL OF THE YEAR PLANNED TO START MM-HMM .

SO USUALLY IN JUNE WE MEET AGAIN AND WE PLAN OUT THE FOLLOWING A COUPLE MONTHS.

WELL LOOK AT THAT.

WE DID A THING AND IT WAS BEAUTIFUL.

ALL RIGHT.

SO, UH, AND THEN WE CAN ALSO, JUST SO YOU ALL PLEASE DO NOT THINK THAT, UM, OUR GOALS THAT WE'RE GONNA BRING FOR FEBRUARY'S MEETING CANNOT ALSO BE INTEGRATED AND IMPLEMENTED INTO OUR TIMELINE.

UM, SO KEEPING US LESS PRESENTATION HEAVY, MORE CONVERSATION, ACTION ITEM FOCUSED, UM, AND DISCUSSION,

[01:20:01]

UM, ANY DO AND THEN, SO NOW DANNY, WE NEED TO VOTE ON THE DATES THAT WE'VE SAID YES TO ALREADY.

SO BASED ON OUR PROJECTED TIMELINE TOPICS AND I ACTION ITEMS, WE ARE MOVING TO APPROVE THE FIRST HALF OF THE 2026 ANNUAL SCHEDULE OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE? I MOVE.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.

DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS TO THE MOTION QUESTION, PLEASE.

I WAS JUST THINKING SOMETIMES WHEN WE DO THESE THINGS, WE, THEY TAKE A LIFE OF THEIR OWN 'CAUSE WE VOTED ON 'EM.

AND I JUST WANTED TO WONDER OUT LOUD IF THERE'S ANY GOODNESS TO SORT OF HAVING A SENTENCE THAT ALSO SAYS, SUBJECT TO POTENTIAL CHANGES BASED ON AVAILABILITY AND MANY OTHER FACTORS THAT WE TODAY DON'T KNOW, ET CETERA.

UH, JUST BECAUSE YOU KNOW HOW THAT GOES, WE HAVE AN ELLIPSIS AT THE END OF THIS, UH, SENTENCE.

DOES THAT WORK FOR YOU, COMMISSIONER RICE? OH, PERFECTLY.

I'M NOT SURE I KNOW WHAT ELLIPSIS IS, BUT I'LL, I'LL, I ASSUME IT'S NOT A MATHEMATICAL FORMULA.

WE HAVE A LITTLE DOT, DOT DOT, YOU KNOW, WE'LL PICK UP THE REST OF THE SENTENCE AT A FUTURE DATE.

LOVE THAT.

ALRIGHT.

UH, ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR TO, UH, APPROVE THE FIRST HALF OF THE 2026 ANNUAL SCHEDULE OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION.

PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND TO VOTE.

ANY FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? I KNOW THAT WE'VE, WE'VE ALREADY PUT ON THERE, UM, OUR GOALS, UH, FROM EACH COMMISSIONER, UM, FOR FEBRUARY.

UM,

[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]

UM, ANY OTHER TOPICS THAT ARE RESONATING WITH FOLKS THAT SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO ATTENTION FOR FEBRUARY'S CONVERSATION? UH, JUST HOLD MYSELF ACCOUNTABLE IF I WILL HAVE, UM, A DRAFT RECOMMENDATION.

UM, SO IF, DO WE, WE NEED TO PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA TO, TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS IT, CORRECT? YEAH.

SO IF WE COULD PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA FOR FEBRUARY.

YEP.

AND YOU COULD JUST COORDINATE WITH DANNY WHAT IT SHOULD BE CALLED, AND WE'LL GET THAT ON THERE.

ANYTHING ELSE? YES, DR.

DOTO, PLEASE COME JOIN US.

I WOULD LIKE TO KINDLY AND FORMALLY INVITE YOU TO ATTEND OUR 2026 CHAIR PARTNER SUMMIT ON JANUARY 20, 22ND, 23RD.

UM, SO IF YOU PLAN ON ATTENDING, PLEASE WORK WITH, UH, DANNY TO AVOID, UH, WORKING CORAL.

WE WANT TO HAVE, UH, UM, A DIVERSE, UH, AUDIENCE AS WE CAN POSSIBLY HAVE.

SO WE WILL APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENCE.

COULD YOU PLEASE SHARE THAT WITH DANNY SO SHE CAN CIRCULATE IT OUT TO US? AWESOME.

YES, THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER POTENTIAL FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? WONDERFUL.

WELL, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR OUR FIRST MEETING OF 2026.

UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT, YOUR, UH, ATTENTION TO DETAIL.

AND I WILL GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS MIC THIS MEETING ADJOURNED AT 3:56 PM SEE YOU NEXT MONTH.