[I. Welcome and Public Comment]
[00:00:02]
EVERYONE TO THE TRAVIS COUNTY, UH, OFFICES WE'RE, UH, HAVING THE JOINT SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING.
TODAY'S MEETING IS BEING BROADCAST LIVE ON CABLE CHANNEL 17 AND STREAMED.
UM, AS WELL, I'LL SERVE AS TODAY'S PRI PRESIDING OFFICER.
I AM TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER FOR PRECINCT TWO.
WE'RE DELIGHTED TO HOST YOU ALL HERE.
I CALL THE MEETING OF THE JOINT SUBCOMMITTEE TO ORDER AT 11:55 AM SHOW THAT THE FOLLOWING ARE PRESENT.
UM, MYSELF, COMMISSIONER JEFF TIAN, PRECINCT ONE, UM, COMMISSIONER, UM, ANN HOWARD PRECINCT.
KIRK WATSON, MAYOR, CITY OF AUSTIN.
RYAN ALTER, CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT FIVE.
JOSE VELASQUEZ, CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT THREE.
TRUSTEE LARISSA QUINTANA, DISTRICT TWO, TRUSTEE CATHERINE WHITLEY CHU, DISTRICT FOUR, TRUSTEE ANDREW GONZALEZ, DISTRICT SIX.
AND WE'LL START, UH, WITH PUBLIC COMMENT IF THERE IS ANY.
IS ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY? NOT THAT WE KNOW OF.
[II. Approval of Minutes]
SO OUR FIRST ITEM IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FOR FEBRUARY 6TH, 2026.DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED.
UM, ANY DISCUSSION? IF NOT ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? PASS IT UNANIMOUSLY.
UM, AND WE WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TODAY TO HONOR, UH, RT SINGH, WHO, I THINK THIS IS YOUR LAST JOINT SUBCOMMITTEE.
UM, AND YOU'VE SERVED ON THIS BODY FOR EIGHT YEARS, REPRESENTING A ISD AND DONE A REMARKABLE JOB, UH, JUST AT A PERSONAL LEVEL.
UM, I APPRECIATED THE FACT THAT YOU WOULD, UM, CALL AROUND TWO REPRESENTATIVES FROM EACH OF OUR THREE BODIES, UM, TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE COULD DO THAT WOULD BE A MEANINGFUL DISCUSSION AND CONVERSATION FOR THE JOINT SUBCOMMITTEE.
SO, I, I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE THOUGHT AND THE EFFORT THAT YOU'VE PUT INTO MAKING THESE ME MEETINGS REALLY PRODUCTIVE.
UM, OUR TEAM WAS FIRST ELECTED TO THE A ISD BOARD AS AN AT LARGE TRUSTEE IN 2018, REELECTED IN 2022, AND SHE SERVED AS BOARD PRESIDENT FROM 22 TO 24.
SHE'S A FORMER BILINGUAL FOURTH GRADE TEACHER, AND PTA LEADER AT OAK HILL ELEMENTARY.
UM, SHE'S PASSIONATE ABOUT PROVIDING EQUITABLE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES TO ALL CHILDREN BEFORE SERVING ON THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
SHE WAS ACTIVE IN THE AUSTIN COUNCIL OF PTAS, SERVING ON THE BOARD AS AN, UH, AND AS AN ADVOCACY CHAIR.
SHE ALSO SERVED AS ADVOCACY COMMITTEE MEMBER OF THE TEXAS PTA, UM, AND WILL MISS YOUR DEEP KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE AND COMMITMENT AND PASSION TO ALL OF THAT.
UM, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE.
IT'S BEEN A REAL HONOR TO SERVE ON THIS COMMITTEE, SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR DEDICATION, AND IT REALLY HELPS ME, UM, DO WHAT I DO.
I DON'T ANYONE ELSE WANTS TO COMMENT, BUT, UM, IF NOT, WE'D ALSO LIKE TO WELCOME, UH, TRUSTEE LARISSA QUINTANA AS OUR NEW BOARD MEMBER FROM A ISD.
UM, NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS A STAFF BRIEFING AND UPDATE FROM THE LAST JOINT SUBCOMMITTEE.
UM, AND THEN WE'VE GOT THE REST OF THE AGENDA.
I THINK EVERYONE CAN READ THAT.
[III. Joint Subcommittee Cost Sharing Discussion]
SO ARE WE READY FOR THE STAFF BRIEFING AND UPDATE FROM THE LAST NEXT SLIDE? NEXT SLIDE.SO THIS IS, UM, THE AGENDA FOR TODAY.
I'M NOT GONNA READ IT TO YOU, BUT WE'RE GONNA, UM, RECAP THE, THE MEETING WHERE WE KIND OF STARTED THIS WHOLE PROCESS OF COST SHARING.
UM, AND WE'LL GO THROUGH THE REST OF THAT NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO YOU'LL RECALL THAT IN REALLY, IN LARGE PART, THANKS TO TRUSTEE SINGH.
UH, WE STARTED ON THIS, UH, THIS, UH, COST SHARING, UH, ENDEAVOR AND WITH, WITH THE THREE ENTITIES.
UM, AND WE SHARED THE TEMPLATE WITH YOU AT OUR LAST MEETING AT A ISD IN FEBRUARY.
AND WE SHARED A, A BLANK FORM.
AND THEN TRUSTEE SINGH HAD ALSO KIND OF COMPLETED A FORM ON WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, WHICH WE ALSO SHARED.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER, UH, FILLED OUT HIS FORM, UH, AND, UM, ON OPEN.
WE ALSO ALWAYS SAT ON THE FRONT ROW IN THE CLASS
AND THEN OTHERS OF YOU, YOU, YOU WERE NOT REMISS IN DOING YOUR HOMEWORK BEC, BUT IT WAS IN YOUR HEAD.
SO, UH, WE APPRECIATE ALL OF THE IDEAS THAT YOU SHARED, UH, VERBALLY.
SO THERE WAS A THOUGHTFUL AND ROBUST DISCUSSION ABOUT POSSIBLE TOPICS.
UM, AND, UM, COMMISSIONER TIAN, UM, UH, STATED THE IMPORTANCE OF ASSET MAPPING.
AND THAT WAS ALSO SHARED BY MANY OF YOU.
[00:05:01]
AND SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THE DETAILS.THE, SO, UH, AT THE END OF THE MEETING LAST TIME, THE, THE GROUP TALKED ABOUT WHERE SHOULD WE GET STARTED, WHERE ARE THE AREAS WHERE WE COULD POTENTIALLY SHARE SOME COSTS? AND, UH, THE GROUP DECIDED ON, UH, OPEN SPACE MANAGEMENT, MAYBE BECAUSE THAT ONE WAS ON PAPER,
AND THAT I, THERE SEEMED TO BE, UM, UH, A LOT OF, UH, DISCUSSION ON THAT ONE.
UH, HOMELESSNESS, UH, ESPECIALLY INTER UH, EARLY INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION.
UH, THE MARY IS AN EXAMPLE OF A FAMILY SHELTER.
AND AGAIN, WE TALKED ABOUT ASSET MAPPING.
UM, IT WAS ALSO THOUGHT THAT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IS A GOOD PLACE WHERE WE COULD WORK TOGETHER, ESPECIALLY SINCE THAT'S AN AREA WHERE ISD SHINES.
AND SO, UH, LOOKING AT KEY AREAS, UH, LOOKING AT, UH, WHY WE HAVE A SHORTFALL OF WORKERS AND HOW DO WE ADDRESS THAT.
THERE WERE SEVERAL PEOPLE FROM A ISD THAT SPOKE ABOUT HOW KIDS DON'T FINISH THE SCHOOL YEAR IN THE SAME SCHOOL WHERE THEY STARTED.
AND THAT TENDS TO EITHER CAUSE THE FAMILY AN ISSUE OR IT CAN BE PRETTY CUMBERSOME AS WELL FOR ADMINISTRATION.
UH, AND THEN, UM, COMMISSIONER SHEA ADDED, UH, JAIL DIVERSION TO THE LIST OF PRIORITIES.
THAT'S AN AREA WHERE, UH, THE COUNTY IS PRIORITIZING.
UM, THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT WE PRIORITIZE, BUT IT, AS FAR AS REALLY LARGE INITIATIVES, UH, THIS IS THE ONE THAT WE'RE PRIORITIZING AT TRAVIS COUNTY.
AND THAT ONE'S TO ADDRESS, UM, UH, THE ROOT CAUSES OF, UM, PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH, UH, CYCLING IN AND OUT OF JAIL.
AND WHAT WE'VE FOUND IS THAT IT HAS, UH, A LOT OF OVERLAP WITH THE OTHER ISSUE AREAS.
AND SO, UM, THESE WERE THE FOUR AREAS THAT WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT.
I'M STEPHANIE HAYDEN HOWARD, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, AND I'M GONNA MOVE US THROUGH THIS PORTION OF THE PRESENTATION.
UM, DURING THAT MEETING ON FEBRUARY 6TH, A DISCUSSION WAS HELD ABOUT US, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WHAT WILL WE NEED TO DO FOR NEXT STEPS.
AND, UM, THE THOUGHT WAS IS THAT THE STAFF WILL GET TOGETHER AND HAVE A CONVERSATION FOLLOWING THE MEETING, AND THEN DETERMINE, YOU KNOW, WHAT KIND OF NEXT STEPS AND HOW CAN WE MOVE THIS FORWARD.
SO THE GROUP OF US MET FROM, UM, THE CITY MYSELF, UM, AETNA BUTZ FROM A ISD, AND, UM, PILLAR SANCHEZ FROM TRAVIS COUNTY.
AND, UM, WE DECIDED TO CREATE A, UM, A FORM.
AND SO THE THOUGHT OF US PUTTING THE FORM TOGETHER WAS BASED ON THE CONVERSATIONS AND FEEDBACK THAT YOU ALL HAD DURING THE DISCUSSION.
AND SO CERTAIN AREAS YOU WILL SEE IS REFLECTED IN THE FORM, UM, OF, OF THE DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, IF YOU, UM, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
WE HAVE PUT THE FORM HERE, UM, JUST TO KIND OF SHOW IT, BUT IT IS ALSO IN YOUR PACKET.
AND SO IN YOUR PACKET, YOU'LL SEE, UM, HOW WE'VE COME UP WITH THE FORM.
AND THEN YOU WILL ALSO SEE THAT WE HAVE DEVELOPED SOME INSTRUCTIONS OF, OF HOW AND, AND KIND OF THE AREAS, BECAUSE WE WANNA BE SPECIFIC, WE WANT THE TEAMS TO USE THIS AS, AS A NORTH STAR.
AND SO STAFF WILL BE ABLE TO DO THAT, OR THEY CAN JUST KIND OF USE IT AS A GUIDE AND THEN CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD AND, AND PULL THE, UM, INFORMATION AND EITHER CREATE A WHITE PAPER, UM, AND JUST MAKE SURE THAT THESE ARE SOME AREAS THAT THEY ARE CONSIDERING WHEN THEY ARE PULLING ALL OF THE INFORMATION TOGETHER.
AT THIS POINT, UM, WE ARE GOING NEXT SLIDE.
UM, AT THIS POINT, WE'RE GONNA PAUSE BECAUSE WE DO WANNA BE ABLE TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT KIND OF WHAT WE PUT TOGETHER WITH THE FORM, UM, AND KIND OF WHAT WE HAVE DISCUSSED THUS FAR.
SO ARE YOU LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK ON THE USE OF THE FORM? YES.
UM, WELL, I CAN JUST TELL YOU FROM MY INITIAL GLANCE AT IT.
UM, WE HAVE ESSENTIALLY THIS KIND OF INFORMATION IN OUR BUDGET BLACK BOOK, FOR EACH OF OUR PROGRAMS. SO WE'VE ALREADY ASSEMBLED THAT AT THE COUNTY AS PART OF OUR, OUR BUDGETING PROCESS.
UM, I WAS LESS CLEAR ABOUT, THIS SEEMED LIKE HOMEWORK FOR EACH OF US TO DO, WHERE I WAS LESS CLEAR EXACTLY WHAT WE WERE GONNA
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DO WITH IT.SO WE, WE ALL SENT THE FORM TO, TO EACH OF OUR, UM, INDIVIDUAL REPRESENTATIVES, UM, JUST SO THEY COULD TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
BUT THE THOUGHT WAS, IS THAT WE WANTED TO COME BACK HERE JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD THE, THE, THE COMMITTEE'S BLESSING TO SAY, YES, MOVE FORWARD, UM, AND, AND USE THIS AS A TOOL FOR THE GROUPS, BECAUSE AS YOU'RE SAYING, THE THE INFORMATION IS IN DIFFERENT PLACES, BUT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO PULL IT TOGETHER SO IT'S IN ONE PLACE.
SO WHEN FOLKS ARE REALLY WORKING ON THIS AND REALLY COMING UP WITH THE CALL, SHARING, UM, IDEAS AND HOW WE WOULD GET TO THAT PLACE, IT WOULD BE IN ONE PLACE.
UM, AND I, I'LL JUST TELL YOU, UM, FOR US, THE, SOME OF THE DISCUSSION AROUND HOMELESSNESS AND DIVERSION AND OUR JAIL, UM, IT'S HARD TO TEASE OUT, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE.
I'M NOT SPEAKING FOR THE, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY AT THE COUNTY, BUT A, A HUGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE IN OUR JAIL OR HOMELESS.
UM, THERE MANY OF THEM ARE ALSO SUFFERING FROM, UM, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES.
UM, AND THAT'S A BIG PART OF THIS LONG PROCESS, WHICH WE'RE GONNA HEAR ABOUT TODAY.
UM, THAT LED TO OUR COMMITMENT TO A DIVERSION CENTER.
SO IT'S TIED UP WITH HOMELESSNESS, IT'S TIED UP WITH MENTAL HEALTH, IT'S TIED UP WITH SUBSTANCE USE, IT'S TIED UP WITH THE WORK WITH CENTRAL HEALTH, WITH INTEGRAL CARE.
I'D HAVE A HARD TIME TEASING OUT EXACTLY THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH JUST, LET'S JUST SAY AN ISSUE OF HOMELESSNESS.
BUT THERE'S A CLEAR COST THAT THE COUNTY'S REQUIRED BY STATE LAW TO, UM, UNDERTAKE THROUGH OUR JAILS.
SO ANYWAY, UH, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT CLEAR TO, TO ME THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE AN EASY DECENSION OF INFORMATION ON THIS FORM FROM SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.
OUR STAFF MAY HAVE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON IT, BUT THAT'S JUST ONE OBSERVATION.
'CAUSE I KNOW THAT'S, THAT IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE.
IT'S OBVIOUSLY AN IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH AT THE COUNTY THROUGH OUR JAIL SYSTEM AND WITH PLANS FOR THE DIVERSION CENTER.
SO THAT'S JUST ONE OBSERVATION, AND IT MAY NOT REFLECT WHERE, UH, OTHER FOLKS ARE, BUT THAT'S MY INITIAL THOUGHT ON IT, FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
BUT, BUT THAT THIS IS A BASIS TO CREATE A FOUNDATION SO WE WILL ALL KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, RIGHT? YES.
SO, BECAUSE I, I AGREE THERE, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY BEEN DIFFICULTY, UH, CREATING DELINEATION BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, THE PHRASE JAIL DIVERSION AND HOMELESS AND MENTAL HEALTH AND ALL THAT.
SO, SO, BUT, BUT HOPEFULLY BY HAVING A STARTING POINT, WE, WE, WE GET ALL THIS IN, AND SO THERE IS A MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING ABOUT IT, ABOUT, ABOUT THOSE.
IS THAT WHAT THAT IS THAT WHAT THIS AB ABSOLUTELY.
SO WHETHER IT'S JAIL DIVERSION, OR WHETHER IT'S WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, WHATEVER THE TITLE IS, IT'S BASICALLY A NORTH STAR.
WHEN WE BRING IN INFORMATION, IT'S CONSISTENT ACROSS THE TOPIC AREA.
AND SO THAT, SO THAT SOME OF US CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT, WHAT THE RELATIONSHIP MIGHT BE, OR SEE IT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MANY INSTANCES.
AND, AND THAT'S REALLY THE WHOLE CON CONCEPT BEHIND AN ASSET MAP.
UH, WHAT ARE WE DOING? WHERE ARE WE DOING IT? WHAT RESOURCES ARE WE PLACING THERE IN TERMS OF, UH, STAFF, UH, STAFF RESPONSIBILITY AND COST AS WELL? UH, YOU KNOW, WE CAN LOOK AT A NUMBER OF THINGS.
UH, THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT OPERATE.
FOR EXAMPLE, ONE THING THAT, THAT I WOULD'VE RECOMMENDED THAT I PROBABLY DIDN'T WAS WHAT HAPPENS IN OUR JP TRUANCY COURTS? HOW DO WE INTERVENE WITH, WITH STUDENTS EARLY? HOW DO WE, UH, GIVE, UH, PUT THEM IN THE PROGRAMMING THAT THEY NEED? HOW DO WE TIE THAT TO, UH, RAISING TRAVIS COUNTY? THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON INDEPENDENT OF EACH OTHER THAT MIGHT BE STRENGTHENED IF WE KNOW ABOUT THEM, KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING ON EACH CAMPUS, AND THEN EACH ZIP CODE AREA AND, AND, UH, CRASH OUR RESOURCES, IF YOU WILL.
SO THE MAIN THING IS JUST TO IDENTIFY ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT MIGHT BE RELATED AND SEE WHETHER THEY ARE RELATED IN THE WAY WE DO THE WORK.
SO THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO PUT TOGETHER, THIS IS NOT AN AREA OF EXPERTISE I HAVE.
UM, BUT THE DATA YOU'VE GATHERED HERE REALLY HELPS ME KIND OF SEE IN A NUTSHELL WHAT THE SITUATION IS.
SO IF YOU LOOK ON SLIDE 20, UM, I, THIS WAS REALLY HELPFUL FOR ME, ESPECIALLY THAT LAST COLUMN THAT SAYS THERE IS A SMARTER AND MORE COST EFFECTIVE SOLUTION.
AND YOU, YOU REALLY LIKE, NAMED THREE THINGS, FILL THE GAPS IN THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE CONT UH, HEALTH CONTINUUM OF CARE SCALE CAPACITY, AND STRATEGIC COLLABORATION TO INTEGRATE SYSTEMS. SO I THINK
[00:15:01]
ONE PATH FORWARD IS TO SAY, WELL, HOW WILL WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE FILLED GAPS IN THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONTINUUM OF CARE? WHAT IS OUR TARGET? HOW DO WE DEFINE THAT? HOW DO WE FIND SCALING CAPACITY? LIKE SOMETHING THAT'S ACTUALLY MEASURABLE? AND THEN, UM, FINALLY, HOW DO WE DEFINE STRATEGIC COLLABORATIONS TO INTEGRATE SYSTEMS? AND SO THAT, THAT'S THE PIECE THAT I THINK IS GOING TO, UM, REQUIRE US TO REALLY PRIORITIZEUM, AND SO I'M KIND OF LOOKING FOR THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT LENS ON, ON THIS AS WELL.
AND SO I'M JUST KIND OF CURIOUS TO SEE IF THAT RESONATES.
AND IS THAT SOMETHING THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED AS THE NEXT STEP? I'LL JUST JUMP IN AND SAY, I THINK THOSE ARE REALLY VALUABLE AND IMPORTANT QUESTIONS.
WE DO ACTUALLY HAVE A FULL PRESENTATION THAT WILL WALK THROUGH THIS INFORMATION AND I THINK ADD EVEN MORE THAN JUST WHAT'S ON PAPER.
UM, THAT'S A JOINT PRESENTATION ON HOMELESSNESS AND, AND DIVERSION.
UM, SO WE'LL HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
MAYBE I SKIPPED AHEAD, SORRY TO DISCUSS THAT.
IN THE, IN THE, UH, MATERIAL BEING PRESENTED.
BUT DID YOU WANT MORE COMMENTS, STEPHANIE, ON THE, UM, FORM AND HOW WE USE IT? OR ARE WE, I, I FEEL LIKE, I MEAN, IF ANYONE ELSE HAS ANY COMMENTS THEY'D LIKE TO MAKE.
I WAS JUST GONNA PIGGYBACK A LITTLE BIT ON THAT.
AND IT GOES BACK A LITTLE BIT TO THE MEANING WE HAD, IT WAS EITHER LAST TIME OR TWO TIMES AGO, BUT WHERE YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FOCUSING IN ON, LIKE ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTION FOR THE GOAL.
RIGHT? AND SO WHEN WE ARE UTILIZING THIS FORM, YOU KNOW, THE GOAL BEING, AND LET'S SAY TAKE THE FAMILY SHELTER IDEA, YOU KNOW, SHELTERING 50 KIDS, RIGHT? HAVING SOMETHING THAT IS MEASURABLE MM-HMM
THAT WE KNOW IF WE DID IT OR NOT, NOT JUST MORE SHELTER FOR KIDS, RIGHT? JUST DOING, I, I THINK THAT IF WE CAN HAVE VERY DEFINED GOALS THAT ARE MEASURABLE, IT WILL HELP US KNOW WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO, AND HAVE WE DONE IT OR NOT.
AND, AND WE, AND, AND IF YOU ALL, YOU KNOW, I KNOW, I KNOW IT'S IN THE PACKET, AND I KNOW IT WAS ON THE PRESENTATION, BUT, UM, ON THE FORM IT DOES, IT DOES MENTION A GOAL.
UM, IT DOES TALK ABOUT THE ASSET MAPPING.
UM, BUT WE ALSO, YOU KNOW, THINK ABOUT THE, UM, THE PLANNING EFFORTS BECAUSE, UM, EVEN THOUGH WE, WE TALKED ABOUT IT IN THIS SPACE, OUTSIDE OF THIS SPACE, SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS HAVE GONE ON.
AND I'LL THINK ABOUT JAIL DIVERSION.
THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS AND A LOT OF WORK THAT'S GONE ON.
AND SO BEING ABLE TO KIND OF DOCUMENT TO SAY, THESE ARE ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PLACES WHERE SOME PLANNING EFFORTS HAVE GONE ON WITH THIS, WITH THIS SUBJECT IN MIND.
UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, KIND OF START TO THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S ANY RESEARCH OUT THERE, BUT DEFINITELY TALKING ABOUT RETURN ON INVESTMENT, LOOKING AT WHAT KIND OF GAPS WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE KNOW WE DON'T HAVE A FAMILY SHELTER.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE KIND OF THINK ABOUT IT ON SALVATION ARMY, KIND OF DOES, DOES THEIR PIECE, BUT WOULD IT BE SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT? UM, AND THEN THINKING ABOUT WHAT KIND OF COMMUNITY WIDE GOAL WOULD WE WANT TO, WOULD WE WANT TO SET? AND THAT KIND OF GOES BACK TO WHAT YOU WERE SAYING, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER, AND THEN THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES.
UM, TRI SING, YOU MENTIONED THAT IN, IN, IN THE MEETING.
AND SO WE DEFINITELY WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND THEN THINK ABOUT FROM ALL OF THE ENTITIES, HOW MUCH MONEY ARE WE SPENDING? UM, AND THERE MAY BE, WE MAY NOT BE SPENDING ANY MONEY, OR WE MAY BE SPENDING MONEY, UM, ON IT, BUT WE MAY BE SPENDING IT A DIFFERENT WAY.
AND THEN BASICALLY, HOW DO WE GET TO A POINT OF, OF SAVING AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? AND SO THE TEAMS WILL BE ABLE TO FORM WORKING GROUPS, AND THEN THEY'LL KIND OF START TO WORK ON THAT, BASICALLY USING THOSE ELEMENTS.
UM, AT THIS TIME, WE, UM, WE DO WANNA, UM, SHIFT TO OUR, UM, COMMITTEE DISCUSSION WHERE WE HAVE OUR FOLKS COME UP, UM, FROM OUR DIFFERENT AREAS, AND THEY'RE GONNA MOVE THROUGH THE REST OF THE PRESENTATION.
SO IF I COULD HAVE THE TEAM TO, TO COME UP, UM, AND JOIN US.
SO, UM, AS, UH, A CM HOWARD SUGGESTED THAT WE PROVIDE A, UH, PRESENTATION, JOINT PRESENTATION FROM STAFF ACROSS ALL THREE
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ENTITIES REGARDING, UH, HOMELESS, UH, PREVENTION.AND SO WE'VE, UM, PREPARED SOMETHING AND EACH OF US HAVE A FEW SLIDES TO SHOW YOU.
THEY ARE NOT, THEY'RE VERY SHORT SLIDES.
THERE'S SO MUCH INFORMATION TO COVER IN EACH TOPIC, BUT IT'S JUST TO GET YOU, UH, JUST TO GET YOU STARTED, AND THEN WE CAN, UH, GO BACK TO A DISCUSSION ON WHAT YOU'VE HEARD AND WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING.
UM, SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO, IS IT CARLA'S GONNA GO FIRST? YES.
I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING AS THE ADMINISTRATIVE SUPERVISOR OF AIS D'S PROJECT HELP PROGRAM.
IN THAT PROGRAM, WE SERVE STUDENTS WHO ARE HIGHLY MOBILE AND AT RISK.
THEY ARE IN CATEGORIES KNOWN AS HOMELESS, FOSTER CARE, AND ARE MILITARY CONNECTED.
SO I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS I'D LIKE TO SHARE RELATED TO THE WORK THAT WE DO.
UM, OUR MISSION AND OUR GOAL IS TO SERVE STUDENTS WITH THE PROTECTIONS AND THE RIGHTS THAT HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED UNDER THE MCKINNEY BENTO HOMELESS ASSISTANCE ACT FOR STUDENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
UM, THIS YEAR FOR THE 25 26 SCHOOL YEAR, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED AND ARE SERVING 1,178 STUDENTS CLASSIFIED AS HOMELESS.
HOMELESS IS IN ABOUT FOUR DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
UM, HOTELS, DD DOUBLED UP, CAMPGROUNDS, UH, SHELTERS, AND TRANSITIONAL CENTERS.
UH, ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE, UH, IDENTIFIED 162 UNACCOMPANIED STUDENTS, MEANING THEY ARE IN ONE OF THESE SPACES, AND THEY ARE NOT WITH THEIR PARENT IN YOUR PACKETS.
I BELIEVE YOU HAVE A, UM, YEAR END REVIEW THAT WE DID RELATED TO OUR DATA AND OUR WORK FOR THE 24 25 YEAR.
SO I'M ONLY GONNA SPEAK TO WHAT WE'RE DOING THIS YEAR.
AGAIN, I, I DO WANNA, UH, GIVE A BIG, UM, UH, NOTE OF SUPPORT AND THANK YOU FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AS THEY'VE CREATED SOME WAYS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BETTER SUPPORT OUR HOMELESS STUDENTS AND STUDENTS IDENTIFIED AS, UM, HIGHLY MOBILE AT RISK.
THERE ARE SEVERAL, UM, AFTERSCHOOL AND CAMPUS-BASED AND DISTRICT RELATED PROGRAMS THAT ARE ABLE TO OPERATE TO SERVE STUDENTS.
DUE TO THE FUNDING THAT WE DO RECEIVE FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
PRIMETIME HAS AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS IN OVER 31 CAMPUSES SUPPORTING 3,500 STUDENTS.
WE HAVE FAMILY RESOURCE CENTERS.
THEY SERVE AS HUBS FOR, UH, FAMILIES.
UM, AND YOU SEE THE AMOUNT THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN ABLE TO SUPPORT THESE, UM, CENTERS WITH, UH, VICTORY TUTORIAL, WHICH IS OF COURSE MY FAVORITE.
MY MOM WAS A, A LIBRARIAN, SO I LOVE ANYTHING A LIBRARY RELATED.
AND THE VICTORY TUTORIAL PROGRAM OFFERS AFTERSCHOOL TUTORIALS AND SEVEN OF OUR CITY OF, UH, AUSTIN LIBRARIES.
THAT STAFF HAS, UM, VOLUNTEERS AND STUDENTS WHO SUPPORT AND WORK AS TUTORS FOR STUDENTS IN THOSE AREAS.
AGAIN, THE, THE ADULT EDUCATION LITERACY PROGRAM, OUR ESL PROGRAMS FOR CAREGIVERS WHO ARE WORKING WITH FAMILIES, THE PARKS AREA, THE THE LIT FIRST PROGRAM, THAT INITIATIVE, UM, IN THE AMOUNT OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS SUPPORTING STUDENTS ACROSS OUR AREA, SCHOOL NUTRITION, PRE-K EXPANSION, AND OF COURSE, THE PARENT SUPPORT, UM, PROGRAM.
SO, I'M NOT GONNA BORE YOU BECAUSE YOU CAN READ ALL OF THAT, BUT I CAN ABSOLUTELY TELL YOU THE STUDENTS THAT I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SUPPORTING, THEY BENEFIT WHOLEHEARTEDLY THROUGH ALL OF THESE AREAS.
OH, SO, UM, I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TRAVIS COUNTY'S HOMELESS PREVENTION AND DIVERSION PROGRAMMING.
THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT THAT WE DO AT TRAVIS COUNTY, UM, I'M SURE Y'ALL HAVE HEARD OF, OF THE GREAT DIVORCE SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
UH, THANKFULLY I WAS NOT HERE, UH, WHEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, UH, SPLIT, UH, UM, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
AND SO AT THAT TIME, WHAT I UNDERSTAND IS THAT, UM, IT WAS AGREED THAT THE, THAT THE CITY WOULD FOCUS ON HOMELESSNESS, UH, SERVICES ON HOMELESS SERVICES IN THE COUNTY, WOULD, UH, WOULD, UH, FOCUS ON PREVENTION.
SO WE'VE BEEN FOCUSING ON PREVENTION FOR MANY YEARS.
UM, AND HERE ARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS.
WE HAVE, UH, PARTNERSHIPS WITH MORE THAN THESE PARTNERS THAT, UH, PROVIDE SERVICES TO PEOPLE WHO ARE UNHOUSED, LIKE, UH, THE ST.
LOUISE HOUSE, LIFEWORKS FOR YOUTH IN KARITAS, THE SALVATION ARMY, THE SUNRISE NAVIGATION CENTER, MEALS ON WHEELS, ELANO.
AND, UH, WE ARE PARTNERING WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, WITH THE AT-HOME PROGRAM.
UH, THAT'S ONE OF, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, HOWARD'S BABIES.
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WE'RE REALLY, REALLY PROUD OF THAT COLLABORATION.UM, UH, WE'VE BEEN ALLOCATING FIVE PLUS MILLION DOLLARS TOWARDS, UH, PREVENTION AND RENTAL ASSISTANCE, EVICTION PREVENTION, AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE.
UM, AND SO, UH, THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE 6 MILLION THAT WE HAVE PROVIDED TO ALBU ANO TO DO EVICTION PREVENTION WITH ARPA MONEY.
BUT IT'S BEEN GENERAL FUND, UH, FOR QUITE SOME TIME AT 5 MILLION ANNUALLY, UH, WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN PROVIDING 118 MILLION TO ASSIST WITH BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AND RECOVERY HOUSING, UH, HELPING WITH THE CONSTRUCTION.
UM, IT WAS, UH, AGREED UPON AT THE EARLY ONSET THAT THE COUNTY COULD PROVIDE ONE TIME FUNDING FROM ARPA.
UH, AND, UH, THE, THE NONPROFITS WE PARTNER WITH WOULD PROVIDE SERVICES.
UM, SO WE, WE ALL KNOW THAT THAT DIDN'T PERFECTLY WORK OUT, SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO HELP IN THAT AREA.
UH, WE PROVIDE A LOT OF DIRECT SERVICES THROUGH OUR STAFF IN WHAT OTHER ENTITIES MIGHT CONTRACT OUT.
WE DO DIRECTLY WITH OUR STAFF, AND I WON'T READ THEM ALL OUT, BUT WE DO HAVE, UM, ONE OF THEM THAT WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF IS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CONFERENCE COMMITTEE, WHICH IS, UH, A, A PROGRAM THAT IDENTIFIES KIDS AT RISK OR THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH JUVENILE PROBATION OR THROUGH, UH, INCARCERATION.
AND WE WORK WITH THEM TO HELP THEM, UH, SUCCEED AND TAKE A DIFFERENT PATH.
UM, WE'VE BEEN FUNDING A ISD RECENTLY.
WE'RE PARTNERING WITH THEM, UM, WITH OUR RAISING TRAVIS COUNTY FUNDS.
UH, WE HAVE AN ILA OF $1.6 MILLION WHERE WE'RE HELPING WITH THE PRE-K EXPANSION.
UM, AND WE JUST AWARDED A, A CONTRACT FOR 895,000 FOR THEIR THIRD BASE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS. SO, VERY HAPPY TO BE PARTNERING WITH A ISD.
AND WE DO HAVE A THREE WAY COLLABORATION ON THE FAMILY RESOURCE CENTERS THAT CARLA MENTIONED.
UH, VERY, VERY PROUD TO, TO FUND THE FAMILY RESOURCE CENTERS, UM, IN JAIL DIVERSION AND DE DEFLECTION PROGRAMS. THESE ARE SERVICES ACTUALLY IN THE JAIL, IN JAIL, PSYCHIATRY AND ASSESSMENTS, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, PARENTING TRAINING.
OUR STAFF ACTUALLY GO INTO THE JAIL TO DO PARENTING TRAINING FOR THOSE INCARCERATED, UH, SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT.
WE HAVE, UM, UH, BEEN FUNDING IN JAIL PEERS FOR A WHILE NOW, AND, AND RECEIVED ADDITIONAL, UH, GRANTS FOR THAT, WHERE THEY'RE CONNECTING HOMELESS PEOPLE TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND PREPARING THEM FOR DISCHARGE WITH A PLAN.
UM, AND WE ALSO HAVE PEERS IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND AT THE SOBERING CENTER, UH, OUR PEERS, UH, AND PEER COUNSELING AND PEER HANDHOLDING HAS BEEN PROVEN TO BE VERY EFFECTIVE, AND WE'RE REALLY, UH, INVESTING IN THAT.
AND THEN WE'VE INVESTED MORE THAN $6 MILLION IN OUR JAIL DIVERSION AND DEFLECTION, UH, PILOT, WHICH A LOT OF YOU KNOW ABOUT.
IT'S OPERATED BY INTEGRAL CARE, FUNDED BY THE CITY, THE COUNTY CENTRAL HEALTH.
AND IT ENSURES, UM, THAT WE AS A COUNTY MEET OUR LEGISLATIVE UPDATE, UH, MANDATES SINCE WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR, UH, FUNDING AND OPERATING JAILS.
UM, AND SO THIS ONE FOCUSES ON THE INTERSECTION OF MENTAL HEALTH IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
AND WHAT WE HAVE FOUND IS THAT IT'S OVERLAPPING WITH, UH, THE UNHOUSED POPULATION AS WELL.
SO THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AS WELL FOR US TO, TO WORK TOGETHER.
SO, UM, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO TYRONE CHARLIE, WHO IS OUR SENIOR STRATEGIC ADVISOR.
HE'S THE KNOW ALL, BE ALL OF JAIL DIVERSION HERE AT THE COUNTY, AND HE'S, UH, LEADING US THROUGH THIS, UH, JOURNEY OF JAIL DIVERSION, AS WE CALL TYRONE.
YOUNG FOLKS KNOW WHAT THAT IS,
BUT, UH, BUT, UM, I THINK IT'S, IT IS IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A ISD, UH, THE, THE RTC FUNDING THAT'S GOING THERE, UM, I THINK IT WAS WHAT, UM, 1.86 MILLION IN, IN EARLY AUGUST, EARLY CHILDCARE, AND THEN 1.5 MILLION FOR AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMMING IN MAY.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, ARE PARTNERING WHERE KIDS ARE AND, AND THE IDEA IS TO IDENTIFY ALL OF THOSE THINGS AND ULTIMATELY, WHAT THE IMPACT WILL BE OVER TIME.
UH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS, UH, MAYOR WATSON, UH, LEADERSHIP FROM THE CITY, UH, AND COUNTY AND STAFF.
UM, APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TRAVIS COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH JAIL DIVERSION EFFORTS.
[00:30:01]
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSION CENTER AND THE CENTRAL INTAKE FACILITY.I'M GONNA SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ISSUES WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS THROUGH THAT WORK.
AND THEN I'LL PROVIDE SOME DETAILS ABOUT TWO MAJOR INITIATIVES THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON AT TRAVIS COUNTY TO HELP ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.
AND THEN I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE COLLABORATION, UH, WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AS WELL AS MANY, MANY OTHER, UH, PARTNERS, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY THAT REALLY GIVE US THE BEST OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THESE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEMS. UM, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROBLEM.
I WON'T READ THIS SLIDE TO YOU, BUT I THINK IT, IT IS A GOOD SUMMARY.
UM, OUR COMMUNITY AND THE NATION AS A WHOLE, TO BE HONEST, IS EXPERIENCING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.
AND OUR CURRENT SYSTEMS CAN'T HANDLE THAT CRISIS.
UM, LOTS OF ISSUES WITH CAPACITY AND SO FORTH.
UM, THE, THE SCOPE AND SCALE OF SERVICES THAT ARE REQUIRED, UH, TO HANDLE INDIVIDUALS IN VERY COMPLEX SITUATIONS, WE DON'T HAVE IT TODAY.
UM, WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR LOCAL SITUATION, ABOUT 40% OF THE JAIL POPULATION, THAT'S 900 TO A THOUSAND FOLKS IN THE JAIL TODAY ARE EXISTING, ARE EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES AS A SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE.
AND THEN WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE OVERLAP OF THE POPULATIONS THAT WE SERVE BETWEEN THE CITY, COUNTY, AND EVEN A-A-I-S-D, ABOUT HALF OF THOSE FOLKS ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
UH, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS NOT DESIGNED TO DEAL WITH THESE TYPES OF ISSUES.
WHILE THERE ARE SERVICES, UH, BEING PROVIDED IN THE JAIL TODAY FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, THAT OBVIOUSLY IS NOT THE OPTIMAL ENVIRONMENT FOR THOSE FOLKS TO GET THE CARE THAT THEY NEED.
AND THEN THERE'S VERY LIMITED OPPORTUNITY TO TRY TO ADDRESS THEIR ISSUES, UM, AROUND HOMELESSNESS.
AND SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE CURRENT SITUATION THAT RESULTS IN TERRIBLE OUTCOMES, PEOPLE ARE CYCLING IN AND OUT OF THE JAIL, ON AND OFF THE STREETS.
ALL OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS ARE DEALING WITH THESE PEOPLE, AND THEY PROVIDE AND PRESENT TREMENDOUS STRESSES TO OTHER INSTITUTIONS, FACILITIES, AND SERVICE AREAS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS IS A SUBSTANTIAL PROBLEM.
WE BELIEVE THERE'S A SMARTER AND MORE COST EFFECTIVE SOLUTION TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.
UM, ONE MAJOR, UM, AREA OF IMPROVEMENT IS IN FILLING GAPS IN THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.
AS COMMISSIONER ILIAN TALKS ABOUT, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE HAVE AND WHAT WE NEED AND WHERE THE GAPS ARE, AND THEN PRIORITIZE HOW WE FILL THEM.
IF WE HAD ALL THE MONEY AND ALL THE RESOURCES IN THE WORLD, WE COULD DO EVERYTHING AT ONE TIME.
UM, THAT MEANS SCALING CAPACITY FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF FACILITIES, DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, ET CETERA.
AND THEN AGAIN, THOSE STRATEGIC COLLABORATIONS WHERE WE ARE INTEGRATING ACROSS SYSTEMS, JURISDICTIONS AND AND SO FORTH.
SO, IN ADDITION TO, UH, SOME OF THE INFORMATION PILAR HAS SHARED, UM, HERE ARE SOME OF THE MENTAL HEALTH JAIL DIVERSION INITIATIVES THAT THE COUNTY IS CURRENTLY FOCUSED ON.
UM, THE CRISIS CARE DIVERSION PILOT, REALLY, THAT WAS ABOUT BETTER UTILIZING EXISTING RESOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY TO SERVE THIS CHALLENGING POPULATION AT THE INTERSECTION, AGAIN, OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEMS. UM, THAT INCLUDED TWO INTEGRAL CARE RUN FACILITIES.
ONE IS THE PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY SERVICES FACILITY ON AIRPORT ROAD.
THE OTHER IS A THERAPEUTIC RESPITE, UH, FACILITY ON 15TH STREET.
UM, BRINGING ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS AT THOSE FACILITIES.
AND EARLY, UM, INFORMATION ABOUT OUTCOMES IS VERY PROMISING FOR THAT PROGRAM.
WE'RE SEEING, UH, THAT CLIENTS AREN'T BEING, UH, REARRESTED, UH, WITHIN A A 30 DAY PERIOD.
THOSE FOLKS ARE GETTING THE CARE THAT THEY NEED BETWEEN THESE TWO FACILITIES.
UM, AND THEN YOU ALSO SEE THE IMPACTS WHERE THEY AREN'T PRESENTING TO EDS AND OTHER, UM, SORT OF FACILITIES AND, AND CARE DELIVERY SETTINGS THAT ARE VERY EXPENSIVE, UH, FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE'RE SEEING SOME GOOD THINGS, AND WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA BE CONDUCTING A OUTCOMES EVALUATION FOR THAT PROGRAM HERE IN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO.
UM, MORE OF THAT INFORMATION WILL BE FORTHCOMING, UH, THROUGH PILAR AND, AND HER HEALTH
[00:35:01]
AND HUMAN SERVICES TEAM.THE OTHER MAJOR INITIATIVE IS THE MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSION CENTER, OR, UM, THIS CRISIS FACILITY, UH, THAT, THAT IS STARTING THE CONCEPT THAT'S STARTING TO EMERGE.
AND THIS IS A FACILITY AGAIN, UM, THAT CAN HELP THESE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE IN VERY CHALLENGING SITUATIONS.
UH, JUDGE ANDY BROWN REFERENCE THIS SORT OF CONCEPT AS A FRONT DOOR, UH, TO OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS CARE CONTINUUM.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT SERVICE AREAS BEING DISCUSSED AND PLANNED FOR IN THIS FACILITY.
EVERYTHING FROM A CRISIS RECEIVING CENTER, UH, WHERE FOLKS, UM, ARE ASSESSED AND TRIAGED, REFERRED ON TO THE NEXT APPROPRIATE POINT OF CARE, BUT THEN OTHER SERVICES, RIGHT, THAT HELP THEM AT THEIR POINT OF NEED.
UM, IT MAY BE INPATIENT PSYCHIATRIC BEDS.
AND SO ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT SERVICE AREAS ARE BEING CONSIDERED AS A PART OF THE MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSION, UH, CENTER, UM, UH, PROJECT.
AND SO WITH THAT, UM, THERE AREN'T ONE OR TWO FACILITIES IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE GONNA HELP TO ADDRESS ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS. WE REALLY NEED AN INTEGRATED CONTINUUM TO MEET A VARIED RANGE OF NEEDS FOR, AGAIN, A COMPLEX, UH, POPULATION.
IN THAT SPIRIT, AS Y'ALL HAVE ALL BEEN TALKING ABOUT, UM, THERE ISN'T ONE OR TWO AGENCIES OR ORGANIZATIONS WHO CAN SOLVE THIS PROBLEM ON THEIR OWN, AND IT'S GONNA REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT COLLABORATION.
AND SO THAT COLLABORATION IS ALREADY UNDERWAY.
AS, AS Y'ALL HAVE TOUCHED ON, AS IT RELATES TO DIVERSION.
YOU'VE GOT THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE VARIOUS ENTITIES ON THE CRISIS CARE DIVERSION PILOT.
BUT AS IT RELATES TO DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW DIVERSION CENTER, YOU HAVE A EXECUTIVE WIDE COMMUNITY, UH, STEERING COMMITTEE THAT IS CHAIRED BY JUDGE ANDY BROWN AND SHERIFF SALLY HERNANDEZ.
COMMISSIONER HOWARD IS AN ACTIVE LEADER IN THAT, UH, A CM HAYDEN HOWARD IS A MEMBER OF THAT, UM, SEVERAL CITY STAFF, A PD CHIEF AND AND SO ON.
AND SO THAT IS A BROAD COALITION OF ALL OF THE AGENCIES WHO ARE, UM, DOING THE GREAT WORK IN THIS AREA, WHO COLLABORATE, WE DEFINE PRIORITIES.
UM, WE TALK ABOUT AT A STRATEGIC LEVEL, LEVEL HOW WE ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.
AND IN THE NEAR TERM, UM, HOW WE BRING, UH, THIS NEW DIVERSION CENTER CONCEPT TO LIGHT.
SO THAT'S A, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON AT TRAVIS COUNTY, BUT AGAIN, THERE ARE SOME SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITIES TO CONTINUE TO PARTNER AND COLLABORATE.
AND I'LL JUST REFERENCE FOR FOLKS IN YOUR, UM, PACKET IS THE LARGER, MORE DETAILED PRESENTATION THAT WAS GIVEN TO THE CENTRAL HEALTH BOARD OF MANAGERS IN FEBRUARY ON THE DIVERSION CENTER.
AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF WORK HAS GONE INTO THIS, UM, OVER A PERIOD OF SEVERAL YEARS, BEGINNING WITH SOME IMPORTANT STUDIES THAT IDENTIFIED PROBLEMS, AND THAT BEGAN TO, UM, FORM THE APPROACH THAT WE WOULD TAKE ON IT.
SO THERE'S A LOT MORE GOOD INFORMATION FOR YOU IN YOUR PACKET.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE IN THE PERSON WHO GOES TO THE EXPANDED PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY SERVICE OR THE THERAPEUTIC DIVERSION? WHAT, WHAT'S THE DISTINCTION THERE? SURE.
SO REALLY DIFFERENT LEVELS OF CARE IS, IS ONE WAY TO THINK ABOUT IT.
SO, PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY SERVICES, REALLY, ANYONE FROM THE COMMUNITY WHO'S HAVING A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS, SOME ISSUE THEY'RE FILLING OUT OF SORTS, MAYBE YOU'VE GOT A NEPHEW OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU CAN BRING THEM TO THAT PLACE.
INTEGRAL CARE WILL, UM, DO AN ASSESSMENT FOR THEM, HELP TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR SITUATION IS.
THERE MAY BE SOME STABILIZING SERVICES THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE, MAYBE EVEN, UH, PRESCRIBE MEDICATION.
FOR EXAMPLE, A RESPITE FACILITY IS SORT OF A LOWER LEVEL OF CARE.
AND SO CURRENTLY THE WAY IT'S BEING USED IS INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE RELATIVELY STABLE, THEY CAN TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES, THEY CAN TAKE CARE OF THEIR MEDICATION, THEY GET CONTINUED SERVICES, COUNSELING, RIGHT? UM, SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELING, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND THEN, AS PILAR MENTIONED, THERE ARE PEERS IN THAT FACILITY.
UM, THERE ARE CASE MANAGERS IN THAT FACILITY THAT HELP CONNECT THESE INDIVIDUALS TO CRITICAL SOCIAL SERVICES THAT THEY'LL NEED TO STABILIZE IN THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING HOUSING.
SO AGAIN, HALF THESE FOLKS GOING THROUGH THE PILOT ARE HOMELESS.
AND SO THAT CONNECTION TO HOUSING, THE PARTNERSHIPS WITH ECHO, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, THEY'RE INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS.
UM, THAT'S HOW THE, THE THERAPEUTIC RESPITE IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
AND TYRONE, I, I WANNA JUMP IN RIGHT THERE.
[00:40:01]
OF THE FOLKS IN THE RESPITE PROGRAM ARE COMING OUT OF JAIL.WE'VE REACHED INTO JAIL TO FIND THE FOLKS THAT SORT OF LANDED IN JAIL BECAUSE THEY HAD A CRISIS AND GOT ARRESTED AND JAILED, AND THEY'RE COMING OUT INTO THIS THERAPEUTIC PROGRAM, OR THEY PRESENTED AT PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY SERVICES, AND THEY WERE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR WHATNOT.
AND THEY, THEN THE PATHWAY TOOK THEM TO THE DIVERSION PROGRAM.
AND SO THE FRONT DOOR HERE IS PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY SERVICES.
THE, THE LAST PIECE I WANNA ADD IS THAT WORKING WITH, YOU MENTIONED CHIEF DAVIS THAT A HUGE PIECE OF THIS IS FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS STUFF.
WE HAVEN'T HAD A PLACE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OR EMS TO TAKE SOMEONE THAT'S IN CRISIS AND ON THE STREET, BUT FOR PERHAPS JAIL.
UM, THE ER DOESN'T WANT THEM, YOU KNOW? AND SO NOW WE, WE WOULD HAVE AN OPTION.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO TAKE 'EM TO JAIL.
THEY CAN TAKE 'EM TO PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY SERVICES, OR WHEN WE BUILD OUT MORE OF THE STUFF ON THE RIGHT, THAT WOULD BE THE, THE NO WRONG DOOR, IF YOU WILL, FOR THE POLICE TO TAKE SOMEBODY ALONG THOSE LINES.
UM, AND, AND, AND MAYBE THE DATA WASN'T BEING COLLECTED IN THE SAME WAY FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS QUESTION, BUT DID THE LOSS OF A SPECIFIC PSYCHIATRIC ED, YOU KNOW, FOR A WHILE WITH THE DISRIP MONEY, FOR A WHILE WHEN WE HAD DISRIP MONEY, WE HAD A SPECIFIC PSYCHIATRIC ED THAT WAS SHOWING REAL BENEFIT IN A VARIETY OF WAYS.
AND, AND MAYBE THIS DATA WASN'T BEING COLLECTED BECAUSE IT WASN'T AT THE FRONT OF MIND THE WAY IT IS NOW.
BUT DID THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN, IN THESE NUMBERS? I DON'T, YEAH.
AND, AND HERE, MAYBE WHAT I'M ASKING IN ADDITION TO THAT, IS IF WE HAD THE, THE FUNDING FOR A TRUE PSYCHIATRIC ED MM-HMM
SO THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE A, A FRAGMENTED EXPANDED PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY, WHICH YOU'VE LABELED EXPANDED, BUT WE HAD A SPECIFIC WHERE THEN FROM THAT DOOR TO, TO USE THAT PHRASE FROM THAT DOOR, YOU WOULD GET SOMEBODY INTO A THERAPEUTIC DIVERSION PROGRAM OR SOME OTHER PROGRAM, RIGHT.
IF YOU SEE THAT FIRST, UH, BOX ON THE RIGHT HALF OF THE PAGE CRISIS RECEIVING CENTER PSYCH ED.
THAT I THINK IS WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
IT'S PART OF A MENTAL HEALTH HOSPITAL, IF YOU WILL, THAT THAT'S WHERE SOMEBODY WOULD GO.
AND THEN THEY WOULD SORT THEM TO WHAT THEY NEEDED.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE DATA THAT WOULD SPECIFICALLY SPEAK TO THAT, JUST 'CAUSE IT PROBABLY WASN'T BEING DONE AT THAT TIME.
WE, FRANKLY, THE WAY THAT GOT PUT TOGETHER, THEY, THEY WEREN'T COLLECTING A WHOLE LOT OF DATA, IS THE TRUTH, BUT, OKAY.
AND JUST, IT'S GOOD TO HELP YOU.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT REACHING INTO THE JAIL.
IS THAT LIKE A DEFERRED EDUCATION PROGRAM OR, UM, IT'S A BIT ABOVE MY PAY GRADE.
I THINK THERE ARE FOLKS THAT ARE READY TO GET OUTTA JAIL FOR SOME OF IT.
AND THEIR, THEIR DEFENSE COUNSEL IS WORKING ON WHAT IS THE PLAN.
SOMETIMES SAD STORY FOLKS ARE SITTING IN JAIL BECAUSE THE JUDGE DOESN'T KNOW WHERE THEY SHOULD GO.
YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY CAN, THEY CAN MOVE THEIR CASE ALONG IN THE STATE HOSPITAL.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE EITHER WAITING FOR COMPETENCY RESTORATION AS COMMISSIONER SHAS MENTIONING, OR THEY JUST NEED SOMEWHERE TO GO.
AND SO, UM, THAT'S PART OF IT.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE, AS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE JAIL AND JAIL STANDARDS, WE ARE ALWAYS WATCHING THE POPULATION.
AND SOMETIMES IT GETS TOO CLOSE TO THE LIMIT.
AND WE KNOW WE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T BELONG IN THERE.
AND SO WE'RE, YOU KNOW, THIS, THAT'S ONE WAY THAT WE GOT TO THIS CONVERSATION WAS WHO ARE, WHO'S IN OUR JAIL AND WHY? BUT WE ALSO HAVE MENTAL HEALTH STAFF AND A TEAM OF PEOPLE WITHIN THE HOSPITAL.
DANNY SMITH HAD SET UP WITHIN THE JAIL, I MEAN, SORRY, WITHIN THE JAIL.
AND THEY, THEY WORK ON, UH, UNDERSTANDING PEOPLE'S CONDITION AND THEIR NEEDS AND TRY AND DO THIS SORT OF WORK, UH, TO HELP PEOPLE WHEN THEY'RE RELEASED.
SO WE'VE GOT, WE'VE GOT STAFF INSIDE THE JAIL THAT ARE ALREADY DOING SOME OF THAT REALLY IMPORTANT WORK.
AND I THINK THE, THE, WHAT WE ARE FINDING IS THAT WE NEED A CONTINUUM.
WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO STABILIZE SOMEBODY IN CRISIS.
SO THEY'RE NOT GOING TO THE ER, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO JAIL, GETTING THEMSELVES IN TROUBLE, BUT THAT IT CAN'T STOP THERE.
UH, USUALLY CRISIS STABILIZATION IS 48 HOURS.
WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO STAY LONGER WITH US, HENCE THE 90 DAY STAY TO HELP THEM
[00:45:01]
REALLY FIGURE OUT, UM, HOW TO STABILIZE, UH, FOR THE LONG TERM.IS IT MEDICATION? CAN WE HELP YOU MANAGE YOUR MEDICATION? IS IT TRAINING? IS IT, UM, SO THERE JUST COULD BE SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE CAN HELP 'EM WITH SO THAT THEY'RE IN A MUCH BETTER PLACE TO GO BACK INTO COMMUNITY OR BACK HOME, UM, SO THAT IT DOESN'T RECUR AGAIN.
SO THE OTHER THING, YOU, YOU MENTIONED DEFERRED ADJUDICATION, AND, UH, WE ONCE HAD A PROGRAMMED, UH, A, UH, DWI COURT UNDER, UH, JUDGE JOEL BENNETT.
AND IT TOOK THE WHOLE CONTINUUM INTO CONSIDERATION.
UH, IT'D HAVE TO BE A NONVIOLENT OFFENSE.
YOU'D HAVE TO AGREE, BECAUSE PART OF THE PROBLEM IS SOMETIMES THERE ARE THERAPIES THAT WE KNOW, UH, PEOPLE NEED AND THEY DON'T AGREE TO, UH, TO ACCEPT THEM.
BUT THROUGH DEFERRED ADJUDICATION, FIRST STEP WAS DETOX, SECOND STEP WAS ASSIGNING TO A COUNSELOR, THIRD STEP WAS A 12 STEPS PROGRAM.
AND THEN WE CAN START TALKING ABOUT JOB TRAINING AND HOUSING AS WELL.
UM, YOU LOOK AT THE ENTIRE CONTINUUM, THINK THAT IT WAS VERY EFFECTIVE AND THE PHOENIX COURT WAS VERY EFFECTIVE AS WELL.
BUT THE IDEA IS, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU ADDRESS THE ENTIRE CONTINUUM IN INSTANCES WHERE THE DECISION TO BE THERE, UH, IS VOLUNTARY? SO, UH, WE, Y'ALL, Y'ALL DON'T HAVE THE INVOLUNTARY AUTHORITY, BUT IT WOULD BE PART OF THE NEXT PHASE OF WHAT WE DO.
AND I, I, I DO WANNA UNDERSCORE, AS COMMISSIONER SHEA POINTED OUT, COUNTY'S NOT DOING THIS ALONE.
AS TYRONE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LEANING HEAVILY ON THE EXPERTISE AT INTEGRAL CARE AND CENTRAL HEALTH.
WE'VE TOURED FACILITIES TOGETHER ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO DETERMINE WHY, WHY OUR COMMUNITY, WE JUST HAVE THESE GAPS AND WE NEED TO FILL THEM.
AND WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE NEW LEADERSHIP IN BOTH OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, IN ORGANIZATIONS THAT UNDERSTAND THIS.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE ALL COMING TOGETHER.
AND THAT'S BEEN A REALLY SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE BY TYRONE AND THE STEERING COMMITTEE.
AND THAT BEGAN IN 2023 AND 24 WITH THOSE INITIAL STUDIES.
UM, AND I KNOW THERE'S ANOTHER GROUP, I THINK YOU'VE CONVENED THE MAYOR THAT INCLUDES CENTRAL HEALTH, INTEGRAL CARE PROVIDERS IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO THEY'RE HAVING SORT OF A PARALLEL DISCUSSIONS.
BUT, UM, I, I HOPE THAT, I HOPE THEY'RE ALL BEING SORT OF BROUGHT ONTO THE SAME PAGE TO UNDERSTAND THAT'S PART OF WHAT'S UNDER THIS.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION? YEAH, PLEASE DO.
UM, WHERE DOES THE STATE COME TO THIS
WHO WANTS TO TAKE THAT QUESTION SERIOUSLY? IT'S AN IMPORTANT QUESTION.
I THINK THERE'S LOTS OF INTERSECTION, UH, WITH THE STATE.
UM, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THIS POPULATION, AGAIN, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, CRIMINAL LEGAL, UH, COMMISSIONER SHAY MENTIONED COMPETENCY RESTORATION.
UM, THERE'S A, A WAITING LIST.
'CAUSE THERE AREN'T ENOUGH BEDS IN THE STATE HOSPITAL SYSTEM TO SORT OF ACCOMMODATE THESE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE, UM, INCOMPETENT TO STAND TRIAL.
AND IT TAKES TIME FOR THEIR COMPETENCY TO BE RESTORED.
UM, AND MANY OF THEM UNFORTUNATELY HAVE TO DO THAT IN THE JAIL.
UM, AND SO THAT'S ONE SORT OF BIG OVERLAP WITH THE, THE MENTAL HEALTH, UH, JAIL DIVERSION WORK.
UM, THERE HAVE BEEN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT PHYSICAL SPACE FOR SOME OF THESE FACILITIES THAT WE NEED.
AND SO I THINK THOSE CONVERSATIONS, UH, WILL CONTINUE.
UM, I THINK FUNDING IS ANOTHER PART OF THE PICTURE, BOTH THE COUNTY AND THE CITY, UH, DISCUSSING PROPOSALS FOR LEGISLATION TO FUND DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF WHAT HAPPENS ACROSS THE CONTINUUM.
UM, SO I THINK THERE'S LOTS OF, OF INTERSECTION WITH THE, THE WORK OF THE STATE ON THIS TOPIC.
IF IT'S OKAY, I MIGHT YEAH, PLEASE DO.
BRIEFLY, AND, AND, AND, AND WE LAUGH A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THERE HASN'T BEEN AS MUCH EFFORT AT THE STATE LEVEL AS WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
AND, AND SO, AND THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, I WOULD SAY GOOD EFFORT BY SOME, BUT IT'S JUST, IT'S ONE OF THOSE KINDS OF ISSUES THAT TAKES 1, 2, 3 SESSIONS TO GET WHERE WE NEED TO GET.
HE, HE'S, HE'S MENTIONED A COUPLE THINGS.
AS I LISTENED TO THIS, ONE OF THE KEY IDEAS IF IS IF WE HAD MORE THERAPEUTIC SPACE THAT WASN'T NECESSARILY INPATIENT AT, AT ASH, BUT TO USE AN EXAMPLE, BUT WAS, UH, A, I DON'T WANT TO USE THE WORD DIVERSION 'CAUSE I DON'T WANNA CREATE, I DON'T WANNA CREATE CONFUSION, BUT DIVERT FROM, FROM JAIL BY BEING ABLE, BUT NOT NECESSARILY NEEDING TO BE TAKING A BED AT ASH, BUT HAVE SOME OTHER FORM OF CARE, OR FOR THAT MATTER, COMING OUT
[00:50:01]
OF ASH AND HAVING A STEP DOWN UNIT, IF YOU WILL, OF SOME SORT SO THAT THERE PEOPLE AREN'T IMMEDIATELY PUT OUT ON THE STREET AND FALL INTO THESE CATEGORIES.UH, THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
THAT IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE THE, THE MENTAL HEALTH JAIL DIVERSION BROADLY LABELED, UH, FITS NEATLY WITHIN OTHER HOMELESS SERVICES.
AND IT ALL BECOMES PART OF A CONTINUUM.
THE OTHER IS FUNDING, BECAUSE WE'RE ALL, I MEAN, WE COULD ALL SIT HERE RIGHT NOW AND SEE AND RENT OUR CLOTHES ABOUT, UH, WHO'S, WHO'S IN THE WORST FINANCIAL SITUATION, RIGHT? UM, ALTHOUGH I WILL BE DEFERENTIAL,
IT'S NOT A COMPETITION, BUT YOU GUYS ARE WINNING, RIGHT? SO, SO, UH, BUT MY POINT BEING, WE NEED, WE NEED ADDITIONAL FUNDING, AND THERE'S BEEN GOOD SIGNIFICANT TALK ABOUT THAT.
BUT EVEN IN MORE, MORE MICRO ASPECT, THIS, THIS 24 HOURS, I MEAN, 48 HOURS, 48 HOURS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE IDEA THAT YOU CAN'T HOLD SOMEBODY FOR MORE THAN 48 HOURS WHEN WHAT MS. SANCHEZ SAYS IS EXACTLY TRUE.
YOU'RE GONNA NEED MORE THAN 48 HOURS FOR SOME FOLKS.
SO WE WE'RE WORKING ON THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
SO WHILE WE ALL KIND OF KNEE-JERK WHEN, WHEN YOU ASK THE QUESTION, THERE IS A LOT OF REAL EFFORT GOING ON, AND, AND I ACTUALLY BELIEVE THAT CONVERSATIONS LIKE THIS THAT HELP US FIGURE OUT WHERE THE CROSS SECTIONS ARE, AS OPPOSED TO, WELL, WE'RE WORKING ON THIS AND WE'RE WORKING ON THAT, I THINK THAT WILL LEAD US TO A BETTER PLACE.
THAT'S WHY I ASKED THE QUESTION ABOUT THE PSYCH ED.
UH, YOU KNOW, IF, IF, IF THE ENTRY POINT OF HAVING A TRUE PSYCH ED WOULD HELP DO, YOU KNOW, HELP THE POLICE KNOW WHERE TO, YOU KNOW, THEY TAKE SOMEBODY'S PSYCH ED AND THEN NOW YOU DON'T HAVE A COP MAKING A DECISION RIGHT.
BUT THEY HAVE THE ABILITY THEN TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT, UM, A A, YOU KNOW, A, A, A THERAPEUTIC DIVERSION PROGRAM.
BUT THAT THERAPEUTIC DIVERSION PROGRAM MAY NOT JUST BE, QUOTE, A HEALTH JAIL, UH, MENTAL HEALTH JAIL DIVERSION PROGRAM.
IT'S A BROADER ONE THAT, PART OF THAT IS THE JAIL DIVERSION.
YOU'RE GETTING THE JAIL DIVERSION BECAUSE OF IT.
I DON'T THINK WE LOSE AT ALL BY MAKING SURE WE'RE IN THAT, THAT KIND OF COALITION AS WE MOVE INTO THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
YEAH, I KNOW THAT, UM, SOME REPUBLICANS WERE PRIORITIZING MENTAL HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH DOLLARS, AND SO I DON'T, I DIDN'T FOLLOW THAT CLOSELY ENOUGH TO SEE WHERE THAT ENDED UP BY THE END OF SESSION, BUT I THINK THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING TO WATCH IT FOR NEXT YEAR.
IT'S, UM, MY OTHER QUESTION WAS, UM, HOW DO, UM, SORT OF HALFWAY HOUSES COME INTO PLAY HERE, IF AT ALL? MM-HMM.
YOU WANT TO, I, I KNOW THAT, UM, WE RELY SOMEWHAT ON THEM.
UM, WE'VE GONE THROUGH WHETHER IT'S THE, I KNOW, UH, THE CITIES LOOKED AT, LIKE, WE DON'T, I DON'T THINK REGISTER THEM OR MONITOR THEM.
SO A LOT OF OUR PROVIDERS, WHETHER IT'S INTERVAL CARE OR CARITAS, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN LIST OF GOOD ONES.
AND ONES NOT TO HAVE YOUR CLIENTS GO TO MM-HMM
SO THERE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW MM-HMM
WHAT EXACTLY YOU'RE INTERESTED IS, BUT THERE'S, THERE ARE SOME, UH, DALLAS REGULATES THEIRS.
AND I HAD HEARD 10 YEARS AGO, A LOT OF THE BAD ONES WENT AWAY, AND A LOT OF THE GOOD ONES, YOU KNOW, DOUBLED IN SIZE.
BUT I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS I HAVE WITH FAMILY MEMBERS WHO, UM, HAVE GOTTEN OUT OF JAIL OR, UH, PRISONED AND, AND HAVE REALLY BENEFITED FROM THIS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THIRD SPACE LIVING OPTION.
UM, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO EXACTLY LOOK LIKE A HALFWAY HOUSE, BECAUSE THAT IS IN ITSELF A WHOLE, A WHOLE THING.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST THIS IDEA WHERE SOMEBODY CAN GO AND STAY, I GUESS THE 90 DAYS IS WHERE THIS WOULD COME IN, UM, AND THEN HAVE THE RESOURCES FOR, UM, HELPING WITH MEDICATION MANAGEMENT OR HOUSING STABILITY OR, OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
THAT'S WHAT COMES TO MY MIND WHEN I THINK OF, SO THAT'S, THAT'S BEEN THE DISCUSSION WHEN I WORKED AT CODE COMPLIANCE AND AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN, IT WAS A DISCUSSION BECAUSE PART OF THE PROBLEM THAT YOU, PART OF THE PROBLEM WE HAVE IS YOU, YOU NEED STRUCTURE, RESOURCES AND STABLE AND, AND, AND, UH, STABLE SUPERVISION.
AND THE CITY WAS NOT, UH, MONITORING IT IN THAT WAY.
AND WHEN THEY DON'T MONITOR IT IN THAT WAY, NEIGHBORS AND NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS HAVE DI DIFFICULTY WITH IT BEING IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
[00:55:01]
STRUCTURED IN THOSE PLACES WHERE YOU HAVE 12 STEPS PROGRAMS, WHERE THERE IS SUPERVISION, I THINK THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT COMMUNITIES HAVE SAID, YOU KNOW, MY, MY, MY, UH, CHILD LIVES HERE, OR MY NEIGHBOR GREW UP HERE, AND WE NEED TO HELP THEM GET THE RESOURCES HERE TO STABILIZE THEM.BUT THERE IS, THERE IS PROBABLY A CONTINUUM OF, OF PLANNING AND INVOLVEMENT THAT WOULD HAVE TO COME BEFORE YOU COULD USE WHAT THEY REFER TO OFTEN AS SOBER HOUSES.
UH, JUST BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF SUPERVISION AND, AND NOT HAVING AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE RESOURCES THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO.
MADAM CHAIR, I'M GONNA JUST DO A QUICK TIME CHECK.
WE'VE, IT'S 10 MINUTES OF, UM, ONE, WE HAVE TILL ONE 30.
UM, WHAT ELSE DO WE NEED TO ACCOMPLISH ON THIS ONE? AND THEN WE'VE STILL GOT ANOTHER, UH, A PRESENTATION, RIGHT? WE HAVE NO, WE, THIS IS, WE HAVE THE, WE HAVE MORE LAST PART OF THE, THIS PRESENTATION, THE LAST PART OF THIS ONE.
THEY ALSO HAVE TO LICENSE ALL THIS STUFF AND THERE'S LOTS OF RULES AND YOU CAN'T HAVE SO MANY BEDS HERE OR THERE.
AND THE CITY, WOULD THE CITY BE IN CHARGE OF THAT? OR THE, OR THE COUNTY BEING IN CHARGE OF KIND OF THE, THE LICENSING AND THE, THE, THE STATE DOES THE HEALTHCARE LICENSING STUFF.
UH, GOOD EVENING OR AFTERNOON, MR. MAYOR
IT'S BEEN A, IT'S BEEN A, IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND SCHOOL BOARD REPRESENTATIVES AND FELLOW COUNTY, CITY AND SCHOOL DISTRICT ADMINISTRATORS.
I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF SERVING AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HOMELESS STRATEGIES AND OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT.
UH, I'M GONNA START MY CONVERSATION WHERE WE STARTED THIS PORTION OF THE PRESENTATION, WHICH IS ON, UH, HOMELESS PREVENTION.
UH, BUT BEFORE I GET THERE, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO AREN'T AWARE ABOUT OUR OFFICE AND WHAT WE DO, UH, OUR OFFICE IS THE STANDALONE CITY DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THAT EVERYBODY IN OUR COMMUNITY HAS ACCESS TO STABLE HOUSING AND THE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED TO THRIVE.
UH, HOUSING ALONE IS, IS, IS GREAT, BUT HAVING THE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES WOULD ALLOWS PEOPLE TO STAY OUT OF HOMELESSNESS AND CONTINUE TO THRIVE.
WE DO SERVE AS THE CITYWIDE STRATEGIC LEADER TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS IN AUSTIN AND ACROSS TRAVIS COUNTY.
UH, AND WE DO THAT WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MANY OF YOU AND SOME FOLKS WHO AREN'T HERE TODAY, LIKE ECHO AND A WHOLE HOST OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
WE SUPPORT INITIATIVES ACROSS THE CONTINUUM OF CARE, UH, FROM HOMELESS PREVENTION ALL THE WAY THROUGH PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
UH, IN FACT, EARLIER THIS MORNING, COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ AND I WERE AT THE GROUNDBREAKING FOR TWO DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE BEING LED BY NATIONAL CORE, WHICH WILL DELIVER OVER 200 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY, INCLUDING ABOUT 30 UNITS OF PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE EXITING HOMELESSNESS.
ONE OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS, UH, WHICH WAS ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL NOT TOO LONG AGO, FOCUSES ON DEVELOPING, UH, AND IMPLEMENTING HOMELESS PREVENTION PROGRAMS THAT REALLY FOCUS ON HOUSING STABILITY.
AND WE'RE STRESSING THE PREVENTION SIDE TODAY BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT HOMELESS PREVENTION IS ONE OF THE GREATEST WAYS TO END HOMELESSNESS.
IF WE CAN KEEP PEOPLE HOUSED, KEEP FAMILIES HOUSED, UH, KEEP FOLKS HOUSED BEFORE THEY ENTER THE, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, OR BECOME HOMELESS AND EXPERIENCE THE TRAUMA THAT LEADS TO, UH, MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES, THEN IT HELPS ALL OF US.
IT HELPS ALL OF OUR SYSTEMS, BUT ESPECIALLY, UH, OUR WORKING FAMILIES.
THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, WE'RE GONNA DRILL DOWN ON ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE FUND.
AND THIS IS NOT TO SPECIFICALLY ENDORSE THIS PROGRAM, BUT RATHER TO UPLIFT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF HOMELESS PREVENTION INVESTMENTS.
UH, AND SO THE CITY OF AUSTIN PROVIDES $500,000 ANNUALLY TO SUPPORT THE WAYFINDER PROGRAM.
THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT'S OPERATED BY THE SUNRISE HOMELESS NAVIGATION CENTER, AND IT HAS BEEN THE LARGEST SOURCE OF HOUSING IN OUR COMMUNITY SINCE THE PROGRAM'S INCEPTION IN 2024.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE STATS FROM NOVEMBER, 2024 THROUGH DECEMBER, 2025, THIS PROGRAM HAS SERVED OVER 281 HOUSEHOLDS, TOTALING CLOSE TO 700 PEOPLE.
THAT'S AVERAGING 20 HOUSEHOLDS A MONTH, OR 50 PEOPLE GETTING HOUSED EVERY SINGLE MONTH.
MORE THAN HALF OF THOSE HOUSEHOLDS ARE HOUSEHOLDS WITH CHILDREN.
THEY, THEY'RE THE FAMILIES THAT CARLA AND THE PROJECT HEALTH TEAM ARE WORKING INSIDE THE SCHOOLS TO HELP.
WE'RE WORKING OUTSIDE THE SCHOOLS TO KEEP THOSE FAMILIES HOUSED.
FOUR, THE FIVE HOUSEHOLDS THAT PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROGRAM EITHER RETAIN THEIR HOUSING OR WE'RE ABLE TO MOVE INTO HOUSING WITHIN ONE MONTH OF ENROLLING IN THE PROGRAM.
YOU KNOW, YOU COMPARE THAT TO HOMELESS SHELTER WHERE IT TAKES US ABOUT FIVE TO SIX MONTHS TO SUCCESSFULLY EXIT SOMEBODY.
A RAPID REHOUSING PROGRAM THAT COULD TAKE UP TO TWO YEARS OR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, WHICH COULD TAKE FIVE YEARS OR MORE IF WE'RE ABLE TO GET PEOPLE HOUSED AND KEEP THEM HOUSED WITHIN A MONTH.
THAT'S NOT ONLY A MAJOR VICTORY
[01:00:01]
FOR THAT HOUSEHOLD, BUT IT'S A MAJOR VICTORY FOR OUR ENTIRE SYSTEM BECAUSE IT EASES THE BURDEN ON THE REST OF THE SYSTEM.HOUSEHOLDS WITH KIDS HAVE A HIGHER THAN AVERAGE RATE OF EXITING THE PERMANENT HOUSING.
97% OF THE HOUSEHOLDS THAT HAVE TOUCHED THIS PROGRAM, UH, THAT HAVE CHILDREN HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET INTO HOUSING.
THE AVERAGE COST TO GET PEOPLE HOUSED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM PER HOUSEHOLD IS LESS THAN A THOUSAND DOLLARS.
AND FOR HOUSEHOLDS WITH CHILDREN, IT'S ABOUT $1,200.
THIS IS A ONE TIME INVESTMENT OF $1,200 TO GET THESE FAMILIES HOUSED AND TO KEEP THEM HOUSED.
AND WE KNOW THAT WHEN WE LOOK UPSTREAM AND WE'RE ABLE TO INTERVENE BEFORE PEOPLE ARE EVICTED AND BECOME HOMELESS, THE PROGRAM'S EVEN MORE SUCCESSFUL.
OF THE 113 HOUSEHOLDS THAT WERE AT IMMINENT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS, WHICH MEANS THEY WERE STILL HOUSED, BUT THEY HAD THE EVICTION NOTICE, THEY WERE ABOUT TO GET KICKED OUT FOR NONPAYMENT OF RENT OR BACK OWED UTILITIES OR WHATEVER THE ISSUE WAS, OF THOSE 113 HOUSEHOLDS 112 WERE ABLE TO RETAIN THEIR HOUSING.
I'M SATISFIED WITH THE 99.1% RATE, BUT I REALLY WANTED IT TO BE A HUNDRED.
BUT WE HAD THAT ONE HOUSEHOLD THAT, THAT WE MISSED, AND WE APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
BUT AGAIN, I, I STRESS THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE IT JUST GOES TO DEMONSTRATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE HOMELESS PREVENTION PROGRAMS THAT WE DO.
ALL OF US DO, THE CITY, THE COUNTY, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
UH, AND THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WHY SOME OF THE CONSIDERATIONS FOR NEXT STEPS THAT WE'LL SHARE, UH, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOMELESS PREVENTION.
AND SO I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT THROUGH THIS NEXT SLIDE, BUT I'M GONNA INVITE MY COLLEAGUES TO ALSO COVER SOME OF THESE BULLET POINTS.
UH, AND WE'LL DO THIS VERY QUICKLY IN THE INTEREST OF TIME.
BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT POTENTIAL COLLABORATIVE OPPORTUNITIES, WHERE ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CITY, THE COUNTY AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO CONTINUE TO PARTNER AMONGST OURSELVES AND IN FELLOWSHIP WITH COMMUNITY TO ADDRESS ISSUES OF HOMELESSNESS THAT AFFECT ALL OF US.
UH, TWO THAT I SPECIFICALLY WANT TO CALL OUT ARE THE FAMILY UNIFICATION PROGRAM VOUCHERS.
THESE ARE FEDERAL, UH, HOUSING VOUCHERS FOR FAMILIES THAT CAN HELP PREVENT FAMILY SEPARATION.
SO WHEN WE HAVE, UH, PARENTS WHO ARE AT RISK OF LOSING THEIR HOUSING AND EVEN WORSE AT RISK OF BEING SEPARATED FOR THEIR, FROM THEIR KIDS, UH, WE CAN PARTNER WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND WITH OUR LOCAL PROVIDERS TO DRAW DOWN THESE FUP VOUCHERS, FUP, FUP FP, NOT A DIFFERENT WORD, UH, BUT DRAW DOWN THESE VOUCHERS TO TRY TO KEEP AS MANY OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, WE SAY, WHAT THE F**K? BUT YEAH, I WENT, I WENT TOO CLOSE TO THE LINE.
BUT YEAH, SO WHEN I DRAW DOWN AS MANY OF THESE F VOUCHERS AS WE CAN, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO KEEP FAMILIES HOUSED AND KEEP THOSE FAMILIES TOGETHER, AND I KNOW OUR COLLEAGUES AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT CAN ATTEST TO THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING FAMILIES TOGETHER FROM AN EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES PERSPECTIVE.
OUR COLLEAGUES AT THE COUNTY, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT, UH, JUVENILE JUSTICE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING STRONG FAMILIES TOGETHER, HOW THAT IMPACTS THAT SYSTEM.
AND OF COURSE, FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AS WE CONTINUE TO TRY TO FIND WAYS TO RESOLVE FAMILY HOMELESSNESS.
THE OTHER, I THINK, AS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED TODAY, IS LOOKING AT EXPANDING THE EMERGENCY SHELTER NETWORK FOR FAMILIES.
UH, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THE SALVATION ARMY, UH, THAT PROVIDES SOME FAMILY SHELTERING AS ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, STEPHANIE HAYDEN HOWARD NOTED.
UH, BUT THE WAIT LIST FOR THAT SHELTER IS SIGNIFICANTLY LONG.
I THINK THE LAST TIME I CHECKED IN WITH SALVATION ARMY, IT'S ABOUT A THREE TO FOUR MONTH WAIT LIST.
MOMS AND DADS DON'T HAVE THREE TO FOUR MONTHS TO WAIT AROUND FOR SHELTER, UH, STEEP IT IN THEIR CARS, STAYING IN THE MCDONALD'S PARKING LOT TO USE THE WIFI SO THEIR KIDS COULD DO THEIR HOMEWORK.
YOU KNOW, EXPANDING FAMILY SHELTER IS A, A CRITICAL, UH, PRIORITY FOR OUR OFFICE, AND IT'S A POTENTIAL COLLABORATIVE OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF US TO DO THIS WORK TOGETHER.
WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO MS. SANCHEZ FROM THE COUNTY TO COVER THE NEXT TWO POINTS, AND THEN CARLA WILL CLOSE US OUT WITH THE LAST TWO POINTS.
SO, UM, WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT, UH, EVICTION AND HOMELESS PREVENTION PROGRAMS FOR FAMILIES, AND I THINK WE HAVE, THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY HERE FOR US TO WORK TOGETHER BECAUSE ALL OF US AS PRESENTED, ARE DOING THIS WORK.
SO IF WE CAN COLLABORATE AND FIND THE SYNERGY AND THE EFFICIENCIES, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
UH, WE CAN INVEST IN PROGRAMS TO KEEP FAMILIES STABLY HOUSED, UH, IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, WHICH IS IMPORTANT, UH, BY OFFERING EVICTION PROTECTION, UH, OR PREVENTION, FINANCIAL SUPPORT, AND CASE MANAGEMENT.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE AT, AT TRAVIS COUNTY IS WE HAVE TIED FINANCE RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO CASE MANAGEMENT.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE FAMILY HAS A LONG-TERM PLAN IF THEY'RE GOING TO USE OUR RENTAL ASSISTANCE FUNDS, SO THAT IT'S NOT JUST A BANDAID.
UM, SO CASE MANAGEMENT'S GONNA BE VERY IMPORTANT.
UH, AND WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT JAIL DIVERSION.
YOU KNOW, THE, THE SOLUTION IS NEEDED
[01:05:01]
TO ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH, JAIL, JAIL DIVERSION, OVERLAP WITH THE MANY COMMUNITY SYSTEM CHANGES THAT ARE HAPPENING, INCLUDING, UH, HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING.AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO CARLA.
SO, AGAIN, SO SOME OF THE, THE LAST TWO POINTS, UM, WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD WAY OF IDENTIFYING FAMILIES WHO HAVE BEEN EVICTED OR THEY'VE BEEN DISPLACED ON AT OUR SCHOOLS.
SO THE NEXT PIECE, WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SPEND SOME TIME WORKING TO TRAIN PERSONNEL ON HOW TO RECOGNIZE WHEN A FAMILY IS RIGHT ON THAT CUSP.
THEY'VE NOT LOST HOUSING YET, BUT THERE MAY BE SOME THINGS THAT COULD TRIGGER THAT.
SO WORKING WITH OUR FRONT OFFICE STAFF AND CAMPUSES AND TEACHERS TO REALLY WORK TO, TO AT WHAT DO YOU SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING AND HOW THEY CAN REPORT THAT TO OUR TEAM SO WE CAN GET THEM CONNECTED SOONER.
AND THE LAST POINT IS COLLABORATING THROUGH OUR CAMPUSES AND OUR ADMINS TO CREATE SOME ENHANCED SUPPORTS SO THAT WE CAN CAPTURE AND, AND PREVENT STUDENTS FROM ENTERING THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
AGAIN, WHEN STUDENTS ARE HIGHLY MOBILE AT RISK, THERE ARE LOTS OF THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THEIR LIVES.
SO HOW CAN WE BETTER PUT EYES AND SUPPORTS AROUND THEM TO GET THEM POINTED TO THE, TO, TO THE RIGHT RESOURCES? AND, UH, THAT SUMS UP OUR NOTES.
ANYTHING, MR. HI, YOUR HONOR, WHEN WE HAD THE AUSTIN PROJECT YEAH, IT'S, THE AUSTIN PROJECT IS MOVED OVER NOW TO AUSTIN VOICES, MAYBE? CORRECT.
UH, OUR PRIMARY, ONE OF OUR PRIMARY GOALS WAS TO SET UP FAMILY RESOURCE CENTERS AND TO HAVE COUNSELORS THAT REACHED OUT IN THE COM INTO THE COMMUNITY, SO, UH, THAT WE COULD COORDINATE WITH PARENTS AND COORDINATE RESOURCES.
UNDERSTAND THAT CIS IS DOING SOME OF THAT NOW.
UH, I MEAN, IT'D BE INTERESTING TO SEE THE GROUPS THAT HAVE, THAT HAVE COME TOGETHER TO IDENTIFY ALL THE RESOURCES AND THEN HELP PARENTS LEARN HOW TO USE THEM.
SO, UM, ARE WE DOING ANY QUICK QUESTION? ANY, ANY COORDINATION WITH OUR JP COURTS? I THINK THEY'RE THE PLACE WHERE, UH, PEOPLE ARE CONFRONTING, UM, EVICTION.
UH, I KNOW THERE ARE EFFORTS IN, IN VARIOUS JP COURTS TO, UM, UH, PROVIDE A LITTLE MORE ASSISTANCE TO FAMILIES.
WE'VE ACTUALLY FUNDED ATTORNEYS, UM, AT THE JP COURTS TO HELP, UH, PEOPLE FACING EVICTIONS.
BUT IS THERE COORDINATION? BECAUSE IF YOU'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHEN FAMILIES ARE ABOUT TO BE EVICTED, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT'S A PARTICULAR PLACE WHERE WE COULD GET LOTS OF INFORMATION.
AND THEN ALSO THE FAMILY RESOURCE CENTERS THAT WE'RE FUNDING, I THOUGHT THAT WAS PART OF THEIR WORK AS WELL, WAS TO, UM, IDENTIFY FAMILIES THAT WERE STRUGGLING TO PAY BILLS AND, AND HAVING DIFFICULTY.
SO I'M ASSUMING THAT'S ALSO ONE OF THE PLACES WHERE YOU'RE IDENTIFYING FAMILIES THAT MAY BE FACING YES.
TYPICALLY THE, UH, SUPPORT THROUGH, UH, RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UTILITIES, FOOD, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS ARE THE PRIMARY AREAS.
SO WE'RE WORKING TO DELVE A LITTLE BIT DEEPER, UM, TO REALLY LOOK AT WHERE KIDS ARE, HOW THEY'RE ENGAGED, AND HOW WE CAN BETTER MAKE SURE THAT THOSE FAMILIES HAVE THE SUPPORTS NEEDED SO THAT KIDS CAN CONTINUE THEIR JOURNEY IN, IN EDUCATION.
THIS WILL HELP YOU COORDINATE WITH PRECINCT ONE.
IS, IS, AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, IS THERE ANY COORDINATION NOW WITH THE JP COURTS ON THIS? I AM NOT AWARE OF THAT CAN, BECAUSE THAT SEEMS LIKE A REALLY, I CAN, IT'S NOT FULL.
UM, WE DO, WE DO, UM, COORDINATE, BUT IT'S SPEC KIND OF MAINLY AROUND TRUANCY.
UH, IT'S WHEN WE TEND TO ENGAGE TO SUPPORT OUR, OUR STUDENTS AS THEY, YOU KNOW, ENSURE TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE IN, IN SCHOOL.
UM, BUT AS FAR AS THIS FRONT REGARDING, UM, YOU KNOW, HOUSING, UH, NOT AS MUCH, BUT THAT'S CERTAINLY AN AREA OF OPPORTUNITY.
AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE ALL SEPARATELY, UM, ELECTED OFFICIALS.
SO WE DON'T, WE DON'T GOVERN OR DIRECT THEM.
THEY'RE THEIR OWN, UM, ELECTION.
AND EACH OF 'EM HAS A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT APPROACH, BUT I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WHERE WE COULD HELP CONVENE, UM, TO HAVE MORE COLLABORATIVE, UH, EFFORTS.
WE, WE, WE STARTED THAT PROCESS.
WE WORKED DIRECTLY WITH PRECINCT COURT, SO WE'LL BE HAPPY, HAVE THE PRECINCT.
AND DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YEAH.
UH, I WANT TO, I HAD A QUESTION, BUT I, AND I'LL COME BACK TO THAT, BUT TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT, I KNOW THAT IN DALLAS, THERE'S A VERY STRONG PROGRAM THAT, THAT, UH, IN FACT, I, I HAVE EVEN TALKED TO THEM ABOUT IT COMING TO AUSTIN.
AND, UH, IT, IT'S NOT HAPPENING.
IT MAY HAPPEN AT SOME POINT, BUT IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE OUGHT TO LOOK AT WITH REGARD TO THE COURT SYSTEM AND WHERE THEY HAVE VOLUNTEER LAWYERS THAT HELP WITH THOSE EVICTIONS AND IT'S, AND, AND HELP AVOID THE EVICTIONS.
AND THEY HAVE A VERY HIGH NUMBER OF AVOIDED EVICTIONS UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT MAY, AND WE OUGHT TO, WE OUGHT TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT, BECAUSE WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO EXACTLY REPLICATE IT, BUT WE MIGHT CAN LEARN FROM IT.
SO, SO, AND I'M NOT, HAD NOT THOUGHT ABOUT THAT IN A WHILE, SO I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP.
[01:10:01]
IF IT'S OKAY, IF I GO TO A QUESTION YES.AND MY QUESTION IS THE PHRASE, FIRST OF ALL, I'M VERY JUST ME PERSONALLY, UH, EXCITED TO SEE THAT PART OF THE WORK THAT CAME OUT OF THE LAST MEETING OF THIS IS A LIST OF COLLABORATIVE OPPORTUNITIES.
SO THANK, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
EVERYBODY THAT'S WORKED ON THAT.
IT SOUNDS, I FEEL HEARD, SO, UH, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
HAVING SAID THAT, UM, I WANNA ASK ABOUT THIS, THE PHRASE, CONVENE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND COLLAB COLLABORATORS THAT MAY PLAY AN INSTRUMENTAL ROLE IN KEEPING YOUTH AND FAMILIES HOUSED OR HELPING YOUTH AND FAMILIES QUICKLY EXIT HOMELESS.
AND, AND I THINK EVERYBODY FEELS HEARD IN THE LIST YOU'VE GOT THERE, BUT NOW MY QUESTION IS, HOW WOULD WE GO ABOUT THAT? WOULD HSO PLAY A ROLE? HOW, TELL ME HOW THAT WOULD BE DONE.
SO PART OF WHAT WE WANT TO DO TODAY WAS LAY OUT JUST A MENU OF OPTIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO GET MORE DIRECTION FROM THIS SUBCOMMITTEE BASED OFF OF YOUR FEEDBACK.
OUR OFFICE AND PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WOULD THEN SAY, OKAY, WHICH PARTNERS ARE MOST APPROPRIATE FOR US TO ENGAGE WITH FOR THESE OPPORTUNITIES? SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU SAID, WE REALLY WANT YOU TO DIG IN MORE INTO THE FAMILY UNIFICATION PROGRAM, THEN THAT'S AN ENGAGEMENT WITH ECHO, WITH HAKA, WITH HATSE, YOU KNOW, OTHER FOLKS WHO MANAGE AND MAINTAIN THOSE VOUCHERS.
IF IT'S SHELTER, THEN IT MIGHT BE A CONVERSATION WITH SALVATION ARMY, LIFEWORKS CHANGE ONE OTHER GROUPS THAT PROVIDE, UH, SHELTERING SERVICES AND HOUSING SERVICES.
SO FOR TODAY, WE'RE JUST HOPING TO GET SOME MORE DIRECTION FROM YOU ALL AROUND WHICH OF THE OPTIONS YOU, YOU LIKE AND PREFER.
AND THEN BASED ON THAT, WE WILL GO BACK INTO OUR GROUP HUDDLE AND THEN BEGIN HAVING FURTHER CONVERSATIONS WITH THOSE STAKEHOLDERS.
AND IF THERE ARE SPECIFIC STAKEHOLDERS YOU WOULD LIKE US TO TALK TO, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
WE'RE, WE'RE HAPPY TO CONVENE THOSE FOLKS AS WELL.
DO Y'ALL HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SORT OF A PRIORITIZED RANKING? I MEAN, JUST SEEMS TO ME THAT PREVENTING FAMILY, PREVENTING HOMELESSNESS FOR FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN SHOULD BE A TOP PRIORITY, BUT I'M JUST LOOKING AT THIS FROM THE OUTSIDE.
SO FOR ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE THE EXPERTISE, WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND IN TERMS OF A PRIORITIZATION? AND I MIGHT JUST A, IF I CAN ADD TO THAT COMMISSIONER THAT THE, THAT IS KIND OF HOW THIS ALL GREW UP.
I MEAN, WE, WE SAW THE LAST TIME WE WERE HAVING THIS MEETING, WE KINDA SAW THE OVERLAP THERE WITH WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO.
AND SO I THINK YOU'RE, IN MY MY OPINION, THAT'S THE RIGHT, A GOOD PLACE TO HAVE THE RIGHT EMPHASIS.
AND WHERE WE EACH HAVE PIECES, I MEAN, THE JP COURTS ARE WHERE A LOT OF THIS STUFF HAPPENS AND WHERE THERE CAN BE MORE ASSISTANCE.
WE HAVE, UM, PARTNERED WITH FOR-PROFIT, UM, APARTMENT DEVELOPERS AND PART OF THE MENU OF PROGRAMS THAT WE, UM, URGE THEM TO IMPLEMENT AS PART OF OUR PARTNERSHIP.
UM, SOME OF IT INCLUDES FINANCIAL LITERACY TRAINING, SOME OF IT INCLUDES EVICTION PREVENTION TRAINING.
THEY HAVE A SELF-INTEREST IN NOT HAVING FAMILIES EVICTED FROM THEIR, UM, UH, APARTMENTS.
SO I THINK THERE, THERE ARE, THERE ARE PIECES THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT COULD DEFINITELY BE, UM, BETTER COORDINATED AND REINFORCED.
AND OBVIOUSLY, COMMISSIONER FOR THE PURPOSES OF TODAY, WE DID NOT RANK ORDER THESE, THESE ARE JUST AVAILABLE AS A MENU, BUT WE DEFINITELY HEAR, UH, THE, THE SPECIAL CONCERN TO THE PREVENTION PIECE.
AND SO IF IT'S THE, WELL, THE SUBCOMMITTEE, WE'RE HAPPY TO GO BACK HUDDLE, DO THAT WORK, AND THEN RELAY THAT FEEDBACK TO YOU IN, IN WHATEVER FORM KIND OF MAKES THE MOST SENSE.
UH, SO THIS IS THE TIME I THINK FOR US TO GIVE SOME, UM, COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK ON WHAT WE WOULD REQUEST OF YOU TO, TO DO IN TERMS OF PRIORITIZING THESE OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION.
AND COMMISSIONER SHEA, UM, I, I HAVE TO HEAD UP, BUT I'D LIKE TO OFFER MAYBE A COUPLE THOUGHTS.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE OBSERVED IN MY ROLE IS JUST TRANSITION, UM, FROM ONE ENTITY TO THE OTHER.
AND, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY, GIVEN JUST THE, THE SCALE OF OUR ORGANIZATION, UH, ALMOST ON A WEEKLY BASIS, THERE IS A CRISIS, UH, THAT IS OF SIGNIFICANT IN NATURE.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK BACK AND YOU THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THAT THE FACT THAT WE'VE SERVED THIS STUDENT FOR 10 YEARS, 13 YEARS OR SO ON, WE HAVE AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION.
AND OFTENTIMES THOSE STUDENTS, UM, WHO HAVE, UH, THESE CHALLENGES WITH THEIR MENTAL HEALTH OR OTHERWISE, UM, SOMETIMES GO UNNOTICED.
AND IT MAY BE THE A STUDENT WHO THEN BECOMES A B STUDENT, RIGHT, WHO HAD THREE ABSENCES IN A YEAR, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN HAD SEVEN.
AND, UH, SOMETIMES, UNFORTUNATELY, THE WAY THAT WE FIND OUT ABOUT THE FACT THAT THEY WEREN'T SUPPORTED AFTER THEY LEFT AUSTIN, ISD, WAS BECAUSE WE GET A CALL FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND THE LAST RECORD THAT WE HAVE OF THEM IN ANY SYSTEM IS OURS.
AND SO I'VE SPENT TIME WITH CENTRAL HEALTH AND INTEGRAL CARE AND, AND LOTS OF OTHER, UM, ENTITIES.
AND, AND SO AS WE THINK ABOUT THIS
[01:15:01]
COLLABORATION, I ALWAYS WANNA THINK ABOUT TRANSITION BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION AND CERTAINLY THE UNHOUSED POPULATION.INTERESTING, THE, UH, MCKINNEY-VENTO, THERE ARE LOTS OF POPULATIONS THAT WE CAN LOOK TO AND SAY, WITHOUT A DOUBT, WE RECOGNIZE THIS IS A, A PRIORITY, BUT THE FACT THAT THERE'S 70,000 STUDENTS AND SO MANY ARE JUST INVISIBLE.
UM, I THINK TO ME, THAT WOULD BE AN, AN INCREDIBLE AREA TO EXPLORE.
UM, AND, AND WORTH MAYBE SOME CONSIDERATION AS YOU MOVE FORWARD, BECAUSE, UH, UNFORTUNATELY WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DATA, MANY STUDENTS LOOK LIKE THEY'RE DOING WELL ON PAPER, AND THE REALITY IS THAT THEY'RE NOT.
UM, SO FOR WHATEVER IT'S WORTH, AS YOU MOVE FORWARD, PERHAPS A AREA EXPLORATION, AS WE LOOK AT COLLABORATIVE OPPORTUNITIES 'CAUSE TRANSITION, LIKE SOMETIMES THEY JUST LEAVE, THEY GRADUATE, RIGHT? AND, AND THEY'RE STILL HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THEY DON'T SHOW UP AGAIN UNLESS THEY'RE SOMETIMES TOO FAR ALONG.
SO JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.
THAT'S REALLY, REALLY INSIGHTFUL.
I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD AREA THAT, THAT THE COUNTY CAN, CAN HELP WITH.
SINCE WE HAVE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CONFERENCE COMMITTEE, UH, PROGRAM, AND WE HAVE OUR RAISING TRAVIS COUNTY FUNDING THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO USE.
NOT SURE EXACTLY HOW YET, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, AT RISK TEENS, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN WORK WITH.
AND, AND THE WAY THAT I SEE WORKING OUT IS EXACTLY HOW DAVID SAID IS, IS THAT WE GET OUR, OUR DEPARTMENTS TOGETHER, THE STAFF AND EACH SPECIALTY DEPARTMENT TO TALK ACROSS THE THREE AGENCIES AND REALLY TRY TO NAIL DOWN WHAT IT IS THAT EACH CAN DO.
I THINK THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT'S MISSING RIGHT NOW, IS THAT, UM, OUR STAFF IN THESE DEPARTMENTS ARE NOT TALKING.
SO, SO WE NEED TO GET OUR STAFFS TOGETHER, UM, AND REALLY TAKE OUR TIME TO DO THIS REALLY WELL AND, AND, AND LEVERAGE EACH OTHER'S RESOURCES.
BUT THAT MEETING BETWEEN PROGRAM STAFF REALLY NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I WANNA MAKE SURE WE, THIS IS OUR DISCUSSION PERIOD.
UH, ONE THING THAT WE'VE DONE IN JUSTICE PLANNING, AND WE ASKED FOR THIS WHEN I FIRST CAME ONTO, UH, THE COURT, UH, WAS A COMPREHENSIVE, UH, ASSET MAP THAT LAID EVERY INTERCEPT OUT, THAT LAID EVERY AREA OUT, UH, THE KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS IN IT, HOW WE MEASURE IT, WHERE WE MEASURE IT.
IT WAS, IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST DOCUMENTS WE'VE EVER PUT TOGETHER IN TERMS OF LAYING OUT NOT ONLY WHAT WE DO, BUT HOW WE DO IT.
AND, UH, AND WE SHOULD PROBABLY REVISIT THAT ONE ON THE JUSTICE PLANNING SIDE.
AND, AND, AND MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT AS WELL.
WE HAVE ADDITIONAL STAFF THAT DO A LOT OF DATA ANALYSIS IN THE JUSTICE ARENA.
UM, AND, UH, AND YOU'RE RIGHT.
I THINK IT, WE'D ALL BENEFIT FROM HAVING OUR STAFFS, UM, TALKING AMONG EACH OTHER ABOUT THESE THINGS.
UM, MAYOR, CAN I ASK ABOUT THE, UH, RESOURCE FROM DALLAS? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE COULD UM, YEAH.
THE, THE, THE ORGANIZATION'S CALLED CAC PAL.
WELL, HANG ON BEFORE I SAY THAT.
UM, BUT THAT SOUNDS LIKE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE USEFUL FOR OUR STAFFS TO LEARN ABOUT AND TO SEE HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO YEAH.
AND I LOOKED AT IT AS PART OF WHAT I'M DOING WITH REGARD TO THIS GENERATION A TX STUFF THAT I'M, I'M DOING AND, AND ALL, UH, WHAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS TAUGHT ME ABOUT, UM, NEEDS WITH REGARD TO EVICTIONS.
SO THAT'S HOW, THAT'S WHERE THE CROSS PURPOSES WERE.
AND, UM, AND IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION UP THERE.
AND I WAS HOPEFUL THAT, WELL, THERE'S NO NEED TO GO IN ALL THAT BOTTOM LINE IS WE COULD LEARN FROM HOW THEY'RE GOING ABOUT DOING THAT.
AND THAT WOULD BE A, A VERY GOOD, I MEAN, IT WOULD HELP ACROSS ALL WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO PREVENTION.
AND, AND I'LL, WHAT I'LL DO IS WITH, WITH PERMISSION OF THE GROUP, IS I'LL DIVE BACK INTO THAT AND, AND THROUGH, UH, STEPHANIE HAYDEN HOWARD, COME GET MORE INFORMATION BACK TO IT AND CONNECT OUR STAFFS ON IT AS WELL.
AND YEAH, THERE'S ANOTHER THING.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER FAMILY PATHFINDERS, IT PUT TOGETHER BY JOHN SHARP, SAME TYPE OF STRATEGIES, UH, WORK, WORKING THROUGH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND WORKING THROUGH COMMUNITY INSTITUTIONS TO WRAP RESOURCES AROUND THE FAMILY.
AND FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, IT WAS A YEAR AT THE TIME.
AND, UH, IT WAS, IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL AND VERY SIGNIFICANT.
UH, I, I WOULD LOVE TO GET SEAT POWELL.
I THINK I WOULD LOVE TO GET SEAT POWELL DOWN HERE, BUT, UM, BUT EVEN SHORT OF THAT, WE OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO, AND I'LL, I'LL FOLLOW UP.
I HAD NOT, THE TRUTH IS MATTER.
WE'RE HAVING MEETINGS LIKE THIS 'CAUSE IT CAUSES ME TO REMEMBER THINGS THAT GET STARTED, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE GET DISTRACTED.
SO IF I MAY MAKE A PLUG FOR ONE MORE, UM, THE FAMILY HOMELESS EMERGENCY SHELTER.
[01:20:01]
THAT UP LAST TIME, I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT.I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S AN AREA THAT THE THREE AGENCIES WOULD AGREE, WOULD BENEFIT FROM.
UH, WE DON'T HAVE MONEY IN A TRAVIS COUNTY TO FUND THAT, BUT WHAT WE DO HAVE IS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT MONEY AND RAISING TRAVIS COUNTY MONEY THAT CAN NEATLY FIT INTO THAT.
IF YOU WANT TO HELP A FAMILY COME OUT OF HOMELESSNESS, THEY'RE GONNA NEED WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TRAINING, AND THEY'RE GONNA NEED CHILDCARE TO BE ABLE TO GO TO WORK, TO GO TO TRAINING.
SO I THINK THAT'S A, THAT WOULD BE A, A BEAUTIFUL PLACE FOR US TO WORK TOGETHER ON.
WHEN YOU DID THE INITIATIVE TO GET HOUSING FOR VETERANS, UM, WAS IT PARTLY MAKING USE OF VACANCIES WITH WITHIN UNITS? WELL, WE HAVE A PRETTY HIGH VACANCY RATE BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN SUCH A HUGE AMOUNT OF NEW, UH, APARTMENT CONSTRUCTION THAT'S COME ONLINE, 30,000 UNITS JUST THIS LAST YEAR.
WELL, AND I, I'LL LET DAVID SAY MORE ABOUT IT, BUT ONE OF THE ISSUES, OF COURSE, IS YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE VOUCHERS.
THEY HAVE TO BE WILLING TO TAKE VOUCHERS.
AND, AND SOMETIMES THE APARTMENTS, EVEN WHEN THEY HAVE THE VACANCIES, WE RUN INTO ISSUES.
AND IN FACT, I, THEY SCREEN 'EM OUT INSTEAD OF SCREEN 'EM IN.
AND, AND IN FACT, I CARRIED LEGISLATION AND FOUGHT LEGISLATION TO STOP, UH, SOME BAD LEGISLATION THAT THAT KEPT US FROM BEING ABLE TO USE THE VOUCHERS THE WAY WE WANTED TO.
BUT THAT IS SOMETHING WE OUGHT TO LOOK AT BECAUSE THERE'S DEFINITELY A, UM, A LOT OF UNITS AVAILABLE.
AND ONE OF THE ENTITIES THAT WE FUNDED, UH, WE STARTED FUNDING ABOUT A YEAR OR TWO AGO, IS THIS GROUP CALLED HOUSING CONNECTOR, WHICH HELPS RECRUIT AND ENGAGE WITH LANDLORDS AND GET THEM WILLING TO, UH, ACCEPT RENTAL APPLICATIONS FROM INDIVIDUALS WITH VOUCHERS, FAMILIES WITH VOUCHERS, OR AT THE VERY LEAST, LOWER THEIR SCREENING CRITERIA.
SO WE HAVE A BETTER SHOT OF GETTING PEOPLE IN.
UH, AND HOUSING CONNECTOR HAS HAD A, A LOT OF SUCCESS.
AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE PARTNERS THAT WE WOULD ENGAGE AROUND THIS WORK.
WE HAVE BEEN TALKING WITH THEM ALREADY AROUND SOME OF OUR FOSTER YOUTH HOMELESSNESS WORK, WHICH IS A SUBPOPULATION OF THIS GROUP.
BUT, UH, BUT THEY'VE BEEN PART OF THOSE ROUND TABLES, BUT WE COULD EXPAND THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
AND THEN JUST GOING BACK TO MS. SANCHEZ'S COMMENT AROUND THE FAMILY, UH, SHELTER.
THIS IS AN AREA THAT, UH, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF STRONG INTEREST, UH, IN THE AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COM, TRAVIS COUNTY COMMUNITY FOR US TO EXPAND, UH, FAMILY SHELTER ON THE HSO SIDE.
WE DO HAVE ACCESS TO SOME HOME, A DOLLARS REMAINING TO DEVELOP NON CONGREGATE SHELTER.
IT COULD BE A SOURCE FOR US TO SEED, UH, AN INVESTMENT AROUND FAMILY SHELTER, BUT IT ALONE WOULD NOT BE ENOUGH.
SO OTHER INVESTORS OR OTHER PARTNERS WOULD HAVE TO, TO COME IN AND, AND WORK WITH THE CITY TO SEED TO, TO CREATE THE CAPITAL STACK TO DEVELOP THOSE SHELTER UNITS.
AND THE LAST THING I'LL SAY ABOUT THAT IS ABOUT ANY OF THIS IS THAT, UM, THE NAME, I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THE NAME OF THE ORGANIZATION THAT I'M APPARENTLY ENAMORED WITH AND TALKING ABOUT, BUT DIDN'T KNOW THE NAME OF IS THE DALLAS EVICTION ADVOCACY CENTER.
BUT AGAIN, I'LL GET WITH ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, AIDEN HOWARD, AND, AND, UM, AND, AND MR. GRAY, AND, AND WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER FOR EVERYBODY.
UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR THOUGHTS RELATED TO THIS DISCUSSION? ANYONE? UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE MORE.
UM, I THINK THE NEXT ITEMS ON HERE ARE UNFINISHED BUSINESS.
THAT'S BEEN A BIG PART OF WHAT WE PRESENTED ON.
UM, ARE THERE COMMENTS ON THAT? IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE WONDERING? OR DO YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING ABOUT IT? I, I THINK WE SAID A LOT ABOUT IT, BUT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT AREAS ARE WE ALL INTERESTED IN? AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT ONE'S ALREADY HAPPENING, RIGHT? THERE'S A LOT OF COLLABORATION, BUT I DIDN'T WANNA LEAVE IT OUT AS, AS A PRIORITY FOR TRAVIS COUNTY.
WELL, AND I THINK BECAUSE OF THE GROUP THAT THE MAYOR HAS CONVENED, AND THAT IS ALREADY IN EXISTENCE WITH THE EXECUTIVE STEERING COMMITTEE, THAT INCLUDES THE A PD CHIEF, THE SHARE OF THE COUNTY JUDGE, THE CENTRAL HEALTH.
SO I THINK WE'VE GOT, IT SOUNDS LIKE ALMOST PARALLEL, YOU KNOW, SORT OF PATHS, UM, UNDERWAY AND MAYBE WOULD BE GOOD TO MERGE THEM.
SO WE CAN ALL BE ON THE SAME PAGE ON THE JAIL DIVERSION.
'CAUSE IT'S, IT'S SUCH A CRUCIAL PART OF IT'S THE EFFORTS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO REALLY ADDRESS THOSE DRIVERS OF MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND HOMELESSNESS.
UM, SO IT'S A, THAT'S THE INTENT IS THAT INSTEAD OF JUST HAVING THIS GERBIL WHEEL OF PEOPLE COMING BACK THROUGH OUR SYSTEM CONSTANTLY, THAT WE ACTUALLY GET THEM THE HELP THEY NEED TO KNIT THEIR LIVES BACK TOGETHER.
I THINK, I THINK, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT IS PRACTICAL, BUT ALSO A LOT OF OUR STATUTORY RESPONSIBILITY IS TIED UP IN THAT AS WELL.
[01:25:01]
WITH THE JAIL, YES, WE'RE REQUIRED OF IT.HOW, HOW WE MANAGE IT, AND, YOU KNOW, HOW WE MANAGE IT IS ONE DISCUSSION, BUT THEN HOW IT ACTUALLY SERVES THE PRIMARY NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND, AND THE FOLKS WHO LIVE IN IT.
HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CUSTOMIZING THINGS SO THAT THEY RESPOND TO PROBLEMS IN THIS COMMUNITY AND WE ACTUALLY SERVE PEOPLE.
SO I'M GONNA MAKE A QUICK COMMENT ON WHAT MATTIA SAID ABOUT TRANSITIONS.
WE KNOW, UH, FEEDER TO HOMELESSNESS IS KIDS, UM, TIMING OUT OR GROWING OUT OF FOSTER CARE OF KIDS LEAVING SCHOOLS AND THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND AGING OUT OF THAT.
UM, AND SO WHAT HE'S SAYING IS JUST VERY IMPORTANT.
SO I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THIS COUNTY COMMUNITY THING, BUT IT, THERE'S SOMETHING THERE TO BE MINDFUL OF THE KIDS THAT ARE LEAVING OUR CARE AND WHERE ARE THEY GOING.
SO, UM, I MET WITH THE SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT RECENTLY IN AUSTIN.
AND ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT HE IS SUPPORTIVE OF, AND THE WHITE HOUSE IS SUPPORTIVE OF IS, UH, FOSTER, FOSTER YOUTH INDEPENDENCE IS WHAT THEY CALL IT.
UH, I'LL BE AT A MEETING IN DC NEXT WEEK.
I DON'T KNOW IF DAVID'S GOING FOR A DAY.
I THINK WHERE THAT INITIATIVE IS.
AND SO, SO I, AND I TALKED TO HIM ABOUT THE CONCEPT, FRANKLY, OF A PILOT PROJECT HERE IN TRAVIS COUNTY WHERE WE COULD TALK ABOUT HOW WE DO THAT.
IN PART BECAUSE WHAT I WAS POINTING OUT IS THAT LIFEWORKS AND, UH, THE CITY'S PLAN, THE 10 POINT PLAN THAT HAS, HAS COME OUT OF THAT IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD.
AND WE HAVE, IT'S INTERESTING IN TEXAS, AND I'M, I MAY GET MY PERCENTAGES A LITTLE BIT WRONG HERE, BUT, UM, ABOUT 33% OF THE KIDS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF OUR FOSTER PROGRAM ARE FOSTER, FOSTER YOUTH, ARE, ARE ENDING UP HOMELESS.
AND THAT IS ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
SO THE STATE OF TEXAS IS ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE AND WHAT'S PERCENT, 10%, 33%.
SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING COULDN'T BE MORE RIGHT.
AND WHAT MATHIAS IS SAYING COULDN'T BE MORE RIGHT.
SO, UM, HE BRINGS UP AN INTERESTING POINT THAT IT, IT'S KIND OF LIKE WITH THE, IN MY VIEW, THE, THE CONCEPT OF, OF THE JAIL DIVERSION PROGRAM AND HOW IT PLAYS INTO THE OVERALL.
UM, IT SOMETIMES IS, UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK IT'S SOMETIMES SEEN AS, OKAY, WE HAVE PEOPLE WORKING ON A JAIL DIVERSION PROGRAM AND WE HAVE PEOPLE WORKING ON HOMELESS SERVICES.
WELL, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT THAT WAY, BUT FOR SOME REASON IT'S KIND OF GROWN ORGANICALLY UP INTO THAT SORT OF, SO MEETINGS LIKE THIS, I THINK, HELP FIX THAT.
IN ADDITION, I THINK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FAMILY SUPPORT AND WE TALK ABOUT, UM, CHILDREN, HOMELESS CHILDREN AND ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, AGAIN, THAT SO OFTEN GETS PUT OVER IN A SEPARATE CATEGORY AND THEN WE TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND SO MEETINGS LIKE THIS, I THINK ARE HELPING US BRING THOSE TOGETHER.
SO WE, WE JUST, YOU KNOW, FOR THAT MATTER, EVICTIONS AND THE ROLE THAT THOSE PLAY IN THE PREVENTION.
SO I THINK THIS HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL IN THAT REGARD.
AND WE JUST NEED TO FOLLOW UP ON, ON THOSE THOUGHTS AND HEAR OURSELVES AND THEN FOLLOW UP.
ARE THERE ANY MORE COMMENTS OR, UM, ISSUES THAT PEOPLE WANNA RAISE? I JUST HAVE ONE, ONE LAST.
UM, I THINK ESPECIALLY, UM, IN THIS CONVERSATION AS WE DISCUSS, UM, YOUTH WHO ARE CONSIDERED, UM, UNACCOMPANIED, UM, WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE THAT CENTRAL PARENT FIGURE IN THEIR LIFE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT IS, UM, YOU KNOW, THEIR FAMILY OR, UM, A FOSTER PARENT OR SOMEONE.
UM, I THINK THAT THAT'S PART OF THE, THE, THE AGING OUT PROCESS IS, IS THAT THERE'S NO ONE THERE TO, TO KIND OF GUIDE THEM, UM, ON, ON THEIR NEXT STEP.
AND I KNOW THAT AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT, WE DO, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR SENIORS.
UM, BUT THAT IS JUST ANOTHER THING I THINK TO, TO KEEP IN MIND THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, A LOT OF FOSTER KIDS DON'T HAVE THAT CENTRAL PARENT FIGURE, UM, TO KIND OF HELP THEM INTO THE NEXT PHASE OF ADULTHOOD IN LIFE.
AND THE FOSTER PROGRAM AT THE STATE LEVEL ACTUALLY HAS A SPECIFIC PART OF THAT PROGRAM, WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO HELP THOSE.
IT IS, IT IS GEARED AT HELPING THOSE KIDS AS THEY AGE OUT AND FOLLOWING THEM.
UH, IT IS ONE OF MY GREAT FRUSTRATIONS IN TERMS OF MANY FRUSTRATIONS, UH, UP THERE.
[01:30:01]
THAT IT IS NOT A GOOD PROGRAM.AND SO WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS, I BELIEVE PROBABLY EXACERBATED, UH, WHEN THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE A PROGRAM TO HELP.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M, I'M ACTUALLY PLEASED THAT, THAT, THAT, UH, THE FIRST LADY AND UM, SECRETARY OF HOUSING URBAN DEVELOPMENT HAVE MADE THIS A PRIORITY.
IF WE CAN THEN SHOW HOW WE CAN DO IT ON THE GROUND, WELL THAT WOULD BE FABULOUS.
ANY OTHER, UH, COMMENTS? UH, IF NOT, I THINK WE HAVE SOME REALLY GREAT AREAS WE'VE IDENTIFIED FOR STAFF TO, UH, DISCUSS AND COLLABORATE ON AND LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES.
MATTHIAS'S COMMENT ABOUT THE WEALTH OF INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE ABOUT STUDENTS, UM, IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE TRYING TO MAKE BETTER USE OF IN ORDER TO PREVENT GREATER PROBLEMS. UM, THE EVICTION WORK FROM DALLAS, FROM OUR OWN JP COURTS, THE SHELTER, UH, ISSUES.
SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF, UM, ISSUES WE'VE IDENTIFIED AND, UM, UM, I'M UNDERSTANDING THAT THE, THE WORK GOING FORWARD BEFORE THE NEXT JOINT SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING IS FOR STAFF TO COLLABORATE ON THAT AND LOOK FOR VERY SPECIFIC, UH, OPPORTUNITIES AND COME BACK WITH RECOMMENDATIONS AND PRIORITIZATION.
IS THAT GENERAL SENSE OF THE GROUP? GREAT.
WELL, THIS HAS BEEN VERY, UH, VERY VALUABLE.
[IV. Standing Items]
BUSINESS, NEW BUSINESS, AND THEN PROPOSED FUTURE MEETING DATES LEFT ON THE AGENDA.ANYTHING WE NEED TO SAY ABOUT THAT? I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY UNFINISHED OR NEW BUSINESS, UH, UNLESS OTHERS HAVE SOMETHING TO BRING UP YOU.
I THINK YOU HAVE, UM, ONE THING AS WE START TO PLAN FOR THE NEXT MEETING, UM, CITY OF AUSTIN WILL HOST THAT MEETING.
AND YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M REALLY BEING MINDFUL THAT, YOU KNOW, ALL OF US HAVE OUR BUDGET PROCESS THAT'S COMING UP.
UM, AND SO WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING IS, IS JUST ALLOW FOLKS TO GET DONE WITH SUMMER, GET DONE WITH THEIR BUDGET PROCESSES, AND WE LOOK AT A DATE IN OCTOBER, UM, FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
UNLESS YOU ALL WOULD LIKE TO MEET SOONER, UM, BUT, BUT LOOKING AT SOMETHING A LITTLE LATER IN THE YEAR AS OPPOSED TO TRYING TO FIND SOMETHING IN AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER.
I MEAN, DO Y'ALL HAVE A PREFERENCE THAT YOU COULD ARGUE AT ROUND OR SQUARE, YOU KNOW MM-HMM
SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY PRIORITIZE SOME OF THIS FOR THE BUDGETS, ALTHOUGH WE'RE ALL IN A, A TERRIBLE SITUATION WITH REGARD TO BUDGETS OR WAIT UNTIL AFTER WE'VE ADOPTED OUR BUDGETS AND WE SEE WHAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH AND THEN, AND THEN GO FORWARD.
SO WE'LL LOOK FOR A DATE IN OCTOBER.
WE DO, UM, WELL, IF THERE'S NO, UM, OTHER BUSINESS FOR US TO TAKE UP, IS THERE A SPECIFIC LANGUAGE I NEED TO USE TO CONCLUDE THE, THE MEETING? UH, IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.
SO, UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING.
UH, OH, DO WE NEED TO VOTE IN, OKAY.
DO WE NEED TO VOTE ON ADJOURNMENT OR NO? I DON'T THINK SO.
WE'RE, UH, ADJOURNED AS OF, UH, 1 28 ON THE 15TH.
UM, AND THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR COMING.
WE'RE DELIGHTED TO HAVE YOU HERE.