Oct 14, 2020 Health &amp; Human Services Committee

SO, UM, LET'S SAY IT IS, UM, MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER.

TOVO SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, HARPER, MADISON, AND THEN I'M GONNA ACTUALLY PULL UP THE CALENDAR.

UM, THE FLOOR IS YOURS CANCELED MEMBER TOOK HIM.

SURE.

THANKS.

SO I, UM, I'M JUST LOOKING.

SO JUST ONE THING I WOULD MENTION IS THAT ALL OF THESE MEETINGS ARE ON COUNCIL MEETING NEEDS.

AND I WONDER IF WE WANT TO BETWEEN NOW I'M OKAY WITH APPROVING THIS TODAY, BUT, UH, I WOULD SUGGEST WE DO, WE DO SOME LOOKING AT OUR COUNCIL AT OUR MONTHLY CALENDARS AND SEE IF WE WANT TO SHIFT THAT IT'S SOMETIMES A LITTLE CHALLENGING ON A WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON TO MEET IF WE'VE GOT COUNCIL THE NEXT DAY.

SO IF THERE'S A WAY TO AVOID THAT, THAT WOULD BE MY PREFERENCE.

AND THE LAST MEETING OF 12 NINE IS AN, IS AN ACTUAL COUNCIL DAY.

I THINK IT WAS INTENDED PROBABLY TO BE 1218.

UH, SO I'M SORRY, 12 EIGHT.

SO FOR NOW WE CAN KEEP THEM WHERE WE ARE, BUT LET'S CHANGE DECEMBER NINE TO DECEMBER EIGHT.

AND MAYBE BETWEEN NOW AND FEBRUARY, WE CAN DO SOME THINKING ABOUT WHETHER WE, WHETHER THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHIFT THOSE WEDNESDAYS TO, TO NON COUNCIL WEEK WEDNESDAYS, SHIFTING THAT DECEMBER 9TH TO DECEMBER 8TH IN MY CALENDAR.

AND THEN, UM, I WONDER IF, UH, WHEN WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN, UM, WITH US, THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE WHAT IS, AS IT STANDS A DRAFT OF THE 20, 21 MEETING SCHEDULE, AND THEN CONTINUE TO MASSAGE IT.

WE'LL JUST LAY IT ON THE TABLE.

OR I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY COUNSEL HARPER, MADISON.

I CAN VOTE ON IT.

I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO MOVE IT BECAUSE I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE I SHOULD BE MAKING THE MOTION FOR A SCHEDULE THAT I WOULDN'T BE PART OF.

I'M BLAMING IT ON THE TABLE FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE KITCHEN TO CHIME IN AS WELL.

I APPRECIATE YOUR, UM, UM, RECOGNIZING THAT AND I THINK IT WOULD BE FAIR TO ALLOW COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN, THE OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN, UM, IN CASE PROCEDURALLY WHAT'S THE APPROPRIATE NEXT STEP.

UM, DO WE GO AHEAD AND RUN IT AND THEN AMEND IT? OR DO WE TABLE THE ITEM COULD JUST TABLE.

FORMAL AMENDMENT, JUST SWITCH IT TO 12 EIGHT, AND WE CAN EITHER WE CAN EITHER VOTE ON IT NOW OR PUT IT ON, LAY IT ON THE TABLE FOR ANNE.

IN WHICH CASE THAT WAS EVER SEEN EITHER ITEM YOU'RE ON MUTE COUNCIL OVER TOVA IF YOU'RE SURE I HAD A LOT TO SAY, I GUESS I'LL START IT ALL AGAIN.

I WAS SUGGESTING THAT WE COULD JUST, I COULD, IT DEPENDS REALLY ON WHETHER YOU WANT TO MAKE, WAIT FOR COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN, BUT I'M COMFORTABLE JUST AMENDING IT FOR MAKING A

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I'M JUST NOT SURE SHE'S NOT HERE TODAY.

SO I'D BE COMFORTABLE WITH, I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THE MOVE IN THE 12, EIGHT.

IT'S THE PART WHERE, UM, WE'RE PROPOSING TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE WEDNESDAY PRE COUNCIL MEETING, WHICH WOULD MEAN IT WOULD BE ANOTHER WEEK IN WHICH CASE? I THINK SHE SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN.

SURE.

WELL, I'M, I'M COMFORTABLE VOTING ON THIS TODAY AND JUST SORT OF ADDING IT OUT INTO THE, INTO THE NETWORK OF, UM, CONSIDERATIONS BETWEEN NOW AND FEBRUARY.

IS THE ANNUAL UPDATE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SOBERING CENTER REGARDING CENTER OPERATIONS.

SOUNDS GOOD TO PICK IT UP AND AMENDMENT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN TAKE IT UP THE MOMENT.

AWESOME.

IT WAS CASE, UM, UM, UM, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE 20, 21 MEETING SCHEDULE? OH, I'M SORRY.

YOU MADE THE MOTION.

AND I SECONDED THE MOTION IN WHICH CASE? UM, ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE 2021 MEETING SCHEDULE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT WE MAY MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS BETWEEN NOW AND FEBRUARY.

UM, AND THAT MOTION PASSES THREE, ZERO.

DID ANYBODY HAVE ANY COMMENTARY ON THAT BEFORE WE MOVE ON? OKAY.

SO WE HAVE, UM, TWO BRIEFINGS TODAY.

OUR FIRST

[3. Receive the annual update from the Executive Director of the Sobering Center regarding Center operations.]

UM, AB ARE WE LOOKING GOOD WITH THE ED ON THE LINE? I'M HERE AND THIS IS LAURA.

SO VINE, I JUST CAN'T, UH, YOU CAN'T SEE ME, BUT I'M HERE.

WE WORKED, BUT WE COULDN'T FIGURE IT OUT.

SO IT'S JUST MY VOICE.

UM, SO I HAVE SOME KIND OF, UH, CAN YOU SEE MY SLIDES? I THINK LUCY SAID SHE WOULD, THAT YOU GUYS WERE GOING TO HAVE MY SLIDES RUNNING, BUT I HAVE THEM, BUT I DON'T THINK I CAN SHARE MY SCREEN SO FAR.

WE CANNOT SEE THEM.

NOT SEEING ANY SLIDES FOR THIS ITEM.

I ONLY HAVE FOUR.

I ONLY HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR ITEM FOUR.

THIS IS CATHY QUICKLY EMAILED THEM TODAY.

I HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO SHARE MY SCREEN BECAUSE I HAVEN'T DONE THAT, BUT I COULD SHARE, I COULD TRY.

I DON'T HAVE AN OPTION TO SHARE MY SCREEN, BUT LET ME FORWARD YOU.

WHAT WAS TOUGH? THAT'S WHAT I, UM, WHILE YOU'RE SENDING THAT, UM, I'M SORRY.

I DID SUBMIT THAT TO THE AGENDA OFFICE.

I'M NOT SURE WHY IT'S NOT SHOWING UP, BUT I CAN, I HAVE ACCESS TO IT RIGHT NOW.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE FOR ME TO DO THAT, I'M SURE THAT WOULD BE OKAY.

I'LL SEND YOU RIGHT AWAY.

I SENT THEM ALSO TO OVER TOBO AS BACKUP, JUST IN CASE.

I'M LOOKING AND I DON'T SEE IT IN MY BOX YET.

YOU SHOULD HAVE IT BY NOW.

COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD COME FROM THIS.

YEAH, I'M LOOKING, THE LAST THING I HAVE FROM YOU IS A MEMORANDUM ON ENERGY CONSERVATION.

DON'T WAIT FOR ME THOUGH.

AND I'M SORRY, LAURA.

I DON'T SEEM TO HAVE IT YET EITHER, BUT JUST HAVING BAD TECHNOLOGY DAY AT MY HOUSE.

SO I GOT IT.

I HAVE IT NOW.

SO MAYBE FOR, TO THE PRESENTATION, I'M LOOKING, THERE WAS EMAIL TO EVERYBODY.

[00:10:02]

YES, I HAVE IT.

UM, AB STUFF, HAVE IT AT THIS POINT SO THAT THEY COULD PUT IT UP ON THE SCREEN OR SHOULD I TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO SHARE MY SCREEN? I HAD THAT OPTION.

I MIGHT'VE.

I SEE, UM, I SHOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU THE ABILITY TO DO THAT.

UM, I'M NOT SURE IF, WELL, WELL, LET ME, LET ME ASK YOU THIS.

WHO WAS THIS PERSON? THIS IS STEPHANIE HAGAN.

THIS IS DANIEL.

DANIEL.

YES, DANIEL LAST NIGHT AND LUKE JUST EMAILED THE PRESENTATION.

CAN WE DO NOT LOGGED INTO MY ACCOUNT? UM, AND I AM NOT SUPPOSED TO GIVE THIS EMAIL OUT OVER LIVE, JUST SAYING, JUST SEND ME AN EMAIL TO MY MAILBOX, HAYDEN, THANK YOU A FEW MINUTES.

WE'RE SORRY ABOUT THAT.

I'M ASSUMING THAT THE THAT'S A CONSIDERATION AROUND BEING ABLE TO SEE THE SLIDES FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND NOT FOR US, CORRECT? SURE.

THAT THE PUBLIC CAN SEE THE PRESENTATION AS WELL.

I UNDERSTAND.

I BELIEVE YOU'RE VIEWED AT COUNCIL MEMBER FITNESS, SO IT'S REALLY BEEN A DAY WHILE WE'RE WAITING.

I JUST, IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU, I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY RIGHT BEFORE WE LOGGED IN.

I WAS, UM, I GOT WORD THAT OUR SOBERING CENTER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WE'RE ABOUT TO HEAR FROM AND, AND HEAR A PRESENTATION FROM HAD BEEN, HAD RECEIVED, UH, A VERY WELL WELL-DESERVED, UM, PRESTIGIOUS HONOR.

AND I THOUGHT I WOULD JUST TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH YOU IN LIKE A PUBLIC, UM, THAT LAURA, SO VINE HAD RECEIVED THE 2020 MAP.

NICK LESTER CHAMPION OF RECOVERY AWARD FROM MEDIA NEWSPAPER COVERING IT'S GIVEN TO AN INDIVIDUAL IN HONOR OF YOUR EXCEPTIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR RECOVERY COMMUNITY.

SO, UM, LAURA, CONGRATULATIONS ON, ON THIS AWARD.

OH, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

FANTASTIC.

I COULD THAT CONGRATULATIONS.

AND KATHY I'LL CHALLENGE YOU TO ST.

MATH MY CLUSTER.

I KNOW I WOULD'VE SAID IT AGAIN TOWARD THE END, BUT I WAS AFRAID OF THIS POOR JOB.

WELL, IT'S NOT TAKING ANY UNNECESSARY RISKS TODAY WITH THE TECHNOLOGY.

LET ME TELL YOU WHAT IT'S LIKE TO GET AN AWARD AT A CEREMONY IN COVID.

IT'S SUPER WEIRD.

LIKE EVERYONE IS IN MASKS AND THERE'S ONLY 10 PEOPLE AND I DON'T REALLY EVEN KNOW THEM, BUT IT WAS WEIRD, BUT IT WAS NICE.

AND THE PHOTO I COULD TELL IN THE IMAGE THAT YOU WERE ALL SOCIALLY, SOCIALLY DISTANCING, VERY NICE IMAGE.

NONETHELESS, IT'S A LOVELY IMAGE.

ALTHOUGH IT LOOKS VERY APOCALYPTIC TO ME, IT LOOKS LIKE, WHY ARE YOU ALL STANDING? LIKE, I WISH I COULD HAVE GIVEN JUDGE COHEN GARTEN A BIG HUG.

I DID SEE.

UM, AND, AND SINCE WE'RE STILL WAITING, I'LL ALSO SHARE WITH MY COLLEAGUES THAT JUDGE HAVEN'T GOTTEN AS MANY OF, YOU KNOW, UM, WAS JUST INSTRUMENTAL IN THE FOUNDING OF THE SOBERING CENTER AND KEPT, KEPT TO THIS GOAL ALIVE FOR MORE THAN A DECADE IN WHICH IT WAS, UM, LIKE FALLOW.

AND, BUT SHE JUST RECENTLY STEPPED OFF THE SOBERING CENTER.

AND SO THE MAYOR, UM, WE HAVE PRESENTED HER WITH A PROCLAMATION AND THE MAYOR DID A VERY NICE VIDEO AND WE ALSO HAVE THREE FOUNDING MEMBERS STUFF OFF AS WELL, WHO RECEIVED DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARDS FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

SO I HOPE AT SOME POINT WHEN WE'RE ALL BACK TOGETHER, WE'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY AS A COUNCIL TO RECOGNIZE THEM AT ONE OF OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, BECAUSE THEY WERE ALL FOUR OF THEM REALLY INSTRUMENTAL.

AND NOW THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING EVERYBODY, KATHY.

AND I ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO THAT WHEN WE'RE ALL BACK TOGETHER, THE 74, WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION, SO NOW WE'RE READY TO GO.

AND WITH THAT, LAURA, WE'LL LET YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

IS BASICALLY A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN RECOVER SAFELY FROM INTOXICATION.

SO I THINK, AND I'M, I MIGHT BE MAKING AN ASSUMPTION HERE THAT MOST OF YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR WITH WHAT THE SOBERING CENTER IS, BUT I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH SOME INTRODUCTORY SLIDES JUST TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S CAUGHT UP AND KINDA KNOWS THE BACKGROUND.

UM, SO, AND I'LL JUST GIVE YOU THE CUE OF NEXT SLIDE.

SO AS A REMINDER, I'M SOBERING CENTER AND THE ONE HERE IN AUSTIN

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UM, OUR GOAL IS TO BE, UH, IT TAKES SOME PRESSURE OFF OF THE JAILS AND THE EMERGENCY ROOMS, AND ALSO TO ADDRESS, UM, ADDICTION OR RISKY USE BEHAVIORS AS A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE RATHER THAN A CRIMINAL JUSTICE.

SO OUR MISSION IS TO ENHANCE PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY, UM, BY PROVIDING A SAFE PLACE FOR PUBLICLY INTOXICATED INDIVIDUALS TO SOBER UP.

AS I SAID, AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO EMERGENCY ROOM OR JAIL, WHERE APPROPRIATE TO PROVIDE A BRIDGE TO RECOVERY.

UM, I THINK THAT BRIDGE TO RECOVERY PIECE IS GONNA COME IN HANDY LATER WHEN I EXPLAINED SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT WE'VE MADE TO THE BUSINESSES.

EXCELLENT.

SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME, UM, FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW ME.

UM, MY BACKGROUND IS IN SOCIAL WORK, I'VE SPENT 20 YEARS IN WORKING IN PUBLIC HOUSING IN JAILS AND TREATMENT CENTERS IN SCHOOLS.

UM, MOST OF MY WORK HAS BEEN IN JAILS AND PRISONS AND, UM, CRIMINAL JUSTICE SETTINGS FROM THE MICRO TO THE MACRO DIRECT SERVICE IN JAILS.

AND IN CASE MANAGER, I'VE BEEN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IN PRISONER REENTRY.

UM, I WAS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY REENTRY ROUND TABLE.

SO I'VE ALSO WORKED IN POLICY REFORM LEVEL AROUND, UM, CREATING A COMMUNITY WHERE FORMERLY INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS CAN REJOIN WITHOUT BARRIERS.

UM, SO I'VE ALWAYS BEEN KIND OF, UM, WORKING IN THIS PARTICULAR FIELD AND I'M TRAINED AS A SOCIAL WORKER AND A SYSTEMS THINKER.

UM, MY BACKGROUND IN TERMS OF NONPROFITS HAS BEEN IN SORT OF AN ELEVATED LEADERSHIP POSITIONS OVER THE YEARS.

UM, AND MY, MY PASSION IS REALLY AROUND THE ROOT CAUSES OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES AND ADDRESSING THOSE AS, AS, AS A ROOT CAUSES RATHER THAN IN A PUNITIVE WAY.

UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT THERE IS EQUITY AND ACCESS TO CARE, UM, BECAUSE MY, MY WORK GOES FROM ALL THE WAY FROM COUNTY JAILS TO DEATH ROW, AND ALL WE SEE THERE IS A DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE OF COLOR AND INCARCERATION SETTINGS VERSUS IN TREATMENT.

AND SO THAT'S BEEN REALLY KIND OF MY LIKE BATTLE CRY FOR THE LAST ATTENDED 20 YEARS IN SOCIAL WORK.

EXCELLENT.

SO WHY DO WE NEED SOBERING CENTERS? I THINK YOU GUYS KNOW THIS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO PUT OUT A LITTLE BIT OF DATA THAT WE HAD FROM APD AND EMS. UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'RE USING A LOT OF RESOURCES IN APD AND EMS TO ARREST PEOPLE FOR PUBLIC INTOXICATION.

UM, BUT ALSO WE'RE JUST SPENDING A LOT OF HOURS IN AMBULANCE AND EMS, UM, CAPACITY DEALING WITH PEOPLE WHO'VE REALLY ALCOHOL AND DRUGS IS THE PRIMARY ISSUE.

UM, WE'RE TAKING UP A LOT OF SPACE IN EMERGENCY ROOMS AND WE'RE USING A LOT OF PARAMEDICS TIME AND AMBULANCE TIME, WHICH IS VERY EXPENSIVE, UM, DOING THESE TRANSPORTS AND KIND OF INTERVENING IN THIS PROBLEM THAT WE KNOW IS A VERY SPECIFIC ISSUE RELATED TO ADDICTION AND HIGH RISK SUBSTANCE USE BEHAVIORS.

SO I THINK, UM, OVERALL IN OUR COUNTRY'S HISTORY, WE'VE, WE'VE HAD AN OVER RELIANCE ON INCARCERATION AS A SOLUTION TO ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS. UM, SO WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE LOCALLY IS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE USING THE JAIL IN THIS WAY.

SO WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, FOR SCALE, WE HAVE LIKE 1200 JAIL BEDS.

UM, BUT WE ONLY HAVE 10 BEDS IN THE SOBERING CENTER RIGHT NOW DUE TO COVID RESTRICTIONS.

SO IF YOU LOOK AT JUST THE CAPACITY AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE WANTING TO TAKE PRESSURE OFF THE JAIL, BUT IN REALITY, WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF, UH, TAKING, UH, A NICE PIC TO AN ICEBERG, UM, BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE ARE ENDING UP IN THE JAIL.

AND WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT CYCLING IN AND OUT OF THE JAIL, IT ONLY SERVES TO CREATE CRIMINAL HISTORY AND FEES AND FINES AND, UM, SORT OF A NEGATIVE KIND OF MORE TRAUMATIZING EXPERIENCE.

WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS INTERVENE IN MORE WITH MORE OF A SOCIAL WORK MODEL AND INTERVENTION MODEL AND CONNECT PEOPLE TO LONGER TERM CARE TO ADDRESS THE REAL DISORDER UNDERLYING THE BEHAVIORS.

NEXT LINE, AS YOU GUYS KNOW, A PUBLIC INTOXICATION IS A CRIME.

UM, WE, THIS IS, UH, SOME DATA THAT SHOWS KIND OF THE DROP IN PIE BOOKINGS INTO THE JAILS SINCE THE SOBERING CENTER OPENED.

UM, WE HAD SEEN ALREADY A DROP RIGHT BEFORE IT OPENED, AND THEN WE SAW EVEN A FURTHER DROP DOWN 36.5% WITH THE FIRST YEAR OF THE SOBERING CENTERS OPERATION.

NEXT SLIDE, AS A REMINDER, UM, WHEN PEOPLE COME INTO THE SOBERING CENTER AND YOU CAN SEE THE LITTLE PHOTO THERE OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, THIS IS A PRE COVID PHOTO.

UM, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE OUR BEDS SPREAD OUT MUCH FURTHER THAN THAT.

UM, BUT THEY DON'T GO TO JAIL OR THE EMERGENCY ROOM.

IT DOESN'T COST THEM ANYTHING.

SO THEY DON'T END UP WITH A MEDICAL BILL OR FINES OR FEES OR, UM, CRIMINAL CHARGES.

THERE WERE OPEN 24 SEVEN.

UM, THERE WAS A TIME POST COVID WHERE WE CAN, WELL, THERE WAS A TIME DURING CODE WHERE WE CLOSED ENTIRELY, AND THEN WE OPENED UP IN

[00:20:01]

LIMITED HOURS.

AND THEN WHEN I GOT HERE, PRETTY SOON AFTER THAT, WE OPENED AGAIN TO 24 SEVEN.

IT SEEMS TO BE A LOT EASIER FOR THE REFERRAL SOURCES TO KNOW THAT WE'RE JUST OPEN ALL THE TIME, RATHER THAN HAVING TO THINK ABOUT IT ON THE FLY.

AND, UM, THE WAY THAT WE INTEGRATE OURSELVES TO APD AND EMS IS BY BEING QUICK IN AND OUT.

AND SO IF THEY ALWAYS KNOW WE'RE OPEN, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A MUCH HIGHER RATE OF UTILIZATION.

UM, WE OPERATE AS A HIPAA PROTECTED ENTITIES.

UM, EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS HERE IS CONFIDENTIAL.

WE DON'T SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT PATIENTS WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT.

UM, BUT WE DO WITH THEIR CONSENT, HOPEFULLY TRY TO COORDINATE SOME LONGER TERM CARE.

AND WE HAVE A VAN THAT WE'RE ABLE TO, UM, USE TO TRANSPORT, TO SERVICES.

UM, WE DON'T USUALLY DRIVE PEOPLE HOME, BUT WE HAVE PUT PEOPLE IN OR UBER'S OR THINGS LIKE THAT IN ORDER TO GET THEM TO A SAFE PLACE.

SO OUR MISSION CRITERIA IS THAT YOU HAVE TO BE AN ADULT.

WE DON'T SERVE KIDS AT THE SOBERING CENTER.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE SUSPECTED ALCOHOL OR DRUG INTOXICATION.

UM, WHEN THEY GET THERE, THEY ARE INTAKED BY A MEDIC.

SO THE FIRST THING THEY DO IS A VERY QUICK ASSESSMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DON'T HAVE ANY MAJOR MEDICAL ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE EXAMINED BY A DOCTOR BEFORE WE WOULD TAKE THEM IN.

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DON'T HAVE ANY PRIMARY PSYCH ISSUES THAT WOULD MEAN THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO BE HOSPITALIZED IMMEDIATELY.

SO SINCE OUR OPENING, WE'VE DONE OVER ALMOST 4,000 INTAKES SINCE THE OPENING OF THE SUFFERING CENTER, WHICH WAS TWO YEARS AGO, ALMOST EXACTLY TWO YEARS AGO, NEXT SLIDE.

AND HERE'S THE BREAKDOWN OF WHO WE SERVE.

OUR RACIAL BREAKDOWN LOOKS VERY SIMILAR TO AUSTIN DEMOGRAPHICS IN TERMS OF POPULATION.

SO, UM, ABOUT ALMOST 50% WHITE, UM, ABOUT 10% AFRICAN AMERICAN, 34% HISPANIC, AND THEN SOME SMALLER NUMBERS OF ASIAN AND THEN OTHER CATEGORIES, OUR POPULATION IS OVERWHELMINGLY MALE.

UM, AND THE AGE KIND OF RANGE SPREADS OUT PRETTY FAR ABOUT 10% OF OUR CLIENTS ARE OUR PATIENTS ARE FROM UT, UM, OR COLLEGE STUDENTS.

I THINK WHEN THE SOBERING CENTER OPENED, PEOPLE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE MORE UTILIZED BY THE UNIVERSITY.

UM, WE DEFINITELY SEE THAT AND WE DEFINITELY SEE THE FESTIVAL GOERS AND THE TOURISTS.

UM, BUT WE ALSO HAVE OUR HANDS FULL WITH, UM, WITH JUST RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN AND, UM, CHRONIC PRODUCT USERS, CHRONIC ADDICTS, AND THOSE WHO ARE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, THIS NUMBER OF 20% HOMELESS WAS TAKEN.

THIS IS FROM LAST YEAR'S DATA.

AND WE'VE ACTUALLY SEEN THAT NUMBER IN COVERT GO UP TO ABOUT 35%.

AND SO WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH NOW IS ACTUALLY A HIGHER ACUITY PATIENT THAN WE WERE DEALING WITH PRE COVID NEXT SLIDE.

SO HERE'S A COUPLE OF CHANGES THAT I'VE MADE SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.

UM, I CAME ON IN JUNE OF 2020, SO, UM, IT WAS A FUN TIME TO CHANGE JOBS.

IT WAS A STRANGE TIME TO CHANGE JOBS, UM, BUT A REALLY EXCITING TIME.

AND, UM, WHEN I GOT HERE, I NOTICED A COUPLE OF THINGS.

UM, THESE, THESE PARTS THAT ARE BOLDED HERE IN THE, IN THE BOXES ARE THE THINGS THAT I HAVE CHANGED A LITTLE BIT.

SO IT USED TO BE THAT THE ONLY WAY TO GET INTO THE SOBERING CENTER WAS IN A VEHICLE WITH SIRENS.

EITHER YOU COME IN VIA UPD OR EMS. AND A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT I SPOKE TO ABOUT GETTING THIS NEW JOB WOULD SAY, OH, WHAT'S THE SOBERING CENTER.

AND WHEN I TELL THEM ABOUT IT, THEY WOULD SAY, OH, THAT SOUNDS SO COOL.

HOW DO I REFER SOMEONE? AND I'M LIKE, OH, YOU DON'T, YOU HAVE TO CALL NINE 11.

UM, AND THEY WERE LIKE, OH, YOU KNOW, WE'D RATHER REALLY NOT DO THAT.

UM, SO WHAT WE, WHAT I DID WAS I STARTED THINKING, OKAY, WELL, I KNOW THAT THE BOARD AND, AND I AGREE WITH THE BOARD DOES NOT WANT THE SOBERING CENTER TO BE A WALKUP FACILITY.

THEY DON'T WANT IT TO BE NECESSARILY A SHELTER, OR, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT WANTING TO HAVE A LINE OUT THE DOOR, PEOPLE THAT ARE SEEKING A PLACE TO STAY IN DRINKING IN ORDER TO STAY THERE.

ENFORCEMENT AND EMS. AND ONCE THEY GET THERE, THEY GET SCREENED BY THE MEDICS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE SAFE TO STAY.

BUT WHAT WE DO WANT IS TO ALSO TAKE PRESSURE OFF OF APD AND ALSO NOT OVER-UTILIZE POLICING AS A RESPONSE.

UM, AND SAME WITH EMS EMS DOESN'T GET REIMBURSED FOR THEIR TRANSPORTS TO US.

THEY ONLY GET REIMBURSED FOR TRANSPORTS TO HOSPITALS.

SO WHILE WE ARE, WE'RE SEEING A STEADY FLOW FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT AND EMS, WE ALSO WANTED TO OPEN UP AN ADD OTHER REFERRAL PARTNERS.

SO IT'S NOT POSSIBLE THAT SOMEONE FROM THE PUBLIC COULD JUST DROP THEIR FRIEND OFF AT THE SOBERING CENTER OR CALL THE SOBERING CENTER AND WALK UP TO IT.

BUT WE HAVE EXTENDED OUR REFERRAL PARTNERS TO A LIST.

SO NOW, IF YOU ARE SAY A CASEWORKER AT DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT, OR IF YOU ARE JUDGE EARL IN THE DWI COURT, OR IF YOU ARE, UM, A CRISIS COUNSELOR WITH INTEGRAL CARE, YOU CAN CALL US AND SAY, HEY, I'VE GOT SOMEBODY PUBLICLY INTOXICATED HERE.

I DON'T WANT TO INVOLVE THE POLICE OR THE AMBULANCE.

CAN YOU COME AND GET THEM IN THE VAN? AND SO WE HAVE A LIST OF BY THE PHONE OF APPROVED REFERRAL PARTNERS.

SO WE'VE EXPANDED THAT AND OPENED IT UP.

SO WE'RE MORE OF THE COMMUNITY CAN REFER INTO THE SOBERING CENTER VERSUS ONLY LAW

[00:25:01]

AND THEN THEY'RE MONITORED FOR DURING THE SOBERING PROCESS, BY A RECOVERY SUPPORT SPECIALISTS WHO ARE OFTENTIMES IN RECOVERY THEMSELVES, UM, SOMETIMES ARE TRAINED AS PEER RECOVERY COACHES AFTER THAT, WHEN THEY'RE READY TO DISCHARGE, THEY DO AN ASSESSMENT AND WE DO A, UH, TWO ASSESSMENTS.

ONE IS AN ALCOHOL SCREENING, AND ONE'S A DRUG SCREENING TO FIGURE OUT HOW RISKY IS THEIR BEHAVIOR.

IS THIS A ONE TIME THING WHERE THEY KIND OF OVERDID IT AT A WEDDING? OR IS THIS AN ONGOING CHRONIC PATTERN THAT WE'RE SEEING THAT THIS PERSON WOULD MAYBE ASSESS CLINICALLY FOR A HIGH LEVEL, HIGHER LEVEL OF CARE? THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIKE, SORT OF LIKE, IT'S A ONETIME THING THEY'RE GOING TO MEET WITH THE RECOVERY SUPPORT SPECIALIST, GET SOME EDUCATION, GET SOME INFORMATION, MAYBE GET SOME PHONE NUMBERS, AND THEN THEY'RE GOING TO DISCHARGE.

SO THOSE THAT SCORE HIGHER ON THE RISK ASSESSMENT ARE GOING TO MEET WITH AN EXPERT, COUNSELOR AND EXPERT STANDS FOR SCREENING, BRIEF INTERVENTION AND REFERRAL TO TREATMENT.

AND OUR EXPERT COUNSELORS ARE ALL LICENSED AT AN LCDC LEVEL OR HIGHER.

SO THEY'RE EITHER A LICENSED CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY COUNSELOR OR AN LMSW, AND THAT PERSON IS GOING TO WORK WITH THE CLIENT TO CONNECT TO THE APPROPRIATE COMMUNITY RESOURCES.

THE, UM, THE BIG CHANGE WE'VE MADE HERE IS THAT, UM, WE STARTED IN, LET'S SEE JULY OR AUGUST, I THINK WHEN I HAD BEEN HERE ABOUT SIX WEEKS OR SO.

AND WE HAD OUR FIRST CLIENT COME IN, WHO HAD BEEN PICKED UP BY EMS 75 TIMES IN 135 DAYS.

UM, THIS PERSON WAS, UH, FIVE TIMES THE LEGAL LIMIT, PUBLICLY INTOXICATED IN FRONT OF CONVENIENCE STORES AND PARKS.

AND IT WAS 105 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

AND ABOUT THE SIXTH TIME HE CAME TO THE SOBERING CENTER THIS SUMMER, HE FINALLY FORMED A RELATIONSHIP ENOUGH WITH THE COUNSELORS TO AGREE TO DETOX.

BUT THE ISSUE THAT WE HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY IS THAT THERE ARE SO FEW STATE FUNDED OR INDIGENT CARE DETOX BEDS, OR TREATMENT BEDS THAT YOU CAN'T JUST ACCESS THAT IMMEDIATELY.

AND IT'S A SATURDAY MORNING AND THIS GUY IS LAYING HERE SAYING I'M READY TO GO TO TREATMENT.

AND WITH ADDICTION, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY'RE READY TO GO, THEY GOTTA GO LIKE RIGHT NOW, BUT THERE'S NO ACCESS TO CARE.

SO BECAUSE HE WAS INDIGENT AND HE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING.

AND WE WERE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT HIM FROM ALCOHOL WITHDRAWAL, ALCOHOL WITHDRAWAL IS SOMETHING YOU CAN DIE FROM VERSUS CRACK OR METH OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

SO THE BEAUTY OF OUR MODEL IS THAT WE HAVE PARAMEDICS HERE 24 HOURS A DAY.

AND SO WHAT I BASICALLY SAID WAS, LOOK, HERE'S, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

WE'RE GOING TO FIND THEM A BED.

AND THEN HE'S JUST GOING TO STAY HERE UNTIL THE BED IS READY BECAUSE HE'S GOING TO DIE ON THE STREET OTHERWISE.

SO WE JUST MONITORED HIM EVERY 15 MINUTES OR 0.4 MILES FROM DELL SETON.

SO WE JUST WATCHED HIM FOR SIGNS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE TO TAKE HIM TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM.

HE STAYED WITH US FOR THREE NIGHTS.

HE WENT DIRECTLY TO TREATMENT IN OUR VAN AND HE ACTUALLY COMPLETED A 30 DAY PROGRAM AND THEN WENT TO TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.

SO THAT FIRST CASE WENT SO WELL THAT WE TRIED IT AGAIN.

AND WE TRIED IT AGAIN AND NOW WE'VE DONE IT 13 TIMES.

AND WE'RE, WE'RE SEEING REALLY GREAT OUTCOMES WITH SPENDING A LITTLE MORE TIME WITH OUR CLIENTS, ALLOWING THEM TO STAY OVER A LITTLE BIT LONGER BECAUSE WE HAVE LICENSED MEDICS AND LICENSED COUNSELORS AND BECAUSE OF COVID AND BECAUSE THE BARS ARE CLOSED, WE'RE SLOW AND WE HAVE TIME.

AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE USING THE CITY'S RESOURCES REALLY, REALLY WISELY HERE, AND THAT WE'RE BEING SUPER CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE WITH HOW WE SERVE THE PATIENTS THAT COME IN.

SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE OUTCOMES OF THIS PILOT.

AND SOMETIMES THAT MEANS HANGING OUT.

UM, NEXT SLIDE.

SO THIS IS KIND OF A SUMMARY OF WHAT I JUST MENTIONED.

UM, I THINK THESE TWO CHANGES THAT CHANGING THE PAST OF THE SOBERING CENTER, OPENING IT UP TO OTHER PARTNERS, HOLDING THE CLIENTS HERE A LITTLE BIT LONGER.

WE'VE, WE'VE HELD SOMEBODY AS LONG AS SIX DAYS.

UM, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO BED IN AUSTIN.

WE HAD TO GET THEM ON A BUS TO TYLER IT, TO ME, IT'S BEING THE PUTTY IN THE CRACKS OF A BROKEN SYSTEM.

I'VE MY JOB IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THIS WAS RUNNING A TREATMENT CENTER.

AND SO I KNOW THE OTHER SIDE OF IT IN TERMS OF THEIR CAPACITY FOR TAKING IN PATIENTS THAT DON'T HAVE A PAYER.

AND OFTENTIMES WHAT HAPPENS IS, YOU KNOW, THE STAFF, WHEN I FIRST PUT THIS OUT TO THEM, THEY SAID, WELL, WE DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS CLIENT IS SOBER.

THEY BLOW A ZERO IT'S TIME FOR THEM TO GO.

I SAID, YEAH, BUT WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO GO? AND ARE WE DOING ANY BETTER THAN THE JAIL IS DOING? IF WE'RE JUST CYCLING THEM BACK OUT ONTO THE STREET? UM, WE, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE FOR THIS TO BE, UM, WE DON'T, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A SHELTER, BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR, TO BE A PROBLEM SOLVING LOCATION.

AND IT JUST TAKES LONGER THAN SIX HOURS TO FIGURE THIS OUT.

IF SOMEBODY IS WANDERING DOWN 35, ON TWO AND THREE IN THE MORNING AT EIGHT IN THE MORNING, THEY'RE NOT READY TO MAKE A SOLID CHOICE ABOUT THEIR LONGTERM CARE.

SO WE'RE JUST LETTING THEM STAY A LITTLE BIT LONGER, MEET WITH A COUNSELOR, START TO FIGURE OUT, DO THEY HAVE INSURANCE? DO THEY HAVE MEDICAID? YOU KNOW, WHAT OTHER RESOURCES MIGHT WE HAVE AND THEN USING THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY TO TRY AND GET THEM A BED.

[00:30:01]

AND, UM, WHAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO IS GET BOARD APPROVAL TO SUPPORT THIS AS KIND OF A CREATIVE USE OF OUR SPACE RIGHT NOW.

AND, UM, THE OUTCOMES, LIKE I SAID, HAVE BEEN REALLY, REALLY POSITIVE.

UM, SO I WANTED TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE SOBERING CENTER.

LIKE, UM, COUNCILMAN PORTOBELLO SAID IT WAS, IT WAS A LONG AWAITED PROJECT.

AND I REMEMBER WHEN IT WAS IN DEVELOPMENT AND I WAS ON THE REENTRY ROUNDTABLE, HOW LONG PEOPLE WORKED ON IT, HOW HARD IT WAS TO GET IT OFF THE GROUND.

UM, A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO STEPHANIE HAYDEN, UM, AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN STAFF WHO HAVE BEEN MY GUIDE AND FIGURING OUT IF I CAN BE CREATIVE WITH THE CITY DOLLARS.

AND, UM, IF WE CAN BE, IF WE CAN ADDRESS THIS FROM A SOCIAL WORK PERSPECTIVE, UM, AND ALSO A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO COUNCIL MEMBER, TOBO, SHE'S BEEN NOT ONLY INSTRUMENTAL IN THE FORMATION OF A SOBERING CENTER, BUT EXTREMELY SUPPORTIVE TO ME AND RESPONSIVE AS A BOARD MEMBER, WHICH I REALLY, REALLY NEEDED AS A NEW ED IN THIS POSITION.

SO ONE THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME TODAY, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE ABOUT THE SOBERING CENTER AND OUR CURRENT OPERATIONS.

THANK YOU A LITTLE BIT TESTING, TESTING, TESTING.

I THINK IT'S, MAYBE I HOPE ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS MAY PRETEND, I'M SORRY.

I WASN'T ABLE TO SEE THE SLIDE NUMBER AND THEN I DIDN'T WANT TO INTERRUPT THE PRESENTATION, BUT THERE WAS A NUMBER, IT WAS LIKE 2000 SOMETHING OF, UM, CALLS RELATED TO ALCOHOL.

UM, I WAS WONDERING IF, IF YOU KNEW WHAT PERCENTAGE OF, OF ALL THE CALLS THAT WAS FOR EMS KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.

I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO IT.

UM, BUT I DID, I WAS LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS AND IT'S JUST LOOKING AT THE NUMBER OF WORK DAYS, YOU KNOW, AND THE NUMBER OF HOURS.

UM, IT'S, IT'S QUITE A LOT OVER A YEAR.

THIS IS, THIS SHOULD BE A YEAR OF DATA, BUT I WOULD HAVE TO KIND OF DIG INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT.

I JUST THOUGHT MY ASSUMPTION WOULD BE, IT'S A BIG PERCENTAGE OF IT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF YOU HAD THAT INFORMATION, BUT, UM, YEAH, IF YOU COULD FIND OUT OF THOSE NUMBERS, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL CALLS THAT'D BE GREAT.

AND THEN SLIDE THAT SHOWED THE, UM, THE CHANGES YOU MADE.

I'M SORRY IF I MISSED IT HAS NO, NO PUBLIC INTOXICATION OR NO CITATIONS.

WHAT, WHAT WAS, IS THAT SAYING THAT I GUESS THEY GIVEN THE CHOICE OF APTT PICKS THEM UP, UM, ARE THEY, ARE THEY WITH AB A APD VOLUNTARILY AT THAT POINT? AND THEN THEY TELL THEM, I CAN GIVE YOU A CITATION OR YOU CAN GO TO THE SOBERING CENTER.

LIKE, HOW DOES THAT WORK DETAINED? I MEAN, THEY ARE, I GUESS, PAINED BECAUSE THEY ARE ESSENTIALLY COMMITTING A MISDEMEANOR IN THAT MOMENT.

BUT YES, THE OFFICER AT THAT POINT IS SAYING, I CAN TAKE YOU TO THE SOBERING CENTER.

AND IT'S PART OF APD PROTOCOL TO TAKE THEM TO THE SOBERING CENTER FIRST, ASSUMING THEY'RE NOT COMMITTING ANOTHER CRIME THAT MAY BE ASSAULT OR THEFT OR POSSESSION LIKE THAT.

UM, AND THEN THAT CLIENT NEEDS TO VERBALLY CONSENT TO THAT.

AND OTHERWISE THEN THE OFFICER WOULD TAKE THEM TO JAIL.

SO WHEN THEY GO, THEY GO TO THE SOBER, INSTEAD OF THEY DON'T HAVE ANY, THEY'RE NOT GIVING IT.

CORRECT.

YEAH, NO, IT TAKES ABOUT FOUR MINUTES TO TRANSFER CARE.

SO THE OFFICER WILL BRING UP, IT TAKES ABOUT FOUR MINUTES TO DOWNLOAD THE STORY TO THE MEDICS.

AND AS LONG AS THE PATIENTS SEEM LIKE THEY'RE OKAY TO STAY, THEN THEY STAY AND THEY'RE OUT OF CUSTODY OF APD.

THERE'S NO CITATIONS PFIZER CHARGES.

AND THEN THE EXAMPLE YOU GAVE ABOUT OTHER, OTHER, UM, PARTNERS BEING ABLE TO REFER, YOU MENTIONED JUDGE EARL, IS THAT LIKE AN INSTANCE WHERE SOMEBODY SHOWS UP TO COURT AND IS, IS POSSIBLY INTOXICATED? YES.

SO CWI COURT HAS APPARENTLY PEOPLE SHOW UP TO THEIR COURT DATE INTOXICATED AND HER OPTION RIGHT THEN IN THAT MOMENT IS TO BASICALLY HAVE THE BAILIFF, REMOVE THEM AND TAKE THEM TO JAIL.

AND SO SHE APPROACHED ME AND SAID, WOULD THIS BE SOMETHING WE COULD CALL FOR? AND YOU BRING THE SOBERING CENTER VAN TO THE COURTROOM AND THAT WOULD GO IN JAIL.

UM, AND SO I SAID, SURE.

SO WE ADDED HER, HER COURT TO THE SPECIFIC LIST OF REFERRAL PARTNERS.

UM, THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS.

THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY WONDERFUL.

THAT'S REALLY PATIENT AND GREAT TO HEAR THOSE SUCCESS STORIES.

SO THANK YOU FOR BEING

[00:35:01]

FLEXIBLE AND CHANGING, CHANGING SOME OF THOSE POLICIES.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ABSOLUTELY.

I AGREE.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I SEE THAT A COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN HAS JOINED US.

I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS IF NOBODY ELSE HAS ANY.

UM, SO ONE OF MY QUESTIONS IS YOU MADE MENTION TO HIRE AGAIN, CAN YOU, I HAD TO LOOK UP THE DEFINITION OF ACUITY NOW THAT I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS, AND I'M CURIOUS, WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS AS IT PERTAINS TO CLIENTS COMING THROUGH THE SOBERING CENTER? SURE.

UM, SO IF YOU CAN IMAGINE SORT OF, UM, DURING A PANDEMIC, WHEN ALL OF THE BARS ARE CLOSED AND ALL OF THE PARTIES ARE CANCELED, THAT WE STILL HAVE SOMEONE WHO HAS PUBLICLY INTOXICATED.

UM, THAT WHAT THAT MEANS TO ME IS THAT THE LEVEL OF ADDICTION IS JUST MUCH MORE SEVERE AND CHRONIC.

AND SO I THINK THAT'S WHY WE'RE SEEING A HIGHER LEVEL OF OUR POPULATION OF HOMELESS.

UM, I THINK IT'S JUST, THEY'RE, THEY'RE STILL ENGAGING IN THIS USE OF ALCOHOL OR DRUGS, BUT IN PUBLIC SPACES BECAUSE THE PLACES THEY MIGHT DO THIS IN A BAR OR OTHER PLACES ARE CLOSED.

UM, SO WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS JUST THE LEVEL OF, OF ADDICTION AND, UM, AND, AND THE EXACERBATION OF THE SYMPTOMS FROM LIVING ON THE STREET AND SUCH, IT'S JUST CREATING SOME HIGH, VERY HIGH NEEDS PATIENTS.

AND WHEN THEY'RE COMING IN, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO TELL UPON ENTRY, WHETHER WE'RE DEALING WITH A, SAY, METH INDUCED PSYCHOSIS, OR A, UM, A SCHIZOPHRENIA DIAGNOSIS.

I MEAN, THIS IS VERY, IT'S VERY HARD TO PICK APART.

WHAT IS THE DRUGS AND ALCOHOL? WHAT IS A MENTAL ILLNESS WHEN OFTENTIMES THEY'RE, THEY'RE INTERLACED AND YOU'D MAKE AN EGG KIND OF A SITUATION.

SO I GUESS WHAT I MEAN IS WE'RE JUST SEEING, IT SEEMS LIKE A MORE SERIOUS LEVEL OF ADDICTION.

WE'RE NOT SEEING THE ONE TIME PARTIER CANDIDATE, AS MUCH AS WE'RE SEEING THE I'VE BEEN DRINKING ON THE STREET FOR 30 YEARS CANDIDATES.

THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.

I APPRECIATE IT.

SO YOU'VE MADE MENTION OF THE 13 SUCCESS STORIES.

ONE OF THOSE COMPLETED A 30 DAY RECOVERY PROGRAM.

DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY OF THE 13 THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO GET INTO CARE FOR DETOX AND INTO CARE WE'RE ABLE TO GET INTO A RECOVERY PROGRAM? YES.

SO, UM, ALL 13 OF THEM WERE DELIVERED DIRECTLY TO A RECOVERY PROGRAM.

SO 100% OF THEM WENT TO TREATMENT EITHER IN LONGTERM, LIKE A RESIDENTIAL SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, OR THEY WENT TO LIKE PES OR LIKE A PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL.

WHAT, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE PRIMARY NEED WAS, WE HAVE SOME LONGTERM DATA ON THE FIRST SET OF THOSE, LIKE THE FIRST EIGHT OF THEM, I THINK SIX OF THEM COMPLETED TREATMENT.

AND SO WE'RE STILL IN THAT PROCESS WHERE WE'RE DOING 14 DAY FOLLOW UPS AND 30 DAY FOLLOWUPS.

SO I WILL ACTUALLY BE REPORTING THAT OUT AT THE BOARD MEETING TONIGHT AND DON'T HAVE IT RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I CAN EMAIL IT TO YOU.

THAT'D BE GREAT.

CONTEMPLATED AS FAR AS THE SOBERING CENTER SEPARATION AND HOW IT MAKING THAT, UM, MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE READY FOR TREATMENT FOR, FOR HIM THAT'S AVAILABLE, UM, TO MAKE THAT TRANSITION SMOOTHLY.

I'D APPRECIATE THAT.

I REALLY LOVE TO HEAR THE SUCCESS STORIES AND LOOK FORWARD TO, YOU KNOW, JUST OUT FOR, IN OUR CONTINUED SUPPORT.

I DON'T BELIEVE IF THERE AREN'T ANY OTHER QUESTIONS I BELIEVE.

OH, I'M SORRY.

NO, YOU'RE NOT.

SORRY, JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT LAST ON THAT LAST PIECE, LAURA, YOU SAID SIX HAVE COMPLETED THEIR TREATMENT AND, AND SO ARE, IS IT YOUR THOUGHT THAT MOST OF THE REST OF THEM ARE STILL ARE STILL IN TREATMENT? RIGHT.

SO THEY'RE LIKE, UM, THEY'RE A LITTLE BEHIND OUR FOLLOWUP, YOU KNOW, UM, DEPENDING ON WHEN THEY WENT TO TREATMENT, THEY MAY, WE MAY NOT HAVE FINISHED FOLLOWING UP AT THE 14 DAY OR 30 DAY MARK.

THERE'S A COUPLE OF THEM THAT I DON'T THINK SIGNED RELEASES.

SO WE CAN'T ALWAYS TRACK THEM IF THEY WON'T SIGN A RELEASE THAT OBVIOUSLY WHETHER THEY ENTERED TREATMENT OR, I MEAN, THEY, WE KNOW THEY ENTERED BECAUSE WE TOOK THEM THERE, WHETHER THEY FINISHED IS UP TO THEM TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH US.

UM, SO WE MAY LOSE TRACK OF SOME THERE, BUT WE, I HAVE THE DATA VERY SPECIFICALLY FOR ALL 13 OF LIKE WHERE THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF US TRACKING THEM EITHER.

WE DON'T KNOW IF THESE DATA TREATMENT OR WE DO KNOW THAT THEY STAYED IN TREATMENT.

SO THAT'S WHAT I CAN, UM, I'LL SHARE WITH THE BOARD AND ALSO EMAIL TO THIS COMMITTEE.

THAT'S GREAT.

AND, AND I TOO, JUST WANT TO ADD MY THANKS.

UM, REALLY, I, IT WAS SUPER EXCITING.

LET ME BACK UP AND SAY, YOU KNOW, AS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT STARTING WITH THE SOBERING CENTER, THERE WERE SOME CONCERNS THAT THERE WEREN'T ENOUGH TREATMENT FACILITIES AND THAT WE WOULD BE, WE WOULD BE STARTING SOMETHING WITHOUT SUFFICIENT BACKEND SERVICES FOR THOSE CLIENTS WHO WERE, WHO WERE READY AND INTERESTED AND FOR WHOM THAT TREATMENT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, REALLY KUDOS TO YOU FOR, FOR IDENTIFYING WAYS TO RAISE, TO SOLVE AROUND THAT AND TO, TO, UM, TRY SOMETHING CREATIVE THAT HAD NEVER BEEN

[00:40:01]

SO THANK YOU.

THIS IS, THIS IS JUST SUPER EXCITING.

I KNOW THE BOARD WAS REALLY EXCITED TO HER ABOUT IT.

AND JUST HEARING HEARING ABOUT A COUPLE OF THOSE STORIES IS, IS VERY INSPIRATIONAL.

THE SOBERING CENTER IS DOING GREAT WORK, AND THIS IS A NEW DIRECTION, BUT VERY ALIGNED AND, AND VERY MUCH NEEDED.

SO THANK YOU, LAURA, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.

SUPER EXCITED TO HAVE YOU ON BOARD.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I REMEMBER I ASKED THIS QUESTION AT THE, AT THE RIBBON CUTTING FOR THE SOBER INCENTIVE.

UM, I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT THE RESPONSE WAS, BUT I REMEMBER THINKING, OKAY.

YEAH, THAT MAKES SENSE.

BUT, UM, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS NOW, Y Y UM, DO, DOES APD NOT TAKE, UM, DWI, UM, PEOPLE THAT ARE DRIVING TO THE, WHAT, WHY IS THAT? I THINK THAT, I THINK THAT IS BECAUSE THEY ARE SEEING THAT AS A HIGHER LEVEL OF OFFENSE.

UM, BUT MAY BE MORE DANGEROUS, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF THE VEHICLE, IT'S ALL WE'RE GETTING INTO AN ACCIDENT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

UM, I D I ALSO RECENTLY HAD A CONVERSATION WITH CHIEF TACAN ABOUT NOT ABOUT DWI, BUT ABOUT POSSESSION, BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S ALSO A MYTH OUT THERE ABOUT THE SOBERING CENTER THAT WE ONLY SERVE PEOPLE THAT ARE INTOXICATED ON ALCOHOL AND ON DRUGS.

AND THAT'S DEFINITELY NOT THE CASE, ALTHOUGH CERTAINLY IF YOU ARE HIGH ON CRACK AND YOU GET PULLED OVER AND YOU CRACK ON YOUR PERSON, THE APD IS GOING TO BE WAY MORE LIKELY TO SEND YOU TO JAIL THAN TO THE SOBERING CENTER, BECAUSE YOU NOW HAVE A POSSESSION CHARGE IN ADDITION TO A PUBLIC INTOXICATION CHARGE.

SO I ACTUALLY TOLD THE CHIEF, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO LOOK AT SOME OF THESE POLICIES, BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE SKEWING THE POPULATION WE SERVE TOWARDS ALCOHOL RATHER THAN CRACK METH, HEROIN.

ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE PROBLEMS THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS.

AND I WOULD THINK THE DWI THING WOULD BE VERY SIMILAR THAT IT MIGHT BE WORTH LOOKING AT THAT POLICY.

IF THERE ARE SOME CASES OF DWI WHERE NOBODY WAS KILLED OR HARMED, OR, YOU KNOW, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS THAT MIGHT BE MORE LOWER LEVEL TYPE FIRST TIME DWI THAT COULD BE REFERRED TO THE SOBERING CENTER.

I THINK THERE'S LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES THERE TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE INNOVATIVE.

IF WE WENT TO THE SOBERING CENTER AND THEN, YOU KNOW, ABD, MAYBE DO YOU MAKE A DECISION THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE TICKETED IF THEY WENT TO THE SOBERING CENTER? AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT MIGHT CHANGE IF THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF COMMITTING ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, IF THEY ARE BOTH PUBLICLY INTOXICATED AND CHARGED WITH ANOTHER CRIME, THANK YOU FOR THAT CONTEXT.

UM, AND, AND SO IS THAT A, THAT'S AN ISSUE APD POLICY THAT DECIDES WHICH, WHICH LEVEL, ALL OF OFFENSES THEY ARE WILLING TO DIVERT TO THE CENTER IN CENTER.

I FEEL LIKE THAT IS INTENTIONALLY A DA, UM, MAYBE IN CONCERT WITH, CAUSE I THINK WHATEVER APD BRINGS THE CHARGES TO THE DA'S OFFICE, I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE IT'S LIKE WHETHER THE DA'S OFFICE IS GOING TO PROSECUTE THAT OR IF THEY WOULD BE FINE WITH DIVERTING TO THE SOBERING CENTER.

SO I DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW HOW MUCH OF THAT IS AN APU VERSUS THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY.

SO SOME OF THOSE WOULD ACTUALLY BE MISDEMEANOR LEVEL.

I GUESS YOU HAVE, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE, WHEN WE WERE TALKING THROUGH THE COMMUNITY AND KIND OF GETTING COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR IT, I KNOW THERE WERE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT HAVING, HAVING THE SOBERING CENTER SERVE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE INTOXICATED ON ANYTHING OTHER THAN ALCOHOL.

SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT THAT IS ONE OF THE OTHER WAYS IN WHICH THE SOBERING CENTER HAS INCREASED IT'S, UM, INCREASED ITS CAPACITY AND INCREASED ITS SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.

THAT THAT WAS A CHANGE THAT THE BOARD MADE PROBABLY ABOUT A YEAR AGO, BUT DID SHOW, YOU KNOW, AFTER HAVING, AFTER, AFTER ESTABLISHING A TRACK RECORD AND KIND OF WORKING WITH SOME OF THE PARTIES THAT HAD CONCERNS ABOUT THAT, INITIALLY THEY, WE DID MAKE A DECISION TO OPEN UP TO ANY VISUAL ASSEMBLER WHO WERE INTOXICATED ON DRUGS OTHER THAN ALCOHOL.

UM, I, I WOULD HAVE TO REALLY THINK ABOUT WHETHER, WHETHER I'M HOME, HOW AND WHERE, UM, THE FOUNDATION OF THE SOBERING CENTER OF THE DECISION WAS MADE, THAT INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE IN, IN THE PROCESS OF, OR CHARGED WITH ANY OTHER CRIME, UM, WERE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE SOBERING CENTER.

I KNOW AGAIN AND AGAIN.

UM, AND WE HAD TO SPEND SOME TIME IN THE BEGINNING, REALLY, DISPELLING DISPELLING CONCERNS THAT PEOPLE WHO WERE DRIVING WE'D COME TO THE SOBERING CENTER, THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF CONCERN ABOUT THE IDEA OF THE SOBERING CENTER, BECAUSE, BECAUSE THEY WERE, PEOPLE WERE CONCERNED THAT INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE BEHIND THE WHEEL WOULD SUDDENLY BE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS MORNING SOBERING CENTER.

SO IT STILL IS.

I OFFERED THAT BY WAY OF CONTEXT.

UM, AND SO THAT WAS, I THINK ALSO PART OF THE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT PEOPLE WOULD DO TICKETS.

INITIALLY, INITIALLY THERE WAS SOME AMBIGUITY ABOUT WHETHER THEY WOULD RECEIVE A TICKET

[00:45:01]

UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER.

TOVA, THAT'S ACTUALLY VERY HELPFUL FOR ME.

UM, AND IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS, UM, I THINK WE'LL CUT YOU LOOSE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND YOUR HARD WORK AND FOR BEING HERE WITH US TODAY.

THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

I WISH I WISH I WISH YOU COULD SEE ME SAYING HI AND WAVING, BUT I'M HERE.

[4. Receive a presentation from Austin Public Health on the status of Resolution 20200729-087 related to amendments to the food enterprise permitting process, related fees for charitable feeding organizations, and enforcement.]

WE WILL NOW RECEIVE A PRESENTATION FROM AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH ON THE STATUS OF RESOLUTION TWO, A TWO DEVIL'S ZERO SEVEN TWO NINE DASH OH EIGHT, SEVEN RELATED TO AMENDMENTS TO THE FOOD ENTERPRISE PERMITTING PROCESS RELATED FEES FOR CHARITABLE FEEDING ORGANIZATIONS AND ENFORCEMENT.

ARE YOU WITH US? YES.

UH, AFTERNOON.

UH, THAT CAN BE A COSTLY, ESPECIALLY FOR SMALLER FOOD PANTRIES.

THANK YOU, CHAIR.

AND THANK YOU, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBERS.

UM, WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS OVERVIEW, UH, THE COUNCIL RESOLUTION THAT I THINK SEVERAL OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH AS CO-SPONSORS, UH, WE'RE KIND OF TAGGING THAT AS THE SAFELY REDUCING BARRIERS TO CHARITABLE FEEDING RESOLUTION, AND I'M DON HASTINGS.

I'M THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AT AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.

AND WITH ME IS PROGRAM MANAGER, MARCEL, AT LEAST HONDO WHO OVERSEES OUR CONSUMER HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS. SO, UH, JUST A, A QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHAT THAT RESOLUTION, UM, WAS FOCUSING ON IT, UH, WANTED US TO LOOK AT, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WOULD AMEND, UH, CHAPTER, UH, 10 DASH THREE, WHICH IS THE CITIES OF FOOD SAFETY AND FOOD AND FOOD HANDLERS ORDINANCE.

UM, ESPECIALLY AS IT REGARDS, UH, FOOD ENTERPRISE PERMITTING AND, UH, THAT PROCESS, UH, BECAUSE IT'S SO DIRECTLY IMPACTS THE ACCESSIBILITY OF HEALTHY FOODS, UH, TO THE, UH, COMMUNITIES THAT ARE CHARITABLE FEEDING ORGANIZATIONS SERVE.

AND IT ALSO ASKS FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO, UH, TEMPORARILY SUSPEND ANY, UM, ONEROUS, UH, PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS, UH, THAT WOULD, UH, BE THE RESULT OF THE REGULATORY PROCESS FOR CHARITABLE FEEDING ORGANIZATIONS.

SO, AND, UH, AND OF COURSE, UH, W WE'RE GOING TO ABBREVIATE THAT AS CFOS AND, UH, THEY ENCOMPASS AS YOU'LL FIND, UH, EVERYTHING FROM THE TRADITIONAL FOOD PANTRY ON UP TO THE FULL SERVICE COMMUNITY KITCHEN, UM, TURNING TO, UH, SLIDE THREE, IF THAT IS, UH, UP.

AND SO, UH, THE FIRST THING WE WANTED TO DO WAS IDENTIFY, UH, UH, THE HURDLES, THE BARRIERS, THE BURDENS THAT CFOS FACE, AND, UH, THAT WOULD, UH, CERTAINLY INVOLVE THE FACT THAT MANY OF OUR CFOS, UH, A SPACE IN AN EXISTING BUILDING, UH, THEY'RE A TENANT.

AND SO THEREFORE THAT COMPLICATES THE PERMITTING PROCESS IF A FACILITY UPGRADES ARE NEEDED.

UM, IF, UH, OUR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT DETERMINES THAT THAT PROPOSED, UH, CHARITABLE FEEDING ORGANIZATION CONSTITUTES A CHANGE OF USE RELATIVE TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, THEN THAT WOULD TRIGGER A NEED FOR A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY, WHICH IN TURNS TRIGGERS THE NEED, UH, TO PRODUCE, UH, BUILDING PLANS.

ALTHOUGH THOSE CAN BE, UH, BURDENSOME, ESPECIALLY TO A SMALLER CFO.

UH, WE DO REQUIRE, UH, BECAUSE THE, UH, IT'S BASED IN STATE LAW, UH, FOR THE VOLUNTEERS WHO WORK AT OUR CFOS TO HAVE A FOOD HANDLER CERTIFICATION, UH, THAT INVOLVES A $20 FEE FOR A CERTIFICATE THAT'S GOOD FOR TWO YEARS, BUT STILL THE PREPARATION FOR THAT.

AND, UH, ACTUALLY OBTAINING IT CAN BE BURDENSOME, THE TEXAS FOOD ESTABLISHMENT RULES, WHICH IS THE BASIS OF ALL OF, UH, OUR CITY'S FOOD SAFETY RULES, UM, DOES IMPOSE CERTAIN STRUCTURAL REQUIREMENTS,

[00:50:01]

UH, THOSE WOULD INCLUDE THINGS LIKE THE REQUIREMENT FOR SELF CLOSING DOORS, UH, SMOOTH CEILING TILES, UH, THREE COMPARTMENT SINKS IN ADDITION TO, UH, HANDWASHING SPANK IN ADDITION TO A MOP SINK, UH, KITCHEN VENT HOODS, WHICH IS A REQUIREMENT OF, UH, THE MECHANICAL CODE, WHICH IS PART OF THE INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL SERIES A AND THEN A REQUIREMENT FOR A GREASE TRAP, WHICH, UH, IS BASED ON OUR, UH, UTILITY ORDINANCES AND PLUMBING CODE.

AND THEN OF COURSE THE CITY FEES THAT ARE APPLICABLE TO CFOS, UH, CAN BE BURDENSOME.

AND THOSE FEES ARE LEVIED BY, UH, AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH BY AUSTIN WATER, ALSO FIRE AS WELL AS THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

UM, SO, UH, TURNING TO, WE WANTED TO EVALUATE WHAT, UH, THE BENEFITS AND RISKS WOULD BE THEN OF REDUCING, UH, BARRIERS TO CFO'S.

SO CLEARLY ON THE BENEFIT SIDE, UH, DOING SO WOULD LOWER, UH, CFO OPERATING COSTS.

THAT'S GONNA FREE UP MONIES, UH, TO MAKE, UH, INCREASED, UH, RESOURCES AVAILABLE, UH, TO DO THOSE IN NEED, UM, LOWERING THE COST OF ENTRY, UH, TO SET UP A CFO IS GOING TO RESULT IN MORE CFOS, UH, COMING ONLINE, PERHAPS TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY, UM, REGISTERING AND PERMITTING, UH, ALL CFOS, WHICH IS PART OF THIS PROPOSAL, UM, WOULD RESULT IN THE BENEFIT OF, OF GREATER SAFETY.

UH COMMUNITY-WIDE BECAUSE, UH, APPARENTLY THERE'S A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF CFOS THAT ARE NOT, UH, PERMITTED RIGHT NOW.

WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW MANY, THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY ESTIMATES, MAYBE, UH, AS, AS FEW AS 24% OF CFOS ARE CURRENTLY PERMITTED, BUT WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF THOSE FROM IT.

BUT THE POINT IS IS THAT THERE'S BOUND TO BE SOME CFOS THAT ARE NOT PERMITTED AND BY EITHER REGISTERING THEM OR PERMITTING THEM, UH, THEN THEY COME UNDER THE SAFETY UMBRELLA, THE STEADY, AND THAT'S A NET POSITIVE ON THE RISK SIDE, UM, OF LOWERING, UH, BARRIERS TO CFOS.

UH, YOU KNOW, WE CLEARLY KEEP IN MIND THAT, UH, FOODBORNE PATHOGENS, UH, UH, POSE EQUAL DANGERS, YOU KNOW, TO COMPARABLE FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS, WHETHER THEY ARE COMMERCIAL OR NONPROFIT, UM, AND THE TEXAS FOOD ESTABLISHMENT RULES TIEFER, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, THE, BY AND LARGE, THE, THE REGULATORY BODY OF WORK THAT, UH, CONTROLS WHAT, UH, LOCALITIES DO IN TERMS OF FOOD SAFETY.

UM, THEY DO CLASSIFY ALL FOOD PANTRIES AS A FOOD ESTABLISHMENT AND, UH, ALL OF THE, UH, TIEFER TEXAS FOOD ATTACHMENT RULES THEN, UH, APPLIED TO PANTRIES, UH, JUST AS MUCH AS THEY DO, YOU KNOW, ANY, ANY OTHER KIND OF FOOD ESTABLISHMENT, UH, WITH THE EXCEPTION BEING, UM, PEEPER EXPLICITLY, UH, EXEMPTS FOOD PANTRIES THAT ONLY DISTRIBUTE SHELF STABLE FOODS AND, UH, UNCUT PRODUCTS.

UH, AND OF COURSE THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS ALWAYS ACCEPTED THEM AS WELL.

UM, CFOS, UH, DO RELY ON VOLUNTEERS AND, AND SOME OF THOSE VOLUNTEERS IS, ESPECIALLY IF THERE'S TURNOVER, THEY MAY LACK, UH, TRAINING AND FOOD SAFETY AND HYGIENE AND SANITATION, UH, TRAINING.

SO, UM, THAT IS A RISK THAT WE NEED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.

UH, AND THEN WE ALSO NEED TO REALIZE THAT IT'S PRETTY COMMON IN THE CHARITABLE FEEDING COMMUNITY FOR A GIVEN CFO TO OVER TIME TRANSITION FROM LESS RISKY OPERATIONS TO, UH, INCREASINGLY, UH, OR COMPLEX AND THEREFORE MORE RISKY OPERATIONS, UH, FOR INSTANCE, BY, UM, TRANSITIONING FROM, UH, NOT POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS FOODS OR SHELF STABLE FOODS TO, TO COOK FOODS, UH, OR, OR DAIRY OR MEAT, UH, ET CETERA.

UM, AND THAT OCCURS AS, UH, UH, THE AVAILABILITY OF DONATED FOODS, UH, CHANGES AND GROWS, AND ALSO AS CONSUMER TASTES, UH, CHANGE OVER TIME.

SO, UH, IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'VE DONE TO DATE, UH, TO ADDRESS CHARITABLE FEEDING,

[00:55:01]

UH, WE'VE, UH, WORKED CONTINUOUSLY AND SUBSTANTIALLY WITH THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY STAFF, UM, AND WE'VE REVIEWED, UH, THEIR, UM, BODY OF WORK REGARDING, UH, REGULATORY PROCESS MAPPING AND ALL OF THEIR STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS.

UH, YOU KNOW, I MUST SAY THAT THE, UH, OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY HAS, UH, GIVEN THE TOPIC OF CHARITABLE FEEDING, GREAT CONSIDERATION, AND, UM, THEIR WORK HAS BEEN A VERY SUBSTANTIAL FOUNDATION TO, TO, YOU KNOW, THE PROPOSALS THAT WILL FLOW OUT OF, OUT OF THIS RESOLUTION.

UH, WE'VE WORKED WITH OUR PARTNERS, ARE THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT IMPACT CFOS, UM, THAT WOULD BE, UH, AUSTIN WATER AND AWESOME FIRE AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND AUSTIN RESOURCE AND RECYCLING, UM, TO DETERMINE WHAT CAN WE, UH, SAFELY, UM, REDUCE, UH, IN ORDER TO ASSIST CFOS TO FULFILL THEIR MISSION.

WE'VE HELD, UH, TO, UH, APH DISCUSSIONS WITH THE FOOD POLICY BOARD, UM, REPRESENTATIVES, UH, TO LEARN DIRECTLY FROM THEM, UH, WHAT THEY CONSIDER THEIR PAIN POINTS TO BE AND TO TAILOR PROPOSALS, UH, BASED ON THAT, UM, WE'VE IDENTIFIED REQUIREMENTS, UH, THAT CAN BE SAFELY WAIVED, UH, AND REDUCED.

AND WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER THOSE, UH, IN GREATER DETAIL, BUT, UH, MANY OF THEM WOULD INVOLVE AMENDMENTS TO, UH, THE FOOD AND FOOD HANDLERS, UH, ORDINANCE OF AUSTIN, WHICH IS OUR CHAPTER TEN THREE, UH, AND THAT IN ITSELF WILL BE BASED ON, UH, DIFFERENTIATING, UH, CFOS BY RISK TYPE INTO FOUR CATEGORIES, AS WELL AS, UH, WE'VE REVIEWED OTHER, UH, HOW OTHER CITY CODES AND CITY ORDINANCES, UH, RELATED TO, UH, AUSTIN WATER AND FIRE AND DSP, UM, HOW, HOW THEY NEED TO BE CHANGED AS WELL.

UM, AND, UH, ALL THE, WHILE WE'VE CONSIDERED THE IMPORTANCE OF NOT UNDULY COMPROMISING, UH, PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY, UM, WHILE WE MAKE THESE CHANGES, BECAUSE, UH, AGAIN, THE POTENTIAL FOR FOODBORNE ILLNESS, UH, THE POTENTIAL FOR STRUCTURE FIRES, IF BET HOODS ARE NOT SUFFICIENT, UH, THE PREVENTION OF A SEWAGE BACKUPS, UH, WHICH, WHICH THEMSELVES CAN LEAD TO, UH, THE SPREADING OF DISEASE, UH, IF GREASE TRAPS ARE NOT, UH, SUFFICIENT, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THOSE ARE RISKS THAT WE WANT TO TEND TO, IF WE CAN MOVE ON TO SLIDE SIX, PLEASE.

SO, UM, AS FAR AS THE CURRENT PROCESSES THAT AFFECT CFOS, JUST TO DRILL DOWN A LITTLE BIT DEEP, DEEPER ON THAT, UM, THE CITIES, UH, CHAPTER 10, THREE, WHICH IS BASED ON T FOR, UH, REQUIRES, UH, A PRETTY EXTENSIVE LIST OF KITCHEN AND SANITATION FACILITIES.

UM, WE ALSO REQUIRE FOOD MANAGER CERTIFICATION AND FOOD HANDLER CERTIFICATION, UM, WHICH ARE BASED ON STATE LAW.

AND, UH, WE IMPOSE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED FEES THAT RANGE FROM $359 FOR SMALLER FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS THAT ARE LOWER RISK UP TO $896 A YEAR OR LARGER AND HIGHER RISK, UH, FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS.

UM, AUSTIN WATER HAS REQUIREMENTS FOR GREASE TRAPS.

UH, THEY ALSO IMPOSE A WASTEWATER DISCHARGE, UH, PERMIT FEES AND REQUIREMENTS.

UM, THERE ARE REQUIREMENTS FOR MAINTAINING GREASE STRAPS, UH, AND THERE IS, UH, THE LEVY OF A WASTEWATER SURCHARGE FEES, UH, AND ONGOING WATER AND WASTEWATER, UH, FEES, ALL OF WHICH, UH, IMPACTS CFO'S AUSTIN FIRE, UM, BASED ON CITY CODE AS REQUIREMENTS FOR FIRE ALARMS AND FIRE SPRINKLERS FOR CERTAIN KINDS OF CFOS, AS WELL AS, UH, KITCHEN BET HOODS, UH, TO PREVENT FIRES, UH, FOR CERTAIN KINDS OF CFOS.

AND THEN AUSTIN, UH, RESOURCE RECYCLING, THEY APPLY THEIR UNIVERSAL RECYCLING ORDINANCE, UM, TO BUSINESSES THAT WOULD INCLUDE CFOS AND IN PARTICULAR, UH, THE ORGANICS DIVERSION PROGRAM, UH, THAT APPLIES TO MANY CFOS AND THEN DSD OBVIOUSLY HOSTS THE, THE OVERALL, UH, PERMITTING PROCESS.

[01:00:02]

AND, UH, THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT WITHIN THE SD, UH, MAINTAINS, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL OF THE CODES THAT DIRECTLY IMPACT CFOS, ESPECIALLY THE FIRE CODE, THE MECHANICAL CODE, AND, UH, THE PLUMBING CODE NEXT LIKELY.

SO IN TERMS OF PROPOSED ACTIONS, UH, AGAIN, WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO IS LOOK AT, UH, EACH OF THE DIFFERENT MAJOR TYPES OF CFOS, UH, TO DETERMINE WHAT RISKS THEY POSE AND THEREFORE, UM, WHICH BARRIERS WE COULD REDUCE.

UH, THE, UH, CATEGORIZATION SCHEME, UH, COMES PRIMARILY FROM, UH, THE GOOD WORK OF THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY.

UH, KEEP IN MIND THOUGH, PLEASE, THAT WE'RE STILL FINE TUNING THE CRITERIA BASED ON INPUT FROM OUR PARTNER DEPARTMENTS, BUT, BUT IN GENERAL, UH, THE SCHEME WOULD BE CATEGORY.

ONE IS THE LOWEST RISK, UH, AND CATEGORY FOUR, UM, WHICH WOULD BE COMMUNITY, KITCHEN, SOUP KITCHENS, ET CETERA, BEING THE, THE HIGHEST RISK, UH, TYPE CATEGORY ONE.

AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE JUST DISTRIBUTING SHELF, STABLE AND UNCUT PRODUCE.

THEY ARE NOT REGULATED NOW.

AND, UH, THERE'S NO PROPOSAL TO CHANGE THAT.

UM, BUT WE DO PROPOSE THAT, UH, THAT THEY BECOME REGISTERED, UH, PERHAPS WITH THE HELP OF, OF OTHER NONPROFITS, UH, AND THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY AND THAT WE THEN, UH, UNDER THAT SAFETY UMBRELLA, UH, CIRCULATE BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, WE WOULD NOT CONDUCT, UH, INSPECTIONS FOR THOSE LOWER RISKS, UM, CFOS.

AND OF COURSE, NOR DO WE NOW, UH, THE NEXT, UH, HIGHER RISK CATEGORIES CATEGORY TWO.

AND, UH, THOSE TYPES OF CFOS, THEY DISTRIBUTE.

AND IN SOME CASES, PORTION OUT, UM, FOODS THAT ARE PREPARED AND, AND PERMITTED, UH, KITCHENS, UH, USUALLY COMMERCIAL KITCHENS, UM, AND THOSE FOODS ARE POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS, WHICH, UH, IS, IS TERMED BY, BY TEXAS, UH, FOOD ESTABLISHMENT RULES AS A TCS, A TIME AND TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED OR SAFETY FOODS.

SO THERE IS, UH, AN ELEMENT OF RISK AND WHAT, UH, CATEGORY TWO CFOS DO.

UH, BUT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A MODEST LEVEL OF RISK.

WE CURRENTLY DO REQUIRE PERMITS FOR THOSE, BECAUSE THAT IS BASED ON, UH, THE TEXAS FOOD ESTABLISHMENT RULES.

UH, OUR PROPOSAL WOULD BE TO AMEND, UH, THE CITY'S CHAPTER 10, THREE FOOD AND FOOD HANDLERS ORDINANCE TO, UH, DEFINE CATEGORY TWO, AND THEN TO, UH, ACCEPT IT FROM PERMITTING, PERMITTING REQUIREMENTS.

AND IN LIEU OF THAT, UH, USE REGISTRATION, UH, BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES.

UM, WE ARE GOING TO SET UP A, A WEBSITE SPECIFICALLY FOR CFOS, AND WE ARE ALSO DESIGNATING A CFO, UH, LIAISON OMBUDSMAN WHO WOULD WORK, UH, WITH THESE TYPES OF, UH, THIS LEVEL CATEGORY, TWO OF CFOS, UM, LIVING ONE RUN UP IN THE RISK, A HIERARCHY IS A CATEGORY THREE, WHICH THOSE CFOS HEAT, AND THEY ALSO COOLED DOWN, UM, COMMERCIALLY PREPARED FOODS THAT ARE POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS PCS.

UH, AND, UH, SO THEY, THEY POSE A SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER RISK BECAUSE THERE'S A, THERE'S A LOT OF FOOD BORNE, PATHOGEN RISK IN THE HEATING AND COOLING PROCESS.

UM, CURRENTLY, UH, THEY REQUIRE A PERMIT AND, UH, AND THAT WOULD CONTINUE, UM, UNDER, UNDER OUR PROPOSAL.

UM, BUT, UH, IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE BURDENS FOR A CATEGORY THREE, UH, WE WOULD PROPOSE AND HAVE SKETCHED OUT AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 10, THREE THAT WOULD, UH, DEFINE CATEGORY THREE AND, UH, ESSENTIALLY TAILOR, UM, SOME OF THE PHYSICAL FACILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR KITCHENS TO THAT, UH, RISK LEVEL, UH, WHICH IS A LOWER RISK LEVEL, UH, THAN FULL SERVICE FOOD ESTABLISHMENT.

AND, AND THAT WOULD INVOLVE FOR INSTANCE, UH, REDUCING REQUIREMENTS FOR, UH, FOR SINKS, DIFFERENT KINDS OF THINGS.

UM, SELF-CLOSING DOORS, UH, CEILING TILE SURFACES, UH, ET CETERA.

THESE ARE SOME OF THE, UH, THE PAIN POINTS,

[01:05:01]

IF YOU WILL, THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED WITH, UM, THE FOOD POLICY GROUP AND FOOD PANTRY REPRESENTATIVES.

UM, WE WOULD ALSO, UH, OFFER THE SAME, UH, OMBUDSMAN LIAISON SERVICES AND, AND WEBPAGE WOULD BE GEARED TO THIS A RISK CATEGORY.

AND WE WOULD CONTINUE OFFERING A SITE SPECIFIC VARIANCES, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE DO NOW TO ADDRESS THE UNIQUE NEEDS AND PARTICULAR HARDSHIPS, UM, OF, OF A GIVEN CHARITABLE FEEDING ORGANIZATION OR GIVEN A PANTRY, UM, AUSTIN WATER, WOULD THEY HAVE INDICATED THEY WOULD, UH, SERIOUSLY CONSIDER, UH, AND ARE INCLINED TO LIMIT THE REQUIREMENT FOR GREASE TRAPS, WHEREVER VENT HOODS, UM, ARE NOT REQUIRED.

SO BASICALLY WHEREVER COOKING IS NOT GOING TO BE SECOND PLACE.

AND, UH, AND ALSO WHEREVER, UH, THERE'S GOING TO BE LIMITED AMOUNTS OF GREASE AND SOLIDS, UH, DISCHARGED INTO THE DRAINS.

UM, AUSTIN WATERS ALSO SAID THEY WOULD WAIVE THE REQUIREMENT FOR A WASTEWATER DISCHARGE PERMITS.

UH, SO THEN THE HIGHEST, UH, RISK CATEGORY FOR CFOS WOULD BE CATEGORY FOUR.

AND THOSE ARE YOUR COMMUNITY KITCHENS, YOUR SOUP KITCHENS.

UM, THESE HAVE, UH, RISK PROFILES SIMILAR TO, UH, TO A RESTAURANT.

UM, THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO BE PERMITTED, BUT ALL OF THOSE, UH, UH, SUPPLEMENTAL SERVICES THAT I DESCRIBED EARLIER, UM, FOR THE FIRST THREE CATEGORIES WOULD, UH, WOULD APPLY HERE AS WELL.

UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, WE WOULD PROPOSE A FEE WAIVERS, UH, TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR CATEGORY FOUR CFOS.

AND, UH, ALSO AUSTIN WATER HAS, UH, INDICATED THEY WOULD CONSIDER LOWERING OR PERHAPS WAVING, UH, THE WASTEWATER PERMIT AND, UH, SURCHARGE FEES, UM, FOR CATEGORY FOUR CFOS.

SO MOVING TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

UH, SO, UH, WE HAVE A COUNCIL WORK SESSIONS, UM, COMING UP, UH, ON THE 27TH, UM, WHERE WE'LL PRESENT, UH, A MORE DETAILED REPORT.

UH, THERE'LL BE A COUNCIL REGULAR SESSION, UH, CURRENTLY IT'S PEGGED FOR NOVEMBER 12TH, BUT WE'RE LOOKING TO PERHAPS RESCHEDULE THAT FOR DECEMBER TO GIVE, UH, OUR, THE DEPARTMENTS, UH, MORE TIME TO WORK PROPOSALS THROUGH THEIR DIFFERENT ADVISORY BOARDS.

UM, WE'VE ALREADY DESIGNATED OUR CFO OMBUDSMAN, UH, LIAISON.

THAT'S GOING TO BE A SUPERVISOR, UH, THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE WHO OVERSEES THE ONE STOP SHOP TEAM.

UM, WE, UH, WILL FURTHER DEVELOP OUR CFO WEBPAGE, UH, OUR CFO, UH, CATEGORIZATION SCHEME, THOSE CATEGORIES ONE THROUGH FOUR.

UH, I JUST WALKED YOU THROUGH, UH, WE WILL, UH, UH, WORK FURTHER WITH LAW TO SKETCH OUT OUR AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 10, THREE, AND TO FORMALIZE THOSE, AND THEN, UH, WORK WITH, UH, THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS, UH, AS, AS NEEDED TO PROVIDE INPUT ON, ON THEIR, UM, BUILDING CODE, UH, AMENDMENTS, UH, RELATED TO CFOS, UH, AND THEN, AND THEN WORK UP A FINAL, UH, FEE SCHEDULE AMENDMENT FOR COUNCIL TO CONSIDER.

AND THEN OF COURSE, UH, THE, THE MAJOR TASK OF, OF, OF ONGOING, UH, IMPLEMENTATION.

SO THAT IS I A QUICK FLYOVER OF, UH, THE CHARITABLE FEEDING ORGANIZATION ISSUE AND, UH, IN OUR PROPOSAL, UH, AS FAR AS THE OVERVIEW, UH, THE PROPOSAL TO, UH, ADDRESS IT.

AND, UH, WITH THAT, UH, WE'D BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE COMMITTEE MAY HAVE.

THANK YOU, DAN.

WE APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.

UM, DO ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE QUESTIONS? HI, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK ON THIS, AND JUST TO GET SOME CONTEXT AND I'M SORRY, I DON'T REMEMBER WHO THE CO-SPONSORS WERE, BUT, UM, THIS WAS BROUGHT TO US BY THE FOOD POLICY BOARD.

UM, JUST CONCERNS ABOUT THE, UH, TROUBLED READING COMPLIANCE FOR SOME OF THE SMALLER FOOD PANTRIES AND THE OBSTACLES THAT THEY FACED.

AND SO, UM, I WAS CURIOUS, MR. HASTINGS, HAVE YOU, DID YOU SAY YOU'VE SHARED THESE RECOMMENDATIONS WITH THE FOOD POLICY BOARD AND HAVE THEY HAD TIME TO, UM, TO COMMENT ON THEM? WELL, YEAH, WE, WE PRESENTED, UH, YEAH, THE GIST OF WHAT WE JUST WALKED YOU THROUGH NOW.

UH, WE, WE PRESENTED THAT TO THEM.

THERE'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAYBE, UH, DO THAT ONE MORE TIME WITH OUR SUSTAINABILITY COLLEAGUES, BUT YES.

UH, TO TWO REPRESENTATIVES WHO WERE AVAILABLE,

[01:10:01]

UM, WE, WE HAVE PRESENTED THE FRAMEWORK OF THESE TO THEM.

AND THEY WERE, WERE THEY, I'M JUST CURIOUS IF THERE WERE MOSTLY IN AGREEMENT OR ADDITIONAL CONCERNS.

MY IMPRESSION WAS THAT OVERALL.

THEY, UH, IT WAS, IT WAS A THUMBS UP, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'LL PROBABLY GET MORE INPUT FROM, UH, THEIR STAFF, WHICH IS THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY, BUT YEAH, IT WAS A POSITIVE RESPONSE WE RECEIVED AND I WAS TRYING TO FIND THE RESOLUTION IN MY NOTES ARE, AND I COULDN'T DID IT ALSO INCLUDE A, LIKE A TEMPORARY SUSPENSION? DID YOU ADDRESS THAT? UM, CAUSE I KNOW, CAUSE I KNOW THIS WAS BROUGHT UP AS KIND OF A PRIORITY BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF TEMPORARY FOOD PANTRY SET UP DURING THIS TIME JUST BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE ADDITIONAL NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY.

UH, MAYOR PROCUREMENT DID INVOLVE A TEMPORARY SUSPENSION.

I HIT ON THAT IN THE VERY BEGINNING TO MY KNOWLEDGE, WE HAVEN'T IMPOSED ANY REQUIREMENTS THAT, UH, WERE VOICED TO BE PROBLEMATIC HERE IN THE LAST WELL, SINCE THE RESOLUTION WAS PASSED, UH, ON JULY 29.

UM, SO TO MY KNOWLEDGE THAT HASN'T BEEN AN ISSUE.

UH, WE ARE, UH, DEPARTMENT, UH, STEPHANIE'S DEPARTMENT, ALSO PUBLIC HEALTH AND THIS DIVISION, UM, WE HAVEN'T IMPOSED, IMPOSE ANY REQUIREMENTS THAT WERE DEEMED TO BE PROBLEMATIC OR, UH, CFOS DURING THIS PERIOD.

SO I BELIEVE THAT'S THE CASE WITH THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS.

AND MAYBE I'M SORRY, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU DO THESE RESOLUTIONS, THEN YOU HAVE 10 MORE AFTER THAT.

SO I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER BACK TO WHEN, AND WHEN, WHEN WE DID THIS, UH, WHAT WAS IT THAT WE WERE SAYING? I THOUGHT WE WERE SAYING, BECAUSE THERE'S CURRENT STANDARDS AND RULES RIGHT NOW.

AND I THOUGHT IT WAS SAYING THAT WE WERE GOING TO KIND OF WAIVE THOSE IF THERE WAS A, A FOOD PANTRY COMING ONLINE.

UM, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT RIGHT NOW FOR JUST LIKE THE DRY GOODS AND NO CUTTING PRODUCE, THERE ARE NO PERMANENT REQUIREMENTS, BUT, UM, WHAT WAS IT? YOU KIND OF DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T ADD ANY NEW REGULATIONS, BUT DID WE, WAS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT, UM, WAVING CURRENT REGULATIONS, IF, IF, IF A FOOD PANTRY OR IF SOMEBODY WANTING TO DISTRIBUTE FOOD WAS, WAS COMING ONLINE FOR THE PANDEMIC? YEAH.

IF AB WOULD GO TO A SLIDE TO A, THE PRESENTATION.

SO I DON'T MISS ANY PARTICULAR ELEMENTS, BUT, UM, THERE WAS, UH, UH, YEAH, AND ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE CITY MANAGER TO CSUN FORCING, UM, STRUCTURE BASED REQUIREMENTS THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, DON'T IMPACT LIFE SAFETY, UH, IN ORDER TO, YOU KNOW, PROMOTE A CFO SERVICES DURING, DURING THIS, UH, GREAT NEED, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S OCCURRING DURING THE PANDEMIC.

SO, UM, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT I WAS SPEAKING TO, UH, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, YOU KNOW, THAT NOTHING HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION BY THE CFO COMMUNITY OR THE SUSTAINABILITY, YOU KNOW, SINCE THIS JULY 29 ORDINANCE THAT WERE STILL THE, A PARTICULAR, UH, REQUIREMENT WAS ONEROUS TO THEM AND THEY WERE SEEKING IT TO BE WAIVED.

SO, UH, NOW THERE WERE, THERE HAVE BEEN NO FEES WAIVED DURING THAT, THAT PERIOD.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S BEEN MUCH NEW FOOD PANTRY ACTIVITY.

UM, YEAH, BECAUSE, BECAUSE WE WOULD KNOW WE, WE PERMIT THEM ALL.

AND, UH, SO, SO I DO BELIEVE WE'VE ADDRESSED, UH, THAT PART OF THE RESOLUTION.

FOR, FOR FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER WE GET THAT INFORMATION, WE WORK WITH OUR EPIDEMIOLOGY UNIT TO DO THAT.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DID TO BRING THIS.

ABSOLUTELY.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, RIGHT.

WELL, THANK YOU, TOM.

WE APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION AND ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU GUYS DID TO COMPILE THIS INFORMATION FOR US.

IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT MOVING FORWARD.

I DID HAVE ONE SMALL QUESTION.

UM, OH, DID WE NOT, WE DIDN'T LOSE YOU.

I JUST WONDER IF THERE HAVE BEEN, UM, IF THERE'VE BEEN ANY REPORTED CASES OF COVID WITH SMALL OPERATION FOOD DISTRIBUTORS OR PANTRIES.

GOOD QUESTION.

YOU KNOW, WE TRACK THAT

[01:15:01]

UM, I DON'T RECALL ANY COVID CASES INVOLVING FOOD PANTRIES OR CHARITABLE FEEDING ORGANIZATIONS WHERE IT HAS BEEN REPORTED TO US THAT A WORKER OR, YOU KNOW, ANYONE INVOLVED IN THE OPERATIONS, UH, UH, MIGHT HAVE, UH, UH, CAUSED THE COVERT EXPOSURE.

I THINK THE ANSWER IS NO.

AWESOME.

I APPRECIATE THAT AGAIN.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT REST OF YOUR DAY, MORE THAN WELCOME.

NOW MOVE ON TO FUTURE ITEMS, PORTION OF OUR AGENDA.

APPRECIATE IT.

OKAY, COLLEAGUES, UM, SUE WE'LL

[5. Identify items to discuss at future meetings.]

DOES THE COMMITTEE HAVE ANY ITEMS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO IDENTIFY FOR CONSIDERATION IN THE FUTURE? AND WAS THAT A FINGER? OKAY.

I DON'T SEE ANY RAISED HANDS.

AND LET ME GET, I'M TRYING TO TOGGLE BETWEEN MY SCRIPT AND THE, AND THE SCREEN WHERE I CAN ACTUALLY, OH, I DO SEE A HAND.

COUNCILMEMBER KITCHEN.

I THINK WE HAVE, IS THERE A JOINT MEETING COMING UP ON MONDAY WITH THE TWO OTHER COMMITTEES, PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE, UM, AND THE HOUSING COMMITTEE I'LL CHAT WITH YOU ABOUT THAT OFFLINE.

THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON THERE THAT I THINK MIGHT CHANGE THAT POTENTIAL.

WELL THEN AT SOME OTHER POINT IT'S SO SHIFTING GEARS TO A DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT TOPIC, YOU KNOW, FOR FUTURE TOPICS, IT WOULD BE INTERESTING FOR US TO, UM, PERHAPS DELVE INTO, UM, THE ISSUE OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, NOT THE MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSION, BUT THE, THE, THE SERVICES THAT PEOPLE NEED TO BE REFERRED TO IF THEY NEED EITHER, UM, YOU KNOW, CRISIS SERVICES OR THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO A PART OF WHAT THE PSYCHIATRIC STAKEHOLDER'S GROUP LOOKS AT AND WHAT THE CITY SIDE OF THAT MIGHT BE.

SO JUST, UH, JUST TO, JUST TO, UM, A PLACEHOLDER FOR POTENTIAL DISCUSSION IN THE FUTURE, I'D LIKE THAT VERY MUCH.

AND I THINK IT'S IN DIRECT ALIGNMENT WITH, UM, THE ITEMS THAT WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD FOR THE NEXT FEEDING, WHICH IS WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS RACISM AS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS BECAUSE TYPICALLY THE MANIFESTATION AND PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH.

SO I THINK THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD DEFINITELY BE, UM, THIS WOULD BE ADJACENT TO ONE ANOTHER.

SO WE'LL FIGURE OUT HOW TO WORK IN, UM, THAT CONVERSATION AS WELL.

DID YOU HAVE IDEAS ABOUT AN ORGANIZATION THAT YOU WANTED TO HAVE GIVEN PRESENTATION OR YOU WANT TO DISPATCH? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

I'M NOT CERTAIN WHERE TO GO TO, TO UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S SOMEONE FROM THE PSYCHIATRIC STAKEHOLDERS GROUP OR ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT PARTICIPATE IN THAT COULD BE CENTRAL HEALTH OR ACTUALLY COULD BE INTEGRAL CARE OR CENTRAL HEALTH PERHAPS.

UM, I STARTED AN EMAIL THREAD BETWEEN ME, YOU AND THE FOLKS OVER AT APH.

MAYBE THEY CAN OFFER SOME GUIDANCE ABOUT WHO MY PERSON AND I'LL START THAT AS SOON AS WE GET OFF OF THE LINE.

SOUNDS GOOD.

AND, UM, COUNSELOR, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT OR NOT.

IT SOUNDED LIKE YOU'D RATHER TALK ABOUT IT OFFLINE, BUT I AM, I AM NOT CERTAIN WHAT'S GOING ON WITH MONDAY.

IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT SINCE THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE WAS TALKING ABOUT HOMELESSNESS, THAT THEY WERE INVITING OUR COMMITTEE TO BE A PART OF SOME CONVERSATION BECAUSE FOR A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE.

SO WE HAD, FROM THAT ELEMENT, I THINK THERE WAS A GOOD THING ISSUE.

I THINK THERE WAS A LEGAL ISSUE AND A TASTE OF WHAT IT'S LIKE TO DISCUSS, LIKE, OKAY, THAT SOUNDS GOOD.

I WOULD JUST SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, I, I, I DO THINK AS WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS, CONTINUED CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW MUCH THAT REALLY NEEDS TO BE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE.

UM, AND SO WE WOULD CORRECT THAT THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THIS COMMITTEE, WHICH I ABSOLUTELY AGREE INCLUDED.

I AGREE.

AND, AND I'M HAPPY TO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME IN BETWEEN NOW AND WHEN WE NEED TO POST THAT AGENDA.

SO I'M HAPPY TO ACCEPT ANY PROPOSALS FOR, YOU KNOW, ITEMS THAT WE CAN ADD TO THE AGENDA AND, UM, BRIEFINGS THAT HAVE GOT THAT MEETING AND, YOU KNOW, JUST SORT OF SOME GOALS THAT WE HAVE TO ACCOMPLISH.

I REALLY APPRECIATE WHEN WE HAVE THE BRIEFINGS WHERE WE WALK AWAY WITH EITHER JUST A MORE COMPREHENSIVE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE INITIATIVE OR ACTION ITEMS, UM, THAT ALWAYS JUST REALLY MAKES IT FEEL LIKE A VERY PRODUCTIVE, UM, PRODUCTIVE TIME SPIN QUESTIONS.

TO TOGGLE BACK TO MY HANDY DANDY SCRIPT, JUST A MOMENT.

SO I'M GOING

[01:20:01]

SO AS A REMINDER, THE NEXT HHSC MEETING WILL BE ON DECEMBER 9TH, WHICH ACTUALLY IS IN QUESTION.

UM, OH NO, NO, THAT WAS 2021.

MY APOLOGIES, UM, ON DECEMBER 9TH.

UM, AND IF THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS, I WOULD SAY THAT WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 3:28 PM.