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[Quality of Life Committee]
TO CALL TODAY'S MEETING TO ORDER.LET ME START BY RECOGNIZING MY COLLEAGUES JOINING US TODAY, UH, BEGINNING WITH VICE CHAIR ABBY CAYMAN.
UH, UH, VIRTUALLY JOINING US VIRTUALLY.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE STAFF FROM MAYOR PRO TEM DAVE MARTIN'S OFFICE, UH, JOINING US VIRTUALLY.
UH, WE HAVE A STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER LAIA PLUMBER JOINING US VIRTUALLY AS WELL.
AND WE DO HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN HERE IN THE CHAMBERS.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US.
UH, VICE CHAIR, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? WE ALSO HAVE, UH, NO THANK YOU CHAIR.
LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PRESENTATIONS, UM, AND ALSO ALL THE WORK YOU'VE BEEN DOING TO PUSH OUT THE INFORMATION ON MONKEYPOX.
UH, WE, WE ALSO HAVE STAFF FROM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON JOINING US VIRTUALLY AS WELL.
IF I'VE MISSED ANYONE, PLEASE LET US KNOW AND WE WILL ACKNOWLEDGE YOU.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, AND THANK YOU FOR GIVING US, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY TO JUST DO AN UPDATE ON MOSTLY MONKEYPOX, BUT ALSO WE'LL DO A SUMMARY OF WHERE WE ARE WITH, WITH WITH COVID.
UH, I'M STEPHEN WILLIAMS, THE DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND WE ALL KNOW OUR WORLD FAMOUS DR. DAVID PER THE CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
HE IS GONNA START FIRST AND GO THROUGH PROBABLY THE FIRST HALF OF THE SLIDES, AND THEN I'LL JUST FOLLOW UP.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR WILLIAMS, UH, CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
SO THANKS FOR LETTING US BE HERE.
WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT MONKEYPOX, UH, TO BEGIN WITH.
SO, MONKEYPOX CURRENTLY, UM, DO WE NEED THE SLIDES, SLIDES UP.
THERE'S A HISTOGRAM THAT, UH, WILL COME UP THAT'LL SHOW THAT AS OF, UH, MONDAY OF THIS WEEK, WE'VE GOT, IN HOUSTON, WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 376 CONFIRMED CASES OF MONKEYPOX, UH, LIKE THE REST OF THE NATION.
MOST OF OUR CASES ARE AMONG GAY OR BISEXUAL MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH OTHER MEN.
AND HERE IN HOUSTON, WE'RE AVERAGING ABOUT 13 TO 14 NEW CASES PER DAY.
I WILL POINT OUT THAT WITH MONKEYPOX, THERE IS AN UP TO THREE WEEK INCUBATION PERIOD.
SO THE KNOWN CASES WE HAVE, THERE ARE CERTAINLY MORE CASES IN THE COMMUNITY THAT GIST HAVE NOT YET PRESENTED WITH SYMPTOMS AND BEEN ABLE TO BE DIAGNOSED.
IN SPITE OF THAT, THE THREAT TO MOST OF, UH, THE HOUSTON POPULATION REMAINS VERY, VERY LOW.
UH, 376 OUT OF 2.3 MILLION IS AN INFINITESIMALLY SMALL PERCENTAGE.
SO EVEN IF WE'RE UNDERESTIMATING BY, UH, A HUNDRED PERCENT OR 200%, IT'S STILL A TINY, TINY FRACTION.
NEVERTHELESS, WE WANT TO GET AHEAD OF THIS BECAUSE THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO BECOME INFECTED, UH, MANY OF THEM, UH, THE VAST MAJORITY WILL DO JUST FINE.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME RARE DEATHS, BUT MOST PEOPLE WILL DO FINE.
BUT FOR MANY PEOPLE WHO BECOME ILL, UH, THE RASH CAN BE EXTREMELY PAINFUL.
AND IN FACT, WE'RE SEEING SOMEWHERE IN THE EIGHT TO 10% OF PEOPLE WHO ARE INFECTED ARE REQUIRING HOSPITALIZATION SIMPLY FOR PAIN CONTROL.
SO IT IS, AND IN ADDITION, THE DURATION OF THE ILLNESS IS QUITE LONG COMPARED TO OTHER, UH, VIRAL ILLNESSES.
SO WHEN WE, MOST PEOPLE THINK OF WHEN YOU GET THE COLD, UM, OR EVEN THE FLU, MOST PEOPLE ARE OVER THAT WITHIN FIVE TO 10 DAYS, A MONKEYPOX INFECTION COMMONLY LASTS ABOUT THREE WEEKS AND CAN LAST UP TO A MONTH.
SO IF SOMEBODY HAS A REALLY PAINFUL RASH FOR THREE TO FOUR WEEKS, THAT'S, UM, OBVIOUSLY GONNA HAVE A INCREDIBLY NEGATIVE IMPACT ON, ON THEIR, NOT ONLY ON THEM, BUT ALSO THEIR FAMILIES AND IN THEIR GONNA IMPACT THEIR WORK, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
SO THIS REALLY IS AN ILLNESS WE DON'T WANT ANYBODY, UH, TO BE GETTING FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.
UM, AGAIN, I SAID THE RISK TO MOST OF THE FOLKS IN HOUSTON, UH, ACROSS THE REST OF THE NATION, IS REALLY LOW.
IT IS BEING SPREAD PREDOMINANTLY BY VERY CLOSE, INTIMATE PHYSICAL CONTACT.
IT CAN BE SPREAD WITH RESPIRATORY DROPLET, BUT THAT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A VERY EFFECTIVE WAY.
AND IT CAN ALSO BE SPREAD THROUGH WHAT WE CALL FOAM WHITE.
A FOAM WHITE IS AN INANIMATE OBJECT.
THINK OF A COMB, A SWEATSHIRT, A BLANKET, A BEDSHEET, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AGAIN, NOT A VERY EFFECTIVE WAY, BUT WE ARE SEEING CASES.
SO OF THE, UH, SEVERAL THOUSAND CASES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE, UH, AT LAST COUNT THAT I'M AWARE OF, LESS THAN A DOZEN CHILDREN WHO WERE INFECTED FROM WITHIN THE HOME GENERALLY.
AND SO, IF YOU'RE GONNA USE THE INFECTION OF CHILDREN TO BE AN INDICATION OF HOW IT'S SPREAD THROUGH THE OTHER WAYS, THE RESPIRATORY DROPLET AND THE THE FOMITES, IT'S, THOSE ARE NOT VERY EFFECTIVE WAYS TO, TO SPREAD.
SO IF WE GO ONTO THE NEXT SLIDE, WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, THE AMOUNT OF VACCINE THAT WE'VE, UH, UH, BEEN ABLE TO ADMINISTER, AND I MUST MISSING A SLIDE HERE.
SO, UM, WE BEGAN VACCINATIONS ON JULY THE 26TH.
UH, WHEN THE VACCINE FIRST CAME, THE, INITIALLY WE WERE GIVING VACCINE IN THE 0.5
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MILLILITER SUBCUTANEOUS, UH, DOSE.AND WE HAVE, UM, ALREADY MADE 30, 4600 APPOINTMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE.
WE'VE GIVEN VACCINE TO 3,600 INDIVIDUALS, AND WE'VE GOT ANOTHER, UH, 901ST AND SECOND DOSE.
WE'RE ALREADY INTO THE TIME OF GIVING A SECOND DOSE.
UH, WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK, UH, TWO WEEKENDS AGO, WE GAVE VACCINE TO MORE THAN 800 PEOPLE AT A SPECIAL CLINIC THAT WE ORGANIZED.
AND WE'RE ALSO COORDINATING WITH LOCAL PHYSICIANS WHERE THEY'VE GIVEN ANOTHER, UM, UP TO 300, UM, DOSES IN THE, THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
ALRIGHT, AND SO WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE, UH, THE INDICATION.
SO ONE THING TO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT WE HAVE OVERLAPPING CIRCLES OF, OF NEED SLASH DESIRE.
SO ON ONE HAND, WE WANNA GET VACCINE INTO THOSE PEOPLE, INTO THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE ENGAGING IN THE MOST HIGH RISK BEHAVIORS.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, THE MOST HIGH RISK BEHAVIORS RIGHT NOW IS INTIMATE SEXUAL CONTACT WITH MULTIPLE PARTNERS OR, UM, PREDOMINANTLY MULTIPLE PARTNERS AND ESPECIALLY, UM, ANONYMOUS, UH, UH, EVENTS WHERE PEOPLE ARE HAVING, UM, MULTIPLE SEX, UH, PARTNERS.
THIS IS WHERE WE'RE SEEING MOST OF THE, THE SPREAD.
SO OUR PRIORITIES, OUR GROUPS THAT ARE BEING PRIORITIZED FIRST ARE, IN FACT, PEOPLE WHO ARE CONFIRMED TO HAVE HAD HIGHER INTERMEDIATE RISK CONTACT WITH SOMEBODY KNOWN TO HAVE MONKEY BOX, A CONTACT OF A CASE, AND ALSO PEOPLE WHO HAVE ATTENDED AN EVENT, LIKE I WAS TALK DESCRIBING A, A, A EVENT WHERE THERE WAS A LOT OF ANONYMOUS SEX GOING ON, OR AT A VENUE WHERE THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT WE HAD CONFIRMED, HAD MONKEYPOX AND WERE AT THE SAME EVENT.
SO WE'VE REACHED OUT TO FOLKS AND INVITED THEM TO COME TO VACCINATION CLINICS, UH, LIKE THE ONE THAT I DESCRIBED THAT WE HAD THIS, UM, WE, WE HAD A WHILE BACK AND WE ARE, UH, GROWING THOSE AS WELL.
AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE FAIRLY GREATEST RISK FOR CONTRACTING AND SPREADING.
WE ALSO HAVE A SECOND GROUP, AND THIS IS OUR, OUR TYPE B GROUP.
AND THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE, FIRST OF ALL, THE VACCINE IS ONLY ELIGIBLE AT THIS POINT.
NOT ONLY IT IS, UM, IT IS PREDOMINANTLY BEING USED IN PEOPLE 18 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER.
SO WE ARE NOW ALSO OPENING IT UP TO MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN, ANY MAN WHO HAS SEX, UH, WITH MEN IN THAT MSM COMMUNITY.
WE HAD LIMITED IT BEFORE TO FOLKS IN THE MSM COMMUNITY THAT HAD ENGAGED IN WITH MULTIPLE PARTNERS IN THE PAST 21 DAYS.
THAT'S THE INCUBATION PERIOD OF MONKEYPOX.
SO WE'RE NOW OPENING IT UP, WE'RE TAKING THAT RESTRICTION OFF.
WE'RE AS, AS WE'RE GETTING MORE VACCINE IN THE COMMUNITY, WE'RE, WE'RE LOOSENING UP THE, UH, THE RESTRICTIONS AND TRYING TO GET MORE PEOPLE, UH, TO BE VACCINATED.
UM, ANYONE WHO HAS A PARTNER WHO THEY THINK MIGHT HAVE BEEN, UH, INFECTED WITH MONKEYPOX, SO BEFORE YOU HAD TO BE A CONTACT OF A KNOWN CASE.
NOW, IF YOU JUST THINK THAT A PARTNER OF YOURS MAY HAVE HAD, BECAUSE THEY HAVE A RASH, AND CERTAINLY WE ALSO OPENED IT UP RECENTLY TO PEOPLE WHO ARE HIV POSITIVE OR PEOPLE WHO ARE ON HIV PROPHYLAXIS KNOWN AS PREP.
AND THEN FINALLY, ANYONE WHO'S BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH CHLAMYDIA, GONORRHEA, SYPHILIS, UM, IN THE PREVIOUS THREE MONTHS.
SO WE'VE, UH, OPENED UP THE, UH, THE CRITERIA TO EXPAND VACCINATION.
AGAIN, I WANT YOU TO THINK THAT THERE'S THE GROUP THAT WE THINK ARE AT GREATEST RISK FOR CONTRACTING AND SPREADING, AND THEN THERE'S THE FOLKS WHO WANT THE VACCINE, EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY NOT HAVE MET THAT CRITERIA.
SO, AS WE GET MORE VACCINE, WE'VE BEEN OPENING UP CRITERIA IN ORDER TO MEET THOSE NEEDS.
BUT THE, THE PUBLIC HEALTH GOAL IS FOR US TO SLOW DOWN THE SPREAD OF THE, OF THE VIRUS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY, WHILE ACHIEVING GOAL NUMBER ONE, TO THEN ACHIEVE GOAL NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS GET VACCINE TO THE FOLKS WHO WANT IT, WHETHER THEY, WHETHER THEY ARE AT RISK, UM, BY, YOU KNOW, CLEARLY AT RISK OR THEY JUST FEAR THAT THEY MAY BE AT RISK.
SO THEY'RE OVERLAPPING, BUT NOT THE EXACT SAME PRIORITIES, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DR. WILLIAMS. AND, AND IN THAT SAME VEIN, UH, FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, WE HAVE BEEN STRONGLY ADVOCATING FOR, FOR, FOR MORE VA VACCINE.
UH, LAST WEEK THE DEPARTMENT RECEIVED A SHIPMENT OF OVER 10,000 DOSES, UH, AND IT WAS ANTICIPATED THAT WE WOULD RECEIVE A, A, A FIVE FOLD OF WHAT WE WERE RECEIVING, BUT THAT DIDN'T EXACTLY, UH, PAN OUT.
WE ACTUALLY GOT THE SAME AMOUNT OF DOSES THAT WE WERE ALLOCATED, UH, FROM, FROM THE BEGINNING.
SO THAT WAS SOMEWHAT OF A DISAPPOINTMENT.
UH, THE DELIVERY OF SHIPMENT BOOSTED THE DEPARTMENT'S INVENTORY TO ABOUT 21,000, OVER 21,000 DOSES.
ENOUGH FOR ABOUT, UH, 10,500 FOLKS.
UH, WE HAD PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED A SHIPMENT TOTALING 6,700 DOSES AT THE BEGINNING OF AUGUST AND FIVE, OVER 5,000 IN LATE JULY.
REMEMBER, OF ALL THE DOSES THAT WE RECEIVE, 30% OF THOSE DOSES ACTUALLY GO TO HARRIS COUNTY.
ON THE NEXT SLIDE, WHAT YOU WILL SEE IS THAT, UH, WE, WE SHIFTED, UH, SWITCH TO INTRA DERMAL MONKEYPOX VACCINATIONS, WHICH IS AN INJECTION JUST UNDER THE SKIN.
UH, STAFF FIRST VACCINATED OVER 2,900 PEOPLE
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SUBCUTANEOUSLY, INJECTING THE MEDICATION INTO THE TISSUE LAYER BETWEEN THE SKIN AND THE MUSCLE.UH, ONCE THE DEPARTMENT RECEIVED THE ADDITIONAL 10 OVER 10,000 DOSES, WE EXPANDED THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AS DAVID REFERRED TO, UH, EARLIER TO FOLKS WITH, UH, HIV.
UH, AND THERE WAS AN ESTIMATED 26,000 PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV IN HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY, UH, EARLIER THIS WEEK, UH, HAD A CONVERSATION WITH STAFF.
UH, THERE HAD BEEN AT LEAST FOUR ADVOCACY GROUPS WHO WANTED TO PARTNER WITH US TO DO VACCINATIONS AT THEIR SITES.
AND I CHARGED THE STAFF WITH WORKING WITH THOSE GROUPS TO SEE HOW WE COULD DO THAT.
THAT IS VERY SIMILAR TO HOW WE DID, UH, WITH COVID VACCINATIONS.
WE ACTUALLY WANTED TO USE THOSE, WANT TO USE THOSE GROUPS TO ELICIT MORE FOLKS TO COME IN, UH, FOR A VACCINE.
AND SO WE'LL THAT, THAT IS IN PROGRESS.
UH, JUST TWO DAYS AGO, I, UH, ACTUALLY CHARGE STAFF WAS DOING THAT.
ON THE NEXT SLIDE, I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THE FACT THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO ENGAGE WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO, UH, NOT ONLY PROVIDE VACCINE, BUT TO PROMOTE PREVENTION MESSAGES AND EDUCATION.
UH, RELATED TO, TO, TO MONKEYPOX.
OUR STAFF HAS TAKEN PART IN MORE THAN 20 L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY EVENTS AND REACHED, UH, OVER 3,500 PARTICIPANTS SINCE EARLY JULY, INCLUDING THE PRIDE FESTIVAL AND PARADE.
WE'VE ALSO PARTICIPATED IN TOWN HALLS, AREA MINISTRIES AND MEETINGS, UH, WITH THE HIV RYAN WHITE PLANNING COUNCIL, THE HOMELESS COALITION, AND MANY OTHER GROUPS REACHING ABOUT 7,200 PEOPLE.
AND AT THOSE MEETINGS, WE PROVIDE INFORMATION, ALSO TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO MEDICAL PROVIDERS AND LEADERSHIP OF LOCAL HOSPITALS.
UH, EVERY WEEK, OUR NOW FAMOUS DR.
PER AND OUR PIO PROVIDE MONKEYPOX MESSAGING AND RISK COMMUNICATIONS THROUGH AN AN AVERAGE OF 30 NEWS MEDIA STORIES AND, AND INQUIRIES, JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A FEEL FOR THE LEVEL OF ACTIVITY THAT'S GOING ON RELATED TO PUBLIC INFORMATION, UH, RELATED TO MONKEYPOX.
IN ADDITION, WE ORGANIZE WEEKLY NEWS MEDIA BRIEFINGS WITH LOCAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES FOR HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY AND, AND PARTNERSHIP WITH HARRIS COUNTY, UH, PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND ALSO FOR THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS, DAVID AND I HAVE BEEN DOING A SHOW, UH, RELATED TO, UH, COVID.
UH, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS THAT, THAT HAVE BEEN COMING IN RELATIVE TO MONKEYPOX.
AND SO WE HAVE BOTH DAVID REPRESENTING THE CITY, UH, AND DR. BROWN, WHO THE HEALTH AUTHORITY FOR THE COUNTY ACTUALLY AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU JUST SEE AN UPDATE OF WHERE WE ARE RELATIVE TO, UH, COVID AND, AND VACCINATIONS.
UH, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UH, TIER ONE AND TIER TWO, IF YOU RECALL, WE LOOK AT THE COVID VULNERABILITY INDEX RELATIVE TO CERTAIN ZIP CODES, AND WE CLASSIFIED THOSE ZIP CODES INTO TIER ONE AND TIER TWO ZIP CODES.
UH, AND, AND YOU SEE THAT WE'RE AT 56% IN TIER ONE ZIP CODE, AND 55% IN TIER TWO ZIP CODES.
I CAN TELL YOU, UH, THAT, UH, INDIVIDUALS AGE 12 AND OLDER THAT HAVE RECEIVED ONE SHOT IS RIGHT AT, WE'RE RIGHT AT ABOUT 86% FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE FULLY VACCINATED, WHICH IS DEFINED AS PEOPLE WHO HAVE GOTTEN TWO SHOTS IS AROUND 74%.
UH, FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE NOT GOTTEN THEIR BOOSTERS, IT'S, WE JUST CLASSIFY THEM AS NOT BEING UP TO DATE ON, ON THEIR VACCINE.
AND ON, ON THE LAST SLIDE JUST GIVES A, A, A, A BREAKDOWN OF, UH, COVID VACCINATIONS RELATIVE TO, TO, UH, UH, RACE AND ETHNICITY.
OF COURSE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CONTINUE TO ENGAGE IN, ESPECIALLY IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS BECAUSE WE'RE IN INVOLVED IN VA VAC BACK TO SCHOOL VACCINATIONS, TRYING TO CATCH, UH, THE SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN UP.
WE, WHEN WE WERE CONDUCTING THOSE ACTIVITIES, WE WERE ALSO GIVING COVID SHOTS TOO, MINIMAL INTAKE.
BUT I WANT TO EXPRESS TO YOU THAT THE, THE AVAILABILITY IS THERE.
SO THERE, THERE IS ACCESS, UH, BUT I'M HOPING THAT AS WE ENGAGE MORE COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, UH, THAT WE CAN SEE SOMEWHAT OF AN UPTICK ON, ON, ON COVID VACCINES THAT, UH, ENDS OUR, OUR PRESENTATION.
AND, UH, WE'RE OPEN FOR QUESTIONS.
UH, I ALSO WANNA MENTION THAT, UH, WITH ME IS, UH, UH, DR. WHITE, UH,
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WHO IS, UH, DEPUTY HEALTH AUTHORITY, UH, SUPPORTING, UH, DAVID AND HIS HEALTH AUTHORITY POSITION, BUT ALSO SUPPORTING OUR CLINICAL OPERATIONS INTERNALLY WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.WELL, FIR FIRST OF ALL, THANK, THANK YOU, DIRECTOR WILLIAMS AND DR.
PER FOR BEING HERE AND, AND, AND IN THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I, I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE NOW HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON ONLINE, AND, UM, WE HAVE STAFF FROM, UH, VICE MAYOR PRO TEM CASTEX TATUM ONLINE AS WELL.
UH, WE, WE HAVE A QUESTION NOW.
WE'RE OPENING QUESTIONS NOW FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, FIRST IN THE QUEUE IS VICE CHAIR CAYMAN.
UM, AND DIRECTOR, UM, WILLIAMS. DR.
PERS, THANK YOU ALL FOR, UM, KEEPING US APPRISED OF THE STATUS.
PER TO YOU, I KNOW WE HAVE A SMALL NUMBER COMPARED TO OTHER CITIES.
COULD YOU JUST TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN OTHER CITIES? YEAH, SO THE OTHER, UH, CITIES, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, NEW YORK CITY PROBABLY HAS, UH, THE MOST, I THINK FOLLOWED BY SAN FRANCISCO, UM, AGAIN, IS A PERCENTAGE OF THE OVERALL POPULATION IS SMALLER.
UH, IT IS, IT REMAINS A SMALL PERCENTAGE, BUT IT IS A LARGER PER CAPITA NUMBER THAN WE HAVE HERE IN HOUSTON.
AND I DID THE MATH, I WANNA SAY IT WAS ABOUT 10 DAYS AGO.
AND THEY WERE PROBABLY, AGAIN, THESE ARE SMALL NUMBERS, SO DON'T TAKE WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY OUTTA CONTEXT, BUT THEY WERE ABOUT 50% MORE CASES PER CAPITA, UH, THAN US.
BUT AGAIN, STILL REALLY, REALLY TINY NUMBERS.
NOW, THE GOOD NEWS IS, IS THAT IN NEW YORK CITY, THEY HAVE NOW SEEN A LEVELING OFF OF THE, OF NEW CASES.
SO, UH, THEY WERE, THEIR, THEIR SLOPE OF CASES WAS INCREASING UP UNTIL ABOUT, UH, RIGHT ABOUT THE TIME I DID, ABOUT A WEEK, 10 DAYS AGO.
THEY HAVE SEEN A LEVELING OFF.
AND THAT IS PROBABLY A RESULT OF TWO THINGS.
ONE IS THE AT-RISK COMMUNITY HAS, HAS HEARD THE MESSAGE AND ARE LIKELY CURBING THE BEHAVIORS THAT ALLOW THE VIRUS TO SPREAD.
AND IN ADDITION, THEY HAVE BEEN AGGRESSIVE.
THEY'VE, THEY'VE GOT VACCINE, THEY'VE GOT MORE VACCINE THAN THAN WE HAVE, IT'S A BIGGER CITY.
UM, THEY GOT MORE VACCINE, AND THEY'VE BEEN TRYING TO AGGRESSIVELY GET IT OUT PREDOMINANTLY INTO THE, AGAIN, THE, THE FOLKS THAT ARE ENGAGING IN THE MOST AT RISK BEHAVIORS, UH, TO, UH, PROTECT THEM, UH, AND SLOW IT DOWN BEFORE IT SPREADS OUT THROUGHOUT MORE, UH, SECTORS OF THE, OF THE COMMUNITY.
SO, UH, THEY'RE, THE GOOD NEWS IS THEY'VE SEEN A LEVELING OFF.
SO THESE INTERVENTIONS CHANGING BEHAVIOR AND GETTING VACCINE OUT, THEY DO WORK GREAT.
AND, UM, I, YOU KNOW, WANNA ALSO THANK YOU ALL AND CHAIR, I WANNA RECOGNIZE THE MAYOR FOR BEING SO PROACTIVE, RIGHT? WE'RE SEEING A LOW NUMBER, BUT WE'VE BEEN AGGRESSIVELY PURSUING VACCINES.
UM, DIRECTOR WILLIAMS, YOUR, UM, WORK TO INCREASE OUTREACH IN PARTNERSHIPS, WHETHER IT'S WITH LEGACY COMMUNITY HEALTH, MONTROSE CENTER, UM, OTHERS, LGBT CHAMBER, ET CETERA.
AND I RECOGNIZE FOR STAFF, IT'S BEEN A VERY, UM, FINE LINE TO WALK.
WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A VULNERABLE POPULATION IN THE COMMUNITY WHILE ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WE DO NOT STIGMATIZE, UM, THE COMMUNITY, UH, IS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE.
AND I, I APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU ARE DOING IN THAT.
WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO, I KNOW THE MAYOR ANNOUNCED RECENTLY, UM, THE, UH, APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD, RIGHT? WE LED THE WAY IN TERMS OF WASTEWATER TREATMENT, UM, TESTING AS IT RELATES TO COVID, AND NOW WE'RE ABLE TO PIGGYBACK ON THAT.
UM, AND I BELIEVE THE MAYOR AUTHORIZED, UH, $500,000 TO GO TOWARDS, UM, MONKEYPOX TESTING OF OUR WASTEWATER.
DO WE KNOW WHERE THAT STANDS RIGHT NOW? YEAH.
SO THE, WELL, THE WASTEWATER PROJECT, UH, LET ME START OFF WITH SOME REALLY GOOD NEWS.
THE WASTEWATER TEAM, WHICH IS THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND RICE UNIVERSITY, RECEIVED THE CDC CENTER OF EXCELLENCE AWARD.
UH, THAT IS A MILLION DOLLAR AWARD.
SO THAT'S WHAT YOU GET WHEN YOU GET THE NOBEL PRIZE.
SO I'VE JOKED THAT WE GOT THE NOBEL PRIZE IN WASTEWATER, BUT, UH, THEY DID GET THAT IT IS PIONEERING WORK AND WE ARE WORKING, OR THEY, I SHOULD SAY, THEY'RE WORKING, UH, VERY HARD TO IN ADD SURVEILLANCE FROM MONKEYPOX IN THE WASTEWATER.
THEY HAVE ALREADY VERIFIED THE PROCESS AND THEY'RE, UH, THE LABORATORY WORK TO BE ABLE TO DO SO.
UH, THEY'RE JUST SHORT ON GETTING ENOUGH REAGENT.
'CAUSE BEING THE FOURTH LARGEST CITY IN THE NATION, WE HAVE A VERY LARGE NETWORK, UM, AND A LARGE LAB DOING THIS.
SO THEY'RE TRYING TO GET THE REAGENT.
SO WE ARE HOPING THAT WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO, WE'LL START REPORTING, UM, ON MONKEY POX.
NOW, I WILL, LET ME JUST, WHILE WE'RE ON THERE, LEMME JUST GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A HEADS UP.
TODAY, WHEN WE REPORT ON THE CORONAVIRUS, THE AMOUNT OF CORONAVIRUS THAT THROUGH COVID, THAT'S, WE'RE FINDING WE'RE USING A PERCENTAGE RELATIVE TO THE FIRST BIG WAVE.
AND WE JUST ARBITRARILY SET THAT AS A HUNDRED PERCENT AS A REFERENCE POINT.
UH, WE HAVE YET TO COME UP WITH A WAYS OF HOW WE'RE GONNA DESCRIBE HOW MUCH MONKEYPOX VIRUS THERE IS IN THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THE REAL MEASURE, IT'S GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, SOME NUMBER OF VIRS PER CUBIC MILLILITER OF
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FLUID, WHICH IS GONNA MEAN NOTHING TO ANY OF US.SO WE'LL HAVE TO COME UP WITH SOME METRIC, UH, TO TRANSLATE THAT INTO, UH, SOMETHING THAT ALL OF US CAN GET OUR HEAD AROUND.
AND THE, THE REALITY IS, WE OBVIOUSLY KNOW THAT THE NUMBER WON'T BE ZERO, BUT THE THING THAT WE NEED TO WATCH, WHERE IS IT GETTING, IS IT GROWING? IS IT LEVELING OFF? IS IT DECREASING? AND IF WE CAN ZERO IT INTO WHICH PART OF THE CITY, UH, IS GROWING IN.
SO THOSE ARE THE SORTS OF THINGS WE'RE LOOKING TO.
AND, AND, AND PART OF THE DIFFICULTY HERE IS THAT NO ONE HAS EVER DONE THIS BEFORE.
AND SO WE'RE KIND OF INVENTING THE WHEEL TO SOME DEGREE AS WE MOVE ALONG.
AND SO PLEASE HAVE A LITTLE PATIENCE WITH US AS WE DO SO.
AND, UM, CHAIR, I DON'T KNOW IF I'M OUT OF TIME OR NOT.
DO YOU NEED TO PUT ME BACK IN QUEUE? YEAH.
UH, I ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE WE HAVE STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CIRO'S OFFICE ONLINE.
UH, NEXT IN QUEUE IS COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN.
CAVEN COVERED MY QUESTION ABOUT OTHER CITIES, BUT I KNOW YOU DID THE PER CAPITA, BUT LIKE, ARE THERE THREE 5,000 CASES IN NEW YORK OR SAN FRANCISCO? ARE THERE TENS OF THOUSANDS OR, I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT'S THE YEAH, DO YOU REMEMBER THE NUMBER? YEAH.
UM, WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU WITH THE EXECUTIVE BITE.
IT'S, IT'S AROUND PROBABLY AROUND 2000, I THINK, IF 2000.
AND TREATMENT FOR A MONKEYPOX.
SO, UH, MONKEYPOX IS A VIRAL INFECTION.
IT'S, UH, IT'S GOT A BIG LONG NAME, BUT WE CALL IT TPO FOR SHORT.
IT IS, UH, THE TEA PX IS BEING DISTRIBUTED ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, COMING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BECAUSE IT, IT EXISTS IN THE STRATEGIC NATIONAL STOCKPILE, WHICH IS WHERE THE VACCINE EXISTED.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S ON THE SHELF BECAUSE IT WAS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED TO, UH, TREAT SMALLPOX.
AND JUST LIKE THE VACCINE WAS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED TO PROTECT US AGAINST SMALLPOX.
SO THERE WAS NO NEED TO HAVE IT ON ANYBODY'S SHOWS 'CAUSE THERE WAS NO SMALLPOX GOING AROUND.
SO THERE'S A LIMITED AMOUNT OF IT.
UH, WE ARE WORKING WHEN WE GET CASES, UH, HERE, MOST PEOPLE DON'T, WON'T NEED IT.
MOST PEOPLE ARE GONNA HAVE VERY MILD CASES.
SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE AT HIGH RISK WHO'VE GOT COMPLICATING.
UM, SO NEW YORK CITY HAS, UH, 3019 CASES.
UH, CALIFORNIA'S LOOKING AT, THIS IS THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, UH, 2,600 CASES IN FLORIDA'S GOT OVER 1600 CASES.
UM, SO NOT EVERYONE'S GONNA NEED TPO.
UH, WHEN THEY DO NEED IT, THEIR CLINICIAN WILL WORK WITH US, WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WE'LL WORK WITH THE STATE AND WE'LL GET IT SENT.
WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE THE PATIENTS MEET THE CRITERIA TO GET IT.
'CAUSE THERE'S, AGAIN, A LIMITED SUPPLY.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE IT GOES TO THE FOLKS WHO NEED IT.
MOST THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GONNA NEED IT ARE GONNA BE THOSE WHO ARE AT HIGHEST RISK FOR A COMPLICATED, WHICH MEANS THEY'VE GOT OTHER MEDICAL PROBLEMS THAT PUT THEM AT RISK.
OR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST HAVING A HORRIBLE, YOU KNOW, UH, SITUATION.
THEY COULD BE TOTALLY HEALTHY, BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEY'RE JUST HAVING A REALLY BAD CASE WITH A PAINFUL RASH.
THEY WOULD, UH, PROBABLY ALSO QUALIFY.
BUT MOST PEOPLE WILL HAVE DISCOMFORT.
UM, A RASH, IT'LL BE QUITE THE NUISANCE.
UM, AND, UH, WE WILL EVENTUALLY GET OVER IT.
IT CAN LEAVE SOME SCARRING BEHIND.
AND SO THAT'S ANOTHER CONCERN.
ARE, ARE PEOPLE HOSPITALIZED IN SOME CASES? SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE SEEING AROUND BETWEEN EIGHT AND 10% OF PEOPLE WHO ARE INFECTED ARE REQUIRING HOSPITALIZATION FOR PAIN CONTROL.
AND A VERY TINY PERCENTAGE, 1% OR LESS ARE REQUIRING HOSPITALIZATION.
'CAUSE THEY'RE HAVING SOME REALLY SEVERE, UH, COMPLICATIONS.
AND LIKE I SAID, YOU PEOPLE HAVE DIED FROM THIS.
THEY CAN, IT, IT IS A VIRAL ILLNESS.
AND DEPENDING ON YOUR PARTICULAR SITUATION, GENERALLY WHAT OTHER ILLNESSES YOU MAY HAVE PUTS YOU AT RISK FOR HAVING ALL KINDS OF COMPLICATED.
REMEMBER, A VIRUS, A VIRUS CAN, AND, AND LIKE COVID, THIS VIRUS REFINING IT WILL INFECT ANY ORGAN SYSTEM IT CAN SINK ITS TEETH INTO.
AND ON THE COVID, UM, UPDATE, I APPRECIATE THE, THE ZIP CODE.
I'M ASSUMING I CAN FIND THOSE ZIP CODES EASILY ON THE WEBSITE.
I FORGET, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, Y'ALL HAD A LISTING OF THE TIER ONE AND TIER TWO OVERALL CITYWIDE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOUBLE VAXXED.
WHAT PERCENTAGE IS THAT? I THINK THAT WAS AT 70.
I THOUGHT THOSE WERE JUST BROKEN DOWN BY ZIP CODE.
UH, VICE, VICE CHAIR, UH, THANK YOU CHAIR.
REALLY QUICKLY, TWO FINAL QUESTIONS.
ONE, UM, COULD ONE OF Y'ALL PLEASE JUST STATE AGAIN, THE PROCESS, WHAT A RESIDENT SHOULD DO, SHOULD THEY QUALIFY OR HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT QUALIFICATION FOR THE MONKEYPOX VACCINE, WHO THEY CONTACT AND WHAT THE PROCESS IS? AND THEN I'D ALSO CHAIR IF POSSIBLE, UM, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT COVID, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MONKEYPOX.
UH, IF YOU ALL COULD SPEAK TO POLIO, UH, MY OFFICE HAS BEEN GETTING QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, POLIO, UH, SHOWING UP IN NEW YORK, UH, WHAT THAT MEANS FOR FOLKS, AND SOME CLARIFICATION ON WHO MAY BE VACCINATED AGAINST POLIO AND NOT.
I JUST WANNA TRY TO STEM SOME OF THE CONCERNS OR CONFUSION THAT IS OUT THERE.
FIRST IN TERMS OF, UH, CONTACTING US, UH, WE, WE DO HAVE A CALL CENTER, UH, THAT IS SUPPORTING BOTH MONKEYPOX AND COVID.
THAT NUMBER IS 8 3 2 3 9 3 4 2 2 0.
OR YOU CAN GO ON OUR WEBSITE@HOUSTONHEALTH.ORG, HOUSTON HEALTH.ORG
[00:25:01]
OR 8 3 2 3 9 3 4 2 2 0.AND, AND THOSE FOLKS WOULD BE ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND TELL YOU WHERE YOU CAN GET VACCINATED AND ALSO DO AN INITIAL SCREENING.
UM, AS FOR POLIO, YES, IT'S MADE NATIONAL NEWS AND DESERVEDLY SO THAT WE HAVE HAD A CASE OF POLIO IN NEW YORK CITY.
AS A, A YOUNG GENTLEMAN, UM, WHO IS NOW DEALING WITH THE UNFORTUNATE COMPLICATION OF PARALYSIS IN THE WASTEWATER IN NEW YORK CITY.
THEY FOUND THAT THERE IS, UH, A FAIR AMOUNT OF POLIO.
MOST PEOPLE WHO ARE INFECTED WITH POLIO, UH, HAVE NO SYMPTOMS, WHICH IS FORTUNATE BECAUSE THOSE WHO HAVE SYMPTOMS GENERALLY TEND TO HAVE SOME SEVERE SYMPTOMS INCLUDING, UH, PARALYSIS.
UH, IT, IT CAN AND DOES AFFECT THE SPINE AND THE BRAIN AND CAN CAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, LOTS OF COMPLICATIONS.
WE'VE NOT HAD POLIO IN THE UNITED STATES, UH, FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
THE CASES THAT WE GET ON RARE OCCASION ARE OFTEN ONES THAT ARE IMPORTED FROM OTHER PARTS AROUND THE WORLD.
IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, WHICH IS NOT UNCOMMON IN THE CASES AROUND THE WORLD, IT'S NOT THE WILD VIRUS OF POLIO THAT PEOPLE ARE INFECTED, BUT RATHER A, THE ORAL POLIO VIRUS IS AN ATTENUATED, UH, VIRUS.
IT'S A, IT IS NOT AN INVA INACTIVATED, IT'S A LARGE VIRUS, BUT IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO CAUSE ILLNESS.
AND EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, THAT VACCINE, IT'S THE ORAL VACCINE, UH, THAT ONE WILL REVERT BACK AND CAN CAUSE ILLNESS.
AND THEY CAN TELL THIS 'CAUSE WHEN THEY TEST THE PATIENTS, THEY CAN DO THE DNA SEQUENCING AND THEY CAN SEE THAT IT HAS THE SIGNATURE OF THE, THE VACCINE.
THE UNITED STATES, WE HAVE NOT USED THE ORAL, UH, FORMULATION IN DECADES.
TODAY, WHEN A CHILD GETS VACCINATED IN THE UNITED STATES, IT'S THE INJECTABLE FORM THAT IS AN INACTIVATED FORM.
UM, IT HAS NO RISK OF REVERTING BACK TO A FORM OF POLIO THAT COULD CAUSE ILLNESS.
AND THAT'S, BUT YOU KNOW, THE REASON IT'S THAT THE ORAL FORM IS USED IN MANY PARTS OF THE, OF THE WORLD IS BECAUSE IT'S EXTREMELY INEXPENSIVE AND IT'S EASY TO GIVE.
IT'S AN ORAL, THERE'S NO INJECTION.
AND SO IN A LOT OF, UH, COUNTRIES, THEY, THEY STILL GIVE IT WITH THE, WITH THE RISK THAT THERE CAN BE A, UH, A RECONVERSION BACK AND CAUSE ILLNESS.
AND THEN THAT PERSON'S THEN INFECTIOUS TO OTHERS.
AND SO WHAT HAD HAPPENED WITH NEW YORK, WE KNOW FROM THE DNA SEQUENCING THAT THE, THE CASE IS FROM THE, UH, THE VACCINE.
BUT ALSO IN NEW YORK, THERE'S A SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION THAT HAS BEEN HIGHLY RESISTANT TO GETTING, UH, VACCINES OF ANY SORT, INCLUDING POLIO.
AND SO THIS IS WHERE THERE'S BEEN SPREAD.
FORTUNATELY, MOST OF THE FOLKS, UM, WHO ARE INFECTED IN NEW YORK CITY, UH, REMAINING SYMPTOMATIC.
UH, BUT IT DOES SORT OF ILLUSTRATE THAT POLIO IS A VACCINE PREVENTABLE ILLNESS.
AND FOR THE MOST PART IN THIS COUNTRY, WE WERE ABLE TO ERADICATE IT.
UH, BUT WE REMAIN AT RISK AS PEOPLE, UH, DROP AS WE, AS A NATION, AS WE AS A COMMUNITY LOWER OUR GUARD, BY NOT GETTING VACCINATED AGAINST VACCINE PREVENTABLE ILLNESSES, WE RAISE THE RISK OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS OCCURRING.
AND THAT IN FACT IS WHAT HAS, HAS HAPPENED TO THE WASTEWATER.
WE WILL ALSO BE LOOKING FOR POLIO IN THE WASTEWATER.
WE VERIFIED AND CONFIRMED THE PROCESS.
WE JUST NEED TO GET THE REAGENTS TO BE ABLE TO DO IT.
'CAUSE OUR SYSTEM IS SO LARGE.
REALLY QUICKLY, UH, CHAIR, IF I MAY, JUST THE FOLLOW UP ON THAT, UH, DR.
PER, WE TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE VACCINE.
THERE'S BEEN SOME CONFUSION ABOUT WHO WAS VACCINATED, WHO HAS NOT BEEN VACCINATED.
UH, SOME PEOPLE GOT CONFUSED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SMALLPOX VACCINE THAT, UH, WAS PHASED OUT VERSUS THIS.
CAN YOU JUST SPEAK TO THAT SO THAT FOLKS KNOW WHAT THEY MAY HAVE BEEN VACCINATED FOR? SO THE, FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO GOT VACCINATED AGAINST SMALLPOX, UM, PROBABLY AS CHILDREN AND ARE NOW ADULTS, PEOPLE MY AGE THAT THAT VACCINE, UM, THAT VACCINATION HAS WORN OFF AND YOU NO LONGER HAVE, UH, PROTECTION FROM THAT.
SO IF YOU ARE SOMEONE WHO IS VACCINATED AS A CHILD AGAINST SMALLPOX AND YOU ARE ENGAGING IN HIGH RISK ACTIVITIES, YOU MAY WANT CONSIDER CALLING 8 3 2 3 9 3 4 2 2 0 AND SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT.
UM, AND, UH, UH, MOST, UH, SO POLIO VACCINATION IS A ROUTINE CHILDHOOD VACCINATION HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.
AGAIN, WE'VE BEEN USING THE INJECTABLE FORM FOR DECADES NOW.
AND SO MOST CHILDREN WHO HAVE THEIR, ARE UP TO DATE WITH THEIR CHILD WITH VACCINES WILL BE PROTECTED AGAINST POLIO.
THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION, BECAUSE I HAD HEARD SOME THAT, THAT IF YOU'VE TAKEN THE SMALLPOX WAY BACK WHEN, THEN YOU WERE STILL OKAY.
BUT NO, SO IF YOU GOT POLIO VACCINATION AS A CHILD, YOU'RE GOOD.
SO POLIO DOESN'T WEAR OFF, BUT THE SMALLPOX WILL.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
UH, WE, WE DON'T HAVE ANY MORE, UH, QUESTIONS IN THE QUEUE FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, DIRECTOR WILLIAMS FOR THE PRESENTATIONS.
WE, WE'LL NOW TURN ON TO TURN ON, TURN TO THE, UH, SECOND PRESENTATION ON THE MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM.
THIS PRESENTATION IS BEING LED BY DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR HERBERT SIMS AND DIVISION MANAGER PAUL GREEN.
UH, IF YOU'LL PLEASE INTRODUCE
[00:30:01]
YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD AS WELL AS ANY MEMBERS IN YOUR, ON YOUR TEAM JOINING YOU TODAY.GOOD AFTERNOON, DIRECTOR FRANCIS.
UM, WE THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE FOR WELCOMING THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE PROCESS OF PROCEDURES FOR MATCHING GRANTS.
SO I'M HERBERT SINS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES AND FINANCE FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
NEXT TO ME IS PAUL GREEN, THE DIVISION MANAGER FOR OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT.
AND ALSO PRESENT TODAY IS OUR NEWEST MEMBER OF THE TEAM, ROMAN ALAR, WHO IS SERVING AS THE MATCHING GRANTS COORDINATOR.
SO, UM, OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT.
UM, THE MATCHING GRANTS PROGRAM IS COORDINATED ANNUALLY BY THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS OFFICE, NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT.
UM, THE DIVISION CREATES COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS THAT PROVIDE INFORMATION, ENGAGES RESIDENTS IN CIVIC ACTIVITIES WITH THE GOAL OF INCREASING CIVIC PARTICIPATION.
UM, CURRENT PROGRAMMING OTHER THAN THE MATCHING GRANTS, IS THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL COMPLETE COMMUNITIES UNIVERSITY, A MONTH OF SERVICE, AND THE WILL CLINICS THAT WE PROVIDE TO NAME A FEW.
WHAT IS A MATCHING GRANT? SO THE NEIGHBORHOOD MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM HELPS NEIGHBORHOODS FUND VARIOUS BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS, IMPROVEMENTS BY PROVIDING A DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR MATCHING GRANT REIMBURSEMENT, RANGING FROM 500 TO $5,000.
THIS PROGRAM IS ADMINISTERED IN A PARTNERSHIP THROUGH DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS COUNCIL MEMBERS OFFICES VIA THE COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS.
IT IS DESIGNATED TO BUILD SOLID RELATIONSHIPS AMONG NEIGHBORS, CULTIVATE THE SPIRIT OF VOLUNTEERISM, AND TO DEVELOP PROJECTS THAT BUILD AND SUSTAIN STRONGER COMMUNITIES.
SO THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOOD'S GOAL IS SIMPLE.
UM, WE WANT TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR HOUSTON COMMUNITIES AND PARTNER WITH ACTIVE RESIDENTS TO IMPROVE NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATION AND PRIDE, IMPROVE APPEARANCE AND BEAUTIFICATION, AND ENLIST AND INCREASE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION.
SO HOW DOES IT WORK? THE GRANT MONEY REPRESENTS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND AN ORGANIZATION.
THE CITY WILL REIMBURSE UP TO 50% NOT TO EXCEED $5,000 OF A PROJECT'S TOTAL BUDGET.
THE MINIMUM PROJECT AMOUNT IS 1000.
THE MINIMUM MATCHING GRANT AWARD IS 500.
UM, AND THE MAXIMUM MATCHING GRANT AWARD WATER SAID BEFORE IS $5,000.
THE PROJECT MUST BE COMPLETED BY THE PROJECT'S DEADLINE AND MUST BE PAID IN FULL BY ELIGIBLE ORGANIZATION TO RECEIVE A REIMBURSEMENT.
SO THIS INCLUDES ORIGINAL RECEIPTS, COUNCIL CHECKS, CREDIT CARDS, RECEIPTS MUST BE SUBMITTED AFTER PROJECT COMPLETION TO RECEIVE A MATCHING GRANT REIMBURSEMENT.
AND WE'LL DISCUSS THAT LATER ON IN A LATER SLIDE.
CASH TRANSACTIONS OR IN KIND SERVICES, FOOD MATERIALS, VOLUNTEERS AND EQUIPMENT CANNOT BE SUBMITTED FOR REIMBURSEMENT.
UM, THE PROGRAM HELPS PAY FOR PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENTS OR PROJECTS THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE AND BENEFICIAL TO THE COMMUNITY.
THE PROGRAM WILL NOT PAY FOR ONGOING OPERATIONS, MAINTENANCE, OR UPKEEP OF LANDSCAPING AND COMMUNITY GUARD GARDENS.
THIS DOES NOT MEAN THE PROJECT WON'T PAY FOR OR TO CREATE A COMMUNITY GARDEN OR TO CREATE LANDSCAPING, BUT IT WON'T PAY FOR THE MAINTENANCE THEREOF.
UM, ANY COMPLETED PROJECTS OR COMPLETED PARTS OF PROJECTS OR ARE NOT ELIGIBLE AS WELL.
AND THAT IS IN ACCORDANCE TO PROCUREMENT POLICY.
UM, THAT MEANS THAT COMPLETED PARTS OF PROJECTS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR A MATCHING GRANT.
SO IF YOU'VE STARTED A PROJECT, THE COMPLETED PARTS OF THAT PROJECT OR ARE NOT, ARE WHAT'S NOT ELIGIBLE, NOT THE TOTAL PROJECT, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
WE JUST STARTED THIS YEAR IN JUNE, WE STARTED DOING TRAINING FOR THOSE WHO, UM, WOULD LIKE TO, TO APPLY FOR MATCHING GRANTS TO PROVIDE SOME, AN EXTRA LAYER OF ASSISTANCE.
UM, BECAUSE THE APPLICATION CAN BE CUMBERSOME TO SOME ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE NEVER APPLIED FOR GRANTS BEFORE, UM, AUGUST THROUGH OCTOBER, WE HOPE THAT THOSE PROJECTS ARE BEING APPROVED BY THEIR DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS AND COMPLETING THEIR APPLICATIONS ACCORDINGLY.
APPLICATIONS ARE ALWAYS DUE THE FIRST FRIDAY IN NOVEMBER, UM, THIS YEAR, THAT IS NOVEMBER 4TH, 2022.
AND THEN ALL PROJECTS MUST BE COMPLETED BY MAY 31ST.
AND THAT IS TO KEEP IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
SO IT USED TO BE JUNE 30TH, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO RECONCILE THOSE PROJECTS AND GET THOSE PAYMENTS AND REIMBURSEMENTS OUT, AS WELL AS THE INTERNAL PROCESS OF BEING REIMBURSED FROM COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS.
SO THAT'S WHY THE END OF THE PROJECT MUST BE COMPLETED BY MAY 31ST.
SO REAL QUICK TO SUMMARIZE THE APPROVAL PROCESS,
[00:35:01]
YOU AS THE DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER MUST SIGN OFF ON THESE APPLICATIONS.ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE COMPLETED BY NOVEMBER 4TH OR THAT FIRST FRIDAY IN NOVEMBER, NO EXCEPTIONS.
UM, WE DO HAVE PROJECTS THAT WANT TO TURN THIS IN AND THAT IN AT A LATER DATE.
AND TO BE FAIR, TO ALL PROJECTS THAT ARE APPLYING, UM, ALL THAT INFORMATION MUST BE IN BY NOVEMBER 4TH PLUS THAT GIVES YOU, AS THE ORGANIZATION A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIME TO COMPLETE THAT PROJECT.
ANY DELAY IN TURNING THE APPLICATION DELAYS THE START OF YOUR PROJECT.
UM, THE NEXT PHASE WILL BE THE DONE DIRECTOR REVIEWS AND APPROVE.
THEN THE APPLICATION GOES TO LEGAL TO ENSURE THAT ALL THINGS ARE IN ORDER, AND THEN IT'S APPROVED BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
FINALLY, WE COME TO THE SPD AND DONE FINANCE PROCESS, WHICH CREATES THE PURCHASE REQUISITION AND ASSISTS SPD AND GETTING THAT PURCHASE ORDER CREATED.
SO THESE PROJECTS SHOULD NOT BEGIN BEFORE THE PURCHASE ORDER IS CREATED.
AND THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR ALL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE CANNOT VIOLATE THE PROCUREMENT POLICY AND HAVE A PROJECT START BEFORE THE PURCHASE ORDER IS CREATED.
SO WHAT IS THE PROJECT CRITERIA? SO THE CRITERIA IS TO IMPROVE NEIGHBORHOOD THROUGH A PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENT, INVOLVE NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS OR HAVE LONGSTANDING BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY, ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC LETTER OF PERMISSION FROM PROPERTY OWNERS AND OR GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY OF THE PROPOSED SITE AT THE TIME OF SUBMISSION.
UH, PROOF OF OWNERSHIP OF THE SITE, COPY OF A DEED, HC, DOCUMENTATION, ET CETERA.
OTHER PROGRAM CRITERIA INCLUDE PHOTO OF A PROPOSED SITE, THREE LETTERS OF SUPPORT.
IF THE PROJECT REQUIRES APPROVAL FROM OUR PERMITTING FROM A CITY DEPARTMENT, THAT HAS TO BE COMPLETED BY THE TIME THE APPLICATION IS SUBMITTED.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF THERE'S IMPROVEMENTS TO THE MEDIAN THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT, THAT APPROVAL COMES FROM PARKS.
UM, IF THERE IS SOME KIND OF STREET SIGN TOPPERS YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO OR NEIGHBORHOOD MARKERS, THOSE ARE APPROVED BY PUBLIC WORKS AND THAT HAS TO BE COMPLETED BY THE NOVEMBER 4TH DEADLINE.
UM, EXAMPLES OF APPROVALS, I TOLD YOU ALREADY, BUT SOME OTHERS HERE IN THE PRESENTATION LIKE ELECTRICAL SIGNS, WALKWAYS AND PAVERS, MURALS, IRRIGATION PROJECTS, ET CETERA.
HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF SOME COMPLETED PROJECTS.
MAPLEWOOD COMMUNITY COMPLETED SOME, UM, ESPLANADE IMPROVEMENTS AND BEAUTIFICATION LAST YEAR.
THESE ARE ALL PROJECTS FROM FROM LAST YEAR, BY THE WAY.
UM, PRINCE SQUARE, WE GOT A NEW NEIGHBORHOOD SIGNED THROUGH THE MATCHING GRANTS PROGRAM, UM, LAST YEAR AS WELL.
THAT WAS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COALITION OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.
AND FINALLY, NOR HOOD, UM, IMPROVED ON THEIR BLUE TILE STREET SIGNS ON THE CURBS OF THEIR STREETS.
AND SO THESE ARE ALL PROJECTS THAT WERE APPROVED LAST YEAR.
I THINK LAST YEAR WE HAD A TOTAL OF SEVEN PROJECTS THAT WERE APPROVED FOR MATCHING GRANTS VERY QUICKLY.
THE APPLICATION PROCESS, UM, PACKET CHECKLIST IS VERY IMPORTANT AND MAKING SURE THAT ALL APPLICANTS HAVE EVERYTHING THAT IS LISTED HERE IN THAT CHECKLIST.
AND IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE INTERNAL PROCESSES ASSIST OR IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW TO GET SOME OF THESE REQUIREMENTS COMPLETED, UM, THEY'RE WELCOME TO CONTACT ROMAN AGUILAR TO ASSIST THEM WITH SOME OF THESE, UM, REQUIRED DOCUMENTATIONS THAT HAVE TO BE SUBMITTED AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION DUE DATE.
YOU CAN MOVE ON ROME REIMBURSEMENT CHECKLIST.
SO AFTER YOU GET THAT APPLICATION IN, YOU ALSO WANNA BE REIMBURSED FROM THE CITY FOR THE PROJECT.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT ALL ORGANIZATIONS UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE TO BE CITY VENDORS IN ORDER TO GET A PAYMENT FROM THE CITY.
SO ONCE THE APPLICATION IS SUBMITTED, ENSURE THAT THE ORGANIZATION HAS ALSO APPLIED FOR A VENDOR NUMBER IF THEY DON'T ALREADY HAVE ONE WITH THE STRATEGIC PURCHASING DIVISION.
UM, ALSO AFTER THAT APPLICATION, AFTER THAT PROJECT IS COMPLETE, YOU MUST SUBMIT THE PICTURES OF THE COMPLETED PROJECTS.
THE PAYMENT PROOF OF PAYMENT, CREDIT CARD RECEIPT, AS I MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES TODAY, HAVE TO BE SUBMITTED TO DON FINANCE IN ORDER TO GET THAT REIMBURSEMENT OF PAYMENT.
THE REIMBURSEMENT PROCESS, THE MAIN THING THAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS PROCESS IS THAT THE ORGANIZATION HAS TO UNDERSTAND THAT APPLICANTS MUST SUBMIT ALL REQUIRED PROOF BY MAY 31ST AND UNDERSTAND THAT THE ORGANIZATION WILL RECEIVE THEIR PAYMENT WITH FROM THE CITY 30 DAYS AFTER SUBMISSION.
THAT IS WITH THE ASSUMPTION THAT ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED, OTHERWISE THE PAYMENTS MAY BE DELAYED.
SO, UM, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTION ABOUT THAT, YOU'RE WELCOME TO CONTACT OUR OFFICE IF, IF AN ORGANIZATION IS ASKING FOR OR WHERE THEIR PAYMENT IS OR THE PROCESS OF THE PAYMENT.
SO THE LAST SLIDE JUST SHOWS OUR CONTACT INFORMATION, UM, FOR MYSELF, MR. AGUILAR, MR. GREEN, AND UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND WE'RE READY FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
[00:40:01]
THAT, UH, LAST YEAR THERE WERE SEVEN APPLICANTS, OR SEVEN APPROVED APPLICANTS, SEVEN APPROVED APPLICANTS.AND HOW MANY SUBMITTED APPLICATIONS? HOW MANY SUBMITTED APPLICATIONS? I BELIEVE THERE WAS EIGHT.
I BELIEVE THERE WAS ONE PROJECT THAT WAS MISSING.
SOME SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION.
AND THEN I BELIEVE THERE WAS ANOTHER PROJECT THAT JUST BACKED OUT ON THEIR OWN BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T GET THEIR, THE NEEDED DATA AND THEY DECIDED TO WAIT TILL THIS YEAR TO APPLY MM-HMM
SO, AND, AND HOW LONG HAS THE CITY BEEN DOING THIS PROGRAM? OH, I, THE CITY HAS BEEN DOING THIS PROGRAM AT LEAST SINCE THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN AROUND.
AND EVERY YEAR YOU HAVE LESS THAN 10 MAYBE THAT APPLY? YEAH, LESS THAN 10.
WE HAVE PROBABLY MORE THAN 10 THAT START THE PROCESS.
LESS THAN 10 THAT FINISH THE PROCESS.
Y UH, YESTERDAY A DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS WAS AT A CIVIC CLUB MEETING LAST NIGHT.
AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, THERE'S A LOT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S THAT THE HOUSE WAS TAKEN DOWN AND THIS WAS DEC DECADES AGO.
SO THE PROPERTY IS OWNED BY THE CITY.
UH, THE NEIGHBORHOOD TAKES IT UPON THEMSELF TO, TO, TO PAY A LANDSCAPER IN GROWING SEASON, TO GO OUT AND MOW THIS LOT TWICE A MONTH.
UH, AND, UH, AND, AND, AND, UH, YESTERDAY THEY VOTED ON APPROVING THE LANDSCAPER WAS GETTING PAID $25, BUT NOW HE'S GONNA BE CHARGING $40.
SO THE CIVIC CLUB IS HAVING TO PAY TO GET THIS CITY LOT MOWED.
UH, I MEAN, THEY COULD WAIT FOR THE CITY, BUT YOU COULD ONLY IMAGINE HOW TALL THE GRASS IS GONNA BE BY THE TIME THE CITY GETS BY THERE TO MOW IT.
SO THE QUESTION I'M HAVING IS, ARE THEY ABLE TO APPLY FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO SEE IF THEY CAN GET REIMBURSED FROM THE MONIES THAT THEY HAVE BEEN USING FOR ALL THESE YEARS? I MEAN, APPLYING FOR THE $5,000, I CAN IMAGINE HOW MUCH THEY'VE BEEN PAYING.
SO THE, THE HOUSE WAS TAKEN DOWN BACK IN THE SEVENTIES.
MATCHING GRANTS WOULD NOT BE THE BEST OPTION FOR A PROJECT LIKE THAT BECAUSE THAT'S LANDSCAPING AND MAINTENANCE TO AN EXISTING LOT.
NOT TO SAY THAT CDSF FUNDS COULDN'T BE USED FOR THAT, BUT THE MATCHING GRANTS PROGRAM WOULD NOT BE THE BEST OPTION FOR THAT.
SO CDSF FUNDS COULD PROBABLY BE USED TO REIMBURSE THIS ORGANIZATION OR TO PAY FOR THE MAINTENANCE THEREOF TO THIS CIVIC CLUB OR, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
BUT THE MATCHING GRANTS WOULDN'T BE THE BEST, BEST PLACE TO GET THAT REIMBURSEMENT.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, SO VERY GOOD ON Y'S PRESENTATION.
UH, THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATIONS AND QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL.
UH, WE'LL NOW MOVE TO THE PUBLIC COMMON PORTION OF THE MEETING.
PUBLIC SP SPEAKERS WERE REQUIRED TO SIGN UP THROUGH, THROUGH A PROVIDED FORM BY 5:00 PM TUESDAY, AUGUST 23RD.
THREE SPEAKERS HAVE SIGNED UP AND JOIN US VIRTUALLY.
WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND LET US KNOW IF YOU'RE REPRESENTING AN ORGANIZATION.
ALL PUBLIC SPEAKERS WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES.
THE FIRST SPEAKER IS AUSTIN REESE.
AUSTIN REESE, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF.
REESE AND I REPRESENT THE MONT CENTER AND HERE AS STAFF, AND I'M ALSO A BOARD MEMBER OF THE HOUSTON LGBTQ PLUS POLITICAL CAUCUS.
UM, REALLY THE REASON WHY I WANTED TO SPEAK TODAY WAS BECAUSE IT SEEMS THAT, UM, ALTHOUGH THERE IS PROGRESS BEING MADE IN THE CITY, AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN, UH, YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS, EVERYBODY THAT HAS BEEN WORKING ON THE EXPANDED VACCINE GUIDELINES, THERE'S PROGRESS WE MADE IN THAT AREA.
BUT IT SEEMS THAT THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY IS STILL BEING LEFT OUTTA THE CONVERSATION, UM, IN, IN MANY PORTIONS OF THIS OUTBREAK IN TERMS OF COORDINATED OUTREACH, UM, TRYING TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT ABOUT EXPANDED VACCINE AVAILABILITY.
UM, AND SO I'M REALLY JUST WONDERING, UM, AND, AND I, ALONG WITH OTHER L LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY LEADERS HAVE BEEN ASKING HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THE HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, OFFICIALS ABOUT THEIR PLANS FOR OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND IT SEEMS THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, FALLEN UPON DEAF EARS.
AND SO REALLY WHAT I WOULD ASK IS IF THERE IS ANY AT THIS MOMENT, UM, WORK IDEAS, SUGGESTIONS, THINGS THAT WE AS COMMUNITY LEADERS CAN DO TO ASSIST IN, IN CURBING THIS OUTBREAK.
UM, WE, WE ARE PROBABLY THE MOST CONNECTED TO THE COMMUNITY OUT OF ANYBODY IN, IN THE ROOM.
AND, AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO HELP AND DO OUR PART AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY THE MOST AT RISK FOR THIS OUTBREAK IS BEING PROTECTED.
AND, UH, I KNOW, I KNOW WE HAVE, UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM, UM, VICE CHAIR.
[00:45:01]
FOR, UM, ALL THE WORK YOU ALL HAVE BEEN DOING ON THIS.UM, I, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW THAT DIRECTOR WILLIAMS TOUCHED A LITTLE BIT ON THE OUTREACH THAT HAS BEEN DONE IN THE L-G-B-T-Q PLUS COMMUNITY, BUT I WOULD, I DON'T WANNA FLIP THE QUESTION ON YOU, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW, UM, WHAT YOUR IDEAS ARE OR WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE, BECAUSE THAT FEEDBACK IS IMPORTANT.
I KNOW WE'VE ALSO, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S DESIGNATED A LIAISON WITHIN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UM, TO WORK WITH YOU ALL.
BUT I'D LIKE TO HEAR, UM, JUST OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, UM, SOME OF YOUR SUGGESTIONS.
YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK A GREAT START WOULD BE JUST MESSAGING ABOUT THE EXPANDED VACCINE AVAILABILITY GUIDELINES.
UM, IT SEEMS THAT JUST A QUICK SCROLL THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA ON BOTH THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH AGES.
SO I THINK REALLY JUST LETTING THE COMMUNITY KNOW AT LARGE ABOUT THESE EXPANDED GUIDELINES WOULD BE A GREAT FIRST STEP.
I THINK OUTSIDE OF THAT, UM, REALLY WORKING WITH, YOU KNOW, ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE MONT CENTER, THE, THE CHAMBER LEGACY COMMUNITY HEALTH, TO DO SOME COORDINATED MESSAGING CAMPAIGNS TO OUR AUDIENCES.
WE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE MOST TAPPED IN TO THE NETWORKS THAT ARE MOST AT RISK.
AND SO I THINK UTILIZING US TO HELP AMPLIFY THAT MESSAGING TO, TO PROMOTE IT TO THESE NETWORKS WOULD BE, WOULD BE HELPFUL AS WELL.
UM, I THINK ANOTHER STEP WOULD BE POSSIBLY REACHING OUT TO ALL OF THE BARS THAT ARE IN MONTROSE.
THEY, MANY OF THEM HAVE, YOU KNOW, UH, FLYERS THAT THEY CAN PUT IN RESTROOMS AND OTHER SPACES IN THEIR CLUBS.
UM, JUST WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY IN THAT ASPECT.
'CAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S PROBABLY WHERE A LOT OF THE AT-RISK POPULATIONS ARE TO, TO, TO MESSAGE TO THEM, TO GET THAT OUT INTO THE BARS IN FRONT OF PEOPLE'S EYES, TO GET THEM TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN CALL, YOU KNOW, WHICHEVER PHONE NUMBER THAT THEY CAN, UH, TO, WHETHER THAT'S THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT OR HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH TO GET THEIR VACCINE, TO KNOW THAT THE GUIDELINES HAVE BEEN EXPANDED TO INCLUDE MSM POPULATIONS AND THOSE LIVING WITH HIVI MEAN, REALLY THERE'S, THERE'S A A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WE CAN DO OUTSIDE OF THAT, BUT I THINK REALLY JUST UTILIZING THE COMMUNITY TO AMPLIFY CURRENT MESSAGING, UM, WOULD BE, WOULD BE THE, THE BEST STEP RIGHT NOW THAT WE CAN DO.
AND, UM, CHAIR, I KNOW WE'VE BEEN FORWARDING AND YOU'RE ON SOME EMAILS, UM, THE MATERIALS THAT WE'RE GETTING, UM, I WE'RE HAPPY TO, I, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR ANYONE ELSE, BUT I KNOW THE DEPARTMENT IS ALSO HAPPY TO DO THIS, BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO FORWARD THOSE.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE ASKS THAT I WOULD HAVE, BECAUSE YOU ALL HAVE, UM, SUCH A REACH IN THE COMMUNITY, IS TO HELP SHARE THOSE.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF THE CAUCUS CAN GO DISTRIBUTE THOSE FLYERS AT BARS, UM, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A HUGE HELP.
UH, SO LET, LET'S TALK OFFLINE ABOUT HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO PARTNER AND KIND OF ELEVATE SOME OF THE MESSAGING, BUT WE'LL ALSO, I HEAR YOU AND THAT YOU WANNA MAKE SURE YOU'RE GETTING THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION, UM, AND THAT WE'RE, WE'RE DOING THIS IN AN IMPACTFUL AND EFFECTIVE WAY.
I'M, I'M DEFINITELY HAPPY TO CONNECT WITH YOU, UM, OFFLINE ABOUT THAT AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO, TO AMPLIFY THIS.
'CAUSE THIS PROBABLY DOESN'T SEEM TO BE GOING AWAY ANYTIME SOON, SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL WORK TOGETHER.
ALSO, AND JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, BEFORE THE COMMITTEE MEETING, I BRIEFLY SPOKE WITH DIRECTOR WILLIAMS, UH, EXCUSE ME.
AND, UM, HE DID MENTION IN REGARDS TO, UH, THE, THE, THE OUTREACH WITH, WITH, WITH THE MONTROSE CENTER.
SO, UH, I WILL HAVE HIM TO HAVE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT REACH OUT TO YOU.
UH, AND IF YOU CAN ALSO COORDINATE WITH THE CAUCUS TO MEET WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THE MONTROSE CENTER ALL SIT, YOU KNOW, TO ALL SIT DOWN, UH, TOGETHER, UH, TO SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS INFORMATION IS, IS, IS, IS GETTING, UH, YOU KNOW, GO, GOES OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY.
UH, SO ANY SUGGESTIONS THAT YOU OR THE CAUCUS HAS TO SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE.
UH, AND, AND ALSO OF COURSE, THE VOLUNTEERS TO GET THAT, TO GET THAT DONE.
SO, UH, I'LL HAVE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT REACH OUT TO YOU.
YEAH, I THINK THE BIGGEST THING IS THAT, AND, AND, UH, AMI, WHO'S ALSO HERE TO GIVE COMMENTS WILL PROBABLY ECHO THIS, IS IT SEEMS THAT WE'RE JUST BEING COMPLETELY LET DOWN THE CONVERSATION.
WE GET THINGS, YOU KNOW, THE DAY BEFORE WE HEAR THINGS, UH, A DAY LATE.
AND IT SEEMS THAT WE'RE REALLY MISSING THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY COORDINATE WITH ONE ANOTHER TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT TOWN HALLS THAT ARE BEING SPONSORED BY HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THE UPDATED VACCINE AVAILABILITY FROM HARRIS, UH, HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND, AND HARRIS COUNTY.
AND SO IT JUST SEEMS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE PEOPLE ARE HERE AND WE'RE WANTING TO, TO AMPLIFY AND TO HELP, BUT WE'RE JUST NOT BEING BROUGHT TO THE TABLE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS.
AND SO ANYTHING THAT YOU ALL CAN DO TO FACILITATE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND, AND GET US A SEAT AT THE TABLE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
AND, AND, AND ALSO JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION, I KNOW THAT THE, UH, THE, THE LAST CAUCUS MEETING, THEY HAD JUDGE, UH, HIDALGO AS THE, THE GUEST SPEAKER TO TALK ABOUT, UH, COVID AND, AND, AND, AND, AND THE, UH, MONKEYPOX AND I DID REACH OUT TO DIRECTOR WILLIAMS, ASKED HIM TO HAVE SOMEBODY, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, ATTEND THAT MEETING, WHICH OF COURSE, IT WAS A VIRTUAL MEETING.
UH, WHITE WHAT WAS ON, AND SHE DID INTRODUCE HERSELF,
[00:50:01]
UH, TO THE AUDIENCE, AND, AND NO ONE ASKED A QUESTION.YEAH, I THINK THAT WAS MOSTLY BECAUSE THAT, THAT WAS AFTER, UH, JUDGE ALCO HAD GIVEN HER TALK ABOUT IT AND A LOT OF OUR
IT WAS, IT WAS BEFORE, IT WAS BEFORE THE JUDGE SPOKE.
AND THAT'S WHY I WAS SURPRISED NO ONE ASKED A QUESTION.
UM, BUT, BUT, BUT EITHER WAY, I'LL HAVE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT REACH OUT TO YOU, UH, AND IF YOU COULD PLEASE COORDINATE WITH THE CAUCUS SO ALL THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, MONTROSE CENTER AND THE CAUCUS CAN SIT DOWN, UH, AND, AND FIND OUT WHAT, WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY TO GET THE WORD OUT.
UH, AND THEN OF COURSE, WORKING ON GETTING VOLUNTEERS TO GET THAT TAKEN CARE OF SPEAKERS WALLS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
UH, THE NEXT SPEAKER WE HAVE IS T TAMMY WALLACE, IF YOU CAN PLEASE HIT STAR SIX.
WELL, UH, THANK YOU CHAIR GALLEGOS AND VICE CHAIR CAYMAN, AND TO THE OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
I AM THE CO-FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE GREATER HOUSTON, LGBT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
AND I GREATLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY ON BEHALF OF OUR LEADERSHIP AND IN RELATION TO SPECIFICALLY THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S RESPONSE TO, TO MONKEY P MONKEYPOX.
AND I WANNA ECHO, UM, AUSTIN DID, DID A BRILLIANT JOB OF LAYING OUT SOME, SOME IDEAL SOLUTIONS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND TALKING ABOUT THE OVERALL ISSUE.
BUT IF, IF I COULD JUST TAKE IT UP A LITTLE BIT AT A HIGHER LEVEL.
AND, YOU KNOW, OFTEN AT THE CHAMBER WE TALK ABOUT THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY HAVING A SEAT AND A VOICE AT THE TABLE.
AND HONESTLY, THAT'S THE PRIMARY REASON WHY WE LAUNCHED THE CHAMBER SIX YEARS AGO, TO MAKE SURE THAT LGBTQ PLUS BUSINESSES HAVE A SEAT AND A VOICE AT THE TABLE IN OUR GREAT CITY.
BUT HAVING A SEAT AND A VOICE AT THE TABLE MATTERS.
WHEN OUR COMMUNITY IS FACING AN OUTBREAK SUCH AS MONKEY POX, WE'VE SEEN THE QUESTIONS AND WE ASKED AGAIN TODAY ABOUT A SPECIFIC PLAN AND OUTREACH TO THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY, BOTH BASED ON CURRENT CASELOAD AND IF THESE CASELOADS INCREASE.
SO WE APPRECIATE THE ENGAGEMENT.
AUSTIN MENTIONED THIS, WE'VE BEEN IN DIALOGUE EMAIL, BUT WE NEED TO BE AROUND THE TABLE FOR THIS TYPE OF PLANNING.
AND THEY, THERE JUST HAS TO BE A COMMUNITY ENG ENGAGEMENT PLAN.
I MEAN, WHEN A COMMUNITY IS IMPACTED, IT'S INCUMBENT UPON LEADERS AND GOVERNMENT TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITIES AFFECTED.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR THAT FORMAL PLAN.
AUSTIN SAID IT, THE CHAMBER'S COMMITTED TO HELPING IN WHATEVER WAY WE CAN THE CHAMBER.
WE, WE ALSO SEE THIS FROM AN ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVE.
WE NEED PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF HOUSTON LOOKING IN TO SEE A STRONG COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY AND GOVERNMENT AND OUR LEADERS.
IT SPEAKS VOLUMES ON SO MANY LEVELS, WHETHER IT'S COMPANIES LOOKING TO MOVE TO HOUSTON, JOB SEEKERS, WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE, ENGAGING THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY, MAKING SURE WE'RE AT THE TABLE, MAKING SURE WE HAVE A VOICE IS IMPORTANT.
THA THANK YOU T UH, TAMMY, I APPRECIATE THAT.
UH, I'M SURE YOU HEARD THAT I ASKED, I ASKED AUSTIN IF HE COULD, UH, I'LL HAVE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT REACH OUT TO AUSTIN IN REGARDS TO THE MONTROSE CENTER.
UH, AND THEN, UH, AUSTIN WAS GONNA REACH OUT TO THE CAUCUS AND I'M, I'M, I'M, I'M INVITING YOU AS WELL, TAMMY, TO PLEASE BE AT THE TABLE AS WELL SO WE CAN DISCUSS WHAT CAN BE DONE BETTER, UH, TO GET THE COMMU THE, UH, WORD OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, UH, AND, AND ALSO TO FIND THE VOLUNTEERS TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT.
SO, UM, IF, IF, IF, IF YOU CAN, UH, GO AHEAD AND, UH, UH, BE, BE WILLING TO, UH, TO, YOU KNOW, TO, TO BE IN THAT MEETING AS WELL, PLEASE.
WE ARE, WE'RE HERE TO HELP IN ANY WAY AND CERTAINLY DEFER TO OUR COLLEAGUES AT, AT THE MONTE CENTER AND LEGACY, BUT HERE TO HELP AND SUPPORT IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE.
VICE CHAIR, DO YOU HAVE A, I I JUST WANTED TO ECHO YOUR COMMENTS, CHAIR AND, UH, TAMMY, I, I ALSO WANTED TO THANK THE CHAMBER, UM, UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOU DO NOT HESITATE AND THE CHAMBER DOES NOT HESITATE TO JUMP IN TO PROVIDE RESOURCES, SUPPORT, UM, IN ANY MATTER.
UH, YOU WERE ONE OF MY FIRST CALLS WHEN WE, YOU KNOW, KNEW THAT WE HAD A, A, A SITUATION ON OUR HANDS AND DEALING WITH MONKEYPOX IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND, UM, I APPRECIATE YOUR ENGAGEMENT, THE CHAMBER'S ENGAGEMENT AND, UH, CHAIR.
I WOULD ALSO ADD THE IMPORTANCE, AND I KNOW LEGACY COMMUNITY HEALTH HAS BEEN, UM, WORKING WITH, UH, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ON SOME OF THESE, UH, VACCINATION EFFORTS.
AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY'RE ALL INCLUDED AS MANY PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY AS POSSIBLE, UM, YOU KNOW, AT THE TABLE.
BUT TAMMY, I JUST WANTED TO PERSONALLY THANK, UH, YOU UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THE CHAMBER FOR ALWAYS, ALWAYS STEPPING UP, UH, WHEN ASKED.
UH, THE THIRD SPEAKER AND FINAL SPEAKER
[00:55:01]
IS IAN HADDOCK.UH, IF YOU COULD PLEASE, UH, PRESS STAR SIX.
CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME? I'M SORRY.
HELLO, UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR LETTING ME BE HERE.
MY NAME IS IAN HADDOCK, UM, AND I AM THE FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NORMAL ANOMALY INITIATIVE.
I REALLY APPRECIATE BEING BEHIND AUSTIN AND TAMMY, UH, IN THIS CONVERSATION, AND MY COMMENTS WILL BE SHORT, BUT I, UM, THE NORMAL ANOMALY FOCUSES ON CENTERING BLACK QUEER PEOPLE AND IT IS NEVER, UH, MORE IMPORTANT TO TALK ABOUT CENTERING COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, BECAUSE EVEN AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, THE OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN FOR, UH, MONKEYPOX, YOU KNOW, MY TEAM IS LITERALLY, UM, ALLOWING PEOPLE, UH, THROUGH OUR TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM TO GET TO THE HOSPITAL.
WE'VE HAD THREE HOSPITALIZATIONS OF BLACK QUEER PEOPLE FROM MONKEYPOX.
AND, AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE, UH, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE, THE PLACES THAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT, UM, OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, THOUGH I AM, UM, COMPLETELY INVESTED AND IN LOVE WITH THE MONTROSE CENTER AND LEGACY COMMUNITY HEALTH, OFTENTIMES EVEN IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS, COMMUNITIES OF COLOR ARE LEFT OUT.
AND SO I AM PLEA PLEADING WITH YOU ALL, UM, AS A SMALLER ORGANIZATION THAT DOES A MUCH SMALLER LEVEL, SMALLER CASELOAD, UH, THAN SOME OF THESE, YOU KNOW, BEHEMOTHS, LGBT ORGANIZATIONS AND LEGACY, UH, LGBT ORGANIZATIONS IN HOUSTON.
I'M PLEADING WITH YOU ON BEHALF OF SMALLER GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS THAT FOCUS ON COMMUNITIES OF COLOR TO ALSO INCLUDE US IN THESE CONVERSATIONS AND INCLUDE US IN THE ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH.
IT IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT ANY DISPARITY, UH, AT THE INTERSECTIONS OF, OF COLOR AND, AND QUEERNESS, YOU'RE GONNA FIND, UH, THE MOST MARGINALIZATION.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO, TO OFFER TO OFFER THAT BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, ACCESSIBILITY DISPARITIES, TRANSPORTATION DISPARITIES THAT AFFECT THESE PARTICULAR COMMUNITIES.
AND, AND THOSE NUANCES NEED TO, NEED TO BE VOICED AND, AND A PART OF THAT CONVERSATION.
I, NO, I JUST WANTED TO THANK HIM FOR HIS COMMENTS AND, UM, THE, YOU KNOW, IMPORTANCE OF ADDRESSING, UH, UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES AND THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING ON THE GROUND.
UH, SO THANK YOU FOR EMPHASIZING THAT FOR US.
AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ WAS ONLINE.
SO THANK YOU, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ FOR JOINING US.
THAT CONCLUDES THE PUBLIC COMMON PORTION OF TODAY'S MEETING.
UH, FOR EVERY, ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WATCHING, YOU MAY SEND QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BY EMAILING MY OFFICE AT DISTRICT I@HOUSTONTX.GOV.
THAT'S DISTRICT I@HOUSTONTX.GOV.
SEE NO ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR EVERYONE, EVERYONE FOR PARTICIPATING TODAY.