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WELCOME TO DAY THREE OF OUR BUDGET WORKSHOPS.
WE ARE HAPPY THIS DAY TO HAVE HEALTH MUNICIPAL COURTS HITS AND A RA AND HR, UH, TODAY, SO WE WILL BE ACTION PACKED.
STARTING US OFF TODAY IS THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME HEALTH DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR THERESA TRAN AND DARREN ASHER TO PRESENT THEIR PROPOSED FY 27 BUDGET PRESENTATION.
AND I'D LIKE TO WELCOME MY COLLEAGUES.
I HAVE MY VICE CHAIR, MARIO CASTILLO, STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER TWILA CARTER'S OFFICE, VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM AMY PECK, STAFF FROM MAYOR PRO TEM CASTEX TATUM'S OFFICE.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JULIAN RAMIREZ, STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER HARSHA JACKSON'S OFFICE.
AVI CAYMAN'S OFFICE, AND FRED FLICKINGER OFFICE.
SO, WELCOME EVERYONE, AND DIRECTOR TRAN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR ALCORN AND EVERYBODY FOR, UM, IN A, IN A ADVANCE FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
I'M REALLY GLAD THAT WE'RE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DAY AND NOT YOUR LIKE FOUR O'CLOCK PRESENTATION, UM,
SO I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT TEAM, OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM SITTING RIGHT HERE BEHIND US.
AND THEN, UM, THEY JUST BECAME MEMBERS OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, BUT, UM, VICTOR WITH FINANCE AND MR. VALINSKI WHO USED TO WORK FOR THE CITY.
SO, UM, REALLY, UH, THIS BUDGET PRESENTATION IS GONNA SHOW YOU THAT WE ARE A DEPARTMENT WITH A VISION AND A PLAN FOR THIS ADMINISTRATION AND WHATEVER ADMINISTRATION COMES AFTER.
SO, UM, WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND THERE'S YOUR TABLE OF CONTENTS.
OUR ORGANIZATIONAL CHART, AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, I HAVE NINE DIRECT REPORTS.
ALL OF 'EM ARE AT THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OR, UM, THE DEPUTY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR LEVEL, OUR DEPUTY PUBLIC HEALTH AUTHORITY, WHO HAS BEEN, UM, YOU KNOW, REALLY THE PERSON WHO'S TAUGHT ME HOW TO BECOME THE PUBLIC HEALTH AUTHORITY IS DR.
WE'VE GOT OUR CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER, TUCKER WILSON, OUR CHIEF SCIENCE OFFICER, DR. LAUREN HOPKINS IS ONE OF THE PREMIER CHIEF, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE HIS IN THE NATION, AND WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL TO HAVE HER AT THE DEPARTMENT.
UM, MRS. MOORE IS, UH, THE DIRECT DEPUTY DIRECTOR AND OUR CHIEF OF STAFF.
RENITA MEDU, WHO'S OVER PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE, CHRONIC DISEASE QUALITY, STRATEGIC PLANNING.
UM, MR. ROGER SEALEY, WHO MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH BECAUSE HE'S OVER ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, AND THAT INCLUDES CONSUMER HEALTH AND ALSO OUR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND LAB PROGRAMS. UM, MS. NAOMI MACIAS, WHO IS OUR DIRECTOR OVER PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES, AND THAT'S OUR CLINICS AND PATIENT FACING SERVICES SUCH AS THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS.
UM, AND THEN OUR BUREAUS OF IMMUNIZATION, UH, UH, TUBERCULOSIS AND HIV.
UM, MARK SEALE IS OUR, UM, C OUR CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER, PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST, I THINK, IN THE CITY.
UM, AND THEN AMBER HAGUE IS OUR ASSISTANT.
OH, OOPS, I, I SKIPPED LA SHONDA MALLORY HORN, WHO'S OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF HUMAN SERVICES.
UH, AND SHE, SHE IS OVERSEEING OUR REENTRY PROGRAM, OUR VIOLENCE PREVENTION, YOUTH HEALTH, UM, AND, UH, WIC AND AAA PROGRAMS. UH, AMBER HAGUE IS OVER OPERATION SUPPORT, SO ALL OF THE PROCUREMENT AND GRANTS AND, UM, THE BILLING THAT WE HAVE TO DO AND AS WELL AS HUMAN RESOURCE NEEDS.
AND THEN OF COURSE, DARREN ASHER OVER ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDES NOT ONLY, UM, FINANCE, BUT LOGISTICS AND GRANT ADMINISTRATION AND ALL OF THE ADMINISTRATION IT TAKES FOR US TO ACTUALLY RUN OUR DEPARTMENT.
IF I MIGHT INTERRUPT YOU JUST A SECOND TO WELCOME A COUPLE MORE PEOPLE, AND ALSO TO SAY, AS I WENT THROUGH YOUR BUDGET, I NOTICED ALL OF THE RESTRUCTURING.
YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF RESTRUCTURING AND IT SEEMS TO MAKE A LOT OF SENSE TO ME.
SO I HOPE THAT YOU'LL, YOU'LL GO INTO THAT SOME, UM, DURING YOUR BUDGET PRESENTATION.
I DO WANNA WELCOME, UM, STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER ALEJANDRA SALINAS.
UM, YES, YOU WILL SEE THAT OUR, SO OUR RESTRUCTURING PROCESS IS HOPEFULLY GOING TO BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
IT STARTS WITH FINANCIAL RESTRUCTURING, AND IT WILL THEN PROCEED AFTER I'M DONE WITH MY DEEP DIVES AND, UM, UNDERSTANDING DEEPLY WHAT ALL OF THE PROGRAMS ARE, WHAT THEY MEAN TO THE CITY, AND WHETHER THEY BELONG IN PUBLIC HEALTH OR NOT.
WE WILL, UH, CONTINUE AND FINISH OUR RESTRUCTURING.
UM, AND WE MAY NEED MORE THINGS.
AND I DON'T KNOW THAT YET UNTIL I DO ALL OF MY DEEP DIVES.
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THAT I WON'T PHYSICALLY RESTRUCTURE OUR ORGANIZATIONAL CHART UNTIL AFTER I'VE DONE A DEEP DIVE, TO HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE VIEW OF WHAT WE ARE DOING AS A DEPARTMENT IN LIGHT OF EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY.ALRIGHT? SO, UM, OUR REQUEST WAS TO SHOW HOW OUR PROGRAMS FALL WITHIN STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT.
AND SO YOU'LL SEE THAT WITHIN GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS PUBLIC SAFETY AND QUALITY OF LIFE, WE ARE VERY HEAVY ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE PORTION.
UM, THE DEPARTMENT BUDGET BY PRIORITY, UH, WE'VE GOT 33% UNDER GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS, UM, 23% UNDER QUALITY OF LIFE AND 43% UNDER PUBLIC SAFETY.
WHAT THIS STRUCTURE DOES NOT ALLOW US TO REALLY SHOW IS WHAT I WANNA SHOW ON THE NEXT SLIDE, WHICH IS THAT VERY MUCH WE ARE, WE HAVE A GREATER RETURN TO THE CITY THAN WHAT WE ARE EXPENDING FROM THE CITY, SIMPLY BECAUSE SO MANY OF OUR PROGRAMS ARE GRANT FUNDED OR SPECIAL FUNDED.
AND SO, UM, WHILE UNDER THE STRUCTURE THAT WE ARE PRESENTING TO YOU TODAY IS REALLY JUST THE, UM, GENERAL FUND AND THE SPECIAL FUNDS, WHEN YOU SEE ALL THOSE THINGS IN RED, THOSE ARE SERVICES THAT WE BRING TO THE CITY IN WHICH OUR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES SUPPORT BRINGING THOSE TO THE CITY, UM, THAT THE CITY IS NOT PAYING FOR.
AND SO MANY OF THOSE, WHEN YOU, IF WE WERE TO PUT OUR GRANT FUNDED PROGRAMS INTO THE STRUCTURE THAT FROM THE SLIDE BEFORE, YOU'D SEE THE LIST JUST EXPAND MUCH, MUCH FAR BEYOND WHAT WOULD BE ABLE TO FIT ON THAT ONE SLIDE.
UM, AND YOU'D SEE A LARGER EXPANSE EVEN IN QUALITY OF LIFE AND, UM, AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO OUR EXPENDITURES BY PROGRAM, YOU WILL SEE, UM, AND I WANTED TO BREAK THIS DOWN SPECIFICALLY TO YOU AS WELL, JUST BECAUSE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT BUDGET IS DIFFERENT THAN OTHER DEPARTMENT BUDGETS IN THAT WE ARE SO, UM, HEAVILY FUNDED BY GRANTS.
AND YOU'LL SEE THAT OUR ONLY 22% OF OUR OPERATING BUDGET COMES FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
UM, AND THAT THE MAJORITY OF OUR BUDGET REALLY COMES FROM SPECIAL REVENUE AND GRANT FUNDS.
AND WHEN WE SAY SPECIAL REVENUE, SOME OF IT IS REVENUE PRODUCING ACTIVITIES WHERE YOU THINK ABOUT LIKE, AS A BUSINESS BRINGS IN REVENUE FROM PERMITTING OR FROM, UM, YOU KNOW, FEE FOR SERVICE TYPE ACTIVITIES.
BUT SOME OF THAT REVENUE ALSO COMES IN, OF COURSE, FROM FUNDING THAT WE GET AS REIMBURSEMENTS FROM THE STATE OR FEDERAL LEVEL.
UM, SO REVENUE IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS NOT JUST STRICTLY FEES, UM, BUT WE ARE, SO, YOU KNOW, YOU'LL SEE THERE, THERE'S THAT WITHIN OUR GENERAL AND SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS MEETING, THAT ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT 55% OF OUR BUDGET, WHEREIN OUT OF 1,390, UM, INDIVIDUALS THAT WORK AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, ONLY 214 OF THOSE ARE COVERED BY THE GENERAL FUND.
AND, UH, ANOTHER 300 AND, UM, 90 OR SO, I CAN'T READ THAT.
398 ARE ON THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.
WHAT THIS SHOULD ALSO, UM, POINT TO YOU IS THAT 718 INDIVIDUALS AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAVE TO SIGN A, UM, A DOCUMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF EVERY YEAR SAYING, HEY, I KNOW THAT MY FUNDING MAY RUN OUT, THAT I MAY NOT HAVE A JOB AFTER THIS FUNDING RUNS OUT.
SO WHEN YOU RECEIVE SERVICES, ESPECIALLY HUMAN SERVICES FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE RENDERING YOU THEIR SERVICE ARE NOT ACTING AS IF THEY'RE TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES.
THEY'RE ACTING AS PUBLIC SERVANTS WHO ARE NOT REALLY SURE IF AFTER THEIR GRANT FUNDING RUNS OUT, THEY WILL STILL HAVE A JOB AND THEY STILL RENDER THE HIGHEST QUALITY OF SERVICE TO THE CITY.
AND SO I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY WHO CAN HEAR ME TO THANK A HEALTH DEPARTMENT WORKER TODAY, UM, OUR EXPENDITURES ARE ALIGNED WITH OUR, UH, YOU KNOW, REVENUES AS YOU SAW IN THAT.
WE EXPEND, OF COURSE, UH, OH, ARE WE ON THE NEXT SLIDE YET? THAT'S
UM, WE, THIS YEAR, WHAT YOU SAW IN THE RESTRUCTURING IS REALLY REALIGNING WHERE REVENUE, UM, GOES INTO, AS I, AS I LOOK AT IT, THE GENERAL FUND IS WHAT TAXPAYERS ARE FUNDING.
THE, THE PROGRAMS THAT TAXPAYERS ARE FUNDING THAT, UM, THE REASON WHY WE'RE ASKING THEM TO FUND IT IS BECAUSE THESE ARE PUBLIC HEALTH NEEDS THAT WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO BRING IN ANY REVENUE OR GENERATE ANY REVENUE, BUT THAT WE NEED AND NOBODY ELSE WILL DO.
AND SO, UM, IN THE PAST THAT WAS NOT NECESSARILY HOW WE ALIGNED OUR BUDGET.
AND THIS YEAR WE'VE MADE A VERY CONCERTED EFFORT TO ALIGN OUR BUDGET, UM, WITHIN THE CONSTRAINTS THAT,
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UH, THAT THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT GAVE US.AND SO, UH, SO YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF REVENUE ACTUALLY LEAVING THE GENERAL FUND BECAUSE IT WAS ALWAYS SUPPOSED TO BE ON A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND BECAUSE WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, BRINGING IN REVENUE INTO SERVICES THAT THE GENERAL FUND PROVIDES ANYMORE IN THIS BUDGET.
AND WE'VE TAKEN THE EXPENDITURES FOR SPECIAL REVENUE PRODUCING ACTIVITIES AND PUT THEM ON SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT I MEANT.
YEAH, MAYBE I SAID RESTRUCTURING, BUT IT WAS REALLY REALIGNING THE COSTS WITH WHERE, WHERE THEY MADE SENSE.
UM, THIS YEAR, I, I DON'T THINK THAT THE GENERAL FUND WAS READY TO FOR A FULL REALIGNMENT YET.
I'M HOPING THAT IN THE COMING YEARS, UM, THAT YOU'LL SEE THAT REALIGNMENT MORE STRUCTURED.
AND THAT MEANS THAT WHEN YOU'RE ASKING FOR MORE HELP ON, UM, UH, FOOD, FOR EXAMPLE, PERMITTING SERVICES OR INSPECTION SERVICES FOR APARTMENTS OR POOLS OR OTHER SAFETY SERVICES THAT WE'RE NOT, UM, AS WORRIED BECAUSE IN THE PAST WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS WE'D HAVE FUNDS FROM THAT, UH, FROM THAT SPECIAL REVENUE FUND CLAWED BACK, AND WE'D HAVE REDUCTIONS IN OUR GENERAL FUND, WHICH IS WHERE THOSE POSITIONS WERE SITTING.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE RIGHT AND MAKE TRANSPARENT TO YOU, UM, HOW MUCH OUR ACTIVITIES ARE ACTUALLY COSTING.
UM, AND, AND WHENEVER WE NEED MORE, WE MAY HAVE TO ADD, ASK FOR SUPPORT IF WE WANT INCREASED SERVICES.
SO NOW WE'LL GO DOWN INTO A BREAKDOWN OF THE PROGRAMS. UM, AND THIS, WE'LL TRY TO FLY THROUGH THESE FOR YOU, BUT, UM, OF WHAT WE DO, I KNOW I GAVE A SERVICE DELIVERY PRESENTATION A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, WHICH COVERS A LOT OF THIS, BUT I'LL JUST REMIND YOU OUR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, UM, WITH 120 OR 130 INDIVIDUALS, UM, THEY PROVIDE PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT FOR OVER 1300 EMPLOYEES.
OUR FACILITY SERVICES FOR 13 OR FOR 36 BUILDINGS.
NOW, YOU MAY WONDER WHY DOES THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT NEED TO HAVE ANY FACILITIES OR BUILDINGS? WELL, REMEMBER THAT WE ARE DOING THAT WORK IN THE COMMUNITIES AND ALL OF THE PROGRAMS THAT COME AFTER PROGRAM ONE HAVE TO HAVE A PLACE TO OPERATE.
AND SO WE USE THOSE BUILDINGS AS TOUCHPOINTS FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UM, WE HAVE 230, UH, FLEET VEHICLES.
WE, ALL OF OUR INSPECTORS NEED TO BE OUT ON THE ROAD AND USE USING THESE VEHICLES.
WE HAVE INVESTIGATORS, THIS IS WORK THAT NOBODY ELSE IS GONNA DO.
GO WAKING UP AT 4:00 AM TO GO TO MEET WITH THE FAMILY BEFORE THEY HAVE TO GO TO WORK OR SCHOOL, AND, UM, WORKING THROUGHOUT THE DAY, THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND, DOING DISEASE INVESTIGATIONS, ADMINISTERING MEDICATIONS IN A HOME, GIVING OUT MEALS.
BEFORE THAT, UH, LIKE I MENTIONED, WE ARE VERY HEAVILY GRANT FUNDED, 44% GRANT FUNDED.
AND THAT GRANT REQUIRES COMPLIANCE AND ADMINISTRATION.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE 91 GRANTS THAT HAVE VERY, VERY STRICT COMPLIANCE AND REGULATORY, UM, CONDITIONS, IN ORDER FOR US TO MAINTAIN THE GRANT, TO GET REIMBURSED FOR THE WORK THAT WE'VE ALREADY DONE, OR TO MAINTAIN GRANT FUNDING FOR FUTURE YEARS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A STRONG ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM TO DO THAT.
UH, OUR VITAL STATISTICS BUREAU IS ALSO INCLUDED IN OUR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES BUDGET, AND THAT'S ALL OF THE DEATH AND BIRTH CERTIFICATES, UM, THAT HAPPEN WITHIN FOR, FOR THE CITY AND ALL OF THE AMENDMENTS THAT HAPPEN WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WE ALSO USE OUR VITAL STATISTICS AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS USE IT AS A, OF COURSE, TROVE OF DATA FOR VITAL STATISTICS IN HOUSTON, UM, OF COURSE.
AND THEN THE PROCUREMENT, IT AND COMMUNICATIONS.
AND THEN WE HAVE A LOGISTICS TEAM THAT I KNOW THAT MANY, UM, DEPARTMENTS AND SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE RELIED ON OVER THE YEARS.
UH, BUT WE HAVE DAILY LARGE SCALE EVENTS BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE PUBLIC HEALTH, YOU'RE OUT THERE IN THE PUBLIC AND WE HAVE LARGE SCALE EVENTS ALL THE TIME THAT OUR LOGISTICS TEAM, UM, WORKS REALLY, REALLY HARD TO SUPPORT.
SO, WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, AND IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE TO STOP ME.
'CAUSE THIS, I FEEL LIKE IT'S A LONG PRESENTATION.
UM, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, WE'LL GO THROUGH, UH, THIS.
SO, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SERVICES THAT IF WE DON'T DO IT, THERE'S NOBODY ELSE IN OUR JURISDICTION TO DO IT.
AND, UM, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT COMBINING, YOU KNOW, THERE'S TALKS ABOUT COMBINING THE CITY AND THE COUNTY ON WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE DO IT.
REALLY, WE ALL WORK UNDER A VERY SIMILAR UMBRELLA ANYWAY.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, REST, IT, IT, IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO A GEOGRAPHICAL FOOTPRINT.
AND SO IT MAKES SENSE THAT THE GEOGRAPHICAL FOOTPRINT OF THE CITY IS WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS AND THE GEOGRAPHICAL FOOTPRINT OF THE COUNTY IS WITHIN THE COUNTY LIMIT OR OUTSIDE OF THAT.
AND WE DO THE SAME WORK THOUGH, AND OUR TEAMS WORK VERY CLOSELY TOGETHER.
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THE LABORATORY TESTING FOR AIR WATER WASTEWATER.THAT'S SOMETHING WE DO COUNTYWIDE.
UM, OF COURSE, THE SAFETY INSPECTIONS OF THE RESTAURANTS, FOOD TRUCKS, UM, FOG, WHICH STANDS FOR FAT OIL AND GREASE AND OTHER SPECIAL WASTE PRODUCING ENTITIES.
YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T WANT PEOPLE DUMPING INTO THE BAYOU.
THERE'S SPECIAL, UM, UH, WHAT ARE THEY CALLED, COMMISSARIES THAT THEY HAVE TO THROW THEIR WASTE INTO.
AND SO WE REGULATE AND WE HELP TO, UM, MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S HAPPENING.
UM, ALL OF OUR, ALL OF THE EMS THAT, UM, THAT O OPERATES WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WE HAVE THE LARGEST MEDICAL CENTER WITH EVERY SPECIALTY KNOWN TO THE WORLD HERE IN TMC.
SO WE'VE GOT AMBULANCES COMING IN AND OUT.
YOU WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THOSE AMBULANCES HAVE ALL OF THE RIGHT SUPPLIES, OXYGEN, THE RIGHT MEDICATIONS, THE BANDAGES AND, UM, SUPPLIES THAT ARE NEEDED FOR THE MOST CRITICAL PATIENTS.
WE ENSURE THAT THAT HAPPENS WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND THEN THE POOL INSPECTION PROGRAM, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT DROWNING IS, UM, ONE OF THE LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH, UH, FOR YOUNG CHILDREN.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, I KNOW THAT Y'ALL HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS A LOT LATELY, BUT COMPLAINT BASED INVESTIGATIONS OF APARTMENTS, WHICH IS A SORELY NEEDED.
IT'S A KIND OF A NEW PROGRAM, BUT A SORELY NEEDED PROGRAM IN THE CITY.
AND I THANK COUNSEL FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THAT PROGRAM, AND I'M HOPING TO GROW THAT, UM, IN, IN FUTURE YEARS FOR NOW.
UM, NEXT IS DISEASE PREVENTION CONTROL.
SO I ALWAYS GO AROUND SAYING THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS THE SAFETY NET OF THE SAFETY NET.
UM, PART OF THE REALIGNMENT TOOK OUR CLINICAL SERVICES AND PUT IT INTO A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND.
UM, AND THE REASON I DID THAT WAS BECAUSE THIS IS MY WAY OF ON THE FINANCE SIDE DE-DUPLICATING ATTACKS THAT WE'RE PAYING ALREADY TO THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT.
HOWEVER, THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE SERVICES THAT WE DO ARE UNNEEDED.
UM, WE DO NOT DO PRIMARY CARE SERVICES.
PATIENTS NEED WHAT'S CALLED A MEDICAL HOME, AND WE DO NOT PROVIDE THAT MEDICAL HOME, AND THAT IS PROVIDED THROUGH OUR, UM, HEALTHCARE DELIVERY PROVIDERS.
BUT YOU WILL NEVER FIND, WELL, I'M NOT GONNA SAY NEVER, BUT IT IS HARD TO JUSTIFY EVEN BEING A LOSS LEADER DOING TUBERCULOSIS PREVENTION ACTIVITIES, GOING OUT INTO THE HOMES AND GIVING D UH, DI DIRECT OBSERVE, DIRECTLY OBSERVED THERAPY TO INDIVIDUALS AT 4:00 AM LIKE WE DO.
UM, GOING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND DOING THE, UM, THE, THE EDUCATION AND PREVENTION BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, THE DOCTOR'S VISITS THAT HAPPEN EVERY THREE MONTHS, HAVING TOUCHPOINT FOR INDIVIDUALS, THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM DOES NOT AND IS NOT ABLE TO SUPPORT THAT BECAUSE THAT IS SUCH A EXPENSE.
SO, UM, IN THAT WE DO DISEASE PREVENTION AND CONTROL.
WE, WE, THERE IS A PLACE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH.
THE ONLY CLINICS THAT WE RUN ARE WITHIN THE, UM, DENTAL HEALTH.
AND SO THERE IS A HUGE NEED FOR DENTAL SERVICES, ESPECIALLY FOR CHILDREN.
SO WE RUN THAT MOSTLY THROUGH THE TITLE V PROGRAM, WHICH IS DENTAL SERVICES FOR CHILDREN.
WE DO, UM, NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING, OR, SORRY, NOT NATURAL, UM, FAMILY PLANNING, WHICH IS, UH, FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES MAINLY, UM, ADMINISTERED THROUGH A EVERYBODY TEXAS GRANT.
UM, AND THEN WE DO IMMUNIZATION SERVICES, UH, KIND OF SMALL IMMUNIZATION SERVICES, BUT WITHIN OUR IMMUNIZATION BUREAU, WE ARE THE REGULATORY ENTITY FOR, UM, TEXAS VACCINES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULT SAFETY NET VACCINES.
NOW, THE TWO CLINICS THAT ARE NEEDED, BECAUSE I CANNOT, I DON'T, I DON'T SEE RIGHT NOW, UM, PUBLIC HEALTH OR PUBLIC HEALTH BEING ABLE TO GET OUT OF THAT BUSINESS IMMEDIATELY, BUT I'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO, TO BE HONEST.
UM, IS OUR HIV AND OUR TUBERCULOSIS CLINICS, THE STATE MANDATES THAT HIV PATIENTS AND TUBERCULOSIS PATIENTS AS REPORTABLE, COMMUNICABLE DISEASES HAVE TO BE SEEN WITHIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME.
AND THE CURRENT, UM, EVEN OUR WONDERFUL FQHCS AND OUR WONDERFUL, UM, YOU KNOW, HOSPITAL DISTRICT AND, UM, FQHC LOOKALIKES ARE NOT ABLE TO ABSORB ALL OF THE PATIENTS THAT WE SEE, OR ALL OF THE NEW DIAGNOSES OF HIV AND TUBERCULOSIS THAT NEED SUCH IMMEDIATE TREATMENT WITHIN THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT IS DESIGNATED BY THE STATE.
AND SO, UM, IN ORDER TO NOT SET OUR COMMUNITY UP FOR FAILURE AND BE ABLE TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF DISEASE, WE HAVE THOSE IMPORTANT CLINICS.
UM, SO WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS TO SEE HOW MUCH WE CAN PUSH THAT ENVELOPE AND TRY TO GET HEALTHCARE DELIVERY, UM, FOR THIS, UM, VERY BIG AND DIFFICULT TO, UM, REACH POPULATION IF WE'RE NOT, IF WE DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE IT FOR FREE SOMETIMES, OR, UM, AT A REDUCED COST OR MAKE MADE AVAILABLE.
UM, THE WAY THAT WE HAVE AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO WORK BETTER WITH
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OUR HEALTHCARE DELIVERY PARTNERS ON THOSE SERVICES.UM, I'LL TELL YOU THIS BUDGET SEASON, WE'RE JUST NOT THERE YET FOR THIS CYCLE.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, WE, UH, COORDINATE SERVICES AND SUPPORT BETWEEN FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL ENTITIES.
AND YOU'LL SEE THAT OUR, OUR BUREAU OF EPIDEMIOLOGY, THAT IS ANOTHER PUBLIC HEALTH ABSOLUTE NECESSITY SERVICE THAT, UM, SOME, UNFORTUNATELY SOMETIMES DEPENDS ON GRANT FUNDING, BUT THE GRANT FUNDING DOESN'T ACCOUNT FOR WHEN WE HAVE A THREAT OF AN OUTBREAK IN THE CITY.
UM, AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE, THEY WORK REALLY, REALLY HARD.
WE'RE PREPARING FOR THE WORLD CUP, UM, FOR, AND, AND WE ARE THE HOME ENTITY FOR ALL OF THE INFORMATION FOR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS WHEN IT COMES TO DISEASES THAT WE MAY SEE DURING THE WORLD CUP.
UM, AND THEN WE DON'T SEE BIG OUTBREAKS IN HOUSTON.
AND IT'S THINGS THAT YOU DON'T HEAR ABOUT, THAT YOU MAY HEAR ABOUT IN OTHER PLACES AND OUTBREAKS THAT YOU HEAR ABOUT IN OTHER PLACES THAT YOU'RE NOT HEARING ABOUT IN HOUSTON BEING THE ALMOST NOW THIRD LARGEST CITY IN THE US, UM, IS A TESTAMENT TO THE SUCCESS AND THE HARD WORK OF OUR EPIDEMIOLOGY PROGRAM.
AND YOU MAY SEE IN THERE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A LAB AND PHARMACY, OH, LET ME GO BACK REAL QUICK.
UM, I'VE GOTTEN QUESTIONS IN THE PAST ABOUT WHY DOES THE CITY HAVE TO HAVE A LAB? WHY DOES IT HAVE TO HAVE A PHARMACY? WHY DOES IT, YOU KNOW, WHY ARE WE RENTING A LAB OR PHARMACY? UM, SO THERE ARE SOME LABS THAT ARE GOING TO GET PAID FOR, LIKE THE LABS THAT YOU, YOU ASK YOUR DOCTOR ASKS FOR.
UM, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE LABS FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THERE'S AN OUTBREAK GOING ON OR WHETHER A STRAIN OF E COLI ACTUALLY CAME FROM THE SAME SOURCE, OR WHETHER, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ACTUAL MEASLES GOING AROUND IN THE WASTEWATER.
UH, THOSE ARE THE SERVICES THAT NO ONE ELSE WILL DO THAT WE HAVE TO EXIST TO DO.
SO WE DO THAT PROUDLY, NOT ONLY FOR OUR CITY, BUT FOR 17 SURROUNDING COUNTIES.
AND WE ARE THE REFERENCE LABORATORY FOR THOSE AS WELL AS A PART OF A NATIONAL NETWORK OF LABS FOR THE CDC AS FAR AS PHARMACY GOES.
UM, WE RECEIVE MEDICATIONS THAT ARE RECEIVED THROUGH GRANT FUNDING THAT CAN ONLY BE RECEIVED AT THE CITY LEVEL.
UM, AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'D RUN A CLASS D PHARMACY FOR.
ALRIGHT, UH, REENTRY AND YOUTH VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
THIS IS AN ERA WHERE I ALSO HOPE TO SEE GROWTH.
UM, I, UH, PART OF THE, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT HEALTHCARE OUTCOMES, WHICH WE'RE ALWAYS INTERESTED IN, ONE OF THE, UM, PLACES WHERE THERE'S NOT ENOUGH ATTENTION AND THERE'S NOT ENOUGH DOLLARS THAT ARE GOING TO, IT IS, UM, THESE HISTORICALLY D DIFFICULT POPULATIONS, UM, THE, THE REENTRY POPULATION, THE YOUTHS, UM, IN, IN HIGH PRIORITY NEIGHBORHOODS WE PROVIDE, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S EASY FOR US TO SAY, YOU KNOW, OKAY, WELL, WHY DON'T WE HAVE THIS UNDER LAW AND ORDER UNDER PUBLIC SAFETY OF SOME SORT.
BUT, UM, THESE INDIVIDUALS, AND I WAS JUST AT JONES FUTURES ACADEMY YESTERDAY WITH ONE, WITH OUR PEER WELLNESS PROGRAM, WHERE WE ARE EMPLOYING, UM, 21 YEAR OLDS WHO ARE A, NOT NOT A FULL GENERATION, UM, OLDER THAN, UM, THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS OUT THERE, BUT THEY ARE MENTORING THESE STUDENTS IN A VERY HUMANISTIC WAY.
YOU'RE TALKING TO A FRIEND, NOT A POLICE OFFICER, NOT SOME, SOMEBODY WHO'S THERE TO ENFORCE ANYTHING.
UM, BUT THROUGH OUR, UH, THROUGH THE PROGRAMS LIKE THAT, WE'RE ACTUALLY CAPTURING AND TRYING TO MAKE AN, AN INTERVENTION THAT IS GENERATIONAL, UM, FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS AND FOR THESE COMMUNITIES.
SO, UM, THAT IS, YOU KNOW, THAT IS WHY UNDER, YOU KNOW, AS A QUALITY OF LIFE, UM, ISSUE, THIS IS JUST SUPER IMPORTANT AND WE DO IT THROUGH THE LENS OF HEALTH.
WE'RE TEACHING THEM HEALTHY BEHAVIORS, HEALTHY WAYS TO DEAL WITH STRESS, HEALTHY WAYS TO STAY OUT OF VIOLENCE.
UM, AND, AND THAT HOPEFULLY THEN BECOMES A, YOU KNOW, GENERATIONAL KNOWLEDGE FOR THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES.
UM, AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A WONDERFUL REENTRY PROGRAM THAT I THINK IS PRETTY WELL KNOWN, UM, IN THE CITY AND NATIONALLY.
UH, I, I'LL REMIND YOU THAT 40,000 INMATES GET RELEASED, UM, OUT OF THE PRISON SYSTEM TO HOUSTON EVERY YEAR, OR SORRY, OUT OF INTO TEXAS EVERY YEAR.
10,000 OF THOSE ARE IN HOUSTON.
OUR REENTRY PROGRAM, UM, GRADUATES ABOUT 75 TO 80 INDIVIDUALS EVERY SIX MONTHS AND HAS A 10% RECIDIVISM RATE COMPARED TO THE 20% RECIDIVISM RATE THAT YOU SEE ACROSS THE STATE.
SO, UM, WE ARE HELPING KEEP HOUSTON SAFE THROUGH
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PROGRAMS LIKE THAT.AND NOT ONLY ARE WE KEEPING 'EM SAFE, BUT THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE TOUCH EVERY YEAR ARE ACTUALLY GETTING, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE BECOMING SUSTAINABLE AND THEY, THEY ARE GAINING DIGNITY AND A QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGH THE MENTORSHIP AND THE HELP OF OUR PROGRAMS. ALRIGHT.
AND I, UH, OH YEAH, WE'LL GO BACK.
WE ALSO ARE THE BACKBONE ENTITY FOR THE MY BROTHERS KEEPER PROGRAM.
I'LL ADMIT, I HAVEN'T DONE, I'VE NOT DONE MY DEEP DIVE IN THE MY BROTHERS KEEPER PROGRAM YET.
AND SO THAT IS STILL FORTHCOMING.
BUT, UM, THAT IS A PROGRAM, UM, THAT, UM, THAT IS, WE ARE THE BACKBONE FOR A COALITION OF ABOUT 200 PROGRAMS THAT EACH HAVE THEIR OWN METRICS, BUT THAT, UM, IMPROVES THE, UM, THE WELLBEING OF INDIVIDUALS OF, UH, OF COLOR, ALRIGHT, MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS.
SO I WANT TO SEE IN THIS, UM, FISCAL YEAR, THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS BECOME THE JEWELS OF THE CITY IS NOW, EVENTUALLY THAT'S GONNA TAKE MORE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT DOLLARS.
UM, IF YOU'VE BEEN TO OUR MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS, YOU'VE SEEN THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY COULD LOOK BETTER AS COULD A LOT OF CITY BUILDINGS, I THINK.
BUT, UM, BUT WE'RE HOPING THAT WE ARE ABLE TO GET A BIGGER INVESTMENT IN THESE MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS BECAUSE THOSE ARE WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO GO.
UM, NO OFFENSE, I DON'T THINK THEY REALLY WANNA COME GET SERVICES HERE IN DOWNTOWN WHERE THERE'S NO PARKING IN CITY HALL.
THEY WANNA GO TO THESE AREAS, UM, OF COMMUNITY WITHIN THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS, AND THAT'S WHAT THE MSTS DO.
THEY, UH, WHEN WE ARE NOT OPERATING AS A WARMING OR COOLING CENTER OR AS AN EMERGENCY CENTER FOR THE RED CROSS, UM, I, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THIS, BUT WHENEVER THERE'S LIKE, SAY AN APARTMENT FIRE OR SOME KIND OF AN EMERGENCY, THE RED CROSS CALLS, UH, NAOMI AND SAYS, HEY, IS, CAN YOU OPEN UP ONE OF OUR MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS? AND WE HAVE SOMEBODY GO OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, OPEN UP THE DOORS, READY TO TAKE IN ANYBODY WHO NEEDS SHELTER.
UM, BUT WE, WE DO OUTREACH PROGRAMS. THAT'S WHERE WE OPERATE OUR WIC PROGRAMS OUT OF HEAD START.
IT, UM, OPERATES OUT OF ONE OF 'EM.
UH, WE HAVE CHRONIC DISEASE AND PREVENTION SERVICES.
LIKE I SAID, UH, YOU KNOW, THESE CHRONIC DISEASE AND PREVENTION SERVICES ARE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN, WE DO WELL, THAT WE DO BETTER THAN, AND THAT WE ARE MORE CAPABLE OF DOING THAN THE HEALTHCARE DELIVERY SYSTEM, WHICH IS OFTENTIMES BASED ON JUST THAT, YOU KNOW, CARE, UM, EPISODE.
UM, AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT QUALITY ADJUSTED LIFE YEARS, WHICH WE TALK ABOUT, LIKE WHAT IS THE ROI ON PROGRAMS, THE QUALITY ADJUSTED LIFE YEAR OF, UM, HA PREVENTATIVE SERVICES AND PREVENTING SOMEBODY FROM HAVING, UM, EVENTS FROM HYPERTENSION, FOR EXAMPLE, WHICH WE HA WE HELP PEOPLE MANAGE THEIR BLOOD PRESSURE.
WE MA WE HELP THEM WITH, UM, LIFESTYLE, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, MODIFYING ACTIVITIES IN ORDER TO KEEP THEM FROM HAVING HYPERTENSION.
THAT'S BETWEEN 700,000 AND $2 MILLION PER PERSON PER YEAR WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE PREVENTION OF STROKES AND, UM, HEART ATTACKS AND EMERGENCY VISITS AND ALL OF THE REHAB THAT COMES AFTER THAT.
SO WE ARE ACTUALLY, UM, WE ARE AS A PUBLIC SERVICE, WHAT WE DO WITH OUR CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION, AND THAT'S, THAT'S JUST HYPERTENSION.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT DIABETES AND ALL THE OTHER, UH, AND KIDNEY DISEASE AND OTHER CHRONIC DISEASES.
UM, BUT THAT'S WHAT OUR CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION SERVICES DO AS A PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN OUTREACH.
AND WE DO THAT IN OUR MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS AS WELL AS IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE PROVIDE CONGREGATE MEALS, UM, UH, WE HAVE SPACE FOR BAKER RIPLEY INSIDE OF OUR, SOME OF OUR MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS IN OTHERS.
WE DO THE MEAL PROGRAM OURSELVES THROUGH, UM, THE, WE ARE THE DESIGNATED AREA AGENCY ON AGING, AND SO WE DO MEAL PROGRAMS. THE CONGREGATE MEAL PROGRAM IS A GREAT WAY FOR SENIORS TO COME AND ACTUALLY HAVE, YOU KNOW, A, A A COMMUNITY.
AND THEN WE ALSO DO HOME-BASED MEAL PROGRAMS. UM, WE ALSO DO ONSITE SERVICE LINKAGES FOR FAMILIES.
I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE BIG STRENGTHS OF THE DEPARTMENT THAT CAN BE AN EVEN BIGGER STRENGTH.
BUT, UM, WE TRY TO BE WHAT WE CALL A NO WRONG DOOR FOR SERVICES.
UM, AND PEOPLE KNOW THAT WHEN THEY SEE THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER HEALTH DEPARTMENT SIGN THAT THEY'RE COMING TO A PLACE WHERE THEY'LL BE ABLE TO FIND HELP.
ANOTHER THING, OF COURSE, THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS IS A SPACE FOR MEETINGS AND EVENTS, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD EVENTS.
UM, I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBERS, Y'ALL HAVE EVENTS AT OUR MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS AND, UH, AND JUST OTHER PLACES FOR LIKE, OTHER COMMUNITY EVENTS AS NEEDED.
I KNOW WE HAVE WEDDINGS THERE.
I THINK IT WOULD BE AWESOME IF, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ABLE TO SERVE ALCOHOL THERE AND THEN WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE EVEN MORE WEDDINGS.
UM, BUT I, WHAT I WANNA SEE THIS YEAR FOR
[00:30:01]
THE MULTI-SERVICES CENTER, MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS, LIKE I SAID, IS THAT WE SEE EVEN MORE COMMUNITY SERVICES THAT WE SEE MORE, UM, UH, COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS OR EVEN GO, YOU KNOW, OTHER DEPARTMENTS PUT LIFE INTO OUR COMMUNITY CENTERS, UM, AND, AND SEE THE SERVICES AND THE VIBRANCY OF THAT COMMU OF OUR MULTI-SERVE CENTERS GROW.FAMILY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
THIS IS A HODGEPODGE OF SERVICES ACROSS SEVERAL AREAS, BUT, UM, REALLY, I THINK I'VE ALREADY TOLD YOU WHAT WE DO HERE, BUT WE, YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO SUPPORT SELF-SUFFICIENCY.
WE DO RECEIVE EVERY, UM, EVERY TIME SOME OPIOID ABATEMENT FUNDING COMES IN, WE, UH, THAT GOES INTO OUR OPIOID ABATEMENT FUND.
UM, THE MAJORITY OF THAT FUNDING GOES TOWARDS NALOXONE, UM, PROVISION FOR OUR, OUR EMS PROVIDERS.
I'LL TELL YOU, AS AN ER DOC THAT NALOXONE HAS JUST LIKE, HAS BEEN A GAME CHANGER FOR, UM, HOW WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DEAL WITH PATIENTS.
HAVING EMS THAT'S ABLE TO GIVE NALOXONE BEFORE A PATIENT COMES INTO THE ER, PREVENTS THEM FROM GOING TO THE ICU, PREVENTS ME FROM HAVING TO INTUBATE THEM, UM, ACTUALLY PREVENT, PREVENTS BRAIN DAMAGE.
AND, UM, THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT THERE IS ANYWHERE BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, A MILLION TO A HUNDRED MILLION DEPENDING ON HOW MANY TIMES AN INDIVIDUAL MAY NEED IT ON THEIR WAY TO, UM, TO IMPROVEMENT OF THEIR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER.
UM, WE, YOU KNOW, WE DO, WE OUR, UM, A DRC OR, UM, AGING DISABILITY RESOURCE CENTER AND OUR CLIENT ACCESS SERVICES ARE WHO CONNECT WITH THE COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO CONNECT THEM WITH HEALTHCARE AND RESOURCES.
EVERYBODY IN THE UNITED STATES, AND CERTAINLY EVERYBODY IN HOUSTON OUGHT TO HAVE ACCESS TO A MEDICAL HOME.
WHILE WE ARE NOT THAT MEDICAL HOME, OUR CLIENT ACCESS CENTER PROVIDES, UM, THE RESOURCES AND THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY SIT DOWN WITH CLIENTS AND I'VE SAT DOWN WITH THESE PEOPLE, IT TAKES SOMETIMES AN HOUR AND A HALF TO REGISTER A PERSON THROUGH ALL OF THE SYSTEMS IN ORDER TO GET ELIGIBLE FOR, UM, FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES.
SO THESE, THEY ARE WORKING LONG AND HARD HOURS, UM, IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO COORDINATE SOMEBODY INTO THEIR NEXT STEP OF CARE OR INSURANCE.
UM, AND THEN, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, WE DO PEER SUPPORT AND MENTORSHIP TO, AT YOUTH, AT RISK YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS.
IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO INTERACT WITH OUR CREDIBLE MESSENGERS PROGRAM, UM, YOU'RE MISSING OUT.
I CRIED WHEN I WATCHED THEIR, UM, THEIR PRESENTATION AND THEY, THEY DID A, UH, A PLAY.
AND WHAT WAS SO FASCINATING TO ME WAS THAT THROUGH OUR MENTORSHIP AND THROUGH OUR PROGRAMMING WITH THESE YOUTHS, OKAY, AND THEY DON'T TURN ANYBODY AWAY, I SAW THE RECOGNITION OF TRAUMA, THEIR, THE SELF RECOGNITION OF TRAUMA AND THE SELF, UM, AWARENESS OF THEIR PLACE IN THEIR JOURNEY TO HEALING.
UM, THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES TO THE TYPE OF LIFE THESE KIDS GET TO LIVE AFTERWARDS.
OUR, UM, AND, AND LET ME JUST PUT ANOTHER THING IN THERE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE, THROUGH A GRANT, A VERY SMALL GRANT THAT WAS, UM, PROVIDED BY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION, AKER HOMES, THERE WAS A, UM, THERE WERE, WAS IT 17 OR 19? OKAY, I'M, I MEAN, IT'S EITHER 17 OR 19 LIVES THAT WERE SAVED FROM GUN VIOLENCE, THE PREVENTIONS OF GUN VIOLENCE OR PREVENTION OF GUN DEATH.
AND YOU CAN'T PUT A NUMBER ON THAT IN JUST THAT ONE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO I'M VERY, VERY PROUD OF THAT PROGRAM.
UH, I'VE ALREADY TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CHRONIC DISEASE, HEALTH AND EDUCATION AND WELLNESS.
LIKE I SAID, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO TO FILL THE GAP BETWEEN DOCTOR VISITS, BETWEEN VISITS TO ANY TYPE OF TOUCHPOINT THAT YOU GET WITH A HEALTHCARE PROVIDER.
AND IF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S NOT DOING IT, WHO IS, UM, THERE ARE PROGRAMS OUT THERE, BUT THEY'RE NOT IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND THEY AREN'T DOING IT WITH THE REACH THAT OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT DOES.
UM, WE HAVE A FARMER'S MARKET.
WE HAVE, UM, DISEASE OR DIABETES MANAGEMENT AND SELF AWA, UH, SELF SELF-MANAGEMENT EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND DIABETES PREVENTION PROGRAMS. UM, AND WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITHIN THAT FRONT WITH, UH, AT, IN THE TIME THAT I'VE BEEN HERE, AT LEAST I KNOW OF, UH, WORKING WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS FOR, UM, FOR IMPROVED CHRONIC DISEASE AWARENESS.
[00:35:01]
AN EXAMPLE.WE WERE WORKING WITH THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION IN MOLINA HEALTH, UM, TO PUT, OR WE ALREADY DID, BUT IN CASHMERE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER, WE'VE GOT A BLOOD PRESSURE MONITOR ALONG WITH LOTS OF, UM, AWESOME INFORMATION FOR, UH, INDIVIDUALS TO GO CHECK THEIR BLOOD PRESSURE.
AND THEN WHAT, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH IT? WELL, WE HAVE A LOG FOR YOU TO WRITE IT DOWN, AND WE HAVE PAPERS TO TELL YOU EXACTLY LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU SHOULD DO, HOW YOU SHOULD TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT IT, WHAT KIND OF FOOD AND EXERCISE ACTIVITIES THAT YOU CAN DO TO BRING YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE DOWN, HOW TO DECREASE STRESS.
SO WE TRY TO BE A RESOURCE IN THE COMMUNITY AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S AT CASHMERE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER WHERE PEOPLE MAY BE GOING FOR OTHER SERVICES, BUT THEY HAVE THAT AVAILABLE TO THEM.
SO, UM, THIS IS JUST GOING TO REFLECT, YOU KNOW, WHAT REALLY I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE SPEND OUR MONEY, MOST OF THE MONEY, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IS SPENT IN PERSONNEL COSTS.
UM, AND SO RED IS NON PERSONNEL COSTS.
AND THEN, UH, BLUE IS IN PERSONNEL, OF COURSE, BECAUSE YOU NEED PEOPLE TO DO THE THINGS THAT YOU WANNA DO.
IN OUR, UM, HEALTH SPECIAL REVENUE FUND, WE CARRY A LOT OF, WE, UH, THE NON PERSONNEL COSTS BECAUSE, LIKE I SAID, AND THIS IS FOR FY 27, RIGHT? MM-HMM
UM, THIS IS A, UH, THIS IS US ALLEVIATING THE COST OF RUNNING CLINICS ON THE GENERAL FUND.
AND SO YOU WILL SEE HOW EXPENSIVE IT IS TO RUN CLINICS, WHICH IS WHY OUR DEPARTMENT THIS YEAR IS ALSO PUTTING A LOT, A LOT, A LOT OF EFFORT INTO TRYING TO GENERATE REVENUE.
UM, NOT TO MAKE A, NOT TURNING A PROFIT.
THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TURNING A PROFIT AND GENERATING REVENUE, BUT ACTUALLY BILLING ON THE CLINICAL SERVICES THAT WE'RE DOING SO THAT WE CAN TRY AND SOMEWHAT DECREASE THE COST OF IT.
THE, UM, CLINICAL SERVICES AND ADMINISTRATION OF CARE, UM, PER, OKAY, SO LAB OPERATIONS.
THIS IS MAINLY ON LAB SUPPLIES.
WE HAVE A SPECIAL FUND FOR, UM, LAB SUPPLIES, UH, SWIMMING POOL, UH, OUR SWIMMING POOL FUND, MAINLY PERSONNEL.
AND THEN OUR, UM, THIS IS 20, UH, YEAH, 2010 FUND.
WE, UM, ALSO MAINLY PERSONNEL.
AND THEN WE'VE GOT THAT OPIOID ABATEMENT FUND.
LIKE I SAID, MOST OF THE MONEY GOES TOWARDS ACTUAL, UM, HARM REDUCTION, UH, THINGS LIKE NALOXONE AND NALOXONE KITS.
I, THIS IS, UM, KIND OF JUST SHOWING YOU A TREND, AND I REALLY WISH THAT I COULD SHOW YOU THE TREND.
IF YOU GO ALL THE WAY BACK TO LIKE THE BEGINNING OF DARREN'S TIME HERE AT THE DEPARTMENT, YOU'LL HAVE SEEN THAT THE EXPENDITURES ON THE GENERAL FUND HAVE GONE FROM LIKE 85 MILLION DOWN TO THIS YEAR.
UM, THAT REFLECTS A CHANGE IN, YOU KNOW, ADMINISTRATION PRIORITIES AND A CONTINUAL SQUEEZE ON THE GENERAL FUND.
AND SO, UM, THE REALIGNMENT REALLY OF OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT STRATEGY AND, UM, THESE DEEP DIVES IS HELPING TO MAINTAIN, UH, THE, THE IDEAS TO HELP TO MAINTAIN OUR DEPARTMENT SERVICES AND THE STABILITY OF WHAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS THAT IT DOES, THAT IT PROMISES TO DO, UM, WITHIN WHATEVER THE ADMINISTRATION'S, UH, AND BUDGET PRIORITIES ARE FOR THE WHOLE CITY.
AND THAT'S JUST A BREAKDOWN IN NUMBER, LIKE ON A TABLE OF WHAT YOU JUST SAW.
SO, UH, WE'RE GETTING TO THE END OF MY PRESENTATION.
UM, BUT THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT YOU'VE ALREADY, UH, CALLED OUT AT THE BEGINNING ARE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE MOVED? SO THERE ARE SOME PROGRAMS THAT I MOVED TO THE GENERAL FUND BECAUSE LIKE I HOPE THAT YOU SAW THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT TAXPAYERS SHOULD BE PAYING FOR.
THEY TAXPAYERS SHOULD BE OKAY WITH PROVIDING 10,000 PAIRS OF GLASSES TO CHILDREN WHO WOULD OTHERWISE NEVER GET GLASSES.
AND THE ONLY REASON WHY THEY'RE ABLE TO GET GLASSES IS THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, BECAUSE THEY'RE ON THE UNRESOLVED LIST FROM HISD OR OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE AREA, UM, LEADING TO IMPROVEMENT IN, UM, OBVIOUSLY THEIR VISION, THEIR ABILITY TO EXCEL IN SCHOOL AND THEIR ABILITY TO, UM, TO EXCEL IN LIFE.
UH, TB RAPID TREATMENT WAS ON A SPECIAL FUND BEFORE, BUT LIKE I SAID, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS NEVER GOING TO MAKE US ANY REVENUE, BUT THE CITY WOULD BE REALLY SORRY NOT TO HAVE.
SO I DO EXPECT TAXPAYERS TO PAY FOR THE, FOR OUR TB PROGRAM.
UM, SO THAT'S A TWO POINT, UH, SORRY, $3.29 MILLION INCREASE IN THE EXPENDITURES TO THE GENERAL FUND.
UM, WHAT WE MOVED TO THE SPECIAL REVENUE
[00:40:01]
FUND IN AN ATTEMPT TO ACTUALLY AS A SELF, I GUESS, LIKE PUTTING OUR FEET TO THE FIRE, UM, ATTEMPT IS TO ACTUALLY TRY AND MAKE REVENUE ON THINGS THAT CAN MAKE REVENUE.UM, AND THAT INCLUDES OUR VITAL STATISTICS, CONSUMER BUREAU, ORAL HEALTH, HEALTH CENTER, AND MEDICAL SERVICES.
THAT, UH, WAS A TOTAL OF A, UM, $14 MILLION, UM, EXPENDITURE THAT CAME, UM, OFF OF THE GENERAL FUND ONTO, UH, ONE, UH, ONTO GEN, MAINLY TWO SPECIAL FUNDS, WHICH IS THE 2010 FUND AND 2002 FUND.
UM, WE ALSO ADDED THREE FTES FOR THE PUBLIC HEALTH LABORATORY.
LIKE I HOPE I EXPLAINED TO YOU EARLIER, SOME OF THOSE LAB SERVICES YOU WILL, YOU NEED.
UM, AND SO I THINK THAT IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR TAXPAYERS TO PAY FOR THOSE LAB SERVICES.
UM, AND THEN, UH, SO IN GENERAL, THE GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURE WAS REDUCED BY, UM, $10 MILLION, HOPING THAT WE CAN MAKE REVENUE IN SPECIAL FUNDS FOR, FOR THAT AMOUNT AT SOME POINT.
UM, AND WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS THAT AND WE HAVE A RUNWAY, OR WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO TELL YOU AS A DEPARTMENT THAT THE CITY CAN'T, WE CAN'T AFFORD TO DO THOSE SERVICES AND YOU'RE GONNA LOSE OUT.
UM, THIS IS MAINLY WHAT I JUST EXPLAINED.
UM, SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE, A A NEW EXPENDITURE THIS YEAR THAT IS ADDED ON TO THE 2010 FUND, WHICH I'M GONNA TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, THE WAY THAT IT'S REALIGNED, IF WE'RE NOT ABLE, IF, IF WE ARE EXPENDING ON FUND 2010 THE WAY THAT WE HAVE BEEN WITHOUT ANY CHANGES, THAT FUND WILL RUN OUT OF MONEY IN TWO YEARS.
OKAY? SO THIS IS NOT LIKE SOME TREASURE TROVE THAT WE JUST HAVE AS A SAVINGS OR AN ENDOWMENT FOR THE CITY.
UM, THESE ARE WHERE ACTUAL SERVICES ARE, UH, IN CASE YOU, SO LET ME TAKE A BREAK ON 2010 REAL QUICK AND JUST HIGHLIGHT, WE USED TO MAKE A LOT OF MONEY IN THAT, OR WHEN I SAY MAKE A LOT OF MONEY, WE USED TO BRING IN A LOT OF REVENUE IN OUR 2010 FUND UNDER THE 1115 MEDICAID WAIVER PROGRAM, WHERE WE WERE GETTING REIMBURSEMENTS FOR OUTCOME-BASED, UM, PROGRAMS THAT WERE INNOVATIVE.
THE STATE IN 2023 OR 24 CHANGED TO AN UNCOMPENSATED CARE FUND WHERE THE MAXIMUM OF THE FUND THAT WE CAN, THE MAXIMUM ALLOCATION FOR THE ENTIRE STATE, WHICH INCLUDES ALL OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH, IS 499 MILLION AND A HUNDRED THOUSAND AND SOMETHING DOLLARS.
SO OUT OF THAT AMOUNT, WE ARE ABLE TO DRAW DOWN A PROPORTIONATE SHARE FOR WHAT WE BILL.
SO THAT HAS DRASTICALLY REDUCED WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO BRING DOWN.
I THINK THIS YEAR WE BUILD THAT, UM, UH, THAT POOL, WHAT WE CALL IT, AN UN UNCOMPENSATED CARE POOL.
WE BILLED IT FOR ABOUT $11 MILLION AND OUR PROPORTIONATE SHARE WAS 8 MILLION, EIGHT OR 9 MILLION.
UM, THAT IS DRASTICALLY REDUCED FROM THE REVENUE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO BRING IN FROM THE 1115, UH, WAIVER FUND, THE WAY THAT IT USED TO BE ADMINISTERED.
AND, UM, THAT THIS POOL, THIS $499 MILLION POOL WILL NOT BE REVISITED AGAIN UNTIL 2030.
UM, WE HOPE THAT THERE IS AN INCREASE IN THAT POOL OR THAT THE PUBLIC HEALTH SHARE OR CARVE OUT BECOMES LARGER.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, AS SOMEBODY IN PUBLIC HEALTH, NOW I CAN SAY THAT I THINK THAT PUBLIC HEALTH IS UNFORTUNATELY AN AFTERTHOUGHT, AND WE ARE WORKING UNDER THOSE CONSTRAINTS.
SO OUR 2010 FUND IS, UH, IS FEELING A LOT OF PRESSURE, ESPECIALLY BASED ON THAT, UM, AND, AND MOVING SPECIAL REVENUE AND ALIGNING OUR REVENUE, UM, OUR, OUR REVENUES AND OUR EXPENDITURES FOR REVENUE, POTENTIALLY REVENUE PRODUCING SERVICES.
WE DID, UH, EARMARK, UH, $1.6 MILLION AT, FOR A LEASE PAYMENT FOR A RESPITE CENTER.
UM, I THINK I TOLD YOU THIS DURING THE SERVICE DELIVERY COMMITTEE, BUT MY IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S, UM, PLAN TO END STREET HOMELESSNESS, THERE IS A HUGE GAP THAT I THINK WE CAN FILL, AND IT'S WITHIN MEDICAL RESPITE THAT DOES NOT EXIST IN, IN THIS TYPE OF FORMER FASHION WHERE INDIVIDUALS THAT LEAVE THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT OR LEAVE HOSPITAL DISCHARGE ARE NOT DISCHARGED OUT ONTO THE STREETS, BUT RATHER HAVE A, UM, A WARM HANDOFF INTO A PLACE TO STAY AND THEN A WARM HANDOFF INTO ANOTHER PLACE TO STAY AND NOT BACK OUT ONTO THE STREETS BECAUSE, UM, I KNOW FROM MY TIME IN THE ER THAT THEY ALL END UP RIGHT BACK IN MY ER.
UM, THERE WA YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE ARE PAYING FOR OUR OWN SECURITY SERVICES OUT OF OUR FUND 2010, UM, BECAUSE IT EXISTS AND WE CAN RIGHT NOW.
UH, AND WE ARE ALSO PAYING FOR A $2.2 MILLION LEASE FOR
[00:45:01]
A PROPERTY ON, UM, KIRBY.SO, UH, THIS LEASE AGREEMENT WAS ENTERED WHEN WE HAD GRANT FUNDING.
WAS IT COVID FUNDING TO PAY FOR IT? UM, THE COVID FUNDING RAN OUT, BUT WE WERE STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE LEASE, WHICH WILL END IN 2027.
UM, ALSO, UH, YEAH, AND THEN THERE WERE OF COURSE THE EXPENDITURES AND THEN THE REVENUES.
UM, I THINK THAT YOU'LL, SO WHEN YOU SEE THAT MASSIVE DECREASE IN THE REVENUE FOR THE GENERAL FUND, LIKE THAT, BLUE HAS GONE DOWN TO VERY, VERY LITTLE ON THE GENERAL FUND.
IT REFLECTS THE REALIGNMENT OF, UM, OF OUR SERVICES IN THAT OUR GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES AND SERVICES DON'T MAKE ANY REVENUE, SO THEY'RE NOT GETTING ANY REVENUE BACK.
UM, AND THEN, I MEAN, WE CAN GO THROUGH THIS.
THIS IS KIND OF THE SAME THING THAT YOU JUST SAW, UH, REVENUE HIGHLIGHTS, I THINK IN THE EXPENDITURE SLIDE.
I THINK I EXPLAINED MY RATIONALE, BUT IN CASE YOU NEED TO, WE ARE, UM, WE YOU'VE COVERED IT.
UM, DR. TRAN AND MR. ASHER, WONDERFUL PRESENTATION.
YOUR PASSION FOR THIS JOB IS SO EVIDENT AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SERVICE, AND WE'RE REALLY HAPPY YOU'RE HERE.
I'LL GO TO MY VICE CHAIR, MARIO CASTILLO, THANK YOU CHAIR, AND THANK YOU DIRECTOR TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM.
UM, SUCH A THOROUGH PRESENTATION, A LOT TO COVER.
I I APPRECIATED YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT THE EMPLOYEES, THE, THE GRANT FUNDED EMPLOYEES.
UM, THERE WAS A TIME WHEN I WAS ONE OF THOSE GRANT FUNDED EMPLOYEES, AND I SAW FIRSTHAND WHAT, WHAT YOU TALKED ABOUT AND HOW THEY GO ABOUT DELIVERING THE SERVICES, WORKING FOR, UM, HOUSTONIANS, UM, ON THOSE SORT OF SPECIAL TYPE OF ASSIGNMENTS.
BUT, UM, THE QUESTIONS THAT I REALLY WANTED TO, TO FOCUS ON, THE FIRST ONE IS WITH THE REALIGNMENT.
SO ON SLIDE 20, IT, IT KIND OF HIGHLIGHTS SOME OF THAT, THE 10.5 MILLION REDUCTION, UM, MOVING C TO SUCCEED AND TBR RAPID TREATMENT TO THE GENERAL FUND.
UH, I THINK THAT'S A, A STRONG INDICATION OF, YOU KNOW, THE VALUE OF THOSE PROGRAMS AND INSTITUTIONALIZING THEM IN A WAY, UH, SEE TO SUCCEED HAS SUCH A DIRECT IMPACT, UH, ON OUR YOUTH ACROSS THE CITY.
THAT IS, UH, I THINK A GREAT IDEA.
NOW, THE ONES THAT WERE SHIFTED TO SPECIAL REVENUE, UH, YOU MENTIONED THAT IF THEY'RE NOT BRINGING IN ENOUGH REVENUE, THE PROGRAMS MAY NOT HAVE ENOUGH MONEY, RIGHT? SO WHAT, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IF SOMETHING LIKE ORAL HEALTH OR, UH, VITAL STATS ISN'T MEETING THE PROJECTIONS THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE THINKING? YEAH, SO IT'S PART OF MY JOB TO ENSURE THAT THOSE PROGRAMS ARE ABLE TO BRING IN REVENUE OR THAT THE SERVICES ALIGNED WITH WHATEVER THEY'RE ABLE TO MAKE.
AND SO, UM, OUR VITAL STATISTICS PROGRAM IS ALREADY CHARGING WAY, WAY LESS THAN THE COUNTY FOR MUCH MORE EXPEDITED SERVICES.
SO WE COULD LOOK AT POTENTIALLY INCREASES IN FEES IF WE, IF WE SEE THAT WE ARE NOT SUSTAINING THAT PROGRAM, UM, WITH, UH, ORAL HEALTH AND, UM, OUR HEALTH CENTERS.
I THINK THAT THAT'S A, THAT IS A HARD CONVERSATION THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE.
UM, COMING FROM THE HEALTHCARE DELIVERY SIDE, ORAL HEALTH IS PRETTY EXPENSIVE.
WE KNOW THAT DENTAL CARE AND EYECARE ARE NOT COVERED BY TRADITIONAL MEDICAL INSURANCE.
AND SO A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST DON'T HAVE ANY INSURANCE TO PAY FOR THOSE SERVICES.
ESPEC, I MEAN, WE'RE GRATEFUL HERE AT THE CITY OF HOUSTON THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE THOSE TYPES OF INSURANCE SERVICES, BUT FOR MOST HEALTHCARE DELIVERY SYSTEMS, THESE ARE A PURE EXPENSE OR A LOSS LEADER IF THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO DO THE SERVICES WELL OR TO BILL FOR THEM.
AND AS A HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES IS IF WE ARE NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES AND THEY'RE JUST GOING TO BURN MONEY, A WHERE ARE WE GONNA GET THE MONEY FROM? IS THE CITY GOING TO MAKE THAT AN INVESTMENT AS A CORE SERVICE THAT WE NEED TO MAINTAIN? OR B, WHO ARE PARTNERS THAT WILL BE ABLE TO, UM, PARTNER WITH TO MAINTAIN THOSE SERVICES? SO WE ARE TALKING TO FQHCS, THE COUNTY, THE, UM, UH, OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
YOU CAN KEEP TALKING, SORRY, UM, TO UNDERSTAND WHERE, UH, WHAT WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO WITH ORAL HEALTH.
UM, CHILDREN'S ORAL HEALTH TENDS TO, WE'RE ABLE TO GET SOME REIMBURSEMENT FOR THAT.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IS THROUGH TITLE V FUNDING,
[00:50:01]
WE HAVE AN ALLOCATION EVERY YEAR AFTER WE EXPEND THAT ALLOCATION, WHICH WE'VE ALREADY EXPENDED THAT ENTIRE ALLOCATION FOR THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE TAKE CARE OF SO MANY CHILDREN MM-HMMUM, WE CAN ASK FOR A REIMBURSEMENT AND ASK FOR MORE DOLLARS ON TOP OF THAT, AND THEY MAY OR MAY NOT GIVE IT TO US ADULTS.
IT, IT'S A VERY, VERY DIFFICULT POPULATION TO BE ABLE TO, UM, DO ORAL HEALTH BECAUSE THERE'S NOT THAT TYPE OF GRANT PROGRAM FOR ADULT ORAL HEALTHCARE.
UM, AND THEN THE HEALTH CENTERS, LIKE I SAID, WE'RE TRYING TO WORK ON OUR BILLING, UM, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, SERVICES, WHAT I THINK WOULD BE AN AMAZING IDEA WOULD BE TO CO-LOCATE SERVICES THAT OUR PRIMARY CARE SERVICES IN OUR, UM, YOU KNOW, IN OUR MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS AND BEING ABLE TO USE POTENTIAL REVENUE FROM RENTAL AND, UM, FROM, FROM MIXED USE OF THE SPACES IN ORDER TO FUND THAT TYPE OF PROGRAMMING.
YEAH, THE BELL JUST MEANS WE NEED TO BE QUIET, NOT YOU.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, UH, DIRECTOR.
THANKS, UH, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
GREAT TO SEE YOU AGAIN HERE AT, AT COMMITTEE.
UM, I WAS JUST NOTING, UH, AGAIN THIS YEAR THAT THE CITY HAS, UM, TRUANCY PROGRAMS IN THREE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S A BAD THING, BUT I, I JUST WONDER IF THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES THERE FOR COORDINATION AND EVALUATION ABOUT HOW THOSE EFFORTS CAN BE, CAN, CAN WORK TOGETHER, UH, EFFECTIVELY.
UM, SO I'D ASK YOU TO, TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
UM, WHEN, WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE.
I KNOW THERE'S PLENTY OF THINGS FOR YOU TO DO, BUT I THINK NEIGHBORHOODS, DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS HAS SOMETHING, AND I KNOW COURTS HAS SOMETHING COURTS IS HERE TO PRESENT AS WELL.
UM, I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SPECIFICALLY, UH, AIR QUALITY MONITORS.
UM, DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE ENOUGH OF THOSE, UM, TO MONITOR AIR WHERE THE QUALITY, WHERE YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT? OR, UM, ROGER
YOU CAN GET ON THE MIC OR YOU CAN, YOU CAN TAKE COUNCIL MEMBER CHAIR THERE.
COUNCIL, WE LOVE WORKING WITH ROGER ROGERS ON IT.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE ALL A BUNCH OF FRIENDLY FACES HERE.
UM, OUR AIR MONITOR PROGRAM, UM, WHAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR IS, UM, THROUGH, UM, MOST, MOST OF THE FUNDING COMES FROM COUNCIL MEMBER OFFICES.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SUPPLEMENT OUR, UM, THE CLARITY MONITOR SYSTEM, WHICH IS PM 2.5, UM, MONITORING ACROSS THE CITY TO FILL IN THE GAPS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE WHERE THE TCEQ MONITORS ARE.
BUT, UM, YEAH, THERE ARE STILL EXISTING GAPS AND WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING TO SUPPLEMENT THAT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
UH, THE CLARITY MONITOR SYSTEM IS ACTUALLY A, UH, RELATIVELY AFFORDABLE SYSTEM.
UM, EACH MONITOR COMES OUT AT ABOUT $1,200 ANNUALLY.
UH, THAT'S A SUBSCRIPTION BASED SYSTEM.
UM, SO YEAH, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING TO WORK WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO, UM, INCREASE THE COVERAGE OF THOSE WITHIN THE CITY.
AND BY THE WAY, YOU JUST GOT A DRASTIC PAY CUT TOO, ROGER
IT TAKES AN ENTIRE TEAM, AND I AM HUMBLE ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT
UM, DO AND, AND DOES THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT GET INVOLVED IN THE TCEQ PERMITTING PROCESS? YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE, HAVE HEARINGS FOR CONCRETE BATCH PLANTS AND, AND ASPHALT PLANTS.
I THINK I CAN ANSWER THIS ONE.
I THINK THERE'S ONE COMING UP MONDAY REGARDING, UH, UH, A LANDFILL.
WE DO COMMENT ON, WE DO COMMENT WHEN ASKS, SO TCEQ REACHES OUT TO US AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'LL, WE'LL MAKE COMMENT, YOU KNOW, COMMENTARY BASED ON OUR KNOWLEDGE MM-HMM
BUT WE DON'T GET TO, YOU KNOW, DO THE PERMITTING.
I THINK THAT'S THE CORRECT PRONUNCIATION.
UM, BEING A, A GAME CHANGER, DO YOU FEEL LIKE, UM, YOU'VE GOT AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF THAT AS WELL? OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE ENHANCED? IT CAN ALWAYS BE ENHANCED.
I HAVE THREE, UM, VIALS OF NALOXONE IN MY CAR RIGHT NOW.
IF EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM DOESN'T HAVE AT LEAST ONE, THEN WHETHER YOU USE OPIOIDS OR NOT, UM, THEN I WOULD SAY YES, IT CAN ALWAYS BE ENHANCED, BUT WE ARE PROVIDING, UM, WE DO HAVE AN OPIOID ABATEMENT FUND AND WE USE THAT FUNDING IN ORDER TO, UM, TO, TO HELP SUPPLY NALOXONE.
UM, BUT FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH AND FROM AN EMERGENCY MEDICINE PERSPECTIVE, WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE NALOXONE LIKE IN EVERY, YOU KNOW, IN HOMES.
JUST LIKE YOU SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT
[00:55:01]
ALLERGY MEDICINE, I GUESSAND JUST LAST THOUGHT, I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH, UM, YOUTH INTERVENTION PROGRAMS. I KNOW YOU'RE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THAT.
YOU SPOKE MOVINGLY ABOUT SOME OF THE SUCCESS THAT, THAT YOU'VE SEEN.
AND I WOULD NOTE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS HAS SOME, SOME AS WELL, AND I JUST WONDER IF THERE'S, UH, ROOM FOR COORDINATION THERE.
AND WE'VE ALREADY BEEN IN CONNECTION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL AS THE, UH, MAYOR'S OFFICE OF EDUCATION ON OUR, UM, YOUTH PROGRAMS, ON HOW WE CAN COLLABORATE AND WHERE WE CAN WORK TOGETHER.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED AS WELL, BOTH, UM, BOTH DIRECTOR SIMS AND, UM, UH, DR OR OLIVEIRA'S LAST NAME.
BUT, UM, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WHETHER WE SHOULD BE COMBINING OUR PROGRAM.
SO THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE HAPPENING, UM, AT THE END OF THE DAY, AND I TOLD THE PROGRAM THIS, THAT I THINK THAT WE DO IT REALLY, REALLY WELL.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THOSE PROGRAMS SUCCEED IN THE PLACE WHERE THEY'RE GONNA GET THE MOST FUNDING AND MOST SUPPORT RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH PASSION FOR THAT WITHIN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, SAME WITH THE REENTRY PROGRAM, WE ARE WORKING WITH CHIEF SATTERWHITE ON, UM, USING THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT PROGRAM AS A, UM, AS THE EXPANSION OF REENTRY SERVICES FOR THE CITY.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING MM-HMM
OH, AND LET ME JUST ADD, NOT JUST WITH THE CITY, BUT THE COUNTY AS WELL.
SO, LEAH BARTON AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT HOW THERE, UM, UH, DEFLECTION AND DIVERSION PROGRAM ALIGNS WITH OUR REENTRY SERVICES AND OUR YOUTH VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
SORRY, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ.
THANK YOU, CHAIR AND DIRECTOR.
I JUST, UM, I THINK ECHOING A LOT OF WHAT MY COLLEAGUE IS SAYING, JUST LOVE THE PASSION THAT YOU BRING TO THE DEPARTMENT.
AND OF COURSE THAT KIND OF TRICKLING DOWN TO EVERYBODY ELSE AS WELL.
UH, SO APPRECIATE THE VERY, UM, WELL INFORMED PRESENTATION AS WELL.
UH, SOME OF MY, UH, MY COMMENTS WERE GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT COUNCILOR RAMIREZ WAS, WAS MENTIONING, AND I'M, IT'S GOOD TO HEAR THAT Y'ALL ARE ALREADY WORKING ON A ALIGNING ON SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS. AND I AGREE, I THINK WHEREVER THE FUNDING, UM, ULTIMATELY COMES FROM WHERE IT CAN SUPPORT IT.
UM, BUT HOW YOU, YOU DO THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, PLEASE CONSIDER AS A PARTNER.
I THINK THE, THE STRUCTURAL REFORMS THAT YOU'RE DOING AS WELL IS IMPORTANT, UH, TO ENSURE THAT THAT, UH, FUNDING IS, IS AVAILABLE WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.
UM, THE, UH, THE TRIAGE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS OFFLINE A COUPLE TIMES.
UM, I APPRECIATE YOU LOOKING FORWARD AS, UM, AS WE'RE LOOKING AT UNHOUSED COMMUNITY AND, AND HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE SUPPORT THEM.
UM, AS YOU START MOVING IN, IN THAT DIRECTION MORE AND MORE, I THINK YOU PROBABLY, YOU PROBABLY HAVE A PLAN ALREADY.
UM, UH, WHAT, WHATEVER THAT, UH, COMES TO FRUITION AT THE STATE LEVEL OR WHATNOT, AGAIN, JUST CONSIDER US A PARTNER.
I THINK WHAT YOU'RE DOING RIGHT NOW WITHIN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS, IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE DUPLICATED IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS, RIGHT? YOU GOT TO WHERE THE RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE, USE THEM, UH, BUT QUITE FRANKLY, GOVERNMENT CAN DO EVERYTHING AS WELL.
UH, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING AND THE REST OF THE TEAM AS WELL FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
I REALLY BELIEVE IT TRICKLES UP.
UM, I HAVE BEEN A CORRECTED, I AGREE WITH YOU.
HUGE STUDENT OF MY DEPARTMENT FROM THE FRONT LINE ALL THE WAY UP.
AND, UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE REALLY WHO IT MAKES ME, UH, UM, LOOK GOOD UP HERE.
ON THAT END, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.
I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT THE COMMUNITY AND CHILDREN'S HEALTH LED REDUCTION, UM, PROGRAM.
SO I SAW THE BUDGET HAS, UM, ZERO FTES FOR 27.
ARE WE STILL GONNA BE PROVIDING THIS SERVICE? YEAH, YEAH.
UM, SO THE LEAD PROGRAM IS FUNDED BY GRANT FUNDING.
UM, I DON'T KNOW, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO ANSWER THAT.
WHY? SO DID YOU SAY YEAH, ON THE GENERAL FUND, YOU SAW IT RED REDUCED, UM, IN THE PROGRAM SUMMARY.
CAN WE GO TO THE SLIDE? JUST THE, UH, THE FTE COUNT IS WHAT I'M, WHAT, WHAT I WAS LOOKING AT.
CAN WE GO TO THAT SLIDE? IT'S IN THE BUDGET BOOK, UM, PAGE V 37.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE ANY PERCEIVED REDUCTIONS TO THAT.
UM, AND MAYBE THERE'S A TYPO IN THERE SOMEWHERE, BUT THAT THE LEAD, UM, ABATEMENT PROGRAM HAS NOT GONE ANYWHERE.
THAT IT WAS, IT WAS GOING AWAY, SO I WANTED TO NO, WE GET
[01:00:01]
CDBG MONEY, I KNOW, FOR LEAD ABATEMENT, BUT I DON'T, YEAH, IT'S A HUNDRED PERCENT GRANT FUNDED.UM, AND IN FACT, SO, UM, THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A CONCERN LAST YEAR IN WHETHER WE WERE GOING TO BE ABLE TO EXPEND OUR GRANT, YOU KNOW, UM, BECAUSE OF THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS THAT IT TOOK TO FOR US TO ACTUALLY HAVE THE, UM, THE REMEDIATORS CONTRACTORS IN TO WORK ON, TO WORK ON THE HOMES.
UM, BUT WE ARE PRETTY MUCH CAUGHT UP.
SO WE'RE NOT, WE'RE WE'RE STILL GONNA BE PROVIDING THAT.
THAT, THAT'S A NATIONAL PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR LIKE 20 SOMETHING YEARS AND WE DON'T SEE AN END TO IT YET.
AND THERE'S ALSO I THINK, LIKE 12,000 HOMES IN THE HOUSTON REGION THAT STILL NEED TO BE REMEDIATED.
YEAH, THAT WAS, WELL, THAT WAS THE OTHER SIDE OF IT IS LIKE WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO THERE.
AND ANNA WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN'S OFFICE.
HI DIRECTOR, HIGH HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
I AM REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE 'CAUSE Y'ALL HAVE BEEN SUCH AN INVALUABLE PARTNER TO US, DARREN AND NAOMI.
LOVELY TO SEE Y'ALL WITH Y'ALL THIS WEEK TO LAUNCH OUR GUN.
UH, SAFE PILOT AND DIRECTOR, YOUR TEAM, KA CAVEAT WITH A DASHBOARD ARE PHENOMENAL.
UM, SO YEAH, THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
JUST ON THE GRANT FUNDING PIECE, UM, DO YOU KNOW, UH, OR HAVE WHAT PERCENTAGE OR AMOUNT YOU RECEIVE SPECIFICALLY FROM FEDERAL GRANTS AND IF ANY HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS QUESTIONABLE OR AT RISK FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR? IF NOT, I CAN, WE CAN SUBMIT IN WRITING.
I ACTUALLY, OH, I EMAILED A SLIDE TO COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ AFTER THE SERVICE DELIVERY WITH THAT INFORMATION ON IT.
I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT NO PROBLEM.
UM, WE ARE, SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT BIG CITY DEPARTMENTS, WE ARE FUNDED.
SO MOST OF OUR GRANTS ARE EITHER, UM, STATE OR ARE ARE ARE FEDERAL.
MOST OF OUR, I'M JUST GONNA SAY THIS, MORE THAN THREE QUARTERS OF OUR GRANTS ARE FEDERALLY FUNDED.
EITHER DIRECT FEDERAL FUNDING OR PASS THROUGH THE, HUH? OH, YOU'RE OKAY.
THE EXACT NUMBER OF THAT I CAN'T TELL YOU, BUT WE GET A LITTLE BIT MORE STATE.
WE GET A LITTLE, A TINY BIT OF STATE FUNDING.
CERTAINLY A LOT LESS REC STATE FUNDING FROM GRANTS THAN OTHER BIG CITIES.
UM, SO MOST OF OUR LIKE, I MEAN, YEAH, I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT PERCENTAGE, BUT THE MAJORITY OF IT IS FEDERAL FUNDING.
UM, AS FAR AS, ARE THERE ANY AT RISK GRANTS RIGHT NOW, THE BIG ONE IS, UH, THE PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT, WHICH IS ENDING IN NOVEMBER OF 2027.
THAT IS A HUGELY WHAT TRANSFORMATIONAL GRANT FOR ALL, UM, HEALTH DEPARTMENTS.
AND WE AS A DEPARTMENT WITH THE STATE AND ON A FEDERAL LEVEL, ARE ADVOCATING FOR THE CONTINUATION OF THAT GRANT.
AND I'M TRYING TO QUE SQUINT TO SEE IT'S ABOUT 60 40.
THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF STATE FUNDING IN BETWEEN THAT.
SO YEAH, THAT NUMBER 60 FEDERAL, 40 LOCAL AND THEN, YEAH, GREAT.
AND THAT WAS, SO THAT WAS DATA FROM BACK BEFORE THE, IT'S A LITTLE BIT LESS NOW BECAUSE, UM, WE DID HAVE A LARGE FE, LIKE $65 MILLION OR SOMETHING IN GRETEL FEDERAL GRANT FUNDING THAT ENDED IN 2025 THAT EARLY.
UM, SO, UH, YES, I CAME INTO A DEPARTMENT THAT HAD ALREADY LOST $65 MILLION IN FEDERAL GRANT FUNDING.
UM, BUT HOPEFULLY THAT TIME IS OVER FOR A WHILE.
AND, AND I'LL HAVE MOST OF MY QUESTIONS IN WRITING, BUT, BUT ONE THING I DID WANNA FOCUS ON IS YOUR TALK ABOUT THE, THE DIFFERENT CLINICS AND HOW YOU'RE TRYING TO PULL THOSE IN.
HOW MANY CLINICS OUT ARE, ARE STANDALONE WITHOUT BEING PART OF THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER? UH, ONE, WHICH IS OUR, UM, HI, SO WE ONLY HAVE THREE CLINICAL SITES, RIGHT.
AND THEN THAT, THAT PROVIDE NO, WHAT YOU SAID, ONE IS TB AND ONE IS THAT, UM, SO LET ME, SORRY, I THINK I'M SPEAKING LIKE A LITTLE BIT TO HEALTH DEPARTMENT LINGO AND I FORGOT
SO WHEN WE SAY WE HAVE CLINICS, UM, THERE, THERE ARE THREE CLINICAL SPACES, PHYSICAL CLINICAL SPACES, BUT THE CLINICAL SERVICE LINES THAT WE PROVIDE ARE MULTIPLE IN THAT THEY'RE TB, HIV, FAMILY PLANNING, IMMUNIZATIONS, UM, YEAH.
AND ARE ANY OF THOSE CHARGE SERVICES OR DO WE CHARGE FOR SOME OF THOSE SERVICES? I WISH I COULD SAY THAT WE CURRENT, NOT, NOT AS MUCH AS WE SHOULD AND NOT AS IN THE WAY THAT WE SHOULD.
AND IF SOMEBODY TRULY CAN'T PAY FOR 'EM, THEN NO.
WELL, I'LL, I'LL FOLLOW UP ON SOME QUESTIONS ON THAT, BUT WE'RE AT TIME, SO I'M GONNA ALLOW
[01:05:01]
FOR A PUBLIC SPEAKER, UM, JACK VALINSKY TO ARRIVE.AND AGAIN, THANK YOU HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
I'M GONNA GO FIND A HEALTH WORKER TODAY AND GIVE THEM A BIG HUG,
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
WE REALLY ARE GRATEFUL FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
AND, UM, MR. VALINSKY, THE FLOOR IS YOURS, BUREAU OF THE CITY.
UM, OUR MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS, MOST PART, EXCEPT FOR THE NEW ONES, ARE IN THE PORTABLE STATE.
I KNOW I WORKED OUT OF THE WEST END FOR MANY YEARS.
THE AIR CONDITIONER WOULD GO DOWN AT LEAST TWICE A YEAR FOR MONTHS AT A TIME.
AND THOSE ROBOTS DON'T WORK VERY WELL.
THE ROBOT LOOKING THINGS, THEY'RE NOISY, THEY DON'T REALLY COOL.
UM, AND AGAIN, AS I SAID LAST YEAR, HIV HELP IS SO IMPORTANT.
I LOST SO MANY OF MY FRIENDS OVER THE YEARS AND IT STILL CONTINUES.
AND WITH THE FEDERAL FUNDING GOING DOWN, WE NEED TO SUPPORT OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT MORE THAN EVER.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK EVERYBODY DOES IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
AND YOU KNOW, I USED TO HATE GETTING UP EARLY FOR THE BACK TO SCHOOL AND THE, IT WASN'T THE BACKPACKS, IT WAS THE WORK THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT DID.
YOU WATCH THOSE KIDS COME IN AND, AND GET SERVICES THEY COULDN'T GET ANYWHERE ELSE.
LAURA GALLAGHER, THANK YOU SO MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
I JUST WANTED TO BRIEFLY SAY, UH, I HADN'T HEARD OF THE TERM MEDICAL RESPITE, BUT, UH, I JUST WANNA ADD AN ANECDOTE.
I HAVE A FRIEND WHO WAS HOSPITALIZED, UM, IN BEN TAUB, A HOMELESS FRIEND.
AND BECAUSE HE HAD NOWHERE TO GO WHEN HE LEFT, THEY KEPT HIM THERE FOR NINE MONTHS.
I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE THE COST OF THAT.
WHEN THEY DID FINALLY COME UP WITH SOME PLACE FOR HIM TO GO UPON RELEASE.
IT WAS ONLY TWO WEEKS BEFORE HE WAS BACK IN BEN HAB FOR A VERY LONG EXTENDED STAY.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW THE DETAILS OF THIS MEDICAL RESPITE, BUT HOMELESS DISCHARGE IS SOMETHING THAT REALLY NEEDS TO, IS LIKE A VERY HIGH, I WOULD THINK, A VERY HIGH RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE Y'ALL THAT STORY.
THAT'S A PERSONAL STORY OF SOMEONE WHO I DEARLY LOVE.
AND WE HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AT SERVICE DELIVERY.
AND, AND DIRECTOR, I I MEANT TO ASK YOU THAT 1.6 MILLION THAT'S FOR THIS COMING YEAR WILL BE SPENT AT CLOUDBREAK FOR APARTMENTS FOR THAT PURPOSE.
ARE WE, ARE WE HOUSING ANYBODY NOW? NO.
NO, WE'RE UNDER AN EXCLUSIVE NEGOTIATING AGREEMENT RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO START THAT PROGRAM UNLESS WE GET FUNDING.
A LOT OF IT, IT WILL BE FEDERAL AND, UM, CONTRIBUTIONS FROM OUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS.
UM, THAT WOULD BE THE, BUT YOUR PROJECTION IS TO SPEND 1.6 MILLION IN 27 FOR LEASING APARTMENTS.
THAT, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE EARMARKED IN OUR 27 BUDGET.
IF YOU, IF YOU GET, IT HAS THAT, THAT THAT MONEY STILL NEEDS TO BE RECEIVED.
THE, THE 1.6 IS WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE EARMARKED AND THAT WOULD COVER JUST THE FACILITY, LIKE LEASE, NOT THE SERVICES.
BUT YOU HAVE THAT, THAT MONEY.
IT'S OTHER MONEY YOU HAVE TO SEEK FOR SERVICES.
THAT IS IN OUR, THAT IS IN OUR 2010 BUDGET.
I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY HERE.
AS I SAID BEFORE, WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SERVICE.
WE LOVE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A BREAK HERE, UM, UM, MUNICIPAL COURTS AND WE'LL GET STARTED IN, UM, YOU KNOW, FIVE, 10 MINUTES.
SORRY, WE'RE RUNNING A LITTLE BEHIND YESTERDAY.
WE NEVER KNOW HERE AT THE COURT.