GOOD AFTERNOON. UM, SORRY FOR THE RECORD. MY NAME IS BEN WEBER. I'M THE DISTRICT SIX CITY COUNCILOR AND THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE FOR WAYS AND MEANS.
TODAY'S MAY 21ST, 2026 AND THE EXACT TIME IS 3:06 P.M.. UH, I HAVE A FEW PLENARIES TO GO THROUGH. UH, THIS HEARING'S BEING RECORDED. IT'S ALSO BEING LIVE
STREAMED@BOSTON.GOV. CITY COUNCIL TV AND BROADCAST ON XFINITY CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 AND UH AND FIVE CHANNEL 964. THE COUNCIL'S BUDGET REVIEW
PROCESS ENCOMPASSES A SERIES OF HEARINGS BEGINNING IN APRIL AND RUNNING THROUGH JUNE. WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ENGAGE IN THE PROCESS BY GIVING TESTIMONY FOR THE RECORD.
YOU CAN DO SO IN SEVERAL WAYS. NUMBER ONE, YOU CAN GIVE TESTIMONY AT ONE OF OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS. UM, YOU CAN DO SO BY UH, ATTENDING THE HEARING IN PERSON AND SIGNING UP ON THE SIGN IN
SHEET UH, NEAR THE ENTRANCE. WE'LL CALL ON YOU IN THE ORDER OF YOUR ARRIVAL. YOU CAN ALSO TESTIFY AT A HEARING VIRTUALLY. UH, TO DO SO, USE THE ONLINE FORM ON OUR COUNCIL BUDGET
REVIEW WEBSITE OR YOU CAN EMAIL THE COMMITTEE AT SQUIRM@BOSTON.GOV OR EMAIL OUR UH, LEGISLATOR OUR BUDGET
ANALYST CHRIS MICHELLE ON A K R I S H M A SCHOOL AND@BOSTON.GOV. YOU'LL GET A ZOOM LINK TO TESTIFY.
UH YOU CAN ALSO TESTIFY IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY AT OUR THE FOR. >> THE FOURTH OF FOUR. PUBLIC LISTENING SESSIONS THE LAST OF WHICH WILL BE TUESDAY, MAY 26TH AT 6 P.M. RIGHT HERE IN THE CHAMBER.
AGAIN FOR THAT LISTENING SESSION YOU TESTIFY IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY. UM, EACH PERSON WHAT WE'LL DO FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY IS WE WILL HEAR FROM THE PANEL AND THEN
WE'RE GOING TO GET A FIRST ROUND OF QUESTIONS FROM MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES AND THEN WE WILL CALL FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY AT THAT TIME AND THEN GO FOR UH ,ADDITIONAL ROUNDS
OF QUESTIONING UH, FROM MY COLLEAGUES UM, IN LIEU OF TESTIFYING IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY THE HEARING YOU CAN ALSO EMAIL WRITTEN TESTIMONY TO THE COMMITTEE AT
SQUIRM@BOSTON.GOV. YOU CAN ALSO SUBMIT A TWO MINUTE VIDEO OF YOUR TESTIMONY THROUGH THE FORM ON OUR WEBSITE . FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE COUNCIL BUDGET PROCESS AND HOW TO TESTIFY, PLEASE VISIT THE
CITY COUNCIL'S BUDGET WEBSITE AT BOSTON.GOV COUNCIL DASH BUDGET. AGAIN, IN-PERSON PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN AFTER THE FIRST ROUND OF QUESTIONS. WE'LL HEAR FROM THE PANEL AND FIRST ROUND OF QUESTIONS FROM
MY COLLEAGUES WILL EACH GET ABOUT MAYBE SIX MINUTES IF YOU'RE TRYING TO CALCULATE WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO TESTIFY. EACH PERSON WILL BE CALLED UP UH, ONE AT A TIME AND YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
UH, AND PLEASE, YOU KNOW, AT THE BEGINNING IDENTIFY UH, YOU TELL US YOUR NAME, WHERE YOU'RE FROM, WHAT ORGANIZATION YOU'RE WITH AND THEN WE'LL START THE TIMER. UM, AND UH, AGAIN, IF YOU'RE
WATCHING ONLINE AND WANT TO TESTIFY, EMAIL CHRIS MITCHELL ON IT'S CHARISMA DOCU HAND@BOSTON.GOV AND YOU'LL GET
A ZOOM LINK FOR THE UH FOR TO TESTIFY. UM SO THIS AFTERNOON'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET NUMBER 073320740. UH, THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH
COMMISSION'S FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET. THIS HEARING WILL COVER UM, THE TOPICS INCLUDING, UH, INFECTIOUS DISEASE, CHILD AND ADOLESCENT FAMILY HEALTH,
VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS . THIS IS ONE OF A SERIES OF HEARINGS TO REVIEW THE FISCAL YEAR 27 BUDGET IS ALSO OUR SECOND HEARING OF THE DAY WITH THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION.
UH, WE COVERED UH, OTHER TOPICS THIS MORNING INCLUDING UH RECOVERY, UH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, UM, AND AND UH SEVERAL OTHERS AND WE ALSO HEARD FROM EMS UM, OKAY.
THESE MATTERS WERE SPONSORED BY MAYOR MICHELLE WU AND REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON APRIL 8TH, 2026. I'M JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL. I I'M NOT SURE WHO I'M GOING TO GUESS.
COUNCILOR FLYNN THE ODDS ARE THEN COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE THEN COUNCILOR FITZGERALD IF I'M WRONG, COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE WILL LET ME KNOW. UM. UH, I WE'VE RECEIVED A LETTER OF ABSENCE FROM COUNCILOR WIRRAL AND UH, I'VE
ALSO RECEIVED A LETTER FROM COUNCILOR CLETA ZAPATA WHO BECAUSE SHE IS ON MATERNITY LEAVE. CONGRATULATIONS TO HER AND HER NEWBORN SON. I WILL PARENTAL LEAVE.
OKAY, WELL, IF YOU'RE ON MATERNITY LEAVE OR PATERNITY LEAVE OR PARENTAL LEAVE I WILL READ AND YOU'RE ONE OF MY COUNSELOR COLLEAGUES. I'LL READ YOUR QUESTIONS FOR YOU. NOBODY ELSE GET ANY IDEAS ABOUT
ME READING QUESTIONS FOR THEM IF THEY'RE JUST OUT FOR ANY OTHER REASON. UM, SO WE'RE SO WE'RE ALSO JOINED BY COUNCILOR CULPEPER. UH, SO UH, GENERALLY WE UH,
WAIVE OPENING STATEMENTS. UH, AND WE GO TO THE PANEL. I JUST UH BECAUSE UH, COUNCILOR FLYNN HAS UH HAS SOMETHING TO GET TO. UH, SO WE MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE
QUESTIONS. I'M GOING TO LEAVE IT TO ALL MY COLLEAGUES TO FOR ONE MINUTE. OPENING STATEMENT. COUNCILOR FLYNN, IF YOU WANT TO LEAD US OFF AND THEN WE'LL EVERYONE GET A CHANCE FOR ONE MINUTE TO, UH, TO SAY SOMETHING.
THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU TO DOCTOR OJUKWU TO THANK YOU TO CHRIS FROM THE BUDGET TEAM FOR BEING HERE FOR THE IMPORTANT WORK YOU WERE DOING. DOCTOR OJUKWU TOO.
YOU WERE HERE FOR THREE HOURS THIS MORNING. WANT TO SAY THANK YOU UM FOR YOUR TESTIMONY, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND FOR. FOR STAYING AND AND LISTENING
TO THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY FROM FROM BOSTON RESIDENTS. UM, UNFORTUNATELY, MISTER CHAIR ,I AM LEAVING. I HAVE TO GO TO THE SOUTH END FOR, UH, TO MEET WITH SOME CONSTITUENTS.
I WILL BE WATCHING THIS. UM, REMAINING REMAINING MEETING ON VIDEO THIS EVENING OR SOMETIME TOMORROW, BUT I I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH DOCTOR OJUKWU
AFTER WE HAD A GOOD DISCUSSION THIS MORNING ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO ON HIV AND AIDS. UM, SUPPORTING PATIENTS, SUPPORTING PEOPLE LIVING WITH
AIDS AND HIV PREVENTION. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE DOCTOR HOLGER COUTU. THAT'S A FIELD THAT YOU'VE STUDIED IN YOUR ENTIRE LIFE. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU TO YOUR FOR YOUR COMMITMENT. UH, FOR PUBLIC HEALTH
INITIATIVES. AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH ME ON ASIAN HEALTH, ASIAN WOMEN'S HEALTH AND UH, FOR BEING A STRONG SUPPORTER OF THE ASIAN
COMMUNITY AS WELL. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. AND JUST BEFORE WE GO TO COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE JUST WANT TO INTRODUCE OUR PANELISTS. UH, WE'RE JOINED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION, DOCTOR BISSELL
OJUKWU. WE'RE ALSO JOINED BY, UH, THE BUDGET DIRECTOR FOR THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION, CHRIS VALDEZ. UH COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR AND GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. UM, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
DOCTOR O, THANK YOU FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE LEADERSHIP, UH, THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION OVER THE YEARS. I'M JUST SO GLAD THAT YOU ARE IN THE POSITION THAT YOU ARE IN AND THAT YOU BRING SUCH A HOLISTIC VIEWPOINT TO THE ISSUES OF PUBLIC HEALTH IN OUR
CITY. EVERYTHING FROM UH, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE TO UH, BLACK MATERNAL UH, MORBIDITY MORBIDITY RATES, UM
TO UH ISSUES IN MASS AROUND MASS AND CAS UM JUST THE CITY IS REALLY LUCKY TO HAVE YOUR LEADERSHIP AND DIRECTOR VALDEZ ALSO THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US HERE TODAY. I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS HEARING. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ISSUES THAT ARE OF GREAT IMPORTANCE, A
LOT OF WHICH THAT I FIRST MENTIONED. WANT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE CITY'S LIVE LONG AND WELL INITIATIVE, WHICH IS A GREAT STATEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING THE UH, RACIAL HEALTH GAPS THAT
PREVENT US UM, FROM THAT RESULTS IN A 33 YEAR INCREASING LIFE EXPECTANCY, UH, BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE COMMUNITIES HERE IN OUR CITY. SO JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP WANT TO DIVE INTO THOSE QUESTIONS HOW WE
HAVE MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE UH, TO A LOT OF TO MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. UM AND AGAIN THANK YOU FELICIA . THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. OKAY. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. UH, AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR BEING HERE AGAIN TODAY.
UM. LOOKING AT THE TOPICS OF THIS OF TODAY'S HEARING OF UH THEY'RE ALL, UH, PERTINENT OF THE MOMENT UH, OR AT LEAST UH, THINGS COMING UP I THINK ABOUT INFECTIOUS DISEASE WITH
THE ESPECIALLY WITH SO MANY VISITORS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, UH, THIS SUMMER. UM, I KNOW THE UH. UH THE VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND TRAUMA RESPONSE MY MY MAIDEN SPEECH, UH, ON THIS FLOOR HERE
WAS ABOUT, UH, TRAUMA RESPONSE. AND SO I'M I'M HAPPY TO, UM, LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING ABOUT THE UPDATES TO THAT. UM, AND OF COURSE MENTAL HEALTH UH, A VERY BIG ISSUE IN THE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH IT AND LEARNING TO
DEAL WITH AND HOW TO SO, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME HERE, UH, TO EDUCATE US. UH, AND LET US ASK YOU QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. CHAIR. OKAY. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILOR CULPEPPER, DO YOU HAVE A MINUTE? OPENING STATEMENT. >> THANK YOU. MR CHAIR.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK DOCTOR. 000 DAKOTA FOR WHAT A GREAT LOOK THIS MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE PILOT. THIS IS ALL I WANT TO TALK ABOUT.
SO WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN MINUTES BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A GREAT PILOT I'VE GOT A FEW QUESTIONS I WANT TO ASK YOU I KNOW WE HAD YOU HERE THIS MORNING BUT JUST THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US AND ALL THESE
QUESTIONS AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO GET INTO THIS MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE QUALITY BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A GREAT PILOT THAT WILL LEND TO SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE HAVING
WHEN IT HAS TO DO WITH DISPATCH CALLS THAT HAVE TO DO WITH MENTAL HEALTH. THANK YOU AND THANK YOU, CHRIS. OKAY. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILOR CULPEPPER. UH, SO I'M GOING TO UH, HAND THE FLOOR OVER TO THE PANELISTS
AND WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM OUR, UH, COUNSELORS WITH QUESTIONS AND GO TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY AFTER THAT. THANK YOU. GREAT, GREAT. GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU. CAN I. CAN I JUST INTERRUPT YOU FOR ONE SECOND? SORRY.
WE THERE IS A CELEBRATION DOWNSTAIRS SO WE'LL KEEP AN EYE ON THE MUSIC. UH, PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY CAN'T HEAR ANYTHING. LET ME KNOW. UH, WE'LL POP THAT. THAT'S NOT A DISTRACTION. THANKS.
GREAT. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR WEBER AND DISTINGUISHED. CITY COUNCILORS. I'M HONORED TO BE HERE. UM, SO THIS MORNING AS CHAIR WEBER MENTIONED, WE DID TALK ABOUT LIVE LONG WELL, WHICH IS OUR CITY'S FIRST POPULATION
HEALTH EQUITY AGENDA. IT'S BASICALLY WHERE OUR CITY'S COMMITTING TO ADDRESSING THE HUGE AND UM, CONCERNING GAPS IN HEALTH OUTCOMES AND LIFE EXPECTANCY ACROSS OUR CITY.
WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT RECOVERY SERVICES, HOMELESS SERVICES AND EMS. SO I'M REALLY PLEASED TO BE BACK THIS AFTERNOON TO TALK ABOUT CHILD ADOLESCENT AND FAMILY HEALTH, UH, VIOLENCE PREVENTION, INFECTIOUS DISEASES
,COMMUNITY INITIATIVES AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS AS WELL AS A FEW OTHER ISSUES. OKAY SO LET'S JUMP RIGHT IN WITH CHILD ADOLESCENT AND
FAMILY HEALTH. SO OUR CAF BUREAU UM DELIVERS EDUCATION HEALTH SERVICES AND FAMILY SUPPORTS TO THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES IN BOSTON. FOR THIS PRESENTATION I'D LIKE TO FOCUS IN ON ENGAGEMENT
OF YOUTH BECAUSE THAT IS A CORE PRIORITY OF UH, THE BUREAU IN FY 26, MORE THAN 1200 YOUNG PEOPLE RECEIVED CLINICAL SERVICES AS WELL AS TRAINING FOR JOB OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH THE CAF BUREAU.
SO AS YOU SEE ON THE SLIDE, I'VE LISTED THE PROGRAMS THAT HAVE SPECIFICALLY SERVED YOUTH FIRST THE BOSTON AREA HEALTH EDUCATION CENTER OR BASIC UM EXPOSES AND EDUCATES YOUNG PEOPLE TO CAREERS IN HEALTH
WITH THE GOAL OF GROWING A DIVERSIFIED AND CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE HEALTH WORKFORCE. THIS FISCAL YEAR THEY HAVE PROVIDED PROGRAMING TO 118 YOUTH. NEXT, THE PEER LEADERSHIP
INSTITUTE TRAINS YOUNG PEOPLE TO BE EDUCATORS AND AMBASSADORS TO EMPOWER OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE AROUND SEXUAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL HEALTH. UM CHALLENGES THIS FISCAL YEAR, THE PEER LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
PROVIDED PROGRAMING TO MORE THAN 40 YOUTH. START STRONG IS ANOTHER PEER LEADERSHIP PROGRAM FOCUSES ON SUPPORTING YOUNG PEOPLE AND HAVING HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS AND DECREASING INTIMATE PARTNER
VIOLENCE. MUCH OF OUR STRONG SUPPORT WORK IS FOCUSED UM ON ONLINE ENGAGEMENT AND THROUGH ITS DIGITAL MEDIA EFFORTS START STRONG ACHIEVE MORE THAN 20 MILLION SOCIAL MEDIA IMPRESSIONS WITHIN THIS FISCAL
YEAR. I ALSO WANT TO MENTION THE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT NETWORK. THE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT NETWORK ENGAGES YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE AT RISK IN ACTIVITIES THAT STRENGTHEN THEIR CONNECTION TO
SCHOOL AND SUPPORTS THEIR PROGRESS TOWARDS EDUCATIONAL COMPLETE COMPLETION YTN OR THE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT NETWORK OFFERS IN SCHOOL AS WELL AS AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMING FOCUS ON LEADERSHIP AND LIFE SKILLS AND GIVES YOUNG PEOPLE THE TOOLS
THEY NEED TO SUCCEED. SO WITHIN THIS FISCAL YEAR THROUGH BOTH CASE MANAGEMENT AND SUMMER PROGRAMING AS WELL AS AFTERSCHOOL INITIATIVES WIDE AND SERVE 220 YOUTH.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST WE MANAGE AND STAFF SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS UM EIGHT OF THEM IN TOTAL UM ACROSS OUR CITY THESE ARE FULLY STAFFED UH DURING THE FISCAL YEAR.
ESSENTIALLY WE OFFER MEDICAL SERVICES AS WELL AS MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND WE SERVED 12 MORE THAN 1200 STUDENTS WITH MEDICAL SERVICES AND 346 STUDENTS FOR MENTAL HEALTH
SERVICES. UM, JUST AS IN THIS. PAST YEAR. >> SO IT'S A GREAT RESOURCE. I'D ALSO LIKE TO SHARE THAT DURING THIS SUMMER UM DURING EVERY SUMMER BUT UPCOMING UH THIS UPCOMING SUMMER MULTIPLE
YOUTH PROGRAMS HOSTED BY FCPS WILL CONVENE A SIX WEEK PAID SUMMER ENRICHMENT EXPERIENCE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND DURING THIS PERIOD THEY WILL ENGAGE IN PUBLIC HEALTH TRAINING
EDUCATION, EXPLORING CAREER GROWTH POTENTIAL UM OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FUTURE AS WELL AS DOING SOME COMMUNITY SERVICE. SO THIS YEAR I BELIEVE WE HAVE 110 STUDENTS WHO ARE PARTICIPATING.
OKAY, SO STICKING WITH THE CHILD ADOLESCENT AND FAMILY HEALTH BUREAU I WANT TO JUST SHARE A FEW ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS. SO MENTAL HEALTH UH WAS A CENTRAL FOCUS ACROSS OUR OUR
COMMISSION FOR A LOT OF OUR WORK. IT'S PART OF OUR LIVE LONG AS WELL INITIATIVE AND IT'S CERTAINLY A PART OF THE CHILD ADOLESCENT FAMILY HEALTH UM BUREAU AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT OTHER MENTAL
HEALTH WORK IN A MOMENT. SO THIS PARTICULAR BUREAU UM, PROVIDED UH, MANY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SCREENINGS THROUGH THEIR EARLY TO OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM AS WELL AS THROUGH OUR SCHOOL BASED
HEALTH CENTERS. SO EARLY CHILDHOOD MENTAL HEALTH ACTUALLY ENDED UP SERVING 76 FAMILIES. AND AS I SAID, OUR SCHOOL BASED HEALTH CENTERS UM, SUPPORTED.
A TOTAL UH I SAID THIS. 346 STUDENTS UM IN REGARDS TO UH MENTAL HEALTH. UH CHALLENGES COMPLEMENTING THESE CLINICAL SERVICES, THE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT NETWORK ALSO
ADVANCED A PEER LED MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS PROGRAM IN SCHOOLS THROUGH A MENTAL HEALTH AMBASSADORS PROGRAM WHICH I THINK WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL AND THEY HELD THEIR THIRD ANNUAL WELLNESS DAY WHERE WE ENGAGE
MORE THAN 300 YOUTH UM, IN THAT PROGRAM. SO AGAIN, GREAT OPPORTUNITIES TRYING TO DO THE WORK IN MULTIPLE UM AREAS ACROSS THE CITY, MULTIPLE NEIGHBORHOODS. I WANT TO SHIFT FROM MENTAL
HEALTH TO TALK ABOUT MATERNAL HEALTH AND INFANT MORTALITY. UM, SO WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY CHALLENGES, MANY HEALTH INEQUITIES RELATED TO BOTH ISSUES.
UM, BOTH ARE UH, FOCAL AREAS FOR OUR LIVE LONG WELL AGENDA BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR CITY FOR OUR CITY'S FAMILIES UNDER OUR HEALTHY START SYSTEMS DIVISION, WE HAVE A ROBUST
ARRAY OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES TO PROVIDE MATERNAL AND INFANT HEALTH SERVICES WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON POPULATIONS WHERE WE SEE THE GREATEST HEALTH INEQUITIES. SO WE CONTINUE TO IMPLEMENT OUR
FETAL INFANT MORTALITY REVIEW. I THINK WE'VE SPOKEN. ABOUT THIS BEFORE. >> IT IS A NEWER INITIATIVE. THE IDEA HERE IS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHY WE HAVE UM AN INFANT MORTALITY RATE.
THAT IS WHAT IT IS PARTICULARLY IN BLACK COMMUNITIES. THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT DISPARITY, UM, IN INFANT MORTALITY ACROSS OUR CITY THAT'S THAT'S PERSISTENT AND WE REALLY WANT TO DIG IN AND UNDERSTAND ROOT CAUSES.
SO THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THIS PROCESS. UM. THROUGH A BUDGET AMENDMENT AND FY 25 WE'RE MOVING THE PROCESS FORWARD AND IT'S VERY INTENSIVE . BUT WE UM YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING FOR UH THE OPPORTUNITY
TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION TO INTERVENE ON THIS PAST YEAR WE DID ESTABLISH A DATA SHARING AGREEMENT WITH THE MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH THAT HAS TAKEN SOME TIME TO DO. WE ALSO ONBOARDED A NURSE
COORDINATOR AND THEN THROUGH OUR HEALTHY START SYSTEMS DIVISION WE PROVIDE A COORDINATED A CASE MANAGEMENT HOME VISITING SERVICES TO OVER 1700 PREGNANT AND PARENTING
FAMILIES IN FY 26 TO PROMOTE UM HEALTH AND WELLNESS UH AMONG UH UH PREGNANT WOMEN AND AMONGST THEIR ENTIRE FAMILIES UP TO AGE FIVE. SO IT'S AN IMPORTANT WAY TO GET FAMILIES, YOU KNOW, ON BOARD
AND NAVIGATE THROUGH THE HEALTH SYSTEMS BECAUSE THAT IS OFTENTIMES UH, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT UM, FAMILIES FACE. SO IN ADDITION TO THAT WE ALSO ADDRESS SOCIAL DETERMINANTS
OF HEALTH. SO FOOD HOUSING INCOME SUPPORTS AND FOR EXAMPLE DURING THE FOOD UM UH CHALLENGE THAT WE ALL KNOW ABOUT AND FACED DURING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
LAST NOVEMBER, OUR FOOD PANTRY TO FAMILIES WHO ARE WORKING WITH HEALTHY STAR SYSTEMS DISTRIBUTED FOOD AND GIFT CARDS TO 9542 FAMILIES EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY.
I ALSO WANT TO MENTION IN REGARDS TO MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH, OUR DOULA INITIATIVE CONNECTS FAMILIES TO A FULL SPECTRUM OF SERVICES UM DOULAS WHO CAN WORK WITH FAMILIES UM IN THEIR HOME NAVIGATE THEM
THROUGH THE SYSTEM, UM UH, ATTEND APPOINTMENTS WITH UH WITH WOMEN AND THEIR FAMILIES. SO THIS IS SORT OF A FULL CONTINUUM OF CARE BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER CHILDBIRTH.
IN THE PAST FISCAL YEAR WE TRAINED OVER 100 COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS IN SUPPORTING FAMILIES AND UM PROVIDED DOULA SERVICES TO UH MANY FAMILIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF BOSTON.
SO I'D LIKE TO TURN TO VIOLENCE PREVENTION IN FY 25. AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE ESTABLISHED A NEW OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION THAT REPORTS DIRECTLY TO OUR EXECUTIVE
OFFICE. UNDER THIS NEW STRUCTURE WE ELEVATED AND FOCUSED OUR WORK AND REALLY BUILDS UPON OUR PUBLIC HEALTH FOCUS TO END VIOLENCE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON LAST SPRING WE NAMED ISAAC
JABLOW AS THE NEW OFFICE DIRECTOR AND IN SEPTEMBER OF 2025 THE MAYOR'S COMMUNITY SAFETY TEAM TRANSITIONED INTO THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
AND I WANT TO THANK ISAAC, UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST FOR DIRECTING THE OFFICE UM AND THE ENTIRE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION STAFF FOR ALL THEIR DEDICATED WORK. SO I'D LIKE TO JUST REVIEW THE
FIVE PROGRAMS WITHIN THE OFFICE SO THAT EVERYONE SORT OF KNOWS THE WORK THAT'S UM, OCCURRING IN THE OFFICE AND THEN CAN CERTAINLY ASK QUESTIONS. SO WE OFFER CAPACITY BUILDING AND TRAINING THROUGH AN
INITIATIVE THAT WORKS WITH COMMUNITIES TO STRENGTHEN NEIGHBORHOODS AND PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE. WE OFFER THE UH LIFE COURSE UNIT NOW THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT IS REALLY FOCUSED ON THE
PREVENTION OF VIOLENCE. UH, THROUGH THE LIFE COURSE UNIT, WE PROVIDE INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS MOST AT RISK OF BEING VICTIMS OR PERPETRATORS OF VIOLENCE.
SO WITHIN THE LIFE FORCE UNIT THERE ARE THREE PROGRAMS UM THE SAFE AND SUCCESSFUL YOUTH INITIATIVE OR SSI HAS LONG BEEN A PART OF CORE PROGRAMING AND IN 2024 WE EXPANDED TO MEET THE
NEED FOR THOSE SERVICES TO ADDRESS UM THE CHALLENGES UNIQUE CHALLENGES FACING YOUNGER AS WELL AS OLDER UM INDIVIDUALS. AND I THINK THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU KNOW,
CLEARLY THERE'S A NEED OUTSIDE OF THE UH, SAFE AND SUCCESSFUL YOUTH INITIATIVE WHICH IS 17 TO 24. SO NOW WE HAVE THE PROMOTING POTENTIAL BOSTON PROGRAM FOR AGES 16 AND UNDER AND THE MEN'S
HEALTH INITIATIVE FOR AGES 25 AND OLDER. IN ADDITION TO. THE VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PROGRAM AND LIFE FORCE UNIT, WE ALSO HAVE THE COMMUNITY HEALING RESPONSE NETWORK.
AND SO THIS PROGRAM WAS FORMERLY THE NEIGHBORHOOD TRAUMA TEAM AT WORK. IT'S UH COALITION IF YOU WILL, OF NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL COMMUNITY HEALING RESPONSE TEAMS LED AND COORDINATED BY THE BOSTON
PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION. AND ESSENTIALLY WHAT THEY DO IS THEY PROVIDE COMMUNITY OUTREACH ENGAGEMENT, SHORT TERM CRISIS INTERVENTION WHICH MAY INCLUDE PSYCHOLOGICAL FIRST AID AND
CASE MANAGEMENT ON SITE AND YOU KNOW, SORT OF UM, VERY SOON AFTER AN EVENT UM, UH MAY HAVE OCCURRED AS WELL AS LONGER TERM BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES. SO IT REALLY IS NOT JUST
IMMEDIATE. IT REALLY IS EXPECTED TO BE A CONTINUUM THAT MEETS THE NEEDS OF FOLKS IN TRAUMA AND HEALING WELL BEYOND THE ACTUAL INCIDENT . WE ALSO HAVE THE DOMESTIC
SEXUAL AND GENDER BASED VIOLENCE PREVENTION INITIATIVE THAT I HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ON. SO I'LL WAIT FOR THE NEXT SLIDE. BUT I WILL SAY THIS IS A NEWER INITIATIVE. UM, IT'S DOING AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF WORK IN AN AREA WHERE
THERE'S GREAT NEED AS YOU ALL MAY RECOGNIZE ME UH, PARTICIPATED IN THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION DEVELOPED A CITYWIDE SUMMER SAFETY PLAN. IT WAS ANNOUNCED IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH CITY HALL AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS YESTERDAY. THE PLAN IS PRODUCED WITH A PROCESS OF DEEP COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT. IT'S REALLY PART OF THE OFFICE'S LARGER APPROACH TO
ENDING VIOLENCE IN OUR CITY IN A LONG TERM, SUSTAINABLE AND VISIONARY WAY. SO LET ME TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT. THE DEMAND THE ACCESS EXCUSE ME DOMESTIC SEXUAL AND GENDER
BASED VIOLENCE INITIATIVE. SO AS I SAID NEWER INITIATIVE LAUNCHED IN EARLY 2025. THE PURPOSE OF THE INITIATIVE IS TO BOTH PREVENT AND RESPOND TO GENDER BASED VIOLENCE REALLY
THROUGH COORDINATED EFFORTS UM OF MANY DIFFERENT PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS. THE PROGRAM IS PLAYING A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN PREPARING FOR THE INCREASED RISKS OF DOMESTIC SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND
HUMAN TRAFFICKING THAT MAY BE TIED TO LARGE SCALE EVENTS AND BROADER COMMUNITY CONDITIONS. AS WE LOOK AHEAD TO FIFA AND THE OTHER EVENTS COMING UP, ONE PRIORITY IN THAT REGARD
PREPAREDNESS IS TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF RESOURCES SO THAT SURVIVORS CAN ACCESS SUPPORT SAFELY AND YOU WILL SEE UM, ADS AND OTHER UM, YOU KNOW, UH,
COMMUNITY EDUCATION RESOURCES IN BUS SHELTERS AS WELL AS SUBWAYS AND ALL SORT OF TRANSIT HUBS AROUND THE CITY. THE PROGRAM IS ALSO FUNDING FAMILY CHILDCARE PROVIDERS TO STRENGTHEN THEIR ABILITY TO
RECOGNIZE AND RESPOND TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. IN ADDITION, THROUGH THIS. INITIATIVE WE CONDUCTED A CITYWIDE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROVIDER SURVEY OVER THE WINTER TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW THE
CURRENT IMMIGRATION CLIMATE MAY BE IMPACTING COMMUNITIES. AND SO THAT REPORT IS IS FORTHCOMING ON AT. OUR WORK IS REALLY FOCUSED ON UPSTREAM.
PREVENTION STRATEGIES AND WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH UM, YOU KNOW, VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS TO REALLY THINK IN A COMPREHENSIVE WAY ABOUT DOMESTIC SEXUAL AND GENDER BASED VIOLENCE.
SO REALLY THINKING ABOUT HOW TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO RESOURCES, THINKING ABOUT PREVENTION, THINKING ABOUT HOW TO MANAGE, YOU KNOW, TRAUMA AND REALLY I THINK. TRYING TO UNDERSTAND. WHAT IN OUR CITY NEEDS TO
HAPPEN IN A BETTER AND MORE COORDINATED WAY TO TO MANAGE THIS ISSUE. OKAY. SO I WANT TO MOVE ON TO TALK A BIT ABOUT OUR CENTER FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND.
WELLNESS AND SOME OF OUR MENTAL HEALTH. UH, RESOURCES. SO THE CENTER FOR BEHAVIORAL. HEALTH AND WELLNESS WAS UH LAUNCHED IN FCCPS A FEW YEARS AGO.
UM, REALLY USING, YOU KNOW, ARPA DOLLARS TO DO A LOT OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN FOCUSED IN ON. AND THE GOAL. WAS TO IMPROVE. RESIDENTS MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OUTCOMES.
THE FOCUS HAS. BEEN PRIMARILY YOUTH, BUT WE HAVE CERTAINLY BEEN LOOKING TO EXPAND OUR WORK AND HAVE BEEN DOING ADDITIONAL WORK IN ADULT POPULATIONS. MOST OF THIS IS DONE IN. PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION
AND A LOT OF IT IS FOCUSED IN ON WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND REALLY TRAINING UM, A WORKFORCE THAT IS RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF BOSTON RESIDENTS AND AGAIN FOCUSED IN ON YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH.
UH, THIS YEAR THE. CENTER HAS ALSO FOCUSED ON SOCIAL. >> AND. STRUCTURAL DETERMINANTS OF MENTAL HEALTH. SO ALL OF THE SORT OF NON MENTAL NOT NON-MEDICAL CONDITIONS IN WHICH WE'RE BORN
GROW, LIVE WORK AGE AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW IMPACT MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES WHAT IS IT THAT WE CAN DO ABOUT THEM TO THEN UM IMPROVE OUTCOMES PARTICULARLY FOR YOUTH BUT FOR
ALL BOSTON RESIDENTS IN REGARDS TO MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING ,IN OCTOBER OF 2025, THE CENTER CO-HOSTED THE FIRST ANNUAL SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF MENTAL HEALTH SUMMIT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY'S INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH EQUITY AND SOCIAL
JUSTICE RESEARCH. AND THE. >> GOAL THERE. IS TO MAINTAIN THIS COALITION OF PARTNERS ACROSS THE CITY WHO ARE INTERESTED IN ADDRESSING THE UM MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS THAT I THINK YOU KNOW, OUR
COUNTRY IS FACING IN A VERY HOLISTIC WAY. SO THAT'S AN ONGOING PROCESS. YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE OUR WORK. >> OF TRAUMA INFORMED SCHOOL TRANSFORMATION. WITH HEALING CENTER ENGAGEMENT. ACROSS SCHOOL SITES AND THIS
YEAR ENROLLMENT WENT TO 121 SCHOOL PERSONNEL WHO ARE PARTICIPATING IN TRAUMA INFORMED TRAINING. SO THAT'S GREAT. I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT. MORE ABOUT WORKFORCE. DEVELOPMENT IN REGARDS TO
MENTAL HEALTH. WELL ACTUALLY. THIS IS THE. COMMUNITY LED MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. I'M GOING TO COME BACK TO THAT AND LET'S SEE YEAH LET'S TALK LET'S TALK ABOUT THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH WORKFORCE EXPANSION.
SO AS I SAID ONE OF THE KEY CHALLENGES UH. IN OUR CITY IN MOST CITIES IS NOT HAVING ENOUGH BEHAVIORAL AND MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS UM, AND NOT ONLY NOT HAVING ENOUGH OF THEM FOR EVERYONE WHO NEEDS
UM. CARE AND TREATMENT. BUT NOT HAVING A WORKFORCE IS TRULY DIVERSE UM RACIALLY, ETHNICALLY AS WELL AS LINGUISTICALLY JUST UH,
CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE UM WORKFORCE. SO ONE OF OUR MAJOR GOALS. THROUGH THE CENTER IS. TO CHANGE THAT FOR THE. CITY OF BOSTON. AND AS I MENTIONED THESE. EFFORTS HAVE BEEN ARPA FUNDED.
>> SO THEY'VE BEEN INVESTMENTS THAT WE'VE. >> BEEN WORKING ON FOR THE LAST UM, COUPLE OF YEARS. BUT I DO WANT TO MENTION IT TO THIS GROUP BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE IS A UM, UH, ONGOING A LOT OF ONGOING QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS AROUND MENTAL HEALTH
AND WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? SO THE IDEA. WAS LET'S TRAIN THE. WORKFORCE, LET'S PARTNER WITH LONG TERM INSTITUTIONS WITH ARPA RESOURCES AND THEN MAINTAIN THAT WORKFORCE OVER
TIME IN VARIOUS POSITIONS AS NEEDED ACROSS OUR CITY. SO I THINK THAT WE'VE DONE. >> A GOOD JOB IN IN PUTTING TOGETHER PARTNERSHIPS ON THIS SLIDE, UH, YOU SEE. THE CUMULATIVE. IMPACT OF. >> THESE INITIATIVES. >> OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.
WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH. FRANCISCAN CHILDREN'S, UM, THE CHILDREN'S WELLNESS INITIATIVE THAT STARTED IN JUNE OF 2023. IT'S IT'S ENDING NOW BUT ESSENTIALLY TEN. AND TEN.
SCHOOLS IN THE LAST FISCAL YEAR HAVE PARTICIPATED IN PROGRAMING AND AND TRAINING AND ALL OF THIS IS SORT OF SCHOOL BASED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH WORK WITH SCHOOLS WITH SCHOOL BASED HEALTH CLINICIANS REALLY
SCALING THEM UP SO THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE SERVICES TO OUR UM TO OUR STUDENTS. AND THEY'VE SERVED. >> OVER TIME MORE THAN 300 STUDENTS TO DATE AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL CONTINUE.
WE ALSO HAVE A VERY. STRONG PARTNERSHIP WITH UMASS BOSTON, UM, WHICH WE CALL TRANSFORMING BOSTON ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH. UH. >> WE'VE TRAINED 43 MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS, 142 THERAPEUTIC MENTORS AND SEVEN
SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS ALL OF THEM ENROLLED AND SUPPORTED BY THE PROGRAM VIA STIPENDS THE HOPE BEING THAT THEY WILL STAY IN BOSTON AT VARIOUS SITES SO THAT THEIR IMPACT WILL LAST WELL BEYOND THE FUNDING.
WE ALSO HAVE 191 UMASS STUDENTS IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, UH, WHO HAVE BEEN SUPPORTED UH AND TRAINED VIA A STIPEND PROCESS. IN TOTAL MORE. >> THAN 1900 CLIENTS HAVE BEEN SERVED AND UM 1000 YOUTH AND
THAT'S BY MID OF 2026. IN ADDITION TO THESE EXTERNAL. PARTNERSHIPS, WE'VE BEEN WORKING TO ENHANCE OUR OWN SERVICES IN-HOUSE. SO WE HAVE AS I MENTIONED, THE BOSTON AREA HEALTH EDUCATION CENTER.
WITH OUR FUNDING WITH THE CENTER WE HAVE 50 SUMMER PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS UM 74 ACADEMIC YEAR PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS. CURRENTLY 124 STUDENTS ARE ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM.
THEY'RE REALLY SPENDING THEIR TIME UNDERSTANDING WHAT A MENTAL HEALTH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CAREER ACTUALLY LOOKS. LIKE AND HOPEFULLY WE'RE. GOING TO GIVE THEM A SPRINGBOARD INTO UM, STUDYING FURTHER.
YOU KNOW, IT'S ACTUALLY DEVELOPING A CAREER TRAJECTORY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WE HOPE WILL STAY IN BOSTON. AND AMAZINGLY THERE'S BEEN. >> A 100% COMPLETION RATE OF ENROLLED PARTICIPANTS. OKAY, SO LET ME TURN BACK TO
THE. COMMUNITY LED MENTAL HEALTH. CRISIS RESPONSE BECAUSE I KNOW THAT UH, CAME UP IN OUR FIRST SESSION AND I JUST WANT TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW AND REALLY AN UPDATE.
SO WE'RE MOVING AHEAD WITH. UM, A PILOT. TO IMPLEMENT A PEER LED. MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE MODEL. THE PILOT AIMS TO REDUCE. RELIANCE ON POLICE UM.
PUBLIC SAFETY. CARCERAL RESPONSE FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISES. WE'RE HOPING. >> TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR RESIDENTS WHO ARE MOST IMPACTED BY POLICING EFFORTS AND ALSO
EXPAND ACCESS TO CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE CRISIS CARE. SO THIS PILOT. >> JUST SO EVERYONE IS AWARE, IS DESIGNED TO COMPLEMENT NOT REPLACE OTHER BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND PUBLIC SAFETY EFFORTS.
THIS IS MEANT TO. ENHANCE WHAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE FOR OUR RESIDENTS. AND AS YOU HEARD UM. IN THE IN THE MEETING THIS MORNING BOSTON. EMS THERE ARE OTHER THINGS HAPPENING CERTAINLY THE BEST
TEAM OTHER APPROACHES THAT ARE THAT ARE ACTUALLY HAPPENING. BUT I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT THIS IS MEANT TO ENHANCE THE WORK. SO WE OVER. >> THE COURSE OF SEVERAL YEARS HAVE REALLY UM ENGAGED VERY
INTENSIVELY WITH. COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO DRAFT AN . RFP AND THAT RFP. WILL BE ISSUED UM. IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. IT'S IT'S SOON IT'S GOING TO
HAPPEN SOON. AND THE HOPE. >> IS THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO LAUNCH A PILOT IN FALL OF 2026 . AND THAT PILOT WILL. BECAUSE OF JUST THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE HAVE WILL UM.
EXIST AND BE. >> IMPLEMENTED WITHIN ONE NEIGHBORHOOD IN BOSTON AND THEN WE'LL SEE HOW THINGS GO EVALUATED AND POTENTIALLY LOOK AT UM, TRYING TO ALLOCATE FUNDING TO CONTINUE THAT WORK.
SO JUST TO EMPHASIZE. AGAIN, I REALLY THINK THAT THIS PILOT UM, IN THIS COMMUNITY LED MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS UM RESPONSE PROGRAM. IS THE RESULT. OF COMMUNITY UM. ENGAGEMENT. >> COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT.
IT'S I THINK INCREDIBLY RESPONSIVE TO COMMUNITY. NEEDS AND. >> WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO SEE WHAT COMES IN UM, FROM THE RFP. OKAY, SO LAST SLIDE I. KNOW I'VE HAD A LOT OH
SORRY TWO SLIDES OKAY SO LET ME TALK ABOUT INFECTIOUS DISEASES. >> WE DID. >> TALK ABOUT INFECTIOUS DISEASE A BIT EARLIER. SO I'M JUST GOING TO KIND OF GO THROUGH THIS. QUICKLY UH OBVIOUSLY AS A HEALTH DEPARTMENT WE WORK IN DISEASE SURVEILLANCE
INVESTIGATION OF CASES UM AS WELL AS UH CLUSTERS OR OUTBREAKS AND CERTAINLY WE FUND A CONTINUUM OF HIV RELATED EDUCATION AND CARE THROUGH THE RYAN WHITE HIV AIDS PROGRAM AND WE. >> DO.
A LOT OF COMMUNITY AND PROVIDER UM. EDUCATION BOTH RELATED TO HIV AND OTHER COMMUNICABLE DISEASES . THIS YEAR OUR FOCUS HAS REALLY . BEEN ON PREPAREDNESS, UM,
WORKING UH, INTERNALLY WITH OUR OFFICE OF PUBLIC HEALTH PREPAREDNESS AS WELL AS OUR COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE AND THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND WITH EMS. IT'S SORT OF. A REALLY. >> ROBUST TEAM.
WE'RE ALL FOCUSED IN ON FIFA WORLD CUP AND THE MAJOR EVENTS AND WE SPOKE EARLIER TODAY ABOUT HANTAVIRUS AND EBOLA AND HOW WE'RE PREPARING AND MAKING
SURE THAT WE'RE ON ALL OF THE YOU KNOW, CLOSED CALLS, UH, WHICH WE HAVE BEEN INVITED TO AS A MAJOR CITY. CLEARLY THERE'S NO. IMMINENT THREAT HERE IN BOSTON, YOU KNOW, AS IT STANDS.
BUT I THINK THAT ALL OF THIS REMINDS US THAT WE NEED TO BE PREPARED AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE OUR CAPACITY, UM, IS BUILT AND THAT WE. ARE WE CONTINUE TO BE A CITY THAT'S IT'S HIGHLY RESILIENT
AND YOU KNOW, CAN ADDRESS THESE NEEDS UM, IN A ROBUST WAY THAT KEEPS OUR RESIDENTS SAFE. . >> THIS YEAR WE STRENGTHENED EARLY. DETECTION OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE THREATS BY EXPANDING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL WASTEWATER PROGRAM.
WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT EARLIER. I WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF THIS INITIATIVE IN THE F Y 26 BUDGET AMENDMENT PROCESS. AGAIN. >> WASTEWATER IS AN IMPORTANT UM TOOL FOR US.
IT'S EARLY WARNING A LOT OF CITIES DON'T HAVE IT AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING FOR FLU COVID 19, MEASLES, RSV WE HAVE A WHOLE. LIST OF OTHER UM INFECTIOUS
PATHOGENS THAT WE WILL BE LOOKING FOR AS WE ENTER, YOU KNOW, FIFA WORLD CUP AND THEN INTO THE SUMMER. SO WE ARE. UM WORKING ON AND MANAGING.
CO-LEADING INCIDENT MANAGEMENT. TEAM THROUGHOUT UM THE CITY AS WELL AS WITH THE STATE AGAIN DOING UM A LOT OF PREPAREDNESS EFFORTS FOR SUMMER AND YOU KNOW
BEYOND I WOULD SAY BECAUSE ALL OF THIS IS ABOUT BEING PREPARED FOR ANYTHING THAT MAY. COME AND I THINK THAT. WE'RE I THINK WE'RE DOING A GOOD JOB IN TERMS OF PREPARING OURSELVES AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, OUR PARTNERS AND OTHER FOLKS
AROUND THE CITY TO MANAGE ANYTHING THAT MAY ARISE. UM, OVER THE PAST YEAR WE'VE CERTAINLY SEEN A NUMBER. >> OF FEDERAL ACTIONS. I MENTIONED THIS EARLIER RESTRICTING VACCINE ACCESS AND
UM, SORT OF ANTI-VAX SENTIMENT . WHAT WE'VE DONE IN. RESPONSE IS WE HAVE TRIED TO PROVIDE ACCURATE EVIDENCE BASED HEALTH INFORMATION TO BOSTON RESIDENTS. WE'VE DONE A LOT IN TERMS
OF COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA, UM ,PROVIDING MULTILINGUAL UM ADS OR UH EDUCATION RESOURCES FOR RESIDENTS WORKING EXTENSIVELY, EXTENSIVELY BOOTS ON THE GROUND WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
AND TRYING OUR BEST TO. COMBAT MISINFORMATION. IN ADDITION, WE PARTNERED WITH BP. AND WITH DCF AS WELL AS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO HOST 27 FREE VACCINE CLINICS
THROUGHOUT THE CITY. TO ENSURE. THAT RESIDENTS HAD ACCESS TO VACCINATIONS WHETHER THAT BE FOR RESPIRATORY VIRAL INFECTIONS OR CHILDHOOD VACCINES. SO WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE.
THIS WORK UM, AS LONG AS WE ARE, YOU KNOW, ABLE TO AND. WE'RE ACTUALLY JUST YOU KNOW, PLANNING FOR THE FALL, GOING BACK TO SCHOOL AND THEN INTO THE RESPIRATORY VIRAL SEASON. OKAY.
>> SO THIS IS NOW. THE REAL LAST SLIDE TO I JUST WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY INITIATIVES BUREAU. A LOT OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT PARTICULARLY AROUND LIVE ON. WELL GIVEN YOU KNOW THE
PREPONDERANCE OF CHRONIC DISEASE AS A AS A FACTOR LEADING TO PREMATURE MORTALITY IN OUR CITY. SO UM. THE COMMUNITY INITIATIVES. BUREAU WORKS TO PREVENT ILLNESS AND PROMOTE HEALTH BY WORKING. IN TANDEM. >> IN.
PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITIES FROM ENVIRONMENTAL AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH TO CRIME DISEASE. PREVENTION AND CONTROL. ON THIS SLIDE I JUST MENTIONED UM, A FEW. OF OUR PROGRAMS THAT I KNOW A
NUMBER OF YOU ALL KNOW ABOUT ALREADY BUT WE HAVE THE BREATHE EASY AT HOME PROGRAM THAT ADDRESSES ASTHMA AND UNHEALTHY HOUSING CONDITIONS ARE REALLY LOOKING AT SOCIAL AND STRUCTURAL DETERMINANTS THAT
ARE EXACERBATING ASTHMA AND SENDING PEOPLE. >> TO. EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT. HOW DO WE ADDRESS THAT? WE PARTNER WITH I ISD, WE WORK WITH RENTERS AND LANDLORDS PROVIDING FREE HOME INSPECTIONS
TO IDENTIFY PROBLEMS. WE ALSO. HAVE VERY STRONG TOBACCO. PREVENTION AND. >> CONTROL PROGRAM WHICH WORKS TO DECREASE THE IMPACT OF SMOKE, SMOKING AND VAPING. ON THE HEALTH OF BOSTON RESIDENTS. AND IN FY.
26 WE CONDUCTED 1200 MERCHANT INSPECTIONS, ISSUED 701 PERMITS AND RESOLVED 32 GENERAL TOBACCO COMPLAINTS AS WELL AS 40 SECONDHAND SMOKE COMPLAINTS.
ALSO IN FY 26 WE LAUNCHED A NEW LEARNING COLLABORATIVE AND EXPANDED TRAINING PROGRAMS FOCUSED ON NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR YOUNG CHILDREN. UM AGAIN THAT'S CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT AND IT'S WITHIN OUR LIVE LONG AND WELL AGENDA. SO UM LASTLY I WANT. >> TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT ISN'T AS EVERYTHING HAS BEEN IMPORTANT BUT I WANT TO. TALK ABOUT. >> THIS BECAUSE IT'S OF SORT OF UM URGENTLY IMPORTANT. >> IN. REGARDS TO ACCESS TO CARE.
SO AS WE. KNOW UM. THROUGH ONE. BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL. OBB THREE OR. WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT UM ,THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. IS SEEKING TO LIMIT. >> THE AVAILABILITY OF HEALTH
SERVICES FOR THOSE RESIDENTS WHO WE KNOW ARE MOST VULNERABLE . AND PARTICULARLY THROUGH. MASSHEALTH UM OR MEDICAID. IN RESPONSE. >> THE. MAYOR'S HEALTH LINE SIGNIFICANTLY EXPANDED OUTREACH AND ENROLLMENT EFFORTS,
ESPECIALLY IN LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH, HELPING. BOSTON RESIDENTS. >> TO GET HEALTH INSURANCE AND ACCESS SERVICES. THE MAYOR'S HEALTH LINE SUPPORTED THE HEALTH CONNECTOR AND MEDICAID OPEN. ENROLLMENT RECENTLY AND UH 2025
AND I THINK THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY DID ON AN EXPANDED LEVEL. UM, YOU KNOW, REALLY UH, YOU KNOW, AMPLIFIED A LOT OF THE EFFORTS THAT THEY'VE DONE IN THE PAST AND WERE VERY
SUCCESSFUL HOSTING EVENTS ACROSS ALL 23 BOSTON NEIGHBORHOODS. AND JUST AS AN FYI, WE DID SEE A 30% INCREASE IN HEALTH INSURANCE ENROLLMENTS IN FY 26
. UM, WITH UH 11 MORE THAN 1100. INDIVIDUALS UM. NEEDED NEEDING TO BE ENROLLED OR. RE-ENROLLED INTO. HEALTH INSURANCE. OKAY, SO I THINK I'M. WELL I SHOULD ALSO SAY THAT WE
PARTNERED WITH EIGHT STRONG FOR MEDICARE OPEN ENROLLMENT ALSO. SO I TALKED ABOUT MEDICAID AND MASSHEALTH BUT ALSO MEDICARE IS AN AREA OF CONCERN. SO I THINK I'M GOING TO STOP. THERE AND UM I'M HAPPY TO TAKE. >> ANY QUESTIONS.
UH OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH DOCTOR OJUKWU TOO. SO UH WE WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY I THINK COUNCILOR BREADON, COUNCILOR SANTANA, YOU KNOW, MAYBE NO MADAM PRESIDENT,
PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR SANTANA, COUNCILOR DURKAN I'M JUST GOING TO POINT, OKAY? COUNCILOR SANTANA, YOU WERE HERE FIRST. UM, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE FOLKS WHO WANT TO GIVE PUBLIC TESTIMONY. WE'RE GOING TO GO TO COUNCILOR QUESTIONS.
I'M GOING TO GIVE EACH PERSON FIVE MINUTES, WHICH IS A LITTLE LESS THAN USUAL SO WE CAN GET TO A ROUND OF PUBLIC TESTIMONY, UH, AND GIVES PEOPLE A CHANCE TO ASK QUESTIONS. SO COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE FIVE MINUTES.
THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU, DOCTOR O FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. UM, THE SCHOOL BASED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH UH, THERE ARE EIGHT CENTERS I KNOW IS IT BOSTON ACADEMY, MADISON PARK, BRIGHTON
AND THE BURKE? DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE OTHER SCHOOLS ARE? >> I DO OKAY, JUST HOLD ON ONE SECOND. I DON'T WANT TO MISSPEAK.
OKAY. SO WE HAVE NURSE PRACTITIONERS AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH UM, AT SIX. SO BOSTON LATIN. ACADEMY, BRIGHTON HOLLAND MADISON PARK NEW MISSION AND. SNOWDEN WE JUST HAVE BEHAVIORAL. HEALTH AT RUTH BATSON AND
ANOTHER COURSE TO COLLEGE. HOW DO YOU CHOOSE WHICH. SCHOOLS YOU KNOW THIS HAS BEEN ON ITS ONGOING UM. >> YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT'S NOT THAT THESE ARE THE ONLY. SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS WE JUST STAFF AND MANAGE THESE
EIGHT. AND OF COURSE. THEIR RESOURCES AND. UM. >> YOU KNOW. SCHOOLS RIGHT. LIKE EVERY HIGH SCHOOL SHOULD HAVE A SITE THAT'S RIGHT COLLEGES THAT HAS A SOCIAL WORKER. SO I WILL. >> NEED. TO FIND OUT A LITTLE BIT. >> MORE ABOUT THE. HISTORY HERE. >> AS TO.
WHY IT'S. THESE PARTICULAR. UM SCHOOLS THAT WE THAT WE MANAGE. >> YEAH I MEAN I'M HAPPY THAT THAT THEY JUST I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT TEACHERS THAT WE CAN GET TO ALL OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
UM I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT UH, SEXUAL UH AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS THAT THAT INITIATIVE IS THAT WORK? KIM? YES. IT'S OKAY. THANK YOU. UM, AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK THAT SHE'S DONE.
UH, CAN YOU, UH, SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE TO, UH, THE SURVEY THAT WAS DONE REGARDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND IMMIGRANT POPULATIONS DURING THIS TIME AND THE DATA IS FORTHCOMING, BUT WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT WILL
GLEAN FROM THAT? WELL, I THINK WE'RE ALL VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION THAT HOPEFULLY. IF WE HAVE THE FUNDING. WE CAN, YOU KNOW. ACT ON. WE ACTUALLY. >> HAVE ISAAC. JABLOW WHO IS HERE. UM, AND I'M JUST GOING TO HAVE HIM COME DOWN.
>> FOR, YOU KNOW, TO ANSWER. NUANCED QUESTIONS. >> SO. OH AS YOU CAN COME AROUND THE CITY COMING.
ISAAC BLOW EVERYONE. UH ALL. >> OF THAT CUT INTO MY TIME THOUGH. SO LIKE. I WAS GONNA SAY. I'M GONNA PUT MORE SECONDS ON THAT CLOCK. I CAN'T ADD SECONDS.
I DON'T I'M NOT THAT TECHNICAL. HELLO, DOCTOR JABLOW PLEASE. >> I WASN'T UNTIL MR OTHER. SO ABOUT THIS OVER I DON'T HAVE. THE SPECIFIC ANSWER. ABOUT THE SURVEY BUT I CAN CERTAINLY GET. >> BACK TO YOU WITH THAT ANSWER. OKAY. UM CAN YOU TELL ME UM I SINCE I
HAD READ DOCTOR JABLOW AND I HAD THIS QUESTIONS FOR YOU DOCTOR OH, OBVIOUSLY IF WE HAD MORE MONEY YOU'D LIKE WE'D BE DOING A LOT MORE THINGS BUT LIKE WHAT IS WHAT IS ON YOUR LIKE NOT IN THIS BUDGET AND I'M
NOT EVEN SAYING WHAT IS ON YOUR WISH LIST THAT WE COULD HAVE MONEY TO DO. LIKE WHAT WORK THAT IS GOING UNDERFUNDED OR UNFUNDED THAT WE NEED MORE MONEY AND MORE ATTENTION EITHER IN THE CITY OR
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUTSIDE FOLKS WHO CAN HELP US UM UH, INVEST MORE IN AN AREA. SO I. >> I'LL SAY JUST FROM MY. >> OWN EXPERIENCE MORE. >> AS A PHYSICIAN. UM, I'LL. JUST SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, AWARENESS IS A BIG ONE.
UM D STIGMATIZATION SO THAT, YOU KNOW. PEOPLE WILL TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE EXPERIENCING. I THINK THERE. >> SHOULD BE MORE. RESOURCES PLACES FOR. PEOPLE TO GO. UH. >> WHAT DO YOU MEAN? SO IF YOU EXPERIENCING. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. MORE PLACES.
>> FOR. PEOPLE TO. ACTUALLY GO. >> UM, THAT ARE SAFE AND THEN. PEOPLE CAN BRING THEIR KIDS TO. >> IF NEEDED AND YEAH, YOU KNOW PEOPLE. >> WHO CAN. NAVIGATE THEN TO ALL THE SOCIAL. DETERMINANTS TO RESETTLE. >> THEIR LIVES. YEAH. BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY PEOPLE DON'T LEAVE YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S NOTHING
FOR THEM TO GO. TO AND. >> WHO CAN HELP WITH ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND AND YOU KNOW. AND I'M NOT JUST. SAYING THIS IN A GENDER WAY GENDERED WAY BUT YOU KNOW, FOR WOMEN. FOR OTHER. FOLKS WHO ARE IN VERY.
DIFFICULT OWNERSHIPS. SO I THINK WE JUST NEED MORE. RESOURCES OVERALL A REALLY. >> PIECE OH. THAT WAS GOING TO. >> SAY ONE OF THE PIECES I THINK A GREAT PART OF. >> THIS INITIATIVE AND WHAT KIM IS DOING IS. REALLY UNDERSTANDING THE SPECIFIC NEEDS IN OUR. COMMUNITY. >> UH, IN BOSTON.
AND BRINGING THE PARTNERS TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I CAN'T. TELL YOU EVEN AS A PHYSICIAN WHO'S PRACTICED IN THIS CITY FOR 20. YEARS. >> HOW WHO ARE THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE. WHO ARE OFFERING. SERVICES, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S SOMETHING. THAT I SHOULD. >> KNOW ESPECIALLY BECAUSE I HAVE UM.
BEEN CARING PRIMARILY HONESTLY . FOR UM WOMEN WHO'VE BEEN LIVING WITH HIV WHO ARE. OFTENTIMES IN VERY. CHALLENGING CIRCUMSTANCES. SO I. >> THINK THAT. WOULD BE A GREAT THING AND TO MAKE THAT SORT OF A.
WIDESPREAD UNDERSTANDING I THINK WOULD BE GREAT. BUT I'M SURE I THINK THERE ARE OTHER THINGS. YEAH, I WOULD JUST. >> SAY PREVENTION UM I WAS GOING FURTHER UPSTREAM I THINK IN THE. CONTEXT OF THE WORK THAT KIM IS DOING, UH, WHICH IS REALLY
AMAZING WORK. UM. >> MORE INFORMATION. SHARING AND ENSURING THAT FOLKS ARE UH FOCUSING AS MUCH ON PREVENTION AS THEY ARE INTERVENTION AND RECOVERY.
THANK YOU. UM, THAT'S ALSO COMING INTO MY. >> TIME, YOU KNOW, UH. I'LL TELL THEM TO STOP. THAT. >> UM, WHEN DOCTOR OWEN YOU COULD DO YOU MENTIONED MORE LIKE UM, HOUSING IS LIKE ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES GENERALLY
FOR OUR CITY BUT ALSO WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE WHO ARE FACING INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE. I WAS JUST TALKING TO A MOM WHOSE KID GOES TO SCHOOL IN THE SOUTH END BUT BECAUSE OF A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SITUATION IS
NOW IN QUINCY AND SHE'S COMPLETELY UPROOTED FROM HER LIFE. WE HAVE WOMEN WHO DON'T LEAVE AND PEOPLE WHO DON'T LEAVE INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS THAT I WANT TO ASK YOU IN SO LITTLE TIME.
UM LIKE HOW OFTEN ARE YOU INTERACTING WITH THE HOUSING NEEDS OF THOSE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE? WELL, I WOULD LIKE YOU. TO TALK IN TERMS OF THE PROGRAM. LIKE IS KIM.
PARTNERING YOU? YEAH. >> SO I ACTUALLY HAD A REALLY GOOD CONVERSATION AND THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. REALLY GOOD QUESTION. I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH KIM ABOUT THIS YESTERDAY AND JUST MAKING THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS SERVING
INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC SEXUAL OR GENDER BASED VIOLENCE IN THE REAL TIME VERSUS AN ORGANIZATION THAT HAS THE. CAPACITY IN THEIR TRAUMA INFORMED IN THEIR APPROACH TO
SERVING PEOPLE BROADLY AND THEY HAVE THE CAPACITY ALSO. UM, SO WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS WE'RE WORKING TO ESTABLISH A DIRECT SERVICES ARM ,UH, OF THE DSG INITIATIVE
THAT WILL ENABLE US WITH THE CAPACITY TO ESSENTIALLY WORK DIRECTLY WITH COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE THAT SKILL SET. UM, WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE UH, THE
OFFICE OF HOUSING STABILITY. IT'S NOT NECESSARILY, UH, CONNECTED TO EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW. BUT UM, DANIELLE IS SOMEONE THAT I WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH AND WHEN WHEN APPLICABLE WE WE TAP INTO HOUSING STABILITY AS
WELL. THANK YOU. AND ONE MORE QUESTION. UH THANK YOU. UM, I JUST WANT TO ALSO DOCTOR ,I THINK THE NEIGHBORHOOD TRAUMA TEAM LAST YEAR MY OFFICE IS DEALING WITH A NUMBER OF UNFORTUNATE YOUNG DEATHS
AFTER DEATH IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD TRAUMA TEAM JUST SHOWED UP IN WAYS NOT NOT ALWAYS ONES THAT INVOLVED GUN VIOLENCE. UM, AND SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOUR TEAM FOR FOR THE WAY THAT THEY SHOWED UP. UM, DEFINITELY. THANK YOU. >> YEAH. AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE
PEACE OFFICERS IN THE HOUSE. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE. >> WORK THAT YOU DO. INTERRUPTING, UM, VIOLENCE TO BRING PEACE ACROSS OUR CITY. MY LAST QUESTION I'M SURE MY MY COLLEAGUES ASKED ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH BUT THE BUDGET BOOK DESCRIBES THE COMMUNITY BASED
VIOLENCE INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION INITIATIVE AS WORKING WITH RETURNING CITIZENS IN OFFICE. WELL, RETURNING TO THE UM FOLKS RETURNING HOME FROM INCARCERATION UM AND HEALING SERVICES IN PRISON AND IN THE
COMMUNITY. UM, HOW IS THAT WORKING WITH THE OFFICE OF RETURNING CITIZENS TO WORK WITH THOSE WHO ARE COMING HOME? YOU KNOW, SO. WE HAVE WE HAVE AN ALMOST
IDENTICAL POPULATION. I MEAN IT IS AN IDENTICAL POPULATION. OUR OFFICE IS PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON INDIVIDUALS THAT, UH, HAVE BEEN CONNECTED TO VIOLENCE IN THE PAST. WALK TAKES KIND OF LIKE A BROAD
STROKE AND I WORK WITH ANYONE THAT IS RETURNING HOME. UH, THERE ARE INDIVIDUAL SITUATIONS AND CASES THAT WE COLLABORATE ON. UM, I DON'T REALLY WANT TO GET
INTO THE SPECIFICS BUT WE DO HAVE A AN ACTIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIP EVEN MORE SO UH UH ,CONSIDERING THE BUDGET SITUATION UM AND THEN BUT MORE
BROADLY I WOULD REFERENCE THE LIFE COURSE UNIT AS WELL. SO WITH CVP WE WORK DIRECTLY WITH. THE TRANSFORMATIONAL PRISON PROJECT AND THEN WE ARE BETTER TOGETHER.
THOSE ARE THE CONTRACTED PARTNERS ON THAT SPECIFIC INITIATIVE. BUT THEN EVEN MORE BROADLY OUR LIFE COURSE UNIT LED BY ROY MARTIN UM THEY ARE RECENTLY AS OF I BELIEVE MARCH OR APRIL
OF THIS YEAR OFFICIALLY A COMMUNITY PARTNER OF THE MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS. >> WHICH ONE BE. OH NO NO NO THIS IS INTERNALLY THIS IS THE LIFE COURSE UNIT LED BY ROY MARTIN. SO WE'RE AN OFFICIAL PARTNER OF THE MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT
OF CORRECTIONS. AND SO NOW UH, IN ADDITION TO HAVING A CASELOAD OF INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ON THE STREET, WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE CURRENTLY HOUSED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF. CORRECTIONS AS WELL. THANK YOU, DOCTOR KAPLAN. THANK YOU.
UH, MR CHAIR, I WANT TO SUPPORT AND UPLIFT THE QUESTIONS. I KNOW, UH, COUNSELOR CULPEPER IS GOING TO ASK AROUND MENTAL HEALTH. IN UH NUBIAN. SQUARE AND SUPPORT NATION. I WANT TO THANK THOSE WHO HAVE COME OUT FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.
YEAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SORRY TO TO EVERYONE WHO'S HERE. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CAN HEAR THE THE THE THE QUESTIONS AND THE ANSWERS AND THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY SO WE'LL CONTINUE MY
SENSE IS THAT THE LOUDEST PART MAY BE OVER FROM THE CELEBRATION BUT IF IT STARTS UP AGAIN WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A BRIEF RECESS BECAUSE I MEAN HONESTLY I WANT TO HEAR THE CONVERSATIONS UH, AND TRY TO
FIGURE OUT A BETTER WAY TO DO THIS. BUT UM, LET'S JUST HEAD RIGHT NOW. FIVE MINUTES, COUNSELOR FITZGERALD. THANK YOU. UM, THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR
BEING HERE AGAIN I WELCOME DONE . UM, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH PILOT FOR A SECOND. A COUPLE WEEKS AGO I HAD A CHANCE TO TO, UH, SIT DOWN WITH THE BOSTON PEOPLE'S RESPONSE
AND HEAR ABOUT THAT. AND IT SEEMS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING, UH, IN RFP. AND SO I KNOW IN TALKING TO THEM THEY WE NEEDED UH AND A LOT OF THE THINGS ALIGN WITH SORT OF WHAT YOU KNOW, SOME
OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE SIMILARITIES OF HOW TO APPROACH THESE ISSUES AND HOW THEY ALIGN WITH WHAT WE DO. UM, EXCEPT YOU KNOW, I THINK MINE SORT OF BRINGS IN LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND THERE'S JUST TRYING TO SAY WITHOUT IT UM, I KNOW THEY SAID THEY NEED $4 MILLION I BELIEVE IF I WAS CORRECT IF I'M IF I REMEMBER THAT RIGHT. RIGHT FOR NO UM HOW MUCH IS
THIS MENTAL HEALTH PILOT HOW MUCH ARE WE FUNDING FOR THIS TO DO? HOW MUCH DOES THAT COST US? IT'S 1.7 MILLION 1.7. GOTCHA. >> AND IN WHICH DO WE KNOW WHICH NEIGHBORHOOD YOU SAID WE'RE GOING TO KNOW? YOU KNOW IT'S REALLY GOING TO
DEPEND ON WHO APPLIES THROUGH THE RFP. GOTCHA GOTCHA OKAY. THE RFP ITSELF THOUGH IS TARGETED. TOWARDS DORCHESTER MATTAPAN ROXBURY. YEP. >> ALL RIGHT. GREAT.
UM, ONE THING I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THEM ABOUT IS THE SAFETY ASPECT OF THAT UM, AND SENDING PEOPLE OUT WITHOUT ANY OF THE PROPERTIES SECURITY AND PUTTING THOSE THAT ARE
GOING ANY CLINICIANS GOING OUT HOW SOMETIMES THESE THINGS CAN TURN VIOLENT AND NOT HAVING THE PROPER PROTECTION WITH YOU. UM, AND YOU KNOW, I THINK ABOUT THE UH MOST RECENT ONE WAS UM
AT NORTHEASTERN WHERE THE MAN WAS STRUCK WITH THE SWORD. RIGHT. AND SO UH, THERE WAS A CLINICIAN THERE BUT OBVIOUSLY WASN'T THAT RIGHT? SO IT WAS LIKE THERE ARE THESE MOMENTS THAT DO ARISE WHERE IT'S YOU KNOW, I JUST TOLD THEM
I WANT YOU GUYS TO THINK SERIOUSLY ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT WERE THAT YOU WOULD PUT OUT THERE TO BE SAFE BECAUSE THEY'RE THEY'RE GOING TO BE SOME SITUATIONS THAT MIGHT NOT BE AND YOU COULD BE TRAINED IN THE CLINICAL PART BUT NOT IN
THE SAFETY PART. HOW ARE WE GOING TO UM I MEAN HOW WILL. >> THEY KNOW WHICH. SITUATION THEY'RE GOING TO IN IF THEY'RE NOT IT WILL BE DANGEROUS BECAUSE I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE NO ONE GETS HURT. ABSOLUTELY. >> I THINK WE'RE ALL. WANTING THE.
UTMOST, YOU KNOW. SAFE APPROACHES. TO BE IMPLEMENTED. I THINK MY CONCERN IS. SIMILAR TO YOURS. I WOULD SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT PEOPLE WERE
GOING TO PROPOSE, YOU KNOW, IN THIS RFP. OUR HOPE IS THAT IT. WOULD INCLUDE. YOU KNOW. TRIAGE, APPROPRIATE. TRIAGE OF CIRCUMSTANCES AND SOME ASPECT OF IT.
WOULD INVOLVE ESCALATION TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND SOME CONTACT, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT BE BY PHONE, UM, TO UH SOMEBODY IN PUBLIC SAFETY, SOMEBODY WHO HAS
THOSE SORT OF SKILL SETS AS OPPOSED TO GOING AT EVERY SITUATION UM, AS A PEER LED NON PUBLIC SAFETY INVOLVED APPROACH . UM THAT'S HOW I WOULD LOOK AT
IT AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE MAY BE UM CHALLENGES TO THAT BUT I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THESE PROPOSALS VERY CAREFULLY AND UM YOU KNOW FIND WHAT WE THINK IS YOU KNOW, GOING. >> TO MEET THE NEEDS.
AND IS ALSO GOING TO BE SAFEST. GREAT. >> THANK YOU. I LOOK FOR THAT AND I LOOK FOR IT IN THE RFP GOES OUT IT'S OUT. YOU KNOW IT'S NOT OUT YET OKAY IT WILL BE OUT SOON. WE'LL BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND. THANK YOU. UH I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT WITHIN UH IMPLEMENTED HOPEFULLY
IN THE FALL. >> YES YES, ABSOLUTELY. GOTCHA. UM UH. I THINK NOW THAT YOU'RE DOWN HERE I JUST WANTED TO TALK ABOUT VIOLENCE PREVENTION BECAUSE, UH, LATELY IN PARTS
OF MY DISTRICT IF NOT DIRECTLY ABUTTING MY DISTRICT, UM, THERE'S BEEN AN UPTICK IN SOME. SOME ISSUES, RIGHT. UH, SO. UH. >> I THINK WHAT PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW IS THAT DOES THAT IS THAT PREDICTIVE. OF THE. >> REST OF THIS SUMMER AND I
HOPE NOT. AND WHAT ARE WE TAKING FROM THIS RECENT SPAT AND SORT OF THROUGH THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION? UH, BOTH AT THE BUS PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION AND YOURSELF . HOW ARE YOU GUYS WORKING
TOGETHER FROM WHAT WE'VE SEEN, WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT THAT HAS WORKED VERY WELL, UH, TO WHEN WE GET THIS LITTLE UPTICK IN ISSUES AND HOW WE ADAPT TO CHANGE THAT AND IF WE LEARNED
ANYTHING FROM THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS OF WHAT WE SAW AND DO WE FEEL CONFIDENT GOING INTO THE SUMMER? YES. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT QUESTION. SO UH, I ACTUALLY JUST LEFT UH, A WEEKLY FORUM UH, THAT I
COORDINATE THAT'S FOCUSED ON UH A REVIEW OF INCIDENTS OF COMMUNITY VIOLENCE. UH. YESTERDAY WE DID. >> A PRESS CONFERENCE. WE ARE STILL, UH, DOWN BOTH IN TOTAL NUMBER OF SHOOTINGS
VICTIMS HOMICIDES BOTH COMPARED TO LAST YEAR AND COMPARED TO THE FIVE YEAR AVERAGE. UH, I DID SPEAK TO COMMISSIONER COX, UH, ABOUT ANY RELEVANT TRENDS THAT WE NEED TO BE FOCUSED ON. HE DID SAY TO ME IT WAS A BAD
WEEK. UM, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THIS THIS PAST WEEK WAS OR THE WEEK BEFORE WAS UH, ANYTHING UH TO SAY MORE BROADLY ABOUT UH
CERTAINLY NOT THE SUMMER BUT UM ABOUT ANY MACRO LEVEL CHANGES THAT WE SHOULD MAKE. UM, OUR STRATEGY IS IS WORKING CERTAINLY DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS WE HAVE TO PRIORITIZE
UH, BEING. >> MORE EVEN MORE STRATEGIZE SAY, DURING. THAN DURING WINTER MONTHS WHEN EVERYONE'S ON THE INSIDE BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE ARE OUTSIDE . WE KNOW THAT, UH, BETWEEN 10 TO
2 A.M. BETWEEN UH, FRIDAY AND TUESDAY MORNING, UH, THAT'S WHEN MOST OF THE VIOLENCE OCCURS. AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE CHANNELING MOST OF OUR ACTIVITY. FOR EXAMPLE, THIS WEEKEND MY
ENTIRE UH WELL THE ENTIRE OFFICE IS ALWAYS ON POINT WITH THIS BUT PARTICULARLY THE LIFE COURSE, YOU KNOW, AND THEN THE COMMUNITY HEALING RESPONSE NETWORK, UH, ARE PREPARED TO RESPOND AS MEMORIAL DAY HAS
SEEN INCIDENTS OF VIOLENCE UH, IN THE PAST UM BUT I AM CONFIDENT UM, BOTH IN THE PREVENTATIVE WORK. THAT WE ARE DOING BUT THEN. ALSO THE INTERVENTION AND RESPONSE WORK. UM, I WANT TO. GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR
PARTNERS. >> THAT ARE IN THE CROWD THE PEACE INSTITUTE THAT ARE UH, DOING AMAZING WORK IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS WELL AS OTHER PARTNERS. UH, BUT YEAH, I AM VERY CONFIDENT AS WE ENTER THE SUMMER. GREAT. >> THANK YOU. AND I KNOW THAT MEANS MY TIME AND THANK YOU FOR SHOUTING THEM OUT.
I WAS ABOUT TO DO THE SAME. I ALWAYS LIKE TO HAVE THEM IN THE ROOM. UM, I DO HAVE A TRAUMA RESPONSE QUESTION BUT UM, I DO SAY MY TIME IS UP. THANK YOU JIM OKAY. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR CULPEPPER . >> YOU'RE UP. WE'RE DOING FINE. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. FIRST ROUND.
GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN, DOCTOR. OH, AND CHRIS AND ISAAC, I WANT TO JUST TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT THE, UH, THE COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH
RESPONSE PILOT. SO ARE WE LOOKING FOR THE COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH UH, AGENCIES TO RESPOND TO THIS AND ARE WE LOOKING FOR THEM TO
HOW'S THE PROGRAM WITHIN LIKE WITH THIS SWEET HEALTH CENTER? SO WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT. I THINK WE ARE OPEN TO OPTIONS. I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO KEEP
OPTIONS OPEN BECAUSE I THINK THERE MAY BE SOME STRATEGIES WHERE HOUSING IT IN A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT PLACES MIGHT BE USEFUL. UM THE RFP WAS WRITTEN WITH
SOME FLEXIBILITY AROUND UH SOME. >> OF THIS WORK. SO I THINK THAT THERE ARE THERE ARE OPTIONS OPEN. IS THAT 1.7 MILLION FOR JUST THE FIRST YEAR? NO IT'S 1.7 MILLION. >> FOR 22 MONTHS.
FOR 22 MONTHS YES. AND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THIS MODEL THIS PILOT PROGRAM, UM WE
LOOK AT COMMUNITY OVERSIGHT AND THE DIFFERENT UM UH IMPACTS HOW DO WE ANTICIPATE UH, THIS WOULD ACTUALLY SERVICE THE COMMUNITY?
WOULD IT BE SET UP LIKE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WHERE THEY WOULD GET CALLS TO A DISPATCHER AND THE DISPATCHER WOULD THEN SEND THEM SOMEPLACE OR
RECOMMEND SOMEPLACE? HOW ARE YOU THINKING THAT? SO I THINK THAT THERE WOULD BE. UM A. TRIAGE PROCESS. SO THAT WOULD INVOLVE A CALL AND WE HAD BEEN SPEAKING WITH
UM ISAAC'S TEAM JUST BECAUSE OF YOU KNOW, THEY WORK ON. >> A SYSTEM VERY SIMILAR. >> TO THAT WHERE THEY ARE NOTIFIED, YOU KNOW, THEIR SHOTS FIRED OR PENETRATED TRAUMA. THEREFORE THIS IS THE PATHWAY YOU'RE GOING TO GO DOWN AND
PEOPLE ARE DEPLOYED. IT'S QUITE POSSIBLE THAT THAT IS THE WAY THAT IT IT'S GOING TO GO. WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY SCRIPTING PRE RFP IT'S ALL THE DETAILS WE
WANT TO SEE WHAT PEOPLE WILL COME UP WITH THERE OTHER YOU KNOW EXAMPLES IN OTHER CITIES. BUT THERE WILL BE A COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD THAT WILL YOU
KNOW LOOK AT THIS AND HAVE YOU KNOW A VALUATION YOU KNOW, SOME ROLE IN THAT THAT PROCESS SO THAT IT STAYS IN LINE WITH WHAT THE ORIGINAL THINKING WAS. >> AND THE BOARD WILL CONSIST
OF PREDOMINANTLY UH, COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH EXPERTS. I THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO, YOU KNOW, HAVE BEEN
ENGAGED AND INTERESTED IN THIS AND, YOU KNOW, INVOLVE PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE AND CERTAINLY I THINK IT'S THERE'S NO REASON, YOU KNOW, NOT TO INVOLVE PEOPLE WITH, YOU KNOW, MENTAL HEALTH EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
EXPERIENCE IN THE. BOARD BUT THAT HASN'T BEEN SCRIPTED. SO THE PILOT IS SEPARATE. THE BOARD WOULD OVERSEE THE PILOT AND THE BOARD WOULD BE SET UP BY YOUR OFFICE OR BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
UM, HOW WOULD THAT WORK? THE ACTUAL BOARD THAT WILL OVER THERE WILL HAVE OVERSIGHT, RIGHT? SO WE AS THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL. BE I DON'T NECESSARILY USE THE WORD OVERSIGHT PER SE.
I MEAN WE WILL BE MANAGING THE CONTRACT WITH THESE WITH THIS GROUP WHOEVER IS THAT SORT OF WINS THE THE RFP WINS THE BID FOR THIS AND WE WILL BE
MONITORING IT OVER TIME AND HAVE EVALUATION PROCEDURES IN PLACE. BUT I THINK PARTICULARLY. GIVEN HOW COMMUNITY ENGAGED THIS PROCESS IS, IT WOULD BEHOOVE US TO HAVE A COMMUNITY
ADVISORY BOARD AND THAT'S HOW THIS IS DESIGNED. SO THE WHO. >> WOULD SET IT UP WHO WOULD SET IT. >> UP, WE WOULD SET UP THE COMMUNITY. >> AND YOU WOULD MAKE THE APPOINTMENTS TO THE BOARD AND THAT COUNCIL YOU GIVE US 1 OR 2 APPOINTMENTS TO THE BOARD. UM YEAH.
WELL I THINK I THINK WE SHOULD DISCUSS. ALL OF THAT. I I'M REALLY YOU KNOW, WE'RE AT. THE STAGE WHERE IT'S TAKEN US A LONG TIME TO GET. HERE AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS, A LOT OF CONCERNS. I THINK WE'VE ADDRESSED A LOT. WE'RE AT THE POINT WE HAVE THIS
RFP. I THINK. >> THE DETAILS. WE NEED TO WORK OUT OKAY. OKAY THEN YOU KNOW WE'VE GOT THAT HERE IN ORDER AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THAT HEARING DONE SOON.
SO YES, WE CAN DISCUSS SOME OTHER UH. AND THEN SOME OF THE. CONCERNS AT THE HEARING I DID WANT TO UH GOOD TO SEE ISAAC WORKING WITH YOU. HE'S IN YOUR OFFICE. OH. >> ISAAC REPORTS. YEAH.
>> YEAH, YEAH. THE DOCTOR 000. GREAT COMPLIMENT TO YOUR OFFICE . OH, ABSOLUTELY. WE WORK. YEAH. SO I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU. YES, SIR. YOU KNOW. >> WHAT I'M GONNA ASK YOU ABOUT SUMMER PREPARATION FOR YOUTH
VIOLENCE. WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW TO GET PREPARED FOR THE SUMMER? A TON OF DIFFERENT THINGS. SO, UM, LET ME START BY SAYING A. >> LOT OF THE WORK.
THAT WE'RE CONNECTED TO. AS IT. >> RELATES TO YOUTH EMPLOYMENT. I'LL START THERE. UH, IS RUN THROUGH OUR PARTNERS THAT WHY ARE YOU BOSTON AND SO UH, RECENTLY WE PARTNER WITH
THEM TO STRENGTHEN THEIR CAPACITY TO EMPLOY AND REMEMBER, UH, THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT I'M FOCUSED ON I MEAN, I YOU KNOW, I PRIORITIZE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE BUT PARTICULARLY YOUNG PEOPLE THAT HAVE INTIMATE
CONTACT WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, THOSE THAT ARE, UH, SURVIVORS OF COMMUNITY VIOLENCE DIRECTLY, THOSE THAT COME FROM FAMILIES WHERE COMMUNITY VIOLENCE HAS BEEN PRESENT, UH, AND THOSE THAT
HAVE FAMILIAL TIES TO COMMUNITY VIOLENCE AND OR GROUP RELATED VIOLENCE IN THE CITY. AND SO. OUR APPROACH, UH, IS TO PRIORITIZE EMPLOYMENT FOR THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE BETWEEN THE AGES
OF 14 TO 24. SO WORKING DIRECTLY WITH WIU UM ,SO THERE'S THAT AND THEN ANOTHER. LARGE THING THAT WE'RE PRIORITIZING. UH, IS SPACE ACTIVATION UH,
BOTH ONE TO PREVENT VIOLENCE AND TO RECLAIM SPACE WITHIN COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED VIOLENCE BUT ALSO TO DESTIGMATIZE UH, ANY NEGATIVE UH, THOUGHTS THAT
FOLKS MIGHT HAVE CONNECTED TO CERTAIN SPACES. AND SO A LOT OF THE SPACES THAT WE'RE GOING TO PRIORITIZE AS WE. >> HAVE. BEEN PRIORITIZING, UH, ARE THE SPACES WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE KNOWN TO CONGREGATE.
UH, WE ACTUALLY JUST GOT, UH, CONTACTED AND COUNCILOR FITZGERALD THEY'LL KEEP YOU IN THE LOOP ABOUT THIS, BUT, UH, WE JUST GOT CONTACTED BY SOUTH BAY, UH, TO DO A SPACE ACTIVATION OF THAT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE DOWN THERE.
UH, HARAMBEE PARK IS CERTAINLY A PLACE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE. IN SOUTH BAY ONE MORE TIME WITHIN SOUTH BAY. YEAH. >> YES. THAT'S A GREAT PLACE TO START. YEAH. NO THAT'S A GREAT PLACE TO START WITH. OF COURSE YEAH.
SO WITHIN SOUTH BAY MOSTLY PARK WITHIN YOUR DISTRICT CERTAINLY MADISON PARK FIELDS UH THE NUBIAN SQUARE AREA PARTS OF GROVE HALL. SO UH PARTICULARLY THE CRAWFORD PARK AREA OF THE SUMMER. YEAH. WASHINGTON PARK AS WELL.
YEAH. OKAY. >> AND WE'LL PICK THAT UP. UH, PICK THAT CONVERSATION PLATE. I WANT TO TALK MORE ABOUT THAT. SURE. THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. THE SPACE SHE SAYS IT'S IT'S ASKING OKAY. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR CULPEPPER . >> WELL, WE'LL WE'LL HAVE A
SECOND ROUND. WE JUST WANT TO GET TO, UH, PUBLIC TESTIMONY. NO PROBLEM. UM, COUNCILOR DURKAN, UH, FIVE MINUTES. THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR. UM, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, DOCTOR JAKKU TO, UM, EVERYTHING
THAT YOU REPRESENT AND EVERYTHING THEY WERE DOING AT THE CITY IS THE BRIGHT SPOT OF WHAT WE COULD BE DOING. EVEN THE PARTS THAT FEEL NOT SO POSITIVE ARE ONES WHERE WE'RE
TRYING TO MEET THAT CHALLENGE. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND UM ,I'VE NEVER PERSONALLY APOLOGIZE TO A CHIEF FOR MISSING A HEARING, BUT I'M REALLY SORRY FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO JOIN THIS MORNING BECAUSE I
JUST EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO I JUST REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND THE WORK THAT'S REPRESENTED BY YOUR ENTIRE CABINET. UM, SO, UH, ONE THING THAT'S
VERY PERSONAL TO ME AND PERSONAL TO A LOT OF FOLKS IN THE CITY IS THE WORK TO CURB UM ,CARDIOMETABOLIC DISEASES AND PREVENTABLE CANCERS. UM, AND I KNOW THROUGH THE LIVE
LONG WELL AGENDA AND THE CATALYST PROGRAM THERE IS SUCH GREAT WORK GOING ON. UM, I WANT TO THANK THE PATRIOTS HEALTH EQUITY FOUNDATION FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THEY DO. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A $5
MILLION INSTALLMENT THAT IS SCHEDULED FOR 2028 FOCUSED ON DORCHESTER, ROXBURY AND MATTAPAN. UM I'M CURIOUS I KNOW THAT THERE ARE UM THEY FILE A 990 WHICH IS WHAT PRIVATE YOU KNOW,
FOUNDATIONS AND THAT THAT MEANS THAT 5% OF THEIR ASSET VALUE NEEDS TO GO TO GRANTS AND CHARITABLE OPERATIONS EVERY YEAR. SO THAT'S GIVEN THEIR ASSETS THAT'S $4.5 MILLION A YEAR.
UM, GIVEN THAT I KNOW THEY HAD A GREAT $10 MILLION COMMITMENT TO THE CITY. UM, I'M CURIOUS YOUR UH, CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM AND I THEY'RE FUNDING GREAT WORK.
UM, IN BROCKTON THEY'RE WORKING ON, UM, IN A LOT IN EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS. UM, I'M JUST CURIOUS SORT OF WHAT THE CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEEN ABOUT EVEN EXPANDING THOSE
PROGRAMS BECAUSE I THINK THE MORE RESOURCES WE HAVE ACCESS TO, THE MORE THAT WE CAN UH, DO EVERYTHING UM, TO CURB THE THREE MAIN REASONS WHY PEOPLE
PREVENTABLE DEATHS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON WHICH ARE HEART DISEASE, CANCER AND OVERDOSES. SO THANK YOU, COUNCILOR DURKAN. UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE A LOT OF THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING AND THE SUPPORT THAT YOU'VE
GIVEN TO PUBLIC HEALTH. I WANT TO JUST START BY THANKING UM, ALL OF THE STAFF AT THE HOSPITAL, THE HEALTH COMMISSION WE HAVE MORE THAN 1400 PEOPLE YOU MET OBVIOUSLY LOTS OF EFFORT. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THEM. RIGHT. >> AND WE HAD.
>> LOTS OF EMS FOLKS HERE THIS MORNING AND BUT ACROSS ALL OF OUR BUREAUS WE HAVE SOME. WONDERFUL UM VERY DEDICATED INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DOING THIS WORK. SO WITH LIVE. LONG AND WELL. >> WE. HAVE A FULL. >> $10 MILLION COMMITMENT. 5 MILLION HAS BEEN ALLOCATED
YOU KNOW, IF YOU WILL TO THESE FOUR. CATALYST AWARD WINNERS. THEY JUST FINISHED THEIR. YEAR OF. UM SORT OF PLANNING FOR THEIR. PROJECTS AND MOST OF THEIR. WORK IS IN DORCHESTER, ROXBURY. AND MATTAPAN.
SO AS YOU. SAID, THERE'S ANOTHER 5. >> MILLION ON THE TABLE FOR 2028. UM. IN TERMS OF ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL. MONEY, YOU KNOW, I HAVE. HAD TALKS. >> AND I PRESENTED TO THE BOARD
AND I THINK THEY'RE. VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING. UM, JUST SO YOU'RE AWARE WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING THIS WORK ON A NATIONAL LEVEL. SO WE HAVE A PROJECT CALLED CITIES LEAD WHERE WE'RE TAKING
OUR WORK HERE IN BOSTON AND WE'RE HELPING OTHER PEOPLE TO DESIGN UM, REALLY COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMS FOR CITIES. SO IT'S FOR THE UM 15 LARGEST CITIES IN THE US WHICH I THINK
IS REALLY GREAT. WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT WELL, YOU KNOW, IF THIS WORKS OUT CAN WE . YOU KNOW, UM. INCREASE THE YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE RECEIVE AND I JUST DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE THERE YET.
THEY WANT TO SEE HOW. WELL THINGS GO WITH THIS FIRST 5 MILLION. AND EVEN THE SECOND AND. THEN WE CAN ASK FOR MORE. >> BUT I HEAR EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING THERE. ARE. >> YOU KNOW, OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO LOOK FOR FUNDING AND WE'RE CERTAINLY PURSUING IT. ABSOLUTELY. >> AND I THINK THE HEALTH
OF THE GREATER BOSTON AREA IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO THE CITY OF BOSTON. UM, THIS IS REALLY A REGIONAL APPROACH AND I WANT TO THANK ADRIAN HEALTH EQUITY FOUNDATION FOR THEIR WORK, UM, AND ENCOURAGE THEIR PARTNERSHIP AT
EVERY POINT AND GRATEFUL FOR ALL THAT THEY DO. UM, AND SO UM, OBVIOUSLY WE JUST COMMITTED UH, BRAND NEW CANCER HOSPITAL AT ONE JOSLIN
PLACE IN UM IN THE FENWAY AND I'M CURIOUS HOW YOU THINK ABOUT THE DETERMINATION OF NEED FUNDING AND HOW WE CAN PARTNER WITH YOU KNOW, THAT STATE REQUIREMENT UM, THERE'S GOING TO BE OVER $20 MILLION
AVAILABLE, UM, TO YOU KNOW, FOR A LOT OF THINGS FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, UH, FOR HEALTH CARE. UM, HOW CAN WE AS A CITY THINK STRATEGICALLY ABOUT HOW TO
SOLVE THESE PREVENTABLE DEATH OUTCOMES AS WE'RE WE MIGHT NOT HAVE, YOU KNOW, 100% OF THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE AT OUR DISPOSAL, BUT THOSE FUNDS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OF THE DAY.
SO HOW DO YOU HOW ARE YOU? ABSOLUTELY I THINK I THINK A BIG PART OF LIVE LONG AS WELL AS PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION. SO WE'VE HAD A LONG STANDING PARTNERSHIP WITH DANA-FARBER. I MEAN. >> YOU KNOW REALLY DECADES
OF THEIR INVESTING IN BOTH CANCER PREVENTION SCREENING AND DIAGNOSIS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON . THEY'VE ALSO BEEN A. PART OF. >> YOU KNOW, OUR HOUSING ACQUISITION FUND AND. ALL YOU. KNOW, MANY. OTHER UM, UH, REALLY IMPORTANT
INITIATIVES INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, THE. FIREFIGHTERS CANCER SCREENING MOST RECENTLY THAT YOU SPONSORED AND UH, JUST. >> A LOT. >> OF WORK. >> THAT THEY'RE DOING. >> IT'S I BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE JUST A VERY STRONG ANCHOR. MISSION. >> YOU KNOW, THEY REALLY ARE. INVESTED IN SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
SO I I THINK THE WAY THAT WE'RE APPROACHING THIS IS YOU KNOW, WE'RE BUILDING AND STRENGTHENING OUR PARTNERSHIPS . SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WORKING WITH THEM TO HOPEFULLY INVEST COLLABORATIVELY. SO IT'S NOT JUST DANA-FARBER
BUT IT'S ALSO MAYBE MGP OR THEY'RE WE'RE WORKING WITH THE ATREUS FOUNDATION OR WE'RE LOOKING AT OTHER FOUNDATIONS TO UH SORT OF POOL OUR MONEY TO MOVE THINGS FORWARD. AND JUST SO YOU'RE AWARE,
DANA-FARBER JUST RECENTLY UM, ALLOCATED $1 MILLION FOR US TO FOCUS SPECIFICALLY ON COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND CANCER SCREENING. SO THEY'RE DOING THE WORK WE'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, ENHANCE THE WORK BY I GUESS CATALYZING
OTHER PEOPLE TO COME TO THE TABLE, WHICH IS I THINK THE PURPOSE OF DESIGNING. A PROGRAM. >> LIKE LIVE LONG. >> AND. WELL, ABSOLUTELY. AND I JUST WANT TO GET THIS QUESTION ON THE RECORD IF IT'S POSSIBLE. CHAIR UM, I'VE BEEN OUT WITH
MARIANNE PONTI AND AND UM JUST UNDERSTANDING SORT OF LIKE THE STREET OUTREACH WORK THAT IS GOING ON. ONE THING THAT'S COME TO MY ATTENTION IS JUST HOW LITTLE FOLKS ARE PAID TO GO OUT AND DO
SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT WORK IN THE CITY. SO I KNOW WHILE YOU'RE NOT INVOLVED IN THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING WORK THAT WILL GO ON, I JUST WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR STREET OUTREACH WORKERS TO MAKE MORE BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY EVERY
SINGLE ISSUE THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH IN THE CITY OF BOSTON THAT WE'RE PAYING OTHERS A LOT OF MONEY TO ALSO DEAL WITH. ON THE FLIP SIDE, WE'RE NOT DEALING WITH AT THE ROOT UH OR WE'RE NOT WE'RE NOT VALUING
THAT WORK WITH ACTUAL DOLLARS. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT MY ADVOCACY IS THAT STREET OUTREACH WORKERS SHOULD MAKE MORE MONEY AND I MEAN, HOW DO WE KEEP PEOPLE AND JOBS THAT ARE INCREDIBLY MEANINGFUL BUT
BUT REALLY PUSH THEIR FAMILY TO THE BRINK IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY'RE ABLE TO AFFORD AND AND HOW LONG YOU'RE ABLE TO STAY IN A CAREER THAT IS SO MEANINGFUL. UM, SO THANK YOU FOR AND I KNOW YOU WILL ADVOCATE ON THEIR BEHALF AS WELL, BUT I JUST
WANTED TO PUT THAT INTO THE RECORD. THANK YOU CHAIR OKAY. THANK YOU OKAY. UH SO I'VE GOT A COUPLE QUESTIONS HERE FROM COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS A PARTNER FROM DISTRICT ONE WHICH I THINK WE'RE GOING TO COVER UH,
QUICKLY. UH, OKAY. SO, UH, IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, WHAT RESOURCES OR STAFFING ARE BEING ALLOCATED TOWARDS THE DOMESTIC UH DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE PREVENTION INITIATIVE ?
HOW MUCH TOTAL FUNDING IS ALLOCATED TO THE INITIATIVE AND HOW DOES IT COMPARE TO RECENT YEARS? OKAY. >> SO I THINK THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I'LL JUST SAY THAT YOU KNOW AGAIN NEWER INITIATIVE WE'RE WORKING.
ON A LOT I'M GOING TO BUMP. INTO CHRIS TO PROVIDE. >> THE EXACT NUMBERS SO THAT YOU HAVE IT ON RECORD. IF THAT THAT PORTION OF THE OFFICE IS AT JUST OVER $300,000 WITH TWO FTES ASSIGNED TO IT AND THAT'S. >> BEEN PRETTY CONSISTENT FROM
THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR. OKAY. >> OKAY. UH, NEXT UM UH, WHAT UH, ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS WILL BE MADE FOR DATA COLLECTION, IDENTIFYING TRENDS AND CONNECTING VICTIMS WITH TRAUMA
INFORMED CARE SUCH AS CENTRALIZED, UH, CENTRALIZED DASHBOARD UH, AGAIN FOR DRINKS SPIKING INCIDENTS. WE'VE OKAY WE SORT OF. TALKED ABOUT THIS OKAY SORRY I'M GOING TO SKIP THAT ONE THEN BECAUSE JUST ABOUT
THIS MORNING UM OKAY THERE'S UH AND THEN WHAT COMMUNITY SAFETY PROGRAMING UH UH UNDER WITH COMMUNITY SAFETY PROGRAM MOVER MOVING UNDER FCPS.
WHAT ARE THE INVESTMENTS IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR SUPPORTING OUTREACH WORKERS TRAUMA AND FORCE SERVICES, YOUTH ENGAGEMENT AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION EFFORTS AND BASED ON CURRENT DATA ARE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES NEEDED IN COMMUNITIES
LIKE CHARLESTOWN AND EAST BOSTON. SO I'M GOING TO GIVE THAT TO ISAAC. YES. >> SO WITH THE. FUNDING THAT MOVED OVER. FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO THE HEALTH COMMISSION, THAT FUNDING
HAS BEEN USED TO ESSENTIALLY STABILIZE AND BOLSTER PROGRAMS THAT ARE CURRENTLY OPERATING. UH A LOT OF THE FUNDING HAS GONE TO THE VIP INITIATIVE
WHICH UH THROUGH THIS FUNDING HAS BEEN ABLE TO EXPAND FROM FIVE NEIGHBORHOODS TO TEN, INCLUDING BOTH CHARLESTOWN AND EAST BOSTON THAT REPRESENT UH, THE COUNSELORS DISTRICT.
AND SO UM, WITH THAT BUT WE'RE ALSO. DOING WORK. UH, WITH OUR SPACE ACTIVATION STAFF. SO WE JUST DID AN ACTIVATION IN THE BUNKER HILL DEVELOPMENT. UH, WE'VE DONE MAVERICK SQUARE .
WE CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON. PRIMARILY IN CHARLESTOWN. >> THE BUNKER HILL DEVELOPMENT IN EAST BOSTON. IT'S THE SHAW PLAZA AND MAVERICK LANDING AREAS AND MAVERICK SQUARE AREAS AS A WHOLE. OKAY, OKAY. THANK YOU. UH, AND THEN UH, CAN YOU
CLARIFY THE HEALTH COMMISSION'S ROLE IN ADDRESSING THE PUBLIC HEALTH IMPACTS FROM PERSISTENT NOISE ISSUES AND ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES IN FISCAL YEAR 27 TO IMPROVE COORDINATION AND COMMUNICATION AROUND THESE
CASES? THERE IS SOMETIMES CONFUSION AROUND FCS ROLE VERSUS LICENSING ESD BPD AND 311. SO I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT QUESTION.
OBVIOUSLY NOISE UM IS AN IMPORTANT QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE. UM CERTAINLY PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE. WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. INITIATIVES BUREAU WE HAVE AN ENVIRONMENTAL AND OCCUPATIONAL OCCUPATIONAL. HEALTH DIVISION. THEY RESPOND TO NOISE
COMPLAINTS IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHER PARTNERS. SO WITH BPD. IF IT'S ESCALATED ISD. PUBLIC WORKS AND THE LICENSING BOARD AS WELL AS. OTHERS UM. FOR EXCESSIVE.
NOISE ISSUES UH RESIDENTS. SHOULD ABSOLUTELY CALL UM OR LODGE A COMPLAINT WITH 311 IT WILL BE ROUTED APPROPRIATELY AND RESPONDED TO TO WHICHEVER OF THE APPROPRIATE. AGENCIES THAT I JUST MENTIONED.
UM THERE. IS THE. BPD PARTY. LINE ALSO THAT UM PEOPLE SHOULD BE. USING UM TO UH DIRECTLY CONNECT WITH BPD IF PEOPLE ARE HAVING
LARGE LARGE PARTIES OR. EVENTS UM LOCAL POLICE DISTRICTS ARE. OBVIOUSLY AVAILABLE TO DEAL WITH. NOISE AND DISTURBANCES ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. JUST SO YOU'RE AWARE AND I
THINK COUNCILOR. COLLETTA IS MENTIONING UH, YOU KNOW, SPECIFIC. EVENT WE HAVE BEEN IN. TOUCH WITH HER. ABOUT UM. THAT ISSUE AND. LOOKING AT. >> HOW TO ROUTE AND MAYBE EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT HOW TO BEST UM, REACH OUT. TO FOLKS WHICH AS.
>> I SAID IS 311 FIRST AND FOREMOST CERTAIN FOR LOUD PARTIES. UM. >> YOU CAN CALL THE BPD PARTY LINE. OKAY. >> UM, OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, ON BEHALF OF COUNSELOR COLOR AS WELL, I'M JUST GONNA GIVE MYSELF A COUPLE MINUTES AND THEN WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC
TESTIMONY NEXT. UM, SO I JUST, UH, MY OFFICE, UH, WORKED WITH, UH, MICHAEL RICE AT THE HARVARD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, TO LOOK
AT, UH, AND HIS GRAD STUDENTS TO LOOK AT, UH, MATERNAL HEALTH, INFANT INFANT MORTALITY RATES. THEIR SUGGESTION WITH WORKING WITH THE SOUTHERN JAMAICA PLAIN HEALTH CENTER WAS LIKE A
STIPEND FOR FOOD WHILE, WELL, MOTHERS WERE, YOU KNOW, EXPECTING AND SO ARE WE LOOKING AT WHAT DO WE ALREADY DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT IN THE CITY? WHAT WHAT CAN WE DO TO SUPPORT
WORKERS IF YOU THINK IT'S UH, WORTHWHILE. >> TO PURCHASE? OH, IT'S IT'S AN. ABSOLUTELY UM IT'S A CRITICAL ISSUE AND IT'S REALLY. THOSE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF. HEALTH THAT ARE DRIVING SOME OF THE. INFANT MORTALITY DISPARITIES. THAT WE SEE. I MEAN, WE HAVE AN INFANT
MORTALITY. RATE THAT'S. >> YOU KNOW. BETWEEN 2. >> AND 3 TIMES HIGHER AMOUNTS. BLACK WOMEN AND BLACK BABIES VERSUS WHITE AND THAT'S YOU KNOW, JUST. COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. EVEN OUR OVERALL INFANT. MORTALITY RATE IS LOW. >> IT'S THAT GAP. THAT DOESN'T EVEN MAKE SENSE. AND A LOT OF THAT.
>> IS ABOUT UM, YOU KNOW, ADVERSE. SOCIAL AND STRUCTURAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH. SO THROUGH OUR HEALTHY START SYSTEMS PROGRAM. WE DO HAVE. >> A STRONG CONNECTION WITH FAMILIES. UM. AND UH, YOU KNOW, BOTH PREGNANT
INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR FAMILIES. AND NOT. >> JUST THE PREGNANT INDIVIDUAL. TO DO HOME BASED CARE TO. TO WORK. >> WITH THEM. TO PROVIDE THEM WITH HOUSING. HOUSING SUPPORTS. >> AS. WELL AS FOOD. AND CERTAINLY UM. YOU KNOW, SHIRLEY'S FOOD.
PANTRY IS DESIGNED TO BE. WITHIN HEALTHY STAR SYSTEMS. THAT IS A ROBUST. SUPPORT AND I THINK. >> I. MENTIONED THAT. EVEN IN THE PERIOD. OF FOOD INSECURITY WE WERE PROVIDING. ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS. UM, ADDITIONAL GIFT CARDS UH
FOR. >> PEOPLE TO. ACCESS FOOD. SO I AGREE THAT MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE. UM. BUT WE ARE DOING. I THINK. UH GOOD WORK IN THAT AREA.
YEAH IT I MEAN YEAH WELL ANYWAY MAYBE WE CAN TALK ABOUT A PILOT FOR OR SOMETHING. I MEAN TRY TO WORK ON THAT FOR THE FUTURE I THINK I MEAN THE THE THE STUDY THAT THEY CAME I MEAN THEIR THEIR WORK I THOUGHT
WAS PRETTY CONVINCING THAT THIS IS LIKE ONE VERY PRACTICAL, YOU KNOW, A. REACHABLE SORT OF UH, SOLUTION FOR YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOU KNOW, AT LEAST ON A PILOT BASIS TO TRY TO SEE.
FOOD INSECURITY. CORRECT. UNDERSTOOD. >> YEAH. IT JUST BE A IT WOULD BE LIKE A JUST MONEY FOR FOOD ESSENTIALLY . UH, YOU KNOW, AFTER YOU KNOW, WHEN SOMEONE'S PREGNANT THROUGH
SIX MONTHS AFTER DELIVERY OR SOMETHING. >> SO WE'VE. WE HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT. YOU KNOW. >> SORT OF A UNIVERSAL. GUARANTEED INCOME PILOT. SPECIFICALLY TARGETED. TOWARDS UM INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE PREGNANT. AND THEIR. >> FAMILIES UP TO A CERTAIN AGE .
AND JUST THAT CASH TRANSFER IN . THERE'S ALREADY. BEEN PILOTS BUT DOING IT DOING ONE HERE IN. BOSTON MAYBE JUST SPECIFICALLY. RELATED AND TIED TO. OUR PROGRAMING. MIGHT BE A GREAT WAY TO SAY THAT THESE.
ARE THE THE LITTLE THINGS. BECAUSE IT'S NOT IT PROBABLY WOULDN'T EVEN BE THAT UM EXPENSIVE TO. DO THAT WOULD HELP YOU KNOW, NARROW THAT DIVIDE THAT GAP. OKAY. >> I THINK THE SOUTHERN JAMAICA PLAIN HEALTH CENTER COULD HELP. >> HELP WITH THAT. >> HEALTH CENTER. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
UM OKAY. UH, IN TERMS OF THE COMMUNITY LED MENTAL HEALTH UH, RESPONSE UM, SO IS THAT THE THE PILOT IS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING TO CONTRACT
WITH ONE ORGANIZATION WITH THE 1.7 FOR THE 22. THAT IS. >> THAT IS THE CASE. YES. >> AND THEN WHAT IS THE IDEA FOR YOU KNOW IS THERE COORDINATION WITH BPD IS THERE HOW IS THAT WE'VE. >> BEEN TALKING. >> TO BE. WE HAVE. >> AS I. >> CONTEMPLATE WE HAVE BEEN TALKING. >> TO.
BPD ABOUT THE COMMUNITY LED DESIGN. BECAUSE THERE SHOULD BE COORDINATION. WE SHOULDN'T BE OPERATING SYSTEMS IN PARALLEL. WE SHOULD BE STRENGTHENING AN ENTIRE. ECOSYSTEM TO. ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. I THINK WE HAVE PIECES.
AND YOU KNOW. WE JUST. WE WANT THEM. >> TO. BE COORDINATED. WELL SO A HOW WOULD THAT SO A CALL COMES IN SOMEONE CALLS NINE ONE IF SOMEONE CALLS A DIFFERENT NUMBER LIKE HOW DO YOU IMAGINE THIS PLAYING OUT
AND MAYBE THIS IS STILL. WELL I THINK. SOME OF THIS IS STILL BEING COOKED BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE RFP IT DOES. TALK A LITTLE. >> BIT ABOUT HAVING YOU KNOW, TRIAGE AND THERE HAS TO BE A PLACE WHERE YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO. >> ARE CALL TAKERS. AND I. >> WOULD THINK THAT SOME
OF THIS REALLY NEEDS TO. BE DISCUSSED. AND UM. LED BY, YOU KNOW. COMMUNITIES DISCUSSING HOW THIS . ACTUALLY UM, UNFOLDS BECAUSE. THIS IS REALLY MEANT TO BE A. PRODUCT OF COMMUNITY AND
COMMUNITY NEEDS. AND I THINK THAT WE CAN. GET A LOT. >> OUT OF ACTUALLY. STUDYING THIS. PARTICULAR INTERVENTION TO SEE IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE. SCALED UP. OKAY. >> UM, AND I GUESS HOW DO WE MEASURE SUCCESS OF THE PILOT?
I MEAN WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR WHEN WE GET TO THE END? YEAH, YEAH. >> I MEAN I THINK THAT. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF WAYS. TO EVALUATE SUCCESS. I MEAN. >> IT'S GOING TO. >> BE IN ONE. COMMUNITY SO THAT RIGHT THERE GIVES YOU SOME. GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES YOU CAN JUST THINK ABOUT. >> YOU KNOW.
SATISFACTION WITH RESPONSES. IN THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, AND JUST. PROCESS INDICATORS. LIKE HOW. >> MANY CALLS. DID PEERS TAKE, WHAT. >> WERE THE OUTCOMES OF THOSE CALLS AND COMPARE TO WHAT. WAS ACTUALLY OUTCOMES. OF UH, INTERACTIONS. WITH PEOPLE.
>> WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, EMOTIONALLY. DISTURBED PREVIOUS IN PREVIOUS YEARS AND. UNDER OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES. SO I THINK THERE ARE LOTS OF WAYS THAT YOU COULD ACTUALLY EVALUATE A PILOT ESPECIALLY. >> ONE THAT AGAIN IS IS GEOGRAPHICALLY BOUND. >> LIKE THAT. OKAY. >> AND THEN JUST A BUDGET
QUESTION THIS IS THIS COMING OUT OF CONTRACTUAL SERVICES WHERE IS THE MONEY FOR THE PILOT IN YOUR BUDGET? WELL UM. I GUESS. OURS IS CONSTRUCTED A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE WE HAVE
THE SAME COST CATEGORIES AS THE CITY. SO UM WE WOULD CALL THIS A SUBCONTRACT. OKAY. >> ON OURS OUR SIDE. OKAY OKAY. AND SO THERE'S 1.7 MILLION IN
THAT THERE FOR THIS PILOT. IT'S IT'S OVER A COUPLE YEARS BUT YES IT IS THERE SO. IS IT HALF FOR FISCAL YEAR 27 OR IS IT 1.7 NOW 1.7.
SO IT'S 20. IS 22 MONTHS. SO I THINK IT'S MEANT. >> TO BE YOU KNOW. $1 MILLION AND YOU KNOW THEN WHATEVER'S. REMAINING AND. >> THE REST OF THE TIME OKAY. YEAH IT WOULD BE IN THE LATE FISCAL YEAR 2018. EXACT CORRECT EXACTLY. OKAY OKAY.
UM WHAT THANK YOU. I JUST I I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES PROBABLY HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS BUT WE DO HAVE FOLKS HERE FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY SO I'M GOING TO GO TO TESTIMONY
OF UH UM JUST GET THROUGH THAT AGAIN. UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE DO HAVE A TWO MINUTE TIMELINE OR A TIME LIMIT UH, JUST BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A LOT OF FOLKS WHO WANT TO MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD IT JUST
YOU KNOW, WE'RE NEVER GOING TO GET THROUGH EVERY ONE IF, UH, PEOPLE GO WAY OVER, JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU'VE HEARD THE THE THE BEEP AND THAT YOU'RE GOING TO WRAP UP UH OR I HAVE TO LIKE, YOU KNOW,
INTERRUPT PEOPLE WHICH I DEFINITELY DON'T WANT TO DO. UM, SO WE'RE GOING TO START OUT UM, WITH THE PEACE INSTITUTE. UH, ALEXANDRA CLEMENTINA UM.
SO WE'LL START THERE. UH, YEAH. SO OKAY. FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY, UH, YOU CAN USE EITHER OF THESE MICROPHONES IF YOU'RE ON THE TALLER SIDE I DEFINITELY RECOMMEND THE ONE ON MY RIGHT JUST AND THEN GET YOU KNOW,
THIS IS LIKE EATING ICE CREAM. YOU JUST WANT TO SPEAK VERY CLOSELY INTO THE MIC THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO HEAR YOU. SO JUST TELL US YOUR NAME, UH, WHERE YOU'RE FROM, WHAT ORGANIZATION YOU'RE WITH IF YOU'RE WITH ONE AND THEN I'LL START THE CLOCK AND.
WELL, THANK YOU. ALL. >> UM. FOR THE. >> OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY. TODAY I'M. ALEXANDRA TORELLI, SOME CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE LEWIS D BROWN PEACE INSTITUTE. UM. AND I. >> JUST WANT TO SHARE FOR MORE THAN THREE DECADES THE PEACE INSTITUTE HAS SUPPORTED
FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES IMPACTED BY MURDER, TRAUMA, GRIEF AND LOSS WHILE WORKING TO TRANSFORM. SOCIETY'S RESPONSE TO HOMICIDE . AND CULTIVATE CYCLES OF PEACE THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF BOSTON. HISTORICALLY. >> VICTIM SERVICES OFTEN END
ONCE A VICTIM DIES. FAMILIES ARE THEN LEFT TO NAVIGATE OVERWHELMING GRIEF TRAUMA, FUNERAL PLANNING, COURT PROCEEDINGS, FINANCIAL HARDSHIP PUBLIC SYSTEMS LARGELY ON THEIR OWN.
THE PEACE INSTITUTE WAS CREATED BECAUSE FAMILIES DESERVE LONG TERM CARE, ADVOCACY AND HEALING EVEN BEYOND THAT FIRST MOMENT OF SYMPATHY SINCE 1996 THE CITY
OF BOSTON, BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT HOSPITALS, THE SUFFOLK COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND COMMUNITY AGENCIES HAVE CONSISTENTLY REFERRED SURVIVOR FAMILIES TO THE PEACE INSTITUTE. OVER TIME, THE PEACE INSTITUTE
BECAME AN ESSENTIAL PART OF BOSTON'S TRAUMA RESPONSE INFRASTRUCTURE, HELPING TO BUILD AND STRENGTHEN THE COLLABORATIVE SYSTEMS THAT EXIST TODAY. TODAY THAT WORK CONTINUES IN CLOSE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH
COMMISSION'S COMMUNITY RESPONSE NETWORK. TOGETHER, THE CHERN AND THE PEACE INSTITUTE FORM A COORDINATED HOMICIDE RESPONSE SYSTEM THAT ENSURES FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES IMPACTED BY HOMICIDE RECEIVE IMMEDIATE AND
ONGOING SUPPORT, TURN RESPONSE ON THE FRONT LINES TO INCIDENTS OF COMMUNITY VIOLENCE AND THE PEACE INSTITUTE'S SURVIVOR OUTREACH SERVICES TEAM PROVIDES CRITICAL BEHIND THE SCENES DIRECT CARE AND LONG TERM
SUPPORT FOR SURVIVOR FAMILIES. WHEN A HOMICIDE OCCURS IN BOSTON, OUR S.O.S. TEAM IS BROUGHT IN TO THE COORDINATED RESPONSE. REFERRALS COME FROM THE BOSTON POLICE HOMICIDE UNIT, FAMILY
RESOURCE OFFICERS, BMC BETH ISRAEL, TUFTS NEW ENGLAND MEDICAL AND MASS GENERAL BRIGHAM AND THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WITHIN THE FIRST 72 HOURS AFTER OUR HOMICIDE, FAMILIES ARE CONNECTED TO AN S.O.S.
COORDINATOR WHO GUIDES THEM THROUGH BURIAL AND FUNERAL PLANNING, VICTIM COMPENSATION, CRISIS STABILIZATION RESEARCH DEMONSTRATES THE FINANCIAL COST OF A SINGLE HOMICIDE.
WHAT WHAT. I'M GOING TO JUST END WITH I HEARD. THE BEAT. WE RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT THE CITY CONTINUE INVESTING IN THIS LIFESAVING INFRASTRUCTURE BY SUPPORTING BOTH, UH, BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION'S
REQUEST AND THE LOUIS DE BROWN PEACE INSTITUTE'S REQUEST OF A THREE YEAR COMMITMENT TOTALING $1 MILLION ANNUALLY. OKAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN WEBER AND VICE CHAIR
FITZGERALD AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. WHAT MAKES. >> THE PEACE INSTITUTE UNIQUE AND THEIR SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES DOES NOT END ONCE THE IMMEDIATE CRISIS IS OVER, FAMILIES CONTINUE RECEIVING SUPPORT
THROUGH HEALING GROUPS, WORKSHOPS, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND ADVOCACY OPPORTUNITY AND REENTRY SUPPORTS WHEN APPLICABLE. FAMILIES ARE IMPACTED ON BOTH SIDES. AND FOR. >> THE SURVIVORS OF HOMICIDE VICTIMS NETWORK, A COMMUNITY
SHARE OF SHARED EXPERIENCES WITH SURVIVORS FIND HEALTHY HEALING, CONNECTION AND PURPOSE . WE ALSO SUPPORT AND ORGANIZE OUR UNSOLVED HOMICIDE AMBASSADORS FAMILY MEMBERS WHO
CONTINUE TO SEEK JUSTICE AND ENSURE THAT A LIGHT CONTINUES TO SHINE ON OUR LOVED ONES CASES THROUGH PUBLIC AWARENESS ,ADVOCACY, COMMUNITY EDUCATION, REMEMBRANCE AND ONGOING PARTNERSHIP WITH LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND CITY AGENCIES. MANY SURVIVORS LED ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT BOSTON WERE FIRST NURTURED AND FISCALLY SPONSORED BY THE PEACE INSTITUTE, AND MANY OF THOSE LEADERS ARE NOW TRUSTED
PARTNERS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY HEALING RESPONSE NETWORK. THIS IS WHAT COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE LOOKS LIKE. ALTHOUGH APPROXIMATELY 64% OF HOMICIDES WE SERVE RESIDE IN
THE CITY OF BOSTON, THE CITY UH CURRENTLY CONTRIBUTES A SMALL PORTION OF WHAT IT COSTS TO PROVIDE THIS COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES THE NEEDS OF SURVIVORS FAMILIES TONIGHT AND AFTER A FUNERAL AND THE REST OF THE
CITY INVESTMENT IN THE SYSTEM THAT SUPPORTS THEM. THESE FAMILIES ARE YOUR CONSTITUENTS, YOUR NEIGHBORS AND PART OF THE FABRIC OF OUR COMMUNITY. TOO OFTEN HOMICIDE AND ITS AFTERMATH IS TREATED AS AN
EPIDEMIC EVENT. THEY ARE NOT HOMICIDE RESPONSE BY PUBLIC HEALTH, PUBLIC SAFETY AND PUBLIC EDUCATION IS AN ONGOING PART OF COMMUNITY HEALTH AND COMMUNITY HEALING.
THE IMPACT OF HOMICIDE DOES NOT END WITH POLICE INVESTIGATION. NARROW FUNERAL SERVICE FAMILIES CONTINUE CARRYING THE EMOTIONAL ,FINANCIAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, SPIRITUAL AND CONSEQUENCES FOR
YEARS ACROSS GENERATIONS A COMPASSIONATE AND EFFECTIVE CITY RESPONSE MUST RECOGNIZE AND INVEST IN THAT LONG TERM. I KNOW MY TIME IS UP. WE HAVE LETTERS AND WE ALSO
HAVE OUR HOMICIDE RESPONSE TOOL AND WITHIN THERE WE DO HAVE A MAP AS TO HOW THIS WORK IS DONE WITHIN THE CITY THE VISION OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND THE CHILDREN FORMERLY BOSTON TRAUMA
RESPONSE CENTER. SO THANK YOU AGAIN SO MUCH AND WE HOPE THAT THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION GET THE FUNDING THAT IT NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO DO THE AMAZING WORK. THANK YOU. OKAY. >> THANK YOU, MISS CHERRY.
UM, OKAY. SO NEXT UP IS UH, THE UH, THE PEOPLE'S RESPONSE CAMPAIGN I DON'T KNOW, UH UH, MISS TALKING I MEAN, I KNOW IN MISSISSIPPI FOR YOU YOU. >> CAN JUST. >> YOU CAN CALL PEOPLE UP OVER HERE.
YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO BE ON HERE. UH, IF YOU WANTED IF YOU'RE INSPIRED AND YOU WANT TO TESTIFY EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVEN'T SIGNED UP, JUST GET IN LINE. JUST INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND, UH, YOU GET TWO MINUTES AGAIN
LIKE WE WANT TO HEAR FROM EVERYONE, SO TRY TO KEEP IT TO THE TIME. THANK YOU. UM. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. UH, THANK. YOU TO. >> THE COUNSELORS. UM, DOCTOR DAKOTA ISAAC. WE WENT TO. >> HIGH SCHOOL TOGETHER. UM. >> AND TEAM UM.
MY NAME IS A MONTILLA CEP. I AM A FACULTY MEMBER AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK AND THE CO COORDINATOR. OF THE BOSTON PEOPLE'S RESPONSE CAMPAIGN. I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE BOSTON
DESERVES A BETTER RESPONSE WHEN FOLKS ARE IN CRISIS. THE BOSTON PEOPLE'S RESPONSE, FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE MODEL
WAS BUILT BY THIS CITY IN 2020 2021 BOSTON BASED ORGANIZING GROUPS SUCCESSFULLY PUSHED THE CITY TO FUND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TRUE COMMUNITY LED CRISIS
RESPONSE THE CITY SCHOOL, BOSTON LIBERATION HEALTH AND 14 CORE COMMUNITY MEMBERS ANSWERED THAT CALL, SPENDING UPWARD OF A YEAR DESIGNING A MODEL AND. PILOT WITH.
REAL INPUT FROM RESIDENTS, PROVIDERS AND ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THOUGH SOME OF THE ELEMENTS MENTIONED BY DOCTOR OJUKWU JAK2
ARE QUITE SIMILAR TO OUR MODEL AND RESPONSE PILOT, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T IDENTIFY THAT THE PILOT THE TWO PILOTS ARE DIFFERENT. WHAT WE BUILT REFLECTS A CLEAR
CONVICTION THAT MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE MUST BE FREE AVAILABLE 24 HOURS A DAY, ACCESSIBLE CITYWIDE AND MUST NOT INVOLVE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN ANY WAY.
IT CENTERS THE COMMUNITIES WHO BEAR THE GREATEST COST WHEN CRISIS RESPONSE GOES WRONG. THOSE WHO ARE BIPOC, UNDOCUMENTED, DISABLED,
UNHOUSED, YOUNG AND TRANS PEOPLE RESPONDERS WOULD REFLECT THOSE COMMUNITIES AND BRING LIVED EXPERIENCE TO THAT WORK. THE SCOPE IS BROAD IN DESIGN, MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, WELLNESS
CHECKS, SUBSTANCE USE CONCERNS, INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE, COMMUNITY TRAUMA, CONFLICT DE-ESCALATION, NEIGHBORHOOD BASED RESPONSE TEAMS, A CENTRAL
DISPATCH HUB, A DEDICATED LINE WITH NO ID COLLECTION AND NO. AUTOMATIC 911 DIVERSION. THIS IS BOSTON'S MODEL AND WE BELIEVE AN INVESTMENT OF 4
MILLION IS IMPERATIVE NOW MORE THAN EVER. MY COLLEAGUE AMY WILL SPEAK MORE ABOUT WHY. >> WE'RE HERE TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, AMY. THANKS.
>> MARCELA AND THANK YOU ALL. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS AMY TALK A NAMI I USE SHE HER PRONOUNS. I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT SIX ,A SOCIAL WORKER AND A
STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBER OF THE BOSTON PEOPLE'S RESPONSE CAMPAIGN. SO AFTER OUR MODEL AND PILOT WERE DESIGNED AND PRESENTED TO THE CITY. IN 2022. AS A MODEL I JUST OUTLINED OUR
CAMPAIGN WAS FORMED TO ORGANIZE AND ADVOCATE FOR THE FULL FUNDING AND FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF WHAT WAS SO METICULOUSLY DESIGNED BY AND FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
SINCE LAUNCHING IN 2023, OUR CAMPAIGN HAS GROWN INTO A POWERFUL BASE OF BOSTON RESIDENTS, MANY OF WHOM ARE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THE CURRENT ROLE OF POLICING AND
MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE. THIS INCLUDES YOUNG PEOPLE BLACK, INDIGENOUS AND OTHER PEOPLE OF COLOR, DISABLED PEOPLE, AND TRANS PEOPLE, IMMIGRANTS AND WORKING CLASS PEOPLE.
OUR CAMPAIGN ALSO INCLUDES SOCIAL WORKERS, NURSES, PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS AND OTHER HEALTH CARE WORKERS WHO BELIEVE A NON-POLICE NON-CUSTODIAL RESPONSE IS URGENTLY NEEDED.
TODAY YOU'RE GOING TO GET TO HEAR FROM MANY OF OUR MEMBERS ABOUT WHY WE ARE URGING YOU ALL TO FULLY FUND THIS PILOT AT $4 MILLION. WE'VE ALSO BEEN IN ONGOING
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION AND PARTICULARLY THE CENTER FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS, WHERE WE BELIEVE THIS PILOT AND MODEL COULD BE HOUSED. AND WHILE YOU HEARD FROM DOCTOR
OJUKWU THIS PRESENTATION THAT SOME FUNDING INDEED HAS ALREADY BEEN ALLOCATED TOWARD A DIFFERENT PILOT, WE AT BPR BELIEVE FULL FUNDING IS NECESSARY TO RUN OUR PILOT A
PILOT THAT STEWARDS THE ORIGINAL COMMUNITY LED DESIGN PROCESS AND THAT CAN DEMONSTRATE THE PROOF OF CONCEPT NEEDED TO ULTIMATELY WIN A FULL CITYWIDE RESPONSE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I URGE YOU TO INVEST IN OUR COLLECTIVE HEALTH AND OUR COLLECTIVE SAFETY BY FULLY FUNDING OUR PILOT AT $4 MILLION, I'M GOING TO PASS IT TO MY COLLEAGUE COLLEAGUE TO
SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHY OUR MODEL IS REALLY IMPORTANT IN THIS SOCIOPOLITICAL MOMENT TODAY. TO THANK THANK YOU. THANK YOU AMY. SO GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME. >> IS CLARK WILLIAMS. I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT THE CITY SCHOOL, A BOSTON BASED NONPROFIT ROOTED IN DORCHESTER THAT HAS BEEN DEVELOPING YOUNG LEADERS FOR RACIAL AND SOCIAL JUSTICE FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
I'M HERE TODAY TO URGE YOU. >> TO. FULLY FUND THE $4 MILLION PILOT FOR FREE NON-POLICE NON CARCERAL COMMUNITY BASED MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHY THAT MATTERS SPECIFICALLY FOR YOUNG
PEOPLE. UH, JOHNS HOPKINS REVIEW OF 40 YEARS OF RESEARCH FOUND THAT POLICE CONTACT IS CONSISTENTLY ASSOCIATED WITH ADVERSE HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR BLACK YOUTH
INCLUDING SADNESS, ANGER, FEAR, STRESS AND HOPELESSNESS WITH EFFECTS THAT CAN FOLLOW YOUNG PEOPLE INTO ADULTHOOD WHEN YOUNG WHEN A YOUNG PERSON FIRST FIRST MEANINGFUL ENCOUNTER WITH
SOME LEVEL RESPONSE TO THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS INVOLVES POLICE, WE RISK TURNING A MOMENT OF VULNERABILITY INTO THE BEGINNING OF A VERY DIFFERENT KIND OF STORY. THINK BACK TO YOUR OWN
CHILDHOOD WHAT WAS WAITING ON YOU? WHAT WERE THE THINGS HAPPENING IN THE WORLD AROUND YOU THAT SHAPED HOW YOU FELT ABOUT YOUR SAFETY, YOUR FUTURE AND YOUR PLACE IN THIS COUNTRY? I THINK ABOUT MY OWN EXPERIENCE
GROWING UP IN THE AFTERMATH OF 911 UM, AND WHAT THAT DID AND WHAT THAT AND WHAT THAT DID TO THE WAY THIS COUNTRY TREATED WHOLE COMMUNITIES OF PEOPLE. NOW IMAGINE THAT MULTIPLIED
MANY TIMES OVER AND YOU START TO GET THE PICTURE OF WHAT TODAY'S YOUNG PEOPLE ARE CARRYING. THEY GREW UP IN A PANDEMIC WHOSE FULL EFFECTS ON THEIR DEVELOPMENT WE STILL DON'T COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND.
STUDIES ARE ALREADY DOCUMENTING SIGNIFICANT SETBACKS, WITH RESEARCH SHOWING STUDENTS ARE STILL BEHIND THE EQUIVALENT OF ONE TO 1 TO 5 MONTHS OF SCHOOL COMPARED TO PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS AND 50%
INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS PERFORMING SIGNIFICANTLY BELOW GRADE LEVEL. THEY ARE WATCHING OUR COUNTRY SEEMINGLY TEAR ITSELF APART WITH PEOPLE BEING TAKEN OFF AMERICAN STREETS AND SENT TO
UNKNOWN PLACES THEY HAVE SEEN THE CITY AT LARGE HAVE BEEN TARGETED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THEY ARE WATCHING A NEW WAR UNFOLD IN MIDDLE EAST. THAT IS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT TO HOLD.
WE YOUNG PEOPLE NEED WHAT ALL PEOPLE NEED IS A RESPONSE THAT MEETS THEM AT THIS MOMENT WITH CARE AND NOT CRIMINALIZATION. UM AND I SEE MY TIME IS RUNNING BUT I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY SO
WE ARE ASKING FOR YOU TO INVEST $4 MILLION IN THIS PILOT, UH, TO SITUATE WITHIN THE BOSTON PEOPLE'S BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION WHERE IT CAN BE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE COMMUNITY IT SERVES. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. UH, OKAY. I'M JUST I HAVE, UH, MY UH I'M SORRY. I'M JUST GOING TO MISPRONOUNCE IT. I THINK THAT'S, UH, TOUGH. I'M NOT.
SO, UH. OKAY. AFTER MAYA, THERE'S, UH, SOME SOMEBODY WITH A LAST NAME THAT'S LIKE WHAT STARTS WITH THE V THEN STAR NUNEZ. UM, SHYLA WANG.
ESTHER. UH, CELIA LUGO MAYBE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. UM, HI. BOSTON CITY COUNCIL. >> AND PHD. MY NAME IS MY I'M ELECTRIC. I AM A RESIDENT OF JP OF DISTRICT SIX.
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE PPR SINCE BEING A PART OF THE FACILITATION TEAM FOR THE DESIGN PROCESS. I'VE BEEN A LICENSED INDEPENDENT CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER IN MASSACHUSETTS FOR CLOSE TO 15 YEARS. I'M CURRENTLY A PRACTICING THERAPIST, CLINICAL SUPERVISOR
AND SOCIAL WORK PROFESSOR. I WANT TO SPEAK TODAY TO THE ANTICIPATED POSITIVE BENEFITS OF THE BPR MODEL. FIRSTLY FOR THERAPISTS MANY OF US HAVE EXPERIENCED INTENSE PRESSURE TO FORCIBLY HOSPITALIZED SOMEONE OR CALL
THE POLICE WHEN SOMEONE IS EXPERIENCING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS WITH OUR LICENSES AND POSITIONS BEING THREATENED IF WE DON'T, THIS PUTS PROVIDERS IN A POSITION OF WANTING TO SUPPORT AND CONSENT BASED WAYS THAT WON'T ESCALATE HARM, BUT
WE RISK OUR CAREERS IF WE DO. THIS IS THE. CASE BECAUSE THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO FULLY CONSENT BASED NON-POLICE CRISIS RESPONSE MODELS FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO THERE ARE CIRCUMSTANCES, FOR EXAMPLE, IN WHICH CLINICIANS END UP CHOOSING TO FORCIBLY
HOSPITALIZE SOMEONE WHO IS SUICIDAL IN ORDER TO PROTECT THEIR JOB DESPITE THE FACT THAT RESEARCH SHOWS THAT FORCED HOSPITALIZATION ONLY INCREASES RISK OF SUICIDE AFTER HOSPITAL DISCHARGE. IF THE BPR MODEL. WAS A. >> PROGRAM WE COULD.
>> CALL. >> THERE WAS ALSO WOULDN'T BE PUTTING PEOPLE'S LIVES AT RISK. AS A CONTENT WARNING, I'M GOING TO BRIEFLY NAME AN EXPERIENCE WITH SUICIDAL IDEATION. I'VE NAVIGATED HAVING TO SUPPORT SOMEONE WHO WAS WHO WAS AT RISK OF ACTIVELY COMMITTING
SUICIDE AND AT THE SAME TIME WAS CONSIDERING DEATH BY AUTHOR THAT CAME TO THAT. WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF THIS MEANT SORRY WAS I'LL START OVER THERE. I'VE NAVIGATED HAVING TO SUPPORT SOMEONE WHO WAS AT ACTIVE RISK OF COMMITTING
SUICIDE AND AT THE SAME TIME WAS CONSIDERING DEATH BY COP. IF THEY CAME TO THAT, WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF THIS WAS SOMEONE WHO YOU WERE CURRENTLY SUPPORTING AND HAD AN IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE TO MAKE? THERE MIGHT BE SUPPORT WITHIN SOMEONE'S OWN COMMUNITY, BUT
THERE ARE NO SAFE OPTIONS FOR A CITY PROGRAM YOU COULD CALL AND RELY ON IN THIS MOMENT OR IN NUMEROUS SIMILAR CRISIS MOMENTS. THE FACT THAT SUICIDE BY COP IS EVEN A CONSIDERATION SPEAKS VOLUMES TO THE VIOLENCE OF THE VIOLENCE, NOT SAFETY OF OUR
CURRENT RESPONSE SYSTEM. I ALSO WANT TO ADD THAT WE OFTEN HEAR ABOUT SAFETY CONCERNS FOR RESPONDERS, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE VAST, VAST MAJORITY OF FOLKS WITH MENTAL HEALTH CRISES IN MY EXPERIENCES ARE
DIRECTING HARM AGAINST THEMSELVES, NOT OTHERS. I HOLD SECONDARY TRAUMA FROM SOME OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES I'VE NAVIGATED WITH FOLKS. IF THIS IS A LEVEL OF REPERCUSSIONS AND FEAR THAT I HOLD AS A PROVIDER, THE
IMPACTS ON FAMILY MEMBERS, FRIENDS, FOLKS EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH CRISES THEMSELVES MUST ONLY BE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE PRONOUNCED. . >> WITH BPR. FINISHING UP WITH BPR THERE WOULD BE MORE TRUST AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS COULD SHARE
MORE OPENLY BECAUSE THEY WOULDN'T FEAR THESE REPERCUSSIONS. THIS IS TRULY A LIFE AND DEATH MATTER. A LIFE AND DEATH MATTER FOR ONLY $4 MILLION IN UPCOMING BUDGET THIS IS A SIMPLE CHOICE REJECT THE CURRENT BUDGET AND
THEN ADD IN FULL FUNDING FOR THE BPR PILOT FORCE. MAYOR, WE NEED TO REINVEST MORE PUBLIC MONEY BACK INTO THE BUDGET AND THEN INVEST IN ADDITIONAL LIFE AFFIRMING PROGRAMS. >> THANK YOU.
OKAY, YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. UM THANK YOU MY AND EVERYONE WHO'S GONE SO FAR AND THANK YOU FOR TO EVERYONE WHO'S GOING TO GO BECAUSE IT'S HARD TO GET UP HERE. UM I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S
VULNERABILITY. UH, MY NAME IS TARA. I USE SHE HER PRONOUNS DARVIN COACHMAN I USE SHE HER PRONOUNS AND I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT FIVE AND ROSLINDALE. UM I'M ALSO THE DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS AND STRATEGY AT THE
CITY SCHOOL, A LONG TIME YOUTH WORKER, AN ORGANIZER IN BOSTON AND A VERY PROUD MEMBER OF THE BOSTON PEOPLE'S RESPONSE STEERING CAMPAIGN UM STEERING COMMITTEE SINCE TWO UH 2022.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT. UM I'M ALSO A LICENSED INDEPENDENT CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER UH, SOCIAL WORK SUPERVISOR AND I'VE BEEN PRACTICING AS A THERAPIST FOR. >> THE LAST SIX YEARS. I WANT TO ECHO THAT EVERYTHING MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID AND ARE GOING TO SAY.
ABOUT WHY WE NEED THE BOSTON PEOPLE'S. RESPONSE CAMPAIGN UM, I'M ACTUALLY HERE TO SHARE THAT OUR CAMPAIGN IS ADVOCATING FOR THIS PILOT IN THE CONTEXT OF A MUCH BROADER FIGHT AROUND THE BUDGET. UH, WE ARE PART OF A MUCH
LARGER BUDGET COALITION ALONGSIDE BETTER BUDGET ALLIANCE AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE FIGHTING FOR SCHOOL YEAR JOBS FUNDING TO BE RESTORED IN THE BUDGET AMONG MANY OTHER THINGS AS A CAMPAIGN WITH THAT
IS ADVOCATING FOR REAL SUPPORT FOR FOLKS IN MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. I'M NOT BEING HYPERBOLIC WHEN I SAY THAT THIS CURRENTLY PROPOSED BUDGET WILL INCREASE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS
ACROSS THE CITY, AMONGST OTHER GROUPS, THE CURRENT PROPOSED BUDGET COMPLETELY ELIMINATES THE SCHOOL YEAR JOBS PROGRAM FOR ALMOST 2000 YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE CITY, CUTS FUNDING FOR ESSENTIAL SERVICES FOR
IMMIGRANTS, FOR AND TRANS RESIDENTS, FOR EVICTION PREVENTION AND FOR FOOD ACCESS . WE NEED TO BE CLEAR THE CITY OF BOSTON HAS THE MONEY FOR WHAT. PEOPLE NEED.
BOSTON HAS OVER 1 BILLION IN RESERVES UP TO WHICH. MORE THAN HALF CAN BE USED. THE PARKING METER FUND HAS A REMAINING 40 MILLION OF ITS TOTAL 86 MILLION THAT CAN BE USED. WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR IS A FRACTION.
>> OF THAT MONEY. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS FUNDING IS MEANT TO BE USED IN THE CASE OF EMERGENCY RIGHT NOW THIS BUDGET PROPOSAL HAS CREATED A STATE OF EMERGENCY. WE ARE HERE IN A STATE OF EMERGENCY.
COMMUNITIES THAT ARE ALREADY UNDER ATTACK BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ARE FIGHTING FOR ESSENTIAL SERVICES RIGHT HERE IN OUR CITY. SCHOOL YEAR JOBS PROVIDE ESSENTIAL MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND SO DO ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS
THAT HAVE BEEN STRUCK IN THIS BUDGET. SO THE BOSTON PEOPLE'S. RESPONSE I DID. >> HEAR THE TIME I'LL WRAP UP THE BOSTON PEOPLE'S RESPONSE CAMPAIGN IS CALLING ON THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL TO REJECT THIS CURRENT THE CURRENT BUDGET PROPOSED BY THE MAYOR AND TO
STAND TOGETHER TO INSIST THAT WE NEED MORE MONEY ADDED TO THIS CURRENT BUDGET. AMENDING THE BUDGET THIS YEAR IS NOT ENOUGH AND SO WE ARE CALLING ON ALL OF THE CITY COUNCIL TO INCLUDE 4 MILLION
FOR OUR PILOT IN THE FINAL VERSION OF THIS BUDGET WE URGE YOU TO EXERCISE YOUR POWER, REPRESENT YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND INSIST THAT THIS YEAR'S BUDGET MEETS ALL OF OUR ESSENTIAL NEEDS.
THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS STAR NUNEZ. I USE SHE HER PRONOUNS. I'M 18 YEARS OLD AND I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT SEVEN. GROWING UP I WATCHED PEOPLE
AROUND ME STRUGGLE SILENTLY WITH MENTAL HEALTH, TRAUMA, INSTABILITY AND PAIN THAT MOST PEOPLE NEVER FULLY SEE. I WAS 11 YEARS OLD WHEN I LOST THE TRUST OF POLICE.
I WAS 11 YEARS OLD WHEN I LOST A FAMILY MEMBER TO A POLICE OFFICER WHO DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO HANDLE A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS 11. I HOPE TODAY THAT NUMBER STICKS WITH YOU. I WAS A YOUNG PERSON AND THAT
AFFECTS YOU MORE THAN PEOPLE REALIZE. IT CHANGES THE WAY YOU SEE YOUR COMMUNITY. IT CHANGES THE WAY YOU SEE SAFETY BECAUSE SAFETY IS NOT JUST ABOUT YOUR POLICIES OR PUNISHMENT.
SAFETY IS KNOWING THAT WHEN SOMEONE IS BREAKING DOWN THERE IS SOMEONE TRAINED TO HELP THEM WITH COMPASSION. THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY MOMENTS IN MY LIFE WHERE I WISH PEOPLE HAD ACCESS TO SUPPORT EARLIER
BEFORE THINGS BECAME TOO SEVERE ,BEFORE PEOPLE HIT THEIR BREAKING POINT AND BEFORE SITUATIONS TURNED INTO SOMETHING TRAUMATIC FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED. A LOT. >> OF PEOPLE. >> IN OUR COMMUNITIES ARE CARRYING PAIN EVERY DAY AND
STILL TRYING TO SURVIVE. YOUNG PEOPLE ARE CARRYING ANXIETY, GRIEF, FAMILY INSTABILITY, HOUSING INSECURITY ,VIOLENCE, ADDICTION AROUND THEM AND SO MUCH EMOTIONAL WEIGHT THAT NOBODY TALKS ENOUGH
ABOUT. THIS IS WHY I'M ASKING THE CITY COUNCIL TO REJECT THE BUDGET AND FULLY FUND BPR BECAUSE TO ME THIS IS ABOUT HUMANITY AND I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU HAVE IT. IT IS ABOUT GIVING PEOPLE THE
CHANCE TO BE MET WITH CARE DURING SOME OF THEIR HARDEST MOMENTS. IT IS ABOUT BUILDING A CITY WHERE PEOPLE ARE SUPPORTED BEFORE TRAGEDY HAPPENS. INSTEAD OF ONLY REACTING AFTERWARDS WHAT WE NEED IS
PREVENTION. I WANT A FUTURE WHERE MY GENERATION AND YOUNG PEOPLE GROW UP FEELING LIKE PAIN IS NOT SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE INVISIBLE, ONLY NOTICED WHEN IT BECOMES AN EMERGENCY.
BOSTON HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHOOSE COMPASSION AND I REALLY REALLY HOPE YOU DO. TO CHOOSE PREVENTION AND TO CHOOSE YOUR PEOPLE I HOPE YOU DO.
THANK YOU. AFTERNOON, COUNSELORS. UH, MY. >> NAME IS. SHELIA WANG. I'M A DISTRICT SIX. RESIDENT IN JAMAICA PLAIN AND A. FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER. AT A COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER HERE IN BOSTON.
I WILL BE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MYSELF TODAY, UM, IN SUPPORT OF A NON-POLICE NON CARCERAL COMMUNITY BASED MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE PILOT IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. MANY OF THE PATIENTS I WORK WITH ARE MEMBERS. >> OF.
COMMUNITIES HERE. >> IN BOSTON WHO ARE ACTIVELY OPPRESSED, POLICED AND DISINVESTED IN BY MEMBERS OF OUR LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS. WHEN IT COMES TO SEEKING SUPPORT IN THE MIDDLE OF A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, OFTEN
WITH VERY LITTLE PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE AROUND THEM, THEIR ONLY OPTION IS TO TURN TO THE VERY INSTITUTIONS THAT THEY'VE EXPERIENCED REPEATED VIOLENCE AND TRAUMA WITHIN, INCLUDING OUR LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND OUR MEDICAL SYSTEM. I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PATIENTS SHARE HORROR STORIES ABOUT BEING DETAINED BY THE POLICE IN THE MIDDLE OF A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS AND IT BEING A TOSS UP WHETHER THEY'RE GETTING
ARRESTED OR BROUGHT TO THE ER WHEN THEY'RE BROUGHT TO THE E.R. OFTEN BY POLICE OR EMS THEY'RE THEN SECTIONED WHICH IS BEING LEGALLY DETAINED UM, UH, IN A HOSPITAL FOR PSYCHIATRIC
TREATMENT AGAINST THEIR WILL ARE FORCED INTO SITUATIONS IN INPATIENT PSYCHIATRIC FACILITIES WHERE THEY ARE NOT GIVEN CLEAR INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT MEDICATIONS THEY'RE BEING INJECTED WITH AND HOW LONG THEY'RE BEING FORCED TO STAY IN
THESE UNITS FOR MY PATIENTS ARE NOT A THREAT TO PUBLIC SAFETY, HAVE NEVER HARMED OTHERS EVEN IN THE MIDST OF PSYCHOTIC EPISODES AND DESERVE THE SUPPORT AND GENTLENESS THAT WE ALL DO IN THE MIDDLE OF A SCARY
AND CHALLENGING EXPERIENCE. THIS IS WHAT THE BOSTON PEOPLE'S RESPONSE MODEL WOULD ALLOW FOR. IT WOULD ALLOW FOR NEIGHBORS AND PEERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH SHARED LIVED EXPERIENCES TO SUPPORT AND MEET THEM WHERE
THEY ARE EMOTIONALLY AND PHYSICALLY. THIS IS A MODEL OF CARE AND MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT THAT WOULD FOREMOST PRIORITIZE CONSENT AND AGENCY AND. DIGNITY AS A PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER WITH A LARGE PANEL
OF UH PATIENTS WITH COMPLEX PSYCHOSOCIAL NEEDS UM MANY WHO ARE UNDERSTANDABLY MISTRUSTFUL OF THE INSTITUTIONS THAT I JUST NAMED. HAVING ACCESS TO A RESOURCE LIKE THIS TO GIVE TO MY PATIENTS AND TO CALL ON MYSELF WOULD BE A HUGE WEIGHT LIFTED
OFF MY CHEST KNOWING THAT MY PATIENTS ARE GOING TO BE PROVIDED A COMMUNITY BASED SUPPORT THAT HONORS THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCES AND RESPECTS THEIR CHOICES. AGAIN, THIS IS WHAT THE BOSTON PEOPLE'S MODELS RESPONSE COULD ALLOW FOR.
I URGE YOU TO REJECT MAYOR WITH CURRENT BUDGET AND FULLY FUND THE PILOT AT $4 MILLION FOR THE FY 27 BUDGET YEAR. THANKS.
OKAY, I MY LIST I'VE JUST I'VE GOT ESTHER CHRISTINE MITCHELL, UH, MARIA FONG AND HAPPY UH, I DON'T KNOW MAYBE UH I THINK THAT'S UH WHO SAYS ZOO UH, BUT
UM. COULD BE WRONG. OKAY. >> WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. UH, HELLO AND THANK YOU. FOR THESE OPPORTUNITY. UH, MY NAME IS SARAH. OKAY. >> UH, I'M HERE LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE BEFORE ME IN SUPPORT
OF ALLOCATING THIS 4 MILLION TO FULLY FUND THE PILOT. FOR AND VERY. IMPORTANTLY A NON-POLICE NON CARCERAL COMMUNITY BASED MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE MODEL. UM, I'M A RESIDENT OF ROXBURY.
I'VE BEEN IN ROXBURY. FOR 20. YEARS AND THAT'S HOW I'M CONNECTED TO THE BOSTON PEOPLE'S RESPONSE CAMPAIGN. UM, I COME HERE BOTH WITH MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND ALSO
LIKE MANY OTHER PEOPLE WHO SPOKE BEFORE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE PERSONALLY I'M HERE SENDING AND I CAN UH I CAN'T HELP THINKING OF YOUR FRIEND
WHO LAST YEAR WE HAD TO SUPPORT THROUGH SOME OF WHAT MY FRIEND JUST, UH, TALKED ABOUT BEING UH, SANCTIONED AGAINST THEIR WAILED AND BEING UH, HAVING TO FACE CRIMINAL CHARGES AFTER
HAVING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS BECAUSE OF THE MYSTIC VIOLENCE ,UH, SITUATION PROFESSIONALLY, I'VE ALSO BEEN A TRAUMA AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COUNSELOR FOR OVER. 15 YEARS. I ALSO CURRENTLY WORK AS A
COURT INTERPRETER, A CERTIFIED RECORDING INTERPRETER. AND I CAN TELL YOU I, UH, SPEND MY DAYS HEARING HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF CASES AND
SITUATIONS THAT SHOULD BE DEALT WITH AS A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS AND END UP BEING NOT ONLY CRIMINAL CHARGES BUT ALSO SEVERAL TIMES ESPECIALLY IN THE
LAST YEAR UH, WITH PEOPLE BEING DEPORTED AS A CONSEQUENCE OF SOMETHING THAT WAS UH A TRAUMA OR A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.
UM, I THINK THAT THERE'S ALSO THE OTHER THING THAT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT. IT'S NOT ONLY WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A POLICE ARE CALLED TO. RESPOND TO SITUATIONS. THAT ARE MENTAL HEALTH
SITUATIONS, BUT ALSO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE DON'T ACTUALLY CALL AND THEY DON'T SEEK THE HELP THAT THEY NEED? I'VE ALSO SEEN THOSE I CAN TELL YOU THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE
THAT DO NOT CALL BECAUSE THEY ARE AFRAID TO CALL AND THEY PROBABLY SHOULD BE CALLING FOR HELP. UM IN THESE SITUATIONS WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT THERE'S ALREADY A WHOLE COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE SOME OF THEM HERE.
THERE'S MANY THAT ARE NOT HERE . WHO ALREADY. RESPOND TO THESE SITUATIONS INFORMALLY YOU COULD SAY, BUT THEY ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THERE PROVIDING THE FIRST RESPONSE FOR MENTAL HEALTH
CRISIS, FOR TRAUMA CRISIS FOR THE MYSTIC VIOLENCE. AND SO THIS IS WHY I NOT ONLY KNOW THAT THIS MODEL CAN WORK, I THINK IT'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, FOR THE CITY
TO PUT THE BUDGET BEHIND YOU KNOW, A LOT OF WHAT WE'VE HEARD HERE THIS CONCERNED UH, FOR PEOPLE FOR TRAUMA SURVIVORS, FOR THE VIOLENCE SURVIVORS TO PUT THE BUDGET BEHIND THAT.
AND I HEARD THEY'LL BE WRAPPING IT UP. UM, AND TO ACTUALLY FUND A MODEL THAT WILL SUPPORT ALL THOSE. PEOPLE THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR THE LAST, UH, HOUR.
THANK YOU. >> HELLO. >> MY NAME IS MARIA FONG AND I'M HERE TODAY. >> TO SHARE. TESTIMONY IN SUPPORT OF FULLY FUNDING THE PILOT FOR THE NON-POLICE NON CARCERAL COMMUNITY BASED MENTAL. HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE MODEL.
I'M AN. ELECTED MEMBER LEADER OF THE. BOSTON PEOPLE'S. RESPONSE CAMPAIGN AS WELL AS A FREELANCE ARTIST AND A YOUTH WORKER IN BOSTON. I WORK IN. DORCHESTER, CHINATOWN AND SEAPORT WITH HIGH.
SCHOOLERS WHO WANT TO MAKE ART AND MAKE CHANGE. THE LATEST 2023 CDC YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEY FOUND THAT 40% OF HIGH SCHOOLERS REPORT PERSISTENT FEELINGS OF SADNESS . OR HOPELESSNESS, WITH.
RATES PARTICULARLY HIGH FOR YOUNG. WOMEN AND. YOUTH. UH 53% AND 65%. OUR CITY NEEDS MORE SUPPORTS FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. THE YOUNG PEOPLE I WORK WITH. >> WILL CERTAINLY.
NOT CALL. 911 TO GET THIS KIND OF HELP. IN THE MIDST. >> OF MY OWN. MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. I PULLED UP THE NEW 908 NUMBER . BUT THE PROSPECT OF CALLING. >> A STRANGER WHO COULD BE ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY WAS INTIMIDATING. I WAS WORRIED. >> THEY WOULD BE TRANSPHOBIC.
I WAS SCARED THAT IF I TOLD THE HOTLINE OPERATOR WHAT WAS REALLY GOING ON IN MY BRAIN, I WOULD BE PICKED UP BY AN AMBULANCE, TAKEN AWAY FURTHER ISOLATED. >> AND PATHOLOGIZED. AND WE SENT A BILL FROM THE HOSPITAL AFTERWARDS. SO I DIDN'T CALL.
MY MENTAL HEALTH GOT WORSE. WHEN PEOPLE DON'T GET HELP. IT GETS WORSE AND MANY TIMES WE SEE FOLKS IN CRISIS GET KILLED BY POLICE POLICE WHO ARE SUPPOSEDLY THERE TO HELP BUT USUALLY THEY MAKE IT WORSE.
IN CONTRAST. THE COMMUNITY BASED MODEL WOULD HAVE RESPONDERS WHO ARE BASED IN THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS WITH RELATIONSHIPS AND CONNECTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY AS OPPOSED TO RESPONDING TO CITYWIDE CALLS. THE COMMUNITY BASED.
MODEL WOULD HIRE PRIMARILY PEOPLE OF COLOR AND PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE. MANAGING MENTAL. HEALTH CRISIS. THESE KEY DIFFERENCES WOULD. INCREASE TRUST AND RELATIONSHIPS. I'M STRONGLY. ADVOCATING TO THE CITY COUNCIL TO.
REJECT THE MAYOR'S CURRENT PROPOSED BUDGET AND MAKE THIS INVESTMENT IN OUR CITY'S MENTAL HEALTH. I URGE YOU TO. BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF NEIGHBORS HELPING. NEIGHBORS AND ALONG WITH. FUNDING FOR. >> ARTS, YOUTH. JOBS AND AND IMMIGRANT
ORGANIZATIONS THIS PILOT WILL MAKE US STRONGER AND HEALTHIER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. HI MY NAME IS. DOCTOR CHRISTINE.
MITCHELL AND I'M A. GRADUATE OF HARVARD T.H.. >> CHAN. SCHOOL OF. >> PUBLIC HEALTH. AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE HEALTH. INSTEAD OF PUNISHMENT. PROGRAM AT HEALTH IN PARTNERSHIP. WHICH IS. >> A NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH NONPROFIT. I'M TESTIFYING. TODAY TO. >> ASK CITY COUNCILORS TO VOTE TO.
REJECT THE MAYOR'S BUDGET THAT CUTS $20 MILLION. FROM YOUTH JOBS. HOUSING. >> IMMIGRANT SUPPORT AND MORE. AMENDING THE PROPOSED. BUDGET IS NOT ENOUGH AS. YOU'VE HEARD. >> IT. MUST BE REJECTED. IN ADDITION, I'M.
ASKING CITY COUNCILORS TO ADVOCATE FOR $4. >> MILLION. FOR THE. 2027 BUDGET FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION. OF A. NON-POLICE NON CARCERAL. COMMUNITY LED. MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. RESPONSE MODEL PILOT. FOR THE LAST DECADE I'VE.
>> DONE RESEARCH. EVALUATING THESE TYPES OF PROGRAMS. NATIONALLY AND THERE ARE CLEAR PATTERNS. TO WHAT OUR COMMUNITIES NEED. MENTAL HEALTH. CRISES AND POLICE. RESPONSE TO. THEM DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECT.
MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES DUE. >> TO THE SYSTEMIC RACISM, ABLEISM AND FAILURES OF TRADITIONAL. CRISIS RESPONSE SYSTEMS. PEOPLE WITH UNTREATED. MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS ARE. 16 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE. KILLED BY POLICE THAN.
THOSE WITHOUT. MOST RECENTLY. >> IN BOSTON, POLICE TRAGICALLY . KILLED JACOB GRAVES AND. STEPHENSON KING, BOTH. >> OF. WHOM WERE EXPERIENCING. >> MENTAL. HEALTH CRISES AND WHOSE DEATHS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED THROUGH CITY INVESTMENT IN.
CRISIS RESPONSE ALTERNATIVES. IN 2018, THE AMERICAN PUBLIC. HEALTH ASSOCIATION. IDENTIFIED POLICE VIOLENCE AS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS, CALLING FOR PUBLIC HEALTH SOLUTIONS THAT ALLOCATE. FUNDING FROM. >> LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AGENCIES TO. COMMUNITY BASED. >> PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS VIOLENCE AND. HARM WITHOUT CRIMINALIZING COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING. MENTAL HEALTH INTERVENTION. RESEARCH SHOWS. THAT ALTERNATIVE. MODELS ARE. BOTH MORE EFFECTIVE AT MEETING
THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE. IN CRISIS. AND MORE TRUSTED BY THE COMMUNITY THAN TRADITIONAL POLICING. A 2023. STUDY BASED ON. INTERVIEWS WITH PEOPLE WITH. SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS.
FOUND THAT NON-POLICE RESPONSE IS THEIR MOST PREFERRED CHOICE . MORE THAN HALF OF THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE STUDY. NOTED THAT THEY WOULD. WANT A. >> NON-POLICE RESPONSE. WHEN THEY, A FAMILY. >> MEMBER OR A FRIEND ARE EXPERIENCING. >> A CRISIS. AND YET THE.
CURRENT BOSTON CITY BUDGET PROPOSAL ALLOCATES 484. >> MILLION TO BPD AND NO INVESTMENT. INTO A NON-POLICE RESPONSE. SO I'M ASKING. TODAY THAT THE.
CITY COUNCIL. INVESTS THE REQUESTED $4. >> MILLION INTO THE BOSTON PEOPLE'S RESPONSE. OUR CITY HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A NATIONAL LEADER IN. MENTAL HEALTH, AND I URGE YOU TO MAKE THAT INVESTMENT.
THANK YOU. HI. >> MY NAME IS HAPPY YOU WERE. AN 11TH. GRADER AT. >> ANIMATION HIGH SCHOOL. AND I AM A RESIDENT OF. DISTRICT THREE. I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT
OF BOSTON PEOPLE'S RESPONSE, A COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION FOCUSED. >> ON MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. TOO OFTEN WHEN SOMEONE IS EXPERIENCING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, THE DEFAULT IS CALLING THE POLICE. BUT POLICE ARE NOT ALWAYS TRAINED TO HANDLE THESE
SITUATIONS. IN A WAY THAT LEADS TO SAFETY OR EVEN HEALING AT ALL. THAT'S WHY PROGRAMS LIKE BPR BOSTON PEOPLE'S RESPONSE ARE SO IMPORTANT.
THIS MODEL OFFERS A NON-POLICE COMMUNITY BASED RESPONSE THAT FOCUS ON CARE, DE-ESCALATION AND REAL SUPPORT INSTEAD OF PUNISHMENT. INVESTING IN THIS APPROACH WILL
HELP CREATE SAFER OUTCOMES FOR TEENS LIKE ME AND EVERYONE IN GENERAL. IT REDUCES ARM AND ENSURE THAT PEOPLE IN CRISIS RECEIVES THE KIND OF HELP THEY ACTUALLY NEED .
I ALSO URGE THE CITY COUNCILOR TO REJECT THE MAYOR'S THE MAYOR'S BUDGET COMPLETELY SEND IT BACK TO THE MAYOR AND ADVOCATE FOR THE 4 MILLION FOR BOSTON PEOPLE'S RESPONSE AND THE FINAL BUDGET.
OUR COMMUNITIES DESERVE REAL INVESTMENT IN CARE, SAFETY AND MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU. UH, YEAH, I'VE GOT SARAH.
YASMIN. SORRY I GOTTA PUT MY GLASSES ON. UH, I'M NOT SURE. UH, WILLIAMS. UH AND, UH, NO YOUNG KIM SO AND
WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. UH. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY COUNCILORS. MY NAME IS SARAH OMCE. I USE THEY THEM PRONOUNS AND I'M A RESIDENT OF DORCHESTER AND DISTRICT THREE. I AM A SOCIAL WORKER AND HAVE BEEN AN ENTHUSIASTIC MEMBER
OF THE BOSTON PEOPLE'S RESPONSE SINCE 2023. AS SOMEONE WHO HAS LIVED EXPERIENCE WITH MENTAL HEALTH CRISES BOTH MY OWN AND THOSE OF LOVED ONES AND HAS WORKED AS A MENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONER.
I STAND FIRM IN THE TRUTH THAT A NON-POLICE NON CARCERAL COMMUNITY LED MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE IS SOMETHING THAT THE PEOPLE OF BOSTON DESPERATELY WANT AND NEED. I HAVE WITNESSED LOVED ONES
FIRSTHAND BEING MET WITH POLICE VIOLENCE WHEN THEY CALLED FOR MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT AND I MYSELF HAVE NOT REACHED OUT FOR HELP WHEN I REALLY NEEDED IT. OUT OF A DEEP SEATED FEAR OF POLICE, STATE SANCTIONED
VIOLENCE AND A LOSS OF AUTONOMY WHEN WE ARE HAVING MENTAL CRISISES POLICE TREAT US AS THREATS TO BE PUT DOWN. HOW WAS HOSPITALIZED AGAINST OUR WILL OR INCARCERATE US? INSTEAD OF TREATING US AS HUMAN
BEINGS IN NEED OF SUPPORT. CONSENT AND SAFETY ARE PARAMOUNT IN MENTAL HEALTH CARE AND WE URGE YOU TO HELP US PRIORITIZE IT. AS A MUSLIM AND ARAB, I HAVE ALSO SEEN THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF POLICE, STATE SANCTIONED
VIOLENCE AND SURVEILLANCE ON MY ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY. ALL BOSTONIANS ESPECIALLY PEOPLE OF COLOR, IMMIGRANTS, DISABLED FOLKS, AND TRANS FOLKS AND WORKING CLASS FOLKS DESERVE TO REACH OUT AND
RECEIVE AFFIRMING MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT WITHOUT FEAR OR HESITATION. THEY DESERVE TO KNOW THAT THEY AND THEIR LOVED ONES CAN CALL FOR SUPPORT WITHOUT WONDERING WHETHER THE RESPONSE WILL LEAD TO INJURY, INCARCERATION OR
DEATH. THEY DESERVE TO KNOW THAT THEY WILL BE MET WITH GENTLE CONSENT BASED CARE AND GENUINE SUPPORT. ALL OF THIS ISN'T COMPELLING ENOUGH. OUR REPORT CITED RESEARCH THAT
POLICE AS FIRST RESPONDERS COST FOUR TIMES MORE THAN COMMUNITY RESPONSE MODELS SUCH AS OURS. THEREFORE, I AM FERVENTLY ASKING CITY COUNCILORS TO REJECT THE MAYOR'S CURRENT PROPOSED BUDGET AND THEN
ALLOCATE 4 MILLION FROM THE FINAL 2027 BUDGET TO SUPPORT OUR PILOT. THIS AMOUNT IS A DROP IN THE BUCKET COMPARED TO THE ALMOST 500 MILLION MAYOR WHO WANTS TO ALLOCATE TO. >> THE POLICE. PLEASE HELP US MAKE BOSTON
SAFER AND MORE JUST. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME. >> IS YASMEEN BAILEY.
I USE THEY PRONOUNS AND I'M A REGISTERED VOTER FROM THE DISTRICT FOR TODAY. MY TESTIMONY WILL CONCLUDE ONE THING FOR COUNCILORS. UH. >> COUNCILOR UH, TO REJECT
MAYOR WU'S PROPOSED BUDGET AND ADD FULL FUNDING FOR BPR BOSTON PEOPLE'S RESPONSE BACK INTO THE FINAL BUDGET. THAT'S A $4 MILLION. IN CASE YOU FORGOT.
FIRST POINT I BELIEVE THAT THE PURPOSE OF A CITY BUDGET IS TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND INCLUSION OF PUBLIC SERVICES, COMMUNITY NEEDS AND INFRASTRUCTURE. THE PREVIOUS MAYORAL
ADMINISTRATION STARTED UH, THIS THREE PRONGED RESEARCH PILOT PROGRAM. FOR A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE. THEY LOOK TO THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT TO, UH, BETTER THEIR
MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE, UH, FOR A COMMUNITY LED DESIGN GROUP TO CREATE A PILOT PROGRAM AND FOR A CORE RESPONSE MODEL TO HAPPEN WHICH THAT INCLUDED POLICE AND MENTAL HEALTH CARE WORKERS
WORKING TOGETHER. UM, AS STATED PREVIOUSLY, THE CITY SCHOOL AND BOSTON LIBERATION HEALTH UH PUT IN A BID FOR THE RFP FOR THE COMMUNITY LED DESIGN GROUP. WE GOT IT.
AND FOR THE PAST 4 TO 5 YEARS, COMMUNITY LEADERS AND MEMBERS HAVE COLLABORATED EXTENSIVELY ON THE CREATION OF A COMMUNITY LED NON CARCERAL, NON-POLICE, FULLY FUNDED MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE PILOT THAT'S
BACKED BY RESEARCH BACKED BY COMMUNITY VOICES AND BACKED BY A VISION FOR A FUTURE IN BOSTON THAT IS ONE CENTERED AROUND SAFETY, CARE, HEALING AND GROWTH.
IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE THE CITY UM OF BOSTON SPECIFICALLY FOLLOW THROUGH ON THEIR PREEXISTING INVESTMENT. THIS RESEARCH PROJECT AND THE PREVIOUS MAYORAL ADMINISTRATION ,UH, GAVE FUNDING TO COMMUNITY GROUPS IN ORDER TO DO THIS
WORK, GAVE FUNDING TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO DO THAT WORK. AND IT'S A BIT STRANGE THAT NOW THERE IS NO CONTINUATION TO SEE THE THAT CREATION OF THAT PILOT
PROGRAM. UM, TO SEE IT HAPPEN IN OUR EXPERIENCES AND WHAT WE NEED ALMOST OUR TIME AND I'LL WRAP UP. UM MOMENTS LIKE THESE WHERE WE
ARE HERE TO SHARE OUR VOICES AND WHERE WE ARE HERE TO HEAR ABOUT WHAT OUR COMMUNITY IS DOING IS AN IMPORTANT REMINDER THAT WE ARE MOST IMPACTED. AND SINCE WE ARE THE MOST
IMPACTED, YOU WILL NEED TO FUND THE SERVICES THAT CAN ADDRESS OUR NEEDS BECAUSE THAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A CITY BUDGET.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY. >> UM HI MY NAME IS SHERRY WILLIAMS. I'M 16 YEARS OLD. I'M A MEMBER LEADER OF THE
BOSTON PEOPLE'S RESPONSE CAMPAIGN ASSOCIATED WITH THE CITY SCHOOL AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT FIVE. TIME AND TIME AGAIN PEOPLE OF COLOR. PEOPLE OF COLOR HAVE BEEN FAILED BY THOSE WHO ARE MEANT
TO PROTECT US. WHY SHOULD MY SKIN COLOR MY NEIGHBORHOOD OR THE HEALTH ISSUES I'M EXPERIENCING AFFECT HOW I'M TREATED BY THE POLICE OR MY ACCESS TO ADEQUATE MENTAL HEALTH CARE? SUICIDE IS THE SECOND LEADING
CAUSE OF DEATH IN YOUTH AGE 15 THROUGH 19. ACCORDING TO YOUR HEALTH OF BOSTON REPORT FROM 2024 FROM 2017 TO 2021, BLACK ADOLESCENTS EXPERIENCED HIGHER RATES
OF MENTAL HEALTH. UM EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISITS ACROSS MULTIPLE AGE GROUPS 10 TO 14, 15 TO 17 AND 18 TO 19. WHITE YOUTH OF THE SAME AGE GROUP WITH THE HIGHEST RATES
OBSERVED AMONG BLACK FEMALE YOUTH. AS A BLACK FEMALE MYSELF, I DEEPLY FEEL THAT YOU AS CITY COUNSELORS SHOULD BE DOING MORE TO MAKE SURE THE YOUTH WHO WILL ONE DAY BE IN YOUR SHOES ARE FULLY TAKEN CARE OF PHYSICALLY
AND MENTALLY BY BEING GIVEN THEIR HUMAN RIGHT TO ADEQUATE HEALTH CARE WITHOUT RISK OF INCARCERATION IN THE SEVENTH GRADE. 2022 I STARTED ATTENDING BOSTON LATIN SCHOOL TWO DAYS AFTER THE
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, A NINTH GRADE STUDENT JUMPED IN FRONT OF A MBTA TRAIN AND ALTHOUGH NOT INJURED IT WAS STILL DEVASTATING TO HEAR ABOUT. THEN IN EIGHTH GRADE, A STUDENT GOT SENT TO THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE SHE HAD AN ALLERGIC
REACTION TO A VAPE. MY FRIEND WAS ALSO DOING SELF-HARM IN THE BATHROOM BECAUSE OF FAMILY ISSUES AND THE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST HAD NO INTEREST IN LISTENING TO HER AND WOULD HAVE LIKELY CALLED THE POLICE ONLY FURTHER ENDANGERING HER.
FURTHERMORE, THE CONSTANT POLICE SURVEILLANCE AT FOREST HILLS THAT HAS INCREASED IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS ONLY PUTS YOUTH MORE ON EDGE IN AN AREA WHERE THEY SHOULD FEEL THEY CAN HANG OUT AND BE FREE TO BE A CHILD.
ALTHOUGH I DO KNOW I NO LONGER ATTEND BOSTON LATIN ANYMORE. HAD MY FRIENDS OR I HAD ACCESS TO BPR, THE BOSTON PEOPLE'S RESPONSE RESOURCES WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BE PROVIDED FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE, DEPRESSION AND
SUICIDE PREVENTING AND TREATING THEIR PAIN IN A WAY THAT IS COMMUNITY BASED AND EQUITABLE. CLEARLY SINCE YOU WORK IN THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION, YOU ARE AWARE OF THE CATASTROPHIC MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS THAT IS PREVALENT AMONG THE YOUTH IN THE CITY.
YOU SIMPLY DON'T WANT TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TOWARDS FIXING IT. IF YOU TRULY CARED ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN YOUR COMMUNITIES, YOU WOULD DO YOUR ACTUAL JOB LISTENING TO US THE PEOPLE AFFECTED BY MENTAL HEALTH CRISES AND FIGHTING TO
MAKE OUR LIVES BETTER BY REJECTING MAYOR WU'S BUDGET AND THEN ADDING FUNDING BACK IN FOR INITIATIVES SUCH AS THE BOSTON PEOPLE'S HEALTH BOSTON PEOPLE'S RESPONSE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS PILOT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.
>> HELLO. >> GOOD EVENING, CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS DIE YOUNG. I'M 30 YEARS OLD AND I'M A FULL TIME PSYCHOTHERAPIST AND A BOSTON RESIDENT. I RESIDE IN DORCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS IN DISTRICT THREE
ON PAWTUCKET LAND AND I'M A PROUD COMMUNITY ORGANIZER WITH THIS CAMPAIGN AND A MEMBER OF BOSTON LIBERATION HELP AND RUNNERS FOR JUSTICE IN PALESTINE BOSTON. WE ARE ASKING. CITY COUNCILORS TO REJECT THE
MAYOR'S CURRENT PROPOSED BUDGET AND THEN ADD TO APPROVE AN AMENDMENT FOR $4 MILLION FOR THE FINAL 2027 BUDGET FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NON-POLICE NON CARCERAL
COMMUNITY LED MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE MODEL PILOT. MY CLIENTS SHOULD HAVE THE OPTION TO EXPLORE WARM LINES AND INTERVENTIONS OUTSIDE OF THE CARCERAL SYSTEM AND HAVE
ACCESS TO MULTIPLE OPTIONS AS A PSYCHOTHERAPIST AND CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER WHO ALSO HOLDS THE TITLE OF MANDATED REPORTER . I FULLY BELIEVE THAT WHAT
PEOPLE NEED ARE COMMUNITY CONNECTION RE GROUNDING NOT LAW ENFORCEMENT. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THIS MODEL TO BE AN ASSET IN THE COMMUNITY. ONCE IMPLEMENTED, THIS WILL ALLOW PEOPLE TO ACCESS A SYSTEM
OF CARE THAT'S TANGIBLE, RESPONSIVE, LOCAL AND COMMUNITY DRIVEN. IN MY EXPERIENCE BOTH LIVING WITH PEOPLE IN A DV CRISIS AND MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, A LOCAL THIRD PARTY INTERVENTION THAT'S
IN-PERSON AND NOT A HOTLINE WOULD HAVE MADE A MONUMENTAL DIFFERENCE IN NOT JUST SUPPORTING THE PERSON EXPERIENCING THE CRISIS BUT ALSO ME AND OTHERS WHO ARE WITNESS AND DIDN'T HAVE THE SUPPORTS AND GROUNDINGS TO KNOW
WHAT TO DO AT THE TIME. A THIRD PARTY WITHOUT WEAPONS KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY AND SOMEONE WHO'S TRAINED IN PEER SUPPORT TO HELP GROUND AND RESPOND WAS NEEDED. IN ADDITION, FOR ME IT'S ABOUT
HOLDING PEOPLE WE'VE LOST WHETHER SAEED FAISAL IN CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS. SONIA MASSEY IN SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS OR OTHER KOREAN AMERICANS JUST LIKE ME FROM
KOREATOWN, L.A. YANGYANG AND VICTORIA LEE FROM FORT LEE, NEW JERSEY. REST IN PEACE TO THE LIVES SENSELESSLY LOST IN A MOMENT WHERE THEY NEEDED CONNECTION AND SUPPORT.
WE NEED ALTERNATIVES NOT MORE POLICE, NOT MORE PRISONS, NOT MORE SYSTEMS THAT DON'T AFFIRM AGENCY AND HUMANITY. $4 MILLION IS ABSOLUTELY
NOTHING COMPARED TO MAYOR WU'S RECENT ALLOCATION OF $480 MILLION PLUS FOR POLICE. THE RESEARCH PROVES IT. OUR LIVED EXPERIENCE PROVES IT THAT WE NEED ALTERNATIVES.
BLACK BOSTONIANS, DISABLED BOSTONIANS, LGBTQ PLUS BOSTONIANS, IMMIGRANT BOSTONIANS, UNHOUSED BOSTONIANS ,BOSTONIANS OF COLOR DESERVE THIS AND DESERVE TO HAVE THEIR
HUMANITY, SAFETY AND CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR FEARS AND WISHES AFFIRMED AND RESPONDED TO. THANK YOU. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. UH, I'VE GOT ARIEL ELLISON.
UM, THE CHARMING, UH, SOLOMON. OKAY. BUT WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SHARE MY TESTIMONY. MY NAME IS ARIEL ELLISON AND I LIVE IN THE FENWAY KENMORE DISTRICT OF DISTRICT EIGHT.
I'M AN INCOMING JUNIOR AT NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY AND A MEMBER OF THE BOSTON PEOPLE'S RESPONSE CAMPAIGN. I'M HERE TO ASK OUR CITY COUNCILORS TO REJECT THE MAYOR'S CURRENT PROPOSED BUDGET . BUDGET AND IN THE FINAL BUDGET
FULLY FUND THE PILOT FOR THE NON-POLICE, NONCOMMERCIAL COMMUNITY BASED MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE. MODEL AT $4 MILLION. THIS CAMPAIGN IS IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE OF MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCES AND FIRSTHAND EXPOSURE TO THE IMPLICATIONS
OF MISMANAGED MENTAL ILLNESS. MY STRUGGLES WITH ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION BEGAN IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WITH WHAT STARTED AS PANIC ATTACKS THAT LANDED ME IN THE ER. IT TOOK OVER TEN YEARS TO REACH AN ASSESSMENT AND DIAGNOSIS AS THE DAUGHTER OF A HISPANIC
IMMIGRANT, THE CULTURAL NORMS THAT STIGMATIZE ASKING FOR HELP AND BEING LABELED AS MENTALLY ILL WERE INSTILLED AT A VERY FORMATIVE AGE. I OFTEN FELT HELPLESS AND DESOLATE, UNABLE TO ACCESS MEDICATION AND THERAPY AS A MINOR DUE TO MY LACK
OF PARENTAL SUPPORT. IN ADDITION TO MY OWN STRUGGLES, I WATCHED CLOSE FAMILY AND FRIENDS RECEIVE AGGRESSIVE INTERVENTIONS FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT OR REFRAIN FROM SEEKING TREATMENT AND A TIME SUICIDE. THE FEAR OF BEING MET WITH THE
POLICE RESPONSE IS A WIDELY SHARED CONCERN AMONGST MANY YOUTH AND IS WHY THIS PROGRAM IS ESSENTIAL TOWARDS ENDING OUR MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. MY UNCLE'S BIPOLAR DISORDER HAD A VERY IMPORTANT IMPACT ON OUR FAMILY. I VIVIDLY RECALL WATCHING HIS
MANIC OUTBURST WHILE BEING ILL EQUIPPED TO NAVIGATE THESE EPISODES, WHICH FORCED OUR RELIANCE ON LAW ENFORCEMENT A MULTIPLICATION TABLE SHACKLED AND ARRESTED BY POLICE FOR HIS ERRATIC BEHAVIOR AND VERBAL HOSTILITY. THESE EVENTS REINFORCED THE
HARMFUL IDEA THAT HAD BEEN INTERNALLY ESTABLISHED. THE FEAR OF BEING MISTREATED FOR NEEDING, SEEKING OR RECEIVING MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT. THEY ALSO FURTHER DISCOURAGED MY PARENTS FROM ALLOWING ME TO OBTAIN THIS WORK I NEEDED, AS THEY FELT THE REPERCUSSIONS
OUTWEIGHED THE BENEFITS OF BEING LABELED MENTALLY ILL. THESE VIOLENT AND LETHAL INTERVENTIONS HAVE YET TO CHANGE. THE DATA SHOWS 25% OF FATAL POLICE SHOOTINGS ARE RESPONSES TO MENTAL HEALTH CRISES.
MOST RECENTLY, JACOB GRAVES WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY POLICE ON APRIL 4TH AT HIS RESIDENCE DURING A CRISIS RESPONSE. AS A NORTHEASTERN STUDENT AND A MEMBER OF THIS CAMPAIGN, I AM DEEPLY COMMITTED TO ADVOCATING FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
I ASK FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TO SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE AND FULLY FUND THE RESPONSE MODEL PROMOTING ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE MEASURES THAT HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL AND OTHER COMMUNITIES CAN PREVENT THE INEVITABLE ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE WHEN RELYING ON
POLICE INTERVENTIONS AND REDUCES STIGMAS TOWARD SEEKING HELP. THANK YOU. OKAY. >> HELLO. >> HELLO.
MY NAME IS CHARMING SALOMON. I'M THE PROGRAM COORDINATOR A NAME YOUTH ORGANIZING NETWORK. I'M A RESIDENT OF DORCHESTER AND I'M A MEMBER LEADER HERE AT BOSTON PEOPLE'S RESPONSE. UM, JUST LIKE EVERYBODY HERE,
I'VE ALSO SHOWED UP TO ASK CITY COUNCILORS TO FIND AND APPROVED $4 MILLION FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NON CARCERAL COMMUNITY LED MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE PROGRAM.
AND I'M A YOUTH WORKER SO I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH MANY YOUNG PEOPLE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY CRISIS. I'M IN COMMUNITY WITH MANY LOVED ONES WHO ARE DIRECTLY IMPACTED. AND AS A BOSTON RESIDENT I'VE
HAD MY HAND SHARE A LOT OF EXPERIENCES WITNESSING MANY PEOPLE ALSO STRUGGLING WITH CRISES ON THE STREET. UM I'VE SEEN PEOPLE STRUGGLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH EPISODES VIOLENCE, SUBSTANCE ABUSE,
ILLNESS. I'VE SEEN THE WAY THAT PEOPLE HAVE FELT SAFER AND ARE MORE RESPONSIVE WHEN COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE SHOWING UP AND DE-ESCALATING INSTEAD OF POLICE . THERE'S ALWAYS THIS POINT
OF ARGUMENT WHEN WE'RE MEETING WITH CITY COUNCILORS UM, WHERE THEY LOVE THE MODEL. THEY'RE LIKE, YEAH, LIKE I LOVE WHAT Y'ALL THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT. BUT BY DEFAULT THEY'RE LIKE LET'S JUST HAND IT BACK TO POLICE.
LET'S TRAIN THE OFFICERS. LET'S AMP UP OUR TRAUMA INFORMED CARE. LET'S SEE SOME MEDIATION ETC.. AND TO ME PERSONALLY THAT'S A CLEAR. INDICATOR THAT YOU'RE. NOT LISTENING. YOU'RE NOT IN COMMUNITY ENOUGH
WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE IMPACTED EVERY DAY BY CRISIS AND YOU DON'T HAVE A BASIS OF UNDERSTANDING TRAUMA, BLACK TRAUMA, TRAUMA, DISABLED TRAUMA. THE ROLE OF POLICE IS TO
RESPOND TO IMMEDIATE THREATS. AND WE OFTEN MISTAKE IT. THAT CRISIS MEANS THAT SOMEONE IS A THREAT AND THAT IS NOT TRUE. CRISIS BECOMES A THREAT WHEN THERE IS A POOR RESPONSE TO IT.
SEEING POLICE OFFICERS IN CRISIS CAN FURTHER DIS REGULATE YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM FURTHER INDUCE PANIC EXTREME BEHAVIOR BECAUSE OF THE HISTORY OF. POLICE, THE COUNTLESS. MURDERS THAT HAVE HAPPENED
GLOBALLY AND BECAUSE OF THE ROLE OF POLICE AS TO IDENTIFY AND RESPOND TO THREATS AND MENTAL HEALTH CRISES AGAIN IS NOT A THREAT. COMMUNITY HAS. ASKED FOR A SAFE FOR A SAFETY
SYSTEM BEYOND. POLICE, MEANING. THAT SOMEONE'S ORIENTATION TO RESPONDING ISN'T TO PUT A GUN TO THEIR BODIES. ISN'T TO THROW THEM IN JAIL IS IT TO SEND THEM TO AN
INSTITUTION AND IT ISN'T TO DECIDE WHAT SOLUTIONS BEST WORK FOR THEM. INSTEAD COMMUNITY TIME. AND TIME AGAIN THEY'RE. ASKING FOR. >> COMMUNITY MEMBERS. >> WHO. LOOK LIKE THEM TO RESPOND WITH CARE TO ADDRESS THE ROOT
OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AND TO BUILD WHAT SAFETY LOOKS LIKE FOR THEM AND QUOTE BUILD THAT. SO IF YOU DON'T FUND THIS PROGRAM I THINK IT'S A DISSERVICE TO THE CITY. IT'S A DISSERVICE TO YOUNG PEOPLE. IT DOES IT IT'S A DISSERVICE TO
PEOPLE. IT'S A SERVICE TO EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM. YEAH. SO PLEASE FUND US. THANK YOU. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. I'VE GOT, UH.
,UM, SHRIEK MAYBE CHEEKBONES. SORRY IF I'M JUST PRONOUNCING THAT RIGHT WRONG. AND THEN JOAQUIN I. SAW WALK OUT. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU. >> WANT TO GRAB WORKING. OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY
COUNCILORS. MY NAME IS. >> NICK. CECCONI RECLOSE YOUR HANDWRITING. >> I TALK ABOUT ME SETTING ME UP HERE WITH, UH, WHO IS. TOTALLY OKAY. UM. >> BUT I'M SHINNECOCK ON AND I WAS BORN AND RAISED. IN DISTRICT.
SIX BUT. RECENTLY MOVED TO DISTRICT FIVE . UM, I'M THE DIRECTOR OF ADMIN. >> AND OPS AT THE CITY. SCHOOL AND I AM. >> A MEMBER OF THE BOSTON PEOPLE'S RESPONSE CAMPAIGN. I'M ASKING CITY. COUNCILORS TO REJECT. >> THE CURRENT FY.
27 BUDGET AND. ADD THE. FUNDING OF $4 MILLION IN FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE. NON-POLICE NON CARCERAL. COMMUNITY LED MENTAL HEALTH.
CRISIS RESPONSE MODEL PILOT. UNFORTUNATELY, WE CURRENTLY LIVE IN A. TIME WHERE THERE IS GREAT DISTRUST IN. THE LAW ENFORCEMENT. WE HAVE AN OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF. DATA THAT. SHOWS THAT THIS DISTRUST.
IS DUE TO EXPERIENCES. WITH POLICE HARASSMENT. A HARVARD STUDY IN 2024 SURVEYED 1407. BOSTON RESIDENTS. >> OF NUMEROUS. ETHNICITIES ON THEIR EXPERIENCES. >> IN THE GENERAL.
NATURE OF CONTACT. >> WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT. THE STUDY. FOUND THAT TWO OUT OF. FIVE BLACK BOSTONIANS FEEL A DEEP DISTRESS DUE TO THEIR EXPERIENCES. >> WITH POLICE HARASSMENT. THIS SAME STUDY.
ALSO FOUND THAT FOUR OUT OF FIVE BOSTONIANS SHOT SHOWED POLICE HARASSMENT IS. ALSO PREDICTIVE. OF SYMPTOMS OF TRAUMA, ESPECIALLY SO. FOR BOSTON'S BLACK MEN.
NOW THIS RESPONSE. MODEL IS NOT ABOUT RACE. IT IS ABOUT THE SAFETY OF BOSTON'S RESIDENTS. THIS MODEL WORKS TO. ADDRESS AND SOLVE THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS WE ARE FACING IN
THIS CITY. THE DATA SHOWS THAT THE WAYS LAW ENFORCEMENT ARE. PERFORMING IS ACTUALLY MAKING THE CRISIS WORSE. THIS MODEL WILL NOT ONLY LESSEN THE PLIGHT OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT SO THAT THEY CAN
FOCUS THEIR TIME ON VIOLENT. UM OR. CRIMINAL CRIMES. IT WILL ALSO HELP TO REBUILD. THE RESIDENTS TRUST IN THE CITY'S ABILITY TO KEEP THEM SAFE. AND ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH
CRISES IN A RESTORATIVE OR TRANSFORMATIVE WAYS. INSTEAD OF A PUNITIVE ONE. THIS MODEL WAS INTENTIONALLY BUILT. TO ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH. CRISES IN A CLINICALLY PROVEN WAY WITH PROFESSIONAL HEALTH
CARE. WORKERS WHO. >> HAVE ACTUALLY STUDIED AND PRACTICED ON HOW TO ADDRESS CONFLICTS. WE CAN BE THE CITY THAT CARES ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH, THE MENTAL HEALTH OF OUR PEOPLE.
WE CAN BE THE EXAMPLE TO THE REST OF THE NATION THAT BOSTON KNOWS HOW TO ADDRESS THIS CRISIS WHILE NOT CONTRIBUTING TO IT. AGAIN, I URGE YOU TO REJECT THE
THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR 27 BUDGET AND ADD THE FUNDING OF $4 MILLION TO THE COMMUNITY LED MENTAL HEALTH. CRISIS RESPONSE. >> THANK YOU. OKAY. >> GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS JOAQUIN ATALA GUTIERREZ AND I'M 17 YEARS OLD FROM HYDE PARK IN DORCHESTER. I'M HERE WITH THE YOUTH JUSTICE AND POWER UNION TO DEMAND FUNDING INTO THE BOSTON PEOPLE'S UM RESPONSE AS THEY
ARE A VERY IMPORTANT TACTIC TO ADDRESS THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISES THAT HAPPEN IN BOSTON. BOTH MY PARENTS ARE PSYCHOLOGISTS AND THERAPISTS HAVE BEEN RAISED AND I'VE BEEN RAISED IN A HOUSEHOLD TO HELP
ME REALIZE HOW SERIOUS MENTAL HEALTH IS. AS A YOUNG MAN OF COLOR THERE'S A HUGE STIGMA AROUND MENTAL HEALTH. A SOCIETY TEACHES US TO PUSH DOWN HARD, TO PUSH OUR FEELINGS DEEP DOWN INSIDE AND TO NOT BE
VULNERABLE. BUT WHEN ONE PUSHES DOWN THERE THEY'RE DIFFICULT FEELINGS. THE FEELINGS COME OUT IN HARMFUL AND VIOLENT WAYS. ONE EXAMPLE IS IS THIS OF ONE OF MY VERY CLOSE FRIENDS WHO
GOT INVOLVED IN GANG VIOLENCE DUE TO THE NEED FOR MONEY IN THIS EXPENSIVE CITY AND SO $3,000 FROM HIS FATHER. I STARTED CARRYING AROUND FIREARMS. WHEN CONFRONTED HE COMPLETELY LOST CONTROL.
INSTEAD OF CALLING THE POLICE AND PUTTING HIM IN JAIL, HE CALLED UPON A COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION TO LOOK AFTER HIS MENTAL HEALTH AND SINCE THEN HE HAS GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND NOT BEEN INVOLVED THROUGH VIOLENCE SINCE POLICE SHOWING
UP A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS DID NOT MAKE ANYTHING BETTER, IT JUST ESCALATES THE SITUATION AND STRIKES FEAR IN THE PERSON THAT IS ALREADY MENTALLY UNSTABLE IN THE COUNTRY. A STUDY SHOWS THAT PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS ARE TEN TIMES
MORE LIKELY TO GET SHOT BY POLICE, RATHER THAN PEOPLE WITH GUNS. WE NEED COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE TRAINED TO DEAL WITH MENTAL HEALTH CRISES AND CARE ABOUT THE PERSON AND THEIR COMMUNITY
UM TO NOT ARREST OR SHOOT THEM WHEN WHAT THEY NEED HIS HELP. AS A PALESTINIAN MEXICAN AMERICAN MY PEOPLE ARE FACING GENOCIDE AND APARTHEID SYSTEM AND MENTAL HEALTH IS WORSE THAN EVER AND NOW SO IS SAFETY.
SO THE CITY FUNDING BOSTON PEOPLE'S RESPONSE IS FUNDING THE MENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITIES. I DEMAND THE CITY COUNCIL TO REJECT THIS PROPOSED BUDGET BY THE MAYOR. THANK YOU. >> THANK. YOU OKAY.
THANK YOU. SAM. UH. >> WELL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIR. UM, I'M ACTUALLY HERE ON BEHALF OF THE BOSTON SAVING LIVES PROJECT TODAY AND PART OF WHAT
WE WANTED TO ADDRESS IS THE FACT THAT CURRENTLY THERE ARE NO CSOS FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OR EMS AND AS PART OF THE NON-POLICE RESPONSE, WE THINK
THAT SOME OF WHAT THE CITY CAN BE DOING IS EMPOWERING SOME OF THE AGENCIES THAT PEOPLE DO HAVE TRUST WITH. UM, NOT TO SAY THAT WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE MORE CSOS WITH BPD
,BUT I THINK THAT THAT CONVERSATION IS GOING TO BE HAD MORE TOMORROW AS WE START TALKING ABOUT BODY CAMERAS. SO ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO REALLY LOOK AT IS THAT ONLY 4% OF THE STREETS BUDGET IS
ACTUALLY IN THE OPERATING BUDGET RIGHT NOW WE'RE NOT SPENDING THAT MUCH ON PARKS AND AS WE REALLY THINK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH, UM, COMING FROM A FAMILY WHERE MY MOTHER WAS A DOCTOR OF INTERNAL MEDICINE AND
MY MOTHER WAS AHEAD OF NIH, I KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND I THINK ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE CAN ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH IS BY FIRST OF ALL MAKING SURE THAT THE YOUTH DO HAVE JOBS.
I ACTUALLY SUPPORT WHAT YOU HEAR THE YOUTH SAYING AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY ACTUALLY FEEL WELCOME HERE IN OUR CITY WE'RE SPENDING $1.7 BILLION ON
SCHOOLS BUT WE SEE HOSPITALS CLOSING. WE DON'T HAVE BOSTON CITY HOSPITAL ANYMORE. WE DON'T HAVE CARNEY HOSPITAL ANYMORE AND YET WE HAVE A UH, CAPITAL BUDGET OF ONE OF $4
BILLION. SO ONE OF THE THINGS I'D LIKE TO SEE US DO IS MAYBE GET SOME OF OUR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, SOME OF OUR, UH, PARTNERS HERE IN THE CITY THAT CAN ACTUALLY
CREATE WRAPAROUND SERVICES MAYBE, UM, PARTNER WITH THEIR GROUP, UM, THAT THEY'RE ADVOCATING FOR BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE IN FALSE NARRATIVES. OBVIOUSLY WE'RE FRIENDS BUT THAT'S ONE THING I WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE DON'T GET INTO IS FALSE NARRATIVES. I THINK YOU CAN DO BOTH. OBVIOUSLY WE RECENTLY SAW THE CRISIS ON MEMORIAL DRIVE AND SO, YOU KNOW, GOD FORBID SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENS.
OBVIOUSLY WE WOULD NEED, YOU KNOW, OUR POLICE TO TO DEAL WITH THAT CRISIS BUT THE POLICE AREN'T NEEDED FOR EVERYTHING. I WOULD MUCH RATHER SEE OUR POLICE AT OUR ANNUAL THANKSGIVING COOK OFF WORRYING
ABOUT WHAT KIND OF TURKEY AND WHAT KIND OF DRESSING THEY'RE GOING TO BE GIVING TO THE COMMUNITY THAN WORRYING ABOUT UM, IF THEY ARE ACTING APPROPRIATELY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. UM, IF THERE'S ANYONE ELSE FROM
THE. PEOPLE'S UH, RESPONSE CAMPAIGN WHO. IS INSPIRED. UH, TO GIVE A. REMARKS UM, YOU DON'T HAVE TO. UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, I YOU KNOW, IT'S.
REALLY POWERFUL AND JUST SHOWING UP IN NUMBERS AND YOU KNOW, MY FELLOW COUNCILORS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN HERE TO HEAR. EVERYTHING BUT I THINK JUST SHOWING UP IN NUMBERS AND AND SPEAKING OUT ON SOMETHING SO I.
I HAVE A COUPLE JUST. QUESTIONS FOR THE PANEL AND THEN WE'LL WE'LL. WRAP UP UM. JUST IN TERMS OF IT SO. >> IT'S LIKE YOU. YOU WANT TO DO A COMMUNITY. LED MENTAL HEALTH. YOU KNOW RESPONSE LIKE. WHAT IN THE DATA.
MADE YOU WANT TO. >> DO THAT? DO WE. >> HAVE YOU HAVE THE DATA ON LIKE HOW MANY CALLS THE POLICE ARE. RESPONDING TO THAT ARE MENTAL HEALTH CALLS IN BOSTON IN A YEAR. WHAT THE. OUTCOMES OF THOSE ARE AND YOU KNOW WHAT IS THE YOU KNOW WHAT'S. >> THE HARM THAT YOU SEE THAT
YOU WANT TO ADDRESS. SO I. DON'T HAVE ALL OF THE DATA RIGHT. >> IN. FRONT OF ME I. >> WANT ALL THE DATA RIGHT? >> I MEAN I DON'T HAVE IT ALL IN FRONT OF ME. UM, CERTAINLY. EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED. UH, PATIENTS WHO HAVE MENTAL
HEALTH CRISIS. WE SEE THAT. UM, A LOT IN OUR CITY AND WE WANT TO IMPROVE THE RESPONSE. SO I. HAVE THE DATA HERE. SOME OF IT'S IN THE. BACKGROUND FOR THE RFP AND. WE CAN SEND. THAT TO. >> YOU SO YOU HAVE IT IN FRONT
OF. >> YOU OKAY. AND THEN SO WHEN. >> I TALK TO POLICE OFFICERS OFTEN THEY SAY YEAH I DON'T WANT TO. RESPOND TO MENTAL HEALTH CALLS. IT'S VERY. DIFFICULT. >> AND YOU KNOW THEY WOULD RATHER HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE. TRAINED TO. KIND OF HANDLE. >> IT.
YOU KNOW, SO. OTHERS ARE LIKE WELL WE ARE TRAINED AND. YOU KNOW BUT I THINK. GENERALLY THEY WOULD LIKE THAT SORT. >> OF TAKEN OFF. >> THEIR PLATE. BUT UM I. >> MEAN SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS YOUR HOW HAVE YOUR CONVERSATIONS BEEN WITH BPD
AROUND SOMETHING LIKE THIS. UM SO I THINK THAT THE KEY HERE IS. ACTUALLY WHAT THE THOSE PEOPLE YOU. >> KNOW. THE GROUPS ARE SAYING WHAT. THE WHAT THE. >> COMMUNITY IS SAYING. THAT WE WANT ALTERNATIVE
RESPONSES. IT'S NOT THAT THERE AREN'T SOME RESPONSES. IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE BEST. TEAM AND. OTHER FOLKS WHO ARE DOING. THESE, YOU KNOW, ENGAGEMENTS WITH PEOPLE.
I THINK THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE DIFFERENT WAYS TO MANAGE, UM. PEOPLE WHO ARE HAVING MENTAL HEALTH. CRISES AND I THINK THAT. THIS WOULD NOT. INTEND TO REPLACE WHAT'S ALREADY THERE. IT WOULD BE TO STRENGTHEN IT.
AND WE HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH BPD. IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING WITH THIS NOT BEING INVOLVED IN THIS PER SE
BUT ACTUALLY REALIZING THAT IT SHOULD BE PART OF. OUR YOU. >> KNOW, OUR TOOLBOX. >> IF YOU WILL, THE GROUP OF. INTERVENTIONS THAT WE HAVE AND THIS NEEDS TO BE EVALUATED. >> HERE. IN BOSTON. IT DOES WORK IN OTHER SETTINGS AND AND THERE IS EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT IT HAS BEEN
IMPLEMENTED IN OTHER CITIES AND IT'S EFFECTIVE. SO I THINK THAT IT'S IT'S VALID IT'S EVIDENCE BASED AND WE WOULDN'T BE PUTTING OUT AN RFP IF WE DIDN'T THINK THAT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD DO AS A CITY. OKAY. >> AND THAT IS MY.
>> I THINK MY LAST QUESTION JUST IN TERMS OF LIKE OTHER MODELS THAT ARE SUCCESSFUL I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S SEATTLE. >> OR. LIKE WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN THAT AND WHAT DOES THAT PUT THEIR. SUCCESS LOOK LIKE. SO THERE ARE A. >> NUMBER OF. OF PROGRAMS THAT ARE OUT THERE.
ONE IS IN LYNN IT'S CALLED THE LYNN CALM TEAM. I MEAN I CAN SEND YOU THE LIST OF YOU KNOW REFERENCES. MAYBE THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. UM, IF YOU'D LIKE ME TO DO THAT AFTERWARDS. YES, THAT. >> WOULD BE FINE IF I COULD GET
THAT, UH, JUST REQUEST THAT INFORMATION. I THINK WE HAVE SOME OTHER COUNSELOR. OKAY. WELL, IT'S I YOU KNOW, AGAIN, UH, YOU. >> KNOW, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE. WANT TO SEE AND.
WE WANT TO FIND. I GUESS WE'LL HAVE TO TALK TO MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW TO GO FORWARD. WITH THIS. I KNOW LIKE I JUST WANT TO THANK THE. PEOPLE'S RESPONSE CAMPAIGN FOR REALLY SHOWING UP AND CARING
ABOUT SOMETHING THAT I THINK YOU KNOW, MOST OF THE COUNCILORS. YOU KNOW, I LIKE THE IDEA OF I KNOW SOME PEOPLE THEY WANT THE POLICE. INVOLVED WHICH IS DEFEATING THE PURPOSE OF THIS. THAT'S ON ME PERSONALLY.
I WANT TO SEE. A SYSTEM LIKE THIS WORK UH, THAT UM, YOU KNOW, IS GOING. >> TO HELP PEOPLE KEEP PEOPLE OUT. >> OF, YOU KNOW, CRIMINALIZING THEIR, YOU KNOW, MENTAL HEALTH. ISSUES, UH, WHILE.
ALSO KEEPING THE RESPONDERS. SAFE, UH, AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, UH, AND YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME WE READ. ABOUT SOMEBODY WHO'S HAVING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS AND THEY END. >> UP BEING KILLED, YOU KNOW. THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THERE TO
SUPPOSEDLY HELP. THEM, IT'S. LIKE YOU. >> KNOW, IT'S OUTRAGEOUS AND. IT'S LIKE CRYING OUT FOR A RESPONSE. SO I. MEAN IT SEEMS LIKE FCPS IS ALSO HAS THE SAME REACTION TO. THAT AND THEY'RE THEY'RE WORKING ON. >> IT MAYBE. >> YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO WORK
TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THE. COMMUNITIES NEED. SO UM. >> I JUST AGAIN THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR. SHOWING UP. THIS IS WHAT MAKES THIS. BODY WORK. UH WE NEED INFORMATION AND WE NEED YOUR INPUT. TO TO FUNCTION.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE EVEN IF MAYBE. >> YOU DON'T ALWAYS FEEL THAT WAY BUT. UM. >> UH AND I WANT TO THANK HONESTLY. UH, DOCTOR TUTU AND EVERYONE FOR PHD FOR. FOR STAYING SOMETIMES THE
PANELISTS LEAVE WHEN PEOPLE SPEAK AND UH, WHERE THEY DON'T EVEN LOOK AT THE SPEAKERS. SO YOU KNOW, YOU'VE ENGAGED AND. HOPEFULLY WE CAN CONTINUE. THIS AND GETS. TO SOMETHING WHERE WE WE YOU
KNOW, I WANT I WANT SOMEONE IN. UH I DON'T. KNOW YOU KNOW, IOWA CITY WHERE I WENT. >> TO LAW SCHOOL. TO BE. >> LIKE YOU KNOW THAT. PROGRAM IN BOSTON THAT WAS AMAZING. >> WE NEED. TO. DO THAT TOO. SO YEAH. UM SO AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND UH, THIS AFTERNOON'S.
HEARING IS NOW ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.