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[Veteran Affairs Commission Meeting on February 8, 2024.]
AND WE'RE GONNA CALL TODAY'S MEETING, UH, FOR THE VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMISSION, UH, FOR FEBRUARY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY THE EIGHTH.IT'S, UH, 1203 AND WILL PLEASE STAND AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
YOU FLAG FROM THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC OVER STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, LIBERTY, AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
AND JUST, UH, UH, YOU REMIND, UH, STANDING, JUST FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR THE TROOPS THAT WE LOST, UH, A FEW WEEKS AGO, I BELIEVE IT WAS.
OH, I DIDN'T HEAR ABOUT THAT ONE.
ANYWAY, JUST A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR THE TROOPS THAT WE'VE LOST.
FIRST, UM, ORDER OF BUSINESS IS, UM, APPROVING THE, THE, UH, COMMENTS OR, UM, THE AGENDA FOR THE LAST MONTH'S, UM, MEETING AND THE, UH, REPORT OR, UM, ANNUAL REPORT.
SO, WAS EVERYONE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT? MR. CHAIRMAN, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE ANNUAL REPORT.
MOTION WAS TO APPROVE, AND IT'S BEEN SECONDED, BUT COMMISSIONER BIRDWELL, ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
THAT WAS, WHO IS, THAT WAS AYE.
WAS THAT, WHAT'S THAT? YOU, IT SOUNDED LIKE YOUR VOICE.
AS, AS, AS, AS DID I, RAY SMITH.
DO WE NEED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM LAST MEETING? I'M, I, DO WE NEED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM LAST MEETING? YES, SIR.
JUST THE MOTION WAS, WELL, THAT WAS TWO MOTIONS, RIGHT? FOR THE AGENDA? NO, THAT WAS FOR THE ANNUAL REPORT.
I MOVE APPROVE OF THE AGENDA AND THE MINUTES.
SO THE MOTION WAS MADE, COMMISSIONER AYS, UH, THE MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER CHASE TO APPROVE BOTH OF THEM THE, UH, ANNUAL REPORT AND THE AGENDA ON MINUTES FOR THE LAST MONTH'S MEETING.
WE SECOND BY, UH, COMMISSIONER AYS.
SO NOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE OUR PRESENTATION BY OUR GUEST, UH, OUR GUEST SPEAKER, AND OUR GUEST, UH, MS UH, CRYSTAL CA CASAVA.
AND YOU DEFINITELY LOOK DIFFERENT WITHOUT YOUR UNIFORM ON.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ATTENDING.
TO THE, TO THE, YOUR PARTNERS, OR YOUR, YOUR ASSOCIATES.
WE'RE, UH, VERY APPRECIATIVE AND WE THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE, UH, OUR SERVICES MORE AWARE, UH, WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND POSSIBLY OPEN US UP FOR FUTURE COLLABORATION IN THE FUTURE.
BUT WITH THAT, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO MEGAN HILE, UM, OUR NORTH TEXAS REGIONAL MANAGER, AND SHE'S GONNA TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT US, IF THAT'S OKAY.
I'M MEGAN HILE, LIKE CRYSTAL SAID, NORTH TEXAS REGIONAL MANAGER.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US SO THAT WE CAN PRESENT, UH, THIS PROGRAM THAT WE RUN ALONGSIDE THE STATE.
UM, SO THERE'S A LOT OF LOGOS UP THERE, RIGHT? BUT THE MAIN, THE MAIN THING THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY IS THE STATEWIDE PROGRAM, TEXAS VETERANS NETWORK.
WE DO WORK FOR A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION CALLED COMBINED ARMS. UH, THAT IS WHO WE WORK FOR.
WE ARE HEADQUARTERED IN HOUSTON.
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HOWEVER, UM, ALMOST FOUR YEARS AGO, APRIL 1ST, 2020, WE STARTED THIS, UM, STATE PROGRAM CALLED TEXAS VETERANS NETWORK.UM, AND OUR PARTNERS FOR THE STATE PROGRAM IS THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION, TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION, TEXAS GOVERNMENT LAND OFFICE, AND THEN US TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF OUR VETERANS, THE MILITARY COMMUNITY, THEIR FAMILIES, CAREGIVERS, ARE ALL TAKEN CARE OF IN AN EFFICIENT AND COORDINATED MANNER.
SO WHO, WHO DO WE SERVE AS THE STATEWIDE PROGRAM? IT IS ANYBODY THAT IS MILITARY CONNECTED AND IS SAYING THAT THEY NEED ASSISTANCE.
AND THE ASSISTANCE IS ALL OF THE FREE SERVICES THAT TEXAS IS OFFERING, UM, AS WELL AS SOCIAL SERVICES, COMMUNITY SERVICES, EDUCATION BASED SERVICES, UM, THAT TRADITIONALLY PEOPLE WOULD CALL 2 1 1 TO FIND HELP WITH SOMETHING.
RIGHT? UM, WELL, THIS IS, UH, MORE ROBUST, UM, THAN THAT.
AND SPECIFICALLY FOR ANYBODY MILITARY CONNECTED.
SO THEY COME TO US, WHETHER THEY ARE THE VETERAN, ACTIVE DUTY RESERVIST, NATIONAL GUARD RETIREE, AND WE ALSO SERVE, UM, AN SIV AND ALLY COMMUNITY.
UM, THOSE FOLKS THAT SERVED ALONGSIDE US THAT WERE INTERPRETERS DURING THE WAR, AND, UH, THEY CAME OVER HERE ON REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAMS, BUT THEY ARE MILITARY.
UM, AND SO WE SERVE, WE SERVE THEM AS WELL.
SO, WHY, WHY DO WE EXIST? UH, THE HISTORY OF, OF TEXAS VETERANS NETWORK.
SO, UM, THERE WERE MULTIPLE MAJOR METROPOLITAN AREAS ACROSS TEXAS THAT, UM, WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO DO A COORDINATED EFFORT OF REFERRALS.
SO MAKING SURE THAT, UH, THE FAMILY MEMBER OR THE SERVICE MEMBER IS BEING CONNECTED TO THE RIGHT ORGANIZATION AND NOT BEING GIVEN JUST A LIST OF SERVICES AND SAYING, YOU HAVE TO CALL THEM.
UH, SO THERE WAS SOMEBODY IN HOUSTON DOING IT.
UH, ANOTHER ORGANIZATION IN SAN ANTONIO DOING IT WITH A DIFFERENT, UH, TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM AND DIFFERENT METHODS.
THERE WAS A ENTITY UP HERE IN NORTH TEXAS, EL PASO.
SO THESE COMMUNITIES WITHIN TEXAS WERE TRYING TO SEND REFERRALS WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITY, BUT IT WASN'T TALKING TO ONE ANOTHER ACROSS THE STATE OR PROVIDING STATEWIDE DATA ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITIES, AND ALSO NOT CAPTURING ALL OF THE RURAL AREAS THAT TEXAS HAS TO OFFER.
SO, UM, THE STATE WANTED TO KNOW, UM, OBVIOUSLY WE KNOW WE HAVE A VERY LARGE POPULATION OF ACTIVE MILITARY RESERVE, NATIONAL GUARD, AND NOW VETERANS.
WE ARE THE NUMBER ONE STATE WITH THE HIGHEST VETERAN POPULATION.
UM, WE SURPASSED CALIFORNIA OVER THE SUMMER.
UM, AND THAT IS BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE AMAZING RESOURCES THAT TEXAS HAS TO OFFER VETERANS TO LIVE HERE.
AND WE NEED TO HOLISTICALLY SERVE THEM.
WE NEED TO NOT JUST GIVE THEM A LIST OF NUMBERS TO CALL AND SAY, GOOD LUCK.
AND THEN WE DON'T HEAR FROM THEM.
UM, AND WE ARE TAKING CARE OF THEM FROM THE POINT OF TRANSITION, UH, ALL THE WAY TO THEIR LAST BREATH, AND WE'RE HELPING THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS BEYOND THAT AS WELL.
THERE ARE SO MANY BARRIERS TO SERVICE, UM, SOCIAL SERVICES OUT THERE.
THERE ARE BARRIERS WITHIN THE VA, UM, FOR GETTING PROPER HEALTHCARE, THEIR DISABILITY CLAIMS, SURVIVORSHIP BENEFITS, AND IT'S OVERWHELMING.
MA'AM, CAN I INTERRUPT THIS FOR A SECOND? THIS IS, YES.
HI, I, I'M INTERESTED IN YOUR INTAKE PROCESS.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE IT IN LIKE TWO, TWO SENTENCES OR TWO MINUTES OR LESS? I HAVE A SLIDE.
IF, IF YOU, I, I PROMISE I WILL BE ON TIME
SO, UM, THE, THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE AVAILABLE RESOURCES.
UM, AND THESE ARE JUST, UM, LARGE UMBRELLAS, IF YOU WILL, VETERAN BENEFITS THAT CAN INCLUDE THEIR HEALTHCARE SIDE.
IT CAN ALSO INCLUDE THEIR DISABILITY CLAIMS. UM, ALL THE HOMELESS SERVICES, UH, THAT THE VA AND GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS HAVE, UM, CAREER SERVICES IS SO ROBUST.
EDUCATION HELP WITH THEIR GI BILL HAZELWOOD ACT, THAT THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS ALWAYS THE NUMBER ONE REQUEST.
AND THAT, UM, THAT IS HELP WITH RENT, HELP WITH MORTGAGE, HELP WITH UTILITIES, HOME REPAIR, UM, HOME MODIFICATIONS FOR DISABILITIES, LEGAL SERVICES.
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DOES ONE KNOW, UH, WHERE TO GO AND WHO THEY QUALIFY FOR? IF THEY JUST CALL 2 1 1 OR IF THEY GOOGLE, THEY'RE JUST GONNA CALL THE FIRST FEW AND THEY'RE GONNA EITHER NOT BE CALLED BACK OR THEY'RE GONNA BE TOLD, OH, SORRY, THAT'S NOT EXACTLY WHAT WE DO, OR YOU DON'T QUALIFY.UM, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS.
THIS IS JUST A SNAPSHOT OF SOME OF OUR NATIONAL, STATE, AND LOCAL PARTNERS, BUT CURRENTLY WE HAVE OVER 300 PARTNERS IN OUR NETWORK THAT HAVE BEEN VETTED.
AND I WANT TO, UM, EXPAND ON THAT OR HIGHLIGHT THAT, THAT, UH, WE DON'T ALLOW JUST ANY ORGANIZATION THAT SAYS THEY SERVE VETERANS TO BE IN OUR NETWORK.
WE ARE STATE FUNDED AND WE ARE PRIVATELY FUNDED TO OFFER THIS SERVICE FOR FREE TO OUR PARTNERS AND TO THE COMMUNITY.
HOWEVER, THEY MUST BE CONSIDERED A BEST IN CLASS ORGANIZATION.
THEY HAVE TO PASS SOME DUE DILIGENCE STANDARDS THAT WE HAVE SET WITHIN OUR GRANT FOR THE STATE THAT SAYS THIS IS A PARTNER, THEY'RE GONNA TAKE OUR REFERRALS, THEY'RE GONNA TAKE THE CLIENT THAT WE SEND THEM, AND THEY ARE GOING TO SERVE THEM TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY, AND THEY'RE GOING TO TRACK IT WITH AN OUTCOME.
SO WE DO HAVE STANDARDS THAT ORGANIZATIONS HAVE TO MEET IN ORDER TO BE IN OUR NETWORK, BUT WE ARE CONSTANTLY WORKING ON THE VETTING PROCESS.
WE'RE CONSTANTLY BEING INTRODUCED TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
SO IT'S, IT'S A CONSTANT PROCESS.
WE'LL NEVER BE DONE VETTING OR SAYING, OH, WE HAVE, WE HAVE ENOUGH.
UM, WE WANT THE BEST OF THE BEST, BOTH NATIONAL, STATE, AND LOCAL.
SO HOW DO YOU CONNECT WITH US AND WHAT HAPPENS? SO WE DO HAVE A WEBSITE, UH, TEXAS VETERANS NETWORK, TEXAS VETERANS NETWORK.
IF YOU SCAN THAT QR CODE, IT ALSO TAKES YOU TO THE SITE TO CREATE A PROFILE.
THIS IS THE PREFERRED METHOD AS WE ARE MOVING IN FORWARD WITH TECHNOLOGY, UM, THAT THE CLIENT, UH, FILLS OUT THEIR OWN PROFILE IN LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES.
THEY PUT, UM, THEIR DEMOGRAPHICS, THEIR FAMILY INFORMATION, THEIR GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION, THEIR MILITARY HISTORY, AND WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE.
UM, SO THROUGH OUR INTAKE PROCESS, UM, IT'S STARTING FIGURING OUT WHAT, WHAT THEY NEED AND WHAT SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM BASED ON HOW THEY, UH, FILLED OUT THEIR PROFILE.
WE ALSO HAVE AN APP THAT WE USE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
WHEN WE ARE OUT, UM, TALKING TO AUDIENCES OR AT RESOURCE FAIRS OR JOB FAIRS OR CORPORATE ERGS.
UM, WE ARE ABLE TO DO THE REFERRAL RIGHT THEN AND THERE.
WE DON'T LET THE CLIENT SAY, WELL, I'LL TAKE THIS HOME.
I'LL TAKE THIS WRAP CARD HOME AND, AND I'LL LOOK AT IT LATER.
AND WE'RE LIKE, WELL, MR. SMITH, YOU JUST SAID THAT YOU'VE BEEN STUCK IN YOUR VA CLAIM FOR SEVEN YEARS.
HOW ABOUT I MAKE THE REFERRAL RIGHT NOW? IT TIMESTAMPS IT, IT GOES TO THE PROVIDER, THEY HAVE TO RESPOND, AND THEN THERE'S GONNA BE AN OUTCOME.
WE DO HAVE OUR PHONE NUMBER, UH, WHICH GETS YOU TO OUR INTAKE TEAM.
WE HAVE TWO INTAKE TEAMS COVERING THE STATE.
ONE IS IN HOUSTON AND ONE IS OUT OF ARLINGTON.
THEY JUST DIVIDE THE STATE IN HALF AND THE CALLS COME THROUGH.
SO IF THERE'S A CLIENT THAT'S NOT, UH, SUPER TECH SAVVY, WHICH YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE TECH SAVVY, IT, IT'S REALLY SIMPLE TO DO YOUR OWN PROFILE, BUT SHOULD THEY WANT TO SPEAK TO SOMEBODY, ALL OF OUR STAFF ON THE INTAKE TEAM ARE VETERANS OR, UH, DEPENDENTS OR SPOUSES, AND THEY ARE THE EXPERTS ON ALL OF THE RESOURCES.
THEY'LL BUILD THE PROFILE WITH THE CLIENT.
THEY WILL DO THE ASSESSMENT OF NEEDS, AND THEY WILL MAKE THE REFERRAL ALONGSIDE THE CLIENT.
AT THAT POINT, THE CLIENT DOES HAVE, UM, A PROFILE FOR LIFE.
SO THIS QUESTION ON THAT, THIS GOES INTO THE STEPS, UM, A LITTLE BIT MORE.
SO WHETHER THEY GO ONLINE TO CREATE A PROFILE OR WHETHER THEY WERE REFERRED IN BY A PARTNER, UM, THROUGH THE APP OR THROUGH THE WEBSITE, OR THEY TALK TO AN INTAKE TEAM MEMBER, THE SAME STEPS ARE FOLLOWED.
THEY HAVE A PROFILE CREATED WITH ALL THEIR INFORMATION.
UM, THEIR ASSESSMENT OF NEEDS ARE DONE.
THEY MAY BE CALLING US FOR ONE THING.
MY TRUCK BROKE DOWN, I CAN'T GET TO WORK.
I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY FOR IT.
HOW CAN YOU HELP? THE INTAKE TEAM WILL HAVE A CONVERSATION, BUT THAT IS THE ASSESSMENT THAT THEY ARE DOING WHILE THEY ARE JUST HAVING THE CONVERSATION WITH THE CLIENT OF WHAT LED THE CLIENT TO BEING UNABLE TO PAY FOR THE CAR REPAIR.
SOMETHING COULD HAVE HAPPENED A MONTH AGO AND SOMETHING BEFORE THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED SIX MONTHS BEFORE THAT.
AND THINGS JUST KIND OF SPIRALED OUTTA CONTROL.
AND NOW THEY DON'T HAVE ANY SAVINGS
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OR A WAY TO GET THEIR CAR UP AND RUNNING, AND NOW THEY MIGHT LOSE THEIR JOB.SO WE'RE GONNA TAKE CARE OF MULTIPLE NEEDS THROUGHOUT THAT CONVERSATION.
YES, THE EMERGENT NEED WILL BE THE FOCUS, BUT WE DON'T JUST LET THEM GET OFF THE PHONE AT THAT POINT.
UM, WE'RE GONNA MAKE MULTIPLE REFERRALS.
ON AVERAGE, UM, THREE TO FOUR REFERRALS ARE MADE PER CLIENT THAT COMES IN.
IF THEY'RE NAVIGATING ONLINE BASED ON HOW THEY FILLED OUT THEIR PROFILE OF BRANCH IN SERVICE, TIME IN SERVICE, WHERE THEY POST NINE 11, PRE NINE 11, BOTH, UM, DISCHARGE STATUS, UM, AND THEN GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION.
THEY, UH, GET TO SELECT DIFFERENT OPTIONS.
WAS IT CAREER SERVICES? WAS IT ENTREPRENEURSHIP? WAS IT LEGAL? AND THE ENTITIES THAT THEY QUALIFY FOR ARE GONNA POPULATE ON THEIR SCREEN, LIKE DOING AN AMAZON SEARCH.
AND THEN YOU PUT IT IN YOUR CART AND THEY GET TO CHECK OUT.
THEY SUBMIT THE REFERRALS TO THE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS THAT THEY CHOSE, AND AWAY IT GOES.
AND THE TIMESTAMP STARTS OF IT BEING SENT TO THAT PARTNER.
AND THEN, SO THAT'S STEP FOUR, THE CONNECTION WITH THE ORGANIZATION.
WE HAVE AN MOU WITH EVERY PARTNER ORGANIZATION THAT THEY ARE TO RESPOND TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY WITHIN 72 HOURS OF THAT REFERRAL BEING SENT THAT THEY HAVE TO REACH OUT TO THE CLIENT AND ATTEMPT CONTACT.
AND WE HAVE STEPS ALONG AF AFTER THAT AS WELL FOR FOLLOW UPS AND CASE CLOSURE.
UM, BUT REALLY IT IS THE TRACKED WITH DATA OF THE REFERRAL, THE PARTNER, WHAT WAS THE OUTCOME.
AND UM, AND THAT'S WHAT THE STATE WANTS TO KNOW, AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO KNOW, THAT HOW ARE WE HOLISTICALLY SERVING, UM, THE MILITARY COMMUNITY ACROSS, ACROSS THE STATE, AND ENSURING THAT WE REMAIN, UH, THE TOP VETERAN FRIENDLY STATE IN THE US.
SO, CONNECTING WITH US, AGAIN, THERE'S THE WEBSITE OR ANY, ANY CLIENTS NOW, UM, WE KNOW ALL OF YOU ARE VETERANS HERE, AND WE ALWAYS LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO CREATE YOUR OWN PERSONAL PROFILE.
UM, AS THE VETERAN OR AS THE FAMILY MEMBER, DON'T USE YOUR WORK EMAIL ADDRESS.
UH, THIS IS FOR YOUR PERSONAL, UH, USE.
AND YOU CAN NAVIGATE, UM, AND YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO SEE RESOURCES ON THERE THAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT OR THAT YOU MIGHT NEED, UM, AS WELL.
BUT YOU GET TO NAVIGATE IT LIKE A, LIKE A CLIENT WOULD, LIKE SOMEBODY YOU WOULD REFER INTO THE, INTO THE PROGRAM.
UM, THEN THERE'S OUR PHONE NUMBER, THERE IS MY EMAIL ADDRESS.
UM, SO AS THE REGIONAL MANAGER AND, UH, MY TEAM BACK HERE, CRYSTAL AND GUS, WE DO COVER ALL OF NORTH TEXAS.
THAT MEANS AMARILLO, LUBBOCK, ABILENE, DFW, LONGVIEW, TEXARKANA.
UM, SO WE COVER A WIDE REGION.
WE DO A LOT OF EVENTS, UH, VIRTUAL, A LOT OF MEETINGS, VIRTUAL, BUT THEN WE TRAVEL, WE DO, WE WANNA BE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY TALKING TO THE AUDIENCES THAT DON'T KNOW ABOUT THESE SERVICES.
PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY DON'T KNOW.
UM, AND WE HAVE SO MANY INCREDIBLE RESOURCES HERE IN TEXAS.
WE WANT TO PARTNER, WE WANT TO SUPPORT WHATEVER YOUR INITIATIVES ARE, UM, IN YOUR DISTRICTS AND, UH, AS BEST AS WE CAN WITH OUR SCHEDULE QUESTIONS.
UH, PETER SMITH, DISTRICT 14, WONDERING HOW YOU SEPARATE YOUR SERVICES FROM OR WORK WITH THE TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION.
UH, AND YOU KNOW, YOU WERE TALKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT LIKE HELPING, UH, UH, HELPING VETERANS WITH CASES AND NAVIGATING US THROUGH THAT OR NAVIGATING THROUGH THOSE THINGS.
UM, THE TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION ALSO DOES SIMILAR THINGS.
HOW DOES THIS INTERACT WITH THE TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION, I GUESS? YES, GREAT QUESTION.
SO THEY ARE OUR STATE PARTNER, UM, AND ALL OF THE SERVICES THAT TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION PROVIDES, SO THEIR BENEFITS DEPARTMENT, WOMEN'S SERVICES, CAREER SERVICES, EMPLOYER LIAISON, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, MENTAL HEALTH, ALL THE PROGRAMS WITHIN TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION ARE BUILT IN OUR SYSTEM.
AND WE'RE ABLE TO SEND DIRECT REFERRALS TO THOSE PROGRAMS. AND TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION RECEIVES THEM AND TRACKS THE OUTCOMES.
SO WE WORK TOGETHER IN THAT BECAUSE WE ARE, UM, WE ARE STATE PARTNERS.
SO WE HAVE WORKFORCE COMMISSION, WHICH IS KIND OF OUR PARENT, AND THEN US, UH, TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION, AND THEN THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT LAND OFFICE WITH THE VETERANS LAND BOARD, OUR SIBLINGS, WHERE WE'RE ALL TRYING TO DO THE COORDINATED EFFORT
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OF TRACKING THE REFERRALS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION.THEY ALSO GIVE OUT GRANTS TO THE COMMUNITY, TO NONPROFITS.
THOSE NONPROFITS ARE TO BECOME MEMBERS WITHIN TEXAS VETERANS NETWORK SO THAT ALL THE REFERRALS AND PEOPLE THEY'RE SERVING ARE TRACKED.
AND ALL OF THAT DATA AS WELL GOES BACK TO THE STATE.
NOW, MAY I ASK MY QUESTION? YES.
UM, IS THE CITY OF DALLAS ONE OF YOUR PARTNERS? SO WE DO HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH CITY OF DALLAS.
WE HAVE A FEW, UM, MEMBERS WHO ARE, UM, CALLED, UH, COMMUNITY CONNECTORS, WHERE THEY'RE ABLE TO MAKE REFERRALS INTO, UM, INTO OUR SYSTEM FOR CLIENTS' NEEDS.
AN EXAMPLE IS THE CITY OF DALLAS VETERANS TREATMENT COURT.
UH, WE'VE BEEN PARTNERS WITH THAT TREATMENT COURT FOR A WHILE.
WE DO, WE ARE INVOLVED IN EVERY TREATMENT COURT THAT'S HERE IN NORTH TEXAS, BUT CITY OF DALLAS TREATMENT COURT.
THEY, UH, MAKE REFERRALS TO US, UM, FOR ANY OF THE NEEDS THAT THOSE CURRENT VETERANS GOING THROUGH THAT PROGRAM HAVE, UM, WHERE WE LIKE TO COME TO THE GRADUATIONS TO MAKE SURE THOSE VETERANS GRADUATING, UM, HAVE THE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES AFTER THAT.
I SEE YOU HAVE, UH, FORT WORTH LISTED HERE, AND I JUST WONDERED IF THE CITY OF DALLAS, PLEASE, WHERE IS FORT WORTH LISTED ON YOUR MEMBER ORGANIZATION CHART? OH, UM, CITY OF FORT WORTH HAS A FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE GRANT SPECIFIC FOR VETERANS FROM TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION.
UM, FOR US TO MAKE REFERRALS, UM, TO ANY ENTITY, THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE A PROGRAM THAT THEY'RE DELIVERING DIRECT SERVICES.
SO VETERANS TREATMENT COURT, IF WE NEEDED TO CONNECT ANYONE WHO WASN'T AWARE OF TREATMENT COURT OR WHO WAS INTERESTED, WE COULD MAKE THAT REFERRAL, UM, TO THE PERSON OF OVER THERE.
BUT THAT'S WHY CITY OF FORT WORTH IS LISTED.
THEY HAVE A VETERAN SPECIFIC FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE GRANT.
WE DONE, I HAVE A, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AND A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.
UH, ONE QUESTION IS, DO YOU RELY ON ON PAID STAFF OR VOLUNTEERS TO BE THE INTAKE PEOPLE THAT ARE REFERRAL? SO THEY ARE PAID.
UM, FULL-TIME STAFF OR PART-TIME, FULL TIME.
UM, IN JANUARY THEY HAD OVER 1400 PHONE CALLS, BUT THEN THE REST COMES THROUGH THE SYSTEM OF INTERNAL REFERRALS THAT ARE TRACKED AND THEY'RE MONITORING EVERYTHING ON THE BACKEND.
THAT WAS MY NEXT QUESTION ACTUALLY.
MY, MY COMMENT IS, UH, ARE YOU LOOKING FOR NEW PARTNERS? UH, AND I'M ON THE BOARD OF A GROUP HERE IN TOWN CALLED THE SENIOR SOURCE, AND THEY PROVIDE UTILITY ASSISTANCE AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER SERVICES SENIORS.
AND I ASSUME SOME OF YOUR VETERANS ARE SENIORS.
MAYBE AFTER THIS WE COULD TALK ABOUT CONNECTING Y'ALL WITH A SENIOR SOURCE.
'CAUSE I, I DO KNOW I TALKED TO THEM ABOUT, UH, VETERANS PROGRAMS AND THEY ARE AMENABLE TO TRYING TO DO THAT.
WE, LIKE I SAID, WE ARE ALWAYS BEING INTRODUCED, UM, TO PARTNERS THAT WE DON'T KNOW.
I MEAN, IN THE, IN THE NORTH TEXAS DFW METROPLEX, A FEW YEARS AGO, THERE WERE OVER 650 REGISTERED NONPROFITS THAT CHECK THE BOX THAT THEY SERVE VETERANS.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY HAVE A VETERANS PROGRAM, DOESN'T MEAN THAT VETERANS OR MILITARY MIGHT BE THEIR FOCUS.
SO WHAT WE RELY ON, UH, FIRST ARE THOSE, UM, BEST IN CLASS IN THE COMMUNITY, MANY WHO RECEIVE THE TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION, UH, FUNDS, AS WELL AS THE REFERRALS.
THOSE INTRODUCTIONS OF WHO DO YOU KNOW IN THE COMMUNITY THAT'S DOING, UM, THINGS WELL THAT WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT.
AND AGAIN, THAT, THAT SNAPSHOT OF LOGOS IS, IS JUST A SNAPSHOT.
WE HAVE OVER 300 BOTH NATIONALLY, DOWN TO LOCAL LEVELS, BUT WE ARE ALWAYS HAPPY TO BE INTRODUCED.
THIS, UH, COMMISSIONER VESTAS.
UM, I THINK ONE OF THE, THE BIG DRAWBACKS ON SOME OF THE, OUR, OUR, UH, PROBLEM AREAS IS, UH, THE DISABILITY CLAIMS. MM-HMM.
SO DO YOU HAVE ACTUAL CERTIFIED UH, UH, UH, YES.
BENEFITS OFFICERS OR CERTIFIED BENEFITS? YES.
SO WE HAVE A FEW DIFFERENT PARTNERS, UM, THAT DO THAT.
AND WE DEFINITELY TALK ABOUT THAT WHEN WE ARE GIVING PRESENTATIONS TO THE VETERAN AUDIENCE, THAT WE WANT THEM TO COME TO US TO MATCH THEM WITH A CERTIFIED VA BENEFITS OFFICER, SPECIALIST, WHOEVER, UM, TO AVOID THOSE PREDATORY PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT HAVE THE COMMERCIALS THAT ARE GONNA CHARGE, THAT ARE GONNA TAKE A PORTION OF THEIR AWARD.
ALL OF THOSE THINGS, BECAUSE, UM, LIKE PREDATORY LENDERS, IT'S, IT'S JUST LIKE THAT A PREDATORY UPON THEIR, THEIR BENEFITS FILING.
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DALLAS, UM, THE DALLAS COUNTY VETERANS SERVICE OFFICE HAS BEEN ONE OF OUR PARTNERS FROM THE BEGINNING.AND THEY TAKE OUR DIRECT REFERRALS.
THEY ARE TIMELY, THEY ARE QUALITY.
UM, AND WE GREATLY APPRECIATE THAT OFFICE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO SEND, UM, DIRECT REFERRALS TO THEM THAT ARE TRACKED.
WE ALSO DO THE TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION BENEFITS DEPARTMENT 'CAUSE THEY'RE CERTIFIED.
UM, WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT HAS CERTIFIED, UM, BENEFITS PEOPLE AS WELL ON THEIR STAFF.
UH, THEY ARE POST NINE 11 ONLY.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING OUR SYSTEM, UH, WEEDS OUT.
BUT YES, WE, UM, ARE CONNECTING THE CLIENT TO A CERTIFIED BENEFITS PERSON FOR FREE, NOT A PREDATORY ENTITY.
UH, COULD YOU SPEAK ON THE HOME REPAIR BENEFITS FOR VETERANS? YES.
SO, UM, THROUGH TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION AND THEIR ANNUAL GRANTS, UH, THEY HAVE, UM, HOMES FOR HEROES OR HEALTHY HOMES FOR HEROES.
BUT THAT'S THE GRANT THAT THEY GIVE OUT EVERY YEAR TO THE NONPROFITS WHO ARE ABLE TO SUPPORT HOME REPAIR AND HOME MODIFICATION.
SO HOME REPAIRS COULD BE THOSE ITEMS, UM, THOSE EMERGENCIES THAT COME UP AND YOU DON'T HAVE THAT IN YOUR SAVINGS OR YOUR HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE ISN'T GONNA COVER IT.
UM, OR THOSE THAT DON'T HAVE HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE.
AND SO THERE ARE QUALIFICATIONS ON THOSE GRANTS, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE BUILD IN OUR SYSTEM.
SO WE MAKE SURE WE DON'T SEND THE CLIENT TO AN ORGANIZATION THAT THEY DON'T QUALIFY FOR.
UM, 'CAUSE EVERY GRANT HAS QUALIFICATIONS.
THEN THERE'S ALSO THE HOME MODIFICATIONS, SO FOR DISABILITIES OR A DA, UM, BATHROOM MODIFICATIONS, UH, DOOR WIDENING RAMPS, UM, LEVELING FLOORS, THINGS LIKE THAT, UM, IS INCLUDED IN, IN THOSE GRANTS.
AND THEN SOME OF OUR PARTNERS JUST SPECIFICALLY FUNDRAISE FOR HOME MODIFICATION AND HOME REPAIRS.
AND THEY DON'T, THEY'RE NOT STUCK TO A GRANT.
UM, BUT THEY ARE DOING, UM, HOME REPAIR AND HOME MODIFICATIONS.
SO AGAIN, BASED ON ALL THE PARTNERS, UM, IN THE AREA, WHAT THEIR ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS ARE IS WHO WE SEND FOR A REFERRAL TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT CLIENT IS WRAPPED UP IN A BOW.
WHEN THEY RECEIVE IT FROM THAT PARTNER ORGANIZATION.
THEY'RE LIKE, YES, WE JUST NEED TO GATHER A LITTLE BIT OF DOCUMENTATION AND WE'RE GONNA START WORKING ON FIGURING OUT, YOU KNOW, A PLAN TO GET YOUR HOME FIXED.
HOW LONG HAVE Y'ALL BEEN IN BUSINESS, SO TO SPEAK? SO, COMBINED ARMS AS AN ORGANIZATION, UH, STARTED IN 2015 OUTTA HOUSTON.
AND SO THEY WERE JUST OPERATING SMALL SCALE, UM, STARTING THIS MODEL OFF IN THE HOUSTON AREA.
AND THEN, UM, UH, THE WORKHORSE COMMISSION PUT THE RFP OUT IN 2019, UM, OR MAYBE LATE 2018.
AND THEN WE WERE AWARDED, AND THE GRANT STARTED SPECIFIC FOR TEXAS VETERANS NETWORK, APRIL 1ST, 2020
WE HAD A BIG OLD CHALLENGE, UH, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW YOU WORK FROM HOME AND ZOOM AND TEAMS AND ALL THE THINGS, AND HOW DO YOU DO OUTREACH AND BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WHEN YOU'RE TOLD YOU GOTTA STAY HOME? SO WE DID, UM, WE DID HAVE A CHALLENGE FOR THE FIRST YEAR, BUT THEN AS, AS WE WERE ABLE TO, WE, WE PICKED UP MOMENTUM.
AND SO NOW WE, AT THE END OF MARCH, WE'LL BE WRAPPING UP OUR, OUR FOURTH YEAR WITH THIS PROGRAM.
WELL, IT SOUNDS LIKE A REALLY GOOD PROGRAM.
IT, IT, UH, STATEWIDE TRACKING AND COORDINATION, I GUESS.
IS THAT THE, IS THAT THE AIM OF YES, STATEWIDE TRACKING THE COORDINATION.
SO SEEING WHERE OUR MILITARY AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE ACROSS THE STATE, YOU KNOW, SO WHERE'S THE HEAVY POPULATIONS? WHAT ARE THE MOST REQUESTED NEEDS IN THOSE AREAS? AND WHAT ARE THE GAPS IN SERVICES? THAT'S WHERE WE ALSO WORK ALONGSIDE TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION BECAUSE THEY DO AWARD THOSE GRANTS.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE AWARDING THE RIGHT GRANTS FOR THE RIGHT AREAS WITH THE NEEDS.
AND WE CAN'T DO THAT WITHOUT DATA.
SO, UM, THAT'S WHY WE ALWAYS WANT, UM, OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY TO USE THE SYSTEM, UM, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE GET DATA.
AND THEN COMBINED ARMS AS AN ORGANIZATION, WE NOW DUPLICATE THIS MODEL FOR OTHER STATES.
SO WE HAVE LOUISIANA, UH, WE HAVE SOUTH CAROLINA, WE HAVE A PORTION OF FLORIDA.
THEY'RE DOING, UM, A PILOT RUN FOR A, A PORTION OF FLORIDA.
AND THEN WE JUST SIGNED VIRGINIA.
SO WE HAVE A WHOLE OTHER EXPANSION TEAM THAT DOES THIS, UH, TO TRY AND HELP OUT OTHER STATES WHO WANT THIS COORDINATED EFFORT.
THEY'RE NOT CALLED TEXAS VETERANS NETWORK, THEY'RE CALLED WHATEVER THEIR STATE IS AND WANTS TO BE CALLED.
BUT IT'S POWERED BY COMBINED ARMS.
[00:30:01]
IT IS OUR TECHNOLOGY.UM, WE RUN IT THROUGH SALESFORCE.
WE OWN THE TECHNOLOGY AND THE RIGHTS.
WE EMPLOY OUR OWN SALESFORCE ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS, SO WE CAN MAKE CHANGES AS WE WANT.
UM, AND THEN WE HELP OTHER STATES WHO WANNA DO THIS.
IT'S NOT THAT SIMPLE TO JUST GET HALF OF IT STATE FUNDED AND THE REST RAISE MONEY FOR, AND THEN BUILD IT OUT AND EXECUTE IT.
I MENTIONED THE SENIOR SOURCE A MINUTE AGO.
THEY USE A SALESFORCE INTAKE PROGRAM TOO.
UH, AND THEY'RE, THAT'S THE REASON I'M ASKING THESE QUESTIONS.
I, BECAUSE I GOT A BRIEFING THE OTHER DAY ON THEIR NEW PROCESS.
AND THEY'RE TRYING TO DO THE SAME THING YOU'RE DOING, WHICH IS TO HAVE A COORDINATED EFFORT FOR ALL THEIR CLIENTS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ONE LAST QUESTION.
UH, COMMISSIONER SHERMAN, UH, YOU MENTIONED FORT WORTH HAS THE, UH, GRANT, UH, TO HELP, UH, THE FINANCIAL GRANT.
UM, AND CURRENTLY THE CITY OF DALLAS IS AN AWARDEE FOR VETERANS TREATMENT COURT.
SO IF YOU WANNA MAKE FRIENDS WITH WHOEVER APPLIES FOR THAT ONE, UH, 'CAUSE THEY ALREADY KNOW HOW TO DO IT FOR SPECIFICALLY FOR VETERANS TREATMENT COURT.
BUT YOU CAN APPLY AS THE CITY TO NOT ONLY HAVE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, BUT ALSO THE HOME REPAIR PROGRAM, SHOULD THAT BE SOMETHING Y'ALL ARE INTERESTED IN.
AND THEIR APPLICATION PROCESS USUALLY STARTS, UM, IN THE EARLY FALL, LATE SUMMER.
UM, AND THEN THEY ANNOUNCE THE AWARDEES IN THE WINTER, AND THEIR GRANT CYCLE RUNS JULY ONE THROUGH JUNE 30TH.
COMMISSIONER BIRDWELL, DISTRICT SEVEN.
SO THE VETERANS TREATMENT COURT.
SO YOU'RE SAYING THEY GOT THAT FROM THE TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION? YES.
SO THE CITY OF DALLAS VETERANS TREATMENT COURT HAS IT AS WELL AS DALLAS COUNTY VETERANS TREATMENT COURT.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WAS THE CITY.
AND SO WE, I, I WOULD RECOMMEND, I'M GONNA PLUG, THE MORE ROBUST YOU APPLY FOR, THE BETTER.
IF YOU DON'T LIMIT IT TO CITY, UH, CITY ZIP CODE RESTRICTIONS, IF YOU JUST WRITE IT IN TO COVER THE WHOLE COUNTY, THAT'S REALLY WHAT'S NEEDED.
UM, IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT TO MAP JUST RESOURCES WITHIN ONE CITY.
UH, WE LIKE AND ENCOURAGE IT TO BE A, A WHOLE COUNTY, BUT THE CITY DOES IT.
SO CITY OF FORT WORTH, THEIR GRANT COVERS ALL OF TARRANT COUNTY.
IT'S JUST OPERATED OUT OF CITY OF FORT WORTH.
ANY QUESTIONS? WELL, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR HELPING US FOR THOSE IN THE ROOM.
UH, WE DID LEAVE A STACK OF OUR WRAP CARDS, THE INFORMATION CARDS OVER THERE, AND WE'LL LEAVE THOSE WITH YOU AND IF ANYBODY HERE STOPS BY.
BUT, UM, UH, THAT PRESENTATION, UH, IS AVAILABLE TO Y'ALL.
IT HAS, UM, MY INFORMATION AND, AND CRYSTAL'S INFORMATION.
UM, SO ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY, ANY NEEDS Y'ALL HAVE, PLEASE REACH OUT.
YOU KNOW WHAT, BEFORE YOU GO, I, I GUESS I COULD ASK YOU NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S APPROPRIATE OR NOT, BUT THE ROT LAST NIGHT I WENT TO A, A CONCERT BY THE NAVY LEAGUE.
IT WAS SPONSORED BY THE NAVY LEAGUE OF DALLAS.
THEY WORKED WITH THE ISD, UH, SYSTEM IN ARLINGTON.
AND, UH, I KNOW THAT THEY DO A LOT OF OUTREACH, UH, PROGRAMMING.
UM, AS FAR AS THE LEADERSHIP EDUCATIONAL PART OF IT, DO YOU, DO Y'ALL, UH, INVOLVE OR, OR GET, UH, INVOLVED WITH, UH, LIKE R-O-T-C-J-R-O-T-C, YOU KNOW, HIGH SCHOOL, UH, ANY OF THOSE PROGRAMS? GENERALLY NOT FOR US.
THAT THE, THE PARENTS ARE NEEDING HELP NAVIGATING IF THEIR CHILD IS GONNA USE THE GI BILL.
'CAUSE YEAH, THEY COULD BE IN JRTC IN HIGH SCHOOL, BUT THEY MAY NOT GET A SCHOLARSHIP OR ROTC FOR COLLEGE.
UM, SO HELPING EDUCATE THE VETERANS WHO ARE THE PARENTS ON WHAT THEIR GI BILL OR HAZELWOOD BENEFITS WOULD BE.
UM, THE ROTC UNITS WE REACH OUT TO WHEN WE HAVE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES, WHEN WE HAVE A LOT OF PARTNERS WHO ARE DOING COMMUNITY SERVICE AND THEY'RE WANTING, UM, STRONG BACKS, UH, THEN WE LIKE TO REACH OUT TO THE JOTC UNITS FOR THAT.
BUT A DIRECT, UH, BENEFIT FOR THOSE STUDENTS, WE'RE LOOKING AT MORE OF IF THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS WERE THE VETERANS, SO WE CAN HELP MAKE SURE THAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE CAPITALIZING ON THE BENEFITS THAT THEY HAVE.
[00:35:01]
ALRIGHT.COMBINED ARMS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
OKAY, THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS GOING TO BE, UM, THE DISCUSSION ON, ON, UH, SUBCOMMITTEES.
AND WE BROUGHT THIS UP A COUPLE OF TIMES ABOUT CREATING SUBCOMMITTEES.
UH, RIGHT NOW WE'VE ONLY HAD ONE, OR WE ONLY HAVE ONE AND, UH, WE'VE ONLY MET ONCE.
UM, WE'RE TRYING TO PICK UP THE PACE ON THAT.
UM, BUT IS THERE ANY SUGGESTIONS OR ANY VOLUNTEERS THAT MIGHT WANNA START OR SUGGEST ANOTHER SUBCOMMITTEE THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO THIS, THIS COMMISSION? YOU KNOW, THAT WE ACTUALLY, UM, LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS TO SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE OR ISSUES.
ANYONE? COMMISSIONER BIRDWELL.
I DON'T KNOW OF ANY OTHER ISSUES THAT HAS TAKEN UP MORE OF OUR INTEREST IN THE HOMELESSNESS AND THE HOUSING.
I MEAN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, LATER, I MEAN, WE COULD STILL ALSO DO ON EDUCATION IF THERE'S AN ISSUE IN THE COMMUNITY OR JOB TRAINING OR ANY OF THAT.
I DON'T SEE A PROBLEM WITH HAVING SOMETHING LIKE THAT AS A STANDBY, IF SOMEONE ELSE IS MORE INTERESTED IN THOSE COMMITTEES, IF Y'ALL WOULD THINK, OR, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE MICROMANAGING OURSELVES.
JUST, YOU KNOW, WHAT AREAS ARE WE, WOULD WE BE TALKING ABOUT COMMISSIONER SMITH FROM 14? THE O THE OTHER THREE BUCKETS THAT WE HAD, WE HAD FOUR BESIDES, UH, HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS, BUT IT'S JOBS, EDUCATION, AND HEALTHCARE.
SO OUR, THAT WAS, THAT WAS, I BELIEVE, MANDATED TO US.
BUT, UM, AT LEAST IN OUR CHARTER, THOSE FOUR CATEGORIES.
SO I AGREE WITH YOU, COMMISSIONER BIRDWELL.
IT'S NOT, THERE ISN'T MUCH ACTIVITY RECENTLY BEYOND HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS.
BUT I GUESS I WOULD SUGGEST IF YOU WERE GONNA CREATE ANOTHER SUBCOMMITTEE, IT WOULD BE IN ONE OF THOSE THREE AREAS.
AGAIN, EDUCATION, JOBS AND HEALTHCARE COMMISSIONER ROBERTSON, UH, DISTRICT THREE, I, I DON'T HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ADDITIONAL SUBCOMMITTEES.
I DO WISH THAT THERE WAS A WAY THAT WE CAN ADD DEPTH TO THE HOMELESS COMPONENT.
UM, THERE, THERE'S NO REASON WHY WE SHOULD HELP HOMELESS VETERANS.
AND I OVERSEE A TEAM CALLED THE HEART TEAM HOMELESS ACTION RESPONSE TEAM.
AND I RAN INTO A VETERAN, UH, MAYBE ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AGO.
AND I DIDN'T HAVE THE RESOURCE CARD AND I WAS SHOOTING MYSELF IN THE FOOT BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE IT.
BUT I WISH THAT THERE WAS A WAY THAT WE COULD ADD MORE DEPTH.
I MEAN, I WISH WE COULD JUST LIKE ALL GET IN THE VAN AND GO FIND 'EM ALL, YOU KNOW, AND
WE CAN DO SOMETHING SO THAT WE CAN REDUCE THE NUMBER OF HOMELESS VETERANS THAT WE DO HAVE ON THE STREETS.
BUT I DON'T HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FOR A SUBCOMMITTEE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT.
I THINK THE BIG ISSUE WITH HOMELESSNESS, ESPECIALLY FOR VETERANS, IS IDENTIFYING THEM.
'CAUSE THEY HIDE A LOT OF 'EM HIGH.
THE BRIDGES ARE HIGH, YOU KNOW, DON'T WANT TO BE SEEN, DON'T WANT, DON'T WANT, YOU KNOW, THE SOCIAL ASPECT, YOU KNOW, SOCIAL COMMUNICATION OR INTERACTION AND JUST, AND IT IS NOT JUST THE, THE VIETNAM ERA, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, A LOT MORE YOUNGER VETERANS THAT ARE COMING OUT NOW.
AND I THINK THE YOUNG LADY SAID, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE SHE SAID PRE UH, UH, NINE 11 AND, AND THAT, AND POST NINE 11, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT GOING ON POST NINE 11.
AND, AND YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE, THAT ARE.
AND WITH THAT, UH, POINT IN TIME COUNT THAT THEY DID, THEY DID IDENTIFY, I MEAN, IT WAS A LOW NUMBER.
COMMISSIONER, UM, BURWELL, I THINK YOU AND I BOTH QUESTIONED THAT DURING ONE OF THE YEAH, WE HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THAT BECAUSE IT'S ONE SNAPSHOT AND IT JUST, IT DIDN'T FEEL RIGHT.
I CAN'T PROVE IT, BUT IT DIDN'T FEEL RIGHT.
BUT YEAH, I THINK THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS, AND I THINK ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE ON THE COMMISSION WOULD AGREE THAT, 'CAUSE WE'VE BEEN TO A COUPLE OF THE HOMELESS SHELTERS.
THEY'VE COME TO US AND SPEAK AND SPOKEN BEFORE.
[00:40:01]
HAVING IS GETTING THEM, YOU KNOW, INTO THE SUNLIGHT, INTO THE DAYLIGHT TO GET IDENTIFIED.BUT I KNOW THAT THE BRIDGE DOES A REALLY GOOD PROGRAM THAT DEREK AVERY, WHEN HE WAS DOING THE RAPID HOUSING THAT THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE ABILITIES AND THERE ARE WAYS FOR US TO GET THEM TO THAT.
BUT I AGREE WITH YOU THAT THERE'S JUST SOME KIND OF DISCONNECT.
A LOT OF IT CAN ALSO BE, UM, ALCOHOL AND DRUG ISSUES OR MENTAL ILLNESS ISSUES FROM POST NINE 11.
YOU KNOW, THE YOUNG ONES ARE NOT AS YOUNG AS, WE FORGET.
SO IF THEY WERE 18, THEN THEY'RE NOW IN THEIR FORTIES.
AND THAT'S WHEN A LOT OF THINGS, WE KNOW THIS FROM ALL OF OUR TIME, US OLDER ONES, THINGS START MANIFESTING YEAH.
AND SO WE MIGHT WANNA ASK THE CITY IF THERE'S A WAY FOR US TO COORDINATE WITH THE HOMELESS SHELTERS AND OTHERS TO DO A PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN CAMPAIGN.
THESE PEOPLE MAY LIVE UNDER A BRIDGE, BUT THEY'RE NOT IN THE CAVE.
I THINK THAT IS A GREAT IDEA AS A, NOT NECESSARILY AS OPPOSED TO, BUT MAYBE RIGHT NOW, INSTEAD OF BUILDING FURTHER SUB SUBCOMMITTEES, JUST STRETCHING OUR BANDWIDTH WHEN WE CAN ADD ADDITIONAL QUALITY TO WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE.
AND THEN MAYBE KIND OF LIKE START DOING, I DON'T KNOW IF THE SUBCOMMITTEE'S MANDATORY.
DO WE NEED TO MAKE MORE SUBCOMMITTEES NOW, OR OH, OKAY.
I, I WAS TOLD BY AN ADVISOR TO THE CITY COUNCIL THAT DALLAS IS IN THE RUNNING FOR AN AWARD FOR THE REDUCTION OF VETERAN HOMELESSNESS ALMOST TO ZOO.
AND I FOUND THAT HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD THAT.
YOU WOULD THINK THAT WOULD BE PLASTERED ON FRONT OF CITY HALL.
SO, I MEAN, SOMEBODY IS EITHER AT A DISCONNECT OR I THINK THERE'S A, THERE IS A HOMELESS, UM, TASK FORCE.
UH, AND I, I KNOW SOMEBODY WHO'S ON THAT.
I COULD FIND THAT OUT IF THEY'RE IN THERE RUNNING FOR A GRANT LIKE THAT.
BUT THE CITY SHOULD BE ABLE TO TELL US THAT.
I I JUST, IF TEXAS JUST TOOK OVER THE LEAD AND, AND POPULATION OF VETERANS, YOU KNOW, FROM CALIFORNIA, I THINK WHAT THE YOUNG LADY SAID, YOU KNOW, MIGHT BE, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE JUST LOGISTIC WE HAVE MORE, MORE.
JUST, JUST A REMINDER, PLEASE IF YOU DO SPEAK INTO YOUR MICROPHONES AND THEN JUST SO WE CAN BETTER, UH, AFTERWARDS TRANSCRIBE WHEN WE DO THE MEETING MINUTES, KNOW WHAT'S BEING SAID.
UH,
AND SOME PEOPLE LIKE, MAN, I DON'T, NO, GO AHEAD.
BUT THOSE LISTS TO IDENTIFY VETERANS OR DIFFERENT THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT CAN EXPAND THE COMMUNITY, UH, WITH RECREATION CENTERS TO WHATEVER'S NECESSARY TO, TO, UH, HELP THEIR COMMUNITY.
BUT SO WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE, NOT, I MEAN, I'M NOT ANSWERING THE QUESTION, SO THAT'S WHY THE NUMBERS ARE VERY LOW.
SO FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THAT SEEMS LIKE THAT WOULD BE THE, UH, THE ANSWER TO THAT.
COMMISSIONER BIRDWELL DISTRICT SEVEN, I WAS THINKING ABOUT WHAT PETE PETER SAID EARLIER ABOUT THE OTHER THREE, YOU KNOW, RESPONSIBILITIES THAT WE HAVE.
AND I DON'T SEE, I THINK WE OUGHT TO, UH, MAKE MAYBE EITHER AT THIS MEETING OR THE NEXT MEETING, BUT I WOULD SAY MAY, LET'S NOT POSTPONE IT, BUT TABLE IT TO THE NEXT MEETING SO PEOPLE CAN THINK THAT WE SHOULD HAVE SUB COMMITTEE.
SO THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT TAKES A LOT OF ADDITIONAL TIME FOR YOU, BUT IF YOU REALLY CARE MORE ABOUT THE HEALTHCARE, THEN THREE OF US OR FOUR OF US CAN BE ON THAT.
ANOTHER THREE OR FOUR OR A DUPLICATE PERSON COULD BE ON THE H UH, EDUCATION.
AND THEN, WHAT WAS THE FOURTH ONE? PETE JOBS? WAS IT JOBS? HEALTHCARE, HOMELESS AND HOUSING.
SO IF WE DO THAT, I THINK THAT WHEN THESE OTHER GROUPS COME UP TO MEET WITH US, THEN, LIKE, IF PETE IS, IF PETER'S BIG ISSUE IS JOB TRAINING AND, YOU KNOW, ACQUISITION OF, UH, EMPLOYMENT, THEN HE AND TWO OTHER PEOPLE ON OUR COMMISSION CAN GO MEET WITH THEM AND THEN REPORT BACK.
I THINK ONE OF OUR PROBLEMS WE TALKED ABOUT LAST MEETING WAS WE'RE KIND OF SLOW.
AND I THINK THAT IF WE DO CREATE THESE AND THEN START RUNNING WITH IT, UH, WE CAN DO THAT.
IT'S JUST MAYBE LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY WOULD DO AND THEN NEXT MONTH
[00:45:01]
LET'S VOLUNTEER FOR IT, MS. COMMISSIONER, MR. SO WE CAN TABLE THAT DISCUSSION TO MAKE A DECISION FOR THE NEXT MEETING.DOES THAT REQUIRE A VOTE OR DO WE JUST, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE, THIS IS COMMISSIONER AYERS.
I MAKE A MOTION TO REC TABLE THIS DISCUSSION UNTIL OUR NEXT MEETING.
MR. COMMISSIONER MISES, COMMISSIONER AYS HAS I MADE A MOTION TO TABLE THIS DISCUSSION TO THE NEXT MEETING AND WE CAN MAKE A DETERMINATION ON WHERE WE'RE GONNA GO WITH IT FROM THERE.
WE WE'LL TABLE IT TILL, UH, THE MOTION IS, UH, TO THIS, TO TABLE THIS DISCUSSION TILL THE NEXT MEETING.
AND, AND I JUST, YOU KNOW, NOW WE'VE TABLED IT.
I'M JUST GONNA SAY ONE FINAL THING.
'CAUSE THAT'S THE WAY I DO THINGS.
UH, JUST EVERYONE THINK ABOUT NEXT MONTH, WHICH ONE YOU'D LIKE TO BE ON AND WHY.
AND THAT WAY WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT MATCHUP OUR PEOPLE ON THEIR, ON OUR COMMISSION TO WHAT WE WANT TO GET DONE.
AND I THINK THAT IS GONNA EXPEDITE A LOT OF ACTIVITY FOR US.
I THINK WHEN WE MAKE OUR NEXT ANNUAL, UH, REPORT, IT'S GONNA SHOW A LOT MORE BECAUSE WE WILL BE MORE ACTIVE.
UH, THIS COMMISSIONER MESS, I THINK THEY WILL GO TO WHAT COMMISSIONER ROB ROBINSON SAYS THAT WE NEED TO PUT A LITTLE MORE DEPTH, A LITTLE MORE THOUGHT PROCESS INTO WHAT WE'RE DOING.
COMMISSIONER ROBINSON, DISTRICT THREE.
IT'S ONLY BECAUSE MY BANDWIDTH IS OUT.
IT'S THAT BATTERY ON THE CELL PHONE THAT HAS NOTHING LEFT.
IT'S LIKE IF I SIT ON ANOTHER COMMITTEE, I'LL JUST BE A BODY THERE AND I DON'T WANNA DO THAT.
AND THEN WE HAVE A LOT OF VACANCIES.
I JUST WISH WE COULD GET THOSE VACANCIES IN HERE.
'CAUSE WE KNOW WE GOT A LOT OF VETERANS.
UH, YEAH, THERE'S, THERE'S A 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5 VACANT SPOTS.
WELL, I'M LOOKING AT THE ATTENDANCE ROSTER AND I SEE YEAH, BUT THE, THERE'S A DISTRICT 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, AND NINE.
SO WE'RE MISSING SIX AND EIGHT AND 10.
I KNOW, BUT I WAS JUST COM COUNTING BY DISTRICT.
YOU KNOW, I WAS GOING 10, 12, AND EIGHT.
COMMISSIONER ROBERTSON, DISTRICT THREE, SPIN DAM.
CAN YOU CONFIRM THE NUMBER OF VACANCIES THAT WE HAVE ON THE BOARD? YES.
SO WE HAVE FOUR VACANCIES, BUT THREE OF THOSE VACANCIES ARE VACANCIES THAT CAN ACTUALLY BE APPLIED FOR THE 15TH DISTRICT.
THAT'S ACTUALLY AN APPOINTEE BY THE MAYOR.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S, UH, A SEPARATE CATEGORY.
AND, UH, A GOOD THING IS THAT WE SHARED WITH YOU RECENTLY THE PROCESS BY WHICH ANYONE WHO WANTS TO APPLY TO BE A COMMISSIONER, THE WAY FOR THEM TO DO THAT, THAT EMAIL WAS SENT OUT TO ALL OF YOU.
SO IN ANYONE THAT YOU CAN THINK OF AS BEING A CANDIDATE, FEEL FREE TO SHARE IT.
LET THEM GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
AND GOD WILLING, IF, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING WORKS OUT, THOSE OTHER, YOU KNOW, POSITIONS CAN GET FILLED IN, UH, SOONER THAN LATER.
ONE
UH, I RECRUITED, UH, ONE POSSIBILITY, UH, YOUNG, UH, RESERVIST.
SHE DID THE PRAYER FOR A SYMPOSIUM FOR THE RACIAL, UH, LL ATKINS, COUNCILMAN ATKINS DISTRICT.
AND ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WAS MENTIONED, AND I THINK IT WAS THE DECEMBER MEETING, UH, WAS THAT YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE IN THAT DISTRICT TO FILL THAT POSITION.
I FORGOT WHICH OF THE, UH, COMMISSIONERS HAD, OKAY, SO THE COMMISSIONER CHASE.
AND SO THIS IS ANOTHER GOOD THING.
SO IT DOESN'T HAVE, IT DOES, IT GIVES YOU SOME MORE FLEXIBILITY, RIGHT? SO IF YOU HAVE THAT PERSON WHO'S GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, PASSIONATE AND HAVE THE ABILITY, SHARE IT WITH THEM, LET THEM GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AND, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY IT'LL GET, IT'LL GET, UH, TAKEN CARE OF.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I HAVE A, A QUESTION THAT'S NOT RELATED
[00:50:01]
TO SUBCOMMITTEES.IF YOU, UH, WANT TO GO TO THE NEXT TOPIC, SO TO SPEAK.
UM, WHEN THE TEXAS VETERANS NETWORK LEFT, THEY GAVE ME THIS CARD, WHICH WE APPROVED, YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR.
AND THEY SAID WE'RE NOT ON IT.
AND THEN OF COURSE THEY WERE ON IT 'CAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT 'EM.
BUT I'M WONDERING, UH, IF WE COULD FIND OUT HOW MANY CARDS ARE LEFT AND WHEN WE COULD RE REPRINT THIS CARD AND MAYBE HAVE THE TEXAS VETERANS NETWORK ON THAT CARD.
SO I HAVE THE, THE BOX WITH THE VETERAN RESOURCE CARDS, THE PRINTED, UH, AND IT'S NEXT TO THE WATER THERE.
SO THERE'S STILL A NICE, UH,
SO, JUST SO YOU KNOW TOO, WHEN THIS IS, I GUESS PART OF THE ANNOUNCEMENTS IS THAT WHAT WE, WHAT WE WANNA SHARE WITH YOU, ESPECIALLY FOR NEXT MONTH, UM, IS, EXCUSE ME, OUR FINDINGS WITH REGARDS TO THE MANY DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT SERVE VETERANS IN SOME CAPACITY.
AND WE'RE SPECIFICALLY, THERE'S AN, AN ORGANIZATION THAT'S CALLED FIND HELP THAT OUR OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION THAT WE HAVE CONTRACTED WITH, AND THEY SERVE BASICALLY AS THIS, UH, FANTASTIC PORTAL.
WHAT WE BASICALLY WANNA DO NEXT MONTH IS BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY SHOW THAT TO, ON THE SCREEN TO SHOW YOU WHAT THE PROCESS LOOKS LIKE AS FAR AS BEING ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, SELECT WITH FILTERS, WHICH YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, ET CETERA.
UM, BUT IDEALLY, UM, WHAT WE HAD HEARD TODAY FROM COMBINED ARMS, AND THEY'RE AMONG THE FOLKS THAT ARE IN THAT LIST OF WHAT I WAS ABLE TO COMPILE OF ABOUT 40, YOU KNOW,
WE WANNA BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA BE THOROUGH.
AND THEN IDEALLY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT AVAILABLE ON THE COMMISSIONER'S WEBSITE, RIGHT? SO THE VAC WEBSITE.
AND THEN TO BE ABLE TO ALSO SEE HOW WE CAN REDO THE RESOURCE CARD IN A WAY THAT'S GOING TO BE PERHAPS MORE STRATEGIC BASED ON THE NEWFOUND INFORMATION OF, OF ORGANIZATIONS.
SO THIS IS HOPEFULLY SOMETHING WE CAN MANAGE, UH, FOR NEXT, NEXT MONTH, MARCH.
WERE YOU SAYING THAT YOU, THERE'S A WEBSITE CALLED FIND HELP.
FIND HELP, IS THAT WHAT IT'S CALLED? SO IT, IT'S ALMOST LIKE THE GOOGLE SEARCH BAR.
AND IN THE BACKEND, DEPENDING ON HOW YOU'VE, UH, YOU KNOW, CONTRACTED WITH THEM, YOU CAN HAVE SPECIFIC, UH, FOCUSES.
SO IN THE PAST, FOR EXAMPLE, WELCOMING COMMUNITIES AND IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS DID A SPECIAL, UH, UH, CONTRACT WITH THEM FOR IMMIGRATION SERVICES.
AND SO THROUGH THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO, UH, LOOK UP AND THEY VET THE ORGANIZATIONS, WHICH IS ALSO A GREAT THING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE WHO THEY ARE AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
SO THE SAME THING WOULD BE DONE BASICALLY FOR VETERAN SERVICES.
AND SO WE WOULD HAVE THAT LINK THAT ANYBODY WHO'S INTERESTED CAN CLICK HERE, FOR EXAMPLE.
AND THEN IN DOING SO, THEY CAN SEARCH FOR WHETHER IT'S HOUSING, UH, TRANSPORTATION, UH, HEALTHCARE, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
AND, AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CHRISTINA WILL ACTUALLY HOPEFULLY BE PRESENT, UH, 'CAUSE SHE'S MUCH MORE VERSED IN ALL OF THAT.
SO SHE'LL HOPEFULLY BE PRESENT FOR NEXT MONTH TO, TO SHARE THAT, TO BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH IT AND, AND MAKE IT MORE MEANINGFUL.
THAT WAS A PART OF THE ANNOUNCEMENTS.
AND, UM, ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS OR INFORMATION THAT, THAT YOU'D LIKE TO PASS ON? AND I DID WANNA SAY ONE MORE THING WITH REGARDS TO THE POINT IN TIME COUNT.
'CAUSE I WAS ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN IT FOR THE FIRST TIME AND THEY MADE IT CLEAR BEFORE WE ACTUALLY WENT OUT ONTO THE FIELD TO COUNT FOLKS THAT IN NO WAY IS THIS EVER GOING TO BE ACCURATE.
AND SOME OF THE REASONS FOR THAT IS WHAT I WAS ABLE TO EXPERIENCE OF WHAT THE, I THINK, UH, COMMISSIONER SHERMAN HAD MENTIONED WHERE THE FIRST PERSON THAT WE APPROACHED, THEY SAID, I DON'T WANT TO TALK.
I DON'T WANT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW.
AND SO IF THAT WAS, FOR EXAMPLE, A VETERAN, THERE WAS NO WAY FOR US TO KNOW.
AND SO DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH THEY'RE WILLING TO ANSWER AND WHEN THEY WANNA, YOU KNOW, STOP, UM, IT CAN BE SOMETHING THAT AFFECTS THE OUTCOME.
SO NATURALLY THE NUMBERS ARE NOT GOING TO BE ACCURATE.
THEY'RE SOMETHING OF A BALLPARK APPROXIMATION.
AND, UH, THERE'S ALL THOSE FACTORS AND REASONS FOR IT.
BUT THE WAY THAT THE PROCESS WORKED WAS INTERESTING.
UM, THEY SEEMED TO HAVE INFORMATION ON WHERE, UH, HOMELESS FOLKS ARE KNOWN TO BE, AND THEY PUT OUT SOMETHING OF LIKE A LITTLE MAP PRINTOUT.
AND SO THE GROUP GOES OUT AND WE, WE KIND OF SURVEIL THOSE STREETS AND THOSE AREAS AND APPROACH THEM AND, AND A NUMBER OF TWO, INTRODUCE OURSELVES AND SEEK THEIR PERMISSION TO BE ABLE TO ASK THEM SOME QUESTIONS.
AND IF FROM THE VERY BEGINNING THEY SAY, NO, IT ENDS
[00:55:01]
RIGHT? AND THEN YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO TRY TO APPROXIMATE WHAT THERE IS OF VISUAL INFORMATION THAT YOU CAN FROM LOOKING AT THEM.BUT OTHERWISE, IF THEY SAY YES AND THEN A QUESTION LATER, THEY SAY, I'M DONE.
IT HAS TO STILL END RIGHT THERE, BUT IT'S SOMETHING OF AN EFFORT.
AND I THINK IN ALL IT'S, IT'S A GOOD THING.
BUT, UH, PERHAPS WITH WHAT COMMISSIONER ROBERTSON WAS ALSO SAYING OF HEART, WHICH I FORGOT WHAT THE ACRONYM STANDS FOR, BUT ACTION RESPONSE TEAM, WHAT IS IT? HOMELESSNESS, RIGHT, RIGHT.
UM, THE HOMELESS ACTION RESPONSE TEAM, WHICH IS A PART OF THE OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS, I THINK, UH, COMMISSIONER ROBERTSON DISTRICT THREE, ACTUALLY IT'S A PART OF HOMELESS OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTION AS WELL AS PARK MAINTENANCE, PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
SO WE HAVE A HOMELESS ACTION RESPONSE TEAM THAT ADDRESS ALL 407 PARKS AND 187 UH, MILES OF TRAILS.
SO WE GOT TWO HOMELESS ACTION RESPONSE TEAMS, NOW A BABY ONE AND A BIG ONE.
AND, AND THAT WOULD BE A GREAT THING TO SEE HOW PERHAPS THROUGH THAT WE CAN HAVE SOME MOBILIZATION, AS YOU SAID, TO ADD SOME DEPTH AND AND QUALITY TO, TO WHAT WE'RE DOING.
UH, COMMISSIONER SHERMAN DISTRICT FIVE.
UM, I DO HAVE ONE OTHER DEAL THAT SHOULD OR POSSIBLY BE ON THE, UH, THE LIST.
I WAS THINKING, UH, I'M A MEMBER OF DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS, UH, ORGANIZATION.
AND I KNOW THAT, UH, IN APRIL, UH, THEY HAVE A TRAINING, UH, TO, UH, TRAIN VETERANS ON THE, UH, BENEFITS, UH, PROCESS, ON THE BENEFIT PROCESS, UH, SO THAT, UH, IF POSSIBLE, UH, VETERANS CAN LEARN HOW TO ASSIST OTHER VETERANS.
'CAUSE IT'S A LENGTHY PROCESS IF YOU DON'T GET SERVICE CONNECTIONS WHILE, ONCE YOU GET OUTTA THE SERVICE, IT'S A LENGTHY, LONG, PROLONGED PROCESS.
SO IT'S, IT'S LIKE PULLING ELEPHANT TEETH.
SO THAT, THAT PROGRAM I'M, I'M GONNA BE DOING, UH, IN, UH, APRIL.
SO THEY ALSO HAVE A LOT OF OPENINGS WITH VETERANS WHO WANT TO LEARN THAT PROCESS.
SO MOST, ANY OTHER FURTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? INFORMATION? WELL, YEAH, WE'RE RIGHT ON TIME THERE.
IT'S ONE O'CLOCK, COMMISSIONER.
SO AT THIS POINT, ADJOURN SECOND.
SO THERE'S BEEN A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING.