[Dallas Area Partnership to End and Prevent Homelessness Local Government Corporation on March 7, 2024. ]
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PLEASE ADVISED THAT THE
WE CAN'T SEE THE FOLKS THAT ARE ONLINE.
ERIN, DO YOU HAVE THAT VIEW WHERE YOU CAN SEE WHO'S ONLINE? OKAY, KARA, THIS IS ROB.
I CAN BOTH HEAR AND SEE EVERYBODY, SO JUST KNOW IT'S WORKING FROM OUR SIDE.
I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL CAN SEE THAT UP THERE, UM, BUT WE'RE LOOKING TO SEE IF WE CAN FLIP WITH YOU UP HERE.
AND THEN TINA, IF YOU COULD, UM, UH, DISPLAY YOUR CAMERA.
WE'RE GONNA NEED THAT FOR QUO AND DAUGHTER GRADUATE.
WELL, WE'RE READY TO GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED TODAY.
UM, IS THURSDAY, MARCH 7TH AND WELCOME TO THE DALLAS AREA PARTNERSHIP ON ENDING HOMELESSNESS MEETING.
IT IS 1218, SO APOLOGIES FOR STARTING A LITTLE BIT LATE.
WE HAD A COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEETING IN THE SAME ROOM THAT WENT, UH, A LITTLE BIT LONG.
SO APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE AND FLEXIBILITY HERE.
WE'RE GONNA START WITH, UM, OUR ROLL CALL.
MAKE SURE WE HAVE, UH, QUORUM.
AND I THINK ERIN'S GONNA DO THAT TODAY.
UH, CHAIR KAREN MENDELSON, VICE-CHAIR.
I AM PRESENT MEMBER KEN OLDHAM.
HER OR 5, 5 6 ON THE ONE ON NINE.
OKAY, SO IT'S BEEN DETERMINED.
UM, OUR NEXT ITEM WILL BE PUBLIC COMMENT.
DO WE HAVE ANYBODY WHO SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT FROM ONE TIME? ROBERT, YOU'VE GOT TWO MINUTES.
AND IF YOU COULD GO AHEAD AND HIT THE BUTTON FOR THE MICROPHONE SO WE CAN HEAR YOU.
JANELLE ATKINS SAID HE DIDN'T HEAR ME ABOUT THE, HOW I GOT KILLED AT THE BOARDING HOMES.
DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
I'M JUST GETTING FLABBERGASTED ABOUT THIS.
AND, AND I WANNA READ THIS, WHAT I SENT TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND THEY DON'T, AND NOBODY TALKED.
NOBODY CAME TO ME ABOUT WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT DURING THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
BUT, BUT THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS GOT THIS EMAIL, MURDERERS, RAPISTS, SERIAL KILLERS, CHILD MOLESTERS AND BABY KILLERS ARE ALLOWED TO STAY IN CITY LICENSED BOARDING HOMES IN DALLAS, TEXAS.
THERE IS NO BACKGROUND CHECKS.
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YOU NEED IS MONEY.THEY NEVER CHECK MY ID AT ALL.
I'M GETTING THIS STRAIGHT NOW.
I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM YOU ABOUT THIS.
A LITTLE, LITTLE, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE SENTENCES, BUT THIS IS MAJOR STUFF.
I ALMOST GOT KILLED BY CONVICTED MURDER IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
I'M GONNA READ THE REST OF IT.
KARA, YOU, YOU NEED TO GIMME SOME 'CAUSE THIS IS CRUCIAL, MAN.
NEIL HICKLE ABOUT THE WORST OF THE WORST MURDERERS.
HE WAS MY ROOMMATE AND STAYS IN ONE OF YOUR CITY LICENSED BOARDING HOMES.
I SAID THIS IN FRONT OF CITY COUNCIL.
HE WAS ALLOWED IN THE HOUSE WITHOUT ID AND WITHOUT A BACKGROUND CHECK.
HE ATTACKED ME WITH A KNIFE AND I PUT IT WITH HIM TO NOT TO KILL ME.
HE HAD A KNIFE ABOVE HIS HEAD.
HE BACKED OFF, THANKFULLY AND RAN AWAY.
HE ADMITTED TO THE, HE ADMITTED TO ANOTHER WOMAN THAT STAYS THERE THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO KILL ME.
HE'S IN DALLAS COUNTY JAIL AND CHARGED TO AGGRAVATE ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON.
GOOGLE THAT AND YOU'LL SEE ONE OF THE WORST MURDERS OF ALL TIME.
I'M GONNA GET, THE WOMEN ARE IN DANGER TO STAY AT A LICENSED BOARDING HOME.
THESE ATTACKS CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME.
I'M AT A BOARDING HOME THAT IS CO-ED ONE RAPIST.
ONE RAPIST IS ALLOWED IN EACH BOARDING HOME.
MY OWNER TOLD ME SHE'S ALLOWED ONE RAPIST IN HER HOUSE AND HER HOUSE IS CO-ED.
I TALKED TO 3 1 1 AND IT'S TRUE, A RAPIST CAN GET IN THERE 'CAUSE THEY DON'T CHECK ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.
I WROTE TO YOU ALREADY, KARA, I WROTE TO YOU DR. DANIEL AND THE WHOLE CITY COUNCIL.
I'M SORRY, BUT I'M GLAD BECAUSE I NEVER HEARD FROM 'EM.
I, THERE'S EVICTIONS GOING ON RIGHT NOW IN THE BOARDING HOMES.
UH, THE, WITH THE, UM, I FORGOT THE NAME OF THE, BUT THERE WAS NO, UM, NO LETTERS THAT WERE WRITTEN.
I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE, YOU'VE HAD YOUR TIME.
WHATCHA GONNA DO ABOUT IT? THANK YOU.
WHATCHA GONNA GONNA DO ABOUT THIS? CAROL, WE'VE BEEN ALONG.
YOU DON'T CARE, DO YOU? I DO CARE.
YOU BETTER TRY TO SAY WHAT, WHAT? YOU JUST CUT ME OFF AND THAT'S IT.
THAT'S HOW PUBLIC COMMENT WORKS.
AND PEOPLE, I I NEED TO HEAR FROM EARLIER BECAUSE HEY, THIS GUY IS A COLD KILLER ROBERT AND A CITY LICENSED BOARDING HOME.
AND I GOT KILLED OH, SIX INCHES FROM BEING KILLED, MA'AM.
OKAY, I NEED TO TALK ABOUT THIS.
I KNOW, BUT THIS ISN'T THE FORM.
WHAT'S THE FORM? WHEN IS IT? TELL NOW ACT THIS RIGHT AWAY.
'CAUSE HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING ON? THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
THE NEXT ITEM IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE FEBRUARY 1ST MEETING.
ARE THERE ANY, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED.
ROB, YOU'RE RAISING YOUR HAND.
ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS OR CHANGES TO THE MINUTES? OKAY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ANYBODY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
WELL, WE HAVE, UM, A PRESENTATION FROM ACTUALLY ONE OF OUR OWN MEMBERS TODAY.
AND THIS IS FOR THE PARKLAND HOMES, UM, PROGRAM.
FRED TERESA, IF YOU'D LIKE TO TAKE IT AWAY, YOU'RE WELCOME TO DO IT HERE.
OR IF YOU'D LIKE TO GO UP TO THE PRESENTATION TABLE, YOU CAN DO THAT AS WELL.
I DO FROM HERE, IF THAT'S OKAY.
AND ACTUALLY, I WANNA INTRODUCE KYLA RANKIN.
KYLA, UH, RUNS OUR HOMES PROGRAMS, UM, OUT OF PARKLAND.
AND SO THIS PRESENTATION CAME FROM HER AND I THOUGHT IT WOULD PROBABLY BE, IT'D COME UP BEST IF IT WAS DELIVERED BY HER.
SO, UM, KYLA WAS KIND ENOUGH TO COME DOWN WITH US TODAY, AND SHE'S GONNA GIVE US AN OVERVIEW OF THE, UM, OF THE, UH, PROGRAM.
WE'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.
RE SAID, MY NAME IS KYLA RANKIN.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE HOMES PROGRAM, AND I WILL GIVE YOU THE FY 23 OVERVIEW.
SO, HOMES IS, UH, STANDS FOR HOMELESS OUTREACH MEDICAL SERVICES HOMES IS A FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTER, A THREE 30 H PROGRAM OF PARKLAND.
UM, IT IS A PARTNERSHIP OF, UM, THE HEALTH RESOURCES SERVICES ADMINISTRATION, SO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS WELL AS PARKLAND.
OUR AIM IS TO PROVIDE, UM, PRIMARY CARE TO INDIVIDUALS LIVING IN DALLAS COUNTY WHO ARE UNSHELTERED WITH PRIMARY CARE.
UM, OUR TARGET POPULATION, AGAIN, IS ANYONE WHO IS UNHOUSED.
WE WILL, UM, SERVE FAMILIES, INDIVIDUALS, UM, CHILDREN, YOUTH VETERANS, OR ANYONE IN THAT CATEGORY WHO MIGHT BE AT RISK.
UM, WE OPERATE, UH, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
WE, UH, COLLABORATE WITH AT LEAST 20 DIFFERENT COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
UM, WE HAVE A FLEET OF SEVEN MOBILE MEDICAL UNITS.
WE WILL RUN ABOUT FOUR MOBILE MEDICAL UNITS SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH
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OUR THREE FIXED SITE LOCATIONS AND OUR MOBILE DENTAL CLINIC.UH, SOME OF OUR LOCATIONS INCLUDE HOMELESS SHELTERS, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DRUG TREATMENT DAY PROGRAMS, AND SOCIAL SERVICE CENTERS WILL GET INTO SPECIFICS OF THE LOCATIONS IN A LATER SLIDE.
SO THIS IS OUR FY 23, UM, DATA, UH, THE BUDGET.
UM, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE ABOUT AN $8 MILLION OPERATING BUDGET.
42% OF WHICH, UM, COMES FROM HRSA, AND 57% COMES FROM DALLAS COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT.
IN FY 23, WE SAW, UH, ABOUT 40.
UM, AND WE HAD 85, 22 OF THOSE WERE FROM UNDUPLICATED PATIENTS.
WE DO HAVE A STAFF OF ABOUT 62.3 FTES.
UM, VARY DISCIPLINES, UM, PROVIDERS, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, NURSING STAFF, DIETICIAN, PHARMACIST, JUST TO NAME A FEW.
AND ALSO DRIVERS WHO DRIVE THE MOBILE UNITS NEXT OH 0.3.
I MEAN, THAT'S JUST HOW THE FTE COUNTY IS AT PARKLAND, BUT NO, NOT, NOT QUITE.
AND FY 23, IT WAS PROBABLY, IT WAS PROBABLY 62, 61, SOMEWHERE IN THERE.
SO THESE ARE ALL THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE.
I WILL HIGHLIGHT A FEW, UM, THAT I THINK ARE PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, DENTAL CARE IS OBVIOUSLY AT THE TOP OF THE LIST.
DENTALS CAN BE VERY LIMITED TO THE HOMELESS POPULATION.
UM, WE DO, AGAIN, HAVE A MOBILE DENTAL CLINIC AS WELL AS, UH, THE FIXED SITE DENTAL CLINIC, WHICH OPERATES OUT OF THE STEWPOT.
THE, UH, MOBILE DENTAL CLINIC, UH, COLLABORATES WITH SHELTERS AND GOES AROUND TO THE SHELTERS, PRIMARILY FAMILY AND PEDIATRIC CLINICS BECAUSE WE DON'T SEE THAT MANY FAMILY AND PEDIATRIC, UM, PATIENTS AT THE STEW POTT, WE SEE MORE OF AN ADULT POPULATION AT SOUP POTT.
WE ALSO, UM, HRSA REQUIRES US TO PROVIDE RESIDENTIAL SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT.
WE DO PROVIDE THAT THROUGH A CONTRACT WITH SCOR.
SO WE DO, UM, HAVE, UH, PATIENTS THAT ARE THERE.
WE PAY FOR THEIR STAY THERE, AND THEN THEY'RE REQUIRED, WELL, NOT REQUIRED, BUT WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO COME ON THE MOBILE UNIT AND ENGAGE WITH THE TEAM TO SEE TO, UM, ADDRESS THEIR PRIMARY HEALTHCARE NEEDS WHILE THEY'RE IN RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT.
UM, WE ALSO RUN A TRANSGENDER CLINIC.
IT IS A SMALLER SERVICE, UM, BUT WE DO OPERATE THAT, UM, A HALF DAY EACH WEEK, UM, FROM THE STEWPOT LOCATION.
AND ON THIS SLIDE, LASTLY, PEER NAVIGATORS.
WE DO FEEL LIKE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE LIVED EXPERIENCE ARE A VERY IMPORTANT PART, UM, TO CONNECTING WITH OUR PATIENTS.
SO WE DO HAVE THREE PEER NAVIGATORS ON STAFF WHO CONNECT, UM, WITH OUR PATIENTS AND TRY TO HELP WITH THEM TO NAVIGATE, UM, ALL THE PARKLAND EXPERIENCES.
UM, MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT.
WE DID START THAT A FEW YEARS AGO, SO WE DO OPERATE THAT CLINIC.
UM, STARTED OFF ONE DAY A WEEK.
WE HAVE NOW, UM, INCREASED THAT TO TWO DAYS A WEEK.
UM, AND SO SEEING INDIVIDUALS BOTH AT THE BRIDGE AND AT THE STEWPOT TO ADDRESS OPIOID USE DISORDER, WE ALSO, UM, INTERMITTENTLY HAVE TARGETED CAMPAIGNS.
UM, WHEN IT'S FLU SEASON, WE ADDRESS THAT COVID.
UM, WE DO DO, UM, CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING CLINICS.
SO THOSE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO.
WE DO HAVE A CLASS D PHARMACY AT EACH LOCATION, UM, FOR, UH, MEDICATIONS THAT REQUIRE, UM, THAT ARE BEYOND CLASS D, THAT PATIENTS, UM, CAN GO TO RJA ANDERSON TO PICK UP THEIR MEDICINES BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A THREE 40 B PHARMACY.
AND SO THEY HAVE TO BE, UH, AT THE RJA PHARMACY.
SO, AS I MENTIONED, THESE ARE, THIS IS THE LIST OF OUR FIXED SITES, MOBILE SITES, AND OUR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SITES.
UM, AGAIN, YOU WOULD SEE AT THE TOP.
UM, WE DO OPERATE, UH, CLINIC EVERY DAY AT THE BRIDGE.
DUPONT, HOMER BOUND IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
UM, AT HOMER BOUND, WE OFFER INTAKE FOR THE DEFLECTION CENTER EVERY DAY.
WE DO NOT OFFER PRIMARY CARE EVERY DAY.
WE OFFER PRIMARY CARE AT HOMER BOUND TWO DAYS A WEEK.
THE MOBILE SITES, AGAIN, I, WE UTILIZE THE FOUR, THREE MOBILE UNITS, THREE TO FOUR MOBILE UNITS THAT RUN EVERY DAY.
AND WE ROTATE THROUGH THE LOCATIONS THAT YOU SEE, UM, ON THE MOBILE SITE LIST.
AND THE SAME WITH THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SITE LIST.
THIS JUST IS A MAP AND IT KIND OF GIVES YOU JUST AN OVERVIEW OF WHERE THE SITES ARE.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE A CONCENTRATED AMOUNT OF, UM, LOCATIONS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, UM, AND THEN SOME FURTHER OUT.
BUT, UM, THAT I THINK THAT IS INDICATIVE OF WHERE THE UNHOUSED POPULATION TYPICALLY IS.
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NEXT SLIDE.SO WE DO, UM, HAVE A, A LOT OF COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS.
AGAIN, A REQUIREMENT, UM, FROM HRSA.
UM, WE DO, UH, HAVE QUARTERLY MEETINGS AND WORK CLOSELY WITH FOREMOST LOS BARRIOS AND HEALING HANDS.
UM, OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, UH, AGAIN LISTED THERE, HOUSING FORWARD.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM MOST RECENTLY TO, UM, WHEN THEY DO THE ENCAMPMENTS DECOMMISSIONS, WE WILL HAVE A MOBILE UNIT TEAM THAT GOES OUT TO, UM, A ADDRESS, UH, ANY PATIENT NEEDS THAT THEY MAY HAVE.
UM, AND ALSO WE ALSO WORK CLOSELY WITH, UH, OFFICE OF HOME SOLUTIONS AND METROCARE WHEN NEEDED.
UM, THESE ARE OUR MEMBERSHIPS ON THE BOTTOM.
UM, NATIONAL HEALTHCARE FOR THE HOMELESS COUNCIL, UM, SORT OF LEADS THE WAY FOR HEALTHCARE FOR THE HOMELESS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
RIS EARLIER, UM, WE ALWAYS, THE HOMES TEAM FEELS LIKE WE'RE DOING A LOT OF GOOD WORK.
WHEN WE GO TO THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE.
WE DO RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE DOING A LOT OF GOOD WORK.
UM, A LOT OF HOMELESS, UH, HEALTH CENTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE DOING SOME THINGS.
THEY'RE EITHER DOING DENTAL, THEY'RE DOING PODIATRY, THEY'RE RUNNING ONE MOBILE UNIT, RUNNING ONE FIXED SITE.
AND WHEN I GO, I THINK WE'RE DOING ALL OF THAT.
SO, UM, IT IS GOOD TO BE A PART OF THESE, UH, ORGANIZATIONS TEND TO, UM, BE VALIDATED FOR SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING HERE IN DALLAS COUNTY.
UM, AND THE ONLY OTHER THING I WANNA ADD IS THAT HOMES, UM, HRSA GIVES CLINICAL QUALITY MEASURE BADGES.
UM, HOMES IS IN THE TOP 20% IN TERMS OF QUALITY CLINICAL MEASURES, UM, OF, OF 1400 HEALTH CENTERS ACROSS THE NATION.
SO AGAIN, I AM VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.
AND IF I COULD JUST TACK ON A LITTLE BIT, 'CAUSE AS KYLE WAS SAYING, IT'S A, IT'S A BIG PROGRAM.
WHEN SHE LOOKS INTO HER PEERS NATIONALLY, IT'S GOT MORE COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES.
AND, AND ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WHY IS BECAUSE TYPICALLY THESE PROGRAMS ARE FUNDED BY HRSA, WHICH IS A FEDERAL, UH, UH, PROGRAM FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS.
IF YOU LOOK AT, NOT TO GO BACK TO IT, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THAT BUDGET PAGE, ABOUT HALF OF THE FUNDING IS COMING FROM DALLAS COUNTY, FROM THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT ON THIS PROGRAM.
SO IT SIGNIFICANTLY SUPPLE SUPPLEMENTS THE PROGRAM TO ALLOW IT TO DO A LOT OF THE WORK THAT THE HRSA GRANT ITSELF WOULD NOT SUPPORT.
AND THEN THE CONNECTION TO THE REST OF THE HEALTH SYSTEM ALLOWS KYLA'S TEAM TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE SPECIALTY REFERRALS, WHICH IN WHICH TENDS TO BE A CHALLENGE ACROSS THE COUNTRY FOR THESE HRSA PROGRAMS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY NEEDS A, A SPECIALTY CLINIC, YOU, YOU, IF YOU DO SCREENING FOR CANCER IN YOUR FIND CANCER, TO BE ABLE TO GET 'EM INTO CLINIC AND GET THAT TAKEN CARE OF, UM, ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER SPECIALTY SERVICES, DIAGNOSTICS, IMAGING, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
SO IT REALLY HELPS TO BE CONNECTED TO THE, TO THE BIGGER PRO, UH, BIGGER SYSTEM.
AND I, I HAVE BEEN WITH HOMES FOR A WHILE AND I HAVE SEEN SOME OF THE SHIFT IN THE, UM, PERCENTAGE OF FUNDING.
UM, I DID HEAR NATIONALLY THAT THEY, THE HEALTH CENTERS HAVE NOT HAD AN, UH, UM, A BASELINE INCREASE IN, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS SIX TO 10 YEARS, SOMEWHERE IN THAT RANGE.
BUT UM, THAT WILL ALL DEPEND ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN DC WHETHER WE GET A BASE INCREASE.
I'M WONDERING WHO HAS, UH, QUESTIONS.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UH, THE APPRECIATION THAT WHERE I SIT AS A DALLAS COUNTY COMMISSIONER TRYING TO LOOK AT THE, THE, THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE, UM, IT'S, YOU KNOW, WHAT PARKLAND OFFERS AS A A, IT'S A WORD THAT COMES UP AS TREASURE PARTNER, UM, IS AMAZING BECAUSE YOU'VE ALL YOUR WILLINGNESS, FIRST OF ALL TO ASSESS WHAT, WHAT THE NEEDS ARE AND THEN REALLY ATTEMPT TO MATCH UP IS, UH, IS, UH, NOTEWORTHY.
AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS LATER IN THAT IN, YOU CAN'T HELP BUT COMPARE.
'CAUSE WHEN WE GO AROUND TEXAS, WE GO AROUND THE COUNTRY AND LISTEN TO WHAT'S GOING ON IN OTHER PLACES.
UM, AND THE FIRST OF ALL, THE LONGEVITY AND THE DEPTH OF THE SERVICE PROVISION THAT PARKLAND HAS DONE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
AND WE FIND OURSELVES THEN AS THE LARGER AREA, IN A MUCH BETTER POSITION, AGAIN, BETTER EQUIPPED HAVING THE ESTABLISHED PARTNERSHIPS, UM, THROUGHOUT THE LARGER PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY, YOU KNOW, HATS OFF.
UM, TO DO A JOB WELL, WELL DONE.
OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW THAT THE SECOND PART OF THAT IS WE'RE NOT QUITE DONE YET, EITHER.
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THAT WE CAN INCREASE, IMPROVE, MATCH BETTER.UM, BUT, UH, BUT WE WE'RE IN A GOOD PLACE.
WE A GOOD, I HATE TO SAY BASELINE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A, A GOOD
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE, FOR THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND
WELL, I DO HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
SO I JUST WANNA CONFIRM, DID YOU SAY THERE'S ABOUT 8,500 UNDUPLICATED? YES, ON OUR, UM, 2023 UDS DATA, WHICH WE HAVE TO REPORT TO HER.
SO WE REPORTED 85, 22 UNDUPLICATED USERS.
UH, OUR TARGET IS IN THE 9,000 RANGE.
UM, BUT WE HAVE SEEN SOME DECLINE OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, UM, POST COVID.
UM, SO THAT'S AN INCREASE FROM THE PREVIOUS TWO YEARS, BUT STILL UNDER OUR HRSA TARGET.
UM, AND THEN I GUESS OF THE 62.3, UH, FULL-TIME EQUIVALENTS, HOW MANY OF THOSE DO YOU THINK ARE MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS AS OPPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, OUTREACH ADMINISTRATIVE? SO PROVIDER AND NURSING DENTAL? I WOULD SAY 25.
UM, SO I, I THINK THE FINANCIALS ARE REALLY INTERESTING.
AND OF COURSE I'M JUST GONNA SAY THIS IS THE WAY I'M ORIENTED, BUT, UM, WHEN I THINK ABOUT PAYING THE, MY TAX BILL AND THERE'S THAT PARKLAND ITEM, I'M GLAD TO KNOW THAT SO MUCH OF IT'S GOING HERE.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THE COMMISSIONER.
UM, THIS IS, THIS IS A GOOD USE AND I, I THINK YOU SHOULD SHARE THIS MORE.
UM, BUT MY NEXT QUESTION IS THIS, YOU'RE LISTING, UM, A NUMBER OF THE DIFFERENT PARTNER GROUPS AND CERTAINLY I'VE SEEN ACTUALLY YOUR VAN OUTSIDE FAMILY GATEWAY WHEN IT WAS DOWNTOWN.
NOW IT'S MOVED UP TO COLLIN COUNTY.
AND I'M WONDERING, YOU KNOW, NOW THEY'RE NOT ON THE LIST.
SO HOW DOES THAT PLAY IN? THAT'S A GOOD OBSERVATION.
UM, I, SO I HAVE HAD ON MY MIND TO TALK TO ELLEN BECAUSE I, THEY WERE A GOOD PARTNER.
UM, I, THAT IS A CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE, UM, AS WE SEE SOME OF THE PARTNERS MOVING OUT OF THE SERVICE AREA.
UM, SO AT THIS POINT, WE ARE NOT PROVIDING SERVICE THERE.
UM, BUT WE HAD NOTICED THAT OUR, OUR, OUR VOLUME AT THAT SITE, UM, WAS ALWAYS CHALLENGING.
UM, SO I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER, UM, BECAUSE I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT THEY'RE DOING RIGHT NOW FOR HEALTHCARE.
I DO THINK THAT THE PEDIATRIC POPULATION HAS MORE OPTIONS.
THEY TEND TO BE A FUNDED POPULATION.
UM, SO I DO THINK THAT THEY HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO, TO GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY FOR SERVICES.
UM, SO I'M NOT SURE IF THAT ANSWERS IN TOTAL.
WELL, I HOPE YOU'LL CONSIDER THAT UM, MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE SERVING ARE DALLAS COUNTY RESIDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MOVED INTO COLLIN TO SERVE BECAUSE THE CITY OF DALLAS INCLUDES COLLIN AND DENTON COUNTIES.
UM, AND YEAH, YOU KNOW, I PIGGYBACK 'CAUSE THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN A CHALLENGE.
I MEAN, HAVING, HAVING BEEN THROUGH, WELL, YEAH, YOU LIVE IN THE, IN THE NORTHERN PART OF DALLAS ON THAT.
BUT IT'S, IT'S ALWAYS, 'CAUSE PARKLAND IS DALLAS COUNTY AND IT'S DALLAS COUNTY TAXES THAT, UM, STEEL PLAY.
AND IN FACT, WHEN YOU WERE TALKING, LOOKING AT IT, THAT THE, UM, FUNDING THE, THE, THE FEDERAL PIECE HAS BEEN INCHING DOWN, WHICH MEANS THAT IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE SAME LEVEL, IT MEANS THEN THAT CITY AND COUNTY TAXES, PARKLAND TAXES ARE INCHING UP AS FAR AS THE PERCENTAGE OF OPERATING IS PARKLAND.
SO I WILL SAY I DO ACTUALLY REPRESENT, I'M THE ONLY COUNCIL MEMBER THAT HAS PEOPLE THAT LIVE OUTSIDE OF DALLAS COUNTY.
AND SO MORE THAN HALF THE DISTRICT IS COLLIN COUNTY, AND ABOUT 28% IS DENTON COUNTY.
AND WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST TO YOU TO CONSIDER IS PERHAPS THEY CAN PROVIDE TO YOU, UM, RESIDENCY INFORMATION BEFORE SOMEBODY BECAME HOMELESS.
BECAUSE I THINK WHAT YOU'RE GONNA FIND IS THE VAST MAJORITY ARE ACTUALLY DALLAS COUNTY, NOT COLLIN.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THERE AREN'T PEOPLE WHO ORIGINATE IN COLLIN.
UM, BUT IT'S JUST A FUNCTION OF THE CITY THAT THAT WAS THE LOCATION.
AND THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IDEA OF REGIONAL SERVICE, YOU KNOW, COLLIN COUNTY HAS NOT OPTED TO HAVE A HOSPITAL.
UM, THEY DO PROVIDE SOME CARE THROUGH PRIMARY CARE, UM, UM, IN THE HOMELESS SPACE.
BUT I'M WONDERING IF YOU HAVE CONSIDERED, UM, PURSUING FUNDING THROUGH THE STATE THAT WOULD ADDRESS SORT OF THE REGIONAL NATURE OF HOMELESSNESS?
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BECAUSE WE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT.I, I, I THINK THE ANSWER IS FOR THESE ISSUES THAT CROSS COUNTY, UH, BOUNDARIES, THE STATE, UM, SUPPORTING THAT AND INDIRECTLY THAT HAPPENS TO SOME DEGREE THROUGH SOME OF THEIR MEDICAID SUPPLEMENTAL PROGRAMS, BUT NOT EXPLICITLY AND NOT, AND CERTAINLY NOT PROPORTIONATE TO WHAT THE, WHAT THE, THE DEMAND OR EVEN THE INFLUX, UM, THAT WE SEE AT, UM, AT PARKLAND, WHICH IS SORT OF A CONVOLUTED WAY OF SAYING WE DO GET SOME INDIRECT, UM, SUPPORT.
IT'S FEDERAL, UM, FOR, UM, FOR PEOPLE THAT MAY COME IN FROM OUTTA COUNTY BECAUSE THAT FEEDS INTO OUR UNINSURED COSTS AND WE GET A PORTION OF THAT REIMBURSED, BUT IT DOESN'T COVER THE, THE FULL COST.
AND, UM, AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN CONVERSATIONS WITH SURROUNDING COUNTIES ABOUT COVERING THOSE COSTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, UM, FROM COLLIN COUNTY, UH, FOR INSTANCE, IT WOULD, WOULD THEY'LL EXPRESS IS THEY HAVE A PROGRAM TO TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE THAT ARE UNINSURED.
AND IF WE WANT TO DO MORE IN DALLAS COUNTY, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THAT AT DALLAS COUNTY.
UM, IT, IT, I KIND OF IGNORE SOME OF THE REALITY OF THE COMPLEX CASES THAT, UM, THAT YOU'LL SEE IN THOSE SURROUNDING COUNTIES ARE NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE CARE FOR.
BECAUSE AT THE, AT THE MOMENT, I MEAN, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF, UH, PATIENTS THAT COME IN THAT ARE RECIPIENTS TO HEALTHCARE THAT DO COME INTO DALLAS COUNTY BECAUSE ONCE THEY HIT DALLAS COUNTY, YOU PROVIDE SERVICE AND THEN ATTEMPT TO GET REIMBURSED BY, BY, THAT'S CORRECT.
COLOR AND ROCK WALL TEAR, ET CETERA.
FOR EMERGENCY CASES, WE DO FOR NON-EMERGENT, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, WE TRY ON THE FRONT END TO TO, TO CONNECT THEM TO CARE BACK IN THEIR COUNTY.
YOU KNOW, OFTENTIMES IT'S NOT POSSIBLE.
WELL, I WOULD LOVE TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AND AS THE 25 LEGISLATIVE SESSION COMES, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE SEEMS TO BE, UM, ACROSS PARTY LINES, UM, INTEREST IN HELPING ON THIS HOMELESS ISSUE.
AND I, UM, WOULD BE HAPPY TO HELP TRY TO FIND SOME FUNDING FOR THIS.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR GOOD WORK AND ESSENTIAL WORK.
IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? LOOK ONLINE.
UH, I WAS JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD AS WELL.
UM, WHAT'S THE INTERACTION BETWEEN, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE 8,500 UNDUPLICATED.
IS THAT, DO ALL OF THOSE VISITS AND IS THIS ALL FULLY INTEGRATED WITH THE LOCAL, UH, WITH OUR HMIS SYSTEM? IS IT ALL, ALL THOSE, UH, PEOPLE IN THAT SYSTEM OR IS IT A DIFFERENT, UH, IS IT NOT BE, IS IT NOT INTEGRATED FULLY WITH THAT SYSTEM? SO THEY MAY OR MAY NOT BE IN THE HIMS SYSTEM.
WE DO NOT ENTER THEM IN THE HIMS SYSTEM, BUT BY VIRTUE OF THEM LIVING IN THIS, YOU KNOW, UM, BEING IN EITHER PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING OR SHELTER BASED, THEY, THOSE 8,500 MAY OR MAY NOT BE IN HIMS, IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
YEAH, NO, I, I GUESS MY QUESTION REALLY WAS, DO YOU ALL ENTER THESE IN THE SYSTEM? ARE YOU INTEGRATED WHERE AS SOMEBODY'S ENTERING YOUR SYSTEM, YOU'RE, YOU'RE PUTTING THEM IN THERE, BUT THE ANSWER'S IT'S NOT, IT'S JUST THE ANSWER'S.
SO I'D IMAGINE IF YOU'RE AT AN ENCAMPMENT, YOU DON'T KNOW THAT IF THEY ARE, THEY ARE NOT AN HMIS.
THE ONLY WAY WE KNOW IF IS IF SOMEONE FROM HOUSING FORWARD OR THE CASE MANAGER TELLS US.
MY ASSUMPTION IS THAT YES, THAT IS THE GOAL THAT THEY ARE COMING TO US TO COMPLETE THIS PRIMARY HEALTHCARE FORM AND INFORMATION TO THEN BE ENTERED INTO HIMS. THAT IS MY THOUGHT PROCESS ABOUT HOW IT WORKS.
WELL, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO EVERY DAY.
UM, AND BY THE WAY, LUNCH IS RIGHT OVER THERE, SO PLEASE HELP YOURSELF.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS NUMBER FIVE.
AND THIS IS ABOUT HOMELESSNESS IN DALLAS, ISD.
WE'RE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE ASHLEY MARSHALL AND HER TEAM HERE.
AND IF Y'ALL WANNA COME UP TO THE PRESENTER'S TABLE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
JUST GONNA CAUTION YOU, MAKE SURE YOU MOVE THAT MICROPHONE AS CLOSE AS YOU CAN.
IT'S VERY HARD TO HEAR FROM THOSE.
AND THE PRESENTATION IS REALLY GONNA BE ABOUT, UM, WHAT HOMELESSNESS LOOKS LIKE IN DALLAS.
I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR DALLAS ISDS.
I LEAD THREE DEPARTMENTS, UH, FAMILY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, PARENT ADVOCACY AND, UM, HOMELESS EDUCATION PROGRAM.
SO I OVERSEE ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT ASHLEY AND HER TEAM ARE DOING.
AND YOUR NAME AGAIN, SIR? UH, ISRAEL RIVERA.
I'M THE MANAGER FOR THE HOMELESS EDUCATION PROGRAM.
[00:30:01]
I'M MARCIA PHILLIPS.I'M A SPECIALIST WITH HOMELESS EDUCATION PROGRAM.
SO WE'RE GONNA ASK YOU TO TAKE OFF YOUR HUD HAT, WHICH IS, I KNOW HOW YOU USUALLY ARE LOOKING AT THE DEFINITION OF HOMELESSNESS AND KIND OF GO ON A, A SMALL JOURNEY WITH US ABOUT, UM, HOW OUR STUDENTS IN DALLAS ISD ARE CLASSIFIED AS HOMELESS.
UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES I HEAR, OH, YOU KNOW, WE NOW HAVE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, 3,500 HOMELESS ADULTS.
AND I THINK TO MYSELF, MY GOSH, I HAVE 4,200 HOMELESS STUDENTS LIVING IN, UM, DALLAS, ISD AND GOING TO SCHOOL WITH ME.
SO WE FAR SURPASSED THE NUMBER OF HOMELESS ADULTS.
UM, SO THE, WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE FOR ME.
SO THE WAY THAT, UM, THE MCKINNEY DENTAL LAW, UM, CLASSIFIES HOMELESSNESS FOR STUDENT IS THEY LACK A FIXED, REGULAR, AND ADEQUATE PLACE TO STAY AT NIGHT, WHICH WE REFER TO AS THEIR NIGHTTIME RESIDENTS.
FIXED MEANS THAT THEY GO HOME TO THE SAME PLACE MOST NIGHTS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU KNOW A HIGH SCHOOLER WHO MIGHT HAVE BEEN KICKED OUT OF HIS HOUSE OR HER HOUSE.
THEY DON'T FOLLOW THE RULES AND THEY DO WHAT WE CALL SOFA SURFING OR COUCH SURFING.
THEY ARE NEVER IN THE SAME PLACE, USUALLY MORE THAN ONE NIGHT.
UM, THEY MIGHT STAY TO FRIENDS FOR THIS FOR THE SCHOOL WEEK, BUT THEN ON THE WEEKEND THAT FAMILY SAYS, HEY, WE NEED SOME FAMILY TIME.
THEY GO STAY IN THE PARK AND MAYBE THEY GET TO COME BACK THE NEXT SCHOOL WEEK, BUT THEY NEVER HAVE A REGULAR PLACE TO STAY.
THAT FIXED PLACE TO STAY, UM, REGULAR MEANS THAT IT'S THERE.
UM, ON A ROUTINE BASIS, IT'S PREDICTABLE.
UM, A LOT OF OUR FAMILIES MOVE FROM APARTMENT TO APARTMENT.
UM, THEY GET ONE MONTH'S FREE RENT HERE AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE NEXT MONTH THEY'RE GOING TO THE NEXT APARTMENT COMPLEX WHERE THEY CAN GET A FREE MONTH OF RENT.
SO IT'S NEVER PREDICTABLE THING THAT THEY'RE DOING.
IF YOU'VE DRIVEN AROUND DALLAS, YOU'VE SEEN THREE HUGE BUDGET SUITES.
WE HAVE LOTS OF KIDS THAT, THAT STAY THERE.
SO MAYBE THEY'RE GOING FROM BUDGET SUITES TO THE SEAGOVILLE INN DOWN IN SEAGOVILLE, BACK TO ANOTHER BUDGET SUITE.
SO NOTHING IS REGULAR FOR THEM.
AND THEN ADEQUATE JUST MEAN, IT MEANS THAT, THAT WHERE THEY'RE LIVING HAS RUNNING WATER, IT HAS ELECTRICITY, YOU KNOW, IT'S A PLACE THAT WE WOULD GO HOME TO AND WE WOULD CONSIDER IT A PLACE TO STAY THAT'S SAFE FOR US OR SAFE FOR OUR KIDS OR OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR RELATIVES KIDS.
UM, THEN THE NEXT SLIDE, GO OVER THE FOUR WAYS THAT OUR KIDDOS CAN BE HOMELESS IN THE DISTRICT.
AND SO THAT MEANS THE FAMILIES, UM, OR STUDENTS ARE SHARING THE HOUSING OF OTHERS.
IT'S BY FAR OUR LARGEST POPULATION.
ABOUT 75% OF OUR HOMELESS STUDENTS ARE LIVING DOUBLED UP.
UM, AND I WOULD SAY IT'S PROBABLY UNDER REPORTED BECAUSE A LOT OF FAMILIES JUST THINK OF THAT AS THIS IS WHAT WE DO.
IF MY SISTER LOST HER HOUSING, SHE WAS EVICTED, I'M TAKING HER IN.
AND NO ONE THINKS OF THAT DIFFERENTLY.
TECHNICALLY IT WOULD BE HOMELESS.
UM, SO LIKE I SAID, IT'S PROBABLY VERY UNDER-REPORTED IN A LOT OF FAMILIES THAT ARE COMING FROM OTHER COUNTRIES BECAUSE THEIR RELATIVES ARE HERE.
AND SO THEY END UP BEING DOUBLED UP BECAUSE WHEN THEY GET HERE, THEY DON'T HAVE THE DOCUMENTS TO GET AN APARTMENT, THE DOCUMENTS TO STAY AT A HOTEL.
SO THEY ARE LIVING WITH FRIENDS OR FAMILY THAT THEY KNEW BEFORE AND UNTIL THEY ARE ABLE TO GET ON THEIR FEET.
UM, THEN THE HOTELS AND MOTELS, LIKE I SAID, THOSE EXTENDED LIVING OPTIONS FOR OUR FAMILIES.
UM, WHEN I FIRST STARTED IN THIS PROGRAM, I WATCHED A YOUNG MAN SPEND HIS NINTH, 10TH, 11TH AND 12TH GRADE YEAR IN A BUDGET SUITES.
UM, SOMETIMES WHEN YOU SAY THAT A FAMILY STAYING IN A HOTEL, WE THINK LIKE THE SHERATON OR THE OMNI AND IT'S NOT LIKE THAT AT ALL.
UM, IF YOU'VE BEEN TO THE BUDGET SUITES, IT'S VERY DIFFERENT.
THEY PAY AN EXTRA $5 A WEEK FOR A MICROWAVE, THEY PAY EXTRA FOR THE WIFI.
DURING THE PANDEMIC, IT WAS A VERY EYE-OPENING, UM, FIELD TRIP FOR US TO GO TO THOSE HOTELS TO ASK THEM.
I WENT TO THEM, SAID, AT AND T WANTS TO PAY FOR WIFI, CAN WE GET THAT DONE FOR OUR FAMILY STAYING HERE SO THEY CAN DO VIRTUAL SCHOOL? AND THE MANAGER SAID, WELL, NO, BECAUSE IF THEY HAVE A BALANCE WITH US, WE'RE GONNA TAKE THAT MONEY AND FIRST PAY THE BALANCE.
SO I HAD TO SAY, WELL THEN I CAN'T TAKE NO GRANT FROM AT AND T FOR WIFI IF YOU'RE GOING TO USE IT TOWARDS THEIR BALANCE FOR THEIR ROOM.
UM, THE THIRD WAY OUR KIDDOS CAN BE HOMELESS, OUR EMERGENCY SHELTERS, UM, AND TRANSITIONAL LIVING.
I WILL ALSO SAY THAT DALLAS HAS PROBABLY THE MOST SHELTERS WE HAVE.
A LOT OF FAMILIES COME FROM OTHER DISTRICTS TO BE HOMELESS IN DALLAS.
UM, AND A SIDE NOTE THAT MEANS THAT ACCORDING TO THE LAW, WE ARE GONNA LET THEM STAY IN THEIR SCHOOL OF ORIGIN.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE TRANSPORTING ABOUT 400 STUDENTS TO 22
[00:35:01]
DIFFERENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE DFW AREA.AND THAT COULD BE FERRIS, ISD.
WE GET REQUESTS FOR WAXAHATCHEE, MANSFIELD, WE GO UP TO MCKINNEY AND PROSPER.
SO THE LAW TELLS US THAT, YOU KNOW, THE LAW DOES NOT WANT OUR KIDDOS TO BE MOVING EVERY TIME THEY MOVE, THAT THEY HAVE TO CHANGE SCHOOLS BECAUSE THEY WILL JUST BE LOSING LEARNING EVERY TIME.
SO LIKE I SAID, WE WORK WITH THOSE OTHER DISTRICTS AND SPEND A LOT OF TRANSPORTATION DOLLARS, MAKING SURE THAT THEY STAY AT THEIR SCHOOL OF ORIGIN.
AND THEN, UM, THE LAST WAY OUR KIDS CAN BE HOMELESS IS UNSHELTERED.
UM, AND THERE ARE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES LIVING IN CARS, STAYING AT PARKS, UM, LIVING IN ABANDONED BUILDINGS.
THEY WILL DO WHAT THEY CAN TO FIND SOMEPLACE TO STAY.
UH, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF FAMILIES RECENTLY LIVING IN CARS, UH, LIVING IN CARS.
WE FIND OUT ABOUT THEM BECAUSE SOMEONE ON THE CAMPUS COMES TO SCHOOL ONE DAY AND THEY SEE THE CAR PARKED THERE AND THE FAMILY'S LIVING IN THE CAR.
AND SO THEN WE REALIZE, UM, I DID HAVE A FAMILY.
A MOM CALLED ME ONE YEAR AND SAID, UM, SEE, I'LL PROBABLY CRY A LOT 'CAUSE I HAVE GOOD STORIES.
UM, BUT THE MOM CALLED AND SAID, I JUST WANNA GET A SHOWER AND I WANNA SHOWER MY KIDS.
SHE SAID, BUT I WENT TO THE YMCA AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS $20 FOR ME AND $10 FOR EACH OF MY KIDS.
AND I'M DRIVING FOR UBER EATS.
SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE THAT'S GONNA BE VERY HARD FOR A MOM WHO'S JUST TRYING TO GET GAS FOR HER CAR TO DO THIS JOB DELIVERING FOOD, AND SHE JUST WANTS HER KIDDOS TO BE CLEAN TO GO TO SCHOOL.
SO THOSE ARE THE FOUR WAYS OUR KIDS CAN BE HOMELESS.
AND THEN THE NEXT SLIDE, IT JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, TALKS ABOUT THE RIGHTS OF OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.
AND THE BIGGEST THING IS THAT THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO IMMEDIATE ENROLLMENT.
UM, OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF OUR HOMELESS FAMILIES, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE LIVING IN SUCH CHAOS AND CRISIS.
THEY DON'T ALWAYS HAVE THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY CARD, THE KIDS' BIRTH CERTIFICATE, THEIR IMMUNIZATION RECORDS.
WELL, OUR KIDS CAN ENROLL AS SOON AS THEY SHOW UP AT THE SCHOOL WITHOUT ANY OF THOSE DOCUMENTS.
AND THEY HAVE 30 DAYS TO GET THOSE AND WE WILL HELP THEM GET THEM.
UM, IT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE AND IN SEVEN YEARS I'VE MADE SURE TO TRAIN OUR REGISTRARS AND OUR CRCS.
AND IF I HEAR THAT THEY'VE TURNED A FAMILY AWAY, UM, I USUALLY SAY, WELL CONGRATULATIONS.
'CAUSE YOUR GOOD DEED FOR TODAY WAS TO TAKE BREAKFAST AND LUNCH FROM A KID WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE DINNER TONIGHT.
AND THAT'S THE SERIOUSNESS OF IT.
YOU KNOW, OUR KIDS SOMETIMES THAT'S THE ONLY FOOD THEY'RE GETTING, IS THE FOOD THAT THEY GET WHEN THEY COME TO SCHOOL WITH US.
UM, THEY GET FREE SCHOOL MEALS, WE HELP THEM WITH SCHOOL SUPPLIES.
UM, OUR DEPARTMENT, WE KIND OF GO ABOVE WHAT SOME OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS DO.
WE HAVE EMERGENCY FOOD, WE HAVE AN AMAZON WISHLIST.
UM, MARCIA'S ALWAYS OUT THERE ADVOCATING FOR US.
IF SOMEONE SAYS WE'D LIKE TO DONATE SOMETHING, WE'RE QUICK TO TELL THEM WHAT WE NEED SO THAT WHEN WE GET THOSE CALLS FOR A FAMILY IN CRISIS, WE HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, A BAG OF GOODIES THAT WE CAN TAKE TO THEM.
AND SO MANY TIMES, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S NOT, I'M NOT TAKING THEM A TURKEY DINNER, BUT IT MEANS SO MUCH TO THOSE FAMILIES TO KNOW THAT THE SCHOOL CARES ENOUGH TO GET SOMETHING TO THEM THAT'S GOING TO HELP THEM GET TO THE NEXT DAY AND MAYBE SEE LIKE, OKAY, THESE PEOPLE ARE HERE TO HELP ME RATHER THAN HARM ME.
AND THAT'S, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO WORK WITH OUR PARENTS ON.
UM, NO ONE LIKES TO COME INTO THE FRONT OFFICE AND ANNOUNCE LIKE I'M A HOMELESS FAMILY, BUT WE'VE TRIED TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THAT HOMELESS IS NOT A DIRTY WORD.
YOU KNOW, IT'S A SITUATION THAT YOU'RE IN NOW.
UM, THERE WAS NO BETTER ILLUSTRATION THAN THE PANDEMIC WHEN EVERYONE WAS A PAYCHECK AWAY FROM BEING HOMELESS.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO REALLY EXPRESS THAT TO PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, LIKE HAIRDRESSERS MAKE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT IF NO ONE'S SITTING IN YOUR CHAIR, THEN YOU'RE NOT MAKING A LOT OF MONEY.
SO IT BECAME VERY REAL TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.
UM, WE HELP CONNECT, UM, OUR PRE-K KIDS TO HEAD START.
WE MAKE SURE THAT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, OUR HOMELESS YOUTH, LIKE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL, HAVE THAT EXTRA SUPPORT.
I'VE BEEN VERY LUCKY THIS YEAR 'CAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO HIRE 17 EXTRA PEOPLE WITH AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDING AND THEY'VE BEEN ALL OVER THIS DISTRICT HANDHOLDING KIDS THROUGH GRADUATION.
UM, IF YOU SAW A NEWS STORY LAST SUMMER WHERE CHRISTIAN SANSON GRADUATED, UM, ON MONDAY WE FOUND OUT THAT HE WOULD BE WALKING ON WEDNESDAY.
AND SO MY TEAM WAS BUYING SHOES, GETTING A CAP AND GOWN, GETTING ALL THE STUFF READY FOR HIM TO WALK BECAUSE HE ALREADY HAD A FULL RIDE SCHOLARSHIP TO THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS IN PLAINVIEW TO PLAY IN A BAND.
SO WE WERE HECK BENT ON MAKING SURE THAT HE GRADUATED SO THAT HE COULD START A NEW LIFE
[00:40:01]
AND BREAK THAT CYCLE OF HOMELESSNESS FOR HIMSELF.SO THEN THE NEXT SLIDE TALKS ABOUT WHAT WE OFFER.
UM, WE DO A LOT, LIKE I SAID, WE ASSIST WITH TRANSPORTATION, UM, ADVOCACY DURING ENROLLMENT, UM, EMERGENCY FOOD, THE HYGIENE ITEMS IS HYGIENE ITEMS ARE A, A VERY BIG PART OF WHAT WE DO.
UM, I LEARNED A BIG LESSON DURING THE PANDEMIC BECAUSE I DROPPED OFF FOOD AT A HOTEL AND A MOM CAME UP TO ME AND SAID, SHE CAME UP AND I WAS LIKE, YOU NEED SOME FOOD? AND SHE'S LIKE, NO, NO, YOU KNOW, I BOUGHT RICE AND BEANS AND PASTA.
SHE SAID, BUT I REALLY NEED HYGIENE 'CAUSE IT'S EXPENSIVE.
AND SO I LEARNED A BIG LESSON THERE, LIKE I CAN'T ASSUME THAT JUST BECAUSE THEY MIGHT BE IN A HOMELESS SITUATION THAT THEY ARE HUNGRY, WHICH SHE NEEDED.
SHE WAS SET, BUT SHE NEEDED HYGIENE ITEMS. SO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE GET HYGIENE ITEMS, UM, REFERRALS, UM, TO FOOD AND HOUSING, TO UM, FOOD BANKS, COUNSELING AND MEDICAL SERVICES.
UM, WE ARE LUCKY 'CAUSE WE HAVE SOME GREAT PARTNERS RIGHT NOW.
SOLES FOR SOLES IS SENDING US 1500 PAIRS OF SHOES THIS SPRING, WHICH MEANS THAT OUR OLDER STUDENTS THAT ARE IN SPORTS OR PLAYING IN BAND GET A NEW PAIR OF SNEAKERS SO THEIR FEET AREN'T HURTING.
A NEW PAIR OF SHOES THAT ACTUALLY FIT.
UM, BOMBAS SENDS SOCKS SO THEY GET A NEW PAIR OF SOCKS.
UH, A LOT OF WHAT WE DO IS HELPING PEOPLE SEE THAT.
AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, THAT HOMELESSNESS IS NOT A DIRTY WORD THAT I FIND A LOT OF TIMES, IF YOU SAY HOMELESS PEOPLE SEEM TO THINK LIKE, LIKE I USED TO BE IN SPECIAL EDUCATION AND PEOPLE WOULD AUTOMATICALLY THINK A CERTAIN THING ABOUT MY KIDS.
I'M LIKE, NO, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE VERY SMART KIDS AND IT'S THE SAME LIKE WAY WITH OUR HOMELESS KIDS.
YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE LIVING IN A HOMELESS SITUATION DOESN'T MEAN THAT I, THEY AREN'T VERY BRIGHT STUDENTS THAT ARE CAPABLE OF MANY THINGS.
AND MARCIE AND I HAD THE JOY ONE YEAR.
UM, WE HAD A STUDENT GO INTO LINCOLN AND HE LIKED TO SEND US PICTURES OF HIS DRAWINGS, HIS ARTWORK THAT HE WAS WORKING ON, HIS TROPHIES THAT HE WON IN FOOTBALL OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE YEAR LAST YEAR IS HOMELESS.
SO WE WERE LIKE SURROGATE MOMS AND HE'S TEXTING US LIKE, HEY, LOOK WHAT, LOOK AT THIS, LOOK AT THIS.
AND SO NOW HE'S SET TO GRADUATE THIS YEAR AND THAT'S BEEN A LONG, YOU KNOW, A RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAD TO BUILD WITH HIM TOGETHER WHERE HE TRUSTS US ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT WE ARE THERE TO HELP HIM ALONG THE WAY.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO HOLD HIM BACK FROM ANYTHING, BUT WE WANNA HELP GET HIM AGAIN ACROSS THAT FINISH LINE OF GRADUATION.
UM, THEN MY LAST ONE I'VE PUT ASSISTANCE IN CRISIS SITUATION.
UM, 'CAUSE MR. RIVERA WILL LET YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE THE FIRST CALL IF THERE'S A NINE ONE ONE EMERGENCY.
UM, HURRICANE HARVEY, UH, THE HIGHLAND HILLS APARTMENTS EXPLOSION, UH, THE TORNADO THAT CAME THROUGH, IF THERE'S AN APARTMENT FIRE, WE ARE THE FIRST CALL.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S, IT'S ALWAYS A VERY CHAOTIC CALL 'CAUSE IT'S LIKE, WHAT CAN WE GET TOGETHER? WE NEED FURNITURE, APPLIANCES AND EVERYTHING.
I'M LIKE, OH, I DON'T HAVE FURNITURE AND APPLIANCES, BUT WE'RE GONNA HELP YOU WITH THIS FAMILY AND WE WILL GET THROUGH IT.
WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE OKAY AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY FEEL OKAY ABOUT THE SITUATION.
'CAUSE NOTHING FEELS GOOD ABOUT LEAVING HOUSTON AND COMING HERE BECAUSE A HURRICANE DESTROYED YOUR HOUSE.
SAME WITH THE TORNADO, RIGHT? NONE OF THAT FEELS GOOD.
AND THEN I JUST DID, UM, OUR NUMBERS.
SO LAST YEAR AT THE END OF THE YEAR, SO THAT WAS THE END OF MAY, WE HAD 4,354 STUDENTS THAT HAD BEEN CODED AS HOMELESS.
WHEN I CHECKED ON MONDAY, WE HAD HAD 4,282 STUDENTS CODED AS HOMELESS.
SO WE'RE VERY CLOSE TO THAT NUMBER.
AND IT'S ONLY THE MIDDLE OF MARCH.
HOWEVER, I CHECKED TODAY AND BETWEEN TUESDAY AND TODAY, WE ADDED AN EXTRA 15 STUDENTS THAT ARE CODED AS HOMELESS.
SO WE'RE ACTUALLY UP TO 4,297 STUDENTS.
UM, THE NUMBER HAS GROWN QUICKLY THIS YEAR, UH, IN TALKING TO FAMILIES.
AND IF YOU WANNA ASK MARCIA LATER, A LOT OF IT IS, UM, A LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UM, FAMILIES THAT, UM, COME TO A POINT WHEN THEY MIGHT RENEW THEIR LEASE AND THEY'RE ASKED TO LEAVE BECAUSE THE LANDLORD KNOWS THAT THEY CAN CHARGE MORE FOR THE NEXT PERSON MOVING INTO THAT APARTMENT.
AND, UM, WE HAVE A LOT MORE HOTELS.
WE USUALLY JUST SEE THE THREE BUDGET SUITES, BUT NOW WE'RE SEEING ALL KINDS OF HOTELS WHERE OUR FAMILIES ARE STAYING BECAUSE THEY'RE, IT IS JUST THAT DIRE.
UM, AND AS YOU MENTIONED, FAMILY GATEWAY IS NOT IN DOWNTOWN ANYMORE AND THAT'S BEEN PAINFUL
AND NOT JUST A MOM WITH ONE CHILD, BUT A MOM WITH A FEW CHILDREN.
[00:45:01]
ON US.UM, AND I, I PUT IN HERE RIGHT NOW, THERE'S NOWHERE TO TAKE A 17-YEAR-OLD IF THEY HAVE NOWHERE TO GO.
MR. RIVERA AND I USUALLY GET A CALL ON A FRIDAY AT THREE O'CLOCK THAT THERE'S A 17-YEAR-OLD THAT CANNOT GO HOME AND THEY HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO GO.
UM, THE LAW SAYS THAT I CAN'T PAY FOR HOUSING, I CAN'T PAY FOR A HOTEL.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S A PAINFUL CALL BECAUSE NO ONE FEELS GOOD AT THE END OF IT.
WHEN I SAY THAT THERE IS NOWHERE FOR THAT CHILD TO GO AND WE HAVE TO START TALKING ABOUT ARE THERE FRIENDS, FAMILY, WHAT CAN, CAN WE, CAN WE BRIBE THE PARENTS? CAN I GIVE THEM A WEEKEND'S WORTH OF FOOD? AND THEN ON MONDAY WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT THE REAL ISSUE IS.
UM, THE SAME THING GOES FOR AN 18-YEAR-OLD.
'CAUSE THEN I HAVE TO SAY NOW THERE'S REALLY NOWHERE TO GO AND THEY'RE AN ADULT AND WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT DALLAS LIFE OR THE BRIDGE OR AUSTIN STREET.
AND, UM, THE SILENCE IS DEAFENING WHEN YOU TELL A COUNSELOR THAT THOSE ARE THE OPTIONS FOR THE 18-YEAR-OLD THAT'S SITTING IN THEIR OFFICE.
'CAUSE IF THEY'VE DRIVEN BY ANY OF THOSE PLACES, THEY SAY, YOU'RE ASKING ME TO SEND A CHILD THERE? I SAID, NO, I'M NOT ASKING YOU.
HOW CAN YOU ALL SUPPORT OUR WORK? AND I PUT LITTLE DREAMS AND BIG DREAMS. UM, OUR LITTLE ONES ARE EASY.
LIKE I SAID, THE HYGIENE ITEMS, UM, HYGIENE ITEMS AND SHELF STABLE FOOD THAT WE CAN GET TO OUR STUDENTS.
UM, A LOT OF OUR UNACCOMPANIED HOMELESS YOUTH KIND OF RELY ON THE SHELF STABLE FOOD THAT THEY, THAT WE GIVE TO THEM.
WHETHER IT'S CHEF BOY RD MAC AND CHEESE, TUNA, KITTS BEEF JERKY.
UM, THAT'S WHAT WE CAN KEEP BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A REFRIGERATOR, THEY DON'T HAVE A MICROWAVE, BUT I KNOW THEY CAN PROBABLY HEAD INTO A SEVEN 11 AND MICROWAVE SOMETHING.
UM, I'VE HAD FOLKS SAY TO ME, YOU KNOW, OOH, YOUR WISHLIST DOESN'T HAVE ANY HEALTHY FOOD.
AND I HAVE TO SAY, OOH, MY WISHLIST, BUT I CAN'T PUT SALAD ON THERE BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW A YOUTH IS GOING TO KEEP A SALAD, KEEP A CHICKEN COOK VEGETABLES OPEN A CAN, PUT IT IN A POT.
LIKE WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO COOK THIS FOOD? SO WE ARE ALWAYS ASKING FOR THAT KIND OF FOOD AND HYGIENE AGAIN, IT'S EXPENSIVE.
UM, WE COULD BUY JUST GENERIC SOAP, BUT WE FEEL LIKE OUR KIDS DESERVE MORE THAN THAT.
ESPECIALLY OUR OLDER STUDENTS.
LIKE WE ARE ASKING FOR, UH, OLD SPIKES, YOU KNOW, OR BATH AND BODY WORKS AT THE HOLIDAYS.
WE ALWAYS SAY, YOU KNOW, LIKE, GET SOMETHING THAT YOU MIGHT GET FOR YOUR KIDS.
I MEAN, I CAN GET SOME OF THAT REAL GENERIC STUFF SUPER CHEAP, BUT IT DOES NOT SEND A MESSAGE TO THE CHILD THAT SOMEONE CARES ABOUT ME.
IT SENDS A MESSAGE TO THE CHILD OF, I WAS ONLY WORTH YOUR, UH, LEFTOVER HOTEL SOAP.
AND WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE GIVE US HOTEL STUFF, BUT I'M NOT GIVING THAT TO MY KIDS.
IT'S JUST, I DON'T WANT THEM TO FEEL LIKE THAT.
THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT THEY'RE WORTH IS THAT LITTLE FREE THING THAT I GOT SOMEWHERE.
UM, AND THEN OUR BIG DREAMS, CRISIS OR WEEKEND SUPPORT.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF WHEN WE GOT A CALL ON A FRIDAY, WE HAD A PLACE TO SEND THAT KID FOR A WEEKEND UNTIL WE COULD, YOU KNOW, TALK TO CPS OR TALK TO THEIR FAMILY AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, DID THE CHILD JUST BREAK A RULE AND THEY WON'T SAY THEY'RE SORRY.
AND IF WE CAN SIT DOWN WITH MOM AND DAD AND GET THROUGH THAT ISSUE, THEN WE CAN GET THE KIDDO BACK AT HOME.
OR DOES THE FAMILY JUST NEED SOME EXTRA SUPPORT WITH FOOD? THEN WE'RE GONNA DO THAT AND LET'S GET THE KID BACK AT HOME.
YOU KNOW, LET'S GET THEM BACK TOGETHER AND THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL.
UM, OR A DROP-IN CENTER THAT'S OPEN 24 7 WHERE KIDDOS COULD COME AND SHOWER, GET A HOT MEAL, REST THEIR HEAD, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME DROP-IN CENTERS.
YOU CAN'T LET THE KIDS SLEEP THERE.
WELL, WE NEED A PLACE WHERE THEY COULD STAY OVERNIGHT.
UM, I DON'T WANT OUR STUDENTS TO BE OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WHEN THEY WOULD BE MOST VULNERABLE TO TRAFFICKING OR TO GETTING PICKED UP BY SOMEONE WHO IS GOING TO, UM, YOU KNOW, GIVE THEM FOOD AND THEN MAKE THEM DO WHATEVER THEY WOULD LIKE THEM TO DO.
UM, SO HAVING A 24 7 DROP-IN CENTER WHERE KIDS KNOW THEY'RE SAFE, UM, THAT THEY'RE WANTED AND THEY CAN GO THERE WHEN THEY NEED HELP.
AND THEN THE LAST ONE THAT WOULD BE REALLY EASY WOULD BE NOVEMBER IS HOMELESS YOUTH AWARENESS MONTH.
AND WE'VE SPENT THE LAST THREE YEARS MAKING IT A BIG CAMPAIGN IN THE DISTRICT.
UM, IT'S ON ALL OVER THE FRONT PAGE.
IT'S ON TWITTER, WE'VE GOT IT ON FACEBOOK.
ELIZALDE DID SOME VIDEOS FOR US TALKING ABOUT HOMELESS YOUTH AWARENESS MONTH.
AND WE WOULD LOVE TO PARTNER WITH THE COMMITTEE AND MAYBE MAKE THIS LIKE, UH, AN AREA WIDE CAMPAIGN BECAUSE IT'S,
[00:50:01]
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A HOMELESS LIAISON IN EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT.WE JUST HAPPEN TO HAVE THE MOST AROUND HERE, BUT IRVING HAS PLENTY TOO.
GAIL JUST TEXTED ME AND WAS LIKE, PLEASE CALL ME.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR ALL OF US TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS KNOW, YOU KNOW, THAT OUR HOMELESS KIDS OR KIDS THAT CAN DO GREAT THINGS, WE JUST HAVE TO HELP THEM GET THERE.
SO, SARAH, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? WE DO HAVE SOME PARTNERSHIPS.
WE HAVE AFTER EIGHT TO EDUCATE AND I, I, I THINK I SAW RA ON THE LINE.
UM, SHE PARTNERS WITH US, UM, J BANDO PARTNERS WITH US TO HELP WHEN THESE SITUATIONS COME UP.
SO THEY'RE HURTING, THEY WANT SOME SUPPORT AS WELL, UM, WITH SECURITY, UM, THEY HAVE TO KIND OF KNOCK DOWN SOME OF THE DROP-IN HOURS BECAUSE THERE JUST ISN'T ENOUGH SUPPORT FROM FUNDING.
SO ANYTHING THAT COULD HELP US WITH THAT IS SUPPORTING THAT.
'CAUSE WE HAVE 37 BEDS, UM, 37 AND 35.
AND THEY DO SUPPORT WHEN AT A SITUATION LIKE THIS HAPPENS.
BUT WE GET STUCK WHEN IT'S AN 18-YEAR-OLD STUDENT.
LIKE WHERE DO WE SEND THEM? IT'S, IT'S HARD FOR US TO SEND A YOUNG ADULT WHO HAS NEVER EXPERIENCED, UM, GOING TO DALLAS LIFE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S A SCARY THING FOR THEM.
SO WE WANNA BE ABLE TO HELP THAT STUDENT.
UM, AND IT HAPPENS QUITE A BIT.
UM, THE DROP IN CENTER, LIKE I SAID, IT'S, IT'S REDUCED ITS HOURS.
UH, IT HAS TO DO A LOT WITH JUST STAFFING AND SECURITY.
SO WE JUST NEED HELP WITH THAT.
WE JUST WANNA BE, WE WANNA BE A DISTRICT THAT CAN REALLY SERVE OUR KIDS AT THIS CAPACITY.
WE ALSO DO WORK WITH CPA, THEY DO GREAT, UM, COLLABORATION WITH US AND PROVIDING US, UM, RESOURCES FOR OUR FAMILIES THROUGH LEGAL AID, THROUGH EVICTION HOUSING SUPPORT.
UM, SO WE HAVE PLAYERS, KEY PLAYERS THAT HELP US.
UM, BUT WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THESE EVERYDAY NEEDS, THAT'S WHAT WE NEED HELP.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW THIS BRIEFINGS WHERE IT TAKES MY BREATH AWAY.
UM, WHO'S GOT QUESTIONS? FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, FOR COMING, FOR TALKING ABOUT THIS.
UM, BEFORE I WAS ELECTED, I WORKED AT DALLAS ISD AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
SO WOULD LIKE TO TALK WITH YOUR LETTER LATER TO SEE IF THERE ARE THINGS GOING ON IN DALLAS COUNTY THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO, AND I JUST, YOU KNOW, UH, SUPPLYING HYGIENE FOOD, UH, THE ADVERTISING OF NEW SERVICES.
AND THEN THE THIRD THING I THOUGHT OF WAS NOVEMBER IS HOMELESS YOUTH AWARENESS IS DOING THE, UM, DOING THAT THROUGH OUR, UH, RESOLUTIONS TO, IN ORDER TO GET MORE INFORMATION, BUT ONE OF THE TOPIC RELATED ABOUT SOME, YOU KNOW, GET MORE SPECIFIC AND IF THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT WE CAN BE SHOULD, UH, TO HELP OUT.
BECAUSE THIS IS, UM, AS YOU SAID ALREADY SAID, THAT TALK ABOUT A VULNERABLE POPULATION AND HOW DO WE RESPOND.
SO I DO HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
UM, CAN WE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES THAT YOU'RE SEEING IN CARS? DO YOU HAVE A IDEA ON LIKE THE NUMBER OR THE PERCENTAGE THAT YOU THINK THAT'S HOW THEY'RE DEALING WITH SHELTER? UM, IT'S A PRETTY SMALL AMOUNT AND I THINK THE LAST TIME I LOOKED AT UNSHELTERED IT WAS AROUND 80 OR 85.
UM, AND AGAIN, THAT, THAT'S ASSUMING THAT THOSE THAT ARE LIVING IN CARS ARE TELLING US.
AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES THEY AREN'T SAYING UNTIL A DISTRICT EMPLOYEE SHOWS UP AND IS LIKE, HEY, WHAT'S GOING ON? AND THEN THEY REALIZE, 'CAUSE SO MANY FAMILIES WILL TELL SOMEONE, I DON'T WANNA SAY, BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA CALL CPS, WELL I'M NOT CALLING CPS YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GONNA CALL THE COPS.
I'M NOT CALLING THE COPS EITHER.
AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE LIKE THE THREE THINGS THAT THEY ALWAYS THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
AND I ALWAYS SAY WE'RE NOT, I'M NOT TRYING TO TAKE YOUR CHILD AND PUT THEM INTO CPS, THAT'S NOT GONNA DO ANYBODY ANY GOOD AND DEFINITELY DON'T WANT YOU TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY.
UM, AND IT, A LOT OF OUR POSTERS SAY IT'S OKAY TO ASK FOR HELP 'CAUSE WE TRY TO KEEP PUTTING IT OUT THERE THAT IT'S OKAY FOR YOU TO ASK FOR HELP.
AND I THINK WE HAVE FINALLY SEEN WHERE SOME OF OUR KIDS HAVE REALIZED THAT AND THEY WILL GO UP TO THE SPECIALIST WHEN THEY'RE ON A CAMPUS AND SAY, HEY, THIS IS WHAT I NEED.
AND THEN THEY'LL COME BACK AND TELL ME.
AND, AND WE'VE EVEN, WE HAD ONE KIDDO WHO HE WAS UNSHELTERED, BUT HE PREFERRED THAT.
BUT WE WERE SENDING HIM, UM, HORMEL MEALS.
HE FINALLY SAID, MISS, I DON'T LIKE THESE HORMEL MEALS.
CAN YOU PLEASE SEND ME CHEF BOY RD? LIKE, GREAT, WE WILL SEND YOU CHEF BOY RD.
BUT TEACHING THAT KID TO ADVOCATE FOR HIMSELF, LIKE, IF YOU CAN'T STAND TUNA, WELL I DON'T WANNA SEND YOU TUNA, JUST TELL US AND WE WILL SEND YOU PEANUT BUTTER AND
[00:55:01]
CRACKERS.SO, BUT YEAH, I THINK IT'S, UH, WE'VE NOTICED A LOT MORE FAMILIES IN CARS THIS YEAR.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO BREAK ALL THESE NUMBERS DOWN, BUT DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF PEOPLE IN ABANDONED BUILDINGS AND PARKS AND UM, LIKE MINI STORAGE? SOMETIMES PEOPLE WILL, YOU KNOW, PUT THEIR THINGS IN THERE AND THEN THEY'LL STAY WITH THEIR THINGS, RIGHT? I HAVE NOT HAD ANY, UM, I HAVE 245 UNDER MY UMBRELLA, SO, UM, LIKE RIGHT NOW I HAVE 22 SENIORS, NINE ARE UNACCOMPANIED, WHICH MEANS THEY'RE NOT WITH MOM OR DAD.
UM, I'VE GOT TWO GIRLS IN EBY HOUSE, THEY HAVE EIGHT BEDS.
IT'S A GIFT FROM GOD TO HAVE EBY HOUSE, BUT THEY HAVE EIGHT BEDS, YOU KNOW.
UM, ELEVATE'S A GREAT PROGRAM FOR THE BOYS.
MM-HMM,
UM, I HAVE NOT HAD ANY FAMILIES THAT HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEY'RE IN STORAGE UNITS.
UM, BUT I'VE BEEN WATCHING THAT AND WE WATCH TIKTOK TRENDS TOO, YOU KNOW, UM, BECAUSE OF THE COST OF LIVING, WE'RE SEEING KIND OF SCARY STUFF ON SOCIAL MEDIA WHERE IT'S KIND OF GLAMORIZING LIKE, THIS IS HOW YOU LIVE IN A STORAGE UNIT.
THIS IS HOW YOU LIVE IN YOUR CAR.
THIS LIKE HOMELESS HACKS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
THESE KIDS ARE ALL GETTING, UM, REALLY EDUCATED ON THAT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA.
UM, I DID HAVE A DISABLED GRANDMOTHER, UH, KIMBALL HIGH SCHOOL AND BRAHE ELEMENTARY.
UM, SHE WAS AT THE JACK IN THE BOX ON LEDBETTER IN HER CAR, UM, THROUGH NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER WHILE SHE WAITED ON GUARDIANSHIP HEARING FOR THE FIFTH GRADER.
UM, SHE WAS RELUCTANT TO ENGAGE WITH SHELTER BECAUSE SHE DID NOT YET HAVE GUARDIANSHIP OVER THE FIFTH GRADER.
SHE HAD IT FOR THE TWO OLDER CHILDREN.
UM, MOM IS IN A TRAP HOUSE AND IS UNREACHABLE AND MOM HAS CUSTODY OF THAT KID.
SO DECEMBER 6TH, SHE WAS GRANTED CUSTODY.
WE GOT HER TO ENGAGE WITH GATEWAY AND SHE IS IN AN OVERFLOW FACILITY AT, UM, LIKE, YOU KNOW, PRESTON AND GEORGE BUSH.
UM, WERE DOING TRANSPORTATION FOR THEM SO THAT THEY ARE GETTING TO AND FROM SCHOOL NOW.
UM, BUT THEY WERE IN THEIR CAR FOR THE COLD MONTHS AND THEY, YOU KNOW, THROUGH CHRISTMAS AND ALL OF THAT IN THEIR CAR, UM, CARS, AC AND HEAT DIDN'T RUN.
UM, COMMUNITY LIAISON AT KIMBALL WAS ALLOWING THEM INTO THE BUILDING TO SHOWER.
AND THIS IS JUST A NORMAL EVERYDAY KIND OF THING, WHAT WE SEE.
BUT I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY IN A STORAGE UNIT HERE.
AND I THINK A LOT OF OUR KIDS THAT SLEEP OUTSIDE, SAY IN A PARK, A LOT OF THE TIMES IT'S THAT CRISIS.
AND IN THE MOMENT IF STEPDAD KICKED THEM OUT, THEY GO AND SLEEP IN A PARK AND THEN THE NEXT DAY THEY'RE TELLING THE CAMPUS STAFF WHAT HAS HAPPENED AND THEN WE, YOU KNOW, TRY TO GET INVOLVED.
SO IT SEEMS TO BE KIND OF A LAST MINUTE THING WHERE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO AND THEY'RE NOT IN SCHOOL AT THE MOMENT.
AND SO THEY GO TO THE PARK OR THEY GO TO A BUILDING.
SO IT'S THE, THE LEVEL OF INTERACTION YOU HAVE WITH PRINCIPALS, TEACHERS WITHIN DALLAS ISDI ASSUME IS HIGH.
YOU KNOW, SOME CAMPUSES HAVE A HIGH NUMBER OF HOMELESS KIDDOS, OTHERS HAVE ZERO.
THEY DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT OUR DEPARTMENT.
DO ALL OF THE DALLAS ISD CAMPUSES HAVE, UM, A HOMELESS SPECIALIST OR, UM, JUST THE ONES WHERE YOU HAVE A PREPONDERANCE OF POPULATION.
UM, THIS YEAR THE PRINCIPALS WERE ASKED TO APPOINT SOMEONE TO BE THAT, UM, LIAISON FOR US.
I WILL SAY THAT MEANS THAT IT'S A TEACHER THAT'S PROBABLY WEARING LIKE FOUR OTHER HATS.
AND SO LIKE I SAID, IF YOU ARE A CAMPUS THAT HAS A LARGE POPULATION OF HOMELESS, YOU PROBABLY GET TO KNOW US A LOT BETTER.
UM, IF YOU ARE NOT LIKE I HAD ONE SCHOOL SAY NA, LIKE, THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO US.
'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY HOMELESS KIDS.
I KNOW THEY HAVE IN THE PAST 'CAUSE I WORKED WITH THAT STUDENT.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, AGAIN, THAT'S BEEN THE BLESSING OF HAVING AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDING AND AN EXTRA 17 PEOPLE FOR A DEPARTMENT THAT'S USUALLY JUST FOUR.
AND SO WE ARE A LITTLE SCARED ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN SEPTEMBER WHEN 17 PEOPLE LEAVE AND THEN THE CAMPUSES EXPECT THAT SAME LEVEL OF INTERACTION AND ENGAGEMENT FROM FOUR OF US WHEN WE HAD 17.
SO YOU HAVE FOUR POSITIONS BUDGETED OR YOU HAVE FOUR POSITIONS FILLED? FOUR POSITIONS FILLED LIKE MYSELF.
AND THEN I HAVE THREE OTHER COORDINATORS.
I'M IMPRESSED THAT YOU'RE HERE BECAUSE I LEFT IN, IN, UH, 2012 AND I THINK THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN ONE PERSON WHO WAS, UH, DEDICATED TO FOR THE DISTRICT AND, YOU KNOW, GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS, YOU KNOW, HAVE THINGS CHANGED SINCE 2012? I THINK WE'RE IDENTIFYING MORE HOMELESS STUDENTS.
UM, LIKE I SAID, THE MORE YOU TALK ABOUT IT AND THE MORE WE
[01:00:01]
PROVIDE OUTREACH MATERIALS TO CAMPUSES AND WE TALK TO STUDENTS ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS, AND WE HAVE SEVERAL DROP-INS THAT OPERATE AT THE CAMPUSES.WE DON'T, UM, THOSE DROP-INS ARE NOT JUST FOR STUDENTS THAT ARE CODED AS HOMELESS.
THOSE STUDENTS CAN BRING THEIR FRIENDS AND WE ALWAYS TELL FRIENDS, LIKE, YOU'RE PROBABLY THE ONE THAT KNOWS IF YOUR FRIEND IS SLEEPING ON SOMEONE'S COUCH.
SO YOU MIGHT BE THE FIRST PERSON THAT KNOWS THAT THEY NEED OUR HELP.
AND, UH, WE GO TO ALL THE FAM JAMS, WE GO TO LOTS OF COMMUNITY FAIRS.
UM, WE USED TO HAVE LIKE A HOMELESS LITTLE TENT THING ON OUR
YOU MIGHT NOT BE HOMELESS, BUT WHAT IF TOMORROW YOUR NEIGHBOR IS EVICTED AND YOU SEE ALL THEIR FURNITURE OUT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD? NOW YOU HAVE A NUMBER THAT YOU CAN GIVE TO THAT PERSON.
SO IT MIGHT NOT BE FOR YOU, BUT IT MIGHT BE FOR SOMEONE ELSE.
AND THAT'S KIND OF HELPED US, AGAIN, TAKE THAT STIGMA OFF THE WORD HOMELESS.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, I'M NOT SAYING THAT YOU'RE HOMELESS, I'M JUST SAYING THAT SOMEONE THAT YOU KNOW, MIGHT BECOME HOMELESS AND WOULDN'T IT BE NICE TO OFFER THEM SOMEONE THAT THEY COULD CALL SO THEY CAN START TO GET SOME SERVICES OR SOME RESOURCES GOING, ESPECIALLY FOR THEIR STUDENTS.
SO WHEN YOU'RE REPORTING THE NUMBERS TO US, SO LAST YEAR, 4,354.
SO YOU HAVE YEAR TO DATE, UH, I THINK IT'S 42 97 MM-HMM.
ARE YOU SEEING, UM, ANY KIND OF CLUSTERING ON GRADES? I MEAN, IS IS IT YOUNGER KIDS? IS IT OLDER KIDS? IS IT EVERYBODY? I MEAN, IS THERE ANY KIND OF, UM, CENSUS YOU HAVE OF THAT? WE ALWAYS HAVE MORE STUDENTS IN THE LOWER GRADES THAT ARE IDENTIFIED.
AND AGAIN, I THINK THAT'S BECAUSE AS THEY GET OLDER THEY REALIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, LITTLES, THEY DON'T, IT'S THEIR PARENTS FILLING OUT THE STUDENT RESIDENCY QUESTIONNAIRE.
BUT I THINK AS KIDS GET OLDER, THEY WANT TO, UM, THEY SORT OF WANNA FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS.
'CAUSE THEY DON'T WANT US TO BE POINTING OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
UM, THEY DON'T WANNA COME TO US.
THEY DON'T WANNA SAY, THIS IS WHAT I NEED.
AND THAT, THAT'S HARD IF YOU'RE A YOUNG MAN TO COME TO MARCIA AND I AND SAY LIKE, I REALLY NEED A WINTER COAT.
BUT WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE STUDENT AT LINCOLN TO DO THAT.
HE GOT TO A POINT WHERE HE COULD TELL US WHAT HE NEEDED.
AND, AND AGAIN, THAT'S WHY WE'RE TRYING TO HELP OUR STUDENTS ALMOST BECOME ADVOCATES FOR THEIR FRIENDS.
YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT US IN A WAY THAT'S MORE LIKE HOW A TEENAGER WOULD TELL SOMEONE.
IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE WAY I TOLD A TEENAGER ABOUT SOMETHING AND LETTING THEM KNOW, AGAIN, WE'RE NOT HERE TO HARM, WE'RE HERE TO HELP.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MIDDLE AGE, UH, MIDDLE SCHOOL, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL.
THERE'S LESS INVOLVEMENT BY PARENTS AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL.
SO THE LESS THEY COME TO THE SCHOOL AND INTERACT WITH THE STAFF, THE LESS THEY LET US KNOW.
WELL, AND I'LL JUST SAY, I MEAN, OLDER KIDS DON'T WANNA STAND OUT, RIGHT? THEY WANNA BLEND IN.
THEY DON'T WANNA BE IDENTIFIED DIFFERENTLY.
BUT, SO YOU DID THE IMPORTANT SLIDE I ASKED YOU TO, WHICH WAS NUMBER SEVEN, ABOUT HOW WE CAN SUPPORT YOU AND WHAT YOU NEED.
THANK YOU FOR DOING THE EASY THINGS LIKE THE HYGIENE AND FOOD COLLECTION.
BUT TELL US HOW SOMEONE, YOU KNOW, LET'S, LET'S SAY SOMEONE HEARS ABOUT THIS OR WE'RE GONNA START PROMOTING IT AND THERE'S A, YOU KNOW, CIVIC GROUP, THERE'S A FAITH GROUP, THERE'S AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WANTS TO PROVIDE SUPPORT IN THIS WAY.
HOW ARE THEY REACHING YOU? UM, WE HAVE AN AMAZON WISHLIST, UH, WHICH IS GREAT 'CAUSE WE ARE ABLE TO UPDATE IT QUICKLY.
WE DO, WE HAVE HAD SOME PEOPLE, LIKE ONE YEAR SOUTHWEST CAME TO US AND WE SAID, OKAY, LET'S DO, YOU KNOW, WE COULD REALLY USE THE HYGIENE.
UM, THIS YEAR WE HAD ANOTHER GROUP IN FRISCO.
AND UM, WHEN I FIRST STARTED, I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS AND I WAS LIKE, MONICA, LET'S ASK THEM FOR COMFORTERS.
WELL, COMFORTERS ARE GIGANTIC.
AND I WAS LIKE, HOW IS THIS 5-YEAR-OLD GONNA TAKE THIS COMFORTER HOME? SO THEN WE FOUND THESE LITTLE TRAVEL BLANKETS, LIKE AT WALMART.
SO WE ASKED THIS GROUP, THEY BROUGHT US 800 OF THESE TRAVEL BLANKETS.
I KNOW THAT A FIVE-YEAR-OLD CAN CARRY IT HOME.
I, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GONNA ASK FOR A SET OF TOWELS BECAUSE AGAIN, WHERE ARE THESE KIDS GONNA KEEP IT? BUT WE ASK FOR WASHCLOTHS.
AND SO WE ALWAYS MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PUTTING WASHCLOTHS WITH THE, YOU KNOW, THE SHOWER GEL OR THE SOAP THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN A BAG FOR KIDS.
SO SOME PEOPLE HAVE A SPECIFIC IDEA.
I KNOW THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE HERE, ONE CHRISTMAS, WANTED TO DO SOMETHING FOR US, AND WE ASKED THEM TO DO GIFTS FOR THE OLDER STUDENTS BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT LITTLES BECAUSE EVERYONE LIKES TO BUY A BARBIE FOR A LITTLE KID OR A TRUCK FOR A LITTLE BOY.
BUT IT WAS OUR OLDER STUDENTS THAT WERE GETTING LOST AT THE HOLIDAYS.
AND SO THEY DID NICE BACKPACKS, LIKE EAST PACK, THEY PUT EARBUDS, THEY PUT CHARGERS, THEY PUT BATH AND BODY WORK STUFF, OLD SPICE GLOVES, SOCKS, YOU KNOW.
SO IT WAS, YOU KNOW, GEARED FOR THOSE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS.
AND IT WAS SO GREAT BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO HAND TO THOSE KIDS SOMETHING, UM, THAT WAS FOR
[01:05:01]
THEM RATHER THAN JUST LIKE, AGAIN, LIKE THE HOTEL SOAP, YOU KNOW.AND SO ASHLEY, ARE THEY EMAILING YOU? ARE THEY CALLING YOU? IS IT, IS THERE A, A MAIN SECTION TO CALL OR IS IT YOU DIRECTLY, OR HOW DOES THAT WORK? WE HAVE A, I MEAN, A LOT OF PEOPLE CALL ME DIRECTLY AND THAT'S FINE.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE A, AN EMAIL FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
IT'S HOMELESS EDUCATION@DALLASISD.ORG.
SO WE GET A LOT OF REQUESTS THERE.
UM, CERTAINLY THEY CAN JUST CALL THE DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND AGAIN, AND SOMETIMES IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHAT PEOPLE, WHAT THEIR GROUP IS FOCUSED ON.
YOU KNOW, LIKE SOME WOMEN'S GROUPS, THEN WE MIGHT SAY LIKE, HEY, WE COULD REALLY USE FEMININE HYGIENE PRODUCTS.
AGAIN, I CAN BUY THOSE FROM THE DISTRICT, BUT THEY LOOK LIKE HOSPITAL STUFF.
AND I'VE SAID LIKE, GIRLS IN HIGH SCHOOL WANT THINGS THAT ARE PINK AND PURPLE.
THEY DO NOT WANT ANY KIND OF THING THAT YOU GET AT THE HOSPITAL.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'VE ASKED PEOPLE AND WE WILL, YOU KNOW, WE WILL GET IT.
AND THEN I FEEL MUCH BETTER ABOUT HANDING THAT OUT TO A KID.
'CAUSE AGAIN, IF I WOULDN'T WANNA GIVE IT TO MY DAUGHTER, WHICH I DON'T HAVE, BUT IF I, YOU KNOW, I WANNA GIVE THEM SOMETHING NICE THAT THEY WOULD FEEL GOOD ABOUT.
AGAIN, IT'S JUST, IT'S ABOUT MAKING THEM FEEL WANTED AND NOT STANDING OUT RIGHT.
NOT BEING THE KID THAT HAS, UM, WE SUPPORT FAMILIES WITH GIFT CARDS AS WELL.
UM, ESPECIALLY WHEN, UM, I'VE GOT AN UNACCOMPANIED KID AT CONRAD.
UM, I ASKED HIM, WHAT DO YOU NEED? YOU KNOW, AND WE GIVE HIM HYGIENE ITEMS. UM, IT'S TOUGH FOR HIM THERE BECAUSE THE FAMILY HE'S STAYING WITH IS ALSO HAVING TO FEED HIM.
SO WE SUPPLY GIFT CARDS TO HIM, UM, EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE SO THAT HE CAN BUY PIZZA ONE NIGHT.
HE CAN ORDER A PIZZA FOR THE FAMILY.
UM, IT HELPS THAT FAMILY THAT'S GIVING HIM A COUCH TO SLEEP ON OUT AS WELL, BECAUSE THEY HAVE AN EXTRA MOUTH TO FEED TOO.
UM, AND JUST LIKE SHE SAID, UM, SOMETIMES ESPECIALLY OUR, OUR FRIDAY AFTERNOON IS LIKE THE WITCHING HOUR IN BETWEEN THREE AND 4:00 PM AND THE PHONE RINGS.
EVERYBODY'S LIKE, OKAY, WHAT IS IT? BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS GONNA BE A COUNSELOR WITH A KID THAT DOESN'T HAVE A PLACE TO GO.
AND THAT'S WHEN THOSE GIFT CARDS COME IN HANDY.
UM, ALSO IT GIVES STUDENTS AND FAMILIES AUTONOMY.
UM, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU BECOME HOMELESS, THE FIRST THING THAT'S REMOVED FROM YOUR PLATE IS CHOICES.
AND SO WE GIVE THOSE GIFT CARDS TO FAMILIES.
THEY CAN GO BUY WHAT THEY WANT.
THEY CAN BUY WHATEVER GROCERIES THEY NEED.
THEY CAN GET A COAT FOR THEIR KID.
AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S BEING HANDED TO THEM OFF THE BACK OF A TRUCK THAT THEY HAVE TO TAKE BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO CHOICE.
SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO DO THAT.
UM, WE GIVE OUT A LOT OF FAST FOOD GIFT CARDS TO THOSE OLDER STUDENTS.
AND AGAIN, WE'VE, I'VE SPOKEN AT GROUPS AND, AND TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT SOMETIMES WE NEED AN AMAZON GIFT CARD BECAUSE SOMETIMES I GET A CALL FOR LIKE A TRIPLE EXTRA LARGE UNIFORM SHIRT AND HAD A VERY WELL-MEANING CITIZEN SAY, BUT IF THEY'RE HOMELESS, HOW COME THEY'RE SO BIG? AND I HAVE TO SAY, WELL, 'CAUSE THE CHEAPEST FOOD IS AT MCDONALD'S AND IT DOES NOT INCLUDE A SALAD.
AND SO JUST THAT MISCONCEPTION THAT'S OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT IF YOU'RE HOMELESS, YOU SHOULD BE SKINNY BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT EATING, BUT REALLY YOU'RE HOMELESS AND YOU'RE EATING WHATEVER YOU CAN GET.
AND USUALLY IT'S NOT SUPER HEALTHY FOOD.
SO, UM, THE BIG DREAM ITEMS, RIGHT? SO CRISIS AND WEEKEND SUPPORT, A DROP IN CENTER, AND THEN, UH, WORKING ON AWARENESS, ESPECIALLY IN NOVEMBER.
UM, I, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO ASK THE, THE, THE DALLAS AREA PARTNERSHIP.
DO WE FEEL LIKE THESE ARE ITEMS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO WORK ON? WANNA BRING THIS UP TO THE NEXT MEETING? WE CAN DO THAT AS WELL.
UM, I MEAN, THIS ONLY MAKES SENSE TO ME THAT WE WOULD FOR SURE HAVE A VERY SPECIFIC NOVEMBER INITIATIVE.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, I DO THINK THAT THAT'S PART OF THIS ORGANIZATION IS HAVING THE CITY AND THE COUNTY HERE.
YOU KNOW, WE CAN CERTAINLY DO OFFICIAL THINGS, BUT THEN BEYOND THAT, I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY ADDITIONAL AWARENESS ACTIVITIES.
I'M NOT SURE IF THE, UM, HOUSING FORWARD AND THE COC ARE STILL DOING THE SME NOW PROGRAM.
UM, HEY KARA, CAN I ASK A QUESTION? YES.
UM, MY QUESTION I GUESS IS TO, UM, IS JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT COORDINATION, IF ANY ACTUALLY HAPPENS BETWEEN, UM, THIS OBVIOUSLY REALLY IMPORTANT WORK THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING AT DISD AND IS THERE ANY COORDINATION WITH, UM, THE KIND OF THE COUNTY OR THE OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS WITH THE CITY OR HOUSING FORWARD OR THE, THE, UH, THE CONTINUUM, YOU KNOW, OR IS IT YOU ALL ARE JUST KIND OF DOING YOUR OWN THING AND, UM, AND EVERYONE ELSE'S? I JUST DON'T, I JUST DON'T KNOW ENOUGH IF THERE'S ANY SORT OF COORDINATION BETWEEN YOU
[01:10:01]
ALL AND ANY OF THOSE OTHER GROUPS.UM, SO I SIT ON THE BOARD FOR THE COC AND I GO TO THE MEETINGS WITH HOUSING FORWARD.
BUT, UM, WHEN I FIRST STARTED IN THIS POSITION, I HAD ONE OF OUR COMMITTEE LIAISONS COME TO ME AND HE'S LIKE, ASHLEY, I WAS AT THIS MEETING LAST NIGHT WITH CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND I WAS TALKING ABOUT OUR KIDS AND THEY SAID, OH, WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT DALLAS IS TO USE HOMELESS KIDS BECAUSE THE DISTRICT TAKES CARE OF THAT.
AND I SAID, WHAT? BECAUSE WE DON'T HOUSE THEM AND WE DON'T FEED THEM ALL THE FOOD.
SO THERE IS THAT KIND OF DISCONNECT.
AND AGAIN, I THINK IT'S REALLY BECAUSE OFFICE, THE OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS IS WORKING OFF THAT HUD DEFINITION.
AND UM, ASHLEY KNOWS LIKE EVERY TIME WE HAVE A MEETING AND I'M THERE AND I'M LIKE, AND BY THE WAY, WE HAVE MCKINNEY BENTO KIDS, THEY DON'T MEET THE SAME DEFINITION.
AND SO IT'S REALLY THAT, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU GET OVER THAT? HU YOU KNOW, THERE'S A DISCONNECT WITH HU HUD SAYS YOU HAVE TO BE ON THE STREET, BUT HERE WE ARE, HOTEL KIDS, DOUBLED UP, KIDS, SHELTER KIDS, AND WE CONSIDER ALL OF THEM HOMELESS.
AND TA IS EXPECTING THAT WE DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO FOR ALL OF THOSE KIDS.
AND AGAIN, THEY OUTNUMBER THE REAL HOMELESS POPULATION IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
SO ARE YOU ABLE TO ENTER, UM, KIDS THAT MEET THE HUD DEFINITION INTO HMIS? MM-HMM.
UH, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT, BUT SINCE YOU HAVE TO PAY YOU FOR IT.
UM, MY GRANT, UH, OUR DEPARTMENT IS FULLY GRANT FUNDED.
WE DON'T GET ANY DISTRICT FUNDING.
SO WE GET, UM, TITLE ONE FUNDING AND THEN MCKINNEY BENTO FUNDING FROM THE STATE.
SO OUR GRANT FUNDS ARE VERY SPECIFIC AROUND WHAT WE COULD SPEND MONEY ON.
THAT'S WHY WE CAN'T BUY HYGIENE AND WE CAN'T BUY FOOD.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE AN AMAZON WISHLIST OR, YOU KNOW, ASK FOR DONORS OR COMMUNITY PROJECTS AROUND THAT.
SO THAT IS ONE REASON WE'RE NOT PART OF HMIS.
UM, ROB, DID YOU HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS? NO, THAT, THAT WAS HELPFUL.
I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND KIND OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO I'LL JUST SAY I, I DON'T THINK AT THE CITY WE'VE EVER ENGAGED, I, I I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY TIME THAT WE'VE ENGAGED WITH DALLAS ISC, AND I SAY THAT BOTH SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL NEARLY FIVE YEARS AND WHEN I WAS CHAIR, UH, VICE CHAIR OF THE HOMELESS COMMISSION, I DON'T THINK THERE'S BEEN ANY COORDINATION.
UM, I PERSONALLY, UH, WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE PLANO HOMELESS LIAISON AND HAVE FOR A LONG TIME, UM, AND HAVE INTERACTED WITH THE RICHARDSON ONE AS WELL.
MORE THAN HALF OF RICHARDSON ISD IS IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I I WOULD LOVE TO SEE HOW LIKE Y'ALL COULD HELP SUPPORT EACH OTHER.
I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR MOMENT OF EMOTION TAKING OVER, ALL OF YOU HAVE THAT BECAUSE YOU'RE SEEING A WHOLE DIFFERENT KIND OF LEVEL OF, UM, PERSONAL SUFFERING.
UM, SO I, I WOULD LIKE TO BRING BACK TO, UM, TO THE DALLAS AREA PARTNERSHIP ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP WITH YOUR BIG BIGGER ASKS, UM, AS WELL AS THE SMALLER ONES.
UM, ASHLEY, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.
I DID, I JUST HAD A REAL QUICK, REAL QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU, ASHLEY.
ARE YOU, UM, ON THE YOUTH HOMELESS DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM PLANNING GROUP FOR THAT? YES.
DO YOU SEE, LIKE, IS THAT LOOKING TO BE HELPFUL IN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU WILL STICK HERE? MAYBE? UH, THEY SEEM TO FOCUS A LOT ON OLDER YOUTH, LIKE 18 TO 24.
SO WE DO HAVE THOSE LIKE 16 AND 17 YEAR OLDS THAT WE'RE TRYING, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE WHEN YOU CALL CPS IF THEY'RE 16 OR 17, THEY'RE NOT ENGAGING.
AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT DO YOU DO IF THE KID'S BEEN KICKED OUT.
BUT CPS IS LIKE, EH, YOU KNOW, TOO OLD.
SO YEAH, I IN PARTICULAR WOULD LIKE TO TALK WITH YOU AFTERWARDS TOO FOR SOME OF THE SAME REASONS, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN PARTNERSHIP BE, UM, BUT THEN ALSO DALLAS COUNTY AS A JUVENILE DEPARTMENT.
I, I WAS JUST TRYING TO THINK OF WHAT'S THE INTERACTION THERE AND, UM, ARE, MIGHT THERE BE AVENUES TO EXPLORE A LITTLE MORE? UM, AND JUST 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW, AND SO I'D LIKE TO FOLLOW UP WITH, WITH SOME OF THOSE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, BUT, YOU KNOW, SINCE LOOKING AROUND, WHO'S THE MEMBERSHIP OF THIS GROUP THAT ALSO, YOU KNOW, CAN, CAN WE MOTIVATE AND ACTIVATE THE PORTIONS TO DO THAT, THE INTERFACE THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL? SO ASHLEY, PERHAPS YOU CAN ANSWER THIS.
UM, UH, MANY YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS INVOLVED WITH THE COC, THERE WAS A YOUTH GROUP.
UM, MET MONTHLY, WORKED ON A VARIETY OF, UM, YOUTH FOCUSED PROGRAMS. AND THERE WAS AN ANNUAL SME NOW PROGRAM BOTH IN DALLAS COUNTY AND COLLIN COUNTY.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, WHAT WAS THE, WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHAT SME NOW IS.
SO, UM, SO THEY ENDED UP BEING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT
[01:15:01]
IN EACH OF THE DIFFERENT COUNTIES.BUT, UM, THE DALLAS COUNTY ONE, UH, WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A PRESS CONFERENCE, UM, AWARENESS EVENT.
THE COLLIN COUNTY ONE WAS MORE OF AN EDUCATIONAL PANEL DISCUSSION.
UM, I THINK THE LAST ONE THAT I COORDINATED HAD 600 PEOPLE AT IT AND, UM, WAS INCREDIBLE FROM PERSONAL TESTIMONIES OF CHILDREN, EDUCATORS, POLICE.
I MEAN, WE, WE BROUGHT THE WHOLE SPECTRUM OF ONE OF THE JUDGES, UM, WHO, WHO DEALT WITH A LOT OF CASES LIKE THAT.
UM, I, I THINK BECAUSE THEY ENDED UP DIVERGING, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT STAYED BECAUSE THERE WERE DIFFERENT, THERE WERE DIFFERENT NEEDS.
UM, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY QUESTION IN DALLAS THAT WE KNOW THERE'S HOMELESS YOUTH IN COLLIN COUNTY.
PEOPLE SAY, BUT ARE THERE, ARE THERE REALLY KIDS THAT ARE HOMELESS? AND SO IT'S ALWAYS THAT, YES.
LET US SHOW YOU THE DATAS, LET US SHOW YOU, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES ARE.
WHEN I WORKED AT SAMARITAN, AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU, WE HAD A FAMILY THAT WAS LIVING IN, UM, A STORAGE UNIT, GAVE BIRTH IN A STORAGE UNIT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE WERE MANY PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN STORAGE UNITS.
AND SO I'M GLAD THAT YOU ARE NOT AWARE OF ANY RIGHT NOW.
UM, I'M CONCERNED THAT, UM, AS WE'RE SEEING CHANGES IN THE ECONOMY THAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE MORE.
UM, UH, I THINK, JUST TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I'M NOT SURE IF THEY DO SEE ME NOW ANYMORE.
THERE IS STILL A GROUP THAT IS FACILITATED AROUND YOUTH HOMELESSNESS.
WE DO A YOUTH HOMELESS COUNT ANNUALLY FOR THE COC, UM, AND THEN HOUSING FORWARD AND THAT YOUTH GROUP ARE, ARE ALL, THAT'S THE YOUTH HOMELESS DEMONSTRATION PLAN, PROGRAM PLAN.
AND IT'S ALL HAPPENING TOGETHER.
IT'S A GRANT THAT WE GOT FROM HUD THAT HOUSING FORWARD, GOT FROM HUD TO DO THAT AND BUILD OUT A NEW YOUTH RESOURCE CENTER.
SO ALL OF THOSE GROUPS ARE WORKING TOGETHER NOW.
UM, BUT I DON'T KNOW ABOUT C NOW I DON'T KNOW IF THAT PROGRAM, IT, IT'S JUST REAL DIFFICULT TO SUSTAIN IN MY EXPERIENCE OF A YOUTH CENTERED GROUP.
UM, RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, JOSH HOGAN IS IN DC AND WORKING THE DALLAS AREA FROM DC WHICH, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THAT SAY? OKAY.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR, UM, AN EXCELLENT BUT SOBERING PRESENTATION.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND AS YOU SEE MORE THINGS, PLEASE COME BACK TO US, BUT LET'S KEEP WORKING TOGETHER.
UM, YOU ARE PART OF OUR PORTFOLIO AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE HAD THIS DISCUSSION MANY TIMES WITH THE GROUP THAT WE NEED PEOPLE WHO ARE HUD FOCUSED, THEY STAY HUD FOCUSED AND GET ALL THOSE DOLLARS AND WOW, THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB, BIG INCREASE THIS YEAR, BUT WE ALSO HAVE FOLKS THAT DON'T FALL INTO THAT DEFINITION THAT CLEARLY ARE HOMELESS.
AND, UM, I'M, I'M HOPING THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO HELP.
SO I HAD HOPED THAT WE WOULD GO BACK THROUGH THE, UM, THE ARTICLES, INCORPORATION AND BYLAWS WITH, UM, SOME OF THE OUTLINES, BUT WE'RE RUNNING REALLY LATE.
I'M GONNA ASK IF WE CAN MOVE THAT TO THE NEXT MONTH.
IS EVERYONE OKAY WITH THAT? OKAY.
SO PLEASE TRY TO LOOK IT OVER, SEE IF THERE'S ADDITIONAL CHANGES.
ROB, I KNOW YOU TOLD ME YOU HAD SOME THAT YOU'RE READY TO SHARE.
UM, SO I'M GONNA SKIP NUMBER SIX.
NUMBER SEVEN WAS THE COMMITTEE REPORT FOR SYSTEM PERFORMANCE.
DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU SHARED, TERESA? UH, VERY SHORT CONSIDERING, ESPECIALLY AT THE TIME, UM, RECENT.
OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS I'VE BEEN, UH, GOING AROUND THE STATE AND GOING AROUND THE COUNTRY, TALKING WITH OTHER COUNTIES IN PARTICULAR, AND RECOGNIZING THAT THE COOPERATION AMONG HOUSING HOMELESS, UM, ENTITIES WITHIN DALLAS COUNTY IS ADMIRABLE.
'CAUSE NOT EVERYBODY DOES THAT.
UM, AND AS WE CAN SEE, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE NOT QUITE TOO, UM, ADDRESSING EVERYTHING.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IN PARTICULAR WORKING WITH PARKLAND, GETTING THE, THE HEALTHCARE PIECE IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY HAS BEEN VERY IMPORTANT.
UM, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT COMPARATIVELY WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE HANGING IN NICELY.
UH, SECOND PART OF IT, WE'RE NOT QUITE DONE YET EITHER, SO FOR SURE.
WELL THEN, UM, I'M JUST GONNA REMIND EVERYONE, OUR NEXT MEETING IS APRIL 4TH, AND I'M READY TO, UM, SAY THIS MEETING'S ADJOURNED.
IT'S, IT'S JUST THAT, THAT'S TOUGH, TOUGH STUFF AND I KNOW.