[0:07] everyone is 05:30pm, on

[0:11] Wednesday, AUGUST. 26 2026.

[0:11] Welcome to the Public Safety

[0:13] Jessica Meuse City County

[0:15] Council. When the public

[0:15] Assembly room of city County

[0:16] building, we have 2

[0:19] presentation this evening.

[0:20] We'll start our meeting with

[0:21] architects of our council's

[0:21] committee members lead or

[0:23] Maori. Thank you, MR. Chaired

[0:27] Brian Mowery District. 25.

[0:28] Thank you. CHAIRMAN Jessica

[0:29] McCormack District, 16

[0:32] websites. Thank you, MR.

[0:34] Chaired up the College Park is

[0:36] district 6 Good evening,

[0:36] everyone. Tooth District 9.

[0:41] Thanks. Sure. Thank you.

[0:41] MISTER CHAIRMAN Renee Allen

[0:42] District 15, the far east

[0:45] that. Thank you. Committee

[0:46] members. We were Robinson

[0:47] chair, the committee district.

[0:51] One. We have 2 items on our

[0:51] agenda. The first item, the

[0:52] early Intervention Planning

[0:56] Council be moved to SEPTEMBER.

[0:57] 30th representation of the

[0:57] first for this evening is Dr

[1:00] actually. Oh, really, the

[1:01] regional health and mental

[1:03] health centers, Dr Overly. We

[1:07] do have a hard copy in our.

[1:08] For both station this evening.

[1:18] DR. We welcome. And DR. We

[1:20] will take. But there questions

[1:20] at the conclusion of your

[1:22] presentation. Yes, that would

[1:29] be great. Thank you so as

[1:30] CHAIRMAN Robinson said, I'm

[1:31] Ashley overly. I'm a

[1:33] psychiatrist and I'm the chief

[1:34] executive officer for Sander

[1:36] Eskenazi Mental Health Center.

[1:38] I'm here tonight representing

[1:40] the Marion County Community,

[1:41] Mental health centers to talk

[1:44] to you about the scope of our

[1:45] services here in Marion County

[1:46] and the impact that our

[1:47] services have on our

[1:49] community. So these are the 4

[1:51] community mental health

[1:52] centers that operate within

[1:54] Marion County. We have

[1:55] Centerstone say dress can, as

[1:56] you know, health center, the

[1:57] Spire and Community Health

[1:59] network. Very grateful to many

[2:01] of my colleagues from these

[2:02] institutions who are here to

[2:02] participate tonight as well.

[2:07] So I know we are in budget

[2:10] season. So I do want to

[2:10] acknowledge the statutory

[2:11] authority for funding of

[2:13] community mental health

[2:16] centers from the counties.

[2:17] There is a formula that is

[2:20] established in statute that

[2:21] defines county funding for

[2:23] community mental health

[2:25] centers. And while I

[2:25] understand that looking at it

[2:27] MAY feel like an expensive

[2:29] line item but also want to

[2:29] acknowledge the finding of the

[2:32] Indiana Behavioral Health

[2:35] Commission that found in 2022.

[2:38] That untreated mental illness

[2:40] cost the state 4.2 billion

[2:42] dollars annually. So note that

[2:44] not treating mental illness is

[2:45] also very expensive to our

[2:49] state. So. And I believe that

[2:51] our community recognizes the

[2:52] importance of treating mental

[2:53] illness and making mental

[2:57] health a priority. The Marion

[2:59] County Public Health

[2:59] Department conduct a needs

[3:03] assessment every 3 years to

[3:04] survey our community and

[3:06] identify what Marion County

[3:07] perceives as the most

[3:07] important health facing our

[3:11] community. This year for the

[3:13] first time mental health,

[3:14] depression and suicide were

[3:16] actually listed as the number

[3:18] one priority in our community.

[3:20] This is a very extensive

[3:21] survey that actually surveys

[3:24] over 45,000 Marion County

[3:26] residents. And so I believe

[3:26] that this is a clear

[3:27] indication of the recognition

[3:30] in our community of the

[3:33] importance of this issue. So

[3:35] given that I want to talk a

[3:37] little bit about the scope of

[3:38] our services who we serve in

[3:43] our community. So. This is the

[3:45] collective a number of people

[3:46] that are served by Marion

[3:47] County Community, Mental

[3:50] health each year. So in the

[3:52] past year, collectively, we

[3:53] served over 66,000 individuals

[3:57] with in Marion County. This

[3:59] actually represents almost a

[4:02] 45% increase since 2018. Just

[4:05] a brief note on this number.

[4:05] We do actually expect that

[4:07] this number will decrease next

[4:09] year as community Fairbanks,

[4:10] Behavioral Health will no

[4:11] longer be serving as a

[4:13] community. Mental health

[4:15] center. They will still

[4:15] continue to serve patients and

[4:19] provide mental health services

[4:19] but no longer has a community

[4:20] mental health center. And I

[4:21] will talk more about that

[4:22] transition a little bit later

[4:26] in this presentation. But this

[4:27] is the snapshot of the number

[4:27] of patients that we serve in

[4:31] the past year. In terms of the

[4:33] diagnoses that we are serving.

[4:35] These are the top 5 diagnostic

[4:36] categories for adults. And

[4:38] number one is substance use

[4:42] disorders, followed in order

[4:43] by depressive disorders,

[4:44] common stressor related

[4:45] disorders, anxiety disorders

[4:45] schizophrenia spectrum

[4:49] disorders. For youth. These

[4:51] categories first disruptive

[4:53] impulse control conduct

[4:55] disorders, followed by anxiety

[4:56] and then strawman stress

[4:59] related disorders, depressive

[5:00] disorders, Nora developmental

[5:01] disorders, which is like adhd.

[5:06] So so those trends are very

[5:08] consistent with what we see

[5:10] year-over-year and match what

[5:11] we would expect based on known

[5:12] prevalence is of these

[5:14] illnesses in the community.

[5:15] But something else that's

[5:16] really important that I want

[5:17] to highlight is the social

[5:19] needs of the patients that we

[5:23] serve. And in addition to

[5:24] diagnostic assessment, we also

[5:25] do assessments that help us

[5:28] understand the social needs of

[5:31] our patients. So over a 3rd of

[5:32] our patients experience these

[5:34] different kinds of social

[5:36] needs. So they've residential

[5:37] instability, legal system

[5:39] involvement in food,

[5:41] insecurity. And so this

[5:42] highlights, I believe why it's

[5:44] so important for us is a

[5:44] community mental health center

[5:47] to be looking for. These needs

[5:47] and to be equipped to be able

[5:48] to help address these needs

[5:52] because we know that they are

[5:53] so influential on people's

[5:53] mental health and overall

[5:59] health. This is another

[6:00] important slide that helps

[6:00] illustrate the level of need

[6:02] that we are meeting in the

[6:06] community. So in addition to

[6:07] assessing for diagnoses and

[6:10] social were also assessing

[6:11] what's the appropriate level

[6:13] of service to be providing for

[6:17] our patients. And so we

[6:18] actually stratify people based

[6:18] on the level of of services

[6:21] that they need and what this

[6:24] graph shows is that actually

[6:26] 87% of the people that we

[6:28] serve have needs that exceed

[6:29] what we can actually meet in

[6:32] an outpatient clinic. So they

[6:34] have needs that go beyond

[6:37] simply showing up for

[6:37] medication management and

[6:40] therapy services in an office

[6:41] building and services that

[6:43] actually can meet them out in

[6:46] the community. And so we're

[6:46] providing community-based

[6:48] intensive services and

[6:50] residential services to meet

[6:51] the vast majority of the needs

[6:53] of our patients. And so this,

[6:55] I think highlights part of why

[6:56] that community mental health

[6:58] center infrastructure is so

[6:59] important because we are the

[7:01] institutions that are equipped

[7:03] to be able to meet those needs

[7:06] and uniquely in provide the

[7:07] wraparound services that can

[7:08] help meet that intensity level

[7:12] of need. So this slide

[7:14] illustrates some of the

[7:15] settings of where we are

[7:17] serving people and

[7:17] collectively what we providing

[7:20] in Marion County. So we have

[7:22] 30 outpatient clinics 151

[7:26] hospital beds. We staff in

[7:30] over 160 schools and we have

[7:30] 513 residential beds. And so

[7:31] this is just a snapshot that

[7:34] helps you see how many people

[7:36] were serving in each of those

[7:37] settings. These are not on

[7:40] duplicated numbers. So some

[7:40] people MAY be receiving

[7:42] services in multiple different

[7:42] locations. But this at least

[7:45] gives you some of the scope of

[7:45] of where we're providing those

[7:51] services. This slide is really

[7:53] important because this

[7:54] demonstrates really where our

[7:56] primary sources of support are

[7:58] to be able to provide these

[7:59] services. So as you can see

[8:03] Medicaid and hip and together

[8:05] provide about 62% of our

[8:10] revenue in support one trend

[8:12] that I do want to point out

[8:15] here is that our Medicaid

[8:15] person has decreased last

[8:18] year. Medicaid was 47%. This

[8:23] year is 43% are self pay has

[8:24] doubled last year. This was

[8:27] 3.4% this year to 7%.

[8:28] Important to note that most of

[8:30] the people who are self pay do

[8:33] not have another source of

[8:36] support. And so most of those

[8:38] are individuals that that are

[8:39] struggle to be able to pay for

[8:43] their medical so I think the

[8:43] important thing from this

[8:47] slide was noting that has

[8:48] those other resources

[8:50] decrease. This puts additional

[8:51] strain on local resources to

[8:54] be able to continue to fill in

[8:55] those gaps make sure that

[8:58] people continue to receive

[8:59] care community, mental health

[9:02] centers together provide over

[9:02] 32 million dollars in charity

[9:04] care to Marion County

[9:06] residents. And I do want to

[9:07] point out as well that even

[9:08] though these are important

[9:08] sources of support for

[9:10] community mental health

[9:11] centers, we all have an

[9:12] obligation to serve people

[9:15] regardless of their pay so we

[9:16] provide the same level of

[9:18] service to people regardless

[9:19] of what kind of insurance they

[9:25] have. I also want to note that

[9:26] community engagement is a

[9:27] really important part of what

[9:28] it means to be a community.

[9:31] Mental health center. So

[9:32] together, our community,

[9:33] mental health centers

[9:37] participated in 354 and

[9:37] outreach and community

[9:40] engagement last year. So this

[9:42] includes everything from like

[9:42] providing educational

[9:46] presentations or tabling at

[9:49] outreach events. Media events

[9:50] providing different different

[9:51] out outreach is and

[9:53] participating as sponsors and

[9:55] different events. And so this

[9:56] we believe is a really

[9:58] important part of our identity

[9:59] and mission as a community.

[10:01] Mental health center is really

[10:02] engaging actively with the

[10:05] community being present,

[10:07] knowing our neighbors, knowing

[10:09] our partners and and really

[10:12] showing up in order to create

[10:13] the relationships that help us

[10:14] help us break down barriers

[10:17] for our community. So we know

[10:18] that even though we have a lot

[10:19] of resources to offer his

[10:20] community, mental health

[10:22] centers, there's no single

[10:23] institution that has

[10:25] everything that anyone person

[10:26] needs. And so it's really

[10:27] important for us to be

[10:28] partnering with other

[10:32] institutions in the community.

[10:34] I want to spend a few minutes

[10:36] talking about crisis services

[10:39] here. What you are looking at

[10:42] right now is state dashboard.

[10:44] The state has re very recently

[10:46] developed a dashboard those

[10:47] publicly available at the

[10:50] website that's listed here

[10:53] where you look the services

[10:54] across the spectrum of crisis

[10:58] services in so we like to

[11:00] describe the full continuum of

[11:02] crisis services as really 3

[11:04] pillars of meeting someone to

[11:05] contact someone to call

[11:08] someone to respond and and

[11:10] also a safe place to go for

[11:12] help. And so this dashboard

[11:15] looks at and reports the

[11:17] volume of care in each of

[11:18] those different categories.

[11:21] And so what you can see here

[11:23] is the increase in volume of

[11:26] calls to 9, 8, since 2023,

[11:27] which is one 90 date was

[11:28] introduced nationally. So in

[11:33] and in the state of Indiana.

[11:34] What we see here is the

[11:38] someone to respond. And so

[11:40] since JULY of 25 to JUNE of

[11:45] 26, we've had over 1300

[11:46] dispatches across. When you

[11:47] look at those provide

[11:48] community mental health

[11:51] centers, some of our senator

[11:51] served more than one county.

[11:52] And that's why we've got more

[11:54] than one county highlighted

[11:57] here. But specifically with in

[11:58] Marion County, the ccb

[12:00] agencies provide 24 7 mobile

[12:01] crisis coverage with 14

[12:04] different mobile teams that

[12:08] are dispatched by 9.88 So and

[12:08] that's part of the requirement

[12:12] of being a cc Ph d. And then

[12:13] next, we also have a safe

[12:17] place for help. And so this is

[12:17] a crisis is not able to be

[12:20] resolved on the phone, not

[12:21] able to be resolved on site

[12:25] with mobile team responding

[12:25] and then we need to have

[12:28] somewhere that person can go

[12:30] and these are not emergency

[12:33] departments. These are

[12:35] dedicated purpose-built

[12:36] psychiatric emergency

[12:36] services. They're called

[12:39] crisis receiving in

[12:40] stabilization services and

[12:42] they are created specifically

[12:46] for mental health crises. And

[12:47] frequently integrate the use

[12:48] peer recovery specialist are

[12:50] very focused on creating safe

[12:51] spaces for people with mental

[12:57] health crises. And again, all

[12:58] of these are available

[13:00] publicly on the state mental

[13:01] health Earth's to the state

[13:03] crisis dashboard. I think the

[13:05] thing that I would like to

[13:08] highlight here is that these

[13:10] crisis services, someone to

[13:12] respond and the safe place to

[13:13] for help. Our very

[13:14] specifically unique resources

[13:16] that are created with the

[13:17] certified Community,

[13:18] Behavioral Health Clinic,

[13:21] where Ccb hc, which is a state

[13:23] Medicaid pilot. But I also

[13:24] talk about a little bit later

[13:26] in the program are in the

[13:27] presentation here. But it's

[13:30] important, I think to note

[13:31] that without connecting crisis

[13:37] resources, 2 continuum of out

[13:38] patient ongoing chronic care

[13:40] management through this ecb,

[13:41] hc, those crisis services

[13:43] really are a bridge to

[13:44] nowhere. So it's very

[13:46] important that we have not

[13:48] stand alone. Crisis services,

[13:49] but crisis services that are

[13:51] integrated into a continuum

[13:55] services that can help prevent

[13:55] crises and also help follow-up

[13:58] after crisis has happened. And

[13:59] so I think that's the doubt

[14:02] part of the value and the

[14:03] beauty of this ecb hca system

[14:03] is really helping integrate

[14:07] those crisis services into a

[14:07] system that can that can do

[14:13] that. Long-term. Feel so have

[14:15] some important transitions in

[14:16] mental health service delivery

[14:17] in our county that I want to

[14:21] talk about right now as well.

[14:23] Importantly, I will announce

[14:27] that adult and child is now

[14:28] Centerstone. So adult and

[14:31] child in completed a merger on

[14:33] November. 3rd, it is important

[14:36] to note that locations that

[14:38] and the staff are still in

[14:40] place. So kind. New ad of care

[14:43] is definitely a priority. And

[14:45] this transition and so

[14:46] locations and staff are still

[14:49] in place. There's no change

[14:50] there. But now rather than

[14:51] being granted as adult and

[14:55] child. This is now Centerstone

[14:58] Centerstone is now the largest

[15:00] out patient nonprofit mental

[15:01] health provider in the

[15:05] country. As a matter of fact.

[15:06] Another important change

[15:09] that's happened in our county

[15:11] is that community Health

[15:13] network announced in DECEMBER

[15:14] that they were no longer going

[15:16] to no longer going to be

[15:17] providing services as a

[15:19] community mental health center

[15:21] anymore. So this left the

[15:24] state with an obligation to

[15:25] designate a new community.

[15:26] Mental health center for

[15:30] Warren and Lawrence townships,

[15:30] which historically have been

[15:33] served by community Fairbanks,

[15:33] Behavioral Health as the cmhc

[15:38] for those areas. And in

[15:39] collaboration actually with

[15:43] the City County Council. And I

[15:44] want to thank both John Barth

[15:45] and Maggie Lewis for their

[15:48] collaboration with the state,

[15:50] the State Division of Mental

[15:53] Health and Addiction named

[15:54] Sandra Eskenazi Mental Health

[15:55] Center as the New Community

[15:55] Mental Health Center for

[15:59] Warren and wants townships.

[16:01] And so at this time, those

[16:02] townships have transitioned

[16:03] into Sanders Mental Health

[16:06] center. And so we continue to

[16:08] provide the community mental

[16:09] health center services that

[16:11] were previously provided by

[16:12] community. Think it's also

[16:14] important to note that even

[16:15] though community won't be

[16:15] operating as a community,

[16:17] mental health center, they

[16:19] will continue to operate a

[16:22] significant amount of

[16:23] inpatient services some

[16:24] outpatient mental health

[16:27] services as well. They'll also

[16:28] breaking ground for a new

[16:31] mental health hospital towards

[16:38] the end of SEPTEMBER. So those

[16:41] are some of the changes to the

[16:42] service providers. I had

[16:43] mentioned earlier that I would

[16:46] talk little bit more about cc

[16:47] Beach Sea. I think statewide

[16:49] on this is really one of the

[16:50] most important developments in

[16:52] mental health service

[16:54] delivery. And so want to keep

[16:57] you posted on on where this is

[17:00] right now. So the state has

[17:01] launched a pilot of the cc

[17:01] Beach. See the certified

[17:05] Community Behavioral Health

[17:08] Clinic in 2025, this is a

[17:09] four-year pilot that goes from

[17:12] 2025. Until 2028. What cc

[17:14] Beach see is is a federal

[17:16] definition of the standard of

[17:17] care for community mental

[17:18] health services and a model

[17:23] for reimbursing those services

[17:24] that assures that charge our

[17:25] standard of care is a line on

[17:29] really across the country. And

[17:31] the and the state of Indiana.

[17:34] We have 8 organizations that

[17:37] are piloting through our state

[17:39] Medicaid program and we are

[17:40] seeing some really promising

[17:41] things already through this

[17:44] pilot. And so some of the very

[17:46] specific things that we are

[17:49] accountable for as acc Bhc are

[17:53] providing same day access to

[17:56] care, providing services

[17:56] initiating services within 10

[17:58] days of the request for

[18:01] services. So this is a very

[18:02] specific expectation that was

[18:04] not present for Cmh sees that

[18:06] is present for cc ph sees. So

[18:09] see chc introduces new, all

[18:13] the metrics and the

[18:14] expectation for additional

[18:15] evidence based practice

[18:18] implementation that goes above

[18:19] and beyond what the cmhc is

[18:23] have been expected to So we've

[18:24] already seen improvements

[18:26] access to care, improved

[18:29] access to substance use

[18:30] disorders, increased outreach

[18:33] and engagement with criminal

[18:35] justice partners to improve

[18:35] outreach in collaboration with

[18:38] the criminal legal system and

[18:39] also increased partnerships to

[18:43] help address homelessness. And

[18:45] so we believe that this ecb hc

[18:47] program does offer a in terms

[18:48] of improving and increasing

[18:51] the standard of care. The

[18:52] mission is the same. As for

[18:56] the cmhc system. But it's an

[18:59] additional enhancement in the

[19:00] investment for mental health

[19:01] services. So we are

[19:04] enthusiastic supporters of it

[19:05] hope to see this expand

[19:13] statewide. So so. I I this

[19:15] also again, ties back to the

[19:18] crisis because crisis services

[19:19] are something that are not

[19:19] resource under the community.

[19:22] Mental health center system

[19:24] but are resourced under the

[19:26] ccbc system. And so being able

[19:29] to maintain and continue those

[19:30] crisis services. It's

[19:33] something that an important

[19:34] reason that is important for

[19:36] cc Beachy to continue and

[19:39] expand. So we are enthusiastic

[19:43] about the future for Bhc. And

[19:45] then finally, I do want to

[19:47] thank George Heard he's vice

[19:48] president of behavioral health

[19:49] for Community Fairbanks,

[19:52] Behavioral Health. And as I

[19:53] mentioned, as community will

[19:54] be transitioning away from

[19:57] being a community mental

[19:58] health center. Nonetheless

[20:00] want to make knowledge George

[20:01] herds contributions to our

[20:03] community, mental health

[20:06] center system and his advocacy

[20:06] for mental health. And I want

[20:08] to appreciate his partnership

[20:09] and collaboration over many,

[20:11] many years. He's worked very

[20:13] closely with us on many

[20:16] important projects. Grateful

[20:17] for his his passion and

[20:17] advocacy for our patients and

[20:21] for our community and and have

[20:22] huge respect for him as a

[20:25] leader and has a mental health

[20:25] advocate. So this will

[20:27] actually be his last public

[20:29] safety meeting to be at since

[20:30] he will no longer be

[20:31] representing a community

[20:33] mental health center. But I

[20:37] know that he will continue to

[20:38] be a positive advocate for

[20:38] mental health in our

[20:39] community. So certainly want

[20:40] to thank you and appreciate

[20:44] his contributions to. And that

[20:52] concludes my presentation

[20:52] thank you, Doctor, overly you

[20:53] always do a great job versus

[20:57] you sharing your 2027 items

[20:57] with comes to question Dr

[21:00] with. From the committee

[21:03] council Boots. Welcome. Thank

[21:06] you, MR. CHAIRMAN, I have 3

[21:07] questions my to and then you

[21:15] come back. Counselor. DR.

[21:16] Really good to see Thanks for

[21:21] all your work. Can you explain

[21:22] what does it mean practically

[21:23] that community health is no

[21:24] longer the community mental

[21:24] health center, but still going

[21:26] to be serving inpatient,

[21:30] mental health patients. So

[21:31] in-patient services, in fact,

[21:33] are not actually a formal part

[21:35] of the community. Mental

[21:38] health center definition. And

[21:39] so many and many community

[21:41] mental health centers actually

[21:43] don't have in-patient mental

[21:46] health services. We happened

[21:47] to. But that's not because

[21:49] it's a requirement of the seam

[21:49] agencies so they will continue

[21:52] to provide their inpatient

[21:55] services but they will not be

[21:56] beholden to provide kind of

[21:57] that full spectrum of cmhc

[22:00] outpatient services. That

[22:02] includes requirements of who

[22:05] they see and what kind of wrap

[22:05] around in support of services

[22:11] they provide. So Secondly, you

[22:12] know, historically we've

[22:13] always been concerned that the

[22:14] county jail is the biggest

[22:15] provider of mental health

[22:18] services in the county. Is

[22:21] there been any progress made

[22:21] or any efforts made to reduce

[22:26] that trend? Well, I think that

[22:27] cc Bhc is a promising pathway

[22:32] in order to doing that. And

[22:34] it's so tc Bhc places, an

[22:35] expectation that we are

[22:38] collaborating with criminal

[22:40] justice partners. And think

[22:44] it's that is a very

[22:45] multifactorial problem. The

[22:46] fact the number of middle

[22:47] individuals with mental health

[22:51] in the jail. And and so we

[22:52] there's no I would not say

[22:52] that there's measurable

[22:55] reduction of that at this

[22:56] time. But I do think that cc

[23:01] Bhc is a vehicle that gives us

[23:02] greater ability to measure

[23:06] that over time and also places

[23:08] more specific expectations

[23:10] about creating liaisons and

[23:13] partnerships with that Ccb, 80

[23:14] resources, the ability for us

[23:16] to hire staff to be those

[23:18] liaisons to work with the

[23:20] jail. So there are people on

[23:21] site at the jail that part of

[23:26] your network. We have a grant

[23:28] that facilitates that. But we

[23:29] use what cc Bhc allows is that

[23:33] we have zahnd who coordinate

[23:34] with criminal justice partners

[23:36] and so who can be available to

[23:37] attend meetings and talk to

[23:40] talk to their staff and

[23:41] communicate with community

[23:44] corrections and help make sure

[23:45] that people are getting

[23:46] connected with care. Not kind

[23:47] got to drop through cracks.

[23:52] Okay. Finally. Are there any

[23:57] effort from the your group for

[23:58] providing any mental health

[23:59] services in for the local

[24:03] flood relief. Recovery. There

[24:03] are several of us that are

[24:04] heavily involved in that. I've

[24:06] yet to see anything from the

[24:08] mental health service side

[24:13] into the picture. So actually,

[24:14] I'm going to turn to my

[24:17] friends over here. Is anyone

[24:18] familiar with efforts through

[24:32] rest area? 5, perhaps so. And

[24:34] some of the areas serving from

[24:37] Centerstone Rabbi So yeah,

[24:41] several areas we have deployed

[24:42] crisis teams and folks out in

[24:45] community, some of more world

[24:47] we also serve on the side of

[24:49] the state. And so we're

[24:50] deploying in those scenarios

[24:53] being response to being

[24:53] available, just just being

[24:54] present for those folks that

[24:56] need need support. Is there

[24:58] any effort right here in

[25:00] Marion County? Didn't have Not

[25:05] immediately where at. We'll be

[25:06] in touch somebody or

[25:10] equipment. Thank you because

[25:11] just want thank you council.

[25:11] This comes to questions for

[25:15] DR. You know, when the

[25:15] audience speak to this

[25:17] presentation from Doctor Lee.

[25:28] Thank you, DR. Appreciate Up

[25:28] next in the final positions,

[25:29] even as the Office Public

[25:33] Health and Safety Director

[25:34] Andrew Merkley and covid Duffy

[25:48] come forward. Please.

[26:07] Director

[26:16] Mark. I'm never ready. Well,

[26:17] good evening, MR. CHAIRMAN

[26:19] members of the committee,

[26:21] thank you for the opportunity

[26:21] this evening to present. Okay.

[26:25] Just as 2027 budget proposal.

[26:26] My name is Andrew Merkley and

[26:27] the director of the Office of

[26:29] Public Health and Safety. And

[26:30] I'm joined tonight by current

[26:35] the our cfo. I also want to

[26:36] think before you get started,

[26:38] phs they have. Over the last

[26:39] year, there's been a lot of

[26:42] adversity that we've that

[26:43] we've worked they worked very

[26:48] hard to achieve the goals that

[26:49] we've set for them and this

[26:55] and you'll see that throughout

[26:56] I want to take our lead. And

[26:56] Brian Heineman Hannah, the

[26:58] school for their work on this

[26:59] presentation, countless hours

[27:01] put into that and various

[27:01] partners that are here this

[27:07] evening. I am proud to present

[27:08] this budget. This 29.6 million

[27:13] dollar budget proposal while

[27:13] it is an increase over last

[27:16] year's budget. That increase

[27:20] reflects. Opioid and economic

[27:22] enhancement district dollars

[27:24] that are being contributed to

[27:24] operations of the future.

[27:29] Housing help. And so actually,

[27:29] our Consolidated County budget

[27:31] is lower this year than it was

[27:32] last year. About $162,000

[27:36] less. This is representative

[27:39] of our response to the audit.

[27:40] We've taken a very hard look

[27:42] at our programs and we have

[27:49] done a great job of. Reducing

[27:49] and realigning programs to

[27:50] ensure effectiveness and

[27:57] efficacy. The mission of the

[27:58] office is to reduce violent

[27:58] crime by addressing the root

[28:02] causes of crime. And we do

[28:02] that. Are 5 divisions which

[28:05] are separated into 2.

[28:06] Umbrellas, a public health and

[28:13] public safety. Here for you is

[28:14] the structure of our staff and

[28:17] our agency. We separate staff

[28:18] into 2 programmatic areas,

[28:21] public health public safety.

[28:23] And each of our programmatic

[28:24] divisions is led by an

[28:24] administrator. We also have

[28:27] our 3 other exhilarating

[28:29] divisions, communications

[28:30] finance and our strategic

[28:34] initiatives Division. We have

[28:35] 30 authorized positions. 27

[28:40] are filled and 3 vacancies.

[28:41] Okay. Just is predominantly

[28:44] female and non-white. That

[28:46] holds true for all of most of

[28:46] our employees in at the

[28:50] management level. And now I

[28:51] will turn it over car. Let's

[28:53] who We just threw the budget

[28:59] numbers. Good evening,

[29:04] everyone. The 4 current rates

[29:05] awarded to the Office Public

[29:12] Safety. Through the assistance

[29:14] cows in Carson's office. He's

[29:17] a congressional earmark and

[29:18] that the award for that

[29:23] amount, $963,000. That grant

[29:27] 2027 SEPTEMBER of 2027. There

[29:29] are no match requirements. It

[29:32] is supporting the work of our

[29:36] DVRs programming We hope will

[29:36] actually will sustain that

[29:41] work after the grant by

[29:42] including it into our either

[29:48] our Programmatic structures in

[29:55] or are contractual. Services.

[29:56] Our overall gross budget

[30:02] breakdown funds. Reflects an

[30:04] increase 1 million, $618,780

[30:13] across all characters. The

[30:14] total approve consolidate

[30:17] county budget for 2026. Was

[30:21] 22 Million. 504,002 3, $1. The

[30:22] total proposed budget for 27

[30:30] is 22 Million. 341 dollars.

[30:30] $341,007.4 774 reflecting a

[30:35] variance of 162,000. 457.

[30:36] Difference, the negative

[30:44] between the 2 years.

[30:47] Character, one changes.

[30:49] Character. One covers all

[30:51] personnel. Is a net budget.

[30:59] Decrease of 112 $1000.

[31:02] $12,568. This is reflected by

[31:05] moving of 5 veteran service

[31:08] officers or employees transfer

[31:12] to the mayor's office budget.

[31:16] Budget funds, 3% increase in

[31:19] cola increases and one percent

[31:22] increase in health insurance.

[31:24] Also a step in great. Crease

[31:27] of 8, a 3,100. The budget

[31:29] breakdown for to which covers

[31:31] agency supplies. There are no

[31:32] changes to page's character to

[31:36] budget from 2026. Budget

[31:37] breakdown for character. 3

[31:40] care to 3 which covers

[31:42] Services reflects the total

[31:45] budget increase of 1 million,

[31:47] 736,377 dollars increases

[31:50] include the 1 million, 781,207

[31:52] dollars in opioid settlement

[31:53] funding and 1 million to the

[31:56] fall. County, which includes

[31:57] support from the economic and

[32:00] has been district. New

[32:03] violence reduction team

[32:06] reflects a movement of 216,000

[32:07] from the administrative budget

[32:09] to for prevention services

[32:10] increase of 100,000 for the

[32:17] Nationals to protest or form.

[32:20] The funds it that are charged,

[32:21] increases and decreases

[32:23] include a budget increase of

[32:24] $21,405 for ice. A computer

[32:27] service charges. But increase

[32:30] of $10,145 for I say, phone

[32:32] charges, a budget decrease of

[32:38] 160,000 781 for story. Rant,

[32:40] additional decreases include

[32:43] 300,000 pitches. Be Watt and

[32:44] added to Marion County.

[32:47] Prosecutors budget 27 budget.

[32:48] We've been engaged center at

[32:52] the ice reflects a $57,000 $24

[32:52] decrease to operational

[32:56] budget. Cb rt, which is

[32:57] actually in violence reduction

[33:03] team. $50,000 addition to Icr.

[33:06] For administrative Budget

[33:06] 300,000 total reduction in

[33:11] immigrant legal services.

[33:12] 100,000 a reduction in food

[33:14] services for the live program.

[33:15] And reduction in

[33:21] administration. 2027 re-entry.

[33:25] Really stopping. Kirk to 4

[33:27] which covers agency equipment.

[33:29] There are no changes to the

[33:30] operate. Cage's character for

[33:35] funding. For character 5.

[33:38] Covers our fleet Services. An

[33:39] officer corporation counsel

[33:42] charge backs. For free

[33:44] services were reflecting

[33:46] decrease of $5,949 for fleet

[33:49] service occ increases. By

[33:55] $920. All right. Well, thank

[33:59] you, Colette for overview. Now

[34:00] we will be diving in to take a

[34:01] deeper look at each of our

[34:02] divisions in the per the

[34:03] programs that those divisions

[34:08] operate. Throughout this

[34:09] presentation. You will see the

[34:09] character, one character 3 for

[34:12] most of our programs. However,

[34:12] there are some fluctuations in

[34:16] the character. One. And those

[34:17] are emblematic of the fact

[34:18] that this is still

[34:18] programmatic budgeting is

[34:21] still a pilot program. We have

[34:23] several new program codes as

[34:25] well. And many of the people

[34:27] that work on these programs

[34:28] spanned different divisions.

[34:30] So we're still working with

[34:32] them to make sure that we are

[34:34] a lot the appropriate amount

[34:35] of time of each individual's

[34:40] time to the various programs.

[34:40] We're starting with the House

[34:41] and the Homelessness and

[34:44] addiction Prevention division,

[34:45] which seen its largest budget

[34:48] to date with this proposal,

[34:48] which reflects that increase

[34:53] of the housing hub. Last year.

[34:55] We've asked each of divisions

[34:56] to identify the mission of

[34:57] their division and how that

[34:57] relates back to the mission

[35:00] Phs. And so we'll all be

[35:00] providing with each of those

[35:04] mission statements tonight.

[35:05] The mission homelessness and

[35:06] eviction prevention division

[35:08] as as we affectionately call

[35:10] hat, it's improved the quality

[35:12] of life for those facing

[35:13] housing, instability and

[35:13] unsheltered homelessness by

[35:14] supporting residents facing

[35:17] eviction and facilitating

[35:17] connectivity to resources for

[35:22] Unhoused neighbors. The

[35:23] homeless is an eviction

[35:25] prevention team has I just

[35:28] want to thank them quickly

[35:29] because they I have dealt with

[35:32] a lot of changes this year.

[35:33] We've emerged sorry, fiction,

[35:33] diversion services with

[35:37] another county program. We

[35:38] have kind of indoctrinated

[35:41] into streets to homework,

[35:42] helping to clean camps in

[35:43] clothes. Then after we've

[35:44] housed everyone, which is a

[35:47] new program, ends, we piloted

[35:48] a new Winter Contingency

[35:49] project. So thank you to that

[35:55] team. The team primarily is

[35:56] when that when they're out in

[35:57] the community, they are

[35:59] working with directly with

[36:00] individuals, whether that's in

[36:01] the courts or with our

[36:05] unsheltered neighbors. But

[36:06] they participating in some

[36:08] other events as well. And this

[36:08] year, in partnership with our

[36:12] legal aid Partners hosted

[36:13] education event inform tenants

[36:14] of their rights and provide

[36:15] resources to them. And we have

[36:16] another one of those planned

[36:21] this fall. They're also

[36:22] tabling multiple community

[36:23] events and they'll be

[36:24] partnering with our food team

[36:25] next month to have a

[36:26] conversation with our

[36:26] neighbors, about housing,

[36:28] instability and food

[36:29] insecurity considering the

[36:36] recent staff changes. Want to

[36:39] start with our Winter

[36:39] contingency program from this

[36:40] last season. You all received

[36:43] the report that we put out and

[36:44] it's available on our website,

[36:45] but really, really proud of

[36:48] the success is this winter. We

[36:51] provided shelter to over 1100

[36:52] individuals across the 3 sites

[36:54] that we operate in partnership

[36:55] with Aspire Indiana, helping

[36:58] cannot see. We were able to

[36:58] connect 48 households to

[37:01] permanent housing. In our

[37:02] overnight warming center was

[37:05] opened 50 nights in 30 days,

[37:06] which is far more than we had

[37:07] in previous winters. We did

[37:10] that by increasing the the

[37:11] threshold for that pilot from

[37:12] negative 15 degree windchill

[37:17] to 25 degree air temperature.

[37:18] This budget also reflects for

[37:21] the first time devoting

[37:23] committing a portion of the

[37:24] eye sees operational dollars

[37:28] to winter contingency and the

[37:29] fiscal that's running

[37:30] alongside this budget will

[37:31] include 2.2 million dollars

[37:32] for build out of the

[37:33] assessment and Intervention

[37:34] Center, the shelf space.

[37:36] That's there that has not been

[37:38] built out. And so in future

[37:40] winters by neck by 2027. 28.

[37:41] When are we hope to have that

[37:43] facility available with 60

[37:45] beds to serve in the winter

[37:45] contingency and whether

[37:51] contingency framework. Another

[37:52] real-time example of how these

[37:53] facilities have been helpful

[37:56] from whether contingent

[37:58] perspective is that we were

[37:59] able to operation allies, the

[38:01] should the family shelter tips

[38:02] during the previous the

[38:02] flooding event that we just

[38:06] experienced. And what I think

[38:08] the team and multiple

[38:09] directors from the from the

[38:10] administration who helped

[38:10] operate that facility over the

[38:14] weekend. We also paid for

[38:15] tells fruit, for families with

[38:16] pets. And so we're able make

[38:21] sure folks have shelter. Last

[38:22] Phs interpreters and they said

[38:22] provided food for workers and

[38:25] volunteers in Riverwood Park.

[38:26] And this coming weekend we

[38:26] will be participating in the

[38:30] resource fair and open house

[38:32] providing again food and are

[38:33] still see. Our team will be in

[38:34] attendance to assist with

[38:34] those behavior health

[38:35] challenges that you addressed.

[38:42] Council boots. Here on the

[38:44] screen is one of our many

[38:45] public facing dashboards that

[38:46] we're creating for our

[38:50] programs. This tab is our

[38:52] family and single women

[38:53] shelter. Winter Contingencies

[38:57] page that you can see. And I

[38:59] just want highlight here all

[39:00] the various resources that

[39:01] aspires providing to our

[39:03] neighbors when Aaron Shelter.

[39:04] As well as the average length

[39:06] of stay being 36 days. I

[39:10] believe that's that's a lot

[39:11] shorter than what a family

[39:11] would experience in one of our

[39:15] regular shelters. We served

[39:16] 160 households there, which is

[39:19] more than last winter. And I

[39:20] think that's a critical piece

[39:23] of data because we were open

[39:24] one last one month less this

[39:25] season and we worked the

[39:30] previous seasons. This is our

[39:34] pilot overnight warming center

[39:35] We served almost 400

[39:38] individuals at that location

[39:39] offering similar types of

[39:42] referrals and resources. And

[39:43] we were also able to create

[39:45] this heat map that you see the

[39:47] calendar and what that shows

[39:47] is the number of individuals

[39:49] in the shelter on any given

[39:51] night. And when we were open

[39:52] that last week of the month in

[39:54] JANUARY was the polar vortex.

[39:57] And that demonstrates when we

[39:59] we had 160 individuals in the

[40:01] facility, which is more than

[40:02] double the number of of of

[40:02] individuals that we were

[40:04] supposed to serve at that

[40:06] location. We did that because

[40:09] our partners in peace ph a

[40:10] staff worked overnight

[40:11] throughout that week in order

[40:12] to help assist aspire, make

[40:13] sure that keep our neighbors

[40:20] safe. As I stated, we merged

[40:22] our eviction Diversion

[40:23] Initiative, which was formerly

[40:24] known as the tenant advocacy

[40:26] project with the Lawrence

[40:27] Township, Eviction Diversion,

[40:30] initiative this year. And

[40:31] through that merger, we

[40:32] continue to provide services

[40:33] in all 9 Marin County, small

[40:34] claims courts as well as the

[40:38] Marin County Superior Court.

[40:39] This year. We provided more

[40:40] than 9,000 hours of legal aid

[40:42] to earn 8 to 10. It's here in

[40:44] Marion County and we've

[40:45] connected 842 households to

[40:48] navigation services. I did

[40:50] want to know one challenge

[40:51] that continues for us. And

[40:53] that is being able to track an

[40:54] individual from the moment.

[40:55] They either call the Mayor's

[40:58] Action Center or they appear

[41:01] in court throughout the

[41:02] process to make sure deal to

[41:03] tell you all how we're doing

[41:05] when it comes to diverting in

[41:07] eviction. And so we are

[41:07] working. Our team is working

[41:09] really hard. And I can not say

[41:11] that today. They've identified

[41:12] a program that we MAY be able

[41:13] to use that will help us to

[41:18] track those individuals. Our

[41:19] pathway to employment program,

[41:20] which began back in 2019,

[41:22] continues to operate and we

[41:27] are focusing more on.

[41:28] Individual outcomes. And so

[41:29] what this program does is it

[41:31] connects individuals that are

[41:31] participating with full-time

[41:32] employment after they

[41:36] completed the program. And in

[41:37] this in connection with

[41:37] Industry-recognized

[41:38] credentials as well as

[41:41] permanent housing. This year.

[41:42] We've we were we've been able

[41:45] to connect 66 individuals, 2,

[41:48] at least 2 credentials or

[41:49] more. 54 have obtained

[41:50] full-time employment and 10

[41:55] have secured housing. Okay. So

[41:56] that's what I'm really excited

[41:57] about that. A long time

[41:59] coming. The housing hub is

[42:02] under construction in on your

[42:02] screen is an aerial view from

[42:05] Monday of this week. As you

[42:06] can see, we've we've been

[42:10] working on preparing the site

[42:11] for Footers and we drainage

[42:15] has been install. I'm told we

[42:16] should have parking lots and

[42:17] curbs here in the next couple

[42:19] of weeks. And we'll see steel

[42:20] coming out of the ground here

[42:26] this fall. We are tracked to

[42:30] open in 2027. And we are

[42:32] continuing to work on

[42:33] constructing pedophiles

[42:36] facility. Have this location

[42:37] which will be another remove

[42:39] another potential barrier for

[42:40] individuals who trying to get

[42:46] out of homelessness. Our He's

[42:49] part of a more holistic vision

[42:49] for ending chronic

[42:50] homelessness. And part of that

[42:51] condition. Part of that is our

[42:52] streets to home in the

[42:55] program. We have a well. Okay.

[42:59] Just is not contribute

[43:00] financially to this program.

[43:01] We we are integral in closing

[43:03] and cleaning up those areas.

[43:05] Where individuals were

[43:07] camping. And since the

[43:08] beginning of the of this

[43:09] program, we have closed 9

[43:10] camps and restored them to

[43:14] public use. This program as

[43:15] about AUGUST versus House,

[43:18] more than 230 individuals. And

[43:19] you'll that number will

[43:20] increase on SEPTEMBER first

[43:20] when the next round of data is

[43:25] released. Chip expects to

[43:25] achieve their initial goal of

[43:27] housing 300 to 350 individuals

[43:28] before the end of this year.

[43:33] In phase one. And phase 2 is

[43:35] focus on stabilization and

[43:36] continued support of those

[43:39] that we've already housed. So

[43:40] face to the city has already

[43:41] committed significant amount

[43:45] of money to initiative at

[43:47] 11 million dollars and 5.9

[43:48] million dollars of that is

[43:49] going towards stabilization of

[43:50] those households that we've

[43:51] already house. Streets to home

[43:55] works. And the addition of

[43:57] this of the new housing hub

[43:58] gets us one step closer to

[43:59] ending unsheltered

[44:04] homelessness Indianapolis. As

[44:05] they discuss. We we are

[44:07] participating in the camp

[44:07] maintenance efforts around

[44:08] streets to home. And so we

[44:09] continue to fund that effort

[44:09] in this and this future

[44:12] budget. This year we've

[44:15] cleaned 5 encampments. As part

[44:19] of streets to home. And our

[44:20] partners have spent more than

[44:23] 220 hours clean. Those camps.

[44:27] This on your screen is is a

[44:28] camp known Dakota and it is on

[44:28] the south side of the city

[44:32] along the river. I think, you

[44:33] know, when we think about the

[44:34] floods that occurred last

[44:37] week, if we had not been able

[44:38] to restore the spirit of

[44:40] camping in house, these

[44:40] individuals, we MAY have seen

[44:41] a very different outcome for

[44:43] neighbors who are living along

[44:44] the river and are our

[44:45] neighbors down south of the

[44:48] river. Seen all this debris

[44:50] floating down toward that. So

[44:51] this is a really great effort

[44:55] by our team in a phs. Finally

[44:56] for have we continue to

[44:59] operate or public restroom

[45:00] facilities. And we are looking

[45:01] at a new location to move one

[45:07] of those restrooms. Moving to

[45:14] behavioral health. Excuse me.

[45:15] Their budget remains

[45:16] relatively the same as it has

[45:19] in the past. And the mission

[45:20] of our behavioral health team

[45:22] is to enhance community mental

[45:22] wellness and address barriers

[45:24] to care for all by connecting

[45:25] residents to timely and

[45:26] appropriate behavioral health

[45:30] and substance. You support

[45:31] with the aim of reducing

[45:31] unnecessary justice system

[45:33] involvement and expanding

[45:33] access to culturally competent

[45:38] services. I want to take just

[45:42] a second to thank should the

[45:42] and show on the behavior

[45:44] health team. They have been

[45:47] instrumental in. Thinking

[45:48] outside the box when it comes

[45:49] to engagement around

[45:51] behavioral health, they

[45:53] identified that are the

[45:54] assessment Intervention Center

[45:55] and clinician lead community

[45:57] response and just behavior

[45:58] health in general. There's

[45:59] enough awareness around that.

[46:02] And so they have taking upon

[46:03] themselves in partnership with

[46:05] our communications team to

[46:06] really double down on our

[46:11] awareness campaigns they

[46:12] posted a series of mental

[46:13] health first aid trainings and

[46:13] they've all been trained in

[46:15] mental health. First aid.

[46:16] Those trains have been

[46:17] provided to other agencies are

[46:19] in the city. We're expanding

[46:20] to other public part partners

[46:25] on the public. In MAY we the

[46:26] endeavor to put an extensive

[46:28] campaign for mental Health

[46:30] awareness Month. The dyeing

[46:31] the canal Green with the cold

[46:34] in partnership with the Colts

[46:35] and hosting you forums to

[46:36] understand how behavioral

[46:37] health is impacting our youth.

[46:38] have another one of those

[46:39] coming in SEPTEMBER during to

[46:49] side Awareness Month. The

[46:49] assessment interventions that

[46:51] Ruben Engagement Center

[46:51] continues operate. 24 7 in

[46:52] partnership with the skin on

[46:54] health, providing mental

[46:54] health addiction and

[46:58] homelessness supports. We have

[46:59] seen an increase utilization

[47:01] of beds for the everyman

[47:02] engagement side of the

[47:04] facility. So just to back up a

[47:06] second, we have recently.

[47:09] They're 60 beds at the

[47:11] facility and we since Winter

[47:12] contingency maintain 30 of

[47:15] those beds for unsheltered

[47:16] neighbors. So we've seen an

[47:17] increase utilization both on

[47:19] the what we're calling safe.

[47:19] Space side of the facility.

[47:23] Those 30 beds and increased

[47:24] sustained use of Ruben

[47:25] Engagement Center beds. Those

[47:30] 30 bets. There. We have served

[47:32] more than 70 individuals with

[47:34] a safe space beds since

[47:36] creating those that's 4 insult

[47:37] or neighbors. And as we

[47:39] continue to make improvements

[47:40] that expand, who can we can

[47:43] refer to those beds. We will

[47:47] see utilization in the future.

[47:49] We've also been able to link

[47:50] 350 individuals who views the

[47:51] Ruben Engagement Center beds

[47:53] to continued care and we're

[47:54] working. We continue to work

[47:56] to improve coordination with

[47:57] our stakeholders, to reduce

[47:58] barriers and improve data

[48:04] collection. The community, the

[48:05] clinician lead community

[48:07] response team or cr was

[48:09] expanded on the first county

[48:13] wide and that has been

[48:14] instrumental increasing the

[48:15] number of calls that are going

[48:18] to see else year. In addition

[48:21] to that, we have a&m o u in

[48:25] place with okay Chess Mesa

[48:26] ands the question like

[48:28] Community Response Team is

[48:30] stepping stones to ensure that

[48:30] behavioral health calls. Our

[48:34] first being directed to seal

[48:36] cr as opposed to in cat or the

[48:38] police, which is which is help

[48:38] to increase our numbers as

[48:45] well. Ok? So we're moving to

[48:46] the division of Community

[48:48] Nutrition, Food policy. And

[48:53] you will see $100,000

[48:53] reduction the lift program for

[48:57] this. For this division as

[49:01] we've realized that program.

[49:02] To q a and Catherine have done

[49:04] a wonderful job in continuing

[49:04] to provide food to our

[49:05] neighbors, through direct

[49:09] service. But Dr Shelley

[49:11] Settles his return to us after

[49:15] previously been in this role

[49:17] is really working to change

[49:18] the division to focus on

[49:20] systems change as opposed to

[49:22] direct services. And so these

[49:22] programs, these slides will

[49:25] focus less on the programs

[49:26] themselves. And more on the

[49:28] program, areas that she is

[49:29] focusing on. And there's 5 of

[49:31] those program areas, students

[49:34] of food. Security,

[49:36] infrastructure, food, security

[49:39] outreach, nutrition outreach.

[49:40] Grover Technical support and

[49:43] retailer promotion. The

[49:44] mission of this division is to

[49:47] ensure access to healthy,

[49:47] culturally appropriate food

[49:50] for all Marin County residents

[49:51] through support and

[49:51] coordination of the loop,

[49:52] local food, economy and

[49:57] infrastructure. In front of

[49:59] you is a map of those direct

[50:03] food service, direct Services

[50:04] events that our team has been

[50:07] hosting around the city. Many

[50:08] of those are in partnership

[50:09] with other divisions and lot

[50:12] of those with our community

[50:13] violence reduction team and

[50:14] the Ndp's team. And so as you

[50:17] can see from this map, those

[50:19] are taking place in the same

[50:20] areas where we see high rates

[50:23] of crime in our city. And

[50:25] we're doing that because many

[50:27] times those individuals who

[50:30] are engaging in that type of

[50:31] violent behavior are doing so

[50:31] because they need access to

[50:37] food. This slide, it will be

[50:37] the only slide that

[50:40] demonstrates a character. One

[50:42] spend for for this division.

[50:45] We do not break out their

[50:45] spend by by program. Instead,

[50:47] we do that for the entire

[50:48] division. And so I just wanted

[50:56] to note that for you. In 2027,

[50:56] we're going to continue

[50:57] funding the programs you see

[50:59] on the slide community Compass

[51:03] the pantry summit in the

[51:03] hunger networks, food

[51:05] resources, food resource

[51:07] services hub. The Marion

[51:08] County public Health

[51:08] Departments, fresh box

[51:15] program. Community Compass,

[51:16] which is picked pictured on

[51:17] the screen is a free to use

[51:18] website and app. Helps you

[51:21] find pantries Neil sites and

[51:22] snap and wic retailers around

[51:27] Marin County. It's had almost

[51:29] 100,000 visits through quarter

[51:32] 2 of 2027 2026. Excuse The

[51:34] food resources Hub connects

[51:36] individuals to food

[51:38] assistance, resources. We've

[51:39] helped 69 households complete

[51:41] snap applications this year

[51:43] assisting. 48 with fsa say

[51:47] interviews and we were able to

[51:49] connect 23 of those snap. We

[51:52] were able to get 23 of those.

[51:52] 48 households connected and

[51:55] approved for snap. When we

[51:58] think about what that means.

[51:59] The average household snap

[52:00] benefit in Marion County is

[52:03] $400 a month. So just 23

[52:06] households being approved for

[52:07] snap means that could bring in

[52:10] additional $100,000 annually

[52:11] and snap benefits to

[52:11] households and retailers in

[52:16] Marion County. Our Fresh Fresh

[52:17] Books program is a nutrition

[52:18] incentive program. For those

[52:20] who use snap. And what that

[52:23] does is that it helps

[52:23] individuals who have those

[52:26] funds purchase more fruits and

[52:30] vegetables from local farmers.

[52:32] Through q 2 of this 119 unique

[52:34] users have redeemed $3700

[52:35] worth of the nearly $4900

[52:38] available to them. Local

[52:44] farmers markets and retailers.

[52:47] As we demonstrated our map

[52:49] earlier, our food outreach is

[52:53] significant through q 2 of

[52:55] this year, we hosted 14

[52:57] events. But when the snap

[52:57] benefits, the were cut in JULY

[53:00] of this year, we hosted

[53:06] additional 13 events in JULY.

[53:07] Through q 2, we have provided

[53:09] more than 1000 households with

[53:13] produce another grocery items.

[53:14] Which account amounts to

[53:14] 55,000 pounds of food for

[53:18] neighbors. We continue to work

[53:18] with Gleaners to provide or

[53:21] food for these events. And

[53:23] 9.13, who is providing

[53:23] logistics to get those the

[53:24] food that we are are providing

[53:28] to those locations. Outreach

[53:32] is more than just distribution

[53:34] our food team has filmed a

[53:36] snap public now announcement

[53:37] to educate residents on the

[53:38] major changes that have come

[53:40] with the federal and state

[53:46] cuts to snap benefits. This is

[53:48] where you'll know the $100,000

[53:49] reduction in the budget for

[53:54] this this division. We had

[53:54] identified at the top of the

[53:57] year before the audit's

[53:58] release inefficiencies in the

[54:01] food lift program. And so we

[54:03] are working to realign that

[54:05] program now to ensure that the

[54:06] individuals and families that

[54:06] need these services most

[54:10] receive them. And so and will

[54:11] be able to access this. These

[54:16] lift rights. In addition to

[54:17] our new nutrition outreach

[54:19] includes cooking classes, food

[54:20] access programs and the

[54:22] promotion of healthier eating.

[54:27] We provided 35 classes in our

[54:28] community cooking classes in

[54:30] the system. More than 30,000

[54:30] individuals with rides already

[54:38] this year. Our food team also

[54:39] supports agriculture,

[54:40] entrepreneurship by providing

[54:43] grant writing assistance.

[54:45] Available funding when we have

[54:45] it and technical assistance

[54:48] related to her been growing

[54:50] and example of this type of

[54:52] assistance is the new code

[54:52] compliance guide that the team

[54:55] has has drafted. It includes

[54:58] tips on navigating city zoning

[54:59] soil tests, resources and

[54:59] personal livestock rules for

[55:05] local farmers. A retailer

[55:07] promotion slide here. We're

[55:12] hoping to get. Individuals

[55:12] connected to local stores and

[55:14] promoting our local farmers.

[55:17] We believe that's important.

[55:19] That's why the lift grocery

[55:19] access program and fresh books

[55:21] are critical to this retail

[55:24] promotion. Helping people buy

[55:25] local also helps our local

[55:26] retailers, which helps sustain

[55:29] food. Which helps us sustain

[55:34] our food ecosystem. Okay. Now

[55:35] we're going to shift to our

[55:36] public safety programs. And

[55:37] first, we'll start with

[55:39] reentry Division. This

[55:41] division, despite some

[55:43] changes, continues to see the

[55:45] same amount budgeted over the

[55:45] last over last year. And this

[55:49] year The mission of this

[55:50] division is to lower barriers

[55:52] to successful community

[55:53] reentry for individuals

[55:55] returning from incarceration

[55:56] and those with prior justice

[55:57] involvement through

[55:58] connectivity to employment,

[55:59] housing and other essential

[56:07] services. This team much like

[56:08] our Behavioral Health Division

[56:09] wanted to make sure that we're

[56:12] getting the word out about

[56:13] re-entry month. And they

[56:15] created a point of view video

[56:16] of the release lobby to help

[56:17] get the word out about what

[56:18] the release it is, where it is

[56:22] and what they do. Your partner

[56:23] spotlights during that month

[56:24] and created flyers and about

[56:27] expungement laws. Our team

[56:28] also spoke at iu India about

[56:30] there about a re-entry

[56:31] initiatives and they've been

[56:37] table multiple events. This so

[56:43] this demonstrates our release

[56:43] lobby and a reentry services

[56:45] budgets for next year. I think

[56:46] it's important to note here

[56:52] that. Moving forward into

[56:53] 2027, we are realigning our

[56:55] program really saw program.

[57:05] From a 24 7 response to.

[57:05] Day-to-day response during the

[57:08] workweek. We provide 3 Ft ease

[57:11] after really soggy. And so

[57:12] we're going to realign their

[57:14] mission to be more focused on

[57:16] recidivism and less on the

[57:17] day-to-day needs of

[57:18] individuals coming out of the

[57:20] facility. So that MAY be

[57:21] working with individuals

[57:24] before the exit, the jail in

[57:25] partnership with the mental

[57:28] health behavior, health case

[57:28] workers that are in the jail

[57:31] already. And we've already

[57:32] been working with the Marion

[57:35] County Sheriff's Department to

[57:36] identify ways that they can

[57:37] assist us in those overnight

[57:38] hours to ensure that

[57:40] individuals get access to bus

[57:41] passes Lyft rides to make sure

[57:47] they can get home. Now we move

[57:50] to our community, introduction

[57:54] teams, we call them cvr this

[57:55] divisions mission is to reduce

[57:56] community violence through

[57:57] data-driven, community-based

[57:58] non-law enforcement strategies

[58:01] focusing on prevention,

[58:02] intervention and supporting

[58:03] neighborhoods impacted by gun

[58:13] violence. This budget will see

[58:16] an increase of to our National

[58:16] for National Institute

[58:18] Institute for Criminal Justice

[58:19] Reform Partners. For the first

[58:22] time they will be budgeted in

[58:24] our budget as well as youth

[58:25] programming, which has not

[58:31] previously been in our budget.

[58:31] It's hard to MISS Are in the

[58:32] peace team. They're here

[58:33] tonight in their orange

[58:35] shirts. You see them out in

[58:37] the community often and they

[58:41] are often working to stabilize

[58:41] our neighborhoods and some of

[58:42] the most difficult and

[58:44] challenging neighborhoods.

[58:44] Providing intensive

[58:46] interventions in areas with

[58:48] high rates of gun violence.

[58:50] The canvas they provide food

[58:53] and they prefer promote

[58:53] community events in

[58:54] participating community. Vince

[58:58] throughout the year. Some

[59:00] additional impactful events

[59:01] that we participated in

[59:01] include piece on the Plaza,

[59:02] which is a partnership with

[59:05] the Pacers, which we believe

[59:06] help to reduce some of the

[59:07] JULY 4th challenges that we

[59:10] saw last year. Also the Love

[59:13] Fest at Washington Park and

[59:14] our Cars and Kick Ball event,

[59:16] which is a unique event this

[59:17] year, Carson Kick Ball,

[59:20] brought our car clubs together

[59:20] to play kick ball against one

[59:24] another at a local park

[59:25] participants in that program

[59:26] had to go through some various

[59:27] trainings before they were

[59:32] able to participate. This was

[59:33] I believe, thought up by our

[59:34] partners at Public Safety

[59:36] Foundation, Hoskins with our

[59:37] team. She does a great job and

[59:40] want to shout her out as well

[59:42] the rest of the cvr team about

[59:43] because of all the work that

[59:48] they do. You hear a lot of

[59:48] success about the that we

[59:55] have. Reducing homicides in

[59:56] Marin County. Part of that is

[59:58] because of the gun violence

[59:58] reduction strategy and the

[1:00:02] work that the peace team and

[1:00:03] are see the our team does in

[1:00:06] the community as of this

[1:00:07] morning, we are at a 15%

[1:00:09] reduction in criminal

[1:00:10] homicides since the start of

[1:00:14] this program in 2021. That

[1:00:15] includes a 23% reduction

[1:00:16] year-to-date in criminal

[1:00:17] homicides from last year. We

[1:00:21] have a lot to be proud of it,

[1:00:23] but in the piece and what they

[1:00:24] do there's a lot more to it

[1:00:24] than just reducing criminal

[1:00:30] homicides. Through the

[1:00:32] fellowship program. We are

[1:00:33] connecting individually or

[1:00:34] connecting with individuals

[1:00:35] who are at a risk being

[1:00:36] involved in criminal excuse me

[1:00:41] in violent. In violence and we

[1:00:42] hoping to rehabilitate them

[1:00:47] get them on the right path.

[1:00:47] This year, we graduated 27

[1:00:49] fellows out of her fellowship

[1:00:50] program. And some of those

[1:00:51] individuals have been hired to

[1:00:53] have to continue working with

[1:00:54] other fellows or with our

[1:00:55] outreach teams around the

[1:00:59] city. We're also hiring a

[1:01:00] behavioral health and wellness

[1:01:02] manager through grant funds

[1:01:06] that we received. The doj. One

[1:01:07] thing that we recognize is

[1:01:08] that individuals in this

[1:01:09] fellowship program. Our

[1:01:12] challenge by behavioral health

[1:01:15] mental health challenges and

[1:01:15] we want to be able to provide

[1:01:19] that service directly to them.

[1:01:20] And as I said, our staff are

[1:01:23] also putting their lives in

[1:01:24] harm's way on a day-to-day

[1:01:27] basis. And so they are also

[1:01:28] experiencing some of the same

[1:01:29] behavior, health and mental

[1:01:29] health challenges. And so we

[1:01:30] want to make sure that that's

[1:01:32] available to them as well.

[1:01:35] Some additional impactful

[1:01:35] collaboration. Ys through a

[1:01:37] partnership with Public Safety

[1:01:38] Foundation. They're working

[1:01:41] with Johns Hopkins and

[1:01:41] creating a violence Reduction

[1:01:45] Council here in the city. I

[1:01:47] like to think that a lot like

[1:01:49] the Le Bron Council where

[1:01:50] we're bringing were bringing

[1:01:52] together multiple partners

[1:01:53] across the city to MARCH in

[1:01:55] the same direction as as we

[1:01:55] continue to reduce violence in

[1:01:59] the city of Indianapolis. Our

[1:02:00] partnership with the Brookside

[1:02:03] cdc, transformative travel

[1:02:04] program. Our fellows go

[1:02:06] through conflict resolution

[1:02:06] and then they're able to

[1:02:08] participate in program to get

[1:02:09] experience a new opportunities

[1:02:11] outside of Marion County. Many

[1:02:12] of these fellows have never

[1:02:19] been outside of the county.

[1:02:22] This is our indie peace Public

[1:02:23] dashboard and what this

[1:02:25] demonstrates on your screen is

[1:02:25] our fellowship program.

[1:02:27] There's also another tab for

[1:02:32] age that program. I think what

[1:02:35] I'd like to note here is the

[1:02:35] number of number of fellows

[1:02:36] that are enrolled in school

[1:02:39] that re enrolled in school

[1:02:40] that are either searching for

[1:02:42] or have obtained full-time

[1:02:46] part-time employment. And also

[1:02:47] where those fellows are coming

[1:02:50] from the heat map on your

[1:02:51] screen demonstrates where

[1:02:52] identifying this follows where

[1:02:56] they live and so I think it's

[1:02:57] important have as part of this

[1:03:03] slide. In addition to that.

[1:03:05] The if you're looking for

[1:03:07] numbers around the reduction

[1:03:08] in homicides of production and

[1:03:09] robberies that you won't find

[1:03:12] that on our dashboard. That is

[1:03:14] on impd stash board. And so

[1:03:15] we're going to work with them

[1:03:16] to see if we can link those 2

[1:03:18] dash boards together. So you

[1:03:19] can see the comprehensive work

[1:03:20] that we're doing in

[1:03:30] partnership with impd. You

[1:03:32] will recall that we paused our

[1:03:33] elevation program to realign

[1:03:36] it this year. And we're in

[1:03:37] year one of a new two-year

[1:03:40] grant cycle for this program.

[1:03:44] This year. Provided grants

[1:03:47] ranging from 100,000 to

[1:03:50] $400,000 to 30 sept grantees

[1:03:51] through the Our partnership

[1:03:51] with the Indianapolis

[1:03:56] Foundation. This new cycle has

[1:03:56] already helps with capacity

[1:03:58] building. And with data

[1:04:04] collection. Last month. I you

[1:04:05] know, all of you the quarter,

[1:04:08] one results from the elevation

[1:04:12] grants and quarter 2 outcomes

[1:04:13] are are expected soon. You

[1:04:13] should see those in your

[1:04:16] SEPTEMBER 1st when I send out

[1:04:19] our SEPTEMBER first data.

[1:04:21] Grantees have established more

[1:04:22] than 150 new partnerships

[1:04:24] since the start of this new

[1:04:25] round. And if served over

[1:04:30] 7,000 participants. Of the

[1:04:32] more than 100 participants who

[1:04:34] were connected to housing

[1:04:35] resources. 66 have obtain

[1:04:40] housing. And worse. We're

[1:04:41] seeing improved positive

[1:04:41] outcomes across the board for

[1:04:44] elevation. Participants. Look

[1:04:46] forward to being able to share

[1:04:47] those quarter. 2 results with

[1:04:53] you in SEPTEMBER. This year.

[1:04:53] We also realigned our

[1:04:54] strategic prevention or excuse

[1:04:56] me are in the center for

[1:04:58] Conflict. Conflict resolution

[1:04:58] and are in the Champions which

[1:05:02] is r d program. Under one

[1:05:04] umbrella that we are calling

[1:05:05] strategic prevention. And so

[1:05:06] that's why you see these both

[1:05:09] on the same slide. What that's

[1:05:10] doing is it's it's making it

[1:05:10] easier for us to moves shift

[1:05:13] staff as needed and to share

[1:05:14] resources between those 2

[1:05:19] programs. Funding has been

[1:05:20] slightly reduced to more

[1:05:22] efficiently match. The

[1:05:23] year-over-year spending for

[1:05:26] the icc. Our program. But we

[1:05:27] have seen we hired someone new

[1:05:31] in that at the icr directly

[1:05:35] from impd and we've seen in

[1:05:36] 124 4% increase in conflict

[1:05:36] resolution trainings this

[1:05:40] year. And are in the Champions

[1:05:41] Program has trained more than

[1:05:43] 900 youth in domestic violence

[1:05:46] prevention. In addition, 300

[1:05:53] other individuals. 2026 marked

[1:05:54] a change in how we provide

[1:05:55] youth programming in Marin

[1:05:58] County. We launched the Youth

[1:06:00] Violence Reduction Initiative

[1:06:01] and We Re imagine summer in

[1:06:04] the city. After last JULY we

[1:06:07] talk to youth who told us that

[1:06:09] they needed another place to

[1:06:10] go. That was more appropriate

[1:06:13] space for them as opposed to

[1:06:14] being downtown. And in that

[1:06:17] re-imagining of summer in the

[1:06:19] city, we operated a new

[1:06:20] location on Friday providing

[1:06:21] services to youth on Friday

[1:06:24] and Saturday nights. We also

[1:06:26] hired 2 new program managers

[1:06:28] of violence prevention,

[1:06:29] violence reduction on the cvr

[1:06:36] team this year. For white your

[1:06:38] eye, which which began that

[1:06:39] pilot back in 2025. Through

[1:06:40] seed funding from the National

[1:06:41] Institute for Criminal Justice

[1:06:45] Reform. That program is taking

[1:06:46] what we learned from the adult

[1:06:48] combines reduction fellowship.

[1:06:52] And applies it to youth. So

[1:06:55] We've partnered with voices to

[1:06:57] do that work and they're

[1:06:59] engaged this year with 26

[1:07:01] juveniles who are at an

[1:07:03] elevated risk of being

[1:07:04] involved in violent violent

[1:07:09] crime. What we found through

[1:07:12] this program is that family

[1:07:12] engagement is key to the

[1:07:14] success of these individuals.

[1:07:16] And so we are providing

[1:07:17] wrap-around services not just

[1:07:17] to the individuals in the

[1:07:18] program, but also to their

[1:07:22] families. This budget is going

[1:07:23] to provide additional funding

[1:07:26] for wide your eye. And in

[1:07:27] 2026, we have also provided

[1:07:28] additional funding to why

[1:07:34] right to continue their work.

[1:07:34] Earlier this year. You all

[1:07:35] provided additional funding

[1:07:36] through fiscal. For our summer

[1:07:39] in the city fall in the city

[1:07:41] and winter in the city

[1:07:43] program. And so Waller, while

[1:07:44] our partnership with let them

[1:07:45] talk. And this initial summer

[1:07:46] in the city programming will

[1:07:50] wrap up this weekend. We are

[1:07:53] working with partners at

[1:07:54] Delano in Anthony Hampton to

[1:07:55] start youth men's Basketball

[1:07:56] league. That will continue our

[1:07:57] summer in the city. Efforts

[1:08:00] into the fall. And we're

[1:08:02] working on exploring a similar

[1:08:03] program for youth Women in

[1:08:04] partnership with the Powell

[1:08:06] Club. So that work will

[1:08:06] continue. And then over fall

[1:08:09] break and winter break. We'll

[1:08:10] have similar activities for

[1:08:12] youth on the weekends. The

[1:08:15] turnout for this for some in

[1:08:16] the city this year has been

[1:08:20] significant. When you look at

[1:08:21] the difference from last year

[1:08:23] to this year, we are averaging

[1:08:24] more kids in this program per

[1:08:27] night. This summer. Then we

[1:08:34] registered in all 2025. The

[1:08:35] earlier Intervention Planning

[1:08:36] Council, we continue to fund

[1:08:40] through our budget. They will

[1:08:40] come back to you. It sounds

[1:08:42] like on SEPTEMBER. 30th McCoy

[1:08:43] will be here to talk about

[1:08:44] their budget. But I did want

[1:08:45] to highlight that they remain

[1:08:52] in our budget for 2027. And

[1:08:54] then we we have a couple of

[1:08:56] programs that don't fit nicely

[1:08:57] under umbrellas of public

[1:09:00] safety and public health. And

[1:09:01] those are a lift concierge

[1:09:01] program and our immigrant

[1:09:05] legal defense program. First,

[1:09:06] we'll talk about Wisconsin

[1:09:07] years. We're continuing to

[1:09:10] fund that program at $45,000.

[1:09:10] This is essential to being

[1:09:13] able to assist some of our

[1:09:14] programs and the participants

[1:09:17] of those programs getting them

[1:09:18] rides to whether its rides

[1:09:21] home from the jail or whether

[1:09:22] it's getting out through

[1:09:22] winter contingency, getting

[1:09:24] them connected to behavioral

[1:09:25] health appointments,

[1:09:27] employment opportunities for

[1:09:29] school. And so we think it's

[1:09:29] necessary to continue

[1:09:31] providing the services to our

[1:09:37] to partners. Finally,

[1:09:40] immigrant legal defense. I

[1:09:42] want to thank Director Morales

[1:09:43] who I believe is here this

[1:09:44] evening and can speak more to

[1:09:44] the immigrant legal Defense

[1:09:48] services that we're providing.

[1:09:48] So I'll give you the

[1:09:49] highlights if if you have

[1:09:49] questions, you can answer

[1:09:55] those. This budget does not

[1:09:56] provide additional funding in

[1:09:57] 2027. And the reason for that

[1:09:59] is much like remember much

[1:10:02] like our elevation, fun. We

[1:10:03] needed to pause and take a

[1:10:04] look at what we were doing and

[1:10:05] realign this program. And so

[1:10:08] that's taken some time. Those

[1:10:11] dollars in 2026. Are not yet

[1:10:12] under contract. And so what

[1:10:13] we're going to do is apply

[1:10:14] those funds much like we did

[1:10:17] with the elevation Grant to

[1:10:20] the 2027 year. So we will

[1:10:21] still have $300,000 that will

[1:10:24] go to grantees to operate in

[1:10:29] the 2027 budget. And the 300

[1:10:31] the previous year's funding

[1:10:32] 2025 funding is still being

[1:10:33] spent this year. So we are

[1:10:34] still assisting individuals

[1:10:39] this year with services. One

[1:10:40] thing I want to note about

[1:10:42] this program is that our our

[1:10:42] partnership with Indianapolis

[1:10:46] Foundation is strong. And in

[1:10:47] each of their contracts, they

[1:10:47] agreed to provide additional

[1:10:49] funding through there funds

[1:10:53] that they have. To continue to

[1:10:54] support this program. And that

[1:10:56] will continue in 2027. So

[1:10:58] there will be at least in

[1:11:01] addition of $150,000 in 2027

[1:11:04] coming from the Indianapolis

[1:11:05] Foundation. And as you can see

[1:11:07] last year, they they provided

[1:11:08] additional funding above and

[1:11:12] beyond that $150,000. And so

[1:11:12] we're hopeful will continue to

[1:11:15] work with them that they will

[1:11:16] be able to provide additional

[1:11:17] funding in 2027 to support

[1:11:25] this program. As you all know,

[1:11:26] data has been something that

[1:11:27] we've been really focused on.

[1:11:29] And I think we've demonstrated

[1:11:30] that throughout this this

[1:11:35] program today. Now I'd like to

[1:11:35] wrap up by talking about data

[1:11:38] and our audit response as well

[1:11:39] as well as what we have to

[1:11:43] achieve moving forward. In

[1:11:45] 2024, we heard today to

[1:11:47] manager and she has been

[1:11:50] working diligently to create.

[1:11:51] 8 public facing dashboards

[1:11:53] that are now on our website

[1:11:54] and she working on more that

[1:11:59] are under construction now.

[1:11:59] This is dry. We have

[1:12:01] drastically improved their

[1:12:01] data collection and

[1:12:02] transparency across all of our

[1:12:04] divisions and begun sending a

[1:12:07] monthly report to council.

[1:12:09] We've updated our contracts to

[1:12:10] ensure timely and meaningful

[1:12:11] data is being collected. And

[1:12:12] we're helping our vendors to

[1:12:13] make sure that they are

[1:12:16] supplying us with that data on

[1:12:19] a monthly and quarterly basis.

[1:12:21] As well making sure that when

[1:12:22] they provide us with reporting

[1:12:23] that those reports are up to

[1:12:26] our standards. We're also

[1:12:27] partnering with IOUs a

[1:12:29] leveraging their expertise

[1:12:30] because we want to we want to

[1:12:31] take a look at all of our data

[1:12:34] across all of our programs to

[1:12:37] to be able to see who were

[1:12:38] serving and who's impacted by

[1:12:39] each of the programs that we

[1:12:41] are providing. So over time,

[1:12:44] we hope to be able to

[1:12:48] demonstrate how I is impacting

[1:12:48] our homeless neighbors by

[1:12:49] connecting. It's my asked to

[1:12:52] do with the icy data. We'd

[1:12:53] like to see how that then

[1:12:54] impacts the individuals,

[1:12:56] individuals coming out of her

[1:12:57] jail and and the release

[1:13:02] lobby. And so really excited

[1:13:03] about this. I think we're

[1:13:06] making some significant

[1:13:07] headway and look for look for

[1:13:14] more to come on that front.

[1:13:16] We've also made consistent

[1:13:18] progress since before the

[1:13:19] audit was released in

[1:13:20] addressing some of the

[1:13:20] concerns that came from the

[1:13:24] audit last earlier this year.

[1:13:26] To bring you up to speed on

[1:13:26] where we're will be talking

[1:13:31] about that here shortly. You

[1:13:32] also you've received in your

[1:13:33] packets, substantial

[1:13:35] information that addresses the

[1:13:39] audit findings. In your packet

[1:13:39] there with just a second. Why

[1:13:44] did that for you? You have the

[1:13:45] audit response tracking sheet

[1:13:47] that is color coded. Green

[1:13:49] means that we have already

[1:13:51] accomplished that response.

[1:13:51] Yellow means that we are in

[1:13:54] progress and red means that we

[1:13:55] have yet to really be able to

[1:13:58] start that response. You'll

[1:14:01] also see examples of logic

[1:14:02] model each of our

[1:14:03] administrators and and their

[1:14:05] teams have been tasked with

[1:14:06] creating a logic model for

[1:14:07] each of their programs to make

[1:14:08] sure that the work that we're

[1:14:09] doing and the outcomes that

[1:14:12] are coming from that work. Our

[1:14:15] ethic is I hsus and that we

[1:14:15] can demonstrate that you all

[1:14:16] and that they really back to

[1:14:19] our mission. You also find at

[1:14:20] the end of the packet and

[1:14:24] example work plan. So each of

[1:14:24] our employees has. We've

[1:14:25] worked with them to create a

[1:14:28] work plan. Relates back to the

[1:14:31] mission of the division. They

[1:14:34] work for and to these excuse

[1:14:35] logic models for each of their

[1:14:39] programs. You also see some

[1:14:39] reports in there. Some of

[1:14:40] those you've already received.

[1:14:44] But I wanted to to Ed them.

[1:14:45] You have a month one of summer

[1:14:46] in the city. Let them talk.

[1:14:47] Provided a really robust

[1:14:49] report for you. So I think

[1:14:50] that's helpful. Q one

[1:14:51] immigrant legal services

[1:14:54] report from this year. You

[1:14:55] have a q one with public. You

[1:14:57] won't have legally report.

[1:14:57] Already received that. But

[1:15:00] wanted to add that in there,

[1:15:01] that's just the legal data for

[1:15:05] you. Think that's all that's

[1:15:06] in your report. But just

[1:15:14] wanted to highlight this. As

[1:15:16] part of the audit response. We

[1:15:16] have made a new centralized

[1:15:20] documents, contract hub. And

[1:15:21] we are drafting multiple new

[1:15:24] standard operating procedures

[1:15:24] that relate to the responses

[1:15:28] in the audit. Our soapy has

[1:15:30] has been reviewed and approved

[1:15:32] by the Office of Audit

[1:15:32] Performance and the Purchasing

[1:15:35] Division fm. And we will be

[1:15:37] training all of our staff on

[1:15:39] so peas when they are

[1:15:41] finalized so that we can do

[1:15:43] that. Cindy. A quick

[1:15:47] succession later this fall. We

[1:15:49] are also working on an ethics

[1:15:50] training in addition to the

[1:15:51] annual ethics training that

[1:15:54] all city staff receive, that

[1:15:55] will be an in-person training

[1:15:56] and that is being developed by

[1:16:00] oc c. Later this fall. We will

[1:16:01] also provide leadership in

[1:16:03] conflict resolution training

[1:16:03] to our leadership team,

[1:16:06] including our administrators,

[1:16:06] something that we've we've

[1:16:09] just noted, some challenges in

[1:16:12] okay, chess. I think when you

[1:16:13] think about our maybe some of

[1:16:14] our cultural challenges that

[1:16:15] you've noted over the last

[1:16:17] couple of years, think some of

[1:16:17] that can be addressed by

[1:16:22] making sure that we are all

[1:16:23] that we're all adequately

[1:16:23] trained and that we know how

[1:16:26] to read. Rest resolve conflict

[1:16:28] with one another. And with our

[1:16:35] partners external to the city.

[1:16:35] Finally, we will continue to

[1:16:38] focus on the items discussed

[1:16:40] in the few slides. Refining

[1:16:42] our data improving reporting

[1:16:43] outcomes and continuing our

[1:16:46] staff training. We're also

[1:16:47] looking at improving our

[1:16:48] program structures so that

[1:16:49] they better aligned with our

[1:16:50] mission. We've done some of

[1:16:51] already, but we want to

[1:16:57] continue that. And so I want

[1:16:57] to thank again. Thank you to

[1:16:59] the if you just team our

[1:17:01] partners. We're joined tonight

[1:17:02] by a lot of partners. Some of

[1:17:03] them are probably going going

[1:17:05] to come up and share their

[1:17:05] experiences phs in the funding

[1:17:09] that you provided. I just want

[1:17:10] I want to note a few of them.

[1:17:13] Indianapolis legal aid society

[1:17:15] and, you know, legal services.

[1:17:16] We have David Muhammad

[1:17:17] National City for Criminal

[1:17:19] Justice reform here. I believe

[1:17:19] Judge Bacon from Lawrence

[1:17:23] Township is here as well

[1:17:24] Eskenazi and our partners at

[1:17:28] the icy. Clc are stepping

[1:17:29] stones are here. Shauna majors

[1:17:33] from the Martindale Brightwood

[1:17:38] Community Center director

[1:17:39] Mirallas in dp Staff Deborah's

[1:17:40] Place. Indianapolis

[1:17:44] Foundation. Any public safety

[1:17:45] foundation and and others. And

[1:17:46] so if I MISS You, I apologize.

[1:17:46] But thank you all for being

[1:17:47] here this evening. And thank

[1:17:52] you council with that. Thank

[1:17:52] you. Director Merkley stuffy

[1:17:53] comments or questions from

[1:18:00] counselors. Council Perkins.

[1:18:02] Thank you, MISTER Chair. Thank

[1:18:07] you. Director and cfo for the

[1:18:10] presentation. I believe

[1:18:14] several things can be true.

[1:18:18] All Phs serves some of our

[1:18:21] most vulnerable residents. The

[1:18:23] office reflects the diversity.

[1:18:29] City that we serve. That you

[1:18:35] provide critical support. Too.

[1:18:38] Residents in some of the most

[1:18:39] difficult seasons and

[1:18:43] experiences of But I also

[1:18:48] believe accountability,

[1:18:49] transparency and strong

[1:18:50] internal controls can also

[1:18:55] exists. We also acknowledge

[1:18:57] with the last 4, 5 years we've

[1:19:00] seen significant increases in

[1:19:04] the overall budget off office.

[1:19:05] And I want take you back to

[1:19:09] the audit report and the audit

[1:19:10] report card that you provided

[1:19:14] to us. And it gives me a

[1:19:17] little bit of heartburn that 2

[1:19:21] particular areas f 3 review of

[1:19:23] program effectiveness and have

[1:19:26] 6. Then the compliance review

[1:19:28] seem to be the 2 areas with

[1:19:33] the least progress. Can you

[1:19:33] share a little bit with this

[1:19:38] committee? Why is that the

[1:19:39] case? And what's the plan for

[1:19:41] the rest of the year?

[1:19:45] Absolutely. Thank you,

[1:19:47] counselor. Looking at this

[1:19:49] report card. I see that those

[1:19:50] 2 findings have a lot of

[1:19:52] yellow. And that means of

[1:19:54] those are in progress, as you

[1:19:59] can imagine. Phs. But your

[1:20:02] point is responding to a lot

[1:20:03] of emergencies and there's a

[1:20:03] lot of other changes and

[1:20:05] realignments that we've made.

[1:20:07] I discussed during our

[1:20:08] presentation. Trying to do all

[1:20:11] that. In addition to creating

[1:20:12] new standard operating

[1:20:16] procedures for all these

[1:20:17] responses? You know, working

[1:20:18] with other agencies to help us

[1:20:21] do that. And that takes time

[1:20:22] what I can tell you is that

[1:20:23] those standard operating

[1:20:25] procedures have been drafted.

[1:20:26] We're working to finalize

[1:20:27] those and make sure that

[1:20:27] they're policed by our partner

[1:20:32] agencies. We will be training

[1:20:34] our staff before the end of

[1:20:39] the year on those us a aside

[1:20:44] from that, I believe. We have.

[1:20:46] Yeah, I believe we are. We are

[1:20:48] addressing all those fines.

[1:20:53] The follow-up chair counselor,

[1:20:53] thank Are all those things

[1:20:56] being done internally? Yes, is

[1:20:59] the draft in and and help us

[1:21:03] to understand the decision to

[1:21:05] keep those things internal

[1:21:08] rather than seek an external

[1:21:10] support. Given the urgency off

[1:21:13] the audit report and the

[1:21:14] significant role that this

[1:21:19] office place in community. I

[1:21:20] felt that it was important for

[1:21:25] our team. To to have skin in

[1:21:25] the game in creating these

[1:21:30] policies and you know, there's

[1:21:34] been a lot of angst. Related

[1:21:35] this audit and a lot of

[1:21:40] adversity that we have that

[1:21:40] the entire team has experience

[1:21:41] because of the audit. And it

[1:21:43] was important to me that we do

[1:21:44] this internally and then we

[1:21:46] make sure that these the

[1:21:46] people who are actually doing

[1:21:50] the work every day. Who know?

[1:21:53] Our partners and know what's

[1:21:54] needed, that they are helping

[1:21:56] too helped, but they're hoping

[1:21:58] to address these findings and

[1:22:01] create the of Additionally,

[1:22:03] okay. Just does not have

[1:22:07] funding to seek external.

[1:22:13] Assistance so I don't know

[1:22:15] that it would have that we

[1:22:16] would've been able to go

[1:22:17] outside of a phs to find that

[1:22:21] assistance. Just a final

[1:22:26] comment. For an office that

[1:22:27] operates in almost 30 million

[1:22:30] dollars that's that's hard for

[1:22:34] me to hear. That an audit

[1:22:37] comes back with number of

[1:22:43] findings and I do believe that

[1:22:44] the staff needed our needs to

[1:22:48] have skin in the game. But I

[1:22:48] also believe that this is

[1:22:53] critical enough. That almost

[1:22:54] for months in 5 months stating

[1:22:56] that we're still not at the

[1:22:59] place where some of the more

[1:23:01] significant pieces from

[1:23:03] islands are still not fully

[1:23:07] addressed. It is important

[1:23:08] that we are reviewing

[1:23:08] effectiveness of the programs

[1:23:11] that we are funded. It is

[1:23:15] important that our vendors who

[1:23:17] were engaged in relationship

[1:23:18] that there is a way that we I

[1:23:20] of compliance. Seeing those

[1:23:24] compliance. And so I would

[1:23:26] consider at least from my

[1:23:30] recommendation that if the

[1:23:31] plan that is in place will not

[1:23:33] deliver this by the end of

[1:23:33] this year that strong

[1:23:36] consideration given to find

[1:23:37] some outside support to be up

[1:23:40] to get this done is too

[1:23:41] important to that with the

[1:23:41] work that you do so important

[1:23:44] to the community. For us to

[1:23:45] still continue to answer

[1:23:47] questions about

[1:23:48] accountability, integrity and

[1:23:49] credibility. Thank you. MISTER

[1:23:52] Chair. Doesn't. This will come

[1:23:54] to questions. Councilor Mike

[1:23:59] apart. Thank you, MR. CHAIRMAN

[1:24:02] thank counselor Perkins for

[1:24:03] those comments. I agree

[1:24:03] completely. And I just want to

[1:24:04] add a couple things there in

[1:24:06] that has a question about some

[1:24:09] under spent on the audit side

[1:24:10] that couple things I'd expect

[1:24:11] and want to see and hear our

[1:24:15] our date started. So when you

[1:24:17] started drafting the statement

[1:24:18] operating procedures and the

[1:24:21] expected completion date.

[1:24:22] Because when I read it the way

[1:24:23] it is, which is to colored

[1:24:24] Biden again, could be farther

[1:24:27] along. Could just highlighted

[1:24:28] and said we're working on. It

[1:24:29] started yesterday for all I

[1:24:30] know. So being able to see

[1:24:31] when you started it, when you

[1:24:33] expect it to be done is

[1:24:36] expectation on my side. I do

[1:24:37] think it needs additional

[1:24:38] oversight. Not to say that

[1:24:39] there's anything wrong with

[1:24:40] the office of the people that

[1:24:41] are working in the skin in the

[1:24:43] game that they will have. But

[1:24:45] i think there's value that

[1:24:49] comes from folks like with

[1:24:50] right ap that do these things

[1:24:54] more regularly or MAY have a

[1:24:55] best practice. I we've been

[1:24:56] doing this with dpw for 100

[1:24:58] years in the city, right? And

[1:24:59] they could even get some

[1:25:00] additional oversight. But

[1:25:02] addition to that, you know, I

[1:25:03] know that your office hired

[1:25:04] consultants to do some of

[1:25:07] these programs but the bond

[1:25:08] reduction, the Elevation Grant

[1:25:09] program, those consultants

[1:25:10] with that. I believe that

[1:25:11] consultants here today, I

[1:25:14] would imagine that in other

[1:25:14] cities they've come up with

[1:25:15] standard operating procedures

[1:25:16] for how they measure the

[1:25:19] results. That's another

[1:25:19] opportunity that we have. I

[1:25:21] think that I have an

[1:25:22] expectation out of the

[1:25:22] consultant that we're paying

[1:25:25] to provide that level of

[1:25:26] support. So that's my $0.02 on

[1:25:27] that. I agree wholeheartedly

[1:25:29] with. I do think that's

[1:25:31] behind. If I was tracking and

[1:25:32] I am tracking it and I expect

[1:25:35] to see more now on a second

[1:25:36] piece just from a financial

[1:25:37] side. What I'm looking at a

[1:25:41] couple of these things when I

[1:25:42] say things that I mean, the

[1:25:44] programs that you're running,

[1:25:46] there's 2 that jumped out at

[1:25:50] me out to me a lift program

[1:25:52] that you we're funding less by

[1:25:54] $100,000 but it looks like the

[1:25:56] spend was only. That was less

[1:25:59] than what you've budgeted for.

[1:26:00] And then there was another

[1:26:02] example that came out of a in

[1:26:04] a legal defense fund that was

[1:26:08] also somewhere that. You

[1:26:09] didn't spend any of this

[1:26:09] year's budget on it. And so

[1:26:10] you're going to use this

[1:26:11] year's budget for next year.

[1:26:14] So they got me thinking about.

[1:26:19] Overall. What is the total

[1:26:21] under spend for the Office of

[1:26:21] Public Health and Safety?

[1:26:22] Because we see what you're

[1:26:23] budgeting. We budget last year

[1:26:23] what you want for next year.

[1:26:25] But of that, the dollars you

[1:26:26] had. What did you actually

[1:26:29] spend? Yeah, I'll start to

[1:26:32] what you can weigh in on some

[1:26:36] of the more specifics.

[1:26:37] Previous years. We have had

[1:26:39] significant and are spent

[1:26:40] whether that was the

[1:26:41] assessment Intervention Center

[1:26:42] or the clinician likely

[1:26:43] response team because they

[1:26:44] were not county wide. We

[1:26:47] budgeted for those types of

[1:26:49] programs at as if they were

[1:26:53] full, fully operational. This

[1:26:55] year. We're tied wife or seal

[1:26:57] cr and we are, you we are

[1:26:59] utilizing also most of the 60

[1:27:00] beds on a regular basis at the

[1:27:03] icy. And so that where we have

[1:27:03] previously seen under spend,

[1:27:04] we're not going to see that

[1:27:10] 2026. Some of the items you

[1:27:11] noted, I I can speak to lift

[1:27:17] accounts, but we we are unsure

[1:27:18] how much of that we will spend

[1:27:19] by the end of the year. We

[1:27:19] could be a very cold winter

[1:27:20] and we need to use a lot of

[1:27:23] with funds. So I just want to

[1:27:24] know that much of what he just

[1:27:30] does it. We are not. We are

[1:27:32] always confident in some of

[1:27:33] those spends, but need to make

[1:27:33] sure that we have those funds

[1:27:34] available to us. In addition,

[1:27:36] I want to know couple things

[1:27:43] you both said. Just because

[1:27:43] the stop is not finished does

[1:27:44] not mean that you're not

[1:27:45] actively holding our team

[1:27:46] accountable in our vendors

[1:27:47] accountable. We are doing

[1:27:50] that. They think that the

[1:27:51] reporting that you've received

[1:27:52] already is demonstration that

[1:27:56] we're doing that. So I just

[1:27:56] wanted prove that you have

[1:28:04] anything you want about lift.

[1:28:06] Getting roofs so with the live

[1:28:07] program. There are 2 different

[1:28:09] types of lists that are

[1:28:09] occurring, costs or expenses

[1:28:11] that you saw on the list on

[1:28:14] the slide. We're for a lift

[1:28:15] concierge. Those live fries

[1:28:21] that are driven by. They

[1:28:23] either our agency or

[1:28:25] collaborative partners. So the

[1:28:27] icy can order a Lyft for

[1:28:28] someone. So we need determine

[1:28:30] the pick-up and drop-off and

[1:28:32] we can watch those rise as

[1:28:34] they occur. So whenever anyone

[1:28:37] was receiving a Lyft ride from

[1:28:39] the jail, then the person that

[1:28:40] is at the jail at that point

[1:28:41] in time there are tips,

[1:28:42] service worker, what we refer

[1:28:43] to it as night, rc East or

[1:28:45] night resource coordinators.

[1:28:47] They're the ones that would

[1:28:48] create that live. So it's

[1:28:52] driven by us the lift program

[1:28:54] that was cut by $100,000. That

[1:28:56] one is driven by the can buy

[1:28:58] art and the consumer. The

[1:29:02] community. So that is an it's

[1:29:04] on the Lyft app on their own

[1:29:05] phone where they would put in

[1:29:10] feat in d code and then that

[1:29:13] would allow them access to the

[1:29:16] reduction in the free ride in

[1:29:17] essence, to accost them, I

[1:29:18] think was like dollar to every

[1:29:20] $5 that we would pay for. For

[1:29:20] them to go to the grocery

[1:29:26] store. There is 2 different

[1:29:27] ones that we're looking at.

[1:29:28] Some the costs are not

[1:29:30] reflected for the feeding the

[1:29:31] cost, their own reflective for

[1:29:35] the concierge. And thank you,

[1:29:36] MR. PRESIDENT part MISTER

[1:29:37] CHAIRMAN. One more question

[1:29:41] related to counseling we look

[1:29:42] at the winter contingency. I'm

[1:29:43] interested, especially when

[1:29:44] we're talking just about to

[1:29:47] understand related I see and

[1:29:50] the 2.2 included for the icy

[1:29:52] build out. What's the expected

[1:29:53] savings in operational

[1:29:57] expenses? That will we will

[1:29:58] have in the future in relation

[1:30:00] to the capital expenditures

[1:30:01] that will have in relation to

[1:30:02] that full build Sure. Thank

[1:30:07] you for the question. I see we

[1:30:09] own that facility. So the rent

[1:30:10] that we're paying for the 2

[1:30:11] facilities that we are

[1:30:12] currently operating for

[1:30:15] families and for the overnight

[1:30:15] warming center. That's

[1:30:16] significant. And we would say

[1:30:19] that that funding

[1:30:21] additionally, the facility is

[1:30:22] one floor. And so the church

[1:30:22] that were operating out of now

[1:30:26] is 2 floors. It's very large

[1:30:26] facility. And so we need

[1:30:28] additional staff in order to

[1:30:31] maintain security at that

[1:30:33] location. So I I would

[1:30:35] estimate that we will see some

[1:30:36] cost savings from the staffing

[1:30:40] perspective as well. And I

[1:30:45] also want to know that. Winter

[1:30:46] contingencies still flexible.

[1:30:48] We are still changing because

[1:30:48] we don't know how streets to

[1:30:50] home and how the future

[1:30:52] housing whoa, we're going to

[1:30:52] impact the number of

[1:30:53] individuals that need that

[1:30:57] service. Housing help comes

[1:30:59] online. We also expect to

[1:31:00] cease operations its facility

[1:31:03] where we have our family

[1:31:04] location so that, again,

[1:31:05] should reduce some of our

[1:31:09] costs for winter contingency.

[1:31:10] All It's helpful to know the

[1:31:10] one thing I would like to at

[1:31:13] least see is if we're spending

[1:31:14] 2.2 million this year, we

[1:31:16] expect to save 8 million over

[1:31:18] 3 years or 8 million over 4

[1:31:19] years. That's that's the part

[1:31:21] that I'm trying to see. Thank

[1:31:27] you, got some Thank you, MR.

[1:31:28] CHAIRMAN, thank you, and see

[1:31:32] if over the presentation. 2

[1:31:33] quick questions. And then a

[1:31:34] comment to me a little bit

[1:31:38] more about these new

[1:31:40] initiatives of the Violence

[1:31:40] Reduction Council in the Youth

[1:31:43] Violence Reduction Initiative.

[1:31:44] As I understand, those are new

[1:31:49] programs as of this year. So

[1:31:50] the council, the Johns Hopkins

[1:31:51] that I noticed the Johns

[1:31:55] Hopkins Council the piece I'm

[1:31:56] sorry, any public safety

[1:31:57] foundation can give you more

[1:31:58] information about that. It's

[1:32:01] not a program that teaches is

[1:32:03] paying for. We're part the

[1:32:03] Public Safety Foundation in

[1:32:06] Okay, Chester, partnering with

[1:32:07] Johns Hopkins basically

[1:32:09] they're consulting with us to

[1:32:12] create our own local.

[1:32:17] Organization. The Youth

[1:32:17] Violence Reduction Initiative

[1:32:20] is a new initiative and were

[1:32:21] pilot That's pilots started at

[1:32:25] the end of 2025. With funding

[1:32:25] from the National Institute

[1:32:28] for Criminal Justice Reform.

[1:32:32] Khs in 2026. Provided

[1:32:32] additional funding for that

[1:32:35] program to continue and 2027.

[1:32:40] We will also be funding it the

[1:32:40] National Institute for

[1:32:41] Criminal Justice Reform, I

[1:32:43] believe will be some providing

[1:32:48] additional support in 2027. So

[1:32:50] tell me no, the Violence

[1:32:50] Reduction Council, what's

[1:32:54] what's going to be Besides

[1:32:55] obvious mission statement

[1:32:56] reducing violence to little

[1:32:56] bit more about who's going to

[1:33:00] be on it. Was going operate

[1:33:00] and whose continuously going

[1:33:04] to be funny. I'm going to tag

[1:33:06] someone from the Public Safety

[1:33:07] Foundation. That's okay. Mary,

[1:33:21] can you come up to the podium?

[1:33:25] Sorry. I'm with the any public

[1:33:28] safety Foundation. Mary

[1:33:29] Alexander statement Mary

[1:33:33] Alexander. I'm actually

[1:33:39] working 2. Researchers at

[1:33:39] Bloomberg put a Publix, the

[1:33:42] School of Public Health. They

[1:33:43] they put together what's

[1:33:46] called a violence Reduction

[1:33:46] Council. It's and the models

[1:33:49] based off of something. That

[1:33:49] would be very similar if

[1:33:51] you're on an infant mortality

[1:33:54] Review board or if you're on a

[1:33:55] domestic violence review board

[1:33:56] where you're actually doing

[1:34:00] really that the dive into

[1:34:00] specific criminal homicides

[1:34:04] looking at what are the what

[1:34:05] were some of the impacts? How

[1:34:06] did that person get their

[1:34:08] like? Not just that this

[1:34:11] individual was involved in gun

[1:34:13] violence, but looking at their

[1:34:14] background, looking at how

[1:34:15] they got that place and then

[1:34:17] also having in the room on

[1:34:19] that council vigils that

[1:34:22] represent different

[1:34:22] nonprofits, different

[1:34:24] organizations. Maybe the

[1:34:25] hospitals sitting around

[1:34:28] talking about this individual.

[1:34:32] What led up to shooting? What

[1:34:34] was their background were they

[1:34:35] previously incarcerated. What

[1:34:37] kind of services that they

[1:34:39] receive looking at where some

[1:34:40] of the gaps where the so that

[1:34:41] we could look at maybe even

[1:34:44] policies that happened that

[1:34:44] could improve what we're doing

[1:34:47] here in the city. So it's just

[1:34:51] one peace to the treaty.

[1:34:52] Violence intervention was

[1:34:54] caught like spokes to a wheel

[1:34:55] that we're going to add here

[1:34:56] in Indianapolis. So we're just

[1:35:00] in the beginning stages of

[1:35:00] this and developing it. And we

[1:35:02] haven't even really got to the

[1:35:03] point where we're looking at,

[1:35:04] who would actually sit on that

[1:35:07] council. And is it intended to

[1:35:11] cover every shooting every

[1:35:12] women want us know. It's

[1:35:14] looking at specific Initially.

[1:35:17] We will be looking at

[1:35:21] different maybe some high

[1:35:22] profile individuals that would

[1:35:22] be every single criminal

[1:35:23] homicide, we say it would be

[1:35:25] over burdensome. I would think

[1:35:28] it would so. But again, it's

[1:35:29] just an opportunity really

[1:35:30] take a deep dive into what

[1:35:31] were some of the things that

[1:35:35] led up to that? Looking at any

[1:35:35] gaps in services that might

[1:35:39] have been able to prevent it

[1:35:41] is where they actually like

[1:35:42] with we have the hospitals

[1:35:43] like now we have partnerships

[1:35:45] with iu Health Methodist and

[1:35:47] we're getting ready to work

[1:35:49] with Riley, develop a hospital

[1:35:49] violence intervention program

[1:35:50] with Riley, but they would be

[1:35:53] on this council. And we could

[1:35:54] even look at like how many

[1:35:55] times were they involved in

[1:35:56] gun violence? Were there a

[1:35:58] couple of non-fatal shootings?

[1:35:58] What kind of support that they

[1:36:00] get after those shootings?

[1:36:01] Where did we as a community

[1:36:07] dropped the ball? Thank Thank

[1:36:09] you. Council just one more.

[1:36:13] Yes, thank you. And this back

[1:36:17] addiction. They version

[1:36:17] information, particularly

[1:36:20] slide 20. You mention

[1:36:21] additional dissipated external

[1:36:25] funding in Where is that

[1:36:26] dissipated funding coming

[1:36:28] from?

[1:36:35] Is that from the Indianapolis

[1:36:37] Foundation the Public Safety

[1:36:38] Foundation? Yes. So we've we

[1:36:39] partnered with the new bar

[1:36:41] Indian up our foundation this

[1:36:46] too. Much like we do with

[1:36:48] Indianapolis Foundation where

[1:36:49] we granted the funds for legal

[1:36:52] aid to them up front. So that

[1:36:53] they could be because there

[1:36:56] are 5, one c 3 they can

[1:36:58] receive funds from external

[1:36:59] partners because a lot of

[1:37:00] funders. I want to give that

[1:37:02] to the city Indianapolis. And

[1:37:04] so we could pull those funds

[1:37:05] together in order to make the

[1:37:09] program even more robust.

[1:37:10] We're still in discussions

[1:37:11] with the Barr Foundation, but

[1:37:13] we do expect there to be some

[1:37:15] commitment from them

[1:37:16] financially. And we plan to

[1:37:20] work with the Barr Foundation

[1:37:21] are the lead partners. And

[1:37:25] just through Lawrence Township

[1:37:26] to go and solicit additional

[1:37:30] dollars from top of partners.

[1:37:31] Thank you. Thank you. Think

[1:37:34] Council Council island? Thank

[1:37:36] you, MISTER CHAIRMAN thank you

[1:37:41] at. If the d a Mike Lee is

[1:37:47] supposed Violet defeat your

[1:37:52] presentation this evening

[1:37:53] first, I want to say thank you

[1:37:54] for taking time out to meet

[1:37:55] with me. Says that I did okay

[1:37:59] has came out and we have

[1:38:02] covers several different

[1:38:04] topics, including the agency

[1:38:05] coaching and which I heard you

[1:38:09] mention that within the

[1:38:10] presentation and how you guys

[1:38:12] are trying to improve that

[1:38:14] area because counselor Perkins

[1:38:17] has. Tap into that attic

[1:38:19] piece. I'm not gonna at any

[1:38:20] more to that because it we

[1:38:22] continue its, you know, your

[1:38:25] things. We come up with more

[1:38:27] questions. What happened to

[1:38:31] the contract? The agency? So

[1:38:34] before any of our major

[1:38:36] contracts go out for be, are

[1:38:37] they offer everybody or do you

[1:38:41] from 2 expire I see in the

[1:38:45] piece for So the Office of

[1:38:46] Public Health and Safety

[1:38:49] follows local procurement

[1:38:50] procedures per ordinance in

[1:38:52] the and the procedure rules.

[1:38:56] It skews me procurement rules.

[1:38:59] It depends on what type of

[1:38:59] procurement we are using for

[1:39:02] that particular project. But

[1:39:07] regardless. Things like the ac

[1:39:09] and Eskenazi operating there

[1:39:11] or aspire health operating

[1:39:12] winter contingency. All of

[1:39:15] those have been procured

[1:39:18] through even rfp rfq process,

[1:39:19] which takes, you know,

[1:39:20] multiple weeks it it's put out

[1:39:23] for bid to the public because

[1:39:24] in the public in I t j a and b

[1:39:25] star and it's and its public

[1:39:30] on our website. We. Do that

[1:39:36] for all of our projects and

[1:39:37] then okay, chess has also

[1:39:39] gotten kind of in the

[1:39:40] construction game with the

[1:39:41] housing hub. So we now we've

[1:39:42] now done that type of public

[1:39:44] instruction did as well. Ok,

[1:39:49] thank you. Now it is all of

[1:39:49] our contracts with the Marion

[1:39:50] County are outside of Marion

[1:39:52] County. I I'd have to get back

[1:39:55] to you on that. Okay. Please

[1:39:57] do that. One more question,

[1:40:00] MR. CHAIRMAN. Now there is a

[1:40:00] reduction in programming. Has

[1:40:01] this affected minority

[1:40:08] vendors? That's good question.

[1:40:11] The reduction in programming

[1:40:14] is related to the really

[1:40:15] sloppy predominately the

[1:40:19] release lobby what as it

[1:40:20] pertains to our budget, what

[1:40:24] was in our 2026 budget. And we

[1:40:25] did not have vendors in that

[1:40:28] space we we had contractors.

[1:40:30] That part of its from a temp

[1:40:31] agency. And so those

[1:40:33] individuals will be impacted.

[1:40:38] But as far as the rest of our

[1:40:39] programming, we continue to

[1:40:40] work with predominantly

[1:40:44] minority. Partners that the

[1:40:47] services that we offer. Okay.

[1:40:48] Thank you. Thank Thank you,

[1:40:51] Jim. Because the Grays thanks.

[1:40:54] MISTER Chair. Thank you guys

[1:40:54] for the presentation.

[1:40:56] Certainly appreciate it. Chock

[1:41:01] full of great information. But

[1:41:02] director, with if it's ok with

[1:41:09] CHAIRMAN I want asked the

[1:41:09] those in the audience they

[1:41:10] carry out the work to give

[1:41:12] themselves an applause because

[1:41:15] those are the men and women.

[1:41:20] And in our community Whether

[1:41:22] they're whether role in the

[1:41:25] city county building directly

[1:41:26] literally interrupting

[1:41:28] violence in our communities. I

[1:41:32] can't say enough about them.

[1:41:32] Director Merkley. I've seen

[1:41:34] you our community a lot more

[1:41:35] over the recent years are one

[1:41:39] up. Give you a shout for that.

[1:41:40] Thank you for getting down

[1:41:41] into the grass roots. When you

[1:41:42] talk about funding the

[1:41:44] basketball program's over with

[1:41:48] Hampton and those guys. I see

[1:41:49] that they get more energy to

[1:41:50] do the work that they do to

[1:41:54] help keep those young people

[1:41:55] busy with the things that they

[1:41:57] do. So thank you for your

[1:42:00] dedication. There but I do

[1:42:04] want ask a question as you

[1:42:06] take a look at all the

[1:42:07] different departments you over

[1:42:10] so much, so much work. So much

[1:42:13] programming. Is there one

[1:42:14] central organization that's

[1:42:14] above your. Your is your

[1:42:19] mayor's team. The only person

[1:42:21] like you've got representation

[1:42:23] from gun violence to get

[1:42:25] representation from Tennessee

[1:42:26] fictions. And you've got

[1:42:28] you've got all these different

[1:42:29] areas. But who is your like Co

[1:42:31] 2? Is your your director who

[1:42:37] helps help you guide all these

[1:42:38] men and make sure you're

[1:42:39] pulling it all together. Yeah,

[1:42:40] you know, just has a lot of

[1:42:47] support and support from the

[1:42:48] rest of the cabinet. Specific.

[1:42:48] If you're if you're speaking

[1:42:53] specifically to me, you know,

[1:42:54] Aaron Jones is integral in the

[1:42:54] work that she does around

[1:42:56] homelessness and you know,

[1:42:58] works hand in hand with our

[1:43:03] housing The deputy mayor's

[1:43:05] Chief Bailey Shea have been.

[1:43:08] And mental and helping us.

[1:43:12] And, you know, chief Terry and

[1:43:20] chief Bailey bring significant

[1:43:22] overseeing major agency. And

[1:43:24] so, you know, we've had

[1:43:26] conversations and they helped

[1:43:28] to know navigating provide you

[1:43:31] with advice. Thank You know,

[1:43:33] cause it's one thing to create

[1:43:35] the programming create

[1:43:36] division asked men and women

[1:43:40] to carry that vision. Now, are

[1:43:41] you doing anything or can you

[1:43:41] talk about what you've done or

[1:43:45] what you plan to do too, to

[1:43:47] demonstrate your care for

[1:43:48] those that are out there to

[1:43:49] make sure that their wellness

[1:43:50] is being taken wake well,

[1:43:53] taken care of as well as those

[1:43:53] in the insight on the

[1:43:54] administrative side of the

[1:43:56] work that you guys do. What as

[1:43:59] a leader of people, what are

[1:44:00] you doing to to oversee their

[1:44:07] wellness? Well, you can take

[1:44:12] your question literally. If

[1:44:19] you called us at this, what as

[1:44:20] I stated at the top, you know,

[1:44:21] there's been a lot of angst

[1:44:21] and a lot of adversity and the

[1:44:22] work that we do is really

[1:44:29] hard. And We encourage

[1:44:29] collaboration and we

[1:44:34] encourage. Taking

[1:44:35] opportunities for additional

[1:44:36] training and getting, you

[1:44:39] know. Going to. Convinced the

[1:44:41] things that will help them

[1:44:43] with their career right into

[1:44:44] that. Well, that's on a break

[1:44:45] from what we do. It is an

[1:44:48] opportunity for getting out of

[1:44:52] the city County building. We

[1:44:56] also I'm really thankful too.

[1:44:57] To kill teacher. Martin are

[1:45:01] teaming Angie, more for their

[1:45:03] support. And we have a monthly

[1:45:05] event that we hope that they

[1:45:07] host. We're we have lunch

[1:45:08] together. And I think that

[1:45:09] that's helpful for us. All to

[1:45:12] get to know each other. Those

[1:45:13] are themed and we we are

[1:45:14] having the opportunity to

[1:45:16] learn about each other's

[1:45:17] backgrounds and just take a

[1:45:20] moment to kind of decompress

[1:45:21] from the challenged every day.

[1:45:22] Challenges that the work that

[1:45:27] we do. I'm going to to rescind

[1:45:30] say that. Thank you. But they

[1:45:30] should go a leader Schober,

[1:45:33] which and not me. Because he

[1:45:34] was giving game

[1:45:36] representation. Yeah. Final

[1:45:39] comments, a team effort. You

[1:45:41] thank you for that. Just one

[1:45:45] suggestion, I think cross

[1:45:47] training assignments, if

[1:45:48] that's something that you guys

[1:45:51] it. If not, I'd love to make

[1:45:51] that recommendation. I could

[1:45:52] see some of those men and

[1:45:55] women that are moving through

[1:45:58] just like in corporate

[1:45:59] America. They're moving up to

[1:46:00] up the ranks become have take

[1:46:02] on more and more

[1:46:04] responsibility. But what I

[1:46:05] really want to finally say,

[1:46:09] MISTER Chair is that I've been

[1:46:10] a supporter phs and the

[1:46:12] programming that you guys have

[1:46:16] done over the years. I think

[1:46:17] that it's important that we

[1:46:20] continue to focus on those

[1:46:20] root causes of crime because

[1:46:22] that in and of itself is crime

[1:46:25] prevention. And if we are

[1:46:27] excited about our crime

[1:46:28] numbers across the board

[1:46:29] moving in the right direction.

[1:46:30] We have to give credit where

[1:46:30] it's due and we have to

[1:46:33] continue to support. What we

[1:46:37] see coming out phs. They're

[1:46:38] true. There are some

[1:46:40] challenges in this document is

[1:46:41] demonstrating some of the

[1:46:42] challenges. So as we continue

[1:46:48] to the supportive director and

[1:46:50] be patient to get those get

[1:46:52] that document. I understand my

[1:46:54] colleagues are really

[1:46:55] demanding that we get some of

[1:46:56] that red and some of the

[1:46:57] yellow corrected on the on the

[1:47:00] on on the sheet. But I do know

[1:47:03] that you guys have been.

[1:47:04] Basically building this plane

[1:47:05] while you're flying it because

[1:47:06] I've been here since he's kind

[1:47:09] of started this thing off. So

[1:47:10] I want to applaud you and the

[1:47:13] team that works with you. And

[1:47:14] yet you got a lot of

[1:47:15] responsibility. We're going to

[1:47:18] continue to to pull more from

[1:47:20] you. So being in this role, I

[1:47:20] know that it's coming and

[1:47:21] thank you for what you've been

[1:47:22] doing. We've got our eyes on.

[1:47:26] Thank you, MISTER. Thank you.

[1:47:26] Council district comments

[1:47:31] Council Perkins. Thank you,

[1:47:32] MISTER Chair. Just a follow-up

[1:47:33] on my colleagues, a sip graves

[1:47:36] and Allen. I think what I

[1:47:40] wanted to use director is that

[1:47:41] you're also getting some

[1:47:47] executive coach. Hugh Carey,

[1:47:48] you lead a very significant

[1:47:55] part of the city. With all the

[1:47:56] concerns challenges that we've

[1:47:58] heard over the last 2, 3 years

[1:48:02] and this particular office I

[1:48:05] know as as an executive.

[1:48:10] Executive coach and also

[1:48:13] helpful. So recommend that as

[1:48:14] citizen that I will also be

[1:48:15] participating in the

[1:48:15] leadership training that

[1:48:21] you're providing. And over the

[1:48:22] last year, I hope my

[1:48:24] colleagues will agree that,

[1:48:26] you know, being thrown into

[1:48:28] I've learned a and there's

[1:48:32] been. Trials and tribulations

[1:48:36] along the So I I don't

[1:48:37] disagree with you and I look

[1:48:37] forward to a leadership

[1:48:39] training. We provide. Thank

[1:48:41] you. Just a final. A follow-up

[1:48:45] on counsel Alan Scherr in

[1:48:46] terms of the precursor public

[1:48:50] human process. Much of the

[1:48:50] work Phs is done to partners

[1:48:55] store vendors. Once a vendor

[1:48:55] is identified to do a

[1:49:00] particular job. What is the

[1:49:02] process off review win and

[1:49:04] renewing that contract given

[1:49:09] that we go through annual

[1:49:11] budget process. How do you

[1:49:12] know that a particular vendor

[1:49:13] is doing what the city needs

[1:49:15] for them to do and that

[1:49:18] contract is renewed. Yeah,

[1:49:24] that's a that good question. I

[1:49:24] think this is going to be the

[1:49:25] first year that we perform

[1:49:31] that review since the audit.

[1:49:34] We that is something that we

[1:49:35] need to to finish the s and p

[1:49:36] and train our team on what

[1:49:40] they're doing right now

[1:49:41] whatever the contract says. If

[1:49:43] it's a monthly invoice report

[1:49:46] or a quarterly report, they

[1:49:47] are required to meet with

[1:49:49] their vendor review the the

[1:49:50] reporting in the data that's

[1:49:54] coming in. Maintain that

[1:49:55] relationship and to make sure

[1:49:58] that the work is getting done

[1:49:59] at the end of those contracts,

[1:50:01] they're required to provide us

[1:50:01] with a rule. They will be

[1:50:03] required provide us with a

[1:50:04] full reporting of how the

[1:50:06] program went that year, which

[1:50:09] will be reviewed in on top of

[1:50:12] that, we will be requiring our

[1:50:17] team to essentially. If

[1:50:18] they're developing a new

[1:50:18] program, they have to create

[1:50:20] these logic models and they

[1:50:23] have to provide us with. You

[1:50:24] know, a reason for why we need

[1:50:25] this program and what's

[1:50:26] working. What will what it's

[1:50:30] going to address. And so

[1:50:31] similarly, we will we will be

[1:50:33] asking them to do that for

[1:50:34] existing programs and present

[1:50:36] that to to understand whether

[1:50:36] or not that program is

[1:50:49] continue. Counseling. Thank

[1:50:49] you, MR. Chair thank you,

[1:50:51] tractor and car less for being

[1:50:55] here this evening. I first

[1:50:58] just want to state that my

[1:50:59] heart and my mind is with the

[1:51:01] victims who are flooded right

[1:51:02] now. They've lost their homes

[1:51:06] and most of what they own and

[1:51:06] a lot of that occurred in my

[1:51:09] district side, just one let

[1:51:10] everybody know. That's where

[1:51:12] my head right now and when

[1:51:13] everybody to be thinking of

[1:51:15] our flood victims in our city.

[1:51:18] We were just declared a

[1:51:19] federal full-scale federal

[1:51:21] disaster last evening. MAY

[1:51:22] PRESIDENT Trump. And so

[1:51:22] there's more resources coming

[1:51:26] our way. But also wanted to

[1:51:27] take this time to thank you

[1:51:30] for being out there. Saw car

[1:51:31] let their personally. I'm

[1:51:33] sorry. Missed you, Director

[1:51:34] Mark Leno. There are other

[1:51:34] folks from the agency that

[1:51:35] were also out there. So thank

[1:51:41] you. My. We've talked a lot in

[1:51:44] this committee about youth

[1:51:45] violence over the last year.

[1:51:47] And I noticed that you said

[1:51:49] you created the youth violence

[1:51:53] Reduction Initiative so I

[1:51:54] wanted to know more about

[1:51:57] that. And then I sit on early

[1:51:58] intervention Planning Council

[1:52:02] along the counselor ne. And

[1:52:03] we're really getting deep into

[1:52:05] the work there. All save all

[1:52:05] that those questions for when

[1:52:09] they come back. But I was

[1:52:09] hoping you could just tell me

[1:52:11] a little bit more about what

[1:52:13] is the Youth Violence

[1:52:14] Reduction initiative. What you

[1:52:16] have plans for it like just a

[1:52:21] little bit more details there.

[1:52:22] The counselor, the Youth

[1:52:25] Reduction initiative is. Is

[1:52:26] much like the Adult Fellowship

[1:52:31] program. For the

[1:52:32] contradictions strategy. Only

[1:52:33] we're addressing those you

[1:52:35] threat highest risk of. Being

[1:52:39] involved in violence. And so

[1:52:40] that, you know, we've

[1:52:41] identified 26, I believe that

[1:52:43] actually MAY be 27 as of

[1:52:44] today. Individuals who are

[1:52:48] participating in that program.

[1:52:48] That those those referrals

[1:52:54] come from various sources impd

[1:52:56] then we are providing high

[1:52:58] intensity, wrap-around

[1:53:00] services to help those that

[1:53:01] individual their families so

[1:53:02] that we can get them on a

[1:53:08] better path. 27 eu states.

[1:53:09] Year 18 under 18. So

[1:53:09] completely separate from the

[1:53:13] other program you expanded

[1:53:14] more staff to be able to

[1:53:18] handle this. So we're

[1:53:20] partnering with voices to

[1:53:21] implement this program. So we

[1:53:22] provided funding in addition

[1:53:22] to the national criminal

[1:53:25] justice reform funding. Okay.

[1:53:28] Just providing funding to

[1:53:30] voices and this is a pilot

[1:53:31] program. So we're still

[1:53:34] receiving data back. But the

[1:53:36] community violence reduction

[1:53:37] team is overseeing that

[1:53:41] partnership with voices. And

[1:53:42] we do have a new staff or her

[1:53:47] name feel Fuller. Is is our

[1:53:48] violence prevention program

[1:53:48] managers social ever see that

[1:53:51] partnership. Thank you. And I

[1:53:54] have seen that reality. The

[1:53:56] the ipc meeting. So there is

[1:53:57] overlap there. So thank you

[1:53:59] very much. It. Counsel counsel

[1:54:06] Alan. Thank you. MISTER Chair

[1:54:10] Quest and going back to the

[1:54:12] question. Is there a website

[1:54:14] or anything that these vendors

[1:54:15] can sign up to, you know,

[1:54:16] sign-up for to able to take a

[1:54:17] look me. Is there a protocol,

[1:54:18] I guess for that for the

[1:54:22] vendors? Her let help answer

[1:54:28] that question. Purchasing

[1:54:29] website. Anyone can sign up to

[1:54:31] become a vendor to the city of

[1:54:32] Indianapolis in they would

[1:54:33] state whatever services that

[1:54:38] they for and the purchasing

[1:54:42] department sent out the rf

[1:54:43] piece to any relevant vendors

[1:54:45] that provide those services to

[1:54:46] let them know that these are

[1:54:48] available for them to respond

[1:54:49] to. So then we would go based

[1:54:51] off those responses. Ok? Thank

[1:54:56] you. And going back to the

[1:54:57] Youth initiative. And you did

[1:55:00] mention in the presentation

[1:55:01] earlier that you guys are

[1:55:02] doing and I forget the other

[1:55:05] initiative that you mention. I

[1:55:06] want to make sure that we

[1:55:07] point out not every child who

[1:55:09] wants play basketball. So I

[1:55:12] want us to be thinking about

[1:55:15] other ways that we can help

[1:55:16] our use because that's the

[1:55:17] very first thing we wanted am

[1:55:21] a mother of 3 boys. Yes, I I

[1:55:21] do see the benefit in it

[1:55:24] because I in all sports, but

[1:55:28] not all kids want to play

[1:55:29] basketball. And I've set with

[1:55:30] some of the high risk of, you

[1:55:33] know, offenders in some of

[1:55:34] them said they want to learn

[1:55:35] how to cook. Some of them are

[1:55:37] teenagers with babies and have

[1:55:40] to figure out how to, you

[1:55:42] know, take care of their child

[1:55:44] or they MAY have a mother, a

[1:55:45] father grandmother. So I want

[1:55:46] us to make sure that we're not

[1:55:47] just thinking about basketball

[1:55:48] all the time, but we're

[1:55:52] thinking about other things

[1:55:52] and making sure that we're

[1:55:56] listening to like you that we

[1:55:57] just now have a at the table

[1:56:00] and we're trying to tilt the u

[1:56:01] what they should head. I do

[1:56:04] think that they should have a

[1:56:05] place at the table and they

[1:56:08] should be able to voice what

[1:56:10] they want and weirdly and were

[1:56:11] then allowed him solely

[1:56:12] through this process. Thank

[1:56:13] you, MISTER Chair. Appreciate

[1:56:14] thank you. To some comments

[1:56:18] from counselors. Missed have

[1:56:18] sign-up sheet for those of us

[1:56:22] speak. Court in one of the

[1:56:23] organs could speak to the

[1:56:24] proposal presentation from MR.

[1:56:29] Merkin will come forward. If

[1:56:30] you read the statement,

[1:56:34] please, this court yes. Before

[1:56:34] we open a Florida public

[1:56:39] comments will light. We like

[1:56:42] my committee members and the

[1:56:43] our rules so everyone can have

[1:56:44] fair chance to speak and be

[1:56:46] heard. It is important that we

[1:56:48] each observe the following

[1:56:48] Bills. First speaker will be

[1:56:51] limited to 2 minutes. Second,

[1:56:53] any public comments most

[1:56:53] recently relate to the agenda

[1:56:57] item under consideration. 3rd

[1:56:58] speakers stray from the item

[1:56:59] under consideration are become

[1:57:02] I'm is maybe yes. Move on to

[1:57:04] the next point conclude their

[1:57:06] comment. Finally attendees to

[1:57:07] cause disruptions to prevent

[1:57:09] the committee from scene to

[1:57:10] tonight's agenda a recently

[1:57:13] fishermen and will be crazy

[1:57:14] members, some types of

[1:57:15] threatening speech or

[1:57:17] incitement to violence are not

[1:57:17] protected by the First

[1:57:20] Amendment at all. We would do

[1:57:20] those issues if they come up.

[1:57:23] But we don't think that will

[1:57:24] now MISTER Chair for committee

[1:57:25] member has for consent to

[1:57:26] that. These rules we can

[1:57:29] proceed to public comments.

[1:57:31] Thank you as Thank you for the

[1:57:32] consensus. Do you guys think

[1:57:33] it's easier to your to your

[1:57:34] left there and is one of the

[1:57:35] time just come up those want

[1:57:37] to speak. Just come to the

[1:57:39] front row state. Your name for

[1:57:40] the record, please. And then

[1:57:41] again, you guys have 2 minutes

[1:57:42] to share your thoughts and

[1:57:45] comments. You name for the

[1:57:48] record. Belinda Drake,

[1:57:48] executive director for

[1:57:49] Community Research Resource

[1:57:54] Center, also known as c r c.

[1:57:55] And I don't need 2 minutes.

[1:57:57] I'll be very brief. Just want

[1:57:58] to speak about being in a cbo

[1:58:02] with the elevation Grant crc.

[1:58:04] Our mission is to empower

[1:58:04] disenfranchised communities by

[1:58:06] connecting people to

[1:58:09] comprehensive health and

[1:58:10] social services. Right-sizing

[1:58:14] black and brown, lgbtq adults

[1:58:17] in a major part of our work is

[1:58:17] some pretty individuals who

[1:58:20] face barriers stability and

[1:58:21] opportunity, including members

[1:58:23] who are just as involved

[1:58:25] through the elevation grants.

[1:58:27] Erc has been able to provide

[1:58:29] direct support just as

[1:58:30] involved community members and

[1:58:32] help them successfully move

[1:58:34] toward greater stability to

[1:58:36] date this year, we have been

[1:58:39] able to help 205 unique

[1:58:40] individuals with support of

[1:58:41] this funding. So thank The

[1:58:45] grant does allow us to connect

[1:58:45] people to critical resources

[1:58:48] to make a real difference.

[1:58:49] We're talking about real

[1:58:51] people with organization to

[1:58:55] help them rebuild their lives.

[1:58:57] For example, we have with

[1:58:59] housing utility assistance and

[1:59:01] legal services while also

[1:59:05] helping them get and keep good

[1:59:06] paying jobs. The supports are

[1:59:07] interconnected. As you

[1:59:10] difficult for someone to focus

[1:59:12] on employment they don't have

[1:59:13] housing or other unresolved

[1:59:18] legal services. Just as

[1:59:19] importantly, Elevation has

[1:59:23] also invested in cr sees

[1:59:24] capacity as organization

[1:59:26] through the individualized

[1:59:28] technical assistance. We have

[1:59:29] developed a stronger

[1:59:30] development plan and strategy

[1:59:33] that helps that helped us

[1:59:36] diversify our funding by 500%

[1:59:37] and strategically plan for the

[1:59:37] long term support of our

[1:59:42] organization and our clients.

[1:59:43] We have also improved data and

[1:59:44] client management systems.

[1:59:45] Given us a better

[1:59:46] understanding of are serving,

[1:59:50] services are needed. I just

[1:59:50] want to say thank you for the

[1:59:51] opportunity we're grateful for

[1:59:53] the elevation program. Thank

[2:00:03] you for your comments next.

[2:00:03] Thank CHAIRMAN Staff. Name is

[2:00:04] Adam Christopher Collins on

[2:00:07] the ceo of Foster Kids. Family

[2:00:09] also advocate for Black Me

[2:00:09] United Envision ERs

[2:00:12] Initiative. Also stand aside,

[2:00:12] Thomas, really and festival

[2:00:16] one like me. What I see here

[2:00:17] is a let's just say if the

[2:00:19] mental health was hydrogen,

[2:00:21] too, gentleman here was

[2:00:22] oxygen. When you bring them

[2:00:24] together, creates water

[2:00:25] rights, the water that we need

[2:00:28] here is what I'm seeing.

[2:00:30] Transportation. I traveled

[2:00:31] around the world speaking to

[2:00:33] people very culturally

[2:00:35] competent. One thing that I

[2:00:37] noticed when people click up

[2:00:37] gang most of don't have

[2:00:41] licenses. Preventing people

[2:00:42] from traveling and defunding

[2:00:47] people who move is a problem.

[2:00:48] So I was I had a question for

[2:00:49] gentleman. If we have funds

[2:00:53] not use for legal services,

[2:00:54] but asking for more funds for

[2:00:56] 2,020th legal services. Maybe

[2:00:59] that money can be used towards

[2:01:02] outsourcing external sources

[2:01:03] towards what we can do legally

[2:01:04] to help people get the

[2:01:05] license. You could also

[2:01:06] address that lift issue. You

[2:01:09] guys got going on. So I got to

[2:01:09] thank you, sir, for your

[2:01:15] comments next. Please.

[2:01:21] Welcome. Good evening chair

[2:01:23] and members of the Public

[2:01:25] Safety Committee. My name is

[2:01:26] Jessica, great and I am the

[2:01:26] founder and executive director

[2:01:29] of Deborah's Place since 2018.

[2:01:31] Our mission has been to remove

[2:01:33] barriers and create pathways

[2:01:34] to stability and

[2:01:36] self-sufficiency for

[2:01:38] underserved families just as

[2:01:39] involved individuals,

[2:01:41] survivors of domestic

[2:01:42] violence, youth and seniors

[2:01:44] throughout Indianapolis. With

[2:01:46] support from the Elevation

[2:01:48] Grant program Deborah's Place

[2:01:49] has expanded his work across

[2:01:51] the justice continuum during

[2:01:55] the first 2 quarters of 2026.

[2:01:58] We've served 1446 and

[2:02:00] duplicated individuals. 632

[2:02:01] joined the 1st quarter and 114

[2:02:04] during the 2nd quarter. We

[2:02:05] provide care to development

[2:02:08] training to detained youth and

[2:02:09] financial literacy and

[2:02:09] character development training

[2:02:12] inside the Marion County Jail.

[2:02:13] Participants will successfully

[2:02:16] complete the training required

[2:02:19] testing receive certificates

[2:02:19] of completion. Those

[2:02:20] certificates are placed within

[2:02:22] their personal property. It

[2:02:24] MAY be presented to the court

[2:02:26] as evidence of accountability,

[2:02:27] personal growth in their

[2:02:30] willingness to make positive

[2:02:31] changes. Our Ed does not stop

[2:02:35] inside the classroom

[2:02:36] throughout expungement.

[2:02:36] Resource fair as we connect

[2:02:37] people with expungement

[2:02:38] assistance, driver's license,

[2:02:43] reinstatement. Vixens ceiling.

[2:02:44] Housing insurance, workforce,

[2:02:45] resources and development and

[2:02:46] other services that remove the

[2:02:51] barriers to stability. We also

[2:02:55] provide transportation access.

[2:02:56] People cannot mates and

[2:02:56] employment attend training

[2:02:57] appear in court. Receive

[2:02:59] medical care rss essential

[2:03:01] services if they cannot get

[2:03:04] there. In addition to that,

[2:03:05] the elevation capacity

[2:03:06] building program has

[2:03:08] strengthened Deborah's place

[2:03:10] to individualize financial

[2:03:12] management assistance and

[2:03:14] improvements in our budgeting

[2:03:15] financial reporting outcome

[2:03:17] measurement and long-term

[2:03:18] sustainability. This

[2:03:21] investment is helping us

[2:03:23] remove barriers, restore

[2:03:24] dignity, rebuild lives. Thank

[2:03:25] you again for this opportunity

[2:03:25] to thank you for your

[2:03:34] comments. Next. Please. Good

[2:03:36] evening. My name is John

[2:03:36] Florence. It comes ceo and

[2:03:37] general counsel in the ap's

[2:03:39] legal aid society. And I want

[2:03:42] to begin tonight by thanking

[2:03:43] all of you council members for

[2:03:44] the investment you made last

[2:03:47] year in Phs eviction diversion

[2:03:48] program as well as the re

[2:03:52] commitment proposed tonight.

[2:03:53] Also want to Phs and and

[2:03:57] director Merkley for the

[2:03:58] continued leadership around

[2:03:59] the prevention of

[2:04:00] homelessness. I think it's

[2:04:03] important for you to hear.

[2:04:03] What that investment looks

[2:04:07] like when it reaches. And

[2:04:07] Indianapolis resident recently

[2:04:11] through the eviction program,

[2:04:12] actually lights. It

[2:04:13] represented the tenant in an

[2:04:16] extraordinarily contentious

[2:04:18] eviction case. There are 3

[2:04:22] separate hearings, extensive

[2:04:23] discovery evidence, all sorts

[2:04:26] of court involvement.

[2:04:27] Ultimately our attorney at the

[2:04:27] Legal Aid Society helped

[2:04:30] resolve the case and we

[2:04:32] negotiated a full waiver of

[2:04:34] satisfaction claims that

[2:04:36] exceeded $13,000 for this

[2:04:36] client. He never have been

[2:04:41] able to pay that. So. It

[2:04:42] matters because very few

[2:04:43] tenants could afford legal

[2:04:47] representation like this. You

[2:04:48] know, in fact, in preparation

[2:04:49] for these remarks tonight, I

[2:04:49] asked our staff attorneys

[2:04:53] whether they had ever seen a

[2:04:54] private attorney represent a

[2:04:55] tenant in an eviction case.

[2:04:57] And the resounding answer was

[2:04:59] no. They never seen a private

[2:05:01] lawyer. Do do do work for a

[2:05:03] tenant. So you know, it's

[2:05:08] it's. It's far less expensive

[2:05:08] to prevent a crisis and to pay

[2:05:09] for everything that follows.

[2:05:12] So. You know, we're preventing

[2:05:16] homelessness were preventing.

[2:05:18] Preserving employment,

[2:05:20] avoiding emergency shelter in

[2:05:21] reducing interactions with law

[2:05:22] enforcement and other

[2:05:25] expensive crisis response

[2:05:27] systems. I did want quickly

[2:05:30] address a question about

[2:05:30] funding. The Annapolis

[2:05:33] Foundation was one of our

[2:05:34] founders 97. He almost 90

[2:05:35] years ago. We've had a great

[2:05:38] relationship with them and we

[2:05:38] are working with MR. Merkley

[2:05:40] to fund this. Thank you. Thank

[2:05:47] you for your comments. Are.

[2:05:48] Welcome. Thank you. And good

[2:05:49] evening My name's Davidson.

[2:05:51] I'm also with the legal aid

[2:05:53] society. I just kind tell you

[2:05:54] what the investment your

[2:05:55] fiction diversion program

[2:05:56] looks like when it's

[2:05:57] specifically about one client.

[2:05:59] We had. So we had our client

[2:06:00] was a paraplegic gentlemen.

[2:06:01] His son was the primary

[2:06:04] caregiver. His son told me is

[2:06:05] going overseas for a little

[2:06:07] while, but not to worry the

[2:06:08] rent to pay the bills we're

[2:06:09] taking care of. A new wave was

[2:06:10] coming. Everything would be

[2:06:14] fine. Except none of that was

[2:06:15] true. The sun into the bank

[2:06:16] accounts stop paying the rent

[2:06:18] and left him. He left to die.

[2:06:22] His own side left him to die.

[2:06:23] You know how he discovered all

[2:06:23] that? He got an eviction

[2:06:25] notice on his door. So what

[2:06:26] does he do? He calls the

[2:06:29] court. You know, if the court

[2:06:31] does the court Phs because we

[2:06:32] do have a working relationship

[2:06:33] with the court system Phs

[2:06:36] immediately calls me so we had

[2:06:37] the pleasure of being the ones

[2:06:38] to step in and work on that.

[2:06:39] And because that program is

[2:06:41] funded the eviction of program

[2:06:42] when it contact the court and

[2:06:46] everything one knew what to do

[2:06:46] want to share a couple of the

[2:06:47] first words. He said our

[2:06:50] attorney he said, and I think

[2:06:53] the quote was exactly why

[2:06:54] should I just and it all

[2:06:55] rubber done my own side can

[2:06:56] even handle Eyes will stick my

[2:07:00] head in the oven. Our

[2:07:01] attorneys, obviously able to

[2:07:02] address the eviction. But more

[2:07:03] importantly, what this program

[2:07:05] did, it set up a position, it

[2:07:05] kind of tools and resources so

[2:07:07] that we can reach agreement.

[2:07:09] The landlord, I can say kind

[2:07:11] of probably the landlord agree

[2:07:11] for that person remain house

[2:07:12] free of charge. Well, we got

[2:07:14] them alternative housing. We

[2:07:15] got them and that its

[2:07:16] alternative housing that we

[2:07:18] got them now permanent healthy

[2:07:19] living, the volunteers we got

[2:07:21] came in, moved them, move this

[2:07:22] person, belongings. We got the

[2:07:25] apartment cleaned. We got rent

[2:07:26] ready. And all of that worked

[2:07:27] at all that work because what

[2:07:28] it said was people are going

[2:07:32] to show up. And so eventually

[2:07:33] a man believed nobody wanted

[2:07:33] learn that people cared

[2:07:37] whether he was there tomorrow.

[2:07:37] When this whole time I've been

[2:07:39] kind of saying we did this,

[2:07:40] what I really want to say is

[2:07:43] the city that this this city

[2:07:45] funded that court, if under

[2:07:45] that program is funded, all

[2:07:46] those people that were able to

[2:07:48] step up and do there. The city

[2:07:49] p Chesson Andrew Merkley. The

[2:07:53] city funded his staff. Thank

[2:08:00] you for your comments. Good

[2:08:02] evening. Counselors, Rachel

[2:08:02] Hogan camp. I'm a senior staff

[2:08:04] attorney with Indiana Legal

[2:08:05] Services where represent

[2:08:06] tenant to our partnership with

[2:08:08] okay, just as eviction

[2:08:09] diversion program from

[2:08:10] JANUARY. First AUGUST, first

[2:08:13] of 2026, there've been 13,439

[2:08:15] eviction filings in Marion

[2:08:17] County. So far, Indiana legal

[2:08:20] services to serve over 3 it 3,

[2:08:20] 1300 households through our

[2:08:24] partnership with okay chess.

[2:08:26] 66% of our tenant clients Self

[2:08:27] express better understanding

[2:08:28] and that they know what to do

[2:08:28] next after contact with our

[2:08:32] office. This program connects

[2:08:36] people. It connects tennis

[2:08:37] lawyers, social workers and

[2:08:38] navigators. Yes, but it also

[2:08:39] connects tenants to each

[2:08:40] other. Our 10 attorneys to

[2:08:43] landlords and their attorneys

[2:08:43] housing advocates in various

[2:08:45] disciplines to each other. We

[2:08:46] have developed a strong

[2:08:49] relationship with the courts

[2:08:51] and this program connected us

[2:08:52] with okay chess, which allowed

[2:08:53] us to partner not only on

[2:08:55] providing legal support to

[2:08:56] tenants but also in the

[2:08:57] eviction education events.

[2:08:57] MISTER Merkley mentioned

[2:09:00] earlier. Through connection we

[2:09:03] have found understanding. And

[2:09:04] I want to tell you a couple of

[2:09:07] stories from our office. And

[2:09:08] 19 year-old was being evicted

[2:09:10] from her family home. She was

[2:09:12] facing potential emergency

[2:09:14] eviction and certain

[2:09:15] homelessness and attorney

[2:09:16] worked with the tenant for

[2:09:19] many, many weeks the work of

[2:09:21] the court and her familial and

[2:09:22] more to secure more time for

[2:09:23] her an agreement to keep the

[2:09:24] scarlet you off her record.

[2:09:29] Given her young age, a social

[2:09:29] worker from our office

[2:09:30] connected the young woman with

[2:09:32] a local housing organization

[2:09:32] and helped enroll her in the

[2:09:33] city's homeless response

[2:09:34] system. She is currently

[2:09:38] helps. This morning. I

[2:09:40] assisted a 90 year-old veteran

[2:09:40] who is being evicted from a

[2:09:42] federally subsidized senior

[2:09:44] housing project. He is on a

[2:09:45] fixed income and had nowhere

[2:09:46] to go. But he also wanted to

[2:09:50] leave. Intervention at the

[2:09:51] clinics, allowed him to be

[2:09:52] connected with a Navigator who

[2:09:53] is assisting him with finding

[2:09:54] housing and getting connected

[2:09:56] to services he did not even

[2:09:57] know existed. His attorney

[2:10:00] through our program was able

[2:10:02] negotiate extended move out

[2:10:03] time and protection of his

[2:10:04] eligibility for future

[2:10:05] subsidies. Thank you for this

[2:10:06] opportunity. Thank you. Thank

[2:10:08] you for your comments. Anyone

[2:10:09] else in the audience going to

[2:10:16] speak to the presentation?

[2:10:17] Good evening, everyone. And

[2:10:19] thank you to Andrew Merkley

[2:10:22] and a phs for assisting in

[2:10:23] funding 3rd part of the

[2:10:25] problem, which I would call 4

[2:10:28] of the eviction diversion

[2:10:29] program in Lawrence Township.

[2:10:31] We have the eviction diversion

[2:10:32] initiative. And in 2024, we

[2:10:33] were able to expand to assist

[2:10:36] the whole county since that

[2:10:40] time in 2026 of office, Vo ph

[2:10:43] s was able to supplement our

[2:10:45] funding that we had retained a

[2:10:46] leftover from private funders

[2:10:48] to assist us in continuing the

[2:10:50] program with that was holding

[2:10:51] camp just gave a story of

[2:10:52] exactly what happened in our

[2:10:55] court this morning. This

[2:10:56] morning, we had a 90 year-old

[2:10:56] veteran that actually was

[2:10:59] about to be an house. But

[2:11:00] between the legal services and

[2:11:01] the navigation services that

[2:11:03] found the resource to rehouse

[2:11:05] that person, that person was

[2:11:05] able to find new housing in

[2:11:10] being able to move an

[2:11:10] untenable condition that he

[2:11:12] was. That was not the best in

[2:11:15] housing. I'd like to let you

[2:11:16] know that this three-pronged

[2:11:18] program that has been created

[2:11:20] is essential to our community.

[2:11:22] It prevents are working class

[2:11:24] individuals being able to be

[2:11:25] able to keep up with the

[2:11:29] ability to stay in the home

[2:11:30] and not unsettle and unrest,

[2:11:32] their home at home and their

[2:11:35] children in Franklin Township.

[2:11:35] Their stories were there was

[2:11:39] that a mother of 4 children

[2:11:40] that had $4,000 of unpaid

[2:11:42] rent. She was unable. She did

[2:11:43] not have employment at the

[2:11:46] time, but she was able to

[2:11:48] through navigation services

[2:11:50] and legal assistance, get

[2:11:52] funding from a church as well

[2:11:53] as the trustee's office in

[2:11:55] order to remain in their

[2:11:56] house. In Perry Township, we

[2:11:59] had father, single father of 2

[2:12:00] daughters that was able to be

[2:12:04] able to relocate and relocate

[2:12:05] without losing any type of a

[2:12:06] roof over his head for his

[2:12:09] children himself as well as

[2:12:11] gain employment. He was $100

[2:12:13] short of being able to

[2:12:17] actually pay and stay. But

[2:12:18] with the help of the Navigator

[2:12:19] and legal aid, he was able to

[2:12:21] come up with that money to do

[2:12:22] so. MAY I just give you a 3

[2:12:32] more stories. Absolutely not

[2:12:35] Robinson MAY I so so. So it's

[2:12:36] so it will have a statement

[2:12:40] for the record. City the

[2:12:41] Kimberly Bacon. Judge Lord,

[2:12:42] still give you one more story.

[2:12:46] I'm I it. And then we also

[2:12:49] have a story in Wayne Township

[2:12:50] where there was individual who

[2:12:54] was about to be unhoused and

[2:12:55] that person by the name of Kh

[2:12:57] had 3 children. What I want

[2:13:01] you all to realize is that

[2:13:02] this program is not just the

[2:13:03] individual that you see in

[2:13:09] court. It is too to 7 more

[2:13:10] people sometime in a household

[2:13:12] that has an effect when we

[2:13:16] issue a ruling by having these

[2:13:16] navigation services that

[2:13:19] assist people in finding new

[2:13:21] housing, assist people in

[2:13:23] getting to legal services so

[2:13:24] that they can stress with

[2:13:25] their issues are and bring

[2:13:27] them properly to the court to

[2:13:28] the judge. So they're able to

[2:13:31] hear, though, those issues so

[2:13:32] understand that when you are

[2:13:36] funding a program Phs, you are

[2:13:37] not funding just one person

[2:13:38] that comes before the court

[2:13:42] that gets legal aid. You are

[2:13:44] funding at up to 4 to 10

[2:13:45] individuals at one time.

[2:13:48] Sometimes that is the

[2:13:49] importance of this program. Is

[2:13:50] that the U.S. The people that

[2:13:52] you don't see, not just the

[2:13:54] people that you do see. And

[2:13:56] with that you have to

[2:13:57] understand that that goes to

[2:13:59] other programs that you all

[2:14:00] will fund or have an impact on

[2:14:03] the court systems when a

[2:14:05] mother or father is dislocated

[2:14:06] and they lose the stability of

[2:14:08] their housing, they MAY be

[2:14:11] subjected to dcs programs that

[2:14:13] destabilizes a home in

[2:14:14] separates families when a

[2:14:17] person is unable to provide

[2:14:17] toiletries because they

[2:14:19] sacrifice to make their rent

[2:14:22] payment, that then becomes a

[2:14:23] criminal activity sometimes

[2:14:23] because people are just trying

[2:14:26] to make it and they MAY have

[2:14:28] to go find food and unlawful

[2:14:30] ways or toiletries. Please

[2:14:32] note that housing instability.

[2:14:36] Is the foundation of so many

[2:14:39] other issues that result in

[2:14:40] families. It is important for

[2:14:41] you to fund this program so

[2:14:45] that all of these programs

[2:14:47] have an opportunity to touch

[2:14:48] these families and keep them

[2:14:49] unstable environments so that

[2:14:52] they can provide. This is your

[2:14:53] working class. I want you all

[2:14:56] councilors to understand that

[2:14:57] these are not people that

[2:14:58] choose to be unemployed are

[2:15:00] just unemployed for no reason.

[2:15:03] Many of them have jobs. 2, 3

[2:15:07] jobs. Many of loose their

[2:15:07] employment for week because

[2:15:08] they had to take care of a

[2:15:15] child. So these are not full.

[2:15:17] I tell about more thing. These

[2:15:21] are not people that taking Get

[2:15:24] one opportunity at And so

[2:15:26] these are not people that do

[2:15:29] not want to have a roof over

[2:15:31] their So we ask that you

[2:15:33] continue it. Did raise the

[2:15:38] gavel to me?

[2:15:44] Thank you for your comments

[2:15:45] for your service. And I were

[2:15:46] not there to on Thank you so

[2:15:51] much. MAY just come forward

[2:15:51] state. Your name for the

[2:15:54] record, please. Good evening.

[2:15:56] I'm Shauna majors Brightwood

[2:15:59] Community Center. I made them

[2:16:03] 5 she just got I have a huge

[2:16:04] list which will not fit into

[2:16:06] the 2 minutes. So I'm not

[2:16:10] going to do that to you. It's

[2:16:11] a Robinson, but I want to

[2:16:13] speak about a couple things,

[2:16:15] really quickly. First of all,

[2:16:19] elevation. As we've had a

[2:16:20] relationship with elevation

[2:16:24] for many years and they have

[2:16:25] been great supporters of our

[2:16:27] work. And I know that that the

[2:16:29] funding comes through Phs. So

[2:16:32] I really want to highlight the

[2:16:33] fact that now elevation

[2:16:36] process has changed a bit to

[2:16:37] be more reflective of making

[2:16:42] sure that we are sending in

[2:16:43] our data and and our our

[2:16:44] financials and all of those

[2:16:47] things that always happen. But

[2:16:48] it's really become more

[2:16:50] robust. And the opportunity to

[2:16:53] train staff on various other

[2:16:54] things. So just want to shout

[2:16:56] that out really quick that it

[2:16:57] has been instrumental to the

[2:16:59] work that we do with our kids

[2:17:00] talking about teen dating

[2:17:01] violence and suicide

[2:17:03] prevention and mental health.

[2:17:07] The second thing really has

[2:17:09] more to do with the budget

[2:17:09] that I saw on. It's probably

[2:17:12] more of a question Phs. I

[2:17:16] didn't see where you guys were

[2:17:17] continuing. I was here last

[2:17:18] year continuing to fund the

[2:17:21] Thomas really scrapped license

[2:17:23] program. And I didn't know if

[2:17:25] that was being shifted

[2:17:26] somewhere else of this funding

[2:17:28] coming from somewhere else

[2:17:30] because I know that that

[2:17:30] program is outstanding and

[2:17:33] people need it. And we see

[2:17:34] people come to our center on a

[2:17:35] daily basis for it. And so I'm

[2:17:39] just curious if that if that

[2:17:41] switch somewhere else and I

[2:17:42] MISS To door he's met will

[2:17:42] speak to that here shortly.

[2:17:46] But you can your comments. And

[2:17:49] the last thing is I still

[2:17:50] would love to see City County

[2:17:54] Council come out and and be a

[2:17:56] part of these programs in and

[2:17:57] I know you guys wanted to see

[2:17:58] it, smell it and be out there.

[2:18:01] So please come out. Thank you.

[2:18:05] Thank you. MAY just be calm.

[2:18:06] Anyone else care to speak this

[2:18:09] evening from the public. MR.

[2:18:10] Murphy want to speak to the

[2:18:11] Thomas really hopeless the

[2:18:16] program. Absolutely. So.

[2:18:20] Thomas, slow program. Has not

[2:18:21] ever been. Opp, justice

[2:18:24] budget. Originally it was

[2:18:27] funded with American rescue

[2:18:30] plan. Dollars. And last year

[2:18:32] we were able to find and or

[2:18:34] spend from the 2025 and are

[2:18:38] spent to put. Are 2026 budget

[2:18:41] in order to cover the cost for

[2:18:41] Thomas or at least one like

[2:18:47] me. This year. Through

[2:18:49] negotiations with mayor's

[2:18:49] office and the Council

[2:18:54] negotiated budget team it was

[2:18:55] determined we cannot increase.

[2:18:58] They cannot increase. Phs is

[2:18:59] budget to accommodate an

[2:19:00] additional $400,000 for this

[2:19:02] program. That does not mean

[2:19:03] that we don't think it was

[2:19:08] beneficial for that. It was

[2:19:09] good work. But that is what

[2:19:11] the negotiators. Ultimately

[2:19:15] decided. Thank you, MR.

[2:19:16] Comments or questions follow

[2:19:16] comments from committee

[2:19:20] members. Councilor Lee. It's

[2:19:21] counselor Wells. Thank you,

[2:19:28] MR. CHAIRMAN Director Merkley

[2:19:28] would the whole Kessler's

[2:19:29] program be eligible for

[2:19:31] elevation funding

[2:19:33] applications? Thank you for

[2:19:36] asking Yes, they do receive

[2:19:37] elevation funding already in

[2:19:41] the amount of $230,000. We

[2:19:42] have you continued to work

[2:19:48] making and we have also

[2:19:50] because we do find we do

[2:19:50] believe that license

[2:19:51] reinstatement and expunge. It

[2:19:53] is an important aspect to

[2:19:55] recidivism in this county in

[2:19:57] Marion County that we want to

[2:19:58] help find other funding to

[2:20:02] help support this work. It's

[2:20:03] unfortunate that it's not in

[2:20:04] our budget, but we we believe

[2:20:06] that we can find and support

[2:20:10] them in other ways. Thank you,

[2:20:11] director. My question. I guess

[2:20:16] then would be. Yield my time

[2:20:17] because I MAY not be approved.

[2:20:20] Great for television. Biggest

[2:20:24] will discuss the purchase.

[2:20:24] Thank you, MISTER Chair. I was

[2:20:27] almost done. So that I'm

[2:20:31] clear. The decision to not

[2:20:34] fund this program for 2027.

[2:20:37] Was based on negotiation. Not

[2:20:38] on the effectiveness of the

[2:20:45] program. Again, I will

[2:20:46] reiterate this was never in

[2:20:50] our budget. This whether or

[2:20:50] not our budget was going to

[2:20:53] increase. With what went

[2:20:54] through that negotiation

[2:21:01] process. We have not

[2:21:02] historically we've always

[2:21:05] received data from. Thomas was

[2:21:09] Thomas released one like me

[2:21:10] and this year we've worked

[2:21:14] with them increase. Well. To

[2:21:15] increase the reporting what

[2:21:19] they're providing phs I can't

[2:21:24] speak to. The decision that

[2:21:25] was made. What have they

[2:21:26] provided documentation of the

[2:21:27] effectiveness of the program?

[2:21:31] Yes. And that is more. So let

[2:21:33] me back up. It was in your

[2:21:36] budget. You Finnish you funded

[2:21:39] through and are spent. So

[2:21:40] there was a strategy to fund

[2:21:43] it for 2026. They have

[2:21:48] provided the impact

[2:21:49] effectiveness of the program

[2:21:51] through their data reported.

[2:21:52] But the decision was made not

[2:21:57] to fund it for 2027. Correct?

[2:21:59] Not to provide budget line

[2:22:06] item 2027 budget. MR. Chair

[2:22:07] out how you know back to you.

[2:22:11] Ask this committee for an

[2:22:13] opportunity. I know we have a

[2:22:15] pretty tight budgets here and

[2:22:15] schedule for the next month

[2:22:18] and a half. Think this was an

[2:22:22] issue last year and so

[2:22:23] clearly, 12 months later with

[2:22:27] it and fix it. And so I think

[2:22:28] at some point this committee

[2:22:30] should be fully briefed on on

[2:22:31] this and provide a

[2:22:32] recommendation for how this

[2:22:34] office the to move forward. I

[2:22:37] just my comment by saying here

[2:22:39] in the testimony from the

[2:22:43] community is another reminder

[2:22:44] for me that the work Phs is

[2:22:45] too important for us to be

[2:22:47] sidetracked, but the lack of

[2:22:49] accountability, integrity and

[2:22:51] transparency, the community

[2:22:55] depends on We should not allow

[2:22:58] what we can control, which is

[2:23:01] accountability, integrity and

[2:23:01] transparency to sidetrack what

[2:23:04] our community needs. Thank

[2:23:04] you. MISTER Chair Frank Oz.

[2:23:07] The purposes of boots. Thank

[2:23:08] you, MR. CHAIRMAN, I just

[2:23:12] want. People know out there

[2:23:15] that tenant protection is of

[2:23:19] upmost priority for us. We

[2:23:21] will fight tooth and nail to

[2:23:24] protect the tenant eviction

[2:23:26] program. We are well aware

[2:23:28] that eviction is one of the

[2:23:29] core drivers of many bills

[2:23:32] that we experience and our

[2:23:33] community. And to the extent

[2:23:36] we can improve housing,

[2:23:38] stabilization, we think that

[2:23:40] is a major factor crime

[2:23:42] prevention as well as all the

[2:23:45] other problems that come along

[2:23:46] with underemployed

[2:23:47] underemployment, no housing.

[2:23:47] So we hear you and we will

[2:23:52] fight for you. Thank you count

[2:23:53] professor Silver's. You have

[2:23:54] comment or question regarding

[2:24:01] conversation. My name is Loni

[2:24:03] Silva. I'm here as a Marion

[2:24:05] County resident at the new for

[2:24:06] 15 years and a board member of

[2:24:07] Thomas for these one like me.

[2:24:08] Thank you, CHAIRMAN Robinson

[2:24:10] and honorable members of the

[2:24:13] council. I just want to echo

[2:24:14] what doctor and council

[2:24:16] Perkins said. I think that

[2:24:18] data driven decision-making is

[2:24:20] a necessity. And Thomas, for

[2:24:22] these one like me thus far for

[2:24:23] every dollar that you gave us.

[2:24:27] We are putting a $1.30 one

[2:24:28] $1.30 back in the pockets of

[2:24:31] indigent folks and all of your

[2:24:32] jurisdictions, all your

[2:24:33] constituents, a driver's

[2:24:35] license changes somebodys life

[2:24:36] and not only changes one

[2:24:37] person's life changes the

[2:24:38] whole entire household. I

[2:24:42] could have brought. So many

[2:24:43] people in here today, but I

[2:24:44] didn't want to take all your

[2:24:46] time. And I had done that

[2:24:47] before. And so while I

[2:24:48] appreciate Director Mark least

[2:24:50] presentation, he didn't

[2:24:52] include us and we are yet not

[2:24:53] on the dashboard for anybody

[2:24:54] to say, even though we provide

[2:24:57] are timely reports. So we

[2:24:59] decided to contact you

[2:25:00] ourselves and provide you with

[2:25:01] our information so you could

[2:25:03] see it ourselves. And by the

[2:25:04] way, that dollars and $0.30 is

[2:25:08] just a projection. It's not

[2:25:09] even what is going to be the

[2:25:11] real number. At the end. We've

[2:25:12] always given you a dollar back

[2:25:13] for every dollar that you've

[2:25:16] given us. So I just encourage

[2:25:18] that committee this evening,

[2:25:21] too, really take into account

[2:25:22] the data and I'm happy to

[2:25:26] answer any questions. Thank

[2:25:28] you, Professor. You do to make

[2:25:29] a comment regarding the funds

[2:25:30] from the foundation as you

[2:25:33] guys receive funding from the

[2:25:34] foundation for a different

[2:25:35] program. So Thomas released

[2:25:37] one like me also as a peer

[2:25:38] mentoring program. They served

[2:25:42] 100 people every year. Their

[2:25:42] recidivism rate is very low.

[2:25:44] As is the hope, Hustle a

[2:25:44] program to help us to the

[2:25:47] program is different. Then the

[2:25:47] peer mentoring program and

[2:25:51] they did receive a grant

[2:25:53] CHAIRMAN Robinson for $250,000

[2:25:55] that sustains our staff. We

[2:25:56] have a very, very small staff,

[2:25:59] but we produce huge out. Comes

[2:26:01] in a great impact on the

[2:26:02] community. Think the fence or

[2:26:09] comments or questions Thank

[2:26:11] should stand Thank you. Have

[2:26:13] never had a chance to meet

[2:26:15] you. But her the great work

[2:26:18] that you have done prior to me

[2:26:19] could become a counselor. And

[2:26:21] I'm glad to put face with the

[2:26:23] name good job the wearer that

[2:26:29] you've been q. But going back

[2:26:30] to director Mark you say that

[2:26:32] there was a negotiation and I

[2:26:32] know that we just had

[2:26:38] proposal. One, 92. They came

[2:26:39] before us where they the

[2:26:41] reasons why. I mean, was this

[2:26:42] part of the cut to meet that

[2:26:43] budget help them? Ask them a

[2:26:49] question right? I will do it.

[2:26:51] You never see ice answers.

[2:26:52] Yes, there was a group of

[2:26:55] counselors and council staff

[2:26:56] that negotiated the budget

[2:27:01] administration staff. It was

[2:27:02] not a cut because it was never

[2:27:05] in our budget. The decision

[2:27:08] not to increase our budget was

[2:27:09] made by that that

[2:27:09] negotiations, those

[2:27:10] negotiations over the course

[2:27:14] of. Several weeks, months. And

[2:27:15] no, it is not budget was not

[2:27:19] cut from budget. Okay. I'm not

[2:27:24] gonna MISS It. A college

[2:27:27] counselor. Position right now?

[2:27:28] Well, as I'm sorry, counsel

[2:27:30] Wilson position right now. You

[2:27:35] and my my. Thank you council

[2:27:40] Wells. Thank for the time

[2:27:44] gather my thoughts. Last week

[2:27:45] we heard that the reentry

[2:27:49] court isn't funded and it's

[2:27:49] going away next month,

[2:27:51] actually, in like 2 weeks. The

[2:27:55] whole customers program, many

[2:27:55] of the people they serve and

[2:28:00] please correct me professor.

[2:28:02] So the and big t if I mess

[2:28:03] this up, but those are a lot

[2:28:06] of our returning neighbors and

[2:28:08] the number one barrier they

[2:28:09] face is getting all their

[2:28:13] paperwork right? Finding

[2:28:15] housing and getting a job with

[2:28:18] re-entry court going away. And

[2:28:18] I don't know if you can see on

[2:28:21] trembling. Because we're

[2:28:24] talking about. Our but

[2:28:28] rescinded rights being doomed.

[2:28:32] To increase. And we're not

[2:28:33] just talking about rates.

[2:28:35] We're talking about people who

[2:28:37] we're able to come home after

[2:28:42] serving their time. And we are

[2:28:43] continuing to put barriers in

[2:28:44] front of them. Some of them we

[2:28:47] did not do. We did not. Closed

[2:28:49] down reentry court. But it's

[2:28:52] gone. And the furloughs are

[2:28:57] done. And so it's not just on

[2:28:59] the court. It's yet another

[2:29:01] thing. We are now placing no

[2:29:05] phs shoulder and we have to

[2:29:07] lean on those experts in the

[2:29:08] community who have been doing

[2:29:10] this, who have relationships

[2:29:12] and are known to be safe.

[2:29:16] People trusted people who they

[2:29:17] literally trust with paper

[2:29:18] that could send them back to

[2:29:20] jail and So that's a really

[2:29:23] big deal for me. Because I

[2:29:25] love those people very dearly.

[2:29:26] One of them was my daddy at

[2:29:33] one time. And he's home. MR.

[2:29:34] CHAIRMAN, I don't know who the

[2:29:37] council's negotiators are, but

[2:29:38] I was duly elected by the

[2:29:39] residents of District 6 on the

[2:29:42] far West side for 6, 2, to 2

[2:29:44] who is super impacted by all

[2:29:47] these evictions who has a huge

[2:29:49] immigrant population whose

[2:29:51] legal defenses and supports

[2:29:51] have not been funded in this

[2:29:53] budget either. It feels like

[2:29:56] an attack on my community. And

[2:29:58] I was given a voice by my

[2:30:00] community to say these things

[2:30:02] tonight. And while we weren't

[2:30:04] impacted by the floods in my

[2:30:05] heart goes out to you.

[2:30:05] Counselor Dilanian, your

[2:30:08] residence. We are impacted in

[2:30:12] a different way. And I feel

[2:30:13] disenfranchised as a leader. I

[2:30:15] am not part of the negotiating

[2:30:15] team, but I did help

[2:30:19] negotiate. The whole customers

[2:30:20] getting funded in understand

[2:30:23] last year. So that's

[2:30:24] unfortunate. But my heart, I

[2:30:28] will in by. You know, the loss

[2:30:30] that people sit in this room,

[2:30:31] the people that we very this

[2:30:34] year. I know I my heart goes

[2:30:39] out to you. David Davis, who

[2:30:41] was Elevation? Grant recipient

[2:30:44] who took people out to fish in

[2:30:45] nature. People who have been

[2:30:48] locked up for years. Brittany

[2:30:50] Marble, who sat beside people.

[2:30:52] In their hardest of times, fed

[2:30:57] people. They're gone and this

[2:30:57] room, this crowd bins out

[2:30:58] every year and so did the

[2:31:05] dollars. We have to do more.

[2:31:06] This work is not done and this

[2:31:07] budget doesn't feel sufficient

[2:31:08] to me right now. MISTER

[2:31:10] CHAIRMAN, thank you. Also

[2:31:15] wills comes Okay, director, I

[2:31:17] you know, I'm kind of like a

[2:31:21] straight shooter, right? And I

[2:31:23] told you in one of want to

[2:31:26] ones that whatever you say, it

[2:31:27] comes back to us and we cannot

[2:31:32] do a lot of fact checked. So

[2:31:34] you mentioned that our

[2:31:36] leadership team negotiate it.

[2:31:39] To remove funding for them. I

[2:31:43] want to make it be clear that

[2:31:44] our counselors, leadership

[2:31:45] team, did not have anything to

[2:31:48] do with it. The cut this

[2:31:50] happening. This was never in

[2:31:53] the budget for them to

[2:31:55] negotiate anything. So I want

[2:31:58] to make that be clear that the

[2:31:59] counselors had nothing to do

[2:31:59] with this on leadership had

[2:32:01] nothing to do with it. The

[2:32:03] funding being cut. So I want

[2:32:06] to make that clear. And I went

[2:32:11] so to say we are in support of

[2:32:12] this program because I never

[2:32:15] like to see any programs get

[2:32:15] cut out ph is because I didn't

[2:32:19] know what population that it

[2:32:21] serves. And so I want to be

[2:32:22] clear, the counters leadership

[2:32:23] team had nothing to do with

[2:32:25] the cut. Thank you, MR.

[2:32:25] CHAIRMAN, thank you. Leader

[2:32:32] Mowery. So Okay. Thank you.

[2:32:34] Council moves. Thank you, MR.

[2:32:37] CHAIRMAN and just a final

[2:32:39] comment. I think the

[2:32:41] discussion clearly illustrates

[2:32:43] the importance of why we

[2:32:48] overrode the mayor's veto. The

[2:32:52] original our tax increase

[2:32:53] without that, there's no

[2:32:54] chance in heck we'd ever be

[2:32:57] able to fund anything like

[2:33:00] this. The austere budget the

[2:33:01] administration has put through

[2:33:01] these last couple years is why

[2:33:03] we're here tonight arguing

[2:33:07] about these things. You cannot

[2:33:09] survive a city of 900,000

[2:33:11] people. When you're tightening

[2:33:12] the belt in cutting budgets

[2:33:16] every year. That is why you

[2:33:18] have places in the condition.

[2:33:21] It is. Why our roads stake.

[2:33:24] That's why eviction is high

[2:33:25] because the administration has

[2:33:28] ignored these problems being

[2:33:31] too proud and always never

[2:33:31] going to raise the tax. I'm

[2:33:33] going to cut budget. I'm

[2:33:34] saving money. This is what

[2:33:37] happens when you act that You

[2:33:38] don't have money to do what

[2:33:40] you need to do to provide for

[2:33:40] the people that put us in

[2:33:43] office. So I am a firm

[2:33:46] supporter of doing all we can

[2:33:49] to enhance and expand tenant

[2:33:49] protection to enhance and

[2:33:53] expand reentry programs. It is

[2:33:54] our society will be judged how

[2:33:56] we treat the least in our

[2:33:56] society. And right now we are

[2:34:03] ignoring them. Thank you,

[2:34:05] Thank direct marked a record.

[2:34:06] Broke Merkley. Was your budget

[2:34:07] increased or decreased? The

[2:34:12] mayor had a plan for the

[2:34:13] 50 million And there's gonna

[2:34:15] be some budget cuts with with

[2:34:16] the administration's agencies.

[2:34:16] Was your age, the including

[2:34:21] that at all? Our budget was

[2:34:25] reduced by $162,000. Okay. To

[2:34:26] help to help meet 50 Million.

[2:34:28] I can't answer Thank you.

[2:34:32] Cause of heart. It just

[2:34:35] suggestion to my colleagues on

[2:34:36] that whoever is negotiating

[2:34:39] the fall off a school. Maybe

[2:34:39] this is a suggestion for them

[2:34:46] at that final comments or

[2:34:47] questions council perked up

[2:34:48] final comments council what

[2:34:48] you can always run this on the

[2:34:58] side. So it. You are invited.

[2:35:00] I will say thank you, council

[2:35:02] Allen for for that's for the

[2:35:05] clarity to ensure that we

[2:35:06] understand that this was never

[2:35:09] in a point of negotiation with

[2:35:10] the budget team from the

[2:35:12] council, right? So it was

[2:35:14] never presented in the budget.

[2:35:18] But that's why we're here. And

[2:35:20] so my charge to my colleagues

[2:35:24] to sue, make a commitment that

[2:35:25] over the next month and a

[2:35:26] half. This is another thing

[2:35:29] that we bring back to this

[2:35:33] committee to the full Council

[2:35:35] to make some kind of proposal

[2:35:36] that to the budget that's

[2:35:40] presented to us by the mayor I

[2:35:41] think we get to this place.

[2:35:46] And stop. There is a next step

[2:35:48] to this, which is we have the

[2:35:50] power as a fiscal agents to be

[2:35:52] able to amend the budget. But

[2:35:56] the mayor sent to us.

[2:35:57] Challenges over the next month

[2:35:58] to to make sure that we do

[2:35:58] that to reflect what we

[2:36:00] clearly hear from our

[2:36:02] community that they do Thank

[2:36:06] you. I think they'll for. And

[2:36:08] I do want to emphasize council

[2:36:10] hearts point of the fall

[2:36:12] fiscal. It's coming up. So

[2:36:12] there's some room there to

[2:36:16] addresses in that schools.

[2:36:17] Well, council worker the final

[2:36:22] comment. Thank you all for the

[2:36:23] opportunity tonight until the

[2:36:27] last. Discussion I thought

[2:36:28] tonight much better than it

[2:36:29] did a year ago. I assure you

[2:36:34] that. We have worked really

[2:36:39] hard. To deliver on results

[2:36:42] for this body. And for our

[2:36:43] neighbors. We continue to hold

[2:36:46] our vendors, our staff

[2:36:46] accountable to producing

[2:36:52] results that. Educations we we

[2:36:53] believe in the work that slurs

[2:36:58] doing. Look forward to

[2:36:59] continuing continued

[2:37:01] conversations. Thank you,

[2:37:03] Director Merkley. Thank you

[2:37:03] for those came out this

[2:37:04] evening. Thank you. Council

Public Safety & Criminal Justice Committee

Agenda

Transcript