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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-09-08 Human Relations Commission Summary MinutesADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 1 of 37 HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION Thursday, September 8, 2016 Community Meeting Room Palo Alto Civic Center 250 Hamilton Avenue 7:00 PM, Thursday, September 8th, 2016 REGULAR MEETING ROLL CALL: Commissioners Present: Alhassani, Gordon Gray, O’Nan, Stinger, Stone Commissioner Absent: Chen, Savage Staff: Minka van de Zwaag, Mary Constantino ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: I. ROLL CALL II. AGENDA CHANGES, REQUESTS, DELETIONS Chair Stone: Thank you, everybody and welcome to the September 8th meeting of the Human Relations Commission. Any agenda changes, requests, or deletions? No, alright great. III. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Chair Stone: Moving onto oral communications and we have one, David Carnahan. David Carnahan: Thank you Chair Stone and Commissioners. As you can guess, when you see me at one of your meetings, the City is recruiting for Boarding Commissioner members. Currently, the City is looking to fill three terms on the Historic Resources Board, four terms on the Parks and Recreation Commission, three on the Planning and Transportation Commission, and two on the Storm Drain Oversight Committee. As you know, from your service here, this is a fantastic way to be a part of your Community and help your Community chart a great course into the future. We are hoping that members of the public those that watch the DVD from home or the streaming later, and yourselves can help spread the word. Reach out to members of the community that you know, that you think would be a good fit for any of these Commissions. So again, it’s the Historic Resources Board, Parks and Recreation Commission, Planning and Transportation Commission, and the Storm Drain Oversight Committee. The applications are available on the City Clerk’s webpage, with an application deadline of next Wednesday, September 14th, 5:30 P.M. Think of reaching out to at least one person or two people each and we will get some fantastic people to apply. Thank you very much. Chair Stone: Great, thanks, David. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 2 of 37 IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION Chair Stone: Move onto approval of minutes for the July 14th, 2016 meeting. Do I have a motion to approve the minutes? Commissioner Gordon Gray: I just had that one questions about the –three people-- the openings for the CAHRO conference? Mary Constantino: That is correct. It included you and Valerie. Commissioner Gordon Gray: So there are still three more? Ms. Constantino: No, there are a total of three. Commissioner Gordon Gray: So, there is one, basically, because two of us are going. Ms. Constantino: Yes. Commissioner Gordon Gray: Sounded like there were three of us. Ms. Constantino: The minutes stated that there were three spaces. MOTION Commissioner Gordon Gray: I motion to approve the minutes. Chair Stone: Ok, we have one motion. Vice Chair Stinger: Second. Chair Stone: Great. Vice Chair Stinger seconds the motion. All in favor of passing the motion say I. Chair Stone: OK, then it passes. Commissioner O’Nan: Oh, excuse me I …. Chair Stone: …Oh, I thought I heard you… Commissioner O’Nan: …I have to abstain because I wasn’t at that meeting. Chair Stone: OK. Is that still – we have to – you have to abstain if you were at the meeting, Mary? Ms. Constantino: Yes. Chair Stone: Ok. We still have a forum to pass it, so that passes. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 3 of 37 V. BUSINESS 1. Public Hearing: Review of Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) – Presentation from Eloiza Murillo-Garcia from the Planning Department. Chair Stone: Moving onto our business. Our first order of business is of the public hearing review of consolidated annual performance and evaluation report, also known as CAPER, for the community development block grant CDBG from our staff, we welcome you up here. Ms. Murillo-Garcia: Thank you, Commissioners. Good evening and thank you for giving me the opportunity to give you a brief overview of the CDBG annual report. I’m Eloiza Murillo-Garcia, I’m the City’s housing and CDBG Senior Planner, and I have Colleen Lopez here who is a consultant working with me on the CDBG program as well. As you said, this is the CDBG annual report, also known as the CAPER, the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report. This report covers fiscal year 2016, which ran from July 21, 2015, to June 30, 2016. The City has 90 days from the end of the fiscal year to submit this report to HUD. The final report will be submitted to HUD by the end of the month. CAPER describes all of the accomplishments made with CDBG funding during the fiscal year, as well as a summary of the CDBG funds expended during the prior fiscal year. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the CDBG program, it was authorized by Title One of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. It provides annual grants to Cities, Counties, and States to develop strong Communities by providing decent housing, a suitable living environment and expanding economic opportunities principally for low and moderate income persons. The City of Palo Alto receives annual funding from HUD as an entitlement City under the CDBG program. Activities that are funded through CDBG must meet one of three national objectives; 1. Is to benefit low and very low-income persons. 2. Is to aid in the prevention or elimination of slums or blight. 3. Is to meet other community needs that are particularly urgent for the low-income community and that category mostly has to do with natural disasters. All of the activities that are funded by the City meet the first objective which is to benefit low and very low-income persons. This is a recap of the funding that was allocated in fiscal year 2016. We had a total of $881,000 available to allocate and that was a combination of the CDBG entitlement grant, estimated program income, and funding that was available from prior year resources, those were funds that weren’t expended in prior years. That was a total of $881,000. The City has 5 funding categories in which to allocate funding. The first one is public services, which is subject to a 15% spending cap. Planning and administration, which is also subject to a cap of 20%. Economic development, Housing and Public Facilities and the last three categories are not subject to a spending cap. These are some of the accomplishments in the fiscal year that just ended. We continued the implication of the Work Force Development Program with the Downtown Streets team which lead to 36 previously unemployed individuals re-enter the workforce. We continued our successful partnerships with 5 public service providers which are Catholic Charities, Silicon Valley Independent Living Center, Palo Alto Housing Corporation, Life Moves which was formally Innvision Shelter Network for the Opportunity Center, and the YWCA for domestic violence services. We also partnered with Project Sentinel for fair housing services and they investigated 17 fair housing complaints. This gives you a quick snapshot of the specific accomplishments in the three funding categories in which we provided funding last fiscal year. 312 homeless individuals were assisted at the Opportunity Center. 444 seniors received services through the long-term care program. As you can see, there were people assisted through the SRO Resident Support Program and that’s ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 4 of 37 through the Palo Alto Housing Corporation. 17 people were provided services for domestic violence and 19 people received assistance through Silicon Valley Independent Living Center in assistance in finding housing. As I mentioned earlier, through the downtown streets team, 36 previously unemployed individuals were placed into jobs and 55 employers participated in the program. Again, as I previously mentioned, 17 people were provided with fair housing assistance and the City provided administrative support to the CDBG program. Commissioner Gordon Gray: When you say 55 employers, that’s through… Ms. van der Zwaag: Through Downtown Streets Team. Ms. Murillo-Garcia: Yes, that are partnerships that they have with different employers. I’m happy to answer any questions that you have either about the CDBG program in general or about the report you have before you. Thank you. Commissioner O’Nan: Eloiza, I have a couple questions. Is that alright Chair? Chair Stone: Yes, please. Commissioner O’Nan: One was about the seniors who were assisted with long-term care. Are these seniors who are living in places like Webster House or are there particular facilities in Palo Alto that you can speak to? Ms. Murillo-Garcia: Under the contract for CDBG funds, the assisted people are Lytton Gardens skilled nursing, the Palo Alto Nursing Center, and Lytton Gardens Community Care but they do go to other facilities. Those are facilities that are in the contract that we want them to go visit but they do visit other facilities as well. Commissioner O’Nan: Ok and I had a second question which pertained to the definition of blight. I know it would be a really hard stretch to say that Palo Alto was blighted, but I live in South Palo Alto on the El Camino corridor and there are people in my neighborhood who feel like there are sections of that corridor that are very run down and are eyesores because there are business that have been shuttered for, I think decades actually. Even people have been found squatting in some of these abandoned buildings, so what is the federal definition of blight and is there any way we could ever address some of these run down areas of our own community with that money? Would we meet that definition or were we not “blighted” enough? Ms. Murillo-Garcia: I don’t believe you would meet the definition. Ms. Lopez: It’s a pretty rigid standard. Commissioner O’Nan: Does it have to do with the state of the property? Does it have to do with the state of poverty? Ms. Lopez: Yes, with the poverty. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 5 of 37 Commissioner O’Nan: OK. Even if the building were dilapidated that wouldn’t – ok, I see what you’re saying, Ms. Murillo-Garcia: We would have to demonstrate through census data that this census track is low income. Ms. Lopez: I believe it’s more than 51% low income. Ms. Murillo-Garcia: Actually, I don’t believe there are any census tracks in Palo Alto that meet that 51% threshold. Commissioner O’Nan: I’m curious what would be the radius? For example, Compadres restaurant closed 15-years-ago, it’s an eyesore and people who live in those surrounding street of Curtner and Ventura, there is a lot of Section 8 housing, there are a lot of students, and there are a lot of immigrants. That is probably the lowest income area in Palo Alto so would we be looking at the area right around Compadres, just for an example, or are we looking at a much wider radius? Ms. Murillo-Garcia: We would have to look at the census tracks in the neighborhood. Commissioner O’Nan: I suspect the income in that particular narrow. Ventura neighborhood would probably be lower than the rest of Palo Alto, but I doubt if we would meet the standards but I’m just curious what options we might have. Ms. Murillo-Garcia: If you interested, I can look that up for you and send it off to Minka. Commissioner O’Nan: Yes, because I would be curious. I know people in South Palo Alto feel a bit neglected and that our part of the City isn’t always aesthetically pleasing or as well looked after as some of the other parts. I know these blighted buildings; I’m using the word more loosely than the federal definition. We would love to get some of that taken care of and if there was any way to start funneling money into that direction. Ms. Murillo-Garcia: I’ll look into it a little bit more and then I’ll be in touch with Minka. Commissioner O’Nan: I know it’s a reach but thank you Eloiza and thank you, Colleen. That would be great. Chair Stone: Any other questions? Vice Chair Stinger? Vice Chair Stinger: Yes, I would like to ask a question and thank you for bringing this up… I wanted to thank you and I did just want to explore a little bit about the process because I understand this was a beginning of a 5-year plan and that happened before I joined the commission so I am not as familiar with it as some of the other commissioners. Do people petition you for CDBG grant money? What percent of the grants requests can you fund? Were there things that were not funded during the year? ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 6 of 37 Ms. Murillo-Garcia: Yes, the CDBG program just completed a 5-year plan. It’s called a consolidated plan and that runs from 2015 to 2020. This CAPER covers that first year and we do solicit for applications every two years. We coordinate that with HSRAP Program. The applications will be available sometime this fall. I’ll have to coordinate with Minka on the exact timing on that but I believe the applications will be available in the fall. We will go through a review process. There will be a subcommittee formed out of this group to review the application process, I mean the applications that come in and then we will make funding recommendations, based on the applications. Vice Chair Stinger: From your experience 2-years ago, what percent of the grants were… Ms. Murillo-Garcia: I actually wasn’t here two years ago…. Vice Chair Stinger: Oh ok. Ms. Murillo-Garcia: … but I believe, if I’m remembering correctly, most applicants received some funding. Vice Chair Stinger: Ok. Ms. Murillo-Garcia: Unfortunately, it’s difficult to fully fund applicants for the amount that they seek. Typically, it’s not possible to give an applicant the full amount of funding because we are limited in our funds. Vice Chair Stinger: That’s what I was trying to get at. What is left for the City to fund or to look at? What programs and services are not funded? Ms. Murillo-Garcia: There was one program last year that was not funded. It wasn’t a Palo Alto based program. There were some questions about the direct correlation to Palo Alto. Vice Chair Stinger: Ok, Thank you. Chair Stone: Go head Commissioner Alhassani. Commissioner Alhassani: I read the packet very quickly. I just want to make sure I understand it. In the packet there is this graph that had the goals for the 5-year plan, the expected goals, and then had the actual goals. Is the actual what we achieved of those goals after year one? Ms. Murillo-Garcia: Yes, that is after year one. So, that table will get updated…with every CAPER. So, the hope is that after the end of the 5-year period, those numbers will be much higher. Commissioner Alhassani: Yes.Thanks. Chair Stone: I have a couple questions. On that chart, 19 people had improved access to decent affordable housing. What was improved? What is the definition of decent affordable housing? Can you emphasize on that? ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 7 of 37 Ms. Lopez: This is the with the Silicon Valley Living Center. All of these people are people with disabilities and what they do is provide one-on-one case management services for these individuals. These were 19 Palo Alto residents. As you can imagine, it takes a long time to find housing. Especially in a place like Palo Alto. Especially when you are extremely low income. These 19 people are in the process of securing housing. Some of them I believe actually have but they’re all in the process. So, they have a case manager that is working with them. It can involve all types of things. Getting them signed up for benefits, making sure they have access to some type of transportation, so it’s kind of a big umbrella. That’s what they mean by improved access, not necessarily in housing, if that makes sense. Chair Stone: Basically, they have a case manager Ms. Lopez: Yes. Chair Stone: In some sense, acting on their behalf Ms. Lopez: Yes, and putting them on different waitlist --especially when different—because all these people have disabilities, to get the units that are ADA compliant because those are also limited. They are acting on their behalf. Assisting them. Chair Stone: Ok. Great. Do you know percentage wise how many of them have actually been placed in housing? Ms. Lopez: I don’t know if they actually report that. Chair Stone: Do you have that number? Ms. Murillo-Garcia: They don’t report on that data but if you’re interested, I’m happy to reach out to them to get that data. Chair Stone: Yes, if you can find that that would be great. Thank you. One other question on the 17 investigations, on the fair housing complaints, how many of those turned out to be – what did those investigations reveal? Where there any actual violations? Where they just investigations? Ms. Lopez: So, how they are reporting is on the outcome. For example, they have been counseled, which mean they provided basically referrals to the tenant or they serve as a mediator between the tenant and the landlord. They are not telling us right exactly if it was a true fair housing issue. They are providing where they are in the process with that individual. Counseled. Educated. I think they reconcile, which means they come to some sort of understanding between the two parties. Provide additional education to the landlord. Ms. Murillo-Garcia: Or sometimes they will refer the case on to an attorney or to the Department of Fair Employment and Housing or HUD. Unfortunately, the report I brought doesn’t have the full year, but I can also find out more information on that. Chair Stone: Essentially is that number 17 just one tenant unhappy and thinks that they are being discriminated against. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 8 of 37 Ms. Lopez: That’s 17 individuals that they assisted. Chair Stone: If just one person feels they have been discriminated against in some way and they file a complaint that number is reflected in there. It doesn’t matter… Ms. Lopez: These are all unduplicated. This is all one. All 312 individuals, 17 individuals. They’re all unduplicated. Chair Stone: I guess what my question is, so there is no threshold to get to that allegation. Anyone of those 17 people, they just made some sort of allegation and that’s that number. We don’t know the veracity of any of those complaints. Ms. Murillo-Garcia: Project Sentinel will have to perform an investigation once they receive a complaint. Whether or not it has merit or goes anywhere that will happen through their investigation process. Sometimes we do see the disposition is that they referred it to an attorney or to HUD or BFEH. Chair Stone: If you had any other numbers on that. I think 17 – if they are just allegations, just investigations are not alarming but if it’s 17 actual violations of fair housing law, then I think there is serious concern. Ms. Murillo-Garcia: As I said the list that we have here, which I apologize doesn’t cover the full year, it’s mostly counseled and educated. Chair Stone: Ok, great. Thank you. Any other questions? Commissioner O’Nan: I was wondering, where does the Catholic Charities program fit in? Is it listed? Ms. Murillo-Garcia: Yeas, so it’s the 444 seniors… Commissioner O’Nan: Oh, it’s part of that Ms. Murillo-Garcia: …in long term care. Chair Stone: Anyone else? Commissioner Alhassani: Does this data come from obligatory reporting from the agencies. That they have to report to you by certain dates. Ms. Murillo-Garcia: Yes. They are required to submit a semi-annual report and a year-end report. Commissioner Alhassani: Thanks so much again. Commissioner Gordon Gray: I’m just trying to get a sense of – are these – would you say these are good results? I know that’s – 17 people were provided with domestic violence services out of how many. I mean, if they're hundreds – how do you measure the effectiveness of the program? ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 9 of 37 Ms. Lopez: It’s based on the contract that the City has with the agency. Everyone exceeded their contract goals. There was one small issue but everybody performed very well but you are right. It’s such a limited amount of money that the City provides. If you went to the YWCA, they would tell you they served more than 17 Palo Alto residents but that’s what the reporting here for us and that any extra people that are Palo Alto residences are probably charging to a different grant program. Ms. Murillo-Garcia: For example, for the Catholic charities contract, the contract was for a little over $5,000. Some of these are pretty small contracts. Commissioner Gordon Gray: That’s a pretty good number, though. 444. Thank you. Chair Stone: Alright, anyone else have questions? Alright, well thank you so much for the time, for coming down here and speaking with us 2. Mental Health Learning Series – Presentation from Abilities United Charie Weidanz, Chief Executive Officer and Roger Young, Manager, Adult Day Activities and Community. Chair Stone: We will move on to our Mental Health Learning Series. We have some speakers tonight from Abilities United. Minka would you like to give us the introduction. Ms. van der Zwaag: This is our third in our Mental Health Learning Series which we are really excited to be having here at the HRC. I think tonight’s session is going to be incredibly interesting. I’ll invite Roger to come up. ) Ms. van der Zwaag: I would love to have Charlie to come up as well. Roger is the manager for Adult Day Activities and Charlie is the Executive Director of Abilities United. Abilities United is a HSRAP grantee for those – you probably all knew that, but I thought I would just remind you of that fact. The City has had a long term relationship with Abilities United and with CAR before that. Same agencies, new name. So, welcome. Roger Young: Thank you. Thank you, before I get into the presentation. Thank you Charlie for being here. Charlie Weidanz, our Chief Executive Officer of Abilities United. Perhaps you’d like to share. Charlie Weidanz: Well, we are very happy to be here and have this opportunity to talk with you tonight. We’re very pleased that you continue to support Abilities United through your resources, and I can tell you, you’re going to hear tonight from Roger a little bit how much of your resources really make a difference in what we do and especially, in our adult services. I was just saying to Roger earlier that we had one of our participants that came to me the other day and was just talking to me about a family issue that he was having. I was saying to Roger, you know it was one of the first times that I really had a real sit down conversation because usually, it’s just a passing in the hallway type thing but we really have a conversation and you were telling me about he has grown so much through the program. You know so really, I think we send in reports to you and you see a lot of numbers and you see a lot of statistics. When you come out there and you get a chance to really see what we do and I get a chance every day just to chat with them and ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 10 of 37 you really do help to make a difference in their lives. It goes beyond some of the statistics that Jo sends you. It really does make a difference and we appreciate it. Mr. Young: As one of the people that works directly, not only with the staff but with the – we call them participants—I cannot tell you enough how much we really appreciate the resources. We took a big hit some years back with the economic crisis. We still haven’t fully recovered but we’re on our way and if I may say thank you to Charlie for the excellent leadership that is helping us to continue to function and to function at a high standard. The Abilities United Agencies is considered a model for the state. We’ve heard this from the State representatives, DDS Department of Disabilities Services and such. Then we have also been asked to do training for other sister agencies throughout the region. Including the regional centers, Golden Gate Regional Center and San Andreas Regional Center because of the effective support we’re, gratefully, able to provide and we have to say thank you because you have helped us to do that. Without you, I don’t know what we would have done. So again, thank you. I’m going to share a few terms. We are going to talk about disability, developmentally disability specifically for a few moments. Then the dual diagnosis and then what Abilities United is doing and then answer questions on how we can support Palo Alto with ways and means in order to take care of the needs. So, first of all, a developmental disability is a device group of chronic conditions that are due to mental or physical impairments. Developmental disabilities cause individuals, living with them, many difficulties in certain areas of their lives. Especially, in launage, mobility, learning, self-help, and independent living. Developmental disabilities can be detected early on and that’s one of the reasons why we have infant intervention at Abilities United. To help parents of newly born infants who are already showing signs of developmental disabilities, to medicate those disabilities and to help them to thrive and to develop as close as possible to the typical pace. Those individuals with developmental disabilities that affect all areas of a child’s development is sometimes referred to as, global developmental delay. Most common developmental disabilities that we run into are like Fragile X Syndrome, and if you need any clarification what these are just let me know, Down Syndrome and Fragile X. This is thought to cause Autism. Not everybody who has Autism has Fragile X. People with Fragile X seem to be fraught with a lot of ADD type of affect, anxiety disorder. You can have a person with Fragile X that is fully developmentally disabled but yet sit down and hold a conversation with you and show amazing capability and intelligence, but because of the Fragile X which is genetic predisposition, then they have problems in being able to develop primarily socially. That is one thing about it. You wouldn’t necessarily recognize a person with Fragile X syndrome by sight. They can look and appear very typically developed. Believe me, they really run into a lot of challenges in their life. To be able to be independent and to do everything that everyone else does. Ok, Down Syndrome, I think we are pretty familiar with that. Pervasive developmental disorders are a group of developmental disabilities that can cause significant social communication and behavioral challenges. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders are a group of conditions that can occur in a person whose mother obvious drank alcohol during pregnancy. This disability is 100% preventable if a woman does not drink alcohol during pregnancy and obvious education is such an important part. Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that affects a person ability to move and maintain balance and posture. Referred to as CP, it is the most common motor disability in childhood. We discovered that a lot of people with developmental disabilities affecting their cognitive ability also have Cerebral Palsy and they kind of linked up together. Intellectual disability, that is a very broad term, sometime prescriptively is defined as an IQ below 70. Along ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 11 of 37 with limitations in adaptive functioning and an onset before the age of 18-years. That is primarily what the people we serve at Abilities United are people with developmental disabilities because they qualified for state funding. We, however, have also supported people who have suffered brain injuries later in life. They were able to through either insurance or private pay; they were able to access services through us. The causes of developmental disabilities are varied and remain unknown in a larger proportion of cases. Even in cases of known etiology, the line between cause and effect is not always clear. There really is a tremendous amount of research that needs to be done and is being done, in order for us to understand these needs. Genetic factors have long been implicated in the causation of developmental disabilities. There is also a large environmental component to these conditions in their relative contributions to nature vs. nurture have been debated for decades. Current theories on causation focus on genetic factors. Over a thousand known genetic conditions include developmentally disabilities as a symptom. Developmental disabilities affect between 1% and 2% of the population in most western countries. Although, many government sources acknowledge that the stats are flawed in this area. The worldwide proportion of people with these disabilities is believed to be approximately 1.4%, but if you notice and read the papers, they are saying that anywhere from 1 person out of 104 to 135 have Autism and I think it’s because there has been development in the area of assessment and understanding the metrics. Also, we have heard to the Zika virus and that is something that has been introduction to the United States down in Florida and we pray that is does not go on because it is one of the results of this is pregnant women having children with microcefalia. That’s a very serious condition. That is miniaturization of the head because of improper brain development. It is a very serious problem in South America. Zika virus is carried by mosquitoes and they are doing mass poisoning – you know spraying the poison stuff down there in Florida, which a lot of people are protesting but they are trying to get a handle on this. Lately, they had 14 cases of the Zika virus and it seems to spreading quite a bit but they are hoping they can keep it in check. Commissioner Gordon Gray: Is it mostly pregnant women? 14 Mr. Young: No, they have had a couple of cases of women that are pregnant. One of which had been diagnosed with a child with microcefalia. Mr. Young: Developmental disabilities can be initially suspected when a child does not reach expected child developmental stages and there are metrics for that. Subsequently, differential diagnosis may be used to diagnose an underlying disease and then later on through genetic testing and other assessments, they are able to figure it out. Then of course there are many physical health characteristics but vision, hearing, epilepsy, dental health for people with developmental disabilities because they can’t tolerate. Either because they are physically fragile or because emotionally it is such a traumatic event for people with developmental disabilities that parents keep putting it off. It is a very serious concern. Also people with developmental disabilities on average live 20 fewer years in life. They have a shorter life expectance and there are many reasons for it. Some of it, for example, people with Down Syndrome just have a short life expectance. They are noted as aging quicker. Those we are seeing some of that change because of excellent healthcare. Let’s talk about mental health here and psychiatric illnesses. They are more likely to occur in people with developmental disabilities then the general population. As I said, 1.4% of the general population has some form of developmental disability ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 12 of 37 but of these, 33% have a dual diagnosis of some form of mental illness. 38% take medications for mood disorders, 29% take medication for anxiety, 25% take medications for behavioral problems, and 18% take medications for psychiatric disorders. Let me just speak briefly to 25% take medications for behavioral problems. When they are in an environment, where they can thrive and they have instructors and staff that understand them. Knows what makes them tick, what triggers them, and is able to mold and shape that environment to where they can live successful lives. We see that greatly diminished and I’m very glad to say Abilities United is leading the way on making that happen. Again, thank you for helping us make that happen. So, mental illness – did I say so over all 53%, did I mention that, take medications – So, mental illness defined. Mental illness refers to a wide range, and they keep saying that because they are trying to figure it out, of mental health conditions. Disorders that effect moods, thinking and behavior. Examples of mental illness include depression that’s a big one, anxiety disorders quite common, schizophrenia, eating disorders and addictive behaviors, lack of impulse control, obsessive compulsive disorders, and schizophrenia, among many. A number of factors are attributed to the high incident rate of the dual diagnosis. That is because there is so much trauma that people experience when they have a developmental disability. Now I will mention a few reasons, abuse, bulling, harassment, not having a strong and educational system as we see in this area is pretty great and I work closely with the high schools. Poverty in many regions of the country, limited employment opportunities, epilepsy, and seizures is quite common and we deal with that. Particularly in people at the day program. Which I might say, we have 42 participants in the day program and as we increase staffing, we hope to add another 6 to 8 people. I have 78 people on the waiting list, and I have been turning away folks because I just don’t want to give them false hope. The need is desperate, it is desperate, and let me just say this, I’ll never forget this. It’s very hard for me to talk about but I met because mental illness not only affects the participant. It affects the family. I met with a mother some years back and she was hoping that we could add her son to our day program. We were doing everything that we could to try and accommodate as many people as possible. So, we had the son on the waiting list but before we could get to him, she took her life. It is so sad and I hear reports throughout the media of parents who are desperate and so they take the children’s lives and then they take their lives. This is why mental health is so important for care, for all the family. Again, I’m glad to say Abilities United is doing things about that and I am going to highlight that in just a minute. Sense I want to be respectful of time. I just want to say that physical abuse includes withholding food, hitting, punching, pushing, a family member towards the participant because they just run out of gas, they run out of steam and they don’t know what to do. I get calls from families saying, “What do I do? How do I help?” I had a family actually thank me, said Roger thank you so much because you helped us by calling the adult protection agency. We needed help but we didn’t know what to do. They came – No, I didn’t report them as some evil family; I said this family just needs help. The professionals came and met with the family. They were able to provide resources for the family and that family has gone to lead very healthy lives. That’s a good thing, is it? This population is very vulnerable. Sexual abuse is also high. Did you know that 80% of people with developmental disabilities say that they have been abused in some way shape or form? 80%. The Arc, with is a national franchise of agencies that support people with this. They say that approximately 80%, and I just referred to that, have experience abuse, 34% which were sexually abuse. This team found that sexual abuse was associated with increased rates of mental illness and behavioral problems, including symptoms of post-traumatic stress. The physiological, emotional abuse, verbal abuse, shaming and belittling, financial abuse, where some families ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 13 of 37 don’t always use the funds in the best way and this is where thankfully we have the regional centers that do monitor and make sure that our clients/people with this disability have the oversight necessary to help. Legal services are not always available, readily. Systematic abuse, denied access to appropriate service due to perceived support needs or passive neglect, a caregiver failure to provide adequate food and shelter. This hits the participants. Let me just share this. Everyone has a disability somewhere, depending upon who assesses us. Everyone. All of us have good points. All of us have weak points and I have done temperament analysis. I have done these types of seminars and workshops for people. No matter what our temperament is, there is the flip side and unless there are adaptations and training and understanding and mentoring. Let’s face it, we all have a weakness somewhere. Whether we want to admit it, we do. Fortunately, if we have good mentors, instructors, parenting and all this, well then it helps. When you take people with developmental disables and most parents come into this without having experience with this. They are totally cold, totally without knowledge and they are scared to death. How do we manage this? Well, this is where Abilities United comes in and we say we will help you. We will direct you to the services you need. As I finish this up, let me just say this and you saw this recently. This is where we are educating the police department by the way. We are working with the police department. We are working with the fire departments. W e are working with EMTs. We are working with businesses. I had a meeting not too long ago with YMCA. Educating people about people with developmental disabilities on how we should use people vs language. How we should interact and respect appropriately. Let me just move into this. This is what we have done and this is what we are doing. We have invited Palo Alto police to come several times and they have come several times to talk about safety. How to respond when police are dealing with the community action and educate the participants. We saw on the news, how not to long ago a police officer, meaning well but didn’t understand the situation. While trying to shoot the client, shot the caregiver, in the leg. Did you see that in the news? These things are happening quite frequently but I have noticed that the police departments in this area are particularly sensitive and I think it is because of what you are doing because of the education that is taking place. We have invited Kara grief support to train our instructors, meet with participants and help us all cope in times of loss. We have a trained and certified counselor on our staff that is currently conducting classes on how to communicate feelings and emotions, in order to develop and keep friendships and let others know when they have needs for the participants and staff. We take participants to doctor’s appointments with mental health professional and with permission from the clients, assistant in tracking how the clients are doing and convey that information to the metal health professionals. We assist the participants with having well rounded lives and respect their choices and respect what they want to participate in and help them access community services that can enhance the quality of their lives. We assist families and state holders with emotional and relational support. So they can more effectively cope with the stresses of having a family member with this kind of disability. I met with parents just today who are in their senior years, with an aging adult with developmental disability and they are just scared about what to do. I was able to coach them about you don’t have to carry guilt anymore. You have done the right thing and now it is time to prepare your love one for the transition that will inevitably come. We are here to help you and she said, “Thank you, I want you to come talk to my husband.” I am very grateful that I have that opportunity and as I finish this up, we work with adult protections agency which I described. We work with behavioral counselors and physiatrist to make sure all the participants’ needs are met. We train and continue to give refresher training on how to work with people with mental illness particularly those with ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 14 of 37 developmental disabilities so we can recognize and understand what their experiencing and use the best strategies to help them. We have a parent’s group at Abilities Untied that meet together, that are supporting each other, and helping to collaborate together to find the best resources, so it goes on and on. What questions do you have? By the way I am going to leave copies of this, along with a few other things for everyone. Along with description, list of the services we provide and my business card. Please feel free to call anytime. Do you have any questions? Any concerns? Any thoughts? Chair Stone: Thank you so much. That was incredible. Your passion is clear and I really appreciate, we all appreciate the work that Abilities United does and both of you. Any questions? Open up the floor. Commissioner Alhassani: Thanks again for the presentation. Can you talk more about the scale of organization in terms under the adult service program, kids program? How many numbers are you servicing? The 78, is that for the kid’s day program Mr. Young: We have 78 people on the waitlist just for the day program. Commissioner Alhassani: The day program is for… Mr. Young: People that – these are adults with well-known disabilities that participate in a community engaging opportunities. We take them to community colleges, they do volunteer work. All throughout Palo Alto at non-profits. They are helping to shelve groceries. They are cleaning windows at museums. They are organizing books for local libraries. They go to animal shelters and fold towels and socialize the cats. They go to the YMCA and fold towels and it goes on and on and on. They want to give back. They don’t want to be known as simply consumers. They want to be known at producers and that they are not just coming into the community. They want people to know they are the Community. Commissioner Alhassani: How many people are in the program? Mr. Young: Ok, maybe Charlie you can help me here. Mr. Weidanz: There is somewhere in the 50 ranges for people that are in the day program right now. Some of our limitations are capacity of our space and also the need is there, 78 on the waiting list but we do have space. We are also challenged, as others are in this Community for recruitment of staff. We are bound by wages because we are reimbursed through the regional center for what we can pay. They only reimburse us for X amount so our wages are set. We are certainly moving towards a high wage but recruitment in this area is tough. When you can go to many other places and make a lot more per hour than you can for working with our population. I think that is some of the balancings we have. Mr. Young: Specifically, I think in infant intervention there could be anywhere from 10 to 15 families at any time. For our preschool, I think we have somewhere around 30-35. Mr. Weidanz: Overall we are in the 15 hundred range for total people served by the agency. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 15 of 37 Commissioner Alhassani: That’s specifically in the Palo Alto branch? That’s not the regional... Mr. Weidanz: That’s correct… Mr. Young: We do that, yes, out of Palo Alto. Mr. Weidanz.: We are a single agency. We don’t have branches. Commissioner Alhassani: I’m sorry, I mean that is not a regional – you mentioned you get reimbursed by the regional… Mr. Young: There are regional centers that contracts with us to do the services and supported by the State of California. Commissioner Alhassani: The geography of the 1500, is that spread throughout the peninsula? Mr. Weidanz: It is but the majority comes from down here in Santa Clara County. In this area. Chair Stone: Do you have a number of how many are exactly Palo Alto residence? Mr. Weidanz: We do but I don’t have that off the top of my head. Mr. Young: I’d have to look at it. I don’t want to just guess. At the day program, for example, I think we have somewhere around 7. Just in the day program. Because of the success of Abilities United, we have people that even called us even as far away as Hayward and San Francisco. The regional centers say, well they really want to mainstream people in this area. We have been asked to consider franchising in other areas, Abilities United, but right now, this is where we can do it. It is the best place to be. Commissioner Alhassani: Sorry. How does it work when you need to get mental health services provided through a doctor or physician of some kind if the family doesn’t have insurance? A previous speaker talked to us about how one of the issues a lot of mental health providers aren’t taking insurance in the area because they would rather get paid through private funds. Are you seeing issues with that? Mr. Young: What we do is we find professionals in mental health that are taking the insurance or are taking Medicare.. There are some that do pro bono work, thankfully. When we know a participant needs counseling. We doggedly pursue it until we find someone and sometimes that needs to be quick. We get right on it and we find those professionals who say ok we’ll take you. We do have a fund at Abilities United. A gentleman who is in his 90s donates many thousands of dollars every year. Just for emergency services like this. He also plays Santa Claus at Christmas and he does music classes at Abilities United once a week. He is a marvelous man. Commissioner Gordon Gray: I'm sure you rely a lot on volunteers. Do you have some kind of training program for volunteers to work directly with participants? Mr. Young: We do. We have a wonderful lady by the name of Gail Stanley that is part of our Human Resources team. Let me tell you this, this is so exciting. Sorry, I get all excited. We are ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 16 of 37 having people from the high schools and middle schools. Teachers are bringing students and doing volunteer work. We have businesses, like Wells Fargo, they are going to do an ice social next week. We have people coming from some of these Silicon Valley businesses and they bring people over and they say, ‘Can we paint walls? Can we clean the storage shed? What do you need?” We are do greatful and like I said Gail Stanley she has been accessing these volunteer groups and so on. They are doing a super job. Almost all those people are from Palo Alto. Palo Alto is rocking it. Commissioner Gordon Gray: My question was specifically was training for volunteers… Mr. Young: Yes, we do provide the training. Whatever training that is needed we provide. The day program in particular because we use volunteers quite consistently. We do a training program which is abbreviated training, that is appropriate for volunteers. Obviously, there are certain HIPPA laws that we have to respect confidentiality. Numerous issues that only trained staff can handle but there is plenty of work for everyone. I might say that we have also have participants with developmental disabilities come and volunteer and they have done a great job. Mr. Weidanz: That is our success. When some of our own participants graduate to become volunteers in the program and whether it being in our office doing clerical work in the office or working with you in the program itself. That is a real success for us. When they graduate and become volunteers. Commissioner O’Nan: I had a couple questions but it pertains to your facilities. I was just heartbroken to read last spring I think it was that there was a robbery and you lost your camping equipment which is part of your wonderful adult programs. Were able get that replaced… Mr. Young: Oh, that is such an amazing story. Commissioner O’Nan: Please tell us. Mr. Young: Yes, they came and they emptied out the storage shed which sinse has been reinforced, has a great lock on it. People rose up in this community and gave thousands of dollars. Charlie I don’t even know… Mr. Weidanz: Over $10,000 in cash. Mr. Young: 10,000, yes. Mr. Weidanz: …we can’t even count the amount of, in kind, gifts that we got. Commissioner O’Nan: Wow. Mr. Weidanz: We filled that shed back up and I think some 40 adults when to Half Moon Bay camping. It was just great. Somebody brought a 10-person tent. I didn’t know with a screen on it and they brought sleeping bags and coolers and stoves. Again, as Roger said, this community really stepped up. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 17 of 37 Commissioner O’Nan: I was just heartbroken when I read about that and so I had my fingers crossed for you. I’m so glad to hear there was a happy ending, Mr. Young: Thank you. Commission O’Nan: …to that. My second question was also pertaining to your facilities. I was using your wonderful Betty Right warm water pool, and I was again heartbroken when it closed. Is there any hope of reviving your aqua bassed programs? Mr. Weidanz: Right now, we do have satellite programs. We are at the Timpany Center down in San Jose. We are here at the Channing House, right down the street here. We’re up in Redwood City. So, we do have some satellite locations and we are looking at with our Board of Directors. Commissioner O’Nan: That is nice to hear. Chair Stone: Vice Chair Stinger? Vice Chair Stinger: Question that I’ve asked other people and I’ll ask you. What things can you not do with your current resources? Do you have a wish list? Mr. Young: I do. I do. More parking. Vice Chair Stinger: I live near you. I would second that. Mr. Young: Charlie you may want to speak to this but we are in a capital campaign. We are in the process of launching it. We recently realized we are not going to have access to our Charleston facility anymore. We are going to move all of our services to the Middlefield campus. We are going to have to consolidate and Charlie would you like to speak to that, please. Mr. Weidanz: We are still in the very early planning stages of trying to identify again what do we want to do with our redevelopment. That is pretty far down the line but I think to answer your question. One of the areas that we are really focusing on right now is employment services. How can we get more people placed in employment and I think that is an area that can always use additional resources and funding. We help them not only get their job but then we job coach with them when they are out on the sites. I think, staying away from redevelopment, which is really down the – but immediately I think employment services is really one area outside of the day program that we would really like to continue to expand. I think we placed almost 40 people this calendar year in jobs… Vice Chair Stinger: That is great. Mr. Weidanz: ...that is huge for us. Chair Stone: What’s the primary reason, oh sorry, just piggybacking off that. What is the primary reason you are consolidating the offices? Is it just, lack of funding or is it convenience. What is the reason behind that? Mr. Weidanz: We are on leased property from the county and what we will be doing is moving ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 18 of 37 our – instead of having two locations. We will move over to just a single location and I think it going to be more efficient for us. To operate out of a single location. It isn’t really anything to do with resources as much as, you know having a single location. It will be more efficient for us. Commissioner Alhassani: On the employment services, are there a set of employers who are good at placing people? Mr. Weidanz: Safeway is just magnificent in placing with us. We are here at Tesla. We are at the Homewood Suites down on the El Camino. We are just getting ready to come into the Garden Court Hotel here. We are at Whole Foods, at Sprouts but Safeway is probably the largest – We are at Stanford dining but I think Safeway is probably the largest. Ada’s Café, I think we have 8 people at Ada’s Café. We’re around the community quite a bit. Chair Stone: The 78 people on your waitlist. Of those – do you have the numbers on that – are those all Palo Altans. Mr. Weidanz: I think you said… Mr. Young: I have 78 but I would say of those, there are probably – I think in pictures so bear with me while I read it in my mind. There is about 10 people who are Palo Alto, locally, in this immediate area. Chair Stone: I want to ask, this question is on, regarding your funding. About what percentage of your total budget comes from the City? Mr. Young: Well, I know we got about $40,000, I think it’s about $40,000 a year. That’s a huge chunk. I don’t know the percentage of that. Mr. Weidanz: From our donated dollars or from our total budget? We are a little over $5.5 million on our total budget so we are $40,000 of 5.5 million. On donated revenue, we raise about 1.3 – 1.4 million so we would be 40,000 of the donated revenue. Chair Stone: So, that 40,000 that comes from the City, what do – Help us make our job easier when we go to the City asking for funding or try to explain the plight of these non-profits. Can you give us maybe some details on what that 40,000 does? Ms. Weidanz: A great deal of it goes into the adult program. Mr. Young: It does and these funds go to life coaching of people with developmental disabilities to manage their lives. Some do live in their own homes. Some have the trajectory to move into their own home but they need help to manage their finances, doctors’ appointments and learn how to care for themselves effectively. That’s one area. The day program is one that is very key and you have heard me talk about that. The moneys goes to help us operate. The moneys go where they are needed too. To help pay salaries. Goes into the direct support of the participants. Everything is used. Everything is just poured out. If it wasn’t for the donations, we wouldn’t be able to make it. It’s just incredible. The state funding, I think takes care of, is it about 70%, 70- 75% and so the donations and other incomes just help us to make it. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 19 of 37 Ms. van der Zwaag: So, their grant is between the adult day programs, we support some respite programming and the infant intervention program. It all goes toward salaries. Mr. Weidanz: I would give you maybe a secondary piece that might help you. This community and Roger was talking about our Community Connections Program for the adult day participants that aren’t ready for employment yet. Are going every day out into the community and volunteering. Whether it is the Lytton Senior center or the YMCA or CSMA or just – what do we have about 40 partners here in the Community, that welcome us every day. La Comida has us on Tuesdays helping to serve lunch and every day we are in this community, providing volunteer services and if that helps you at all. I think the fact that this community has really embraced us and allowed our participants to come in and do these volunteer. It’s incredibly important for the participants because they feel like they are really doing something meaningful during the day. For the partner, they get a chance to see what it’s like to be engaged with us. It goes beyond paying the salaries. It goes beyond. It’s really is engaging us in this community and getting awareness about how to live and be inclusive with people with disabilities. Mr. Young: One of the other things that we do, and you may want to take note of it. We have a television program that comes out twice a year. That has won regional and national awards. It’s called Abilities United Community Connections and we’re in the process, for our second time, interviewing a wonderful lady by the name of Temple Grandin. There is a movie, titled by her name that Claire Danes portrayed and she is going to be interviewed. Next Tuesday or Wednesday.she is flying out. So, we are going to interview her. This program also shows exerts of the participants of Abilities United doing volunteer work in the community. It’s very interesting. You might enjoy that. Commissioner Gordon Gray: What station is that? It’s the local cabal station. Mr. Weidanz: Yes, it is. We do that through the media center. Now, this one is being done by the media center but once a year, I think it is our participants actually do, they write the scripts, they do the interviewing. The most recent one was on – we went down and saw the fire department and police department and interviewed them on what day is like in their life. So, they write it, they do the interviewing and the media center helps. So again, the partnerships that we have in this community provide resources that help us do is to expand the awareness and get the inclusiveness. Chair Stone: Thank you. Go ahead Commissioner O’Nan. Commissioner O’Nan: I wanted to follow-up with on a very interesting conversation I had, I think a couple of years ago now, with the late Linda Steele who I was a great fan of. She left us way too soon. In her view, part of what was important about HSRAP funding, which is something that the HRC has some oversight of. When these terrible cuts happened with say your county or State funding, that was when the City could step into the breach and help bridge some of the gaps that opened up. In Linda’s view, a lot of it was about continuity – what she said was, “Steady money makes all the difference.” Because with steady money you can keep people employed, you can keep programs going, you can keep participants enrolled and engaged. So, could you speak to that and the importance of, for example, these grants that come from the City’s general fund mean to you and what we can tell City Council about why they are so ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 20 of 37 important? Mr. Young: Sure. I can speak from my perspective. The steady money gives us a predictable course to take. So, we know how to plan and what do to and how things are going to be. I am very grateful for this man sitting here because he is a financial genius. He knows how to take the – he doesn’t know I’m going to say this but he takes every penny and stretches it as far as it can go. The agency is very sensitive to the plight of the staff that is making $12-$13 an hour. The high cost of living area that we have and we have a trajectory that we are trying to improve that. Commissioner O’Nan: About the continuity and the steady money. Mr. Young: The continuity gives a predictable course to take. Which enables us to plan and then also, it is very important to have sustainable services. If we start and go – it’s like giving a kid who has never had a pencil and giving a pencil and then taking it back. We want to continue to have that continuity long term. Mr. Weidanz: I think a critical piece of the participant’s day with us is the consistency of the staff and the program. For them to be – as Linda was saying, what is provides is us to have a consistent staffing and when they come in every day, they are seeing the same faces and they know that that person going to be there tomorrow to help them again. I think that is very important in their lives that they have that consistency and that continuity. So really, what I think that it helps. Its helps the staff but it helps the participants know that each day Rogers going to be there when they walk in the door and that is important to them. I think that is a big piece what they need every day to see the same face there. Mr. Young: If I may say we have several of our staff with degrees in psychology, sociology, recreation therapy, recreation management. They are coming and they are bringing their skill sets. I tell them when they come; you have to understand there is a missionary thing. We see good things in the horizon. Success brings success. When they hear the stories and see the outcomes and so on. They say, “Hey, I have to do this. No matter what I have to be a part of this.” Commissioner O’Nan: Do you think the consistency particularly important given that some of your participants are mentally, you know, fragile people? Mr. Young: Yes, because we approach things relationally. Now, we keep boundaries. Everything is very healthy; how we interact, how we touch, how we talk-boundaries. They are all very important. To the participants, they see us as their family. We’re there for them. We are helping them to – sometimes coach their loved ones on what to do. Developing the strategies in conjunctions with all their stakeholders to help them be successful. We celebrate their birthdays. They have invited us into their homes. We go to their special events in their lives. For them that is what makes –this is the thing, if they feel loved, this increases their motivation to go beyond the goals we write for them because they are so excited about life. Mr. Weidanz: I would also offer that it’s no different than, I’ll take myself when I walk into the coffee shop and I see the same person there every morning. There is a sense of comfort there or where ever you go, you see the same person; it gives you that sense of connection. It’s no ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 21 of 37 different for our participants. So again, understanding that we all need that. We all need that sense of continuity and consistency. Mr. Young: Yes. When Linda Steele passed, just after that one of our employees at the day program passed. Then, thankfully we have an agency that said, “Ok. Let's get the Kara in here. Let's get all the support, neccessary.” We had whatever was necessary to really help the participants and the staff process all of this because it hit us kind of hard. Chair Stone: Yes… Vice Chair Stinger: One more question. Chair Stone: ...yes, please. Vice Chair Stinger: It’s really nice to hear you say that the community is responsive and I want to probe that a little bit. You also said you have done some films with the participant’s walking in the shoes of the Fire Department and the Police Department. When they go out, either to a job site or to a volunteer site, are there things that the community could do to make them more welcome? Are there things we need to understand better? Do they have any… Mr. Weidanz: The partners that we have right now, I think are really very engaged with us and very welcoming to us. I think as we look at new partners. We are finding a very, very welcoming and engaging community. What can they do more? Probably just to continue to talk about what we do and keep people with disabilities a part of their lives. If they have an opportunity to. Vice Chair Stinger: When you said in your introductions – introductory remarks that you do some police training. Mr. Young: We have interacted with the police and we inform them of special circumstances of participants with permission of course. They understand if they have to come on site or deal with the participants that are manifesting a behavioral problem, they know how to interact. They can do so in a safe way and less traumatic for everyone. Vice Chair Stinger: Great. Mr. Weidanz: You know the other piece we do talk about. Anyone can end up needing our services at some time. You never know that you might have a stroke or you might have a car accident or you might have – or someone in your family. Maybe to answer what can the community do. Just remember that it could happen to anyone that you know and then how would you react. Are you going to include them in your lives because they’re still the same people that they were? Commissioner O’Nan: That’s lovely. Mr. Young: If I may add one thing. Share the news about Abilities United and how that we are looking for people who are looking to make a difference in other people’s lives. We need to hire more people with that passion, with that drive and really want to interact with this population. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 22 of 37 Anyway that you can share that news. We will give them excellent training and they may not stay there for decades but they might stay there for 2 or 3 years and their lives will be forever changed. Chair Stone: I have just one closing question. Besides an increase in funding for the City, what would be the one thing that the City could do that would make the greatest impact for your mission? Mr. Young: Other than the employment situation, Charlie before I go there, do you want to say anything? Because I am going to talk about vans and transportation services. We have a pretty good transportation services here in town but transportation doesn’t go everywhere we need to go. We’re relying on three vans. That’s all we have and so if we can come across more vehicles that are appropriate. Especially with lifts, then that would make our job so much easier. Also, if I may be so bold. If there are items, office items, that still have a lot of life in them. Such as paper shredders, or things like that. Send them our way. We put to use computers and what we may not use by the staff they will be used by the participants. Any type of digital device that is somewhat current we will use. Chair Stone: OK. Thank you so much for your time. 2. 2. Discussion and possible selection of HRC representative(s) to speak to the Policy & Services Committee at upcoming meeting regarding HSRAP – Chair Stone Chair Stone: Ok, we will move onto our business item number 3 which is a discussion and possible selection of HRC representatives to speak at Policy & Services at an upcoming meeting regarding HSRAP funding and potentially urging counsel to either increase funding or just the way in which HSRAP is funded. 3. Ms. van der Zwaag: Right. The referral is whether or not to raise HSRAP funding in fiscal year ’18 and then potentially raise it to $667,000, which is what would have been a 2.5% increase from when the cost of living increases stopped in 2002. That is the thing they are going to reflect on. Now we have to realize this is Policy and Services and this is not Budget. This is not the Finance Committee. They will reflect on that and render their opinion or render a recommendation which will go back to the Council. Who at that point will make a decision on what the next steps will be? That very likely will be sending on the Finance who has control of recommendations for actual allocations. They could do that early next year. They could do that as part of the fiscal year ’18 budget process. Those are the unknowns as far as this are concerned. We are tentatively on the schedule for October 11th. If we get bumped, then it’s to November. Commissioner O’Nan: But Minka, I think there was a second issue which was the sort of flex… Ms. van der Zwaag: That is not part of… Commissioner O’Nan: ...this one. Ms. van der Zwaag: This is, no, they are solely – those were two referrals and this conversation… ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 23 of 37 Commissioner O’Nan: Is only about the increase… Ms. van der Zwaag: It’s my hope actually that they will just let staff and HRC come up with the actual procedure, how to do that. That wouldn’t have to involve Policy and Services but I need to check on that. We did a very similar process 2-years-ago when we got an increase and we did the second process which was very similar on emerging or emergency needs. A very successful process happened out of that but that decision has not yet been made yet. This referral is specifically to discuss the HSRAP funding. I think if you get too much into it. It’s too hard of a conversation to have because those are two totally separate issues. That funding has already been allocated and this referral is not so much talking about needs. Although needs may come into in their reflection on a policy or a recommendation for additional funds or not. We will see. Commissioner Gordon Gray: I’m sorry. I’m not really clear what happens on October 11th. This is confusing. Ms. van der Zwaag: The Policy and Services will make a recommendation to the City Council on whether or not their HSRAP funding should be raised. They will look at policy related items, related to that decision. Then is goes back to Council. Commissioner Gordon Gray: So October 11th is when we would be presenting to Policy… Ms. van der Zwaag: No. That’s when staff would be presenting to Policy and Services Committee. The role of the HRC in this meeting is very similar to what happened at the Budget hearing. When Vice Chair Stinger and Commissioner O’Nan spoke during public common time. They didn’t tell me they were going to do this but they very wisely took – they each took three minutes. They really had a 6-minute presentation and they talked about different things. I am not here to direct you in how you handled that but it would be that type of support. The meeting is October 11th. It’s probably late September when the staff report will be released. It’s currently in the process of being reviewed internally. Once that is reviewed internally and it’s released for the public then the HRC would be able to look at this staff report and either reflects upon that. If you choose to have a representative or representatives. You won’t be able to see the staff report and say, ‘Hey, talk about this, talk about that.’ Now, if it gets pushed back to November, then at your October meeting you can say, “Hey, let's review the report, you know, should we look at this. Should we look at that?” That probably won’t be an option. If it gets pulled before it’s actually released and put on the November agenda. Then you won’t even see it then either. You really have to, if you have someone speak on your behalf. You have to entrust them to speak to whatever goal or vision that you determine you want them to reflect. I think that is how you went about it last time. There was a short discussion; you know this is what we are really interested in saying. Chair Stone: Yes, please. Commissioner O’Nan: Chair last time when Vice Chair Stinger and I attended the City Council meeting we really were charged by their HRC to reflect the HRC position that HSRAP is an important City program and had been somewhat neglected. We still have some catch up to do and we would really urge the Council to fund it more robustly so that it can be a more sustainable program for the long haul. As Minka mentioned both Vice Chair Stinger and I both ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 24 of 37 spoke briefly to the Council and they then untook to do the step or dive this day. I subsequently heard and I think Vice Chair Stinger did as well that our presence was noted and very favorably commented upon. They felt that it was important that the HRC was there. That we did represent the HRC position and made it more clear that there really was strong support on the HRC for increasing HSRAP funding. So, I think it would be important for a representatives to be at this Policy and Service Committee meeting and I would certainly volunteer to be there again if just to be a presence. Whether or not I actually spoke, I just think that it’s important for Council members to see that. I don’t know if Vice Chair Stinger would agree to do this again, follow this through. Vice Chair Stinger: Yes, I absolutely would. I wanted to just reiterate. We received the feedback that our presence was important. We had a chance in our meeting prior to put down some principles we could speak to and this time, we really can’t without having the staff report. We can still reconfirm our belief in the principles and have general guidelines for some speakers. I just think the Council sees that as value. Chair Stone: Great. So, you both are volunteering to be Commission representatives at that meeting? Commissioner O’Nan: Yes, I am. Vice Chair Stinger: Sure, I would do that. MOTION Chair Stone: Well, I’ll make the motion to… Commissioner Gordon Gray: Is three too many – cause I’m – is that too many? Because I’m thinking more bodies, more influence. Ms. van der Zwaag: I think it’s definitely a possibility. I think since it’s Policy and Services and it’s only 4 Council members, it’s not the nine. Having three Commissioners, each taking 3 minutes, I think that is going to be as long as probably my presentation. I would probably think it would be too much. Commissioner Gordon Gray; I don’t have to say anything. Ms. van der Zwaag: Now, having you there, that’s something different. Commissioner Gordon Gray: At least get introduced, you know. Ms. van der Zwaag: Yes, and I will say, “Please see that we have” and I will name the members to the HRC here and as you know they are very interested in HSRAP as the recommending body on this funding source to the Council. Vice Chair Stinger: That would be great. Chair Stone: I agree. I think we should have as many Commissioners there as possible. I’ll make the motion to appoint Commissioner O’Nan and Vice Chair Stinger as they Human Relations ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 25 of 37 representatives to speak on our behalf at that meeting? Do I have a second? Commissioner Alhassani: I’ll second that. Chair Stone: Great, it was seconded. We will vote on that all the “I” s. Everyone: I Chair Stone: Great no nays and the motion is carried and thank you Commissioner O’Nan and Vice Chair Stinger for stepping up for that. Does anyone want to speak further on what message we want to convey at the meeting? I think both of you spoke eloquently about a position that I fully support. Minka, is it appropriate at that meeting too, to not to go in-depth about what we would like to see. Where we would like to see HSRAP funding go in the future but reference the benefit of HSRAP being tied to, for example, HSRAP being tied to the general budget by a percentage. Would be able to make suggestions for Policy and Services to consider for the future. Beyond the scope of what they are actually dealing with at that meeting? Ms. van der Zwaag: You can, I mean you’ve brought that up in the past. I can’t say with the staff report will include but you can say things that the HRC has discussed in the past or have been x, y and z. I don’t want to be in the position to be planning your presentation but if you think that will be helpful in the discussion. Then you can include that. Chair Stone: Do you have data on that about what percentage of the general fund as of right now it would and what it would be if Council does adopt these changes? Ms. van der Zwaag: I did it one time when this issue came up before, that some Council members had the distinction of saying of what 1% of the general fund would be without staff salaries. That is a huge chunk of the general fund. I recall on the Human Services needs assessment – I’ll have to look at that again because at that point then Commissioner Bacchetti had figured that out and he was looking at a certain percentage of funding was given over a certain percentage of years. We’d be at 1% of the general fund and that was said in the climate of 2002 when PACCC and Avenidas were still a part of it. Then we were trending at $1.4 million and now we are trending at $440,000. That math would be a lot different and that would be an exponential jump for HSRAP if it was without those other Human Service contracts included. I could think a little bit about that math but I think without those other vendors for the lack of better phrasing, with us. That number might be pretty high. I mean, I can look into that if you want. Chair Stone: I think that would be interesting. I’d like to see HSRAP be tied someway with the budget or some other data point within the City budget to create that consistency for the non- profits. I think right now it’s always a little too up in the air. I don’t know if anyone – any thoughts anyone else had on that. Commissioner O’Nan: Chair I agree with you and yet my sense is that I don’t know if our City Manager loves that idea. I think it kind of changes HSRAP in a way that makes the administrators uncomfortable although I share your positive view of this. At the same time, I want Council and the City Manager to feel comfortable increasing the funding without making ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 26 of 37 them worried about the long term execution of that would be. If there is another method that they prefer because I don’t want to make them feel boxed into a corner. That they are tied to something that they don’t want to be tied to. I’m a little bit flexible on that. Of course, I’m not speaking for the whole HRC, I’m just giving you a temperature read on what I am sensing. Chair Stone: Yeah. Anyone else? Vice Chair Stinger. Vice Chair Stinger: I guess I need to understand that better before I spoke to it. One of the concerns I have is that if the budget falls and we’re fixed to a percent. Then we are on the downside of it. I might want to do some zero-based budgeting or program budgeting or have a core group of programs that we always support. Ms. van der Zwaag: It’s very complex. Going back to what Commissioner O’Nan discussed that there is uncomfortableness on the basis of City leadership to tie it to a percentage because then it's like a set-aside. With the California State budget, there are a lot of set-asides and so the actual budget they are actually maneuvering is less because it’s a certain percentage you know, has been designated for this. There is a depth caution for that approach when it’s a certain set-aside. Especially, when there are challenging budget times. As far as the type of agencies served and the depth of agencies served in the scope of services that’s something that we looked into when we did the needs assessment in 2012. What the HRC found at that time was, it was very hard to narrow the focus. The scope of services, when HSRAP started in 1984, was quite broad. There were five categories; five broad categories and under that five subcategories in each of those. In its initial history, it was as broad as it is today and when you talk about – Some cities say we do youth and senior services and that’s it. You know we had those discussions when we discussed the 2012 needs assessment. After hearing all the needs from all of our current agencies and investigating other needs in the community. There is a deep reluctance on behalf of the HRC to say, ‘Ok, well, we won’ do X, Y Z services anymore.’ We are just going to focus on three areas. That didn’t happen. That could broaden HSRAP open to more deeply affect services in those three areas but no one is willing to say, ‘Ok we’ll drop this but we’ll focus on that.’ That’s a really hard conversation to have especially, when you have as deep of relationships as some of our grantees that we’ve had for decades. Vice Chair Stinger: Can I make a clarification. If I was making a statement that sounded like I wanted to focus on a narrower scope of service that was not where I was going. I was using those terms generally to say, I think there're other ways other than a percent of budget that I would like to look. Ms. van der Zwaag: Ok. Vice Chair Stinger: …implying that we would revisit our... Ms. van der Zwaag: Our scope. Vice Chair Stinger: …Our scope. Commissioner O’Nan: And I just want to… ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 27 of 37 Vice Chair Stinger: I realized I used specific terminology without knowing that it was real terminology. Commissioner O’Nan: I’m so sorry to interrupt, but I do just want to remind the HRC that we do have the reserve fund; the rainy day fund. So, if there is a downturn – so in other words if we were tied to the budget and the budget went down, which inevidently that would happen. We are a little bit more protected than we were in the past because we do have that reserve fund that we haven’t been able to touch. Ms. van der Zwaag: So we have the $50,000 in the reserve fund and we have the $50,000 in an emerging need fund. But the emerging need fund is not just for HSRAP grantees. Commissioner Gordon Gray: How much is for HSRAP, do you know? Ms. van der Zwaag: There’s no designation in the Council approval for that. Now, for the reserve fund that is only for HSRAP grantees. The emerging needs fund, there is no designation within that of what percentage would be HSRAP grantees or not HSRAP grantees. Chair Stone: What triggers the reserve fund? Ms. van der Zwaag: The reserve fund is if there is a staff recommendation or Council need at that point to cut HSRAP. In recent years, you know, like 5-6 years ago HSRAP had a 5% cut. I think there were two times that there was a 5% cut or a 10% cut and that would trigger it. That would be able to access the reserve fund and so we did not have to ask for cuts to the HSRAP program because overall, there was a certain percentage or – there was a need to cut. There’s a whole varied scenario about why we might need to cut but it was established in that kind of day when, if we had to make a cut we would have something to go back too. Chair Stone: Does that reserve fund – do we or Council than allocate, choose which non-profit gets that? How much or is it alright tied proportionally to what those non-profits are already getting through… Ms. van der Zwaag: Reserve fund is under the ospis of the Council. The Council is able to allocate that. It would be my feeling that it would be allocated percentage or proportionally among the current grantees. Commissioner O’Nan: As a direct offset to any potential cuts? Ms. van der Zwaag: I don’t know if it’s a direct – I’m not sure for instance if we cut by 10% that… Commissioner O’Nan: It would cover it. Ms. van der Zwaag: … it would cover it. They would make a determination from the $50,000 how much they were willing to use. They might not want to deplete the reserve fund and they might say ok, HSRAP took a $50,000 hit. We’re going to offset that by $10,000 or $15,000 from the reserve fund. That would be for Council to decide. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 28 of 37 Commissioner Gordon Gray: What is the emerging fund and how… Ms. van der Zwaag: The emerging need... Commissioner Gordon Gray: Emerging need Ms. van der Zwaag: ...fund. That is how we discuss that with Council is HSRAP is a 2-year cycle. There are often things that happen. Let’s just take Abilities United. Let's pretend no one in the Community gave them anything and here they were. Had this program, their camping program would have been eliminated and that would have had a direct negative effect on their clients. They could have come to us, in theory, and all these specifics need to be worked out. They could have said, ‘We’d like to apply for a 1-time grant of $5,000 to replenish these camping supplies. This is why this happened. This is an emergency. This is not an on-going request we should have included.’ Maybe something happens in the Community to an agency that all of a sudden they saw an influx of a great number of clients. Maybe for a short period of time. That’s really what the emerging… Commissioner Gordon Gray: Do the grantees know that this is available? Ms. van der Zwaag: They were told at the end of the budget process, I did inform all of the grantees that this did pass. Chair Stone: Great. Thank you. Ok? Any more discussion on this issue? Alright, perfect. Moving forward then. Thank you, Commissioner O’Nan and Vice Chair Stinger for volunteering. 4. Follow up from the HRC Retreat Chair Stone: Move on now to the follow up from the HRC retreat. We had another delicious retreat. Thanks to Mary and Minka. I thought it was a great meeting. We continued our discussion on liaisons, identified a long list of community needs. Boiled that down on how we should address those and which ones we want to prioritize for this year and then figured out who will work on those issues. Whether it is forums or speakers or learning series. Whatever it may be. We also discussed changing or modifying the HRC mission statement, and I think what we wanted to do now, was just recap what we went over and discuss – just open up the floor to discussion on any additional thoughts to those needs and how we are going to address them and who wants to take those roles. People who want to solidify that they are truly working on, if it’s a forum or an event. Any thoughts, if anyone has developed those thoughts also on the mission statement. We won’t vote on a mission statement tonight, in a sense, we want to wait till we have the full Commission when we can discuss it a little more and a little more in depth. Ms. van der Zwaag: I don’t think we are ready to have any discussion about the mission statement tonight because Commissioners don’t have any of the language we’re working in front of them. Chair Stone: Forget the mission statement part but we will follow up with our conversation on our community needs, how we are addressing them, who is going to head those, and how those are actually going to take form. We did a good conversation at the retreat and Commissioner ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 29 of 37 O’Nan you were sadly missed. Commissioner O’Nan: Oh and I sadly missed all of you too, desperately. Thank you, Commissioner Gray has kind of sent me her notes and helped update me on what happen. Which was wonderful, thank you so much. I looked through this list and I did see, to me, is a serious gap which is under senior services. I have had an idea for some time which is, I really feel like the HRC should drive an event on elder abuse. Elder abuse is becoming epidemic in our community and it is taking shocking forms. It’s physical abuse, financial abuse, it’s sexual abuse. It’s just really horrendous and I think it’s something that is not talked about very much or understood. I think with a large and growing senior population. This would be something that would be extremely timely for the HRC to work on. I would volunteer to work on it, in addition to a mental health event at some future time. I would love someone to volunteer to work on it with me. I think we already got some great community partners, for example, SALA, which is the Senior Adult Legal Assistance program. They work a lot with seniors who are victims of elder abuse and fraud. I think Avenidas and some of our other partners I think we could pull together. Ms. van der Zwaag: The CDBG grant. Commissioner O’Nan: Yes and the Catholic charities. I think it’s just ripe. It’s a ripe issue and I think we have got some great community partners who are low-hanging fruit and I think this is something that we should really bring to the floor. I’d like to confirm that I am interested in doing a mental health event and I definitely am interested in working on an elder abuse event. Ms. van der Zwaag: In the form context because what we did at the retreat, we said how to address and we had like Learning Series. We had a one-time speaker. We had forum. We designated the manner in which we would do that so are you thinking of a forum or are thinking of… Commissioner O’Nan: I am thinking of a forum because I – as I said I feel like this is a very, very important issue that your community is not sufficiently aware of. I think people are extremely frightened and concerned, don’t know where to go for help and aren’t aware of community resources, and don’t know what elder abuse it. Is that leaving your mom in bed for days soaked in her own diapers or is it stealing your mom’s social security check or is it getting someone to sign over their house. It’s a very broad and growing category of all kinds of crimes committed against – It’s scams. There is a lot of stuff going on that I really think that this is an important opportunity to educate, not just ourselves, but the whole community around what elder abuse is and what resources there are to combat it. I think we need to align with the police department because they’re expanding their efforts in this area as well. I just think it’s a great opportunity and as I said, with our large senior and growing senior population, I just think we will see more and more of it, unfortunately. It’s epidemic throughout Santa Clara County but particularly here in Los Altos and Palo Alto. Chair Stone: I think it has great continuity with the event Commissioner Gray lead, earlier this year on domestic violence. Bringing that to the forefront. I think people don’t think that happens in a city like Palo Alto. I think that’s a great idea. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 30 of 37 Commissioner Gordon Gray: Do you have data on, that it is a crisis in the county? Commissioner O’Nan: Yes, and I’ve heard from numerous agencies partners and the police department that they're more and more reports. It takes many different forms. The senior isn’t always abused in a physical way, where they are physically harmed but all their assets are taking over by say a family member or a caretaker. They end up losing their home or they end up losing their life savings. We tend to think of abuse sometimes strictly in a physical abuse. There are seniors who are being sexually abused by caregivers who videotape it and it’s just disgusting. It’s just terrible, terrible things are happening. SALA has seen more and more of this. There is a long waiting list of people, of seniors trying to get in to get legal assistance from SALA. It can be difficult for someone who’s either physically immobile or mentally impaired to try to protect and preserve their assets and their physical person against someone who may be a beloved family member but who is exploiting them and taking real advantage of them. I just think this an important issue because on the other hand there are seniors who are not able to make decisions for them anymore. So, there may be – there are times when a family member does have to step in but where is that line. Nobody seems to know and I think that is an important community discussion to have. What’s appropriate? Where are the boundaries? What constitutes abuse and what can you do about it if you are experiencing it. If you think a family member is experiencing it. What actions can we take? I think there are a lot of community partners I think we can pull in to really talk about that from a lot of angles. This is a great opportunity to educate everyone, including ourselves about what that looks like. I just think we are going to see it more and more. Especially in the financial area. It is very unfortunate. Chair Stone: Vice Chair Stinger. Vice Chair Stinger: I can only agree with you about how important it is. I just want to talk about or explore a little bit about some ways to address it. In a forum, it makes sense, as I listen to you. It seems there are enough groups that we could have enough presenters. There certainly is enough material but I wonder if we could also explore partnering. Avenidas is doing a program right now, over several Saturdays on addressing different topics from health and emotional wellbeing. It might be that this would be something that they would add to it or it might be during a Y program. Where we would be able to leverage some attendance and publicity and work with another group. I would volunteer to do it with you if we had a timeline that worked as long as we could explore different ways of addressing... Commissioner O’Nan: Yes. In fact, one of the challenges I think on working in the senior services area is that Adenidas’ programming is typically done during the day which is when seniors prefer to have this event, which makes sense but I think we need to consider having a dual event or a larger event and then a subset event. There are people who are family members and caregivers who work. Who are concerned about say elderly parents but they aren’t going to be able to attend an Avenidas day time event and there are people who desperately need to have this information as well. We need to look at, how to reach across the demographics. Vice Chair Stinger: I’m sorry I don’t have the bulletin with me. The program I am thinking about was done by Channing House last year on Saturday mornings and Avenidas is doing it on Saturday mornings starting in Sept – maybe starting this Saturday. It’s a series of five lectures. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 31 of 37 Ms. van der Zwaag: Yes. A gentlemen spoke to me once on that on the phone. Vice Chair Stinger: A very nice man from Channing house… Ms. van der Zwaag: Yes. Vice Chair Stinger: ...put this program together. Ms. van der Zwaag: A while back. Vice Chair Stinger: It was well attended at Channing House. It maxed out. It was open to Channing House and the community as space allowed. It was well enough received by elders and by their support team and they are repeating it at Avendas this year. Commissioner O’Nan: What was the topic of this one? Vice Chair Stinger: It’s 6 – 5 or 6 individual lectures series going from… Ms. van der Zwaag: end of life issues. Vice Chair Stinger: …housing issues, legal paperwork issues and so I think taking a positive title, like how to protect yourself from elder abuse and identifying it, protecting it. Would perhaps be something that they would consider? Commissioner O’Nan: I see what you're saying. That would make sense. We could piggyback on a successful lecture series. Yes, that makes a lot of sense. Vice Chair Stinger: There may be other ideas to explore as well but I threw that out as an example of an exploration. Chair Stone: Yes, I think a partnership would be great. I believe what it is, is Commissioner O’Nan, Vice Chair Stinger and myself are on the senior citizen subcommittee right? I’d like to join in with you guys and try to plan an event of some sort. Especially because the data indicates that our senior citizen population supposes to double by 2030? That’s the right number right? I think this is critical as well. Commissioner O’Nan: I think there are many aspects we could explore. We could partner with someone downtown like Channing House, Webster House, or Avenidas. We could partner with maybe with Moldawl residence over by the JCC or Stevenson House. We could consider maybe a translated version of the event in Mandarin. I don’t know how much time and money and funding we have so I’m just speaking very, very broadly as this point. I think there are a lot of opportunities about the best venue. I think we have some exciting opportunities to do it. Vice Chair Stinger: It would be very productive. Chair Stone: Yes. That would be great. Good idea. Ms. van der Zwaag: I don’t think we ever hurt for ideas. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 32 of 37 Commissioner Gordon Gray: I would like to address the human trafficking. I would like to do something on this. It is not a new topic but it would be new for Palo Alto. Sue Dremann did a cover story on human trafficking about a year ago. We know it hits us as much as it hits the county and I know Supervisor Chavez leads a task force for human trafficking. Some issues are more hidden than others like elder abuse. They are more in the shadows like domestic violence. Never the less, this is a continuing problem and I would like to do something on it. I guess I can talk to Commissioner Savage but I don’t know when she is coming back but I would like to see if – I don’t know what we have in mind for in turns of numbers and forms. Maybe it is a speaker series but I don’t know. I would like to do something bigger than that. Unless we – I mean we talked about this at the retreat – unless we can invite more people to come so we would have these sort of mini forums but we don’t get that much attendance at our meetings. So, I don’t know, that is just something I am throwing out there. Is it possible to get more people to benefit from what we learned tonight? It would be nice if we had more of the constituents, you know the residence that came and I know we did address this. Is there some way to publicize this more than we do? Having said that, that is something that interests me, and I would like to pursue that. Commissioner O’Nan: I wanted to mention, if you don’t mind Chair, I’m going to fade really quick here so I have to hurry and say all my thoughts. I know that the County HRC worked a lot on human trafficking prior to the super bowl. I believe some of the other local HRC did as well. You may be able to find some partners and have like a pan HRC type event around human trafficking, which is something we haven’t done. Which I think would be awesome if the HRC did collaborate with some of our other HRCs. We’re building some good relationships with them and this could be an opportunity to do a co-sponsored event. San Jose was hit very hard with human trafficking. Chair Stone: Anything else? Vice Chair Stinger: Well, I’m just looking at the number of things that we are tackling. It seems like a lot to me but if we have the energy, they certainly have the need. I’m going to continue working on Racism and Social Justice. There’s an opportunity to collaborate with the library. There’s an opportunity to collaborate with the City on discussion on follow-ups to the form we did last year. I think we can keep that thread going without initiating a new program on our own. But I’d like to keep it alive. Commissioner O’Nan: I wanted to comment on the other event that I am interested in working on is the mental health event. I feel like this is also a very important issue for you community although we have talked a lot about mental health in the context of the teen suicides. Which is very tragic. Mental health, as we heard tonight, it impacts everybody at all age levels, across demographics and across income levels. There are other groups that I think are being missed. I think it’s important to maybe do a broader mental health education awareness event isn’t just focused on the youth suicides but brings up that many people are affected by mental health issues. Again, another great opportunity for the HRC to help educate and let people know about resources that they may not be aware of, that are in our community and to have the police come and talk about their crisis intervention training and such because they are really helping respond more compassionately to some of the issues that arise when they interact with people with mental illnesses. I’d like to continue a speaker series on it; at least for maybe a couple more ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 33 of 37 months. I think we are learning some things but I guess I do envision it as being a community engagement type event to raise awareness. Again, I think a lot of people are aware of from the team aspect but they’re not aware, for example, that depression is ramped among the elderly or they are not aware that 1 out of 3 people suffer anxiety or they are not aware of the need for early intervention with Schizoaffective disorder or else it can become a chronic condition and the person may never be able to function or hold a job and live independently. That early intervention can prevent like a complete psychotic break. I think there are just a lot of opportunities to educate people around some of these issues. I learned a lot of interesting things at the Adolescent Wellness Conference that Commissioner Chen and I attended. I was inspired that I would like to bring some of that awareness here to Palo Alto. Also, I think there is a lack of psychiatric resources that are very critical despite this being an abundant community in many ways we’re still lacking the resources that we need and I know that Supervisor Simitian has been working on bringing more beds here for people who have mental illnesses and need in-patient care. Commissioner Gordon Gray: I think the comment that was made tonight about the ecosystem of mental illness. The people that are affected are often left out of the conversation and its people who are the caregivers who can develop mental illness by taking care of – you know, I’ve heard this. I’m just thinking that might be a component of a forum like this. That’s not just the people themselves but they people in their lives who are effected. Vice Chair Stinger: I just wanted to see if I’ve heard this correctly and just test how this sounds. It sounds like we want to take on three new things. Mental health, senior services, and human trafficking and those would be three things we’ve identified as a larger community need and three areas where we have some ideas about how to roll it out and make a useful contribution. It seems like there are three areas homelessness, I’m make an assumption, racism and social justice, youth well-being were we have some traction and would spend some more of our capital, of our energy this year. Maintaining those programs. Commissioner Gordon Gray: Youth well-being. Vice Chair Stinger: It’s third from the bottom. Commissioner Alhassani: There are some things that we are going to continue on, we worked on, and there are some things that we may want to – do something – we haven’t worked on in the past directly but we will do it this upcoming year. Vice Chair Stinger: If we have the compacity. I think that’s an interesting model; to start new things and continue things. Commissioner Gordon Gray: So, where do we go from here? Chair Stone: Ok. Are there any more thoughts and discussion on this? Ms. van der Zwaag: Maybe next time we can talk about calendaring? Chair Stone: Yes, that’d be good to next time we can discuss the mission statement and ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 34 of 37 calendaring. Ms. van der Zwaag: I might say that Commissioner Chen would maybe add the immigrant learning series to the second category of on-going as speakers are available. Commissioner Chen: That’d be great. Commissioner Gordon Gray: We need a name. It could be on-going… Ms. van der Zwaag: Yes we do need a name. Commissioner Gordon Gray: New. Ms. van der Zwaag: Continuing. Chair Stone: Then we will – Thank you, everybody. We will move onto our reports from officials. VI. Reports from Officials – Chair Stone 1. Commissioner Reports Chair Stone: Any Commissioner reports? Commissioner O’Nan: As I mentioned, Commissioner Chena and I had the opportunity to attend the Adolescent Wellness Conference. In South City, in August, it was a very interesting event. It was very interesting and informative. It was hosted by Stanford Healthcare. One of the drivers was former Council Member Gail Price. Police Chief Burns was there. Representatives from all kinds of agencies were there. Many physicians attended, so it was a really interesting event and many non-profits came and talked about different programs that they use. Particularly, there was a model in Australia called, I think Head Space. Where young people both teenagers and young adults up to about age 26, if they can just sort of come in without an appointment and without any screening and just say I need help and immediately be given services. This was found to be very affected because one of the barriers for young people getting help is that they are afraid the bureaucracy, the screening process, the questions seem intrusive, they may or may not have insurance so this way they can walk in as if they were ordering a latte and basically say hey I need to talk to somebody. We learned a lot about innovated models. I am hoping that some of these ideas come to fruition here in Santa Clara County and maybe even here in Palo Alto. Turns out that adolescents is really a crucial time for mental health awareness because, as I was saying earlier, this is the time when many people develop their first serious mental health break and if that is not addressed, it becomes chronic and irreparable; whereas, if they get treated early they may go on to finish college, get a job, live independently. The need for early intervention when someone begins exhibiting serious mental health symptoms was really, really brought home to us. I think that was something that I wasn’t aware of and I learned a lot. I wish that Commissioner Chen were here to chime in but I think she also learned a lot at the conference. Chair Stone: Great. Thank you. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 35 of 37 Vice Chair Stinger: I’m going to be attending the working group next Tuesday at Menlo College. The provost there started a Community group. She wants to look at a discussion of racial and social justice and try to expand it beyond Menlo College. Involve different people from different cities and different expertise, government, educations. So, it’s a starting discussion and I’ll be anxious to see how it goes and bring it back and see if there is something that pertains to our commission. Chair Stone: Ok. Thank you. Commissioner Gordon Gray: I think I mentioned this, maybe the two of you, that George Community Center is doing a free lecture, it’s a class, on the fundamentals of Islam. It’s designed to educate the community and dispel all these strange notions we have about that religion. About sociologically, spiritually, faith bassed. I’m going to be attending. I’m very excited about it. You can go... Chait Stone: When is it? Commissioner Gordon Gray: I don’t have the dates. It’s starting in October. If you go to the JCC site. It’s free. You can go to all classes. You can go to one. I think it’s pretty exciting. Chair Stone: Great. Thank you. Vice Chair Stinger: This is yours. The Human Relations Commission is a sponsor of the peace welcome. Chair Stone: I just wanted to remind everyone that the multi-faith peace walk is this Sunday. Begins at I believe 2 o’clock, the walk. 1:30-2 o’clock is the walk. Vice Chair Stinger: I think it’s a 2 and a half mile walk. It will begin I think at Our Lady Rosary Catholic Church to then Mitchell Park. Chair Stone: Mitchell Park where the picnic will be, speakers will be, and it sounds like a great event. Commissioner Gordon Gray: Who’s sponsoring that? Chair Stone: We are one of the sponsors. Commissioner Gordon Gray: We are? Chair Stone: There are a lot of sponsors. Commissioner Gordon Gray: Are we sponsoring? Ms. van der Zwaag: No, we are one of the sponsors. The HRC made a decision at its last meeting to do that. Chair Stone: So, perfect. Thank you for reminding me on that. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 36 of 37 Vice Chair Stinger: Well, I thought you deserved credit. You brought it up. 2. Council Liaison Report Chair Stone: Well, counsel member Corey Wolbach is not in attendance, so we will move onto Staff Liaison report. 3. Staff Liaison Report Ms. van der Zwaag: The only thing I was going to mention is one of the new things that the HRC decided on the retreat was to have a Liaison to Avenidas and Commissioner Chen volunteered to do. I organized a meet and greet with their CEO and their Vice President, and I met last week. That was a really good meeting. They are very excited to have the heightened entry into the HRC and knowledge of senior events and they are also glad that Commissioner Chen will be s a user of their program. She is a member of Avenidas. Chair Stone: Thank you. VI. TENTATIVE AGENDA FOR NEXT REGULAR MEETING: October 13th, 2016 Chair Stone: Now moving onto our tentative agenda for next special meeting, October 13th, what a great date. So far we already have a discussion on updating the current HRC mission statement and continue follow-up from our HRC retreat which we discussed trying to get a little more specific and trying calendaring some of those events. Anything else, anybody want to add? Ms. van der Zwaag: I would ask for recommendations for speakers for the learning series. We have – there was a recommendation for Agent Dujuan Green who is a very busy man and is not been able to come to our September meeting or October meeting and I have a request out for our November meeting. I need some additional thoughts of agencies or individuals from a different perspective as far as that. Maybe you can think about who you were thinking about having at the forum but that’s what I would be interested in hearing from you for planning purposes. Commissioner Gordon Gray: I had recommended that journalist Jamie, I can’t think of his last name, he made a film… Ms. van der Zwaag: Yes, and then he got back to me and said it wasn’t done yet. Commissioner Gordon Gray: Oh, well it might be done now. Commissioner O’Nan: It might be interesting to have someone from ACS come and update us because the last we heard, they were having a major increase in a number of counseling sessions required in the schools and someone from Avenidas could come and talk about senior mental health issues. Ms. van der Zwaag: We had them. Commissioner O’Nan: Oh we did? When? Oh, was I out? Ms. van der Zwaag: Yes. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 37 of 37 Ms. van der Zwaag: July. We have two social workers. Very interesting. Commissioner Alhassani: I have some ideas but I didn’t know if there was any kind of – does it have to be an agency or … Ms. van der Zwaag: No, you talk to your colleagues about that here because I’m staff here to do the legwork for you and to support you and what you’d like to do in here. Chair Stone: So, any thoughts? Commissioner Alhassani: I have a friend who is a child psychiatrist in the area. I don’t know if that would be beneficial to hear from a medical practitioner. Chair Stone: Yeas, pass the information on to Minka. Any other recommendations for the next agenda? Commissioner O’Nan: Well, if the October 11th meeting with Policy and Services goes forward, then we may have an update to share. Ms. van der Zwaag: If the report has been issued and then it gets rescheduled, then you will have the report to react too. Chair Stone: Perfect. Well, then great, with that we are adjourned. Thank you. VII. ADJOURNMENT Meeting adjourned at 9:11 p.m.