Q&A
Discussion on public health and safety policies for crisis response
3:47:02
·
3 min
Council Member Cabán asks about the overall public health and safety policies in different municipalities, particularly regarding the intersection of homelessness and mental health. Responses from Sam (Denver) and Elliot (Oakland) highlight their approaches to providing safe spaces and building trust with individuals in crisis.
- Denver focuses on providing the right response at the right time and ensuring safety
- Oakland emphasizes building trust and making appropriate resource connections
- Both programs acknowledge the challenges of limited resources and the importance of relationship-building in crisis response
Tiffany Cabán
3:47:02
And then my last question and I I I'm sorry.
3:47:05
I can't because I also visited the Portland Street Response team.
3:47:08
And so I can't remember if this was an example given by you guys over in Denver or them.
3:47:12
But when a team goes and interacts with an individual and and asks them, because you you have water, food, clothing, ask them what they want, and where they want to be, there was a story that was told that was like, well, we just asked them and if it's if they have like a favorite tree and a favorite park, we'll go take them there and we'll say, do you need clothes?
3:47:31
Do you need water?
3:47:32
Do you need coffee?
3:47:33
Because if that's where you feel safest, we'll take you there.
3:47:36
And then also it's it's a way to be able to continue to reengage.
3:47:40
So my question for you and anybody can chime in here is, you know, what is the overall public health and public safety policy of of your municipal governments?
3:47:49
Because ours has not been the friendliest to folks who are at the intersection of homelessness and mental health struggles.
3:47:57
And so it might not actually be the safest thing to bring somebody to sit in a park or something like that, unfortunately.
3:48:03
It should be.
3:48:04
It should be.
3:48:05
And so I'm just wondering, sort of what the conversations are like and and what the policies are around some of those things.
Sam Rabins
3:48:15
Rich Star again, we're providing the right response at the right time, and we're ensuring that people go to the place its safest for them and to meet their needs.
3:48:25
We do work closely with our Star Community Partner Network Network, which is a group of organizations in the community that we will refer people to with their consent so that we are providing that follow-up wraparound care.
3:48:36
So we're not just dropping someone off, let's say, at their favorite tree.
3:48:39
We're also then providing additional supports for individuals no matter where they land in the community.
3:48:44
And we also work closely with our first responders in Denver.
3:48:47
We work closely with police department by our department and our emergency medical services as well as our local hospitals.
3:48:52
To ensure as best as we are able that neither being that of individuals, if we can't provide them a safe you know, what providers may seem as a c as a safe space I.
3:49:02
E, you know, a four walls and a roof over their head every single time they make contact with someone.
Elliot Jones
3:49:09
And Elliott here, I'll jump in.
3:49:10
A little jealous that Samantha's camera's on because I wanna see y'all too.
3:49:13
I want you to see me.
3:49:15
But similarly, the the the city has had to come to grips that Not everybody that we get a call for is a mental health crisis, and they need to go somewhere.
3:49:26
Many people are simply desperate.
3:49:27
If you've had 2 or 3 days where you haven't had anything to eat or drink or or sleeping outside in the cold, anything can set you off.
3:49:34
So what we find it's valuable to make contact.
3:49:37
It's valuable to build trust because these people are often using decades of trauma around trusting the system.
3:49:44
And when we are finally able to to get through to you, we're waiting for that one opportunity, that one moment of clarity or shared reality, we can make an appropriate resource connection.
3:49:54
And that really is happening now a little over a third of the time, but we kinda need that rate.
3:50:00
There are not enough bids.
3:50:01
There are not enough resources available if everybody raise their hand that needs help, wanted help.
3:50:06
So you really have to trust these teams to develop and manage these relationships to find out what's good in the moment and set themselves up for the next visit where they can hopefully break it break through a little bit further and get people to help they desperately need
Tiffany Cabán
3:50:22
Thank you so much.
3:50:23
Thank
