Mayor's Committee for People with Disabilities - Nov. 12, 2021
Mayor's Committee for People with Disabilities Regular Meeting of the Mayor''s Committee for People with Disabilities - Location: Board & Commission Room (Room 1101)
MAYOR’S COMMITTEE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES November 12, 2021 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Austin City Hall, Boards & Commissions Room, Room 1101 301 W 2nd Street, Austin, Texas 78701 Some members of the Mayor’s Committee for People With Disabilities may be participating by videoconference. The meeting may be viewed online at: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS: Jonathan Franks, Chair Emily Shryock, Vice Chair Diana Anzaldua Taurean Burt Kathryn Broadwater CALL TO ORDER CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL AGENDA Joey Gidseg Diane Kearns-Osterweil Robin Orlowski Jennifer S. Powell Deborah Trejo Speakers will be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. A. Consider approval of the minutes from the Mayor’s Committee for People with 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Disabilities June 11, 2021 Meeting. 2. NEW BUSINESS: A. Discussion and possible action to approve the 2022 meeting schedule. B. Discussion and possible action regarding moving the Americans with Disabilities Act Program Into the Civil Rights Office. C. Discussion and possible action regarding Funding for Healthcare Navigation and Liaison Programs Benefiting Austin’s Immigrant Communities. D. Discussion and possible action regarding Family Connects in Response to the Resilient ATX Resolution. E. Discussion and possible action on a recommendation for a joint initiative by the City and County to create a downtown mental health diversion program. F. Discussion and possible action on a grant to address community-identified transportation challenges in North Austin's Georgian Acres neighborhood. 3. OLD BUSINESS None 5. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 6. ADJOURNMENT 4. STAFF BRIEFINGS AND COMMISSIONER ANNOUNCEMENTS The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at least 2 days (48 hours) before the meeting date. Please call Jonathan Babiak, Office of Civil Rights, at (512) 974-3203 or jonathan.babiak@austintexas.gov, for additional information. TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities, please contact Jonathan Babiak at (512) 974-3203 or jonathan.babiak@austintexas.gov.
Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities (MCPD) Regular Meeting Minutes June 11, 2021 Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities Regular MEETING MINUTES (June 11, 2021) The City of Austin, Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities convened in a regular meeting via video conference on June 11, 2021 with a live broadcast on ATXN. CALL TO ORDER: With quorum present Chair Jonathan Franks called the June 11, 2021 meeting of the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities to order at 5:36 pm. Committee Members in Attendance: Chair Jonathan Franks, Vice Chair Emily Shryock, Kathryn Broadwater, Taurean Burt, Joey Gidseg, Diane Kearns-Osterweil, Robin Orlowski, Deborah Trejo ABSENT: Commissioners: Diana Anzaldua, Maria Villarreal Staff in Attendance: Jonathan Babiak, Office of Civil Rights in person. CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: No citizen communication took place during the June 11, 2021 MCPD Regular Meeting. 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Taurean Burt made a motion to approve the minutes from the May 14, 2021 MCPD Regular Meeting. The motion was seconded by Vice Chair Emily Shryock. The motion passed 8-0. To view this item please visit https://austintx.new.swagit.com/videos/120918?ts=96 and view item APPROVAL OF MINUTES. 2. NEW BUSINESS: 2A. Discussion and possible action regarding community access and participation for people with disabilities during City Council meetings. The Committee discussed this item together with Item 2B. Commissioner Taurean Burt made a motion to submit a recommendation to the City on a future agenda item that the City provide deaf translation services at every Council event, announcements including COVID-19 announcements, and videos. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Orlowski. The motion passed 8-0. To view this agenda item please visit https://austintx.new.swagit.com/videos/122743 and view item 2A. 2B. Discussion and possible action regarding American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation services during COVID-19 announcements. The Committee discussed this item together with Item 2A. Commissioner Taurean Burt made a motion to submit a recommendation to the City on a future agenda item that the City provide deaf translation services at every Council event, announcements including COVID-19 announcements, and videos. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Orlowski. The motion passed 8-0. To view this agenda item please visit https://austintx.new.swagit.com/videos/122743 and view item 2B. 2C. Update, discussion, and possible action on Project Connect Community Advisory Committee. Zenobia Joseph addressed the Committee as a Citizen and answered questions. Commissioner Broadwater updated the Committee. The Committee discussed this item. No action was taken. To view this agenda item please visit https://austintx.new.swagit.com/videos/122743 and …
DRAFT Moving the Americans with Disabilities Act Program Into the Civil Rights Office WHEREAS, the Americans with Disabilities Act has already been passed and signed into law by the United States explicitly, and publically as a “civil rights act” for people with disabilities in respect to employment, housing, voting, education, transportation, and public accommodations access; and WHEREAS, the City of Austin is a local government covered under Section II of the Americans with Disabilities Act; and WHEREAS, the Americans with Disabilities Act fully and explicitly covers all people with disabilities inside the City of Austin including those who were never employed, cannot work, and/or do not wish to be employed by the City of Austin; and WHEREAS, the Americans with Disabilities Act deliberately refers to a specific federal civil rights act with specific local responsibilities; and WHEREAS, Americans with Disabilities Act coverage is not something which somebody must first earn or accrue in order to receive civil rights coverage from municipalities; and WHEREAS the Americans with Disabilities Act Program is the only entity in the City of Austin authorized to evaluate and provide “reasonable accommodation” requests from all requesting people with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act; and WHERAS, all people with disabilities needing “reasonable accommodations” to successfully access and receive City of Austin programs, services, and events are still instructed to contact the Americans with Disabilities Act Program; and WHEREAS, the accommodation process for Austin, Texas residents with disabilities is already publically described on official City of Austin publications including City website and social media; and WHEREAS, the Civil Rights Office was established in January 2021 specifically to provide a centralized location for all civil rights acts in the City of Austin, and this centralized location for civil rights coverage should also include a comprehensive civil rights act which explicitly covers and protects the civil rights of all people with disabilities; and WHEREAS, the Civil Rights Office current responsibilities includes enforcement of employment non‐ discrimination ordinances and HIV/AIDS, all of which is already specifically covered under the ADA; and WHERAS, the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities was proactively and explicitly transferred to the Civil Rights Office April 2021 while the ADA Program remained behind in Human Resources; and WHEREAS, the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities commissioners are not permitted to grant “reasonable accommodations” requests from individuals with disabilities seeking access to City services or resources; this …
BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Commission on Immigrant Affairs Recommendation Number: 20210301‐2b: Funding for Healthcare Navigation and Liaison Programs Benefiting Austin’s Immigrant Communities WHEREAS, immigrant communities in the City of Austin report a need for healthcare access services that remove language barriers and help navigate administrative healthcare systems; and WHEREAS, targeted community health navigation programs provide access to city and local health and wellness resources through patient advocacy, health navigation education, self‐sufficiency resources, interpretation/translation support, referrals to local resources, and eligibility & application assistance; and WHEREAS, programs already exist including the Austin Asian Community Health Initiative and the Latino Healthcare Forum’s PromoSalud program, among others, providing these resources to local Spanish‐ speaking, Chinese, Burmese, Korean, Nepali, Taiwanese, Vietnamese, Syrian, Iraqi, and other Arabic speaking communities; and WHEREAS, some of these programs, namely, the Arabic and Chinese programs, run through the Austin Asian Community Health Initiative, are presently funded by emergency grants that will expire; and WHEREAS, the community identified a need to maintain and continue all existing programs permanently, and to expand current services to additional communities and initiatives; and WHEREAS, the Commission recognizes the public health benefit of these services to the City’s immigrant communities and the community at large, particularly during the global pandemic; and WHEREAS, some of these programs are already receiving funding from Austin Public Health, demonstrating the City also values these services. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the Commission on Immigrant Affairs recommends the City increase its funding to permanently maintain existing health navigation and liaison programs, and that Austin Public Health seek additional opportunities to fund these initiatives and partner with the local organizations providing these services. Record of the vote: Unanimous on a 9‐0 vote with Samuel Adair and Glenn Rosales absent Date of Approval: March 1, 2021 Attest: DRAFT Staff Liaison DRAFT
DRAFT LOCAL SUPPORT FOR A MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSION CENTER WHEREAS, mental illness is not a crime, but the ongoing lack of accessible affordable, and culturally appropriate local treatment options frequently has left people with disabilities locked up inside a jail cell; and WHEREAS, both this defacto criminalizing people with mental health issues and allowing the homeless to lay on sidewalks were inadequate and inappropriate public policies; and WHEREAS, law enforcement dislike being relegated to defacto mental health care providers for individuals who are in need of effective culturally appropriate mental health care treatment options; WHEREAS, this committee repeatedly has pressed the City to actively address ableism as a critical and necessary component for obtaining and then maintaining an equitable society; and WHEREAS, ableism is not a ‘lesser’ form of discrimination within the City of Austin; and WHEREAS, ableism must be formally prohibited in all City of Austin offices, departments, and programs to achieve equity; and WHEREAS, Austin Police Department Police Chief Chacon, Travis County District Attorney Garza, and Travis County Attorney Garza have all already expressed public support for establishing a Mental Health Diversion Center; and WHEREAS, a Mental Health Diversion Center should not prosecute people with disabilities who are in need of mental health care and/or substance abuse issues; and WHEREAS, a Mental Health Diversion Center was proposed specifically to help people with mental illness and/or substance abuse issues; and WHEREAS, this proposed help must be culturally inclusive and refrain from promoting ableist stereotypes about people with disabilities within the City of Austin; and WHEREAS mental illness and substance abuse are already recognized as disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act; and WHEREAS, the Mental Health Diversion Center should be collaboratively planned and funded like the City of Austin Texas is in fact now America’s 10th largest City; and NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities encourages the Austin City Council endorse the collaborative establishment of a Mental Health Diversion Center as a means of effectively and permanently addressing identified mental health and addiction needs in Austin‐Travis County without criminalizing people with disabilities, including people with mental illness and/or substance abuse issues.
