1. REGULAR CALLED MEETING of the DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT ADVISORY BOARD MAY 17, 2024 AT 8:00AM ONE TEXAS CENTER TRAINING ROOM, Suite 125 505 BARTON SPRINGS RD AUSTIN, TEXAS 78704 Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, call or email Edna Staniszewski at edna.staniszewski@austintexas.gov or at (512) 974-1260. CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS/COMMISSIONERS: Lea Downey Gallatin, Chair Kergin Bedell Mikaela Frissell Kate Garza Nicole Golden, Vice-Chair Dr. Anu Kapadia Faye Mills Katy Jo Muncie Lauren Pena Robin G. Sontheimer Roy Woody CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL AGENDA The first 5 (five) speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Approve ADVISORY BOARD REGULAR CALLED MEETING on MARCH 22, 2024. the DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT the minutes of DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 2. DISCUSSION ITEMS Conduct officer elections for the Chair and Vice Chair. (Downey Gallatin/Golden) 3. 4. 5. Status of DACC operational areas including performance measures and services delivered through Community Services, Court Services, Homeless Services and Support Services. (Downey Gallatin/Golden) – Robert Kingham, Court Administrator, DACC Presentation on DACC Medication Storage Program which provides unhoused individuals a safe place to store and access their prescription medications. (Downey Gallatin/Golden) – Kate Ballew, Clinical Case Manager Supervisor, DACC Update on Fiscal Year 2024-2025 City of Austin Budget engagement opportunities. (Downey Gallatin/Golden) – Lea Downey Gallatin, DACC Advisory Board Chair ADJOURNMENT For more information on the Downtown Austin Community Court Advisory Board, please contact Edna Staniszewski at edna.staniszewski@austintexas.gov or at (512) 974-1260.
Downtown Austin Community Court Advisory Board DACC Service and Data Overview Board Packet – May 17, 2024 Community Services Community Services Program (CS) – Participants fulfill community service hour requirements through public space cleaning, beautification projects, graffiti abatement, and working at DACC’s Edgar Fincher III Program Garden, which donates all food and eggs to local providers who feed the homeless community. o Number of Community Services Requests Completed FY 2024 (Oct. 2023 - Apr. 2024): 627 o Acreage of Work Completed FY 2024 (Oct. 2023 - Apr. 2024): 18.9 Violet KeepSafe Storage Program (VKS) – Free storage located downtown with secure bins to store vital documents, family memories, clothing, bedding, and more. Operates 7:00am- 11:00am and 1:00pm-7:00pm, seven days a week. Program employs people with lived experience to improve service experience and create workforce opportunities. o Number of Active VKS Participants FY 2024 (Oct. 2023 - Apr. 2024): 492 o Number of Interactions with VKS Participants FY 2024 (Oct. 2023 - Apr. 2024): 14,330 Court Services Restorative justice and problem-solving court – Fine-only court with emphasis on alternative resolutions, and provides an immediate connection to onsite case managers, basic needs, and social service resources. DACC resolves Class C criminal offenses in catchment area, and Proposition B and State camping ban cases citywide. o Number of Cases Filed FY 2024 (Oct. 2023 - Apr. 2024): 1,395 o Number of Cases Docketed FY 2024 (Oct. 2023 - Apr. 2024): 3,026 Clinical Diversion Program (CDP) – Dedicated case managers serve people engaging in Court Services to improve connection to case management and social services, while also improving appearance and case completion rates. o Number of CDP Clients: FY 2024 (Oct. 2023 - Apr. 2024): 147 o Number of Cases Resolved through Participation in CDP: FY 2024 (Oct. 2023 - Apr. 2024): 246 DACC Mobile Court Pilot – This Pilot, initiated by Council Resolution 20230816-016, is intended to connect people in the community with solutions for resolving cases while providing immediate connection to services and resource navigation through case managers onsite. o Warrants Cleared during Mobile Court: FY 2024 (Oct. 2023 - Apr. 2024): 60 o Cases Docketed during Mobile Court: FY 2024 (Oct. 2023 - Apr. 2024): 84 Homeless Services Walk-in Case Management – Provides assistance obtaining identification documents and signing up for public benefits, access to …
MEDICATION STORAGE PROGRAM Katharine Ballew, LCSW-S Clinical Case Manager Supervisor DACC Advisory Board Meeting May 17, 2024 MEDICATION STORAGE PROGRAM ▪ Was developed for clients experiencing unsheltered ▪ Provides a safe place to store prescription homelessness medications health resources ▪ Promotes stability and access to medical and mental ▪ Aligns with DACC’s person-centered, trauma-informed, and harm reduction approach ▪ Launched at end of April 2024 Press release sent out April 29, 2024 and shared with partners to raise awareness of service HOW IT WORKS ▪ Participant Agreement ▪ Secure storage ▪ Sign-in process ▪ Disposal process PARTNERSHIPS ▪ Austin Public Health ▪ Austin Homeless Advisory Council ▪ Texas State Board of Pharmacy ▪ City of Austin Law Dept. ▪ Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services ▪ Homeless Outreach Street Team & Community Health Paramedics NEXT STEPS ▪ Refrigeration ▪ Working with partners for outreach QUESTIONS? Jennifer Sowinski, LCSW-S Clinical Operations Manager Address: 505 Barton Springs Rd. Ste 125 Austin, TX 78704 512-974-1224 Phone: Jennifer.Sowinski@austintexas.gov Email:
DACC ADVISORY BOARD MEETING MINUTES (17, May 2024) DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT ADVISORY BOARD REGULAR CALLED MEETING MINUTES MAY 17, 2024 The DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT ADVISORY BOARD convened in a REGULAR CALLED meeting on 17, MAY 2024, at 505 BARTON SPRINGS RD in Austin, Texas. CALL TO ORDER Board attendees motion Mikaela Frissell as interim Board Chair. It was approved on Board Member Dr. Anu Kapadia’s motion, Board Member Robin G. Sontheimer second on an (6-0) vote. Board Member Mikaela Frissell called the DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT ADVISORY BOARD Meeting to order at 8:10 a.m. Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance: Mikaela Frissell, Dr. Anu Kapadia, and Robin G. Sontheimer Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Vice-Chair Nicole Golden, Katy Jo Muncie, and Roy Woody PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT ADVISORY BOARD REGULAR MEETING on MARCH 22, 2024. The minutes from the meeting of March 22, 2024, were approved on Board Member Dr. Anu Kapadia motion, Board Member Robin Sontheimer second on an (6-0) vote. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 2. Conduct officer elections for the Chair and Vice Chair. (Downey Gallatin/Golden) Lea Downey Gallatin was elected as Chair, Board Member Robin Sontheimer motion, Board Member Katy Jo Muncie second on a (6-0) vote. 1 DACC ADVISORY BOARD MEETING MINUTES (17, May 2024) Robin Sontheimer was elected as Vice-Chair, Board Member Mikaela Frissell motion, Board Member Roy Wood second on a (6-0) vote. DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. Status of DACC operational areas including performance measures and services delivered through Community Services, Court Services, Homeless Services and Support Services. (Downey Gallatin/Golden) – Robert Kingham, Court Administrator, DACC In addition to providing a performance data overview for all operational areas, an update was provided that Community Services applied for and was awarded a $22,000 grant to install water lines in the community garden. Data point collects how long a person has actively used VKS site and will reflect those that have abandoned their storage after 90 days. The number of Court Services has grown as the area of jurisdiction expanded. 4. Presentation on DACC Medication Storage Program, which provides unhoused individuals a safe place to store and access their prescription medications. (Downey Gallatin/Golden) – Kate Ballew, Clinical Case Manager Supervisor, DACC Program launched at the end of April 2024. Developed for clients experiencing unsheltered homelessness. …
