REGULAR CALLED MEETING of the DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT ADVISORY BOARD MAY 16, 2025 AT 8:00AM ONE TEXAS CENTER, STE 125, TRAINING ROOM 505 BARTON SPRINGS RD AUSTIN, TEXAS 78704 Some members of the BOARD/COMMISSION may be participating by videoconference. 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: Kergin Bedell Karla Jo Dixon Lea Downey Gallatin, Chair Mikaela Frissell Kate Garza Dr. Anu Kapadia, Vice-Chair Faye Mills KatyJo Muncie Josh Robinson Roy Woody AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL 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 including individuals that wish to share first-hand accounts regarding their experiences being served through Austin’s homelessness system . APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. 2. the minutes of Approve ADVISORY BOARD REGULAR CALLED MEETING on JANUARY 17, 2025. Approve ADVISORY BOARD REGULAR CALLED MEETING on MARCH 28, 2025. the DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT the DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT the minutes of ACTION ITEMS 3. Conduct officer elections for the Chair and Vice Chair. (Downey Gallatin/Kapadia) – Robert Kingham, Court Administrator, DACC DISCUSSION ITEMS 4. 5. Work Study Program overview and future efforts. (Downey Gallatin/Kapadia) – So Yong Kim, Clinical Case Manager Supervisor, DACC Status of DACC operational areas including performance measures and services delivered through Community Services, Court Services, Homeless Services and Support Services (Downey Gallatin/Kapadia) – Jennifer Sowinski, Clinical Operations Manager and Chris Anderson, Court Operations Manager, DACC ADJOURNMENT 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 Edna Staniszewski at Downtown Austin Community Court, at (512) 974-1260), for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the Downtown Austin Community Court Advisory Board, please …
Federal Work-Study Program at DACC DACC partnered with UT-Austin to implement the Federal Work-Study program. Two under grad students were hired in October 2024 after receiving over 70 applications. So Yong Kim, LCSW-S Clinical Case Manager Supervisor Program Development Timeline November 2023 Initial discovery of FWS program through UT-Austin School of Social Work DACC approved as Federal Work-Study site July 2024 October 2024 Two candidates selected and began work 1 2 3 4 5 Early 2024 Paperwork initiated with UT-Austin August 2024 Recruitment began through Handshake and job fair participation Homeless Services Position Position Details Fall 2024 Khue Nguyen Works in Homeless 144 total hours Spring 2025 255 total hours Services from 10/8/24-12/5/24 and 1/14/25-05/01/25 $3,114.72 total cost with $2,428.16 $5,515.65 total cost with $3,482.34 billed to FWS billed to FWS Court Operations Position Position Details Francesca Abundo works 10/21/24-12/13/24 and 1/14/25-05/30/25 Fall 2024 Spring 2025 112 total hours 362 total hours $2,422.56 total cost with $7,829.97 total cost with $1,773.66 billed to FWS $3,482.34 billed to FWS Training Requirements General Onboarding HR and FWS orientation Ongoing Time keeping, weekly check-ins (30mins/week) System Training HR+UKG (2hrs), eCourt (2hrs), HMIS Client Service TIC training (2hrs) Organization City required training (1-2hrs), DACC NEO (2hrs) Key Administrative Tasks Mail Management Sorting clients' mail (300+ on Tuesdays, 100+ on Thursdays) Document Processing Scanning vital documents, creating PDF-fillable forms, uploading clients' vital documents onto HMIS (A–D, about 2,500 client folders) Inventory Organizing closing closet, refilling hygiene items and snacks, ordering office supplies File Management Organizing old client files, returning correspondence (20 files/hour) Data Input / Organizing CDP spreadsheet Program Impact Staff Satisfaction Positive feedback from staff The administrative assistance has fulfilled a long-standing request Burnout Prevention Reduced stress from administrative burden Time Savings Hours redirected to critical case management tasks Total of 843 hours completed by 2 work-study students Cost Savings 360 hours completed at $21.63/hour with FWS stipend, saving about $10,000 compared to higher employee rates Next Steps Continuity Planning Both assistants will return in August for the next year. Plan coverage for summer and winter breaks is needed. Feedback Collection Gather staff input on additional tasks for administrative support. Retention Strategy Aim to retain assistants to minimize training and other administrative costs.
Downtown Austin Community Court Advisory Board DACC Service and Data Overview Board Packet – May 16, 2025 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 2025 (Oct. 2024-Apr. 2025): 443* FY 2024 (Oct. 2023- Apr. 2024): 627 o Acreage of Work Completed FY 2025 (Oct. 2024- Apr. 2025): 13.36* FY 2024 (Oct. 2023- Apr. 2024): 18.9 o *These are missing information regarding work completed from February 1, 2025-February 10-2025, stemming from technical issues from system updates around these measures. While data during this time period cannot be retrieved, issues have been corrected to ensure data will be accurate moving forward. 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 2025 (Oct. 2024- Apr. 2025): 461 FY 2024 (Oct. 2023- Apr. 2024): 492 o Number of Interactions with VKS Participants FY 2025 (Oct. 2024- Apr. 2025): 17,620 FY 2024 (Oct. 2023- Apr. 2024): 14,330 Court Services 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 2025 (Oct. 2024- Apr. 2025): 1,821 FY 2024 (Oct. 2023- Apr. 2024): 1,395 o Number of Cases Docketed FY 2025 (Oct. 2024- Apr. 2025): 4,766 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 2025 (Oct. 2024- Apr. 2025): 210 FY 2024 (Oct. 2023- Apr. 2024): 147 o Number of Cases Resolved through Participation in CDP: FY 2025 (Oct. 2024- Apr. 2025): 289 …
