SPECIAL CALLED MEETING OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT ADVISORY BOARD FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2025 AT 8:00 A.M. ONE TEXAS CENTER, TRAINING ROOM 505 BARTON SPRINGS ROAD AUSTIN, TEXAS Some members of the Downtown Austin Community Court Advisory Board 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, contact Edna Staniszewski at edna.staniszewski@austintexas.gov or at (512) 974-1260. CURRENT [BOARD MEMBERS OR COMMISSIONERS]: Lea Downey Gallatin, Chair Anu Kapadia, Vice Chair Kergin Bedell Karly Jo Dixon CALL TO ORDER Mikaela Frissell Faye Mills Amanda Marzullo Katy Jo Muncie Josh Robinson Roy Woody 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 DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 1. Approve Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget recommendations related to Austin Community Court case management services (Downey Gallatin/Kapadia) - Lea Downey Gallatin, DACC Advisory Board Chair ADJOURNMENT Page 1 of 2 The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. For assistance, please contact the Liaison or TTY users’ route through 711. A person may request language access accommodations no later than 48 hours before the scheduled meeting. Please call or email Edna Staniszewski at Austin Community Court Department, at 512) 974-1260 or at edna.staniszewski@austintexas.gov.], to request service or for additional information. For more information on the Downtown Austin Community Court Advisory Board, please contact Edna Staniszewski at (512) 974-1260 or at edna.staniszewski@austintexas.gov. Page 2 of 2
DACC ADVISORY BOARD MEETING MINUTES (14, NOVEMBER 2025) DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT ADVISORY BOARD SPECIAL CALLED MEETING MINUTES NOVEMBER 14, 2025 The DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT ADVISORY BOARD convened in a SPECIAL CALLED CALLED meeting on 14, NOVEMBER 2025, at 505 BARTON SPRINGS RD in Austin, Texas. Chair Lea Downey Gallatin called the DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT ADVISORY BOARD Meeting to order at 8:07 a.m. Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance: Chair Lea Downey Gallatin, Vice Chair Dr. Anu Kapadia, and Roy Woody Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Mikaela Frissell, Josh Robinson, and Katy Jo Muncie PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 1. Approve Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget recommendations related to Austin Community Court case management services (Downey Gallatin/Kapadia) - Lea Downey Gallatin, DACC Advisory Board Chair o After some discussion, three sentences were added the draft recommendation. Recommendation approved with revisions on Vice Chair Dr. Anu Kapadia’s motion and Board member Roy Woody’s second on a (6-0) vote. Board members not in attendance: Kergin Bedell, Karly Jo Dixon, Faye Mills, and Amando Marzullo. into ADJOURNMENT Meeting adjourned at 8:32 a.m. The minutes were approved at the November 21, 2025 meeting on Board Member Josh Robinson’s motion, Board Member Roy Woody’s second on a (6-0) vote. 1
RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL Downtown Austin Community Court Advisory Board Recommendation Number: 20251114-001: Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget Recommendation Date of Approval: November 14, 2025 Recommendation: 1. Retain the $650,000 included in the approved Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget, and in the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Amended Budget Recommendations, for the six grant- funded clinical case managers who comprise the Rapid Rehousing Program and are vital to sustaining the overall Homeless Services capacity for Austin Community Court. 2. Maintain Austin Community Court’s social service funding at current levels or at least limit reductions to 4% consistent with those recommended for Austin Homeless Strategies and Operations (HSO). Description of Recommendation to Council: The DACC Advisory Board passed Recommendation 20250328-004A, available as an attachment to this recommendation, which justifies the critical nature of this investment. We’re grateful to the City Council for including these staff in the budget passed in August 2025, which remains our top priority, and we write to support their inclusion in the City Manager’s amended budget recommendations. All of the rationale in our original recommendation still rings true, with additional urgency around the needs for these staff and social service resources as follows: • Social Services Contracts are an Integral Part of Community Court’s Service Model - Case management at Austin Community Court includes a portfolio of contracted social service supports to ensure clients receive the wraparound services they need. These services include an array of long- and short-term housing solutions; substance use treatment; mental health services; peer support; and SSI/ SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery (SOAR) application assistance and representative payee services. Given that these social service resources are dedicated to individuals served directly by Community Court case managers, significant reductions will risk dilution of the quality and intensity of services needed by the individuals Austin Community Court serves. o The Fiscal Year 2025-26 Amended Budget Recommendations suggest a 10% cut to contracts managed by Austin Public Health, Austin Municipal Court (including Community Court), and Economic Development while recommending only a 4% reduction for contracts managed by HSO. This recognition of the critical and essential nature of homeless services for the Austin community should extend to Community Court given the integral nature social services play in its service model. We therefore urge Council to maintain the current social service funding level or at least to reduce by only 4% consistent with HSO. • Protect Institutional Knowledge of Dedicated Public Servants – …
RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL Downtown Austin Community Court Advisory Board Recommendation Number: 20251114-001: Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget Recommendation Date of Approval: November 14, 2025 Recommendation: 1. Retain the $650,000 included in the approved Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget, and in the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Amended Budget Recommendations, for the six grant- funded clinical case managers who comprise the Rapid Rehousing Program and are vital to sustaining the overall Homeless Services capacity for Austin Community Court. 2. Maintain Austin Community Court’s social service funding at current levels or at least limit reductions to 4% consistent with those recommended for Austin Homeless Strategies and Operations (HSO). Description of Recommendation to Council: The DACC Advisory Board passed Recommendation 20250328-004A, available as an attachment to this recommendation, which justifies the critical nature of this investment. We’re grateful to the City Council for including these staff in the budget passed in August 2025, and we write to support their inclusion in the City Manager’s amended budget recommendations. All of the rationale in our original recommendation still rings true, with additional urgency around the needs for these staff and social service resources as follows: Social Services Contracts are an Integral Part of Community Court’s Service Model - Case management at Austin Community Court includes a portfolio of contracted social service supports to ensure clients receive the wraparound services they need. These services include an array of long- and short-term housing solutions; substance use treatment; mental health services; peer support; and SSI/ SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery (SOAR) application assistance and representative payee services. Given that these social service resources are dedicated to individuals served directly by Community Court case managers, significant reductions will risk dilution of the quality and intensity of services needed by the individuals Austin Community Court serves. o The Fiscal Year 2025-26 Amended Budget Recommendations suggest a 10% cut to contracts managed by Austin Public Health, Austin Municipal Court (including Community Court), and Economic Development while recommending only a 4% reduction for contracts managed by HSO. This recognition of the critical and essential nature of homeless services for the Austin community should extend to Community Court given the integral nature social services play in its service model. We therefore urge Council to maintain the current social service funding level or at least to reduce by only 4% consistent with HSO. Protect Institutional Knowledge of Dedicated Public Servants – The six staff included in …
