Recommendation 20230927-007: MEDICAL RESPITE, STREET MEDICINE, & APD — original pdf

Recommendation

JOINT INCLUSSION COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION 20230927-007: MEDICAL RESPITE, STREET MEDICINE, & APD Date: August 27, 2023 Subject: Medical Respite, Street Medicine, and the Austin Police Department (APD) Motioned by: Commissioner Jennifer Powell Seconded by: Commissioner Hannah Huang WHEREAS, homelessness causes health problems and limits healing and recuperation, especially after an acute illness; WHEREAS, Central Health is providing health care to individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness through their Medical Respite program; WHEREAS, Medical Respite program gives individuals experiencing homelessness a place to rest and recover from an acute illness; WHEREAS, currently there are 7 male beds and 4 female beds at A New Entry, as well as 10-15 male beds at the ARCH; WHEREAS, medical respite beds for individuals from acute care facilities prompt healing and recuperation, and is an opportunity to break the cycle of homelessness and readmissions; WHEREAS, individuals experiencing homelessness encounter barriers to healthcare which reduces life expectancy; WHEREAS, the CommUnity Care Street Medicine Team helps individuals experiencing homelessness access necessary healthcare services; WHEREAS, the CommUnity Care Street Medicine Team is the only street medical team in Travis County in the field providing primary medical care to unsheltered houseless people; WHEREAS, the CommUnity Care Street Medicine Team often find themselves sharing a common geographical area with law enforcement; 1 WHEREAS, the CommUnity Care Street Medicine Team have witnessed the negative impacts of involuntary displacements caused by the sweeps and the negative effects on the health of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness; WHEREAS, individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness are not allowed to retrieve items during law enforcement sweeps and are involuntary displaced; WHEREAS, the sweeps cause disruption of healthcare and social network, loss of contact with outreach, increased incarceration, negative impacts on trust, and loss of medication, documents, phones, and belongings; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Joint Inclusion Committee recommends the Austin City Council to allocate funds and explore all available resources in order to accommodate more beds with an emphasis on increasing beds for women and beds that accommodate pets; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Joint Inclusion Committee recommends Austin City Council to direct Austin Police Department work and coordinate directly with the Street Medicine Team to establish a protocol so that they can complete their health checks, case work and visits if their arrival intersects with APD sweep activities. Vote Roll Call Vote: 7 – 0. Against:None. Abstain:None. Commissioner Julie Glasser For: Commissioner Richard Bondi (Vice Chair), Commissioner Hanna Huang, Commissioner Rebecca Austen, Commissioner Melissa Ortega, Commissioner Leonor Vargas, Commissioner Morgan Davis, and Commissioner Jennifer Powell. Absent: Commissioner Amanda Afifi (Chair), Commissioner Serita Fontanesi, Attest: Richard Bondi, Vice Chair Attest: Alejandra Mireles, Staff Liaison ______________________________ ______________________________ 2