Travis County Commissioners Court
August 10, 2004
Item 29
29. Receive and take appropriate action on presentation from the basic needs
coalition of central Texas. >> good morning.
>> morning y'all.
>> good morning.
>> thank you.
>> judge Biscoe and Commissioners, thank you for having us here today. I’m julia span, executive director of caritas of Austin, I’m also the current chairperson of the basic needs coalition of central Texas. And with me are other members who are partners in the coalition, lila carl the executive director of any baby can, dan pruett executive director of meals on wheels, and incoming chair of the coalition, lehmannford the executive director of aids services of Austin and the chair of the implementation committee for the project we are presenting to you. And sherri lemming, who is, you know all too well [laughter] and -- and who is the -- who was the chair of the coalition last year. We are here today, wanted to say thank you, but also to make very specific requests of -- of funding from the court on behalf of the best single source project of the basic needs coalition. And what I would like to do is just take a few minutes and run through a presentation, so we are all on the same page and then open it up for any questions that you might have. The -- the basic needs coalition of central Texas came together in 2001 really with the sole purpose of adding the issue of basic needs and being able to create a better way in which those are distributed. Our hope is to have a community where people have their basic needs attended to and met in an appropriate way. We've spent many, many, many months and year, actually, willing our membership. We think that that's the most -- one of the most important things we can do is because the way basic needs are currently delivered in this community is very fragmented. There are many people doing it, we are not all talking to each other, that's one of the first things that we were trying to address. At this point our membership includes government, non-profit and faith based organizations. And all of us are interested in providing basic needs, though not all of us have that as our primary purpose or mission. Basic needs are food, clothing, housing stabilization. The project that we are going to talk to you about today really focuses on housing stabilization. That's specifically rent and utility and mortgage payments and it is about homelessness prevention. It's being able to help folks avoid a much costlier system. The need, as you all know, better than I could even begin to describe to you, is enormous. And it has been growing astronomally since 1999. Organizations both at the county at non-profits were having a terrible time just responding to the overwhelming demand, as we track the numbers coming in from 211, requests for emergency assistance, the increase is just appalling, so there's unrelenting demand and of course inadequate resources to address it. We came to you, as you all know, so well in 2001 and asked for some emergency assistance. We asked for emergency assistance from both the city and the county and both of you graciously granted that. The city gave $500,000 and the county gave $500,000. The city was able to continue that and you all said to us, it really needs to be better. You all need to -- we will do this as a one-time allocation and you need to go back, look at the system, which is not working for people, and fix it. We took that message to heart and we spent the last couple of years trying to do just that. And I hope that we have been able to address some of your concerns in that period. We took a look at the current system. We spent a lot of time really researching what happens to people and I’m sorry this does not show up well on television but you do have it in front of you. What you see is that the current system is fragmented, inefficient, costly, it does not help people to the extent that they really need to helped. Mary, mary is a woman who has two kids and works in a low-paying job. She just barely makes ends meet. She doesn't have any money in savings. And she's juggling bills. This is just the common, common scenario of the clients who seek assistance. She has an unexpected emergency, in this case for mary she has a car -- she has a car repair that comes due so that she cann't get to her job. She pays her wages to the rents, after having taken the car, she receives an eviction notice. Mary goes to many different places to get assistance. Some who give a small amount of assistance, some who refer her elsewhere. The total cost is about anywhere from three to six trips. I have to say in this scenario, mary probably has more tenacity than most of our clients have. Most of them can't make it all the way to the six places it's simply not feasible. They tell their story over and over and over again. It's disrespectful. They piecemeal it together. During that period she loses hours at work, her hourly wage job begins to chip away. Whenever she does get the assistance, not quite enough, she finally gets friends and family to add to the pot. She pays the rent , she's behind for the next month. And it begins all over again. It's not working. We talked to you all about this, you said do something better. So what we have developed is a program that's called the best single source project. It's amazingly simple. I think it's interesting that actually simple is better. Complex isn't necessarily the best way. In this system a client does one of two things: they either go to the place where they are accustomed to getting service or that they know will best meet their needs or they call 211, one of our partners. 211 does a short assessment over the phone and directs them to the best agency to meet their needs. The 211 caller might find out that mary happens to have a child with developmental disability. Actually if she could hook up with the arc of central Texas, many of the longer term needs could really be addressed and her financial crisis wouldn't have to be repeating itself over and over again. Or possibly 211 finds out mary has aids or is a senior, there are many different reasons that they would then select the best single source agency to serve mary. Mary goes to that agency and gets the full amount of help she needs there. She doesn't go from place to place to place, but she gets the help at one agency, then she's engaged in more return services. All of the agencies have agreed to share data using a common web base or common data base with selected -- we selected that system, and are customizing it to meet our needs. We are at the point now where we are ready, kicking this off, we will begin serving clients as of September 1st, we would like to take the project to significantly larger capacity in 2005. The agencies who will initially participate in it are these that are listed. The benefits, as I said to the clients, that's in my opinion the most important part, is that they will get help from the one place that can best meet their needs. They will get the full amount of support that they need. The cash assistance will be centrally located, caritas is the -- as the fiscal agent will have a pot of money. If the client gets help at aids services of Austin, any baby can, meals on wheels, they pool on the pot of money, the client doesn't have to actually get up and go elsewhere. Then they will be engaged in longer term services so that they can start to address the causes, the presenting causes that are keeping them trapped in financial insolvency. We have outcome goals. Our primary goal, because this is -- this is purposefully to try to help people maintain their housing, our primary goal is that people will have equal or better housing, that they won't continue to come back to the system. We really want to look at that duplication, we really want to address the fact that people keep coming back over and over again year after year. We want to get them out of the system. We want to prevent, for folks who are really fragile, institutionization, of course lost housing. There are enormous benefits to the community. While there are still always going to be people who need emergency and crisis assistance, what this project will accomplish is that there's going to be a group of people who won't have to keep coming back year after year. They will get pulled out of that pool that continue to have financial emergencies. They will have a more efficient access to the service. We will be able to focus resources, we will be able to track demand and we will be able to track utilization and adjust the system accordingly and it's a fantastic opportunity as a systems improvement model to leverage new national funding into our community. Queef already had conversations with -- we've already had conversations with many of those sources and feel like we're well on our way. So far what's been accomplished, the project has been designed. We have initial funding of $109,000: that has come from a.m.d., An individual donor, the city of Austin, I’m missing one.
>> [indiscernible]
>> yeah. Individual donor. Uh-huh. The -- we have selected the data base system and have begun to customize it. We are using service point. And caritas has been selected to provide centralized fiscal management for the project. We are kicking it off with our first clients. We are in the process right now of selecting initial clients. We will be installing, testing, using the software, we are developing the evaluation plan so that we can test the ongoing efficiency of the project. In 2005, our hope is to expand it up to serve up to 700 clients. That will cost about $1.5 million to operate at full capacity. The partner agencies have agreed to contribute $300,000 towards that. And then our other long-term goal is to really have this system to begin to look at and interface with the other emergency assistance programs and to continue to grow this. Our -- our request to you today is ultimately we would ask that the county again consider $500,000 funding for this project. We are asking if that could be phased in over a couple of years. The amount of money that the county is able to contribute to this, the agencies that continue to receive the -- receive the funding from the city of Austin, will shift that funding away from our other services into this project because we believe in it at a level of a one-to-one match for any dollars that the county is able to obligate to this project. I will ask any of my colleagues to -- to throw in comments that i've missed and then if there are any questions from the court, we will be able to take those.
>> one comment from me, julia. What an exercise this has been over the last couple of years, to get non-profit organizations in many cases that do things differently, we have different agendas, everybody came together and worked together. Designing a common intake form, that's not an easy thing. We did it. This is something that we just haven't talked about. It's happening. And we are moving forward. But to keep it going, we need a commitment from city and county when we talk to other funders, when we go to the meadows foundations, one of the first thing they ask is what is the city and county's commitment before we consider funding you. You all have been very supportive, we hope we continue to get that support.
>> so I’m sorry, go ahead.
>> go ahead.
>> so if you -- -- the beginning of September 1, 2004, this is a 30 day pilot that you have in mind for one month?
>> the -- yes. Yes, sir.
>> and that gives you some indication with the 40 clients of -- of [indiscernible] I guess how to tweak it.
>> exactly. I imagine that during that period we will make modifications to it. We'll tweak.
>> so how do you see your ability to document the outcome measures that you have set forth?
>> actually, that piece is really built into the -- into the data base that we chose. Service point has a mechanism for tracking not only client demographics, services provided, but also goals and outcomes achieved. And so -- so we -- we studied several different software mechanisms and packages before we chose this one. This one was chosen specifically because it allowed us to track goals. It also allows us to track clients moving from agency to agency. Which was another primary objective of this. And so if -- if a client has received assistance at aids services of Austin, shows up at caritas, we enter that client into the system, we can say aids services of Austin is your home agency. It flags us, sends the client to the place where they are best served.
>> I would just like to add, there has been a tremendous amount of planning in -- in putting this pilot together. I know we continue to refer to it as the pilot. But this is one of the most comprehensively and well-planned endeavors that I have ever been involved with. Which has been great in terms of the collaboration on the part of the agencies. But when the agencies came together, we knew that this was going to be a new service for us. This was in addition to what we were already doing and it was the ability to be able to offer a type of assistance that we currently could not afford to offer. So we have always looked at this in terms of needing new funding, to be able to fund this phase with the hope, ultimately, that some of the current services perhaps at a future point could be transitioned, the financial assistance might be transitioned to this. But in launching it, we knew that we would need new funding to do that. But -- but we have had the collaboration at multiple levels. We've had the executive directors coming together, looking more at the policy administrative fiscal aspects. We've had front line staff who will actually be working with the clients, talk about what that experience optimally, what that experience from the client's perspective should be with a best single source. So we have gone through hypotheticals, we have looked at -- we have looked at the automation that was required, the type of data to be collected. How we make sure that we are collecting the data to measure the outcomes for this project. The common intake form, which required looking at -- looking at the different data requirements of the various agencies for our eligibility as we define clients, looking at what eligibility would mean for this particular project and also looking at confidentiality issues. So that for -- for those of our agencies where confidentiality is key, we -- we maintain that intact. So -- so we have looked at -- at many hypothetical situations to launch this. So -- so, yes, we anticipate that there will probably be some tweaking, but we feel like that we have done a lot of -- of theoretical test runs on this. So I feel like we are going forward with -- with a clearly proven entity already. And in supplemental basic needs funding. Any baby can is the agency that has come the closest to emulating this model with that funding and leila, you may want to talk briefly about your experience with that.
>> well, we have, case managers, and our clients -- we've tested as pod del for the last three years -- as model for the last three years and we have found that by taking a client through the case management process, we have been able in a period of six months, but giving them more than $200, and then saying, bye bye, don't come back for another year. But by taking them through -- giving them more money over a period of six months, we are able to keep them stable in their homes and empower them to be able to deal with whatever problem that they have. And this model uses case management with all of the clients. I think that's the key.
>> absolutely.
>> and -- and this -- that's one of the key components of this model is giving the client more money over a longer period of time. And the mope that we got from the -- the money that we got from the city and the county has enabled us to do that. Giving a client $200 a year, that's not enough to pay rent for one month. That makes them go from one agency to another to another and it's a self defeating model. And so this is what we are trying to overcome. And that's why we are -- why we are doing this pilot, why we have been heading in this direction, and I think that's the key. And if -- over the last three years, any baby can has proven that has been very successful with the small number that we have used. I’m hoping that this will prove this out amongst our seven or eight agencies that we are going to test this out on.
>> you know, I think this also impacts the community. If you are in a situation where you need to go get $50 here, the fragmentation is so important, what does that mean is this that means that you are leaving your job, your job is at risk, I mean, creates a real problem, you may lose your employment because you have to go out and hustle enough money to pay the rent. Let's stabilize that situation, get you back to work and hopefully you won't have to come back to see us. It's just that simple.
>> the model also, the case management, if the family needs work, job training, if somebody in the family needs job training, they get it. We get them to it. If they need child care, we get them to it. Whatever they need to stabilize them, that's what we do. Part of the case management model. That's a very important key to the whole project. And -- that's very important is that they get a holistic approach instead of this scattered gun approach that we keep, you know -- insanity is doing the same thing that doesn't work. We have proven in many cases that if you will work with a family in a holistic manner, it will work, that's what we are trying to do. It will have impact on the community and -- and in many ways. Instead of pouring money down a rat hole, you are stabilizing the family. In the long run it's going to be much more cost effective.
>> Commissioners and judge, I think that we have -- I think that we have probably analyzed this -- this project, probably more than you could ever imagine because the idea of more money into this system can be frightening. Because I know that you guys are intimately aware of the amount of money that we invest in basic needs services. But I think that we have realized that -- that emergency assistance can be a fast-paced kind of money sucking -- you know, process. What this pilot is trying to do is to slow that process down, to look at a family's request for services as a symptom of another issue or another concern that may be able to be addressed with additional involvement by staff from these agencies and from our organization. So it's an effort to point a family toward an exit door, which is something that we have not had the opportunity to do thus far.
>> I know from having sat in over at palm square in terms of going through the qualification process of a client coming in to say I feed assistance from Travis County's front door, I found that program to be not user friendly, it was very -- kind of a bureaucratic entering of how you get into the program. But when I went over to see julia goes she showed me a test case on this web-based program, it was the difference between early dos and mac. One was very simple, it prompted, and I was extraordinarily impressed with this web-based program and my question is, has Travis County taken a look at what they are talking about for the potential that we, too, might overlay on this same web based program related to the clients who come in our front door.
>> absolutely. The technology folks from all of the partner agencies have been involved in -- in the planning of how each agency is going to be able to interface in the system. And we felt like that was critical because none of the agencies, including -- including Travis County can afford to go out and buy a whole new system. So we had to figure out how can we select a system that not only will meet the need from this pilot program, but also will allow all of our existing computer systems to interface. So we will actually be able to feed data into this system from our existing case management system. All I --
>> all I can says is gloriry hallelujah. This is really what I needed to here, it's so hopeful. That something can actually be done in this manner. And it's a very dignified manner and approach to meeting needs of families. I would think that -- I would think that the communication, among all of you, will serve people who come in for services and probably to establish some trust to be able to get the kinds of services that they haven't been able to now. Especially with the minority communities and the -- and the education about aids. I would think that that would be another outcome. The other one possibly down the road, I can see -- I can see connecting, you are already doing the connecting more families with job training programs. That we are also investing in. So that even reduces the -- the -- the undignified thing that tough do sometimes. In order to meet -- meet needs. So I think there's just a lot of promise to this -- to this approach. And -- and all I can say is, gee, hope does spring eternal. Thank you.
>> thank you. I’m actually reading a book right now that's called the tipping point. Whenever I look at all of this, I realize that probably when we came and -- I wasn't at that meeting, but years ago, when we came and talked to you all, that was in fact a tipping point for this where we had a choice to make. We could either continue the same old same old or we could make a decision to do business in a different way. And so I think -- I think a huge amount of credit goes to you all. Many thanks for the amount of staff support that you have provided to us. We could not have done the research if we didn't have the folks from your planning department.
>> the other thing that I wanted to just say to that, by stabilizing families, we can keep them from getting evicted. What that does to our revenue and fees and fines, on the constable's side, j.p. And constable's side, we probably won't collect that fee. But, you know, so what? As long as we stabilize families, I think that's -- that's a terrific thing.
>> it's now 31 agencies that i've -- that i've now visited, what I have discovered as well, we are very proud of saying we are the safety net. We are the mandated safety net. This network is the -- not only these agencies, but all of the other agencies are the safety net to the safety net. If they did not exist to try and catch folks, they would wind up at Travis County's front door, it would be a lot more expensive than the social service contracts that we invest in. I find it to be a very good investment and -- and i've for the been disappointed with a single [indiscernible], there's still more scheduled.
>> [indiscernible]
>> finished?
>> I’m finished, thank you.
>> can you tell me, looking at the whole approach, this pilot project, which I fully support, no doubt about that, but I want to make sure that we be as efficient as possible. Can you tell me where your department is at this time with the interfacing aspect of the data base is already in place, where we are with the county as far as the technology. We looked at this project and go forward with it. Have we earmarked a certain amount of money to make sure that we are up to speed, making sure that the systems talk to one another? Not only that, is there -- is there any linkage between the city of Austin and also Travis County to ensure that these particular agencies that are -- that are desperately needed continue to -- tip to -- in this community, where are we?
>> in terms of how our department will interface with this project, in the pilot phase, we are going to act as a control group. Which means that they will actually be looking at our data and comparing clients that have been served through this model and to clients who have been served by our existing policies and programs. So during the pilot phase there would not be any change, per se, in how we serve clients. However the policy initiatives that we have come forward with over the last couple of years I feel have been laying the groundwork for us to be able to slowly change. I know that you guys realize that we are kind of the big cruise ship trying to turn in relationship to maybe some smaller ships that have an easier time of changing. But we anticipate in -- in January, when the project gets off to a larger scale, to actually come forward to you with a request to -- to isolate a -- a portion of our funding to participate with a small group of clients in the pilot or in the project. So what I would envision is -- is an initial participation through our existing budget, and then you will see gradual growing of the new system in a reduction of the -- and a reduction of the old system. In terms of interfacing between our computer systems, our technology folks have been as intimately involved as all of the others from the other agencies and so we will -- we will not only have access to the service point system, but we will -- we will continue to be able to use our technology n and then feed -- and then need our data into that system. That's been the internal processes that we continue to look at. And an example of one thing that we have already done is the relationship that we have established with goodwill, so that we have goodwill job, I believe job counselors or job trainers, one full time at the palm square location, one-half time at the Pflugerville location who are on site for -- for case managers to refer clients who are seeking assistance directly to a person who can help them with their job search activities and even connect them with programs that are currently being offered by goodwill industries.
>> I would just add one more thing. That there is money, included in the budget, which includes user license for the county.
>> that's good to hear because I didn't want -- I didn't want us, the county, to -- to not be in a position to -- to make this as efficient as I think it possibly can be. Number 2, in the 211 Texas call requesting -- you went through basically the -- the fiscal year increasing [indiscernible] up to 20 some here, from 2004 there's actually no data as far as the use for this particular Texas 211 call. Can you tell me basically when you will actually have data for 2004?
>> we have actually got some six-month data that shows that it's still continuing to increase.
>> okay.
>> and -- and I should have put that on there. I apologize.
>> that's all right [multiple voices]
>> an interesting piece about that is of all of the call volume received in 211, the number one request for assistance continues to be rent and utility assistance.
>> right.
>> it's just -- [multiple voices]
>> it is a huge portion of all of their calls, it is the primary requests that they are getting.
>> I was not surprised about that, we get calls and then persons want to know about -- about eap, emergency assistance program. The main concern is of the utility assistance in that -- that poses my last question. And you brought this up during the presentation. But however needs to be reassured -- that we will not have duplication of services, the whole intent of this was not for a person to have to go all over the place to get resolution to their concerns. This was only the intent of this particular move to make sure that we provide the services. As a person that may not know or be aware of any baby can, safe place, aids services of Austin, all of the other -- other reporting agencies, meals on wheels, the average person may not know that they will probably come to Travis County, something like that. But the bottom line is that -- how and what will you do in -- in acknowledging the scheme of things to ensure that there will be no duplication of services. Some of these services also are one-time occurrences. That's provided. How can you make me feel better about there will not be duplication of services. Thank you.
>> well, all of the participating agencies through the -- through the data base will be able to ensure that. The challenges, of course, if agencies that are providing this assistance and are not in this project yet or on this data base yet, we don't -- we can't track that.
>> you can't track, I’m sorry, I didn't catch that.
>> if a client goes to a church.
>> okay.
>> for assistance and then comes into this project.
>> all right.
>> we can't track that duplication unless the client tells us. So our longer term hope is to expand this significantly to other organizations. But in order -- they have to agree to long-term case management and to be on the technology puerto rican that that we are using. So between all of our agencies, including Travis County, 211 and caritas, where the bulk of many, many people come to one of those three agencies first. We actually feel like we have captured the majority of possibilities of duplication. It will not prevent it absolutely for those folks who aren't participating in this project at that time. So our goal is to -- to continue to expand this. Make it bigger.
>> one of our hopes is that right now we really have no way to know if there's -- if there's just a huge number of folks accessing the system or if there is a small number of people accessing the system at different agencies. So with technology, we hope to be able to -- to get a handle on what the need is in the community by identifying who is accessing the system and ensuring that they are not being counted by Travis County and then again counted by caritas and counted by any baby can. That sort of a thing. The technology, as you well know, is the key to that.
>> yeah. That was my point.
>> exactly.
>> that was my point.
>> thank you.
>> as many of you know, i've been around about 30 years, I hate to admit it. But -- but it is amazing to me, and we've been trying for years, for 30 years, to come with a common intake and data base that we can all degree upon. To me it is a miracle. And my other counter to that question, mr. Davis, is that even if they do go to a church, they are not going to get much money. They will get maybe $25 or $50. So -- so I -- you know, it will help, but it's -- that's the old problem. Is -- is we could never give more than $200 a year, this is going to hopefully solve that problem.
>> thank you for your comments.
>> Commissioner Daugherty?
>> when you came in the office the other day I asked you a couple of questions. Let me make sure that I have got these right. The asking is for $250,000 for this year, this will probably be an every year asking.
>> right? So we will -- so this new program, that is if we are not asking to increase it, you know, from year to year, because obviously the number, as we all agree, the numbers are getting smaller -- the numbers are getting larger.
>> yes, sir.
>> I appreciate the job that you all do because you've goat a tough job. Our job is to go out and tell taxpayers, this is what your tax is going to be because this is what we are -- what the community is asking for. That's always a tough thing to do. Particularly tough for me because I’m pretty conservative. And you know none of us doubt how much needs there are. You don't -- I mean I haven't been to 31, but I’m trying to follow Commissioner Sonleitner the most -- most of you all, I think that I have met all of you all. I mean not the aids of Austin, I believe, but -- it -- it frightens me, it tips to frighten me that -- that our needs in this community are so overwhelming that we -- you know, there aren't enough dollars. To do what really needs to be done. I think the one-stop shop which is basically what this thing is, makes all of the sense in the world, you know, it would be nice to think that we are not going to have duplication, but y'all know we are. When somebody is that upside-down and they are coming to your one stop shop, they are probably -- because the $2,000 effectively that's going to be used for 700 families to get to the million and a half dollars, I guess, is -- is basically the way that it averages out. The need that they have, they are not able to maintain a lifestyle -- you know to go through life. They just don't have the resources. Now, this is a great stopgap. Do I want to stop somebody from being evicted. I wish that I could -- that that was really the case. Not that it was just going to happen for March. If not the next month, you know, the couple of months after that. And -- and so should we not try to help people as much as we can? I mean, I don't think that's the point. I mean, my bigger issue with this stage is asking for it because I think what -- what somebody is going to make a motion for before you all leave is to vote on appropriating $250,000, I will tell you that I’m not comfortable doing that today. Because we are just starting budget and there are an awful lot of things that I’m going to be asked for and there's a number of things that I’m going to want. And fell like I need for spend money on. So I’m very apprehensive about new programs. Not that they are not needed, but I think that i've intimated probably in my office that it makes me very nervous to know that I’m being asked to sign up for -- for a $250,000 gig from now to the county basically that's -- you know what we are being asked to do so I’m -- I’m appreciative of what you are trying to do, I think that it's -- that it's very veritable that you all are willing to say if you can get matching dollars -- if you get them from the local entities that I think that I understood you to say you are also willing to take those amount of dollars out of your budgets that you have now -- at your operating budgets and match it. Is that –
>>
>> [one moment please for change in captioners]
>>
>> ... About how to spend limited funds. I just can't tell you how much we all appreciate that. I actually think that this particular project addresses your concerns about that demand just growing and growing. It will continue to grow until we get people out of the system, and I believe and lila's experience is people will get out of the system from doing this.
>> they will.
>> not everybody. But our goal is that 75% of the people won't have to keep coming back. And our experience is that we think we'll be able to meet those numbers. So that -- if we don't do this, the pot of people or the sheer number of people coming for one-time assistance is going to continue to grow. We have to figure out a way to start getting folks out. And there are multiple ways that we can do that, but this is the one that we feel is going to be most cost efficient. And we're worried about just continuing to throw money at it. We can't. We can't. We just have to figure out longer term solutions.
>> I think this is a conservative view, to tell you the truth. When I look at this thing, one of the things that absolutely appealed to me was when we look at folks, we're trying to make sure they are able to stay employed if they are employed. That was important to us. If they are not employed, let's get them on track and get some job information to them and try to help them get employed so they don't have to come back and see us. So a lot of our focus is how do we keep these people as viable members of the community so they don't have to come back and see us and I kind of see that as a conservative view.
>> I agree, dan, I wish I felt that. I mean versus wanting to believe it, you know what I mean?
>> I see what you are saying.
>> that may be the difference that you and I have. But -- so you are really saying that eventually what you want us to appropriate is 500,000 a year.
>> yes, sir. And our experience with clients in the last two years has been giving them more money over a longer period of time has enabled them to stay in their homes and stay employed. And be empowered to take care of their own problems.
>> well, I don't doubt that. Give people more money for longer, that keeps them -- that makes sense. I mean but I don't know that I’m looking for that. I mean I’m looking for a way to get to you a point where when we stop giving you the money, what happens to you. Do you really -- and that's the reason I would like to -- statistic stickly, I know that's a little bit difficult, but we have got to come up with ways to show here's how many people we had. Truly the figure is 75% of these people eventually get off of this sort of system. My gut tells me that's not true. My gut tells me that the overwhelming majority of the people really never are able to get out of this system. But I mean -- which is the reason i've always said maybe we need to spend more money at the front end versus at the stage.
>> not everybody is going to qualify this program. That's another thing we need to realize. We're going to look at folks that we feel are going to make it. So we're not just saying you knock on our door and you are going to get this funding. We're going to look at you and make sure that -- you know, we believe that you are going to be that success story and fall in that 75%. It's important for this to be successful so we're examining everybody closely when they go under this program.
>> I think we need to get away from words like getting and giving. I’m beyond convinced doing what we're doing is investing and if there is any doubt about the 300 graduates to date from Austin interfaith effort called capital idea, those are 300 folks who entered the system and have graduated and now have jobs and are supporting their children, setting a good example for their children and having health insurance. I think the question that needs to be raised is what if we don't do this. What will continue to be the drain on this county government. Government needs to fulfill a -- a great many constituencies so I think we need to have a little perspective here. The deaf service increased two years ago for road projects for this community was $10 million -- debt service. This community made a commitment of $150 million to be borrowed and paid back over 20 years. That means it's coming out of our property taxes. $10 million debt increase in one year. That pales in comparison to the numbers we're asking for here.
>> [inaudible].
>> but we're also in light of the discussions related to the hospital district, we've gone back and tried to get a handle on what does the criminal justice system cost. Over the last 10 years, that number is about $1.3 billion. And I will tell you that some of the failures at this safety net level wind up being costs within that criminal justice system. In the form of domestic violence, in the form of truancy and other bad things that occur when families break down. This to me is the proactive prevention model because I will tell you the model that isn't working is the failure model and they wind up in the criminal justice system. $1.3 billion of our tax money spent over the last 10 years. And the numbers for juvenile justice over the last 20 years will also curl your hair. For.
>> and this is a new approach, I think, and with the case management I think we can work with families to try to get them on a different track. And one that is successful for them and their families. And basically I think we're teaching them to fish for themselves instead of handing them a fish every time they come to see us. This is just a different approach.
>> this is a '05 request basically.
>> yes, sir.
>> my suggestion is that we take it up during our budget process.
>> that's the appropriate place.
>> let me make sure I understand. There are two components to the problem. Emergency cash assistance and better and more case management.
>> yes, sir.
>> and the money you seek is for the emergency cash assistance.
>> yes, sir.
>> do you believe you will be able to fund the cash management other ways?
>> agencies are committing that cost.
>> okay. Anything else today on this item?
>> no, sir.
>> we will take this up during our budget process and if we have further questions, we just contact either one of you all?
>> yes, sir.
>> is there going to be a specific hearing on this or will this be rolled into the health and human services discussions?
>> I think we ought to ask p.b.o. To make sure this is on the health and human services budget presentation. It's an issue so that we will know that and if we need more information from you all, we will probably contact you either directly or through ms. Fleming.
>> thanks you very much.
>> thank you all.
The Closed Caption log for this Commissioners Court agenda item is provided by Travis County Internet Services. Since this file is derived from the Closed Captions created during live cablecasts, there are occasional spelling and grammatical errors. This Closed Caption log is not an official record the Commissioners Court Meeting and cannot be relied on for official purposes. For official records please contact the County Clerk at (512) 854-4722.
Last Modified:
Friday, October 28, 2005 9:10 AM