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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024.03.25 CCM EDA/WORKSESSION3/25/24 -1- MINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL/ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER IN THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN AND THE STATE OF MINNESOTA WORK SESSION MARCH 25, 2024 CITY HALL – COUNCIL CHAMBERS CALL TO ORDER The Brooklyn Center City Council/Economic Development Authority (EDA) met in Work Session called to order by Mayor/President Pro Tem Kris Lawrence-Anderson at 8:33 p.m. ROLL CALL Mayor/President Pro Tem Kris Lawrence-Anderson and Councilmembers/Commissioners Marquita Butler, Dan Jerzak, and Teneshia Kragness. Mayor/President April Graves was absent and excused. Also present were City Manager Reggie Edwards and Assistant City Manager/City Clerk Barb Suciu. BROOKLYN BLVD. FAILED SOD DISCUSSION This item was addressed during the Worksession. ALTERNATIVE/EXPANDED RESPONSE PILOT City Manager Reggie Edwards introduced the item and explained Staff seeks a consensus of the City Council/EDA regarding a two-year pilot of an Alternative/Expanded Response program. He pointed out Staff has spent significant time on the project and introduced a number of community partners. Dr. Edwards explained on May 15, 2021, Resolution No. 2021-73: The Daunte Wright and Kobe Dimock-Heisler Community Safety and Violence Prevention Act, called for the creation of the Department of Community Response. The Department would consist of trained medical and mental health professionals, social workers, or other staff and volunteers, and a dispatch system routing appropriate calls to the Community Response Department rather than the Police Department. At the time of its adoption, the City didn’t have the capacity to fully implement the programming and sought out a pilot opportunity. Dr. Edwards stated in October 2021, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Department and Dispatch Center presented the start of a pilot Alternative Response Program which was initiated with a grant in Brooklyn Park. In October 2022, Margretta Getaweh, FUSE Engagement Manager, presented community engagement findings on Reimagining Public Safety to the City Council/EDA. 3/25/24 -2- Dr. Edwards noted from there, in December 2022, the Council/EDA approved a two-year, grant- funded pilot program to address mental health emergency calls with community responders. Data analysis and communication were initiated via the 2023 budget. Additional modest resources were approved by the Council/EDA in December 2023 via the 2025 budget. Dr. Edwards stated on March 28, 2023, the Implementation Committee presented their recommendations to the Council/EDA on the Response Engagement and Crisis Help (REACH) Team Model. In August 2023, Staff presented “Enhancing Public Safety Through Prevention- Focused Strategies” which included an alternative response model. Dr. Edwards explained the intended outcomes of the pilot project include broadening the skills of 911 responders, improved service effectiveness through the reduction of 911 calls, improved service cost efficiency through a lower-cost service provider, rerouting of costly services, and reduced repeated services. Dr. Edwards showed a graphic detailing a comprehensive approach, which was previously presented to the Council/EDA. The approach consists of prevention, intervention, response, and recovery. Director of Community Prevention, Health and Safety LaToya Turk also previously presented a number of benefits of alternative response teams such as a reduction in the use of force incidents, decreased criminalization of mental illness, improved mental health outcomes, enhanced community trust, increased community well-being, cost savings, preventative impact, better allocation of resources, a holistic approach, and reduced stigma associated with mental health. Dr. Edwards noted FUSE Engagement Manager Margretta Getaweh oversaw community engagement efforts during her time with Brooklyn Center. She conducted interviews, established partnerships within the community, organized and co-facilitated four community conversations, provided ongoing support to the Implementation Committee, and conducted a survey. Dr. Edwards explained her research showed any simple call for service could turn into a dangerous situation quickly. Residents expressed concerns about responders that aren’t police officers, but the responders would still be trained professionals. There also seemed to be a lack of education in the community about alternative responses. However, some responses were positive and expressed the community’s need for an alternative response option. There were also considerations of financial impact. Dr. Edwards provided an overview of the pilot program. It would be a two -year program with a staggered start. The first team would start in May and the second in August. 87 percent of the program is funded by grants and the remaining portion is from the General Fund. The two teams would cover 14 hours of the day. There has been a concern about the timing of the services, but Dr. Edwards believes the 14 hours of service will meet the needs of the community. The first team will work from 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. during weekdays while the other team will work evenings on Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The first team consists of pairs of social workers and paramedics and the second team would consist of pairs of mental health workers. 3/25/24 -3- Leah Kaiser, Director of Behavioral Health with Hennepin County, explained the first team of the pilot is only a portion of the County’s Criminal Justice Behavioral Health Initiative (CJBH). The program started in 2014 and began with pulling a lot of data throughout the criminal justice process. The data showed primary patterns: there is enormous disparity for individuals with mental health issues within the criminal justice system, there is a systemic problem within the criminal justice system, the subset of individuals living with mental illness and substance abuse experienced little, late, or poor interventions, and there were massive gaps within the systems due to disorganization and disconnects within the County servicers. She noted racial disparities were also evident. Ms. Kaiser stated that from there, the County decided to adopt a Federal framework to address the outcomes. The goal was to create a system that was easy for residents to understand, quickly matched needs to the appropriate resource, offered support following the initial episode, used critical resources effectively, tailored to individual needs and cultural norms, and improved the community’s health and safety. She pointed out that the County cannot solve the large-scale issues on its own, and they are looking for partnerships at the City, State, and Federal levels. She added a one-size-fits-all approach is ineffective in addressing mental health and substance use. Ms. Kaiser noted CJBH works to address behavioral health needs at criminal justice intersections such as youth justice behavioral health, Behavioral Health Center at 1800 Chicago which acts as a crisis stabilization resource center, behavioral health court services, and the embedded social work model. Each effort was thoughtfully researched through expert resources and community engagement. Ms. Kaiser pointed out that the embedded social work model includes expertise in police departments and 911 dispatch, a social worker and law enforcement response to mental health, substance, and social service 911 calls, and a social worker and medical professional response to mental health, substance, and social service 911 calls. Ms. Kaiser stated the target population of the services are individuals who are the subject of behavioral health-related calls, repeat mental health callers, low-level criminal behaviors, and individuals who could benefit from social service support. The goals of a layered approach include timely engagement with those in need of support, fewer arrests and jail bookings, fewer repeat calls, fewer hospitalizations, increased public satisfaction with the response to mental health emergencies, and freeing up police resources for other types of calls. Ms. Kaiser explained there are a number of community benefits from the initiative. The initiative uses resources effectively through a shared financing model, maximizing the expertise of different disciplines, and leveraging resources to meet needs. Community needs are addressed through a warm handoff to embedded social workers for follow-up and stabilization, data review, care coordination, linkage to community resources, and ongoing support with housing, economic benefits, and treatment. Ms. Kaiser stated the County’s Alternative Response Team in Brooklyn Center will be comprised of a social worker and a community paramedic. The team would be dispatched by the County’s 3/25/24 -4- dispatch center. The team drives an unmarked County vehicle and responds to 911 calls that do not require emergency response by law enforcement, fire personnel, or emergency medical services. The team will operate Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and is housed out of the Brooklyn Park Police Department. Ms. Kaiser pointed out the Alternative Response Team is already in place in Brooklyn Park. In 2023, the program received 670 referrals. The Team made contact in 99 percent of the calls they were dispatched to and 759 service referrals were made. Over 65 percent of people served identify as people of color and approximately 251 hours of police officer time was saved thanks to the alternative response. Ms. Kaiser shared two recent incidents addressed by the program. First, a group home resident called for an ambulance. The caller was anxious and pacing because his medication had not yet arrived. The team helped him utilize coping skills to manage his anxiety and consulted with the group home’s nurse to identify a PRN medication the resident could take. Ms. Kaiser added another impactful incident involved an elderly man who had recently suffered a stroke and was experiencing restlessness, confusion, and agitation. The team met with the man ’s family at their home and discussed options. The community par amedic checked his vital signs, reviewed the medications, and coordinated transport to the hospital. The team also provided the family with information about assisted living and memory care facilities, education about medication, and gun locks for the client’s firearms. Ms. Kaiser stated they surveyed Brooklyn Park patrol regarding the pilot program. A large majority of officers stated there was value added to the patrol shift, they had a better ability to manage calls, the program was proactive and provided a benefit to the community, officers had personal interactions with pilot team members and were able to discuss questions and concerns with the team. Taylor Crouch-Dodson, Director of External Affairs with Canopy Roots, introduced himself and Gina Obiri, Contract Operations Manager, and Candace Hanson, Executive and Co-Founder. Mr. Crouch-Dodson stated Canopy Roots promotes safety through the use of trauma-informed and culturally responsive training and development, emotional de-escalation strategies for service recipients, crisis intervention support, and connection to community resources. Mr. Crouch-Dodson pointed out that thanks to a partnership with the City of Minneapolis, the Behavioral Crisis Response was formed through a contract awarded to Canopy Roots. The purpose is to provide person-centered, culturally responsive crisis services to community members of all ages in Minneapolis. The goal is to decrease the criminalization of mental illness and avoid involuntary hospitalization. Mr. Crouch-Dodson stated the Minneapolis BCR is culturally responsive, consists of unarmed civilians who are trained and certified, interoperable via 911, includes mobile coverage at all hours, is independent of law enforcement response, and is a free and voluntary offering. From December 2021 to March 2024, BCR has expanded the public safety infrastructure by becoming Minneapolis’ 3/25/24 -5- newest first responder alongside Fire, EMS, and Police and has responded to over 20,000 calls via 911. 80 percent of the calls were handled without backup and there were no injuries to service recipients. He added the program received a contract extension and budget increase to continue nonstop service delivery. Mayor/President Pro Tem Lawrence-Anderson asked if the presentations would be complete before 10:00 p.m. Candace Hanson, Executive and Co-Founder of Canopy Roots, confirmed the presentation was nearing its end. Ms. Hanson stated BCR provides trauma-informed emotional support, crisis de-escalation, psychoeducation for recipient and their support systems, risk assessments, safety planning, service connection including voluntary transport as appropriate for warm hand-offs, skills training, and additional brief interventions as needed. Ms. Hanson pointed out Canopy Roots learned a number of lessons while operating the Minneapolis BCR. It is important to promote community awareness of the program by engaging with historically underserved populations, collaborating with first responder colleagues to ensure the highest level of service for recipients, and ensuring job satisfaction for crisis responders through competitive pay, employee wellness benefits, and maintaining a safe workplace culture. She added they learned about barriers to connecting service recipients to community-based resources due to lack of capacity, funding, and operational constraints. Ms. Hanson noted Canopy Roots looks forward to partnering with Brooklyn Center to launch the Alternative Response Team and offered to answer any questions. Mayor/President Pro Tem Lawrence-Anderson stated she would have appreciated the PowerPoint presentation to have been part of the original packet. She said it is late and the Council may n ot have as many questions. Councilmember/Commissioner Butler thanked the presenters for the information. She noted her appreciation of the two approaches to address various issues within the community. She asked how and when the programs will determine the effectiveness of and need for services in Brooklyn Center. Ms. Hanson explained in her experience, they will determine the best fit for Brooklyn Center within the two-year pilot program, if not within the first six months. The program is available to pivot. Ms. Kaiser noted her agreement with Ms. Hanson. She added they will pull both qualitative and quantitative data through a variety of methods. Councilmember/Commissioner Butler asked how the service is being promoted in the City. Dr. Edwards stated Staff hasn’t gotten to that point yet, but it will be an effort with Communications Staff and community partnership. He pointed out both programs have a positive reputation in the area which will be helpful in promotion. He added Staff will regularly communicate with the Council/EDA about successes and progress within the programs. 3/25/24 -6- Councilmember/Commissioner Jerzak stated ART is based out of the Brooklyn Park Police Department. He asked where Canopy Roots would be dispatched and who would supervise the program. He added there are concerns with other offerings such as the lack of beds and changes at North Memorial. He asked what plans are in place to address those issues. He also asked how the services would be fully integrated with other responders. Dr. Edwards stated Canopy Roots will not be offered out of Brooklyn Park Police Department. They are currently housed in Minneapolis, and there is discussion to determine if there needs to be another location in Brooklyn Center. Also, there is a part-time manager with Canopy Roots that the City would look to contract with for management. Ms. Hanson asked for the question to be repeated. Councilmember/Commissioner Jerzak pointed out Dr. Edwards answered part of his question. He asked how services will be coordinated and which entities will be responsible for providing necessary materials such as transportation and office supplies. He noted one of the goals is to reduce calls and asked how the communication will look between programs to ensure continuity of services. He asked what happens when there are no crisis beds available. Ms. Hanson stated the answer would take more time than is available in the meeting. BCR has several plans in place to offer alternatives to resources that are tapped out. For example, the responders help recipients connect with natural supports such as family. Councilmember/Commissioner Jerzak asked for the conversation to continue during a Work Session and for the Council/EDA to submit questions in advance. He stated the late hour is not ideal for such a conversation. Dr. Edwards stated they would be happy to have an additional session to answer questions about the programs. It is important for the Council/EDA to be fully aware of the services. Councilmember/Commissioner Jerzak stated he would like information about the projected costs so the Council/EDA can ensure the program is implementable and reliable. Mayor/President Pro Tem Lawrence-Anderson agreed it is important for the program to be sustainable once the grant funds have been exhausted. The worst thing the City could do would be to implement a program only to end it abruptly due to lack of funding. Dr. Edwards explained they don’t know the outcome or the best option for service offerings. It could be one program, the other program, or a combination of the two. Therefore, cost estimates are difficult to determine. Councilmember/Commissioner Kragness pointed out Ms. Hanson nodded her head when Councilmember/Commissioner Jerzak asked if the program would be housed in the Police Department. However, she pivoted when Dr. Edwards stated the program would not be housed in the Police Department. She stated there is a communication issue that needs to be worked out. 3/25/24 -7- She asked if the program had been successfully housed out of the Police Department. Ms. Hanson stated Canopy Roots is not housed within a police department. Councilmember/Commissioner Kragness added the social workers were said to have master’s degrees. She stated she wants to understand the licensing procedures. She asked who assumes the liability for the programs considering the potential risks of harm and transportation complications. Ms. Hanson stated Canopy Roots has a shared liability with Minneapol is. The model with Brooklyn Center has to be worked out in terms of liability still. It will likely be determined through contract language. As for licensing, mental health practitioners and professionals have clear criteria through State Statute. BCR has used the model of in-patient crisis residences for their own employees. The professional could be a licensed social worker, mental health practitioner, or marriage and family counselor. Ms. Kaiser stated the Hennepin County program has similar liability consideration as Canopy Roots. The County program operates on a Joint Powers Agreement with Brooklyn Park. The added partner of Canopy Roots in Brooklyn Center would require additional language in a contract and would be fleshed out in the planning process. Councilmember/Commissioner Kragness stated the Council/EDA needs to know the details of the contracts to ensure liability is considered. Mayor/President Pro Tem Lawrence-Anderson stated she has several questions, but she would prefer an additional session to delve further into details. Councilmember/Commissioner Butler asked if the presentation is solely informational or if the Council has to take an action that evening. Dr. Edwards confirmed the agenda item is informational. The grant funding has already been secured. The contracts will return to the Council/EDA for consideration. Councilmember/Commissioner Butler stated the language being used by the Council/EDA may indicate that the programs won’t be implemented. However, that has already been determined. The Council/EDA sometimes operates on scare tactics which results in being behind on innovations. She stated the organizations partnering with the City are trustworthy and will help the City prevent future tragedies. Dr. Edwards stated Staff will have the discussion on the Council’s agenda in the near future. Councilmember/Commissioner Kragness thanked the presenters for their time. UPCOMING ITEMS • Memorial Policy • Special Assessment Policy/Franchise Fees (referred to Financial Commission) • Beautification and Public Art Commission 3/25/24 -8- • Food Truck Ordinance/License • Emerald Ash Borer Policy Review (referred to Park & Rec Commission November) • Opioid Settlement • ARPA Funds • Grants: Revenues & Expenses • Purchasing Policy • Revisit Resolution 2021-73 • Planning Application Process • Group Homes • Fences • Off Street Parking of Commercial Vehicles ADJOURNMENT Councilmember/Commissioner Butler moved and Councilmember/Commissioner Jerzak seconded adjournment of the City Council/Economic Development Authority Work Session at 9:52 p.m. Motion passed unanimously.