2026-09-22 - Advisory Committee on Homelessness

02:43Jason, can you hear us? Okay.

02:45>> Hello. I can hear you. I can't see you.

02:48>> We We are having technical difficulties.

02:50We are trying to get the video up.

02:53>> Certainly. Thank you.

02:54And our YouTube channel shows us.

02:58>> Yeah, it's just the video.

03:07>> Okay. [clears throat] Well, it it is

03:085:17 or 5:18 depending on which clock I

03:12look at. Um, so we will call this

03:16meeting of the Advisory Committee on

03:18Homelessness to order. Um, we do not

03:21currently have a quorum. So for

03:24tonight's meeting to start off, we will

03:27get things started with some updates

03:31um which do not require a vote. For

03:34those that are listening in or in the

03:36audience without a quorum, we cannot

03:37vote on anything or move anything

03:39forward. However, we will get the

03:41updates so that those are a matter of

03:43public record and can be reviewed for

03:45everybody. So with that, um, the first

03:49update that we have is on warming

03:51shelters and I believe Bruce is going to

03:53be able to provide that update for us.

03:55So Bruce, the floor is yours.

03:57>> Thank you very much. Um, so I've talked

04:00to all four warming centers today. They

04:01all applied for the um, proposal RFP for

04:04main housing. I'm waiting on the results

04:07to get that. Um

04:10I think I didn't I didn't talk to Boy,

04:11but I talked to the other three um today

04:14and they're just waiting to see if they

04:16got funding for that. Um they're all

04:18looking at uh opening the doors around

04:21November 15th to the 30th and they're,

04:25you know, getting staff and volunteers

04:27ready and and getting some training uh

04:30for them.

04:34>> Do we have a timeline of when those

04:36decisions are made by now? I looked into

04:38that today. I don't know if Jen has that

04:40more than I do, but I I looked into that

04:42today because I knew that was going to

04:44be brought up and I just couldn't find a

04:46date. I don't think they gave a specific

04:48date of when they were going to let

04:50people know.

04:52>> Yeah.

04:54>> Do you have any additional information

04:56on

04:56>> Yeah. Do I don't think they gave a date?

04:58>> No, there's no additional information on

04:59when that funding will be released.

05:01>> Yeah.

05:05So from your perspective, assuming the

05:08funding comes through, how is Bangor

05:11positioned for the warming?

05:13>> Well, I think that if the money comes

05:14through, I think that they have a really

05:16good setup with the three um major um

05:21warming centers and how they work

05:22together and then Boyd with what he does

05:24with his extra beds in the in the um

05:27shelter. And then the day shelter um

05:30warming cent's gotten their funds to be

05:32able to operate uh throughout the

05:34winter. So I I think that it's going to

05:36look I I mean I think we're in a good

05:38space to be able to put a lot of people

05:40up and off the streets that are maybe

05:42couch surfing or or or squatting or

05:47doing other or living outside. So, um, I

05:51think with the way that they operate

05:53together, if you know, if someone's not

05:54allowed at one warming center, they're,

05:56you know, they'll make a call to the

05:58other warming center to be able to make

05:59sure someone's safe and warm.

06:02So, um,

06:08>> do we know how many beds?

06:10>> So, um, the sanctuary takes I around 45

06:17people. the um I talked to Leon today

06:21for the man uh the brick church. He he

06:23can take up to 70 people and then Terry

06:26um said he would is going to take about

06:2930 and then Boyd has extra five mats for

06:34warming for

06:36for overnight warming center.

06:41I think we're I think last year it was

06:44around 125 was the most that we ended up

06:47housing throughout in warming centers

06:50and uh it was usually around 80 to 90

06:53people I think was the kind of

06:58you know about what we did through

07:00average. Yeah.

07:04>> Any other questions with regards to the

07:06warming shelters?

07:10Jason, do you have any questions

07:11regarding the warming? Um,

07:13>> uh, can you hear me? This is Jason.

07:16Greg, this is Jason Goodrich. Someone

07:17asked us to identify ourselves when we

07:19speak. So, I'm going to do that. Um, a

07:21quick Google search tells me that

07:23September 28th is when the contracts

07:25will come out. Uh, the week of the of

07:27September 28th is when people will be

07:29notified of their contract award. Um,

07:32we're looking at 150 beds. Uh, about 150

07:35beds here in the region. Um, a few

07:38months ago at a government ops meeting,

07:40Jen Gunderman mentioned that we had

07:42about 490 people un on dduplicated

07:47travel through those 150 bits. Um, I I'm

07:51wondering if the if this will if if this

07:53is what we're projecting this year is

07:55somewhere around 450 people going

07:57through those 150 bits.

08:01>> Hi Jason, this is Jen Gunnerman. I'm not

08:02quite sure what that I'm not sure where

08:05that 450 number came from. I do know

08:08last year on our coldest days we had

08:10about 120 people in warming shelters and

08:13there was about another 100 people who

08:15are in our traditional emergency shelter

08:18between um Bangor area homeless shelter

08:21and Prebble Street. So on the coldest

08:23night I think we had not including Shaw

08:25House we had about 220

08:29people in a shelter bed.

08:31>> Right. I was talking about the full full

08:33year dduplicated service uh the number

08:36of people you serve in a whole year

08:38throughout the

08:38>> Oh, great point. I you may have then

08:42given the correct answer. I don't have

08:43that report in front of me right now,

08:45but I wouldn't be surprised if it was

08:46about that number.

08:47>> Yeah, we should be expecting to run

08:49about 400 450 people through those 150

08:52bets.

08:53>> Okay, that answers my question. Thanks.

08:59>> Any additional questions?

09:03All right, we're moving on to the next

09:05update, uh, syringe waste. And so I've

09:08asked, um, Jen to share an update

09:11regarding that.

09:18>> Hi, Jen Gunnerman.

09:19>> Camera's working.

09:22>> I don't know what I [laughter] did.

09:23>> Well, nice work. Whatever.

09:26Um, so I want to provide a little bit of

09:28an update on an overview because I know

09:30syringe waste was part of the

09:31conversation um, last time. So I thought

09:33I would start and give kind of like a

09:35syringe waste 101.

09:39So to start off just to understand the

09:41landscape of who picks up needles, where

09:44needles can be disposed. Um, and I also

09:48want to say that this is kind of a

09:49bigger issue because we also recognize

09:51that there are plenty of people in the

09:52city who are taking medication that

09:54require syringes and don't have a place

09:56to dispose of them and might have them

09:58in gallon buckets in their home. Um, but

10:01in terms of sort of our overall waste, a

10:04couple ways that syringes are disposed.

10:06One is through our syringe service

10:08providers are called SSPs

10:11Sanctuary and Wabanaki. they receive

10:14needles um from many different sources

10:18whether it's their own clients or not.

10:21>> Another entity that picks up syringes is

10:24the street plus program. So that's the

10:27downtown district. They have a very

10:29specific perimeter but they are actively

10:32looking for syringe waste. Um they

10:34provide that number in their annual

10:36report each year and it's actually quite

10:38significant.

10:40We also have theou or the memorandum of

10:42understanding with Wabanaki public

10:44health and wellness. Um this memorandum

10:47is that someone can put a report in for

10:50syringe waste to be picked up. Theirouou

10:54focuses specifically on public land and

10:57I'll describe why in just a few minutes.

11:00And then we have our individual

11:01businesses,

11:03residents, and others um that that pick

11:06up syringes, whether it's volunteers or

11:09or you know, there's been some people

11:11who kind of go around the community and

11:13pick up syringes.

11:16The SSPs, I just want to point out, it's

11:18not just about that people bring

11:19syringes to them, but both SSPs also

11:22occasionally do community cleanups where

11:25they go around to certain parts of the

11:26city. Um, and they're doing more and

11:28more of that.

11:31Just to give you a little bit sense of

11:32data um with the memorandum of

11:35understanding that we had with Wabanaki

11:37in 2025

11:39they picked up 2,947

11:43syringes

11:45um where they got a request to go pick

11:47up a syringe. That was 82 requests

11:50whether they called Wabanaki or they did

11:53the Cclick fix um through the city.

11:56>> Could you repeat that number?

11:58>> Sure. 2,947

12:00syringes

12:03this year that that number is down to

12:05721

12:07syringes yet that has been through um

12:10close to 100 requests. Now, one of the

12:14reasons why that could be down is

12:16because sometimes what happens is if

12:18they get a call to go pick up syringes,

12:21say in the downtown area and Street Plus

12:23has already come through, they may have

12:25already cleaned it up. So they're trying

12:27to, you know, work in coordination.

12:30Wabanaki through that also empties all

12:33the syringe boxes throughout the city.

12:36So we have a map um where there are a

12:39number of syringe boxes throughout the

12:41city. Last year they collected 2,397

12:47syringes in the boxes.

12:49This year they've collected so far to

12:52date 2,299.

12:56There's a lot of fluctuation in which

12:58boxes become um have more syringes in

13:01it. Some of the boxes are smaller. We've

13:03got two of the boxes that are like

13:05mailbox size. Um the one that looks like

13:09a mailbox by the Cobbridge is one that

13:12is often quite full.

13:15>> Did we add more syringe boxes

13:17year-over-year?

13:18>> No. So we we've actually taken out a

13:21few. Say, for example, there was

13:22actually a syringe box on Second Street

13:25and that was removed because of the YMCA

13:27construction and we had a box up at the

13:30encampment. That one was removed. And

13:32then we also had a box down by Dutton

13:35Plaza um just temporarily while there

13:38was the encampment there. Um through

13:41this contract at the last meeting, I

13:42meet with Robini every month about this

13:44contract. We did recognize that there

13:47was um based upon the data and what they

13:49were observing the potential for putting

13:51um two more syringe boxes down on the

13:54waterfront, one on sort of each parking

13:57lot and I'm working with parks and wreck

13:59to make that happen. Um

14:03so that's kind of like what the data

14:05looks like. Oh, sorry. The last part is

14:08um they also do sort of just regular

14:10canvasing as part of thisou. In 2025,

14:14they picked up about 70 needles through

14:17the sort of regular campusing. The year

14:20they picked up about 62.

14:23Those numbers don't count the needles

14:26that are dropped off to them by city

14:29departments, public cls, parks and rack,

14:33um, wastewater. We also bring our

14:36syringes to Wabanaki that are picked up

14:39in a few different ways.

14:42some of the challenges that we have um

14:44for example with this MLOU sort of

14:47public land versus commercial land

14:49versus private land. Theou is actually

14:52specifically and historically was built

14:54for picking up syringes on public land.

14:57You start talking about private and

14:59commercial land there's liability and

15:01privacy issues. So Wabanaki has been

15:03trying to really work within that to

15:05still support syringe cleanup and also

15:07provide some education.

15:10We also know that there is um as I

15:12mentioned people who are storing

15:14syringes in their homes whether it's um

15:17you know through injection drug use or

15:20it's through um well another type of

15:22injection drug use you know they're

15:24using um diabetes medications or

15:26testosterone or weight loss medications

15:28and there is no place for people to

15:30dispose them. We've done a little bit of

15:32research in this area where the sort of

15:36one of the options is they pay $65 for a

15:39small syringe disposal box that they can

15:40then fill up the mail. Um that's very

15:43expensive.

15:45And then the last thing that I would add

15:47is what leads to this is that there's

15:49mixed messaging about how to actually

15:51dispose of syringes. Right now, the

15:54public education both at the state and

15:56federal level is just put your syringes

15:58in a laundry detergent, label it, and

16:00put it out in the trash. The city of

16:02Bangor has an ordinance that you're not

16:04actually able to do that because our

16:06trash goes to the hand and sorting

16:08facility, which um does not want that

16:12being sorted because syringes fly.

16:15There's in their sorting facility. So,

16:17one of the things that has become clear

16:19to us that we want to work closely with

16:21uh the Hampton disposal facility to

16:22understand how we could do some

16:24education around not disposing syringes

16:27that way.

16:29The last thing that I'll just mention in

16:30terms of next steps um a few weeks ago I

16:33did meet with the SSPs, Street Plus, and

16:36some of our own departments to talk

16:38about how we can have um sort of a

16:40better routine handle on sort of what's

16:42happening when people are observing with

16:44syringe waste, what people are doing.

16:46So, we're looking at ways to sort of

16:48provide more information. I had

16:50mentioned about the two new boxes that

16:52we're looking at going in and then just

16:55sort of collecting um evidence-based

16:57ways of how syringe disposal could

17:00happen. There's been ideas of the

17:01redemption program or we've talked about

17:03sort of syringe takeback day because

17:06what we want to make sure that we do is

17:07that we help to support the many

17:09different types of people that may be

17:11having um struggles with disposing their

17:13syringes.

17:17questions.

17:19>> Um I think there's a lot of people um in

17:22residential homes and commercial

17:23properties that aren't um they don't

17:26know what to do. They kind of freak out

17:27when they have used needles. And I know

17:29we're getting emails every day. And

17:31myself as a realtor, I've had two homes

17:34uh broken into to discover needles that

17:37were used. And I called, you know,

17:40Sanctuary and just thought they picked

17:41them up. But they then educated me that

17:44they don't because it's private

17:46property. Um, and being in real estate

17:49and showing property and and interfacing

17:52a lot with residential homeowners,

17:54there's more and more needles being

17:56discovered on their property. So, when

17:58they call the PD or they call, you know,

18:00they call the needle sanctuaries,

18:01they're making an assumption that

18:03they're going to, you know, have this

18:05service provided and they're not. and um

18:08they don't feel that they're um

18:10qualified to pick these needles up. You

18:12know, I think there's a fear factor. So,

18:15is there any idea of how we can um reach

18:19the the residents and the business

18:21owners who are experiencing this, you

18:24know, daily?

18:24>> That's a really great point. One of the

18:26things that um with thisou if someone

18:29contacts Wabanaki and asks they will

18:31provide them education and even say we

18:33can provide you with some of the

18:34materials to be able to go pick up the

18:37syringes but it's an absolute

18:38opportunity where um we can be doing

18:40more around education.

18:47Am I understanding correctly that

18:49[clears throat] a person in that

18:50circumstance uh would receive education

18:52and materials and then could like

18:54provide those needles to Wabanaki for

18:56disposal so they don't have to

18:58>> sneak them into the trash against city

19:01regulations? They they can give them to

19:03Wabanaki. Okay.

19:04>> Yeah. Yes, they can.

19:09>> Any other questions? Just

19:11>> a comment. This is Melissa. Um, so would

19:15you like have they talked I know you

19:17said something about the pickup like I

19:19know they do drug

19:24of

19:25>> that you know I'm so glad you said that

19:28because I that's I think

19:31and that's one of the things that we're

19:32starting I'm going to be putting

19:34together sort of a list of what are some

19:36potential ways and what are some of the

19:37associated costs and I think the syringe

19:40takeback would be potentially very

19:43successful again serving a whole bunch

19:46of different needs.

19:47>> Yeah. Yes, for sure. I mean, I have

19:48tenants that call all the time and it's

19:50like, "How do I get rid of my diabetic

19:51needles and I'm on GLP1 and how, you

19:54know, they're they're collecting and

19:55they don't know where to go because we

19:56also get called about the medication."

19:58So, we give them the, you know, the

20:00dates and times we look for future ones

20:02of the drug pickup. Um, but they're also

20:05having troubles, you know, trying to

20:06call pharmacies to say, you know, can I

20:08bring them here? It would be nice to

20:10also maybe have drop boxes outside

20:12ofarmacies like you know you have the

20:14northern night one so medically medical

20:17needs they can feel comfortable going to

20:19drop them off at somewhere like that.

20:22The challenge is that syringe disposal

20:24is actually quite I don't have the

20:26numbers in front of me right now, but

20:27it's it's not

20:30>> Yeah, they they struggle, especially the

20:32my tenants that are have diabetes, they

20:34do struggle and they do things like put

20:36them in the bottles or the tie bottles

20:38or whatever and you know, they know

20:39they're not supposed to, but at the same

20:41point, they also have children and you

20:42know, all the things. So, they're trying

20:44to be safe and to order one of those,

20:46like you said, it's pricey and then to

20:48exchange them whole pricey. So,

20:51Yeah, I I would like to see that drop

20:54including that.

20:58>> Jason, any questions from you, sir?

21:03>> No, I have no questions.

21:07>> All right.

21:09So, if no other questions, we'll move on

21:11to the next item on the agenda, which is

21:13project hope. So, Shannon,

21:15>> I will keep you as well. Um, so I will

21:19provide a little bit of historical

21:20context with project hope. So project

21:23hope um is a program that's run out of

21:26the city of Portland in conjunction with

21:28the um this program is specifically for

21:32people who are living outside um and

21:34getting them to uh stable housing and

21:38it's done through um an evidence-based

21:40intervention of intensive case

21:42management.

21:44The operations of the program are

21:46somebody who's living outside and who

21:48has a level of readiness to want to be

21:50housed would work with a navigator case

21:53manager to right from the beginning to

21:56engage to build a relationship and then

21:59help bring that person into housing. Um,

22:03and that's done in many different ways

22:05and people experience as you know on

22:07many many different challenges. So maybe

22:08that's helping with applications or

22:10rental showings or getting a birth

22:12certificate or an ID or getting

22:14resources for treatment or recovery or

22:17you know whatever that might look like

22:18for that person's journey helping to

22:21secure that housing helping to secure

22:23the way to pay for that housing and then

22:25staying with that person for at least

22:27six months. So what that's what we've

22:30seen is like we've seen what we have in

22:32the system right now is many wonderful

22:35organizations who can only do up to a

22:38certain point and then need to sort of

22:40hand over to another person. And while

22:43all the intentions are are there to be

22:46supportive that little bit of fracture

22:48sometimes can really um break the

22:52support because the person hasn't built

22:53the relationship with the second person

22:56or they feel like I'm I'm in housing. I

22:58can handle it now or for many different

22:59reasons. So this program would really

23:02provide that person to see a client

23:06through the whole process and then

23:08really help to provide that um security.

23:11The other part of this is with intensive

23:13case management navigation is that the

23:15case load is really small. Um so that

23:18means you know typically a case manager

23:20can have a a fair number of people you

23:22know a couple dozen or more on their

23:24case load. Um, often that's driven by

23:27the services needing to be billable. Um,

23:29and so in order to be able to billable,

23:31you know, you need to you need to see

23:33sometimes a significant amount of

23:35people. But because this is funded

23:37through a grant, it sort of allows the

23:39case managers navigators to have smaller

23:41case loads so they can really have that

23:44onetoone relationship building um and

23:47not be sort of pulled in a bunch of

23:49different directions.

23:51The um program would also include some

23:53discretionary funds. Um so those funds

23:56would

23:58>> sorry

24:00those things those funds would help with

24:02things like um helping to set up a

24:05person's new apartment. Maybe if there's

24:06an application fee or getting a birth

24:08certificate or transportation or a food

24:11package um when they when they get moved

24:13in. Um so those funds would be available

24:16for for those type of supportive um

24:19supportive work. The other part that the

24:21city of Portland has talked about is

24:23that the other benefit um that isn't at

24:27first obvious but if you but you know

24:29thinking through it is the the benefit

24:31of building a relationship with

24:32landlords because what we have seen is

24:35when people are moved into housing and

24:37don't have that ongoing support they

24:39really can sometimes have trouble with

24:40their landlords um for a whole host of

24:43different reasons on on both sides. And

24:46so what this does is when somebody gets

24:48housed and there's a navigator, a

24:51manager that says, "I'm with this

24:52person. Hey landlord, you can call and

24:54talk to me with all the right, you know,

24:57releases in place." Um, I can help

24:59navigate what the troubles might be

25:01because in our experience is that a

25:03landlord doesn't have somebody to evict

25:05them, right? And it's costly with time,

25:08finances, and all those pieces. So, one

25:11of the benefits is that you now have

25:13this lease on working with the landlord.

25:16Um, and that can help with our landlord

25:18relationships as well.

25:21Main housing is willing to put in 70%.

25:24Um, they are looking for a 30% match.

25:27Um, so I've been working to sort of um

25:31work with the city councilors to figure

25:33out where that those city dollars could

25:35come from. Um, we first proposed opiate

25:38settlement funds. Those opiate

25:40settlement funds would come from unspent

25:43funds from the intensive case management

25:46for the HIV um our our HIV case

25:49management work. After completing the

25:53first year of HIV intensive case

25:54management, we realized that we weren't

25:56going to spend all the money that was

25:58allocated. It took time to hire people.

26:01Some costs weren't as expensive as we

26:02thought. Um so projecting we had about

26:05$126,000

26:07of unspent funds from that program. So

26:10what we had first proposed is that those

26:12unspent funds be used as the match. Um

26:16and then we also when that was um city

26:19council wasn't quite sure if that was

26:20the right fit. Um the next thing that we

26:23were able to offer with help from Robin

26:26Sticky is say we could actually use

26:28community development block grant funds

26:30to do half for two years and then opiate

26:33settlement funds to do half and that

26:35could come up with the match. So the

26:38last that was left is um I proposed this

26:41to city council and their recommendation

26:44was to take it back to you here at the

26:46advisory committee to get your feedback

26:48and thoughts. I know that you don't have

26:50a quorum tonight to actually We actually

26:52>> Oh,

26:52>> Dr. Tony has joined. So, we do now.

26:54>> All right. We've got a um I think what

26:57city council and councelor Fish can help

26:59me with this. I think what city council

27:01councils were looking for is your

27:03feedback and your recommendation um for

27:05the program.

27:08>> Councelor Fish, do you have anything to

27:10add on council's expectation or what

27:13they

27:13>> I think um Jen explained it well. I

27:17think we're looking for some feedback.

27:18Um I can't speak for the whole council

27:21but um I believe what our concern was

27:23ongoing obligations that the city may

27:26face beyond you know a year or two with

27:29this as a pilot program [clears throat]

27:31and um you know right now we just are

27:34looking for a strategic plan from uh

27:37from the homeless committee and we don't

27:39know what that may ultimately come up

27:42with if we need a bigger um set aside a

27:45bigger amount of monies to have more

27:48effective overall impact on a homeless

27:51community. We don't want to prematurely

27:53make decisions that sort of, you know,

27:56100,000 here, 100,000 there. Um, so we

28:00we just have concerns about um, you

28:03know, the idea I I think everybody was

28:06receptive to the idea. Um, whether we

28:08replace 30 or 40 more people, it's 30 or

28:1140 more we're helping each year. But

28:13when you look at the big picture of our

28:16future potential obligations on an

28:18annual basis,

28:20um you know, I think it's, you know, is

28:23there a bigger number that could have a

28:25greater impact for a longer period of

28:27time opposed to what we obligate

28:29ourselves now, you know, each year. Did

28:33I explain that right? I think. Yeah.

28:35>> Is there a a deadline for accepting this

28:40main housing grant? Like do does the

28:42city need to make a decision this month

28:45to be able to accept those funds and

28:47they go away or is there a a a timeline

28:50to allow

28:52committee and and other entities to to

28:55try and develop those plans to

28:56councelor's point to make sure that the

28:58recommendation is

29:01>> when housing approached us back in I

29:04think July the hope was that if this was

29:08something we were going to do we're

29:08going to be able to get it going in time

29:10for the colder months to be able to

29:12start moving people into housing. Um I

29:16have communicated with them and they

29:18said that they are willing to kind of

29:19take it step by step with us. There

29:21isn't a deadline. Um

29:24so they're willing to kind of see what

29:26what comes next for us.

29:28>> And then just to follow up, what does

29:32the ongoing commitment look like?

29:34>> Sure. Um so this is just one year of

29:36commitment for main housing. Um, again

29:38looking at the city of Portland as uh

29:41what has happened, they are now headed

29:43into year three of this project with the

29:47city continuing to actually the city of

29:49Portland to actually increasing their

29:52support. This year they're actually

29:54using some of their OB settlement funds

29:55to hire um housing retention specialists

30:00to actually help people stay.

30:06So they have seen success. Um their goal

30:08the first year was to engage with 90

30:10individuals to enroll into house 45 that

30:13is the same sort of goal that we were

30:15setting here in Bangor because it was

30:17going to be the same number of intensive

30:19in terms of what's happening in the

30:21second year. It's a pilot so we you know

30:24this is to see how it goes. This is kind

30:26of the nature of our work sometimes

30:29where we would only get one or a couple

30:30years of funding. If we were not if

30:34there was no funding going further after

30:36this year, what we would do like we do

30:38in many of our situations is we would

30:40make sure that people trans um would

30:43transfer over to a case manager. Um, if

30:47anything, someone could transfer over to

30:49one of our um, city employees doing

30:52housing retention um, or outreach work

30:55or homelessness response coordinator.

30:58[clears throat]

31:04>> Um, I was wondering if [clears throat]

31:06there's any data about the uh, it seems

31:09like one of the the values of this

31:10program is lower eviction rates. I'm

31:13wondering if there's any data about the

31:14eviction rates, like if it's better than

31:16the the typical data for recently housed

31:19people.

31:20>> That's a great question. Again, looking

31:22at the city of Portland, I have to I I

31:24can get those numbers for you. I believe

31:27of the people that have been housed

31:29Bruce, the majority of them stayed

31:31housed in the time that they were there.

31:33So, this isn't a pre-eviction

31:36prevention, but more someone gets

31:39housed, they stay housed. And so I can

31:41get the actual data for you, but my

31:42understanding is probably at least 80%

31:45remained housed even past the six months

31:47that they were providing that support.

31:50>> This is Tony. Do you ask them? Do you

31:53try to transition them out to like after

31:56so long, so many months, those years,

31:58you say, "Hey, let's move on to see if

31:59we can move you out to a different

32:01place."

32:02And what's the success rate for that?

32:05>> Move out of their housing or move case

32:07management.

32:09>> All right. Well, I guess like is the

32:11housing and I sorry I apologize if I

32:13missed the first part of this. So is the

32:15housing permanent for them when you move

32:17them into Okay.

32:18>> So um Okay. So they signed a one-year

32:22lease or whatever you want to call it

32:24that

32:25>> they sign a lease if that's what's

32:27required. Yes.

32:28>> Okay. Okay.

32:30But uh but do case management though, do

32:32you move them along? Like how many of

32:34them require case management the whole

32:36time they're there?

32:38we can get those numbers. Typically in

32:40the work that we do, people who are

32:41coming from living outside and going

32:44into housing, case management is

32:46something that's um a part of their life

32:48for a while.

32:49>> Okay. And and sorry for do you have like

32:53a criteria list that someone would meet

32:56before they can even be eligible for

32:58this?

33:00>> So they have to be living they have to

33:01be living outside. And this is where it

33:04gets a bit subjective, but um oh, I

33:08forgot an important piece of this. I'm

33:09sorry. Um

33:12the funding would include funding a

33:15program coordinator who would also do

33:17some of the case management navigator at

33:19the city of Bangor, but then it would

33:21also provide funding to the three eshop

33:24um

33:25>> emergency shelters including Prebble

33:27Street, Bangor Area Housing, Community

33:29Cares that does Shaw House. Sorry, I

33:32that's a very important piece of this.

33:34Um and so it would actually provide you

33:37know 3.5

33:39case managers navigators. Okay. um as

33:42part of this project

33:44>> because one of the things that would be

33:46nice and I don't know of any tools like

33:47that exists out there is you know if

33:49let's say I'm one of the candidates

33:51trying to get a place there is a almost

33:54like a questionnaire something that you

33:55can complete that assess how ready I am

33:57to get into it because that will give

33:59you an idea how much services I need

34:01because some people could be more

34:02independent than others um you know and

34:05navigate through so um it's like in

34:08psychiatry we have something called

34:09locus score that tells you Hey, what

34:11level of care do you need? But if

34:13there's something like to that effect

34:15that can say, hey, you know, Tony needs

34:16this, but Ben doesn't need this. And

34:19therefore, it makes it easier than just

34:20everybody getting the same thing at the

34:22same time.

34:23>> Yeah, thank you. We do have a few

34:25different types of tools out there for

34:26assessing people's needs um that are

34:29coming into

34:30>> case management or other programs. But

34:32thank you. That's a good reminder.

34:35>> Jason, I see your hand is up. I'm going

34:37to get to you. Um, councelor Fish had

34:39her hand up a minute ago. I but I see

34:42you, my friend. We will get to you.

34:44And I think the other uh concern that uh

34:47Jen did uh just address with uh knowing

34:51that some of this monies would be going

34:53toward a case manager. I think that uh

34:55the council had the other concern that

34:58um with this with what the city provides

35:00now for our case management and our um

35:02health community counseling resources

35:05that they may be spread too thin like

35:07what the time obligation would be and if

35:10one um case manager would really be

35:13enough. what the ultim ultimate impact

35:15might be for case management and other

35:19resources for time and energy that might

35:21be contributed to this program. Um, and

35:24I know that Jen did say that we've had

35:26one full uh time case management, but um

35:30there was just concern centered around

35:32that as well.

35:36>> That's something as well. And then

35:37Jason,

35:38>> so this is Melissa Rhodess. Um I this is

35:42something that I've been advocating for

35:44for a long time. So I would be totally

35:47in favor of something like this. I've

35:48seen the total opposite with not having

35:50that type of support where people just

35:53don't stay housed. Um they the case

35:55managers come and go. They don't stay.

35:57They can't refill those spots. There's

35:59not it's not an intensive care intensive

36:02work with them. So I think um from what

36:07I do seeing it daytoday um and reaching

36:10out to case management reaching out to

36:12the to all the resources I can um having

36:16a smaller setting a smaller worker

36:18because a lot of the case workers I work

36:19with have many too much on their case

36:21load so you call they just there's no

36:24time so I think this program

36:26[clears throat] gives us what we need to

36:27keep people housed I struggle every day

36:30to keep the people that we have housed

36:32that have come from unhoused housed to

36:34stay there. Um, and they just shut they

36:37there it's it's like they get housed,

36:39it's over, they're done. Shut the door.

36:41I I don't need your help anymore, like

36:42you had said. So, to have the intensity

36:45that's there to make sure they at least

36:47get to that six months, honestly, I

36:49think that full first year would be

36:50amazing. Um, because 6 months is really

36:54still not really enough. Um, because I

36:57feel like we get to that six month mark

36:58is we really start to have a problem. um

37:01because they get too comfortable almost

37:03and then people start backing away and

37:05then here we are. Um so yeah I mean any

37:10I think it's better than than what we

37:12have now for sure.

37:14>> Yeah and thank you for saying that that

37:15six month is that could be longer based

37:18upon the needs that we see if someone's

37:20ready for traditional case management.

37:23Thank you

37:28Jason. Go ahead sir.

37:34Oh,

37:37we are unable to hear you, sir.

37:39>> Oh, I'm sorry. Thank you. Um, I have a

37:41follow-up question about the posthousing

37:43services and supports that people will

37:45get. Um, in your memo, you mentioned

37:48that we you will be housing people

37:49outside of Bangor as well as inside of

37:51Bangor. Uh, is there a mileage limit on

37:54where you'll be going? Um, so how will

37:56you do a six-month follow-up with

37:58someone in Whit Pitlock?

38:00>> That's that's a very good question. In

38:02terms of going outside of Bangor, that

38:04would again because we'd be working, you

38:07know, one-on-one with a person, there

38:09would have to be very particular reasons

38:11why they're living somewhere. One, we'd

38:13want to make sure that they still have

38:15transportation and access to whatever

38:17services they need to go to. We also

38:19won't know that there are some people

38:20who come to Bangor because they had to

38:23leave their community because they

38:24couldn't navigate the housing services

38:26there. So, if we're able to support

38:28someone in going back to a community

38:30that they have been a part of and help

38:33them get settled there and then, you

38:35know, make [clears throat] sure they can

38:36still access resources. So, this is not

38:38about, hey, we have somebody and hey, we

38:41just happen to know that there's a

38:43rental unit in

38:46Patton. let's let's get them connected

38:48there. This is really about like, okay,

38:51what is a good fit for this person and

38:53let's make sure that they're still able

38:54to access the way that they can. Um, we

38:57know that the city of Portland has

38:59absolutely gone outside of Portland and

39:02been able to successfully make sure that

39:04people are still connected to their

39:05service.

39:06>> Will that six-month follow-up be face

39:08toface?

39:10>> Oh, yes, absolutely. Yeah. This is this

39:12is about a person a case manager

39:14navigator staying with a person visiting

39:17their apartment you know staying with

39:20them active in their life for that time

39:22period.

39:23>> I did uh 13 13 years of intensive case

39:27management uh with the office of mental

39:30health and substance abuse and I did it

39:32all in the city streets of Bangor. I um

39:35I look forward to the day when we have

39:37intensive case management with a low

39:38with a high acuity and a low case load.

39:41um we have some staff to be able to do

39:43that. Thank you for your for answering

39:44my questions.

39:47>> Dr. Tony, sir,

39:50>> sorry to unclick myself. Um do you have

39:53the number for um like the people who

39:57didn't last long or people end up

39:59leaving for whatever reason and do you

40:02have an idea what that reason is and

40:04things like that?

40:06>> I do not have that data from Portland.

40:08Yeah, you'll be curious to see how many

40:10of them successfully stay and how many

40:12people didn't make it.

40:20>> Other questions?

40:21>> I I have a basic understanding uh of

40:25like the opioid settlement funds. Uh but

40:27I actually don't really understand

40:29community development block grants. Is

40:31this uh is this magic money that grows

40:33on trees or

40:35what I do understand is it's not

40:37something that is a a part of our

40:39property taxes right uh correct so where

40:43does it come from so the community

40:45development block and Robin can correct

40:46me where I go astray I don't have to be

40:48dangerous um these are federal dollars

40:51um the one thing to keep in mind with

40:53this is that this funding if funded

40:56through community development block

40:58grant falls under the public service

41:00category

41:01you can only spend a certain percentage

41:03of those funds on public service. So

41:06instead of saying all 146,000 because

41:09that would like move the city a little

41:11bit to closer to their cap that 6363

41:15split um might be something that's more

41:17manageable and in talking with Robin is

41:20that if 63,000 came from community

41:23development block grant we could

41:24actually do that for two years. Um, and

41:27so that would just if the program's

41:30successful or it just needs some minor

41:31tweaks going to a second year. I mean,

41:33housing still has the funding, you know,

41:35we would only need to look for that

41:36other 63. Um,

41:39and in terms of the opiate settlement

41:41fund, you know, homelessness is both a

41:43cause and effect of opiate use disorder.

41:46Um, and so it fits in and aligns with

41:49the approved uses and it is what city of

41:51Portland is also using as part of their

41:53match.

41:54>> Thank you.

41:56>> Sure. any additional information on

41:59those grants as where it comes from?

42:01>> Um, yeah. So, the city has a dedicated

42:05amount of CDBG funding and since we no

42:09longer um fund BCAT as part of that

42:12initiative, we did the first four years

42:14of BCAT. So, that funding line has been

42:17extinguished. And so we have now this

42:20room inside that that public services

42:23bucket that, you know, we can use to

42:26advance our goals. And specifically, the

42:29city council approved our plan, which

42:32included the goal to decrease and

42:34prevent homelessness through a variety

42:36of different approaches, including an

42:38approach that this this project would um

42:41be attached to. Um

42:45yeah, so it would be eligible and it

42:48would be a way to kind of distribute

42:50some of that financial burden, the risk

42:53and then also the accountability because

42:55HUD's involved. They can be very

42:58stringent too and they can give us the

43:00technical support and all the the

43:02support that their homeless team has as

43:04well.

43:08>> Followup questions.

43:11Do you have a hand up?

43:16>> Can I just add one other piece to this

43:19that is also sort of really special

43:21about this funding is that the while the

43:23funding would come to City of Bangor, it

43:26would then be distributed to Bangor Area

43:28Homeless Shelter, Crebble Street and

43:30Community Care. And what [clears throat]

43:33I think is an added benefit is that it

43:36would allow these organizations to be

43:39funded in the same way with the same

43:41goal. So that really allows an

43:43environment to foster collaboration

43:47with the right releases in place. It

43:49also allows case managers to talk to

43:52each other when they experience some

43:53challenges with a client like what have

43:55you done in this situation? Do you have

43:57a resource that we can leverage? What

43:58are your ideas? So it really provides

44:01support among case managers

44:03[clears throat] who are working on the

44:04same program together. Um I think

44:07sometimes we lose sight of how the

44:09workforce needs to like support each

44:11other and help work through some of the

44:12challenges.

44:16>> So are these housing navigators and

44:21these roles this is going to fund are

44:22they city employees or are they going to

44:24be employees of the the recipient? They

44:27will be there'll be one employee for the

44:29city of Bangor and then Bangor area

44:32homeless shelter Preville Street and

44:34community cares with each employer

44:36but they'd all be working and we would

44:39be doing the memorandums of

44:41understanding and the contracts with

44:43those organizations. So we would be the

44:45entity holding everyone accountable.

44:56Okay. So, council is looking for a

44:59recommendation from the committee. So, I

45:03will open it to the floor. Does anyone

45:05have strong feelings one way, another

45:09teal, please? You know what? Can you

45:11hold that for a second? I think Teal

45:13needs to get moved over as a panelist.

45:16>> Jason,

45:21>> we can't hear you again. Jason,

45:22>> you said that the committee is looking

45:23for recommendations. Are they looking

45:25for funding recommendations or support

45:27programmatically?

45:29>> So, so I believe they are looking for

45:31and somebody correct me wrong if you

45:33feel otherwise. They're looking for just

45:36the committee's recommendation based on

45:38this specific proposal that's in front

45:41of us. Um, it's included in our packets.

45:43I think it's the first attachment in the

45:45packet regarding the $300,000 grant from

45:48main housing and the $126,000 match from

45:51the city of Bangor which the funds for

45:54the match would become split between

45:56opioid settlement funds and the CB

45:59>> community development

46:01>> CBG uh grants.

46:04>> So it is a funding question uh as well

46:07as a programmatic question. I I support

46:09the program uh wholeheartedly. Uh but

46:12the funding we should certainly talk

46:13about. Um I think I I think I support it

46:17more with the share 6363

46:20um than from from the straight opioid

46:23settlement money. Um

46:25>> Jason, not not I I believe and and again

46:27correct me if I'm the the proposal is to

46:30split

46:32>> the 63

46:33>> the C and the opioid sentiment. Correct.

46:36to make up proposal that was put in

46:38front of the city council.

46:42>> Thank you.

46:44>> Was uh was teal raised in this hand?

46:46>> I just moved teal over to panelist. So

46:48if you call on teal,

46:50>> do you have something my friend?

46:53>> Uh no. I've I've I've mostly been trying

46:55to troubleshoot how to figure out how to

46:57get onto the right side of Zoom, but I

46:59think that uh some folks helped me out

47:01and uh I'm now where I'm supposed to be.

47:04So, I'm just catching up um because of

47:06my technical difficulties, but I'm here.

47:07Hello.

47:09>> Hello.

47:11All right. So, I re

47:13>> I'd like to make a motion,

47:14>> please.

47:15>> I'd like to buy a ball. No. Um uh now uh

47:19I I move that uh we recommend to the

47:22council um acceptance of the proposal

47:24that splits funding um between CDBG and

47:28opioid settlement funds uh for uh for

47:31the 30% match from the city for project

47:34help.

47:37>> Do we need further discussion before or

47:40does somebody want a second?

47:42>> Second.

47:43>> Second. So we have a second. So, we will

47:45put this motion to to vote in support of

47:49this proposal for 300,000 from main

47:52housing, 126,000 match from Bangor split

47:57between the grant funds and the opioid

48:01settlement funds.

48:04Did I summarize that accurately? All

48:07right. So, we'll we'll start with the

48:09screen. Oh, we did we lose Dr. Tony?

48:12>> Oh, you said okay. So we will start with

48:14the screen. Jason,

48:16>> yes.

48:18>> Dr. Tony,

48:19>> yes.

48:20>> Teal,

48:21>> I

48:23want

48:25>> Yes.

48:27>> So that is

48:30>> I'm I'm bad at math right now. Um, six

48:33yeses.

48:34>> I don't know if you

48:35>> Oh, yeah.

48:36>> Yeah. Thank you, Ben.

48:40So

48:42>> absolutely.

48:45>> Thank you, M.

48:48All right. So the next item on our

48:50agenda is the discussion on the Bangor

48:54opportunity proposal which was

48:57kicked from the last meeting. We had

48:59originally planned to have that

49:00conversation last meeting, but the other

49:02topics came up um took a little bit of

49:04extra time. So, I'd like to open the

49:07floor for anyone to share their

49:08thoughts, keeping in mind that we have

49:10about an hour and 10 minutes left in the

49:12meeting, and we still have at least one

49:15other item that we really want to get

49:16to. So, I'll open the floor.

49:21>> It seems to me like a collection of

49:23programs.

49:25uh when I read it, it um it kind of

49:29comes together in in in the way I read

49:32it that it's more of a collection of

49:34services and ideas than it is a than it

49:36is one program or service. Um as I read

49:40through it, it seems very like you could

49:42pick some of these and attach them to a

49:44day program as a program and they would

49:47work very well. You could take some of

49:49these and you could attach them to other

49:50services and they might work very well.

49:53Um, but I I don't see it as a as a um

49:59a a general approach. I think it it

50:02really seems to be in different parts.

50:09>> Thank you, Jason. Anybody else?

50:14>> I know it's been a while since we

50:15probably looked at some of this.

50:25I [clears throat] feel like it it uh I

50:27want to agree with what Jay said that

50:30it's um it's it's many parts, but I want

50:34to add I I think that ultimately that

50:37strategic plan that's due nine months

50:40from now tick tick tick uh will be a set

50:44of parts uh that help form a plan. So

50:47like this is the closest of the three

50:51that we looked at

50:53to what I think our end product might

50:55look like for me. Um I think uh you know

51:00Carolyn's was much more about um

51:03research and like this is what I found

51:05as I talked to a lot of people right

51:08like I think it was like 40 different

51:09people uh which is really valuable you

51:12know and and so that's part of our

51:14process but it's not a plan by itself

51:16it's it's like talking to a bunch of

51:18different people that's that's part of

51:20research um and then I felt like uh

51:23Jonathan's uh was a lot of conversations

51:25that need to Right? And my gosh, you

51:28know, an an accomplished uh consultant

51:33suggesting the conversations that need

51:35to happen, you know, not a shock, right?

51:37And so that's also valuable. But in

51:39terms of what the final product of our

51:41group would look like, the structure of

51:43this is the closest to what I I'm kind

51:46of picturing is something that names

51:48specific activities and then says,

51:50"We'll do this. We we recommend that you

51:53do this at this level with this uh

51:55amount with this purpose. Um we don't

51:58need to you know have names and acronyms

52:00for everything but we do want to say

52:02these are the kinds of things that we

52:03want to see happen. So that's for me

52:06like when I get kind of excited about

52:08what we produce and on June 30th at at

52:1211:59 p.m. you know

52:15I I kind of picture something that looks

52:18structurally at least more like this.

52:23Repeat back. Ben

52:26>> exactly what both Ben and Jason are

52:28saying.

52:30>> He I see your hand is raised.

52:32>> Um yeah, I think you know, looking at

52:36the

52:37um opportunity plan um you know

52:40obviously it is a compendium of a lot of

52:42different resources and a lot of

52:43different thoughts. I I'm still of the

52:45mind, you know, especially that, you

52:48know, in our early sessions, we our

52:52mandate was updated to where we could

52:54give intermittent sort of point in time

52:57uh suggestions to the um council to make

53:02improvements uh on homelessness.

53:05Um, and I still feel I I think I said

53:09something similar to this after the

53:10feedback session that there there are

53:12things right now that we could pull out

53:15of the opportunity plan, things that we

53:17could pull out of the fish plan and all

53:18the other um proposed plans that are

53:22sort of lowhanging fruit. Not in the um

53:25regard that they're low quality or that

53:27they're they're unhelpful, but that they

53:29would require um relative of relatively

53:34however that word is said um relatively

53:37little effort to implement, you know, in

53:40terms of the strategic capacity and the

53:43manpower uh like the dashboard. There

53:46are ways that we could um accommodate

53:48aspects of that plan right now. and you

53:51know, as far as I can tell, uh, make a

53:53meaningful, if peacemeal difference. Uh,

53:56and I wonder if some of our stakeholders

53:59would feel more heard, uh, and more

54:02valued by this committee if we could

54:05weave that into our agenda sooner rather

54:09than later. You know, like the

54:11dashboard, for instance, seems like a

54:12freebie. And I get that people feel that

54:14it's sort of a astral goal and that it

54:18doesn't necessarily tackle things. But I

54:20think what it would do is um

54:25create a sense of accountability and and

54:27build trust so that when people are

54:28looking at this committee and looking at

54:30the entire constellation of committees

54:32that the city has that they're not

54:34feeling like um there there is no way to

54:39reach us or that you know there is no

54:41way to hold us to account. you know, the

54:42dashboard would be would be doing some

54:45of that and would be,

54:48you know, an a step in the right

54:51direction in terms of messaging. So, I

54:53think, you know, that that is one thing

54:55from the opportunity plan that, you

54:57know, I'm fully on board and rip

54:58roaring. I'm still rip roaring and ready

55:00to go on that. Um,

55:02I don't know that that's where I'm at.

55:04Uh, let me know how other folks feel.

55:10>> Thank you, Tio. I mean I I also would

55:12just like to point out that um during

55:14these discussions if there are things

55:16that we feel are um actionable and

55:19really like there is absolutely no

55:22problem with somebody making a motion to

55:25or to bring that up and say hey we

55:27should be making this recommendation.

55:29That's what we're here to to do. So

55:32please, if there are things that you see

55:33in these plans that to use your

55:35terminology talanging fruit that you

55:37feel like could be made actionable

55:39pretty quickly,

55:42make those motions. That's kind of what

55:44we're here to do. Though I would say

55:47that I I think personally that building

55:50the bigger strategic plan and

55:52[clears throat] and having those

55:54peacemeal pieces put into the larger

55:56plan is a better way to go. However,

55:59this is not a dictatorship. So, please

56:02make those motions if you feel strongly

56:04about something.

56:05>> Yeah, I'm I'm happy to raise a motion

56:08right now. Um,

56:12I I introduce a motion to um recommend

56:16to the city that we create a dashboard

56:18that um notates what changes uh and what

56:22assets the city is currently employing

56:25to um work on homelessness and also um

56:30create some sort of accountability for

56:32the things that are already uh being

56:36involved by this committee. So, anyone

56:39would second my motion.

56:44Do we have a second?

56:50Seeing none, the motion fails. Um, T, I

56:55I think you're I think you're you're on

56:57the right track. I think we need more

57:00direction, though. Um, I think what that

57:03motion that was articulated was very

57:05broad. Um, I think if we're going to

57:07make something like that, I think we

57:09really want to be very um deliberate and

57:12specific as to what what the metrics

57:15are, what we're asking for, what we're

57:17recommending to the city. Um, because

57:20broad strokes just are way too open to

57:23interpretation. Councelor Fish,

57:26>> and and I think it's an excellent idea,

57:28too, and and I hope to see that in part

57:30of the strategic plan. I just think that

57:32if it was presented now, uh, we as a

57:35council would say, well, what would be

57:38we need the strategic plan to know what

57:40should be on the dashboard. So, uh, I

57:43think that that should definitely stay

57:44on the table and something that I hope

57:46we do see. And and I know also, uh, one

57:50of the things we talked about earlier, I

57:52know we kept referring it to like a

57:53clearing house hub and, um, we didn't

57:56want to confuse that with, you know,

57:58what we know of and commonly refer to as

58:01the hub. So, I went back to the person

58:03after that meeting and talked and they

58:05call it a a triage coordinator. So um

58:10when uh these other communities outside

58:12the service community participate or

58:14they opt in and then there's that 247

58:18um person they manage they she also told

58:20me they have two full-time employees to

58:23take these 24-hour calls and then they

58:26do an assessment and they know who to

58:28call um because they're familiar with

58:30all the resources. So, I just wanted to

58:33take the opportunity because I know that

58:34was talked about a lot to try to have a

58:36247 call and depending on what the

58:39situation they'll all vary. Um, and they

58:42don't call it a hub. I was kind of

58:44referring to that, but they call it a

58:46triage coordinator 24 response team. So,

58:50um, and and I think

58:53that was something we talked about is

58:54also potentially being something that

58:57probably needs more information, but

58:59that we could keep on the table perhaps.

59:03>> Absolutely.

59:05>> That makes a that makes a lot more sense

59:07to me when you say triage coordinator as

59:10opposed to hub. that that probably

59:12removes about 10 of or 15% of the

59:14questions or maybe even more that I had

59:16when I wrote back to you about about

59:19what you had written. Um because we have

59:21a hub and we have coordinated entry but

59:24we don't have anyone triaging. We had

59:26triage in the past. Um and it worked

59:30well for Hope House the people who had

59:32it but I don't think it worked well as a

59:34systemic response because people didn't

59:36buy into it. Um it worked very well for

59:39Hope House. Hope House had kept their

59:41weight list. They were able to triage

59:42people. Um, but I would like to see that

59:45more of a systemic way across Bangor.

59:48Um, and um, when when when responding to

59:52you, I was unsure of what you meant by

59:54hub, but if you mean triage

59:56coordination, that makes a lot of sense.

59:59>> Bruce, do you have color? I heard

1:00:02something. Okay. Sorry.

1:00:04>> It's me. Um, I have question. So for for

1:00:07the triage coordinator though I I like

1:00:09the idea but I think we do need to um

1:00:13um be mindful that we set benchmark that

1:00:16this person can reach because in a way

1:00:21you know again you know the first thing

1:00:23people say oh spending more money for

1:00:24something and they need to know what

1:00:26they're going to get for spending money

1:00:27on this position. So we got to figure

1:00:30out what we can measure to say, "Hey,

1:00:33because of the money we spend, we save

1:00:35this because of what she did." But it's

1:00:37a something to effect. Otherwise, it's

1:00:39just going to see people just say, "C

1:00:41you're just putting more money in for

1:00:43nothing."

1:00:44>> And without we're talking about input

1:00:46into the system and not throughput out

1:00:48of the system. So it would be easier to

1:00:50bring more people in, but we still don't

1:00:52have throughput out until there's

1:00:54housing and good housing and a lot of

1:00:56housing. We don't have 100% throughput.

1:01:03And that could be a second stage thing.

1:01:05I mean, I don't know. It's just it

1:01:06doesn't have to be the first state, but

1:01:07something like if we expect this

1:01:09position to do this, then we need to be

1:01:11able to identify some benefit from this.

1:01:19>> Makes sense.

1:01:21Any other thoughts, comments,

1:01:24observations? council.

1:01:26>> I think along with housing, at least

1:01:28from the emails we get daily, um, and

1:01:31the interactions that that, you know,

1:01:34we're having from a lot of our

1:01:35residents, I think that, uh,

1:01:36rehabilitation and mental health, even

1:01:39if we have the housing, I I think

1:01:42somehow the delivery of where these

1:01:45individuals are at at the street and

1:01:47trying to deliver them the service that

1:01:49include uh, rehabilitation and mental

1:01:51health services

1:01:53are is significant as housed from the

1:01:57emails that we're having. So I I think

1:02:00housing is a significant part of it, but

1:02:02I think also we have to be mindful of of

1:02:05the mental health resources that we

1:02:06lack.

1:02:12>> Ben, you look like you might have

1:02:13something. Oh, I I just have incomplete

1:02:16understanding of of how what the

1:02:19framework is of the mental health

1:02:21resources, and I'm not discreet at all.

1:02:24I literally just don't know. Um

1:02:27[clears throat]

1:02:29what what's the distinction between

1:02:31lacking mental health resources to to

1:02:33give people which is true and also folks

1:02:37who are un ready to accept those accept

1:02:41treatment and accept resources and like

1:02:44what what are the different parts to

1:02:46that problem that that's I that's all I

1:02:49was thinking about. So if I had a

1:02:50troubled look on my face, that's all I I

1:02:53No disagreement. Uh yeah, more more

1:02:56mental health resources for sure. U I

1:02:59just I also wonder about that, you know.

1:03:01So that's that's the troubled book that

1:03:03I that I have.

1:03:07>> Could could I make a comment related to

1:03:09that, Ben? So one of the one of the

1:03:14components at least when you think about

1:03:16substance use disorder for example is

1:03:18the access to services at the right

1:03:20time. So someone is not going to be

1:03:23ready until they're ready. And so many

1:03:27programs specifically attach themselves

1:03:30to trying to anticipate that moment that

1:03:33a client is ready. Whether they're, you

1:03:35know, showing up because they want

1:03:38Suboxone in the minute because they have

1:03:40a clear minute and then that next clear

1:03:43minute after that is when you could do

1:03:44some work. So the access to services

1:03:47that hinge on the availability of

1:03:49services. So that right moment is hit

1:03:52for them when they whatever is going on

1:03:56with that particular client that they're

1:03:58ready and something is available. It can

1:04:00be very difficult and challenging to

1:04:02coordinate that but that's some of the

1:04:05major aims at least in the you know in

1:04:06the field of substance use um and the

1:04:09provision of services is trying to time

1:04:11the access to the services when that

1:04:14client is ready.

1:04:16>> Do we lack that right now if that's

1:04:18>> there's been a lot of effort. So, I wish

1:04:20that um Amy was here cuz she could speak

1:04:23a little bit about like the bridge

1:04:24program and some of the other ways that

1:04:26that has um evolved over the years, but

1:04:29specifically it has been about trying to

1:04:32put those resources in an area um so

1:04:36that the likelihood that a person ready

1:04:40has you know from decision to action

1:04:43that is shortened as much as possible.

1:04:47I think in a way the mental health

1:04:48services needs to be almost like a fast

1:04:50foodish thing. I have to say this. Uh

1:04:53when they're in crisis, they need that

1:04:55services right then and there, not the

1:04:58system we built in that basically take

1:05:00them through so many hoops and by the

1:05:03time they get to actually the service

1:05:05stuff, it's actually way past. So it's

1:05:08and the service needs to be actually

1:05:09mobile going to them not um them coming

1:05:13to us because I I think partly because

1:05:16we don't have enough of us that's why

1:05:17they come to us but the problem is

1:05:19that's not how they function. They they

1:05:20work better with mobile services.

1:05:24I did notice project angel in the

1:05:27opportunity plan uh that that Justin

1:05:30Russell shared with us um as as an

1:05:33example of that like they they said 95%

1:05:36of the time in cluster mass uh somebody

1:05:39walks into the police station and um is

1:05:42connected with with uh recovery services

1:05:46like immediately and my sense is from

1:05:49what I'm hearing we're not ready to

1:05:51offer that because we don't have those

1:05:53services available.

1:05:54in in abundance enough that that we

1:05:57could put the police in that situation

1:05:58of having to get people there.

1:06:01>> Well, it's not the fact that you don't I

1:06:02think there's some services, but the

1:06:04problem is is still they can't get them

1:06:05in fast enough. So it's almost like you

1:06:09know it's it's almost

1:06:12but the opposite that hey you know have

1:06:15a mobile van that sits at the corner of

1:06:18you know Main Street and you know

1:06:20something and then basically they that

1:06:22becomes the clinic they come to and that

1:06:25moves around a little bit to different

1:06:26spots that way you hit different people.

1:06:28I mean the mobile outreach is probably

1:06:30more beneficial for some of these folks

1:06:32because we can get to them. I mean a lot

1:06:35of them just you know they have to come

1:06:36certain hours of the day and you know so

1:06:39many place only certain places they can

1:06:40hit and many of them have multiple

1:06:41appointments they can't hit multiple

1:06:42appointments at the same time that's

1:06:44almost setting them up to fail

1:06:48I see your hand is raised

1:06:51>> uh yeah I I just wanted to tag in and um

1:06:54actually pretty much uh completely agree

1:06:57with Tony uh and that's one of the

1:06:59things that I I um thought that was

1:07:02interesting about that RFP the

1:07:04uh issued

1:07:06a while ago um concerning a day space is

1:07:10that it was

1:07:12pitched to this idea of transportation

1:07:14and that the some of the funds would go

1:07:17towards either the organization that

1:07:20actually um ends up taking the RFP on or

1:07:25someone that they're they're paying or

1:07:27giving part of the funds to maybe a

1:07:29partner organization like a church or

1:07:31another nonprofit.

1:07:33um

1:07:34is that you know my experience from

1:07:37doing the outreach and and the recovery

1:07:39coaching is that that is is squarely

1:07:42true. And even if you want to take

1:07:43advantage of government services like

1:07:46you know a main care ride um if you're

1:07:49on a bus line you're

1:07:52your options are different. There are

1:07:54all of these things that are modifying

1:07:57your options and the last person that is

1:08:00going to have the time or the access to

1:08:02a computer um or access to a phone to

1:08:05pour over those options and figure out

1:08:07what actually exists and is out there

1:08:09for them is someone who's unhoused on

1:08:11the streets or is someone who is going

1:08:13through active use. And so I think um

1:08:17you know it is it's something that we

1:08:19should definitely keep in mind

1:08:21especially when we're thinking

1:08:22aspiration aspirationally about projects

1:08:24like a hub um is it's great to have a

1:08:27triage coordinator someone who

1:08:29understands the ecosystem very well um

1:08:33but they're about as empowered as you or

1:08:38I right now sitting in this committee

1:08:39meeting uh without the ability to

1:08:42transport that individual And so I think

1:08:45that if you know um if we were to take

1:08:50advantage of something like that down

1:08:51the road or or form that as part of our

1:08:53strategic plan that like in addition to

1:08:55creating a hub and creating triage roles

1:08:58would be um

1:09:01you know putting aart some sort of funds

1:09:03or um some program or structure for uh

1:09:08there to be some transportation and

1:09:10resources for these individuals so they

1:09:12can get around and get where they need

1:09:14to

1:09:15Um,

1:09:17and I think it's one of those things

1:09:19that would, um,

1:09:21save us a lot of time, money, and

1:09:23heartache as well, because a lot of

1:09:25times, um, transportation is is sort of

1:09:29like an early intervention, right?

1:09:32where, you know, if someone has an

1:09:34escalating mental health crisis, a lot

1:09:36of times all they need to do is get to

1:09:37their recovery coach or get to their

1:09:40therapist or get to the, you know, speak

1:09:42to a crisis worker um before they are

1:09:47hospitalized, before they are

1:09:49overdosing. And if we could reach them

1:09:51in that moment of time where the acuity

1:09:54is dramatically reduced,

1:09:57um that that would be helpful. Um, so I

1:10:00think that's just something to keep in

1:10:02mind.

1:10:06>> Sure.

1:10:08>> I'd just like to add um I think Dr.

1:10:10Ring's point is something that it's the

1:10:11dilemma that uh public safety um deal

1:10:15with on a regular basis is the u like

1:10:18Robin had pointed out, it's when the in

1:10:21the hours that are outside of what

1:10:23typically people are available to

1:10:25assist. um if those resources were

1:10:27available, that would be an excellent

1:10:28thing to add to those resource cars that

1:10:30we had discussed um as a committee a

1:10:32couple meetings ago. If those resources

1:10:35exist um in those off hours when the

1:10:38person is experiencing crisis and needs

1:10:39help in the moment, um we would be more

1:10:42than happy to add those resources and

1:10:44make sure our staff and um I'm sure

1:10:46Bangor Fire would do the same with EMS

1:10:48to make sure that people are aware of

1:10:50those resources. So, it's a good

1:10:53discussion. I I really appreciate what

1:10:55everyone is saying at the moment.

1:10:59>> Sure.

1:11:02Any other

1:11:04thoughts, comments?

1:11:11>> Once

1:11:13soul

1:11:15>> Alton, I I have a question for you. So,

1:11:17as your staff designate, um, I'd like to

1:11:20be helpful. And so, I'm keeping track

1:11:22from these conversations some of the

1:11:23themes that are arising so that when you

1:11:25come to a point of starting to develop a

1:11:28strategic plan, I can bring these back

1:11:30to remind you. And I so I just want to

1:11:32make sure that I've captured some of the

1:11:33themes from this conversation accurately

1:11:35if that's okay.

1:11:36>> Please.

1:11:36>> So, one of the themes that I heard is

1:11:38around accountability and transparency.

1:11:41And one activity to get there could be a

1:11:43dashboard like activity. I also heard a

1:11:47theme around triaging um something that

1:11:51has evidence behind it and may have even

1:11:53been practiced locally in a smaller way.

1:11:56Another theme around mobile services or

1:11:59bringing services to where people are at

1:12:01being an important component. And then

1:12:03the last sort of theme that I have here

1:12:05is balancing the lowhanging fruit um

1:12:08with the more involved solutions as part

1:12:11of your plan. Did I capture that

1:12:13accurately? Anything did I miss?

1:12:16believe so. Does anyone disagree?

1:12:19>> I would like to add something to that

1:12:20list. I um would like to see Bangor

1:12:24bolster and improve their family

1:12:26services around homelessness. Um I've

1:12:29said at our last meeting and I'll

1:12:31continue I hope to to be able to say

1:12:33that I would like there to be a time

1:12:35when Bangor says we don't have any

1:12:37homeless students. Um and um I think

1:12:42that starts with family sheltering um

1:12:44and and and family supports through

1:12:47through Bangor. So I would like to see

1:12:49that uh maybe on the list of of things

1:12:51to talk about in the future. Thanks.

1:12:58>> I I think in the beginning too one of

1:13:00the things uh we established was very

1:13:03important important it was

1:13:04communication. how do we uh reach the

1:13:07public um about you know our homeless

1:13:11comm community because without a lot of

1:13:14uh information and communication there's

1:13:16a lot of myths out there um so and I

1:13:19think that the better maybe the

1:13:21dashboard would be an avenue for that

1:13:23but the better communication we have for

1:13:26even the partners to be able to

1:13:27collaborate communicate and how we can

1:13:30educate and communicate with the public

1:13:33um so I I think communication ation and

1:13:35it falls back to the family support um

1:13:38perhaps to what resources would be

1:13:40available for family support. So I know

1:13:43in the beginning uh we started out with

1:13:45communication and I had all of those

1:13:47aspects also Jen for what we talked

1:13:50about tonight dashboard mobile outreach

1:13:54and triage. Anything

1:14:01else?

1:14:05>> All righty.

1:14:06>> Um, Alton, could I just make a quick

1:14:08comment just to clarify if this list is

1:14:11going to be sort of suggested components

1:14:14of what that plan was? Okay. I just

1:14:16wanted to clarify what that list you

1:14:17were creating.

1:14:18>> It was just themes from the

1:14:20conversation. Gotcha.

1:14:21>> Okay. Thanks,

1:14:27Let me spin around. Everyone say

1:14:30anything else.

1:14:32>> All right. So, moving on to the next

1:14:35agenda item, which is landscape for

1:14:37addressing homelessness. So, this was

1:14:38included in our

1:14:42page should [clears throat] be five. Um,

1:14:46Chant, Bruce, do either of you want to

1:14:49come talk about this document that you

1:14:51guys have so wonderfully created?

1:14:54>> Bruce is not volunteering for anything

1:14:56tonight.

1:14:59>> A dangerous exercise, by the way. You

1:15:01start creating lists of of things

1:15:05because you the dangerous part about it

1:15:07is you always forget something

1:15:09[laughter] and then someone gets angry

1:15:11with you that you forgot to them. Um,

1:15:13but this was really sort of Bruce and I

1:15:16put our heads together. I know that you

1:15:19have been having conversations around

1:15:21sort of like what are some of the assets

1:15:23and strengths and resources that are out

1:15:25there? What are some things that are in

1:15:26process and what are some of the

1:15:28challenges and gaps challenges and gaps

1:15:31this was just a place to help you with

1:15:35the conversation. This is not exhaustive

1:15:38exhaustive at all. Um, this was just

1:15:40something that we put together from our

1:15:41perspective and what we heard in the

1:15:43community. Um,

1:15:46I know that as part of your strategic

1:15:47planning process, doing an environmental

1:15:49scan um, and mapping was sort of sort of

1:15:52some of the groundwork that you wanted

1:15:54to lay. So, we thought that maybe this

1:15:55would be helpful as you that can be a

1:15:58huge undertaking. So, maybe this could

1:16:00be something to help you um,

1:16:04lay a foundation for that work.

1:16:06So what we did is in the assets

1:16:09resources and strengths is really sort

1:16:11of list out some of those buckets of um

1:16:15that are available in the Bangor area in

1:16:18the in process. These are the things

1:16:20that are currently um unknown. Um

1:16:24there's steps that have been taken to

1:16:26around these projects or activities but

1:16:30there isn't any final say at this time.

1:16:34And then the challenges and the gaps

1:16:36were again um from the perspective of

1:16:38Jen and Bruce um what we saw through our

1:16:43work.

1:16:48What questions,

1:16:50comments, thoughts does anyone have?

1:16:56>> So while you all ponder, I will just say

1:16:58that I I found this incredibly helpful.

1:17:00We've talked multiple times about having

1:17:02like a road map or a a a a path or a web

1:17:06or we've used a lot of different terms,

1:17:08but when I saw this document, I felt

1:17:10like this was this was incredibly

1:17:11helpful to help kind of put everything

1:17:14into one very quick kind of quick

1:17:17reference sheet um for us to look at as

1:17:20we're talking about the strategic plan,

1:17:22as we're talking about the issues that

1:17:24the strategic plan needs to help solve.

1:17:26It's all kind of spelled out here with

1:17:30the things not exhaustive but a lot of

1:17:32the things that are happening currently.

1:17:35So, uh I would love to hear what other

1:17:38people feel about this document.

1:17:44Counselor,

1:17:46>> I thought this was great. Um it was even

1:17:48as a counselor to see it u like this. I

1:17:51know what we have in in process

1:17:53obviously, but when you [clears throat]

1:17:54see it all broken out into the assets

1:17:56and resources and then I think about

1:17:58conversations we've had um with with us

1:18:02counselors and um just you know that I'm

1:18:05just going to have an example and this

1:18:06doesn't mean we're going to do it or

1:18:08we've just asked each other sometimes

1:18:10and workshop um for instance the street

1:18:13plus money that that it it is out of a

1:18:16tip out of downtown but could that money

1:18:19be more effectively

1:18:21applied to something else. And we don't

1:18:23know, we're not saying that. I mean, it

1:18:25has its place and it seems to be going

1:18:28well, but when we see that $350,000

1:18:32or so, we just ask ourselves, is is

1:18:36there a more effective or a better way?

1:18:39So I think when we look at the resources

1:18:42um you know we've created them um you

1:18:45know as a end time situation and and

1:18:49things that have have worked well but

1:18:51sometimes when we get together and we

1:18:53talk at council and something comes up

1:18:55for an agenda or it's due up again to be

1:18:57funded we always ask ourselves is this

1:19:01the most effective use of these funds.

1:19:04So to have them out here and now know

1:19:07that we're going to have a strategic

1:19:08plan uh and look at our strengths and

1:19:11weaknesses. It'll be a good time to look

1:19:13at those resources to see maybe where

1:19:15they can be rearranged

1:19:18or or um those funds applied to

1:19:21something else maybe more effective for

1:19:24the plan that we come up with. So this

1:19:26was great. Thank you guys for doing this

1:19:28even for council. This would be great

1:19:30for all the councils to have as well.

1:19:32>> Um this is Tony. um you know looking at

1:19:35this first of all I really appreciate

1:19:36you taking time to do this so that's

1:19:38wonderful um I I would say from a lay

1:19:42perspective when you don't know the

1:19:44landscape you take one look at this you

1:19:45think there's a lot of stuff out there

1:19:47so why are we putting more money into

1:19:48this thing because they don't know the

1:19:50capability of each of these programs

1:19:52they don't know the capacity of each

1:19:53programs and they don't know the work

1:19:55they do so I think it's important that

1:19:58once we get this to start

1:20:01uh giving a more realistic picture of

1:20:05what people can see with these agency

1:20:07because yes it looks like a lot but it's

1:20:10not a lot because the limitations they

1:20:12have or what kind of clients they can

1:20:13only serve. So I think if we can as a

1:20:17deeper dive for some you know it's

1:20:18probably education of our own knowledge

1:20:20as well too because even looking at this

1:20:22I mean for example without going into

1:20:24details you would not be able to tell uh

1:20:27oh shoot I just lost it um

1:20:30um

1:20:32sorry I could you would not be able to

1:20:34take say you know um how much sesa place

1:20:37can handle how much water works can

1:20:38handle I wouldn't know the difference in

1:20:40terms of exact numbers So

1:20:50what else?

1:20:52>> You've done a good jobs on the

1:20:53challenges and gaps.

1:21:00>> Bruce has been working in this field for

1:21:01many years. Great insight.

1:21:06>> And this is also what we've heard from

1:21:07others.

1:21:11And I'd just like to add that I on the

1:21:13challenges and gaps. I mean this is

1:21:14amazing. This is really good. But I do

1:21:17see you know just whether you want to

1:21:19say it's to this or side note but you

1:21:21know I worked in mental health group

1:21:23homes for many years and managed many

1:21:26and the the amount of those group homes

1:21:29for mental health challenges that are

1:21:30closing and closed and you know I lost

1:21:33my position due to $100,000 cut that we

1:21:37saved the PD honestly from going in many

1:21:40times um to because we were at the

1:21:42hospitals for 36 hours with with our you

1:21:45know the people suffering and then you

1:21:48know right before losing that position

1:21:50dropping someone no longer qualified for

1:21:53a GAF scor and lived in a bedroom in

1:21:56this house for 21 years and having to

1:21:59drop them off at the shelter knowing

1:22:00they're schizophrenic and they're not

1:22:02going to know if they're being handed a

1:22:03candy or fentanyl. You know, it becomes

1:22:05very scary and you worry because this

1:22:08has been their routine. Their meds are

1:22:09handed to them. They've gone grocery

1:22:11shopping. They're learning the skills to

1:22:12be independent. But now you have those

1:22:15as soon as those that starts to trickle

1:22:17and you know there's not even mention

1:22:19any more of group homes right like the

1:22:22benefit of that group home really the

1:22:25staffing they do a tremendous job and

1:22:28they work extremely hard but they also

1:22:30keep people off the street and they keep

1:22:33making sure their mental health is going

1:22:35to the psychiatrist is going to the med

1:22:37management and getting the care that

1:22:39they need so you don't see them. So

1:22:41what's happened, you know, the mental

1:22:43health group homes close and what do we

1:22:44see? An increase in crime rate. We see a

1:22:47increase in homelessness because they

1:22:49don't know how to take care of

1:22:51themselves at this point. And now all

1:22:52those services that were consistently

1:22:54given to them no longer are given to

1:22:56them. And the meds that they

1:22:58consistently needed for their mental

1:22:59health are no longer given to them. And

1:23:01now they're taking whatever they can get

1:23:03and trying to band-aid whatever's going

1:23:06on with them mentally, which is in it's

1:23:09it's really it's it's really bad. It's

1:23:11it was I felt you we've always had the

1:23:15struggles, but I felt definitely more

1:23:16controlled. And I've seen, you know,

1:23:18since being out of that and in what I'm

1:23:19now, I still see them closing. I still

1:23:21talk to those people and, you know,

1:23:23fighting to keep them open. But there I

1:23:26I go by and I see people that I house

1:23:28that were in our group homes that it

1:23:30makes me heartbroken to see on the

1:23:32street because I know that they don't

1:23:33have the first idea right now how to

1:23:35take care of themselves. So just to blur

1:23:38like I just don't see you know when you

1:23:40make sure that's

1:23:41>> Yeah. You just don't see that anymore on

1:23:43there. And it really, you know, people

1:23:45look at group homes in all all different

1:23:46ways, but I I, you know, was inside it

1:23:49and know how hard people work to not

1:23:52involve the police, not in and deal with

1:23:54things on their own and transport the

1:23:57difficult people to those appointments.

1:24:00And crisis intervention was 247. You

1:24:03know, we would take somebody to the ER

1:24:04at 2 am, meet crisis services there, and

1:24:07stay there till they're till we figure

1:24:09it out. people were able to go in for a

1:24:11med holiday and get the help they

1:24:13needed. Um, so just something I see as

1:24:16far as a challenging gap. Now,

1:24:19>> now we're about to see changes in

1:24:20Medicaid.

1:24:21>> Yep,

1:24:23>> for sure.

1:24:27Anything else?

1:24:33>> No. Okay.

1:24:37Um, so that was the the last item on the

1:24:40agenda for tonight's meeting. So I will

1:24:43open the floor. Does anyone have

1:24:45anything additional that needs to be

1:24:46discussed prior to our next meeting? Um,

1:24:50and while you ponder that, I do want to

1:24:51point out that our next meeting is

1:24:53October 13th, not October 6th. Um, I

1:24:56know we've been under the impression it

1:24:58was every other week, but it is the

1:25:00second and fourth Tuesdays of the month.

1:25:03So, make sure nobody shows up here next.

1:25:06Uh,

1:25:07>> would have been me.

1:25:07>> Yeah, me too. So, I'm glad uh Jim

1:25:11clarified that for me. Um,

1:25:13>> when?

1:25:14>> So, it is October 13th.

1:25:18>> So,

1:25:18>> that's the day I usually do my medical

1:25:20board meeting. So, I may be late coming

1:25:22from a custo.

1:25:24>> Okay.

1:25:26Anything else that we need to talk about

1:25:28before we adjourn this meeting?

1:25:31How are Tuesdays working for everyone?

1:25:33Has everyone had a been been accessible

1:25:36on Tuesdays? Has it worked for everyone?

1:25:39>> As long as you could make the video

1:25:42portion available because it's just

1:25:44hard, you know, I think that makes my

1:25:45life at least just more flexible because

1:25:48otherwise I'll be running over town.

1:25:51So, that's really been helpful.

1:25:57>> Yeah, I think it seems to be working

1:25:58well. we tend to have at least a quorum.

1:26:01So

1:26:03>> awesome. Well, with that,

1:26:05>> Ben, one more thing. I want to thank the

1:26:07folks from the city because I know we're

1:26:09meeting whatever time, but you folks are

1:26:11also spending time getting the data and

1:26:13being present for the meeting. So, I

1:26:15want to just acknowledge that, you know,

1:26:17you guys are making your piece of

1:26:19sacrifices as well.

1:26:22We do greatly appreciate