[00:00:01]
SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.I AM THE CHAIR OF THAT COMMITTEE OVER CUNNINGHAM IS THE VICE CHAIR MEMBERS ARE GERALD, ALICE, HOWARD.
IS THERE ANY OF THE OTHER MEMBERS PRESENT? UH, DO YOU HAVE A I'M HERE.
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
THEN I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER AND START WITH THE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE.[3. PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN PUBLISHED, POSTED, AND DISTRIBUTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT]
THIS MEETING, UM, HAS BEEN PUBLISHED, POSTED, AND DISTRIBUTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
FOUR IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
ANY DISCUSSION? ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS, ANY ALTERATIONS TO THE AGENDA DURING NONE AND NO OBJECTIONS? THE AGENDA IS APPROVED.
[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - AUGUST 15, 2022]
IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? SO, MOVE, MISS CHAIRMAN.
MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT THE MINUTES OR ANY CORRECTIONS TO BE MADE? HEARING NONE.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO APPROVING THE MINUTES? HEARING? NO OBJECTIONS.
THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF AUGUST 15TH, UM, ARE APPROVED.
ITEM NUMBER SIX IS CITIZEN COMMENTS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY BROWN? NO, SIR, I DON'T HAVE ANY.
UM, SINCE THERE ARE NO CITIZENS COMMENTS, WE'LL CLOSE OUT ITEM NUMBER SIX AND MOVE
[7. PRESENTATION FROM THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF THE MENTALLY ILL - MICHELLE CASEY]
ON THE AGENDA.ITEM ITEM NUMBER SEVEN IS A PRESENTATION FROM THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF THE MENTALLY ILL SHELL, CASEY, IS THERE, COLONEL FOOT, WOULD YOU HANDLE THE INTRODUCTIONS, PLEASE? YES, SIR.
UM, TODAY I'VE GOT MICHELLE CASEY LINED UP TO GIVE A QUICK PRESENTATION ON NAMI.
AND I MET MICHELLE AT A LEADERSHIP OF HILTON HEAD, UH, CLASS.
AND WE TALKED FOR A LITTLE WHILE.
AND, UH, SHE HAD JUST RECENTLY GOT PROMOTED TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF NAMI FOR THE LOW COUNTRY.
AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, IT'D BE A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE YOU COME AND, AND DO A LITTLE SMALL PRESENTATION WITH US AT COUNCIL SO THAT WE COULD, UH, GET YOU ON THE COUNTY CHANNEL AND UNDERSTAND MORE OF WHAT NAMI DOES.
FOR MOST PEOPLE THAT DON'T KNOW WHAT NAMI IS, NAMI IS THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE AT A MENTALLY ILL.
AND ALTHOUGH THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT AGENCIES OUT THERE THAT PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE MENTALLY ILL, NAMI IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT AS THEY PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE FAMILY AND CARETAKERS OF PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESSES.
SO THEY'RE A SUPPORTING ROLE THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH NAMI OF THE LOW COUNTRY FOR MANY YEARS, UH, AT THE DETENTION CENTER.
UH, WE HAD THEM HELPING THE FAMILIES OF PEOPLE THAT WERE POSSIBLY MENTALLY ILL, UH, THAT WERE INCARCERATED.
SO I GOT TO KNOW NAMI VERY WELL.
AND, UM, THEY'RE A GOOD ORGANIZATION FOR RESOURCES, UH, FOR THESE FAMILIES.
AND I THINK THAT JUST LIKE A LOT OF OTHER DIFFERENT 5 0 1 3 CS AND OTHER VOLUNTEERING, UH, AGENCIES OUT THERE, THEY'VE HAD A REALLY TOUGH GO AT IT DURING COVID WITH A LOT OF VOLUNTEERING, BACKING OUT AND NOT WANTING TO VOLUNTEER ANYMORE.
SO IT'S TOUGH TO GET THOSE VOLUNTEERS OUT THERE TO HELP WITH THIS ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE.
SO I KIND OF WANTED TO BRING THIS BACK UP TO LIGHT, UH, THAT NAMI'S OUT THERE, THAT NAMI PREDOMINANTLY WORKS OFF OF VOLUNTEERS AND VOLUNTEER BASIS ON HOW THEY PROVIDE THEIR SERVICES.
AND I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO THOSE SERVICES BECAUSE I'M GONNA ALLOW MICHELLE TO, TO HANDLE THOSE, UH, COMMENTS AND, AND TAKE YOU THROUGH WHAT NAMI OF THE LOW COUNTRY DOES.
UM, SO WITHOUT ANY FURTHER ADO, I WILL LET MICHELLE CASEY, WHO'S THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF NAMI OF THE LOW COUNTRY, TAKE OVER FROM HERE.
[00:05:01]
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, COLONEL AND, UH, MICHELLE, MAY I JUST TAKE A MOMENT AND WELCOME YOU TO THE COMMUNITY SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING, UH, SO THAT, YOU KNOW, IN ADDITION TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE ZOOM MEETING AND, AND IN ATTENDANCE, THIS IS, UM, ON THE COUNTY CHANNEL AND IT WILL ALSO BE RECORDED SO THAT IN THE FUTURE, IF ANYONE WANTS TO GO IN AND HAVE A LOOK AT THIS VIDEO, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO DO THAT.WITH REGARD TO YOUR PRESENTATION, WE'VE BEEN TALKING QUITE A BIT ABOUT THE ISSUES OF MENTAL ILLNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY LATELY, TYING IT IN, OFTEN TO, UH, HOMELESSNESS AND ALSO TO THE RISE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
AND WE THINK THAT, UH, IT'S AN IMPORTANT TOPIC AND I'M VERY HAPPY THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO CARVE SOME TIME OUT TODAY OVER AND TELL US ABOUT YOUR ALL VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION.
CAUSE UM, WE'RE NOT REALLY SURE WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP, UM, BUT WE'RE ANXIOUS TO FIND OUT WHAT EVERYONE IS DOING SO THAT IF WE CAN FIND A ROLE IN THIS AND PROVIDE SOME KIND ASSISTANCE, WE'D LIKE TO STEP IN AND DO THAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR COMING AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU, UH, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE.
AND I AM AM GRATEFUL THAT, UH, PHIL BROUGHT ME IN ON THIS.
AND I, AT THIS TIME, AS HE MENTIONED, I AM NEW TO THIS ROLE, BUT I'M NOT NEW TO NAMI.
I HAVE BEEN WITH NAMI FOR 10 YEARS AND HOW I WAS INTRODUCED TO NAMI, I WAS A MOTHER WHO WAS DESPERATE WITH NOWHERE TO GO AFTER MY DAUGHTER HAD, UM, HAD A FOURTH SUICIDE ATTEMPT.
AND SO I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO THINK OF NAMI AS MUCH LIKE AA AND ALANON.
AS FOR ALCOHOL RECOVERY, THAT'S WHAT WE ARE.
WE DO NOT HAVE, UM, DOCTORS OR PSYCHOTHERAPY.
WHAT WE ARE IS EDUCATION, SUPPORT AND EMPOWERMENT.
SO WE HAVE, UH, 14 DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. BUT HAVING SAID THAT, WE'RE NOT LINEAR IN OUR APPROACH FOR THE SUPPORT IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT FOR A SECOND, LET ME JUST TAKE YOU TO WHERE WE WERE.
UM, NAMI LOW COUNTRY IS AN AFFILIATE OF A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION.
NAMI IS THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS.
WE HAVE 600 AFFILIATES ACROSS, UH, ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
AND WE HAVE, UH, THE, THE NATIONAL AND THE STATE ASSOCIATION.
I'M ALSO ON THE BOARD FOR THAT.
AND THEN OUR LOCAL AREA, OUR LOCAL AFFILIATE SERVES FIVE COUNTIES, WHICH IS NEW JASPER HAMPTON, CO AND ALLENDALE.
IT'S HARD TO REACH ALL THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE IN THE RURAL AREAS, AND IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT SINCE COVID.
UM, BUT HAVING SAID THAT, IT'S A YEAR IN NOW THAT I'VE BEEN IN THIS JOB, IN THIS POSITION.
BEFORE THAT, I WAS ON THE BOARD IN THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD.
AND THIS JOB CAME ABOUT AS, UH, A RESULT OF OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SARAH LAK, WHO RETIRED AFTER 14 YEARS.
SO I WAS KINDA GREEN AS FAR AS WHAT, UM, NEEDED TO BE DONE WITH THIS ORGANIZATION FOR THE FIRST YEAR.
AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD TO, UM, LOOK AT WHAT WE ARE AS A COMMUNITY AND WHAT IT IS WE NEED.
AND I FEEL LIKE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF GAPS.
SO HERE'S WHERE THAT'S WHERE WE WERE.
THIS IS WHERE WE ARE NOW AS AN ORGANIZATION.
WE ARE NOW STARTING TO GET SOME TRACTION, UM, BACK AFTER COVID.
WE ARE TRAINING MORE, UH, VOLUNTEERS AND FACILITATORS, OUR PROGRAMS OR EVIDENCE BASED, THEY'RE WRITTEN BY DOCTORS.
SO EVEN THOUGH WE'RE NOT COUNSELORS, WE ARE TRAINED BY, UH, PROGRAMS THAT ARE WRITTEN BY DOCTORS.
WE HAVE AWAY TO TAKE THESE PROGRAMS, THEN WE HAVE, THAT'S HOW ABOUT BY CHANCE? YES, MA'AM.
WELL, I'M FOR THE VISUAL PEOPLE HERE.
I'M SCREEN SO YOU CAN SEE THE PROGRAMS. SO CAN YOU ALL SEE THOSE FOUR ITEMS? OKAY.
FAMILY TO FAMILY, IS THAT THE LAST, UH, YEAH, THERE'S ACTUALLY 14 PROGRAMS AND I CAN SEND THIS OUT TO, UH, YOUR COMMUNITY.
I, I DON'T WANNA OVERLOAD YOU WITH TOO MUCH INFORMATION BECAUSE I JUST WANT YOU TO GRASP THE IMPORTANT CONCEPTS.
UH, B OKAY, LET ME BRING IT UP HERE.
LEMME MOVE YOU OVER HERE SO I CAN SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.
LET JUST TELL YOU WHAT CONNECTIONS IS.
SO THAT'S KIND LIKE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING WITH ILLNESS IN RECOVERY.
THEY OFTENTIMES ARE LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO REBOOT THEIR LIFE.
AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES WITH MENTAL ILLNESS IS LONELINESS.
[00:10:01]
SO FOR PEOPLE THEN TO FIND THE TRACTION, BECAUSE IF THEY'VE LOST THEIR JOBS, THEY'VE BEEN IN THE HOS, IF THEY'VE BEEN HOSPITALIZED OR IT'S TAKEN A WHILE TO STABILIZE AND PEOPLE HAVEN'T UNDERSTOOD THEIR ILLNESS, THEY OFTEN END UP IN A SOCIAL ISOLATION.SO CONNECTION IS A SUPPORT GROUP THAT MEETS WEEKLY, AND THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE GO WHO HAVE THOSE, UM, ISSUES AND WANNA REBUILD THEIR LIVES.
IT'S MORE OF INDEPTH, UH, COACHING PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE WITH.
AND SO THAT IS ANOTHER THING FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH ILLNESS.
OUR FAMILY SUPPORT GROUP THAT IS FOR LOVED ONES LIKE MYSELF, I WAS INVOLVED WITH THAT AND THE FAMILY SUPPORT GROUPS WE MEET IN, UM, ON ZOOM AND IN PERSON.
SO WE HAVE A HYBRID OF THOSE, UM, THAT ARE ARE HAPPENING ALSO IN BEAUFORD COUNTY AND ALSO THROUGH ZOOM, THE FAMILY TO FAMILY PROGRAM.
I'M GONNA TELL YOU, THIS PROGRAM CHANGED MY LIFE.
THIS IS A VERY IN DEPTH PROGRAM.
IT TEACHES YOU HOW TO COMMUNICATE AND TO, UM, IDENTIFY THE WHOLE PROCESS OF MENTAL ILLNESS, HOW THE, THE SYSTEM WORKS WHERE WE HAVE TO BE PROACTIVE IN ADVOCATING FOR FAMILY MEMBERS.
I'M GONNA TELL YOU, I'LL PRESENT THIS WHEN I DO TO, UH, I TALK TO POLICE OFFICERS.
IF I'D HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROGRAM 15 YEARS BEFORE I WAS INTRODUCED TO IT, IT WOULD'VE CHANGED A LOT OF THINGS FOR ME.
MY INTRODUCTION TO MENTAL ILLNESS HAPPENED WHEN MY HUSBAND WAS SICK AND HAD TO CALL THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND HE ENDED UP IN A MENTAL HOSPITAL.
AND THE BOTTOM LINE IS, I, I WAS GIVEN THE ADVICE OF, OH, WELL GET EVERYTHING OUT OF YOUR NAME, YOU'LL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN.
AND I SAID, WHERE DO I GO TO FOR SUPPORT? THERE WAS NO SUPPORT THEN.
THERE WAS NO, SO NAMI'S COME A LONG WAY IN PROMOTING THESE PROGRAMS AND GETTING THE WORD OUT.
OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS IS SORT OF AN INTRO TO, UH, WHAT FAMILY TO FAMILY DOES AND HELPS PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF UNDERSTANDING HOW TO TALK TO SOMEBODY AND LIVE WITH SOMEBODY WHO HAS A MENTAL ILLNESS AND BE HELPFUL RATHER THAN HURTFUL.
UM, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WHEN PEOPLE ARE DESPERATE AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, IT ESCALATES AND THERE'S JUST A LOT OF GAPS.
NAMI BASICS, THAT'S A PROGRAM THAT WE TEACH IN, UH, IN THE YOUNGER GENERATION.
WE PROVIDE DAYCARE FOR THE, UH, FOR YOUNG PARENTS WHO ARE LOOKING TO TRY TO OFFSET PROBLEMS THAT SEEM TO BE SHOWING UP IN THE YOUNGER CHILDREN.
AND SO WE'RE GOING TO SCHOOLS INTO LIBRARIES.
AND WE ALSO OFFER THAT IN SPANISH WITH BCC FUNDAMENTALS.
ONCE AGAIN, RECRUITING THE FACILITATORS FOR THIS AND GETTING THEM IN THE TRAINING PROGRAMS, BECAUSE THE TRAINING PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN ONLY HAPPENING ANNUALLY.
BUT NAMI HAS BEEN ADJUSTING AND IS NOW DOING ZOOM TRAININGS IN ORDER TO GET MORE FACILITATORS OUT IN THE FIELD AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
UH, SORRY, MY BRITISH ACCENTS SPANISH ACCENT, LET'S SAY BILINGUAL PROGRAM TO PROMOTE AND PROMOTE OUTREACH AND MEANINGFUL DAY ENGAGEMENT IN THE LATIN COMMUNITY.
WE FEEL THAT THIS IS A FOCUS THAT WE REALLY EXPAND RIGHT NOW, WORKING MENTAL HEALTH TO ALLIANCES, TO THAT'S PROGRAM, UM, THAT WE PUT INTO CHURCHES.
WE ARE NOW AIMING TO PUT MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCE CENTERS AND TEACHING CLERGY MEN AND PEOPLE IN THEIR CONGREGATION TO HAVE THEIR OWN RESOURCE CENTERS BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE GATHER.
AND THIS, UM, MANY OF PEOPLE THERE THAT CAN HELP, UH, CARRY THAT LOAD.
CRISIS INTERVENTION TRAINING, THIS IS ONE OF MY VERY FAVORITE PROGRAMS. UM, WE TEACH THIS.
WE, THIS IS A STATE OFFERED PROGRAM THAT GOES ACROSS THE STATE.
IT'S BEEN IN BEAUFORT COUNTY THREE TIMES THIS YEAR.
AND WHAT WE DO IS WE EXPLAIN TO PEACE POLICE OFFICERS HOW THE EXPERIENCE WE HAVE PEOPLE THERE, HAVE HAD EXPERIENCE WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT OF WHEN THEY'VE BEEN IN CRISIS, WHAT TO DO, WHAT NOT TO DO, AND THEN ALSO TO OFFER TOOLS TO, UH, THE, UH, TO THE POLICE OFFICERS SO THAT WHEN THEY'RE ON SCENE, THEY KNOW WHAT TO DO.
NOW I WANNA JUST, UH, ELABORATE ON THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM, WHY IT'S SUCH A PASSION FOR ME.
BECAUSE AS WHENEVER A POLICE OFFICER IS SHOWING UP ON THE SCENE, THEY HAVE ABOUT FOUR SECONDS AND 25 FEET TO ASSESS WHO IS THE DANGER IN, IN THAT, IN THAT SITUATION.
AND THEY HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION THEN WHO IS THE THREAT AND THEN REMOVE THE THREAT.
AND IF IT'S SOMEBODY IN CRISIS WHO IS PSYCHOTIC, THERE'S REALLY NOT A A PLACE THAT IS IN BETWEEN THAT.
[00:15:01]
BUT A POLICE OFFICER HAS RESOURCES AND, AND IT'S A LOT ON THEM.AND THAT I, I, I JUST TAUGHT A CLASS MAYBE THREE WEEKS AGO AND I SAID, WHAT COULD WE AS A COMMUNITY DO TO HELP YOU TO OFFSET, UM, THE, THE PRESSURES THAT YOU'RE NOW UNDER? BECAUSE CALLING 9 1 1, THERE ARE NOW PROBLEMS THERE.
I'VE EXPERIENCED THIS MYSELF, EVEN WITH THE, UH, CRISIS, UH, TEAMS, CRISIS, MOBILE UNITS, UNLESS SOMEBODY IS GOING TO ATTEMPT SUICIDE OR IS HOMICIDAL, UM, THOSE RESOURCES ARE SO THIN THAT THE, THE GAP IN THE MIDDLE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE BEING ADDRESSED.
SO I ASKED THE POLICE OFFICERS WHAT WOULD WORK, WHAT, WHAT COULD WE HELP THEM WITH? AND THEY SAID, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS BEEN REALLY HELPFUL WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT IS WHAT BLUFF POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS DONE WITH HANNAH ANDERSON, WHICH IS A, UM, MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE WHO HAS TAKEN OFF A LOT OF THE STRESS OF THE POLICE OFFICERS THAT SHE COMES TO THE SCENE.
SHE DOES A LOT OF THE FOLLOW UP, AND IT THEN, UH, RELIEVES THE, THE STRESS AND THAT ON THE MANPOWER THAT YOU HAVE WORKING IN THE FIELD.
SO I THINK TO GET MORE PEOPLE IN THOSE ROLES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTIES WOULD BE IDEAL.
UM, AS PARTICULARLY IN BEAUFORD AS THE NEED IS GROWING ALSO, UM, WITH THE LAW ENFORCEMENT, IF SOMEBODY IS DANGEROUS.
AND IN A PSYCHOTIC EPISODE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS, I HAD A CASE WHERE I CALLED OVER AT THE BEAUFORD COUNTY JAIL AND I TALKED TO COLONEL GRANT AND I SAID, WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP? SHE SAID, WELL, THERE ARE A LOT OF GAPS THAT WERE MISSED BEFORE THAT WE GOT GOT HERE.
BUT IF SOMEBODY IS IN CRISIS AND THEY BECOME VIOLENT, THERE'S NOT A PLACE FOR THEM TO GO.
AND THE THING IS, IS ONCE THEY'RE INCARCERATED, THERE ISN'T A WHOLE LOT ANYBODY CAN DO TO ADVOCATE AND HELP MOVE PEOPLE FROM THAT SITUATION UNTIL A BED BECOMES AVAILABLE THAT HAS THE SECURITY TO HOUSE THOSE PEOPLE.
SO THOSE PEOPLE CAN BE MED MEDICALLY, UM, IN CRISIS, MENTALLY REALLY NEED MENTAL HEALTH ATTENTION RATHER THAN INCARCERATION.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER GAP THAT I'VE IDENTIFIED IN MY YEAR HERE THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS.
AND I'D LIKE PARTNER THE COUNTY PRISON SYSTEMS SO THAT FAMILY MEMBERS KNOW HOW TO RESPOND BEFORE PEOPLE GET TO THAT CRISIS.
ANOTHER VERY INVALUABLE, UM, PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE IS SOMETHING CALLED ENDING THE SILENCE.
THIS IS WHERE WE'LL TAKE SOMEBODY WHO'S BEEN IN THE SCHOOL, WHO HAS, UH, A YOUNG PERSON WHO HAS HAD A MENTAL HEALTH, UH, PROBLEM, AND THEN WE HAVE A FACILITATOR AND WE DO IN SCHOOL PRESENTATIONS AND TEACH MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS HOW TO RECOGNIZE WHEN THEIR PEER IS IN TROUBLE.
THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO TELL THEIR PRE THEIR FRIENDS WHEN THERE'S A PROBLEM THAN THEY WILL THEIR PARENTS OR A TEACHER.
AND WHAT WE DO IS WE HELP THEM IDENTIFY WHO THOSE SAFE PEOPLE ARE WHEN THERE'S A PROBLEM THAT SEEMS TO BE OCCURRING.
ONE OF OUR OTHER PROGRAMS IS IN OUR OWN VOICE.
THIS IS A PUBLIC EDUCATION PRESENTATION.
THIS IS WHERE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM HAVE RECOVERED, GO INTO THE HOSPITALS AND OFFER HOPE TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN RECENTLY HOSPITALIZED AND CONNECT THEM TO OUR ORGANIZATION.
WE NEED MORE PEOPLE TO DO THAT.
IT WAS DIFFICULT TO DO THAT DURING COVID, BUT NOW THE DOORS ARE OPEN AND WE'RE BACK ONLINE WITH THAT.
NAMI HOME FRONT IS BASICALLY LIKE FAMILY TO FAMILY, AND THAT HELPS, UH, FAMILY MEMBERS, UM, SUPPORT OUR, UM, MILITARY VETERANS WHO HAVE SERVED IN A SUFFERING FROM A MENTAL ILLNESS OR TRAUMA OR, UM, POST TRAUMATIC STRESS SYNDROME AND ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS WE OFFER FOR FREE.
WHAT HAS BEEN AMAZING WITH NAMI AS FAR AS WHERE WE ARE NOW, WHERE WE'RE GOING, WE'RE BECOMING MORE ADVANCED.
AND IF WE HAVE JUST A MINUTE, I'VE GOT A SHORT LITTLE VIDEO I'D LIKE TO SHOW YOU IF IT'LL ALLOW ME, UM, I'LL PUT THAT UP HERE AND SEE IF I CAN GET THIS TO YOU.
I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO SEE THIS, BECAUSE THIS CAME FROM NATIONAL AND IT SORT OF GOES OVER EVERYTHING THAT I HAVE SAID AND IS REALLY VERY INFORMATIVE OF FAR AS WHAT WE'RE DOING ON A NATIONAL LEVEL.
AND LEGISLATIVELY, CAN YOU ALL SEE THAT? CAN, CAN YOU HEAR IT? UH, NO.
YOU CAN'T HEAR IT OFTEN TIMES.
LET ME SEE IF IT'LL LET ME GIVE YOU SOUND.
OFTENTIMES THAT'S THE TRICKY THING WITH THESE VIDEOS.
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I'LL DO, IS I'LL SEND THAT LINK OUT TO YOU, TO YOUR GROUP SO THAT YOU CAN WATCH IT
[00:20:01]
IN THE PRIVACY OF YOUR, YOUR OWN SCHEDULE.AND THEN, UM, IT'S WELL WORTH WATCHING.
BUT THERE'S ONE THING THAT I, I WILL SHARE WITH YOU THAT IS ON THE BOTTOM OF THE VIDEO THAT WE'VE, ONE OF THE THINGS NAMI HAS DONE, ME STOP MY SHARE.
THIS IS THE MOST FANTASTIC WAY TO GET THE MESSAGE AND HELP INSTANTLY TO A 15 YEAR OLD.
SO IF YOU HAVE AN IPHONE, YOU CAN SIMPLY DO THIS.
TALKING TO SOMEONE MIGHT HELP.
IF YOU'D LIKE, I CAN HELP YOU CALL A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER, OR YOU CAN FIND HELP ONLINE@NAMI.ORG.
WOW, THAT'S A GREAT TOOL THAT'S JUST COME OUT.
AND THE OTHER THING THAT WE'VE DONE WITH N IS, UH, ALSO WE HAVE REALLY PUSHED LEGISLATIVELY TO GET THE 9 88 NUMBER, WHICH NOW THAT'S OUR ROLE.
HOW WE CAN HELP THE COMMUNITY IS THE MANPOWER AND THE FUNDING IS SHORT FOR, UM, TENDING TO PSYCHIATRIC APPOINTMENTS.
I'M SEEING A HUGE GAP WHERE PEOPLE WHO WANT HELP, NEED HELP ARE HAVING PROBLEMS ACCESSING A PSYCHIATRIST.
WE NEED MORE PSYCHIATRISTS IN, IN THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH, THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH, FIVE COUNTIES LIKE WE DO IN BEAUFORD COUNTY ALONE, FIVE COUNTIES, AND THEY HAVE THREE, UH, THEY HAVE TWO WORKING PSYCHIATRISTS THAT ARE ABLE PRESCRIBED MEDICINES AND A CLINICAL DIRECTOR AND THE, THEY'RE, SO THEY'RE DOING VERY WELL WITH WHAT THEY HAVE DONE.
WE'VE PARTNERED WITH THAT DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH.
AND SO AS THEY HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING THROUGH THEIR SYSTEM, WE ARE THEN HELPING WITH THE AFTER, AFTER SUPPORT SO THAT WHEN THEY COME OUT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH, WE CAN HELP WITH THAT.
UM, I'M SEEING HUGE GAPS WITH IF WE CAN FIND A WAY TO, UM, HELP WITH THE GAPS IN COST OF MEDICINES.
BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE COME OUT OF THE HOSPITAL, THEY HAVE ABOUT 10 DAYS TO GET AN APPOINTMENT, THEY GO THROUGH A COUNSELOR, THEN THAT'S THE SCREENING, THEN ANOTHER COUNSELING APPOINTMENT, THEN THEY CAN SEE A DOCTOR.
SOMETIMES THAT CAN TAKE UP TO SIX WEEKS.
I'M GONNA TELL YOU WHY THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
YOU KNOW THIS, WE HAVE ALMOST 200,000 PEOPLE IN BEAUFORD COUNTY ALONE.
THE STATISTICS SAY ONE IN FIVE HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE.
SO I'M NOT A MATHEMATICIAN, BUT I BELIEVE THAT'S ABOUT 40,000 PEOPLE.
THOSE ARE THE REPORTED NUMBERS.
SO IF YOU'VE GOT 40,000 PEOPLE THAT HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE, LET'S SAY HALF OF THEM HAVE ENOUGH INSURANCE OR HAVE SUPPORT AT HOME THAT THEY CAN GET THE CARE THAT THEY NEED, THAT LEAVES 20,000.
MAYBE SOME PEOPLE DON'T EVEN, MAYBE THEY'RE SELF-MEDICATING OR CAUSING PROBLEMS OR DOMESTIC VIOLENCES, WHO KNOWS? ALL I CAN TELL YOU THAT EVEN IF YOU ONLY HAD 5,000 PEOPLE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY ALONE, IS IS TWO OR THREE PSYCHIATRISTS PRESCRIBING PSYCHIATRISTS ENOUGH TO CARRY THAT MODE THAT'S GROWING.
WHAT WOULD IT MEAN FOR US IF WE COULD GET AHEAD OF IT AND START DOING AND WORKING MORE ON PREVENTION, WHICH IS WHAT NAMI'S ROLE IS GONNA BE, AND HELPING EDUCATE PEOPLE BEFORE THEY GET TO THOSE CRISIS MOMENT.
WHAT WOULD IT MEAN IF NAMI LOW COUNTRY HAD THE MANPOWER? AND AS WE GET OUR NAME OUT THERE TO GET PEOPLE MORE INVOLVED.
SO HOW ARE WE DOING THAT? WHAT'S, WHAT ARE WE DOING? WE HAVE OUR BIG NAMI WALK THIS WEEKEND.
WE HAD 200 PARTICIPANTS COME OUT TO THE, UH, BEACH AND COME AND PARTICIPATE.
BUT HOW MANY OF YOU IN THIS GROUP HEARD OF NAMI AND KNEW WHAT WE DID? SO THAT'S THE CHALLENGE.
HOW CAN YOU PARTNER WITH US, HIT THE WORD OUT, HOW CAN WE HELP YOU, WILL BE THE SUPPORT THAT'S NOT COVERED? AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO OFFER TO YOU TODAY.
AND, UH, UH, ALL VERY IMPORTANT.
UH, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS I'D LIKE TO FOCUS IN ON, BUT I'LL HOLD THOSE UNTIL I HEAR FROM ANYONE ELSE WHO MIGHT HAVE A COMMENT, OBSERVATION, OR QUESTION.
ARE THERE ANY OUT THERE WISH TO ANSWER? UH, SAY ANYTHING, ASK A QUESTION? UH, YES.
I'LL, I'LL, YES, I I WOULD, IF YOU DON'T MIND, MS. CHAIRMAN? YEAH, NO, GO RIGHT AHEAD.
YEAH, MS. MICHELLE, UM, UH, CAN'T THINK OF YOUR LAST NAME HERE.
UM, I, I, I WAS VERY INTRIGUED BY THE CRISIS INTERVENTION, UM, TRAINING THAT YOU ARE OFFERING.
UM, AND, UM, ONE, WAS IT RECEPTIVE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT WHEN YOU PROVIDED THOSE TRAINING? AND, UH, DO YOU DO ANY FOLLOW UP TO SEE WHETHER SOME OF THE,
[00:25:01]
UM, INTERVENTION IS BEING CARRIED OUT AT THIS TIME? AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION I HAVE ON THAT IS, UM, SHOULD THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTUALLY HAVE A PHYSICAL PERSON ON STAFF, UM, TO GO OUT ON CASES LIKE THAT OR ON CALLS, OR SHOULD THAT BE A SEPARATE ENTITY ALTOGETHER TO ASSIST THEM ON, UM, ON THE SCENE WHEN THEY GET THERE? BECAUSE LIKE YOU SAID EARLIER, THEY ONLY HAVE A SHORT WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND AND WE WANT IT TO BE APPROPRIATE.AND A LOT OF TIMES, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT DO A GOOD JOB OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THEY REALLY DO, UH, AS WELL A JOB WITH, UM, ASSESSING MENTAL ILLNESS.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR THOSE QUESTIONS.
AND, UH, THERE ARE ABOUT FOUR OF THOSE, SO I'LL DO IT JUST AS FAST AS I CAN.
AND PROBABLY ABOUT THE UH, HUNDRED AND SOMETHING OFFICES THAT I'VE TALKED TO OVER THIS PAST YEAR DOING CRISIS INTERVENTION TRAINING.
THE SHEET THAT I JUST WENT THROUGH THAT I SHOWED YOU, AN OFFICER SAID TO ME, I'LL BE HANDING THESE THINGS OUT LIKE SKITTLES BECAUSE HE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WE EXISTED.
AND, UH, SO WHAT, WHAT I RECOMMENDED WAS THAT SHEET IS PRINTED AND POSTED IN, UH, ALL THE PRECINCTS AND, UH, TALKING WITH THE POLICE CHIEF AS FAR AS JUST THE MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE WORK.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE BLUFFTON, UM, POLICE DEPARTMENT SEEMED TO BE HAVING A WORKING MODEL.
I THINK THAT SHOULD BE SOMETHING, UM, TO EXPLORE WITH ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT AREAS BECAUSE THEY SEEM TO BE HAVING GREAT SUCCESS THERE.
UM, HANNAH ANDERSON HAS BEEN FEATURED IN, UH, LOCAL ARTICLES OF, OF LATE, SO IF YOU WANNA READ UP ON THAT, BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S DEFINITELY WORTH IT EXPLORING.
I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT ON WHAT THEIR SUCCESS LEVEL IS AND WHAT THEIR MA METRICS ARE, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE RESPONSE THAT I'M GETTING WITH CRISIS INTERVENTION WITH THE LAW ENFORCEMENT, UM, THEY, THEY LEARN THINGS, BUT THEY SAID WE NEED TOOLS.
WHAT TOOLS CAN I, AND THAT'S WHEN I SAID TO THEM, I'M NOT GOING TO STAND HERE AND TELL YOU HOW TO, UM, THAT YOU'RE NOT TREATING PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS.
RIGHT? BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THE OFFICERS THAT I'VE ENCOUNTERED ARE COMPASSIONATE AND CARING AND FRUSTRATED THAT THEY'RE NOT GETTING THE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED ON THE FRONT LINES.
AND I THINK THAT NAMI CAN HELP WITH THE EDUCATION, AND I THINK THE COUNTY COULD HELP BY OFFERING THEM SUPPORT WITH SOMEBODY THAT JUST DEALS WITH A MENTAL HEALTH SIDE OF IT.
THAT MEN, HANNAH ANDERSON, WHO IS WORKING WITH BLUFFTON, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT, SHE WILL GO OUT IN A CRISIS SITUATION AND THEN SHE DOES THE FOLLOW UP TO CHECK AND, AND DIRECT PEOPLE TO THE PROPER RESOURCES, US BEING ONE OF THEM.
UM, MICHELLE, I HAVE A COUPLE, HOW MANY VOLUNTEERS DO YOU HAVE IN THE FIVE COUNTY AREA RIGHT NOW? PROBABLY ABOUT, UM, YOU ED FIVE.
OH, WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR FUNDING TO OPERATE HERE? IN OTHER WORDS, DO YOU HAVE ANY GRANTS COMING IN THAT HELP YOU? I HAVE APPLIED WITH, UM, THE BEAUFORD FUND AND, AND THE PERSON THAT'S DONE THIS BEFORE ME HAS REALLY BUILT UP, UH, QUITE SOME STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER NONPROFITS.
UM, WE'VE GOT SOME FROM THE BARGAIN AND LOCAL, UH, NONPROFITS, UH, THE CHURCH AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UH, SOME OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES LIKE PALMETTO CARES, WEXFORD, UH, LONG CO.
UM, AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET SOME ASSISTANCE AFTER COVID BECAUSE WE WERE REALLY AFFECTED DEEPLY BY COVID.
AND SO THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON GAVE US A GRANT, THIS SHARE OF 12,000.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE APPLIED UNDER OUR COMMUNITY SERVICES GRANT PROGRAM WITH THE COUNTY.
UM, IF YOU HAVEN'T, WE WILL BE SURE TO GET YOU THE INFORMATION SO THAT IN THE NEXT CYCLE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR THAT.
CAUSE THERE IS AN ONGOING PROGRAM WITHIN THE COUNTY TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS LIKE YOURS.
UM, YEAH, I DID APPLY TO THAT.
UM, THE MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE IS PROBABLY SOMEONE WHO SHOULD BE ASSIGNED TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO TALK TO HIM ON YOUR BEHALF IF YOU HAVEN'T, AND TRY AND ESTABLISH A POINT OF CONTACT WITH YOU, UH, WITH THEM SO YOU CAN TALK TO THEM FURTHER ABOUT THAT.
UM, WITH REGARD TO THE PSYCHIATRIST TOMORROW, COINCIDENTALLY, THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION IS HAVING A MEETING, AND THERE ARE, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY AT THE END OF THAT MEETING TO, UM, HAVE CITIZEN COMMENTS.
[00:30:01]
APPROPRIATE PLACE TO ASK FOR ASSISTANCE THERE WITH REGARD TO FUNDING FOR THOSE POSITIONS BECAUSE APPARENTLY ALL OF OUR ELECTIVE REPRESENTATIVES WHO WORK IN COLUMBIA WILL BE IN THE ROOM.AND, UH, YOU MAY FIND A NICE AUDIENCE.
SO BEFORE YOU LEAVE THERE, WHERE ARE YOU? YOU AND OUR BUILDING? YOU ON ZOOM? YOU'RE ON ZOOM.
WE WILL GET TO YOU, UH, THE INFORMATION ON WHERE THAT MEETING IS TOMORROW AND WHEN IT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
AND THERE'S COMMENTS AVAILABLE AT THE END.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A ZOOM MEETING, ALTHOUGH I KNOW IT IS ON THE COUNTY CHANNEL IF YOU CAN'T MAKE IT THERE, BUT I THINK THAT WOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE PLACE TO GO TO, UH, ASK FOR THAT KIND OF ASSISTANCE.
UM, WITH REGARD TO, UH, GETTING THE WORD OUT, OUR VERY EXCELLENT PIO OFFICER WILL BE FILING A REPORT, UM, SOON WITH REGARD TO THE PRESENTATION THAT YOU MADE HERE TODAY, COVERING ALL OF THE THINGS THAT YOU COVERED AND PERHAPS EVEN INCORPORATING WITH YOUR PERMISSION, UH, ONE OF THE SLIDES THAT YOU USED TO SHOW THE KIND OF WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
SO WE CAN SPREAD THE WORD FOR YOU THROUGH OUR EMAIL CONTACT LIST, WHICH HAS NUMEROUS PEOPLE ON IT AND WHO LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING THESE TYPES OF, UM, ABOVE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS.
UM, I THINK I'VE PRETTY MUCH COVERED, UH, WITH REGARD TO THE INCARCERATION, UH, EDUCATION.
UM, I THINK THAT COLONEL FOOT AND COLONEL, UM, GRANT WOULD BE THE PEOPLE TO DEAL WITH THAT FOR YOU, UH, FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO, UM, FAMILY MEMBERS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE INCARCERATED.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WOULD WORK OUT OR IF IT'S EVEN POSSIBLE, BUT I THINK YOU HAVE THE ACCESS TO COLONEL FOOT AND TO COLONEL GRANT, AND THAT MAY BE THE APPROPRIATE PLACE FOR YOU TO PURSUE THAT.
SO I'VE GIVEN YOU QUITE A BIT TO DO HERE TODAY.
UH,
ONE IN FIVE IS A STAGGERING NUMBER, UH, CONSIDERING 40,000 OR EVEN HALF THAT NUMBER, OR A QUARTER OF THAT NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE IN, WHO ARE IN DISTRESS.
UM, SO, UH, WE APPLAUD YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING, AND WE HOPE WE CAN SPREAD THE WORD AND WE WILL START WITH A PIO ANNOUNCEMENT, AND THEN WE WILL TRY AND, UH, WE WILL GET THE SHERIFF, WE WILL FIND A POINT OF CONTACT FOR YOU WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT ABOUT TALKING ABOUT A MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE, UH, PERHAPS ON THEIR STAFF.
HE'S NOT SHY ABOUT ASKING FOR MONEY TO, UH, FILL THOSE POSITIONS ONCE HE IS CONVINCED THAT IT'S APPROPRIATE.
AND I'M PRETTY SURE THAT YOU CAN CONVINCE HIM ONCE YOU HAVE THE ACCESS.
SO THANKS VERY MUCH FOR COMING.
HAVE ANY FOLLOW UP FOR MICHELLE BEFORE SHE SAYS ADIOS? NO, NOT HEARING ANY.
WE REALLY, YEAH, I JUST, I JUST WANNA, UH, TELL YOU THAT PHILIP FOOT REACHED OUT TO ME AND COLONEL FOOT.
I JUST WANNA THANK HIM FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
HE IS EQUALLY AS PASSIONATE ABOUT PUTTING THIS, UM, PUTTING SOME ACTION TOGETHER HERE.
HE IS PASSIONATE ABOUT IT AND WE APPRECIATE THAT TRAIT IN HIM.
HE'S PASSIONATE ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS.
IT'S TOUGH TO KEEP THEM IN ORDER SOMETIMES AT THE TOP OF HIS LIST.
WELL, HE'S THE ONE THAT GOT ME HERE, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH TO HIM.
[8. RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF A CONTRACT FOR KITCHEN FLOOR REPLACEMENT AT THE DETENTION CENTER (FISCAL IMPACT: Funding has already been allocated for projects at the detention center with account 10401250 (Capital Projects - Estimated project cost $97,765.50 - this item does not need to go to full council)]
I THINK COLONEL FOOT IS YOURS AGAIN.ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF A CONTRACT FOR A KITCHEN FLOOR REPLACEMENT AT THE DETENTION CENTER.
WE PUT THAT OUT FOR AN RFP AND WE HAVE SELECTED A COMPANY NAMED SURFACE SYSTEMS AT A GREER, SOUTH CAROLINA.
THEY'RE GONNA COME IN AND PUT DOWN A, SOME TYPE OF AN EPOXY FLOORING IN OUR KITCHEN, A COMMERCIALIZED EPOXY FLOORING IN OUR KITCHEN, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S, UH, SANITARY IN THERE.
IT'S VERY HARD RIGHT NOW WITH WHAT WE HAVE, WHICH ARE THE OLD QUARRY TILE WITH, UH, GROUT IN, IN THE MIDDLE OF THOSE QUARRY TILES.
AND YOU KNOW HOW THAT STUFF GETS AFTER A WHILE.
UH, THEY'VE BEEN THERE SINCE THE BUILDING WAS BUILT, SO IT'S TIME TO REPLACE THAT.
AND, UM, WE'RE ASKING TO DO A CONTRACT WITH SERVICE SYSTEMS AT A COST OF 97,765 AND 50 CENTS.
SO WE WILL, UM, ASK NOW FOR A, UH, A MOTION TO MOVE THAT FORWARD TO.
DOES IT HAVE TO GO TO FULL COUNCIL COMMITTEE, PHIL? NO, SIR.
YOUR, SO THEN WE WILL, UH, UM, I'LL SEEK A MOTION TO APPROVE THAT AND, UH, A SECOND AND THEN HAVE SOME DISCUSSION IN A VOTE.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE REQUEST FOR 97,007 FIVE? ALMOST.
AND SECOND, I'LL SECOND MR. CHAIRMAN.
[00:35:01]
YOU.ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT MATTER? UH, WHILE I WOULD MOVE THIS FORWARD FOR APPROVAL WITHOUT OBJECTION.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS, JURY? NO OBJECTIONS.
MOTION SHALL CARRY AND FILL THE, UH, MATTER HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[9. DISCUSSION OF AN ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE MAINTENANCE WORK ON PRIVATE ROADS]
UM, MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER NINE.ARE YOU ANYWHERE IN THE ROOM? OH, YEAH, I SEE YOU.
UM, THIS IS A, UH, DISCUSSION OF AN ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE MAINTENANCE WORK ON PRIVATE ROADS.
AND, UM, THERE, UH, THIS WAS REFERRED BACK TO THIS COMMITTEE FOR FURTHER STUDY AND THE REPORT BACK AT THE, UH, MEETING, THE LAST MEETING OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR IN DECEMBER.
AND, UM, AS WE WERE DISCUSSING THIS AT THE AGENDA MEETING BECAME APPARENT THAT THERE WERE OTHER ISSUES THAT WERE PENDING WITH REGARD TO THIS AND OTHER, UH, AREAS WHERE PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE AND A GROUP ASSEMBLED TO ADDRESS THIS SPECIFICALLY.
SO I'D ASK THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO JUST GIVE US A BRIEFING, UH, ON THAT SITUATION.
AND THEN I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH THE RECOMMENDATION AFTER THAT.
WE, UM, A AS A RESULT OF THE ACTION AND COUNCIL MEETING, WE HAVE SCHEDULED A MEETING WITH THE APPROPRIATE TEAM MEMBERS, UH, FOR THIS COMING THURSDAY TO, UH, LOOK AT THIS MATTER IN MORE DETAIL TO SEE WHAT OPTIONS WE CAN COME UP WITH THAT WOULD ADDRESS THE COUNCIL'S CONCERNS.
SO THAT MEETING WILL BE HELD THURSDAY AFTERNOON.
YEAH, I SAW THE LIST, I SAW THE INVITATION FOR THAT TEAM MEETING.
IT'S A VERY, IT'S A VERY MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING TO HAVE SOME INPUT THERE.
AND I ALSO SEE THE CURRENT ORDINANCE THAT EXISTS WITH REGARD TO ONE TIME MAINTENANCE REQUESTS ON PRIVATE ROADS.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT THAT, UM, ORDINANCE AND THE LANGUAGE IN IT, UM, DOESN'T NECESSARILY CONTRADICT WHAT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING, BUT IT LAYS OUT A PROGRAM AND A PROTOCOL AS TO HOW THIS SHOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED.
AND REALLY HAS TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH PRIVATE PROPERTY AND THE PROPERTY OWNERS, ALL OF THEM HAVE A RIGHT TO ALLOW US ONTO THE PROPERTY.
AND THEN IF WE DO THAT KIND OF WORK, THERE MAY BE A NOMINAL FEE THAT HAS TO BE CHARGED IN SPECIAL TAX DISTRICT THAT CAN BE CREATED FOR WHATEVER THE COST IS.
AND I'M SURE THAT WILL BE PART OF YOUR, OF YOUR, UM, DISCUSSIONS ON THURSDAY.
I'VE SUGGESTED AFTER I HAD A TALK WITH, UM, CRAIG GORDON, WHO, WHO REFERRED ME TO, WHO'S VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THIS, THAT HE'D BE INVITED TO THIS DISCUSSION SO THAT HE CAN TELL EVERYONE WHAT HE TOLD ME BECAUSE I FOUND HIS, UM, INFORMATION TO BE EXTREMELY INFORMATIVE.
AND IT PRETTY MUCH CONFORMS WITH THE LANGUAGE OF THIS ORDINANCE AS IT CURRENTLY EXISTS WITH REGARD TO GAINING ACCESS.
AND THEN, UH, WHO SHALL ABSORB THE COST FOR THE ONE MAINTENANCE.
SO IF YOU COULD ARRANGE AND HAVE HIM WRITE IT, UH, THAT WOULD BE, I THINK, APPROPRIATE FOR EVERYONE TO HEAR FROM HIM.
WE'VE ALREADY, WE'VE ALREADY, WE'VE ALREADY TAKEN CARE OF THAT ISSUE.
AND WE ALSO, WELL, I WAS GONNA SAY, BASED UPON THE FACT THAT YOU'RE CONVENING THIS MEETING ON THURSDAY, I WOULD LIKE TO WAIT FOR THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO COME OUT OF YOUR MEETING ON THURSDAY AND PUT THIS BACK ON THE AGENDA FOR THE COMMUNITY SERVICES MEETING ON THE FIRST MONDAY OF NOVEMBER SO THAT WE CAN, UM, PROVIDE A COURSE OF ACTION AND STAY ON SCHEDULE TO MAKE A FINAL REPORT, UH, IN DECEMBER AT THE LAST COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING OF THE CALENDAR YEAR.
AND THAT, UH, YOUR MEETING ON THURSDAY REALLY DOESN'T INTERFERE WITH THE SCHEDULE.
CAUSE BY THE TIME YOU HAVE FINISHED ANALYZING, UH, ALL OF THE DISCUSSION AND MAKING A SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, WE'LL BE ABLE TO CONSIDER ALL THAT AT THE FIRST MEETING, UH, OF COMMUNITY SERVICES IN NOVEMBER, IF YOU FIND THAT TO BE SATISFACTORY.
THAT'S WHERE I'D LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN HERE TODAY.
AND, UH, JUST ON THE, UH, FIRST PRESENTATION, I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE PROVIDED THE MEETING INFORMATION FOR THE DELEGATION MEETING TOMORROW TO MS. CASEY.
I'D LIKE HER TO GO OVER THERE AND, UM, AND ASK FOR SOMETHING AND WE'LL SEE IF SHE CAN GENERATE SOME INTEREST THERE, CUZ THERE'S A LOT OF CHATTER IN COLUMBIA ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND THIS ISSUE.
AND HERE'S SOMEONE WHO CAN STEP RIGHT IN, UH, WITH SOME SUGGESTIONS ON HOW PERHAPS WE COULD ADDRESS IT IMMEDIATELY, UH, WHICH WOULD REALLY, FOR HER PURPOSES INCREASE THE STAFF OF THE PSYCHIATRIST ON HAND, UM, UH, TO HAVE A MORE REALISTIC NUMBER OF PEOPLE DEALING WITH THE FIVE COUNTY AREA, SINCE WE ONLY SEEM TO HAVE THREE RIGHT.
YEAH, THE COUNTY CALENDAR SAYS THAT MEETING IS THURSDAY.
IS IT INCORRECT? THAT'S LEGISLATIVE DELEGATE.
YOU MEAN WITH THE COUNTY DELEGATES, RIGHT? WELL, I THOUGHT, UM, I'M JUST, I GONE TOO.
YEAH, WELL, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MANY
[00:40:01]
MEETINGS BEING ANNOUNCED EVERY DAY WITH THIS CAMPAIGN SEASON.SOMETIMES THEY ALL RUN TOGETHER FOR ME.
IF IT IS THURSDAY, WE SHOULD LET HER KNOW THAT I WAS MISTAKEN WITH THE WEDNESDAY SELECTION.
AND THIS WILL GIVE HER A LITTLE MORE TIME TO GET ORGANIZED, WHICH IS A GOOD THING.
WE'RE GONNA SEND HER TO DETAIL.
MR. CHAIRMAN, DO YOU NEED A MOTION TO MOVE THIS POST ON TO THE NEXT, UH, COMMUNITY SERVICE MEETING? I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE ONE.
CAN I HAVE A SECOND ON MOVING IT TO THE NEXT MEETING? I'LL SECOND ON.
THANK YOU ATTORNEY DISCUSSION ON THAT.
UH, THE MOTION IS TO MOVE IT TO THE, UH, TO THE NEXT MEETING OF COMMUNITY SERVICES AFTER THE THURSDAY MEETING OF THE DISCUSSION GROUP.
AND, UM, UH, I WILL, UM, ENTERTAIN THAT MOTION, UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? HEARING NONE.
THAT MOTION IS APPROVED AND WE WILL MOVE THIS TO THE NEXT MEETING.
[10. RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE BEAUFORT COUNTY NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY (NO.1) PLAN CREATED FOR THE PURPOSE OF CRAFTING THE BEAUFORT COUNTY PLAN TO SUBMIT TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA OPIATE RELIEF FUND BOARD]
UM, I DON'T, I, NUMBER 10 IS TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION PROVEN THE BUFORD COUNTY NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER ONE PLAN CREATED FOR THE PURPOSE OF CRAFTING THE BEAUFORD COUNTY PLAN TO SUBMIT THE SOUTH CAROLINA OPIATE RELIEF ON BOARD.UH, STEVE DONALDSON WITH US TODAY.
UH, I HOPE THAT HE, I I'M SURE YOU'RE GOING TO, UH, GIVE US, UH, ALL THE INFORMATION WE NEED, UH, FOR ITEM NUMBER 10.
AND ACTUALLY ITEM NUMBER 11, NO, SORRY, JUST ITEM NUMBER 10 WITH REGARD TO RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION.
SO THE FLOORS YOU RECEIVED, THANKS FOR COMING.
AND GIVEN THE SUBJECT MATTER TODAY, I SHOULD NOTE THAT TODAY IS WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY.
SO IT'S AN APPROPRIATE DAY TO BE PRESENTING BECAUSE, UM, SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS ALSO FOLLOW, UM, IN THAT PATH.
UM, SO THE RESOLUTION IS BASICALLY ASKING IF THE, UM, UH, FOR APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION TO, UM, FOR US TO PUT OPIATE ABATEMENT DOLLARS, UM, OUT TO THE COMMUNITY TO HELP US WITH THE FIGHT AGAINST OPIATE ADDICTION AND THOSE RELATED, THOSE RELATED CONSEQUENCES.
SO AS EVERYONE IS AWARE OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA OPIATE RELIEF FUND IS, IS ACTIVE AND MONEY IS GOING TO BE AVAILABLE TO BEAUFORT COUNTY WHEN THE PORTAL IS OPENED UP FOR US TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION.
UM, JUST TO NOTE, THIS IS PROBABLY GONNA HAPPEN THREE TO FOUR TIMES ANNUALLY, UH, RATHER THAN JUST ONCE.
SO IT'S A NICE WAY FOR US TO, UH, REGROUP, MAKE OUR PLAN AND SUBMIT WHATEVER WE PLAN TO DO, UH, IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND I MUST NOTE THAT IT IS NOT DISCRETIONARY, UM, ON THE BOARD'S PART TO, TO LOOK AT OUR PLAN AND TO NITPICK IT APART AND TO DENY OR NOT.
ALL WE HAVE TO DO WITH THEM IS SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE PLAN TO DO.
AND AS LONG AS IT'S IN THE, UH, APPROVED, UM, CORE STRATEGIES AND APPROVED USES, THEY JUST SIMPLY PROVIDE US WITH A CHECK WITHIN 45 DAYS OF RECEIPT OF THAT PLAN.
UH, WHAT I'M SUGGESTING IS BECAUSE IT TAKES A LONG TIME FOR US TO, UM, GET THE INFORMATION WE NEED AS A COMMUNITY, UM, TO PUT TOGETHER OUR PLAN IS TO ALLOW US TO PUT OUT A NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY, SO OTHER SECTORS WHO ARE IN IT WITH US, UM, TO FIGHT THIS, UM, CRISIS, THAT THEY LET US KNOW WHAT THEIR IDEAS ARE AND THAT WE, UM, IN A VERY, UH, OBJECTIVE WAY, IN A NON-BIASED WAY, SCORE THOSE APPLICATIONS AND MAKE FUNDING DETERMINATIONS.
AND AT THAT POINT, UM, UH, PUT OUR PLAN TOGETHER, UH, ON THE SCORE, UH, A PORTAL WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY PRESENTS ITSELF, AND THEN GET THOSE FUNDS TO THE COMMUNITY AFTER WE GET THOSE FUNDS.
UH, STEVE, LET ME ASK YOU A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS.
WHAT'S THE AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU EXPECT TO RECEIVE WITH THIS GRANT FROM, FROM THE, UH, SETTLEMENT ON THE OPIATE ISSUE? WELL, THE BIG JOHNSON AND JOHNSON SETTLEMENT, UH, THE BIG, THE BIGGEST POP OF ALL IN THE, ALL OF 17 YEARS IS EXPECTED BETWEEN NOW AND DECEMBER 31ST.
AND FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY, THAT'S $1,038,000 APPROXIMATELY.
THAT DOESN'T TAKE IN CONSIDERATION ANY INTEREST.
SO I CAN'T GIVE AN EXACT NUMBER.
IS THAT THE, IS THAT THE TOTAL AMOUNT WE'LL GET THROUGH CALENDAR YEAR 23 OR BEEN MORE COMING? UH, NO, ACTUALLY THERE'S ABOUT $412,000 IN THE BANK RIGHT NOW, UM, IN COLUMBIA.
UH, AND THEN THERE'LL BE THAT $1 MILLION
[00:45:01]
POP.AND THEN IN JULY, AGAIN, THERE'S EXPECTED TO BE ABOUT ANOTHER 200,000.
SO THEN YOU WILL BE PUTTING OUT A REQUEST TO PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE IN THIS BUSINESS TO TELL YOU HOW THEY WILL USE FUNDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE AND YOU WILL ALLOW THEM TO APPLY WITH LIMITS, I SUPPOSE, ON HOW MUCH THEY CAN ASK FOR OR WITHIN, WITHIN A TIER OF LIMITS AS TO WHAT THEY CAN ASK FOR.
IS THAT RIGHT? TIER OF LIMITS IS CORRECT.
DO YOU, CAN YOU TELL US THE, UH, JUST THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT PEOPLE CAN APPLY FOR? UH, SO THERE'S A LIMITED NUMBER OF AWARDS FOR $25,000 FOR TWO YEARS NOT TO EXCEED $25,000 IN EACH YEAR, $50,000 FOR TWO YEARS, OR A TOTAL OF $100,000 AND $100,000 A YEAR FOR TWO YEARS OR $200,000.
AND ALL OF THAT WILL COME FROM THE FUND, THE MONEY THAT YOU GET.
I MEAN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO SPEND IT ALL IN ANY PERIOD OF TIME.
YOU CAN JUST HOLD ONTO IT AND USE IT AS YOU NEED IT, UH, PRETTY MUCH EXCEPT, OKAY.
UM, I SHOULD SAY THAT ANY AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE APPLY FOR, UM, FROM THE SCORE, UH, OR THROUGH THE SCORP WEBSITE, MUST BE SPENT WITHIN THREE YEARS, OR IT NEEDS TO ESSENTIALLY ROLL BACK IN AND THEN BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR DISCRETIONARY FUNDING AND NOT GOVERNMENTAL FUNDING.
YEAH, I DON'T THINK YOU'LL HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THAT TIME.
I'M SURE YOU DON'T THINK YOU'LL HAVE AN ISSUE EITHER.
SO ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STEVE WITH REGARD TO THE, UH, UM, RESOLUTION HE'S REQUESTING? UM, YES, MR. CHAIRMAN.
LET ME, LET ME, UM, MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND AS WELL.
UM, IT, I WAS ON THE IMPRESSION THAT THIS, UH, OPIOID FUNDS WAS PROBABLY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 20 MILLION THAT WOULD COME TO BUFORD COUNTY AND OVER.
SO THIS IS LIKE THE FIRST SET OF FUNDING? YES, SIR.
BUT OVER TIME, WE WERE LOOKING AT ROUGHLY ABOUT 20 MILLION OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, IF NOT MORE GIVE OR TAKE A, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, MERO IS JUST SETTLING AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE MONEYS IS GONNA BE FROM THEM.
UH, PURDUE PHARMA HAS NOT SETTLED YET.
UH, I SEE THE FUND JUST GROWING.
THEN THAT LEADS TO THE QUESTION.
I, UM, IT'S IN THE BACK OF MY MIND.
UM, I, I, I AM A PERSON THAT, UM, BELIEVE IN SOLUTIONS, UM, AND NOT TREATING SYMPTOMS. UM, SO WHERE ARE YOU AND THE COMMITTEE, UM, IN MAKING SURE THAT WHATEVER GOES OUT THERE IS SOME TYPE OF END RESULT AND FALSE SOLUTION IS CONCERNING? IT MAY NOT BE A SOLUTION, IT MAY BE ALL TREATMENT, TREATMENT TREATMENT, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE, AND I DIDN'T KIND OF, IN SOME AREAS I SEE IT IN YOUR REPORT, BUT I WOULD JUST WANT TO KNOW FROM YOU, WHERE ARE YOU OR THE COMMUNITY COMMITTEE AND COMING DOWN TO A SOLUTION OF SOME SORT.
FOR AN EXAMPLE, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT, UM, UM, FUNDING COULD BE FOR A TREATMENT FACILITY OR SOME SORT? UM, A LOT OF, UM, MENTAL HEALTH, UM, RECIPIENTS ARE ALSO OPIOID ADDICTION? THAT IS CORRECT.
UH, AND I, AND I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOUR CONCERNS.
UM, ANYBODY WITH DISCRETIONARY DOLLARS, THAT'S WHERE ONE THIRD OF THE MONEY THAT SCOREBOARD'S GONNA GIVE OUT HAS VERY RIGID PERFORMANCE STANDARDS THAT THEY HAVE TO SET UP IN THEIR PLAN.
WE, AS A GOVERNMENT ENTITY, OUR PERFORMANCE MEASURES ARE NOT THAT RIGID.
OUR APPLICATION'S GONNA BE ABOUT THIS BIG, WHEREAS THE DISCRETIONARY PEOPLE, SO IT'S GONNA BE ABOUT THAT BIG.
UM, SO IN OUR NOFO, WE'RE ACTUALLY ASKING FOR, UM, PERFORMANCE MEASURES SO WE KNOW HOW THE MONEY'S BEING SPENT.
AND IT'S NOT NECESSARILY JUST FOR TREATMENT.
IT COULD BE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, RESEARCH, TRAINING, LEADERSHIP, UM, NEONATAL ABSTINENCE, UM, TYPE INTERVENTIONS.
IT, THE, IT'S, IT'S A VERY WIDE, UM, ARRAY OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROGRAMS THAT CAN BE, UM, CREATED WITH THESE MONIES.
EVERYTHING IN THE, UM, UH, EXHIBIT C, UH, WHICH IS IN THE SOUTH CAROLINA, UH, HANDBOOK FOR THE USE OF OR CORE STRATEGIES AND APPROVED USES.
IT DETAILS WHAT THOSE TYPES OF THINGS COULD BE.
AND OUR NOFO, WE SIMPLY CUT AND PASTED EXACTLY WHAT WAS THERE, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S, UM, COMING OUT OF COLUMBIA TO SAY, ALL THIS IS AVAILABLE FOR THE COMMUNITY TO
[00:50:01]
LET US KNOW FOR, UM, WHAT EXACTLY YOU'RE EXPERIENCING, WHAT IT IS YOU HAVE AS A SOLUTION, AND WHAT YOUR PERFORMANCE MEASURES ARE.UM, AND, AND SO I BELIEVE THAT WE'RE BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF THIS MONEY TO TRY TO MAKE SURE IT'S NOT JUST PARKED INTO JUST TREATMENT, BECAUSE THERE'S MANY OTHER PLACES IN THE COMMUNITY THAT COULD USE THIS MONEY TO MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT.
THE COMMUNITY ITSELF, UM, YOUR COMMUNITY IS A LOCAL COMMITTEE, RIGHT? UM, I'M ON THE SCORE BOARD FOR THE STATE, BUT LOCALLY, UM, IT'S JUST FRED ARA AND ME.
BUT WE DON'T WANNA MAKE THOSE DECISIONS BY OURSELF, SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE ACTUALLY PROFESSIONAL KNOW HOW TO OBJECTIVELY AND NONBIASED HELP US TO MAKE DECISIONS, BUT ALSO DISCLOSE ANY CONFLICTS OF INTEREST FRONT.
HEY, YORK AND STEVE, JUST A QUICK COMMENT.
UH, BASED ON THE THINGS I KNOW AND HAVE DONE, UH, IN THE PAST, UH, ADDRESSING THIS IS KINDA LIKE A THREE-LEGGED STOOL.
UH, ONE LEG IS, UH, IS LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT WE ALL HAVE COME TO REALIZE OVER THE YEARS YOU CANNOT ARREST YOUR WAY OUT OF THIS PROBLEM, BUT IT IS A COMPONENT THAT IS NECESSARY.
UM, EDUCATION AND PREVENTION IS ANOTHER LEG OF THAT STOOL, AND THAT PROBABLY WILL BE SOMETHING THAT IS CONSIDERED HERE, UH, AS WE GO FORWARD.
AND THEN THE LAST IS TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION, WHICH IS, UH, SOMETHING THAT NEWFORD COUNTY, UH, SPECIALIZES IN UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF STEVE AND DOES IT VERY WELL.
SO I THINK THE ABSENCE OF ANY ONE OF THOSE LEGS CAUSES THAT STOOL TO BE VERY RICKETY.
SO LAW ENFORCEMENT, EDUCATION AND PREVENTION, TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION AND ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU CAN FIT UNDER THOSE CATEGORIES, I THINK WILL PROBABLY BE CONSIDERED AS WE RECEIVE THIS MONEY, UH, OVER THE NEXT 17 YEARS AND APPLY IT, UH, FOR THE GOOD IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO STEVE, I, UH, I THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU ALWAYS DO IN THIS ARENA THAT YOU DO SO WELL.
AND, UM, DO WE HAVE TO, UH, SEND THIS FORWARD, UH, BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT TO THE FULL COUNSEL? YES.
SO THEN ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OR OBSERVATIONS FOR MCDONALDS WHILE HE'S THERE? OKAY.
HEARING NONE, UM, I WOULD LIKE A, UM, A MOTION TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THIS RESOLUTION AND FORWARD IT TO THE FULL COUNSEL FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION.
UL, MAY I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS MATTER BEFORE THE VOTE IN SEEKING APPROVAL FOR THIS, UH, MOTION, UH, TO SEND THIS, UM, REQUEST FORWARD TO THE FULL COUNSEL? UH, I WOULD, UM, PASS THAT MOTION WITHOUT OBJECTION.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO THIS HEARING? NONE THIS MOTION SHALL CARRY AND WE WILL FORWARD THIS TO THE COUNCIL FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION AT THE NEXT MEETING.
THANK YOU STEVE, UH, FOR COMING IN AND, UH, SPENDING, UH, YOUR TIME WITH US TODAY AND GIVING US THE INFORMATION WE NEEDED TO MAKE AND INFORMED DECISION.
[11. RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE RECOMMENDATIONS TO AWARD FY23 COMMUNITY SERVICES GRANT PROGRAM FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $398,000 TO COMMUNITY SERVICES ORGANIZATIONS]
UH, NUMBER 11 IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO AWARD FISCAL YEAR 23 COMMUNITY SERVICES GRANTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $398,000 TO THE COMMUNITY SERVICES ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE QUALIFIED FOR AND BEEN GRANTED APPROVAL TO RECEIVE THOSE FUNDS.UH, UM, WHO, UH, I CAN'T, SOMETHING'S HAPPENED ON MY SCREEN.
UH, WHO WILL BE HANDLING THIS? FRED LIDO.
EVERYTHING'S EITHER IN MY EYES AND MY SCREEN IS REALLY THANKS.
CAN WE GET THE PRESENTATION? HOLD UP.
MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, FOLKS AT HOME.
I'M THE HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR FOR BEFORD COUNTY.
AND AS SOON AS WE GET OUR POWERPOINT, I'LL BE ABLE TO WALK YOU THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
IT'S PART OF THE BACK OF MATERIAL, SO I HAVE TO PULL THAT UP.
WHILE WE'RE WAITING, I'LL JUST KIND OF GO THROUGH SOME OF THE HISTORY THAT WE TALK ABOUT IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE EARLY PARTS OF THE PRESENTATION ANYWAY.
AND THAT IS BASICALLY THAT THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS.
IT WAS, UH, AROUND 2012, I THINK THAT WE IMPLEMENTED THE GRANTS PROCESS AS A WAY TO FAIRLY AND EQUITABLY DISTRIBUTE FUNDS ACROSS THE NONPROFIT COMMUNITY THAT WORKS IN THE HUMAN SERVICES ARENA.
WE WANTED A WAY THAT WAS FAIR, BUT ALSO DIDN'T RESULT IN ALL THE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL GETTING APPROACHED FOR FUNDING INDIVIDUALLY BY DIFFERENT GROUPS IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO THIS MAKES IT A A LITTLE EASIER WAY TO GO ABOUT, ARE WE ANY CLOSER? YES, SIR.
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CAN YOU OPEN THAT TO THE, THERE WE GO.WHERE AM I AIMING THIS? YOU JUST HAVE TO TELL ME BECAUSE IT'S NOT IN THE ADVANCE.
SO YOU CAN SEE THERE THE PURPOSE, UM, OF WHAT WE WERE TRYING, WHAT WE'RE DOING, THE ELIGIBILITY, UH, MEMBERS OF THE HUMAN SERVICES ALLIANCE.
UH, WE HAVE ABOUT 120 AGENCIES THAT ARE MEMBERS OF THE ALLIANCE.
THEY ARE ELIGIBLE IF THEY'RE A 5 0 1 C THREE TO APPLY FOR THE FUNDS.
AND, UH, WE USE THE PANEL OF INTERVIEWER, UH, INDEPENDENT REPRESENTATIVES IN THE COMMUNITY TO REVIEW THE APPLICATIONS.
WE FOCUS PRIMARILY ON HEALTH, WELLNESS, EDUCATION, EMPOWERMENT, FAMILY SERVICES, AND VICTIM ADVOCACY.
THIS YEAR WE RECEIVED 39 APPLICATIONS.
THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS IS GOING UP EVERY YEAR, UH, AND A TOTAL OF A LITTLE OVER A MILLION DOLLARS.
WE DON'T SHOW, UH, TRENDS FROM YEAR TO YEAR BECAUSE THE ORGANIZATIONS ARE DIFFERENT AND THE PROGRAMS THAT THEY OFFER ARE DIFFERENT.
SO WE WOULD BE COMPARING APPLES TO ORANGES.
SO WE LOOK AT EACH INDIVIDUAL APPLICATION IN LIGHT OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY AS OPPOSED TO WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE HAS APPLIED FOR.
THERE ARE THREE SLIDES HERE THAT I'M GONNA SHOW YOU THAT HAVE THE BREAKDOWN OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE PANEL ON WHICH ORGANIZATIONS APPLICATIONS SHOULD BE FUNDED AND THE AMOUNTS THAT THEY'RE RECOMMENDING.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE INDIVIDUAL AGENCIES THAT YOU HAVE.
I DON'T HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE INDIVIDUAL PROPOSALS.
UM, I COULD GET THAT INFORMATION, BUT I TYPICALLY DON'T REVIEW THEM SO THAT I CAN KEEP THAT MYSELF SEPARATED FROM THOSE PARTS OF THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS.
I'M GO, I WAS GONNA SAY, I THINK WE CAN GO TO PAGE TWO AND, UH, IT'S THERE.
SO HERE I WANTED TO JUST, I, I'M, I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH ALL THESE.
I'LL JUST HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF KEY ONES THAT I THINK ARE SIGNIFICANT.
ONE OF THE NEWEST THAT WE RECEIVED IS MERCY ME SOBER LIVING.
STEVE'S GONNA BE ABLE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THIS, I'M SURE IN THE FUTURE, BUT IT'S THE ONLY PLACE WE HAVE THAT IS OFFERING MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT FOR PEOPLE WITH, UH, SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS.
SO WE WANTED TO FOCUS ON, UH, SUPPORTING THEM.
AND ON THIS ONE, I WANTED TO, UH, POINT OUT THE OPERATION, UH, PATRIOTS, FORWARD OPERATING BASE OP FOB, UH, IS OP LOCATED OUT IN RIDGELAND, BUT IT'S A NEW PROGRAM THAT'S SUPPORTING VETERANS.
UM, ONE OF OUR TOGETHER FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY INITIATIVES IS THE MILITARY AND VETERAN SERVICES ALLIANCE.
MASA, UH, OP F IS A MEMBER OF THAT GROUP AND HAS REALLY, REALLY MADE A, A POWERFUL PRESENCE IN THE COMMUNITY.
THEY HAVE SOME GREAT STUFF GOING ON THERE.
IT'S, IT'S BASICALLY, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR VETERANS WHO ARE DEALING WITH PTSD.
NOT TO GO AND TALK ABOUT THE PTSD, BUT TO GO OUT AND SIT AROUND A CAMPFIRE, GO RIDING, SHOOT S***T, DO THINGS WITH OTHER VETERANS SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF WORK THROUGH THE ISSUES THAT THEY'RE STRUGGLING WITH, UM, AND TO SUPPORT TRAUMA INDUCED, UM, ISSUES THAT HAVE HAPPENED TO THEM IN THEIR CAREERS.
SO RATHER THAN HAVING THAT TRAUMA LEAD TO DEPRESSION AND EVENTUALLY SUICIDE, WE'RE HOPING THAT WE CAN HEAD THAT OFF BY OFFERING THESE KINDS OF SERVICES.
COULD YOU, UH, TELL JUST WHAT TOGETHER FOR IS, I'M SORRY, TOGETHER OR, SO THE, YOU LINK OUT WHAT THE OTHERS DO, SO TO SPEAK, BUT I, I DON'T WITH THIS ONE.
UH, THE HUMAN SERVICES ALLIANCE IS THE NETWORK OF 120 ORGANIZATIONS, AND WE'VE ORGANIZED OURSELVES INTO WORK GROUPS CALLED TOGETHER FOR BEAUFORD COUNTY.
WE HAVE ABOUT, EH, IT CHANGES FROM TIME TO TIME, BUT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ABOUT A DOZEN OR A LITTLE MORE THAN THAT, UH, WORK GROUPS EACH WORKING ON A DIFFERENT AREA OF NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE GROUPS THAT ARE WORKING ON EVERYTHING FROM PRENATAL CARE, MAKING SURE THAT BABIES ARE BORN HEALTHY, UM, ALL THE WAY TO SENIOR CITIZENS, AND WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO WHEN THE SILVER TSUNAMI HITS.
AND WE DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE NEAR THE BED SPACE THAT WE ARE GONNA NEED FOR THE POPULATION THAT GETS OUT OLDER.
SO WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF GROUPS WORKING ON A WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS.
UM, CHILDREN GETTING READY FOR SCHOOL, ADULTS WHO DON'T HAVE MEDICAL INSURANCE, UH, HOMELESSNESS, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, THEY'RE
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ALL PART OF THE WORK THAT WE DO.WE WORK WITH NAMI, AS YOU HEARD EARLIER.
AND, AND AS YOU'LL NOTICE ON THIS SCREEN, THE PREVIOUS SCREEN, NAMI WAS ONE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE FUNDED.
THANK YOU FOR, TO EVERYONE ON YOUR, ON THE COMMITTEE, EVERYONE WHO'S DOING ALL THIS WORK EVERY YEAR.
I KNOW IT'S NOT EASY TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AND IT TAKES QUITE A BIT OF TIME, A LOT OF ENERGY TO DO THAT.
AND WE EXPECT, OF COURSE, TO BE DONE, UH, EVERY FALL, AND YOU'VE NEVER FAILED US.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO YOU AND TO EVERYONE ELSE WHO PARTICIPATES IN THIS.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE'LL BE, UH, INTEREST THAT THE FULL COUNCIL, AND THIS WILL OF COURSE HAVE TO GO THERE FOR THEIR APPROVAL.
UM, AND I THINK THEY'LL LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, SEEING THE LIST, AND I'M SURE THERE'LL BE MORE QUESTIONS THAT NIGHT THAT IT'S PRESENTED.
SO I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE AGAIN, UH, SO THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TALK TO THE FULL COUNCIL ABOUT THIS.
UH, THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR OBSERVATIONS OR COMMENTS FOR FRED WHILE HE'S HERE AT THE COMMUNITY SERVICE? MR. CHAIRMAN, I HAD A QUESTION.
I, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US WHAT UNDER ONE ROOF IS? SURE.
UNDER ONE ROOF IS ONE OF ONE OF MY FAVORITE NONPROFITS THAT WE HAVE, UM, OF ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT HELP PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO RESTORE AND, UH, REPAIR THEIR HOMES, MOST OF THEM, IN FACT, I DON'T KNOW OF ANY THAT DON'T REQUIRE THAT IT BE A STICK BUILT AND THAT YOU OWN IT UNDER ONE ROOF DOESN'T.
SO WE, WE FORMED HIM SPECIFICALLY, HE, UH, TYPICALLY TARGETS SENIOR CITIZENS, BUT HE'LL WORK ON MOBILE HOMES.
HE'LL WORK ON WHATEVER IS NEEDED TO, HE WON'T DO ROOFS BECAUSE MOST OF WHAT HE DOES IS DONE BY VOLUNTEERS.
AND INSURANCE IS NOT GONNA LET YOU PUT A VOLUNTEER ON TOP OF A ROOF.
I MO A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE, UM, GRANT PROGRAM RECOMMENDATIONS.
YORK, MAY I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
I'LL MOVE THIS ALONG FOR APPROVAL.
MAY I APPROVE IT WITHOUT OBJECTION HEARING, NO OBJECTIONS.
THIS MATTER WILL BE APPROVED OR FORWARD INTO THE FULL COUNSEL FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION FOR NEXT MEETING.
THANKS ONCE AGAIN FOR COMING IN.
WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN, UH, WHERE PERHAPS THERE'LL BE SOME MORE QUESTIONS AND QUESTIONS THAN THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO WILL BE AT THE COUNCIL MEETING WITH REGARD TO SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS.
SO IF THERE'S NO FURTHER BUSINESS FOR THIS COMMITTEE AND HEARING NO ONE TRY OUT FOR ATTENTION, I WILL ADJOURN THIS MEETING AND WE'LL TAKE A BRIEF RECESS AND THEN NATURAL RESOURCES WILL STEP UP.
HOW LONG DO YOU NEED, ALICE? FIVE MINUTES.