City of Austin Council Message Board

Colleagues,

I want to thank Council Member Vela for bringing forward Item 80 on the January 30th council agenda. The way the City responds to mental health crises and calls is an issue that I have been digging into for years, and I am thrilled to see this Item on the first council agenda of the year. Across the country, several cities implement various alternative response models, yielding several positive outcomes, from diverting service users from criminal-legal systems to improving social service delivery.

I would like to be added as a cosponsor and offer an amendment with the following direction to gather additional data that would be useful in developing City policies related to mental health response:

• Ask for a comparison of mental health response models implemented across the country as part of the report.
• Gather demographic and response time data, and a cost-benefit analysis associated with the various response models.
• Include stakeholder engagement and feedback as policy recommendations are formed.

Please see the motion sheet here: https://assets.austintexas.gov/austinco ... 151520.pdf

Thank you for your consideration.

In community,
MPT Fuentes

Thank you, Council Member Fuentes, for your support of this item and your thoughtful suggestions. I am honored to have you as a cosponsor and have requested the Clerk's office to include you.

I wholeheartedly approve of your proposed amendments and recognize the value in having the additional data you request. While the report items are intended to guide staff and not be an exclusive list, I understand the benefits of clear direction to assist staff in their work and ensuring the resolution achieves its intended result. I also agree that any report that will be making recommendations on policy and funding with such a large potential impact on city operations, our employees, and the people of Austin should consider the perspectives and experiences of those engaged in mental health work every day. Therefore, I have incorporated your amendments, as well as other suggested changes, into a version two of the proposed resolution.

Please see the updated version posted here: https://services.austintexas.gov/edims/ ... ?id=444820

There is also a redline document showing the changes from the previous version here: https://services.austintexas.gov/edims/ ... ?id=444821

Thank you for your hard work on behalf of Austin, especially those experiencing mental health crises that deserve compassion and support.

Saludos,
Chito