I LIKE TO CALL THIS SELECT
COMMITTEE ON YOUTH, HOMELESSNESS
AND CEREMONIAL COUNTY TO ORDER
WE'RE HERE TODAY AND WITH ME AS
MAJORITY LEADER ALWAYS RAISE AND
ON HIS WAY AS ASSEMBLY MEMBER.
SMITTY REPRESENTING THE HIGH
DESERT. AND ON BEHALF OF THE
SELECT COMMITTEE. WE WOULD LIKE
TO THANK YOU ALL FOR ATTENDING
HERE TODAY. AND THE IMPORTANCE
OF ENSURING THAT ARE HOMELESS.
UM RESOURCES, ESPECIALLY TO OUR
YOUTH IS SOMETHING THAT WE
CONTINUE TO EDUCATE THOSE IN THE
COMMUNITY AROUND US ABOUT THE
RESOURCES THAT ARE THERE, BUT
MOST IMPORTANTLY, HOW TO ATTAIN
THOSE RESOURCES, UM, WHEN YOU'RE
IN NEED OF THEM, TODAY'S
INFORMATIONAL HEARINGS ABOUT
CONNECTING WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS
FROM SAN MARINO COUNTY TO
DISCUSS THE EPIDEMIC. OF OUR
YOUTH HOMELESSNESS. AND AS
COUNTY SUPERVISOR. PREVIOUSLY WE
WORKED HARD TO CREATE THE
HOMELESS YOUTH TASK FORCE. WE
WORKED HARD TO INCLUDE, AND NOW
IT'S INCLUDED THE POINT IN TIME
COUNT THAT'S DONE TO HAVE A
COMPONENT OF COUNTING OUR
HOMELESS YOUTH HERE IN SAN
MARTINO COUNTY. WE WORKED WITH
HUD ON THOSE ISSUES. UM WE
CONTINUE TO WORK TO RAISE
AWARENESS. AND PROMOTE PIECES OF
LEGISLATION TOGETHER WITH MY
COLLEAGUES TO CONTINUE TO WORK
TO BRING RESOURCES TO OUR COUNTY
AND TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
WE WORKED ON BILLS THAT WOULD
BRING MAYBE 26. 63 WOULD BRING
ATTENTION TO THE L G B T Q AND
GENDER, EXPANSIVE CHILDREN AS
WELL AS TRIBAL CHILDREN HERE AND
IN OUR AREAS IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. BUT WE ALSO HAD
ANOTHER BILL THAT MOVED FORWARD
AND WAS SIGNED INTO LAW THAT
DEALS WITH AN AREA THAT WE KNOW
IS NEEDED, AND THAT DEALS WITH
PSYCHIC PSYCHIATRIC RESIDENTIAL
TREATMENT CENTERS. WE FOUND THAT
OUT OF 58 COUNTIES, ONLY FOUR
COUNTIES WERE HAVING SOME TYPE
OF INFRASTRUCTURE FOR OUR YOUTH
. AND WHAT THAT DOES IS WHEN THE
SEVERITY OF AN ISSUE IS CALLED
OUT AND WE HAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT
OF FIREFIGHTERS RESPOND. AND A
LOT OF TIMES THEIR ONLY OPTIONS
ARE GOING TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM
FOR THE DIFFERENT AREAS WITH OUR
HOSPITALS OR MANY TIMES, UM,
JUVENILE HALL OR EVEN COUNTY
JAIL. WE HAVE TO HAVE A BETTER
SYSTEM FOR THAT. SO A B 23 17
STARTS TO LAY THE INFRASTRUCTURE
FOR THAT, AND THAT WAS SIGNED
INTO LAW. AND SO WE START TO
LOOK AT BUILDING THAT
INFRASTRUCTURE FOR OUR YOUTH
HERE IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
, AND MOST DEFINITELY HERE IN
SAN MARTINO COUNTY, AND I'M
JOINED HERE WITH
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S ELOISE REYES,
MAJORITY LEADER AND ASSEMBLY
MEMBER, SMITTY THURSTON THURSTON
SMITTY FROM THE HIGH DESERT WHO
JUST WALKED IN. AND TOGETHER, WE
WORK AS COLLEAGUES, TOO. MOVE
FORWARD AND WHAT'S YOU KNOW WE
HAVE TO POINT OUT ON THIS SELECT
COMMITTEE AND WITH THE III
CAUCUS THAT WE CURRENTLY CHAIR
IT'S A BIPARTISAN EFFORT. YOU
SEE US WORKING TOGETHER ON THESE
ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO OUR
COMMUNITY. IT IS THROUGH
HEARINGS LIKE THIS THAT WE CAN
HEAR FIRSTHAND FROM THOSE ON THE
FRONT LINES, AND WE'LL BE ABLE
TO HEAR, UM FROM SOME OF THE
YOUTH HERE IN OUR AREA YOU NEED
ABLE AND MEGAN LLOYD. AND WE'RE
GOING TO HEAR FROM THEM. FROM A
PERIOD APPEAR. CONVERSATION OF
WHAT TRULY IS NEEDED. IT'S ONE
THING FOR ELECTED LEADERS AND
DIFFERENT DIRECTORS TO SAY
HERE'S HOW TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM
, BUT I BELIEVE OUR ROLE IS TO
HEAR FROM THOSE THAT ARE OUT
THERE HOW TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM
FROM THERE THE LENS OF THEIR
EYES SO THAT WE COULD BETTER
ADVOCATE ON THEIR BEHALF. WE ARE
FORTUNATE TO HAVE A HEARING THAT
CONSISTS OF SERVICE PROVIDERS AS
WELL AS YOUTH WHO HAVE BEEN
AFFECTED BY HOMELESSNESS AND ARE
MOVING FORWARD. UM WE JUST
SECURED THROUGH THE HELP AND
SUPPORT OF MY COLLEAGUES. WE
SECURED $5 MILLION FOR THE BLUE
FOUNDATION TO HELP STUDENTS MOVE
FORWARD WITHIN THE COMMUNITY
COLLEGE SYSTEM. TODAY'S HEARING
CONSISTS OF THREE PANELS. PANEL.
ONE WILL BE THE STATUS OF
HOMELESS YOUTH IN SAN MARTINO
COUNTY. WE WILL HAVE ON THE
PANEL DEPUTY MIKE JONES FROM THE
HOMELESS OUTREACH HIM PROACTIVE
ENFORCEMENT FROM SAN MARINO
COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT
KNOWN AS THE HOPE TEAM. PANEL
TWO WILL BE HOW ARE YOUTH
INCORPORATED INTO THE PROCESS?
BRENDA WILL BE ON THE PANEL
WOULD BE BRENDA DOWDY, HOMELESS
EDUCATION PROJECT MANAGER
SAMUDIO COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT
SCHOOLS. CAROL EVEY, EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR FROM FAMILY ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM, AND ANDRE DRE, FROM TEH
, PROGRAM MANAGER. ONE STOP
TRANSITIONAL AGE YOUTH CENTER.
PANEL THREE WILL BE EXPANDING
PARTNERSHIPS TO ADDRESS HOMELESS
YOUTH AND THAT WILL BE FIRSTHAND
EXPERIENCE AND A VOICE WITH
EUNICE ABLE. SHE'S CHAIR OF THE
SAMURAI, DON'T COUNTY YOUTH
HOMELESS ADVISORY BOARD AND
MEGAN LLOYD YOUTH WOULD LIVED
EXPERIENCES OF HOMELESSNESS
REPRESENTATIVE SEMINAR, DINO
COUNTY INTERAGENCY COUNCIL AND
HOMELESSNESS. AND JESSE. WHAT IS
CARE TEAM? UM CASE MANAGEMENT
SPECIALISTS FROM CALIFORNIA
STATE UNIVERSITY, SAN
BERNARDINO. THOSE WILL BE THE
PANELS THAT WILL BE PRESENTED
HERE TODAY. AT THIS TIME. I'D
LIKE TO SEE IF MY COLLEAGUES
HAVE ANY OPENING REMARKS,
STARTING WITH MAJORITY LEADER
ELOISE REYES. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
IT'S SUCH AN HONOR TO BE HERE
WITH MY COLLEAGUE. NOT ONLY IS
HE THE CHAIR OF THE INLAND
EMPIRE CAUCUS OF IN THE ASSEMBLY
, BUT HE'S IN THE SENATE. UM BUT
HE IS ALSO THE CHAIR OF THE
FIRST EVER NATIVE AMERICAN
CAUCUS IN THE STATE ASSEMBLY. UM
AND CHAIR OF THIS SELECT
COMMITTEE, SO I'M VERY PROUD TO
BE HERE TO JOIN HIM ON SUCH AN
IMPORTANT TOPIC. AND THE LIST OF
SPEAKERS THAT HE HAS ENCOMPASSES
EVERYTHING THAT THAT THAT WE
WOULD NEED THE GROUP THAT WE
WOULD NEED TO TALK ABOUT THIS
ISSUE AND TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT IT IS. WE NEED TO DO. TO
SOLVE IT BECAUSE WE'VE TAKEN A
LOT OF TIME TO TALK ABOUT IT,
AND WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY.
BUT IF WE DON'T HAVE THE
ACCOUNTABILITY, THE TRANSPARENCY
THE YOUTH INVOLVEMENT IN THE
DECISION MAKING, WE'RE MISSING
SOMETHING UM, SO I'M REALLY
PROUD TO BE HERE. TWO THINGS I
WANTED TO SHARE. ONE IS HOW
IMPORTANT THE JOB IS ALSO TO
MAKE SURE THAT OUR YOUTH ARE
ABLE TO FIND JOBS NOW. THERE
WERE TWO THINGS THAT I WORKED
ON. ONE WAS THAT REQUIRES
COUNTIES TO GIVE PREFERENCE TO
FORMER FOSTER YOUTH OR FORMER
HOMELESS YOUTH WHEN THEY'RE
GIVING JOBS, UH TO THE YOUTH.
AND THAT WAS PASSED AND SIGNED
BY THE GOVERNOR. THE OTHER WAS
AN ADDITIONAL $10.8 MILLION. IT
WAS PUT INTO THE BUDGET LAST
YEAR SPECIFICALLY FOR FORMER
FOSTER YOUTH, FORMER HOMELESS
YOUTH. TO GET A GRADUATE DEGREE
IN MENTAL HEALTH. WE KNOW THAT
MENTAL HEALTH IS AN AREA THAT WE
HAVE SUCH A SHORTAGE AND WE NEED
MORE PEOPLE GOING INTO THOSE
PROFESSIONS. AND THE ONE AREA.
THE ONE GROUP IS OUR YOUTH. WE
NEED MORE OF OUR YOUTH CHOOSING
THAT SO THAT THEY CAN USE THEIR
LIVED EXPERIENCES TO HELP. OTHER
YOUTH. THE OTHER IS HOW
IMPORTANT IT IS TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE GET THE YOUTH BEFORE
THEY BECOME HOMELESS. GET THEM.
KEEP THEM IN THEIR HOME. KEEP
THEM IN A HOME AS LONG AS WE CAN
, BECAUSE ONCE THEY HAVE ENTERED
THE SPACE OF HOMELESSNESS, THEN
IT'S HARDER TO BRING THEM BACK.
AND THERE WE RUN THE RISK OF
CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS FOR THEM,
AND WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE SAVED THEM BEFORE WE LOSE
THEM, AND WE'RE GOING TO HEAR
SOME GREAT EXAMPLES OF THOSE WHO
WERE ABLE TO COME BACK. AND NOT
ONLY DID THEY COME BACK, THEY
CAME BACK STRONG AND THEY'RE
GOING TO HELP OTHER YOUTH ALSO
TO COME BACK. IT'S THAT YOUTHS
VOICE AND I WAS TALKING TO SOME
COLLEAGUES EARLIER ABOUT THE
ROLE ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S RAMOS HAD
IN MAKING SURE THE YOUTH HAVE A
VOICE ON SOME OF THE COMMISSIONS
AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IF
WE'RE NOT INTENTIONAL ABOUT
SAYING THAT WE WANT THE YOUTHS
VOICE IT'S MY HAPPENSTANCE. OH
WE GOTTA YOUTH. THAT'S PART OF
OUR BOARD, BUT BECAUSE OF THE
WORK OF ASSEMBLING MEMBER RAMOS
, IT WAS INTENTIONAL. AND SO WE
DO HAVE YOUTHS VOICE ON ON THESE
COMMISSIONS, AND I THAT WAS
IMPORTANT. THE LAST THING I
WANTED TO SAY IS THAT MY SISTER
, WHO IS A SOCIAL WORKER JUST
GOT HER DOCTORATE. NOT TOO LONG
AGO, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT
SOMEBODY THAT DRE FROM TEH
KNOWS, UM SHE WAS TELLING ME
THAT ONE OF THE NEWEST ARTICLES
THAT CAME OUT WAS THE GRAND
CHALLENGES FOR SOCIAL WORK AND
ONE OF THOSE GRAND CHALLENGES IT
HAS TO DO WITH HOMELESS YOUTH.
AND THE FACT THAT WE NEED TO
PARTNER WITH OUR UNIVERSITIES
ARE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER
LEARNING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
GET THEM WORKING ON MASTER'S
THESIS OR ON CAP STONES STUDYING
HOMELESSNESS SO WE CAN THEN AS
LEGISLATORS AS AS UM AS DECISION
MAKERS. THEN IMPLEMENT WHAT
THOSE EXPERTS TELL US. I'M
REALLY EXCITED ABOUT BEING HERE
WITH MY COLLEAGUES AND LOOKING
FORWARD TO THE TESTIMONY. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK
YOU. MAJORITY LEADER REYES. NOW
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S SMITH. THANK
YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
EXPECIALLY THAT CALLED THIS
MEETING. CALL THIS ON SO YOU CAN
HEAR ME. UM BUT I'M LOOKING
FORWARD TO THE SPEAKERS,
ESPECIALLY THE YOUTH AS WE HEAR.
WE HEAR FROM YOU, SO WE KNOW
WHAT TO DO IN THE FUTURE AND
SAID TO SAY NO, WE HEAR HIM, BUT
WE DON'T DO NOTHING. THERE'S
PLENTY OF MONEY POTS OF MONEY.
LET'S GIVE IT TO THE RESOURCES
OF THE AGENCIES THAT ARE DOING
THE MOST GOOD FOR OUR YOUTH. AND
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO
DISCUSSION. THANK YOU FOR
CALLING THIS AND LOOK FORWARD TO
IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S, UM SMITH. SO
THIS IS, UM. THIS HEARING IS
MEANT TO BRING RESOURCES FORWARD
IN THE DIFFERENT PANELISTS TO
TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE
FACING HERE IN SAN MARTINO
COUNTY. THIS IS A SELECT%
COMMITTEE ON SAN MARTINO COUNTY.
UM UM, YOUTH, HOMELESSNESS AND
THOSE. UM, NO, THOSE MIGHT NOT
KNOW WE'VE BEEN WORKING HARD ON
THE HOMELESS YOUTH POPULATION
HERE IN SEMINOLE COUNTY. FOR
MANY YEARS WE WORKED WITH THE
INTERAGENCY COUNCIL AND
HOMELESSNESS TO CREATE THE
HOMELESS YOUTH TASK FORCE. WE
BROUGHT DIFFERENT PARTNERS
TOGETHER TO WORK ON ISSUES TO
GET THE WORD OUT. UM OF THE
RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE OR
GO OUT AND SECURE RESOURCES TO
BRING FORWARD WE ALSO HAD A TOWN
HALL. UM A WEEK AGO WHERE WE
BROUGHT TOGETHER ANOTHER
AWARENESS, AND THAT'S BRINGING,
UM THE DIFFERENT FENTANYL ISSUE
THAT CONTINUES TO PLAGUE OUR
COMMUNITY AND OUR LOVED ONES AND
OUR YOUTH AND WE BROUGHT
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH OUT. COUNTY
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CAME OUT
AND ACTUALLY, UM, GOT NARCAN OUT
TO PEOPLE SO THEY COULD HAVE
THAT ON THEIR POSSESSION BEING
MORE PROACTIVE TO THE SITUATION
THAN REACTIVE. I THINK THAT WE
HAVE TO BE MORE PROACTIVE AND
TRYING TO GET NARCAN ANTAGONISTS
, UM, AREAS THAT WE COULD DO TO
GET TO A PERSON THAT MIGHT BE
KNOWING SOMEBODY OR EVEN SOMEONE
THAT'S PARTAKING IN THAT TO HAVE
THAT READILY AVAILABLE IN THAT
TIME OF NEED, SO WE WORKED HARD
ON THAT. WE GOT NARCAN OUT. THIS
UM, HEARING CONTINUES TO FOCUS
ON ON THE HOMELESS YOUTH AND THE
YOUTH IN GENERAL, AND THE
RESOURCES THAT ARE THERE. WE
WORKED ON PIECES OF LEGISLATION
TO BRING FORWARD MENTAL HEALTH
COMPONENTS. I'M WORKING WITH MY
COLLEAGUES TO MAKE SURE THAT
MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES ARE
THINGS THAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK
ON AND GETTING THOSE RESOURCES
THERE. UM SO WE CONTINUE TO
BRING THAT AWARENESS AND I
BELIEVE AND I AND I, YOU KNOW, I
AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES THAT WE
HAVE TO BE MORE PREVENTATIVE AND
PROACTIVE THAN REACTIVE TO
SITUATIONS IN OUR AREA BECAUSE
WHEN WE'RE PROACTIVE, WERE ABLE
TO GET THE RESOURCES TO THOSE
THAT DRASTICALLY NEED THOSE
RESOURCES, UM, SO THAT THEY CAN
CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD. WE
ALSO ESTABLISHED, UM HOMELESS
YOUTH SCHOLARSHIP THROUGH
CHILDREN'S FUND TO ENSURE THAT
THOSE THAT ARE PURSUING HIGHER
EDUCATION COULD PUT IN FOR A
SCHOLARSHIP AND THE DIFFERENCE
WITH THAT SCHOLARSHIP THAT CAME
OUT OF A MEETING. JUST LIKE THIS
ON PEER TO PEER WAS THAT
SCHOLARSHIP IN DOLLARS WERE
THERE FOR TUITION AND BOOKS, BUT
THE QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES THE
FOOD UM, THE PLACE TO STAY THAT
NO MONEY, NO SCHOLARSHIP COVERED
THAT SO WE CREATED A SCHOLARSHIP
WITHIN CHILDREN'S FUND THAT
GIVES MONEY FOR TUITION, BUT
ALSO THE MAJORITY OF MONEY GOES
TOWARDS THE BASIC QUALITIES OF
LIFE. SO WHEN WE HEAR FROM THOSE
COMING FORWARD, ESPECIALLY THE
YOUTH, MAKE SURE THAT YOUR WE'RE
LISTENING. SO WE'RE GOING TO
TAKE AWAY SOME THINGS THAT WE
HERE TODAY SO THAT WE CAN MOVE
FORWARD ON MAKING SURE THAT YOUR
VOICE IS BEING HEARD IN THE
STATE LEGISLATURE WITH THAT WE
WANT TO START WITH PANEL ONE. I
WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE SOME
DEPUTY MIKE JONES. HE'S A
FOUNDER OF THE HOMELESS OUTREACH
PROACTIVE ENFORCEMENT TEAM,
KNOWN AS HOPE THROUGH HOPE,
DEPUTY JONES AND HIS TEAM HAVE
HELPED OVER 2000 PEOPLE. OUT OF
HOMELESSNESS. WHICH WHEN WE WERE
ON THE COUNTY BOARD, AND WE LEFT
THERE WAS OVER 30,000 STUDENTS
IN SAN MATEO COUNTY THAT WE'RE
HOMELESS. AND SO I WOULD IMAGINE
THAT'S CONTINUED TO GROW
THROUGHOUT THIS TIME. AND WE'LL
HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT FROM BRENDA
DOWDY. AND HE WILL PROVIDE
TESTIMONY THE STATUS FOR
HOMELESS YOUTH IN SAN MARINO
COUNTY FROM THE FIRST HAND
PERSPECTIVE OF SOMEONE OUT IN
THE FIELD, DEPUTY JONES MORNING.
THANK YOU. WELCOME. ON BEHALF OF
THE COUNTY SHERIFF. DECADES.
APPRECIATE YOU HAVING US SO I
JUST WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THE STATUS OF YOUTH
HOMELESS. SO LIKE YOU MENTIONED
SUDDENLY MARAMA IN 2010, THE
COUNTY ORIGINALLY HAD A POLICY
COUNCIL. THAT ESTABLISHED A TASK
FORCE TO ADDRESS HOMELESS YOUTH
CREATED TWO HOMELESS, RUNAWAY
YOUTH. SHELTERS. WORKSHOPS ON
HOMELESS YOUTH WAS PRESENTED AT
THE CHILDREN'S NETWORK.
CONFERENCES. FOCUS GROUPS WERE
CREATED. AND IT WAS THE KIND OF
THE STARTING 0.2 INCLUDING POINT
IN TIME COUNT. TO BE INCLUDED
WITHIN OUR COUNTY. UM, WITH
HOMELESS YOUTH. IN 2014, THAT
TASK FORCE, UM, FROM THE
CHILDREN'S NETWORK POLICY
COUNCIL, TRANSITIONED TO THE AND
CREATED OUR COUNTY'S HOMELESS
YOUTH TASK FORCE THAT HAS
SOMEBODY BEEN RAMOS, ALONG WITH
DRE AND BRENDA WERE INSTRUMENTAL
IN BEGINNING AROUND THE COUNTY,
AND IT'S BEEN A PRIORITY, UM,
FROM THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
AND OUR INTERAGENCY COUNCIL
HOMELESS. AND FROM THAT TASK
FORCE HAS CREATED THE YOUTH
POINT IN TIME COUNT, WHICH
SEPARATE FROM THE HEAD POINT IN
TIME COUNT. HIS ALSO BRIGHT. THE
NEED FOR YOUTH POINT IN TIME
COUNT TO BE DONE AT THE SAME
TIME OR SAME TIMELINE AS THE
HEAD. POINT IN TIME COUNT. AND
IT CREATED THE YOUTH ADVISORY
BOARD. WHEN SHE MENTIONED THAT
ONE OF THE SPEAKERS LATER TODAY
WILL BE PART OF IN REFERENCE TO
HOMELESS OVERALL AND THE YOUTH
HOMELESS, USING POINT IN TIME
COUNT NUMBERS AND SHOWS THAT THE
CHALLENGE TO THAT SO EXAM RIO
COUNTY THE POINT IN TIME COUNT
ESTIMATED ABOUT 3300 HOMELESS
PEOPLE. WITHIN THAT THERE WAS
ONLY 5% THAT WERE IDENTIFIED AS
HOMELESS YOUTH USING THE HUD
DEFINITION OF HOMELESSNESS. UM
AND OF THOSE FOLKS 25 WERE
IDENTIFIED AS CHRONICALLY
HOMELESS. DURING THE POINT IN
TIME COUNT. SO VERY SMALL NUMBER
COMPARED TO A LOT OF THE OTHER
DATA. AND THAT STRUGGLE IS THE
DIFFERENCE IN DEFINITIONS OF THE
MCKINNEY VENTO. UM YOU KNOW,
DEFINITION FROM A U. S
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. WHICH
THE TERM HOMELESS CHILDREN AND
YOUTH THOSE COULD INCLUDE FOLKS
THAT ARE SHARED HOUSING AND
CERTAINLY IN TODAY'S WORLD AND
ECONOMY, YOU KNOW CERTAIN
CULTURES. WE SEE A LOT OF FOLKS
THAT ARE LIVING TOGETHER AND
HOUSEHOLDS TO MAKE ENDS MEET,
ESPECIALLY WITH THE CURRENT
HOUSING COSTS. WE HAVE MULTIPLE
FAMILIES SO THOSE CHILDREN WOULD
BE CONSIDERED HOMELESS. ALSO THE
AMOUNT OF FOLKS THAT ARE LIVING
IN POTENTIALLY TRAILERS
ABANDONED BUILDINGS MOTEL HOTEL.
WHERE THE MCKINNEY VENTO
INCLUDES THOSE. ALSO YOUTH THAT
HAVE PRIMARY NIGHTTIME RESIDENTS
. UM THAT'S NOT DESIGNATED FOR
ORDINARY SLEEPING
ACCOMMODATIONS. AND THEN FOLKS
LIVING IN THEIR VEHICLES. OUR
TEAM HAS SEEN A DRAMATIC
INCREASE IN THE PAST SEVERAL
MONTHS. OF FOLKS LIVING IN THEIR
VEHICLES DUE TO THE HOUSING
COST. UM AND WORKFORCE. NOT
BEING ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, CAN
CONTINUE TO MAKE THOSE PAYMENTS
AND CERTAINLY MOST OF THEM HAVE
CHILDREN. JUST THIS MORNING. MY
WAY IN. I WAS CONTACTED OF ONE
WITH A YOUNG LADY WITH A CHILD.
IN HIGHLAND. SO WE GET ABOUT
FIVE OF THOSE A DAY WE USED TO
MAYBE GET FIVE A WEEK IF THAT IS
A HUGE INCREASE. BREAKDOWN KIND
OF THE HOMELESS YOUTH IN THE
COUNTY. SO AS YOU MENTIONED
CERTAINLY WHEN YOU WERE HERE
WITH BOARD AND THE HOMELESS
YOUTH TASK FORCE WAS CREATED. IT
WAS ESTIMATED ABOUT 36,000
HOMELESS YOUTH WERE IDENTIFIED
IN OUR COUNTY SCHOOLS BASED ON
THAT MCKINNEY VENTO. BRANDON
WILL TALK ABOUT IT MORE AND HOW
IT WITH COVID AND THINGS LIKE
THAT. SOME OF THE CHILDREN HAVE
NOT. BEEN ABLE TO COME BACK TO
THE SCHOOLS, BUT NOW THAT NUMBER
IS AROUND 24,000. SHE'LL BE ABLE
TO EXPLAIN IN MORE DETAIL OF THE
DIFFERENCE IN THE NUMBERS OF
WHAT THEY FEEL. POINT IN TIME
COUNTS AGAIN USING THE FEDERAL
DEFINITION OF HOMELESSNESS. IN
2019 24 YEARS OF AGE AND UNDER
WHERE 140 FOLKS WERE COUNTED,
WHICH WAS 7.5% OF THE HOMELESS
POPULATION AT THAT TIME. IN 2021
. THAT NUMBER WENT UP TO 195,
WHICH UH, WAS ABOUT 8% OF OUR
POINT IN TIME COUNT. AND IN 2020
TO 110 WERE COUNTED WHICH ENDED
UP BEING ABOUT 5% AS I
MENTIONED. CERTAINLY WITH SOME
OF THE INVESTMENTS FROM THE
STATE AND SET ASIDE FOR YOUTH
HOMELESS TO ADDRESS USE.
HOMELESS MAY HAVE SOME OF THAT
THOSE REASONS OF THE DROP IN
NUMBERS AGAIN USING THAT
DEFINITION. ON THE COUNTY SIDE.
UM, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS
BOTH THAT THE SHERIFF IS VERY
INTERESTED IN AND YOU MENTIONED
IT SHORT TIME AGO. THE
STAGGERING NUMBERS OF FENTANYL
RELATED DEATHS. UM AND 24 YEARS
AND UNDER IN 2021. UM THERE WAS
ABOUT 300. I'M SORRY. THERE'S
ABOUT 24. 24 DEATHS. THERE WERE
RELATED TO AND THAT'S NOT
HOMELESS. NECESSARILY JUST FOLKS
LIKE THAT. THIS YEAR. WE'RE
ALREADY AT 26 DEATHS AS OF
AUGUST AND WITH TOXICOLOGY AND
THINGS THINGS ARE, YOU KNOW,
OBVIOUSLY BEHIND. SO STAGGERING
NUMBERS FOR OUR YOUTH AND
CERTAINLY IN THE FIELD. WE SEE
THAT ON A REGULAR BASIS. UM, YOU
KNOW, FOLKS THAT ARE USING
FENTANYL RELATED DRUGS AND DYING
OUT ON OUR STREETS IN
HOMELESSNESS. SOME OF THE
INVESTMENTS IN COLLABORATION
WITH YOU KNOW, LOCAL AND STATE
LEADERS. WE LOOK AT NEW WAYS TO
ADDRESS YOUTH HOMELESS. AS WELL
AS ADDRESSING THE STAGGERING
FIGURES OF FENTANYL RELATED
DEATHS WITH OUR YOUTHS. OVERALL.
THERE'S BEEN ABOUT 300. FENTANYL
DEATHS OF 24 YEARS AND OVER
UNDER SINCE, UM THEY'VE BEEN
KIND OF KEEPING TRACK OF THAT
MORE. THE COUNTY IS UTILIZED
STATE HOMELESS FUNDING TO
PROVIDE AND IMPROVE YOUTH
HOMELESS SERVICES ACROSS OUR
COUNTY. WITH A CHAP FUNDING
APPROXIMATELY 230,000 PROVIDED R
D B H T DRIVE FROM TAE PROGRAMS
, CHILD FAMILY SERVICES AND
PROBATION DEPARTMENT FOR YOUTH
SERVICES TO HAVE SOME FLEXIBLE
SPENDING. R C O C HAS PROVIDED
OVER 245,000. TO OUR FAMILY
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR YOUTH
HOMELESS SERVICES. THEY'RE ALL
OVERSEAS. OR A CHAP TO THE
COUNTY HAD 104,000 WHICH IS IN
THE PROCESS OF BEING OBLIGATED
TO YOUTH SERVICES. UM ANOTHER
COC WAS OVER 100 AND 20,000 AND
A CHAP THREE UM WHICH IS ONE OF
THE NEWER FUNDINGS. HAS 364,000.
WHICH IS PENDING RECEIPT OF
FUNDING TO BE OBLIGATED TO
PROGRAMS ADDRESSING YOUTH
HOMELESS AROUND OUR COUNTY.
CERTAINLY SOME OF THOSE
CHALLENGES OR ONE LOCATING THOSE
YOUTH AND THE GREAT WORK THAT
THE YOUTH ADVISORY BOARD DOES
TO. TO TRY TO UM, LOCALLY,
LOCATE THOSE FOLKS AND ADVISE
THEM OF THE SERVICES THAT ARE
OUT THERE. THE CHALLENGES OF
YOUTH POINT IN TIME COUNTS TO
HAVE MORE REALISTIC NUMBERS. OF
COURSE, CERTAINLY WITH THE TWO
DEFINITIONS OF HOMELESS AROUND
YOUTH. BECOME A CHALLENGE TO
THAT. WE LOOK FORWARD TO MANY
WAYS, YOU KNOW, TO ADDRESS THIS
AT THE FOREFRONT AND ASSIST THE
FOLKS THAT ARE UM HOMELESSNESS.
IN THAT TAKE CATEGORY. BECAUSE
ULTIMATELY THOSE ARE FOLKS THAT
ARE GONNA BE HOMELESS OR
CHRONICALLY HOMELESS DOWN THE
ROAD, SO AS WE COULD GET THESE
FOLKS CONNECTED TO SERVICES
YOUNGER UM, AND ONTO THE BETTER
PATH WITH, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE
SCHOOL SYSTEM LIKE SOMEBODY MAY
HAVE REYES MENTIONED. THOSE ARE
GOING TO BE VERY BENEFICIAL
INVESTMENTS TO ADDRESSING
HOMELESS YOUTH. ACROSS
CALIFORNIA. I APPRECIATE YOUR
TIME. WELL, THANK YOU. THANK YOU
FOR THAT. FOR THAT PRESENTATION
AND SOME OF THE NUMBERS THAT YOU
WERE TALKING TO OUR SPECIFIC TO
THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS WHERE
SOMEBODY IN COUNTY VERSUS CITY
POPULATIONS. THIS IS COUNTY WINE
AND DATA. SO I EVERYTHING FROM
POINT IN TIME COUNT, UM WAS OR
THE MCKINNEY VENTO. IS ALL
COUNTYWIDE NUMBERS. THANK YOU.
ANY QUESTIONS? MAJORITY LEADER.
IS THERE A BREAKDOWN, GENDER
WISE ETHNICITY OR L G B T Q.
YOUTH? UM, DO WE HAVE WONDERFUL.
SO THIS IS THE DATA THAT WAS
ACTUALLY REPORTED TO, HON. UM SO
THERE WAS. 141 IS, IS THE TOTAL.
UM, AND THAT'S WITH THE CHILDREN
BEING INCLUDED IN EVERYTHING OF
THAT IT WAS 51 FEMALE. 89 MALE.
IN ONE TRANSGENDER. THERE WAS 78
NON HISPANIC, NON LATINO. AND
THEN 63 HISPANIC. OR LATINA. AND
THEN ON THE RACE BREAKDOWN.
THERE'S 33 MULTIPLE RACE. 72
CAUCASIAN. 31 AFRICAN AMERICAN
TO ASIAN AND THREE NATIVE
AMERICAN AMERICAN INDIAN. HMM.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I'M JUST
GET A COPY OF THAT TO OUR
OFFICERS, INDIVIDUALS SO WE CAN
START TRACKING THESE NUMBERS
INTO THE FUTURE SUPER CHEMICAL
CHANGE IN THEM. I'LL LEAVE THESE
WITH YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
FOR THOSE COMMENTS, JUST ONE
FOLLOW UP HIS MENTAL HEALTH
COMPONENT. YOU SEE, UM OUT IN
YOUR FIELD AND WITH THE OUTREACH
THAT YOU'RE CONDUCTING YES. SO
UM, WE CERTAINLY SEE A LARGE
INCREASE IN IN FOLKS WITH MENTAL
HEALTH. UNTREATED MENTAL HEALTH
THAT ARE OUT ON OUR STREETS AND
TREATED DRUG ALCOHOL, SUBSTANCE
ABUSE ISSUES. UM THAT YOU KNOW
THAT CERTAINLY IMPACT ESPECIALLY
WITH THE YOUNGER POPULATION. THE
COUNTY'S POINT IN TIME COUNT
OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS HAD
SHOWN A LARGE INCREASE IN, UH
YOUNGER AGED FOLKS, EVEN A
LITTLE OLDER THAN THE A YOUTH.
UM YOU KNOW, AND WHAT WE SEE IS
A LOT OF FOLKS THAT ARE YOU KNOW
OUT ON THE STREET BECAUSE
MARIJUANA USE WHICH LEADS TO
LARGER DRUGS DURING COVID, WE
SAW A LOT OF THESE TAE AGED
YOUTH THAT YOU KNOW THEY WERE 18
AND GOING TO SCHOOL AND THEIR
PARENTS WERE WORKING FROM HOME
AND SAW THAT WHAT THEY WERE
DOING DURING THE DAY, SO WE DID.
WE SAW A NUMBER OF FOLKS THAT
WERE ENDED UP OUT ON THE STREET
BECAUSE OF DRUG USE. WHILE THEIR
PARENTS ENDED UP WORKING FROM
HOME AND THEY FOUND OUT AND
KICKED HIM OUT. SO WE'VE SEEN A
LARGE IMPACT OF FOLKS USING THAT
AND CERTAINLY IT COMES DOWN TO
LARGE CAPACITY ISSUES FOR
SUBSTANCE ABUSE BANDS OR MENTAL
HEALTH BANDS TO LINK THESE FOLKS
WITH. IN THAT, UM, WITHIN THAT
SPECTRUM MENTAL HEALTH UM, COULD
THERE BE POTENTIALLY THOSE ARE
ON THAT. THAT LINE OF AUTISM,
UM, ALSO OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. I
THINK THAT SOME THAT, YOU KNOW,
CERTAINLY I HAVEN'T SEEN ACROSS
HOMELESSNESS THAT WE ASKED THE
MENTAL HEALTH QUESTIONS. IT'S
JUST N GENERIC MENTAL HEALTH.
UM, BUT I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY
GROWING NUMBERS IS AS AUTISM HAS
BEEN GROWING OVER THE PAST
SEVERAL YEARS. ALSO UM OR
DECADES THAT THEY THAT THEY
HAVEN'T COUNTED. UM AND WE'VE
SEEN MORE FOLKS WITH, YOU KNOW,
DISABILITY ISSUES THAT ARE MAYBE
NOT ABLE TO FIND THE RIGHT
PROGRAM OR OR WORK. YOU KNOW
THERE WERE WAY OUT OF
HOMELESSNESS. BECAUSE OF SOME
ISSUES AND MENTAL HEALTH OR
AUTISTIC OR DEVELOPMENTAL ISSUES
AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
PRESENTATION. THANK YOU, DEPUTY
JONES. THANKS, SIR. NEXT. WE'D
LIKE TO MOVE ONTO PANEL TOO.
PANEL TWO WILL BE BRENDA. DOWDY
UM, THERE ARE E V AND ANDRE FROM
DRE FROM TAE THAT THEY COULD
COME UP. ANDRE HOW UPSET HIS
PARENTS MUST BE THAT HE LOST HIS
LAST YOU KNOW WHY WE CALL DRE
FROM TAE BECAUSE WE CAN NEVER
FIGURE OUT HOW TO PRONOUNCE HIS
LAST NAME, SO IT'S EASIER TO SAY
DRE FROM TAE YEAH, I'VE KNOWN
ANDRE FOR MANY YEARS AS WELL AS
UPGRADED, DOUBTING AND DARRYL.
WE'VE WORKED TOGETHER, UM,
THROUGHOUT THE NATION, ACTUALLY
, WHEN WE WERE ON THE COUNTY
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND
ADVOCATE FOR OUR HOMELESS YOUTH
TOOK US TO NEW YORK. CHICAGO UM
AND OTHER PLACES TO CONTINUE TO
BE A VOICE FOR OUR YOUTH HERE IN
SAN MATEO COUNTY, WHERE WE'VE
TAKEN THAT THAT MANTLE AND UP TO
THE STATE LEGISLATURE CONTINUE
TO BE AN ADVOCATE. SO WE'VE
WORKED LONG TOGETHER AND
ENSURING THAT RESOURCES ARE
AVAILABLE AND MANY TIMES THERE'S
COMMUNITIES THAT SAY THIS IS OUR
NUMBER ONE ISSUE. BUT YET WHEN
YOU'RE GOING TO CONSTRUCT A HOME
OR OR HAVE A HOUSE FOR SOMEBODY
TO STAY AT BECOMES A LITTLE
DEBATE, AND I'VE WORKED WITH
DARRYL IN SECURING SOME
DIFFERENT HOUSING IN DIFFERENT
AREAS. MISS DOWDY. WE WORKED
TOGETHER ON A LOT OF THE
HOMELESS ISSUES WITHIN OUR
SCHOOLS AND DRE FROM TEH WORKING
WITH THE YOUTH AND AGED OUT
YOUTH AND MAKING SURE THEIR
VOICES ARE BEING HEARD. SO WE'RE
GONNA GO AHEAD AND ORDER HAVE
BRENDA DOWDY FIRST DARA LEVY AND
THEN ANDREI. GOOD MORNING. THANK
YOU FOR HAVING ME. I'M BRENDA
DOWDY. I'M WITH SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
. I MANAGED TO HOMELESS
EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR THE ENTIRE
COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO. MY JOB
IS TO MAKE SURE EDUCATIONAL
SYSTEMS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
FOLLOW THE MCKINNEY VENTO
HOMELESS EDUCATION ACT WITH
IMMEDIATELY ENROLLMENT ENROLLING
HOMELESS YOUTH REMOVING
BARRIERS. AND MAKING SURE THAT
THEY CAN STAY IN THEIR SCHOOL OF
ORIGIN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. WE
TRY TO DO WHAT'S IN THE BEST
INTERESTS OF THE CHILD SO WE
WOULDN'T KEEP A KID WHO'S IN THE
DESERT IF THEY MOVED DOWN HERE
TO TRANSPORT THEM ALL THE WAY
BACK TO THE DESERT FOR SCHOOL,
UM WE, UM. YOUTH ARE
INCORPORATING EVERYTHING THAT WE
DO BECAUSE WE'RE HERE BECAUSE OF
THE YOUTH. AS DEPUTY, JONES
SAID, BEFORE OUR NUMBERS HAVE
DROPPED DRASTICALLY. THE
PANDEMIC WAS REALLY HARD FOR US.
BECAUSE KIDS WERE ON CAMERA SOME
COULD CUT COULDN'T CONNECT. AND
UM, SCHOOL WAS A WAY THAT WE
IDENTIFIED THE KIDS WHEN THEY
CAME TO SCHOOL, FILL OUT THEIR
APPLICATIONS AND BY
PARTICIPATING OR NOT
PARTICIPATING IN SCHOOL. SO
DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE COULDN'T
DO HOME VISITS. UM AND SO KIDS
WERE DISCONNECTED. SO DURING THE
PANDEMIC, UM WE HAD LOST ABOUT
4000 THANK YOU. AND THEN SO NOW
WE'RE DOWN ABOUT 8000 KIDS THAT
ARE SEPARATED FROM SCHOOLS. BUT
WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE HAVE A
HOUSING QUESTIONNAIRE THAT WE'RE
IMPLEMENTING ACROSS THE STATE.
UM THAT WE'RE GOING TO IMPLEMENT
IT TWICE A YEAR, SO THAT WE CAN
TRY TO, UM UM CONNECT AND
REENGAGE THOSE YOUTH. UM ARE
FUNDING IS VERY SMALL. WE
RECEIVE A VERY SMALL AMOUNT FROM
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. NO
FUNDING FROM THE STATE. WE DID
RECEIVE SOME MONEY DURING THE,
UM AARP AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN. UM
SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHO HAD NEVER
RECEIVED MONEY HAD FINALLY
RECEIVED A FEW DOLLARS TO, UM,
TRY TO RECONNECT AND REENGAGE,
ARE YOU WHAT WE DID WITH OUR
FUNDING IS WE STARTED, UM SCHOOL
BASED MENTORING PROGRAM WHERE WE
HIRED CONTRACTORS TO GO ON
CAMPUS AND MEET WITH OUR
HOMELESS AND FOSTER YOUTH
DIRECTLY ON CAMPUS AT LEAST ONCE
A MONTH, BUILDING THOSE
CONNECTIONS, MAKING THOSE
RELATIONSHIPS SO THAT THEY HAVE
A CARING ADULT THAT THEY CAN
TRUST. UH UM. WE'RE IN EVERY
JUNIOR HIGH AND HIGH SCHOOL
ACROSS THE COUNTY. UM SO IF THEY
MOVE FROM ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO
THE NEXT SCHOOL DISTRICT, IT'LL
BE A WARM HAND OFF SO WE CAN
TELL THE CONTRACTOR TO LET THE
OTHER CONTRACTOR NO. JOHNNY IS
COMING TO YOUR SCHOOL. AND MAKE
SURE HE'S CONNECTED TO THIS
RESOURCE WITH THAT PROGRAM. WE
UM, TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH WE
TALKED ABOUT, UM BUILDING
HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS, UM,
FINANCIAL AID. FAST POST COLLEGE
APPLICATIONS. WHATEVER THEY NEED
. WE MEET THEM WHERE THEY ARE,
AND WE HELPED THEM ALONE. THEIR
JOURNEY. WE ALSO HIRED YOUTH
ASSOCIATES, WHICH IS FORMERLY
HOMELESS. YOU AND WHAT THEY DO
IS THEY GO ON CAMPUS AND MENTOR
OTHER YOU THEY SHARE THEIR LIVED
EXPERIENCES. AND THEY WORK WITH
THE KIDS TO TRY TO FIND OUT WHAT
IT IS. THEY WANT TO DO. UH,
THEY'RE MEETING WITH THEM ONCE A
MONTH. AS WELL ALONG WITH THEIR
CONTRACTORS. WE HAVE OUR YOUTH,
UM, GO TO CAPITOL HILL TO TALK
TO OUR LEGISLATIVE BODY TO TALK
ABOUT THE VIEW. UM, WE ALSO HAVE
OUR YOUTH. THEY'VE BEEN SPEAKING
COUNTYWIDE STATEWIDE. AND THIS
WEEKEND NATIONALLY, UM TO OVER
2000 PEOPLE TO SHARE. WHAT IT IS
TO BE HOMELESS. WHAT IT IS THEY
NEED SO THAT WE CAN GARNER MORE
SUPPORT. AND, UM WE, UM. WE DO
SO MUCH THAT WE REALLY DO
BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT OUR KIDS ARE CONNECTED. WE
MAKE SURE THAT THEIR VOICES AT
EVERY TABLE LIKE WE JUST HAD OUR
A COUNTYWIDE GANGS AND DRUGS. UM
SUMMIT WITH OUR SHERIFFS AND
PROBATION AND DISTRICT ATTORNEY
. WE HAD OUR YOUTH THERE ON A
PANEL AND WE TELL THEM WE WANT
YOU TO LET THEM KNOW EXACTLY HOW
YOU FEEL. SO IF, UM LAW
ENFORCEMENT IS NOT TREATING YOU.
WELL, WE NEED YOU TO TELL THEM
THAT BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE
CHANGE THINGS IS BY LETTING YOU
KNOW THAT WE AGREE. DISAGREE UM
, THAT WE DIDN'T THINK IT WAS
FAIR, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THAT KID
MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED WHERE THEIR
PARENTS GOT ARRESTED. AND THEN
THEY MADE THEM HOMELESS. YOU
KNOW, WE DON'T KNOW SO, BUT WE
MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW THAT
WHATEVER THEIR VOICES, WHATEVER
THEY ARE, THEY'RE FEELING WE
WANT THEM TO SHARE IT. AND, UM
WE'RE ALSO WE'RE THANKFUL FOR
THE HF FUNDING. THAT HOUSING
FUNDING ALLOWED OUR COLLEGE
STUDENTS TO STAY ON CAMPUS
BECAUSE EVERY YEAR BRENDAN
DOUGHERTY WAS STRUGGLING,
REACHING OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY
PARTNERS TRYING TO FIND, UM
WHETHER IT'S FAITH BASED
ORGANIZATION THAT WOULD HELP US
WITH KEEPING OUR HOMELESS YOUTH
HOUSE OVER THE SUMMER BECAUSE
THEY MAY HAVE HAD COLLEGE PAID
FOR, UM, DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR
. BUT IN THE SUMMERTIME, THEY
WERE GONNA BE HOMELESS IF WE
DIDN'T FIND FUNDING TO ASSIST
THEM. UM SO THANKS FOR DRE AND
SOME OF OUR OTHER COMMUNITY
PARTNERS THAT MONEY CAME THROUGH
AND SO WE'RE ABLE TO KEEP A LOT
OF OUR KIDS HOUSE AND DRE. HE'LL
PROBABLY SHARE. UM, IN REGARDS
TO THAT. UM, SO EVERY SCHOOL
DISTRICT ACROSS THE COUNTY AND
FROM PRESCHOOL TO COLLEGE HAS A
HOMELESS LIAISON. THEY HAVE A
POINT OF CONTACT. SO IF A KID
MOVES FROM ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT
IN OUR COUNTY, THEY HAVE A POINT
OF CONTACT THAT WE CAN CONNECT
THEM TO. SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BECAUSE YOU
KNOW I CAN GO ALONG QUESTIONS TO
EACH PANELIST, UM PRESENTS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS
DADDY, BRENDA DADDY FOR THAT
PRESENTATION. UM NEXT, WE'RE
GOING TO GO TO, UM, DARRYL. WE
HAVE A MANTRA, NOTHING. HIT THE
BUTTON. WE HAVE A MANTRA.
NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US. AND
I SAY THAT REGULARLY TO MYSELF
AS WELL AS TO THE PEOPLE WE
SERVE. ENERGY TRULY IS IMPORTANT
BECAUSE WHAT WHAT IS IMPORTANT
TO ME MAY NOT BE IMPORTANT TO
YOU. AND JUST LAST NIGHT I HAVE
I HAVE A NEW PHONE AND THE
REASON IS BECAUSE I LOVE MY
OTTER BOX. BUT I ALSO LEARNED
THAT AN F 1 50 TRUCK IS BIGGER
THAN AND STRONGER THAN THE OTTER
BOX. SO I HAD TO GO BUY A NEW
PHONE YESTERDAY. YES. 19 YEAR
OLD KID THAT WAS TELLING ME THE
PHONE. BUT I KNEW EVERYTHING
THERE WAS TO KNOW ABOUT PHONES.
HE WAS I WAS SO IMPRESSED AND HE
KNEW EXACTLY WHAT PHONE I
NEEDED. AND HE TOLD ME WHAT
PHONE I NEEDED. AND I SAID,
WELL, WHY DO I NEED THAT PHONE?
HE'S LIKE, WELL, THE GAMING ON
IT IS WAY BETTER. NEVER PLAYED A
GAME ON THE PHONE. I DON'T EVEN
HAVE CANDY CRUSH, SO IT'S LIKE,
YEAH, JUST WORTHLESS AND THEN
HE'S LIKE, OH, AND THIS ONE'S
GOT A GREAT CAMERA AND IT'S GOT
VIDEOS, AND IT'S LIKE I DON'T DO
TIKTOK. I DON'T TAKE PICTURES. I
DON'T THAT'S NOT IMPORTANT TO
ME. HE KNEW WHAT I NEEDED
BECAUSE HE THOUGHT HE KNEW WHAT
WAS IMPORTANT TO ME. AND IT
REMINDED ME HOW OFTEN I'M ON THE
OTHER SIDE OF THAT. HOW OFTEN AM
I MAKING A DECISION BECAUSE I
THINK I KNOW WHAT'S IMPORTANT
FOR SOMEONE ELSE. WE HAD A YOUTH
ADVISORY BOARD AND THEY HAD A
YOUTH ADVISORY BOARD RECENTLY,
AND EUNICE, WHO RUNS IT HAD AN
ICEBREAKER WHERE THEY TALKED
ABOUT THE QUESTION WAS, WHAT'S
YOUR FAVORITE DISNEY SHOW? I
DON'T KNOW ANY DISNEY SHOWS.
THEY HAD A VERY ROBUST
CONVERSATION, AND THEY TALKED
ABOUT ALL THE SHOWS THAT THEY
LIKED. AND THEY HAD THESE
INTERESTING AND I HONESTLY HAD
NEVER HEARD THE NAME OF A SINGLE
SHOW THAT THEY WERE TALKING
ABOUT. THEY LOVED THESE SHOWS,
AND I'VE NEVER EVEN HEARD OF
THEM, MUCH LESS SEEN THEM OR
KNOW WHAT THEY WERE. HOW IF WE
ARE SO DISCONNECTED THAT WE
DON'T SPEAK THE SAME LANGUAGE.
HOW ARE WE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE
DECISIONS FOR THAT OTHER PERSON?
AND THAT'S THE THING THAT STANDS
OUT TO ME SO OFTEN THAT WHEN I
WORK WITH THE PEOPLE I SERVE I
DON'T UNDERSTAND THEM. AND AS
LONG AS I CAN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I
DON'T UNDERSTAND THEM THAT I
NEED TO LISTEN TO THEM AND THEY
NEED TO TELL ME I FREQUENTLY
TELL THE PEOPLE IN OUR PROGRAMS
THAT WE WORK WITH THAT. YOU TELL
ME WHAT TO DO, AND I WILL FIGURE
OUT HOW TO PAY FOR IT AND THEN
PUT IT TOGETHER AND THEN YOU
FIGURE OUT HOW TO RUN IT. SO
WHEN WE HAVE OUR TRANSITION, AGE
YOUTH HOUSING, THEY HELP US PICK
WHERE TO HAVE THIS HOUSING AND
WHAT THEY WANT IN THEIR HOUSING,
AND I HAD A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO
TALK TO SOME YOUNG MEN WHO ARE
IN ONE OF THE NEW PROGRAMS WE
JUST OPENED, AND THAT WAS FROM
CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD WITH
OTHER YOUNG MEN TALKING ABOUT.
WHAT DO YOU NEED AND HOUSING?
WHAT DO YOU WANT? WHAT WHAT ARE
YOUR PRIORITIES AND THEY WERE
ABLE TO FIND THAT WE'RE ABLE TO
ADDRESS THAT WE WILL BE OPENING
A NEW LGBT HOUSE HOUSE FOR
TRANSITION AGE YOUTH WHO ARE
LGBTQ AND THAT HOUSE WILL BE
OPENING LIKE NEXT WEEK. I THINK
IT'S I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT
THAT. I NEVER THOUGHT THAT WAS
IMPORTANT. BECAUSE 40% OF THE
YOUTH THAT WE SERVE IDENTIFY AS
LGBT. AND THEY INTEGRATE.
THERE'S NOT AN ISSUE IN THE
HOUSE DIDN'T THINK THAT WAS A
PRIORITY. BUT WHEN I MET WITH
THE YOUNG PEOPLE, AND WE HAD
THOSE CONVERSATIONS, THEY CAME
BACK AND SAID WE WOULD LIKE A
HOUSE JUST FOR US BECAUSE
SOMETIMES SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE
HAD MULTIPLE NEGATIVE
EXPERIENCES WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE
HOMOPHOBIC FROM PARENTS OR
FAMILY MEMBERS. THE SCHOOL
MEMBERS THAT ARE HOMOPHOBIC AND
HAVE TREATED THEM BADLY. THEY
WANT TO BE IN A PLACE THAT THEY
CAN SAY I CAN BE ME. I CAN BE ME
HERE. THIS CAN BE WHERE I'M MOST
COMFORTABLE AND IT REMINDED ME
WHEN I WAS IN THE MARINE CORPS
AND I WAS STATIONED AT AIR FORCE
BASE FOR A MINUTE AND THEY PUT
US IN THESE BARRACKS THAT WERE
ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL. I WAS JUST
LIKE, WOW, THIS IS COOL. THIS IS
HOW THE AIR FORCE GUYS LOVE.
THIS IS NICE. INSTEAD OF THE
KWAN'S. IT HELPS THAT THEY PUT
US IN WHICH WE'RE LIKE WE DIDN'T
HAVE RAT INFESTATIONS BECAUSE
THE RATS HAD HIGHER STANDARDS.
SO FOR US TO BE IN THAT PLACE
WAS LIKE, WOW, THIS IS REALLY
COOL, BUT IT FELT SO
UNCOMFORTABLE BECAUSE IT WASN'T
ME. IT WASN'T IT WASN'T MY
PLACE. IT WASN'T WHERE I'M FROM.
IT WASN'T WHO I AM. AND WE
NEEDED THAT. SO WE HELPED
DEVELOP THAT AND IT WAS
IMPORTANT TO US. SO THE SIDE OF
THAT THAT I THINK THAT REALLY
NEEDS TO BE ELEVATED IS WHEN WE
TALK ABOUT NOTHING ABOUT US
WITHOUT US. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
AND HOW DO WE IMPLEMENT THAT?
WHEN WE HAVE A PROGRAM LIKE THIS. AND THE ONLY PERSON AT THE
TABLE WHO DOESN'T WORK FOR THE
GOVERNMENT. AND THE YOUNG PEOPLE
THAT ARE GOING TO COME UP HERE
ARE THE ONLY PEOPLE HERE WHO ARE
NOT PAID TO BE HERE. BUT WE PAY
THEM TO BE HERE. FORTUNATELY WE
WERE ABLE TO GET MONEY FROM THIS
YEAR HEALTH FOUNDATION AND TO
PAY YOUNG PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE
IN STUFF LIKE THIS BECAUSE THEY
NEED TO BE HERE. THAT'S WHERE
THE PRIORITY IS. WE SHOULD. I
WOULD LIKE TO SEE ALL GOVERNMENT
MEETINGS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE
PARTICIPANTS FROM THE AUDIENCE
THAT THEY'RE SERVING THE CLIENTS
THAT THEY'RE SERVING. THAT
SHOULD BE A MANDATORY
REQUIREMENT AND THAT WE'RE GOING
TO STATION PUTTING TOGETHER THAT
MEETING SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO
PAY PEOPLE TO ATTEND THOSE
MEETINGS AND COVER THEIR COSTS.
I HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WANT TO
PARTICIPATE IN SOME OF THE
HEARINGS IN SACRAMENTO, BUT THEY
DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO GET
THERE. AND THEY AND THEY CAN'T
AFFORD TO TAKE THE TIME OFF FROM
WORK. WE HAVE PEOPLE HERE IN THE
AUDIENCE TODAY THAT THIS IS
IMPORTANT AND THEY KNOW IT'S
IMPORTANT. THAT'S WHY THEY'RE
HERE, AND THEY'RE TAKING TIME
OFF FROM WORK. THEY'RE LOSING
$100. BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GOING
TO BE AT WORK TODAY. THEY'RE
GOING TO BE HERE INSTEAD. AND
BECAUSE THEY'RE LOSING THAT
MONEY, CAN THEY AFFORD THAT? HOW
IMPORTANT IS THIS? FOR ME. I
LOVE DOING STUFF LIKE THIS. I
LOVE COMING HERE. MY COMPANY
PAYS ME TO BE HERE. SO IT'S LIKE
I GET TO DO SOMETHING I LOVE TO
DO AND I PAID TO DO IT. LIFE IS
GRAND. BUT THAT'S NOT LIKE THAT
FOR EVERYONE. SO THAT'S WHY WE
HAVE TO DO THAT. WHAT WE HAVE TO
BRING THIS THING ELEMENT IN
WHERE WE'RE GOING TO PAY PEOPLE
TO PARTICIPATE. THEY NEED TO BE
INVOLVED IN THAT THE OTHER ISSUE
THAT AND THIS WILL BE THE LAST
THING I'M GONNA THROW OUT IS AN
EXAMPLE IS THE ORGANIZATIONS WHO
ARE DOING THIS KIND OF WORK. SO
THE CALIFORNIA COALITION FOR
YOUTH AS AN AMAZING PROGRAM THAT
IS ADVOCATING AND DOING GREAT
WORK WITH THE LEGISLATURE AND
HELPING WITH ELEVATING THAT
YOUTH VOICE. THE OTHER ONE IS
THE JOHN BURTON SOCIETY HAS A
JOHN BURTON FOUNDATION BY NOW, J
. THEY THEY THEY'RE DOING A LOT
OF WORK IN THAT AREA, AND BOTH
OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE
ADVOCATED STRONGLY TO HAVE
FUNDING THAT IS FLEXIBLE AND
FLUID. SO. I'M A DINOSAUR. AND I
THINK YOU GUYS ARE ALMOST MY
AGE, GIVE OR TAKE. YEAH FOR US
TO DECIDE HOW PEOPLE SHOULD
SPEND THEIR MONEY HOW YOUNG
PEOPLE SHOULD SPEND THEIR MONEY
. THAT'S NOT I DON'T THINK
THAT'S FAIR. I THINK THE YOUNG
PEOPLE SHOULD DECIDE HOW TO
SPEND THE MONEY AND ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT I'VE GOT. MAJOR
PROBLEMS FOR JJ IS THEY WERE
ABLE TO GET SOME FUNDING AND PUT
THAT DOWN TO ORGANIZATIONS LIKE
OURS SO THAT WE HAVE THIS SLUSH
FUND AND THIS IS FUND OF MONEY
THAT WE CAN DO WHAT WE NEED TO
WITH IT. SO WHEN ONE OF THE
MEMBERS OF OUR YOUTH ADVISORY
BOARD CALLS US AND SAYS MY CAR
BROKE DOWN, IT'S GOING TO BE
$700 TO FIX IT. I DON'T HAVE
$700 AND I CAN'T GET TO WORK. IF
I DON'T HAVE MY CAR AND I'M
GOING TO GET KICKED OUT OF MY
HOUSE. IF I CAN'T PAY MY RENT,
AND I CAN'T PAY MY RENT IF I
CAN'T GET TO WORK TO MAKE THE
MONEY. THE $700 IS GOING TO RUIN
MY LIFE. IT'S GOING TO MAKE ME
HOMELESS IS GOING TO DO ALL
THESE THINGS. AND FOR ME. I WAS
LIKE, OKAY, I'LL CHARGE ON THE
CREDIT CARD. BUT FOR MY YOUNG
PEOPLE, THEY DON'T HAVE THAT
OPTION BECAUSE THEY'RE YOUNG.
THEY DON'T HAVE THAT EXTENSIVE
CREDIT AND THEY HAVE SAVINGS
ACCOUNTS AND ALL THAT OTHER
STUFF GOING ON. SO HAVING THESE
FUNDS THERE ARE THERE ARE FLUID
THAT ARE ABLE TO SAY $700. NO
PROBLEM. WHAT'S YOURS? L ACCOUNT
AND THEN THEY'LL SEND US A THING
AND GIVE US THEIR PHONE NUMBER
AND THEN WE SELL THE MONEY TO
THEM, AND THEY'RE ABLE TO GO GET
THEIR CAR FIXED AND PROBLEM
SOLVED. NOT A LOT OF PAPERWORK,
NOT A LOT OF WORK. AND THEY'RE
ABLE TO MEET THEIR NEEDS BECAUSE
THEIR NEEDS ARE DIFFERENT THAN
OURS. THERE THE DINOSAURS, YOU
KNOW. WE HAVE THINGS THAT ARE
IMPORTANT TO US. I'M CONCERNED
ABOUT SOCIAL SECURITY, AND I'M
CONCERNED ABOUT MY RETIREMENT
FUND. MY YOUNG PEOPLE AREN'T AT
ALL CONCERNED ABOUT THOSE THINGS
. SOMEDAY THAT WILL BE THEIR
PROBLEM. BUT TODAY IT'S NOT. AND
THAT'S WHY I NEED THEM TO TELL
ME WHAT TO DO. I NEED THEM TO
TELL US. I NEED THEM TO TELL OUR
LEGISLATURE HOW TO MAKE THE LAWS
HOW TO DO THE THINGS HOW TO
DECIDE HOW THE FUNDING SHOULD BE
SPENT. SO NOTHING ABOUT US
WITHOUT US. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR THAT. NEXT WE'LL
HEAR FROM DRE FROM TAE THANK
YOU, UM. WELL DARRYL, YOU SAID A
WHOLE LOT I GOT STUCK ON WHEN
YOU WERE INVITED TO THE YEAH AND
EUNICE ASKED ABOUT, UM DISNEY
MOVIES. WELL THE FIRST TIME I
ATTENDED. I HAD KIND OF A LEG UP
ON YOU BECAUSE THEY TALKED ABOUT
MUSIC. RIGHT. WHAT'S YOUR
FAVORITE GENRE MUSIC? AND I GOT
AN ADVANTAGE BECAUSE I'M A
RETIRED DJ. RIGHT SO I STARTED
THINKING WELL, I WONDER IF THEY
KNOW IT. RECORDS ARE RIGHT. AND
THEN I'M ASKING. I WONDER IF
THEY KNEW THE SAME KIND OF MUSIC
THAT I USED TO SPEND RECORDS ON
AND THEY KNEW. SO I THINK I GOT
A LITTLE CREDIBILITY WITH THE
GROUP UNITS WHEN I YEAH, OKAY.
UM OKAY, SO I'M GOING TO READ
OUR WHAT WE DO FOR THE
DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.
AND THEN I'LL ADD WHAT OUR
TRANSITION AGE YOUTH PROGRAMS
ARE ALL ABOUT. UM. D B H, AND
I'M GONNA TRY TO STAY AWAY FROM
HIS MANY ACRONYMS AS POSSIBLE.
BUT THE VHS DEPARTMENT OF
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH FOR SAN
BERNARDINO PROVIDES MENTAL
HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE
DISORDER SERVICES TO COUNTY
RESIDENTS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING
MAJOR MENTAL ILLNESS AND OR
SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES AND ARE
UNINSURED OR ON MEDICAL DEVIATE
SERVES ALL GROUPS. WITH A
PRIMARILY, UH, PRIMARY EMPHASIS.
UM PLACED ON TREATING CHILDREN
YOUTH WHO MAY SERIOUSLY, UH,
HAVE EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE.
ADULTS WITH SERIOUS AND
PERSISTENT MENTAL ILLNESS. UM
GBH SERVICES ARE CULTURALLY AND
LINGUISTICALLY APPROPRIATE. D V
H ALSO PROVIDES AN ARRAY OF
PREVENTION AND EARLY
INTERVENTION SERVICES FOR BOTH
YOUTH. AH WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND
SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES. OKAY, SO. THAT'S KIND OF OUR OVERALL
MANTRA OF WHAT WE DO FOR THE
DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.
ARE TAE TRANSITION AGE YOUTH
PROGRAMS. REALLY ORIGINATED WITH. THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE ACT,
WHICH WAS PROPOSITION 63, WHICH
IS THE MILLIONAIRE'S TAX. WHICH
WAS PASSED IN THE STATE IN OH,
FOUR AND WE STARTED
IMPLEMENTATION. IN. OH, SIX. UM. DARRELL TALKED ABOUT NOTHING
ABOUT US WITHOUT US AND HOW WE
KIND OF FOCUS ON OUR YOUTH. WHEN
WE DESIGNED THE TAPE PROGRAMS
FOR THE COUNTY OF SAN
BERNARDINO. UM THE FIRST. TWO
EMPLOYEES THAT WE HIRED TO HELP
DESIGN THE PROGRAM WAS TO FORMER
SYSTEM INVOLVED YOUTH. TWO YOUNG
MEN. THEY WERE PLACED IN
CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES.
THEY WERE THE FIRST TO THAT WE
BROUGHT TO THE TABLE TO DECIDE
THE PROGRAM. OKAY? AND AS
MAJORITY LEADER, SISTER. DR ROSA
GOMEZ WAS THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR
OVER OUR CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS FOR
DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.
HIRED ME. WELL, SHE INTERVIEWED
ME. I SUBMIT THAT I WAS HIRED BY
STEPHEN AND RICHARD, WHO WERE
THE FIRST TO EMPLOYEES THAT WE
HIRED INTO THE TRANSITION A
JUICE AND THEY GAVE ME THE GREEN
LIGHT. I'M SURE THEY TOLD ROSA.
YEAH, WE GOT TO HIRE HIM. SO IT
WAS HOW WE INSTILL THE CONSUMER
INPUT AND HAVING THE YOUTH A
PART OF OUR PROGRAMS FOR THE
DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
TAPE PROGRAMS, OKAY? SO IN THE
COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO, WE
HAVE APPROXIMATELY CURRENTLY.
ABOUT. 375 YOUTH WHO. OR ENGAGED
IN ATTEND. UM ARE ONE STOP
TRANSITION, A JUICE CENTERS.
YEAH. AND BARSTOW. VICTORVILLE.
YUCCA. ONTARIO. AND IN SAN
BERNARDINO. THOSE ARE THE FIVE
TASTE CENTERS WE HAVE IN THE
COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO.
SERVICING JUST UNDER 400 YOUTH
RIGHT NOW THAT ARE COMING IN TO
ACCESS SERVICES. UM I WAS
THINKING ABOUT, UH, DEPUTY JONES
TALKED ABOUT AND YOU GUYS ASK
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MENTAL
HEALTH ISSUES THAT A LOT OF OUR
COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE THAT ARE
HOMELESS. WELL AS YOU KNOW, TO
ACCESS MENTAL HEALTH. YOU GOT TO
WANT TO DO IT. SO WITH OUR YOUTH
, ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT
WE'RE FOCUSED ON IS GETTING OUR
YOUTH TO PARTICIPATE IN THEIR
MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT. IN THE
STIGMA THAT GOES ALONG WITH
THAT. AND OUR YOUTH. WHO ARE IN
OUR PROGRAMS ARE ADVOCATING.
TODAY AND WORK ON OUR MENTAL
HEALTH ILLNESS, RIGHT? IT'S COOL
TO BE IN PROMOTING MENTAL HEALTH
WELLNESS. THAT'S A HUGE
INITIATIVE WE HAVE ACROSS THE
COUNTY. THAT'S A HUGE INITIATIVE
WE HAVE WITH ALL OF OUR SCHOOL
DISTRICTS. UM, BECAUSE OUR YOUTH
HAVE TO DRIVE. THE DIRECTION AND
HOW WE HELP MEET THEM WHERE
THEY'RE AT. IN WHAT MENTAL
HEALTH SERVICES WE NEED TO
PROVIDE FOR THEM. UM SO UM. THE
NEXT THING I KIND OF THOUGHT
ABOUT WHEN DARRELL TALKED ABOUT
, UM ZELL ACCOUNTS. AND ALL OF
US, LOVE WHAT WE DO. HMM WE'RE
JUST FORTUNATE TO BE IN A JOB
THAT WE'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT
PROBABLY CALLED TO DO, BUT WE
GET PAID. RIGHT? WE WANT TO HEAR
THE FEEDBACK, RIGHT? SO THE
THING I LIKE ABOUT THE YOUTH
ADVISORY BOARD. IS THAT
EVERYBODY ATTENDS. OH, THEY
DROPPED THEIR CELL NUMBERS IN
THE CHAT. AND THEY GET
COMPENSATED FOR COMING. UM I
KIND OF WANTED TO DROP MY CELL
NUMBER IN THE CHAT TO A COUPLE
OF TIMES, RIGHT? UM BUT IT'S
REALLY COOL. I MEAN, THAT'S THE
ONLY MODEL OUT OF ALL OF THE
ADVISORY BOARDS THAT WE HAVE IN
THE COUNTY. THAT YOUTH ADVISORY
BOARD IS THE FIRST MODEL THAT WE
DID THAT WITH ALL OF OUR TASTE
CENTERS. HAVE WHAT WE CALL TAE
ADVISORY BOARDS. HMM NOTHING
BACK TO THAT. NOTHING WITHOUT US
ABOUT US WITHOUT US, NOTHING
THAT HAPPENS IN THE TASTE
CENTERS. HAPPENS WITHOUT THE
INDIVIDUAL ASSIGN TAKE ADVISORY
BOARD ENDORSEMENT. SO THEY'RE
CREATING THE MILIEU. THEY'RE
CREATING THE GROUP STRUCTURE.
THEY'RE GIVING US ALL THE
FEEDBACK ABOUT HOW WE STRUCTURE
THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE.
WHO ARE YOU? AND FOR DEPARTMENT
OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH. WE HAVE A
HUGE FOCUS ON INCLUDING ALL OF
OUR CONSUMERS AND EVERYTHING
THAT WE DO. IT'S JUST NOT UNIQUE
TO DETECT A PROGRAMS TAKE
PROGRAMS A LITTLE BIT. I THINK A
LITTLE BIT EASIER FOR US BECAUSE
THEY CS AND WE'RE FOCUSED ON
THAT. BUT WE TRY TO MAKE THAT
HAPPEN THAT SAME APPROACH FOR
ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENT OF
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH. CONSUMERS.
AND THE ONE THING THAT MAJORITY
LEADER TALKED ABOUT IS BEING
ACCOUNTABLE AND TRANSPARENT. AND
THAT INCORPORATES A WAY TO FOR
US TO DO THAT. BECAUSE WE WANT
TO BE ACCOUNTABLE TO ALL OF THE
CONSUMERS. WE SERVED AND WE WANT
TO BE TRANSPARENT ON HOW WE
DELIVER THOSE SERVICES AND ALL
THE STATISTICS THAT GO OUT AND
WE SHARE THAT IN ALL OF OUR
COMMUNITY MEETINGS, WHICH WE DO
TWICE A MONTH. WE HAVE TWO
MEETINGS. DEPARTMENT OF
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH WILL. WE'RE
ALWAYS SOLICITING FEEDBACK TO
HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE. UM. SO I
THINK THAT WILL DO IT FOR THE
FIRST QUESTION FOR ME. FOR THE
SECOND. MHM THANK YOU TO OUR
PANELISTS FOR DISCUSSING THESE
VERY MUCH IMPORTANT ISSUES OF
RESOURCES AND WHAT'S BEING DONE
IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THE VOICE
THE VOICE OF THOSE THAT WERE
TRYING TO ADVOCATE FOR TO ENSURE
THAT IT'S THEIR VOICE THAT WE'RE
ACTUALLY ADVOCATING FOR UM WITH
THAT. I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN UP
FOR ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS.
MAJORITY LEADER. I BEGAN BY
SAYING THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, IT'S
WHENEVER WE HAVE ANY KIND OF A
PROGRAM WHERE WE'RE DEALING WITH
SOMETHING SO IMPORTANT TO OUR
FUTURE. HAVE PEOPLE WHO LOVE
WHAT THEY DO. MAKES ALL THE
DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD, TOO,
BECAUSE OFTEN TIMES IT CAN BE
JUST A GOVERNMENT JOB AND YOU'RE
JUST THERE AND YOU GOT TO, YOU
KNOW, DO YOUR REPORT. YOU'RE
DONE. YOU'RE OUT OF THERE. BUT
THAT ISN'T WHAT IDENTIFIES. ANY
OF YOU. AND THAT IS WHY THE
COMMUNITY LOVES YOU AND LOVES
THE WORK THAT YOU DO. I LOVE THE
WORK THAT YOU ALL DO AND YOUR
COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY. IF
WE COULD CLONE YOU WOULD BE SO
MUCH BETTER. UM, BUT WE CAN'T SO
MY QUESTION IS BEST PRACTICES.
WHAT ARE THE BEST PRACTICES? HOW
DO WE IDENTIFY OUR YOUTH? YEAH
AND PROVIDE DIRECT THEM OR
HELPED TO DIRECT THEM SO THAT
THEY THEN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE
BECAUSE THERE ARE SERVICES THAT
ARE AVAILABLE. BUT IF WE'RE NOT
ABLE TO REACH THEM, WE'RE NOT
ABLE TO IDENTIFY THEM THEN. IT
DOESN'T MATTER THAT THE MONEY IS
PUT IN A PROGRAM AND THAT WE CAN
PROVIDE JOBS OR WE COULD PROVIDE
TREATMENT OR WE CAN PROVIDE
WHATEVER IT DOESN'T MATTER IF WE
AREN'T ABLE TO REACH THEM SO
BEST PRACTICES. HOW DO WE BEST
DO THIS? AND HOW DO WE THEN? MHM
FOR US AS LEGISLATORS. HAVE
WHAT? WHAT? WHAT CAN WE DO? TO
HELP MAKE THAT SOMETHING THAT IS
REQUIRED THROUGHOUT THE STATE SO
THAT WE ARE ABLE TO REACH ARGUE. I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT
THING IS MEANINGFUL INPUT FROM
THE BEGINNING FROM YOUNG PEOPLE.
AND. AND I DON'T I HONESTLY
DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO YOUR
QUESTION. REALLY? BECAUSE I'VE
SEEN THAT THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT
TRULY DO CARE ALREADY DOING IT.
WHEN YOU TALK WITH DRE AT THE
TASTE CENTER. THEY'RE ALREADY
DOING THAT THE BRENDA'S PROGRAM
IS DOING IT. WE'RE BRINGING THE
YOUNG PEOPLE INTO GIVING US THAT
GUIDANCE IN THE DIRECTION TO GO.
BUT THEN I'VE ALSO SEEN IN A LOT
OF OUR FEDERAL PROGRAMS WERE
MANDATED TO DO THAT. BUT I ALSO
HAVE READ THE PROPOSALS THAT THE
PEOPLE ARE WRITING AND THEY'RE
JUST CHECKING THE BOX. IT
BECOMES KIND OF CLEAR IF YOU'RE
IF YOU'RE IN THE FIELD, AND
YOU'RE DOING THIS, WHERE YOU CAN
SEE WHO'S JUST TRYING TO CHECK A
BOX. AND, YEAH, WE FOUND SOME
YOUNG PERSON TO SIGN OFF ON
THIS. AS OPPOSED TO WE HAD A
YOUNG PERSON INVOLVED FROM THE
BEGINNING, GUIDING US THROUGH
THE PROCESS AND HELPING US AND
I, HONESTLY SOMETIMES I GO TOO
FAR WITH THAT. LET'S GET THE
YOUNG PEOPLE MAKE THE DECISIONS
AND BRENDA'S KIND OF SCHOOLED ME
ON THAT A FEW TIMES AND THAT
THEY'RE STILL YOUNG PEOPLE. YOU
KNOW, THEY'RE THEY'RE STILL
STRUGGLING. THEY'RE LEARNING.
THEY'RE GROWING. THEY'RE THEY
NEED THAT GUIDANCE AND THAT
SUPPORT BUT THEY ALSO UNDERSTAND
THE OTHER SIDE OF IT. THEY CAN
HELP US DETERMINE WHAT'S
IMPORTANT AND WHAT'S NOT AS AS
IMPORTANT. YOU KNOW WHAT THINGS
ARE. WHERE THAT THAT DIRECTION
SHOULD GO. SO I THAT MEANINGFUL
INPUT FROM THE BEGINNING. I
THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. SOMETHING
THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS THAT
I THINK IS THE BEST PRACTICE AND
I THINK MORE PEOPLE ARE STARTING
TO DO THAT IS IF A YOUNG PERSON
IS EVER ASKED TO LEAVE A PROGRAM
FOR ANY REASON. WERE OTHER YOUNG
PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THAT
DECISION. SO IF I'VE GOT. I HAVE
A YOUNG PERSON AND SHE'S IN OUR
HOUSING PROGRAM, AND SHE GETS
ANGRY AT ONE OF THE OTHER KIDS
AND SHE GOES AND GETS A GUN AND
COMES BACK AND SHOOT SOMEONE.
YEAH. OKAY WELL, WE SHOULD
PROBABLY HAVE THAT GIRL LEAVE
THE PROGRAM BECAUSE THIS MIGHT
NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR HER. ON
THE OTHER HAND, IF WE HAVE YOUNG
PEOPLE THAT ARE GETTING INTO
FIGHTS, WHO MAKES THE DECISION
AS TO SHOULD SOMEONE HAVE TO
LEAVE OR NOT? SO WHAT IS THE
PROCESS AND THEN WE HAVE DUE
PROCESS IN OUR LEGAL SYSTEM.
ARGUABLY WHETHER IT WORKS OR
NOT. BUT WE DO HAVE A NEW
PROCESS. AND DO WE HAVE THAT FOR
YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR HOUSING
PROGRAMS? DO WE HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO BE ABLE
TO ARGUE THEIR CASE? SO THAT
THAT IS THE BEST PRACTICE. I'D
LIKE TO SEE THIS REQUIRED IN
FUNDED PROGRAMS. SOUNDS LIKE
SCHOOL EXPULSIONS TO YES. THANK
YOU FOR ASKING THE QUESTION. I
THINK RELATIONSHIPS WE HAVE TO
BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR
YOUTH. WE CAN'T JUST, UM, THROW
SOMETHING AT HIM AND HOPE IT
STICKS. WE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE'RE LISTENING TO THEIR VOICE
AND HEARING WHAT THEY WANT. UM A
LOT OF TIMES YOU HAVE PROGRAMS
AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS
JUST CREATING A PROGRAM. BECAUSE
THEY HAVE THE FUNDING TO DO IT.
AND THAT'S WHAT KIND OF BOTHERS
ME ABOUT SOME OF THE FUNDING
THAT WE RECEIVED. THEY SAY. OH,
I WANT YOU TO CREATE A PROGRAM.
AND THE MONEY IS ONLY FOR TWO
YEARS. OKAY, SO WHAT HAPPENS
AFTER TWO YEARS? LIKE WITH MY
PURE ASSOCIATES. I HIRED THEM
AND THEY KNOW IT'S ONLY A TWO
YEAR PROGRAM AND WE'RE HOPING
AND PRAYING THAT WE GET
ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO CONTINUE
IT BECAUSE THIS IS A MODEL. THIS
IS A STATE MODEL THAT OTHER
COUNTIES IS REACHING OUT TO US
TO ASK US. HOW DID YOU DO IT?
HOW DID YOU PICK YOUR YOUTH AND
SO ON AND SO FORTH? WE WANT TO
EXPAND THIS ACROSS THE COUNTY.
YOU KNOW WHERE YOUTH ARE OUT,
ADVOCATING FOR YOUTH. THEY'RE
MEETING WITH YOUTH RIGHT WHERE
THEY ARE AND HELPING TO HELPING
THEM. MAKE LIFE DECISIONS THAT
ARE GOING TO HELP THEM CHANGE
THE DIRECTORY OF WHERE THEY'RE
GOING. I THINK THAT, UM IF WE'RE
GONNA HAVE YOUTH AT THE TABLE
LIKE DARRYL SAID, YOU KNOW,
BECAUSE WE MAKE SURE THAT WE
COMPENSATE THE YOUTH AS WELL.
WHEN THEY PARTICIPATE IN ANY OF
OUR PANELS THAT WE MAKE SURE
THAT THEY'RE GETTING SOMETHING.
I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST SAID
THAT WE WANTED TO PAY AND WE
SAID WE WANTED TO PAY HIM TO 50
TO FIFTY'S A LOT. THEY'RE ONLY
GOING TO BE THERE FOR AN HOUR, I
SAID, BUT YOU BROUGHT THIS GUY
FROM OUT OF STATE FOR $10,000.
BUT WE DON'T WANT TO PAY OUR
YOUTH $250. AND THIS MAY BE THE
ONLY MONEY THAT THEY MAY RECEIVE
ALL YOUR ALL ALL MONTH. YOU KNOW
THIS IS GOING TO HELP THEM WITH
THEIR PERSONAL NEEDS. SO UM,
THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO DO. AND
IF YOU WANT, ARE YOU THIS IS
WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO,
YOU KNOW? SO UM, I THINK WE NEED
TO, UM, WE'RE TEACHING OUR YOU
TO ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES AND
TO, UM UM, TO STAND UP FOR
THEMSELVES, BUT WE AS ADULTS
HAVE TO FIGHT FOR THEM, TOO. WE
CAN'T KEEP TELLING THEM TO GO
OUT THERE BECAUSE THEY DON'T
REALLY KNOW THEY NEED OUR
GUIDANCE. AND OUR GUIDANCE NEEDS
TO SAY THAT WE'RE HERE FOR YOU.
WE'RE GOING TO STAND BEHIND YOU
. WHATEVER YOU NEED. WE'RE GOING
TO MAKE SURE IT HAPPENS. YOU
KNOW, SO WE'RE I DIDN'T SAY
EARLY AND I KNOW THAT'S NOT PART
OF THE QUESTION. BUT WE'RE AT A
76% GRADUATION RATE FOR OUR
HOMELESS YOUTH. SO WE'RE WORKING
HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR KIDS
ARE CONNECTED AND GOING ON. WE
HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH GIVE
SOMETHING BACK. THAT'S PROVIDING
FOLKS SCHOLARSHIPS FOR OUR
STUDENTS TO GO TO CHAPMAN
UNIVERSITY, KELSEY SAN
BERNARDINO, LAVERNE, WHICH THEY
HAVE BEEN GRADUATING. I TALKED
ABOUT OUR PURE ASSOCIATES ARE
BROUGHT MY TWO PAIR ASSOCIATES
HERE CAME ON. AND SHE BET, UM,
GIVEN IS THE YOUNG MAN WHO JUST
SPOKE NATIONALLY, UM TO
EDUCATORS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS
ACROSS THE STATE. UM SO I JUST
REALLY THINK THAT WE NEED TO
MAKE SURE OUR KIDS ARE AT THE
TABLE. WE NEED TO HEAR THE
VOICE. WE CAN'T JUST HAVE THEM
SITTING THERE. HAVE THEM GIVE
INPUT. BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES
WOULD MAKE DECISIONS AND WE
DON'T INCLUDE THEIR INPUT, SO
PLEASE, LET'S HAVE THEM THERE
AND GET THEIR INPUT. UM I'M
GONNA I'M GONNA KEEP IT SIMPLE.
UM WE GOTTA CULTIVATE THE GIFTS.
OKAY AND BRENDA JUST TALKED
ABOUT HEAVEN AND CHEVETTE. WE'RE
CULTIVATING THE GIFT, RIGHT? BUT
WE GOT TO TAKE IT A STEP FURTHER
BECAUSE IN OUR SYSTEM OF CARE.
THAT WE. TREAT AND HELP YOU IN
CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES
DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
OR SCHOOL. COUNTY LOU LIAISONS
WHO ARE ON THE GROUND. WE GOTTA
CULTIVATE THE GIFT AND THE
PASSION MAY HAVE FOR THE JOB.
BECAUSE IF WE DON'T HAVE THEM
MOTIVATED TO COME TO WORK AND DO
THE HARD WORK TO CONNECT WITH
THE FAMILIES. TO GET THE
FAMILIES OVER THE HUMP. THEN WE
NEVER GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE
CAN DIRECTLY IMPACT THOSE YOUTH.
AND WHEN I SAY CULTIVATING IT
STARTS FROM THE TOP DOWN. I
MANAGED THE TAPE PROGRAMS. I
HAVE EMPLOYEES UNDER ME. I'M
ALWAYS LOOKING AT HOW I CAN
CULTIVATE THE GIFT OF MY STAFF.
WHO ARE DOING THE WORK. AS A
MANAGER. AS AN EXECUTIVE IN THE
COUNTY. UM WE NEED TO AS
MANAGERS CULTIVATE THE GIFTS OF
THOSE THAT WERE THAT ARE WORKING
FOR US. WE NEED TO HELP THEM
MOTIVATE TO COME TO WORK AND DO
THE WORK. UM, THAT'S YOU KNOW
THAT'S A TALL ORDER. IT
SHOULDN'T BE. BUT IT IS, UM WHEN
YOU SAID YOU WANNA DUPLICATED
I'M TRYING TO DUPLICATE. OUR
YOUNG FOLKS, THEY'RE DOING IT.
THE UNIS MEGAN'S VETS THE BOSS,
THAT'S WHO WE NEED TO DUPLICATE.
AND WE GOT TO GIVE THEM ALL THE
RESOURCES AND ENCOURAGEMENT TO
DO THAT. AND THOSE ARE JUST
EXAMPLES. JUST A FEW EXAMPLES
THAT WE IMPACT COUNTYWIDE. THEY
WERE ALWAYS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
HOW WE CAN DUPLICATE OUR
EFFORTS. THEY HAD SOMETHING TO
WHICH HE OKAY? THAT THAT WAS
BRILLIANT ABOUT THE CONTACT
ABOUT THE MONEY. IS IT ON? YEAH
THE CONTRACT ABOUT THE MONEY
CONTINUING AND THERE IS A BEST
PRACTICE ALREADY IN PLACE. THE
CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF EMERGENCY
SERVICES, WHICH IS PROBABLY MY
FAVORITE GOVERNMENT AGENCY, TO
WORK WITH LOVE THEM. IN THEIR
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROGRAMS AND
SEXUAL ASSAULT PROGRAMS. THEY
HAVE FUNDING THAT'S PRETTY
STATIC FROM YEAR TO YEAR. IT
CHANGES A LITTLE BIT, BUT IT'S
SET UP THAT THESE ARE THE
PROGRAMS THAT WE FUNDED AND AS
LONG AS THE AGENCY'S MEET THEIR
OBJECTIVES AND GOALS, AND THEY
CONTINUE TO DO WHAT THEY'RE
SUPPOSED TO DO. WE WILL RENEW
THAT FUNDING YEAR AFTER YEAR,
AND WE'VE ASKED THEM MULTIPLE
TIMES. WHY DOES IT ONLY MDS ONE
OR TWO DIFFERENT? FUNDING
SOURCES. ALL THE OTHERS ARE
COMPETITIVE. RFP S THAT COME OUT
EVERY TWO YEARS. AND THEY SAY,
WELL, THAT'S A LEGISLATIVE
THING. THE LEGISLATURE TOLD US
WE HAVE TO DO A COMPETITIVE RFP
EVERY TWO YEARS OR EVERY THREE
YEARS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND IF THAT COULD CHANGE
FOLLOWING THE BEST PRACTICE THAT
THEY ALREADY DONE USING THE
ESSAYS PROGRAMS. I THINK THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT WOULD MAKE A
WHOLE LOT OF NONPROFITS HAPPY.
YES, IT'S SCARY WRITING A
PROPOSAL AND NOT KNOWING IF
YOU'RE GONNA GET FUNDED OR NOT,
AND USUALLY FINDING OUT THE WEEK
BEFORE, AND THEN NOW YOU HAVE
EMPLOYEES THAT I DON'T KNOW IF
I'M HAVE TO LEAVE THIS PERSON
OFF NEXT WEEK OR NOT. IT'S A
SCARY, DIFFICULT THING. I
USUALLY DON'T TELL THE EMPLOYEES
AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO PAY FOR
SOME OTHER WAY, BUT IT IS. IT'S
SCARY. POSTERS FUNDING IS NOT
THEY JUST HAVE TO WRITE THEIR
PLAN. FOR HOMELESS IS VERY
COMPETITIVE AND NOT EVERYBODY
GETS THE FUNDING. THANK YOU.
FURTHER QUESTIONS MAJORITY. NO,
THANK YOU. INTERESTING TO SEE
UPON THE FUNDING SPECTRUM,
CERTAINLY THEIR RESPONSIBILITY
FROM THE STATE VERSUS THE
FEDERAL FLOW THROUGH MONEY. IF
THE YEARLY ARE THE TWO YEAR
COMPETITIVE GRANTS IS YOU EITHER
THE STATE OR THE LONG TERM? UM,
THERE'S A FEDERAL REQUIREMENT TO
SEE HOW THAT MONEY IS GOING
THROUGH THE STATE TO GET TO
COUNTY RESOURCES. REMEMBER SMITH
, THANK YOU. I WAS GOING TO SAY
YOU CAN SEE THE COMPASSIONATE
YOU HAVE FOR YOUR JOBS, EVEN
THOUGH YOU'RE GETTING PAID FOR
IT, BUT YOU HAVE COMPASSION, AND
THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES TO BE IN
THAT JOB. QUESTION FOR BRAND
KIND OF THROUGH THE FOSTER YOUTH
TRANSITIONING THROUGH SCHOOL
SORT OF PROGRAMMERS. STATS THAT
YOU'VE BEEN KEEPING TRACK OF FOR
THE STUDENTS THAT MIGHT TURN 18
FEBRUARY OR MADE AND THEY'RE NOT
THROUGH THE GRADUATION PROCESS.
AND WHAT IS THE NUMBERS OF THOSE
STUDENTS COUNTY? WE HAVE? EXCUSE
ME, MARINO COUNTY WE HAVE OVER
6000 FALSE TO YOU. AND THEIR
GRADUATION RATE IS LITTLE LOWERS
LIKE 52. UM A LOT OF THOSE KIDS
ARE NOT FROM OUR COUNTY. THEY'RE
FROM OUT OF COUNTY KIDS, SO THEY
TRANSITION BACK AND FORTH IN AND
OUT OF OUR COUNTY. UM OUR
CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES HAS
A LOT OF THE STATS ON THE NUMBER
OF SENIORS AND GRADUATION AND
EVERYTHING FOR THEM TO HELP THEM
BEFORE THEY COME HOME WITH OUT
OF SCHOOL BECAUSE SOMETIMES
FOSTER PARENTS ARE RECEIVING
THAT FUNDS, AND THEN THEY SAY, I
DON'T GET NO MORE FUNDS THINKING
THAT IS REALLY AFFECTED THE
YOUTH IN THERE. SO MAYBE WE CAN
KEEP AN EYE ON THAT FOR MY
FUTURE. AND THEN DARRYL, I'M
GONNA GO AHEAD AND TOUCH THIS
HOMELESS ISSUE. TINY HOUSES WERE
TRYING TO WORK ON A PROJECT AND
A SIMILAR MISS PROMISE MENTIONED
IT, NIMBYS, NOT IN MY BACKYARD.
BUT WE HAD THE PROGRAM. PRETTY
WELL FUNDED. GOING FORWARD.
STATE PROGRAM SAYS YOU'VE GOT TO
HAVE SOLAR. YOU GOTTA HAVE FIRE
SPRINKLER. YOU HAVE TO HAVE ALL
THESE MANDATES FOR TINY HOME
VILLAGE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO
IN VICTORVILLE. BUT YOU CAN
BRING IN A TRAILER MOTORHOME
TRAVEL TRAILER. NONE OF THOSE
ISSUES EXIST, SO I THINK THAT'S
WHERE YOU CAN ELABORATE A LITTLE
BIT MORE, BUT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT
IT HAS LEGISLATION NEXT YEAR TO
CHANGE THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE
TEMPORARY HOUSING. NOT PERMANENT
. THERE'S NO. YOU KNOW, HOUSE
FOUNDATION FOOTINGS, BUT THE
CHANGE THAT BECAUSE OTHERWISE
WE'RE GOING TO GO START
PURCHASING SOME HUG MOBILE HOMES
INSTEAD OF A TINY BOAT. IF YOU
HAVE 100 AND 20 SQUARE FOOT SHED
LITTLE CHEVY BIÂU. THAT'S A 10
BY 12. IF YOU PUT A BED IN THAT
FACILITY YOU NOW HAVE TO PUT A
SOLAR PANEL ON IT. YOU HAVE TO
PUT THIS FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM
ON IT. YOU HAVE TO MAKE ALL THE
SAME REQUIREMENTS THAT A GIANT
HOUSE WOULD HAVE. SO AND I GET
THE LOGIC BEHIND THAT BECAUSE
WHEN THE LAWS WERE WRITTEN AT
THE STATE CREATED THEIR THEIR
THEIR LAWS THEY DIDN'T CONSIDER
WHAT 120 SQUARE FOOT HOUSE WOULD
LOOK LIKE OR A 300 SQUARE FOOT.
THEY ONLY CONSIDERED A BIG
HOUSE. SO WE NEED A CARVE OUT
FOR THAT, BECAUSE AS ESTABLISHED
RIGHT NOW IT'S CHEAPER TO GO TO
BUY A LITTLE TRAVEL TRAILER THAT
YOU PULL BEHIND YOUR PICKUP
TRUCK. IT'S CHEAPER TO DO THAT
THAN IT IS TO ACTUALLY HAVE A
TINY HOME. WHICH IS WHY IN L A,
THEY BUILT A BUNCH OF TINY HOMES
THAT CAME OUT OF LIKE 120,000
UNIT. $120,000 YOU CAN PLAY
THEM. YOU BUILD AN APARTMENT
BUILDING FOR THAT PRICE, SO IT
JUST ISN'T COST EFFECTIVE. SO
HAVING THAT CARVE OUT THAT WOULD
BE A LEGISLATIVE FIX. WE LOOK
FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR NEXT
JANUARY. THANK YOU. SOME OF THEM
WERE SMITH FOR THOSE QUESTIONS
AND SOME OF THE QUESTIONS YOU
KNOW THAT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT
MISS DOWDY ALSO IS THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HER
DEFINITION AND MCKINNEY VENTO
DEFINITION OF HOMELESS STUDENTS
AND THE RESOURCES THAT COME
THEIR WAY. I KNOW WE'VE WORKED
HARD ON THAT IN THE PAST. AND I
WANT TO HEAR WHERE WE'RE AT ON
SOME OF THAT DISCUSSION. WELL,
THAT DEFINITION HAS NOT CHANGED
. THEY'VE ALIGNED A LITTLE
CLOSER TO MCKINNEY VENTO, WHICH
IS ANY FAMILY WHO WAS DOUBLED UP
TRIPLED UP DUE TO ECONOMIC
HARDSHIP LIVING IN A HOTEL MOTEL
TRANSITIONAL SHELTER. SLEEPING
UNDER A BRIDGE OR ON A ROOFTOP
OR CONSIDERED HOMELESS UNDER
MCKINNEY, VENTO, BUT THEY'RE NOT
IF THEY'RE FOR HUD, YOU HAVE TO
LITERALLY BE HONEST ON THE
STREETS. SO UM MCKINNEY VENTO
COULD NOT HAVE RUNNING WATER.
ELECTRICITY UM, AND BUT THEY'RE
NOT CONSIDERED HOMELESS, AND
THAT'S WHERE MANY OF OUR
FAMILIES ARE. BECAUSE FAMILIES
WHEN YOU HAVE KIDS, YOU DON'T
WANT TO BE ON THE STREETS. SO
YOU'RE GONNA GO ANYWHERE THAT
YOU FEEL SAFE. SO IF IT'S A
CONVERTED GARAGE OR WHEREVER
YOU'RE GOING TO STAY THERE,
RATHER THAN LITERALLY BE ON THE
STREETS WITH YOUR KIDS. SO WE'RE
HOPING THAT HERD WILL REALIGN
THEIR DEFINITION TO BE MORE IN
LINE WITH MANY MCKINNEY VENTO SO
THAT WE CAN, UM, SERVICE
MOREOVER, MCKINNEY VENTO, UM
FAMILIES UNDER THE HOOD FUNDING. AND WHAT WAS THE SECOND
QUESTION, SIR. ON THOSE AREAS DO
WE ALSO SEE, UM. IN THAT
SPECTRUM WITHIN THE STUDENTS NOW
, 24,000 RIGHT HOMELESS.
STUDENTS WHICH HAS SEEN A DROP.
SO WHAT DO YOU ATTEST TO THAT
DROP AND SOME OF THE HOMELESS
STUDENTS HERE IN SEMINOLE
COUNTY? WELL, WE KNOW THE DROP
WAS BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC AND
BEING DISCONNECTED BECAUSE THE
KIDS WERE BEING IDENTIFIED AT
SCHOOL. AND SO WHEN YOU'RE NOT
AT SCHOOL, YOU'RE ON THE CAMERA
. YOU YOU AND IF THEY DON'T HAVE
THE SCREEN ON, YOU CAN'T SEE YOU
KNOW IF THEY'RE LIVING HOMELESS
IF THEY DIDN'T MARK THAT THEY
WERE HOMELESS. WHERE IS THAT
THEY WERE COMING TO SCHOOL. YOU
CAN SEE SOME OF THEIR TIRED OR
THEIR CLOTHES IS NOT CLEANED OR
THERE'S OTHER IDENTIFIERS THAT
YOU BE ABLE TO SEE WHEN YOU HAVE
THEM IN PERSON. UM LIKE I SAID,
WE COULD NOT MAKE HOME VISITS TO
THE HOTELS OR WHATEVER TO SEE.
AND MANY OF THE FAMILIES WOULD
SAY, WELL, DARYL, YOU CAN'T STAY
WITH ME ANYMORE BECAUSE I'M
AFRAID YOU'RE GONNA BRING COVID
TO MY FAMILY. SO THEN THEY HAD
TO LEAVE SO THEY WOULD MOVE AND
YOU KNOW, SO THEY WERE DISPLACED
. WE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE THEY WERE
. SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE WORKING
VERY HARD NOW TO TRY TO IDENTIFY
AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE OUT IN
THE COMMUNITY AGAIN. LETTING
PEOPLE KNOW IT'S NOT A CRIME TO
BE HOMELESS. I WAS TALKING TO
DEPUTY JONES, UM, EARLIER TODAY
, AND HE WAS SAYING THAT THE
FAMILY WAS AFRAID TO GO TO THE
SCHOOL AND TALK TO LOUISE ON
BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE
GOING TO TAKE AWAY THEIR KIDS.
SO WE STILL HAVE TO STRESS THAT
IT'S NOT A CRIME TO BE HOMELESS.
AND UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OUR
POSTERS EVERYWHERE. WE HAVE
PEOPLE OUT OUT IN THE COMMUNITY,
UM, SHARING THE WORD ABOUT THAT.
UM, BEING IN SCHOOL. WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE THE KIDS ARE CONNECTED
AND THAT THEY'RE SUCCESSFUL, NOT
JUST ENROLLED, BUT BEING
SUCCESSFUL AS WELL. SO WE'RE
WORKING VERY HARD TO TRY TO
IDENTIFY AND FIND BECAUSE WE
KNOW THERE'S MORE THAN THE
36,000 WE HAD BEFORE. WE KNOW
THERE'S EVEN MORE. BUT THERE'S
NEW, HOMELESS FAMILIES THAT
DON'T KNOW THE LAW. AND SO WE'RE
JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
GET THE WORD OUT THERE. ACROSS
THE COUNTY ACROSS THE STATE AND
NATION. WHEREVER WE CAN GO,
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND
ANDRE ON WHAT YOU'RE SEEING, UM
, THERE ARE THE TASTE CENTER AND
WORKING WITH THOSE UM, YOUTH. DO
WE SEE THE STILL THE NEED AND IT
IS A NEAT BUT HOW WOULD YOU DEAL
WITH THAT WITH MORE OF A CRISIS
STABILIZATION? UM AND, UM THE
DIFFERENT INTERVENTION TO
SUBSTANCE AND SOME OF THOSE
THINGS THAT WE KNOW IS NEEDED.
SO HOW WOULD WE GO ABOUT AT THE
STATE LEGISLATURE TO GET THE
RESOURCES AND WHICH PROGRAMS
COULD WE FOCUS ON. I THINK, UM,
ONE OF OUR MOST SUCCESSFUL, UM.
ADVENTURES PROJECTS. UM, IS OUR
SHORT TERM CRISIS RESIDENTIAL
CENTERS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO
SECURE FUNDING FROM. CHAPA DON'T
ASK ME WHAT THE AFRICAN ACRONYM
STANDS FOR. I TOLD YOU GUYS, I
WANT TO USE ACRONYMS, HUH? ALL I
KNOW IS WE GOT $30 MILLION. FOR
THE DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH TO LAUNCH CRISIS
RESIDENTIAL CENTERS IN THE
COUNTY SO WE HAVE FOUR OF THEM
IN THE COUNTY, BUT THEY WERE ALL
MODELED AFTER OUR TRANSITION AGE
YOUTH. SHORT TERM CRISIS
RESIDENTIAL CENTER THAT WE HAVE
COLD LOCATED LR SAN BERNARDINO
TAPE PROGRAM. IT'S A 14 BIG
CRISIS RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM. WHAT
THAT HAS BEEN ABLE TO. WHAT
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO FROM THEIR
PROGRAM IS BE ABLE TO TAKE A
YOUTH AND ADULT TRANSITION AGE
YOUTH 18 TO 25 OFF THE STREET.
INTO THE STAY IN THE STATE IS
SHORT. UM SAFE PLACE. WAIT S
STICK. AH SAFE PLACE FOR
TRANSITION AGE YOUTH. THAT'S THE
STATE PROGRAM. OKAY IN THE YOUTH
NAMED IT OKAY, ANYWAY. WE CAN
BRING A YOUTH OFF THE STREET
INTO STAY FOR 90 DAYS BECAUSE
THEY'RE EXPERIENCING THAT
CRISIS, RIGHT? GET THEM
STABILIZED, TRANSITION THEM BACK
INTO THE TAPE PROGRAMS. COULD BE
EITHER STAND BERNARDINO OR ANY
OTHER TAPE PROGRAMS. AND THEN GO
INTO OUR EMERGENCY SHELTER BED
HOUSING. PROGRAM. WE HAVE. AND
FROM THAT PART, YOU KNOW, THEN
WE WORK ON PERMANENT HOUSING.
OKAY, SO. I THINK THE FACT THAT
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO LINK THE
CRISIS STABILIZATION, THE CRISIS
MANAGEMENT TO OUR YOUTH. FROM
THOSE SHORT TERM CRISIS
RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS AND THEN
INCLUDE THEM BACK IN OUR TAPE
PROGRAM IS THE ROAD TO RECOVERY.
AND WHILE THEY'RE GOING THROUGH
THIS PROCESS THOSE YOUTH ARE
TALKING ABOUT THE BENEFITS IN
THE ADVANTAGE OF ENGAGING IN THE
MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT SERVICES
THAT WE'RE PROVIDING THROUGHOUT
THE COUNTY, WHICH TAKES THE
STIGMA AWAY FROM BEING
CONNECTED, YOU KNOW TO A COUNTY
PROGRAM. AND THEY HAVE ALL THE
SAME. MODEL OF UM, CONSUMER
INPUT. AND TAKE A INPUT THAT
HAPPENS IN THE TASTE CENTERS. IT
HAPPENS THE SAME WAY IN OUR
STATE PROGRAM, SO WE'RE
PROMOTING THE SAME APPROACH TO
HAVING CONSUMER INPUT. UM. THANK
YOU AND. YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT
90 DAYS IS GOOD, BUT WE ALSO
KNOW THAT 90 DAYS PLUS A LONG
TERM IS EVEN BETTER, AND WE DID
HAVE WITH THE SUPPORT OF MY
COLLEAGUES. MAYBE 23 17 THAT WAS
SIGNED INTO LAW TO START TO LOOK
AT THE LONG TERM APPROACH TO A
LOT OF THESE RESIDENTIAL
TREATMENT FACILITIES
SPECIFICALLY. UM FOR YOUTH AND
THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO THANK
YOU FOR THAT. AND UM, THERE ARE
YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT THE
HOUSING COMPONENT IS THERE BEEN
MORE OF AN OPENNESS WITH LOCAL
JURISDICTIONS FOR HOUSING? OR IS
THAT STILL AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS
GREATER ADVOCACY? HE'S STILL
THERE'S STILL A PROBLEM. YES
IT'S STILL A PROBLEM. UH AND I
SPOKE WITH FRIENDS OF MINE THAT
ARE NOT IN THIS FIELD. AND I CAN
UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY COME FROM.
I MEAN, WE HAVE CHALLENGES THAT
OUR HOUSES AND I HONESTLY WHAT?
I WANT MY YOUTH SHELTER TO BE
NEXT DOOR TO MY PERSONAL HOUSE.
AND IT IS IT'S CHALLENGING. I
GET THAT AND I CAN HONESTLY SAY
YES, I WOULD WANT IT NEXT TO MY
HOUSE. AND THE REASON IS BECAUSE
I UNDERSTAND THE GOOD AND I SEE
IT AND I FEEL IT AND I KNOW THAT
IT'S CHANGING THE WORLD AND
WE'RE CHANGING THE LIVES OF
CHILDREN AND THEREFORE I AM
WILLING TO TOLERATE THIS
ANNOYANCE. OF HAVING THE NEXT
DOOR TO MY HOUSE. I HAVE A
NEIGHBOR TWO DOORS DOWN, WHO HAS
GOTTEN INTO CHAINSAW CARVING OF
TREES, AND HE MAKES THOSE
CHANGED CARVINGS, BUT HE LIKES
DOING IT AT ONE A.M. AND IT
DRIVES ME NUTS. SO I UNDERSTAND
FROM A PERSPECTIVE THAT UMD THAT
THAT NIMBY OF NOT IN MY BACKYARD
NOT WANTING OUR NEIGHBORS TO BE
THAT, BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT
WHERE OUR NEIGHBORS SUPPOSED TO
BE, IF NOT HERE, THEN WHERE? AND
THE ANSWER FREQUENTLY THAT WE
GET AND HONESTLY. I CAN'T THINK
OF A SINGLE JURISDICTION THAT
HAS EVER SAID YES. YES, WE WANT
THIS HERE. IT'S ALWAYS A BATTLE
. AND WHEN WE OPENED OUR HOUSE
IN, UM IN IN MENTUM THAT
HAPPENED BECAUSE OF YOU. WITHOUT
YOUR ADVOCACY ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
RAMOS BACK WHEN HE WAS
SUPERVISOR, RAMOS WITHOUT THE
ADVOCACY OF SUPERVISOR RAMA'S,
WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
OPEN THAT FACILITY. AND THAT'S
THE CHALLENGE AS IT CONTINUES TO
BE A CHALLENGE, AND WE NEED TO
DO MORE OF THAT. I REALLY LOVE
THAT THE STATE DID PASS
LEGISLATION THAT IF A SIXPENCE
OR LESS THAN THE COUNTY, THEN
THE JURISDICTION CAN'T SAY NO.
AND I LOVE THAT. I'D LOVE TO BE
ABLE TO SEE THAT CHANGE TO 12
BEDS OR LESS. I'D ALSO LIKE TO.
I LIKE THAT. THERE'S BEEN
LEGISLATION THAT SAID THAT
LANDLORDS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO
DISCRIMINATE AGAINST PEOPLE ON
HOUSING VOUCHERS, AND THAT'S
BEEN A BIG PLUS FOR US. BUT WE
STILL HAVE THE SITUATION WHERE
THE JURISDICTIONS ARE HIDING
BEHIND A CRIME FREE HOUSING
ORDINANCE, WHICH IS AN
ABOMINATION TO ENGLISH IN MY
MIND, BECAUSE IT'S NOT A CRIME
FREE ORDINANCE. WHAT THEY'RE
SAYING IS DON'T EVER CALL 911
BECAUSE IF YOU DO, YOU'LL GET
EVICTED. AND WHY EVEN HAVE 911?
WHY HAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT? IF WE
SAY IF YOU CONTACT LAW
ENFORCEMENT FOR HELP, WE'RE
GOING TO EVICT YOU. SO, YEAH, WE
STILL HAVE THESE PROBLEMS. WELL
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND I KNOW THAT, UM SOME
DISCUSSION. UM AS FAR AS
REPLACEMENT WITHIN LOCAL
JURISDICTIONS. I KNOW THAT THE
GENERAL PLAN COMPONENT HAS COME
UP IN SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS, HIGH
DENSITY HOUSING RESIDENTIAL
COMMERCIAL. MAYBE IT'S A
DISCUSSION, MAYBE A ROUNDTABLE
ON DISCUSSIONS WITH GENERAL
PLANS AND LOCAL JURISDICTIONS
FOR THESE TYPES OF HOUSINGS TO
FOR OUR YOUTH, RIGHT? BECAUSE IF
IT'S THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE FOR
OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES, WELL,
LET'S START TO BRING SOME
SOLUTIONS AND SEE WHERE THAT
DISCUSSION STARTS TO TAKE PLACE.
BUT THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR, UM
YOU KNOW TESTIMONIES HERE TODAY
, BUT ALSO THE GREAT RESOURCES
THAT ARE OUT THERE. WE'RE
HEARING ABOUT THOSE RESOURCES
HERE. BUT HOW CAN WE ASSIST NOW
? THIS IS A STATEMENT, RIGHT?
HOW CAN WE ASSIST AS ELECTED
LEADERS TO GET THE WORD OUT TO
THE COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY THE
YOUTH COMMUNITY ABOUT THE
RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO
THEM? UM GREAT. TALKED ABOUT
DIFFERENT AREAS HOUSING RIGHT 90
DAYS. AND THEN MOVES INTO OTHER
AREAS. HOW DO WE GET THAT WORD
OUT AT THE SCHOOLS? HOW DO WE
BREAK THAT STIGMA OF PARENTS NOT
COMING FORWARD BECAUSE THEY FEAR
THAT SOMEHOW THEIR FAMILIES
WOULD BE BROKEN APART. AND HOW
DO WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD
AND GETTING THE RESOURCES OUT
FOR THE HOUSING THE NEED? THAT'S
THERE. UM SO HOW CAN WE BETTER
EQUIPPED? UM YOU BY BEING YOUR
ADVOCATE TO GET THOSE RESOURCES
OUT, IS IT BY HAVING MORE OF
THESE TYPES OF MEETINGS TO
EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ON WHAT'S
TRULY OUT THERE? IS IT WORKING,
UM YOU KNOW, WITH THE YOUTH TO
HEAR FROM THEM HOW TO GET THE
RESOURCES IN FRONT OF PEOPLE
THAT DRASTICALLY NEED IT RIGHT.
AND SO THOSE ARE ISSUES THAT
WERE, UM, INTERESTED IN
IDENTIFYING SO THAT WE COULD
CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER AND
COLLABORATION TO GET THESE
RESOURCES OUT TO THE COMMUNITY
THAT DRASTICALLY NEED THEM.
WELL, I WANT TO SAY BOTH. UM,
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE'RE OUT
THERE DOING IT, BUT WE DO NEED
YOU. WE NEED ALL OF YOU AND
ANYONE ELSE WHO WANT TO HELP YOU
TO JOIN US IN GETTING THE WORD
OUT THERE, LETTING KIDS KNOW
THAT, UM IT'S NOT A CRIME TO BE
HOMELESS THAT THEY CAN ENROLL IN
SCHOOL, WITH OR WITHOUT THEIR
PARENT OR GUARDIAN. UM LAST
YEAR, WE HAD ALMOST 700 KIDS WHO
WERE UNACCOMPANIED. THAT MEANS
THEY'RE NOT IN A PHYSICAL
CUSTODY OF THEIR PARENT OR
GUARDIAN. THEY DON'T WANT TO GO
INTO FOSTER CARE. THEY WANT TO,
UM, TRY TO TAKE CARE OF
THEMSELVES. THEY HAVE JOBS OR
THEIR, UM, STAYING WITH A FRIEND
OR RELATIVE, AND THEY'RE STILL
TRYING TO GO TO SCHOOL. AND SOME
OF THOSE, THOSE STUDENTS ARE
FOUR POINT OH, G HAS FOUR POINT
OH, G P S. SO IT'S NOT THAT IS
THOSE KIDS, BAD KIDS, ALL KIDS
THAT ARE SUFFERING. AND WE WANT
TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR VOICES
ARE HEARD. AND THAT WE NEED FOR
YOU TO CONTINUE. UM UM, A
SIMILAR MAN. WE'RE JUST SO
GRATEFUL THAT YOU CHOSE AFTER I
STOPPED YOU, BUT, YEAH, YOU
CHOSE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, JOIN OUR
TASK FORCE. SHE SAID NO. I WANT
TO BE CO CHAIR WITH YOU. AND
THAT WAS TRULY A TURNING POINT
FOR US FOR OUR COUNTY, BECAUSE
AS WE SPOKE ABOUT THAT ACROSS
THE COUNTRY, OTHER COUNTIES AND
STATES HOW DID YOU GET YOUR
COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO
JOIN YOU? HOW DID YOU GET YOUR
AND THEN NOW, MY ASSEMBLYMAN AND
SENATORS. HOW DO YOU GET? HOW DO
YOU HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS
WITH THEM? I SAID I JUST WALKED
UP TO HIM AND TALK TO HIM. BUT
WE NEED YOU. WE CAN'T DO IT
ALONE BECAUSE WE CAN'T CHANGE
THE LAWS AND IT'S A SHAME THAT
WE HAVE TO CREATE A LAW IN ORDER
TO HELP KIDS. WE SHOULDN'T HAVE
TO DO THAT. IT SHOULD BE
AUTOMATIC. A KID NEEDS THIS. WE
SHOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF
THAT. WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO
CHANGE LAWS AND FOR EVERYTHING
FOR FREE LUNCH, WE HAD TO CREATE
A LAW FOR KIDS WHO WERE NOT
WITHOUT THEIR PARENTS. WE HAD TO
CREATE A LAW SO THEY CAN DO
THEIR FAST FOOD WITHOUT THEIR
PARENTS CREATE A LAW. THERE'S
TOO MANY LAWS. WE NEED TO HELP
OUR KIDS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
FOR THAT. I JUST WANNA, UM. I
WANT TO HIT A CHAP AND THE
ACRONYM STANDS FOR HOMELESS
HOUSING ASSISTANCE AND
PREVENTION PROGRAMS. OKAY? YOU
NEED TO KNOW. UM. THIS IS
CHANGING THE TRAJECTORY AND HOW
WE'RE HELPING FAMILIES. BRENDA
SAID THANKS TO DRAKE KNOW DRE IS
JUST ONE OF THE STEWARDS
RESPONSIBLE TO MAKE SURE
OVERSEEING THE FUNDING, SO IT'S
NOT DRES FUNDING. I WANT TO GO
ON RECORD AND SAY THAT UM, BUT I
APPRECIATE DARRYL'S INPUT, AND
THIS IS HOW THIS WHOLE COUNTY
PARTNERSHIP, DARYL SAYS. I'M NOT
THE ONLY ONE. I'M THE ONLY ONE
UP HERE. THAT'S NOT A GOVERNMENT
PLAY THAT WHAT HE SAID RIGHT?
BUT HE KNOWS JUST AS MUCH AS OR
MORE THAN GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES
KNEW OR KNOW, RIGHT? I NEEDED
SOME UM, DEFINITION OF A CHAP
FUNDING. EXACTLY I COULDN'T CALL
ANYBODY FROM THE COUNTY. I
CALLED DARRYL AND DARRYL WAS
ABLE TO GIVE ME THE DEFINITION,
WHICH ALLOWED US TO REALLY, UM
APPROVED FUNDING. FOR YOUTH WHO
WERE LIVING OUT OF SAN
BERNARDINO COUNTY. BUT HEAD
CONNECTION TO SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTY THAT WERE HOMELESS IN
DARRELLE, HELP. FIGURE OUT HOW
TO GET IT DONE. SO MY POINT IS
THIS IS WE ARE TOUCHING, NOT
YOUTH. BUT FAMILIES. YOU GOTTA
UNDERSTAND THIS. CUT ASIDE MONEY
THAT 8 TO 10% CUT ASIDE. IS FOR
YOUTH. WHO ARE BETWEEN THE AGES
OF 12. IN 24. OKAY SO IF YOU
HAVE 2 13 YEAR OLDS THAT ARE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. AND
ONE OF BURNED THIS DISTRICTS. IN
MOM IS STRUGGLING OR HOMELESS.
BECAUSE MOM HAS 2 13 YEAR OLDS.
WE CAN HELP WITH THE FUNDING.
WE'RE IMPACTING FAMILIES LIKE
COMPLETE FAMILIES AND. THE THING
THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO,
AND I HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING WITH,
UM SOME OF MY AH DIRECTORS. AND
PROJECTING. WE'RE GONNA NEED TO
FIND STAFF TO HELP MANAGE THE
CASELOAD BECAUSE IT'S A IT'S A
HUGE AH, TASK FOR US TO CONTINUE
TO, BUT WE LOVE DOING IT. I
MEAN, WE'RE WORKING TO, LIKE,
EIGHT O'CLOCK AT NIGHT. EVERY
NIGHT, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO
CONNECT FAMILIES. AND WE HEAR
AND WE SEE HOW THIS IS
IMPACTING. THESE FAMILIES. UH
AND THE FOLKS THAT ARE WORKING
WITH THEM TO ITS MOTIVATING IN
THE COME TO WORK, SO I'M JUST
GONNA CONTINUE TO BEAT THAT
DRUM. AH TO CONTINUE FOR YOU
GUYS TO ADVOCATE FOR THIS
CONTINUED FUNDING BECAUSE IT IS
CHANGING LIVES AND KEEPING
PEOPLE OFF THE STREET AND THEN
GETTING INTO APARTMENTS THAT
HAVE ASTRONOMICAL MOVIE AND FEES
AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF. THIS
FUNNINESS HELPING WITH THAT SO
THANK YOU. YES I MEAN, THEY
ASKED FOR YOUR WHOLE LIFE. AND
SOMETIMES I'VE BEEN.
APPLICATIONS CAN BE SIMPLIFIED
TO WHERE WE GET STRAIGHT TO THE
POINT. GET THE INFORMATION. THE
PROCESS IT RIGHT AWAY. SORRY CAN
WE MAKE SURE THE APPLICATIONS
ARE NOT SO EXTENSIVE? BECAUSE
WHAT IT IS THEY'RE ASKING FOR A
LOT OF INFORMATION AND. YOU
KNOW, IT'S A LOT OF HEARTACHE
FOR FAMILIES TO HAVE TO COME UP
WITH ALL THIS DOCUMENTATION THAT
SOMETIMES THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE
BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN DISPLACED
AND MOVED AROUND. UM IF WE COULD
GET STRAIGHT TO THE POINT AND
MAYBE HELP THEM GET THE
INFORMATION LATER. THAT WOULD BE
SO HELPFUL, BUT THE APPLICATIONS
ARE VERY, VERY LONG. JUST
THINKING YOU YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR
FILE CABINET WITH YOU WHEN
YOU'RE HOMELESS, RIGHT RECORDS
OR EVEN THE SMALL LITTLE FILE
FOR THAT STUFF, SO THAT'S
SOMETHING TO LOOK AT. THANK YOU.
STATUS SIDES WERE A, UH, AN
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE OF THE
YOUTH SET ASIDE IS THAT IT DID
ELEVATE THE ISSUE OF HOMELESS
YOUTH. BECAUSE WHEN THAT FUNDING
CAME OUT, AND IT STARTED HITTING
COUNTIES AND CITIES AND THE C O
C S, AND THEY STARTED LOOKING AT
US, LIKE, OH, WELL, IS THERE A
NEED AND WHERE IS THIS LOOK LIKE
AND IT CHANGED THE THOUGHT
PROCESSES AND IT MADE PEOPLE
THINK THAT WITH THE LEGISLATURE
IS SAYING THAT WE HAVE TO SPEND
IT ON THIS. MAYBE WE SHOULD LOOK
INTO THAT MORE. AND I'VE SEEN A
LOT OF JURISDICTIONS THAT I'VE
SPOKEN TO COUNTIES ACROSS THE
COUNTRY ACROSS THE CALIFORNIA
THAT WERE LIKE US 15 YEARS AGO
WHEN OUR COUNTY WAS NOT SPENDING
ANY MONEY TOWARDS HOME THIS YEAR
, AND WE'VE MADE THAT
PROGRESSION BECAUSE OUR YOUTH
HAD YOU AS AN ADVOCATE. AND THAT
CHANGED OUR DIRECTION THAT MADE
US DO THAT. AND THAT STATE
LEGISLATURE COMING OUT AND
SAYING THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE
THIS YOUTH SET ASIDE 10% OR
WHATEVER, AND WE'RE TRYING TO
GET IT HIGHER. BUT AS THAT
HAPPENS, IT DOES ELEVATE AND IT
DOES CREATE A BETTER
UNDERSTANDING AND WARRANT. IT
ALSO BROUGHT IN NONPROFITS THAT
REALLY WEREN'T ADDRESSING YOUTH
HOMELESSNESS. THEY'RE STARTING
TO SAY, WELL, MAYBE I SHOULD AND
THEN FOUNDATIONS. I'VE SPOKEN TO
FOUNDATIONS WHO HAVEN'T REALLY
SEEN YOUTH AS A PRIORITY IN THIS
AREA, AND NOW THEY'RE STARTING
TO SEE IT IS A PRIORITY, BECAUSE
IF WE DON'T STOP THE PIPELINE,
THEY ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THAT. IF
YOU DON'T GO UPSTREAM AND SOLVE
THE PROBLEM THERE, IT'S ONLY
GOING TO GET WORSE. AND UNLESS
WE STOP HAVING YOUNG PEOPLE
BECOMING HOMELESS, WE WILL NEVER
END HOMELESSNESS. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND FOR THAT
TESTIMONY, UM AND TRULY, WE HAVE
TO BE ABLE TO WORK TO BE MORE
PROACTIVE TO THE AREAS THAT ARE
AFFECTING OUR COMMUNITY, NOT
REACTIVE. AND SO THANK YOU FOR
ALL YOUR TESTIMONY. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR DISCUSSIONS. NEXT WILL
BE MOVING TO PANEL THREE. WE
HAVE UNIS ABLE MEGAN LLOYD AND
JESSE JUAREZ. EUNICE ABLE AS
CHAIR OF THE SAN MARTINO COUNTY
YOUTH HOMELESS ADVISORY BOARD.
THE NEWS WILL BE WILL SPEAK
ABOUT HER EXPERIENCES AND WHAT
SHE BELIEVES CAN BE DONE TO
EXPAND PARTNERSHIPS. WE WILL
ALSO HEAR FROM MEGAN LLOYD. SHE
IS THE YOUTH. WITH LIVED
EXPERIENCES OF HOMELESSNESS
REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE COUNTY'S
INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON
HOMELESSNESS. WILL ALSO HEAR
FROM JESSE JUAREZ, A CARE TEAM
CASE MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST AT
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, SAN
BERNARDINO. THE CARE TEAM
PROVIDES SUPPORT, INTERVENTION
AND REFERRALS IN RESPONSE TO
STUDENTS OF CONCERN. WE WILL
START WITH OUR FIRST SPEAKER,
YOUR NIECE ABLE. HELLO HI. MY
NAME IS EUNICE ABLE AND I AM THE
CHAIRMAN OF THE YOUTH ADVISORY
BOARD. SO THIS IS KIND OF GONNA
BE LIKE A COLLABORATION BETWEEN
BETWEEN ME AND MEG OVER HERE, SO
I'M GONNA HAVE HER AND GO AHEAD
AND TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
HERSELF BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO
JUST BE GOING BACK AND FORTH, SO
JUST TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW HI. MY
NAME IS MEGAN LLOYD. I AM THE
USED WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE OF
HOMELESSNESS REPRESENTATIVE AND
THE SAN BERNARDINO INTERAGENCY
COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS. I HAVE
BEEN DOING THINGS LIKE THIS FOR
OVER A YEAR IT STARTED WITH ONE
OF MY COUNSELORS BACK IN
MASSACHUSETTS BEING LIKE, HEY,
YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT THIS
PROGRAM. IT COULD IT PAYS YOU TO
LEARN ABOUT JOBS AND WHAT YOU
NEED FOR A JOB, AND THEN IT JUST
KIND OF SPIRALED TO JOINING A
YARD IN MASSACHUSETTS, AND THEN
I WAS CONNECTED TO THE YEAH.
HERE IN SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND IT HAS BEEN. INTERESTING TO
SAY THE LEAST. UM I DID NOT
BELIEVE THAT MY LITTLE HOBBY
WOULD LEAVE ME HERE OF ALL
PLACES SPEAKING TO IMPORTANT
PEOPLE. WHO WILL BE CREATING
LAWS AND HELPING US AS HOMELESS
YOUTH. TO STOP BEING HOMELESS. I
WOULD SAY I AM ALSO CHRONICALLY
HOMELESS. I'VE BEEN HOMELESS
MULTIPLE TIMES IN MY LIFE. IT'S
BEEN LIKE I'M 19 TO BE FAIR. UM
AND UNFORTUNATELY WITH MOVING
ABOUT BECAUSE WE ARE HOMELESS,
I'VE NEVER STAYED IN ONE PLACE
SO I DON'T HAVE THINGS LIKE MY
ORIGINAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE OR
SOCIAL SECURITY OR ANYTHING LIKE
THAT. BECAUSE YOU KNOW, I'VE
BEEN BOUNCING ABOUT ALL MY LIFE,
AND THERE'S NOTHING REALLY I CAN
DO ABOUT THAT. THERE'S NO LITTLE
FOLDER THAT'S LIKE HERE. HERE'S
ALL YOUR IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS
BECAUSE I LOSE THAT. AND, UM
SORRY. THIS IS MY FIRST TIME
DOING THIS. AND UNFORTUNATELY,
WHAT COMES WITH BEING HOMELESS
IS I'VE HAD TO ADAPT. I'VE HAD
TO ADAPT IN REALLY LET'S SAY
GRUESOME WAYS. I AM THE OLDEST
OUT OF FOUR. SO WITH THAT I USED
TO SKIP MEALS I USED TO JUST
IGNORE MY APPETITE. I USED TO
SKIP SHOWERS THAT MY SIBLINGS
COULD SHOWER IF SAY, I GOT MONEY
WOULD GO TO MY SIBLINGS SO THAT
THEY WERE ABLE TO GET STUFF THAT
THEY NEEDED. IT STARTED MORE
WHEN I WAS 14 BECAUSE AT THE
TIME I DIDN'T HAVE ANY SUPPORT
GROUPS. FOR THAT. I WASN'T ABLE
TO B. SAFE IN ANY SORT OF
SITUATION BECAUSE WE'RE ALWAYS
GETTING KICKED OUT BECAUSE
THINGS WEREN'T BEING FIXED IN
APARTMENTS. AND WITH THAT COMES
THE MY MENTAL HEALTH. I WILL NOT
SAY THAT I AM THE MOST WELL
ROUNDED PERSON. I DO BELIEVE
THAT I AM OKAY IN TERMS OF
MENTAL HEALTH, BUT THERE ARE
SOME THINGS THAT I,
UNFORTUNATELY HAVE DEALT WITH IN
MY LIFE THAT AREN'T GOOD FOR MY
MENTAL HEALTH AT ALL. AND UM
SORRY. STILL NERVOUS, OKAY. AYE.
IDEAL WITH A LOT OF THINGS THAT
MOST KIDS LIKE JOHNNY FROM
ACROSS THE STREET HAS NEVER SEEN
I'VE DEALT WITH. HOMELESSNESS
I'VE DEALT WITH, UM DIVORCE.
I'VE DEALT WITH SO MANY THINGS
THAT KIND OF LIKE SANDWICHED ON
TOP OF EACH OTHER, AND I'M
THANKFUL THAT I AM THE PERSON
THAT I AM TODAY THAT I'M ABLE TO
SPEAK ABOUT IMPORTANT SITUATIONS
AND IMPORTANT UM, ACTIONS THAT.
YOU GUYS CAN TAKE SO THAT THE
YOUTH IN SAN BERNARDINO CAN BE A
LITTLE BIT BETTER OFF THAN JUST
BEING ON THE STREETS. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. UM, I GUESS
YOU GUYS CAN HEAR ME FROM HERE,
SO I DON'T HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD.
OKAY, GREAT. UM SO, GUYS, MY
NAME IS EUNICE ABLE I'M CHAIRMAN
OF THE YOUTH ADVISORY BOARD. BUT
I AM ALSO A CLIENT AT THE T
HOUSING THE TRANSITIONAL AGE
YOUTH HOUSING, SO I'M GONNA GIVE
YOU GUYS A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH
BOTH COINS, THE YOUTH ADVISORY
BOARD AND THEN THE TRANSITIONAL.
I'M GOING TO START WITH THE
TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AND A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT MYSELF. SO I'M
ACTUALLY AN IMMIGRANT. AH. MY
PARENTS KIND OF JUST LEFT ME
HERE WHEN I WAS NINE FROM
NIGERIA, AND IT'S BEEN KIND OF
HECTIC, BOUNCING AROUND FROM
HOUSE TO HOUSE I'VE BEEN IN AT
LEAST 12 HOMES. SINCE I CAME TO
THE UNITED STATES AND THEY HAVE
NEVER, THERE'S NEVER BEEN STABLE
HOUSING FOR ME. AND I'M ACTUALLY
ORIGINALLY FROM FLORIDA, AND
SOMEHOW I LANDED HERE IN
CALIFORNIA. AND THE TRADITIONAL
AGE YOUTH HOUSING PROGRAM. AND.
I WANT TO JUST GIVE YOU GUYS A
LITTLE BIT OF INSIGHT ON ME IN
GENERAL SINCE I GOT TO THE
TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAM. I
THINK IT WAS IN JULY. I, UM I'VE
GATHERED ALL MY DOCUMENTATIONS
THAT I NEED BECAUSE WHEN I GOT
THERE I WAS UNDOCUMENTED HAVE
GATHERED ALL THE DOCUMENTS
DOCUMENTATIONS THAT I NEED. I
ACTUALLY HAVE TWO JOBS. NOW ONE
AT OPERATION YOU HOPE AND ONE AT
THE SAN MANUEL CASINO, AND I AM
YOUTH AMBASSADOR FOR ALSO
OPERATION NEW HOPE, AND NOW I AM
CHAIR OF WHAT? THE YOUTH
ADVISORY BOARD OF SAN BERNARDINO
. SO THIS IS A TESTIMONY TO HOW
WHEN FUNDING IS USED PROPERLY IN
THE WAY THAT IT SHOULD BE USED.
IT CAN REALLY IMPACT PEOPLE WHO
NEED HELP AND PEOPLE WHO SEEK
THE HELP THAT WE NEED. SO, UM.
THE TELL YOU PROGRAM, THE T
HOUSING PROGRAM HAS BEEN
PHENOMENAL AND HELPING ME IN THE
WAYS THAT IT CAN THEIR OVERSEAS
IT. I KEEP IN TOUCH WITH DARRYL
, AND, UM, RECENTLY I HAD A
PRESENTATION WITH HIM ON THINGS
THAT I THOUGHT THAT WE NEEDED AT
THE TEAHOUSE TO IMPROVE. THE
YOUTH THERE. AND THERE'S SOME
THINGS THAT I TOUCHED DOWN. I'M
GONNA GO AHEAD AND I PROMISE I'M
NOT TEXTING. MY STUFF IS ON MY
PHONE. EVERYTHING. IS ON MY
PHONE. SO I'M JUST GONNA PULL
THAT UP A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE OF
SOMETHING I NEED TO TALK ABOUT.
SO IT GOES DOWN TO FUNDING RIGHT
MORE MONEY FOR TAKE MORE MONEY
FOR PROGRAMS LIKE TAE RIGHT WHEN
I WAS DOING THE PRESENTATION
THAT I DID TO TAKE A COUPLE OF
MONTHS AGO, I TOLD HIM ABOUT A
BLIND SPOT. IN THE TRANSITIONAL
AGE HOUSING PROGRAM, WHICH IS
DRIVING SO I WAS TALKING TO ALL
THE KIDS THAT WERE AT THE
PROGRAM BECAUSE WE HAVE A DROP
IN CENTER. SO A LOT OF THOSE
KIDS BECOMING, WE DO OUR GROUP'S
SKILLS, A LOT OF THINGS THAT GO
INTO IT. AND I WAS ASKING THEM
AND THEY WERE LIKE, OH, YEAH.
YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE 20 TO 24
18 21, AND THEY ALL CAN'T DRIVE
AND THEN YOU'RE LIKE YOU GUYS
ARE MORE THAN OLD ENOUGH TO
DRIVE. SO WHY CAN'T YOU DRIVE
AND THEN YOU'RE LIKE, OH, YEAH.
MY PARENTS NEVER TAUGHT ME. I
DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A MOM SO NO ONE
DEFINITELY TAUGHT ME OUT. YOU
KNOW, FENDING FOR MYSELF SINCE I
WAS WHAT A TEENAGER SO DRIVING
HAS NEVER BEEN MY PRIORITY.
FINDING A PLACE TO EAT, UM, FIND
A PLACE TO SLEEP. THIS HAS BEEN
THINGS THAT ARE UNDERMINED. SO
YOU SEE, LOOK AROUND AND YOU'RE
LIKE THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO
DRIVE. THESE ARE GUESS GROWN
ADULTS, ACCORDING TO THE STATE
AND THEY CAN'T DRIVE. THEY DON'T
HAVE ANY OF THESE SKILLS THAT
NORMALLY A PARENT WOULD GIVE YOU
IN ORDER FOR YOU TO SUCCEED IN
REAL LIFE. THEY DON'T HAVE THAT.
AND THEN I WAS TALKING TO DARRYL
ABOUT IT IN THE PRESENTATION,
AND HE WAS LIKE I NEVER THIS WAS
BECAUSE HE OBVIOUSLY SAYS THAT
HE DOESN'T KNOW A LOT OF A LOT
OF THE TIMES WHAT WE NEED, SO WE
HAVE TO TELL HIM AND THEN HE WAS
MORE THAN WILLING TO HELP. IT'S
ACTUALLY SURPRISING HOW WILLING
HE WAS. TO GET ON IT, AND HE HAD
TO MEET HIM WITH STAFF AND THEN
THEN YOU START TO THINK ABOUT
IT, AND YOU'RE LIKE FUNDING.
THEY NEED FUNDING TO FUND A
COMPONENT FOR KIDS THAT COME
INTO THE PROGRAM TO LEARN HOW TO
DRIVE BECAUSE YOU ALSO LOOK AT
THE STATISTICS HERE IN SAN
BERNARDINO, RIVERSIDE COUNTY,
AND YOU REALIZE THAT
TRANSPORTATION JOBS IS A
MAJORITY. IT'S A CHUNK OF IT. SO
IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A JOB HERE
IN SAN BERNARDINO, AND YOU DON'T
KNOW HOW TO DRIVE THAT COULD BE
VERY LIKE LIMITING FOR YOU AS A
KID, BECAUSE THEY'RE LIKE, OH,
BUS DRIVING. A LOT OF JOBS ARE
QUITE TO WORK. UM KAY, YOU NEED
YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE. YOU NEED
TO KNOW HOW TO DRIVE. SO YOU
THINK ABOUT STUFF LIKE THIS AND
YOU'RE LIKE THESE ARE THINGS
THAT WE NEED. AND EVEN THOUGH
THERE IS MORE THAN WILLING TO
HELP, EVEN THOUGH THERE IS
ALWAYS GOING OUT TO LOOK FOR
FUNDING TO FUND ALL THESE THINGS
THAT WE SAY WE NEED. HE'S ONLY
ONE PERSON. SO THIS IS THE PART
WHERE YOU GUYS CAN COME IN WHERE
YOU GUYS CAN HELP. PROGRAMS LIKE
TAE IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS LIKE THIS
THAT WE NEED IN ORDER FOR US TO
SUCCEED. I ALSO TALKED ABOUT OUR
SPECIAL TAX THEME ON TAPE WHERE
THEY DEAL WITH SITUATIONS WHERE
THEY NEVER HAD ANYONE LIKE ME.
COME THROUGH BEFORE I TELL YOU
WHO DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING AT ALL
THAT. I MEAN, IT WAS LIKE
SHUFFLING, TRYING TO FIND ALL
THIS STUFF THAT THEY NEED TO DO
TO FILE FOR THE ASYLUM, ALL THIS
STUFF THAT THEY DID. IT WAS ALL
A PROCESS FOR THEM RESORT OR
SOMETHING NEW FOR THEM. AND ALL
THESE EMPLOYEES THAT WERE, UM,
INCORPORATED IN THIS PROCESS.
THEY OBVIOUSLY NOW HAVE
EXPERIENCE ON THAT. SO WHEN THEY
HAVE SOMEONE ELSE WITH MY
SIMILAR EXPERIENCE, COME IN AND
DO THIS THINGS. THEY WOULD KNOW
. SO WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT
IMPLEMENTING THE SPECIAL TASK
TEAM ON TAPE PROGRAM, SO THAT
WAS ALSO SOMETHING BUT IT ALL
COMES DOWN TO THEM HAVING MORE
FUNDING. THEY JUST OPENED A NEW
HOUSE FOR QUÊ TÌM. UM PEOPLE
INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE OF
DISCRIMINATION THAT THEY MIGHT
FACE DUE TO THE WORD GENDER. SO
TO THEIR SEX, RIGHT? BUT THEN
IT'S LIKE THEY NEED MORE FUNDING
BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF KIDS
THAT COULD BENEFIT FROM T. BUT
THERE IS NO FUNDING TO OPEN UP
ANOTHER HOUSE AND I SEE PEOPLE
COMING TO THE DROP IN CENTER ALL
THE TIME AND ASKED THE HOUSING
AND THEY QUALIFY, BUT THERE'S NO
MORE BEDS. THERE'S NO MORE BEDS
, SO THEY NEED MORE MONEY TO
NEEDS MORE MONEY FOR THEM TO
EXPAND TANIA'S MORE MONEY SO
THAT PEOPLE LIKE ME COULD GET
HELP. AND IN OTHER CITIES AND
OTHER PLACES, SO THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT I WANTED TO.
TOUCHING ON A LITTLE BIT AGAIN,
VERY GRATEFUL FOR TAKING VERY
GRATEFUL FOR PROGRAMS LIKE THIS
THAT HELP US BUT THEN I ALSO
WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE TIME
COUNT. THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT I
ALREADY TALKED TO. UM, YOU GUYS
ABOUT ALREADY, BUT THE TIME
COUNT IS COMING UP WITH
SOMETHING THAT WE'VE DONE IN A
RECENT RECENT YEARS. WE MISSED
THE 2021 BECAUSE OF CORONA,
OBVIOUSLY, BUT TIME COUNT, WHICH
IS GETTING THE AMOUNT OF
HOMELESS PEOPLE HERE IN SAN
BERNARDINO TO COME UP, AND WE
TALKED ABOUT INCENTIVES AND
SENTENCE FOR THESE, UM HOMELESS
PEOPLE TO COME OUT BECAUSE YOU
SAY SO. TODAY IS THE TIME COUNT
AND THEY LIVE, OKAY? YOU KNOW?
WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH
ME? THEN YOU TELL THEM WE
HAVEN'T SENSITIVE AS IN LIKE
GIFT CARDS FOR YOU TO COME OUT
LIKE GAS CARDS FOR PEOPLE WHO
ARE MAYBE LIVING IN THEIR CARS,
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WILL
BRING THEM OUT. TO COME OUT AND
PARTICIPATE IN THIS TIME COUNT
THAT WE CAN USE SO WE COULD
GENERATE MY FUNDING AND MORE, UM
PROGRAMS FOR THEM TO THE END TO
HELP AND HOMELESSNESS. SO THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT WE ALSO TALKED
ABOUT. AND I ALSO TALKED TO
MICHELLE LEE AND THE REST OF MY,
UM YOUTH ADVISORY BOARD, AND
APPARENTLY, WE HAVE THE
RESOURCES TO SPEARHEAD THE TIME
COUNT. SO IF THAT'S SOMETHING
THAT YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING TO
SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO TALK
ABOUT LATER HE HAS PARTICIPATED
IN MULTIPLE TIME COUNTS BEFORE
THIS, AND THERE'S SOMETHING THAT
I THINK THAT YOUTH ADVISORY
BOARD WE CAN SPARE HEAD TOGETHER
, SO IF THERE'S SOMETHING WE
COULD COME TOGETHER AND
COLLABORATE ON, WE CAN DO THAT.
UH I ALSO WAS LOOKING AT THE
HELP OF THE INFORMATION THAT
THEY HAD, UM, YOUTH ADVISORY
BOARD. WHAT IS THE OVERALL
MISSION OF THE YOUTH ADVISORY
BOARD? AND IT'S TO HELP YOU. AND
YOU'RE LIKE, YEAH, TO HELP YOU
ON WHAT ON EVERYTHING. UM, ON
HOMELESSNESS, WHICH IS SOMETHING
LIKE DEFINITELY IT IS A PROBLEM
HERE IN SAN BERNARDINO, BUT NOT
JUST NOT JUST HOMELESSNESS,
ACADEMICS HELPING THEM GET THE
SKILLS THAT THEY HAVE TO
ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES, BUT
ALSO OTHER PEOPLE, UM IN SAN
BERNARDINO, BECAUSE WE ARE
REPRESENTING THE YOUTH. SO IT'S
LIKE, ALSO LIKE GIVING THEM THE
SKILLS LIKE WE HAVE LIFE SKILLS
CLASSES THAT WE COULD GIVE TO
THEM INFLUENCING POLICIES AND
ALL THE STUFF THAT WE CAN DO AND
JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE
GROUP'S ADVISORY BOARD AND SOME
THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON AT
THE MOMENT. UM WE DEFINITELY HAD
AN IDEA OF WHICH IS SOMETHING
THAT I HEARD OF WHEN BRENDA WAS
SPEAKING. UH OUTREACH TO HIGH
SCHOOL. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT
THE YOUTH ADVISORY BOARD WAS
WORKING ON IN ORDER TO GO THERE
AND GIVE THEM THE RESOURCES
BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES YOU GUYS
HAVE ASKED THE QUESTION MULTIPLE
TIMES. HOW DO WE GET USED TO
PARTICIPATE? IT WAS LIKE THE
TRUTH IS, YOU CAN'T GET USED.
THAT DOESN'T THINK THIS IS
IMPACTFUL TO PARTICIPATE. YOU
CAN'T GET THE USE THAT ARE NOT
INTERESTED IN THIS PARTICIPATE
AT ALL. BUT THE WHERE THE
PROBLEM LIES IS GETTING THE
INFORMATION OUT TO YOU THAT
ACTUALLY DO WANT TO PARTICIPATE.
A LOT OF KIDS DON'T KNOW ABOUT
THE GOOSE ADVISORY BOARD. KIDS
DON'T KNOW ABOUT ALL THE
RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE TO HELP
HOMELESS YOUTH. SO WHAT DO WE DO
? WE NEED TO OUTREACH. WE NEED
TO GO INTO THE TO THE HIGH
SCHOOLS. WE NEED TO CREATE
RESOURCE. LISTEN TO GO IN THERE
AND TELL THEM HEY, THIS IS WHAT
WE HAVE. AND I WAS GONNA TALK TO
BRENDA ABOUT IT LATER,
COLLABORATING BECAUSE APPARENTLY
SHE HAS A GROUP OF YOUTH WHO ARE
DOING AMAZING THINGS AND I'M
LIKE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I
WOULD WANT TO GET IN ON. MEN
WOULD LIKE TO GET IT ON. IF
THERE'S A WAY THAT WE CAN
COLLABORATE AND SEE HOW FAR WE
CAN GET WITH THIS. YOU KNOW, SO,
UM THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT
THE YOUTH ADVISORY BOARD IS
WORKING ON. BUT ALL THE STUFF
THAT I MENTIONED TODAY ABOUT
HOMELESSNESS. IT COMES DOWN TO
WORK. FUNDING, RIGHT? AND THEN
YOU'RE SAYING FUNDING, FUNDING
FUNDING FUNDING WORK. WHAT'S THE
SOLUTION TO THIS? THE DEFINITION
OF HOMELESSNESS HAS TO BE
CHANGED. MHM DEFINITION OF
HOMELESSNESS HAS TO BE CHANGED
THE DEFINITION THAT WE HAVE THE
HUT OF HOMELESSNESS NOW DOES NOT
INCORPORATE EVERYONE WHO IS
HOMELESS. IT DOESN'T INCORPORATE
THE PEOPLE THAT WERE CAST
SUFFERS. ACCORDING TO HIDE. I
WASN'T HOMELESS. I WASN'T
HOMELESS BECAUSE WHAT I WAS
COUCH SURFING. I WAS SLEEPING
WITH MY FRIENDS, MY FRIENDS,
FRIENDS AND THIS AND THAT AND
THAT THIS IS NOT INCORPORATED IN
THE DEFINITION OF HUB. AND
THERE'S NO WAY THAT THIS
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE
HEY, WHO ARE TRYING SO HARD TO
HELP THE HOMELESS YOU OUT CAN
GET MORE FUNDING FROM FEDERAL
FUNDS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT.
THEY'RE NOT CLASSIFIED AS
HOMELESS. SO WE DO USE ADVISORY
BOARD RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE CREATED
A COMMITTEE. UM TO CREATE A
PROPOSAL. ON WHY WE ARE PROPOSAL
ON CHANGING THE DEFINITION OF
HOMELESSNESS TO SOMETHING MORE
LIKE THE MCKINNEY, VENTO TO
INCORPORATE ALL. OTHER
DEFINITIONS OF HOMELESSNESS,
BECAUSE IF IT'S CHANGED, THEN WE
HAVE MORE ACCESS TO FEDERAL
FUNDS. FEDERAL FUNDS THAT CAN
HELP TAKE EXPAND. HMM. FEDERAL
FUNDS THAT COULD HELP OTHER
NUMBER OF ORGANIZATION EXPAND.
SO THAT IS THE SOLUTION. I KNOW
WE'RE ALL BUT ME. GETTING GET
ENOUGH MONEY. GRAVEL WE CAN. I
KNOW DARRYL RUNS AROUND SO MUCH
TRYING TO FIND FUNDING. BUT
IMAGINE HOW MUCH EASIER THAT
WOULD BE IF HE COULD JUST GET IT
FROM FROM FROM THE FEDERAL
FUNDING OF HER IF THEY COULD
EXPAND THIS DEFINITION, AND
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE
WORKING ON. AND WE NEED YOUR
HELP. WE ARE JUST THE YOUTH. I
HAVE NEVER WROTE, YOU KNOW,
POLICY BEFORE NEVER OWNED THE
BILL BEFORE. I HAVEN'T WRITTEN
ANY OF THESE BEFORE, RIGHT? AND
THIS IS WHERE WE REACH OUT AND
WE SAY WE NEED HELP. WE'VE
CREATED A COMMITTEE. WE'VE COME
TOGETHER. WE'VE COME UP WITH
SOMETHING. THAT WE THINK IS
GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT AND
WE NEED HELP. AND IT WAS POLICY
SO WE COULD TAKE THIS AS FAR AS
WE CAN, BECAUSE IF, ALTHOUGH
THEY KEEP TELLING ME
ORGANIZATIONS HAVE TRIED
ORGANIZATION OF TRADE, THEY
HAVEN'T TRIED WITH US. THEY
HAVEN'T TRIED WITH US. AND WITH
YOU GUYS HELP. I THINK THAT THIS
IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD
REALLY WE COULD REALLY TAKE FAR.
BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT MIGHT TAKE
US PUT IN THE LAST GAME AND
COUGHING FOR ITS FULL. WE MIGHT
HAVE TO BE THE LAST WEEK THAT
BREAKS IN THE DOOR. SO THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT I THINK THAT WE
SHOULD DO. YES AND. SORRY. THIS
IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE
SHOULD DO. AND I ALSO HAD, UM.
IT SAYS ANY THOUGHTS ON HOW WE
ENGAGE YOUTH TO DRIVE THE
DEVELOP DEVELOPING IMPLICATION
OF COMMUNITY SERVICES.
COLLABORATION AND OUTREACH. LIKE
I'VE ALREADY SAID BEFORE.
COLLABORATING WITH BRANDON THAT
SHE ALREADY HAS IN COLLABORATING
WITH THEM. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY
, GETTING THIS INFORMATION TO
PEOPLE WHO NEED IT. SO OUTREACH
TÌM COME. ALL THAT IS INCLUDED
ANY AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED
FUNDING. BUT I ALSO WAS GONNA I
WAS I WAS GONNA PROPOSE A
LITTLE. BECAUSE I WAS DOING A
LOT OF RESEARCH ON THIS SUBJECT
, AND IT TURNS OUT THAT THERE'S
A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE
HOMELESS, BUT ONLY FOR ONE DAY.
AND A LOT OF TIMES THAT ONE DAY
TURNS INTO WHAT YEARS TO THEM
BEING OUT THE STREET FOR FIVE
YEARS AND ALL THAT STUFF, RIGHT?
AND I WAS LIKE, WHAT IF THERE
WAS SOMETHING WHERE THEY COULD
GO FOR THAT ONE DAY, BUT THEN I
LISTENED TO TELL DR FROM TEH
TALK, AND APPARENTLY, WE ALREADY
HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO YOU
KNOW, IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE
BECAUSE, UM NOW THAT I KNOW THIS
INFORMATION IS SOMETHING THAT
MAYBE YOUTH ADVISORY BOARD COULD
ALSO WORK ON. BUT IF I DIDN'T
KNOW I WOULD HAVE TAKEN THIS
PROPOSAL, YOU KNOW? HEY I NEED
THIS. I NEED THIS. BUT BECAUSE I
CAME I GET THIS INFORMATION THAT
IS LIKE, OKAY, WE HAVE SOMETHING
LIKE THAT. WE CAN TAKE THIS TO
THE YOUTH. WE COULD TELL THEM
THAT THERE'S ALREADY A PROGRAM
LIKE THIS THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT.
SO. UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID,
THAT'S ALL THAT I HAVE. THANK
YOU. YEAH. THANK YOU FOR THAT,
UH, TESTIMONY NEXT WE'LL HEAR
FROM JESSE WISE. GOOD MORNING,
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW I'M GONNA
FOLLOW UP WITH THAT. WONDERFUL
THANK YOU FOR SHARING. IT WAS
AWESOME. SO AS I MENTIONED,
THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME AND
ACT AND GIVING ME THE
OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND TALK
ABOUT OUR COLLEAGUES, STUDENTS
AND SOME OF THE OBSTACLES THAT
THEY FACE. UM WHEN EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS OR JUST BEING
HOUSING AND SECURE AND I THINK,
AS AS MY FELLOW PANELISTS
MENTIONED, I MEAN, OFTENTIMES, I
THINK HOMELESSNESS IS DEFINED
DIFFERENTLY FOR THE YOUTH, RIGHT
WHERE IT'S OURS. OUR STUDENTS
SIMILAR IN AGE, YOU KNOW THEY'RE
NOT DEFINED AS HOMELESS BECAUSE
THEY COUNSEL IF THEY HAVE
BUDDIES THAT CAN HELP THEY CAN
HANG OUT WITH FOR A DAY OR TWO,
AND I THINK THAT REALLY IMPAIRS
THEIR ABILITY TO FIND
SUSTAINABLE HOUSING, AND I THINK
THAT'S WHERE YOUR ADVOCACY WOULD
BE REALLY IMPORTANT. FOR OUR
YOUTH AND REALLY UNDERSTANDING
HOW I'M NOT HAVING THAT
SUSTAINABLE HOUSING. UM AND THEY
ALSO IS DARRYL MENTIONED EARLIER
. THEY DON'T HAVE THE FINANCIAL
HISTORY TO HELP ATTAIN THAT. AND
HOW THEN IS ADVOCATES? CAN WE
HELP YOUNG PEOPLE TO GET THAT?
SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT, AND THAT'S WHY THE
VOICE OF THE YOUTH IS REALLY
IMPORTANT, UM, TO HAVE SO THAT
WE CAN KIND OF GAIN A BETTER
UNDERSTANDING. OF THE CHALLENGES
THAT THEY EXPERIENCE. UM AND AS
MR ALMOST MENTIONED I AM I'M THE
SOCIAL WORKER FOR THE CARE TEAM
AND COSTLY SUMMER DO YOU KNOW?
UM AND WE DO WE RESPOND TO
REFERRAL STUDENT CONCERNS WITHIN
OUR UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY, BUT
THE ROLE HAS ALSO EVOLVED
BECAUSE AT FIRST IT WAS REALLY
ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT
STUDENT CONCERNS AND THREATS,
BUT REALLY, NOW IT'S
UNDERSTANDING WHERE THEIR
BEHAVIOR COME FROM. WHY THEY'RE
HAVING THESE CHALLENGES
ACADEMICALLY IN THE CLASSROOM.
UM AND WHAT WE FOUND, WAS IT OUR
STUDENTS ARE LACKING THEIR BASIC
NEEDS. AND JUST AS WITH ANY ONE
OF US IF WE'RE HUNGRY, IT'S
REALLY DIFFICULT TO PERFORM. IF
WE'RE A HOUSE, IT'S VERY I CAN
ONLY IMAGINE HOW CHALLENGING
THAT IS RIGHT AND TO KIND OF
PERFORMING THESE ACADEMIC
ENVIRONMENT AND TO FULFILL THAT
ACADEMIC RIGOR. I MEAN, IT'S
ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. SO. AND
THAT'S WHAT KIND OF SHIFTED THE
FOCUS OF OUR CHARACTER TEAM TO
REALLY LOOK AT. BASIC NEEDS AND
TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU KNOW IF
WE HAVE HUNGRY STUDENTS ON HOW
STUDENTS THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DO
WELL, AND SO WHAT CAN WE DO TO
HELP THEM? AND SO YEAH, THERE'S
BEEN A LOT OF DIFFERENT STUDIES
THAT HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED. YOU
KNOW, ONE RECENTLY 2019 DOCTOR
CRITCHFIELD FROM CAL STATE, LONG
BEACH AND DR MAGUIRE FROM
CALCIUM HUMBLE, I BELIEVE UM,
THEY CONDUCTED THE STUDY OF
STUDENT SERVICES, ACCESS AND
BASIC NEEDS, AND THIS IS JUST
WITHIN THE CSU SYSTEMS. IS IT
ABOUT 11% OF CSU STUDENTS
EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS. AND
MORE THAN ONE TIME WITHIN A FULL
YEAR. UM AND AGAIN THEY WERE
GOING BY THE SAME SIMILAR
DEFINITIONS THAT THAT MY
PANELISTS AND OTHER PANELISTS OF
SHARED SO IT ALSO REPORTED THAT
YOU KNOW STUDENTS THAT
EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS, FOOD
INSECURITY OR BOTH. OF COURSE,
THEY HAD THESE YOU KNOW,
UNFORTUNATELY, NEGATIVE
EXPERIENCES WHILE AT THE
UNIVERSITY, UM AND ALSO IT
BECAUSE OF THEIR HOMELESSNESS.
OFTENTIMES MANY OF OUR STUDENTS
HAVE TO WORK LONGER HOURS. YOU
KNOW WHICH IMPACTS MENTAL
HEALTH. PHYSICAL HEALTH BUT ALSO
THEIR ACADEMICS. AND HERE IT IS.
WE'RE EXPECTING STUDENTS, TOO.
TO SUSTAIN OR PERSIST AND TO DO
WELL, ACADEMICALLY. BUT YET, YOU
KNOW NOT ALL OF THE
INFRASTRUCTURE IS THERE FOR
THAT, AND THAT'S WHERE I THINK
YOU KNOW, REALLY KIND OF HAVING
THESE VOICES AND FOR THEM TO
SHARE ABOUT THAT. HELPS THE KIND
OF, UM BUILD UPON THAT BUT TO
PROVIDE THE RESOURCES FOR THE
YOUTH. UM. AND ALSO IT SHOWED
THAT AND I THINK THIS IS VERY
IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT DOES
HIGHLIGHT HOW THIS THIS ISSUE
DOES IMPACT. MORE OF MINORITY
GROUPS. UM BECAUSE IT SAYS, YOU
KNOW, BASED ON THEIR STUDY
STUDENTS WHO IDENTIFY JUST BLACK
UM AND FIRST GENERATION STUDENTS
HAVE THE HIGHEST RATES OF
HOMELESSNESS AT 18. ALMOST 60. A
LITTLE OVER 65% WERE FOOD
INSECURE, SO THESE ISSUES ARE
PREDOMINANTLY AFFECTING OUR
MINORITY YOUTH, AND I THINK
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD
REALLY BE MINDFUL EVENT AS TO
WHY THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO
THESE RESOURCES AND AS THEY ARE,
LOOK, LET ME PUT IT. I MEAN,
THERE'S SOME ISSUES THERE. THEY
DON'T HAVE SOME OF THE
FOUNDATIONS OR THE PRIVILEGES OF
SOME OF THE OTHER STUDENTS HAVE
AND THAT GREATLY IMPACTS THEIR
PERSISTENCE AT AT, UM AT THE
UNIVERSITY. SO. UM WE DO PROVIDE
SOME ASSISTANCE. BUT AGAIN, I
ASSISTANCE THAT WE PROVIDE ISN'T
SUSTAINABLE FOR OUR STUDENTS,
AND THAT'S WHERE, LIKE WHAT WAS
MENTIONED. YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO
HAVE MORE MORE FUNDING, YOU
KNOW, AND THAT'S WHERE YOUR
ADVOCACY AGAIN IS REALLY
IMPORTANT. WE DO PROVIDE TO
GRANT BUT AGAIN, THAT'S NOT
SUSTAINABLE, AND IT ONLY HELPS
FOR A SHORT TERM. WE ALSO
PROVIDE TWO WEEKS OF EMERGENCY
HOUSING ON CAMPUS. UM BUT AGAIN
TWO WEEKS, AS YOU KNOW, GOES BY
REALLY FAST, AND EVEN IF WE
EXTENDED, IT GOES BY REALLY FAST
, AND THAT'S WHERE IT'S YOU
KNOW. THANKFULLY WE DO HAVE
COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT ARE
ALWAYS MORE THAN WILLING TO HELP
US AND I KNOW I'VE REACHED OUT
TO THEM MORE THAN ONE TO ENABLE.
ALWAYS BEEN VERY HELPFUL. SO
THAT'S YOU KNOW, THAT'S BEEN A
IT'S BEEN. IT'S BEEN A BLESSING
TO HAVE, ESPECIALLY FOR COLLEGE
STUDENTS. UM AND THEN EXPANDING
OUR PARTNERSHIP, YOU KNOW TO
REALLY TO BRING AWARENESS TO
CALL TO COLLEGE HOMELESSNESS. SO
JUST TO GIVE AN IDEA AND THIS IS
JUST OUR CARE TEAM WE HELPED OUT
ABOUT. WE HELPED 36 INSECURE
UNSECURE. HOW'S COLLEGE STUDENTS
? AND THAT'S JUST WITHIN THE
ACADEMIC YEAR SO AGAIN JUST
REALLY DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE
HOUSING PROGRAMS WITH COLLEGE
PARTNER WITH COUNTY PARTNERS. TO
HELP KIND OF WORK THROUGH SOME
OF THIS. INVITING YOU KNOW, AND
I DO A PRETTY THANK YOU FOR
HAVING ME BUT I THINK REALLY
INVITING, YOU KNOW OTHER STAFF
FACULTY ADMINISTRATORS TO THESE
MEETINGS JUST SO THAT THEY FIND
MORE IMPORTANTLY, OUR STUDENTS
SO THAT THEY CAN COME AND SHARE
ABOUT WHAT THAT EXPERIENCE WAS
LIKE FOR THEM, SO HAVING YOU
KNOW, BEING ABLE TO HAVE THEM,
UM, BUT YOU KNOW MORE SO I KNOW
THAT WHEN I WORKED AS A COUNTY
SOCIAL WORKER AND JUST
PARTNERING WITH THE HOUSING
AUTHORITY BECAUSE THEY HAVE
SPECIALTY HOUSING PROGRAMS. AND
THAT'S SOMETHING FOR COLLEGE
STUDENTS. THAT WOULD BE
SOMETHING REALLY GREAT TO
PROVIDE THAT, UM, STABLE HOUSING
THAT THEY NEED. UM AND ALSO I'VE
BEEN, YOU KNOW, THINKING, YOU
KNOW, I WAS ASKED TO BE THE
HOMELESS AND FOSTER YOUTH
LIAISON ON OUR CAMPUS. AND THIS
THIS REALLY HELPS TO THE
COLLABORATION WITH THE
PARTNERSHIPS WITH COUNTIES, UM
IN MY ROLE THERE. YOU KNOW, I
TRY TO FILL GAPS BECAUSE
SOMETIMES OUR STUDENTS YOU KNOW
THERE FOR OUR STUDENTS THAT
AREN'T PARTICIPATING, AND E L P
PROGRAMS OR OTHER INCOME BASED
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, THEN
THAT'S WHERE YOU KNOW WHETHER
IT'S MYSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE ON
THE CHARACTER THAT WE DO TRY TO
HELP THEM NAVIGATE THE
UNIVERSITY SYSTEM, WHICH FOR A
LOT OF THEM CAN BE VERY IT CAN
BE PRETTY DIFFICULT AND
OVERWHELMING. BECAUSE THEY ARE
MANY OF OUR STUDENTS ARE FIRST
GENERATION STUDENTS WANT TO SAY
THAT ABOUT 86% OF OUR STUDENTS
ARE OUR FIRST CHEN. UM AND SO
THEY DON'T HAVE ANYONE TO HELP
THEM. AND THAT'S WHERE YOU KNOW
AGAIN, WHETHER IT'S MYSELF OR
SOMEONE ELSE FROM OUR TEAM TO
KIND OF HELP THEM. UM YOU KNOW
WHETHER IT BE HELPING THEM WITH
FINANCIAL LEAD, HELPING THEM
NAVIGATE THAT PROCESS. HOUSING
ADVISING CAMPUS ENGAGEMENT, A
COUNSELING, SO THAT'S THAT'S ONE
THING THAT WE DO AND IN REGARDS
TO EXPANDING THAT. UM AND THEN,
LASTLY, TO ENGAGE OR YOU, I
THINK LIKE YOU DID LIKE TODAY.
JUST INVITING ME TO COME IN, YOU
KNOW, BUT AND REALLY PROVIDING
THAT THAT STORY. I THINK IT
REALLY HIGHLIGHTS THAT AND I
THINK IT'S A LOT MORE MEANINGFUL
THAN ME COMING UP HERE AND
TALKING ABOUT WHAT? WHAT I SEE.
BUT REALLY SHARING. YOU KNOW
WHAT? WHAT WHAT ARE YOU THINK
COLLEGE STUDENTS ARE REALLY
EXPERIENCE? I THINK THAT HOLDS A
LOT MORE WEIGHT. BUT ALSO THE
LIKE. THEY HAVE IDEAS, RIGHT?
THEY HAVE KNOWLEDGE, JUST AS
WELL. UM AND SO TAKING THAT INTO
ACCOUNT AND REALLY
UNDERSTANDING, UM WHAT? WE CAN
DO THEM FOR THEM. YOU KNOW,
BECAUSE, UM YEAH. WE HAVE THESE
POSITIONS WHERE WE CAN HELP AND
I THINK IT'S IMPERATIVE UPON US
THE REALLY KIND OF SIT BACK AND
LISTEN. I KNOW LIKE LIKE BRENDA
MENTIONED AND THEY'RE ALL AND
ANDRE SAID, YOU KNOW, LIKE
INVITING THEM OVER, BUT.
PROVIDING THAT GUY AND THAT'S
WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR. REALLY IT'S
LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE WAY
THAT I KIND OF ALWAYS SEE IT IS,
UM I LIKE SPORTS. SO I ALWAYS
USE THIS ANALOGY IS LIKE THAT.
SOMETIMES YOU KNOW, LIKE KIND OF
VIEW IT AS LIKE, OKAY, I'M A
POINT GUARD. AND I JUST KIND OF
GIVE THEM THE BALL AND THEY DO
THEIR THING. RIGHT? AND THAT'S
HOW I VIEW IT IS THIS IS YOU
KNOW WHAT WE DO, AND SO IT'S YOU
KNOW, IT'S MOTIVATING TO SEE
WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE COME UP
HERE AND SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES
AND ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES, AND
I THINK THAT'S YOU KNOW THAT'S
OUR JOB, AND THAT'S WHAT WE
SHOULD DO FOR THEM. SO I HOPE I
COVERED EVERYTHING. WELL, THANK
YOU. LET'S GIVE OUR PANELS
AROUND. WELL, THANK YOU. FOR
YOUR INSIGHTFUL TESTIMONY FROM
OTHER PANELISTS AND THE
TESTIMONY THAT WAS DONE HERE AND
INFORMATION GIVEN WE'LL OPEN IT
UP FOR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
FROM MY COLLEAGUES. STARTING
WITH ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S SMITH NO.
FIRST. YOU DID A FABULOUS JOB
PUBLIC SPEAKING IS THE HARVEST
THING TO DO. BUT I CAN SEE YOUR
PASSION AND YOU DON'T TAKE NO
FOR AN ANSWER, WHICH IS A GOOD
THING. LIFE'S LESSONS HAVE
TALKED TO YOU. DON'T TELL ME NO.
BECAUSE THERE'S A WAY TO MAKE IT
HAPPEN. I LIKE THE PART WHERE
WE'RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER.
THERE'S NO NEED TO REINVENT THE
WHEEL AS I CALL IT ALREADY
PROGRAMMED, BUT THEN YOUR
DISCUSSION YOU FOUND OUT THERE'S
A PROGRAM OUT THERE, AND THAT'S
WHERE MY TIME AND HER SPIRITUAL
COUNSEL, WE WENT OUT TO THE
HOMELESS WENT OUT TO THE STREET
FOUND OUT WHAT GOT THEM THERE.
DON'T TELL THEM ABOUT THE
SERVICES TAKE HIM TO THAT
SERVICE. LET THEM YOU KNOW, TO
11 UNDER THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
OR THE FOOD INSECURITY. TAKE HIM
TO THAT RESOURCE, SO THEY KNOW
IT'S THERE AND THEY CAN FIND OUT
WHAT OTHER RESOURCES THAT ARE UP
THERE. UM BIG COMMENTS. FUNDING.
ALWAYS NEVER ENOUGH FUNDING. BUT
IF WE WORK TOGETHER AND SHARE
THE FUNDING INSTEAD OF SAYING,
HEY, THIS IS MY FUNDING, AND I'M
GOING TO DO MY PROGRAM. WE GOT
TO WORK TOGETHER WITH ALL THE
NONPROFITS, ALL THE GOVERNMENT
AGENCIES TO MAKE SURE ALL THE
RESOURCES ARE BEING USED RIGHT
HERE. UM, THE COUNT. WE GOT TO
REACH OUT TO THE COUNT TO LET
THE FOLKS KNOW. THAT WITHOUT
THAT, COUNT THE RESOURCES DON'T
COME FROM THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT. I DON'T KNOW. I
DON'T WANT TO LET NOBODY KNOW
I'M HOMELESS, YOU KNOW? WHAT?
WHATEVER ISSUE THAT I'M GOING
THROUGH, BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE
SURE THAT THEY'RE COUNTED
BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT BRINGS THE
RESOURCES TO THE COUNTY FROM THE
FEDERAL AND THE STATE LEVEL. UM,
AND HOUSING. WE HAVE TO BUILD
MORE HOUSING. YOU HEAR THE STORY
AFFORDABLE HOUSING 5 $600,000 A
DOOR. WHAT WE CALL IT. WE NEED
TO DO THE TINY HOMES SITUATIONS.
NOT ALL OF US NEED TWO OR 3000
SQUARE FOOT HOUSE. I NEED A
BEDROOM WITH A ROOF AND A
BATHROOM. YOU KNOW, SMALLER
KITCHEN. WE DON'T NEED THE BIG
THE BIG HOUSES, BUT THAT'S WHAT
WE NEED. HOUSING STATE AND
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. MANDATORY I
JUST TALKED TO A DEVELOPER,
RETIRED CONTRACTOR $85,000 FOR
PERMITS BEFORE EVEN TURNED DIRT.
A LOT OF MONEY. WHY THE BUT WHAT
AM I PAYING FORWARD THAT I JUST
NEED A FACILITY? SO THANK YOU
FOR YOUR COMMENTS. I THINK WITH
THIS MEETING WHEN COMMENTS AGAIN
AT THE END, WE ALL HAVE TO COME
TOGETHER TO WORK FOR THE YOUTH
BECAUSE THAT'S THE NEXT
GENERATION IS GOING TO TAKE CARE
OF US. WE WERE MOVING ON. AND
I'LL BE POLITE ABOUT THAT.
MOVING ON. YOU NEVER KNOW, BUT
YOU'VE GOT TO STAY INVOLVED AND
ENGAGED IN THIS IS THE START.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SOUTHERN
MEMBER, SMITH MAJORITY LEADER
REST THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK
YOU. YOUR COMMENTS WERE SO
IMPORTANT TO KEEP TALKING ABOUT
ENGAGING YOUTH. UM I REMEMBER
THERE WAS A STUDY THAT WAS DONE
AT THE STATE. WE ASKED OUR
LEGISLATIVE OFFICE TO DO AN
AUDIT TO TELL US HOW MANY
PROGRAMS HOW MANY COMMISSIONS
THAT HAD TO DO WITH FAMILIES AND
YOUTH INCLUDED FAMILIES AND
YOUTH. IT DIDN'T. AND SO WE
CHANGED THAT WE HAVE CHANGED
THAT. BUT I REALLY LIKE THE
COMMENTS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT
WHEN OUR YOUTH ARE INVITED TO BE
PART OF A COMMISSION OR TO GIVE
TESTIMONY THAT THEY BE PAID
THAT'S THE NEXT STEP, AND WE'LL
BE WORKING ON THAT WITHOUT A
DOUBT WITHOUT A DOUBT. I
COLLABORATION YOU TALKED ABOUT
COLLABORATING WITH YOUTH. TALKED
ABOUT OUTREACH AND I WE HEARD
LOUD AND CLEAR FUNDING, FUNDING,
FUNDING FUNDING AND THEN MORE
FUNDING. WE HEARD IT LOUD AND
CLEAR. WE ALSO HEARD ABOUT THE
DEFINITION OF HOMELESSNESS. EVEN
WHEN WE'RE DOING THE COUNT.
YOU'RE COUNTING. THE HOMELESS
AND YOU HAVE A REPORT FOR HUD.
HUD WANTS TO KNOW THAT YOU'RE
YOUR NUMBERS ARE GOING DOWN. BUT
FOR THE STATE. WE WANT TO KNOW
REALLY? HOW MANY THERE ARE IN
THE NUMBERS ARE GOING UP SO HARD
WANTS TO SEE THE CHAIR.
SUCCEEDING IN THE NUMBERS ARE
GOING DOWN. UM THE REST OF US
WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE ACTUAL
NUMBER IS? BUT GETTING EVERYBODY
ON THE SAME PAGE IS EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT. AND I KNOW HAVING YOU
HAVING YOUR VOICE THERE'S GOING
TO BE IMPORTANT THAT REGARD YOU
WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING? I
AGREE. I THINK THAT, UM THE
POINT IN TIME COUNT IS
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, BUT THE
PROBLEM IS GETTING THEM THERE. I
WAS THANKFULLY, BEFORE MY
PARENTS SPLIT. MY DAD TAUGHT ME
A LOT ABOUT ADVOCACY AND BEING
LOUD. I AM A VERY LOUD
INDIVIDUAL ABOUT WHAT I WANT. I
CAN LIST LIKE OFF THE TOP OF MY
HEAD THAT I HAVE GOTTEN A LOT OF
THINGS THAT I WANTED, EVEN IF
IT'S LIKE THE STUPIDEST THING,
BUT. THAT'S THE IMPORTANT THAT
WE NEED TO ADVOCATE. KIDS NEED
TO LEARN HOW TO ADVOCATE FOR
THEMSELVES. THEY NEED TO LEARN
WHAT THAT NO MEANS. NO OR I NEED
THIS. IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT
AND UNFORTUNATELY, A LOT OF
YOUTH AT LEAST THE PEOPLE THAT I
HANG OUT WITH UM THEY'RE SCARED
, THEY THINK. OH I DON'T WANT I
DON'T WANT TO ADVOCATE BECAUSE
WHAT IF THEY LAUGH AT ME?
BECAUSE IN SCHOOLS, WE'RE GOING
TO BE HONEST SCHOOLS ARE ALL
ABOUT LIKE SOME PEOPLE BEING
POPULAR. I WAS BULLIED AND ALL
THE ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO BULLIED
ME. THEY PROBABLY HAD NOTHING
BETTER TO DO THAN BULLY. AND
WITH THAT CAME A LOT OF PROBLEMS
BOTH MENTALLY AND EMOTIONALLY.
SO KIDS CAN NEVER REACH OUT.
KIDS CAN NEVER BE LIKE, HEY, I
NEED THIS THING BECAUSE THEY'RE
LIKE WHAT IF I GET YELLED AT
WHAT IF THEY WHAT IF THEY'RE
JUDGING ME? WHAT WE NEED TO GET
RID OF THE JUDGMENT THAT COMES
WITH BEING HOMELESS BECAUSE THE
ONLY REASON I AM HERE TODAY IS
BECAUSE I WAS LIKE, MAN, I NEED
MONEY. I NEED TO FIND SOMETHING
THAT I CAN DO BECAUSE I'M NOT
OLD ENOUGH. Tð APPLY FOR A JOB.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT I CAN
APPLY FOR A JOB WITH. I HAD TO
GO THROUGH HOOPS AND BARRELS AND
LIKE JUMPING ALL OVER THE PLACE
TO GET US A STATE I D FROM
MASSACHUSETTS. AND THAT IS THE
ONLY REASON I AM HERE. AND THAT
IS UNACCEPTABLE. ESPECIALLY
BECAUSE A LOT OF HOME WITH YOU
AGAIN WE DON'T HAVE OUR
DOCUMENTS. WE DON'T HAVE IT ALL
LIKE A LITTLE FOLDER. I'M LUCKY
THAT I HAD PEOPLE WORKING IN
MASSACHUSETTS TO GET ME TO WHERE
I AM RIGHT NOW. I'M LUCKY THAT I
AM SITTING RIGHT HERE. AND WITH
THAT, UNFORTUNATELY, OTHER KIDS
AREN'T SO LUCKY. OTHER KIDS ARE
NOT TOLD YOU NEED TO TELL ME
WHAT YOU MEAN. BECAUSE SAY
THEY'RE BEING ABUSED. THEY DON'T
WANT TO SPEAK UP AGAINST THEIR
PARENTS OR PARENTS ARE GOING TO
BEAT THE EVER 11 HECK OUT OF
THEM. I DON'T KNOW. AND WITH
THAT, THEY THINK IN THEIR MINDS
IF I TELL ANYBODY I'M GONNA GET
HURT IF I TELL ANYBODY I'M NOT
SAFE. THAT'S NOT GOOD. THAT'S.
THAT'S JUST NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
THEY'RE NOT GONNA WANT TO COME
OUT FOR THE POINT IN TIME COUNT.
SO HAVE, UNIS SAID EXEMPT WORDS.
UM WHAT WAS THE WORST
INCENTIVES. THANK YOU SYMPTOMS.
INCENTIVES TO BRING THEM OUT.
GIFT CARDS LIKE EVEN. EVEN LIKE
A NEW PAIR OF SHOES OR SOMETHING
MONEY TO BUY FOOD. THINGS LIKE
THAT WOULD REALLY HELP YOUTH IN
GETTING THEM OUT. GETTING THEM
INTO A POINT IN TIME COUNT A LOT
. I WORK AT RAISING CANE'S ON
TYPICAL NEW, I SEE A LOT OF
HOMELESS ADULTS COME UP AND BE
LIKE, HEY, DO YOU HAVE A DOLLAR?
AND I'D SAY I DON'T HAVE A
DOLLAR BECAUSE. I DON'T CARRY
MONEY IN THIS ECONOMY. NO I
DON'T CARRY MONEY ON ME. I CARRY
DEBIT CARDS. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I
SAY TO THEM, I SAY, BUT LET ME
BUY YOU SOMETHING TO EAT. YOU
FEED THAT MAN. HE IS GRATEFUL
FOR THE ENTIRE DAY. THAT'S
PROBABLY THE FIRST MEAL HE HAD,
AND IT ONLY TOOK HIM REACHING
OUT. I DIDN'T WANT TO DO THAT.
THEY DON'T WANT TO BOTHER PEOPLE
THEY THINK. WELL, MY ISSUES
AREN'T THAT IMPORTANT. AND YOU
KNOW, I'LL BE FINE. I'VE HAD
THAT MENTALITY. I'VE HAD THAT
MENTALITY OF FINE. I CAN WORK
THROUGH IT. I'M NOT FINE. IN
THOSE SITUATIONS. I'M NOT FINE,
AND THAT IS UNFORTUNATE. AND
I'VE HAD TO DISCOVER MYSELF AS
AN INDIVIDUAL. HAD YOU SAY NO.
MY PROBLEMS ARE AS IMPORTANT AS
EVERYBODY ELSE IS. I NEED TO LET
PEOPLE KNOW. AND WE NEED TO
START TEACHING THESE KIDS ABOUT
ADVOCACY IN SCHOOL. BECAUSE
AGAIN THE ONLY REASON I'M HERE I
ADVOCATED. FOR MYSELF AND FOR MY
FAMILY. AND. IF WE CAN GET THEM
TO BE LIKE, YEAH, I'LL COME TO
THIS POINT IN TIME COUNT. YEAH,
I'LL SHOW THEM THAT I AM
HOMELESS. THOSE WILL HAVE BETTER
NUMBERS WILL HAVE ACTUAL
NUMBERS. YOU'RE MAKING YOU SAID
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HE SAID
HE SAID YOU'RE VERY LUCKY TO BE
HERE. WE'RE VERY LUCKY THAT
YOU'RE HERE. THAT'S THE TRUTH.
YES, TO PICK IT BACK OFF. I SAID
THAT I WAS GOING TO BE PICKING
UP BACK UP FOR A LOT OF WHAT
MAKES SENSE TODAY JUST TO
EMPHASIZE THE TIME COUNT IS FOR
THE YOUTH. AND IT GOES BACK TO
WHAT BRENDA HAS SAID THE SHAME.
THE SHAME THAT COMES WITH BEING
HOMELESS. RIGHT KIDS DON'T WANT
TO TELL YOU THAT THEY'RE
HOMELESS. KIDS DON'T WANT TO YOU
KNOW, LIKE MEXICAN GET BULLIED
FOR BEING HOMELESS AND NOT
HAVING THE IT SAYS THAT THERE IS
NO SHAME IN BEING HOMELESS. AND
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO
EMPHASIZE BECAUSE I PLAN ON
REACHING OUT TO BRENDA.
AFTERNOON IN ORDER FOR US TO
COLLABORATE, OBVIOUSLY, BUT
THERE IS NO SHAME IN BEING
HOMELESS. YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT
SOMETHING THAT YOU BROUGHT. UPON
YOURSELF FOR SOMETHING BUT MOST
OF THEIR YOUTH. THESE ARE
CHILDREN, SO IT SHOULD NEVER BE
YOUR RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOU TO
HAVE THIS BURDEN AT SUCH A YOUNG
AGE, SO WE HAVE TO TAKE AWAY THE
SHAME ASSOCIATED WITH BEING
HOMELESS SO THAT PEOPLE CAN
REACH OUT FOR HELP. WHICH IS
WHERE THE TIME THAT TIME COMES
IN, RIGHT? THESE INCENTIVES IF
WE IF WE MAKE IT AS SOMETHING
THAT'S LIKE, OH, YOU DO THIS
LITTLE TASK CARE AND YOU GET
THIS INCENTIVE. YOU GET THIS GAS
CARD. YOU GET THIS FOOD YOU GET
THIS BURGER, IT BECOMES LESS OF
IT REDUCES THAT SHAME. UH IT'S
JUST LIKE I'M COMPLETING A TASK
FOR AN INCENTIVE. THAT'S ALL I'M
DOING. I'M NOT HERE BEGGING FOR
HELP. I'M NOT HERE TELLING THEM.
OH I'M HOMELESS AND I HAVE
NOWHERE TO STAY SO INCENTIVES IT
REDUCES THAT, UM THE WHOLE
COMPONENT OF SHAME FOR THE TIME
COUNT, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT I
WANTED TO EMPHASIZE FOR THE
YOUTH. THAT'S INTERESTING. IF I
MAY MR CHAIR MY TEAM EVERY YEAR
SINCE ELECTED HAS HELPED WITH
THE TIME POINT IN TIME COUNT AND
AFTER THE FIRST YEAR THAT IS
EXACTLY WHAT THEY DO. THEY WENT
OUT AND BOUGHT, UM, GIFT CARDS
AND THEY ALWAYS TAKE SANDWICHES
AND THEY TAKE COFFEE AND COCOA.
AND I APPRECIATE IT THAT THEY
DID THAT. I REALIZED HOW
IMPORTANT THIS IS BECAUSE THAT'S
YOU. YOU WANT TO ASK SOMEBODY TO
DO A TASK? AND THEY SHOULD BE
PAID. THEY SHOULD BE
COMPENSATED. THAT'S ANOTHER
THING WHERE I'M TAKING THAT BACK
WITH ME TO IS ABOUT THE
INCENTIVES. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR
THANK YOU. MAJORITY LEADER. ANY
FURTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. AND HAVING HAVING
YOUR VOICES HERE IS VERY
IMPORTANT FOR US TO HERE AND WE
ARE RECORDING. I BELIEVE SO
WE'LL BE ABLE TO SHARE THIS WITH
OTHERS. BUT THE DOCUMENTS I KNOW
WE'VE WORKED WITH OTHERS. WE
ALSO SHARE THE MILITARY VETERANS
COMMITTEE. BUT WE KNOW THAT WITH
THE VETERANS POPULATION, WE'VE
WORKED WITH THE COUNTY TO BE
ABLE TO HAVE DOCUMENTS. UM
AVAILABLE TO THEM. MAYBE THAT'S
AN AREA WE START TO LOOK AT
WITHIN OUR YOUTH, ESPECIALLY
WORKING WITH THE SCHOOLS,
FINDING OUT WHAT DOCUMENTS THEY
NEED. MAYBE THERE'S A WAY TO DO
SOME TYPE OF RAPID DOCUMENT
RETRIEVAL. UM THERE IN IN
BREAKING THE STIGMA THAT WE'VE
BEEN VOCAL, UM BREAKING THE
STIGMA OF MENTAL HEALTH. BUT WE
ALSO HAVE TO BE VOCAL AS ELECTED
LEADERS BREAKING THE STIGMA ON
HOMELESSNESS, ESPECIALLY WITH
OUR YOUTH. YOUTH ARE HOMELESS
AND IN OUR COUNTY AND THEN OUR
JURISDICTIONS, BUT IT'S A LOT OF
TIME TO STOP BECAUSE OF THEIR
OWN DOING SO THE RESOURCES ARE
THERE WITH THE SCHOOLS. WE HAVE
TO COME TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE ARE STANDING SIDE BY
SIDE WITH YOU ON THIS. ON THIS
ISSUE. AND MENTAL HEALTH
SPECIFIC. WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO
LOOK AT THOSE AND BRING SOME
BILLS TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE
AND SPECIFICALLY LOOKING WITHIN
THE BUDGET AS FAR AS OUR YOUTH.
HAVING SERVICES THERE. AND YOU
BRING UP ANOTHER POINT, AND
THAT'S THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
COMPONENT OF OUR OF OUR YOUTH,
AND PARTICULARLY THERE'S
PROGRAMS OUT THERE. BUT IS THERE
A PROGRAMS SPECIFICALLY TARGETED
TO THE HOMELESS YOUTH POPULATION
ON HOUSED. HE BROUGHT UP THE
DRAGON ASPECT RIGHT AND PEOPLE
AREN'T DRIVING. BUT THERE'S JOBS
OUT THERE WERE DRIVING IS GOING
TO BE REQUIRED RIGHT? YOU COULD
GET PAID FOR DRIVING IN THOSE
AREAS, ESPECIALLY IN IN OUR
LOGISTICAL HUB THAT WE'RE IN. SO
ARE WE DOING ENOUGH WITH
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WITH OUR
UNACCOMPANIED YOUTH? UM AND ON
HOUSE YOUTH AND OUR HOMELESS
YOUTH OUT THERE TO ENSURE THAT
THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE ALSO, UM
AT YOUR DISPOSAL. UM, WE ALSO.
HEARD THAT THERE'S DIFFERENT.
AREAS AND THE YOUTH ARE ACTUALLY
SPEAKING OUT, SAYING THAT THEY
WANT THEIR OWN TYPE OF ROOM OR
DIFFERENT THINGS, ESPECIALLY
WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH LGBT. Q
PLUS, UM OTHER AREAS RIGHT? AND
SO SOMETIMES WE DO LOOK AT THOSE
STATISTICS. BUT WE DON'T DIE
DEEP ENOUGH INTO IT TO FIND OUT
THAT PEOPLE ARE ASKING FOR THEIR
OWN AREA LIVING QUARTERS WHERE
THEY CAN NOW EVEN FEEL MORE
COMFORTABLE WHERE THEY'RE AT.
AND. BECAUSE YOU'RE YOU'RE
HOMELESS, AND NOW YOU'RE GOING
TO RESOURCE AREA DOESN'T MEAN
THAT THAT STIGMA ESCAPES RIGHT
THAT THERE STILL IS THAT THERE
MAY BE EVEN MORE BLATANT IN SOME
OF THOSE AREAS, SO IT'S GOOD TO
HEAR THOSE AREAS IN THE NEED FOR
MORE BEDS. MORE BEDS IN THESE
AREAS. WE WORKED WITH DARRYL TO
CREATE 12 BEDS OUT IN THE
MENTONE AREA, AND IT WAS A CHORE
TO GET THERE AND HEARING
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S SMITH AND
MAJORITY LEADER REYES TALKING
ABOUT THE DIFFERENT REGULATIONS
AND ORDINANCES THAT COULD BE
IMPACTED TO HAVE SOME OF THESE
AREAS NOT MEET SOME OF THE LOCAL
JURISDICTIONS. MAYBE IT'S TIME
WE LOOK AT THAT WITHIN A GENERAL
PLAN COMPONENT TO ENSURE THAT
WE'RE NOT JUST LOOKING AT HIGH
DENSITY HOUSING RESIDENTIAL
COMMERCIAL THAT MAYBE THERE
OUGHT TO BE SOME AREAS IN THE
GENERAL PLAN FOR THESE TYPES OF
HOUSING, SIX BEDS, 12 BEDS OR
LESS THAN THAT CAME UP IN THE
EARLIER PANEL. THESE ARE AREAS
THAT YOU'RE BRINGING FORWARD TO
US THAT ARE NOW UM BEING IN OUR
MINDS RIGHT NOW WE WANT TO WORK
TOGETHER ON SOME OF THESE
THINGS. UM IN THE LIFE SKILLS IN
THE CLASSES, THE REACH OUT TO
HIGH SCHOOLS. AND ENGAGING WITH
THE SERVICES THAT ARE THERE EVEN
THOUGH WE HEARD ALL THESE GREAT
SERVICES THAT ARE HERE, DOES THE
POPULATION THAT TRULY NEED IT?
UNDERSTAND THE RESOURCES ARE
THERE OR IF THEY REACH OUT TO
ASK. DO THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE
ENOUGH INSANE? I'M HOMELESS AND
I NEED TO KNOW WHAT RESOURCES
ARE THERE. WE HAVE TO START
BREAKING THAT STIGMA. UH THAT'S
THERE AND THE MCKINNEY VENTO.
ACT VS HUT WE WORKED SIDE BY
SIDE WITH THE YOUTH OF SAN
MARTINO COUNTY. UM IN THE
BEGINNING POINT IN TIME COUNT
WAS AN ADULT COUNT. WE HAD TO
MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR HOMELESS
YOU TASK FORCE AND SECURE
PRIVATE FUNDING. I THINK FOR THE
FIRST THREE YEARS TO PROVE TO
HER THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT
THERE NEEDED TO BE A SEPARATE
POINT IN TIME COUNT FOR OUR
HOMELESS YOUTH OUT HERE IN SAN
MARTINO COUNTY, AND SO WE
COLLECTED THAT DID THE FIRST
TIME WE WENT AND SAID THERE
NEEDED TO BE A SEPARATE ACCOUNT.
THEY WANTED DATA STATISTICS.
WELL, OKAY, WE CAME BACK. WE
SECURE PRIVATE FUNDING. WE DID
OUR OWN POINT IN TIME COUNT. WE
BROUGHT THAT DATA BACK TO THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. NOW I
BELIEVE THERE'S A SEPARATE POINT
IN TIME COUNT FOR OUR HOMELESS
YOUTH OUT HERE IN ASSEMBLY AND
HER DEFINITION. NOW MOVING
FORWARD IS. AND THAT'S SOMETHING
THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO
NOW. LOOKING AT THE MCKINNEY,
VENTO AND HUD DEFINITION. WE
WERE SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING THE
STATISTICS AND THE DATA THERE IS
THAT MAY BE A WAY TO GET THE
DEFINITION TO HAVE, UH, AN
AGREEMENT. WHEN YOU'RE DEALING
WITH THE YOUTH POPULATION. ONLY
MAYBE THAT'S A STEP IN THE RIGHT
DIRECTION. I'M NOT SURE BUT I
KNOW THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING
ON IT FOR SOME TIME. ADVOCACY
GOES UP. ADVOCACY GOES DOWN BUT
KNOWING, UM BOTH OF YOUR
TESTIMONIES THAT ARE HERE AND
BRINGING IT TO LIGHT IN FRONT OF
LEGISLATORS, THE STATE THE STATE
. UM HARD IS A FEDERAL PROGRAM
RIGHT? SO THE STATE WE COULD GET
TOGETHER AND WE COULD DISCUSS
HOW WE COULD WORK TOGETHER TO
LET THOSE IN THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT UNDERSTAND THAT THIS
IS A PROBLEM. ESPECIALLY HERE IN
THE STATE OF HEALTH BECAUSE IT
DOES DEAL WITH RESOURCES
RESOURCES THAT ARE THAT ARE
NEEDED. BUT AGAIN WHEN WE FIRST
DID THE POINT IN TIME COUNT IT
WAS BECAUSE WE SECURED PRIVATE
FUNDING TO PROVE TO HER THAT IT
WAS SOMETHING THAT NEEDED TO BE
DONE. NOW IT'S BEING DONE. SO
WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP RIGHT?
STATE UNIVERSITY, SAN BERNARDINO
, ANOTHER'S RESOURCES RIGHT NOW
WE'RE TALKING WITH THOSE, UM
STUDENTS. THAT YOU KNOW, OR ARE. AGES THAT COULD BE HIGHER THAN
24 BUT STILL ARE HOMELESS. SO IS
THERE THE RESOURCES THAT ARE
THERE? RIGHT AND I KNOW
SOMETIMES THERE'S DORMS IN THESE
DIFFERENT THINGS. BUT IS THERE
HOUSING ASSISTANCE? LONG TERM
HOUSING ASSISTANCE FOR THE
STUDENT THAT'S GOING TO SCHOOL
RIGHT FOR THE QUARTER SYSTEM OR
SEMESTER SYSTEM. HOWEVER, THE
TRACK IS THERE. UM IS THERE
FUNDING TO HELP THAT STUDENT?
NOT JUST FOR THE INITIAL 12 DAYS
OR TWO WEEKS, BUT LONG TERM FOR
THE WHOLE SUCCESS OF THAT? AND
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT NOW WE
HAVE TO COME TOGETHER AND MAYBE
LOOK AT TO SEE IF THERE IS SOME
TYPE OF FUNDING THAT COULD COME
THAT WAY, OR DOES THAT FALL BACK
ON PRIVATE FUNDING AND
SCHOLARSHIPS? THOSE ARE AREAS
THAT WE WOULD DEFINITELY BE
INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE
ABOUT BECAUSE THE SUCCESS OF A
STUDENT MOVING FORWARD EITHER
WITH COMMUNITY COLLEGE UM CAL
STATE SAN BERNARDINO, YOU SEE
EVEN ONTO OTHER UNIVERSITIES IS
THE ABILITY TO PERFORM THE
ACADEMIC CHALLENGE. AND IF
YOU'RE THERE. AND YOU HAVE
NOWHERE TO GO AT THE END. YOU'RE
GOING TO SEE THE LIBRARIES GET
PRETTY PEOPLE WORKING THERE ALL
NIGHT, RIGHT AS LONG AS THEY CAN
. BUT YET THAT GROWLING IN YOUR
STOMACH KEEPS YOU FROM FOCUSING
ON SOME OF THE HARDEST TASK IN
FRONT OF YOU TO BETTER YOUR
LIFE, SO WE WANNA BE MORE
ENGAGED IN THAT TO FIND OUT SOME
SOLUTIONS. WHETHER IT IS FUNDING
ALLOCATED FROM THE STATE, CAL
STATE UNIVERSITY, SAN BERNARDINO
, OR THIS IS CAL STATE
UNIVERSITY SYSTEM ITSELF. UM, WE
DID DO AN AUDIT MYSELF AND
ASSEMBLY MEMBER. THREE OF US AND
THEN, UM. ALSO ANOTHER ASSEMBLY
MEMBER, DAVID DAVID CHOO CHOO.
WE ASKED FOR A STUDY TO BE DONE
ON THE HOMELESS STUDENTS.
POPULATION AND RESOURCES IN THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA. CAME BACK
THAT THERE'S RESOURCES STILL
NEED TO BE IMPLEMENTED RIGHT?
AND SO THE NEED IS GREAT, AND
THESE ARE AREAS THAT WE CONTINUE
TO HAVE AWARENESS AROUND HEARING
FIRSTHAND ON ALL THESE ISSUES
THAT ARE GOING ON. AND THOSE
KNOW THAT YOU KNOW THIS IS A AN
AREA THAT WE'VE BEEN ENGAGED.
THIS IS ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WE
WORKED HARD ON IN THE IN THE
COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, AND
WE CONTINUE TO WORK. ON THIS
ISSUE AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE
WITH MY COLLEAGUES, UM, BUT IT'S
AN ISSUE THAT STILL NEEDS TO
GRAIN, THAT ADVOCACY OF THE
COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE OF ALL
ELECTED LEADERS. PUBLIC SERVANT
YOU MENTIONED THAT THE
ADMINISTRATION COULD BE HERE.
WELL THAT'S GREAT BECAUSE IT
DOES WORK FROM FROM THE
DIFFERENT ADVOCACY FROM THE TOP
DOWN THAT REACHES TO WHERE WE
ARE, BUT I CAN'T OVERLOOK AND
STRESS ENOUGH THE VOICE OF THOSE
THAT NEEDS TO BE HEARD, JUST
LIKE THE TWO INDIVIDUALS HERE
TODAY. BRINGING ALL THESE
AWARENESS IS TO US, AND THAT'S
THAT VOICE THAT NEEDS TO BE AT
THE TABLE IN ALL THESE
DISCUSSIONS MOVING FORWARD THESE
ARE AREAS THAT WILL CONTINUE TO
LOOK AT AND TO OUR TWO
PANELISTS, UM MEGAN AND YOUR
KNEES. I MEAN, YOUR VOICE IS
STRONG. YOUR VOICES HERE
CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE. UM FOR THE
YOUTH HERE IN SAN MARINO COUNTY
, AND TO HAVE YOUR VOICE HERE
ONLY HAS NOW IN MY MIND IS
FOLLOW UP, RIGHT? FOLLOW UP WITH
THE ADVISORY BOARD THAT YOU
CHAIR. THE DIFFERENT COMMENTS
THAT ARE MADE THAT PEOPLE AREN'T
GOING TO COME OUT BECAUSE ONE
THEY'VE BEEN THERE'S DISTRUST
RIGHT THAT IF YOU BRING IF YOU
DO MOVE FORWARD TO ASK FOR
RESOURCES, THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN
THAT IN LIFE THAT IF YOU DID ASK
FOR SOMETHING, SOMETHING YOU
HAVE TO GIVE SOMETHING UP OR
SOMEONE IS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING
RIGHT. AND HERE WE HAVE TO MAKE
SURE THAT PEOPLE FEEL
COMFORTABLE ENOUGH GETTING THOSE
RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO
THEM AND THE NETWORKING THAT
TAKES PLACE. HAVING YOUR VOICE
AT THE TABLE AT NOT ONLY HERE,
BUT IN ALL THESE DISCUSSIONS IS
VERY, VERY IMPORTANT, BUT ALSO
THE NETWORKING TO FIND OUT WHAT
TRULY IS OUT THERE BECAUSE YOU
COULD BE TALKING ABOUT AN ISSUE
AND THERE COULD BE A PROGRAM OUT
THERE THAT HAS RESOURCES FOR IT.
THAT'S WHERE THE NETWORKING
TAKES PLACE. AND SO I YOU
MENTIONED THAT BECAUSE OF THIS
HEARING UM, YOU FOUND SOME
RESOURCES THAT YOU DIDN'T EVEN
KNOW EXISTED. AND THAT'S A BIG
BIG PROBLEM. UM FOR OUR
COMMUNITY AND FOR THE RESOURCES
AND GETTING THE WORD OUT OF WHAT
RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE TO
PARTICULARLY HOMELESS YOUTH. WE
WERE AT A EVENT AT 70 VALLEY
COLLEGE. I THINK A COUPLE OF
MONTHS BACK AND THE TOPIC OF
RESOURCES. NO ONE KNOWS WHAT
RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE. WE HAVE
TO DO A BETTER JOB OF GETTING
THOSE RESOURCES OUT. THE
INCENTIVES IS SOMETHING WE'RE
TAKING BACK. I THINK IT'S
RESONATED WITH US. HOW CAN WE BE
ASKING PEOPLE TO GO OUT AND
BRING INFORMATION IN WHEN
THERE'S NO INCENTIVE FOR THEM TO
BE PART OF THAT DISCUSSION, SO
WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON
THAT. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TESTIMONY HERE TODAY, AND I
WANT TO THANK ALL THE PANELISTS
AS WE NOW MOVE FORWARD INTO THE
PUBLIC COMMENT COMPONENT OF THIS
HEARING. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE TAKEN AT
THE PODIUM. I'M NOT SURE WE
DON'T HAVE CAPABILITIES WITH
PHONES RIGHT, SO PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF YOU WISH TO MAKE A PUBLIC
COMMENT ON THIS TOPIC, UM, THAT
HAS BEEN DISCUSSED AGAIN. THE
TOPIC IS SELECT COMMITTEE ON
YOUTH HOMELESSNESS IN SAN
MARTINO COUNTY, AND YOU HEARD
THE DIFFERENT PRESENTERS. SO IF
YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC
COMMENT, PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO
THE MICROPHONE. GO AHEAD. GOOD
AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS JESSICA
ALEXANDER. I AM HERE. UM, AND
DUAL CAPACITY TODAY I AM A
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF OPERATION
GREECE HERE IN SAN BERNARDINO
THAT'S BEEN SERVING THE HOMELESS
FOR OVER 29 YEARS. AND I'M ALSO
HERE AS THE CHAIR OF THE
INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON
HOMELESSNESS FOR SOME BERNARDINO
COUNTY. SO IN THAT REGARD THESE
WONDERFUL FOLKS SOME WHO HAVE
SPOKEN TODAY ARE MY COLLEAGUES
AND FELLOW I CH BOARD MEMBERS
LIKE BRENDA DOWDY AND ALSO LIKE
MEGAN LAWYER WHO I AM PLEASED TO
MEET YOU IN PERSON AFTER BEING
ON ZOOM FOR SO LONG, SO WE'RE
GLAD TO BE HERE TODAY AND TO
HEAR FROM OUR COLLEAGUES AND TO
SEE THE FINE JOB THAT THEY'RE
DOING REPRESENTING THIS ISSUE.
AND PART OF MY ROLE IS, OF
COURSE, KEEPING THIS ISSUE ALIVE
WITH OUR COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS, AND THAT MEANS
AGENDA USING IT FREQUENTLY SO
THAT WE CAN DISCUSS IT AND HOW
WE'RE DOING AND HOW WE CAN
SUPPORT THE FOLKS THAT ARE
ACTUALLY, UM, IMPLEMENTING THESE
RESOURCES. AFTER YEARS OF
COORDINATING MEETINGS ON THIS
ISSUE ARE ORGANIZATION OPERATION
GRACE ACTUALLY FELT COMPELLED.
TO DO MORE ABOUT IT BECAUSE OF
THEIR ADVOCACY BECAUSE THEY
CONTINUE TO BRING IT TO OUR
ATTENTION. AND THAT ALSO IS, UM
UM, SHOULD BE A CREDIT TO YOU.
ALSO ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S RAMOS FOR
KEEPING THIS ISSUE ON THE
FOREFRONT AND THE STATE LEVEL.
UM SO OPERATION GRACES DIPPING
OUR TOES INTO THE WATERS OF
SERVING HOMELESS YOUTH. AND AS
SUCH, WE ARE A STUDENT OF THESE
FINE PEOPLE AS WELL AS THE YOUTH
WHO HAVE ALSO SOME OF THEM COME
TOGETHER AND GIVING US A
MOUTHFUL ON A PANEL THAT WE
REQUESTED TO KNOW WHAT THEIR
NEEDS SPECIFICALLY WERE. UM AND
SO WE'RE INSPIRED BY BRENDA AND
DARRYL AND DRE FROM TODAY AND
YES, YOU MAKE IT AS WELL. SO
THANK YOU FOR COMING TO BOARD
MEETINGS AND BEING SO VOCAL
ABOUT THE ISSUE AND TELLING IT
LIKE IT IS TODAY. I'M UNITS, UM
, ALSO VERY INSPIRED BY YOU.
THANK YOU. I HOPE TO HAVE A
PRESENTATION FROM YOU BOTH IN
JANUARY AT OUR MEETING TO BRING
THIS ISSUE FURTHER. UM AS LEADER
, REYES SAID TODAY, GETTING
EVERYBODY ON THE SAME PAGE IS
THE ISSUE. UM AFTER MANY MONTHS
OF PLANNING FOR HOW OUR
ORGANIZATION WILL WORK TO HELP
HOMELESS YOUTH WE ARE PLEASED TO
HAVE OUR CITY SUPPORTING US. THE
COUNTY SUPPORTING US ARE
CONTINUING CARE SUPPORTING US
AND OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS
SUPPORTING US AND WE ARE
UTILIZING SOME OF OUR OWN MONEY
AND RESOURCES TO DEVELOP
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR
HOMELESS YOUTH. UM BUT WE ALSO
ARE USING SOME OF OUR TITLE.
FIVE FEDERAL PROPERTY. AND THAT
IS A HURDLE THAT WE COULD USE
YOUR ASSISTANCE IN HELPING US TO
OVERCOME. WE HAVE GOTTEN ALL THE
LOCAL FOLKS ON BOARD. HOWEVER WE
HAVE TO DEAL WITH FEDERAL PENCIL
PUSHERS IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND
WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES
ABOUT HOMELESS YOUTH HERE IN SAN
MARTINO COUNTY, AND SO THEY ARE
PUTTING US THROUGH OUR PACES AND
SOMETIMES QUITE UNNECESSARILY.
AND SO WE NEED A LITTLE BIT OF,
UM, UH, ASSISTANCE FROM YOU
WONDERFUL LAWMAKERS IN
SACRAMENTO. THAT ARE SERVING US
HERE LOCALLY. TO GET BEHIND US
AND TO HELP THEM TO UNDERSTAND
THAT WE DON'T NEED MORE BARRIERS
WE NEED, UM, ACTION AND WE NEED
SUPPORT FROM LOCAL COMMUNITY
BASED ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE
WILLING TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE
AND ANSWER THE CALL. WE SHOULD
NOT HAVE BARRIERS. WE SHOULD
ACTUALLY HAVE SOLUTIONS. SO I'M
GOING TO LEAVE MY CARD HERE. I
DO HAVE TO GO. I HAVE ANOTHER
COMMUNITY MEETING TO ATTEND WITH
REGARD TO HOMELESSNESS THAT SOME
OF THESE FOLKS ARE GONNA BE
HOPEFULLY JOINING ME IN BUT WE
NEED YOUR SUPPORT AND I'LL LEAVE
MY CARD. AND IF YOU NEED MORE
INFORMATION ABOUT HOW YOU CAN BE
OF ASSISTANCE, UM I REALLY
APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT. SO
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
. REMEMBER, I'VE JUST GOT A
COMMENT REACH OUT TO US AS YOUR
LEGISLATORS, COUNTY SUPERVISOR.
CITY COUNCILS ASKED FOR LETTERS
OF SUPPORT. THAT WAS CRITICAL,
SO YOU CAN PUT IT WITH YOUR
DOCUMENTATION AND MOVE IT ON UP.
THANK YOU. YOU COULD. THANK YOU
. YOU CAN SHARE YOUR CARD WITH
OUR STAFF SO THAT WE COULD MAKE
SURE TO STAY IN CONTACT. ANY
OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT, MISS DOWDY
? I JUST WANTED TO ADD, YOU KNOW
, BECAUSE WE KNOW THIS COUNTY IS
HUGE. OVER 20,000 SQUARE MILES.
THERE IS A PLETHORA RESOURCES
THAT ARE ALREADY OUT THERE AND
WE TRY TO SHARE AS MUCH AS
POSSIBLE. SO I THINK JUST KIND
OF REACHING OUT TO THE RIGHT
PEOPLE TO MAKE THE CONNECTIONS
BECAUSE, UM, DURING OUR THING
IS, IF WE DON'T KNOW WE'RE GOING
TO FIND OUT WHO HAS IT OR WHO
DOES IT. SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING
FOR RESOURCES REACH OUT TO US,
ESPECIALLY IF IT'S IN REGARDS TO
OUR YOU IF WE DON'T KNOW WE'LL
FIND OUT ALSO, THEY FUNDING THAT
COMES. WE DON'T RECEIVE ANY
FUNDING FROM THE STATE AND ALL
AND WE WOULD LIKE FOR THE STATE
TO EITHER MATCH THE FEDERAL
FUNDING SO THAT MORE OF OUR
SCHOOL DISTRICTS COULD GET
FUNDED BECAUSE, UM, BEFORE THE
AARP, WE ONLY HAD THE COUNTY
OFFICE AND TWO SCHOOL DISTRICTS
IN THE COUNTY RECEIVING FUNDING.
WHICH IS PROBABLY ABOUT A HALF A
MILLION DOLLARS, WHICH IS
NOTHING COMPARED TO THE NUMBER
OF KIDS THAT WE HAVE. SO IF YOU
GUYS CAN ADVOCATE FOR FUNDING
FOR, UM SCHOOL DISTRICTS BECAUSE
THE MONEY THAT COMES FOR HOUSING
AND THE OTHER PROGRAMS DO NOT
COME TO THE SCHOOLS AT ALL.
WE'RE ALWAYS AT THE TABLE TO
HELP FIGHT FOR THOSE FUNDINGS,
BUT THEY DO NOT COME TO THE
SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO HELP. WE
HAVE BASIC NEEDS THAT KIDS COME
THEY DON'T HAVE TO TRY TO HELP
MEET THOSE NEEDS AND OTHER
NEEDS, UM, BECAUSE WE'RE
REQUIRED AND MANDATED BY LAW TO
MAKE SURE WE'RE CONNECTING ON
THE HOUSING, REMOVING BASIC
NEEDS REMOVING ANY BARRIERS, BUT
THERE'S NO FUNDING THAT COMES TO
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO DO THAT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
FOR THAT. NEXT. HELLO MY NAME IS
TIMOTHY PRESTON. I AM A CURRENT
RESIDENT OF THE FAMILY
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. TÂM A
HOMELESS YOUTH EX FOSTER, CHILD
BORN AND LONG TIME RESIDENT OF
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY. LADIES
AND GENTLEMEN OF THE PANEL MASS
START OFF BY SAYING, I WISH I
HAD A LOT MORE TIME TO ADDRESS
THE MAGNITUDE AND SCALE OF THE
CONCERNS. I HAVE TO WHICH I
OFTEN WONDER AT THIS POINT IN MY
LIFE IF THEY WILL EVER BE
SOLUTIONS. SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AS A WHOLE IS DRAMATICALLY
UNDERSERVED IN MANY AREAS AND
COMPARISON TO ITS SIZE AND
POPULATION TO THE REST OF THE
STATE. AS I'M SURE YOU GUYS ARE
AWARE, BUT STAYING ON TOPIC.
LET'S TALK ABOUT ONE OF THE
BIGGEST ISSUES IN THE COUNTY
ISSUE. I BELIEVE TO BE
PARAMOUNT, IF NOT NUMBER ONE AND
BREAKING THIS PERPETUAL WILL OF
POVERTY, CRIME. INSTABILITY AND
INCONSISTENCY WITHIN OUR COUNTY.
HOMELESSNESS. BEING WISE IN MY
TIME. I LIKE TO READ FOR YOU.
SOME FINDINGS BY THE SUN. 79.2
OF THE COUNTY'S HOMELESS
RESIDENTS WERE LIVING IN BARSTOW
, COLTON, FONTANA, SAN
BERNARDINO, VICTORVILLE,
ONTARIO, REDLANDS. 27% OF ADULT
OF ADULTS AND CHILDREN THAT THEY
BECAME HOMELESS AND THE 12
MONTHS BEFORE THE FEBRUARY 24TH
COUNT. 47% SURVEYS THAT THEY
FELT THEY FIRST BECAME HOMELESS
IN THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO.
22% OF UNSHELTERED ADULTS THAT
THEY'VE BEEN PREVIOUSLY RELEASED
FROM JAIL OR PRISON IN THE LAST
12 MONTHS. UM YEAR OVER YEAR
HOMELESSNESS HAS GONE UP, NOT
DOWN, NEITHER OF THE STAGGERED
INSTEAD IT CONTINUES TO GO UP AT
AN EXPONENTIAL RATE. I HEAR A
LOT OF TALK ABOUT PREVENTION,
AND THAT'S GREAT. BUT WHEN YOUR
ENGINE'S GONE, NOBODY'S WORRIED
ABOUT AN OIL CHANGE. WE ARE ON
OUR WE AREN'T ON OUR WAY TO A
PROBLEM. WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF
A CRISIS. AND I REALLY WANT TO
EMPHASIZE THAT TO THE PANEL HERE
TODAY. I LOVE TO READ STATISTICS
FOR HOMELESS YOUTH. AS I FIND
THIS TO BE PARTICULARLY A BIG
CONCERN IN RESPECT TO THE ISSUE
AT HAND. BUT I FIND STATISTICS
AROUND THE NUMBERS TO BE GROSSLY
MISREPRESENTED AND UNDER
REPORTED AND THE COUNTY'S MOST
OF THE MOST UP TO DATE. SURVEY
THE HOMELESS YOUTH FINAL REPORT
UNLESS 83 HOMELESS YOUTH IN ALL
OF SAN BERNARDINO. 50 MILL 32
FEMALE. YOU NEED ONLY TO SPEND
10 MINUTES OUT OF LOCAL HIGH
SCHOOL. I DON'T KNOW. LOOK
AROUND WHEN YOU DRIVE TOO EASILY
DETERMINED THAT TO BE WHAT I
CONSIDER GROSSLY MISREPRESENTED.
I WISH I HAD THE TIME TO JULIE
TO TRULY ADDRESS THE SCALE OF
THE ONE OF THE BIGGEST SUBSETS
OF THIS PROBLEM, WHICH IS ALMOST
COMPLETELY NON EXISTENT FUNDING
AND RESOURCES FOR YOUNG MEN.
HELP CAN WE EXPECT TO MAKE
PROGRESS ON CRIME AND BUILDING A
STRONG COMMUNITY WHEN WE HAVE A
HUGE POPULATION OF UNDERSERVED
MEN WITH NO HOPE, SUPPORT OR
LOVE FOR THEIR COMMUNITY? WHEN
YOU LEAVE THE OUTLET FOR YOUNG
MEN LOOKING FOR GUIDANCE AND
HELP AS THE STREETS THE ONLY
OPTION WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? HOW
HARD HOW HIGH? CAN YOU SET THE
BAR FOR THE COMMUNITY? UH I WILL
LEAVE YOU GUYS WITH THIS QUOTE
FROM ROBERT PAIN FROM ALBERT
PINE. UH WHAT WE DO FOR
OURSELVES DIES WITH US. WHAT WE
DO FOR OTHERS FOR AND WE'LL WILL
FOREVER REMAIN IMMORTAL. PEOPLE
WILL NEVER CHOOSE THIS PLACE AS
A HOME. WHITE CHILDREN CAN'T
WALK DOWN THE STREET THE BEST
PLACE TO START WITH 10 YEARS
AGO. BUT THE PLATE THE NEXT BEST
PLACES NOW, UM AND JUST FINAL
COMMENT. UM BECAUSE THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT TRULY BOTHERS ME.
WHEN HOMELESS YOUNG MEN GO TO
THE COUNTY FOR RESOURCES. THE
ONLY THING THAT THEY HAVE IS E V
T AND MEDICAL I'VE GONE THROUGH
THIS PROCESS FOUR TIMES IN THE
LAST SIX YEARS. SOME OF THOSE
EXTENSIVE PERIODS. UM, THE
RESOURCE SHEET THAT THEY GIVE
YOU EVERY NUMBER YOU CALL,
THERE'S NO FUNDING. THERE'S NO
RESOURCES. NOT FOR YOUNG MEN. WE
CAN'T SET THE BAR HIGH IN THE
COMMUNITY IF WE DON'T FOCUS ON
SOMETHING THAT IS A SERIOUS
PROBLEM. THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR
TIME. THANK YOU. HI AGAIN. UM
FIRSTLY, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU
FOR ALLOWING EUNICE AND I FOR US
TO SPEAK AS HOMELESS. YOU AH
ABOUT SUCH ISSUES. THAT PERTAIN
THERE THAT ARE VERY CLOSE TO OUR
HEARTS, ESPECIALLY ME. I DIDN'T
AGAIN DID NOT THINK THIS HOBBY
WOULD HAVE ME STARING DOWN
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S YEAH, BUT, UM.
I WANT TO GO BACK ON WHAT YOU
SAID ABOUT DOCUMENTATION. IF
YOU'D LIKE. THAT IT'S AGAIN. I
SAID IT WAS VERY HARD IF YOU
WOULD LIKE. I DON'T HAVE ANY OF
THOSE FANCY. UM LITTLE CARDS,
BUT IF YOU WOULD LIKE I CAN TALK
ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE GETTING
DOCUMENTATION TO FLY OUT HERE,
WHICH VERY LUCRATIVE AND
ANNOYING PROCESS OF GOING TO BE
FAIR WITH YOU GUYS. IT WAS LONG
AND IT WAS BORING AND IT TOOK ME
MONTHS. TO GET EVERYTHING THAT I
NEEDED BECAUSE AGAIN DID NOT
HAVE ANY OF MY DOCUMENTS. BUT
ANOTHER THING UM I'D LIKE TO
SPEAK ON IS WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE
IMPORTANT IS GETTING THE
RESOURCES OUT TO PEOPLE. THE
ONLY REASON THAT I'M HERE TODAY
IS BECAUSE MY COUNSELOR WAS LIKE
, HEY, LOOK AT THIS THING. I WAS
LIKE, COOL. I GET PAID $15 TO
DO. SOMETHING. AND THE ONLY
REASON THAT I WAS ABLE TO DO
THAT THING WAS BECAUSE OF HER. I
BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD. WE
SHOULD REALLY BE TALKING TO
EDUCATORS, ESPECIALLY HIGH
SCHOOL EDUCATORS, COLLEGE OF
EDUCATORS, EVERYBODY ABOUT HOW
THESE RESOURCES EXIST ABOUT HOW
YOU CAN GO TO A COUNSELOR AND BE
LIKE, HEY, I NEED THIS THING.
OH, HERE'S THIS PROGRAM THAT
HELPS YOU. IF YOU QUALIFY, I'LL
LET YOU KNOW. UM ANOTHER THING
I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IS
RESOURCES TO START WORKING. I
WORKED WITH YOUTH WORKS IN
MASSACHUSETTS, MOSTLY THE HAVE
WE AREA WHICH IS A SMALL MIDDLE
OF NOWHERE TOWN. AND I THAT WAS
A PROGRAM THAT GOT ME STARTED.
SO I IF YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO BE
VERY HAPPY TO HELP TO GIVE SOME
OF MY INSIGHT OF WHAT I DID IN
THAT PROGRAM AND HOW I GOT A JOB
FOR VOLUNTEERING WITH THE SENIOR
CENTER, UM, HELPING SOMEONE
DEUCE. I FORGET DO SOMETHING AND
GETTING THAT EXPERIENCE UNDER MY
BELT TO AND LIKE WRITING A
RESUME THE JOB DOES THAT TO?
WE'VE BEEN LIKE, HEY, HERE'S HOW
YOU WRITE A RESUME, AND SOME
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE HERE AND
BE LIKE, WELL, THAT'S NOT REALLY
USEFUL UNTIL THEY'RE ACTUALLY IN
THE SITUATION OF WRITING A
RESUME. IT'S VERY HARD. IT'S A
VERY LUCRATIVE PROCESS. IF YOU
DON'T HAVE EVERYTHING THAT YOU
NEED, IT'S KIND OF LIKE AH, WHAT
DO I DO? SO UM, IF YOU AGAIN IF
YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE, UM I COULD
GIVE MY PHONE NUMBER MY EMAIL.
AND WE COULD. I COULD DEFINITELY
SPEAK WITH YOU GUYS. SEE IF WE
CAN FIGURE OUT A PROGRAM THAT
HELPS YOUTH HOMELESS, YOUTH AND
YOUTH IN GENERAL, GET THE WORK
EXPERIENCE THAT THEY NEED TO
SECURE A JOB, THEREFORE ALSO
ALSO TACKLING THE HURDLE THAT IS
, YOU KNOW, HAVING AN INCOME
THAT WAY THERE ARE NO LONGER
HAVING TO GET VOUCHERS FROM E B.
T LIKE MY MOTHER, WHO RIGHT NOW
SHE'S SOMEWHERE. I DON'T KNOW
WHERE SHE IS, BUT SHE'S OFF OF
TV. T SHE SHE'S OFF OF FOOD
STAMPS, AND THAT'S BECAUSE SHE
WAS WORKING HER BUTT OFF. AND
THAT'S THE TRUE SUCCESS STORY.
MY MOM IS MY BIGGEST SUCCESS
STORY. UM BUT AGAIN IF YOU GUYS
WOULD LIKE TO CONTACT ME, LET ME
KNOW. UM IF YOU REALLY FUN TO
COME TOGETHER AND SPEAK ABOUT
WHAT I HAVE DONE, YOUTHWORKS.
AND GET. PROGRAMS LIKE YOUTH
WORKED INTO CALIFORNIA AND IN
THE SAME BERNARDINO BECAUSE I
WILL TELL YOU IF I HAD A DOLLAR
FOR EVERY TIME SOMEONE'S LIKE,
HEY, HOW HOW DO YOU WORK HERE? I
WOULD BE RICH RIGHT NOW. WELL,
THANK YOU. YES PLEASE SHARE YOUR
INFORMATION WITH OUR STAFF, AND
WE WILL BE IN CONTACT. I SHARE.
MISS A MR CHAIR. I THINK THAT
UNISON. MEGAN PROBABLY COULD DO
A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT ON
RESOURCES AND BEING ADVOCATES
FOR YOURSELF AND THAT WOULD BE
GREAT. THANK YOU NEXT SPEAKER. I
GOT TO BRING THIS UP BECAUSE I'M
SHORT KING, YOU KNOW? SO I FIRST
WANT TO START OFF BY THANKING
RAMOS AND HIS TEAM FOR CREATING
THIS SPACE AND ALLOWING US TO
TALK HERE WITH YOU. AND ALSO
EXTENDING MY GRATITUDE TO MR
SMITH AND MRS ARIAS. SO I FIRST
WANT TO START OFF BY INTRODUCING
MYSELF. MY NAME IS RUBEN MENDOZA
AND I'M CURRENTLY 22 YEARS OLD.
I HAVE A FORMER LEADER OF
EXPERIENCE OF BEING A HOMELESS
YOUTH AS WELL. AND SO THIS ISSUE
IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME. THIS
IS WHY I'M HERE. AND I WANT TO
TALK ABOUT ON MY PERSONAL
EXPERIENCES AND ALSO THOSE OF MY
PEERS. SO THAT WAY OUR LAWMAKERS
CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND AND ALSO
OUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND
OUR PARTNERS SO THAT THEY CAN
UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN SERVE OUR
HOMELESS YOUTH. SO. I GUESS A
LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT PEOPLE
HAVE IS. HOW DO YOU EVEN BECOME
HOMELESS IN THE FIRST PLACE?
THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES THAT
PLAY INTO THAT THERE COULD BE
VIOLENCE WITHIN THE FAMILY
HOUSEHOLD. IT COULD BE. YOU
KNOW, MAYBE YOU COME OUT AS GAY,
BISEXUAL TRANSGENDER AND YOUR
FAMILY DISOWNED YOU BECAUSE IT'S
AGAINST THEIR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS.
MAYBE THE PARENTS OR GUARDIANS
ARE HOOKED ON DRUGS. MAYBE THE
YOUTH IS ALSO HOOKED ON DRUGS.
AND SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE
IN THE FUTURE IS WHEN WE HAVE
MORE SELECTIVITY IS LIKE THIS IS
THAT WE EXTEND THOSE INVITATIONS
SUPERVISORS THAT ALSO SERVE
VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING
SUBSTANCE USES ORDERED
TREATMENTS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE
THAT HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE. I
DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME
EARLY INTERVENTION AND
PREVENTATIVE MEASURES THAT WE
CAN TAKE AS A HOME. AND THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT ALREADY BRANDED
DOWDY AND HER TEAM IS DOING. SO
EARLY IDENTIFICATION IN SCHOOLS
IF WE CAN HAVE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM
BETTER EQUIPPED ON WHAT THEY
TEACHERS OR STAFF CAN DO WHEN
THEY SEE A HOMELESS YOUTH. SO
THAT WAY, YOU KNOW WE CAN
CONNECT THEM TO THE PROPER
RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED.
ANOTHER THING THAT I WOULD ALSO
LIKE TO SEE. IS UH, ELIMINATING
THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE.
BECAUSE WHAT WE TEND TO SEE OUR
LIVES IS THAT WHEN YOUTH ARE
INCARCERATED AT A YOUNG AGE,
THEY GET SPIT BACK OUT INTO
SOCIETY. WITH LIMITED RESOURCES
OR CONNECTIONS TO THEIR FAMILY,
THEIR FRIENDS EVEN JOBS BECAUSE. JOB DISCRIMINATE AGAINST THOSE
THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY
INCARCERATED. AND SO THAT
PERPETUATES THE SYSTEM OF AND
THE CYCLE OF HOMELESSNESS
BECAUSE THEY GET
INSTITUTIONALIZED AT A YOUNG
AGE. AND THEN WHEN THEY BECOME
OLDER AS ADULTS, THEN THERE'S
ALL THESE BARRIERS THAT ARE PUT
UP FOR THEM THAT PREVENT THEM
FROM WORKING. PREVENT THEM FROM
STARTING A FAMILY. TEXT Y AND Z.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS WELL
IS INCREASING OUR BEDS WHEN I
SERVED AS A CASE MANAGER FOR
FAMILY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. THERE
WAS SO MANY REFERRALS THAT I
WOULD GET ON A WEEKLY BASIS, AND
IT FELT LIKE CRAP TO KNOW THAT
THERE WASN'T ANY MORE ROOM IN
OUR HOUSES TO HOUSES, YOUTH. AND
SO THEY WERE PUT ON A WAIT LIST,
NOT KNOWING WHEN THEY WILL BE
ADMITTED. THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE.
IT'S JUST THE WAIT LIST ARE TOO
LONG AND WHAT TENDS TO HAPPEN? A
LOT IS THAT AGENCIES WILL PASS
ALONG ONE CASE TO ANOTHER AGENCY
TO ANOTHER AGENCY, AND SO
ANOTHER AGENCY, AND I JUST
TRAUMATIZES THE YOUTH ONCE AGAIN
BECAUSE THEY'RE GETTING PASSED
OVER FROM ONE CASEWORKER TO
ANOTHER. AND SO THE YOUTH ARE
THINKING. WHY AM I ACTUALLY ANY
RECEIVING GETTING ANY HOPE? SO
THAT'S ONE PERSPECTIVE. I WANNA
I WANNA SEARCH ON. AND MAYBE
IT'S PROBABLY BECAUSE SOCIAL
SERVICES AS A WHOLE ARE REALLY
SHORT STEP. AND THAT'S A CAREER
PATHWAY THAT I WANTED TO CHINESE
. WE CAN HIRE PEOPLE LIKE EUNICE
LIKE MAY GO LIKE MYSELF, LIKE MY
COLLEAGUES AND THOSE THAT HAVE
LIVED EXPERIENCE TO FILL IN THE
ROLE OF BEING A PEER SUPPORT.
AND WHO BETTER TO SERVE THE
POPULATIONS OF HOMELESS YOUTH
AND THOSE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE.
BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT
EXPERIENCE, IT'S KIND OF HARD
FOR SOMEONE TO CONNECT WITH YOU.
SO THAT'S A CAREER PATHWAY THAT
WE CAN OFFER. THOSE WITH LIVED
EXPERIENCE SHOULD BE
TRANSITIONING INTO THE ROLE OF
BEING A PURE SUPPORT, WHICH IS
WHAT I CURRENTLY DOING MY JOB AT
UNION STATION HOMELESS SERVICES
. I WORK AS A PEER SUPPORT, AND
I DO OUTREACH. BECAUSE I HAVE MY
LIVED EXPERIENCE, RIGHT? AND SO
ANOTHER THING THAT I WOULD LIKE
TO SEE ALSO IS INCREASING OUR
FUNDING. SO THAT WAY WE CAN
ESTABLISH MORE DROP IN CENTERS
LIKE OPEN ARMS AND FAM SPOT
UNDER THE FAMILY ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM. THE DROP IN CENTERS. I
DID NOT KNOW THEY EXISTED, AND
SO I STARTED WORKING FOR THEM
AND I WAS ALREADY OUT OF MY
SITUATION IS NOT BEING ME BEING
A HOMELESS ANYMORE. THAT'S A
RESOURCE THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN
BEEN MADE AWARE ABOUT WHEN I WAS
HOMELESS, NOT AFTERWARDS. AND SO
AGAIN, THAT'S BECAUSE THERE
ISN'T A LOT OF COMMUNICATION TO
THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS LETTING
THEM KNOW. HEY THIS IS WHAT
EXISTS FOR THIS POPULATION. AND
SO WE NEED MORE DROP IN CENTERS
BECAUSE AT THIS DROP IN CENTER
WHAT I WOULD DO AND MY EX
COWORKERS IS THAT WE WOULD
FACILITATE LIFE SKILLS GROUPS.
THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON FINANCIAL
LITERACY FOCUSED ON ANGER
MANAGEMENT FOCUSED ON BUILDING
YOUR RESUME AND HOW TO GET A JOB
INTERVIEW IN FRONT OF PEOPLE WE
WOULD DO MOCK INTERVIEWS. THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT WE DO ON THE
YOUTH ADVISORY BOARD. WE TEACH
YOUTH HAD A HOMELESS YOUTH HOW
TO GET REINTEGRATED BACK INTO
SOCIETY BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE
SOMEONE TO TEACH THEM HOW TO DO
THAT. AND SO I JUST WANNA ALSO
TALK ABOUT SB 679. SB 679. UM
AND THIS IS FOR L. A COUNTY JUST
TO BE CLEAR. BE ESTABLISHED AN
AGENCY. TO CREATE THAT ONLY
FOCUSES ON CREATING AFFORDABLE
HOUSING SOLUTIONS. WE HAVE THE
HOUSING AUTHORITY HERE SUMMER
NANDINA, BUT THEY'RE LIMITED ON
WHAT THEY COULD DO ON THAT
ASPECT. THEY CAN PROVIDE RENTAL
ASSISTANCE. THEY CAN PROVIDE
EACH VÆ VOUCHERS. SECTION EIGHT
VOUCHERS, BUT WHAT? WHAT THEY
WHAT THEY CAN DO IS ACTUALLY
CREATE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING
SOLUTION. BECAUSE RENTAL
ASSISTANCE THAT'S NOT CREATING
ANYTHING MORE THAN HELPING THEM
IN THE CURRENT PREDICTABLE WE
NEED TO SOLVE THE PREDICAMENT AS
A WHOLE, WHICH IS TACKLING THE
PRICES OF HOMES AND RENT THAT IS
EXPONENTIALLY INCREASING.
BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF I'M
GONNA BE ABLE TO OWN A HOME. MY
PARENTS BOUGHT THEIR HOME FOR
130,000 AND WE ALSO DURING THE A
CRASH, AND NOW IT'S WORTH OVER.
PROBABLY LIKE FIVE OR 600,000. I
CAN'T AFFORD THAT. SO WE NEED TO
CREATE AN AGENCY THAT
ESTABLISHES AFFORDABLE HOUSING
SOLUTIONS LIKE SB 679. I WANT TO
END ON JUST ON A QUOTE AND THEY
DON'T ENCOMPASS WHAT MR RAMOS
AND HIS TEAM WAS ABLE TO DO HERE
TODAY. AND THIS IS FROM A TED
TALK. THIS THIS QUOTE WAS SAID
BY VERNA MYERS. SHE'S LIKE
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
CONSULTATION LIST FOR
ORGANIZATIONS, NONPROFITS,
ETCETERA. ACTUALLY SAID THE
FOLLOWING DIVERSITY. IS BEING
ASKED TO THE PARTY INCLUSION IS
BEING ASKED TO DANCE. SO
DIVERSITY WAS MR RAMOS EXTENDING
THE INVITATION TO HOMELESS YOUTH
. THAT'S YOUR DIVERSITY RIGHT
THERE BECAUSE I DON'T SEE NO
DINOSAUR. I DO SEE SOME
DINOSAURS. BUT I SEE I SEE SOME
DINOSAURS. I SEE OLDER ADULTS,
RIGHT? AND I FINALLY SEE FACES
THAT LOOK LIKE MIKE. THAT'S WHAT
WE NEED. AND SO I JUST WANT TO
SAY THANK YOU FOR NOT ONLY, UM,
INVITING US, BUT INCLUDING US TO
BE PANELIST, AND FOR ALLOWING
THE SPACE OF PUBLIC COMMENTS.
THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. NEXT SPEAKING. HOW ARE YOU
GUYS? UM, I JUST WANT TO SAY I
CAME OFF OF 11 PM TO SEVEN AM
SHIFT AND I'M HERE. SO I REALLY
CARE. AND THIS, UM THIS. THESE
ISSUES REALLY DO MATTER TO ME.
AND I'M I'M GOING TO READ
SOMETHING THAT I WROTE WOW, MORE
OR LESS AT WORK. UM. FAMILY
ASSISTANCE AS A YOUTH ADVOCATE
FOR THERE. YOU SHELTER THAT I
USED TO STAY AT AND IRON. ALSO
FOUR. OKAY? HI EVERYONE. AND
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY
ON BEHALF OF ALL THE HOMELESS
YOUTH IN THE COUNTY OF SAN
BERNARDINO, YOU'RE CONCERNED
ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION IS
HIGHLY VALUABLE AND ESSENTIAL TO
THE WELL BEING OF AT RISK AND
HOMELESS YOUTH THROUGHOUT THE
COUNTY WHO ARE IN NEED OF
SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE FOR
SUCCESS IN THEIR INDIVIDUAL
LIVES. I WOULD LIKE TO FORMALLY
INTRODUCE MYSELF. MY NAME IS
ALSO A BOOBY. ESTHER MAX. AND
I'M A FORMER RUNAWAY AND
HOMELESS YOUTH AND I CURRENTLY
WORK AS A YOUTH ADVOCATE AT ONE
OF OUR LOCAL YOUTH SHELTERS IN
SAN MARTINO COUNTY, PROVIDED BY
PROVIDED BY, UM FAMILY
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM CALLED OUR
HOUSE. YOU SHELTER PERSONALLY,
AS FAR AS MY LIVED EXPERIENCE. I
WAS KICKED OUT A LOT OF YOUNG
YOU'D FIND THEMSELVES IN THAT.
PREDICTING ME. I WAS KICKED OUT
AT 17 AND ABOUT TO START COLLEGE
AND CHASED AWAY FROM EVERY QUASI
LIVING SITUATION. THAT I HAD BY
MY ABUSER. SO I WAS IN A VERY
STICKY SITUATION BETWEEN A ROCK
AND A HARD PLACE. AND OUR HOUSES
WHERE I RECEIVED THE SERVICES I
NEEDED TO INCITE CHANGE FOR MY
FUTURE FOR THE BETTER. THIS IS
WHERE I FOUND THE SAME PAGE A
SAFE HAVEN FROM MY FROM MY
ABUSIVE HOME LIFE AND WHERE I
FOUND HOPE FOR MY PERSONAL
SUCCESS IN SCHOOL, MY CAREER AND
MORE. BEING THERE ALLOWED ME TO
EMPOWER MYSELF WITH A 3.66 G P A
AND AMPLE FINANCIAL AID. DURING
MY FIRST SEMESTER OF COLLEGE
BEFORE I TURNED 18 REVEALED TO
ME COUNTLESS RESOURCES. OF ALL
SORTS FOR THE NEXT STAGE IN MY
LIFE AS A YOUNG AN OFFICIAL
ADULT. AND GAVE ME A LIFELINE TO
REFER OTHER YOUTH IN MY
COMMUNITY AT RISK OF
HOMELESSNESS OR OF OTHER RISK
FACTORS OF THEIR WEALTH FOR
THEIR WELL BEING SAFETY AND FOR
MY OWN PERSONAL ASSURANCE AND
PEACE OF MIND. WITHOUT THE
PEOPLE AT THE PEOPLE IN PROGRAMS
AT FAMILY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, I
WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CLAIM THE
PERSONAL SUCCESS THAT I HAVE
TODAY. AND THEY STARTED ME ON
THE PATH OF PROSPERITY AND GIVE
ME LIFE SKILLS THAT I WILL CARRY
FOREVER. HOWEVER. NOT ALL
HOMELESS YOUTH IN SAN MARTINO
COUNTY ARE ABLE TO DEPEND ON
FAMILY ASSISTANCE OR ANY OTHER
PRIVATE SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES
OR NONPROFIT. AS FAR AS ALL OF
THE YOUTH THAT WE HAVE IN SAN
MARTINO COUNTY FOR MULTIFACETED
SUPPORT AND THE ASSISTANCE THEY
NEED. IN HIGH SCHOOL, THE
INSTITUTION THAT RELEASES THE
YOUNG ADULTS OF TODAY INTO THE
REAL WORLD, THE AUTHORITY THAT
WE TRUST TO EDUCATE OUR KIDS FOR
THE FUTURE IN ORDER TO BE
SUCCESSFUL ADULTS IN LIFE. YEAH
IN A HIGH SCHOOL, YOUNG ADULTS
ARE SHIRKED OF A LOT OF
ESSENTIALS AND NECESSITIES
NEEDED IN LIFE. THEY DON'T
EDUCATE YOUTH. FOR THE MOST PART
ON A WIDE SPECTRUM ON FINANCE,
CREDITING OR CREDIT BUDGETING.
SOME DON'T TEACH JOB SKILLS LIKE
INTERVIEWING RESUME BUILDING THE
PROS AND CONS OF GOING TO A
COMMUNITY COLLEGE VERSUS A FOUR
YEAR HOUSING. UM HOUSING OPTIONS
. ONCE YOU TURN ONCE YOU TURN 18
RENTAL APPLICATIONS, INCOME
REQUIREMENTS OR DIVERSE
EDUCATION ANYMORE. UM. THE FACT
THAT AND THE FACT THAT WORKERS
AT MINIMUM WAGE OUT OF HIGH
SCHOOL DON'T RECEIVE A LIVING
WAGE DOESN'T HELP EITHER. EVEN
THOUGH CALIFORNIA IS QUITE
PROGRESSIVE WHEN IT COMES TO
THEIR STATE MINIMUM WAGE IS
STILL NOT ENOUGH. YOU THAT RISK
THAT I SHARED OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL
NEEDS STATE OR COUNTY PROVIDED
SERVICES AND ASSISTANCE TO
SUPPLEMENT BEING YOUNG WORKING
PROFESSIONALS. WHETHER PURSUING
EDUCATION OR NOT, BECAUSE ACCESS
TO AFFORDABLE SHELTER SHOULD BE
A HUMAN RIGHT AND NOT ADDICTED
BUT NOT DICTATED BY THEM. NOT
DICTATED BY THE MARKET PRICE OF
RENT. AS FAR AS SUBSIDIZED
HOUSING. THE GOVERNMENT SYSTEM
IS BROKEN, AND INDIVIDUALS AND
FAMILIES WAIT YEARS ON WAITING
LISTS TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR
DIFFERENT SITES AND APARTMENT
COMPLEX APARTMENT COMPLEXES. WE
NEED TO CHANGE IN THE GOVERNMENT
APPROACH. YOU THAT RISK. AND
HOMELESS YOUTH NEED SUBSIDIZED
HOUSING DOESN'T NEED IT IN
PRIORITIZED FOR THEM, ESPECIALLY
THOSE WHO GO TO COMMUNITY
COLLEGE. IN SAN MARINO COUNTY,
AND I WAS ONE OF THOSE KIDS. AND
I JUST I JUST I DON'T PERSONALLY
GO TO COLLEGE ANYMORE. BUT
CURIOSITY. I SEARCHED WHETHER
SAMMARTINO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
DISTRICT HAS A HOMELESS. SCORES
LIAISON. I WASN'T ABLE TO FIND A
CONTACT, BUT THAT'S HOW YOU GET
DESIGNATED FOR A FINANCIAL AID,
EITHER THROUGH A SCHOOL LIAISON.
AH DESIGNATE OR DIRECTOR OF A
HUD FUNDED SHELTER OR OF ARRIVED
ON THIS SHELTER. I WAS SO
PROACTIVE THAT I EDUCATED MYSELF
ON WHAT I NEEDED, AND I WAS AT
OUR HOUSE. FORTUNATELY, AND I
WAS ABLE TO GET AND MY MOTHER
WAS NOT COOPERATING WITH ME, AND
IT JUST MADE THINGS HARDER.
BEING THAT I WAS TAKING ALL
THESE CLASSES AND I DIDN'T HAVE
BOOKS JUST BECAUSE OF WHAT I WAS
GOING THROUGH. BUT THE KIDS,
ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE AGING
OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL NEED TO KNOW
ABOUT THEIR RESOURCE. IT MEANS
TO BE DISSEMINATED EFFICIENT
EFFICIENTLY BY THE PROPER
AUTHORITIES. WE'RE NOT EVEN
AUTHORITIES, JUST RESOURCE
PROVIDERS OF THEIR OPTIONS AND
HOW TO EMPOWER THEMSELVES. UM
OKAY? SO. YOU ALSO NEED EASILY
ACCESSIBLE AND ALL ENCOMPASSING
ALL INCUMBENTS, ALL ENCOMPASSING
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES PROVIDED
BY MEDAL COUNT OR THE COUNTY TO
BE DISSEMINATED AND WIDELY
KNOWN. THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
THROUGHOUT. DIFFERENT RESOURCE
PROVIDERS, WHETHER THEY'RE IN
THE SYSTEM OR OTHERWISE. I'VE
BEEN REFERRED TO PLACES AS
PERSONALLY FOR MY OWN MENTAL
HEALTH THAT WILL GIVE ME AN
APPOINTMENT AND GIVE ME JUST
DIFFERENT. VERSIONS OF THE
BUREAUCRATIC RED TAPE WHERE YOU
CAN'T GET YOU CAN'T. BE
STREAMLINED TO THE SERVICES THAT
YOU NEED. IN THE IMMEDIATE
NATURE THAT THEY ARE NEEDED. SO
THE BUREAUCRATIC RED TAPE NEEDS
TO BE DISMANTLED AND THROWN AWAY
FOR BOTH MENTAL HEALTH AND
HOUSING NEEDS. WALK IN CLINICS
FOR MENTAL HEALTH, CHECKUPS AND
THERAPY SHOULD EXIST IN SAN
MARTINO COUNTY AND SHOULD BE
WIDELY KNOWN FINANCIAL LITERACY
PROGRAMS AND EDUCATION SHOULD
ALSO BE OFFERED TO YOUTH AT RISK
AND HOMELESS YOUTH. LIKEWISE,
STATE AND COUNTY FUNDED HOMELESS
USE SOLUTIONS SHOULD EXIST TO
END THE HOMELESSNESS CRISIS FOR
YOUTH IN SAN MARTINO COUNTY AND
IN CALIFORNIA AS A WHOLE TO
INITIATE A LIFE OF STABILITY AND
SELF SUFFICIENCY, RATHER THAN
FALLING SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE
HANDICAPS OF YOUTH HOMELESSNESS.
WITH THESE TOOLS. WE WOULD
REALLY FIND THAT OUR YOUTH LIKE
YOU SAID. THAT WE WILL SURELY
FIND THAT OUR YOUTH WILL FIND
SUCCESS IN LIFE NEEDED TO BE THE
PEOPLE. WE NEED TO FURTHER OUR
COMMUNITIES AND STRENGTHEN THE
PLACE WE CALL HOME. SAME REGINO.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK
YOU APARTMENTS. IT'S. THERE'S NO
HIGH IN A THINK IT'S TOO HIGH. A
LITTLE SHORT ON FIVE ENOUGH.
ALRIGHT THAT GO. HELLO,
EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS KEVIN LEE
. I WORK WITH MS BRENDA DOWDY.
SO I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A FEW
THINGS. FIRST I AM A FORMER
FOSTER AND HOMELESS YOUTH. AND
MISS BERNADOTTE IS SHE ALREADY
TALKED ABOUT THE AARP FUNDING.
SEE WHAT THIS FUNDING DID WAS
LET ME GO BACK A LITTLE BIT. I
STARTED WITH MR BERNARD AUDI AS
AN ACTUAL STUDENT WORKER, RIGHT
? AND I WORKED IN THAT POSITION
FOR ABOUT 10 MONTHS AND THEN
IT'S FUNNY CAME ON, SHE SAID.
HEY, I GOT THIS VISION, AND I
WAS LIKE, OKAY, WHAT IS YOUR
VISION, AND AT FIRST I WAS LIKE,
I DON'T KNOW IF I WANT TO TAKE
THAT UP. AND THEN SHE WAS LIKE
YOU'RE GONNA DO IT ANYWAY, AND
I'M LIKE, OKAY, BUT I'M A PEER
SUPPORT ASSOCIATE, AND SO
BASICALLY WHAT I DO IS I GET TO
ADVOCATE FOR HOMELESS AND FOSTER
YOU. I GET TO GO TO I GET TO GO
TO DIFFERENT CONFERENCES. I GET
TO GO TO SCHOOLS. I GET TO DO
ALL THESE TYPES OF THINGS
ACTUALLY ADVOCATE FOR YOUTH,
BECAUSE, AS WE KNOW, AS THEY
SAID EARLIER THAT SOME OF YOU
DON'T WANT TO OR KNOW HOW TO
ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES, SO
THAT'S WHY I'M IN THIS POSITION
TO ACTUALLY ADVOCATE FOR THEM
AND ASKED ME TO BURN DOWN, HE
SAID. THIS FUNDING IS GOING TO
END ACTUALLY IN ABOUT A YEAR, SO
THAT MEANS IN ABOUT A YEAR THIS
FUNDING WON'T LAST ANYMORE. AND
I THINK WHAT'S SO IMPORTANT
ABOUT THIS FUNDING IS ALTHOUGH
EVEN THOUGH I WON'T BE IN THE
SAME POSITION, BUT STILL IT IS
LEAVING. UH HOW HOW YOU WANT TO
SAY A LEGACY SO ANOTHER YOUTH
COULD COME IN AND THEY COULD DO
SOMETHING THEY COULD DO
SOMETHING DIFFERENT. THEY CAN
MAKE THEIR OWN PATH AND THEY
COULD JUST KEEP TRYING TRICKLING
DOWN, SO I THINK THAT'S VERY
IMPORTANT AND WE HAVE BEGINNING
NATIONAL RECOGNITION TO WHERE
PEOPLE FROM EVEN NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA BE LIKE. HEY, MR
BRENNAN DOWDY. I HEARD ABOUT
YOUR PEER SUPPORT ASSOCIATES.
HOW CAN WE IMPLEMENT THAT?
BECAUSE WE SEE THE GOOD THINGS
THAT YOU'RE DOING. YOU GUYS ARE
DOING SO MUCH IN YOUR COUNTY.
HOW CAN WE ACTUALLY DO THAT UP
THERE, AND THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT
BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY
SEEING THAT AND THEY SEE HIS
ACTUALLY WORKS. AND SINCE I WAS
DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB, WE
ACTUALLY HIRED MS CHEVETTE
MARSHALL, AND SHE HAS CAME ON
THE BOARD A FEW MONTHS AGO, AND
SHE HAS BEEN DOING A PHENOMENAL
JOB AS WELL. AND LIKE I SAID THE
FUNDING ENDS NEXT YEAR, AND WE
DESPERATELY NEED THAT FUNDING
AGAIN BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT
BECAUSE THEY SAID NOTHING WITH
US WITHOUT US NOTHING ABOUT US
WITHOUT US, RIGHT? I DON'T KNOW.
AM I STILL A YOUTH? ON A I'M 24
SO I MIGHT BE AGING OUT. I DON'T
KNOW. I THINK I'M FEELING USED.
BUT MY POINT IS THAT HAVING
YOUTH ACTUALLY DO THE JOB IS
VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WHEN I GO
TO SCHOOLS AND I SPEAK THE KIDS
, THE YOUTH THEY RESONATE WITH
ME SO MUCH THAT IF SOMEBODY
DON'T KNOW 40 50 YEARS OLD COMES
AND SPEAKS TO THEM. THEY WERE
LIKE, WHAT DOES HE REALLY KNOW
ABOUT THE SITUATION THAT I'M
GOING THROUGH THE YOUTH? THEY BE
THINKING ABOUT 18 OR 19, SO I'D
JUST BE ROLLING WITH IT. BUT
AGAIN, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT AND
ANOTHER THING. MISS BRENDA DOT
HE SAID, ARE HOMELESS. YOUTH
GRADUATION RATE IS ABOUT WHAT?
76% I THINK THIS IS TOO LOW. I
THINK THE AVERAGE SOMEBODY WHO
IS CONSIDERED AVERAGE THEIR
GRADUATION RATE IS BETWEEN 1995%
BUT THEN ONCE HIGH SCHOOL ENDS,
THEN WHAT I THINK WE NEED, YOU
KNOW A PIPELINE FROM HIGH SCHOOL
TO GET TO COLLEGE. I'M A COLLEGE
GRADUATE. I'LL BE GRADUATING
WITH MY MASTER'S DEGREE IN SIX
MONTHS AND I WOULDN'T BE WHERE I
AM TODAY. IF IT WASN'T FOR
EDUCATION, BECAUSE WITHOUT ME
BEING IN COLLEGE, I WOULDN'T
HAVE GOT THE STUDENT WORKING
POSITION THAT I WOULDN'T
TRANSFER TO THIS PEER SUPPORT
ASSOCIATED POSITION, SO IT'S
VERY IMPORTANT. I KNOW RIGHT
NOW, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN LESS
THAN 10% OF OUR HOMELESS YOUTH
ACTUALLY GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE,
SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IF THEY
LEAVE HIGH SCHOOL, THEY GO TO
COLLEGE. SOMETIMES THEY DROP OUT
. THEY DROP OUT. THEY END UP
HOMELESS AGAIN AND JUST AND IT'S
JUST A CONSTANT CYCLE THAT NOT
ONLY AFFECTS THEM, BUT AFFECTS
THEIR FAMILY. THE WHOLE
GENERATION. THAT COMES BEHIND
THEM. SO EDUCATION IS REALLY
IMPORTANT. I KNOW WE COULD HAVE
YOU KNOW SOME TYPE OF RESOURCES
OUT THERE. WE CAN HAVE SOME TYPE
OF PIPELINE OUT THERE TO
ACTUALLY GET ARE USED, AND THEN
YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO BE IN
COLLEGE. BUT LIKE THEY SAID,
TRADES GET A JOB, SOMETHING THAT
COULD BE FOUNDATIONAL SO THEY
DON'T HAVE TO CONTINUE LIVING IN
HOMELESSNESS, UH, BEING
HOMELESS. AND THEN YOU KNOW THE
MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES AND
THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT I REALLY
WANT TO ITERATE. THE PEER
SUPPORT ASSOCIATED BECAUSE I
THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT
BECAUSE, LIKE I SAID, I WOULDN'T
BE ABLE TO DO WHAT I DO IF IT
WASN'T FOR MR BRENDAN DOUGHERTY
SAYING, HEY, I GOT THESE EXTRA
FUNDS. I COULD DO THIS WITH IT,
BUT I THINK IT WILL BE A LOT
MORE POWERFUL. WE ACTUALLY DO
THIS, WHATEVER. AND AGAIN, WE'LL
BE GOING TO CONFERENCES AND
PEOPLE BE CONTACTING HER TO SAY,
HEY, HOW DO WE START THIS? AND
AGAIN THAT AFTER THIS YEAR'S UP
. HOW CAN WE KEEP GETTING THAT
FUNDING AND I KNOW THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT YOU SAID EARLIER
FUNDING FUNDING FUNDING FUNDING
IS VERY IMPORTANT. HOW YOU GONNA
END HOMELESSNESS WITHOUT THE
MONEY, RIGHT? HOW ARE YOU GOING
TO END HOMELESSNESS WITHOUT
RESOURCES? HOW YOU GONNA IN
HOMELESSNESS WITH ALL THESE
THINGS, AND THEN WE JUST KEEP
TRYING AND DO WE NEED TO DO
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WELL, THANK YOU TO ALL THE
PANELISTS FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
THANK YOU, JORDAN. PUBLIC
SPEAKERS AND YOUR VOICES THAT
ARE THAT ARE BEING HEARD. UM
HERE ON THESE TOPICS. I WANT TO
THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT AND
SHARING WITH US SOME OF THE
AREAS THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD
TO ADVOCATE ON. AND ONE OF THE
SPEAKERS BROUGHT OUT. WE TALK
ABOUT PREVENTATIVE AREAS. WE
TALKED ABOUT THE OTHER SIDE OF
THE SPECTRUM OF ACCOUNTABILITY,
BUT WHAT HAPPENS TO THE
INDIVIDUAL THAT'S IN THE MIDDLE,
RIGHT? TRYING TO SUCCEED TO MOVE
FORWARD. I THINK THAT'S A GREAT
TESTIMONY. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT
NOW HAS RESONATED. AND SO WE'RE
GOING TO BE, UM AT LEAST TRYING
TO LOOK AT THOSE RESOURCES THAT
ARE THERE. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT
. THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING AND
THANK YOU FOR COMING. OKAY OKAY.