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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08.21.23 - Equity and Public Safety Commission Meeting MinutesCity of South San Francisco Minutes of the Commission on Equity and Public Safety Monday, August 21, 2023 Regular Meeting 6:00 pm Committee Members: Present: Arnel Junio, Salvador Delgadillo, Alan Perez, Carol Sanders, Steven Yee (arrived at 6:31pm) Absent: Krystle Cansino, PaulaClaudine Hobson-Coard Staff Members: Present: Devin Stenhouse, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer Kasey Jo Cullinan, Seniors Program Supervisor Laura Armanino, Recreation Manager Scott Campbell, Chief of Police Greg Mediati, Director of Parks and Recreation Kathy Ko, Administrative Assistant II CALL TO ORDER The Meeting was called to order at 6:15pm. AGENDA REVIEW There are no changes to the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES The Minutes from the July 18, 2023, minutes were approved. ITEMS FROM STAFF MEMBERS DEI Officer Stenhouse made announcements: 1. The County is taking input from the community regarding Measure K on Wednesday, 6 p.m. at the Fernekes building. 2. Women’s Leadership Conference is Saturday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. 3. Citizen’s Academy registration is currently taking place. Registration ends Friday at 5 p.m. a. Vice Chair Junio comments that he has attended Citizen’s Academy before and encourages everyone to attend. b. DEI Officer Stenhouse states that Commissioner Yee is a former participant of Citizen’s Academy and a discussion can be had about how he can contribute to the upcoming event as a former participant. 4. Fiestas Patrias is September 17th at City Hall. 5. The City’s participation in Pistahan Parade from two Saturdays ago. DEI Officer Stenhouse provides background information and a summary of the event. PUBLIC COMMENT No public comments were made. MATTERS OF CONSIDERATIONS 1. Approval of Minutes from July 18, 2023. Commissioner Sanders motioned and Commissioner Perez seconded. The Commission voted to approve the minutes 4-0. 2. Presentation on the history and current state of the Recreation Division’s Full of Fun Program by Kasey Jo Cullinan, Seniors Program Supervisor. Background on Supervisor Cullinan She grew up in South San Francisco and has been working for the City for the past 15 years (started as an aide at Summer Camp). She made the switch from Child Care to Seniors about a year ago. How did the Program start? - The Program began in 2007. Families asked for programming to accommodate teens and young adults with special needs who are aging out of other programs. All programs from preschool through teen camp are inclusionary, but at around age 14 is where teens age out and have nowhere else to go. - The program started off small with only ten campers, three volunteers, and two staff, and ran for about a week. It was absorbed into the child care budget (and is still a part of the child care budget). - The goal is to provide space for special needs teens to hang out in a safe environment with non-disabled peers. This encourages growth between teens with special needs and the high school volunteers. It provides social support, learning opportunities, and peer interaction in a safe and loving environment for both groups. - Eligibility was for individuals aged 14 to 22 years old. - Recreation activities included art, cooking, playground time, and field trips. Where are we now? - The Program has grown a lot over the last 16 years. It is still a social club for participants to hang out, be themselves, and do fun activities with peers they don’t normally have positive interactions with. This is a place to have fun outside of focusing on their occupational/academic/behavioral goals. - Eligibility is now for individuals aged 14 years old and up. There is no maximum age limit. - The Program takes up to 30 campers per session and maintains 1-on-1 volunteers with campers each day. - The Program tries to incorporate goals from the family members into daily activities. - 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 1-on-1 activities include art, science, cooking, playground/basketball, at least one field trip per session. Volunteers are with a different camper each day. - The Program has been a huge success, so there are lots of success stories (many campers from 2007 still attend, 2 campers are employed with the City, some have gone back to college after building confidence to go into a traditional classroom). - Families have seen growth in their children, confidence built, happiness and joy. Nights of Fun - Events take place from September through May, one night per month, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at different locations to give campers something to look forward to during the school year. - Activities are usually themed. In the past, participants have celebrated holidays, gone bowling, and attended a Giants game. - There is a fee of $5 per camper. - Nights of Fun started in 2015. There is no official staff, but a few members have taken on duties to maintain this offering. Questions from the Commission - Vice Chair Junio: There are no ratios to adhere to? o Supervisor Cullinan: Full of Fun is not licensed, so technically we do not need to. Most clients are adults over 18 years old. We maintain 1-to-1 ratio with volunteers, and we have three to five staff there each day. - Commissioner Perez: Did you say where the field trips were? o Supervisor Cullinan: We’ve done a lot: Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, water park in Fremont, San Jose Giants games, Oakland and San Francisco zoos, Great America (never again), therapeutic horseback riding, berry picking. - Vice Chair Junio: Volunteers, are they cleared? o Supervisor Cullinan: There is an application process for volunteers. They are all under 18 years old (not adults). We do conduct interviews, and we have a volunteer orientation. - Commissioner Yee: Thrilled about this program. Pandemically speaking, what have you noticed about participants? o : The first year was a big struggle, enrollment was down, families were concerned because many campers have health issues, and personalities have changed. This summer, families are ready to be back. o Manager Armanino: Many campers struggled socially, some got depressed and needed medication. Some had a really hard time coming out of that. One of the campers (Gabriel) was very sad and angry about Disneyland being closed. Tough when places they loved closed. The first year was tough. Some enjoyed meeting virtually, some struggled. o Supervisor Cullinan: Only having virtual meetings was really hard for some non- verbal clients. It was really hard for them to communicate and participate during those interactions. - DEI Officer Stenhouse: What was the first summer they came back? o Supervisor Cullinan & Manager Armanino: 2021. o Supervisor Cullinan: We only missed one summer. We were only closed 2020. - Commissioner Yee: What did you find that we’re carrying? o Supervisor Cullinan: Biggest part is the socialization. That’s why the volunteers are so integral. We’re selecting good volunteers. We try to match personalities. We’re back to many campers/volunteers, so there’s more at play with spatial awareness. - Commissioner Yee: This isn’t licensed. How do you address mental wellness? How is that different now? o Supervisor Cullinan: We work closely with the families and have open communication. They disclose as much information as they can to us. We touch base with parents and check in with how things are going. All families are making sure campers are in a safe and loving environment. - Commissioner Yee: Great America, why never again? o Supervisor Cullinan: It was really hot. o Manager Armanino: It’s really overwhelming. There are a lot of people—not a lot of nice people. We have to take into consideration everyone’s wants and needs within the environment. It was too big of an environment for them. They had fun, but we were stressed out. o Supervisor Cullinan: We were getting a lot of looks, a lot of comments. There are only so many corrective actions we could make when they are members of the public. It wears on our campers. It was also really hot, and some of our campers don’t do well when it’s really hot. o Manager Armanino: In terms of mental health, this is their safe place. We support whatever they want to do. We want them to take a break from all the pressures outside of camp. - DEI Officer Stenhouse: Are there comparable programs? o Supervisor Cullinan: Not very many. This is the only one framed this way. Full of Fun is the only program running like this. o Manager Armanino: San Carlos has a program but is run differently. A couple of kids bounce around programs. We’re mindful of programming so campers don’t have to choose between programs. - Commissioner Yee: Is there a day at the venue where there is a specific day for a specific audience? o Manager Armanino: San Mateo County fair does. They open it up to families of kids with special needs, and it’s free. o Supervisor Cullinan: We have brought our campers there on a free day before. - DEI Officer Stenhouse: Can you speak to the ranges of the different needs of the kids? o Supervisor Cullinan: We have campers who are non-verbal, some who will talk your ear off, some who have physical limitations, some are high-functioning, some need more assistance. We have one requirement: must be self-sufficient in using the bathroom. We have a wide range of abilities in this program. o Manager Armanino: We ask that they be free of aggressive behaviors because we have volunteers working with them. o Supervisor Cullinan: If we do have any issues, they get addressed. - DEI Officer Stenhouse: How can commissioners help support the program and be advocates for the program? o Manager Armanino: Encourage families to go. Come see the program for yourself, firsthand. Speak to trust for families to hand children over. o Supervisor Cullinan: We’d love to have you guys come to upcoming Nights of Fun. o DEI Officer Stenhouse: Every time I’m around the group, they call me by name. It warms my heart to see the joy. Speaks to the level of leadership and dedicated staff within the program. o Supervisor Cullinan: All staff were former volunteers. o Manager Armanino: Over 90% of volunteers have never worked with this group. o Supervisor Cullinan: It’s a great learning opportunity for volunteers. - DEI Officer Stenhouse: Nights of Fun, primarily email communications? Send flyers and invites. What’s the next one? o Supervisor Cullinan: September. Next one we’re thinking bowling or swim night. - Commissioner Yee: What’s your radius of trips? o Supervisor Cullinan: Nights of Fun are within South City. Field trips can be anywhere. 3. Discussion on whether to present an update to City Council regarding various jurisdictions practicing mental health crisis response models. - DEI Officer Stenhouse: There was a conversation about potentially presenting to Council an update on Gardner Center reports. A report has been given to Council from PD on Gardner Center. Do we have an informational update on different municipalities? It feels like the Commission has been strong advocates for the clinician mental health program. Would that presentation be worth it, or a variation of the presentation? - Commissioner Yee: A variation as long as it’s of value. - Chief Campbell: Sept/Oct there should be a new report. - Vice Chair Junio: Did you touch on this last session? - DEI Officer Stenhouse: Two months ago, let’s refine the presentation. A month ago, question of what is the value of this? Krystle initially intended for internal eyes only. As far as potential report to Council, that would center around Gardner. Is that the presentation we provide, or do we revise the report? Budget approval is around the corner. Is there value in bringing it up before then? - Commissioner Yee: The report specific to South City, how can we get it? - DEI Officer Stenhouse: It’s public. I can forward. Do we see value in presenting background knowledge? Amy was advocating the findings from reports. If the City wants to advocate for this program, is there another way to do that? Does the Commission want to show support? - Commissioner Sanders: Can we just send a statement, letter, or document, as opposed to showing up to present? - DEI Officer Stenhouse: If that’s the case, I would recommend a subcommittee. - Vice Chair Junio: What is the Council expecting of us? I’m still in this gray area. - DEI Officer Stenhouse: They’re not expecting anything. This would just be the Commission being publicly, overtly supporting the program. - Commissioner Yee: We need to show that. We have to be out there, be the voice of the people. It’s important. This is very clear an opportunity to advocate, to represent the people. - DEI Officer Stenhouse: Hopefully within a month we’ll receive the 3rd report. Perhaps what the presentation would look like is a fusion of the Gardner report (combination of 4 cities) applied with the report provided by PD (about SSF). Side by side comparison of stats/data. Identify benefits. Of the organizations participating in program including SSF, 4 other models can be included. Additional resources. - Commissioner Yee: We’re almost a year out. How long are we going to…? - DEI Officer Stenhouse: These are summaries you have received. Presentations included information not in the summaries. Might be worth it to reference videos on City website. You can sit on it for another month if you want to. Goal is to express advocacy for the program. There are potential opportunities to advocate for yourself and the commission at upcoming events. If you want to have a table at Farmers’ Market, that is an opportunity to think about. No need to vote or motion right now, these are considerations to take. - Commissioner Yee: If we’re to present, what’s the date? - DEI Officer Stenhouse: Not September. No specific date. Recommend before the year is over. Things change as holidays approach. - Commissioner Yee: What do we do? What’s the decision? I’m not clear. - DEI Officer Stenhouse: Consider if so, how to advocate for the program at a public setting at Council? Nothing to be decided right now. What’s the Commission’s way to advocate for the program, considering the reports that have been sent? You’ll get a report from PD, you’ll receive within the next month the 3rd report. Final report will be in March. Question is how to use the reports? Does it make sense to incorporate them in how we advocate for the program? - Commissioner Yee: As a group, do we want to present to Council? What do each of you think? - DEI Officer Stenhouse: Question 1, do you want to advocate for the program? - Commissioner Perez: Yes. - Vice Chair Junio: Yea. - Commissioner Sanders: It goes without saying. - DEI Officer Stenhouse: Question 2, do you want to advocate for the program in a public setting? - Vice Chair Junio: I think you’ve made it clear we should do that. - Commissioner Sanders: I think we discussed this before. We decided that we will go in this direction. - DEI Officer Stenhouse: Before it was mental health crisis comparison. Then Krystle thought report/presentation was for internal eyes. - Commissioner Yee: You (Vice Chair Junio) said you were shot down before, how do you feel about where we are in the process now? - Vice Chair Junio: I still want to go before Council. We should do it in a public setting, have our voices heard, our faces seen. It’s just not clear to me, what we’re presenting. I don’t want to look foolish. They have expectations, I would like to meet those expectations. Getting all 7 of us here has been a challenge. Hopefully, we can nail this down and go to Council. - Commissioner Sanders: I come to the meetings thinking we’ll come up with something to present. We haven’t done that yet. It’s now August. - Vice Chair Junio: Like a special meeting? - Commissioner Sanders: Yes, more than one. - DEI Officer Stenhouse: I’m not expecting a 3rd report before our next meeting. - Commissioner Sanders: So, there’s no way we’ll have all the information to present? - DEI Officer Stenhouse: We’re getting a report in September, but will we get it by the 3rd Monday? - Commissioner Yee: An option, we can do a special meeting. - Vice Chair Junio: I like the idea of a subcommittee. - DEI Officer Stenhouse: We can have a subcommittee for the report, one for the presentation. Maybe there is a special meeting where we can all come together by October. The report can come from me. The presentation would be where you would all be alignment on. - Chief Campbell: Council is anxious to see data, we’ve been hesitant to release. We’ll have new data points over the next month. We may do a joint presentation. We can do the data, you guys can make recommendations based on the data or give options based on SSF. - Commissioner Perez: Even when we don’t have the data, it’s interesting. What it looks like with/out clinician. - Chief Campbell: We can let you know when/days our clinician was out. - Commissioner Yee: That is valuable data. I appreciate the tag team. - Chief Campbell: We’re just presenting the facts. You guys present what you think is best for SSF. - DEI Officer Stenhouse: PD will be presenting specifically for SSF. It’s up to the commission to connect data points with Gardner Center. - Commissioner Perez: At Council meeting, we’re not saying we’re advocating for the program and these are the things we would modify? We’re not at that stage yet? - DEI Officer Stenhouse: It’s a favorable program. The numbers speak for themselves. - Commissioner Yee: We can comment on what we’re seeing at this point. - Commissioner Sanders: You mentioned a march report. - DEI Officer Stenhouse: Yes, there’s a march report but we don’t want to wait that long. There’s financial support coming from outside the City. Showing support goes a long way. Half of the budget, if not more, is coming from the County. The current budget is not going to support what we’re currently seeing. We would like to see some type of extension of the program. - Commissioner Yee: We’re not built for financial analysis or projections. - DEI Officer Stenhouse: We’re not. We are presenting facts. - Vice Chair Junio: Just the benefits. - Commissioner Perez: I suggest for next meeting we all come with suggestions for what to present to Council. - DEI Officer Stenhouse: I’ll send the 2 previous reports. - Commissioner Yee: Are we also thinking by the end of the next session we’ll have a decision on what the presentation looks like? - DEI Officer Stenhouse: That depends if everybody does their homework. The September report may or may not be included. Let’s look to focus on what this would look like. - Commissioner Yee: Anything we’re missing? - Commissioner Delgadillo: I think what’s important is the Gardner Center data and PD data. I’ll do my homework. - DEI Officer Stenhouse: I’ve watched the videos. We’re at the point, are we doing this or not? Commission can advocate for itself. - Commissioner Sanders: What does it take to do that? - DEI Officer Stenhouse: Farmers’ Market as an example: it’s common for organizations to show up knowing people are walking for hours, put up a canopy and table, include knickknacks or flyers to promote what the group is about. For people who walk by to see the message. Opportunity to strike up conversation with the public. - Commissioner Sanders: What would it take for us to do that? Do we need a banner? - DEI Officer Stenhouse: If the commission is interested in tabling, there are a lot of upcoming events. - Commissioner Sanders: Can I motion to have us do something? - DEI Officer Stenhouse: October 28 is LPR opening. - Commissioner Yee: I think that is a key one, a big one, a can’t miss. Banner, we do not need anything big. It can be simple. - Commissioner Sanders: We need consistent things to say. - Commissioner Yee: That I agree with you. Are there any organization who have experience we can tap on shoulders? - DEI Officer Stenhouse: There are other equity commissions. Yes. - Commissioner Yee: How connected are we with other commissions/organizations? - DEI Officer Stenhouse: There are other cities/municipalities in terms of equity. Connecting with them would not be a difficult task. - Commissioner Yee: I was thinking internally, other South City organizations, but I appreciate you bringing that up. - DEI Officer Stenhouse: There are a number of resources we can tap into. It’s very easy to reach out to other equity officers. Question is, how to keep you in the loop? These questions are not unique to this commission. I’m happy to ask. ITEMS FROM BOARD MEMBERS, COMMISSIONERS, COMMITTEE MEMBERS There were no items from the Commission. ADJOURNMENT Vice Chair Junio motioned to adjourn the meeting, and the motion was seconded by Commissioner Perez at 7:58pm.